First bottle of the Haut Batailley was corked and went down the sink. Second bottle clean but also in an awkward phase, felt a bit too green and also too uptight to be truly enjoyable. Just a bit of pencil to give some typicite. Apparently this was an outstanding vintage for them but this is the second bottle that I’ve failed to be wowed by (as opposed to for eg the 89 en magnum which was classy AF). 4 more so perhaps shall give them some time to see if it’s just a phase.
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1996 Chateau Haut-Batailley. Perfect cork, with a nose of smoky green and black pepper, leather and pencil shavings. Beautifully balanced palate of wild blackberry, tart dark cherry, a long cocoa/coffee tinged finish with nice persistence and grip to the tannins. Very enjoyable!
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Drunk over two days, from a case that I have remaining of three. Inky, dark fruits here - blackberry, earth. This is why I prefer European style reds. Restraint is the order of the day! Solidly made but I am among those who don’t think that it has many more years. Personally, I will drink up. Quite lovely with tenderloin on the second day. Medium length finish. Happy with having cellared it for about 20 years, so QPR was right!
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This was the second half of the wines that we laid down some years ago for our son’s wedding. It was served alongside the 96 Talbot, and although a very good wine, just didn’t stand up to the Talbot’s greatness. In fairness to this wine I will do tasting notes another time and rate it. I think I have about a case remaining. I will say that it was somewhat lighter than the Talbot and left me thinking that it should be drunk up now.
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Stored in a cold cellar since release. High fill, Deep colour touch of brown. Bouquet leather, tobacco and black fruit. Good length and balance. Seems close to peak but will last for some years. Seems no point to keep.
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Slightly cloudy ruby color. Breadfruit and raspberries on the nose with a bit of cream. Raspberry pastry on the nose. Sweet cream and raspberries on the front palate with the raspberries staying strong throughout the finish. Tasty and in a good place.
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Lovely "a pointe" classic Bordeaux. Good Blackberry fruit, along with leather and forest floor. Very smooth, well integrated moderate weight and structure. Just very nice drinking. Long and complex. Drinking beautifully now and has decades in front of it.
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OWC 12 bottles from UK , shipped to HK and stored for 3 years. One of the few bottles left. Capsule and cork intact and good level. Decant for 15 mins. Moderate deposit . Crimson bright edges and bouquet was nice . Tannin was balanced and much better than we expected based on our previous bottles. Palate was good but after taste was fading fast. Pleasant wine and served well with traditional Cantonese Chinese food. Drink now. 90+.
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Seepage on the cork but no fault consequent. Still garnet and vibrant colour. Nose pencil shaving led - or should it be lead? Menthol in the background. Palate is so savoury and refreshing - fruit is a dilute blackcurrant, but there is a light elegance with underlying power from the remaining fine grained tannins which is quite beguiling. This wine is on the plateau of perfection.
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Was just ok. My least favourite of the 1996 bottles tried recently. All there - more secondary notes than fruit for me - just not very long on the finish & a bit simple. Drink up.
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Recently finished the last of 6 - it was so good that when another case came up at auction at a very fair price I snapped it up, this is the first bottle of the new case. Perfect cork. Good garnet colour - clear rim but no evidence of brick. The nose is textbook Paulliac - real eucalyptus lift - just lovely. Palate is juicy, refreshing with the tannins pretty well resolved with what remains fine grained and refined. A savoury wine to savour.
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This is an amazing wine. Peaking right now, I would say after 24 years. Nose is very rich in cherries, dark fruit, nutmeg, and some fresh pine. Palate is very smooth with mellowing tannins and lengthy sour finish. Palate is certainly complex with some cream, some cassis, and some sour cherry. Did not decant.
Makes you feel like lying next to a tranquil pond at dusk with soft soothing songs coming from a beautiful maiden from across the pond.
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Second bottle is much improved. The year of settling may be the cause or simply bottle variation. Fresher in colour, very Paulliac in structure and with ripe cassis/black currant fruit overlain with cedar and old leather. Long finish and time in hand for this bottle, but little upside. Day two and a half bottle of left overs is more rustic, and the 1996 tannin is more obvious. Still good but now in need of protein. A rib-eye wine if ever I saw one.
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6th of 6, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, better showing than last bottle in Jan 19 with attractive purity to the essentially simple cassis fruit, decent length, persistence and balance and scope for upside, remarkably youthful. VGI (17).
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Medium garnet, with heavy earthy aromas of soil and mushroom, roasted meats and a hint of petroleum. There are some dark fruit cake and roasted plums in there, but the fruit is clearly fading with age. Fine and relatively light in the mouth, but with slightly dusty tannins, and a medium finish. An interesting wine, but one for those who don’t mind the focus being on tertiary flavours. Tasted the 2010 alongside it, which obviously has a lot more red fruits and energy on the palate still if that’s more your style.
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Good bottle from an excellent cellar, provenence known. Time has not been kind. Dense black scarlet in colour. Day 1 and the nose is all tertiary, with faded leaf, coffee grounds and leather; and a palate that is astringent and mouth puckering, tannins to the fore. Day 2 and some black currant has appeared, fuller middle palate but still short and tertiary to the finish. If opening now decant, give it an hour or two and serve with protein (not cheese). I would not keep any longer, and I have 3 left.
5th of 6, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, less to it than 1/17 bottle, cassis led with some secondaries, nothing particularly wrong, just a bit simple and, frankly, boring, the quality of the components should really result in something more attractive, but my sense is that there's not enough energy to the fruit to do so, drink. VG (16)…..surprised given previous experience of fine bottles from less heralded vintages such as 79 and 81 and the usual Borie reliability, cf the excellent GPL in this vintage!
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Garnet edge. Ruby core. Medium intensity on the nose. Some leather, tobacco, a bit of Brett, and some red fruit underneath. This is well integrated on the palate. Ready to drink now. Much more pleasant in the mouth than on the nose. That said, it’s still lacking a bit of fruit to hold up to the tannins. It probably still has time left but I wouldn’t hold it for another decade. Not great, but not bad either.
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The nose indicated a really mature wine. Very musty with lots of smoke; I would never have expected such development from a 20 year old grand cru Classe. The palate was a bit nicer without really exciting. I do have concerns this could have been slightly corked, albeit the sommelier claimed this not to be the case and it smelt like other bottles he had previously opened.
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This is way better than thought. Bought at a drinking wine price, but this turn out with top Bordeaux quality. Decant for 1 hour and enjoy. Very good QPR. I wish I had bought more.
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4th of 6, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, previous notes good on prospects though last in '13 lower as wine had gone into a sulky deep sleep and was unpleasantly impenetrable - deepish garnet, youthful; cassis driven, touch of tobacco and graphite, relatively simple but attractive; medium bodied, good length, persistence and balance, rich fruit covering unresolved dryish tannin, nice energy, relatively simple but attractive and fine (17.5), should last well (10 years+) and maybe develop more nuance.
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This is pleasant. Seems to be at full maturity, as others have commented. Tannins have resolved, leaving a good balance of soft and generous fruit; a mix of red and black. This is balanced by a mixture of spice, spruce, graphite and soil. Not especially complex, but a good wine with a nice level across the palate.
Good - Drink now or Hold
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Musty leather nose that blew off, then toasted wood and tobacco smell and dark slightly sweet currants. Surprising weight for a 20 yr old 5th growth, pure elegant smooth red fruit, pleasing acidity, nice and crisp. A very good wine indeed, can see this lasting another 4 years at least. A great example of the 96 vintage.
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w steak from BBQ. Very good wine. great dark color, great bordeaux nose, fully integrated on the palate, great medium length finish. medium weight. this will live some 5 yrs more at least.
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Classic bordeaux, nose woth cassis, leadpencil, some oak and tea. Taste is medium bodied, very elegant and balanced. Best after 3 hours out of the bottle, do not PnP!
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Medium to full body. Red fruit, cedar and tobacco,some pepper. Mature, integrated tannins. After some time in the glass acidity became dominant. A nice bordeaux but should be drunk now.
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A bin end, but don't remember its provenance. Dry crumbly cork but was going to decant anyway. Excellent solid brick color, almost nothing on the nose but hints of toasted almonds. Dreamy in the mouth with slightly fading fruit but excellent balance. Mature smooth tannins and long long finish. Sadly my only bottle
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A fairly classic nose of cassis, cedar, tobacco, leather, and faint menthol. Drinks very smoothly with fully integrated tannins. Notable acidity. The fruit has not yet faded, and it is likely that this will continue to drink well for a number of years. An excellent buy from a strong vintage.
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One of my first impressions of Bdx when I was in college, nice finally to see a mature example. Really impressively matured and cedary, with mint and tobacco undertones.
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Clear, medium garnet red. Clean nose, pronounced aromas of cassis, leather, cedar, tobacco, fully developed. Dry palate, medium alcohol, full-bodied, tannins nicely integrated, medium acidity, quite ripe, no greenness, similar flavours to the nose, long finish. Excellent wine, not suitable for further aging (although no hurry to drink up).
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Mature Bordeaux, medium bodied with resolved and creamy tannins and flavours of cigar box, black tea, blackberries and kalamata olives. Great supporting oak and nice length. Text book 96 in style and in a beautiful place right now. Age shall not weary this one just yet.
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Dark brick red, fading slightly to the rim, slightly cloudy, notable sediment (should be decanted just before drinking). Clean nose (no evidence of volatile acidity mentioned by others), cassis, leather, cedar, tobacco. Full-bodied, tannins nicely integrated, still some acid backbone to give structure, quite ripe, no greenness, long finish. Excellent, mature, left-bank Bordeaux.
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More St Julien than Pauillac. Considerable volatile acidity manifests on the nose and even more so on the palate, but this stabilised a couple of hours after decanting. The nose beneath this is elegant and quite delicate, with pencil shavings, cassis, leather and a little tobacco. The taste is delicious, perhaps a little lightweight, with copious fine tannins, moderate acidity and earthy notes atop rich fine sweet forest fruits. Great length. Time to drink up now to 2015.
Postscript: absolutely delightful on the second day, stored in a glass stoppered decanter.
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Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club"; Pauillac (@RvdG): Beautiful bouquet with ripe cassis, smoke, cedar, tobacco and a touch of barnyard. On the palate a beautiful and classical wine with cassis, some bell pepper, smoke and creamy tannin with still a pleasant bite. Beautiful drinking stage now. No real hurry, but not many reasons to wait any longer.
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The aromas and tastes were as I wrote last year, but the overall quality of the wine has improved further. There's a subtle but powerful richness that I haven't encountered before here. HB 96 is certainly the best I have ever tried. It isn't a bona fide Pauillac, it never has been, but this is a sterling blend of Pauillac and Margaux. Streets ahead of the 00 for the time being.
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A lovely mature classic Bordeaux. Nice balance of fruit (not overtop at all), acid, secondary and tertiary development. This is why you aged Bordeaux. Very good
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Dark red colour, blackcurrant aroma and similar on palate, plenty of fruit and long finish. Still getting better after an hour in the decanter. Clearly ready but no need to rush to drink this.
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Decanted for an hour. Fresh and fragrant on the nose, very classy on the palate. No blockbuster, but in wonderful balance. Full in the mouth, but with good lift and refreshing. Very lovely bottle.
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As it was in March, nice nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, a touch of cedar and yeast. Good attack, blackcurrants and cherries, with a brambly touch, then the acidity raises the tastes to the top of the palate with that familiar HB creaminess,followed by a decent finish. Like a cross between Cantemerle and Batailley, this has great charm and persistence. Not going anywhere, I don't think, but very satisfying now.
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Red with brown rim. Typical bordeaux nose of cassis, cedar and tobacco. Medium body,soft and good lenght. Lacks a bit fruit but a great value and vintage.
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Good example of HB, this is a perfect Pauillac for spring and summer drinking. Silky, fresh, medium bodied with good persistence, full of charm. Not really a Pauillac at all, this drinks more like a La Lagune or a weightier Margaux. It should be good for another five years, but probably won't improve further. Just lacks the fruit for excellence.
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La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 35th Anniversary Spring Gala (Four Seasons Hotel): This screamed from the glass with a pronounced medicinal nose of iodine and dark red fruits. Nose was a little off-putting and didn’t give many indications of its Pauillac origin. This was soft on the entry with surprisingly intense fruit and quite a bit of structure. Medium length. Nice concentration and well-balanced in the mouth. Drink or hold. Very good.
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Decanted 45 minutes from an immaculate bottle. Poured very dark red with little to no signs of age. Mature and unmistakeable Bordeaux aromas of black fruits, leather, old books, some earthy minerality, and cedar. Flavors of black currants and black cherries, iron, minerals, cedar, and some vegetal notes that weren't green but more dry fall leaves. Med/med+ weight and well integrated with a silky mouthfeel and some pronounced acids driving it. Nice balance between fruit and secondary elements. Good length and flavor penetration - this is in a beautiful place right now. A classically styled claret.
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Dark red fruit, integrated tannins. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. Musty nose mostly blew off but still subtly present. Full bodied but lacked complexity, and finished a little short.
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Popped and poured. matured blackcurrants, cherries, oak, full bodied, soften tannin and lengthy aftertaste, good structure and complexity, can keep for few more years.
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When the '96s were first released there was all sorts of concerns in the wine press as to whether the fruit would fade before the tannins resolved. No such problem here! <:) Decanted ~2 hrs before consumption, stoppered after decanting.
Beautiful deep red color with minimal bricking around the edges. Nose typical of an aged Bordeaux, fruit, vanilla, leather, cigar box and hints of cocoa.
On the palate medium weight, silky tannins, berries & black stone fruit. Leather, underbrush and hints of cocoa in the finish.
Though Cali cabs can be delicious it's wines like this that really differentiate Bordeaux and reward patience and a cold cellar.
Definately @ it's plateau, will proabably not improve much more with time, but should continue to drink well at least another 5 years.
92 points!
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Popped and poured and consumed over 1 hour. Opaque black garnet color with virtually no fading. Complex, balanced nose of earth, cedar and red fruit. Equally complex and rich on the palate with excellent concentration, ripe tannin and good acidity. Moderate finish. This is an excellent example of a great vintage in the Medoc. More reminiscent of a St. Estephe than a Paulliac though. Drank from Alex's cellar.
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The note from thebonnydooner described this wine quite well, except the overall impression and degree of enjoyment I get is just a bit less. This wine seems as though it might be slightly past its peak for my taste. The complexity on the nose and palate is classic BDX, and the cedar note is classic Pauillac. Quite good, but the finish is a bit too short and sweet for me to rate it higher. I'll likely drink my last bottle soon.
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Very dark in colour - opaque black centre, black plum robe, shows age only on the garnet brick tinged rim.
Age is more evident on the nose, complex with an interesting balance of blackcurrant and dark cherry fruit with a mature earthy note - both vegetal and dry brush.
Overall this is a very savoury and delicious wine with an excellent length of finish. Palate is initially a little sweet but quickly turns to a dry, somewhat acidic but very tasty blackcurrant and blackcherry finsih. Gorgeously long and detailed on the finish, with licourice, currant and woody notes all playing out on the finish.
This was very similar to the last bottle, but showing even better with more obvious complexity. Probably should only merit a 91, but the overall balance is so good (and so tasty) I need to upgrade this to a 92.
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Cedar, blackcurrant, spices and a hint of mint. Sweetly fruited palate, this is very approachable but has a good enough structure that I'd like to see it again in 2-3 years time.
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Excellent and interesting. Good colour, dark plum and cherry with a garnet and brick robe, brick red rim. Nose was interesting and balanced, with mature savoury blackcurrant and herbal notes with a lot of Bordeaux earth. Palate was the same, balanced with enougth fruit to balance the dry savoury blackcurrant and plum fruit. Good legnth of finish. Very nice.
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This 5th Growth Pauillac is now more mature than I first expected. medium full but not a dense wine, the cedary balckcurrant nose is now developing. On the palate the wine is medium full, with good fruit & ripe tannins and is drinking well at present. I would revise my earlier note of keeping a further 10 years & will probably drink this wine over the next 5 years.
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Violets, earth and dark chocolate comprise the nose. The palate is medium bodied, with good length and nice balance. Drinking pretty nicely right now but should continue to develop over the short-medium term.
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Decanted for 80 minutes then drank over a 2 hour period. Dark colored. Nose of cow. Silky tannins and nice acidity on the palette with flavors of blackcurrant and cherry. Moderately long finish that in the end went down. DRINK NOW i think it is on the way down
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Decanted for 30 minutes then drank over a 4 hour period. Ruby colored. Nose of tobacco, earth, mushroom, ceder, with hints of leather and white pepper. Silky tannins and nice acidity on the palette with flavors of blackcurrant and cherry. Moderately long finish was enjoyable.
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This wine is a very good bargain if you can find any more. A little fruit forward upon opening, the fruit and tannins are better integrated after a half hour or so. This wine has complexity well beyond its price point, with gobs of dark fruit, cassis, smoke, and cedar all dancing on the palate for at least 30 sec. Far better than the Pizza Hut I ate with it, no doubt. (please no spamming)
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I decanted this for about 10 minutes, as I did not have all the time in the world prior to drinking it. Upon the initial taste, it had a fruit forward cassis flavor, very closed and hollow. As the wine began to mesh with the oxygen for about a half an hour, a stout pencil lead flavor jumped from the glass. And after about 45 minutes, the cigar box and cedar evolved in the framework and presented itself as a smooth tapestry of pencil lead, cedar, cassis, and a trace of cigar box. I was very surprised at how good this wine was considering I only paid 30 dollars for it. If I can find any more, I will definitely decant it for at least one hour prior to tasting. Finally, I have to say that this wine is likely at its peak right now and if you are cellaring any bottles of it, I would recommend drinking them soon. There might be some time left, but I cannot vouch for its lasting potential.
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Bordeaux 1996 @ my place (Netherlands): Recognisable as a Left-Banker, though not as muscular as I expected it to be. Seems a little thin in mid-palate. But all in all, this is a very nice wine, with pure bright fruit and introducing secondary nuances of maturity now. 16.5/20
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Had with a huge prime rib at the Weber Grill Restaurant. Not showing signs of age, great balance with dark fruit and some what mellow tanins. Nice weight, great nose. Very much worth the purchase. If there is more at the store I found it at I will buy more.
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very nice and ready to drink now. great bordeaux nose, mineral, black fruit, cassis, turns a bit greeen n the finish, that is what keeps it from being outstanding.
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SFWS tasting of 1996 Vintgae Wines; Deep red colour, quite dense; restrained nose which started to emerge later - blackcurrant fruit with some cedary overtones; plenty of fruit on the palate with ripe tannins. keep for ? 10 years
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Once again this vintage proves to be very good. The wine was maybe still a bit too fleshy for my tastes and not evolved enough but it will get there in time, probably only a few more years before it is ready to drink.
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Cherry and blackcurrant. Leather. Barnyard. Limestone. Dried Herbs. Nice long, elegant finish. Firm tannins with nice acidity. Good future ahead of it.
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Had this at Tom's with steak and next to PBaron 95, Leoville B 95. By far the winner of the night. The others were closed but this seemed to open up well. Keeper for another 5 yrs.
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Again, remarkably similar in style to the Sociando and the Lagrange, with the same slightly barnyardy aromas on the nose and the high, slightly tough tannins only partly balanced by modest levels of fruit.
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4/14/2024 - geraldsng wrote:
First bottle of the Haut Batailley was corked and went down the sink. Second bottle clean but also in an awkward phase, felt a bit too green and also too uptight to be truly enjoyable. Just a bit of pencil to give some typicite. Apparently this was an outstanding vintage for them but this is the second bottle that I’ve failed to be wowed by (as opposed to for eg the 89 en magnum which was classy AF). 4 more so perhaps shall give them some time to see if it’s just a phase.
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4/12/2024 - liber wrote: flawed
COrked!!!!
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3/26/2024 - The Wine Monkeys Likes this wine: 91 Points
1996 Chateau Haut-Batailley. Perfect cork, with a nose of smoky green and black pepper, leather and pencil shavings. Beautifully balanced palate of wild blackberry, tart dark cherry, a long cocoa/coffee tinged finish with nice persistence and grip to the tannins. Very enjoyable!
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12/26/2023 - jdporter3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drunk over two days, from a case that I have remaining of three. Inky, dark fruits here - blackberry, earth. This is why I prefer European style reds. Restraint is the order of the day! Solidly made but I am among those who don’t think that it has many more years. Personally, I will drink up. Quite lovely with tenderloin on the second day. Medium length finish. Happy with having cellared it for about 20 years, so QPR was right!
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9/23/2023 - jdporter3 Likes this wine:
This was the second half of the wines that we laid down some years ago for our son’s wedding. It was served alongside the 96 Talbot, and although a very good wine, just didn’t stand up to the Talbot’s greatness. In fairness to this wine I will do tasting notes another time and rate it. I think I have about a case remaining. I will say that it was somewhat lighter than the Talbot and left me thinking that it should be drunk up now.
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7/31/2023 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stored in a cold cellar since release. High fill, Deep colour touch of brown. Bouquet leather, tobacco and black fruit. Good length and balance. Seems close to peak but will last for some years. Seems no point to keep.
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7/22/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 90 Points
Slightly cloudy ruby color. Breadfruit and raspberries on the nose with a bit of cream. Raspberry pastry on the nose. Sweet cream and raspberries on the front palate with the raspberries staying strong throughout the finish. Tasty and in a good place.
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3/23/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely "a pointe" classic Bordeaux. Good Blackberry fruit, along with leather and forest floor. Very smooth, well integrated moderate weight and structure. Just very nice drinking. Long and complex. Drinking beautifully now and has decades in front of it.
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1/7/2023 - timbo9313 Likes this wine: 90 Points
OWC 12 bottles from UK , shipped to HK and stored for 3 years. One of the few bottles left. Capsule and cork intact and good level. Decant for 15 mins. Moderate deposit .
Crimson bright edges and bouquet was nice . Tannin was balanced and much better than we expected based on our previous bottles.
Palate was good but after taste was fading fast. Pleasant wine and served well with traditional Cantonese Chinese food. Drink now. 90+.
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12/17/2022 - sbfoote wrote: 92 Points
I concur w J'Agnes. Dark fruit, a bit of an elevated note, some graphite, fine tannin. Really good showing.
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4/23/2021 - J'agnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seepage on the cork but no fault consequent. Still garnet and vibrant colour. Nose pencil shaving led - or should it be lead? Menthol in the background. Palate is so savoury and refreshing - fruit is a dilute blackcurrant, but there is a light elegance with underlying power from the remaining fine grained tannins which is quite beguiling. This wine is on the plateau of perfection.
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4/11/2021 - globetrott_er Likes this wine: 89 Points
Was just ok. My least favourite of the 1996 bottles tried recently. All there - more secondary notes than fruit for me - just not very long on the finish & a bit simple. Drink up.
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3/19/2021 - Beebeelay Likes this wine:
—
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3/6/2021 - J'agnes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Recently finished the last of 6 - it was so good that when another case came up at auction at a very fair price I snapped it up, this is the first bottle of the new case.
Perfect cork. Good garnet colour - clear rim but no evidence of brick. The nose is textbook Paulliac - real eucalyptus lift - just lovely.
Palate is juicy, refreshing with the tannins pretty well resolved with what remains fine grained and refined. A savoury wine to savour.
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1/4/2021 - winecoffee wrote: 93 Points
This is an amazing wine. Peaking right now, I would say after 24 years. Nose is very rich in cherries, dark fruit, nutmeg, and some fresh pine. Palate is very smooth with mellowing tannins and lengthy sour finish. Palate is certainly complex with some cream, some cassis, and some sour cherry. Did not decant.
Makes you feel like lying next to a tranquil pond at dusk with soft soothing songs coming from a beautiful maiden from across the pond.
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12/19/2020 - Maphill01 wrote:
PNP. Nose of black cherry, black currant and earthy old leather. Oak has been well integrated. Sweet tobacco.
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9/22/2020 - Geoff7777 wrote:
Second bottle is much improved. The year of settling may be the cause or simply bottle variation. Fresher in colour, very Paulliac in structure and with ripe cassis/black currant fruit overlain with cedar and old leather. Long finish and time in hand for this bottle, but little upside.
Day two and a half bottle of left overs is more rustic, and the 1996 tannin is more obvious. Still good but now in need of protein. A rib-eye wine if ever I saw one.
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8/3/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 90 Points
6th of 6, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, better showing than last bottle in Jan 19 with attractive purity to the essentially simple cassis fruit, decent length, persistence and balance and scope for upside, remarkably youthful. VGI (17).
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7/2/2020 - bobdobilina wrote: 91 Points
Translucent mahogany color. Slightly cloudy with some bricking at the rim.
Lovely claret nose of cedar, tobacco, saddle leather, and hints of violets, cassis and pyrazine.
Quite seamless on the palate with strong blackcurrant fruit, a rich mid palate, good berry acidity and firm tannins at the finish.
A classically styled mid weight claret for my palate. Perhaps not quintessentially Pauillac, but i like the style.
Perhaps at the end of its secondary stage, but not particularly tertiary for me yet.
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6/27/2020 - Hendmo wrote: 88 Points
Medium garnet, with heavy earthy aromas of soil and mushroom, roasted meats and a hint of petroleum. There are some dark fruit cake and roasted plums in there, but the fruit is clearly fading with age. Fine and relatively light in the mouth, but with slightly dusty tannins, and a medium finish. An interesting wine, but one for those who don’t mind the focus being on tertiary flavours. Tasted the 2010 alongside it, which obviously has a lot more red fruits and energy on the palate still if that’s more your style.
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10/19/2019 - roncolliard@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Magnifique à parfaite maturité
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8/8/2019 - Geoff7777 wrote:
Good bottle from an excellent cellar, provenence known. Time has not been kind. Dense black scarlet in colour. Day 1 and the nose is all tertiary, with faded leaf, coffee grounds and leather; and a palate that is astringent and mouth puckering, tannins to the fore. Day 2 and some black currant has appeared, fuller middle palate but still short and tertiary to the finish. If opening now decant, give it an hour or two and serve with protein (not cheese). I would not keep any longer, and I have 3 left.
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5/29/2019 - vinhonotte wrote: 88 Points
Fine Wines SG - Bordeaux 90s Dinner - Left vs Right (Fine Wines SG): Grassy and savoury, with mostly roasted meats, and smoky. Very little fruits to speak of. Fair finish
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1/28/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 88 Points
5th of 6, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, less to it than 1/17 bottle, cassis led with some secondaries, nothing particularly wrong, just a bit simple and, frankly, boring, the quality of the components should really result in something more attractive, but my sense is that there's not enough energy to the fruit to do so, drink. VG (16)…..surprised given previous experience of fine bottles from less heralded vintages such as 79 and 81 and the usual Borie reliability, cf the excellent GPL in this vintage!
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9/23/2018 - ONEFIVE wrote:
Garnet edge. Ruby core.
Medium intensity on the nose. Some leather, tobacco, a bit of Brett, and some red fruit underneath.
This is well integrated on the palate. Ready to drink now. Much more pleasant in the mouth than on the nose. That said, it’s still lacking a bit of fruit to hold up to the tannins. It probably still has time left but I wouldn’t hold it for another decade. Not great, but not bad either.
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9/15/2018 - KBergstedt wrote: flawed
Bad. Don't know if it's too old or corked.
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5/23/2018 - _water.into.wine_ Does not like this wine: 88 Points
The nose indicated a really mature wine. Very musty with lots of smoke; I would never have expected such development from a 20 year old grand cru Classe. The palate was a bit nicer without really exciting. I do have concerns this could have been slightly corked, albeit the sommelier claimed this not to be the case and it smelt like other bottles he had previously opened.
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5/16/2017 - John Tang Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is way better than thought. Bought at a drinking wine price, but this turn out with top Bordeaux quality. Decant for 1 hour and enjoy. Very good QPR. I wish I had bought more.
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1/22/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
4th of 6, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, previous notes good on prospects though last in '13 lower as wine had gone into a sulky deep sleep and was unpleasantly impenetrable - deepish garnet, youthful; cassis driven, touch of tobacco and graphite, relatively simple but attractive; medium bodied, good length, persistence and balance, rich fruit covering unresolved dryish tannin, nice energy, relatively simple but attractive and fine (17.5), should last well (10 years+) and maybe develop more nuance.
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12/4/2016 - WMWG wrote: 86 Points
This is pleasant. Seems to be at full maturity, as others have commented. Tannins have resolved, leaving a good balance of soft and generous fruit; a mix of red and black. This is balanced by a mixture of spice, spruce, graphite and soil. Not especially complex, but a good wine with a nice level across the palate.
Good - Drink now or Hold
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7/15/2016 - Thejaaysog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Musty leather nose that blew off, then toasted wood and tobacco smell and dark slightly sweet currants. Surprising weight for a 20 yr old 5th growth, pure elegant smooth red fruit, pleasing acidity, nice and crisp. A very good wine indeed, can see this lasting another 4 years at least. A great example of the 96 vintage.
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6/26/2016 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
w steak from BBQ. Very good wine. great dark color, great bordeaux nose, fully integrated on the palate, great medium length finish. medium weight. this will live some 5 yrs more at least.
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4/30/2016 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic bordeaux, nose woth cassis, leadpencil, some oak and tea. Taste is medium bodied, very elegant and balanced. Best after 3 hours out of the bottle, do not PnP!
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4/22/2016 - Erik12000 wrote:
Medium to full body. Red fruit, cedar and tobacco,some pepper. Mature, integrated tannins. After some time in the glass acidity became dominant. A nice bordeaux but should be drunk now.
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4/2/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is approaching pensionable age but is still drinking very well, a classic fully mature Bordeaux. However, I can only see this declining
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3/20/2016 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Boerne wine club - Bordeaux vs Italy vs California: mature garnet red, light tart, smoky cedar and red fruit. I'd drink now before this starts going over the edge.
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12/21/2015 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice complex nose and still some tannin but definitely becoming acidic and past it's prime- drink soon.
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10/13/2015 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
Fresh rubber (like the tube on a new bike tire), pepper and blackberry, smooth mature tannins, drinking great right now
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7/18/2015 - Whidah Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bin end, but don't remember its provenance. Dry crumbly cork but was going to decant anyway.
Excellent solid brick color, almost nothing on the nose but hints of toasted almonds. Dreamy in the mouth with slightly fading fruit but excellent balance. Mature smooth tannins and long long finish.
Sadly my only bottle
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6/25/2015 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 91 Points
A fairly classic nose of cassis, cedar, tobacco, leather, and faint menthol. Drinks very smoothly with fully integrated tannins. Notable acidity. The fruit has not yet faded, and it is likely that this will continue to drink well for a number of years. An excellent buy from a strong vintage.
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3/29/2015 - yofog wrote:
One of my first impressions of Bdx when I was in college, nice finally to see a mature example. Really impressively matured and cedary, with mint and tobacco undertones.
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3/24/2015 - clairenclarence wrote: 89 Points
pop n pour
nose:herbacious,barnyard,tobacco,some hint of mint,spice,plum,slite cherry notes
structure:still grippy n slightly dusty tannins; intensity:abv average; depth:sliglty abv average; acidity abv average; complexity:slightly abv average; energy of fruits:average
palate:tobacco,plum,black cherry,herbacious,slight barnyard
conclusion:a pretty classic wine.with more air,fruits starts to fade which result getting more herbacious n tobacco characters.wat a pity
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3/14/2015 - Andrewbdc wrote: 92 Points
Clear, medium garnet red. Clean nose, pronounced aromas of cassis, leather, cedar, tobacco, fully developed. Dry palate, medium alcohol, full-bodied, tannins nicely integrated, medium acidity, quite ripe, no greenness, similar flavours to the nose, long finish. Excellent wine, not suitable for further aging (although no hurry to drink up).
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10/5/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 89 Points
Leather and cedar with blackberry; textured; inconsistent and a bit off balance; nice earthy composition.
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10/3/2014 - deverett wrote: 92 Points
Mature Bordeaux, medium bodied with resolved and creamy tannins and flavours of cigar box, black tea, blackberries and kalamata olives. Great supporting oak and nice length. Text book 96 in style and in a beautiful place right now. Age shall not weary this one just yet.
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6/24/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry; cherry; good structure and potential; still tannic; give it 5 more years.
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6/1/2014 - jinatnrt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mushroomy, milky, tobaccoy, saw-dusty goodness.
Tannins have softened over time and is ready to drink now.
Classic Pauillac.
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5/3/2014 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
I loved this - dense cassis balanced with cedar and cigar. Classic Paulliac. Years ahead of this. One for the traditionalists.
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4/20/2014 - Andrewbdc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark brick red, fading slightly to the rim, slightly cloudy, notable sediment (should be decanted just before drinking). Clean nose (no evidence of volatile acidity mentioned by others), cassis, leather, cedar, tobacco. Full-bodied, tannins nicely integrated, still some acid backbone to give structure, quite ripe, no greenness, long finish. Excellent, mature, left-bank Bordeaux.
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4/12/2014 - Linn wrote: 92 Points
Drink up in the next 5 years
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12/25/2013 - JustNathan Likes this wine: 89 Points
More St Julien than Pauillac. Considerable volatile acidity manifests on the nose and even more so on the palate, but this stabilised a couple of hours after decanting. The nose beneath this is elegant and quite delicate, with pencil shavings, cassis, leather and a little tobacco. The taste is delicious, perhaps a little lightweight, with copious fine tannins, moderate acidity and earthy notes atop rich fine sweet forest fruits. Great length. Time to drink up now to 2015.
Postscript: absolutely delightful on the second day, stored in a glass stoppered decanter.
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11/21/2013 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club"; Pauillac (@RvdG): Beautiful bouquet with ripe cassis, smoke, cedar, tobacco and a touch of barnyard. On the palate a beautiful and classical wine with cassis, some bell pepper, smoke and creamy tannin with still a pleasant bite. Beautiful drinking stage now. No real hurry, but not many reasons to wait any longer.
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5/20/2013 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine:
The aromas and tastes were as I wrote last year, but the overall quality of the wine has improved further. There's a subtle but powerful richness that I haven't encountered before here. HB 96 is certainly the best I have ever tried. It isn't a bona fide Pauillac, it never has been, but this is a sterling blend of Pauillac and Margaux. Streets ahead of the 00 for the time being.
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2/12/2013 - JeremyQ Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lovely mature classic Bordeaux. Nice balance of fruit (not overtop at all), acid, secondary and tertiary development. This is why you aged Bordeaux. Very good
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2/10/2013 - cwjames wrote: 90 Points
Dark red colour, blackcurrant aroma and similar on palate, plenty of fruit and long finish. Still getting better after an hour in the decanter. Clearly ready but no need to rush to drink this.
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11/11/2012 - kiichli wrote:
Decanted for an hour. Fresh and fragrant on the nose, very classy on the palate. No blockbuster, but in wonderful balance. Full in the mouth, but with good lift and refreshing. Very lovely bottle.
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9/17/2012 - Julian Marshall wrote:
As it was in March, nice nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, a touch of cedar and yeast. Good attack, blackcurrants and cherries, with a brambly touch, then the acidity raises the tastes to the top of the palate with that familiar HB creaminess,followed by a decent finish. Like a cross between Cantemerle and Batailley, this has great charm and persistence. Not going anywhere, I don't think, but very satisfying now.
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7/9/2012 - Mascalese Likes this wine: 89 Points
first bottle from 12 pack. great value. beautiful claret, enjoy rest over next 5 years.
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6/22/2012 - vassnesen wrote: 91 Points
Red with brown rim.
Typical bordeaux nose of cassis, cedar and tobacco. Medium body,soft and good lenght. Lacks a bit fruit but a great value and vintage.
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6/2/2012 - Dr AJ wrote: 82 Points
Classic left-bank claret, although fairly lightweight and lacking in complexity. Pleasant, but unmemorable.
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3/24/2012 - Julian Marshall wrote:
Good example of HB, this is a perfect Pauillac for spring and summer drinking. Silky, fresh, medium bodied with good persistence, full of charm. Not really a Pauillac at all, this drinks more like a La Lagune or a weightier Margaux. It should be good for another five years, but probably won't improve further. Just lacks the fruit for excellence.
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3/16/2012 - dangdad wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful wine. Starts with a nice soft tannin, opens to well balanced black cherry and currant, and finishes long. Glad I waited to open it.
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3/10/2012 - godx wrote: 88 Points
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 35th Anniversary Spring Gala (Four Seasons Hotel): This screamed from the glass with a pronounced medicinal nose of iodine and dark red fruits. Nose was a little off-putting and didn’t give many indications of its Pauillac origin. This was soft on the entry with surprisingly intense fruit and quite a bit of structure. Medium length. Nice concentration and well-balanced in the mouth. Drink or hold. Very good.
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11/18/2011 - Mivvy wrote: 87 Points
Ruby. Pencil lead on the nose. Shows through on the palate, this has some tangy acidity that brightens up the wine, medium finish.
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9/10/2011 - Redguy wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 45 minutes from an immaculate bottle. Poured very dark red with little to no signs of age. Mature and unmistakeable Bordeaux aromas of black fruits, leather, old books, some earthy minerality, and cedar. Flavors of black currants and black cherries, iron, minerals, cedar, and some vegetal notes that weren't green but more dry fall leaves. Med/med+ weight and well integrated with a silky mouthfeel and some pronounced acids driving it. Nice balance between fruit and secondary elements. Good length and flavor penetration - this is in a beautiful place right now. A classically styled claret.
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8/20/2011 - Brett Pitt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great
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4/22/2011 - cwjames wrote: 89 Points
plenty of blackcurrant fruit, powerful, ready but no sign of fading and very long. This wine appears to be good for a few years more.
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2/18/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 83 Points
a bit dusty when first opened. got better with notes of cigar box and black currants. a little tart on the finish.
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12/24/2010 - pxstone wrote: 89 Points
Dark red fruit, integrated tannins. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. Musty nose mostly blew off but still subtly present. Full bodied but lacked complexity, and finished a little short.
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8/14/2010 - DSo wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. matured blackcurrants, cherries, oak, full bodied, soften tannin and lengthy aftertaste, good structure and complexity, can keep for few more years.
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6/12/2010 - Crash69 wrote: 92 Points
When the '96s were first released there was all sorts of concerns in the wine press as to whether the fruit would fade before the tannins resolved. No such problem here! <:) Decanted ~2 hrs before consumption, stoppered after decanting.
Beautiful deep red color with minimal bricking around the edges. Nose typical of an aged Bordeaux, fruit, vanilla, leather, cigar box and hints of cocoa.
On the palate medium weight, silky tannins, berries & black stone fruit. Leather, underbrush and hints of cocoa in the finish.
Though Cali cabs can be delicious it's wines like this that really differentiate Bordeaux and reward patience and a cold cellar.
Definately @ it's plateau, will proabably not improve much more with time, but should continue to drink well at least another 5 years.
92 points!
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5/25/2010 - jcoleman wrote: 90 Points
lovely cigar box nose. delicious berry flavours with bags of stuffing and a reasonably long finish
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1/16/2010 - KeyMaster wrote: 93 Points
Superbe. Je crois qu'il était fin prêt, avec peut-être encore quelques années de potentiel, mais pas beaucoup. Complexe, bonne finale en bouche.
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1/16/2010 - tomandlu wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured and consumed over 1 hour. Opaque black garnet color with virtually no fading. Complex, balanced nose of earth, cedar and red fruit. Equally complex and rich on the palate with excellent concentration, ripe tannin and good acidity. Moderate finish. This is an excellent example of a great vintage in the Medoc. More reminiscent of a St. Estephe than a Paulliac though. Drank from Alex's cellar.
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11/19/2009 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
The note from thebonnydooner described this wine quite well, except the overall impression and degree of enjoyment I get is just a bit less. This wine seems as though it might be slightly past its peak for my taste. The complexity on the nose and palate is classic BDX, and the cedar note is classic Pauillac. Quite good, but the finish is a bit too short and sweet for me to rate it higher. I'll likely drink my last bottle soon.
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10/11/2009 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Very dark in colour - opaque black centre, black plum robe, shows age only on the garnet brick tinged rim.
Age is more evident on the nose, complex with an interesting balance of blackcurrant and dark cherry fruit with a mature earthy note - both vegetal and dry brush.
Overall this is a very savoury and delicious wine with an excellent length of finish. Palate is initially a little sweet but quickly turns to a dry, somewhat acidic but very tasty blackcurrant and blackcherry finsih. Gorgeously long and detailed on the finish, with licourice, currant and woody notes all playing out on the finish.
This was very similar to the last bottle, but showing even better with more obvious complexity. Probably should only merit a 91, but the overall balance is so good (and so tasty) I need to upgrade this to a 92.
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3/9/2009 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Cedar, blackcurrant, spices and a hint of mint. Sweetly fruited palate, this is very approachable but has a good enough structure that I'd like to see it again in 2-3 years time.
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10/8/2008 - Caskar wrote: 88 Points
Weak. rather disappointing, offered no body was rather thin. Did have consistency in that the aromas and finish were also thin
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7/4/2008 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Excellent and interesting. Good colour, dark plum and cherry with a garnet and brick robe, brick red rim. Nose was interesting and balanced, with mature savoury blackcurrant and herbal notes with a lot of Bordeaux earth. Palate was the same, balanced with enougth fruit to balance the dry savoury blackcurrant and plum fruit. Good legnth of finish. Very nice.
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4/20/2008 - gout wrote: 90 Points
This 5th Growth Pauillac is now more mature than I first expected. medium full but not a dense wine, the cedary balckcurrant nose is now developing. On the palate the wine is medium full, with good fruit & ripe tannins and is drinking well at present. I would revise my earlier note of keeping a further 10 years & will probably drink this wine over the next 5 years.
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3/28/2008 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Violets, earth and dark chocolate comprise the nose. The palate is medium bodied, with good length and nice balance. Drinking pretty nicely right now but should continue to develop over the short-medium term.
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3/16/2008 - Jurgens wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 80 minutes then drank over a 2 hour period. Dark colored. Nose of cow. Silky tannins and nice acidity on the palette with flavors of blackcurrant and cherry. Moderately long finish that in the end went down. DRINK NOW i think it is on the way down
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1/16/2008 - KJL473 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes then drank over a 4 hour period. Ruby colored. Nose of tobacco, earth, mushroom, ceder, with hints of leather and white pepper. Silky tannins and nice acidity on the palette with flavors of blackcurrant and cherry. Moderately long finish was enjoyable.
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12/21/2007 - TuckerTini wrote: 92 Points
This wine is a very good bargain if you can find any more. A little fruit forward upon opening, the fruit and tannins are better integrated after a half hour or so. This wine has complexity well beyond its price point, with gobs of dark fruit, cassis, smoke, and cedar all dancing on the palate for at least 30 sec. Far better than the Pizza Hut I ate with it, no doubt. (please no spamming)
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11/24/2007 - jonradus wrote: 93 Points
I decanted this for about 10 minutes, as I did not have all the time in the world prior to drinking it. Upon the initial taste, it had a fruit forward cassis flavor, very closed and hollow. As the wine began to mesh with the oxygen for about a half an hour, a stout pencil lead flavor jumped from the glass. And after about 45 minutes, the cigar box and cedar evolved in the framework and presented itself as a smooth tapestry of pencil lead, cedar, cassis, and a trace of cigar box. I was very surprised at how good this wine was considering I only paid 30 dollars for it. If I can find any more, I will definitely decant it for at least one hour prior to tasting. Finally, I have to say that this wine is likely at its peak right now and if you are cellaring any bottles of it, I would recommend drinking them soon. There might be some time left, but I cannot vouch for its lasting potential.
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8/11/2007 - jkoenen wrote: 88 Points
Bordeaux 1996 @ my place (Netherlands): Recognisable as a Left-Banker, though not as muscular as I expected it to be. Seems a little thin in mid-palate. But all in all, this is a very nice wine, with pure bright fruit and introducing secondary nuances of maturity now. 16.5/20
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5/7/2007 - cjstrunk wrote: 91 Points
Had with a huge prime rib at the Weber Grill Restaurant. Not showing signs of age, great balance with dark fruit and some what mellow tanins. Nice weight, great nose. Very much worth the purchase. If there is more at the store I found it at I will buy more.
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4/14/2007 - sjt wrote: 89 Points
very nice and ready to drink now. great bordeaux nose, mineral, black fruit, cassis, turns a bit greeen n the finish, that is what keeps it from being outstanding.
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1/16/2007 - gout wrote: 89 Points
SFWS tasting of 1996 Vintgae Wines;
Deep red colour, quite dense; restrained nose which started to emerge later - blackcurrant fruit with some cedary overtones; plenty of fruit on the palate with ripe tannins. keep for ? 10 years
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6/10/2006 - Will wrote:
Once again this vintage proves to be very good. The wine was maybe still a bit too fleshy for my tastes and not evolved enough but it will get there in time, probably only a few more years before it is ready to drink.
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7/21/2005 - kstoddard wrote: 92 Points
Cherry and blackcurrant. Leather. Barnyard. Limestone. Dried Herbs. Nice long, elegant finish. Firm tannins with nice acidity. Good future ahead of it.
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2/28/2005 - MichielV wrote:
Had this at Tom's with steak and next to PBaron 95, Leoville B 95. By far the winner of the night. The others were closed but this seemed to open up well. Keeper for another 5 yrs.
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10/25/2003 - CSteefel wrote: 89 Points
Again, remarkably similar in style to the Sociando and the Lagrange, with the same slightly barnyardy aromas on the nose and the high, slightly tough tannins only partly balanced by modest levels of fruit.
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