This particular bottle has a label that looks like it's been stored in dumpster water, but with a base neck fill and pristine cork, it's what's inside that matters. Drank over two evenings and showing its best on day 2. Pretty red fruit nose laced with cherry, currant and strawberry. Balanced fruit and acidity, with tart cherry and hints of cardamom. Really quite stunning and in no danger of fading. Many of the '86s I've tried seem to be near immortal.
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Absolutely wonderful! Last bottle, what a way to go. Just about perfect, cork crumbled, used the antique wine strainer. Had a frozen cooked stuffed turkey thigh, and some excellent Camembert. Wow.
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Double-decanted. In a beautiful spot now. Very clean and structured, but starting to soften a bit and more approachable now then a few years back. No secondary flavors.
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Easter Sunday AND birthday dinner wine! On nose: faint smoke and medicinal dark fruit. On palate: after a 30 minute decant....above flavours fully amplified, and a seamless, woven palate of black currants, cigar notes, a ghost of bitter chocolate, oak, vanilla , tamed tannins and elegantly muted acidity...full flavoured , subtle and elegant....complex...with more notes....hint of damp earth and cinnamon after another hour....THIS is why Bordeaux is aged....and at 36 years old, can go for another several years, if well cellared. Played well with Turkey breast, Orzo pasta salad with olives and sun dried tomatoes, and braised cabbage.
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OUTSTANDING right bank example! Beautiful color and nose (which changed/improved over 90 minutes). Decanted at restaurant and slowly enjoyed over the 90 minute evening meal. Shared with restaurant manager and server, who agreed that it was special. Nose of cigar box/pencil shavings, smooth on the palate, nearly no tannins discernible. Almost no sediment, perfect cork. Sadly, probably my last one.
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From 375. Perfect cork. Youthful dark fruit dominated on the palate. Very unlike the '81 I had just a few days ago, this was not particularly earthy, but it was just as easy to drink. 91-92
Opened a couple hours before drinking. No decanting. Cork nearly soaked through. Dark fruit (blueberry, slight blackberry), nice spice, graphite, cassis, slight cedar, slight tobacco. Lingering finish. Good acidity. Really enjoyable.
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Nose of saddle leather, black berry, dusty, gravelly earth, cedar, and black currants, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very youthful and very tasty for a 35 year old Bordeaux, will easily last another 10 years, the third glass tonight was even better than the first glass, long finish, photo uploaded.
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From a well kept bottle, and needed 2+ hours of decant. It was not youthful, but it was still full of engery, structure and precision. It certainly, was not what I was expecting for a 34 yo right bank. Deeply concentrated with some tannin still unresolved. At peak.
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Cork in perfect condition. Multi-layered nose of cedar, anise/thyme herbs, plum, cassis, other red berry, hint of tobacco, and toasted creme brulee. Mid acid and balanced tannins but you can tell they are there. Definitely at the end of its drinking window, but the fruit, acid, and tannins aged beautifully.
Extra flavors of dark red berry and some dried fruit but mostly followed the nose and was multi-layered at that. Mid length finish that held the flavors throughout.
All in all a very good right bank Bordeaux, but if you have one, I'd drink it soon.
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From 375. Cork was in good condition, tight and only wet at the bottom. In the glass the wine was a clear dark color with no thinning at the edges. A faint whiff of wet cardboard was the primary note after the first pour. Through the bottle the nose never changed and most sense of fruitiness was masked as the TCA odor never disappeared. However it was not overt so the wine was palatable. Rich and dense brambly fruit dominated, and a moderately long spicy and tart finish followed. Without the cork flaw I would probably rate it 91 pts.
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Took a while for some funkiness to blow off. Blackberry, cassis, dark plum fruit. Big wine holding up well. Tannins still apparent. Definitely a food wine.
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It has deteriorated compared to my September tasting. A lot of tobacco on the nose initially. Less fruit and dryer and with more acidity. Clearly going downhill.
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Q4 - 2018 Tasting - Aged Bordeaux (Pre-1997) (New York, NY): 4 of 19 wines tasted double blind. This one came across as very lean, with the tannins still gripping and lots of acidity on the finish. My sense is this is just not ready despite its 32 years. Looking at the drinking window - it probably makes sense to hold and try again in another decade. Although I am not sure the fruit will outlast the tannins. Group vote - 2 pennies.
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Q4 Wine Club - Aged Bordeaux (Our apt): Wine #4: There's some plum and saddle oil and a fair amount of oak coming through here. There's also this interesting flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on but maybe something from the garden. (2 pennies)
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Nice nose with cedar, leather and tobacco. A bit dry on the palate and more tannins than fruit. But still an enjoyable wine, although I believe it has passed its peak.
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Unfortunately, this is not as grand as another recent bottle. As the British say, there’s no such thing as great, old wines. Only great, old bottles. This has a scorched earth/Graves-like aroma along with hints of black currant, smoldering wood and mint. Medium-bodied and fairly dense. This is pretty dry on the palate, but still quite correct. 86
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Appearance still that of a young wine:Bright dark purple,no bricking, no sediment upon decanting, alluring dark fruit, pencil shavings on the nose, great on the palate. Glad to have 3 more of these as I can see them lasting much longer.
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Nose was a little musty at first and I was afraid it may be corked, but it's definitely blowing off. Still a smoky, phenolic/asphalt like character. The palate is bright and fresh! Pure blackberry and black currant fruit, new oak, mint and spice. Supple and fully mature. This is still hitting on all cylinders! 92
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Beautiful bottle. Nothing present to betray its age... No bricking and hardly any sediment. Nice floral nose with the hints of lead pencil and cedar that I love so much in Bordeaux. Beautiful on the palate as well with similar notes. As others have noted, a fairly tart cranberry-like finish, which was somewhat unexpected but pleasant all the same. Wish I had bought more of this!
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Subsequent notes on this wine from over three years ago. Medium-dark garnet in color with some clearing at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of complex & mature ripe fruits aromas of plums, cherries & cassis with overtones of cigar box notes of classic cedar & tobacco, earthy/dusty, mocha, leather, spices & herbs, loam/forest floor, mint, iron & toasty oak. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, complex & mature, ripe fruit flavors of plums, cherries & cassis with spices, herbs, cocoa, minerals & toasty oak. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development. Quite admirable at 30 years of age. I doubt there would be any significant further development from additional aging but it should hold at its present state for several more years easily. The cork was intact & saturated up to the halfway point with fill well above the lower neck of the bottle almost to he half point.
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Amazingly bright dark color, no noticeable bricking, dark fruit, cedar/pencil shavings on the nose. Red and dark fruit on the palate, very smooth with soft tannins. Very enjoyable old world 13%ABV Bordeaux.
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En topp flaske. Samme som flasken fra 4/30/2016. Drukket til grillet indrefillet og andebryst, flott match. Meget godt kjøp til de ca nkr 500,- jeg ga på auksjon.
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Really liked this and thought it kept improving with air. A core of ripe dark fruited flavours framed by dark chocolate, cedar, green herbs, and a more savoury earthiness, still showing a bit of that '86 tannin on the palate at first, but it eased up and became more open and accessible with air.
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An atypical Monday (Dale's): Very beautiful, pronounced nose of darker fruit, cedar, and pencil lead. Slightly lighter-fruited on the palate (dark cherries) with woody cedar notes. Somewhat bitter finish.
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Topp fill og topp kork som komut hel. Flott moden st.Emilion GCC. Flott intens aroma med klassisk preg av sigareske, blyant, solbær, gamle møbler, mm. I munnen er den fint balansert med tydelig syre/tannin og med god fylde. Smaken følger aroma, men har i tillegg en preg av sur/søt frukt. Bra lengde. Denne er på topp nå (og kanskje litt over)og vil ikke vinne på videre lagring. Flott match til landkylling og poteter stekt i andefett++. Flaske 1 av 3 kjøpt på Blomqvist auksjon.
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From a bottle purchased on release, this wine had a red/purple center and red/orange rims. The medium intensity nose of mocha, blackberries, and soil.
I'm the mouth, this wine was ripe and round with rounded tannin and some length.
While the color of this wine suggests it will last for 10+ years, it is not clear to me it will be worth the wait. I am not detecting enough complexity to get me excited to cellar this further. While I could be wrong, I would suggest drinking with 4+ hours of air.
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This wine has been good to drink for almost 20 years, mature but still fresh fruit, dry, well balanced, concentrated, blackcurrant, cigar box and pencil. Delicious !
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A pretty wine, and classic Bordeaux. Very lovely cigar box and some eucalyptus on the nose, but the palate is a little muted, and the finish a little short. Better on the second night, interestingly, as it fleshed out, but one wishes for more length. Still, a nice drink, and this bottle was in excellent condition.
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Lively red with only hint of orange at the edge. Sweet nose of mint, eucalyptus, dusty must, cherry, red fruits and various spices (laurel, cloves). Medium body with plenty of soft tannins that are somewhat overbearing for (declining?) fruit.
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drank 11/2014 I did not care for the wine immediately after opening. The wine improved after being in the decanter for an hour. Soft. Elegant. Not as rich or delicious as the 1986 Chateau Cheval Blanc opened the same night. Wine is past it's peak. Drink up.
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This was a good bottle. The wine was a bit pale at the edges, but had a nice ruby core that was not cloudy. The nose was pleasant. On the palate there was still some fruit and wonderful complexity. Drink up soon.
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Felt this was on song tonight, georgous nose of of cigar box, dried fig, plum and worn leather, palate was silky smooth with all components intragrated with nice acidity made for a great drinking experience
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La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - Chateau L’Arrosee (Chambar): This was odd right from the get go and never improved. Nose was almost white wine like (petroleum/perfume /vanilla/banana) with roasted and overripe fruit on the palate with very little structure. This bottle was definitely off.
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Medium-dark garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Fragrant, attractive and complex nose of well developed & mature red fruits of plums, cherries & cassis with classic cedar & tobacco overtones, mocha, leather, spices & herbs, minty, loam, forest floor/earthy and toasty oak. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well developed & balanced, mature, round ripe red fruit flavors of sweet plums, sour cherries & cassis with spices, minerals and toasty oak. Smooth lingering soft finish. Drinks quite well at present and doubt there is any potential development from additional aging.
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Came after the 96 Fiefs de Lagrange and before the 86 Brane Cantenac. A sweet blueberry note on the palate made me think new world when tasting double blind. Less integrated than the +utstanding 86 Brane Cantenac, still some soft to medium tannins. Nice medium finish.
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Brick, thin amber at rim. Sweet and complex on nose. Lush, sweet, complex and moderately long. Some tannin still. Delicious. Cellared since release. Hint of taint at start more prominent with time. Second corked arrows eve in a week
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Dark brown. Dark, masculine aromas and some liqourice. In the mouth, tart with some hard tannins and wood. Mature, and still a pleasure to drink, but the concentration seems to have deteriorated. Think I will keep the last bottle and see what comes out of the tannins. There is some fruit left too.
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This wine has it all together. Perfect balance yielding a full bodied, nuanced Bordeaux right in the middle of its peak. Approachable after 30 minutes in the decanter, it continued to gracefully evolve over the next 3 hours. Purchased upon release, this is my 11th bottle of the case and without a doubt the best. Drink now-2025.
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This wine was haromonious and well balanced. Hints of cedar and oak float above a mature cherry bowl of excellent flavors mixed with some loam. Still has years ahead of it but quite enjoyable now.
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IWFSC Kendall College Scholarship Dinner (Kendall College - Chicago): Bought on release. Medium red with a little browning. The nose seemed a little minty. Leather, cedar, cassis and violets noted. A midweight wine that responded well to five hours of slow oxygenation, but thinned out after 30 minutes in the glass. This is as good as it's going to get, so drink up.
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Borwnish. Tart, with some hard tannins. Mature, and still a pleasure to drink, but clearly on the way down. Also the concentration seems to have deteriorated.
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Smooth and balanced, ready to drink. Tannin very integrated, soft and round, Unlikely to benefit much from additional collaring. Dark cherry. Slight bit of green pepper nose. Classic right bank Bordelaise merlot blend. Was more mineral and herbal at first, then purple fruit, vanilla, and pepper surfaced after about 0.5-1hr.
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Bought in the late 80's and was well stored. Cork was fine and good red color with just a touch of orange. Medium body and light tannins so did not decant. Very nice classic right bank Bordeaux with nice fruit.
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This medium bodied right bank bordeaux had soft faded tannins which gave the wine a smooth mellow texture and a nice finish. The bottle appeared to be just slightly corked with a slight musty smell present in the first glasses. The taste went away in the later glasses which revealed the wine's earthy flavors. Did not decant but let it sit an hour before drinking.
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Purchased in the late 80s. Excellent fill (mid-neck). Cork was in good shape and only wetted about 1/4 of the way up. Quite a dark red, belying its 26 years. Did not decant; initial savory notes on the nose with lots of herbal character. Initially on the palate medium full, somewhat soft, with good acidity and an interesting "vanilla bean" note on the finish. After a short while a chocolate note appears. This is quite a nice mature right bank wine which is ready to drink.
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Part of a 86/96/06 L'Arrosee vertical with rack of lamb. Unfortunately it was corked although not terribly. Mostly this spoiled the nose, but the wine was still drinkable, if not somewhat enjoyable! A bit hard tell, but I think it was indeed similarly styled to the 96 (as Parker has suggested). Bummer this was my only one.
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This wine was way past its prime. At least one foot in the coffin. Cork was in good condition, fill level was mid/lower neck. Some slight tobacco/cigar/leather/ no hint of fruit. Allowed to breathe in decanter for over an hour and it turned dusty/wet cardboard. Too bad. You win some, you lose some.
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Deep red color. Aromas of blackcurrants, leather and spices. Medium-bodied, nicely structured fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Silky, sauve mouthfeel. Seamless and elegant. Firmly at sweet spot of maturity.
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Very satisfying classic. One of the oldest Bordeaux we've had the pleasure of, yet nothing 'old' about this except the style. And it is a great style. While not an important or exceptional bottle, it is indeed certainly deeply pleasurable.
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Definitely not a great wine at this point. Decent nose (probably the high point of the wine), some fruit, smooth but nothing exciting or complex. Pretty much nothing on the finish.
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Drank over two days. Slightly better on second day with pleasant but not overwhelming nose. Medium body, just a bit on the thin side to my taste. Decent fruit still coming through, but outshone by acidity, which makes me wonder how much life this wine has got left. Well made wine but drink up.
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Upon opening, the wine was closed, with a slight vegetal nose. It opened after an hour and one-half and showed some fruit, but no complexity or length. Drink it up quickly.
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Right Bank at Mi Piaci (Mi Piaci, Dallas, Texas): Very nice wine with a smooth texture and finish. Starts with a bit of dust that lends to the aromas of red cherry and mellow pomegranate that accents the wine's overall acidity. 13% alcohol 89-93
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Medium to light body. Light ruby color, no brown edge. Tannins fairly mellow at this point and still some fruit but not too exciting. Pleasant but no more than that.
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Not as thrilling as I expected at first, but surprisingly, it opened up quite well after several hours. I was glad that we didn't have more people for a wine such as this to really see it's potential, however, it still wasn't what I was expecting it to be.
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Still dark. Not much on the nose and, on the palate, not exactly closed, but somehow not giving as much as one would expect from a highly regarded St Emilion at 18 years old.
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Nose of plum, black berry, cranberry, dusty gravel, and cassis, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very youthful tonight, hints of soft, silky tannins on the long finish and lovely aftertaste.
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Christmas Tasting 6 Reds at Primas. Showed a merlot, sweet fruit characteristic on the nose, disjointed in the mouth, pleasing finish and aftertaste but dumb. My #6.
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With James Poe at dinner at Rudy V's in Beaumont, TX (steak Diane). Medium ruby; quite light. Very elegant, forward, fragrant perfume. Very soft on the palate, feminine. Flavorful. Perfect balance. Fruity, complex, long. How long will it last? 5-12-17-9: 93/100.
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2/20/2024 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
This particular bottle has a label that looks like it's been stored in dumpster water, but with a base neck fill and pristine cork, it's what's inside that matters. Drank over two evenings and showing its best on day 2. Pretty red fruit nose laced with cherry, currant and strawberry. Balanced fruit and acidity, with tart cherry and hints of cardamom. Really quite stunning and in no danger of fading. Many of the '86s I've tried seem to be near immortal.
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1/17/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
CdB Annual Meeting (Minneapolis Club, Mpls, MN): Small pour. Blueberry, huckleberry, medium bodied, lovely, funky and damp earth, quite tart. In good shape. A fun one.
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1/14/2024 - Brain Capers Likes this wine:
Absolutely wonderful! Last bottle, what a way to go. Just about perfect, cork crumbled, used the antique wine strainer. Had a frozen cooked stuffed turkey thigh, and some excellent Camembert. Wow.
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1/5/2024 - salil wrote: flawed
Champagne and claret (John's place, Croton): Alas, corked.
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12/25/2023 - grapeless wrote: 89 Points
Was good but felt it’s a little past it’s prime.
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12/24/2023 - VinLouie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double-decanted. In a beautiful spot now. Very clean and structured, but starting to soften a bit and more approachable now then a few years back. No secondary flavors.
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8/20/2023 - gcarl wrote: 94 Points
Same impressions as on 4/13/22. Impeccably cellar stored for 30+ years
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5/18/2023 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great for the price. Needed 1h of air. Extra point for a complete mature Bordeaux experience, at the sub $100 price-point (truly impressive!)
Smoke and sharp red fruits give way to black fruits, leather, earth, chocolate and mint. Elements become very pronounced at the 1 hour mark.
Acid started out sharp, but also calmed and integrated well as the wine received more aeration.
Nice finish, with lots of fruit through the late-palate.
Great effort. 86s for the win :)
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5/8/2023 - BerkeleyBoy Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Flat, over the hill, no fruit, cardboard.
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7/11/2022 - DaleW wrote:
double-decanted about 6 hours before service. A little more muscular, black plums with green tobacco leaf, good acids, tannins in check. B+/A-
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4/17/2022 - Pontifax Likes this wine: 93 Points
Easter Sunday AND birthday dinner wine!
On nose: faint smoke and medicinal dark fruit.
On palate: after a 30 minute decant....above flavours fully amplified, and a seamless, woven palate of black currants, cigar notes, a ghost of bitter chocolate, oak, vanilla , tamed tannins and elegantly muted acidity...full flavoured , subtle and elegant....complex...with more notes....hint of damp earth and cinnamon after another hour....THIS is why Bordeaux is aged....and at 36 years old, can go for another several years, if well cellared.
Played well with Turkey breast, Orzo pasta salad with olives and sun dried tomatoes, and braised cabbage.
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4/13/2022 - gcarl wrote: 94 Points
OUTSTANDING right bank example! Beautiful color and nose (which changed/improved over 90 minutes). Decanted at restaurant and slowly enjoyed over the 90 minute evening meal. Shared with restaurant manager and server, who agreed that it was special. Nose of cigar box/pencil shavings, smooth on the palate, nearly no tannins discernible. Almost no sediment, perfect cork. Sadly, probably my last one.
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2/14/2022 - racerchris Likes this wine: 91 Points
From 375. Perfect cork. Youthful dark fruit dominated on the palate. Very unlike the '81 I had just a few days ago, this was not particularly earthy, but it was just as easy to drink.
91-92
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8/2/2021 - JJKinch wrote: 92 Points
Opened a couple hours before drinking. No decanting. Cork nearly soaked through.
Dark fruit (blueberry, slight blackberry), nice spice, graphite, cassis, slight cedar, slight tobacco. Lingering finish. Good acidity. Really enjoyable.
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7/23/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of saddle leather, black berry, dusty, gravelly earth, cedar, and black currants, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very youthful and very tasty for a 35 year old Bordeaux, will easily last another 10 years, the third glass tonight was even better than the first glass, long finish, photo uploaded.
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1/14/2021 - RKatzDO wrote:
Another mildly corked.
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12/2/2020 - Song103 Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a well kept bottle, and needed 2+ hours of decant. It was not youthful, but it was still full of engery, structure and precision. It certainly, was not what I was expecting for a 34 yo right bank. Deeply concentrated with some tannin still unresolved. At peak.
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8/16/2020 - CurtaVino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork in perfect condition. Multi-layered nose of cedar, anise/thyme herbs, plum, cassis, other red berry, hint of tobacco, and toasted creme brulee. Mid acid and balanced tannins but you can tell they are there. Definitely at the end of its drinking window, but the fruit, acid, and tannins aged beautifully.
Extra flavors of dark red berry and some dried fruit but mostly followed the nose and was multi-layered at that. Mid length finish that held the flavors throughout.
All in all a very good right bank Bordeaux, but if you have one, I'd drink it soon.
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6/6/2020 - RKatzDO wrote:
Slightly corked. Shame.
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1/29/2020 - racerchris wrote: flawed
From 375. Cork was in good condition, tight and only wet at the bottom. In the glass the wine was a clear dark color with no thinning at the edges. A faint whiff of wet cardboard was the primary note after the first pour. Through the bottle the nose never changed and most sense of fruitiness was masked as the TCA odor never disappeared. However it was not overt so the wine was palatable. Rich and dense brambly fruit dominated, and a moderately long spicy and tart finish followed.
Without the cork flaw I would probably rate it 91 pts.
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8/3/2019 - RKatzDO Does not like this wine:
Dry, crumbling cork glued to the neck. Wine was tired, oxidized on the nose and didn't improve with air.
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7/18/2019 - cweiss wrote:
Wellfleet. Tired, but no complaints with rack of lamb.
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7/15/2019 - frasoo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Took a while for some funkiness to blow off. Blackberry, cassis, dark plum fruit. Big wine holding up well. Tannins still apparent. Definitely a food wine.
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7/3/2019 - gcarl wrote: 93 Points
Same notes as on 3/05/18. Beautiful wine, 45 min after decanting...a solid 94!
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12/8/2018 - Erik12000 wrote:
It has deteriorated compared to my September tasting. A lot of tobacco on the nose initially. Less fruit and dryer and with more acidity. Clearly going downhill.
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11/4/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Q4 - 2018 Tasting - Aged Bordeaux (Pre-1997) (New York, NY): 4 of 19 wines tasted double blind. This one came across as very lean, with the tannins still gripping and lots of acidity on the finish. My sense is this is just not ready despite its 32 years. Looking at the drinking window - it probably makes sense to hold and try again in another decade. Although I am not sure the fruit will outlast the tannins. Group vote - 2 pennies.
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11/4/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Q4 Wine Club - Aged Bordeaux (Our apt): Wine #4: There's some plum and saddle oil and a fair amount of oak coming through here. There's also this interesting flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on but maybe something from the garden. (2 pennies)
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10/14/2018 - Whinojb wrote:
This wine is way past it’s run. Drinking window probably closed down 10 years ago
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9/23/2018 - Erik12000 wrote:
Nice nose with cedar, leather and tobacco. A bit dry on the palate and more tannins than fruit. But still an enjoyable wine, although I believe it has passed its peak.
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5/5/2018 - WineGuyX wrote: 86 Points
Unfortunately, this is not as grand as another recent bottle. As the British say, there’s no such thing as great, old wines. Only great, old bottles. This has a scorched earth/Graves-like aroma along with hints of black currant, smoldering wood and mint. Medium-bodied and fairly dense. This is pretty dry on the palate, but still quite correct. 86
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3/5/2018 - gcarl wrote: 93 Points
Appearance still that of a young wine:Bright dark purple,no bricking, no sediment upon decanting, alluring dark fruit, pencil shavings on the nose, great on the palate. Glad to have 3 more of these as I can see them lasting much longer.
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3/2/2018 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice. Surprisingly tannic. Do yourself a favor and decant for at least 3 hours before drinking—nose (cedar, graphite) improves dramatically.
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2/12/2018 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose was a little musty at first and I was afraid it may be corked, but it's definitely blowing off. Still a smoky, phenolic/asphalt like character. The palate is bright and fresh! Pure blackberry and black currant fruit, new oak, mint and spice. Supple and fully mature. This is still hitting on all cylinders! 92
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4/1/2017 - Chateaunole-du-Pape Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful bottle. Nothing present to betray its age... No bricking and hardly any sediment. Nice floral nose with the hints of lead pencil and cedar that I love so much in Bordeaux. Beautiful on the palate as well with similar notes. As others have noted, a fairly tart cranberry-like finish, which was somewhat unexpected but pleasant all the same. Wish I had bought more of this!
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3/25/2017 - fclarity wrote: flawed
Brett
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1/23/2017 - gcarl wrote: 93 Points
Nothing has changed since my first review on 11/11/16.
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12/7/2016 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from over three years ago. Medium-dark garnet in color with some clearing at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of complex & mature ripe fruits aromas of plums, cherries & cassis with overtones of cigar box notes of classic cedar & tobacco, earthy/dusty, mocha, leather, spices & herbs, loam/forest floor, mint, iron & toasty oak. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, complex & mature, ripe fruit flavors of plums, cherries & cassis with spices, herbs, cocoa, minerals & toasty oak. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development. Quite admirable at 30 years of age. I doubt there would be any significant further development from additional aging but it should hold at its present state for several more years easily. The cork was intact & saturated up to the halfway point with fill well above the lower neck of the bottle almost to he half point.
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11/11/2016 - gcarl wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly bright dark color, no noticeable bricking, dark fruit, cedar/pencil shavings on the nose. Red and dark fruit on the palate, very smooth with soft tannins. Very enjoyable old world 13%ABV Bordeaux.
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8/16/2016 - Marc wrote: 88 Points
1986 Bordeaux and Related 1986 and 1987 Cabernet Merlots (Villa Maria Winery, Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand): Reticent nose, slightly milky. Excellent intensity and purity of flavour. This is tough to place it could possibly be from NZ. While not as harmonious as many of the other wines in the tasting, this has concentration and purity. Guessed France.
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7/27/2016 - Bernt Olav wrote: 92 Points
En topp flaske. Samme som flasken fra 4/30/2016. Drukket til grillet indrefillet og andebryst, flott match. Meget godt kjøp til de ca nkr 500,- jeg ga på auksjon.
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7/12/2016 - DaleW wrote:
Nice showing like last week. Pretty, sweet black plums with cigarbox and coffee. Gets a little leafy in a nice way. A-/B+
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7/11/2016 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Really liked this and thought it kept improving with air. A core of ripe dark fruited flavours framed by dark chocolate, cedar, green herbs, and a more savoury earthiness, still showing a bit of that '86 tannin on the palate at first, but it eased up and became more open and accessible with air.
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7/11/2016 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 90 Points
An atypical Monday (Dale's): Very beautiful, pronounced nose of darker fruit, cedar, and pencil lead. Slightly lighter-fruited on the palate (dark cherries) with woody cedar notes. Somewhat bitter finish.
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7/6/2016 - DaleW wrote:
So pretty, ready to go. Black plum with mocha, plush and inviting. B+/A-
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5/8/2016 - fclarity wrote: flawed
Corked, but nice plush texture.......
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4/30/2016 - Bernt Olav wrote: 92 Points
Topp fill og topp kork som komut hel. Flott moden st.Emilion GCC. Flott intens aroma med klassisk preg av sigareske, blyant, solbær, gamle møbler, mm. I munnen er den fint balansert med tydelig syre/tannin og med god fylde. Smaken følger aroma, men har i tillegg en preg av sur/søt frukt. Bra lengde. Denne er på topp nå (og kanskje litt over)og vil ikke vinne på videre lagring. Flott match til landkylling og poteter stekt i andefett++. Flaske 1 av 3 kjøpt på Blomqvist auksjon.
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2/7/2016 - fclarity wrote: 91 Points
From a bottle purchased on release, this wine had a red/purple center and red/orange rims. The medium intensity nose of mocha, blackberries, and soil.
I'm the mouth, this wine was ripe and round with rounded tannin and some length.
While the color of this wine suggests it will last for 10+ years, it is not clear to me it will be worth the wait. I am not detecting enough complexity to get me excited to cellar this further. While I could be wrong, I would suggest drinking with 4+ hours of air.
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1/16/2016 - Per-Harald Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine has been good to drink for almost 20 years, mature but still fresh fruit, dry, well balanced, concentrated, blackcurrant, cigar box and pencil. Delicious !
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10/11/2015 - essconsults Likes this wine: 89 Points
A pretty wine, and classic Bordeaux. Very lovely cigar box and some eucalyptus on the nose, but the palate is a little muted, and the finish a little short. Better on the second night, interestingly, as it fleshed out, but one wishes for more length. Still, a nice drink, and this bottle was in excellent condition.
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4/3/2015 - HaMü Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lively red with only hint of orange at the edge. Sweet nose of mint, eucalyptus, dusty must, cherry, red fruits and various spices (laurel, cloves). Medium body with plenty of soft tannins that are somewhat overbearing for (declining?) fruit.
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12/4/2014 - ecohen wrote:
drank 11/2014 I did not care for the wine immediately after opening. The wine improved after being in the decanter for an hour. Soft. Elegant. Not as rich or delicious as the 1986 Chateau Cheval Blanc opened the same night. Wine is past it's peak. Drink up.
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11/28/2014 - CHINACAT wrote: 92 Points
This was a good bottle. The wine was a bit pale at the edges, but had a nice ruby core that was not cloudy. The nose was pleasant. On the palate there was still some fruit and wonderful complexity. Drink up soon.
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11/15/2014 - BradE wrote: flawed
Corked.
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9/28/2014 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 92 Points
Felt this was on song tonight, georgous nose of of cigar box, dried fig, plum and worn leather, palate was silky smooth with all components intragrated with nice acidity made for a great drinking experience
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6/30/2014 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
Part of a tasting. I liked this wine a lot; classic nose of chocolate and quite ripe. My first or second place wine; group 3rd.
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1/13/2014 - godx wrote: flawed
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - Chateau L’Arrosee (Chambar): This was odd right from the get go and never improved. Nose was almost white wine like (petroleum/perfume /vanilla/banana) with roasted and overripe fruit on the palate with very little structure. This bottle was definitely off.
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12/23/2013 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium-dark garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Fragrant, attractive and complex nose of well developed & mature red fruits of plums, cherries & cassis with classic cedar & tobacco overtones, mocha, leather, spices & herbs, minty, loam, forest floor/earthy and toasty oak. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well developed & balanced, mature, round ripe red fruit flavors of sweet plums, sour cherries & cassis with spices, minerals and toasty oak. Smooth lingering soft finish. Drinks quite well at present and doubt there is any potential development from additional aging.
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8/24/2013 - pavel_p wrote: 91 Points
Came after the 96 Fiefs de Lagrange and before the 86 Brane Cantenac. A sweet blueberry note on the palate made me think new world when tasting double blind. Less integrated than the +utstanding 86 Brane Cantenac, still some soft to medium tannins. Nice medium finish.
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4/17/2013 - danp wrote: 87 Points
Nose: sweet, oaky, red fruits - cherry, strawberry. Palate: nice juicy red fruits, cedar, pepper. Finishes a little short.
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4/9/2013 - europat55 wrote: 86 Points
Spring Lamb with 20+ Years Old Bordeaux (Portola Kitchen Restaurant, CA): Modest nose upon opening. Palate was a little bit thin. A little bit disappointing.
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3/19/2013 - Nuromri Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brick, thin amber at rim. Sweet and complex on nose. Lush, sweet, complex and moderately long. Some tannin still. Delicious. Cellared since release. Hint of taint at start more prominent with time. Second corked arrows eve in a week
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3/9/2013 - edge wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/4/2013 - Jharllee wrote: 91 Points
Still alive but time to drink
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1/20/2013 - Jharllee wrote: 91 Points
Delicate. Ready.
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1/12/2013 - AudunG wrote: 86 Points
Dark brown. Dark, masculine aromas and some liqourice. In the mouth, tart with some hard tannins and wood. Mature, and still a pleasure to drink, but the concentration seems to have deteriorated. Think I will keep the last bottle and see what comes out of the tannins. There is some fruit left too.
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12/13/2012 - Dr.Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine has it all together. Perfect balance yielding a full bodied, nuanced Bordeaux right in the middle of its peak. Approachable after 30 minutes in the decanter, it continued to gracefully evolve over the next 3 hours. Purchased upon release, this is my 11th bottle of the case and without a doubt the best. Drink now-2025.
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11/30/2012 - rdsboca wrote: 93 Points
This wine was haromonious and well balanced. Hints of cedar and oak float above a mature cherry bowl of excellent flavors mixed with some loam. Still has years ahead of it but quite enjoyable now.
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10/23/2012 - Border Boss wrote: 88 Points
IWFSC Kendall College Scholarship Dinner (Kendall College - Chicago): Bought on release. Medium red with a little browning. The nose seemed a little minty. Leather, cedar, cassis and violets noted. A midweight wine that responded well to five hours of slow oxygenation, but thinned out after 30 minutes in the glass. This is as good as it's going to get, so drink up.
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9/8/2012 - AudunG wrote: 86 Points
Borwnish. Tart, with some hard tannins. Mature, and still a pleasure to drink, but clearly on the way down. Also the concentration seems to have deteriorated.
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8/26/2012 - tsec1224 wrote: 85 Points
Smooth and balanced, ready to drink. Tannin very integrated, soft and round, Unlikely to benefit much from additional collaring. Dark cherry. Slight bit of green pepper nose. Classic right bank Bordelaise merlot blend. Was more mineral and herbal at first, then purple fruit, vanilla, and pepper surfaced after about 0.5-1hr.
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7/8/2012 - kwarning8@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Bought in the late 80's and was well stored. Cork was fine and good red color with just a touch of orange. Medium body and light tannins so did not decant. Very nice classic right bank Bordeaux with nice fruit.
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7/4/2012 - bretagne22 wrote: 90 Points
This medium bodied right bank bordeaux had soft faded tannins which gave the wine a smooth mellow texture and a nice finish. The bottle appeared to be just slightly corked with a slight musty smell present in the first glasses. The taste went away in the later glasses which revealed the wine's earthy flavors. Did not decant but let it sit an hour before drinking.
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3/17/2012 - Nuromri wrote: flawed
Corked. Still lots of fruit
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2/25/2012 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
Purchased in the late 80s. Excellent fill (mid-neck). Cork was in good shape and only wetted about 1/4 of the way up. Quite a dark red, belying its 26 years. Did not decant; initial savory notes on the nose with lots of herbal character. Initially on the palate medium full, somewhat soft, with good acidity and an interesting "vanilla bean" note on the finish. After a short while a chocolate note appears. This is quite a nice mature right bank wine which is ready to drink.
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1/8/2012 - Neurowine1 wrote: flawed
Part of a 86/96/06 L'Arrosee vertical with rack of lamb. Unfortunately it was corked although not terribly. Mostly this spoiled the nose, but the wine was still drinkable, if not somewhat enjoyable! A bit hard tell, but I think it was indeed similarly styled to the 96 (as Parker has suggested). Bummer this was my only one.
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7/12/2011 - winepups wrote: 91 Points
Still plenty of life left, was well stored. Classic example of an aged bourdeaux, Took about 20 minutes to fully show. Very smooth and lasting finish.
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11/26/2010 - Whinojb wrote: 85 Points
This wine was way past its prime. At least one foot in the coffin. Cork was in good condition, fill level was mid/lower neck. Some slight tobacco/cigar/leather/ no hint of fruit. Allowed to breathe in decanter for over an hour and it turned dusty/wet cardboard. Too bad. You win some, you lose some.
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10/7/2010 - hsacks wrote: 93 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of blackcurrants, leather and spices. Medium-bodied, nicely structured fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Silky, sauve mouthfeel. Seamless and elegant. Firmly at sweet spot of maturity.
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9/7/2010 - NotNYC wrote: 90 Points
Very satisfying classic. One of the oldest Bordeaux we've had the pleasure of, yet nothing 'old' about this except the style. And it is a great style. While not an important or exceptional bottle, it is indeed certainly deeply pleasurable.
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5/30/2010 - gross wrote:
Had with the Burkes and Kleins. Very soft and mellow and ready to drink. Not as complex as the Ducru but a solid 90
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5/10/2010 - fred112 wrote: 90 Points
Really beautiful with the feel of glycerin in the mouth.
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12/28/2008 - Coastman3 wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine with nice developing cigar box nose. Complex combination of cherry and hickory smoke. Finish is complex but only has medium length.
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12/26/2008 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Aromatic nose, very soft, medium-bodied, black cherry fruit with leather, spice, and cigar box flavors, long linger, absolutely ready to drink
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9/10/2008 - Jaco2112 wrote: 86 Points
Not A particularly goood wine. I think I will give away my remaining 4 bottles.
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11/11/2007 - EGunderson wrote: 85 Points
Definitely not a great wine at this point. Decent nose (probably the high point of the wine), some fruit, smooth but nothing exciting or complex. Pretty much nothing on the finish.
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9/26/2007 - dcedarbaum wrote:
Very nice, but probably over-priced.
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3/7/2007 - roel wrote: 85 Points
Drank over two days. Slightly better on second day with pleasant but not overwhelming nose. Medium body, just a bit on the thin side to my taste. Decent fruit still coming through, but outshone by acidity, which makes me wonder how much life this wine has got left. Well made wine but drink up.
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2/12/2007 - MNS wrote: 87 Points
Upon opening, the wine was closed, with a slight vegetal nose. It opened after an hour and one-half and showed some fruit, but no complexity or length. Drink it up quickly.
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9/26/2006 - win wrote: 91 Points
Right Bank at Mi Piaci (Mi Piaci, Dallas, Texas): Very nice wine with a smooth texture and finish. Starts with a bit of dust that lends to the aromas of red cherry and mellow pomegranate that accents the wine's overall acidity. 13% alcohol 89-93
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8/20/2006 - Jaco2112 wrote: 88 Points
Very nice with lamb chops, but somewhat thin with little fruit.
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3/20/2006 - MRichman wrote:
1986 Bordeaux Horizontal (The Orchard, NYC): Warm, sweet, smooth. Not a lot of depth, but smooth & silky.
B+
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1/14/2006 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
BLACKBERRIES AND CURRANTS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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12/23/2005 - jrj wrote: 86 Points
Medium to light body. Light ruby color, no brown edge. Tannins fairly mellow at this point and still some fruit but not too exciting. Pleasant but no more than that.
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3/4/2005 - Pinotlover wrote: 88 Points
Not as thrilling as I expected at first, but surprisingly, it opened up quite well after several hours. I was glad that we didn't have more people for a wine such as this to really see it's potential, however, it still wasn't what I was expecting it to be.
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9/26/2004 - Rupert wrote: 87 Points
Still dark. Not much on the nose and, on the palate, not exactly closed, but somehow not giving as much as one would expect from a highly regarded St Emilion at 18 years old.
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11/21/1998 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of plum, black berry, cranberry, dusty gravel, and cassis, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very youthful tonight, hints of soft, silky tannins on the long finish and lovely aftertaste.
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9/8/1998 - Carniolan wrote: 88 Points
lovely bouquet, well balanced
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12/19/1990 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 80 Points
Christmas Tasting 6 Reds at Primas. Showed a merlot, sweet fruit characteristic on the nose, disjointed in the mouth, pleasing finish and aftertaste but dumb. My #6.
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6/3/1989 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
3 Bordeaux vs. 3 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Caramel, rich fruity nose, balanced and concentrated in the mouth, rich finish.
My #2 of 6.
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3/9/1989 - MicklethePickle wrote: 93 Points
With James Poe at dinner at Rudy V's in Beaumont, TX (steak Diane). Medium ruby; quite light. Very elegant, forward, fragrant perfume. Very soft on the palate, feminine. Flavorful. Perfect balance. Fruity, complex, long. How long will it last? 5-12-17-9: 93/100.
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