When It Comes to Cabernet, Bordeaux Is King

If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of red wine, and Bordeaux is the king of wine, doesn’t it follow that Bordeaux is the king of Cabernet Sauvignon? Of course, I am prejudiced as I have been collecting Bordeaux since 1971. Yes, I also have some California Cabernets, but 95% of my cellar is red Bordeaux—vintages ranging from 1918 to 2019. 

Bordeaux red wines are usually blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, etc. Rarely are there Bordeaux wines composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet likes company.

We have a huge selection of Bordeaux reds—both old and new, with a container just arriving with 80 new Bordeaux reds on it. Some outstanding Bordeaux from all Cabernet regions (over $50) and different vintages—now in stock:

2006 Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc $59.99 Our notes in 2007: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot. Boysenberry nose with spice. Full bodied. Harmonious. Good, sweet finish. Lovely wine; better than 2005. Cinnamon spice and some clove hints. Very fine aromas that lead to the palate. Long and deep on palate. High acid, delicious. A sure "sleeper of the vintage."  

2010 Poujeaux, Moulis (1.5L) $119.99 Robert Parker for Wine Advocate: "… The wine is outstanding. Rich black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with some graphite and floral notes are followed by an opulent, fleshy, full-bodied wine with impressive concentration, texture, and length."

My notes: One of K&L’s favorite properties. They always make great wines, and this one is a blockbuster value. My notes from the barrel tasting: A great nose. Elegant, with a lot of minerals and a nice, sweet length. K&L’s Champagne Buyer and claret-lover, Gary Westby, likes it a lot. Cassis and red fruit on the juicy mid-palate with a mineral finish. Good structure.

2016 Lafon-Rochet, St-Estèphe (1.5L) $119.99 95 points, Antonio Galloni for Vinous: "A sleeper in this vintage, the 2016 Lafon-Rochet is positively stellar. Bright, translucent, and super-expressive, the 2016 has so much to offer. Lavender, tobacco, cedar, mint, and dried herbs give the 2016 striking aromatic top notes to play off the darker fruit flavors. The 2016 is pure class. Don't miss it." (12/2018)

2009 Ferriere, Margaux $89.99 Everyone knows I think 2009 is the best vintage so far in 21st century. This wine is wonderful. 93 points James Suckling: "Perfumed, with raspberries and flowers and hints of lemon. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a chewy finish. Austere now, but stylish. " (02/2012)

1999 Gruaud Larose, St-Julien $139.99 Do not miss the fine 1999 vintage Bordeaux wines—they are lovely right now.  90 points Wine Spectator: "Delivers lots of blackberry, mineral and mint on the nose. Full-bodied, with plenty of fruit and racy, polished tannins on the finish. This can go on for many years. But why wait? Well we waited for 25 years!

2010 d'Issan, Margaux $139.99 My notes from the barrel tasting: Nice, elegant black cherry nose. Cool, black fruit flavors with hints of grilled meat and a nice finish. Very fresh and clean. Elegant mid-palate. Big. Powerful vintage and a wine of elegance—good match.

2017 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac $249.99 My notes from the barrel tasting: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot with 2% other. Substantial wine with fine palate entry and long finish. 94 points Antonio Galloni for Vinous: "Powerful and dark in the glass, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is super-impressive. Black cherry, plum, spice, chocolate, and leather are just some of the many aromas and flavors that flesh out as this ample, heady Pauillac shows off its considerable personality. Medium in body, yet with terrific depth and substance, the Forts de Latour is an absolute winner in 2017." (12/2019)

2020 La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan (Elsewhere $400) $339.99 100 pointer for you-not much left though. 100 points Wine Advocate: "The 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion is a brilliant effort that exhibits a level of balance and integration that are impressive in such a powerful young Bordeaux. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with burning embers, pencil shavings, violets and smoked black tea, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered, elegantly muscular profile, its brooding core of fruit framed by a generous endowment of powdery tannin that tempers the ripeness of the vintage.

- Clyde Beffa Jr., Co-owner and Bordeaux Buyer