Tag Archives: Bordeaux

Wine of the Day: Chateau d’Arcole Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 5-28-16

Chateau d’Arcole, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $29 special

My palate exercised by a cellar-worthy 2010 Sociando-Mallet, I relaxed with the first sip of 2009 Château d’Arcole. The former Bordeaux, a deep Cabernet, was still quite young; the latter, a soft Merlot, drank smoothly till all was gone. Both years were outstanding, but sometimes life calls for a fleshy, rounded St. Emilion, full of plum and spice, like Château d’Arcole.

The name comes from a Napoleonic battle, the grapes (70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) from the château’s 300-year-old vineyard, which has never been bombarded by synthetic chemicals. The wine, certified organic, receives the dignified attention of Château d’Arcole’s Grand Cru status: Rotating stainless fermentation vats, gravity pumping, no filtration, not too much new oak.… Read the rest

Chateau Margaux Bordeaux 2009

Chateau Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux 2009 750ML ($1,199.95) Buy Now: $999 special

Robert Parker 99 points “A brilliant offering from the Mentzelopoulos family, once again their gifted manager, Paul Pontallier, has produced an uncommonly concentrated, powerful 2009 Chateau Margaux made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with most Medocs, the alcohol here is actually lower (a modest 13.3%) than most of its siblings-. Abundant blueberry, cassis and acacia flower as well as hints of charcoal and forest floor aromas that are almost Burgundian in their complexity are followed by a wine displaying sweet, well-integrated tannins as well as a certain ethereal lightness despite the wine’s overall size. Rich, round, generous and unusually approachable for such a young Margaux, this 2009 should drink well for 30-35+ years.”… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Chateau Auney L’Hermitage Rouge 2011 4-17-16

Chateau Auney L’Hermitage ‘L’Hermitage Rouge’, Graves 2011 ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

Why we love it: Just enough earthiness and rusticity to keep you engaged but not so much to overwhelm. With a nice beef stew, this would really shine. More medium-bodied and restrained than I’m used to, with a very intriguing cranberry-licorice-tobacco-mint flavor composite. – Tyler

Importer note: “Known as Chateau Le Chec until 2012, when its long-time owners changed the name to Auney l’Hermitage, the estate is run by Sylvie and Christien Auney. 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec. Aged for 15 months in a mix of new and old oak.”… Read the rest

Bordeaux – Chateau La Clemence Pomerol

July 2013

After meeting in viticulture classes in the 1970’s, Christian Dauriac and Michel Rolland both went into the wine business in their own way. In 1996, Michel suggested La Clemence to Christian. It would take faith to turn around this plot of land that had lain uncared for for years, but Christian took the leap. Several years of work went into cleaning up La Clemence, six plots of vines divided between Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The crowning moment was in 2000, when they constructed their massive circular cellar in the middle of the vineyard. The design celebrates the Pomerol terroir, the walls decorated with the three kinds of soil present in the winery, red iron soil, blue clay, and white sand.… Read the rest