Ah, if only I had more patience. I bought these seven years ago. I drank all but one prior to this year. And now, it is finally blooming like a rose. Phenomenal QPR. Gorgeous merlot quality with layers of intriguing notes of cassis, spice, loam, and minerals, smoothed by luxuriant texture. Adieu, mon ami.
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Great value Bordeaux. Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Nose and palate of baked blueberries with graphite and minerals. Saved 1/2 (under vacuum in bottle) based on other reviews, and it was worth it. Didn't change too much but some of the harsh edges softened up. Still lively, so no rush to drink, but 2020 is a good estimate.
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Absolutely a winner for the price. My last bottle, and still tasting fresh after 2 hours of air. The nose is absolutely classic right bank, with some earthy and leathery and minerally elements structuring pure blue fruits. On the palette it maybe doesn't quite reach the nose's heights, with a bit of veg and thin through the mid palette and finish.
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PnP. Dark dark red in the glass with bright ruby rim. Nose of fresh ripe strawberry, mint, herbs, touch of chocolate. On the palate it's very different with earth, chocolate, dust dominating with tart red fruit being slightly secondary. Medium bodied, nice mouthfeel, finish of tannin, tart fruit, herbs.
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Lead pencil, ripe cassis fruit, sweet tart berry; mineral-metal on the palate; integrated oaky-spice note; good concentration and well balanced. Liked this a lot for this level.
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Cabernet character with nutty,almond chocolate notes and pencil lead; small tart berries in a medium body; good character, great terroir showing through; very tannic but drinking well right now.
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Gorgeous, wish I'd bought more of this. Ripe but classic: it has a rich, red-fruited profile that hasn't even hinted at closing down yet, with a touch of cedarwood. At first it's almost Burgundian with its berry flavors and finessed personality, but it keeps building in intensity and just when it's about to feel almost inky you start to notice some of the underlying tannic muscle. Back label says this is 100% merlot.
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Excellent potential but not ready yet. This fronsac was exceptionally sturdy and you can tell that it is an ager. I still have a bottle and I will try it in five years. More austere than most right banks but that is why it is an ager. Stiff upright tannins lead into a pleasant fleshy mouthfeel that needs time.
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Big, thick, robust wine that's really coming into form. Much better than the first bottle I had of this. Very tannic but not overbearing; integrated well with juicy red fruit. A pleasant surprise.
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Strong alcohol taste with graphite and pencil eraser. Tart and a bit sour on the tongue. Fruit completely over shadowed by the tartness. I have two more bottles of this hell.
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Popped/poured. Initially, the nose is super rich and fragrant with deep red fruit. The palate, not so much. Very tight and ungiving. Then 30 minutes later, in what seems like a cruel joke, the nose shuts down as well. I picked up 6 of these, and won't be touching the others anytime soon. G. liked this better than I did. I'd score it 85-87 for current drinking, with the potential to be much better if it someday comes out of its shell. Update: by mistake, I left this overnight on the counter in a decanter. It is actually better the second day, even after a tremendous amount of air. More giving on both nose and palate.
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I feel this wine has the stuffing to grow far beyond it's price point. Right now plenty of fruit is hidden from the strong but fine tannins, needs several years to flesh out.
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I had hoped I was pre-shutdown, but this was quite monolithic. Some air showed black currant and plum fruit, but not much else. Fairly strong tannins for a satellite wine, good acidity makes me think this will age midterm ok, but for now not a lot of pleasure. C + for drinking now, guessing on B/B+ potential
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11/1/2023 - JacquesDallas Likes this wine: 91 Points
smooth, mature and definitely a food wine.
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9/29/2023 - JacquesDallas Likes this wine: 91 Points
beautiful wine - drink up now!
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5/27/2023 - JacquesDallas Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs at least an hour to open and definitely with food
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4/5/2021 - DesMarteau wrote: 90 Points
still young...muted fruit...dark color...tar, leather, soft cherries.
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2/23/2019 - gquigs Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much better after some time. Graphite w fruit behind it on the nose. Some rough edges but mellowed nicely after some time.
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3/24/2017 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
Ah, if only I had more patience. I bought these seven years ago. I drank all but one prior to this year. And now, it is finally blooming like a rose. Phenomenal QPR. Gorgeous merlot quality with layers of intriguing notes of cassis, spice, loam, and minerals, smoothed by luxuriant texture. Adieu, mon ami.
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10/30/2016 - floating_cellar wrote: 92 Points
Great value Bordeaux. Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Nose and palate of baked blueberries with graphite and minerals. Saved 1/2 (under vacuum in bottle) based on other reviews, and it was worth it. Didn't change too much but some of the harsh edges softened up. Still lively, so no rush to drink, but 2020 is a good estimate.
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3/29/2016 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Decent aged Bordeaux
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9/17/2015 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 89 Points
blackberries, candied cherries, cedar, tobacco, mushrooms, earth
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2/14/2015 - epiphany Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last bottle…wishing I had more.
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10/5/2014 - DaddyNeedsPow Likes this wine: 90 Points
Absolutely a winner for the price. My last bottle, and still tasting fresh after 2 hours of air. The nose is absolutely classic right bank, with some earthy and leathery and minerally elements structuring pure blue fruits. On the palette it maybe doesn't quite reach the nose's heights, with a bit of veg and thin through the mid palette and finish.
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9/24/2014 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 87 Points
Tres bien, mon amis. Enjoyed with my brothers at BeaconFest 2014.
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8/29/2014 - weingutwilhelm wrote: 90 Points
Tobacco, leather, dried cherry. Dusty, dried food, better-than-average concentration, a bit rustic, good acidity. Old school. ✭
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8/28/2014 - epiphany Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfectly mature and complex. Everything I expect from Bordeaux.
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4/25/2013 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP. Dark dark red in the glass with bright ruby rim. Nose of fresh ripe strawberry, mint, herbs, touch of chocolate. On the palate it's very different with earth, chocolate, dust dominating with tart red fruit being slightly secondary. Medium bodied, nice mouthfeel, finish of tannin, tart fruit, herbs.
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3/2/2013 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 88 Points
Very nice. 100% merlot. Better on night 3, indicating this has more time to evolve.
3 on the AF scale.
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8/20/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 84 Points
Light in color, light in body and short in the finish, the wine offered some freshness, cherry and cranberry, but it was not a lot of fun to drink.
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7/22/2012 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Lead pencil, ripe cassis fruit, sweet tart berry; mineral-metal on the palate; integrated oaky-spice note; good concentration and well balanced. Liked this a lot for this level.
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5/11/2012 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Cabernet character with nutty,almond chocolate notes and pencil lead; small tart berries in a medium body; good character, great terroir showing through; very tannic but drinking well right now.
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11/11/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous, wish I'd bought more of this. Ripe but classic: it has a rich, red-fruited profile that hasn't even hinted at closing down yet, with a touch of cedarwood. At first it's almost Burgundian with its berry flavors and finessed personality, but it keeps building in intensity and just when it's about to feel almost inky you start to notice some of the underlying tannic muscle. Back label says this is 100% merlot.
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9/26/2011 - DAE wrote: 93 Points
Strong tannins. Continues to improve with age. A very classic Bordeaux.
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4/10/2011 - Julius Squeezer wrote: 91 Points
Tasted with winemaker Louis de Coninck.....
Excellent potential but not ready yet. This fronsac was exceptionally sturdy and you can tell that it is an ager. I still have a bottle and I will try it in five years. More austere than most right banks but that is why it is an ager. Stiff upright tannins lead into a pleasant fleshy mouthfeel that needs time.
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12/24/2010 - collinb227 Likes this wine: 91 Points
nice lilac bordeauxish nose
light but really refined and interesting flavors
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12/2/2010 - paindude wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Strong tannins, needs to open up. There is potential, no question about that. I am not going to open another one 5 years!
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10/28/2010 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thick, juicy, big merlot. Delicious.
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9/15/2010 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, thick, robust wine that's really coming into form. Much better than the first bottle I had of this. Very tannic but not overbearing; integrated well with juicy red fruit. A pleasant surprise.
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9/14/2010 - powrsurg wrote: 83 Points
Strong alcohol taste with graphite and pencil eraser. Tart and a bit sour on the tongue. Fruit completely over shadowed by the tartness. I have two more bottles of this hell.
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7/13/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 90 Points
light, cherry, oaky
not bad but not as good as last bottle I had
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4/6/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 92 Points
huge funk on nose
palate of marischino cherries and burnt oak
nice grippy tannins
lip smacking delicious
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2/27/2010 - anonymoose12345 wrote: 87 Points
Still a bit rough, tight.
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2/19/2010 - vanpe003 Likes this wine:
Popped/poured. Initially, the nose is super rich and fragrant with deep red fruit. The palate, not so much. Very tight and ungiving. Then 30 minutes later, in what seems like a cruel joke, the nose shuts down as well. I picked up 6 of these, and won't be touching the others anytime soon. G. liked this better than I did. I'd score it 85-87 for current drinking, with the potential to be much better if it someday comes out of its shell. Update: by mistake, I left this overnight on the counter in a decanter. It is actually better the second day, even after a tremendous amount of air. More giving on both nose and palate.
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1/1/2010 - AstonM wrote: 90 Points
I feel this wine has the stuffing to grow far beyond it's price point.
Right now plenty of fruit is hidden from the strong but fine tannins, needs several years to flesh out.
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7/25/2009 - pvd420 wrote: 88 Points
nice, starting to drink well, but I am unsure about the stuffing needed for this to age well
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5/15/2009 - gquigs wrote: 87 Points
Not bad, didn't blow me away but it was respectable
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2/21/2009 - DaleW wrote:
I had hoped I was pre-shutdown, but this was quite
monolithic. Some air showed black currant and plum fruit, but not much
else. Fairly strong tannins for a satellite wine, good acidity makes
me think this will age midterm ok, but for now not a lot of pleasure. C
+ for drinking now, guessing on B/B+ potential
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1/30/2009 - DAE wrote: 94 Points
Exceptional. Keep cellared for more development.
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