The wine has become a little lighter over the last few years. It is now medium bodied. The bouquet is black fruit with some spice and earth. The earthy aspect has made this wine very enjoyable. Tannins are sure there but well balanced. Some mature flavors. Probably at the best it will be but in a cook cellar like mine, there is no issue for another few years. Reviewers here have expressed that this wine is over the hill or getting there. That isn’t my experience. It is doing very well a petit chateau wine from a great vintage should. Lovely wine for donating for use at an opera company event. My case was bought as wine future.
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The cork came out perfectly. The wine decanted nicely with light sediment. The color shows a bit of tile on the edge. The wine is lighter than when it was young but the core is still deep and red. Color is good but shows a little sign of maturity. The bouquet is blackberry and some earth and clove and allspice. The taste is consistent with the bouquet. It is a medium quality mature wine. Very satisfying though lacking the quality of a big time mature Bordeaux. Bought at $14, 15 years later it is probably at the peak now. It has been stored impeccably since release.
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I last tasted this wine 2 years ago and wasn't very pleased. I decided to keep one bottle for longer and see how it develops. Wow, this is a beautiful wine now. Dark ruby color. Black currant and chocolate nose. Mid to heavy body. All the pieces are got the getter now, gentle acidity with soft tannins. Dense dry plum, black cherries and licorice. Rather long finish. What a pleasant wine which probably will become even better in the next couple of years. That potty I have no more bottles left.
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dark inky wine for this AOC. Quite weighty. Black blue and color. Black fruit bouquet, not too evolved at this stage. Did not notice wood as some have mentioned. Fairly one-dimensional at this time with roasted flavor but primarily black fruit and cassis at this time. Good tannins for structure. Overall this wine is a completely young wine at an awkward at this stage. Can't say that it is attractive now due to its one-dimensionality with more brawn that interest. Perhaps another five years or more. This is a concentrated wine with a lot of blackness. Needs more time. Splashing with air may help or drank on day two.
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This is a nice little Bordeaux that needs an hour or so in the decanter. On opening, chalky limestone notes overlie classic basic level merlot-based Bordeaux both on the nose and palate. The fruit fleshes out a bit with time in the decanter. Toes the line between classic and modern and should appeal to most anyone who likes Bordeaux. Finish relatively short. No big flaws, and very interesting with the strong limestone character presumably coming from its soil, but this is otherwise not particularly special. Very good as Bordeaux go in the $16-20 range. I don't think there's enough stuffing for this to benefit from age but the tannins would suggest it could go another 2-3 years before falling off.
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Very plush feeling on the medium to full body. If tasted blind I would have guessed a CA merlot as this is in the new world style. Jammy dark plum and red cherry. Dry tannins with a bit of black pepper spice on the back end. Finish drops off too quick for my liking. A nice wine for the money.
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Third night open (preserved with Argon) and this wine is singing. Great nose, very balanced body with ripe black and red fruits, and now a nice long finish infused with dark chocolate. Awesome QPR.
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This is really quite good. 2nd night open and is showing a surprising nose of black and red fruits with some earth/minerals. Body is medium and echo's the nose with a little spice and slight tart/tannic finish. Very balanced and drinking well now. Needs a good decant or save some for 2nd night. Given its structure I think will drink well for a few years and probably improve some with some additional time sideways. 88+
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Tasting took place after one hour of decanting: On the NOSE: The nose on this is fairly bland, the initial smell is simply "hot" or "alcoholic" a deeper sniff reveals a bit of cassis, and spice. But mainly it is hard to see past the "hotness". On the PAL: I wish I could say the complexity deepens in the taste department but unfortunately for me, there was little to find here. This wine starts out very thin and hot with almost no flavor notes to speak of, out of nowhere mid palate you do get a bit of earthiness, pipe tobacco and hay which is definitely promising, unfortunately, any pleasant notes to be found mid palate disappear with the flavorless, hot, finish. The most pleasant thing about the finish for me was the very bold dry tannins, although some drinkers will not appreciate this feature. At the end of the day, this is a bordeaux that contains those old world notes you might expect but not in a pleasant and fully realized way, resulting in a very bland and uninspiring experience. I hope this wine improves with age for those holding it in their cellars. 81
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4/2/2024 - Wineteacher Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine has become a little lighter over the last few years. It is now medium bodied. The bouquet is black fruit with some spice and earth. The earthy aspect has made this wine very enjoyable. Tannins are sure there but well balanced. Some mature flavors. Probably at the best it will be but in a cook cellar like mine, there is no issue for another few years. Reviewers here have expressed that this wine is over the hill or getting there. That isn’t my experience. It is doing very well a petit chateau wine from a great vintage should. Lovely wine for donating for use at an opera company event. My case was bought as wine future.
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3/21/2024 - Wineteacher Likes this wine: 88 Points
The cork came out perfectly. The wine decanted nicely with light sediment. The color shows a bit of tile on the edge. The wine is lighter than when it was young but the core is still deep and red. Color is good but shows a little sign of maturity. The bouquet is blackberry and some earth and clove and allspice. The taste is consistent with the bouquet. It is a medium quality mature wine. Very satisfying though lacking the quality of a big time mature Bordeaux. Bought at $14, 15 years later it is probably at the peak now. It has been stored impeccably since release.
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3/7/2021 - DoctorTrouble Does not like this wine: 73 Points
Very fruity up front. After it opened, it did not get any better... was just flat.
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12/14/2019 - Mandiyu Does not like this wine: 83 Points
I love this wine. But the 2009 is dead. It tastes like Porto now.
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9/6/2019 - Mandiyu Likes this wine: 91 Points
Amazing wine but it is dying. Need to be drank now
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5/27/2017 - fluffy drinker Likes this wine: 91 Points
I last tasted this wine 2 years ago and wasn't very pleased. I decided to keep one bottle for longer and see how it develops.
Wow, this is a beautiful wine now. Dark ruby color. Black currant and chocolate nose. Mid to heavy body. All the pieces are got the getter now, gentle acidity with soft tannins. Dense dry plum, black cherries and licorice. Rather long finish. What a pleasant wine which probably will become even better in the next couple of years. That potty I have no more bottles left.
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12/7/2015 - Wineteacher Likes this wine: 87 Points
dark inky wine for this AOC. Quite weighty. Black blue and color. Black fruit bouquet, not too evolved at this stage. Did not notice wood as some have mentioned. Fairly one-dimensional at this time with roasted flavor but primarily black fruit and cassis at this time. Good tannins for structure. Overall this wine is a completely young wine at an awkward at this stage. Can't say that it is attractive now due to its one-dimensionality with more brawn that interest. Perhaps another five years or more. This is a concentrated wine with a lot of blackness. Needs more time. Splashing with air may help or drank on day two.
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8/21/2015 - Norm52 wrote: 90 Points
Need some airing, about 30-45 minutes. Beautiful, well balanced.
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2/25/2015 - Norm52 wrote:
Pop and pour a glass, it is closed and nose is muted. I will re-cork and save the rest for tomorrow.
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11/25/2013 - Rossodio wrote: 87 Points
This is a nice little Bordeaux that needs an hour or so in the decanter. On opening, chalky limestone notes overlie classic basic level merlot-based Bordeaux both on the nose and palate. The fruit fleshes out a bit with time in the decanter. Toes the line between classic and modern and should appeal to most anyone who likes Bordeaux. Finish relatively short. No big flaws, and very interesting with the strong limestone character presumably coming from its soil, but this is otherwise not particularly special. Very good as Bordeaux go in the $16-20 range. I don't think there's enough stuffing for this to benefit from age but the tannins would suggest it could go another 2-3 years before falling off.
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8/6/2013 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly modern and fruit forward, with considerable but not over the top oak on the nose.
Medium acidity and modest tannins. Palate is fruit and finish is of medium length. Enjoyable.
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7/14/2013 - jjsync wrote: 87 Points
Rich palate
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5/29/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very plush feeling on the medium to full body. If tasted blind I would have guessed a CA merlot as this is in the new world style. Jammy dark plum and red cherry. Dry tannins with a bit of black pepper spice on the back end. Finish drops off too quick for my liking. A nice wine for the money.
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5/14/2013 - Villon wrote: 87 Points
Trop de chaleur en final, bonne concentration, fruit un peu cuit. Un bordeaux supérieur de style nouveau monde (effet du millésime sans doute).
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4/16/2013 - truittj Likes this wine:
Some vegetal notes on the nose, good structure and clean finish, still needs a little time to open up. 90% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 14.5% ABV.
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2/28/2013 - epiphany Likes this wine: 89 Points
Third night open (preserved with Argon) and this wine is singing. Great nose, very balanced body with ripe black and red fruits, and now a nice long finish infused with dark chocolate. Awesome QPR.
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2/27/2013 - epiphany Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is really quite good. 2nd night open and is showing a surprising nose of black and red fruits with some earth/minerals. Body is medium and echo's the nose with a little spice and slight tart/tannic finish. Very balanced and drinking well now. Needs a good decant or save some for 2nd night. Given its structure I think will drink well for a few years and probably improve some with some additional time sideways. 88+
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11/5/2012 - Ryangossett wrote: 90 Points
Considering the price this wine drinks very well. Flavors are balanced and mouthfeel is surprisingly rich.
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8/18/2012 - flem747 wrote: 88 Points
Not much nose but really nice on the palate. Good structure, nice red fruit. Very enjoyable.
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8/15/2012 - WineNot? wrote: 84 Points
Reminiscent of fruit bomb.
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7/14/2012 - small_cellar wrote: 81 Points
Tasting took place after one hour of decanting: On the NOSE: The nose on this is fairly bland, the initial smell is simply "hot" or "alcoholic" a deeper sniff reveals a bit of cassis, and spice. But mainly it is hard to see past the "hotness". On the PAL: I wish I could say the complexity deepens in the taste department but unfortunately for me, there was little to find here. This wine starts out very thin and hot with almost no flavor notes to speak of, out of nowhere mid palate you do get a bit of earthiness, pipe tobacco and hay which is definitely promising, unfortunately, any pleasant notes to be found mid palate disappear with the flavorless, hot, finish. The most pleasant thing about the finish for me was the very bold dry tannins, although some drinkers will not appreciate this feature. At the end of the day, this is a bordeaux that contains those old world notes you might expect but not in a pleasant and fully realized way, resulting in a very bland and uninspiring experience. I hope this wine improves with age for those holding it in their cellars. 81
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6/5/2012 - mwneil wrote: 88 Points
Good bordeaux; nice fruit and structure; enjoyed the wine. 09's rock
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5/12/2012 - mmccull wrote: 88 Points
Decent simple wine. Feels like there is something missing from the mid-palate but the rest is smooth and nicely blended.
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5/8/2012 - cork breath wrote: 90 Points
a better tasting bottle. Possibly settled down in my cellar.
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1/31/2012 - cork breath wrote: 85 Points
very nice simple bordeaux. not sure it will last more than a couple years, but drink up and enjoy now!
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