Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2022 | light colour, floral, mild spicyness, hint of almonds, vibrant. Long aftertaste. A bit atypical for Sauvignon Blanc. Long aftertaste. — 22 days ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

A little VA which blows off. Then a cherry freak show which calms down. Dark and morello cherries. Chalky. 13.5%. Quite rich and a little atypical for E&M. Needs more time to resolve fruit (3-5 years). — a year ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Atypical. A big, extracted Valpo. But it’s pretty good. Nose has dark berries, almond paste, a moist, humus-like note, and some turned soil. Mouthfilling, with a broad, textured feel, it’s got some baker’s chocolate notes to go along with the dark fruit and some surprisingly savory, almost minerally, notes. A bit of tacky tannin in the finish.

UPDATE: Night 2 this wine seems much more integrated. Still big but the mouthfeel is softer and the finish has the nice bitter almondy thing I like in good Valpos. Upping from 8.8 to 8.9 — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Vieux Château Palon – 2021
Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOC – Right Bank, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinctive Right Bank Bordeaux, this cuvée flips the classic Merlot-dominant Saint-Émilion script. Instead, it is crafted from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, making it unusually bold, structured, and aromatically lifted for the appellation.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, and cassis dominate, with graphite, cedar, and tobacco leaf from the Cabernets. Subtle violet and peppery notes emerge from the Franc.

Mouthfeel
Firm tannins, medium-plus body, and a long, savory finish. More muscular and linear than many Montagne-Saint-Émilions, leaning toward Left Bank style but with Right Bank elegance.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, cassoulet, duck confit, aged Comté or Tomme de Savoie cheeses.

Verdict
An atypical but fascinating Montagne-Saint-Émilion that highlights Cabernet structure over Merlot plushness. For those who love Pauillac or Saint-Julien, this bottle is a bridge into the Right Bank world. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Montagne-Saint-Émilion is one of the four “satellite” appellations of Saint-Émilion, known for offering excellent value Bordeaux reds. Few estates here lean so heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes Palon stand out stylistically. — a month ago

Michael Walsh

9.3

Fantastic atypical Bordeaux that provides the right level of intrigue — 2 years ago

John Bratincevic

8.9

Nose: White grape juice, pineapple, perhaps a dash of guava (?), orange blossom, caramel, yogurt, gentle flowers (white, fruity flowers), white tea, honeycomb, graham crackers. Smooth, much less acid than expected. Honestly just tastes like a sweet white wine. I am less impressed than I expected. Good, not superb. Tastes like honey, pear, pineapple, marshmallow (vanilla), gentle acidity, a little bitterness, short finish. Kind of disappointed, I love Sauternes. This is atypical. — 4 years ago

Turd Ferguson

9.3

The most atypical Lambrusco. Basically a brut Rose champagne. Fire. — 4 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.2

Quite funky, almost Jura-like in its presentation.
Don’t know if this is an atypical white burgundy. Or maybe it’s already showing some evolution.
Like it nonetheless. — a year ago

Conrad Green

9.5

Quite ripe for Rav. Peach, melon honey, chalk. A touch more exotic than the others. Atypical but very good. Balanced — 3 years ago

with BOT, Tony and 3 others

John W

9.2

Reddish brown coloration. Some transparency. On the nose, black cherry and some forest floor. On the palate, medium mouthfeel, initially, then a rich black cherry with vanilla takes over through a medium to longer finish of same. $79.99 at B-21. Somewhat atypical amarone. — 4 years ago