Wine ChroniclesVarious Médocs 2018
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 Here we have a “catch-all” review of Médoc wines, given COVID19 restrictions to taste from bottle. Tasting notes of course vary, as much ground is covered, from inland Moulis and Listrac, to Haut-Médoc wines that “see the river”, such as Sociando Mallet. Among the 1855 Classified Growths, tasted […]
So Satisfying Saint Emilion 2018
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 The revolution towards freshness continues. Sure some wines recall the oaky tannic obsession of the mid-2000s. Not long ago, I recall tasting the Grand Cru Classés blind with too many wines, too hard, over extracted and/or finishing on drying oak tannins. Had the 2018 vintage happened 10 […]
Saint Estèphe 2018
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 Fascinating to see – in a blind tasting of the five classified growths – just how impressive Château Montrose turned out to be. I have tasted the wine twice from bottle, once at the estate, once in the blind tasting (held at Château Lafon-Rochet), and although I […]
Pauillac 2018
Power and refinement By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 Pauillac boasts some excellent wines in this vintage, some in my Top Ten. As said in the intro text, in many cases 2016 (and even 2019) may outshine 2018 in the longer run. However, some estates were capable to tirer son épingle du jeu, as […]
Margaux 2018
Stars among the more challenged By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 Some estates shined bright, but the nature of the vintage challenged Margaux more than it did Saint Julien and Pauillac, or for that matter, the cooler limestone and clay soils of the Right Bank. Yet I do wonder whether we critics may […]
Saint Julien 2018
Consistent excellence By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 Consistently excellent in 2018, recently bottled wines from this appellation fulfill their promise from barrel: elegant, suave, sometimes powerful, with grip, but overall refined and fresh. I give an edge to the 2016 vintage for superior freshness, as Didier Cuvelier of Château Léoville Poyferré agrees. Still, 2018 […]
Pessac-Léognan 2018 reds
Hits amidst gravel and heat By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 2018 was not the ideal vintage for warmer soils, so I would tip my hat more to 2016 as the recent vintage to purchase from Pessac-Léognan. Still, some very good to excellent wines. A few stars and several superb price/quality ratio wines make 2018 […]
Bordeaux 2018 dry whites
Some excellent wines in a challenging vintage By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 24 January 2021 The warmth of the vintage not truly ideal for dry whites, some producers did craft excellent wines, including some from outside the famous Graves (including the northern Pessac-Léognan appellation) region, known for its dry white wines. While tasting the dry […]
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel
The tasting notes! By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 29 September 2020 Left Bank: Graves/Pessac-Léognan – Médoc/Haut Médoc/Moulis/Listrac – Cru Bourgeois – Margaux – Pauillac – Saint Estèphe – Saint Julien – Sauternes Right Bank and More: Bordeaux and Côtes AOC / Fronsac / Pomerol / Saint Emilion And because the vintage ends in -9, two […]
White Bordeaux: 2014 vintage
With a focus on Château Smith Haut Lafitte By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 15 September 2020 Top three 2014 whites from this tasting? Domaine de Chevalier, Château Pape Clément and Château Smith Haut Lafitte Last week Decanter Magazine published an article I wrote – subscribers only – about how fine dry white Bordeaux can be, with […]
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