The 1996 Chateau Léoville Barton was the winning bottle in the December Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I decanted the wine for 90 minutes and served with a tri tip roast and roasted broccoli. I bought this wine on release and have cellared it properly ever since. The Barton family, the current owners of the estate, trace their Bordeaux…
The December installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 1996 Bordeaux. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. I plan on opening the winning bottle this coming weekend and will publish a Bottle Note shortly thereafter. 1996 was a…
Chateau Lagrange is a third-growth St-Julien owned by the Suntory group since 1983. The 270 acre estate is situated next to Gruaud Larose. The winery went through major improvements and huge investments in the decades that followed the purchase by Suntory. The vineyard is planted to 67% Cabernet Sauvignon , 27% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot . Today, the average age…
The history of Chateau Clerc Milon dates back to the early 1800’s. In 1970 Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the owner of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, acquired Clerc Milon and put the Chateau on course to becoming worthy of its 5th growth status in Bordeaux. In 1983, the illustration for the Chateau Clerc Milon label was changed to a pair of dancing clowns…
The 1996 Cos d’Estournel was the winning bottle in the June Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel founded Chateau Cos d’Estournel in 1811. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first wineries in Bordeaux to bottle, label and sell their own wine. The Chateau has exchanged hands many times over the years but today is owned and managed by Michel…
The June installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 1996 Bordeaux. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. I plan on opening the winning bottle this coming weekend and will publish a Bottle Note shortly thereafter. 1996 was a…
Chateau Troplong-Mondot was elevated to one of the Premier Grand Crus of the St.-Emilion appellation in 2006. With almost 70 acres, the estate is one of the largest in St.-Emilion, on the right bank of the Gironde River. The chateau itself was built in the 18th century though it takes part of its name from Raymond Troplong, who acquired it…
The history of Chateau Clerc Milon dates back to the early 1800’s. In 1970 Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the owner of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, acquired Clerc Milon and put the Chateau on course to becoming worthy of its 5th growth status in Bordeaux. In 1983, the illustration for the Chateau Clerc Milon label was changed to a pair of dancing clowns…
The August installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 1996 Bordeaux. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. I plan on opening the winning bottle this coming weekend and will publish a Bottle Note shortly thereafter. 1996 was a…
The 1996 Lynch Bages was the leading vote getter in January’s Pick My Next Bottle survey. The winery is located in Pauillac, and is designated a 5th growth as determined by the classification of 1855. At release time, the wine received a rating of 93 points from the Wine Advocate. I purchased this bottle on release and the cork was in…