Wines and Beyond

Red Wine by Ch?teau Cheval Blanc from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Subtle herb, menthol, cranberry, black currant, and licorice aromas emerge from this dark ruby/plum-colored wine. It is medium-bodied and elegant with plenty of sweet fruit, but not a lot of weight or intensity. The complexity and nobility of Cheval Blanc's gravelly terroir is apparent in this delicate, subtle St.-Emilion. Give it a few years to develop additional aromatics, and drink it over the following 12-15. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 90 Points Intense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. This is better than the 2000. Best after 2012. Wine Spectator 94 Points

Red Wine by Ch?teau Pavie from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. ...the 2002 is one of the top wines of the vintage. Its deep plum/ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of fruitcake, cranberries, cherry liqueur, crushed rocks, and subtle oak. Savory, full-bodied, remarkably concentrated, layered, and forward for a Pavie, it should be accessible in 3-4 years, and will evolve effortlessly for two decades. -Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Ch?teau Monbousquet from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. A strong performance in a difficult vintage, the 2002 Monbousquet (60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc) reveals abundant aromas of espresso, sweet black currants and cherries, damp earth, compost, and new oak. It is a medium to full-bodied, fleshy offering with light tannin as well as a long finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. This is the home estate of Chantal and Gerard Perse, who have become the poster children for owners taking a less hallowed terroir and producing sumptuous, high quality wine. Readers should realize that Monbousquet is not meant to be cellared for 20-30 years. It is a beautifully made wine that has performed well in every blind tasting I have conducted, often out-scoring far more hallowed as well as expensive wines. -Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Ch?teau Monbousquet from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. From a mixture of sand, gravel, and clay soils, this unheralded terroir produces wines well-above its pedigree thanks to the extraordinary efforts of proprietors Chantal and Gerard Perse. The wines are given a 4- to 5-week maceration in both stainless steel and oak, and are aged sur-lie in new oak. The dark ruby/purple-colored 2003 offers up notes of smoky meats, melted licorice, jammy black cherries, spice box, earth, and cedar. This plump, fleshy, sexy, unfined, unfiltered wine represents a classic blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. -Wine Advocate An intense ruby-red colour. Delicate woody aromas with notes of toast and ripe fruit. In the mouth the attack is supple and full, the tannins refined and the structure very aromatic. The red fruit comes to the fore - blackberry and cherry. Excellent concentration and a fresh finish with good aromatic return of the fruit.

Red Wine by Ch?teau Magdelaine from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. The world of wine is first nature to Edouard Moueix who grew up with many Bordeaux harvests. He has immersed himself in the family business over the last several years and is now the proprietor of Chateau Magdelaine. Chateau Magdelaine is an important vineyard both for Saint-Emilion and my family says Edouard, My goal is to let the great team of the Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix produce this very stylish and elegant wine, while communicating the uniqueness of this Estate. Blackberry, vanilla and cherry aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a fresh finish. Very pretty indeed. Love the length to this. Still tightly wound but should open nicely with bottle age. Elegant and refined. Fine winemaking. Best after 2007. -Wine Spectator

Red Wine by Ch?teau Simard from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. Released commercially with at least ten years of bottle age, Chateau Simard is a fine and supple wine due to the combination of sandy, gravelly soils with rigorous grape selection. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats. Traditional racking and fining. Bottled at the chateau. Chateau Simard's classically elegant, refined style results not only from its fine vineyard location, but also from the number of years the wine spends in bottle. It is never released until a least a decade after the vintage date. The complexity and nuance of the fragrance, the gentleness and finesse of the flavors are immediately apparent. An equally good choice for beef, lamb, roast duck and composed dishes like risotto. The perfect accompaniment to a wide range of cheeses.

Red Wine by Ch?teau Vignot from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. This Grand Cru from Saint-emilion gathers up great bunches of fresh violets into a massive bouquet that heightens the rich plum fruit when the wine is tasted. Traces of leather also emerge. Blend: 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc

Red Wine by Le Libertin de Lussac from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. Le Libertin de Lussac is the second wine of Chateau de Lussac. Following the tradition of Bordeaux's right bank, this wine is primarily Merlot. The left bank of Bordeaux is primarily planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and typically the wines are as well. Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. This wine has a beautiful dark red color with a mix of ultra ripe berry, plum, and dried fruit flavors. A touch of liquorice and toasted oak provide great balance and complexity that lingers on the palate. A deliciously approachable wine in its youth.