This 2eme Grand Cru of St-Julien is always one of the finest in every vintage, very consistant and in general a reasonably priced offering.  Anthony Barton, the owner is very classy and never tries to price his wines too high.

 

"This is an impressively endowed vin de garde that should age effortlessly for 20-30 years. How Anthony Barton continues to fashion uncompromisingly primordial Bordeaux that are always among the biggest and densest of all the St.-Juliens is beyond me, but he does it year in and year out." Robert Parker, 92pts.

 

 

Beaucaillou or beautiful stones, because it is the stones in the vineyard that offer the vines such a great home.  Ducru has been a Super-Second for many years but has really taken its quality to yet another level since the turn of the century.

 

"One can’t say enough about the efforts Bruno Borie is pouring into this wonderful estate that I have often called the “Lafite Rothschild of St.-Julien.” An undeniable success, the 2004 Ducru boasts sweet aromas of creme de cassis, spring flowers, pain grille, licorice, and road tar. This pure, medium-bodied wine possesses moderately high tannin, superb concentration, good sweetness, and low acidity. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25 years." Robert Parker, 93pts.

 

Robert Parker loved this wine out the barrel, then downgraded it from the bottle.  After tasting it at a recent wine dinner, I am not sure why he downgraded it.  I decanted it for four hours and it was everything RP said about it the first two times he reviewed it.  A very elegant and rich Magaux with length and complexity. - Christopher Miller, Advanced Sommelier

 

Very limited supply.

Unfortunately this Chateau is no longer overlooked by the media and critics, as it had been for several decades.  A 2nd Cru that is part of the famed Leoville property in St-Julien, 2004 may be the last really good value for this Chateau, and the quality has really gone way up in recent vintages.

 

"Along with Leoville Las Cases and a few others, this is among the stars of the appellation. Made in a more floral, supple, Margaux-like style, the deep ruby/purple-hued 2004 Leoville Poyferre exhibits sweet, broad flavors, and plenty of tannin lurking beneath the surface. However, the abundant cherry, black currant, licorice, and smoke notes obscure the tannic clout. This rich, powerful, broad beauty should be drinkable in 2-3 years, and last for two decades." Robert Parker

Just to the north of Chateau Lafite, this property shares much of the same soils, and exposure and with Jean-Guillaume Prats overseeing the operation quality is amazingly high for this 'Super Second'. - Christopher Miller, Advanced Sommelier

 

"A beautiful example of the vintage, proprietor Michel Reybier and his top-notch winemaker, Jean-Guillaume Prats, have fashioned an exceptional wine displaying a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of boysenberries, black currants, cherries, pain grille, roasted herbs, and licorice. Medium-bodied with impressive density for the vintage, sweet tannin, and outstanding richness and length..." Robert Parker

Wow, talk about a sleeper of a wine...this little Cru Classe from Martillac in the Pessac-Leognan AC of Bordeaux.  Since using Michel Rolland as a consultant the wines have gotten richer, lusher and more concentrated.

 

"A sensational effort and one of the stars of the vintage, Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s 2004 possesses an inky/blue/purple-tinged color as well as a sumptuous nose of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, blueberries, and blackberries. Surprisingly full-bodied for the vintage with stunning concentration, purity, and overall harmony, this is another brilliant wine from the proprietors..." Robert Parker

One of the few 1855 Grand Cru Classe that is not in one of the famed left bank appellations, but actually in the Ludon-Medoc Commune of Haut-Medoc, which is just south of Margaux. - Christopher Miller, Advanced Sommelier

 

"A sleeper of the vintage, this sexy, charming, Burgundian-styled wine offers fleshy black cherry notes intermixed with camphor, flowers, and pain grille. Supple tannin, velvety texture, and luscious aromatics as well as flavors result in an alluring claret to drink over the next 12-14 years." Robert Parker

This has always been a favorite of mine, I used to use as a great example of excellent Pauillac, Bordeaux in the style of Lafite at a 1/10th the price.  Recently the style is gravitating more towards Mouton, but still with quintessential Pauillac character and that classic terrior aroma. - Christopher Miller, Advanced Sommelier

 

"Backward and powerful for the vintage, this blue/purple-colored 2004 exhibits classic creme de cassis, smoke, incense, and spring flower characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and excruciatingly tannic, this impressively endowed Pauillac is built for the long haul..." Robert Parker

Wine of the vintage.

 

"This beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherries, cassis, scorched earth, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, this beauty should be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades. As Lafite Rothschilds go, this is somewhat of a sleeper vintage." Robert Parker

The second label of Leoville Las Cases.

 

"One of Bordeaux’s top second wines, the 2004 Clos du Marquis exhibits crunchy, juicy, red cherry and currant fruit along with notions of herbs and spice box. Well-made, medium-bodied, elegant, and reminiscent of its bigger sibling, it should age well for 10-15 years." Robert Parker

This Chateau is what I'd call and over-performer, from a less than ideal site in St-Emilion.  The St-Emilion appellation is divided into three sub-areas, the Cotes (or slopes), Graves (for the gravel soils) and the Sables Anciens.  The best two areas are the Cotes and the Graves, the Sables Anciens, where Monbousquet is located in generally considered to have the least favorable soils of the appellation.  The soils are mostly sandstone mixed with a bit of limestone.  Monbousquet is owned by Gerard Perse, the owner of Chateau Pavie located in the Cotes and long one of the great 'garage' wines of St-Emilion. -

 

The 2005 Monbousuet is a major wine that far out-performs it's terroir.  As Robert Parker states - " Full-bodied and opulent, with more structure, tannin, and delineation than such top vintages as 2000, 1999, and 1998, the 2005 represents an amazing over-achievement for its modest terroir, and is a tribute to the extraordinary abilities and commitment to excellence of proprietor Perse. It should be at its finest in 4-7 years, and last for two decades or more." Parker also rates the wine (94-96) points.  Which makes this an excellent value wine in a great vintage!

 

 Bordeaux Future for delivery in Spring 2008

This very old Chateau was once owned by Duke d'Epernon, Grand Amiral de France which is the basis for the name Beychevelle or Boisse Voile, which means dip sails.  As the Duke was the Admiral during the Henri III era, all passing ships had to dip their sails as they passed the Chateau.

This second growth is often overlooked by connoisseurs and critics, but the wine evolves quite elegantly from my experience. The 2005 is being touted as the best vintage since 1982 by Robert Parker who says "...While this estate often does not live up to its pedigree, the 2005 is the real deal..." and he rates it (90-93) points. - Christopher Miller, Advanced Sommelier

 

A value 5th growth from the Saint-Laurent commune of Haut-Medoc, planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.  2005 is the greatest vintage for the less renowned Grand Cru Classes since the 1982, Robert Parker rated the 2005 Camensac (87-88) points.

 

Cantemerle is in the Commune of Macau, just on the border of the Margaux appellation, it is the only classified estate of the commune, a 5th Growth.  Being so close to Margaux, the cepage is quite similar as are the soils, the estate is planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot (typically high as many Margaux) with the balance being Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

 

Rated (89-91) by Robert Parker who says; "A property on the rebound, Cantemerle has fashioned a fragrant 2005 offering up scents of dried herbs, sweet red cherries, spring flowers, spice box and blueberries...."

 

Cos has long been considered one of the 'Super Seconds', as in Second Growths that compete closely with the famed First Growths of Bordeaux.  The site is literally across the street from Chateau Lafite and shares the same soils and exposure, so surely it is possible for the wine to attain similar quality as Lafite.

 

The 2005 is very highly rated and considered to be on-par with the best vintages of the past century.  Robert Parker calls the 2005 Cos "A classic in the making..." and has it rated (94-97) points.

 

This Chateau is owned by the Baron de Rothschild family, also owners of Chateau Lafite and it is produced in the same manner with the same winemaker team.  This always represents a very good value due to it's pedigree and ownership.

The 2005 is one of the finest vintages for Bordeaux in the last 100 years, the 05 Duhart is rated (90-92) by Robert Parker who says about the wine "Consumers should keep an eye on this estate as their wines are getting better and better..."

 

Classy and consistant, rated (88-90) by Robert Parker who says "...appears to be the finest wine this estate has produced in many years...It is a full-bodied St-Julien with moderate tannin, and attractive sweetness as well as silkiness..."

 

Christophe Roumier uses very traditional winemaking practices and prefers his vines relatively old and carefully pruned.  The resulting wines are classic and beautifully balanced with superb ageablility yet lovely while young too.

 

"A very fresh and unusually bright red fruit nose inflected with iron suffused earth and hints of underbrush and subtle sauvage notes leads to rich, full and admirably intense flavors that are at once powerful yet supple, all wrapped in a punchy and more complex and minerally finish than what I usually find here. Good stuff and recommended." Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (rated 89-92, rated 91-92 by David Schildknecht of the Wine Advocate).

 

Very limited availability.