The last 15 months has been transformative for the wine. Everything in the wine has been accelerated in its development. It was glorious in its bloom of youth with fruit bomb nose and palate so typical of the younger 2003s. It went through a couple of years of restraint, but it now is exceptional. Fully secondary and tertiary, it is drinking like a wine twice its age, and it is such a treat if you love old Bordeaux. Everything is fully integrated with a smoky nose and a beefy palate. Possibly, the finish will further develop, and if it does, this will warrant another point or two. I did decant this for 6 hours; was it necessary? I'm not sure to be honest, and probably not. 96+
Drinking incredibly well, after 90 mins in the decanter. Textbook Left Bank Bdx. Superb with ribeye steaks. Admittedly, somewhat drying tannins (a 2003, after all), but quite good overall. Should drink well thru 2033 or so.
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Really good with steaks tonight. Wonderful example of a mature Bordeaux. Dark fruit up front-blackberry currant plum with a nice earthy backend with hints of dark chocolate, mint, forest floor, limestone, herbs. This will be good for a while.
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Black color, very dense impression. Impressive fresh nose of dark fruits, violets, herbs. The palate is a little bit drying due to the present tannins, that don't change or disappear over 6 hours of air. The same with the barnyard-smell that is always there. The wine would deserve a higher note, if the pure and fresh character of the fruits and aromas would not be overshadowed by the cow barn. 96 pts. for the nose, 92 pts. for the palate...94 pts. overall
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This wine continues to open very well with a deep crimson colour with touches of red on the edges. The nose immediately offers blackcurrants, dark plums, touches of dark chocolate coated figs, tobacco and cedar. The palate reflects the nose beautifully with a rich ball of fruit balanced by nice savoury touches and excellent persistence.
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Opened 3 hours ahead, decanted 1 hour. 3 of 6 purchased as futures and stored at 55 degrees. Earth, cedar, spicebox and dark fruit on the nose. Full bodied but a little less fruit forward than my previous bottles. Beautiful layers of cassis, tobacco and earth. This wine is in a great drinking window for me now. 95 points.
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First of 12 just out of bond with fillet steak. This is classic cab sav dominant Bordeaux. I agree with the majority of the reviews below. The colour is perfect with no browning at the rim. On first opening there is a noticeable amount of tannin, but following a 2 hour decant (thanks to those who recommended this) the tannins gradually softened revealing more fruit and the wine continued to improve. I may give it longer next time. It’s beautifully smooth with great length and is absolutely in its best drinking window and will last many more years.
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Tasted blind next to the 2004. Huge ripe nose but not overdone. I thought it was a 1998 initially. Ink and blackcurrant, no hint of alcohol, really balanced and well made. Done but persistent tannins. Great stuff and would no doubt continue to improve for a decade or more.
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Beautiful Bordeaux nose from a ripe and mature vintage, deep but sensual, rather black fruit, blackberry note in particular, graphite. Dense, suave and juicy on the palate, retaining its freshness. 95 A brilliant success for this vintage.
Beau nez de Bordeaux sur un millésime mûr et arrivé à maturité, profond mais gourmand, plutôt fruit noir, note de mûre en particulier, graphite. La bouche est dense, suave et juteuse, et garde de la fraîcheur. 95 Une éclatante réussite sur ce millésime.
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2h decant is highly advised. Sooo intriguing! Nose: Very tempting, deep. Very spicy and tons of blackberries, illusive vanilla. Mouth: spicy and again fiels of perfectly ripe blackberries. Tannins are still super grippy and tight. Has definitively arrived in its drinking window, and will stay there for some years. I don‘t think this will gain more from aging. Drink now or later; no regrets (but decant!)
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Wine in a fabulous place. Took no specific notes but this was very classic, deep red and purple. Doesn’t really come across in any way as being from such a hot vintage. I rated it, in terms of enjoyment on the day, the same as the 2008 Lafite Rothschild drunk alongside it. This was in no way overly mature so there’s no rush but it was impressive after a 2 hour decant. It didn’t tire before the end of a long lunch so it’s in what I suspect is a wide window, so up to how you like to drink your Bordeaux!!
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Delicious mature Leoville Barton. It has a beam of cassis/cherry surrounded by cedar and still present tannins. This may continue to improve but is drinking very well. This provides a pleasure that is very particular to Bordeaux.
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Decanted 2.5 hours. This wine continues to drink very well with notes of concentrated dark fruit: back cherry, raspberry, damp earth, hint of spice with velvety mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins are fairly soft and well integrated. Paired with grilled marinated antelope chops.
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4th bottle from a half case bought en primeur. Big nose of tobacco, liquorice, cedar and plums. Cassis, coffee and plenty of fruit and complexity on the palate. Has filled out mid palate. Plentiful tannins are more obtrusive this time, perhaps due to a cold room. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will continue to improve and last a surprisingly long time for a hot vintage.
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why do I take notes??? Had this wine in March and said hold many more years, well ripped this open last night. This wine is great, but young. Decanted 3 hours and this is still primary. Dark purple in glass, cedar, pencil shavings and blue fruits. this is damn good!!!! in 7-10 years maybe a 97-98pt wine, that damn good!
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Blind tasted with Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2009 and Rauzan-Segla 2015. Excellent! Drinks perfectly now but there are years ahead. It was intense, lively and concentrated. Leather, cigar box, earthy notes. Everything that you would ask from a good Bordeaux. Alcohol was fine, you could not guess 2003. Very elegant with an extra long finish.
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6th of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, delicious if far from full maturity, less angular than last bottle 2 years ago and with nuanced fruit showing some secondaries, silky texture, but started to close in glass and reveal underlying unresolved tannins, thankfully quite sweet and fine grained, I've always thought highly of Barton and this wine in particular and have no reason to resile based on this, significant upside, 30+ years. For now F+ (18).
PnP, but really hit its stride after about 15 min. Red cherry, dried cherry, saddle leather, tobacco, smooth flow front to back. Sadly, my last bottle. Would have really paired well with food.
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90 min in the glass was all that was needed for this to open up. A well rounded wine that is certainly in its prime with a decade left of optimal drinking. A very enjoyable wine that paired well with snapper and rice. Revisit 2025
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Fifth time I have had this wine and it has been consistently fine and has never disappointed. It was the best of the 4 bottles of 2003 Bordeaux that we opened. Decanted for 2 hours. Crimson color with a light brown rim. Notes of charcoal, black cherry and saddle leather. Firm tannins and a smooth lengthy finish. Starting to really come into it's own. 94 points.
1 hour decant: At first sip, I thought somebody slipped several drops of blackberry liquor into this wine! Wow! This was excellent. A fruit bomb that reminded me of a Cali Cab....but with so much more. Secondary flavors were dark cherry, leather, tobacco. Tannins were fully integrated from the first sip. This is drinking beautifully now.
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Medium garnet, some sediments, and slight bricking.
Strong oak note of pencil shaves. Some Brett note of leather. Scents of violet, sandalwood, and spices.
Vibrant and elegant fruit of black cherry and black currant. Black tea and salami-like savory note in midpalate. Long finish with black olive and dried thyme.
Medium plus body. High acidity. Mineral and chewy tannin texture.
Vibrant fruit and good acidity makes this wine stand out in the ripe vintage. A good balance and structure. Some tertiary notes emerging.
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OWC from London to HK, stored at home for over 6 years. Capsule shoulder and cork were all very good. Decant for 30 mins with moderate residue. Color was crimson with nice bricking. The tannin was structured but still not fully integrated ... taste of plum. earth, hint of pencil, herbs, tobacco box and the finish was medium. I liked to compare this with 2005. This time .. 2003 was a sure winner. Pity that I gave away a few to my friends. Match well with traditional Cantonese fried crispy pigeon and stir fried fish fillet with Japanese mushrooms.
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Decanted 2.5 hours. Drank with frankfurters, beans on toast, and topini. The wine's cork was perfect. When I decanted, the wine already smelled heavily of its ultimate perfume and chocolate, plums, dark cherries, nearly port. A large amount of sediment in the bottle and a bit in the decanter. I took a small taste at the one-hour mark. I could sense a core of fruit, but gritty and a slightly maderized flavor obscured it. I let my wife taste. She wasn't sure either, but she thought it would be good. To serve, I returned the wine into its now clean bottle, straining the sediment. Its aromas upon opening were now its flavors, plus a touch of mushroom or earth. I could not inhale this wine enough. An absolute gorgeous example of why I love wine so much.
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In a really great spot, still dark purple edging towards brick, beautiful nose with dark fruit, some tar, spice maybe some pencil, medium+ finish. Feels like it will age for a while from here. No heat or candied fruit I might have expected from 2003. Super wine.
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On the whole, this was excellent. What a pleasure to drink a wine of this quality and refinement. It's full of subtle flavors and depth: A wine to take a good sip, roll it around, and think about it. This bottle still had good fruit. Yet it is at the other end of the spectrum from a fruit bomb. This is a claret of culture. I did open the bottle about two hours before pairing it with steak, which was a good idea. It could have even used a bit more time; the wine came into its own as it sat in the glass.
On the other side, it did then shut down and kind of fall off a cliff. It revived a bit for the final glass the next day, but by then it was drier. I think there is no danger in letting this age for more years, but it is ready now. I have one more bottle and may let it sleep for a while just to see the difference.
This is still a very dark and ripe wine with only a tinge of brick on the rim. Nose was ripe and full - blackberry and blackcurrant, pretty pure with only a little note of earth and some wood. Palate is lovely and refined with medium bodied but ripe mouthfeel and a dry finish. Tannins are medium and there is some nice ripe acidity. More currants, more blackberry, maybe plum and a long dry finish with some dried herbs and leather on the finish. Really fine wine bought en primeur and glad I have one more left.
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Alluring nose Browning edges. Substantial ripeness with perfectly integrated oak. Lots of tertiary notes and very soft tannins. Enjoy now or within about three years. Ex-chateau with Damien Barton.
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Decanted a good 3 hours. Initially, showed very nice fruit but with a bit of mustiness. Eventually the mustiness went away but with edges of age on the finish. I was able to drink it very nicely during dinner. But with a few more hours, the wine faded. Sadly, this bottle did not make it past its 20th bday very well.
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On a taste before decanting it was a bit closed. Decanted for 2 hours which seemed to be the minimum suggested, and it had opened up nicely after that time. Some bricking around the edges showing it’s age. Gorgeous nose with some fruit and also tertiary aromas of truffle, forest floor and soy sauce. A bit less going on on the palate, but still some fruit left and similar tertiary flavours. Overall a really nice mature wine, but maybe not the wow moment I was hoping for.
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Outstanding expression of the 2003 vintage. The warmth of the vintage expresses itself in a thickly- textured, richly- tannic wine. There is a very savoury and meaty aspect to the palate, and the oak has been fully integrated into the fruit. Ripe, but not jammy, the earthy and leathery aspects of this balance any sense of over ripeness. Drinking at its plateau of maturity, but certainly no rush. This is not the most elegant Leoville Barton, and it will always have a reich tannic personality, but as an expression of the vintage, it is very successful.
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My experience was similar to jmoon's noting thea loss in the brightness of youth but taking on more tertiary notes of forrest floor and cedar. I'm going to try and hold off another 4 to 5 years before enjoying again. I sense it's in a transition phase.
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Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
At this point in the tasting, my will to drink and analyze another red wine was very low, so take this score and review with a grain of salt. The three Leovilles all had less charm and precision than the Pauillac’s but especially the Margauxs before. From memory, the Poyferre (93pts) was the best of the three Leovilles. This is surprising as it is usually riper and more modern than the two others which doesn’t seem like a great fit for a hot vintage. The wine showed a bit rounder and more harmonious than the others but without an exciting complexity. The Las Cases and Barton (both 92pts) were a step below but probably just would have needed a bit of air to open up.
Decanting: My guess is that this needs a 1-2 hours in the decanter.
Group average: 93.2 pts Group rank: Shared 18th out of 29 reds
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Decanted for two hours (which more or less seems the concensus). This wine was singing. Lots of blackberry, dark cherry, cigar, pencil shavings (and lots of it), cedar, still some noticable tannins and very long finish. Plenty of life left in the tank. Might be the best Bordeaux I've tried so far.
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It is ready to go but definitely no rush, if possible, give it a bit more time or decant it one or two hours before you have your first sip, great wine-making techniques behind it, in sheer balance! Everything is beautifully judged! Leathery dark fruits coat your palate, giving me a lengthy finish! The complex aromas are indeed intoxicating!
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Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note: A smoky profile with extracted cherry fruit, graphite minerality and floral accents adding appeal. However, balance was lacking with pretty coarse tannin.
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Really good bottle of wine, decanted 90 minutes and it needed a few more hours. Still tight with gritty tannin, cedar, and pencil shavings. Really great structure to this wine. No doubt can be drank now with a few hours of decant but can last many more. I will hold off my final bottles a bit longer.
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Initially tight and tannic this opened out to a silky texture with fine length. Unfortunately it seems to share a Brett issue all too frequently encountered with lesser L-B vintages. CHP 88 pts
Decanted 1 hour. This wine continues to drink very well with notes similar to my last tasting in 2021: Dense dark fruit with notes of back cherry, raspberry, earth, hint of spice with great mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins are well integrated. Paired with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks.
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Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Dark, deep colour. Fresh and young on the nose. Cassis and blueberries. Incredible juicy on the palette. More tannins on the finish, but very soft and smooth. 93-94 points.
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A very good showing from a classical estate in a very hot year. Pluumy and a bit monolithic. It was totally smoked by the 96 Barton which was more complex
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Drank alongside the '02, I found this to be somewhat disappointing. I've largely avoided this vintage in BDX, but have had really good experiences with some wines (e.g. Pichon Lalande, which is elegant and sublime) that tempted me to reconsider my anti-'03 ideology. After all, some of the recent vintages (looking at you '09 and '18) are much higher in alcohol than this allegedly freakish year. Well this wine is not quite a freak, but it's definitely not in my wheelhouse at the moment. Bursting with dark berry fruit, roasted coffee and cocoa notes and burly tannins, this doesn't really show any terroir to speak of. I didn't see a lot of improvement on day 2 or day 3, and if anything it began to fall apart further. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I hope that either this is an off bottle, or perhaps a victim of travel shock (this was a London auction purchase and spent a few weeks or months at sea before landing in NY in late January).
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First bottle from my now-19 year old son’s birthyear case. Took a picture of him opening OWC😆. Had for combo anniversary/kid goes back to college dinner, drank w a 2002 (marriage year) Karl Lawrence reserve beckstoffer to-kalon and grilled prime rib-steaks (fav dinner evar 😇). Easy to tell it’s a hot year. Big nose w Pine and eucalyptus. Palate not as strong as nose but tastes great. More complex than KLR (not that that’s a surprise). Fruity still, plummy (not tart). Very smooth. No real aged characteristics except for smoothness. Really excellent; preferred to the napa.
Being a novice in the field of Bordeaux wines, there is not much I can contribute. I was amazed by the quality and how much I liked it. It was complex yet transparent and incredibly elegant. The first glass differed largely from later ones, when the wine had more air. I personally liked the fresh first glass the best. I felt the wine was more muted later on.
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This has always been a favourite of mine from 2003, and has been an incredible fruit bomb for the last 5 years, almost drinking like a decadent Pomerol. However, the last year has seen a transformation as it loses its fruit, and it has almost become another wine, albeit first rate, but I'm unsure which personality I prefer. This now really needs an extended time in the decanter to allow the secondary notes to really blossom, and will obviously develop with age. The depth and complexity are still outstanding with an exceptional finish, and the wine is without doubt the best the estate has produced that is ready to drink. Also it is part of the top 5 left bankers from 2003. I adored this wine in the bloom of its youth, and I would hope its future mature sophistication will eventually match it.
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Not in a great place currently, much more closed than my previous tasting. Needed at least 3 hours to start opening and was still a bit rough... I will try again in 2-3 years
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Third bottle from a five bottle lot purchased en primeur from a reputable Dutch merchant in 2004. In great shape. Richly textured tannins are very intense but ripe, clearly defined Barton style and terroir expression with extra spice warmth and depth, deep and ripe Cabernet fruit, huge structure but without excess or lack of freshness, very tight and very long finish with hints of chocolate and liquorice. Will last for decades.
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Classic Léoville Barton from a hot year. Extremely balanced with fantastic depth of fruit. Cassis, spices, baked peppers and lead-pencil. Full-bodied and elegant with fine-grained tannins and sweet cassis fruit. Will age well.
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Thanksgiving Dinner 2022: WOTN in my opinion. This doesn't show an ounce of the overripe 2003 vintage and it is drinking beautifully right now. Tasted blind. I called it one of the Leovilles, but couldn't pin it to Barton. Delicioso!
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Opened by Otis. Decanted before dinner. Part of a vertical of the 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2003. 4th time I have had this wine. The most powerful and biggest of the wines. Just beginning it's drinking window. Notes of beef blood, blackberries and tobacco. Firm but not overpowering tannins. I would say this still needs time if you can wait. 95 points.
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It is more than a year since we last tasted this and it is still a great wine, and will be so for many years yet. It has a dark colour and a full, rich, quite dense palate, with intense blackcurrant fruit and a very long finish. An excellent vintage of this wine and today better than the 2000, which still seems to need more time to develop fully.
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Popped'n poured at home with grilled streaks. Probably even better with a decant, but this is drinking beautiful. An incredible wine in a tough vintage.
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had this three weeks ago - more than held its own with braised short ribs. plenty of red fruit, tobacco and a bit more plum and acidity. very enjoyable
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Another amazing bottle. Dark color, quite opaque. The nose is fruity and has some spice and some 2003 characteristic char (not sure why I get that from so many 03s, maybe the heat of the vintage). Velvety mouthfeel, amazing deep fruits, and some great high notes. The tannins are the type that caress the tongue. No bite. Long finish. I suppose this could be more complex but other than that I don't find any flaws. Drink now, I know I'm going to keep drinking these over the next year or two.
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Just a short decant, before enjoying this fabulous Barton with some ribeye. Already the nose is full of black fruits, minerals, and pipe tobacco. The bouquet is elegant and big with black currants, black cherries, cigar box, some forest floor, flecks of dark chocolate, very concentrated, and a super long amd seductive finishing. Great wine
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Another brilliant bottle. Very aromatic at popping with cherries and tobacco leaf. Very pure and balanced. Dark cherry palate with cedar and coffee notes. Tannins are silky though become more noticeable with air. Early drinking window but plenty of potential for further development.
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Drinking great right now. No hard edges, deliciously round, big fruit. Could finish a bit longer, but other than that there are no real flaws. Drink now or over the next several years. This was very much enjoyed by the crowd at the nighbors wine dinner on Bell.
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Best bottle (Weindorf Kirchheim, Waldhorn Laube): Glass: Sophienwald Bordeaux Popped and poured. Clear, deep purpel color. Nice, classic left bank Bordeaux nose with some barn herbs and pencil shavings. On the palate medium+ acidity, medium+ fine tannin. Fine red fruit, some cherry, some fresh herbs. Very good balance, silky texture, good length. In a wonderful spot right now. 93
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Opened an hour before dinner; did not decant, but ideally I would have. Deep garnet, with notes of cedary cassis, dried plums, baking cocoa, roasted herbs and black truffle. Medium bodied, surprisingly fresh and focused for an ‘03, with a velvety texture, good depth, and a long and focused finish. Firing on all cylinders!
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In a fantastic spot now. With a 2+hr decant tannins are more or less supple enough to quaff this without a care in the world. Superbly concentrated and refined claret that hints at the greatness found in wines many times the cost.
Not as flamboyant as it was in its youth, there is still a lot to like here with its lusciously-textured layers of black and red fruits, tobacco, herbs, and currant profile. Full-bodied and concentrated, drink now or wait a decade for more secondary characteristics.
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Very good acidity and freshness considering the vintage. Somewhat assertive and grainy tannins. Cassis with black licorice and menthol. Medium saturation and body and nice length
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A light ruby color with rims of garnet showing On pop, Nose of sour cherry, black currant, herbs and spices with slightly leathery tones Sharp edgy acidity and fine tannins that are smooth and lengthens out in layers. This will need decanting for 2 hours at least.
Ended up even 4 hours was not enough! Wonderfully integrated with velvety tannins and a oaky construct. Still a bit tight and can probably keep going... Nonetheless a beautiful austere wine.
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bought retail ~5 years ago. cork is barely soaked. showing some bricking and oxidation. significant sediment.
nose: cherry cough drop, char, lil debbie raisin creme pie, a hint of vics, tons of very sweet tobacco. shows alcohol.
palate: concentrated. slight medicinal astringence. soft and rich with talc like tannins on the back. both are probably attributable to the fine tannin that didn't sink with the sludge. very good!
etc: showed great on pnp. indubitably Bordeaux, just not rustic and from a hot vintage. my third bottle with no brett or funk. one bottle of three was off
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This is one of the stars of the vintage and possibly the best Leoville Barton drinking, but unfortunately this was the second bottle of this that has been skewed.
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My last note said to wait until 2024 before trying again. Drinking 1/3 a way along the drinking plateau. A good wine for the 2003 over developed vintage. A bit fruit forward, however the structure is improving and this wine never faded over the evening. I recommend drinking 2025-2032. Give it at least a 2-3 hour decant if you open a bottle now. Great pairing with Lamb filet and Lamb Osso Bucco Ravioli(my favorite item on the menu tonight).
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For a 2003, this is marvelous. But that's damning with faint praise unfortunately. Blind I'd probably guess this was a Napa Cabernet. Decent balance, but a bit too much of everything.
Possibly will appeal to American tastes more than mine, but make no mistake, this is a superbly made wine, especially for the vintage. It just isn't Bordeaux.
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Decanted a few hours. Beautiful aromas of crushed blueberry, blackberries, violets, ink and earth. Wonderfully complex and lively. Texturally like silk with a super long finish. This is not big, a little more on the elegant side, but power lies in its structure where everything is in balance. Great for the hot 2003 vintage. This has faired well with lots left for those who want to wait longer to open. Drink now-2032
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2003, Château Léoville Barton, Frankreich, Bordeaux, Saint-Julien. Der Kork ist in einem Zustand, wie wenn man den Wein vorgestern abgefüllt hätte. Noch immer jugendliche Farbe, keinerlei Brauntöne. Offene, noble Nase, 101% sauber, klar und rein, ein Schnupperwein, viel dunkle Frucht, Kirsche, Brombeeren, dazu blonder Tabak, Kräuter, Kreuzkümmel. Im Gaumen auf den Punkt gereift, saftige Frucht, strukturiert, mit reifen, fein verwobenen Tanninen, einer lebhaften Säure und lediglich 13% Alkohol. Langer, harmonischer Abgang. Dies ist ein wunderbar ausgewogener Barton, aktuell in einem super Trinkfenster und mit sicherlich 10 Jahren Reserven. Schade neigt sich die 6er-Kiste Barton dem Ende zu, die Vorfreude ruht in meiner letzten 75cl Flasche, sowie in einer noch verfügbaren Magnum. Jetzt bis 2032+ 95 vvPunkte vvWine.ch
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I found the wine shockingly backward for the vintage and age PNP on Xmas evening and figured this was a Bordeaux I didn’t have to decant at cousin’s house. This needed Toni’s time to open and show its stuff and honestly never got there. Hard to keep telling folks to be patient when they keep coming back to the bar and this not showing a lot other than initial acid And very subdued fruit. Clearly will decant all future bottles and give them tume
Full bodied with dark fruit. Feels like this could go a while longer. No signs of bricking. Upon opening, cork was pristine but nose showed a good bit of barnyard. Quite a funk that required a decant and a few hours of air to get past. By the 4th hour it was showing dried currants, cherry and leather. Smoked meat lingered on the nose. Tannins still present and holding everything together. Medium long finish.
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Awesome wine in a great place at the moment. Feels quite polished, has integrated well and feels very settled and ready to drink. Smells of cigar box, lead pencils and blackcurrant, hints of undergrowth, black olives and bay leaf. Palate is similar, not a heavy weight but has real presence and concentration filled in a somewhat elegant frame. Great length of flavour, should keep trundling along very nicely.
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What a treat this was. This really shows what potential proper Bordeaux has, 18 years old and - for me - entering its drinking window, which will last quite a while. Decanted for 4 hours. Dark red, no real age showing. Rich, powerful dark red fruit, leather and chocalate. Not overwhelmingly sweet due quite a fresh touch to it. Superb length. I can relate to this being one of the vintage's top chateaus. Unfortunately my last bottle.. 95+
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Wow! Candidate for best L-B ever? Dense blackberry and currant taste-great full body with tanins still there after 2 hr decant - this has decades left so no rush but seems great now- with sous vide then seared sirloin. As I recall a WS #3 in’ ‘06 and truly worthy
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Deep ruby with clear hints of brown at the rim. Sweet nose dominated by plums, almost on a rasiny side, but also some flower tones and minerals (ash/wet cigarettes). Full bodied, sweet attack, lots of plummy fruit, very dry, almost harsh tannins, sweet, plummy fruit on the finish. An almost brutal wine that just manages to balance the flabby fruit and the dry tannins. The warm vintage shines clearly through. 85-86
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5th of 24, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, overwhelming fruit flavours now starting to attenuate and mineral core and tannic structure showing more prominently, wouldn't be surprised if this retreats to a dumber phase before revealing itself again as the beauty it is, classic wine and much to my taste, considerable upside. F+ (18) for now.
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3rd time I have had this wine from a case I bought on futures for $45 per bottle. This was the best bottle yet. Decanted back into the bottle 8 hours before drinking. Light sediment. This showed very well. Notes of tobacco, plums and beef blood. Medium to full bodied. The tannins are slightly more integrated than 4 year ago but there is certainly no rush to drink this 18 year old Bordeaux. 95 points.
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Decanted. Terrific bouquet featuring black currant, tobacco, iron and herbs. Turned more red-fruited in the bouquet throughout the evening. Still rather full in the mouth with a bit of rustic tannin yet to integrate. Flavors of red fruit and iron with a long finish. Still needs a pretty healthy decant, I might suggest holding this another 3-5 years, but it really is beginning to drink well. (VM)
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A deep colour, still bright; rich, thick blackcurrant fruit, full but with excellent balance. No sign of excess heat from the vintage. A fine Léoville-Barton, enjoyable now but with 10, or maybe 20, years ahead of it.
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This is an exceptional wine - drinking significantly younger than its age, but it is still welcoming and generous. Excellent nose - classically Bordeaux but restrained and tantalizing. Primarily black fruit but with a lovely streak of red plum. A balanced, earthy and elegant presentation in the mouth. The finish is lovely, starting out with a bit of tight acidity, releasing then to linger and fade, inviting another go at it. Drank alongside a 2002 Hillside Select (high on the deliciousness scale but having none of the elegance of the LB) and a 2016 Bionic Frog (wholly unrelated but fun to have on the table,) this wine was, to me, the one I wanted to finish the evening with.
Had side by side with 03' Poyferre. LB is more structured with a stronger tannic framework. A 2 hour decant would really help this. Plenty of time to let this evolve
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Probably the finest (mature) LB since the 1990. Just about starting to open up and become approachable, best with 3+hr decant. Textbook, top flight Leoville Barton and indeed St Julien. One to stock up on.
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Anniversary wine. For a 2003 this is full of fruit like cassis and blackberries without that heavy burned taste of a hot vintage. Not sure I have tried a 2003 bordeaux as good as this yet. Ready to drink with a 2 to 3 hour decant.
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Decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of violet, blackberry, currant, tobacco leaf, graphite, anise and dried herbs. Rich black and red fruit, tobacco, graphite, dried herbs and fine tannins on the palate. Lingering, layered finish with excellent depth. Medium to full bodied. Drinking beautifully. A lovely wine. Served with reverse seared picanha.
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This is in a great place . Yet it has the fruit of the warm vintage, but has the structure to back it up. Nice tension on the palate between the red cherries and the lead pencil elements. Long finish. Great match for Flannery CA reserve filets
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Drinking this next to the Leoville Las Cases 1996.
Wow, this has developed extremely well into a gorgeous Barton from a year that many of us find limited in producing really appealing wines (including undersigned). After having consumed half a case this 7th bottle, after airing for a couple of hours, I can only say: What an appealing wine; very developed bouquet, tasting rich and ripe, great mature and lovely rich red fruit, and an after taste that makes you go back to the wine and checking how many bottles are left to enjoy. Giving this time to breath is essential to get the full richness. Superbe!
Until the Montrose and Cos and a couple of the first growths are ready to drink, this is best wine of the vintage and the best from the estate drinking at present. It has moved further forward in the last year gaining more weight on the palate and finish. What i am starting to love about the 2003 left bank wines is that they are not losing their fruit as secondary characteristics develop. The nose is a fruit bomb of ripe blackcurrant, cherry and plum with cedar hints. The palate is complex and well balanced, but with a good tannic spine. The finish still has room for evolvement and probably does not quite match the rest of the experience at this stage. In spite of the vintage this has many years ahead of it.
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deep young red color, on the nose roasted sweet red fruits, plums, on the palate a pretty and very ripe fruit- but also noticeable heat notes on the tail end, good long finish- though a bit hot overall, still tannic and in need of additional time to develop though I suspect that this- like many 03s- is going to be large and a bit monolithic, long-lasting for sure but at the expense of some of the usual nuance with age.
***,
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Decanted with dinner at La Piquette in DC (my favorite French bistro), I'm not sure this could be drinking any better. Still youthful, without a hint of warmth, and a perfect accompaniment to rack of lamb and ribeye. I continue to love the '03 Bordeaux from the Northern Medoc.
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Wow, lots of fireworks!. Definitely a black fruited; full bodied St. Julien that has a Napa Valley personality without excessive alcohol, nor jamminess. I’ve had this before and this time from a 375ml bottle. Based on it’s outstanding flavor now; I believe a 750ml could only improve over the next 3 to 5 years. This wine was highly rated by wine critics; and I can see why. Does have some tannins at the end; so food is compulsory. This is a Chateau that does need age (2000 still has some time to go). Drink this 2003 now instead of the 2000 or 2005.
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With K&O for an impromptu get together. This followed a 2006 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée "Chaumes". Splash decant, drank over about 45 minutes.
Medium garnet color, opaque, no notable separation. Nose showing dark fruits, currant, pine, cedar. Palate is a lush and still youthful, on this evening I picked up dark cherry, plum, black currants, cassis, cocoa. Secondary notes of earth, truffle and dark fruits. Medium/full body, long finish
Classic Bdx profile, bigger in style consistent with the warm vintage (may be a love it/hate it result). I thought it was great on this showing, I would like to have spent more time with it. Still youthful and showing great depth - another 10+ years maybe? Only one bottle left...
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This is such a pleasure to drink. Plenty of life and a long road ahead of it, but its enjoyable today. elegant brighter red cherry, tobacco notes, a pretty perfume. Def claret typical medium bodied, not heavy given the hot vintage. elegant long finish with some tannins. this is a great wine.
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What a left bank masterpiece! It has everything you could read in a book that left bank Claret should possess! Outshone an excellent 2003 Pontet Canet served next to it. Brilliant!
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, potpourri, berries, plums and currants. Flavors of berries, plums, currants and a hint of red cherries. medium to bright acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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This wine showed great yesterday, perhaps even better than the 03 Poyferre I tried a couple months back. Splash decanted and served blind, the wine was marked by its depth.
Minimal bricking. Open aromatics of cassis and lead pencil but no pyrazines for me here. I really love how the LBs from 98-03 are showing these days. There’s a lot of volume and rather plush fruit, nicely polished tannins and well framed acidity. It drank a lot younger than the vintage and you had calls for 2012 and 2014 at the table; which is not to fault as I often detect those pruned, roasted notes from hot vintages like 03/07 and none were to be found here.
Drink or hold, it’s in balance and has plenty of material to last 2 more decades
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Tannic and quite hard to read, needed some time but it opened after 5 hours. Dark fruits, liquorice, feeling a bit hard to my taste. Will benefit with some more years in the cellar.
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Decanted 1.5 hours. Dense dark fruit with notes of back cherry, raspberry, damp earth, hint of spice with great mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins prominent but well integrated. Paired really well with grilled herb crusted Wagyu ribeye steaks.
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This wine has evolved nicely Took to dinner at the GC restaurant with some neighbors. Nose and palate were a great representation of Bordeaux. Very smooth but still with many years ahead
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Amazingly balanced and tasty. Ripe purple and black fruit, almost like CA cab boysenberry, but pure BDX structure with loads of round tannins. Very long, completely delicious. Should keep evolving but I doubt it will improve given how good it is now.
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First of 6 purchased as futures and stored at 55 degrees. Opened 3 hours ahead. Earth, cedar and dark fruit on the nose. Medium plus bodied and concentrated with rich cassis and a touch of minerality. Plenty of sweet tannins and good freshness bode well for the future. Drinking well now but may still improve. Drink now to 2035. 95 points
Feels like it has just entered its drinking window but will continue to develop for many years yet. Lovely freshness about it with black and red fruits to the fore and smooth tannins on the finish.
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Decanted for 2 hours but really opened up after 4 hours. Such a nice wine and no clues of the warm vintage that is was... lots of fruit, cassis, leather, tobacco and well integrated tannins. This wine will last for 10 years plus. With Leoville you just need years and years of patience but you will be rewarded. The 2005 and 2000 are not even in their drinking window yet -;)
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Double decanted and let breathe for 2 hours. Then consumed over 2 hours. A stunning wine that is just starting to unfurl. It glides across the palate and features lovely secondary and primary dark fruits with a myriad of classic St. J scents. Still it feels like it has better days to come; there is still that tension of a wine that is coming together. If you have few bottles, I would try one now with a decant. I bet that these really hit their plateau in 2-5 years and hold there. If you doubt the longevity of 2003, this might make you rethink your conception...otherwise feel free to sell me your stash!
1st of 12. Four hour decant. Stellar nose, unctuous, rounded and long finish. All the usual notes, including some sandalwood and a hint of the Haut Brion about it. Tannins not fully resolved and still to integrate 100% but that is nit-picking. Will easily IMHO go to 96+ over the coming years.....preferred another 2003 I last had - Lascombes - and beats Montrose 2003 (I may not have decanted it for long enough) also recently tasted. Good ole LB, ever consistent. Will be following this with interest.
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What a beautiful wine, which is in its prime drinking window. Over the last year it has become sweeter and smoother, with black fruits, lead pencil and a beautiful finish. It needed only 30 minutes before it was at its peak. It should last 10 years, but 2003 was such a hot year that I will drink my remaining bottles over the next 5 years just to be sure.
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Surprising outcome drinking Prieure Lichine 2009 along the Leoville Barton 2003 today (and the rich lovely Redigaffi 2004).
In general, Barton, in my book is one of the alltime price/quality champions. Hardly ever disappointing, good value for money. So, even more surprising to see that Prieure Lichine 2009 at roughly half the price is the clear winner today. After sipping at the Barton I kept going back to the Lichine. The Barton is somewhat uninspiring while the Lichine had some richness and good fruit. Interesting even more because for me the Lichine 2005 is the better wine versus the 2009. Rating the 2009 at 92 only because the 2005 Prieure Lichine is a clear 93.
Great Bartons: 2000, 2005 Great Prieure Lichines: 2005
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I had one of these a month ago and it must have been an off bottle. I didn’t feel right giving a score then. Revisited tonight and totally different. Still a great deal of freshness and very well balanced. I gave it a one hour decant.
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First bottle from a case. Corked, but still potable. The nose was wet newspaper...ugh. I drank a glass for the hell of it. The palate was dense and sweet. I’ll report back tomorrow. Need to open a new bottle.
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This wine exceeded my expectations. Tannins were just what you would hope and expect for 2003. Had the 03 Las Cases last month, I prefer the Barton. Cheers!
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My notes are very similar to my notes in 2018. Black plum, tar, licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and black currants on the nose and palate. The tannins are soft. Decanted for 1.5 hours.
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Very nice - verging on fully mature - sweet black fruits, tons of pencil lead, hints of blueberry - perhaps a little ashy holding back a higher score but classic St. Julien - good stuff - will last another decade easily but plenty ready to go now with 2-3 hour decant.
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Drank this alongside a 2005 d'Arenberg Dead Arm and this really showed well. Not classic claret, but earthy and rounded with some lovely, forward dark fruit.
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[Blind] Lush primary blue fruit with some faint earth showing up. Some nice rusticity in more of a sous bois direction. Dense long palate but fairly dry already. Charcoal plus some more candied red berry.
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3rd bottle from a half case bought en primeur and much the same as 18 months ago. Big nose of tobacco and plums. Cassis, coffee and plenty of fruit and complexity on the front of the palate. Loads of very soft tannins. A little lacking mid palate; which is a sign of the hot vintage. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will last a surprisingly long time.
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Another one down as 8 months of lockdown continues a relentless assault on my cellar.
Nice medium ruby appearance with very little lightening.
Evolved and pronounced nose of black fruits, crème de cassis, vanilla, lead pencil and spice. Classic St Julien nose . In spite of the evolution of the aromatics, there is no sign of the wine being tired or cooked (contrary to the reputation of this vintage).
Medium bodied with lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate. Medium tannin still remaining with plenty of acidity to keep things fresh and a long, savory and delicious finish.
I love this estate (which always needs time) and this example did not disappoint. Drink now, but this will last " indefinitely" in a cold cellar.
Last tasted successfully almost 18 months ago, (I unusually had a flawed bottle in the interim, ) this is continuing to move forward in its development and is a magnificent wine. For myself this is the greatest vintage from the estate drinking at present. This has a respectable 13 % alcohol content and displays none the negatives thrown at the year in general. The nose is opulent with ripe red cherry, blackcurrant and plum with cedar now coming more to the fore and some subtle vanilla hints. The palate is perfectly balanced with the tannin sweet but retaining a bite. The depth and complexity of flavour are outstanding, and the finish is perfectly balanced and continues for 60+ seconds, returning in waves. I still note my only previous reservation in that the tannin unbalances the finish towards the very end; but it is nit picking, and I am sure a few more years could add a point or two to its rating. A few hours in the decanter is important at this stage to bring out its best.
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Popped and poured. This is a medium red wine. On the nose, I get notes of forest floor, fresh tobacco, black fruits, and coffee. In the mouth, this shows good structure with a nice balance between the acid and some medium fruit. The finish shows a long 45-50 second echo with nicely integrated tannins. Overall, this is showing great now but should have several quality decades ahead. There really is no issue associated with the 2003 vintage – this is classic claret (and solid LB) through and through. 93 points.
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Decanted, earth & funk on the nose for the first two hours. Nose transitioned to fruit & floral aromas after two hours in the decanter. Berries, expresso, spice on the palate. Drying tannins on the backend, indicating a much longer life. Quite enjoyable - note to self, revisit in 2023 at 20 years of age.
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Double decanted for 2 hours, deep ruby with no brick, dark fruit with a tobacco & leather, classic Left Bank, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold, no rush
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This just keeps getting better as it ages. Still young and vibrant, the wine manages to avoid the trappings of the growing season and instead provides an earthy, cedar, tobacco, dark red fruit and licorice filled perfume. Rich and lively on the palate, with layers of sweet, ripe, round, dark red berries, the wine tastes as good as it feels. With 1 hour of air, this is good to go.
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4th of 24, opened 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, in line with previous bottles, impressive purity and freshness for 03, considerable upside. F+ (18).
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Sep @ Crab at Bay!: This was quite tight initially and took some time to open up. Black fruits, black currants, violets. Quite concentrated. This has the foundations to get even better.
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Great classic bordeaux and always a favorite- great now but no rush you have another decade if you need it! With a grilled steak and salad on classic fall day in the CO mountains- doesn’t get much better!
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Decanted for an hour. Had it with friends. Lovely bottle. Mature drinking. Not huge - but good blue fruit, fine tannins. Easy to drink. Got more time. Good finish
Unfortunately this was corked, and the only bottle to date from my 2 cases, and possibly the first 2003 I have had tainted. This is possibly my favourite wine from the vintage, and by leaps and bounds the best Leoville Barton drinking. In spite of the taint on the nose and palate, I would still give it a 95 this evening and unspoilt 2 or 3 points higher. What a bummer, but what a wine!
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This wine continues to drink very well, if anything it's better than my last tasting in 2015. Decanted 1 hour, highly extracted fruit with notes of raspberry, cassis, cedar - well balanced with soft tannins and long finish.
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This ultra classic, masculine winery and the very hot vintage 2003 are a great match. It‘s at its peak with lots of wonderful tertiary aromas, good ripe but fresh fruit and a softened structure. Will be a lot of pleasure to drink over the next 10 years. Others had it blind and were hesitant to place in Bordeaux as the wine was a bit more full-bodied than your usual mature Bordeaux due to the hot vintage. Tuscany was mentioned. All in all, a lot of fun to drink and easily 94 points. For more the complexity, focus would have to be higher and the structure would need to be more luxurious.
TN: Tobacco and wet forest floor jump out of the glass, subtle dark fruits underneath. While not super layered or sharp, it‘s still a very good nose. Same tertiary aromas of tobacco, wet forest floor and a bit of black truffles on the palate along more expressive dark and blue forest berries (still fresh but yet ripe), some herbal notes. Medium precision and very harmonious. The tannins are still there but no longer intrusive or edgy. Good freshness.
Decanting: Not decanted and good from the go. No decant needed
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tannins are smooth, creating silky texture. flavors of smoked cherries, hints of licorice, Indian spices, and in background steadfast notes of oak. absolutely fantastic. awesome value.
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Popped'n poured, this wine has been incredibly consistent over the last 5 or so years, and has at least another decade (at least) ahead of it. Medium- to full-bodied, with dark fruits, leather, just a great bottle.
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while this was know as the hottest yr in Bordeaux this wine was a perfect expression of St Julien. Well integrated tannins, beautifully balanced great dark fruit combine to make a great wine.
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Decanted 2+ hours. Still pretty young but ready to drink with a few hours in the decanter. I would recommend to decant it at least 2 hours. A very good Leoville Barton. 93-94 pts. Has still many years left.
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Opened. Cork is pristine, with absolutely no seepage. After 15 years on its side, cork is dry 1/4 inch from the bottom. I love the aroma of well-aged Leoville Barton - often my favorite part of the experience. This one is no different: blue fruit, forest floor, some anise. Swirl and enjoy. Wine clearly needs decanting. More to come....
45 minutes later. ... excellent blue fruit on the palate. Some leather, and mild spice. Well integrated. Medium body and medium finish. With the fruit and even with the softened tannin, still stood up well to a venison shoulder roast (Travis's first buck).
I have one more and will drink before 2022, with a 30 - 45 minute decant.
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Incredible bouquet of cigar box, dark fruit preserve, roasted bell peppers, tiny bit of funk, red beet, underwood. Super lush, fresh, sweet palate, with quite some spices on the finish. Complex spectrum of flavors, one sip begs the next. It may miss a tiny bit of additional balance, fullness and etherealness to reach the next level, but I love it for what it is. No need to hold any longer, in its prime.
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This is a classic left bank Bordeaux. Nicely balanced fruit and earth elements. Hint of smoke and herbs, some briny elements. I actually started out at 94/95 and felt like it became slightly less impressive as it opened. Perhaps the fruit became surpassed by the other elements, which was not as pleasing to my palate. Lack of elite-level integration may be what was missing. Slightly bitter finish, especially after 90 minutes in the decanter. Nice, elegant Old World wine, but not a show-stopper.
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2nd of 24, half of a recorked bottle (in a half bottle) with the other half drunk last Saturday, perfect cork and level, as December's bottle, very attractive on both occasions, primary cassis fruit forward but with a freshness and purity which belie the vintage, adolescent. F+ (18)…..pointed up the flaws in the Montrose 01 on same night.
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Definitely a Barton, though surprisingly precocious at only 17 years of age! Black fruit, licorice and hints of iodine on the nose. The palate is concentrated with dark cherries and cassis, complemented by supple tannins. Well balanced and not flabby like some 03s. Really in a nice spot right now.
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Not quite as good as my previous bottles from this case.
Still very dark red, with a hint of thinning at rim. Stalky black fruit on nose and palate, accompanied by rounded tannins. Not the voluptuous crowd-pleaser that previous bottles have been.
Will try another one soon and report back.
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PnP. Has a great nose but it has developed a slight bitter edge. Either a bad bottle or it’s on the way out. I’ll drink another quickly to see what’s going on.
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Not sure what to make of this bottle, decanted 90 min and tried to drink over another 2 hrs. This wasn’t undrinkable but it wasn’t good either. Maybe flawed? No fruit component. Black olives, black tea, earth, touch of wet rock. Tried to pair with short rib, but that didn’t work either. This might be in a dumb phase or perhaps bottle variation.
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Dark, a bit brooding, black cherry, tar, dark wet earth and tobacco. Drinking very well now, nice structure, soft ample tannins, just starting to hit its stride. Auburn w/Bri & Bri
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Dinner with the wine group (Millbrae, CA): Decanted, appropriate amount of sediment for its age. Deep youthful ruby; nose is aromatic and youthful with blackberry, some plum, some St. Julien minerality, a bit of iodine; palate is full bodied, smooth rich blackberry fruits, alcohol is present but not at all out of place (13% on bottle), medium fresh acidity; medium to medium-plus length finish. Perhaps a touch more modern than most Leoville Barton, but still classically bordeaux by any measure and well balanced; this is a youthful bordeaux with character on a lovely maturing curve with 1-2 decades of growth ahead of it. My next bottle in 3-5 years. 93++ 6 hours double decanted: rich, more full bodied than the others in the lineup but still balanced and very nice. Tannic and needs a lot of time. 93++ Day 3: Still well balanced, richer than other vintages in this lineup but delicious and showing well.
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A fairly deep colour; the palate is restrained, with blackcurrant fruit and slightly grainy tannin; this seems less forward than previously and would benefit from several more years in bottle. Potentially an excellent wine, but it is not there yet.
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1st of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level - little changed from bottle in Feb 18, still young and purple rimmed but with some secondary development on nose, losing some plushness on palate and slightly awkward and undifferentiated, hence minor downgrade, but would expect the flavour profile to tighten and show more layering in future with a 10 to 20 year life thereafter. At least F+ (18).
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Quite different from the last bottle, which was interesting. It didn't strike me as being quite as mature, although it is still a powerhouse of a wine and clearly is bdx. Smoky and powerful, refined, elegant, long finish. Yum. Drink up, but I don't feel as hurried as I did after the last bottle which I scored a point higher but seemed fully mature, closer to the downhill.
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It would be nice to get a really representative bottle of this, because although it was a lot better than the last bottle, I'm not convinced that the 2003 cannot do better. If the last one was a little uptight and stodgy, this was all fruit and charm, totally different. The brightness of the fruit is really appealing and unlike anything else tasted from 2003, without the slightest trace of over-cooked berries. But it was also a little lightweight - without the usual Barton power and majesty. Very enjoyable, but not quite the bee's knees, especially compared to the 96, or even the 02 and the 04.
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Quite big for a LB, the bouquet convinces with blueberries, cassis, some bacon, iron and cedar. The tannins are still quite young, dusty and demanding but very fine grained and mouth coating. The palate is intense and fullbodied with good acidity. This is close to greatness just slightly below the 2000 and 2005 and will easily hold for another 1-2 decades.
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Drinks beautifully right now, still has a LOT of power. Would recommend an hour decanting at least. Lots of tertiary aromas such as cigar box as well as a dominating flavor of licorice. Perfect pairing with venison and chestnut purée. I had been told by a Bordeaux producer that the ‘03 were starting to decline because it was a warmer vintage but he was probably not talking about that sort of product. This will still hold for almost a decade.
Youthful red. Eucalyptus, mint, spice and cedar nose. Soft tannins, lovely tartness, fresh cherry, graphite, and stony minerals on the finish with a touch of savory tobacco on the finish.
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Clearly classic Bordeaux but in a ripe warm vintage. Grilling herbs on the nose, aromatically very complex. Dark cherries. Old oak, more cedar. Good acid. Little dusty. Doesn’t taste 16 years old. Love it. Great QPR
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (R&D's): Double blind. Plummy dark fruit, iodine and a bit of horse blanket/barnyardy funk. Red berry fruit on the palate; structured. Tight. Guessed Bordeaux.
My #4, Domino's #3 Group #4, 11 pts
This suffered from not being decanted. It really came on strong towards the end of the tasting and had it showed at this level originally would certainly have made it to the championship flight.
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Very enjoyable. Black & red fruits. Forest floor, green peppers, cigar and chocolate. Resolve tannins. Long finish. Drinking very well now and will last.
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Metal, concrete and spices, alcoholic cassis, hints of olives and mushrooms, toasty meat and old oak in the nose. On the palate a broad carpet of reasonably intense tannins and iron. Then acidity, cassis and black berries merge in for a medium to long finale. A hint of truffles. Yummy and well resolved but also slightly unclean with some off-aromas.
On day two much rounder and fruitier nose, honey, cassis and blackberry punch, mushrooms still distinctly present. On the palate stronger acidity from start to finish. Smell of concrete remains.
On day three even richer alcoholic fruit notes, strawberry, significantly cleaner taste, no concrete and little mushroom left, balance feels best.
Good stuff and nice to drink but to become my favourite it would need more elegance and less forest floor – will follow up with another bottle.
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Wow again. No decanting. As soon as I poured it from the bottle I could smell the rich nectar within. Aromatics reminded me of a combination of mature bordeaux and mature high class Napa cab. Silky smooth in the mouth, complex, mature, rich, long finish. It is in a perfect place right now, not sure if it'll improve. I think it's time to drink these at will despite the relatively young age. It might ride just like for a while, but might start to decline soon.
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Beautiful mature Bordeaux, ready to drink or hold for many years. Complex and delicate with layers and layers of flavors. There is nothing simple in this wine, a wine to brood upon
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This has everything one would expect in a beautifully aged Bordeaux. Deep garnet with a sensuous fragrance of forest floor, cedar, cigar smoke, black currant, espresso and chocolate. The palate reflects the nose. A rich core of black plum and black currant fruit is supported by tobacco leaf, iron, roast beef and pine. Time in the glass allows one to coax out the subtle undertones of cassis, walnut and lead pencil on the moderate lengthy finish (length of the finish being the only downside). Full bodied, exquisitely balanced, complex with medium plus acidity and some evolving tannins. A lovely wine to drink now or hold for years.
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Just goes to show: bottle variation rules... This bottle was far better than previous ones - not great but good. I will look forward to seeing how the rest of the case behaves...
Tasting immediately after opening had me very nervous. Big tannin, no flavor, odd smell. After 2 hrs in the decanter it opened but just a bit. Still not what i had hoped for. After a spicy dinner, and 2 more hours in the decanter, it finally hit its stride. Tannins softened a bit and I am getting the tasting notes everyone else mentions below. Cork was in excellent shape (a wee bit of mold on the top of the cork). Paid $125 at auction. I probably expected a little more in terms of QPR but this is a good wine once it opens up.
10NOV19 - Bottle 2, 3 hr decant in wine fridge. Lovely bottle, very enjoyable. Reaffirming the 93 points. I think this wine will continue to improve over the next 5-7 yrs.
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1 Stunde dekantiert...Hammer...da passt alles für mich, fein, mit richtig viel Rückgrat, keine schlechten Anzeichen des Hitzejahres, schöne Länge...leider nur noch eine Flasche, die dieses Niveau sicher noch 5 Jahre halten kann
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Nice deep color,garnet/purple. Great aroma with nice fruits and lovely forest/woodsy tones as well. I liked the mouthfeel with it's nice tannic structure well balanced against some good berry flavors and I picked some cherry as well. Dry finish that had a nice lingering quality to it. Enjoyed this bottle immensely.
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Beautiful nose of black and red fruits with classic cedar and pencil notes. Wonderful mouth filling flavours, right at its peak but absolutely no hurry.
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Still very young for an 03, but already very enjoyable now. Just needs a good decant...smoothens and opens up after half a day of air! LB is generally a wine which needs a lot of air.
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PnP. This is in its drinking window. Smells like a freshly plowed field. Currant, aux jus, herby. Medium bodied, long finish. Just a great wine for date night.
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I love where the '03's are right now. But this is one of the best. Intense red fruit, wonderful balance, smooth build to the front/middle and then a graceful transition to the lingering finish. Decanted for 2 hours before serving.
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Popped and poured at picnic on Tanglewood lawn before Earth, Wind and Fire concert. Delicious as always, ripe fruit, fine complexity, silky on palate, wonderful, lingering finish. This hot vintage served Leo B well, as it is ready to drink now while other vintages remain closed.
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Very very very good bottle of wine, not the best I've ever had but just a step down from my favorites from Margaux, Lafite, Cheval Blanc, and Montrose. One bottle left, hope I can wait a little bit.
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wonderful nose; a touch of funk with this one but not off putting. decanted 2 hours and drank over the next 2. I continue to be surprised at how graceful (if a bit short in the finish) it is for the vintage. A faint touch of stewiness in the finish but again not off putting.
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- Brick color. It's overly tannic with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a long finish - Some say it needs more time. Some say it's drying out and drink up. I can't tell, but I'm very happy with the glass in my hand. I have three left and hope I have the self discipline to wait a year to try another.
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Dark red; lovely fruity ceddar, very mature, blackcurrant; rounded, smooth, good body, a bit dry tannic ending, then getting nicely fruity afterwards; some say 2003 is not good - I like it! Really good and sunny
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Tasted alongside the Pichon Baron '96, perhaps unfairly, this showed a much more macho side with very strong tobacco aromas, a full box of Havannas, and a dominant meaty, gamey, barnyard aspect that wasn't unattractive but maybe in need of further integration. The fruit is still foursquare, stocky, with cassis overtones, and the tannin still bites. Who knows if it will resolve itself, given the vintage, but I found this one in want of a bit more TLC in a dark cellar before showing its best.
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Last tasted 6 months ago, this is entering its prime drinking window, and is displaying secondary and tertiary notes. I would hope that the tannin will continue to soften, particularly towards the end of the wine, but apart from this it is in an absolutely sweet spot. The nose is deep with blackcurrant, cherry and plum with hints of vanilla in the background, but it has a old leather mustiness of a wine two decades older, and is almost Pomerol in its profile. However, on the palate its left bank heritage asserts itself, with robust tannin which is perfectly balanced, and an exceptional depth with multi level layers of complexity. The finish is 60 seconds plus and totally harmonious. However, I do think that the finish is perhaps one aspect that could improve as the tannin can intrude on the final stages of the wine. With the 2000 not yet ready, this is by a long margin the best Leoville Barton drinking, easily outperforming the 1982 and 1990, and also one of the top wines from 2003. As mentioned previously a long aeration is recommended and also to allow time in the glass. In terms of its lifespan, at this stage I could not make a judgement, but my instinct is that this probably needs to be drunk over the next decade to enjoy it at its best.
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About as 'new world' as an 'old world' wine can be without losing itself, and if you're okay with that it's delicious. Also, if this makes no sense blame the wine, because it was delicious. Did I already say that?
Drinking well now after a couple hours in the decanter, will probably hold up fine for several more years at least. Not the bottle in my decanter, though, because I drank that. It was...how shall I say...delicious.
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I am sorry to say that I totally disagree with those who find this a good wine: it has all the faults of 2003, and few virtues. It smelt and tasted of cooked fruit and was frankly rather medicinal. Behind that there was precious little. It may be a problem with bottle variation - except that I opened two bottles, and they were both identical. I will be interested to see if a third bottle is different.....
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Decanted 2,5 hours. Not as good as my last one 2 years ago (94pts) but a very good bottle nevertheless. Still pretty young but ready to drink with enough air. I would recommend to decant it at least 1 better 2 hours. 93 pts.
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This is certainly a fine wine, but I am not sure that it deserves some of the scores awarded by my fellow cellartrackers. Colour of a deep opaque dark plum ; nose = intriguing and pleasing overtones of smoky wood and dark fruit (and with that St Julien softness), not particularly lifted but with an ethereal elegance; taste = excellent mouthfeel, with nuanced flavours that go on forever. There is, however, just a little too much acidity for my liking, and the fruit needs just a little more depth. Perhaps the wine is drying out. I certainly would not keep it any longer.
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The 2003 Leoville Barton is a terrific wine with a deep crimson colour with touches of red on the edges and a big nose of blackcurrant, dark plums, touches of dark chocolate coated fig, charcoal and cedar. The palate reflects the nose beautifully yet has poise and length with a lovely persistent finish. zits drinking beautifully now and there is probably little to be gained with long term cellaring.
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A real treat and relished by our dinner guests who enjoyed the full, balanced fruit but without the puckering tannins that come with clarets from a better vintage than 2003. For me this is hedonistically a point right now, but I suspect claret purists will disagree with me rather strongly...
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Second bottle from a half case bought en primeur and much better than the first one 18 months ago. Big nose of tobacco and plums. Cassis and plenty of fruit and complexity on the front of the palate. A little lacking mid palate; which is as sign of the hot vintage. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will last a surprisingly long time.
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Incredible bouquet, medicinal character. Very integrated, lush mouthfeel, tobacco, medicine, sweetness, berries. Balanced but present acidicity. Long finish with sweet resolved tannins. Feels earlier picked than the Montrose and Cos, thereby slightly fresher, lighter and more elegant.
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Drank over two days - on day 1 I felt this was good but there was a grippy gravely slightly drying finish which meant I was not quite as smitten as day 2. Day 2 the wine was more relaxed and still showed bags and bags of fruit (blueberry) with nuances of tobacco and undergrowth but at present this wine is still mostly primary. Certainly a success for the vintage as usual I dislike 2003s Bdx. They seem to have picked early enough to preserve freshness of the grapes. The tannins are soft and this wine is drinking but hopefully should continue to develop nicely for 10-20 years. The one thing to watch is if the acidity is enough for it to continue to show fresh as I worry I could top over into something more prune like but time will tell. For some reason it reminds me a bit of a Lagrange 05 I had recently in half bottle. So this is not your typical 03. Well done Barton. Better then Poyferré in this vintage imo and possibly also superior to LLC (although the latter was tasted five years back and was showing very monolithic).
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Decanted two hours before dinner, and though still young, it's hard to resist. Enough tannin that it benefits from food, but no more than a nice steak benefits from this beautiful Left Bank Bordeaux. The '03 Bordeaux from the northern communes continue to impress.
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Stunning wine of exceptional character. Lifted and minty, deep black currants. The palate features fabulous definition, clean flavours, and a focused (and slightly warm) finish. A touch of barnyard adds interest to a Bordeaux that convinces on the vineyard, more than on the (exemplary) winemaking. So young, so structured, so generous. The tannins are firm and prevalent, and the ripeness of the fruit in this vintage helps to justify the structure. I like it, but some may find the finish a little to furry for its own good. Still pretty primary. 92-94+
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of cherry, black raspberry, currant, tobacco leaf, graphite, coffee, licorice and spice. Ripe red fruit, tobacco, coffee, licorice, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, well balanced finish. Medium to full bodied. Young and elegant. Served with grilled filet mignon and bordelaise.
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No detailed note but remember liking this quite a bit. Better than most 03’, has the richness of the vintage but also complex with classic Barton notes.
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This bottle took a while to open up and felt younger than the last bottle tasted about a year ago. Different source, so perhaps storage was different. A bit closed and heavy on the oak initially. A few hours in the decanter did wonders and once again this wine shows beautiful dark and lush fruit, but backed by good structure and acidity.
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Tasted from a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc proved itself to be of classic quality in all respects. Deep garnet, ripe and rich, it delivers an olfactory and gustatory combination of dark plums, cassis, anise, violets, allspice, menthol and loamy earth. Full-bodied, low in acidity and without alcoholic heat (13%), it wraps its flavors with abundant sweet tannins, has impressive mid-palate density and finishes with tremendous length. This may not yet be on plateau, but it is close enough so that one does not need to hesitate to pop the cork. Drink now-2038.
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Out of 375. On the open had a bit of a barnyard/animal funk reduction. After an hour decant, the nose softened greatly although there was still a streak of animale in the nose. Palate was dark cherry, a little mocha, a healthy dolop of sandalwood and bit more of that animale from the nose. Ripe, sauve tannins and silky texture. Felt this was still drunk too early, and with not enough air. Still enjoyable, but was not a wow experience. 93-94.
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Popped, poured and consumed over the course of three hours. Youthful appearance, with no bricking. Surprisingly classic bouquet considering the vintage, with an extroverted character, offering up scents of cassis, blackberry, minerals + crushed stones, with hints of sous bois and dried black currant. Medium bodied, surprisingly silky, with ripe tannins, great depth, and good delineation on the long finish. Impressive!
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Little disappointed after reading some of the rave reviews for this wine. I think the potential is there, and it showed through with some coaxing, as some of the gunpowder, leather, and barnyard that I love about Saint-Julien wines was there, if faint. A couple of the dinner guests remarked that it tasted watered down, and I had to agree, as this wine certainly was not jumping out of the glass, but rather remaining shy. I can only conclude that this bottle was off or this wine still needs anything 5 years, if not a decade, to show through, which has been my experience with most top tier Bordeauxs. I don't have another bottle, but if I can get it for a reasonable price this might be something that I revisit next decade to see if it shows better.
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2003 Bordeaux tasting (from 2011): A good introduction to the tasting. A nose redolent of ripe fruit, cassis and sandlewood. Light and fine grained, one taster described the wine as ethereal. A generous wine with ripe tannins and earthiness and flavours of baked herbs. Overall, tasters’ third favourite wine.
NA = 0, B = 1, S = 17, G = 12, WON = 6
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A very deep colour; deep, rich, blackcurrant fruit, slightly cooked, even burnt, with a thick texture and a long finish. A very attractive wine to drink now, but with years of life in it still.
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This bottle had not been stored very well and it sort of showed. Still very enjoyable; deep rich flavours and good length. But the intensity you normally find here was absent and the typical freshness was a little impeded by a hint of raisins. Serves no purpose to score this so will go back to the bottle and enjoy it as best I can.....
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What a nose! Soft nuanced and a touch of earth. I popped at four and sipped from 5 on. Dinner of pot roast could not have been better as the wine cut throu the richness of the food. By 7, the wine was softening and tells me this is a riper wine then many expect. Drink now thru 2025.
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Decanted in bottle for three hours before serving. This wine was wonderful. Classic LB earth coupled with the exuberant fruit of the vintage. The wine is in a terrific place right now but will last for a fair bit longer. Will be very interested to try this again in five years or so.
I concur with my previous notes, that this by far is the best Leoville Barton drinking at present, and nearly up there with the Montrose and the Cos D'Estournel. The nose is deep with cherry and plum with hints of violet. The palate is ripe berry fruit and liquorice, and multi layered with depth and complexity. The tannin does intrude to a degree, but is soon shaken off with time and movement in the glass. With a finish of 60 seconds plus, the only criticism at present is that the tannin is dominant on the final part of the finish, but perfectly balanced. It will get better, but it can truly be enjoyed and relished now with 6 or more hours in the decanter, and, as importantly, a decent time in the glass. 96+
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Perhaps no longer an adolescent, but maybe more a teenage prodigy or a young adult. With a better decant, and/or a few more years in bottle, this will be pushing 95+ for those of you keeping score at home. But tonight, with just a pop'n pour, this '03 might have been ever so slightly overshadowed by its '04 sibling which was firing on all cylinders right out of the great. Drinking well now and will only get better. But do yourself (and it) a favor, and give an hour or two decant if you open one now.
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This bottle was more closed than the last. This wine seems to be going to sleep maybe suggesting more life ahead of it? Wine only showed after 2 hours. Hold.
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Perfect fill and excellent cork, as good as new. At first, quite promising - dark, with strong, spicy aromas of black cherry and blackberry, albeit slightly baked. The first sip was much like the other 03s I have tasted recently - compact, concentrated and with a hint of stewed fruit, but I hoped that like the others, it would open up with decanting. It didn't. On the one hand, it does taste of LB - recognizably so, with a freshness on top of the attack. But it's over-concentrated, too compact and never gets past mid-palate, with a very short finish. As the evening went on, so it became more and more stodgy and port-like. It was hard work to drink and not very enjoyable. Perhaps it's me, perhaps this was a very backward bottle, but it was not nearly as good as the 01 and 02 tried recently. I'm loathe to score this, because I don't know if this bottle is representative since so many love this wine.
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I really like how this is showing. In many top vintages for Leoville Barton, 15 years of age makes it a baby. Not with the 2003. The wine is concentrated with layers, of deep, fleshy, red fruits, soft, supple tannins and the finish delivers the goods. Drink it now, or wait 5 years, either way, it is a winner!
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Cor - what a scorcher! A hot wine from a hot vintage!
I approached this with some trepidation (suspecting it might be over the hill), but it was so utterly and unexpectedly delicious. Didn't bother decanting it and only opened an hour or so before dinner. Immediately we were devoured by its rich soft, mouthfilling dark fruit. Not particularly long or complex, just absolutely beautiful to drink. I'm not sure this is sophisticated claret, but it certainly wow-ed Mrs H (who prefers her reds young and fruity...).
So good we took another bottle of this to dinner with friends the following Saturday and they loved it too.
We're going to consume the rest of this case with alacrity over the next year or so. Enjoy!
First bottle from the case, and this mirrored many of the comments I've been reading here. Still a baby, and would have merited an even higher score with a decent decant before dinner. Just delicious with ribeye and mushroom risotto at La Piquette (for my money, the best French bistro in the DC area). Very much looking forward to see how the remaining 11 bottles evolve over the next several years.
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Poured into glasses right away at restaurant and let sit thru appetizers and salad until main courses came. Probably spent 1hr in the glass. I smelled it throughout that time but didn’t taste. Very seamless with no edges whatsoever but at least 5 years from maturity in my opinion. Very fruit forward and youthful with plenty of tannins evident in the medium finish. It lacked terroir and earthiness that I feel is there but is dominated by the young fruit, which lends towards blackberry and blueberry. I would open after 2023.
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Pitch perfect with fine tannins that are well integrated and nuanced. Deep core and even finish, I would be tickled to drink this regularly. Enjoy now or over the next 5 years.
A solid performing fully mature Bordeaux. Deep purple color and integrated tannins. I don’t see it improving with age but doesnt show any signs of tiring as well. Drink over next ten years. Minimal decanter time needed.
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Dinner at Second Floor, American Club. Deep purple. Intense nose of black fruit, mushroom and some forest floor. Soft, well rounded tannins, medium bodied. Further evolution in the glass unveiled ripe fruit on the palate. On the whole, not as rich as the Pontet Canet 2003 which I prefer to this wine.
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Strong cedar nose, Louis Vuitton leather bag, black fruit, charcoal... Very masculine taste with loads of integrated tannin, forest floor, mushrooms, ending a bit dry and masculine compared to other 2003's
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Black plum, tar, licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and black currants on the nose and palate. The tannins are soft. I decanted this for 1.5 hours. It is drinking very well currently but has years of life left.
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Drinking well and with two to three hours of decant no need to wait but plenty of life left. Lighter on its feet than I would have expected given the vintage. Super seductive nose. Served with cassoulet.
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Bouquet qui projette, profond, complexe et sombre bien qu'il ne fasse pas tant bordelais à mon avis. Bouche un peu monolithique avec de l'épaisseur, c'est mur mais équilibré mais ça reste somme toute assez tendre et peu nuancé. Finale finement tannique et persistante. Pas mal mais certainement pas grand à mon palet. 90-91
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Deep garnet in colour with fine sediments Nose of graphite, ceder wood, licorice, little black fruits Full bodied, mouth pickeringly strong tannin, intense St. Julien minerality, well-balanced, long bitter sweet finish The rustic tannin softens with one hour in glass. I expect that the wine may improve with 5 more years of cellaring to mellow down the tannin.
Decanted for an hour before pouring. Nose of fruit, minerals and menthol The fruit on the palate contrasts with minerality and pencil lead. The tannins are resolved leaving a mild but flavorful wine. We drank this with a big Cali Cab ( Rubicon ‘05 ) at a table of six. The contrast of styles couldn’t be more evident. I preferred the subtlety of the Leoville over the fruit forward Rubicon. I will be interested to see how my other bottles of this wine evolve with time. I’m hoping more complexity develops
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Quite a deep colour; full, ripe, blackcurrant fruit, a little earthy perhaps with some unresolved tannin; quite soft-textured in mid-palate, with medium length on the finish. This is good to drink now, although it has plenty of life in it yet.
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From magnum, needed about 30 minutes of air in the decanter. Harmonious, dense, smooth and delicious. Muted red fruit with tobacco, spice and some earthy notes. Absolutely ready for business.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was pristine; decanted 1.5 hours before dinner and drank over the subsequent 2 hours. A dark purple/red core, turning towards blood red at the rim. Rather classic bouquet for such a hot + ripe year, with primary notes of black fruits and crushed stone; further airing revealed hints of lily and cigar box. Good intensity on the palate, with ripe tannin, good structure and a long finish. Drinking well at present, but the aromatics and flavors are still quite primary. Well it develop that velvety texture and complexity with additional bottle age? For me, the jury is still out.
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Chez C, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level - deepish, youthful, glossy garnet, purple rimmed; primary cassis, some black cherry, violet, hint of chocolate and tobacco, very pure and classy; medium full, long, persistent, concentrated, wonderful grip, balance and purity, fine grained well covered tannin, opulent, just entering drinking window and still a bit primary and undifferentiated, long life. At least VF (18.5).
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Last tasted a year ago, it has moved forward, and has entered its drinking window. It is a very special wine and by far the best Leoville Barton drinking at present. Possessing an unbelievable opulence, the nose is full of ripe cherry and plum with hints of violet. On the palate the mouth is full of ripe berry fruits and liquorice with a great depth and complexity. The tannin is still in evolvement but does not inhibit and the wine completes with a 30+ second finish. This will keep getting better with the structure to last for 20+ years, and for me is only pipped for wine of the vintage by the Montrose and Cos D'Estournel.
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Graham/Barton tasting-cum-lunch (Restaurant Bak, Amsterdam, NL): Opulent style, rich and full for Barton, generous, almost sweet fruit, powerful tannins but they are ripe, deep and spicy, fennel, very expressive nose, benefits from its terroir near the river in this hot year, good but not exceptional length.
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Tasted blind. This wine tastes both regal and delicious. It has a huge mass of ripe plum and tar with a big kick of licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and oak. Tannins are heavy but mostly woven into the structure, yielding a sense of seriousness. The acidity is at a perfect level to prevent tedium without tasting tart. Better in 5 years. Rating: 96
Guess the wine. I’m conflicted between Left-Bank Bordeaux and Barolo. My first instinct was Left-Bank Bordeaux, so that’s what I’ll go with, but the tarriness and tannins seem more Barolo-like. I would be shocked if this is anything New World. 10-15 years old.
Non-Blind p.s.: For better or worse, I think this wine is clearly on the upswing and has quite a long ways to go before it's expressing all its density. The Cellartracker suggested drink range of 2010 to 2017 should be disregarded as nonsense.
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2003 CHATEAU LEOVILLE-BARTON ST. JULIEN- passed around in the decanter along with the bottle, it was quite a site to observe a huge amount of sediment all along one side of the bottle leading to the conclusion there has to be some stuffing in this juice and there definitely was; with a splash of Brett in the nose, it gave leather, charcoal and mint chocolate inundated black currant fruit in copious amounts.
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this is a Bank Left Bordeaux that shows you why they have some of the greatest terror. The wine is full body, balanced with dark fruit. It is silky and leaves a long after taste that you savior.
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1st of 12. Fresh bright nose of clove, cassis, dark fruit. Hints of tobacco and green. Palate has some red fruit but clearly a bit faded. Tannins are mostly resolved, leading to a nice soft texture, but still some crunch and tartness at the end. Moderate length. Tasty! Highly drinkable now, but could easily develop more secondary notes.
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I bought a lot of this EP and I’ve already written several notes on this wine. This bottle showed particularly well despite a tough pairing of tapas with a lot of fish. As I’ve noted before, this wine is rich and complex. The hot conditions during this vintage served LB especially well; rather than taking forever to mature this wine is ready to drink now or over the next decade +. The wine is just flat out delicious!
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Good note from sorrowless. All I would add is good weight in the mouth but my bottle is oddly bitter mid palate. There’s plenty of time for this to fall away. Drink over the next decade, or two.
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From Magnum, Lusardis, New York. Beautiful aromas, cherry, earth, a little tannic and youthful at first but 20 - 30 minutes in the glass brought it around nicely. Smooth and soft on the palette, long finish. Definitely ready for prime time and will last for at least another decade.
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This is still youngish, but so good that there is no real reason to wait. Beautiful on the nose with cassis and dark berries, some leather, tobacco and, surprisingly, a smoky tone that I don't associate with Bordeaux. Wonderfully structured and balanced. Still with some noticeable tannins and high acidity, but the fruit is there to match it. Long and complex. Great wine.
Opened by Mark as part of a blind vertical of the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003 vintages of this wine. Decanted 2 hours. My 2nd favorite of the 4 wines and tied for first in the voting among the 4 tasters. 2nd time I have had this wine. This really opened up as the evening went on and came close to matching the 2000 by the end of the night. Medium to full tannins (the biggest of the 4 wines). Notes of plums, lingenberry, mint and raw meat. Creamy finish with good depth. 94 points.
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Part of a vertical tasting. Crowd favorite. Wonderful black fruits earth touch of smoke and mint. Surprisingly accessible. Many years of life ahead. This producer’s wine was extremely consistent vintage to vintage
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A very deep colour; very concentrated fruit, blackcurrant/cassis, with a strong smoky/cedary character, a dense texture and good length. This is beginning to drink very well, but there is still some tannin and it should continue to open up over the next few years. An excellent Léoville-Barton.
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this is too young. will age great but needs at least 3-5 hours decant to properly appreciate it. has all of the bones to be amazing. be patient with it and give it more time.
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another great bottle. An atypical LB with dense black-leaning fruit. But also smoke, cedar, long finish. The fruit is perhaps blacker and more upfront that usual with LB, less tannic bite, but this 2003 is in no way overdone, soft or hot. It seems in the early stages of drinkability and I suspect wil improve from here still. 94+pts. A must buy BDX for any Napa lover ! Will leave my next bottle for a couple of years.
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From Magnum. This was a positive surprise. Medium garnet, ripe nose of dark fruit, cake, with earthy touch, mint as well. The palate is lush, caressing tannins, enough acidity and structure, no heat. Turns out this 2003 really came in balanced in the end. Very popular at the table. Fully mature. Drink up.
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This was terrific, even with only a decant of 1-1.5 hours....very well balanced, not overly roasted and more generous and giving with more air and time. For the money paid, really an incredible bargain. 93-94 points
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From a half bottle: classic nose of cigar box, unripe blackberry, pencil shavings; ever so smooth, delightfully mouth-filling, seemingly unending; not overly complex but truly delightful
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Enjoyed at Haslam's 40th birthday bash - decanted for several hours and served non-blind.
Didn't note color. On nose, sweet pipe tobacco, black cherry, cassis and cedar. On palate, gravel, black currants, coffee grinds. Medium body, medium+ acidity and very long finish. 93+
This was awesome (Thanks Patrick for bringing this). #2 out 5 wines (Quintarelli 1986 (#1), 2008 Dominus #3, 2009 Tig #4 and 2007 Astralis #5)
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This is probably the only early drinking vintage of this chateau, which normally takes years to develop. Concentrated, full bodied and with round tannins, the fruits are fresh and lively. This should even get better as it develops more secondary characteristics.
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Although drinking sensationally now the tannin has not really resolved any further during the last 12 months and the wine now seems to be lagging behind other 2003's in its evolvement. The wine is incredibly perfumed with cherry with hints of violet and strawberry. On the palate the tannin is still very robust but in absolute total harmony, and the wine completes with a sensational 60+ second finish. I just can't wait for the tannin to resolve a little further with this wine which has the potential to become one of the greatest Barton's of all time.
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A private tasting and dinner (at home): Pristine bottle, purchased en primeur. Immediately attractive and completely present straight from the bottle. Ripe blackcurrant fruit, floral fragrance, cedar, blonde tobacco and oak spice, with classic Léoville-Barton structure and poise even in this hot vintage, still very primary, fresh and digestible, good weight (13% ABV) and density, firm but ripe tannins, very good resonance and length. They did a sterling job in this challenging vintage. Drinking well, many years of life left. The Langoa comes close in this vintage, but the Léoville is somehow more profound and it will last longer too.
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Deep ruby. Perfumed nose of blackcurrant, leather, tobacco, earth. Aerated in glass for 1.5 hours and the tannins are almost resolved. But it is also approachable if PnP.
Opulent flavours of blackcurrant, tobacco and leather. Might be a bit too blackcurrant driven to fans of traditional Bdx fans. Medium (+) acidity is just enough to keep the wine fresh. Full bodied with nice long finish.
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Decanted. Seemingly bulletproof since release, although I might suspect that some tasters would call this in a dumb phase. I'll label it in transition. Plenty of tannins to shed with primary fruit hanging on for dear life. I've really liked the 03 left bankers that I've opened. Back in the day, Total Wine had a grand opening special on this, and kstoddard and I bought every bottle they had at $80. Yowza! Drink or hold now-2033 (toast me. I'll be in an urn).
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Léoville Barton 02, 03 and 04 (Breitsch): Intense nose with cherry, a bit black currant and leather, on the palate smooth but missing a bit the freshness, very good length. Most probably at its peak, will last for some more years (6+?) on this level but may probably not improve with further cellaring.
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2017 New Year's Day Tasting (Marietta, GA): Dark core with lighter rim; black currant, holly bush, cigar, cedar; lighter density on the palate though some nobility, sandy clay mix, firm tannin, fruit almost seems to be drying out, strong cedar; good but seemed older.
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Quite a deep colour; ripe, fairly full, blackcurrant fruit, with a slightly hard finish from some residual tannin. A stylish wine that is elegant and well balanced, but will probably improve as the tannin is absorbed over the next 2 to 3 years. Should last for many more.
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Much richer and darker than the 2000, which was more polished and my oreference. This felt like a napa cab! Still wonderful wine - but extracted, rioe and brooding. Great over the next 10-15 years
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, tobacco leaf, pencil lead, licorice and leather. Black and red fruit, tobacco, graphite, leather and spice on the palate. Leads to a very long, dry finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled strip steaks and a blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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From 375. Beautiful woody dark fruit with a mild forest floor presence. The fruit is there, but is somewhat restrained by tannins. Don't get me wrong, this is very, very good, but I was hoping for beautiful. Perhaps second glass will show some improvement alongside dry-aged angus ribeye. Thirty-second finish with mild astringency.
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This is another great bottle of this delicious wine. Deep crimson on opening the nose initial seems a bit warm with plum and touches of fig but with time in the decanter it develops classic cassis, graphite, cedar characters with layers of rich black fruits. The palate is rich yet finely balanced with a great fine finish and grip. A beautifully proportioned wine that remains a great success in 2003.
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Ramat-Aviv quintet meeting (at my home): Coravin tasting - 16 hours after dark opaque red-purple excellent tertiary aromas of dark fruits, leather, cedar & tobacco leaves rich, well balanced, firm dry tannins, good acidity, balanced fruitiness, excellent complexity & finish
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First bottle out of a new case, which I bought at a different place than the last one. This seemed much younger and less developed. Full bodied, but no heat. Very good now with some air, but plenty of room for further development. Good stuff.
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Le vin a passé 2h en carafe.Des notes de fruits noirs avec un peu de bourriquet au nez. Un vin est très dense mais il est superbe maintenant.Un peu de dattes en fin de bouche. Le vin a tout un avenir devant lui. 17/20 +
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Not too much on the nose. A bit of bramble berry. Palate was rmedium-rich. Menthol. Plums. lead pencil. Leather. Mouth-drying tanins. I liked this wine a lot, especially after a couple of hours in the decanter
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Deep purple-black color. In the nose, this was super elegant, shimmering, there were hints of fine oak, cassis and blackberry, floral notes, everything finely woven, cool, complex and elegant. In the nouth, it was super juicy, very structured, it had a fine bite from the tannins and some (yet mild) acidity, it did show quite a lot of sweetness that may be off-putting for fans of classic Léoville-Barton, but this did add to the complexity. Spicy and peppery finish. A great wine that was still quite monolithic two years ago, but starts to enter its drinking window.
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See previous notes. Legendary, this is the finest Barton - period. More secondary notes of leather, dried mushroom and feminine essence, there's still a lot of blackberry and rose petal. An epic finish and a truly perfect nose. Drink now -.
Quite a deep colour; soft, ripe, blackcurrant fruit, quite full and round, but lacking a little character. An attractive wine, with good length, but it needs a little more acidity to liven it up.
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Holy Moly!! First of a case and glad we waited this long. Still in its adolescence, but this is serious juice. I pulled the cork and let the bottle sit for about 15 minutes, during which the aromas filled the room. Great bouquet. Great fruit. Great mouth feel. Balancing acidity and a finish that goes on and on. I'll try to stay away for a few years but it will be hard to resist. First class stuff.
Fathers Day Wine, of course I grilled. Steaks, lobster tails, clams in garlic sauce, zucchini & NJ corn on the cob. Decanted and consumed over 5 hours. Terrific wine - when first popped earthy & berry aromas. Throughout the day flavors of lush dark fruits & berries. Medium to long finish that seduced you into wanting to take another sip. This was my first of six bottles that I will enjoy over the next 10+ years.
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Its a POP! I would advise drinking up over the next 5 years. A wonderful wine thats is so balanced, so full and so good on the mid palate.There is not much of a nose which may be a reflection of the hot year but everything else is spectacular. I have tried a few 2003s that have suffered from the heat but this is nothing like that. A perfect St Julian 2003.
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Opened 3 hours prior to bringing to a restaurant. Continued to develop in the glass. Blueberry, herbs, truffle. Long finish, well integrated tannins. Close to the peak but probably needs to be drunk within next 8 years.
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Lively, spicy, blackcurrant fruit, with reasonable weight but a slightly dilute mid-palate and some tannin; it has good length, but seems a little disjointed at present, and perhaps needs a little more time. Today, we prefer Ch Malescot St Exupery 2003 which we drank recently.
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DRC Tasting Group: Bordeaux Night (Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. A bit barnyard-y to start, but that eventually blew off as it opened up into a beautiful wine. A bit dryer than the others, with notes of tea, earth, light spice and red/black fruit. This is really showing very well right now! 95+
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Atypical Barton. Ripe, full and ready at 13 years of age. This is new world-esqe, still very primary, fruit-driven at this stage. That said, it is much more controlled than a typical American cab, striking a great balance here.
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I really wasn't interested in trying this with so many mature classics occupying my attention, but when it came around to my table, I took a small pour. This was awesome! Lots of fruit of course, but button-downed and not garish in any way. Great acid and balance, drinking really well already. Might look for some if the price isn't silly. 93-94 pts.
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Decanted for 2 hrs, garnet with no brick, dark fruit with a touch of tobacco, mod. tannins, mod/long finish; delicious & just entering prime drinking window, no rush
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Quite a deep colour; classic blackcurrant and cigar box elements on the nose and palate; quite rich and concentrated, with some dryish tannin on the finish which becomes more noticeable with time. Should still improve.
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Decanted for 6 hours. Wonderful nose of ripe cherry and a long finish with still some underlying tannins. This will get even better but is sensational right now. This is by far the best Leoville Barton I have tasted (allowing for the fact the 2000 is not yet drinking)
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From magnum. Double decanted and left to breathe in bottle for an hour before drinking. The wine was showing well albeit a little on the young side. Very expressive and classic aromatics. Great intensity on the palate and well balanced with a long lingering finish. Tannins still a little prominent but what a joy to drink at the moment. The hot 2003 vintage was well suited to Leoville Barton's classic style. I would think regular 750ml bottles will be drinking very well now. On the other hand, has the structure and fruit to age so no rush to drink.
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Popped and poured from 750. Rich, ripe, smooth, but no hint of pruny, stewed, overripe odors or flavors. A delight to drink, and clearly on its drinking plateau. Very unusual for a Leo B to be drinking so well so early (hard to believe that this and the 1998 are from the same producer), but as Jeff pointed out below, the hot conditions of 2003 really favored LB.
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Jeff Leve and Fuzzy Squash have the right of it. The Leoville Barton 2003 is rocking! Right out of the bottle, no decant, the wine had explosive and haunting aromatics and was smooth and drinking great. We didn't decant because I don't try to fix what ain't broken. I can't say this wine was typical of Barton which tends towards austerity in its youth. I've found that quality with the 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, and 2010. But hell, who wants austere when you can have gorgeous aromatics of red fruit, oak, forest floor, and cedar. It was one of the those wines you just marvel to stick your nose into. Given the very smooth palate and resolved tannins, and the view of experts like Neal Martin, I'd say drink this over the 10 years because it is probably near peak.
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As you know, the extreme weather in 2003 worked better for some Bordeaux chateaux than for others. In 2003, Leoville Barton hit it out of the park. Showing no signs of heat, jam or too much alcohol, the wine is all about the rich, fleshy, lush, dense textures and layer on layer of perfectly ripe, dark berries that tastes as good as it feels on your palate.
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Quite a deep colour; ripe, blackcurrant nose; fairly full and open on the palate, with some classic cigar box spice and still some tannin at the end. Good now, but should continue to improve.
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Decanted for an hour and drank over dinner. Lovely wine, along with the Pontet Canet, the best I've had so far from this vintage. Nice balance to it, powerful and complex at the same time. Still young and a long life ahead.
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2nd bottle drank against 2006 Sassicaia, 2007 Insignia and 2009 Schrader RBS. All great wines but the Leoville Barton was clearly a step above. Drank after a 3 hour decant.
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popped and poured. Not a typical tasting note-after the Christmas wines this return to Bordeaux is interesting in showcasing the real differences in wine making styles. This is a big fruity almost jammy wine by Bdx standards but after a week of cult and old faithful standards from Napa was a great lesson in why Napa is not Bordeaux and vice versa. I would wager a lot that no one enjoying Bryant, Sloan, Kapsandy. Screaming Eagle, Colgin or even Mt Eden Reserve would think this wine was picked at optimum ripeness. Yet it has structure that none of those wines, or others will ever match, certainly after another 20 years. Enough of the soap box. This is a very special wine. If you have it, be slow to drink it.
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Another delicious showing for this wine. Decanted, but initially was a little muted. Dark and young with only a little brick on the rim. Nice , pure, earthy Bordeaux with lots of currant and blackberry fruit. Juicy and medium bodied on the palate, lots of sweet blackcurrant and cherry fruit, notes of earth, tobacco, leather and mint. Complex and refined with loads of character and a long refined aftertaste. One of the best wines of the year. Went really well with a roast guinea hen.
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Opened and let breathe in the bottle for 4 hours. Decanted for 2 hours and then drank over the next 3.
This is the real deal. Saturated dark red color with no signs of bricking.
Nose shows cherry, leather and herbs.
Palate has good acidity and tannins that are strong but integrated and not dominant. Tart cherry, raspberry and leather.
This is really great stuff. Can be enjoyed now with a decent decant but will certainly improve with cellar time and has the potential to be a "wow" wine in 10+ years. Will wait 5 years before opening the next one. A real treat.
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Slow ox'ed for about an hour and poured into decanter at restaurant. This was showing better than the bottle a few months ago. Did not seem obviously closed, with plenty of earth and wood spices, initially fresh red fruit joined later on by dark fruit. Tannins integrated. Still I felt the fruit was holding back a bit, certainly not showing any overripeness but a touch light and more fresh than deep on the palate. Finish could be longer. The 03 Pape Clement was showing better the day before. Would decant for a good hour if circumstances allow. 92+
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Tobacco, forest floor, truffle, cigar box, ash, blackberry and fresh herb notes create the complex set of aromatics. On the palate, the round, black cherry and spicy sensations are a treat. Probably close to mature, there is no reason to wait to pop a cork. But there is no hurry either. Drink this delicious wine over next 10-15 years.
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After going through an awkward phase 6-12 months ago this wine is again terrific! On pnp it is surprisingly approachable with a deep, deep Bordeaux nose. On day 2 it was maybe a little acidic but still very good, while on day 3 it had found its balance and the fruit had reasserted itself again; superb concentration and a very long finish. For a second growth this is an amazingly attractive QPR!! I am so pleased I have another 2 cases.
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TTTG (2003s blind tasting) (Steve): Very enjoyable. Beautiful, medium-intensity nose that was simultaneously earthy and very clean, delineated fruit. Cherry candy on the palate. Silky body, with fading tannin but good acidity. Very very good. Group's #1.
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From 375; one-hour Vinturi pour to oversize Riedel bordeaux glass to accompany dry-aged strip steak. Seems, maybe, a little closed. Where's the fruit? Don't get me wrong, it was still a wonderful glass of wine, but it didn't show as strongly as previous tastings.
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Decanted 3 hours prior to consumption. Deep ruby color with only slightest hint of bricking at edges leads to a medium full body of dark fruit, bell pepper and a hint of mint. Finish easily lasts 45 seconds.
I highly recommend decanting this wine. I started tasting from pop & pour. Initially wound very tight and medicinal, after about an hour the palate started to round out with significant improvement for 3 hours. Great wine. Enjoy!
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A dark colour; quite full, smoky fruit with good depth and a rather dry finish; in fact, it is still somewhat tannic and probably needs more time to soften. Very good even so.
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A classic Bordeaux with ripe, smooth fruit. Fullbodied and powerful. Quite a bit of oak, but this is sorted out by a few hours of decanting. Being so powerful I would never have guessed St Julien. Preferred the ligther 2005. Update: This wine shows beautiful fruit after ten (!) days of slowox = cellar many years.
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A classic Bordeaux! Balanced, supple yet powerfully built. Tobacco, cedar and dark berry fruit notes sing in the mouth. Enjoyed it with Icelandic lamb.
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To my surprise this 03 has closed down and is not showing as well anymore. Pnp. Initially a surprising amount of oak on nose and palate but this blows off after 30 min in the decanter. At the same time however the fruit pulls back leaving behind a rather muted nose and somewhat thin fruit in combination with drying, medium tannins. Very strange as this was beautiful in 2014 and still rather nice a couple months ago. Would hold and wait for the wine to open again. 91++
PS: Second half of bottle which had been stored in the fridge in a small PET bottle overnight, was decanted for about 2h and showed much better the next day. Nice crisp red and dark fruit, earth. Medium tannins. Finish could be longer however. Needs long decant or hold for a couple more years. 93
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Wine-Septet meeting hosted by Hanan (Herbert Samuel restaurant): dark opaque red-purple excellent tertiary aromas of dark fruits, leather, cedar & tobacco leaves rich, well balanced, firm dry tannins, good acidity, balanced fruitiness, excellent complexity & finish
I had been waiting and waiting for a moment to open this. It stood upright in the cellar for nearly 2 years. Last night I decided that enough was enough, and opened it for dinner. Popped about 90 minutes before the meal, it immediately showed its backbone, needing all that 90 minutes and more for the fruit to flesh out and create a whole wine. When it did the wine was delicious, balanced and captivating. It showed nothing roasted, just ripe. Lots of cassis and blackberry fruit over evolving earth and wood notes. Nowhere close to mature, but it was very drinkable due to the volume of the fruit. I have no worries about leaving my other bottle for several years so that it can gain more maturity and evolved complexity. This was no quasi-California concoction. It was Bordeaux through and through.
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- Medium forming legs and aromas of cabbage, bell pepper, green beans and medicinal. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of medicinal, bell pepper, dusty and cedar with a medium/full body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - The nose does not inspire you to drink. Wet forest floor and vegetal smells dominate. Overall not a bad wine but for the price I expect better.
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needed 30-45 min to come open, but even after a 4 hours decant the acids and bitterness remain dominating the end of the middle part, leading to a poor balance, maybe this wine is just way too young? for now only a 89+ score and hence a very poor PQR
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Maybe not as aromatic as my last bottle, but still had a terrific nose of smoke, burnt ends, and typical bdx funk. Plush mouthfeel, quite suave and a atypical of bdx texture wise--but flavor is all bdx with funk, red and blue fruits and a fantastic menthol character. Mild tannins on the back end. Moderate smoke and fruity finish. This continues to drink well, though much more exuberant and expressive upon opening compared to 4hrs later.
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Malgré le millésime solaire, belle matière encore une fois. Montre un peu de tertiaire en début de bouche, un peu animal, du graphite, du cèdre et des fruits rouges, bien complexe et fin, excellent.
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This wine has floral, tobbaco, honey and fruity nose. Also had great palette. Decanted for an hour and enjoyed for 2 hours. But had some power yet, so if you have enough time, try to breathe it for 4 or 6 hours before you try this. Seems like goona keep this taste for decades.
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I like it because I can drink it, but I hate it because I have been cellaring this freaking punk-a** bottle for a decade and just now realized this is the same stupid kind of bor-dough plonk I've been wasting my time on all along. How did James Suckling rate this a NINETY-EIGHT in 2006 and then change that to a 92 (NINETY-TWO!!!!!) in 2011?!? It's not even a 92 in my book. This is drinkable but it has the same ol stupid bor-dough funk in the nose, insipid ash-tray mouth muddled with some blackberries, followed by more ash tray in the mouth. Oh man, I am angry. I am so glad I stopped buying any bor-dough wines about 5 years ago. I know, not all of them SUCK, just most. Yikes. What an utter disappointment. I am going to sell off every single bottle of bor-dough in my cellar. Left-bank, Right-bank, and all the other banks. Oh, that's what it is! They are all used to going to the "bank" after I buy their wines en primeur! Well, maybe in some future century when bor-dough catches up to Napa in the making of fine wines I will entertain a purchase or two. Pretty sure I'll be dead by then.
Bye bye and good riddance bor-dough!
Sincerely,
Troy Peterson
(Epilogue: This is only a rant about RED bor-dough, not white/sweet ones. And this was no PnP willy nilly tasting, it was a full-on decant with tastings every hour for several hours and at a consistent temperature. And yes, I am still waiting to taste Petrus, any vintage!)
Quite full and rich, but with a slightly hard and dry finish; the fruit is perhaps a little burnt, but it is quite concentrated. May improve over the next few years, but for now lacks balance.
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Slightly off bottle, was not quite as good as expected. Muted flavors never opened up but you could taste the greatness that lied underneath. Having had this at the WS grand tasting I know what it should taste like and it should be 96-98 pts. I hope my other bottles are better.
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Fantastic wine. Great depth and complexity. Tasted along side a 2000 and it blew it away. This will only continue to improve and gain complexity. It barely has secondary characteristics.
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Poured into decanter and drank over 2h. Very nice but did not show as well as the bottle almost a year ago. Not sure if it was because we drank this bottle on its own and without food. Needs a good 30 min to open up. This is medium bodied with impressive freshness - would never guess it's from the super hot 03 vintage. Earthy on the palate. Still medium (-) tannins. Very nice, only wish the finish was a bit longer. This will last, no hurry to drink.
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A deep colour; ripe, blackcurrant nose; quite rich and concentrated fruit, a little sweet and a little cooked; good length, but some tannin on the finish still. Just about ready, and should keep well.
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A glorious, expansive novel, this takes real risks and is beautifully choreographed, offering remarkable harmony, fury, and delight. Even the finish is chapters long and orchestral.
Déception pour cette bouteille en laquelle j'attendais beaucoup, bue trop tôt très certainement. Ouverte et carafée 3 heures avant service. Une robe grenat très peu évoluée avec reflets encore bleutés malgré ces 12 ans. Un nez plutôt discret mais élégant et typique de l'appellation avec aromes cassis, fruits noirs, cèdre, tabac. En bouche les tannins sont encore assez fermes avec une toucher assez astringent, mais surtout le corps m'a paru dénué de l'élégance attendue avec un jus épais, manquant de fraîcheur pour une finale plutôt courte. Effet millésime avec la canicule de 2003 ? Un beau vin mais pas la très grande bouteille, enfin pour ma part !
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A wonderfully fragrant nose of blackberry and cedar that lead way to a full bodied wine with layers of silky blackberry, tobacco leaf and mint flavors that dance and linger on the palate staining finish. Still youthful but this is the real deal and a marvelous 2003.
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Great wine but still young, really opened up after 2,5 days showing red fruit and the somewhat austere impression of the first day had completely gone. Long and multi-layered.
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At home with Valerie/Eileen/Lauren & Colin. Last wine of the evening with Chicken (under a brick) Toscana. This wine has been sitting in my cellar since release.
Decanted for 90 minutes, drank over 2 hours. Beautiful nose of black fruits and floral notes. Palate of dark fruits, black currants, plums, anise, cocoa, tobacco leaf
The vintage was hot, expecting this to be more viscous. This bottle was right in its zone. Softer structure than expected. Great now, best guess is it continues to improve and drinks well for another 10 years
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This has rich, ripe, blackcurrant and plum fruit; it seems young, but is certainly enjoyable now; quite concentrated on the finish, but there is a dryness which might be a result of the hot vintage. I am not sure how well this will keep in the longer term.
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I was expecting this to be backward and brooding, but surprising it was good from the start. Tannins are all smoothen out. But none can't compare to the LLC. I still put it in a decanter a s enjoyed over the next 4 hours.
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Dark raspberry, game, and rawhide on the nose. Almost Bretty—I could mistake this for a premium Southern Rhône—but classic northern Saint-Julien in the mouth. Opulent and delicious. Round and balanced in the mouth, this is drinking very well, with a finish that lasts for days. If I had to complain, could use more acid (definitely a hot vintage).
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From 375, popped and poured. Followed the last glass of 1982 Pichon Lalande left over from last night surprisingly well. It shows the heat of the vintage, with plenty of ripe, rich fruit, but still delivers wonderful complexity and Bordeaux balance.
I'm starting to drink my 2003 BDX aggressively now, since I'm not sure they will make old bones. But so what, they are very tasty now!
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Quite a contrast to the 1996 drunk the night before. This has slightly sweet, ripe, creamy fruit, some tannin and a rather soft structure; could perhaps do with some more acidity (the 1996 had plenty), but is now quite enjoyable without being profound. Should keep well.
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Always a pleasure drinking this delicious Barton. Although the lack of time to decant might have cost the enjoyment slight bit this round. The 2003 Barton has all the goodies, with deep, complex aromas of ripe currants, florals, anise, cocoa, minerals and licorice. Palate is full, rich, structured, with notes of espresso, cigar smoke, jam and toasty oak. Plush, fine chewy tannins is a delight, coupled with a long finish of tobacco leaf, red fruit and cut wood. A crowd pleaser.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Léoville Barton (Rodwell House): Mid-deep crimson the aromas are pongy with strong farmyard notes, briary fruits with red and blackberries mixing with some tertiary notes of forest floor, grass and moss. An intense entry the wine has a dense solid texture and notes lemon-edge tart acidity. Yet the wine has excellent concentration, ripe fruits and oak spices to sshow its credentials. Perhaps in an awkward spot right now, the wine reminded me of bipolar ripening in very warm vintages like 2003 where it is super ripe, often raisined fruit on the one side and dehydrated but unripe berries on the other that give that green, smoke infused expression.
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Much different to the other wines, expressive and open for business. Beefy notes with soy, dark fruits, plums and a tad pruney. This is a good effort in the context of a very hot vintage and is quite scrumptious. But I suspect it would become tiring after a couple of glasses and it lacks the elegance and balance of the other wines here. It would go well with Chinese food according to Lilian.
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Decanted about half an hour in advance. A deep colour; ripe, rich, blackcurrant fruit, quite intense and with good length. Initially, it did not show much classic claret character, but it did eventually develop typical cedary overtones. It could perhaps have done with earlier decanting. Approachable now, but with a long life ahead.
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From a hot vintage, this is a respectable effort and probably fine to serve up with food. A nose of plums, tobacco, cigar and minerals. Minimal acidity to balance the heavy, plodding tannins.
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Dark centre, brownish-red towards the rim. Ripe fruit on the nose, just a little bit jammy, cedar, tobacco. Very generous and open on the palate, rich fruit, great length. Very good structure for 2003. No rush, but maybe not for the long-haul. 92-93
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Same as the bottle a year ago. A fair amount of coaxing still needed, but very well worth it! Double decanted in the morning and slow-oxed until evening, but still pretty closed so I let it be for another 24h. Next evening it was singing - it had filled out and mellowed. Well balanced, intense and very long finish. Tannins still very present but the fruit is as well, this will continue to improve and last for decades.
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Served in a plastic water glass at a party so I won't rate this but nothing suggested it would be anything but fine in the proper setting and glassware.
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I have summed up the courage to take a delivery of this "hot " year. 3 bottles later and I am very happy with the purchase. The third bottle had a 5 hour double decant and was leagues ahead of the first 2 bottles which did not have so much air time. I have no idea of how much longer this will keep but I am sure at least 5 years is a safe bet. Anyway enjoy-the last Leoville Barton I liked as much was 1985.
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C: Garnet to rim. N: Beautiful, complex nose of cassis, blackberry, herb, wet forest floor, cedar, tobacco leaf. P: Rich, intense, congruent with nose, med+ acid, med+ tannin, long finish, excellent balance, smooth transitions across palate.
Overall, all three of us guessed a 2005 St. Julien wine, so this definitely has some character of the region. Camille the Barton, me the Las Cases and Dirk the Poyferre. We were shocked to see this was a 2003 as it is so classic in its aromas, palate and balance. It doesn't have the jammy fruit that many 2003s (eg. the Poyferre) have and doesn't reflect the heat of the vintage IMO. A fantastic wine and huge value here. If you see this, buy. Very impressive wine from Barton.
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WOW - this definitely hits the AWESOME part of the ratings scale. All the good of "classic Bordeaux" without any of the negatives. Nose was like a plum found its way into my cigar humidor. Taste was Cassis, Bordeaux earth and pencil shavings with a little licorice and milk chocolate mixed in. Went great with a grilled ribeye.
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Excellent wine. Really complete, loads of graphite and cassis, this is really compelx and fragrant. Palate is smooth and complex, but still really balanced with soft tannins and juicy blackcurrant acidity. Really complex and well balanced. So glad I have three more of these.
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Drank over 2 hours in restaurant - First sip was a slightly hot, stronger tannin, but can still taste the hint of fruits, earthiness, and acidity. As dinner progresses, wine ends with being quite balance. Swirling around mouth gave mouthful feel, jsut enough cherry/plum taste follow by oak/tannin in the right amount. Very good right now.
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Deep, dark, nearly black in color...tobacco and earth on the nose. Silky texture, with good freshness, though the fruit lacks impact. This bottle may have been in an awkward stage because it failed to impress, other than being a nice, sophisticated wine.
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Decanted 30min and had with steak at home. Medium garnet with translucent rim. Black and blue fruit, earth, a bit of toast, absolutely none of the usual heat of the vintage. Fine to medium tannins. Medium + to long finish. With a steak this is superb now, on its own you can still wait a year or two if you prefer resolved tannis. An excellent wine reminding me a bit of the 03 Lafite in terms of texture.
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Simply, it is just drinking beautiful right now. Somm at high end restaurant I brought too concurred that of all the 03s this is drinking the best right now. He even has a case happily stocked away to start drinking.
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Been a year since the last bottle, yet enjoyment of this wine remains the same. Dark purple hue with a glossy touch at the rim. Soothing aromatics of juicy currants, floral, cedar wood, anise, licorice and mint. Rich medium+ body, with balanced structure and acidity, add in notes of cocoa beans, candied blackberry and toasty oak. Dusty round chewy tannins give it a delicate grippy feel complimenting the long finish of dense cigar smoke, jam and burnt wood. Excellent as always.
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Elements explode weightlessly outward. Irresistibly head spinning, deeply scintillating, fresh, dark and explosive. Expansive and moving. 90 min decant.
This was a very nice wine. It needed a few minutes to open as the initial fragrance was less inviting. But over time, it became smooth, less tannic, and typical Bordeaux with less fruit forward, more reserved. We had it with a red beet and feta cheese salad...perfect with the Italian olive oil and aged Balsamic.
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Delicious. Great balance with some moderate tannins still present but softened over the 2.5 hours it was open. Should have opened it up an hour or two earlier but still drank great. Pencil lead, deep dark berries though fruit wasn't overly forward. Wonderful. Glad I have more.
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Classic St Julian. A wine that is the essence of Terrior. Etheral and earthy. Takes quite a bit of time for the fruit to show and it is quite subdued. But the wine has great balance and finesse. A "real bordeaux drinkers wine". Those looking for fruit forward and fresh should look elsewhere. Those looking for a wine with incredible potential, this is a winner.
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Quick double decant at 3PM and started drinking around 7. Light sediment left high shoulder fill after small sip. Then slow ox. In its early drinking window and already a fascinating wine showing classic BDX flavors and aromas of tobacco, lead pencil, black currants and licorice. Long on a sophisticated focused, elegant midweight frame.This is NOT youthfully primary or oaky. There are already marvelous layers to this wine on the palate and nose both. Let's face it though. This IS an anomaly for LB and I'm happy it is at age 58. I have 2 more btls and will not drink the next one for at least another 5 years to see where this goes. Only beef right now are the still slightly out front tannins but they're not a big deal either. I bought recently for $129. This easily drinks like the $300 plus 1st growths. A rare budget buster for me but worth every penny.
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Now this is classic Bordeaux ! Deep crimson red. Lifted nose of all that is good in left bank Bordeaux : blackcurrants, crushed dark plums, charcoal, liquorice and cedar wood. Extra nuances of earth and fungi as wine opened. Palate voluptuous in the right way ! Round and flavoursome with real structure from some firm but fine tannins without bitterness leading into a very persistent palate. Excellent drink reminiscent of some young 82s e.g. Pichon Lalande.
From 375, popped and poured. Followed 2001 Clos des Papes quite well. Rich, ripe, smooth and balanced. Drinking very well now from 375, clearly still on upswing.
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This was outstanding. Better than I expected actually. WOTN. Gorgeous aroma, classic, elegant taste on the mid palate, long finish. Terrific complexity and surprisingly full-bodied mouth feel. Drinking beautifully now.
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Very good bottle, slightly less expressive and exotic than the last bottle. Offers a seamless polished experience, certainly atypical of Bdx but still with plenty of Bdx character. No heat, perfectly balanced, just a little more plush than typical of LB in other vintages. Drinking very well now and shouldn't fade quickly, but I don't see great upside here and given how some '03s have faded, I'll be consuming my bottles over the next 5-8yrs. No guilt in opening one now.
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Deep, rich purple color. A wonderfully balanced black earth, mushrooms, dark fruit, and rocks on the nose which quickly take on a subtle fruitier nature. I'm an amateur but this is the best Bordeaux I've had...with at least another couple decades to make it even greater. Wow.
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95, maybe even 96. The initial notes we had- WOW, this is the first legit candidate for WOTY. Had it at home with a steak dinner. First thought- what a beautiful nose! Oak and cedar, chocolate and tabacco (but just a bit), black fruits... I could (and I did :-) ) smell it for hours. Minerals just opened up as we finished dinner (but day 2 update would arrive tomorrow). It is a very stable 'earthy' type on the nose, with great black fruits background. On the color-dark violet, slow legs (no sediment). Taste- mmmm....that's a new view on Bordeaux. So much in one glass- fresh woody smell? check, hints of chocolate? check, black forest fruits? checked, minerals? checked. cedar, specifically? checked. But, for the summary- Is it a wonderful wine to drink on Sat. night? Yes, indeed. A wonderful, enjoyable, upscaling wine from a vineyard we did not explore a lot before. And some new insights for very interesting Bordeaux. Verdict- we are looking forward to trying the rest tomorrow night. This one is still at the beginning of its drinking window, and we'd try the next one in about 10 years, given good health and patient (maybe I should send the second bottle to storage, just in case). A wine built to last.
Day 2 update (02-23-2014): on the palate it is as good or better than day 1. When we opened the bottle the aroma was even better than day 1 but give it about an hour it became a bit shorter on the aroma. (Or it could be that we got a bit tired). Finish is slightly shorter than day 1. The non scientific summary is- mmmm.... on the day two, too. The other non scientific/mixed feeling note is- we opened it at home for weekend meal, no special reason. Perhaps we should have kept it for a better reason given the quality and price range. But sometimes, you just have to come to the conclusion that a quiet weekend at home is the best excuse to have upscaled wine to accompany the dinner. I think this one gave us some new insights on the '03 Bordeaux. And lots of joy. Too bad there's so little left in a bottle that has so much to give (drink dates, etc., are in line with others opening, though imho drinking window is longer than the by 2028 many others have noted.)
Retrospective note (added on 04-06-2014)-we were thinking about it retrospectively, and we actually think that 95 may have even made some injustice with this bottle. It was certainly more and we still talk about it. To protect the other bottle we have I sent it to storage, so we an revisit it in few years.
Retrospective note (added on 05-05-2014)- We were proactive wrt finding one more bottle. Seems that pricing went up. It does drink above the price range. Too bad more people know about it now :-)
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Allowed to breathe in glass 45 minutes before tasting. Clear inky garnet color. Vigorous youthful bouquet of bright red and black fruit, charcoal, bittersweet cocoa. On the palate, tannins and acidity were probably enough to qualify as "searing" in Parker's terminology. Great power, purity and balance in this wine, with no sign of over-ripeness from the hot vintage, but this wine is still too young and needs at least another 5-10 years. My #2, group's #3 tonight.
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Lots of tobacco leaf and cedar on the nose. Deep dark brown and purple in color. Evolves from woody and tobacco flavored wine to one with lots of nice fruit and cedar. It's pretty amazing stuff.
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C'est à ne rien y comprendre, vraiment. Une bouteille fort différente de celle ouverte la semaine dernière, avec ces arômes nuancés et très légèrement évolués de fruits rouges et noirs, de tabac et de fumée, à peine "poivronés". Bouche de concentration et d'intensité moyenne, plutôt souple et qui n'est pas dépourvue de finesse. Finale assez longue, mais encore un peu boisée. Bouteille bue seule, pendant la partie de scrabble. 91
Wine Koop in Umeå flexing early muscles (Hemmavid (Umeå, North of Sweden)): This is a prodigious wine of proportions. A wine that will blossom and bloom like a fireworks display over the years. Has all the marks of a GREAT young Bordeaux: earth, power, tannin, long-life-ahead, acids, red fruit, dark fruit... Jaw dropping.
Insanely attractive and rewarding, but still very young and without having unleashed any of its yet subterrainean potential. Wife: 92p 3 btls to go, next one around 2025.
Mieux que le Langoa 2003 bu en parallèle...un classique. Plus de structure et de fruit ici. Nez sur la fumée, l'anis, le cèdre et les mures. En bouche, ample avec de beaux tannins tissés serrés et un fruit vibrant. Assez long et superbement équilibré....belle classe!
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Another solid performance from my my favorite, all time, wine producer. But this is just too young. It will eventually open up and sing with 3/4 hours of a wide based decant - but, you will be forcing a square peg into a round hole. As expected from 2003 this is a Bordeaux that will appeal to your typical New World fan - it's the perfect wine for drawing a Napa lover to the Old World. It's got cassis, and bright fruit - layered with cigar box, leather and cedar to add it's unmistakable St. Julian characteristics. I'll open my next bottle in about 3/5 years. So much for 2003 being an "early drinking" vintage - I have had the 03 Ducru, Pichon Baron and Pontet-Canet this year and have yet to see any of them as near ready.
From 375, popped and poured. Good dark red. Complex nose of cassis, new leather, meat. Clean, slightly sweet palate. Drinking well now, but still youthful, likely several years away from peak.
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EWG Conrad's: Licorice, truffle, smoke, black cassis, cigar; very classic, expressive, medium body, ample young tannins, but not a bruiser, well balanced. Excellent. 93+
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Tout aussi excellent que le '96 dégusté juste avant mais avec un peu plus de tout (couleur, nez, tannins, gras, longueur en bouche et même acidité). C'est le bonheur à moins de 100$, et pour encore 10 ans, à qui il en reste.
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One of my favorite 03s, I have not had this in about 3 years and it has not budged an inch. Wow! Seductive nose of graphite, oak, plum, cassis, earth, and pencil. For me, the palate is where this wine really shines. Similar flavor profile as the nose, but velvet and layered with delineated flavors cascading on the palate. Very stately and noble. I am in the minority, but I think that this needs another 5 to 10 years. 97 Pts
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Again I misjudged this wine. Straight out of the bottle it was absolutely superb, tannins a little harsh but very, very intense, balanced and long finish. But the idea was to let it slow-ox until lunch-time the next day, which I duly did... only to realize that it had closed up. Chose a different wine for the lunch and waited another day with this one. So on day three it is now superbly delicious. A lovely intense nose of currants, cassis and cigar-box. Amazing fruit on the attack, lasting nicely into the mid palate, very powerful but also very fresh! Tannins are smooth. A really superb experience.
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Dark red; needs a couple of hours in the decanter to open up, cedar, pencil; restrained, gentle and fine, soft attack, light tannins in the end; nice and correct, but appearing closed
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Double carafage pour cette bouteille aux tanins présents, ceux-ci commençant à se polir. Bue dans les 2 heures suivantes - Vin puissant avec robe foncée, dense, soutenue - Une matière riche, un jus "sucré" avec belle acidité - les fruits commencent à évoluer et nul doute que ce vin va être très beau d'ici 8/10 ans.
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the tannin still massively dominates this wine and it is difficult to determine all the finer notes that may well be there. I expected riper, richer fruit and this is fundamentally disappointing
I tried this at the Wine Spectator NY Wine Experience. Classic, beautiful Bordeaux aroma, full-bodied, drinking incredibly well for a 2003. Outstanding.
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This is the second bottle I have opened. Still rather disappointing. Let it decant well over two hours, and gave up waiting for the wine to give something. Very flat, a bit bitter, but not flawed. Left half the bottle for the next day - no real improvement. So given the 98WS and 95WA, I've either been very unlucky or am just simply drinking way too early. I will wait at least another 5 years before trying again.
Schitterende klassieke neus met zwarte bes, cederhout, gesteente, chocolade. In de mond stevige zuren, stroeve tannines. Heeft nog veel tijd nodig, maar erg mooi! 93++
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Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: This is a truly great and classical wine. Juicy cassis, beautiful luxurious oak, graphite and dark chocolate and also some green bell peppers in the bouquet. On the palate all of the previous mentioned impressions. Firm acidity and tannin which is drying. Substance and concentration. This wine needs another 5 years at least to reach its peak. A beautiful and classical wine. Tonight I scored it 94, but this will almost definitely be a few points higher around 2018.
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This is one delicious Bordeaux that is only going to get better with age. Deep, dark fruit with notes of currant, dark chocolate and leather. Although it's 10 years since bottled, this is still a baby that requires at least an hour to two to decant in order to fully enjoy this wine's complexity.
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Coravin 9/28/13: One glass removed. Color is deep ruby, very minor appropriate bricking; nose of red fruit, black fruit, wood, underlying sweet fruit comes out with air, black currant, slight mint, very bordeaux-styled nose; palate is full bodied, black fruit, dense midpalate, tannins are smooth but prominent and youthful, not rough at all, huge structure, fabulous acidity that gives it a freshness, no heat at all; finish is medium-long length, good fruit. Based on this initial taste, this is a very young, fabulously balanced bordeaux, ripe (2003 character), but not at all overripe, recognizably left bank bordeaux (though still looking for St. Julien minerality, which I hope it will pick up as the fruit recedes), without any secondary development whatsoever. Will reassess after a bit of air, but I think this wine has at least decade to go before peak drinkability and a life much longer than that. 93-96++ (difficult to assess but large upside potential) Update: 90 min air- nose is even more expressive with green vegetal notes, asparagus, mint, fresh, palate is similar to initial impression. This is a superb wine but very young. Glad I tried one now, but my next bottle will wait at least 5 years, probably longer. 95-96++ Coravin 10/4: Similar to initial note. Still very young, dense. Palate has a streak of minerality through it now. Coravin 10/10: It's like starting over every time. Needs time to open up again. The tannins are quite grippy and prominent. On one hand, that's kind of cool, but it's also annoying to know that the best is 90 minutes from now when I'm ready to get at it now... Still an excellent wine.
From 375; Vinturi'd into oversized bordeaux glass one hour prior to first taste. Dark ruby with long legs. Wonderful nose of currant and mineral-tinged sous-bois. Big, rich and serious with notes of cherry, dark berries and vanilla. Tannins still firm but beginning to round out. 30-second finish.
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From magnum. Opened and poured a quarter-glass, this was predictably closed, with prominent tannins and not much hint of the typical left-bank flavours (in fact it surprisingly seemed more of a sangiovese to me first off). Let it stand open in the cellar for 48 hours. Then poured a glass, which was still quite tight but much more typical of Bordeaux at least. Moved it into room temperature and left it for another 24h, and NOW it has opened up. Never met a 2003 that took quite so much coaxing, but I should have known since it's a Barton and he normally makes his wines unapproachable for at least 20 years.... I guess decanting for a day would have been the better tactic. In any case, this is now truly great. It has balance, structure and very, very good length. The tannins are still quite noticeable, yet it very smooth with fantastic intensity in both acidity and dark fruit (primarily cherries) with strong cedar wood notes. It is truly powerful in a terrifically orderly fashion. This would have been barely a 90 on the first day and not much more on the third. As I am drinking it now though, four days after opening, it is 94-95 and with potential for more. For being this region this is extremely good value even now.
Initially the palate was a bit thin, but opened up with a decant over 3-4 hours. The nose was open for business from the get-go, black dark fruit, tobacco and even some pencil shavings. Very nice
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Brought to a french restaurant for date night. Popped and poured. Took some time to open up but was really something by the end of dinner. Nose of currant, roasted herbs, hints of leather. Tasted of dark berries, sage, tea leaves, dark chocolate. Medium bodied, strong finish. Surprisingly well integrated tannins with a acidic streak for definition. Dark ruby with no bricking. I believe this will continue to improve and has a long life ahead.
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Another excellent tasting, powerful, expressive and satisfying. Dark, bright ruby core all the way to the rim. Enticing aromas of ripe currants, florals, anise, cocoa powder, rustic, and a hint of herb, sugar cane and menthol. Full bodied, rich, balanced mouth feel, and with notes of espresso, cherry liqueur, caramelized blackberry and toasty oak. Plush, currant flavored chewy tannins makes you want to bite it. Long finish of dense cigar smoke, jam, tea leaf and cut wood. Outstanding!
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One of the best from this problematic vintage. Deep ruby core, medium ruby rim. On the nose, still a lot of dark fruit, rose petal, violet, caramel, slight hint of barnyard, adding to the complexity. It still shows a lot of freshness, especially compared with the Mouton 2003, tasted side by side. Big, powerful but supple tannins. Long finish. Drinking very well now, but can hold easily for another 10 years because of its structure. Will improve.
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This was a "Wow" wine, open and expressive from the start with a nose you could smell 3ft away from the glass. Nose of mocha, smoke, black currants and subtle menthol. Repeating menthol note on the palate, along with solid and somewhat round dark fruit, and fine tannins. Lengthy mocha and fruit infused finish. Has a slight liqueur-like aspect to the fruit but balanced across the board. Absolutely delicious expressive bdx with solid complexity. Cali-like but still rooted in bdx with more prominent secondary character. 94-95
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(Too brief!) 45 minute decant at restaurant; dark ruby with a nose of incense, cedar, anise, vanilla, tobacco with distant campfire. Palate of ripe dark fruits and cigar box. Tannins not fully resolved, yet still very smooth. Long finish. This may mature into Wine Spectator's '98' rating, but it's just not quite there yet.
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Huge wine!! Rich fruit. Lost of acid. Tannins are soft but very present. Very earthy under the fruit. This wine will last 20 more years. Shouldn't try again until 2016 or so.
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I decanted this wine for more than two hours. A bit laid back in the nose, big structure and body on the palate. I bought this 2003 based on reviews. However I was a bit disappointed. I expected a bit more the 'wow' effect. Probably to young?
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Removed the cork on Friday, re-corked, then aerated to decanter for 4 hours prior to dinner service on Saturday.
Impressive. Perhaps the most structured and well-rounded wine on the night. Without a doubt, though, the best with the whipped parsnips/shallot dish and the rotisserie prime rib/horsey sauce main. Elegant, but still years away from its peak - think 10-15 years. I love the proportions, the freshness and the future this projects. Approachable now with proper aeration, and interesting, but not yet exciting beyond the obvious potential. Some '03s BDX are drinking (and dying) young, this is NOT one of them. recommended. Drink thru 2031
Youthful med deep ruby with a touch lighter rim. Fresh nose with dark berries, currant leaf, leather, very nice. Balanced, ready, med+ body. Good length, very light heat on the finish, some tannins in the aftertaste, cassis. Just a touch lower acidity than I'd appreciate. Very fine anyway.
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Nose just a touch behind Ch. Palmer for me, but very nice, very nice lush fruit on the palate, nicely balanced, acidity maybe a touch low, well integrated and sweet tannins, quite long and lingering finish. Good future.
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Red Bordeaux 2003, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): WOTN and among the very few 2003s we enjoyed on this evening. Classic nose, no cooked fruit or any other 03 shenanigans here. Good fruit, good extract, tannin. Feels very much alive with lots of body. Good balance and fruit density across and with a decent finish, something the rest of the 2003s lacked tonight. Young but not austere and this will age nicely. Start drinking in 5yrs. 93+
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Another great bottle of this wine with blackcurrant, licorice, spice and cedar. Beautiful palate that evolved over several hours : quite firm tannins. In view of recent comments around 2003 it will be interesting to see how this evolves.
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Fantastic nose on opening... Cedar, dark fruits, spice. First glass or so tight and a bit tannic, but after 1 hr very engaging and with dinner after 2 hrs, beef on the bone, fantastically great, deep and delicious...very juicy dark blackcurrants and plums with chocolate and meat and spicy wood... latour quality. Amazing wine, highly recommended, buy up.
Below my notes using cellar tracker app: The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blueberry, Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Espresso, Espresso, Cedar, and Vanilla. It tastes like Mineral, Toast, and Meaty. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Corked to a degree that I could see what a great wine this one would have been had it not been corked. Great texture and concentration. Would have easily obtained a score in the 94 to 96 range otherwise.
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A relaxing evening with wines and friends (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): Beautiful dark ruby red, with a charming nose of smoke, incense, cedar wood, anise, plus a bit of vanilla, floral and tobacco. Barton has gradually become a favorite of mine, as often experienced, great structure and balance to the body and texture of the wine. On the palate, there are notes of ripe dark fruits, cigar box and jam. Round, velvety, tasty tannins give you a rich, plush, satisfying month feel. And the finish is long, with leather, tobacco leaf and plum. This is simply brilliant.
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There's an assuaging amount of classicism to this regal Barton; the best vintage in the modern realm. I last had this in '07 and the secondary nuances of cigar box and grilled portobello mushrooms are just magnetic, on top of the blackberry, lilac, wet earth and Yorkshire pudding. Seamless to the ninth degree, with velvety tannins that are indicative of the '03 vintage. Decant or wait a couple more years - then watch this for decades as I see a very long life ahead. Such beautiful fruit and the nose is really perfection in a glass. My favorite Barton to date. Drink now - 2043
Return to San Anontio (Ducru Vertical); 2/21/2013-2/24/2013 (Monty): A little disappointing given the stellar reputation of this wine. Nose was all dark berries with some vanilla and a little mature dried fruit. Huge coarse (slightly green?) tannins on the palate but plenty of dark fruit with some mature elements. Moderate length, though the tannins were a little oppressive and astringent. Seemed a little less expressive than my last bottle a few years ago. Still very enjoyable in the style of '03 and I think it'll hold together, but not sure those tannins will ever truly resolve. 92-93
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Time has been good to 2003 Leoville Barton. It was a good wine when last tasted a few years ago and it's only gotten better. Secondary notes of tobacco, earth, cassis, cedar chest and cigar box are poking through. Silky tannins, purity of fruit and a long, rich, round palate are perfected by the long, lush, fleshy finish. Drink now, or wait another decade before popping a cork. I'm happy to own it in my cellar, which at the end of the day is strongest comment a taster can make.
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Bistro Pastis): Very nice nose, not unlike the Langoa Barton, with sweet funk, ripe red fruits and licorice. On the palate the fruit is sweet but not over the top with solid acidity and ripe but grippy tannins. While this doesn't escape the vintage profile, it is very well balanced and shows some Bordeaux typicity. I would leave these alone for 5-7 years. Excellent. 91+
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Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Pastis - Vancouver, BC): Great nose offering tons of funk and earth, along with aromas of black cherry, graphite, cedar, anise, spicy black pepper, and some light floral notes. Still funky on the palate, along with notes of rich black cherry, barnyard, anise, leather, and lead pencil shavings. Moderate+ acidity with gritty tannins. A long length finish ending on notes of funky kirsch and spicy black pepper. This had improved considerably since I last tasted this in 2011, and has built some nice character as well. While rich and ripe, it's not over the top, possessing nice balance and plenty of structure. I will let my bottles rest for another 5 years at least. My favorite of the flight. Fantastic
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The decanting definitely helped (about 10 hours of double decanting). This thing came roaring out of the bottle full of power. The density of this wine was impressive, there were some great layers under there. Long lasting finish. Could use 5-10 more years. 96 points for me, so far my WOTY.
Opened by Grossie. Decanted for 11 hours before dinner and it was better for it. First time I have had this wine. Very impressive effort and the best 2003 Bordeaux I have had to date (I've tried 70 2003's but no first growth). This wine is better than the 1996, 1999 and 2001 LB's and could be the equivalent of the 2000, 2005 and 2009 LB's (which is saying something). Crimson purple color. Very open for being 10 years old. An aromatic wine with floral and ripe red fruit nuances. Burnt cherry notes with cedar, leather and black fruit. Chewy texture. Firm tannins. Wonderful depth and length. The best and most ageworthy of the 4 2003 Bordeaux at the dinner. 95 points now (with severe decanting) and could improve another point or two with more aging. Glad to see this wine is doing so well since I have 9 bottles.
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Decanted for an hour. Dark fruit and sweet black licorice on the nose. On the palate the main flavors are black cherry, cedar, graphite, tobacco, and earth. Good acidity gives the wine a fresh feel. Agree with others that the tannins take over on the finish, and with time the wine will become smoother. Interesting and enjoyable to drink though I think the wine could use some more cellar time.
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750 on Christmas Eve. Tried this several times over the course of 8 hours. The disc is actually starting to lighten. Nice nose, but generally restrained. Came out of the gate pretty strong showing red currants, oak; a beautiful but subtle perfume for a couple of hours and then shut down. More red fruit on the palate. Plenty of minerality. The balance is actually a little off - a hair tart.
Very good, but still a ways from maturity. Good, but neither brilliant at this stage nor the most stereotypical Barton. Not at all overripe or jammy, though.
4/5
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In which I host the Supper Club- Burg, Bordeaux and boeuf Bourguignon. (My place.): I think we were all pleasantly surprised by how this showed given our general view of '03s and by how the '03 Leoville Las Cases showed after this one. It's quite ripe and fleshy, but doesn't actually cross over into overripe territory and there's just enough acidity to hold it together. That said, it's relatively soft and easy going, with ripe black cherry, red plums, graphite and cedar flavors. We commented on how this would be a good transitional wine to ease California Cabernet drinkers down the path to Bordeaux. A-/B+.
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Killer- rocking nose of tobacco, leather, cedar,dark fruits, dark chocolate, on and on. Deep lingering palate- somewhat tooth chattering tannins but oh what a finish.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Deep purple color and slow legs. Nose of blackberry, black currant (cassis), cedar and earth. Well structured with initial fresh dark fruit - blackberry, cherry, plum, with a mid-palate of mineral stoniness, black currant (cassis), cedar, nutmeg, tobacco and hints of strawberry. The mid-palate reveals a balanced structure framing full flavors of fruit and other emerging flavors, finishing with more earthy tones and grippy tannins in a long finish. The body is relatively full and the wine has fleshy, yet clean, texture. The wine was well-integrated through the mid-palate, but the finish was somewhat dominated by the structure and tannins. With another 5 - 10 years of cellaring, the tannins should mellow and allow the ceder and tobacco to be more apparent in a lush, velvety finish.
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What a beautiful Barton....dark red in color (teeth staining).. This was my first bottle of 6. Nose: Intense with floral, ripe dark berries, tobacco and earth tones. Palate: Dark ripe fruit, leather, tobacco, crème de cassis and minerals. The acidity keeps everything in balance here and gives the fruit freshness. The tannins are integrated nicely at this stage. This still has the structure to age for a long time. I urge people to find and taste this wine. Cheers!!
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I am going to start this review at the finish. This wine had a long, long finish. From the first sip as I poured half in the decanter and walked upstairs I still could taste the wine. Great color and a 4" nose where you could still get some classic notes of dark fruit, leather and cedar. No regrets opening this at 9 years old though it feels young and could hold in this plateau for awhile. Highest rated wine for me this year restoring my faith in good aged Bordeaux. Wish I could have afforded to buy 2 or 3 back in 2006 as this was my only 03 but I do have the 04, 05, 06 and 09 to look forward to.
Purple, ink colour. Interesting bouquet of crispy fresh dark fruits, licorice, olives, kirsch cake, iron, pencil and fresh tones as eucalyptus. Surprisingly elegant for a Barton! Big wine with prunes, kirsch and butter. A real pleasure to drink now but also a long distance runner that could well gain more points.
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very interesting wine. i'm a huge leoville barton fan and this was the first '03 from my case. 2003 is certainly a controversial vintage in Bordeaux and i can taste why. the heat of the vintage certainly shows through and the wine tastes riper and is more accessible for early drinking than some LBs. but it is no way unpleasant and makes a nice change from the austere years that take decades to come round. looking forward to seeing how it develops
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Very dark wine, quite opaque. This note is from 24 hours after opening the bottle. A little coffee note, definitely very dark and rich nose as well as a sweet cherry thing and some cedar. The nose really is pretty amazing. Full palate, rich sweet dark fruit with a very slightly mineral side but nothing herbal at all. Very smooth finish, hardy a tannic bite. The finish could be longer, but it's very pleasant overall. I hope this grows and gains more complexity in the mouth, but I can't help but think that it's drinking awfully well right now for a wine this young!
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Wow! The nose alone on this is intoxicating. Because its still relatively young for a Left Bank Bordeaux, I decanted for two hours. As soon as I poured it into the decanter, I could smell all kinds of classic Bordeaux perfume: violets, sweet currant, loam, tobacco, leather, dark cherry, light vanilla, juicy plum, and mixed berries. Big, big nose. Great balance between primary and tertiary aromas and flavors. Medium plus bodied, vibrant, dark purple to black color. Smooth, creamy, rich, and velvety texture with enough structure to let you know this is built for the long term. Long, dry finish displaying dark chocolate and black coffee notes that linger and linger. Very impressive and an exceptional wine. The creme de la creme of Saint Julien. Great vintage and totally deserving of its second growth Grand Cru Classe status! The 2004 was great but this is even better.
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Simply everything you could want in a perfectly balanced yet long finished wine. Really nice and drinking well now,but no hurry; this is good to go for awhile.
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Wow. I don't even think the cork was fully out of the bottle and already I could smell the mustiness. Much darker than any other bottle I had opened. If I had tasted this blind I would have guessed it was on par with one of the best '96 Cos d'Estournel's I had ever had. Somewhat ironically I thought this got slightly more bitter and tannic as the evening wore on.
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from 375. Popped and poured into glasses, drunk about 45 miinutes later. My wife's comment was "excellent." Rich, smooth and complex, drinking great now but certain to continue to improve.
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Group tasting notes with beer-geek kids and wife for a birthday dinner. Beautiful translucent dark ruby purple color; seriously aromatic, with jammy black cherries and blackberries, some earthy funk, chocolate truffles, peppery carnations and a tarry vaseline note; good acidity, with the aromatics carrying through into the flavors, along with a serious dose of fig reduction; bone dry, with crunchy but well-integrated tannins, and a very, very long intense finish. The kids aren't red wine fans, but they were blown away by this. I'm not the biggest bordeaux fan, but this was seriously enjoyable. A great wine for review no. 500.
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Anthony Barton Dinner (Texture London): This has a really big nose that represents the warmth of that year. You could almost say it has a Californian feel to it. Nose of cassis, vanilla, chocolate, tobacco and earth. Smooth rich mouth with a medium length.
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My first bottle of this wine and I was immediately reminded of why I love big, left bank bordeaux. Obviously young with lots of primary fruit flavors and structure, but also with good complexity. Intoxicating nose of cassis, earth, mushroom, spice, vanilla and funk. Tobacco aromas emerge after some airtime. Terrific intensity of flavors and with very ripe fruits. Medium to full body with very good concentration, nice balance, drying tannins and a long, long finish. Richer, riper and rounder than I normally expect from a top bordeaux - and a good reflection of the vintage characteristics. Plenty of stuffing to improve over the next few years and with a long life ahead. 94+
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I decanted this for one hour. The aromas blasted me in the face as I was pouring into the decanter. This is drinking beautifully now but will last for years. I will definitely try to get more. Black Cherry Red with long slow legs. Cherries and wet slate on the nose. Lots of red fruit, granite and a hint of anise on the mid palate....ending with some hidden vanilla and smooth tannins on the finish. This is really a nice wine and along with the 03 Pontet-Canet and Duhart-Milon have made me a believer in the vintage.
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Baronne Guichard wine dinner, Ruth's Chris DC (Ruth's Chris on Connecticut Ave, DC): What is so impressive about the 03 LP, LB, Montrose and others is that they have never really shutdown. I also think that a lot of the wines achieved almost but not perfect phenolic maturities resulting in a very slight hint of stem/green pepper. Opulent dark fruits, crème de cassis, some red fruits as well, tobacco and cedar. This is drinking beautifully and starting to gain some secondary aromas but the generous fruit concentration will enable the wine to age for 50+ years.
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This is my first time buying a bottle of this caliber/rating so I was holding it for a special occasion. Today was that day and I have to say that the wine deserves every one of its 98 points. First, the wine is ready to drink. A thank you to @dmalcolm for his dead-on note. This wine is beautiful upon opening and actually started to shut down after a couple of hours. Luckily, the two-hour mark was my last sip. I cannot conceive why anyone would decant this for anything more than 30 minutes to 1 hour, which is what is called for by most sommeliers. So to conclude this portion, please try a small sip right when you open it. If you are ecstatic (like I was), then decant only to remove the sediment (plenty) and start serving to your guests. Watch their reaction as it evolves in the glass throughout dinner.
Notes: The nose was intoxicating. The person standing next to me could smell that tiny first pour. Tobacco leaf (mild, perfect barnyard/earth) and dark berries. On the palate, there is so much going on that it is indescribable. This is what critics must refer to as a perfectly balanced wine. A mix of sweet fruit, earth, acidity, and the perfect silky full body. Everything was so harmonious...never tried something this complex before. The finish, right upon opening, was one minute long. Wow! The wine evolved a bit during the two-hour dinner period, improving a bit early on but starting to decline (shut down) near the two-hour mark.
In the few years I have been collecting wine and going to tastings, I have tried a fair share of wines from Bordeaux. This is, without a doubt, my favorite. Granted, I have not tried any first growths, so I am holding my 99 and 100 rating for that day (hopefully). This is one of those wines that is perfect for my palate, opened at the right time, and shared with the right guests. An outstanding experience overall.
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Wide open from the get go with dark fruits, pencil, mint, wet leather and toasty oak dominating. After several hours in the decanter, this closed down a bit with dusty tannins and some astringency emerging. Great now, but will no doubt benefit from further cellaring.
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Decanted for four hours. Spice, pencil shavings, and high-toned cherry aromas. Open and accessible. Noticeable tannins on the finish. It seemed pretty characteristic of Leoville Barton.
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the smell was incredible.... very typical 2003 vintage bordeaux BUT..... it was too thin and tannic. not full body like I expected..... a bit disappointing. would go under 90 points but the smell was really something....
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We tasted thru a massive number of very nice wines last night at our holiday party of 24 but this was one the real standouts. Btls like this convince me everyone should have some BDXs in thier cellar. Even Burg guys like me. This seems like the perfect marriage of Leoville Barton's old school style with an extra ripe vintage like 03. This is really the wine you wish you could buy in CA but you'll never get this structure, focus and complexity.
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Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Levain, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Unknown prep. Very young, really nice nose of florals, graphite, cassis, blackberry, with an herbal edge. The palate has great depth, full body, rich black fruits and loads of tannin yet. Really promising, this has a ways to go or requires heavy decanting.
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Dinner at Matt and Francesca’s (Vancouver, BC): Slow-O’d for 4 hours then decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Nose was quite expressive right from the get-go with youthful and deep notes of coffee grinds, toasty oak and a ton of dark fruits. In the mouth this masculine, concentrated and youthful and with more black fruits and cedar notes with hints of pepper. There’s a ton of structure with firm yet powdery tannins and lots of acid. Overall this is very well balance and shows a great deal of potential but lacks Bordeaux typicity at this point. As it sat in the glass it continued to improve and gain complexity and depth on the nose but I found the palate tightening up. Young, dark and tannic but surprisingly gave quite a bit of pleasure tonight even while being drank alongside the beautiful ’90 Barton. I’ll try another in 5-7 years. Excellent. 90+
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The Long Awaited Wine & Dine (Vancouver, BC): Opened and let breathe for 4 hours, then transferred to a decanter for another 2 hours prior to serving. A massive, powerful nose of freshly ground coffee beans, along with black plums, cassis, red cherries, lead pencil shavings, and fresh mint. On to the palate, luscious dark plums show through in waves, along with roasted coffee beans, black currants, chocolate, black cherries, some black pepper spice and more mint to round everything out. Incredibly concentrated and youthful all the way around, the discussion at the table turned to whether this (or if any of the 03's in general) maintain the classic Bordeaux characteristics that we've come to adore. I guess we'll have to keep an eye on how well this comes together with age, as it is certainly missing at this point in it's life. However, the massive structure this exhibited appears there for this to go the distance, showing tons of acidity and an impressive amount of dusty tannins. Long finish, with cherry and espresso notes at the end. Very good.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks do Bordeaux for Veterans Day (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): Splash decanted and consumed 3hrs later as a replacement for the corked '96. Flamboyant nose, slutty, with liquor-like quality, showing blackberries, black currants, a little cassis. Palate is forward and loud, full throttle, with lush ripe fruit flavors, creme de cassis and black currants, with a touch of cedar spice. Coats the mouth and showing big bold tannins. Lengthy fruit filled finish adding mocha. Quite tannic. Polished and seamless, really not showing much heat. Flamboyant and forward, a great wine for vintage, though you need to be in the mood for the style. Still retains it's bdx roots. Opened up on night 3, showing pipe tobacco, currants and herbs on the nose. Some menthol mixed into the ripe palate and lengthy leafy tobacco and mocha finish. Much more accessible and expressive while being less monolithic. Bumped a point.
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This started (cold) not bad really. When it was opened the nose was reluctant, but then a little stink came and went, wood spice, and menthol. I actually wrote, tasty and really not too ripe. Thirty minutes later came heat, alcohol, ashtray, heavy menthol and camphor, and nearly volatile acidity. This is nearly undrinkable!!
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375. First bottle. Dark ruby. Already has a nice, rich nose of red and black fruit, with a bit of leather and other nuances. Surprising smooth on the palate for such a young LB. Ready to drink from 375, but still has many years of positive evolution ahead. Dusted a very nice 2003 Branaire Ducru (also from 375) tasted next to it.
2003 BDX seems to be evolving quite rapidly, but very well, in my opinion. I detected no roasted flavors, just ripe, rich fruit.
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Judging by the other notes I though it was fair enough to open a bottle of this wine. But, as it turns out, it is clearly too young and deserves more time in the cellar. Nonetheless, the class and the allure of Léoville Barton are unmistakeable, even in this less-than-charming 2003 vintage. Very powerful structure with dusty tannins and a solid backbone. The nose remains tight, but it displays already (albeit partially) some of the characteristic aromas of cassis, spices, cigar box, and pencil shavings. It is a bit over ripe, as nearly all 2003 wines are in the Médoc, but it is certainly one of the better ones. It needs at least another 3 years in the cellar to get these tannins to resolve a bit and to let the secondary aromatics develop. From 2014 and until 2020.
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G6 (Kevin): Black in color. Nose of blackberry and boysenberry. Tastes of black cherry, blackberry, charred oak, caramel and earth. Well balanced. Very rich and full bodied. Chewy tannins. Well balanced with nice refreshing acidity. Big powerful finish with incredible complexity and length. My personal favorite of the 1996, 2000 and 2003 vertical. 13% alcohol.
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this wine is almost bullet-proof. despite it only being my second CT! note (??), i have had the wine several times, and simply adore it. great balance/mouthfeel/complexity of fruit. presented in a three vintage vertical (96, 00, 03). drink or hold.
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Deep dark red. Luxurious bouquet with cedar, cassis, cigar box and graphite. Full bodied and concentrated, beautiful juice with loads of dark fruits, good acidity, bitterness and firm tannin. Complex, refined and great length. Too young of course. A great wine with a long future. Next bottle not before 2018.
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Checking in on a young friend, 1/2 bottle. Decanted two hours and it keeps coming on. Beautiful aromas, great and substantial presence, delicious, and a big future. Love this wine.
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First one of these ever after much anticipation. I bit disappointed initially as I didn't experience the room filling bouquet that others have described. This wine is sweet, smooth and soft without tasting any more velvety-fleshy fruit. No heat or high alcohol that has so often is associated with this vintage. So far, I prefer it to the Cos d'Estournel of the same vintage, but similar to the referencded wine I am trying to reconcile the WS score.
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Yikes, this is good. On the ripe end, but with impressive structure and dark fruit concentration. A little high-toned. This is fantastic - I'd be a Bordeaux fanatic if they were all like this.
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I don't get it... this is the second completely underwhelming bottle of this I have tried. Very herbal and ordinary, and it did not dramatically improve with air. I recorked with vacuum pump and will try again on night 2.
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This at the initial release was a chewy big monster with impressive big upfront blue fruits and crème de cassis, then a couple years back pretty tight but still showing some primary fruits.
It has completely settled. There is an uncanny resemblance to the 03 Gruaud Larose consumed a few days earlier in that both showed dark roasted fruits, slight hint of oak and very slight green with silky palate and fully integrated tannins which for me was surprising.
The nose is a bit shy, black fruit, some metal, lead pencil, slight hint of oak and quite interestingly just slight hint of green which I find in a traditional Bordeaux, perhaps it has not completely reach the phenolic ripeness but just like the 03 GL, it was not noticeable on the second night, perhaps the other components of the nose got more expressive and the greenness became a part of the overall expression. The palate is very silky and tannin surprisingly resolved, almost none showing even as the end note.
The second night both nose and palate show significant improvements. Licorice, caramel, black fruit, cedar, pine needle, ground espresso beans, sweet spices and quite floral almost a Margaux like in this aspect. What I find interesting is the sweet caramel note is very similar to the best of the 76s which I had recently as well as some of the 82s but more vibrant fruit and concentration than the 76s. The palate is more generous than the first night and it gets chewier as warms up, very silky, almost milky texture. The interplay of sweet dark fruit, cedar, earth and flower is very interesting and intoxicating. If you prefer your Bordeauxs relatively young yet with some tertiary flavor, this wine is ready. If you are looking for more cedar aspects and rounder/sweeter fruit, it will take at least five more years. At least three to four hours of decanting will be required for the nose to open but the palate is ready from the get go. 95 pts with 97 pts potential.
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Powerfull nose of ripe black fruit, cèpes, leather... very concentrated in the mouth, with loads of silky tannins, more masculine than the Poyferre, pure ripe strawberries juice balancing the tannins... great wine!
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Really nasty barnyard funk that still hadn't blown off after two full days. This was not a good bottle, although you could still detect the fruit underneath. Brett? Not sure, not experienced enough to know BUT, definitely not enjoyable. Too bad, given the crazy high Parker rating,
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Pure, lifted nose of blackcurrants and lavender. While the nose is light and airy, the palate is deeper and has more of a brooding quality with a note of graphite accompanying the dark fruit. Very smooth, but slightly dry on the finish. Will this gain in complexity and tertiary aromas and flavors? I don't know. But it is a joy to drink now.
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Beautiful wine - dark color,nose complex blackcurrant,licorice,dark plums and cedar. Palate opulent,complex, surprisingly round with ripe but substantive tannin. Suspect this will be similarly delicious for years with some predicting a short evolutionary curve every year for the next 40 : reminds me of the 1982 which still is vigorous albeit a little monolithic.
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Black with a few dark red spots. Very evolved for an eight-year old claret - much more primary fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, cassis) than you would normally expect, tho' still plenty of lead pencil. A bit clunky - very thick in the mouth, but not perhaps the length and complexity you'd look for. Lovely to drink now - our group consensus was that this wine wouldn't improve or gain more complexity with further age. I suspect Jancis was right when she marked this wine down last autumn.
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Nose: Perfumed. Shows Cherry, Blackberry, leather, tobacco leaf, rose petals and minerality. Chocolate and licorice notes as it is open longer. Palate: Med/Full Bodied with Cherry preserves, Cassis, Chocolate, Menthol/Spearmint, Floral notes, earth and Leather on the Palate with the fruit concentrated in the attack. Great acid balance gives the wine a brightness yet shows the dark earth driven flavors well. Finish: Over 60 seconds easily. Mouthcoating and persistent showing cherry, blackberry, tobacco, leather and soil. Tart cassis lingers significantly.
This bottle was opened and decanted for 3 hours prior to dinner, and followed over the next 3hrs. Really needs this much time to open fully and reveal everything.
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I opened the first bottle of 12 and got what I hoped! Berries, leather, herbs, minerals, delegate....I am glad that this vintage (where 2003 was really warm and sunny) resulted in a balanced wine that can last and mature for, I think, more than a decade...chapeau for the winemaker!
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Decanted a full 6 hours with once per hour mixing and aeration. Deep garnet color. Beautiful, refined nose of extremely pure black currants and blackberry, plus floral notes, minerals and some graphite. Over 2-3 hours of drinking some leather and barnyard notes were added to the nose. Silky on the medium to full bodied palate where tons of deep, dark fruit carried through with nice earth notes. Wonderfully balanced and pure with a finish that coats the palate and lingers for about 40 seconds. Very well done. Drinking beautifully now with a long decant, but this baby will last another decade at least. Well done!
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This was the WOTN. Decanted for 4 hours. Complex and interesting, keeps thinking as you taste it each sip. Drank along side an 06 Canet which was very nice but this was definately bigger and better. The 04 Mondavi Reserve showed a bit of heat but was a nice wine. Glad I bought several of these.
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Blind I would have thought this was a good fruit-bomb California Cabernet. It was opaque, full-bodied, powerful, with somewhat monolithic nose and flavors, and a decent finish. Very good, but far from profound. Maybe time will help.
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Are these ready to drink yet!?!? (NYC): Extraordinarily complex aromatics of spring flowers, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, manure, crushed granite, and toasty/tarry oak.While great, the palate seems a bit clumsy at this stage (as many of the top 2003's currently seem), and doesn't quite live up to the nose. Dull and mildly sweet for many hours, until extended air (8+ hrs) finally reveals cherries wrapped in a shroud of ash with a bit of wet earth. Finishes dry/dusty, tannic and long. This seems like it will be amazing in another five years, but absolutely not worth opening now. Give it a lot more time; I won't open my last until 2015 at the earliest.
Hold. 92-94 -JRS
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This is still such a young wine. At first, I sensed plum and a floral note on the nose. Hints of tar, cola, and three hours later there's more of a raspberry creme going on. What a powerful wine! Lots of mineral as well, slight funkiness, and very Bordeaux. Pretty spectacular and complex at this point, and can only get better. Lived up to expectations.
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At San Antonio vertical. I found this vintage on par by quality to 1999 and 2004 as I tend to like the more traditional years. This wine has a unique profile. Very rich and sweet with some evident alcohol, Cali style with some lilacs. Only wine of the night I got plums on the palate along with chocolate, vanilla, tar, black fruit, and oak. However, the wine has very good minerality, which gives the wine much more depth despite its richness. Very nice finish with melting tannins and decent acidity.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks - Leoville Barton Vertical (Steve's house): From 375ml, decanted 3hrs and slow O’ed 12hrs, then re-corked. Wow, strikingly different than everything else so far. Dense and dark in the glass. Big expressive nose of vanilla crème and espresso, with blackberries and currants. Big palate, with tons of fruit up front—blackberries, black cherry, currants and even a little boysenberry present. Huge tannins in the background and no sense of heat. Really holds on the palate with the finish showing some milk chocolate, cedar box, and earth. Very enjoyable now, but well balanced and surprising how easy this is to drink with the heavy tannins. Quite balanced. Stylistically unlike everything else and blind, I would have guessed Napa cab.
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Dark fruit (black cherries and plum) on the nose with a welcome touch of funkiness. Dark fruit on the palate too. An ever-present strand of spicy tartness helped sweep the wine along in the mouth. After some time in the glass, a plummy plushness appeared which took the wine to the next level. The palate was woven together seamlessly, and it had the best mouth feel of any wine on the table. I don't have enough experience to speculate as to whether this will reemerge with additional layers of complexity, but it just didn't have enough going on for me to get really excited. I would like to taste this again in the future.
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CT Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/23/2010 (San Antonio): Opened and recorked 2 days. Nice deep cherry color. Plentiful oak and fruit of high quality. Mouthcoating but fine tannins, and borderline alcohol. Hold 4 to 8 years. Nice.
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CellarTracker Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/22/2010 (San Antonio): Tried Monday night after being open since Friday. Nose of plum, tobacco, blackberry, black currant, espresso, roasted game. On the palate, red currant, plum, tobacco, mint, mocha, vanilla. Finished with strong tannins and nice acidity. This needs years. Definitely is shut down compared to the last bottle I tried. Hold. Thanks Jar1. Not rated.
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Allowed to slow-O overnight. Made quite the difference. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted meat, dark chocolate, cigar box, black cherries and plums. Flavors of black cherries, black berries and plums. Bright acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Hold.
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Popped and poured and just loved this after the over ripe Alban. Still has a a very solid tannic spine but great ripe fruit. Very dark color but not overly ripe or alcoholic...great restraint combined with rich fruit and perfet accompaniment to dinner.
Served alongside 03 Clerc and Sociando. First showed muted and a bit hallow on the mid but gained more steam compared to the other two (I sat on these three for about 2 hours to really examine their evolution) and developed density, depth and vibrancy. Clearly the one with the most upside, this wine became very dynamic with exciting elements of cassis with restrained cedar and an expansive finish. Great mouth-feel too. I'd stay away from these for 3-5 years and revisit cautiously. I'd also recommend a 6-8 hour decant a la Bordelaise if so inclined to pour. Tremendous upside!
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Pichon vs Pichon NYC (New York, United States): Very cedar like and rather open but also lots of fine substance on the palate. This is a lovely wine that can be enjoyed now but will improve of course with time in bottle
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A little poopy-pants at first, which promptly blew off and left an awesome wine behind. This is the second bottle of 2003 Bordeaux that has nicely surprised me. The typical LB rusticity comes through, mixed with dark dark iron red fruit with just some hints of black and even less blue( not Ducru-like). The wine was more mouth-watering than I would have expected, showing no over-ripeness, flabbiness, or heat, with a long finish and a nice tannic backbone. This wine will surely improve. 93+
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I am not sure if I just got to it too soon and it really needed more time to show its colors or if this wine still needs a good number of years to develop. Probably a mix of both. Dry with strong hints of cedar and charred pine. One could definitely taste the terrior.
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Bordeaux and Game-83 Brane Cantenac, 96 L'Evangile, 03 Leoville Barton and more.: Not quite as a expressive as the last bottle I had a couple of years ago; nevertheless, its showed great balance, finesse and a good deal of ripeness, not at all exaggerated. It only hinted at the stuffing I know it has. I think this is shutting down afterall. It was double decanted and audozed for 10 hours.
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Best of Cellar - Double Blind (Backstreet Wine Salon): Dark purple color. Black fruit aromas with some barnyard that seemed to blow off as the night wore on. Tastes of blackberry, currant, earth, graphite and cedar. Well balanced. Medium bodied. Very nice mid palate complexity and length. Elegant finish. 13% alcohol. Tasted double blind. My guess was left bank Bordeaux. My #1 and 4BOW #4 (3 way tie). Not quite up to the level of the last few times I've had this wine.
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double blind. nice balance, huge structure, cab based bordeaux. not the powerhouse showing of past bottles, but i still liked it. perhaps closed a bit.
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Deep purple color. First impression was of CDP, however after a few seconds it boasts with more classic notes as tobacco, coffe, dark berries, currant. The wine is medium-full bodied, with nice tannins and some ripe friuit. It lacks in the middle palate, and lacks the freshness/acidity i normally expect from this estate. It is easy drinkable now, and will hold or several decades. Still i'm quite disapointed as IMHO it will never evolve in to a great wine. Guess the lack of acidity in 2003 also is applicable to Bordeaux.
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Dark ruby color. I opened the wine 10 hours before consumed, poured out half a glass to create an airspace and recorked. Tasted immediately, and saved most of the half glass and retasted 30 hours after poured. The wine was very hard to read. The aromatics were reserved. There was dark fruit, spice, and some light charred oak. On day two, I picked up more leather and dark fruit. Lots of structure, big tannins, and a long 60 second finish.
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Maybe 92+. When first opened and tasted, the finish was a bit clipped. But with some time in the glass (we finished a bottle of Champagne before we got to this) and being open, this was what I have come to expect from LB. I think from the nose alone I might have guessed with was LB. Lots of dried fruit and saddle, elegant and balanced with good acidity. This is ready to drink now but has a long way to go. At Marche Moderne (LC's bday).
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Normally, this wine is very rustic and masculine. But in 2003, I find the ripeness of the fruit helped produce a great style of wine for this traditionally styled St. Julien. Cassis, coffee and licorice entice your nose. The serious fruit, ripe tannins and pure cassis that pours over your palate lets you know this will be a very special wine for Leoville Barton when it matures.
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Interesting wine. Very classic profile with big, unevolved tannin. Was surprised that there really was little evidence of the heat sometimes associated with the vintage. Very primary, yet loaded with potential. This should be great in 10 years. (94+)
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This is a heavyweight of a wine. Very young, and bold with it's consistency. Kerosene, chocolate, minerals, all swirling under fine-grained tannins. Will drink over the course of several days and comment again.
One day later some dark cherries and burnt cedar had emerged, but was still fighting to get through the structure. Needs years to develop.
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Stimmel's Market: 2003 Bordeaux Horizontal: [Decanted for many hours] Concentrated dark color. Sweet restrained nose - plummy and strawberry. Black cherry and buttery back on taste. Rich body. Massive! Full of finesse, but subtle. Medium tannins and acid. Very Bordeaux. Still very closed - not ready to drink. $200
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Half bottle size, initially it was pretty shut, but after about an hour or so, it started to reveal itself with nose of black fruits and slight earthy note, the palate is still pretty shut but the fine tannins and underneath you can feel layers or intensity wanting to resurface. This is definitely one of the stars of 03.
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Dark purple color. Nose of dark berry fruit with a very nice freshness. Tastes of blackberries, blackcurrant, cherry, graphite and earth. Impeccable balance with vibrant acidity despite being such a hot year. Incredible complexity on the mid palate and finish. A stunning wine. 13% alcohol.
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Popped and poured. Dark dense ruby. Smells of blackberriees, cherry, tobacco, cedar, graphite, leather, and mushroom. On the palate, youthful strong, blackberry, blueberry, leather, cherries, vanilla. Great transition to a LONG finish with strong tannins. This baby was young but very balanced. This will be a tremendous wine in 10 years. Screaming value at futures price of $75. Part of the Hurricane Ike evacuation package. Glad I chose to save all of these.
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Incredible bouquet, very complex and exciting, notes of meat and alcohol; very young, strong tannins; great finish. I can't wait to taste this wine a few years from now. We drank it with a lamb roast prepared in a crock pot with vegetables, etc. It was an beautiful pairing.
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Beautiful fat dark fruit, mokka, juniperberry, leather, mushrooms on the nose (all of which evolve nicely in the glass); impressive mouthfeel, very concentrated, dark tones with great intensity and purity of fruit, still a baby and not giving all it has; the aftertaste is impressive, lingers on for minutes. Drank side by side of Figeac 2003 (which showed a lot more signs of excessive heats, ie, lots of confiture notes). Impressive 93-96 pts
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Lots of Blackberry and cherry, sweet tobacco, cedar, roses, violets, impeccably balanced with huge amount of tannins yet a very long finish pulled it all together. Very impressive for the money.
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Dark ruby in color that is impenetrable to light. Smells of dark berry fruit. Tastes of blackberries, blueberries, violets, graphite, cedar, leather and cherries. Nice french oak treatment. The perfect balance puts everything harmony with the this wine. Chewy, sweet tannins will make this wine go for at least another 20 years. The mid palate is layered and very complex with plenty of depth. The powerful yet elegant finish lasts for several minutes. Everything I am looking for in a fine Bordeaux. Wow! 13% alcohol.
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initally earth and pencil lead. after about an hour in the decanter the cassis began to emerge leading to a big wine. smooth tannins. a baby indeed, but a worth while glimpse now.
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decanted and drank 30 minutes later. Probably not entirely open but amazing.. Lead pencil, cassis, vanilla and mouth coating tannins that go on and on..I really like the fact that it's not a fruit bomb like so many wines these days..
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The heavy version of Barton, dark colour, oaky, coffee, chocolate, Tannic but soft, fuller-bodied and more delicious than 2000. Powerful aftertaste for its style.
Usually it's always medium-bodied, elegance...2003 is the most heavy....need 4 hours to breath....
I used to love it after 24 hours of breathing last time...maybe it needs more air...be careful...
...She is not my type...never....
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Drank after 12 hours, served with Kobe Ribeye steak. Loads of fruit, almost new-world in style, with fine tannins, slate and pebbles on the palate as well as loads of cassis. Finish was persistent, and pleasant, slightly earthy. Still an infant.
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I had this at a restaurant with 2003 Leoville Poyferre at the incredible price of $150 ($140 for the Poyferre!). Decanted for 2 hours. Very dark purple color, moderate oak, earthy, some spice (cinnamon?),medium- low acidity. This seemed heartier than the flashy Poyferre. This was very good but it did not blow away other 2003's like Sociando Mallet or St.Pierre.
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Tried this at Zachy's November 2007 Bordeaux tasting. An "energetic" mob thronged around the table where the 2003 Leoville Barton and Haut Brion were being poured. Remember the scene in Trading Places when the exchange floor erupts after delivery of the orange crop report? Like that, but less polite. Hats off to Zachy's, however, for their...errrr...liberal serving etiquette. Despite the rock’em sock’em robot atmosphere, it didn’t require much concentration to see that this is a magical wine that lives up to the hype. A beautiful bouquet of roses, lilacs and red fruit is followed by an extraordinarily pure, full-bodied wine that, while backward, seems not to have entirely shut down. The wine is dominated by ripe raspberry, other succulent red fruit and cassis. The fruit is all Bordeaux though, and bears no cooked characteristics. A judicious use of oak provides a lovely vanilla component. A wine of such quality and persistence that I could still taste it the next morning. I also found this more refined and less muscular than some have suggested. More Bruce Lee than Mike Tyson, and certainly ready to take all comers (it embarrassed the 2003 Haut Brion when tasted side-by-side). Appears to be developing nicely and should drink well by 2013 and last an additional 25 years.
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Leoville-Barton Vertical (Nook): A different aromatic profile here, with its nose of ashy smoke. Thicker, richer fruit than the other vintages, more broad-shouldered and also more tannic, which gives it a more drying finish than the rest. But it actually shows some fruit to match, more accessibly than it did for me last year, with a nice suppleness to it. Some remarked that this had a shiraz-like 2003 vintage character but I didn't see it; the tannin troubles me more than the "fruit weight" (tm).
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Wine Spectator Wine Experience; 10/26/2007-10/27/2007 (New York): Tasting, WS#3. Big black fruit aromas with a bit of espresso with some toasty hints. Wonderful depth and nuance already at this stage, but the great balance to keep improving for 10+ years and drink to 2030+
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WS NYWE Top Ten tasting (Marriott Marquis): Full deep red color. Lovely black fruit with graphite/pencil lead notes on the nose. Big tight black dustry fruit with more structure than other 03s I've had. Long fruity finish. Young but nice. 93-94 pts.
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2006 WS Top Ten Tasting (NYC): Ranked #3. $75. Represented on the dais by the very humorous and charming Anthony Barton, who dropped some great quips: “If I had to chose one word to describe our wine, it is ‘drinkable’. It’s not meant to be sipped and spat or stored away in the cellar and visited every night with a kiss.” When people ask when the best time to drink his wines, he usually answers “it’s a tough question, but I’ll narrow it down to lunch or dinner.” Barton also noted that the winery has had a fantastic run since 1995, and the 2003 is “a perfect example of the wine they are trying to make.” Despite its obvious youth, this wine has all the hallmarks of a great young Bordeaux. It has impeccable balance, with tannins and fruit equally distributed, combined with awesome power and concentration. Best after 2013.
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Deep opaque purple color to the rim. Intense nose of Blueberries, dark cherries, plum, rasberry, sweet floral notes, red rose, berry blossoms, dark chocolate, saddle leather, and more on the nose. Huge on the palate, muscular, lots of tannins that will be sweet with time. Nice balance. Nose is consistent with the palate with great persistence. Needs to be cellared for at least another 10 years.
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Tasted from 375ml. Really tight and young. Terrific potential. Initial notes of vanillin give way to blackberry, spice and mineral. Gorgeous structure with juicy acidity. Big, dusty tannins, loads of black fruit, hints of bitter cocoa on the finish. A beautiful sulky youngster with a gorgeous core of fruit. Definitely wants some time and will almost surely move up, but this is the best I can score for now given the overall dryness and reticence of the wine.
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Bright Cherry nose. Some meat is also coming through with some floral aspects that developed later. Silky finish with loads of tannins present. The grips is just unreal and is so backward, not sure if it will ever come around.
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Blind night Kevin's: very tight, young wine. loads of tobacco, cigar nose. cherries. I (and no-one else) thought the mid palate was a too acidic, but the finish renewed my faith.
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Blackberries, cherries, black pepper, pencil lead and pretty toasted french oak. Huge concentration. Pretty, elegant finish. Firm tannins. Too young. Wow!
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Had to try a bottle to have something to compare to, now and in a few years. Well you will not be disapointed. This is good stuff. Shows power with a great finish. In a few years this wine should be extraordinary. Buy and enjoy.
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Nice deep color, classic nose of dark fruit, earth and smoke. The nose was surprisingly open for its age. The mouth feel was nicely balanced but slightly extracted with a little hit of jam on the mid-palate. The finish was silky smooth and I was again surprised how calm the tannins were for such a young wine. At this stage I give the wine 95 pts, but I can see it going higher with age.
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I recently seized on the opportunity to acquire a few additional bottles of the LVB at the release price, so, I took the plunge and popped one open. Decanted for 8 hours, re-bottled and left uncorked overnight. Tasted (after initial opening) 2hrs, 8hrs, 24hrs and 26hrs. Well, this wine means business. Laser like focus, balance, balance- did I mention balance? and a long, long finish. It gained a bit of weight with some softening of the tannins over time. But the essential characteristics were present from 2hrs. Dense, brillant, plum/purplish color. Muted nose, initial dark berries, tobacco and later damp earth. Primary dark fruits on the palate with some glycerin (not as fat as the '03 Pontet Canet, for example), ultra smooth and elegantly clothed in substantial, but soft and incremental tannins. Some oak came in on the nose and palate at 24hours. All the ingredients are in perfect harmony-making the aforementioned '03 PC slightly disjointed in comparison. Now, I did not think that of the PC until now. Long, long, complex finish. Glad I have a few more bottles, pray I'm around to taste it when its ready. Fantastic stuff.
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HUGE! Backwards, opened and decanted for 8 hours before consuming, still required 1 hour in the glass before it started to give. And give it did! Slate, lead pencil, boysenberry, vanilla oak, and a finish which was among the most spectacular I have ever experienced. I think it is still going on! May be in the top three wines I have ever had. This is a blockbuster. Not ready for a few years, but plan ahead and decant! Tasted alongside the 03 Ducru, similarly decanted, and this wine just (barely) had the edge. Great year for the second growths!
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Deep rich purple. Very dense wine which is quite young yet. I was a bit let down with this wine given the high ratings. The initial nose was not appealing, but improved over time. Lots of fruit and body. There was substantial tannins present but not as much as I would have expected. There is no doubt that this will improve over time, but for me it did not live up to the WS rating. Visit again in 3-4 years
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VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (Sunnyvale, CA www.lionandcompass.com): Tasted single blind. It seemed like a good quality wine but was missing distinguishing characteristics - it seemed flat. Eventually there were some pencil shavings that led me to believe this was the LB. Not a great showing for this wine maybe due to the group of beauty queens in the flight. My #4 of the flight of 6.
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VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (San Jose, California): Served as part of a blind tasting at the Lion & Compass as part of the VC Third Annual Cali Cult Smackdown: my brief notes were: "fabulous nose of sweet fruit; some eucalyptus notes; forest woods and mushrooms." I did not rate all six wines of the flight, but the top two for me were the 2002 Phelps Insignia #1 and the 2002 Pride Reserve Claret #2.
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VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (Sunnyvale, CA www.lionandcompass.com): For a Bordeaux, this was nice and had plenty of dark fruits. The tannins weren't as overwhelming as I would have predicted but when compared to the 02 Insignia and 02 Pride Reserve, this wine underperformed for me. Definitely not 98 points. But then again, the 02 Quiceda Creek last night wasn't 100...
Might need to revisit this in 10 years!
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Not a blockbuster, this wine is captivating on the initial sip for the way it softly sinks into the palate and fills every crevice -- at least until the tannin starts accumulating and walls off the mild fruit like a dam of sandbags. At that point the most prominent flavors are typical Bordeaux graphite as well as an array of metallic ore. These elements remain interesting but the more air it gets, the harder and harder it is to drink. The leftovers of the bottle tasted 24 hours later featured an expressive nose of metal shavings that echoed the palate's minerality, but the wine was even more austere to taste, like tossing around a mouthful of dust that accumulates with every sip. The total lack of discernible fruit makes this bottle even more challenging. Like an old-school Barolo, I believe there is very little to be gained from drinking this cottonmouthed beast on release and I will designate the rest of my case for very long-term storage.
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Viognier: Provado ao lado do Duhart-Milon 03. Violáceo profundo. Nariz delicioso, mais frutado e 'doce', com algo que remete aos tops do Chile, lembrando uma leve nota de eucalípito. Bom corpo, aveludado, taninos finíssimos. No início mais exuberante, depois foi cedendo lugar, principalmente em gosto pessoal, ao Duhart-Milon. Excepcional.
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Deep black color, toast, extremely rich on the palate and a noticable lengthy after-finish. It feels like it has the balance and concentration to be outstanding. 94-97
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Not much more to add to my fellow tasters.Simply fantastic wine. I am not overly enthusiastic about many 2003 wines due to their atypical showing. However, this was much more "classic" with cassis, lead pencil and this hint of shoe polish I associate with LB. Fantastic intensity, masses of tannins but they are ripe and round melting in the mouth like butter. Notably, it was spectacular right after opening but shut down after decanting. will probably close down soon. Still one of the best wines of the vintage IMHO.
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Very closed at this stage, but palate shows cedar and blackcurrant with slight jammy hints, but only slight – and actually pleasing. Very long on the finish, probably among the very best of the St. Juliens (along with Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Poyferre).
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Open from the get-go, with rich cassis fruit and a bit of herb. By the time I had started fire, grill lamb, and sat down (half-hour), it seemed to have gained in complexity, with some mocha, cedar and pencil lead. Tannins are big but ripe, finish long. This is indeed low-acid (moreso even than the 2000, I think) , but with the vibrancy of the fruit doesn't come across as flabby. Very tasty now, but I will try and exercise restraint and bury rest in cellar.
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Despite the character of the vintage, this wine was very Barton-like. Big but balanced. Dense, concentrated, and a bit austere at the moment. Long, complex, expansive finish. Needs time, but should improve and age beautifully.
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4/10/2024 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
The last 15 months has been transformative for the wine. Everything in the wine has been accelerated in its development. It was glorious in its bloom of youth with fruit bomb nose and palate so typical of the younger 2003s. It went through a couple of years of restraint, but it now is exceptional. Fully secondary and tertiary, it is drinking like a wine twice its age, and it is such a treat if you love old Bordeaux. Everything is fully integrated with a smoky nose and a beefy palate. Possibly, the finish will further develop, and if it does, this will warrant another point or two. I did decant this for 6 hours; was it necessary? I'm not sure to be honest, and probably not. 96+
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3/16/2024 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking incredibly well, after 90 mins in the decanter. Textbook Left Bank Bdx. Superb with ribeye steaks. Admittedly, somewhat drying tannins (a 2003, after all), but quite good overall. Should drink well thru 2033 or so.
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3/16/2024 - Mike1369 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really good with steaks tonight. Wonderful example of a mature Bordeaux. Dark fruit up front-blackberry currant plum with a nice earthy backend with hints of dark chocolate, mint, forest floor, limestone, herbs. This will be good for a while.
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3/7/2024 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Years to go.
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3/5/2024 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
From 375ml. Pop and pour and this was absolutely ripping! Tobacco and funk, dancing on red fruit, cocoa, bitterwseet, deep cherry finish. Stellar.
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3/1/2024 - sdkaplan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking exceptionally well for this vintage
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2/24/2024 - presterjohn wrote:
Quite full and rich, complex old fruit, still tannic. Very nice, not special. Drink now
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2/10/2024 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black color, very dense impression. Impressive fresh nose of dark fruits, violets, herbs. The palate is a little bit drying due to the present tannins, that don't change or disappear over 6 hours of air. The same with the barnyard-smell that is always there. The wine would deserve a higher note, if the pure and fresh character of the fruits and aromas would not be overshadowed by the cow barn. 96 pts. for the nose, 92 pts. for the palate...94 pts. overall
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2/4/2024 - brendanm26 wrote: 93 Points
So good right now
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1/29/2024 - drjb wrote: 93 Points
This wine continues to open very well with a deep crimson colour with touches of red on the edges. The nose immediately offers blackcurrants, dark plums, touches of dark chocolate coated figs, tobacco and cedar. The palate reflects the nose beautifully with a rich ball of fruit balanced by nice savoury touches and excellent persistence.
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1/27/2024 - sastewart wrote: 95 Points
Opened 3 hours ahead, decanted 1 hour. 3 of 6 purchased as futures and stored at 55 degrees. Earth, cedar, spicebox and dark fruit on the nose. Full bodied but a little less fruit forward than my previous bottles. Beautiful layers of cassis, tobacco and earth. This wine is in a great drinking window for me now. 95 points.
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1/27/2024 - PP56 Likes this wine: 95 Points
First of 12 just out of bond with fillet steak. This is classic cab sav dominant Bordeaux. I agree with the majority of the reviews below. The colour is perfect with no browning at the rim. On first opening there is a noticeable amount of tannin, but following a 2 hour decant (thanks to those who recommended this) the tannins gradually softened revealing more fruit and the wine continued to improve. I may give it longer next time. It’s beautifully smooth with great length and is absolutely in its best drinking window and will last many more years.
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1/5/2024 - EyeDoc wrote: 95 Points
Great bouquet of currants and blackberries - tons of sweet fruit and ripe mouth coating tannin that lingers. Drink or Hold.
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12/25/2023 - Rani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted blind next to the 2004. Huge ripe nose but not overdone. I thought it was a 1998 initially. Ink and blackcurrant, no hint of alcohol, really balanced and well made. Done but persistent tannins. Great stuff and would no doubt continue to improve for a decade or more.
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12/24/2023 - paulg936 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours before beef tenderloin dinnner; loved by all, still has plenty of time. Very smooth with excellent depth and flavor.
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12/17/2023 - steko78 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful Bordeaux nose from a ripe and mature vintage, deep but sensual, rather black fruit, blackberry note in particular, graphite. Dense, suave and juicy on the palate, retaining its freshness. 95
A brilliant success for this vintage.
Beau nez de Bordeaux sur un millésime mûr et arrivé à maturité, profond mais gourmand, plutôt fruit noir, note de mûre en particulier, graphite. La bouche est dense, suave et juteuse, et garde de la fraîcheur. 95
Une éclatante réussite sur ce millésime.
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12/16/2023 - Wespi1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
2h decant is highly advised. Sooo intriguing! Nose: Very tempting, deep. Very spicy and tons of blackberries, illusive vanilla. Mouth: spicy and again fiels of perfectly ripe blackberries. Tannins are still super grippy and tight. Has definitively arrived in its drinking window, and will stay there for some years. I don‘t think this will gain more from aging. Drink now or later; no regrets (but decant!)
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12/3/2023 - Andrew S-L Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine in a fabulous place. Took no specific notes but this was very classic, deep red and purple. Doesn’t really come across in any way as being from such a hot vintage. I rated it, in terms of enjoyment on the day, the same as the 2008 Lafite Rothschild drunk alongside it. This was in no way overly mature so there’s no rush but it was impressive after a 2 hour decant. It didn’t tire before the end of a long lunch so it’s in what I suspect is a wide window, so up to how you like to drink your Bordeaux!!
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11/24/2023 - SteelerFan wrote: 93 Points
Delicious mature Leoville Barton. It has a beam of cassis/cherry surrounded by cedar and still present tannins. This may continue to improve but is drinking very well. This provides a pleasure that is very particular to Bordeaux.
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11/19/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours. This wine continues to drink very well with notes of concentrated dark fruit: back cherry, raspberry, damp earth, hint of spice with velvety mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins are fairly soft and well integrated. Paired with grilled marinated antelope chops.
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11/19/2023 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
4th bottle from a half case bought en primeur. Big nose of tobacco, liquorice, cedar and plums. Cassis, coffee and plenty of fruit and complexity on the palate. Has filled out mid palate. Plentiful tannins are more obtrusive this time, perhaps due to a cold room. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will continue to improve and last a surprisingly long time for a hot vintage.
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11/12/2023 - zimmy07 Likes this wine: 95 Points
why do I take notes??? Had this wine in March and said hold many more years, well ripped this open last night. This wine is great, but young. Decanted 3 hours and this is still primary. Dark purple in glass, cedar, pencil shavings and blue fruits. this is damn good!!!! in 7-10 years maybe a 97-98pt wine, that damn good!
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11/11/2023 - nnektarios Likes this wine: 96 Points
Blind tasted with Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2009 and Rauzan-Segla 2015. Excellent! Drinks perfectly now but there are years ahead. It was intense, lively and concentrated. Leather, cigar box, earthy notes. Everything that you would ask from a good Bordeaux. Alcohol was fine, you could not guess 2003. Very elegant with an extra long finish.
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11/1/2023 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still with rich red fruit and forest gamey floor. This could easily cruise another ten years.
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10/26/2023 - NickyBull Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours for Mike’s birthday at Clarity in Vienna. Paired well with bison ribeye and lamb ribeye. Last bottle but went home well🥳
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10/22/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
6th of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, delicious if far from full maturity, less angular than last bottle 2 years ago and with nuanced fruit showing some secondaries, silky texture, but started to close in glass and reveal underlying unresolved tannins, thankfully quite sweet and fine grained, I've always thought highly of Barton and this wine in particular and have no reason to resile based on this, significant upside, 30+ years. For now F+ (18).
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10/22/2023 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 94 Points
PnP, but really hit its stride after about 15 min. Red cherry, dried cherry, saddle leather, tobacco, smooth flow front to back. Sadly, my last bottle. Would have really paired well with food.
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10/10/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
90 min in the glass was all that was needed for this to open up. A well rounded wine that is certainly in its prime with a decade left of optimal drinking. A very enjoyable wine that paired well with snapper and rice. Revisit 2025
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10/3/2023 - Vino Me wrote: 94 Points
Fifth time I have had this wine and it has been consistently fine and has never disappointed. It was the best of the 4 bottles of 2003 Bordeaux that we opened. Decanted for 2 hours. Crimson color with a light brown rim. Notes of charcoal, black cherry and saddle leather. Firm tannins and a smooth lengthy finish. Starting to really come into it's own. 94 points.
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9/27/2023 - Highlander wrote:
1 hour decant: At first sip, I thought somebody slipped several drops of blackberry liquor into this wine! Wow! This was excellent. A fruit bomb that reminded me of a Cali Cab....but with so much more. Secondary flavors were dark cherry, leather, tobacco. Tannins were fully integrated from the first sip. This is drinking beautifully now.
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9/1/2023 - Ruminator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium garnet, some sediments, and slight bricking.
Strong oak note of pencil shaves. Some Brett note of leather. Scents of violet, sandalwood, and spices.
Vibrant and elegant fruit of black cherry and black currant. Black tea and salami-like savory note in midpalate. Long finish with black olive and dried thyme.
Medium plus body. High acidity. Mineral and chewy tannin texture.
Vibrant fruit and good acidity makes this wine stand out in the ripe vintage. A good balance and structure. Some tertiary notes emerging.
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8/22/2023 - timbo9313 Likes this wine: 92 Points
OWC from London to HK, stored at home for over 6 years. Capsule shoulder and cork were all very good. Decant for 30 mins with moderate residue. Color was crimson with nice bricking. The tannin was structured but still not fully integrated ... taste of plum. earth, hint of pencil, herbs, tobacco box and the finish was medium. I liked to compare this with 2005. This time .. 2003 was a sure winner. Pity that I gave away a few to my friends. Match well with traditional Cantonese fried crispy pigeon and stir fried fish fillet with Japanese mushrooms.
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8/19/2023 - John III Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours. Drank with frankfurters, beans on toast, and topini. The wine's cork was perfect. When I decanted, the wine already smelled heavily of its ultimate perfume and chocolate, plums, dark cherries, nearly port. A large amount of sediment in the bottle and a bit in the decanter. I took a small taste at the one-hour mark. I could sense a core of fruit, but gritty and a slightly maderized flavor obscured it. I let my wife taste. She wasn't sure either, but she thought it would be good. To serve, I returned the wine into its now clean bottle, straining the sediment. Its aromas upon opening were now its flavors, plus a touch of mushroom or earth. I could not inhale this wine enough. An absolute gorgeous example of why I love wine so much.
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8/13/2023 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
Give it another go, a truly impressive wine! Please read my previous note, Thank You
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8/5/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a really great spot, still dark purple edging towards brick, beautiful nose with dark fruit, some tar, spice maybe some pencil, medium+ finish. Feels like it will age for a while from here. No heat or candied fruit I might have expected from 2003. Super wine.
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7/24/2023 - Tranquility Base Likes this wine: 95 Points
On the whole, this was excellent. What a pleasure to drink a wine of this quality and refinement. It's full of subtle flavors and depth: A wine to take a good sip, roll it around, and think about it. This bottle still had good fruit. Yet it is at the other end of the spectrum from a fruit bomb. This is a claret of culture. I did open the bottle about two hours before pairing it with steak, which was a good idea. It could have even used a bit more time; the wine came into its own as it sat in the glass.
On the other side, it did then shut down and kind of fall off a cliff. It revived a bit for the final glass the next day, but by then it was drier. I think there is no danger in letting this age for more years, but it is ready now. I have one more bottle and may let it sleep for a while just to see the difference.
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7/2/2023 - thebonnydooner wrote: 93 Points
This is still a very dark and ripe wine with only a tinge of brick on the rim. Nose was ripe and full - blackberry and blackcurrant, pretty pure with only a little note of earth and some wood. Palate is lovely and refined with medium bodied but ripe mouthfeel and a dry finish. Tannins are medium and there is some nice ripe acidity. More currants, more blackberry, maybe plum and a long dry finish with some dried herbs and leather on the finish. Really fine wine bought en primeur and glad I have one more left.
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6/16/2023 - presterjohn wrote:
Big rich fruit, rough woody tannins, vibrant - not at all refined or elegant but delicious. Should last
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6/15/2023 - PlanetX wrote: 93 Points
Alluring nose Browning edges. Substantial ripeness with perfectly integrated oak. Lots of tertiary notes and very soft tannins. Enjoy now or within about three years. Ex-chateau with Damien Barton.
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6/4/2023 - unc0rked wrote: 88 Points
Decanted a good 3 hours. Initially, showed very nice fruit but with a bit of mustiness. Eventually the mustiness went away but with edges of age on the finish. I was able to drink it very nicely during dinner. But with a few more hours, the wine faded. Sadly, this bottle did not make it past its 20th bday very well.
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6/3/2023 - mikelikewine Likes this wine: 93 Points
On a taste before decanting it was a bit closed. Decanted for 2 hours which seemed to be the minimum suggested, and it had opened up nicely after that time. Some bricking around the edges showing it’s age. Gorgeous nose with some fruit and also tertiary aromas of truffle, forest floor and soy sauce. A bit less going on on the palate, but still some fruit left and similar tertiary flavours. Overall a really nice mature wine, but maybe not the wow moment I was hoping for.
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5/29/2023 - Marc wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding expression of the 2003 vintage. The warmth of the vintage expresses itself in a thickly- textured, richly- tannic wine. There is a very savoury and meaty aspect to the palate, and the oak has been fully integrated into the fruit. Ripe, but not jammy, the earthy and leathery aspects of this balance any sense of over ripeness. Drinking at its plateau of maturity, but certainly no rush. This is not the most elegant Leoville Barton, and it will always have a reich tannic personality, but as an expression of the vintage, it is very successful.
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5/29/2023 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
My experience was similar to jmoon's noting thea loss in the brightness of youth but taking on more tertiary notes of forrest floor and cedar. I'm going to try and hold off another 4 to 5 years before enjoying again. I sense it's in a transition phase.
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5/19/2023 - Thief Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red currants, a bit of forrest floor and leather.
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5/12/2023 - jmoon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very classic. Lost some of the exuberance of youty and entering cedar predominate profile.
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5/10/2023 - devraj Does not like this wine:
Corked.
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5/7/2023 - Cailles wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
At this point in the tasting, my will to drink and analyze another red wine was very low, so take this score and review with a grain of salt. The three Leovilles all had less charm and precision than the Pauillac’s but especially the Margauxs before. From memory, the Poyferre (93pts) was the best of the three Leovilles. This is surprising as it is usually riper and more modern than the two others which doesn’t seem like a great fit for a hot vintage. The wine showed a bit rounder and more harmonious than the others but without an exciting complexity. The Las Cases and Barton (both 92pts) were a step below but probably just would have needed a bit of air to open up.
Decanting: My guess is that this needs a 1-2 hours in the decanter.
Group average: 93.2 pts
Group rank: Shared 18th out of 29 reds
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5/7/2023 - Peter Spijker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours (which more or less seems the concensus). This wine was singing. Lots of blackberry, dark cherry, cigar, pencil shavings (and lots of it), cedar, still some noticable tannins and very long finish. Plenty of life left in the tank. Might be the best Bordeaux I've tried so far.
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5/2/2023 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
It is ready to go but definitely no rush, if possible, give it a bit more time or decant it one or two hours before you have your first sip, great wine-making techniques behind it, in sheer balance! Everything is beautifully judged! Leathery dark fruits coat your palate, giving me a lengthy finish! The complex aromas are indeed intoxicating!
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4/16/2023 - NEducatedGes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great with 4 hr. Decant
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3/20/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 90 Points
Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note:
A smoky profile with extracted cherry fruit, graphite minerality and floral accents adding appeal. However, balance was lacking with pretty coarse tannin.
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3/15/2023 - zimmy07 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really good bottle of wine, decanted 90 minutes and it needed a few more hours. Still tight with gritty tannin, cedar, and pencil shavings. Really great structure to this wine. No doubt can be drank now with a few hours of decant but can last many more. I will hold off my final bottles a bit longer.
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3/14/2023 - platpeeps Likes this wine: 88 Points
Initially tight and tannic this opened out to a silky texture with fine length. Unfortunately it seems to share a Brett issue all too frequently encountered with lesser L-B vintages. CHP 88 pts
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3/12/2023 - Carteduvin wrote: 93 Points
Spot on
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3/2/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 1 hour. This wine continues to drink very well with notes similar to my last tasting in 2021: Dense dark fruit with notes of back cherry, raspberry, earth, hint of spice with great mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins are well integrated. Paired with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks.
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2/25/2023 - oleronning wrote:
Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Dark, deep colour. Fresh and young on the nose. Cassis and blueberries. Incredible juicy on the palette. More tannins on the finish, but very soft and smooth. 93-94 points.
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2/24/2023 - asparagus wrote: 91 Points
A very good showing from a classical estate in a very hot year. Pluumy and a bit monolithic. It was totally smoked by the 96 Barton which was more complex
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2/13/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 89 Points
Drank alongside the '02, I found this to be somewhat disappointing. I've largely avoided this vintage in BDX, but have had really good experiences with some wines (e.g. Pichon Lalande, which is elegant and sublime) that tempted me to reconsider my anti-'03 ideology. After all, some of the recent vintages (looking at you '09 and '18) are much higher in alcohol than this allegedly freakish year. Well this wine is not quite a freak, but it's definitely not in my wheelhouse at the moment. Bursting with dark berry fruit, roasted coffee and cocoa notes and burly tannins, this doesn't really show any terroir to speak of. I didn't see a lot of improvement on day 2 or day 3, and if anything it began to fall apart further. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I hope that either this is an off bottle, or perhaps a victim of travel shock (this was a London auction purchase and spent a few weeks or months at sea before landing in NY in late January).
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1/12/2023 - Squirreljam Likes this wine:
First bottle from my now-19 year old son’s birthyear case. Took a picture of him opening OWC😆. Had for combo anniversary/kid goes back to college dinner, drank w a 2002 (marriage year) Karl Lawrence reserve beckstoffer to-kalon and grilled prime rib-steaks (fav dinner evar 😇).
Easy to tell it’s a hot year. Big nose w Pine and eucalyptus. Palate not as strong as nose but tastes great. More complex than KLR (not that that’s a surprise). Fruity still, plummy (not tart). Very smooth. No real aged characteristics except for smoothness.
Really excellent; preferred to the napa.
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1/8/2023 - Madi Likes this wine: 96 Points
Being a novice in the field of Bordeaux wines, there is not much I can contribute. I was amazed by the quality and how much I liked it. It was complex yet transparent and incredibly elegant. The first glass differed largely from later ones, when the wine had more air. I personally liked the fresh first glass the best. I felt the wine was more muted later on.
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1/4/2023 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
This has always been a favourite of mine from 2003, and has been an incredible fruit bomb for the last 5 years, almost drinking like a decadent Pomerol. However, the last year has seen a transformation as it loses its fruit, and it has almost become another wine, albeit first rate, but I'm unsure which personality I prefer. This now really needs an extended time in the decanter to allow the secondary notes to really blossom, and will obviously develop with age. The depth and complexity are still outstanding with an exceptional finish, and the wine is without doubt the best the estate has produced that is ready to drink. Also it is part of the top 5 left bankers from 2003. I adored this wine in the bloom of its youth, and I would hope its future mature sophistication will eventually match it.
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12/18/2022 - Pinder Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not in a great place currently, much more closed than my previous tasting. Needed at least 3 hours to start opening and was still a bit rough... I will try again in 2-3 years
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12/9/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Third bottle from a five bottle lot purchased en primeur from a reputable Dutch merchant in 2004. In great shape. Richly textured tannins are very intense but ripe, clearly defined Barton style and terroir expression with extra spice warmth and depth, deep and ripe Cabernet fruit, huge structure but without excess or lack of freshness, very tight and very long finish with hints of chocolate and liquorice. Will last for decades.
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11/27/2022 - JanFoss60 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic Léoville Barton from a hot year. Extremely balanced with fantastic depth of fruit. Cassis, spices, baked peppers and lead-pencil. Full-bodied and elegant with fine-grained tannins and sweet cassis fruit. Will age well.
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11/24/2022 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thanksgiving Dinner 2022: WOTN in my opinion. This doesn't show an ounce of the overripe 2003 vintage and it is drinking beautifully right now. Tasted blind. I called it one of the Leovilles, but couldn't pin it to Barton. Delicioso!
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11/14/2022 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Opened by Otis. Decanted before dinner. Part of a vertical of the 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2003. 4th time I have had this wine. The most powerful and biggest of the wines. Just beginning it's drinking window. Notes of beef blood, blackberries and tobacco. Firm but not overpowering tannins. I would say this still needs time if you can wait. 95 points.
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11/5/2022 - La Grappe wrote: 94 Points
It is more than a year since we last tasted this and it is still a great wine, and will be so for many years yet. It has a dark colour and a full, rich, quite dense palate, with intense blackcurrant fruit and a very long finish. An excellent vintage of this wine and today better than the 2000, which still seems to need more time to develop fully.
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11/1/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured at home with grilled streaks. Probably even better with a decant, but this is drinking beautiful. An incredible wine in a tough vintage.
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10/23/2022 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 92 Points
had this three weeks ago - more than held its own with braised short ribs. plenty of red fruit, tobacco and a bit more plum and acidity. very enjoyable
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10/15/2022 - NMIZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Quite aromatic at the open. Dark fruits. Tannins are fully resolved. Quite smooth. Good. Plenty of life left.
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9/8/2022 - grossie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another amazing bottle. Dark color, quite opaque. The nose is fruity and has some spice and some 2003 characteristic char (not sure why I get that from so many 03s, maybe the heat of the vintage). Velvety mouthfeel, amazing deep fruits, and some great high notes. The tannins are the type that caress the tongue. No bite. Long finish. I suppose this could be more complex but other than that I don't find any flaws. Drink now, I know I'm going to keep drinking these over the next year or two.
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8/31/2022 - Anchun wrote: 94 Points
Just a short decant, before enjoying this fabulous Barton with some ribeye. Already the nose is full of black fruits, minerals, and pipe tobacco. The bouquet is elegant and big with black currants, black cherries, cigar box, some forest floor, flecks of dark chocolate, very concentrated, and a super long amd seductive finishing. Great wine
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8/26/2022 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 94 Points
Another brilliant bottle. Very aromatic at popping with cherries and tobacco leaf. Very pure and balanced. Dark cherry palate with cedar and coffee notes. Tannins are silky though become more noticeable with air. Early drinking window but plenty of potential for further development.
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8/18/2022 - King Julien wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Pretty nice from the start.
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8/17/2022 - grossie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking great right now. No hard edges, deliciously round, big fruit. Could finish a bit longer, but other than that there are no real flaws. Drink now or over the next several years.
This was very much enjoyed by the crowd at the nighbors wine dinner on Bell.
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8/13/2022 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note after double decanting for 2 hours; outstanding & probably at peak, drink or hold
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8/11/2022 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best bottle (Weindorf Kirchheim, Waldhorn Laube): Glass: Sophienwald Bordeaux
Popped and poured. Clear, deep purpel color. Nice, classic left bank Bordeaux nose with some barn herbs and pencil shavings.
On the palate medium+ acidity, medium+ fine tannin. Fine red fruit, some cherry, some fresh herbs. Very good balance, silky texture, good length. In a wonderful spot right now. 93
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8/5/2022 - eeeeeradicator wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful blend of smoky, leathery, classic Bordeaux elements.
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6/18/2022 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nicely open, classic texture, fruit, nose. A classic aged BDX
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6/11/2022 - soyhead wrote:
nose - barnyard, blackberry, cassis
mouth - juicy dark fruit, charcoal, in balance
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6/8/2022 - tbabes wrote: 95 Points
Opened an hour before dinner; did not decant, but ideally I would have. Deep garnet, with notes of cedary cassis, dried plums, baking cocoa, roasted herbs and black truffle. Medium bodied, surprisingly fresh and focused for an ‘03, with a velvety texture, good depth, and a long and focused finish. Firing on all cylinders!
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6/7/2022 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Premium Mature Bordeaux Blend (at my home): Very good, though less than my expectations based on previous experience
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6/7/2022 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 95 Points
In a fantastic spot now. With a 2+hr decant tannins are more or less supple enough to quaff this without a care in the world. Superbly concentrated and refined claret that hints at the greatness found in wines many times the cost.
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5/30/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Not as flamboyant as it was in its youth, there is still a lot to like here with its lusciously-textured layers of black and red fruits, tobacco, herbs, and currant profile. Full-bodied and concentrated, drink now or wait a decade for more secondary characteristics.
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5/29/2022 - nywine68 wrote: 94 Points
Very good acidity and freshness considering the vintage. Somewhat assertive and grainy tannins. Cassis with black licorice and menthol. Medium saturation and body and nice length
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5/7/2022 - VinoExplorer Likes this wine: 93 Points
A light ruby color with rims of garnet showing
On pop, Nose of sour cherry, black currant, herbs and spices with slightly leathery tones
Sharp edgy acidity and fine tannins that are smooth and lengthens out in layers.
This will need decanting for 2 hours at least.
Ended up even 4 hours was not enough!
Wonderfully integrated with velvety tannins and a oaky construct. Still a bit tight and can probably keep going... Nonetheless a beautiful austere wine.
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4/21/2022 - FiggySmalls Likes this wine:
bought retail ~5 years ago. cork is barely soaked. showing some bricking and oxidation. significant sediment.
nose: cherry cough drop, char, lil debbie raisin creme pie, a hint of vics, tons of very sweet tobacco. shows alcohol.
palate: concentrated. slight medicinal astringence. soft and rich with talc like tannins on the back. both are probably attributable to the fine tannin that didn't sink with the sludge. very good!
etc: showed great on pnp. indubitably Bordeaux, just not rustic and from a hot vintage. my third bottle with no brett or funk. one bottle of three was off
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4/10/2022 - djhammond wrote: flawed
This is one of the stars of the vintage and possibly the best Leoville Barton drinking, but unfortunately this was the second bottle of this that has been skewed.
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4/2/2022 - fozzibaer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent and delicious, this is a wine.
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3/31/2022 - CellarBord Likes this wine: 94 Points
My last note said to wait until 2024 before trying again. Drinking 1/3 a way along the drinking plateau. A good wine for the 2003 over developed vintage. A bit fruit forward, however the structure is improving and this wine never faded over the evening. I recommend drinking 2025-2032. Give it at least a 2-3 hour decant if you open a bottle now. Great pairing with Lamb filet and Lamb Osso Bucco Ravioli(my favorite item on the menu tonight).
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2/24/2022 - SparkyMI wrote: 89 Points
Meh.
All hat no cattle.
Structure is there for another 20 years.
The fruit is not.
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2/19/2022 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 90 Points
For a 2003, this is marvelous. But that's damning with faint praise unfortunately. Blind I'd probably guess this was a Napa Cabernet. Decent balance, but a bit too much of everything.
Possibly will appeal to American tastes more than mine, but make no mistake, this is a superbly made wine, especially for the vintage. It just isn't Bordeaux.
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2/5/2022 - Poisey wrote: 96 Points
Decanted a few hours. Beautiful aromas of crushed blueberry, blackberries, violets, ink and earth. Wonderfully complex and lively. Texturally like silk with a super long finish. This is not big, a little more on the elegant side, but power lies in its structure where everything is in balance. Great for the hot 2003 vintage. This has faired well with lots left for those who want to wait longer to open. Drink now-2032
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2/3/2022 - vvWine.ch Likes this wine: 95 Points
2003, Château Léoville Barton, Frankreich, Bordeaux, Saint-Julien. Der Kork ist in einem Zustand, wie wenn man den Wein vorgestern abgefüllt hätte. Noch immer jugendliche Farbe, keinerlei Brauntöne. Offene, noble Nase, 101% sauber, klar und rein, ein Schnupperwein, viel dunkle Frucht, Kirsche, Brombeeren, dazu blonder Tabak, Kräuter, Kreuzkümmel. Im Gaumen auf den Punkt gereift, saftige Frucht, strukturiert, mit reifen, fein verwobenen Tanninen, einer lebhaften Säure und lediglich 13% Alkohol. Langer, harmonischer Abgang. Dies ist ein wunderbar ausgewogener Barton, aktuell in einem super Trinkfenster und mit sicherlich 10 Jahren Reserven. Schade neigt sich die 6er-Kiste Barton dem Ende zu, die Vorfreude ruht in meiner letzten 75cl Flasche, sowie in einer noch verfügbaren Magnum. Jetzt bis 2032+ 95 vvPunkte vvWine.ch
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1/25/2022 - TGHaddon wrote:
Disappointing, big brash fruit, very cassis and wood but didn’t display much complexity or length.
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1/24/2022 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
Boudreaux doesn't get better than this.
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12/26/2021 - Mr T wrote:
I found the wine shockingly backward for the vintage and age
PNP on Xmas evening and figured this was a Bordeaux I didn’t have to decant at cousin’s house. This needed Toni’s time to open and show its stuff and honestly never got there. Hard to keep telling folks to be patient when they keep coming back to the bar and this not showing a lot other than initial acid
And very subdued fruit. Clearly will decant all future bottles and give them tume
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12/25/2021 - WineCPA wrote: 94 Points
Full bodied with dark fruit. Feels like this could go a while longer. No signs of bricking. Upon opening, cork was pristine but nose showed a good bit of barnyard. Quite a funk that required a decant and a few hours of air to get past. By the 4th hour it was showing dried currants, cherry and leather. Smoked meat lingered on the nose. Tannins still present and holding everything together. Medium long finish.
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12/22/2021 - deverett wrote: 95 Points
Awesome wine in a great place at the moment. Feels quite polished, has integrated well and feels very settled and ready to drink. Smells of cigar box, lead pencils and blackcurrant, hints of undergrowth, black olives and bay leaf. Palate is similar, not a heavy weight but has real presence and concentration filled in a somewhat elegant frame. Great length of flavour, should keep trundling along very nicely.
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12/18/2021 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty good. Already losing some structure??
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11/25/2021 - vanderpee wrote: 95 Points
What a treat this was. This really shows what potential proper Bordeaux has, 18 years old and - for me - entering its drinking window, which will last quite a while. Decanted for 4 hours.
Dark red, no real age showing. Rich, powerful dark red fruit, leather and chocalate. Not overwhelmingly sweet due quite a fresh touch to it. Superb length. I can relate to this being one of the vintage's top chateaus. Unfortunately my last bottle.. 95+
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11/25/2021 - Tylerk wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Candidate for best L-B ever? Dense blackberry and currant taste-great full body with tanins still there after 2 hr decant - this has decades left so no rush but seems great now- with sous vide then seared sirloin. As I recall a WS #3 in’ ‘06 and truly worthy
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11/7/2021 - PSirah Tampa Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured. Wide open now and drinking fantastic! This is masterful Bordeaux.
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11/5/2021 - dagij wrote: 85 Points
Deep ruby with clear hints of brown at the rim. Sweet nose dominated by plums, almost on a rasiny side, but also some flower tones and minerals (ash/wet cigarettes). Full bodied, sweet attack, lots of plummy fruit, very dry, almost harsh tannins, sweet, plummy fruit on the finish. An almost brutal wine that just manages to balance the flabby fruit and the dry tannins. The warm vintage shines clearly through. 85-86
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11/5/2021 - Tom Henriksveen wrote:
Weak bottle/flawed or on its way down?
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10/28/2021 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
5th of 24, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, overwhelming fruit flavours now starting to attenuate and mineral core and tannic structure showing more prominently, wouldn't be surprised if this retreats to a dumber phase before revealing itself again as the beauty it is, classic wine and much to my taste, considerable upside. F+ (18) for now.
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10/11/2021 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
3rd time I have had this wine from a case I bought on futures for $45 per bottle. This was the best bottle yet. Decanted back into the bottle 8 hours before drinking. Light sediment. This showed very well. Notes of tobacco, plums and beef blood. Medium to full bodied. The tannins are slightly more integrated than 4 year ago but there is certainly no rush to drink this 18 year old Bordeaux. 95 points.
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10/9/2021 - AllRed wrote: 96 Points
Decanted. Terrific bouquet featuring black currant, tobacco, iron and herbs. Turned more red-fruited in the bouquet throughout the evening. Still rather full in the mouth with a bit of rustic tannin yet to integrate. Flavors of red fruit and iron with a long finish. Still needs a pretty healthy decant, I might suggest holding this another 3-5 years, but it really is beginning to drink well. (VM)
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9/18/2021 - La Grappe wrote: 94 Points
A deep colour, still bright; rich, thick blackcurrant fruit, full but with excellent balance. No sign of excess heat from the vintage. A fine Léoville-Barton, enjoyable now but with 10, or maybe 20, years ahead of it.
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9/13/2021 - randyjc wrote: 95 Points
This is an exceptional wine - drinking significantly younger than its age, but it is still welcoming and generous. Excellent nose - classically Bordeaux but restrained and tantalizing. Primarily black fruit but with a lovely streak of red plum. A balanced, earthy and elegant presentation in the mouth. The finish is lovely, starting out with a bit of tight acidity, releasing then to linger and fade, inviting another go at it. Drank alongside a 2002 Hillside Select (high on the deliciousness scale but having none of the elegance of the LB) and a 2016 Bionic Frog (wholly unrelated but fun to have on the table,) this wine was, to me, the one I wanted to finish the evening with.
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9/8/2021 - g-man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had side by side with 03' Poyferre. LB is more structured with a stronger tannic framework. A 2 hour decant would really help this. Plenty of time to let this evolve
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9/8/2021 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Probably the finest (mature) LB since the 1990. Just about starting to open up and become approachable, best with 3+hr decant. Textbook, top flight Leoville Barton and indeed St Julien. One to stock up on.
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8/29/2021 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Anniversary wine. For a 2003 this is full of fruit like cassis and blackberries without that heavy burned taste of a hot vintage. Not sure I have tried a 2003 bordeaux as good as this yet. Ready to drink with a 2 to 3 hour decant.
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8/28/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of violet, blackberry, currant, tobacco leaf, graphite, anise and dried herbs. Rich black and red fruit, tobacco, graphite, dried herbs and fine tannins on the palate. Lingering, layered finish with excellent depth. Medium to full bodied. Drinking beautifully. A lovely wine. Served with reverse seared picanha.
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8/28/2021 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in a great place . Yet it has the fruit of the warm vintage, but has the structure to back it up. Nice tension on the palate between the red cherries and the lead pencil elements. Long finish. Great match for Flannery CA reserve filets
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8/27/2021 - eudora Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spectacular.
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8/25/2021 - Ozen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking this next to the Leoville Las Cases 1996.
Wow, this has developed extremely well into a gorgeous Barton from a year that many of us find limited in producing really appealing wines (including undersigned).
After having consumed half a case this 7th bottle, after airing for a couple of hours, I can only say: What an appealing wine; very developed bouquet, tasting rich and ripe, great mature and lovely rich red fruit, and an after taste that makes you go back to the wine and checking how many bottles are left to enjoy. Giving this time to breath is essential to get the full richness. Superbe!
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8/22/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 97 Points
Until the Montrose and Cos and a couple of the first growths are ready to drink, this is best wine of the vintage and the best from the estate drinking at present. It has moved further forward in the last year gaining more weight on the palate and finish. What i am starting to love about the 2003 left bank wines is that they are not losing their fruit as secondary characteristics develop. The nose is a fruit bomb of ripe blackcurrant, cherry and plum with cedar hints. The palate is complex and well balanced, but with a good tannic spine. The finish still has room for evolvement and probably does not quite match the rest of the experience at this stage. In spite of the vintage this has many years ahead of it.
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8/17/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
deep young red color, on the nose roasted sweet red fruits, plums, on the palate a pretty and very ripe fruit- but also noticeable heat notes on the tail end, good long finish- though a bit hot overall, still tannic and in need of additional time to develop though I suspect that this- like many 03s- is going to be large and a bit monolithic, long-lasting for sure but at the expense of some of the usual nuance with age.
***,
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8/13/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted with dinner at La Piquette in DC (my favorite French bistro), I'm not sure this could be drinking any better. Still youthful, without a hint of warmth, and a perfect accompaniment to rack of lamb and ribeye. I continue to love the '03 Bordeaux from the Northern Medoc.
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8/10/2021 - Winemaker51 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow, lots of fireworks!. Definitely a black fruited; full bodied St. Julien that has a Napa Valley personality without excessive alcohol, nor jamminess. I’ve had this before and this time from a 375ml bottle. Based on it’s outstanding flavor now; I believe a 750ml could only improve over the next 3 to 5 years. This wine was highly rated by wine critics; and I can see why. Does have some tannins at the end; so food is compulsory. This is a Chateau that does need age (2000 still has some time to go). Drink this 2003 now instead of the 2000 or 2005.
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7/26/2021 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
With K&O for an impromptu get together. This followed a 2006 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée "Chaumes". Splash decant, drank over about 45 minutes.
Medium garnet color, opaque, no notable separation. Nose showing dark fruits, currant, pine, cedar. Palate is a lush and still youthful, on this evening I picked up dark cherry, plum, black currants, cassis, cocoa. Secondary notes of earth, truffle and dark fruits. Medium/full body, long finish
Classic Bdx profile, bigger in style consistent with the warm vintage (may be a love it/hate it result). I thought it was great on this showing, I would like to have spent more time with it. Still youthful and showing great depth - another 10+ years maybe? Only one bottle left...
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7/25/2021 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is such a pleasure to drink. Plenty of life and a long road ahead of it, but its enjoyable today. elegant brighter red cherry, tobacco notes, a pretty perfume. Def claret typical medium bodied, not heavy given the hot vintage. elegant long finish with some tannins. this is a great wine.
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7/24/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a left bank masterpiece! It has everything you could read in a book that left bank Claret should possess! Outshone an excellent 2003 Pontet Canet served next to it. Brilliant!
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7/23/2021 - Eric wrote:
Eastside Tasting Group does White Burgundy (Mount Baker, Seattle, WA): From magnum. Mmmm, smoky, deep, coffee and black cherry. This is still young and relatively primary but utterly delicious and rounding into early maturity.
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7/23/2021 - CHarder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Super experience. Needs 1hr decant to open up
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7/16/2021 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, potpourri, berries, plums and currants. Flavors of berries, plums, currants and a hint of red cherries. medium to bright acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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7/10/2021 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
This wine showed great yesterday, perhaps even better than the 03 Poyferre I tried a couple months back. Splash decanted and served blind, the wine was marked by its depth.
Minimal bricking. Open aromatics of cassis and lead pencil but no pyrazines for me here. I really love how the LBs from 98-03 are showing these days. There’s a lot of volume and rather plush fruit, nicely polished tannins and well framed acidity. It drank a lot younger than the vintage and you had calls for 2012 and 2014 at the table; which is not to fault as I often detect those pruned, roasted notes from hot vintages like 03/07 and none were to be found here.
Drink or hold, it’s in balance and has plenty of material to last 2 more decades
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7/7/2021 - Misterobit Likes this wine:
Tannic and quite hard to read, needed some time but it opened after 5 hours. Dark fruits, liquorice, feeling a bit hard to my taste. Will benefit with some more years in the cellar.
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7/5/2021 - spendergast wrote: 97 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours. Dense dark fruit with notes of back cherry, raspberry, damp earth, hint of spice with great mouthfeel and long finish. Tannins prominent but well integrated. Paired really well with grilled herb crusted Wagyu ribeye steaks.
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6/3/2021 - redknife Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine has evolved nicely
Took to dinner at the GC restaurant with some neighbors. Nose and palate were a great representation of Bordeaux. Very smooth but still with many years ahead
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6/2/2021 - Tree512 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazingly balanced and tasty. Ripe purple and black fruit, almost like CA cab boysenberry, but pure BDX structure with loads of round tannins. Very long, completely delicious. Should keep evolving but I doubt it will improve given how good it is now.
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5/24/2021 - sastewart wrote: 95 Points
First of 6 purchased as futures and stored at 55 degrees. Opened 3 hours ahead. Earth, cedar and dark fruit on the nose. Medium plus bodied and concentrated with rich cassis and a touch of minerality. Plenty of sweet tannins and good freshness bode well for the future. Drinking well now but may still improve. Drink now to 2035. 95 points
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5/14/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted about an hour or so before dinner - another really good bottle. Lots of life remaining, but hard to resist right now.
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4/29/2021 - phynes wrote: 93 Points
Feels like it has just entered its drinking window but will continue to develop for many years yet. Lovely freshness about it with black and red fruits to the fore and smooth tannins on the finish.
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4/3/2021 - Brevetti Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still so young and powerful.
Very elegant and tannic.
Real great so Bordeaux.
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3/28/2021 - mbond4all wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours but really opened up after 4 hours. Such a nice wine and no clues of the warm vintage that is was... lots of fruit, cassis, leather, tobacco and well integrated tannins. This wine will last for 10 years plus. With Leoville you just need years and years of patience but you will be rewarded. The 2005 and 2000 are not even in their drinking window yet -;)
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3/28/2021 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
Double decanted and let breathe for 2 hours. Then consumed over 2 hours. A stunning wine that is just starting to unfurl. It glides across the palate and features lovely secondary and primary dark fruits with a myriad of classic St. J scents. Still it feels like it has better days to come; there is still that tension of a wine that is coming together. If you have few bottles, I would try one now with a decant. I bet that these really hit their plateau in 2-5 years and hold there. If you doubt the longevity of 2003, this might make you rethink your conception...otherwise feel free to sell me your stash!
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3/28/2021 - SussexSB Likes this wine: 93 Points
1st of 12. Four hour decant. Stellar nose, unctuous, rounded and long finish. All the usual notes, including some sandalwood and a hint of the Haut Brion about it. Tannins not fully resolved and still to integrate 100% but that is nit-picking. Will easily IMHO go to 96+ over the coming years.....preferred another 2003 I last had - Lascombes - and beats Montrose 2003 (I may not have decanted it for long enough) also recently tasted. Good ole LB, ever consistent. Will be following this with interest.
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3/23/2021 - Ct Bordeaux Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a beautiful wine, which is in its prime drinking window. Over the last year it has become sweeter and smoother, with black fruits, lead pencil and a beautiful finish. It needed only 30 minutes before it was at its peak. It should last 10 years, but 2003 was such a hot year that I will drink my remaining bottles over the next 5 years just to be sure.
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2/21/2021 - Ozen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprising outcome drinking Prieure Lichine 2009 along the Leoville Barton 2003 today (and the rich lovely Redigaffi 2004).
In general, Barton, in my book is one of the alltime price/quality champions. Hardly ever disappointing, good value for money. So, even more surprising to see that Prieure Lichine 2009 at roughly half the price is the clear winner today. After sipping at the Barton I kept going back to the Lichine. The Barton is somewhat uninspiring while the Lichine had some richness and good fruit. Interesting even more because for me the Lichine 2005 is the better wine versus the 2009. Rating the 2009 at 92 only because the 2005 Prieure Lichine is a clear 93.
Great Bartons: 2000, 2005
Great Prieure Lichines: 2005
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2/7/2021 - hawkeye194223 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had one of these a month ago and it must have been an off bottle. I didn’t feel right giving a score then. Revisited tonight and totally different. Still a great deal of freshness and very well balanced. I gave it a one hour decant.
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2/7/2021 - CHarder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice tonight with a steak - surprisingly light on its feet for the hot vintage. Gave it 1hr decant.
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2/4/2021 - Frijole wrote:
medium burgundy red, medium clarity, ruby hue
Nose: cassis, plum, chocolate, wet earth, tobacco, silver, clove, charcoal, cedar
Pal: black cherry, plum, bitter chocolate, wet earth, tobacco, cigar, silver, clove, black pepper, charcoal, cedar
Feel: medium, full, savory, acidic
Finish: long
T9
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2/3/2021 - O'Meara wrote: flawed
First bottle from a case. Corked, but still potable. The nose was wet newspaper...ugh. I drank a glass for the hell of it. The palate was dense and sweet. I’ll report back tomorrow. Need to open a new bottle.
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1/31/2021 - PerryParkBordeaux Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine exceeded my expectations. Tannins were just what you would hope and expect for 2003. Had the 03 Las Cases last month, I prefer the Barton. Cheers!
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1/24/2021 - SeaSmoke wrote: 93 Points
My notes are very similar to my notes in 2018. Black plum, tar, licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and black currants on the nose and palate. The tannins are soft. Decanted for 1.5 hours.
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1/23/2021 - Fuel55 wrote: 93 Points
Very nice - verging on fully mature - sweet black fruits, tons of pencil lead, hints of blueberry - perhaps a little ashy holding back a higher score but classic St. Julien - good stuff - will last another decade easily but plenty ready to go now with 2-3 hour decant.
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1/23/2021 - mats13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lithe. Dark fruit with pencil lead. Couldn't be from anywhere else.
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1/10/2021 - mjdixon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gone up in my estimation
Decant for 3 hours and takes ages to drink and savour.
Deep fruit and berries with a classic Bordeaux framework.
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1/7/2021 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Nose is intense dark toasty oak, dark berry, juicy fruit
Palate is dark, tannic and densely flavored. Long finish.
Decanted for about 2 hours and needs more.
Young and needs more time.
Would buy again.
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1/5/2021 - Duncan H Likes this wine:
Drank this alongside a 2005 d'Arenberg Dead Arm and this really showed well. Not classic claret, but earthy and rounded with some lovely, forward dark fruit.
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1/2/2021 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
Barnyard, floral but somewhat thin. Not the fragrant monster I had remembered.
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12/29/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 92 Points
[Blind] Lush primary blue fruit with some faint earth showing up. Some nice rusticity in more of a sous bois direction. Dense long palate but fairly dry already. Charcoal plus some more candied red berry.
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12/26/2020 - jtvanber wrote: 90 Points
ok but may be past prime
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12/25/2020 - MM29 wrote: 94 Points
Sehr schöner Weihnachtswein - jetzt schön zu trinken plus sicher noch weitere 5 Jahre
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11/29/2020 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
3rd bottle from a half case bought en primeur and much the same as 18 months ago. Big nose of tobacco and plums. Cassis, coffee and plenty of fruit and complexity on the front of the palate. Loads of very soft tannins. A little lacking mid palate; which is a sign of the hot vintage. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will last a surprisingly long time.
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11/22/2020 - mjdixon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely pop n pour
Fruity ripe blueberries and resolved tannins
Shoukd develop but drinking nicely now
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11/19/2020 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another one down as 8 months of lockdown continues a relentless assault on my cellar.
Nice medium ruby appearance with very little lightening.
Evolved and pronounced nose of black fruits, crème de cassis, vanilla, lead pencil and spice. Classic St Julien nose . In spite of the evolution of the aromatics, there is no sign of the wine being tired or cooked (contrary to the reputation of this vintage).
Medium bodied with lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate. Medium tannin still remaining with plenty of acidity to keep things fresh and a long, savory and delicious finish.
I love this estate (which always needs time) and this example did not disappoint. Drink now, but this will last " indefinitely" in a cold cellar.
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11/1/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 97 Points
Last tasted successfully almost 18 months ago, (I unusually had a flawed bottle in the interim, ) this is continuing to move forward in its development and is a magnificent wine. For myself this is the greatest vintage from the estate drinking at present. This has a respectable 13 % alcohol content and displays none the negatives thrown at the year in general. The nose is opulent with ripe red cherry, blackcurrant and plum with cedar now coming more to the fore and some subtle vanilla hints. The palate is perfectly balanced with the tannin sweet but retaining a bite. The depth and complexity of flavour are outstanding, and the finish is perfectly balanced and continues for 60+ seconds, returning in waves. I still note my only previous reservation in that the tannin unbalances the finish towards the very end; but it is nit picking, and I am sure a few more years could add a point or two to its rating. A few hours in the decanter is important at this stage to bring out its best.
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10/25/2020 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. This is a medium red wine. On the nose, I get notes of forest floor, fresh tobacco, black fruits, and coffee. In the mouth, this shows good structure with a nice balance between the acid and some medium fruit. The finish shows a long 45-50 second echo with nicely integrated tannins. Overall, this is showing great now but should have several quality decades ahead. There really is no issue associated with the 2003 vintage – this is classic claret (and solid LB) through and through. 93 points.
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10/19/2020 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine:
Fine. Drunk with Dave McKean in his San Diego home.
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10/18/2020 - AAJR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted, earth & funk on the nose for the first two hours. Nose transitioned to fruit & floral aromas after two hours in the decanter. Berries, expresso, spice on the palate. Drying tannins on the backend, indicating a much longer life. Quite enjoyable - note to self, revisit in 2023 at 20 years of age.
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10/9/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Double decanted for 2 hours, deep ruby with no brick, dark fruit with a
tobacco & leather, classic Left Bank, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold, no rush
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10/9/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
This just keeps getting better as it ages. Still young and vibrant, the wine manages to avoid the trappings of the growing season and instead provides an earthy, cedar, tobacco, dark red fruit and licorice filled perfume. Rich and lively on the palate, with layers of sweet, ripe, round, dark red berries, the wine tastes as good as it feels. With 1 hour of air, this is good to go.
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10/5/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
4th of 24, opened 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, in line with previous bottles, impressive purity and freshness for 03, considerable upside. F+ (18).
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9/26/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sep @ Crab at Bay!: This was quite tight initially and took some time to open up. Black fruits, black currants, violets. Quite concentrated. This has the foundations to get even better.
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9/20/2020 - Tylerk wrote: 93 Points
Great classic bordeaux and always a favorite- great now but no rush you have another decade if you need it! With a grilled steak and salad on classic fall day in the CO mountains- doesn’t get much better!
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9/8/2020 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Had it with friends. Lovely bottle. Mature drinking. Not huge - but good blue fruit, fine tannins. Easy to drink. Got more time. Good finish
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8/16/2020 - djhammond wrote: flawed
Unfortunately this was corked, and the only bottle to date from my 2 cases, and possibly the first 2003 I have had tainted. This is possibly my favourite wine from the vintage, and by leaps and bounds the best Leoville Barton drinking. In spite of the taint on the nose and palate, I would still give it a 95 this evening and unspoilt 2 or 3 points higher. What a bummer, but what a wine!
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8/7/2020 - CellarBord Likes this wine:
Decanted 2 hrs. Still a bit tannic, yet has good depth. Wait 4 years. Drink 2024-30.
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7/19/2020 - spendergast Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine continues to drink very well, if anything it's better than my last tasting in 2015. Decanted 1 hour, highly extracted fruit with notes of raspberry, cassis, cedar - well balanced with soft tannins and long finish.
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7/18/2020 - pikemasterflash wrote: 90 Points
This is no longer a great wine in my opinion. Thin, non-descript.
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7/13/2020 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
This ultra classic, masculine winery and the very hot vintage 2003 are a great match. It‘s at its peak with lots of wonderful tertiary aromas, good ripe but fresh fruit and a softened structure. Will be a lot of pleasure to drink over the next 10 years. Others had it blind and were hesitant to place in Bordeaux as the wine was a bit more full-bodied than your usual mature Bordeaux due to the hot vintage. Tuscany was mentioned. All in all, a lot of fun to drink and easily 94 points. For more the complexity, focus would have to be higher and the structure would need to be more luxurious.
TN: Tobacco and wet forest floor jump out of the glass, subtle dark fruits underneath. While not super layered or sharp, it‘s still a very good nose. Same tertiary aromas of tobacco, wet forest floor and a bit of black truffles on the palate along more expressive dark and blue forest berries (still fresh but yet ripe), some herbal notes. Medium precision and very harmonious. The tannins are still there but no longer intrusive or edgy. Good freshness.
Decanting: Not decanted and good from the go. No decant needed
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7/4/2020 - gothamfreerider Likes this wine: 95 Points
tannins are smooth, creating silky texture. flavors of smoked cherries, hints of licorice, Indian spices, and in background steadfast notes of oak. absolutely fantastic. awesome value.
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6/28/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
3rd of 24, opened 3 hours, perfect cork and level, lovely, classy and fresh, if young, in line with April and previous bottles. F+ (18).
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6/24/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped'n poured, this wine has been incredibly consistent over the last 5 or so years, and has at least another decade (at least) ahead of it. Medium- to full-bodied, with dark fruits, leather, just a great bottle.
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6/22/2020 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good but not super-sensational...
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6/14/2020 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
2.5 hour decant. Drinking beautifully !
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6/13/2020 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
while this was know as the hottest yr in Bordeaux this wine was a perfect expression of St Julien. Well integrated tannins, beautifully balanced great dark fruit combine to make a great wine.
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6/5/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Still pretty young but ready to drink with a few hours in the decanter. I would recommend to decant it at least 2 hours. A very good Leoville Barton. 93-94 pts. Has still many years left.
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5/29/2020 - CabinConnoisseur Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened. Cork is pristine, with absolutely no seepage. After 15 years on its side, cork is dry 1/4 inch from the bottom. I love the aroma of well-aged Leoville Barton - often my favorite part of the experience. This one is no different: blue fruit, forest floor, some anise. Swirl and enjoy. Wine clearly needs decanting. More to come....
45 minutes later. ... excellent blue fruit on the palate. Some leather, and mild spice. Well integrated. Medium body and medium finish. With the fruit and even with the softened tannin, still stood up well to a venison shoulder roast (Travis's first buck).
I have one more and will drink before 2022, with a 30 - 45 minute decant.
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5/20/2020 - CHarder wrote: 93 Points
This is just classic claret deslige rhe warm vintage. Drink over the next 10yrs - think it still has potential to improve a bit in coming years.
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5/16/2020 - Gdubya Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum. Right in the zone. Wonderful blend of primary and secondary flavour. Really enjoyed it but sad it’s my last bottle. 95-96pts
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5/12/2020 - jbeauprez Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still classy though underpowered a bit. Love it but believe it’s coming over the peak.
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5/2/2020 - Édifice Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible bouquet of cigar box, dark fruit preserve, roasted bell peppers, tiny bit of funk, red beet, underwood. Super lush, fresh, sweet palate, with quite some spices on the finish. Complex spectrum of flavors, one sip begs the next. It may miss a tiny bit of additional balance, fullness and etherealness to reach the next level, but I love it for what it is. No need to hold any longer, in its prime.
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4/30/2020 - FoinZap Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a classic left bank Bordeaux. Nicely balanced fruit and earth elements. Hint of smoke and herbs, some briny elements. I actually started out at 94/95 and felt like it became slightly less impressive as it opened. Perhaps the fruit became surpassed by the other elements, which was not as pleasing to my palate. Lack of elite-level integration may be what was missing. Slightly bitter finish, especially after 90 minutes in the decanter. Nice, elegant Old World wine, but not a show-stopper.
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4/25/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
2nd of 24, half of a recorked bottle (in a half bottle) with the other half drunk last Saturday, perfect cork and level, as December's bottle, very attractive on both occasions, primary cassis fruit forward but with a freshness and purity which belie the vintage, adolescent. F+ (18)…..pointed up the flaws in the Montrose 01 on same night.
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4/24/2020 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 95 Points
Definitely a Barton, though surprisingly precocious at only 17 years of age! Black fruit, licorice and hints of iodine on the nose. The palate is concentrated with dark cherries and cassis, complemented by supple tannins. Well balanced and not flabby like some 03s. Really in a nice spot right now.
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4/13/2020 - Duncan H wrote: 87 Points
Not quite as good as my previous bottles from this case.
Still very dark red, with a hint of thinning at rim. Stalky black fruit on nose and palate, accompanied by rounded tannins. Not the voluptuous crowd-pleaser that previous bottles have been.
Will try another one soon and report back.
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4/12/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
1st CB Wine Night - The Leovilles: this is good.
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3/28/2020 - HOS wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Has a great nose but it has developed a slight bitter edge. Either a bad bottle or it’s on the way out. I’ll drink another quickly to see what’s going on.
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3/15/2020 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 85 Points
Not sure what to make of this bottle, decanted 90 min and tried to drink over another 2 hrs. This wasn’t undrinkable but it wasn’t good either. Maybe flawed? No fruit component. Black olives, black tea, earth, touch of wet rock. Tried to pair with short rib, but that didn’t work either. This might be in a dumb phase or perhaps bottle variation.
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3/10/2020 - Mr T wrote:
Decent but not great...somewhat subdued and great fruit
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3/8/2020 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Disappointing. Flat and almost gritty. Not the floral sweetness I remembered from this wine.
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3/5/2020 - mpw1999 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent nose and finish after just an hour decant.
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2/27/2020 - peternelson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, a bit brooding, black cherry, tar, dark wet earth and tobacco. Drinking very well now, nice structure, soft ample tannins, just starting to hit its stride. Auburn w/Bri & Bri
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2/23/2020 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Dinner with the wine group (Millbrae, CA): Decanted, appropriate amount of sediment for its age. Deep youthful ruby; nose is aromatic and youthful with blackberry, some plum, some St. Julien minerality, a bit of iodine; palate is full bodied, smooth rich blackberry fruits, alcohol is present but not at all out of place (13% on bottle), medium fresh acidity; medium to medium-plus length finish. Perhaps a touch more modern than most Leoville Barton, but still classically bordeaux by any measure and well balanced; this is a youthful bordeaux with character on a lovely maturing curve with 1-2 decades of growth ahead of it. My next bottle in 3-5 years. 93++
6 hours double decanted: rich, more full bodied than the others in the lineup but still balanced and very nice. Tannic and needs a lot of time. 93++
Day 3: Still well balanced, richer than other vintages in this lineup but delicious and showing well.
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1/14/2020 - Bluethunder wrote: 93 Points
Deep dark red with lots of dark fruit, cassis, smoky undertone.
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12/27/2019 - Saint Stephen wrote: 93 Points
Scrumdiddlicious. Opened along side the 02 Barton for my just-legal nieces and nephews as a fun contrast in style. This was... better.
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12/22/2019 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
A fairly deep colour; the palate is restrained, with blackcurrant fruit and slightly grainy tannin; this seems less forward than previously and would benefit from several more years in bottle. Potentially an excellent wine, but it is not there yet.
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12/20/2019 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pre Christmas wine dinner, tight & muscular like a heavyweight boxer, lock it up as with most LB best with significant aging ie 20-30 years
91+
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12/19/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 94 Points
1st of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level - little changed from bottle in Feb 18, still young and purple rimmed but with some secondary development on nose, losing some plushness on palate and slightly awkward and undifferentiated, hence minor downgrade, but would expect the flavour profile to tighten and show more layering in future with a 10 to 20 year life thereafter. At least F+ (18).
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12/17/2019 - grossie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Quite different from the last bottle, which was interesting. It didn't strike me as being quite as mature, although it is still a powerhouse of a wine and clearly is bdx. Smoky and powerful, refined, elegant, long finish. Yum. Drink up, but I don't feel as hurried as I did after the last bottle which I scored a point higher but seemed fully mature, closer to the downhill.
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12/16/2019 - Julian Marshall wrote: 91 Points
It would be nice to get a really representative bottle of this, because although it was a lot better than the last bottle, I'm not convinced that the 2003 cannot do better. If the last one was a little uptight and stodgy, this was all fruit and charm, totally different. The brightness of the fruit is really appealing and unlike anything else tasted from 2003, without the slightest trace of over-cooked berries. But it was also a little lightweight - without the usual Barton power and majesty.
Very enjoyable, but not quite the bee's knees, especially compared to the 96, or even the 02 and the 04.
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12/13/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bottle finished. Consistent notes, old school Bordeaux
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12/8/2019 - Klugi Wine wrote: 95 Points
Quite big for a LB, the bouquet convinces with blueberries, cassis, some bacon, iron and cedar. The tannins are still quite young, dusty and demanding but very fine grained and mouth coating. The palate is intense and fullbodied with good acidity. This is close to greatness just slightly below the 2000 and 2005 and will easily hold for another 1-2 decades.
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12/6/2019 - Beychevelle Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drinks beautifully right now, still has a LOT of power. Would recommend an hour decanting at least. Lots of tertiary aromas such as cigar box as well as a dominating flavor of licorice. Perfect pairing with venison and chestnut purée. I had been told by a Bordeaux producer that the ‘03 were starting to decline because it was a warmer vintage but he was probably not talking about that sort of product. This will still hold for almost a decade.
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12/5/2019 - UFGators Likes this wine:
This wine a mature and delicious. Popped and poured. Great QPR. Many years left but in great drinking window
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11/9/2019 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Youthful red. Eucalyptus, mint, spice and cedar nose. Soft tannins, lovely tartness, fresh cherry, graphite, and stony minerals on the finish with a touch of savory tobacco on the finish.
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11/9/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Clearly classic Bordeaux but in a ripe warm vintage. Grilling herbs on the nose, aromatically very complex. Dark cherries. Old oak, more cedar. Good acid. Little dusty. Doesn’t taste 16 years old. Love it. Great QPR
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11/2/2019 - Plabella wrote: 89 Points
corked
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10/26/2019 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (R&D's): Double blind. Plummy dark fruit, iodine and a bit of horse blanket/barnyardy funk. Red berry fruit on the palate; structured. Tight. Guessed Bordeaux.
My #4, Domino's #3
Group #4, 11 pts
This suffered from not being decanted. It really came on strong towards the end of the tasting and had it showed at this level originally would certainly have made it to the championship flight.
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10/26/2019 - Snowryeder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very enjoyable. Black & red fruits. Forest floor, green peppers, cigar and chocolate. Resolve tannins. Long finish. Drinking very well now and will last.
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10/22/2019 - Jumbo-Jet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Metal, concrete and spices, alcoholic cassis, hints of olives and mushrooms, toasty meat and old oak in the nose. On the palate a broad carpet of reasonably intense tannins and iron. Then acidity, cassis and black berries merge in for a medium to long finale. A hint of truffles. Yummy and well resolved but also slightly unclean with some off-aromas.
On day two much rounder and fruitier nose, honey, cassis and blackberry punch, mushrooms still distinctly present. On the palate stronger acidity from start to finish. Smell of concrete remains.
On day three even richer alcoholic fruit notes, strawberry, significantly cleaner taste, no concrete and little mushroom left, balance feels best.
Good stuff and nice to drink but to become my favourite it would need more elegance and less forest floor – will follow up with another bottle.
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10/20/2019 - grossie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow again. No decanting. As soon as I poured it from the bottle I could smell the rich nectar within. Aromatics reminded me of a combination of mature bordeaux and mature high class Napa cab. Silky smooth in the mouth, complex, mature, rich, long finish. It is in a perfect place right now, not sure if it'll improve. I think it's time to drink these at will despite the relatively young age. It might ride just like for a while, but might start to decline soon.
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10/20/2019 - Marcosuru wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful mature Bordeaux, ready to drink or hold for many years. Complex and delicate with layers and layers of flavors. There is nothing simple in this wine, a wine to brood upon
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10/18/2019 - R2-D2 wrote: 95 Points
This has everything one would expect in a beautifully aged Bordeaux. Deep garnet with a sensuous fragrance of forest floor, cedar, cigar smoke, black currant, espresso and chocolate. The palate reflects the nose. A rich core of black plum and black currant fruit is supported by tobacco leaf, iron, roast beef and pine. Time in the glass allows one to coax out the subtle undertones of cassis, walnut and lead pencil on the moderate lengthy finish (length of the finish being the only downside). Full bodied, exquisitely balanced, complex with medium plus acidity and some evolving tannins. A lovely wine to drink now or hold for years.
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9/26/2019 - Rollerball wrote:
A beautiful wine in a beautiful spot. Completely available now with 10-15 years of heavenly drinking ahead.
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9/14/2019 - rjpbath Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just goes to show: bottle variation rules... This bottle was far better than previous ones - not great but good. I will look forward to seeing how the rest of the case behaves...
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9/8/2019 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasting immediately after opening had me very nervous. Big tannin, no flavor, odd smell. After 2 hrs in the decanter it opened but just a bit. Still not what i had hoped for. After a spicy dinner, and 2 more hours in the decanter, it finally hit its stride. Tannins softened a bit and I am getting the tasting notes everyone else mentions below. Cork was in excellent shape (a wee bit of mold on the top of the cork). Paid $125 at auction. I probably expected a little more in terms of QPR but this is a good wine once it opens up.
10NOV19 - Bottle 2, 3 hr decant in wine fridge. Lovely bottle, very enjoyable. Reaffirming the 93 points. I think this wine will continue to improve over the next 5-7 yrs.
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9/2/2019 - Btcj1955 wrote:
Patty loves this wine
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9/1/2019 - MM29 Likes this wine: 95 Points
1 Stunde dekantiert...Hammer...da passt alles für mich, fein, mit richtig viel Rückgrat, keine schlechten Anzeichen des Hitzejahres, schöne Länge...leider nur noch eine Flasche, die dieses Niveau sicher noch 5 Jahre halten kann
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8/25/2019 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice deep color,garnet/purple. Great aroma with nice fruits and lovely forest/woodsy tones as well. I liked the mouthfeel with it's nice tannic structure well balanced against some good berry flavors and I picked some cherry as well. Dry finish that had a nice lingering quality to it. Enjoyed this bottle immensely.
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8/17/2019 - empire80 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful nose of black and red fruits with classic cedar and pencil notes. Wonderful mouth filling flavours, right at its peak but absolutely no hurry.
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8/13/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted with dinner - another great bottle. Really hitting a good spot, but years (if not decades) to go.
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8/1/2019 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still very young for an 03, but already very enjoyable now. Just needs a good decant...smoothens and opens up after half a day of air! LB is generally a wine which needs a lot of air.
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7/26/2019 - HOS wrote: 95 Points
PnP. This is in its drinking window. Smells like a freshly plowed field. Currant, aux jus, herby. Medium bodied, long finish. Just a great wine for date night.
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7/20/2019 - pikemasterflash wrote: 91 Points
Good, but certainly not great like other bottles I have had. The wine was thin and smooth but lacking in both fruit and finish.
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7/1/2019 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Two hour decant and drinking beautiful. Still a long life ahead.
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6/30/2019 - Grenik Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love where the '03's are right now. But this is one of the best. Intense red fruit, wonderful balance, smooth build to the front/middle and then a graceful transition to the lingering finish. Decanted for 2 hours before serving.
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6/29/2019 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
Open, opulent, long, seductive - great effort
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6/28/2019 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured at picnic on Tanglewood lawn before Earth, Wind and Fire concert. Delicious as always, ripe fruit, fine complexity, silky on palate, wonderful, lingering finish. This hot vintage served Leo B well, as it is ready to drink now while other vintages remain closed.
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6/17/2019 - Cgrant1029 wrote: 95 Points
Very very very good bottle of wine, not the best I've ever had but just a step down from my favorites from Margaux, Lafite, Cheval Blanc, and Montrose. One bottle left, hope I can wait a little bit.
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6/17/2019 - jbeauprez wrote: 91 Points
wonderful nose; a touch of funk with this one but not off putting. decanted 2 hours and drank over the next 2. I continue to be surprised at how graceful (if a bit short in the finish) it is for the vintage. A faint touch of stewiness in the finish but again not off putting.
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6/14/2019 - dulcamara wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color. It's overly tannic with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a long finish - Some say it needs more time. Some say it's drying out and drink up. I can't tell, but I'm very happy with the glass in my hand. I have three left and hope I have the self discipline to wait a year to try another.
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6/7/2019 - Miceri Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark red; lovely fruity ceddar, very mature, blackcurrant; rounded, smooth, good body, a bit dry tannic ending, then getting nicely fruity afterwards; some say 2003 is not good - I like it! Really good and sunny
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6/4/2019 - Timbalimba wrote: 93 Points
Tasted alongside the Pichon Baron '96, perhaps unfairly, this showed a much more macho side with very strong tobacco aromas, a full box of Havannas, and a dominant meaty, gamey, barnyard aspect that wasn't unattractive but maybe in need of further integration. The fruit is still foursquare, stocky, with cassis overtones, and the tannin still bites. Who knows if it will resolve itself, given the vintage, but I found this one in want of a bit more TLC in a dark cellar before showing its best.
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6/3/2019 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredible balance, again, needs time to emerge.
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5/26/2019 - Ardross Likes this wine: 88 Points
Slightly cooked in flavour like most 2003s still very good wine.
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5/19/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 97 Points
Last tasted 6 months ago, this is entering its prime drinking window, and is displaying secondary and tertiary notes. I would hope that the tannin will continue to soften, particularly towards the end of the wine, but apart from this it is in an absolutely sweet spot. The nose is deep with blackcurrant, cherry and plum with hints of vanilla in the background, but it has a old leather mustiness of a wine two decades older, and is almost Pomerol in its profile. However, on the palate its left bank heritage asserts itself, with robust tannin which is perfectly balanced, and an exceptional depth with multi level layers of complexity. The finish is 60 seconds plus and totally harmonious. However, I do think that the finish is perhaps one aspect that could improve as the tannin can intrude on the final stages of the wine. With the 2000 not yet ready, this is by a long margin the best Leoville Barton drinking, easily outperforming the 1982 and 1990, and also one of the top wines from 2003. As mentioned previously a long aeration is recommended and also to allow time in the glass. In terms of its lifespan, at this stage I could not make a judgement, but my instinct is that this probably needs to be drunk over the next decade to enjoy it at its best.
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5/11/2019 - MBannon Likes this wine: 93 Points
About as 'new world' as an 'old world' wine can be without losing itself, and if you're okay with that it's delicious. Also, if this makes no sense blame the wine, because it was delicious. Did I already say that?
Drinking well now after a couple hours in the decanter, will probably hold up fine for several more years at least. Not the bottle in my decanter, though, because I drank that. It was...how shall I say...delicious.
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4/29/2019 - rjpbath Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I am sorry to say that I totally disagree with those who find this a good wine: it has all the faults of 2003, and few virtues. It smelt and tasted of cooked fruit and was frankly rather medicinal. Behind that there was precious little. It may be a problem with bottle variation - except that I opened two bottles, and they were both identical. I will be interested to see if a third bottle is different.....
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4/27/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 95 Points
2 hour decant before dinner with leg of lamb. This bottle approached "wow". Just a gorgeous wine.
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4/24/2019 - ptwu wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully. has many more years of life. very good fruit. long finish. needs an hour to open up.
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4/21/2019 - Romol Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2,5 hours. Not as good as my last one 2 years ago (94pts) but a very good bottle nevertheless. Still pretty young but ready to drink with enough air. I would recommend to decant it at least 1 better 2 hours. 93 pts.
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4/20/2019 - vide Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is certainly a fine wine, but I am not sure that it deserves some of the scores awarded by my fellow cellartrackers. Colour of a deep opaque dark plum ; nose = intriguing and pleasing overtones of smoky wood and dark fruit (and with that St Julien softness), not particularly lifted but with an ethereal elegance; taste = excellent mouthfeel, with nuanced flavours that go on forever. There is, however, just a little too much acidity for my liking, and the fruit needs just a little more depth. Perhaps the wine is drying out. I certainly would not keep it any longer.
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4/17/2019 - drjb Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2003 Leoville Barton is a terrific wine with a deep crimson colour with touches of red on the edges and a big nose of blackcurrant, dark plums, touches of dark chocolate coated fig, charcoal and cedar. The palate reflects the nose beautifully yet has poise and length with a lovely persistent finish. zits drinking beautifully now and there is probably little to be gained with long term cellaring.
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4/13/2019 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 93 Points
A real treat and relished by our dinner guests who enjoyed the full, balanced fruit but without the puckering tannins that come with clarets from a better vintage than 2003. For me this is hedonistically a point right now, but I suspect claret purists will disagree with me rather strongly...
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4/6/2019 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second bottle from a half case bought en primeur and much better than the first one 18 months ago. Big nose of tobacco and plums. Cassis and plenty of fruit and complexity on the front of the palate. A little lacking mid palate; which is as sign of the hot vintage. Very long and lovely flavour on the finish. Drinking beautifully now and will last a surprisingly long time.
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4/6/2019 - Édifice Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible bouquet, medicinal character. Very integrated, lush mouthfeel, tobacco, medicine, sweetness, berries. Balanced but present acidicity. Long finish with sweet resolved tannins. Feels earlier picked than the Montrose and Cos, thereby slightly fresher, lighter and more elegant.
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4/4/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank over two days - on day 1 I felt this was good but there was a grippy gravely slightly drying finish which meant I was not quite as smitten as day 2. Day 2 the wine was more relaxed and still showed bags and bags of fruit (blueberry) with nuances of tobacco and undergrowth but at present this wine is still mostly primary. Certainly a success for the vintage as usual I dislike 2003s Bdx. They seem to have picked early enough to preserve freshness of the grapes. The tannins are soft and this wine is drinking but hopefully should continue to develop nicely for 10-20 years. The one thing to watch is if the acidity is enough for it to continue to show fresh as I worry I could top over into something more prune like but time will tell. For some reason it reminds me a bit of a Lagrange 05 I had recently in half bottle. So this is not your typical 03. Well done Barton. Better then Poyferré in this vintage imo and possibly also superior to LLC (although the latter was tasted five years back and was showing very monolithic).
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3/29/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted two hours before dinner, and though still young, it's hard to resist. Enough tannin that it benefits from food, but no more than a nice steak benefits from this beautiful Left Bank Bordeaux. The '03 Bordeaux from the northern communes continue to impress.
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3/18/2019 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Stunning wine of exceptional character. Lifted and minty, deep black currants. The palate features fabulous definition, clean flavours, and a focused (and slightly warm) finish. A touch of barnyard adds interest to a Bordeaux that convinces on the vineyard, more than on the (exemplary) winemaking. So young, so structured, so generous. The tannins are firm and prevalent, and the ripeness of the fruit in this vintage helps to justify the structure. I like it, but some may find the finish a little to furry for its own good. Still pretty primary. 92-94+
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3/9/2019 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of cherry, black raspberry, currant, tobacco leaf, graphite, coffee, licorice and spice. Ripe red fruit, tobacco, coffee, licorice, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, well balanced finish. Medium to full bodied. Young and elegant. Served with grilled filet mignon and bordelaise.
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3/8/2019 - SonnyChiba wrote:
No detailed note but remember liking this quite a bit. Better than most 03’, has the richness of the vintage but also complex with classic Barton notes.
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2/17/2019 - Sorrowless Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle took a while to open up and felt younger than the last bottle tasted about a year ago. Different source, so perhaps storage was different. A bit closed and heavy on the oak initially. A few hours in the decanter did wonders and once again this wine shows beautiful dark and lush fruit, but backed by good structure and acidity.
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2/3/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted from a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc proved itself to be of classic quality in all respects. Deep garnet, ripe and rich, it delivers an olfactory and gustatory combination of dark plums, cassis, anise, violets, allspice, menthol and loamy earth. Full-bodied, low in acidity and without alcoholic heat (13%), it wraps its flavors with abundant sweet tannins, has impressive mid-palate density and finishes with tremendous length. This may not yet be on plateau, but it is close enough so that one does not need to hesitate to pop the cork. Drink now-2038.
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1/21/2019 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
Bordeaux doesn't get any better than this.
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1/14/2019 - SARED Likes this wine: 93 Points
Out of 375. On the open had a bit of a barnyard/animal funk reduction. After an hour decant, the nose softened greatly although there was still a streak of animale in the nose. Palate was dark cherry, a little mocha, a healthy dolop of sandalwood and bit more of that animale from the nose. Ripe, sauve tannins and silky texture. Felt this was still drunk too early, and with not enough air. Still enjoyable, but was not a wow experience. 93-94.
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1/3/2019 - tbabes wrote: 95 Points
Popped, poured and consumed over the course of three hours. Youthful appearance, with no bricking. Surprisingly classic bouquet considering the vintage, with an extroverted character, offering up scents of cassis, blackberry, minerals + crushed stones, with hints of sous bois and dried black currant. Medium bodied, surprisingly silky, with ripe tannins, great depth, and good delineation on the long finish. Impressive!
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12/31/2018 - Saadissimo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Inky, broody wine - soft but lacking in structure or depth. Good with red meat.
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12/24/2018 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 92 Points
Little disappointed after reading some of the rave reviews for this wine. I think the potential is there, and it showed through with some coaxing, as some of the gunpowder, leather, and barnyard that I love about Saint-Julien wines was there, if faint. A couple of the dinner guests remarked that it tasted watered down, and I had to agree, as this wine certainly was not jumping out of the glass, but rather remaining shy. I can only conclude that this bottle was off or this wine still needs anything 5 years, if not a decade, to show through, which has been my experience with most top tier Bordeauxs. I don't have another bottle, but if I can get it for a reasonable price this might be something that I revisit next decade to see if it shows better.
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12/23/2018 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
2003 Bordeaux tasting (from 2011): A good introduction to the tasting. A nose redolent of ripe fruit, cassis and sandlewood. Light and fine grained, one taster described the wine as ethereal. A generous wine with ripe tannins and earthiness and flavours of baked herbs. Overall, tasters’ third favourite wine.
NA = 0, B = 1, S = 17, G = 12, WON = 6
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12/22/2018 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
A very deep colour; deep, rich, blackcurrant fruit, slightly cooked, even burnt, with a thick texture and a long finish. A very attractive wine to drink now, but with years of life in it still.
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12/22/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
3rd of 3 bottles of '03 Bordeaux. Given an hour or so decant, and very good, but overshadowed by the Cos and Pontet Canet.
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12/22/2018 - MrBrege wrote:
This bottle had not been stored very well and it sort of showed. Still very enjoyable; deep rich flavours and good length. But the intensity you normally find here was absent and the typical freshness was a little impeded by a hint of raisins. Serves no purpose to score this so will go back to the bottle and enjoy it as best I can.....
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12/16/2018 - BradA Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a nose! Soft nuanced and a touch of earth. I popped at four and sipped from 5 on. Dinner of pot roast could not have been better as the wine cut throu the richness of the food. By 7, the wine was softening and tells me this is a riper wine then many expect. Drink now thru 2025.
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12/1/2018 - MLwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted in bottle for three hours before serving. This wine was wonderful. Classic LB earth coupled with the exuberant fruit of the vintage. The wine is in a terrific place right now but will last for a fair bit longer. Will be very interested to try this again in five years or so.
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11/25/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
I concur with my previous notes, that this by far is the best Leoville Barton drinking at present, and nearly up there with the Montrose and the Cos D'Estournel. The nose is deep with cherry and plum with hints of violet. The palate is ripe berry fruit and liquorice, and multi layered with depth and complexity. The tannin does intrude to a degree, but is soon shaken off with time and movement in the glass. With a finish of 60 seconds plus, the only criticism at present is that the tannin is dominant on the final part of the finish, but perfectly balanced. It will get better, but it can truly be enjoyed and relished now with 6 or more hours in the decanter, and, as importantly, a decent time in the glass. 96+
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11/23/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perhaps no longer an adolescent, but maybe more a teenage prodigy or a young adult. With a better decant, and/or a few more years in bottle, this will be pushing 95+ for those of you keeping score at home. But tonight, with just a pop'n pour, this '03 might have been ever so slightly overshadowed by its '04 sibling which was firing on all cylinders right out of the great. Drinking well now and will only get better. But do yourself (and it) a favor, and give an hour or two decant if you open one now.
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11/15/2018 - UFGators Likes this wine:
This bottle was more closed than the last. This wine seems to be going to sleep maybe suggesting more life ahead of it? Wine only showed after 2 hours. Hold.
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11/11/2018 - Julian Marshall wrote:
Perfect fill and excellent cork, as good as new. At first, quite promising - dark, with strong, spicy aromas of black cherry and blackberry, albeit slightly baked. The first sip was much like the other 03s I have tasted recently - compact, concentrated and with a hint of stewed fruit, but I hoped that like the others, it would open up with decanting. It didn't. On the one hand, it does taste of LB - recognizably so, with a freshness on top of the attack. But it's over-concentrated, too compact and never gets past mid-palate, with a very short finish. As the evening went on, so it became more and more stodgy and port-like. It was hard work to drink and not very enjoyable. Perhaps it's me, perhaps this was a very backward bottle, but it was not nearly as good as the 01 and 02 tried recently. I'm loathe to score this, because I don't know if this bottle is representative since so many love this wine.
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11/1/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
I really like how this is showing. In many top vintages for Leoville Barton, 15 years of age makes it a baby. Not with the 2003. The wine is concentrated with layers, of deep, fleshy, red fruits, soft, supple tannins and the finish delivers the goods. Drink it now, or wait 5 years, either way, it is a winner!
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10/17/2018 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cor - what a scorcher! A hot wine from a hot vintage!
I approached this with some trepidation (suspecting it might be over the hill), but it was so utterly and unexpectedly delicious. Didn't bother decanting it and only opened an hour or so before dinner. Immediately we were devoured by its rich soft, mouthfilling dark fruit. Not particularly long or complex, just absolutely beautiful to drink. I'm not sure this is sophisticated claret, but it certainly wow-ed Mrs H (who prefers her reds young and fruity...).
So good we took another bottle of this to dinner with friends the following Saturday and they loved it too.
We're going to consume the rest of this case with alacrity over the next year or so. Enjoy!
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10/13/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
First bottle from the case, and this mirrored many of the comments I've been reading here. Still a baby, and would have merited an even higher score with a decent decant before dinner. Just delicious with ribeye and mushroom risotto at La Piquette (for my money, the best French bistro in the DC area). Very much looking forward to see how the remaining 11 bottles evolve over the next several years.
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10/11/2018 - Fink75 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Poured into glasses right away at restaurant and let sit thru appetizers and salad until main courses came. Probably spent 1hr in the glass. I smelled it throughout that time but didn’t taste. Very seamless with no edges whatsoever but at least 5 years from maturity in my opinion. Very fruit forward and youthful with plenty of tannins evident in the medium finish. It lacked terroir and earthiness that I feel is there but is dominated by the young fruit, which lends towards blackberry and blueberry. I would open after 2023.
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10/9/2018 - Michael777 wrote: flawed
Bottle Flawed
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9/29/2018 - BradA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pitch perfect with fine tannins that are well integrated and nuanced. Deep core and even finish, I would be tickled to drink this regularly. Enjoy now or over the next 5 years.
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9/27/2018 - UFGators Likes this wine: 95 Points
A solid performing fully mature Bordeaux. Deep purple color and integrated tannins. I don’t see it improving with age but doesnt show any signs of tiring as well. Drink over next ten years. Minimal decanter time needed.
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9/26/2018 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner at Second Floor, American Club. Deep purple. Intense nose of black fruit, mushroom and some forest floor. Soft, well rounded tannins, medium bodied. Further evolution in the glass unveiled ripe fruit on the palate. On the whole, not as rich as the Pontet Canet 2003 which I prefer to this wine.
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9/21/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 91 Points
Strong cedar nose, Louis Vuitton leather bag, black fruit, charcoal... Very masculine taste with loads of integrated tannin, forest floor, mushrooms, ending a bit dry and masculine compared to other 2003's
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8/29/2018 - SeaSmoke wrote: 93 Points
Black plum, tar, licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and black currants on the nose and palate. The tannins are soft. I decanted this for 1.5 hours. It is drinking very well currently but has years of life left.
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8/25/2018 - jbeauprez Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking well and with two to three hours of decant no need to wait but plenty of life left. Lighter on its feet than I would have expected given the vintage. Super seductive nose. Served with cassoulet.
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8/18/2018 - nadecesse wrote: 91 Points
Bouquet qui projette, profond, complexe et sombre bien qu'il ne fasse pas tant bordelais à mon avis. Bouche un peu monolithique avec de l'épaisseur, c'est mur mais équilibré mais ça reste somme toute assez tendre et peu nuancé. Finale finement tannique et persistante. Pas mal mais certainement pas grand à mon palet. 90-91
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7/31/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Much darker and richer perspective to the classic Bordeaux character, plush and luxurious, palate caressing tannin, satisfying and delicious.
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7/28/2018 - GranadaPedroAlarcon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible aroma after opening the bottle. Complex and very smooth and enjoyable
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7/1/2018 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep garnet in colour with fine sediments
Nose of graphite, ceder wood, licorice, little black fruits
Full bodied, mouth pickeringly strong tannin, intense St. Julien minerality, well-balanced, long bitter sweet finish
The rustic tannin softens with one hour in glass. I expect that the wine may improve with 5 more years of cellaring to mellow down the tannin.
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6/30/2018 - Kevnzworld Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour before pouring.
Nose of fruit, minerals and menthol
The fruit on the palate contrasts with minerality and pencil lead.
The tannins are resolved leaving a mild but flavorful wine.
We drank this with a big Cali Cab ( Rubicon ‘05 ) at a table of six. The contrast of styles couldn’t be more evident. I preferred the subtlety of the Leoville over the fruit forward Rubicon.
I will be interested to see how my other bottles of this wine evolve with time. I’m hoping more complexity develops
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6/1/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
this is a wonderful wine, delicate, full body beautiful fruit.
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5/25/2018 - pikemasterflash wrote: 95 Points
Excellent and in perfect balance right now. Wish I had even more of these
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5/13/2018 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
Quite a deep colour; full, ripe, blackcurrant fruit, a little earthy perhaps with some unresolved tannin; quite soft-textured in mid-palate, with medium length on the finish. This is good to drink now, although it has plenty of life in it yet.
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4/29/2018 - StarV100 wrote: 96 Points
From magnum, needed about 30 minutes of air in the decanter. Harmonious, dense, smooth and delicious. Muted red fruit with tobacco, spice and some earthy notes. Absolutely ready for business.
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3/29/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
love this wine. soft yet complex, dark fruit full bodied.
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3/24/2018 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hints of chocolate and coffee, pepper, cinnamon, currants, black fruit. Cigar.
Beautiful.
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3/10/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to prior note; delicious but perhaps still a little young
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3/7/2018 - tbabes wrote: 94 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was pristine; decanted 1.5 hours before dinner and drank over the subsequent 2 hours. A dark purple/red core, turning towards blood red at the rim. Rather classic bouquet for such a hot + ripe year, with primary notes of black fruits and crushed stone; further airing revealed hints of lily and cigar box. Good intensity on the palate, with ripe tannin, good structure and a long finish. Drinking well at present, but the aromatics and flavors are still quite primary. Well it develop that velvety texture and complexity with additional bottle age? For me, the jury is still out.
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3/4/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
good not be better
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3/2/2018 - SergZr wrote: 95 Points
Very nice
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2/17/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
Chez C, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level - deepish, youthful, glossy garnet, purple rimmed; primary cassis, some black cherry, violet, hint of chocolate and tobacco, very pure and classy; medium full, long, persistent, concentrated, wonderful grip, balance and purity, fine grained well covered tannin, opulent, just entering drinking window and still a bit primary and undifferentiated, long life. At least VF (18.5).
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2/15/2018 - pearlsdad wrote: 97 Points
Awesome. Perfect timing. Full body, French terroir, non Cali, some appropriate tannin, long finish.
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2/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 82 Points
Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Small glass, brief note. Slightly tannic and also slightly bitter.
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1/24/2018 - Mjladha Likes this wine:
Yum
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1/19/2018 - Cf_robert Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, delicious
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1/17/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 97 Points
Last tasted a year ago, it has moved forward, and has entered its drinking window. It is a very special wine and by far the best Leoville Barton drinking at present. Possessing an unbelievable opulence, the nose is full of ripe cherry and plum with hints of violet. On the palate the mouth is full of ripe berry fruits and liquorice with a great depth and complexity. The tannin is still in evolvement but does not inhibit and the wine completes with a 30+ second finish. This will keep getting better with the structure to last for 20+ years, and for me is only pipped for wine of the vintage by the Montrose and Cos D'Estournel.
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1/13/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Graham/Barton tasting-cum-lunch (Restaurant Bak, Amsterdam, NL): Opulent style, rich and full for Barton, generous, almost sweet fruit, powerful tannins but they are ripe, deep and spicy, fennel, very expressive nose, benefits from its terroir near the river in this hot year, good but not exceptional length.
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1/1/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
this is an unbelievable Bordeaux. Full body, dark fruit huge mouth feel.
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12/31/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
A perfect Boudreaux! Great nose, beautiful mount feel, dark fruit and long lasting taste.
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12/7/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind. This wine tastes both regal and delicious. It has a huge mass of ripe plum and tar with a big kick of licorice, tobacco, eucalyptus, and oak. Tannins are heavy but mostly woven into the structure, yielding a sense of seriousness. The acidity is at a perfect level to prevent tedium without tasting tart. Better in 5 years. Rating: 96
Guess the wine. I’m conflicted between Left-Bank Bordeaux and Barolo. My first instinct was Left-Bank Bordeaux, so that’s what I’ll go with, but the tarriness and tannins seem more Barolo-like. I would be shocked if this is anything New World. 10-15 years old.
Non-Blind p.s.: For better or worse, I think this wine is clearly on the upswing and has quite a long ways to go before it's expressing all its density. The Cellartracker suggested drink range of 2010 to 2017 should be disregarded as nonsense.
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12/3/2017 - Blake Brown Likes this wine:
2003 CHATEAU LEOVILLE-BARTON ST. JULIEN- passed around in the decanter along with the bottle, it was quite a site to observe a huge amount of sediment all along one side of the bottle leading to the conclusion there has to be some stuffing in this juice and there definitely was; with a splash of Brett in the nose, it gave leather, charcoal and mint chocolate inundated black currant fruit in copious amounts.
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12/1/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
this is a Bank Left Bordeaux that shows you why they have some of the greatest terror. The wine is full body, balanced with dark fruit. It is silky and leaves a long after taste that you savior.
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12/1/2017 - floating_cellar wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic. Flash decanted in the morning, then 1 hour decant at dinner. Much better than my last bottle.
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11/25/2017 - Romol Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2,5 hours. Very good bottle. This seemed pretty ready. But i guess it will improve with 2-4 more years in the cellar.
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11/16/2017 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
1st of 12. Fresh bright nose of clove, cassis, dark fruit. Hints of tobacco and green. Palate has some red fruit but clearly a bit faded. Tannins are mostly resolved, leading to a nice soft texture, but still some crunch and tartness at the end. Moderate length. Tasty! Highly drinkable now, but could easily develop more secondary notes.
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11/13/2017 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
I bought a lot of this EP and I’ve already written several notes on this wine. This bottle showed particularly well despite a tough pairing of tapas with a lot of fish. As I’ve noted before, this wine is rich and complex. The hot conditions during this vintage served LB especially well; rather than taking forever to mature this wine is ready to drink now or over the next decade +. The wine is just flat out delicious!
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11/11/2017 - redknife Likes this wine: 96 Points
At home,dinner with Bella's parents
Youthful after 2 hr decant but approachable
Nicely paired with Cajun ribeyes
Long way to go
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11/10/2017 - wineforth Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good note from sorrowless. All I would add is good weight in the mouth but my bottle is oddly bitter mid palate. There’s plenty of time for this to fall away. Drink over the next decade, or two.
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11/4/2017 - StarV100 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From Magnum, Lusardis, New York. Beautiful aromas, cherry, earth, a little tannic and youthful at first but 20 - 30 minutes in the glass brought it around nicely. Smooth and soft on the palette, long finish. Definitely ready for prime time and will last for at least another decade.
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11/4/2017 - Sorrowless Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is still youngish, but so good that there is no real reason to wait. Beautiful on the nose with cassis and dark berries, some leather, tobacco and, surprisingly, a smoky tone that I don't associate with Bordeaux. Wonderfully structured and balanced. Still with some noticeable tannins and high acidity, but the fruit is there to match it. Long and complex. Great wine.
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10/30/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 94 Points
Opened by Mark as part of a blind vertical of the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003 vintages of this wine. Decanted 2 hours. My 2nd favorite of the 4 wines and tied for first in the voting among the 4 tasters. 2nd time I have had this wine. This really opened up as the evening went on and came close to matching the 2000 by the end of the night. Medium to full tannins (the biggest of the 4 wines). Notes of plums, lingenberry, mint and raw meat. Creamy finish with good depth. 94 points.
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10/28/2017 - mnoljo wrote: 93 Points
Part of a vertical tasting. Crowd favorite. Wonderful black fruits earth touch of smoke and mint. Surprisingly accessible. Many years of life ahead. This producer’s wine was extremely consistent vintage to vintage
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10/21/2017 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
A very deep colour; very concentrated fruit, blackcurrant/cassis, with a strong smoky/cedary character, a dense texture and good length. This is beginning to drink very well, but there is still some tannin and it should continue to open up over the next few years. An excellent Léoville-Barton.
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10/15/2017 - winelover1808 wrote: 93 Points
this is too young. will age great but needs at least 3-5 hours decant to properly appreciate it. has all of the bones to be amazing. be patient with it and give it more time.
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9/16/2017 - MWes Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a baby. This continued to get better through out the evening. I will try to wait until at least 2025 before my next bottle. Classic Bordeaux.
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8/25/2017 - Ralph_ wrote: 94 Points
Wetzi's Trübli the last (Wetzi's Trübli): Wait! Lot potential.
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8/2/2017 - il_diavolo wrote: 94 Points
another great bottle. An atypical LB with dense black-leaning fruit. But also smoke, cedar, long finish. The fruit is perhaps blacker and more upfront that usual with LB, less tannic bite, but this 2003 is in no way overdone, soft or hot. It seems in the early stages of drinkability and I suspect wil improve from here still. 94+pts. A must buy BDX for any Napa lover ! Will leave my next bottle for a couple of years.
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8/2/2017 - tbushnell Likes this wine: 94 Points
very very good
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7/23/2017 - Ibetian wrote: 93 Points
Needed a little time to open, but then rich and complex. Still on the upswing, but delicious now.
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7/9/2017 - Ibetian wrote: flawed
Mildly corked
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6/25/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
From Magnum. This was a positive surprise. Medium garnet, ripe nose of dark fruit, cake, with earthy touch, mint as well. The palate is lush, caressing tannins, enough acidity and structure, no heat. Turns out this 2003 really came in balanced in the end. Very popular at the table. Fully mature. Drink up.
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6/5/2017 - Mr T wrote:
This was terrific, even with only a decant of 1-1.5 hours....very well balanced, not overly roasted and more generous and giving with more air and time. For the money paid, really an incredible bargain. 93-94 points
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5/30/2017 - wineappreciation wrote: 93 Points
From a half bottle: classic nose of cigar box, unripe blackberry, pencil shavings; ever so smooth, delightfully mouth-filling, seemingly unending; not overly complex but truly delightful
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5/3/2017 - tummala wrote: 95 Points
Perfect balance. Earthy, warm, tannic and savory without being fruity. Decanted for 3 hours but continued to get better as night went on.
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4/30/2017 - jcgarcia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lead pencil (like a paulliac). Black fruit Leather. Black plumb in the nose. Balanced. Fine tannins. Good acid.
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4/5/2017 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed at Haslam's 40th birthday bash - decanted for several hours and served non-blind.
Didn't note color. On nose, sweet pipe tobacco, black cherry, cassis and cedar. On palate, gravel, black currants, coffee grinds. Medium body, medium+ acidity and very long finish. 93+
This was awesome (Thanks Patrick for bringing this). #2 out 5 wines (Quintarelli 1986 (#1), 2008 Dominus #3, 2009 Tig #4 and 2007 Astralis #5)
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3/25/2017 - tellch00 Likes this wine: 96 Points
liked it less more time it sat in the glass
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3/18/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
beautifully crafted wine. Full body wine that is smooth as silk, dark black fruit flavors and color.
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2/28/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This is probably the only early drinking vintage of this chateau, which normally takes years to develop. Concentrated, full bodied and with round tannins, the fruits are fresh and lively. This should even get better as it develops more secondary characteristics.
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2/26/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
Although drinking sensationally now the tannin has not really resolved any further during the last 12 months and the wine now seems to be lagging behind other 2003's in its evolvement. The wine is incredibly perfumed with cherry with hints of violet and strawberry. On the palate the tannin is still very robust but in absolute total harmony, and the wine completes with a sensational 60+ second finish. I just can't wait for the tannin to resolve a little further with this wine which has the potential to become one of the greatest Barton's of all time.
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2/25/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
A private tasting and dinner (at home): Pristine bottle, purchased en primeur. Immediately attractive and completely present straight from the bottle. Ripe blackcurrant fruit, floral fragrance, cedar, blonde tobacco and oak spice, with classic Léoville-Barton structure and poise even in this hot vintage, still very primary, fresh and digestible, good weight (13% ABV) and density, firm but ripe tannins, very good resonance and length. They did a sterling job in this challenging vintage. Drinking well, many years of life left. The Langoa comes close in this vintage, but the Léoville is somehow more profound and it will last longer too.
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2/13/2017 - vinhslee wrote: 95 Points
Had a few bottles in 2015, 2016 and early 2017.
Deep ruby. Perfumed nose of blackcurrant, leather, tobacco, earth. Aerated in glass for 1.5 hours and the tannins are almost resolved. But it is also approachable if PnP.
Opulent flavours of blackcurrant, tobacco and leather. Might be a bit too blackcurrant driven to fans of traditional Bdx fans. Medium (+) acidity is just enough to keep the wine fresh. Full bodied with nice long finish.
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2/11/2017 - jeff nowak Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. Seemingly bulletproof since release, although I might suspect that some tasters would call this in a dumb phase. I'll label it in transition. Plenty of tannins to shed with primary fruit hanging on for dear life. I've really liked the 03 left bankers that I've opened. Back in the day, Total Wine had a grand opening special on this, and kstoddard and I bought every bottle they had at $80. Yowza! Drink or hold now-2033 (toast me. I'll be in an urn).
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2/3/2017 - amateur62 wrote: 92 Points
Léoville Barton 02, 03 and 04 (Breitsch): Intense nose with cherry, a bit black currant and leather, on the palate smooth but missing a bit the freshness, very good length. Most probably at its peak, will last for some more years (6+?) on this level but may probably not improve with further cellaring.
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1/6/2017 - michael47 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely ripe cassis loam with touch of oak whiff of leather. Years left in this.
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1/1/2017 - Rezy13 wrote: 91 Points
2017 New Year's Day Tasting (Marietta, GA): Dark core with lighter rim; black currant, holly bush, cigar, cedar; lighter density on the palate though some nobility, sandy clay mix, firm tannin, fruit almost seems to be drying out, strong cedar; good but seemed older.
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12/29/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
Quite a deep colour; ripe, fairly full, blackcurrant fruit, with a slightly hard finish from some residual tannin. A stylish wine that is elegant and well balanced, but will probably improve as the tannin is absorbed over the next 2 to 3 years. Should last for many more.
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12/11/2016 - barolo300 wrote: 92 Points
Much richer and darker than the 2000, which was more polished and my oreference. This felt like a napa cab! Still wonderful wine - but extracted, rioe and brooding. Great over the next 10-15 years
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12/10/2016 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, tobacco leaf, pencil lead, licorice and leather. Black and red fruit, tobacco, graphite, leather and spice on the palate. Leads to a very long, dry finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled strip steaks and a blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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11/16/2016 - robertdtwo wrote: 93 Points
From 375. Beautiful woody dark fruit with a mild forest floor presence. The fruit is there, but is somewhat restrained by tannins. Don't get me wrong, this is very, very good, but I was hoping for beautiful. Perhaps second glass will show some improvement alongside dry-aged angus ribeye. Thirty-second finish with mild astringency.
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10/30/2016 - David J Cooper wrote: 88 Points
Medium red with clear edges. Light nose of cedar box and red fruit. Dry cassis flavours with a hint of tobacco. Not much tannin. lots of acid.
Nice wine but drying out. Drink up.
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10/15/2016 - drjb Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is another great bottle of this delicious wine. Deep crimson on opening the nose initial seems a bit warm with plum and touches of fig but with time in the decanter it develops classic cassis, graphite, cedar characters with layers of rich black fruits. The palate is rich yet finely balanced with a great fine finish and grip. A beautifully proportioned wine that remains a great success in 2003.
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10/15/2016 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Ramat-Aviv quintet meeting (at my home): Coravin tasting - 16 hours after
dark opaque red-purple
excellent tertiary aromas of dark fruits, leather, cedar & tobacco leaves
rich, well balanced, firm dry tannins, good acidity, balanced fruitiness, excellent complexity & finish
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9/15/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 94 Points
First bottle out of a new case, which I bought at a different place than the last one. This seemed much younger and less developed. Full bodied, but no heat. Very good now with some air, but plenty of room for further development. Good stuff.
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9/8/2016 - phil the agony wrote: 92 Points
Le vin a passé 2h en carafe.Des notes de fruits noirs avec un peu de bourriquet au nez.
Un vin est très dense mais il est superbe maintenant.Un peu de dattes en fin de bouche.
Le vin a tout un avenir devant lui.
17/20 +
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9/5/2016 - jmoon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Despite a decent 1-2 hr decant this didn't really get going. Well balanced and Beautiful but no sky rockets like last bottle. Maybe closing up again
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9/1/2016 - senex Likes this wine: 97 Points
Straight up, perfect. See earlier notes. Just open and pour. No heat and great balance.
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8/30/2016 - jcgarcia Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not too much on the nose. A bit of bramble berry. Palate was rmedium-rich. Menthol. Plums. lead pencil. Leather. Mouth-drying tanins. I liked this wine a lot, especially after a couple of hours in the decanter
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8/29/2016 - octopussy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep purple-black color. In the nose, this was super elegant, shimmering, there were hints of fine oak, cassis and blackberry, floral notes, everything finely woven, cool, complex and elegant. In the nouth, it was super juicy, very structured, it had a fine bite from the tannins and some (yet mild) acidity, it did show quite a lot of sweetness that may be off-putting for fans of classic Léoville-Barton, but this did add to the complexity. Spicy and peppery finish. A great wine that was still quite monolithic two years ago, but starts to enter its drinking window.
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8/21/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 98 Points
See previous notes. Legendary, this is the finest Barton - period. More secondary notes of leather, dried mushroom and feminine essence, there's still a lot of blackberry and rose petal. An epic finish and a truly perfect nose. Drink now -.
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8/19/2016 - stschutz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine, superbly balanced as it hits the palate. Refined tannins offer many years of life ahead. Everything I'd want in a Saint Julien.
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8/13/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
Quite a deep colour; soft, ripe, blackcurrant fruit, quite full and round, but lacking a little character. An attractive wine, with good length, but it needs a little more acidity to liven it up.
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8/9/2016 - kwangeurng Likes this wine: 93 Points
After open for 2.30 hr amazing worth every penny love it
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7/25/2016 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Holy Moly!! First of a case and glad we waited this long. Still in its adolescence, but this is serious juice. I pulled the cork and let the bottle sit for about 15 minutes, during which the aromas filled the room. Great bouquet. Great fruit. Great mouth feel. Balancing acidity and a finish that goes on and on. I'll try to stay away for a few years but it will be hard to resist. First class stuff.
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6/22/2016 - hdchappy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing!!!
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6/19/2016 - AAJR Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fathers Day Wine, of course I grilled. Steaks, lobster tails, clams in garlic sauce, zucchini & NJ corn on the cob. Decanted and consumed over 5 hours. Terrific wine - when first popped earthy & berry aromas. Throughout the day flavors of lush dark fruits & berries. Medium to long finish that seduced you into wanting to take another sip. This was my first of six bottles that I will enjoy over the next 10+ years.
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6/15/2016 - senex Likes this wine: 97 Points
Its a POP! I would advise drinking up over the next 5 years. A wonderful wine thats is so balanced, so full and so good on the mid palate.There is not much of a nose which may be a reflection of the hot year but everything else is spectacular. I have tried a few 2003s that have suffered from the heat but this is nothing like that. A perfect St Julian 2003.
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6/11/2016 - Smart wrote: 94 Points
Full bodied, fragrant of fruits, well balanced of tannins, spicy and sweetness. Good for now.
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5/27/2016 - HOS Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened 3 hours prior to bringing to a restaurant. Continued to develop in the glass. Blueberry, herbs, truffle. Long finish, well integrated tannins. Close to the peak but probably needs to be drunk within next 8 years.
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5/8/2016 - jrsobeck wrote: 95 Points
Near perfection. Great nose, fruit, and finish. Wish I had several cases.
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5/7/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
Lively, spicy, blackcurrant fruit, with reasonable weight but a slightly dilute mid-palate and some tannin; it has good length, but seems a little disjointed at present, and perhaps needs a little more time. Today, we prefer Ch Malescot St Exupery 2003 which we drank recently.
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5/3/2016 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Very youthful and tight. Needs at least another decade in the cellar and a long decant to open up.
Lots of tannins to resolve. Good fruit underneath.
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5/2/2016 - dpolivy wrote: 95 Points
DRC Tasting Group: Bordeaux Night (Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. A bit barnyard-y to start, but that eventually blew off as it opened up into a beautiful wine. A bit dryer than the others, with notes of tea, earth, light spice and red/black fruit. This is really showing very well right now! 95+
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4/25/2016 - JTobin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking well now. Could wait on remaining bottles, but don't know how much better it will get.
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4/13/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Return to San Antonio III - barolo/bordeaux (Mike O): Strong showing as always but behind the exceptional group of bdx tonight.
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4/11/2016 - Mentat wrote: 94 Points
Atypical Barton. Ripe, full and ready at 13 years of age. This is new world-esqe, still very primary, fruit-driven at this stage. That said, it is much more controlled than a typical American cab, striking a great balance here.
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4/2/2016 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
I really wasn't interested in trying this with so many mature classics occupying my attention, but when it came around to my table, I took a small pour. This was awesome! Lots of fruit of course, but button-downed and not garish in any way. Great acid and balance, drinking really well already. Might look for some if the price isn't silly. 93-94 pts.
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4/2/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs, garnet with no brick, dark fruit with a touch of tobacco, mod. tannins, mod/long finish; delicious & just entering prime drinking window, no rush
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3/19/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
Quite a deep colour; classic blackcurrant and cigar box elements on the nose and palate; quite rich and concentrated, with some dryish tannin on the finish which becomes more noticeable with time. Should still improve.
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3/13/2016 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
Not much to add to my January note. LB really shone in this hot vintage. Drinking beautifully. Maureen loved.
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3/9/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for 6 hours. Wonderful nose of ripe cherry and a long finish with still some underlying tannins. This will get even better but is sensational right now. This is by far the best Leoville Barton I have tasted (allowing for the fact the 2000 is not yet drinking)
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2/28/2016 - dchoo077 wrote: 92 Points
From magnum. Double decanted and left to breathe in bottle for an hour before drinking. The wine was showing well albeit a little on the young side. Very expressive and classic aromatics. Great intensity on the palate and well balanced with a long lingering finish. Tannins still a little prominent but what a joy to drink at the moment. The hot 2003 vintage was well suited to Leoville Barton's classic style. I would think regular 750ml bottles will be drinking very well now. On the other hand, has the structure and fruit to age so no rush to drink.
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2/17/2016 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very elegant wine, extremely long finish! Lots of sour cherry. Drinking well now.
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2/12/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pnp. Doesn't need a lot of air. I doubt that this will have a big future but it's beautiful to drink now.
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2/6/2016 - Haesebrouck wrote: 95 Points
Toujours aussi exceptionnel
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1/30/2016 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured from 750. Rich, ripe, smooth, but no hint of pruny, stewed, overripe odors or flavors. A delight to drink, and clearly on its drinking plateau. Very unusual for a Leo B to be drinking so well so early (hard to believe that this and the 1998 are from the same producer), but as Jeff pointed out below, the hot conditions of 2003 really favored LB.
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1/28/2016 - Bordeaux_Jon Likes this wine: 97 Points
Jeff Leve and Fuzzy Squash have the right of it. The Leoville Barton 2003 is rocking! Right out of the bottle, no decant, the wine had explosive and haunting aromatics and was smooth and drinking great. We didn't decant because I don't try to fix what ain't broken. I can't say this wine was typical of Barton which tends towards austerity in its youth. I've found that quality with the 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, and 2010. But hell, who wants austere when you can have gorgeous aromatics of red fruit, oak, forest floor, and cedar. It was one of the those wines you just marvel to stick your nose into. Given the very smooth palate and resolved tannins, and the view of experts like Neal Martin, I'd say drink this over the 10 years because it is probably near peak.
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1/22/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
As you know, the extreme weather in 2003 worked better for some Bordeaux chateaux than for others. In 2003, Leoville Barton hit it out of the park. Showing no signs of heat, jam or too much alcohol, the wine is all about the rich, fleshy, lush, dense textures and layer on layer of perfectly ripe, dark berries that tastes as good as it feels on your palate.
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1/9/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
Quite a deep colour; ripe, blackcurrant nose; fairly full and open on the palate, with some classic cigar box spice and still some tannin at the end. Good now, but should continue to improve.
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1/9/2016 - phynes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour and drank over dinner. Lovely wine, along with the Pontet Canet, the best I've had so far from this vintage. Nice balance to it, powerful and complex at the same time. Still young and a long life ahead.
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1/1/2016 - Fuzzy Squash Likes this wine: 100 Points
2nd bottle drank against 2006 Sassicaia, 2007 Insignia and 2009 Schrader RBS. All great wines but the Leoville Barton was clearly a step above. Drank after a 3 hour decant.
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12/30/2015 - vinojones wrote: 93 Points
popped and poured. Not a typical tasting note-after the Christmas wines this return to Bordeaux is interesting in showcasing the real differences in wine making styles. This is a big fruity almost jammy wine by Bdx standards but after a week of cult and old faithful standards from Napa was a great lesson in why Napa is not Bordeaux and vice versa. I would wager a lot that no one enjoying Bryant, Sloan, Kapsandy. Screaming Eagle, Colgin or even Mt Eden Reserve would think this wine was picked at optimum ripeness. Yet it has structure that none of those wines, or others will ever match, certainly after another 20 years.
Enough of the soap box. This is a very special wine. If you have it, be slow to drink it.
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12/25/2015 - thebonnydooner wrote: 94 Points
Another delicious showing for this wine. Decanted, but initially was a little muted. Dark and young with only a little brick on the rim. Nice , pure, earthy Bordeaux with lots of currant and blackberry fruit. Juicy and medium bodied on the palate, lots of sweet blackcurrant and cherry fruit, notes of earth, tobacco, leather and mint. Complex and refined with loads of character and a long refined aftertaste. One of the best wines of the year. Went really well with a roast guinea hen.
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12/22/2015 - Oskiwawa wrote: 94 Points
Opened and let breathe in the bottle for 4 hours. Decanted for 2 hours and then drank over the next 3.
This is the real deal. Saturated dark red color with no signs of bricking.
Nose shows cherry, leather and herbs.
Palate has good acidity and tannins that are strong but integrated and not dominant. Tart cherry, raspberry and leather.
This is really great stuff. Can be enjoyed now with a decent decant but will certainly improve with cellar time and has the potential to be a "wow" wine in 10+ years. Will wait 5 years before opening the next one. A real treat.
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12/21/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slow ox'ed for about an hour and poured into decanter at restaurant. This was showing better than the bottle a few months ago. Did not seem obviously closed, with plenty of earth and wood spices, initially fresh red fruit joined later on by dark fruit. Tannins integrated.
Still I felt the fruit was holding back a bit, certainly not showing any overripeness but a touch light and more fresh than deep on the palate. Finish could be longer. The 03 Pape Clement was showing better the day before. Would decant for a good hour if circumstances allow. 92+
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11/18/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Tobacco, forest floor, truffle, cigar box, ash, blackberry and fresh herb notes create the complex set of aromatics. On the palate, the round, black cherry and spicy sensations are a treat. Probably close to mature, there is no reason to wait to pop a cork. But there is no hurry either. Drink this delicious wine over next 10-15 years.
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11/4/2015 - MrBrege wrote: 94 Points
After going through an awkward phase 6-12 months ago this wine is again terrific! On pnp it is surprisingly approachable with a deep, deep Bordeaux nose. On day 2 it was maybe a little acidic but still very good, while on day 3 it had found its balance and the fruit had reasserted itself again; superb concentration and a very long finish. For a second growth this is an amazingly attractive QPR!! I am so pleased I have another 2 cases.
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10/17/2015 - spendergast Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours. A wonderful cab with dense, highly extracted fruit. Paired nicely with grilled filet mignon.
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10/15/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
TTTG (2003s blind tasting) (Steve): Very enjoyable. Beautiful, medium-intensity nose that was simultaneously earthy and very clean, delineated fruit. Cherry candy on the palate. Silky body, with fading tannin but good acidity. Very very good. Group's #1.
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10/15/2015 - Saint Stephen wrote: 95 Points
Some Like it Hot - 2003s, TTTG at Steve's (Steve's House): WOTN at a tasting of 2003s. Just really good, complete, complex.
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10/11/2015 - robertdtwo Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375; one-hour Vinturi pour to oversize Riedel bordeaux glass to accompany dry-aged strip steak. Seems, maybe, a little closed. Where's the fruit? Don't get me wrong, it was still a wonderful glass of wine, but it didn't show as strongly as previous tastings.
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9/28/2015 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours prior to consumption. Deep ruby color with only slightest hint of bricking at edges leads to a medium full body of dark fruit, bell pepper and a hint of mint. Finish easily lasts 45 seconds.
I highly recommend decanting this wine. I started tasting from pop & pour. Initially wound very tight and medicinal, after about an hour the palate started to round out with significant improvement for 3 hours. Great wine. Enjoy!
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9/21/2015 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
A dark colour; quite full, smoky fruit with good depth and a rather dry finish; in fact, it is still somewhat tannic and probably needs more time to soften. Very good even so.
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9/19/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 94 Points
A classic Bordeaux with ripe, smooth fruit. Fullbodied and powerful. Quite a bit of oak, but this is sorted out by a few hours of decanting. Being so powerful I would never have guessed St Julien. Preferred the ligther 2005.
Update: This wine shows beautiful fruit after ten (!) days of slowox = cellar many years.
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9/13/2015 - Dough Boy Likes this wine: 95 Points
A classic Bordeaux! Balanced, supple yet powerfully built. Tobacco, cedar and dark berry fruit notes sing in the mouth. Enjoyed it with Icelandic lamb.
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9/11/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
To my surprise this 03 has closed down and is not showing as well anymore. Pnp. Initially a surprising amount of oak on nose and palate but this blows off after 30 min in the decanter. At the same time however the fruit pulls back leaving behind a rather muted nose and somewhat thin fruit in combination with drying, medium tannins. Very strange as this was beautiful in 2014 and still rather nice a couple months ago. Would hold and wait for the wine to open again. 91++
PS: Second half of bottle which had been stored in the fridge in a small PET bottle overnight, was decanted for about 2h and showed much better the next day. Nice crisp red and dark fruit, earth. Medium tannins. Finish could be longer however. Needs long decant or hold for a couple more years. 93
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8/26/2015 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
Wine-Septet meeting hosted by Hanan (Herbert Samuel restaurant): dark opaque red-purple
excellent tertiary aromas of dark fruits, leather, cedar & tobacco leaves
rich, well balanced, firm dry tannins, good acidity, balanced fruitiness, excellent complexity & finish
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8/14/2015 - tonysmith72 wrote:
Amazing nose with leather and cedar
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8/8/2015 - Rieslingfan wrote:
I had been waiting and waiting for a moment to open this. It stood upright in the cellar for nearly 2 years. Last night I decided that enough was enough, and opened it for dinner. Popped about 90 minutes before the meal, it immediately showed its backbone, needing all that 90 minutes and more for the fruit to flesh out and create a whole wine. When it did the wine was delicious, balanced and captivating. It showed nothing roasted, just ripe. Lots of cassis and blackberry fruit over evolving earth and wood notes. Nowhere close to mature, but it was very drinkable due to the volume of the fruit. I have no worries about leaving my other bottle for several years so that it can gain more maturity and evolved complexity. This was no quasi-California concoction. It was Bordeaux through and through.
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8/8/2015 - Jokermac wrote: 90 Points
- Medium forming legs and aromas of cabbage, bell pepper, green beans and medicinal. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of medicinal, bell pepper, dusty and cedar with a medium/full body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - The nose does not inspire you to drink. Wet forest floor and vegetal smells dominate. Overall not a bad wine but for the price I expect better.
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7/30/2015 - Kris G Does not like this wine: 89 Points
needed 30-45 min to come open, but even after a 4 hours decant the acids and bitterness remain dominating the end of the middle part, leading to a poor balance, maybe this wine is just way too young? for now only a 89+ score and hence a very poor PQR
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7/20/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maybe not as aromatic as my last bottle, but still had a terrific nose of smoke, burnt ends, and typical bdx funk. Plush mouthfeel, quite suave and a atypical of bdx texture wise--but flavor is all bdx with funk, red and blue fruits and a fantastic menthol character. Mild tannins on the back end. Moderate smoke and fruity finish. This continues to drink well, though much more exuberant and expressive upon opening compared to 4hrs later.
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7/19/2015 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Malgré le millésime solaire, belle matière encore une fois.
Montre un peu de tertiaire en début de bouche, un peu animal, du graphite, du cèdre et des fruits rouges, bien complexe et fin, excellent.
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7/19/2015 - lunalees Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine has floral, tobbaco, honey and fruity nose.
Also had great palette. Decanted for an hour and enjoyed for 2 hours.
But had some power yet, so if you have enough time, try to breathe it for 4 or 6 hours before you try this. Seems like goona keep this taste for decades.
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7/6/2015 - tp096255 wrote: 85 Points
I like it because I can drink it, but I hate it because I have been cellaring this freaking punk-a** bottle for a decade and just now realized this is the same stupid kind of bor-dough plonk I've been wasting my time on all along. How did James Suckling rate this a NINETY-EIGHT in 2006 and then change that to a 92 (NINETY-TWO!!!!!) in 2011?!? It's not even a 92 in my book. This is drinkable but it has the same ol stupid bor-dough funk in the nose, insipid ash-tray mouth muddled with some blackberries, followed by more ash tray in the mouth. Oh man, I am angry. I am so glad I stopped buying any bor-dough wines about 5 years ago. I know, not all of them SUCK, just most. Yikes. What an utter disappointment. I am going to sell off every single bottle of bor-dough in my cellar. Left-bank, Right-bank, and all the other banks. Oh, that's what it is! They are all used to going to the "bank" after I buy their wines en primeur! Well, maybe in some future century when bor-dough catches up to Napa in the making of fine wines I will entertain a purchase or two. Pretty sure I'll be dead by then.
Bye bye and good riddance bor-dough!
Sincerely,
Troy Peterson
(Epilogue: This is only a rant about RED bor-dough, not white/sweet ones. And this was no PnP willy nilly tasting, it was a full-on decant with tastings every hour for several hours and at a consistent temperature. And yes, I am still waiting to taste Petrus, any vintage!)
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6/27/2015 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
Quite full and rich, but with a slightly hard and dry finish; the fruit is perhaps a little burnt, but it is quite concentrated. May improve over the next few years, but for now lacks balance.
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6/2/2015 - floating_cellar wrote:
Slightly off bottle, was not quite as good as expected. Muted flavors never opened up but you could taste the greatness that lied underneath. Having had this at the WS grand tasting I know what it should taste like and it should be 96-98 pts. I hope my other bottles are better.
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5/18/2015 - Elkcims wrote: 94 Points
Drinking nice. Lots of fruit, little tannin, meaty background flavor. Enjoyed with filet at Ruth's Chris.
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5/18/2015 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 94 Points
Still young, but excellent; likely to improve over coming years.
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5/8/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic wine. Great depth and complexity. Tasted along side a 2000 and it blew it away. This will only continue to improve and gain complexity. It barely has secondary characteristics.
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5/1/2015 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poured into decanter and drank over 2h. Very nice but did not show as well as the bottle almost a year ago. Not sure if it was because we drank this bottle on its own and without food. Needs a good 30 min to open up. This is medium bodied with impressive freshness - would never guess it's from the super hot 03 vintage. Earthy on the palate. Still medium (-) tannins. Very nice, only wish the finish was a bit longer. This will last, no hurry to drink.
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4/29/2015 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
A deep colour; ripe, blackcurrant nose; quite rich and concentrated fruit, a little sweet and a little cooked; good length, but some tannin on the finish still. Just about ready, and should keep well.
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4/18/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 98 Points
A glorious, expansive novel, this takes real risks and is beautifully choreographed, offering remarkable harmony, fury, and delight. Even the finish is chapters long and orchestral.
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4/12/2015 - asparagus wrote: 90 Points
Outclassed by the '03 Pontet Canet. Unmistakably bordeaux from a hot year, this was good, but came across as a bit flabby. heat damaged?
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4/6/2015 - stefad wrote: 91 Points
Déception pour cette bouteille en laquelle j'attendais beaucoup, bue trop tôt très certainement. Ouverte et carafée 3 heures avant service. Une robe grenat très peu évoluée avec reflets encore bleutés malgré ces 12 ans. Un nez plutôt discret mais élégant et typique de l'appellation avec aromes cassis, fruits noirs, cèdre, tabac. En bouche les tannins sont encore assez fermes avec une toucher assez astringent, mais surtout le corps m'a paru dénué de l'élégance attendue avec un jus épais, manquant de fraîcheur pour une finale plutôt courte. Effet millésime avec la canicule de 2003 ? Un beau vin mais pas la très grande bouteille, enfin pour ma part !
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3/22/2015 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 97 Points
A wonderfully fragrant nose of blackberry and cedar that lead way to a full bodied wine with layers of silky blackberry, tobacco leaf and mint flavors that dance and linger on the palate staining finish. Still youthful but this is the real deal and a marvelous 2003.
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3/20/2015 - vanderpee Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine but still young, really opened up after 2,5 days showing red fruit and the somewhat austere impression of the first day had completely gone. Long and multi-layered.
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2/14/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
At home with Valerie/Eileen/Lauren & Colin. Last wine of the evening with Chicken (under a brick) Toscana. This wine has been sitting in my cellar since release.
Decanted for 90 minutes, drank over 2 hours. Beautiful nose of black fruits and floral notes. Palate of dark fruits, black currants, plums, anise, cocoa, tobacco leaf
The vintage was hot, expecting this to be more viscous. This bottle was right in its zone. Softer structure than expected. Great now, best guess is it continues to improve and drinks well for another 10 years
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1/24/2015 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
This has rich, ripe, blackcurrant and plum fruit; it seems young, but is certainly enjoyable now; quite concentrated on the finish, but there is a dryness which might be a result of the hot vintage. I am not sure how well this will keep in the longer term.
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1/19/2015 - Keru Likes this wine: 93 Points
I was expecting this to be backward and brooding, but surprising it was good from the start. Tannins are all smoothen out. But none can't compare to the LLC. I still put it in a decanter a s enjoyed over the next 4 hours.
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1/12/2015 - rlove wrote: 93 Points
Dark raspberry, game, and rawhide on the nose. Almost Bretty—I could mistake this for a premium Southern Rhône—but classic northern Saint-Julien in the mouth. Opulent and delicious. Round and balanced in the mouth, this is drinking very well, with a finish that lasts for days. If I had to complain, could use more acid (definitely a hot vintage).
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12/27/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
From 375, popped and poured. Followed the last glass of 1982 Pichon Lalande left over from last night surprisingly well. It shows the heat of the vintage, with plenty of ripe, rich fruit, but still delivers wonderful complexity and Bordeaux balance.
I'm starting to drink my 2003 BDX aggressively now, since I'm not sure they will make old bones. But so what, they are very tasty now!
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12/26/2014 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
Quite a contrast to the 1996 drunk the night before. This has slightly sweet, ripe, creamy fruit, some tannin and a rather soft structure; could perhaps do with some more acidity (the 1996 had plenty), but is now quite enjoyable without being profound. Should keep well.
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12/13/2014 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always a pleasure drinking this delicious Barton. Although the lack of time to decant might have cost the enjoyment slight bit this round. The 2003 Barton has all the goodies, with deep, complex aromas of ripe currants, florals, anise, cocoa, minerals and licorice. Palate is full, rich, structured, with notes of espresso, cigar smoke, jam and toasty oak. Plush, fine chewy tannins is a delight, coupled with a long finish of tobacco leaf, red fruit and cut wood. A crowd pleaser.
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12/1/2014 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 88 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Léoville Barton (Rodwell House): Mid-deep crimson the aromas are pongy with strong farmyard notes, briary fruits with red and blackberries mixing with some tertiary notes of forest floor, grass and moss.
An intense entry the wine has a dense solid texture and notes lemon-edge tart acidity. Yet the wine has excellent concentration, ripe fruits and oak spices to sshow its credentials. Perhaps in an awkward spot right now, the wine reminded me of bipolar ripening in very warm vintages like 2003 where it is super ripe, often raisined fruit on the one side and dehydrated but unripe berries on the other that give that green, smoke infused expression.
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11/25/2014 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 89 Points
Much different to the other wines, expressive and open for business. Beefy notes with soy, dark fruits, plums and a tad pruney. This is a good effort in the context of a very hot vintage and is quite scrumptious. But I suspect it would become tiring after a couple of glasses and it lacks the elegance and balance of the other wines here. It would go well with Chinese food according to Lilian.
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11/18/2014 - La Grappe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted about half an hour in advance. A deep colour; ripe, rich, blackcurrant fruit, quite intense and with good length. Initially, it did not show much classic claret character, but it did eventually develop typical cedary overtones. It could perhaps have done with earlier decanting. Approachable now, but with a long life ahead.
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11/15/2014 - MEKWINE Likes this wine: 90 Points
From a hot vintage, this is a respectable effort and probably fine to serve up with food. A nose of plums, tobacco, cigar and minerals. Minimal acidity to balance the heavy, plodding tannins.
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11/15/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Dark centre, brownish-red towards the rim. Ripe fruit on the nose, just a little bit jammy, cedar, tobacco. Very generous and open on the palate, rich fruit, great length. Very good structure for 2003. No rush, but maybe not for the long-haul. 92-93
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11/15/2014 - MEKWINE wrote: 90 Points
Plummy nose. Cigar and mineral palate. Reflects the hot vintage.
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11/9/2014 - MrBrege wrote: 95 Points
Same as the bottle a year ago. A fair amount of coaxing still needed, but very well worth it! Double decanted in the morning and slow-oxed until evening, but still pretty closed so I let it be for another 24h. Next evening it was singing - it had filled out and mellowed. Well balanced, intense and very long finish. Tannins still very present but the fruit is as well, this will continue to improve and last for decades.
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11/9/2014 - Topper wrote:
Served in a plastic water glass at a party so I won't rate this but nothing suggested it would be anything but fine in the proper setting and glassware.
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10/26/2014 - senex Likes this wine: 98 Points
I have summed up the courage to take a delivery of this "hot " year.
3 bottles later and I am very happy with the purchase. The third bottle had a 5 hour double decant and was leagues ahead of the first 2 bottles which did not have so much air time. I have no idea of how much longer this will keep but I am sure at least 5 years is a safe bet. Anyway enjoy-the last Leoville Barton I liked as much was 1985.
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10/19/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine: 95 Points
Served blind to Dirk/Camille and I by Rob:
C: Garnet to rim.
N: Beautiful, complex nose of cassis, blackberry, herb, wet forest floor, cedar, tobacco leaf.
P: Rich, intense, congruent with nose, med+ acid, med+ tannin, long finish, excellent balance, smooth transitions across palate.
Overall, all three of us guessed a 2005 St. Julien wine, so this definitely has some character of the region. Camille the Barton, me the Las Cases and Dirk the Poyferre. We were shocked to see this was a 2003 as it is so classic in its aromas, palate and balance. It doesn't have the jammy fruit that many 2003s (eg. the Poyferre) have and doesn't reflect the heat of the vintage IMO. A fantastic wine and huge value here. If you see this, buy. Very impressive wine from Barton.
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10/11/2014 - SGates Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOW - this definitely hits the AWESOME part of the ratings scale. All the good of "classic Bordeaux" without any of the negatives. Nose was like a plum found its way into my cigar humidor. Taste was Cassis, Bordeaux earth and pencil shavings with a little licorice and milk chocolate mixed in. Went great with a grilled ribeye.
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10/11/2014 - thebonnydooner wrote: 95 Points
Excellent wine. Really complete, loads of graphite and cassis, this is really compelx and fragrant. Palate is smooth and complex, but still really balanced with soft tannins and juicy blackcurrant acidity. Really complex and well balanced. So glad I have three more of these.
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9/28/2014 - Fuzzy Squash Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was decanted for only 2 hours. Needed more time.
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9/13/2014 - andrewdl wrote: 92 Points
Not my favorite LB but still very tasty.
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8/31/2014 - bboard Likes this wine:
Drank over 2 hours in restaurant - First sip was a slightly hot, stronger tannin, but can still taste the hint of fruits, earthiness, and acidity. As dinner progresses, wine ends with being quite balance. Swirling around mouth gave mouthful feel, jsut enough cherry/plum taste follow by oak/tannin in the right amount. Very good right now.
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8/2/2014 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Deep, dark, nearly black in color...tobacco and earth on the nose. Silky texture, with good freshness, though the fruit lacks impact. This bottle may have been in an awkward stage because it failed to impress, other than being a nice, sophisticated wine.
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7/27/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 30min and had with steak at home. Medium garnet with translucent rim. Black and blue fruit, earth, a bit of toast, absolutely none of the usual heat of the vintage. Fine to medium tannins. Medium + to long finish. With a steak this is superb now, on its own you can still wait a year or two if you prefer resolved tannis. An excellent wine reminding me a bit of the 03 Lafite in terms of texture.
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7/19/2014 - muredskin14 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Simply, it is just drinking beautiful right now. Somm at high end restaurant I brought too concurred that of all the 03s this is drinking the best right now. He even has a case happily stocked away to start drinking.
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7/11/2014 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 95 Points
Been a year since the last bottle, yet enjoyment of this wine remains the same. Dark purple hue with a glossy touch at the rim. Soothing aromatics of juicy currants, floral, cedar wood, anise, licorice and mint. Rich medium+ body, with balanced structure and acidity, add in notes of cocoa beans, candied blackberry and toasty oak. Dusty round chewy tannins give it a delicate grippy feel complimenting the long finish of dense cigar smoke, jam and burnt wood. Excellent as always.
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6/15/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 100 Points
Elements explode weightlessly outward. Irresistibly head spinning, deeply scintillating, fresh, dark and explosive. Expansive and moving.
90 min decant.
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5/25/2014 - woofy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was a very nice wine. It needed a few minutes to open as the initial fragrance was less inviting. But over time, it became smooth, less tannic, and typical Bordeaux with less fruit forward, more reserved. We had it with a red beet and feta cheese salad...perfect with the Italian olive oil and aged Balsamic.
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5/24/2014 - Wfjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Great balance with some moderate tannins still present but softened over the 2.5 hours it was open. Should have opened it up an hour or two earlier but still drank great. Pencil lead, deep dark berries though fruit wasn't overly forward. Wonderful. Glad I have more.
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5/11/2014 - pekingunther Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic St Julian. A wine that is the essence of Terrior. Etheral and earthy. Takes quite a bit of time for the fruit to show and it is quite subdued. But the wine has great balance and finesse. A "real bordeaux drinkers wine". Those looking for fruit forward and fresh should look elsewhere. Those looking for a wine with incredible potential, this is a winner.
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5/8/2014 - jsander wrote: 93 Points
Notes of perfumed lilac, long finish nicely balanced.
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5/4/2014 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Quick double decant at 3PM and started drinking around 7. Light sediment left high shoulder fill after small sip. Then slow ox. In its early drinking window and already a fascinating wine showing classic BDX flavors and aromas of tobacco, lead pencil, black currants and licorice. Long on a sophisticated focused, elegant midweight frame.This is NOT youthfully primary or oaky. There are already marvelous layers to this wine on the palate and nose both. Let's face it though. This IS an anomaly for LB and I'm happy it is at age 58. I have 2 more btls and will not drink the next one for at least another 5 years to see where this goes. Only beef right now are the still slightly out front tannins but they're not a big deal either. I bought recently for $129. This easily drinks like the $300 plus 1st growths. A rare budget buster for me but worth every penny.
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4/29/2014 - drjb Likes this wine: 95 Points
Now this is classic Bordeaux ! Deep crimson red. Lifted nose of all that is good in left bank Bordeaux : blackcurrants, crushed dark plums, charcoal, liquorice and cedar wood. Extra nuances of earth and fungi as wine opened. Palate voluptuous in the right way ! Round and flavoursome with real structure from some firm but fine tannins without bitterness leading into a very persistent palate. Excellent drink reminiscent of some young 82s e.g. Pichon Lalande.
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4/28/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 94 Points
From 375, popped and poured. Followed 2001 Clos des Papes quite well. Rich, ripe, smooth and balanced. Drinking very well now from 375, clearly still on upswing.
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4/5/2014 - JJA wrote: 95 Points
This was outstanding. Better than I expected actually. WOTN. Gorgeous aroma, classic, elegant taste on the mid palate, long finish. Terrific complexity and surprisingly full-bodied mouth feel. Drinking beautifully now.
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3/23/2014 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good bottle, slightly less expressive and exotic than the last bottle. Offers a seamless polished experience, certainly atypical of Bdx but still with plenty of Bdx character. No heat, perfectly balanced, just a little more plush than typical of LB in other vintages. Drinking very well now and shouldn't fade quickly, but I don't see great upside here and given how some '03s have faded, I'll be consuming my bottles over the next 5-8yrs. No guilt in opening one now.
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3/1/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 95 Points
Bare-chested masculinity meets copper-laced profiterole. A fresh, sophisticated, innocently- velvety-seductive, orange-rind brownie. 94-95
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2/27/2014 - TinMan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep, rich purple color. A wonderfully balanced black earth, mushrooms, dark fruit, and rocks on the nose which quickly take on a subtle fruitier nature. I'm an amateur but this is the best Bordeaux I've had...with at least another couple decades to make it even greater. Wow.
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2/22/2014 - odds Likes this wine: 95 Points
95, maybe even 96. The initial notes we had- WOW, this is the first legit candidate for WOTY. Had it at home with a steak dinner. First thought- what a beautiful nose! Oak and cedar, chocolate and tabacco (but just a bit), black fruits... I could (and I did :-) ) smell it for hours. Minerals just opened up as we finished dinner (but day 2 update would arrive tomorrow). It is a very stable 'earthy' type on the nose, with great black fruits background.
On the color-dark violet, slow legs (no sediment). Taste- mmmm....that's a new view on Bordeaux. So much in one glass- fresh woody smell? check, hints of chocolate? check, black forest fruits? checked, minerals? checked. cedar, specifically? checked.
But, for the summary- Is it a wonderful wine to drink on Sat. night? Yes, indeed. A wonderful, enjoyable, upscaling wine from a vineyard we did not explore a lot before. And some new insights for very interesting Bordeaux. Verdict- we are looking forward to trying the rest tomorrow night. This one is still at the beginning of its drinking window, and we'd try the next one in about 10 years, given good health and patient (maybe I should send the second bottle to storage, just in case). A wine built to last.
Day 2 update (02-23-2014): on the palate it is as good or better than day 1. When we opened the bottle the aroma was even better than day 1 but give it about an hour it became a bit shorter on the aroma. (Or it could be that we got a bit tired). Finish is slightly shorter than day 1. The non scientific summary is- mmmm.... on the day two, too. The other non scientific/mixed feeling note is- we opened it at home for weekend meal, no special reason. Perhaps we should have kept it for a better reason given the quality and price range. But sometimes, you just have to come to the conclusion that a quiet weekend at home is the best excuse to have upscaled wine to accompany the dinner. I think this one gave us some new insights on the '03 Bordeaux. And lots of joy. Too bad there's so little left in a bottle that has so much to give
(drink dates, etc., are in line with others opening, though imho drinking window is longer than the by 2028 many others have noted.)
Retrospective note (added on 04-06-2014)-we were thinking about it retrospectively, and we actually think that 95 may have even made some injustice with this bottle. It was certainly more and we still talk about it. To protect the other bottle we have I sent it to storage, so we an revisit it in few years.
Retrospective note (added on 05-05-2014)- We were proactive wrt finding one more bottle. Seems that pricing went up. It does drink above the price range. Too bad more people know about it now :-)
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2/20/2014 - Javachip wrote: 95 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 45 minutes before tasting. Clear inky garnet color. Vigorous youthful bouquet of bright red and black fruit, charcoal, bittersweet cocoa. On the palate, tannins and acidity were probably enough to qualify as "searing" in Parker's terminology. Great power, purity and balance in this wine, with no sign of over-ripeness from the hot vintage, but this wine is still too young and needs at least another 5-10 years. My #2, group's #3 tonight.
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2/14/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of tobacco leaf and cedar on the nose. Deep dark brown and purple in color. Evolves from woody and tobacco flavored wine to one with lots of nice fruit and cedar. It's pretty amazing stuff.
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2/9/2014 - nadecesse wrote: 91 Points
C'est à ne rien y comprendre, vraiment. Une bouteille fort différente de celle ouverte la semaine dernière, avec ces arômes nuancés et très légèrement évolués de fruits rouges et noirs, de tabac et de fumée, à peine "poivronés". Bouche de concentration et d'intensité moyenne, plutôt souple et qui n'est pas dépourvue de finesse. Finale assez longue, mais encore un peu boisée. Bouteille bue seule, pendant la partie de scrabble. 91
Bouteille issue du lot L.010103.
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2/2/2014 - nadecesse wrote: 89 Points
89-92+?
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1/20/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
From 375, drinking beautifully now with plenty of life ahead. Followed 2002 Insignia quite well.
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12/30/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 97 Points
Wine Koop in Umeå flexing early muscles (Hemmavid (Umeå, North of Sweden)): This is a prodigious wine of proportions. A wine that will blossom and bloom like a fireworks display over the years. Has all the marks of a GREAT young Bordeaux: earth, power, tannin, long-life-ahead, acids, red fruit, dark fruit... Jaw dropping.
Insanely attractive and rewarding, but still very young and without having unleashed any of its yet subterrainean potential.
Wife: 92p
3 btls to go, next one around 2025.
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12/30/2013 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Mieux que le Langoa 2003 bu en parallèle...un classique.
Plus de structure et de fruit ici.
Nez sur la fumée, l'anis, le cèdre et les mures.
En bouche, ample avec de beaux tannins tissés serrés et un fruit vibrant.
Assez long et superbement équilibré....belle classe!
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12/24/2013 - PASimon wrote: 91 Points
Another solid performance from my my favorite, all time, wine producer. But this is just too young. It will eventually open up and sing with 3/4 hours of a wide based decant - but, you will be forcing a square peg into a round hole. As expected from 2003 this is a Bordeaux that will appeal to your typical New World fan - it's the perfect wine for drawing a Napa lover to the Old World. It's got cassis, and bright fruit - layered with cigar box, leather and cedar to add it's unmistakable St. Julian characteristics. I'll open my next bottle in about 3/5 years. So much for 2003 being an "early drinking" vintage - I have had the 03 Ducru, Pichon Baron and Pontet-Canet this year and have yet to see any of them as near ready.
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12/23/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
From 375, popped and poured. Good dark red. Complex nose of cassis, new leather, meat. Clean, slightly sweet palate. Drinking well now, but still youthful, likely several years away from peak.
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12/22/2013 - Louden_99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
No holds barred bordeaux tasting - was rated #1. Great old world silky smooth with earthy, cherry nose.
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12/15/2013 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
EWG Conrad's: Licorice, truffle, smoke, black cassis, cigar; very classic, expressive, medium body, ample young tannins, but not a bruiser, well balanced. Excellent. 93+
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12/10/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
From 375. Popped and poured. Nice red fruit on the nose, with perhaps a bit of plum and a little leather. Smooth already, though still on the upswing.
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11/29/2013 - millesime66 wrote: 94 Points
Tout aussi excellent que le '96 dégusté juste avant mais avec un peu plus de tout (couleur, nez, tannins, gras, longueur en bouche et même acidité). C'est le bonheur à moins de 100$, et pour encore 10 ans, à qui il en reste.
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11/29/2013 - Jamie Manley wrote: 97 Points
One of my favorite 03s, I have not had this in about 3 years and it has not budged an inch. Wow! Seductive nose of graphite, oak, plum, cassis, earth, and pencil. For me, the palate is where this wine really shines. Similar flavor profile as the nose, but velvet and layered with delineated flavors cascading on the palate. Very stately and noble. I am in the minority, but I think that this needs another 5 to 10 years. 97 Pts
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11/24/2013 - MrBrege wrote: 95 Points
Again I misjudged this wine. Straight out of the bottle it was absolutely superb, tannins a little harsh but very, very intense, balanced and long finish. But the idea was to let it slow-ox until lunch-time the next day, which I duly did... only to realize that it had closed up. Chose a different wine for the lunch and waited another day with this one. So on day three it is now superbly delicious. A lovely intense nose of currants, cassis and cigar-box. Amazing fruit on the attack, lasting nicely into the mid palate, very powerful but also very fresh! Tannins are smooth. A really superb experience.
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11/22/2013 - asparagus wrote:
Much better showing than last time, but could do with more time. NR
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11/16/2013 - Miceri Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red; needs a couple of hours in the decanter to open up, cedar, pencil; restrained, gentle and fine, soft attack, light tannins in the end; nice and correct, but appearing closed
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11/12/2013 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Great 2003 Bordeaux (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): nose: excellent ripe fruity aromas
palate: well balanced, firm tannins, good acidity, balanced fruitiness, excellent finish
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11/9/2013 - G_H Likes this wine: 95 Points
2003s now and in 10 years - Blind tasting (Martin's House): Truly great wine. Licorice, a hint of milk, caramel, beautiful sweet tannin, long, round and beautiful. Totally seductive!
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11/2/2013 - stefad wrote: 93 Points
Double carafage pour cette bouteille aux tanins présents, ceux-ci commençant à se polir. Bue dans les 2 heures suivantes - Vin puissant avec robe foncée, dense, soutenue - Une matière riche, un jus "sucré" avec belle acidité - les fruits commencent à évoluer et nul doute que ce vin va être très beau d'ici 8/10 ans.
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10/27/2013 - jcoleman wrote: 90 Points
the tannin still massively dominates this wine and it is difficult to determine all the finer notes that may well be there. I expected riper, richer fruit and this is fundamentally disappointing
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10/24/2013 - JJA Likes this wine: 94 Points
I tried this at the Wine Spectator NY Wine Experience. Classic, beautiful Bordeaux aroma, full-bodied, drinking incredibly well for a 2003. Outstanding.
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10/21/2013 - King JR wrote: 89 Points
This is the second bottle I have opened. Still rather disappointing. Let it decant well over two hours, and gave up waiting for the wine to give something. Very flat, a bit bitter, but not flawed. Left half the bottle for the next day - no real improvement. So given the 98WS and 95WA, I've either been very unlucky or am just simply drinking way too early. I will wait at least another 5 years before trying again.
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10/11/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 93 Points
Schitterende klassieke neus met zwarte bes, cederhout, gesteente, chocolade. In de mond stevige zuren, stroeve tannines. Heeft nog veel tijd nodig, maar erg mooi! 93++
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10/11/2013 - Zweder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: This is a truly great and classical wine. Juicy cassis, beautiful luxurious oak, graphite and dark chocolate and also some green bell peppers in the bouquet. On the palate all of the previous mentioned impressions. Firm acidity and tannin which is drying. Substance and concentration. This wine needs another 5 years at least to reach its peak. A beautiful and classical wine. Tonight I scored it 94, but this will almost definitely be a few points higher around 2018.
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10/2/2013 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is one delicious Bordeaux that is only going to get better with age. Deep, dark fruit with notes of currant, dark chocolate and leather. Although it's 10 years since bottled, this is still a baby that requires at least an hour to two to decant in order to fully enjoy this wine's complexity.
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9/28/2013 - Mr T wrote:
solid and open...good balance and hardly falling apart
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9/28/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Coravin 9/28/13: One glass removed. Color is deep ruby, very minor appropriate bricking; nose of red fruit, black fruit, wood, underlying sweet fruit comes out with air, black currant, slight mint, very bordeaux-styled nose; palate is full bodied, black fruit, dense midpalate, tannins are smooth but prominent and youthful, not rough at all, huge structure, fabulous acidity that gives it a freshness, no heat at all; finish is medium-long length, good fruit. Based on this initial taste, this is a very young, fabulously balanced bordeaux, ripe (2003 character), but not at all overripe, recognizably left bank bordeaux (though still looking for St. Julien minerality, which I hope it will pick up as the fruit recedes), without any secondary development whatsoever. Will reassess after a bit of air, but I think this wine has at least decade to go before peak drinkability and a life much longer than that. 93-96++ (difficult to assess but large upside potential)
Update: 90 min air- nose is even more expressive with green vegetal notes, asparagus, mint, fresh, palate is similar to initial impression. This is a superb wine but very young. Glad I tried one now, but my next bottle will wait at least 5 years, probably longer. 95-96++
Coravin 10/4: Similar to initial note. Still very young, dense. Palate has a streak of minerality through it now.
Coravin 10/10: It's like starting over every time. Needs time to open up again. The tannins are quite grippy and prominent. On one hand, that's kind of cool, but it's also annoying to know that the best is 90 minutes from now when I'm ready to get at it now... Still an excellent wine.
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9/13/2013 - robertdtwo Likes this wine: 95 Points
From 375; Vinturi'd into oversized bordeaux glass one hour prior to first taste. Dark ruby with long legs. Wonderful nose of currant and mineral-tinged sous-bois. Big, rich and serious with notes of cherry, dark berries and vanilla. Tannins still firm but beginning to round out. 30-second finish.
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8/19/2013 - MrBrege wrote: 95 Points
From magnum. Opened and poured a quarter-glass, this was predictably closed, with prominent tannins and not much hint of the typical left-bank flavours (in fact it surprisingly seemed more of a sangiovese to me first off). Let it stand open in the cellar for 48 hours. Then poured a glass, which was still quite tight but much more typical of Bordeaux at least. Moved it into room temperature and left it for another 24h, and NOW it has opened up. Never met a 2003 that took quite so much coaxing, but I should have known since it's a Barton and he normally makes his wines unapproachable for at least 20 years.... I guess decanting for a day would have been the better tactic. In any case, this is now truly great. It has balance, structure and very, very good length. The tannins are still quite noticeable, yet it very smooth with fantastic intensity in both acidity and dark fruit (primarily cherries) with strong cedar wood notes. It is truly powerful in a terrifically orderly fashion. This would have been barely a 90 on the first day and not much more on the third. As I am drinking it now though, four days after opening, it is 94-95 and with potential for more. For being this region this is extremely good value even now.
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8/4/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Initially the palate was a bit thin, but opened up with a decant over 3-4 hours. The nose was open for business from the get-go, black dark fruit, tobacco and even some pencil shavings. Very nice
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8/3/2013 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
This does open up over many hours, but it is still quite young. Give it a few more years before opening again.
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7/8/2013 - HOS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought to a french restaurant for date night. Popped and poured. Took some time to open up but was really something by the end of dinner. Nose of currant, roasted herbs, hints of leather. Tasted of dark berries, sage, tea leaves, dark chocolate. Medium bodied, strong finish. Surprisingly well integrated tannins with a acidic streak for definition. Dark ruby with no bricking. I believe this will continue to improve and has a long life ahead.
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7/7/2013 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine. Will open next bottle in 3 years.
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7/6/2013 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another excellent tasting, powerful, expressive and satisfying. Dark, bright ruby core all the way to the rim. Enticing aromas of ripe currants, florals, anise, cocoa powder, rustic, and a hint of herb, sugar cane and menthol. Full bodied, rich, balanced mouth feel, and with notes of espresso, cherry liqueur, caramelized blackberry and toasty oak. Plush, currant flavored chewy tannins makes you want to bite it. Long finish of dense cigar smoke, jam, tea leaf and cut wood. Outstanding!
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6/21/2013 - Libiamo! wrote: 96 Points
One of the best from this problematic vintage. Deep ruby core, medium ruby rim. On the nose, still a lot of dark fruit, rose petal, violet, caramel, slight hint of barnyard, adding to the complexity. It still shows a lot of freshness, especially compared with the Mouton 2003, tasted side by side. Big, powerful but supple tannins. Long finish. Drinking very well now, but can hold easily for another 10 years because of its structure. Will improve.
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6/9/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was a "Wow" wine, open and expressive from the start with a nose you could smell 3ft away from the glass. Nose of mocha, smoke, black currants and subtle menthol. Repeating menthol note on the palate, along with solid and somewhat round dark fruit, and fine tannins. Lengthy mocha and fruit infused finish. Has a slight liqueur-like aspect to the fruit but balanced across the board. Absolutely delicious expressive bdx with solid complexity. Cali-like but still rooted in bdx with more prominent secondary character. 94-95
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5/28/2013 - robertdtwo wrote: 94 Points
(Too brief!) 45 minute decant at restaurant; dark ruby with a nose of incense, cedar, anise, vanilla, tobacco with distant campfire. Palate of ripe dark fruits and cigar box. Tannins not fully resolved, yet still very smooth. Long finish. This may mature into Wine Spectator's '98' rating, but it's just not quite there yet.
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5/27/2013 - BillStensrud wrote:
Huge wine!! Rich fruit. Lost of acid. Tannins are soft but very present. Very earthy under the fruit. This wine will last 20 more years. Shouldn't try again until 2016 or so.
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5/19/2013 - _Xenon wrote: 91 Points
I decanted this wine for more than two hours. A bit laid back in the nose, big structure and body on the palate. I bought this 2003 based on reviews. However I was a bit disappointed. I expected a bit more the 'wow' effect. Probably to young?
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5/18/2013 - asparagus wrote:
too young to rate, though structure seems in place. Fruit, tannin, acid. Not jammy. Will try again in a couple of years.
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5/11/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Removed the cork on Friday, re-corked, then aerated to decanter for 4 hours prior to dinner service on Saturday.
Impressive. Perhaps the most structured and well-rounded wine on the night. Without a doubt, though, the best with the whipped parsnips/shallot dish and the rotisserie prime rib/horsey sauce main. Elegant, but still years away from its peak - think 10-15 years. I love the proportions, the freshness and the future this projects. Approachable now with proper aeration, and interesting, but not yet exciting beyond the obvious potential. Some '03s BDX are drinking (and dying) young, this is NOT one of them. recommended. Drink thru 2031
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5/7/2013 - igaf wrote:
Youthful med deep ruby with a touch lighter rim. Fresh nose with dark berries, currant leaf, leather, very nice. Balanced, ready, med+ body. Good length, very light heat on the finish, some tannins in the aftertaste, cassis. Just a touch lower acidity than I'd appreciate. Very fine anyway.
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4/18/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Nose just a touch behind Ch. Palmer for me, but very nice, very nice lush fruit on the palate, nicely balanced, acidity maybe a touch low, well integrated and sweet tannins, quite long and lingering finish. Good future.
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4/18/2013 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Red Bordeaux 2003, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): WOTN and among the very few 2003s we enjoyed on this evening. Classic nose, no cooked fruit or any other 03 shenanigans here. Good fruit, good extract, tannin. Feels very much alive with lots of body. Good balance and fruit density across and with a decent finish, something the rest of the 2003s lacked tonight. Young but not austere and this will age nicely. Start drinking in 5yrs. 93+
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4/12/2013 - drjb wrote: 95 Points
Another great bottle of this wine with blackcurrant, licorice, spice and cedar. Beautiful palate that evolved over several hours : quite firm tannins. In view of recent comments around 2003 it will be interesting to see how this evolves.
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4/4/2013 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic nose on opening... Cedar, dark fruits, spice. First glass or so tight and a bit tannic, but after 1 hr very engaging and with dinner after 2 hrs, beef on the bone, fantastically great, deep and delicious...very juicy dark blackcurrants and plums with chocolate and meat and spicy wood... latour quality. Amazing wine, highly recommended, buy up.
Below my notes using cellar tracker app:
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blueberry, Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Espresso, Espresso, Cedar, and Vanilla. It tastes like Mineral, Toast, and Meaty. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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3/22/2013 - Yiannis wrote: flawed
Corked to a degree that I could see what a great wine this one would have been had it not been corked. Great texture and concentration. Would have easily obtained a score in the 94 to 96 range otherwise.
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3/21/2013 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 95 Points
A relaxing evening with wines and friends (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): Beautiful dark ruby red, with a charming nose of smoke, incense, cedar wood, anise, plus a bit of vanilla, floral and tobacco. Barton has gradually become a favorite of mine, as often experienced, great structure and balance to the body and texture of the wine. On the palate, there are notes of ripe dark fruits, cigar box and jam. Round, velvety, tasty tannins give you a rich, plush, satisfying month feel. And the finish is long, with leather, tobacco leaf and plum. This is simply brilliant.
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3/2/2013 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 98 Points
There's an assuaging amount of classicism to this regal Barton; the best vintage in the modern realm. I last had this in '07 and the secondary nuances of cigar box and grilled portobello mushrooms are just magnetic, on top of the blackberry, lilac, wet earth and Yorkshire pudding. Seamless to the ninth degree, with velvety tannins that are indicative of the '03 vintage. Decant or wait a couple more years - then watch this for decades as I see a very long life ahead. Such beautiful fruit and the nose is really perfection in a glass. My favorite Barton to date. Drink now - 2043
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2/24/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Return to San Anontio (Ducru Vertical); 2/21/2013-2/24/2013 (Monty): A little disappointing given the stellar reputation of this wine. Nose was all dark berries with some vanilla and a little mature dried fruit. Huge coarse (slightly green?) tannins on the palate but plenty of dark fruit with some mature elements. Moderate length, though the tannins were a little oppressive and astringent. Seemed a little less expressive than my last bottle a few years ago. Still very enjoyable in the style of '03 and I think it'll hold together, but not sure those tannins will ever truly resolve. 92-93
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2/20/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Time has been good to 2003 Leoville Barton. It was a good wine when last tasted a few years ago and it's only gotten better. Secondary notes of tobacco, earth, cassis, cedar chest and cigar box are poking through. Silky tannins, purity of fruit and a long, rich, round palate are perfected by the long, lush, fleshy finish. Drink now, or wait another decade before popping a cork. I'm happy to own it in my cellar, which at the end of the day is strongest comment a taster can make.
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1/21/2013 - godx wrote: 91 Points
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Bistro Pastis): Very nice nose, not unlike the Langoa Barton, with sweet funk, ripe red fruits and licorice. On the palate the fruit is sweet but not over the top with solid acidity and ripe but grippy tannins. While this doesn't escape the vintage profile, it is very well balanced and shows some Bordeaux typicity. I would leave these alone for 5-7 years. Excellent. 91+
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1/21/2013 - MattTM wrote:
Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Pastis - Vancouver, BC): Great nose offering tons of funk and earth, along with aromas of black cherry, graphite, cedar, anise, spicy black pepper, and some light floral notes. Still funky on the palate, along with notes of rich black cherry, barnyard, anise, leather, and lead pencil shavings. Moderate+ acidity with gritty tannins. A long length finish ending on notes of funky kirsch and spicy black pepper. This had improved considerably since I last tasted this in 2011, and has built some nice character as well. While rich and ripe, it's not over the top, possessing nice balance and plenty of structure. I will let my bottles rest for another 5 years at least. My favorite of the flight. Fantastic
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1/17/2013 - grossie wrote: 96 Points
The decanting definitely helped (about 10 hours of double decanting). This thing came roaring out of the bottle full of power. The density of this wine was impressive, there were some great layers under there. Long lasting finish. Could use 5-10 more years. 96 points for me, so far my WOTY.
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1/16/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Opened by Grossie. Decanted for 11 hours before dinner and it was better for it. First time I have had this wine. Very impressive effort and the best 2003 Bordeaux I have had to date (I've tried 70 2003's but no first growth). This wine is better than the 1996, 1999 and 2001 LB's and could be the equivalent of the 2000, 2005 and 2009 LB's (which is saying something). Crimson purple color. Very open for being 10 years old. An aromatic wine with floral and ripe red fruit nuances. Burnt cherry notes with cedar, leather and black fruit. Chewy texture. Firm tannins. Wonderful depth and length. The best and most ageworthy of the 4 2003 Bordeaux at the dinner. 95 points now (with severe decanting) and could improve another point or two with more aging. Glad to see this wine is doing so well since I have 9 bottles.
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1/13/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well at present. No hurry as this is well balanced and will last for years. Sadly my last bottle.
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12/26/2012 - Vinfauv Likes this wine: 92 Points
wait
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12/24/2012 - mreinitz wrote:
Decanted for an hour. Dark fruit and sweet black licorice on the nose. On the palate the main flavors are black cherry, cedar, graphite, tobacco, and earth. Good acidity gives the wine a fresh feel. Agree with others that the tannins take over on the finish, and with time the wine will become smoother. Interesting and enjoyable to drink though I think the wine could use some more cellar time.
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12/24/2012 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
750 on Christmas Eve. Tried this several times over the course of 8 hours. The disc is actually starting to lighten. Nice nose, but generally restrained. Came out of the gate pretty strong showing red currants, oak; a beautiful but subtle perfume for a couple of hours and then shut down. More red fruit on the palate. Plenty of minerality. The balance is actually a little off - a hair tart.
Very good, but still a ways from maturity. Good, but neither brilliant at this stage nor the most stereotypical Barton. Not at all overripe or jammy, though.
4/5
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12/17/2012 - BradKNYC wrote:
In which I host the Supper Club- Burg, Bordeaux and boeuf Bourguignon. (My place.): I think we were all pleasantly surprised by how this showed given our general view of '03s and by how the '03 Leoville Las Cases showed after this one. It's quite ripe and fleshy, but doesn't actually cross over into overripe territory and there's just enough acidity to hold it together. That said, it's relatively soft and easy going, with ripe black cherry, red plums, graphite and cedar flavors. We commented on how this would be a good transitional wine to ease California Cabernet drinkers down the path to Bordeaux. A-/B+.
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12/17/2012 - LeatherPalate wrote: 96 Points
Killer- rocking nose of tobacco, leather, cedar,dark fruits, dark chocolate, on and on. Deep lingering palate- somewhat tooth chattering tannins but oh what a finish.
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12/11/2012 - lifebreath Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep purple color and slow legs. Nose of blackberry, black currant (cassis), cedar and earth. Well structured with initial fresh dark fruit - blackberry, cherry, plum, with a mid-palate of mineral stoniness, black currant (cassis), cedar, nutmeg, tobacco and hints of strawberry. The mid-palate reveals a balanced structure framing full flavors of fruit and other emerging flavors, finishing with more earthy tones and grippy tannins in a long finish. The body is relatively full and the wine has fleshy, yet clean, texture. The wine was well-integrated through the mid-palate, but the finish was somewhat dominated by the structure and tannins. With another 5 - 10 years of cellaring, the tannins should mellow and allow the ceder and tobacco to be more apparent in a lush, velvety finish.
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12/7/2012 - vinopa wrote: 96 Points
What a beautiful Barton....dark red in color (teeth staining).. This was my first bottle of 6. Nose: Intense with floral, ripe dark berries, tobacco and earth tones. Palate: Dark ripe fruit, leather, tobacco, crème de cassis and minerals. The acidity keeps everything in balance here and gives the fruit freshness. The tannins are integrated nicely at this stage. This still has the structure to age for a long time. I urge people to find and taste this wine. Cheers!!
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11/30/2012 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 97 Points
I am going to start this review at the finish. This wine had a long, long finish. From the first sip as I poured half in the decanter and walked upstairs I still could taste the wine. Great color and a 4" nose where you could still get some classic notes of dark fruit, leather and cedar.
No regrets opening this at 9 years old though it feels young and could hold in this plateau for awhile. Highest rated wine for me this year restoring my faith in good aged Bordeaux. Wish I could have afforded to buy 2 or 3 back in 2006 as this was my only 03 but I do have the 04, 05, 06 and 09 to look forward to.
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11/18/2012 - Ary wrote: 94 Points
Purple, ink colour. Interesting bouquet of crispy fresh dark fruits, licorice, olives, kirsch cake, iron, pencil and fresh tones as eucalyptus. Surprisingly elegant for a Barton! Big wine with prunes, kirsch and butter. A real pleasure to drink now but also a long distance runner that could well gain more points.
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11/4/2012 - dfontana wrote:
never delivered
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11/1/2012 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
The 03 Bordeaux dinner at RIS in DC (RIS Restaurant, Washington DC): Wine No. 1 - crème de cassis, black fruits, a lot of lead pencil, chocolate and earth. Silky, subtle, excellent concentration and long finish. A classic left bank wine. Guessed LP.
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10/29/2012 - jamie24 Likes this wine: 91 Points
very interesting wine. i'm a huge leoville barton fan and this was the first '03 from my case. 2003 is certainly a controversial vintage in Bordeaux and i can taste why. the heat of the vintage certainly shows through and the wine tastes riper and is more accessible for early drinking than some LBs. but it is no way unpleasant and makes a nice change from the austere years that take decades to come round. looking forward to seeing how it develops
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10/24/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
beefy, soy laden nose with a palate of more beef, dried leaves, raspberries and a kiss of oak. tannic still but a beautiful wine already.
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10/20/2012 - PSUSteve wrote: 93 Points
At a charity event so not sure how long open. This was very accessible with coffee and lead pencil.
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10/14/2012 - grossie wrote: 93 Points
Very dark wine, quite opaque. This note is from 24 hours after opening the bottle. A little coffee note, definitely very dark and rich nose as well as a sweet cherry thing and some cedar. The nose really is pretty amazing. Full palate, rich sweet dark fruit with a very slightly mineral side but nothing herbal at all. Very smooth finish, hardy a tannic bite. The finish could be longer, but it's very pleasant overall. I hope this grows and gains more complexity in the mouth, but I can't help but think that it's drinking awfully well right now for a wine this young!
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10/13/2012 - wmccone54 wrote: 97 Points
Wow! The nose alone on this is intoxicating. Because its still relatively young for a Left Bank Bordeaux, I decanted for two hours. As soon as I poured it into the decanter, I could smell all kinds of classic Bordeaux perfume: violets, sweet currant, loam, tobacco, leather, dark cherry, light vanilla, juicy plum, and mixed berries. Big, big nose. Great balance between primary and tertiary aromas and flavors. Medium plus bodied, vibrant, dark purple to black color. Smooth, creamy, rich, and velvety texture with enough structure to let you know this is built for the long term. Long, dry finish displaying dark chocolate and black coffee notes that linger and linger. Very impressive and an exceptional wine. The creme de la creme of Saint Julien. Great vintage and totally deserving of its second growth Grand Cru Classe status! The 2004 was great but this is even better.
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10/10/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 95 Points
Simply everything you could want in a perfectly balanced yet long finished wine. Really nice and drinking well now,but no hurry; this is good to go for awhile.
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10/5/2012 - pea wrote: 93 Points
Tight and very well structured.
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9/11/2012 - pikemasterflash wrote: 97 Points
Wow. I don't even think the cork was fully out of the bottle and already I could smell the mustiness. Much darker than any other bottle I had opened. If I had tasted this blind I would have guessed it was on par with one of the best '96 Cos d'Estournel's I had ever had. Somewhat ironically I thought this got slightly more bitter and tannic as the evening wore on.
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8/27/2012 - mariolanza wrote: 95 Points
This is unbelievable. One of my favourites in 2012. I need to find more of this.
Totally smooth, incredible colour. Massively intense.
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8/13/2012 - Ibetian wrote: 94 Points
from 375. Popped and poured into glasses, drunk about 45 miinutes later. My wife's comment was "excellent." Rich, smooth and complex, drinking great now but certain to continue to improve.
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7/22/2012 - wahoo70 wrote: 93 Points
Group tasting notes with beer-geek kids and wife for a birthday dinner. Beautiful translucent dark ruby purple color; seriously aromatic, with jammy black cherries and blackberries, some earthy funk, chocolate truffles, peppery carnations and a tarry vaseline note; good acidity, with the aromatics carrying through into the flavors, along with a serious dose of fig reduction; bone dry, with crunchy but well-integrated tannins, and a very, very long intense finish. The kids aren't red wine fans, but they were blown away by this. I'm not the biggest bordeaux fan, but this was seriously enjoyable. A great wine for review no. 500.
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6/12/2012 - RayOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Anthony Barton Dinner (Texture London): This has a really big nose that represents the warmth of that year. You could almost say it has a Californian feel to it. Nose of cassis, vanilla, chocolate, tobacco and earth. Smooth rich mouth with a medium length.
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6/9/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 94 Points
My first bottle of this wine and I was immediately reminded of why I love big, left bank bordeaux. Obviously young with lots of primary fruit flavors and structure, but also with good complexity. Intoxicating nose of cassis, earth, mushroom, spice, vanilla and funk. Tobacco aromas emerge after some airtime. Terrific intensity of flavors and with very ripe fruits. Medium to full body with very good concentration, nice balance, drying tannins and a long, long finish. Richer, riper and rounder than I normally expect from a top bordeaux - and a good reflection of the vintage characteristics. Plenty of stuffing to improve over the next few years and with a long life ahead. 94+
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6/7/2012 - MarkMich wrote: 94 Points
I decanted this for one hour. The aromas blasted me in the face as I was pouring into the decanter. This is drinking beautifully now but will last for years. I will definitely try to get more. Black Cherry Red with long slow legs. Cherries and wet slate on the nose. Lots of red fruit, granite and a hint of anise on the mid palate....ending with some hidden vanilla and smooth tannins on the finish. This is really a nice wine and along with the 03 Pontet-Canet and Duhart-Milon have made me a believer in the vintage.
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6/1/2012 - Ary wrote: 94 Points
Mature Left Bank Bordeaux (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Intense powerful nose with ripe black fruits, butter and cedar. On the palate thick and highly concentrated - very 2003. But also unexpectedly elegant (for a Barton).
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5/26/2012 - Lipper wrote: 92 Points
Cherry spice nose. Opened very nice. No pow like a California cab but more sophisticated. Needs filet mignon
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3/9/2012 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Baronne Guichard wine dinner, Ruth's Chris DC (Ruth's Chris on Connecticut Ave, DC): What is so impressive about the 03 LP, LB, Montrose and others is that they have never really shutdown. I also think that a lot of the wines achieved almost but not perfect phenolic maturities resulting in a very slight hint of stem/green pepper. Opulent dark fruits, crème de cassis, some red fruits as well, tobacco and cedar. This is drinking beautifully and starting to gain some secondary aromas but the generous fruit concentration will enable the wine to age for 50+ years.
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2/5/2012 - aof wrote: 92 Points
Brawny, awkward phase.
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1/22/2012 - Decanthor wrote: 98 Points
This is my first time buying a bottle of this caliber/rating so I was holding it for a special occasion. Today was that day and I have to say that the wine deserves every one of its 98 points. First, the wine is ready to drink. A thank you to @dmalcolm for his dead-on note. This wine is beautiful upon opening and actually started to shut down after a couple of hours. Luckily, the two-hour mark was my last sip. I cannot conceive why anyone would decant this for anything more than 30 minutes to 1 hour, which is what is called for by most sommeliers. So to conclude this portion, please try a small sip right when you open it. If you are ecstatic (like I was), then decant only to remove the sediment (plenty) and start serving to your guests. Watch their reaction as it evolves in the glass throughout dinner.
Notes: The nose was intoxicating. The person standing next to me could smell that tiny first pour. Tobacco leaf (mild, perfect barnyard/earth) and dark berries. On the palate, there is so much going on that it is indescribable. This is what critics must refer to as a perfectly balanced wine. A mix of sweet fruit, earth, acidity, and the perfect silky full body. Everything was so harmonious...never tried something this complex before. The finish, right upon opening, was one minute long. Wow! The wine evolved a bit during the two-hour dinner period, improving a bit early on but starting to decline (shut down) near the two-hour mark.
In the few years I have been collecting wine and going to tastings, I have tried a fair share of wines from Bordeaux. This is, without a doubt, my favorite. Granted, I have not tried any first growths, so I am holding my 99 and 100 rating for that day (hopefully). This is one of those wines that is perfect for my palate, opened at the right time, and shared with the right guests. An outstanding experience overall.
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1/15/2012 - dmalcolm wrote: 93 Points
Wide open from the get go with dark fruits, pencil, mint, wet leather and toasty oak dominating. After several hours in the decanter, this closed down a bit with dusty tannins and some astringency emerging. Great now, but will no doubt benefit from further cellaring.
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12/20/2011 - Wiltse Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for four hours. Spice, pencil shavings, and high-toned cherry aromas. Open and accessible. Noticeable tannins on the finish. It seemed pretty characteristic of Leoville Barton.
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12/11/2011 - pea wrote: 88 Points
Young but promising
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12/10/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 92 Points
SGS year-end dinner (Orchid Room): Dark, inky, masculine, powerful. Good potential but rather tannic and backward at this stage.
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12/5/2011 - mondino wrote: 90 Points
the smell was incredible.... very typical 2003 vintage bordeaux BUT..... it was too thin and tannic.
not full body like I expected..... a bit disappointing. would go under 90 points but the smell
was really something....
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12/4/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
We tasted thru a massive number of very nice wines last night at our holiday party of 24 but this was one the real standouts. Btls like this convince me everyone should have some BDXs in thier cellar. Even Burg guys like me. This seems like the perfect marriage of Leoville Barton's old school style with an extra ripe vintage like 03. This is really the wine you wish you could buy in CA but you'll never get this structure, focus and complexity.
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12/3/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Levain, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Unknown prep. Very young, really nice nose of florals, graphite, cassis, blackberry, with an herbal edge. The palate has great depth, full body, rich black fruits and loads of tannin yet. Really promising, this has a ways to go or requires heavy decanting.
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11/19/2011 - godx wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Matt and Francesca’s (Vancouver, BC): Slow-O’d for 4 hours then decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Nose was quite expressive right from the get-go with youthful and deep notes of coffee grinds, toasty oak and a ton of dark fruits. In the mouth this masculine, concentrated and youthful and with more black fruits and cedar notes with hints of pepper. There’s a ton of structure with firm yet powdery tannins and lots of acid. Overall this is very well balance and shows a great deal of potential but lacks Bordeaux typicity at this point. As it sat in the glass it continued to improve and gain complexity and depth on the nose but I found the palate tightening up. Young, dark and tannic but surprisingly gave quite a bit of pleasure tonight even while being drank alongside the beautiful ’90 Barton. I’ll try another in 5-7 years. Excellent. 90+
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11/19/2011 - MattTM wrote:
The Long Awaited Wine & Dine (Vancouver, BC): Opened and let breathe for 4 hours, then transferred to a decanter for another 2 hours prior to serving. A massive, powerful nose of freshly ground coffee beans, along with black plums, cassis, red cherries, lead pencil shavings, and fresh mint. On to the palate, luscious dark plums show through in waves, along with roasted coffee beans, black currants, chocolate, black cherries, some black pepper spice and more mint to round everything out. Incredibly concentrated and youthful all the way around, the discussion at the table turned to whether this (or if any of the 03's in general) maintain the classic Bordeaux characteristics that we've come to adore. I guess we'll have to keep an eye on how well this comes together with age, as it is certainly missing at this point in it's life. However, the massive structure this exhibited appears there for this to go the distance, showing tons of acidity and an impressive amount of dusty tannins. Long finish, with cherry and espresso notes at the end. Very good.
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11/11/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 94 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks do Bordeaux for Veterans Day (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): Splash decanted and consumed 3hrs later as a replacement for the corked '96. Flamboyant nose, slutty, with liquor-like quality, showing blackberries, black currants, a little cassis. Palate is forward and loud, full throttle, with lush ripe fruit flavors, creme de cassis and black currants, with a touch of cedar spice. Coats the mouth and showing big bold tannins. Lengthy fruit filled finish adding mocha. Quite tannic. Polished and seamless, really not showing much heat. Flamboyant and forward, a great wine for vintage, though you need to be in the mood for the style. Still retains it's bdx roots.
Opened up on night 3, showing pipe tobacco, currants and herbs on the nose. Some menthol mixed into the ripe palate and lengthy leafy tobacco and mocha finish. Much more accessible and expressive while being less monolithic. Bumped a point.
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11/2/2011 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 80 Points
This started (cold) not bad really. When it was opened the nose was reluctant, but then a little stink came and went, wood spice, and menthol. I actually wrote, tasty and really not too ripe. Thirty minutes later came heat, alcohol, ashtray, heavy menthol and camphor, and nearly volatile acidity. This is nearly undrinkable!!
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10/22/2011 - Ibetian wrote: 93 Points
375. First bottle. Dark ruby. Already has a nice, rich nose of red and black fruit, with a bit of leather and other nuances. Surprising smooth on the palate for such a young LB. Ready to drink from 375, but still has many years of positive evolution ahead. Dusted a very nice 2003 Branaire Ducru (also from 375) tasted next to it.
2003 BDX seems to be evolving quite rapidly, but very well, in my opinion. I detected no roasted flavors, just ripe, rich fruit.
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10/14/2011 - DCHeel84 wrote: 96 Points
anniversary at Ardeo, decanted at restaurant, but wonderful within minutes
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10/4/2011 - Maestro wrote: 92 Points
Judging by the other notes I though it was fair enough to open a bottle of this wine. But, as it turns out, it is clearly too young and deserves more time in the cellar. Nonetheless, the class and the allure of Léoville Barton are unmistakeable, even in this less-than-charming 2003 vintage. Very powerful structure with dusty tannins and a solid backbone. The nose remains tight, but it displays already (albeit partially) some of the characteristic aromas of cassis, spices, cigar box, and pencil shavings. It is a bit over ripe, as nearly all 2003 wines are in the Médoc, but it is certainly one of the better ones. It needs at least another 3 years in the cellar to get these tannins to resolve a bit and to let the secondary aromatics develop. From 2014 and until 2020.
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9/19/2011 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 95 Points
G6 (Kevin): Black in color. Nose of blackberry and boysenberry. Tastes of black cherry, blackberry, charred oak, caramel and earth. Well balanced. Very rich and full bodied. Chewy tannins. Well balanced with nice refreshing acidity. Big powerful finish with incredible complexity and length. My personal favorite of the 1996, 2000 and 2003 vertical. 13% alcohol.
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9/19/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: 94 Points
this wine is almost bullet-proof. despite it only being my second CT! note (??), i have had the wine several times, and simply adore it. great balance/mouthfeel/complexity of fruit. presented in a three vintage vertical (96, 00, 03). drink or hold.
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9/16/2011 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Deep dark red. Luxurious bouquet with cedar, cassis, cigar box and graphite. Full bodied and concentrated, beautiful juice with loads of dark fruits, good acidity, bitterness and firm tannin. Complex, refined and great length. Too young of course. A great wine with a long future. Next bottle not before 2018.
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9/3/2011 - City Wine Journal wrote: 94 Points
Checking in on a young friend, 1/2 bottle. Decanted two hours and it keeps coming on. Beautiful aromas, great and substantial presence, delicious, and a big future. Love this wine.
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7/19/2011 - LSussman wrote: 94 Points
typical bdx nose with some barnyard. Big wine that was still tannic but very nice after 3 hr decant.
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7/11/2011 - pea wrote: 92 Points
Classic!
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6/28/2011 - pikemasterflash wrote: 93 Points
First one of these ever after much anticipation. I bit disappointed initially as I didn't experience the room filling bouquet that others have described. This wine is sweet, smooth and soft without tasting any more velvety-fleshy fruit. No heat or high alcohol that has so often is associated with this vintage. So far, I prefer it to the Cos d'Estournel of the same vintage, but similar to the referencded wine I am trying to reconcile the WS score.
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6/26/2011 - joshwoodward wrote: 95 Points
Yikes, this is good. On the ripe end, but with impressive structure and dark fruit concentration. A little high-toned. This is fantastic - I'd be a Bordeaux fanatic if they were all like this.
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6/5/2011 - dionysis wrote: 88 Points
I don't get it... this is the second completely underwhelming bottle of this I have tried. Very herbal and ordinary, and it did not dramatically improve with air. I recorked with vacuum pump and will try again on night 2.
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4/23/2011 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
This at the initial release was a chewy big monster with impressive big upfront blue fruits and crème de cassis, then a couple years back pretty tight but still showing some primary fruits.
It has completely settled. There is an uncanny resemblance to the 03 Gruaud Larose consumed a few days earlier in that both showed dark roasted fruits, slight hint of oak and very slight green with silky palate and fully integrated tannins which for me was surprising.
The nose is a bit shy, black fruit, some metal, lead pencil, slight hint of oak and quite interestingly just slight hint of green which I find in a traditional Bordeaux, perhaps it has not completely reach the phenolic ripeness but just like the 03 GL, it was not noticeable on the second night, perhaps the other components of the nose got more expressive and the greenness became a part of the overall expression. The palate is very silky and tannin surprisingly resolved, almost none showing even as the end note.
The second night both nose and palate show significant improvements. Licorice, caramel, black fruit, cedar, pine needle, ground espresso beans, sweet spices and quite floral almost a Margaux like in this aspect. What I find interesting is the sweet caramel note is very similar to the best of the 76s which I had recently as well as some of the 82s but more vibrant fruit and concentration than the 76s. The palate is more generous than the first night and it gets chewier as warms up, very silky, almost milky texture. The interplay of sweet dark fruit, cedar, earth and flower is very interesting and intoxicating. If you prefer your Bordeauxs relatively young yet with some tertiary flavor, this wine is ready. If you are looking for more cedar aspects and rounder/sweeter fruit, it will take at least five more years. At least three to four hours of decanting will be required for the nose to open but the palate is ready from the get go. 95 pts with 97 pts potential.
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4/22/2011 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Powerfull nose of ripe black fruit, cèpes, leather... very concentrated in the mouth, with loads of silky tannins, more masculine than the Poyferre, pure ripe strawberries juice balancing the tannins... great wine!
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4/3/2011 - King JR wrote: flawed
Really nasty barnyard funk that still hadn't blown off after two full days. This was not a good bottle, although you could still detect the fruit underneath. Brett? Not sure, not experienced enough to know BUT, definitely not enjoyable. Too bad, given the crazy high Parker rating,
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3/26/2011 - HenryW wrote: 94 Points
Pure, lifted nose of blackcurrants and lavender. While the nose is light and airy, the palate is deeper and has more of a brooding quality with a note of graphite accompanying the dark fruit. Very smooth, but slightly dry on the finish. Will this gain in complexity and tertiary aromas and flavors? I don't know. But it is a joy to drink now.
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3/26/2011 - drjb wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine - dark color,nose complex blackcurrant,licorice,dark plums and cedar. Palate opulent,complex, surprisingly round with ripe but substantive tannin. Suspect this will be similarly delicious for years with some predicting a short evolutionary curve every year for the next 40 : reminds me of the 1982 which still is vigorous albeit a little monolithic.
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2/21/2011 - Duncan H wrote: 88 Points
Black with a few dark red spots. Very evolved for an eight-year old claret - much more primary fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, cassis) than you would normally expect, tho' still plenty of lead pencil. A bit clunky - very thick in the mouth, but not perhaps the length and complexity you'd look for. Lovely to drink now - our group consensus was that this wine wouldn't improve or gain more complexity with further age. I suspect Jancis was right when she marked this wine down last autumn.
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2/20/2011 - RockinCabs wrote: 96 Points
Nose: Perfumed. Shows Cherry, Blackberry, leather, tobacco leaf, rose petals and minerality. Chocolate and licorice notes as it is open longer. Palate: Med/Full Bodied with Cherry preserves, Cassis, Chocolate, Menthol/Spearmint, Floral notes, earth and Leather on the Palate with the fruit concentrated in the attack. Great acid balance gives the wine a brightness yet shows the dark earth driven flavors well. Finish: Over 60 seconds easily. Mouthcoating and persistent showing cherry, blackberry, tobacco, leather and soil. Tart cassis lingers significantly.
This bottle was opened and decanted for 3 hours prior to dinner, and followed over the next 3hrs. Really needs this much time to open fully and reveal everything.
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1/28/2011 - Serralunga wrote:
I opened the first bottle of 12 and got what I hoped! Berries, leather, herbs, minerals, delegate....I am glad that this vintage (where 2003 was really warm and sunny) resulted in a balanced wine that can last and mature for, I think, more than a decade...chapeau for the winemaker!
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1/4/2011 - bmarshall wrote: 95 Points
Decanted a full 6 hours with once per hour mixing and aeration. Deep garnet color. Beautiful, refined nose of extremely pure black currants and blackberry, plus floral notes, minerals and some graphite. Over 2-3 hours of drinking some leather and barnyard notes were added to the nose. Silky on the medium to full bodied palate where tons of deep, dark fruit carried through with nice earth notes. Wonderfully balanced and pure with a finish that coats the palate and lingers for about 40 seconds. Very well done. Drinking beautifully now with a long decant, but this baby will last another decade at least. Well done!
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12/30/2010 - N2Vin wrote: flawed
Geeze! Smelled like a vinyl pool that was stuffed into a platic trash bag while wet the previous summer. There goes ten sawbucks.
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12/22/2010 - dionysis wrote: 90 Points
Frankly, was very dissapointing -- a bit thin and muted and clearly needed more time.
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12/19/2010 - parathesis wrote: 95 Points
This was the WOTN. Decanted for 4 hours. Complex and interesting, keeps thinking as you taste it each sip. Drank along side an 06 Canet which was very nice but this was definately bigger and better. The 04 Mondavi Reserve showed a bit of heat but was a nice wine. Glad I bought several of these.
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12/4/2010 - Brady D wrote: 90 Points
Blind I would have thought this was a good fruit-bomb California Cabernet. It was opaque, full-bodied, powerful, with somewhat monolithic nose and flavors, and a decent finish. Very good, but far from profound. Maybe time will help.
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10/16/2010 - presterjohn wrote:
On opening, is nose acetone or cedar? Big coating mouth, sl green tannin, plummy fruit overtaken by astringency. With food a rather plain fruit.
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8/23/2010 - CdP in NYC wrote:
Are these ready to drink yet!?!? (NYC): Extraordinarily complex aromatics of spring flowers, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, manure, crushed granite, and toasty/tarry oak.While great, the palate seems a bit clumsy at this stage (as many of the top 2003's currently seem), and doesn't quite live up to the nose. Dull and mildly sweet for many hours, until extended air (8+ hrs) finally reveals cherries wrapped in a shroud of ash with a bit of wet earth. Finishes dry/dusty, tannic and long. This seems like it will be amazing in another five years, but absolutely not worth opening now. Give it a lot more time; I won't open my last until 2015 at the earliest.
Hold. 92-94 -JRS
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6/13/2010 - ccsargent wrote: 95 Points
This is still such a young wine. At first, I sensed plum and a floral note on the nose. Hints of tar, cola, and three hours later there's more of a raspberry creme going on. What a powerful wine! Lots of mineral as well, slight funkiness, and very Bordeaux. Pretty spectacular and complex at this point, and can only get better. Lived up to expectations.
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6/12/2010 - macker100 wrote: 92 Points
At San Antonio vertical. I found this vintage on par by quality to 1999 and 2004 as I tend to like the more traditional years. This wine has a unique profile. Very rich and sweet with some evident alcohol, Cali style with some lilacs. Only wine of the night I got plums on the palate along with chocolate, vanilla, tar, black fruit, and oak. However, the wine has very good minerality, which gives the wine much more depth despite its richness. Very nice finish with melting tannins and decent acidity.
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6/11/2010 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks - Leoville Barton Vertical (Steve's house): From 375ml, decanted 3hrs and slow O’ed 12hrs, then re-corked. Wow, strikingly different than everything else so far. Dense and dark in the glass. Big expressive nose of vanilla crème and espresso, with blackberries and currants. Big palate, with tons of fruit up front—blackberries, black cherry, currants and even a little boysenberry present. Huge tannins in the background and no sense of heat. Really holds on the palate with the finish showing some milk chocolate, cedar box, and earth. Very enjoyable now, but well balanced and surprising how easy this is to drink with the heavy tannins. Quite balanced. Stylistically unlike everything else and blind, I would have guessed Napa cab.
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6/6/2010 - Spruce Goose wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit (black cherries and plum) on the nose with a welcome touch of funkiness. Dark fruit on the palate too. An ever-present strand of spicy tartness helped sweep the wine along in the mouth. After some time in the glass, a plummy plushness appeared which took the wine to the next level. The palate was woven together seamlessly, and it had the best mouth feel of any wine on the table. I don't have enough experience to speculate as to whether this will reemerge with additional layers of complexity, but it just didn't have enough going on for me to get really excited. I would like to taste this again in the future.
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5/23/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 93 Points
CT Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/23/2010 (San Antonio): Opened and recorked 2 days. Nice deep cherry color. Plentiful oak and fruit of high quality. Mouthcoating but fine tannins, and borderline alcohol. Hold 4 to 8 years. Nice.
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5/22/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote:
CellarTracker Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/22/2010 (San Antonio): Tried Monday night after being open since Friday. Nose of plum, tobacco, blackberry, black currant, espresso, roasted game. On the palate, red currant, plum, tobacco, mint, mocha, vanilla. Finished with strong tannins and nice acidity. This needs years. Definitely is shut down compared to the last bottle I tried. Hold. Thanks Jar1. Not rated.
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5/22/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
CellarTracker Texas Offline - Part Two: WIML92+
Allowed to slow-O overnight. Made quite the difference. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted meat, dark chocolate, cigar box, black cherries and plums. Flavors of black cherries, black berries and plums. Bright acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Hold.
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4/27/2010 - Mr T wrote:
Popped and poured and just loved this after the over ripe Alban. Still has a a very solid tannic spine but great ripe fruit. Very dark color but not overly ripe or alcoholic...great restraint combined with rich fruit and perfet accompaniment to dinner.
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2/13/2010 - Faryan wrote: 93 Points
Served alongside 03 Clerc and Sociando. First showed muted and a bit hallow on the mid but gained more steam compared to the other two (I sat on these three for about 2 hours to really examine their evolution) and developed density, depth and vibrancy. Clearly the one with the most upside, this wine became very dynamic with exciting elements of cassis with restrained cedar and an expansive finish. Great mouth-feel too. I'd stay away from these for 3-5 years and revisit cautiously. I'd also recommend a 6-8 hour decant a la Bordelaise if so inclined to pour. Tremendous upside!
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1/22/2010 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
Pichon vs Pichon NYC (New York, United States): Very cedar like and rather open but also lots of fine substance on the palate. This is a lovely wine that can be enjoyed now but will improve of course with time in bottle
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1/19/2010 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 93 Points
A little poopy-pants at first, which promptly blew off and left an awesome wine behind. This is the second bottle of 2003 Bordeaux that has nicely surprised me. The typical LB rusticity comes through, mixed with dark dark iron red fruit with just some hints of black and even less blue( not Ducru-like). The wine was more mouth-watering than I would have expected, showing no over-ripeness, flabbiness, or heat, with a long finish and a nice tannic backbone. This wine will surely improve. 93+
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12/22/2009 - BenRoberts wrote: 92 Points
I am not sure if I just got to it too soon and it really needed more time to show its colors or if this wine still needs a good number of years to develop. Probably a mix of both. Dry with strong hints of cedar and charred pine. One could definitely taste the terrior.
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12/11/2009 - aof wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux and Game-83 Brane Cantenac, 96 L'Evangile, 03 Leoville Barton and more.: Not quite as a expressive as the last bottle I had a couple of years ago; nevertheless, its showed great balance, finesse and a good deal of ripeness, not at all exaggerated. It only hinted at the stuffing I know it has. I think this is shutting down afterall. It was double decanted and audozed for 10 hours.
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12/2/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 94 Points
Best of Cellar - Double Blind (Backstreet Wine Salon): Dark purple color. Black fruit aromas with some barnyard that seemed to blow off as the night wore on. Tastes of blackberry, currant, earth, graphite and cedar. Well balanced. Medium bodied. Very nice mid palate complexity and length. Elegant finish. 13% alcohol. Tasted double blind. My guess was left bank Bordeaux. My #1 and 4BOW #4 (3 way tie). Not quite up to the level of the last few times I've had this wine.
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12/2/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
double blind. nice balance, huge structure, cab based bordeaux. not the powerhouse showing of past bottles, but i still liked it. perhaps closed a bit.
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12/1/2009 - stoll wrote: 93 Points
Much better after being open for about 8 hours. Decanting is a must if drinking anytime soon.
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10/25/2009 - jordidahl wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple color. First impression was of CDP, however after a few seconds it boasts with more classic notes as tobacco, coffe, dark berries, currant. The wine is medium-full bodied, with nice tannins and some ripe friuit. It lacks in the middle palate, and lacks the freshness/acidity i normally expect from this estate. It is easy drinkable now, and will hold or several decades. Still i'm quite disapointed as IMHO it will never evolve in to a great wine. Guess the lack of acidity in 2003 also is applicable to Bordeaux.
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10/11/2009 - cigarzfan wrote: 96 Points
Huge wine. Deep, dark ruby color. Delicious as always.
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10/9/2009 - Roentgen Ray wrote:
Dark ruby color. I opened the wine 10 hours before consumed, poured out half a glass to create an airspace and recorked. Tasted immediately, and saved most of the half glass and retasted 30 hours after poured. The wine was very hard to read. The aromatics were reserved. There was dark fruit, spice, and some light charred oak. On day two, I picked up more leather and dark fruit. Lots of structure, big tannins, and a long 60 second finish.
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10/4/2009 - jeffm_fla wrote: 92 Points
Good, but I'm not sure I understand the excitement. Complex and interesting flavors, but not the power of a big California cabernet.
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7/28/2009 - Colima74 wrote: 92 Points
Maybe 92+. When first opened and tasted, the finish was a bit clipped. But with some time in the glass (we finished a bottle of Champagne before we got to this) and being open, this was what I have come to expect from LB. I think from the nose alone I might have guessed with was LB. Lots of dried fruit and saddle, elegant and balanced with good acidity. This is ready to drink now but has a long way to go. At Marche Moderne (LC's bday).
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6/1/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Normally, this wine is very rustic and masculine. But in 2003, I find the ripeness of the fruit helped produce a great style of wine for this traditionally styled St. Julien. Cassis, coffee and licorice entice your nose. The serious fruit, ripe tannins and pure cassis that pours over your palate lets you know this will be a very special wine for Leoville Barton when it matures.
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5/18/2009 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
Interesting wine. Very classic profile with big, unevolved tannin. Was surprised that there really was little evidence of the heat sometimes associated with the vintage. Very primary, yet loaded with potential. This should be great in 10 years. (94+)
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4/29/2009 - Mr Cabernet wrote: 94 Points
Got to let this wine sit for at least 3 more years.
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4/3/2009 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
This is a heavyweight of a wine. Very young, and bold with it's consistency. Kerosene, chocolate, minerals, all swirling under fine-grained tannins. Will drink over the course of several days and comment again.
One day later some dark cherries and burnt cedar had emerged, but was still fighting to get through the structure. Needs years to develop.
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3/5/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 95 Points
Stimmel's Market: 2003 Bordeaux Horizontal: [Decanted for many hours] Concentrated dark color. Sweet restrained nose - plummy and strawberry. Black cherry and buttery back on taste. Rich body. Massive! Full of finesse, but subtle. Medium tannins and acid. Very Bordeaux. Still very closed - not ready to drink. $200
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12/25/2008 - yeoman wrote:
Half bottle size, initially it was pretty shut, but after about an hour or so, it started to reveal itself with nose of black fruits and slight earthy note, the palate is still pretty shut but the fine tannins and underneath you can feel layers or intensity wanting to resurface. This is definitely one of the stars of 03.
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11/27/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 96 Points
Dark purple color. Nose of dark berry fruit with a very nice freshness. Tastes of blackberries, blackcurrant, cherry, graphite and earth. Impeccable balance with vibrant acidity despite being such a hot year. Incredible complexity on the mid palate and finish. A stunning wine. 13% alcohol.
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9/13/2008 - GalvezGuy wrote: 96 Points
Popped and poured. Dark dense ruby. Smells of blackberriees, cherry, tobacco, cedar, graphite, leather, and mushroom. On the palate, youthful strong, blackberry, blueberry, leather, cherries, vanilla. Great transition to a LONG finish with strong tannins. This baby was young but very balanced. This will be a tremendous wine in 10 years. Screaming value at futures price of $75. Part of the Hurricane Ike evacuation package. Glad I chose to save all of these.
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7/31/2008 - Animus wrote: 95 Points
Incredible bouquet, very complex and exciting, notes of meat and alcohol; very young, strong tannins; great finish. I can't wait to taste this wine a few years from now. We drank it with a lamb roast prepared in a crock pot with vegetables, etc. It was an beautiful pairing.
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5/17/2008 - Roughl wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful fat dark fruit, mokka, juniperberry, leather, mushrooms on the nose (all of which evolve nicely in the glass); impressive mouthfeel, very concentrated, dark tones with great intensity and purity of fruit, still a baby and not giving all it has; the aftertaste is impressive, lingers on for minutes. Drank side by side of Figeac 2003 (which showed a lot more signs of excessive heats, ie, lots of confiture notes). Impressive 93-96 pts
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5/5/2008 - jivey wrote: 97 Points
Lots of Blackberry and cherry, sweet tobacco, cedar, roses, violets, impeccably balanced with huge amount of tannins yet a very long finish pulled it all together. Very impressive for the money.
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5/5/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 98 Points
Dark ruby in color that is impenetrable to light. Smells of dark berry fruit. Tastes of blackberries, blueberries, violets, graphite, cedar, leather and cherries. Nice french oak treatment. The perfect balance puts everything harmony with the this wine. Chewy, sweet tannins will make this wine go for at least another 20 years. The mid palate is layered and very complex with plenty of depth. The powerful yet elegant finish lasts for several minutes. Everything I am looking for in a fine Bordeaux. Wow! 13% alcohol.
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5/4/2008 - etherscreen wrote:
initally earth and pencil lead. after about an hour in the decanter the cassis began to emerge leading to a big wine. smooth tannins. a baby indeed, but a worth while glimpse now.
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4/26/2008 - kehoutek wrote: 95 Points
decanted and drank 30 minutes later. Probably not entirely open but amazing..
Lead pencil, cassis, vanilla and mouth coating tannins that go on and on..I really like the fact that it's not a fruit bomb like so many wines these days..
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4/22/2008 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
Leoville Barton vertical 1863 - 2005 (Institute of Directors, London): This too was intense, essence of pencil lead nose, velvet texture concentrated and enticing - not remotely overripe or jammy, this was really gorgeous
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4/13/2008 - noppakit s. wrote: 93 Points
The heavy version of Barton, dark colour, oaky, coffee, chocolate, Tannic but soft, fuller-bodied and more delicious than 2000. Powerful aftertaste for its style.
Usually it's always medium-bodied, elegance...2003 is the most heavy....need 4 hours to breath....
I used to love it after 24 hours of breathing last time...maybe it needs more air...be careful...
...She is not my type...never....
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4/9/2008 - mmyette wrote: 96 Points
Drank after 12 hours, served with Kobe Ribeye steak. Loads of fruit, almost new-world in style, with fine tannins, slate and pebbles on the palate as well as loads of cassis. Finish was persistent, and pleasant, slightly earthy. Still an infant.
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3/1/2008 - Ivin wrote: 94 Points
I had this at a restaurant with 2003 Leoville Poyferre at the incredible price of $150 ($140 for the Poyferre!). Decanted for 2 hours. Very dark purple color, moderate oak, earthy, some spice (cinnamon?),medium- low acidity. This seemed heartier than the flashy Poyferre. This was very good but it did not blow away other 2003's like Sociando Mallet or St.Pierre.
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2/24/2008 - rjonas wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly deep red color. Lots of fruit but definitely balanced... Looking forward to see how this wine matures over the next several years.
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12/2/2007 - Jdog wrote: 97 Points
Tried this at Zachy's November 2007 Bordeaux tasting. An "energetic" mob thronged around the table where the 2003 Leoville Barton and Haut Brion were being poured. Remember the scene in Trading Places when the exchange floor erupts after delivery of the orange crop report? Like that, but less polite. Hats off to Zachy's, however, for their...errrr...liberal serving etiquette. Despite the rock’em sock’em robot atmosphere, it didn’t require much concentration to see that this is a magical wine that lives up to the hype. A beautiful bouquet of roses, lilacs and red fruit is followed by an extraordinarily pure, full-bodied wine that, while backward, seems not to have entirely shut down. The wine is dominated by ripe raspberry, other succulent red fruit and cassis. The fruit is all Bordeaux though, and bears no cooked characteristics. A judicious use of oak provides a lovely vanilla component. A wine of such quality and persistence that I could still taste it the next morning. I also found this more refined and less muscular than some have suggested. More Bruce Lee than Mike Tyson, and certainly ready to take all comers (it embarrassed the 2003 Haut Brion when tasted side-by-side). Appears to be developing nicely and should drink well by 2013 and last an additional 25 years.
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11/13/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 89 Points
Leoville-Barton Vertical (Nook): A different aromatic profile here, with its nose of ashy smoke. Thicker, richer fruit than the other vintages, more broad-shouldered and also more tannic, which gives it a more drying finish than the rest. But it actually shows some fruit to match, more accessibly than it did for me last year, with a nice suppleness to it. Some remarked that this had a shiraz-like 2003 vintage character but I didn't see it; the tannin troubles me more than the "fruit weight" (tm).
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10/26/2007 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Wine Spectator Wine Experience; 10/26/2007-10/27/2007 (New York): Tasting, WS#3. Big black fruit aromas with a bit of espresso with some toasty hints. Wonderful depth and nuance already at this stage, but the great balance to keep improving for 10+ years and drink to 2030+
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10/26/2007 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
WS NYWE Top Ten tasting (Marriott Marquis): Full deep red color. Lovely black fruit with graphite/pencil lead notes on the nose. Big tight black dustry fruit with more structure than other 03s I've had. Long fruity finish. Young but nice. 93-94 pts.
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10/26/2007 - otisabdul wrote: 96 Points
2006 WS Top Ten Tasting (NYC): Ranked #3. $75. Represented on the dais by the very humorous and charming Anthony Barton, who dropped some great quips: “If I had to chose one word to describe our wine, it is ‘drinkable’. It’s not meant to be sipped and spat or stored away in the cellar and visited every night with a kiss.” When people ask when the best time to drink his wines, he usually answers “it’s a tough question, but I’ll narrow it down to lunch or dinner.” Barton also noted that the winery has had a fantastic run since 1995, and the 2003 is “a perfect example of the wine they are trying to make.” Despite its obvious youth, this wine has all the hallmarks of a great young Bordeaux. It has impeccable balance, with tannins and fruit equally distributed, combined with awesome power and concentration. Best after 2013.
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10/14/2007 - scottreesman wrote: 91 Points
Deep opaque purple color to the rim. Intense nose of Blueberries, dark cherries, plum, rasberry, sweet floral notes, red rose, berry blossoms, dark chocolate, saddle leather, and more on the nose. Huge on the palate, muscular, lots of tannins that will be sweet with time. Nice balance. Nose is consistent with the palate with great persistence. Needs to be cellared for at least another 10 years.
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9/18/2007 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Tasted from 375ml. Really tight and young. Terrific potential. Initial notes of vanillin give way to blackberry, spice and mineral. Gorgeous structure with juicy acidity. Big, dusty tannins, loads of black fruit, hints of bitter cocoa on the finish. A beautiful sulky youngster with a gorgeous core of fruit. Definitely wants some time and will almost surely move up, but this is the best I can score for now given the overall dryness and reticence of the wine.
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6/7/2007 - pbjosh wrote: 95 Points
Very difficult to judge now, closing but a big, rich wine. Creamy for the estate. Very full and very long with tremendous promise.
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5/26/2007 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Bright Cherry nose. Some meat is also coming through with some floral aspects that developed later. Silky finish with loads of tannins present. The grips is just unreal and is so backward, not sure if it will ever come around.
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5/15/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 94 Points
Blind night Kevin's: very tight, young wine. loads of tobacco, cigar nose. cherries. I (and no-one else) thought the mid palate was a too acidic, but the finish renewed my faith.
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5/15/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 96 Points
Blackberries, cherries, black pepper, pencil lead and pretty toasted french oak. Huge concentration. Pretty, elegant finish. Firm tannins. Too young. Wow!
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5/1/2007 - kushned wrote: 94 Points
Had to try a bottle to have something to compare to, now and in a few years. Well you will not be disapointed. This is good stuff. Shows power with a great finish. In a few years this wine should be extraordinary. Buy and enjoy.
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4/29/2007 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 94 Points
Big, broad ripe and complex. This is the real deal. I would love to revist this wine in 10 years.
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4/10/2007 - keelegl wrote: 95 Points
Nice deep color, classic nose of dark fruit, earth and smoke. The nose was surprisingly open for its age. The mouth feel was nicely balanced but slightly extracted with a little hit of jam on the mid-palate. The finish was silky smooth and I was again surprised how calm the tannins were for such a young wine. At this stage I give the wine 95 pts, but I can see it going higher with age.
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3/5/2007 - Deadbird wrote: 95 Points
First try of 2003 bordeaux, I am a believer. should have bought more.
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2/25/2007 - aof wrote: 96 Points
I recently seized on the opportunity to acquire a few additional bottles of the LVB at the release price, so, I took the plunge and popped one open. Decanted for 8 hours, re-bottled and left uncorked overnight. Tasted (after initial opening) 2hrs, 8hrs, 24hrs and 26hrs.
Well, this wine means business. Laser like focus, balance, balance- did I mention balance? and a long, long finish. It gained a bit of weight with some softening of the tannins over time. But the essential characteristics were present from 2hrs. Dense, brillant, plum/purplish color. Muted nose, initial dark berries, tobacco and later damp earth. Primary dark fruits on the palate with some glycerin (not as fat as the '03 Pontet Canet, for example), ultra smooth and elegantly clothed in substantial, but soft and incremental tannins. Some oak came in on the nose and palate at 24hours. All the ingredients are in perfect harmony-making the aforementioned '03 PC slightly disjointed in comparison. Now, I did not think that of the PC until now. Long, long, complex finish.
Glad I have a few more bottles, pray I'm around to taste it when its ready. Fantastic stuff.
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2/16/2007 - mmyette wrote: 97 Points
HUGE! Backwards, opened and decanted for 8 hours before consuming, still required 1 hour in the glass before it started to give. And give it did! Slate, lead pencil, boysenberry, vanilla oak, and a finish which was among the most spectacular I have ever experienced. I think it is still going on! May be in the top three wines I have ever had. This is a blockbuster. Not ready for a few years, but plan ahead and decant! Tasted alongside the 03 Ducru, similarly decanted, and this wine just (barely) had the edge. Great year for the second growths!
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1/24/2007 - plhew wrote: 93 Points
Deep rich purple. Very dense wine which is quite young yet. I was a bit let down with this wine given the high ratings. The initial nose was not appealing, but improved over time. Lots of fruit and body. There was substantial tannins present but not as much as I would have expected. There is no doubt that this will improve over time, but for me it did not live up to the WS rating. Visit again in 3-4 years
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11/29/2006 - MRichman wrote:
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal at Post House, NYC
Very nice Sweet, full fruit. Tobacco. Solid with wonderful complexity, all tied up very nicely. My #2 of the night.
A
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11/4/2006 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (Sunnyvale, CA www.lionandcompass.com): Tasted single blind. It seemed like a good quality wine but was missing distinguishing characteristics - it seemed flat. Eventually there were some pencil shavings that led me to believe this was the LB. Not a great showing for this wine maybe due to the group of beauty queens in the flight. My #4 of the flight of 6.
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11/4/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (San Jose, California): Served as part of a blind tasting at the Lion & Compass as part of the VC Third Annual Cali Cult Smackdown: my brief notes were: "fabulous nose of sweet fruit; some eucalyptus notes; forest woods and mushrooms." I did not rate all six wines of the flight, but the top two for me were the 2002 Phelps Insignia #1 and the 2002 Pride Reserve Claret #2.
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11/4/2006 - hudamang wrote: 92 Points
VC's Third Annual Cult Smackdown (Sunnyvale, CA www.lionandcompass.com): For a Bordeaux, this was nice and had plenty of dark fruits. The tannins weren't as overwhelming as I would have predicted but when compared to the 02 Insignia and 02 Pride Reserve, this wine underperformed for me. Definitely not 98 points. But then again, the 02 Quiceda Creek last night wasn't 100...
Might need to revisit this in 10 years!
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11/1/2006 - Frijole wrote:
dark burgundy red, slightly cloudy edges, silvery hue
Nose: tobacco, blackberry and cherry, oak, pepper, thyme, minerals, roses, lilacs
Pal: blackberry, cherry, leather, currant, oak, roses, tannins, hint vanilla, hint mustard
Feel: full and bitter/sour
Finish: long
TC9
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9/4/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Not a blockbuster, this wine is captivating on the initial sip for the way it softly sinks into the palate and fills every crevice -- at least until the tannin starts accumulating and walls off the mild fruit like a dam of sandbags. At that point the most prominent flavors are typical Bordeaux graphite as well as an array of metallic ore. These elements remain interesting but the more air it gets, the harder and harder it is to drink. The leftovers of the bottle tasted 24 hours later featured an expressive nose of metal shavings that echoed the palate's minerality, but the wine was even more austere to taste, like tossing around a mouthful of dust that accumulates with every sip. The total lack of discernible fruit makes this bottle even more challenging. Like an old-school Barolo, I believe there is very little to be gained from drinking this cottonmouthed beast on release and I will designate the rest of my case for very long-term storage.
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8/28/2006 - Vinho wrote: 93 Points
Viognier: Provado ao lado do Duhart-Milon 03. Violáceo profundo. Nariz delicioso, mais frutado e 'doce', com algo que remete aos tops do Chile, lembrando uma leve nota de eucalípito. Bom corpo, aveludado, taninos finíssimos. No início mais exuberante, depois foi cedendo lugar, principalmente em gosto pessoal, ao Duhart-Milon. Excepcional.
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8/23/2006 - EyeDoc wrote: 95 Points
rich lush fruit. Still fat and drinking well for now. Will be at its best 2011.
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8/5/2006 - Arcturus wrote: 94 Points
Deep black color, toast, extremely rich on the palate and a noticable lengthy after-finish. It feels like it has the balance and concentration to be outstanding. 94-97
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4/17/2006 - micha_e wrote: 95 Points
Not much more to add to my fellow tasters.Simply fantastic wine. I am not overly enthusiastic about many 2003 wines due to their atypical showing. However, this was much more "classic" with cassis, lead pencil and this hint of shoe polish I associate with LB. Fantastic intensity, masses of tannins but they are ripe and round melting in the mouth like butter. Notably, it was spectacular right after opening but shut down after decanting. will probably close down soon. Still one of the best wines of the vintage IMHO.
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1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very closed at this stage, but palate shows cedar and blackcurrant with slight jammy hints, but only slight – and actually pleasing. Very long on the finish, probably among the very best of the St. Juliens (along with Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Poyferre).
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1/10/2006 - DaleW wrote: 93 Points
Open from the get-go, with rich cassis fruit and a bit of herb. By the time I had started fire, grill lamb, and sat down (half-hour), it seemed to have gained in complexity, with some mocha, cedar and pencil lead. Tannins are big but ripe, finish long. This is indeed low-acid (moreso even than the 2000, I think) , but with the vibrancy of the fruit doesn't come across as flabby. Very tasty now, but I will try and exercise restraint and bury rest in cellar.
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1/6/2006 - Spencer wrote: 95 Points
Despite the character of the vintage, this wine was very Barton-like. Big but balanced. Dense, concentrated, and a bit austere at the moment. Long, complex, expansive finish. Needs time, but should improve and age beautifully.
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3/30/2004 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Ch. Branaire-Ducru: Closed--forest, wood, some cassis; big mth, thick t’s.
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