Special Feature... Bordeaux 1959 to Now

Now Available From K&L Wine Merchants... Monday May 8th, 2017 [View in Browser]( [Special Bordeaux Feature]( second Bordeaux newsletter of 2017 offers vintage Bordeaux from 1959 to the new pre-arrival offerings of 2016—almost 60 years of fine claret. No wonder I always say that Bordeaux is the King of Wines—no other region offers so many great wines from the last 60 years. Burgundy has some great wines, but you rarely find much old Burgundy on the market. Same with California Cabernet—most of the oldies have been already drunk up. We are not talking about famous châteaux producing a few barrels of great wine (à la Burgundy). Heck, some of these properties make more than 20,000 cases in a vintage. I have been drinking many old Bordeaux in the past few years and I am usually very pleased with the wines. Just last night (April 22) in Calistoga with some Rhône wine producers, we drank 1966 BranaireDucru and 1966 Canon. Both were off-the-charts great, the Branaire very elegant and refined, while the Canon was spicy, full-bodied and rich. The 1970 Pavie that followed was damn good also. We just finished our annual Bordeaux tasting trip in April, and on that trip we were lucky enough to drink and taste 1986 Léoville-Las Cases, 1986 Mouton Rothschild and 1990 Latour in magnum, and the oldies were 1961 Smith Haut Lafitte, 1961 Ducru-Beaucaillou, 1945 Canon, 1945 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and 1929 Doisy (Sauternes). All were spectacular, except for the bottle of ’86 Mouton—which was good, but not great. My point is that you can find great Bordeaux wines to drink from almost any vintage. This year I shared a bottle of 1928 Pape Clément that was still young and vibrant. As my good friend Jean-Guillaume Prats said when we were tasting the 1997s, “Bordeaux either produces great vintages or interesting vintages.” Well, this newsletter contains all sorts of vintages, and all sorts of properties—from simple Bordeaux AOC wines to the first growths and everything in between. -Clyde Beffa Jr., K&L Bordeaux Buyer, Co-Owner [View our electronic newsletter!]( Highlights this month include... Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2015 Gabaron, Bordeaux $11.99 [View]( 2016 Peyrabon, Haut-Médoc (Pre-Arrival) $12.99 [View]( 2014 Trébiac Rouge, Graves $12.99 [View]( 2004 La Tempérance Prestige, Haut-Médoc $14.99 [View]( 2010 Joanin Bécot, Côtes de Castillon (special label) 90 $21.99 [View]( 2010 Clarke Rothschild, Listrac 93 $24.99 [View]( 2016 Tour St-Christophe, St-Emilion (Pre-Arrival) 97 $26.99 [View]( 2005 Larmande, St-Emilion 92 $39.99 [View]( 2016 Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe (Pre-Arrival) 100 $159.99 [View]( 1990 Latour, Pauillac 100 $849.99 [View]( 2016 Pre-Arrivals are expected to arrive for shipment or pickup by Winter of 2019. [2015 Gabaron, Bordeaux]( [2015 Gabaron, Bordeaux]( ($11.99) Lionel Latorse is the third generation owner of this property. His 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in sand, gravel, clay and limestone in Entre Deux Mers. Tasting notes from the winemaker: "Unoaked, low alcohol and fresh. This Cab Sauvignon is showing all the fruit potential of the grape with blackcurrant and a hint of violet. The ripe tannins allow a very silky and elegant finish." Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 26, 2017 I score it 5 of 5 for value. One of the first of the soft and fruit forward Bordeaux values from the great 2015 vintage. Toasty aromas and red fruit flavors. a little modern but for $10 a great buy for parties. [2016 Peyrabon, Haut-Médoc (Pre-Arrival)]( ($12.99) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Peyrabon has a feminine and pure bouquet with red cherries and wild strawberry fruit. The oak here is present but neatly interwoven with pressed flower notes developing with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy entry. The acidity is nicely judged, although the light structure suggests that this Haut-Médoc will probably drink earlier than many. (NM)" (04/2017) K&L Notes: This is a property very close to Pauillac, and it's one to watch out for now, and in the future. These wines are well-made, value-driven, with good depth and length. Proprietor Patrick Bernard owns 50 hectares of gravel soils and with the aid of winemaker Xavier Michelet, produce elegant, silky, and vibrant wines that won't break the bank. Garneau]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 21, 2017 Following the success of the wildly popular 2009, 2010, and 2012 vintages, this petit chateau is now firmly established as a staff and customer favorite. The vineyards are happily situated on a mix of clay limestone and gravel soils in Saint-Sauveur, just west of Pauillac near Chateau Bernadotte. The 2016 Peyrabon is a blend of about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon to one-third Merlot, with the addition of a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Cabernet is king on the Left Bank in 2016, and you can sense the quality of the vintage in the lively acidity and fine tannins found here. There is plenty of sweet fruit, too, but without excessive ripeness. The wine exhibits only moderate alcohol and retains great freshness. Superb! Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 20, 2017 And the value wines from the left bank keep appearing at very reasonable prices---so far. This wine is about 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and is located very near Pauillac in the North Medoc. We have never offered this wine on futures, but the 2016 is so good and we are selling many vintages of this wine over the last five years, I decided to offer it out. Spicy, very red berry dominated aromas that follow to the palate. So sweet and lovely and so reasonable in price at under $15. Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 19, 2017 Tasted the first week of April. This has lively and lifted aromas of ripe red fruits that are an interesting counterpoint to the deep and rich middle. The aromas are inviting and the middle fruit ripe and fresh but the tight finish of powerful tannins show this to be a serious wine and a great value. [2014 Trébiac Rouge, Graves]( [2014 Trébiac Rouge, Graves]( ($12.99) Barr]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 05, 2017 After thirty years in the retail business, I think one of the aspects that still keeps me motivated is finding excellent quality wine, as with the 2014 Trébiac, in this price range. I have always found it easy, if not boring, to sell the expensive 'stuff' that has received a b'zillion points from the many different wine writers, but finding wine as this and selling it in quantity to our customers continues to excite me. This Gem is medium-deep ruby in color, offers a lovely nose of black cherry to cedary to earthy tones whcih carries over nicely to a soft, round, drinkable Bordeaux with a silky finish. Rusty has demanded that I bring home several cases of this Gem for our near-term consumption. GREAT VALUE!!! Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 03, 2017 A lot of wine for $12.99. The 2014s are hot sellers in Bordeaux as the prices are very good. This mineral driven wine has plenty of stuffing. Decant it one hour at least and enjoy. Red berry aromas and flavor with earthiness on the palate. Great value! [2004 La Tempérance Prestige, Haut-Médoc]( [2004 La Tempérance Prestige, Haut-Médoc]( ($14.99) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "This Haut-Medoc sleeper of the vintage from Bordeaux visionary Bernard Magrez possesses copious quantities of black currant and cherry fruit as well as supple tannins presented in a medium-bodied, opulent style... (RP)" (06/2007) Wine Enthusiast: "Now mature, this is a powerful wine for the vintage. It has a spice note, plus tannins that are still present and likely to develop further. The flavors of truffle, gamy beef and beet are are testaments to the age of this wine. (RV)" (02/2013) Garneau]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 24, 2017 From the portfolio of Bernard Magrez, owner of Chateau Pape Clement in Pessac-Leognan. While it might be too much to suggest that there is a "Magrez" style, it is true that many of his wines adopt a "take no prisoners" approach, combining toasty oak with a certain generosity of fruit. This 2004 Ch. La Temperance, Haut Medoc is no exception. There is a hint of age beginning to emerge on the nose here, with savory truffle notes combining with hints of roasted coffee. Plenty of sweet, ripe red and black fruits on the palate but with good underlying structure. The bright acidity and firm tannins are evident. A typical if slightly modern style Bordeaux to enjoy with tonight's dinner. Decant and enjoy! Norton]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 29, 2016 Fully matured Bordeaux for less than fifteen bucks? Yes, it exists. This attractively priced, right-bank bottling is showing notes of blackcurrant, dark fruit and an undertone of that classic Medoc terroir that I can only describe as sweet-dirt. Mmmmmm. Go getcha some! Barr]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 06, 2015 This may be the best deal in many, many Moons for cellared aged Bordeaux that I have seen. Medium-deep ruby in color, the perfectly evolved aged aromas of cedar, cassis, blackberry fruit are expressive and opulent, and are highlighted by mocha and roasted coffee bean tones. In the mouth, these wonderful aspects come across with a rich, lush, developed, viscous, complex, integrated presentation, and finishes with a long, deep, warm set of flavors. Wait a minute! How much was this Gem? $14.99? No way! We have wines that are four to five times more expensive that dont come close to the quality of this beautifully aged Bordeaux. Clyde has suggested that this could age and improve for another ten years, and my response to that is Why? This Gem is absolutely delicious now and why wait at this price. Rusty has ordered me to bring home cases, upon cases of this amazing wine. Dont Miss This! Great Value! ***** 14.0% ABV ***** Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 03, 2015 This is a Bordeaux drinker dream: A perfectly cellared wine from the owner of the legendary Chateau Pape-Clement that is approaching the magical 10 years of age and sells for a paltry 15 bucks. This is hearty and round with oodles of dark, earthy fruit, no hard edges and soft complexity. This rich, plump bargain is drinking perfectly right now. Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 25, 2015 We sold out quickly last time. Some delicious well priced 04s out there. Try this one. [2010 Joanin Bécot, Côtes de Castillon (special label)]( [2010 Joanin Bécot, Côtes de Castillon (special label)]( ($21.99) 90 points James Suckling: "Fresh spicy nose with coffee, red plums and cranberry. Some vanilla, nutmeg and white pepper. Crushed chalk behind the fruit. Vibrant and juicy red fruit on the palate with ripe tannins and good length. Medium-full body." (03/2013) 90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Joanin Becot has a simple bouquet with raspberry and balsamic scents that open and muster more vigour with time, the oak nicely integrated and revealing floral tones. The palate is medium-bodied with a tannic, masculine entry. This is very structured with a dry finish, but it is balanced and poised and will benefit from several years in the cellar. Tasted January 2014. (NM)" (03/2014) 90 points Wine Spectator: "A supple, polished, modern style, relying on creamy, mocha-tinged toast, gentle plum and blackberry fruit flavors before finishing with a lingering cocoa edge. Should stretch out nicely with modest cellaring. Drink now through 2018. (JM)" (03/2013) Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 21, 2017 This killer value has creamy cherry, vanilla, cocoa and oak flavors and aromas in a silky and easy to drink style. The mid-palate is smooth and fresh and finishes with very fine tannins. The vanilla cream flavored 2016 is lush with plenty of structure and should be another super value. [2010 Clarke Rothschild, Listrac]( [2010 Clarke Rothschild, Listrac]( ($24.99) 93 points James Suckling: "Extreme nose of crushed raspberries and minerals. Full body, with very integrated tannins and a fresh clean finish. Lasts for minutes. Very well done. Better in 2016." (02/2013) Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 21, 2017 The folks at Lafite have been improving this property since 1973 and quality is soaring. This is dark and chewy with flavors of blackberry, huckleberry and touches of earth and mineral. The fat core of sweet dark fruit ends with ripe, integrated tannins in this hearty bottle. Also, do not miss the clean, sweet and structured 2016 vintage of this wine as it shows great potential. Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 21, 2016 We have been carrying this property for over 10 years and it is always a great value - plenty of punch for the price. Barr]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 04, 2012 This may be the best production coming from this property, ever. Deep ruby in color, the nose explodes with currants, mocha, roasted coffee bean, and chocolate (I had to view the label again to make sure it wasnt from Napa Valley). On the palate, this Gem is broad, lush, viscous, well-integrated, and loaded with depth of character. Wonderfully complex, even at its youthful age, this puppy represents some of the best coming from this wonderfully soft , near-term vintage. Rusty has informed me that this Gem will be one of our house reds for the next three to five years. 14.0% ABV [2016 Tour St-Christophe, St-Emilion (Pre-Arrival)]( ($26.99) 96-97 points James Suckling: "This is superb: a triumph for the vintage considering how complicated it was in St.-Emilion. Elegance with power. Full-bodied, intense and forthright. Wonderful length and depth. Better than the 2015." (04/2016) 92-94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Tour Saint-Christophe, the Saint Emilion estate of Peter Kwok whose eye-catching terraced vineyard looks upon Barde-Haut from the other side of the valley, is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc picked between 5-23 October and matured in 40% new oak. It has a sensual bouquet with black cherries and cassis scents, the new oak neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet and supple tannin, a little richer than the 2015 and yet still managing to translate the terroir with aplomb. Tasted twice, one bottle showed a little more precision than the other, but I remain confident that this will turn into a Saint Emilion worth investigating. (NM)" (04/2017) 91-94 points Vinous: " *Top 30 Bordeaux Values of 2016 Vintage* The 2016 Tour Saint Christophe is gorgeous. Exotic, ripe and voluptuous, the 2016 possesses striking aromatics and plenty of presence. Smoke, grilled herbs, inky dark fruit, crème de cassis and leather are beautifully delineated in the glass. This is the first recent vintage I can remember tasting that is not overextracted. There is a real expression of fruit. Suffice it to say, this is a very positive development for the château. Michel Rolland is the consultant. Tasted two times. (AG)" (04/2017) Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 20, 2017 Another success for this bargain priced property that is pushing quality to new levels vintage after vintage. There is wonderful purity to the vanilla laced blueberry fruited middle that is layered and expressive. Tons of mineral character here with just the right amount of tannin. This barrel sample was ready to take home and drink. Garneau]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2017 From 20 hectares of terraced vineyards on clay limestone soils in the commune of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes near Chateau Barde-Haut. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Harvest quite late here in 2016 beginning on October 5th with the Merlot and finishing on October 23rd with the last of the Cabernet Franc. Fruit very sweet and ripe and a bit forward at 14.8% alc. Still, a supremely balanced effort overall sure to please many palates. Tannins are quite firm though very fine in keeping with the vintage. Quality is very high here with no expense spared. Very polished effort. Excellent value. Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 10, 2017 Just like last year, but perhaps a bit better? Pure and precise. 20% new oak. Fresh and lively aromas of boysenberry that follow to palate. Lots of mineral from the limestone and clay soil. Outstanding value. These guys are on a roll. [2005 Larmande, St-Emilion]( [2005 Larmande, St-Emilion]( ($39.99) 92 points Wine Spectator: "Aromas of ripe fruit, coffee bean and sweet tobacco follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a long, balanced finish. Rich and layered. (JS)" (03/2008) [2016 Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe (Pre-Arrival)]( ($159.99) 98-100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Cos d'Estournel takes the 2016 baton and runs with it. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet...this fabulous Saint Estèphe will be matured in 60% new oak. The alcohol level this year is 13.07%, which proprietor Michel Reybier reminded me is almost 1.5% lower than in 2010. This is clearly a more classically styled Cos d'Estournel that is completely different than say, the 2009 Cos d'Estournel and the more flamboyant, exotic wines in recent years. It actually bears more stylistic similarities to its neighbor Montrose. It is extremely detailed with blackberry and a touch of boysenberry, the fruit almost "creeping up" on you by stealth and then underneath, an undertow of minerals, wet limestone and even flint. The palate has astonishing: exquisite balance, perhaps the most precise and detailed Cos d'Estournel that I have encountered in many years of tasting at this address. It segues into a Pauillac-like second-half with veins of graphite strafing the black fruit, but what marks this Cos d'Estournel is the palpable energy and tension allied with an effortless nature. The persistence, the reverberation in the mouth is quite magnificent, perhaps even longer on my second visit to the property compared to the first. It really is a brilliant Cos d'Estournel that oozes class and sophistication, moreover, a wine that is going to give serious amounts of drinking pleasure over a very long period of time. Boom-and Cos drops the mic." (04/2017) 97-98 points James Suckling: "The finish is something else here. This is a wine thats so powerful and tannic yet at the same time so polished and superb on the finish. Full-bodied, beautifully crafted and precise. This is a wine that really grabs your attention. The agility and power are more than impressive. Wow is the word." (04/2017) 96-98 points Wine Enthusiast: " *Barrel Sample* This perfumed wine is stylish and elegant. It is all about the magnificent and sophisticated fruit. At the same time, don't be fooled by the richness: the tannins are all there, a dense and concentrated core at the heart of this seriously ageworthy wine. It demands many years. (RV)" (04/2017) 97 points Decanter: "This is one of the best Cos d'Estournels that I can remember trying at this early stage, it really does have every hair standing up on end. Powerful and deep, with a clear intensity but such delicacy; this is fresh, beautiful and succulent. It moves effortlessly through the palate without ever letting you forget that it's there. Deep black cherries, touches of dark chocolate and graphite are driven forward by a pulse of energy. From a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 60% new oak. (JA)" (04/2017) Bearden]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 25, 2017 This is almost ethereal in texture and despite the power and richness present, grace and balance are the hallmarks. The mid-palate is deep but clean and the dark fruit, Asian spice and touch of clay that poke through are finely tuned and perfectly integrated. The long, saline finish hides plenty of ripe tannin but glides smoothly and effortlessly. This was very easy to taste. Sands]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 25, 2017 2016 Cos d'Estournel is a great wine! Loaded with exotic black fruits, powerful but in perfect focus. Lovely middle fruit texture and style, super long finishing wine. Better than Mouton and Lafite! 3 Star Wine and candidate for wine of the vintage. Garneau]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 25, 2017 I have wonderful memories of the great vintages of Cos dEstournel from the 1980s. These were some of the wines that shaped my earliest impressions of Bordeaux. Yet, sadly, I feel as though sometime in the past decade or so we sort of lost touch with each other. I remember tasting the 2009 and finding it much riper than I expected, much bigger and grander in style. I thought, well, things change. I silently wished the property well and thought, at least I still have my memories of a shared past, a simpler time. Imagine my joy, then upon tasting the 2016 vintage en primeur. Mon vieux! The unique conditions in 2016 yielded a wine that will rival the great vintages of decades past. This is a wine heavily dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up 76% of the blend. It is a miracle of the dry conditions and the very warm days and cool nights of July and August. The wine is deeply colored and intensely aromatic with great presence and persistence. A marvel of perfect ripeness, lively acidity, and very fine tannins, and all with a mere 13% alcohol. Structured, yet refined. Exquisitely balanced. A more definitive expression of terroir I have rarely seen. Classic. A triumph. Beffa Jr.]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 24, 2017 This wine is off-the charts great. 13.07 degrees Alcohol like the old days of great Bordeaux wines. Incredible, intense, spicy aromas with cinnamon undertones on the palate. So silky and precise-pure as can be. Long and lovely-so good you can drink it soon, but it will cellar well for many years. Bravo on the reasonable price. A very special wine and one of the top ten I tasted in April. [1990 Latour, Pauillac]( [1990 Latour, Pauillac]( - 3 available ($849.99) 100 points Wine Spectator: "This is one of my favorite wines ever. Full-bodied, with layers of silky fruit and masses of currant, mineral and berry character. Amazing. It's a wine with perfect structure, perfect strength. It's 1961 Latour in modern clothes. It's hard not to drink it now. (JS)" (02/2005) 98 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium-deep red. Great vibrant nose of redcurrant, licorice, minerals and tobacco, along with a minty austerity. Thick and large-scaled, like an essence of Pauillac. Really explodes in the middle palate. Incredible unfolding peacock tail of a finish. A monumental, powerfully structured wine with great long-term aging potential." (08/2002) 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "This is one of the more perplexing Latours to evaluate. It has plenty of sweetness as well as a gorgeous, rich fruitiness, but it lacks the firmness one finds in more recent great vintages such as 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008. There is plenty of sweet, ripe currant fruitiness, abundant glycerin, and full body, but Im still waiting for that extra nuance of complexity to emerge. Its all there, but the wine still seems to be more monolithic than one would expect in a wine approaching 19 years of age. It is not the sure-fire winner I thought it was in its youth, but then again, I dont have any reason to doubt that more complexity will emerge. (RP)" (04/2009) --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow us on: Check Out Our Blog: [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Shipping]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive]( page. Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637) Email: wine@klwines.com K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA Click here to manage your e-mail settings with K&L Wine Merchants or alternatively, [click here to unsubscribe from all mailings]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [K&L](