I bought this in Jan 2014 when i first started collecting wine. So nice to visit 7 years later after I shipped in from HK. Surprisingly secondary on the nose. Beautifully integrated tannins and absolutely classic bordeaux. This has aged quickly, but I guarantee, served this to anyone blind, and they would guess 90s bordeaux! I really enjoyed this, and for the price... Wow.
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1/2, excellent cork. Decanted 1/2 hour, initially served at 14C. Deep ruby core, narrow pale ruby rim - youthful. Reticent on nose at first (quite cool), then red fruit, gravel, spice. Medium bodied, spicy red fruit, earth, touch of mineral, nice bright acids, good length, earthy, gravelly finish, a touch sandy on the tail. Decent enough.
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Still dark ruby. Good fruit, cherry, plum and touch of blackcurrant. Some earth, tobacco, iodine in the background. Good acidity. Still some grippy tannins. Middle weight but good.
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Blueberries, cherry pipe tobacco, positively creamy, a touch of violet. The most refined Graves? Certainly not. But no doubt a rather good value at 15 USD. Still young and I'll add that this was uninteresting from a Riedel vinum but very good from both the Riedel somm and Zalto Bordeaux.
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Every bottle seems to suffer from reduction which dulls the nose.
Lacks the charm of say Chateau Brown 2005. Hearty rather than beautiful, not classic Graves. Ripe but quite hard. Perhaps this is just 2005 which seems to be very slow to open up and show its charm. Many value Bordeaux from 2005 seem over-rated... but perhaps one day?
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We explored this for a couple of days. One the first day, we decanted half of the contents for an hour. On the second day, we enjoyed the remainder out of the bottle. It pours out as purple with a crimson edge. Nose on the first day was pure blueberry. On the second day, there was some chocolate in the mix, along with the faintest whiffs of lavender and alcohol.
On the first day, the dominant flavor was blueberry, along with some cranberry, cherry, bitter chocolate, potpourri, cinnamon and oak. It had mouth-watering acidity, but was not tart, and there was still a fair bit of tannin. On the second day, it developed a strong savory note and was almost salty, tasting like blood mixed with blueberry and cranberry. The finish was medium, but left a lingering blueberry bubblegum aftertaste for some time. There was notable sediment in the last bit left in the bottle.
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Still a youthful purple tinge. Reluctant nose. Moderate weight in the mouth. Fresh with overt tannins but underlying berry fruits on the middle palate. Sharp acidity and minerality. Still too young.
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Violet, purple red colour. Big nose of of sharp dark fruit slightly funky edge to nose. Fresh, silky, big blueberry fruit kick, very oaky, good length.
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This is a great easy drinking red with an excellent QPR. I love the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux and this wine is yet another example of the strength of the vintage. While drinking well now, I think this wine will develop greater complexity in two to three years.
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Still quite a deep garnet colour. Open Graves nose, chocolate and spice. On the palete, still quite tannic, a little one dimensional, maybe over extracted. Finishes a bit short, with a slightly medicinal hint. I don't think it will evolve much further however, so best drunk over the next couple of years.
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Still youthful, purple rim, mouth-smacking, fresh red fruit [cranberry/damson?]. Quite delicious. It will be interesting to see this good-value wine mature over the next decade [if I decide to eke it out.]
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Good, but not outstanding. Great nose (blueberries) little disappointing taste: nice texture, but no balance between the fruit and the oak, giving the oak (and tobacco) in the end to much weigth. Will not age and become any better I would expect.
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This wine is elegant, even with the 2005 concentration. The ripe fruit in the nose, the perfect tannines and a smooth taste make this wine to a companion with your cooking.
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This wine keeps being such a great value. At about 10 euros/bottle in a heralded vintage like 2005, it provides a great QPR. Lovely nose, classic Bordeaux, with red cherries, mellow spices and a touch of oak. Palate is very nice, complex, with mellow tanins that give the wine immediate drinkability, but also provide enough structure for mid term aging. My girlfriend also loved the wine.
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A mix of blackcurrant pastiles & raspberries, plus tobacco & a grassy edge, all come together in a most pleasant way; distinctly claret, some unresolved tannin, palate cleansing acidity; well put together. Now & 5+ years.
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delicious stuff, excellent value for money. modern styled with some oak but not overdone, will certainly gain weight as it is still a very young bordeaux. Will be interesting to see how this develops over time
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Color: Lighter half of purple. Nose: Black licorice, black cherry, blueberry. Flavor: Cigar box up front. Sour red and dark berries and black licorice pretty full on the midpalate with tar, vanilla and maybe some wood at the back of the tongue. Medium-full body and medium mouth feel. The finish is full and long, and the wine is warm if not slightly hot in the throat for a good 30-45 seconds after drinking. This wine is perfectly enjoyable in 2008 but will probably not last as long as most bordeaux from this vintage.
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4/23/2021 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
I bought this in Jan 2014 when i first started collecting wine. So nice to visit 7 years later after I shipped in from HK. Surprisingly secondary on the nose. Beautifully integrated tannins and absolutely classic bordeaux. This has aged quickly, but I guarantee, served this to anyone blind, and they would guess 90s bordeaux! I really enjoyed this, and for the price... Wow.
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11/8/2019 - Paul D wrote: 87 Points
1/2, excellent cork. Decanted 1/2 hour, initially served at 14C.
Deep ruby core, narrow pale ruby rim - youthful. Reticent on nose at first (quite cool), then red fruit, gravel, spice. Medium bodied, spicy red fruit, earth, touch of mineral, nice bright acids, good length, earthy, gravelly finish, a touch sandy on the tail. Decent enough.
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6/16/2019 - Oupszutalors Does not like this wine: 79 Points
Nuit a good Wine for the vintage, very surprised by the poor quality of this Wine.
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5/30/2018 - cannym Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still dark ruby. Good fruit, cherry, plum and touch of blackcurrant. Some earth, tobacco, iodine in the background. Good acidity. Still some grippy tannins. Middle weight but good.
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5/19/2018 - cannym Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fine ruby. Still very alive and fruity. Dark fruits, including plum. Fine middleweight claret, good value.
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9/19/2016 - Raja Likes this wine: 87 Points
Surprisingly nice Cabernet dominant Bordeaux blend. Good QPR. Would compare this to all Bordeaux but certainly holds its own in this price range.
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6/12/2016 - Schönibert wrote: 90 Points
Toller Wein, noch sehr jugendlich, hält sicher nochmal 10 Jahre.
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12/28/2015 - englishman's claret wrote: 90 Points
Blueberries, cherry pipe tobacco, positively creamy, a touch of violet. The most refined Graves? Certainly not. But no doubt a rather good value at 15 USD. Still young and I'll add that this was uninteresting from a Riedel vinum but very good from both the Riedel somm and Zalto Bordeaux.
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12/4/2014 - ProfByron wrote: 85 Points
Every bottle seems to suffer from reduction which dulls the nose.
Lacks the charm of say Chateau Brown 2005. Hearty rather than beautiful, not classic Graves. Ripe but quite hard. Perhaps this is just 2005 which seems to be very slow to open up and show its charm. Many value Bordeaux from 2005 seem over-rated... but perhaps one day?
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9/21/2014 - czar33 wrote: 87 Points
Clairement prêt, pas beaucoup d'intérêt.
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9/11/2014 - Merrit Likes this wine: 90 Points
We explored this for a couple of days. One the first day, we decanted half of the contents for an hour. On the second day, we enjoyed the remainder out of the bottle. It pours out as purple with a crimson edge. Nose on the first day was pure blueberry. On the second day, there was some chocolate in the mix, along with the faintest whiffs of lavender and alcohol.
On the first day, the dominant flavor was blueberry, along with some cranberry, cherry, bitter chocolate, potpourri, cinnamon and oak. It had mouth-watering acidity, but was not tart, and there was still a fair bit of tannin. On the second day, it developed a strong savory note and was almost salty, tasting like blood mixed with blueberry and cranberry. The finish was medium, but left a lingering blueberry bubblegum aftertaste for some time. There was notable sediment in the last bit left in the bottle.
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3/4/2012 - czar33 wrote: 87 Points
Correct mais un peu mince à mon goût, assez court mais néanmoins agréable. Pas sûr du potentiel.
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12/10/2011 - nigelb wrote: 88 Points
Still a youthful purple tinge. Reluctant nose. Moderate weight in the mouth. Fresh with overt tannins but underlying berry fruits on the middle palate. Sharp acidity and minerality. Still too young.
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11/19/2011 - Alexroy wrote: 87 Points
Violet, purple red colour. Big nose of of sharp dark fruit slightly funky edge to nose. Fresh, silky, big blueberry fruit kick, very oaky, good length.
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10/10/2011 - raginbajan wrote: 90 Points
This is a great easy drinking red with an excellent QPR. I love the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux and this wine is yet another example of the strength of the vintage. While drinking well now, I think this wine will develop greater complexity in two to three years.
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4/10/2011 - Brussels 1049 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Still quite a deep garnet colour. Open Graves nose, chocolate and spice. On the palete, still quite tannic, a little one dimensional, maybe over extracted. Finishes a bit short, with a slightly medicinal hint. I don't think it will evolve much further however, so best drunk over the next couple of years.
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2/23/2011 - keithd wrote: 85 Points
Still youthful, purple rim, mouth-smacking, fresh red fruit [cranberry/damson?]. Quite delicious. It will be interesting to see this good-value wine mature over the next decade [if I decide to eke it out.]
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12/27/2010 - FransS wrote: 89 Points
Nearly creamy, polished and a joy to drink; not for cellering, but for
current drinking (and the next 4-4 years). Make friends with this wine.
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12/26/2010 - Wijnjager wrote: 83 Points
Good, but not outstanding. Great nose (blueberries) little disappointing taste: nice texture, but no balance between the fruit and the oak, giving the oak (and tobacco) in the end to much weigth. Will not age and become any better I would expect.
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10/9/2010 - FransS wrote: 90 Points
This wine is elegant, even with the 2005 concentration. The ripe fruit in the nose, the perfect tannines and a smooth taste
make this wine to a companion with your cooking.
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4/1/2010 - alexc wrote: 90 Points
Terrific VFM. Good now but should develop over the next few years
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2/25/2010 - pabernatchez wrote: 90 Points
This wine keeps being such a great value. At about 10 euros/bottle in a heralded vintage like 2005, it provides a great QPR.
Lovely nose, classic Bordeaux, with red cherries, mellow spices and a touch of oak. Palate is very nice, complex, with mellow tanins that give the wine immediate drinkability, but also provide enough structure for mid term aging. My girlfriend also loved the wine.
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6/17/2009 - Dinovino wrote: 90 Points
Delightful bottle of Claret,cherry,plum,cedary oak,lovely texture very pleasant bottle of bdx.
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4/5/2009 - Dinovino wrote: 88 Points
Terrific nose,blackcurrant,plum,pencil shavings.Ripe soft tannins,nicely weighted,dry lightly astringent finish.
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2/13/2009 - witt wrote: 85 Points
good but not sophisticated. Great value for money. More complex on the nose than the palate.
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1/10/2009 - chbeaumont wrote: 88 Points
A mix of blackcurrant pastiles & raspberries, plus tobacco & a grassy edge, all come together in a most pleasant way; distinctly claret, some unresolved tannin, palate cleansing acidity; well put together. Now & 5+ years.
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9/5/2008 - wap4u wrote: 89 Points
Again did not disappoint. This is a good performer in the "old school" type of Bordeaux. Going a bit too fast through my stash of two cases....
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8/6/2008 - wap4u wrote: 89 Points
delicious stuff, excellent value for money. modern styled with some oak but not overdone, will certainly gain weight as it is still a very young bordeaux. Will be interesting to see how this develops over time
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6/19/2008 - jtabor wrote: 87 Points
Color: Lighter half of purple. Nose: Black licorice, black cherry, blueberry. Flavor: Cigar box up front. Sour red and dark berries and black licorice pretty full on the midpalate with tar, vanilla and maybe some wood at the back of the tongue. Medium-full body and medium mouth feel. The finish is full and long, and the wine is warm if not slightly hot in the throat for a good 30-45 seconds after drinking. This wine is perfectly enjoyable in 2008 but will probably not last as long as most bordeaux from this vintage.
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