13.5% alcohol; Saranty Imports, Harrison, New York; real cork, medium to heavy weight foil; no way to measure wine penetration into the cork, it broke and the stump had to be poked into the bottle; long legs, dark purple/red/brown; opened, vinturied, and tasted right afterwards at room temperature (24 degrees C); nose of cherries, plums, alcohol, generic citrus; tasting attempted, yuck, the wine is spoiled
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle from a shipment that I think must have been heat damaged when we relocated 8 years ago. Pnp. Healthy dark garnet color with no browning. This is just slightly oxidative on the nose, just like the last bottle 2 years ago. On the palate this opens up with fairly big, angular tannins which obviously stick out from the the mid bodied fruit, not bad but not really integrated. Throughs a fair bit of sediment. Not much fun to drink, so think this must have seen lots of heat during shipment. Last of my 2005 Fonroque.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quick splash decant. Very dark ruby color. A fair amount of oak on this but offering a nice nose of coffee, leather and old soil. On the palate, well integrated flavors of black fruit, dark cherries and blackberry with oaky vanilla notes and a little spice. The wine improved over approximately a half hour and then plateaued and started to fall off. Overall, a very nice St. Emilion that seems to be at its peak right now and based on my palate and experience, a wine I would not expect to have a very long drinking plateau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hmmm... just like the 2005 Vieux Pourret a few days ago this was part of several cases of wine I had shipped overseas 5 years ago, and just like the 2005 Vieux Pourret this is showing an oxidative note now. So am wondering if this shipment was heat damaged. At the same time neither the left bank Bdx nor the Brunello from the same shipment are showing any such notes. Either way and despite the excellent 05 vintage, probably not a wine for the very long run
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A warm tone of pepper and dark fruit. Not too heavy, missing some kind of piquancy, complexity and lenght. Would be a good everyday wine, but not at that price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
(pnp) required at least 30 min to open in the glass , awesome fat band of smooth leathery tannin supporting a somewhat compressed and very focused mid-palate of ripe dark crushed berries layered with dried fruits with just enough acidity in the upper palate to play well and an occasional mint hint, nice balance and integration into the nose.....very enjoyable
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Back from the dead - this is starting to wake up again Still needs some time to go to ge fully out of the closed down stage, but showing what it used to be and potentially more
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Russk WSW at Las Pampa's P&L Rt Bank Bx Tasting. I brought [fr TW] and a favorite. Plenty of earth and balance. CT average does not do this wine justice.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very solid Bordeaux, but a little underwhelming for its price point. Solid tannins and flavors of wood and soil make their presence felt, but the fruit flavors need a little more strength to make this a truly balanced wine. I would recommend decanting for about an hour before drinking for best result. Overall, a very enjoyable drinking experience, but falls just short of its potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good value for money, classic Bordeaux. On the nose lovely fruit and spices, black berries and cherries, nice oaky undertone, taste is even better than I expected, quite massive and structured, the tannins haven't completely integrated yet but very silky and thus not too intrusive, love the fruitiness combined with body and freshness, quite lengthy aftertaste as well, love this!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Appearance: Bright and clear, this wine is of medium ruby color and with legs. Nose: Clean, the nose shows medium (+) intensity aromas of pungent spice of liquorice, black fruit of black cherries and blackberry, oak notes of cedar, mineral notes of earth, sweet spice of cloves, maturity notes of wet leaves. The wine is developing. Palate: Dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannin of ripe but a bit powdery in texture, the wine has medium alcohol and is of medium (+) body with medium intensity flavors of black fruit of dark cherries and blackberry, oak notes of vanilla, red fruit of plum, sweet spice of cloves. The wine has a medium finish. Conclusion: Good quality St-Emilion with a good intense nose of fair complexity, the wine has a good robust structure, but the tannin is a bit too strong with a powdery texture and not as integrated as I would prefer. The palate is reasonably concentrated and complex, with a similarly fair length on the finish. Ready to drink now, the wine can benefit from further ageing of another 3-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At first thought past prime, rich color, but starting to have a slight brown rim in glass. Earthy wet leaves, hints of mint, vanilla & spice on nose. Very tight and dry upon first sip. Let sit for 1 hour+ and totally opened up. Silky texture, soft tannins. Black cherries, vanilla and strawberries. Hints of spice, mineral and leather. Very good bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 30 minutes then drank over two hours. The time helped open it up. Earthy nose. Dry and spicy, yet pretty smooth and easy to drink. Solid offering, priced a little higher than it should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Already fun to drink, this blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc produced a medium bodied, earthy, spicy, black cherry and raspberry filled wine that ends with an elegant, red berry finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 30 min and drank over 2.5h. Dark garnet almost to the rim, nose of liquorice and dark fruit, on the palate this is evolving nicely, plenty of dark fruit, still a fair bit of tannins, the bitterness is much less pronounced that 12 months ago. Gains weight with longer decant time. Medium finish. This should come together nicely in 12 months and increase by another 1-2 points. 88+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
decanted 30, was still very tight until about another 30-45 in the glass, then the tannin calmed down, fruit came forward with a little plum and berry....nice ride to the end...worth the wait
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened another bottle with a 30 min decant based on some of the positive reviews below. Good thing is that the tannins have softened considerably, and there is still plenty of fruit - particular plum - indicating together with the little evolved color that this will last for many more years. Was however not particularly impressed by the this now more pronounced bitter note both on the mid palate and the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 30 min. Initially quite nice with the cabernet franc giving it this slightly bitter note, then the dry tannins take over in a way that it's hard to see what else is going on. Am curious to see how these relatively inexpensive right bank 05 bdx turn out in a few years. Currently they are not fun to drink at all, and the question here is of course whether there is enough fruit for those massive tannins . 87?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted after 4 hours decanting; very similar to prior tastings, but more intense in the mouth. Lots of blueberry, plum, cedar, earth and tobacco. Tasty.
As before, drink through 2017. Start in 2012, unless you've got a lot of patience and a good decanter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very young, tight. Needs more time in the bottle to see how it'll work out.
Ruby with a garnet rim. Inviting nose of blueberry and tobacco. Ample, intense flavors of blueberry, plum, tobacco and earth, all wrapped up in firm tannins. Harmoniously balanced, with a solid finish. Best between 2012 and 2017 in my opinion; 2008 is WAY too early to drink this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Scents of red fruits and earth the nose on this was basic...but nice. In the mouth there was a wild strawberry flavor and a hint of straw that lead to a very dry finish. Give this a few years in the cellar. While not an outstanding wine...it was still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/30/2022 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very decent Bordeaux, good nose & quite pleasant in the mouth, quite ready
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2021 - Glenn Gilbert Does not like this wine:
13.5% alcohol; Saranty Imports, Harrison, New York; real cork, medium to heavy weight foil; no way to measure wine penetration into the cork, it broke and the stump had to be poked into the bottle; long legs, dark purple/red/brown; opened, vinturied, and tasted right afterwards at room temperature (24 degrees C); nose of cherries, plums, alcohol, generic citrus; tasting attempted, yuck, the wine is spoiled
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - NCWW Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Oxidative and with aggressive tannins. Not integrated and judging from other notes not sure there is much improvement to expect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2020 - pavel_p wrote: flawed
Last bottle from a shipment that I think must have been heat damaged when we relocated 8 years ago. Pnp. Healthy dark garnet color with no browning. This is just slightly oxidative on the nose, just like the last bottle 2 years ago. On the palate this opens up with fairly big, angular tannins which obviously stick out from the the mid bodied fruit, not bad but not really integrated. Throughs a fair bit of sediment. Not much fun to drink, so think this must have seen lots of heat during shipment. Last of my 2005 Fonroque.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2020 - Jdog wrote: 91 Points
Quick splash decant. Very dark ruby color. A fair amount of oak on this but offering a nice nose of coffee, leather and old soil. On the palate, well integrated flavors of black fruit, dark cherries and blackberry with oaky vanilla notes and a little spice. The wine improved over approximately a half hour and then plateaued and started to fall off. Overall, a very nice St. Emilion that seems to be at its peak right now and based on my palate and experience, a wine I would not expect to have a very long drinking plateau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2019 - NCWW Likes this wine: 90 Points
A fine wine. Somewhat tannic, needs food. Not sure this will improve with more age, so these will be going over the next 6 months
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2018 - pavel_p wrote: flawed
Hmmm... just like the 2005 Vieux Pourret a few days ago this was part of several cases of wine I had shipped overseas 5 years ago, and just like the 2005 Vieux Pourret this is showing an oxidative note now. So am wondering if this shipment was heat damaged. At the same time neither the left bank Bdx nor the Brunello from the same shipment are showing any such notes. Either way and despite the excellent 05 vintage, probably not a wine for the very long run
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2017 - CabIsKing wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose off black cherries, spice and earth. Medium bodied that leads to a long finish. Very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2017 - sharonandroland wrote: 91 Points
Slightly closed at the moment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2016 - Jansky Likes this wine: 89 Points
A warm tone of pepper and dark fruit. Not too heavy, missing some kind of piquancy, complexity and lenght. Would be a good everyday wine, but not at that price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2016 - sharonandroland wrote: 90 Points
Currently closed and not in the right place.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2016 - drummer Likes this wine: 94 Points
decanted 1.5 hr
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2016 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well currently
Oak well integrated and fruit and tertiary aromas coming out
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2016 - drummer Likes this wine: 93 Points
(pnp) required at least 30 min to open in the glass , awesome fat band of smooth leathery tannin supporting a somewhat compressed and very focused mid-palate of ripe dark crushed berries layered with dried fruits with just enough acidity in the upper palate to play well and an occasional mint hint, nice balance and integration into the nose.....very enjoyable
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2016 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Back from the dead - this is starting to wake up again
Still needs some time to go to ge fully out of the closed down stage, but showing what it used to be and potentially more
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2015 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
Russk WSW at Las Pampa's P&L Rt Bank Bx Tasting. I brought [fr TW] and a favorite. Plenty of earth and balance. CT average does not do this wine justice.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2015 - sharonandroland wrote: 88 Points
Not in a good stage at the moment - fruit receeded and tannins to astringent. Hope the balance can be restored again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2014 - Reamus Likes this wine: 87 Points
A very solid Bordeaux, but a little underwhelming for its price point. Solid tannins and flavors of wood and soil make their presence felt, but the fruit flavors need a little more strength to make this a truly balanced wine. I would recommend decanting for about an hour before drinking for best result. Overall, a very enjoyable drinking experience, but falls just short of its potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2013 - dc_242 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good value for money, classic Bordeaux.
On the nose lovely fruit and spices, black berries and cherries, nice oaky undertone, taste is even better than I expected, quite massive and structured, the tannins haven't completely integrated yet but very silky and thus not too intrusive, love the fruitiness combined with body and freshness, quite lengthy aftertaste as well, love this!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2013 - peterchoy wrote: 89 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, this wine is of medium ruby color and with legs.
Nose: Clean, the nose shows medium (+) intensity aromas of pungent spice of liquorice, black fruit of black cherries and blackberry, oak notes of cedar, mineral notes of earth, sweet spice of cloves, maturity notes of wet leaves. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannin of ripe but a bit powdery in texture, the wine has medium alcohol and is of medium (+) body with medium intensity flavors of black fruit of dark cherries and blackberry, oak notes of vanilla, red fruit of plum, sweet spice of cloves. The wine has a medium finish.
Conclusion: Good quality St-Emilion with a good intense nose of fair complexity, the wine has a good robust structure, but the tannin is a bit too strong with a powdery texture and not as integrated as I would prefer. The palate is reasonably concentrated and complex, with a similarly fair length on the finish. Ready to drink now, the wine can benefit from further ageing of another 3-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2013 - drummer wrote: 90 Points
only time will tell, but I feel another 2-5yr before hits it's stride....like someone said, will there be enough fruit to balance these tannins..?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2013 - Turkbzerk wrote: 90 Points
At first thought past prime, rich color, but starting to have a slight brown rim in glass. Earthy wet leaves, hints of mint, vanilla & spice on nose. Very tight and dry upon first sip. Let sit for 1 hour+ and totally opened up. Silky texture, soft tannins. Black cherries, vanilla and strawberries. Hints of spice, mineral and leather. Very good bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2013 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 30 minutes then drank over two hours. The time helped open it up. Earthy nose. Dry and spicy, yet pretty smooth and easy to drink. Solid offering, priced a little higher than it should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Already fun to drink, this blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc produced a medium bodied, earthy, spicy, black cherry and raspberry filled wine that ends with an elegant, red berry finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2012 - sharonandroland wrote: 93 Points
Stunning. Beautiful play on the oak tannins. Still very young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2012 - pavel_p wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 30 min and drank over 2.5h. Dark garnet almost to the rim, nose of liquorice and dark fruit, on the palate this is evolving nicely, plenty of dark fruit, still a fair bit of tannins, the bitterness is much less pronounced that 12 months ago. Gains weight with longer decant time. Medium finish. This should come together nicely in 12 months and increase by another 1-2 points. 88+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2011 - drummer wrote: 90 Points
decanted 30, was still very tight until about another 30-45 in the glass, then the tannin calmed down, fruit came forward with a little plum and berry....nice ride to the end...worth the wait
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2011 - pavel_p wrote: 88 Points
Opened another bottle with a 30 min decant based on some of the positive reviews below. Good thing is that the tannins have softened considerably, and there is still plenty of fruit - particular plum - indicating together with the little evolved color that this will last for many more years. Was however not particularly impressed by the this now more pronounced bitter note both on the mid palate and the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2011 - sharonandroland wrote: 91 Points
Just seems to get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2011 - pavel_p wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 30 min. Initially quite nice with the cabernet franc giving it this slightly bitter note, then the dry tannins take over in a way that it's hard to see what else is going on. Am curious to see how these relatively inexpensive right bank 05 bdx turn out in a few years. Currently they are not fun to drink at all, and the question here is of course whether there is enough fruit for those massive tannins . 87?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2009 - THaas wrote: 87 Points
Tasted after 4 hours decanting; very similar to prior tastings, but more intense in the mouth. Lots of blueberry, plum, cedar, earth and tobacco. Tasty.
As before, drink through 2017. Start in 2012, unless you've got a lot of patience and a good decanter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2008 - THaas wrote: 85 Points
Very young, tight. Needs more time in the bottle to see how it'll work out.
Ruby with a garnet rim. Inviting nose of blueberry and tobacco. Ample, intense flavors of blueberry, plum, tobacco and earth, all wrapped up in firm tannins. Harmoniously balanced, with a solid finish. Best between 2012 and 2017 in my opinion; 2008 is WAY too early to drink this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Scents of red fruits and earth the nose on this was basic...but nice. In the mouth there was a wild strawberry flavor and a hint of straw that lead to a very dry finish. Give this a few years in the cellar. While not an outstanding wine...it was still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment