Copy the TN of shrewsram ! Nice, classical Bdx with that wet stone smell, freshness and some red pepper. Palate is "greenish", fresh. Tannins feel like black pepper on the palate. Mid-length at the end. Nice, not great! Nearly no difference on day 2. On day three the wine even improves and shows really nice tertiary notes - black pepper, wet stone and leaves again. Very young appearance! 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
80% Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Merlot 2% Cabernet Franc
Developed nose of damp smoke, gravel and lots of oyster shell. Ripe soft (and old) red fruits, a touch of mint (or is it stem?) – fascinating and complex nose.
The palate is smooth and resolved, savoury for sure with more of that wet stone character, leaf, and plenty of astringency with some green tannins adding structure and length of flavour. There is a touch of cardboard, and the green touches might be asking for food. (Can’t quite make my note out).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Upon opening, it seemed rather uneventful, but showed its true colours after five hours in the decanter. Approaching or at maturity, this bottle would have gone on another 5 years or so. Tremendous value at $59. I always find there is great value in good producers in "off" vintages!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Simple outstandig and certainly ready ro drink. No decant just pop and pour. Classic Bordeaux from an outstanding producer. No sign of fading what so ever.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red with lighter rim. Open nose of cassis and pencil. Rich and powerful. Thick cassis fruit. Silky tannins. Good lenght. Nice paired with roast lamb. Save max three years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured at cellar temp. Tobacco, asphalt, a hint of green pepper and deep blackberry fruit on the nose. Nice mix of all of those flavors and crunchy acidity on the palate. Not as textured as some of the riper vintages of GPL, but very nice and very well balanced. Tannins are almost fully resolved, but not yet any tertiary notes. Ready to drink but many good years ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10th of 24, opened 2 hours, perfect cork and level, as December's bottle, early maturity, still some funk and unresolved dryish tannin, attractive cassis driven style, a little upside perhaps, 10+ years. F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9th of 24, opened 2 hours, perfect cork and level, back to cassis fruit driven style of GPL with less funk and herbacious notes than June bottle, attractive if with little upside, entering maturity plateau. F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8th of 24, decanted 2 hours, perfect cork and level, still on funky side with a worrying green tinge, but showing more and riper than bottle last May, suspect it needs a year or two to settle before entering full maturity and throw off the teenage sulks......a tentative F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
EP stored in perfect conditions since 2004. Decant 3 hrs at 15 degrees. Stood upright for 2 days. Hard sediment. Brown tawny rim, delicate dark fruit nose ,restrained but refined with cedar and forest floor. Palate incredibly smooth with dark fruit very fine tannins. Complex with an Uplift of refreshing acid and long****** finish. This was superb Served with Roast beef. Only one bottle left sadly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
New Year's Eve Dinner (Herald & Teni's Place, Hong Kong): Decanted for 2-3 hours. Still opaque black-red, lightening at the meniscus. Nose is beef cattle barn, nail varnish remover, savoury beef broth, slight traces of cedar. Palate is really typical youthfully mature Paullic. loads of cedar, very deep black and red currant fruits. Has the lovely typical GPL belly-filling richness. Good length. This was a more robust bottle than one drank from the same case a few months ago. This a few more years ahead of it at this plateau but I doubt it will improve. Really excellent QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We drank a bottle of this earlier in the year and found it underpowered. This one was much more robust and satisfying -- if, like us, you appreciate older Bordeaux, with faded tannins and fruit, then you will probably agree that this wine is as good right now as it can be. A moderate amount of fine sediment. Consistent darkish red. Moderate to low alcohol (the label indicates 13%). Aromatically muted, but complex and full to taste. Think of a cedar box in which strong cigars have been stored, and then warm spices -- cloves, black cardamom, mace, allspice. No fading over the four hours it was open. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Dinner at Friends' House (Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong): Decanted for several hours. Lightening at the edges. Semi-translucent deep ruby colour. Nose is immediately semi-wow, warm welcoming and musky, fruit is slightly hidden. Palate is better...really good blackberry and red bramble fruit, dry but perfectly assimilated tannins. Totally classic Pauillac. Lots of length and reverberance. Totally at its apogee. Drank at a freind's house but this is what I call a great restaurant wine......doesn't need much pre-decanting and holds its own against many much more expensive vinatages and producers even if you have to pay 3x on retail cost. Held up well against a super Conterno Barolo 1999.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7th of 24, decanted an hour, apparently perfect cork and level, compared with last April's bottle duller, fruit muted, hint of taint which seemed to clear, but not showing particularly well, even the usual whack of cassis was missing, a phase probably as there is enough here for 10 years at least. VGI (17)….not a patch on D de Chevalier 02 on same night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
All the components of an elegant claret are here, but lacking intensity. Fully ready to drink -- I wouldn't wait much longer. Some sweetness emerged as we were finishing the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Probably my last bottle from the case. Some earlier bottles were slightly austere but this one showed magnificently. Lead pencil and blackcurrant nose with a full complex evolving palate. Perfect with a rack of lamb. Better than I remember.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mid ruby. Classic wine. Black berry fruits, plum, graphite, cedar. Great balance. Plenty acidity. Cool elegance. Just lacks a little in concentration and intensity. The good 02s are surprising us and have plenty of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
6th of 24, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, somehow tighter, purer and more attractive than March bottle, still not fully mature I like the direction of travel and would expect to upgrade, maybe never the most complex of clarets, but GPL always delivers in a relatively straightforward but attractive cassis fruit led manner......and then goes on and on as any bottle from better vintages of the 70s and 80s will testify. Certainly F (17.5)…...what's not to like?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5th of 24, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, as last August's bottle, attractive cassis, early drinking window, scope to improve. F (17.5)…...classic digestable, well mannered claret and equally attractive for current drinking as Friday's Lafite, though on a longer term view the Lafite is clearly the better wine (as it should be)!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A good effort for this estate in this vintage; what I liked about this wine was that it is perfectly resolved, with nice secondary and tertiary tobacco leafy notes poking through. Modestly proportioned but highly satisfying.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Same as in February - no evolution whatsoever. Sadly the last of the case - still great value, it will hold and probably improve further over the next five years. The structure and body are incredibly impressive - the velvety touch of the wine is perfectly held together. If I had a doubt over its future, it would maybe concern the intensity of the fruit, but I'm probably wrong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th of 24, pnp, perfect cork and level, and for roast leg of lamb! with its ever reliable cassis fruit, it has all the elements to improve on current rating when properly mature in 5 or so years, already a tad more harmonious than my May bottle. Certainly F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3rd of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, starting to come together and more attractive than last bottle in May 16, but still early days, flavour profile as described by Julian M below, more to it than Tour H-B 99 the previous night but not as ready, a clear step behind the Barton 99. Just about F (17.5) but should improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic paulliac pencil lead, cedar and a hint of wet tobacco. Some soft black/blue fruit with melted but firm and powdery tannic grip. From an unpopular vintage but this is fresh, ripe and rewarding. A very balanced, enjoyably traditional claret.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On opening, a bouquet of violet and cassis, to be joined later by traditional cigar-box. Initially very tight, this took several hours to open, but then it was splendid, with rich notes of cassis, velvety plum and blackberry, rising over a chalky, broad base. Good for several more years and will probably improve further, since the structure is so imposing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Despite my reservations from 2 years ago, this seems to be improving in its presence and is now gently knitted together. No rush to consume out of magnum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is steadily improving, turning into a very fine example of GPL. The tannins give it a grip and backbone that allow the rich flavours to shine perfectly. One of my favourite GPL vintages, this actually challenges the 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Back to previous form. Either bottle variation or more probably aeration: on opening, I found it rather tannic, so I double decanted it - hey presto, a wonderful wine. Suave, luxurious, velvet cassis and plums, very long and persistent, the perfect Pauillac. The depth and structure are such that it should continue to drink well for ages - with some potential for improvement. This is probably still good value and represents a good buy for drinking over the next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite disappointing after last year's fabulous bottle and the score is a bit in hope rather than a reflexion of actual drinking pleasure. This time the tannins were vice-like and imposing, so it was difficult to enjoy much. There is plenty of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit behind, but the cloak of tannins completely asphyxiate them. Hopefully a momentary dip.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st of 24, decanted an hour, perfect level and cork - Deepish garnet, youthful; cassis, cedar, some tobacco and earth, less pure and broader than 01 say; medium bodied, decent length, persistence and grip, slightly dusty tannins, and a bit broad, quality fruit as ever for GPL and no trace of vegetal aromas, scope to improve and much better than RP score would suggest! Just F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super vin. Nez très ouvert, sur des notes secondaires typiques de Médoc. La robe est encore jeune, avec de l'éclat. La bouche est très belle, un équilibre parfait, avec une finale presque gourmande qui donne une belle impression de cohérence globale. La longueur n'est pas phénoménale, c'est sûr, mais le vin est un délice. Le bordeaux, quand c'est bon...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent wine! Complex and intense bouquet. Medium body, rounder than I would expect for the vintage. Complex on the palate with the nice caracteristics of aged claret. Long finish. Drinking really well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the downside there is an asparagus character (of the vintage). On the plus side this is starting to develop secondary smoky cigar-box characters of aged claret. Serious wine. Mid weight, very savoury.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With steak frites at home. Ahhhh that classic claret nose of pencil shavings, cassis and cigar box. Wonderful. I think it must have been ages since I've had a proper mature claret like this. This is why I love Bordeaux. Even in an off year, it is unmistakeable. Lovely with mature Gruyere cheese also.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
great nose of blackberry, black fruit and cinnamon. a touch of green pepper is there but hardly noticeable, maybe a touch of lactic note that dissipated. with time - tobacco and pencil. mid is lighter than the nose suggests, classic notes and great acidity. touch of herbs on the finish - the tannins a bit rustic (perhaps the only place where the vintage shows). Tannins were still there on day two but so was the fruit and power. in a good place with no sign of decline.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a magnum just out of bond. I was a bit concerned about the amount of browning (unusual for a 2002) but it was delightful to drink though almost completely tertiary. Gentle and delightfully old fashioned. Drink fairly soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another vastly underrated 2002. Classic Pauillac aromas of cigar box, cedar, cassis and lead pencil, classic Pauillac tastes of cassis, plum and violet, very suave and velvety, with a long, satisfying finish. This will probably improve further over the next two or three years and hold for another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vraiment un bon vin, encore jeune. Pas de trace visible d'évolution, encore du fruit, je m'attendais à moins à cause du millésime. Une certaine profondeur, du jus, une belle expérience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Det er vel ikke lov å være skuffet over en 2002, men likevel, her er det ikke mye å hente, flat, uttørret frukt, litt vandig. Kjedelig. Super nese, dog.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
So fragrant. Lovely green pepper and current Cabernet aroma, with deft touch of oak.
Palate is slightly warmer riper than expected, but still red current and green pepper style. This is 2002 Bordeaux after all, but a reminder that this was still a good Cabernet vintage in the Medoc, at least among the talented Cru Classé.
Reminds me of some of the very best New Zealand cabernets of my youth. I can understand how this wine may not be appreciated by those who are used to the modern Napa Cabernet (or Barossa).
But this still oozes class. It's like a finely engineered German car.
Drink now? I hesitate to say that because it hasn't yet developed much in the way of secondary aged character. But certainly it is enjoyable now so why risk it.
Initially, some attractive blackcurrant fruit and classic claret notes, but the wine is a bit dilute in the middle and falls somewhat flat at the end. Not a great GPL, even in the context of the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better than expected. In fact, far better than the last bottle which was green. Decanted for two hours. Rich, red colour. A little thin at the beginning but developed nicely. Drinking through 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted over 2 days. Quite a powerful nose full of cassis with hints of oak and smoke. On the first day, the palate was tight and packed with cassis and oak. The bottle was left standing open for 7 hours before consumption but the consensus was the wine was too young.
On day two, the palate still felt tight but the wine wine felt more balanced. The black and red fruits mellowed alongside the oak and cigar box, smoke as well as some spices emerged. Very long length. Will try our next bottle after 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackcurrant fruit, some oak and classic cigar box and spice overtones; reasonable weight, but the finish lets it down a bit. Not a great GPL, and not one of the better wines of the vintage, but decent enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Green. I wanted to like this more but it's showing some age - more brown in the glass than red - and the fruit doesn't show well. It's drinkable now, of course, but there is no harm in giving it a bit more time to see if it can shake off the greenness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mature, with quite ripe fruit and a creamy overtone. However, the structure is weak and the wine does not hold up well in the glass. 2002 was a difficult year and this is not one of the successful wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Solid traditional claret. Good typicity. Dry, austere, classically tailored: cut just right, and not at all flashy. Not great either, however: slightly dull, with a shortish finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Definite signs of development on the nose - leathery, savoury notes - but still plenty of sweet fruit in there. Really lovely in the mouth. Hardly any tannin on the finish. Very good length. Complex, with loads of fruit mixing with the more savoury developed characters.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lovely example of Bordeaux from a weaker vintage - lots of leafy cabernet fruit and red fruits. Complex, light on the palate but then the taste lingers much longer than expected. Some deeper meaty notes coming through. Impressive - not for those who like fruit bombs. This is old school Bordeaux.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Initially, the fruit is quite fresh and reasonably concentrated, but as the air gets to it it becomes a bit dry and hard, and starts to taste vegetal and elderly. I don't see much future in this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Sampler Summer Tasting 2013 (The Sampler, Islington): Classic tomato leaf nose. Palate is earthy and savoury with some plum and just a touch of spice. Still a little unresolved tannin but you could drink this now. 16.5/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is drinking as well as it ever will. It has attractive, medium weight blackcurrant fruit and some creaminess. The structure is a bit loose, but it is a decent enough example from a difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby medium core - a little cherry orange hue at the rim; leafy, earthy cassis note with mineral undertone, obviously a cool year. Pleasant though; medium weight, leafy cassis flavours. Elegant but quite short on the fruit. A nice drink but the fruit is fading - drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
classic pauillac nose with tobacco, damp earth, cedar, a little bit of cassis. mouth consistent with nose, light bodied, with a rather short finish. perfectly enjoyable, but not sure how much I would pay for this. this was the first bottle of my fine wine collection!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely, accessible Pauillac with a classic cut. Refined nose of lady's soap from the days of yore, hinted stables and some sulphur. On the palate it is a very fine and highly pleasing Bordeaux that provided its pleasures without any need for us to bend over backwards trying to "understand" it. A most pleasing and restrained balanced mix of cedar, tannin, acids, Bordeaux earth and great disposition in the mouth, from the entry to the hatch. Early drinking window, nice price but will not reach the stars. In the company of 2 Burgundies we didn't understand and a Chablis. Non-blind. Had immediately at Miel (Yokohama) w/Gibo-san.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vertical tasting of GPL, '00 through '05. Poured two hours before tasting. '01 was my favorite, followed by '05 (which may still improve with age), then '00, '04, and '02. All were medium bodied. Tannins were soft. '02 had green flavors.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a lovely GPL. Absolutely lovely nose of sweet blackcurrants with that smokey cedar pencil notes. It all continues on the palate with soft alluring tannins and a great balance. A very good wine. WoFW 17/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This note covers two bottles, drunk on consecutive days. The first showed the weaknesses of the vintage. Although there were hints of classic claret character, the wine was rather loose-knit and rustic. Not one for keeping. The second bottle had a bit more life initially, but it seemed to lose its charm and harden up a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium bodied and classic in style, the offers ample levels of cassis, earth, tobacco and forest floor notes. There is a touch of green olive and herbs in the bright, cassis and cranberry finish. Fans of traditional Bordeaux from less ripe, classic vintages will like this a lot more than I did.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite full, but the fruit is not as lively as in better vintages; it seems fairly mature, but there is a slight dullness which makes me wonder if it might yet improve. Not a brilliant GPL.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fairly mature colour, with a touch of brown. Otherwise, this seems quite fresh and vigorous, with classic claret flavours. There is perhaps a lack of grip and intensity, but it is drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is just at beginning of drinking window. Popped & poured. Slightly muted nose. Palate is classic Bordeaux: cassis and gentle oak. Some nice sweetness on the finish. Still predominantly fruity & primary. .. An hour & a half later and it has become much more secondary, nose opens up and notes of forest floor and earthiness. Finish is much drier than before. I think this is one of those ones worth drinking without a decant over a long time and watching it develop.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the nose there is plum, spice, cedar and a savoury note. On the palate, although not the most concentrated, has a good persistence. Tannins are not massive and has medium to high acidity. Plum fruit but slightly green.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a 375 bottle, the nose did not fully developed tonight, still classic left bank but nothing remarkable, body medium to light, tannins well integrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark cherry core, almost opaque. No sign of evolution on the rim. Textbook Pauillac nose. Cigar box, cedar, smoke. Very cabernet sauvignon. Cassis and some green. Surprisingly ripe dark fruit, rich texture but still showing a greeness on the palate (bell pepper like) and a hint of graphite. In spite of the rich fruit, the finish is slightly hollow, (most probably a sign of the vintage?). Still a very classic Pauillac which may benefit from further ageing. Love the style. It was very interesting to drink this GPL next to the 1987 Laurel Glen Cab as both noses were really similar (different palates though).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a proper claret. Not overpowering, perfectly subtle. Tasted after a 2 hour decant. Big cigar box and smoky nose. Greenish red fruit flavors and earthy/gravel tones. Reasonable finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine has a medium ruby to garnet colour. On the nose the wine has plum, chocolate, wood and cedar. There is also a hint of herbaceousness. On the palate it has medium acidity, a light to medium body and medium, but not drying, tannins. There is plum fruit and again a herbaceousness green streak to the palate. The length is good to very good easily exceeding 10 seconds. I like this style of wine, but perhaps with just a bit more fruit and body on the palate. Tasted from half bottle and served with lamb steaks, cedar mash and peas with a red wine gravy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
medium dark color, smell of fruit and mint. Still very young wine, and quite tannic at opening. drinks well after 1.5 hours, can hold for few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No air - dark, tannic but with a mint freshness on the finish. Still like this more than most. As last month, and even without the air really enjoyable good value Pauillac. 2002 is a vintage that does it for me - sometimes a little green, tannic but with just enough blackcurrant fruit and cigarbox in the Pauillacs especially. Nice contrast to the much easier du Tertre.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No signs of aging. Nose and palate of smoky oak, not overpowering, but there is not much in the way of fruit. A lightweight year. Pleasant but not outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still no sign of browning. Very cool, classical Pauillac nose. Light-mid weight with good length and moderate intensity. Lacks a little generosity and complexity, but okay for vintage. From a cool cellar likely to be good til 2015-18, though unlikely to out-grow its current limitations.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium depth, red-violet rim. Initially a bit closed but after 2 hours, very nice nose- creme de cassis allthough not very ripe, coffe, minerality. Medium bodied, a bit green, lacks in the middle palate however it has a nice acidity, making it very fresh. Nicely balanced. Will probably evolve in the nose, but will never be a 90+ wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much bigger than the previous bottle, excellent style, nicely defined difference with the Giscours 2002 also tasted today, blackcurrants and minerals. Lovely Pauillac.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This had some nice Pauillac qualities, but on the whole comes off as underripe, a bit vegetal and bitter. A pronounced gravel note on nose and palate, just a bit more than I like, without lushness of fruit to offset it. Decanted about 90 mins before first taste; with a few more hours it did open up nicely and maybe got up to a 90 for me in terms of enjoyability. With my initial call of about 87pts, I'm giving it an average of 88-89. We tasted this in a flight against a 2005 Ramey Claret, which was better balanced, but overall I prefer the Pauillac flavor profile. Went really nicely with kalbi short ribs, as counterpoint to the sweet fattiness of the meat, as opposed to the Ramey, which was too sweet for the dish.
On a lark, I blended a little of the Lacoste and the Ramey and the resulting blend was better than either; the Ramey upped the ripeness factor of the Lacoste to make it feel like a riper vintage; the overoaky sweetness of the Ramey was mitigated by the earthiness of the Pauillac; an interesting experiment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Offered up scents of weedy blackcurrant, herbs, spicy oak and some green pepper; not particularly pleasurable. Fairly structured on the palate, but without the stuffing to back it up. Astringent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needed a lot of air to show its colours. Cassis, earth and espresso coffee. Initially a bit shallow on the mid-palate but gained weight as the evening wore on. Considerable acidity and tannins still present. Nice but not a heavyweight Pauillac. Give this another two or three years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Irish Wine Board Pauillac Tasting (Irish Wine Board): From a Pauillac tasting at the Irish Wine Board. Only a quick sketchy note taken at the time. Circa €55 per bottle. Powerful nose of black fruits and coffee. Still quite tannic and acidic. Not really drinking yet. Has potential, but needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 375ml. Classic Pauillac pencil shavings on nose. Some distracting rubber & herbal notes. Fruit emerged after time in glass. Tight, fairly austere with puckering tannins. Got much better with time in glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby core, narrow pale purple rim. Deep, intense, slightly closed nose with ripe cassis fruit, vanilla and just a hint of tobacco. Very fruit-forward on the palate with primary, ripe cassis fruit prominent. This has good depth and balancing acidity on the mid-palate and just a hint of the savouriness to come on the slightly abrupt and still quite tight finish. Needs at least another 3 or 4 years, has potential to improve considerably.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/13/2024 - Sean Tay wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 - 2 hour. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of cassis, chocolate, coffee, black fruits, toast. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2023 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Copy the TN of shrewsram !
Nice, classical Bdx with that wet stone smell, freshness and some red pepper. Palate is "greenish", fresh. Tannins feel like black pepper on the palate. Mid-length at the end. Nice, not great! Nearly no difference on day 2. On day three the wine even improves and shows really nice tertiary notes - black pepper, wet stone and leaves again. Very young appearance! 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2023 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
This had been consistently superb - cedar, blackcurrant, earth, lively and serious at the same time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2023 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 90 Points
80% Cabernet Sauvignon
18% Merlot
2% Cabernet Franc
Developed nose of damp smoke, gravel and lots of oyster shell. Ripe soft (and old) red fruits, a touch of mint (or is it stem?) – fascinating and complex nose.
The palate is smooth and resolved, savoury for sure with more of that wet stone character, leaf, and plenty of astringency with some green tannins adding structure and length of flavour. There is a touch of cardboard, and the green touches might be asking for food. (Can’t quite make my note out).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2023 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Upon opening, it seemed rather uneventful, but showed its true colours after five hours in the decanter. Approaching or at maturity, this bottle would have gone on another 5 years or so. Tremendous value at $59. I always find there is great value in good producers in "off" vintages!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2023 - Rubinstein wrote: 93 Points
Simple outstandig and certainly ready ro drink. No decant just pop and pour. Classic Bordeaux from an outstanding producer. No sign of fading what so ever.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2023 - vassnesen wrote: 90 Points
As previous note, but time to drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2022 - vassnesen wrote: 90 Points
Dark red with lighter rim. Open nose of cassis and pencil. Rich and powerful. Thick cassis fruit. Silky tannins. Good lenght. Nice paired with roast lamb. Save max three years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2022 - jreis Likes this wine:
Popped and poured at cellar temp. Tobacco, asphalt, a hint of green pepper and deep blackberry fruit on the nose. Nice mix of all of those flavors and crunchy acidity on the palate. Not as textured as some of the riper vintages of GPL, but very nice and very well balanced. Tannins are almost fully resolved, but not yet any tertiary notes. Ready to drink but many good years ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2022 - Piotr L Likes this wine: 96 Points
Perfect
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
10th of 24, opened 2 hours, perfect cork and level, as December's bottle, early maturity, still some funk and unresolved dryish tannin, attractive cassis driven style, a little upside perhaps, 10+ years. F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2022 - short and confused wrote:
Big wine. Tons of cassis. Tasted young to me but totally enjoyable. Popped and poured. Drank over 2 hours
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2021 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
9th of 24, opened 2 hours, perfect cork and level, back to cassis fruit driven style of GPL with less funk and herbacious notes than June bottle, attractive if with little upside, entering maturity plateau. F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2021 - short and confused wrote: 94 Points
Totally delicious Pauillac. Very approachable but with awesome energy. And decent price ($66 in 2017)
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
7/27/2021 - DanE Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich fruity nose, mature red berries and sweet. Sill a good colour. Delicious fruity mature wine with still serveral years of life in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2021 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
8th of 24, decanted 2 hours, perfect cork and level, still on funky side with a worrying green tinge, but showing more and riper than bottle last May, suspect it needs a year or two to settle before entering full maturity and throw off the teenage sulks......a tentative F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2021 - msauer wrote: 91 Points
Großer Wein aus kleinem Jahr.
Volumen, Körper, dabei kein Kraftprotz. Die Paprika war nicht mehr grün, eher süß
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2021 - dwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
EP stored in perfect conditions since 2004. Decant 3 hrs at 15 degrees. Stood upright for 2 days. Hard sediment.
Brown tawny rim, delicate dark fruit nose ,restrained but refined with cedar and forest floor.
Palate incredibly smooth with dark fruit very fine tannins. Complex with an Uplift of refreshing acid and long****** finish.
This was superb Served with Roast beef.
Only one bottle left sadly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 91 Points
New Year's Eve Dinner (Herald & Teni's Place, Hong Kong): Decanted for 2-3 hours. Still opaque black-red, lightening at the meniscus. Nose is beef cattle barn, nail varnish remover, savoury beef broth, slight traces of cedar. Palate is really typical youthfully mature Paullic. loads of cedar, very deep black and red currant fruits. Has the lovely typical GPL belly-filling richness. Good length. This was a more robust bottle than one drank from the same case a few months ago. This a few more years ahead of it at this plateau but I doubt it will improve. Really excellent QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2020 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 92 Points
We drank a bottle of this earlier in the year and found it underpowered. This one was much more robust and satisfying -- if, like us, you appreciate older Bordeaux, with faded tannins and fruit, then you will probably agree that this wine is as good right now as it can be. A moderate amount of fine sediment. Consistent darkish red. Moderate to low alcohol (the label indicates 13%). Aromatically muted, but complex and full to taste. Think of a cedar box in which strong cigars have been stored, and then warm spices -- cloves, black cardamom, mace, allspice. No fading over the four hours it was open. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2020 - Song103 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mature elegant Pauillac. Fruit flavor and aroma has blended in with herbaceous, spices, leather, tobacco, and wet stone. Very enjoyable. Drink
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Friday Dinner at Friends' House (Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong): Decanted for several hours. Lightening at the edges. Semi-translucent deep ruby colour. Nose is immediately semi-wow, warm welcoming and musky, fruit is slightly hidden. Palate is better...really good blackberry and red bramble fruit, dry but perfectly assimilated tannins. Totally classic Pauillac. Lots of length and reverberance. Totally at its apogee. Drank at a freind's house but this is what I call a great restaurant wine......doesn't need much pre-decanting and holds its own against many much more expensive vinatages and producers even if you have to pay 3x on retail cost. Held up well against a super Conterno Barolo 1999.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 90 Points
7th of 24, decanted an hour, apparently perfect cork and level, compared with last April's bottle duller, fruit muted, hint of taint which seemed to clear, but not showing particularly well, even the usual whack of cassis was missing, a phase probably as there is enough here for 10 years at least. VGI (17)….not a patch on D de Chevalier 02 on same night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2020 - champussi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sehr Pauillac, sehr GPL, sehr 2002 (eher leicht- mittelgewichtig, ein klein wenig grün, aber nicht störend). Sehr schön!! Jetzt trinken!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2020 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 90 Points
All the components of an elegant claret are here, but lacking intensity. Fully ready to drink -- I wouldn't wait much longer. Some sweetness emerged as we were finishing the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2019 - Zazzaman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Probably my last bottle from the case. Some earlier bottles were slightly austere but this one showed magnificently. Lead pencil and blackcurrant nose with a full complex evolving palate. Perfect with a rack of lamb. Better than I remember.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2019 - Nels+ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wird noch etwas aufdrehen mit den kommenden Jahren. Schon jetzt klar erkennbar ein grosser Bordeaux!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2019 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
This gets better and better. Earthy and with a green bite at the start, but then there's the really deep blackcurrant fruit to match it. Fab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2019 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mid ruby. Classic wine. Black berry fruits, plum, graphite, cedar. Great balance. Plenty acidity. Cool elegance. Just lacks a little in concentration and intensity. The good 02s are surprising us and have plenty of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
6th of 24, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, somehow tighter, purer and more attractive than March bottle, still not fully mature I like the direction of travel and would expect to upgrade, maybe never the most complex of clarets, but GPL always delivers in a relatively straightforward but attractive cassis fruit led manner......and then goes on and on as any bottle from better vintages of the 70s and 80s will testify. Certainly F (17.5)…...what's not to like?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2019 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine, classic Bordeaux style. Subtle, elegant, drinking fine now but likely at its best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
5th of 24, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, as last August's bottle, attractive cassis, early drinking window, scope to improve. F (17.5)…...classic digestable, well mannered claret and equally attractive for current drinking as Friday's Lafite, though on a longer term view the Lafite is clearly the better wine (as it should be)!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2019 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 90 Points
A good effort for this estate in this vintage; what I liked about this wine was that it is perfectly resolved, with nice secondary and tertiary tobacco leafy notes poking through. Modestly proportioned but highly satisfying.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2019 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
2002 Bordeaux at Piccolino (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Nose shows cool dark fruit, smoke, gravel, tobacco, this is quite complex, with a firm but fine tannic backbone, fresh acidity and a good length finish. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2018 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as in February - no evolution whatsoever. Sadly the last of the case - still great value, it will hold and probably improve further over the next five years. The structure and body are incredibly impressive - the velvety touch of the wine is perfectly held together. If I had a doubt over its future, it would maybe concern the intensity of the fruit, but I'm probably wrong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2018 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Nowhere near as stalky as the previous bottle - this was cool, cedary, classic - very fine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
4th of 24, pnp, perfect cork and level, and for roast leg of lamb! with its ever reliable cassis fruit, it has all the elements to improve on current rating when properly mature in 5 or so years, already a tad more harmonious than my May bottle. Certainly F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
3rd of 24, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, starting to come together and more attractive than last bottle in May 16, but still early days, flavour profile as described by Julian M below, more to it than Tour H-B 99 the previous night but not as ready, a clear step behind the Barton 99. Just about F (17.5) but should improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2018 - Dj6544 wrote: 92 Points
Classic paulliac pencil lead, cedar and a hint of wet tobacco. Some soft black/blue fruit with melted but firm and powdery tannic grip. From an unpopular vintage but this is fresh, ripe and rewarding. A very balanced, enjoyably traditional claret.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2018 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
On opening, a bouquet of violet and cassis, to be joined later by traditional cigar-box. Initially very tight, this took several hours to open, but then it was splendid, with rich notes of cassis, velvety plum and blackberry, rising over a chalky, broad base. Good for several more years and will probably improve further, since the structure is so imposing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2017 - rwpalmer wrote: 90 Points
Despite my reservations from 2 years ago, this seems to be improving in its presence and is now gently knitted together. No rush to consume out of magnum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2017 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is steadily improving, turning into a very fine example of GPL. The tannins give it a grip and backbone that allow the rich flavours to shine perfectly. One of my favourite GPL vintages, this actually challenges the 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2016 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
Back to previous form. Either bottle variation or more probably aeration: on opening, I found it rather tannic, so I double decanted it - hey presto, a wonderful wine. Suave, luxurious, velvet cassis and plums, very long and persistent, the perfect Pauillac. The depth and structure are such that it should continue to drink well for ages - with some potential for improvement. This is probably still good value and represents a good buy for drinking over the next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2016 - bulltrader Likes this wine:
Nice
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/3/2016 - Julian Marshall wrote: 89 Points
Quite disappointing after last year's fabulous bottle and the score is a bit in hope rather than a reflexion of actual drinking pleasure. This time the tannins were vice-like and imposing, so it was difficult to enjoy much. There is plenty of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit behind, but the cloak of tannins completely asphyxiate them. Hopefully a momentary dip.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2016 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
1st of 24, decanted an hour, perfect level and cork - Deepish garnet, youthful; cassis, cedar, some tobacco and earth, less pure and broader than 01 say; medium bodied, decent length, persistence and grip, slightly dusty tannins, and a bit broad, quality fruit as ever for GPL and no trace of vegetal aromas, scope to improve and much better than RP score would suggest! Just F (17.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2016 - vinum bonum wrote:
Super vin. Nez très ouvert, sur des notes secondaires typiques de Médoc. La robe est encore jeune, avec de l'éclat. La bouche est très belle, un équilibre parfait, avec une finale presque gourmande qui donne une belle impression de cohérence globale. La longueur n'est pas phénoménale, c'est sûr, mais le vin est un délice. Le bordeaux, quand c'est bon...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2015 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent wine! Complex and intense bouquet. Medium body, rounder than I would expect for the vintage. Complex on the palate with the nice caracteristics of aged claret. Long finish. Drinking really well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2015 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the downside there is an asparagus character (of the vintage). On the plus side this is starting to develop secondary smoky cigar-box characters of aged claret. Serious wine. Mid weight, very savoury.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2015 - alanh13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
With steak frites at home. Ahhhh that classic claret nose of pencil shavings, cassis and cigar box. Wonderful. I think it must have been ages since I've had a proper mature claret like this. This is why I love Bordeaux. Even in an off year, it is unmistakeable.
Lovely with mature Gruyere cheese also.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2015 - PJRONeill wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable if not a blockbuster. Some green notes to be sure but not off-putting to my taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2015 - Mlermontov wrote: 90 Points
great nose of blackberry, black fruit and cinnamon. a touch of green pepper is there but hardly noticeable, maybe a touch of lactic note that dissipated. with time - tobacco and pencil. mid is lighter than the nose suggests, classic notes and great acidity. touch of herbs on the finish - the tannins a bit rustic (perhaps the only place where the vintage shows). Tannins were still there on day two but so was the fruit and power. in a good place with no sign of decline.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2015 - rwpalmer wrote: 88 Points
From a magnum just out of bond. I was a bit concerned about the amount of browning (unusual for a 2002) but it was delightful to drink though almost completely tertiary. Gentle and delightfully old fashioned. Drink fairly soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted and drank over the next three hours. Tasted like a green pepper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2015 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another vastly underrated 2002. Classic Pauillac aromas of cigar box, cedar, cassis and lead pencil, classic Pauillac tastes of cassis, plum and violet, very suave and velvety, with a long, satisfying finish. This will probably improve further over the next two or three years and hold for another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2015 - Whitelion Likes this wine: 88 Points
Quite a surprise! Strong, complete experience... enjoyed it a lot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2015 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 92 Points
See my previous review.
Very classy. GPL handled this Cabernet-oriented vintage beautifully, or perhaps it suited their terroir?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2015 - vinum bonum wrote:
Vraiment un bon vin, encore jeune. Pas de trace visible d'évolution, encore du fruit, je m'attendais à moins à cause du millésime. Une certaine profondeur, du jus, une belle expérience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2014 - Zazzaman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another bottle consumed over the holidays. Very good austere Pauillac, perfect with food. Great value as always from GPL. 17/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2014 - popopdrops wrote: 85 Points
Det er vel ikke lov å være skuffet over en 2002, men likevel, her er det ikke mye å hente, flat, uttørret frukt, litt vandig. Kjedelig. Super nese, dog.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2014 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 92 Points
So fragrant. Lovely green pepper and current Cabernet aroma, with deft touch of oak.
Palate is slightly warmer riper than expected, but still red current and green pepper style. This is 2002 Bordeaux after all, but a reminder that this was still a good Cabernet vintage in the Medoc, at least among the talented Cru Classé.
Reminds me of some of the very best New Zealand cabernets of my youth. I can understand how this wine may not be appreciated by those who are used to the modern Napa Cabernet (or Barossa).
But this still oozes class. It's like a finely engineered German car.
Drink now? I hesitate to say that because it hasn't yet developed much in the way of secondary aged character. But certainly it is enjoyable now so why risk it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
8/3/2014 - La Grappe wrote: 86 Points
Initially, some attractive blackcurrant fruit and classic claret notes, but the wine is a bit dilute in the middle and falls somewhat flat at the end. Not a great GPL, even in the context of the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - AlanM68 wrote: 89 Points
Better than expected. In fact, far better than the last bottle which was green. Decanted for two hours. Rich, red colour. A little thin at the beginning but developed nicely. Drinking through 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2014 - Yme wrote:
Tasted over 2 days. Quite a powerful nose full of cassis with hints of oak and smoke. On the first day, the palate was tight and packed with cassis and oak. The bottle was left standing open for 7 hours before consumption but the consensus was the wine was too young.
On day two, the palate still felt tight but the wine wine felt more balanced. The black and red fruits mellowed alongside the oak and cigar box, smoke as well as some spices emerged. Very long length. Will try our next bottle after 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2014 - La Grappe wrote: 86 Points
Blackcurrant fruit, some oak and classic cigar box and spice overtones; reasonable weight, but the finish lets it down a bit. Not a great GPL, and not one of the better wines of the vintage, but decent enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2014 - AlanM68 wrote: 86 Points
Green. I wanted to like this more but it's showing some age - more brown in the glass than red - and the fruit doesn't show well. It's drinkable now, of course, but there is no harm in giving it a bit more time to see if it can shake off the greenness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2014 - La Grappe wrote: 84 Points
Mature, with quite ripe fruit and a creamy overtone. However, the structure is weak and the wine does not hold up well in the glass. 2002 was a difficult year and this is not one of the successful wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2013 - Dr AJ Likes this wine: 85 Points
Solid traditional claret. Good typicity. Dry, austere, classically tailored: cut just right, and not at all flashy. Not great either, however: slightly dull, with a shortish finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2013 - Soundcaresser wrote: 91 Points
Classic paulliac...surprisingly drinkable with little breathing time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2013 - Nostromo99 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definite signs of development on the nose - leathery, savoury notes - but still plenty of sweet fruit in there. Really lovely in the mouth. Hardly any tannin on the finish. Very good length. Complex, with loads of fruit mixing with the more savoury developed characters.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2013 - pjaines Likes this wine:
A lovely example of Bordeaux from a weaker vintage - lots of leafy cabernet fruit and red fruits. Complex, light on the palate but then the taste lingers much longer than expected. Some deeper meaty notes coming through. Impressive - not for those who like fruit bombs. This is old school Bordeaux.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2013 - La Grappe wrote: 85 Points
Initially, the fruit is quite fresh and reasonably concentrated, but as the air gets to it it becomes a bit dry and hard, and starts to taste vegetal and elderly. I don't see much future in this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2013 - davestenton wrote:
The Sampler Summer Tasting 2013 (The Sampler, Islington): Classic tomato leaf nose. Palate is earthy and savoury with some plum and just a touch of spice. Still a little unresolved tannin but you could drink this now. 16.5/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2013 - La Grappe wrote: 86 Points
This is drinking as well as it ever will. It has attractive, medium weight blackcurrant fruit and some creaminess. The structure is a bit loose, but it is a decent enough example from a difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2013 - vespasian wrote: 86 Points
Ruby medium core - a little cherry orange hue at the rim; leafy, earthy cassis note with mineral undertone, obviously a cool year. Pleasant though; medium weight, leafy cassis flavours. Elegant but quite short on the fruit. A nice drink but the fruit is fading - drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2013 - ntrubee wrote: 89 Points
dry minerally black fruit, still tannic after 1.5 hour decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2013 - elledeca wrote:
classic pauillac nose with tobacco, damp earth, cedar, a little bit of cassis. mouth consistent with nose, light bodied, with a rather short finish. perfectly enjoyable, but not sure how much I would pay for this. this was the first bottle of my fine wine collection!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 88 Points
Lovely, accessible Pauillac with a classic cut.
Refined nose of lady's soap from the days of yore, hinted stables and some sulphur. On the palate it is a very fine and highly pleasing Bordeaux that provided its pleasures without any need for us to bend over backwards trying to "understand" it. A most pleasing and restrained balanced mix of cedar, tannin, acids, Bordeaux earth and great disposition in the mouth, from the entry to the hatch. Early drinking window, nice price but will not reach the stars.
In the company of 2 Burgundies we didn't understand and a Chablis.
Non-blind. Had immediately at Miel (Yokohama) w/Gibo-san.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2013 - miadelt Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Vertical tasting of GPL, '00 through '05. Poured two hours before tasting. '01 was my favorite, followed by '05 (which may still improve with age), then '00, '04, and '02. All were medium bodied. Tannins were soft. '02 had green flavors.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2013 - Zazzaman Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a lovely GPL. Absolutely lovely nose of sweet blackcurrants with that smokey cedar pencil notes. It all continues on the palate with soft alluring tannins and a great balance. A very good wine. WoFW 17/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2013 - La Grappe wrote: 83 Points
This note covers two bottles, drunk on consecutive days. The first showed the weaknesses of the vintage. Although there were hints of classic claret character, the wine was rather loose-knit and rustic. Not one for keeping. The second bottle had a bit more life initially, but it seemed to lose its charm and harden up a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2012 - La Grappe wrote: flawed
Quite full, fairly mature fruit, but with a slight woodiness that was probably a touch of cork taint.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied and classic in style, the offers ample levels of cassis, earth, tobacco and forest floor notes. There is a touch of green olive and herbs in the bright, cassis and cranberry finish. Fans of traditional Bordeaux from less ripe, classic vintages will like this a lot more than I did.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2012 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
Quite full, but the fruit is not as lively as in better vintages; it seems fairly mature, but there is a slight dullness which makes me wonder if it might yet improve. Not a brilliant GPL.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2012 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
A fairly mature colour, with a touch of brown. Otherwise, this seems quite fresh and vigorous, with classic claret flavours. There is perhaps a lack of grip and intensity, but it is drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2012 - alanh13 wrote: 88 Points
This is just at beginning of drinking window. Popped & poured. Slightly muted nose. Palate is classic Bordeaux: cassis and gentle oak. Some nice sweetness on the finish. Still predominantly fruity & primary.
.. An hour & a half later and it has become much more secondary, nose opens up and notes of forest floor and earthiness. Finish is much drier than before. I think this is one of those ones worth drinking without a decant over a long time and watching it develop.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2012 - Lord Rayas wrote: 85 Points
Gentlemen's Lunch (HK Club): perfectly drinkable (if you're really out of options), but boring and uninspiring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2012 - TheWineMonkey wrote: 88 Points
On the nose there is plum, spice, cedar and a savoury note. On the palate, although not the most concentrated, has a good persistence. Tannins are not massive and has medium to high acidity. Plum fruit but slightly green.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2011 - stueys wrote: 90 Points
Still young, needs at least 2 hrs in the decanter. Classic pauillac but a bit muted, probably a bit early.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 88 Points
From a 375 bottle, the nose did not fully developed tonight, still classic left bank but nothing remarkable, body medium to light, tannins well integrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/24/2011 - french16 wrote:
Very dark cherry core, almost opaque. No sign of evolution on the rim. Textbook Pauillac nose. Cigar box, cedar, smoke. Very cabernet sauvignon. Cassis and some green. Surprisingly ripe dark fruit, rich texture but still showing a greeness on the palate (bell pepper like) and a hint of graphite. In spite of the rich fruit, the finish is slightly hollow, (most probably a sign of the vintage?).
Still a very classic Pauillac which may benefit from further ageing. Love the style.
It was very interesting to drink this GPL next to the 1987 Laurel Glen Cab as both noses were really similar (different palates though).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2011 - Racer117 wrote: 90 Points
What a proper claret. Not overpowering, perfectly subtle. Tasted after a 2 hour decant. Big cigar box and smoky nose. Greenish red fruit flavors and earthy/gravel tones. Reasonable finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2011 - TheWineMonkey wrote: 88 Points
The wine has a medium ruby to garnet colour. On the nose the wine has plum, chocolate, wood and cedar. There is also a hint of herbaceousness. On the palate it has medium acidity, a light to medium body and medium, but not drying, tannins. There is plum fruit and again a herbaceousness green streak to the palate. The length is good to very good easily exceeding 10 seconds. I like this style of wine, but perhaps with just a bit more fruit and body on the palate. Tasted from half bottle and served with lamb steaks, cedar mash and peas with a red wine gravy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2011 - jman wrote: 90 Points
medium dark color, smell of fruit and mint. Still very young wine, and quite tannic at opening. drinks well after 1.5 hours, can hold for few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2010 - alion wrote: 92 Points
No air - dark, tannic but with a mint freshness on the finish. Still like this more than most. As last month, and even without the air really enjoyable good value Pauillac. 2002 is a vintage that does it for me - sometimes a little green, tannic but with just enough blackcurrant fruit and cigarbox in the Pauillacs especially. Nice contrast to the much easier du Tertre.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2010 - alion wrote: 92 Points
4 hours air. Liked this more than others. Gentle blackcurrant and mint; air had resolved tannins. Smooth. Like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2010 - PhilJ wrote: 88 Points
No signs of aging. Nose and palate of smoky oak, not overpowering, but there is not much in the way of fruit. A lightweight year. Pleasant but not outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2010 - rwpalmer wrote: 87 Points
Still no sign of browning. Very cool, classical Pauillac nose. Light-mid weight with good length and moderate intensity. Lacks a little generosity and complexity, but okay for vintage. From a cool cellar likely to be good til 2015-18, though unlikely to out-grow its current limitations.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2010 - lotuspetal wrote: 86 Points
black fruits, oak, intense character on the nose like typical full-bodied Pauillac
But medium-bodied in the mouse and had a considerable acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2010 - Yagil wrote: 78 Points
while the aroma had some hints about the great wines of this chateau - the taste was bad and unpleasant. Maybe it was partially corky.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2009 - Alex H wrote: 84 Points
Bordeaux 2005 and 2006 Tasting; 10/22/2009-10/26/2009 (Wine For Asia Singapore Suntec): Pungent beefy notes intermixed with some herbaceous characteristics. Dark fruited. Rounded and quite big and juicy. In all textbook standards, this shows good pauillac typicity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2009 - jordidahl wrote: 89 Points
Medium depth, red-violet rim. Initially a bit closed but after 2 hours, very nice nose- creme de cassis allthough not very ripe, coffe, minerality. Medium bodied, a bit green, lacks in the middle palate however it has a nice acidity, making it very fresh. Nicely balanced. Will probably evolve in the nose, but will never be a 90+ wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2009 - G&A wrote: 88 Points
Fruity and full bodied on the nose. Not so much on the palate. A bit unbalanced.
Probably drunk too young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Much bigger than the previous bottle, excellent style, nicely defined difference with the Giscours 2002 also tasted today, blackcurrants and minerals. Lovely Pauillac.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2008 - amateurwino wrote: 88 Points
This had some nice Pauillac qualities, but on the whole comes off as underripe, a bit vegetal and bitter. A pronounced gravel note on nose and palate, just a bit more than I like, without lushness of fruit to offset it. Decanted about 90 mins before first taste; with a few more hours it did open up nicely and maybe got up to a 90 for me in terms of enjoyability. With my initial call of about 87pts, I'm giving it an average of 88-89. We tasted this in a flight against a 2005 Ramey Claret, which was better balanced, but overall I prefer the Pauillac flavor profile. Went really nicely with kalbi short ribs, as counterpoint to the sweet fattiness of the meat, as opposed to the Ramey, which was too sweet for the dish.
On a lark, I blended a little of the Lacoste and the Ramey and the resulting blend was better than either; the Ramey upped the ripeness factor of the Lacoste to make it feel like a riper vintage; the overoaky sweetness of the Ramey was mitigated by the earthiness of the Pauillac; an interesting experiment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2008 - tbabes wrote: 84 Points
Offered up scents of weedy blackcurrant, herbs, spicy oak and some green pepper; not particularly pleasurable. Fairly structured on the palate, but without the stuffing to back it up. Astringent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2008 - Brsed wrote: 79 Points
Nose of barnyard and vegetal. Tastes rather green and light. Don't think I would go back to this again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 89 Points
Light both in weight and structure but with delicious fruit and true Pauillac character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2008 - Baron Samedi wrote: 84 Points
Needed a lot of air to show its colours. Cassis, earth and espresso coffee. Initially a bit shallow on the mid-palate but gained weight as the evening wore on. Considerable acidity and tannins still present. Nice but not a heavyweight Pauillac. Give this another two or three years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2008 - Eating is Cheating wrote:
Irish Wine Board Pauillac Tasting (Irish Wine Board): From a Pauillac tasting at the Irish Wine Board. Only a quick sketchy note taken at the time. Circa €55 per bottle. Powerful nose of black fruits and coffee. Still quite tannic and acidic. Not really drinking yet. Has potential, but needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2008 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 85 Points
From 375ml. Classic Pauillac pencil shavings on nose. Some distracting rubber & herbal notes. Fruit emerged after time in glass. Tight, fairly austere with puckering tannins. Got much better with time in glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2008 - loverboy wrote: 88 Points
Nice medium body wine. good to drink
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2007 - Paul D wrote: 88 Points
Deep ruby core, narrow pale purple rim. Deep, intense, slightly closed nose with ripe cassis fruit, vanilla and just a hint of tobacco. Very fruit-forward on the palate with primary, ripe cassis fruit prominent. This has good depth and balancing acidity on the mid-palate and just a hint of the savouriness to come on the slightly abrupt and still quite tight finish. Needs at least another 3 or 4 years, has potential to improve considerably.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2007 - Tao wrote: flawed
Ouch! The wine is corked!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2007 - boreddoughboy wrote: 90 Points
I smell green peppers, light moderate finish. Opens up after a half hour. I like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2006 - wesselh wrote: 88 Points
Very nice wine. Still young and sharp. Light to moderate tannins. Very smooth. Medium bodied. Could be a very good wine in a few years time
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2005 - jmcmchi wrote:
Doesn't do much for me. Maybe in a few years..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2005 - MRichman wrote:
2002 Bordeaux Offline (Frank's Steakhouse, NYC): Punchy, tannic fruit. Flat-ish. Bitter dark fruit.
C+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment