Château de Candale
St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France
This has improved nicely since I last had it in 2020. Blossomed. 2005 such an amazing vintage. I understand why the Bordelaise said they underpriced the vintage. This was $25 or less on release.
The nose is; dark chocolate cake to pudding, black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, candied to just withering; dark, red flowers with liquid violets.
The palate shows; well softened & rounded M-m+ tannins. It is thick, lush, plush heaven. black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, dark chocolate cake to pudding, a core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist, understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, dark mid spice, candied, dark, red florals with brilliant liquid violets, excellent, rainfall acidity, balance and elegance for days with a long, lengthy finish that lasts minutes and lands on earth & spice.
93-94. Beautiful wine and extreme value.
Still has 7-10 yrs ahead w/ proper storage. Peaking.
This has improved nicely since I last had it in 2020. Blossomed. 2005 such an amazing vintage. I understand why the Bordelaise said they underpriced the vintage. This was $25 or less on release.
The nose is; dark chocolate cake to pudding, black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, candied to just withering; dark, red flowers with liquid violets.
The palate shows; well softened & rounded M-m+ tannins. It is thick, lush, plush heaven. black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, dark chocolate cake to pudding, a core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist, understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, dark mid spice, candied, dark, red florals with brilliant liquid violets, excellent, rainfall acidity, balance and elegance for days with a long, lengthy finish that lasts minutes and lands on earth & spice.
93-94. Beautiful wine and extreme value.
Still has 7-10 yrs ahead w/ proper storage. Peaking.
We met & visited a number of Bordeaux producers while 2005 was still in the tank or just into barrel.
In talking with Winemaker-Owners about the 2005 vintage, you could see the twinkle in their eye as they were asked questions. They knew they had Bordeaux magic for the first time in five years.
We tasted this at what was deemed an “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting.” This was on the higher end of that tasting at $35. It is delivering a little better than its young expectation and the jewel to date from that tasting.
With and without protein, the 05 Chateau de Candale moved between 92-93.
The nose reveals; warm alcohol, immersed fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, poached/slightly baked, dark cherries, dark spices, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender.
This is a very good first look at this 2005. God willing, I have another look in on bottle two of three in another five years. This 05 has another 15 plus years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.
The body is full, tarry with big, sticky, chewy tannins. Baked/poached, floral fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, pomegranate, dark spices with a heavy, heated presence, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, loads of graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, dry top soils, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, muted eucalyptus, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender. The acidity is round & full just holding, for me, the slightly higher ABV in check. The long, heavy, dark, well knitted, more earth/spice dominated finish is showing the quality of the vintage. Yet, it still needs more time to be its best.
Photos of; Chateau de Candale, harvested Merlot fruit, recent buyers of Chateau de Candale - Thibaut Decoster and Magali Decoster and their barrel room.
We met & visited a number of Bordeaux producers while 2005 was still in the tank or just into barrel.
In talking with Winemaker-Owners about the 2005 vintage, you could see the twinkle in their eye as they were asked questions. They knew they had Bordeaux magic for the first time in five years.
We tasted this at what was deemed an “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting.” This was on the higher end of that tasting at $35. It is delivering a little better than its young expectation and the jewel to date from that tasting.
With and without protein, the 05 Chateau de Candale moved between 92-93.
The nose reveals; warm alcohol, immersed fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, poached/slightly baked, dark cherries, dark spices, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender.
This is a very good first look at this 2005. God willing, I have another look in on bottle two of three in another five years. This 05 has another 15 plus years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.
The body is full, tarry with big, sticky, chewy tannins. Baked/poached, floral fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, pomegranate, dark spices with a heavy, heated presence, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, loads of graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, dry top soils, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, muted eucalyptus, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender. The acidity is round & full just holding, for me, the slightly higher ABV in check. The long, heavy, dark, well knitted, more earth/spice dominated finish is showing the quality of the vintage. Yet, it still needs more time to be its best.
Photos of; Chateau de Candale, harvested Merlot fruit, recent buyers of Chateau de Candale - Thibaut Decoster and Magali Decoster and their barrel room.
Fruit, wood and poop. I bought a case several years ago, gets better every year
Fruit, wood and poop. I bought a case several years ago, gets better every year
Apr 7th, 2017
80% Merlot 20% Cab Franc, bold fruit, well structured, drinking real well now
80% Merlot 20% Cab Franc, bold fruit, well structured, drinking real well now
Dec 26th, 2015
