Sipping on a Blanquito kind of wine....

[JimHow]

Beautiful midsummer night on the deck, going to grill a strip sirloin. Just uncorked a 2016 Branaire Ducru, I seem to recall in the recesses of my mind that I bought a half dozen upon the positive review of Patrick, perhaps I could be mistaken, maybe it was JC? Mmmmm, these first sips are beautiful.

[JimHow]

Bordeaux... Sipping on a fine Pauillac or St. Julien, one of the great joys of life.

[Blanquito]

Sounds delish.

This really stood out at the 2016 UGC event, after which I bought 6 bottles of it, so I’m eager to hear how it’s developing.

[JimHow]

What can I say, it is a smooth, elegant, quintessential 93 point St. Julien effort, a Blanquito type of wine. 13.5%. Very 2016, somebody on cellar tracker described it as not typical of Bordeaux, I have no idea what they are talking about. To me it is a richly colored purple-ruby St. Julien, with an elegant St. Julien nose, and lovely ripe but elegant fruit with no hard edges, the way we like our St. Julien. At half the price of something "comparable" <rolls eyes> from California? C'mon, man. I think it will achieve Howquito after just one more Blanquito, then drink up for another decade.... Rating: 93 points.

[jckba]

Amen and that was Patrick’s wine of the UGC that year and while there were other wines I liked more, this probably did offer the most value for money. I am now sitting on 2 cases and have no doubt that one day I will kick myself for not having bought more.

[Blanquito]

Yeah, when I saw this at $40, it was like “duh, buy!”.

[Nicklasss]

I like Branaire Ducru too, but it is getting tougher and tougher to buy some hete, as it is a popular Saint Julien.

And 2016 seems to never deceive. What a vintage, And probably one of the greatest vintage in Tuscany as well. When i was at Frattoria dei Barbi, they agree that it is a top vintage in the last 100 years. And told me that the next greatest is 2019 in Tuscany.

[JimHow]

What was that we were sipping in the lobby of the Napa Marriott that Saturday afternoon in 2002 with Setab, Nicola, it was the 1995 Branaire if I’m not mistaken.

[Musigny 151]

BWE W one of the year?

[Blanquito]

The 02 and 04 are both drinking great these days. 92-93 points, true and honest, traditional but not austere.