Atlas Fine Wines' Simon Larkin MW reviews 12 Saint-Julien 2005 Châteaux

Atlas Fine Wines' Simon Larkin MW reviews 12 Saint-Julien 2005 Châteaux
Learn about the wines of one of Bordeaux’s most consistent communes in our latest YouTube video.
Join Simon as he shares his insights following an extensive tasting of all 11 Classified Growth Châteaux of Bordeaux’s Saint Julien appellation, plus one outlier. All the wines tasted were from the 2005 vintage – "one of the greatest vintages Bordeaux has ever produced." As Simon suggests, Saint-Julien may lack a First Growth Château but, tasting wines such as Léoville-Las Cases and Ducru-Beaucaillou in such a great vintage, it is hard to argue that they are not of First Growth quality.
See below for Simon's tasting notes.
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Atlas Fine Wines' Simon Larkin MW reviews 12 Saint-Julien 2005 Châteaux

Atlas Fine Wines' Simon Larkin MW reviews 12 Saint-Julien 2005 Châteaux

Learn about the wines of one of Bordeaux’s most consistent communes in our latest YouTube video. Join Simon as he shares his insights following an extensive tasting of all 11 Classified Growth Châteaux of Bordeaux’s Saint Julien appellation, plus one outlier. All the wines tasted were from the 2005 vintage – "one of the greatest vintages Bordeaux has ever produced." As Simon suggests, Saint-Julien may lack a First Growth Château but, tasting wines such as Léoville-Las Cases and Ducru-Beaucaillou in such a great vintage, it is hard to argue that they are not of First Growth quality. See below for Simon's tasting notes.

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Watch Our Market Discussion

Watch Our Market Discussion

In our latest market discussion, Atlas' Simon Larkin MW and Richard O'Mahony sit down to reflect on the current state of fine wine market. The market has clearly softened over the last twelve to eighteen months, and Simon and Richard discuss reasons as well as the outlook for the next six months. They reflect on the recent Bordeaux En Primeur campaign – and indeed the future of Bordeaux – while also highlighting the specific points of weakness and the motivations behind price reductions. As Simon comments, when there is turbulence in the market, there is also opportunity.  See above for the full discussion on YouTube.  If you would like to speak to one of our team regarding your portfolio or market opportunities, please reach out to us at info@atlasfinewines.com. If you do not have an Atlas portfolio but would be interested in starting one, please do not hesitate to get in touch; we would happily share our market knowledge.

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Our Poggio Al Vento tasting and dinner

Our Poggio Al Vento tasting and dinner

Yesterday evening, we were delighted to host a special tasting and dinner at Enoteca Turi in Sloane Square with Santiago Marone Cinzano, winemaker at Col d'Orcia, showcasing a range of vintages of their highly regarded single vineyard wine, the Poggio Al Vento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Atlas' Managing Director Simon Larkin MW comments, 'yesterday’s Poggio Al Vento tasting and dinner highlighted just how impressive Col d’Orcia’s single vineyard Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is. We were fortunate to be joined by Santiago Marone Cinzano, the 10th generation of winemaker, and were guided through a vertical tasting of vintages spanning 2012 to 1995. While each vintage impressed in different ways, the overall consistency was outstanding. Some vintages showed greater capacity for ageing than others, but the consensus suggested that in a great vintage, this wine is capable of ageing for 20-30 years with ease. Indeed, the 1995 and 1999 showed no signs of fading and continued to blossom in the glass long after being first poured from a double decanted bottle – quite astonishing from a couple of wines aged 29 and 25 years of age respectively. The 2004 and 2006 vintages were certainly drinking beautifully, showing stunning ripe fruit, complex tertiary notes but equally a fine freshness that belies their age. These two vintages promise to deliver even greater complexity over time. The 2012 was comfortably the most forward drinking of the flight, showing a redder fruit character and appealing silkiness on its supple palate. The 2008, an altogether more dense and powerful wine with darker, liquorice nuances in the fruit profile, was well into its drinking window yet showed no signs of fading soon. The entire range underlined the fact that Col d’Orcia craft outstanding, traditional Brunello with a great potential for ageing. As I commented at the tasting, much is made of early pronouncements of greatness these days, but proof of true greatness is only confirmed with bottle age. A number of the wines we showed yesterday easily justified the term ‘great’; it was fascinating to taste a vertical of such a fine Brunello. While Poggio al Vento may not be as well-known as some Riservas, it is our opinion that it ranks alongside the very best examples from Montalcino.'   The tasting featured a line-up of the following wines:  Tenuta Col d’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino 2013 (en magnum) Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2012 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2008 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2006 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2004 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 1999 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 1995

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