This wine surprised me in a few ways. Cork was pristine with practically no penetration. Color was dark purple. Nose very very soft and subdued. With some swirling and coaxing it began to wake up a little, but overall stayed very quiet. What made the biggest difference for this wine was pairing. Once the fatty parts of the NY Strip had the opportunity to influence flavors, the wine came alive quite a bit. In my opinion you must pair this with food to get the most out of it. A decant will help too. Overall impressions are all subtle, and include notes of dark berries, a little espresso, and some tobacco. Continue to cellar and see what happens?
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Drinking well now and for many more years. this is actually better than the 2009 I had last week. More fruit presence and better balanced. Very enjoyable.
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The 2008 Grand-Puy Ducasse had only a little sediment in the bottle and in the glass it was a beautiful deep red colour. It has dark fruits on the nose and a medium-full body displaying similar fruits as its aroma suggests. There is also some lingering dark chocolate and the finish is medium-long. This seems to be in its prime and doesn't need much time in advance to breath. In fact, all I did was pull the cork about one hour before dinner and then poured from the bottle. I'm not sure where it goes from here, but right now it's highly enjoyable and should still have another 5+ years of happy drinking life ahead of it if I can wait that long.
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By the glass at the BA lounge. Fresh bottle. Quite dark in colour with a bit of purple still on the rim. Welcoming wine, and is now just in its drinking window. Dark fruited , good ripe fruit, a touch of sharp tannin on the finish, touch green feel there. Aside from that the wine performed very well, well balanced, not overdone, good wold on the fruit and acidity. A good wine. 89
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Young and tight, which is not what you want in a wine. But if you have to pull a cork in the name of science, give it a few hours of air. Not quite strict, but close, there is a nice wall of blackberry and cassis, licorice, espresso and tobacco, but the finish has a bit more firmness than I'd like. Let's see in another 5 years or so.
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Blackcurrant, plum, olive, cedar, tobacco, spice box. high finely grained tannins, high acid. Ok, not very expressive or pronounced, feels way to muted and restrained.
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No formal notes and I had a bit of a cold, which dampened the senses. However, this is an excellent Grand-Puy Ducasse. It is quite full bodied with dark fruits and a hint of cherry. Tannins are still quite firm, but they pack the cheeks nicely. Finish is long. This has the elements of a wine that is approaching maturity although not quite peaked. It should be enjoyable for quite a few years to come.
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had high hopes after nose, but taste/finish is quite muted. concur with other reviewers, but paired with french lamb dish brings a smile to my lips nonetheless
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black cherry and black tea bouquet, the palate rounds out with air showing blackberries, chocolate, green tea leaf and mineral, flowers and earth show on the finish, drinkable, solid-made, grippy tannins, balanced, dry, had with herbed chicken
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The 2008 release showed vibrant bright dark garnet color, medium to full body; aromas and full forward flavors of bing cherries and slightly tart black raspberry and black currant fruits, a layer of cassis and hint of cedar on a forward lingering tannin finish. Needs time to settle.
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I thought that this was an excellent and affordable example of a Pauillac. The tanins are a bit pronounced but I suspect that in 2 - 4 years it will be softer and lovely. There is now a nice balance of fruit and oak. There is a bit of astringency that I expect will soften. For those of us who cannot afford the 1st and 2nd growths this is a nice alternative to abandoning the left bank.
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2008 Bordeaux: The group liked this more than I. The nose is dusty with some cassis and a fair amount of oak. Slightly think on the palate with black raspberries and also some heat. Mild tannins. Its a nice wine, but I thought somewhat generic.
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90 point rating is from day two. As expected this young Bordeaux was quite hard on day one. But after one day the wine came together. Nice fruit and lovely silky tanins. I would say 2014 or decant for a long time now.
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Tasted at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux - LCBO Taste and Buy event - Feb 25, 2001 - 2008 vintage. Limited notes as tasted some 30 wines. Nose - 91. Palette - disappointing. 90.
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taste: medium bodied with balanced tones of dark red cherries, cedar, dark red fruits, black currants and bits of pencil lead. Chewy tannins, but they aren't overpowering
overall: this is a straight forward and very solid bordeaux. Well balanced on both the nose and palate that needs a bit of time to fully settle in
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12/22/2023 - BuckeyeBenS wrote: 87 Points
This wine surprised me in a few ways. Cork was pristine with practically no penetration. Color was dark purple. Nose very very soft and subdued. With some swirling and coaxing it began to wake up a little, but overall stayed very quiet. What made the biggest difference for this wine was pairing. Once the fatty parts of the NY Strip had the opportunity to influence flavors, the wine came alive quite a bit. In my opinion you must pair this with food to get the most out of it. A decant will help too. Overall impressions are all subtle, and include notes of dark berries, a little espresso, and some tobacco. Continue to cellar and see what happens?
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1/14/2022 - elevation02 wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color - Fabulous wine, I loved it! Lots of years left in the tank!
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8/22/2021 - Kriz wrote: 89 Points
Not very expressive nose at this stage. Smooth and tasty palate. Too oaky in the finish.
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6/10/2020 - mike410 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well now and for many more years. this is actually better than the 2009 I had last week. More fruit presence and better balanced. Very enjoyable.
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7/26/2019 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
A more classic style IMO, leadpencil, leather, nice cassis, with fine acidity and by now pretty smooth tannin. Drink now-5 years.
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10/21/2018 - Innertällmo Bryggeri wrote: 91 Points
Graphite! Classic Pauillac that just starts to open up.
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10/25/2017 - TastdaTore wrote: 89 Points
Gitt i avskjedsgave til Christina
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1/29/2017 - ChristP Likes this wine: 91 Points
The 2008 Grand-Puy Ducasse had only a little sediment in the bottle and in the glass it was a beautiful deep red colour. It has dark fruits on the nose and a medium-full body displaying similar fruits as its aroma suggests. There is also some lingering dark chocolate and the finish is medium-long. This seems to be in its prime and doesn't need much time in advance to breath. In fact, all I did was pull the cork about one hour before dinner and then poured from the bottle. I'm not sure where it goes from here, but right now it's highly enjoyable and should still have another 5+ years of happy drinking life ahead of it if I can wait that long.
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12/11/2016 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
By the glass at the BA lounge. Fresh bottle.
Quite dark in colour with a bit of purple still on the rim. Welcoming wine, and is now just in its drinking window. Dark fruited , good ripe fruit, a touch of sharp tannin on the finish, touch green feel there. Aside from that the wine performed very well, well balanced, not overdone, good wold on the fruit and acidity. A good wine. 89
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10/29/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Young and tight, which is not what you want in a wine. But if you have to pull a cork in the name of science, give it a few hours of air. Not quite strict, but close, there is a nice wall of blackberry and cassis, licorice, espresso and tobacco, but the finish has a bit more firmness than I'd like. Let's see in another 5 years or so.
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6/22/2016 - PT insurgent wrote:
Blackcurrant, plum, olive, cedar, tobacco, spice box. high finely grained tannins, high acid. Ok, not very expressive or pronounced, feels way to muted and restrained.
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5/1/2016 - PT insurgent wrote:
Nose of blackcurrant, plum, strawberry, prune, earth, leather, wood, cinnamon, cedar.
Palate of blackcurrant, plum, wood, cedar, earth, leather. Still fresh fruit, turning tertiary. Nice
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12/23/2015 - ChristP Likes this wine: 91 Points
No formal notes and I had a bit of a cold, which dampened the senses. However, this is an excellent Grand-Puy Ducasse. It is quite full bodied with dark fruits and a hint of cherry. Tannins are still quite firm, but they pack the cheeks nicely. Finish is long. This has the elements of a wine that is approaching maturity although not quite peaked. It should be enjoyable for quite a few years to come.
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4/24/2015 - broadband013 wrote: 88 Points
Dégustation Bordeaux Primeurs 2014 Gazzar - Lausanne Palace 23.04.2014
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2/14/2015 - genkihito wrote: 90 Points
had high hopes after nose, but taste/finish is quite muted. concur with other reviewers, but paired with french lamb dish brings a smile to my lips nonetheless
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10/27/2014 - Kriz wrote: 87 Points
Needs air. Perfumed nose and acceptable palate. I hope it will develop in five years or so but I'm afraid it won't...
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4/15/2012 - whits wrote: 89 Points
black cherry and black tea bouquet, the palate rounds out with air showing blackberries, chocolate, green tea leaf and mineral, flowers and earth show on the finish, drinkable, solid-made, grippy tannins, balanced, dry, had with herbed chicken
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2/18/2012 - Nordin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still quite a young wine. Nice ruby colour with blueish hints.
The nose is a bit closed with hints of oak, green pepper och pencil.
The palette has cassis, fruit tart, pencil, green bell pepper with young tannins, the taste has a nice length
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11/6/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 89 Points
The 2008 release showed vibrant bright dark garnet color, medium to full body; aromas and full forward flavors of bing cherries and slightly tart black raspberry and black currant fruits, a layer of cassis and hint of cedar on a forward lingering tannin finish. Needs time to settle.
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9/7/2011 - dssmith wrote: 94 Points
I thought that this was an excellent and affordable example of a Pauillac. The tanins are a bit pronounced but I suspect that in 2 - 4 years it will be softer and lovely. There is now a nice balance of fruit and oak. There is a bit of astringency that I expect will soften. For those of us who cannot afford the 1st and 2nd growths this is a nice alternative to abandoning the left bank.
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5/25/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
2008 Bordeaux: The group liked this more than I. The nose is dusty with some cassis and a fair amount of oak. Slightly think on the palate with black raspberries and also some heat. Mild tannins. Its a nice wine, but I thought somewhat generic.
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5/23/2011 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
90 point rating is from day two. As expected this young Bordeaux was quite hard on day one. But after one day the wine came together. Nice fruit and lovely silky tanins. I would say 2014 or decant for a long time now.
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3/12/2011 - Jhcwine wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux - LCBO Taste and Buy event - Feb 25, 2001 - 2008 vintage. Limited notes as tasted some 30 wines. Nose - 91. Palette - disappointing. 90.
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1/28/2011 - ews3 wrote: 86 Points
Union des Grand Crus 2008 Bordeaux Tasting - NYC (Metropolitan Pavilion, NYC): muted flavor profile shows some red fruit, but not too much there. medium finish disappoints.
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1/28/2011 - amateurwino wrote: 90 Points
Decent example of the vintage – a little sweetness to the fruit, with a bit of bitterness on the finish. Solid 89-90+
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1/26/2011 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
UGC Bordeaux Tasting (Boston): Ripe, plummy nose. Cool fruit. Pencil. Structured. Good. 88-91
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1/25/2011 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2008 (Toronto - The Four Seasons): UGC Event
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1/24/2011 - KeithAkers wrote: 89 Points
UGC 2008 Bordeaux (The Drake, Chicago IL): nose: straight forward and balanced nose of cedar, dark red fruits, black currants, and pencil lead
taste: medium bodied with balanced tones of dark red cherries, cedar, dark red fruits, black currants and bits of pencil lead. Chewy tannins, but they aren't overpowering
overall: this is a straight forward and very solid bordeaux. Well balanced on both the nose and palate that needs a bit of time to fully settle in
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10/19/2010 - vespasian wrote: 89 Points
Perfumed and lifted, not so concentrated; a little streak of greeness on the palate but should provide pleasant drinking. 88-90
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