Chateau Loirac, 2010

Price: $20-30
AOC: Cru Bourgeois, Medoc, Bordeaux

Variety: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot

Color: Dark violet

Aroma: quite nice actually, tobacco, wood, black fruit, some flower, some perfume and some vanilla from oak

Palate: medium+ body, tannin is integrated and fine (not too much tannin left), savory but can taste firm black fruit, tobacco, a touch of mineral, can sense cab perfume and flower while tasting, a little bit big (structure) and bold, fruitness concentration is medium+, very clear and standard characteristics of cab from left bank Bordeaux, a good introduction wine. quite enjoyable for the price range! ps: Aroma is a little bit more impressive than the palate. 

Chateau Barde-Haut, 2004

Price: $40-50
AOC: Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux
Variety: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Color: orange, amber color at the rim, its almost matured, can drink now

Aorma: very clear, quite mature bordeaux merlot aroma, merlot perfume, a little meaty hint, ripe red fruit!

Palate: the mid palate is almost empty right after opening, after two hours of decanting, ripe merlot fruitness came out (the fruitness concentration is very good consider that 2004 is not a powerful vintage, longer decanting is also ok), red fruit, tea leaf and some tobacco, tannin is integrated and moderate, acidity is integrated and balanced. just a little of every thing in harmony. This is a balanced and matured right bank bordeaux I enjoyed a lot!

   

Chateau Franc Couplet, 2010

Price: $10-20
AOC: Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux
Variety: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Color: Dark Ruby red to purple

Aroma: black currant, licorice, clear black fruit aroma, ripe red fruit aroma comes in after proper decanting, a touch of vanilla, fragrant! 

Palate: black fruit dominant, clear licorice, tobacco, very little mineral, adequate red fruit, well-balanced, firm tannin, a good example of Bordeaux blend, perfect for a wine under $15!     

Cooper Hill Pinot Noir, 2013

AOC: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Variety: Pinot Noir

Aroma: 清爽的 raspberry 香氣, 加上 spring flower, 和 Nuits 那種濃郁, earthy 的香氣不同, 有種清爽芬芳的吸引力. 
Palate: 喝完 Gevrey 再喝這隻, 就能充分的理解新舊世界的差異, 一打開就可以喝的魅力, 單純透明的紅果實甜味(蠻fruity的), Pinot 的酸味, 土壤的味道, 明顯的 mineral, 一切都是如此容易理解, 對於想了解 Pinot 的初學者, 這隻是很好的選擇, 但在 body 和果實味的扎實度來說, 還是輸了舊世界的 Nuits 一截, 這隻最特別之處, 大概就是那明顯的 mineral 了.

Chateau La Gatte "La Butte", 2010 V.V

Price: $10-20
AOC: Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux
Variety: 100% Merlot

會注意到這支酒, 是因為它是 100% V.V 的 Merlot 所釀造, 這在以 Blend 為主的 Bordeaux 是很少見的, Cuvee "La Butte" 的葡萄田就在 Chateau La Gatte (歷史可追朔至1646) 的後方, 葡萄 Merlot 栽種於 1958 年, 樹齡已接近 60 年, 這支酒常在盲飲中被誤認為有級數的 Saint-Emilion 和 Pomerol, 價錢是平易近人的 $15, 光是這些, 就非買不可

馬上開瓶!

Aroma: 剛打開一倒出來, 我馬上了解為何這支酒在盲飲時常被誤認為 Saint-Emilion, 因為它的香氣幾乎做到了右岸二級酒莊 Magdelaine 06年 和 三級酒莊 Quinault L'Enclos 06年 的程度, Intense 的 Merlot 黑果實香水味和 licorice, a classic bordeaux Merlot aroma, 以五分之一的價錢就做到了.
Palate: 對於想了解究竟什麼是 Saint-Emilion 以 Merlot 為主的 Blend 的人來說是一個 perfect example, 我終於有機會可以釐清究竟在 bordeaux blend 中, 什麼味道是來自於 Merlot, 什麼味道來自於 Cab, 這支有明顯的 Merlot 黑果實甜味 (black cherry or plum, 和 Cab 的 black currant 不一樣), herbal and licorice, 豐富柔軟的單寧, medium+ body, bordeaux Merlot 獨有的 savory, 一樣用 $15就做到了, 實在是超便宜的價錢, 但比起 Cab, structure 少了一些, 少了一些壯麗感, 會讓酒有一點像小品的感覺, 了解了 Cab 的魅力所在, 這支並不 silky, 有時會喝到 very little mineral, 不算 earthy, 下一步就是找一支 100% 的 bordeaux Cab 了.