2015 Château Aney Haut-Medoc

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of a new month, which means it's time to open a bottle of something that's been at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's only been in my cellar for a month or so, as I purchased this bottle at a wine store in Hillsdale, Michigan on a recent steam train excursion.  The 2015 Château Aney Haut-Medoc does not list a specific blend, but given the requirements of this appellation on the left bank of the Gironde, I would guess this is weighted toward Cabernet Sauvignon, along with some Merlot, Petit Verdot, and perhaps a bit of Malbec.  Let's see how this wine is tasting. 

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, a testament to this classic Bordeaux blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, ripe blackberry, and hints of lilac, a very refined and rich bouquet.  The first sip is just classis Bordeaux, with a rush of blackberry, currant and fig that eases into the classic Bordeaux funk, earthy peat and white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is supported by soft tannins, providing the classic smooth dry finish that doesn't linger, but makes itself hardly noticeable.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a solid examples of one of my favorite Bordeaux wines.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty pasta to braised short ribs, grilled lamb to classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled ribeye along with some grilled portabella mushrooms and linguine tossed with sautéed garlic scapes and broccoli rabe and topped with parmesan.  Cheers!

2016 Château Sénéjac Haut-Médoc

Well, it's Sunday and I've spent the day lounging around the house as it's been snowing much of the day, but that's okay, since sometimes you just need a day to relax.  And with relaxation often comes a bit of wine and tonight I've opened a bottle that I picked up at Costco yesterday, the 2016 Château Sénéjac Haut-Médoc.  Now when I first learned to love red wine it was in Paris, where I was working for three weeks, and the office receptionist was kind enough to give me a primer on Bordeaux and the subtleties of each type (surely I had to get some Margaux, as that was the best, but don't forget the Saint-Emilion, Saint-Estephe and Pomerol!).  I still have a bottle of '86 Margaux that I brought back from that trip amidst the case of wine I carried back on the plane.  But when I got home I really fell in love with some nice Haut-Médoc wines, likely due to their reliance on Cabernet in the blend.  This particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Merlot (36%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (4%), so let's see how this is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic coloration for the Cabernet heavy blend.  The nose is a refreshing breath of fresh Gironde left-bank air, with aromas of leather, cherry and blackberry with hints of toasted vanilla over the top.  The taste is a rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, currant and cassis that transitions nicely to some earthy aromas of dusty limestone and smoke midpalate.  The silky smooth tannins provide the ideal base for a classically dry Bordeaux finish that is at once elegant and muscular.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's been some time since I've been able to enjoy a nice Bordeaux, and at just $17, this was also a solid value.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from pasta to steak, lamb to seafood, or just sipping with friends and family.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lemon pepper wild Alaskan salmon filet along with a Meyer lemon and dill cream sauce, some oven roasted purple carrots and jasmine rice.  Cheers!

2005 Chateau de Camensac Haut-Medoc

So yesterday I received my 2012 State Tax forms in the mail, and that made me think of this wine.  No, I don't have anything against this wine or chateau, but it was a gift last year from my friend Chea for helping her do her taxes.  And since tax time is coming up again, I thought I should crack open this bottle and enjoy it!  For those of you who know me, I am a big fan of Bordeaux, and in fact I learned to like red wine in Paris back in the mid-1990s, and one of my favorite Bordeaux was the Haut-Medoc (I think I brought back like 5 bottles in my carry-on bag!) so you can imagine I've been looking forward to this one.

This wine has a wonderful deep purple color at the center, edging out to bright ruby.  The nose is just what you would expect from a well crafted Haut-Medoc, rich aromas of leather, mint, a touch of cedar and dried flowers.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with muted flavors of cassis and berry that transitions to a bit of sour cherry and some black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well rounded, making for a classic, bone dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a little more expensive, but well worth it!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare New York strip, with some Danish bleu cheese crumbles melted over the top, along with a baked potato and some steamed broccoli, a classic steak house dinner done at home.  The wine paired very nicely with this meal, as the flavors stood up well to the red meat, but the dry finish really played well with the rich flavors of the Danish bleu.  And now I need a nap!

2005 Château Belle-Vue Haut Médoc

Tonight is a celebration, not only of wine and food, but of my 100th blog post!  Now to celebrate such an auspicious occasion, I need a special wine, and what better than a nice example of a wonderful vintage, the 2005 Bordeaux!  So tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2005 Château Belle-Vue Haut Médoc, a rather interesting blend containing Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (27%), Petit Verdot (20%) and Carmenere (3%), and of course it's the bit of Carmenere that makes this one interesting! 

Now I've said before that the 2005 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional (see here: http://allaloneonaplanetfullofpeople.blogspot.com/2011/04/2005-chateau-la-tour-de-bessan-margaux.html) but unfortunately it's been overshadowed by the hype over 2009 and 2010, which is a shame since many of the 2005s are drinking very nicely right now, including this one.

The 2005 Château Belle-Vue Haut Médoc presents a deep, inky red color in the glass, with some brightness around the edges.  The nose is quintessential Bordeaux, with hints of vanilla, spice, leather and cedar.  There's also a hint of smoke that seems to tie everything together.  The taste presents some early hints of ripe fruit which quickly gives way to a gravel and a bit of jamminess midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat sharp still providing for a long, dry and satisfying finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, with some potential to improve over the next few years, and the price was a bargain from Wines Till Sold Out at only $18!  Tonight I am enjoying it with some teriyaki glazed grilled pork tenderloin, white rice and steamed veggies, but this wine would go well with most grilled meats or, dare I say it, a 4th of July barbecue!  Bon appetite!

1999 LaMarque Haut Mèdoc

Tonight I'm going back to the future!  That's the lovely thing about wine, it ages much better than most of us do, and it allows us to travel back in time.  Imagine, tonight I get to go back to Bordeaux in 1999, back when the franc was still in use, the euro was a dream, the internet bubble was going strong, and airport security was a breeze...and I was enjoying the last year of graduate school, those were the days!  And to remember, I'm enjoying the 1999 LaMarque Haut Mèdoc!

As I enjoy a bottle of nice Bordeaux from the last of the 20th Century, it brings back memories, but it also provides much pleasure on its own.  I recall falling in love with Haut Medoc when I was working in Paris in 1995, and I brought back 3 bottles to enjoy, all from the 1990 vintage if I recall correctly, wonderful vibrant, dry red Bordeaux that immediately brought back memories of enjoying a glass of wine at a sidewalk cafe a few block from the Eiffel Tower, with the warm breeze...printemps à Paris, c'est le meilleur!

This wine is very interesting, particularly in how it's aged over the last decade.  The color is a bright ruby with a hint of rust around the edges.  The nose is an experience in oak, leather, Asian spice, and a bit of sour cherry.  The taste is mildly fruit forward, giving way to a good bit of earthy Asian spice mid palate, and then finishing very dry, with remarkable tannic structure.  What a wonderful wine that 13 years on is still not past it's prime!  I'm enjoying this one tonight with some aged cheeses, gruyère, parmesan and gouda, all of which complement this wine exceptionally.  I don't recall where I bought this one, but I think it was just a couple years ago on a close out of some kind.  In any case, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, a great aged Bordeaux that has certainly reached it's prime.  I'm not sure you'd be able to find this wine anywhere, but even so, this should be an encouragement to open a bottle of older vintage wine tonight and relive the wonders of the past with a glass of great wine!  Salut!