Just like with the 2001, this was a significant positive surprise for me. Old-school in style, surprisingly, good structure. Dusty Grenache displaying dark cherries, garrigue notes, and earthy marks. This has character, the taste of the south. Maybe these wines just need a lot of time in the cellar.
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Light to medium mahogany with browning rim. Quite clear bouquet of molasses, forest floor, stewed ripe fruit, roasted meat and brown sugar. Grenache to the fore. Super ripe to cooked fruit on the palate with savoury edges and generous noted alcohol (14.5%). (typical of 2003). This wine is sturdy that whilst displaying textural richness has a density to the gum-puckering tannins. There is just about enough fruit left with pepper sprinkled on marinated raspberries but not much else. Drink up.
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Medium depth of colour showing mahogany to bricking rim. Intense nose of dry spices, garrigue, overripe black fruits, leather and brown sugar. Plenty of fruit on entry with a warm, syrupy texture adding sweetness to the mid-palate and just about enough acidity to keep it from falling over. Mediuym bodied, there is a gritty granitic tannin to the finish and a burning hot cayenne spice from the generosity that make the wine throb in the mouth. But the main show is the wealth of fruit from super-ripe fruit typical of the 2003 vintage: stewed red plum, damson, raisin, prune juice, leather, molasses, clay pottery, toasted spices and dusty book shelves. Whilst there is plenty of complexity, the tannins build as the wine evolved in glass to become puckering, whilst a creeping bipolar character, where the fruits is starting to fall from the bones and feel a little withered. One to enjoy now whilst there is some life.
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Elegant bouquet with plum, garrigue herbs, smoke, bacon fat, fig, and more herbs. Medium full bodied giving layers of roasted meat, blueberry, herbs, caramel, brown sugar, sagebrush. Fine balance and long juicy finish. Super pairing with fresh herb grilled Cornish hens. With a very sleek texture this wine doesn't really call attention to itself, but drinks well by itself and even better with the food.
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Medium body, but the looks don't come close to the aroma or taste. Plum and Raspberry, with a hint of Bacon and Tobacco. I'm glad I have another bottle to consume in a few years. Even though there were mild tannins, I think this will improve as it ages becase it seems balanced. 6th Bottle consumed at our Fall Wine Tasting.
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Wine Warehouse 34.99 USD Wow, I loved this bottle, and rated it second only to the Telegraphe "La Crau" Rouge with ten bottles opened between 25 and 90 dollars. (All 2003) Tremendous dark fruit, some tobacco, some earth. Generally, a wonderful nose, with a stong tannic structure that I bet will age better than most expect. I could cook a grand meal around this, and thats what I need. Buy a case: I did. It was the lighter version of the Telegraphe that I am going to buy LOTS of. This is my number two CDP of the year........2003
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A nice young CdP with very round flavors in the meat and leather categories with a little sangre de toro. Can drink sooner than most of the '03's I've had so far...
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7/30/2023 - pbaek wrote:
Just like with the 2001, this was a significant positive surprise for me. Old-school in style, surprisingly, good structure. Dusty Grenache displaying dark cherries, garrigue notes, and earthy marks. This has character, the taste of the south. Maybe these wines just need a lot of time in the cellar.
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7/13/2019 - rikipedia wrote: 87 Points
Light to medium mahogany with browning rim.
Quite clear bouquet of molasses, forest floor, stewed ripe fruit, roasted meat and brown sugar. Grenache to the fore.
Super ripe to cooked fruit on the palate with savoury edges and generous noted alcohol (14.5%). (typical of 2003). This wine is sturdy that whilst displaying textural richness has a density to the gum-puckering tannins. There is just about enough fruit left with pepper sprinkled on marinated raspberries but not much else. Drink up.
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9/27/2015 - vbwineenthusiast Likes this wine:
Very nice
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7/1/2015 - wequedad Likes this wine: 93 Points
very very nice
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5/9/2015 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fig, Plum, Bacon, and herb. Integrated tannins, mild but pleasant acidity. Great fig finish. Super wine.
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11/1/2014 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium depth of colour showing mahogany to bricking rim.
Intense nose of dry spices, garrigue, overripe black fruits, leather and brown sugar.
Plenty of fruit on entry with a warm, syrupy texture adding sweetness to the mid-palate and just about enough acidity to keep it from falling over. Mediuym bodied, there is a gritty granitic tannin to the finish and a burning hot cayenne spice from the generosity that make the wine throb in the mouth.
But the main show is the wealth of fruit from super-ripe fruit typical of the 2003 vintage: stewed red plum, damson, raisin, prune juice, leather, molasses, clay pottery, toasted spices and dusty book shelves.
Whilst there is plenty of complexity, the tannins build as the wine evolved in glass to become puckering, whilst a creeping bipolar character, where the fruits is starting to fall from the bones and feel a little withered. One to enjoy now whilst there is some life.
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4/9/2010 - canan wrote: 92 Points
Sabon Prestige/Secret Vertical (Restaurant AOC): Nose: Milk chocolate, plum, leather, white pepper.
Palate: Plump dark plums, fresh acidity but still a solid tannin bite. Good balance.
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7/18/2009 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points
Elegant bouquet with plum, garrigue herbs, smoke, bacon fat, fig, and more herbs. Medium full bodied giving layers of roasted meat, blueberry, herbs, caramel, brown sugar, sagebrush. Fine balance and long juicy finish. Super pairing with fresh herb grilled Cornish hens. With a very sleek texture this wine doesn't really call attention to itself, but drinks well by itself and even better with the food.
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9/30/2008 - lozatron wrote: 88 Points
Good CndP - not too explosive on the tongue - but too simple and easy to drink to get a 90 to my taste.
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10/29/2007 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
Obviously not as gorgeous as the Prestige but not bad, middling wine. Good for the money.
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4/11/2007 - SimonG wrote:
Uncorked Rhone Tasting (Uncorked, Exchange Arcade, London): Nice clean fresh fruit. Nothing stewed here. Full but elegant. Harmonious. 5- On revisiting a little more floral and slightly high-toned.
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10/22/2006 - kcsteve wrote: 91 Points
Medium body, but the looks don't come close to the aroma or taste. Plum and Raspberry, with a hint of Bacon and Tobacco. I'm glad I have another bottle to consume in a few years. Even though there were mild tannins, I think this will improve as it ages becase it seems balanced. 6th Bottle consumed at our Fall Wine Tasting.
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10/2/2006 - PatrickFLL wrote:
Wine Warehouse 34.99 USD
Wow, I loved this bottle, and rated it second only to the Telegraphe "La Crau" Rouge with ten bottles opened between 25 and 90 dollars. (All 2003) Tremendous dark fruit, some tobacco, some earth. Generally, a wonderful nose, with a stong tannic structure that I bet will age better than most expect. I could cook a grand meal around this, and thats what I need. Buy a case: I did. It was the lighter version of the Telegraphe that I am going to buy LOTS of. This is my number two CDP of the year........2003
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9/23/2006 - danstrings wrote: 90 Points
Il Fornaio PA--nice classic CdP with earthiness and jazzy berry
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3/17/2006 - Grinner wrote: 89 Points
A nice young CdP with very round flavors in the meat and leather categories with a little sangre de toro. Can drink sooner than most of the '03's I've had so far...
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3/10/2006 - slippytoad wrote: 93 Points
Sweet, blueberry, cigar box, tobacco.
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