Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château LaTour de Bessan – Margaux 2022
Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A cru bourgeois property in the heart of Margaux, LaTour de Bessan showcases the elegance and structure that define the Left Bank. The 2022 vintage, shaped by a warm growing season, highlights both concentration and finesse — a reminder of how Margaux balances power with perfume.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive cassis, black cherry, and blueberry meld with notes of cedar, graphite, and violet. Subtle hints of tobacco leaf and spice linger in the background, adding Bordeaux’s signature complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and a vibrant core of acidity. Silky yet structured, showing poise on the mid-palate and a lingering, refined finish. Built to age, but already offering glimpses of charm.

Food Pairings
Ideal with classic Bordeaux fare — roast lamb, duck breast, or beef tenderloin. Also pairs beautifully with mushroom dishes and aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A stylish Margaux that balances depth with elegance. While the 2022 is still young, its aromatic lift and refined structure promise rewarding evolution over the next decade. A Left Bank classic in the making. 🍷cheers! — 5 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium lemon colour , white bright for its age . Quite reserved on the nose at first , with some lanolin , wet wool, wax , honied orange peel , touch of herbal spice . On the palate this is slightly rounder than expected , with lemon peel , hints of orange , honey and spiced apricot . Good acidity , balanced alcohol , quite textural . Medium length , slightly toasty , lightly honied lemon rind finish . Does feel like it has semillon in the blend , though it does not . Showing well still , this is at peak , though I wouldn’t leave it too much longer . A really good showing . — 4 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1982 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes and 2 hours. Impressively dark color. Bit of mint and funk in the nose. Elegant and supple with more than enough supporting fruit during the experience. Thriving vs surviving. This specimen was showing very nicely. Been a while since last tasting this but no rush to crush. Thank you, Bill!! 09.21.25 — 2 days ago

with Shay and Bill

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Blason d’Issan – Margaux 2010
Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Second wine of Château d’Issan (a 3rd Growth Grand Cru Classé), this Margaux reflects the finesse and elegance of its prestigious sibling at a more approachable level. The 2010 vintage is composed of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot, delivering structure, freshness, and the signature grace of the appellation.

Aromas & Flavors
Dark red fruits, cassis, and plum supported by notes of cedar, graphite, and dried violets. Subtle earthy undertones round out the bouquet.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with silky tannins, still carrying freshness and vibrancy. The fruit remains integrated with a polished balance, showing that the wine has aged beautifully without losing Margaux’s hallmark delicacy.

Food Pairing
Perfect alongside roasted lamb, duck breast, or a classic beef tenderloin. Its elegance also pairs nicely with mushroom risotto or aged Comté.

The Verdict
A graceful, approachable Bordeaux that demonstrates how even the second labels from Margaux can age impressively. Still drinking beautifully today, with finesse and balance that embody the spirit of Margaux.

Personal Pick Highlight
One of my favorite “second labels” from Bordeaux — proof that patience rewards, as this bottle aged with remarkable elegance and still charms after more than a decade. Also, the 2010 vintage, a benchmark year in Bordeaux, lends added structure and longevity. Cheers! — 8 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2005 vintage. Nice fill. Excellent cork (removed with a Durand). Good color. Decanted with a small, but respectable, amount of sed. Tasted after 2.5 hours open. Light-medium/medium body. More feminine than masculine and still throwing out plenty of blueberry, raspberry, cocoa powder notes. Some back end structure to sustain this endeavor but not demonstratively so. Should hold in this range for another 5-6 years before shedding fruit and body. Not getting any better and no markers to indicate a three decade renaissance down the road worth holding out any hope for. 09.18.25. — 5 days ago

Austin Hohnke

9.3

Relatively open ten years on. Nice early development with a lil’ stink and some heat from alcohol. Maybe better in 2035 than 2045. 🤷🏼‍♂️ — 8 days ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby/ purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, light oak, tobacco leaf, spices, graphite, dark chocolates, earth, vegetables and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 10 year old is drinking very nicely now, and probably drinking at its peak. However, will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.

Showing lots of earth notes with coffee and dark chocolates. Tangy and interesting.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

14% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

No formal notes . Ruby garnet and narrow garnet rim . This shows some development , with red fruit dominating , red plum , cherry, roasted red pepper . On the palate this is quite elegante, again the red fruit character, ripe cherry , red plum . Quite fresh acidity and rounded tannins , good spicy finish . Showing well now , and I would imagine over the next 5 or so years . Quite a user friendly , elegant Margaux , rounded fruit but enough freshness to balance , alcohol a little noticable , so would serve slightly cooler . Emirates Business Class
DXB > IST — 4 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby garnet , quite thin garnet ruby rim . Quite rounded blackberry , cassis , red plum , violet, cedar and burnt embers . On the palate this is quite elegant and red fruited ,red plum , cherry , blackberry and hint of red currant . Quite rounded and generous , balanced acidity and suave , velvety tannins . Medium length , with slightly smoky red fruit finish . This is showing well now , and is the middle of its drinking window . Now and over the next 5 years or so — 4 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

La Sirène de Giscours – Margaux 2015
Margaux, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Second label of the prestigious 3rd Growth Château Giscours, this cuvée shows how even secondary bottlings from classified estates can age with grace. The 2015 blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, delivering structure, elegance, and finesse in perfect harmony.

Aromas & Flavors
Vivid layers of ripe blackcurrant, raspberry, and plum glide alongside subtle cedar, tobacco, and floral spice. Delicate hints of earth and minerality frame the fruit beautifully.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with polished tannins, silky texture, and a seamless balance between freshness and maturity. The finish is long, refined, and quietly powerful.

Food Pairing
Versatile with roast lamb, duck breast, or aged Comté. It also complements charcuterie or hard cheeses in a more casual setting.

Verdict
An elegant Margaux that proves second labels are no afterthought. Still very much alive, refined, and balanced—an absolute pleasure to drink.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This wine reinforces my belief that second labels can often surprise and delight. The finesse and silkiness here rival many first labels—proof that patience rewards and that Margaux elegance never fails. — 10 days ago