Excellent. Our Christmas dinner wine. Served with Prime Rib roast. Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Nose a bit subdued upon opening. Medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel, well balanced. Palate was subdued initially as well mainly showing blackberry and mineral....but after about an hour and some swirling, prune and fig flavors emerged as well (a product of a warm year?). The Tannins are mostly resolved, medium finish. A lovely wine and we enjoyed it, just wished it had opened up more and had a tad more 'freshness' and complexity. I doubt it will improve with any more aging, but it shouldn't fall off a cliff either. Drink now with an hour decant or continue to hold for the short term.
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Slightly underwhelming to high expectations from a great aromas. A bit too light and airy taste and not much length. Expected more balance from the other notes. Perhaps a bad bottle.
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First impression with the nose in the glass was: this is the little brother of the Ornellaia 2004, but that spells trouble. There are those typical vegetable, celery root aromas in the glass (Cabernet franc in a hot year?) that dominate everything else. The wine is mid to full bodied, on the palate the tannins are fine and integrated, good structure, but you hardly find fruit aromas or some other tertiary aromas than the vegetable ones. The experience with the Ornellaia 2004 tells me, that this should not be an off-bottle (had 3-4 Ornellaias with the same character), but the taste is not everyones cup of tea, so it isn't mine. Very well made but FOR ME way too one-dimensional in the vegetable way (if you know what I mean) for higher rating. PnP, but the character stayed even until the next day... 91/100
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I rarely don’t rate a bottle but I really sense something was off here. Right off the nose you could tell this was off:stewed fruits, no secondary elements and no evolution over the evening. We ended up finishing but not with enthusiasm. Notoriously hot vintage but I’ve had many other 2003 Bordeaux that were excellent. No other reviews seems to have had this happen, so I’ll chalk it up to faulty bottle (which was impeccably stored however) and move on. Curious to see if anyone else has a similar experience.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of black cherry, currant, tobacco, anise and forest floor. Cherry, currant, cigar box, graphite, forest floor and spice on the palate. Lingering finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with beef rouladen and spaetzle.
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Clearly, drinking in its sweet spot, this medium-bodied wine is all about its silky, supple, rich textures that deliver its layers of opulent, ripe plums, tobacco leaf, spicy cherries, and a touch of dark chocolate and sea salt that comes in right at the perfect moment in the finish. There is no need to decant, just pop, pour and enjoy this beauty.
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During a Commanderie event. From MAG. Induction wine for the candidates. Expressive nose of dark fruit, cooked fruit, prunes. Not unbalanced and not oxidative, which is good but as most 2003 right bank wines just a little unexciting due to the pruney fruit character and slightly drying finish.
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Dark ruby color. Full bodied. Excellent nose with dates, figs, plums - but also espresso and tar. Fantastic acidity, fruit very much still prominent; some spice, licorice, some vanilla on the ending. Feels still incredibly young with robust tannins still. Some more tobacco coming out. What a bottle!
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Medium ruby, very fragrant wine with sweet cherries, light notes of leather. Medium dry, medium acidic , low to medium body, medium tannins present, ripe raspberry taste. Fruity, low alcoholic finish. Overall a balanced complex fragrance and slightly less complex taste.
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Rich, round, luscious, opulent, ripe, deep red plums and cherries with smoke, espresso, licorice and crushed rock accents are showing at their peak today. No decanting needed. Just pop, pour and enjoy over the next decade.
by this point it was late in the night and my ability to focus lessened. I recall finding this confected and rich, reminiscent of something that come out of Napa. Would happily retry before forming any conclusions, but I suspect I'd be mor of a fan of other years.
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Another bottle with dry crumbly cork. Wine thankfully in decent shape though typical stewed character of the vintage. A touch spikey on finish but relaxed and easy enough - not one I’d be searching for again and think the year is detrimental to the wine and I don’t mind richer, rounder styles. It’s like the chateau just didn’t deal with the heat so well.
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Blackberry with some meat and herbs on the nose. Blackberry on the palate with cedar notes lingering on the finish. A nicely balanced wine. Some dry tannins on the finish.
Day two wine was slightly better having opened a bit more. Blackberry and dark fruit was more prominent and tannins had softened. A very nice wine.
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Really enjoyed this night 1 PNP straight from the cellar and pretty well balanced flavors. On night 2 (wine stored overnight in fridge with cork in), wine was drunk at room temp and less well balanced and delightful as felt heavier and less well-balanced. No reason to hold longer and try to drink this closer to cellar temp
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Still plenty fruity on the nose - plums, prunes, and can tell there’s good concentration there.
Typical Bordeaux cigar box flavours, still lots of oak giving strong vanilla flavours, and cassis. Fairly long on the finish but would benefit more integration and complexity.
Absolutely fine and if it was selling for a third of the price, I’d recommend. I suspect this is an over-ripe vintage and would like a chance to try another year.
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Yum Excellent over 2 nights. Wine is good to go after 1-2 hours in decanter with ripe fruit soft merlot... tannin not an issue. Not sure about further complexity
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2 hours of decanting. Incredible complexity and intensity on the nose with red fruit (black cherry, raspberry), dark fruit and smoked. Much more balanced in the mouth where tobacco, undergrowth and cedar are added. Extended final.
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Double decanted an hour before dinner, fill was into the neck and the cork pristine. Murky purple core turning towards garnet at the rim. Notes of black cherry, mocha, balsamic, and hints of smoke. Medium to full bodied, viscous, round texture, but lacking in freshness, delineation, and balance.
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Decanted for 4 hours. Bouquet first gave off strong primary red berry notes - raspberries and cherries. After a few hours the wine turned more hedonistic displaying notes of cinnamon, wild red juniper, gunpowder and hints of cardamom. Tannins were soft and incredibly well integrated. I just wanted to smell this wine all night. So forward and giving. Highly recommend +++
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Decanted for 30 minutes before dinner and needed more; started to come around after 90 minutes, but it was largely consumed by then. No score as I never really gave this a chance to show its stuff.
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Had this with prime rib. This was from magnum and took several hours to show its best. Delicious aged bordeaux with loads of graphite, well integrated tannin, cigar. Muted fruit.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped and poured. Much better than a bottle consumed a last year, with notes of ripe plums, blackberry, mocha, and hints of campfire. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, great concentration, and a long finish. The 2003 vintage character shines through, but in a very positive fashion.
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I think this is about expectations. If you are used to "traditional" Bordeaux, this is going to seem very ripe, because it was clearly made from very ripe grapes. If you drink a lot of New World wines made with Bordeaux grapes, this will be very Bordeaux-like. Ripe black cherries front the wine, but for all the ripeness, it is not thick or even particularly rich in texture, as the acid makes it sharp. Green tobacco and herbs mix in with the fruit, with smoked meat lingering in the aftertaste. Tannins are drying despite the juicy fruit. Not woody at all, which is what really distinguishes the wine from a typical well-made California wine. I drink a lot of California cabs, and this was not New World to me. Blind, I might have guessed Tuscan, although a ripe vintage of Bordeaux would have been a close second. An interesting hybrid of sorts. I quite enjoyed it.
Roasted cherries, plums, licorice, herbs, smoke and hints of espresso bean fill the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky and lush. With no decanting, this is showing great. There is not much to gain with further aging. So if you have been waiting for the right time, pop a cork.
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Beautiful raspberry, strawberry, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, cherry, currants, and some darker berry fruit, with notes of plum and something earthy on the medium to long finish, with light tannins and good acidity. This shows the heat of the year, but only if you are looking for it. Although this smelled glorious, the palate didn't quite live up to the raised expectations. It's ready to drink now, but there's no hurry.
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I haven't had this wine since 2015, so it was great to revisit it over 4 years later to see how it had evolved. This is drinking in a really good place right now. While it certainly can go for another 10+ years, why wait? This is built in a more new world style of right bank wine with plenty of fruit concentration, noticeable herbaceous from the Cab. Franc, and a very long smooth finish. The nose needed some coaxing from the glass, but it got better after 1 hour in the decanter. While more new world in style, I did not detect any over-ripeness that one might expect from the 2003 vintage. This is now in its drinking window and is lovely, especially when paired with a good piece of meat.
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From 375... Bouquet shows camphor, cassis reduction, and a touch of stewed fruit. The palate is quite roasted, even a touch burnt with more of that boiled-down cassis essence. On the good side, here’s plenty of juiciness and the palate impact isn’t heavy, but these grapes were (apparently) harvested much too late. Port-like notes (not something I want in my table wine) emerge with air. Not much to get excited about here, but quaffable.
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Classic roasted flavors from the hot vintage but plenty of freshness and power. Dark red fruits are accompanied by notes of roasted nuts and minerals with excellent complexity on the finish. A warm and inviting wine that is ready to drink now. Served with lunch at the Chateau with the family Thienpont.
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After a good 15 year this excellent SE is reaching its drinking window, which should last a good decade. Concentrated, red fruit nose. Medium to full bodied, complex, elegant, with nice dark berry aromas, underpinned by subtle cask, liquorice, nuts, some herbal notes, pine and camphor in the long finish. Truly rewarding.
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Nice mineral notes of wet stones on the nose, with black currant in the background. It’s got elegance and balance, but the fruit need a more power to make it exceptional.
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One word describes this: okay. Dark red color. Decanted for 30+ minutes but I would try much much longer. Nose has tar and cherries in it. Wine is very reserved with a little medicine flavor on top of the cherries. Medium finish. Maybe my expectations were too high, but no depth to this guy. Better wines at this price point.
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Unexpectedly rich and fruit driven. Immediately though Californian Cab and see others have thought similarly. It opens and changes with plenty of air but remains very enjoyable even given it’s not typically classical.
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Popped and poured; the fill was into the neck and the cork was sound. Purple ruby core with some bricking at the rim. Notes of super ripe plums, campfire, mocha, and hints of black truffle. Had a bit of a stewed / cooked character; initial scents reminded me of the '03 Clos Fourtet, which is not a compliment! Medium bodied, with a velvety texture, good depth, and a long finish.
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I'm with Jeff Leve on this one. "classic" Bordeaux? No, not really, but it's delicious to drink and I'm just fine with the ripeness and hybirid style. I'm not sure it gets a lot better although the finish is still a little rough and some more time probably tames last bit of tannin but you likely lose a little fruit as well. Great right here right now
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What a beauty! That is, if you like luscious, ripe, opulent, sensuously textured fruits backed up by flowers, plums, truffles, chocolate, smoke, figs, espresso and stone. The texture is just beautiful. You can age this for longer, if you prefer more secondary nuances, but I am really digging how this is tasting today. Popped and poured from a decanted, this continued improving in the glass.
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Deep ruby. Opulent nose of earth, plums, prune, dark berries, flowers, game. Surprisingly lithe on the palate low acid, medium body, med- tannins. Medium finish. I'd drink this now
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This needed about an hour in the decanter to start to strut its stuff. A dark blackberry, cassis and truffle driven nose that leads way to an expressive, palate coating mouthful of ripe black cherry licorice along with a mineral streak that lingers. Quite good and I’d say no rush on this 2003.
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This is no bordeaux !!!!! This is a big modern wine with freshness and structure !!! But definetly no bordeaux !!!! Anyway i liked it. Wont improve so drink up
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I am being generous with the score as this vintage is turning to be somewhat of a disaster for the Right Bank. This wine is unbalanced, to put it mildly. Wildly alcoholic, yet terribly flat--the worst of both worlds. The nose is big, makes you think of a powerful wine, yet the palate is bland, bland, bland. Maybe this will magically improve with age but I doubt it somehow as I gave it over 1 1/2 h in the decanter. In one word, terrible, and this comes from a fan of the 98 and 2000 Pavie Macquin.
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A very, very different Bordeaux, I do not think I have ever had anything similar. Lots of dark, sweet fruit, raisins and figs, with lots of alcohol. This is like drinking a port. Not for me.
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Fresh flowers, licorice, barbecue smoke, crushed rocks and black cherry liqueur aromatics do not take long to reveal their essence. Luscious textured, fresh, juicy, dark red, sweet, juicy dark chocolate covered plums feel great on your palate. This is drinking great now. An hour in the decanter seems to be all this beauty needed. That being said, this is showing even better in the glass. This is an outstanding hedonistic treat!
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Went so well with cheeses. Soft brillat saverin and cheddar. Crowd favorite over Chateau Pavie 2003. Great finish. At a good point. Will last longer but so good now.
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Lovely nose with great integration of berry and earth notes. BUT I think given the price you can find a better overall wine elsewhere in the right bank. For instance, the slightly more expensive Chateau Figeac is definitely worth it.
I'm wondering if there was something a little off with this wine, there was an odd small bitter tin taste at the back of the palate. ???
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First St. Emilion of the evening, followed by a 2000 Canon-la-Gaffeliere. Robust red and black fruit aromas, coupled with elegant floral notes on the nose with virtually no vegetal elements. Ripe (almost jammy) fruit with medium+ acidity and extremely soft/silky tannins. Medium finish. Decanted for ~1 hour but was quite enjoyable and very approachable immediately upon opening. Drink up now.
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Consistent experience with this one - delicious slightly exotic nose of plums, cherries, dark chocolate, truffle and charcoal. Palate quite dense with touches of fig with plenty of plum,cherry and chocolate. Finishes with very good length and fine tannin structure without bitterness.
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Opened and decanted in the bottle for 5 hours. Poured into a decanted for one hour
Rich saturated dark red color
Alcohol and heat on the nose initially. Bing cherry and blackberry palate
Still quite primary. Jammy rich fruit. True to the Pavie Macquin style. Hard to drink more than one or two glasses of this one. Will wait 3-5 years for the next bottle. Will be interesting to see how this develops.
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Needs a long decant. Somewhat new world in this vintage. Very dark, a bit rough with earthy flavors. Improving with air (decanted for 3 hours). Medium length finish. Some chocolate, burned wood, earth notes. Good acidity.
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From our anniversary year, this was a real treat. Might not be recognized as Bordeaux if inserted into a blind tasting of California Cabs. Dense, dark red cherry, somewhat medicinal but not at all unpleasant. Mint and chocolate present also. Very long finish. Delicious, rich and hearty. I'd score about 93
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Not sure I ever quite got this one right Didn't really pair with early courses and when I got to steak not sure. I guess a lot overripe and not quite balanced Maybe needs decant
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Very dark with orange rim; slightly burned light caramel notes, a bit sharp; very powerful, somewhat burning, drying finish, burned caramel notes; seems unbalanced and unlikely to improve further; drink up
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In the right place, at the right time, this winner focuses you on its earthy, floral, licorice and sweet fruits in the nose with no trouble. However, it really gets going on the palate, with its opulent, silky textures and lushly textured fruits.
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Numerical scores don't define the simple joy that this wine is with an exuberant nose of plums, cherry, blackcurrant, spice and earth followed by a very rich yet balanced satin palate of just good old fashioned fun ! I suspect we'll enjoy every bottle and mourn the passing of the last bottle of the case when the time comes !
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This is just a pup and needs more time in the cellar. However, I'm not sure the overripeness from the 2003 hot vintage will evolve as gracefully as I hope this wine will allow. There is definitely a touch of stewed blackberries on the nose and finish. The finish is grippy, but does go on for 30+ seconds once the tannin grip lets go. For a wine dominated by Merlot, I am surprised how thick and viscous it is. The rating I gave is more where it is today, but I hope to score it higher in 5 years when I open other bottles.
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Fresh, silky, soft and packed with a mineral driven core of sweet, ripe cherries, plum, earth, licorice and smoke. Popped and poured, the continued betting better in the glass. This charmer is very easy to drink the minute the you pop the cork. It could get better, but it's so good now, why wait?
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Decanted for one hour drank over two. Complex aromas of raspberry and flowers. Still young. Seemed like more than 2% Cab Franc. Full bodied and smooth as velvet on the long finish. Drink or hold.
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This is very pleasant if unexciting at this point. Dark fruits on the nose with just a touch of vanilla. Some notions of underbrush. The palate is smooth and slick. Not a hair out of place on this one. Nice berries. Just a hint of pencil lead. Smooth from beginning to pleasant end.
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Suffered a bit compared to the 99 HB consumed just prior, so tough and perhaps unfair comps. This seemed a bit simple and sweet in comparison. A good wine, but tough company.
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Performed exactly as hoped for Pat's party. Nice combination of ripe fruit, complexity and smooth, easy going style. Nothing but positive comments from the guests. Perfect for a high end but crowd pleasing wine.
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Oak, black & red berries with hints of leather and mint on the nose & palate. Quite high tannins which are still integrating. Noticeable alcohol burn. Still very young for our palate.
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In a fantastic drinking window. Notes of cassis, raspberry and fresh plowed earth on the nose. Silky smooth in the mouth, this wine is right at its peak. Delicious!
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I'm in love with this wine. Breathed 3 hours, decanted for the last 2 hours and it continued to open throughout dinner. There's a soft, elegant, and lovely bouquet, medium finish, black fruit, a jammy taste of black fruit, chocolate, a touch of mint. This is one special wine! Can't wait to enjoy again,
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Deep, dark garnet in color. The nose is formidable with smoke, tar, and cedar. When I first decanted this, I also was getting aromas of mushroom soup, bordelaise sauce, and reduced veal stock. The wine is highly extracted, with a muscular frame supporting the dark berry flavors; boysenberry jam, spiced blackberry compote, and hints of tobacco, black tea, and savory cured sausage. With extended time in the glass, vegetal flavors develop, showing an edge of green pepper. Tannins are softened, but still firm enough to hint at what will develop over a little more time. The medium finish shows sweeter flavors of dried plum and dried cherry and baking spices. An extremely complex and enjoyable wine; drink now to enjoy. If you have some inventory, this will interesting to try in another 3-5 years.
Fresh, sweet, sexy and silky, the wine is filled with ripe, fresh, velvety fruit. There is no reason to wait to pop cork. This is one of the better 2003 St. Emilion wines.
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Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: In the bouquet chocolate, cassis, smoke, cedar and also some metal impressions. On the palate everything from the bouquet comes back. There is some tea as well. Very ripe black fruits and a touch of alcohol. Overall a lush wine that improves considerably with more airtime. The acidity is ok and the tannin is soft and has a firm bite. Although drinking nice now, it will probably improve a bit with more cellar time. Wait until around 2015?
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Solid wine from the right bank in the this very hot year. The wine is nicely structured and not over cooked as many. The tannins are softening now and the drinking window is opening up. The cab franc is evident lifting the merlot with its structure.
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Very dark red. Reluctant nose of ripe plums, a little leather. Very ripe and rich, a product of both the modern style of wine making and the very hot weather in 2003. Tasty in its way, but not a style I prefer these days. Would be a great crowd-pleaser I'd guess, though a bit expensive for a party wine. I doubt it will make old bones, so I won't cellar this for the long term.
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Overripe. This 2003 vintage is a bit of a landmine for the right bank. Unbalanced, jammy and alcoholic. Settles down a bit in decanter but this just wasn't pleasurable to drink. Palate becomes fatigued.
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Overripe nose, never fully blew off. Taste was also hints of plums, overripe fruit. I'm not sure if this was an off bottle or representative, but if the latter, a miss in this vintage. Note-others at the tasting liked better than I and I usually like P-M under Derenoncourt, but not this time
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Shiny, med deep ruby, very youthful. Interesting, intense nose, cassis, truffle, tobacco. Sweetish, med+ body. Complex, interesting, but the sweetness is a bit disturbing. Moderate length.
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Has settled down considerably since tasting four years ago, with smooth, sexy tannins. Not much complexity here, or I would give it a higher score. Very pleasurable, but not especially interesting. I don't think it has the drinking window that was projected upon release.
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Right Bank Bordeaux Tasting; 4/27/2013-5/5/2013 (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): Decanted 3.5 hours. This was wonderful upfront and fell apart after a few hours. Cherry, blueberries, beef, plum and minerals. Complex wine and long finish. This needs a good decant upfront but consume. Don't go too long in glass and you will be pleased. I would consume this wine on the young side.
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From 375. Very interesting nose, which is something I rarely thing about Bordeaux. Some mint, raisins, plum, licorice, and beef are among the notes in there. The palate is big and sweet with more raisin notes, chocolate, and a little raw beef. Long and interesting but a bit muddled because everything is so intense. I little time won't hurt it.
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Dark garnet. Sweet, plummy and somewhat port-like nose with black currants, dried raisins, vanilla and anise. Full-bodied and velvety-textured with moderate acidity and a long aftertaste. The fruit is somewhat overripe but not to a degree of being stewed. A typical example of the vintage. At peak.
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Nose is still a bit closed, suggesting a little more cellar time might be warranted. Popped and poured, so a decant might help. Rich, smooth palate. P liked. Tasty, but I'd like a bit more complexity, which time might provide.
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Smoke, black raspberry, jam, charcoal, licorice, coffee, caramel, stone and fresh herbs with a hint of mint create the aromatics. The wine is rich, concentrated, and opulent, ending with a thick wave of sweet, velvety, chocolate covered boysenberries. This is a hedonistic style of St. Emilion that hits all the right spots for pleasure seekers
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Very good effort in a hot year. On the nose displays various of spices, cinnamon, dried herbs, dark plum, black cherry and some dark chocolate flavours that subtlety binds together, with pungent alcohol kicks. Good acidity, dense & layered wine with silky smooth texture thanks to its fine tannins. Nice complexity as well with dominant flavours including plum, black cherry, sweet cinnamon spice, liquorice and some powdery oaky chocolate notes at the back - long and persistent finish. Suprisingly good balance thanks to the very impressive freshness in the wine.
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Deep crimson color. Nose rich complex raspberry/kirsch with chocolate and cream character. Palate rich round fruit character with slight touch of stalkiness. Long fine finish : delicious but still to benefit from age. Lots of flavour.
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Absolutely delicious. Fresh would be the best word to describe this wine. This wine reminded me of an '89 Forts de Latour. Light, sweet rose pedals with structure and finish
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Excellent bottle of wine! Wonderful nose presented immediately and blossomed after a one hour decant. Smooth silky tannins. No bricking at all. Ready to go, but seems as if it will be good for at least another decade.
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Dark, inky purple in color to the edge. Aroma of raspberry jam and red licorice. Tastes primarily hot, dominated by alcohol. Then cherry cough syrup, raspberry jam, mocha, smooth tannins. Viscous, with lots of body and well integrated oak. The label states 14% alcohol, but this has to be over 15%. New world in style, well made if somewhat unbalanced. Good for the vintage. The high alcohol is a flaw that lowers the score and makes this wine unpalatable for me. If you have a California palate, you'll probably score it higher.
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Delicious ! Tasted like a slightly younger version of a fantastic old bordeaux. Cab Franc is obvious but it was rich, well balanced, opulent if a bit exotic. My bottle was a 375 and of course for the current price, it had better be amazing. It had none of the tight wound tough flavors of other bordeaux opened too early. The blend works to perfection here. Delicious from a minute after opening till the last sip.
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Wow - what a wine. This has a lot of everything - dark fruit, chocolate, tobacco, licorice - and all of it wrapped in a nice and elegant structure.Drinks very well now.
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Beautiful wine, dark color, long finish, black fruit, black rasperry, chocolate, beautiful nose, medium to full body. Breathed for three hours, decanted for two of the three hours.
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Horizontale Bordeaux 2003: Horizontale 2003 Nez de pâtisseries aux bleuets, de liqueur de cassis, extrêmement moderne, qui fait beaucoup plus Américain ou Australien que Libournais. La bouche est également très moderne, assez concentrée, avec l’élégance… d’une paripatéticienne! C’est bien fait mais je n’aime pas du tout le style, je m’en lasserais au bout d’un verre. 89-91 pts
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Intense minerality followed by ripe, juicy black fruit, kirsch, black raspberry jam, currants and tobacco. Lush, opulent and exotic in the mouth, the wine finishes with plum, licorice and chocolate sensations. Give this wine another year or two.
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Very dark red brown almost black; deep intense powerful burnt nose; tannin clearly present but not overwhelming, lots of power and vigour while still being elegant in structure (not jammy); long aftertaste; seems very young and also a bit too burnt, perhaps time will solve the latter? All in all a very pleasant wine, however, the burntness reduces the score
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Starting to show its stuff. Very elegant and demur next to a few big cabs. Not that good at projecting into the future, but I think this has much higher scores ahead of it.
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Wow! If I didn't know better, I'd think that this from the Columbia Valley. I can, however, detect the Bordeaux elegance, that St. Emilion integrity and pedigree. Great use of oak, enthralling mocha, blackberry and tobacco. Nice finish and structured for aging. decanted for two hours. best from 2010 -
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Saturday Night Soiree (Chez Pelz): Tasted double blind; Med+ purple with a red rim. Dark fruit with classic cab aromas. Loads of dark fruit flavors and a bit of an overripe note. Slightly hot on the finish. Nice silky mouthfeel.
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Took a good hour to open up then was a super jammy bomb with really nice balance from initial blast through the finish. Needs a little more on the end, but a very nice wine.
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An interesting blend of new and old world to me. Big cab nose and lots of fruit, but with integrated tannins and the balance I associate with Bdx. Really really good.
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Popped, decanted and poured at Christini's in Orlando as the second wine course consumed by the four of us over a 3.5 hour meal. 75% Merlot, 25% Cab and a hint of Cab Franc. Yes, a bit tight at first but soon opened up to greatness. Garnet color, wide, pink halo, floral and berry nose, fantastic palate not only with outstanding flavor but elegant silky feel. Well integration and structure and a finish that lasted forever. Wines like this keep me drinking French alongside my Napa's!
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Very tight and closed right now, but it is giving a peak at its greatness. The nose is dominated by red fruits, anise, and licorice. The palate shows cherry and strawberry flavors framed by good acidity and gripping tannins. The finish is a little short dry, but I think that is just because of it's youth. Looking at the RP tasting notes, he describes the wine as having low acidity and a nose of blackberries...so we are a tad different on this one.
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Cracked to celebrate the birth of my son. Obviously infanticide (bad metaphor at this stage?) but thought it was worth a go. Tasted nice and fruity but tight at first. After 12 hours in vacuum seal it smells lovely and fruity and inviting, almost like a central coast pinot! Quite hot with the alcohol noticeable on the nose and none of the classic bordeaux secondary notes. On the palate it is a rich, quite alcoholic wine. Red Berry flavours with nice depth and well-done wood. I think this will probably grow into a beautifully balanced, if hot, wine but I think it will take years. At the moment it tastes almost new world.
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Saint Emilion 2006 Classification Tasting (FOF): Dark color with a brick red edge. Aromas of cherry and herbs, frail and elegant. The taste has sweet cherries, strawberry, herbs and some bitter chocolate. Strong tannins will take some time to integrate probably. A nice long aftertaste and good overall balance. This could be big later, but for now cellar it! Clasical style.
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Drank one for calibration purposes. Obviously this is wine is too young and for me not very enjoyable right now. Ruby red, clear and very concentrated with great legs. The nose is a disjointed mix of cassis, blackberries, sweet wood and with some medicinal notes. Very ripe but not singing for me yet, I have high hopes that the nose will develop and the disjointed parts come together. The palate is very mouthfilling, with ripe almost syrup like fruit, notes of strong (bitter) blackberries that again are not working for me tonight. The longish finish has fine drying tannins. The stuffing is here for a 95 point wine, but it is not at that level now and I agree with others that it probably should be left in the cellar until 2010 or later.
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A Sunday on LI with Diane and the "Gang" (diane's house): WOW a very generous baby-slaughter by Dave! this is a wine one MUST trust the critics on...because right now its a bit of a mess - less so that i expected though. the nose is TONS of kirsh, ripe berries and chocolate... but a VERY sweet and ripe nose, the middle on the other hand is not heavy at all, with good refreshing acidity, tobacco and leather. this creates a kind of tension at the present but with time? the finish os not long at this point either, with tons of delicous but powerfull tannins. if this wine comes together - and all the critics say it will - this will be a great wine and a BDX - nothing overly modern here except the expression of the vintage. i was impressed by the acidity and lighness of the middle.
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Muted garnet – not nearly a deep or vibrant as some of the others this evening. That said, the nose is incredibly complex – blowing away some of the other heavyweights tasted this evening. Fruit, wood, minerals and a wow factor for which words won’t do justice. It is incredible that a wine this young can be so complex. The palate does not disappoint – light on its feet but so intense – my mouth was awash in flavor. The flavors linger for over a minute – the best young wine I have tasted in a long time – ridiculously good. (19++)
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12/23/2023 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent. Our Christmas dinner wine. Served with Prime Rib roast. Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Nose a bit subdued upon opening. Medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel, well balanced. Palate was subdued initially as well mainly showing blackberry and mineral....but after about an hour and some swirling, prune and fig flavors emerged as well (a product of a warm year?). The Tannins are mostly resolved, medium finish. A lovely wine and we enjoyed it, just wished it had opened up more and had a tad more 'freshness' and complexity. I doubt it will improve with any more aging, but it shouldn't fall off a cliff either. Drink now with an hour decant or continue to hold for the short term.
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4/10/2023 - stepchoihk wrote: 90 Points
Slightly underwhelming to high expectations from a great aromas. A bit too light and airy taste and not much length. Expected more balance from the other notes. Perhaps a bad bottle.
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3/23/2023 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 91 Points
First impression with the nose in the glass was: this is the little brother of the Ornellaia 2004, but that spells trouble. There are those typical vegetable, celery root aromas in the glass (Cabernet franc in a hot year?) that dominate everything else. The wine is mid to full bodied, on the palate the tannins are fine and integrated, good structure, but you hardly find fruit aromas or some other tertiary aromas than the vegetable ones. The experience with the Ornellaia 2004 tells me, that this should not be an off-bottle (had 3-4 Ornellaias with the same character), but the taste is not everyones cup of tea, so it isn't mine. Very well made but FOR ME way too one-dimensional in the vegetable way (if you know what I mean) for higher rating. PnP, but the character stayed even until the next day... 91/100
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1/22/2023 - Marcosuru wrote: 94 Points
In a beautiful place right now
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12/11/2022 - hrazdiiv wrote:
I rarely don’t rate a bottle but I really sense something was off here. Right off the nose you could tell this was off:stewed fruits, no secondary elements and no evolution over the evening. We ended up finishing but not with enthusiasm. Notoriously hot vintage but I’ve had many other 2003 Bordeaux that were excellent. No other reviews seems to have had this happen, so I’ll chalk it up to faulty bottle (which was impeccably stored however) and move on. Curious to see if anyone else has a similar experience.
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10/10/2022 - 559Cheers wrote: 93 Points
Nice Saint Emilion profile. At good spot, umami nori, forest floor, leather, vanilla oak and vigorous fruit.
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9/15/2022 - hoservin wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black cherry, currant, tobacco, anise and forest floor. Cherry, currant, cigar box, graphite, forest floor and spice on the palate. Lingering finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with beef rouladen and spaetzle.
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7/10/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Clearly, drinking in its sweet spot, this medium-bodied wine is all about its silky, supple, rich textures that deliver its layers of opulent, ripe plums, tobacco leaf, spicy cherries, and a touch of dark chocolate and sea salt that comes in right at the perfect moment in the finish. There is no need to decant, just pop, pour and enjoy this beauty.
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3/3/2022 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
During a Commanderie event. From MAG. Induction wine for the candidates. Expressive nose of dark fruit, cooked fruit, prunes. Not unbalanced and not oxidative, which is good but as most 2003 right bank wines just a little unexciting due to the pruney fruit character and slightly drying finish.
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11/25/2021 - ctjared Likes this wine:
needs AT Least an hour of air
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10/10/2021 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby color. Full bodied. Excellent nose with dates, figs, plums - but also espresso and tar. Fantastic acidity, fruit very much still prominent; some spice, licorice, some vanilla on the ending. Feels still incredibly young with robust tannins still. Some more tobacco coming out. What a bottle!
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10/10/2021 - bucktooth22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium ruby, very fragrant wine with sweet cherries, light notes of leather. Medium dry, medium acidic , low to medium body, medium tannins present, ripe raspberry taste. Fruity, low alcoholic finish. Overall a balanced complex fragrance and slightly less complex taste.
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6/21/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Rich, round, luscious, opulent, ripe, deep red plums and cherries with smoke, espresso, licorice and crushed rock accents are showing at their peak today. No decanting needed. Just pop, pour and enjoy over the next decade.
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5/25/2021 - Mr T wrote:
This one was less pure
Ok but not freat
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2/19/2021 - soyhead wrote:
by this point it was late in the night and my ability to focus lessened. I recall finding this confected and rich, reminiscent of something that come out of Napa. Would happily retry before forming any conclusions, but I suspect I'd be mor of a fan of other years.
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2/14/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 91 Points
Another bottle with dry crumbly cork. Wine thankfully in decent shape though typical stewed character of the vintage. A touch spikey on finish but relaxed and easy enough - not one I’d be searching for again and think the year is detrimental to the wine and I don’t mind richer, rounder styles. It’s like the chateau just didn’t deal with the heat so well.
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1/30/2021 - PJT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackberry with some meat and herbs on the nose. Blackberry on the palate with cedar notes lingering on the finish. A nicely balanced wine. Some dry tannins on the finish.
Day two wine was slightly better having opened a bit more. Blackberry and dark fruit was more prominent and tannins had softened. A very nice wine.
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10/15/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Baked blackberry jam; supple fruit; tannic; softened and opened after 2 hours; sweet raspberry finish.
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10/14/2020 - Mr T wrote:
Really enjoyed this night 1 PNP straight from the cellar and pretty well balanced flavors. On night 2 (wine stored overnight in fridge with cork in), wine was drunk at room temp and less well balanced and delightful as felt heavier and less well-balanced. No reason to hold longer and try to drink this closer to cellar temp
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9/5/2020 - uve wrote: 90 Points
Nice enough claret - definitely mature. Saint-Emilion - so merlot dominant.
Still plenty fruity on the nose - plums, prunes, and can tell there’s good concentration there.
Typical Bordeaux cigar box flavours, still lots of oak giving strong vanilla flavours, and cassis. Fairly long on the finish but would benefit more integration and complexity.
Absolutely fine and if it was selling for a third of the price, I’d recommend. I suspect this is an over-ripe vintage and would like a chance to try another year.
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7/13/2020 - Mr T wrote:
Yum
Excellent over 2 nights. Wine is good to go after 1-2 hours in decanter with ripe fruit soft merlot... tannin not an issue. Not sure about further complexity
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7/12/2020 - phgnan wrote: 93 Points
2 hours of decanting. Incredible complexity and intensity on the nose with red fruit (black cherry, raspberry), dark fruit and smoked. Much more balanced in the mouth where tobacco, undergrowth and cedar are added. Extended final.
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6/7/2020 - tbabes wrote: 88 Points
Double decanted an hour before dinner, fill was into the neck and the cork pristine. Murky purple core turning towards garnet at the rim. Notes of black cherry, mocha, balsamic, and hints of smoke. Medium to full bodied, viscous, round texture, but lacking in freshness, delineation, and balance.
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5/24/2020 - munsua13 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Bouquet first gave off strong primary red berry notes - raspberries and cherries. After a few hours the wine turned more hedonistic displaying notes of cinnamon, wild red juniper, gunpowder and hints of cardamom. Tannins were soft and incredibly well integrated. I just wanted to smell this wine all night. So forward and giving. Highly recommend +++
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3/6/2020 - stoneb Likes this wine:
Decanted for 30 minutes before dinner and needed more; started to come around after 90 minutes, but it was largely consumed by then. No score as I never really gave this a chance to show its stuff.
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12/27/2019 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dekantert. Meget pen, også dag 2.
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12/26/2019 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had this with prime rib. This was from magnum and took several hours to show its best. Delicious aged bordeaux with loads of graphite, well integrated tannin, cigar. Muted fruit.
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12/23/2019 - tbabes wrote: 95 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped and poured. Much better than a bottle consumed a last year, with notes of ripe plums, blackberry, mocha, and hints of campfire. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, great concentration, and a long finish. The 2003 vintage character shines through, but in a very positive fashion.
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10/16/2019 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
I think this is about expectations. If you are used to "traditional" Bordeaux, this is going to seem very ripe, because it was clearly made from very ripe grapes. If you drink a lot of New World wines made with Bordeaux grapes, this will be very Bordeaux-like. Ripe black cherries front the wine, but for all the ripeness, it is not thick or even particularly rich in texture, as the acid makes it sharp. Green tobacco and herbs mix in with the fruit, with smoked meat lingering in the aftertaste. Tannins are drying despite the juicy fruit. Not woody at all, which is what really distinguishes the wine from a typical well-made California wine. I drink a lot of California cabs, and this was not New World to me. Blind, I might have guessed Tuscan, although a ripe vintage of Bordeaux would have been a close second. An interesting hybrid of sorts. I quite enjoyed it.
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8/11/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Roasted cherries, plums, licorice, herbs, smoke and hints of espresso bean fill the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky and lush. With no decanting, this is showing great. There is not much to gain with further aging. So if you have been waiting for the right time, pop a cork.
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8/8/2019 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful raspberry, strawberry, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, cherry, currants, and some darker berry fruit, with notes of plum and something earthy on the medium to long finish, with light tannins and good acidity. This shows the heat of the year, but only if you are looking for it. Although this smelled glorious, the palate didn't quite live up to the raised expectations. It's ready to drink now, but there's no hurry.
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6/8/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I haven't had this wine since 2015, so it was great to revisit it over 4 years later to see how it had evolved. This is drinking in a really good place right now. While it certainly can go for another 10+ years, why wait? This is built in a more new world style of right bank wine with plenty of fruit concentration, noticeable herbaceous from the Cab. Franc, and a very long smooth finish. The nose needed some coaxing from the glass, but it got better after 1 hour in the decanter. While more new world in style, I did not detect any over-ripeness that one might expect from the 2003 vintage. This is now in its drinking window and is lovely, especially when paired with a good piece of meat.
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5/19/2019 - hoservin wrote: flawed
Corked
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4/22/2019 - blanquito wrote: 87 Points
From 375... Bouquet shows camphor, cassis reduction, and a touch of stewed fruit. The palate is quite roasted, even a touch burnt with more of that boiled-down cassis essence. On the good side, here’s plenty of juiciness and the palate impact isn’t heavy, but these grapes were (apparently) harvested much too late. Port-like notes (not something I want in my table wine) emerge with air. Not much to get excited about here, but quaffable.
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4/5/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic roasted flavors from the hot vintage but plenty of freshness and power. Dark red fruits are accompanied by notes of roasted nuts and minerals with excellent complexity on the finish. A warm and inviting wine that is ready to drink now. Served with lunch at the Chateau with the family Thienpont.
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3/28/2019 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a good 15 year this excellent SE is reaching its drinking window, which should last a good decade. Concentrated, red fruit nose. Medium to full bodied, complex, elegant, with nice dark berry aromas, underpinned by subtle cask, liquorice, nuts, some herbal notes, pine and camphor in the long finish. Truly rewarding.
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3/26/2019 - ctjared Likes this wine:
cassis !! needs at least 3o minutes of air. very nice
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3/3/2019 - pgm wrote: 90 Points
Nice mineral notes of wet stones on the nose, with black currant in the background. It’s got elegance and balance, but the fruit need a more power to make it exceptional.
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1/26/2019 - PMJak11 wrote: 91 Points
One word describes this: okay. Dark red color. Decanted for 30+ minutes but I would try much much longer. Nose has tar and cherries in it. Wine is very reserved with a little medicine flavor on top of the cherries. Medium finish. Maybe my expectations were too high, but no depth to this guy. Better wines at this price point.
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1/22/2019 - Mbad77 wrote: 92 Points
Unexpectedly rich and fruit driven. Immediately though Californian Cab and see others have thought similarly. It opens and changes with plenty of air but remains very enjoyable even given it’s not typically classical.
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11/15/2018 - tbabes wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured; the fill was into the neck and the cork was sound. Purple ruby core with some bricking at the rim. Notes of super ripe plums, campfire, mocha, and hints of black truffle. Had a bit of a stewed / cooked character; initial scents reminded me of the '03 Clos Fourtet, which is not a compliment! Medium bodied, with a velvety texture, good depth, and a long finish.
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7/9/2018 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love when people make new world style wines in Bordeaux! Lots of fruit, very ripe, but elegant. Very good.
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5/14/2018 - LARich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredibly balanced and in a great place now. But no rush at alll.
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2/22/2018 - Mr T wrote:
I'm with Jeff Leve on this one. "classic" Bordeaux? No, not really, but it's delicious to drink and I'm just fine with the ripeness and hybirid style. I'm not sure it gets a lot better although the finish is still a little rough and some more time probably tames last bit of tannin but you likely lose a little fruit as well. Great right here right now
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2/2/2018 - ctjared Likes this wine:
still good fruit here
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1/4/2018 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet and lush. Not a Bordeaux! More like a Napa. Heavy on alcohol. Not as complex as recent shafer 1.5 we had.
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12/14/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
What a beauty! That is, if you like luscious, ripe, opulent, sensuously textured fruits backed up by flowers, plums, truffles, chocolate, smoke, figs, espresso and stone. The texture is just beautiful. You can age this for longer, if you prefer more secondary nuances, but I am really digging how this is tasting today. Popped and poured from a decanted, this continued improving in the glass.
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12/1/2017 - akim_hobo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep ruby. Opulent nose of earth, plums, prune, dark berries, flowers, game. Surprisingly lithe on the palate low acid, medium body, med- tannins. Medium finish. I'd drink this now
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11/4/2017 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 94 Points
This needed about an hour in the decanter to start to strut its stuff. A dark blackberry, cassis and truffle driven nose that leads way to an expressive, palate coating mouthful of ripe black cherry licorice along with a mineral streak that lingers. Quite good and I’d say no rush on this 2003.
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10/29/2017 - ctjared Likes this wine:
quite a lot of fruit here still. a mix of red and dark, but a touch more red than I though would be here. drinking very nicely.
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10/8/2017 - Frank Schneider wrote: 93 Points
This is no bordeaux !!!!! This is a big modern wine with freshness and structure !!! But definetly no bordeaux !!!! Anyway i liked it. Wont improve so drink up
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6/14/2017 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had its moments but proved why I'm waiting on the 03s. Presents modern style now - fruit and tannin w/o integration and length.
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5/30/2017 - WineDilletante Does not like this wine: 84 Points
I am being generous with the score as this vintage is turning to be somewhat of a disaster for the Right Bank. This wine is unbalanced, to put it mildly. Wildly alcoholic, yet terribly flat--the worst of both worlds. The nose is big, makes you think of a powerful wine, yet the palate is bland, bland, bland. Maybe this will magically improve with age but I doubt it somehow as I gave it over 1 1/2 h in the decanter. In one word, terrible, and this comes from a fan of the 98 and 2000 Pavie Macquin.
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4/25/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 80 Points
A very, very different Bordeaux, I do not think I have ever had anything similar. Lots of dark, sweet fruit, raisins and figs, with lots of alcohol. This is like drinking a port. Not for me.
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4/2/2017 - paulst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light nose; velvety; disjointed; some blackberry; merlot; medium finish; give it time.
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3/5/2017 - ctjared Does not like this wine: flawed
corked??
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1/27/2017 - Orgel Likes this wine:
Drank with Mike and Anne Keeney at Ruth's excellent wine. The Graves joined us but drank Jack Daniels
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1/18/2017 - jusuf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Filigree. A little weaker on the palate than on the nose. But round and polished anyway. For the ones that like the more filigree Bordeaux.
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12/26/2016 - Frank Schneider wrote: 94 Points
Mature and full bodied charming bordeaux !!!! A point !!! Ready to rumble ! Drink drink drink !!!!!!
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8/22/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Fresh flowers, licorice, barbecue smoke, crushed rocks and black cherry liqueur aromatics do not take long to reveal their essence. Luscious textured, fresh, juicy, dark red, sweet, juicy dark chocolate covered plums feel great on your palate. This is drinking great now. An hour in the decanter seems to be all this beauty needed. That being said, this is showing even better in the glass. This is an outstanding hedonistic treat!
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4/25/2016 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 97 Points
Went so well with cheeses. Soft brillat saverin and cheddar. Crowd favorite over Chateau Pavie 2003. Great finish. At a good point. Will last longer but so good now.
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3/28/2016 - CAQC wrote: 91 Points
Lovely nose with great integration of berry and earth notes. BUT I think given the price you can find a better overall wine elsewhere in the right bank. For instance, the slightly more expensive Chateau Figeac is definitely worth it.
I'm wondering if there was something a little off with this wine, there was an odd small bitter tin taste at the back of the palate. ???
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3/3/2016 - Percy_K Likes this wine: 90 Points
First St. Emilion of the evening, followed by a 2000 Canon-la-Gaffeliere. Robust red and black fruit aromas, coupled with elegant floral notes on the nose with virtually no vegetal elements. Ripe (almost jammy) fruit with medium+ acidity and extremely soft/silky tannins. Medium finish. Decanted for ~1 hour but was quite enjoyable and very approachable immediately upon opening. Drink up now.
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1/20/2016 - drjb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent experience with this one - delicious slightly exotic nose of plums, cherries, dark chocolate, truffle and charcoal. Palate quite dense with touches of fig with plenty of plum,cherry and chocolate. Finishes with very good length and fine tannin structure without bitterness.
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12/25/2015 - Oskiwawa wrote: 91 Points
Opened and decanted in the bottle for 5 hours. Poured into a decanted for one hour
Rich saturated dark red color
Alcohol and heat on the nose initially. Bing cherry and blackberry palate
Still quite primary. Jammy rich fruit. True to the Pavie Macquin style. Hard to drink more than one or two glasses of this one. Will wait 3-5 years for the next bottle. Will be interesting to see how this develops.
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11/24/2015 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs a long decant. Somewhat new world in this vintage. Very dark, a bit rough with earthy flavors. Improving with air (decanted for 3 hours). Medium length finish. Some chocolate, burned wood, earth notes. Good acidity.
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10/29/2015 - nectar14 Likes this wine:
From our anniversary year, this was a real treat. Might not be recognized as Bordeaux if inserted into a blind tasting of California Cabs. Dense, dark red cherry, somewhat medicinal but not at all unpleasant. Mint and chocolate present also. Very long finish. Delicious, rich and hearty. I'd score about 93
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10/18/2015 - Mr T wrote:
Not sure I ever quite got this one right
Didn't really pair with early courses and when I got to steak not sure.
I guess a lot overripe and not quite balanced
Maybe needs decant
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9/6/2015 - Miceri Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very dark with orange rim; slightly burned light caramel notes, a bit sharp; very powerful, somewhat burning, drying finish, burned caramel notes; seems unbalanced and unlikely to improve further; drink up
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8/21/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome. Really hitting now. Went well with the steaks.
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8/21/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous wine, very 2003 in style and has picked up a few secondary notes. Medium-full bodied, rich red fruit mid palate. Long finish. Nice bottle!
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7/3/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
In the right place, at the right time, this winner focuses you on its earthy, floral, licorice and sweet fruits in the nose with no trouble. However, it really gets going on the palate, with its opulent, silky textures and lushly textured fruits.
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3/1/2015 - drjb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Numerical scores don't define the simple joy that this wine is with an exuberant nose of plums, cherry, blackcurrant, spice and earth followed by a very rich yet balanced satin palate of just good old fashioned fun ! I suspect we'll enjoy every bottle and mourn the passing of the last bottle of the case when the time comes !
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2/27/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is just a pup and needs more time in the cellar. However, I'm not sure the overripeness from the 2003 hot vintage will evolve as gracefully as I hope this wine will allow. There is definitely a touch of stewed blackberries on the nose and finish. The finish is grippy, but does go on for 30+ seconds once the tannin grip lets go. For a wine dominated by Merlot, I am surprised how thick and viscous it is. The rating I gave is more where it is today, but I hope to score it higher in 5 years when I open other bottles.
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2/17/2015 - LARich wrote: 94 Points
Very drinkable, smooth tannins
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2/14/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Fresh, silky, soft and packed with a mineral driven core of sweet, ripe cherries, plum, earth, licorice and smoke. Popped and poured, the continued betting better in the glass. This charmer is very easy to drink the minute the you pop the cork. It could get better, but it's so good now, why wait?
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1/24/2015 - benny wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour drank over two. Complex aromas of raspberry and flowers. Still young. Seemed like more than 2% Cab Franc. Full bodied and smooth as velvet on the long finish. Drink or hold.
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1/18/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
This is very pleasant if unexciting at this point. Dark fruits on the nose with just a touch of vanilla. Some notions of underbrush. The palate is smooth and slick. Not a hair out of place on this one. Nice berries. Just a hint of pencil lead. Smooth from beginning to pleasant end.
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11/27/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Suffered a bit compared to the 99 HB consumed just prior, so tough and perhaps unfair comps. This seemed a bit simple and sweet in comparison. A good wine, but tough company.
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10/31/2014 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A pleasant surprise. I was afraid of a right banker in this hot vintage, but there was enough structure to offset the roasted fruit. Tannins are firm.
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10/11/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 94 Points
Performed exactly as hoped for Pat's party. Nice combination of ripe fruit, complexity and smooth, easy going style. Nothing but positive comments from the guests. Perfect for a high end but crowd pleasing wine.
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9/28/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Rich, ripe, modern style wine. Drinking well n a crowd-pleasing style.
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9/11/2014 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Needs air and then silky tannins.
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8/23/2014 - Yme wrote:
Oak, black & red berries with hints of leather and mint on the nose & palate. Quite high tannins which are still integrating. Noticeable alcohol burn. Still very young for our palate.
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6/7/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
In a fantastic drinking window. Notes of cassis, raspberry and fresh plowed earth on the nose. Silky smooth in the mouth, this wine is right at its peak. Delicious!
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5/9/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 86 Points
Fruity blackberry on nose; potential; young; fruit; tannic; needs time (I hope).
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3/7/2014 - ctjared wrote:
seems to be a lot of bottle variation with this stuff. some is amazing and some is very disappointing.
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2/5/2014 - ctjared Does not like this wine:
might be skunked
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1/7/2014 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Big wine. Lots of fruit and soft tannins.
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1/2/2014 - Coffeecup Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm in love with this wine. Breathed 3 hours, decanted for the last 2 hours and it continued to open throughout dinner. There's a soft, elegant, and lovely bouquet, medium finish, black fruit, a jammy taste of black fruit, chocolate, a touch of mint. This is one special wine! Can't wait to enjoy again,
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1/1/2014 - kopatrota wrote: 93 Points
vin magnifique
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12/21/2013 - Toro Nero wrote: 95 Points
Deep, dark garnet in color. The nose is formidable with smoke, tar, and cedar. When I first decanted this, I also was getting aromas of mushroom soup, bordelaise sauce, and reduced veal stock. The wine is highly extracted, with a muscular frame supporting the dark berry flavors; boysenberry jam, spiced blackberry compote, and hints of tobacco, black tea, and savory cured sausage. With extended time in the glass, vegetal flavors develop, showing an edge of green pepper. Tannins are softened, but still firm enough to hint at what will develop over a little more time. The medium finish shows sweeter flavors of dried plum and dried cherry and baking spices. An extremely complex and enjoyable wine; drink now to enjoy. If you have some inventory, this will interesting to try in another 3-5 years.
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12/18/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Fresh, sweet, sexy and silky, the wine is filled with ripe, fresh, velvety fruit. There is no reason to wait to pop cork. This is one of the better 2003 St. Emilion wines.
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10/11/2013 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: In the bouquet chocolate, cassis, smoke, cedar and also some metal impressions. On the palate everything from the bouquet comes back. There is some tea as well. Very ripe black fruits and a touch of alcohol. Overall a lush wine that improves considerably with more airtime. The acidity is ok and the tannin is soft and has a firm bite. Although drinking nice now, it will probably improve a bit with more cellar time. Wait until around 2015?
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10/11/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 90 Points
Rijp fruit en mineralen in de geur. Een correct glas, maar niet spannend.
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9/29/2013 - bonedocnine wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine from the right bank in the this very hot year. The wine is nicely structured and not over cooked as many. The tannins are softening now and the drinking window is opening up. The cab franc is evident lifting the merlot with its structure.
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9/22/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Very dark red. Reluctant nose of ripe plums, a little leather. Very ripe and rich, a product of both the modern style of wine making and the very hot weather in 2003. Tasty in its way, but not a style I prefer these days. Would be a great crowd-pleaser I'd guess, though a bit expensive for a party wine. I doubt it will make old bones, so I won't cellar this for the long term.
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9/7/2013 - j@$0n p€++y wrote: 88 Points
Overripe, roasted and pruney, not my cup of tea. Drink up!
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6/25/2013 - mattyboy_ Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Overripe. This 2003 vintage is a bit of a landmine for the right bank. Unbalanced, jammy and alcoholic. Settles down a bit in decanter but this just wasn't pleasurable to drink. Palate becomes fatigued.
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6/2/2013 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 88 Points
Overripe nose, never fully blew off. Taste was also hints of plums, overripe fruit. I'm not sure if this was an off bottle or representative, but if the latter, a miss in this vintage. Note-others at the tasting liked better than I and I usually like P-M under Derenoncourt, but not this time
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5/7/2013 - igaf wrote:
Shiny, med deep ruby, very youthful. Interesting, intense nose, cassis, truffle, tobacco. Sweetish, med+ body. Complex, interesting, but the sweetness is a bit disturbing. Moderate length.
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5/6/2013 - JimN Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has settled down considerably since tasting four years ago, with smooth, sexy tannins. Not much complexity here, or I would give it a higher score. Very pleasurable, but not especially interesting. I don't think it has the drinking window that was projected upon release.
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4/27/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Right Bank Bordeaux Tasting; 4/27/2013-5/5/2013 (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): Decanted 3.5 hours. This was wonderful upfront and fell apart after a few hours. Cherry, blueberries, beef, plum and minerals. Complex wine and long finish. This needs a good decant upfront but consume. Don't go too long in glass and you will be pleased. I would consume this wine on the young side.
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4/27/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Big Bordeaux V: Stars of the Right Bank - St. Emilion (including '96 Cheval, '98 Ausone and Pavie, '90 Troplong, '98 d'Yquem and more) (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Purple color. 3 hour decant, drank 1 glass over 2+ hours. Nose is dense and fruity, blueberries, blackberries, vanilla, kirsch, pencil lead, spice, raspberry. The palate is immensely concentrated, full bodied, and layered, while clearly retaining its elegance. Dark raspberry, tart acids, black and blue fruits, tobacco, pencil lead, and a long finish round this out. Pretty amazing stuff right now and I can't wait to see where this is in another 5-10 years.
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4/22/2013 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
From 375. Very interesting nose, which is something I rarely thing about Bordeaux. Some mint, raisins, plum, licorice, and beef are among the notes in there. The palate is big and sweet with more raisin notes, chocolate, and a little raw beef. Long and interesting but a bit muddled because everything is so intense. I little time won't hurt it.
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4/13/2013 - larsth wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, plums, red and dark berries, licorice. Very easy to drink now if a bit one-dimensional compared to earlier.
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3/22/2013 - Yiannis wrote: 92 Points
Dark garnet. Sweet, plummy and somewhat port-like nose with black currants, dried raisins, vanilla and anise. Full-bodied and velvety-textured with moderate acidity and a long aftertaste. The fruit is somewhat overripe but not to a degree of being stewed. A typical example of the vintage. At peak.
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3/13/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Nose is still a bit closed, suggesting a little more cellar time might be warranted. Popped and poured, so a decant might help. Rich, smooth palate. P liked. Tasty, but I'd like a bit more complexity, which time might provide.
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12/31/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Smoke, black raspberry, jam, charcoal, licorice, coffee, caramel, stone and fresh herbs with a hint of mint create the aromatics. The wine is rich, concentrated, and opulent, ending with a thick wave of sweet, velvety, chocolate covered boysenberries. This is a hedonistic style of St. Emilion that hits all the right spots for pleasure seekers
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8/2/2012 - Vin Lover wrote: 93 Points
Very good effort in a hot year. On the nose displays various of spices, cinnamon, dried herbs, dark plum, black cherry and some dark chocolate flavours that subtlety binds together, with pungent alcohol kicks. Good acidity, dense & layered wine with silky smooth texture thanks to its fine tannins. Nice complexity as well with dominant flavours including plum, black cherry, sweet cinnamon spice, liquorice and some powdery oaky chocolate notes at the back - long and persistent finish. Suprisingly good balance thanks to the very impressive freshness in the wine.
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7/20/2012 - drjb wrote: 94 Points
Deep crimson color. Nose rich complex raspberry/kirsch with chocolate and cream character. Palate rich round fruit character with slight touch of stalkiness. Long fine finish : delicious but still to benefit from age. Lots of flavour.
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6/16/2012 - pikemasterflash wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely delicious. Fresh would be the best word to describe this wine. This wine reminded me of an '89 Forts de Latour. Light, sweet rose pedals with structure and finish
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5/4/2012 - King JR wrote: 95 Points
Excellent bottle of wine! Wonderful nose presented immediately and blossomed after a one hour decant. Smooth silky tannins. No bricking at all. Ready to go, but seems as if it will be good for at least another decade.
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4/19/2012 - Lipsman wrote: 90 Points
Dark, inky purple in color to the edge. Aroma of raspberry jam and red licorice. Tastes primarily hot, dominated by alcohol. Then cherry cough syrup, raspberry jam, mocha, smooth tannins. Viscous, with lots of body and well integrated oak. The label states 14% alcohol, but this has to be over 15%. New world in style, well made if somewhat unbalanced. Good for the vintage. The high alcohol is a flaw that lowers the score and makes this wine unpalatable for me. If you have a California palate, you'll probably score it higher.
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4/1/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Corked. A shame, as the underlying fruit seemed as though it would have been fantastic without the flaw.
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3/23/2012 - ben2e Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious ! Tasted like a slightly younger version of a fantastic old bordeaux. Cab Franc is obvious but it was rich, well balanced, opulent if a bit exotic. My bottle was a 375 and of course for the current price, it had better be amazing. It had none of the tight wound tough flavors of other bordeaux opened too early. The blend works to perfection here. Delicious from a minute after opening till the last sip.
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1/21/2012 - larsth wrote: 95 Points
Wow - what a wine. This has a lot of everything - dark fruit, chocolate, tobacco, licorice - and all of it wrapped in a nice and elegant structure.Drinks very well now.
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1/13/2012 - Coffeecup wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine, dark color, long finish, black fruit, black rasperry, chocolate, beautiful nose, medium to full body. Breathed for three hours, decanted for two of the three hours.
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1/2/2011 - Haut Brion Likes this wine:
***.5
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12/16/2010 - madia wrote: 93 Points
Chateau Lynch Bages & Chateau Pavie Macquin Testing (Wine Route Tel Aviv): Wonderful smoky nose with ripe fruits and chocolate. Excellent in the palate too, medium to full bodied, sweet and dominant tannins, very good acidity. Excellent structure and very elegant (200$)
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12/16/2010 - Yagil Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Chateau Lynch-Bages & Chateau Pavie-Macquin vertical tasting (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): flat non-impressive aroma;
fruity taste, too burned, rich, full-bodied
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8/26/2010 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Horizontale Bordeaux 2003: Horizontale 2003
Nez de pâtisseries aux bleuets, de liqueur de cassis, extrêmement moderne, qui fait beaucoup plus Américain ou Australien que Libournais. La bouche est également très moderne, assez concentrée, avec l’élégance… d’une paripatéticienne! C’est bien fait mais je n’aime pas du tout le style, je m’en lasserais au bout d’un verre. 89-91 pts
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6/25/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Intense minerality followed by ripe, juicy black fruit, kirsch, black raspberry jam, currants and tobacco. Lush, opulent and exotic in the mouth, the wine finishes with plum, licorice and chocolate sensations. Give this wine another year or two.
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4/16/2010 - Miceri wrote: 93 Points
Very dark red brown almost black; deep intense powerful burnt nose; tannin clearly present but not overwhelming, lots of power and vigour while still being elegant in structure (not jammy); long aftertaste; seems very young and also a bit too burnt, perhaps time will solve the latter? All in all a very pleasant wine, however, the burntness reduces the score
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9/27/2009 - JimN wrote: 92 Points
Starting to show its stuff. Very elegant and demur next to a few big cabs. Not that good at projecting into the future, but I think this has much higher scores ahead of it.
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8/16/2009 - Matt Scott wrote: 96 Points
Wow! If I didn't know better, I'd think that this from the Columbia Valley. I can, however, detect the Bordeaux elegance, that St. Emilion integrity and pedigree. Great use of oak, enthralling mocha, blackberry and tobacco. Nice finish and structured for aging. decanted for two hours. best from 2010 -
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8/15/2009 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
Saturday Night Soiree (Chez Pelz): Tasted double blind; Med+ purple with a red rim. Dark fruit with classic cab aromas. Loads of dark fruit flavors and a bit of an overripe note. Slightly hot on the finish. Nice silky mouthfeel.
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3/31/2009 - TT2000 wrote: 91 Points
Very tight but solid drop.
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2/7/2009 - Clarkmeister wrote: 96 Points
The best bottle of this yet. Just so balanced and awesome. Almost gave it a 97.
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1/14/2009 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
Awesome. Tons of stuffing, great finish.
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12/13/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 91 Points
Took a good hour to open up then was a super jammy bomb with really nice balance from initial blast through the finish. Needs a little more on the end, but a very nice wine.
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11/20/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
An interesting blend of new and old world to me. Big cab nose and lots of fruit, but with integrated tannins and the balance I associate with Bdx. Really really good.
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10/17/2008 - DTWOB wrote: 95 Points
Popped, decanted and poured at Christini's in Orlando as the second wine course consumed by the four of us over a 3.5 hour meal. 75% Merlot, 25% Cab and a hint of Cab Franc. Yes, a bit tight at first but soon opened up to greatness. Garnet color, wide, pink halo, floral and berry nose, fantastic palate not only with outstanding flavor but elegant silky feel. Well integration and structure and a finish that lasted forever. Wines like this keep me drinking French alongside my Napa's!
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5/29/2008 - mortenef wrote: 91 Points
Really neat wine. Pretty fruit, balanced with great silky mouthfeel. Popped and poured. Might gain a point with decanting....
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4/17/2008 - Employee500 wrote: 90 Points
I'm not convinced by this one....Despite obviously impressive fruit, it's disjointed, oaky and slightly hot.
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1/28/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 93 Points
Very tight and closed right now, but it is giving a peak at its greatness. The nose is dominated by red fruits, anise, and licorice. The palate shows cherry and strawberry flavors framed by good acidity and gripping tannins. The finish is a little short dry, but I think that is just because of it's youth. Looking at the RP tasting notes, he describes the wine as having low acidity and a nose of blackberries...so we are a tad different on this one.
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11/15/2007 - Pacherant wrote: 92 Points
Cracked to celebrate the birth of my son. Obviously infanticide (bad metaphor at this stage?) but thought it was worth a go. Tasted nice and fruity but tight at first. After 12 hours in vacuum seal it smells lovely and fruity and inviting, almost like a central coast pinot! Quite hot with the alcohol noticeable on the nose and none of the classic bordeaux secondary notes. On the palate it is a rich, quite alcoholic wine. Red Berry flavours with nice depth and well-done wood. I think this will probably grow into a beautifully balanced, if hot, wine but I think it will take years. At the moment it tastes almost new world.
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11/5/2007 - mulder38 wrote: 95 Points
WOW! Can´t be better? I think not. Very good to drink. Opened the bottle 2h before. One of my wine highlightes in 2007.
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1/30/2007 - Morten Kiernan wrote: 95 Points
FOF tasting course - Store vinoplevelser 3; 1/30/2007-2/27/2007 (Copenhagen): strong healthy wine, great bouquet, even better taste, well balanced with the fruit coming throuhg the tannins and acidity well. Slight licorise taste. Best of the evening.
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1/30/2007 - Terkel wrote: 93 Points
Saint Emilion 2006 Classification Tasting (FOF): Dark color with a brick red edge. Aromas of cherry and herbs, frail and elegant. The taste has sweet cherries, strawberry, herbs and some bitter chocolate. Strong tannins will take some time to integrate probably. A nice long aftertaste and good overall balance. This could be big later, but for now cellar it! Clasical style.
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9/30/2006 - llink wrote:
Drank one for calibration purposes. Obviously this is wine is too young and for me not very enjoyable right now.
Ruby red, clear and very concentrated with great legs. The nose is a disjointed mix of cassis, blackberries, sweet wood and with some medicinal notes. Very ripe but not singing for me yet, I have high hopes that the nose will develop and the disjointed parts come together. The palate is very mouthfilling, with ripe almost syrup like fruit, notes of strong (bitter) blackberries that again are not working for me tonight. The longish finish has fine drying tannins. The stuffing is here for a 95 point wine, but it is not at that level now and I agree with others that it probably should be left in the cellar until 2010 or later.
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9/29/2006 - 939wine wrote: 95 Points
New Plaltz B&B Labor day 06
full rich balanced soft berrys great long finish
top 10
purchased Wine Library
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8/20/2006 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
A Sunday on LI with Diane and the "Gang" (diane's house): WOW a very generous baby-slaughter by Dave! this is a wine one MUST trust the critics on...because right now its a bit of a mess - less so that i expected though. the nose is TONS of kirsh, ripe berries and chocolate... but a VERY sweet and ripe nose, the middle on the other hand is not heavy at all, with good refreshing acidity, tobacco and leather. this creates a kind of tension at the present but with time? the finish os not long at this point either, with tons of delicous but powerfull tannins. if this wine comes together - and all the critics say it will - this will be a great wine and a BDX - nothing overly modern here except the expression of the vintage. i was impressed by the acidity and lighness of the middle.
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3/3/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
Muted garnet – not nearly a deep or vibrant as some of the others this evening. That said, the nose is incredibly complex – blowing away some of the other heavyweights tasted this evening. Fruit, wood, minerals and a wow factor for which words won’t do justice. It is incredible that a wine this young can be so complex. The palate does not disappoint – light on its feet but so intense – my mouth was awash in flavor. The flavors linger for over a minute – the best young wine I have tasted in a long time – ridiculously good. (19++)
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