Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Winery: Château Smith Haut Lafitte Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sèmillon Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan, Graves Vintage: 2005 Price: $100 Charity Auction Color: burnished straw from below gold amber from above Legs: Moderate fast Nose: A little bit of wood varnish oil varnish, lemon oil, Palate: some tangerine and fresh lemon oil, rich honeysuckle, Finish: More of the wood varnish oil varnish lemon oil some dried honeysuckle and some dried tangerine Comments: The cork came out looking beautifully however this one has aged slightly worse than the first example that Ryan and I did. A lot of secondary and tertiary characteristics and some ox. After about 20 minutes it’s still there but definitely a lot of different things are showing. So if you do find some make sure it’s been cellared properly and do you expect some bottle variance like I said the cork came out perfectly. The only thing I can think of is some heat contamination but it’s still has its togetherness. The one that Ryan and I had seem to have less oxidation and had more fruit so I still have two bottles left and Will see how this turn out in the summer. But I do recommend drinking now. Pairing Suggestions: I tried a white cheddar with truffle that I think my friend Ryan got from Aldi’s really good can I have some simple cod with it and see how that works. Score in terms of Vintage: 91 Score for the Wine: 88 Because of oxidation (possible) Value for the Money: Good? Date Tasted: 03/16/2022 Tasted by: ACK
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It needs to breathe for about 20 minutes after opening, after that a lot of the secondary characteristics and some tertiary characters start showing through. Very nice, very balanced lots of exotic yellow fruits and aged yellow candy flavors.
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Opened last night, last bottle...Sadly! It is still so vibrant and citrusy, but beautifully blended with some oxidative notes which I I always like if in right proportion, and then.... The broad and intense and long finale! So many layers of flavors... Complex, complex and complex!
This is one of my favorite white wines, no doubts!
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Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; White and red Bordeaux (@ RW): Caramel and a firm dose of oak in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Creamy vanilla, a pleasant touch of sweetness and beautiful acidity. Pear and grapefruit and some pleasant bitterness. If you like the style this is a beautiful wine.
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My first SHL Blanc. Golden colour. Intense nose of orange zest, candied lemon, light smoke, caramel, spice, iodine, bergamott - the list could be longer. Very complex and layered. i could sniff this all night long. On the palate fresh with good acidity. A bit less complex than on the nose but still very fascinating. Not too heavy, rather medium weight. Slightly waxy mouthfeel. Exquisite balance. Finish is long, with assorted citrus. One could perhaps wish for the fruit to have a bit more staying power, but this is still, without question, a fantastic wine!
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Color is reminiscent of a Pilsner, but with much greater clarity. My wife said it looks like pee, and I must say, she isn’t wrong.
But it smells like an oak tree chewing butterscotch candies.
Great body. Gentle acidity that tickles the front roof of the mouth and inside lips. Flavors of vanilla, muted pear that was kissed by a pineapple. Long finish. Love this wine.
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Cream soda, face lotion sunflower seed and celery--very classic--with a kiss of oak; Creamy entry on the palate but not at all heavy, some slight bitterness clashing with the Brie Goat Triple Cream I'm having with it. The cheese goes much better with Chidaine Vouvray). Dry with a long finish, this is in a very good place now, although really not showing that much age here. This wine is built for the long haul. Very nice
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Needs 30 min to an hour in decanter to open up. This was crazy good and easily WOTN. Wet stones and citruses on the nose, in the mouth utterly delicious, lemons and citrus fruits are nicely integrated in that oily, waxy, mineral and intense rich but lean body, savory and very long on the finish. Has the power but yet retains the elegance of the great wines, and this one no doubt is a great White Bordeaux. One of the wines you dont want the bottle to finish but cant stop poring :)
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(at Magdalena – Baltimore) Beautiful wine. Lightly candied citrus zest and bright fruit aromas. Seamless and long palate. Nice feel and glides over the palate with a harmonious end. Lovely. I wish I had more experience white Bordeaux. I think this wine has a long life ahead. (94)
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bit corky upon opening. decided to decant to see if the brett would soften. in the beginning still showed cork on front note but also lots of tangerine and lemon on mid palette. clearly well made and of good quality. after an hour still a slight cork taint but creaminess, vanilla, caramel notes eeked thru, fruit morphed into a rich viscous mouthful of pleasure. glad i have 6+ more as i think if i have a good bottle this will be stunning with an hour decant.
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Pale yellow color. Light citrus, Granny Smith on the nose. Subtle tangerine on the finish. Enjoyed it with cheese and fruit. Picked up a few bottles recently at the release price. While very good, I'm not sure if it has evolved for the better or worth the current price.
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Following previous "bad" visit to this wine, decided to uncork my 2nd and last bottle. Surely below will tell that my 1st bottle must have have faulted, as this SHL 05 is stunning.
+ Preparation - drank chilled between 10-12°C + Colour - shiny yellow, with a hint of apple green around the edges + Nose - rubbery, candied tropical fruit ( mango, pineapple ), some pear syrup, mineral, woody ( slightly dried smoked wood ), limestone, wet granite + Flavour - slightly greasy ( good ), quite grassy, some syrupy stone fruit, slightly mineral + Finish - fresh, some wood still, grassy and mineral like, slap in the face, simply stunning
Tasting this bottle, surely it feels like an angel taking a tinkle on your tongue - great wine. This is how I expected this bottle to taste like - easily the best white BDX tasted !
Mathijs
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Tasted together with the 2007 vintage. Amazingly youthful not only compared to the 2007 but also in itself and also in comparison with previous tastings. If somebody told me it was a three year old SHL, I could believe it easily. Tropical fruit, zesty wine with balance and persistence. Imperceptible oak and this time alcohol did not produce any heat. Not spectacular but still very good.
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Maybe I was expecting way too much, but for me this somewhat underperformed.
+ Nose = white stone fruits, smoky, layered + Taste = nice and greasy ( in a good way ), stewed pear + Finish = mineral, greasy, bitter ( zest ), some wood in the end
Purchased ( and paid too much ) in a wine shop in Margaux. A good bottle of white wine, but I've had better in white Pessac.
Mathijs
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Medium dark yellow; Green plum, sunflower seed, touch herbal, skunky honey(!) with a hint of oak; rich expanding mouthfeel but in balance, good vibrant acidity and a little warm but prickly from the 14% alcohol; slight desiccating herbs and grass; great concentration, long finish, mineral chalk and granite dust showing through. Very good, powerful, still vibrant and youthful with excellent character. Great now, but could go another 5-10.
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Remarkable, rich almost Sauternes like without a hint of sweetness. Made the mistake of over chilling and then had to wait till it almost returned to room temp for the wine really show. Don't remember any of the other bottles being this unique.
Light straw yellow. Pungent lemon cake and apricots with notes of gasoline. Starts sweet and unctuous, with ripe yellow waxy fruit, pears and citrus. Silky oak is subtly integrated with the sweetness. A delight that needs to be drunk pretty quickly.
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Medium straw. Somewhat restrained nose of honey, tropical and stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied with medium acidity and nice concentration and balance. Medium aftertaste. I have to admit I was expecting more.
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Not as much SB in the nose, more developed aromas. Some wax, leaves, and citric, pretty complex and interesting. Clearly matured in wood. The bitter finish threw me towards white Hermitage, but acidity levels backed me into Bdx. Fully ready to drink.
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Showing a golden hue, the wine, with its apple pie and apple and cashew notes tastes like a 20 year old wine that is fading. Based on this bottle, this requires consumption.
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Salty, tangy, sea air nose. The taste is a huge wave of mineral richness, yellow and gold fruit with crushed shells. A little bit of smoke, nice balanced acidity, but Hoo-Aah, that minerality!
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solid classy mineral based Blanc that was so classy. We drank a bottle and devoured a wheel of Camembert cheese crackers, prosciutto and toppled the crackers with rose petal and seedless Trappist made raspberry preserves. Really held up nicely with stone fruit, some greener tree fruit like green apple and pear. The mineral and finish is what delineated this wine. It's like a cutting liquid limestone with favors, acids and manners. Good finish that leaves you thinking. Maybe deserving of a higher score upon retrospect. It has major competition.
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The aromatics dominant upon release are now muted by the massive creamy richness and structure of this wine. Quince and a touch of butter pecan ice cream and slight whiff of smoke. Very rich but carries its weight. Not surprising that it would lose its brightness and lift in this concentrated vintage. Fully mature. This is for rich seafood or Butter Chicken.
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Light gold color. Attractive nose of smoky pear, mineral, and tart caramel. Medium bodied on the palate with good grip and presence, long finish. Bright, complex white.
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Simply spectacular right now. Exactly what you pray for with a white Bordeaux. Currently in the league of HB Blanc. Refined, ripe pinneapple, pear, touch of honey complimented by wonderful, subtle tones of minerality at the mid palate and toward the finish- wet granite, stone dust. Really elegant, it has become a wow wine now versus a few years ago when it was still integrating. If you want a superb white bordeaux experience drink one now.
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Stunning and perhaps at prime - complex nose of butterscotch, candy, sugar fruit, flint, a hint of spice and basil and then in the mouth a nice streak of gravel, flint, stone to set off still vibrant fruit. Lovely crunching finish of acidity that firms up the end notes. Very worth drinking right now.
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Fantastic wine, drinking beautifully, but likely a long plateau ahead of it. Smooth and long. I thought next bottle, I'm gonna do a thyme roasted chicken, will be perfect.
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Two hour decant. Still going strong. Bottle keeps changing with each glass. Lots of citrus, flowers, and a bit of vanilla. Fantastic w shrimp and grits.
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Slightly musty smell, with a vanilla, warm toast aroma. Complex wine - layers and layers on the nose. Smooth, well-balanced, very slightly oxidized (caramel) on the finish, but still has a ripe luscious flavor and layers of complexity. Love this wine.
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Drank with friends for a birthday last month. Best wine of the night among a group of tough contenders. Fresh pear, citrus and white flower aromas with fresh, sweet citrus and minerality on the palate. Delicious.
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Blind tasted from decanter opened an hour or so before. Inviting golden hues. Oak, stewed apples, wet wool made me think it must be a Chenin Blanc. Oily texture with biting alcohol, lemon confit and overall there is more oak than acidity. On opening some more the alcohol didn't budge and the creaminess from the oak remained. Too powerful to give real pleasure. Three years ago I rated this very highly purely on the premise that such power and intensity would evolve into a more harmonious and complex wine - I was wrong and so were the critics....
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Retasted after several years. Decanted two hours, blind tasted for my guests. What a deception. The nose is mute. Mouth is unbalance high alcohol, it still remains some sauvignon details like cat urine and elderberry, ending is technique with new oak and light caramel. Still good and drinkable, but it was so powerfull years ago. To late ! 86 After checking other CT users notes, I can only evoke a bottle variation.
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In Vino Veritas Session 1 (MIT): Holy moly, what a wine! Smoky, buttery, oaky through and through. Smooth, oily, warm, delicious, very long. Perfect mouthfeel. A perfect example of an amazing white Bordeaux drinking perfectly. Handles its 14% alcohol with incredible grace. A role model. 14%, $120.
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Oak, vanilla and buttered-herbs. Definitely a little green pepper, herby-ness here. The balance with acidity is great, and the fruit are understated, but definitely there. A little oaky on the finish, but it is super clean and lasts a good 30+ seconds. Love it!
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Almost no nose and little favor. Was looking for everything mentioned in WA and WS and tasted and smelled nothing. Very disappointing. Hoping the wine is in a dumb stage, as it is showing nothing at this point.
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My third tasting over three years and it keeps getting better. Just a spot-on Bordeaux Blanc. CT tasting notes capture the profile of this wine quite well. Has many years ahead of it, but enjoyable now with a good decant.
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Rich bright shiny yellow gold colour. Nose is oaky and buttery with fresh-crushed vanilla pod and a hint of lemon verbena leaves….. with the scents of a quite heavy-aired summer's evening yet also with the butteriness of a Batard-Montrachet mixed in with, although the high-toned oily note gives it away as something else. Very alluring and interesting. Palate is rich, rounded, petrolly oiliness of mouthfeel followed quickly by fresh almond macaroon and a deep peach confit with some smokiness and just about enough acidity to prevent cloyingness. The back end is lovely fresh mararoons with that almond note and a long oily finish. Nice burnt creme caramel skin finale. Still a work in progress…. the oak needs to integrate more and the acidity needs to come more to the fore. At the moment, it is hard to drink more than a glass of this because it is so heavy. White mushrooms and marzipan on the back end.... I want to like this more than I do. ….but even for wines of this ilk, an old white Ch. Musar beats this into a cocked hat. Much better on the 2nd evening…..more rounded and harmonious but still with the attractive almond maracoon and a new smokiness element like the tapers you use to light bunsen burners. The acidity has raised and is now in greater harmony. Intruiging....I must try again in several years' time.
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Had at Easter dinner with city ham. We all thought it was a very, vey good. Smooth almost oily consistency. Pear, leechy and apple. Dark golden color. I should have saved this for myself inside of sharing it with 6 other people. I missed out.
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Off bottle? Couldn't quite put my finger on it, but somehow this seemed off. Impressions of the group were mixed- but agree with the other notes about it being in a funky oxidized state.
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Has lost the vigour of youth but a roundness and creaminess in the palate compensates as the components of this wine begin to integrate. Nose has medium intensity but is quite complex with ripe aromatics of quince, peach, pear, tropical fruit and oaky spicyness as well as wax and honey. Palate has weight and nice creamy texture but alcohol is quite warm and shows on the finish.
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TN: 2000 Bordeaux Second Labels (all the First Growths +): I loved this wine. Still quite young, it was still improving at midnight after everyone had gone home. Golden color. The nose is waxy with grapefruits and lemons and some seltzer. A bit of melon as well. On the palate, this is very oily and round with enough acid to give it verve. Slight bitterness on the finish is nit picking but there. Still very young, this should make great old bones, but is delicious now.
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Medium intensity lemony colour. Medium + aromatic intensity with ripe tropical fruits, sweet spices especially vanillas from use of new oak, some mineral and citrus notes, creme brulee, honey and green grassiness. Nose is complex although not exhuberant, what is a problem is the alcohol which at the moment seem to stick out. Palate is medium + bodied, with oily texture. Flavours are deep and complex, finish is very long indeed but dominated by the vanilla oak and alcohol is perceptibly high. Powerfull wine which most likely needs more time for its components to integrate.
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(home tasting) Deep gold in color, gorgeous complex nose of flowers like jasmin and ripe fruits like pear and peach but also tropical like mango and papaya core. The mouth is excellent with huge density, amazing viscosity, fruity palate with medium length oaky aftertaste. This wine is still young, it will benefit from some more years of storage, for the oak to be in better balance with the fruit character. Excellent
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Nose of butterscotch and per kelvin apple per tom honey Mouth - dry clean crisp slightly herbal far from a fruity white, and possibly not a style that would be widely liked. A food white. Well paired with a double gloucester with chives.
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Big wine! Toffee, yellow flowers, vanilla, rich, hay, lemon tart/pie aromas. Palate: alcohol, eau de vie, pine resin, slightly absinthe-like, hot finish burns the back of the tongue. Mistaken for a Puligny-Montrachet due to its petrol/mineral qualities. Very expansive and much better a few days later. Too early to drink if you want balance. Quite a monster for a white wine!
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Light gold/straw in color. An excellent nose with a myriad of aromas, especially wildflower, clove, grass and a small hint of cat pee. On the palate, bigger than expected. A bit waxy in texture, with honeyed apples, spice and some tropical fruit. Some oak protrudes a bit more than I would like. Could have used a bit more acidity, but a very pleasing drink none the less.
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Light straw yellow. Medium intensity aromas in the nose but very complex. Tropical fruits, but not sugary, minerality, citrus, honey, grass, herbs. Whatever you say it's in there! In the mouth it is medium + bodied, not over the top. Fantastic, long and slightly bitter aftertaste. Fruit, wood, roasted nuts. Excellent wine. Has gained weight since it was first released and will evolve for quite a few years.
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nose of citrus fruits; medium body; light gold color; pear with bit o' honey; long finish with toffee hints; fantastic semillon blend; medium acid; sold backbone and structure; brilliant effort; love the wine;
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Bordeaux 2005 and 2006 Tasting; 10/22/2009-10/26/2009 (Wine For Asia Singapore Suntec): Smoky pungence of rotten eggs mixed with hay. Lots of funky burg like mushroom meets cream meets butteriness. Almost smelling like a chard. Lightly toasted oak. Mostly white stonefruits with focused but singular expression. Finish suprisingly shorter than expected. This has developed not as nicely as I would have liked it to compared to previous tasting.Maybe its at an awkward stage at the moment and hopefully after a few years will reach greater heights again. 83-86pts.
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WFA Bordeaux 2005/2006 Tasting by the Wine Review (Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore): Very good. Lots of toasty oak on the nose, but the complexity and depth of the wine was apparent underneath that, with layers of white fruit and apple tones. Palate was rich and round, with a whole lot more ripe white fruit on the attack, with pineappley tones on the edges and a nice touch of mineral moving in a medium-long finish. Still a bit monolithic at this point, but the quality shines through.
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Bordeaux Dinner at Dino: 82 Canon to 05 SHL Blanc and a lot inbetween (Dino's Washington, DC): Once it was poured in the glass, it was typical SHL Blanc all the way, a wine that I can pick out of a lineup pretty well (or so I say!). In structured youthful vintages, the oak, seems to be the resonant factor on this wine. In the better vintages, it is integrated masterfully. Smoke, toasty oak sit affront with a solid background of pears, peach and grass. Tremendous viscosity and mouthfeel, never cloying but never really blithe in its demeanor. It is a wine of purpose, pedigree and polish, but some may find fault in its almost “corporate” makeup. When a wine like this focuses on eradicating any flaws in its expression, sometimes it looses its charm…my only real qualm with the SHL Blancs. I find the 06 a bit more charming, as the fruit is more endearing in that sense, but this is the more harmonious and structured wine. Has a long life ahead of it. I rate it higher than the enjoyment factor for its quality: 93.5GW
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Day Two with more than 24 hours open and half ot the bottle left today the wine is still dominated by strong scents of Bartlett Pear, with subtle tones of mango, pineapple, citrus, and toasted oak. In the mouth the wine has gained a little weight and is more a full bodied wine with lingering flavors of lemons, pineapple, minerals, and a light lingering note of cedar along a medium length finish.
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Showing a light golden yellow color in the glass the scents from this wine seem to jump from the glass filling the room. The nose is full of smoked and toasted oak, Bartlett pears, vanilla bean, honey, pineapple, and other tropical fruit notes linger in the glass. In the mouth this medium-full bodied wine gives up flavors of pears, pineapple, cantaloupe, followed by brisk acidity and then a lingering flavor of roasted nuts and toasty oak. This is a "Wow" wine...with phenomenal complexities that I can not wait to track over two days.
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White and Red Blends (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had honey, apple, cloves, and stone. The palate was crisp and clean, and had honey, stone, citrus, apple, and a nice clove finish.
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Simply an amazing wine, possibly the best white wine I have ever had. Citrus, applepie and tropical fruit aromas. Applepie, lemon, honeysickle and toasty oak on the palate. Finish sailed on and on. I was told the Sauvignon Gris really makes a difference in the complexity of the wine.
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Tasted both this wine and the Sonoma County Morlet Family Vineyards' La Proportion Doree at the same time. The Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a 90% Semillion with 10% Semillon & Sauvignon Gris, while the Morlet is 64% Semillon, 34% Sauvignon Blanc & 2% Muscadelle. Both were 95s from Parker.
The Smith Haute Lafitte was young but excellent. Notes of citrus and grass without the high Sauvignon Blanc acidity. As the wine warmed and open a bit, it became a bit more complex adding layers of oak. Excellent mouth feel. As noted by another taster, think this is an fantastic wine for those looking for something different than Chardonnay but wanting less acidity than Sauvignon Blanc. I think this will get even better as it ages.
I was excited about the Morlet (at 2/3 the price of the Smith), but it just didn't work for me. Sweeter Semillon dominated the initial taste with toast, honey and oak, as opposed to the more apple and lime of dryer Semiillon which I was expecting. The finish was dominated by oak but seemed to be battling the acidity and citrus of the Sauvignon Blanc so the constituant pieces just didn't seem married together yet. This may get better with time, but for what I was looking for from these wines was much better met by the Smith.
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This wine would have scored a lot higher I think if I had chilled it more properly. Nevertheless, it was drinking very nicely. Pale yellow color and clear. Aromas of orange blossoms, Bosc pear, and cantaloupe. As the wine warmed even further, more of the melon notes came through on the nose and the palate. A bit sweet but not cloyingly sweet. I think a colder drinking temperature would have kept the sweetness more in check. But there was also enough acidity to keep this wine together.
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Very young and expressive. Notes of pineapple, citrus, buttery oak and coconut are first impressions on the taste. Some mineral notes, but, all in all, not up to what it will be in the years to come. This is not showing a lot of complexity or nuance. Had it with baked wild caught salmon and roquefort garnished fresh spinich salad. Iit was a very friendly combination, and is a refreshing glass of white Bordeaux at this time.
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Big, complex, acidic, viscous on the palate. A very fine example of dry white bordeaux. Not out-of-this-world great, but a really nice wine this night, paired with striped bass.
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This wine changed dramatically from the time it was originally served and the time I had my last glass. Initially, the nose was reticent and strange. Relatively low acidity. Fat and ripe. Clearly European, but not easy to recognize. I go varietal by varietal eliminating Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, Viogner and Verdejo. I am clueless. I end up guessing this is a strange Spanish white wine with which I am not too familiar.
After the night goes on and the wine is unveiled, we are all shocked this is a Bordeaux white wine. As fate would have it, with the slight warming in the glass and time it starts to show a quintessential profile for Sauvignon Blanc: grassy, citrusy. The acidity, though, seems low, but this is very welcome! This is a perfect Sauvignon Blanc for the Chardonnay drinker that is off put by high acidity. Very enjoyable.
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Had to give 1 a try given the high scores. Nice nose of nectarines and lemons. In the mouth it was lemons, passion fruit, nectarines, and mineral. Sometimes I seemed to get banana? The acidity was there, but not real it high. It kept the tongue alive with flavor for a good 30 or 45 seconds. This was and excellent to possibly outstanding wine, but certainly not extraordinary.
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Prior to sampling the five reds, we tasted a 2005 Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Blanc, a rich sappy wine that showed its Sauvignon Blanc character in spades, with a floral nose of freshly mown hay, faint tropical fruit, and an oak note that grew with time in the glass. In the mouth, the grassy note was present as well as a brassy acidic element that dominated the finish. One could pick out perhaps the similarities to a very good Sancerre in the dominance of the Sauvignon Blanc here, but with an extra level of palate-coating richness lending the wine a hedonistic, almost exotic character.
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Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2005 vintage tasting and dinner (Conrad Interntational, Singapore): UGC tasting. Very good indeed, but I prefered the Pape Clement and the Domaine de Chevalier. Not everyone in the group agreed with me though. This was rather fruity, with lemon oil and white flowers on the nose with a slightly sweet palate reminiscent of nectarine. Lashings of buttery oak. The flavours were yummy and mouthfilling, with a nice creamy feel to the wine and very good length. Excellent now, but I think the former two wines will age better.
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Great length and finesse, long citrus aftertaste gorgeous mineral notes with passion fruit and and meyer lemon oil. Clean, pure and fresh revealing complexity as it evolves in the glass, elegance in a glass. This was drank over dinner at the Biltmore the bottles shipped from the Chateau especially for this ocasion.
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3/31/2024 - 911henrik wrote: 92 Points
Should have been drunk 5 years ago. Still good but is clearly over the top
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12/21/2022 - soyhead wrote:
limited notes - a tad oily. lacks acidity and overall a bit boring
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9/22/2022 - englishman's claret wrote: flawed
The very embodiment of creme brulee crust. Sadly with light oxidation, apple-driven. DQed.
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6/10/2022 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points
(at Magdalena - Baltimore) Honey, oak, corn. Oily yet alive. Interesting. (92)
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4/24/2022 - ledwards wrote: 95 Points
Pristine bottle - without the yellow apple and mature tones other bottles recently opened have had. Discreet wax mouthfeel, high toned. A beauty
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3/18/2022 - redhead6971 wrote:
Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes
Winery: Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sèmillon
Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan, Graves Vintage: 2005
Price: $100 Charity Auction
Color: burnished straw from below gold amber from above
Legs: Moderate fast
Nose: A little bit of wood varnish oil varnish, lemon oil,
Palate: some tangerine and fresh lemon oil, rich honeysuckle,
Finish: More of the wood varnish oil varnish lemon oil some dried honeysuckle and some dried tangerine
Comments: The cork came out looking beautifully however this one has aged slightly worse than the first example that Ryan and I did. A lot of secondary and tertiary characteristics and some ox. After about 20 minutes it’s still there but definitely a lot of different things are showing. So if you do find some make sure it’s been cellared properly and do you expect some bottle variance like I said the cork came out perfectly. The only thing I can think of is some heat contamination but it’s still has its togetherness. The one that Ryan and I had seem to have less oxidation and had more fruit so I still have two bottles left and Will see how this turn out in the summer.
But I do recommend drinking now.
Pairing Suggestions: I tried a white cheddar with truffle that I think my friend Ryan got from Aldi’s really good can I have some simple cod with it and see how that works.
Score in terms of Vintage: 91
Score for the Wine: 88 Because of oxidation (possible)
Value for the Money: Good?
Date Tasted: 03/16/2022
Tasted by: ACK
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1/15/2022 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to prior note after a 1 hour SO; still very good, but either on the downslope or premoxed
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1/1/2022 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 91 Points
It needs to breathe for about 20 minutes after opening, after that a lot of the secondary characteristics and some tertiary characters start showing through. Very nice, very balanced lots of exotic yellow fruits and aged yellow candy flavors.
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4/14/2021 - Sopravvento Matteo Melfa wrote: 100 Points
Opened last night, last bottle...Sadly!
It is still so vibrant and citrusy, but beautifully blended with some oxidative notes which I I always like if in right proportion, and then.... The broad and intense and long finale!
So many layers of flavors... Complex, complex and complex!
This is one of my favorite white wines, no doubts!
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3/3/2021 - Alex Brogan wrote: 89 Points
Pronounced Sauvignon Gris on the nose. Juicy tropical flavours but needs the acidity to settle over the next few years. At least 10 colourats
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2/12/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to prior note but others thought it was premoxed. Perhaps somewhat, but I still enjoyed it although less so than previous bottle
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12/19/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
SO'd for an hour, deep gold, classic aged white Bordeaux with citrus, pear & vanilla, delicious & ready to drink
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10/12/2020 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; White and red Bordeaux (@ RW): Caramel and a firm dose of oak in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Creamy vanilla, a pleasant touch of sweetness and beautiful acidity. Pear and grapefruit and some pleasant bitterness. If you like the style this is a beautiful wine.
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8/27/2020 - Janstan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious apricot and spice box. Best as temperature approached room temperature. Had with assorted cheeses.
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4/20/2020 - Jth3 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely yellow-green color. Rich and smooth. Lemon cream with excellent balance and structure. Ready to drink but no sign of senility.
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8/19/2019 - Gcole42 wrote:
Agree with the Descriptors that say buttery Oak, definitely an ABC Wine, sweet fruit and lots of Glycerin but very low acidity from a ripe vintage.
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4/6/2019 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dinner Chez Skoog
My first SHL Blanc. Golden colour. Intense nose of orange zest, candied lemon, light smoke, caramel, spice, iodine, bergamott - the list could be longer. Very complex and layered. i could sniff this all night long. On the palate fresh with good acidity. A bit less complex than on the nose but still very fascinating. Not too heavy, rather medium weight. Slightly waxy mouthfeel. Exquisite balance. Finish is long, with assorted citrus. One could perhaps wish for the fruit to have a bit more staying power, but this is still, without question, a fantastic wine!
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3/8/2019 - Bordhead2000 Likes this wine:
Color is reminiscent of a Pilsner, but with much greater clarity. My wife said it looks like pee, and I must say, she isn’t wrong.
But it smells like an oak tree chewing butterscotch candies.
Great body. Gentle acidity that tickles the front roof of the mouth and inside lips. Flavors of vanilla, muted pear that was kissed by a pineapple. Long finish. Love this wine.
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3/7/2019 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Un peu de noix et amandes, rancio je dirais mais pas trop.
Assez ample et gras avec un finale assez longue.
Bien.
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9/7/2018 - Plusvini wrote:
A superbly made wine but not my style for white. Just a bit too rich for my tastes.
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8/20/2018 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now with no sign of decline.
Mineral aromas, judicious smoky oak and tropical fruit.
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7/1/2018 - mike l. Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was particularly brilliant. I think the age is spot on right now, but would be happy to revisit over the next 10-20 years.
We gave this some air which I think helped it to spread its wings. Acid and fruit are so in check and the balance here is almost magical.
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6/1/2018 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Cream soda, face lotion sunflower seed and celery--very classic--with a kiss of oak; Creamy entry on the palate but not at all heavy, some slight bitterness clashing with the Brie Goat Triple Cream I'm having with it. The cheese goes much better with Chidaine Vouvray). Dry with a long finish, this is in a very good place now, although really not showing that much age here. This wine is built for the long haul. Very nice
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5/10/2018 - Lyubomir Lefterov Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needs 30 min to an hour in decanter to open up. This was crazy good and easily WOTN. Wet stones and citruses on the nose, in the mouth utterly delicious, lemons and citrus fruits are nicely integrated in that oily, waxy, mineral and intense rich but lean body, savory and very long on the finish. Has the power but yet retains the elegance of the great wines, and this one no doubt is a great White Bordeaux.
One of the wines you dont want the bottle to finish but cant stop poring :)
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3/15/2018 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
(at Magdalena – Baltimore) Beautiful wine. Lightly candied citrus zest and bright fruit aromas. Seamless and long palate. Nice feel and glides over the palate with a harmonious end. Lovely. I wish I had more experience white Bordeaux. I think this wine has a long life ahead. (94)
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2/22/2018 - essenceofreal wrote: flawed
bit corky upon opening. decided to decant to see if the brett would soften. in the beginning still showed cork on front note but also lots of tangerine and lemon on mid palette. clearly well made and of good quality. after an hour still a slight cork taint but creaminess, vanilla, caramel notes eeked thru, fruit morphed into a rich viscous mouthful of pleasure. glad i have 6+ more as i think if i have a good bottle this will be stunning with an hour decant.
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12/19/2017 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 90 Points
Pale yellow color. Light citrus, Granny Smith on the nose. Subtle tangerine on the finish. Enjoyed it with cheese and fruit. Picked up a few bottles recently at the release price. While very good, I'm not sure if it has evolved for the better or worth the current price.
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11/23/2017 - K_F_o_l_e_y wrote: flawed
Corked. 2nd of 4 bottles purchased on release. Thanksgiving dinner at Ron & Katie's.
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8/27/2017 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Home
Slight apples on the nose. Rich waxy palate. Lovely
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7/7/2017 - jsigmund wrote:
G
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6/11/2017 - Mathijs81 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Following previous "bad" visit to this wine, decided to uncork my 2nd and last bottle.
Surely below will tell that my 1st bottle must have have faulted, as this SHL 05 is stunning.
+ Preparation - drank chilled between 10-12°C
+ Colour - shiny yellow, with a hint of apple green around the edges
+ Nose - rubbery, candied tropical fruit ( mango, pineapple ), some pear syrup,
mineral, woody ( slightly dried smoked wood ), limestone, wet granite
+ Flavour - slightly greasy ( good ), quite grassy, some syrupy stone fruit, slightly mineral
+ Finish - fresh, some wood still, grassy and mineral like, slap in the face, simply stunning
Tasting this bottle, surely it feels like an angel taking a tinkle on your tongue - great wine.
This is how I expected this bottle to taste like - easily the best white BDX tasted !
Mathijs
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5/30/2017 - ledwards wrote: 87 Points
Slightly oxidized.
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4/23/2017 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking so good right now! Beautiful golden colored, dense oily bodied and still good acidity. Nance compote and baked red apple dominate the nose.
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2/2/2017 - michael47 Does not like this wine: 65 Points
Multiple bottles badly oxidized. Big disappointment.
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12/31/2016 - jaylew1 wrote: flawed
Premox
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12/25/2016 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted together with the 2007 vintage.
Amazingly youthful not only compared to the 2007 but also in itself and also in comparison with previous tastings.
If somebody told me it was a three year old SHL, I could believe it easily.
Tropical fruit, zesty wine with balance and persistence. Imperceptible oak and this time alcohol did not produce any heat.
Not spectacular but still very good.
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12/17/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Seemed very Sauv Blanc, with lots of ripeness and chewy textures. 2005 character made me think this probably New World, given a clear trace of heat on finish. Very good concentration, and still nicely fresh
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11/11/2016 - Mathijs81 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Maybe I was expecting way too much, but for me this somewhat underperformed.
+ Nose = white stone fruits, smoky, layered
+ Taste = nice and greasy ( in a good way ), stewed pear
+ Finish = mineral, greasy, bitter ( zest ), some wood in the end
Purchased ( and paid too much ) in a wine shop in Margaux.
A good bottle of white wine, but I've had better in white Pessac.
Mathijs
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11/3/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark yellow; Green plum, sunflower seed, touch herbal, skunky honey(!) with a hint of oak; rich expanding mouthfeel but in balance, good vibrant acidity and a little warm but prickly from the 14% alcohol; slight desiccating herbs and grass; great concentration, long finish, mineral chalk and granite dust showing through. Very good, powerful, still vibrant and youthful with excellent character. Great now, but could go another 5-10.
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8/19/2016 - mrpaper126@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Remarkable, rich almost Sauternes like without a hint of sweetness. Made the mistake of over chilling and then had to wait till it almost returned to room temp for the wine really show. Don't remember any of the other bottles being this unique.
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8/2/2016 - Sozzled-Me Likes this wine: 90 Points
Orange peel. Off-dry with intriguing after taste (slightly reminiscent of the finest Rieslings?). Very interesting and great value.
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7/1/2016 - neilemc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light straw yellow. Pungent lemon cake and apricots with notes of gasoline. Starts sweet and unctuous, with ripe yellow waxy fruit, pears and citrus. Silky oak is subtly integrated with the sweetness. A delight that needs to be drunk pretty quickly.
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6/21/2016 - Jberger5681 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good wine that is drinking drinking great now. This is what you want with a white Bordeaux
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5/21/2016 - Yiannis wrote: 90 Points
Medium straw. Somewhat restrained nose of honey, tropical and stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied with medium acidity and nice concentration and balance. Medium aftertaste. I have to admit I was expecting more.
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10/24/2015 - robertek wrote: 92 Points
Very good right now. Still young and vibrant with a good balance.
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8/21/2015 - UTPK wrote:
Not as much SB in the nose, more developed aromas. Some wax, leaves, and citric, pretty complex and interesting. Clearly matured in wood. The bitter finish threw me towards white Hermitage, but acidity levels backed me into Bdx. Fully ready to drink.
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6/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Showing a golden hue, the wine, with its apple pie and apple and cashew notes tastes like a 20 year old wine that is fading. Based on this bottle, this requires consumption.
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6/27/2015 - Old Doug wrote: 95 Points
Salty, tangy, sea air nose. The taste is a huge wave of mineral richness, yellow and gold fruit with crushed shells. A little bit of smoke, nice balanced acidity, but Hoo-Aah, that minerality!
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6/27/2015 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 93 Points
solid classy mineral based Blanc that was so classy. We drank a bottle and devoured a wheel of Camembert cheese crackers, prosciutto and toppled the crackers with rose petal and seedless Trappist made raspberry preserves. Really held up nicely with stone fruit, some greener tree fruit like green apple and pear. The mineral and finish is what delineated this wine. It's like a cutting liquid limestone with favors, acids and manners. Good finish that leaves you thinking. Maybe deserving of a higher score upon retrospect. It has major competition.
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6/16/2015 - Henry Miller Likes this wine: 93 Points
The aromatics dominant upon release are now muted by the massive creamy richness and structure of this wine. Quince and a touch of butter pecan ice cream and slight whiff of smoke. Very rich but carries its weight. Not surprising that it would lose its brightness and lift in this concentrated vintage. Fully mature. This is for rich seafood or Butter Chicken.
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2/4/2015 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light gold color. Attractive nose of smoky pear, mineral, and tart caramel. Medium bodied on the palate with good grip and presence, long finish. Bright, complex white.
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12/25/2014 - wkphang wrote: 90 Points
Very nice but did not evolve in he bottle over 2 hours.
May have peaked.
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12/5/2014 - jaylew1 wrote: 97 Points
Best white of the year. So rarely do we wait just the right amount of time for something. Smoke em if you got em.
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12/4/2014 - ledwards wrote: 96 Points
Simply spectacular right now. Exactly what you pray for with a white Bordeaux. Currently in the league of HB Blanc. Refined, ripe pinneapple, pear, touch of honey complimented by wonderful, subtle tones of minerality at the mid palate and toward the finish- wet granite, stone dust. Really elegant, it has become a wow wine now versus a few years ago when it was still integrating. If you want a superb white bordeaux experience drink one now.
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11/24/2014 - bengti Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning and perhaps at prime - complex nose of butterscotch, candy, sugar fruit, flint, a hint of spice and basil and then in the mouth a nice streak of gravel, flint, stone to set off still vibrant fruit. Lovely crunching finish of acidity that firms up the end notes. Very worth drinking right now.
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10/25/2014 - Ivan Savov wrote:
konsomirano predi meursault Olivier Leflavier I ostavilo po dobri vpechatlenia na nos, dylbochina I poslevkus. Edno unikalno vino.
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10/24/2014 - winot Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic wine, drinking beautifully, but likely a long plateau ahead of it. Smooth and long. I thought next bottle, I'm gonna do a thyme roasted chicken, will be perfect.
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8/31/2014 - falp wrote: 89 Points
oxidaded - not elegant
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8/9/2014 - Javachip wrote: flawed
A Double Birth Year Celebration (San Diego): Strongly corked.
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3/2/2014 - BBencz wrote: 94 Points
Two hour decant. Still going strong. Bottle keeps changing with each glass. Lots of citrus, flowers, and a bit of vanilla. Fantastic w shrimp and grits.
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1/22/2014 - DianeR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slightly musty smell, with a vanilla, warm toast aroma. Complex wine - layers and layers on the nose. Smooth, well-balanced, very slightly oxidized (caramel) on the finish, but still has a ripe luscious flavor and layers of complexity. Love this wine.
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1/5/2014 - wineretriever wrote: 94 Points
Drank with friends for a birthday last month. Best wine of the night among a group of tough contenders. Fresh pear, citrus and white flower aromas with fresh, sweet citrus and minerality on the palate. Delicious.
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9/11/2013 - Capt Cutlass Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Blind tasted from decanter opened an hour or so before. Inviting golden hues. Oak, stewed apples, wet wool made me think it must be a Chenin Blanc. Oily texture with biting alcohol, lemon confit and overall there is more oak than acidity. On opening some more the alcohol didn't budge and the creaminess from the oak remained. Too powerful to give real pleasure. Three years ago I rated this very highly purely on the premise that such power and intensity would evolve into a more harmonious and complex wine - I was wrong and so were the critics....
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9/11/2013 - dead puddle wrote:
Retasted after several years. Decanted two hours, blind tasted for my guests. What a deception. The nose is mute. Mouth is unbalance high alcohol, it still remains some sauvignon details like cat urine and elderberry, ending is technique with new oak and light caramel. Still good and drinkable, but it was so powerfull years ago. To late ! 86
After checking other CT users notes, I can only evoke a bottle variation.
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7/19/2013 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 93 Points
An awful lot of flavor in this wine. Tart apple, toffee on the palate, also some clove honey on the nose. Crisp,acidic. Really liked this one.
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5/9/2013 - chatters wrote:
United Cellars Grand Bordeaux Tasting 2013 (Royal Automobile Club, Macquarie Street, Sydney): Gold coloured. Sulphur, slight orchard fruit, mineral. In the mouth, oak spice, tight ,tannic over citrus and orchard fruit
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3/24/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. Oily, tons of fruit, with what I would say was an all spice element. Very refreshing and fun to drink.
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1/23/2013 - Benj wrote: 94 Points
In Vino Veritas Session 1 (MIT): Holy moly, what a wine! Smoky, buttery, oaky through and through. Smooth, oily, warm, delicious, very long. Perfect mouthfeel. A perfect example of an amazing white Bordeaux drinking perfectly. Handles its 14% alcohol with incredible grace. A role model. 14%, $120.
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12/24/2012 - CManthei Likes this wine: 93 Points
Oak, vanilla and buttered-herbs. Definitely a little green pepper, herby-ness here. The balance with acidity is great, and the fruit are understated, but definitely there. A little oaky on the finish, but it is super clean and lasts a good 30+ seconds. Love it!
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11/17/2012 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mid gold, melon, peach and grapefruit nose. Powerful grapefruit on palate with long, spicy and peppery finish.
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11/17/2012 - erichrod wrote: 93 Points
Oxidized? I don't know, but it's integrated, very rich and complex.
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10/17/2012 - King JR wrote: 84 Points
Almost no nose and little favor. Was looking for everything mentioned in WA and WS and tasted and smelled nothing. Very disappointing. Hoping the wine is in a dumb stage, as it is showing nothing at this point.
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8/19/2012 - JimN wrote: 92 Points
My third tasting over three years and it keeps getting better. Just a spot-on Bordeaux Blanc. CT tasting notes capture the profile of this wine quite well. Has many years ahead of it, but enjoyable now with a good decant.
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8/1/2012 - Rgosser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium bodied. Nice balanced fruit. Very complex. Definitely would buy again
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7/27/2012 - fdusonchet Likes this wine: 95 Points
Whooooo quelle puissance!
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7/1/2012 - Goldstone wrote: 91 Points
Rich bright shiny yellow gold colour. Nose is oaky and buttery with fresh-crushed vanilla pod and a hint of lemon verbena leaves….. with the scents of a quite heavy-aired summer's evening yet also with the butteriness of a Batard-Montrachet mixed in with, although the high-toned oily note gives it away as something else. Very alluring and interesting. Palate is rich, rounded, petrolly oiliness of mouthfeel followed quickly by fresh almond macaroon and a deep peach confit with some smokiness and just about enough acidity to prevent cloyingness. The back end is lovely fresh mararoons with that almond note and a long oily finish. Nice burnt creme caramel skin finale. Still a work in progress…. the oak needs to integrate more and the acidity needs to come more to the fore. At the moment, it is hard to drink more than a glass of this because it is so heavy. White mushrooms and marzipan on the back end.... I want to like this more than I do. ….but even for wines of this ilk, an old white Ch. Musar beats this into a cocked hat. Much better on the 2nd evening…..more rounded and harmonious but still with the attractive almond maracoon and a new smokiness element like the tapers you use to light bunsen burners. The acidity has raised and is now in greater harmony. Intruiging....I must try again in several years' time.
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4/20/2012 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
VEO tasting - focus on 2005 Claret (Restaurant Bolenius, Amsterdam): Lovely balance between fruit, oak, vegetables and acidity, lovely minerality, tangerine, fresh and long. Far less obvious and oaky than some other vintages and the better for it. Very fine indeed.
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4/8/2012 - Jayarr wrote: 94 Points
Had at Easter dinner with city ham. We all thought it was a very, vey good. Smooth almost oily consistency. Pear, leechy and apple. Dark golden color. I should have saved this for myself inside of sharing it with 6 other people. I missed out.
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4/5/2012 - woofy wrote: 90 Points
Still very refreshing
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12/29/2011 - rpenn77 wrote: 93 Points
Terrific example of great white bordeaux.
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12/18/2011 - NittanyLion wrote:
Off bottle? Couldn't quite put my finger on it, but somehow this seemed off. Impressions of the group were mixed- but agree with the other notes about it being in a funky oxidized state.
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11/12/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 92 Points
Has lost the vigour of youth but a roundness and creaminess in the palate compensates as the components of this wine begin to integrate. Nose has medium intensity but is quite complex with ripe aromatics of quince, peach, pear, tropical fruit and oaky spicyness as well as wax and honey. Palate has weight and nice creamy texture but alcohol is quite warm and shows on the finish.
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10/30/2011 - khmark7 wrote:
Should have been consumed a few years ago. Right now it's in that funky oxidized state. Not closed, just no longer fresh.
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8/4/2011 - woofy wrote: 93 Points
I really liked this wine. Very refreshing, soft beautiful pale color. A wonderful experience.
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6/22/2011 - WST wrote: 90 Points
Excellent wine marred by a little more oak than I prefer. Still, very complex, with incredible density balanced by ample acidity.
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3/3/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Nose of apple and citrus. On the palate creamy but with nice acidity, vanilla.
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2/11/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
TN: 2000 Bordeaux Second Labels (all the First Growths +): I loved this wine. Still quite young, it was still improving at midnight after everyone had gone home. Golden color. The nose is waxy with grapefruits and lemons and some seltzer. A bit of melon as well. On the palate, this is very oily and round with enough acid to give it verve. Slight bitterness on the finish is nit picking but there. Still very young, this should make great old bones, but is delicious now.
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1/13/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 92 Points
Medium intensity lemony colour. Medium + aromatic intensity with ripe tropical fruits, sweet spices especially vanillas from use of new oak, some mineral and citrus notes, creme brulee, honey and green grassiness. Nose is complex although not exhuberant, what is a problem is the alcohol which at the moment seem to stick out. Palate is medium + bodied, with oily texture. Flavours are deep and complex, finish is very long indeed but dominated by the vanilla oak and alcohol is perceptibly high. Powerfull wine which most likely needs more time for its components to integrate.
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10/23/2010 - kostaslonis wrote: 93 Points
(home tasting) Deep gold in color, gorgeous complex nose of flowers like jasmin and ripe fruits like pear and peach but also tropical like mango and papaya core. The mouth is excellent with huge density, amazing viscosity, fruity palate with medium length oaky aftertaste. This wine is still young, it will benefit from some more years of storage, for the oak to be in better balance with the fruit character. Excellent
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6/6/2010 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
Nose of butterscotch and per kelvin apple per tom honey
Mouth - dry clean crisp slightly herbal far from a fruity white, and possibly not a style that would be widely liked. A food white. Well paired with a double gloucester with chives.
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4/4/2010 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big wine! Toffee, yellow flowers, vanilla, rich, hay, lemon tart/pie aromas. Palate: alcohol, eau de vie, pine resin, slightly absinthe-like, hot finish burns the back of the tongue. Mistaken for a Puligny-Montrachet due to its petrol/mineral qualities. Very expansive and much better a few days later. Too early to drink if you want balance. Quite a monster for a white wine!
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2/7/2010 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
Light gold/straw in color. An excellent nose with a myriad of aromas, especially wildflower, clove, grass and a small hint of cat pee. On the palate, bigger than expected. A bit waxy in texture, with honeyed apples, spice and some tropical fruit. Some oak protrudes a bit more than I would like. Could have used a bit more acidity, but a very pleasing drink none the less.
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1/16/2010 - Stefanos T. wrote: 94 Points
Light straw yellow. Medium intensity aromas in the nose but very complex. Tropical fruits, but not sugary, minerality, citrus, honey, grass, herbs. Whatever you say it's in there! In the mouth it is medium + bodied, not over the top. Fantastic, long and slightly bitter aftertaste. Fruit, wood, roasted nuts. Excellent wine. Has gained weight since it was first released and will evolve for quite a few years.
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11/19/2009 - chiliman96 wrote: 96 Points
nose of citrus fruits; medium body; light gold color; pear with bit o' honey; long finish with toffee hints; fantastic semillon blend; medium acid; sold backbone and structure; brilliant effort; love the wine;
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10/23/2009 - Alex H wrote: 84 Points
Bordeaux 2005 and 2006 Tasting; 10/22/2009-10/26/2009 (Wine For Asia Singapore Suntec): Smoky pungence of rotten eggs mixed with hay. Lots of funky burg like mushroom meets cream meets butteriness. Almost smelling like a chard. Lightly toasted oak. Mostly white stonefruits with focused but singular expression. Finish suprisingly shorter than expected. This has developed not as nicely as I would have liked it to compared to previous tasting.Maybe its at an awkward stage at the moment and hopefully after a few years will reach greater heights again. 83-86pts.
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10/23/2009 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
WFA Bordeaux 2005/2006 Tasting by the Wine Review (Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore): Very good. Lots of toasty oak on the nose, but the complexity and depth of the wine was apparent underneath that, with layers of white fruit and apple tones. Palate was rich and round, with a whole lot more ripe white fruit on the attack, with pineappley tones on the edges and a nice touch of mineral moving in a medium-long finish. Still a bit monolithic at this point, but the quality shines through.
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6/17/2009 - Faryan wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux Dinner at Dino: 82 Canon to 05 SHL Blanc and a lot inbetween (Dino's Washington, DC): Once it was poured in the glass, it was typical SHL Blanc all the way, a wine that I can pick out of a lineup pretty well (or so I say!). In structured youthful vintages, the oak, seems to be the resonant factor on this wine. In the better vintages, it is integrated masterfully. Smoke, toasty oak sit affront with a solid background of pears, peach and grass. Tremendous viscosity and mouthfeel, never cloying but never really blithe in its demeanor. It is a wine of purpose, pedigree and polish, but some may find fault in its almost “corporate” makeup. When a wine like this focuses on eradicating any flaws in its expression, sometimes it looses its charm…my only real qualm with the SHL Blancs. I find the 06 a bit more charming, as the fruit is more endearing in that sense, but this is the more harmonious and structured wine. Has a long life ahead of it. I rate it higher than the enjoyment factor for its quality: 93.5GW
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6/12/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Day Two with more than 24 hours open and half ot the bottle left today the wine is still dominated by strong scents of Bartlett Pear, with subtle tones of mango, pineapple, citrus, and toasted oak. In the mouth the wine has gained a little weight and is more a full bodied wine with lingering flavors of lemons, pineapple, minerals, and a light lingering note of cedar along a medium length finish.
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6/11/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 93 Points
Showing a light golden yellow color in the glass the scents from this wine seem to jump from the glass filling the room. The nose is full of smoked and toasted oak, Bartlett pears, vanilla bean, honey, pineapple, and other tropical fruit notes linger in the glass. In the mouth this medium-full bodied wine gives up flavors of pears, pineapple, cantaloupe, followed by brisk acidity and then a lingering flavor of roasted nuts and toasty oak. This is a "Wow" wine...with phenomenal complexities that I can not wait to track over two days.
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5/30/2009 - mmurry wrote: 94 Points
White and Red Blends (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had honey, apple, cloves, and stone. The palate was crisp and clean, and had honey, stone, citrus, apple, and a nice clove finish.
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5/8/2009 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Simply an amazing wine, possibly the best white wine I have ever had. Citrus, applepie and tropical fruit aromas. Applepie, lemon, honeysickle and toasty oak on the palate. Finish sailed on and on. I was told the Sauvignon Gris really makes a difference in the complexity of the wine.
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4/25/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
White and Red 2005 Bordeaux (The Wine Club, San Francisco): Medium yellow. Lively lemon and floral aromatics. Medium weight with nice Semillon waxy texture. Very good.
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2/22/2009 - craiglpalmer wrote: 94 Points
Tasted both this wine and the Sonoma County Morlet Family Vineyards' La Proportion Doree at the same time. The Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a 90% Semillion with 10% Semillon & Sauvignon Gris, while the Morlet is 64% Semillon, 34% Sauvignon Blanc & 2% Muscadelle. Both were 95s from Parker.
The Smith Haute Lafitte was young but excellent. Notes of citrus and grass without the high Sauvignon Blanc acidity. As the wine warmed and open a bit, it became a bit more complex adding layers of oak. Excellent mouth feel. As noted by another taster, think this is an fantastic wine for those looking for something different than Chardonnay but wanting less acidity than Sauvignon Blanc. I think this will get even better as it ages.
I was excited about the Morlet (at 2/3 the price of the Smith), but it just didn't work for me. Sweeter Semillon dominated the initial taste with toast, honey and oak, as opposed to the more apple and lime of dryer Semiillon which I was expecting. The finish was dominated by oak but seemed to be battling the acidity and citrus of the Sauvignon Blanc so the constituant pieces just didn't seem married together yet. This may get better with time, but for what I was looking for from these wines was much better met by the Smith.
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1/26/2009 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
Grand Crus de Bordeaux Tasting: 2005 & 2006 wines (NYC, The Lighthouse, Pier 60, Chelsea Piers): A delicious white. Again, more mineral, structured and acidic than the 2006 version. (theme of the night)
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1/16/2009 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 92 Points
This wine would have scored a lot higher I think if I had chilled it more properly. Nevertheless, it was drinking very nicely. Pale yellow color and clear. Aromas of orange blossoms, Bosc pear, and cantaloupe. As the wine warmed even further, more of the melon notes came through on the nose and the palate. A bit sweet but not cloyingly sweet. I think a colder drinking temperature would have kept the sweetness more in check. But there was also enough acidity to keep this wine together.
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1/14/2009 - N2Vin wrote: 93 Points
Very young and expressive. Notes of pineapple, citrus, buttery oak and coconut are first impressions on the taste. Some mineral notes, but, all in all, not up to what it will be in the years to come. This is not showing a lot of complexity or nuance. Had it with baked wild caught salmon and roquefort garnished fresh spinich salad. Iit was a very friendly combination, and is a refreshing glass of white Bordeaux at this time.
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8/3/2008 - BeavisCC wrote: 93 Points
Big, complex, acidic, viscous on the palate. A very fine example of dry white bordeaux. Not out-of-this-world great, but a really nice wine this night, paired with striped bass.
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7/30/2008 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
This wine changed dramatically from the time it was originally served and the time I had my last glass. Initially, the nose was reticent and strange. Relatively low acidity. Fat and ripe. Clearly European, but not easy to recognize. I go varietal by varietal eliminating Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, Viogner and Verdejo. I am clueless. I end up guessing this is a strange Spanish white wine with which I am not too familiar.
After the night goes on and the wine is unveiled, we are all shocked this is a Bordeaux white wine. As fate would have it, with the slight warming in the glass and time it starts to show a quintessential profile for Sauvignon Blanc: grassy, citrusy. The acidity, though, seems low, but this is very welcome! This is a perfect Sauvignon Blanc for the Chardonnay drinker that is off put by high acidity. Very enjoyable.
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7/13/2008 - jwebtx wrote:
Had to give 1 a try given the high scores. Nice nose of nectarines and lemons. In the mouth it was lemons, passion fruit, nectarines, and mineral. Sometimes I seemed to get banana? The acidity was there, but not real it high. It kept the tongue alive with flavor for a good 30 or 45 seconds. This was and excellent to possibly outstanding wine, but certainly not extraordinary.
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6/4/2008 - CSteefel wrote: 94 Points
Prior to sampling the five reds, we tasted a 2005 Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Blanc, a rich sappy wine that showed its Sauvignon Blanc character in spades, with a floral nose of freshly mown hay, faint tropical fruit, and an oak note that grew with time in the glass. In the mouth, the grassy note was present as well as a brassy acidic element that dominated the finish. One could pick out perhaps the similarities to a very good Sancerre in the dominance of the Sauvignon Blanc here, but with an extra level of palate-coating richness lending the wine a hedonistic, almost exotic character.
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6/1/2008 - Alex H wrote: 90 Points
Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux: Review of 2005 Vintage (Conrad Centennial Singapore): Butter and nutty…reminiscent of butterscotch. 87 to 92 pts.
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5/26/2008 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2005 vintage tasting and dinner (Conrad Interntational, Singapore): UGC tasting. Very good indeed, but I prefered the Pape Clement and the Domaine de Chevalier. Not everyone in the group agreed with me though. This was rather fruity, with lemon oil and white flowers on the nose with a slightly sweet palate reminiscent of nectarine. Lashings of buttery oak. The flavours were yummy and mouthfilling, with a nice creamy feel to the wine and very good length. Excellent now, but I think the former two wines will age better.
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2/23/2008 - cfrumkin wrote: 94 Points
Great length and finesse, long citrus aftertaste gorgeous mineral notes with passion fruit and and meyer lemon oil. Clean, pure and fresh revealing complexity as it evolves in the glass, elegance in a glass. This was drank over dinner at the Biltmore the bottles shipped from the Chateau especially for this ocasion.
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1/21/2008 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
UGC 2005 Bordeaux Tasting (and dinner) (The Drake): MEdium nose of chalky mineral and yellow fruit. Big rich prickly yellow fruit on the palate. Long concentrated finish.
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1/19/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (San Francisco): Tasted at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux in SF. Quick notes: refreshing citrus with some decayed fruit. Fair to Good.
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4/8/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 91 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Graves reds and whites tasted in 2006 (Bordeaux): Candy notes with pineapple and nectarine. Palate is full-bodied though a tad alcoholic, but overall a very nice integration of oak and fruit and will certainly round out in barrel. 90-91+
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3/28/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote:
2005 Bordeaux en Primeur; 3/26/2006-3/28/2006 (Bordeaux France): En Primeur tasting. Fun and ripe aromas with sweet grapefruit character. Very big wine. Probably best younger than usual, very enjoyable already. 90-92 point potential.
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