Always a fan of Réserve de la Comtesse! Dark red in colour and a spectacular nose, sweet riped pure black currant fruits, truly impressive! The palate is quite dense and full and although in my case, not fully opened, but the fruitiness and the weight is rather extraordinary, lacking complexity and yet still very well made! (A half bottle 375ml format)
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This was a pleasure to drink, but I wouldn’t say it was memorable. Decanted a couple hours in advance and drunk over a couple more, my first impression was that it was a little tight, but it never opened up as much as I hoped. Still, good fruit, structure and balance and it worked great with the roast beef we were eating.
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I have always loved this wine and this time is no different. Aromas of creme de cassis, new, vanilla-tinged oak and black fruits as well as a hint of freshly tilled earth. Supple on the palate, this is perfectly mature and shows no signs of old age. Drink now-2023. 91
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Opening/decanting/rebottling 2 hrs before blind tasting really put this over the top as a QPR at $19 in 2011. Cellared since then the dark fruit, cedar, green pepper, leather and just a bit of barnyard was very enjoyable and appreciated by other tasters at the event. It was quickly consumed by 20+ participants. I need to look for more recent offerings from this producer.
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Opened this wine at 7AM and drank it at 6PM. This wine really improved around 8PM. In general I think the '03 vintage is overrated but maybe the wines just need more time. This wine had a good mix of fruit, earth and spice.
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nice, if inoffensive wine. Good length, well made, but truly lacking any excitement whatsoever. Might improve a little with time, but I would not hold out great hopes. Still, if you ignore the price, it is not a bad wine.
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Great nose! Still bright, fresh and minty. Plenty of sweet black currant and toasty oak. Med-full bodied and quite dense. Still very fresh and youthful tasting. This is a great vintage of this wine. Delicious! Just starting to show tertiary, mature aromas and flavors. Perfect now, should last another 5+ years. 91 df 9.3
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Consumed at XIV. Not bad. Very strong and complex, with very strong masculine / tobacco flavor that finishes with a very nice and creamy vanilla smoothness. very nice complexity and subtleties.
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This bottle delivered far above expectations. Took a little time to open up, but when it did, it revealed great dark fruit, with notes of leather, tobacco, herbs, and pencil lead. Great structure of soft tannins and acidity. At least for certain bottles, this should have time left.
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At P&P, color in glass did not reveal 10 years of age, other tasters thought it was 5-6 years max. Nose of black fruit, leather, a little cedar, & a little green pepper. Soft tannins and mouth feel. Not earth shattering, but a great QPR at $19 delivered. I'll hold my last bottle for a year or more.
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Un nez que je trouve trop boisé, avec des arômes de café moka à 10 ans...Par contre la bouche est agréable et charmeuse avec sa texture crémeuse, cette douce extraction couplée à une finale qui semble très distinguée. Les tanins sont fondus c'est un vin à maturité mais qui montre une belle vigueur, avec la finesse du style de la maison en prime. Très bon. 89 pts
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Intense dark colour with a slight purple tinge, lots of crushed black cherry, dense, rich cassis and chocolate, sweet smoke, tobacco and pencil shavings. Ripe and plummy texture, concentrated blackcurrants and violet. The tannin has softened out but still retains some grip, the finish is laced with chocolate and sour cherry but there is an underlying quinine-style bitterness which sends the length slightly off-kilter. A rich, punchy, classic Bordeaux but just lacking in smoothness and elegance. ****
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Blackcurrant and strawberry nose with bell pepper, pencil shavings and coffee beans. Some diacetyl character at first but that settled after a while. Medium bodied palate with sweet touch to the ripe fruit, smooth tannins and balanced acidity. Cassis, plums, salt liquorice and coffee. Long finish. Good stuff. Drinking already rather well. Balanced for the vintage.
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Deep deep ruby in colour! Nose of dark fruits and roast coffee beans, smoky!! Quite smooth on the palate, mouthful of dark fruits with a hint of leather, a touch of greenness, still a little tannins left! Actually, it is quite ready, quite foursquare, lacking a bit of Lalande distinctive charm dare I say!!
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Lovely wine with notes of subtle tobacco and tea leaves on the nose and a luscious palate deftly balanced with the soft tannins. A winner and sadly gone too quickly.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Been waiting for this one to turn 10 years old, but this was a rather surprising wine. We had strong toffee and dill on the nose, very powerful with dark fruit. The palate was rather different, not very powerful, more elegant, with lots of tannins and lean fruit. A very good wine, but one that was not quite what I expected and perhaps a slight disappointment, despite being good.
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Wow --- the '03 vintage has been completely hit or miss. This wine was a hit. One of the best. The wine has to be decanted for at least an hour. First sip the wine was pretty boring, but after 60 to 90 minutes in the decanter, you tasted wonderful espresso, black berries mixed with the right amount of spice. Really a wonderful wine.
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Christmas dinner. Enjoyable Pauillac character and similar elements to the 2003 Pichon Lalande I drank recently, but clearly not at the same level of quality or concentration. Stink blew off after two hours revealing black cherries, earthy graphite, sandlewood, and asian spices (much like the Lalande). In the mouth it had light to moderate red and black fruits with nice minerality although was slightly green (in this respect lacking the richness and depth of the Lalande). Overall balanced and a nice way to enjoy Pauillac without spending a fortune.
This bottle needed two hours decanting to open and improved significantly by the fourth hour.
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Very dark nose and palate. Nose has lime, dark jams, tobacco, and some mushroom and stone. Palate is also similar and heavy. Good wine. Worth the case, although paid a bit more than I had intended to for the case. And decanting a must. I drank straight up a few glasses, corked it up with the wine preserve gas, and drank again the next day. Much smoother the next night.
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Pop and pour. Dark to the rim. Medium body. Aromas of black fruit, chocolate, red fruit, some herbal notes, notes from 4/23/12 apply here. Needs to breathe for at least one hour or decant. Strong bitter chocolate and spice finish that is stimulating. Reminds me of the dark chocolate sold with chili or spice in them. Should be interesting to see how this develops through the evening.
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Classic left bank bordeaux. Nose of black fruit with some tobacco. Loads of lightly acidic ripe fruit with medium body and middle to long finish. Very enjoyable.
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Stunning as usual. Previous notes apply. Smooth, elegant, dark black fruit, structured tannins and great finish. Well, here we are two days later after fine dinning and great wine (1986 Pichon Lalande Comtesse), Krug NV, et. al. This wine left for two days or so and it still is drinking fabulously. Great nose and palate of ripe black fruit, semi-agressive tanins and acidity with a spice finish that has some herbal notes with cream, oak, mocha dark chocolate on the lingering finish. Excellent as usual.
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PnP. Open for business, with great tobacco, black fruits and some funk. Wonderful palate with just the right amount of structure to balance the ripe year fruit from 2003. Long finish.
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Reserving points until it has time to open. Only open for 20-30 minutes and seems closed down unlike previous botttles. While color is excellent to the rim body and legs are medium nose is muted upon opening but shortly after it begins expressing chocolate, mocha, vanilla and cream. fruit is dark but muted with good acidity and spice. More to come later.
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Decanted about 90 minutes before drinking. Showed a little more oak than expected at first, mostly on the nose. This blew off after about an hour. Other smells included lots of tobacco and tree bark. Nice acidity, and fairly well integrated tannins. Still lots of life left for aging. Has some earthy notes starting to develop, but not particularly complex or rich. Good wine for the $31 it cost me 5 years ago. Well balanced. A little bitter and green on the end, but not in a bad way.
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Pop and pour. Note after 90 minutes. Tobacco and lead pencil on the nose. Some blackberries, licorice and chocolate on the palate. Rather voluptuous finish. Great QPR.
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A very good bottle of wine. Decented for 1.5 hours, the nose comes with intense tobacco, which I love it much. later on, a hint of mushroom also comes out. After more than 3 hours of time, the berries started to take control. The palate is quite silky, medium to low tannis. It's good to drink it now, or it may wait for a about a year.
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Interestingly different this time. Pop and Pour Consistent in that the color, legs, body are the same. However, the nose is filled with sour cherries, ripe prunes, blackcherries, mocha, tobacco, leather, blood, red meat. Almost CdP like with a 'syrah' hint. Palate as usual terrific, balanced with just the right integration of fruit, acidity and tannins. Great chocolate, black fruit finish. Again, consistency...a winner.
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Previous notes apply. Dark garnet to a rust rim. Strong legs with sensuous tears. Nose of vanilla and oak, buttered toast, dark fruit. Palate of dark fruit with silky tannins, spice. Wine developed nicely over the evening. Consistency is the word for this wine. Day two. Wow. Consistency, sustained fruit with great integrated tannins. Truly representative of its big brother Pichon Lande
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Took the community's advice and opened ahead of time for air. Drank with Easter dinner.Really a lovely classic Bordeaux. Sorry it was our last bottle. sigh...
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Dinner at Wildfish San Antonio with friends. Everyone else drank Mondavi 08 Oakville. While good it isn't Bordeaux. Comtesse was as consistent as previous bottles and lovely once again. I would buy another case if I could find it.
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Previous notes apply. This bottle has a good deal of 'mocha' on the nose, parfume, dark berries, tobacco, marischino cherries, mint, medium weight mouth feel, wonderful dark fruit, some vanilla, caramel with nice acidity on the palate. Well integrated tannins and a nice spice dry finish. Still one of my favorites.
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Well, I bought the case. WOW! Consistency. Previous notes apply. Beautiful floral notes into deep dark fruit. Color as if it were a velvet robe of purple to the rim. I have never said, at least I don't remember having said, the nose is so well balanced...whatever that means but that is what comes to mind. There is some ever so slight barnyard funk. The palate reflects wonderful dark fruit, cream, spice and well inegrated tannins. This is probably, along with Clos des Pogodes the two best second labels I have had. Keep in mind I haven't had that many but enough to know the good from the not so good. This is a wonderful wine that if it holds up and the bottles remain consistent WOW! Only hope the big boy can keep up :-) My overall WOTN but what do I know against Andrew Will Ciel 06. Of course they are two totally different wines and profiles. I prefer Bordeaux so it worked for me as the WOTN but the Will was outstanding in its own right.
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Only wish I had bought a case. I wanted to try this the day after drinking a bottle of the 1995 Pichon La Lande Comtesse. This wine was outstanding and was a true reflection of the more prestigeous Pichon. The profiles were so very similar with the Reserve being deep in color, aromatic, medium bodied with strong legs, dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, some oak, cigar box, . Well integrated tannins and acidity with a statiny mouth feel. An outstanding wine.
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Note on second day and it opened up with 24 hours in the bottle. Nose of lead pencil, tobacco and black cherries. Red berries and sweet kirsch on the palate. Really enjoyable.
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Absolutely delicious for the $19 I paid for it recently. I wish I got a case. I let it breathe in the bottle for most of the night. When I first tried it in about 2 hours it was good, but felt a tad watery in the middle. After 4 hours of air it really started singing. Seductive nose of flowers, spices, bacon and dark fruits. Mid weight on the palate with good, but very friendly structure. Blackberries, some white pepper and tar on the palate. Grippy but fine tannins. Medium plus length. Works very well both on its own and with the beef stew.
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Decanter Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Masterclass (Landmark Hotel London): Medium to dark ruby in color. Nose with concentrated ripe fruit, cigar box and bitter chocolate. Has a nice balance of freshness and ripeness. Some Cabernet herbaceousness and minty aromas as well. Quite full bodied and concentrated claret with medium acidity and beautiful tannins. Mint, cedar, sweetness. Good intensity and finish. Ready to drink but will only get better from now to 5 years at least.
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Decanter Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Masterclass (Landmark Hotel London): Medium ruby with medium width of rim. Completely different to De Pez tasted just before. Here nose is youthful. Fruit is crisp, almost unripe with sour cherry and herbaceouss notes. Also present some dark fruit with inky notes. Palate reveals cherry, raspberry and peppery spice. Level of tannins is high but they are well managed. Medium to high acidity. Finish is almost hot. Not great intensity but the wine needs time - at least 3 years to become pleasurable.
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I should probably have let this settle a bit more before trying it, but what can I say -- I was eager. Poured through Vinturi and let settle for a few minutes before giving it a swirl. Pomegranate, raspberry, wet stone were what I found. Ate a few bites of Havarti, Maytag blue and a nice salami to see how they affected the wine. I think the salami was the best accompaniment, but a nice marbled steak would probably have been the way to go.
In the end, the wine was very enjoyable, although it seemed a bit restrained. I'll pour it with a meal next bottle.
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Tasted just after the pull of the cork, the predominant closed aromas were those of thin fruit and acidity which immediately opened up with Vinturi aeration to reveal a nose of rich complexity that only improved with decanting. Following aeration and 3 hours in the decanter, there was a remarkable evolution to a rich dark fruit nose, elegant soft midpalate with deep, pure balanced tannins and acidity followed by a lengthy finish. This is a remarkably fine 2003 Reserve de la Comtesse that needs Vinturi aeration followed by at least 3 hours of decanting but should only improve with many more years of good cellaring
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Garnet in colour with a medium bodied consistency. The nose is very classic blackberry/currant with cedar wood and graphite, but, with a gentle sweetness to it. The palate is the same, the fruit is prominent, with well balanced french oak, it has good acidity, but also that obvious sweetness to the fruit and slightly savoury. Tannins seem well integrated, although not fully and a good finish. Drinking well now with food and still with time ahead of it.
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Came from a half bottle, tannins fully resolved, very easy to taste, very smooth, great nose of vanilla and a mild touch of green pepper, dark ruby in colour, very juicy in the mouth though the finish is a bit short!!!
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Brought to a New Years Eve party after double decanting back into the bottle. This was a beautiful bottle of wine - not over-powering but really well balanced - silky smooth with fine dry tannins and a juicy acidity. Blackcurrant and blackcherry fruit was well integrated with the dry smooth herbal notes. This was a lovely bottle of wine and was consumed eagerly by those in attendance....Easily the best of the Reserves i have had - way better than both the 2000 and the 2001.
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Popped, left open for 3 hours, enjoyed with a pairing of sliders; one topped with swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms, the other with cheddar and bacon.
Wonderfully vibrant nose of barnyard, tobacco and cedar. Smooth, satisfying, blue fruits, herbs, coffee. A very nice bottle of wine, and at $50 for a magnum, wonderful QPR.
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Medium body, bright ruby color. Elegant fruits and wood aroma. Dominant black currants palate, long spicy finish. Rich but juicy, velvety texture, complex, balanced, nice acidity, firm tannin. Serve 18º - 20º. Open at least one hour in advance. Drink now and next couple years.
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Our second bottle felt like a total 180 degree turn from the first one we had a couple of months ago. Great smoky plum and mocha finish which went excellent with prime rib.
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Showing quite well with a little of everything - blueberries, cassis, herbs, a little graphite. With time, some mocha and smoky flavours emerge. Not very complex, but elegant with nice weight and well integrated tannins. Finishes slightly short though.
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Dark garnet red.Medium nose with pleasant mocha and dark fruit.The palate opened up nicely after one hour showing light to medium bright dark fruit with mocha, herbaceous notes and softened tannins.A lovely and elegant claret,though a little short finish.Drinking very well now.
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Surprisingly approachable and satisfying. Tobacco, graphite, and a leafy herbaceousness frame rich black cherry and plum flavors. Not especially long, but a fine example nonetheless, especially considering the vintage and the underwhelming performance of the Pichon Lalande in 03.
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Smoky, toasted oak and graphite characters dominated the nose initially. Gradually the wine opened up with cassis, blueberries, earth, fungus, spices and coffee. A nice Pauillac with some complexity. Soft tannins with a short-medium finish. Not as aromatic or open as my previous bottle (a few months back and in a 500ml format). Perhaps this wine will perform better in 1-2 years to come?
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Second visit to this wine, and what a difference 2 years made! Toasted cedary oak, mocha, creme de cassis, blueberries, some mushrooms, a light dose of herbs and spices. Good structure, silky smooth tannins and medium finish. This is drink so nicely right now. Great accompaniment to the peking duck we were having.
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My first bottle of '03, I'm somewhat disappointed. Immediate nose of barnyard funk that dissapates somewhat but never fully recedes. Full of juicy red fruit with a bit of leather and pencil lead. More of a cross of St. Julien and Grave rather than Paulliac. If it weren't for the nose, this would be an 89-90 point wine for me.
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Nice nose of leather, cocoa, and currants with a touch of tobacco. Medium-full bodied with a nice silky texture and decent fruit which shows the ripeness of the vintage. I was actually expecting this to be a little more tannic but it still finishes with a nice, lingering, dry finish. Good effort for a 'second' wine.
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This one was a little difficult to place. The bouquet was really sharp at first...almost harsh. Then it mellows out into a smoky plum, but was never really that fruity. It definitely has a lingering mushroominess to it, is a little more tannic than we like and didn't really blow us away. This was even with an hour or more decanting. It was a pleasant accompaniment with pork chops, but I feel there are actually better wines out there for less.
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Nice dark purple color with no signs of age. Wonderful Pauillac nose with dark fruit, tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. The palate flavors mimic the nose and has a very round and smooth mouth feel with very little hard edges. The finish is medium in length and is helped by the tannins that dry the mouth. Overall the mid-palate is a bit hollow but beyond that this wine is a good value for the region. It is drinking close to at it's peak now.
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Correct claret, now appearing fully ready after a 1 hour decant, with blackcurrant and lead pencil aromas in abundance, and yet elegantly restrained, with none of the jamminess exhibited by other products of the vintage. Delightful.
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very correct claret with a lovely refined palete full of that pencil lead we all love and enough zingy fruity high notes to interest your new world Shiraz loving buddies. Good and fair price from waitrose
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APFW tasting. One year down the road from my last few bottles. This wine isn't going anywhere fast. The rather interesting tobacco leaf character that gave this wine a bit of extra complexity was missing from this bottle, which was rich, ripe and very soft. almost flabby. Chocolate and dark fruit abound.
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This was the fourth bottle out of eight at a tasting of Bordeaux wines at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society. A dark blackberry colour this wine was fruity with hints of tobacco and leather. The tannins were slightly more gentle and the flavour oaky and more complex.
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2003 Réserve de la Comtesse As with most of Europe, 2003 was an extremely hot vintage throughout the country. Despite higher sugar levels and an earlier harvest, the more northernly communes of the Médoc: and in particlular from Pauillac and St. Estèphe fared better. The best wines will see rich concentrated wines, with ripeness and depth of fruit and complexity. The winemaker @ Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande described their 2003 vintage as rich, onctuous, fresh with a rare balance and elegance.
Tasted this in October 2007 in Singapore. Reviewed again on Wednesday 9.01.2008. 13.0%. Blend of 46% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Explosive aromas of oak, black juicy plums and currants. Over time, cedar, smoke and juicy red currants. Medium-bodied, fleshy with black currants, wood, leathery complexity with a dry short to medium finish. Enjoyable now. Drink between 2008 and 2015. Super value Bordeaux quaffer at time of purchase. S$50.00 (02.2007). Now S$75.00. US$30.00 to $55.00. For the rest of my write-up, tasting notes and wine photography, please visit www.winekakis.com.
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Decanted this for about 90 minutes. Very ripe fruit and low acid, but was a fine accompaniment to a New York roast. Was well-recieved by all. May not be one to age, but should improve in the short term.
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Second bottle in a short while, drank at Ember during the firm's first wine night. Very good at its price. Like most 2003's, more fruit forward than normal and perhaps lacking a bit of acid, but still noticeably Bordelais through its slightly leafy forest floor nose, and Paulliac, through the rich cassis fruit on the nose and the palate. Ripe, rich and succulent, yet smooth and easy to drink. Great value.
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deep red colour. aroma of black cherry, toast, chocolate. Slightly sweet attack, smooth, moderate to high acidity, creamy chocolate finish with firm fine tannin.
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2003 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Bottle was opened the previous evening in preparation for a retail tasting. My least favorite wine of the night, it had a somewhat harsh finish and generally a little unbalanced. The second wine of Pichon Lalande.
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6/12/2023 - Tao wrote: 90 Points
Gorgeous aroma of wild red fruits! Pure and sweet on the palate! Drinking very nicely now!
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11/5/2022 - Metro1 Likes this wine:
Wonderful!
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6/1/2021 - Tao wrote: 91 Points
Always a fan of Réserve de la Comtesse! Dark red in colour and a spectacular nose, sweet riped pure black currant fruits, truly impressive! The palate is quite dense and full and although in my case, not fully opened, but the fruitiness and the weight is rather extraordinary, lacking complexity and yet still very well made! (A half bottle 375ml format)
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12/25/2020 - slye Likes this wine: 88 Points
This was a pleasure to drink, but I wouldn’t say it was memorable. Decanted a couple hours in advance and drunk over a couple more, my first impression was that it was a little tight, but it never opened up as much as I hoped. Still, good fruit, structure and balance and it worked great with the roast beef we were eating.
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9/26/2020 - LB88 wrote: 92 Points
Even better than the last Bottle many years ago. This is now drinking beautifully at its peak, glorious aromatics and resolved tannins. Enjoy now.
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3/19/2020 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 91 Points
I have always loved this wine and this time is no different. Aromas of creme de cassis, new, vanilla-tinged oak and black fruits as well as a hint of freshly tilled earth. Supple on the palate, this is perfectly mature and shows no signs of old age. Drink now-2023. 91
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2/9/2020 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Opening/decanting/rebottling 2 hrs before blind tasting really put this over the top as a QPR at $19 in 2011. Cellared since then the dark fruit, cedar, green pepper, leather and just a bit of barnyard was very enjoyable and appreciated by other tasters at the event. It was quickly consumed by 20+ participants. I need to look for more recent offerings from this producer.
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4/24/2017 - VinoServant wrote: 92 Points
Opened this wine at 7AM and drank it at 6PM. This wine really improved around 8PM. In general I think the '03 vintage is overrated but maybe the wines just need more time. This wine had a good mix of fruit, earth and spice.
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3/4/2017 - felixp wrote: 88 Points
nice, if inoffensive wine. Good length, well made, but truly lacking any excitement whatsoever.
Might improve a little with time, but I would not hold out great hopes.
Still, if you ignore the price, it is not a bad wine.
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1/13/2017 - DugyDog Likes this wine: 90 Points
I echo another note -- always a solid wine but nothing extraordinary
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3/18/2016 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 Points
Raspberry, minerality, graphite. Held up really well.
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11/30/2015 - vinrhino88 wrote: 91 Points
Solid, enjoyable wine, not extraordinary but an excellent value. Poured for Thanksgiving
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8/23/2015 - WineGuyX wrote: 91 Points
Great nose! Still bright, fresh and minty. Plenty of sweet black currant and toasty oak. Med-full bodied and quite dense. Still very fresh and youthful tasting. This is a great vintage of this wine. Delicious! Just starting to show tertiary, mature aromas and flavors. Perfect now, should last another 5+ years. 91 df 9.3
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2/15/2015 - premiercruclasse wrote: 92 Points
Consumed at XIV. Not bad. Very strong and complex, with very strong masculine / tobacco flavor that finishes with a very nice and creamy vanilla smoothness. very nice complexity and subtleties.
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12/19/2014 - Radboy wrote: 93 Points
Drinking splendidly with life ahead.
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10/3/2014 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Terrific as usual. The best QPR in Bordeaux.
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9/28/2014 - albrigsr wrote: 91 Points
This wine punches far above its price and is a classic Bordeaux. I wish I had bought more.
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7/6/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle delivered far above expectations. Took a little time to open up, but when it did, it revealed great dark fruit, with notes of leather, tobacco, herbs, and pencil lead. Great structure of soft tannins and acidity. At least for certain bottles, this should have time left.
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6/22/2014 - gcarl wrote: 90 Points
At P&P, color in glass did not reveal 10 years of age, other tasters thought it was 5-6 years max. Nose of black fruit, leather, a little cedar, & a little green pepper. Soft tannins and mouth feel. Not earth shattering, but a great QPR at $19 delivered. I'll hold my last bottle for a year or more.
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6/19/2014 - dmitchell4 wrote: 86 Points
Not my favorite. Bitter cherry, harsh tannins, breathing is out did not seem to improve it.
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3/16/2014 - albrigsr wrote: 90 Points
Excellent on P&P!
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3/9/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Un nez que je trouve trop boisé, avec des arômes de café moka à 10 ans...Par contre la bouche est agréable et charmeuse avec sa texture crémeuse, cette douce extraction couplée à une finale qui semble très distinguée. Les tanins sont fondus c'est un vin à maturité mais qui montre une belle vigueur, avec la finesse du style de la maison en prime. Très bon. 89 pts
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1/25/2014 - The Fickle Palate wrote:
Intense dark colour with a slight purple tinge, lots of crushed black cherry, dense, rich cassis and chocolate, sweet smoke, tobacco and pencil shavings. Ripe and plummy texture, concentrated blackcurrants and violet. The tannin has softened out but still retains some grip, the finish is laced with chocolate and sour cherry but there is an underlying quinine-style bitterness which sends the length slightly off-kilter. A rich, punchy, classic Bordeaux but just lacking in smoothness and elegance. ****
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1/12/2014 - avp wrote:
Blackcurrant and strawberry nose with bell pepper, pencil shavings and coffee beans. Some diacetyl character at first but that settled after a while.
Medium bodied palate with sweet touch to the ripe fruit, smooth tannins and balanced acidity. Cassis, plums, salt liquorice and coffee. Long finish.
Good stuff. Drinking already rather well. Balanced for the vintage.
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1/4/2014 - Tao wrote: 90 Points
Deep deep ruby in colour! Nose of dark fruits and roast coffee beans, smoky!! Quite smooth on the palate, mouthful of dark fruits with a hint of leather, a touch of greenness, still a little tannins left! Actually, it is quite ready, quite foursquare, lacking a bit of Lalande distinctive charm dare I say!!
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12/26/2013 - laurentichard Likes this wine: 90 Points
A good wine. Not impressive but very enjoyable and ready for consumption.
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12/18/2013 - dmitchell4 wrote: 89 Points
Doubt there will be improvement from here.
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6/14/2013 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine with notes of subtle tobacco and tea leaves on the nose and a luscious palate deftly balanced with the soft tannins. A winner and sadly gone too quickly.
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4/26/2013 - NiklasW wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Been waiting for this one to turn 10 years old, but this was a rather surprising wine. We had strong toffee and dill on the nose, very powerful with dark fruit. The palate was rather different, not very powerful, more elegant, with lots of tannins and lean fruit. A very good wine, but one that was not quite what I expected and perhaps a slight disappointment, despite being good.
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4/21/2013 - VinoServant wrote: 90 Points
Wow --- the '03 vintage has been completely hit or miss. This wine was a hit. One of the best. The wine has to be decanted for at least an hour. First sip the wine was pretty boring, but after 60 to 90 minutes in the decanter, you tasted wonderful espresso, black berries mixed with the right amount of spice. Really a wonderful wine.
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12/25/2012 - overhill wrote: 89 Points
Christmas dinner. Enjoyable Pauillac character and similar elements to the 2003 Pichon Lalande I drank recently, but clearly not at the same level of quality or concentration. Stink blew off after two hours revealing black cherries, earthy graphite, sandlewood, and asian spices (much like the Lalande). In the mouth it had light to moderate red and black fruits with nice minerality although was slightly green (in this respect lacking the richness and depth of the Lalande). Overall balanced and a nice way to enjoy Pauillac without spending a fortune.
This bottle needed two hours decanting to open and improved significantly by the fourth hour.
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11/18/2012 - winecoffee wrote: 91 Points
Very dark nose and palate. Nose has lime, dark jams, tobacco, and some mushroom and stone. Palate is also similar and heavy. Good wine. Worth the case, although paid a bit more than I had intended to for the case. And decanting a must. I drank straight up a few glasses, corked it up with the wine preserve gas, and drank again the next day. Much smoother the next night.
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11/12/2012 - BillyT wrote:
Pop and pour. Dark to the rim. Medium body. Aromas of black fruit, chocolate, red fruit, some herbal notes, notes from 4/23/12 apply here. Needs to breathe for at least one hour or decant. Strong bitter chocolate and spice finish that is stimulating. Reminds me of the dark chocolate sold with chili or spice in them. Should be interesting to see how this develops through the evening.
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11/5/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Previous notes apply
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10/19/2012 - geneyus wrote: 89 Points
Classic left bank bordeaux. Nose of black fruit with some tobacco. Loads of lightly acidic ripe fruit with medium body and middle to long finish. Very enjoyable.
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9/2/2012 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Stunning as usual. Previous notes apply. Smooth, elegant, dark black fruit, structured tannins and great finish. Well, here we are two days later after fine dinning and great wine (1986 Pichon Lalande Comtesse), Krug NV, et. al. This wine left for two days or so and it still is drinking fabulously. Great nose and palate of ripe black fruit, semi-agressive tanins and acidity with a spice finish that has some herbal notes with cream, oak, mocha dark chocolate on the lingering finish. Excellent as usual.
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7/21/2012 - llink wrote:
PnP. Open for business, with great tobacco, black fruits and some funk. Wonderful palate with just the right amount of structure to balance the ripe year fruit from 2003. Long finish.
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7/8/2012 - BillyT wrote:
Reserving points until it has time to open. Only open for 20-30 minutes and seems closed down unlike previous botttles. While color is excellent to the rim body and legs are medium nose is muted upon opening but shortly after it begins expressing chocolate, mocha, vanilla and cream. fruit is dark but muted with good acidity and spice. More to come later.
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7/3/2012 - djdaqm wrote: 91 Points
Decanted about 90 minutes before drinking. Showed a little more oak than expected at first, mostly on the nose. This blew off after about an hour. Other smells included lots of tobacco and tree bark. Nice acidity, and fairly well integrated tannins. Still lots of life left for aging. Has some earthy notes starting to develop, but not particularly complex or rich. Good wine for the $31 it cost me 5 years ago. Well balanced. A little bitter and green on the end, but not in a bad way.
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6/29/2012 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Previous notes apply. Consistency is the key here. A really go to quality low cost wine.
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6/9/2012 - Michel24 wrote: 92 Points
Très bon vin. Présence de fruits rouges et une odeur de bois. Tanin souple après un moment de repos.
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6/6/2012 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Previous notes apply.
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5/29/2012 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Note after 90 minutes. Tobacco and lead pencil on the nose. Some blackberries, licorice and chocolate on the palate. Rather voluptuous finish. Great QPR.
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4/28/2012 - leungallan wrote: 93 Points
A very good bottle of wine. Decented for 1.5 hours, the nose comes with intense tobacco, which I love it much. later on, a hint of mushroom also comes out. After more than 3 hours of time, the berries started to take control. The palate is quite silky, medium to low tannis. It's good to drink it now, or it may wait for a about a year.
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4/23/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Interestingly different this time. Pop and Pour Consistent in that the color, legs, body are the same. However, the nose is filled with sour cherries, ripe prunes, blackcherries, mocha, tobacco, leather, blood, red meat. Almost CdP like with a 'syrah' hint. Palate as usual terrific, balanced with just the right integration of fruit, acidity and tannins. Great chocolate, black fruit finish. Again, consistency...a winner.
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4/12/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Previous notes apply. Dark garnet to a rust rim. Strong legs with sensuous tears. Nose of vanilla and oak, buttered toast, dark fruit. Palate of dark fruit with silky tannins, spice.
Wine developed nicely over the evening. Consistency is the word for this wine.
Day two. Wow. Consistency, sustained fruit with great integrated tannins. Truly representative of its big brother Pichon Lande
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4/8/2012 - fandj wrote: 91 Points
Took the community's advice and opened ahead of time for air. Drank with Easter dinner.Really a lovely classic Bordeaux. Sorry it was our last bottle. sigh...
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3/27/2012 - pifcho wrote: 91 Points
Similar to my last bottle. Needed about 1 hour of air to get going.
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2/26/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Previous notes apply. Note, this wine needs allot of air time.
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1/6/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Dinner at Wildfish San Antonio with friends. Everyone else drank Mondavi 08 Oakville. While good it isn't Bordeaux. Comtesse was as consistent as previous bottles and lovely once again. I would buy another case if I could find it.
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1/1/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Previous notes apply. This bottle has a good deal of 'mocha' on the nose, parfume, dark berries, tobacco, marischino cherries, mint, medium weight mouth feel, wonderful dark fruit, some vanilla, caramel with nice acidity on the palate. Well integrated tannins and a nice spice dry finish. Still one of my favorites.
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12/25/2011 - kdsipe wrote: 88 Points
Beautiful nose for the first hour! Kirsh, coffee, mineral, stems. Thin and weedy on the palate. Don't see this improving with time in the bottle.
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12/21/2011 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Well, I bought the case. WOW! Consistency. Previous notes apply. Beautiful floral notes into deep dark fruit. Color as if it were a velvet robe of purple to the rim. I have never said, at least I don't remember having said, the nose is so well balanced...whatever that means but that is what comes to mind. There is some ever so slight barnyard funk. The palate reflects wonderful dark fruit, cream, spice and well inegrated tannins. This is probably, along with Clos des Pogodes the two best second labels I have had. Keep in mind I haven't had that many but enough to know the good from the not so good. This is a wonderful wine that if it holds up and the bottles remain consistent WOW! Only hope the big boy can keep up :-) My overall WOTN but what do I know against Andrew Will Ciel 06. Of course they are two totally different wines and profiles. I prefer Bordeaux so it worked for me as the WOTN but the Will was outstanding in its own right.
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12/11/2011 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Only wish I had bought a case. I wanted to try this the day after drinking a bottle of the 1995 Pichon La Lande Comtesse. This wine was outstanding and was a true reflection of the more prestigeous Pichon. The profiles were so very similar with the Reserve being deep in color, aromatic, medium bodied with strong legs, dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, some oak, cigar box, . Well integrated tannins and acidity with a statiny mouth feel. An outstanding wine.
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12/8/2011 - cookie7 wrote: 90 Points
Note on second day and it opened up with 24 hours in the bottle. Nose of lead pencil, tobacco and black cherries. Red berries and sweet kirsch on the palate. Really enjoyable.
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11/25/2011 - pifcho wrote: 91 Points
Absolutely delicious for the $19 I paid for it recently. I wish I got a case. I let it breathe in the bottle for most of the night. When I first tried it in about 2 hours it was good, but felt a tad watery in the middle. After 4 hours of air it really started singing. Seductive nose of flowers, spices, bacon and dark fruits. Mid weight on the palate with good, but very friendly structure. Blackberries, some white pepper and tar on the palate. Grippy but fine tannins. Medium plus length. Works very well both on its own and with the beef stew.
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11/21/2011 - THA wrote: 90 Points
In a good spot right now. Red fruits and sweet earth dominate. Soft and medium bodied. Mature. Good finish. Recommended.
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11/19/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 92 Points
Decanter Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Masterclass (Landmark Hotel London): Medium to dark ruby in color. Nose with concentrated ripe fruit, cigar box and bitter chocolate. Has a nice balance of freshness and ripeness. Some Cabernet herbaceousness and minty aromas as well. Quite full bodied and concentrated claret with medium acidity and beautiful tannins. Mint, cedar, sweetness. Good intensity and finish. Ready to drink but will only get better from now to 5 years at least.
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11/19/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 89 Points
Decanter Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Masterclass (Landmark Hotel London): Medium ruby with medium width of rim. Completely different to De Pez tasted just before. Here nose is youthful. Fruit is crisp, almost unripe with sour cherry and herbaceouss notes. Also present some dark fruit with inky notes. Palate reveals cherry, raspberry and peppery spice. Level of tannins is high but they are well managed. Medium to high acidity. Finish is almost hot. Not great intensity but the wine needs time - at least 3 years to become pleasurable.
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11/17/2011 - JJKinch wrote: 90 Points
Strong, dominant fruit (blueberry, blackcherry), slight graphite, slight vanilla, soft tannins. Really enjoyable.
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10/30/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
I should probably have let this settle a bit more before trying it, but what can I say -- I was eager. Poured through Vinturi and let settle for a few minutes before giving it a swirl. Pomegranate, raspberry, wet stone were what I found. Ate a few bites of Havarti, Maytag blue and a nice salami to see how they affected the wine. I think the salami was the best accompaniment, but a nice marbled steak would probably have been the way to go.
In the end, the wine was very enjoyable, although it seemed a bit restrained. I'll pour it with a meal next bottle.
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10/28/2011 - cookie7 wrote: 90 Points
Classic Pauillac lead pencil nose. Graphite, mushrooms and earth. Really nice wine - drinking well now.
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9/3/2011 - Radboy wrote: 91 Points
Improves considerably with time opened. Polished fruit, lead and earth tannins...good stuff.
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1/20/2011 - Vstalam wrote: 91 Points
Really interesting/drinking well now, a little vegetal with strong smoky notes. Not sure it will gian anything from further cellaring.
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12/31/2010 - jcsipe wrote: 94 Points
Tasted just after the pull of the cork, the predominant closed aromas were those of thin fruit and acidity which immediately opened up with Vinturi aeration to reveal a nose of rich complexity that only improved with decanting. Following aeration and 3 hours in the decanter, there was a remarkable evolution to a rich dark fruit nose, elegant soft midpalate with deep, pure balanced tannins and acidity followed by a lengthy finish. This is a remarkably fine 2003 Reserve de la Comtesse that needs Vinturi aeration followed by at least 3 hours of decanting but should only improve with many more years of good cellaring
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10/23/2010 - HUSTLEDC wrote: 91 Points
Garnet in colour with a medium bodied consistency. The nose is very classic blackberry/currant with cedar wood and graphite, but, with a gentle sweetness to it. The palate is the same, the fruit is prominent, with well balanced french oak, it has good acidity, but also that obvious sweetness to the fruit and slightly savoury. Tannins seem well integrated, although not fully and a good finish. Drinking well now with food and still with time ahead of it.
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7/4/2010 - Niagara wrote: 89 Points
Excellent nose, though with a touch too much alcohol. Very drinkable now.
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5/22/2010 - hemanwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very straightforward 2nd wine of Picon Lalande.
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4/6/2010 - Tao wrote: 90 Points
Came from a half bottle, tannins fully resolved, very easy to taste, very smooth, great nose of vanilla and a mild touch of green pepper, dark ruby in colour, very juicy in the mouth though the finish is a bit short!!!
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2/1/2010 - LeechDogg wrote: 88 Points
Slight red fruit, soft pallet, graphite. Drink now.
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1/3/2010 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Brought to a New Years Eve party after double decanting back into the bottle. This was a beautiful bottle of wine - not over-powering but really well balanced - silky smooth with fine dry tannins and a juicy acidity. Blackcurrant and blackcherry fruit was well integrated with the dry smooth herbal notes. This was a lovely bottle of wine and was consumed eagerly by those in attendance....Easily the best of the Reserves i have had - way better than both the 2000 and the 2001.
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11/21/2009 - blondon wrote:
Popped, left open for 3 hours, enjoyed with a pairing of sliders; one topped with swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms, the other with cheddar and bacon.
Wonderfully vibrant nose of barnyard, tobacco and cedar. Smooth, satisfying, blue fruits, herbs, coffee. A very nice bottle of wine, and at $50 for a magnum, wonderful QPR.
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11/17/2009 - vlzat wrote: 89 Points
Medium body, bright ruby color. Elegant fruits and wood aroma. Dominant black currants palate, long spicy finish. Rich but juicy, velvety texture, complex, balanced, nice acidity, firm tannin. Serve 18º - 20º. Open at least one hour in advance. Drink now and next couple years.
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11/15/2009 - V2 wrote: 89 Points
Our second bottle felt like a total 180 degree turn from the first one we had a couple of months ago. Great smoky plum and mocha finish which went excellent with prime rib.
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10/31/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 90 Points
Showing quite well with a little of everything - blueberries, cassis, herbs, a little graphite. With time, some mocha and smoky flavours emerge. Not very complex, but elegant with nice weight and well integrated tannins. Finishes slightly short though.
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9/5/2009 - J.L wrote: 90 Points
Solid and elegant Paulliac. This second wine is enjoyable and quite ready to drink. Needed about 3 hours of air to open up.
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9/3/2009 - Henman wrote: 91 Points
Dark garnet red.Medium nose with pleasant mocha and dark fruit.The palate opened up nicely after one hour showing light to medium bright dark fruit with mocha, herbaceous notes and softened tannins.A lovely and elegant claret,though a little short finish.Drinking very well now.
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8/26/2009 - Moorese wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly approachable and satisfying. Tobacco, graphite, and a leafy herbaceousness frame rich black cherry and plum flavors. Not especially long, but a fine example nonetheless, especially considering the vintage and the underwhelming performance of the Pichon Lalande in 03.
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8/5/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 90 Points
Smoky, toasted oak and graphite characters dominated the nose initially. Gradually the wine opened up with cassis, blueberries, earth, fungus, spices and coffee. A nice Pauillac with some complexity. Soft tannins with a short-medium finish. Not as aromatic or open as my previous bottle (a few months back and in a 500ml format). Perhaps this wine will perform better in 1-2 years to come?
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5/22/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 91 Points
Second visit to this wine, and what a difference 2 years made! Toasted cedary oak, mocha, creme de cassis, blueberries, some mushrooms, a light dose of herbs and spices. Good structure, silky smooth tannins and medium finish. This is drink so nicely right now. Great accompaniment to the peking duck we were having.
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4/3/2009 - JeffJo wrote: 86 Points
My first bottle of '03, I'm somewhat disappointed. Immediate nose of barnyard funk that dissapates somewhat but never fully recedes. Full of juicy red fruit with a bit of leather and pencil lead. More of a cross of St. Julien and Grave rather than Paulliac. If it weren't for the nose, this would be an 89-90 point wine for me.
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3/14/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose of leather, cocoa, and currants with a touch of tobacco. Medium-full bodied with a nice silky texture and decent fruit which shows the ripeness of the vintage. I was actually expecting this to be a little more tannic but it still finishes with a nice, lingering, dry finish. Good effort for a 'second' wine.
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2/18/2009 - cabjunkie wrote: 85 Points
Funky, ripe, rich, hedonistic.
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1/26/2009 - V2 wrote: 84 Points
This one was a little difficult to place. The bouquet was really sharp at first...almost harsh. Then it mellows out into a smoky plum, but was never really that fruity. It definitely has a lingering mushroominess to it, is a little more tannic than we like and didn't really blow us away. This was even with an hour or more decanting. It was a pleasant accompaniment with pork chops, but I feel there are actually better wines out there for less.
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1/25/2009 - MarcoAzevedo wrote: 85 Points
Funghi and wet earth bouquet. Palate of funghi, plum, berries and tobacco. Just a pleasent wine, not what is waited from this price and producer.
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1/21/2009 - SoCal wrote: 88 Points
Nice dark purple color with no signs of age. Wonderful Pauillac nose with dark fruit, tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. The palate flavors mimic the nose and has a very round and smooth mouth feel with very little hard edges. The finish is medium in length and is helped by the tannins that dry the mouth. Overall the mid-palate is a bit hollow but beyond that this wine is a good value for the region. It is drinking close to at it's peak now.
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1/1/2009 - jumpypiglet wrote: 91 Points
Correct claret, now appearing fully ready after a 1 hour decant, with blackcurrant and lead pencil aromas in abundance, and yet elegantly restrained, with none of the jamminess exhibited by other products of the vintage. Delightful.
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12/25/2008 - wilsp wrote: 92 Points
Very nice balance, not tight, ready to drink now.
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11/10/2008 - Niagara wrote: 91 Points
Very satisfying bottle of wine -- elegant and restrained, yet with plenty of fruit and a good, long finish. Almost perky.
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8/7/2008 - lozatron wrote: 90 Points
very correct claret with a lovely refined palete full of that pencil lead we all love and enough zingy fruity high notes to interest your new world Shiraz loving buddies. Good and fair price from waitrose
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4/26/2008 - Paul S wrote: 89 Points
APFW tasting. One year down the road from my last few bottles. This wine isn't going anywhere fast. The rather interesting tobacco leaf character that gave this wine a bit of extra complexity was missing from this bottle, which was rich, ripe and very soft. almost flabby. Chocolate and dark fruit abound.
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4/23/2008 - Keith Cooper wrote:
This was the fourth bottle out of eight at a tasting of Bordeaux wines at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society. A dark blackberry colour this wine was fruity with hints of tobacco and leather. The tannins were slightly more gentle and the flavour oaky and more complex.
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4/17/2008 - Hazeo wrote: 92 Points
Creamy, rather smooth with good complexity. May not be as full as a first wine but very good ... the taste actually reminds me of a Lascombes.
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2/26/2008 - BailliSacks wrote: 92 Points
Austere. Elegant. Many flavors and aromas. Marvelously structured. The real thing.
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1/9/2008 - Jiuwine.com wrote: 88 Points
2003 Réserve de la Comtesse
As with most of Europe, 2003 was an extremely hot vintage throughout the country. Despite higher sugar levels and an earlier harvest, the more northernly communes of the Médoc: and in particlular from Pauillac and St. Estèphe fared better. The best wines will see rich concentrated wines, with ripeness and depth of fruit and complexity. The winemaker @ Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande described their 2003 vintage as rich, onctuous, fresh with a rare balance and elegance.
Tasted this in October 2007 in Singapore. Reviewed again on Wednesday 9.01.2008. 13.0%. Blend of 46% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Explosive aromas of oak, black juicy plums and currants. Over time, cedar, smoke and juicy red currants. Medium-bodied, fleshy with black currants, wood, leathery complexity with a dry short to medium finish. Enjoyable now. Drink between 2008 and 2015. Super value Bordeaux quaffer at time of purchase. S$50.00 (02.2007). Now S$75.00. US$30.00 to $55.00. For the rest of my write-up, tasting notes and wine photography, please visit www.winekakis.com.
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12/23/2007 - Winepirate wrote:
Decanted this for about 90 minutes. Very ripe fruit and low acid, but was a fine accompaniment to a New York roast. Was well-recieved by all. May not be one to age, but should improve in the short term.
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7/27/2007 - Paul S wrote: 89 Points
Second bottle in a short while, drank at Ember during the firm's first wine night. Very good at its price. Like most 2003's, more fruit forward than normal and perhaps lacking a bit of acid, but still noticeably Bordelais through its slightly leafy forest floor nose, and Paulliac, through the rich cassis fruit on the nose and the palate. Ripe, rich and succulent, yet smooth and easy to drink. Great value.
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2/9/2007 - kmklee wrote: 88 Points
deep red colour. aroma of black cherry, toast, chocolate. Slightly sweet attack, smooth, moderate to high acidity, creamy chocolate finish with firm fine tannin.
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2/3/2007 - vinole wrote: 86 Points
2003 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Bottle was opened the previous evening in preparation for a retail tasting. My least favorite wine of the night, it had a somewhat harsh finish and generally a little unbalanced. The second wine of Pichon Lalande.
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