November 16, 2020 - Great freshness of fruit for an '83 at this point. Subtle complexity across the midpalate. Very good bottle
May 28, 2020 - Incredibly lifted, lipstick aromatics. Good representation of lighter vintage from pre-2000 era.
April 21, 2018 - FWE gala. Vitamin nose, strawberry fruit.
March 2, 2018 - La Paulée Zachy's Auction (Mourad - SF, CA): A highlight tasted at the auction. A mesmerizing nose that is so layered with mature red and black fruit, clay and earth. Palate is fresh and similar to the nose very deep and layered. Red fruit is bright with lots of earthen complexity. Terrific.
March 2, 2018 - Some Wine Tasted at the Zachys La Paulée Auction (Mourad - San Francisco CA): Small glass, brief note. Stunning aromas with spice, mushroom and red berry compote. Similar flavors, just much less exciting, more pronounced earth. 96 point nose, 90 point palate. (European bottling, so I believe 100% Terres Blanches.)
February 13, 2018 - Twenty Eight Vintages of Roumier Bonnes Mares: Also excellent, and literally as good as I can imagine a bottle of 83 to be. A perfect pairing with the 85.
April 21, 2017 - Wine Dinner Extravaganza; 4/21/2017-4/22/2017 (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Served alongside the 1985, both opened 2+ hours before serving. Red berry aromas and flavors with savory spice. 1983 comes through with plenty of mushroom, earth and forest floor, but none of the decay that marks the vintage too often. Very good concentration and length, but nearly perfect balance and harmony. Best (by far) this wine has performed in the three times I recall from the past 10 years. Note: both bottles were "Chateau & Estate" bottles, so were 100% Terre Rouges, since Roumier didn't make a single worldwide Bonnes Mares assemblage until 1989.
April 21, 2017 - Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs and SQNs (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): This is my third time trying the 83 Roumier BM and this is the best showing, very clean and bright. Absolutely perfect nose displaying essence of raspberry, cherry pie, cherry brandy, light caramel, cinnamon, Asian spice, truffle, sous bois and earth. There is a hint of the 83 rot but it is not bothersome. Beautiful silky palate, a hint of bitterness from the rot, perfectly amount of acidity, good mineral presence and a long sweet finish. Just like the last bottle, I much prefer the nose which is beyond perfect. Despite the 83 rot, it is close to perfect. Perhaps the most stunning woman with asymmetric face or some sort of flaw. I can still smell it. Wow!
March 11, 2017 - Delicate and fading red fruit and soil notes. Good finish, but faded too quickly. 93-
December 8, 2016 - Holiday Dinner - Champ, Burg, Bordeaux, Rhone and etc. (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Perfectly mature explosive nose displaying decadent red fruit, raspberry jam, Asian spices, sous bois, mushroom, caramel, earth and a hint of the 83 rot. Medium concentration, slightly disjoined palate, the finish is slightly bitter and ends with the 83 rot/dirty damp cellar. The nose is close to perfect but the plate shows the 83 rot. It is interesting that I wrote “98 point nose and 90 point palate” in my last tasting note. Excellent showing.