The bounty of ProWein keeps pouring in...
Today I have a stunning vertical of nicely-aged Bordeaux reds direct from the Chateau's cellar with perfect provenance. The producer is nicely situated on the Left Bank in the Haut-Médoc region, backed by scores and medals that tell one half of the story.
Considering you'll know the source once the cork is pulled, there's no harm in telling you it's from the recently-elevated to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur-status property of Château Larose Perganson. We've got the exact same wine (purchased in shiners) under our label with by far the best prices available at $25/bottle.
This is a great opportunity to try one of each now with a healthy decant (still lots of youth in these bottles, and a bit of travel shock from just coming off the water) and lay the rest down to check in on over the coming years. All the wines are between 13.8% and 14% ABV and enjoy 30-50% new French oak and are typically comprised of 55-65% Cabernet Sauvignon and around 40% Merlot, often with a couple percent of Petite Verdot. This is classic, archetypal Haut-Medoc with no-expense-spared production.
My notes:
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot makes for a fun, earthy nose of the highest French caliber: turned soils, decaying leaves, and dark fruits accented by cola pinned underneath might be one of the better examples for American consumers what one means by terroir. Extending the strong sense of place to the palate, the entry is pure elegance with fresh-sliced peppers, red clay dust, forest floor, and accents of new, soft leather framed by deft acidity and perfectly integrated, polished tannins. The finish is long, yet continues the elegance throughout.
The 2015:
- 92-points James Suckling
- 92-points Wine Enthusiast: This wine is rich, smoky and packed with blackberry fruits. Its warm, ripe character contrasts with the juicy fruitiness and firm backdrop of tannins, giving a wine with potential. Drink from 2024.
- 90-points Jeb Dunnuck
- 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson: Very dark crimson. Luscious and round and fresh but with lots of ripe fruit. Silky Margaux-like texture. Creditable. Lip smacking and quite stony.
