Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

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jckba
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Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

Post by jckba »

It’s free in-store tastings of this nature that take place every so often at Zachys that make me a Zachys customer for life and last night they put together one heck of a Bdx tasting. The wines were lined up around the sales floor by region and that is the same order which I will follow. Keep in mind that the pours are small and as such, I took a quick smell, sipped and then commented on it amongst the group that I was with before moving onto the next wine. While my notes were limited, I will provide you with the lineup, the Zachys regular pricing as well as their sale pricing (which are still active as I type this), along with my quick take impressions and a score range.

2016 Domaine de Chevalier Rose - reg $19.99 but on sale $14.99 => I did not taste but it does have nice packaging
2015 Pierre 1er Saint-Emilion - reg $23.99 but on sale $19.99 => a little woody in its present state for my tastes (87-89)
2010 de Fonbel Saint-Emilion - reg $34.99 but on sale $28.99 => modern and oaky (86-88)
2001 Matras Saint-Emilion - reg $39.99 but on sale $29.99 => integrated fruit and cedar, mature, balanced and ready to drink (89-91)
2014 Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse Saint-Emilion - reg $99.99 but on sale $89.99 => beautifully hedonistic nose and a layered mineral finish (94-96)
2014 Angelus Saint-Emilion - reg $299.99 but on sale $249.99 => ripe and fresh with a good dosage of oak but nonetheless, luxurious on the palate (94-96)
2012 Roc de Cambes Cotes de Bourg - reg $69.99 but on sale $49.99 => this is better than the 2011, nice nose and very ripe (91-93)
2012 Tetre Roteboeuf Saint-Emilion - reg $189.99 but on sale $169.99 => made in a similar style as the RdC but with more depth and spice, a treat (93-95)
2012 La Creation Pomerol - reg $35.99 but on sale $28.99 => its wine and it did not do much for me following the above (85-87)
2014 La Gravette de Certain Pomerol - reg $69.99 but on sale $49.99 => good fruit and earth and ready to go, a very good 2nd wine (90-92)
2014 Clinet Pomerol - reg $84.99 but on sale $69.99 => ripe and glossy and not as expressive as I would have expected at this stage (90-92)
2011 Hosanna Pomerol - reg $160 but on sale $144.99 => complex red fruited and tobacco driven nose but still a little tight (91-93)
2014 Malartic Lagraviere Pessac - reg $52.99 but on sale $44.99 => solid graves but no real excitement for me (89-91)
2014 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge Pessac - reg $59.99 but on sale $52.99 => big step up from the above, traditional w/dark fruit and structured (92-94)
2015 La Parde de Haut Bailly Pessac - reg $33.99 but on sale for $29.99 => young but open and ready to drink, another very good 2nd wine (90-92)
2014 Haut Bailly Pessac - reg $99.99 but on sale $85.99 => good nose but this was something to behold on the palate as it was juicy and seamless (94-96)
2011 La Mission Haut Brion Pessac - reg $499.99 but on sale $399.99 => my 1st La Mish; wonderful nose of dark fruits and earth, polished palate where you could sense the lurking complexity once it opens (93-95)
2015 La Tour de Mons Margaux - reg $27.99 but on sale $24.99 => inviting nose + juicy palate =’s very enjoyable and easy to drink (90-92)
2010 Kirwan Margaux - reg $84.99 but on sale $69.99 => its wine and it was okay but I expected more (86-88)
2014 Palmer Margaux - reg $274.99 but on sale $219.99 => nice nose but not showing much (rating reserved)
2011 Margaux Margaux - reg $699.99 but on sale $499.99 => an intoxicating nose with a great mouth feel (94-96)
2009 d’Armailhac Pauillac - reg $79.99 but on sale $69.99 => I mis-judged and despised this wine at the UGC 6 years ago where the sample was menthol driven and tasted like an ash tray but I got no traces of that and this is now pleasantly red fruited and drinking well (90-92)
2011 Pichon Baron Pauillac - reg $129.99 but on sale $114.99 => dark fruited and complex (92-94)
2011 Pontet Canet Pauillac - reg $120.00 but on sale $104.99 => I was anxious to taste this as it has garnered Ian’s seal of approval and I was not disappointed, as it was refined and polished but my one overall comment is that I get that cement smell / taste in this wine (similar to what I get from Franchetti’s Tenuta di Trinoro wines) which I expect is a direct result of the time the wine spent maturing in amphora, and for me, this profile is something that it is going to take a little getting used to (91-93)
2011 Lynch Bages Pauillac - reg $139.99 but on sale $114.99 => closed and not giving much (rating reserved)
2009 Cantemerle Haut-Medoc - reg $59.99 but on sale $49.99 => took one sniff and this was corked and enough so that it successfully muted the nose. I communicated this to the Private Client Rep that was pouring and he poured himself a glass and said maybe it will blow off :roll:, but, proceeded to open another bottle which was clean and fruit driven and he then agreed with me. I love when this happens at a tasting (90-92)
2009 Sociando Mallet Haut-Medoc - reg $59.99 but on sale $49.99 => open for business, earthy and polished (90-92)
2014 Talbot Saint-Julien - reg $64.99 but on sale $54.99 => aromatic nose with secondary notes of leather and tobacco but where the palate was a bit underwhelming by comparison (91-93)
2006 Saint Pierre Saint-Julien - reg $74.99 but on sale $64.99 => a little closed and did not do much for me, probably could have used an extended decant (85-87)
2011 Leoville Las Cases Saint-Julien - reg $194.99 but on sale $149.99 => pure and unadultered LLC profile, this grew on me so much so that I asked for a second pour (94-96)
2014 Calon Segur Saint Estephe - reg $114.99 but on sale $99.99 => my 1st taste of this and it did not disappoint, killer nose of tobacco and briary fruit while ripe and tart on the palate (94-96)
2011 Cos d’Estournel Saint Estephe - reg $185.00 but on sale $164.99 => closed and not giving much anything but wood (rating reserved)
2014 Dame de Montrose Saint Estephe - reg $39.99 but on sale $35.99 => open for business, black berry and spice notes, another very good 2nd wine (91-93)
2014 Montrose Saint Estephe - reg $169.99 but on sale $134.99 => my 1st taste and while the nose was not as open as the Calon, the palate is where this shined as it was silky, creamy and multidimensional with its blackberry, earthy and mineral flavors (94-97)
2008 Rieussec Sauternes - reg $75.00 but on sale $69.99 => good but lighter in style with some pineapple (91-93)
2013 Coutet Sauternes-Barsac - reg $44.99 but on sale $43.99 => much better, more aromatic, more unctuous and much more my style which is why I bought a case of splits a year and a half ago from Zachys at $17.99/per on sale (94-96)

So I have several takeaways from the tasting; the 2014’s are very good and especially the further north you go, if this is what the 2015 Margaux’s are going to be like based off the LTDM then I would start buying now, 2011 was doomed to fail largely due to the weather, the run-up in pricing caused by 2009 and 2010 vintage of the centuries and further compounded by the EURO hovering in the 1.30’s however some of these wines are really starting to drink well.
Last edited by jckba on Fri Dec 08, 2017 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jckba
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Re: Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

Post by jckba »

Also for those of you with AMEX cards, they are currently running a promotional offer with $50 off a $250 purchase at Zachys. Happy shopping.
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Very interesting notes JC. I remember when I lived in CT they put on some great tastings including Bordeaux 2005 and Burgundy 2006.
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Ognik
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Re: Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

Post by Ognik »

Great tasting. DDC seems to be a good value in 2014.?!
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AKR
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Re: Zachys 'Magic of Bordeaux' in-store tasting 20171207

Post by AKR »

Wow great notes. Impressive that they are pouring Ch. Margaux for people.

I guess if one is running events like this, the prices are aligned with the value proposition.
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