2016 Grand Vin De Bordeaux by Chateau La Tour De Mons, Margaux

Tonight’s Occasion: 2016 Grand Vin De Bordeaux by Chateau La Tour De Mons, Margaux, France. Dark opaque plum color. Nose is a bit shy, with notes of slightly ripe dark plums, hints of ripe cherries, damp wood and that all too familiar fine, sedimentary, river silt. Swirling vigorously releases more intense leather and a touch of anise. It’s hard to go wrong with Margaux. Body is precisely balanced from front to back. Dry plums carry over albeit with a little restraint, lightening the body and providing firm, crisp tannic structure. A precise almost unnoticeable oak softens the tannins and intensifies the fruit essence ever so slightly. Subtle anise and wet wood eventually take over the stage just before handing over to an emerging gentle spice heat. This marks the transition to finish as the body fades away leaving behind harmonious melange of very fine grained dusty tannic grit and a warm spice. This highly coveted often overlooked sub-region of Bordeaux is best known for its big, bold, dry, age worthy wines and characteristic terroir driven expression. They are typically hard to come by and command a premium when you go find them. This Margaux is a fine example of what a Bordeaux is. I put out a WineSnob Alert on this wine several months ago when it was available for just under $40 – a steal for what it is. It lives up to every other Margaux in my cellar and I look forward to following this vintage over the next decade. Tres bien fait! 🍷😘👌🏽 You can read more on French wines featured on WineSnob.
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Reserve: 2000 Chateau Prieuré-Lichine Margaux, Bordeaux

Tonight’s occasion: 2000 Chateau Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, Bordeaux. Relaxed and understated nose that once agitated reveals lots of plum, then intense cherry and leathery terroir and a very faint licorice on the back. Once opened up, subtle notes of tobacco make a pleasing appearance. The body is all business up front showing good structure and composition right out of the bottle. Leathery terroir carries through turning more mineraly. Cherry from the nose makes a brief encore before transitioning to a restrained finish capped by moderate tannic grip and spice. Once opened, the finish turns creamy. I opened a 2012 vintage earlier this year and was absolutely enamored with it. So when the opportunity to try explore an almost 20 year old vintage I couldn’t resist. This wine is perfect right now. This Chateau presents great value among its peers. Looking at my notes it is remarkable how consistent this Chateau is. Have you explored Margaux yet? You absolutely must for a proper introduction to what Bordeaux wines are all about. A votre santé! 😁🍷🍷🍷 Thanks to wine.com and their extensive library, you can now access most of the wines I review on here. You can use the link below to have Chateau Prieuré-Lichine wines delivered to your doorstep. Shop Chateau Prieuré-Lichine wines on Wine.com