Still very serious with a hint of cherry, dark fruit, leather, and tobacco. Crazy how a second wine can be lively after almost 30 years, but LLC is indeed immortal. Straightforward, not complicated, fruity driven, and silky with perfectly integrated tannins. Just wow. Splash decant is all it needs. Drink now.
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Decanted 90 and enjoyed over the next hour. Still not fully open for business but dark fruit and decent secondaries make this a wine that can be drunk now - better with food as a bit austere. Fruit seems like it will hold for a while so maybe this gets a bit better with age but enjoyable with a decant and with food now. B+/A-
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Decanted 2 hrs. Oct. 8, 2023 and served with veal chop & porcini mushrooms: cork still intact; still youthful, energetic with a lively nose, great complexity and depth with a panoply of flavors mid-palate, and long finish with a hint of spice. Perfect food pairing. Really an outstanding wine in all ways and easily surpassed a 1995 Leoville Las Cases drunk 2 years ago. Day 2: served with Steak Diane (milder version of steak au poivre) and still going strong.
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Badly corked and impossible to assess. Interesting that the previous bottle I had not that long ago was like a blank slate, with virtually nothing of interest, almost flavorless. That impression can come from minute amounts of cork (TCA) that are really hard to detect or below detection. I am only moderately sensitive to detecting TCA so that may explain how insipid the previous bottle was.
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Gorgeous mature Saint Julien with plenty of time left at its apex. Not tired. Balanced and classic with graphite, smoke, poturri, leather, tobacco, cherry and black currant fruit, and organic soil. There is a deft freshness and the wine still posseses tension and energy. Lovely integration, nice balance between fruit and acid. A real buy at a fair price.
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Tasted as a bit of a calibration exercise following yesterday’s lunch. I think both the serving temp and my ability to focus made this a much better wine. Colour garnet just a hint of bricking. Not a super expressive nose, a bit of earth and a hint of red currant perhaps? On the palate, good acidity, some plum perhaps, somewhat drying tannins, a lovely structure there.
Having with food brings out the fruit, and also accentuates the spicy notes.
After a few hours - there is a more pronounced campfire note, but also the vaguest sour cherry note that I don’t often associate with claret.
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Family do with Barbecue, Pizza and Salads (Leafy West London): Double decanted an hour before serving, probably served slightly too warm. Lovely stuff, but perhaps lacking a little bit of the elegance and focus I associate with 96 left bank. I think this may well have been down to serving temp. Will try another soon to be sure…
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Was worried that it be might corked and passed it’s best given many prior reviews.
I had a sipped without decant and it was still fresh. I expected to be weak but to the contrary the bottle I had was still very much comes with strength.
It tasted more opened after decanting for 1-2 hours. The finish is certainly still there considering this is 26 years old. I really enjoyed this bottle can have it all night in one sitting.
I don’t recommend decanting this one as I prefer the freshness straight from bottle.
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Decanted for an hour which was plenty. Subdued nose of pencil lead, cassis and cedar. The wine drank well with a medium-bodied, mildly austere palate presence. It exhibited mostly secondary characteristics with a cedar tinged finish. While unlikely to see further upside, I expect this will continue to hold for a number of years. Very enjoyable with charcuterie.
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Had with grilled ribeye while watching Pursuit of Love. Excellent pairing. Nothing extraordinary, but still holding its own. Dense color, red fruits, leather. Needed better decanting than I gave it.
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Not great, but quite nice. Low alcohol, high acid. Pronounced notes of cassis on opening. Some cigar box, even menthol later. Ate with skirt steak.
It's easy to rubbish just any Bordeaux in comparison with its more refined siblings. But for a minute just appreciate the personality, longevity, and voice of a wine such as this.
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Seemingly a divisive wine, the 1996 Clos du Marquis does start out a touch meager, especially when compared with its senior sibling in this vintage; but it fleshes out with a decant considerably, offering up aromas of cassis, loamy soil, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate with an ample if somewhat open-knit core that's girdled by chalky tannins and lively acids.
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Aromas are fine here with lovely tertiary forest floor but the wine feels diluted on the palate, even for someone like me who drinks a lot of Pinot Noir.
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Brick red but plenty of tannin still. Pencil shavings and cedar on the nose .The palate is a little reticent compared to the bouquet . Sound but on its way gently down hill.
Rather dead and fruitless on second day - possibly faulty
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Cellared since release. 2h decant. Perfectly sound bottle that is what it is. Color is just starting to show some brick. Nose is nice enough. Plum fruit, some cedar, a little spice box. But on the palate, it’s too round, lacking balance. It reminds me a bit of some California Pinots where the fruit takes center stage but the finish lacks any sense of grip to balance it out. Flabby and frankly, kind of boring. I never really cared much for this wine and I’m perfectly happy that this was my last bottle. If you have this sell it. If you insist on drinking it — drink up soon. It has nowhere good to go from here, IMO.
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Mature. Great balance between fruit and tannins and acids. Agree with comments about the length...definitely a little short on the finish but it is a lovely BDX for what it is. Old world through and through.
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Medium ruby. Faint aromas balanced between dark fruit, tobacco and cedar. The tertiary aromas and flavors seem to be a little more present but still not a lot going on. Finish shows more tannin but still not a lot of depth to the wine.
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Dinner at Windsor Arms. Mid ruby. Wine is in a good condition. Tannins have softened with age. Good concentration of dark fruit, some hints of blood sausage, no sign of fading fruit. Overall quite elegant and evidently aging well but this is probably as good as it gets. This does not have the weight or depth of flavor of the Leoville Barton 1996 tasted the previous night
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This one is dying... It lacks fruit, any depth and the finish is short and very bitter. At long last, this wine is a shell of itself. The only thing good about it was the persistence of it not getting "baked". Still looks pretty in the glass, but by no means is this drinkable to those of us who know what to expect from it... Was very sad to pour my last magnum down the drain along with the $200 spent on it in 2017... Ex-Chateau, but now simply X.
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Mature colour. Lovely classic cedar tobacco weave on the nose. Beautifully understated on palate but surprisingly long finish with ripe fruit. Tannins have melted away but enough structure for a few more years. Bodes well for the grand vin
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Decanted and served and never kicked into gear and we felt like the best years of this wines were 5yrs or so ago. We are big lovers of 1996 left bank and usually at this stage these wine perform superbly but this did not and maybe it's an indication , albeit this is strictly not a second wine, that second wines did not make the journey? A good 89-90 but not there for its price.
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Funny how these things go. This bottle, from same stock and also consumed over dinner at 67PM was pulled and decanted right as dinner started. Dark color with forest floor and dark cool fruits on the nose. With 20 minutes of air it was quite good and at an hour it was probably as good if not better than my last note. No doubt this is classic Bordeaux and I do think it will improve with age but right now may be better PNP than the longer decant I have tried recently. A-
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Decanted 2 hours. Hint of brick red with a mahogany edge. Bouquet fully developed. Generous, chewy fruit and perfectly integrated silky sweet tannin. I think I will finish it up in the next 12 months but it augers well for the '96 L-LC
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Decanted 3+ hours. Nice, classic nose of dark cool fruit and forest floor. Not all the body you want in a '96, but well made and good with food. Tannin still there on the finish but not overpowering. Maybe this will improve and flesh out, but decent,classic Bordeaux now - just not special. B+/A-?
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Last bottle of a half dozen which I've drunk over the last couple of years. All have been delicious, but this is just starting to thin out. Clear warm ruby with a little touch of volatility on the nose. Pretty red fruit. Some gloss and length remaining. Very enjoyable, but don't wait any longer with these.
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Drinking very nicely with up to three more years left. No bricking and ruby red. Soft tannins and ample fruit. It took two hours to really open up. Perfect with rack of lamb. I am sure over time the fruit will fade so my suggestion is to open the bottle soon while the wine is medium bodied.
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With porcini crusted filet mignon sous vite with black truffle butter demiglacé. Classic St Julien. This one is very feminine and silky, almost Burgundian in texture. Black currrant, lead, Asian spice box, mushrooms. Drinking beautifully at the moment and no reason to hold. Purchased from PC 10 years ago for around $35. Crazy...
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This probably had 90 minutes of air in the decanter by the time we got to it. Classic Bordeaux, showing '96 in style, with nice balance and great with food. Still some structure but nothing noticeable. With enough air (I would go 2 hours to be safe) this shows very well but is going to be around for a while. Nothing show stopping, but solid and was a great value. A-
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Deep ruby in colour, fantastic nose! Aroma of sheer dark currants, a hint of spicy oak, some minerals! Simple palate, pure fruits showing and a touch of tannins, quite smooth and some spice! Drink now or over the next few years! Should pair it with some rich cheese!
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Brooding, tantalizing and softening over the 1.5 decant... Enjoyed with our friends at Capital Grille from a magnum... Acquired the wine from Zachy's ex-chateau and was in pristine condition... The cork was half was saturated, not much sediment at all though... Out of the bottle a bit tight, but great structure and elegance. No sign of deterioration at all, i had several of these ten years ago, tasted as good then as it does now from what i can recall. Cedar and tart cherry dominate the wine... As the evening progressed, it got better as the tannins softened revealing a very surprisingly good 21 yr old second wine! I have one more mag, will save for another special occasion, but probably should be consumed within the next couple of years. I can only imagine how good Las Cases must be in 1996! If you can get some ex-chateau, i would recommend it highly.
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I've always enjoyed this wine as an affordable LLC-adjacent stand-by - it can be rough around the edges, but it's got a solid spine of St Julien flavor. This was my first 1996. First off, it's a touch thinner than other vintages I've had. Normally, this is a thick, meaty wine that needs an equally meaty dish to bring the best out of it. Not a huge gust of fruit, so maybe showing its age. The nose was uncharacteristically delicate and light, but still, after a good hour to open it up it had nice stony finish and warmth in the middle. No fireworks, but a solid deal for the price.
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App: deep purple red with beginning brick notes Aroma: leather, tobacco, ceder, pencil, oak and a hint of dried fruit. Full-bodied with very good acidity and available tannins. Excellent length. (92)
Drinking perfectly at the moment. Nice!
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Spreitzer, Aubry, Realm, clos du Marquis (Front Patio): Opened and decanted for sediment. Purple in color. The nose is nice. Clean, not much funk. Cassis, dark cherries, slight tobacco. On the palate, tannins resolved. Slight depth and complexity. I would have thought more. Otoh, drinking well and certainly not showing a lot of age. Fresh, not dried fruit on the palate. Nice finish. I bought this bottle shortly after release. I can't remember exactly when this went from being a second label to a separate bottling to its own wine. IIRC, it was still a second at this point, but in any event, this has developed nicely for a 2nd. Based on this bottle, it wont get better but no hurry.
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Blackcurrant, redcurrant, yogurt, cedar, some leather and developing tertiary notes on the nose. Medium body, medium silky tannins that have already settled noticeably. The primary fruit has already faded somewhat, empasizing the acidity. Medium to long finish. Interestingly, I found the same lactic, yogurt-like notes in '96 Léoville-Las Cases as well.
Well balanced and drinking well now, although will not probably improve anymore. It does not have the depth or the intensity of its more accomplished peers, but offers still a quite fresh, firm, classic claret profile without too much ripeness or extra frills.
Poured into decanter and drank over several hours. Still a fairly dark garnet in the glass. This is a very traditional even austere style of Bordeaux so not for everybody. On the palate medium bodied with not the slightest touch of sweetness. Dark fruit, some sous bois, over time fine to medium tannins appear. Rather short finish. Not a bad wine, clearly Bordeaux but would have guessed this to be a off vintage (eg 94 or 98) of a better Northern Medoc Grand Cru. For 96 this is just a little disappointing. 89-90
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WOTN. had this versus a 2002 Caymus, a 2007 Larkmead and a 1996 Clos du Marquis. This was darker fruit than the Caymus, but plenty generous, lush with more complex secondary flavors and an incredible 20+ second finish that belied its age. a very very appealing wine that is not showing its 15 years of age. the Caymus was 2nd place with plenty of bright fruit, very soft tannins and a finish that was shorter but still 10+ seconds. one of the best non Special selects i've had and also not showing its 14 years of age. Larkmead was a delicious napa cab that paired perfectly with a dark chocolate cake. nothing notably distinct about it, but it was very good. the 96 Clos Du Marquis was the disappointment. incredibly thin and as it opened, it really had no fruit, no finish and was quite past its prime - so disappointing, it almost makes me wonder if it was very good even in its prime!
Dark red with a brownish hue, cigarbox, blackcurrant, some pencil shavings. Very mature tannins, soft and velvety. Drink up, but fresher than last bottle. Still a very good wine.
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Opened one hour then decanted one hour. An additional hour next time. Mid red some maturity at rim. Nose initially dumb then after an hour developed into elegant classic st julien cedar mineral with firm structure. Very classic balanced palate,silky tannins firm red fruit, more tobacco and cedar good length. Lovely and in a good spot.
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The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), oak, violet and chocolate. It tastes like blueberry, black currant (cassis), oak and vanilla. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Crowd pleaser, wine of night with 2 other L Bank and St Emilion.
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A very solid performer in the class "everyday claret". Dark purple color, nose of cassis, leather and a touch of bacon. On the palate there are more cassis, leather, sweet tobacco and something musty. Tannins so smooth and silky mouth feel. A very solid vine.
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I was pleasantly surprised at the life left in this bottle after reading some of the recent reviews. A bit closed at open, I decanted/drank over about 2 hours and after an hour it was really nice, long silky tannins with dark chocolate, leather, cherry, tobbaco on the palate. Probably not much life left though so drink up if you have!
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Belle robe rouge feu. Au nez, à l'ouverture, c'est surtout humus et la terre, mais avec 2 heures d'aération, c'est plutôt sur le café, les fruits mûrs, le caramel et le tabac. En bouche, l'attaque est mûre avec une bonne vivacité et un beau fruit rouge et noir dont des éléments clairement de cabernet. S'ajoute à ça le café, le cuir et le thé. Mûr, avec une bonne concentration et une longueur au-dessus de la moyenne. Pas mal, mais à 65€, le rapport qualité prix est moyen. J'ai préféré le style du 2006, mais c'est pas mal dans tous les cas.
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mid red with some maturity. Classic cedar cigar box on nose . Good mouthfeel, fruit still present but tannins loosened. Very attractive well balanced with enough drive to last.
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Classic claret, opaque crimson red with a brick tint at the edge, blackcurrant, dark cherry, cedar, tobacco and graphite. Smooth tannins with a velvety finish that is quite long. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. A very nice glass indeed, and a good companion to tonights sirloin from Omaha and a sauce Bernaise.
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Dark crimson with minor bricking. Nose textbook St Julien with cassis, dark cherry, cedar and tobacco touches. Palate smooth and easy with quite intense fruit again with that dark cherry lift. Fine tannin finish. Textbook 'second wine' well matured.
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Initially decanted for 2 hours. Tasted up against 96 Las Cases it first stood out as very pronounced (and young/vivid) but not much happened from there, that caught my keen interest as least (given that the Las Cases opened up in parallel....). It is a decent effort for sure, although I had hoped for more. Maybe as a stand alone it would have appeared better.
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Dégustation d'une autre série de Clos du Marquis provenant directement de la propriété. A comparer avec la dégustation d'un lot acheté (Dégustation SV/OW le 17.08.2014)
Rubis très profond, grande densité, ocelle brique. Lourd et brillant. Larmes moyennes, lentes, peu fréquentes. Fruits rouges (cerise), fruits noirs (mûres), bois, empyreumatique, épices (poivre), eucalyptus. Attaque souple et enveloppante sur le fruit. Grande concentration aromatique. Milieu de bouche sur un mélange de cerises complété de notes de mûres. Développement sur le cacao brulé. Grande et belle finale sur le chocolat et de fines notes de bonbon anglais. Grande finesse couplé à une magistrale puissance aromatique pour ce 1996 parfait en 2014. Douceur, suavité, sans aucune lourdeur. Ce vin qui présente une étonnante fraicheur se boit exceptionnellement bien.
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Younger than I was expecting, still mostly red on the rim and mildly tannic, I decanted for an hour. Red fruit dominates and it has a pretty bouquet. A medium length finish. All told, a lovely wine, smooth and well balanced. That said, I'd been hoping for a bit more than it gave.
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Rubis profond, assez lourd, très brillant. Nez de fruits noirs compotés, sur un fond de bois vanillé. Attaque franche et vive laissant apparaître des arômes de fruits rouges acides. Belles notes de bois de cèdre, puis de fruits plus avancés. Belle finale avec de beaux tanins bien présents et une extraordinaire acidité résiduelle. Vieux millésime du Clos du Marquis en pleine jeunesse. Belle expression de Cabernet-sauvignon d'un magnifique terroir.
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Really interesting experience. Initially out of the bottle, pleasant - leaves, tobacco, some dark fruit. Ordinary taste with no finish. 2 hours in, I thought it was a bad bottle. Tannic, disappointing. At 3 hours, it recovered, drinking nicely with more typical blackberry nose. Cabernet dominates on e palate.
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Less interesting than previous bottles, was showing a bit angular and tannic with a bit less fruit concentration and balance. Still a lovely Bordeaux but have had better bottles of this wine.
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this is underrated. it opened up muted and not much to it. but as it opened it got better and better. very enjoyable; some tobacco notes; great soft tannins. very enjoyable. but def decant for at least an hour
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Medium deep red. Cassis cab fruit, some currenty dark fruit, soft, quite thick, bit of tannin, and that's about it. No secondary flavours, no complexity, for a 17 year old wine its dense and very much alive but to be honest there is no interest... certainly this bottle was not worth waiting 17 years for...
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Had this in a flight with 2000 Pontensac. Red fruit on the nose, spices, tobacco, but a little muted and not overly complex. On the palate, good fruit, quite acidic, a bit sour, slightly lean, hardly any tannins, not too complex but well made, medium length. Drink now - 2015.
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early stages of maturity on colour. Classic cedar and lead pencils underscored by firm fruit. Ready to go and very well balanced. lacks a bit of interest but probably drank a little too warm. Good wine.
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Cassis, hints of tobacco and cigar box on the nose, before a well-rounded mouthful of cassis and blackberry. There's a good freshness to the finish and this is definitely a good example of CDM, but it doesn't have the concentration or the persistence of the 90, nor does it really compare to all the St.Julien CCs in this vintage. A very enjoyable wine, but CDM isn't quite what some would have it to be.
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Deep dark red with very little brick on the rim; still very youthful. Black fruit and graphite come out with some coaxing; still tight and needed about an hour to open up. Balanced with ripe tannins and moderate finish. Very enjoyable now with but better in three to five years.
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wine may have had some hints of smoke and tobacco scant bright cherry fruit for 15mins after popping beautiful garnet color the acid helped cleanse the palate for a meal of burgers and ribs at Houston's in Hackensack however it devolved into a fruitless flavorless pedestrian table wine with a reasonably sharp tannic bite to finish no finesse no voluptuous mouthfeel
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Colour: med garnet, developing tawny rim. Nose: med intensity, developing, cassis, cedar, graphite pencil shavings Palate: med plus intensity, cassis, cedar, graphite shavings, med plus body, long length, med tannins, well rounded. Concentrated, elegant, aged Bordeaux with lovely depth of flavour and great freshness of fruit.
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Medium bodied, deep purple, is classic in structure and should be drunk now. Oak, currant and tannis that have rounded out, the fruit is at is peak and will begin fading. Nice wine, but next to the 2004 Pape Clement- a long second.
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Non-blind. From wine-dispenser at Riedel Wine Bar (Sogo Enoteca, Yokohama). Impression: Outstanding with extra wow. Beautiful dark garnet color with signs of maturity. On the nose brett welcomes you with horses' stables, L+. Yummy! On the palate the first impression is 薄い - weak. Because the acids overpower the fruit and tannin. The entry is all about the acids, so it takes a while to accommodate the senses to this little special build. The mid-palate shows good fruit (pomegranate and red currants) and ends with earthy notes, unnecessary bitterness and a thorough homage to the stables of this World. After getting to grips with its constitution, this is an intense wine at the early stage of maturity. Enjoyable today with more to come for the patient ones. Little too expensive here in Japan, but I see that you can get it for €40 elsewhere. Not too bad, but not interesting enough for me.
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bottle released from las cases last week. Breeze of freshness, earthy, ripe blackberries. Amazing purity and concentration of flavor Medium body, crunchy ripe tannin, earthy, amazing balance, purity and class. Simply delicious
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Classic Medoc nose of perfumed red apple skin, cassis, sandalwood and cigar box. A touch of ladies handbag. Delicious palate with juicy perfumed Cabernet fruit with that St-Julien femininity. Fine talc like tannins. Really delicious, especially considering what I paid for this wine...
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a wonderful experience - lovely classic medoc wine in early maturity. generous byt with well judged acid and tannic balance. textbook pencil shavings - a fruit dominate wine that certainly has the mocha and toast character of oak but relies on the quality of the fruit. classic mid palate in an amalgam of new and old style bordeaux. no doubt the grand wine is decades away from its peak but this wine offers huge enjoyment now and probably for at least another decade. Outstanding.
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This a very vigorous botle in its drinking window. Characteristic of the vintage with ripe fruit but firm structure. A lot of blackcurrant fruit and cedar, lush and velvety but enough acidity to cut through the food.
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Opened bottle at noon, but didn't decant, and drank at dinner. Fantastic nose of fruits and cassis, with a tint of charcoal. Tannins were very much tamed and with great length. In fact, I could still taste it after a full 30 seconds! Rivals some of the grand vins. Highly recommended.
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I am enjoying a few 96s now as they seem to be in quite a good place. This one was no different with that classic Bordeaux nose of graphite, cedar and pencil shavings. Lovely weight with not a hint of greenness and a palate dripping with cassis, tobacco and some earth and tariness that seemed to work well. Need to find a few more from this vintage.
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Color is surprisingly dark and dense; the color of blackberries. Not much to the nose, hints of oak and dark fruits with a touch of Eucalyptus. The palate is medium dense with good balance. Again, dark berries (in abundance) and a touch of oak are the dominant themes. The finish is pleasant and lingers with a bit of pucker towards the end. Overall, a nice wine that should continue to improve for several more years, especially since mine was 375ml. Not a blockbuster, but a very good wine. I intend to give my other bottle until at least 2014.
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Same as previous bottle - very enjoyable. I also appreciated more on this occasion the good definition and a certain crispness to the attack and the palate, certainly in contrast to a recently disappointing flabby Cal cab.
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Acquired from store that had this recently shipped in from the winery (through importer). Decanted for 1 hour and then enjoyed with grilled NY Strips (salt / pepper / olive oil). Some bricking around edges but looked relatively young. Drinking quite nicely now - currants (more red than black), cedar, earthy nose. On palate, medium body / acids & well integrated tannins on long finish - impeccable balance and very easy to drink. Palate consistent with nose + apricots / currants / blackberry. My wife really enjoyed as well.
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Nice, medium-aged Bordeaux. Not on it's last legs but the fruit is fighting to hang on. Moderately expressive nose, tannins a bit drying on the finish. Drink now-2016.
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12,50% alc., Purpurrot mit leichten Randaufhellungen. In der Nase Leder, Bleistift, erdige Noten, Weihrauch und etwas rote Beeren; tolle Nase, klassisch Bordeaux; sehr elegant und animierend, auch animalisch, nicht aufdringlich, aber wie selbstverständlich präsent. am Gaumen eine sehr schöne Eleganz, wunderbar eingebundene Säure, frischer Eindruck, die Geruchseindrücke kehren wieder, wiederholen sich am Gaumen und gleiten in den langen Abgang. Sehr schöner Wein, PLV ist natürlich jenseits, aber das ist Bdx.
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translucent ruby. straight sawdust / dirt on the nose. some fruit upon opening but shut down soon after. same on the palate. disappointing. half went down the drain
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Dark crimson with a glass lining at the edges. Nose is sharp with hints of rich St. Julien earth, leather and mushrooms. The body is light but spikes at the mid palate with lively acidity then fans out at the end with gripping, mineral-filled tannins. Flavors of leather, pencil shavings, dark cherry, toasted strawberry, currant, oak and tobacco. Drink now.
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A mixed showing for this bottle. Still enjoyable, but this one was on the verge of cresting. Leathery cassis nose was still there, and the fruit showed ripe and in balance, but turned a touch raisin with time in the glass. I would advise opening and pouring rather than a decant at this stage, we may have pushed it beyond its comfort zone! So how about 90 for the wine and -3 for the wine lover!
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Great stuff! Has put on weight. Good fruit structure with tannins fully resolved. Great texture with nice finish. Wish I had more than one last bottle. Should hold for another 10 years.
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I also disagree with the poor reviews. This is delicious, with ripe fruit, no green streaks, and a really fine and balanced toasty oak (done in the subtle French style) that gives real aromatic interest. It's not exactly full bodied but that's par for second wines, but nor was it thin or watery. It made a nice change from the massive backward St-Js I usually go for. Enjoyed this.
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Deep red cherry Nutty soft nose with nice fruit. Quite pleasant but lacks some complexity and definition. Medium bodied with quite lean fruit tannin and structure. Nuts and woodiness, black currant and blueberries. Good lengt but lacks depth. Had more expecations based on how I remember this wine from last time i tasted it. Not flawed but mabye bottle varaition?
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Color: A deep garnet that was dark right to the edges. Nose: Blackberries, Cassis, Graphite, Green Tobacco, Earth and Leather. Palate: Fully resolved tanins make the wine silky smooth on entry and and medium bodied. Great Blackberry, Sour Cherry and Cassis fruit remain in this wine, and yet the nuances of tobacco, loamy earth, old leather and black tea are coming though nicely. Finish: Moderate length finish that continues with the black/red fruit notes.
Good St. Julien in a good vintage for reasonable money. Disagree with the poor reviews. This is a drink me now wine that is great.
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Everything about this wine was a bit muted and diluted. Rather faint nose of graphite, blackberries. Very smooth on the palate, nearly no tannins and not enough concentration. If you have this, drink up.
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Colour of deep and clear ruby-garnet with little bricking at the edge if any. Barnyard, earth, tobacco and maybe a touch of brettanomyces on the nose, but little in the way of fruit. Palate a little linear with some residual but fading red fruit, dominated by sour cherry. Some not unpleasant, but perhaps unbalanced leathery, mushroomy notes on the midpalate leading to a still robust tannic finish with good length. At or past its best, I suspect. Drink up.
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no amount of air could bring this wine to 96 Bordeaux I know. Weak, despite the good nose and perky color, the wine is not which could have sold on it's own if it wasn't for the flag ship of the property. Disappointing to say the least.
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Retail bottle, held 2 years. Great firm cork. Double decanted, no sediment. Opaque red. Strawberry, cassis, and leather nose, medium bodied, well balanced, and easily enjoyed. Very good length and acidity still in the bottle. This is quite attractive. At a good peak now. Always nice to open a 15 year old bottle with confidence that it will show well.
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I tasted this a number of times on separate occasions in 2009. I typically bring it up from the cellar a day or two before the dinner. I find it presents at its best if I remove the cork about six hours before serving. A gorgeous nose and pure silky loveliness in the mouth. Most recently tasted alongside the 1996 Barton and the 1996 Léoville Poyferré. Most thought the Barton won by a fraction, but the Clos du Marquis was favoured by one.
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Last of 3 bottles, this one was between the prior 2. My 1/25/10 note described the wine pretty well I think. This is an elegant wine, drinking well, silky smooth, but it was not quite as impressive as 1/25. If you have this, I'd suggest drinking up over the next few years. There was no sign of deterioration, but I don't sense this will get better.
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Dark red, no hint of bricking. Wonderful, complex nose of red and black fruit, earth and smoke. A bit of Bordeaux funk that blew off quickly. Medium bodied, very smooth. Red and black fruit on the palate. very clean, lingering finish. Great food wine This is drinking incredibly well now, much better than the last bottle in 2007.
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I was warned by Wine Berserkers tasters that the wine is as exciting as watching the paint dry, and they were right on the money. Perfect storage as far as high neck fill, cork and color is concerned, but the wine itself failed to produce an excitement one can associate with 13 years old Bordeaux. I have 2 bottles left and will gladly trade it to anybody who is into that kind of things.
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audoze aired for 3 hours. Nice tart cherry fruit with almost zesty finish. Wife detected vanilla and mocha on the finish. It improved with another 2 hours of air. Not amazing but slips down the gullet with joy.
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Lovely aromas of cassis, toast and tobacco leaf. On the palate, the lovely cassis fruit carried on, lifted by cedar, pepper, and a hint of minerality. This in no way betrays its age.
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After less than 30min decanting it showed it is at its peak. Valvet, silky tanins, very long finish.Ripe but not dominant berry fruit. Hope i ever get the chance to try a LLC 96'.
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Delicious wine with all the gorgeous complexity of St. Julien. Lighter than a Barton but beautiful. Incredible value. Aerated for 2 hours in bottle. Probably at its peak, but not declining.
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Dinner with family friends at the HKJC. Not decanted.
Nose: Barnyard aromas prevailed during the initial 15 minutes upon opening. A bit alcoholic at first, followed by black currant and cherries. Less pleasant than the half a dozen bottles I've had over the past 4-5 years. The brett didn't completely go away until about 45 minutes in the glass.
Color: Dark ruby color core, garnet near the edge
First tasted about 20 minutes after opening. Medium-bodied, notes of black berries, subtle oak and herb. Typical profile of a classic claret just hitting the plateau of maturity. Impressive balance and satisfied with what the mid palate delivered (for a second wine). Finish was about 20 seconds, a bit short when compared to the previous bottles I had. Finished the last sip at the 2.5 hr mark and no signs of fading.
Ready for drinking now but I think it can still last for over 10 years easily.
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Deep red, bright in appearance - young looking. Nose conjured up wood, brambles, mushrooom and hint of menthol. Lots of great fruit - blackcurrant and strawberry stood out. Very well balanced and smoothe wine. Soft tannins. A wine on great form.
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Sweet fruit and good concentration, but straightforward. Very pleasant, but seems to have lost its tannins without developing a complex Bordeaux secondary profile.
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This seems to have become somewhat rough and bitter and is not particularly enjoyable at present, although it does have considerable depth. So it is either past its best or it is going through a rather dull phase and will need 3 to 5 years to open out again.
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I had this wine many years ago and enjoyed it--which is why I was thrilled to death to pick up another six at auction the other day. The wine looked youthful when I poured it into the decanter. I think this wine tastes like what an every day old world wine is supposed to. The nose is Sucrets (the throat lozenge) and the color is not quite brick but maybe raspberry red. The wine is smooth, without the velvet of a greater wine. The more this wine showed the better it was but unfortunately it was so good I gobbled it all down.
It can't be a 92 without having some greatness but this was very good.
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Very nice starting to enter maturity with deep ruby and slightly paler at the rim. Tannin fairly mild and fruit a bit restrained. This was not decanted and so with time it opened and displayed rich, fairly sweet cassis fruit. I wish I had more of this.
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Quite dense and concentrated; perhaps beginning to lose its freshness although it should still evolve and perhaps improve; a well made wine but it does not sparkle at present (or at least this bottle didn't).
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UK Wine Pages - Vintage Pairs Offline (Le Colombier, Kensington, London): Deep ruby core, medium rim. Spice, gravel, dark cassis fruit on the nose - obviously left bank. Quite youthful and nice pure fruit. Similar cassis dominated palate, but nice gravelly complexity, lovely fresh acidity and decent depth. Still quite tannic on the finish. Excellent, quite classy, punching above its weight.
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There is considerable depth to this wine, and it is beginning to attain some maturity, but it retains a slightly bitter taste which may yet disappear with time. In spite of this, there is plenty of ripe cabernet fruit in evidence and it has a hint of the style of the Lacases itself, although it is more rustic than refined.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Beautiful nose: cherry, vanilla and oak. Very restrained on the palate. Cherry, red fruit, cedar with hint of smoke. Incredibly smooth but still some tannins left. Overall very elegant and refined but not splashy.
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This had a herby nose as well as pencil shavings and leather. Lovely balance with some ageing and a freshness from the acidity. Good finish, great wine.
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WL Chicago Blind Bordeaux night (my house): nose: big left bank nose with pencil shavings, tobbacco, and leather. This is straight up old world on the nose, and I'm a fan
taste: really nice. Still some firm tannins for extra life, but they don't get in teh way. Getting cranberry, leather, and some cigar box on the mouth. real nice finish on this one.
overall: real good structure for more aging. I really liked drinking this one. It's just got that extra oomph to it that makes it good, and it's appreciated
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Delicious. Took about 3 hours to open up. I wouldn't wait much longer to open. It was very muted and flabby initiall. Once it opened up though, it was classic Bordeaux. Graphite, red fruit, cigar box, etc.
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Very good, but not outstanding - A dark purple-coloured wine with rich, expansive character. The wine exhibits plenty of sweet kirsch black currant fruit intermixed with high quality, subtle new oak, and steely, mineral characteristics. Rich and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannin.
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Lovely aroma - some leather over berry. Enticing. Palate well balanced and refined. Longish finish. Did not enjoy the last 2 bottles this much - I think it is coming out of its shell. Medium body. Best bottle I have drunk since it was quite young. Maybe I have drunk the other bottles too soon? Very good wine.
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This bottle showed slight seepage, so I opened it earlier than planned. Bottle was fine. Previous notes have captured this pretty well, I think. It is a fine wine, drinking well now so no particular reason to wait, but no hurry to drink remaining bottles for at least a few years. It is very smoothe on entry, with still a small but not off-putting tannic bite. It offers moderate complexity, but is just short of outstanding. An enjoyable wine, that as I recall was fairly cheap when I bought it about 6 or 7 years ago.
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Tasted at Citronelle in Washington DC ($120 on the wine list). Dark color. Bretty nose of sweaty horse saddle. Blackcurrant flavors are front and center. Very round and polished. Needed some angles and complexity. A decent bottle of wine, but paled in comparison to the '96 La Croix de Beaucaillou we drank alongside it.
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Good not great. Difficult time coaxing much out of this. Perhaps it is still closed. Seemed to be something in there that didn't want to show itself yet.
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Fully open and very drinkable. Nothing spectacular, but it has good harmony and is soft and easy on the palate. The finish is restrained but satisfying - no real tannins. g+
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Almost no ageing on the rim. Slightly over oaky/pencil nose still. Classy. Soft entry though slightly tannic finish. Nice, but not earth shattering. A solid wine.
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After reading all the notes around here, I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned the aroma of lead pencil, which I find so typical for this wine. I had this in my mind from the last bottle drunken about 1,5 years ago and immediately spotted this again. Other aromas were a mixture of dark and red fruits (really not easy to tell which is more prominent) and some leather and wood notes adding a good complexity (I guess this mixture could be the "funk" mentioned several times here). This was a perfectly stored bottle and showed absolutely no signs of aging. In fact, if you had told me this was 2002 Bdx, I would have believed this immediately. It is very enjoyabel drinking now, but definitely not at it's peak yet. I would suggest keeping this at least for another 4-6 years.
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Deep garnet beginning to orange/pink at rim. Lovely pure cassis and blueberry dominated nose with a bit of vanilla and soap (not too strong). There is a minerality that cuts under the fruit that is welcome and keeps everything in balance. This wine took a load of time to open – initially tight and unforthcoming, but seductive, yet firm with air. The nose is very distinct with the soap influence. The wine is just entering its plateau with full, ripe flavors yet a tannic backbone. This is lovely with lamb for dinner. I think this might be the best bottle yet (though sadly my last). (17.5)
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Delicious wine! Decanted for 1 hr and then enjoyed over the next 3. I'm not very experienced with Bordeaux wines, but this is just right to my palatte -- cassis, wood, stone, leather and cedar. Not the over-the-top fruit bomb of CA Cab by any means, but a much smoother and mellower experience. There's still some tannins here, so I'm confident the wine may continue to improve for a few years and will certainly last for many more.
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Saturated deep garnet with an almost purple hue to it – young. Pure cassis driven nose – a touch of earth. Beginning to develop some depth and secondary aromas. Medium bodied – the attack is pure Bordeaux – red cassis, mocha, stones and wood spread across the palate. This is still youthful. The finish is not strong, but it lingers. An excellent wine, I should save the last bottle for a few years – if this is the second wine, I have great hopes for what its big brother will taste like in 10 years. Just lovely. (17)
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From mag; Initially I thought the bottle was corked then perhaps had brett. It had this funky, woody note that wasn't textbook TCA but was definitely perceptible. The structure seemed fine but I couldn't get past the funk.
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Had the Leoville Las Cases of the same vintage last weekend and it was spectacular; rivaling the 96 Margaux for the best (96 Bordeaux) wine of the day. This wine however, was not at all similar. Ruby red, with perhaps a very slight beginning of orange on the edge. Restrained but pleasant nose. Light red fruits (shut down?) with a hint of cocoa. Though it's been probably a year, I remember a similar disappointment with the 2000? Do I just not get this wine and its solid reputation or is my timing off?
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Not decanted, consumed over 2 days. Deep purple, fine clear rim, in the glass looks promising. Initially a “funky” nose with very slight hint of dark fruit in the background. On the palate moderate tannin, however, an unremarkable mixture of what??? I sipped on this for 6 hours with little movement. At the six hour mark there was a hint of fruit on the palate, some tannin, and a little acid note. Was this a bad bottle? Then I remembered this post from Mark Squires bulletin board:
“With the Gruaud Larose, I can tell you about the 82. When I had it in the 80s, it was a magnificent young Bordeaux. But in the mid to late 90s, I had it in the middle of a great blind tasting. Most guys in our group said "Yuck! The first bad wine of the tasting!" But one guy (with a very good palate) said "No, I don't think it's bad. I think it's St. Julien. When St. Juliens get in mid-life, they get this horsey, leathery taste that almost seems like a bad bottle. That's what I think this is." Then he said (remember this is a totally double blind tasting) "In fact, if I had to bet, I would bet this is Gruaud Larose, probably the 82." When we tore the bag off, we were all floored, but he was right. We had it again in November 2003. One bottle was just bad, the other was magnificent.
-------------------- Ken Vastola, posted on MSBB April 1, 2004”
Thanks Ken, well timed post for me. Could this be what I was experiencing? I know the storage has been fine, no sign of being cooked, and not what I would call corked. I went back to this the next day and found that the “funk” was gone, but the wine was starting to fall apart. Some fruit was present, more apparent acid, no tannin evident. It will be interesting to see how this is in a couple more years.
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Second wine of Las Casas. Smooth nose of cola, cedar and vibrant currant. Very chewy tannins still dominating the underlying fruit. Good potential, especially considering it's from Las Casas (the '96 is considered a great wine, right?).
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12/25/2023 - Rounder16 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very serious with a hint of cherry, dark fruit, leather, and tobacco. Crazy how a second wine can be lively after almost 30 years, but LLC is indeed immortal. Straightforward, not complicated, fruity driven, and silky with perfectly integrated tannins. Just wow. Splash decant is all it needs. Drink now.
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10/18/2023 - MC wrote:
Decanted 90 and enjoyed over the next hour. Still not fully open for business but dark fruit and decent secondaries make this a wine that can be drunk now - better with food as a bit austere. Fruit seems like it will hold for a while so maybe this gets a bit better with age but enjoyable with a decant and with food now. B+/A-
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10/11/2023 - roddey3 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Oct. 8, 2023 and served with veal chop & porcini mushrooms: cork still intact; still youthful, energetic with a lively nose, great complexity and depth with a panoply of flavors mid-palate, and long finish with a hint of spice. Perfect food pairing. Really an outstanding wine in all ways and easily surpassed a 1995 Leoville Las Cases drunk 2 years ago. Day 2: served with Steak Diane (milder version of steak au poivre) and still going strong.
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8/22/2023 - NMSteve wrote:
Badly corked and impossible to assess. Interesting that the previous bottle I had not that long ago was like a blank slate, with virtually nothing of interest, almost flavorless. That impression can come from minute amounts of cork (TCA) that are really hard to detect or below detection. I am only moderately sensitive to detecting TCA so that may explain how insipid the previous bottle was.
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8/13/2023 - Evanbdavis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous mature Saint Julien with plenty of time left at its apex. Not tired. Balanced and classic with graphite, smoke, poturri, leather, tobacco, cherry and black currant fruit, and organic soil. There is a deft freshness and the wine still posseses tension and energy. Lovely integration, nice balance between fruit and acid. A real buy at a fair price.
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6/4/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Tasted as a bit of a calibration exercise following yesterday’s lunch. I think both the serving temp and my ability to focus made this a much better wine. Colour garnet just a hint of bricking. Not a super expressive nose, a bit of earth and a hint of red currant perhaps? On the palate, good acidity, some plum perhaps, somewhat drying tannins, a lovely structure there.
Having with food brings out the fruit, and also accentuates the spicy notes.
After a few hours - there is a more pronounced campfire note, but also the vaguest sour cherry note that I don’t often associate with claret.
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6/4/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Family do with Barbecue, Pizza and Salads (Leafy West London): Double decanted an hour before serving, probably served slightly too warm. Lovely stuff, but perhaps lacking a little bit of the elegance and focus I associate with 96 left bank. I think this may well have been down to serving temp. Will try another soon to be sure…
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2/3/2023 - cab blends wrote:
Not blind
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9/2/2022 - Poh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Was worried that it be might corked and passed it’s best given many prior reviews.
I had a sipped without decant and it was still fresh. I expected to be weak but to the contrary the bottle I had was still very much comes with strength.
It tasted more opened after decanting for 1-2 hours. The finish is certainly still there considering this is 26 years old. I really enjoyed this bottle can have it all night in one sitting.
I don’t recommend decanting this one as I prefer the freshness straight from bottle.
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11/15/2021 - djs Likes this wine: 93 Points
Closed upon opening. Really blossomed after 4 hours in large decanter.
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9/11/2021 - hkbob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour which was plenty. Subdued nose of pencil lead, cassis and cedar. The wine drank well with a medium-bodied, mildly austere palate presence. It exhibited mostly secondary characteristics with a cedar tinged finish. While unlikely to see further upside, I expect this will continue to hold for a number of years. Very enjoyable with charcuterie.
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8/7/2021 - crewald wrote:
Had with grilled ribeye while watching Pursuit of Love. Excellent pairing. Nothing extraordinary, but still holding its own. Dense color, red fruits, leather. Needed better decanting than I gave it.
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7/4/2021 - JChan wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine. Still fruity, with smoky and a bit vanilla. A stable claret. Drink now.
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4/23/2021 - crewald wrote:
Not great, but quite nice. Low alcohol, high acid. Pronounced notes of cassis on opening. Some cigar box, even menthol later. Ate with skirt steak.
It's easy to rubbish just any Bordeaux in comparison with its more refined siblings. But for a minute just appreciate the personality, longevity, and voice of a wine such as this.
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4/2/2021 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seemingly a divisive wine, the 1996 Clos du Marquis does start out a touch meager, especially when compared with its senior sibling in this vintage; but it fleshes out with a decant considerably, offering up aromas of cassis, loamy soil, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate with an ample if somewhat open-knit core that's girdled by chalky tannins and lively acids.
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3/23/2021 - Collector1855 wrote: 87 Points
Aromas are fine here with lovely tertiary forest floor but the wine feels diluted on the palate, even for someone like me who drinks a lot of Pinot Noir.
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12/31/2020 - Ardross Likes this wine:
Brick red but plenty of tannin still. Pencil shavings and cedar on the nose .The palate is a little reticent compared to the bouquet . Sound but on its way gently down hill.
Rather dead and fruitless on second day - possibly faulty
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12/25/2020 - JChan wrote: 93 Points
Matured Bordeaux. Sweet herbal with red furits intermixed. Medium bodied. Finish is not long this time. Drink now.
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12/24/2020 - BordeauxNut wrote: 87 Points
Cellared since release. 2h decant. Perfectly sound bottle that is what it is. Color is just starting to show some brick. Nose is nice enough. Plum fruit, some cedar, a little spice box. But on the palate, it’s too round, lacking balance. It reminds me a bit of some California Pinots where the fruit takes center stage but the finish lacks any sense of grip to balance it out. Flabby and frankly, kind of boring. I never really cared much for this wine and I’m perfectly happy that this was my last bottle. If you have this sell it. If you insist on drinking it — drink up soon. It has nowhere good to go from here, IMO.
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10/9/2020 - JChan wrote: 93 Points
Classic claret, you better breathe it 2 hours in advance. Very classic Bordeaux .
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9/24/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fully mature, this is drinking well, but as with the 2000 probably needing to be drunk over the next couple of years to enjoy it at its best.
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6/4/2020 - DugyDog Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mature. Great balance between fruit and tannins and acids. Agree with comments about the length...definitely a little short on the finish but it is a lovely BDX for what it is. Old world through and through.
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4/24/2020 - AdamHitchcock Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium ruby. Faint aromas balanced between dark fruit, tobacco and cedar. The tertiary aromas and flavors seem to be a little more present but still not a lot going on. Finish shows more tannin but still not a lot of depth to the wine.
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12/8/2019 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dinner at Windsor Arms. Mid ruby. Wine is in a good condition. Tannins have softened with age. Good concentration of dark fruit, some hints of blood sausage, no sign of fading fruit. Overall quite elegant and evidently aging well but this is probably as good as it gets. This does not have the weight or depth of flavor of the Leoville Barton 1996 tasted the previous night
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8/11/2019 - Marquis du Vin Does not like this wine: 70 Points
This one is dying... It lacks fruit, any depth and the finish is short and very bitter. At long last, this wine is a shell of itself. The only thing good about it was the persistence of it not getting "baked". Still looks pretty in the glass, but by no means is this drinkable to those of us who know what to expect from it... Was very sad to pour my last magnum down the drain along with the $200 spent on it in 2017... Ex-Chateau, but now simply X.
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6/22/2019 - redders Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mature colour. Lovely classic cedar tobacco weave on the nose. Beautifully understated on palate but surprisingly long finish with ripe fruit. Tannins have melted away but enough structure for a few more years. Bodes well for the grand vin
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4/21/2019 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and served and never kicked into gear and we felt like the best years of this wines were 5yrs or so ago. We are big lovers of 1996 left bank and usually at this stage these wine perform superbly but this did not and maybe it's an indication , albeit this is strictly not a second wine, that second wines did not make the journey? A good 89-90 but not there for its price.
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3/12/2019 - Andrewbdc wrote:
Michael Schuster: 1996 Medoc - An Affordable Maturity? (Mullenlowe, C-Space, 37-45 City Riad, London, EC1Y 1AT): Medium garnet. Slightly closed. Notable fresh acidity, low fine tannins, finely gravely, moderately complex. Unexciting, decent, no more. Opens up with time - vanilla becomes more evident.
60% CS, 33% M, 7% PV, 12.5% alcohol. Note that this is now a separate cure as Petit Lion is now the 2nd wine of Las Cases.
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3/11/2019 - MC wrote:
Funny how these things go. This bottle, from same stock and also consumed over dinner at 67PM was pulled and decanted right as dinner started. Dark color with forest floor and dark cool fruits on the nose. With 20 minutes of air it was quite good and at an hour it was probably as good if not better than my last note. No doubt this is classic Bordeaux and I do think it will improve with age but right now may be better PNP than the longer decant I have tried recently. A-
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3/10/2019 - Horichdaslicht Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Hint of brick red with a mahogany edge. Bouquet fully developed. Generous, chewy fruit and perfectly integrated silky sweet tannin. I think I will finish it up in the next 12 months but it augers well for the '96 L-LC
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12/13/2018 - MC wrote:
Decanted 3+ hours. Nice, classic nose of dark cool fruit and forest floor. Not all the body you want in a '96, but well made and good with food. Tannin still there on the finish but not overpowering. Maybe this will improve and flesh out, but decent,classic Bordeaux now - just not special. B+/A-?
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10/11/2018 - Regina Likes this wine: 89 Points
Last bottle of a half dozen which I've drunk over the last couple of years. All have been delicious, but this is just starting to thin out.
Clear warm ruby with a little touch of volatility on the nose. Pretty red fruit. Some gloss and length remaining.
Very enjoyable, but don't wait any longer with these.
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10/7/2018 - vin43 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Past its best
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9/30/2018 - aquaman wrote: 91 Points
I thought people won't like this but some do.
Dacanted 1 hour. Some prefer this more then
2001 Mouton
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9/12/2018 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very nicely with up to three more years left. No bricking and ruby red. Soft tannins and ample fruit. It took two hours to really open up. Perfect with rack of lamb. I am sure over time the fruit will fade so my suggestion is to open the bottle soon while the wine is medium bodied.
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6/17/2018 - winelover1808 wrote: 88 Points
a bit thinned out; def not improving at this point; has hints of what it might have been at its peak
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6/16/2018 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 93 Points
In an excellent place right now but with plenty of life left.
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3/10/2018 - Neurowine1 wrote:
With porcini crusted filet mignon sous vite with black truffle butter demiglacé. Classic St Julien. This one is very feminine and silky, almost Burgundian in texture. Black currrant, lead, Asian spice box, mushrooms. Drinking beautifully at the moment and no reason to hold. Purchased from PC 10 years ago for around $35. Crazy...
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1/31/2018 - MC wrote:
This probably had 90 minutes of air in the decanter by the time we got to it. Classic Bordeaux, showing '96 in style, with nice balance and great with food. Still some structure but nothing noticeable. With enough air (I would go 2 hours to be safe) this shows very well but is going to be around for a while. Nothing show stopping, but solid and was a great value. A-
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12/31/2017 - Tao wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby in colour, fantastic nose! Aroma of sheer dark currants, a hint of spicy oak, some minerals! Simple palate, pure fruits showing and a touch of tannins, quite smooth and some spice! Drink now or over the next few years! Should pair it with some rich cheese!
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12/17/2017 - Marquis du Vin wrote: 92 Points
Brooding, tantalizing and softening over the 1.5 decant... Enjoyed with our friends at Capital Grille from a magnum... Acquired the wine from Zachy's ex-chateau and was in pristine condition... The cork was half was saturated, not much sediment at all though... Out of the bottle a bit tight, but great structure and elegance. No sign of deterioration at all, i had several of these ten years ago, tasted as good then as it does now from what i can recall. Cedar and tart cherry dominate the wine... As the evening progressed, it got better as the tannins softened revealing a very surprisingly good 21 yr old second wine! I have one more mag, will save for another special occasion, but probably should be consumed within the next couple of years. I can only imagine how good Las Cases must be in 1996! If you can get some ex-chateau, i would recommend it highly.
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11/2/2017 - macmac007 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I've always enjoyed this wine as an affordable LLC-adjacent stand-by - it can be rough around the edges, but it's got a solid spine of St Julien flavor. This was my first 1996. First off, it's a touch thinner than other vintages I've had. Normally, this is a thick, meaty wine that needs an equally meaty dish to bring the best out of it. Not a huge gust of fruit, so maybe showing its age. The nose was uncharacteristically delicate and light, but still, after a good hour to open it up it had nice stony finish and warmth in the middle. No fireworks, but a solid deal for the price.
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8/13/2017 - guitarkim Likes this wine: 92 Points
App: deep purple red with beginning brick notes
Aroma: leather, tobacco, ceder, pencil, oak and a hint of dried fruit.
Full-bodied with very good acidity and available tannins.
Excellent length. (92)
Drinking perfectly at the moment. Nice!
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5/18/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Spreitzer, Aubry, Realm, clos du Marquis (Front Patio): Opened and decanted for sediment. Purple in color. The nose is nice. Clean, not much funk. Cassis, dark cherries, slight tobacco. On the palate, tannins resolved. Slight depth and complexity. I would have thought more. Otoh, drinking well and certainly not showing a lot of age. Fresh, not dried fruit on the palate. Nice finish. I bought this bottle shortly after release. I can't remember exactly when this went from being a second label to a separate bottling to its own wine. IIRC, it was still a second at this point, but in any event, this has developed nicely for a 2nd. Based on this bottle, it wont get better but no hurry.
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1/29/2017 - colin107 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drink now before fruits dry out. Tasting was from a magnum.
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11/26/2016 - blaahhi wrote: 89 Points
Blackcurrant, redcurrant, yogurt, cedar, some leather and developing tertiary notes on the nose. Medium body, medium silky tannins that have already settled noticeably. The primary fruit has already faded somewhat, empasizing the acidity. Medium to long finish. Interestingly, I found the same lactic, yogurt-like notes in '96 Léoville-Las Cases as well.
Well balanced and drinking well now, although will not probably improve anymore. It does not have the depth or the intensity of its more accomplished peers, but offers still a quite fresh, firm, classic claret profile without too much ripeness or extra frills.
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7/17/2016 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Poured into decanter and drank over several hours. Still a fairly dark garnet in the glass. This is a very traditional even austere style of Bordeaux so not for everybody. On the palate medium bodied with not the slightest touch of sweetness. Dark fruit, some sous bois, over time fine to medium tannins appear. Rather short finish. Not a bad wine, clearly Bordeaux but would have guessed this to be a off vintage (eg 94 or 98) of a better Northern Medoc Grand Cru. For 96 this is just a little disappointing. 89-90
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6/12/2016 - lovanc@outlook.com wrote:
Sour cherries dominate this wine.
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6/12/2016 - winelover1808 wrote: 84 Points
WOTN. had this versus a 2002 Caymus, a 2007 Larkmead and a 1996 Clos du Marquis. This was darker fruit than the Caymus, but plenty generous, lush with more complex secondary flavors and an incredible 20+ second finish that belied its age. a very very appealing wine that is not showing its 15 years of age. the Caymus was 2nd place with plenty of bright fruit, very soft tannins and a finish that was shorter but still 10+ seconds. one of the best non Special selects i've had and also not showing its 14 years of age. Larkmead was a delicious napa cab that paired perfectly with a dark chocolate cake. nothing notably distinct about it, but it was very good. the 96 Clos Du Marquis was the disappointment. incredibly thin and as it opened, it really had no fruit, no finish and was quite past its prime - so disappointing, it almost makes me wonder if it was very good even in its prime!
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5/3/2016 - Tom Henriksveen Likes this wine:
Dark red with a brownish hue, cigarbox, blackcurrant, some pencil shavings. Very mature tannins, soft and velvety. Drink up, but fresher than last bottle. Still a very good wine.
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3/25/2016 - redders Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened one hour then decanted one hour. An additional hour next time.
Mid red some maturity at rim. Nose initially dumb then after an hour developed into elegant classic st julien cedar mineral with firm structure. Very classic balanced palate,silky tannins firm red fruit, more tobacco and cedar good length. Lovely and in a good spot.
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2/14/2016 - ralstenm wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), oak, violet and chocolate. It tastes like blueberry, black currant (cassis), oak and vanilla. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Crowd pleaser, wine of night with 2 other L Bank and St Emilion.
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1/17/2016 - Tom Henriksveen Likes this wine:
A very solid performer in the class "everyday claret". Dark purple color, nose of cassis, leather and a touch of bacon. On the palate there are more cassis, leather, sweet tobacco and something musty. Tannins so smooth and silky mouth feel. A very solid vine.
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12/27/2015 - matthewearl Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was pleasantly surprised at the life left in this bottle after reading some of the recent reviews. A bit closed at open, I decanted/drank over about 2 hours and after an hour it was really nice, long silky tannins with dark chocolate, leather, cherry, tobbaco on the palate. Probably not much life left though so drink up if you have!
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12/18/2015 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Belle robe rouge feu. Au nez, à l'ouverture, c'est surtout humus et la terre, mais avec 2 heures d'aération, c'est plutôt sur le café, les fruits mûrs, le caramel et le tabac. En bouche, l'attaque est mûre avec une bonne vivacité et un beau fruit rouge et noir dont des éléments clairement de cabernet. S'ajoute à ça le café, le cuir et le thé. Mûr, avec une bonne concentration et une longueur au-dessus de la moyenne. Pas mal, mais à 65€, le rapport qualité prix est moyen. J'ai préféré le style du 2006, mais c'est pas mal dans tous les cas.
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11/6/2015 - 911henrik wrote: 83 Points
Not very much to write home about, an ordinary table wine.
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10/3/2015 - redders Likes this wine: 90 Points
mid red with some maturity. Classic cedar cigar box on nose . Good mouthfeel, fruit still present but tannins loosened. Very attractive well balanced with enough drive to last.
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9/26/2015 - Ardross Likes this wine: 90 Points
Little change from previous bottles - on its plateau - excellent second wine .
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7/31/2015 - jani Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bad cork, but no obvious damage to the wine.
Started with more promises than it could deliver on, but overall a pleasant wine.
Slightly spicy, well balanced, but could have used a bit more depth and body.
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7/10/2015 - Tom Henriksveen Likes this wine:
Classic claret, opaque crimson red with a brick tint at the edge, blackcurrant, dark cherry, cedar, tobacco and graphite. Smooth tannins with a velvety finish that is quite long. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. A very nice glass indeed, and a good companion to tonights sirloin from Omaha and a sauce Bernaise.
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5/21/2015 - drjb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark crimson with minor bricking. Nose textbook St Julien with cassis, dark cherry, cedar and tobacco touches. Palate smooth and easy with quite intense fruit again with that dark cherry lift. Fine tannin finish. Textbook 'second wine' well matured.
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2/24/2015 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 87 Points
Dried dark fruit, tobacco, graphite. Medium body, no tannins. Long finish. Declining but still nice.
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1/17/2015 - BSA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Initially decanted for 2 hours. Tasted up against 96 Las Cases it first stood out as very pronounced (and young/vivid) but not much happened from there, that caught my keen interest as least (given that the Las Cases opened up in parallel....). It is a decent effort for sure, although I had hoped for more. Maybe as a stand alone it would have appeared better.
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12/14/2014 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dégustation d'une autre série de Clos du Marquis provenant directement de la propriété. A comparer avec la dégustation d'un lot acheté (Dégustation SV/OW le 17.08.2014)
Rubis très profond, grande densité, ocelle brique. Lourd et brillant. Larmes moyennes, lentes, peu fréquentes.
Fruits rouges (cerise), fruits noirs (mûres), bois, empyreumatique, épices (poivre), eucalyptus.
Attaque souple et enveloppante sur le fruit. Grande concentration aromatique. Milieu de bouche sur un mélange de cerises complété de notes de mûres. Développement sur le cacao brulé.
Grande et belle finale sur le chocolat et de fines notes de bonbon anglais.
Grande finesse couplé à une magistrale puissance aromatique pour ce 1996 parfait en 2014. Douceur, suavité, sans aucune lourdeur. Ce vin qui présente une étonnante fraicheur se boit exceptionnellement bien.
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9/14/2014 - ctc wrote: 91 Points
Solid St.-Julien but lacking some finesse and depth.
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8/29/2014 - ctc wrote: 90 Points
Younger than I was expecting, still mostly red on the rim and mildly tannic, I decanted for an hour. Red fruit dominates and it has a pretty bouquet. A medium length finish. All told, a lovely wine, smooth and well balanced. That said, I'd been hoping for a bit more than it gave.
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8/17/2014 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rubis profond, assez lourd, très brillant.
Nez de fruits noirs compotés, sur un fond de bois vanillé.
Attaque franche et vive laissant apparaître des arômes de fruits rouges acides. Belles notes de bois de cèdre, puis de fruits plus avancés.
Belle finale avec de beaux tanins bien présents et une extraordinaire acidité résiduelle.
Vieux millésime du Clos du Marquis en pleine jeunesse. Belle expression de Cabernet-sauvignon d'un magnifique terroir.
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8/9/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rubber; cherry with sweet notes; integrated tannins but still some tart elements; smooth and long.
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7/12/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rubber nose; light blackberry; austere; earthy with complexity; elegant finish.
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6/22/2014 - jkvedar wrote: 90 Points
Really interesting experience. Initially out of the bottle, pleasant - leaves, tobacco, some dark fruit. Ordinary taste with no finish. 2 hours in, I thought it was a bad bottle. Tannic, disappointing. At 3 hours, it recovered, drinking nicely with more typical blackberry nose. Cabernet dominates on e palate.
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6/4/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Austere and reserved; more cedar than fruit; some blackberry; good balance and sweet tannins; nicely matured with good finish.
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5/20/2014 - deverett wrote: 89 Points
Less interesting than previous bottles, was showing a bit angular and tannic with a bit less fruit concentration and balance. Still a lovely Bordeaux but have had better bottles of this wine.
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3/30/2014 - ShannonGroomes wrote: 89 Points
typical funky bordeaux smells, dusty and ready to drink
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3/20/2014 - meqoubal36 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent. Assez profond et complexe, bonne longueur, ample, parfumé, voluptueux. 91-92.
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1/11/2014 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 92 Points
good. acid has lessened. Tannins good. Still fruity. Delicate but not overly fragrant. A year late? Not the revelation I'd expected
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1/1/2014 - winelover1808 wrote: 92 Points
this is underrated. it opened up muted and not much to it. but as it opened it got better and better. very enjoyable; some tobacco notes; great soft tannins. very enjoyable. but def decant for at least an hour
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1/1/2014 - Philippe Studer wrote: 90 Points
Délicieux actuellement
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11/29/2013 - latimer wrote: 88 Points
Medium deep red. Cassis cab fruit, some currenty dark fruit, soft, quite thick, bit of tannin, and that's about it. No secondary flavours, no complexity, for a 17 year old wine its dense and very much alive but to be honest there is no interest... certainly this bottle was not worth waiting 17 years for...
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10/25/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 89 Points
Had this in a flight with 2000 Pontensac. Red fruit on the nose, spices, tobacco, but a little muted and not overly complex. On the palate, good fruit, quite acidic, a bit sour, slightly lean, hardly any tannins, not too complex but well made, medium length. Drink now - 2015.
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7/28/2013 - redders Likes this wine: 89 Points
early stages of maturity on colour. Classic cedar and lead pencils underscored by firm fruit. Ready to go and very well balanced. lacks a bit of interest but probably drank a little too warm. Good wine.
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7/5/2013 - Julian Marshall wrote: 90 Points
Cassis, hints of tobacco and cigar box on the nose, before a well-rounded mouthful of cassis and blackberry. There's a good freshness to the finish and this is definitely a good example of CDM, but it doesn't have the concentration or the persistence of the 90, nor does it really compare to all the St.Julien CCs in this vintage. A very enjoyable wine, but CDM isn't quite what some would have it to be.
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6/16/2013 - Comte de Rousset wrote: 95 Points
Encore du fruit et de la fraicheur. Grande finesse et onctuosité. Un grand vin!
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6/15/2013 - Milos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark red with very little brick on the rim; still very youthful. Black fruit and graphite come out with some coaxing; still tight and needed about an hour to open up. Balanced with ripe tannins and moderate finish. Very enjoyable now with but better in three to five years.
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5/19/2013 - drcoop wrote: 82 Points
wine may have had some hints of smoke and tobacco scant bright cherry fruit for 15mins after popping beautiful garnet color the acid helped cleanse the palate for a meal of burgers and ribs at Houston's in Hackensack however it devolved into a fruitless flavorless pedestrian table wine with a reasonably sharp tannic bite to finish no finesse no voluptuous mouthfeel
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4/10/2013 - FLI Likes this wine: 89 Points
Restrained fruit. Bit of earth. Tannins quite smoothed out. Good but not thrilling. Not a great QPR. Getting tired, I think. Drink up.
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3/24/2013 - Pinot luva Likes this wine: 92 Points
Colour: med garnet, developing tawny rim.
Nose: med intensity, developing, cassis, cedar, graphite pencil shavings
Palate: med plus intensity, cassis, cedar, graphite shavings, med plus body, long length, med tannins, well rounded.
Concentrated, elegant, aged Bordeaux with lovely depth of flavour and great freshness of fruit.
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3/14/2013 - AtoZ wrote: 92 Points
Like this a lot. Probably needs 10 years. Pencil lead and fruit.
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1/5/2013 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium bodied, deep purple, is classic in structure and should be drunk now. Oak, currant and tannis that have rounded out, the fruit is at is peak and will begin fading. Nice wine, but next to the 2004 Pape Clement- a long second.
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11/6/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 91 Points
Non-blind. From wine-dispenser at Riedel Wine Bar (Sogo Enoteca, Yokohama).
Impression: Outstanding with extra wow.
Beautiful dark garnet color with signs of maturity.
On the nose brett welcomes you with horses' stables, L+. Yummy!
On the palate the first impression is 薄い - weak. Because the acids overpower the fruit and tannin. The entry is all about the acids, so it takes a while to accommodate the senses to this little special build. The mid-palate shows good fruit (pomegranate and red currants) and ends with earthy notes, unnecessary bitterness and a thorough homage to the stables of this World. After getting to grips with its constitution, this is an intense wine at the early stage of maturity. Enjoyable today with more to come for the patient ones.
Little too expensive here in Japan, but I see that you can get it for €40 elsewhere. Not too bad, but not interesting enough for me.
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10/17/2012 - Clos & Cru Likes this wine: 93 Points
bottle released from las cases last week. Breeze of freshness, earthy, ripe blackberries. Amazing purity and concentration of flavor
Medium body, crunchy ripe tannin, earthy, amazing balance, purity and class. Simply delicious
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9/16/2012 - magnusvinum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Medoc nose of perfumed red apple skin, cassis, sandalwood and cigar box. A touch of ladies handbag. Delicious palate with juicy perfumed Cabernet fruit with that St-Julien femininity. Fine talc like tannins. Really delicious, especially considering what I paid for this wine...
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7/13/2012 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
a wonderful experience - lovely classic medoc wine in early maturity. generous byt with well judged acid and tannic balance. textbook pencil shavings - a fruit dominate wine that certainly has the mocha and toast character of oak but relies on the quality of the fruit. classic mid palate in an amalgam of new and old style bordeaux. no doubt the grand wine is decades away from its peak but this wine offers huge enjoyment now and probably for at least another decade. Outstanding.
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5/22/2012 - mellison wrote: 88 Points
Nice pleasant aged Bordeaux. Slightly thin and lacking in fruit but still quit pleasant. Becoming mature brick color.
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3/27/2012 - Mingmong wrote: 91 Points
Chicken poop and barnyardish nose. Soft, supple, red fruits and some blueberries, and a gentle finish.
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3/25/2012 - redders Likes this wine: 90 Points
This a very vigorous botle in its drinking window. Characteristic of the vintage with ripe fruit but firm structure. A lot of blackcurrant fruit and cedar, lush and velvety but enough acidity to cut through the food.
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11/29/2011 - Shiuone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened bottle at noon, but didn't decant, and drank at dinner. Fantastic nose of fruits and cassis, with a tint of charcoal. Tannins were very much tamed and with great length. In fact, I could still taste it after a full 30 seconds! Rivals some of the grand vins. Highly recommended.
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10/7/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 88 Points
Gentlemen's Lunch (HK Club): smooth and sweet, but not overly exciting.
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9/26/2011 - Sim wrote: 91 Points
Smooth, well balanced, delicate&complex taste (smell not amazing though): red fruits, mint, smoke, wood. Perfect timing!
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9/17/2011 - VoteferPedro wrote:
drank without decant and fruit was more muted this time but still has nice bones. 88-89
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9/13/2011 - redders wrote: 89 Points
Mature colour very suave nose but could do with more excitement better on palate 1996 structure and fruit with decent length
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6/26/2011 - deverett wrote: 93 Points
I am enjoying a few 96s now as they seem to be in quite a good place. This one was no different with that classic Bordeaux nose of graphite, cedar and pencil shavings. Lovely weight with not a hint of greenness and a palate dripping with cassis, tobacco and some earth and tariness that seemed to work well. Need to find a few more from this vintage.
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5/19/2011 - DStyner Likes this wine: 88 Points
Color is surprisingly dark and dense; the color of blackberries. Not much to the nose, hints of oak and dark fruits with a touch of Eucalyptus. The palate is medium dense with good balance. Again, dark berries (in abundance) and a touch of oak are the dominant themes. The finish is pleasant and lingers with a bit of pucker towards the end. Overall, a nice wine that should continue to improve for several more years, especially since mine was 375ml. Not a blockbuster, but a very good wine. I intend to give my other bottle until at least 2014.
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3/16/2011 - Ho Bryan wrote: 90 Points
Same as previous bottle - very enjoyable. I also appreciated more on this occasion the good definition and a certain crispness to the attack and the palate, certainly in contrast to a recently disappointing flabby Cal cab.
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3/10/2011 - jcoleman wrote: 90 Points
really very good now. lovely bouquet of cedar wood with nice fruit on the palate and good tannic grip.several years of life left yet
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3/9/2011 - Ardross wrote: 91 Points
A point now - no need to wait any longer . Lovely balance .
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3/5/2011 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Acquired from store that had this recently shipped in from the winery (through importer). Decanted for 1 hour and then enjoyed with grilled NY Strips (salt / pepper / olive oil). Some bricking around edges but looked relatively young. Drinking quite nicely now - currants (more red than black), cedar, earthy nose. On palate, medium body / acids & well integrated tannins on long finish - impeccable balance and very easy to drink. Palate consistent with nose + apricots / currants / blackberry. My wife really enjoyed as well.
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2/20/2011 - Saint Stephen wrote: 90 Points
Nice, medium-aged Bordeaux. Not on it's last legs but the fruit is fighting to hang on. Moderately expressive nose, tannins a bit drying on the finish. Drink now-2016.
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1/27/2011 - urga wrote: 90 Points
12,50% alc., Purpurrot mit leichten Randaufhellungen.
In der Nase Leder, Bleistift, erdige Noten, Weihrauch und etwas rote Beeren; tolle Nase, klassisch Bordeaux; sehr elegant und animierend, auch animalisch, nicht aufdringlich, aber wie selbstverständlich präsent.
am Gaumen eine sehr schöne Eleganz, wunderbar eingebundene Säure, frischer Eindruck, die Geruchseindrücke kehren wieder, wiederholen sich am Gaumen und gleiten in den langen Abgang.
Sehr schöner Wein, PLV ist natürlich jenseits, aber das ist Bdx.
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1/25/2011 - Brian Kennedy wrote: 80 Points
translucent ruby. straight sawdust / dirt on the nose. some fruit upon opening but shut down soon after. same on the palate. disappointing. half went down the drain
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1/18/2011 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 89 Points
Dark crimson with a glass lining at the edges. Nose is sharp with hints of rich St. Julien earth, leather and mushrooms. The body is light but spikes at the mid palate with lively acidity then fans out at the end with gripping, mineral-filled tannins. Flavors of leather, pencil shavings, dark cherry, toasted strawberry, currant, oak and tobacco. Drink now.
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1/5/2011 - Marc wrote: flawed
corked. Shame, as the wine had presence and classic stern medoc structure with cedar scents.
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12/24/2010 - astroman wrote: 78 Points
Rather disappointing. Palate was thin and simple. Finish was short. Nose was pretty impressive at first but slowly went shut...
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12/7/2010 - City Wine Journal wrote: 90 Points
A mixed showing for this bottle. Still enjoyable, but this one was on the verge of cresting. Leathery cassis nose was still there, and the fruit showed ripe and in balance, but turned a touch raisin with time in the glass. I would advise opening and pouring rather than a decant at this stage, we may have pushed it beyond its comfort zone! So how about 90 for the wine and -3 for the wine lover!
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11/28/2010 - Rick-again wrote: 89 Points
solid wine but not what i expected from my two bottles....easy to drink ...toasted oak, some layers of fruit mixed in, tannins but not over done
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11/1/2010 - JOEABR wrote: 92 Points
Great stuff! Has put on weight. Good fruit structure with tannins fully resolved. Great texture with nice finish. Wish I had more than one last bottle. Should hold for another 10 years.
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10/28/2010 - ricknat1 wrote: 90 Points
Let breathe for 2 hours. Dark, silky, medium bodied, yet complex and very enjoyable. A great bargain.
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10/28/2010 - Ho Bryan wrote: 90 Points
I also disagree with the poor reviews. This is delicious, with ripe fruit, no green streaks, and a really fine and balanced toasty oak (done in the subtle French style) that gives real aromatic interest. It's not exactly full bodied but that's par for second wines, but nor was it thin or watery. It made a nice change from the massive backward St-Js I usually go for. Enjoyed this.
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9/25/2010 - jantor wrote: 88 Points
Deep red cherry
Nutty soft nose with nice fruit. Quite pleasant but lacks some complexity and definition.
Medium bodied with quite lean fruit tannin and structure. Nuts and woodiness, black currant and blueberries. Good lengt but lacks depth.
Had more expecations based on how I remember this wine from last time i tasted it. Not flawed but mabye bottle varaition?
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7/31/2010 - RockinCabs wrote: 91 Points
Color: A deep garnet that was dark right to the edges. Nose: Blackberries, Cassis, Graphite, Green Tobacco, Earth and Leather. Palate: Fully resolved tanins make the wine silky smooth on entry and and medium bodied. Great Blackberry, Sour Cherry and Cassis fruit remain in this wine, and yet the nuances of tobacco, loamy earth, old leather and black tea are coming though nicely. Finish: Moderate length finish that continues with the black/red fruit notes.
Good St. Julien in a good vintage for reasonable money. Disagree with the poor reviews. This is a drink me now wine that is great.
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7/25/2010 - Rani wrote: 87 Points
Everything about this wine was a bit muted and diluted. Rather faint nose of graphite, blackberries. Very smooth on the palate, nearly no tannins and not enough concentration. If you have this, drink up.
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7/19/2010 - wenderoth wrote: 86 Points
Colour of deep and clear ruby-garnet with little bricking at the edge if any. Barnyard, earth, tobacco and maybe a touch of brettanomyces on the nose, but little in the way of fruit. Palate a little linear with some residual but fading red fruit, dominated by sour cherry. Some not unpleasant, but perhaps unbalanced leathery, mushroomy notes on the midpalate leading to a still robust tannic finish with good length. At or past its best, I suspect. Drink up.
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5/24/2010 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
no amount of air could bring this wine to 96 Bordeaux I know. Weak, despite the good nose and perky color, the wine is not which could have sold on it's own if it wasn't for the flag ship of the property. Disappointing to say the least.
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5/19/2010 - City Wine Journal wrote: 90 Points
Retail bottle, held 2 years. Great firm cork. Double decanted, no sediment. Opaque red. Strawberry, cassis, and leather nose, medium bodied, well balanced, and easily enjoyed. Very good length and acidity still in the bottle. This is quite attractive. At a good peak now. Always nice to open a 15 year old bottle with confidence that it will show well.
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5/6/2010 - Duncan Disorderly wrote: 92 Points
I tasted this a number of times on separate occasions in 2009. I typically bring it up from the cellar a day or two before the dinner. I find it presents at its best if I remove the cork about six hours before serving. A gorgeous nose and pure silky loveliness in the mouth. Most recently tasted alongside the 1996 Barton and the 1996 Léoville Poyferré. Most thought the Barton won by a fraction, but the Clos du Marquis was favoured by one.
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5/1/2010 - Rick-again wrote: 90 Points
easy to drink , well integrated tannins, candied fruit
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4/18/2010 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Last of 3 bottles, this one was between the prior 2. My 1/25/10 note described the wine pretty well I think. This is an elegant wine, drinking well, silky smooth, but it was not quite as impressive as 1/25. If you have this, I'd suggest drinking up over the next few years. There was no sign of deterioration, but I don't sense this will get better.
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3/21/2010 - Ricky99 wrote: 90 Points
VERY NICE - SURPRISED ME A BIT... DRANK AFTER A 95 MARBUZET.. THIS SHOWED ITS AGE A BIT MORE THAN EXPECTED BUT TASTY
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1/25/2010 - Ibetian wrote: 93 Points
Dark red, no hint of bricking. Wonderful, complex nose of red and black fruit, earth and smoke. A bit of Bordeaux funk that blew off quickly. Medium bodied, very smooth. Red and black fruit on the palate. very clean, lingering finish. Great food wine This is drinking incredibly well now, much better than the last bottle in 2007.
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1/25/2010 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
I was warned by Wine Berserkers tasters
that the wine is as exciting as watching the paint dry, and they were right on the money.
Perfect storage as far as high neck fill, cork and color is concerned, but the wine itself failed to produce an excitement one can associate with 13 years old Bordeaux. I have 2 bottles left and will gladly trade it to anybody who is into that kind of things.
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1/16/2010 - cbuhlman wrote: 93 Points
decanted. light ruby. drinking very well and smooth as silk
showing no signs of decline
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11/1/2009 - VoteferPedro wrote: 90 Points
audoze aired for 3 hours. Nice tart cherry fruit with almost zesty finish. Wife detected vanilla and mocha on the finish. It improved with another 2 hours of air. Not amazing but slips down the gullet with joy.
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10/26/2009 - RJK wrote: 87 Points
Initially promises then no middle.
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10/11/2009 - Ricky99 wrote: 89 Points
still drinking nicely
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9/23/2009 - petrusncoke wrote: 90 Points
Lovely aromas of cassis, toast and tobacco leaf. On the palate, the lovely cassis fruit carried on, lifted by cedar, pepper, and a hint of minerality. This in no way betrays its age.
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9/6/2009 - spore wrote: 92 Points
After less than 30min decanting it showed it is at its peak. Valvet, silky tanins, very long finish.Ripe but not dominant berry fruit. Hope i ever get the chance to try a LLC 96'.
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8/30/2009 - ricknat1 wrote: 91 Points
Delicious wine with all the gorgeous complexity of St. Julien. Lighter than a Barton but beautiful. Incredible value. Aerated for 2 hours in bottle. Probably at its peak, but not declining.
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8/29/2009 - mellison wrote: 92 Points
Well balance and quite good. The tannins are soft and well integrated. Tastes of blueberries, currents with a great nose and smooth finish.
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7/15/2009 - Chisato wrote: 90 Points
Dinner with family friends at the HKJC. Not decanted.
Nose: Barnyard aromas prevailed during the initial 15 minutes upon opening. A bit alcoholic at first, followed by black currant and cherries. Less pleasant than the half a dozen bottles I've had over the past 4-5 years. The brett didn't completely go away until about 45 minutes in the glass.
Color: Dark ruby color core, garnet near the edge
First tasted about 20 minutes after opening. Medium-bodied, notes of black berries, subtle oak and herb. Typical profile of a classic claret just hitting the plateau of maturity. Impressive balance and satisfied with what the mid palate delivered (for a second wine). Finish was about 20 seconds, a bit short when compared to the previous bottles I had. Finished the last sip at the 2.5 hr mark and no signs of fading.
Ready for drinking now but I think it can still last for over 10 years easily.
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6/6/2009 - san wrote: 90 Points
Perfect maturity. Excellent finish. all in all a god bottle. drink now.
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2/21/2009 - PC73 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep red, bright in appearance - young looking.
Nose conjured up wood, brambles, mushrooom and hint of menthol.
Lots of great fruit - blackcurrant and strawberry stood out.
Very well balanced and smoothe wine. Soft tannins. A wine on great form.
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2/1/2009 - bbrantley wrote: 86 Points
Sweet fruit and good concentration, but straightforward. Very pleasant, but seems to have lost its tannins without developing a complex Bordeaux secondary profile.
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12/22/2008 - Alex H wrote: 82 Points
NTU Graduating Class of 2005 Xmas Dinner (Andre Wine and Dine): Weloming and very open...maybe a bit loose. Medium bodied and quite an expressive wine, lightly flowered with mostly blackcurrant fruits punctuated with some spice notes.
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10/26/2008 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Same note as last time. If I could have one glass/day of this I don't think I would ever get bored.
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10/14/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 83 Points
This seems to have become somewhat rough and bitter and is not particularly enjoyable at present, although it does have considerable depth. So it is either past its best or it is going through a rather dull phase and will need 3 to 5 years to open out again.
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10/3/2008 - pikemasterflash wrote: 91 Points
I had this wine many years ago and enjoyed it--which is why I was thrilled to death to pick up another six at auction the other day. The wine looked youthful when I poured it into the decanter. I think this wine tastes like what an every day old world wine is supposed to. The nose is Sucrets (the throat lozenge) and the color is not quite brick but maybe raspberry red. The wine is smooth, without the velvet of a greater wine. The more this wine showed the better it was but unfortunately it was so good I gobbled it all down.
It can't be a 92 without having some greatness but this was very good.
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7/16/2008 - Mr T wrote:
Very nice starting to enter maturity with deep ruby and slightly paler at the rim. Tannin fairly mild and fruit a bit restrained. This was not decanted and so with time it opened and displayed rich, fairly sweet cassis fruit. I wish I had more of this.
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7/12/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
Full flavoured, slightly savoury, mature claret; quite well balanced, with some length; holding up well.
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7/3/2008 - vespasian wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful concentration on the nose. Cedary cassis. Really rather excellent. Great length and balance. Lovely evolved notes.
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6/28/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 84 Points
Quite dense and concentrated; perhaps beginning to lose its freshness although it should still evolve and perhaps improve; a well made wine but it does not sparkle at present (or at least this bottle didn't).
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6/20/2008 - SimonG wrote:
UK Wine Forum 'Vintage Pairs' Offline (Le Colombier, London): Quite a minty, dense nose. Seems the younger of the pair. St Estephe? Certainly left bank. Decent stuff. ***1/2
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6/20/2008 - Paul D wrote:
UK Wine Pages - Vintage Pairs Offline (Le Colombier, Kensington, London): Deep ruby core, medium rim. Spice, gravel, dark cassis fruit on the nose - obviously left bank. Quite youthful and nice pure fruit. Similar cassis dominated palate, but nice gravelly complexity, lovely fresh acidity and decent depth. Still quite tannic on the finish. Excellent, quite classy, punching above its weight.
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6/2/2008 - Tad GW wrote: 89 Points
50+5+11+16+7=89
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5/26/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 85 Points
There is considerable depth to this wine, and it is beginning to attain some maturity, but it retains a slightly bitter taste which may yet disappear with time. In spite of this, there is plenty of ripe cabernet fruit in evidence and it has a hint of the style of the Lacases itself, although it is more rustic than refined.
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5/18/2008 - ricknat1 wrote: 91 Points
Delicious wine with all the gorgeous complexity of St. Julien. Lighter than a Barton but beautiful
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5/7/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 85 Points
Well integrated fruit, medium length, opening out well. A good example of a second wine but without any real flair.
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12/25/2007 - EricFromMD wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Beautiful nose: cherry, vanilla and oak. Very restrained on the palate. Cherry, red fruit, cedar with hint of smoke. Incredibly smooth but still some tannins left. Overall very elegant and refined but not splashy.
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12/14/2007 - aspennow wrote:
I had high expectations and was totally disappointed. I thought this wine was totally unremarkable.
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11/25/2007 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
This had a herby nose as well as pencil shavings and leather. Lovely balance with some ageing and a freshness from the acidity. Good finish, great wine.
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10/19/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
WL Chicago Blind Bordeaux night (my house): nose: big left bank nose with pencil shavings, tobbacco, and leather. This is straight up old world on the nose, and I'm a fan
taste: really nice. Still some firm tannins for extra life, but they don't get in teh way. Getting cranberry, leather, and some cigar box on the mouth. real nice finish on this one.
overall: real good structure for more aging. I really liked drinking this one. It's just got that extra oomph to it that makes it good, and it's appreciated
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10/11/2007 - Marc S wrote: 76 Points
I think that this wine is past its prime. It is on its way down for sure. Drink it now,
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9/14/2007 - MWes wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Took about 3 hours to open up. I wouldn't wait much longer to open. It was very muted and flabby initiall. Once it opened up though, it was classic Bordeaux. Graphite, red fruit, cigar box, etc.
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7/14/2007 - JScott wrote: 89 Points
No reason to wait.
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7/8/2007 - Sav wrote: 89 Points
Very good, but not outstanding - A dark purple-coloured wine with rich, expansive character. The wine exhibits plenty of sweet kirsch black currant fruit intermixed with high quality, subtle new oak, and steely, mineral characteristics. Rich and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannin.
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6/30/2007 - clee wrote: 90 Points
Delicious with a nice thick ribeye. Getting close to peak.
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2/10/2007 - Redzed wrote: 91 Points
Lovely aroma - some leather over berry. Enticing. Palate well balanced and refined. Longish finish. Did not enjoy the last 2 bottles this much - I think it is coming out of its shell. Medium body. Best bottle I have drunk since it was quite young. Maybe I have drunk the other bottles too soon? Very good wine.
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1/15/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 89 Points
This bottle showed slight seepage, so I opened it earlier than planned. Bottle was fine. Previous notes have captured this pretty well, I think. It is a fine wine, drinking well now so no particular reason to wait, but no hurry to drink remaining bottles for at least a few years. It is very smoothe on entry, with still a small but not off-putting tannic bite. It offers moderate complexity, but is just short of outstanding. An enjoyable wine, that as I recall was fairly cheap when I bought it about 6 or 7 years ago.
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9/2/2006 - otisabdul wrote: 87 Points
Tasted at Citronelle in Washington DC ($120 on the wine list). Dark color. Bretty nose of sweaty horse saddle. Blackcurrant flavors are front and center. Very round and polished. Needed some angles and complexity. A decent bottle of wine, but paled in comparison to the '96 La Croix de Beaucaillou we drank alongside it.
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7/31/2006 - Saint Stephen wrote: 89 Points
Good not great. Difficult time coaxing much out of this. Perhaps it is still closed. Seemed to be something in there that didn't want to show itself yet.
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7/30/2006 - Jeff W wrote:
Fully open and very drinkable. Nothing spectacular, but it has good harmony and is soft and easy on the palate. The finish is restrained but satisfying - no real tannins. g+
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7/23/2006 - king-bing wrote: 90 Points
Almost no ageing on the rim. Slightly over oaky/pencil nose still. Classy. Soft entry though slightly tannic finish. Nice, but not earth shattering. A solid wine.
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6/3/2006 - Mr T wrote: 90 Points
getting there. brief decant and lovely w/ strip steak
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5/14/2006 - achim_m wrote: 90 Points
After reading all the notes around here, I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned the aroma of lead pencil, which I find so typical for this wine. I had this in my mind from the last bottle drunken about 1,5 years ago and immediately spotted this again. Other aromas were a mixture of dark and red fruits (really not easy to tell which is more prominent) and some leather and wood notes adding a good complexity (I guess this mixture could be the "funk" mentioned several times here). This was a perfectly stored bottle and showed absolutely no signs of aging. In fact, if you had told me this was 2002 Bdx, I would have believed this immediately. It is very enjoyabel drinking now, but definitely not at it's peak yet. I would suggest keeping this at least for another 4-6 years.
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4/22/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
Deep garnet beginning to orange/pink at rim. Lovely pure cassis and blueberry dominated nose with a bit of vanilla and soap (not too strong). There is a minerality that cuts under the fruit that is welcome and keeps everything in balance. This wine took a load of time to open – initially tight and unforthcoming, but seductive, yet firm with air. The nose is very distinct with the soap influence. The wine is just entering its plateau with full, ripe flavors yet a tannic backbone. This is lovely with lamb for dinner. I think this might be the best bottle yet (though sadly my last). (17.5)
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3/26/2006 - KDC2708 wrote:
still quite alcohol rich, medium bodied, had to open up: i should put it in a carafe a few hours before. probably still good for another 5years.
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2/1/2006 - eldoctore wrote: 88 Points
Classic claret, great with steak
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1/2/2006 - abaler wrote: 92 Points
Delicious wine! Decanted for 1 hr and then enjoyed over the next 3. I'm not very experienced with Bordeaux wines, but this is just right to my palatte -- cassis, wood, stone, leather and cedar. Not the over-the-top fruit bomb of CA Cab by any means, but a much smoother and mellower experience. There's still some tannins here, so I'm confident the wine may continue to improve for a few years and will certainly last for many more.
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12/30/2005 - dbkitc wrote:
Saturated deep garnet with an almost purple hue to it – young. Pure cassis driven nose – a touch of earth. Beginning to develop some depth and secondary aromas. Medium bodied – the attack is pure Bordeaux – red cassis, mocha, stones and wood spread across the palate. This is still youthful. The finish is not strong, but it lingers. An excellent wine, I should save the last bottle for a few years – if this is the second wine, I have great hopes for what its big brother will taste like in 10 years. Just lovely. (17)
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11/18/2005 - JSeaney wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Nose closed. Good mid and unresolved tannin on finish. Needs more time.
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8/26/2005 - Winetex wrote: 87 Points
From mag; Initially I thought the bottle was corked then perhaps had brett. It had this funky, woody note that wasn't textbook TCA but was definitely perceptible. The structure seemed fine but I couldn't get past the funk.
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7/2/2005 - Tad GW wrote: 90 Points
50+5+12+16+7=90
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2/18/2005 - Chewbacchus wrote: 87 Points
Had the Leoville Las Cases of the same vintage last weekend and it was spectacular; rivaling the 96 Margaux for the best (96 Bordeaux) wine of the day. This wine however, was not at all similar. Ruby red, with perhaps a very slight beginning of orange on the edge. Restrained but pleasant nose. Light red fruits (shut down?) with a hint of cocoa. Though it's been probably a year, I remember a similar disappointment with the 2000? Do I just not get this wine and its solid reputation or is my timing off?
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4/2/2004 - JohnB wrote:
Not decanted, consumed over 2 days. Deep purple, fine clear rim, in the glass looks promising. Initially a “funky” nose with very slight hint of dark fruit in the background. On the palate moderate tannin, however, an unremarkable mixture of what??? I sipped on this for 6 hours with little movement. At the six hour mark there was a hint of fruit on the palate, some tannin, and a little acid note. Was this a bad bottle? Then I remembered this post from Mark Squires bulletin board:
“With the Gruaud Larose, I can tell you about the 82. When I had it in the 80s, it was a magnificent young Bordeaux. But in the mid to late 90s, I had it in the middle of a great blind tasting. Most guys in our group said "Yuck! The first bad wine of the tasting!" But one guy (with a very good palate) said "No, I don't think it's bad. I think it's St. Julien. When St. Juliens get in mid-life, they get this horsey, leathery taste that almost seems like a bad bottle. That's what I think this is." Then he said (remember this is a totally double blind tasting) "In fact, if I had to bet, I would bet this is Gruaud Larose, probably the 82." When we tore the bag off, we were all floored, but he was right. We had it again in November 2003. One bottle was just bad, the other was magnificent.
--------------------
Ken Vastola, posted on MSBB April 1, 2004”
Thanks Ken, well timed post for me. Could this be what I was experiencing? I know the storage has been fine, no sign of being cooked, and not what I would call corked. I went back to this the next day and found that the “funk” was gone, but the wine was starting to fall apart. Some fruit was present, more apparent acid, no tannin evident. It will be interesting to see how this is in a couple more years.
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10/4/2002 - R2-D2 wrote: 90 Points
Second wine of Las Casas. Smooth nose of cola, cedar and vibrant currant. Very chewy tannins still dominating the underlying fruit. Good potential, especially considering it's from Las Casas (the '96 is considered a great wine, right?).
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