Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Ambrose

Appreciate your input Jeff. Interesting points. It certainly contrasts what I’ve been told (mainly from winemakers who have previously worked in Bordeaux - plus a few writers I read have touched on it gently). I’m happy to remain sceptical either way - it’s all second hand information to me. Of more...

Ambrose

Appreciate the feedback Izak. In the context of all the content I’ve consumed and conversations I’ve had, I’m quite genuinely flabbergasted to hear someone as well connected as yourself suggest that the practise is not rife in modern Bordeaux. As for how it works I’ll default to wine spectator. http...

Ambrose

Possibly a silly question (?) But I’ve heard using reverse osmosis to reduce alcohol levels is absolutely rampant in Bordeaux at the moment. Could that explain why the wine tastes like / has flavours more in tune with 15% when the actual reading is a fair bit less? They’ve picked on those flavours a...

Ambrose

So far I’ve looked at La Lagune (black fruited / fruit very restrained / tastes like a 20 year wine, silly to drink now)
& Belle-vue (way more up front fruit, awesome quaffing with red meat)

How’s everyone else going?

Ambrose

Good sample size there Dandersson and interesting points. Keith Levenberg doesn’t seem overly enamoured with them either, only 92/100 for Montrose the other day.

Ambrose

What have you tried so far?

Ambrose

If the 19 goes alright you might have sneak it back up to a fifth growth!

Ambrose

Love it.

I’ve started using the phrase ‘howing a wine / Howed one of them the other day’ - forgetting no one has a single clue what that might mean.

Ambrose

42 out of 48 of my 2019’s arrived today: a long journey indeed. Waiting on some Canon and SHL (bought through a different company.

Pretty excited to have a tiny look at some of the unclassified stuff & bury the rest to drink when I’m 50 - 60+ years old.

Ambrose

As an Australian, this is an interesting thread to look back on. Geez Parker picked some shockers to get behind: the absolute worst of the worst. The local demand for a lot of these monsters was, and still is very close to zero. The cognoscenti here ignore basically all the wines mentioned above: ev...

Ambrose

Have you seen the ‘red obsession’ documentary?

Ambrose

Hope to meet you at some point Ambrose. We had a big trip planned to Asia in late 2020 until Covid hit. I would like to get to Australia someday if I can ever get to at least semi-retirement. Likewise Jim, would also love to show off Margaret River etc to a few BWE if anyone does make it over here....

Ambrose

Perth would suit me best, and hopefully the rest of you…?

Will crack something decent that night so it’s not all vicarious.

Ambrose

4 x 2019 Gruaud Larose
2 x 2019 Clerc Milon
6 x 2019 Labegorce

Ambrose

2015 Malartic lagraviere.

First ML for me, really like it. Better second night.

Ambrose

Thanks for the notes Mark.

I bought 6 x Langoa 2019 en prem and am now suitably intrigued. Yet to try an 18 or 16 yet but have been howing the odd bottle of 14, 15 & 17. Seems like quite a personality change - don’t much like the sound of that vanilla!

Ambrose

I’ve nailed a couple of 2018 Siran and agree Jim. A good wine but very much ‘of the vintage’. Saving my last couple of 16’s, missed the 15 unfortunately. Quite enjoyed an 18 Labegorce (and the 17) as well recently, trying to work out which of those two estates I prefer.

Ambrose

Surely the classification has past its use by date anyway? In the internet era when anyone with a smart phone can instantly access so much information. Hardly seems worth the effort they go through.

Ambrose

2014 Lacoste borie (2nd label GPL) Drank this over 2 nights. Absolutely banging - length, flavour, depth, pauilllac typicity. Would love to go back in time and triple up on these 14’s. Shame the 21’s are priced as they are - really sounded like a bwe type of vintage. Tucking into a good Mornington P...

Ambrose

Agreed. The amount of support he is getting is baffling

Ambrose

4 x ridge geyserville 2018
2 x ridge Lytton springs 2019

Should be interesting.

Ambrose

And possibly
4. Jim buying some Lynch Bages and then denouncing it as mediocre in about 2025

Ambrose

With the write ups not far from coming out what are your predictions? I’ll go with 1.. predictable comments along the lines of ‘the best chateau made the best wines’ / Saint Julien is ultra consistent this year / hard push on the ‘classic element’ / some obscure right banker has made ‘their best eve...

Ambrose

Langoa Barton
Leoville Barton
Smith Haut Lafitte

Ambrose

Had a (well stored) 02 fairly recently of the art series cab and it was seriously good. Not a label I’ve paid much attention to over the years - never been taken with a young example for some reason but it was gorgeous. Also it seems like whenever Leeuwin get a new winemaker in their first job is to...

Ambrose

Langoa Barton

Ambrose

Geez they put away some 89 & 85 at the chateau the other night though. You’d love to know how many bottles still exist.

Ambrose

Yields look alright in the best parts of the Medoc.

https://janeanson.com/en-primeur-2021-yields

Ambrose

Part of the reason might be that recently China put some massive tariffs on Australian wine - essentially ending the trade into our biggest market. A lot of the big guys including Treasury (who own Wynns) have been massively hit & out looking for different markets. There has been some decent big...

Ambrose

Thanks Jim, will pick some up for sure. Been listening to a lot of the Levi Dalton podcast while we do monotonous work on our farm at this time of year. The best guests tend to be American - partly because of the lack of a language barrier but also because their stories are so interesting. The John ...

Ambrose

Sounds delicious.

What would be a good year to buy some Ridge Zins? 14’s, 16’s & 19’s look to be available here in oz.

Ambrose

How is the wine culture over there? I can’t imagine drinking much more than whites and Pinot in that kind of humidity. Do Singaporeans crack these poorly stored wines and just think - that’s what it’s suppose to taste - wine just isn’t for me?

Ambrose

Good list there Mark. Despite being from WA I drink a fair bit of Coonawarra, mainly for price reasons. Many of my favourite Margaret River wines have doubled or tripled in price in the last decade yet you can still get reliable Coonawarra cabs for $30 Aud (often on special for half that). There’s n...

Ambrose

I’m going in with low expectations now which is helping me enjoy them. Looked at an 18 Labegorce & an 18 Meyney yesterday (out of interest) over an afternoon. Unusually both seemed best straight after the cork came out. You can taste the vintage but at this level both of these weren’t too offens...

Ambrose

The unthinkable has happened: finally someone has found a Las Cases that is ready to drink!

Interesting & upfront notes - thanks for posting.

Ambrose

Anyone have an opinion the recent Piedmonte vintages? Just cracked a (delicious) 2014 barbaresco made by Dave Fletcher. I note that the 14’s aren’t very well regarded but this is drinking so well as a young wine - balanced and not too heavily built. Reminds me a bit of 2014 Bordeaux & wondering ...

Ambrose

Can just imagine a couple of old England blokes sitting around drinking ‘good old bally Gerry - Chambertin, jolly good stuff this is’

Ambrose

Agree that the 16 capbern was great on release. Also had one a few weeks ago as well & whilst I wouldn’t open another one any time soon it drank very nicely over a few days. I’ve not particularly enjoyed any of the 18’s I’ve tried so far. Do we think that they just might need an extra 6-12 month...

Ambrose

Joss Fowler on 2015 / DDC comment in particular. https://www.vinolent.net/2019/01/31/2015-bordeaux/ “My only gripe with this set of wines is Domaine de Chevalier, which I can pick blind these days with relative ease on account of the cellar rather than the soil. By which I mean that you can taste th...

Ambrose

30 bottles of 18 vs 36 of 19.

Basically skipped 2017 & subsequently probably overshot on 18’s. Hoping the 2021’s are reasonably priced.

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