L. Métairie S. A.
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay 2014
These Pierre Gimonnet champagnes are always of the highest quality from the Côte des Blancs and with terrific prices. An original member of the Club Trésors de Champagne, the Special Club, and an easy buy, each and every time.
The color of starlight on a cloudless night. A surplus of tiny bubbles and persistent perlage throughout. A very clean and focused nose showcasing lemon peel, pears, and sea salt. Vanilla custard and pronounced smoke. Hazelnuts and freshly baked dough with a nice dose of spice. Apples of the green and red varieties.
Some love has to be shown to the labels. Classy metal front label and an ultra informative back label. Pure Chardonnay from the Grand Crus of Cramant (59%) and Chouilly (25%) with the rest coming from the Premier Cru terroir of Cuis. The acidity here is outrageous and highly focused, really beautiful. Very pure and creamy. Disgorged in December of 2019 with an Extra Brut dosage of 4 g/l.
Everything carries over to the palate. A very complex and harmonious champagne. Fresh and bold with more apples and spice. Strong minerality and yeast here. Long, enduring finish. This definitely lives up to the standards of Gimonnet and the Special Club. Don’t sleep on these 14’s, they’re alive and kicking. — 5 years ago
Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.
The 2000 is delicious but, it still proves out my thoughts that 2000 is a stubborn vintage. It’s going to be 25 years plus in bottle from vintage before this and many other 2000’s show their full beauty & elegance.
It’s starting to show nice integration, elegance & beauty. But, there are better days ahead. Round, ripe, slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, mint, loamy soil & clay, dry stone, tobacco, leather, black earth, granite and red, dark, blue flowers. Great round acidity. It’s well balanced, delicious with a finish that persists minutes.
Served with Creek Stone Farm Filet of Beef, Sautéed Potatoes, Red Wine Sauce. @Mathilde French Bistro
Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing, Veronique talking HB terroir & vintages & dinner guests. — 6 years ago
Cantillon Brewery
Fou' Foune Lambic 2019
Cantillon is what’s Goin On!
Fou’ Foune is a blend of lambics aged 18 to 20 months on Bergeron apricots ~ BIG pop of sour fruit up front finishing with nougat and Brie rind on the finish
S L A M M I N — 6 years ago
Domaine Ponsot
Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 1985
1985 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin Vielles Vignes. Dinner at Rep w DS, A&L S, McC. Amazing. Clove, leather, dark berries, mineral. Absolutely amazing. Did not decant. — 8 years ago
Walter Hansel Winery
Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008
I really enjoy pairing wine with food. One thing I like to do when I work events like these is to offer guests wine that has achieved its perfect bottle phase and this didn’t disappoint. So often you go to a restaurant or an event and all they offer are new releases or close enough. Wine needs time in bottle to shine. This one was at its peak and for many guests was the wine of the night. I’d have trouble disagreeing with that.
Wine was seamless and elegant. Ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark cherries, some blackberries, plum and soft florals blueberries on the edge of the glass. Great acidity and round long finish. This was better than some $100 plus bottles of Pinot’s I’ve had for a faction of the price. It walks the fence of CA Pinot & Burgundy nicely.
The dish paired perfectly with Hedy’s, Fresh Summer Beans, Pumpernickel Crouton, Yogurt Dressing, Chive, Preserved Lemon. The perfect age on the Cahill married beautifully with the dish and excellent on its own. The food did not overpower the dish, nor did the dish overpower the wine.
The 08 Cahill was a recent direct purchase from the winery through K&L Wine Merchants. It was like stealing, it was priced so inexpensively.
Walter Hansel made his fortune in the auto business; which allowed him to pursue his other passion in wine. He and his son’s first vintage was 1996. They are located near Kistler and Dehlinger in Sonoma. The Cahill is made from a blend of three clones; 114, 115 and Rochioli.
One interesting fun fact. Walter Hansel was among the first people to drive a car into the Yosemite Valley in the early 1900’s.
Hedy on FB @Plate&Bottle — 8 years ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1961
Can’t drink 61’s and not include Latour! This was a treat but shows at 50+ years there are no great wines just great bottles. This had the floral nose I remember of roses and dried fruits l, but was a little thin and missing it’s vibrancy I remember from he last bottle I had a year ago. Still an amazing treat and very grateful for the guest who brought it. Wonderful. Dr. Latour approves! — 8 years ago
Château Chasse-Spleen
Moulis en Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
A perfect bottle, direct import from a Negotiate via K&L. It has seen only Chateau & Negotiate storage.
Love, love, love the style of 80’s Bordeaux. Especially, the very good 80’s vintages. The style at this age is just so good as is the 12.5 ABV.
The fruit is still very solid & fresh. Ruby; blackberries, plums, poached strawberries, black raspberries, raspberries & blueberries hues. Lead pencil for days, some light v/a-bandaid, used tobacco w/ ash, very used leather, dark spice, understated mushroom, baking spices- light nutmeg/clove, cinnamon, vanillin, dry, river stone, limestone, dark rich soil with dry leaves, mix of dry and fresh herbs, touch of mint, moist clay, withering & dry dark, red, flowers, rainfall acidity and a well balanced, nicely structured, softly tensioned, beautiful finish that lasts 90 seconds.
Paired with/ Allen Brothers Cover Ribs. — 2 years ago
Sullivan Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1985
Picked this up this week at K&L Wine Merchants because the bottle was in pristine shape. The neck fill was the same as it was the day it was bottled. I love 1980’s Napa & Bordeaux wines. Really appreciate the ABV of that era, 13.6%. Additionally, I’m always motivated to try producers I haven’t had before. Further, as I swirl my glass, I think to myself, what was I doing the year an old wine was made? Memories?
I figured with the bottles age, I would use my Durand corkscrew. But after pulling it, I realized I didn’t need to use it. Better safe than sorry! The cork was in perfect shape.
The wine still shows good life. The fruit is ripe & fresh with some dark spice, earthiness & shades of dark tannins.
The nose reveals a little barnyard from being in the bottle so long. It needed to stretch a bit and has calmed some. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, well extracted pomegranate with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Black, rich earth, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets.
The body has leaned with age but, is fresh & clean as it glides over the palate. It shows some barnyard on the palate as well. Tannins are largely resolved but, by no means is this wine over the hill. Past its prime, yes. However, that’s what makes it infinitely more interesting, complex and a welcome change of pace. This bottle certainly will not improve but, would still drink well for another five years. Ripe, floral, blackberries, bright; dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black raspberries, black plum, well extracted pomegranate, raspberries with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Forest floor with dry leaves, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, red cola, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, some caramel, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, dry tobacco, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, mint, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent...like a cool stream. The long finish is clean, fresh, elegant, well knitted and persists on the palate minutes with medium, dark, gently heated spices on the long set.
I did not decant this bottle at the start. I wanted to see if it would improve or fade in the glass first. As it turned out, decanting this nearly 35 years old was still the correct decision.
Photos of; Sullivan Vineyards, private tasting/dinning room, current Winemaker- Jeff Cole and their Estate vines as view from their terrace. — 6 years ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
La Tâche Pinot Noir 2001
2001 DRC La Tache. Dinner at Rep w DS, A&L S, McC. Amazing. Did not decant. Much bigger than the ‘85 Griotte-Chambertin. — 8 years ago
Caillez-Lemaire
Eclats Brut Damery Champagne Blend
On the Lawn at Tanglewood this evening with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our full cast of conductors include Andris Nelsons, Christoph Eschenbach, Keith Lockhart, Michael Tilson Thomas and John Williams. The beautiful and vocally talented Audra McDonald is our host for the evening along with Midori on violin and Yo-Yo Ma on cello.
This will likely be an evening to remember for some time. Program notes from the BSO "Reflecting the season-long theme, The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood will spotlight Bernstein's wide-ranging talents as a composer, his many gifts as a great interpreter and champion of other composers, and his role as an inspirer of a new generation of musicians and music lovers across the country and around the globe. The gala concert will feature a kaleidoscopic array of artists and ensembles from the worlds of classical music, film, and Broadway. The entire first half of the program is dedicated to selections from such brilliant Bernstein works as Candide, West Side Story, Mass, and Serenade. Music from the classical canon very dear to Bernstein's heart-selections from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn and music by Copland-plus a new work by John Williams, makes up a good portion of the program's second half; the finale of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony brings the program to a dramatic close."
We're revisiting some producer bottles from our late Spring France vacation earlier this year.
Awesome bottle, so mineral driven, toasted brioche spread with quince jam.
Photos of C-L champagne bottles resting with their temporary closures, resting 750's of their Cuvée Jadis rose and our bottle of the evening. — 8 years ago
Château Vannières
Bandol Mourvedre Blend 1985
Brun clair
Nez très ferme et cartonné et s ouvre sur des note de cendre feuille morte
La bouche fraîche pleine et précise devient très agréable par des note de guarrigue et goudronnée avec une certaine qu Rosine
Un peu trop simple et poussiéreux en finale mais vin qui a de l âme
— 8 years ago
L. A. S. Vino
CBDB Chenin Blanc 2016
Nutty and sweet straw - impressive — 8 years ago
Stéphane Coquillette
Les Clés Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
The Coquillette family is known mostly for Saint-Chamant; a house their family founded in the 1930’s. Stephane Coquillette now runs the operation and while he remains committed to his focus on Chardonnay for Saint-Chamant, his desire to work with Pinot Noir is expressed through his eponymous label.
Popped and poured; no formal notes. The “Cuvee Les Cles” is a Blanc de Noirs exclusively sourced from the village of Aÿ and therefore 100% Grand Cru. It’s a beautiful expression of Pinot Noir with a lovely mix of strawberries and raspberries. The fruit profile was generous which gave it an almost round impression even though the dosage was rather modest at 5g/l. The finish was rich and very enjoyable. A very lovely way to start the evening.
— 3 years ago
Bollinger
La Grande Année Brut Rosé Champagne 2012
This superstar 2012 vintage just doesn’t seem to miss. Especially not when paired with the elegance of Bollinger.
A gorgeous rose copper color in the glass. Plenty of fine bubbles that seem to just go on and on. The approachability of these outstanding 12’s is immediate. Wild strawberries and herbs shine on the nose. Red currant, raspberries, and stewed plums. Some exquisite spice notes along with white flowers. Tangerines and watermelons play a part.
The vitality and sheer energy of this is amazing. 67% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay. 33% Chardonnay from Oiry and Le Mesnil sur Oger with 5% still red wine from Bollinger’s legendary Côte aux Enfants vineyard. Terrific youthful tension and balance. Zippy acidity with 8 g/l of sugar. Disgorged in August of 2019 and already showing some maturity.
Pure romance on the tongue. Silky smooth and elegant with fresh red berries and more spice on the palate. Saffron and honey with oak complimenting. The Lehmann Jamesse Grand Blanc provided more floral notes, while the Riedel Dom Perignon showed more ripe fruit and minerality. Both wonderful. Yes this will obviously develop over time and become so much more special but you deserve this now. So do I. Enjoy.
— 5 years ago
Leviathan
California Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Better than the 16, not as sweet.
Jeb 94
$20.00 out the door doesn’t hurt either
Winery notes
T A S T I N G N O T E S
Seductive black cherry, blackberry and currant fruits laced with cocoa nib, sweet baking spices and cigar box with silky texture and a long, savory finish.
S O U R C I N G
Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills, Moon Mountain)
Syrah (Dry Creek Valley)
Cabernet Franc (Los Carneros)
Merlot (Moon Mountain, Coombsville)
T E C H N I C A L
Aged in 100% French Oak, 25% New — 6 years ago
Bollinger
R.D. Extra Brut Champagne 1996
This was part of one of the more incredible things I’ve been apart of doing my job. A Bollinger R.D. Master Class with the chef de cave of the winery. Strictly Bolly R.D. designed to show the intricacies of champagne. Two ‘96 vintages, one disgorged 6 months prior, another disgorged 6 years prior. 3 different 2002 vintage R.D.’s with 3 different dosages, 2 of which were made specially for this class. One zero dosage, one at 3 g/l, and another at 8 g/l. 2004 vintage poured 15 mins apart to showcase how the wine shows differently when exposed to just a bit of air. Finally another 2004 bottled in magnum to show how the bottle size can affect the wine. A truly eye opening experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just stellar. — 8 years ago
Kalinda
Cuvée Réserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Continuing to kick off the un-labor weekend early in the D&S Lounge.
For those of you who haven’t seen me post Kalinda, it’s a private label from K&L Wine Merchants. They buy a quality producers juice or have them make a wine for them. I don’t know who made this wine but, they are a quality Oakville producer. This bottle cost me $18.99 about eight years ago and it tastes better than some Napa Cabernets at $75 plus that I’ve had. You just have to wait on them 5-10 years. This is somewhere near its peak.
It’s a slice of blue fruit heaven. On the nose, blueberries, mulberries, olallieberries, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, vanilla, sweet mixed berry cola, light cinnamon, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock powder, dry top soil, black cherry licorice, a waft of dry herbs with bright dark red florals and violets.
The palate is round and full. Tannins are 80% resolved. The texture is sexy. The structure, length, tension and balance are in perfect harmony, (Seals & Croft/America on the album “Horse With No Name” style). Lush, ripe; blueberries, mulberries, olallieberries, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries & strawberries. Vanilla, sweet mixed berry cola, light cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, soft dark spice that penetrates the palate with some heat, tarry notes, dry stems, soft leather, tobacco with ash, graphite, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock powder, dry top soil, black cherry licorice, a waft of dry herbs with bright dark red florals and violets. The acidity is like a waterfall. The long finishes (minutes) is, round, lush, balanced, elegant harmony. It’s beautifully delicious.
Photos of; the D&S lounge lit up by candle power only and always. — 8 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000
The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.
On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.
The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.
Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.
Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.
In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.
For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.
In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.
Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.
In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.
This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.
Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.
Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.
He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.
Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!
Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.
Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.
June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.
The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.
In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.
In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.
The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.
The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.
In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!
The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.
The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.
They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.
To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.
The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.
For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.
The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.
The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.
— 8 years ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2018 vintage. Decent S-L-B pricing for a 1er Cru but just not enough stuffing to justify my love. 8.21.24. — 2 years ago