Annual Grand Cru Tasting
Wijnhandel De Gouden Leeuw, Voorschoten, NL
Tasted Sunday, November 25, 2012 by Xavier Auerbach with 1,500 views
Wijnhandel De Gouden Leeuw, Voorschoten, NL
Tasted Sunday, November 25, 2012 by Xavier Auerbach with 1,500 views
2010 Château Lanessan 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Good intensity and energy, more weight of fruit than usual for Lanessan.
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2010 Château Paloumey 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Was rather Port-like last year. Still rich and relatively sweet but has simmered down a bit, good stuffing, attractive.
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2010 Château Coufran 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Relatively light, crisp fruit but lacks some stuffing, drying tannins.
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2010 Château La Tour Carnet 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Quite oaky but the rich fruit should be able to stand up to it, very closed at the moment but the balance is impeccable.
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2010 Château Poujeaux 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Wonderfully pure and clean Cabernet, ripe blackcurrant fruit, linear, precise, classic, good weight of fruit.
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2010 Château Chasse-Spleen 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
A somewhat more earthy style than the Poujeaux, tougher too, sturdy but not exactly charming.
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2010 Château Lilian Ladouys 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Attractive, polished, toasty oak, good fruit, nice balance, good length. Modern style, well made.
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2010 Château Pontet-Canet 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Wonderful precision and intensity, a classic, linear Pauillac of great beauty, impeccable balance, long.
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2010 Réserve de la Comtesse 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Nice velvety quality, lovely ripe fruit, charming, attractive, excellent second wine.
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2010 Château Gloria 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Lovely richness in the fruit, velvety tannins, attractive and well-balanced, good depth and weight.
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2010 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Excellent pure blackcurrant fruit, oak completely integrated, classically structured, long.
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2010 Château Cantenac Brown 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Aromatic, floral, precise, elegant, oaky finish but should get there.
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2010 Château Giscours 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Excellent typicity, pure, marries power and elegance, an excellent Giscours.
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2010 Château Desmirail 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Hard to fathom initially, very closed, seems well-balanced but there is some back-end heat. Needs time to open up but then shows excellent purity of fruit, energy and style.
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2010 Château L'Arrosée 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Balance and precision, lovely clean style, elegance and good weight of fruit.
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2010 Château La Dominique 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Velvety, rounded, energetic, elegant, balanced, stylish, floral, attractive.
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2009 Château de Camensac 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Nice weight of fruit, hint of the stables, warmth, slightly undistinguished finish.
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2009 Château Tour St Bonnet 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc
Attractive, lovely blackcurrant fruit, clean, precise, well-absorbed oak, lean but lissome, good length.
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2009 Château Cantemerle 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Lovely ripe fruit, very good weight for Cantemerle, well-judged oak, charming, well-structured, attractive.
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2009 Château Lanessan 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Lacks some precision, but is juicy and energetic, has good fruit, very attractive QPR.
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2009 Château Chasse-Spleen 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
A vintage that really becomes Chasse-Spleen, the earthiness is offset by ripe, sweet fruit, lovely balance, an attractive wine.
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2009 Château Lafon-Rochet 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Excellent weight of ripe fruit, complete, savoury, good acidity, the extraction may be a bit ambitious but I think it will turn out allright.
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2009 Château Croizet-Bages 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Not bad at all. Quite a flamboyant style, not profound but very attractive.
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2009 Château Lynch-Moussas 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Excellent ripe blackcurrant fruit, slightly farmyardy, lovely aromatic intensity, well-integrated oak. Attractive.
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2009 Château Pedesclaux 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Extremely attractive, open style, blackcurrants, minerals, hint of vanilla, relatively easy, not hard to see why this achieves high scores.
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2009 Clos du Marquis 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
The product of a noble terroir and a great winemaker, elegance, balance, intensity, velvety texture, lovely length.
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2009 Château Desmirail 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Supple style, lovely fruit, polished, modern, well-balanced, good wine.
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2009 Château Durfort-Vivens 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Sea shells, quite a full and masculine style of Margaux but the balance is there, good length.
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2009 Château de Fieuzal 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Very attractive and expressive nose, combines warmth and precision; perhaps a little loose-knit on the palate, good length.
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2009 Château Lespault Martillac 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Attractive, rounded, pleasant, satisfying.
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2009 Château L'Arrosée 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very toasty oak, much more so than the 2010. Rich, ripe, rounded, slightly lactic, ripe tannins. Speciously attractive but very good.
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2009 Château La Dominique 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Plummy, rich, satisfying but not very precise or elegant.
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2009 Château La Croix St. Georges 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Smoky, rich, rounded, velvety, ripe fruit, excellent energy, shows finesse.
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2009 Château Vray Croix de Gay 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Slightly lactic cherry fruit, beautifully absorbed oak, lacks some depth and substance.
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2008 Château Lanessan 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Much lighter than both the 2009 and 2010, fresh, lacks oomph and stamina.
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2008 Réserve de la Comtesse 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fresh style, elegant, feminine, hint of coconut, relatively light, charming, approachable already.
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2008 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Croix de Beaucaillou 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Supple, elegant, well-rounded, relatively soft, charming, pleasant.
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2008 Château Haut-Bailly La Parde de Haut Bailly 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Rather unassuming, the balance is there but overall somewhat unexciting.
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2007 Château Poujeaux 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Very attractive, open nose, light on the palate but not hollow, decent length.
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2007 Château Giscours 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Lovely nose, aromatic, meaty, a bit hard and rough on the palate, good length.
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2007 Château du Tertre 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Very fragrant, strawberries, raspberries, hint of the farmyard, light on the palate but not too dry, good finish. An attractive, well-balanced 2007.
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2007 Château Haut-Bailly 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Not as overworked as the bottle tasted in September, but not very charming either. Neither here nore there, really.
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2007 Château Troplong Mondot 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Explosive, aromatic, charming nose, limestone, cherries, oak, excellent dept; attractive and well-balanced palate, slightly dry perhaps but very good length. An excellent 2007.
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2007 Vieux Château Certan 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Totally different from the Troplong-Mondot 2007 tasted immediately before. Completely closed but very energetic, perfectly balanced and with good stuffing. Will turn out well but needs time.
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2006 Château Sociando-Mallet 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Lighter and more slender than the 2005, well-balanced, elegant style.
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2006 Château Poujeaux 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Fresh, elegant, good precision and adequate stuffing. Nice wine, needs two years.
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2006 Château Haut-Marbuzet 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Ripe fruit but rather oaky, I question its balance.
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2006 Château Lafon-Rochet 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Quite toasty oak, perfumed, tannins are still a bit tough but there is lovely purity in the fruit.
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2006 Château Cos d'Estournel 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A noble wine, will need time to show its real class, but has a wonderful composition, all the elements are there.
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2006 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Classic Pauillac, lovely purity of fruit, good definition.
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2006 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Rather light, the style is unmistakeable but energy and weight are not up to par.
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2006 Clos du Marquis 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
True-to-type, pure, characteristic for both vineyard and vintage, elegant, precise, velvety texture.
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2006 Château Prieuré-Lichine 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Attractive, open nose, quite toasty but with lovely fruit; nicely rounded on the palate, supple, open for business.
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2006 Château Rauzan-Ségla 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Silky, all about elegance and finesse, needs two more years and will last for decades.
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2006 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Cherries, hint of cherry stone, serviceable but not terribly interesting.
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2006 Château Pape Clément 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Very Magrez, very Rolland but the quality is indisputable. Bold but also pure and precise.
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2006 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Very toasty oak, coffee, almost manages to overwhelm the rich and sweet fruit; rich, mid-Atlantic, very tannic, the balance is probably okay but emphatically not my style.
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2006 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Red cherries, spicy, meaty (gulash?) some paprika, hint of unripeness? Tannins seem slightly drying.
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2006 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Excellent wine, open, attractive, velvety, beautiful balance, charming, fleshy but elegant, lovely length.
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2006 Château La Gaffelière 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Elegant, tannic, closed, classic, minerally, precise, detailed.
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2006 Clos de l'Oratoire 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Wonderful richness and freshness of fruit, well-balanced and precise, 2006 seems to fit the Neipperg estates like a glove.
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2006 Château Moulin Saint-Georges 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Slightly stalky and drying, elegance and finesse are there but the ripeness?
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2006 Vieux Château Certan 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Chef d'oeuvre!
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2006 Château L'Eglise-Clinet 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Wonderful richness and roundness, great terroir expression, lovely sweetness on the attack, velvety, moreish, elegant, Eglise Clinet on fine form.
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2006 Château Troplong Mondot 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
An outstanding 2006, great typicity, marries power and purity. Will be excellent in a few years' time.
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2006 Château Certan de May 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Assez bien but neither very distinctive nor very distinguished.
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2006 Château La Conseillante Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Rather odd, volatile, like tomato ketchup, off bottle.
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2005 Château Sociando-Mallet 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Starting to get into its own, meaty, rounded, rich, excellent balance.
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2005 Château Chasse-Spleen 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Earthy, well-rounded, ripe fruit, successful.
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2005 Château d'Armailhac 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Meaty, ripe fruit, attractive, charming, fragrant, not closed down at all, shows real class.
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2005 Château Pedesclaux 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Ripe fruit, open style, attractive, well-rounded, complete.
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2005 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Like the 2006 a problematic wine. Stylish but too light. Not up to par.
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2005 Château Pape Clément 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
I can't help liking it. Rich and concentrated, Rolland and Magrez but also with a lovely expression of terroir.
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2005 Château Brane-Cantenac 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Rounded, quite funky, not necessarily very elegant or very typical but very good in its own, very individual way.
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2009 Coche-Bizouard Auxey-Duresses Rouge 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses
Very elegant, clean and precise for Auxey, hint of smoke; lovely freshness and ripeness in the black fruit, cool minerality. Excellent balance, length and QPR.
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2006 Coche-Bizouard Pommard 1er Cru La Platière 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Fully mature, sweet, soft, nice but nothing special.
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