Snooth.com - recent reviews by Nicki

Château Fougas Maldoror Château Fougas Cuvée 'Maldoror' 2001

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:32:26 -0500

Château Fougas Maldoror Château Fougas Cuvée 'Maldoror' 2001

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:31:08 -0500

Name: Château Fougas Maldoror Château Fougas Cuvée 'Maldoror'
Vintage: 2001
Varietal:
Winery: Château Fougas
Region: France > Bordeaux
Price: $29.77
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted November 2009. For a Côtes-de-Bourg this is really an outstanding wine. Still deeply-coloured, the wine only begins to show some ripening at the edge. The bouquet is dominated by ripe merlot (spiciness, olives, clove), the eucalyptus-like freshness of perfectly ripe cabernet and toasty new oak. In the mouth the wine is silky-textured, not fruity at all, but undeniably well-balanced. In the long finish there is still a lot of tannin in evidence, yet the tannin is very well integrated and the wine remains smooth and crisp in the mouth (technically outstanding). A serious, classy wine, for aficionados of right-bank Bordeaux wines. Very attractive price. Will last until 2014.

As posted on Snooth

Château Haut-Marbuzet Saint-Estèphe 1990

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:24:21 -0400

Name: Château Haut-Marbuzet Saint-Estèphe
Vintage: 1990
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Winery: Château Haut-marbuzet
Region: France > Bordeaux > St. Estèphe
Price: $484.77
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted October 2009. Still a marvelous wine, an atypical Saint-Estèphe, more like a Pomerol or a Saint-Emilion, and not for intellectuals, but a pleasure to drink. Now a ripe but still dense colour, a spicy, concentrated bouquet with soft oaky overtones and an immediately appealing, very straightforward elegance, and a gorgeous mouthful, soft, quite slender, refined, not very deep, but remarkably well-balanced. The finish is long, tasty, elegant and certainly not too dry; there is still some tannin left. This wine should best be drunk before 2012. I'm not sure whether it is worth the high price, but 1990 was clearly a great Haut-Marbuzet vintage.

As posted on Snooth

Château Ferrière Margaux 1996

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:54:04 -0400

Name: Château Ferrière Margaux
Vintage: 1996
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Winery: Château Ferriere
Region: France > Bordeaux > Margaux
Price: $718.18
SnoothRank: 3.5/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted September 2009: A marvelous wine, with that tell-tale Margaux nose and flavour. Medium-deep colour which has just begun to mature, a very refined, deep and at the same time intensely perfumed bouquet. Slender, graceful in the mouth, with a very tasty dry tannic structure, excellent concentration and a long finish with lip-licking acidity. This wine is ready to drink but will keep its quality for 5-7 more years.

As posted on Snooth

Château Sociando-Mallet 1997

Mon, 18 May 2009 16:02:35 -0400

Name: Château Sociando-Mallet
Vintage: 1997
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Winery: Château Sociando-Mallet
Region: France > Bordeaux > Haut-médoc
Price: $1.12
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted May 2009. A superb bottle, and an incredibly good 1997, better than almost all famed Grands crus classés from the Médoc and Pessac-Léognan from this vintage! A dense colour and a gorgeous bouquet of ripe fruit and soft oak, a classic taste with remarkable concentration (considering the poor vintage), excellent purity and freshness and marvelous elegance. Long finish, still slightly oaky and dry, but this is all the better as it conveys grip and backbone. Tasted blind, this is rather like a 1996 or 1998. A truly great success for the vintage -- this is what Sociando-Mallet is all about. Drink now through 2014.

As posted on Snooth

Chateau Olivier Blanc 1995

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:16:32 -0400

Name: Chateau Olivier Blanc
Vintage: 1995
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Winery: Olivier
Region: France > Bordeaux > Graves > Pessac-léognan
SnoothRank: 3/5

Nicki's Rating: 3.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted October 2008: Chateau Olivier (red and white) is an uneven performer among the Grands Crus Classés from Pessac-Léognan, but this white wine is really interesting. Light golden hue, fascinating, expansive oaky bouquet with a lot of spiciness. In the mouth rather lean, very dry and a bit hollow, but also very nutty and very oaky. In the aftertaste there is a lot of acidity and some smokiness, reminding me of a ripe Sauternes, only in a dry version. Not everyone's style. Clearly a Semillon-based wine, from a very good vintage. Needs food. Drink now through 2010.

As posted on Snooth

Château Branaire Duluc-Ducru Saint-Julien Rouge 1998

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:24:54 -0400

Name: Château Branaire Duluc-Ducru Saint-Julien Rouge
Vintage: 1998
Varietal:
Winery: Château Branaire-ducru
Region: France > Bordeaux > St.-julien
Price: $45.88
SnoothRank: 3/5

Nicki's Rating: 3.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted September 2008: The wine still has an unevolved, deep colour, which perfectly matches its bouquet and taste. This is an occasionally underpreforming Saint-Julien, and so is the 1998 vintage. Scented, spicy, slightly meaty in the nose, and with a whiff of herbaceousness, the wine seems unable to mature and soften. The taste too shows lead-pencil spiciness but is somewhat coarse and compact. Though tasty, masculine, mouth-filling and with a classic Médoc finesse, the massive tannins are slightly dry and the wine obviously lacks charm and roundness. It's all structure. The aftertaste is fresh and clean, but as with so many 1998 Médoc wines, this Branaire-Ducru is rather subdued and restrained. I wonder whether this wine will ever come around. A long haul wine that could dry out in the next decade. Drink through 2016.

As posted on Snooth

Corton-Languettes 1998

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:01:06 -0400

Name: Corton-Languettes
Vintage: 1998
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Winery: M.Chapuis
Region: France > Burgundy > Côte d'Or > Côte de Beaune > Aloxe-corton > Corton
Price: $70.71
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted September 2008: A good but not a great vintage, yet a lovely wine, and a true Grand Cru. Fairly light colour with ripe rim. Excellent bouquet: ripe, soft, expansive, and with a fine, restrained sweetness and some delicacy. In the mouth a bit foursquare, typical of red Corton, but shapely, tasty, quite full and with an extremely pleasant, not too sweet Pinot noir character, some refinement and good length. Dry, very good, and absolutely clean aftertaste with good acidity and a touch of terroir. Clearly, this is a very dependable domain (also good white Corton Charlemagne). This red 1998 Corton-Languettes is completely ready now; drink through 2010.

As posted on Snooth

Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume 2002

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:21:59 -0400

Name: Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume
Vintage: 2002
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Winery: de Ladoucette
Region: France > Loire Valley > Pouilly-fumé
Price: $45.22
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted September 2008: Unquestioanbly, this is the best Pouilly-Fumé on the market. This bottle was virtually perfect. After 6 years in the cellar, the wine had a soft yellow hue, a magnificent bouquet with the merest hint of flint, but overall soft and refined, like a great Chablis. In the mouth perfect balance, completely dry, yet rounded and soft, with much character and finesse. Long aftertaste. A noble, very memorable wine, a great Pouilly-Fumé -- you could have none better. Drink now and through 2009.

As posted on Snooth

Prieuré de St.-Jean de Bébian Coteaux du Languedoc 2001

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:36:25 -0400

Name: Prieuré de St.-Jean de Bébian Coteaux du Languedoc
Vintage: 2001
Varietal: Rhône Blend
Winery: Prieuré Saint-Jean de Bébian
Region: France > Languedoc et Roussillon > Languedoc > Coteaux du Languedoc
Price: $49.51
SnoothRank: 4/5

Nicki's Rating: 4.5/5
Nicki's Review: Tasted August 2008: This bottle was entirely ready: a mature, beautiful wine with a noble exotic character in the bouquet and the taste.

As posted on Snooth