Soft red fruits, with a tinge of black fruit developing, and lovely cassis too on the nose. I was very impressed by the juicy acidity despite this being a 2002 vintage.. Yes, 21 years!
Tannins are resolved with a medium to medium-full body, and very pleasant mouthfeel. Polished leather comes across clearly, with a nice mineral-driven finish too. The finish was circa 20 to 30 seconds, with a slight drying touch.
62% Cab, 28% Merlot, 6% PV, and 4% Cab Franc. Aged in 50-55% new French oak, 12 months. Vinified in traditional cement vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank.
I was very impressed by how this showed, for a Chateau I had known little about (Despite being a 5th growth), and this being a lesser vintage. The red fruit and the acidity with those leather secondaries made this special!
At USD 65 for such an aged bottle, this was a very good purchase indeed!
Vines are close to 35 years of age. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel and sand soil on the Bages plateau. It is located not that far from Chateau Lynch Bages and Grand Puy Lacoste too.
The vineyard of Croizet Bages is unusual in Pauillac because the vineyard is situated on one large, contiguous parcel. The vineyard can be subdivided into at least 20 different parcels of vines.
Yields can be higher here than at most other classified, Pauillac estates as they are on average 55 hectoliters per hectare at Chateau Croizet Bages. Something else to consider, 50% of the Croizet Bages vineyard is harvested by machine.
This Chateau was bought by a Bordeaux negociant in the late 1940s, by Paul Quie and since 1968, his son Jean-Michel Quie has taken care of the Pauillac property. The Quie family also owns Chateau Rauzan-Gassies in the Margaux appellation, and began a massive renovation of the Croizet Bages estate, wine-making facilities, and vineyards in 2013.
2002 vintage: Mild winter transitioned into a cool spring but heavy rains caused flowering to be uneven.
The summer then failed to warm up and August arrived bringing downpours, Merlot found it particularly difficult to ripen. A wave of intense heat finally swept through late summer and continue through September and October. This helped elevate the small harvest from being potentially poor to one of surprisingly high quality, especially for those who practiced rigorous selection.
Wines of the left bank generally performed better than those of the right and the wines from the Médoc were particularly good.
The wines of St Emilion and Pomerol suffered more due to the greater percentage of Merlot in the blends and could be slightly green in character.
Public House by Vintry, Bangsar South, Malaysia 26th Dec 2023 (Boxing Day)
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China Conservatory Dinner (meizhou restaurant): Roasted peppers, soft red and black fruit, cassis, gentle spice. Bright juicy acidity, resolved tannins, pleasant body. Layered, transparent, easy and resolved. Drinking nicely with our signature meicai-kourou (braised pork belly with pickled mustard green) and green-szechuan-pepper beef!
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The Quié family are obviously a bunch of loonies. They routinely mess up the great vintages, repeatedly missing the opportunity of making the sort of wine which would restore Croizet-Bages' reputation, but then every so often they get an off vintage absolutely right - but which nobody knows about because the vintage's reputation is such that nobody cares. 2002 is a perfect example. After the first bottle tasted in 2014 I wasn't surprised to find that this is still drinking beautifully, at least as well as before. A beguiling blend of red cherry and blackberry on the nose, with an attack of the same, then a surprisingly voluminous middle section and a lingering, satisfying finish. Perhaps slightly drier than before, but also more distinguished. This is a good Pauillac which would show well against any of its peers - and in 2002 completely outclasses Lynch (at 4 times cheaper).
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A real surprise. I was expecting something short, hard and barren, whereas I found a wine full of depth and power. Delicious aromas of cassis and red cherry, with a bright attack of the same, followed by a surprisingly powerful wave of blackberry and a long, persistent finish. One of the best Croizets ever tasted, which is not difficult, all the more surprising in the context of the vintage.
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my wife was right - i opened it up too early. no decant; lead pencil, cherries, leather, high tannin. needs 5 more years. has good structure for a poor vintage The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium.
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18c; no decant (bottle opened an hour); dark, dusty ruby; bright nose of pine tar, mint, black cherry, leather; tight grip; touch of bacon, vigorous schist and metal, black cherry, clove, sap, tobacco (typical Pauillac pungent melange); not bad for a grab at Carrefour; 17.5.
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New Year's Day at Albenga; 18c; no decant; clear, clean dark puple; brilliant nose of black cherry, pine tar, mint, herbs; lovely structure, with soft tannins and plush fruit; bits of bacon, schist, plush black cherry, tobacco, sap; lovely Pauillac; 17.5
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This got some bad reviews BUT I don't get them this was a great bottle of wine however not of the price tag, perhaps half price better. Does not take away from being a smooth wine.
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Before decanted, little fruit on nose, lead pencil. On palate is a bit bitter, very bitter, lead, little fruit, out of balanced. Medium body, short finished with very unbalanced bitter taste. It was not enjoying at all without giving a lot of time to it. Next day, the lead pencil became soft, more red fruit, a little more intergrated, less bitter of skin on taste. I would prefer Ch. Cantemerle with similar price but latter has more butter, sweet, cigar intergrated in it.
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The nose was very dusty at first, but opend up after ½ hour, with a very destinct elderberry nose. The taste was disapointing, dusty, no tanins and not a lot of fruit. Hopefully it will get better in 5 -10 years, but the tanins are not very promising!
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12/26/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Soft red fruits, with a tinge of black fruit developing, and lovely cassis too on the nose. I was very impressed by the juicy acidity despite this being a 2002 vintage.. Yes, 21 years!
Tannins are resolved with a medium to medium-full body, and very pleasant mouthfeel. Polished leather comes across clearly, with a nice mineral-driven finish too. The finish was circa 20 to 30 seconds, with a slight drying touch.
62% Cab, 28% Merlot, 6% PV, and 4% Cab Franc. Aged in 50-55% new French oak, 12 months. Vinified in traditional cement vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank.
I was very impressed by how this showed, for a Chateau I had known little about (Despite being a 5th growth), and this being a lesser vintage. The red fruit and the acidity with those leather secondaries made this special!
At USD 65 for such an aged bottle, this was a very good purchase indeed!
Vines are close to 35 years of age. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel and sand soil on the Bages plateau. It is located not that far from Chateau Lynch Bages and Grand Puy Lacoste too.
The vineyard of Croizet Bages is unusual in Pauillac because the vineyard is situated on one large, contiguous parcel. The vineyard can be subdivided into at least 20 different parcels of vines.
Yields can be higher here than at most other classified, Pauillac estates as they are on average 55 hectoliters per hectare at Chateau Croizet Bages. Something else to consider, 50% of the Croizet Bages vineyard is harvested by machine.
This Chateau was bought by a Bordeaux negociant in the late 1940s, by Paul Quie and since 1968, his son Jean-Michel Quie has taken care of the Pauillac property. The Quie family also owns Chateau Rauzan-Gassies in the Margaux appellation, and began a massive renovation of the Croizet Bages estate, wine-making facilities, and vineyards in 2013.
2002 vintage:
Mild winter transitioned into a cool spring but heavy rains caused flowering to be uneven.
The summer then failed to warm up and August arrived bringing downpours, Merlot found it particularly difficult to ripen.
A wave of intense heat finally swept through late summer and continue through September and October. This helped elevate the small harvest from being potentially poor to one of surprisingly high quality, especially for those who practiced rigorous selection.
Wines of the left bank generally performed better than those of the right and the wines from the Médoc were particularly good.
The wines of St Emilion and Pomerol suffered more due to the greater percentage of Merlot in the blends and could be slightly green in character.
Public House by Vintry, Bangsar South, Malaysia
26th Dec 2023 (Boxing Day)
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4/27/2018 - JerM wrote: 91 Points
China Conservatory Dinner (meizhou restaurant): Roasted peppers, soft red and black fruit, cassis, gentle spice. Bright juicy acidity, resolved tannins, pleasant body. Layered, transparent, easy and resolved. Drinking nicely with our signature meicai-kourou (braised pork belly with pickled mustard green) and green-szechuan-pepper beef!
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7/3/2016 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 90 Points
The Quié family are obviously a bunch of loonies. They routinely mess up the great vintages, repeatedly missing the opportunity of making the sort of wine which would restore Croizet-Bages' reputation, but then every so often they get an off vintage absolutely right - but which nobody knows about because the vintage's reputation is such that nobody cares. 2002 is a perfect example.
After the first bottle tasted in 2014 I wasn't surprised to find that this is still drinking beautifully, at least as well as before. A beguiling blend of red cherry and blackberry on the nose, with an attack of the same, then a surprisingly voluminous middle section and a lingering, satisfying finish. Perhaps slightly drier than before, but also more distinguished. This is a good Pauillac which would show well against any of its peers - and in 2002 completely outclasses Lynch (at 4 times cheaper).
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2/27/2014 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 90 Points
A real surprise. I was expecting something short, hard and barren, whereas I found a wine full of depth and power. Delicious aromas of cassis and red cherry, with a bright attack of the same, followed by a surprisingly powerful wave of blackberry and a long, persistent finish. One of the best Croizets ever tasted, which is not difficult, all the more surprising in the context of the vintage.
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1/18/2014 - Whitelion Likes this wine: 87 Points
nice 5th GCC left bank Bordeaux straight up... can be kept 3 yrs more
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11/23/2013 - christ80 wrote: 84 Points
my wife was right - i opened it up too early. no decant; lead pencil, cherries, leather, high tannin. needs 5 more years. has good structure for a poor vintage The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium.
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7/24/2012 - chokkon wrote:
18c; no decant (bottle opened an hour); dark, dusty ruby; bright nose of pine tar, mint, black cherry, leather; tight grip; touch of bacon, vigorous schist and metal, black cherry, clove, sap, tobacco (typical Pauillac pungent melange); not bad for a grab at Carrefour; 17.5.
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1/1/2012 - chokkon wrote:
New Year's Day at Albenga; 18c; no decant; clear, clean dark puple; brilliant nose of black cherry, pine tar, mint, herbs; lovely structure, with soft tannins and plush fruit; bits of bacon, schist, plush black cherry, tobacco, sap; lovely Pauillac; 17.5
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6/23/2011 - ipwil wrote: 86 Points
This got some bad reviews BUT I don't get them this was a great bottle of wine however not of the price tag, perhaps half price better. Does not take away from being a smooth wine.
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4/5/2010 - belfast taxman wrote: 86 Points
rather dull and light - clearly from a not so great vintage - expensive for what it was
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12/8/2007 - bbcollie wrote: 75 Points
Before decanted, little fruit on nose, lead pencil. On palate is a bit bitter, very bitter, lead, little fruit, out of balanced. Medium body, short finished with very unbalanced bitter taste. It was not enjoying at all without giving a lot of time to it. Next day, the lead pencil became soft, more red fruit, a little more intergrated, less bitter of skin on taste. I would prefer Ch. Cantemerle with similar price but latter has more butter, sweet, cigar intergrated in it.
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11/24/2007 - TheDane wrote: 78 Points
The nose was very dusty at first, but opend up after ½ hour, with a very destinct elderberry nose. The taste was disapointing, dusty, no tanins and not a lot of fruit. Hopefully it will get better in 5 -10 years, but the tanins are not very promising!
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7/17/2006 - brutus wrote: 84 Points
เปิดแล้วพร้อมดื่ม ไม่ฝาดมาก กลิ่นหอมดี ยิ่งทิ้งไว้กลิ่นยิ่งหอม
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