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Home > Caro's Wine Shop >
Recommended Wines >
Bordeaux Futures
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
As usual, Ch Climens was not assembled in time for the primeurs tastings but, unusually, (a) some lots had already been assembled, because the sugar levels on some were so high that they needed to be matched already to some in which the acidity would counterbalance them and (b) Berenice Lurton did not herself conduct a cellar tour of unusual cask-by-cask length but stayed indoors with her three week old son Aurelien instead. As usual, each lot was informatively different, one particularly nutty, another more citrus and lively, a third more floral and explosive and a fourth extraordinarily high in acidity but it was clear that this was an unusually sweet, rich vintage for Climens but with much better acidity than the 2003. Not quite as thrilling as the 2001 but not too much short of it. 18.5/20 y JR
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"This classically made, dense purple-hued wine exhibits enormous potential, but currently it is forebodingly backward, dense, and broad. Once again, proprietor Anthony Barton delivers a wine with superb concentration, a classic style, and the possibility of three decades or more of ageability. Like most of the finest Leoville Bartons, considerable patience will be required. The 2006 will need 8-10 years of cellaring, and may even rival the 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035".92-94 Parker
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"This estate has been fashioning terrific wines over recent vintages, and the 2008 is an opulent, dense purple-hued effort displaying sweet creme de cassis fruit intermixed with hints of tapenade, licorice, and roasted herbs. It exhibits fabulously pure fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a flamboyant, almost exotic richness. Very ripe, pure, and long, this will be a wine to drink young, but given past examples, it should be capable of lasting 15-20 years. It is a fabulous sleeper of the vintage."90-93 Parker
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"One of the finest efforts yet made at this estate situated not far from Trotanoy and Latour a Pomerol, the 2008 Feytit-Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Yields were a modest 34 hectoliters per hectare. The wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a muscular, concentrated, full-bodied style with brilliant purity as well as texture. It is capable of lasting 15-20 years. Consumers should keep an eye on this Pomerol estate"91-93 Parker
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"The harvest ran from October 9-20, and the 2008 Clos Fourtet tips the scales at 13% natural alcohol. A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, it exhibits an inky/purple color along with notes of pen ink, blackberry liqueur, and espresso roast, sensationally concentrated layers of pure black fruits, a full-bodied, powerful style, crisp acids, dense fruit, and ripe tannins. This brilliant 2008 may merit an even higher score after additional time in wood. It will evolve for 20-25 years."92-94 Parker
The resurrection of Clos Fourtet over the last 7-8 years is attributable to the vision and dedication of proprietor Cuvelier, along with his manager, Tony Balu (owner of the tiny garagiste estate called Pierre de Lune), and the incomparable consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt.
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"A wine for our children's children. Nobody in Bordeaux is more attentive to detail than Alfred Tesseron is at Pontet-Canet. Fashioned from incredibly low yields, a very late harvest, and a Draconian selection, the 2008 will not be close to drinkability for at least a decade, and it should still be in superb form circa 2060. An absolutely amazing effort, it boasts an inky/black/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of creme de cassis, graphite, charcoal, and incense, blockbuster depth, and full-bodied power. The tannins are high, but they are remarkably velvety as well as well-integrated. Sensational acidity gives the wine precision and vibrancy, but the impression is one of massive concentration and power. The 2008 Pontet-Canet, a candidate for the wine of the vintage, is a tour de force in viticultural precision and winemaking savoir faire."96-98+ Parker
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"One of the finest wines made at this estate over the last three decades, Domaine de Chevalier's 2008 (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) achieved 13% natural alcohol. It was cropped at 45 hectoliters per hectare, which is significantly lower than in most top vintages. The most noticeable thing is that consultant Stephane Derenoncourt has drastically cut back the influence of new oak, or at least its ability to intrude on the aromatics and flavors. This beautifully textured, dense purple-colored 2008 exhibits notes of graphite, spring flowers, and blue as well as red fruits in an elegant, full-bodied, flavorful, layered mouthfeel. The freshness of the vintage, combined with low yields has given this cuvee an atypical density and richness that is largely unprecedented. Production is relatively small for the size of the vineyard (about 8,000 cases). This beauty should drink well for 25+ years"92-94 Parker
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"The 2008 Cos d'Estournel possesses an atypically high (85%) amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 13% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The first vintage vinified in the new facility, an unusually high percentage of the crop (78%) was included in the grand vin. The bad news is that yields were a minuscule 25 hectoliters per hectare. This wine achieved 13.8% natural alcohol, and the number of days between the flowering and harvest was 160, compared to the normal 100-110 (one of the keys to understanding the exceptionally high quality that characterizes the 2008 Bordeaux). There were no serious heat waves during the growing season, which meant that the maturation process was slow, long, and ideal. Combine that with the very low yields, and the superb weather from mid-September to late-October, and the often splendid results are much easier to comprehend. The inky/purple-hued 2008 Cos is still very young, and probably will improve even further as the wine came out of malolactic fermentation very late. It reveals exceptionally precise, fresh aromas of black fruits, crushed rocks, licorice, flowers, and subtle smoke. Dense and high in tannin, the extraordinary richness of polyphenols has given the wine power, substance, and depth, but the sweetness of the tannin and the seemingly low acidity, even though the wine tastes remarkably fresh and the pH is only 3.57 (compared to pH's close to 4 when the fruit is this ripe), has given the wine a precision and elegance that is remarkable. And don't forget, this is probably the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in a Cos d'Estournel blend. This wine should gain weight, richness, and a few Parker points by the time it is bottled. It is even denser and richer than the 1996, with an index of polyphenols at 80, which is not unusual for many of the top wines of the vintage, but is extremely high, and more along the lines of what one would find in the top wines of 2005. It should evolve for 30-35 years."94-96 Parker
This property has undergone a complete make-over, building a state-of-the-art, spaceship-looking new winemaking facility, and giving brilliant winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats carte blanche authority from proprietor Michel Reybier. The team continues to fine tune and reflect on every possible detail in both the vineyard and the winery in order to achieve even greater success.
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Bordeaux, Bordeaux Region, France
"The wine is opaque purple to the rim, with tremendously sweet black raspberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with charcoal, incense, and a hint of toasty oak. Full-bodied with layers of fruit, sweet tannin, remarkable density, and a long, smooth, velvety-textured finish, this sleeper of the vintage should drink beautifully for 8-10 years."90-92 Parker
"The exuberant and charming Juliette Becot continues to push the envelope of quality at this estate. Cropped at a remarkably low 29 hectoliters per hectare, this blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc was harvested in mid-October, with the final Cabernet Franc grapes being picked on October 20th, which created an unusually long period between the flowering and the harvest. This was not unusual in St.-Emilion and other Bordeaux appellations in this fascinating vintage."Parker
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Bordeaux - Other, Bordeaux Region, France
"Perhaps the finest Potensac made since the 1982, the 2008 is undoubtedly a sleeper of the vintage. Harvested between October 4-16, this blend of 42% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Cabernet Franc was fashioned from modest yields of 44 hectoliters per hectare. While lacking the prestige of a grand cru classe, it offers an amazing display of sweet black cherry and cassis fruit intermixed with notions of earth and spice. Good purity, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a seamless balance, ripe tannins, and fresh acids result in an amazing wine that should sell for a song. It should evolve for a decade or more." 90-92 Parker
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