Holiday Wine Dinner

Wines

Monbousquet Blanc, Château Monbousquet, , Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2020

Located to the southwest of Saint-Émilion, this blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Sémillon comes from 17 year-old vines. Fermented and aged in new oak barrels, on the lees, with bâttonage for 6 months. This medium-bodied dry white is rich with oak spice, tropical fruits, and good texture. Exotic aromas of green mangos and pineapples. Pears, too. It’s full and creamy with a gorgeous texture and a vivid finish.  93 Points Wine Advocate

Château Pavie “Arômes de Pavie”, Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2016

Notes  of crushed red and black cherries, raspberry preserves, plum pudding, blueberry pie and prunes with touches of espresso, star anise, cumin seed and wood smoke plus a waft of dusty soil. Full-bodied with generous black and red fruit preserves with plenty of exotic spice nuances, finishing long and earthy. 94 Points Wine Enthusiast

Château Todeschini Distique, Grand Cru, Saint- Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2020

Notes of minty blackberries, cherries and plums preface the 2020 Todeschini Distique 13, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine that’s more concentrated and structured than the regular Château Mangot, featuring a more elevated percentage of Cabernet and seeing élevage in barrels, foudres and amphorae. 93 Points Wine Advocate

Château La Dominique, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2018

The 2018 Château La Dominique is a knockout winner in this great vintage and should be snatched up by readers. A blend of 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, it reveals a dense purple hue as well as gorgeous notes of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, spring flowers, damp earth, and truffle. These carry to a full-bodied, sweetly fruited, sexy 2018 with incredible purity, a solid spine of acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s already impossible to resist. 96 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Château Croix de Labrie, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2019

Fabulous aromas of blackberries, blueberries, pine needles and spices, such as nutmeg and allspice. White pepper, too. Full-bodied and very tight with a solid core of fruit and ultra-fine yet powerful tannins. It’s got so much energy and drive. Vibrant at every level. Precise and not overpowering, yet so structured. 97% merlot and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. This needs time to soften. 96 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Château Villemaurine, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2019

The 2019 Villemaurine explodes from the glass with powerful notes of stewed plums, Black Forest cake and blackberry preserves with underlying hints of Chinese five spice, violets, espresso and cardamom with a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich, ripe and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, the palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves, framed by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long with layers of opulent exotic spices. 94 Points Wine Advocate

Château Berliquet, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2019

Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries, sweet spices, violets and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with terrific depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, it concludes with a long, mineral finish. 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. 94 Points Wine Advocate

Château Canon, 1er Grand Cru Classé*, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2020

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with notions of exotic spices and iris, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with vibrant acids and beautifully polished, chalky tannins. Pure and precise, it concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish. This beautifully constructed wine communicates the essence of this superb limestone terroir, and it will be worth a special effort to track down. 100 Points Wine Advocate

Château De Ferrand, 1er Grand Cru Classé*, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2019

The nose is full of character, with dark and dried black cherry fruits, laced with notes of dark chocolate, coffee bean and molten tar, lifted with little notes of sage and bay leaf. While the fruit character is certainly still in the modern vein, the savoury herby and peppery notes are perhaps the more striking (and appealing) feature on this encounter. This is followed by a coherently composed palate, rich in dark fruits mirroring the nose, with dried kirsch-infused cherries laced with salty mineral and tobacco from the new oak. 94 Points Decanter

Château Figeac, 1er Grand Cru Classé*(A), Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2020

A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Breathtaking.          37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. 100 Points Wine Advocate

Château Pavie, 1er Grand Cru Classé*(A), Saint-Émilion Bordeaux, France, 2020

Pure perfection in red wine, the 2020 Château Pavie checks in as 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, all raised in 75% new French oak. Absolutely incredible in every way, it has a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, chocolaty oak, graphite, white truffle, and hints of flowers. Pure, full-bodied, and concentrated, with perfect integration of its fruit, oak, and tannins, it’s one of those wines that needs to be tasted to be believed. 100 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Sauternes-Barsac, Château Doisy Dubroca, Bordeaux, France, 1975

Fully mature, with a deep gold and copper hue, the apricot, orange marmalade, honey and spicy tropical fruits are in full force. There is still ample sweetness and acidity in the honeyed, citrus finish to keep it interesting.