Max Wine Gallery Visit 3

Max Wine Gallery Visit 3

Bordeaux, France

28-12-2010



Welcome back everyone to another installment of the series of Bordeaux tastings from the Max Wine Gallery.  So far we have covered Value selections in the 1^st article and focused on some of the chateau of the Right Bank in the 2^nd edition.  And from a recent posting you were able

to relive the wonderful culinary experience of La Tupina and Christmas dinner.  So it is only appropriate that we move along in geographical proximity and ferry ourselves across the Gironde to the Left Bank. 

As with the previous installments fashion, this article is dedicated strictly to 5 wines from the Left Bank, the Haut-Medoc.  To help you understand the area a bit I have added the educational information to the resource area.  Simply select the Bordeaux wine region link and it will take you to this page.  Here you can learn a bit about what makes the Left Bank so famous.  Also, like with the Right Bank posting, I have gone and added the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal description to that section of the resources bar.  Remember, the Haut-Medoc is Cabernet country.  Of the 5 wines discussed here I tried to make it as widespread as possible so as to cover the various communes of the Haut-Medoc.  I am happy to report that I was able to arrange the wines so that each of the 4 major communes is represented.  Let us begin…

1) Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 2006 Margaux

This is the 2^nd label of the famous Chateau Margaux.  With every top estate that bottles a 2^nd wine, this is the fruit that comes from the younger

vines as well as any barrels not selected for the Grand Vin.  Still, at over $100 a bottle it is not quite a value wine, although compared to the Grand Vin it is.

The wine is Starbright with a clear ruby red color which is firmly concentrated.  The wine is youthful, with a minor variation beginning to form on the rim.  The tears are medium plus and they have noticeable staining to them.

The nose of the wine is a bit muted at this point in evolution, with a mellow intensity.  Even with a little swirling and warmth from the hand it took some work to wake her up.  Eventually some tart dark red fruits emerged, a bit of leathery tones and very mild earth tones. 

The palate of the wine was easy drinking and smooth, but still a bit wound up and waiting for the flavors to unravel.  May be a good one to revisit in a year or two and re-taste.

88 Points Wine Spectator

2) Chateau Leoville Barton 2006 Saint Julien



Always a highly acclaimed chateau, and one of the best value wines for the quality you receive.  In 2009, this bottle was the #64 Wine of the Year by the reviewers at Wine Spectator and received 94 Points.

The wine is Starbright with a clear deep garnet color and a firm concentration.  The rim variation is light, but does noticeably fade to a lighter ruby red at the edge.  The tears are moderate in their viscosity and do have some staining.

The nose has a medium intensity with great balance.  There are red fruits of cherries and raspberries set off against some chocolate and dark earth tones.  The aromas seem to have a warm tone to them. 

The palate has great structure and shows why it is so highly regarded.  The flavors are confirmed and build up to a higher intensity and overall a warm and refined display.  The tannins are firm but polished, and the wine is beginning to show quite well in its youth.

94 Points Wine Spectator

3) Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2006 Saint Julien

Here is another example of the Saint Julien commune, and a house that is indeed very close to the previous wine Leoville Barton.  Las Cases is classified as a 2^nd Growth as well, and can be in the consideration of a

‘Super Second.’

The wine has a clear Daybright garnet color with a firm medium plus concentration, still with some transparency tones to it.  The rim variation is very minimal and the wine has great youthful visual effects to it.  The tears have a concentrated viscosity and strong staining quality to them.

The nose has a medium intensity and shows great finesse of balance.  The fresh black fruits are set against a subtly hint of smoke and violets, accented by a loose dark earth element that is lingers on the back end.

The palate is ripe with dried fruits of red currants and cherries, all of which are balanced with the accents of the toasty oak notes.  The earth is warm with the definite loose pebbly minerality apparent.  The wine is dry with balanced tannins and acids; the alcohol is finely integrated as well.  The finish is long and persistent, again a wine of great structure and artistically crafted.

95 Points Wine Spectator

4) Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac 2006

Here is a perfect example of a winery that consistently outperforms its 1855 classification.  Originally ranked as a 5^th Growth, the lowest of the

ranking, today due to many improvements over the years Chateau Lynch Bages is seen as a wine of great structure and appeal.  In the commune where the 1^st Growths dominate and the prices are astronomical, Lynch

Bages is a relatively good price to try and experience the power that a Pauillac wine can deliver.

I am sad to report that the bottle that the sample was poured from was extremely flawed due to over-exposure to oxygen; the bottle had been open for too long.  I brought this to the attention of the staff on hand, and was refunded the cost of the taste, but a new taste out of a new bottle was not offered.  It was disappointing in that I genuinely believe the women working there, although also seeming to be fairly young (about 30), did not perceive me as one who knew about wines.  A shame that still I have to continue to hurdle over this obstacle.  What is even more frustrating is that I tasted this wine on Dec 24^th, and the same bottle sat until my visit on the 28^th when another person pointed out the same

problem.  It was then promptly replaced for them.  A huge blemish from my perspective on the Max Wine Gallery.

92 Points Wine Spectator

5) Chateau Cos d’Estournel Saint Estephe 2006

And so with the finally wine of this report we had made our way to the northernmost commune of the Haut-Medoc, Saint Estephe.  This region has the fewest amount of houses that are classified, but has some good choices of chateau nonetheless.  One of which is Chateau Cos d’Estournel, one of two 2^nd Growths and definitely considered a ‘Super

Second.’  This house is hands down the most prestigious of all the houses in Saint Estephe.

The wine has a clear garnet color with a slightly muted brightness to it.  The rim is very youthful and only beginning to show any variation while the tears have a definite staining and a firm viscosity.

This is a young powerful wine, and the nose is still a bit restrained.  The flavors are reserved and took a little coaxing to come out.  Intense black fruits were offset by black violets and heavy compacted black earth notes.

The palate is dry and again firm.  The fruits are intense again with their black tones, although not overripe but fresh.  The palate is balanced indeed with the earth tones beginning to reveal its minerality and secondary flavors, although still only in a subtle tone at this point.  Also the tannins are firm, but still a bit rough and youthful.  I found this wine to be very well structured and built for the long haul, but needs a little more time in the bottle to wake up.  I’d like to revisit it a year or two down the road. 

93 Points Wine Spectator

And so with that we conclude the 3^rd installment of the Max Wine

Gallery.  Overall a good display, although the Lynch Bages incident was a bit disheartening.  Nonetheless I feel that the region of the Haut-Medoc was well represented from North to South.  I have one more article to conclude with for the Gallery, but the next article will be my weekend educational experiment series then a return to Saint Emilion and a fun, spur of the moment tasting that was put together for me by a very kind gentleman.  Then I will return to the Gallery and the topic will be, well I’ll leave it as a surprise for now, but let me just say you won’t want to miss it.  Salute!