Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Something for my Wagyu Burger.

I do enjoy this producers style/craft. Also, enjoy the elegance of St. Julien. 2012 is a vintage Sofia & 1 worked harvest at Clerc Milon. So, the 2012 vintage will always be a special vintage for me, even if it was only one that was good to very good for the right terroirs and producers. Just wasn’t special like; 00, 05, 09, 10, 16 or 19 etc..

Having said all that, this Ducru is not the 2012 star of the region. It’s elegant but falls short on depth, character & umpf, which are things I have grown to expect and have experienced from this producer in many vintages.

The palate shows, soft, round & velvety M-M+ tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, some of both plums, slightly baked strawberries & circling raspberries. Slightly dry tobacco w/ ash, soft leather, sandalwood, mid, dark, rounded spice, nutmeg, clove, some cinnamon & vanillin, dark most earth with clay & dry leaves, herbaceous notes, very soft & elegant graphite, a touch of of mid berry cola/licorice, dark withering flowers, red roses, nice acidity with nicely balance, good tension/structured, elegant finish that last nearly two minutes and long sets on rounded dark spice.

@EmiratesLoungeDubai — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over a three hour period. No formal notes. The 2015 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco pours a deeper garnet color with a translucent core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is currently bursting with red and dark fruits: blackberries, Luxardo cherry, pomegranate, green herbs, red flowers, green herbs, and tar. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. The notes on the nose are confirmed. The finish is long and savory. Really compelling stuff in the context of the night. I think the 2015’s are drinking so well right now. Unfortunately, this is my last bottle of the “classico” but I’ll be on the hunt for more if I can score at a good price. Drink now if you’re going to allow for some evolution in the glass or enjoy through 2035. — 2 years ago

Daniel M

9.3

Cocoa, strawberry, currant, vanilla, tar, cedar, wet forest soil, a lot of things happen. It's showing a bit of age but certainly not as much as the label shows. The palate is showing a strong acid backbone and this is quite striking here. It must be because of the vintage though. Nice strawberry, currant fruit all along, good width with a thin matter which lays a layer of silk all over the mouth. In mid palate come some rather well integrated tannins, bringing in some energy by disrupting slightly that very silky mouthfeel with a dusty touch. The finish is very long with fruit, vanilla, cocoa and maybe even mocha. Perhaps not the best Pichon Lalande but a very good take on a tough vintage which is still relevant and delivering to this day.
29 years old and kicking! We served it along with a slow cooked lamb leg and beans (traditional Easter meal in my region) and this was a perfect match. Celebrating wifey's birthday in style! — 5 years ago

Dave

9.5

I've had Albe a number of times, and it's always been very good. This bottle is delicious, even though it is young. It's vibrant and zesty with bright cherries, cranberry, a light dusting of... dust, little mint, little tea leaf. It would be great with some cellaring, but when it tastes like this at this price, why wait? Paired beautifully with some flank steak and chimichurri.
Delectable puts it at $48 but I don't think I've ever spent that much.
Listening to Christopher Parkening. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

It is really no surprise that this 05 is incredible and yet still extremely youthful. This 05 will out live almost anyone 50 years old. It is good for another 45 years.

I had their 16 La Dame last weekend & commented it should not be opened for another 10 years.

The core on the nose is dark velvet black currants. There’s a bit of melted dark chocolate-mousse. Ripe but subtle blackberries, black raspberries, black plum-plum pudding, very dark cherries, some mulberries, mocha powder, dark, rich earth, dry river stone, limestone, anise, mix of dry/fresh herbs, fine, undertone of baking spices, moist grey clay, slightly dry tobacco, sandalwood, mild, elegant spice, just the slightest hint of mint, very, slightly candied, dark, withering flowers & red roses.

The palate is rich, round with velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark fruits blended in melted dark-mocha chocolate. Blackberries, black raspberries, both plums w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries & raspberries over the top. Dry bay leaf-sage, moist clay, rich, dark, turned earth, dry river stone, limestone powder, stem inclusion, red licorice/cola, anise to black licorice candy, sandalwood to soft cedar, slightly moist tobacco, used leather, mild, dark spice, a touch & just a touch of tomato leaf, hints of cardamom, dark/red withering flowers with just a touch of violets, perfect acidity and a very well knitted, tensioned, balanced, structured, elegantly polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on nice earthiness & softly muddled spice.

Paired w/ their bone-in Ribeye. Best steakhouse steak that I’ve had out and not made by friends and or myself. Rich fat, tender and nice flavor. Lacks a bit of char and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com.

Open in another 15-20 years.

A real shot at a 💯 in another 15-20+.

@Delmonico Steakhouse Las Vegas — 7 months ago

Roberto Carli

9.1

Now I see how this wine can be so divisive. LOTS of brett at first, more band-aid than barnyard. Takes a while to get past it and then lots of exotic spices show up. But after 40 minutes in the glass still nothing primary. It’s got the funk I can appreciate in some good left bank Bordeaux but also feels somewhat single-threaded. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

For me, there are a lot stories associated with this little brother to Leoville Las Cases. Made by the same technical team, but certainly a different terroir.

Older vintages that were brought in by Clyde Beffa at K&L Wine Merchants kept me from opening my more expensive-younger Bordeaux in my collection. Starting w/ the 97 vintage well after its original release, I believe they sold through two lots of 5,000 cases over different years. A vintage crushed by critics. But with some long time cellar, value & quality. Magic!

This has always shown me QPR and to be a great fatty steak wine- Ribeye or Ribcap.

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage, critically not well reviewed. With basically 16 yrs plus in bottle, more special.

This has really come around and still ascending. Ripe, elegant, lush; dark currents, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry skin, black plum skin, poached strawberries, black, rich, turned earth with dry leaves, moist & dry clays, graphite, tobacco w/ ash, slightly used leather, dry river stone, limestone minerals, dry top soil, pepper, some sweet tarriness, mix of fresh & dry herbs, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & understated vanillin, dry, withering, dark & red florals, nice acidity with good tension, structure, finally balanced & elegant finish that lands squarely on soften earthiness, some spice and lasts two-minutes.

This still has 15 years plus of life ahead.

Paired with Costco Prime Ribcaps. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The US is now their #1 export market. You would be surprised at what some producers spend on labels. It is more than you think. All those countries, languages and different requirements for what needs to be written on them.

I think this is in a dumb faze or just closed down.

The nose is muted and not all that revealing. Soft blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries with powdery raspberries. Clayish soils, some clove, dark earth, very light herbs, notes of baking soda, sandalwood and dark withering flowers.

The palate is a little flat..showing stubbornness. Ripe but dullish; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries & raspberries. Dry clayish soils, dry top soil, limestone minerals, dark spice, clove, dark, rich earth, very light herbs, notes of baking soda, sandalwood that falls into cedar, soft tobacco with dark withering flowers and violets, its acidity is very good, the finish while balanced, polished, somewhat elegant, lacks some complexity today and lasts a minute.

I would reserve a full assessment of this one tasting it again in 5+ years. It is in need of further evolution. — 7 months ago

Seth Masterson

8.9

A good representative California style (fruit forward verging on jammy, with inky color staining) with early leather and earth notes showing that there can still be subtleties in 'big' American pinots. I think there's good potential after it gets out of it's somewhat loud baby bottling stage. I'll come back every year and revisit. — 4 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.5

It is Tuesday night, the night after my first Covid-19 shot. I thought it would be nice to open a 2009 Muga Selección Especial Rioja Reserva. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo.

On the nose there a notes of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black currant, licorice, savory notes, leather and earth.

On the palate I find notes of black cherry, black plum, tomato, black currant, spice, licorice, black pepper, a nice mineral note and earth.

This wine is full bodied with a fleshy velvety mouthfeel, medium+ acidity and medium + fine mouth coating tannins which moves into a long dark fruit savory earthy finish. Definitely a lovely Rioja and in a very good drinking spot right now but still has many years to go. I hope everyone is doing well please still stay safe and healthy. Have a great week going forward. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago