Purchased at auction and still holding up remarkably well and only got better with time in the decanter. I feel it’s slightly past it’s best showing but tannins and acid have balanced out well giving this wonderful structure and finesse. Medium body. Not as complex as I had hoped but still a classic example of Pauillac. Dominated by tertiary notes of pencil shavings, cigar ash, leather and tobacco but still an abundance of a red fruit. Definitely drink these asap.
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Last bottle of case. Hmm, I see this is my only review of this wine, which I bought en primeur and which has been enjoyed over the last decade for what is was - a mid priced mid ranked Paulliac. May have held this last one a bit too long though. Some residual fruit evident but this wine is now beyond earthy and tertiary; it is dry and short. If you have any left, drink up.
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At a wine bar. Popped and poured, and *poof* it disappeared in what seemed to be 30 minutes. Knocking it up a point from the bottle I had last year. 2001 Bordeaux continues to amaze.
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Twenty years ago I bought a case of this Fifth Growth Bordeaux. Last year I gave this bottle as a house warming gift to friends, who sat on it and waited for my return. This past weekend we opened it in all its glory- it was delicious.
Totally showing its age with some serious bricking and sediment in the bottle, it is medium tawny in color. The nose is loaded with tertiary flavors of tobacco, cedar, leather, stewed prune and cinnamon stick. The palate is super smooth with tannins that are so integrated and balanced by a modicum of acidity. The fruit flavors have pretty much disappeared- it’s all about the tertiary notes. Classic Bourdaux that’s been aged with a smooth mouth feel.
Tell you what- there’s still some back end juiciness and tannic grip which tell me this wine has a little more life in it! Tremendous value when I bought it back in the day. 92 points, which is amazing considering the pros went with high 80’s when they first tasted it. The ’01 Left Bank vintage has outperformed anyones expectations as can be witnessed by this exceptional bottle that is currently running $80 at auction. 5 stars, but drink this delicate juice sooner rather than later.
From magnum. Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. Did not need a decant. Expressive and well within its drinking window. Classic Bordeaux and another great example from the 2001 vintage. Secondary notes present and fully mature.
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Drank from a magnum. This was stunning. Such an excellent example of fine Bordeaux in a great drinking window. Complex wine with a great balance of rich dark fruit, secondary notes, and cigar box / tobacco on the finish. Another classic style 2001 that is drinking excellent right now.
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Decanted and served. This is now in a great place , full of well evolved notes from nose to palate. Leather, earthy , soft spice, dark fruits . A textbook pauillac down to the soft austere palate. Well round and silky tannin. A solid 92 and one for the classic and evolved claret loving animals.
Brick red in color, showing some age. Classic Pauillac nose, though rather subdued. Very soft on the attack, with barely noticeable tannins. Some fruit, perhaps plum and cherry, tris to come through, but never fully evolves. Not much going on with the finish, as the essence of the wine exits rapidly.
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A pleasant surprise: I feared I had left it too late, but not at all, this was still vibrant and full of fruit. Softer than usual, but after a trademark nose of cigar box and cassis, this was full of red berries on a cassis base with a persistent, charming finish. If well stored, this should be ok for a few more years but probably better to enjoy it now.
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I've been tasting through the early 00's vintages of this recently and this 2001 was disappointing compared to 02-04. It wasn't bad, just lacking in richness and fullness that I expect from these wines.
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18c: no decant: dark ruby-red: nose of tobacco, pipe, barn, leather: still well structured, gripping tannins and fruit: touch of fat, cherry tobacco, pine sap, caramel, deep black fruit, long finish: 18
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Weekly tasting group RWP #233; French or not French? (@ My place): Last of 6 and that is ok. In the bouquet a classical wine with dark forest fruits, smoke, oak, cinnamon and cedar. On the palate the dark forest fruits are still quite youthful. There is vanilla, good acidity and still good tannin as well. Overall a lovely wine which never really overwhelmed me because of the lack of concentration and some more luxurious flavors. But maybe I am mistaken and will this wine shows to be great somewhere in the 2020’s. I won’t be able to check this from my own collection… Nevertheless a very good wine and nothing wrong with it. 90 - 91
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This wine was great! It's clearly very mature and the fruit on the nose is turning into an old wine funkiness which became more apparent over the hour I drank the wine. At first, there was red and black fruits, mushroom, and a metallic Pauillac note, but over time the red fruit and funk dominated. The palate was really smooth, medium bodied, elegant and feminine and so easy to drink without any food. This is in a great place now and was probably great or even greater 5 years ago.
The 2001 Left Bank Bordeaux (aside from the 1st Growths) are really in a great place right now. Drink away!
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Bottle was a little bit dissapointing actually. Tried another vintage a little while ago and was pleasantly surprised by this Château.
Opened the bottle a couple of hours before serving and served it with some boar stew. Nose was very faint and it also didn't show much on the palate. don't think this wine has many years left. Drink now I'd say.
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PWS (@ DE?): Beautiful bouquet with cassis, graphite, smoke, tobacco, coffee and mocha. On the palate the same luxurious ingredients with luxurious oak. Beautiful fresh acidity and friendly tannin which still has a pleasant bite and is a bit drying in the finish. Not a concentrated blockbuster, but a very elegant and refined wine. Completely ready now. Probably wise to drink it over the next two years.
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Typical funky pauillac nose, with subtle pipe tobacco and some red fruit. Palate is rather soft with mild fine tannins in the background. Mix of red and black fruits, some mature notes, and with a light to medium bodied palate for a left bank bdx. Despite its lack of power, it shows plenty of polish and elegance. Medium finish. Seems to be drinking very well now.
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sleek, very stylish, the finish is not too long, obviously overshadowed by 2000, but this is typical Pauillac. Dark red fruit and some cassis, which hasn't really gone into the Tobacco or leather yet. The overriding feature was the style and elegance of this wine. I think it has another 2-3 years of top class drinking before it fades.. Very nice
Second Sunday Group: 2011 Bordeaux & others (Mike's): Notes of red and black fruit, spice and earth. Medium-bodied and drinking nicely, if a bit on the simple side. Red fruit and forest floor tones carrying through the finish.
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Light, bright, medium bodied, mature, soft textured and focused on cassis, cranberry, cherry and tobacco notes, the wine is pleasant, but not exciting.
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Weekly tasting group #107; A fully blind test. (@ My place): Creamy bouquet with cassis, smoke, tobacco and beautiful oak. On the palate good cassis and dark forest fruits, graphite, some brush wood, autumn impressions. Beautiful acidity and tannin with still a pleasant bite. This wine surprises again. Showing more and more luxury and finesse. It is still improving compared to previous notes. 91 for now, but I won't be surprised if it scores 92 in a year or so.
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Deep ruby in colour with a touch of orange hue! A little nose of spice, dark fruits! Quite smooth on the palate, mouthful of dark fruits! Quite simple! Should keep well for few more years!
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Cassis and cedar on the nose, but not all that expressive. Quite strict and restrained on the palate, with good notes of blackcurrant, an interesting middle section of softer blackberry and dark cherry, and a fresh, precise finish. After the spectacular 00 I was hoping for better, but this will improve over the next few years. The acidity is good, the tannic structure is impressive, a serious wine that just lacks a little sparkle to be top notch.
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Bordeaux 2001 Blind Tasting (+ two 2000s): Dark Bordeaux-red, lighter towards the rim. In the nose, this is rather "male" and marked by Cabernet with notes of musk, dark berries. It's got good balance and is shimmering with finesse. On the palate, it's very male again, slightly furry and edgy, but nicely balanced with good acidity and a long finish marked by red currant and sour cherries. Makes me wanna drink more of it. Great Pauillac.
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Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): Notes of dark fruit, currants, cigar box and pencil lead. Black currant, plum and earthy forest floor notes on the palate. Light- to medium-bodied, finishing a bit on the short side for my liking, else it'd have scored a couple points higher.
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Served with Christmas dinner (lamb with rustic porcini sauce). Drinking really well. Dark fruit. Very structured. Decent length on the finish. Will likely benefit from a few more years in the cellar, but worked perfectly for this meal.
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I've had this several times and I liked this bottle better than the last. I'm learning that some of these older wines need more time to settle down after shipping.
Nice Pauillic nose and mouthfeel with short decant. Doesn't over deliver for the price, which has been creeping up over the last decade. (I remember buying a magnum of 96 for 60.00)
Still a decent experience. Will buy again if on sale...
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At the start the nose and taste are certainly Pauillac but sensations fade rather rapidly. No length and not a very structure taste (a bit diluted). A bit disappointed.
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consistent with the bottle of 2 yrs ago, this is showing well, but, as expected previously, is on the downward slide. Acids are trumping fruit and tannins at this stage. While it works well enough with food right now, it's not very pleasant on its own. Drink thru 2014
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Decanted and served immediately. Deep garnet-red color, though not as deep as the 1994 Las Cases that came before it. Soaring nose of cassis, cedar, tobacco, iron, and sous bois. Rich and complete on the palate with very good fruit, moderate tannin and good acidity. It's surprisingly mouthfilling for a 2001. A pleasant surprise given the producer and vintage. It bested the 1994 Las Cases that preceded it, barely.
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Non-blind. From refrigerated 3 days opened btl. Leather and Bordeaux-typical earthiness and some emerging porty tones. Taste is elegant with good acidity and resolved tannins pinned up on a slightly anorectic body. After a while it develops a persistent, foul taste on the palate. HURWEN!
* Rather thin juice with no oompfh and no hope. Absolutely devoid of QPR. Will not choose again.
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750. Maturing disc. Cassis, cedar, coffee nose. Not the most concentrated, but at least convincingly Pauillac. Still tannic but not overbearing. Simple cassis finish.
3+/5
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A pleasant surprise. Opened without decant and drink over a 3 hours period with dinner. Chocolate aromas!!! Integrated tannin with oak and pencil, leather, sweat dark fruits. Full bodied with a long finish. Almost give this away to a friend. Saving the last bottle for a few more years. This is turning me into a Paulliac fan.
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Weekly tasting group #024; Bordeaux 2001 (@ VD): Again this was a beautiful experience. Garnet color. In the bouquet licorice, graphite, cassis and smooth, luxurious oak and cedar. A slight touch of pleasant barnyard as well. In the mouth more full bodied than I recall from previous occasions, with a firm amount of bitterness and also fruits like cassis and blackberries. Graphite and a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity. The tannin is soft and still offers a pleasant bite. Good length and everything is beautifully integrated in this wine. Still early maturity and a score of 90 for the moment.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #064; Bordeaux; Pauillac (By RvD): Beautiful and luxurious, already a bit developed bouquet, with a touch of barnyard, cigar box, caramel, leather, cassis and some graphite. On the palate the same impressions. Not extremely concentrated, but a pleasant bit of sweetness, firm acidity, drying bitterness and still sticky tannin which is a bit green. A light weight, but certainly a pleasant Pauillac. Ready now and for the next 5 years.
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Crimson color. A little bretty- almost too much; also forest floor, plum and dark fruit flavors. Medium-bodied, with flavors of plum, red currants, forest floor and earth.
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Opened by Allred. Not decanted. Typical d'Arailhac old world, earthy, muted fruit style. Aromas of smoke and cocoa. Higher acidity. Earthy with mushroom, currant, minerals and tar. Moderate tannins. To put this in perspective, of the previous d'Armailhacs that I've had, the 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2003 were better. The 1971 was not as good. the 1997 and 1999 were on par with this wine. 88 points.
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Beautiful and delicius. Typical for the area ; anticipated a weak vintage, however, my fears were not met. This vintage is ripe for drinking now and may to the best of my judgement be kept for 2-3 years more.
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From 37,5cl. Gorgeous on opening, gorgeous to the last drop. Rather feminine and slender for a Pauillac, with a pervasive and deeply sexy blueberry element from the (woodland, cedar, pine) scent though the bright morello-tinged entry to the satisfying furry-tannic finish. I wish I had bought a lot more of this at 12,90€/half-bottle. 90P
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Medium to full bodied. Starts with strong Vanilla aromas. Notes of currant, earth, pencil, minerals and a nice long finish. Still plenty of tannin at this age.
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While it had textbook Pauillac aromas and flavors, it was rather lean and austere. Not as much fruit as I recall in prior bottles. Still, it had good balance and was a decent wine.
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decanted 1 hr. Dark ruby core, with a fairly expressive nose of dried herbs, currants, graphite and dark earth. The palate is medium bodied with ample acidity and a medium finish. The tannins and fruit have aged well, yet I imagine this is about as good as it's going to get for this bottle. Drink thru 2013.
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A bit more fruit and body than some prior bottles, and probably the best bottle yet for me. I liked the typical medoc bordeaux flavors of dark fruits, minerals and some herbs. Mid-weight, but also just a bit lean and acidic.
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opened 3 hours, w/ shoulder glass: dark garnet: nose of cedar, black cherry, wet leather, herbs: gripping (adolescent)) tannins and lively fruit: fat, pine sap, black cherry, sage: nice Pauillac tension: 18.
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From Magnum. Medium red color. Terrific nose- some pauillac graphite,a little spice, and definitely rich red fruit. In the mouth this one sings- rich, with a beautiful mouthfeel and definitely some strong fruit. Not obvious or overdone, it all seems in balance. The tannin is present but it feels balanced with the body of the wine. I feel like this is drinking at peak right now & probably doesn't improve much with more time. Drink now, or within 3-5 years, but not much longer. I wish every $20 wine would drink like this at age 8!
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First sip had me unimpressed, but after warming and getting air in the decanter for about 45 min, it became a nice Bordeaux with currant fruit, medium body and acidity, and a nice touch of earth on the finish. Not a wine that grabs attention, but a very well made and a textbook Pauillac for its level and price ($20). Drinking well now. Nice match with roasted sirloin tips and vegetables.
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Tasted with the 2001 Château Bahans Haut-Brion... more youthful and extracted at the rim... a little darker in color. On the nose a moderate amount of black currant fruit = new barrique spice... still quite primary in nature. On the palate moderate + to high acidity, a very noticeable, classic Cabernet tight and firm midpalate of low + breadth that transitions well into a firm, moderately ripe at best, slight coarse tannic structure. Moderate alcohol. The wine is balanced with fruit ripeness and oak influence and is more firm than soft... moderate + intensity, moderate - complexity and length. Certainly a very "classically" structured Bordeaux with finesse and a fine, but firm texture... over the night the wine really seemed to lose some of its Pauillac-ness becoming a bit muddled though ironically more complex aroma wise. Modernly styled wine in a classic Bordeaux structure package... I was a little concerned with the evolution of the wine over the night... I might hold this wine a year or two as it may be transitioning into a tighter phase though it certainly isn't a wine with layers of flavor and complexity to burn...
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18c: no decant: dark ruby-red: nose of tobacco, pipe, barn, leather: soundly structured, with gripping tannins and fruit: touch of fat, cherry tobacco, pine sap, caramel, deep black fruit, long finish: 17
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Dark ruby-purple. Expressive nose with lots of cassis fruit, herbs, spices and esspresso coffee. Mid-bodied, austere, with slightly stiff tannins, moderate fruit and high acidity. Long finish with herbs and esspresso. Nicely structured but needs time to gain weight and roundness. However, it paired nicely with a variety of grilled meats, and was a perfect match with traditional greek country sausage!
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Upon first glance, rather thin and acidic. Yet after letting it warm up, there is some classic bdx charm - cassis, white flowers, a delicate earthiness. Far from great, but pleasant.
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Similar to prior bottle(s). Dark, but slightly lean fruit with some minerals and herbs. Medium weight with a somewhat thin mouthfeel. Nothing wrong, but nothing to compliment. Finish is slightly bitter.
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Somewhat disappointing as this bottle did not show much fruit. What fruit was there was very dark with some herbs and mineral in the background. Mid-weight but with a slightly thin mouthfeel and a somewhat short finish. Seemed very closed, but not sure it has the capacity to open up. I hope that more fruit will emerge over time, however, I don't think the fruit is hidden, I think it is just not there.
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Not really impressive, but certainly an excellent wine. A lot of cassis, bitterness, very good oak, a little cigar box and firm tannin. Still a bit too young. Lacks the complexity of the really great wines.
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Ruby color with some slight bricking at the rim. Full aromas of black fruit and herbs with hints of vanilla. Medium bodied, smooth and fresh on the palate with almost all tanines resolved. Short, but fresh finish. Drink now - 2009
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This seems to be going the wrong way with time. In the glass it shows a nice glycerine but on the palate it comes across as weak and thin. As last time, I'll go another two years and see what happens. Hopefully it will put on some weight and show a little more. This is nothing like the 2000 which I had recently, it was very forthcoming and expressive.
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Decanted about 3 hours. Good, deep red color. Nose was what I think of classic Pauillac - cedar, cassis, oak, earth - with nothing extra. On the palate it had good fruit and dry (dusty) tannins. Again, what I would expect but nothing truly exciting. Good fininsh. All in all a delicious drink with grilled beef tenderloin. Has plenty of life left. Hopefully it will develop more complexity.
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I admit that in the past I've been under-impressed with this wine (and with Clerc Milon) and this bottle was no exception. It took about an hour for the wine to lose an initially bitter finish, but even then it remained tannic and tight. Perhaps time will improve this wine, but I'm not sure the fruit is there to blossom once the tannins calm down. If you have this, though, you might as well wait, because it isn't giving that much pleasure now.
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Decanted 3 hours, drank over 5. Decent right out of the bottle but improved after 1+ hour. Nothing great but has what I like in bordeaux. Pencil/graphite nose and palate, restrained dark fruit, nice smooth tannins. Fruit retreated a little after an hour but started to come back with the last swallow. Great for the price (19.97!)
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After an hour it began to show some fruit but the oak is still dominant. Give this another 2 years before trying again. This will probably improve another two points.
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I was a little disappointed with the 2001 Armailhac. Right off the bad, nice spice, dark fruit, cedar, and a slightly fat gamey character. This receded rather quickly and the resulting wine is still pretty tight and a bit thin I think. Maybe it will open up in a few years, but I'm not sure that it has the balance.
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Good color, spice, fruit and tannin, but I still expect this property to show better (given its location). Might show better in a few years. (But I'll wait for the 2003s). Paired well with baked brie and bread.
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Ruby to purple color in the glass. Decanted for appox. one hour. Seemed rather tight. Nice flavors of rich spices, chocolate, and a bit of charcoal or graphite. Very nice texture and lovely soft mouthfeel. I suspect that it will open up with a few years in the bottle.
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5/21/2023 - azogas Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purchased at auction and still holding up remarkably well and only got better with time in the decanter. I feel it’s slightly past it’s best showing but tannins and acid have balanced out well giving this wonderful structure and finesse. Medium body. Not as complex as I had hoped but still a classic example of Pauillac. Dominated by tertiary notes of pencil shavings, cigar ash, leather and tobacco but still an abundance of a red fruit. Definitely drink these asap.
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4/14/2023 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 92 Points
Velvety Pauillac: tobacco, earthy, blackcurrant, graphite, black fruit, cigar box, medium body, long dry dark fruit dominant finish.
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6/30/2022 - Two Winos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully.
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6/24/2022 - Stoic Warrior wrote: 89 Points
Last bottle of case. Hmm, I see this is my only review of this wine, which I bought en primeur and which has been enjoyed over the last decade for what is was - a mid priced mid ranked Paulliac. May have held this last one a bit too long though. Some residual fruit evident but this wine is now beyond earthy and tertiary; it is dry and short. If you have any left, drink up.
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6/3/2022 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 94 Points
At a wine bar. Popped and poured, and *poof* it disappeared in what seemed to be 30 minutes. Knocking it up a point from the bottle I had last year. 2001 Bordeaux continues to amaze.
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4/7/2022 - msauer wrote: 90 Points
Klassisch, gut.
erfreulich : nur 12,5 % , nichts fehlt
jetzt optimal zu trinken. abgerundet, kein Holz mehr
Cabernet- dominiert
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7/2/2021 - caspernick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Twenty years ago I bought a case of this Fifth Growth Bordeaux. Last year I gave this bottle as a house warming gift to friends, who sat on it and waited for my return. This past weekend we opened it in all its glory- it was delicious.
Totally showing its age with some serious bricking and sediment in the bottle, it is medium tawny in color. The nose is loaded with tertiary flavors of tobacco, cedar, leather, stewed prune and cinnamon stick. The palate is super smooth with tannins that are so integrated and balanced by a modicum of acidity. The fruit flavors have pretty much disappeared- it’s all about the tertiary notes. Classic Bourdaux that’s been aged with a smooth mouth feel.
Tell you what- there’s still some back end juiciness and tannic grip which tell me this wine has a little more life in it! Tremendous value when I bought it back in the day. 92 points, which is amazing considering the pros went with high 80’s when they first tasted it. The ’01 Left Bank vintage has outperformed anyones expectations as can be witnessed by this exceptional bottle that is currently running $80 at auction. 5 stars, but drink this delicate juice sooner rather than later.
https://caspernick.com/2021/07/02/baron-philippe-de-rothschild-chateau-darmailhac-2001-pauillac-france/
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6/12/2021 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 92 Points
This 2001 was very closed 2017 & 2018, so much acid.
Now in a perfect matured shape.
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2/13/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
From magnum. Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. Did not need a decant. Expressive and well within its drinking window. Classic Bordeaux and another great example from the 2001 vintage. Secondary notes present and fully mature.
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2/12/2021 - SonnyChiba wrote: 94 Points
Drank from a magnum. This was stunning. Such an excellent example of fine Bordeaux in a great drinking window. Complex wine with a great balance of rich dark fruit, secondary notes, and cigar box / tobacco on the finish. Another classic style 2001 that is drinking excellent right now.
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1/24/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Progressed nicely. Mid weight, rather red fruit driven with tobacco and mint notes. Maybe more medicinal on night one.
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9/18/2020 - PFLK Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very straight and solid wine. Mature. Got it blind and did not see it as a Bordeaux wine, but is a classic Brd. wine. Still a good glass.
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6/24/2020 - steinersing wrote: 90 Points
very respectable - great value for money. not super deep but a pleasant Bordeaux with some complexity.
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3/12/2020 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and served. This is now in a great place , full of well evolved notes from nose to palate. Leather, earthy , soft spice, dark fruits . A textbook pauillac down to the soft austere palate. Well round and silky tannin. A solid 92 and one for the classic and evolved claret loving animals.
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5/18/2019 - ArizonaWineGuy Likes this wine: 87 Points
Brick red in color, showing some age. Classic Pauillac nose, though rather subdued. Very soft on the attack, with barely noticeable tannins. Some fruit, perhaps plum and cherry, tris to come through, but never fully evolves. Not much going on with the finish, as the essence of the wine exits rapidly.
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5/10/2019 - maxima wrote: flawed
Déviante/Morte!
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10/26/2018 - Joseph.dimonte Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very good. Lost a little punch, but enjoyed by everyone. Didn’t need much time to open, surprisingly.
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6/19/2018 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 89 Points
To acid ... decant for 2 hours
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4/22/2018 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 87 Points
So acid ...
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11/26/2017 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 91 Points
A pleasant surprise: I feared I had left it too late, but not at all, this was still vibrant and full of fruit. Softer than usual, but after a trademark nose of cigar box and cassis, this was full of red berries on a cassis base with a persistent, charming finish. If well stored, this should be ok for a few more years but probably better to enjoy it now.
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11/5/2017 - vintage52 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice Bordeaux, would likely have been better a few years ago. Text book tobacco and cedar on the nose. Mellow aged flavours. Bit short. Drink up.
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9/4/2017 - Two Winos Likes this wine: 88 Points
I've been tasting through the early 00's vintages of this recently and this 2001 was disappointing compared to 02-04. It wasn't bad, just lacking in richness and fullness that I expect from these wines.
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7/11/2017 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well balanced, drink now.
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7/3/2017 - chokkon Likes this wine: 89 Points
18c: no decant: dark ruby-red: nose of tobacco, pipe, barn, leather: still well structured, gripping tannins and fruit: touch of fat, cherry tobacco, pine sap, caramel, deep black fruit, long finish: 18
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11/13/2016 - Deryl Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was a little better than the last two. Decanted about 30 minutes. Nicely balanced. Not funky.
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10/30/2016 - stinkycook Likes this wine:
Beautiful bouquet. Great drinking window
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10/24/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #233; French or not French? (@ My place): Last of 6 and that is ok. In the bouquet a classical wine with dark forest fruits, smoke, oak, cinnamon and cedar. On the palate the dark forest fruits are still quite youthful. There is vanilla, good acidity and still good tannin as well. Overall a lovely wine which never really overwhelmed me because of the lack of concentration and some more luxurious flavors. But maybe I am mistaken and will this wine shows to be great somewhere in the 2020’s. I won’t be able to check this from my own collection… Nevertheless a very good wine and nothing wrong with it. 90 - 91
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5/12/2016 - Bordeaux_Jon Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine was great! It's clearly very mature and the fruit on the nose is turning into an old wine funkiness which became more apparent over the hour I drank the wine. At first, there was red and black fruits, mushroom, and a metallic Pauillac note, but over time the red fruit and funk dominated. The palate was really smooth, medium bodied, elegant and feminine and so easy to drink without any food. This is in a great place now and was probably great or even greater 5 years ago.
The 2001 Left Bank Bordeaux (aside from the 1st Growths) are really in a great place right now. Drink away!
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5/1/2016 - Deryl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted about an hour. Nice wine, not a lot of nose or fruit, a slight funk. Ready to drink now.
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4/13/2016 - Dr_Bob wrote: 91 Points
stored in temperature controlled cellar from release ~54 degrees; loads of fruit left, i'm saying my stash will last another few years; 1 hour decant;
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2/13/2016 - Deryl Likes this wine: 89 Points
On the downhill side. Fruit is almost gone. Got better later on. Let it breath at least an hour next time.
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1/1/2016 - Mr Coone Likes this wine: 85 Points
Bottle was a little bit dissapointing actually.
Tried another vintage a little while ago and was pleasantly surprised by this Château.
Opened the bottle a couple of hours before serving and served it with some boar stew.
Nose was very faint and it also didn't show much on the palate.
don't think this wine has many years left. Drink now I'd say.
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7/18/2015 - Zweder Likes this wine: 91 Points
PWS (@ DE?): Beautiful bouquet with cassis, graphite, smoke, tobacco, coffee and mocha. On the palate the same luxurious ingredients with luxurious oak. Beautiful fresh acidity and friendly tannin which still has a pleasant bite and is a bit drying in the finish. Not a concentrated blockbuster, but a very elegant and refined wine. Completely ready now. Probably wise to drink it over the next two years.
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6/26/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical funky pauillac nose, with subtle pipe
tobacco and some red fruit. Palate is rather soft with mild fine tannins in the background. Mix of red and black fruits, some mature notes, and with a light to medium bodied palate for a left bank bdx. Despite its lack of power, it shows plenty of polish and elegance. Medium finish. Seems to be drinking very well now.
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6/23/2015 - Charlemagnefinewines Likes this wine: 91 Points
sleek, very stylish, the finish is not too long, obviously overshadowed by 2000, but this is typical Pauillac. Dark red fruit and some cassis, which hasn't really gone into the Tobacco or leather yet. The overriding feature was the style and elegance of this wine. I think it has another 2-3 years of top class drinking before it fades.. Very nice
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7/13/2014 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2011 Bordeaux & others (Mike's): Notes of red and black fruit, spice and earth. Medium-bodied and drinking nicely, if a bit on the simple side. Red fruit and forest floor tones carrying through the finish.
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5/26/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Light, bright, medium bodied, mature, soft textured and focused on cassis, cranberry, cherry and tobacco notes, the wine is pleasant, but not exciting.
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2/17/2014 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group #107; A fully blind test. (@ My place): Creamy bouquet with cassis, smoke, tobacco and beautiful oak. On the palate good cassis and dark forest fruits, graphite, some brush wood, autumn impressions. Beautiful acidity and tannin with still a pleasant bite. This wine surprises again. Showing more and more luxury and finesse. It is still improving compared to previous notes. 91 for now, but I won't be surprised if it scores 92 in a year or so.
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2/14/2014 - Tao wrote: 88 Points
Deep ruby in colour with a touch of orange hue! A little nose of spice, dark fruits! Quite smooth on the palate, mouthful of dark fruits! Quite simple! Should keep well for few more years!
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12/28/2013 - chokkon Likes this wine:
no decant; dark garnet: nose of cedar, black cherry, wet leather, herbs: gripping tannins, lively fruit: fat, pine sap, black cherry, sage: 18.
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11/20/2013 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cassis and cedar on the nose, but not all that expressive. Quite strict and restrained on the palate, with good notes of blackcurrant, an interesting middle section of softer blackberry and dark cherry, and a fresh, precise finish. After the spectacular 00 I was hoping for better, but this will improve over the next few years. The acidity is good, the tannic structure is impressive, a serious wine that just lacks a little sparkle to be top notch.
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10/5/2013 - octopussy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bordeaux 2001 Blind Tasting (+ two 2000s): Dark Bordeaux-red, lighter towards the rim. In the nose, this is rather "male" and marked by Cabernet with notes of musk, dark berries. It's got good balance and is shimmering with finesse. On the palate, it's very male again, slightly furry and edgy, but nicely balanced with good acidity and a long finish marked by red currant and sour cherries. Makes me wanna drink more of it. Great Pauillac.
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7/14/2013 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): Notes of dark fruit, currants, cigar box and pencil lead. Black currant, plum and earthy forest floor notes on the palate. Light- to medium-bodied, finishing a bit on the short side for my liking, else it'd have scored a couple points higher.
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12/26/2012 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 91 Points
Served with Christmas dinner (lamb with rustic porcini sauce). Drinking really well. Dark fruit. Very structured. Decent length on the finish. Will likely benefit from a few more years in the cellar, but worked perfectly for this meal.
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11/11/2012 - welchcellars Likes this wine: 89 Points
I've had this several times and I liked this bottle better than the last. I'm learning that some of these older wines need more time to settle down after shipping.
Nice Pauillic nose and mouthfeel with short decant. Doesn't over deliver for the price, which has been creeping up over the last decade. (I remember buying a magnum of 96 for 60.00)
Still a decent experience. Will buy again if on sale...
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11/1/2012 - stephane wrote: 80 Points
At the start the nose and taste are certainly Pauillac but sensations fade rather rapidly. No length and not a very structure taste (a bit diluted). A bit disappointed.
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10/5/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
consistent with the bottle of 2 yrs ago, this is showing well, but, as expected previously, is on the downward slide. Acids are trumping fruit and tannins at this stage. While it works well enough with food right now, it's not very pleasant on its own. Drink thru 2014
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8/7/2012 - tomandlu wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and served immediately. Deep garnet-red color, though not as deep as the 1994 Las Cases that came before it. Soaring nose of cassis, cedar, tobacco, iron, and sous bois. Rich and complete on the palate with very good fruit, moderate tannin and good acidity. It's surprisingly mouthfilling for a 2001. A pleasant surprise given the producer and vintage. It bested the 1994 Las Cases that preceded it, barely.
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5/1/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 84 Points
Non-blind. From refrigerated 3 days opened btl.
Leather and Bordeaux-typical earthiness and some emerging porty tones.
Taste is elegant with good acidity and resolved tannins pinned up on a slightly anorectic body. After a while it develops a persistent, foul taste on the palate. HURWEN!
* Rather thin juice with no oompfh and no hope. Absolutely devoid of QPR. Will not choose again.
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4/26/2012 - englishman's claret wrote: 89 Points
750. Maturing disc. Cassis, cedar, coffee nose. Not the most concentrated, but at least convincingly Pauillac. Still tannic but not overbearing. Simple cassis finish.
3+/5
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4/24/2012 - rho wrote: 93 Points
A pleasant surprise. Opened without decant and drink over a 3 hours period with dinner. Chocolate aromas!!! Integrated tannin with oak and pencil, leather, sweat dark fruits. Full bodied with a long finish. Almost give this away to a friend. Saving the last bottle for a few more years. This is turning me into a Paulliac fan.
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3/26/2012 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Weekly tasting group #024; Bordeaux 2001 (@ VD): Again this was a beautiful experience. Garnet color. In the bouquet licorice, graphite, cassis and smooth, luxurious oak and cedar. A slight touch of pleasant barnyard as well. In the mouth more full bodied than I recall from previous occasions, with a firm amount of bitterness and also fruits like cassis and blackberries. Graphite and a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity. The tannin is soft and still offers a pleasant bite. Good length and everything is beautifully integrated in this wine. Still early maturity and a score of 90 for the moment.
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2/19/2012 - JMAC03 wrote: 88 Points
Drinks ok but nothing special. Would drink up since its not going to improve.
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12/14/2011 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #064; Bordeaux; Pauillac (By RvD): Beautiful and luxurious, already a bit developed bouquet, with a touch of barnyard, cigar box, caramel, leather, cassis and some graphite. On the palate the same impressions. Not extremely concentrated, but a pleasant bit of sweetness, firm acidity, drying bitterness and still sticky tannin which is a bit green. A light weight, but certainly a pleasant Pauillac. Ready now and for the next 5 years.
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12/2/2011 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Crimson color. A little bretty- almost too much; also forest floor, plum and dark fruit flavors. Medium-bodied, with flavors of plum, red currants, forest floor and earth.
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12/2/2011 - Vino Me wrote: 88 Points
Opened by Allred. Not decanted. Typical d'Arailhac old world, earthy, muted fruit style. Aromas of smoke and cocoa. Higher acidity. Earthy with mushroom, currant, minerals and tar. Moderate tannins. To put this in perspective, of the previous d'Armailhacs that I've had, the 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2003 were better. The 1971 was not as good. the 1997 and 1999 were on par with this wine. 88 points.
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10/30/2011 - drthirst wrote: 89 Points
Beautiful and delicius. Typical for the area ; anticipated a weak vintage, however, my fears were not met. This vintage is ripe for drinking now and may to the best of my judgement be kept for 2-3 years more.
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10/16/2011 - vinole wrote: flawed
This bottle was a brett bomb. Nothing like my last bottle. Still drinkable, but not pleasant.
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6/23/2011 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5cl. Gorgeous on opening, gorgeous to the last drop. Rather feminine and slender for a Pauillac, with a pervasive and deeply sexy blueberry element from the (woodland, cedar, pine) scent though the bright morello-tinged entry to the satisfying furry-tannic finish. I wish I had bought a lot more of this at 12,90€/half-bottle. 90P
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5/22/2011 - rho wrote: 90 Points
Classic aged Paulliac. Smooth resolved tannin and not much fruit left. Drink now.
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2/3/2011 - rho wrote: 90 Points
Medium to full bodied. Starts with strong Vanilla aromas. Notes of currant, earth, pencil, minerals and a nice long finish. Still plenty of tannin at this age.
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10/3/2010 - rickspicks wrote: 88 Points
While it had textbook Pauillac aromas and flavors, it was rather lean and austere. Not as much fruit as I recall in prior bottles. Still, it had good balance and was a decent wine.
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7/14/2010 - Tim Heaton wrote:
decanted 1 hr. Dark ruby core, with a fairly expressive nose of dried herbs, currants, graphite and dark earth. The palate is medium bodied with ample acidity and a medium finish. The tannins and fruit have aged well, yet I imagine this is about as good as it's going to get for this bottle. Drink thru 2013.
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7/6/2010 - waibeans wrote: 90 Points
nice med body, initial vanilla tones that faded away as it opened up. good overall
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4/9/2010 - Old_Winyards wrote:
Nice solid Bordeaux, with typical currant and some graphite flavors. Smoothe mouthfeel and nice acidity.
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2/22/2010 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Another nice bottle displaying textbook Pauillac flavors and aromas, good balance and a medium body. Overall very enjoyable.
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1/22/2010 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
A bit more fruit and body than some prior bottles, and probably the best bottle yet for me. I liked the typical medoc bordeaux flavors of dark fruits, minerals and some herbs. Mid-weight, but also just a bit lean and acidic.
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11/27/2009 - chokkon wrote:
opened 3 hours, w/ shoulder glass: dark garnet: nose of cedar, black cherry, wet leather, herbs: gripping (adolescent)) tannins and lively fruit: fat, pine sap, black cherry, sage: nice Pauillac tension: 18.
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11/22/2009 - grossie wrote: 91 Points
From Magnum. Medium red color. Terrific nose- some pauillac graphite,a little spice, and definitely rich red fruit. In the mouth this one sings- rich, with a beautiful mouthfeel and definitely some strong fruit. Not obvious or overdone, it all seems in balance. The tannin is present but it feels balanced with the body of the wine. I feel like this is drinking at peak right now & probably doesn't improve much with more time. Drink now, or within 3-5 years, but not much longer. I wish every $20 wine would drink like this at age 8!
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11/11/2009 - vinole wrote: 89 Points
First sip had me unimpressed, but after warming and getting air in the decanter for about 45 min, it became a nice Bordeaux with currant fruit, medium body and acidity, and a nice touch of earth on the finish. Not a wine that grabs attention, but a very well made and a textbook Pauillac for its level and price ($20). Drinking well now. Nice match with roasted sirloin tips and vegetables.
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8/3/2009 - markjanes wrote: 82 Points
Tasted with the 2001 Château Bahans Haut-Brion... more youthful and extracted at the rim... a little darker in color. On the nose a moderate amount of black currant fruit = new barrique spice... still quite primary in nature. On the palate moderate + to high acidity, a very noticeable, classic Cabernet tight and firm midpalate of low + breadth that transitions well into a firm, moderately ripe at best, slight coarse tannic structure. Moderate alcohol. The wine is balanced with fruit ripeness and oak influence and is more firm than soft... moderate + intensity, moderate - complexity and length. Certainly a very "classically" structured Bordeaux with finesse and a fine, but firm texture... over the night the wine really seemed to lose some of its Pauillac-ness becoming a bit muddled though ironically more complex aroma wise. Modernly styled wine in a classic Bordeaux structure package... I was a little concerned with the evolution of the wine over the night... I might hold this wine a year or two as it may be transitioning into a tighter phase though it certainly isn't a wine with layers of flavor and complexity to burn...
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7/14/2009 - chokkon wrote:
18c: no decant: dark ruby-red: nose of tobacco, pipe, barn, leather: soundly structured, with gripping tannins and fruit: touch of fat, cherry tobacco, pine sap, caramel, deep black fruit, long finish: 17
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6/14/2009 - tbuysse wrote: 90 Points
Very good, and drinking perfectly well now.
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6/10/2009 - Yiannis wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby-purple. Expressive nose with lots of cassis fruit, herbs, spices and esspresso coffee. Mid-bodied, austere, with slightly stiff tannins, moderate fruit and high acidity. Long finish with herbs and esspresso. Nicely structured but needs time to gain weight and roundness. However, it paired nicely with a variety of grilled meats, and was a perfect match with traditional greek country sausage!
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5/28/2009 - Ivin wrote: 88 Points
Upon first glance, rather thin and acidic. Yet after letting it warm up, there is some classic bdx charm - cassis, white flowers, a delicate earthiness. Far from great, but pleasant.
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5/4/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 88 Points
Similar to prior bottle(s). Dark, but slightly lean fruit with some minerals and herbs. Medium weight with a somewhat thin mouthfeel. Nothing wrong, but nothing to compliment. Finish is slightly bitter.
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4/1/2009 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
Pure pleasure. Excellent scent and taste, both obviously Pauillac. About 2 years away from being au point, great with lamb. 90P
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2/7/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 87 Points
Somewhat disappointing as this bottle did not show much fruit. What fruit was there was very dark with some herbs and mineral in the background. Mid-weight but with a slightly thin mouthfeel and a somewhat short finish. Seemed very closed, but not sure it has the capacity to open up. I hope that more fruit will emerge over time, however, I don't think the fruit is hidden, I think it is just not there.
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11/28/2008 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
Good, solid bordeaux with a slightly earthy nose and dark fruit flavors. Smooth with good balance and a medium body.
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9/11/2008 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Not really impressive, but certainly an excellent wine. A lot of cassis, bitterness, very good oak, a little cigar box and firm tannin. Still a bit too young. Lacks the complexity of the really great wines.
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1/8/2008 - wine_envy wrote: 93 Points
Very good. Classic mid-weight bordeaux with smooth tannins and good structure.
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12/7/2007 - Jochems wrote: 87 Points
Ruby color with some slight bricking at the rim. Full aromas of black fruit and herbs with hints of vanilla. Medium bodied, smooth and fresh on the palate with almost all tanines resolved. Short, but fresh finish.
Drink now - 2009
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5/2/2007 - g-man wrote: 87 Points
This seems to be going the wrong way with time. In the glass it shows a nice glycerine but on the palate it comes across as weak and thin. As last time, I'll go another two years and see what happens. Hopefully it will put on some weight and show a little more. This is nothing like the 2000 which I had recently, it was very forthcoming and expressive.
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6/11/2006 - tomandlu wrote: 88 Points
Decanted about 3 hours. Good, deep red color. Nose was what I think of classic Pauillac - cedar, cassis, oak, earth - with nothing extra. On the palate it had good fruit and dry (dusty) tannins. Again, what I would expect but nothing truly exciting. Good fininsh. All in all a delicious drink with grilled beef tenderloin. Has plenty of life left. Hopefully it will develop more complexity.
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6/2/2006 - jim dixon wrote: 86 Points
I admit that in the past I've been under-impressed with this wine (and with Clerc Milon) and this bottle was no exception. It took about an hour for the wine to lose an initially bitter finish, but even then it remained tannic and tight. Perhaps time will improve this wine, but I'm not sure the fruit is there to blossom once the tannins calm down. If you have this, though, you might as well wait, because it isn't giving that much pleasure now.
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2/5/2006 - Cirrhotic wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 3 hours, drank over 5. Decent right out of the bottle but improved after 1+ hour. Nothing great but has what I like in bordeaux. Pencil/graphite nose and palate, restrained dark fruit, nice smooth tannins. Fruit retreated a little after an hour but started to come back with the last swallow. Great for the price (19.97!)
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11/2/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
2001 Claret Tasting (Vintners' Hall, London): A little dumb, quite forward, very approacable
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7/13/2005 - g-man wrote: 88 Points
After an hour it began to show some fruit but the oak is still dominant. Give this another 2 years before trying again. This will probably improve another two points.
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6/17/2005 - cookie7 wrote: 88 Points
Nose of lead pencil and rubber. Medium-bodies, lead pencil, earth. minerals. Nice-fair price at $30
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5/23/2005 - Mark wrote: 87 Points
I was a little disappointed with the 2001 Armailhac. Right off the bad, nice spice, dark fruit, cedar, and a slightly fat gamey character. This receded rather quickly and the resulting wine is still pretty tight and a bit thin I think. Maybe it will open up in a few years, but I'm not sure that it has the balance.
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1/1/2005 - TashNYC wrote: 88 Points
Good color, spice, fruit and tannin, but I still expect this property to show better (given its location). Might show better in a few years. (But I'll wait for the 2003s). Paired well with baked brie and bread.
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11/30/2004 - ajlewis wrote: 88 Points
Ruby to purple color in the glass. Decanted for appox. one hour. Seemed rather tight. Nice flavors of rich spices, chocolate, and a bit of charcoal or graphite. Very nice texture and lovely soft mouthfeel. I suspect that it will open up with a few years in the bottle.
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