Blend (planted): 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. from 5,9 ha with iron-rich clay and gravel-based soil. Vinification in oak vats (till 2012). Malolactic in barrels. Aged 18-24 months in 100% new, 300 liter, French oak barrels. 13.5% Abv. Backgrroud: Date's back to 18th Century. Modernization began in 1975 under the Moreau family. Sold to Sylviane Garcin Cathiard in 1997. Today run by her daughter Helene Garcin Leveque and husband Patrice Leveque.
A(ccuray)=2: Deep brick/garnet. Brooding, mature Bordeaux. B(alance)=2: Tertiary components with persistent jammy fruit. C(omplexity)=2: Dark berry preserve, licorice, truffle, smoke. D(epth)=2: Rustic mouthfeel. Full length and finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,2]= 8/10
Mature opulence. (Decanted 5 hrs, took 3+ hrs for initial bottle funk to dissipate)
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/p/ChPgqJXJk2E/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see: Wine Tally on www.youtube.com.
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Very nice aged Bordeaux wine. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of cooked black fruits, figs, plum, earth. Medium acidity and medium tannin. Tannin integrated. At its peak.
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Slightly disappointing, probably 1-2 years past peak and in decline. Red fruits are waning with red currant, dried cherry, and stewed plum. Structure is still in tact, but unfortunately, the fruits seem diluted. Enjoyed with an oven roasted boneless leg of lamb, which seemed to overwhelm whatever fruit is left. All finesse but completely lacks power. Drink now as this is in decline.
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So this wine was undersold by a number of ratings below, but I sort of agree with Leve on this one - the wine is at apogee, without any hope of further upshot.
You have leathery notes with red clay and plum fruit, vanilla and cedar indeed. The wood tannins are still present but there is enough tertiary effect on the fruit that it will only fade out of balance from here. I imagine this might have been a little garish on release, but it’s turned into a rather nice drink. Nothing exotic about it, but fully developed with a line of acid, which seems to have kept it in check.
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Medium-bodied, and at its apogee, or slightly past, you still find a plum filled, round wine with truffle, cocoa, smoke, espresso and black cherries on the nose and on the soft-textured palate. If you are holding any, it is time to drink up.
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Dim Sum Club at Wakanui (Wakanui, One Marina): A nice wine, but probably needs a bit more time. The nose showed coffee, roasted spices and nice plummy notes, just fringed with a touch of green bramble and cigar box aromas. The palate had a nice roundness to it, but was still shaped by fine, chewy tannins and fresh acidity, and then good flavours of plums, blueberries and a touch of earth leading into a long peppery spice finish. Still a bit tight on the structure and stingy on flavour, but otherwise a good, classically shaped Pomerol - this would be nice to try in 5 years time.
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Good constituent parts here with a blackberry and plum nose, accented by touches of lavender and dark chocolate. But the oak treatment is a bit aggressive - a little too toasty here with lots of fresh Arabica coffee aromas. Mellows a bit with and and, though it's quite nice, I have some reservations. It's just coming into its drinking window now, so we'll see.
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This was enjoyable but it's at a stage where it is starting to develop tertiaries, emphasis on the starting part. It didn't feel like a youngster anymore but it still lacked a few years of experience. It's at a millennial stage. If you still have a bottle and did not drink it in its prime years, I'd wait about 5 years more. Yeah... pop in 2022. Cheers!
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I enjoyed this more than the 1998. Better balance and less obvious oak. Lots of red fruit and earthy tones, but not much complexity--one dimensional. Still, the wine had vigor and the purity of fruit was great. In a good place now.
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An enjoyable wine. Cigar box, dark red fruits, with nuances of olives and forest floor on the nose. A medium weight body that deftly balances fruity roundness and old school Bordeaux dryness. Not at all a powerhouse. Tannins completely integrated. Drinking very well now, still surprisingly primary.
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Opulent. Nice garnet color showing the wine's age, although I could still discern some purple hues. Nose is ostentatious, yes, but quite awesome--dried plum and fig, caramel and violets, among others. In the mouth, it is lavish and jammy with great structure and balance. This is sexy stuff, something to salivate over. It can be enjoyed now but given the wine's richness, I feel it could benefit from a couple of more years in the bottle. Good value for money.
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Classic Bordeaux. Clean expressive black berries, pencil lead, grilled meat, ink well on the nose. Luscious on the palate with lots of backbone. Delicious mouthful of wine.
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Smokey, earthy and leathery with black currant as the dominant fruit. Quite a bit of cigar box too. Lovely texture and freshness, this will still drink well for years.
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Popped and poured. Color is a medium red with few signs of aging. There is some minor sediment at the end of the bottle. On the nose, this starts off slightly dusty, and then extends to cherry and red fruit scents with overtones of forest floor and a cedar chest. In the mouth, this is round and fruity, with particularized impressions of plum. This is a slight bite of tannins on the finish, but that quickly fades into a lingering sweetness. Overall, this is a very enjoyable wine that should bring much pleasure now and for the next few years. 92 points.
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Having been "sold" on this wine as "perfectly cellared" and undervalued for contribution to wine cellar, I was disappointed in this wine. It was relatively flat, though after decanting it did improve somewhat. Nothing special in the mouth -- rather bland. The finish was actually better than "in the mouth," and between getting a bit better as it decanted and the finish, it climbed in my estimation from an 85 to 87. It may also be that my palette doesn't like Pomerol.
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Hélène Garcin-Lévêque Dinner (Boarding House, Chicago): Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured last, probably mistakenly. After seven glasses of younger, more forward and brusque wines, this tasted very restrained. Palate fatigue may be to blame, but this had principally a sandy/chalky character, with very muted fruit. I'd like to revisit this in isolation, where the subtler flavors are allowed to take center stage. For now, this is still elegant and quite refined, if less showy than its younger siblings.
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Better than many reviews give it credit for. I am down to my last bottle from a case of 12. This needs a couple of hours in a decanter but opens up to be a fruity, silky wine with very good length.
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Smoky vanilla nose, clearly no expense spared on new barrels here. Plush and dense mouthfeel, with a good boatload of black fruits/berries. A nice enough wine, although it comes across as trying a bit too hard to please
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Dark, tending to mahoganey at the edge. Big nose with a little smoke.. A real mouthful of fruit, unctuous. Quite mature today. Silky and full bodied. Terrific
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Great mix of berries, oak vanilla, leather and barn. A robust, hearty, wine with finese and complexity. The flavors come alive in your mouth and hold strong through a long, lush finish. This is the kingd of wine Pomerol is famous for. I would advise decanting for an hour or so. Save this wine for your friends who appreciate wine the most; it delivers a lot.
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Lovely, lush wine drinking well right now. Long finish with a pronounced note of woodsmoke and charcoal. Still enough tannin to pair with lamb, but soft enough to drink by itself.
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Thought this was looking a bit tired and weary for a ‘99. The shop is closed for business, nothing there to hold any interest. Might just be going through a phase which it will come out of.
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Decanted 1 hour. Initially primary black fruit, bit of a hollow mid-palate. After about 2 more hours & some coaxing in glass this really opened up, with strong coffee and black fruit on the nose, lush mouthfeel, and a moderate (~ 20-30 second) finish. Very nice wine, likely worth a few more points in 4-5 years.
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As with previous bottles, a wonderful mix of espresso, vanilla, raspberry, and spice. This time the coffee element was less deep than in previous bottles, and the raspberry/cherry elements were more present, so the overall effect was fruitier and less creamy. I give this one point less not because of that slightly different balance, but because that particular balance revealed more raw new wood than earlier tastings. But still a great favorite of mine!
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Consistent notes with my first bottle - totally seductive notes of vanilla, espresso, black fruits, and new oak. Incredibly delicious and this from an off year???
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Upon opening this I was immediately greeted by a spectacular nose of vanilla, black cherry, and freshly brewed coffee. This is smokier and more full-bodied than Le Bon Pasteur - in fact, it is rich and creamy with notes of toasty oak, almost like an Australian wine, though it remains pure, elegant, and impeccably balanced. Yum! I usually stay away from what Terry Theise calls "creamslut" wines - but this is irresistable, and I assume the wood will soon recede into the background. 94 pts.
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Bright disc. Deep ruby with red rim. Clean, very intense nose showing up-front coffee, leather, plum and cherry liqueur. Full-bodied on the palate, with higher acidity than that described by Parker. Ample, slightly coarse tannins. Similar flavors as the nose. Long, smooth finish. Will benefit from further time in the bottle.
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6/29/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Balanced and elegant; resolved; light sweet cherry-blackberry; long finish.
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5/31/2023 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
At its early peak. Everything is in the right place with a balance and a lengthy finish!
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8/14/2022 - WineTally Likes this wine:
Blend (planted): 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.
from 5,9 ha with iron-rich clay and gravel-based soil.
Vinification in oak vats (till 2012). Malolactic in barrels.
Aged 18-24 months in 100% new, 300 liter, French oak barrels.
13.5% Abv.
Backgrroud: Date's back to 18th Century. Modernization began in 1975
under the Moreau family. Sold to Sylviane Garcin Cathiard in 1997.
Today run by her daughter Helene Garcin Leveque and husband Patrice Leveque.
A(ccuray)=2: Deep brick/garnet. Brooding, mature Bordeaux.
B(alance)=2: Tertiary components with persistent jammy fruit.
C(omplexity)=2: Dark berry preserve, licorice, truffle, smoke.
D(epth)=2: Rustic mouthfeel. Full length and finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,2]= 8/10
Mature opulence.
(Decanted 5 hrs, took 3+ hrs for initial bottle funk to dissipate)
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/ChPgqJXJk2E/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see:
Wine Tally on www.youtube.com.
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4/24/2022 - Sean Tay wrote: 95 Points
Very nice aged Bordeaux wine. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of cooked black fruits, figs, plum, earth. Medium acidity and medium tannin. Tannin integrated. At its peak.
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4/24/2022 - wmccone54 wrote: 89 Points
Slightly disappointing, probably 1-2 years past peak and in decline. Red fruits are waning with red currant, dried cherry, and stewed plum. Structure is still in tact, but unfortunately, the fruits seem diluted. Enjoyed with an oven roasted boneless leg of lamb, which seemed to overwhelm whatever fruit is left. All finesse but completely lacks power. Drink now as this is in decline.
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2/26/2022 - jviz wrote: 92 Points
So this wine was undersold by a number of ratings below, but I sort of agree with Leve on this one - the wine is at apogee, without any hope of further upshot.
You have leathery notes with red clay and plum fruit, vanilla and cedar indeed. The wood tannins are still present but there is enough tertiary effect on the fruit that it will only fade out of balance from here. I imagine this might have been a little garish on release, but it’s turned into a rather nice drink. Nothing exotic about it, but fully developed with a line of acid, which seems to have kept it in check.
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10/8/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Medium-bodied, and at its apogee, or slightly past, you still find a plum filled, round wine with truffle, cocoa, smoke, espresso and black cherries on the nose and on the soft-textured palate. If you are holding any, it is time to drink up.
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6/1/2020 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Posting old note drank 2012, mature color, licorice & unique nose, ripe and mature palate, utterly delicious, ready
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12/18/2018 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Dim Sum Club at Wakanui (Wakanui, One Marina): A nice wine, but probably needs a bit more time. The nose showed coffee, roasted spices and nice plummy notes, just fringed with a touch of green bramble and cigar box aromas. The palate had a nice roundness to it, but was still shaped by fine, chewy tannins and fresh acidity, and then good flavours of plums, blueberries and a touch of earth leading into a long peppery spice finish. Still a bit tight on the structure and stingy on flavour, but otherwise a good, classically shaped Pomerol - this would be nice to try in 5 years time.
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6/10/2018 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
Good constituent parts here with a blackberry and plum nose, accented by touches of lavender and dark chocolate. But the oak treatment is a bit aggressive - a little too toasty here with lots of fresh Arabica coffee aromas. Mellows a bit with and and, though it's quite nice, I have some reservations. It's just coming into its drinking window now, so we'll see.
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7/31/2017 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 89 Points
This was enjoyable but it's at a stage where it is starting to develop tertiaries, emphasis on the starting part. It didn't feel like a youngster anymore but it still lacked a few years of experience. It's at a millennial stage. If you still have a bottle and did not drink it in its prime years, I'd wait about 5 years more. Yeah... pop in 2022. Cheers!
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4/29/2017 - davergny Likes this wine: 89 Points
I enjoyed this more than the 1998. Better balance and less obvious oak. Lots of red fruit and earthy tones, but not much complexity--one dimensional. Still, the wine had vigor and the purity of fruit was great. In a good place now.
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7/24/2016 - Zoomin Z Likes this wine: 92 Points
An enjoyable wine. Cigar box, dark red fruits, with nuances of olives and forest floor on the nose. A medium weight body that deftly balances fruity roundness and old school Bordeaux dryness. Not at all a powerhouse. Tannins completely integrated. Drinking very well now, still surprisingly primary.
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12/31/2014 - WineDilletante Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opulent. Nice garnet color showing the wine's age, although I could still discern some purple hues. Nose is ostentatious, yes, but quite awesome--dried plum and fig, caramel and violets, among others. In the mouth, it is lavish and jammy with great structure and balance. This is sexy stuff, something to salivate over. It can be enjoyed now but given the wine's richness, I feel it could benefit from a couple of more years in the bottle. Good value for money.
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11/24/2014 - Rmjchen wrote: 92 Points
Classic Bordeaux. Clean expressive black berries, pencil lead, grilled meat, ink well on the nose. Luscious on the palate with lots of backbone. Delicious mouthful of wine.
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11/14/2014 - Brett and Megan Likes this wine: 86 Points
weak aroma; taste - easy, little sweet with black pepper, pukey tannins, still needs time
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9/13/2014 - EirikM wrote: 92 Points
Smokey, earthy and leathery with black currant as the dominant fruit. Quite a bit of cigar box too. Lovely texture and freshness, this will still drink well for years.
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12/21/2013 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Color is a medium red with few signs of aging. There is some minor sediment at the end of the bottle. On the nose, this starts off slightly dusty, and then extends to cherry and red fruit scents with overtones of forest floor and a cedar chest. In the mouth, this is round and fruity, with particularized impressions of plum. This is a slight bite of tannins on the finish, but that quickly fades into a lingering sweetness. Overall, this is a very enjoyable wine that should bring much pleasure now and for the next few years. 92 points.
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12/7/2013 - jedwilson wrote: 87 Points
Having been "sold" on this wine as "perfectly cellared" and undervalued for contribution to wine cellar, I was disappointed in this wine. It was relatively flat, though after decanting it did improve somewhat. Nothing special in the mouth -- rather bland. The finish was actually better than "in the mouth," and between getting a bit better as it decanted and the finish, it climbed in my estimation from an 85 to 87. It may also be that my palette doesn't like Pomerol.
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1/22/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 88 Points
Hélène Garcin-Lévêque Dinner (Boarding House, Chicago): Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured last, probably mistakenly. After seven glasses of younger, more forward and brusque wines, this tasted very restrained. Palate fatigue may be to blame, but this had principally a sandy/chalky character, with very muted fruit. I'd like to revisit this in isolation, where the subtler flavors are allowed to take center stage. For now, this is still elegant and quite refined, if less showy than its younger siblings.
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2/4/2012 - AlanM68 wrote: 91 Points
Better than many reviews give it credit for. I am down to my last bottle from a case of 12. This needs a couple of hours in a decanter but opens up to be a fruity, silky wine with very good length.
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1/10/2011 - ilee wrote: 91 Points
Smoky vanilla nose, clearly no expense spared on new barrels here. Plush and dense mouthfeel, with a good boatload of black fruits/berries. A nice enough wine, although it comes across as trying a bit too hard to please
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6/25/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 87 Points
notes of vanilla and sweet plums. soft tannins. a bit flabby on finish. expected more flamboyance.
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2/9/2010 - KVM wrote: 91 Points
Dark, tending to mahoganey at the edge. Big nose with a little smoke.. A real mouthful of fruit, unctuous. Quite mature today. Silky and full bodied. Terrific
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9/24/2009 - MRichman wrote:
Party Like It's 1999: A 10 year look back at 1999 Bordeaux (Public Restaurant, NYC): Deep, dark, smooth with fairly heavy weight. Soy, oily. Dense and ready to drink but a bit flabby.
B+
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9/1/2009 - franco rosso wrote: 93 Points
Great mix of berries, oak vanilla, leather and barn. A robust, hearty, wine with finese and complexity. The flavors come alive in your mouth and hold strong through a long, lush finish. This is the kingd of wine Pomerol is famous for. I would advise decanting for an hour or so. Save this wine for your friends who appreciate wine the most; it delivers a lot.
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9/8/2008 - Niagara wrote: 92 Points
Lovely, lush wine drinking well right now. Long finish with a pronounced note of woodsmoke and charcoal. Still enough tannin to pair with lamb, but soft enough to drink by itself.
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11/29/2005 - josh wrote: 87 Points
Drinkable, certainly, but not what I had hoped. Doesn't taste like a true Pomerol, but more like a pure cabernet.
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9/26/2005 - CamWheeler wrote: 85 Points
Thought this was looking a bit tired and weary for a ‘99. The shop is closed for business, nothing there to hold any interest. Might just be going through a phase which it will come out of.
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5/9/2004 - SteveT wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Initially primary black fruit, bit of a hollow mid-palate. After about 2 more hours & some coaxing in glass this really opened up, with strong coffee and black fruit on the nose, lush mouthfeel, and a moderate (~ 20-30 second) finish. Very nice wine, likely worth a few more points in 4-5 years.
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3/15/2004 - DChan wrote: 93 Points
As with previous bottles, a wonderful mix of espresso, vanilla, raspberry, and spice. This time the coffee element was less deep than in previous bottles, and the raspberry/cherry elements were more present, so the overall effect was fruitier and less creamy. I give this one point less not because of that slightly different balance, but because that particular balance revealed more raw new wood than earlier tastings. But still a great favorite of mine!
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1/18/2004 - DChan wrote: 94 Points
Consistent notes with my first bottle - totally seductive notes of vanilla, espresso, black fruits, and new oak. Incredibly delicious and this from an off year???
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11/18/2003 - DChan wrote: 94 Points
Upon opening this I was immediately greeted by a spectacular nose of vanilla, black cherry, and freshly brewed coffee. This is smokier and more full-bodied than Le Bon Pasteur - in fact, it is rich and creamy with notes of toasty oak, almost like an Australian wine, though it remains pure, elegant, and impeccably balanced. Yum! I usually stay away from what Terry Theise calls "creamslut" wines - but this is irresistable, and I assume the wood will soon recede into the background. 94 pts.
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9/6/2002 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
Bright disc. Deep ruby with red rim. Clean, very intense nose showing up-front coffee, leather, plum and cherry liqueur. Full-bodied on the palate, with higher acidity than that described by Parker. Ample, slightly coarse tannins. Similar flavors as the nose. Long, smooth finish. Will benefit from further time in the bottle.
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