Bordeaux 2004 - an overview

Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent
Tasted Friday, May 31, 2013 by jkoenen with 1,247 views

Introduction

In Bordeaux the wine of vintage 2004 tend to be overlooked. John put together this fantastic tasting to find out whether this statement is one to be justified or rejected.
There were a few white palate cleansers, which were served open label. The 34 bottles of red 2004's in the main program were served single blinded in flights of 2 wines: we knew what was coming, but not in what order. We had 13 people tasting tonight.

Flight 1 - Whites to get started (4 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc de Lynch-Bages 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Lots of oak, not integrated very well. Hints of rubber, roasted nuts, candied lemon. Classical white Bordeaux profile, though not very attractive due to prominent acidity and emerging notes of oxidation. 16/20

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  • 2004 Château Prieuré-Lichine Le Blanc du Chateau Prieuré-Lichine 85 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Shallow, uninspiring nose. Vanilla, veggies, citric bitters in the finish. Clear notes of oxidation. Medium(-)bodied at best. Normally I'm a big fan of tertiairy white Bordeaux but this is not a very convincing example. 15/20

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  • 2005 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) Les Arums de Lagrange 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Unfortunately this wasn't an 04 bottling, so a there was no proper comparison.
    But this wine was clearly the best of 3 white Bords today. Spicy, candied fruit, very good balance and persistence throughout the finish. Okay, this wine also got a big log of oak to manage, but flavors are pure, tasty, juicy and not muddled by any oxidation (yet). Firm body, good length. Very tasty juice. 17.5-18/20

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  • 2004 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

    This was a completely different story, of course. Enticing nose of roasted nuts, sweet vanilla, turkish bazar, mixed spice, patisserie, lemon curd and glue. On the palate the aromatics are clenched like a fist, yet in the proverbial velvet glove. Bright and supportive acidity underneath the creamy, medium-plus-bodied mid-palate provide wonderful, tangy bite and structure. Uber-sappy and savvy, this great wine is one to cherish. 18.5/20

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Flight 2 - Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Pape Clément 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Modern, jammy, concentrated, lactic feel of blueberry-yoghurt, toasted oak, volatile hints of glue. Not very long. Needs more time to shed it's babyfat, and develop more finesse. Not really my cup of tea. 17.5/20 (group scores: 90-94)

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  • 2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Traditional countryside nose, barnyard, cured meats, grilled vegetables, forestfruit, damp earth. Nicely balanced and persuasive. Could use a tad more thickness and structure. 17.5-18/20 (group scores: 91-94)

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Flight 3 - Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Clerc Milon 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Needs air contact, starts backward and not giving much. Opening up after a while showing a classic profile of cassis, graphite, ceder, dry leaves and a dollop of coconut-oil. Beautifully balanced and harmonious. Wonderful claret. 18/20 (group scores: 88-92)

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  • 2004 Château Lafite Rothschild 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Shy nose giving hints of cigar ash, damp earth, dark fruit. Bright and focussed on the palate but not very broad nor deep. Lean to medium bodied, rough and rigid. Not very charming at the moment. 17,5/20 (group scores: 89-94)

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Flight 4 - Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Hosanna 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Bright red fruit wafting out of the glass, nice freshness and elegance on the palate, though aromatically I found this to be pretty plain, maybe closed. Hints of rosehip, sour cherry and coffee. Some coarseness on the finish. 17/20 (group scores: 87-90)

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  • 2004 Château L'Eglise-Clinet 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Luxuriously rich and charming bouquet of polished furniture, espresso, incense and fresh black fruit. The palate reveals a nice spicy touch, well judged and integrating oak and juicy black cherries, blue plums and cassis. Some grilled bell-pepper add complexity. Gorgeous wine just opening its drinking window, lots of potential too. 18-18.5/20 (Group scores: 91-95)

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Flight 5 - flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Sociando-Mallet 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

    Interesting wine shifting continuously between a rounded, sultry personality and some grumpy moodswings. Quite classical in style, cassis, leather, cigarbox, coffee beans. A clean wine, nice and detailed in its nuances. 17.5-18/20 (group scores: 89-93)

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  • 2004 Château Monbousquet 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Big nose of cherry-liqueur, smoke and earth. Powerful, concentrated yet harmonious, alcohol is noticable but it stays within reasonable limits. Sumptuous, ripe forestfruit covers the palate. Maybe a tiny dip in midpalate. Still showing some cellaring potential, but what a nice wine to drink now! 18-18.5/20 (Group scores: 93-96)

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Flight 6 - Flight 5 (2 Notes)

Flight 7 - Flight 6 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Rauzan-Ségla 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Dark, brooding, smoky wine. black fruit, old leather, fine structure and power in mid-palate. Open and generous, yet graceful and elegant. Especially liked its balance and harmony. Tasty! 17,5-18/20 (groups scores: 89-95)

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  • 2004 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Stubborn, metallic nose. Bright and detailed in its aromatics (sour cherry, blackberries, coffee, cedar, undergrowth). But I couldn't get passed its backward and gloomy presence. Slightly disharmonious at the moment. Tannic and hot finish. Needs time to integrate and find balance. 17/20 (group scores: 88-95)

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Flight 8 - Flight 7 (2 Notes)

Flight 9 - Flight 8 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Saint-Pierre 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Very pure and soft, carressing wine. Prunes, cherry and cream. Clear, transparent, good complexity. Wonderful tension throughout the wine leaving a very convincing impression. Alas, the finish is slightly clipped. Great wine, though. 18/20 (group scores: 91-94).

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  • 2004 Château Giscours 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Gorgeous nose! Refined, feminine, yet full of character. Rich and distinguished palate, quite powerful, persistent, deep. Classically styled velvetty Bordeaux presenting an earthy, slightly animal aromatic profile. Forest-fruit, tree-bark, tea leaves, vanilla, summer flowers. Super stuff. 18-18,5/20 (group scores 92-95)

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Flight 10 - flight 9 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Poujeaux 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

    Soft and open, shows tasty notes of roasted veggies. Pure, clean and bright red fruit. Snappy and nervous, interesting wine that would be great to accompany lots of dishes. Dash of alcoholic heat on the finish. 17,5/20 (group scores: 89-92)

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  • 2004 Château Lascombes 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Concentrated, flattering nose of incense, Asian spices, leather, toast, BBQ, dark chocolate and olives. Thick, sweetish, extracted mid-palate and has a toasted sunburnt mouthfeel. Slightly drying tannines on the back end. Very well made, yet too modern for my taste. 18/20 (group scores: 90-96)

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Flight 11 - Flight 10 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Le Bon Pasteur 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Meat and red fruit on the nose, followed by matchstick, coffee and licorice. Rounded, supple and soft in the mouth, this seems at peak to drink now. Liked it. 17,5-18/20 (group scores: 88-93)

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  • 2004 Château Lafon-Rochet 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Stinky, awkward nose. Animal, outdoorsy odours, compost. Some black fruit in the back. Rustic wine, lots of potential. I really do hope that the fruit outlasts the tannines when this wine ripens for 2-3 years in the cellar. 90/100 (group scores: 88-94)

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Flight 12 - Flight 11 (2 Notes)

Flight 13 - Flight 12 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Léoville Barton 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    This is really beautiful. Seems Merlot-dominated to me: plumcake, strawberry-yoghurt. Some astringency in the back, elegant woody aromas of treebark, undergrowth and cedar. Long, persistent finish. Very, very pretty! 18,5/20 (groups scores: 90-96)

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  • 2004 Château Pontet-Canet 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Hints of smoke, fingerpaint, olives and dairy. Very long and powerful, but not giving much at the moment. Very young and backward. Great structure and potential, though. 18/20 (group scores: 91-94)

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Flight 14 - Flight 13 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Very sexy, seductive and sweetish. Not cloying nor overripe. Very powerful and structured, yet wonderfully drinkable, round and supple. Bright cherry-fruit, just enough acidity to keep it fresh and lively. Outrageous wine, which made me think 'Napa' for a second. Wow. 18,5-19/20 (group scores: 92-97)

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  • 2004 Château Haut-Bailly 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Dense and dark in the glass. Gorgeous spicebox nuances, lavender, leather. Tannines are still prominent and kinda sticky. Creamy, dense mouthfeel, almost like custard or chocolatemilk. Great wine, good potential. 18/20 (group scores: 89-94)

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Flight 15 - Flight 14 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château La Conseillante 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Power, tight and tannic. Fur notes, glue and dairy too. Backward wine, needs 2-3 years cellar time. Would love to have this wine in the cellar to sample and see it evaluate. For now, 18/20 (group scores: 89-95)

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  • 2004 Vieux Château Certan 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Gorgeous wine, albeit young. Seemed extremely promising to me. Controlled power, detailed complexity and elegance. Sappy and juicy, fresh fruit. Has to find some balance in the years to come. But will be outstanding when it's a point. 18-18.5/20 (group scores: 92-96)

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Flight 16 - Flight 15 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Calon-Ségur 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Great nose of grilled bell-pepper, black cherry, clay and graphite. Hard to assess at the moment, because this puppy carries lots of bitterness on the palate, all the way throughout the finish. Very tannic too. While the palate showes wonderful (but unforgiving) vegetal notes than scream Cab. Franc to me (although I think there isn't a lot of Cab Franc in this wine). Clearly a young, backward and unyielding Left-banker. 18/20 (group scores 89-94)

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  • 2004 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Just like its wingmate in this flight, this wine is very backward and bursting with potential. Had to be a Left-banker, too. Grumpy notes of smoke, leather and matchstick. Black fruit, chalk, cedar and graphite peeking through spicy tannines, which need a couple of years to soften and integrate. I think this was the most unevolved wine of the evening. 18/20 (group scores: 90-93)

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Flight 17 - Flight 16 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Clos Apalta 91 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley, Apalta

    Sweet, jammy nose of macerated cherries and blackberries. Creme de Cassis, sugar-coated peanuts and tropical notes (maybe even banana and mango). Very powerful and extracted mid-palate, this is an intimidating bully of a wine. Slightly out of balance due to the sweet notes which linger through the entire wine. No Bdx-typicity. Do we have a ringer in the house? 17,5-18/20 (group scores: 90-93)

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  • 2004 Château Lafleur 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Wonderful evolved rusticity shining through in the bouquet. Great traditional feel on the medium-plus midpalate, which is quite muscular, broad and fierce. Exquisite length and persistence on the finish. High-brow-wine, precise and focussed, dusty mouthfeel of spices and cocoa-dusted red fruit. Really outstanding! 18.5/20 (group scores: 94-97)

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Flight 18 - Flight 17 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Soft, ripe and juicy black fruit out of the glass. Very intense and complex wine. Beautiful vegetal nuances, accompanied by leather, compost and indian ink. Starting to open up. Excellent drinking at the moment! Delicious. 18.5/20 (group scores: 93-96)

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  • 2004 Château Latour Grand Vin 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    This is pure and classic Pauillac! Cherry, cassis, ceder, leather, graphite, soft and creamy vanilla in the back. Masculine, yet full of finesse. Really adored the plump and creamy fruitsalad notes, supported by a wonderful complexity of numerous layers of developing secondary hints. Still reticent, definately holding back. But I can feel the power and the promise. 18.5-19/20 (group scores: 94-96)

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Closing

This was an awesome tasting, which showed us that this Bordeaux-vintage is not to be underestimated. There is a plethora of beautiful wines to be found for a relatively good price. We consider Bordeaux 2004 as the last "affordable" vintage and (when given enough air) they are drinking great now. Some of the big bruisers still require some cellar time, but they will open up within a few years' time. Tonight, although there were some disappointing bottles (Lafite, Hosanna), all wines were rated "(very) good" at least.

Personal WOTN: Canon la Gaffeliere 04 for current drinking. And Latour 04 for cellaring.
Other wines to look out for: Monbousquet 04 and Giscours 04 for current drinking. Eglise Clinet 04, VCC 04 and Leoville Barton 04 for cellaring.

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