Wine & Spirits

89 points Robert Parker: "Tasted on three separate occasions (consistently rated between 89 and 90), the 2003 could be called the “Cheval Blanc of Pessac.” Extremely aromatic, it offers smoky, earthy, sweet black cherry, plum, and fig-like notes as well as a sweet, round mouthfeel, medium body, delicate tannins, a fragile constitution, and beautiful complexity. Irresistible at present, if it puts on weight, it will merit an outstanding rating. Anticipated maturity: now-2017." (04/06) Decanted for 2 hours. Engaging nose with signature Cab Franc notes of violet, herbaceous, green bell pepper, some tobacco and leather. Then there are underlying darker earth, liquorice, graphite nuances all wrapped by bright ripe fruits of blackberry, blackcherry , blueberry and spicy, sweet toasty oak resembling sandal wood. Medium body, very fresh and elegant. Exceptional focus on palate. Multi-dimesional and complex. More chocolate, truffle, minerality and Asian spices emerged. --Stephen Chan

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History The historic Château Croix Figeac, which became Château Pierre 1er in 2014, is a tribute to the owner’s father Pierre Dutruilh. Only the name and the label have changed. Thanks to the family meticulous work, the wine has gained in quality and fame. This is one of our gem! On the old village of Saint-Emilion, on the edge of the Pomerol appellation area, Château Pierre 1er aligns 11 hectares of vineyards in one piece. The Château is a family property since 1984. Terroir & Vinification Facing south on the privileged land of  “brown sands on graves”, the vineyard, with the large number of feet per hectare and an average age of 34 years, generates a high quality of wine at early maturity . The grape varieties are 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Harvesting is manual and is done in crates and great care is brought to the vineyard, thanks to a careful selection of vintages. Two more vibrating sorting tables, separated by a destemmer for a double selection of ripe beans without plant debris. All these operations are performed without pumping, gravitation or elevators. Fermentation (preceded by half the harvest of a cold maceration) takes place in thermoregulated vats for 27 to 35 days. The malolactic fermentation takes place in new barrels for 50% of the harvest. Then, the aging is done in new barrels and barrels of 1 year old. The duration of the breeding varies according to the batches, from 12 to 16 months with temporary aging on lees. Tasting At the tasting, Pierre 1er offers a fruity and rich wine, typical of Saint Emilion by its composition. We appreciate its roundness and length in the mouth, for a wine that can be completed after a few years in the cellar.   Their Team Operators: Ch. And P. DUTRUILH Owner : Jean DUTRUILH Oenologist advisers : Michel Rolland & Julien Viaud

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gently offers up layers of complexity and enjoyment. At first the prototypical violet aromas wafting from the glass, followed by cassis and vanilla notes in excellent balance. The palate continues with blackberries, black plum, maybe turning to cedar and and earthy quality. The length is excellent and the acidity and tannins are in harmony. A very enjoyable wine from a weaker vintage, this could be held 3-5 but is very good already. --Mathew Hall

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Nice Nose of red fruit, cedar, Forrest floor but dominated by wood/oak. On the palate, a very interesting balance of red fruit, plum, fig and wood. A bit of Forrest floor/earthiness but just a tiny bit. Overall a very interesting balance of wood/oak and fruit. Medium bodied and smooth tannins.--Yann R.  

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Château Le Thil Comte Clary belongs to the owners of the prestigious Château Smith Haut Lafitte and benefits from the same expertise. The wines of Château Le Thil, with a history of excellence, therefore now benefit from the same expertise and passion that guide Florence Cathiard, Daniel Cathiard, and the entire team at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in making their great growth and Château Cantelys according to a unique philosophy: Bio-Précision Pure Merlot, this wine is rich, full, dense and packed with ripe, jammy flavour. It is balanced with enough acidity to freshen the wine and give a lift to the bold black fruits. 

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First impressions: pretty acidic and dry. Pretty muted tastes as a result. Will likely taste good with food. With every sip though gets softer and softer to know 4-10 sips later I can’t find the initial acidity. Sure enough, the fruit notes really stand out more with food. This is where it really shines, with light to medium flavored food. This is a light-med bodied wine. Day 2 there is little to no acidity, just fruity and still food friendly. --Katie R

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On the attractive nose picture ripe- berried and aromatic with bramble berries, vanilla bean, dried violets and classic, spicy undertones. The impact presents punchy and deep with lots of dark , fleshy fruit details and fine tann. Impressively concentrated wine with plenty of aromatic fruit flavors on the lasting length.

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The 2014 Fonplegade has a dense blackberry and briary scented bouquet with a touch of tobacco coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with gritty tannin, hints of blue fruit filtering through the black.

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Inky purple, ruby with no lightening on the edges. Sweet tobacco, woodsmoke, cassis essence, graphite,mocha and gravel make up the perfume. Structured, traditional, concentrated and revealing a touch of vanilla spice to elevate the ensemble. A dense and distinctive mouthfeel with a touch of silky tannins. That’s a very beautiful wine of pure pleasure !! -Peter Hell

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97 points Jeb Dunnuck Talk about value, the 2009 Duhart-Milon is straight up sensational stuff. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it gives up classic notes of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, saddle leather and smoked herbs, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with fine tannin, impeccable balance and a great, great finish. It’s a heavenly bottle of wine that will compete with the best out there. 

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