ChelseasDownTown

This Merlot was one of the favorite wines at the White House during the Kennedy years. The official name is Chteau Petrus but even its label refers to it as simply “Petrus.” The grapes are usually harvested early and left to mature slowly. Extremely fruity, suggestions of berries, vanilla, mocha, and oak emanate from its rich purple robe. The finish is something to wait for as it caresses the palate. A truly exquisite vintage, it should reach maturity after the year 2012.

The Thienpont family’s Chteau Le Pin venture is another garage wine. In an average year, they produce about 6,000 bottles of this fine Pomerol on five acres of land. It is truly one of the most illustrious wines to come out of Bordeaux. Its fullness comes from the downy levels of mocha, black cherry and currant flavors. It’s a favorite of serious wine collectors.

Chteau Latour is one of the most reliable vineyards in France and produces one of the best three Pauillac on the market. This reliable wine draws its power from the rich soil on which the grapes grow. Among the raciest wines of the Mdoc region, Wine Spectator selected it as the single best wine of 1993, bestowing on it a perfect score. An everlasting finale is the masterstroke of this vintage, which favors caramel, chocolate, licorice, dark cherry, and roasted fruits. The mouth is opulent and wholly composed. The 1994 vintage is also highly sought after.

Remember the Lafite Rothschild? The Chteau Mouton originated from the English branch of the same family in the mid-19th century. They were the first to launch special labels designed by famous artists such as Chagall, Picasso and Warhol after World War II. Selected as one of the top ten wines of 1986 by Wine Spectator magazine, this Chteau Mouton will recall memories of chocolate, raspberries and spices. This palatable vintage leaves an incredibly elongated aftertaste.

Its color is almost black, yet it couldn’t taste farther from ink. Containing passionate fragrances of blackberry and cassis, this smooth and racy vintage is powerful but still manages to be compact in its fruit structure. This vineyard goes back a thousand years and it has definitely mastered the art. The 1995 vintage recalls the 1986 for its complexity but it’s also a good reminder of the 1990 for its elegance. The 1994 version is also quite expensive.
- app. $402