Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Sorry for the delay. I regret to report that this wine (one of few it seems as I am almost always pleased) failed to meet or exceed expectations. Before I expound, let me say this is far from DNPIM material. Far. But almost from the get go this wine recalled the 2005 Ch. de Fieuzal (or at least the ...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

OK, the lid is off this baby and to look at and sniff it's promising. There's a nice dark color that gains in purplish-black hue and intensity as does volume in the glass. Check. The bouquet - well, I get a charry, savory sensation, a bit of dilly oak and some very subordinate blackberries. Yes, thi...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Picked this one up at local Costco for $24. Will be taking another one for the team tonight, with enjoyment foremost in mind but also with a view towards discerning if the St. Estephe "brand" is worth $5-10 more than the "Bordeaux Superior" brand in the context of the vintage. Ye...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

What is the purpose of these classifications? I can imagine there was once a need (say in 1855) from a commerce perspective to have an imprimatur of quality to the brand "Bordeaux" or those of the various communes, to establish the authenticy of the product as well as minimum guarantees of...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

"Thursday's child is good to go." Congrats.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

"Object" not in the grammatical sense.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

"Take me down, little Suzie, take me down,
I know you think you're the queen of the underground"

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Haut now, just a minute! I see that wine-searcher amateur links to a Decanter review of the 09 @ 17.5. Maybe that was the barrrel sample and hasn't been updated? And we (and the three blind guys) are extolling the 09 and not the 10, correct?

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

See, you pick them up from the bin, I take them down from the shelf (or virtually take them down off the website is more correct). It just depends on where in the store they're located.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

The 06 was quite weighty/substantial but youthful and with youthfully boring old school flavors and no exciting confectionary or fruity elements, but darned if I didn't convince myself that maybe there was a bit of pine pitch in it. It's that profile which gave me confidence to "take down"...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

The "stunt" scores speak to me as much of PR as they do the rigorlessness of the scoring systems. Yes P-man scores on 50-100, but basically it's a 16 point scale from 85-100. Likewise the 20 point scales seem to start around 14 as the minimum score. So yeah, a three is shocking, although t...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I have no idea. I only just purchased it.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Just skimming this overwrought and bloated report, I conclude that 2010 was one of the worst vintages in years for many wine critics, and for the wine criticism business overall. While there are many well-considered tasting notes, there are at least as many awful and philosphically unsound examples;...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Never fear gentleman, I "jumped" on the '10 Talbot based on the totality of pro reviews, including some who found it more restrained, if not necessarily "classic" or old-school, and the UGC data. We'll all be able to see for ourselves (though now you have me worrying whether my P...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

While waiting for canoe club practice. What's a guy to do? But I see it's going to need 10 years to unfold.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

This is good. Got some nice actionable ideas from these pairings.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

OK, let's see if we can apply this "best of" series to something practical. What is the best wine-food pairing you've ever had? It can be something general, like "I like a big ol steak on the barbie with a monster Baraussie Shiraz," to something more granular, like, "You can...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Because it goes so well with oysters. At least the minerally style.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

The communes are part of Haut Medoc, Haut Medoc is part of Medoc, Medoc is part of Bordeaux. But I don't think the chateau can claim whtever is the most advantageous classification. If ST Paul is already in estephe, they can claim it as estephe, haut medoc, medoc or bordeaux. So a chateau, which is...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

There are some weird things. If it doens't cause grave concern about the wine in bottle (not for me at least) it does cause some concern about how these "dispensations" are granted, as well as what other literal and/or figurative lines are blurred if for nothing else but convenience's sake...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

25 years and hard to imagine where the time went. Congratulations.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Whether yields have gone down, gone up, or remained static, if in fact as it appears the supply/production of the grand vin is coming down you'd think this would be a function of some rational selection of the "best barrels" and not just a random line drawing/curtailment. Maybe it's just t...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

^ Now that's funny; better even if true. Jim can see Greenland from his house, you know.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Thank you, Jim and Jon. But you have a most highly-developed sense of humor, I'm not just saying that.

Actually I was thinking of compiling a "Best of Houndsong/AlohaArt" thread. I am rather fond of the "Father Frank Phelan" dialogue.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I don't think polarity is an appropriate analogy. I think the solar system is more apt. At the center, large, round, warm, begnign, and with an irresistable and compelling gravity is Parker. Without him nothing is possible. Around him orbit all other critics. Some are planet-sized, some, like the my...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

OK. Can we now rank this according to ending digit to just kind of wrap this for the files, or get some consensus, or perhaps ignite a virulent argument? Which is the worst, which is the best and all in between? 4 looks maybe it's the worst.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

His are the only professional notes I can recall reading that mention saline or brine, which is a sensation or evocation (if that's a word) that often comes to me with a wine (usually red and of course usually Bordeaux) that appeals to me. To that extent I guess I should follow his notes when I see ...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

GIFSoup

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I see where this is going now: Burgundy.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

; - |

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I would not know. But what 09 has he not considered the best ever? It is the best ever vintage. Except for Rhone 07 being the best ever anywhere.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

That was of course sarcasm. The wine might in fact be good and interesting, but I can find nary an "expert" opinion supporting that. Seems like it's been consistently meh for quite a while. If Rolland was unable to at least sex it up, well, that may be saying a lot.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Camensac's a 5th Growth! Rolland used to consult there!

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Yeah, some drink beer in Aspen too. I've seen it personally.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Funny I should mention Calon, as it was purchased last year by an insurance company: http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2012/07/insurance-firm-buys-top-bordeaux-property-saint-estephe . Be interesting to see if it gets the treatment now. Note the article also mentions Lascombes, Petit Village, Pichon Ba...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I'd say "in general" they are not worth buying. I'd agree. It might be true of the classed growths to some extent (and at various price points), if not "in general," given the number of "underachievers" and the perceived qpr. It's also true that a number of us have pre...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Surprised and disappointed we don't have a smilie for :arched eyebrow:

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

I have three or four mags of the Duhart. I just snuck those in before the China-Lafite bandwagon set off. I have not tried it although it seems to meet with near-universal acclaim.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

The 03 Tour du Mons, also a Margaux, is also vey good (and it was one of my $15 scrap heap reclamation projects) http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3696&p=26698&hilit=tour+du+mons#p26698 . As I also reported, the 03 Bourgneuf, from Pomerol (reportedly one of the m...

AlohaArtakaHoundsong

Based on actual experience St. Julien is probably my favorite, with St. Estephe 2nd or tied, then Pomerol, then Margaux, then Graves.

Unfortunately I voted for Pomerol based on aspirational stuff because I haven't tried as many of those wines. Now I can't take it back.

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