Nose: Cassis, cherry cola (very prominent), pencil shavings, a bit of leather perhaps
Palate: Dark fruit, chocolate, a bit of spice from the oak. Super smooth, no alcoholic heat at all (despite this being 15% abv!) but the alcohol gives body and smoothness. Tannins fully resolved. Generous. Medium finish. Lip smacking. Really good. Great with beef. Like a really great Napa cab sav based blend.
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PNP. Very good out of the bottle. Dark fruit, concentrated fruit, new world but with minerals and great balance for such a big wine. Exactly what I hoped it would be with a grilled steak. Would drink now but should hold for a bit. A-
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A dream come true project by Pierre Lurton from legendary St. Emilion’s Chateau Cheval Blanc, a joint venture with Terrazas de Los Andes, a Bordeaux style Malbec blend (26% CS & 8% PV) with pre-phylloxera ungrafted vines. Expressive aroma of herbs, blackberries, blueberries, leather, cherries, spices, violets, veggy hints. Full body, round, elegant and juicy with persistent fresh and ripe black fruit flavours, violets, chocolate hints, powdery tannins, long finish.
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Interesting bottle. Showing more Argentinian Malbec new world style than old world Bordeaux. Notes of blackberry and cassis, transitioning to some restrained notes of cocoa, cedar, and scorched earth. Oak is still apparent. This has plenty of time. Probably 10+ years to let the back end start to sing. 15% ABV.
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Probably not a great bottle. Took a while to open up a bit and become decent, but this was not great. The nose showed ripe fruit and some vanilla, but the palate was quite short...
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Revisited 18 months after previously tasted. Deep ruby. Loads of black fruits nose & palate. Some coffee too on the nose. Some prunes as well palate. Full bodied, well integrated tannins, long finish. Outstanding wine which will continue to drink well until 2030+.
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Age hasn't been kind over the past 3 years. That's true for the wine also. Things are a bit off kilter, like when your shirt button goes in the wrong hole and you know somethings not quite right.
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I was very curious to taste this wine. It is very modern, in the mouth we have a huge, earthy juice, with a large mass of red fruits, it is almost metallic and viscous at the same time. The style is indeed very ostentatious, it imposes it, but for all that, there is a deficit of acidity which jeopardizes the balance of the wine in my opinion, it becomes clumsy in the middle of the mouth and has no extension for relaunch in the final where alcohol ends up dominating clearly with its 15 °.
The fact remains that this is a very good wine, well done, but not my style at all.
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Big and bold, modern and upfront style, very thick body, metallic, earthy, dark fruits, very sweet, almost like syrup, not enough acid to balance the heavy sweet, obvious tannins, heavy, a little muddy in mid palate, not delineated, could use of more refinement, seems like over-extraction, some bitterness at end, long aftertaste. A good wine but not great. Certainly expected more from this wine.
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Young but supremely well balanced. Nose is oak, pencil shavings, a little licorice. Oak, minerality and black pepper dominate at first and then it is fruity and full bodied with high alcohol but subtle, even delicate. Some spice - cinnamon, orange peel perhaps. Towards the finish it’s followed by fruits - raspberry, blackberry and some tart apple.
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Dark ruby. Very well balanced, full bodied. Black cherries, soft tannins, opened up in the glass. Outstanding wine, which will last for 5-10 years and might improve.
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Really drinking well here. Big fruit - almost inky colored - but the Malbec has a structure and finesse that might convince you it was cab/merlot/Malbec blend
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Enticing and compelling Bordeaux blend that is just now entering its' drinking window. Nicely integrated and balanced delivering flavors of fresh mushrooms, forest floor, black and blue fruits, licorice, caramel and raspberry. Complex, rich, peppery and thick mouthfeel, full-bodied, silky, slightly sweet and polished with enough backbone to develop for several years to come. Best at hour three of the decant. Absolutely lovely!
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A wonderful Argentine take on Bordeaux. Cab-Sav/malbec blend, bold and full bodied with a sense of place. Black currants, plums, black pepper, oak, tobacco, pencil lead and a little English breakfast on the nose. Lots of ripe black fruit, clove, vanilla, and pepper on the palate. Secondary notes of creamed corn and capsicum, white mushrooms, fresh thyme, and leather. High alcohol and fruit sweetness balanced by acid. Granite minerality, powdery dying tannins, long clean finish.
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Dinner with fellow counsel at Famous Treasure celebrating with JC. From a magnum, this was too young, but already showing a nice bit of quality. The nose was still rather primary, but quite attractive, with almost Bordeaux-like notes of ripe cassis, damp earth and tobacco, this wed to a lovely Malbec-lift of dark cherries and peppery spice. The tertiary notes kept growing as well, until the bouquet showed quite beautifully. The palate was similarly primary at first, with lots of cassis and dark berry fruit at the fore, but then a lovely burgeoning complexity came out in the midpalate and beyond, with nice savoury accents of dried earth, meat and spice, and then just a little floral lift on the fresh finish. I really liked the feel and texture of this. It had such a nice energy and purity to the fruit, along with a lovely sense of balance and structure, where silky tannins and beautifully-integrated acidity kept the wine so light on its feet throughout. A really nicely put together wine, which should age wonderfully over the next decade and beyond.
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Big and brooding, but simultaneously heady and floral. Opened up after about an hour in the glass, and the presence of the cabernet really rounded out the greener aromatics of the malbec. Not too opulent, but plush enough. Fine tannins and a firm backbone of acidity. Really delicious now, but will likely last at least another 5-7.
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Indeed very well made ... needed a good hour to open up to potential. Then very herbal and floral notes, enjoyable throughout the evening. High in alcohol yes, but we consumed at approx. 15°C as per guide and no issues. Would certainly buy again .... as to 2012 vintage, drink or hold !
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Pours magnificently - so opulent through the air and then coating the glass with glossy juice.
The nose indicates this is going to be heady and it is. It's big. And very interesting how it evolves through time. Starting with young berries and a hint of immature green which is sure to evaporate, and does. After 2 hours theres a sophisticated hint of medicine. After 3 hours it's Rhonesque. There's a regal purpleness and then a little iodine blooded meat with just a little meat heat.
So much more approachable than young Bordeaux. No inhospitable sour tannin, thankfully. Close your eyes and taste the altitude.
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(at Dinner by HB - London) You can really taste the Cabernet here, though there is a plush softness on the back end. Ok - drinkable but lacks pizzazz. (88)
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Mosimann's, Bentley Room for dinner with family and friends. Minimal note taking. I was a little nervous that this would be too young, but has (just) hit what I suspect will be a decent length plateau. Noticeable oak on the palate closely followed by a massive hit of dark hedge fruit and dry warming spice. Firm but integrated tannins. Long dry finish. Excellent, and might have gained a point or two for the want of a couple of hours decanting - or a couple more years in cellar. Should be good for 12 or so years from vintage. 92+?+
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Had a tasting. After making a trip to Argentina a little over 18 months ago, I had largely written off malbec as a "fine wine" and really felt it was better as a table wine. I don't mean that disparagingly at all. I like many wines as table wines: CdR, Bandol Rouge, Languedoc, Tannat, but the Argentines expect it to be a fine wine in many cases and it's just not...but this one is. I enjoyed its integration and smooth tannins. The Cab blend shows for some depth of flavor but the cooperage program doesn't seem manipulated. This wine has high alcohol but also high acidity, so it'll hold and develop (they say for two decades. I'm not believing that but I'll give it a decade...not that mine will last that long.). This is a big juice wine which I took to be an Argentine malbec with a french accent.
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Ruby edge moving to deep garnet Oak, hints of pepper, spices of French Oak Balanced acidity with a rush of fruit mid palate - good traditional spices Petite Verdo gives a GREAT flavors with the spices is wonderful Really soft flavors enhancing the Earth tones from Farfalla Modo Mia lunch
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2/1/2024 - happyhyrax Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium ruby with some clearing at the rim.
Nose: Cassis, cherry cola (very prominent), pencil shavings, a bit of leather perhaps
Palate: Dark fruit, chocolate, a bit of spice from the oak. Super smooth, no alcoholic heat at all (despite this being 15% abv!) but the alcohol gives body and smoothness. Tannins fully resolved. Generous. Medium finish. Lip smacking. Really good. Great with beef. Like a really great Napa cab sav based blend.
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9/16/2023 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 94 Points
No real change from January 2022 note.
Still drinking beautifully.
Outstanding wine that will continue to drink well for 5-10 years.
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5/14/2023 - MC wrote:
PNP. Very good out of the bottle. Dark fruit, concentrated fruit, new world but with minerals and great balance for such a big wine. Exactly what I hoped it would be with a grilled steak. Would drink now but should hold for a bit. A-
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3/4/2023 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 93 Points
66% Malbec, 26% Cab Sauv, 8% Petit Verdot. Bold, smooth and with lots of finesse. blackberry oak tobacco leather chocolate cherry
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10/7/2022 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 92 Points
A dream come true project by Pierre Lurton from legendary St. Emilion’s Chateau Cheval Blanc, a joint venture with Terrazas de Los Andes, a Bordeaux style Malbec blend (26% CS & 8% PV) with pre-phylloxera ungrafted vines. Expressive aroma of herbs, blackberries, blueberries, leather, cherries, spices, violets, veggy hints. Full body, round, elegant and juicy with persistent fresh and ripe black fruit flavours, violets, chocolate hints, powdery tannins, long finish.
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7/23/2022 - malbrecht wrote: 92 Points
Interesting bottle. Showing more Argentinian Malbec new world style than old world Bordeaux. Notes of blackberry and cassis, transitioning to some restrained notes of cocoa, cedar, and scorched earth. Oak is still apparent. This has plenty of time. Probably 10+ years to let the back end start to sing. 15% ABV.
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6/19/2022 - Peter Spijker wrote:
Probably not a great bottle. Took a while to open up a bit and become decent, but this was not great. The nose showed ripe fruit and some vanilla, but the palate was quite short...
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1/15/2022 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 94 Points
Revisited 18 months after previously tasted.
Deep ruby.
Loads of black fruits nose & palate. Some coffee too on the nose. Some prunes as well palate.
Full bodied, well integrated tannins, long finish.
Outstanding wine which will continue to drink well until 2030+.
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11/28/2021 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 92 Points
Age hasn't been kind over the past 3 years. That's true for the wine also. Things are a bit off kilter, like when your shirt button goes in the wrong hole and you know somethings not quite right.
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10/25/2021 - Benoit Hardy wrote: 91 Points
Very pure nose on cherries, brandy and pepper.
I was very curious to taste this wine. It is very modern, in the mouth we have a huge, earthy juice, with a large mass of red fruits, it is almost metallic and viscous at the same time. The style is indeed very ostentatious, it imposes it, but for all that, there is a deficit of acidity which jeopardizes the balance of the wine in my opinion, it becomes clumsy in the middle of the mouth and has no extension for relaunch in the final where alcohol ends up dominating clearly with its 15 °.
The fact remains that this is a very good wine, well done, but not my style at all.
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4/14/2021 - Hawk94 wrote: 92 Points
Big and bold, modern and upfront style, very thick body, metallic, earthy, dark fruits, very sweet, almost like syrup, not enough acid to balance the heavy sweet, obvious tannins, heavy, a little muddy in mid palate, not delineated, could use of more refinement, seems like over-extraction, some bitterness at end, long aftertaste. A good wine but not great. Certainly expected more from this wine.
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11/7/2020 - happyhyrax Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young but supremely well balanced. Nose is oak, pencil shavings, a little licorice. Oak, minerality and black pepper dominate at first and then it is fruity and full bodied with high alcohol but subtle, even delicate. Some spice - cinnamon, orange peel perhaps. Towards the finish it’s followed by fruits - raspberry, blackberry and some tart apple.
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7/12/2020 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby.
Very well balanced, full bodied.
Black cherries, soft tannins, opened up in the glass.
Outstanding wine, which will last for 5-10 years and might improve.
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5/17/2020 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Really drinking well here. Big fruit - almost inky colored - but the Malbec has a structure and finesse that might convince you it was cab/merlot/Malbec blend
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4/10/2020 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enticing and compelling Bordeaux blend that is just now entering its' drinking window. Nicely integrated and balanced delivering flavors of fresh mushrooms, forest floor, black and blue fruits, licorice, caramel and raspberry. Complex, rich, peppery and thick mouthfeel, full-bodied, silky, slightly sweet and polished with enough backbone to develop for several years to come. Best at hour three of the decant. Absolutely lovely!
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4/9/2020 - CarignonMyWaywardSom Likes this wine: 95 Points
A wonderful Argentine take on Bordeaux. Cab-Sav/malbec blend, bold and full bodied with a sense of place. Black currants, plums, black pepper, oak, tobacco, pencil lead and a little English breakfast on the nose. Lots of ripe black fruit, clove, vanilla, and pepper on the palate. Secondary notes of creamed corn and capsicum, white mushrooms, fresh thyme, and leather. High alcohol and fruit sweetness balanced by acid. Granite minerality, powdery dying tannins, long clean finish.
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3/6/2020 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Dinner with fellow counsel at Famous Treasure celebrating with JC. From a magnum, this was too young, but already showing a nice bit of quality. The nose was still rather primary, but quite attractive, with almost Bordeaux-like notes of ripe cassis, damp earth and tobacco, this wed to a lovely Malbec-lift of dark cherries and peppery spice. The tertiary notes kept growing as well, until the bouquet showed quite beautifully. The palate was similarly primary at first, with lots of cassis and dark berry fruit at the fore, but then a lovely burgeoning complexity came out in the midpalate and beyond, with nice savoury accents of dried earth, meat and spice, and then just a little floral lift on the fresh finish. I really liked the feel and texture of this. It had such a nice energy and purity to the fruit, along with a lovely sense of balance and structure, where silky tannins and beautifully-integrated acidity kept the wine so light on its feet throughout. A really nicely put together wine, which should age wonderfully over the next decade and beyond.
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2/4/2019 - Coachron13 wrote: 90 Points
Fine but nothing special. Seems caught in between new world and old world.
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4/29/2018 - UFGators Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opens up beautifully in the glass. Loads of character and intensity without being overwhelming. Drink now
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4/14/2018 - cbforever1 wrote: 93 Points
Not a lean wine of course. Big and bold, very sweet but somehow balanced and with enough acidity. Good
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3/26/2018 - billynorris wrote: flawed
Corked to high hell.
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3/18/2018 - Vineyard Boy Likes this wine: 99 Points
By far the best malbec I have ever had!
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2/21/2018 - billynorris wrote: 93 Points
Big and brooding, but simultaneously heady and floral. Opened up after about an hour in the glass, and the presence of the cabernet really rounded out the greener aromatics of the malbec. Not too opulent, but plush enough. Fine tannins and a firm backbone of acidity. Really delicious now, but will likely last at least another 5-7.
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1/12/2018 - Mathijs81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Indeed very well made ... needed a good hour to open up to potential.
Then very herbal and floral notes, enjoyable throughout the evening.
High in alcohol yes, but we consumed at approx. 15°C as per guide and no issues.
Would certainly buy again .... as to 2012 vintage, drink or hold !
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12/1/2017 - Marcosuru wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful wine. Balanced and deep. Ready to drink. Great value
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10/28/2017 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pours magnificently - so opulent through the air and then coating the glass with glossy juice.
The nose indicates this is going to be heady and it is. It's big. And very interesting how it evolves through time. Starting with young berries and a hint of immature green which is sure to evaporate, and does. After 2 hours theres a sophisticated hint of medicine. After 3 hours it's Rhonesque. There's a regal purpleness and then a little iodine blooded meat with just a little meat heat.
So much more approachable than young Bordeaux. No inhospitable sour tannin, thankfully. Close your eyes and taste the altitude.
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9/17/2017 - sdrum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well balanced. Beautiful nose. Modest oak. Drinkable now.
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5/15/2017 - dbkitc wrote: 88 Points
(at Dinner by HB - London) You can really taste the Cabernet here, though there is a plush softness on the back end. Ok - drinkable but lacks pizzazz. (88)
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4/8/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mosimann's, Bentley Room for dinner with family and friends. Minimal note taking.
I was a little nervous that this would be too young, but has (just) hit what I suspect will be a decent length plateau. Noticeable oak on the palate closely followed by a massive hit of dark hedge fruit and dry warming spice. Firm but integrated tannins. Long dry finish.
Excellent, and might have gained a point or two for the want of a couple of hours decanting - or a couple more years in cellar. Should be good for 12 or so years from vintage. 92+?+
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12/11/2016 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had a tasting. After making a trip to Argentina a little over 18 months ago, I had largely written off malbec as a "fine wine" and really felt it was better as a table wine. I don't mean that disparagingly at all. I like many wines as table wines: CdR, Bandol Rouge, Languedoc, Tannat, but the Argentines expect it to be a fine wine in many cases and it's just not...but this one is. I enjoyed its integration and smooth tannins. The Cab blend shows for some depth of flavor but the cooperage program doesn't seem manipulated. This wine has high alcohol but also high acidity, so it'll hold and develop (they say for two decades. I'm not believing that but I'll give it a decade...not that mine will last that long.). This is a big juice wine which I took to be an Argentine malbec with a french accent.
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11/9/2016 - Glenn92 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ruby edge moving to deep garnet
Oak, hints of pepper, spices of French Oak
Balanced acidity with a rush of fruit mid palate - good traditional spices
Petite Verdo gives a GREAT flavors with the spices is wonderful
Really soft flavors enhancing the Earth tones from Farfalla Modo Mia lunch
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9/1/2016 - Rupert wrote:
At 67PM: big, sweet fruit, simple and blackcurranty
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7/22/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 96 Points
It was decanted for an hour and here you can drink a Wine who can beat many Napa's and Old World $160 and up Wines
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7/20/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs 1 hour and then the rate is 96
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