12x Bordeaux 1983 vs 1993: All wines tasted single blind. Not decanted. As anticipated, the 1983 vintage prevailed in our comparative tasting, scoring 8 to 2 wins against the 1993 vintage, with two ties. The structured, classic ’83s exhibited greater depth and harmony compared to the ‘93s, which tended to be simpler, sometimes slightly green and dry, or at their best, fresh and light. However, in both vintages, aside from a few notable labels, many wines were evidently beyond their peak. The standout was, unsurprisingly, the Margaux (94pts). Tasting the some of the same ’83s a second time a few days later with decanting showed a marked improvement, highlighting the need of aeration.
TN: The nose presents a dark fruit profile mingled with earthy and toasty nuances, complemented by hints of ash. As time progresses, it becomes increasingly dominated by minerals, overshadowing other characteristics. On the palate, it's somewhat drying yet features fine dark berries, earthiness, along with toasty accents. Overall, it's a bit simple and too drying, warranting a score of 88pts (vs the 91pts of the 1983).
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Bordeaux 1983 vs 1993 face-off: This comes across as a big, bold wine with plenty of oomph. Intense with a broad mineral base, dark violets, leather, espresso and ripe and extracted dark cherry fruit. The balance is good and felt like still very early days here.
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Wonderful aged Bordeaux with typical cedar, forest floor and a little cigar box on the nose. Drying tannins on the mid palate initially that resolved into a fruit laden finish lasting at least 30 seconds. The fruit is dark like blue and blackberry. There is a a bit of chocolate as well on the finish which has become more silky with air. Matches beautifully with chocolate a friend brought from the country of Georgia. This bottle is excellent like the bottle I opened in 2020. The bottle I opened in 2021 was much less evolved. Must be bottle variation within the 6 pack I purchased as a futures.
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Still a marvelous Old World Bordeaux, fruity nose, faint cigar box, green pepper, spices. NO sediment whatsoever at 29 years old. Velvety on the palate.
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This bottle has been open for 48 hours and has yet to smooth out. The prior bottle was accessible and tasty almost immediately. The typical forest floor and cedar notes dominate the aroma. However the tannins for this bottle seem fiercer than the prior. Fruit is difficult to detect due to the alcohol and tannin lack of integration. Very disappointing. I will see if another 24'hours will help. The extra time helped but only a little as a faint amount of dark fruit notes appeared for a short while. Maybe it was bottle variation.
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Wonderful Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco and damp forest floor. The latter blew off in half an hour. This is elegant, silky Paulliac that is in perfect drinking condition. Predominant fruit is blue and black berries and a slight hint of chocolate. I saw prior notes suggesting a narrow drinking window of 2000-2008 and if that is true I am sorry I missed it because it is tasty right now. My remaining four bottles will be consumed this next winter just to make sure it doesn't reach the declining stage.
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Notes match those I posted on 4/17/18, except wine was decanted in restaurant prior to drinking. I was able to buy 5 more from the same impeccable cellar, but at only $35 vs the $60 paid 2/3/18.
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Opened hours before dinner,still quite fruity on the nose and palate. Tobacco, dried black currants, cedar on the nose. Soft/velvety on the palate. Glad to have 3 more.
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Just odered this over the weekend in a restaurant at a comparably very good price. It was a stellar bottle and can't see why the drinking window would have ended in 2008
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Tasty dark berry driven flavours, cedar, develops aromatic tones with time in the glass, softens a bit and gets chocolaty. Surprisingly strong showing considering the challenging vintage.
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This must have been quite agreeable once, but the greenness of the fruit has come to the fore and it really isn't much good. I see that there are still quite a few bottles around - I advise to sell.
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La Commanderie de Bordeaux: Chateau Lagrange Vertical (Bishop's - Vancouver, BC): Tons of green bean on the nose, along with smokey oak, black plums, black pepper spice, and plenty of bright red fruits. The green bean carries through to the palate, along with some chalky tobacco, black currants, and red cherry. Plenty of dusty drying tannins with moderate+ acidity. A medium length finish ending on notes of green bean and tobacco. Fully mature but this just isn't going to shake the leafy character of the vintage unfortunately. Lots of green on both the nose and palate. OK.
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Outstanding wine. We let it breathe in bottle for 2 hr & drank over next three. Medium-bodied, classic St. Julien. Layers of fruit, including black currants & blueberry. Just enough nice tannin for good structure. Well balanced. Perfectly mature. It will probably not improve further, but should hold for at least a few years.
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Nicely aged and could probably go a few more years. Decanted a couple of hours and drank over a couple of hours. Went very well with food and had a very nice and smooth finish. Nose and taste a little of sweat but not distracting at all.
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Great expressive nose, good fruit, a bit tannic but the fruit doesn’t dry up and leave you puckering like la Louviere did. Goes especially well with the cheese.
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Belle couleur cerise moyennement intense, bouquet très agréable et très présent, bien ouvert. Très peu d’astringence et d’acidité, un peu alcoolique mais très agréable à boire.
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Retailer tasting; just short notes. (@ vdV): Beautiful and creamy bouquet and taste. Concentrated wine with a good balance between acidity and sweetness. Not for the very long term. 88 - 89
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12/28/2023 - Cailles wrote: 88 Points
12x Bordeaux 1983 vs 1993: All wines tasted single blind. Not decanted. As anticipated, the 1983 vintage prevailed in our comparative tasting, scoring 8 to 2 wins against the 1993 vintage, with two ties. The structured, classic ’83s exhibited greater depth and harmony compared to the ‘93s, which tended to be simpler, sometimes slightly green and dry, or at their best, fresh and light. However, in both vintages, aside from a few notable labels, many wines were evidently beyond their peak. The standout was, unsurprisingly, the Margaux (94pts). Tasting the some of the same ’83s a second time a few days later with decanting showed a marked improvement, highlighting the need of aeration.
TN: The nose presents a dark fruit profile mingled with earthy and toasty nuances, complemented by hints of ash. As time progresses, it becomes increasingly dominated by minerals, overshadowing other characteristics. On the palate, it's somewhat drying yet features fine dark berries, earthiness, along with toasty accents. Overall, it's a bit simple and too drying, warranting a score of 88pts (vs the 91pts of the 1983).
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11/20/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux 1983 vs 1993 face-off: This comes across as a big, bold wine with plenty of oomph. Intense with a broad mineral base, dark violets, leather, espresso and ripe and extracted dark cherry fruit. The balance is good and felt like still very early days here.
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12/3/2022 - ElAzul Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful aged Bordeaux with typical cedar, forest floor and a little cigar box on the nose. Drying tannins on the mid palate initially that resolved into a fruit laden finish lasting at least 30 seconds. The fruit is dark like blue and blackberry. There is a a bit of chocolate as well on the finish which has become more silky with air. Matches beautifully with chocolate a friend brought from the country of Georgia. This bottle is excellent like the bottle I opened in 2020. The bottle I opened in 2021 was much less evolved. Must be bottle variation within the 6 pack I purchased as a futures.
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9/4/2022 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Still a marvelous Old World Bordeaux, fruity nose, faint cigar box, green pepper, spices. NO sediment whatsoever at 29 years old. Velvety on the palate.
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8/23/2021 - ElAzul wrote: 87 Points
This bottle has been open for 48 hours and has yet to smooth out. The prior bottle was accessible and tasty almost immediately. The typical forest floor and cedar notes dominate the aroma. However the tannins for this bottle seem fiercer than the prior. Fruit is difficult to detect due to the alcohol and tannin lack of integration. Very disappointing. I will see if another 24'hours will help. The extra time helped but only a little as a faint amount of dark fruit notes appeared for a short while. Maybe it was bottle variation.
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8/12/2020 - ElAzul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco and damp forest floor. The latter blew off in half an hour. This is elegant, silky Paulliac that is in perfect drinking condition. Predominant fruit is blue and black berries and a slight hint of chocolate. I saw prior notes suggesting a narrow drinking window of 2000-2008 and if that is true I am sorry I missed it because it is tasty right now. My remaining four bottles will be consumed this next winter just to make sure it doesn't reach the declining stage.
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12/1/2019 - Tavastgatan wrote: 91 Points
This bottle was a step up from the last one. Four to go.
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9/28/2019 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Drinking as nice as on 9/15/18. No sediment
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9/15/2018 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Impressions same as my 7/20/18 post. P&P at restaurant. Very nice from perfect private cellar at $35. Six left to drink.
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7/20/2018 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Notes match those I posted on 4/17/18, except wine was decanted in restaurant prior to drinking. I was able to buy 5 more from the same impeccable cellar, but at only $35 vs the $60 paid 2/3/18.
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4/7/2018 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Opened hours before dinner,still quite fruity on the nose and palate. Tobacco, dried black currants, cedar on the nose. Soft/velvety on the palate. Glad to have 3 more.
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6/30/2015 - epattijn wrote:
Just odered this over the weekend in a restaurant at a comparably very good price. It was a stellar bottle and can't see why the drinking window would have ended in 2008
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2/13/2015 - Lype Likes this wine:
Tasty dark berry driven flavours, cedar, develops aromatic tones with time in the glass, softens a bit and gets chocolaty. Surprisingly strong showing considering the challenging vintage.
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4/12/2013 - Julian Marshall Does not like this wine:
This must have been quite agreeable once, but the greenness of the fruit has come to the fore and it really isn't much good.
I see that there are still quite a few bottles around - I advise to sell.
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3/6/2013 - MattTM wrote:
La Commanderie de Bordeaux: Chateau Lagrange Vertical (Bishop's - Vancouver, BC): Tons of green bean on the nose, along with smokey oak, black plums, black pepper spice, and plenty of bright red fruits. The green bean carries through to the palate, along with some chalky tobacco, black currants, and red cherry. Plenty of dusty drying tannins with moderate+ acidity. A medium length finish ending on notes of green bean and tobacco. Fully mature but this just isn't going to shake the leafy character of the vintage unfortunately. Lots of green on both the nose and palate. OK.
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1/12/2013 - Ralphk Likes this wine: 88 Points
Past its prime, but still smooth and well balanced. A little short on the finish. Very little fruit left.
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7/10/2011 - DarrellC wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding wine. We let it breathe in bottle for 2 hr & drank over next three. Medium-bodied, classic St. Julien. Layers of fruit, including black currants & blueberry. Just enough nice tannin for good structure. Well balanced. Perfectly mature. It will probably not improve further, but should hold for at least a few years.
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9/12/2009 - troger wrote: 91 Points
Nicely aged and could probably go a few more years. Decanted a couple of hours and drank over a couple of hours. Went very well with food and had a very nice and smooth finish. Nose and taste a little of sweat but not distracting at all.
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3/12/2003 - MeToo wrote:
Great expressive nose, good fruit, a bit tannic but the fruit doesn’t dry up and leave you puckering like la Louviere did. Goes especially well with the cheese.
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4/24/2001 - KeyMaster wrote: 89 Points
Belle couleur cerise moyennement intense, bouquet très agréable et très présent, bien ouvert. Très peu d’astringence et d’acidité, un peu alcoolique mais très agréable à boire.
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12/17/1995 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Retailer tasting; just short notes. (@ vdV): Beautiful and creamy bouquet and taste. Concentrated wine with a good balance between acidity and sweetness. Not for the very long term. 88 - 89
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