Better than the last bottle. Improves with air, even on the following day, so give it air! Will be a long runner! I like the 2002-vintage, especially on the left side. I think, it is underestimated compared to 2001. You can find nice and typical aromas of wet earth and leaves, cigar box, some pepper-notes are also there. It was better on day 2, where even fruit notes of blackcurrant appeared. All in all good stuff for the price that will make fun at least over the next decade...
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good mid-neck level and long cork, decanted 2+ hours, still quite youthful, almost opaque black-red colour, no real brown even at the rim, remarkable for age, fine, elegant, rich cassis sweet-fruit nose, inland St Julien fruit richness, very good for the vintage, palate of medium weight but with rich fruit depth and concentration, some hints of hardness / underripe character of the less than stellar vintage but overall really very good, the scores have been creeping up which suggests it is still not at its apogee in keeping with the still youthful colour, more in the cellar so this is welcome, purchase price en primeur was very reasonable so top QPR
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Nice wine! Gave it 1 hour of slow ox. Approachable, aromas of black fruit compared with just a little touch of tertiary notes. Would deserve a better score if there wouldn‘t be this note of Chlorine in the background which Did not fade within 3 hours. Overall very nice wine just at the beginning of its prime window.
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Excellent. Notes of cassis better and leather on thr nose. Mint and leather, cinnamon and spices with a medium finish and light tannins. Had w pot roast w Will and Deb.
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Overall: enjoyable, if not overly complex, well integrated and balanced left-bank that is not over the hill yet
Appearance: dark ruby, opaque, no bricking or earth tones
Nose: dark fruit - blackberries - with some spices like clove; underpinned by some leather; some sage/green herb notes as well
Palate: this is such a balanced wine - fruit (blackberry) in balance with the tannins (medium, largely resolved), in balance with the acid (medium) in balance with darker tertiary notes. I can’t say it’s ridiculously complex or anything but it’s so balanced it makes me want to keep drinking it.
Finish: long, dry, tannins are velvety
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13% alcohol. The cork is long but soft, and it is imbibed a quarter of the way. Decanted an hour ahead. Deep colour with remarkably little thinning at the rim for a twenty years old wine; no bricking whatsoever. The nose has intense blackcurrant rounded with spices and leather, pretty classy; no direct oak influence. The mouth is a step behind on account of a certain amount of austerity, nothing exaggerated, but maybe more reminiscent of Estèphe than Julien (let's keep the saints out of it, I don't see this as a church matter); still very enjoyable if you like wines with more grip than easy charm. Likely to live on for ten years at least, but I am less sure about softening up (never mind, there are other wines for that...). A classic Médoc and a useful reminder of the style of yesteryear's Bordeaux. I like it.
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13% alcohol. The cork is of good quality (very elastic rather than dense) but not that long; at most 4mm of wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. Deep colour with some thinning but absolutely no bricking at the rim. Complete and complex mature nose with mixed dark fruit and the onset of tertiary aromas. Even better in the mouth where perfect acidity gives structure to the wine in the absence of the now resolved tannins; superb mouthfeel and no perception of oak. Elegant and a bit more red fruited than on the nose.
Another highly successful 2002 from the Northern Médoc, with a nearly unmentionable price at the time. Having had many similarly balanced wines, one wonders why anybody would be looking for more alcohol in a Bordeaux. At maturity now, but nowhere near decline.
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This drinks after a 90 minute decant and improves for hours. The nose is better than the palate. It definitely is on the cool fruit side of the spectrum...The wine is not complex.
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2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting (Fribourg): 2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting. Key takeaways: 1/ 31 out of 32 wines were in flawless condition which indicates either luck or less bottle variation in the vintage, 2/ On average still early days with the fruit predominantly primary, 3/ solid hedonistic quality with only few laggards, but also no blow-outs, 4/ structures built on both tannin and acidity, but common mid-palate weakness, 5/ best wines were Valandrau, Palmer and a surprise underdog Lagrange (all 95), 6/ biggest disappointment was a cooked Figeac (87). More comments and full list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note: Incredibly elegant and immediately impresses with an aristocratic flair. Clean, refined and precise flavors of mocha and fresh red berries. The palate bursts with electric acidity, reigned back by firm but well-integrated tannins. The surprise of the tasting!
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A bit thin and disjointed but still a very drinkable wine. Some tastes towards the end were better than the early ones. Maybe a bit of VA. A hard wine to love, but not a hard wine to still finish
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perfect mid-neck level and cork, decanted 2+ hours, practically no fine sediment, good for grab-and-go, colour does now show some age but still only limited brown rim, decanting beneficial, on opening shows typical greenish slightly unripe fruit of 2002 on both the nose and palate, this diminishes with time though never completely disappears, after 2 hours nose fine, elegant, some depth and complexity, still slight austere “green” hints at back, palate of medium weight but good concentration, well balanced and long but distinct austerity on finish, lacks the depth and rich sweet fruit characteristic of Lagrange in good years but still an excellent food wine, as noted previously good winemaking in a non-stellar year, good QPR considering the relatively low prices en primeur but does not escape the vintage character
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In spite of a challenging vintage in 2002, this is drinking beautifully right now at just under 20 years. The color still displays a clear, youthful, deep ruby without any signs of bricking. Medium plus body and medium alcohol. The aromatic and flavor profile, however, indicates a wine that is near maturity: decaying red flowers, baking spices, drying raspberry, cooked cherry, savory plum, cigar box, herbal tea, and gravelly dirt. Tannin and acid provides balance to the red fruits and supports a medium plus finish. Perfect accompaniment to the roasted leg of lamb, riced cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Unlikely to improve with further cellaring; drink now or over the next 5-6 years.
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Decanted 2+ hours, no sediment to speak of, almost opaque cherry-red colour with practically no brown at the rim, youthful, fine nose, complex, just a hint of vegetal austerity, palate of medium weight but very good fruit concentration at middle and back, very good balance, length and persistence, lacks the generosity of a top year, especially for Lagrange, but still remarkably good within the limitations of the non-stellar year, my ratings have been creeping up, top winemaking and terroir partly compensates for the vintage limitations, very drinkable
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Decanted 3+ hours, almost no sediment, very deep, almost opaque colour, quite youthful still, rich nose, depth and power on the palate, some metallic hardness typical of 2002, good wine for the year, better than the last bottle
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Excellent, fresh nose full of blackcurrant, raspberry, pepper, leather, cedar. Colour only ceding slightly at the rim. Great taste that lasts. This wine is still going strong despite the age.
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Lagrange 2012 : very nice nose. Integrated fruit, bit leather, bit tobacco. However at tasting the whole story falls a bit apart. Secondary and tertiary flavours rule. I should have opened the bottles earlier. But to be fair, overall the wine keeps its balance which is definitely a recognition.
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Dark purple color. Earthy, blackcurrent, and bouquet of lavender on the nose. Bright acidity sweet berry,cassis and a little bit green test at the end medium body and medium finish. Really enjoy this wine!
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Records not handy. Bought several from a local independent shop about 13-14 years ago, likely less than 30/b; this is #1. Solid cork. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple; mature redcurrant nose; mature redcurrants, some ripe plum, good mouthfeel; some persistence. Softer and rounder than expected, seemed lacking in grip. Solid and enjoyable from a non-stellar vintage. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable when considering quality, age, and price.
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On the lean, green side, with a better nose, due to its lead pencil, tobacco, earth, forest floor and piquant red berry nuances, than you find on the palate. Lovers of cooler, old-school vintages will appreciate the leafy, herbal nature here more than i did.
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This was my last and best bottle. Surprisingly dark for its age with no bricking. Cassis, pencil shavings, bit of violet, and some currant bush leafiness on the nose. Very fresh with a cool-fruit profile — a big contrast to some recent 2003s. I think I unloaded some of these years ago not expecting much. Mistake. This is drinking well now and I would expect it to hold up fine from a good cellar for several more years. The better LB 2002s are drinking nicely.
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The first whiff out of the neck of the bottle just after opening is promising. Out of the decanter an hour later, there is something not quite right, with the fruit being muted and dull while the acidity dominates; a doubt emerges. After a while, the doubt turns to certainty: this is a corked bottle unfortunately.
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Beautiful, mature Bordeaux bouquet with some pleasant barnyard. Same on the palate. Still a great pleasure and not too old yet. Day 2 the acidity was a bit more up front, but the wine was still a pleasure.
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excellent bottle with great concentration that lasted a long time. finish. perfect fruit with pencil shaving and sweet tobacco. really lovely. I would say at its peak.
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excellent level, mid-neck, good long cork, popped and poured as replacement for another wine that was corked, basically opaque with purple tinge, juvenile, long legs on the glass, nose dominated by rich fruit, oak not yet fully integrated, blackcurrent hints, palate rich with distinct, slightly green tannins at the finish reflecting the non-stellar vintage, this almost metallic hardness on the finish I find to be an unfortunate characteristic of many 02’s, still good though, lacks a bit in “generosity” for a typical Lagrange, needs time but a bit disappointing, still good for the year but not a top Lagrange (improved with time in the glass/decanter so decant >2 hours in advance)
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Popped and poured, and drank over 4 hours. I must have gotten a good bottle, as this thing was ripping! Soft red fruit with resolved tanins and fresh flavor Good nose as well. Last bottle and I wish I had bought more. Great for the supposedly weak vintage.
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A much better experience than when I last pop and poured one exactly one year ago, which seemed to be going nowhere. This really benefitted from being double decanted two hours in advance. It has mulberry fruit, an impressive richness, compactness and class on the mid-palate and quite an austere finish which suggests to me it can improve further. Impressive.
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13% alcohol. Cork crumbled upon extraction, and I lay part of the blame at the door of the very poor corkscrew supplied with the Gabriel Glas travel case; screw is both too thick and too short. No damage anyway. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with no sign of ageing, not even at the edge of the rim. Beautiful vivid nose of fresh ripe dark berries and the barely perceptible remnants of élevage. The mouth is just as good, with superb balance and refreshing acidity in the finish; just a hint of confectionery. Great mouthfeel. Ready to drink, but shows no sign of fading any time soon. Hardly any tannins left, but no lack of grip. A stylish and elegant St Julien, and another success for the 2002 vintage. Will I drink a better Bordeaux this year?
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From memory, not much detail, but unquestionably the best bottle of my case of these so far, most mature, best fruit-structure combo. The 2002 left bank wines I've purchased (Leoville-Barton, Lagrange, Calon Segur, couple of others) as they approach a plateau of maturity have been consistently serious wines, with substantial structure, but fruit content adequate to balance. As a non-geek friend described one recently, 'big-boy' wines. Real stature, here, and merits a good meal with friends to accompany. Still developing, I think, for a bit yet.
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A noticeably cooler fruit profile. Not under-ripeness but there is a trace of cool and lifting fruit character, which has since evolved into a drier fruit profile. Balanced and coming together. Slightly leafy but in a good way. This is a wine honest to its vintage characters. Doesn't try to be something it wasn't.
A Saint Julien of yesteryear. I could have scored much higher except I think the oak-influenced frame still lingered and would probably never fully integrate. 89.
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In fabulous shape right now. Doesn’t need much air but give it some time if you can. Classic St Julien. Still time ahead of it so I don’t think there’s a rush, but you won’t be sorry for trying it now.
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Medium body and acidity. Bouquet of sour cherry and lavender with subtle notes of river rock and brie. Palate: stewed blueberry, cassis, and baked blackberry with tobacco and old leather. The light brie nose blew off after an hour of air and wasn't detectable on the palate. Not a corked bottle. Long finish of red and black fruit and drying but well-integrated tannin. Drinking beautifully now, but tannin and acidity could support more cellaring if you can't find a reason to enjoy sooner
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Chateau Lagrange dinner (Blacksalt, Washington DC): As I have often found in the 02, the fruit expression is quite confusing, some roasted dark fruit, some green, some bright red, sweet spices and earthy mineral. Very good concentration, packed cassis and green pepper, bright acidity, strong slightly coarse tannins and a medium to long finish that is slightly bitter at the end. IMO, this may develop nicely in another decades when the fruit expression becomes more harmonious and the tannins softens.
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Youthful colour. Lots of fruit, still tannic, very attractive, in a good spot. No secondary notes yet. Much development. Will keep this over night and see. 90+
No development over night. Worth to store for a couple of years in the cellar.
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From 375. Light bricking. Cherry, blackberry and cassis notes. A bit more full-bodied than some other wines from the vintage. Some fine tannins remain on the finish. Nice mature Bordeaux.
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Youthful colour, muted shy nose, with some red berries and secondary notes. Quite resolved on the palate, medium bodied, medium length, lowish acidity. This is a wine that has little structure .. or ambition ... or complexity. It does not make a statement. A bit ho hum really ... when it was much younger I hoped it had a bright future. If you like a low key style of wine that is not going to distract you this is a a nice luncheon claret. Which, really, is to damn it with faint praise. While it is still quite young I don’t see it evolving into anything more profound. Drunk with rack of lamb so it had every chance to shine.
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Consistent with previous bottle, had 2003 same meal. 2002 more sleak and gravelly with great cedar and leather flavours. Delicious in that cool 02 vintage style.
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best bottle from my case yet. Had lovely cigar box, leather, black currants and savory fruits. excellent initial tension, decent mid palate and finish.
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This wine is dark and austere. It's big and tannic with hardly a touch of sweet fruit. More like leather and dark melted licorice. There's a thinness to the fruit that is overwhelmed by the huge tannins. There's character here, but not much pleasure. Perhaps its virtues would be clearer with a steak.
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Fully mature. Has a nice attractive sweetness in the middle, lots of mineral, iron. A bit simple and flat. A fine drink but nothing special. May get better, certainly no rush to drink.
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Serious stuff. Concentrated and ultra-complex, but unfriendly. Blackcurrant overrun with wood, earth, cloves, and tannins. Vegetal streaks and pencil shavings. Who knows what time will do?
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There's still a wall of fruit here, blackcurrant primarily, but also some marks of mint and tobacco. People around the table like this wine while I think it's too young still. I'd like to see the fruit settle down further before next hit.
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Cedar, minerality, graphite. Feel very fresh with red fruit character. Substantial, medium plus tannin. This wine could age for at least a decade more easily. It feels that young.
Called a 2008 Pauillac. (Kudos Lagrange! My most favorite St Julien producer!!)
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Really nicely developed with almost instant sweetness and round aromas. There is a bit of grip which makes it interesting. Classic Bordeaux - enjoyable.
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Superb, harmonious, balanced. This radiates class and classicism. A great St Julien approaching maturity. People in the know loaded up on 2002 St Julien and Pauillac at derisory prices either en primeur or at release time (18 € if memory serves). A reminder of the useless nature of most wine reviewers who savaged that vintage and continue to do so.
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Aroma: first impression - oaky vanilla with red cherry lurking in the background. Not integrated.
Palate: Substantial. Again on the youthful side. High in acidity and tannin. Bright red fruits. After half an hour or 45 minutes, some secondary character detected.
Called: 2009 Pessac Leognan. Totally off. But to my defense, I had a 2002 St Julien on Thanksgiving and it was definitely showing its age - appearance, bouquet, and palate. Clearly this is a much better wine and my palate needed some calibration.
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Not impressive, but improved throughout the meal. Overall a fairly bland impression especially compared with better vintages like the 1990. Mild tannins, not very long or complex, mild concentration.
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Double decanted (sloshed around in the decanter); light sediment. Ruby color. Pleasing nose of black cherry, graphite and a hint of menthol. Mouth-filling, medium-bodied black cherries on the palate with a good level of acids and light tannins. Medium-length finish. At $30, a good QPR. Probably in its peak window for drinking, and I plan to drink my remaining bottles by 2020.
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Good maturity, full purple fruit with tobacco, soy, resin, bright green herbs. Pretty straight forward and almost simple. A bit of tannic structure keeps it together, along with a good deal of smoky French oak. Showing no signs of aging out. In a good place with years ahead of it, however I doubt it improves from here. A solid wine, but lacks pizzaz.
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This was very good. Deep dark purple color. The nose a bit flat. This became much better after one hour. The wine was growing each minute. 2002 is one of the millesime wines of Lagrange. A typical St Julien. I was very satisfied with color, density, texture and the medium plus body. If you love the left bank, you love this Lagrange 2002. Drink now.
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Brilliant medium Kirsch. Pnp. Nose is firstly dominated by some green pepper, showing some unripeness as it is typical for the year. Very fresh and well-structured wine which is opening up nicely in the glass. Little fruit in the nose but nice and medium to long, subtle finish on little berries. A wine showing some finesse but with a severe touch. In total this is a very nice effort for the year! Held up well for 3 nights, with the flavors getting more integrated and the body more elegant. No hurry to drink and should be decanted next time.
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A little flat. Wondering if this is not ready or if its just the vintage that is lacking. Certainly doesn't seem like it needs to be drunk up any time soon.
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This needs decanting or plenty of aeration, but will improve in another three years. For now, it's rather bitter and tannic, with moderately deep blackcurrant and blackberry. There is a pleasing richness after a few hours, but my score is more in hope than an assessment. I think it will be enjoyable, but for now I would only give it an 83 or 84 - there are many other better Lagranges and several better Bdx 02s.
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Very elegant well balanced wine. Opened up nicely within 2 hrs without decanting. Complex flavors of mainly dark fruits, earth, and spice. Paired well with Valentine's Day tenderloin dinner.
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Granato cupissimo. Nettissimo mirtillo al naso, poi ribes, mora, menta, caffè, cioccolato, lieve grafite. Bocca gradevole, fresca, giocosa nei toni fruttati, giustamente tannica.
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3 hours decanted, still a little bit hard , deep color and on the palate cedar, plum skin and tobacco. Needs another two or three years. I doubt, if it becomes a very great wine, Very nice but not more..we will see....
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Four hour decant. Deeply garnet robe with a nearly opaque core. Cedar, tobacco and some spirit on the nose. Despite the vintage, a surprisingly rich entry. The palate boasts cedar, plum skin and tobacco, with a tingly acidic, dry and relatively short finish. The finish is where I notice the vintage. This is about the 8th or 9th bottle of Lagrange I've had from this vintage. This the best showing yet. 91-92. This paired nicely with garlic peppercorn rubbed filet mignon.
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I haven't opened a bottle of this since May 2009. Surprisingly, my notes are pretty similar. Bottom line: pretty good, not excellent. Dark garnet. Seductive nose of dark fruit, cedar, and graphite. The palate doesn't fulfill the promise of the nose: Medium to full palate of just slightly under-ripe blackberry & plum, with bell pepper, vanilla, spice, and graphite. Good length. Tart acidity. Integrated oak & tannins. Suckling (WS) rated this 92; Parker (WA) rated this 89. Parker was right. High point: with food this wine tasted better than on its own.
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Had alongside 1998 Lagrange, this one had more fruit and after 2 hours after opening it came together nicely. Great nose after that and highly enjoyable, another 2002 which delivers pleasure at the table. Think this still has some time but very wnjoyable now.
- Crimsom color and aromas of black pepper, blackberry, coffee and cedar. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Nice fraicheur, still young tannins. But very pleasant now
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Very nice. Full bodied with fairly forward cassis, earth and black pepper. Not tons of depth, but quite nice with rather firm, chalky tannins on the finish. Needed a couple of hours of air and then was drinking well.
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Beautiful bouquet; already opening up a bit; cassis and other dark fruits, some cedar, graphite, licorice and sweet spices. On the palate the same impressions; good black fruits and well dosed oak. Good acidity and still firm tannin. This wine is in its puberty stage now; the tannin are still biting a bit. Probably it needs another 2 - 4 years to reach early maturity and 5 - 6 to be fully mature. So around 2017 and later. What a great effort for this vintage!
Much better than two and a half years ago. Much more integrated. Not the most complex, but great fruit flavors and a complete palate.Wonderful and better than I thought it would be.
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In a nice drinking window, but no hurry. Drank over a couple of hours, pop and pour. Nice from the get-go, didn't stray far from its rather linear profile, medium bodied, balanced fruit, nice acidity, mineral backbone. Best and last of four bottles
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nose of red cherry, some restrained seam of cassis. on the palate moderate weight, well defined crispy-crunchy shell of fruit, quite punchy in the finish.
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Popped and poured, drank over a couple of hours. First a bit modern, dark and oaky smelling, but gradually the aromas blossomed and revealed a more classic profile. Good and ok qpr for Bordeaux (but not otherwise).
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Opens as an 'internationally'-styled cab; with air time, some interesting character steps up, showing reasonably attractive cab-style fruit, good persistence. Drank nicely over a couple of days before starting to fall apart. Decent b'x.
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This wine has developed nicely over the 3 years since I've had one. Decanted for about a half hour and drank over 3. Nice red and dark fruit on the nose with some chocolate and flowers. Mineral and acid comes into play on the palate. Slightly hot and short finish. Not terrificly balanced but quite enjoyable.
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This bottle was not up to the one from a year ago. The structure was excellent but not the fruit or finish. Though I must admit the last glass was tasty.
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Beginning to enter prime drinking window, lightly decanted. Elegant medium body with dark color, chocolate, Blackberry, classic french oak, medium finish. Should develop for another 3-5 years.
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Decanted for an hour in the glass. Paired with delicious Wagyu Rib-Eye. The nose reveals cigar box, lilac flowers, and mineral sweetness. A-typical but familiar nose (if that makes any sense). The palate initially displays classic Bordeaux characteristics of cigar, tobacco, and surprisingly ready fruit given the vintage. The balance of the wine is the story of the mid-palate; acidity and fruit are the story. The wine finishes with more tobacco, and cigar box; round tannin leads the 12+ second finish. This is a solid wine with an unidentified mineral element that is yummylicious and present from start to finish. I wish I would have bought more.
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Needs a good hour of decanting before delivering its goods and gaining weight. On the elegant side, also considering the difficult vintage, this is an equilibrate bordeaux showing textbook features.
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very nice. nose of cassis, raspberry, some chocolate and cedar. sily texture, resolved tannins, balanced and very long (cassis and cedar). very elegant, drinking well now.
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A nice mix of sweet chocolate milk and blackcurrant juice to begin with - really spoofy stuff. Then, with plenty of air, the chocolate flavor subside to give way to tobacco leaf, earth and cedar notes. Even better on day 2 where this thing almost tasted like a wine from Bordeaux. Almost.
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Great bordeaux... dark fruit... coffee... chocolate.. secondary characteristics... medium bodied... one disappointment: short finish. overall: enjoyable.
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This is delicious. Not overripe, with bracing acidity and good tannic structure, and nice restrained Bordeaux fruit to carry it. This tastes like Bordeaux to me.
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CES Lab Wine Tasting #5: Decanted for 4 hrs. Expected a bit more from wine. Barely beginning to show secondary characteristics. Felt just a tad closed or tight. It needed food to be enjoyable.
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Beautyful wine, medium smooth, well integrated tannins, round taste. But a little alcoholic. Nice taste of plum. Decanted for 4 hours, had it together with lamb. Very dark red color, nearly black. Worth it´s money, I expected a little more though after reading some of the tasting notes. Drink or keep for some more years.
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Just finished the last bits of a bottle of 2002 Lagrange that had been in the fridge for the past couple of days. I served this wine for Passover, brought five bottles out of the cellar, but our group of 11 only finished four. Rather than return the last one to the cellar, I opened it a couple of days ago.
There is very little hint on opening of what this wine becomes after a couple of days. At first, it comes across as a bit flat, lacking depth, some green notes, pleasant but uninspired fruit. We drank about 3/4 of the bottle on day one, and I put the rest in the fridge. Didn't get to it on the second day. By late this afternoon we have an entirely different beast. It's fabulous. Wonderful grip and finish, dense crushed black berry fruits with smoke and leather. It's hard to believe, frankly.
I don't remember what I paid for this. I bought at case as futures. I have to think it's one of the more attractively priced Lagrange out there given the reputation of the vintage. Really punching above its weight.
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What weak vintage? This is going beautifully right now, may be at its peak... Absolutely elegant claret with incredible balance. Medium body, great structure. Fantastic with the rib eye.
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Delicious, see my previous note. The wine is still on the fruit but secondary charactersitics are developping and the wine is acquiring density in the mouth. Super!
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The total embodyment of what a St. Julien wine should be. This wine is robust and hearty but quite elegant. Excellet nose of ripe berries, chocolate and leather. The berries are noted throughout. The taste is rich and opulent, with a very good and lasting finish. I would recommend this wine.
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Started off a bit harsh. Then, mellowed - but with a bit of hollowness. Then it seemed everything integratged and became full after 3 hours. Wait a couple of years for the next.
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An overperformer from the vintage. Youthful and fresh, soft nose and and a nice combination of fruit with some earth and mineral notes. In context, and opened alone with dinner, a lovely bottle. It should be appreciate for what it is, not for what it lacks in comparison to better vintages.
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(13% vol) Brief notes -- After about 1 hour in the decanter I thought that the wine stood up well to a spicy cinnamon seasoned duck breast as the spice and fruit came through. After about 4 hours there was the most concentrated and unmistakable note of roses on the nose palate and finish. Beautiful!
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This is getting really good and procures a lot of drinking pleasure, the wine is now singing right from opening and combines a remarkable balance between power and elegance. This is to me the archetypical St Julien and is probably now at its best. Delicious
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great nose right out of the bottle, herbs, dark garnet color, decanted and drank over 2 hours on the patio with a neighbor.......herbs, dark fruit, grapefruit at times, a good level of complexity , medium bodied bordeaux with fair amount of mineral and stone undertones. Plenty of tannins to keep this going for years to come
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Decanted briefly. Dark garnet color. Lovely seductive nose of black cherry and cedar. Medium bodied palate of dark fruit, earth and anise. Nice finish. Pleasant acidity. Supple tannins. A bit of alcohol. At first, this wine was somewhat closed, offering too little fruit for my taste. With time in the glass it improved. But it never crossed the line into excellence.
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Intense nose with sweet oak, brambly fruits, graphite, cassis, and hay. Complex on the palate with a very long finish. The tannins are still very persistent; should last
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this wine has a lot of tannis and oak alomost to much to be enjoyable, after a couple of hours the fruit came to the surface , lots of chaulkiness, chewy cherries, medium lenght finish, dark color....will see how rest of bottle develops
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Dark/purple. Nice smell, tasty black/blue fruit. This has a very nice primary dimension with a good balance of tannins, fruit, and silky texture. There is more than a hint of cream topped with some oaky flavours. Not out of balance though and still very much Bordeaux. All in all, an excellent showing for Lagrange in this difficult year. Looking forward to 2010/2012 when this wine's secondary dimension will become more accessible. Should be good.
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This had a couple hours before dinner to loosen up a bit. Good rich cassis and dark berry fruit, some distinct espresso overtones, a little vanilla, good length, ripe tannins. Nice masculine Bordeaux that could use a few more years, but pretty tasty with rare meat right now. B+/A-
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very attractive - not very hard but expressive with silky tannins just slightly lacking on aftertaste. Nice now, probably better in a couple of years time.
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Creamy, butter and in fact a closed bouquet. The taste is in a locked stage as well. There is enough juice and sticky tannin. Forget about this wine for at least 5 years; 8 might even be better. I score it for its taste now, but when more developed this could be several point higher.
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Tasted at Saturday tasting group, blind (with random other selections) Splash decanted five hours ahead. Nose initially tight with cassis and pepper. Dark ruby color Lots of red/black fruits balanced with bright acidity. Fine tannins noticeable on the finish. This is a beautiful wine. but I will wait a couple of years before opening the next one
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Dark purple color. Lots of complex fruit on the nose, specially blackberries. Full bodied, perfectly balanced, very long and delicious finish. This was extremely enjoyable.
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Tried my first bottle of this from a case purchased at Sherry-Lehman. I splash decanted at about 5 pm, expecting to serve it with dinner at 8:00. On opening it wasn't giving much away, so the decision to decant was a good one. Deep crystalline purple-garnet in color. Nose began to evolve in the decanter. By the time we poured the wine it was still pretty tight, but starting to show fabulous balance, with pronounced mint-herbal notes, mineral and red/black fruits. Bueatifully built. Really stacked and packed, with finesse and depth. Prominent tanins on the back end. I notice that other CT notes indicate pronounced wood. I didn't get that. The coffee-espresso notes were there, but far less tangible than the herbal mint thing that was going on in the mid-palate.
I poured half into a split after dinner and put it in the fridge. The next night it was even better. Sweet fruit had moved to the fore, with the tanins still packing a nice punch on the line, smooth finish. This is very nice stuff for the money. It might close down at some point, but boy is it showing well with some air right now. If I knew I'd be making my way through a whole bottle at once -- given how good this was on day 2 -- I'd open it in the morning, decant, and leave it in the cellar for a whole day before serving.
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Initially an expressive nose of dark fruits and coffee with a rich red-purple color. Decanted for 3 hours; the aromatics have exploded revealing hints of ripe berries, oak, and coffee. This wine could be smelled from across the table. Upon tasting, the toasted oak is obvious but there seems to be ample underlying fruit and structure. The tannins are fine and reveal no bitterness or sharpness on the pleasant lingering finish. I poured the remaining wine back into the bottle to taste again tomorrow. After being opened for more than 24 hours the wine is showing licorice, black cherries, and currants, with less oak than the day before. This is an excellent wine that definitely needs some time to come around.
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Dark ruby/purple color. Nose was expressive, but is dominated by almost excessive wood. Vanilla, spice, and some coffee notes are intermingled with blackcurrants and black cherries. Also slightly reductive (poured straight from the bottle). On the palate, the wood is not as prominent as on the nose, a very lively wine with fresh acidity, medium body and good definition. The tannins are quite fine and kick in relatively late. This is not as extracted and powerful as better vintages of this chateau. Nevertheless, I think this needs considerable time in the cellar to show its best. A very good, but hardly inspiring effort in my view. Drink 2010-2020
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La Lagune Vertical (Brussels, Belgium): Youthful purple color. Heavily oaked nose, with scents of toasted bread. Still very young in the mouth; nice tannins but a bit too much oak to my taste. Average length. Very good. Wait another 3-5 years and then drink until 2015.
Robe pourpre fringante de jeunesse. Nez fortement boisé, avec des notes de pain grillé. Encore jeune en bouche; jolis tannins mais un peu trop boisé à mon goût. Longueur moyenne. Au bilan très bon. A attendre encore 3-5 ans et ensuite à boire jusqu'à 2015.
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3/8/2024 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée!
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1/10/2024 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than the last bottle. Improves with air, even on the following day, so give it air! Will be a long runner! I like the 2002-vintage, especially on the left side. I think, it is underestimated compared to 2001. You can find nice and typical aromas of wet earth and leaves, cigar box, some pepper-notes are also there. It was better on day 2, where even fruit notes of blackcurrant appeared. All in all good stuff for the price that will make fun at least over the next decade...
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12/13/2023 - red_man wrote: 91 Points
good mid-neck level and long cork, decanted 2+ hours, still quite youthful, almost opaque black-red colour, no real brown even at the rim, remarkable for age, fine, elegant, rich cassis sweet-fruit nose, inland St Julien fruit richness, very good for the vintage, palate of medium weight but with rich fruit depth and concentration, some hints of hardness / underripe character of the less than stellar vintage but overall really very good, the scores have been creeping up which suggests it is still not at its apogee in keeping with the still youthful colour, more in the cellar so this is welcome, purchase price en primeur was very reasonable so top QPR
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8/4/2023 - Chrysostomus wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine! Gave it 1 hour of slow ox. Approachable, aromas of black fruit compared with just a little touch of tertiary notes. Would deserve a better score if there wouldn‘t be this note of Chlorine in the background which Did not fade within 3 hours. Overall very nice wine just at the beginning of its prime window.
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3/5/2023 - Mikejd1966 wrote:
Excellent. Notes of cassis better and leather on thr nose. Mint and leather, cinnamon and spices with a medium finish and light tannins.
Had w pot roast w Will and Deb.
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2/18/2023 - brybts Likes this wine: 90 Points
Overall: enjoyable, if not overly complex, well integrated and balanced left-bank that is not over the hill yet
Appearance: dark ruby, opaque, no bricking or earth tones
Nose: dark fruit - blackberries - with some spices like clove; underpinned by some leather; some sage/green herb notes as well
Palate: this is such a balanced wine - fruit (blackberry) in balance with the tannins (medium, largely resolved), in balance with the acid (medium) in balance with darker tertiary notes. I can’t say it’s ridiculously complex or anything but it’s so balanced it makes me want to keep drinking it.
Finish: long, dry, tannins are velvety
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1/8/2023 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. The cork is long but soft, and it is imbibed a quarter of the way. Decanted an hour ahead. Deep colour with remarkably little thinning at the rim for a twenty years old wine; no bricking whatsoever.
The nose has intense blackcurrant rounded with spices and leather, pretty classy; no direct oak influence. The mouth is a step behind on account of a certain amount of austerity, nothing exaggerated, but maybe more reminiscent of Estèphe than Julien (let's keep the saints out of it, I don't see this as a church matter); still very enjoyable if you like wines with more grip than easy charm. Likely to live on for ten years at least, but I am less sure about softening up (never mind, there are other wines for that...).
A classic Médoc and a useful reminder of the style of yesteryear's Bordeaux. I like it.
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10/30/2022 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. The cork is of good quality (very elastic rather than dense) but not that long; at most 4mm of wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. Deep colour with some thinning but absolutely no bricking at the rim.
Complete and complex mature nose with mixed dark fruit and the onset of tertiary aromas. Even better in the mouth where perfect acidity gives structure to the wine in the absence of the now resolved tannins; superb mouthfeel and no perception of oak. Elegant and a bit more red fruited than on the nose.
Another highly successful 2002 from the Northern Médoc, with a nearly unmentionable price at the time. Having had many similarly balanced wines, one wonders why anybody would be looking for more alcohol in a Bordeaux.
At maturity now, but nowhere near decline.
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10/15/2022 - edjBoca wrote: 91 Points
This drinks after a 90 minute decant and improves for hours. The nose is better than the palate. It definitely is on the cool fruit side of the spectrum...The wine is not complex.
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10/3/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points
2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting (Fribourg): 2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting. Key takeaways: 1/ 31 out of 32 wines were in flawless condition which indicates either luck or less bottle variation in the vintage, 2/ On average still early days with the fruit predominantly primary, 3/ solid hedonistic quality with only few laggards, but also no blow-outs, 4/ structures built on both tannin and acidity, but common mid-palate weakness, 5/ best wines were Valandrau, Palmer and a surprise underdog Lagrange (all 95), 6/ biggest disappointment was a cooked Figeac (87). More comments and full list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
Incredibly elegant and immediately impresses with an aristocratic flair. Clean, refined and precise flavors of mocha and fresh red berries. The palate bursts with electric acidity, reigned back by firm but well-integrated tannins. The surprise of the tasting!
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9/22/2022 - Jd6725 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit thin and disjointed but still a very drinkable wine. Some tastes towards the end were better than the early ones. Maybe a bit of VA. A hard wine to love, but not a hard wine to still finish
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8/6/2022 - red_man wrote: 90 Points
perfect mid-neck level and cork, decanted 2+ hours, practically no fine sediment, good for grab-and-go, colour does now show some age but still only limited brown rim, decanting beneficial, on opening shows typical greenish slightly unripe fruit of 2002 on both the nose and palate, this diminishes with time though never completely disappears, after 2 hours nose fine, elegant, some depth and complexity, still slight austere “green” hints at back, palate of medium weight but good concentration, well balanced and long but distinct austerity on finish, lacks the depth and rich sweet fruit characteristic of Lagrange in good years but still an excellent food wine, as noted previously good winemaking in a non-stellar year, good QPR considering the relatively low prices en primeur but does not escape the vintage character
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7/10/2022 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
In spite of a challenging vintage in 2002, this is drinking beautifully right now at just under 20 years. The color still displays a clear, youthful, deep ruby without any signs of bricking. Medium plus body and medium alcohol. The aromatic and flavor profile, however, indicates a wine that is near maturity: decaying red flowers, baking spices, drying raspberry, cooked cherry, savory plum, cigar box, herbal tea, and gravelly dirt. Tannin and acid provides balance to the red fruits and supports a medium plus finish. Perfect accompaniment to the roasted leg of lamb, riced cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Unlikely to improve with further cellaring; drink now or over the next 5-6 years.
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1/5/2022 - red_man wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 2+ hours, no sediment to speak of, almost opaque cherry-red colour with practically no brown at the rim, youthful, fine nose, complex, just a hint of vegetal austerity, palate of medium weight but very good fruit concentration at middle and back, very good balance, length and persistence, lacks the generosity of a top year, especially for Lagrange, but still remarkably good within the limitations of the non-stellar year, my ratings have been creeping up, top winemaking and terroir partly compensates for the vintage limitations, very drinkable
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10/30/2021 - red_man wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 3+ hours, almost no sediment, very deep, almost opaque colour, quite youthful still, rich nose, depth and power on the palate, some metallic hardness typical of 2002, good wine for the year, better than the last bottle
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1/10/2021 - MortenBP Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent, fresh nose full of blackcurrant, raspberry, pepper, leather, cedar. Colour only ceding slightly at the rim. Great taste that lasts. This wine is still going strong despite the age.
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12/25/2020 - microbox Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aerated for 2h. At peak. Lived up to expectations.
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10/17/2020 - StefanV Likes this wine: 87 Points
Lagrange 2012 : very nice nose. Integrated fruit, bit leather, bit tobacco. However at tasting the whole story falls a bit apart. Secondary and tertiary flavours rule. I should have opened the bottles earlier. But to be fair, overall the wine keeps its balance which is definitely a recognition.
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10/13/2020 - Brad Tsai Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple color. Earthy, blackcurrent, and bouquet of lavender on the nose. Bright acidity sweet berry,cassis and a little bit green test at the end medium body and medium finish. Really enjoy this wine!
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9/11/2020 - Oenecnist wrote:
Records not handy. Bought several from a local independent shop about 13-14 years ago, likely less than 30/b; this is #1. Solid cork. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple; mature redcurrant nose; mature redcurrants, some ripe plum, good mouthfeel; some persistence. Softer and rounder than expected, seemed lacking in grip. Solid and enjoyable from a non-stellar vintage. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable when considering quality, age, and price.
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8/17/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
On the lean, green side, with a better nose, due to its lead pencil, tobacco, earth, forest floor and piquant red berry nuances, than you find on the palate. Lovers of cooler, old-school vintages will appreciate the leafy, herbal nature here more than i did.
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7/21/2020 - BordeauxNut Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was my last and best bottle. Surprisingly dark for its age with no bricking. Cassis, pencil shavings, bit of violet, and some currant bush leafiness on the nose. Very fresh with a cool-fruit profile — a big contrast to some recent 2003s. I think I unloaded some of these years ago not expecting much. Mistake. This is drinking well now and I would expect it to hold up fine from a good cellar for several more years. The better LB 2002s are drinking nicely.
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5/3/2020 - Eudemis wrote: flawed
The first whiff out of the neck of the bottle just after opening is promising. Out of the decanter an hour later, there is something not quite right, with the fruit being muted and dull while the acidity dominates; a doubt emerges. After a while, the doubt turns to certainty: this is a corked bottle unfortunately.
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4/5/2020 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful, mature Bordeaux bouquet with some pleasant barnyard. Same on the palate. Still a great pleasure and not too old yet. Day 2 the acidity was a bit more up front, but the wine was still a pleasure.
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2/9/2020 - lolo66 wrote: 92 Points
excellent bottle with great concentration that lasted a long time. finish. perfect fruit with pencil shaving and sweet tobacco. really lovely. I would say at its peak.
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2/8/2020 - red_man wrote: 88 Points
excellent level, mid-neck, good long cork, popped and poured as replacement for another wine that was corked, basically opaque with purple tinge, juvenile, long legs on the glass, nose dominated by rich fruit, oak not yet fully integrated, blackcurrent hints, palate rich with distinct, slightly green tannins at the finish reflecting the non-stellar vintage, this almost metallic hardness on the finish I find to be an unfortunate characteristic of many 02’s, still good though, lacks a bit in “generosity” for a typical Lagrange, needs time but a bit disappointing, still good for the year but not a top Lagrange (improved with time in the glass/decanter so decant >2 hours in advance)
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6/26/2019 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured, and drank over 4 hours. I must have gotten a good bottle, as this thing was ripping! Soft red fruit with resolved tanins and fresh flavor Good nose as well. Last bottle and I wish I had bought more. Great for the supposedly weak vintage.
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3/5/2019 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 91 Points
A much better experience than when I last pop and poured one exactly one year ago, which seemed to be going nowhere. This really benefitted from being double decanted two hours in advance. It has mulberry fruit, an impressive richness, compactness and class on the mid-palate and quite an austere finish which suggests to me it can improve further. Impressive.
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3/5/2019 - Paul D wrote: 89 Points
2002 Bordeaux at Piccolino (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Attractive, smoky, tobaccoey nose - quite red fruited. Medium bodied, spicy red fruit, fresh acidity, not quite as exciting as the nose but still a very good St Julien.
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2/1/2019 - SimonPh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely aged Bordeaux, drinking as it should. Not quite as rich as other vintages or wines, but classic style and length.
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1/13/2019 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. Cork crumbled upon extraction, and I lay part of the blame at the door of the very poor corkscrew supplied with the Gabriel Glas travel case; screw is both too thick and too short. No damage anyway. Decanted an hour ahead.
Dark colour with no sign of ageing, not even at the edge of the rim. Beautiful vivid nose of fresh ripe dark berries and the barely perceptible remnants of élevage. The mouth is just as good, with superb balance and refreshing acidity in the finish; just a hint of confectionery. Great mouthfeel. Ready to drink, but shows no sign of fading any time soon. Hardly any tannins left, but no lack of grip.
A stylish and elegant St Julien, and another success for the 2002 vintage. Will I drink a better Bordeaux this year?
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11/1/2018 - fitzi wrote:
From memory, not much detail, but unquestionably the best bottle of my case of these so far, most mature, best fruit-structure combo. The 2002 left bank wines I've purchased (Leoville-Barton, Lagrange, Calon Segur, couple of others) as they approach a plateau of maturity have been consistently serious wines, with substantial structure, but fruit content adequate to balance. As a non-geek friend described one recently, 'big-boy' wines. Real stature, here, and merits a good meal with friends to accompany. Still developing, I think, for a bit yet.
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9/12/2018 - NarunP wrote: 89 Points
Tasted two extremes side by side (2002 vs 2003).
54 CS, 33 M, 13 PV.
A noticeably cooler fruit profile. Not under-ripeness but there is a trace of cool and lifting fruit character, which has since evolved into a drier fruit profile. Balanced and coming together. Slightly leafy but in a good way. This is a wine honest to its vintage characters. Doesn't try to be something it wasn't.
A Saint Julien of yesteryear. I could have scored much higher except I think the oak-influenced frame still lingered and would probably never fully integrate. 89.
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8/19/2018 - AlanM68 wrote: 90 Points
In fabulous shape right now. Doesn’t need much air but give it some time if you can. Classic St Julien. Still time ahead of it so I don’t think there’s a rush, but you won’t be sorry for trying it now.
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5/24/2018 - Vino Nomad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium body and acidity. Bouquet of sour cherry and lavender with subtle notes of river rock and brie. Palate: stewed blueberry, cassis, and baked blackberry with tobacco and old leather. The light brie nose blew off after an hour of air and wasn't detectable on the palate. Not a corked bottle. Long finish of red and black fruit and drying but well-integrated tannin. Drinking beautifully now, but tannin and acidity could support more cellaring if you can't find a reason to enjoy sooner
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5/8/2018 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Chateau Lagrange dinner (Blacksalt, Washington DC): As I have often found in the 02, the fruit expression is quite confusing, some roasted dark fruit, some green, some bright red, sweet spices and earthy mineral. Very good concentration, packed cassis and green pepper, bright acidity, strong slightly coarse tannins and a medium to long finish that is slightly bitter at the end. IMO, this may develop nicely in another decades when the fruit expression becomes more harmonious and the tannins softens.
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5/8/2018 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Bob P at his home. Notes of graphite and some tobacco, with dark fruits as well. Tannins are nicely integrated.
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4/27/2018 - Paui wrote: 90 Points
Youthful colour. Lots of fruit, still tannic, very attractive, in a good spot. No secondary notes yet. Much development. Will keep this over night and see. 90+
No development over night. Worth to store for a couple of years in the cellar.
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3/5/2018 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
From 375. Light bricking. Cherry, blackberry and cassis notes. A bit more full-bodied than some other wines from the vintage. Some fine tannins remain on the finish. Nice mature Bordeaux.
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3/5/2018 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 87 Points
Youthful colour, muted shy nose, with some red berries and secondary notes. Quite resolved on the palate, medium bodied, medium length, lowish acidity. This is a wine that has little structure .. or ambition ... or complexity. It does not make a statement. A bit ho hum really ... when it was much younger I hoped it had a bright future. If you like a low key style of wine that is not going to distract you this is a a nice luncheon claret. Which, really, is to damn it with faint praise. While it is still quite young I don’t see it evolving into anything more profound. Drunk with rack of lamb so it had every chance to shine.
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2/12/2018 - MikeHobmeier wrote:
Sehr fein
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1/13/2018 - Duce wrote: 92 Points
Still excellent fruit
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12/26/2017 - NiklasT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous bottle, had 2003 same meal. 2002 more sleak and gravelly with great cedar and leather flavours. Delicious in that cool 02 vintage style.
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11/27/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe, dark, easy to drink. Cassis and eucalyptus. Not very structured.
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11/26/2017 - Julian Marshall wrote:
Tasted flawed on opening, as if an unknown chemical had upset the wine, but it did slightly improve with aeration. Can't rate it in those conditions.
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11/5/2017 - lolo66 wrote: 92 Points
best bottle from my case yet. Had lovely cigar box, leather, black currants and savory fruits. excellent initial tension, decent mid palate and finish.
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9/18/2017 - rmalloy wrote: 86 Points
This wine is dark and austere. It's big and tannic with hardly a touch of sweet fruit. More like leather and dark melted licorice. There's a thinness to the fruit that is overwhelmed by the huge tannins. There's character here, but not much pleasure. Perhaps its virtues would be clearer with a steak.
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9/12/2017 - MRichman wrote:
Fully mature. Has a nice attractive sweetness in the middle, lots of mineral, iron. A bit simple and flat. A fine drink but nothing special. May get better, certainly no rush to drink.
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7/25/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Serious stuff. Concentrated and ultra-complex, but unfriendly. Blackcurrant overrun with wood, earth, cloves, and tannins. Vegetal streaks and pencil shavings. Who knows what time will do?
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5/6/2017 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 90 Points
My notes of 5/8/2016 are still appropriate.
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4/22/2017 - pbaek wrote:
There's still a wall of fruit here, blackcurrant primarily, but also some marks of mint and tobacco. People around the table like this wine while I think it's too young still. I'd like to see the fruit settle down further before next hit.
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2/23/2017 - kcp Likes this wine: 90 Points
Perhaps resolved a bit more than my last bottle, though still not a compelling quaff, so I still think it's time to drink 'em up.
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2/16/2017 - NarunP Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bordeaux Left Bank Blind Tasting (2000-2012)
Cedar, minerality, graphite.
Feel very fresh with red fruit character. Substantial, medium plus tannin. This wine could age for at least a decade more easily. It feels that young.
Called a 2008 Pauillac. (Kudos Lagrange! My most favorite St Julien producer!!)
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1/29/2017 - Bourgognefreak Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nicely developed with almost instant sweetness and round aromas. There is a bit of grip which makes it interesting. Classic Bordeaux - enjoyable.
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12/14/2016 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
Superb, harmonious, balanced. This radiates class and classicism. A great St Julien approaching maturity. People in the know loaded up on 2002 St Julien and Pauillac at derisory prices either en primeur or at release time (18 € if memory serves). A reminder of the useless nature of most wine reviewers who savaged that vintage and continue to do so.
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11/29/2016 - NarunP wrote: 89 Points
Blind Tasting: Bordeaux No. 4 (Emma's): Appearance: youthful with compact rim and dark and dense purple-ish color. Very little development.
Aroma: first impression - oaky vanilla with red cherry lurking in the background. Not integrated.
Palate: Substantial. Again on the youthful side. High in acidity and tannin. Bright red fruits. After half an hour or 45 minutes, some secondary character detected.
Called: 2009 Pessac Leognan. Totally off. But to my defense, I had a 2002 St Julien on Thanksgiving and it was definitely showing its age - appearance, bouquet, and palate. Clearly this is a much better wine and my palate needed some calibration.
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10/26/2016 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not impressive, but improved throughout the meal. Overall a fairly bland impression especially compared with better vintages like the 1990. Mild tannins, not very long or complex, mild concentration.
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10/9/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
showed well. graphite. back currants. tobacco. deep. still young.
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5/8/2016 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Double decanted (sloshed around in the decanter); light sediment. Ruby color. Pleasing nose of black cherry, graphite and a hint of menthol. Mouth-filling, medium-bodied black cherries on the palate with a good level of acids and light tannins. Medium-length finish. At $30, a good QPR. Probably in its peak window for drinking, and I plan to drink my remaining bottles by 2020.
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3/28/2016 - Paui wrote: 89 Points
dark ruby, in the drinking window, I think will be much better and mature in 5 years
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3/9/2016 - MRichman wrote:
Good maturity, full purple fruit with tobacco, soy, resin, bright green herbs. Pretty straight forward and almost simple. A bit of tannic structure keeps it together, along with a good deal of smoky French oak. Showing no signs of aging out. In a good place with years ahead of it, however I doubt it improves from here. A solid wine, but lacks pizzaz.
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1/24/2016 - BertvdH Likes this wine:
This was very good. Deep dark purple color. The nose a bit flat. This became much better after one hour. The wine was growing each minute. 2002 is one of the millesime wines of Lagrange. A typical St Julien. I was very satisfied with color, density, texture and the medium plus body.
If you love the left bank, you love this Lagrange 2002. Drink now.
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10/30/2015 - Nubian wrote: 89 Points
Brilliant medium Kirsch. Pnp. Nose is firstly dominated by some green pepper, showing some unripeness as it is typical for the year. Very fresh and well-structured wine which is opening up nicely in the glass. Little fruit in the nose but nice and medium to long, subtle finish on little berries. A wine showing some finesse but with a severe touch. In total this is a very nice effort for the year! Held up well for 3 nights, with the flavors getting more integrated and the body more elegant. No hurry to drink and should be decanted next time.
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9/15/2015 - lolo66 wrote: 88 Points
rather soft on the palate. seems quite ready. nothing earth shattering, just a pleasant lagrange.
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3/27/2015 - kcp Likes this wine: 90 Points
This one's ready to drink - now.
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1/24/2015 - fitzi wrote:
A bit rough on opening, but smooths with air time. Perfectly good Bordeaux. My feeling is it will continue to improve for a while.
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1/6/2015 - favorito Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted two hours before starting to drink. Perfect St.Jul. for the next two hours. It is on the peak now. ....drink, drink..now.
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12/16/2014 - Lanternal wrote: 80 Points
Ok, but well-past.
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12/13/2014 - MRichman wrote:
A little flat. Wondering if this is not ready or if its just the vintage that is lacking. Certainly doesn't seem like it needs to be drunk up any time soon.
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9/6/2014 - Fmarret wrote: 92 Points
Drunk almost as opened, easy to drink, well balanced maybe a little light. Not too keep too much longer.
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8/10/2014 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 90 Points
This needs decanting or plenty of aeration, but will improve in another three years. For now, it's rather bitter and tannic, with moderately deep blackcurrant and blackberry. There is a pleasing richness after a few hours, but my score is more in hope than an assessment. I think it will be enjoyable, but for now I would only give it an 83 or 84 - there are many other better Lagranges and several better Bdx 02s.
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4/20/2014 - SteveHyde wrote: 89 Points
This last bottle from a case comes across as less balanced, over-oaked, and alcoholic relative to other bottles. Not sure why that is.
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3/17/2014 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicious blackberry and currant aromas with mineral and lead pencil notes on a tasty finish.
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2/15/2014 - wineracquet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very elegant well balanced wine. Opened up nicely within 2 hrs without decanting. Complex flavors of mainly dark fruits, earth, and spice. Paired well with Valentine's Day tenderloin dinner.
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1/27/2014 - sdylewski wrote: 92 Points
Nice body and perfect with our cassoulet. Noticeably weaker in the middle than the Léoville Poyferré that we had at the same meal.
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1/19/2014 - FastTrack wrote: 89 Points
Nose of blackberries and currants. Full-bodied, quite tannic, still dumb and closed. More patience needed?
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12/26/2013 - ludwigbpm wrote: 90 Points
Sans notes
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10/24/2013 - megriffith wrote: 92 Points
Compared in flight with 2004 chateau d'issan. Smoother and less tannic. Woody, dark fruit
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8/5/2013 - Ludi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Granato cupissimo. Nettissimo mirtillo al naso, poi ribes, mora, menta, caffè, cioccolato, lieve grafite. Bocca gradevole, fresca, giocosa nei toni fruttati, giustamente tannica.
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7/27/2013 - Cadby wrote: 88 Points
2002 Chateau LaGrange $50 ++
Strange...dead nose, little pleasure, dumb or stupid?
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2013/07/2002-chateau-lagrange-50.html
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7/21/2013 - favorito wrote: 89 Points
3 hours decanted, still a little bit hard , deep color and on the palate cedar, plum skin and tobacco. Needs another two or three years. I doubt, if it becomes a very great wine, Very nice but not more..we will see....
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5/1/2013 - andrewdl wrote: 88 Points
Very tight start. Opened up a bit but still needs a few more years.
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4/6/2013 - swade wrote: 91 Points
Four hour decant. Deeply garnet robe with a nearly opaque core. Cedar, tobacco and some spirit on the nose. Despite the vintage, a surprisingly rich entry. The palate boasts cedar, plum skin and tobacco, with a tingly acidic, dry and relatively short finish. The finish is where I notice the vintage. This is about the 8th or 9th bottle of Lagrange I've had from this vintage. This the best showing yet. 91-92. This paired nicely with garlic peppercorn rubbed filet mignon.
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2/26/2013 - Wink wrote: 88 Points
I haven't opened a bottle of this since May 2009. Surprisingly, my notes are pretty similar. Bottom line: pretty good, not excellent. Dark garnet. Seductive nose of dark fruit, cedar, and graphite. The palate doesn't fulfill the promise of the nose: Medium to full palate of just slightly under-ripe blackberry & plum, with bell pepper, vanilla, spice, and graphite. Good length. Tart acidity. Integrated oak & tannins. Suckling (WS) rated this 92; Parker (WA) rated this 89. Parker was right. High point: with food this wine tasted better than on its own.
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12/25/2012 - NiklasT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had alongside 1998 Lagrange, this one had more fruit and after 2 hours after opening it came together nicely. Great nose after that and highly enjoyable, another 2002 which delivers pleasure at the table. Think this still has some time but very wnjoyable now.
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12/12/2012 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #074; Bordeaux: St. Julien (By BS): This blind note is almost a copy of my note from Nov. 2012 with the same score. Incredible wine for the vintage.
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12/9/2012 - frederich wrote: 91 Points
- Crimsom color and aromas of black pepper, blackberry, coffee and cedar. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Nice fraicheur, still young tannins. But very pleasant now
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11/30/2012 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. Full bodied with fairly forward cassis, earth and black pepper. Not tons of depth, but quite nice with rather firm, chalky tannins on the finish. Needed a couple of hours of air and then was drinking well.
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11/20/2012 - Zweder Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful bouquet; already opening up a bit; cassis and other dark fruits, some cedar, graphite, licorice and sweet spices. On the palate the same impressions; good black fruits and well dosed oak. Good acidity and still firm tannin. This wine is in its puberty stage now; the tannin are still biting a bit. Probably it needs another 2 - 4 years to reach early maturity and 5 - 6 to be fully mature. So around 2017 and later. What a great effort for this vintage!
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10/14/2012 - beekeeper wrote: 92 Points
Ton of class. Nice fruit, good depth, some cedar box. Recognizable as St-Julien and impressive for the vintage. No hurry.
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7/28/2012 - Zorba wrote: 90 Points
Elegant wine, nicely integrated with age but probably still has many years left, no signs of fading.
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7/28/2012 - dougie wrote: 91 Points
Much better than two and a half years ago. Much more integrated. Not the most complex, but great fruit flavors and a complete palate.Wonderful and better than I thought it would be.
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7/27/2012 - Tad GW wrote: 92 Points
50+5+12+17+8=92
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6/22/2012 - blaine wrote: 90 Points
In a nice drinking window, but no hurry. Drank over a couple of hours, pop and pour. Nice from the get-go, didn't stray far from its rather linear profile, medium bodied, balanced fruit, nice acidity, mineral backbone. Best and last of four bottles
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2/13/2012 - FastTrack wrote: 91 Points
nose of red cherry, some restrained seam of cassis. on the palate moderate weight, well defined crispy-crunchy shell of fruit, quite punchy in the finish.
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1/1/2012 - sdylewski wrote:
Excellent balance and classic St. Julien. Drinking well now.
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1/1/2012 - ekallio wrote:
Popped and poured, drank over a couple of hours. First a bit modern, dark and oaky smelling, but gradually the aromas blossomed and revealed a more classic profile. Good and ok qpr for Bordeaux (but not otherwise).
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11/28/2011 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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11/22/2011 - yenda wrote: 93 Points
excellent stuff, find it more interesting than 00's
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11/16/2011 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent, consistent with last notes. The nose has now developped some extra complexity. This shouldn't get any better, so start drinking
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9/17/2011 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was delicious. Just wonderful fruit and balance that came together beautifullyl
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9/11/2011 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
Nice cedar, flowers, ripe (black) berries, flowers and spices. Medium bodied and perfect to drink now.
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7/2/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Opens as an 'internationally'-styled cab; with air time, some interesting character steps up, showing reasonably attractive cab-style fruit, good persistence. Drank nicely over a couple of days before starting to fall apart. Decent b'x.
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6/5/2011 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really pleasant, has by now acquired some nice mid-palate weight.
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5/16/2011 - pjhr wrote: 90 Points
Drinking much better than the last bottle!
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3/31/2011 - Kmonkey wrote: 90 Points
This wine has developed nicely over the 3 years since I've had one. Decanted for about a half hour and drank over 3. Nice red and dark fruit on the nose with some chocolate and flowers. Mineral and acid comes into play on the palate. Slightly hot and short finish. Not terrificly balanced but quite enjoyable.
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2/17/2011 - pjhr wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was not up to the one from a year ago. The structure was excellent but not the fruit or finish. Though I must admit the last glass was tasty.
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2/17/2011 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 90 Points
Beginning to enter prime drinking window, lightly decanted. Elegant medium body with dark color, chocolate, Blackberry, classic french oak, medium finish. Should develop for another 3-5 years.
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2/4/2011 - Cellar Fiend wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour in the glass. Paired with delicious Wagyu Rib-Eye. The nose reveals cigar box, lilac flowers, and mineral sweetness. A-typical but familiar nose (if that makes any sense). The palate initially displays classic Bordeaux characteristics of cigar, tobacco, and surprisingly ready fruit given the vintage. The balance of the wine is the story of the mid-palate; acidity and fruit are the story. The wine finishes with more tobacco, and cigar box; round tannin leads the 12+ second finish. This is a solid wine with an unidentified mineral element that is yummylicious and present from start to finish. I wish I would have bought more.
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1/21/2011 - Filippo wrote: 90 Points
Needs a good hour of decanting before delivering its goods and gaining weight. On the elegant side, also considering the difficult vintage, this is an equilibrate bordeaux showing textbook features.
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1/7/2011 - elledeca wrote:
very nice.
nose of cassis, raspberry, some chocolate and cedar.
sily texture, resolved tannins, balanced and very long (cassis and cedar).
very elegant, drinking well now.
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12/6/2010 - pbaek wrote:
A nice mix of sweet chocolate milk and blackcurrant juice to begin with - really spoofy stuff. Then, with plenty of air, the chocolate flavor subside to give way to tobacco leaf, earth and cedar notes. Even better on day 2 where this thing almost tasted like a wine from Bordeaux. Almost.
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11/9/2010 - NathanT wrote: 91 Points
Great bordeaux... dark fruit... coffee... chocolate.. secondary characteristics... medium bodied... one disappointment: short finish. overall: enjoyable.
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10/4/2010 - Rick-again wrote: 90 Points
nice bordeaux, coco , coffee,
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6/26/2010 - Rick-again wrote: 90 Points
a nice Bordeaux........tastes like a bordeau
little mint, and earth, decent dark fruit, well balanced.....drink alone and was very enjoyable
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6/8/2010 - herberto wrote: 92 Points
This is delicious. Not overripe, with bracing acidity and good tannic structure, and nice restrained Bordeaux fruit to carry it. This tastes like Bordeaux to me.
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5/21/2010 - djdaqm wrote: 90 Points
CES Lab Wine Tasting #5: Decanted for 4 hrs. Expected a bit more from wine. Barely beginning to show secondary characteristics. Felt just a tad closed or tight. It needed food to be enjoyable.
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4/4/2010 - deelight wrote: 91 Points
Beautyful wine, medium smooth, well integrated tannins, round taste. But a little alcoholic. Nice taste of plum. Decanted for 4 hours, had it together with lamb. Very dark red color, nearly black. Worth it´s money, I expected a little more though after reading some of the tasting notes. Drink or keep for some more years.
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4/3/2010 - SteveHyde wrote:
Just finished the last bits of a bottle of 2002 Lagrange that had been in the fridge for the past couple of days. I served this wine for Passover, brought five bottles out of the cellar, but our group of 11 only finished four. Rather than return the last one to the cellar, I opened it a couple of days ago.
There is very little hint on opening of what this wine becomes after a couple of days. At first, it comes across as a bit flat, lacking depth, some green notes, pleasant but uninspired fruit. We drank about 3/4 of the bottle on day one, and I put the rest in the fridge. Didn't get to it on the second day. By late this afternoon we have an entirely different beast. It's fabulous. Wonderful grip and finish, dense crushed black berry fruits with smoke and leather. It's hard to believe, frankly.
I don't remember what I paid for this. I bought at case as futures. I have to think it's one of the more attractively priced Lagrange out there given the reputation of the vintage. Really punching above its weight.
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4/2/2010 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 90 Points
What weak vintage? This is going beautifully right now, may be at its peak... Absolutely elegant claret with incredible balance. Medium body, great structure. Fantastic with the rib eye.
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2/21/2010 - thomasito2001 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious, see my previous note. The wine is still on the fruit but secondary charactersitics are developping and the wine is acquiring density in the mouth. Super!
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2/16/2010 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicious blackberry and currant aromas with mineral and lead pencil notes on a tasty finish.
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2/10/2010 - franco rosso wrote: 91 Points
The total embodyment of what a St. Julien wine should be. This wine is robust and hearty but quite elegant. Excellet nose of ripe berries, chocolate and leather. The berries are noted throughout. The taste is rich and opulent, with a very good and lasting finish. I would recommend this wine.
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1/29/2010 - shaftlet wrote: 90 Points
Textbook classic St. Julien. Relatively soft for the vintage. Mushroom, ripe blackberry & cassis. Very impressive. Med-full on palate.
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1/28/2010 - dougie wrote: 90 Points
Started off a bit harsh. Then, mellowed - but with a bit of hollowness. Then it seemed everything integratged and became full after 3 hours. Wait a couple of years for the next.
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10/25/2009 - SteveHyde wrote:
An overperformer from the vintage. Youthful and fresh, soft nose and and a nice combination of fruit with some earth and mineral notes. In context, and opened alone with dinner, a lovely bottle. It should be appreciate for what it is, not for what it lacks in comparison to better vintages.
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10/17/2009 - T-Mac wrote: 89 Points
Should have waited. When the tannins mellow out, this will really surprise people. Definitely a sleeper of the vintage in the making.
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7/29/2009 - Griffin wrote:
(13% vol)
Brief notes -- After about 1 hour in the decanter I thought that the wine stood up well to a spicy cinnamon seasoned duck breast as the spice and fruit came through. After about 4 hours there was the most concentrated and unmistakable note of roses on the nose palate and finish. Beautiful!
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7/25/2009 - thomasito2001 wrote: 93 Points
This is getting really good and procures a lot of drinking pleasure, the wine is now singing right from opening and combines a remarkable balance between power and elegance. This is to me the archetypical St Julien and is probably now at its best. Delicious
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7/2/2009 - Rick-again wrote: 90 Points
great nose right out of the bottle, herbs, dark garnet color, decanted and drank over 2 hours on the patio with a neighbor.......herbs, dark fruit, grapefruit at times, a good level of complexity , medium bodied bordeaux with fair amount of mineral and stone undertones. Plenty of tannins to keep this going for years to come
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5/24/2009 - Wink wrote: 88 Points
Decanted briefly. Dark garnet color. Lovely seductive nose of black cherry and cedar. Medium bodied palate of dark fruit, earth and anise. Nice finish. Pleasant acidity. Supple tannins. A bit of alcohol. At first, this wine was somewhat closed, offering too little fruit for my taste. With time in the glass it improved. But it never crossed the line into excellence.
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4/15/2009 - cma82 wrote: 92 Points
Intense nose with sweet oak, brambly fruits, graphite, cassis, and hay. Complex on the palate with a very long finish. The tannins are still very persistent; should last
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3/29/2009 - mdenigris3 wrote: 92 Points
Complex nose with blackberry and oak notes. Palette was true to the nose. There was some tannins present, but smooth as silk. Drinking wonderfully.
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1/12/2009 - wap4u wrote: 90 Points
very nice, ref. previous note
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1/3/2009 - Tad GW wrote: 91 Points
50+5+12+17+7=91
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1/3/2009 - Rick-again wrote:
this wine has a lot of tannis and oak alomost to much to be enjoyable, after a couple of hours the fruit came to the surface , lots of chaulkiness, chewy cherries, medium lenght finish, dark color....will see how rest of bottle develops
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8/13/2008 - wap4u wrote: 91 Points
Dark/purple. Nice smell, tasty black/blue fruit. This has a very nice primary dimension with a good balance of tannins, fruit, and silky texture. There is more than a hint of cream topped with some oaky flavours. Not out of balance though and still very much Bordeaux. All in all, an excellent showing for Lagrange in this difficult year. Looking forward to 2010/2012 when this wine's secondary dimension will become more accessible. Should be good.
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5/12/2008 - thomasito2001 wrote: 92 Points
Getting there, palate acquiring some nice density!
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5/11/2008 - DaleW wrote:
This had a couple hours before dinner to loosen up a bit. Good rich cassis and dark berry fruit, some distinct espresso overtones, a little vanilla, good length, ripe tannins. Nice masculine Bordeaux that could use a few more years, but pretty tasty with rare meat right now. B+/A-
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3/16/2008 - ntav wrote: 90 Points
very attractive - not very hard but expressive with silky tannins just slightly lacking on aftertaste. Nice now, probably better in a couple of years time.
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3/7/2008 - Zweder wrote: 86 Points
Creamy, butter and in fact a closed bouquet. The taste is in a locked stage as well. There is enough juice and sticky tannin. Forget about this wine for at least 5 years; 8 might even be better. I score it for its taste now, but when more developed this could be several point higher.
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1/23/2007 - pskcl wrote: 92 Points
Very good complex bordeaux
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10/31/2006 - brutus wrote: 80 Points
กลิ่นหอมดี แต่ Bodyน้อยไปหน่อย
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5/14/2006 - ksmith wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at Saturday tasting group, blind (with random other selections) Splash decanted five hours ahead. Nose initially tight with cassis and pepper. Dark ruby color Lots of red/black fruits balanced with bright acidity. Fine tannins noticeable on the finish. This is a beautiful wine. but I will wait a couple of years before opening the next one
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4/26/2006 - Seventy wrote: 88 Points
Sight: Young color. Taste: Spice, wood.
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3/25/2006 - cousteau wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple color. Lots of complex fruit on the nose, specially blackberries. Full bodied, perfectly balanced, very long and delicious finish. This was extremely enjoyable.
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3/18/2006 - ntav wrote: 88 Points
Still closed but pleasant. Needs definitely more time, not on the league of leoville barton though
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12/13/2005 - SteveHyde wrote:
Tried my first bottle of this from a case purchased at Sherry-Lehman. I splash decanted at about 5 pm, expecting to serve it with dinner at 8:00. On opening it wasn't giving much away, so the decision to decant was a good one. Deep crystalline purple-garnet in color. Nose began to evolve in the decanter. By the time we poured the wine it was still pretty tight, but starting to show fabulous balance, with pronounced mint-herbal notes, mineral and red/black fruits. Bueatifully built. Really stacked and packed, with finesse and depth. Prominent tanins on the back end. I notice that other CT notes indicate pronounced wood. I didn't get that. The coffee-espresso notes were there, but far less tangible than the herbal mint thing that was going on in the mid-palate.
I poured half into a split after dinner and put it in the fridge. The next night it was even better. Sweet fruit had moved to the fore, with the tanins still packing a nice punch on the line, smooth finish. This is very nice stuff for the money. It might close down at some point, but boy is it showing well with some air right now. If I knew I'd be making my way through a whole bottle at once -- given how good this was on day 2 -- I'd open it in the morning, decant, and leave it in the cellar for a whole day before serving.
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8/23/2005 - MRichman wrote:
2002 Bordeaux Offline (Frank's Steakhouse, NYC): Lots of full fruit, vanilla oak. Sweet full. Not a lot of secondary flavors, but nice fruit. Big & full.
B/B+
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8/10/2005 - Badfish wrote:
Initially an expressive nose of dark fruits and coffee with a rich red-purple color. Decanted for 3 hours; the aromatics have exploded revealing hints of ripe berries, oak, and coffee. This wine could be smelled from across the table. Upon tasting, the toasted oak is obvious but there seems to be ample underlying fruit and structure. The tannins are fine and reveal no bitterness or sharpness on the pleasant lingering finish. I poured the remaining wine back into the bottle to taste again tomorrow. After being opened for more than 24 hours the wine is showing licorice, black cherries, and currants, with less oak than the day before. This is an excellent wine that definitely needs some time to come around.
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5/1/2005 - micha_e wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby/purple color. Nose was expressive, but is dominated by almost excessive wood. Vanilla, spice, and some coffee notes are intermingled with blackcurrants and black cherries. Also slightly reductive (poured straight from the bottle). On the palate, the wood is not as prominent as on the nose, a very lively wine with fresh acidity, medium body and good definition. The tannins are quite fine and kick in relatively late. This is not as extracted and powerful as better vintages of this chateau. Nevertheless, I think this needs considerable time in the cellar to show its best. A very good, but hardly inspiring effort in my view. Drink 2010-2020
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4/30/2005 - wahoff wrote: 88 Points
La Lagune Vertical (Brussels, Belgium): Youthful purple color. Heavily oaked nose, with scents of toasted bread. Still very young in the mouth; nice tannins but a bit too much oak to my taste. Average length. Very good. Wait another 3-5 years and then drink until 2015.
Robe pourpre fringante de jeunesse. Nez fortement boisé, avec des notes de pain grillé. Encore jeune en bouche; jolis tannins mais un peu trop boisé à mon goût. Longueur moyenne. Au bilan très bon. A attendre encore 3-5 ans et ensuite à boire jusqu'à 2015.
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