Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the nice note, Arv!
Indeed, the 2000 Côte de Baleau is a delicious wine, but their 1998 is even better....

Rudi Finkler

You said it!

Pánta chorei kaì oudèn ménei

Rudi Finkler

Why not 91?

Rudi Finkler

This is borderline. I only drink wines that are 90 or better. Life is too short to drink mediocre wines. I love great wine but not mediocre wine or "just good" wine. I'd just as soon drink Diet Coke or ginger ale with my meal than drink an "everyday" wine or a mediocre wine. Gre...

Rudi Finkler

When I was young, it was Saint-Julien - until 1985 or so, later on Pauillac, and today, as an old man, 62, it is Margaux. Subtlety, refinement, and understatement are the keywords today...

Rudi Finkler

Nice note, thanks AKR! I have to admit that I have a soft spot for their wines from 2000 onwards. Especially their 2000 -a wine near to perfection-, 2001-very subtle-, and 2006 -sexy, just sexy.

Rudi Finkler

Moulin du Cadet, Saint-Emilion, was taken over by the Lefévère family of the neighbouring Château Sansonnet two years ago. Hopefully Moulin du Cadet the will not suffer the same fate as Cadet Piola, which was merged into Château Soutard in 2012... The 2003 Moulin du Cadet, 100 Merlot, 13,5% alcohol,...

Rudi Finkler

Nonsense!

Rudi Finkler

I'm just giving you guys the business. I mean, GPL is a weak wine, especially for the price. It doesn't "suck," it's just not worth much more than $15-20. I just don't know how a wine can constantly underperform, especially in years like 2000, 2009, etc., and be considered legitimate, esp...

Rudi Finkler

Forest floor in the nose, dark berries in abundance, and lots of herbs and exotic spices. Smoky blackcurrant, plum, blueberry, anis, and iodine on the palate. Absolutely silky texture, excellent balance, and a long, elegant finish. Predominantly Merlot, but only 13% alcohol. This is exactly the kind...

Rudi Finkler

Unfortunately, you are perhaps right, Jim. Grand-Puy-Lacoste once was one of my favourite clarets, but over the last two decades, one disappointment after another...

Rudi Finkler

Cheval Blanc and Haut Brion

Rudi Finkler

Nice note, Ian, thanks! Could make me envious.

Rudi Finkler

Indeed, too bad, AKR, but only about 3000 cases are produced per annum, and Moulin Saint-Georges was never hyped by Parker and such like, which is in no way a disadvantage for us. Considering the excellent quality, prices are still very, very reasonable.

Rudi Finkler

More old school than modern, the 2008 Moulin Saint-Georges offers the whole range of delicious dark fruits, herbs, and oriental spices we may expect from a high class claret. The deep, complex, fruity nose is enticingly layered with spice and liquorice, same on the palate, and the deep, blackberry d...

Rudi Finkler

Genetically manipulated....

Rudi Finkler

If the dense, tightly packed 1986 is the most 'masculine' Rausan-Ségla I ever had, then this graceful 1990 is the most 'feminine'. The gorgeous, subtle, floral and spicy fragrance of this wine, and the incredibly complex combination of aromas and flavours miraculously change from sip to sip like an ...

Rudi Finkler

Happy New Year, Jim!

Rudi Finkler

Another pleasurable evening with friends, kohlrabi crème soup, salmon tart, beef roulade, champagne, and a few nice clarets... The 2006 Réserve de la Comtesse stood out for its alluring nose, Haut-Bailly's elegant 2004 la Parde for its nuanced, seductive fruit, and the 1999 Fontenil for its wonderfu...

Rudi Finkler

Last night, my neighbour came in and we opened a bottle of 2006 La Fleur de Boüard. Supple, mouth filling, and relatively opulent, with a core of jammy dark fruit, vanilla, and oriental spices. Agreeable acidity, but the spicy finish is simply too short. The alcohol, 14%, is a bit masked by the supe...

Rudi Finkler

Indeed, roulette...

Rudi Finkler

2001 La Fleur de Gay

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the nice note, Jim! As long as the alcohol content does not exceed 13,5%, I'm always willing to buy this impressive Lalande de Pomerol. Last year, I finished a case of 2001 La Fleur de Boüard. I opened the first bottle in 2004 or 2005, and since that time each bottle was splendid. I wish ...

Rudi Finkler

As for the Margaux, there certainly is enough potential for further development. This does not apply for the Cos d'Estournel. On day two, the Clos the Quatre Vents showed great complexity and linearity, and was absolutely captivating last night, whereas the Cos has lost much of its appeal. I think t...

Rudi Finkler

Flawless, super elegant, and excellently balanced, the 2007 Clos des Quatre Vents offers all the fragrance, delicacy and refinement one might expect from a classically styled Margaux -even in a 'weaker' vintage. The fruit -sour cherry and black currant dominate on the palate- is not as overwhelming ...

Rudi Finkler

I had the 2001 last year. A rather unpleasant experience. A jammy, Parkerized nightmare.

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the note!
As for Montagne Staint-Emilion, I have good experiences with Château Roudier, Château Faizeau -Vielles Vignes, and Château Gachon.

Rudi Finkler

No no, in no way 'a little worn and weathered', but nicely matured like, let's say, a bunch of 1985 first growths....

Rudi Finkler

That's right... The 1990 Las Cases is a bit atypical compared to other vintages, lighter in style, and more 'feminine', so to speak, but absolutely delicate...

Rudi Finkler

This is a beauty, flawless and seamless, perfectly balanced, with irresistible elegance. With its absolutely digestible acidity, this perfectly matured wine is the nicest possible medicine for your stomach and your soul, especially on a dark November night. Oriental spices and dark fruits dominate o...

Rudi Finkler

At least, it shows that he is proud to be a member of the glitterati of whatever...

Rudi Finkler

Yes, this article is not worth mentioning...

Rudi Finkler

AKR wrote:Perhaps they keep the sharks and alligators in their moat well fed with passing wine critics.

Hahaha, nice idea...

Rudi Finkler

What are the old Charmail's like? I don't think I've had anything before 96. Never even seen the old ones. Old Sociando Mallets in the US go for much more money than one would expect. The pre mid-nineties Charmail's were lighter in style and not made for the long haul. The same holds true for D'Aga...

Rudi Finkler

Depends on the vintage... Except a handful, I bought all classified growths from the vintage 1990 for example. For my taste, most of them began losing their magic already in the early 2000's. Today, Pichon Baron is only a shadow of what is was in late nineties, at least for me. On the other hand, 20...

Rudi Finkler

I remember an excellent bottle of 2009 D'Agassac. Neither thin nor acidic or tannic, but opulent and elegant, with excellent concentration and balance.

Rudi Finkler

Indeed, the 2003 is fantastic, as well as the 2007 I had a few months ago. Since the late seventies, Haut-Marbuzet is one of my favorite non classified growths from Médoc - along with Sociando Mallet, Clos du Marquis, Poujeaux, Pibran, Charmail, D'Agassac, and Château Marbuzet. I love the elegant, u...

Rudi Finkler

[ So did Nero, so did Stalin and so did Hitler. That's why we have checks and balances in a democracy to not fall back in situations like that. Now Trump wants to gut those, and one can only imagine what follows after that.... Unfortunately, mental illness seems to be contagious, as well as far-rig...

Rudi Finkler

I've had a lot of clients with mental illnesses over the years but as I watch Donald I'm reminded of one client I had who had a severe pathological oppositional defiant disorder. You almost literally couldn't have a conversation with her. If you said yes she said no. If you said black she said whit...

Rudi Finkler

I saw Sour Grapes a few weeks ago. For me, the most amusing figures were Jefery Levy and his buddies. Decadence and cretinism - pure and simple.

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