Brian Hearty

9.5

2007. Opened this bottle up earlier this afternoon to have with grilled steaks for dinner… I also oven-roasted a sheet pan of mushrooms with garlic, thyme and a little truffle oil. The temptation from the aromas of roasted mushrooms and a fully aerated Barolo was too much, so we’ll need to find another wine and side dish for the steaks! One of the best wines I’ve had in a while and I’m sad I’ve only got a handful more Barolo in my cellar. — a year ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.6

What a beauty. Full bodied in a generous year. Lemon, oyster shell long saline burn. Too good not to drink now but I will burry the box to resist temptation. What a Chablis !! — 4 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.5

This Special Club bottling from one of Champagne’s leading grower producers is stunning. All grand cru Chardonnay from Oger, it has pinpoint bubbles and aromas and flavors of lemon, green apple, lots of white flower (acacia, especially), bees wax, honey, yellow plum, hawthorn and crushed stone minerality. Exceptionally well balanced acidity and fruit, the wine is dry and elegant with a very long finish. Just beautiful with a long life ahead, but who can resist this temptation for long? — 4 years ago

Jim Chen

9.0

Succumbed to temptation. Oh the fruit. This one needs a few more years, but is another winner. — 5 years ago

Tim L

9.4

Surprise! Still haven’t opened it so rating it is a “hope”…think I may have opened a bottle previously…was too soon but hints of greatness linger. These need 10 yrs+ but I think it’s time...2010 Brunello by a famed better winery…bought in Cortona, Italy, next door town to the Montalcino-Montepuciano twin towns of great Italian wine. Resisting the temptation is like resisting “The Borg”. (A Star Trek reference…where are you Capt’n Kirk?) — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 2018 Bélair-Monange, so impressive out of barrel, delivers now that it finds itself incarcerated by glass. It is endowed with a seriously impressive nose, delivering blackberry and still that faint warm brick/terracotta scent, shaved black truffle and a touch of clove. You could lose yourself completely in this bouquet. The palate has firmed up a little, displaying more backbone than I recall. The dash of cracked black pepper liberally sprinkled over the finish curiously bears similarities to some of the Pomerols this vintage, and the Cabernet Franc feels much more prominent than its 2% contribution to the blend would suggest. I adore this Saint-Émilion and it is going to benefit from 8–10 years in the cellar... if you can resist temptation that long. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021)
— 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Small winery, managed by Doug Shafer. Blend of 90% Cab Sauv, 7% Merlot & 3% Malbec, aged, 20 months, 100% new French oak. Beautiful fruit & floral aromas, hints of savory spice. On the palate cherry & raspberry flavors with oak structure adding pepper, licorice & cacao. Firm tannins, approachable now, long ending with fruit & mineral edge. Had this about 2+ years ago, nice now but more cellaring will only benefit this beauty, if you can resist the temptation. Very Nice! — 3 years ago

Scott Kahn

9.5

For those that dismiss Del Dotto wines - think again! This wine was perfectly ready to drink immediately upon uncorking with a soft, warm vanilla oak surrounding mature dark fruit. The wine’s richness and balance were more like a Haut Brion than a young Napa cab! Still there are tannins that will soften in the cellar, so balance you temptation to empty your collection! — 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Wow. This is about as spectacularly delicious a burgundy as I’ve had.

Nose is the best pure cherry. Cherry lipstick a bit. Flawless. ... an hou in lovely florals.

Palate is perfect. Ripe cherry but bursting with firm cherry brightness. Wow. Hint of cherry licorice. Spice.

So good I could drink a case. I’d die. But it would almost be worth it.

At 40 minutes getting some depth. You will be tempted to guzzle this in the first 20 minutes. It’s that good. But that is the temptation of SATAN and you should resist it. Wait for an hour at least.

Finish has some cranberry.

This is crazy in that it’s so good young but the decanting improvement suggests this could be better than delicious and very very good as it ages.

Bought from fass selections. — 4 years ago