April 11, 2024 - Decanted for several hours. Served blind in a flight of 9 cabernet based wines from the 2003 vintage. My #2 wine and the groups consensus #1 wine. The nose shows some age with a bit of funk, mint, vanilla and some green leafy matter. Medium weight palate, solid fruit wrapped in a great silky, lithe and fresh texture. Drying tannins and some heat on the finish, which goes on for a while.
March 30, 2024 - Opened it and the nose was pencil, slate/crushed rock...30 min later, tobacco and a touch of floral... 30 min later fruit: blackberry, plum, raspberry and so smooth! Drinking great, right now!
March 13, 2024 - Nearly 2 years since last tasting, this has moved into a great spot, and is nailing itself as one of the heavyweights from 2003, and probably the best Pichon Baron drinking after the 1989, 1990, and 2000. I personally think this benefits from a couple of hours in the decanter, to release its aromas, and blow off excess tannin. The nose is mature and aromatic with blackcurrant, blackberry, and tobacco, with spice on the palate, and the finish is perfectly balanced, if on the shorter side. This should stay at this level for the next decade at least.
February 26, 2024 - Decanted 1 hour beforehand and drunk over 2 days.I was surprised how good this was.I feared an over ripe fruit bomb in this hot year,but clearly well made with the benefits of cabernet blend to the fore.Tannins are evolved with nice balance.Drinking à point and will continue for a few years yet.
February 20, 2024 - Blackberries, charcoal, smoke, cigar wrapper, sea salt, currants and tobacco leaf with crushed rock accents firm the nose. The nose is great, and the palate is even better. Loads of creamy blackberries, spicy currants, black cherries, blue fruit, with the perfect hint of chalk and chocolate on the backend. No decanting needed. Pop, pour, and enjoy the night. Drink from 2024-2034.
February 17, 2024 - This is in an incredibly good place right now!
December 8, 2023 - Strong, deep, spicy, chocolatey dark fruits dominate the whole palate and occasionally, a touch of woody, desiccated coconuts notes. Rather shy on the nose. Grand in size and scale, it takes time to evolve!
December 8, 2023 - An odd beast: It smelled and tasted of bananas at first, and seemed a bit dilute. But it gained weight and tannin over the evening and ended up as a serious, classic claret, nowhere near as lush as I might have expected a 2003 to be.
November 23, 2023 - Thanksgiving day. Cork, although soft, intact. Slight bouquet bodes well for good wine at 20 years. Cork medium purple stained. Light at rim then deep. This wine is good. First profile was cherry but that changed. Fruit was slight but with time in glass appeared. Swished in mouth and tannins apparent but only when swished. Lovely bright wine. Makes me want to go back to purchasing French Bordeaux. Very nice. I hope I will have some left when I sit down to prime rib Thanksgiving. A good aged cab that delivered. Sediment last glass. Demonstrates difference between old and new world cabs.
November 1, 2023 - This is just lovely as soon as you pull the cork. There is a charcoal note that I associate with this estate that is evident immediately after opening. No longer fully primary, but not yet tertiary. The merlot may be a touch over-ripe, but the Cabernet components are stellar and dominant. It’s dark fruited with mint, charcoal, and ink. There is a nice spine of acidity that keeps everything going for a long finish. Perhaps not as opulent as the last time I had this, we could be just about to (finally) shed the baby fat and enter the grownup phase of the wine. I’m holding the rest of these for a few years to check back in. No harm in drinking now if you have a few bottles or aren’t a fan of tertiary notes.