Aromas of brambles, blackcurrant, plum all with a savoury underpin, forest floor, a little leather, earth, a sense of concentration and a touch of umami & blood. In the mouth it's juicy, fleshy, slight liquorice joins savoury brambly fruit, Autumnal, tannins are powdery and persistent all travel long assisted by a touch of non-intrusive alcohol warmth and a smidge of caramel. Lovely.
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Crimson black - stainless steel charcoal graphite nose and flavors w tart acids and firm tannins - I am drawn to earthy wines and this one strokes that monolithic note. Want fruit? None here.
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Fully integrated and open, this shows some modest Graves character with plum and cassis type fruit on a rocky/earthy bed. It's medium- bodied and mature at this point. Basically a straightforward easy-drinking weekday bottle of Bordeaux. My last of 8 bottles cellared since release.
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Coravin fun - Brackets of braces (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A little closed initially though this opens with time to show sweet spice, savoury notes, dark hued fruits; blackberry; plum; slight blackcurrant, touch of pencil shavings, herbaceous notes. Juicy, dark hued fruits, plentiful slightly coarse tannins are integrated, finishes with a little savoury, slight yeast extract and soy note. Long. Yum.
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This struck me as a getting-old, lifeless claret. We didn't get the fruit or much of the cigar box/tobacco others seem to have though there was some of the latter. It took coaxing to get much on the nose. Tannins were drying. This wasn't as horrible as the above might sound....just middling and a bit boring.
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popped and poured...brett, brambles, cream, plum initially then a little pyrazine, Autumn leaves, earth, touch of spice and red currant. Juicy, fleshy, surprisingly broad, tannins offer a slightly woody burr on the mid palate, fruit & tertiary notes as per the nose, a little warmth on the back of the throat is welcome on this rather cool night. Finishes with a smidge of bitter astringency that I don't find off-putting...This isn't going to put up much of a fight. A great mid-week Claret with a bit of age. Yum.
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Clean and balanced with medium bodied flavors of sweet cassis, black plum, matchstick and oak notes. Finishes with a nice flash of deep black fruit and wood. Fully mature and enjoyable
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My first check in with this in 3.5 years. This is drinking rather beautifully now as a fully mature, balanced, and somewhat internationally-styled 06 left banker. I don't know the cepage of this one, but methinks the merlot is not lacking. Wood is bit overdone but there is no denying this is really pleasant to drink. As always, the quality of Bx, even from more modest chateau, shines through. Not at all bad for a Sunday night. Would drink this up.
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Another nice showing for this wine - maybe not as enamoured with it as the first bottle - but this is for sure a solid mature Graves with nice character and balance and a great value to boot. Dark plum, cherry and currant with lots of earth and minerality. Very good.
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Note after being in the fridge for almost a week. Still dark and ripe with deep brick on the rim. Smells ripe and mature as well. Palate is deep and ripe with mature notes, ripe fruit, maybe a tinge stewed, but overall complex and interesting.
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Bought in Costco in the UK for 20 pounds. Seemed like a decent deal for $25, and it was. Really tasty, dark, full of earth and woody bordeaux notes. Maybe a tinge of green herbs on the nose, but mainly currant and dark plum. Palate is more of the same, still tannic with medium to firm acidity, but enough fruit to make this a nice drop without food, and with food a really nice match for red meat. Probably need to stock up on these......
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Absolutely classic Graves. Medicinal lint bandages with gravel and warm bricks on the nose. Earthy, graveeely flavour with red fruits and a lean, savoury finish. Still quite a bit of tannin. Classic with a lamb roast dinner. Nice.
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Capsicum and blackcurrants on the nose. A touch under medium bodied, savoury palate with blackcurrant and graphite, midbodied tannins. A reasonable Left Bank Bordeaux that is ready to go.
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Very dark crimson in colour - appears positively youthful. Whiff of oak on the nose which doesn't seem to blow off despite double decant several hours prior to drinking nor during the course of drinking it over 90 mins or so. Fine tannins with cassis and graphite on the palate and plenty of structure. It really is a baby that needs another decade or at least 5 years, surprised that it was so primary. Scored 89 with potential for 90+.
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Tried after decanting for 30 min but still very closed. Could do better with a longer decant. Tannins and acidity still present; this could last for a couple more years in the cellar.
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Medium color, clear signs of age. Reasonably intense aroma, still primary aromas although most of all bell pepper, followed by blackberry, black pepper and pear. Would not have suspected the age from the aroma.
Definitely more secondary and tertiary flavors to taste. Cedar, coconut, leather and tar, although still some dark berries and also that hint of pear. M+ acid, full but soft tannins. Medium body and M+ finish.
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Medium-intensity bose of cedar, blackcurrant and spices. Medium-bodied, lovely balance and intensity of graphite and blackcurrant with some smoky/tarry notes, fine grippy tannins on the finish. Refreshing, balanced, and does well at its price point. This bottle had good provenance, a recent purchase from an ex-cellar/negoce release.
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This was a recent purchase and represented to be ex-chateau. The cork was in terrible condition. Three other bottles that I purchased at the same time had intact corks.
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Tastes like bright cherry, anise, earth, with a trace of smoked meat that gives it some heft. Smells like walking into a wine cave on a drizzly fall day. Nice fruit for a slightly older wine.
Structured and elegant. Medium body, but still medium-plus acid and tannins. Downside is not a lot of depth. Still, great QPR.
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PNP from a split a d definitely better second night for last glass. Initially still tannic and bitter but mellowed with air and softened. For sure some Pessac smoke $13 well spent in the day
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With thanks to BillLowney (see his TN below) I decanted this for more than two hours before I started to drink. This was clearly a good idea: initially the tannins were overpowering, but by about 2.5 hours they had mellowed substantially.
The wine is then classic middle-aged claret: dark fruit on the nose, more of the same plus leather and pencil shavings on the palate, blanced nicely by moderate- acidity, and moderate tannins which linger on the moderate+ finish.
It's all rather nice. A food wine, obviously, and not one for fruit-bomb lovers. Pretty good QPR for ~US$22.
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By the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. Not sure how long this has been open. Evolved and open wine, charming albeit light and lacked depth of flavour and an exciting side. Felt like it’s at a good time and even dare we say at or very close to peak. Good classic feel wine just lighter side of things. 87-88
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Deep ruby red colour. Oak, leather, tobacco, earth and blackcurrant on the nose. Taste of blackcurrant, dark plum, leather, pepper, tobacco and earth. Long and dry finish with hints of leather, tobacco and pepper. Goes well with beef and lamb.
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I have drank this wine on 30 separate occasions in the last 3 years. The drinking experience can range from boring to quite brilliant. Decanting time is crucial. A good bottle will be full-bodied and classy with viscosity and lovely Bordeaux flavours. Pop and pour or short decant is not recommended. This needs a 4-6 hour decant to start rocking. Overnight decant works wonders too.
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I've cellared this for a few years and the results are pleasing. Still a deep ruby purple and promising vigour. Cedar wood , wet gravel and cassis on the nose are confirmed on the palate.Supple tannins and good acidity. Proper uncomplicated Pessac Leognan. Drinking very well,correct and decent. Good for another 4-5 years , but best to drink now.
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Tasted blind. Clear, bright, medium (+) ruby with a lot of garnet. The nose is clean, medium (+) in intensity and developed, with aromas of dried red and black cherries, black plums, cedar, tobacco, earth and mushrooms. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with a slight note of bitter licorice. There's delicate oak influences on the nose and palate, indicating old and/or neutral oak aging. The acidity is medium (+) to high, the tannins are medium to medium (+) and rounded, with medium to medium (+) alcohol (13%). This is a medium (+) bodied wine, with medium (+) flavor intensity and length. This wine is still drinking well and has several years left to go. This is a moderate climate, Old World style wine. Possible varieties are Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet. I did not really pick up on any pyrazines or bell pepper notes, so that led me away from the Left Bank. Not finding the typical American Oak notes of Rioja or Napa, I went with five-year old Chianti Classico. Must learn to keep an open mind for the possibility of a 13-year-old-wine!
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This is a perfect time to drink this wine. It has aged gracefully for more than 10 years. It went down smoothly but offered some nice structure. The tannins are reaching the silky level and probably have just a few more years before losing their body and going flat. This was a well balanced wine drinking at its peak right now. It’s mouth watering with the cherry and cassis lingering on your tongue well after you take a sip.
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I decided to open another bottle fairly quickly after the last to see if there is bottle variation. This wine is about the same as my previous note so I am not going to write much here at all. These bottles were cellared properly at correct temps/humidity and I am certain that has made a difference in my personal experience. Give it some air and this is a very nice bottle of Bordeaux at the price point.
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Bought a few of these for a tasting with friends , tried one to see what we had last night. Opened the bottle nice aromas poured a little and decanted the rest. Nose was nice dried fruit, wood and earthiness, on the palate lots going on but not integrating well. The decant an hour later different story, color showing its age garnet fading on the edges, nose a bouquet of dried fruit,cedar wood chips herbs and spices. Tannins smoothed out on the palate. Fruit takes a back seat to leather , pine sage and rocky soil, enough dried fruit to really keep t interesting. Found the finish to be short and dry. Really interesting fun wine to drink. Just give it some breathing room
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Very nice wine, drinking beautifully. Like many comments, this is likely near its peak drinking window. Fruit has faded into the mid-palate. Wonderful notes of leather, cigar, rich tobacco. Nose is full of spice and clove. Great value for the money. Five left. Will drink over the next year.
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Excellent value Bordeaux from an off-vintage, probably drinking in a peak window at the moment. Consistent with my last tasting 1.5 years ago but this has really softened up into an easy, smooth drinker after an hour in the decanter. The nose brings ripe raspberries, cherry bitters, and pipe tobacco. The palate is medium-full and square bringing blackberries, dark chocolate, coffee mocha, dried leather, wild herbs, and hints of candied strawberries into a firm yet refined finish. Drink 2019-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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While I generally agree with the scoring of this wine by the community, I have some different thoughts on where this wine stands today and perhaps why there is some variation. First, on a wine with this much age (or longer) storage conditions matter and impact the wine tremendously (as many of you know). A bottle subjected to years of UV torture in a wine shop will not show as well as one that has been properly cellar-ed. I have no idea how others stored this wine but that context is helpful to know if the taster cares to share that context. As for my bottles, they have been carefully cared for in a dark, 55* and 70% humidity wine cellar since I received them back in 2010. So, with that as context, here are my tasting notes:
The wine poured a dark garnet, a bit brooding in color really, with some amber edging on the rim. As I poured into the decanter, a pretty wonderful aroma filled the air - dried dark fruits, cedar, tobacco, and baking spice. I took a quick check in taste before decanting for 2 hours. It was SUPER tight, very tannic, average acidity, and not showing much at all. After two hours, on the nose came delightful bursts of black cherry, stewed plums, currant what were slightly beneath the secondary characteristics of leather, cigar box, and damp fertile earth. On the palate it was pretty lush actually. The tannin that was so bracing were now well integrated and there was just enough acidity to give it some brightness. More black cherry with clove, currant and a hint of raspberry again slightly overshadowed by those well aged bordeaux secondary characteristics of tobacco, leather, cigar wrapper and dusty minerals.
Others are right, the fruit is receding and, depending on the storage or bottle variation, may have receded in some bottles. That said, if you are one who enjoys the secondary notes of aged bordeaux, where the fruit is beginning to take a back seat to traditional secondary notes, this is a very nice wine.
It was medium on the finish and certainly not in the class of others with better pedigree but this is a great wine to enjoy, especially if you are trying to keep your hands off other more cellar worthy wines. I do think this has a bit of cellar time left in it, maybe 2-3 years, but I am going to drink my remaining two bottles in the next 12-18 months.
50+4+13+14+8=89
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Offer of Auchan: 2 for the price of 1. Well, it’s a fully mature Bordeaux, soft, smooth tannins. Good nose. Palate a bit flat. Will keep, but will not further improve.
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This seemed to be somewhat lacking in fullness of flavors. Muted mineral and forest floor, the fruit has largely subsided. Enough acid and tannin to provide cut and balance. An ok luncheon claret. I don't see it developing much further 87-8ish
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Hazy note from over two nights. Nice nose of red fruits (cherries, plums) and a touch of oak. Some secondary notes on the medium bodied palate, earthy red fruit, but a rather hollow midpalate and not too long of a finish. Nice, and likely at its peak, though it should last a while yet (B+).
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On the downward slope past maturity. Fruit losing the battle to secondary and tertiary aromas. Zero fruit on opening. Ten minutes of air and aromas of black plums, cherries, and leathery mushroom aromas. Drink ASAP.
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First bottle in over three years. Poured and allowed to breath for 90 minutes before consumption. Stored in a temperature controlled cellar for around 7 years.
A fatigued wine with dry tart tannins, dried tobacco, saddle leather, and toast notes. Glad I didn’t hold my final bottle any longer.
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Completely different than my last tasting 32 months ago. Opened up quickly off the pop and pour and brings a pleasant soy sauce savory streak on the nose, and especially into the palate, that balances out the ripe blackberry and dark cherry notes very nicely. Full, found, and probably fully mature, this is not complex nor concentrated but is a balanced claret at a great value. Drink before 2020. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Fairly tight and unyielding at this point; There is a pretty and elegant core of dark red fruit and spice, but there's still a wall of tannins that prevents this from being very expressive
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Not decanted, consumed 2 glasses across 2 evenings at cool room temp. Straightforward bordeaux, a bit firm, with notes of blackcurrant and graphite, maybe just a hint of leather. Still taut on night two; good, but still a bit wound up. I wouldn't expect a ton of complexity to be gained, but cellar time should help this open. I'd recommend a couple hours in the decanter if drinking now. 88-89ish for now, with upside potential.
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Drank by Diane, Ray, Marianne, and myself. Cab blend night. This opened up tight and without much fruit, and showed too much funk for the first hour or two -- DECANT and wait! Went ok with filet mignon.
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This is a good quality straight-forward wine with nicely developed taut texture. Pinot on the nose. Fruity on the palate and finish. Darker flavours and still very nice on Day 3.
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Entry is great. Nice nose, excellent viscosity, silt-like texture. Exit not as good. The palate is jumpy. The finish could be longer although there is a reasonable persistence of flavours overall. I've drank this wine many times this year; the most enjoyable bottle was a two-hour decant matched with pan-fried whiting. Easily a 90-pointer on that occasion. The white fish brought out and highlighted some beautiful fruit flavours in this red wine.
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With a smoky, espresso, thyme and cherry tobacco nose, the wine is medium/full bodied, soft and round in texture, with a sweet, dark cherry and espresso finish.
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Remarkably interesting BDX at this price level. Especially the nose with its tobacco, cedar, and spice aromas. The palate is nearly the equal but seems a smidge closed right now. I Just opened it 2 hours prior to drinking and poured into a BDX glass about an hour before drinking. Maybe a decant would have been better for the palate but I doubt it. Its either kind of closed on the palate or merely more restrained in style? I enjoyed this very much just the same and wish this wasn't my last btl. Especially for the $20 I paid for it on release. 13% ALC. Very Pessac. Not a modern bruiser.
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A nicely balanced Bordeaux with licorice, tobacco, dark berries, and bacon on the nose. The color is a deep ruby and the palate offers mushroom, wet soil, dark berries, licorice, and sour cherry finishing nicely with chocolate and spices. Good acidity and tannins. Ready to drink but can go for few more years.
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Seems to be in a slumber now. Decanted 1 hour before dinner and drank over the following 3-4. Very monotonous with hard edges and thick tannins, though soft red and black fruit emerged near hour four. No nose to speak off, other than slight whiffs of raspberries. The palate is jagged, full, and loaded with dense structure bringing dark cherries, blackberries, and even candied strawberries, with coffee, leather, and some tobacco notes. The finish is sweet and tangy but still too dusty. I'd hold and drink this 2018-2024.
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This wine is really not showing what I expect. Drank over Friday and Saturday night. Thin, on the edge of being sour. Better than my last bottle, so there is hope this is just in an awkward stage.
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Decanted 1 hr then tasted over two nights. All the pieces are there but it's just not offering much excitement. It is nicely constructed with good balance between fruit, acid, and tannin... just kind of blah. Clearly entering maturity, it is doubtful this develops beyond the weekday burger wine that is in the bottle today.
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Tasted blind. I really like this. Thick, luxurious mouthfeel with leathery tannins. Dark fruit, black tea, pencil shavings, and vanilla. Savory, tastes like Graves. Finish is like black tea that has been steeped too long. Serious wine. Would like to try in 5, 10, 15 years. 93.
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Uncorked a bottle to share with friends after dining out. Unlike a previous bottle in November 2013, this offered a much more traditional Haut-Bergey experience. Everyone enjoyed one glass and the sentiments were this was a solid wine. Served at around 48 degrees because of the hot temperature of the day. Notes are from memory the previous day as we shared at a friends house.
Color - This was a dark cherry color in the glass, and the bottom of the cork was deeply tinted as well revealing the black fruits to come.
Aroma - Reasonably expressive through the Vinturi, but without decanting and the cool down on the wine we undoubtedly clamped the aromas down somewhat. Reflected tobacco, cassis, leather, and plums. Took some coaxing to pull the aromas, and this would benefit from an hour decant when the weather is more conducive to drinking.
Palate - All four drinkers were very happy with the first sip. This offered a nice latent grip on the tannins, coupled with coffee, tobacco, black cherry, a hint of vanilla, and currant. This had a chewy feel to it with the tannins hanging on throughout, and a modest length through the finish. The entry and mid palate offered the best example of the profile, and the finish didn't hold up as well as hoped. This possessed a fair amount of sediment.
This was a good wine for the vintage, and stacked up consistently with other 2006 wines we have poured. One of my favorite QPR Bordeaux's, this wine is enjoyable now and should be enjoyable for another 3-4 years.
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I love this wine. It is very savory. Roasted herbs, black cherry, plum, minerals, coffee grounds, soy sauce, menthol, and oak. Complex and balanced. To hell with stupid, fruity New World wines.
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She says "obviously French" when she smells it. Dry and balanced it does have a little bordeaux funk with it's stemmy dark fruited nose and taste. Very nice after a weekend of bigger, cleaner wines.
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Late Jan 2014: not decanted; inky dark red color; short reductive moment; nice nose with cherry, cassis and for second cigar aromas; however, unbalanced in the mouth; medium body.
At the moment leave your H-B bottles in your cellar. Open in two, three years again (2016/2017).
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This bottle was unbelievably clamped down and tight. After two plus hours, the aromas just started to emerge. The wine was a dark plum color. The primary nose was barnyard, with wet soil, prunes, and a bit of green pepper. On the palate, the slightly dry tannins are integrated but somewhat course and vegetal. The acidity is crisp, but not overpowering, and should be giving more lift to the palate. There is a characteristic tobacco note and cassis, but there is little to hold on to the palate after the initial flavors. Overall this was flat in the middle and finish, though a bit of coffee shows at the end. I am hoping the wine can improve overnight. Perhaps in the dumb phase, but maybe that is my hope the next five bottles out of the cellar will offer more pleasure. By comparison, other 2006 Bordeaux have had a better showing lately.
Day 2 - This is much more open. Classic aromas of cedar, anise, and currant have emerged. On the palate the tobacco is for more pronounced as is the roasted coffee and plum. Day 2 score 88.
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Well integrated and approaching maturity. Nicely constructed but lays around sluggishly on the palate and lacks complexity. Would benefit from a pop of fruit (and a pop of spice and acid for that matter). Decent but unremarkable. Hopefully not representative as I have 5 more bottles. 84 for this one.
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Vin à boire dès à présent, arômes de bois, de menthe, de tabac et de fruits noirs; bouche souple avec ses tanins fondus, couleur sombre avec évolution visible (sans autant être couleur brique), bon vin.
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Poured through a vinturri into a decanter for a three hour decant. Dark purple-garnet in the glass. Dark fruits with graphite and black licorice on the nose with a touch of mint or menthol. Dark plums, blackberries, some creme-de-cassis, charcoal, and black coffee on the palate. Finish is a bit tight with the tannins making themselves present.
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Dark garnet color, with nice dark fruit flavour. The wine is still to young and has a sort of bitterness (do to it being to young). I liked it and would rate it 87 points now, but proberbly 90-91 in a few years.
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Still young, but another good Haut-Bergey vintage. After it opened, a nice cedar nose opens to a good dark fruit and mineral palate with some tart cherries shining through. Not the 05, but excellent still.
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Short 15 min decant and drank over 2h. This has matured nicely compared to 9 months ago. Dark garnet with slight lightening and browning at the rim. Nose with plenty of red fruit. Medium body, very fine tannins, strawberry and more red fruit together with some scorched earth on the palate. Slight bitter note. The previously mentioned jamminess is entirely gone and the palate has cleaned up. Medium finish. Overall good but not great quality and QPR (at current approx. USD40).
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Decanted a little over an hour. Nice big nose of smokey dark fuit and turned earth. Palate has a nice medium+ weight with blackberries, pencil lead, and some smoke. Dusty tannins are there, but pretty manageable. surprisingly open and fairly round on the palate. Nice value.
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I too liked this wine a lot and should have bought more of it. Great example of what you want from Pessac. Agree with others recent notes below. I decanted and drank mine about 90 minutes later. 1 btl of 3 left. Maybe I can keep my hands off it for a while???
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With deep color, licorice, smoke, coffee, blackberries, smoke and spice are easy to find. With round tannins and soft textures, this medium/full bodied wine is already showing well.
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Decanted one hour and then took to a dinner. Really need at least two more hours of air. Seems to have some fruit and complexity hidden in the nose and palate. I only had this one bottle. If I had more, I would wait a few years and/or give a long decant. And it would be better with more delicate dishes.
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Readier to drink than the 2007 I had a few months ago but still a very young, primary wine. Despite only 13% alcohol I don't find the palate thin at all, and while the tannins are clearly present after about 1h in the decanter they never become dominant. It seems like there should be more complex flavours hidding behind the velvety but at this point a bit jammy palate. Nice medium long finish however (88-89)
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I agree. Very Pessac. Nice nose of dark berries, gravel and leather. A bit disappointing in the mouth. Thin and a bit tannic but still young. I would give it a few more years to mellow out.
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Nose of muted berries, musty moss, and tree bark. Taste somewhat follows nose with tart berries, bold tannins, a hint of anise and defined cracked black pepper. A structured wine with a long dry finish and good grip.
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Decanted 30 minutes and drank over following hour. Dark ruby red. Lush aromas of ripe black plums, damp earth, old leather, & funk. Palate was more "Bordeaux" with slightly underripe but tasty red fruits, tobacco, spices, and a hint of caramel on the finish. Mid weight wine with drying & dusty tannins that integrated after an hour or so but never detracted. Sexy wine!
A little overmatched by a boldly seasoned beef brisquit though.
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At first, this one had a funky nose that was pretty unpleasant - it blew off fairly quickly. Currant/black cherry dominated the nose. Chalky, mouth-drying tannins stood out at this point. Lots of earth with some raspberry thrown in.
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Alcohol: 13% Dark ruby with purplish hue. The nose is very new-worldish which display very ripe blueberry, blackberry with some leather and gravel soil. Definitely an old world on the palate, blackberry, good balance of acidity and sweetness, a bit austere, moderate level of (not very refine but not rough) tannin leads to juicy dark chocolate bitter like med finish. Very decent and well made wine at its price and perhaps just lack of a bit depth and complexity. Will be drinking well for the next 5-8yrs. Not a must to Re-buy.
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Very young. Blue and black berries, herbs and very nice hot stone nuance. Approachable with decant but I think another few more years in the cellar will help integrate the flavours better and bring out some complexity in the wine. Great QPR.
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I really like this! Very classic Pessac. Medium bodied, prefectly balanced, lovely spice & minerally nose with red fruit, licorice & tobacco accents on the palate. Amazing value at $20. I would have liked to give a a couple more hours but it was too dam good. Awesome week night option.
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Shockingly approachable for such a young Bordeaux with a core of dark fruited flavours and really lovely smoky, earthy and herbal accents. Medium bodied in weight with grainy tannins and good acids, but still very drinkable now. Fantastic value, and I need to buy more the next time I'm at Table & Vine.
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Upon opening,this was very tight and reticent...after a couple hours an intriguing nose and a finish began to emerge....After a night in the refridgerator, the tannins had subsided, and the wine was drinking nicely. It had faded a good bit by the third day. This wine needs a minimum of a couple years, and should be quite interesting in 4-6
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The magician's fingerprints are all over this wine... A slick, candied nose of super ripe fruit and spice (there's tons of anise and asian five-star spice in the bouquet). Once upon a time, I associated these smells with Australia, but at this point, it's truly the modern/international smell of wine (and not incidentially, the smell of money). At any rate, not my kind of bouquet-- it's all flash and no intrigue. The palate is better, ready to go with ripe but not over-the-top fruit and with some good acids, but those Rolland-esque ultra suave, micro-bullage tannins are so dull. There truly is nothing that says Bordeaux here (except the label), which is not necessarily a flaw, but as time goes by, I enjoy regional differences between wines more and more, so this wine leaves me cold. How will it age, the 64-thousand dollar question with these nouveaux wines? Maybe it will get better with time, but until I find out firsthand that it does (and I will since I own a case of the 2005), I am done buying the likes of Haut Bergey despite the modest price tag of $20 on sale.
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3/2/2024 - chatters wrote:
Aromas of brambles, blackcurrant, plum all with a savoury underpin, forest floor, a little leather, earth, a sense of concentration and a touch of umami & blood. In the mouth it's juicy, fleshy, slight liquorice joins savoury brambly fruit, Autumnal, tannins are powdery and persistent all travel long assisted by a touch of non-intrusive alcohol warmth and a smidge of caramel. Lovely.
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1/1/2024 - Tgood wrote:
Crimson black - stainless steel charcoal graphite nose and flavors w tart acids and firm tannins - I am drawn to earthy wines and this one strokes that monolithic note. Want fruit? None here.
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11/14/2023 - Mr T wrote:
Fair/decent
Drink up
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9/13/2023 - Redguy wrote:
Fully integrated and open, this shows some modest Graves character with plum and cassis type fruit on a rocky/earthy bed. It's medium- bodied and mature at this point. Basically a straightforward easy-drinking weekday bottle of Bordeaux. My last of 8 bottles cellared since release.
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9/11/2023 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
Despite a light chill it was a bit warm for this. Lots of classic earthy Graves notes.
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7/5/2023 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Brackets of braces (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A little closed initially though this opens with time to show sweet spice, savoury notes, dark hued fruits; blackberry; plum; slight blackcurrant, touch of pencil shavings, herbaceous notes. Juicy, dark hued fruits, plentiful slightly coarse tannins are integrated, finishes with a little savoury, slight yeast extract and soy note. Long. Yum.
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5/13/2023 - thalver wrote:
This struck me as a getting-old, lifeless claret. We didn't get the fruit or much of the cigar box/tobacco others seem to have though there was some of the latter. It took coaxing to get much on the nose. Tannins were drying. This wasn't as horrible as the above might sound....just middling and a bit boring.
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5/11/2023 - chatters wrote:
popped and poured...brett, brambles, cream, plum initially then a little pyrazine, Autumn leaves, earth, touch of spice and red currant. Juicy, fleshy, surprisingly broad, tannins offer a slightly woody burr on the mid palate, fruit & tertiary notes as per the nose, a little warmth on the back of the throat is welcome on this rather cool night. Finishes with a smidge of bitter astringency that I don't find off-putting...This isn't going to put up much of a fight. A great mid-week Claret with a bit of age. Yum.
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4/1/2023 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
Classic Bordeaux, fine red fruits but less Graves character than before, especially on the nose which was a bit mute.
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11/27/2022 - 6831 wrote: 90 Points
Clean and balanced with medium bodied flavors of sweet cassis, black plum, matchstick and oak notes. Finishes with a nice flash of deep black fruit and wood. Fully mature and enjoyable
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10/7/2022 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
another nice showing from this wine. cleary showing age - but juicy , balanced and with deep and nuanced fruit. Excellent, but drink up.
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8/21/2022 - Neurowine1 Likes this wine:
My first check in with this in 3.5 years. This is drinking rather beautifully now as a fully mature, balanced, and somewhat internationally-styled 06 left banker. I don't know the cepage of this one, but methinks the merlot is not lacking. Wood is bit overdone but there is no denying this is really pleasant to drink. As always, the quality of Bx, even from more modest chateau, shines through. Not at all bad for a Sunday night. Would drink this up.
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8/12/2022 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Another nice showing for this wine - maybe not as enamoured with it as the first bottle - but this is for sure a solid mature Graves with nice character and balance and a great value to boot. Dark plum, cherry and currant with lots of earth and minerality. Very good.
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6/10/2022 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Note after being in the fridge for almost a week. Still dark and ripe with deep brick on the rim. Smells ripe and mature as well. Palate is deep and ripe with mature notes, ripe fruit, maybe a tinge stewed, but overall complex and interesting.
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5/15/2022 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Bought in Costco in the UK for 20 pounds. Seemed like a decent deal for $25, and it was. Really tasty, dark, full of earth and woody bordeaux notes. Maybe a tinge of green herbs on the nose, but mainly currant and dark plum. Palate is more of the same, still tannic with medium to firm acidity, but enough fruit to make this a nice drop without food, and with food a really nice match for red meat. Probably need to stock up on these......
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5/8/2022 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
Absolutely classic Graves. Medicinal lint bandages with gravel and warm bricks on the nose. Earthy, graveeely flavour with red fruits and a lean, savoury finish. Still quite a bit of tannin. Classic with a lamb roast dinner. Nice.
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4/30/2022 - lightning wrote: 89 Points
Capsicum and blackcurrants on the nose. A touch under medium bodied, savoury palate with blackcurrant and graphite, midbodied tannins. A reasonable Left Bank Bordeaux that is ready to go.
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4/1/2022 - fussyeater Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very dark crimson in colour - appears positively youthful. Whiff of oak on the nose which doesn't seem to blow off despite double decant several hours prior to drinking nor during the course of drinking it over 90 mins or so. Fine tannins with cassis and graphite on the palate and plenty of structure. It really is a baby that needs another decade or at least 5 years, surprised that it was so primary. Scored 89 with potential for 90+.
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11/11/2021 - hello.zzc wrote: 87 Points
Tried after decanting for 30 min but still very closed. Could do better with a longer decant. Tannins and acidity still present; this could last for a couple more years in the cellar.
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9/9/2021 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. It is better than the first bottle I drank half year age. Smooth tannins and good acidity. Longer decant should be better.
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8/31/2021 - Volleyball wrote: 91 Points
More enjoyable this time.
Medium color, clear signs of age. Reasonably intense aroma, still primary aromas although most of all bell pepper, followed by blackberry, black pepper and pear. Would not have suspected the age from the aroma.
Definitely more secondary and tertiary flavors to taste. Cedar, coconut, leather and tar, although still some dark berries and also that hint of pear. M+ acid, full but soft tannins. Medium body and M+ finish.
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8/2/2021 - lightning wrote: 91 Points
Medium-intensity bose of cedar, blackcurrant and spices. Medium-bodied, lovely balance and intensity of graphite and blackcurrant with some smoky/tarry notes, fine grippy tannins on the finish. Refreshing, balanced, and does well at its price point. This bottle had good provenance, a recent purchase from an ex-cellar/negoce release.
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3/31/2021 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is drinking very well. Compared with the vintage 2005, more Bordeaux style and less acidity.
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1/27/2021 - henrymale Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good stuff.
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1/12/2021 - DavidKehler wrote:
This was a recent purchase and represented to be ex-chateau. The cork was in terrible condition. Three other bottles that I purchased at the same time had intact corks.
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12/17/2020 - jonh1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tastes like bright cherry, anise, earth, with a trace of smoked meat that gives it some heft. Smells like walking into a wine cave on a drizzly fall day. Nice fruit for a slightly older wine.
Structured and elegant. Medium body, but still medium-plus acid and tannins. Downside is not a lot of depth. Still, great QPR.
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12/17/2020 - Mr T wrote:
PNP from a split a d definitely better second night for last glass. Initially still tannic and bitter but mellowed with air and softened. For sure some Pessac smoke
$13 well spent in the day
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11/29/2020 - Volleyball wrote: 88 Points
Fine but undistinguished Bordeaux that is probably a bit old.
Deep color, lots of browning around the edges.
Medium aroma, very savoury, no fruit. Bell pepper, wood, leather.
Medium+ acid, medium+ tannins but very soft. Medium alcohol, M+ body, some length. Flavours follow the nose.
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11/21/2020 - Doc90 wrote: 88 Points
Familiar leather accompanied by blackberries and cold brew. Gritty wood, blackberry palate. A little meek overall, though rounded without harsh edges.
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10/3/2020 - Juliansi wrote:
A rather dry Bordeaux with not enough lingering notes ... Especially after an excellent Pomerol!
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8/9/2020 - sirwine Likes this wine: 86 Points
Sort of one-dimensional and flat. Tasted fine but drink up.
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12/26/2019 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 90 Points
With thanks to BillLowney (see his TN below) I decanted this for more than two hours before I started to drink. This was clearly a good idea: initially the tannins were overpowering, but by about 2.5 hours they had mellowed substantially.
The wine is then classic middle-aged claret: dark fruit on the nose, more of the same plus leather and pencil shavings on the palate, blanced nicely by moderate- acidity, and moderate tannins which linger on the moderate+ finish.
It's all rather nice. A food wine, obviously, and not one for fruit-bomb lovers. Pretty good QPR for ~US$22.
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10/23/2019 - Papies wrote: 87 Points
By the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. Not sure how long this has been open.
Evolved and open wine, charming albeit light and lacked depth of flavour and an exciting side. Felt like it’s at a good time and even dare we say at or very close to peak. Good classic feel wine just lighter side of things. 87-88
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10/9/2019 - dsimmons wrote: 88 Points
Not a lot of fruit left here. Mostly earth and graphite.
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9/25/2019 - schristensen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink it now. Might be on its way down now.
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9/6/2019 - alamoave Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not ready. Wait 3 years.
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8/29/2019 - SuperSomm wrote:
Deep ruby red colour. Oak, leather, tobacco, earth and blackcurrant on the nose. Taste of blackcurrant, dark plum, leather, pepper, tobacco and earth. Long and dry finish with hints of leather, tobacco and pepper. Goes well with beef and lamb.
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8/4/2019 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 89 Points
I have drank this wine on 30 separate occasions in the last 3 years. The drinking experience can range from boring to quite brilliant. Decanting time is crucial. A good bottle will be full-bodied and classy with viscosity and lovely Bordeaux flavours. Pop and pour or short decant is not recommended. This needs a 4-6 hour decant to start rocking. Overnight decant works wonders too.
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8/3/2019 - pompousmax Likes this wine: 88 Points
I've cellared this for a few years and the results are pleasing. Still a deep ruby purple and promising vigour. Cedar wood , wet gravel and cassis on the nose are confirmed on the palate.Supple tannins and good acidity. Proper uncomplicated Pessac Leognan. Drinking very well,correct and decent. Good for another 4-5 years , but best to drink now.
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5/6/2019 - vancouvermatt wrote: 88 Points
Quite evolved. Earthy, charcoal notes, more classic bordeaux style, medium bodied, with good freshness.
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4/27/2019 - PhStern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking really nicely.
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4/24/2019 - TannicBeast Likes this wine:
Tasted blind. Clear, bright, medium (+) ruby with a lot of garnet. The nose is clean, medium (+) in intensity and developed, with aromas of dried red and black cherries, black plums, cedar, tobacco, earth and mushrooms. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with a slight note of bitter licorice. There's delicate oak influences on the nose and palate, indicating old and/or neutral oak aging. The acidity is medium (+) to high, the tannins are medium to medium (+) and rounded, with medium to medium (+) alcohol (13%). This is a medium (+) bodied wine, with medium (+) flavor intensity and length. This wine is still drinking well and has several years left to go. This is a moderate climate, Old World style wine. Possible varieties are Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet. I did not really pick up on any pyrazines or bell pepper notes, so that led me away from the Left Bank. Not finding the typical American Oak notes of Rioja or Napa, I went with five-year old Chianti Classico. Must learn to keep an open mind for the possibility of a 13-year-old-wine!
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3/20/2019 - HolmesBoy59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This ready to drink now, casting a fine balance between silky fruit and a fine structure. This wine lingers in your mouth for a long time.
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3/20/2019 - HolmesBoy59 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a perfect time to drink this wine. It has aged gracefully for more than 10 years. It went down smoothly but offered some nice structure. The tannins are reaching the silky level and probably have just a few more years before losing their body and going flat. This was a well balanced wine drinking at its peak right now. It’s mouth watering with the cherry and cassis lingering on your tongue well after you take a sip.
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3/16/2019 - Lakeeden1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice QPR, drinking perfect. Nice balance and nose and wish I would have bought more than 6 bottles. Decanted for 3 hours...
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1/29/2019 - maxwell18 wrote: 94 Points
Very nice, seems to be in its prime with softer tannins, graphite and gravel notes, and nice black/blue fruit. Nice and complex.
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1/27/2019 - mghomula Likes this wine: 89 Points
I decided to open another bottle fairly quickly after the last to see if there is bottle variation. This wine is about the same as my previous note so I am not going to write much here at all. These bottles were cellared properly at correct temps/humidity and I am certain that has made a difference in my personal experience. Give it some air and this is a very nice bottle of Bordeaux at the price point.
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1/26/2019 - Baronfreya Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bought a few of these for a tasting with friends , tried one to see what we had last night. Opened the bottle nice aromas poured a little and decanted the rest. Nose was nice dried fruit, wood and earthiness, on the palate lots going on but not integrating well. The decant an hour later different story, color showing its age garnet fading on the edges, nose a bouquet of dried fruit,cedar wood chips herbs and spices. Tannins smoothed out on the palate. Fruit takes a back seat to leather , pine sage and rocky soil, enough dried fruit to really keep t interesting. Found the finish to be short and dry. Really interesting fun wine to drink. Just give it some breathing room
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1/25/2019 - ravbik wrote: 89 Points
Nice claret. Agree with others , at peak or on decline. Fruits are subsidized and savory notes coming through
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1/21/2019 - vzang wrote: 89 Points
Very nice wine, drinking beautifully. Like many comments, this is likely near its peak drinking window. Fruit has faded into the mid-palate. Wonderful notes of leather, cigar, rich tobacco. Nose is full of spice and clove. Great value for the money. Five left. Will drink over the next year.
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1/21/2019 - Lakeeden1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice bottle of wine
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1/15/2019 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent value Bordeaux from an off-vintage, probably drinking in a peak window at the moment. Consistent with my last tasting 1.5 years ago but this has really softened up into an easy, smooth drinker after an hour in the decanter. The nose brings ripe raspberries, cherry bitters, and pipe tobacco. The palate is medium-full and square bringing blackberries, dark chocolate, coffee mocha, dried leather, wild herbs, and hints of candied strawberries into a firm yet refined finish. Drink 2019-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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1/12/2019 - mghomula wrote: 89 Points
While I generally agree with the scoring of this wine by the community, I have some different thoughts on where this wine stands today and perhaps why there is some variation. First, on a wine with this much age (or longer) storage conditions matter and impact the wine tremendously (as many of you know). A bottle subjected to years of UV torture in a wine shop will not show as well as one that has been properly cellar-ed. I have no idea how others stored this wine but that context is helpful to know if the taster cares to share that context. As for my bottles, they have been carefully cared for in a dark, 55* and 70% humidity wine cellar since I received them back in 2010. So, with that as context, here are my tasting notes:
The wine poured a dark garnet, a bit brooding in color really, with some amber edging on the rim. As I poured into the decanter, a pretty wonderful aroma filled the air - dried dark fruits, cedar, tobacco, and baking spice. I took a quick check in taste before decanting for 2 hours. It was SUPER tight, very tannic, average acidity, and not showing much at all. After two hours, on the nose came delightful bursts of black cherry, stewed plums, currant what were slightly beneath the secondary characteristics of leather, cigar box, and damp fertile earth. On the palate it was pretty lush actually. The tannin that was so bracing were now well integrated and there was just enough acidity to give it some brightness. More black cherry with clove, currant and a hint of raspberry again slightly overshadowed by those well aged bordeaux secondary characteristics of tobacco, leather, cigar wrapper and dusty minerals.
Others are right, the fruit is receding and, depending on the storage or bottle variation, may have receded in some bottles. That said, if you are one who enjoys the secondary notes of aged bordeaux, where the fruit is beginning to take a back seat to traditional secondary notes, this is a very nice wine.
It was medium on the finish and certainly not in the class of others with better pedigree but this is a great wine to enjoy, especially if you are trying to keep your hands off other more cellar worthy wines. I do think this has a bit of cellar time left in it, maybe 2-3 years, but I am going to drink my remaining two bottles in the next 12-18 months.
50+4+13+14+8=89
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1/2/2019 - vinero Likes this wine: 89 Points
Offer of Auchan: 2 for the price of 1. Well, it’s a fully mature Bordeaux, soft, smooth tannins. Good nose. Palate a bit flat. Will keep, but will not further improve.
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1/2/2019 - sschen Does not like this wine:
Well past its prime.
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9/16/2018 - thalver wrote:
This seemed to be somewhat lacking in fullness of flavors. Muted mineral and forest floor, the fruit has largely subsided. Enough acid and tannin to provide cut and balance. An ok luncheon claret. I don't see it developing much further 87-8ish
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8/29/2018 - JohnSh wrote: 88 Points
Hazy note from over two nights. Nice nose of red fruits (cherries, plums) and a touch of oak. Some secondary notes on the medium bodied palate, earthy red fruit, but a rather hollow midpalate and not too long of a finish. Nice, and likely at its peak, though it should last a while yet (B+).
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7/13/2018 - cbarker wrote:
Slightly corked
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6/1/2018 - TomH wrote: 83 Points
On the downward slope past maturity. Fruit losing the battle to secondary and tertiary aromas. Zero fruit on opening. Ten minutes of air and aromas of black plums, cherries, and leathery mushroom aromas. Drink ASAP.
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3/11/2018 - COWineLover wrote: 87 Points
First bottle in over three years. Poured and allowed to breath for 90 minutes before consumption. Stored in a temperature controlled cellar for around 7 years.
A fatigued wine with dry tart tannins, dried tobacco, saddle leather, and toast notes. Glad I didn’t hold my final bottle any longer.
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1/31/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 88 Points
This was a good wine and very drinkable but the fruit was very muted. My tastes run to more fruit on the palate.
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11/26/2017 - Deputy Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nothing special but drinking fine. Wouldn't wait on it.
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10/11/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Completely different than my last tasting 32 months ago. Opened up quickly off the pop and pour and brings a pleasant soy sauce savory streak on the nose, and especially into the palate, that balances out the ripe blackberry and dark cherry notes very nicely. Full, found, and probably fully mature, this is not complex nor concentrated but is a balanced claret at a great value. Drink before 2020. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 92.
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9/19/2017 - vancouvermatt wrote: flawed
Corked
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9/3/2017 - PMHouser Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted for 3 to 4 hours then the wine really opened up and was wonderful. Drank with NY strip steaks.
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7/6/2017 - eluebchow wrote: 86 Points
Fairly tight and unyielding at this point; There is a pretty and elegant core of dark red fruit and spice, but there's still a wall of tannins that prevents this from being very expressive
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6/29/2017 - thalver wrote:
Decanted and poured, it continued to open up over time, and the last pour, 4 hours after opening was best. Fairly tight, medium weight, ample tannins
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6/12/2017 - Danthejuiceman Does not like this wine:
A bit confected. New world yet unbalanced. Sweet with a hint of minerals.
No better the second day.
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5/27/2017 - redz wrote: 89 Points
needs food and decant. Perhaps a little tired
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1/21/2017 - bretrooks wrote: 89 Points
Not decanted, consumed 2 glasses across 2 evenings at cool room temp. Straightforward bordeaux, a bit firm, with notes of blackcurrant and graphite, maybe just a hint of leather. Still taut on night two; good, but still a bit wound up. I wouldn't expect a ton of complexity to be gained, but cellar time should help this open. I'd recommend a couple hours in the decanter if drinking now. 88-89ish for now, with upside potential.
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10/31/2016 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank by Diane, Ray, Marianne, and myself.
Cab blend night.
This opened up tight and without much fruit, and showed too much funk for the first hour or two -- DECANT and wait!
Went ok with filet mignon.
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10/25/2016 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a good quality straight-forward wine with nicely developed taut texture. Pinot on the nose. Fruity on the palate and finish. Darker flavours and still very nice on Day 3.
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9/27/2016 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 89 Points
Entry is great. Nice nose, excellent viscosity, silt-like texture. Exit not as good. The palate is jumpy. The finish could be longer although there is a reasonable persistence of flavours overall. I've drank this wine many times this year; the most enjoyable bottle was a two-hour decant matched with pan-fried whiting. Easily a 90-pointer on that occasion. The white fish brought out and highlighted some beautiful fruit flavours in this red wine.
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5/25/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
With a smoky, espresso, thyme and cherry tobacco nose, the wine is medium/full bodied, soft and round in texture, with a sweet, dark cherry and espresso finish.
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5/24/2016 - Mr T wrote:
Nice little PNP...small bottle might have helped advance development. Nice red fruits, some tobacco/graphite and tannin...tasty
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10/10/2015 - sastewart wrote: 90 Points
Leather, graphite and black cherry on the nose. Smooth and medium bodied with earth and cassis on the palate. From a 375, in a good place. 90 points
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9/16/2015 - PatiLeiva wrote:
Taninos suaves o vinho me pareceu pronto após abrir todo seu bouquet decantando, mas nao surpreendeu. Bacon e cedro.
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9/13/2015 - khmark7 wrote: 86 Points
Aromatic, with very little fruit, if any, with a flavor profile that suggests a 20 year old claret. I do not think my storage is that bad...
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9/7/2015 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Remarkably interesting BDX at this price level. Especially the nose with its tobacco, cedar, and spice aromas. The palate is nearly the equal but seems a smidge closed right now. I Just opened it 2 hours prior to drinking and poured into a BDX glass about an hour before drinking. Maybe a decant would have been better for the palate but I doubt it. Its either kind of closed on the palate or merely more restrained in style? I enjoyed this very much just the same and wish this wasn't my last btl. Especially for the $20 I paid for it on release. 13% ALC. Very Pessac. Not a modern bruiser.
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6/6/2015 - epiphany Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fantastic nose unfortunately the palate does not match up. Good wine overall though. Would hold any remaining bottles for further development.
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3/26/2015 - Fat Lips Likes this wine: 89 Points
A nicely balanced Bordeaux with licorice, tobacco, dark berries, and bacon on the nose. The color is a deep ruby and the palate offers mushroom, wet soil, dark berries, licorice, and sour cherry finishing nicely with chocolate and spices. Good acidity and tannins. Ready to drink but can go for few more years.
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2/13/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 87 Points
Seems to be in a slumber now. Decanted 1 hour before dinner and drank over the following 3-4. Very monotonous with hard edges and thick tannins, though soft red and black fruit emerged near hour four. No nose to speak off, other than slight whiffs of raspberries. The palate is jagged, full, and loaded with dense structure bringing dark cherries, blackberries, and even candied strawberries, with coffee, leather, and some tobacco notes. The finish is sweet and tangy but still too dusty. I'd hold and drink this 2018-2024.
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2/7/2015 - Zingrrl wrote: 82 Points
This wine is really not showing what I expect. Drank over Friday and Saturday night. Thin, on the edge of being sour. Better than my last bottle, so there is hope this is just in an awkward stage.
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2/5/2015 - Redguy wrote: 86 Points
Decanted 1 hr then tasted over two nights. All the pieces are there but it's just not offering much excitement. It is nicely constructed with good balance between fruit, acid, and tannin... just kind of blah. Clearly entering maturity, it is doubtful this develops beyond the weekday burger wine that is in the bottle today.
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1/9/2015 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
Very similar to July 2014 TN, though incrementally more tannic. Very nice tobacco notes.
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12/29/2014 - Number51 wrote: 90 Points
This is classic, elegant, and well balanced.
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11/13/2014 - MObiker wrote:
This was pretty tight, even on day 2. Let them sleep a few years.
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9/24/2014 - Drankard wrote: 88 Points
I wish I drank this in its youth as it was so much more enjoyable. Not everything gets better with age.
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8/15/2014 - krmcgrath wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Give it some air and have it with food and it'll be good.
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7/8/2014 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind. I really like this. Thick, luxurious mouthfeel with leathery tannins. Dark fruit, black tea, pencil shavings, and vanilla. Savory, tastes like Graves. Finish is like black tea that has been steeped too long. Serious wine. Would like to try in 5, 10, 15 years. 93.
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7/6/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
Uncorked a bottle to share with friends after dining out. Unlike a previous bottle in November 2013, this offered a much more traditional Haut-Bergey experience. Everyone enjoyed one glass and the sentiments were this was a solid wine. Served at around 48 degrees because of the hot temperature of the day. Notes are from memory the previous day as we shared at a friends house.
Color - This was a dark cherry color in the glass, and the bottom of the cork was deeply tinted as well revealing the black fruits to come.
Aroma - Reasonably expressive through the Vinturi, but without decanting and the cool down on the wine we undoubtedly clamped the aromas down somewhat. Reflected tobacco, cassis, leather, and plums. Took some coaxing to pull the aromas, and this would benefit from an hour decant when the weather is more conducive to drinking.
Palate - All four drinkers were very happy with the first sip. This offered a nice latent grip on the tannins, coupled with coffee, tobacco, black cherry, a hint of vanilla, and currant. This had a chewy feel to it with the tannins hanging on throughout, and a modest length through the finish. The entry and mid palate offered the best example of the profile, and the finish didn't hold up as well as hoped. This possessed a fair amount of sediment.
This was a good wine for the vintage, and stacked up consistently with other 2006 wines we have poured. One of my favorite QPR Bordeaux's, this wine is enjoyable now and should be enjoyable for another 3-4 years.
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5/1/2014 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
I love this wine. It is very savory. Roasted herbs, black cherry, plum, minerals, coffee grounds, soy sauce, menthol, and oak. Complex and balanced. To hell with stupid, fruity New World wines.
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3/30/2014 - krmcgrath wrote: 89 Points
She says "obviously French" when she smells it. Dry and balanced it does have a little bordeaux funk with it's stemmy dark fruited nose and taste. Very nice after a weekend of bigger, cleaner wines.
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1/31/2014 - Fatty Cat wrote: 87 Points
Late Jan 2014: not decanted; inky dark red color; short reductive moment; nice nose with cherry, cassis and for second cigar aromas; however, unbalanced in the mouth; medium body.
At the moment leave your H-B bottles in your cellar. Open in two, three years again (2016/2017).
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11/23/2013 - COWineLover wrote: 84 Points
This bottle was unbelievably clamped down and tight. After two plus hours, the aromas just started to emerge. The wine was a dark plum color. The primary nose was barnyard, with wet soil, prunes, and a bit of green pepper. On the palate, the slightly dry tannins are integrated but somewhat course and vegetal. The acidity is crisp, but not overpowering, and should be giving more lift to the palate. There is a characteristic tobacco note and cassis, but there is little to hold on to the palate after the initial flavors. Overall this was flat in the middle and finish, though a bit of coffee shows at the end. I am hoping the wine can improve overnight. Perhaps in the dumb phase, but maybe that is my hope the next five bottles out of the cellar will offer more pleasure. By comparison, other 2006 Bordeaux have had a better showing lately.
Day 2 - This is much more open. Classic aromas of cedar, anise, and currant have emerged. On the palate the tobacco is for more pronounced as is the roasted coffee and plum. Day 2 score 88.
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10/31/2013 - Redguy wrote:
Well integrated and approaching maturity. Nicely constructed but lays around sluggishly on the palate and lacks complexity. Would benefit from a pop of fruit (and a pop of spice and acid for that matter). Decent but unremarkable. Hopefully not representative as I have 5 more bottles. 84 for this one.
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9/24/2013 - sebastienjm wrote: 90 Points
Vin à boire dès à présent, arômes de bois, de menthe, de tabac et de fruits noirs; bouche souple avec ses tanins fondus, couleur sombre avec évolution visible (sans autant être couleur brique), bon vin.
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8/25/2013 - jankees wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with a medium/full body - what a great wine and drink now
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8/10/2013 - AMC Eagle wrote: 90 Points
Poured through a vinturri into a decanter for a three hour decant. Dark purple-garnet in the glass. Dark fruits with graphite and black licorice on the nose with a touch of mint or menthol. Dark plums, blackberries, some creme-de-cassis, charcoal, and black coffee on the palate. Finish is a bit tight with the tannins making themselves present.
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7/27/2013 - sfqwino wrote: 89 Points
A few years too early. Rather unsettled tannins, mouth-plucking acidity even after some airing.
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5/26/2013 - Loekkeboe Likes this wine:
Dark garnet color, with nice dark fruit flavour. The wine is still to young and has a sort of bitterness (do to it being to young). I liked it and would rate it 87 points now, but proberbly 90-91 in a few years.
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3/16/2013 - Itriolo Likes this wine:
Cedar and earth, with just a hint of Brett which adds a pleasing funky note. A solid value at less than $20.
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11/23/2012 - SCMeyer wrote: 90 Points
Still young, but another good Haut-Bergey vintage. After it opened, a nice cedar nose opens to a good dark fruit and mineral palate with some tart cherries shining through. Not the 05, but excellent still.
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6/24/2012 - PlanetX wrote: 90 Points
Tarry smokey licorice nose. Red fruits, licorice, smokey and spice on the palate. Round tannins. Ready now if decanted for 1 1/2 hours.
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1/23/2012 - sfqwino wrote: 88 Points
P&P. Needs some decanting. Way too young.
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11/26/2011 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Short 15 min decant and drank over 2h. This has matured nicely compared to 9 months ago. Dark garnet with slight lightening and browning at the rim. Nose with plenty of red fruit. Medium body, very fine tannins, strawberry and more red fruit together with some scorched earth on the palate. Slight bitter note. The previously mentioned jamminess is entirely gone and the palate has cleaned up. Medium finish. Overall good but not great quality and QPR (at current approx. USD40).
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11/18/2011 - Zingrrl wrote: 75 Points
Bottle must be asleep. This was really just bad. Thin and a bit sour. This has been properly stored so not sure what is up.
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10/30/2011 - glaze3 wrote:
Decanted a little over an hour. Nice big nose of smokey dark fuit and turned earth. Palate has a nice medium+ weight with blackberries, pencil lead, and some smoke. Dusty tannins are there, but pretty manageable. surprisingly open and fairly round on the palate. Nice value.
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10/22/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
I too liked this wine a lot and should have bought more of it. Great example of what you want from Pessac. Agree with others recent notes below. I decanted and drank mine about 90 minutes later. 1 btl of 3 left. Maybe I can keep my hands off it for a while???
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9/7/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
With deep color, licorice, smoke, coffee, blackberries, smoke and spice are easy to find. With round tannins and soft textures, this medium/full bodied wine is already showing well.
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4/13/2011 - Daniel Griffin wrote: 90 Points
Opened and decanted for 30-60 minutes.
C: Translucent ruby color, I could see my hands through the ruby red color.
A: Strawberry and meat on the nose, very complex.
T: Real gripy tannins and it could’ve used more time to decant. After about an hour it started to show more strawberry.
Opinion: real nice wine for the money. Good for new comers.
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3/6/2011 - shaneajohnson wrote:
Decanted one hour and then took to a dinner. Really need at least two more hours of air. Seems to have some fruit and complexity hidden in the nose and palate. I only had this one bottle. If I had more, I would wait a few years and/or give a long decant. And it would be better with more delicate dishes.
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2/25/2011 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Readier to drink than the 2007 I had a few months ago but still a very young, primary wine. Despite only 13% alcohol I don't find the palate thin at all, and while the tannins are clearly present after about 1h in the decanter they never become dominant. It seems like there should be more complex flavours hidding behind the velvety but at this point a bit jammy palate. Nice medium long finish however (88-89)
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1/13/2011 - CabIsKing wrote: 89 Points
I agree. Very Pessac. Nice nose of dark berries, gravel and leather. A bit disappointing in the mouth. Thin and a bit tannic but still young. I would give it a few more years to mellow out.
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1/4/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 88 Points
Nose of muted berries, musty moss, and tree bark. Taste somewhat follows nose with tart berries, bold tannins, a hint of anise and defined cracked black pepper. A structured wine with a long dry finish and good grip.
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11/20/2010 - Redguy wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 30 minutes and drank over following hour. Dark ruby red. Lush aromas of ripe black plums, damp earth, old leather, & funk. Palate was more "Bordeaux" with slightly underripe but tasty red fruits, tobacco, spices, and a hint of caramel on the finish. Mid weight wine with drying & dusty tannins that integrated after an hour or so but never detracted. Sexy wine!
A little overmatched by a boldly seasoned beef brisquit though.
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8/29/2010 - cbkamp wrote: 90 Points
At first, this one had a funky nose that was pretty unpleasant - it blew off fairly quickly. Currant/black cherry dominated the nose. Chalky, mouth-drying tannins stood out at this point. Lots of earth with some raspberry thrown in.
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7/25/2010 - elamasters wrote:
Not bad, but somewhat thin.
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7/9/2010 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
Alcohol: 13%
Dark ruby with purplish hue. The nose is very new-worldish which display very ripe blueberry, blackberry with some leather and gravel soil. Definitely an old world on the palate, blackberry, good balance of acidity and sweetness, a bit austere, moderate level of (not very refine but not rough) tannin leads to juicy dark chocolate bitter like med finish. Very decent and well made wine at its price and perhaps just lack of a bit depth and complexity. Will be drinking well for the next 5-8yrs. Not a must to Re-buy.
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6/13/2010 - sfqwino wrote: 89 Points
Very young. Blue and black berries, herbs and very nice hot stone nuance. Approachable with decant but I think another few more years in the cellar will help integrate the flavours better and bring out some complexity in the wine. Great QPR.
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5/12/2010 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
I really like this! Very classic Pessac. Medium bodied, prefectly balanced, lovely spice & minerally nose with red fruit, licorice & tobacco accents on the palate. Amazing value at $20. I would have liked to give a a couple more hours but it was too dam good. Awesome week night option.
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1/31/2010 - salil wrote: 90 Points
Shockingly approachable for such a young Bordeaux with a core of dark fruited flavours and really lovely smoky, earthy and herbal accents. Medium bodied in weight with grainy tannins and good acids, but still very drinkable now. Fantastic value, and I need to buy more the next time I'm at Table & Vine.
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12/15/2009 - thalver wrote:
Upon opening,this was very tight and reticent...after a couple hours an intriguing nose and a finish began to emerge....After a night in the refridgerator, the tannins had subsided, and the wine was drinking nicely. It had faded a good bit by the third day. This wine needs a minimum of a couple years, and should be quite interesting in 4-6
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12/9/2009 - WST wrote:
Beautiful young Bdx L banker, out of a 375. Needs time to fill in. Thank you Premier Cru for a great deal!
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11/6/2009 - cheval.jam wrote: 94 Points
This is my first time to see it at Thai airport. It should be there ...
After getting used to drink 2006 ...
How about this one..??
Good looking ... dark ruby, real herbs, earth,cherry. Aroma is very impressive and Outstanding, sweet, modern tannin
.. 94 Points .. For outstanding wine..
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11/1/2009 - TomH wrote: 91 Points
Excellent, but took a full 24 hours to open up in the bottle. Hold.
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10/23/2009 - Jaco2112 wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyable, pleasant fruit, integrated tannens
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10/17/2009 - blanquito wrote: 85 Points
The magician's fingerprints are all over this wine... A slick, candied nose of super ripe fruit and spice (there's tons of anise and asian five-star spice in the bouquet). Once upon a time, I associated these smells with Australia, but at this point, it's truly the modern/international smell of wine (and not incidentially, the smell of money). At any rate, not my kind of bouquet-- it's all flash and no intrigue. The palate is better, ready to go with ripe but not over-the-top fruit and with some good acids, but those Rolland-esque ultra suave, micro-bullage tannins are so dull. There truly is nothing that says Bordeaux here (except the label), which is not necessarily a flaw, but as time goes by, I enjoy regional differences between wines more and more, so this wine leaves me cold. How will it age, the 64-thousand dollar question with these nouveaux wines? Maybe it will get better with time, but until I find out firsthand that it does (and I will since I own a case of the 2005), I am done buying the likes of Haut Bergey despite the modest price tag of $20 on sale.
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