HWS Bordeaux 2009 vs 2010 (By me): Beautiful bouquet with cherries and berries like e.g. blackberries, a bit herbaceous and a pleasant dose of oak. On the palate juicy acidity and some green impressions, beautiful acidity and tannin. The wine is in its young maturity stage and already very tempting with definitely 3+ years of future ahead.
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Still some deep ruby. Heading a little toward garnet. Intense fruit. Rich and rounded. Blackcurrant. Long. Warming baking spices in evidence: vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Full bodied. Warming but not hot. Good structure. Still there but integrated. This is drinking really well now, but I think will still age nicely. Still primary and secondary. Yum.
PS it benefited a lot from a good decant- 1hr plus. Some of the riper notes do blow off and soften, which is benefit. It does show riper fruit for sure than some vintages.
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In a really good spot. Squeaky clean, polished Bordeaux. Not overdone, however, and not easily confused with Napa or new world Bdx blends. Very nice acidity. Soft tannins. Long, fruity mid palate and finish. Fantastic QPR.
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1/12, good cork. Decanted then served. Opaque ruby core - touch of purple still - narrow pale ruby rim. Nose is a touch closed at first, opened up as it warms to show ripe blackcurrant fruit, vanilla, touch of cedar. Medium/full bodied, ripe black fruit, soft, round tannins, this is plush, even voluptuous with moderate acidity and a good length harmonious finish. It's cretianly ripe and fruit forward but just about in balance and very easy to enjoy. Drinking now, no hurry.
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The nose is quite attractive, full of ripe cherry, violet and blackberry. In the mouth, the fruit is forward, but smooth, velvety in fact, very ripe but initially quite fresh. If there are tannins, I didn’t notice any. The problem starts mid-palate: there’s a syrupiness to the fruit, a tell-tell stodginess that the lack of acidity just makes worse. The finish is hot and unbalanced. It’s like drinking cough mixture - the same heat on the throat. The 14% ABV, already a lot, tastes more like 15%.
Now this is not a bad wine - some like that style. But I don’t, and the 09 tastes nothing like any previous vintage I have had from Phélan.
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Drank with turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Very bright/fresh/acidic with lots of red and black fruit. Enjoyable but could do with a few years to mellow out a little bit.
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I finally opened the first of my three half-bottles of this wine (it was sort of a risky/blind buy since i never tasted this vintage of that wine). On the first day I left in in the glass for the whole evening, unfortunately (but not unexpexted) it never really opened up. I didnt decant it however, because I had more time to enjoy it the evening after and left 2/3 in the bottle to give it another chance (after being initially underwhelmed). It was much, much better the second day, it really needed a lot of breathing. After this, it was was a good (not great) St. Estephe for me - with maybe potential for more. The fruit and tannins work well together now, clearly on the dark-fruited side and nice teriary notes (mostly tobacco and cedar). I think I will hold on to my other bottles for a few years and serve it with a bit more care the next time.
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Bought in 2013 for £30. This is one of several 2009s recently dug out of my collection and the final one I wanted to try. The colour is still deep, just a hint of a rim. The aromas leap out of the glass cedar, violet, cherries, tobacco. In the mouth it’s rich and complex. This is really good and can easily be left for a while for even more complexity. ****1/2.
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dark ruby color, berry and plumb on the nose. In the glass a very balanced extraction with vanilla notes and and a tiny note of cinnamon A great wine and it will stay for a minimum of 10 years on this level.
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Savoury, bay leaf, sage, liquorice, smoky, cool stones, herbal and leafy, some earthy notes, complex nose. well balanced and integrated tannin profile, less fruit present, good length
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Tried both directly from the bottle and decanted. The latter gave better results. Nice Bordeaux, very well balanced liquorice, tobacco, a lot of well defined fruit hints of violet and spices. It is aging well and has still not reached its peak.
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Family-Christmas-Business (Sisters home, near Hamburg): From Magnum, boooh, what a juicy fruit driven black fruit nose, meaty, for me a little Bordeaux untypical, the very warm year shines through, rich and full bodied, cassis, juicy black cherry fruit, good weight, a charming youngster, ending St.Estephe like a little rough, liked by all, in its beginning prime, better balanced after one hour aeration, **(*?), around 90, 91(+) potential
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Blackberry, sour cherry, leather, charcoal; smooth, powerful, cooked fruit, a long finish; a bit monolithic, rather too robust, almost volcanic, but enjoyable with food nonetheless
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From 37,5cl, good cork, P+P. Phélan is always a nice bit of rough trade. It just depends how rough you like it: definitely not a Cru Classé, but that can be a good thing. In difficult vintages like 2004 it sprouts such intensely bristly stubble those of a sensitive disposition definitely wouldn't want to do anything respectable afterwards. In finely poised vintages like 1996, even the little brother ("Frank Phélan") is on his best behaviour, and tries to pass as posh; the 1996 first label even famously made it into the final scene of a Hannibal Lecter movie (not that I'd want to eat the accompanying menu, on or off an airplane). 2009 is of course big and rich and ripe and juicy. Nice cedar and pencil shaving scent; brash blackberry fruit on the entry modulates from St.-Joseph to Médoc in a couple of seconds; the finish is rough and ready, but (just) OK, and admirably persistent. Sticking with the movies, this is just possibly what they served the toffs on the top deck of the Titanic (to make them want to go down to the wild Irish dancing on the bottom deck), but more likely what the toffs got offered once they were down there, drinking up the testosterone. Early maturity now, moderate time (4-5 years?) in hand. (89-)90P
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This wine becomes truly powerfull. Still need 3 hours decanting. Fully bodied with big potential for the future. Fantastic, rich palate with long finish. Wonder what will happen in 10 years
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Lovely nose - dark fruit, cherry, tar, vanilla from oak and some minerality. Good weight, nice mouthfeel, fine fruit with elegant fleshiness married to a good backbone of fine tannin and acid. Creamy, juicy and nicely balanced. A hint of leather and cigar faintly in the background.
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Online Blind Tasting: 2009 from all over the world: Wine was filled into ~ 125 ml bottle in the morning and tasted in the evening and the evening the day after. Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Clear, deep, ruby color with garnet reflexes. Clean, medium intense, youthful-developing nose. Fine fruit, dark cherries, fine oak, some green pepper, stems and herbs. Very fine, dense and elegant. Dry, medium+ acidity, high, mellow tannin. On the palate fine red fruit, green pepper, beautiful mineral core. Very harmonious on day 2, dense, lovely structure and texture. Medium+/long finish. Potential for further improvement for at least 5+ years. 91-92+
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Still young , lovely bouquet ; dark fruit , hint of cherry . we will wait another year to open the next bottle . think we could have a pleasant surprise
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From half bottle, pnp, great nose, full of delicate, ripe cassis, herbs, meat, not really open at first, needs to aerate from this small bottle too, then reveals a fresh texture, fairly mid bodied, fresh ripe fruit, this 2009 is a full success, a bit of black cassis stone licking, so mineraiic in the background, violets, a multilayered finish, still very young and promising, can be enjoyed from half bottle with a decant from now on, but will benefit from more cellar time, hold! **(**), around 91, 92(+) potential
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Für mich eine positive Überraschung. Ich bin eigentlich kein Phelan Fan, mir waren die Weine immer zu sehr extrahiert, dadurch unpräzise und mit dem Holz hat man es auch immer zu gut gemeint.
In der Nase relativ verhalten, Pflaume, rote Beeren, Rauch, erdig. Am Gaumen dann gute Balance, ausreichend Säure, eine klare, saubere, eher rotbeerige Frucht mit blauen Untertönen, immer noch sehr röstiges Tannin vom Holz, aber das gibt sich wohl mit noch ein paar Jahren. Nichts vielschichtiges, keine großartige Komplexität, aber der Wein macht Spaß und ist typisch St. Estephe.
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Just entering drinking window. Promise of complexity and subtle red fruit w some forest. Not looking to be great but satisfying and good quality for price.
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Delicious full dark fruited nose with tar, cherry and some minerality. Good weight, starting to develop some fleshiness to add to the good backbone of fruit and acid. Creamy, juicy and good balance with pleasant tannin and touch of leather and cigar faintly in the background.
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From half bottle: pnp and begins to sing, juicy prunes, meat, leather enormous fresh juicy mouthfeel right from the start, ripe and delicious tannin, have some prejudice against some 2009 Bordeaux, but this one is a well structured crowd pleaser, always on the clean side of richness, deep, dense, very long aftertaste, ready for business with some slow ox from half bottle now, long life ahead! **(**), 91, 92(+) potential
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Leather, tar, lapsang Souchang, prune, smoky black currant and walnut on the nose. Really beautifully balanced on the palate; elegant, streamlined, no sense of heat or over-ripeness; with a touch of tannin and lovely balancing acidity. Surprisingly sophisticated and no sense of old style St. Estephe rusticity. A delight and great value for the price. At least another 10, maybe even 20 years ahead of it; where I’m sure it will develop even more secondary characteristics.
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A better wine than the scores are suggesting. Classics Bordeaux with aromas of asphalt, cherry and sulpher. On the palette it is pure prime vintage Saint Estaphe. It is round, moderately full-body in mouthfeel and just simply plush like velvet. On the mid palette the wine is balanced, smooth, creamy and black cherry laden. On the finish the flavors linger for over a minute. Lingering flavors include cigar smoke and whipped cherry cream pie.
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My last of these. Delicious, smokey profile, dark fruit, some minerality. Medium to full-bodied. I really like this producer and this is a good example of the charm of the '09 vintage. Classy and a bit hedonistic too. 93+pts.
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Really good and on the verge of getting better. Lots of richness in this vintage in Phelan usual path. Some undertones of chocolate and earth all throughout this wine and we know there's some more terroir that is going to surface over next 3 to 7 years...Upside potential of 2 points easy. drink but I'd HOLD
* Low scores need a second review.
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Drinking in a good window right now. It is a bit too four square for my palate as it lacks a bit of soul & personality. Nevertheless, it is a very well made wine an it should get better with a few more years in the cellar.
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1hr decant. Lovely nose of earth and tar. Wine lacks depth and fruit, but does have some nice Bordeaux elements. There is even some teriyaki sauce, which I know is weird. Short finish. Wish this packed more of a punch!
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Ready for prime time drinking for the next 15 or more years, the wine is round, medium/full-bodied, earthy, plush and packed with dark black cherries, coffee bean smoke, spice box, cigar wrapper and thyme. The polish does not detract from the natural earthyness found in the wine.
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Deep purple, 10y old and counting... clove, ink, graphite aromas, on the palate leather and tobacco, good tannins, present but quite well integrated, acidity overpowered by the concentration of the body and flavor profile, full, yummy, drinks well now, but lacks elegance and typical bordeaux style
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Clear red, clear edge, slow thin drops. Blackberry, meat, jam,wood, vanilla, graphite / pencil shavings nose. Blackberry, undergrowth, earth, meat wood taste. Mature, good fruit, great depth. Rich and full bodied with mellow tannins. Ready to drink, will probably keep for a while yet.
Dinner at Huat Kee. Dark purple. Medium body, soft tannins. Quite concentrated and fleshy. Cocoa notes and hint of oak. Generous ripe fruit with low acidity. The best Phélan Segur I have tasted so far. Ignoring QPR (good for this wine), it does not quite have the finesse of the other left bank 2009s recently tasted.
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Dark fruits, cedar, supported by cooked onions, balsamic, liquorish, high intensity of nose, dark fruits , perfectly balanced acidity, soft integrated tannins, medium length. Very delicious, please give me more of this Drink now
When this wine first touched my lips, it tasted only good enough to be an 87 pointer. I knew that this was a good year and I generally love wine from St. Estephe, so I left it in the glass for a little over an hour, swirling and tasting intermittently. Eventually the wine opened up and began to hum the characteristic tune you'd expect of an '09 Bordeaux. It's just a bit closed off right now. Revisit in 5 years.
[Consumed at Taillevant 110] Note to the somm: this should not be on the by the glass list- it takes far too long to open up. Needs to be decanted. Let it pass over this closed off period and try again in a 4 years. Then you might be able to have on the by the glass list.
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Opaque purple color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. Notes of smoke, dark berries, cocoa and vanilla bean. The palate is bold and powerful - quite unready at this point despite the experts’ predictions, and possibly why most ratings are low. Unctuous flavors of blackberry, black olives, gun powder, molten tar, black tea and especially hoisin are predominant. This is behaving quite similar to a 2007 Clos des Papes from Cháteaneuf-du-Pape at five years of age. Finishes long and intense with hints of menthol on silky tannins. Drink from 2023 to 2038.
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Big, brooding, has a kind of charcoal profile that I generally find from this producer - a kind of smokey vanilla sweetness. Quite rich and complete. Better than I remember and better than the '05 too.
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Lots of cassis and very Cabernet Sauvignon dominated. Tight and showing plenty of potential for further ageing over the next decade. Classic but ripe and balanced .
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disappointing on the first day--no fruit, terroir or complexity...medium bodied....progressively better each day with good linearity, fruit and terroir, good balance.
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Full body. Leaning toward the modern in style. Slightly oaked. Dark primary fruits predominate. Still young. Has a few more years before it hits its peak drinking window. 14% abv.
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Académie des Cinquante Bordeaux visit; 9/20/2017-9/23/2017: Graphite, firm and velvety tannins, rich fruit and spice, good weight and concentration, a bit monolithic but harmonious, good length. Needs more time, but it should turn out well.
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A huge wine for this estate and it's way high in ripeness and alcohol. I've had many vintages of this wine and enjoy it but in this vintage they made a crazy wine. I taste a bit of the terroir but the ripe black fruit borders on raisiny. This is not a Bordeaux I would want aging in my cellar. 80-
Pnp. Good from the first moment, a little tannic at the beginning, with a lush dark fruit. This is excellent value for the money. Glad I own a couple of cases.
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Decanted for 2 hours before pouring back into bottle and serving 3 hours later (grilled filet mignon).
Black in the glass. Graphite, gravel, black currants, vegetal & charred wood on the nose. On palate, cassis, black currants, blackberry with touch of tobacco / earthiness. Fruit was brighter on palate than nose suggested. Medium body, medium+ acidity & nice tannins (well integrated) with a long finish.
I really enjoyed this and will buy some more. 92-93+
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Drunk at Hanse Stube, Excelsior Köln. Opened up 45min before serving. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. This is fleshy and polished, with layers of crushed plum, fig sauce and blackberry paste that unfurl slowly, backed by maduro tobacco, charcoal and iron. There's lots of minerality on the finish, but it's nicely enveloped in the fruit. 92
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Opened 375ml at Jade Palace, Singapore with dim sum. Totally closed on the nose when PnP, but give it 30-60 min in the glass (if you can) for the berry aromas to emerge. Very fruit forward on the palate, berry dominated. Good buy and pleasant!
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Purple. Breathes up black fruit and earth. Round entry. Evokes blackberries, cassis and conjures geologic elements on the finish. Fine. This walks the line between new world and old. Well done. 90
18c; no decant; inky, purple; flamboyant nose of mint, sage, black pepper, earth, wet leather; delicately balanced, fine, satin tannins and plush fruit, long finish; mint, caramel, ripe black cherries, black pepper, sage; lovely, complex, even in its youth; 18
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Au restaurant, pas carafé cette fois mais servi rafraîchi, très bon vin qui a accompagné le tartare de bœuf à merveille. Le vin s'est développé durant ces 6 derniers mois et aussi tout au long du repas. Vraiment très bien fait.
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Typical Bordeaux in the nose, black currant, graphite. In the mouth more new world style,mighty fruity, one dimensional and a little bit short in the finish, but with more decantation time it shows his bordeaux typical tannins. A little bit rough and edged, didn't reach his peak, give him 10 more years, 91+
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This really gained with air and ended up to be one of the best wines at the table. The tannins got smooth and a nice black fruit showed up. The wine is medium to full bodied and typically a little dusty. A very nice vintage for Phélan and maybe even better than 05.
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Fruitier thank I expected. Previous vintages of PS I've had have been dankier and mustier. But it's still pretty fantastic. Despite the fruit, it's still very dry. So that's good. Notes of cocoa, plum, eucalyptus. Blueberry and bay leaves. Opens up fabulously after 2-3 hours of decanting.
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Lean and fine-grained and not at all overripe which is a accomplishment in this vintage. Dark fruits with hints of bell pepper and tobacco lead to a tight, crisp finish. Young yet and should improve but this is definitely a lighter style of Bordeaux. 90+
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Au restaurant. Carafé. Belle couleur grenat moyen. Nez sur les arômes de cèdre et d'expresso. Belle rondeur en bouche, assez simple mais qui se boit facilement. Costaud avec de la longueur.
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Remarkably pleasant to drink now. Nice deep colour, brambles & elderberry, but a proper bite to it and very good length. Yes, it will improve, and may gain some complexity, but in a Bermuda context (where wine is expensive) good QPR and a thoroughly nice bottle. 14% they say, but the balance is such that it doesn't show. But -- later and the next night -- the alcohol asserted itself more acutely, quite new world, really too much for me. Remains pleasant, but quite a heavy wine after a couple of glasses.
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The wine was clear and bright red, much lighter than the deep/dark purple I was expecting and a nose initially dominated by oak. To taste, there was nice depth developing with some graphite shavings and some buttery tannins.
On day two, the alcohol seemed more pronounced with oak starting to become more subdued and the fruit start to creep through.
I'm a massive Bordeaux fan, yet 2009 has yet to impress me like the critics, but this was on of the best I have tried. A good QPR as easily up there with some 5th growths. If I only had one bottle I would only drink from 2020+ because I feel this still needs time and would greatly improve.
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Deep ruby. Medium plus intensity aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and cedar. Dry, high tannins, medium plus acidity. Very well structured. Lots of time: leave for 5 years.
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(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: Compared to the 2010, this is more weighted toward the earthy and leather spectrum, with less sweetness on the tannins. Still excellent, very well composed, and with great balance and mouthfeel.
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Much more open than the 2010 on the nose, expressive and ripe, sweet fruit, crushed stone, smoke, a bit of oak, spices. Open and approachable, polished, sweet and round, spicy, mineral, nice structure. Rich with good length. 91-93
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Decidedly on the racy, New World side for Bordeaux. Lots of ripe fruit (a touch jammy), ink, and moderate (excessive) oak given the wine's modest stuffing. Medium to medium plus acid, low tannin, good texture. Overall, a wine indicative of the massively-overhyped, blatantly-over-the-top, flash-in-the-pan, New World palate-pleasing 2009 Bordeaux vintage. A mostly straightforward, deliberately-crafted crowd pleaser that should not be overthought, or over-cellared, as there's just not much to it. Enjoyable for what it is, but it could be from anywhere. Specifically, nothing says Left Bank Bordeaux.
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This definitely is not yet ready so I can understand the discrepancy in scores. Upon opening, it was definitely one dimensional, with overpowering tannin and strong oak (85). After 6 hours open in the bottle, it was opening but still fairly unapproachable (maybe 88). Decanted and after two hours in decanter, it was really showing much more nicely if a bit rustic. Nose has diminished but fruit is really showing on palate...currant, cassis, brambly berries...vanilla, tobacco...cedar, toast, smoke still there but receding...mineral element starting to show...biting tannins that go on forever. Currently, needs to be paired with something fatty...seared duck is perfect.
I would call it 89-90 at this point, but it will be much better and I think more elegant. Look forward to next one in 3 years min and should continue for quite some time.
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This is my third bottle, and each has been consistent. Certainly not close to a 90 rating. A bit harsh initially, with unresolved alcohol, with some cinnamon, cedar and oak. Not very complex, with the flavors not well defined. A bit dry, reminding me of an aged Bordeaux that has become very dry due to predominance of tobacco or shoe leather. Not bad, not good. Ratings appear to be product of group think.
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Unfortunately I believed the hype. I drink a lot of Left Bank and Ste Estephe, Ste Julien, and Pauillac, and this is not complex or worthy of anything close to 90. Vanilla, spices, and cassis, but slightly mono-focused and devolves over a day of being open.
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Darker than our other wine at the tasting (all saints, St. Estephe, St. Julien, St. Emilion), a 2010 Les Fiefs de Lagrange in both color and palate. Decanted about an hour and a half. This was not drinking as well now, but it has more stuff than the Les Fiefs. Still somewhat approachable, but some additional time will be rewarded with additional balance and structure.
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From .375. So nice even at this young age, this will probably be very drinkable throughout its evolution. Nose of coffee, roasted nuts. On the palate cassis, more coffee, chocolate.
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Expressive notes of fresh black cherries, plums, lead pencil and vanilla open to a round, plummy wine that will offer its ample charms fairly early in life. Form a blend of 58% Caberent Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, this is first vintage showing the influence of Michel Rolland.
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We decanted the wine for 90 minutes before we poured the first glass and consumed it over a period of two hours. The wine offered black currant, cherry, blackberry, cabbage, spices, liquorice, cedarwood, leather, tobacco and intense graphite aromas on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red and dark fruit, black currant, cherry, blackberry, some raspberry, spices, liquorice, some tobacco and lots of graphite, paired with medium-level acidity, medium-plus round, ripe tannin, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A superb, medium-bodied, firm, balanced Bordeaux in a classic style. Less opulent and concentrated than some 2009s, but well-structured and elegant. The wine was accessible and drank well despite its youth, but it also showed good potential for further development in bottle for many years. We continue to find it difficult to keep our hands off the young 2009s - but then, why should we as they offer so much pleasure?! The next morning I was still able to remember in detail the sensation of taking a sip as if I was still tasting the wine. Great Bordeaux, will stock up.
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Popped a bottle this evening just out of curiosity; the nose, fruity and perfumed, with caramel, cherries, graphite, mints, pencil shavings, and wet earth; the palate, juicy and supple yet somewhat acidic, with dark berries, licorice, mild spices, and cedar wood; still missing some structure and weight as other notes pointed out; the finish, rather short and a bit sweet for this bottle, with mostly dark berries, ripe plums, and licorice; overall, not much different from the previous bottle, so 90-91 points again.
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The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, and Red Currant. It tastes like Black Pepper, and Blackberry. The body is Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Medium plus purple core, ruby rim. Quite complex nose: smoke, then dark fruit, cedar, mint, dark chocolate. On the palate, medium (plus) acidity, firm, yet supple tannins. Medium plus finish. At 14% abv. it doesn't taste alcoholic or jammy at all because it has enough fruit and acidity to balance the alcohol. Very approachable now because of a high portion of Merlot in the blend, 40%, with 58% CS and 2% CF. Great ageing potential.
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Opened one bottle before buying more. Agree with other notes; rich, and supple with sweet tannins, drinking pretty well now. I do agree with points about lacking some structure, I don't think this is built for the long haul. Resembles a california cab more than a traditional BDX (true of the entire '09 vintage). This is pretty good though.
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Opulent, lots of fruit, soft and expressive. Missing a lot of structure, but surprisingly still rich and full bodied, a slight creaminess on the backend. Some smokiness and spice on the finish. I really like this wine. It shows some of the classic '09 character, but with a twist. Drinking so well right now.
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Breathed in the open bottle for about an hour first; pleasant nose, pencil shavings, cherries, plums, red berries, and some wet earth; on the palate, complex and medium-bodied; cassis, chocolate, dark cherries, mixed spices, stewed plums, and a touch of dry cedar wood; the tannins were rather silky, soft, and sweet; medium long finish, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, mixed berries and cherries, and cedar wood; overall, delicious, mellow, and supple for such a young wine; 90+ points for now; would have earned a couple of more points if there was more excitement; next bottle will be popped in 2-3 years to see how this wine evolves with time.
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Le nez est plutôt expressif sur des effluves de vanille et d'épices qui nous donne l'impression qu'on aura un vin assez exubérant en bouche ce qui n'est pas du tout le cas. L'attaque est vive avec des tannins imposants voire même quasi agressant de même qu'un boisé omniprésent. Un ensemble vraiment austère qui manque d'équilibre et qui est plutôt court en bouche. Une déception malgré que celui-ci est encore trèes jeune.
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fat fruitnose with all kinds of blackberrys, really roasty, reminds me a little of Smith HL 03, on the palate earthy, spice, surprisingly fresh with fine acidity despite the 14% alc., at the moment the tannin is well integrated and smooth, mid- to fullbodied, very long finish, new style Bordeaux..... or you may also say new style bordeauxvintage.......but today, I like this! ;-) but..., who has the profound knowledge to say how this wine will mature? 88- 92?
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Medium red colour. Liquorice, red fruit, Christmas pudding, spice on the nose. Maraschino cherry and sweet vanilla oak dominate the palate with soft tannins and a nice long finish. A little "blocky" and obvious at present, and I do wonder if it's a little "overcooked" with all that residual sweetness and not much in the way of tangible acid structure. But there is certainly enough of interest here to make we want to wait another year or two and see.
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Smells like a luxurious coffee house with sweet nougat, ground arabica, venezuela chocolate, madagascar vanilla and a whiff of woodsmoke from the bonfire. Besides all this toasty oak flattery, there are ripe fruit aromas of currants, cassis and plum. The attack is smooth and the midpalate pretty dense with soft acidity and ripe tannins that integrate well with the fruit and the oak. The finish is generous and long with sweet vanilla and woodsmoke. This is a prime example of super-skilled winemaking in a ripe year, a very successful product at its price level, and a totally "yummy" wine - but in the end it lacks the pedigree of a Grand Vin.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black pepper and black currant with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish.
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Deep red in color, this is a lovely little wine here! The Phelan Segur got pure red fruits on the nose, sweet, charming, very alluring indeed! Quite accurate! The red fruits is slightly salty on the palate, still....very rich here with smooth coated tannins, a touch of dryness to the finish! A wine with crackling character! Nice!
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2012 Bordeaux Trip; 4/1/2012-4/4/2012 (Bordeaux, France): CS 58%, M 40% CF 2%. Nose had a little more bell pepper and toast than the ’10 and took a little more work to coax out of the glass. Fruit profile is noticeably darker, with more of a plum and black currant expression with less red fruits. Interesting as there’s actually less merlot here. Lush and concentrated coating the palate, but still has a big tannic backbone. This was plush, ripe and exuberant compared to the most stately ’10. A great bottle, but if I had to chose I’d go with ’10. 91-93
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With scents of forest floor, cassis, tobacco, black raspberry and earth, this medium/full bodied wine ends with spice, fresh, dark berries and a slight drying sensation. Give it 3-5 years and it should add some nice complexity and softer textures.
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Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles): Rich nose displaying aromas of freshly ground coffee beans, dark plums, leather, and asphalt. Showing a bit of heat on the palate, along with espresso, sweet cassis, dark plum, and black cherry.Medium+ finish, ending with notes of espresso and dark plums. Good.
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Slightly underwhelmed by the Phelan on offer at tasting, '04 and '06 came out flat and the 2009 showed well in comparison (obviously!). Elegant, sweet and pure cassis with a touch of liquorice. Good tannins, acidity in check.
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Powerfull and very nice nose of black fruit, mokka, coffee, vanilla, salted caramel, butter... in the mouth, ripe black fruit, silky tannins, very soft and delicate
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Dark jammy berries, licorice, spice, earth and chocolate scents lead to a supple, round, ripe wine that finishes with ripe, black raspberry and jammy flavors. This should drink well early.
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4/24/2024 - Zweder Likes this wine: 92 Points
HWS Bordeaux 2009 vs 2010 (By me): Beautiful bouquet with cherries and berries like e.g. blackberries, a bit herbaceous and a pleasant dose of oak. On the palate juicy acidity and some green impressions, beautiful acidity and tannin. The wine is in its young maturity stage and already very tempting with definitely 3+ years of future ahead.
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4/15/2024 - pcwoz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still some deep ruby. Heading a little toward garnet. Intense fruit. Rich and rounded. Blackcurrant. Long. Warming baking spices in evidence: vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Full bodied. Warming but not hot. Good structure. Still there but integrated. This is drinking really well now, but I think will still age nicely. Still primary and secondary. Yum.
PS it benefited a lot from a good decant- 1hr plus. Some of the riper notes do blow off and soften, which is benefit. It does show riper fruit for sure than some vintages.
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3/13/2024 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully
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2/27/2024 - tastark Likes this wine:
In a really good spot. Squeaky clean, polished Bordeaux. Not overdone, however, and not easily confused with Napa or new world Bdx blends. Very nice acidity. Soft tannins. Long, fruity mid palate and finish. Fantastic QPR.
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2/5/2024 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showed really well tonight. Approachable, ripe fruit and medium to full bodied - it’s a charmer
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1/21/2024 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
1/12, good cork. Decanted then served.
Opaque ruby core - touch of purple still - narrow pale ruby rim. Nose is a touch closed at first, opened up as it warms to show ripe blackcurrant fruit, vanilla, touch of cedar. Medium/full bodied, ripe black fruit, soft, round tannins, this is plush, even voluptuous with moderate acidity and a good length harmonious finish. It's cretianly ripe and fruit forward but just about in balance and very easy to enjoy. Drinking now, no hurry.
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1/21/2024 - Julian Marshall Does not like this wine:
The nose is quite attractive, full of ripe cherry, violet and blackberry. In the mouth, the fruit is forward, but smooth, velvety in fact, very ripe but initially quite fresh. If there are tannins, I didn’t notice any. The problem starts mid-palate: there’s a syrupiness to the fruit, a tell-tell stodginess that the lack of acidity just makes worse. The finish is hot and unbalanced. It’s like drinking cough mixture - the same heat on the throat. The 14% ABV, already a lot, tastes more like 15%.
Now this is not a bad wine - some like that style. But I don’t, and the 09 tastes nothing like any previous vintage I have had from Phélan.
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1/19/2024 - thomaslangberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature and dry, nice drinking window now. A bit to much coco for the males
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11/26/2023 - phynes wrote: 91 Points
Drank with turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Very bright/fresh/acidic with lots of red and black fruit. Enjoyable but could do with a few years to mellow out a little bit.
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11/8/2023 - paddy@gclb Likes this wine: 90 Points
I finally opened the first of my three half-bottles of this wine (it was sort of a risky/blind buy since i never tasted this vintage of that wine).
On the first day I left in in the glass for the whole evening, unfortunately (but not unexpexted) it never really opened up. I didnt decant it however, because I had more time to enjoy it the evening after and left 2/3 in the bottle to give it another chance (after being initially underwhelmed).
It was much, much better the second day, it really needed a lot of breathing. After this, it was was a good (not great) St. Estephe for me - with maybe potential for more. The fruit and tannins work well together now, clearly on the dark-fruited side and nice teriary notes (mostly tobacco and cedar).
I think I will hold on to my other bottles for a few years and serve it with a bit more care the next time.
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10/15/2023 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still fresh, lots of cassis on the nose. Some tertiary notes (tobacco, leather?) coming through on the palate. Medium finish
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9/22/2023 - grandvin100 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good Wine, great vintage, but not very impressive...needs time in the glass, or decanter
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8/28/2023 - Jacek P Likes this wine: 93 Points
Getting better. Still decanted for three hours.
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8/15/2023 - Paul@bbott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bought in 2013 for £30. This is one of several 2009s recently dug out of my collection and the final one I wanted to try. The colour is still deep, just a hint of a rim. The aromas leap out of the glass cedar, violet, cherries, tobacco. In the mouth it’s rich and complex. This is really good and can easily be left for a while for even more complexity. ****1/2.
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5/21/2023 - ThMeyer wrote: 88 Points
Not quite feeling it
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2/6/2023 - schiwi Likes this wine: 94 Points
In einem tollen Trinkfenster. Rund, balanciert, Tiefe, Nachhall, Kopfkino, alles da. Für mich fast schon gross.
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1/29/2023 - Philippe_C wrote: 94 Points
Very ripe nose, bacon fat, roasted meat.. Very nice ripe tannin, very nice ripe black fruit, sandalwood, very delicious!!
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10/16/2022 - loloFR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really good. Herbs, tobacco, grafite, cassis. 2-5 years to go to top
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10/16/2022 - michigan66 wrote: 93 Points
dark ruby color, berry and plumb on the nose. In the glass a very balanced extraction with vanilla notes and and a tiny note of cinnamon
A great wine and it will stay for a minimum of 10 years on this level.
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8/28/2022 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 93 Points
Iron on the nose. Warmer, richer on palate but still iron. This is not an obvious sumptuous 2009, though it is supple and ripe.
Bordeaux with no fresh herbaceous or even cassis.
Not normally the flavour profile that I’d like but this is impressive Very food friendly.
14%, cork.
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8/7/2022 - Fmarret wrote: 91 Points
To be opened at least 1 hour before. One word velours.
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7/9/2022 - JTAFcellar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Savoury, bay leaf, sage, liquorice, smoky, cool stones, herbal and leafy, some earthy notes, complex nose. well balanced and integrated tannin profile, less fruit present, good length
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6/28/2022 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points
From 37,5cl, perfect cork. As noted on 17.06.2021. Unchanged one year later: Rough, tough and best after 2 hours in the decanter. 89-90P(?)
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5/9/2022 - CWilliam wrote:
Didn't take notes. Drank beautifully. 93+ from memory.
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3/13/2022 - ftorrisi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tried both directly from the bottle and decanted. The latter gave better results. Nice Bordeaux, very well balanced liquorice, tobacco, a lot of well defined fruit hints of violet and spices. It is aging well and has still not reached its peak.
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1/30/2022 - CAVEYE wrote:
Blijft een prachtige St-Estephe !
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12/26/2021 - CAVEYE wrote:
Prachtige St-Estephe !!
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12/25/2021 - fc1910 wrote: 90 Points
Family-Christmas-Business (Sisters home, near Hamburg): From Magnum,
boooh, what a juicy fruit driven black fruit nose, meaty,
for me a little Bordeaux untypical, the very warm year shines through, rich and full bodied, cassis, juicy black cherry fruit, good weight, a charming youngster, ending St.Estephe like a little rough,
liked by all, in its beginning prime, better balanced after one hour aeration, **(*?), around 90, 91(+) potential
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12/8/2021 - wineappreciation wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry, sour cherry, leather, charcoal; smooth, powerful, cooked fruit, a long finish; a bit monolithic, rather too robust, almost volcanic, but enjoyable with food nonetheless
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12/3/2021 - CAVEYE Likes this wine:
Zeer zacht en evenwichtig
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7/9/2021 - MilesLP wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well. Good acidity. Rosewood and cherry. Clear and ruby red.
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6/17/2021 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5cl, good cork, P+P. Phélan is always a nice bit of rough trade. It just depends how rough you like it: definitely not a Cru Classé, but that can be a good thing. In difficult vintages like 2004 it sprouts such intensely bristly stubble those of a sensitive disposition definitely wouldn't want to do anything respectable afterwards. In finely poised vintages like 1996, even the little brother ("Frank Phélan") is on his best behaviour, and tries to pass as posh; the 1996 first label even famously made it into the final scene of a Hannibal Lecter movie (not that I'd want to eat the accompanying menu, on or off an airplane). 2009 is of course big and rich and ripe and juicy. Nice cedar and pencil shaving scent; brash blackberry fruit on the entry modulates from St.-Joseph to Médoc in a couple of seconds; the finish is rough and ready, but (just) OK, and admirably persistent. Sticking with the movies, this is just possibly what they served the toffs on the top deck of the Titanic (to make them want to go down to the wild Irish dancing on the bottom deck), but more likely what the toffs got offered once they were down there, drinking up the testosterone. Early maturity now, moderate time (4-5 years?) in hand. (89-)90P
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4/19/2021 - Jacek P Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine becomes truly powerfull. Still need 3 hours decanting. Fully bodied with big potential for the future. Fantastic, rich palate with long finish. Wonder what will happen in 10 years
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4/14/2021 - FDT Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was a delightful bottle of wine and showed all that is good about St-Estephe. The high proportion of merlot softens and bring excellent fruit.
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3/23/2021 - wineian Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely nose - dark fruit, cherry, tar, vanilla from oak and some minerality. Good weight, nice mouthfeel, fine fruit with elegant fleshiness married to a good backbone of fine tannin and acid. Creamy, juicy and nicely balanced. A hint of leather and cigar faintly in the background.
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3/19/2021 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 92 Points
Online Blind Tasting: 2009 from all over the world: Wine was filled into ~ 125 ml bottle in the morning and tasted in the evening and the evening the day after.
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux
Clear, deep, ruby color with garnet reflexes.
Clean, medium intense, youthful-developing nose. Fine fruit, dark cherries, fine oak, some green pepper, stems and herbs. Very fine, dense and elegant.
Dry, medium+ acidity, high, mellow tannin. On the palate fine red fruit, green pepper, beautiful mineral core. Very harmonious on day 2, dense, lovely structure and texture. Medium+/long finish. Potential for further improvement for at least 5+ years. 91-92+
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3/16/2021 - Staufer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still young , lovely bouquet ; dark fruit , hint of cherry . we will wait another year to open the next bottle . think we could have a pleasant surprise
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2/25/2021 - Nicolas Beirens wrote: 90 Points
Lovely vintage, the wine has a beautiful nose. Black fruits and vanilla, tannins were still present. Solid wine.
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1/1/2021 - Esteban wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux très riche et très jeune. Pas mauvais mais faudra l'attendre et pas trop mon style en ce moment.
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12/27/2020 - Brett Pitt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite good, will be better in 5 - 10 years
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11/9/2020 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From half bottle, pnp,
great nose, full of delicate, ripe cassis, herbs, meat,
not really open at first, needs to aerate from this small bottle too, then reveals a fresh texture, fairly mid bodied, fresh ripe fruit,
this 2009 is a full success, a bit of black cassis stone licking, so mineraiic in the background, violets, a multilayered finish, still very young and promising, can be enjoyed from half bottle with a decant from now on, but will benefit from more cellar time, hold! **(**), around 91, 92(+) potential
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11/1/2020 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
dark ruby with church windows on the glass.
vanilla smell and no alcoholic taste.
a great wine with potential
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10/15/2020 - pinotwok Likes this wine: 91 Points
Für mich eine positive Überraschung. Ich bin eigentlich kein Phelan Fan, mir waren die Weine immer zu sehr extrahiert, dadurch unpräzise und mit dem Holz hat man es auch immer zu gut gemeint.
In der Nase relativ verhalten, Pflaume, rote Beeren, Rauch, erdig. Am Gaumen dann gute Balance, ausreichend Säure, eine klare, saubere, eher rotbeerige Frucht mit blauen Untertönen, immer noch sehr röstiges Tannin vom Holz, aber das gibt sich wohl mit noch ein paar Jahren. Nichts vielschichtiges, keine großartige Komplexität, aber der Wein macht Spaß und ist typisch St. Estephe.
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8/23/2020 - 素人俠 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice wine. Buy more if see
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6/27/2020 - VAGentleman wrote: 89 Points
Just entering drinking window. Promise of complexity and subtle red fruit w some forest. Not looking to be great but satisfying and good quality for price.
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6/13/2020 - wineian Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious full dark fruited nose with tar, cherry and some minerality. Good weight, starting to develop some fleshiness to add to the good backbone of fruit and acid. Creamy, juicy and good balance with pleasant tannin and touch of leather and cigar faintly in the background.
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6/3/2020 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From half bottle:
pnp and begins to sing, juicy prunes, meat, leather
enormous fresh juicy mouthfeel right from the start, ripe and delicious tannin, have some prejudice against some 2009 Bordeaux, but this one is a well structured crowd pleaser, always on the clean side of richness, deep, dense, very long aftertaste, ready for business with some slow ox from half bottle now, long life ahead! **(**), 91, 92(+) potential
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5/29/2020 - eddie100 wrote: 90 Points
We have to wait another 10 years
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4/23/2020 - Philipp Biermann Likes this wine: 89 Points
Purpurrot. Dezente Nase: etwas Säure/Alkohol/Kirschwassser, Pflaumenmus, Mandeln, mediterrane Kräuter. Sehr schön am Gaumen; toller Trinkfluss.
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2/15/2020 - Oddbod Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leather, tar, lapsang Souchang, prune, smoky black currant and walnut on the nose. Really beautifully balanced on the palate; elegant, streamlined, no sense of heat or over-ripeness; with a touch of tannin and lovely balancing acidity. Surprisingly sophisticated and no sense of old style St. Estephe rusticity. A delight and great value for the price. At least another 10, maybe even 20 years ahead of it; where I’m sure it will develop even more secondary characteristics.
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2/14/2020 - JChan wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly good. Good nose. Ripe juicy dark fruits dominated, full bodied. Even better than Batailley 2009 that night.
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1/31/2020 - tomoem wrote: 93 Points
A better wine than the scores are suggesting. Classics Bordeaux with aromas of asphalt, cherry and sulpher. On the palette it is pure prime vintage Saint Estaphe. It is round, moderately full-body in mouthfeel and just simply plush like velvet. On the mid palette the wine is balanced, smooth, creamy and black cherry laden. On the finish the flavors linger for over a minute. Lingering flavors include cigar smoke and whipped cherry cream pie.
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1/8/2020 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
My last of these. Delicious, smokey profile, dark fruit, some minerality. Medium to full-bodied. I really like this producer and this is a good example of the charm of the '09 vintage. Classy and a bit hedonistic too. 93+pts.
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1/2/2020 - MaxWinery wrote:
Grillad nöt. Prime rib
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12/16/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 91 Points
Really good and on the verge of getting better. Lots of richness in this vintage in Phelan usual path. Some undertones of chocolate and earth all throughout this wine and we know there's some more terroir that is going to surface over next 3 to 7 years...Upside potential of 2 points easy. drink but I'd HOLD
* Low scores need a second review.
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12/14/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking in a good window right now. It is a bit too four square for my palate as it lacks a bit of soul & personality. Nevertheless, it is a very well made wine an it should get better with a few more years in the cellar.
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12/12/2019 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 89 Points
Thick texture. Rich but still green.
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11/8/2019 - ProfByron wrote: 91 Points
Very good. A bit brawny rather than sophisticated. Good flavour, nice tannin.
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11/1/2019 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
great wine even on day 2
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10/5/2019 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 92 Points
1hr decant. Lovely nose of earth and tar. Wine lacks depth and fruit, but does have some nice Bordeaux elements. There is even some teriyaki sauce, which I know is weird. Short finish. Wish this packed more of a punch!
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9/20/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Ready for prime time drinking for the next 15 or more years, the wine is round, medium/full-bodied, earthy, plush and packed with dark black cherries, coffee bean smoke, spice box, cigar wrapper and thyme. The polish does not detract from the natural earthyness found in the wine.
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9/13/2019 - Cipivts Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep purple, 10y old and counting... clove, ink, graphite aromas, on the palate leather and tobacco, good tannins, present but quite well integrated, acidity overpowered by the concentration of the body and flavor profile, full, yummy, drinks well now, but lacks elegance and typical bordeaux style
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7/2/2019 - Stefan75 wrote: 89 Points
From Mag, drank along 2010, velvet and fruity and round - a really nice wine but clearly not as interesting as 2010, not what I expect from Bordeaux
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6/29/2019 - EMAZurich Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ein wirklich grossartiger Rotwein. Aber langweilig... ja, schöner Bordeaux, tut niemandem weh. Immernoch langweilig... crowd-pleasing...
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6/5/2019 - pernod Likes this wine: 91 Points
Clear red, clear edge, slow thin drops. Blackberry, meat, jam,wood, vanilla, graphite / pencil shavings nose. Blackberry, undergrowth, earth, meat wood taste. Mature, good fruit, great depth. Rich and full bodied with mellow tannins. Ready to drink, will probably keep for a while yet.
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5/4/2019 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner at Huat Kee. Dark purple. Medium body, soft tannins. Quite concentrated and fleshy. Cocoa notes and hint of oak. Generous ripe fruit with low acidity. The best Phélan Segur I have tasted so far. Ignoring QPR (good for this wine), it does not quite have the finesse of the other left bank 2009s recently tasted.
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4/1/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Reminds me of Lafon Rochet - such a similar profile. Smoaky, with some sweet black fruit. Nice structure. A real gem.
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3/17/2019 - TNK wrote: 89 Points
This is very robust. Worked as an accompaniment to good food. Might give the next bottles a couple of years. There is so much life in this.
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1/12/2019 - Liskit wrote: 94 Points
Dark fruits, cedar, supported by cooked onions, balsamic, liquorish, high intensity of nose, dark fruits , perfectly balanced acidity, soft integrated tannins, medium length. Very delicious, please give me more of this Drink now
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12/1/2018 - KimHartman wrote: flawed
Badly corked
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11/30/2018 - BordeauxBabe Likes this wine: 90 Points
When this wine first touched my lips, it tasted only good enough to be an 87 pointer. I knew that this was a good year and I generally love wine from St. Estephe, so I left it in the glass for a little over an hour, swirling and tasting intermittently. Eventually the wine opened up and began to hum the characteristic tune you'd expect of an '09 Bordeaux. It's just a bit closed off right now. Revisit in 5 years.
[Consumed at Taillevant 110] Note to the somm: this should not be on the by the glass list- it takes far too long to open up. Needs to be decanted. Let it pass over this closed off period and try again in a 4 years. Then you might be able to have on the by the glass list.
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7/11/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine:
Nice at estephe character but still showing some vanilla/oak. Hasn’t quite integrated, give it a few more years.
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7/6/2018 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Opaque purple color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. Notes of smoke, dark berries, cocoa and vanilla bean. The palate is bold and powerful - quite unready at this point despite the experts’ predictions, and possibly why most ratings are low. Unctuous flavors of blackberry, black olives, gun powder, molten tar, black tea and especially hoisin are predominant. This is behaving quite similar to a 2007 Clos des Papes from Cháteaneuf-du-Pape at five years of age. Finishes long and intense with hints of menthol on silky tannins. Drink from 2023 to 2038.
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3/13/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Big, brooding, has a kind of charcoal profile that I generally find from this producer - a kind of smokey vanilla sweetness. Quite rich and complete. Better than I remember and better than the '05 too.
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2/14/2018 - petec-s Likes this wine: 91 Points
Terribly young and requiring a good few years, big dense Cabernet at this early stage. Mineral and tannic. 91+
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12/25/2017 - MTSPT Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lots of cassis and very Cabernet Sauvignon dominated. Tight and showing plenty of potential for further ageing over the next decade. Classic but ripe and balanced .
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12/2/2017 - richshoes Likes this wine: 92 Points
disappointing on the first day--no fruit, terroir or complexity...medium bodied....progressively better each day with good linearity, fruit and terroir, good balance.
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11/28/2017 - djarcara wrote: 90 Points
Full body. Leaning toward the modern in style. Slightly oaked. Dark primary fruits predominate. Still young. Has a few more years before it hits its peak drinking window. 14% abv.
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11/23/2017 - Philippe_C wrote: 91 Points
Very red fruit, cherries, strawberries, sous-bois... Quite fresh, red berries, high acidity, good but not great...
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9/20/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Académie des Cinquante Bordeaux visit; 9/20/2017-9/23/2017: Graphite, firm and velvety tannins, rich fruit and spice, good weight and concentration, a bit monolithic but harmonious, good length. Needs more time, but it should turn out well.
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6/11/2017 - dream Does not like this wine: 80 Points
A huge wine for this estate and it's way high in ripeness and alcohol. I've had many vintages of this wine and enjoy it but in this vintage they made a crazy wine. I taste a bit of the terroir but the ripe black fruit borders on raisiny. This is not a Bordeaux I would want aging in my cellar. 80-
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5/21/2017 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Round, soft and plummy fruit. The influence of merlot and Michel Rolland is obvious.
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5/19/2017 - twither Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better on day 3.
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2/3/2017 - winelover 2016 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent . Rounded and perfect after airing for an hour
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1/18/2017 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pnp. Good from the first moment, a little tannic at the beginning, with a lush dark fruit. This is excellent value for the money. Glad I own a couple of cases.
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1/1/2017 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours before pouring back into bottle and serving 3 hours later (grilled filet mignon).
Black in the glass. Graphite, gravel, black currants, vegetal & charred wood on the nose. On palate, cassis, black currants, blackberry with touch of tobacco / earthiness. Fruit was brighter on palate than nose suggested. Medium body, medium+ acidity & nice tannins (well integrated) with a long finish.
I really enjoyed this and will buy some more. 92-93+
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12/25/2016 - Connaître Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drunk at Hanse Stube, Excelsior Köln. Opened up 45min before serving. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. This is fleshy and polished, with layers of crushed plum, fig sauce and blackberry paste that unfurl slowly, backed by maduro tobacco, charcoal and iron. There's lots of minerality on the finish, but it's nicely enveloped in the fruit. 92
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12/3/2016 - winelover 2016 wrote:
ghgh
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12/1/2016 - michigan66 wrote: 91 Points
good and strong at the nose.
dark color, well balanced.
this is a great wine
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11/26/2016 - yinha Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened 375ml at Jade Palace, Singapore with dim sum. Totally closed on the nose when PnP, but give it 30-60 min in the glass (if you can) for the berry aromas to emerge. Very fruit forward on the palate, berry dominated. Good buy and pleasant!
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11/21/2016 - RayOB wrote: 92 Points
Château Phélan Ségur Masterclass Dinner (67 Pall Mall): Shows the care notes of an 09 claret. Rich ripe and beautiful.
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10/18/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Closed on the nose but great on the palate. Or rather with much stuffing. Needs time to show its hand.
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8/15/2016 - swade wrote: 90 Points
Purple. Breathes up black fruit and earth. Round entry. Evokes blackberries, cassis and conjures geologic elements on the finish. Fine. This walks the line between new world and old. Well done. 90
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8/5/2016 - chokkon Likes this wine:
18c; no decant; inky, purple; flamboyant nose of mint, sage, black pepper, earth, wet leather; delicately balanced, fine, satin tannins and plush fruit, long finish; mint, caramel, ripe black cherries, black pepper, sage; lovely, complex, even in its youth; 18
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7/13/2016 - Ericsson wrote: 92 Points
Au restaurant, pas carafé cette fois mais servi rafraîchi, très bon vin qui a accompagné le tartare de bœuf à merveille.
Le vin s'est développé durant ces 6 derniers mois et aussi tout au long du repas.
Vraiment très bien fait.
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4/16/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Bordeaux in the nose, black currant, graphite. In the mouth more new world style,mighty fruity, one dimensional and a little bit short in the finish, but with more decantation time it shows his bordeaux typical tannins. A little bit rough and edged, didn't reach his peak, give him 10 more years, 91+
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3/27/2016 - david1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful nose with that expected and understated flat finish. Let breathe for an hour before consuming.
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3/4/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 91 Points
This really gained with air and ended up to be one of the best wines at the table. The tannins got smooth and a nice black fruit showed up. The wine is medium to full bodied and typically a little dusty. A very nice vintage for Phélan and maybe even better than 05.
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1/8/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 91 Points
Fruitier thank I expected. Previous vintages of PS I've had have been dankier and mustier. But it's still pretty fantastic. Despite the fruit, it's still very dry. So that's good. Notes of cocoa, plum, eucalyptus. Blueberry and bay leaves. Opens up fabulously after 2-3 hours of decanting.
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1/1/2016 - dream wrote: 90 Points
Lean and fine-grained and not at all overripe which is a accomplishment in this vintage. Dark fruits with hints of bell pepper and tobacco lead to a tight, crisp finish. Young yet and should improve but this is definitely a lighter style of Bordeaux. 90+
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12/16/2015 - Ericsson wrote: 91 Points
Au restaurant. Carafé. Belle couleur grenat moyen. Nez sur les arômes de cèdre et d'expresso. Belle rondeur en bouche, assez simple mais qui se boit facilement.
Costaud avec de la longueur.
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11/15/2015 - Burgnick wrote: 88 Points
Deep color. Dark fruit and oak on the nose. Palate was simple with blackcurrants and cedar oak. This wine needs time or a very long decant.
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10/9/2015 - Remony wrote: 87 Points
Remarkably pleasant to drink now. Nice deep colour, brambles & elderberry, but a proper bite to it and very good length. Yes, it will improve, and may gain some complexity, but in a Bermuda context (where wine is expensive) good QPR and a thoroughly nice bottle. 14% they say, but the balance is such that it doesn't show. But -- later and the next night -- the alcohol asserted itself more acutely, quite new world, really too much for me. Remains pleasant, but quite a heavy wine after a couple of glasses.
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9/21/2015 - jrh82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Incredibly charming and approchable. An incredible difference vs the more austere '06. Lots of fruit and lots of fun.
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9/2/2015 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 88 Points
litt plump frukt. intens, finkornede tanniner. Mangler friskhet. Forventer mere på dette prisnivået.
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7/31/2015 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine was clear and bright red, much lighter than the deep/dark purple I was expecting and a nose initially dominated by oak. To taste, there was nice depth developing with some graphite shavings and some buttery tannins.
On day two, the alcohol seemed more pronounced with oak starting to become more subdued and the fruit start to creep through.
I'm a massive Bordeaux fan, yet 2009 has yet to impress me like the critics, but this was on of the best I have tried. A good QPR as easily up there with some 5th growths. If I only had one bottle I would only drink from 2020+ because I feel this still needs time and would greatly improve.
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7/26/2015 - WineSpat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby. Medium plus intensity aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and cedar. Dry, high tannins, medium plus acidity. Very well structured. Lots of time: leave for 5 years.
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7/5/2015 - ThMeyer wrote: 89 Points
Was worried the bottle was hear damaged - but bottle turned out ok.
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6/25/2015 - ThMeyer wrote: 91 Points
Consistently good and a joy to drink.
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6/7/2015 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Loved this bottle. Juicy, ripe flavours, great with grilled lamb fillet. Very very nice (from half bottle)
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5/16/2015 - Phenol73 Likes this wine: 93 Points
(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: Compared to the 2010, this is more weighted toward the earthy and leather spectrum, with less sweetness on the tannins. Still excellent, very well composed, and with great balance and mouthfeel.
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5/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Much more open than the 2010 on the nose, expressive and ripe, sweet fruit, crushed stone, smoke, a bit of oak, spices. Open and approachable, polished, sweet and round, spicy, mineral, nice structure. Rich with good length. 91-93
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4/26/2015 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Reliably great. From half bottle.
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3/25/2015 - Motz wrote: 90 Points
Decidedly on the racy, New World side for Bordeaux. Lots of ripe fruit (a touch jammy), ink, and moderate (excessive) oak given the wine's modest stuffing. Medium to medium plus acid, low tannin, good texture. Overall, a wine indicative of the massively-overhyped, blatantly-over-the-top, flash-in-the-pan, New World palate-pleasing 2009 Bordeaux vintage. A mostly straightforward, deliberately-crafted crowd pleaser that should not be overthought, or over-cellared, as there's just not much to it. Enjoyable for what it is, but it could be from anywhere. Specifically, nothing says Left Bank Bordeaux.
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3/1/2015 - hebill Likes this wine: 90 Points
This definitely is not yet ready so I can understand the discrepancy in scores. Upon opening, it was definitely one dimensional, with overpowering tannin and strong oak (85). After 6 hours open in the bottle, it was opening but still fairly unapproachable (maybe 88). Decanted and after two hours in decanter, it was really showing much more nicely if a bit rustic. Nose has diminished but fruit is really showing on palate...currant, cassis, brambly berries...vanilla, tobacco...cedar, toast, smoke still there but receding...mineral element starting to show...biting tannins that go on forever. Currently, needs to be paired with something fatty...seared duck is perfect.
I would call it 89-90 at this point, but it will be much better and I think more elegant. Look forward to next one in 3 years min and should continue for quite some time.
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12/7/2014 - JustOneMore wrote: 87 Points
This is my third bottle, and each has been consistent. Certainly not close to a 90 rating. A bit harsh initially, with unresolved alcohol, with some cinnamon, cedar and oak. Not very complex, with the flavors not well defined. A bit dry, reminding me of an aged Bordeaux that has become very dry due to predominance of tobacco or shoe leather. Not bad, not good. Ratings appear to be product of group think.
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11/16/2014 - JustOneMore wrote: 88 Points
Unfortunately I believed the hype. I drink a lot of Left Bank and Ste Estephe, Ste Julien, and Pauillac, and this is not complex or worthy of anything close to 90. Vanilla, spices, and cassis, but slightly mono-focused and devolves over a day of being open.
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10/18/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 91 Points
From .375. Quite nice over lunch, beautifully sweet with cassis, vanilla, cedar and a nice backbone of minerality.
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9/9/2014 - mwanasheria Likes this wine: 90 Points
Starting to show some class. Nice fruit of brambles and cassis, some vanilla and some good underlying minerality. This could be interesting with time.
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9/7/2014 - malcolmkoo wrote: 90 Points
Decant for 1.5 hrs min. Good wine.
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8/8/2014 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Darker than our other wine at the tasting (all saints, St. Estephe, St. Julien, St. Emilion), a 2010 Les Fiefs de Lagrange in both color and palate. Decanted about an hour and a half. This was not drinking as well now, but it has more stuff than the Les Fiefs. Still somewhat approachable, but some additional time will be rewarded with additional balance and structure.
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6/6/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
From .375. So nice even at this young age, this will probably be very drinkable throughout its evolution. Nose of coffee, roasted nuts. On the palate cassis, more coffee, chocolate.
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5/7/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Expressive notes of fresh black cherries, plums, lead pencil and vanilla open to a round, plummy wine that will offer its ample charms fairly early in life. Form a blend of 58% Caberent Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, this is first vintage showing the influence of Michel Rolland.
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2/15/2014 - andyf Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hours decanted at 14 degrees celsius. Superb bouquet, middle tannin, nicely balanced. Will get better with age.
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2/15/2014 - andyf Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted at 14 degrees for 2.5 hours. Splendid nose, soft tannins, very good balanced, has a great decade ahead, may get as high as 95/100
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2/15/2014 - andyf Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hours decanted at 14 degrees celsius. Superb bouquet, middle tannin, nicely balance. Will get better with age.
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1/12/2014 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
We decanted the wine for 90 minutes before we poured the first glass and consumed it over a period of two hours. The wine offered black currant, cherry, blackberry, cabbage, spices, liquorice, cedarwood, leather, tobacco and intense graphite aromas on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red and dark fruit, black currant, cherry, blackberry, some raspberry, spices, liquorice, some tobacco and lots of graphite, paired with medium-level acidity, medium-plus round, ripe tannin, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A superb, medium-bodied, firm, balanced Bordeaux in a classic style. Less opulent and concentrated than some 2009s, but well-structured and elegant. The wine was accessible and drank well despite its youth, but it also showed good potential for further development in bottle for many years. We continue to find it difficult to keep our hands off the young 2009s - but then, why should we as they offer so much pleasure?! The next morning I was still able to remember in detail the sensation of taking a sip as if I was still tasting the wine. Great Bordeaux, will stock up.
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12/6/2013 - CWang wrote: 90 Points
Popped a bottle this evening just out of curiosity; the nose, fruity and perfumed, with caramel, cherries, graphite, mints, pencil shavings, and wet earth; the palate, juicy and supple yet somewhat acidic, with dark berries, licorice, mild spices, and cedar wood; still missing some structure and weight as other notes pointed out; the finish, rather short and a bit sweet for this bottle, with mostly dark berries, ripe plums, and licorice; overall, not much different from the previous bottle, so 90-91 points again.
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11/27/2013 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great wine - tasty but not overpowering.
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10/20/2013 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Fresh, with a good amount of blackberry, black currant fruit. Great with food.
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10/20/2013 - RBOND Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, and Red Currant. It tastes like Black Pepper, and Blackberry. The body is Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long.
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9/11/2013 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 87 Points
Bordeaux 2012 en primeur with WInefinder (Munchenbryggeriet, Stockholm): 60/40 cab sauvignon/merlot split in the wine this vintage. Some mature notes already, open, leather dark berries, a big style wine.
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9/9/2013 - Andre Brattland Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine shows how good the 2009-vintage are! Excellent red fruit, with good length. Sotck up, if you have the possibility.
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9/7/2013 - hubas wrote: 96 Points
Some stable tones very full bodied and overall very excellent
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6/25/2013 - Libiamo! wrote: 92 Points
Medium plus purple core, ruby rim. Quite complex nose: smoke, then dark fruit, cedar, mint, dark chocolate. On the palate, medium (plus) acidity, firm, yet supple tannins. Medium plus finish. At 14% abv. it doesn't taste alcoholic or jammy at all because it has enough fruit and acidity to balance the alcohol. Very approachable now because of a high portion of Merlot in the blend, 40%, with 58% CS and 2% CF. Great ageing potential.
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6/13/2013 - WMWG Likes this wine:
Opened one bottle before buying more. Agree with other notes; rich, and supple with sweet tannins, drinking pretty well now. I do agree with points about lacking some structure, I don't think this is built for the long haul. Resembles a california cab more than a traditional BDX (true of the entire '09 vintage). This is pretty good though.
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4/6/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Opulent, lots of fruit, soft and expressive. Missing a lot of structure, but surprisingly still rich and full bodied, a slight creaminess on the backend. Some smokiness and spice on the finish. I really like this wine. It shows some of the classic '09 character, but with a twist. Drinking so well right now.
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3/30/2013 - CWang wrote: 90 Points
Breathed in the open bottle for about an hour first; pleasant nose, pencil shavings, cherries, plums, red berries, and some wet earth; on the palate, complex and medium-bodied; cassis, chocolate, dark cherries, mixed spices, stewed plums, and a touch of dry cedar wood; the tannins were rather silky, soft, and sweet; medium long finish, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, mixed berries and cherries, and cedar wood; overall, delicious, mellow, and supple for such a young wine; 90+ points for now; would have earned a couple of more points if there was more excitement; next bottle will be popped in 2-3 years to see how this wine evolves with time.
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2/24/2013 - THA wrote:
Shows the modern style of the vintage. Full body. Deep. Rich. Heavy. Sweet.
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2/9/2013 - Opusone99 wrote: 91 Points
Sans prise de notes. Belle fiole et grand potentiel!
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1/26/2013 - Pedro the Lion wrote: 86 Points
Le nez est plutôt expressif sur des effluves de vanille et d'épices qui nous donne l'impression qu'on aura un vin assez exubérant en bouche ce qui n'est pas du tout le cas. L'attaque est vive avec des tannins imposants voire même quasi agressant de même qu'un boisé omniprésent. Un ensemble vraiment austère qui manque d'équilibre et qui est plutôt court en bouche. Une déception malgré que celui-ci est encore trèes jeune.
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12/30/2012 - fc1910 wrote: 90 Points
fat fruitnose with all kinds of blackberrys, really roasty, reminds me a little of Smith HL 03, on the palate earthy, spice, surprisingly fresh with fine acidity despite the 14% alc., at the moment the tannin is well integrated and smooth, mid- to fullbodied, very long finish, new style Bordeaux..... or you may also say new style bordeauxvintage.......but today, I like this! ;-) but..., who has the profound knowledge to say how this wine will mature? 88- 92?
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11/9/2012 - wenderoth wrote: 85 Points
Medium red colour. Liquorice, red fruit, Christmas pudding, spice on the nose. Maraschino cherry and sweet vanilla oak dominate the palate with soft tannins and a nice long finish. A little "blocky" and obvious at present, and I do wonder if it's a little "overcooked" with all that residual sweetness and not much in the way of tangible acid structure. But there is certainly enough of interest here to make we want to wait another year or two and see.
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10/21/2012 - Finare Vinare wrote: 91 Points
Smells like a luxurious coffee house with sweet nougat, ground arabica, venezuela chocolate, madagascar vanilla and a whiff of woodsmoke from the bonfire. Besides all this toasty oak flattery, there are ripe fruit aromas of currants, cassis and plum. The attack is smooth and the midpalate pretty dense with soft acidity and ripe tannins that integrate well with the fruit and the oak. The finish is generous and long with sweet vanilla and woodsmoke. This is a prime example of super-skilled winemaking in a ripe year, a very successful product at its price level, and a totally "yummy" wine - but in the end it lacks the pedigree of a Grand Vin.
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9/22/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 91 Points
Black cherries, cassis, kirsch, plums, pencil shavings. Very concentrated and sweet.
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7/6/2012 - Johnkaszuba wrote:
- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black pepper and black currant with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish.
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6/2/2012 - G_H wrote: 88 Points
2009 Bordeaux arrivage tasting (Baur au Lac Hotel, Zurich): Very good, beautiful, berries, nice classic BDX notes, little oak, good QPR.
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5/29/2012 - Tao wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at Vinexpo Asia 2012
Deep red in color, this is a lovely little wine here! The Phelan Segur got pure red fruits on the nose, sweet, charming, very alluring indeed! Quite accurate! The red fruits is slightly salty on the palate, still....very rich here with smooth coated tannins, a touch of dryness to the finish! A wine with crackling character! Nice!
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4/2/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
2012 Bordeaux Trip; 4/1/2012-4/4/2012 (Bordeaux, France): CS 58%, M 40% CF 2%. Nose had a little more bell pepper and toast than the ’10 and took a little more work to coax out of the glass. Fruit profile is noticeably darker, with more of a plum and black currant expression with less red fruits. Interesting as there’s actually less merlot here. Lush and concentrated coating the palate, but still has a big tannic backbone. This was plush, ripe and exuberant compared to the most stately ’10. A great bottle, but if I had to chose I’d go with ’10. 91-93
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1/26/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
With scents of forest floor, cassis, tobacco, black raspberry and earth, this medium/full bodied wine ends with spice, fresh, dark berries and a slight drying sensation. Give it 3-5 years and it should add some nice complexity and softer textures.
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1/20/2012 - MattTM wrote:
Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles): Rich nose displaying aromas of freshly ground coffee beans, dark plums, leather, and asphalt. Showing a bit of heat on the palate, along with espresso, sweet cassis, dark plum, and black cherry.Medium+ finish, ending with notes of espresso and dark plums. Good.
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11/12/2011 - Philippe_C wrote: 92 Points
Nose of smoked wood, lead pencil... very nice red fruit, hint of tannins, very nice wine
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11/9/2011 - roquenroell wrote: 90 Points
Slightly underwhelmed by the Phelan on offer at tasting, '04 and '06 came out flat and the 2009 showed well in comparison (obviously!). Elegant, sweet and pure cassis with a touch of liquorice. Good tannins, acidity in check.
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10/18/2011 - vespasian wrote: 90 Points
Quite heady lifted red fruits here. Single-minded; nice flavour and some green herbal notes. Good weight and lots of tannins. Solid. 89-91.
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10/7/2011 - Philippe_C wrote: 92 Points
Powerfull and very nice nose of black fruit, mokka, coffee, vanilla, salted caramel, butter... in the mouth, ripe black fruit, silky tannins, very soft and delicate
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7/20/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Dark jammy berries, licorice, spice, earth and chocolate scents lead to a supple, round, ripe wine that finishes with ripe, black raspberry and jammy flavors. This should drink well early.
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7/6/2010 - Khamen wrote:
BR 2009 Bordeaux En Primeur Tasting (London): A touch over-extracted? A little raisined? Amarone style! Gave the impression of being over-worked in the winery. 82-84
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4/17/2010 - Goldstone wrote:
En Primeur Bordeaux 2009 Tasting (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Tasted en primeur after 4 months in the barrel. Purple. Sharp. Tannic. Very dry back end. "OK" but no more.
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