A big thank you to Casemates for letting me be a lab rat again. I am not very good at writing these, but the experience is fun. So to start off, do not have much experience to with French wines. I am a fan of Super Tuscans, some California red wines and more recently Arizona Syrahs and other varietals as I live in Phoenix. I received the wine Wednesday and it went to straight to my wine cooler until Friday night. Opened up before dinner around 6pm. Nice dark garnet red color. Lot of legs. Kind of earthy nose. First taste… let’s just say harsh. Not a fan but let this sit in the glass for a bit. About 30 minutes later gave it another go. Got a bunch more fruit and floral aromas on the nose, jammy, very nice. As for taste, improved a lot. Nice red blend with mild tannins. Definitely goes better with food and paired well with a hearty meat sauce and pasta. Woke up this morning to write this review and check out the listing on Casemates. I totally missed the seeing the 2012 last month. I was expecting this wine to be around $20 and at $13, I think this is a great value.
Woohoo! Always exciting to get the UPS notification that a shipment is on its way from Wine Country.
I am a fan of Bordeaux of course, and went on a river cruise along the Right Bank. This is from Pomerol, which was on a bike tour we took starting in St Emilion.
I let the bottle rest for a day, then decanted at 65, room temperature for Atlanta in February.
Nose: Strong cherry, some tobacco and currant.
I noticed the description of the blend is different from what’s on the bottle. Bottle lists 75% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc, 5% Cab Sauvignon.
First Sip: Fairly dry. Not very complex and a clean finish. Don’t see much of legs in the glass. Bottle recommends 18C as a serving temperature (64F), but if anything that’s a bit too cool to fully develop the flavors I think.
Tasting partner described it as Earthy, very dry.
Opinion: Traditional Merlot with a more complex nose but not much more of note. If you are generally a fan of Merlot, you will enjoy this wine. For under $20 a bottle, a solid value.
2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande-de-Pomerol Bordeaux Red, France
Tasting Notes
92 Point Vintage, Robert Parker
Mentioned in the Cocks & Feret Guides as one of the best wines of the appellation as early as 1922, Château de Bel-Air is situated on a sunny plateau that gently slopes southward. The historical quality of its wines and its privileged position, which guarantees the vineyard ideal sun exposure year-round, have continuously contributed to the acclaim of these high-quality wines. Michel de Laet Derache acquired the property in 2011.
The vines, averaging 40 years of age, are planted on a terroir of gravel brought from the volcanic Massif Central by rivers during the quaternary era, with layers of iron-rich clay. In order to best express the nuances of the site, the vineyard is managed and vinified plot by plot, with a respect for the different ages of the vines, varietals, and rootstocks.
On the nose, notes of red fruit and floral aromas infiltrate the senses. On the palate, a harmonious balance between flesh and tannins means it can be enjoyed after just a few years of cellaring. A delicate wine that is a perfect partner for red meat, poultry and traditional cheese.
Drinking Window: Both of these wines are ready to enjoy now and will age gracefully through 2026.
Specs
Vintage: 2014
Blend: 73% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lalande-de-Pomerol, France
Aging: 16-18 months in 45% new French Oak Barrels
Alcohol: 13%
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
4x 2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande-de-Pomerol Bordeaux Red, France
Case:
12x 2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande-de-Pomerol Bordeaux Red, France
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $504/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Château de Bel-Air
In 2011, Michel de Laet Derache, a private banker, decided to take over the management of Château de Bel-Air.
“Our desire is to get involved in this magnificent terroir (of Lalande de Pomerol) by favoring excellence in work! Our intention is to invest as much in the land and in the vines as in the cellars to provide the qualitative elements with a view to becoming one of the leaders of the Lalande de Pomerol appellation. Evolution is Tradition.” - Michel and Christel de Laet Derache, owners
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol Bordeaux Red
4 bottles for $64.99 $16.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol Bordeaux Red - $35 = 17.94%
@FritzCat@pete0744@scott0210 I picked up a case of the 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed two glass the first night and two glasses two days later and still drank wonderfully. Me thinks I’ll add another case to the cellar…
Worthless Saturday morning rambling with only one espresso down so far…
…there is an 86 point WS review hiding somewhere, with no text, not even fwiw cuz that’s not worth much at all
2014 Bordeaux, consensus seems to be Left Bank stronger than Right Bank (this wine) with several notes that merlot had a tough time ripening but cab franc did well. But a solid vintage nonetheless. I’ve had a few 2014 Medocs but nothing this side. And as rpm says for his cabs, any Bordeaux less than 10 years old is just a baby in my book…
I recall some discussion in another thread earlier about Big Hammer Wines. As a point of reference, they’re selling this for $34.98 +tx/ship,<6 btl.
I’m almost thinking BHW has had offers here, or w.w, in the past as well, and those are what put me on their mailing list.
Drank the 2012 tonight - fantastic juice. Bought a case of this as well. The 2012 needed about 5 hours in the decanter to truly sing. I suspect this will need some years - I plan to lay it down for a bit.
Concerning the description of %, it’s entirely possible that both are correct. As the label does refer to what is planted at the location, kinda strange that the bottle has two rear labels, maybe the one is a “generic” label that goes on several different wines?
Well, just got my 4 bottle (2/19/21) about 2-3 weeks before they said it was coming in, labeled box to be opened in 2023 or later, & down into the cave it goes.(lower basement)…
A big thank you to Casemates for letting me be a lab rat again. I am not very good at writing these, but the experience is fun. So to start off, do not have much experience to with French wines. I am a fan of Super Tuscans, some California red wines and more recently Arizona Syrahs and other varietals as I live in Phoenix. I received the wine Wednesday and it went to straight to my wine cooler until Friday night. Opened up before dinner around 6pm. Nice dark garnet red color. Lot of legs. Kind of earthy nose. First taste… let’s just say harsh. Not a fan but let this sit in the glass for a bit. About 30 minutes later gave it another go. Got a bunch more fruit and floral aromas on the nose, jammy, very nice. As for taste, improved a lot. Nice red blend with mild tannins. Definitely goes better with food and paired well with a hearty meat sauce and pasta. Woke up this morning to write this review and check out the listing on Casemates. I totally missed the seeing the 2012 last month. I was expecting this wine to be around $20 and at $13, I think this is a great value.
@steverwrx thank you for the report.
Woohoo! Always exciting to get the UPS notification that a shipment is on its way from Wine Country.
I am a fan of Bordeaux of course, and went on a river cruise along the Right Bank. This is from Pomerol, which was on a bike tour we took starting in St Emilion.
I let the bottle rest for a day, then decanted at 65, room temperature for Atlanta in February.
Nose: Strong cherry, some tobacco and currant.
I noticed the description of the blend is different from what’s on the bottle. Bottle lists 75% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc, 5% Cab Sauvignon.
First Sip: Fairly dry. Not very complex and a clean finish. Don’t see much of legs in the glass. Bottle recommends 18C as a serving temperature (64F), but if anything that’s a bit too cool to fully develop the flavors I think.
Tasting partner described it as Earthy, very dry.
Opinion: Traditional Merlot with a more complex nose but not much more of note. If you are generally a fan of Merlot, you will enjoy this wine. For under $20 a bottle, a solid value.
/giphy fabulous-vindictive-tortilla
@nostrom0 Saving some for a day two update?
Could you post a back label shot?
@nostrom0 Not to be anal but this is from Lalande-de-Pomerol, an AOC in it’s own right, just north of Pomerol
And thanks for the note, very helpful.
@rjquillin
@kaolis Thanks! I wasn’t aware they were distinct.
@nostrom0 Thank you for the review.
Fingers crossed.
/giphy lawful-glassy-sorcerer
2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande-de-Pomerol Bordeaux Red, France
Tasting Notes
92 Point Vintage, Robert Parker
Specs
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $504/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Mar 1 - Wednesday, Mar 3
Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol Bordeaux Red
4 bottles for $64.99 $16.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol Bordeaux
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol Bordeaux Red - $35 = 17.94%
Wasn’t this just offered?!? Is this different? Seems like a quick turn.
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/chateau-de-bel-air-lalande-de-pomerol-bordeaux-red
@pete0744 The 2012 was offered.
@pete0744 looks like that was a 2012. This is 2014. 2014 was a better year according to vintage charts.
@scott0210 @fritzcat thanks for pointing that out! It’s still early
Guess I’ll be picking up a case. The 2012 was fantastic!
@FritzCat @pete0744 @scott0210 And @FritzCat mentioned getting a 2013. So perhaps that’s on the horizon. A mini-vertical one offer at a time?
@FritzCat @scott0210 /giphy raging useful cake
@FritzCat @pete0744 @scott0210 I picked up a case of the 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed two glass the first night and two glasses two days later and still drank wonderfully. Me thinks I’ll add another case to the cellar…
I won’t let this be sold out before I get it this time
Rats! Please confirm my suspicions!
/giphy warped-earthy-prose
@salpo yes! I missed out on this one last time. I am in for a case.
Worthless Saturday morning rambling with only one espresso down so far…
…there is an 86 point WS review hiding somewhere, with no text, not even fwiw cuz that’s not worth much at all
2014 Bordeaux, consensus seems to be Left Bank stronger than Right Bank (this wine) with several notes that merlot had a tough time ripening but cab franc did well. But a solid vintage nonetheless. I’ve had a few 2014 Medocs but nothing this side. And as rpm says for his cabs, any Bordeaux less than 10 years old is just a baby in my book…
A little info from the producer:
http://www.chateaudebelair.com/Millesimes
@kaolis Nice linkage.
Looking over the vintages it seems the 73/19/8 is their “standard” blending target.
I’m not missing this one! In for a case. French wine is my favorite.
/giphy glaring-glittering-government
@DebRVA Now there’s a form of government we can all vote for!
The 2012 was on point for us, this is a no brainer
I recall some discussion in another thread earlier about Big Hammer Wines. As a point of reference, they’re selling this for $34.98 +tx/ship,<6 btl.
I’m almost thinking BHW has had offers here, or w.w, in the past as well, and those are what put me on their mailing list.
Ordered! @cduan @Zortapa
/giphy benevolent-bowed-wheat
Drank the 2012 tonight - fantastic juice. Bought a case of this as well. The 2012 needed about 5 hours in the decanter to truly sing. I suspect this will need some years - I plan to lay it down for a bit.
In for a case to compliment the 2012 vintage…
/giphy hostile-spiky-gravy
Concerning the description of %, it’s entirely possible that both are correct. As the label does refer to what is planted at the location, kinda strange that the bottle has two rear labels, maybe the one is a “generic” label that goes on several different wines?
@winecaseaholic
One is the importer label
Well, just got my 4 bottle (2/19/21) about 2-3 weeks before they said it was coming in, labeled box to be opened in 2023 or later, & down into the cave it goes.(lower basement)…
@winecaseaholic shipping was update saying delivery today not happening but no idea on new arrival time.
@winecaseaholic and another delay, poor box sat on the truck all day without making it to home sweet home!
@bunnymasseuse mine arrived. im sure it will be worth the wait.
@winecaseaholic 2023 or later. I think this wine will benefit and grow in depth with time
/giphy obtainable-puffy-tungsten
I need more Bordeaux!
Enjoyed the 2012. In for a few.
/giphy bitter-bewildered-pet
I bought, and really enjoyed the 2012. Sad that the cases are sold out right now.
Sad, any more cases out there that can be added? I would love a case!
/buy