Unfortunately prices have risen, but not nearly as much as Paul Sauer 2015 !
And not everyone likes it even without the bottle variation question.
But I can't think of a cheaper wine I'd rather have.
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Christmas Wine II
- Thread starter Dogberry
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Unfortunately prices have risen, but not nearly as much as Paul Sauer 2015 !
And not everyone likes it even without the bottle variation question.
But I can't think of a cheaper wine I'd rather have.
John Phillips
pfm Member
I am rather enjoying slowly tasting a 2015 La Dame De Montrose accompanying tonight's Mahler on BBC Radio 3.
It's too young right now, of course, but it lusciously invites me to draw air noisily through each sip to experience it. After several hours in the decanter it shows what it will become and tempts me to repeat my younger extravagances into the classed growths.
It's too young right now, of course, but it lusciously invites me to draw air noisily through each sip to experience it. After several hours in the decanter it shows what it will become and tempts me to repeat my younger extravagances into the classed growths.
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
I’m reminded of my younger extravangances and being first tempted to try Montrose because of ‘Bad Motor Scooter’ by the band of the same name. (Let’s face facts - you and mandryka are the musical highbrows on this thread.)
It’s good to see that although it is ‘not that St. Estephe’ (Jancis Robinson MW, 16.5 pts) it has ‘classic cassis fruit of St. Estephe’ (Jeb Dunnuck, 91 pts) and is ‘wonderfully, unambiguously St. Estephe’ (Tim Atkin MW, 93 pts) and also has ‘a more obvious link to the Grand Vin (something which has been lacking in the past)’ (Matthew Jukes, 16.5 pts) despite being ‘not at all like the classic Montrose style’ (Jancis Robinson again.) That’s all clear, then.
https://www.farrvintners.com/wine.php?wine=43033
https://www.frazierswine.co.uk/la-dame-de-montrose-2015/
Dogberry
pfm Member
Perhaps try this next and report back .
https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/baron-de-brane-margaux-2016
On principle I'm reluctant to spend £40-60 on a 2nd or 3rd wine of a supposed grand vineyard when the whole classification thing was a bit haphazard; and quality varies so much with French weather and over the decades depending on who exactly is making the wine/investing.
Generally I'd rather have the best wine a talented and motivated winemaker can make.
Having said all that I do have 3 bottles of La Dame de Montrose 2016 to sip noisily in time. Not in time with Mahler but in time.
Generally I'd rather have the best wine a talented and motivated winemaker can make.
Having said all that I do have 3 bottles of La Dame de Montrose 2016 to sip noisily in time. Not in time with Mahler but in time.
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John Phillips
pfm Member
I have certainly found second wines from famous names to be rather variable and the famous name is no guarantee.
However I haven't explored Bordeaux for a while, so I recently splashed out a bit on some famous name second wines to renew my experience. It may turn out I find them rather variable once more. The 2015 La Dame de Montrose still needed the Cabernet Sauvignon to mellow a little to become better balanced. But it did have that mouth-filling long finish.
mandryka
pfm Member
@wacko Since you're my Chardonnay consultant let me ask you, do any of these strike you as a good bet for drinking now and for the next two or three years?
https://www.winedirect.co.uk/search?search=kumeu chardonnay
https://www.winedirect.co.uk/search?search=kumeu chardonnay
Dogberry
pfm Member
Tasmania is the new DRC.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
I didn’t realise the Democratic Republic of Congo produced wine.
Dogberry
pfm Member
With the proviso that haven't drunk any 2021: The Village would be ready now and next couple of years. There is a reason they don't have any Estate bottles as that is the sweet spot IMO. Hunting Hill would be extremely good but not ready now edit Sold Out anyway.
edit have you bought from them before ? Caution.
mandryka
pfm Member
Thanks for that.
Yes I have bought before and indeed I've spoken to the owner. My feeling is that it's a small outfit, possibly a one man band, run by a slightly ramshackle but honest person. Vintages may not be as advertised but they wouldn't be the only ones to have that problem. Most importantly, they take paypal.
tasting notes say drinking from now through 2032. tasting pretty good at the moment. I will try to show some patience.
mandryka
pfm Member
Are you ChatGPT4?
Château de Beaucastel is known for producing high-quality wines, particularly their Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. The Beaucastel 2015 is a vintage that has received favorable reviews and is generally considered a wine with excellent aging potential. However, determining if it is ready to drink depends on your personal taste preferences and how you enjoy your wine.
The Beaucastel 2015 is still relatively young, and its structure and flavors may continue to develop and evolve with further aging. If you prefer wines with more youthful characteristics, you may enjoy it now. However, if you appreciate the complexities that come with aging, you might consider further cellaring the wine to allow it to mature and develop more secondary and tertiary flavors.
To make an informed decision, it can be helpful to consult expert reviews or tasting notes specifically for the Beaucastel 2015 vintage. These sources can provide insights into the wine's current state and recommendations on the optimal drinking window. Additionally, if you have multiple bottles, you could open one now to assess its current characteristics and keep the others for future enjoyment to experience its evolution over time.
Was this response better or worse?
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
I admit I had to look that reference up. I’m afraid I go out of my way to avoid all forms of news, so I wasn’t aware of our impending doom. At least I now understand the perplexing newspaper headlines I saw in Sainsbury’s this morning. I couldn’t fathom why experts on the A1 were worried. Or indeed, why they were on the A1 at all.
It’s definitely not me. The style is too po-faced. Mine is more of a cross between inarticulate rustic and dyspeptic wine-punk.
From the last sentence it would seem you were asking for a second opinion. How did you phrase it? Something like ‘I’ve already received an opinion from a senile human entity with a particularly feeble ‘brain’ - but I would like to know the view of one of our soon-to-be AI overlords - I’m sure it will be an improvement on his nonsense.’?
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Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
E-mail flyer received today…
‘Château Montlandrie
‘CASTILLON CÔTES DE BORDEAUX | 2022
‘75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
‘Deep in colour right to the rim with a intense nose of black cherry and creamed black skinned fruits, spiced, perfumed and floral, cacao even – really alluring in its intensity. Big, smooth black fruits coat the palate, fresh and racy and again perfumed and floral, mineral with notes of violets, pure cacao and spice with substantial tannins completely masked by the wine and going to a really racy finish. Wow! Drink 2028 – 2038+’
What??
Although I have to say ‘substantial tannins completely masked by the wine’ made me laugh out loud. (If they are completely masked, how can you tell they are substantial?) I get the feeling that someone has ignored the instructions for their Review-O-Matic and foolishly turned all the knobs up to 11 simultaneously. There is a warning on the leaflet that this will lead to overheating of both prose and machinery.
‘Château Montlandrie
‘CASTILLON CÔTES DE BORDEAUX | 2022
‘75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
‘Deep in colour right to the rim with a intense nose of black cherry and creamed black skinned fruits, spiced, perfumed and floral, cacao even – really alluring in its intensity. Big, smooth black fruits coat the palate, fresh and racy and again perfumed and floral, mineral with notes of violets, pure cacao and spice with substantial tannins completely masked by the wine and going to a really racy finish. Wow! Drink 2028 – 2038+’
What??
Although I have to say ‘substantial tannins completely masked by the wine’ made me laugh out loud. (If they are completely masked, how can you tell they are substantial?) I get the feeling that someone has ignored the instructions for their Review-O-Matic and foolishly turned all the knobs up to 11 simultaneously. There is a warning on the leaflet that this will lead to overheating of both prose and machinery.
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