Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep ruby in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.

Beautiful nose of black plums, black cherries, black currants, cedar, light vanilla, eucalyptus, tobacco, spices, black pepper, herbs and light cola.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, light vanilla, herbs, tobacco, Indian spices, black pepper and light pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This 15 year old is drinking beautifully right out of the bottle. Elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced and soft.

Peaking now and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

So enjoyable by itself. Smooth and delicate. Rich, but not 'in your face' kind of wine. A gorgeous wine.

Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.

Wine Enthusiasts 95 points. Wine Advocate 95 points.

I paired it with grilled Lamb Loin Chops.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

$300.

A rich ruby red. Plummy dusty notes. A slight barnyard manure note. Pipe Tobacco, dark chocolate. Medium plus bodied palate. Smooth supple fine tannins. Part of the Moueix stable. Someone wrote “a feminine counterpoint to Petrus”. Haven’t had enough of either Cuvée to verify that. A wonderful expression of right bank Merlot from a great vintage. 70% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc. Only 1500 cases made.

Iron blood red tart cherry minerality crushed stone lavender dust spearmint aspirin mint. Well balanced. Med+ acid and integrated tannins.

Medicinal aspirin, tart blueberry, tart red cherry, fresh red bell pepper. High acid, med tannins.

Dense plush plum fruit. Raspberry and plasticine on the nose with violet and black cherry on the palate and a hint of spice as it tails into a long finish. Lovely texture to the palate.

Pretty nose- plum, violet, dark cherry. Supple and rounded with a silky texture. Good stuff

The 2017 Hosanna was one of my favourite crus from Ets J-P Moueix from barrel. Now in bottle, it remains a delightful Pomerol. It has a generous and beautifully defined bouquet with ample red cherry, crushed strawberry and light black truffle aromas that are actually reminiscent of Bélair-Monange. The palate is medium-bodied but denser, thicker than its peers. There is real substance to this Hosanna that puts the relatively lightweight Certan-de-May in its place. It shows good grip with a saline finish. This is a deeply impressive Hosanna. Rejoice! (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)

The 1999 Hosanna is a wine that I have not tasted for some 15 years. It is now showing some bricking on the rim, and the bouquet is fully mature with ferrous red fruit that lack a little definition and vigor. The medium-bodied palate offers earthy red fruit mixed with iron filings, chestnut and black pepper. It is rustic compared to recent vintages, but charming. That said, I would not cellar this Pomerol for too much longer. Tasted at the offices of JP Moueix in Libourne. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2019)

At the Pomerol Dinner we then had 3 vintages of Chateau Hosanna starting with the 1999. 70% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc. Only 4.5 hectares with some famous neighbours - Lafleur to the north; Petrus to the east; La Fleur-Petrus to the west; and Vieux Chateau Certan to the south. This 1999 was the first vintage made under the Hosanna name. Earthy with a touch of wet nappy. On the palate plump and round with supple tannins.

Drinking fantastic! Chocolate, leather and super easy drinking