Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WS 88
WA 89
We've been following Belle-Vue for years and this is another great one. It has a dark purple color and an exotic and spicy nose with a hint of vanilla. The tannins are dense, but sweet and round. It has excellent concentration of fruit. (tasted twice) CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WA 89
This blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the best wines to yet come from this estate, owned by the proprietors of Pichon Lalande in Pauillac. Juicy, succulent, cedary black currant fruit intermixed with licorice, herbs and spice box are very pure, authoritative and substantial. Dark ruby/purple, medium to full-bodied and delicious, this wine should be drunk over the next 10-15 years. A sleeper.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WA 89
We tasted the Cambon La Pelouse during our marathon Joanne tasting, but it stood out as a delightful Haut-Medoc. Dark red and black cherry fruit with a dollop of vanilla oak on the nose gave way to a concentrated and intense palate of black cherry, plum and spice. The tightly-wound finish hints that this is one to cellar for a year or two once released.
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WS 90
This property is a real hidden "gem", just a stone's throw away from the St. Julien appellation and stars such as Lagrange and Gruaud Larose. We're happy to keep the secret because it means more wine for us! Owner Francois Nony, whom we got to visit with during our recent trip to Bordeaux, delivers a great 2009. A blackcurrant and cassis-like nose leads to a classic Medoc earthy finish. This wine is well-balanced with a freshness of fruit that is a hallmark of this vintage. It should age well for 5-10 more years. A real bargain!
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WS 89
WA 89
Tasted with our friend Marc Ribet of LD Vins, this is our second consecutive vintage carrying Clement Pichon. Deep red-purple in color, this wine sports fresh, cheerful flavors and aromas marked by nuances of red berries mixed with heather.
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WA 89
We have not carried this wine in a few vintages, but the 2009 was consistently great each time we tasted it during our trip. The nose was a bit reticent at first but after a few minutes, wonderful aromas of dark red and black fruits became prominent. On the palate there is a real sense of terroir, with a bit of earth to complement the concentrated fruit flavors and velvety tannins. There is a core of acidity that runs all the way through to the finish that keeps the wine refreshing through its power. Very well balanced.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WA 89
This wine has an attractive Haut-Medoc nose with black fruits and earth and a tight structure with a long and focused finish. (tasted twice)
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WS 88
WA 90
This uncompromising property has turned out a backward, forbiddingly tannic wine that, even in this very opulent and flamboyant vintage, will need a minimum of 10-15 years of cellaring yet keep for 40 or more years. Opaque black/purple, with notes of crushed rock, white flowers, graphite, blueberry and cassis, the wine is tight and needs to be coaxed from the glass. It is medium to full-bodied, with an excruciatingly tough-textured finish. Everything is here, and the wine is set for a long life, but it is not the least bit charming and certainly won't be for at least another decade. Read More
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
WA 91
Sociando Mallet has separated itself from your typical cru bourgeois and this 2010 is yet another example of the quality that can come from a non-classified growth. Precise and classicly Medoc, with blackcurrant and black cherry fruit flavors. Elegant tannins lead to a long finish. Very Pauillac-like.
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)