Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend

Better with the Rib-cap. The 08 vintage was spotty to good. This one shows the shortcomings of the 08 vintage. Really good fruit, but lacks typical, depth, mid palate, and length.

The nose is class Bordeaux.Ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, forest floor with dry leaves, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, dry herbs, tomato, leaf, with dark and red flowers, framed in violets.

The palate is ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, deep, dark spice that expands wide, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, caramel and vanillin, dry tobacco with ash, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, dry crushed rocks, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clays, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, savory dry herbs, tomato leaf, dry oak barrel shaving to cedar with dark and red flowers, framed in violets, acidity is ok, just not right, finish is good, not great, it falls hard on spice and is short of a minute.

93 with the Rib-cap. Green Bean from my organic gsrden. Drink now through 2035.

Broken sticks, dried black currant, woody mushroom showing tiny flecks of dried blueberry, but also a rich ripe blue streak in deep background, elevates from forest floor to treetop mulberry. Tobacco sweetness and mint scintillate with mocha softly blanketing. Cocoa and cedar emerge first on the palate; with cherry and currant in tow, tart raspberry, eucalyptus and leather. Just enough pepper to keep it firmly grounded.


#cosdestournel #bordeaux #saintestephe #leftbank #grandcruclasséen1855 #grandcruckassé #appellationsaintestephecontrolée
#misenbouteilleauchateau #grandvindebordeaux

At 12 years old this wine still feels young. Fruit forward still, but also restrained, nicely balanced acidity, just great, with a long finish. This wine has a long way to go still. Ten years easily. Revisited July 2025. At 17 years, the notes above still hold. Smooth and a little more mellow, holding up wonderfully with our beef roast.

What stands out to me in this vintage is a smoky ashen component...

Rather restrained fruit but incredibly pretty. Blackberry pokes through. Supple. Pretty. It might open up again in a few years.

We were all surprised that it drank much like a California Cab. Nose was not at all what you would expect from a 2nd growth. We were all wondering if this was from a “Parker” barrel.
Ito definitely needed 2 hours to open up. I’m. It sure if time will integrate this one.?

Drinking very well right now.

Lovely but still a tiny baby. 👶 👶 👶 strong minerality at its core. So much underlying character but St Estephe wines need time. Preferred this to its neighbor Lafite.

Really powerful as it opened up. 85% Cab 2% Franc and 13% Merlot. Will still evolve with age. Need a big steak.

Élégant and ethereal. Great depth, concentration and balance. A Rolls Royce of a wine #saintestèphe