The Desert WIne Guy - 2015 Legende Pauillac - Bordeaux

   Look guys, I am about to start this wine review out in what some would probably say is on a negative note. While I could possible see their point if they did indeed feel that way, I would ultimately have to disagree. What in the world am I talking about? Well guys I will now get to the point. Today I am reviewing the 2015 Legende Legende Pauillac (http://www.lafite.com/en/chateau-lafite-rothschild/) from France and I will go ahead and say that in my opinion putting any word, in this case the word "Bordeaux" or even "Napa Valley"on a bottle of wine means absolutely nothing. To me it is nothing more than a fancy attempt to market a product which in this case particular case is simply a wine blend. Go ahead folks, let me have it, I'm ready. For those of you who don't already know what a Bordeaux is I will tell you. A Bordeaux is a wine (Red or White) which is produced in Bordeaux France. In the country of France there is a municipality named Bordeaux, this is why the grapes grown in that region or Municipality of the country which are used to produce a wine can carry the name.....Bordeaux. Supposedly Bordeaux is kind of unique in that you can chose your wine based on Vineyard or appellation. Wait, that's unique? Hold on a minute now. I can go to a store and choose a wine based on the fact that it came from the Napa Valley, Sonoma or Washington State, can't I? I can also go to a store and choose my wines based upon the Vineyard, can't I? I can even buy a wine based on Varietal. Bordeaux is also split into two different areas which are "Right Bank" and "Left Bank". Depending upon the Bank the wine comes from usually determines the blends of wine you can expect. I don't want to make this article about Bordeaux itself so I will end this Paragraph at this point. Simply because a wine has a particular label or name slapped on it doesn't make it a 99 point wine.

   As I already said, today I am reviewing the 2015 Legende Legende Pauillac from the Pauillac municipality of Bordeaux. In this area (left bank) most of the reds are predominately either Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Cabernet Franc and too a lesser extent Malbec or Carmenere. This wine particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) & Merlot (30%), This wine comes in at 12.5% Alcohol and is made at Lafite's Cooperage. The vines for this particular wine are on the younger side and from Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s own vineyards. I have read that 50% of the grapes for this wine came from Lafite and that 50% of the grapes were also rejected from Chateau Lafite & Duharte-Milon. The wine also sells for $53. What a prestigious Pedigree this wine has behind it but does that mean I will like it? Let's find the answer to that question right now. Before I go however I want to let you know that I received this wine from Dana Bruneau from PR Consulting (http://prconsulting.net/) to review. Thank you so much Mrs. Bruneau.
   As is usual, let's take a look at the actual label on this wine bottle that has the prestigious Pedigree. Yeah, I'm not overly impressed with the label itself folks. As I said when I reviewed this wines Sister which is the 2016 Legende de Rothschild Legende Pauillac (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2019/01/not-done-desert-wine-guy-2016-legende.html), the label was "less then impressive" and sort of amateurish in my opinion. Before getting into the actual wine itself I would like to remind you that a bad wine label doesn't have any effect on the wine inside the bottle, I do believe however that it does have a bearing on the consumer actually picking up the actual bottle in the first place. With this being said, let's move on.

   Stunning, absolutely stunning! That is what I have to say about the wines appearance in my glass. WOW, in the direct sunlight the wine just popped with a lightish Cranberry color that seemed as if it could sparkle forever. This is perhaps the nicest looking red wine that I have ever seen. The wine wasn't dark by any means at this point and I would say that if you are going to be judging a wine based off of it being a fairly light red as opposed to a dark red then look for another wine right now and educate yourself on red wine in general. Removing the wine from the direct Sunlight and bringing it indoors where the sunlight still shined in just not as brilliantly, the wine now deepened to a medium Burgundy in color. What an absolutely incredible wine in the glass.
   Let's move to the Nose of this wine, what am I smelling to be blunt and keeping it real with you guys is that there is light Oak on the Nose here but it is not really all that forward. This light Oak is followed by a bit of Black Cherry that is at the same level of Nose presentation yet appears to be just waiting to explode with an implied  promise of revealing even more on the Palate. There is the smallest bit of Clove as well that is on the back of the nose and almost yet not quite buried by the other notes. Let's move now to the real test of this wine or any other wine for that matter and that is does the wine impress (or not impress) on the Palate.
Okay so now that I said all that I want to tell you straight out that this wine is indeed super impressive. Before I get too far ahead of myself however I should back up a bit to the beginning so I will go ahead and do that. A bit of Cocoa (and I mean a bit) is the first note to present itself but it is followed ever so quickly by a note of Oak and also some nicely weird Acidity.Yeah guys, all three come almost immediately to the Palate and will almost overwhelm it but it in a good way. You certainly will be forced to sit back in your chair and think long and hard about what you just been treated to. Black Currant is straight up and in your face here for sure and should also be included in the above notes as being front and center. This note acts almost like Tannins in the fact that it brings that fuzziness to the Tongue that I for one absolutely love in a good and serious red wine. Normally I would describe this note as one in which you would want to scrape it off of your Tongue but not in this particular case. In this case I want to leave it exactly where it is as it fits in perfectly and yes the wine can be Cellared for at least another 10 years without worry in my opinion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWVjTjV-MSQ) which I think you will enjoy.

There is a Black Pepper note here as well that is on the mild side and yet pushes forward some serious flavor. Folks, this is a pretty savory wine and thankfully is NOT not a sugary or fruit forward wine. I don't know about you but I am so tired of the new red wines that seem to present nothing but notes of sugar and fruit forwardness. As an added bonus, the wine is way on the dry side as well. There is a certain succulence to the wine that is something I am appreciating as I sit in my chair and type this review. If you think that I am done telling you about this wine your wrong. This wine brings a real earthy component to it almost like Rutherford Dust does. I can't actually recall when I last had a wine with such an Earthy / soil component to it. Think about this for a minute wine lovers. Re-read the notes listed so far and add this earthiness / soil component to them, where is your Palate imagination wandering to right now? Yeah, that's what I am imagining as well. This is a full bodied wine guys and one that doesn't skimp on flavor. Now, don't misunderstand me as that dryness note does indeed have a slight bit of sugar to go with it so please don't think that there is no sugar note here in the wine. Where does that bit of Sugar come from? I actually think it comes from our next note which is a darkish Black Cherry that acts like a sort of booster here as it brings in that bit of sugar and "boosts" the wine to another level if you ask me. This note brings with it a serious dark fruit note and I feel that the wine would be missing a certain something if this bit of sugar were removed, or never present in the first place. I think the wine would be kind of weird and "off" on the structure or Palate. Speaking of structure, the wine is indeed structured so well as each note feels or tastes as if it were purposely almost hand placed where it is for a specific reason. Each note is allowed to be enjoyed in the mouth as if each and every note is actually allowing the another to have their own time with you. Last yet not least is a nice note of green herbs that bring a sort of vegetable state into the wine. It's weird I know yet it works wonderfully. Alright folks, it's time to wrap up my review of this incredible wine, after all I have to finish the rest of it. Oh yes people, I am going to kick back, relax and enjoy the half of bottle that is left. If you are interested in just a little more about this wine, check out this video (

    Starting off this closing paragraph I will tell you that I will be adding at least one bottle of this wine to my wine cellar. After reviewing the last Bordeaux from this producer which is the 2016 Legende de Rothchild Bordeaux (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2019/01/not-done-desert-wine-guy-2016-legende.html?m=1) I truthfully wasn't holding out too much hope for this particular wine. Boy, was I surprised when I tasted this wine though. A super powerhouse of dryness with a touch of Sugar and dark fruit sums this up to an extent yet leaves so much more to talk about. This is a big wine, not in the sense of a Peju or a Stags Leap Cabernet as they focus on a different presentation and expression style yet this wine is just as powerful only in a different way. Summarizing this review up wine lovers, the wine is incredibly and amazing. A straight forward NON fruit forward, NON sugary red wine that has much to say for itself and chooses you to say it to. I'm simply going to end this review by suggesting that you buy at least one bottle and age that wine for at least a few years as I believe it will even improve from what it is currently. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine a very solid 93 points.

UPDATE: I re-contacted Mrs. Bruneau and requested if she would be kind enough to send me two more bottles of this wine and she was so wonderful that she went ahead and sent them to me. I now have two bottles of this excellent wine in my Cellar, thanks again Mrs. Bruneau.


                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy

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