Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Jeff Leve

1) CHÂTEAU PALMER We were welcomed by Thomas Durou, who has managed the estate since the 2007. Alex... not that I would dream of correcting you, as you live in Bordeaux and always claim to be correct. Perforce, you must be right. But it is Duroux, not Durou. He started in 2004, not 2007. about Palm...

Jeff Leve

Jim, I don't want to break your bubble, or attack your credibility, but these are two right bank wines, in the 2009 ripe vintage, one is made by Rolland, Nic Nic and Jim both wines have Michel Rolland influence. Rolland consults Joanin and he owns and used to live at Fontenil. Impossible OrlandoRob...

Jeff Leve

I found the 2009 GPL a major disappointment, and I've never been able to coax any excitement out of the 2000. I think the '03 is a flawed wine, a la '90 Pichon Lalande. The '99 GPL, like the '99 Lynch, is one notch above supermarket level, and the '08 is some sort of internationalized swill that I ...

Jeff Leve

JimHow wrote:1996... The last quality GPL.

Jim... I like 96 GPL too. But I'm curious as to how you can say it's the last quality GPL. As much as I like 96 GPL, I might prefer 00, 05, 09 & 10.

Jeff Leve

.... I wouldn't go so far as to say it has become all pro-industry. ...... I disagree. It has been pretty evident in the last few years that the retail industry gets ratings in advance of the general public. Just like the Spectator. I'm sure Bob is a great guy but TWA is now just a branding tool. I...

Jeff Leve

Thanks for the nice words. We'll be publishing a lot more interviews with other opinionated, wine people during the year, that should make for fun reads...

Jeff Leve

I'm not sure this is breaking news... The sale took place in July, 2011.

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bor ... c/le-thil/

Jeff Leve

Must I provide you guys with links to everything good!

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/201 ... -contract/

Jeff Leve

Magic in a bottle of Leoville Las Cases in now north of 300/btl. Guess we are just whining about it. If you are, you are. Do you NEED LLC? Are you entitled to buy it for less for some reason? FWIW, LLC has always been a pricey wine. The truth is, when compared to other famous wines, it's only gone ...

Jeff Leve

Magic in a bottle of Leoville Las Cases in now north of 300/btl. Guess we are just whining about it. If you are, you are. Do you NEED LLC? Are you entitled to buy it for less for some reason? FWIW, LLC has always been a pricey wine. The truth is, when compared to other famous wines, it's only gone ...

Jeff Leve

Last year at Macarthur's, one of the bigger DC retailers, I saw a small shelf promoting about a dozen inexpensive '09s in the $15-$30 range. I tried a few of them and they were good early drinkers, but they weren't being sold as and didn't come across as wines that would develop the Bordeaux magic ...

Jeff Leve

Jeff wrote: Do you or others have to buy the top rated wines? There are so great Bordeaux wines made today that sell for a pittance, when compared to wines from other in-demand regions. Cool. What are they? Where are they? I know a lot of people is the business and they are NOT interested is sellin...

Jeff Leve

Jeff wrote: Do you or others have to buy the top rated wines? There are so great Bordeaux wines made today that sell for a pittance, when compared to wines from other in-demand regions. Cool. What are they? Where are they? I know a lot of people is the business and they are NOT interested is sellin...

Jeff Leve

So Jeff is $79 for pagodes reasonable to u? That's the going price around here I lke the wine, but not at that price. At the roughtly $50 it was first priced at, it was a steal. I would not buy it or tell others to pay $80. Your much better off buying wines like d'Issan, Grand Puy Lacoste, Brane Ca...

Jeff Leve

Do you think there has been "Parkerization" Jeff? I.e., do you think there is any trend among Bordeaux winemakers to appeal to Parker's palate to achieve higher scores and thus achieve higher profits? Or is that just an over-exaggerated and/or imagined phenomenon? Jim, IMO, Parkerization ...

Jeff Leve

Jeff Leves wrote: it is just my opinion, but, while 82, 89 & 90 Lynch Bages are stunning, 2009 Pagodes, the second wine of Cos is better than every other vintage of Lynch Bages in the 80's, and with the exception of 1996, it's better than all those other vintages as well. Weirdest thing I've re...

Jeff Leve

Jeff Leve wrote: "If you say you were going to buy 2010 Cantemerle, even if Parker gave it 85 Pts, OK, if you say so. Personally, no disrespect meant, but I find that hard to believe." Actually, Jeff, I wouldn't doubt that Jim and at least some of the others on this board would buy wines ...

Jeff Leve

Give me the wines of the past -- wines of character, wines of uniqueness -- over these boring, alcoholic, cookie cutter efforts being produced today with the sole intention of garnering the highest Parker points possible. There are numerous producers that still make wines in a traditional style. An...

Jeff Leve

Some fair questions Jeff. I'm tired this afternoon but I'll try to answer your points individually in the next day or so. I was looking forward to buying some 2010 Cantemerle. Since your 94 point rating last month, it has risen in price and disappeared from the shelves of many retailers. It is my f...

Jeff Leve

it is pretty hard to dispute that your 100 point scoring system and the related score inflation has had a significant impact upon the astronomical increases in prices. Wines that were accessible price-wise as recently as four or five years ago are no longer available. Jim, Was it a slow news day re...

Jeff Leve

13 years! WOW! That is quite an accomplishment! Congratulations...

Jeff Leve

OrlandoRobert wrote:Jeff -

Neither the 09 nor the 10 read like anything I want to buy or drink. How is the '08 faring right now? Your notes read nicely on that wine. Drinking window thoughts? I own this vintage.

I'd wait a while before popping a cork. But that's just me.

Jeff Leve

Figeac is not one of my favorite St. Emilon wines. It's often, light and unripe. Having tasted with Parker the same bottle of 2000 Figeac, I gave it 85 Pts. I happily sold all my 1982 and 1990 Figeac ages ago. Your mileage may vary. www.thewinecellarinsider.com/?page_id=1339

Jeff Leve

Having tasted it twice in barrel, I loved 2010 Troplong Mondot. I wanted to taste it with the UGC, but they were out of the wine by the time I hit the table. For tasting notes on Troplong Mondot http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-emilion/troplong-mondot/ ...

Jeff Leve

Angélus in particular is an estate that was basically cobbled together. It is indeed not an historic terroir. If you say “what the (expletive deleted) should I care about that?”, then fair enough That is not correct. Angelus was considered an outstanding wine during the 1950's. As for the 60's and ...

Jeff Leve

Château Pichon Lalande is unusual in owning 11 hectares (27 acres) of vines in the commune of St. Julien. From time to time, the wine has been sold and bottled by Negociants as St. Julien, with a mention of the vines owners, Pichon Lalande on the label. From memory, I am not sure those vines are in...

Jeff Leve

1 2. Also, if I remember correctly, not every area in the appellation can use the name. It also depends on the soil quality. If area within appellation Pauillac does not have the soil quality deemed for Pauillac appellation, it cannot use the name Pauillac...For example, if Lafite buys some land in...

Jeff Leve

Also at the link cited, they claim "4.5 hectares in neighbouring Saint Estèphe". Does anyone know what happens to the harvest from this plot? Is it within some margin allowed by the AOC system that can be bottled as Pauillac? Tom... They have a special dispensation to include those vines ...

Jeff Leve

Jeff, In response to my statement that vine density has altered little over the years you replied “That is not correct for the Right Bank. Today, vineyards are being planted with much higher density in Pomerol and St. Emilion. In the Medoc, it has stayed same at close to 10,000 vines per hectare”. ...

Jeff Leve

However, vine density has altered little over the years That is not correct for the Right Bank. Today, vineyards are being planted with much higher density in Pomerol and St. Emilion. In the Medoc, it has stayed same at close to 10,000 vines per hectare. You write: "There is less grand vin bei...

Jeff Leve

JonoB wrote:Jeff,

I think you might want to clarify. You are talking about Grand vin.

I made that clarification in previous posts. I was quite clear on that issue, stating more wine was being placed into second third and on occasion, 4th wines.

Jeff Leve

Château 1982 edition of the Féret 1982 edition of the Féret Ducru Beaucaillou 20,000 C/12 19,000 C/12 Haut Brion 15,000 C/12 16,000 C/12 Eat your hat, Mr. Leve! You mustn’t believe everything you hear, and should keep a critical mind when you are being spoiled by the Bordelais in Parker’s wake! Sin...

Jeff Leve

I love my wines "hard, rustic, green and charmless." To me that is what attracts me to the northern Medoc. I love wines from the Left Bank, but at least for me, they are all charming, elegant, refined, ripe and powerful. The tannins are ripe and that gives the wine a sense of refined, ele...

Jeff Leve

JimHow wrote:Do you like Calon Segur Jeff?

There is a sense of qualilty in the wine, but it's never a wine that excites me enough to buy it. You can read more on Calon Segur if you like: http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/?page_id=264

Jeff Leve

Hmm interesting Jeff that you don't like Sociando. To me this is great stoic Bordeaux. I love this stuff. I rate the 2009 Sociando higher than Parker's 90. Jim... Lots of people like it. I find it hard, rustic, green and charmless. I would never buy a bottle. Your descriptor of stoic is fair. That ...

Jeff Leve

Now this Sociando is a real man's Bordeaux. Is the terroir here such that it is less likely exposed to manipulation and homogeny? To each his own. Sociando Mallet is one of my least favorite wines. But others like its rustic charms. Part of the reason is their incredibly high yields, which are prob...

Jeff Leve

Just a juxtaposition of two of John Gilman's "tweets" which I thought spoke to some of the issues being discussed in this thread: 1. "Magically soil-driven '83 Leoville-Poyferre recalls the salad days of property, when they always strutted their terroir but didn't sell well" 2. ...

Jeff Leve

AlexR wrote:As for the figures, you are wrong and should be man enough to admit it. I’ve quoted the Féret.

You quoted a book and I quoted the owner. When you say I am wrong, you mean the owner of the chateau is wrong! Give that some thought and get back to me, or not...

Jeff Leve

As far as Haut Bailly goes, does anyone own the 08s? HB is supposed to be one of the high points of that vintage, and the price is way better than 09 and 10. 08 might represent an affordable (last) chance for HB lovers. I have a box of 05s, and I'm hoarding them. :-) I bought 08 Haut Bailly. I real...

Jeff Leve

Whatever one thinks of the increasing homogeneity/Parkerization argument, I think it's indisputable that Bob has been the prime mover in the horrific escalation in Bordeaux prices over the past 15 years. Yes, as Jeff will argue, it's a free market and in some theoretical sense if you believe in cap...

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