#3 Favorite Reds from 2019

No real housekeeping today, just adding some pictures.



Let's go! Favorite reds from 2019.



I spent a long time thinking about this, wondering if this list should be 10+ wines, or just 2. I drank a lot of good wine in 2019, and decided on 2 as my favorites. I'll include a few others as “honorable mentions" eventually and you'll see why.





1. Chateau Latour, Le Forts de La Tour, 2009, Pauillac

2. Chateau Leoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases, 2010, Saint Julien-Medoc



Both second wines of impressive french chateaus, and both wines tasted in the same night in a side-by-side tasting with dinner. Both fantastic, and quite different.



These wines are both expensive, like really expensive for most people. I was fortunate to drink them at a celebratory dinner with incredibly gracious hosts.



1. Chateau Latour, Le Forts de La Tour, 2009, Pauillac

In one word? Elegant. This wine has a deep and concentrated color and palate. With tons of seductive smoke, earth, and powerful cassis + blackberry notes. This wine is like a fairy-tale princess - powerful, complex, beautiful to behold, and graceful, with pedigree to match.







2. Chateau Leoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases, 2010, Saint Julien-Medoc

Rustic and ripe, this wine has strong blackberry and blueberry notes with a mineral finish. It's intense in the best way possible, with a long and driving finish. Compared to semi-mythical character? A Spartan warrior, one of the 300. Strong, bold, polished, but not too polished.







Le Petit Lion is important to me for a couple reasons. First, it's actually attainable — yes, it's expensive, but a wine that more people can afford if they save for a few weeks . Second, Le Petit Lion, in most vintages, is incredible value for money. For me, it will deliver far more than, for example, a Napa Cab in the same price range.



Honorable mentions coming soon, and most will be on the more “affordable” side compared to both of these.



If It Matters To You

Chateau Latour, Le Forts de La Tour, 2009, Pauillac, $280 - 300 est.

1. Appellation: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

2. Blend: 61.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32.3% Merlot, 6.2% Petit Verdot



Chateau Leoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion, 2010, Saint Julien-Medoc, $80 est.

1. Aging: 22% in new oak barrels

2. Appellation: Medoc, St. Julien, Bordeaux, France

3. Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 52%, Merlot 38% and Cabernet Franc 5%



As always, feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading.