Chateau Bourdieu Absolu Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux is made from 79% merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec.
When Luc Schweitzer was joined by his two sons Richard and Ludovic at the estate, he wanted to embrace this new chapter in the family history and launched in 2016 a special cuvée from Château Bourdieu called "Absolu". This top-of-the-range cuvée is the best of what their terroir has to offer. The 35 year-old facing south vines benefit from a meticulous care: regular maintenance of the soil, yield control, manual leaf stripping, sorting of the berries - all practices that ensure the quality of this great Bordeaux wine.
A deep garnet color with magnificent purple highlights. The nose is intense and full, revealing notes of ripe black fruits and subtle hints of vanilla and roasted coffee. Great structure with finesse and tannic density that brings depth and length to the mouth. The aromatic purity of the perfectly ripened grape varieties is magnified by the complex and subtle oak flavors.
Pair: Rib of grilled beef and tournedos Rossini - butter pan-fried beef filet served on a crouton, and topped with a hot slice of fresh foie gras.
Review:
"A rich, opulent wine, this is full of dark tannins and powerful fruit. It's a big wine, with licorice and dense wood flavors that give a smoky character and reflect some serious extraction. The wine needs to smooth out to showcase its concentrated richness. Drink from 2024. - Roger VOSS"
- Wine Enthusiast (May 2021), 91 pts
Chateau Cabrieres Cotes du Rhone Rouge Vieilles Vignes is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah.
Château Cabrières’ Côtes du Rhône vineyard is located south of Orange, on the edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The area of the vineyard is 1.53 hectares. The soil is comprised of clay-limestone mixed with pebbles.
Bright cherry red color with an expressive red fruit nose (strawberry and raspberry). Soft tannins in mouth, with freshness and spices. This CDR tastes like a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape!
Pairs with charcuterie, pizza, pasta and mild cheeses.
Chateau Castegens Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon is made from 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wine boasts an intense, deep and lively red color. The nose offers black fruit, blackberry, cigar box, licorice, some delicate and integrated oak flavors as well. The mouth is full of fruit flavors, spice and fine toasty flavors. The structure is rich, but the tannins are well integrated already. The finish is long and a slight mintiness give the wine a great length and some purity.
Pairs great with meat and vegetables on the grill.
On the palate, it reveals a fresh attack followed by an ample, structured, long-lasting finish. The wine unfurls in successive stages and ends with top-quality tannins produced by whole cluster fermentation. It features aromas and flavors of smoked ham, violet, graphite, graphite, and licorice.
Review:
A refined, fine-textured and precise Cote-Rotie with aromas of cherries, wild berries, wild herbs, bark and baking spices. Medium-bodied with finely grained tannins. There is a vibrant and spicy character at the center, with a succulent, precise and lively expression toward the long finish. Try after 2026.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 14% Syrah, 1% Cinsaut.
The wine shows intense blackberry and fig fruit with licorice, violets, and charcoal on the finish. It is remarkably fresh and finessed given the sun and warmth of the southern Rhône. The unique micro-climate combined with 60-year-old vines and traditional winemaking make Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas the benchmark wine of the appellation.
Review:
Leading off the Gigondas, the base 2020 Gigondas has lots of black raspberry, ground pepper, and violets notes as well as a round, supple, silky style on the palate. It should be approachable on release, yet it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as tannins, and I have no doubt it will evolve for 20 years if properly stored.
-Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 Points
Hominis Fides is typically the most elegant of Château de Saint Cosme’s three single-vineyard Gigondas. “Grenache grown in the sandy soil produces marvelously textured wines as well as extremely refined tannins; a very special and stylish wine,” says Louis Barruol. The wine features aromas and flavors of pepper, truffle, graphite, and smoke.
Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille.
Review:
Deep, vivid ruby-red. Intensely perfumed, mineral-tinged scents of medicinal cherry, redcurrant and cassis are complemented by suggestions of star anise, white pepper and pungent flowers. It offers densely packed bitter cherry, red berry liqueur, lavender and licorice flavors that open up very slowly with air. Extremely primary but highly promising, with a long, spice- and mineral-tinged finish shaped by youthfully firming tannins. Made with 100% whole clusters; raised in barriques, one-third of them new.
-Vinous 95-97 Points
Joseph Phelps Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, 1% Malbec.
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.
Review:
Blackcurrants, spiced cedar and dark spices with bark undertones. Full-bodied with very fine, velvety tannins. Textured and compact with a firm, lingering finish. Tight at the end. Needs time to open.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Cru Fleurie Vers le Mont is made from 100 percent Gamay.
Intense red color, subtle fruity and floral aromas of violet, berry and cinnamon. It also has a distinctive aroma of Peony and Lily flowers, typical of the "Sur le Mont" terroir. Ample in the mouth with plenty of ripe red and black fruit flavors. The structure is full and the tannins are round and elegant. Even better after a few years of cellaring.
Of the top ten Cru sites of Beaujolais, Fleurie is one of the top three. The wines show finesse, fullness, and flavor. Fleurie does age well for 3-5 years from vintage. The area was named for a Romain General named Floricum, not for the word flower in French. The size of this AOC is 875 hectares of grapes (2,161 acres) and about 180 examples of this Cru are available on the market. This Cru is known as the “Queen of Beaujolais” and the earth is slightly unusual for having blue color, due to magnesium in the soil.
Intense red color, subtle fruity and floral aromas of violet, berry and cinnamon. It also has a distinctive aroma of Peony and Lily flowers, typical of the "Sur le Mont" terroir.
It is ample in the mouth and has a lot of ripe red and black fruit flavors. The structure is full and the tannins are round and elegant.
Even better after a few years of cellaring.
Excellent with red and game meats, and cheeses.