Saturday 28 November 2015

A Bottle Of Bubbly - 2008 L`Esprit Blanc de Blancs, Pierre Peters

 2008 L`Esprit Blanc de Blancs, Pierre Peters
I opened this yesterday and as good as it was, it is even better today. The nose is deep and focused with fine notes of lemon cream, freshly washed clothes, nuts, summer flowers and pickled ginger. Very complex. A creamy character yet refined. Very, very good.
The taste is young, fresh and salivating with notes of white currants, crushed rocks, lemon cream and vanilla cookie dough. Very long, taut and intense with a piercing acidity. Needs another 5-8 years to give that round, matured feeling, but it is impossible to resist today.
93p   (tasted 2015/11)

Truffle potato crisps are a perfect compliment to one or four glasses of Champagne, especially Blanc de Blancs. This was a new producer for me and while good it has a tiny burnt touch that lingered on.

 

Friday 27 November 2015

Friday Dinner Barolo - 2001 Barolo, Cantine Manfredi

To go with some Italian delicatessen I opened this Barolo from, for me, an unknown producer.
Some info here.

2001 Barolo, Cantine Manfredi
It needs an hour or two in a decanter to open up. When it does it displays a traditional nose with fine scents of dried raspberries, hard cherry candy, dried mushrooms and rose petals. Nice characteristics of a Nebbiolo wine, without heaps of complexity or refinement.
The taste is tight and seedy with notes of rosehips, dried cherries, asphalt and violets. Some still rather rough tannins peaks through in the finish. Almost mature. Medium long. Drinking fine although it lacks class, although I wouldn´t go so long that to say it has No Class.
84p   (tasted 2015/11)


 

Wednesday 25 November 2015

1811 Malvasia Cândida


There is a saying that goes - "You don´t have to be old to be wise". And a wine doesn´t have to be old to be good.
But there is no suprise that I am partial to old wines. And especially to old Madeira´s!

We got together in our tasting group and bought this bottle, from the Comet year.
And not to let a opportunity to taste som great wines get wasted, we arranged a BYOB evening with this as the (hopefully!) climax of the evening. Notes on the rest of bottles will be posted later.

The label states:
Vinho de Malvazia / Bebe pouco / E viverais com alegria’.
Malvazia Wine / Drink a little / And you will live with happiness

I´ll drink to that!

1811 Malvasia Cândida
The nose is big and intense with notes of muscovado sugar dusted berries, dried flowers, figs, melted asphalt and coffee liquor. Very deep. A bit loose around the edges though. Not surprisingly it shows some age...
The taste is broad and multi layered with fine notes of sugared coffee, pan fried nuts, hot gravel, dried flowers, band aid and liquorice. The finish is very long and sweet. The acídity is high but it doesn´t have the intense "zing" that Madeira usually has. Very, very good.
92p   (tasted 2015/11)

Saturday 21 November 2015

A Bottle Of Chablis Grand Cru - What Could The Vintage Be?

I love to buy these kind of bottles with the vintage or producer or sometimes both unknown. You usually can buy them for a song, and most of the time they turn out to be real bargains. This time it is a Grand Cru Valmur from Domaine Jean Collet.

What is the vintage then? The neck slip is missing but when I remove the top capsule the vintage, thankfully, is branded on the cork.

 
2002 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, Domaine Jean Collet
This 13 year old Chablis needs some time to open up. It shows of fine scents of ripe pears, ginger, dry caramel, soap and lots of slate. Deep and fine. With air some gun powder scents emerge. Very, very good. Still rather young. A touch salty, in a refined way.
The taste is stony, ripe and full bodied with notes of blood oranges, crushed rocks, toasted bread, dried flowers and smoke. A long, warm, intense finish. This is really good but I would wait with any additional bottles for another 3-5 years.
91p   (tasted 2015/11)


Loach fillet with oven baked red beets, spinach and goat cheese
 

Friday 20 November 2015

Friday Dinner Barolo - 1996 Cannubi Boschis Riserva, Virna Borgogno


I recently bought some Barolis from Virna Borgogno. Coincidentally, the family also owns Orlando Abrigo, of which I have tried some nice Barbaresco´s recently.
Time to taste the oldest and also the one I bought the most bottles of.

Winepunker tasted two wines from Virna Borgogno recently.

1996 Barolo Cannubi Boschis Riserva, Virna Borgogno
This needs one hour in the decanter to really open up. And when it does, and it keeps improving on through the evening, fine notes of cool cherries, dried raspberries, forest floor, violets, hard cherry candy and rosehips arises from the glass. Classy. From time to time it reminds me of a structured Burgundy, like a Nuits-St-George or a Pommard. Very good. Refined. This is still on the young side of things.
The taste is cool, taut and vigorous with some broad shouldered tannins and fine notes of red cherries, lingonberries, tar, rose petals and a autumn mushroom forest. The finish is long, fresh and dry with a fine earthiness. This will need another 6+ years in the cellar before it reach full maturity. A really fine wine that was bought for a song. I am glad I have more.
91p   (tasted 2015/11)

Veal schnitzel filled with parma ham and parmigiano, cauliflower and broccoli purée, butter fried sage and a Marsala sauce

Sauce wine!
 

Wednesday 18 November 2015

2005 & 2010 Château Potensac


Château Potensac has always, for my taste, been a fine, old fashioned Bordeaux that I have very found memories of, especially the 1978, 1982, 1985 and 1990. But I haven´t tasted any of the newer vintages, so when the state monopoly had the 2005 and 2010 for sale, I bought a couple of each.
Time to test drive them!

Potensac usually consists of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, although it differs some between vintages. The estate is owned by the family that also owns Leoville Las Cases.
The wine sees on average 30% new oak in every vintage, but that is new from the 1997 vintage, so the old vintages that I have liked so much haven´t seen any new oak. And I still liked them! :-)
More info here.

2005 Château Potensac
This 10 year old Potensac has a young, seedy, concentrated nose with notes of ripe black currants, pipe tobacco, scorched earth, graphite and dark chocolate. Very deep. Very good but made in a more international mold than the 2010.
The taste is young, tight and juicy with notes of sweet red and black currants, hard cherry candy, moist earth, graphite and new leather. A big mouthful of sturdy tannins. Long and warm. This will need at least 6+ years more in the cellar to really come together, but there is promise here.
89p   (tasted 2015/11)


2010 Château Potensac
The aromas of the 2010 Potensac brings me down memory lane. This is how fine Bordeaux smelled in the beginning to the middle of the 90´s when I worked at the state monopoly and had the opportunity to taste bottles from the 88, 89 and 90 vintages that was freshly delivered.
It has a young, potent yet finely tuned nose with notes of red and black currants, a cigar box, a touch of stables, violets and some new leather. A very fine, refined structure. A pure Bordeaux feeling.
The taste is young, tight and focused with notes of fresh black currants, some plums, cigar smoke, warm rocks and bakelite. The finish is long, restrained and multi layered. This has a fine potential. For 30 Euro, this is a real bargain. Great wine.
92p   (tasted 2015/11)


Sunday 15 November 2015

100 Years Of Château Montrose - 1911-2011 - The Notes

 

It was time.
Two weeks ago we had an incredible tasting of one of my favourite estates in Bordeaux - Château Montrose. I have been lucky enough to have tasted a lot of vintages through the years, but never in this exuberant way.

I have been buying for this tasting for 16 years, the oldest purchase was the 1996 a primeur. The rest of the vintages have been accumulated over the years, the latest purchase was the 1986 who got delivered a month ago.

We were seated in a private room at Djuret, one of my favourite restaurants in Stockholm, which if you don´t bring 20 vintages of Montrose..., has an amazing wine list. The food, service and handling of the bottles was top notch!


Château Montrose is the most modern of all classified growths but at the same time in many aspects, especially with the older vintages, one of the most traditional. It was created in 1815 out of a piece of woodlands, belonging to the Calon estate. Already in 1855 when the still official classification was made, Montrose placed itself as a second growth.
The Charmolüe family bought the estate in 1896 and kept it in the family up until 2006.

The vineyard is 90 ha big and is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Average age of the vines are 40 years.
Montrose is known for in the past producing wines that took ages to mature. With the introduction of a second wine, La Dame de Montrose, in 1984 the style has changed somewhat. It is still a robust and big wine but it is more early accessible.

"This is a classic claret drinker´s wine, not perhaps for beginners, but with its strong character and full-blooded qualities, a wine to appeal to English and, even more perhaps, to Scottish tastes"
(David Peppercorn: Bordeaux (1991))

Lets go to the wines:


Flight 1
1970 Château Montrose
We started with three vintage sfrom the 70´s to get that Montrose feeling going. The 1970 has a mature, soft, old school nose with notes of stables, ripe black currants, leather and cigarette ashes. A touch meaty. Holds well in the glass.
The taste is tight and mature with notes of black currants, iron, leather and spices. A long finish with a fine dryness to it. Fully mature but holding well.
89p   (tasted 2015/10)

1971 Château Montrose
The 71 started out a bit slow but got better and better all evening. The nose is deep, warm and round with more cherry fruit than currants. Additional notes of tobacco, sugared coffee and banana peel are to be found. Very attractive.
The taste is perfectly mature with notes of dried cherries, cofffee, stables, graphite and autumn leaves. A fine warmth and dryness. Very, very good.
91p   (tasted 2015/10)



1975 Château Montrose
The nose is mature and a bit foursquare with notes of dried red berries, old wood, undergrowth and wet cigarette butts. Doesn´t sound that exciting but it works in a strange kind of way.
The taste is typical of the vintage, still rather dry harsh tannins and a medium bodied fruit that fights in vane against the tannins. Lingonberries, dry leather and some old stables. Works well with the food though. I have had better bottles of 75 Montrose.
77p   (tasted 2015/10)


Flight 2
1911 Château Montrose
Ok, a 104 year old wine. That doesn´t happen every day. Its no secret that I like old wine, but it still has to be good, for my taste anyway (compare with the 1920 below). This is not only good, it is great.
The nose is deep, finely tuned and expressive with notes of dried raspberries, band aid, old choolate, menthol, cigarette ashes and a hint of tar. Very much alive and kicking. Holds well in the glass.
The taste is tight, dry and aristocratic with notes of red currants, earth, cigarette ashes, stables and gravel. There is even a hint of dried up sweetness in the medium long finish. This is really good. Would love to have more bottles of this.
92p   (tasted 2015/10)


1920 Château Montrose
Except for the corked 2000, this was the only really bad bottle. The nose is old and unsound with notes of white mold cheese, old olives and a dish rag. Not good.
The taste is a tad better than the nose but it is hollow, old and dry. Too bad, Clive Coates had it as a revelation in his Bordeaux book. Ah well, old bottles.
55p   (tasted 2015/10)

1928 Château Montrose
A glorious, refined, racy nose with notes of dried black currants, dried flowers, earth, old leather, sea buckthorn, pencil shavings and a touch of coffee powder. So fine and elegant. Doesn´t budge at all in the glass all night long. Soooo fine.
The taste is remarkable fresh and alert with notes of red and black currants, lingonberries, tobacco, smoke and moist earth. The finish is long with lots of breed and character, A long, persistent finish. A treat to drink and enjoy.
97p   (tasted 2015/10)


1937 Château Montrose
A big, overblown nose with notes of muscovado sugar, ink, asphalt, sweet liquorice and old wood. It feels like something has been added to this. Very sweet, cooked fruit.
The taste is big and fiery with a foursquare structure and notes of tar, black currant jam, sugared coffee and moist undergrowth. Tasteable, but not very enjoyable.
67p   (tasted 2015/10)


Flight 3
1945 Château Montrose
I didn´t have much hope for this one. When I bought it several years ago it had a mid shoulder level, but a month ago, when I was in the cellar, I noticed a small pool of wine under this bottle. It had begun to leak. I stood it up and put clingfilm around the cork and crossed all fingers imaginable.
The nose is deep, warm and concentrated with lots of sweet black fruit and some chocolate and earthy notes. It oxidizes a bit when its sits in the glass. Too bad, although when you pour some more in the glass it becomes much fresher.
The taste is mature, tight and dry with notes of dried black currants, Christmas spices, dusty earth and dry tobacco. Lots of muscular tannins. Long, dry and intense. I would venture that a healthy bottle of this would have rocked my world. This one didn´t, although it was a good drink.
85p   (tasted 2015/10)

1947 Château Montrose
This refined creature starts out in a shy manner but evolves all night into a thing of beauty. The nose is cool, pure and laid back with notes of rowanberries, dried red and black currants, rose petals, Cohiba smoke and a touch of mint. Ethreal. Very delicate and fine.
The taste is cool, structuted and mature with notes of ripe red currants, vegetable stock, ironclad earth, some pencil shavings and old leather. Long and very elegant. Very, very fine. An utter joy to drink. Holds very well in the glass.
96p   (tasted 2015/10)


1949 Château Montrose
The nose of the 49 explodes from the glass with gorgeous aromas of red and black currants, warm gravel, chocolate biscuits, tobacco and some mint. Very expressive and lively. Deep. This has matured into a great bottle of Bordeaux. A very fine warmth to the fruit.
The taste is mature, tight yet velvety with fine notes of red and black currants, dusty earth, pipe tobacco, old chocolate and sugared coffee. A very long, sturdy finish with a fine warmth and structure. Very, very fine. Fully mature but bottles like this could be cellared for another 8+ years. Stunning wine.
96p   (tasted 2015/10)


Flight 4
1952 Château Montrose
A cool, elegant, earthy nose with notes of red currants, leather, band aid, some old chocolate and after some time in the glass, a hint of beet root juice. Very good. A fine structure.
The taste is very balanced and fine with a fine red and black currant fruit and additional notes of cigarr ashes, dry earth, bakelite and stables. This still has some firm tannins in the long finish. Mature but good bottles should be on this level or better.
91p   (tasted 2015/10)

1959 Château Montrose
A 1959 Montrose should be great, right? Well, this is a good bottle, but it doesn´t reach the heights of other fine 59´s. The nose is big, warm and burly with notes of dried black currants, tar, meat stock and cigarr smoke. Big and bold.
The taste is mature, tight and dry with notes of dried meat, dried up black currant jam, earth and cigarr ashes. A medium long, dry finish. Other bottles should be much better.
86p   (tasted 2015/10)


1961 Château Montrose
Some around the table had this as their favourite. And it is not hard too see why, for this is a truly great wine. The nose is to kill and die for with its gorgeous notes of autumn leaves, cool red and black currants, cranberries, pipe tobacco, graphite and a hint of menthol. Absurdly good, I wrote... This has matured in a great fashion. Very, very deep. Just beautiful.
The taste is a poster child for that proverbial "iron fist in a velvet glove". The black currant fruit is of the finest, ripest kind and the additional notes of old expensive leather, graphite, dusty earth and autumn leaves is of the best kind. A hint of fresh stables in a distance. The finish is long and intense. Simply put, a fantastic wine.
99p   (tasted 2015/10)



Flight 5
1986 Château Montrose
A big, burly, meaty nose with notes of damp earth, sunwarm black currants, chewing tobacco and flower water. Structured and broad shouldered but not very charming. Good though.
The taste is dense and tight with some hints of maturity and notes of black currant suryp, autumn leaves, sweet tobacco and gravel. Hearthy. I´m not sure time will polish of the taut structure of this one.
88p   (tasted 2015/10)

1989 Château Montrose
A very intense, powerful nose with notes of ripe black currants, fresh stables, iron, violets and Cohiba smoke. A touch meaty in character. Very, very fine. A lovely depth. Lots of graphite after a while. This is a really fine wine. Has a long way to go.
The taste is broad shouldered yet elegant with fantastic notes of ripe black currants, expensive leather, undergrowth, stables and violets. Sturdy, even old fashioned, but oooh so fine. Evolves for hours in the glass. This has a great future ahead of its self.
96p   (tasted 2015/10)


1990 Château Montrose
I have been lucky enough to taste this perfect specimen on four occasions before this evening and every time it has been a mind blowing wine. As on this evening.
The nose is all that the 89 displays but it has an added complexity and interesting notes of pine wood, dusty asphalt and forest floor. Breathtakingly beautiful. Bottomless deep.
The taste is like a agile ballerina with Arnold muscles, displaying all that is great with Bordeaux, perfect ripe fruit, polished tannins and a caressing long lasting finish that ends perfectly dry. I could drink this all day every day. And it will go on this way for 20+ years. True magic.
100p   (tasted 2015/10)

1996 Château Montrose
The 90 is a tough act to follow but the 96 comes through with flying colours. The nose is deep, dense and intense with fantastic notes of ripe black currants, iron, moist undergrowth, blood sausage, pipe tobacco and graphite. Very, very good. Still very primary on the nose. Stunning.
The taste is big and broad shouldered with notes of black currants, chocolate biscuits, iron, meat stock and pipe tobacco. The finish goes on for minutes and there is some hefty tannins here. This has a great potential, just give it 8+ years. Really fine.
96p   (tasted 2015/10)


Flight 6
2000 Château Montrose
#¤%&"#¤/&%¤ Corked!

2003 Château Montrose
A dark, dense yet opulent nose with boatloads of ripe black currants and additional notes of ink, Cohiba cigarr, black earth, wood smoke and freshly grounded coffee. Very extrovert and ripe. Needs lots of time. Has the stuffing for future greatness.
The taste is big, ripe but also refined in its exuberant character. Lots of creamy black currants, liquorice, dark chocolate, coffee latte, meat stock, flower water and new leather. The finish goes of for minutes with a great warmth and some finely polished tannins that show themselves at the end. Will achieve real greatness in 15-20 years time. Impressive.
95p   (tasted 2015/10)

2011 Château Montrose
What a youngster! And a great one at that. The nose is filled to the brim with upfront, juicy black currants fruit with additional notes of violets, graphite, new leather, fresh flowers and scorched earth. Very ripe fruit. Intense and yummy but very, very young.
The taste is big, juciy and extracted with sugared black currants and lots of silky tannins in the long, long finish. Notes of warm earth, leather, graphite and bakelite completes the picture. This will surely turn out great in 10+ years time. A very nice ending to this fantastic evening.
93p   (tasted 2015/10)




Friday 13 November 2015

Friday Dinner Barolo - 2003 Barolo Pressenda, Marziano Abbona

Friday evening, I bought some Italian delicatessen on my way home and opened this Barolo to toy with over the evening.

2003 Barolo Pressenda, Marziano Abbona
On the nose, this suffer some from this hot vintage - it is big, thick and warm with notes of Cherry Heering, burning wood, hard cherry candy, asphalt and sweet violets. A bit overripe. Rather deep though. Warm.
The taste is more structured and more harmonious than the nose with ripe black cherries, dried mushrooms, sweet rosehips, warm gravel, liquorice and balsa wood. A long, warm, compact finish. The taste is pretty good but the nose is slightly cooked.
86p   (tasted 2015/11)


Thursday 12 November 2015

Drinking Tonight - 1987 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio Antico


After a long day I need something mature to wind down with. I thought that this bottle would do the trick.

1987 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio Antico
I assuming that this is a 1987. I bought a case of mixed 87 Brunello´s a while back (see earlier notes below). This came with the others, although part of the vintage is scraped of the label, so I can´t be certain. And the cork isn´t stamped with the vintage either. Ah, well, lets drink it.
The nose is medium deep and nicely put together with notes of sweet/sour cherries, road dust, liquorice, dried rosemary and dark chocolate. Fully mature but not overly so. Good.
The taste is round, mature and broad with notes of dried cherries, raspberry liquorice, chocolate mousse and warm gravel. Medium long, warm and yummy. Not a spectacular complex wine but a nice mouthful of mature Sangiovese. Went well with a pasta dish with chicken, tarragon, mustard and heaps of Parmigiano.
87p   (tasted 2015/11)

http://barolista.blogspot.se/2015/01/two-times-1987-brunello-di-montalcino.html
http://barolista.blogspot.se/2015/02/drinking-tonight-1987-brunello-di.html
http://barolista.blogspot.se/2015/04/1987-brunello-di-montalcino-conti.html
http://barolista.blogspot.se/2015/05/two-more-1987-brunellos.html

Tuesday 10 November 2015

2001 Barbaresco Vigna Montersino, Orlando Abrigo

I opened another Barbaresco from this, for me, new producer a while back, the 2004 Vigna Rongallo, which is their prestige bottling.
I liked it very much so I though I would open one of their other Barbaresco´s. They make in all three different vineyard designated bottlings. More info here.

The Montersino vineyard is situated in Tresio and was planted in 1970. The wine is macerated on the skins for 10-15 days and are then racked into small barrels (20% new) for 12-15 months.

2001 Barbaresco Vigna Montersino, Orlando Abrigo
This Nebbiolo from one of my favourite modern vintages shows of an open, somewhat mature nose with notes of mulberries, rose petals, hard cherry candy, pipe tobacco and lots of mushroom forest  aromas. A very fine Nebbiolo feeling about this one. Some mature notes. Very, very good.
The taste feels younger than the nose leads you to believe, with fine notes of cool red cherries, tobacco, autumn leaves, rosehips and a touch of iron. Still some firm tannins, that reveals themselves in the long, taut finish. Needs another 3+ years. A fine wine in the making.
91p   (tasted 2015/11)


Sunday 8 November 2015

Exploring The Forgotten Side Of Bordeaux - Chapter XIV

Time for the two oldest white Bordeaux bottles I have acquired for this project. And luckily enough, both were alive and kicking!

1939 Château La Tour Martillac
In Chapter II I tasted the 1982 La Tour Martillac and wrote some short remarks about this old estate. And talk about old, what about a 1939?
The nose is restrained and a bit feeble, but very much alive. It evolves with air into fine notes of bee wax cakes, dried apricots, old glue, linoleum and a touch of smoke. An ever so slight touch of botrytis. Rather deep. It actually grows in the glass, these old things need air. Very good.
The taste is dry, medium deep and a bit hollow with notes of old lemons, oilcloth, gravel and some rubber. Wet stones. Some dry leaves. Fresher on the nose. But still highly enjoyable with a grilled salmon.
85p   (tasted 2015/11)


1949 Château Bouscaut
The white wine of Bouscaut consisted way back of 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc (its now 50/50). The Lurton family has owned this estate since 1979. They have some old Semillon vines from the 19th century that still gives good fruit.
The nose opens cool and restrained, and evolves in the glass with notes of dry lavender honey, lots of gravel, dry lemon peel and some nutty scents. Good but it feels a bit shallow.
The taste is mature, tight and dry with notes of candied orange peels, dried apricots, smoke, gravel and oilcloth. The finish is medium long and ends very dry. A bit too dry - as the label says "Extra dry" - on its own but it works fine with the food.
82p   (tasted 2015/11)





 

Saturday 7 November 2015

Just Bought

The last piece of the puzzle has arrived. In the beginning of next year I will host a tasting with 12 magnums of Flaccianello, with vintages between 1985 and 2010.

Flaccianello is one of my favourite Super Tuscans with one of the most beautiful labels out there.
It made its debut in 1981 and has always been 100% Sangiovese. Anyone with a 1981 magnum have a place at the table...:-)

 
 

Friday 6 November 2015

1975 Chianti Classico - Three More Bottles


A while back I bought a mixed case of 1975 Chianti´s. The two first bottles wasn´t fun... Time to open three more and see what I get this time.

1975 Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello di Monterinaldi
The Normale from the same vintage was really fine a couple of years back . This wasn´t. The nose is warm, mature and dry with notes of sweet/sour cherries, lingonberry juice, cigarette ash and old leather. Not much depth.
The taste is mature, dry and a bit foursquare with notes of cherry lemonade, moist earth, dried herbs and a touch inky. A dried up sweetness. Drinkable, but this has gone to far.
75p   (tasted 2015/11)

1975 Chianti Classico, Petroio
The nose is mature, round and dense with notes of bakelite, dried cherries, smoke, dried rosemary and a hint of dog fur. Old style and quite interesting without being great.
The taste is dry and mature but still delivers some fine cherry fruit, a taut structure and a long, warm finish. Good, especially with food. This has kept rather well but any remaining bottles should be drunk soon.
83p   (tasted 2015/11)

1975 Chianti Classico, Riecine
Corked! ¤%&#¤"%&%¤

This batch was no good either, although the Petroio did deliver some joy. Well, you win some, lose some.


Sunday 1 November 2015

Exploring The Forgotten Side Of Bordeaux - Chapter XIII


Usually a estate I like very much when it comes to white Bordeaux. De Fieuzal is a fairly old estate and it used to command high prices when the wine for example was sold to the Vatican in 1893. The property was neglected during and after World War II and it was a Swede, Erik Bocke, the husband of the then owners daughter, that revived the estate, up until 1974 when it was sold.

The wine comes from a 10 ha plot and consists of 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is barrel-fermented, there is no malo and it spends up to 18 months in 50% new oak.
The 2008 tasted here.

1990 Château de Fieuzal
The nose is mature and rich with notes of lanolin, dry honey, almond paste, hay and some smoke. Dense, in a good way. A fine maturity. Round and accessible. Very, very good.
The taste feels younger than the nose with ripe yellow fruit, a fine acidity and lots of body. Notes of orange peel, grass, almond cookies and oilcloth. A long, distinctive finish. This is good. Should go on on this level for another 5+ years.
91p   (tasted 2015/10)