Browse Tag

bordeaux

Du-bour-dieu-be-do

Dubourdieu “Château Graville-Lacoste” 2003 Graves (Bordeaux) – Fat lemon-grapefruit without any mitigating structure or lightening, Some heat on the finish. More like fruit juice than wine; it’s not a fruit bomb, it’s just one-note (or perhaps half of a note) and rather tedious. (1/08)

Peyruguet day

Jolivet “Haut Peyruguet” 2005 Bordeaux Rosé (Bordeaux) – Some of the weedy leafiness that lingers in the background of a complex red Bordeaux is here, but without all the rest of the stuff that makes it pleasant, rather than offputting. Red cherry fruit is sticky and a little over-dulled, while there’s not much that’s refreshing or interesting to add to the mix. (1/08)

Branaire cramp

[label]Château Branaire Duluc-Ducru 1989 St-Julien Beychevelle (Bordeaux) – This requires a long note. Heavy, tobacco and dark fruit skins with chunky oak tannin and walnut skin. Then: green pepper, red pepper…maybe turning to peppercorns (but freshly-cracked). And now, here’s bitter chocolate. There’s no generosity to this wine…it’s hard and severe, and somewhat overly acidic…and yet it’s classic in its own way. The complexity is undeniable, but it’s just no fun. Anyway, that’s the decanted, briefly aired, and then poured note. With extensive airing, however, things change a bit. The pointed acidity still renders the wine a touch sour, but overall matters have softened, with a more balanced nature and the chocolate turning to espresso. Much nicer, though still fairly firm. (9/07)

Rieussec day

Rieussec 2001 Sauternes (Bordeaux) – From 375 ml. Sweet. Very, very sweet. Plus: compelling oak spice, baking spices, butterscotch, candied orange, and a medium-long, dusty finish. I’m not a huge fan of young Sauternes, but this seems to have serious potential. (10/07)

Henri

Dubourdieu “Château Graville-Lacoste” 2005 Graves (Bordeaux) – Restrained, showing less fruit than any vintage within memory, but with a long, piercing crispness on the finish. I don’t think it’s damaged in any way, I just think it’s still too wound-up and youthful to judge. There’s a hint of green apple lingering about. (8/07)

A (Kir)wan effort

Schröder & Schÿler 2006 “Le Rosé de Kirwan” (Bordeaux) – Simple, dryly syrupy cherries with a dulling lack of structure. Better for Shirley Temples and other kiddie drinks than as a wine. (8/07)

TN: Sauternes, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodnight

[grapes]Meslier “Château Raymond-Lafon” 2002 Sauternes (Bordeaux) – I don’t generally like seeing Sauternes (and similar wines) in lineups of higher-acid sweet wines, as I think it’s to their detriment. So I go back to reds for a while, trying to chase the Mosel acidity out of my mouth, and I think it helps. This is silky, coating and then sheathing the palate with tangerine and papaya, then evaporating in a blissful memory of tropicality. The acidity is on the low side (though perhaps not within its peer group), but the wine feels balanced, if a bit fruity. The finish is pure pointillism, by which I mean…well, I’m not sure what. You’d know it if you’d tasted it. (6/07)

TN: Lur-king horror

Lur Saluces “Château de Fargues” 1990 Sauternes (Bordeaux) – Extremely advanced – already a dark, dark brown – with an absent nose. Too off to judge, really. (6/07)

TN: Dubourdieu-be-do

Dubourdieu “Château Graville-Lacoste” 2005 Graves (Bordeaux) – Whippy green and yellow leaves around bright, ripe lemon and grapefruit, plus a foamy seashore salinity that froths over the just-barely-sufficient structure. This is a little on the ripe side, but it’s a fine effort nonetheless. (6/07)