Good value and in fine form with 12 years of age. It’s drinking nicely right now with fresh and modern touches of plum, cassis, black tea, and a whisper of dried lavender.
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Needs a ton of air or better...more time. On day 2, it reveals an amazing amount of rich fruit underneath the austere exterior. Tons of energy and youth in this and shows no sign of advancing
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Popped and poured, consumed over two evenings. It was enjoyable right away & continued to deliver on the second night, with flavors of blueberry, plum, cherry and black currant.
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For the price, the palette feel is notably fine. This was quite muted however, and even despite an hour and a half of air it still was pretty timid. As an other reviewer noted -- could it be that this is a bit diluted and lacking in concentration? Extension was short and not a long palette length despite the velvet.
Nose and tastes: Cassis, cigar, gravel
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This is pretty friendly right out of the gate. Tannins are a bit fuzzy (I like fuzzy) and the fruit (red/black) is ever so slightly sweet. With some air prominent cassis flavors take over the palate with a pinch of tobacco. If I had a quibble this is a touch dilute and fruit forward, but at $15 for an 11yo BDX this is a good wine and a great value.
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I have always found this Chateau excellent value for money. This vintage is very good value at $18 per bottle. Although 2012 is a forward vintage, this particular wine requires at least four hours in the decanter before it really shows its true colors and becomes most enjoyable. Nothing too extravagant, but an absolutely excellent, solid Médoc for the money!
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Decanted off a small amount of sediment. Solid garnet rim darkening to a dark ruby core. On opening, it smelled fairly primary with cassis and cherry, but developed over the next hour or so into cream, cedar, and pencil shavings. The taste added some spice on swallowing. In the mouth it's a bit thinner than expected, but finishes medium-long and fruity. Excellent value.
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PNP. Blackberry, black cherry, cherry, some plum. Slightly grainy tannins. Cigar box, and earthy gravel notes. Medium body, supple, but with nice freshness and lift. Charming classic Bordeaux, drinking great now, still relatively youthful. I’ll drink my two remaining bottles in five and ten years.
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From a 750ml bottle purchased at retail. With the appearance of a well-stored eighteen-year-old Bordeaux from a good vintage, this showed ripe but not too ripe black plums over red fruits and that trademark Lanessan leather and herbs on the nose with ripe but not overripe black fruits on the reasonably well-concentrated, well balanced, grippy palate. Although this was in some ways what some might call a little “grapey,” there was no mistaking that this was Bordeaux in your glass. And for all the sense of ripeness, there was also an abiding sense of the austere—a kind of restraint imparted by the firm line of acidity and ripe tannins upon which the just-concentrated-enough fruit was hung. This was not what I would call an obvious wine or a crowd pleaser, and yet it was something of an open book that was easily read and quite pleasing.
I’m glad I took a small chance on this again. My last bottle about nine months ago was thin and old and not in any way enjoyable. This, however, was quite good and ready to go from PnP. The nose was better on day two, but the palate had weakened, so I think two hours in the decanter on day one is really the way to go right now.
There’s no question this lacked the concentration and slickness you will find in the 2016 edition, which sits right next to it on the retail shelf, but this has something the 2016 doesn’t have right now—charm and character. At $17 US/bottle on sale (and 13% ABV) this is a serious contender for a case purchase for immediate daily drinking. 13% ABV (good; average but distinctive/15.5/88)
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Steht gut da mit den klassischen Medoc-Attributen, sogar recht fruchtig, könnte durchaus merlotlastig sein, jedenfalls recht trinkig. Nachtrag: 36% Merlot. Da war der Cabernet aber schön reif.
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(2/13/22) I bought this out of curiosity when it showed up at my local retail shop recently.
A little lean and mean, with lots of leather; some tannins; and rather indistinct, older dark fruit flavors hung on a palate that was thin-ish but not thin and had perhaps too much acidity. Not bad, I suppose, given the vintage but certainly not a winner—and not something to buy with the 2016 sitting on the shelf right next to it at the same price. 13% ABV (**/13.5/84)
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Roustique Bordeaux. Στα 13 ευρώ η τιμή αγοράς σε foire des vins (Νότα Μπένε: η πρώτη μου γιορτή κρασιού ήταν στο πάρκο της Ν. Ελβετίας το 1988). Ωραία μύτη
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A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (36%) and Petit Verdot (4%). Fermented in concrete tanks, aged for 18 months in oak barriques. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color with a hint of evolved russet hue. At first the nose feels very fruity with a rather straightforward, plummy overall character. However, after an hour or so the nose has gained a lot of depth and nuance, showing also aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some licorice, a little bit of savory wood spice, light leafy notes of herbaceous greenness, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of sun-baked gravel. The wine is juicy yet dry and very classically Bordelais on the palate with savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants and tart red plums, some licorice, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a herbaceous hint of green bell pepper and a sweeter touch of toasty oak spice. The overall feel is enjoyably balanced with the moderately high acidity and supple yet somewhat grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and moderately acid-driven with a little bit of tannic grip and pure, savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some red plums, light woody notes of pencil shaving, a little bit of gravelly earth, a hint of licorice and a leafy touch of herbaceous greenness.
At first the wine felt rather fruity, round and supple with quite straightforward overall character. However, with some air the wine picks up some depth and complexity, turning into a very classic and well-made old-school Bordeaux that avoids the typical pitfalls of modern Bordeaux - excessive ripeness, overdone oak and high alcohol - and comes across as enjoyably savory, nuanced and positively angular. Drinking really well right now - at least after an hour or two of breathing - but seeing how youthful the wine is, I can imagine it will age gracefully for years - if not decades - more. Expect to see the score to go up with age. A supple yet balanced effort for this overlooked Bordeaux vintage. Priced according to its quality at 24,03€.
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Back to reality after Super Vintages of SuperSeconds tasting this weekend 😂
How big is the gap between €500+ and €14 wine?
First nose of black berries over spices, chocolate, earthy, pyrazines of green pepper. Absolutely ready to drink now. Bitter on the palate. Tannins are there but not agressive at all. Blend: CS/M/PV: 60/36/4
Not sure if I could guess it's Bordeaux if tasted blind. It could be anything - not distinctive well crafted red wine which is good with food.
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Very soft and smooth with great berry aromas, but lacking in structure. Shows signs of underripe fruit, particularly green vegetable flavors on the palate. Not bad for the price.
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Dark, brambley fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar and plums. Ripe but not over done. Medium bodied with medium plus acid, medium tannin, mineral and an earthy, slightly bitter, sour finish. Not terribly concentrated, definitely not lush. Clipped on the finish. A bit rustic and aggressive at this young age. Should improve over the next 2 years and drink well for another 5 to 10 after that.
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3/9/2024 - KerryKirkham wrote:
Good value and in fine form with 12 years of age. It’s drinking nicely right now with fresh and modern touches of plum, cassis, black tea, and a whisper of dried lavender.
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3/6/2024 - FiggySmalls Likes this wine:
Needs a ton of air or better...more time. On day 2, it reveals an amazing amount of rich fruit underneath the austere exterior. Tons of energy and youth in this and shows no sign of advancing
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2/5/2024 - racerchris Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured, consumed over two evenings. It was enjoyable right away & continued to deliver on the second night, with flavors of blueberry, plum, cherry and black currant.
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12/30/2023 - Dfortunoff wrote: flawed
I can’t say much good about this. The entire case is without any structure. Seems like whoever imported this batch cooked the wine.
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12/27/2023 - loj Likes this wine: 88 Points
For the price, the palette feel is notably fine. This was quite muted however, and even despite an hour and a half of air it still was pretty timid. As an other reviewer noted -- could it be that this is a bit diluted and lacking in concentration? Extension was short and not a long palette length despite the velvet.
Nose and tastes: Cassis, cigar, gravel
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9/11/2023 - Gone with the wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Easy glugging, great value for money
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8/10/2023 - CMN wrote: 88 Points
This is pretty friendly right out of the gate. Tannins are a bit fuzzy (I like fuzzy) and the fruit (red/black) is ever so slightly sweet. With some air prominent cassis flavors take over the palate with a pinch of tobacco. If I had a quibble this is a touch dilute and fruit forward, but at $15 for an 11yo BDX this is a good wine and a great value.
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5/31/2023 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
I have always found this Chateau excellent value for money. This vintage is very good value at $18 per bottle. Although 2012 is a forward vintage, this particular wine requires at least four hours in the decanter before it really shows its true colors and becomes most enjoyable. Nothing too extravagant, but an absolutely excellent, solid Médoc for the money!
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3/15/2023 - lazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted off a small amount of sediment. Solid garnet rim darkening to a dark ruby core. On opening, it smelled fairly primary with cassis and cherry, but developed over the next hour or so into cream, cedar, and pencil shavings. The taste added some spice on swallowing. In the mouth it's a bit thinner than expected, but finishes medium-long and fruity. Excellent value.
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1/25/2023 - Maphill01 wrote:
PNP. Blackberry, black cherry, cherry, some plum. Slightly grainy tannins. Cigar box, and earthy gravel notes. Medium body, supple, but with nice freshness and lift. Charming classic Bordeaux, drinking great now, still relatively youthful. I’ll drink my two remaining bottles in five and ten years.
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12/26/2022 - stamperb Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Cassis and leather, faint moist earth; quintessential Bordeaux. Palate: Tart black raspberries, soft tannins, touch of oak on the finish.
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11/29/2022 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 88 Points
From a 750ml bottle purchased at retail. With the appearance of a well-stored eighteen-year-old Bordeaux from a good vintage, this showed ripe but not too ripe black plums over red fruits and that trademark Lanessan leather and herbs on the nose with ripe but not overripe black fruits on the reasonably well-concentrated, well balanced, grippy palate. Although this was in some ways what some might call a little “grapey,” there was no mistaking that this was Bordeaux in your glass. And for all the sense of ripeness, there was also an abiding sense of the austere—a kind of restraint imparted by the firm line of acidity and ripe tannins upon which the just-concentrated-enough fruit was hung. This was not what I would call an obvious wine or a crowd pleaser, and yet it was something of an open book that was easily read and quite pleasing.
I’m glad I took a small chance on this again. My last bottle about nine months ago was thin and old and not in any way enjoyable. This, however, was quite good and ready to go from PnP. The nose was better on day two, but the palate had weakened, so I think two hours in the decanter on day one is really the way to go right now.
There’s no question this lacked the concentration and slickness you will find in the 2016 edition, which sits right next to it on the retail shelf, but this has something the 2016 doesn’t have right now—charm and character. At $17 US/bottle on sale (and 13% ABV) this is a serious contender for a case purchase for immediate daily drinking. 13% ABV (good; average but distinctive/15.5/88)
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11/5/2022 - maxima wrote: 87 Points
Bu en succ.
Austère et sur le tertiaire.
Cuir, feuilles et humus.
Assez léger et mince avec une impression de verdeur.
On passe.
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9/25/2022 - Schönibert wrote: 88 Points
Steht gut da mit den klassischen Medoc-Attributen, sogar recht fruchtig, könnte durchaus merlotlastig sein, jedenfalls recht trinkig. Nachtrag: 36% Merlot. Da war der Cabernet aber schön reif.
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2/13/2022 - Jake Barnes wrote: 84 Points
(2/13/22) I bought this out of curiosity when it showed up at my local retail shop recently.
A little lean and mean, with lots of leather; some tannins; and rather indistinct, older dark fruit flavors hung on a palate that was thin-ish but not thin and had perhaps too much acidity. Not bad, I suppose, given the vintage but certainly not a winner—and not something to buy with the 2016 sitting on the shelf right next to it at the same price. 13% ABV (**/13.5/84)
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10/15/2020 - FiggySmalls Likes this wine:
nose=ample fruit with anise and dried mint
palate=candied black cherry, light integrated tannin, nice acid, medium-bodied
overall: surprised at how delicious this is. scratches the bdx itch plus some!
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10/1/2020 - PAOK Wines Brussels wrote: 88 Points
Roustique Bordeaux. Στα 13 ευρώ η τιμή αγοράς σε foire des vins (Νότα Μπένε: η πρώτη μου γιορτή κρασιού ήταν στο πάρκο της Ν. Ελβετίας το 1988). Ωραία μύτη
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9/18/2020 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (36%) and Petit Verdot (4%). Fermented in concrete tanks, aged for 18 months in oak barriques. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color with a hint of evolved russet hue. At first the nose feels very fruity with a rather straightforward, plummy overall character. However, after an hour or so the nose has gained a lot of depth and nuance, showing also aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some licorice, a little bit of savory wood spice, light leafy notes of herbaceous greenness, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of sun-baked gravel. The wine is juicy yet dry and very classically Bordelais on the palate with savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants and tart red plums, some licorice, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a herbaceous hint of green bell pepper and a sweeter touch of toasty oak spice. The overall feel is enjoyably balanced with the moderately high acidity and supple yet somewhat grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and moderately acid-driven with a little bit of tannic grip and pure, savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some red plums, light woody notes of pencil shaving, a little bit of gravelly earth, a hint of licorice and a leafy touch of herbaceous greenness.
At first the wine felt rather fruity, round and supple with quite straightforward overall character. However, with some air the wine picks up some depth and complexity, turning into a very classic and well-made old-school Bordeaux that avoids the typical pitfalls of modern Bordeaux - excessive ripeness, overdone oak and high alcohol - and comes across as enjoyably savory, nuanced and positively angular. Drinking really well right now - at least after an hour or two of breathing - but seeing how youthful the wine is, I can imagine it will age gracefully for years - if not decades - more. Expect to see the score to go up with age. A supple yet balanced effort for this overlooked Bordeaux vintage. Priced according to its quality at 24,03€.
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3/28/2020 - hautgarbage Likes this wine: 91 Points
classic bordeaux, decanted in glass for an hour. fruit showing, green pepper, slate
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4/22/2019 - Neecies wrote:
The least interesting of several vintages poured at the winery. Fruity and simple.
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3/25/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 89 Points
Magnum: Rødbær, blyantspiss, kirsebær, blåbær. Samme i munn. Litt blyantspiss. Flott struktur og lengde. 88-99
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10/19/2018 - StasMedvedev.lv wrote: 86 Points
🏅 Rating 86/100 (3,6🌟)
Back to reality after Super Vintages of SuperSeconds tasting this weekend 😂
How big is the gap between €500+ and €14 wine?
First nose of black berries over spices, chocolate, earthy, pyrazines of green pepper. Absolutely ready to drink now. Bitter on the palate. Tannins are there but not agressive at all.
Blend: CS/M/PV: 60/36/4
Not sure if I could guess it's Bordeaux if tasted blind. It could be anything - not distinctive well crafted red wine which is good with food.
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10/18/2018 - battytaxicab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still a favorite. Last one of a half case bought earlier in the year. Will have to try and find some more!
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7/24/2018 - Dubbadevan wrote: 86 Points
Very soft and smooth with great berry aromas, but lacking in structure. Shows signs of underripe fruit, particularly green vegetable flavors on the palate. Not bad for the price.
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5/22/2018 - chatters wrote:
Negotiant Imported Wines (Marriot on Pitt Street, Sydney): Red over blackcurrant, polished oak, cedar, woody. Juicy, savoury, tight, talc-textured tannins…<shrugs>
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12/7/2017 - jnalivka Likes this wine: 84 Points
Bordeaux tasting at Chateau
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12/18/2016 - LEEJV123 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Medium body, round, short
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12/7/2016 - kdsipe wrote: 88 Points
Dark, brambley fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar and plums. Ripe but not over done. Medium bodied with medium plus acid, medium tannin, mineral and an earthy, slightly bitter, sour finish. Not terribly concentrated, definitely not lush. Clipped on the finish. A bit rustic and aggressive at this young age. Should improve over the next 2 years and drink well for another 5 to 10 after that.
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12/19/2015 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Simple, easy drinking Bordeaux. I enjoyed it while half the bottle was used to make short ribs. Both were enjoyable!
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5/7/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 85 Points
Bright rustic, austere and on the lean, crisp, cherry side, the nose, with its earthy, tobacco and cassis leaning, was much better than the palate.
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