Varietal - Merlot
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
A typically big and robust nose, loaded with cedar, minerals, gravel, and black fruits, smoke, aggressive aromas with an edgy feel; big and powerful in the mouth, this is a wine with big-boned structure and powerful fruit, big tannins, a somewhat dry finish, but this is because of unresolved tannins, not faded fruit; probably needs to have more time to show its full potential. (18/20) Another bottle served at the annual Tuft wine dinner proved to be quite similar, with perhaps more sweet fruit than the initial bottle tasted this year; the finish remains a bit rough though and may improve with more time; no need to change the rating.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very sweet and aromatic nose, lots of cedar and oriental spice, smoke, and earth, complex and intense; sweet concentrated fruit in the mouth; spicy and quite hot; more aggressive than I remember this wine with an acidic bite in the back of the mouth that borders on over-balanced; this bottle came straight from the château and seems less friendly than others that I have had recently. (17/20) Served again at the Commanderie’s Edwardian dinner; this bottle seemed more opulent and ripe, with more emphasis on strawberry and cedar flavors, silky and rich and while I would not change the score higher, this bottle seemed more appealing.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Powerful aromas, lots of rubber band and vinyl at the first nose, but then more cedar, earth, chocolate, and sweet intense fruit, wonderful nose; lots of sweet fruit in the mouth at the first taste, well balanced and quite deep; showing a lot of depth for a young wine; red cherries, pomegranates, integrated tannins; light and fresh with a smooth finish; quite good already and will only get better. (18/20)
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Deep and rich nose, sweet, loaded with black pepper, at the same time light and bright, perfumed with chocolate and saddle leather scents; sweet and ripe in the mouth, loaded with black fruits; now still laced with ripe but dry tannins that have not fully integrated; clean acidity, a bit hot, but with elegant flavors; long finish with balanced and refined flavors. (18/20)
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Always one of the stars of the vintage, this bottle is no exception; the wine opens with a big and expressive nose loaded with aromas of tar, earth, gravel, cedar, green olives, pepper and herbs, interesting and strong presence of iodine; sweet and ripe in the mouth, the wine is very rich and intense; round and soft in some respects, it puts forth concentrated flavors of black cherries and prunes; there is a powerful presence of dry tannins, but they serve to contain the wine rather than stifle it; long spicy finish with an interesting hint of mint at the very end. (19/20) Another bottle from a different source showed pretty much the same results; this continues to be a wonderful wine at this age.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Opens with all of the best characteristics of this property, leather and tobacco aromas mix with the rich scents of chocolate, lots of earth and rock, sweet fruit aromas that have the incredible richness that this vintage shows at this age; sweet and ripe in the mouth with layers of black fruit; buttery and seductive on the palate; after a time the wine begins to be dominated by big, granular tannins that create an almost chewy texture; very earthen at the finish with chocolate and fruit aplenty; this is not always my favorite first growth ’61, but this bottle served at Jim and Deb Cianciolo’s summer dinner party was as good as I’ve had recently. (18.5/20) Another excellent bottle was part of the ’61 First Growth Dinner at March and also one served at the annual Tuft dinner; both were every bit as good as the bottle at Cianciolo’s with perhaps more cedar in the nose, but otherwise generally consistent.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very aromatic and strongly perfumed nose, strong presence of mint, chocolate, herbs, cedar and rich ripe fruit, the nose is complex and deep with elegant aromas; sweet and ripe in the mouth, this is an opulent wine right from the start; ripe, red cherry flavors; quite spicy and peppery with a refined citrus flavor; light and not a powerhouse, but loaded with class, a real first growth. (18.5/20)
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very classic nose typical of this property, tobacco, earthen, cedar, smoke, gravel, this nose is elemental and not very elegant; sweet and smooth in the mouth, lots of chocolate; lots of intense spices, cloves; smooth and ripe flavors but not with the usual depth or sophistication that this property can bring forth; a bit short and two-dimensional at the end. (16/20)
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Big nose, very cedary with pepper and rubber band aromas, hot and sweet, but at the same time somewhat coarse and rough with too much acidity burning through the sweetness of the nose; sweet and earthy on first taste, but then losing its initial intensity; becoming more thin and dilute in the mouth; there is a purity of flavor in the wine but it lacks the stuffing that the wines of this vintage have; I have been a contrarian on this wine for some time, suggesting that it is not the best of this vintage and not as good as the ’83 was for the property; I think that more time has shown that the wine is not improving. (16/20) I tasted it again at the Links Club dinner, and came away with the same impression; either it is not yet ready, so the coarse texture of the wine is a sign of insufficient maturity, or it simply is not going to be a top wine.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Big and powerful nose, lots of cedar and smoke, black pepper, spices, ripe fruits, very intense; sweet fruit in the front of the mouth; loaded with black cherry flavors; spicy and peppery in the mouth; this wine has a real grip on the palate; long finish that shows an abundance of dry, earthy tannins that suggest more bottle time. (17.5/20)
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
