Bob McDonald

9.1

See previous notes on Delectable in 2023. The Rayner vineyard in McLaren Vale is regarded as one of the best vineyards for Grenache in Australia. Raspberry aromatics comes through on the palate, typical of Australian Grenache….also cherry Barb thought. With air the palate intensity grew. Jujubey confectionery notes. Sourced from a tiny 0.7 hectare block of 48 year old Grenache vines. Only 210 dozen made. Great value at only $34 AUD for such a small production. My last bottle. — 4 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Pepper and spice and all things nice as the saying goes as well as a violet note. Very youthful at 10 years of age. The following night a blackcurrant peppery note. Good persistence and length on the medium bodied palate. Tom Carson, the owner and winemaker of Serrat (a Catalonian word meaning close planting - in this case 8800 vines per hectare - one bottle of wine per vine). Tom is also the chief winemaker at Yabby Lake and an in demand Show Judge with a very good palate - Serrat is his private venture with French wife, Nadege. They also import a small excellent range of Burgundy. — 10 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

1990 vintage. An under the radar Pomerol, bought in 1961 by the grandfather of current owner Nathalie Despagne. He also owned La Tour Figeac in Saint-Emilion and La Rose Figeac is just across the Saint-Emilion border. The 4,56 hectare vineyard consists of 9 parcels (all within 500 m of each other) on gravelly sandy soils and is planted with Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc. My bottle had a near-perfect level and as the smell was a bit musty upon opening, but there was still good fruit in the mouth and the colour looked very solid, I took the risk to decant it. It turned out to be a wise decision as the wine evolved positively, even if the tannins remained a bit rustic. On the other hand it still has lively fruit and freshness, it is a testimony to the ageing potential of Bordeaux wines and an attractive food wine. Abv. 12,8% . — 2 years ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.7

Tasted & immediately looked up what I had bought, $50.00 but so worth it.
K&L notes,

This is no cheap rosé, it's true. But consider, for a minute, that this is no simple quaffer of a pink wine. It hails from Palette, one of the smallest appellations in all of France. It is, in a sense, a sort of Provençal monopole, since Château Palette owns nearly all the acreage in this tiny 23-hectare zone. Their vines are old, too. In some cases, more than 100 years old. The red grapes are the usual suspects for this part of France: Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah with small amounts of Cinsault, Carignane, and other local varieties. But at Simone, they translate into a rosé unlike any other. We're talking power here, and a certain something serious. The rosé is fermented in small foudres and is then racked into barriques and left on the lees until the following spring. Rich with raspberries and herbs, this mouth-filling rosé holds onto its natural acidity, as it does not undergo malolactic fermentation thanks to the very cool cellars of this historic chateau. This wine costs as much as many reds. Fortunately, it has the concentration and complexity to go along with the price. Serve it with serious food and be prepared to broaden your appreciation of what rosé can be.
Related items click to collapse contents
— 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The Reserve is made from 5 rows of vines in the centre of the closely spaced (9000 vines per hectare) north east facing vineyard planted on silky loam. The unfiltered Reserve is matured for 20 months in new Alliers oak. Regarding colour this is mid crimson with tawny notes. A stunning nose - a red fruited perfume (cherry) with loamy Sous Bois notes (compost heap). Those aromatics translate to the medium bodied palate finishing with fine silky tannins. Very Bass Phillip. Obviously in the conversation regarding the best Pinot Noir in Australia. I would give the mantle to the BP Reserve. It should be for the price. One should not approach a BP Reserve under 10 years of age. This is of top 1er Cru and Grand Cru standard. — 3 months ago

Martinez

9.0

Riesling from less than one hectare on a hillside overlooking the village of Riquewihr, Andrée Trapet’s hometown. Like all their holdings in the Côte de Nuits, all plots here are farmed biodynamically. Fermented in tank, aged for 10 months in neutral oak barrels and concrete eggs. Elegant, precise nose with citrus, floral and stony notes. Dry, pure, quite refined. Nice tension, subtle minerality — 2 years ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.5

Not the team’s I wanted to see, so I’ll just stick to the basics. Went well with some A5 coffee crusted New York Strip, the steak 🥩 is so rich you don’t want to waste it on a fruity wine

The 2010 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is situated on deep gravel deposits in the Macau and Ludon villages of the appellation and has 9,600 vines per hectare.

Vinious 93 The 2010 Cantemerle is vigorous and open on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit with cedar and humidor scents. I admire the focus and detail. The palate is rounded in texture on the entry. This is a plumper, richer, more fruit-driven 2010 with a lush finish on the context of the growing season. You could broach this now, although I would prefer to leave it another three or four years. This is another excellent wine and candidate for most over-performing cru this vintage. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. — 2 years ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.2

Well stored bottle, No problems whatsoever Dark web info, Chateau Lalande Borie is a relatively new estate in the Medoc. The vineyard was initially created when the Borie family purchased 18 hectares of vines from Chateau Lagrange in 1970. To that, they added 12 more hectares of vines from various other growers, some of which needed planting.

Things changed with the 2018 vintage when the estate was renamed Le Petit Ducru.

Chateau Lalande Borie Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 25-hectare, Left Bank vineyard is planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel and clay soils. The clay in the soil is part of the reason that today, you find more Merlot in the vineyard. Previously the Cabernet Sauvignon occupied 65% of the vineyard makeup.

The vineyard is well placed in the western part of the St. Julien appellation. It is situated inland, not too far from Chateau Lagrange, Chateau Talbot, and Chateau Gruaud Larose. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 8,500 vines per hectare.


Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/chateau-lalande-borie-st-julien-bordeaux-wine/ — 8 months ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.5

A steal on auction
I wouldn’t consider it a 🥩 wine but great with charcuterie
Web info
Chateau Valandraud is represented by the passion of a couple: Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Following the great success with the wine merchant business in Saint Emilion, they opened their own vineyard to produce their own wine.
In 1989, they bought a small parcel of 0.6 hectare (1.48 acres) located in a small valley near Saint Emilion between Pavie-Macquin and La Clotte. The origin of the wine name is as much geographic (Val: Vallon de Fongaban), as sentimental (Andraud: Murielle’s maiden name). Thus Chateau Valandraud was born.
Little by little, Jean-Luc and his wife purchased several other parcels of vines, and now, the domain represents a total surface of 10 hectares (24.71 acres), located in various areas of Saint Emilion. The diversity of soils and varietals permit the production of 6 different wines: Chateau Valandraud, Chateau Valandraud Casher, Virginie de Valandraud and the 3 de Valandraud (the second wine of Chateau Valandraud and Virginie de Valandraud), Blanc de Valandraud N° 1 and N° 2.
The final blending of the various parcels occurs in the month of March, following a blind tasting with the help of the world famous oenologist, Michel Rolland. — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

My first of 7 bottles from the 2015 vintage and the ultra close planted Issan vineyard of 5 Hectares planted 9000 vines per Hectare. Rich red fruits with bunchy earthy notes. Not quite as impressive as the 2013 vintage (see previous Delectable notes) which Philip Jones called a freak wine. Medium to full bodied. Lots of fine tannins. Have the remaining bottles every year for the next 6 years. — 2 years ago