($10). I particularly
liked this one – fruity and focused,
with a nice finish that was more generous
that I expected. Ready to drink now. (Tasting
Bordeaux, 10/02)
($9). Gamy bouquet and flavor to match,
slightly overshadowing the black cherry
and plum fruit, picking up a briary note
on the finish. Ready to drink now. (Tasting
Bordeaux, 10/02)
($80).
This one seemed more ready to drink than
the rest, which was a good place to start!
Ripe, rich bouquet of black fruits and
smoke led to layered black and red berry
fruit, sweet tobacco, and hints of eucalyptus.
Full bodied but still polished. Drink
now and over the next four or five years.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 08/03)
($24).
Appealing bouquet leads to soft black
cherry and plum fruit that show some richness
and finesse. Earth and mineral notes.
Nice finish. Ready to drink now and over
the next couple of years. (Tasting Bordeaux
12/02)
($28),
a very nice red Bordeaux and a great value
at this price. Medium-bodied and supple,
with smooth red cherry and berry flavors
and a touch of herbal-floral interest.
Drinking quite well now and should age
nicely for several years. (Weekend Wine,
06/01)
($22). Nice
and fruity, with juicy blackberry and
cherry fruit on a medium frame. Subtle
earthy and dark chocolate accents. Ready
to drink now and over the next couple
of years. (Tasting Bordeaux 12/02)
($50). Still a little
tightly wound, but showing appealing
spice and chocolate aromas, leading
to black currant and berry fruit flavors
and herbal notes. Medium bodied. Drink
now and over the next four or five years.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 08/03)
($110). This one
was amazing – and seems like it
will keep developing for a number of
years. Rich and deep, with dizzying
black currant and tobacco aromas and
flavors, with a lingering, spicy finish.
Tempting now, but probably best to wait!
Try in two or three more years, then
enjoy for another ten. (Tasting Bordeaux,
08/03)
($23).
Not quite the value we were hoping for,
offering straightforward red cherry fruit
with sweet vanilla and herbal accents.
Medium bodied. Drink now and over the
next two or three years. (Tasting Bordeaux,
08/03)
($29). Plummy bouquet leads to supple
cherry and plum fruit with touches of
milk chocolate and lightly spicy oak.
Smooth and easy to drink. We had recently
asked a Bordeaux winemaker for his favorite
wine and cheese combo. He answered, without
hesitating, that it was his favorite lunch
-- Brie de Meaux (a very specific type
of Brie), a crusty baguette, and cornichons
with a good St.-Emilion. We checked it
out with this wine -- pretty tasty! (Weekend
Wine, 02/03)
($19). Enough
to make me want to buy lots of Fronsac!
Juicy red cherry and blackberry fruit
with smooth vanilla and spicy espresso
notes. Ready to drink now and over the
next year or two. (Tasting Bordeaux, 10/02)
($19). Probably the least favorite of
the tasting – with simple red fruit
and light herbal notes. Chewy tannins
seemed out of balance. (Tasting Bordeaux,
08/03)
($25). Really pretty, and a nice price
for this sexy, concentrated wine. Offers
espresso-laced black plum, nutmeg and
bittersweet chocolate flavors that come
together on a long, focused finish. Ready
to drink now and over the next three or
four years. (Weekend Wine 10/05)
($26).
If this bottle is any indication of the
much-hyped 2000 vintage, then we officially
get it. Elegant. Complex. Layers of lovely
blackberry and cherry fruit are perfumed
and delicious, with mineral, smoke, and
rose notes. Verging on full-bodied, but
with excellent balance. Stays focused
and pretty from beginning to finish. Very
good now and over the next four or five
years. (Tasting Bordeaux, 02/03)
($32).
This one was surprising in that it seemed
totally ready to drink now – couldn’t
imagine that additional bottle age would
improve anything. Supple red currant and
cherry fruit, with waves of sweet spices
and appealing acidity. Ready to drink
now. (Tasting Bordeaux, 08/03)
($50).
Full-bodied and rich, with deeply flavored
and scented black currant and berry fruit
laced with smoke, earth and mineral notes.
Needs plenty of time in the bottle to
really come into its own, but will be
well worth the wait. Drink in about ten
years! (Splurge Wine, 06/03)
($11). Light but fruity and enjoyable,
with red berry and cherry fruit that lingered
slightly on the finish. Ready to drink
now. (Tasting Bordeaux, 10/02)
($N/A). Although
it was showing a brownish red color, it
was still perfectly drinkable and pretty
tasty. Rich cherry fruit with espresso
and oak notes, with a solid finish. (Tasting
Bordeaux 12/02)
($17). Slightly
simple and light, but still enjoyable.
Red and black berry fruit, with touches
of smoke and spice. Ready to drink now.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 12/02)
($140). Elegant,
with smooth red cherry and plum fruit,
with waves of smoke, licorice and spice.
Concentrated, with plenty of life ahead
of it. Generous finish goes on and on.
Very good now and over the next ten years.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 02/03)
($23). Elegant
red fruit layers with an appealing tar
backbone that adds structure and depth.
Medium finish. Ready to drink now and
over the next couple of years. (Tasting
Bordeaux, 12/02)
($84).
Yowsa! This wine should be even more amazing
in about six or seven years. Full-bodied
and elegant, with layers of ripe red currant,
blackberry, tobacco, baking spices, vanilla
and mineral. Outstanding. (Tasting Bordeaux,
08/03)
($84). A hard
call, but probably our favorite of the
tasting. Full-bodied red berry and cherry
fruit, layered with smoky earth, mineral,
and sweet herbal notes. Lush, lingering
finish. Fabulous wine. Very good now and
over the next seven or eight years. (Tasting
Bordeaux, 02/03)
($11). Good value on this medium-bodied,
pleasing wine. Berry and cherry fruit,
with smooth chocolate and oak notes. Ready
to drink now. (Tasting Bordeaux 12/02)
($11). Earth and mocha notes on the bouquet
continue on the palate, with straightforward
berry and cherry fruit. Ready to drink
now. (Tasting Bordeaux 12/02)
($22) -- Easy to
drink, full of juicy cherry and mocha
notes. Balanced. Ready now. (Weekend
Wine, 11/00)
($25) -- If you didn't
buy this wine when it was released a
couple of years ago, you may be out
of luck. Ready to drink now, it displays
wonderfully sturdy red cherry and plum,
integrated tannins, and a sophisticated
finish. (Weekend Wine, 11/00)
($7).
This one had a nice smoothness to the
cherry and berry fruit profile. Not spectacular,
but a good straightforward red wine that
would be versatile with a wide range of
foods. Ready to drink now. (Tasting Bordeaux,
10/02)
($29). Very
tasty, showing appealing medium-bodied
blackberry fruit, with delicate plum,
smoke and a subtle chocolaty note on the
enjoyable finish. Nice now and over the
next couple of years. (Tasting Bordeaux,
12/02)
($45).
Delicious wine with finesse, featuring
well-integrated flavors of red berry and
cherry fruit, dark chocolate, smoke, and
spice. Well-balanced, medium-bodied. Ready
to drink now and over the next four or
five years. (Tasting Bordeaux, 02/03)
($14).
Quite good! With developed black cherry
fruit, concentrated herbs, and an appealing
earthy note on the finish. Ready to drink
now. (Tasting Bordeaux, 10/02)
($15).
Dark black currant and plum fruit, medium-body
with a medium finish, picking up layers
of tobacco and chocolate along the way.
A lot of wine for the price. Ready to
drink now and over the next couple of
years. (Tasting Bordeaux, 12/02)
($30). This was the most expensive wine
of the tasting – and also the best.
Seductive bouquet leads to concentrated
cherry and plum fruit, with earth and
tobacco notes developing on the generous
finish. Good structure and complexity.
Ready to drink now and over the next four
or five years. (Tasting Bordeaux 12/02)
(Lafite)
($15).
A good buy – focused plum and currant
fruit, with leather and dark chocolate
accents. Medium-bodied, solid finish,
smooth tannins. Ready to drink now and
over the next five years – if not
longer! (Tasting Bordeaux 12/02)
($12).
Good black cherry and berry fruit with
touches of sweet mineral, earth, and
herbs. Ready to drink now. (Tasting
Bordeaux, 10/02)
($9). This wine is usually
reliable and tasty, but the 1999 vintage
is thin and reedy. Simple red fruit
lacks ripeness and seems watery, turning
slightly bitter on the finish. (Weekend
Wine, 02/03)
($9). I thought this
was tasty – juicy blackberry and
cherry fruit with earthy herbs and vanilla
accents. Not full-bodied, by any means;
possibly not even quite medium-bodied,
but still good. Ready to drink now.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 10/02)
($40). Outstanding concentrated cassis
and spicy plum fruit bouquet and flavors,
with sweet tobacco and earth notes, and
a generous, rich finish. Very good now
and over the next four or five years.
(Tasting Bordeaux, 02/03)
