Al Doyle

9.2

Goddamn delicious. Smooth caramel. On the bayou in Louisiana with my buddy Korey, having a nice time. — 15 days ago

Ming L

9.1

From a friend who visited the winery. Good concentration and depth. Love the freshness of the fruits here. Very well balanced. Long life ahead.
V12 is founded by Indy-car winner Jimmy Vassar Jr. with the estate vineyard in Soda Canyon Road just above Stags Leap AVA. — 3 years ago

JKT

9.0

Maria dinner 5/30/21 first time since move. This at ML’s request and opened at the end. Fresh and tasty as expected with the bite and balance of a trocken . — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 5 years ago

JKT

9.3

Mistake! Last of two, first one opened in 2019 and meant to keep this one aging but forgot! It’s drinking beautifully, complex profile with fruits and stones singing together and am enticing texture that makes me sip more without the seafood. Too bad, no more to grow old! From JR Half Voignier and half Grecetto! Wow, got even better after days in Eto, More evolved, complex, lingering finish. Too bad it’s gone. Indeed quite a wine for aging. — a year ago

JKT

9.1

Indeed still a lively lovely old Riesling from Haubs-Barzen library release via JR, as previously noted. Color not as dark as non library wines. Wasn’t expecting a Kab can age so long and so well. Perfect for hot pot Birthday dinner for Evan. Yum. — 3 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.6

Luckily we had another bottle. This was gorgeous. There is nothing better than an old Mosel riesling. — 4 years ago

Christopher Heim

10

Complex sweet spicy bold with hints of vanilla. Can’t imagine much better — 2 years ago

JKT

9.1

JR sourced library wine in 2013! Enticing ripe floral darker fruit spicy nose and lively palate with good finish. Said to be classic old school Medoc and what a nice wine. Better than previous notes on CVed bottle. Last one and already at peak. Yum. — 2 years ago

Dave Schneider

9.5

Oh my! I bought this mature beauty 6 and a half years ago from JR and then I let it mature even more! I didn’t realize what I had laid down and I opened on spaghetti and meatball night. This wine is SPECTACULAR. I’ve never had a Sangiovese that was so beautifully integrated with floral, oak and mint and so many other flavors I can’t pinpoint. I usually find Sangiovese angular, hard and acidic. This wine is simply gorgeous. TY JR. You blew me away! — 3 years ago