Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend

It’s been open only about 15 minutes but already the nose is delivering with complex scents of gravel, iodine, rich green tobacco, foresty underbrush, plums, a whiff of peach. In the mouth, it’s more youthful than the color indicates. Plenty of tannin (medium-soft) left to resolve. Lots of gravelly minerality and savory flavors. Fruit submerged for now but you can sense it lurking. Nice length. Very nice now but should be better in 3-5 years.

UPDATE: After almost 2 hours of air, the fruit is showing up on the palate and the tannins are receding.

Drank 3/4/23

Plum, blackberry, and a bit of graphite and cedar on the nose. Flavors are similar. Tannins medium plus with dark fruit on the long finish. Drinkable now, but will likely improve over the next 10-15 years.

3/22/9/4/4 +50 = 92 pts.

2019 vintage. Co-owned by Stephan von Neipperg ( La Mondotte and Canon La Gaffelière). 50 % Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc. Slightly jammy red and black fruit, intertwined with smokey oak and spices. Good concentration and velvety mouthfeel with a spicy finish. Not as profound as the excellent 2018, but a very attractive wine. One wonders why one can find it at dumping prices in my local hypermarket. Abv. 14,5%.

2018 vintage. Co-owned by Stephan von Neipperg (La Mondotte and Canon La Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion). A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. Very attractive nose with black cherries, blackberries and strawberry marmelade, mixed with smokey oak and Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, with concentrated black fruit, smooth tannin and great spicy length. Super sexy hedonistic Bordeaux. Amazing value too. Highly recommended.

This is the Clos Marsalette white.

Bosc pear with smoke. Stony white chalk. Golden apple and lemon water. Edible Orchid, pure lemon juice with a tinge of lemon oil. Half-dry tangerine, white grapefruit and pith.

Absolutely loving this. Coffee, graphite, herbs, and a mix of red and black fruit. What makes this special though is the smoke. Gives off a continuous smoldering savoriness that's irresistable. Parker calls it "spicy barbecue notes" and Molesworth nails it with "lively mesquite."

Deep black color with glint of dark purple. Nose of dried blackberries slathered on a stone. Plush blackberry jam palate with pine smoke. Medium bodied, but texturally rich. Pleasant lingering finish. You can enjoy it now, but it's about four years from being seriously good. $45 Retail

Opens with rich brandies fruits, sans the glycerin of full fledged Christmas fruitcake. Continue with smoky fruit and herbs, cedar tobacco and saddle leather. A delicious interplay of rich fruit and hedonistic savory notes, and silky tannins.

Lusy textured with complex flavours of Xmas spice, smoke, herbs, cedar, cassis, and irony mineral notes. Medium-bodied and drinking nicely now but will keep another 5-8 years.