Denis Durantou
Château Montlandrie Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeauix Blend
Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France
Tasted on opening - quite inviting on the nose, but impenetrable on the palate with a wall of tannins but promising fruit. After a two hour decant, the wine showed reasonably well on the first night. Dense colour and quite large profile.
Two days later - the nose is really open for business! A gorgeous medley of steeped blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. The palate is denser still, and in fact quite dominated by oak at this stage, as well as a pronounced sense of coffee. But the fruit is there, along with chalky minerality, quite bolshy tannins and good acidity. The use of new oak here (40%) is quite apparent now, but could well benefit the wine in the long run. This seems quite a rustic wine and provided a superb match for a rump steak on the evening. I’m intrigued to see how this develops - I’ll look forward to trying another in 3/4 years’ time.
Tasted on opening - quite inviting on the nose, but impenetrable on the palate with a wall of tannins but promising fruit. After a two hour decant, the wine showed reasonably well on the first night. Dense colour and quite large profile.
Two days later - the nose is really open for business! A gorgeous medley of steeped blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. The palate is denser still, and in fact quite dominated by oak at this stage, as well as a pronounced sense of coffee. But the fruit is there, along with chalky minerality, quite bolshy tannins and good acidity. The use of new oak here (40%) is quite apparent now, but could well benefit the wine in the long run. This seems quite a rustic wine and provided a superb match for a rump steak on the evening. I’m intrigued to see how this develops - I’ll look forward to trying another in 3/4 years’ time.
No formal notes. But this was actually really good.
No formal notes. But this was actually really good.
Feb 6th, 2024Great right out of the bottle. If it improves I will be even more impressed. Time to tag the wife.
Great right out of the bottle. If it improves I will be even more impressed. Time to tag the wife.
Jan 16th, 2023
Great structure. Finish is slightly too hot and needed hours in the decanter to become more cohesive. Fruit is ripe, but balanced.
Great structure. Finish is slightly too hot and needed hours in the decanter to become more cohesive. Fruit is ripe, but balanced.
May 1st, 2021
Might be much better in a few years, but we had a 2014 (five years old) and it was still pretty tight and tannic. With a cognac and mustard beef stew.
Might be much better in a few years, but we had a 2014 (five years old) and it was still pretty tight and tannic. With a cognac and mustard beef stew.
Jan 14th, 2019
Tight as can be, opened a bottle to taste of the case I bought. Will be epic in ten years
Tight as can be, opened a bottle to taste of the case I bought. Will be epic in ten years
Dec 26th, 2018
5/29/23: 29ws
T: very dry
D: light cherry, but nothing pronounced. Slight goat cheese notes.
5/29/23: 29ws
T: very dry
D: light cherry, but nothing pronounced. Slight goat cheese notes.
2/17/23: 29W
T: earthy, tannic, bricks
D: tobacco leaves, bricks. T didn’t taste tobacco leaves at first, but without food tasted them.
2/17/23: 29W
T: earthy, tannic, bricks
D: tobacco leaves, bricks. T didn’t taste tobacco leaves at first, but without food tasted them.
Strong tannin. Dry. Not very aromatic but OK long after taste. Hint of plum. Peppery. Decanted for 30 minutes and started to open up
Strong tannin. Dry. Not very aromatic but OK long after taste. Hint of plum. Peppery. Decanted for 30 minutes and started to open up
Jun 28th, 2020