Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

After 10 years in the bottle, a decidedly savory second wine from this storied Second Growth château. Meaty, almost Northern Rhône character after uncorking. After a day in wine fridge the charcuterie notes ease a bit, blackberry, stewed cassis start to edge forward, classic #pauillac graphite and mineral notes that carry through on palate. Lovely tension on the palate and persistent fine tannins through the finish. — 6 months ago

David Kline

9.4

Cherry compote, black currant and smoky mulberry; light leather and English tea notes. Lavender and cassis. Black currant dominates a palate rife with smoky blackberry and dark tobaccos, bakers chocolate and dark raisins. Decidedly rich and adumbral.



#chateaulynchbages #lynchbages #pauillac #grandcruclasséde1855 #appellationpauillaccontrôlée — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Coffee rye with baked, black currants, dried blackberry, cherrywood, cedar, light pepper, potable, African violet, fig, sarsaparilla and thyme. Grippy, grainy tannins awash in tart black cherry, cinnamon and savory. Young and green with tight tart edges, but open just enough to appreciated the complexities. Underrated sleeper vintage that just might come together. Finish is obfuscated at this juncture. Espresso is my guess, though!


#châteaupontetcanet #pontetcanet #grandcruclasséde1855 #pauillac #alfredtesseron #grandcru #bordeaux #bordeauxrouge #leftbank — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.4

2010 vintage. Cocoa powder, black currant, river bank, cedar, cinnamon dusting, gingerbread, dark rye, espresso, sapodilla, and croissant nose. Red cherry, red currant, cinnamon bark, black pepper, espresso, tart blackberry, crushed violet, light anise and cherrywood. Lovely wine with lots to grow, and lots to love.

#chateaupichonlongueville #chateaupichon #chateaupichonlonguevillecomressedelalande #lalande #pauillac #grandcruclassé #grandcruclasséen1855 #1855 #bordeaux #leftbankbordeaux #leftbank #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #misenbouteillealapropriété #bordeauxrouge — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Another 2005. Magnum kept the oxygen in check, but reveals it still quite young. Magnolia in a warm breeze. Cherry blossom. Pine, chainsaw heated. Coffee rye. Violets, both fresh and dry, on this floral led bouquet. Rich blackberry in a medium-verging-heavy mouthfeel rich black currant, ripe cassis, sloes, rosemary, sweet mocha tobacco, black cherry and smoke. Relentlessly rich.

#chateaduhartmilon #domainesbaronsderothschildlafite #duhartmilon #2005bordeaux #bordeaux #pauillac #grandcruclassé #1855 #bordeauxrouge #misenbouteilleauchateau #lafite #leftbankbordeaux #leftbank — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.2

Color density spectacularly singular, nose of dried blackberry, black currant, wet river pebbles, rosemary dusting on beef, lavender, violet and rose stitched together seamlessly, a minute persimmon, plum and cinnamon sail on in the wind of cumin.
Warm plumminess opens to baked currant and date, wedged into oak crevices. Bite of tobacco, eucalyptus, offset by black olive texture, bituminous sensibility and cinnamon-cedar parameters.


#hautbatailley #chateauhautbatailly #paulliac #grandcru #grandcruclassé #grandcruclasséen1855 #bordeaux #pauillac #gironde #domainesfrançoisxavierborie — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Sleek and dark; stallion-esque. Herbaceous nose boasting rosemary, cardamom, light bay, rich river soil, cocoa shell. Lovely dip into licorice and ripest black currant; graphite threaded seamlessly throughout. Mint circulating through s complex and fulfilling presentation. High theatre. .
.
#ChateauLatour #Grandcru #firstgrowth #firstgrowthbordeaux #bordeaux #leftbank #leftbankbordeaux #pauillac — 5 years ago

David Kline

9.5

2010 vintage. Black cherry and black currant with cigar box and allspice and a touch of multi-grain on the nose. Black and bing cherry with chewy tannins and rooibos. Plum tartness, and an interesting grape-y aspect. Ripe currant and licorice.
This is more like it!


#chateaulynchbages #lynchbages #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée
#leftbank #bordeaux #grandcruclasséde1855 — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.2

2003 vintage. Cedar and cinnamon lead into coffee rye and toasted black sesame, baked blackberry and plums, baked black currant and elderberry. Tertiary leather and pipe tobacco, with a jammy cassis to licorice finality. Silky smooth palate exhibits dark berries and a touch of smoke and graphite swirling around charred oak and cinnamon.


#chateaulynchbages #lynchbages #grandcruclasséde1855 #pauillac
#appellationpauillaccontrôlée — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Black cherry and plum tart emerging through aromas of violets dotting brown breads, shiitake and black oak. Cinnamon, cedar and clove coalesce. Raspberry reduction with currants. Hints of mints. Tart cherry palate brings cherry reduction and black currants, tons of dark cedar wrapped cigar, tart blackberry, peppercorn and cinnamon stick. Green notes suggest this is still young and half-blossomed despite the quarter century. Grainy tannins, though rounded.



#pontetcanet #chateaupontetcanet #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #1999 #1999bordeaux #bordeaux #misenbouteilleauchâteau #leftbank #leftbankbordeaux #bordeauxrouge #grandcruclasséen1855 — 3 years ago

David Kline

8.8

1992 vintage. Has a smoky bbq note that echoes with dried lychee skin, baked grape, plum reduction, blackberry tart, dark croissant and old cinnamon; allspice and oregano under painting. Low texture and light-medium body shows oaken heart, tart cherry, spindly graphite skeleton, cranberry, red currants, pepper dusting, and white strawberry. Tobacco and cold brew coffee, light leather and violet. Could look better at twenty years, but I was surprised it was alive at all considering tough vintage. Not unpleasant, but lacks the depth and breadth characteristic.


#chateaumoutonrothschild #moutonrothschild #mouton #grandcruclassé #1855 #firstgrowthbordeaux #firstgrowth #pauillac #rothschild #misenbouteilleauchateau #phillipinederothschild #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #baronnephilippinederothschild #classépremiercruen1973 #bordeaux — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Dark cat peers seductively through a glass dimly. Ribbons of African violet, blackberry under cocoa nib, nutmeg, dark smooth stone, suede, ripe, unbroken black cherry, dried currant, poppyseed. Strong taste of black currant, black olive, tart cherry, fig, raisin, dried cranberry, tabak, and graphite-peppercorn protruding from a blackberry and violet concoction. Elegant with sinew. Very alive, and a bit young after all that. Impressive depth.



#chateauduhartmilon #pauillac #grandcruclassé #domainesbaronsderothschildlafite #domainesbaronderothschild #misenbouteilleauchateau #leftbank #leftbankbordeaux #bordeaux — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.2

Dark, nearly black from all points, with brick just visible near the shallows. Nose bursts with cedar, oak, coffee, mushroom, composted roses, cardamom, tarragon, fig and prune, plum and sweet potato skins. Drinks well for vintage, showing laser of mint and baker’s chocolate, just-sweet mocha tobacco, espresso, cinnamon, clove and bark; expansive and complex, tannins still grainy. Bran and buckwheat, graphite, salted, dried plum. Grilled caramel, cedar from aforementioned grill, dried cranberry and black cherries. A pleasant surprise.

#pauillac #bordeaux #grandcruclassé #grandcruclasséen1855 #pontetcanet #chateaupontetcanet — 5 years ago

David Kline

9.0

Black cherries stand out against earthy beet and blackberry. Graphite rings and smoke curls around bay and sage, acanthus and peppercorn. Green in spots and muted on the palate, this one is unfortunately young and missing something. Pepper and cedar overpower the fruits and the tannins are aggressive here, giving a stemmy impression. May develop over time but gangly and awkward here.


#chateaupichonlonguevillecomtessedelalande #pichonlongueville #2016 #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #bordeaux #grandcruclasséde1855 — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.4

2000 vintage. Warm, brown bread, cherry-blackberries baked with dried black currants and nutmeg. Further aromas of porcini, portobellos, and cornflower. Smooth, with raisin and round tannins, prunes and dried cherry. Spiced judiciously with vanilla, cedar, and espresso.


#chateaulynchbages #pauillac #1855classification #bordeaux #bordeauxrouge #grandcruclassé #appellationpauillaccontrôlée — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.2

Black olive, rye crust, bran, olive wood, wood ear, black currant, cassis, and gravel nose. Black and tart cherries, rose stem, mulberry, cassis, mocha cigar, baking chocolate, plum skins. Elegant, if a little closed.


#chateaupontetcanet #pontetcanet #bordeauxrouge #bordeaux #grandcruclasséde1855 #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #leftbank #leftbankbordeaux — 3 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Lovely nose of slow cooked beef and heirloom pork, red and black roses, brown bread stuffing, fine tabak, vanilla-in-bread, dusty black cherry, dried black currant and espresso powder. Black olive rounds the palate in a textural wave that intensifies to charred grape gravy, very sharp forest berry, lavender, holly, pine nettle, and sage. Younger offering here but fully integrated and freshly offering dark bark and dark castings with lively fruit and floral punctuation.


#chateaupontetcanet #2014 #bordeaux #pauillac #grandcruclasséen1855 #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #misenbouteilleauchateau #leftbank — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.4

2010 vintage. Seductive vintage with sweet floral bouquet, jasmine nectar, ripe black cherry, overripe blackberry, fig, raisin, medjool date, mussel shells, blueberry, mulberry. Graphite rich black currant, tart black cherry, savory, chicory coffee, licorice, charred mint, lit tobacco, and bitter chocolate. Gorgeous and ample.



#chateaudarmailhac #bordeaux #grandcruclassé #1855 #rothschild #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #misenbouteilleauchateau #2010bordeaux — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Big bright soft and gummy plum nose with warm chocolate melting seductively. There is black currant with a green streak, latte but somehow jungle infused, chicory cream, and all in a cedar lined oaken box lined with rose petals. Tart entry spreads to envelope bing and then black cherry, deep currant, blackberry tea, licorice textures, unopened rose blossoms, green tobacco with a sharp, though not hot point, cinnamon, cassia. A young 10, with potential to go further, but what a gorgeous, hungry climber!


#moutonrothschild #mouton #pauillac #bordeauxgrandcru #bordeaux #grandcruclassé #grandcru #firstgrowthbordeaux #firstgrowth — 4 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.2

#pauillac #bordeaux #cabernetsauvignon — 6 years ago

with Rosario