Community Tasting Note

Saturday, August 19, 2023 - No clue what the pros were tasting, but it certainly wasn't what was in my bottle, purchased from provincial monopoly on release. Opened and consumed by me over 5 hours. Very light bodied, with unripe watery light purple fruit (perhaps a little wild or savoury). Think $15 generic french wine in a poor year (and bordeaux, and pauillac in particular, is my go-to). Not flawed, just not good. Not juicy, not complex, not aromatic, not interesting, not long, not full bodied, not deep coloured, not bursting out of the glass, and it seems like the notes below suggest that I wasn't the only one to find this sorely lacking. I wonder how many of the high scores here are from those who were starry-eyed for the high scores and tasted non-blind; I'll probably give it another go in a few years and if it is anything like the first bottle (consumed several months ago) then the rest is on the chopping block. Meh at its finest.

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Comment posted by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine:

8/19/2023 4:11:00 PM - Thanks for the update. Seems like this wine may be in its sleeping/shut down phase. I find PC approachable immediately upon release, then after 10-15 years. You seem to be confirming this. Good luck with future bottles!
Comment posted by RichEB1:

8/19/2023 8:53:00 PM - Damn, what a bummer that you got a flawed bottle (lightly corked??). Having had this wine, and being able to guarantee you that I wasn't 'starry eyed' when drinking it (how could you be at the price that we scored these for at Costco), it was NOTHING like the wine that you described. Sorry about the bad luck - hopefully your next one is proper. Cheers!
Comment posted by Machine1:

8/20/2023 9:40:00 AM - Trust me I'm tempted to pop another one now and even offered to bring one to a wine dinner with friends who also bought this but they preferred to avoid another infanticide (I typically love the way Bordeaux shows on release/at the UGC for example...and then again 30 year later lol). No apparent flaws on this one, not lightly (or even remotely) corked...just not good. Imagine a cheap Chilean Cabernet Sauv (which I find has a different flavour than most other old or new world Cab), then add water to it, and pluck a lily from the garden and use that to stir, and voila. A few other 2019's I've tried were similarly unimpressive, including the strange fruit profile; violet is great. Lily? Not so much. Even the typically fruity, structured, and crowd-pleasing Pipeau (which frequently has at least some redeeming qualities as a Bordeaux) was lacking for 2019, probably the least enjoyable young Pipeau I've tried since 2005 (and before you question my enjoyment of a daily-drinking St. Emilion, I'm a card-carrying member of the Antil-Flavour Wine Elite lol). Could it be bottle variation or even barrel variation??? If I taste another one I'll definitely post a note!! Given the source I don't expect any condition issues with the wine (and none were apparent) but maybe I'll crack the wood case from my other source and give one a go.
Comment posted by RichEB1:

8/20/2023 9:50:00 AM - Yeah, those muted notes and watery mouth-feel are off. I've had the wine a couple times now and it's been nothing like that. Hence my comment on being lightly corked (i.e. being muted). Either way, hopefully you can try a proper bottle next. Cheers!
Comment posted by Mameitagin:

8/20/2023 10:58:00 AM - With time and patience the leaf of the mulberry becomes satin. Enjoy the stuff from the year 2027.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:

8/22/2023 3:31:00 AM - Well said Mameitagain
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

8/25/2023 5:30:00 AM - Gotta believe this is an off bottle or now going through a 'phase'? Mine back in April started out thin but improved dramatically over 3-5 hours and really filled out nicely, a96 for me. Guess I'll hold the rest of mine til I see others here drinking well, again.
Comment posted by Piffpaff:

8/31/2023 10:20:00 AM - Had the same experience as machine1. Thin and watery mouthfeel. If it remains like this, not worth the money.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

8/31/2023 10:24:00 AM - Piff, my bottles have not at all been like that, but having said that, the '19 is generally speaking not as dense and heavy as say the '16s and '18s. It's on the classier, elegant side of wine and not a brute. That being said, I think this '19 is just in a phase right now and I'd be very surprised if they stay 'thin' like that. Time heals most wounds with wine.
Comment posted by RichEB1:

8/31/2023 11:14:00 AM - Totally agree Mark. While my bottles were not at all 'thin/watery' I have zero concern that the wine will only improve from here. It is obviously insanely young right now.
Comment posted by HenrikJ:

9/8/2023 10:18:00 AM - How very interesting! I also didn't particularly care for this wine, but my experience seems to have been the complete opposite of yours (i.e. over-ripe, over-extracted, lacking finesse).
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

9/8/2023 1:43:00 PM - Henrik, I did have one of these very early and it did come across as a bit over extracted but got better with air and since I drink a ton of Cali Cabs, I didn't mind it at all. In fact, I think I referred to it as a Bdx red that Cali red drinkers would like. Cheers!