17.12.2023 - Steak Dinner at Bistecca SGP. Decanted in a mini Riedel decanter and drank with a Riedel Bordeaux glass. Took about 1.5 hr to open up. Still plenty of fresh and ripe dark fruit, intense chocolate milk, cassis, freshly rolled cigar, coffee & earthy notes. Still rather bright acidity with plenty of fruit throughout the palate. Really enjoyed this after 2hrs+ in with our Florentine steak. Supple and well integrated tannins with good depth & complexity
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Double decanted 1hr ahead of a Cab bottle fest & dinner. Perfumed nose, floral and dried herbs. Underlay of black cherry jam and shortbread. Very soft on the palate, acid is still there but waning. This is ready to drink not much more cellar time required. Paired well with grilled, marinated lamb chops and roasted brussies.
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Pnp. Red cherry, touch of capsicum, scorched earth, plum, acid still high, finish was long. As it evolves, body gain weight showing spice and red currant.
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In a great spot. Medium to full bodied with excellent fruit concentration. Black currant, tobacco, lead pencil. Early maturity but should hold here for a while.
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PnPd - delicate yet dense on both the nose and palate. Floral (violet and rose potpourri) on the nose along with whiffs of dried and brandied fruit. Dark red fruits on the palate with generous weight. A bit of acid remains at the centre. Medium plus finish. Went well with Lamb Biryani.
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Opened the bottle on 6/9/2023. 1hr decant, drank half the bottle. Left the remaining contents and drank the 2nd day after another 1hr decant.
Classic Saint Julien, reminds me of 2018 Chateau Lagrange Bottle, bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, earth, graphite, and violets. After all this years, tannins have resolved themselves -> not biting hard but more on the silky side.
Really enjoyed this bottle. 2nd day was arguably much better.
Regards, AM
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A bit closed initially, after 1h+ decant it opened up nicely. Some pleasant tertiary flavors but still a good amount of fruit. Very smooth tanins and medium acidity, medium to long length.
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1.5 years on from last note and this has developed impressive tertiary flavors. Mushroom, forest floor, mint. Balanced claret and all elements are integrated now. At peak for me.
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Garnet bowl to ruby rim. Cooked cherries, kicked gravel, light herbs, dark blackberries, plums on the nose. Palate is cooked cherries, muted blackberries, plums. Medium tannins, medium acidity. Decanted four hours and could go a few more years but probably on the downslope.
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This was less than impressive in many ways. The fruit was solid but not showing very much and tannin level was very nice. I don't think this will improve with any more time. Drank 2 bottles a few weeks apart with equal results.
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Nose jumping out the glass - certainly less shy than this was a couple of year ago. Nose brings blue plum, dark cherry, cedar and some wet stone.
On the palate good intensity of blue fruit, bramble, a little Palma violets, graphite, some leather but still very primary. Tannins are resolving with a little black tea tang on the finish. Good acidity propels into a reasonably long finish. Quite happy to give this 93
Slow O'd all day. Fruity with first pour. Better balanced after sitting in glass 60 minutes with smooth, drying tannins, truffle, graphite. Think this should continue drinking well to 2025.
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Drank in Dubai, graphite and iron smells with light scent of rose petal. Luxurious mouthfeel. If your gonna drink a few quick Bordeaux this works really well. Nice long integrated finish tannin and alcohol really fight for dominance whist the fruit stands back and takes it all in , it’s This battle makes the wine special.
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Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Dark berries, graphite, oak and even still some lactic impressions in the bouquet. On the palate juicy and ripe dark berries, dark chocolate, oak, firm acidity and tannin. The wine is not at its peak yet. More finesse will show with another 4 - 7+ years of ageing. 92+ for now.
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Blackcurrants on the nose, still quite primary. Then the palate shows great acidity, dark cherries, black currants… tannins are strong still, with oak and vanilla on the finish with hints of oak and pencil. Very good but I prefer my Branaire-Ducru 2005.
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Decanted and drank over two days. Medium body, some bricking. Opens with wafts of cloves and sage, a touch of creosote in the background. Wet rocks, iron, and leather with low acidity and fine tannin - a medium length finish. It will keep and develop a few more years.
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At 16 years of age, it is drinking great now! Similar to my tasting note from Aug. 2020, this is finally in its maturity window. This wine is signature St. Julien. There is a wound up tension & energy in this wine and it is surprisingly good for the 2nd wine of Leoville Las Cases. Too bad this is my last bottle.
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Very enjoyable. Intense nose that keeps bringing you back to the glass. Straddling between primary and tertiary, plenty of black ripe fruit & cedar notes. Still a little tannic bite at the end but not distracting. Ready now but years to go.
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a little dissapointing from what I'd hoped for. initially closed but never seemed to wake up and reveal depth or secondaries I'd hoped for from a 2005. Good wine ready to drink but a little uninspiring
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Deep ruby lightening towards the rim. Fragrant nose of tobacco, earth and cassis from the initial pour. Darker fruit profile with medium body and length. I enjoyed the nose more than the palate with the latter a bit uninspiring.
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Blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus and cedar box on the nose and palate. Medium bodied, somewhat tart on the shortish finish. Disappointing, especially given the long wait. As others have said, this is classically Left Bank correct, but not particularly complex or distinctive. Not to be confused with any of the Grand Crus in adjacent vineyards...
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Decent St Julien, quite nice dark fruit notes, abit jammy, not as amazing as I might have expected, but a good drink with tertiary flavours developed nevertheless
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No formal notes. Enjoyed with friends over a casual meal. Quite nice and at a good spot. Dark fruit, cracked pepper, menthol and tobacco, hints of smoke, some spices on the finish. Not particularly complex but very enjoyable nonetheless. I think that it’s reached its full potential, so if you have some then drink up!
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Popped and enjoyed over two days. This one is definitely into the middle maturity plateau with scents of earth and cedar. Classic left bank cabernet on the palate with notes of cassis backed by earthy elements. I kept the wine cold in between days one and two and luckily the wine barely budged. Perhaps this suggests a long life at this stage. While certainly classic and correct, the wine lacked spark or energy. I can think of a few bottlings at 2/3 or even half the price that might deliver a similar experience.
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Au nez, de la poussière, fond de cave sèche, branches de cèdre. En bouche, une certaine onctuosité, acidité retenue, tannins assagis et moyennement intégrés, fruits noirs, jus de prune. Eucalyptus. Pas très complexe. Finale boisée et sur le fruit cuit. Je trouve que pour un 2005 à ce prix, ce vin manque de oumf!, de fruit, de caractère. Bu avec côte de veau BBQ.
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Decanted for 5 hours. Quite flat. Still primary. I am not quite sure about the potential. Will wait 3-4 years for next bottle. From experience this should be treated as a classified medoc.
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Christmas dinner. Really very good wine. Edged the Couvent des Jacobins 05 I served as an alternative. But not the perfect pairing. Very smooth and drinking beautifully now.
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Cassis on the nose, lovely. Two hour decant. Black fruits, cherry, licorice. Quite dark. Medium richness, still has some tannins. Feels very well balanced. Paired nicely with lamb.
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Must have been closed up 6 months ago. Slow O'd 6 hours. Lots of juicy red fruits, minerals, not jammy, truffle, drying tannins. layered and complex. This '05 St. Julien reminds me a lot of the '05 Pichon Lalande Pauillac's bright red fruits.
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The last blind, and weirdly the wackiest. I thought I was pulling something conservative, but no one was remotely close. The nose is relatively closed, the front palate is all expensive wood, while the finish is hot and a touch bitter. The guesses ranged from Spanish grenache, to Amarone (!!) to CdP, which is where most people landed. Even on day 2, another set of people guessed this as CdP. Kind of a shocking effort, honestly. This reminded me of a less polished 2005 Guigal La Turque I had last year, and that is not a compliment.
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I agree with the prior note on this. Nothing especially remarkable about this and it's rather thin for a wine from a legendary year like '05. I've had several wines over lower pedigree from '05 that were way ahead of this, such as du Glana. At the moment, there is a bit of cassis, leather and mild tannin, with a short finish. We let it air in glass for 2+ hours and flavors remained the same. I don't think this will improve with further aging as the fruit in minimal and nothing really secondary has developed.
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This was way past what I would consider a good drinking window for an ageable Bordeaux blend. I had hoped that this would be a complex age-worthy wine but it was a disappointment. Finely marbled grilled tenderloin with great wine friendly side dishes and paired with a 2012 Quilceda Creek cab and the 2005 Clos du Marquis. I was so embarrassed with the Clos du Marquis showing that I grabbed and opened a Clos Fourtet hoping to over compensate. The Clos Fourtet was a beautiful wine even showing up the Quilceda.
The Clos du Marquis was light on structure, light on fruit or secondary flavors and had no finish at all (flat was the best word that our UK guests could politely muster) that this was a very disappointing showing. Completely past for this wine even if 5 years ago it was very pleasant.
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Uncorked 4 hours. Quick decant before pouring. Lovely nose, elegant, mellow red fruits. Taste is spot on, so sexy and elegant with a solid structure and lingering finish. We loved it. Drink now or within 3 years.
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Finally, this wine is fully mature. Tasted every two years since 2016 and this is the best I’ve had it. The tannin is fully resolved, secondary characteristics abound of sweet Virginia tobacco leaves and leather, but the best part is the classic St. Julien character that runs through and through this wine. This is Leoville without a doubt. While it lacks the depth in structure and fruit, it is a 15 year old 2nd wine @ $45 after all. I wouldn’t kick this out of bed for eating crackers. Decanted for 1 hr and enjoyed over the course of an additional 2 hours. Drink up!
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Tasted 10 Cabernet blends semi blind with Coravin. Shy nose initially. Still young and fruity aromas. Better in the mouth with very fine balance. A tad thin. Tannins starting to integrate. Would not think this one is for the long haul. Drinks well now but should improve still.
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First of my case purchased as futures and professionally stored, Very deep color, almost opaque. At first pour, bitter ashes on palate. After 12 hour decant, this is premium juice. Red fruits, discreet tannins, elegant. Medium to full bodied. Long finish.
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Definitely fading, the wine is fine, correct and with bright red fruits, herbs, earth and tobacco essences, but the depth of flavor and length no longer remains. If you are sitting on any, it is time to pop those corks as it is not going to improve from here.
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a gift (alongside a 2005 vice versa - thank you, uncle victor!) which made for a really fun evening of virtual tastings of old world vs new world bordeaux varietal comparisons... a curious musty damp smell out of the bottle straight away, which blew off quickly. then lovely barnyard, leathery, dusty earth notes, as well as cherries show themselves. in the mouth, the wine is lifted with pleasant acidity and structure. class. highly recommended.
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Medium ruby color. Aromas with a little bit of primary fruit, dark fruit but not a lot. Nice structure to the wine. Tannins are present but don't overwhelm. Interesting wine compared to '96 and '00.
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Opened one hour prior to serving. Cork broke in half, but I managed to not get any fragments in the bottle. Tannins are fine but still quite prominent, and the nose and palate are still more fruit and floral. Seems that this wine has plenty of years of additional development ahead of it if you have patience, but it’s quite nice now. Paired well with a big ribeye.
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Ouvert 30 minutes avant dégustation. Grenat foncé avec quelques traces d’évolution. Au nez, quelques arômes d’écurie, puis cèdre, violettes. En bouche, bonne structure, équilibré, assez costaud, tanins intégrés. Plus cérébral et aristocratique que sexy et exubérant. Bordeaux classique. A boire sur les prochaines années.
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This does not have as much fruit as expected but has a nice structure and complexity. It has some funk on the nose. Tannins are still strong and feels like it needs more time still.
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Well... what to say... Big disappointment. The wine is very flat, just a bit of fruit aroma, very thin. Only positive is it’s structure. Does even not develop with hours and hours of air.
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To a Bordeaux palate this would score higher. Now mature and quite delicious. Fruit coming through, tannins have faded. It opened within 20 minutes. Must serve and enjoy this. Really great wine.
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This bottle has aged well. So many '05 Bordeauxs are still so tannic that they're hard to drink even after 12 years in the bottle. However, this bottle proved to be an exception. The tannins have receded and the fruit is finally coming through. We paired it with KC strips and it complemented the food nicely. Drink up!
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The tannins have softened but the wine remains in a dormant state with very little secondary development coming through. Leave another five years and then try again
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Disappointing. Nothing bad about the wine but it was boring, lacking any pronunced secondary flavors, which is what I’m after in a 14 year old Bordeaux
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Dinner at Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck. Purple. Medium bodied. Imposing structure. Tannins have softened with age but still slightly drying. On the palate, bold, quite big, dark fruit but balanced with good acidity.
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Vinturi aerated and decanted for 2 hours. Deep red with long slow legs. Nose and palate more like an nice Rausan-Segla margaux without the violets. Long finish. Outstanding
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Getting better with age. Been a few years since I have had it, but it is starting to enter its early maturity window. If I had been served this blinded, I would have thought it was from Margaux. There is a feminine/floral quality to the wine with a definite herbal/tobacco finish coming through. While still young, it is beginning to strut its stuff.
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The 2005 Clos du Marquis went head-to-head with the 2005 Sbragia Wall Vineyard Cab at an Oscar Party feast. Most of this Californian-palated group preferred the Napa Cab, but a couple of us thought the CdM showed very well. Somewhat musty ("forest floor"?) Bdx nose, medium-bodied mouth feel and some nice minerality with fairly rich red fruits, decent finish, decent acidity. Looking forward to remaining two bottles.
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Greatly improved relative to a bottle I had a year or so ago. Benefited from a 90-minute decant. More fig, plum and black cherry than the blue fruit profile I look for from the appellation, with ripe tannins, some leather and truffle. Good depth, rounding out nicely.
Still young. Nose is loaded with blueberry after about an hour with a layer of spice. Quite a bit of alcohol but starting to layer in nicely. Cherry, red and black, on the front and mid palate. Long finish with quite a level of residual tannin - would benefit from another year or two in the cellar to finish.
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Rouge framboise, pas oxydé malgré ses 12 ans, plutôt clair. Nez de Bordeaux, bouche distinguée, intense, équilibrée, ronde, complexe. Long en bouche. Excellent.
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This bottle seemed fairly green and underripe to me. Herbal and bell pepper notes seemed a bit too strong on the nose. The palate was fine, but not anything exciting. Overall disappointing.
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Léoville Las Cases dinner with Pierre Graffeuille (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Medium expressive harmonious nose displaying perfectly ripe red and black fruits, cassis, plum, cedar, light caramel and flowers. Very good concentration, nicely layered ripe fruit, good richness, nicely integrated tannins and a medium to long cassis and cedar driven finish. Not the most complex wine but quite rich and drinking beautifully. It has reach the youthful peak but will last for another two decades.
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Rounding red berry, caramelized beef, clay, and floral nose. Medium bodied with elegant fruit, balanced acidity and spicy, dry tannins. Medium-long finish. Pretty and still evolving. 3.5/5
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zzzzzzz, another boring 05. Tasted amongst a host of Bordeaux second wines 2004-2009, this sat in the middle as an innocuous, well made but completely pedestrian wine. It is true that this is not really a second wine of LLC, but I am afraid even in a supposed great vintage, you cannot hide the lowly terroir.
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Beautiful. Soft red fruits caress the palate. Fine, silky tannins. Fantastic balance. Lovely minerality. Very typical of St. Julien, has that crushed rocks character I enjoy. This wine is still developing, will be better in 5+. Lovely, lovely, wine.
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Very muted and introvert wine, it took a while to open up. But then it was a beauty! After the farmyard is gone, lots of red dried fruit on the nose with cedar and leather. Very nice fruit concentration in the mouth supported by lively acidity. Tannins are resolving yet they provide a solid structure in support to the wine. Fruit in the mouth lasts for a while. Outstanding quality. In a nice drinking window, but acidity and fruit suggest that it may evolve further. Classic Bordeaux!
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Deep red with an red-garnet rim color showing the age of the bottle.
The nose is very aromatic, smells of dark cherry and chocolate-covered raisins. Noticeable French oak. On the palate the dried fruits shine even more, the tannins are supple but present, the acidity is there to hold everything together. Extremely well balanced with a really long finish.
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Decanted for an hour. Austere, no fruit, no complexity - a real disappointment. Two more bottles (this was the first) that will rest until 2020 and hope for the best,
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My fairly high expectations were not met with is bottle, which I found a bit muted and austere. Tart plum and red fruit, no baby fat (if anything, a bit dried out) and lacking in lift. Could be the bottle, of course.
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This was a tale of two vintages. I had planned on opening the 2006 but after popping the cork I realized I grabbed the '05. Well I decanted this at 4pm knowing it would need a couple of hours. At 5pm I then decided to open and decant the '06 and do a tiny vertical, what the heck. Upon opening the '05 was very backward while the '06 had a softer, fruity note to it so I then decided to tape up the labels and do an A/B comparison with my wife as we had these with grilled Prime sirloin (delicious and from Costco BTW). The "A" bottle ended up being the 06 and during dinner that seemed to be the preference. However, around 10 pm we were relaxing listening to music and the "B" bottle really came around with well rounded fruit and some soft vanilla notes. Again I still did not know which vintage was A or B but the "B" bottle really opened nicely while the A was kind of stuck in place. The reveal showed the B was the 2005 and speaks to the power of that vintage and the need to continue to HOLD these wines for maximum enjoyment. A fun test all in the name of wine science!
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Emirates lounge. Medium garnet with translucent rim. Forest floor, wood spices and dark fruit. On the palate at best mid bodied but open, light on its feat but with good concentration and complexity, fine to medium tannins, good length. Another great 2005 and ready to drink
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Interesting tasting experiment tonight... Decanted at 6:30 pm, first glass with dinner at 8:30 pm (prime beef tenderloin, grilled veggies, baked potato). First two glasses, this wine was singing to me... Blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus, lavender, flowers, touch of damp earth, with a bit of charcoal, almost Margaux like in the glass. After dinner, the wine changed... Became lean, herbal / green, thin, tannic and backward. What happened? The food really made it much better. Bottom line... If drinking it now, drink with a fatty meal. If not, hold for 3 more years.
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Forest floor, dark berries, graphite, however, a bit thin, with a shorter finish than expecting. Will wait a few more years before opening the next bottle.
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Still young with lots of dark berry, graphite, pencil shavings a little muddled blackberry, lots of up front dark fruit on the attack, with already integrated tannins and a nice texture, feel it lacks a bit of freshness though
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Disappointing. My last bottle was great! Perhaps a bad bottle so I will not rate. Reasonable nose then it fell from there. Thin and lacking complexity. Not much to it. Better after a couple hours and even better the next day. At best mid 80 points.
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During a LLC tasting dinner with ex chateau bottles, hosted by Directeur General Pierre Graffeuille, double decanted. TN: Medium garnet with purple core. Nose of forest, mint, cassis, still quite closed. Medium bodied palate, fresh but not ready to drink yet. Wait a few more years.
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Grenat profond avec quelques reflets rubis. Ocelle légèrement aqueuse. Brillant et mobile. Un premier nez sur le cèdre et la violette. Très fin, sur des arômes de caramel, de boisé vanillé et de fruits rouges frais (cerises). Légère odeur de poivron vert. Très riche, sans dominante. Attaque envoutante et belle acidité. Se développe sur de beaux fruits rouges (cerises) avec des goûts de cèdre, caramel, torréfaction, de poivron et de musc. Belle finale longue soutenue par des tanins gourmands. Alcool bien intégré. Très harmonieux. Arrière gout de pruneaux. Vin de grande richesse aromatique. Parfaitement buvable mais qui ne demande qu'à défier le temps. Laurent Jouanne (Dubos) l'avait trouvé un peu "serré" à Paris ... et parfait à Monaco ! :)
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nice colour on this, drank from a magnum. decanted 1.5hrs before we started and drank it over 3hrs. fruit was decent but not super obvious and was a bit thin on the palate. finish started a bit tannic but softened over the night. i was expecting more from this wine
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a perfect example of a wine that was closed on day one at (87p) anynomous, redberry-tart, herbal , the mouthfeel was high quality but the aromas were not there to support it. It was actually a quite mediocre wine. Day2 was a completely different wine: Hello Bordeaux! Clear dark berry fruit, hints of forestfloor, dark coffe, herbs, prunes. The wine is concentrated and rich with a lovely spicy texture. A wine for 2025. Not now. Not now at all. 2005 truly needs time. Wait and be rewarded.
Forest floor and cedar chest notes are easy to find. On the palate, a generous dose of ripe cassis and black cherries is young, yet approachable, due to the high quality of the tannins.
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nose - charcoal, cherry, toasty mouth - dark cherry intermixed with graphite, a restrained yet attractively fruity showing with lots of minerality , good acidity, and fine dry tannins on the finish. nicely balanced, complex, and fruity. excellent showing
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This was decanted for a couple of hours but really needed much longer. Nice cassis and floral aromatics. Medium plus body with nice blackcurrant fruit along with notes of graphite and tobacco. The finish is just moderate with grippy,chalky tannins. Should improve nicely from here. (90+ pts).
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This was absolutely gorgeous. Showing a lot of potential while providing a lot of enjoyment now. On the palate, this showed great intensity and length. I was completely surprised by how well this showed, I kept coming back for more. Completely agree that this wine felt very soft. I didn't find the tannins intrusive at this point either as this wine felt very silky. Very approachable at this point, but years from its prime. Was great after a splash decant!
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A very nice wine, but still too young to drink. The nose has cassis, pencil lead, leather, pen ink, and some floral scents. The palate is balanced and is developing nicely, but even after 2 hr decant and with food, the tannins are too much in evidence. I think this will evolve into a lovely elegant Bordeaux, but needs another 5-10 years.
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Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Approachable yet serious. More Merlot here? Certainly feels softer than the LLC. Suave and smooth and I would say drink it now, even if it can stay in your cellar for another 5-10 years.
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Decent left bank. Very well balanced and integrated but nothing really stood out, perhaps too high expectations. Would like to know current pricing as bought it 7 years ago on futures.
On the nose, ripe black current, cedar, pencil shavings, wet forest floor. Palate matches nose, with slightly more freshly turned earth. Medium plus across the board. Very well integrated and balanced. Would have expected slightly more power. Pair with pan cooked tenderloin.
Cellar (1.5L bottle) 3.75 stars
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Christmas dinner 2014 with the usual suspects (On Lot 10): Clear and bright ruby color. Stunning floral nose, with mineral, red fruit and cedar notes also. Full of charm from the start. Slight creaminess on the palate, with a wealth of fruit and terrific balance with tannin and alcohol levels both in just the right place. Comes across as young but only slightly so, in fact I'd say it's just entering its drinking window, and will be enjoyable for many years to come. A great effort for what is (actually not) a second wine, as we know.
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Lovely wine; was surprised by how smooth the wine was. Tannins seemed pretty much gone. Berries and dried fruit on the palate. Lovely. Big question: do we let the last bottle age much longer?
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Drank in Bordeaux Classic, elegant, refined, beautiful, clean, fresh, mature and lovely. Comments from the tastes at dinner. This really is maturing into a beauty.
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great wine - has fruit but very elegant, seamless, velvet glove but with structure. There is complexity waiting to happen - drank from a half bottle and it was best on day 3.
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A nice unmistakable maturing Saint Julien-esque bouquet of blackberry, cedar, leather, tobacco and truffle which leads way to a pretty one dimensional effort on the palate which I did not really care for. Good but lacking.
Please also be forewarned that this bottle threw a ton of sediment.
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Tasted blind against 2003 Cos d'Estournel and 2006 Leoville Poyferre among others. I am amazed at how this wine stood its ground. Dark ruby turning violet at the rim with an profusely elegant nose coupled with earth, leather and herbs. The palate has a full-body, solid structure, vibrant acidity and a velvety texture. Flavors of black currant, meat, leather, truffle, hoisin, smoke and oak form the core. Finishes long and lands squarely on its feet with elegant hints of earthy tones. This is the quintessential St. Julien - the best Clos du Marquis I've had. Drink now until 2020. 94+
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A little young still. Cassis, other dark fruit, anise, baking spice, slightly rough tannins. Could be a terrific bottle in a couple more years but I'm not that confident in my storage.
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Even though this is probably still abit on the young side and was still somewhat tight after a few hours of double decanting, it was still quite nice. Med to full bodied and displaying reasonable depth to the flavors of cassis, leather, earth, graphite and perhaps hints of cocoa and camphor. The tannins on the finish are still chalky and fairly aggressive, but not at all overwhelming.
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Although the wine is still reticent and too young it shows a few things already. Concentrated cassis, graphite and luxurious oak in the bouquet. On the palate also a concentrated wine with ripe dark forest fruits, a touch of sweetness and a firm amount of acidity and good tannin and bitterness. I think it is wise to wait at least until 2018. 91+
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Also still too early to drink this one; the nose, animal furs, dark berries, and yellow roses; the palate, juicy and mellow with cherries and green peppers; the finish, medium long with berries, licorice, and some gripping tannins; overall, 90+ points; 5+ more years of cellar time recommended.
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This wine has its own personality. I don't think I've had a Bordeaux overly similar to this. Fairly light in body with high acidity and a bright chicken broth flavor. Very dry. Some tart raspberry. Cork on the finish. Given the sharp nature of this wine food is a must.
Seductive aromas of pencil lead and wood shavings - emptying the pencil sharpener - with flavors of red and black currant with tart berries and dusty autumn leaves. Long finish, with soft tannins and easy acidity. Ready to go now.
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Very aromatic upon opening without decant, but this improved immensely on the palate with time. Initially black fruits and classic herbal character with very good balance, obviously well made, but closed. With time the palate softened giving this some complexity and more character. Very good, and with better balance than many 2005's I have tasted to date. Drink with decant.
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Tasted at Chateau. Scorched earth, cassis, classic Bordeaux nose with M+ body, M+ tannin, M+ acid - Juicy and fresh while still serious-minded. Very nice.
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Drank from a half-bottle. Nose not the most powerful, body lacking a bit of weight, but tannins have resolved well (quite a bit of sediment for a 2005); oak not obvious, allowing fruit to shine. Sweet, fruity finish. Nothing much to shout about, but would gladly drink again.
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Wonderful wine. Still holding up extrememly well. Nice ruby color. Very aromatic of red and black fruits. Awesome structure and balance with sweet tannin and vibrant fruits. What an awesome deal this was.
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This very dark ruby colored wine is almost opaque and has The nose that greets has floral tinges and a nice red berries. This has a immediate burst of flavours with red cherries metallic flint and licorice aftertaste. It's not too terribly complex but its a nice and lovely wine.
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Dried figs, damp leaves, licorice on the nose. Deep dark red color. Full mouth feel (blood like). Licorice on the palate as well. Smoky taste. Tannins nicely integrated. Missed them at first, but subsequent sips revealed them.
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Double decanted for about 5 hours. Very nice with fairly rich, deep dark fruit with tobacco and leather notes and perhaps some hints of cocoa. The tannins, while still fairy firm, are chalky and fine grained and unobtrusive. This is drinking nicely today.
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Wonderful rich nose and flavors. Very well balanced between rich flavors, smooth tannins and acidity. Drinking very well right now, almost like a CA cab.
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- Brick color. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Decanted four hours before serving. And I think still longer was needed. I got relatively little pleasure from such an anticipated vintage and a wine we have so enjoyed before. This despite serving with chateaubriand. It really barely opened up. I would leave it another couple of years before opening again. And decant many hours before drinking.
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Drinking at its absolute best. Possibly a few more years but would not push it. Wonderfully mellowed tannins. Cassis and dark fruits. Elegant wine with decent finish. Solid QPR. Represents a St. Julian at this price point well.
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Fantastic St-Julien nearing it's peak, with a deep ruby color and lovely aromas of red currant. After a few minutes aromas and flavors of fresh turned loam, manure, tart red berries, smoke, vanilla, dark chocolate and lead pencil awaken. Really delicious now and will hold for years.
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Grenat profond avec quelques reflets rubis. Ocelle légèrement aqueuse. Mobile. 13°. Un premier nez sur le cèdre et la violette. Très fin, sur des arômes de caramel, de boisé vanillé et de fruits rouges frais (cerises). Légère odeur de poivron vert. Très riche, sans dominante. Attaque envoutante et belle acidité. Se développe sur de beaux fruits rouges (cerises) avec des goûts de cèdre, caramel, torréfaction, de poivron et de musc. Belle finale longue soutenue par des tanins gourmands. Alcool bien intégré. Très harmonieux. Arrière gout de pruneaux. Vin de grande richesse aromatique. Parfaitement buvable et peut être gardé encore bien longtemps sans problème. Vin de finesse extrême comme son grand frère. Vaut un 2ième cru. Noté 93+.
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Four hour decant. Dense medium garnet in color. Layered bouquet with notes of violets, crushed stone, cassis & blueberry. Very fine and polished on the palate- initially tight but started to open up after the third hour. The flavors were mostly consistent with the bouquet- elegant pure fruit and savory, floral & mineral depth. Oak is well integrated with just hints of cocoa. Fine opulent tannins and full finishing notes of blue & black fruit. This is 92-93 points today with a 4+ hour decant- give another 5 to 8 years and this well peak.
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I hope this is simply closed for business right now, and that I erred by not leaving time to open up, but a very disappointing showing -- a bit sour, flat, boring.
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Dark in color, tobacco, truffle, blackberry, cassis, oak and black cherry scents lead to a full bodied, concentrated wine that in any blind tasting would crush several famous Classified Bordeaux wines. Powerful, rich and intense, this round textured wine fills your mouth with layers if sweet, ripe, juicy, Cabernet Sauvignon. Give it a few more years (as it's still tight at the moment) and start drinking it in 2015 and over the 10-15 years.
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Monthly Miscellaneous Bordeaux Tasting (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium ruby. Cedary. Subtle sweetness and cassis fruit. Most impressive for its back end with terrific grip, tannin and acidity that really explode as it coats the mouth. Long, classic, one for the future. Probably my favorite wine of the tasting.
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What a great wine! Fresch but with a very big concentration. Perfect companion to the veal and lamb we had at L' affable in Cannes. I am just so happy I have got the big brother Leoville Le Cases 2005 in my cellar.
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Very closed down on first day. Day two decanted for two hours and drank. Very ripe nose of blackberries, glycerine, and oak. A very modern Bordeaux with dark plums on palate with notes of mocha, oak, and candied cherries. A finesse wine in which the tannins are very receded. Finish is solid with good acidity. Not sure where this is going as tannins are already muted for such a young vintage.
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Completely closed the first day. Opened up on the second, then unfortunately started showing sour fruits. Need to taste again, preferably in a few years
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Drinking really well for an 05...Tannins are really welll integrated and soft...Cassis, leather and dark fruit on the palate along with a hint of smoke and oak..Nice aromatics as well..A well made wine..Cheers
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Drinking well for a young 05, had with Lamb and went beatifully. Firm and full bodied but also soft and full of dark fruit. Well intergrated and looking forward to opening the case I have in 5-10 years when it should get a mid 90s score.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #039; Bordeaux GCC 2nd wines (By BS): A lot of sweet ripe cassis in the bouquet. Toasted luxurious oak. Same on the palate. Firm acidity and good tannin. Harmonious and very youthful wine. There is a long future here. 5+ years before opening the next bottle.
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A curiosity. This is much lighter in colour and palate than the less-lauded 2006, which I tasted 6 weeks ago. The 06 was closed, closed, closed for nearly 36 hours then blossomed into a complex monster. This is much more like a Pauillac than a big meaty St Julien. Its colour is a medium purple-red, and on the nose it has graphite, plum, some truffly notes, and perhaps a touch of brett. The palate is arresting for its lack of up front punch and grip, which you come to expect from the young St Juliens: this is a wine of subtlety and finesse - olives, some cherry and a little hint of anise with very fine grained almost chalky (?Pauillac like) tannins and quite a long finish, during which some early secondary characteristics of cedar and spice come through. I did not find the oak overly intrusive as some others have indicated. I give this an 89 because it is a surprising example of CDM, but a very pleasant one and full of finesse. I wouldn't recommend it to those in search of huge fruit and huge tannin, but those who enjoy more restrained styles will love this wine.
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This wine to me, is really disapointing for the price! The nose is a bit subdued, there are some nice cherry scents and some oak (a bit too much presently)! The mouthfeel is lacking some presence, it is very vegetal. It's play is more on the finesse side but it is missing some of the elements that makes a wine of this price worth buying. This is a medium body wine, the tannins are soft and the finale is a bit short presently. Might improve with some cellar time but for the price point, one can do much better, not recommended!
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Double decanted in the AM, served at dinner. Dark/opaque blue. Very pretty nose of dark fruit and pencil lead. The superb fruit quality in 2005 continues to show well at many levels. Palate and nose exhibited secondary profiles of earth & porcini at the end of service. Medium-full, good structure, but the thing is the fruit. Drinking well now with enough air time. Bodes VERY well for the Grand Vin LLC!
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White and Red 2005 Bordeaux (The Wine Club, San Francisco): Quite dark. More graphite than fruit on the nose. At once, you can sense its lush feel and dark blackberry fruit which is juxtaposed against very high but fine tannins. Youthfully unintegrated but this should be very good given adequate time.
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Pop and pour, drank over 4 hours. Very plummy, with coffee, chocolate and toasted oak aromas. Very tannic. Needs a few years but will be a very good wine.
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New Year's Eve 2008 (Byfield, MA): Decanted for 5 hrs. Dark ruby color. Nose of blackberry, cassis, wet stones. Similar palate with some green pepper. Tannic, even after extended decant. Great wine but still very primary.
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Linking With Bordeaux (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Dark red core. Nice perfumed red fruit aromas on the nose with some earth undertones. Quite attractive on the palate with sweet cherry fruit flavors in a seductive style. This is quite forward and drinkable at this stage but the structure is decent enough.
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Elegant red fruit nose. Can taste the different varitals vs other cab sav based wines. Excellent balance and moderate depth on the palate. Long finish. Nice wine, but lacking complexity. Hopefully it will arrive with time. Drink-8-10+ Years. Hard to justify at $50 when Pauillacs are priced in that range.
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Another great 2005 second wine. Good nose, can tell this is a baby already. Surprisingly approachable on the palate, though - fruit, a little oak, cassis, earth. Yum! Hit of vanilla mid palate floated Sal's boat without sinking mine. All wrapped up in crunchy, fine tannins leaving you wanting more. Didn't spit this! These 2005 2nds are not going to disappoint...
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A big whiff of young oak upon uncorking. Tannins are pronounced. Nice pure, clean deep ruby color. The tannins become mouth-puckering. This is to 2005 Bordeaux what the disappointing Clos de Ursules is to 2005 Burgundy. The Sucker gives this wine a score of 92-94, but he is just kissing the younger Delon's butt. I might be willing to pay $20 for this on the supermarket shelf. This tastes like something from 1995, something from the sharp tannin side of '95. There was some nice black fruit and lead pencil on the nose after the oak dissipated, but the fruit was quite thin and the wine really faded fast over the second half of dinner. It reminds me of the swill-like 1996 La Croix de Beaucaillou-- a shell of the first label. This wine is not total swill, but it is definitely not a wine of any worthwhile note. Rating: 87 points.
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The nose has opened a bit since the barrel tasting, showing cassis and vanilla notes with a brambly fruit freshness on the palate, which was focused and deep. Less than 50% Cab and with over 37% Merlot, the overall feel is quite lush. Highly recommended second wine. Bottle tasting.
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BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): One should note that the day had high atmospheric pressure and it was fairly cool – not beneficial to tasting barrel samples. So the nose was expectedly closed! But the palate was “wet” with brambly fruit, yet focused. It also showed fine freshness – like the 2002 which I like so much – yet greater corpulence, and a good finish. Less than 50% Cab and with over 37% Merlot. Highly recommended second wine: far better than Pavillion Rouge, for example. It also has less alcohol, at 13.45%... 89-91+
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1/28/2024 - J. Vino wrote: 91 Points
90 minute decant, from magnum. A classy claret in its drinking window. Enjoyable but not too complex.
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12/17/2023 - Romz Likes this wine: 90 Points
17.12.2023 - Steak Dinner at Bistecca SGP. Decanted in a mini Riedel decanter and drank with a Riedel Bordeaux glass. Took about 1.5 hr to open up. Still plenty of fresh and ripe dark fruit, intense chocolate milk, cassis, freshly rolled cigar, coffee & earthy notes. Still rather bright acidity with plenty of fruit throughout the palate. Really enjoyed this after 2hrs+ in with our Florentine steak. Supple and well integrated tannins with good depth & complexity
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12/15/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted 1hr ahead of a Cab bottle fest & dinner. Perfumed nose, floral and dried herbs. Underlay of black cherry jam and shortbread. Very soft on the palate, acid is still there but waning. This is ready to drink not much more cellar time required. Paired well with grilled, marinated lamb chops and roasted brussies.
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12/2/2023 - Mkotik wrote: 88 Points
Fruit still present t but taste and smell aren't consent rated. Almost fells watered down
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10/7/2023 - astroman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp. Red cherry, touch of capsicum, scorched earth, plum, acid still high, finish was long. As it evolves, body gain weight showing spice and red currant.
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10/3/2023 - martcouz wrote: 89 Points
Prêt à boire mais pas passé son peak. Notes de torréfaction, très droit et précis.
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9/28/2023 - mclanew Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a great spot. Medium to full bodied with excellent fruit concentration. Black currant, tobacco, lead pencil. Early maturity but should hold here for a while.
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8/25/2023 - AFM87 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Shock decanted and drank about an hour afterwards. In an early peak window - still some fruit, but also BdX cigar box. Drink or hold, and good QPR
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7/18/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnPd - delicate yet dense on both the nose and palate. Floral (violet and rose potpourri) on the nose along with whiffs of dried and brandied fruit. Dark red fruits on the palate with generous weight. A bit of acid remains at the centre. Medium plus finish. Went well with Lamb Biryani.
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6/10/2023 - am150384 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened the bottle on 6/9/2023. 1hr decant, drank half the bottle. Left the remaining contents and drank the 2nd day after another 1hr decant.
Classic Saint Julien, reminds me of 2018 Chateau Lagrange Bottle, bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, earth, graphite, and violets. After all this years, tannins have resolved themselves -> not biting hard but more on the silky side.
Really enjoyed this bottle. 2nd day was arguably much better.
Regards, AM
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6/1/2023 - Maphill01 wrote:
Decanted off minimal sediment. Deep purple, clear rim. Still youthful, cassis, bit of tobacco. Medium bodied, nice acidity and chewy tannins.
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5/3/2023 - Fred101 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A bit closed initially, after 1h+ decant it opened up nicely. Some pleasant tertiary flavors but still a good amount of fruit. Very smooth tanins and medium acidity, medium to long length.
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4/21/2023 - beatles wrote: 92 Points
Plenty of primary fruit here, black berries, menthol, some tobacco. Vertical, cool, elegant, open but still young, no tertiary notes whatsoever.
#M&E
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4/14/2023 - Andice wrote: 93 Points
1.5 years on from last note and this has developed impressive tertiary flavors. Mushroom, forest floor, mint. Balanced claret and all elements are integrated now. At peak for me.
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2/18/2023 - beeg612 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garnet bowl to ruby rim. Cooked cherries, kicked gravel, light herbs, dark blackberries, plums on the nose. Palate is cooked cherries, muted blackberries, plums. Medium tannins, medium acidity. Decanted four hours and could go a few more years but probably on the downslope.
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12/5/2022 - Sanlucar Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was less than impressive in many ways. The fruit was solid but not showing very much and tannin level was very nice. I don't think this will improve with any more time. Drank 2 bottles a few weeks apart with equal results.
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9/23/2022 - Radders12345 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose jumping out the glass - certainly less shy than this was a couple of year ago.
Nose brings blue plum, dark cherry, cedar and some wet stone.
On the palate good intensity of blue fruit, bramble, a little Palma violets, graphite, some leather but still very primary. Tannins are resolving with a little black tea tang on the finish. Good acidity propels into a reasonably long finish. Quite happy to give this 93
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9/19/2022 - ArtF Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking so well with first pour. The fruit of '05 with balance of St. Julien.
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8/7/2022 - ArtF Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slow O'd all day. Fruity with first pour. Better balanced after sitting in glass 60 minutes with smooth, drying tannins, truffle, graphite. Think this should continue drinking well to 2025.
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3/1/2022 - zTroy wrote:
Drank in Dubai, graphite and iron smells with light scent of rose petal. Luxurious mouthfeel. If your gonna drink a few quick Bordeaux this works really well. Nice long integrated finish tannin and alcohol really fight for dominance whist the fruit stands back and takes it all in , it’s This battle makes the wine special.
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12/15/2021 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Dark berries, graphite, oak and even still some lactic impressions in the bouquet. On the palate juicy and ripe dark berries, dark chocolate, oak, firm acidity and tannin. The wine is not at its peak yet. More finesse will show with another 4 - 7+ years of ageing. 92+ for now.
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12/7/2021 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackcurrants on the nose, still quite primary. Then the palate shows great acidity, dark cherries, black currants… tannins are strong still, with oak and vanilla on the finish with hints of oak and pencil. Very good but I prefer my Branaire-Ducru 2005.
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11/19/2021 - ChristoBretts Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted and drank over two days. Medium body, some bricking. Opens with wafts of cloves and sage, a touch of creosote in the background. Wet rocks, iron, and leather with low acidity and fine tannin - a medium length finish. It will keep and develop a few more years.
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11/12/2021 - Hanibal wrote: 91 Points
Holding up but does not have lots of complexity
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10/30/2021 - ArtF Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark crystalline red color. Better as it sits in glass. I don't think this can make old bones. I will drink up my last bottles next year or two.
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10/9/2021 - Lyttelton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great, maybe sublime in another 12-18 months ?
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9/26/2021 - ArtF Likes this wine: 94 Points
First sign of full maturity. Slight taste of truffle, a little drying tannin. Lots of suave red berries, tensely firm and smooth.
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9/24/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
At 16 years of age, it is drinking great now! Similar to my tasting note from Aug. 2020, this is finally in its maturity window. This wine is signature St. Julien. There is a wound up tension & energy in this wine and it is surprisingly good for the 2nd wine of Leoville Las Cases. Too bad this is my last bottle.
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9/14/2021 - Andice wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable. Intense nose that keeps bringing you back to the glass. Straddling between primary and tertiary, plenty of black ripe fruit & cedar notes. Still a little tannic bite at the end but not distracting. Ready now but years to go.
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7/29/2021 - jsander Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice and well refined. Enjoyed but has time.
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6/22/2021 - MSheridan wrote: 89 Points
a little dissapointing from what I'd hoped for. initially closed but never seemed to wake up and reveal depth or secondaries I'd hoped for from a 2005. Good wine ready to drink but a little uninspiring
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5/24/2021 - hkbob Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby lightening towards the rim. Fragrant nose of tobacco, earth and cassis from the initial pour. Darker fruit profile with medium body and length. I enjoyed the nose more than the palate with the latter a bit uninspiring.
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5/15/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 89 Points
From memory this is fully ready to drink, and is easy on the palate.
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5/1/2021 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus and cedar box on the nose and palate. Medium bodied, somewhat tart on the shortish finish. Disappointing, especially given the long wait. As others have said, this is
classically Left Bank correct, but not particularly complex or distinctive. Not to be confused with any of the Grand Crus in adjacent vineyards...
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3/7/2021 - glassofhans wrote: 90 Points
Decent St Julien, quite nice dark fruit notes, abit jammy, not as amazing as I might have expected, but a good drink with tertiary flavours developed nevertheless
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3/6/2021 - Aris1a Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal notes. Enjoyed with friends over a casual meal. Quite nice and at a good spot. Dark fruit, cracked pepper, menthol and tobacco, hints of smoke, some spices on the finish. Not particularly complex but very enjoyable nonetheless. I think that it’s reached its full potential, so if you have some then drink up!
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2/9/2021 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Popped and enjoyed over two days. This one is definitely into the middle maturity plateau with scents of earth and cedar. Classic left bank cabernet on the palate with notes of cassis backed by earthy elements. I kept the wine cold in between days one and two and luckily the wine barely budged. Perhaps this suggests a long life at this stage. While certainly classic and correct, the wine lacked spark or energy. I can think of a few bottlings at 2/3 or even half the price that might deliver a similar experience.
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1/31/2021 - Comte de Rousset Likes this wine: 89 Points
Au nez, de la poussière, fond de cave sèche, branches de cèdre. En bouche, une certaine onctuosité, acidité retenue, tannins assagis et moyennement intégrés, fruits noirs, jus de prune. Eucalyptus. Pas très complexe. Finale boisée et sur le fruit cuit. Je trouve que pour un 2005 à ce prix, ce vin manque de oumf!, de fruit, de caractère. Bu avec côte de veau BBQ.
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1/24/2021 - Too much practice. Likes this wine: 91 Points
My word. Absolute perfection with Cote de Boeuf.
Wow. Should be the go to wine for steak nights.
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12/28/2020 - InVinjeVeritas wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 5 hours. Quite flat. Still primary. I am not quite sure about the potential. Will wait 3-4 years for next bottle. From experience this should be treated as a classified medoc.
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12/28/2020 - Too much practice. wrote: 88 Points
Christmas dinner. Really very good wine. Edged the Couvent des Jacobins 05 I served as an alternative. But not the perfect pairing. Very smooth and drinking beautifully now.
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12/18/2020 - ArtF Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium deep maroon with crimson rim. Not much on nose. Drinks beautifully after brief decant.
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12/18/2020 - CGandur wrote:
Lovely - very nice drinking now
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11/21/2020 - Corporateslaves Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cassis on the nose, lovely. Two hour decant. Black fruits, cherry, licorice. Quite dark. Medium richness, still has some tannins. Feels very well balanced. Paired nicely with lamb.
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11/13/2020 - ArtF Likes this wine: 94 Points
Must have been closed up 6 months ago. Slow O'd 6 hours. Lots of juicy red fruits, minerals, not jammy, truffle, drying tannins. layered and complex. This '05 St. Julien reminds me a lot of the '05 Pichon Lalande Pauillac's bright red fruits.
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10/29/2020 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Still has ripe fruit, boysenberry, mineralogy and a silky smooth long finish. Did not expect all of this. Could cellar a while longer.
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10/2/2020 - Nicephoras wrote:
The last blind, and weirdly the wackiest. I thought I was pulling something conservative, but no one was remotely close. The nose is relatively closed, the front palate is all expensive wood, while the finish is hot and a touch bitter. The guesses ranged from Spanish grenache, to Amarone (!!) to CdP, which is where most people landed. Even on day 2, another set of people guessed this as CdP. Kind of a shocking effort, honestly. This reminded me of a less polished 2005 Guigal La Turque I had last year, and that is not a compliment.
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10/2/2020 - tphilca Likes this wine: 88 Points
I agree with the prior note on this. Nothing especially remarkable about this and it's rather thin for a wine from a legendary year like '05. I've had several wines over lower pedigree from '05 that were way ahead of this, such as du Glana. At the moment, there is a bit of cassis, leather and mild tannin, with a short finish. We let it air in glass for 2+ hours and flavors remained the same. I don't think this will improve with further aging as the fruit in minimal and nothing really secondary has developed.
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9/30/2020 - wallax2 wrote: 88 Points
This was way past what I would consider a good drinking window for an ageable Bordeaux blend. I had hoped that this would be a complex age-worthy wine but it was a disappointment. Finely marbled grilled tenderloin with great wine friendly side dishes and paired with a 2012 Quilceda Creek cab and the 2005 Clos du Marquis. I was so embarrassed with the Clos du Marquis showing that I grabbed and opened a Clos Fourtet hoping to over compensate. The Clos Fourtet was a beautiful wine even showing up the Quilceda.
The Clos du Marquis was light on structure, light on fruit or secondary flavors and had no finish at all (flat was the best word that our UK guests could politely muster) that this was a very disappointing showing. Completely past for this wine even if 5 years ago it was very pleasant.
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9/2/2020 - Ltim BE Likes this wine: 93 Points
Uncorked 4 hours. Quick decant before pouring. Lovely nose, elegant, mellow red fruits. Taste is spot on, so sexy and elegant with a solid structure and lingering finish. We loved it. Drink now or within 3 years.
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8/22/2020 - ArtF Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened bottle and poured half glass to high shoulder level six hours. Very fruity, hidden tannins. With all day decant, less fruity, more elegant.
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8/2/2020 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Finally, this wine is fully mature. Tasted every two years since 2016 and this is the best I’ve had it. The tannin is fully resolved, secondary characteristics abound of sweet Virginia tobacco leaves and leather, but the best part is the classic St. Julien character that runs through and through this wine. This is Leoville without a doubt. While it lacks the depth in structure and fruit, it is a 15 year old 2nd wine @ $45 after all. I wouldn’t kick this out of bed for eating crackers. Decanted for 1 hr and enjoyed over the course of an additional 2 hours. Drink up!
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7/25/2020 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted 10 Cabernet blends semi blind with Coravin.
Shy nose initially. Still young and fruity aromas. Better in the mouth with very fine balance. A tad thin. Tannins starting to integrate. Would not think this one is for the long haul. Drinks well now but should improve still.
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6/26/2020 - ArtF wrote: 95 Points
First of my case purchased as futures and professionally stored, Very deep color, almost opaque. At first pour, bitter ashes on palate. After 12 hour decant, this is premium juice. Red fruits, discreet tannins, elegant. Medium to full bodied. Long finish.
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6/22/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Definitely fading, the wine is fine, correct and with bright red fruits, herbs, earth and tobacco essences, but the depth of flavor and length no longer remains. If you are sitting on any, it is time to pop those corks as it is not going to improve from here.
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5/9/2020 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 94 Points
a gift (alongside a 2005 vice versa - thank you, uncle victor!) which made for a really fun evening of virtual tastings of old world vs new world bordeaux varietal comparisons... a curious musty damp smell out of the bottle straight away, which blew off quickly. then lovely barnyard, leathery, dusty earth notes, as well as cherries show themselves. in the mouth, the wine is lifted with pleasant acidity and structure. class. highly recommended.
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5/3/2020 - AdamHitchcock Likes this wine: 87 Points
Medium ruby color. Aromas with a little bit of primary fruit, dark fruit but not a lot. Nice structure to the wine. Tannins are present but don't overwhelm. Interesting wine compared to '96 and '00.
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3/18/2020 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
Opened one hour prior to serving. Cork broke in half, but I managed to not get any fragments in the bottle. Tannins are fine but still quite prominent, and the nose and palate are still more fruit and floral. Seems that this wine has plenty of years of additional development ahead of it if you have patience, but it’s quite nice now. Paired well with a big ribeye.
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2/28/2020 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ouvert 30 minutes avant dégustation.
Grenat foncé avec quelques traces d’évolution.
Au nez, quelques arômes d’écurie, puis cèdre, violettes.
En bouche, bonne structure, équilibré, assez costaud, tanins intégrés.
Plus cérébral et aristocratique que sexy et exubérant. Bordeaux classique.
A boire sur les prochaines années.
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9/20/2019 - aaronwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
This does not have as much fruit as expected but has a nice structure and complexity. It has some funk on the nose. Tannins are still strong and feels like it needs more time still.
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9/7/2019 - mr_rancho Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Well... what to say...
Big disappointment.
The wine is very flat, just a bit of fruit aroma, very thin. Only positive is it’s structure.
Does even not develop with hours and hours of air.
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8/16/2019 - Too much practice. wrote: 84 Points
To a Bordeaux palate this would score higher. Now mature and quite delicious. Fruit coming through, tannins have faded. It opened within 20 minutes. Must serve and enjoy this. Really great wine.
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8/12/2019 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle has aged well. So many '05 Bordeauxs are still so tannic that they're hard to drink even after 12 years in the bottle. However, this bottle proved to be an exception. The tannins have receded and the fruit is finally coming through. We paired it with KC strips and it complemented the food nicely. Drink up!
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8/6/2019 - rooman Likes this wine: 92 Points
The tannins have softened but the wine remains in a dormant state with very little secondary development coming through. Leave another five years and then try again
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8/1/2019 - Dib cellar Likes this wine: 81 Points
Delicious and suave, smooth
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6/7/2019 - MonkeyBiz101 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Has found it’s stride. Not that special, but is enjoyable.
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3/14/2019 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 91 Points
C'est bien, classique.
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2/20/2019 - fcxj wrote: 86 Points
Smells floral, primary. Palate weakens.
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2/2/2019 - skp88 wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing. Nothing bad about the wine but it was boring, lacking any pronunced secondary flavors, which is what I’m after in a 14 year old Bordeaux
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11/1/2018 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dinner at Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck. Purple. Medium bodied. Imposing structure. Tannins have softened with age but still slightly drying. On the palate, bold, quite big, dark fruit but balanced with good acidity.
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10/5/2018 - boomecho Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vinturi aerated and decanted for 2 hours. Deep red with long slow legs.
Nose and palate more like an nice Rausan-Segla margaux without the violets. Long finish. Outstanding
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7/14/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Getting better with age. Been a few years since I have had it, but it is starting to enter its early maturity window. If I had been served this blinded, I would have thought it was from Margaux. There is a feminine/floral quality to the wine with a definite herbal/tobacco finish coming through. While still young, it is beginning to strut its stuff.
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6/12/2018 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very complex and very well balanced at the same time. Needs one hour to open up. Herbal and fruity notes. An excellent wine with many years left.
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5/13/2018 - MonkeyBiz101 wrote: 89 Points
ok, but nothing special. Drank over two nights, some greatness on night one, but limited.
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5/7/2018 - Kwlharvey wrote:
Decant for 30min at least. Layered. Long finish. medium to full body. Tasted floral. Kel Likes. But a little weak side.
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4/29/2018 - patrickrains Likes this wine: 92 Points
dark berries still has plenty of life. Decanted for 2 hours. delicious
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4/21/2018 - wpiers wrote: 85 Points
A disappointment
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3/4/2018 - CabZinMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
The 2005 Clos du Marquis went head-to-head with the 2005 Sbragia Wall Vineyard Cab at an Oscar Party feast. Most of this Californian-palated group preferred the Napa Cab, but a couple of us thought the CdM showed very well. Somewhat musty ("forest floor"?) Bdx nose, medium-bodied mouth feel and some nice minerality with fairly rich red fruits, decent finish, decent acidity. Looking forward to remaining two bottles.
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12/13/2017 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Greatly improved relative to a bottle I had a year or so ago. Benefited from a 90-minute decant. More fig, plum and black cherry than the blue fruit profile I look for from the appellation, with ripe tannins, some leather and truffle. Good depth, rounding out nicely.
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9/28/2017 - novie1234 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still young. Nose is loaded with blueberry after about an hour with a layer of spice. Quite a bit of alcohol but starting to layer in nicely. Cherry, red and black, on the front and mid palate. Long finish with quite a level of residual tannin - would benefit from another year or two in the cellar to finish.
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7/8/2017 - liquoreux Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rouge framboise, pas oxydé malgré ses 12 ans, plutôt clair. Nez de Bordeaux, bouche distinguée, intense, équilibrée, ronde, complexe. Long en bouche. Excellent.
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7/4/2017 - jnewman77 wrote:
This bottle seemed fairly green and underripe to me. Herbal and bell pepper notes seemed a bit too strong on the nose. The palate was fine, but not anything exciting. Overall disappointing.
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6/16/2017 - MonkeyBiz101 wrote:
Very high alcohol, some cherry, but mainly kirsch. Hoping this is just too early.
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6/14/2017 - Mathijs81 Likes this wine:
Starting to hit that sweet spot - went great with some mixed grilled meat !!!
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6/11/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Anesthesia Dinner (House of Prime Rib, San Francisco): Medium aromatics, some black fruit, youthful; palate is full bodied, integrated tannins, good fruit; medium finish. Lovely Bordeaux, ready to drink. 89-90
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4/26/2017 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Léoville Las Cases dinner with Pierre Graffeuille (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Medium expressive harmonious nose displaying perfectly ripe red and black fruits, cassis, plum, cedar, light caramel and flowers. Very good concentration, nicely layered ripe fruit, good richness, nicely integrated tannins and a medium to long cassis and cedar driven finish. Not the most complex wine but quite rich and drinking beautifully. It has reach the youthful peak but will last for another two decades.
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4/18/2017 - Double-A Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rounding red berry, caramelized beef, clay, and floral nose. Medium bodied with elegant fruit, balanced acidity and spicy, dry tannins. Medium-long finish. Pretty and still evolving.
3.5/5
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3/16/2017 - spendergast Likes this wine: 92 Points
A nice bordeaux with well balanced fruit, excellent balance and prominent tannins. I think this wine has a long way to go.
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3/4/2017 - felixp wrote: 87 Points
zzzzzzz, another boring 05.
Tasted amongst a host of Bordeaux second wines 2004-2009, this sat in the middle as an innocuous, well made but completely pedestrian wine.
It is true that this is not really a second wine of LLC, but I am afraid even in a supposed great vintage, you cannot hide the lowly terroir.
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1/27/2017 - jonanator wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful. Soft red fruits caress the palate. Fine, silky tannins. Fantastic balance. Lovely minerality. Very typical of St. Julien, has that crushed rocks character I enjoy. This wine is still developing, will be better in 5+. Lovely, lovely, wine.
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12/27/2016 - Mennotas wrote: 90 Points
Very intense, closed? Even after it opened up I couldn't help but wonder whether I should have kept this last bottle a few years longer.
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12/11/2016 - Andrea1975 wrote: 93 Points
Very muted and introvert wine, it took a while to open up. But then it was a beauty! After the farmyard is gone, lots of red dried fruit on the nose with cedar and leather. Very nice fruit concentration in the mouth supported by lively acidity. Tannins are resolving yet they provide a solid structure in support to the wine. Fruit in the mouth lasts for a while. Outstanding quality. In a nice drinking window, but acidity and fruit suggest that it may evolve further. Classic Bordeaux!
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11/28/2016 - Jerome Cornet Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep red with an red-garnet rim color showing the age of the bottle.
The nose is very aromatic, smells of dark cherry and chocolate-covered raisins. Noticeable French oak.
On the palate the dried fruits shine even more, the tannins are supple but present, the acidity is there to hold everything together.
Extremely well balanced with a really long finish.
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9/25/2016 - Epcat wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for an hour. Austere, no fruit, no complexity - a real disappointment. Two more bottles (this was the first) that will rest until 2020 and hope for the best,
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9/2/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 90 Points
My fairly high expectations were not met with is bottle, which I found a bit muted and austere. Tart plum and red fruit, no baby fat (if anything, a bit dried out) and lacking in lift. Could be the bottle, of course.
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7/23/2016 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was a tale of two vintages. I had planned on opening the 2006 but after popping the cork I realized I grabbed the '05. Well I decanted this at 4pm knowing it would need a couple of hours. At 5pm I then decided to open and decant the '06 and do a tiny vertical, what the heck.
Upon opening the '05 was very backward while the '06 had a softer, fruity note to it so I then decided to tape up the labels and do an A/B comparison with my wife as we had these with grilled Prime sirloin (delicious and from Costco BTW). The "A" bottle ended up being the 06 and during dinner that seemed to be the preference. However, around 10 pm we were relaxing listening to music and the "B" bottle really came around with well rounded fruit and some soft vanilla notes. Again I still did not know which vintage was A or B but the "B" bottle really opened nicely while the A was kind of stuck in place. The reveal showed the B was the 2005 and speaks to the power of that vintage and the need to continue to HOLD these wines for maximum enjoyment. A fun test all in the name of wine science!
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7/15/2016 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Emirates lounge. Medium garnet with translucent rim. Forest floor, wood spices and dark fruit. On the palate at best mid bodied but open, light on its feat but with good concentration and complexity, fine to medium tannins, good length. Another great 2005 and ready to drink
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5/25/2016 - M7 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good wine, easy to dring. Lacks complexity.
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5/13/2016 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting tasting experiment tonight... Decanted at 6:30 pm, first glass with dinner at 8:30 pm (prime beef tenderloin, grilled veggies, baked potato). First two glasses, this wine was singing to me... Blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus, lavender, flowers, touch of damp earth, with a bit of charcoal, almost Margaux like in the glass. After dinner, the wine changed... Became lean, herbal / green, thin, tannic and backward. What happened? The food really made it much better. Bottom line... If drinking it now, drink with a fatty meal. If not, hold for 3 more years.
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4/23/2016 - Steelestack Likes this wine: 91 Points
Forest floor, dark berries, graphite, however, a bit thin, with a shorter finish than expecting. Will wait a few more years before opening the next bottle.
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3/25/2016 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Firm and structured with currants and black berries supported by crunchy acid and smoky notes. Easily ageable for another decade. A serious wine.
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2/27/2016 - eoinhharkins wrote:
Still young with lots of dark berry, graphite, pencil shavings a little muddled blackberry, lots of up front dark fruit on the attack, with already integrated tannins and a nice texture, feel it lacks a bit of freshness though
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2/21/2016 - spineguy wrote:
Disappointing. My last bottle was great! Perhaps a bad bottle so I will not rate. Reasonable nose then it fell from there. Thin and lacking complexity. Not much to it. Better after a couple hours and even better the next day. At best mid 80 points.
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11/20/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
During a LLC tasting dinner with ex chateau bottles, hosted by Directeur General Pierre Graffeuille, double decanted. TN: Medium garnet with purple core. Nose of forest, mint, cassis, still quite closed. Medium bodied palate, fresh but not ready to drink yet. Wait a few more years.
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11/5/2015 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Grenat profond avec quelques reflets rubis. Ocelle légèrement aqueuse. Brillant et mobile.
Un premier nez sur le cèdre et la violette. Très fin, sur des arômes de caramel, de boisé vanillé et de fruits rouges frais (cerises). Légère odeur de poivron vert. Très riche, sans dominante.
Attaque envoutante et belle acidité. Se développe sur de beaux fruits rouges (cerises) avec des goûts de cèdre, caramel, torréfaction, de poivron et de musc.
Belle finale longue soutenue par des tanins gourmands. Alcool bien intégré. Très harmonieux. Arrière gout de pruneaux.
Vin de grande richesse aromatique. Parfaitement buvable mais qui ne demande qu'à défier le temps. Laurent Jouanne (Dubos) l'avait trouvé un peu "serré" à Paris ... et parfait à Monaco ! :)
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10/28/2015 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 90 Points
nice colour on this, drank from a magnum. decanted 1.5hrs before we started and drank it over 3hrs. fruit was decent but not super obvious and was a bit thin on the palate. finish started a bit tannic but softened over the night. i was expecting more from this wine
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8/21/2015 - roboto wrote: 93 Points
a perfect example of a wine that was closed on day one at (87p) anynomous, redberry-tart, herbal , the mouthfeel was high quality but the aromas were not there to support it. It was actually a quite mediocre wine. Day2 was a completely different wine: Hello Bordeaux! Clear dark berry fruit, hints of forestfloor, dark coffe, herbs, prunes. The wine is concentrated and rich with a lovely spicy texture. A wine for 2025. Not now. Not now at all.
2005 truly needs time. Wait and be rewarded.
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6/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Forest floor and cedar chest notes are easy to find. On the palate, a generous dose of ripe cassis and black cherries is young, yet approachable, due to the high quality of the tannins.
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5/21/2015 - soyhead Likes this wine:
nose - charcoal, cherry, toasty
mouth - dark cherry intermixed with graphite, a restrained yet attractively fruity showing with lots of minerality , good acidity, and fine dry tannins on the finish. nicely balanced, complex, and fruity. excellent showing
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3/5/2015 - wineduggery wrote: 90 Points
Gets better with a couple hours of air.
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2/20/2015 - Yamadori Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was decanted for a couple of hours but really needed much longer. Nice cassis and floral aromatics. Medium plus body with nice blackcurrant fruit along with notes of graphite and tobacco. The finish is just moderate with grippy,chalky tannins. Should improve nicely from here. (90+ pts).
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2/20/2015 - jonanator wrote: 93 Points
This was absolutely gorgeous. Showing a lot of potential while providing a lot of enjoyment now. On the palate, this showed great intensity and length. I was completely surprised by how well this showed, I kept coming back for more. Completely agree that this wine felt very soft. I didn't find the tannins intrusive at this point either as this wine felt very silky. Very approachable at this point, but years from its prime. Was great after a splash decant!
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2/13/2015 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
A very nice wine, but still too young to drink. The nose has cassis, pencil lead, leather, pen ink, and some floral scents. The palate is balanced and is developing nicely, but even after 2 hr decant and with food, the tannins are too much in evidence. I think this will evolve into a lovely elegant Bordeaux, but needs another 5-10 years.
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1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Approachable yet serious. More Merlot here? Certainly feels softer than the LLC. Suave and smooth and I would say drink it now, even if it can stay in your cellar for another 5-10 years.
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1/11/2015 - CAQC wrote: 90 Points
Decent left bank. Very well balanced and integrated but nothing really stood out, perhaps too high expectations. Would like to know current pricing as bought it 7 years ago on futures.
On the nose, ripe black current, cedar, pencil shavings, wet forest floor. Palate matches nose, with slightly more freshly turned earth. Medium plus across the board. Very well integrated and balanced. Would have expected slightly more power. Pair with pan cooked tenderloin.
Cellar (1.5L bottle) 3.75 stars
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12/13/2014 - ilee Likes this wine: 93 Points
Christmas dinner 2014 with the usual suspects (On Lot 10): Clear and bright ruby color. Stunning floral nose, with mineral, red fruit and cedar notes also. Full of charm from the start. Slight creaminess on the palate, with a wealth of fruit and terrific balance with tannin and alcohol levels both in just the right place. Comes across as young but only slightly so, in fact I'd say it's just entering its drinking window, and will be enjoyable for many years to come. A great effort for what is (actually not) a second wine, as we know.
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10/11/2014 - Mennotas wrote: 91 Points
Lovely wine; was surprised by how smooth the wine was. Tannins seemed pretty much gone. Berries and dried fruit on the palate. Lovely. Big question: do we let the last bottle age much longer?
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8/23/2014 - RayOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank in Bordeaux
Classic, elegant, refined, beautiful, clean, fresh, mature and lovely. Comments from the tastes at dinner. This really is maturing into a beauty.
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7/5/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 92 Points
great wine - has fruit but very elegant, seamless, velvet glove but with structure. There is complexity waiting to happen - drank from a half bottle and it was best on day 3.
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6/28/2014 - CCL957 wrote: 90 Points
A bit tannic now, still sleeping. Try two years later.
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6/15/2014 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still abit tight but drinking fine after several hours of air.
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6/12/2014 - hztrdm Likes this wine: 91 Points
91 deep garnet color. Not a big nose berry flavors
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4/19/2014 - Donjcorleone Does not like this wine: 88 Points
A nice unmistakable maturing Saint Julien-esque bouquet of blackberry, cedar, leather, tobacco and truffle which leads way to a pretty one dimensional effort on the palate which I did not really care for. Good but lacking.
Please also be forewarned that this bottle threw a ton of sediment.
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3/18/2014 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind against 2003 Cos d'Estournel and 2006 Leoville Poyferre among others. I am amazed at how this wine stood its ground. Dark ruby turning violet at the rim with an profusely elegant nose coupled with earth, leather and herbs. The palate has a full-body, solid structure, vibrant acidity and a velvety texture. Flavors of black currant, meat, leather, truffle, hoisin, smoke and oak form the core. Finishes long and lands squarely on its feet with elegant hints of earthy tones. This is the quintessential St. Julien - the best Clos du Marquis I've had. Drink now until 2020. 94+
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1/3/2014 - vinoceros wrote: 89 Points
A little young still. Cassis, other dark fruit, anise, baking spice, slightly rough tannins. Could be a terrific bottle in a couple more years but I'm not that confident in my storage.
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12/7/2013 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 88 Points
Even though this is probably still abit on the young side and was still somewhat tight after a few hours of double decanting, it was still quite nice. Med to full bodied and displaying reasonable depth to the flavors of cassis, leather, earth, graphite and perhaps hints of cocoa and camphor. The tannins on the finish are still chalky and fairly aggressive, but not at all overwhelming.
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10/9/2013 - Dbader wrote: 90 Points
Soft tannins, leather and black currants. Very good wine!
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9/27/2013 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Although the wine is still reticent and too young it shows a few things already. Concentrated cassis, graphite and luxurious oak in the bouquet. On the palate also a concentrated wine with ripe dark forest fruits, a touch of sweetness and a firm amount of acidity and good tannin and bitterness. I think it is wise to wait at least until 2018. 91+
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9/12/2013 - CWang wrote: 90 Points
Also still too early to drink this one; the nose, animal furs, dark berries, and yellow roses; the palate, juicy and mellow with cherries and green peppers; the finish, medium long with berries, licorice, and some gripping tannins; overall, 90+ points; 5+ more years of cellar time recommended.
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8/16/2013 - Iceman611 wrote: 91 Points
This wine has its own personality. I don't think I've had a Bordeaux overly similar to this. Fairly light in body with high acidity and a bright chicken broth flavor. Very dry. Some tart raspberry. Cork on the finish. Given the sharp nature of this wine food is a must.
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8/8/2013 - beaunehead wrote: 92 Points
Seductive aromas of pencil lead and wood shavings - emptying the pencil sharpener - with flavors of red and black currant with tart berries and dusty autumn leaves. Long finish, with soft tannins and easy acidity. Ready to go now.
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8/2/2013 - khmark7 wrote: 88 Points
Very aromatic upon opening without decant, but this improved immensely on the palate with time. Initially black fruits and classic herbal character with very good balance, obviously well made, but closed. With time the palate softened giving this some complexity and more character. Very good, and with better balance than many 2005's I have tasted to date. Drink with decant.
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6/24/2013 - BeachBacchus wrote:
Tasted at Chateau. Scorched earth, cassis, classic Bordeaux nose with M+ body, M+ tannin, M+ acid - Juicy and fresh while still serious-minded. Very nice.
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6/16/2013 - Comte de Rousset wrote: 88 Points
En dormance. Trop jeune. Les 1996 et 2001 étaient de loin supérieurs. Il faudra l'attendre encore au moins 5 ans et plus.
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6/14/2013 - MonkeyBiz101 wrote: 88 Points
Overpowering oak on the palette. Likely needs more time.
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6/2/2013 - lwt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank from a half-bottle. Nose not the most powerful, body lacking a bit of weight, but tannins have resolved well (quite a bit of sediment for a 2005); oak not obvious, allowing fruit to shine. Sweet, fruity finish. Nothing much to shout about, but would gladly drink again.
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5/28/2013 - wood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful wine. Still holding up extrememly well. Nice ruby color. Very aromatic of red and black fruits. Awesome structure and balance with sweet tannin and vibrant fruits. What an awesome deal this was.
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5/11/2013 - Coollawyer wrote: 90 Points
This very dark ruby colored wine is almost opaque and has
The nose that greets has floral tinges and a nice red berries. This has a immediate burst of flavours with red cherries metallic flint and licorice aftertaste. It's not too terribly complex but its a nice and lovely wine.
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4/27/2013 - Mennotas wrote: 91 Points
Dried figs, damp leaves, licorice on the nose. Deep dark red color. Full mouth feel (blood like). Licorice on the palate as well. Smoky taste. Tannins nicely integrated. Missed them at first, but subsequent sips revealed them.
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3/11/2013 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 90 Points
Double decanted for about 5 hours. Very nice with fairly rich, deep dark fruit with tobacco and leather notes and perhaps some hints of cocoa. The tannins, while still fairy firm, are chalky and fine grained and unobtrusive. This is drinking nicely today.
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2/18/2013 - wood wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful rich nose and flavors. Very well balanced between rich flavors, smooth tannins and acidity. Drinking very well right now, almost like a CA cab.
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1/31/2013 - Too much practice. wrote:
- Brick color. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Decanted four hours before serving. And I think still longer was needed. I got relatively little pleasure from such an anticipated vintage and a wine we have so enjoyed before. This despite serving with chateaubriand. It really barely opened up. I would leave it another couple of years before opening again. And decant many hours before drinking.
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1/20/2013 - spineguy wrote: 91 Points
Drinking at its absolute best. Possibly a few more years but would not push it. Wonderfully mellowed tannins. Cassis and dark fruits. Elegant wine with decent finish. Solid QPR. Represents a St. Julian at this price point well.
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12/31/2012 - beaunehead wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic St-Julien nearing it's peak, with a deep ruby color and lovely aromas of red currant. After a few minutes aromas and flavors of fresh turned loam, manure, tart red berries, smoke, vanilla, dark chocolate and lead pencil awaken. Really delicious now and will hold for years.
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10/21/2012 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Grenat profond avec quelques reflets rubis. Ocelle légèrement aqueuse. Mobile. 13°.
Un premier nez sur le cèdre et la violette. Très fin, sur des arômes de caramel, de boisé vanillé et de fruits rouges frais (cerises). Légère odeur de poivron vert. Très riche, sans dominante.
Attaque envoutante et belle acidité. Se développe sur de beaux fruits rouges (cerises) avec des goûts de cèdre, caramel, torréfaction, de poivron et de musc.
Belle finale longue soutenue par des tanins gourmands. Alcool bien intégré. Très harmonieux. Arrière gout de pruneaux.
Vin de grande richesse aromatique. Parfaitement buvable et peut être gardé encore bien longtemps sans problème. Vin de finesse extrême comme son grand frère. Vaut un 2ième cru. Noté 93+.
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9/23/2012 - Mennotas wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now. Everything you would expect from a nice Bordeaux.
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3/31/2012 - MattMauldin wrote: 93 Points
Four hour decant. Dense medium garnet in color. Layered bouquet with notes of violets, crushed stone, cassis & blueberry. Very fine and polished on the palate- initially tight but started to open up after the third hour. The flavors were mostly consistent with the bouquet- elegant pure fruit and savory, floral & mineral depth. Oak is well integrated with just hints of cocoa. Fine opulent tannins and full finishing notes of blue & black fruit. This is 92-93 points today with a 4+ hour decant- give another 5 to 8 years and this well peak.
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3/10/2012 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 88 Points
I hope this is simply closed for business right now, and that I erred by not leaving time to open up, but a very disappointing showing -- a bit sour, flat, boring.
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11/30/2011 - Wil78 wrote: 90 Points
Wine too young. Even after 3 hrs of decant. Wine opens up on 2nd day. Strong tannins. Good aroma.
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10/17/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Dark in color, tobacco, truffle, blackberry, cassis, oak and black cherry scents lead to a full bodied, concentrated wine that in any blind tasting would crush several famous Classified Bordeaux wines. Powerful, rich and intense, this round textured wine fills your mouth with layers if sweet, ripe, juicy, Cabernet Sauvignon. Give it a few more years (as it's still tight at the moment) and start drinking it in 2015 and over the 10-15 years.
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8/17/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose. Very tannic still and a bit closed. Better balance than the 2007 but still a bit of a bite.
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5/21/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Monthly Miscellaneous Bordeaux Tasting (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium ruby. Cedary. Subtle sweetness and cassis fruit. Most impressive for its back end with terrific grip, tannin and acidity that really explode as it coats the mouth. Long, classic, one for the future. Probably my favorite wine of the tasting.
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1/26/2011 - St Paul wrote: 94 Points
What a great wine! Fresch but with a very big concentration. Perfect companion to the veal and lamb we had at L' affable in Cannes. I am just so happy I have got the big brother Leoville Le Cases 2005 in my cellar.
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12/27/2010 - macker100 wrote: 90 Points
Very closed down on first day. Day two decanted for two hours and drank. Very ripe nose of blackberries, glycerine, and oak. A very modern Bordeaux with dark plums on palate with notes of mocha, oak, and candied cherries. A finesse wine in which the tannins are very receded. Finish is solid with good acidity. Not sure where this is going as tannins are already muted for such a young vintage.
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12/15/2010 - Brian Kennedy wrote:
Completely closed the first day. Opened up on the second, then unfortunately started showing sour fruits. Need to taste again, preferably in a few years
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8/8/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 93 Points
Sweet perfume of lead pencil, black currants, and ripe cherries. Dense and chewy. Superb now but will surely be even better in a few years.
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8/8/2010 - rodcallon wrote: 84 Points
Good but really needs several hours to open. Better the next day
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7/31/2010 - vinopa wrote: 91 Points
Drinking really well for an 05...Tannins are really welll integrated and soft...Cassis, leather and dark fruit on the palate along with a hint of smoke and oak..Nice aromatics as well..A well made wine..Cheers
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7/24/2010 - BenU wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well for a young 05, had with Lamb and went beatifully.
Firm and full bodied but also soft and full of dark fruit.
Well intergrated and looking forward to opening the case I have in 5-10 years when it should get a mid 90s score.
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7/24/2010 - rodcallon wrote: 75 Points
Young perhaps with bottle shock. Raw tanins, good concentration, I think it will improve
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2/16/2010 - StewartWent wrote:
Liked this. Relatively soft and accessible when compared to the other 2005s of the tasting. Good fruit definition.
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9/9/2009 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #039; Bordeaux GCC 2nd wines (By BS): A lot of sweet ripe cassis in the bouquet. Toasted luxurious oak. Same on the palate. Firm acidity and good tannin. Harmonious and very youthful wine. There is a long future here. 5+ years before opening the next bottle.
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8/28/2009 - mikacz wrote: 91 Points
Fajne - gotowe do picia
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8/5/2009 - wenderoth wrote: 89 Points
A curiosity. This is much lighter in colour and palate than the less-lauded 2006, which I tasted 6 weeks ago. The 06 was closed, closed, closed for nearly 36 hours then blossomed into a complex monster. This is much more like a Pauillac than a big meaty St Julien. Its colour is a medium purple-red, and on the nose it has graphite, plum, some truffly notes, and perhaps a touch of brett. The palate is arresting for its lack of up front punch and grip, which you come to expect from the young St Juliens: this is a wine of subtlety and finesse - olives, some cherry and a little hint of anise with very fine grained almost chalky (?Pauillac like) tannins and quite a long finish, during which some early secondary characteristics of cedar and spice come through. I did not find the oak overly intrusive as some others have indicated. I give this an 89 because it is a surprising example of CDM, but a very pleasant one and full of finesse. I wouldn't recommend it to those in search of huge fruit and huge tannin, but those who enjoy more restrained styles will love this wine.
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5/8/2009 - maxima wrote: 84 Points
This wine to me, is really disapointing for the price! The nose is a bit subdued, there are some nice cherry scents and some oak (a bit too much presently)! The mouthfeel is lacking some presence, it is very vegetal. It's play is more on the finesse side but it is missing some of the elements that makes a wine of this price worth buying. This is a medium body wine, the tannins are soft and the finale is a bit short presently. Might improve with some cellar time but for the price point, one can do much better, not recommended!
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4/26/2009 - City Wine Journal wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted in the AM, served at dinner. Dark/opaque blue. Very pretty nose of dark fruit and pencil lead. The superb fruit quality in 2005 continues to show well at many levels. Palate and nose exhibited secondary profiles of earth & porcini at the end of service. Medium-full, good structure, but the thing is the fruit. Drinking well now with enough air time. Bodes VERY well for the Grand Vin LLC!
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4/25/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
White and Red 2005 Bordeaux (The Wine Club, San Francisco): Quite dark. More graphite than fruit on the nose. At once, you can sense its lush feel and dark blackberry fruit which is juxtaposed against very high but fine tannins. Youthfully unintegrated but this should be very good given adequate time.
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1/14/2009 - rsepulve wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour, drank over 4 hours. Very plummy, with coffee, chocolate and toasted oak aromas. Very tannic. Needs a few years but will be a very good wine.
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12/31/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 90 Points
New Year's Eve 2008 (Byfield, MA): Decanted for 5 hrs. Dark ruby color. Nose of blackberry, cassis, wet stones. Similar palate with some green pepper. Tannic, even after extended decant. Great wine but still very primary.
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12/13/2008 - Badfish wrote: 92 Points
Linking With Bordeaux (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Dark red core. Nice perfumed red fruit aromas on the nose with some earth undertones. Quite attractive on the palate with sweet cherry fruit flavors in a seductive style. This is quite forward and drinkable at this stage but the structure is decent enough.
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11/15/2008 - pawine wrote: 91 Points
Elegant red fruit nose. Can taste the different varitals vs other cab sav based wines. Excellent balance and moderate depth on the palate. Long finish. Nice wine, but lacking complexity. Hopefully it will arrive with time. Drink-8-10+ Years. Hard to justify at $50 when Pauillacs are priced in that range.
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11/10/2008 - dave747400 wrote: 91 Points
Another great 2005 second wine. Good nose, can tell this is a baby already. Surprisingly approachable on the palate, though - fruit, a little oak, cassis, earth. Yum! Hit of vanilla mid palate floated Sal's boat without sinking mine. All wrapped up in crunchy, fine tannins leaving you wanting more. Didn't spit this! These 2005 2nds are not going to disappoint...
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3/14/2008 - JimHow wrote: 87 Points
A big whiff of young oak upon uncorking. Tannins are pronounced. Nice pure, clean deep ruby color. The tannins become mouth-puckering. This is to 2005 Bordeaux what the disappointing Clos de Ursules is to 2005 Burgundy. The Sucker gives this wine a score of 92-94, but he is just kissing the younger Delon's butt. I might be willing to pay $20 for this on the supermarket shelf. This tastes like something from 1995, something from the sharp tannin side of '95. There was some nice black fruit and lead pencil on the nose after the oak dissipated, but the fruit was quite thin and the wine really faded fast over the second half of dinner. It reminds me of the swill-like 1996 La Croix de Beaucaillou-- a shell of the first label. This wine is not total swill, but it is definitely not a wine of any worthwhile note. Rating: 87 points.
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1/13/2008 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
The nose has opened a bit since the barrel tasting, showing cassis and vanilla notes with a brambly fruit freshness on the palate, which was focused and deep. Less than 50% Cab and with over 37% Merlot, the overall feel is quite lush. Highly recommended second wine. Bottle tasting.
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4/10/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 90 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): One should note that the day had high atmospheric pressure and it was fairly cool – not beneficial to tasting barrel samples. So the nose was expectedly closed! But the palate was “wet” with brambly fruit, yet focused. It also showed fine freshness – like the 2002 which I like so much – yet greater corpulence, and a good finish. Less than 50% Cab and with over 37% Merlot. Highly recommended second wine: far better than Pavillion Rouge, for example. It also has less alcohol, at 13.45%... 89-91+
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