Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Rudi Finkler

Already the complex, profound nose is a revelation. This is a luscious, sexy wine that offers all one would expect from a top Saint-Emilion. The palate is fruity and delicately flavoured, with fine texture and polished tannins, finishing with a hint of anise and savoury, leathery undertones. There i...

Rudi Finkler

Without such charming and elegant wines like this, I would never have become a Bordeaux enthusiast. Refined and complex, with a very aromatic bouquet and delicate notes of cherry fruit, currant, licorice, iodine, and spices, this well-balanced wine from Dany Rolland is exactly the opposite of a mass...

Rudi Finkler

Maybe your bottle was so closed that the wine even hid its structure, Robert. BTW, as for closed wines, I had a painful experience with a case of 1986 Potensac. Back then, Potensac was considered as one of the finest Cru Bourgeois and my hopes were high. But even after five years in the bottle, this...

Rudi Finkler

Since we recently had an excellent 2008 Cantemerle, I was curious about the 2009 last night. Though hiding its complex fruit behind a wall of tannins, the finish was impressive. After a couple of hours, the nose was a little bit more interesting, but the wine was still in closed mode. Certainly an o...

Rudi Finkler

I was lucky enough to snatch a few bottles of 1999 and 2000 Fontenil, 2000 Roc de Cambes , 2001 Moulin St.-Georges, and 2003 Haut-Marbuzet on Tuesday. I like these wines more than most of the classified growths...

Rudi Finkler

I was never a particular fan of this Cru Bourgeois and after a long series of mostly disappointing vintages I gave up to buy Meyney about ten years ago. The last really excellent bottle I remember was a 1990. Apparently things have changed in recent years.

Rudi Finkler

Interesting lists, guys, but after decades as passionate Bordeaux lover, I'm unable to draw up such a ranking list. With enormous pleasure I enjoyed wines from all vintages of the last decades. Each vintage has its own personality, its own character, and its own advantages and disadvantages. Some vi...

Rudi Finkler

That's a good idea, Alex.

Rudi Finkler

Like Stefan, I drank mine up some years ago... BTW, I remember an interesting horizontal tasting in 2005.
1997 Las Cases was the most compelling wine, Lafite quite excellent, as usual, and indeed, 1997 Poujeaux was better than Latour... Nevertheless, it was a joy to drink the Latour.

Rudi Finkler

That is my view too.

Rudi Finkler

Since the late eighties, Château Haut-Marbuzet as well as the neighbouring Château Marbuzet -in earlier days Château de Marbuzet- are among my favorite wines from St.-Estèphe. Nic, the extremely elegant, nevertheless flamboyant style of Haut-Marbuzet is unique in Bordeaux... fortunately, prices rema...

Rudi Finkler

This is undoubtedly one of the most unobtrusive, extremely elegant wines I have drunk in recent times. Quite the contrary to all the effect-hashing blockbuster kitsch wines we have to endure these days. Balm for the soul, oasis for lovers of traditional Bordeaux. In the same league as the wonderful ...

Rudi Finkler

That's correct.

But for true terroir believers, the extraordinary significance of terroir is still a dogma and some of them can quickly become very aggressive when their sacred cow is touched.

Rudi Finkler

No doubt, the 2004 Brane Cantenac is an excellent wine, but it completely lacks the extraordinary perfume that usually distinguishes this fine Margaux - at least in earlier days. Unfortunately, the acidity still is very present, but the delicious, complex fruit and the long finish compensate a littl...

Rudi Finkler

When it comes to the most impressive wines of this year, 2008 La Fleur de Gay immediately comes to mind...

Rudi Finkler

Roel, nice to see you posting here.

Indeed, the legendary1989 had a magical touch. Undoubtedly the best Cantemerle I ever had. But the 2008 is not far behind...

Rudi Finkler

Jim, I bought the 2008 Cantemerle at CACTUS supermarket in Luxembourg for € 23,- last week. Not bad.

Rudi Finkler

2003 San Leonardo, Trentino, is a typical Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot. The elegant, complex fruit is impressive, but unfortunately, some green and sharp notes ruin the balance.... Not so the 2008 Cantemerle. For half the price this delicious Haut-Médoc offers everything wha...

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the notes, Ian. Good to see that the château still is in good hands. A few weeks ago, I had a fantastic 2009 Langoa and a superb 2007 Léoville. Seems that Langoa is on a roll at present.

Rudi Finkler

2006 D'Armailhac, 2012 Friedrich Becker Weisser Burgunder 2012, 2004 Pape Clément, 2004 Haut-Bailly, and 2003 San Leonardo. I never tasted a San Leonardo -C. Sauvignon, C. Franc, Merlot- before, but for € 45,- one should expect an interesting wine. I will report.

Rudi Finkler

Only 12,5 % alcohol, perfectly ripe. Not spectacular, but a real pleasure. If there is anything to criticise about this delicious Margaux, it is that the fruit is a little bit too one-dimensional. This became particularly clear last night when we opened an impressive bottle of 2004 Clémentin de Pape...

Rudi Finkler

Bordeaux on the way to Disneyland, Mickey Mouse wines included...

Thanks for the review, Alex!

Rudi Finkler

When I think of our German publishing company BURDA, everything occurs to me, but nothing, absolutely nothing, what anything has to do with intelligence...

Rudi Finkler

Haha, indeed, as the saying goes… but I would call that into question. It is all a question of quantity and moderation.

Rudi Finkler

A bon mot of the German writer and philosopher Jean Paul, 1763-1825, “Der Wein wirkt stärkend auf den Geisteszustand, den er vorfindet: Er macht die Dummen dümmer, die Klugen klüger.” Loosely translated, „Wine can only reinforce what already exists: Dumb people become dumber, bright people become br...

Rudi Finkler

jal wrote:...
Any pre-phylloxera Lafite or Margaux

Me too, Jacques, especially the Rudy Kurniawan bottlings…

Rudi Finkler

I have to say, a very enjoyable homework, Alex.

It is indeed amazing how consistently excellent their wines are.

Rudi Finkler

Why not to be a little selfish, David?

Jim, I would say you have made a good decision. Congratulations!

Rudi Finkler

While not quite as good as the fantastic 2006 D'Issan, this is nevertheless an outstanding Margaux. Ripe and gentle, with a complex bouquet of dark fruits, earthy aromas, flowers and spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins and a fine minerality, and the long finish is also we...

Rudi Finkler

No clue, Jim, but it is always a pleasure to watch Parker go on self-dismantle mode.

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the note! Sociando-Mallet is among my favourite Haut-Médoc wines since almost four decades. But in recent years, the neighbouring Château Charmail has become even more interesting to me. Their fantastic 2001 was simply a bit better than the delicious Sociando, and their 2002 was clearly b...

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the nice note! Your post has inspired me and I have bought a few bottles of 2004 Haut-Bailly, 2006 Ferrière, 2006 Domaine de Chevalier and 2006 d'Armailhac this morning. BTW, I enjoyed an absolutely delicious 1988 Haut-Bailly a few weeks ago. This is the kind of wine that does not want to...

Rudi Finkler

You have my sympathy, guys! We have +12 degrees Celsius this afternoon, pretty spring-like in Saarland…
As a consolation, especially for fans of Baroque music among you:
Klaus Nomi - The Cold Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7WehY5vTl4

Rudi Finkler

I guess it was a typo...2009?
Thanks for the interesting notes, Alex!

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the interesting note! I remember a few bottles of le Puy, but I was never impressed. My two favourites from this small appellation are La Prade and Château de Francs -Les Cerisiers-. Both estates consistently produce excellent and outstanding wines, every bit as good as the most classifie...

Rudi Finkler

this wine is a tremendous Jim How kind of wine. Wow! 93+ points. And the 2010 is even better. wow. One of my very favorite estates. 13% alcohol in 2009, almost amazing, really, when you consider it. Thanks for the nice description, Jim! Seems to be my kind of wine, too. 13%, yes, it is possible. I ...

Rudi Finkler

Nevertheless, it is a 'Rolland' wine. He is Vauthier's consultant since 1995, but I can hardly believe that he has the final word...

Rudi Finkler

This is my kind of Bordeaux, far from the pathetic, over ripe monsters that you can find these days...
I enjoyed the 1999 Moulin Saint-Georges on many occasions, as well as the fantastic 1999 D’Issan. Both typical examples of quintessential elegant and balanced Bordaux.

Rudi Finkler

A small, high quality forum with lots of useful content. Or should I say a small wine galaxy with Jim as a supernova in the center of the galaxy. Happy Birthday!

Rudi Finkler

Thanks for the interesting link! Sounds promising. I will try to track down some of the 05...

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