TN: 10 Croix-Mouton [Bordeaux Superieur]

[AKR]

10 Croix-Mouton [Bordeaux Superieur] Double decanted, over two days, and much better on day 2. 14.5% abv. This is a J-P Janouiex wine, which generally means it's typecast as big framed, oak powered, and muscular. I remember being astonished with one of his 1998 Lalande de Pomerols which had gotten lost, and was opened up at age 15 or something, and it was super, having aged more like a rich Pomerol, than a humble satellite. So long winded way of saying: this ain't a AFWE example. We had a nice 2010 Bordeaux Superieur (whose name escapes me) while in Paris recently so I pulled this for supper last night since we had guests who usually add ice/syrup/etc. to their drinks -- we love them anyways -- and it would pain me too me much if that happened to certain bottles. (In any case they didn't want wine to go with the meat, and one of them didn't even want the gorgeous gigantic rib eyes I'd hand picked at the butcher, and preferred the childrens' hamburgers instead! quasi family, so can't trade them for anything, not even left handed pitching, and as our pastor reminds us, sometimes we need to love more and judge less) In that vein of loving, and not judging, here's a modest Bordeaux Superieur on a weekend when so many triumphant sacrifices have laid waste to BWE livers so far away. Color is dark, dense ruby, with a tight nose of oak, smoke, and sage. 15-25 second finish, which is cool and minty. On the first day, I didn't like it much, but now after 24 hours, it's more impressive. It got a good score -- considering its stature/tariff -- from critics, and if one likes that style, they'd probably concur. It was heavily sedimented btw. Right now the balance between fruit and tannin and acid is still tilted toward the first two, so even at age six, this generic wine needs a lot of breathing, or even more aging. This is a B+ wine with upside.

PS: Janouiex favors CA styled bottles (the kind that get fatter at the shoulder) and usually has Maltese crosses on his labels, so even if one doesn't know his stable of wines, keep an eye out for those visual/tactile cues, so one can steer clear or affirmatively select his wines. If one ever wanted to try his magnus opus's - try the 2000 La Croix St Georges [Pomerol]. Untasted (by me) but just as well regarded are the 2005 and 2009. There is a St Emilion of the same name, so be careful when sourcing, says a cat who has sniffed the hot stove.

[robertgoulet]

I have the 2010 La Croix St Georges as a birth yr wine for Jett...looking forward to it.

[AKR]

If you have a cool cellar, I doubt your La Croix St Georges will be ready when Jett turns 21.

[robertgoulet]

Yes it's fairly cool....kept around 53 degrees...may wait on that one

[winodiver]

I bought a lot of the 2005 Croix-Mouton, and it sounds very similar to your description of the 2010. A recent bottle showed a lot less oak, but the fruit has faded a bit as well, so I'm not sure there is a lot of upside in holding these beyond 5 or 6 years unless you are oak-averse.

[AKR]

We finished the 2009 Croix-Mouton [Bordeaux Superieur] last night. It was very good all in all, better than the 2010. I've certainly had plenty of wines that were 3x-5x the price that were not as tasty and pleasurable. It has kept better than its AOC would have suggested.

[Nicklasss]

I had a few vintages of that wine, and liked it even if like you're saying AKR, very big or ripe style. Probably better to enjoy it with the right people, like you did with that 2010 from the old post. On your own, I guess it can become tiring to drink.

Nic