La Couspaude's 1999 offering is a deep garnet blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Sampled over a three-hour interval from a pristinely-cellared bottle that had been decanted off of its heavy sediment, it flaunts an aromatic profile of dark plums, fig, mulling spices, violets, tobacco and loam. Medium-bodied, energetic and with well-integrated alcohol (13%), it delivers flavors congruent with the aromas and stays solid on the mid-palate. The melted tannins and fully assimilated oak have resulted in a wine with no rough edges from start through lengthy finish. This is more elegant and harmonious than when last tasted 1/6/2016. Give it at least an hour in carafe after decantation. Comparably cellared bottles will last longer than previously projected. Drink now-2027.
We had a Christmas mini-vertical of the '95, '97 and '99, and while this was my least favorite of the trio (mostly due to it's more flamboyant style), it was still quite good. Lots of vanilla and violet-infused oak on the nose, not quite supported by the modest core of plum fruit. Many at the table preferred this over the others, but not AFWE palate.
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I have a soft spot for Couspaude from the '90s. My parents visited the chateau around that time and were very impressed, and the '95 won a blind tasting of BDX from that vintage in our tasting group back in 1999. That said, the young '95 impressed probably because of its accessibility and pleasant cedary-oak nose. My tastes have certainly changed, along with winemaking styles, and this '99 showed a lot more vanilla oak on the nose than I like to see, and did not particularly speak of Bordeaux. With air, it became better integrated, and a quaffable midweek cellar defender. Not particularly complex, with abundant black cherry and plum flavors on a medium frame with mostly resolved tannins. I don't think this will improve, but I don't see it dropping off a cliff either. I have very little experience with this vintage, but I found this more enjoyable than a lot of '00 right bankers in its league.
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Pop and pour, then drunk over seven to eight hours. Menthol on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, a green note that faded somewhat over time, and some bitter tobacco on the medium finish, with good acidity. This opened up and integrated significantly over several hours. It had noticeable tannins and some ashy Cab Franc notes when first opened, but they disappeared over time. This bottle had been stored in a cold cellar, and it showed hardly any aging aside from the integrated tannins. Looking at older notes I see there was some vanilla oak in younger bottles that didn't make an appearance here. This was my only bottle, but if I had another one that had been stored the same way I would hold it for 5+ years in the hope that it would develop a bit more complexity. Good value at about $40.
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From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet wine (a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc) was decanted off of its heavy sediment and serially tasted over a three hour period. Tobacco, mulled spices, fig and earth-laced plum reside in a fresh, medium-bodied, seamlessly alcoholic (13%) frame. The tannins have now fully melted and the oak is beautifully integrated. Nicely dense in the middle and closing with medium length, it remains a pleasure to drink. Although well-cellared versions of this wine have been on plateau for quite some time, I suspect that consumption over the next 2-3 years would be wise. Drink now-2018.
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Dekantert 2 timer. Fryktet det verste når Parker jubler over 200 % ny eik, men denne er alt annet enn dum. Tobakk, lær og røde bær på nese. Kirsebær og litt støvet, godt integrert eik på munn. Pene tanniner. Nydelig liten sak fra en OK årgang.
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Purple color turning to brown. Modest bouquet and flavor of tobacco. Rather modest body with no finesse and no real finish. Quite boring, but drinkable. Probably over the hill. Drink fast.
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I have always enjoyed La Couspaude and have always felt it was an under-appreciated chateau that drinks above its price and reputation. I think this btl is a good example of that, esp given it is going on its 15th year from a so-so vintage in the Right Bank. This is a sexy effort with plum, black cherry, black pepper, and cocoa. Not a thinking man's wine but one to enjoy now with a nice filet mignon. I think this really ought to be drunk up now. While still holding I doubt this will improve with anymore time in btl.
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Medium to dark red color. No signs of aging that I could detect. Nose of tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, at first somewhat reticent and lacking in the mid-palate, the wine eventually opened revealing notes of black fruits (plums) with mocha accents. Some earthiness and a bit dusty. Nice mouthfeel, and fairly long. A pleasant enough wine, that surprised me in that it's still in such good shape after all these years.
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This bottle was purchased upon release and cellared meticulously. It was double-decanted off of its (heavy) sediment, allowing 90 minutes in decanter before funneling back into the cleaned bottle. The wine was subsequently presented in single-blind fashion to our Friday tasting group (Right Bank vs. New World Merlot/Cabernet blends). The robe is deep garnet and the nose is immediately expressive of plum, pickling spice, fig and tobacco aromas. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, light residual tannins and seamless alcohol (which is listed as 13%). The flavors are dominated by plum and mulled spices and linger throughout a solid middle and medium-length, smooth finish. Another nice showing for this wine, which should continue to provide pleasure for at least another five years. Drink now-12/17.
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Perfect for my French wine snob friends who don't like any fruit forward -- a very nice vintage at the tail end of its life that opened well after 3 hours in the decanter.
An evolved, saturated and a bit cloudy ruby red color with a pronounced brick rim. The color does not encourage for a longer keeping. The nose is fully developed, but somehow still youthful, intense and round, showing spicy and toasty oak, sweet plums, black currant, cedar, tobacco and old leather. Medium plus bodied, with completely integrated tannins, good acidity, mellow mouth-feel but still very enjoyable, with similar flavors on the palate. Short to medium spicy finish. The wine does not require any decanting, it is enjoyable straight from the bottle. I tasted the wine during two days and it did not improve on the second day, as a matter of fact it did the opposite: on the second day it lost some of the charming aromas from the nose, showed some rusty, metallic flavors and a shorter finish. I do not believe the wine will improve more from here, it will probably stay at this level for a few more years, but, for maximum pleasure, it should be drunk now. 13% alc. (88/100) on the first day, (86/100) on the second day. However, it was worth the 29 Eur I paid for it, at this level I would probably buy it again.
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Deep red in the center, but bricking at the edges; nose has absolutely lovely old world bordeaux funk with earth, cedar, but good red cherry fruit; palate is medium-bodied, good red fruit but not overripe, a little thin, good balanced structure with integrated tannins but not flabby; finish is medium length. Perfectly mature bordeaux, great complexity, great fruit but not over-ripe. Fabulous QPR. Ready to drink, possibly faded a tad since last year. 92
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This wine was decanted off the sediment and serially tasted over three hours. It is indeed important to carefully decant this wine, as the sediment is heavy. At this point, the robe is deep red/garnet. The nose is quite intense (even within the first hour) and shows aromas of potpourri, black fruit, earth and (complimentary at this point) brett. Medium-to-full-bodied on the the palate, with medium acidity and medium, yet slightly dry, tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. The finish is medium-to-long and a bit dusty. This wine has put on weight since my last tasting. Assuming well-cellared, it should drink nicely for at least another 5-7 years. Drink now-12/17.
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Very earthy, very funky (in a good way). Certainly some dust, some cedar?, some sweet fruits on the nose. Palate is very smooth, well integrated tannins that provide a bit of a kick at the finish. Velvety mouthfeel, full-bodied. Finish is a bit short. A very enjoyable wine from a very forward vintage, and it shows a surprising amount of complexity. I think this wine will last ~2 more years, but is certainly peaking now. I have one more bottle to finish in the next year.
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After a 45 minute decant, a bit of barnyard on a big nose of blueberries and plums. The fruit is more subdued in the mouth, with cocoa powder and a tiny bit of earth. 30 minutes later the fruit begins to fade and the acidity remains, pulling the wine out of balance. Drink up.
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Substantially different than my previous notes, but still very good. I get much less fruit forward and much more vegetal and secondary aromas. Either the wine has changed or my experience with wine has. Nose is a bit dusty, a bit woody. Palate is thin at first with some red cherry, but picks up weight by the end of the sip. Nice tannin structure, good midpalate, finish falls off quickly.
Update: with a few hours of wine it ripens, losing some of the green vegetables and picking up a bit more ripe fruit. It's now more like the wine I remember.
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Surprising. Beautiful boquet, black fruit, pencil lead, and smoke on the nose. Balanced tannins, although a little light on the body, had a long, bright finish.
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Huge nose with tons of black and red fruits. Palate is a bit thin but has good fruits with tannins that kick in the middle. Will probably last a few years. I'll plan to drink one every 6 months.
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Decanted 1.5 hrs, drank over 2 hrs. Fruity nose, blended together. Rough palate, tannins a bit too strong at finish. Developed a little over the course of the night.
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Enjoyed this fantasatic 1999 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru the other evening at Fearing's in Dallas. 20 minutes of decanting and WOW! Deep purple color it opend up with Big boquet of spicy cherry notes. Long finish. In my opinnion, this is an under the radar Bordeaux.
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Tomato hues in the glass med shaded. nose - minerally some forest floor and dried herb. bright red fruits. palette - chewy red fruits, very clean and seamless, sightly dull on the mid palette with a med-short finish.
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4+13+16+8=42 Very dark, little if any bourdeax nose, fruit forward, no barnyard, with weak tanins. Not very good today and I can't see any chance for improvement.
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Consumed at home with broiled steak. Bright disc. Medium ruby robe with red/orange rim. The nose shows an abundance of brett, in addition to blackberry, smoke and floral aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and medium dusty tannins. The mouth texture is somewhat thin. Medium, dry finish. I suspect (or more accurately, HOPE) that this wine has shut down. I am concerned about the brett shown on this bottle.
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Presented as an unknown in double-blind fashion to the Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting group. Bottle taken from my personal cellar. Bright disc. Opaque purple robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing very intense aromas of coffee, creamy vanilla, cassis and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, liberal oak and ample sweet tannins. The flavors are similar to the nose. The mid-palate hollows out a bit and is resurrected in a terse finish. This is a perplexing wine...I have now tasted it three times and have had three quite different impressions. I am puzzled as to where the mid-palate has hidden since my 11/1/02 tasting.
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Personally presented upon purchase as unknown to usual Vintage Wines, Ltd. Friday tasting group. Bright disc. Opaque purple with purple rim. Immediately upon opening the bottle, the nose shows very intense coffee, cocoa, ripe plum and vanilla. The nose gets even better with time in the glass. Medium-bodied on the palate, with good acidity and medium sweet tannins. Excellent evolution and long, smooth finish, showing similar flavors as for the nose. A very nice, well-made example of right bank Bordeaux. This bottle clearly showed better than the bottle in the tasting bar 8/30/02. Well-received by tasters (two of whom also purchased six bottles apiece).
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Tasted at the Friday Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting bar. How long the bottle had been opened is unknown. Bright disc. Opaque purple/black with purple rim. Clean nose, showing moderately-intense smokey currants, meat, coffee and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with ample, slightly dry tannins. Similar flavors as nose. Long, slightly dry finish.
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12/29/2023 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 Points
La Couspaude's 1999 offering is a deep garnet blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Sampled over a three-hour interval from a pristinely-cellared bottle that had been decanted off of its heavy sediment, it flaunts an aromatic profile of dark plums, fig, mulling spices, violets, tobacco and loam. Medium-bodied, energetic and with well-integrated alcohol (13%), it delivers flavors congruent with the aromas and stays solid on the mid-palate. The melted tannins and fully assimilated oak have resulted in a wine with no rough edges from start through lengthy finish. This is more elegant and harmonious than when last tasted 1/6/2016. Give it at least an hour in carafe after decantation. Comparably cellared bottles will last longer than previously projected. Drink now-2027.
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12/25/2022 - GrapeScott wrote: 88 Points
We had a Christmas mini-vertical of the '95, '97 and '99, and while this was my least favorite of the trio (mostly due to it's more flamboyant style), it was still quite good. Lots of vanilla and violet-infused oak on the nose, not quite supported by the modest core of plum fruit. Many at the table preferred this over the others, but not AFWE palate.
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12/8/2022 - GrapeScott wrote: 88 Points
I have a soft spot for Couspaude from the '90s. My parents visited the chateau around that time and were very impressed, and the '95 won a blind tasting of BDX from that vintage in our tasting group back in 1999. That said, the young '95 impressed probably because of its accessibility and pleasant cedary-oak nose. My tastes have certainly changed, along with winemaking styles, and this '99 showed a lot more vanilla oak on the nose than I like to see, and did not particularly speak of Bordeaux. With air, it became better integrated, and a quaffable midweek cellar defender. Not particularly complex, with abundant black cherry and plum flavors on a medium frame with mostly resolved tannins. I don't think this will improve, but I don't see it dropping off a cliff either. I have very little experience with this vintage, but I found this more enjoyable than a lot of '00 right bankers in its league.
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1/30/2020 - Kfoley009 wrote:
Inventory adjustment 1/30/2020
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1/28/2016 - RichardP wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour, then drunk over seven to eight hours. Menthol on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, a green note that faded somewhat over time, and some bitter tobacco on the medium finish, with good acidity. This opened up and integrated significantly over several hours. It had noticeable tannins and some ashy Cab Franc notes when first opened, but they disappeared over time. This bottle had been stored in a cold cellar, and it showed hardly any aging aside from the integrated tannins. Looking at older notes I see there was some vanilla oak in younger bottles that didn't make an appearance here. This was my only bottle, but if I had another one that had been stored the same way I would hold it for 5+ years in the hope that it would develop a bit more complexity. Good value at about $40.
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1/6/2016 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet wine (a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc) was decanted off of its heavy sediment and serially tasted over a three hour period. Tobacco, mulled spices, fig and earth-laced plum reside in a fresh, medium-bodied, seamlessly alcoholic (13%) frame. The tannins have now fully melted and the oak is beautifully integrated. Nicely dense in the middle and closing with medium length, it remains a pleasure to drink. Although well-cellared versions of this wine have been on plateau for quite some time, I suspect that consumption over the next 2-3 years would be wise. Drink now-2018.
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1/23/2014 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dekantert 2 timer. Fryktet det verste når Parker jubler over 200 % ny eik, men denne er alt annet enn dum. Tobakk, lær og røde bær på nese. Kirsebær og litt støvet, godt integrert eik på munn. Pene tanniner. Nydelig liten sak fra en OK årgang.
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1/19/2014 - tcosgriff Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Purple color turning to brown. Modest bouquet and flavor of tobacco. Rather modest body with no finesse and no real finish. Quite boring, but drinkable. Probably over the hill. Drink fast.
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11/3/2013 - Neurowine1 wrote: 86 Points
I have always enjoyed La Couspaude and have always felt it was an under-appreciated chateau that drinks above its price and reputation. I think this btl is a good example of that, esp given it is going on its 15th year from a so-so vintage in the Right Bank. This is a sexy effort with plum, black cherry, black pepper, and cocoa. Not a thinking man's wine but one to enjoy now with a nice filet mignon. I think this really ought to be drunk up now. While still holding I doubt this will improve with anymore time in btl.
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4/28/2013 - cephomer wrote: 90 Points
Medium to dark red color. No signs of aging that I could detect. Nose of tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, at first somewhat reticent and lacking in the mid-palate, the wine eventually opened revealing notes of black fruits (plums) with mocha accents. Some earthiness and a bit dusty. Nice mouthfeel, and fairly long. A pleasant enough wine, that surprised me in that it's still in such good shape after all these years.
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2/22/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was purchased upon release and cellared meticulously. It was double-decanted off of its (heavy) sediment, allowing 90 minutes in decanter before funneling back into the cleaned bottle. The wine was subsequently presented in single-blind fashion to our Friday tasting group (Right Bank vs. New World Merlot/Cabernet blends). The robe is deep garnet and the nose is immediately expressive of plum, pickling spice, fig and tobacco aromas. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, light residual tannins and seamless alcohol (which is listed as 13%). The flavors are dominated by plum and mulled spices and linger throughout a solid middle and medium-length, smooth finish. Another nice showing for this wine, which should continue to provide pleasure for at least another five years. Drink now-12/17.
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12/9/2012 - ChicagoScot wrote: 90 Points
Perfect for my French wine snob friends who don't like any fruit forward -- a very nice vintage at the tail end of its life that opened well after 3 hours in the decanter.
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9/6/2012 - cosmin_grozea wrote: 87 Points
An evolved, saturated and a bit cloudy ruby red color with a pronounced brick rim. The color does not encourage for a longer keeping. The nose is fully developed, but somehow still youthful, intense and round, showing spicy and toasty oak, sweet plums, black currant, cedar, tobacco and old leather. Medium plus bodied, with completely integrated tannins, good acidity, mellow mouth-feel but still very enjoyable, with similar flavors on the palate. Short to medium spicy finish. The wine does not require any decanting, it is enjoyable straight from the bottle. I tasted the wine during two days and it did not improve on the second day, as a matter of fact it did the opposite: on the second day it lost some of the charming aromas from the nose, showed some rusty, metallic flavors and a shorter finish. I do not believe the wine will improve more from here, it will probably stay at this level for a few more years, but, for maximum pleasure, it should be drunk now. 13% alc. (88/100) on the first day, (86/100) on the second day. However, it was worth the 29 Eur I paid for it, at this level I would probably buy it again.
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7/1/2012 - rxlaw95 wrote: 88 Points
Still aging well. No rush.
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4/13/2012 - timdrex wrote: 85 Points
The wine in this bottle was somewhat cloudy. Possibly flawed.
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10/14/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Deep red in the center, but bricking at the edges; nose has absolutely lovely old world bordeaux funk with earth, cedar, but good red cherry fruit; palate is medium-bodied, good red fruit but not overripe, a little thin, good balanced structure with integrated tannins but not flabby; finish is medium length. Perfectly mature bordeaux, great complexity, great fruit but not over-ripe. Fabulous QPR. Ready to drink, possibly faded a tad since last year. 92
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4/11/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
This wine was decanted off the sediment and serially tasted over three hours. It is indeed important to carefully decant this wine, as the sediment is heavy. At this point, the robe is deep red/garnet. The nose is quite intense (even within the first hour) and shows aromas of potpourri, black fruit, earth and (complimentary at this point) brett. Medium-to-full-bodied on the the palate, with medium acidity and medium, yet slightly dry, tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. The finish is medium-to-long and a bit dusty. This wine has put on weight since my last tasting. Assuming well-cellared, it should drink nicely for at least another 5-7 years. Drink now-12/17.
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2/13/2011 - jkopelman wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly good for a wine I thought would be past it's prime!
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7/9/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Very earthy, very funky (in a good way). Certainly some dust, some cedar?, some sweet fruits on the nose. Palate is very smooth, well integrated tannins that provide a bit of a kick at the finish. Velvety mouthfeel, full-bodied. Finish is a bit short. A very enjoyable wine from a very forward vintage, and it shows a surprising amount of complexity. I think this wine will last ~2 more years, but is certainly peaking now. I have one more bottle to finish in the next year.
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6/6/2010 - ianinvirginia wrote: 91 Points
After a 45 minute decant, a bit of barnyard on a big nose of blueberries and plums. The fruit is more subdued in the mouth, with cocoa powder and a tiny bit of earth. 30 minutes later the fruit begins to fade and the acidity remains, pulling the wine out of balance. Drink up.
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6/3/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Substantially different than my previous notes, but still very good. I get much less fruit forward and much more vegetal and secondary aromas. Either the wine has changed or my experience with wine has. Nose is a bit dusty, a bit woody. Palate is thin at first with some red cherry, but picks up weight by the end of the sip. Nice tannin structure, good midpalate, finish falls off quickly.
Update: with a few hours of wine it ripens, losing some of the green vegetables and picking up a bit more ripe fruit. It's now more like the wine I remember.
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4/8/2010 - al-Zabba wrote: flawed
Corked.
(70% Merlot, 30% Franc)
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12/18/2009 - timdrex wrote: 92 Points
Surprising. Beautiful boquet, black fruit, pencil lead, and smoke on the nose. Balanced tannins, although a little light on the body, had a long, bright finish.
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12/17/2009 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Huge nose with tons of black and red fruits. Palate is a bit thin but has good fruits with tannins that kick in the middle. Will probably last a few years. I'll plan to drink one every 6 months.
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8/26/2009 - aagrawal wrote:
Decanted 1.5 hrs, drank over 2 hrs. Fruity nose, blended together. Rough palate, tannins a bit too strong at finish. Developed a little over the course of the night.
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12/20/2008 - mmurry wrote: 87 Points
Merlot and Chardonnay (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had spice, earth, cherry, and a little oak. The palate was a bit thin, and had cherry, earth, and spice.
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6/13/2008 - docvino wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this fantasatic 1999 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru the other evening at Fearing's in Dallas. 20 minutes of decanting and WOW! Deep purple color it opend up with Big boquet of spicy cherry notes. Long finish. In my opinnion, this is an under the radar Bordeaux.
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10/11/2007 - eksata wrote: 84 Points
Tomato hues in the glass med shaded. nose - minerally some forest floor and dried herb. bright red fruits. palette - chewy red fruits, very clean and seamless, sightly dull on the mid palette with a med-short finish.
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9/20/2007 - facchair wrote: 84 Points
4+13+16+8=42 Very dark, little if any bourdeax nose, fruit forward, no barnyard, with weak tanins. Not very good today and I can't see any chance for improvement.
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2/24/2006 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 84 Points
Consumed at home with broiled steak. Bright disc. Medium ruby robe with red/orange rim. The nose shows an abundance of brett, in addition to blackberry, smoke and floral aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and medium dusty tannins. The mouth texture is somewhat thin. Medium, dry finish. I suspect (or more accurately, HOPE) that this wine has shut down. I am concerned about the brett shown on this bottle.
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10/24/2003 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 88 Points
Presented as an unknown in double-blind fashion to the Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting group. Bottle taken from my personal cellar. Bright disc. Opaque purple robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing very intense aromas of coffee, creamy vanilla, cassis and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, liberal oak and ample sweet tannins. The flavors are similar to the nose. The mid-palate hollows out a bit and is resurrected in a terse finish. This is a perplexing wine...I have now tasted it three times and have had three quite different impressions. I am puzzled as to where the mid-palate has hidden since my 11/1/02 tasting.
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11/1/2002 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 92 Points
Personally presented upon purchase as unknown to usual Vintage Wines, Ltd. Friday tasting group. Bright disc. Opaque purple with purple rim. Immediately upon opening the bottle, the nose shows very intense coffee, cocoa, ripe plum and vanilla. The nose gets even better with time in the glass. Medium-bodied on the palate, with good acidity and medium sweet tannins. Excellent evolution and long, smooth finish, showing similar flavors as for the nose. A very nice, well-made example of right bank Bordeaux. This bottle clearly showed better than the bottle in the tasting bar 8/30/02. Well-received by tasters (two of whom also purchased six bottles apiece).
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8/30/2002 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at the Friday Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting bar. How long the bottle had been opened is unknown. Bright disc. Opaque purple/black with purple rim. Clean nose, showing moderately-intense smokey currants, meat, coffee and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with ample, slightly dry tannins. Similar flavors as nose. Long, slightly dry finish.
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1/1/2002 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Full red color. Medium forward aroma of clean fruit. Delicious fruit forward palate with nice balance of sweetness. Better in 1-3 years. 1/02
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