Fully mature, the debut vintage for the new owners, the Decoster family is on the light side, with more red fruits than black in its makeup. Here, you also find freshness, licorice, sweet cherries, tobacco, soft textures and an earthy quality. The wine needs to be consumed sooner than later, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle.
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Weekly tasting group #193; some Bordeaux (@ My place): Mature bouquet with dark berries, smoke, cigar box and some barnyard flavors. On the palate a very mature wine with chocolate, some licorice, still ok acidity and tannin, but also some celery and lovage. This bottle has not been properly stored and already was a bit past its prime. No score.
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Blood red with hints of brick at the edges. Typical nose of a Bordeaux with some age. Some barnyard, leather, wood, cassis and pencil. Stable acids, smooth and integrated tannins. The fruit is really diminishing and the finish, although quite long, are somewhat a little to alcohol dominated. This is the last bottle out of 12. Clearly it peaked some tears ago, at least according to my palate, but have been interesting to follow the development since i bought them 8 years ago.
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Purchased a case from Wine Connection about 3 years ago for $20/bottle. Two bottles tasted in 2011 and early 2012 were somewhat disappointing with a flat affect, relatively thin fruit and overly-aggressive oak treatment that made drinking the wine a little bit like licking the inside of a charred barrel. At roughly 10 years old, I didn't think the wine could still be in a dumb phase, and simply assumed that the wine was on a downward trajectory. So I am now really surprised by the transformation of this wine over the past 18 months. Popped and poured a bottle and the tannins and oak have noticeably receded and the cool, slightly tart red fruit, which is somewhat typical for the 01 vintage, is resurgent. This is now a classic right bank wine drinking beautifully. I don't believe this will improve considerably, but am ecstatic that the wine seems to have come alive in 2013.
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Encore une belle experience avec Fleur Cardinale... Belle robe, le nez est sur le fruits, en bouche c'est soyeux, des notes de cedres, tabac, fruits noirs.
Encore une fois c'est la longueur de la finale qui me decoit mais somme toute, un excellent vin.
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Une robe pourpre et homogène. Le nez montre des nuances de fumé qui masquent un peu les fruits noirs. A la dégustation, l'équilibre en bouche est classique, le milieu de bouche présentant une belle matière. La persistance déçoit pour un grand cru.
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Opened and allowed to air for an hour or so. Aromas of cherry and cedar. Big on the nose which didn't entirely carry through to the palate. The cherry and cedar carry through to the palate however within a slightly thin structure. Finish was mid-short in length. Noteworthy: The wine gained a bit of weight as time progressed in glass. An excellent Bordeaux for its price-point and another couple of years in cellar should reward.
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This slightly past fully mature wine is medium bodied and displays dark berries and earthy flavors. The tannins do not feel fully ripe. This is the debut vintage of this wine for Dominique and Florence Decoster.
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La robe est pourpre assez foncé. Le nez est puissant sur les mûres, cuir et notes de violettes. En bouche, c'est d'une texture riche, veloutée, les tannins sont assagis en bonne partie, présence de notes terreuses, petits fruits noirs, c'est multidimensionnel, très soutenu, l'équilibre est très digne. La finale est longue et d'une belle complexité. Très bon maintenant, mais gagnera à être gardé encore quelques années (3-4 ans pour se bonifier encore et pourra se garder sur 15 ans encore).
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My last bottle from 2/09 in retrospect must have been bad, corked. This, my last bottle, was superb and all of my comments from 7/4/07 apply except that the tannins are even better integrated and smooth. This makes the finish luscious with currants and crushed berries morphing into a very cherry aftertaste. Very cool. Too bad I don't have any more of this
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decanted. sour cherry notes with good mouthfeel, pungent poorly integrated tannins that overpowered the fruit annoyingly so after the first hour. something of a disappointment. I think this wine is past its prime.
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Popped and poured immediately, then swirled for 30 minutes or so. Ripe berry and big tannins on the nose, with a hint of vanilla. Not much fruit on the palate, though. Some tart berry, dusty tannins and some sweet oak. Medium bodied, with a good mouthfeel.
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This was the fifth bottle out of eight at a tasting of Bordeaux wines at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society. This was a complex wine, with much going on and still developing; it was full of promise but not quite ready to drink.
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This Chateau certainly deserves the promotion it received last year to Premier Grande Cru Classe B. This wine, from a weaker vintage drinks better than most of the '01's that I've tasted so far. It has tremendous integration, balanced crushed berry fruit, and a smoky balanced finish with well integrated tannins that will have you reaching for a second glass in no time. It only needs about 2 hours uncorked without decanting. It is certainly ready to drink now.
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12/10/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 86 Points
Fully mature, the debut vintage for the new owners, the Decoster family is on the light side, with more red fruits than black in its makeup. Here, you also find freshness, licorice, sweet cherries, tobacco, soft textures and an earthy quality. The wine needs to be consumed sooner than later, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle.
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11/23/2015 - Zweder wrote:
Weekly tasting group #193; some Bordeaux (@ My place): Mature bouquet with dark berries, smoke, cigar box and some barnyard flavors. On the palate a very mature wine with chocolate, some licorice, still ok acidity and tannin, but also some celery and lovage. This bottle has not been properly stored and already was a bit past its prime. No score.
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4/11/2015 - Highmountain Likes this wine: 86 Points
Blood red with hints of brick at the edges. Typical nose of a Bordeaux with some age. Some barnyard, leather, wood, cassis and pencil. Stable acids, smooth and integrated tannins. The fruit is really diminishing and the finish, although quite long, are somewhat a little to alcohol dominated. This is the last bottle out of 12. Clearly it peaked some tears ago, at least according to my palate, but have been interesting to follow the development since i bought them 8 years ago.
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12/3/2013 - Jdog Likes this wine: 91 Points
Purchased a case from Wine Connection about 3 years ago for $20/bottle. Two bottles tasted in 2011 and early 2012 were somewhat disappointing with a flat affect, relatively thin fruit and overly-aggressive oak treatment that made drinking the wine a little bit like licking the inside of a charred barrel. At roughly 10 years old, I didn't think the wine could still be in a dumb phase, and simply assumed that the wine was on a downward trajectory. So I am now really surprised by the transformation of this wine over the past 18 months. Popped and poured a bottle and the tannins and oak have noticeably receded and the cool, slightly tart red fruit, which is somewhat typical for the 01 vintage, is resurgent. This is now a classic right bank wine drinking beautifully. I don't believe this will improve considerably, but am ecstatic that the wine seems to have come alive in 2013.
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2/23/2013 - macker100 wrote: 89 Points
CNY party. Solid right bank. Nice red fruit, leather, spice on nose. Cherries, cedar, minerals on palate. Slightly short finish.
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10/6/2012 - paul canet wrote: 91 Points
Encore une belle experience avec Fleur Cardinale... Belle robe, le nez est sur le fruits, en bouche c'est soyeux, des notes de cedres, tabac, fruits noirs.
Encore une fois c'est la longueur de la finale qui me decoit mais somme toute, un excellent vin.
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1/28/2012 - stadler wrote:
Une robe pourpre et homogène. Le nez montre des nuances de fumé qui masquent un peu les fruits noirs. A la dégustation, l'équilibre en bouche est classique, le milieu de bouche présentant une belle matière. La persistance déçoit pour un grand cru.
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10/9/2011 - Highmountain Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice red brick color. Good Bordeaux nose with cedar, earth, leather and a flowery touch. Medium bodied but well balanced and medium long aftertaste.
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5/15/2011 - Porchino wrote: 88 Points
the last place finisher in paris mid level tasting
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1/16/2011 - KSC02 wrote:
Opened and allowed to air for an hour or so. Aromas of cherry and cedar. Big on the nose which didn't entirely carry through to the palate. The cherry and cedar carry through to the palate however within a slightly thin structure. Finish was mid-short in length. Noteworthy: The wine gained a bit of weight as time progressed in glass. An excellent Bordeaux for its price-point and another couple of years in cellar should reward.
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12/30/2010 - paul canet wrote: 90 Points
Tres bien, fruits rouges au nez comme en bouche
La finale est quelque peu courte par contre
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12/4/2010 - Ben Paquet wrote: 87 Points
Drank this with lamb chop in a red wine, ginger and maple syrop sauce,
Nose typical St-Emilion nose (which I really like) showing that this wine is well made.
Palate: Slightly past its prime : medium body with earth, cedar and cherry aromas. Simple, straigthforward but enjoyable for what it is.
Should have drink this 2-4 years earlier.......
voila !
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5/22/2010 - bwillia wrote: 89 Points
Very nice. Not a huge amount of structure left but the fruit is still strong. Drinking nicely now.
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3/6/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 85 Points
This slightly past fully mature wine is medium bodied and displays dark berries and earthy flavors. The tannins do not feel fully ripe. This is the debut vintage of this wine for Dominique and Florence Decoster.
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2/27/2010 - Highmountain Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very reliable Bordeaux that seems to be capable of additional ageing. Glad I bought a whole box.
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2/25/2010 - Dess123 wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux St-emilion classique. Carafer une heure pour qu'il révèle vraiment sa profondeur.
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1/24/2010 - Opusone99 wrote: 93 Points
La robe est pourpre assez foncé. Le nez est puissant sur les mûres, cuir et notes de violettes. En bouche, c'est d'une texture riche, veloutée, les tannins sont assagis en bonne partie, présence de notes terreuses, petits fruits noirs, c'est multidimensionnel, très soutenu, l'équilibre est très digne. La finale est longue et d'une belle complexité. Très bon maintenant, mais gagnera à être gardé encore quelques années (3-4 ans pour se bonifier encore et pourra se garder sur 15 ans encore).
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5/14/2009 - TuckerTini wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle from 2/09 in retrospect must have been bad, corked. This, my last bottle, was superb and all of my comments from 7/4/07 apply except that the tannins are even better integrated and smooth. This makes the finish luscious with currants and crushed berries morphing into a very cherry aftertaste. Very cool. Too bad I don't have any more of this
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2/6/2009 - TuckerTini wrote: 82 Points
decanted. sour cherry notes with good mouthfeel, pungent poorly integrated tannins that overpowered the fruit annoyingly so after the first hour. something of a disappointment. I think this wine is past its prime.
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11/7/2008 - ziavino wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured immediately, then swirled for 30 minutes or so. Ripe berry and big tannins on the nose, with a hint of vanilla. Not much fruit on the palate, though. Some tart berry, dusty tannins and some sweet oak. Medium bodied, with a good mouthfeel.
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4/23/2008 - Keith Cooper wrote:
This was the fifth bottle out of eight at a tasting of Bordeaux wines at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society. This was a complex wine, with much going on and still developing; it was full of promise but not quite ready to drink.
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11/23/2007 - Highmountain wrote: 89 Points
Typical Bordeaux. Very nice smell and some hints of maturity but still young. Long aftertaste, need to be decanted a couple of hours to bloom.
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7/4/2007 - TuckerTini wrote: 93 Points
This Chateau certainly deserves the promotion it received last year to Premier Grande Cru Classe B. This wine, from a weaker vintage drinks better than most of the '01's that I've tasted so far. It has tremendous integration, balanced crushed berry fruit, and a smoky balanced finish with well integrated tannins that will have you reaching for a second glass in no time. It only needs about 2 hours uncorked without decanting. It is certainly ready to drink now.
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