ABV: 14.0%. 40% Merlot, 35% Petit Verdot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Gorgeous nose of violets, white pepper, pencil shavings, and graphite mixed with boysenberries, blackberries, and black plums. On the palate, the tanins are soft and the wine's kept intact by the well-integrated acidity, elevating the fruit tones. The super lengthy finish (at least a minute long) ends with a cola-like flavor profile. If you're planning to open a bottle soon, be sure to decant it for at least a hour. This wine can easily cellar for at least another decade.
11/13/2022 - Raised the score by two points. Over the past 24 hours, this wine has slowly evolved and blossomed, becoming even more enticing. What's striking is the luscious fruit on the mid-palate, which explodes with all the berries and plums. That cola-like profile from last night has shifted into a beautiful Chambord-like quality with every sip, followed by a slight hint of umami. The lengthy finish is still there, lingering with all the juicy fruit tones. There's still a little grip from the tannins, but it's not distracting in any way with the gush of fruit from every sip. This wine has turned out to be a beautiful surprise.
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Decanted 45'. What a crack up! I did not mean to save this...
10/15/2012 rated 89 points: Great QPR @ $14. Ruby/purple color, this wine has an open nose including hints of the terrroir (which I don't always expect or get at this price!). Blackberry, cassis, plum notes with the hints or cedar and tobacco. Medium density and finish. You could save it but why? (2571 views)
Now there's more cherry and red currant than black fruit. Some savory notes. Very pleasant. Time to find the other one and drink up!
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Still primary. Dense and ripe fruit. On the simple side, but some interesting plum and herbal flavors. Hard to identify as Bordeaux - if blinded, would probably guess Argentine Malbec. Not great, but an enjoyable drink nonetheless. Could be paired with BBQ meats or steak.
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Strong florals with meaty iron on the nose. On the palate, some smoky flavors initially, then followed by a combination of red fruit and savory notes. Flavorful, but not deep. Not hollow either, but this is definitely missing something in the mid-palate. The nose outshines the palate on this wine, but overall, this is a very interesting Bordeaux. This should continue to hold for a while, though I worry that the fruit will drop out after a couple of years.
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Not much to add to my previous notes. The wine is still lovely and will offer pleasant drinking over this and the next year. This was my last bottle, so no more notes from my hand.
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Heavily perfumed wine, almost too much for the senses. This sense of perfume carries through to the palate with intense flavors. Extended air thankfully tones this down a bit. Despite this intensity, depth and density is somewhat lacking, but this is still very flavorful. Still, there's a lot to like about this, as it is well-balanced and has an interesting and enjoyable flavor profile. Tannins still have some bite as well. This should continue to improve for a few more years as the tannins soften, but the lack of depth means that this probably won't age for the long haul.
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In the bouquet dark berries and a pleasant dose of vanilla. Same on the palate. Some autumn impressions and bell pepper as well. Really nice wine. 88 - 89
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See also my previous notes. Drank over 3 days. The wine is still improving for the better, while it was at its best on day 3. A lot of sweet spices, red and dark berries, good acidity and round tannin. Juicy and a good length. Should have bought two cases. 88+
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Good dark berries in the bouquet, a touch of oak as well. On the palate a harmonious wine with good dark berries, some red berries, good acidity, some herbs, pleasant and soft tannin. Lovely wine with a very good qpr. Ready now and the next 4+ years.
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Monthly tasting club LTC 2016-02; French or not French? (@ My place): As part of a tasting I made new notes. Beautiful dark forest fruits and some vanilla. On the palate dark forest fruits, some herbs and spices, vanilla, a touch of bell pepper, a touch of sweetness, good acidity, round tannin and a touch of bitterness in the finish. Certainly a lovely wine, but I was a little less impressed this time; 87.
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In the bouquet dark forest fruits, sweet spices and a pleasant dose of oak. In the palate the same impressions, firm, but good acidity and round tannin with still a good bite. Young maturity stage now and will probably drink nicely until 2018+. Extremely good qpr for around $ 14.
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A simple, everyday table wine with good structure and enjoyable attributes. A deep purple color and an earthy nose of forest floor, mushroom, licorice, and dark berries. The palate replicates the nose plus black pepper and some spice and caramel on finish. Solid structure with medium acidity and tannins and rounded medium-length finish. Very good overall.
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Very nice. I think this wine settles in better with some air, definitely better the second day. It is smooth, with just enough fruit, and a subtle finish. Excellent value at this price point. Drinking well now and should continue for several more years.
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This outstanding Bordeaux value wine is ready to drink with its lush textures coupled with its spice, licorice and smoky, ripe black cherry personality. From a blend of 39% Petit Verdot, 34% Merlot and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon.
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I agree with the previous review notes, including "the dry, lingering finish." This wine pairs beautifully with food. (For me it was Stilton cheese followed by broiled steak.) I liked this wine enough to buy another two bottles which I will keep for a year or longer. Living in Washington, D.C. partially explains why I paid so much ($20.00) but it is worth it. The distinctive presence of petit verdot is also worth noting, adding dark violet color, stouter tannins and imparting concentrated fruit flavor on the palate.
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Impressive young Bordeaux for the price. Silky and ripe on the entry yielding to firm dark berry tannins with a dry, lingering finish. High petit verdot content gives it impressive structure.
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Quite deep colored. Nice ripe nose with some barnyard notes, sweet spice and dark fruit. Oak is prominent. After some time mint notes also appeared. Soft on the palate with some fattness on texture, medium acidity. Intense licorice flavor together with vanilla on the mouth. Tannins are slightly astringent on the finish. Nice easy drinking and easily enjoyable wine. Not very typical aromaticallly or texturally to Bordeaux and this is not a surprise as this wine is made mainly with Petit Verdot grapes.
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Very dark ruby. Dark plum, blackberries, smoke, ripe dark cherry and vanilla on the nose. Medium-bodied with ripe dark fruits, slightly drying tannins, moderate acidity and a medium+ aftertaste. Ready to drink but might keep for another couple of years.
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Great QPR @ $14. Ruby/purple color, this wine has an open nose including hints of the terrroir (which I don't always expect or get at this price!). Blackberry, cassis, plum notes with the hints or cedar and tobacco. Medium density and finish. You could save it but why?
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Much better this time. Dark ruby. Sweet nose with liquorice, caramel, plum, blackberries, vanilla and sweet spice. Med+ bodied, with ripe fruit, velvety tannins and moderate but adequate acidity. Long aftertaste. A modern-styled Bordeaux at an unbelievably fair price, given the region's reputation. The value-seekers' Bordeaux. Has a potential for further improvement over the mid-term.
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Dark purple. Intense caramel, vanilla and oakiness overshadowing the fruit. Med-bodied, nicely structured and balanced but oak and caramel are dominant at this stage. I believe it has the structure to improve over the next 2-4 years. An interesting, extremely fairly priced Bordeaux, with an unusually high percentege of petit verdot (35%!).
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11/12/2022 - ChairmanKao Likes this wine: 97 Points
ABV: 14.0%. 40% Merlot, 35% Petit Verdot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Gorgeous nose of violets, white pepper, pencil shavings, and graphite mixed with boysenberries, blackberries, and black plums. On the palate, the tanins are soft and the wine's kept intact by the well-integrated acidity, elevating the fruit tones. The super lengthy finish (at least a minute long) ends with a cola-like flavor profile. If you're planning to open a bottle soon, be sure to decant it for at least a hour. This wine can easily cellar for at least another decade.
11/13/2022 - Raised the score by two points. Over the past 24 hours, this wine has slowly evolved and blossomed, becoming even more enticing. What's striking is the luscious fruit on the mid-palate, which explodes with all the berries and plums. That cola-like profile from last night has shifted into a beautiful Chambord-like quality with every sip, followed by a slight hint of umami. The lengthy finish is still there, lingering with all the juicy fruit tones. There's still a little grip from the tannins, but it's not distracting in any way with the gush of fruit from every sip. This wine has turned out to be a beautiful surprise.
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6/6/2021 - Grinner wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 45'.
What a crack up! I did not mean to save this...
10/15/2012 rated 89 points: Great QPR @ $14. Ruby/purple color, this wine has an open nose including hints of the terrroir (which I don't always expect or get at this price!). Blackberry, cassis, plum notes with the hints or cedar and tobacco. Medium density and finish. You could save it but why? (2571 views)
Now there's more cherry and red currant than black fruit. Some savory notes. Very pleasant. Time to find the other one and drink up!
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11/23/2019 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Still primary. Dense and ripe fruit. On the simple side, but some interesting plum and herbal flavors. Hard to identify as Bordeaux - if blinded, would probably guess Argentine Malbec. Not great, but an enjoyable drink nonetheless. Could be paired with BBQ meats or steak.
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7/15/2019 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Another solid bottle of this. Not a great Bordeaux, but an interesting, musky and dark-fruited flavor profile.
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4/8/2019 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Strong florals with meaty iron on the nose. On the palate, some smoky flavors initially, then followed by a combination of red fruit and savory notes. Flavorful, but not deep. Not hollow either, but this is definitely missing something in the mid-palate. The nose outshines the palate on this wine, but overall, this is a very interesting Bordeaux. This should continue to hold for a while, though I worry that the fruit will drop out after a couple of years.
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3/29/2019 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Not much to add to my previous notes. The wine is still lovely and will offer pleasant drinking over this and the next year. This was my last bottle, so no more notes from my hand.
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12/16/2018 - PIntag wrote: 89 Points
Heavily perfumed wine, almost too much for the senses. This sense of perfume carries through to the palate with intense flavors. Extended air thankfully tones this down a bit. Despite this intensity, depth and density is somewhat lacking, but this is still very flavorful. Still, there's a lot to like about this, as it is well-balanced and has an interesting and enjoyable flavor profile. Tannins still have some bite as well. This should continue to improve for a few more years as the tannins soften, but the lack of depth means that this probably won't age for the long haul.
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10/6/2018 - nowine4u Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid tasting wine, but nothing special.
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3/22/2018 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
In the bouquet dark berries and a pleasant dose of vanilla. Same on the palate. Some autumn impressions and bell pepper as well. Really nice wine. 88 - 89
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1/9/2018 - Zweder Likes this wine: 88 Points
See also my previous notes. Drank over 3 days. The wine is still improving for the better, while it was at its best on day 3. A lot of sweet spices, red and dark berries, good acidity and round tannin. Juicy and a good length. Should have bought two cases. 88+
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12/13/2016 - Zweder Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good dark berries in the bouquet, a touch of oak as well. On the palate a harmonious wine with good dark berries, some red berries, good acidity, some herbs, pleasant and soft tannin. Lovely wine with a very good qpr. Ready now and the next 4+ years.
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11/3/2016 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 91 Points
surprisingly good for its breeding.
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5/22/2016 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Consistent with my previous notes.
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3/3/2016 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Monthly tasting club LTC 2016-02; French or not French? (@ My place): As part of a tasting I made new notes. Beautiful dark forest fruits and some vanilla. On the palate dark forest fruits, some herbs and spices, vanilla, a touch of bell pepper, a touch of sweetness, good acidity, round tannin and a touch of bitterness in the finish. Certainly a lovely wine, but I was a little less impressed this time; 87.
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2/20/2016 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with previous notes; what a lovely wine for a bargain price!
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1/4/2016 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Weekly tasting group #199; New years tasting with some young and mature wines (@ My place): In the bouquet creamy dark and red forest fruits. Same on the palate. Some herbs and spiciness, some vanilla, good acidity and round tannin with a pleasant bite. Nice wine with a good qpr. 87 – 88 for this evening. There will be a follow up; I have several.
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11/3/2015 - Zweder Likes this wine: 88 Points
In the bouquet dark forest fruits, sweet spices and a pleasant dose of oak. In the palate the same impressions, firm, but good acidity and round tannin with still a good bite. Young maturity stage now and will probably drink nicely until 2018+. Extremely good qpr for around $ 14.
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3/20/2015 - Fat Lips Likes this wine: 87 Points
A simple, everyday table wine with good structure and enjoyable attributes. A deep purple color and an earthy nose of forest floor, mushroom, licorice, and dark berries. The palate replicates the nose plus black pepper and some spice and caramel on finish. Solid structure with medium acidity and tannins and rounded medium-length finish. Very good overall.
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1/13/2015 - Skibank114 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice. I think this wine settles in better with some air, definitely better the second day. It is smooth, with just enough fruit, and a subtle finish. Excellent value at this price point. Drinking well now and should continue for several more years.
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9/12/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
This outstanding Bordeaux value wine is ready to drink with its lush textures coupled with its spice, licorice and smoky, ripe black cherry personality. From a blend of 39% Petit Verdot, 34% Merlot and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon.
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2/15/2014 - Meridianus Likes this wine: 87 Points
Tasted blind. Smelled like oak, with a bit too much alcohol. Its taste was a bit disappointing compared to its smell. Nevertheless, i liked it.
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2/14/2014 - Squire Likes this wine: 88 Points
I agree with the previous review notes, including "the dry, lingering finish." This wine pairs beautifully with food. (For me it was Stilton cheese followed by broiled steak.) I liked this wine enough to buy another two bottles which I will keep for a year or longer. Living in Washington, D.C. partially explains why I paid so much ($20.00) but it is worth it. The distinctive presence of petit verdot is also worth noting, adding dark violet color, stouter tannins and imparting concentrated fruit flavor on the palate.
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2/24/2013 - PlanetX wrote: 90 Points
Impressive young Bordeaux for the price. Silky and ripe on the entry yielding to firm dark berry tannins with a dry, lingering finish. High petit verdot content gives it impressive structure.
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1/25/2013 - Stefanos T. wrote: 88 Points
Quite deep colored.
Nice ripe nose with some barnyard notes, sweet spice and dark fruit. Oak is prominent. After some time mint notes also appeared.
Soft on the palate with some fattness on texture, medium acidity. Intense licorice flavor together with vanilla on the mouth.
Tannins are slightly astringent on the finish.
Nice easy drinking and easily enjoyable wine. Not very typical aromaticallly or texturally to Bordeaux and this is not a surprise
as this wine is made mainly with Petit Verdot grapes.
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12/3/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 89 Points
Very dark ruby. Dark plum, blackberries, smoke, ripe dark cherry and vanilla on the nose. Medium-bodied with ripe dark fruits, slightly drying tannins, moderate acidity and a medium+ aftertaste. Ready to drink but might keep for another couple of years.
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10/22/2012 - Ken63 wrote: 88 Points
fruit up front, Blackberry , plum, velvety tannins. Pleasant, fresh, but with inadequate tannin structure to warrant aging.
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10/15/2012 - Grinner wrote: 89 Points
Great QPR @ $14. Ruby/purple color, this wine has an open nose including hints of the terrroir (which I don't always expect or get at this price!). Blackberry, cassis, plum notes with the hints or cedar and tobacco. Medium density and finish. You could save it but why?
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2/18/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 90 Points
Much better this time. Dark ruby. Sweet nose with liquorice, caramel, plum, blackberries, vanilla and sweet spice. Med+ bodied, with ripe fruit, velvety tannins and moderate but adequate acidity. Long aftertaste. A modern-styled Bordeaux at an unbelievably fair price, given the region's reputation. The value-seekers' Bordeaux. Has a potential for further improvement over the mid-term.
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1/27/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple. Intense caramel, vanilla and oakiness overshadowing the fruit. Med-bodied, nicely structured and balanced but oak and caramel are dominant at this stage. I believe it has the structure to improve over the next 2-4 years. An interesting, extremely fairly priced Bordeaux, with an unusually high percentege of petit verdot (35%!).
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