Maitri

9.1

We need more of this! — a month ago

with Mike

Angela

9.7

Opened an Erica and Mike at home on my bday - yum! — 2 years ago

Peter Zandbergen

9.4

19.20.21
Felt privileged to get an early taste of this hidden gem at a Thienpont tasting. Served from magnums. Too young, obviously, to show it's full potential. — 4 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

8.9

The poor man’s Chateau Le Pin, new property by J Thienpont and 2016 is first vintage. Really good and elegant merlot with a dollop of cab franc. Fresh and balanced, hints fo dark fruits and flowers, dar and red fruits, very polished tannins. Great deal at this price point. Drink or hold. — 5 years ago

with Adriana

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Felt it was a good ten year in bottle check on the 08 Pavie Macquin. I wasn’t expecting the wine to blow my hair back but, I expected a little something better.

The 2008 Bordeaux growing season was one of difficult weather through August. Then, grand weather in September & October saved the vintage. Well...with this one, it likely made a bad vintage into just a good one.

The nose reveals classic Merlot based nose, nice Claret. The fruits are ripe, slightly ruby & candied but, a little dull. Blackberries, black raspberries, baked, dark cherries, black raspberries & stewed strawberries. Dark fruit cola, vanilla, black licorice, dark, rich earth, stones, touch leather, cinnamon stick, some graphite, light herbal quality with candied dark, red, & a touch fresh of blue florals framed in violets.

The body is just full & very velvety. The tension & structure are a little soft. The balance is good as is the length. However as it continues on the palate is just never pops. In fact, leaner & somewhat hollow. It lacks depth & complexity. The fruits are ripe, slightly ruby & candied but, a little dull. Blackberries, black raspberries, baked, dark cherries, black raspberries & stewed strawberries. Dark fruit cola, vanilla, black licorice, dark, rich earth, stones, soft, velvety leather, cinnamon stick, some graphite, light herbal quality with candied dark, red, & a touch fresh of blue florals framed in violets. The acidity is really nice, fresh. The finish is, soft, elegant, the same wire to wire but, just never dazzles.

I am afraid this is not showing any signs of being in a dumb phase. Nor, is it showing any earmarks that it is going to improve, just evolve.

Photos of; Chateau Pavie Macquin, signage tell you are close, Winemaker - Nicolas Thienpont & their barrel room. — 6 years ago

Db

9.2

Excellent old world — 9 years ago

Kathy Olsem

9.4

Nuce6, inexpensive Bordeaux. — 9 years ago

Ming L

9.2

One of the Thienpont “treelogy” (along with Le Pin and L’Hêtre), this L’if from the weak 2013 vintage highlights finesse, freshness, and soft tannins rather than fruits and depth. Notes of red currant, cranberry, licorice with a distinct rusty iron, mineral edge. The medium body is elegant and finely etched, with brisk acidity and silky texture. Mineral echoes on the long finish.

100% Merlot. — 5 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.8

The 2019 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 23 after light showers the previous day. "We dared to add some Cabernet Sauvignon in 2019, which gives complexity," Alexandre Thienpont remarks, "but the Cabernet was 'killed' in 2020." It has a much more discrete bouquet than the 2018, unfolding with truffle-tinged black fruit. There are fewer marmalade scents than I noticed a couple of years ago, but there is absolutely stunning delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, like a cousin of the superlative 2016 in many ways, but it may be silkier towards the finish. Elegant yet paradoxically intense, this is VCC at full flight. And it's only on its opening pages! Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
— 2 years ago

Lyndsey Wegner

9.0

Easy drinking Bordeaux that went great with our French food, from Escargot and Duck Confit Tacos, to Chicken Dijonnaise and Scallops. It felt lighter and brighter with notes of plum and dark berries, tannins softened by acidity, slight earth with a chocolate finish. — 5 years ago

Ken Z

8.9

Drank 10/13/20.
Nose on the light to medium side with plum, gravel, and fig. Black fruit and soil dominate the palate. Tannins mostly resolved at this stage. Finish is dry and falls off a bit quickly. Drink up, as this will not improve further.
3/21/8/4/3 +50 = 89 pts. — 6 years ago

Jan A

9.2

Base wine from new Jaques Thienpont project L'hetre, also known from Le Pin and L'if. Smooth, easy drinking merlot which is open for business. Cedar and black fruit, leather — 7 years ago

Ian Kenyon

9.0

Lovely boheme with a great rounded start and crisp finish. Great — 8 years ago

Keith Newton

9.5

Lovely richness and finesse — 9 years ago

Kohei Noda

9.0

With Akiyo at home, Tokyo winery. Nice merlot — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I purchased this one in futures, likely in spring of 06 & delivered in late 07 to Spring of 08. Parked in my storage since then.

As it was then, 2005 was a grand vintage as acclaimed by critics. So, that is when you buy some fringe producers. Buy 2nd Bordeaux wines from excellent producers to fringe regions/producers. More often than not, you’ll find really good value as is the case here. $20 on release I think.

Long coravined two separate glasses.

The nose shows a touch of v/a, but nothing offensive. Mostly…it is good old fashion Bordeaux funkiness. There is mushrooms, soft cedar, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum skin, black raspberries, poached strawberries, mid berry cola, anise to licorice, graphite, tobacco, sandalwood, steeped tea, forest florals that are dark and in a violet frame.

The palate shows no sign of being tired. The fruits still fresh, lush, round & ripe; brambly blackberries, blackberries, black plum skin, poached strawberries, raspberry hues, noticeable, moist, grey, volcanic clay, some chocolate pudding, (it is Saint Emilionish), mid berry cola/licorice, dry tobacco, lead pencil, volcanic ash, dry top soils/crushed limestone, dark spice with mid intensity, some black pepper notes, soft, even layered baking spices-clove, hints of nutmeg & cinnamon, understated vanillin, moist herb notes, dark, rich, earth w/ dry leaves, dark, fresh & withering flowers/red roses, rainfall acidity, balance for days, excellent tension-structure-length with en elegant, round finish that lasts 90 seconds and falls on clay & gentle spice.

If stored as I have, will hold a few more yrs and last another 7-8 yrs. You could make a case for 92 here.

Now some history on a producer likely many have not heard of/embraced. From their site:

This Flemish wine merchant family invested since 1924 in the Pomerol vineyard of Vieux Château Certan and in 1920 with Troplong Mondot in Saint-Emilion (sold in 1935).

The following generation, in 1946, George and Monica Thienpont, coming from their natal Flanders, moved into Puygueraud, restored the XVth Century chateau. After a long pause in polyculture, undertook the reconstruction of the vineyard whereby the first vintage would see the day in 1983.

In 1981, Nicolas Thienpont, with his father, engaged in the transition between a production oriented viticulture to one of excellence. Since 1983, the first vintage year mark, this approach has continued.

Since 2009, Nicolas and his son Cyrille Thienpont, have worked hand-in-hand for the crafting of this wine that over the last 30 years has become the flagship of the Francs Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation and a veritable jewel of Bordeaux.

Photos of; Chateau Puygueraud, Director-Owner Cyrille Thienpont.

#DSLounge — 8 months ago

Will Stanley

9.1

Dark and alluring, the 2018 Chateau Alcée from Castillon is a modern, plush Bordeaux from winemaker Nicolas Thienpont. Sporting a sensual nose of boysenberry, plum, anise and black truffle, the palate is supple and generous with rich flavours of dark chocolate and coffee liqueur. The finish is quite dry with a tug of graphite and a touch of heat. I paid £22 for this wine though it’s significantly less expensive en primeur, and I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed with a case in the cellar. — 5 years ago

Noel Lourdes

9.2

This was one Bordeaux’s classic vintage year and the 2005 collection will be memorable. This blend by wine maker Nicolas Thienpont is full bodied and excellent. — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2016 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse has come together beautifully since I last tasted it. Nearly seamless in the glass, the 2016 is rich, unctuous and potent, with all of its elements in the right place. Nothing really sticks out. Instead, I am simply blown away by the wine's intensity, explosive power and overall pedigree. Time in the glass brings out hints of graphite, smoke, cured meats, licorice and dark spices, but it is the wine's balance that is most impressive today. In 2016, Nicolas Thienpont and his team crafted a Beauséjour of mind-boggling intensity and purity. Tasted three times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2019) — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I’m opening my last bottle of the 03 Larcis Ducasse after recently reading a couple of professional write ups about the wines fruit fading and to drink up. I did not find that to be the case w/ my last bottle. I found the wine to be around it’s peak form with another 5 years plus ahead. On the nose; menthol, eucalyptus, ripe; dark cherries, cherries, blackberries, plum, poached & candied strawberries, notes of blue fruits, black raspberries, cherry cola, touch herbaceous; sage & bay leaf, limestone & rich, moist, black, turned earth, crushed dry rocks, graphite, dry soil/clay with dry & fresh dark florals. The body is medium full. Tannins are 75-80% resolved. The length, structure, tension & balance are right where I’d expect them to be and are quite enjoyable. The palate is very similar to the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus, ripe; dark cherries, cherries, blackberries, plum, poached & candied strawberries, notes of blue fruits, black raspberries, cherry cola, touch herbaceous; sage & bay leaf, limestone & rich, moist, black, turned earth, crushed dry rocks, dry & very grippy, edgy minerals, Montecristo cigar, graphite, dry soil/clay with dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is lovely and the long finish is well balanced with an even tug of war between fruit & earth with the dry earth dominate on the long set. Photos of; of their great southern exposed sunny hillside vineyard, the old craved stone entrance and Nicolas Thienpont & Stephane Derenoncourt. Producer notes & history...Chateau Larcis Ducasse began during the days of the ancient Romans, who valued the best hillside vineyards in the area. The early part of the modern era for Larcis Ducasse begins in 1893, when Henri Raba bought the Saint Emilion vineyard. After Henri Raba passed away in 1925, his wife and son Andre Raba continued managing Larcis Ducasse. His niece, Helene Gratiot Alphandery, inherited the property in 1941. She managed Chateau Larcis Ducasse until 1990. Then her son, Jacques-Olivier Gratiot took control of the property after she passed away and he remains in charge today. Chateau Larcis Ducasse remains the property of the Gratiot Alphandery family today. Prior to 2003, it had been years since the wines of Chateau Larcis Ducasse were prized by Bordeaux wine lovers. The wine had fallen out of favor, due to a lack of attention and effort. That changed in 2002 when they hired Saint Emilion consultants, Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt to turn things around and manage the estate. One of the first improvements at the property suggested by them was to create a new drainage system. The next step was to change harvesting practices. Prior to 2002, the grapes were often picked too early and over a very short duration of 2 to 3 days. Now, the harvest takes place when the fruit is ripe and picking can take as long as 2 to 3 weeks. Starting with the 2005 vintage, all work in the vineyards moved to 100% organic farming methods. The 10.85 hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Larcis Ducasse is planted to 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc. This shows a slight change in the vineyard, as more Cabernet Franc has been added to the plantings since 2003. The vineyard is located just around the bend in the road from Chateau Pavie. In fact, their vines but up against each other. They are surrounded by more good producers. To the south, is Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere and La Gaffeliere, and as you move north, Chateau Troplong Mondot and Chateau Pavie. The terroir of Chateau Larcis Ducasse is a mixture of soils. The vines on the top of plateau and the slopes have a south facing exposure. At the higher elevations on the plateau, the terroir is limestone, clay and chalk soils. As you travel further down the slopes towards the terraces, the terroir is a blend of chalky limestone, marl, sand, silt and clay soil. At the base of the slopes, you find sand and clay soils. On average the vines are 35 years of age. While the older plantings were done at a vine density of 6,600 vines per hectare, as the vineyard continues to be slowly replanted, the vine density is increasing with each subsequent replanting. The new plantings are being done at 7,500 vines per hectare. They are also using budwood obtained through selection massale. The yields are kept low at Larcis Ducasse. In 2009, the effective yields were only 25 hectoliters per hectare.To produce the wine of Chateau Larcis Ducasse, the grapes are whole berry fermented. The fruit is transported by gravity flow into traditional, cement tanks for fermentation. Cuvaison takes between 25-28 days. There are no pump overs. Pigeages are conducted during fermentation. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel. The wine of Chateau Larcis Ducasse is then aged in 67% new, French oak barrels, which are mixed in size, between standard barrels and 500 liter French, oak casks. The wine is then aged for an average of 18 to 20 months in barrel before bottling. The production averages close to 4,000 cases depending on what the vintage gives. — 9 years ago