This is a wine that is definitely getting towards the end of its life - as expected with the vintage - but also a great representation of the plentitude of complexity mature Bordeaux has to offer. Having really enjoyed the 1975 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou in January, I decided to open up the 1976 vintage at The Noortwyck in New York City. The nose exuded a lot of tertiary aromas as cedar wood and tobacco were dominant, accompanied by a lovely scent of maraschino cherries and cassis. The palate still offered a good amount of fruit for the first hour, boasting red cherries and licorice in the upfront before a distinct black pepper note medlied with earthiness in the mid-palate. There was an air of energetic tension to the finish as tobacco exuded strength while a light mint note added freshness to a wine you wouldn't expect that from. The tannins were resolved and this wine probably needs to be drunk soon, but nevertheless it's still an extremely great experience nearly half a century down the line.
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Still had a bit of life. Opened and poured right away. Still some fruit and great nose. I don’t think these have much more life but if you have it, drink up
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Definitely past its prime but exudes that mellow confidence of an old Bordeaux or Barolo — no noticeably tannins, nice acidity, hints of mushrooms and sherry and black tea and smoke, all just comfortably hanging out on your palate and making you feel happy about life. Gets a little thin by the second glass so I might have given it a higher score with just one glass, but overall a pleasant companion.
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Brickish red, earth and funk, not much fruit left, generally flat and tired. Definitely past it’s life (or at least this bottle was) I wouldn’t seek it out for a revisit.
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Good condition, bottom of neck fill, intact cork soaked 50%. 4h audoze and a short decant to remove the considerable sediment. Medium garnet in the center with a wide, orange rim and low turbidity.
Fragrant and expressive. Bouquet of dried strawberry, jubilant tart cherry, pressed Alpine flower, savory hardwood smoke, slightly metallic mineral, garden soil, and well-worn canvas and leather. The red fruit elements, both fresh and dried and a dollop of cedar feature on the palate. We noted a med(+) body, still-bright med(-) acid, a bit of tartness that lessens with air, and a whisper of creamy tannins. Alcohol is invisible (bottle says 11% abv). Finishes long, phasing through orange rind, sasparilla, cedar, and tobacco.
Unlikely to improve further, drink now and for another 5y. Excellent 92.
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During an exuberant wash down the 2020 Covid year with some good Bordeaux Lunch&Dinner. Nice showing here, tertiary notes, forest floor, real sweetness here supporting the otherwise crisp tannins. Had it again a month later and it showed even better. Wonderful mature Medoc nose, elegant and aristocratic.
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Pnp. Perfect bottle: bottom neck fill,label completely gone, clean and dry top of cork with only 1/3 of the end stained. Transparent garnet with almost no browning towards the clear rim. Fine wood spices, some dry fruit, a touch cedar, very clean and not showing much tertiary leather or tobacco notes, at the same time the fruit lacks depth or concentration to go anywhere from here. Good freshness and delineation. Light to medium tannins, short finish. Good time to drink now, but well stored bottles will no doubt still be fine 10 years from now
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Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was earthy yet still lively with dried strawberry, cherry, crushed fall leaves, moist soil tones, dried florals, and minerals. On the palate, I found a lively and fresh expression, displaying wonderfully pure red fruits, with cedar, brown spice, licorice, minerals and brisk acidity. It finished long, lingering on minerals and spice with notes of lifted dried strawberry and inner floral tones. What a thoroughly enjoyable wine.
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A 40th Birthday Celebration (River North, Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Ripeness through with cigarbox, mushroom and good spice. I enjoyed this quite a bit, but think there was another bottle opened of lesser quality.
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Ageing red. At first smell seemed well past it, but after decanting, gently floral and a little fruit appearing. very much an elderly lady, but still elegant and hanging in there. soft red fruit, bit of cedar, but needs drinking pretty soon.
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Mature brick like colors. Wine is at the end of it's life. Sour cherries on the nose. It fades away quickly so good idea not to decant. Open and let it sit in the bottle for 30 minutes I think will work best. Has some sour bitterness at the end consistent with the nose. Still very drinkable. Have to give it credit though not a lot of wines can hold up 34 years.
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Mature colour with brownish hues, what a complex nose, herbaceous but loads of black currants, dried herds and smoke. It took a while to open up nicely, drinking well now and it still can be cellared for few more years. Smooth, loads of black currant and dried herbs on palate, very good mid palate and fine grained tannins with long finish.
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This bottle was peaking. Cork in much better shape than the last one I opened, and wine at the base neck. Not a strong immediate bouquet, let it sit for an hour and then it really came together. so smooth, and gentle but lovely structure... very lively fruits...
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Well, I was inspired to try this bottle after having been blown away by the spectacular 1970 last week, but I toned down my expectations. I was concerned that this (and the other 5 in my cellar) was past its prime based on prior reviews. This bottle was reasonably high in the neck. The cork was slightly problematic and crumbled a bit. Seepage was to about 1/4 inch of the top of the cork. But the bouquet was immediately noticeable, flowery, not powerful but encouraging. We decanted for about 30 minutes. Beautiful deep brick color, not too much sediment. The wine was lovely: caramel and dried fruits that never faded throughout, structure was good - no hint of flatness.
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i guess we needed this experience to learn what is referred to by the description "dried out". low neck fill. problematic cork. no ullage. 4/5 shank penetration. significant adhesion. dry rot center. needed three instruments to remove. the wine was totally dumb when opened. after 15 minutes the slightest hint of fruit could be detected. lasted about another 15 minutes then went back to sleep. no tannins, almost no alcohol. significant dregs. i am not going to second guess the pundits on this one. this wine should have been consumed many years ago.
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In the bouquet there is good oak and a bit of sweetness. The wine is fully mature. Full bodied, soft and complex. Creamy and also in the taste some sweetness. Long aftertaste. There are some chemical impressions as well, but overall this is a beautiful and soft wine. Drink NOW!
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Dark carmine. Very deep and rich bouquet with a lot of flavours like barnyard, cassis, liquorice and also some alcohol. The tannin is beautifully soft. There is good oak and juicy berries (mainly black). Full bodied. Although fully mature the wine will probably hold this level for 1 or 2 years.
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3/20/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a wine that is definitely getting towards the end of its life - as expected with the vintage - but also a great representation of the plentitude of complexity mature Bordeaux has to offer. Having really enjoyed the 1975 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou in January, I decided to open up the 1976 vintage at The Noortwyck in New York City. The nose exuded a lot of tertiary aromas as cedar wood and tobacco were dominant, accompanied by a lovely scent of maraschino cherries and cassis. The palate still offered a good amount of fruit for the first hour, boasting red cherries and licorice in the upfront before a distinct black pepper note medlied with earthiness in the mid-palate. There was an air of energetic tension to the finish as tobacco exuded strength while a light mint note added freshness to a wine you wouldn't expect that from. The tannins were resolved and this wine probably needs to be drunk soon, but nevertheless it's still an extremely great experience nearly half a century down the line.
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2/10/2024 - apm1023 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still had a bit of life. Opened and poured right away. Still some fruit and great nose. I don’t think these have much more life but if you have it, drink up
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11/19/2023 - sh6k Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely past its prime but exudes that mellow confidence of an old Bordeaux or Barolo — no noticeably tannins, nice acidity, hints of mushrooms and sherry and black tea and smoke, all just comfortably hanging out on your palate and making you feel happy about life. Gets a little thin by the second glass so I might have given it a higher score with just one glass, but overall a pleasant companion.
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11/25/2022 - The Wine Monkeys wrote: 78 Points
Brickish red, earth and funk, not much fruit left, generally flat and tired. Definitely past it’s life (or at least this bottle was) I wouldn’t seek it out for a revisit.
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3/30/2022 - Wineson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent drinking
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11/28/2021 - pkbowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good condition, bottom of neck fill, intact cork soaked 50%. 4h audoze and a short decant to remove the considerable sediment. Medium garnet in the center with a wide, orange rim and low turbidity.
Fragrant and expressive. Bouquet of dried strawberry, jubilant tart cherry, pressed Alpine flower, savory hardwood smoke, slightly metallic mineral, garden soil, and well-worn canvas and leather. The red fruit elements, both fresh and dried and a dollop of cedar feature on the palate. We noted a med(+) body, still-bright med(-) acid, a bit of tartness that lessens with air, and a whisper of creamy tannins. Alcohol is invisible (bottle says 11% abv). Finishes long, phasing through orange rind, sasparilla, cedar, and tobacco.
Unlikely to improve further, drink now and for another 5y. Excellent 92.
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11/4/2021 - Wineson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well
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12/21/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
During an exuberant wash down the 2020 Covid year with some good Bordeaux Lunch&Dinner. Nice showing here, tertiary notes, forest floor, real sweetness here supporting the otherwise crisp tannins. Had it again a month later and it showed even better. Wonderful mature Medoc nose, elegant and aristocratic.
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11/13/2020 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pnp. Perfect bottle: bottom neck fill,label completely gone, clean and dry top of cork with only 1/3 of the end stained. Transparent garnet with almost no browning towards the clear rim. Fine wood spices, some dry fruit, a touch cedar, very clean and not showing much tertiary leather or tobacco notes, at the same time the fruit lacks depth or concentration to go anywhere from here. Good freshness and delineation. Light to medium tannins, short finish. Good time to drink now, but well stored bottles will no doubt still be fine 10 years from now
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6/20/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was earthy yet still lively with dried strawberry, cherry, crushed fall leaves, moist soil tones, dried florals, and minerals. On the palate, I found a lively and fresh expression, displaying wonderfully pure red fruits, with cedar, brown spice, licorice, minerals and brisk acidity. It finished long, lingering on minerals and spice with notes of lifted dried strawberry and inner floral tones. What a thoroughly enjoyable wine.
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12/3/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
A 40th Birthday Celebration (River North, Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Ripeness through with cigarbox, mushroom and good spice. I enjoyed this quite a bit, but think there was another bottle opened of lesser quality.
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8/17/2016 - Nekodab wrote: 96 Points
Elegant, smooth & old
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6/14/2016 - Sean Tay wrote:
Sour cherries, smoke, cedar, toast. At the tail end of cycle. Drink up.
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4/16/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Lots of smoke, truffle and tobacco going on here, but not much fruit. Medium bodied, with a red berry character, this requires drinking.
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9/13/2015 - tmhouse Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully mature. Subtle nose. Very smooth. Perfectly integrated. Decanted for 30 minutes, best after an hour and a half.
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9/8/2015 - latimer Likes this wine: 88 Points
Ageing red. At first smell seemed well past it, but after decanting, gently floral and a little fruit appearing. very much an elderly lady, but still elegant and hanging in there. soft red fruit, bit of cedar, but needs drinking pretty soon.
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5/23/2015 - RayOB wrote: 88 Points
Drank in London
Slightly faded but still some life. Some tertiary notes with a slight sweetness on the palate.
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8/14/2013 - G_H Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a wine, perfectly stored. Classic bordeaux nose, leather, almonds, forest floor, so good!!
Stellar for the vintage
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8/5/2012 - GEDC wrote: 90 Points
Mature brick like colors. Wine is at the end of it's life. Sour cherries on the nose. It fades away quickly so good idea not to decant. Open and let it sit in the bottle for 30 minutes I think will work best. Has some sour bitterness at the end consistent with the nose. Still very drinkable. Have to give it credit though not a lot of wines can hold up 34 years.
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2/5/2012 - Kris G wrote: 93 Points
still in prime condition, still some tension in the acids, and there is some fruit left
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11/26/2010 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
Mature colour with brownish hues, what a complex nose, herbaceous but loads of black currants, dried herds and smoke. It took a while to open up nicely, drinking well now and it still can be cellared for few more years. Smooth, loads of black currant and dried herbs on palate, very good mid palate and fine grained tannins with long finish.
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11/30/2009 - daniei wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was peaking. Cork in much better shape than the last one I opened, and wine at the base neck. Not a strong immediate bouquet, let it sit for an hour and then it really came together. so smooth, and gentle but lovely structure... very lively fruits...
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5/10/2009 - daniei wrote: 89 Points
Well, I was inspired to try this bottle after having been blown away by the spectacular 1970 last week, but I toned down my expectations. I was concerned that this (and the other 5 in my cellar) was past its prime based on prior reviews. This bottle was reasonably high in the neck. The cork was slightly problematic and crumbled a bit. Seepage was to about 1/4 inch of the top of the cork. But the bouquet was immediately noticeable, flowery, not powerful but encouraging. We decanted for about 30 minutes. Beautiful deep brick color, not too much sediment. The wine was lovely: caramel and dried fruits that never faded throughout, structure was good - no hint of flatness.
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7/7/2007 - BIlgen wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful ruby-red colour, mature but lifely
Nose with nuance and depth, complex
Fine taste, round, soft and depth, full, very well balanced
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1/27/2007 - bacchus wrote: 82 Points
i guess we needed this experience to learn what is referred to by the description "dried out". low neck fill. problematic cork. no ullage. 4/5 shank penetration. significant adhesion. dry rot center. needed three instruments to remove. the wine was totally dumb when opened. after 15 minutes the slightest hint of fruit could be detected. lasted about another 15 minutes then went back to sleep. no tannins, almost no alcohol. significant dregs. i am not going to second guess the pundits on this one. this wine should have been consumed many years ago.
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6/9/1995 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
In the bouquet there is good oak and a bit of sweetness. The wine is fully mature. Full bodied, soft and complex. Creamy and also in the taste some sweetness. Long aftertaste. There are some chemical impressions as well, but overall this is a beautiful and soft wine. Drink NOW!
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11/20/1992 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Dark carmine. Very deep and rich bouquet with a lot of flavours like barnyard, cassis, liquorice and also some alcohol. The tannin is beautifully soft. There is good oak and juicy berries (mainly black). Full bodied. Although fully mature the wine will probably hold this level for 1 or 2 years.
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