Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch

“It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend, one's present or future thirst, the excellence of the wine, or any other reason.”

Latin Proverb quotes

We have a lot of reasons for you to drink this January and this e-mail may seem like Deja-vu but we have an intense study on the subject of Bordeaux to start off 2017 and we just sent out an e-mail regarding our tasting at Café Maxx, this tasting is the same week but on Friday night and with 3 times as many wines.   Speaking of lots of wines I have included several dozen of Bordeaux blue chips on this offering,

The most expensive wines in the world come from this wine growing region located in the Southwest of France. 

Some of the cheapest wines in France come from Bordeaux as well and the wines are not as far apart as you would think in terms of the proximity from Pauillac to Bordeaux Superior!

You always want to look at the best real estate in town that is close by to the real expensive stuff as you get to enjoy the view at a fraction of the cost.  The same can be said about the appellations of Bordeaux like Medoc, Lussac St. Emilion, Premier Cotes de Blaye and other lesser known regions that are right next to the better known areas like Pauillac, Pomerol and Pauillac which you will pay big money for.

Join us as we explore the last few recent releases from the world's most famous wine region.  With over 300,000 acres of vines Bordeaux is one of the largest in size.  In addition to making some of the best red wines which Bordeaux is most famous for, they also make some of the most age worthy whites and arguably the best dessert style wines in the entire world in the Sauternes region.

We will have all three of these types of wines on the table this evening with close to 30 wines available from both the left and right bank.  This will be a serious education as well as a chance to stock up on one of the most cellar worthy wines in the world.

This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 35 tasters, Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be serving up a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines and the fee for this event is $45 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463. 

Bordeaux wine Tasting at Wine Watch
Friday, January 13th
7pm

Veritas

Chateau La Grande Clotte Lussac-Saint-Emilion 2010
Price: $35.00       Sale $30.80          Case $357

(90 Points) From Dany and Michel Rolland, ignore the humble pedigree of this wine, as it is always a beauty, and the 2010 is no exception. With honeyed citrus,-rich fruit, medium to full body, and loads of personality, this is one of the best value generic Bordeaux wines available. It is largely a blend of two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc and the rest Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink it over the next 2-4 years.  Wine Advocate #205, Feb 2013

Chateau Maro de St. Amant St Emilion Grand Cru 2012 
Price: $22.50       Sale $19.80          Case $230

Another Thunevin wine with coffee, leather and a good amount of currant and cassis berry fruit, nice complexity on the nose.  A big and chewy wine with lots of plumy fruit, very rich and fruity with smooth round tannins, nice freshness, a good amount of spice and some earth on the finish 16 months in barrel 1/3 new 4.5 hectare property.  Finish 35+        Excellent

Chateau Tour Haut Causan Medoc 2008                               
 Price: $22.50      Sale $19.80          Case $230

a blend of 50/50 Cabernets Sauvignon and Merlot and this wine has a bit of evolution on the nose with a beef stew like quality, dark plum fruit with notes of tobacco spice and earth.  A light and savory wine on the tongue with smooth tannins and a nice hint of earth on the finish, bright fresh acidity.  Finish 35+        Good +

Chateau Baret Pessac Rouge Pessac Leognan 2009                          
Price: $29.75       Sale $26.18          Case $304

The blend here is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon mostly with some Cabernet Franc, run by one of the Lurton family and this wine has a good amount of ripe forward plum and currant berry fruit with notes of dark bitter coco and spice, espresso, and a gravelly/mineral note.  A big and fruit forward wine with ripe round tannins and a nice balance and freshness to the finish.  finish 40+            Very good +

Ch Duluc 2nd Branaire Ducru St Julien    2010      
Price: $44.25       Sale $38.94          Case $452

 A bit of roasted coffee, fine herbs, plum and currant berry fruit, strong herbal notes here coming out also.   Nice plum and cherry fruit on the tongue with good structure and wonderful freshness through the finish, this wine much improved on the second day.  Finish 35+          Excellent

Chateau Bonalgue Pomerol 2006             
Price: $50.75       Sale $44.66          Case $518

Mostly Merlot, a good amount of fresh earth and tobacco spice, tobacco.  Smooth and silky texture on the tongue with a good hand of fresh earth, tobacco spice on the finish drinking very nicely right now, nicely balanced with good freshness on the finish.   Finish 40+ Very Good +   

Southern Wine & Spirits

Talbot Caillou Bordeaux Blanc Blanc 2012            
Price: $43.50       Sale $38.28          Case $444
                                               
Tasting note: 74% Sauvignon, 26% Sémillon. Matured for eight months in 35% new oak barriques, 35% one-year old barriques and 30% third fill. (03-Jul-2014) Jancis Robinson

Poujeaux Moulis 2008  
Price: $43.50       Sale $38.28          Case $444

Truffle, earth, cassis, licorice, smoke and oak aromas pair well with the medium/full bodied, soft textured, spicy, cassis filled finish. Poujeaux is a clear contender for one of the best Bordeaux value wines from the Medoc, year after year.    91 points - Tasted Feb 17, 2012

Olivier Pessac Leognan 2011      
Price: $45.00       Sale $39.60          Case $459

Score: 91–94
This is very plump at the core, offering lots of citrus oil, almond, straw and melon rind notes, with plenty of brisk quinine and fleur de sel along the edges. Shows lots of range, with a lovely herb-driven finish.—J.M. WINE SPECTATOR

                                               
La Croix St. Georges Pomerol     2010     
Price: $87.00       Sale $76.56          Case $888

(90-93 points) "Rich, but very juicy, with lots of bittersweet ganache, cassis, linzer torte and dark spice notes driving from start to finish. The powerful finish has lots of flesh." (03/10) Wine Spectator:

                                               
Clos L'Oratoire St. Emilion 2003               
Price: $60.00       Sale $52.80          Case $612

Some blackberry and earthy fruit character with hints of herbs. Medium-bodied, with good fruit... Best after 2008." (03/06)

Lusseau St. Emilion 2009             
Price: $39.00       Sale $34.32          Case $398

(90 Points) The cellarmaster of all the Gerard Perse properties, Laurent Lusseau, makes a small quantity of hedonistic St.-Emilion from a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009, which only has 13.8% alcohol (relatively modest by the norm in this vintage, particularly on the Right Bank), is a dark ruby/plum-colored wine with notes of sweet raspberries, black cherries and even a hint of strawberry jam. Some licorice, forest floor and underbrush are also present in this medium to full-bodied, silky-textured, lush wine, which is meant to be drunk in its first decade of life.  Robert Parker

                               
La Sirene De Giscours Margaux 2012      
Price: $37.50       Sale $33.00          Case $383

The second wine of Chateau Giscours this wine is a blend of Cabernet sauvignon (~55%), merlot (~40%), cabernet franc (~5%)

Connetable de Talbot St. Julien 2011     
Price: $40.50       Sale $35.64          Case $414

This is the second wine of Chateau Talbot and in vintages like 2011 these second wines are ready to drink upon release.  This is a very forward and easy drinking wine with a short finish.

               
Tronquoy Lalande St. Estephe   2008      
Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00          Case $765
                                               
(89 points) Medium/full bodied with notes of earth, stone, blackberry, black cherry and leafy, forest aromas. Still young, there is a nice softness to the fruit and the tannins. I'd give it a few more years. Produced from a blend of 50% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot.  - Tasted Jul 17, 2013

Read more: http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-estephe/tronquoy-lalande/#ixzz3wUo6iE6B

D' Armailhac Pauillac 2012          
Price: $69.00       Sale $60.72          Case $704

(90-93 points)  Features a solid core of anise and plum, with a briary frame and light tobacco shading that should emerge with time. Shows good substance and weight. Tasted non-blind. (4/2013) Wine Spectator

Twenty One Wines

2013 Gazin Rocquencourt Blanc Pessac Leognan
Price: $39.00       Sale $34.32          Case $398

Gravelly mineral notes lemon and white grapefruit green melon and hints of onion skin and sea mist.  This wine seemed light and refreshing at first but needed a day to open up and is really amazing on the second day with tangy citrus fruit, green melon candy and that briny minerally nuance from the nose through the finish. I would like to try this in 10 years.  Finish 45+    Excellent +

2010 Chateau Aimee Medoc
Price: $19.50       Sale $17.16          Case $199

Proof that there is value to be found on the left-bank of Bordeaux as well, Chateau Aimee is a gem discovered at Vinexpo 2011. After tasting through literally hundreds, if not thousands, of wines Aimee was a welcome, refreshing surprise. Aimee is a juicy blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet, which is a bit unusual for a left-bank wine. The relatively large helping of Merlot gives this wine a great sense of fruit, and the Cabernet keeps everything in check with solid tannin and structure. Wine Watch Review:Red currant and plum like fruit on the nose with notes of dried tobacco and coffe notes from an estate in the northern Medoc, a blend of 60/40 cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. Very full and rich on the palate with currant and plum cherry fruit very ripe tannins with notes of chocolate graphite and fresh earth on the finish nice length and fairly complex. Finish 40 Excellent

2003 Sarget de Gruaud Larose St. Julien
Price: $54.00       Sale $47.52          Case $551

This, the second wine of Gruaud Larose, provides value and drinkability for those looking for a classic though ripe St-Julien. Named after Baron Jean Auguste Sarget, one of the men who purchased the Gruaud-Larose property in 1812 and whose family managed the estate for the following fifty years. Over the next century, the estate would be divided, with a portion being controlled by the Sarget family. The estate has since been reunited and the château that Sarget built stands as the centerpiece of the property. The estate introduced the second wine in 1979 and produces approximately 16,000 cases per year. Wine Spectator gives this vintage 95 points and granted the 2003 grand vin 92 points; this is the second wine, a killer value.

2009 Chateau Grand Mayne St Emilion
Price: $82.50       Sale $72.60          Case $842

(93 points) Another St.-Emilion smart buy for consumers, Grand-Mayne has made a number of top wines (except for a short period when they had some TCA issues). This is a full-throttle effort filled with blueberry and black raspberry fruit, perhaps slightly more oak than oakaphobes would prefer, but a full-bodied, concentrated, ageworthy style. Sweet tannin, low acidity and ripe fruit suggest this well-made St.-Emilion should drink nicely for 15-20 years. Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

YES WE ARE SHOWING ALL OF THE ABOVE WINES AT THIS TASTING!!

Menu

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche

Duck Confit Springroll with spicy mustard Sauce

Beef Empanadas

Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Slider

This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 35 tasters, Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be serving up a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines and the fee for this event is $45 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.