Izak Litwar

Tertre Roteboeuf 21 vintages / I arranged a truly memorable vertical tasting of one of Saint Émilion's most iconic wines, Tertre Roteboeuf, at the excellent restaurant Møntergade in Copenhagen. We tasted Tertre Roteboeuf from the vintages 2022, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985 and 1982. Francois Mitjaville, the owner of Tertre Roteboeuf, attended the tasting.

Château Ramond-Lafon 1979-2023 / The owner of the Château Ramond-Lafon, Jean-Pierre Meslier, arranged this vertical with Bill Blatch, renowned for his great expertise in Bordeaux’s sweet wines. I tasted 21 vintages from youngest to oldest. It was an impressive display of high-quality wines, despite the fact that a couple of great vintages, like 2001 and 2003, were absent from the line-up. This unclassified property certainly rubs shoulders with the absolute top wines in the district.

Bordeaux October visits at Ausone, Haut Brion, Le Pin, Lafite etc.

Bordeaux white and sweet wines 2023 vintage: Château Climens 2023: This is the second vintage under new ownership. It is a staggeringly stylish wine with great finesse and richness, a sophisticated touch, great sweetness, and remarkable acidity. 98p.

St. Emilion has been an astonishingly successful district in 2023, enjoying great consistency with several potential candidates to earn the title "wine of the vintage." And many other wines aren't bad, either!Here are the best wines:

Bordeaux 2023 from barrel /  Part I - POMEROL - The key to making successful wine in 2023 for a winemaker was careful maceration/extraction and using less oak than in the 2022 vintage to get the perfect expression of fruit and gentle tannin. The Right Bank, particularly Saint Emilion and Pomerol, produced some of the best wines in 2023. While there is more consistency among wines on the Right Bank, it does not mean that wines on the Left Bank are of inferior quality; they are just not as consistent in every commune/district.

Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2022 – is characterized by crunchy cherries and blackcurrants on the nose, with hints of leather and cigar box. It has a juicy and vibrant taste, firm structure, and strong backbone, leading to a great mid-palate. The wine offers subtle complexity and a meaty finish. It is excellent stuff and deserves a rating of 96 points.

Pingus 2022 (barrel sample) – intense dark berries and floral scents, perfect fruit ripeness, vibrant with silky tannin, seamless structure, sophisticated touch, multi-layered, awesome complexity, spectacular midpalate, long meaty finish. This is a beautifully crafted wine! 99p.

BORDEAUX 2022 TOP WINES / Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2022. Aromatic cherries, blackcurrants, tobacco leaves, great acidity, powerful on the palate with a strong backbone, big concentration, multilayered, and great length. Long, long finish. Impressive effort. 98p.

The tasting notes listed below, except 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2011, and 1946, are from the vertical of 26 vintages from this property, which took place in Copenhagen in November 2022. Wines for the vertical were purchased in Danish wine shops and European auctions. 

Ducru Beaucaillou is a famous second growth on the Left Bank located in the commune of Saint-Julien and close to the banks of the Gironde river. This ideal location means a perfect micro-climate, which prevents incoming frost, hail, and other weather caprices from attacking the vineyard.