The Clyde
Château Citran
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1996
Château Verdignan
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
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. — 5 years ago
Château Potensac
Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2007
For me, there are a lot stories associated with this little brother to Leoville Las Cases. Made by the same technical team, but certainly a different terroir.
Older vintages that were brought in by Clyde Beffa at K&L Wine Merchants kept me from opening my more expensive-younger Bordeaux in my collection. Starting w/ the 97 vintage well after its original release, I believe they sold through two lots of 5,000 cases over different years. A vintage crushed by critics. But with some long time cellar, value & quality. Magic!
This has always shown me QPR and to be a great fatty steak wine- Ribeye or Ribcap.
The 2007 Bordeaux vintage, critically not well reviewed. With basically 16 yrs plus in bottle, more special.
This has really come around and still ascending. Ripe, elegant, lush; dark currents, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry skin, black plum skin, poached strawberries, black, rich, turned earth with dry leaves, moist & dry clays, graphite, tobacco w/ ash, slightly used leather, dry river stone, limestone minerals, dry top soil, pepper, some sweet tarriness, mix of fresh & dry herbs, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & understated vanillin, dry, withering, dark & red florals, nice acidity with good tension, structure, finally balanced & elegant finish that lands squarely on soften earthiness, some spice and lasts two-minutes.
This still has 15 years plus of life ahead.
Paired with Costco Prime Ribcaps. — 3 months ago
Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé Red Bordeaux Blend 2012
Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.
The 2012 is living up to its reviews. It’s good & well priced. The dark fruits are ripe, juicy, cola notes, menthol, dark, moist, turned earth. Drinking nicely now but, still a hold for another 5 years plus.
Served with Coq au Vin. Baby Carrots, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions & Red Wine Sauce. Mathilde French Bistro
Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing & dinner guests. — 6 years ago
Conecuh Ridge
Clyde May's Straight Bourbon Whisky 1946
Grey Stack Rosemarys Block is in Jersey still. For $22.00 its one of the best SB I’ve had, drinks at double the price
Lillian Winery
California Dundee Syrah
Blueberry and vanilla driving Bonnie and Clyde style up to the edge of a cliff — 10 months ago
Kalinda
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
This is K&L Wine Merchants private label wine. Named after family, Kay & Linda.
It is always a mystery who’s juice they bottled or who they bought fruit to and made the wine. Regardless, it always over delivers at $21.99.
Might have waited a couple years too long to get its best. Need to let it settle on palate before sharing more thoughts. Starting a little lean on the palate but, what a floral nose. We’ll see what a longer decant and palate coating brings.
As I mentioned, the nose is singing with ruby, candied florals that are; dark, red, purple & blue. The fruits are a little stewed; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries and blueberries that hover. Mid, soft, dark spice, light baking spices of; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid berry cola, black & red licorice, caramel, dark chocolate, mocha, steeped fruit tea, dark, rich, moist soil with dry leaves, older tobacco, soft leather, saddle-wood, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry, river stones, shades of dry herbs, ambers, touch of savory meats & black pepper, & tomatoes with leaf.
The nose is more captivating than the body. It’s complex but at the same time flatter. The palate shows; ripe, stewed & candied fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries, pomegranate and blueberries on the backend. Mid, soft, dark spice with just the right amount of heat, cherry kirsch, light baking spices of; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid berry cola, black & red licorice, caramel, dark chocolate, mocha, steeped fruit tea, dark, rich, moist soil with dry leaves, older tobacco, soft leather, saddle-wood, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry, river stones, moist to dry clay, shades of dry herbs, ambers, touch of savory meats & black pepper, & tomatoes with leaf. The acidity is a cool Colorado stream. The finish is; well knitted, balanced fruit & earth elegant, lush, despite its complexity, a little hallow yet persisting minutes, falling onto dry soils & spice.
As I stated, still enjoyable but, at its peak two years ago from my secondary storage. However, the longer I sip it, it pushes 9.0 on the long set. Time to start drinking a number of wines I’ve stepped over for bigger experiences & more notable producers.
Photos of, the K&L store in SF, tasting bar & two different photos of K&L Bordeaux Dinners we’ve attended with Owner Clyde Beffa Jr. — 5 years ago
Château Haut-Bailly
La Parde de Haut Bailly Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.
The La Parde is fresh, bright, ripe, dark fruit & easy to drink young. The La Parde will be renamed as Haut-Bailly II with the release of the 2018 vintage. They are also releasing a third wine Haut-Bailly III and a Rosé wine beginning with their 2019 vintage.
Served with Gnocchi a la Parisienne. The best Gnocchi we’ve had outside of Italy @Mathilde French Bistro
Wine will improve 2-3 points with 7-10 more years in bottle.
Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing & dinner guests.
— 6 years ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2013
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
The 13 was a brutal tannin vintage when I tasted it at En Premier. The tannins are still bitty but, nothing like they were out of barrel.
The fruit in the 13 shows the difficulty in the vintage. They are duller and it’s really stands out from other vintages and not in a good way.
It’s lean and there is nothing that really draws you in. Fruits are; dark cherries, rhubarb, blackberries, some blueberries@and the strawberries show some ripeness the other do not. Lots of dry earth, dry stones, some herbs, dark withering florals, decent acidity and a uneventful dry finish.
Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
This 96 Citran seriously over delivers @Cole’s Chop House Napa. Bought this 8 months or so ago for $39.99 at K&L. Clyde has brought in another grand slam value -golden gem.
Previous notes apply. Nearly 94 with the Cowboy Bone-in Ribeye. The Cowboy is their best steak and the only one I order.
I am mostly disappointed in most steakhouse recommendations or read, not Cole’s. — 2 months ago