Wine of the Month - November 2019

Last month, we featured 4 different wines from the often overlooked vintage of 2006.  This month, we fast forward 5 years to sample the wines of another greatly overlooked vintage: 2011.  2010, the preceding year to 2011, has been hailed as the best vintage Bordeaux has had over the last 20 years.  Many wines from 2010 are just reaching the 10 year mark and rekindling interest among wine lovers who want to check on the progress of the aging process.  Coming immediately after 2010, 2011 was barely talked about.  This is where sophisticated buyers can find hidden values.

This month's selection:

• 1 x Château Cos Labory 2011, Saint-Estèphe, 91 pts
• 1 x Château Giscours 2011, Margaux, 90 pts
• 1 x Château Kirwan 2011, Margaux, 89+ pts
• 1 x Château Lagrange 2011, Saint-Julien, 86 pts

Tasting Notes

Château Cos Labory 2011 - "A very dry wine, it shows the traditional Saint- Estèphe hard tannins. That suggests it will develop slowly, gradually bringing out the potential of the red berry fruits and acidity as it develops into a fine, complex wine. Drink from 2017." - Roger Voss, The Wine Enthusiast (5/2014), Ratings: 91

Château Giscours 2011 - "Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2011 Château Giscours is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, picked between September 8 and October 1. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2012 and I find more Margaux florality here. It would benefit from more delineation, but there is decent delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin on the entry, red cherry and raspberry fruit intermingling with cedar and tobacco notes. It feels a little conservative on the finish and needs more finesse, but it is a commendable contribution to the vintage. Tasted June 2015." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (7/28/2016, Interim Issue), Ratings: 90, Drink: 2017-2030

Château Kirwan 2011 - "The dense ruby/purple-colored, chunky, rich, slightly masculine 2011 Kirwan is medium-bodied and fleshy. It reveals excellent extraction of fruit and flavor, sweet, but noticeable tannins and a nicely textured mouthfeel as well as finish. While it may not be an archetypical Margaux, it is impressively endowed. Still young, it should hit its prime in 5-6 years and have 15-20 years of upside ahead of it." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate (4/29/2014, Issue 212), Ratings: 89+, Drink: 2019-2039

Château Lagrange 2011 - "Slightly pinched and compact, the 2011 Lagrange exhibits a healthy dark ruby/plum color as well as notes of vanillin, black cherries and red fruits, but it is somewhat one-dimensional and straightforward. Solidly made, but not as expressive as some of its peers, it will benefit from 1-3 years of bottle age, and should keep for 10-12 thereafter." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate (4/29/2014, Issue 212), Ratings: 86, Drink: 2015-2027