Still & Company
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2011
Dense, complex, still VERY youthful. Graphite, just ripe black currant, it’s a wine with concentration and strength without being overripe and brooding. Balance of alcohol within the structure is perfect. — 24 days ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.
I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.
I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.
It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.
Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”
Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.
The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.
The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.
13.4 ABV. Nice.
#TheTwoHourRibcap
This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later. — a month ago
Krug
Brut Champagne Blend 1988
Light amber. Showing secondary notes- dried apricot, honey, brioche. Good tension still and reasonable fizz. For my palate slightly past the best bottles I’ve had of this — 17 days ago
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995
Aging gracefully. Dark fruited with black cherry, chocolate and tertiary flavors of tobacco and leather. Structure has been worn smooth like an old stone but still intact. Not huge but charming and enjoyable — a month ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
Still tasting fresh and alive at 40 years! Black fruit present along with mushroom, cedar, and vanilla spice. Tannins are softened but still providing a structure for the wine. — a month ago
Andrew McIntyre
Was maybe expecting a bit more from this. Think the bottle might have been just slightly off but still excellent. — 12 days ago