This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Grand-Puy-Lacoste was bottled at the end of June. Brambly black fruit, wild hedgerow, cedar and a touch of wild mint. This is classic "GPL". The palate is very well balanced with brine-tinged black fruit and a fine bead of acidity. It is beautifully focused with a refined, lightly spiced finish. You have to give this wine time in the glass because it really starts to "flow" after 5-10 minutes. Excellent. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Duhart Milon
Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot Blend 2017
The 2017 Duhart-Milon is a wine that I expressed reservations towards out of barrel. Since then, the nose has certainly come out of its shell with blackberry, raspberry, briary and light mint aromas, although there is something of the Duhart "DNA" that is absent. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a potent graphite character coming through... A-ha, not here is the Duhart signature! The acidity is nicely tuned and (like the Carruades de Lafite), there is a pleasant briny/marine character towards the finish. That said, it just needs more cohesion and finesse on the finish to really convince that it is a top-flight Duhart. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Langoa Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Langoa-Barton has a wonderful bouquet with blackberry, briary, potpourri and light violet scents that are extremely well integrated with the 60% new oak. Nothing pretentious, nothing extravagant. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannin, one of the most pliable Langoa’s that I can recall with plenty of black cherry and cassis fruit on the structured finish. This is a great Langoa-Barton that comes highly recommended. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Haut-Bailly matured in 50% new oak and bottled at the end of April. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackcurrant, wild strawberry, wilted rose petal and light truffle scents emerging with time. This is a less powerful nose than recent vintages, but I appreciate the understated style. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, saturated tannin. There is good acidity here, quite spicy in the mouth with a gentle, if not overly complex finish. It is the kind of Haut-Bailly that will drink comparatively early, though it has the substance to last for 20+ years. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Citran
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Citran has a powerful nose of black fruit laced with peppermint and light loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and perhaps more refinement than suggested by the aromatics. As it coheres in the glass, this turns into a very fine Haut-Médoc that is probably punching above its weight. Very fine. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Beauséjour
Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse in bottle offers a mélange of red and black fruit: cassis, raspberry coulis, veins of Valrona chocolate and a touch of crushed stone. It feels fresh and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. There is plenty of black fruit here laced with traces of marmalade and fig jam, perhaps a touch exotic considering the vintage but everything is controlled and focused on the finish. I would just like to see more personality here - maybe that will evolve with time? (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Hosanna
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Hosanna was one of my favourite crus from Ets J-P Moueix from barrel. Now in bottle, it remains a delightful Pomerol. It has a generous and beautifully defined bouquet with ample red cherry, crushed strawberry and light black truffle aromas that are actually reminiscent of Bélair-Monange. The palate is medium-bodied but denser, thicker than its peers. There is real substance to this Hosanna that puts the relatively lightweight Certan-de-May in its place. It shows good grip with a saline finish. This is a deeply impressive Hosanna. Rejoice! (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Gloria
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Gloria was cropped at 48hl/ha and the Grand Vin comprises 65% of the total production. It has a generous bouquet with red berry fruit, warm bricks and light tobacco aromas that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, a pretty and understated Gloria. A classic tobacco and bay leaf finish does not quite kick on like other recent vintages. Nevertheless, this is a delicious Saint-Julien that will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
Château Carbonnieux
Grand Cru Classé de Graves Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
The 2017 Carbonnieux has quite a showy bouquet with blackberry, blueberry and subtle mint aromas, perhaps just missing the tertiary character that would pin it down as a Pessac-Léognan at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It constitutes what you might describe as a "mellow" Pessac-Léognan that I suspect will drink earlier than its peers. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago
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The 2017 Pavie-Macquin was impressive from barrel and now in bottle, it continues to show potential. The bouquet is very pure with small dark cherries, cassis, violet and peony aromas. The new oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that belie the backbone of this Saint-Émilion. There is a citric element that suffuses the intense black fruit laced with graphite and tar, the limestone soils offering freshness on the finish. Excellent. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago