Very nice for the money. Decanted an hour during which it opened up and put on weight. Alone, the tannins are pretty dusty and apparent but when paired with risotto and ribeye, everything was harmonius. So smooth and velvety. Drink or hold. Decant if opening now.
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Three hour slow ox. Deep dark hazy magenta color. Dark chocolate, mushroom, plum, and anise. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This has aged beautifully. My notes don’t do it justice. Enjoying it at a dinner party in a French village with only French people may have helped add ambience. Certainly don’t want it any older.
An uninteresting wine; vaguely pleasant raspberry and warm earth but followed by an oaky, slightly hot palate and a short finish. 50 CS, 20 M, 20 CF. 14% ABV.
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Has not improved in the last 5 years. Still very modern, tannic and unforgiving. Best with grilled lamb or beef. I much prefer the restraint in more recent vintages.
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Double decanted for an hour and paired with Hokkaido ribeye dinner. Plum yet supple tannins with sandalwood overtones again. So agreeable and pleasing. Love it.
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Earthy nose with plums. Smooth entry on the palate leads to drying tannins. Sweet tobacco finish. More red than black fruit. This transformed with Prime Rib and became richer, rounder and the tannins disappeared. A great advert for both the vintage and Cabernet & beef pairing. Drink now with beef or wait another 5 years!
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Tasted 14-15 celsius degree. The wine looks crimson colored. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. It tastes like blackberry, hint of black currant, medicinal black olive, tea, flint and stoniness. The body is medium/full with great vigour. The wine has round texture. The wine is ~ 30-40 seconds long. Solid PL with character to show where it´s coming from. 91 pts.
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Gave the wine this time a fairly long decant (2h) before drinking over dinner. Was slightly less impressed than with the recent pnp bottle. Seemed well integrated and ready to drink now, but lacked a bit depth and concentration for a higher score. Would try with a shorter, perhaps 30 min decant next time.
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First bottle from a case. Pnp. Very interesting, unlike any other 09 Bdx I have recently had, Carbonnieux is still drinking the way almost all of the 09 tasted 5 years ago. Starts with plenty of oak, which later however integrates much better, very smooth and creamy dark fruit, good depth too, wood spices, not overripe, the tannins only start showing a bit after more air, but there is still plenty of fruit, more than a 09 SHL or Pontet Canet will show today even after hours of decanting. Curious to see this evolve but certainly a great success for Carbonnieux. A very solid 92
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W beef goulash. Good medium bodied wine with good fruit, spice and length. Yummy combination. Just cheked the price on the 2015 ($60) which is pushing it.
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A Bordeaux Deep Dive, With Proper Social Distancing; 4/11/2020-4/12/2020 (The Virtual World of Zoom): Though still primary, I thought this outshone the 2005 Carbonnieux drank alongside this, and also offers more promise as it develops. Medium-bodied, with smoke and dusty black cherry notes. A bit less concentrated than I would like, polished, with an expectation that this will add weight and complexity as it sheds its baby fat. To revisit in a few years.
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Medium-bodied, with smoke, burning leaf and cherry pipe tobacco aromas on the nose, the wine is elegant, soft and polished, with an olive and herb edge to the red fruits in the finish.
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This is a nice example of Pessac; a little young and still needs to absorb the oak a touch more for my taste; but quite tasty; the nose shows lovely dark fruit, vanilla, floral notes, mineral hints, and just a touch of herbs. The palate is rich and layered with nice balance and depth. Should be better in 3-5 years, but good now.
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Typical 2009 aromatics. Ripe, with resolved tannins, very soft and easy drinking....and boring. Clean, stripped down style is why i've been moving on to different wine regions.
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Seemed as though others thought this was drinking well/not yet closed down/open for business, and I must say I regret opening it. Granted it was just a gift, but all the same, it felt spiky, not really ready to drink at all. Certainly not so tannic as to be cactus-like, but for sure the little fruit that was up for grabs was enrobed in puckering tannins. Really wouldn't touch this for many years.
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Deep dark red. Nose was brett and cassis. On the palette, dark chocolate, leather, and earth. Fruit came out after an hour, dark berries and raisin. Good balance with light tannins. Very delicious with rib eye.
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Tasted @ big Bordeaux tasting in Zurich. Nice aromatics of dark berries, cassis, minerals and lead pencil. Medium+ bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin that is very silky. Good length. A very nice and round Graves from this great and opulent vintage.
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Red at the rim, tending to black at the centre - shy nose at the moment, cedar and oak. Full and smooth on the palate, nice acidity with a full but as yet unevolved middle palate, integrated but evident tannins - I think this will be really quite nice in a few years - leave in the cellar for now.
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Too little fruit to deserve a better score. Lots of everything but lacking fruit and real substance. Not sure this will develop into something nicer with age.
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The middle palate on the Graves goddess is setting the trend. Full and velvety, then silky on the long finish. Gravel, blackberry and pipe tobacco. There are no rough edges at all and ultimately rather enjoyable, and rather open. Decanted for one hour. Drink 2015 - 2030.
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Althouht sligthly tannic, this wine can be enjoyed already today. Dark cherries on the nose and with a palate that mixes dark cherries and vanilla. Quite a crowdpleaser, which I find negative. Does not stand out in any way. Day 18: Still holding up well.
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Shouldn't have opened it now, but was hard to resist. Opened up nicely after about an hour's decant. Trust me though - hands off for a few more years. You can thank me in 2015+.
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Shoulda let it cellar but was hard to resist. Very tight but opens up nicely after about an hour decant. Drinking nicely now but I suggest hands off for a few more years and you'll thank me then.
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Similar to Haut Bergey, but a touch more refined. Talcum powder, red-to-purple fruits, a dash of licorice on the nose. Cherry licorice flavors on the palate. Again, a touch more refined than the Haut Bergey, but not quite a world-beater, just a solid wine. 90-91+
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UGC 2009 Bordeaux Tasting - NYC - 1.25.12 (New York City): More traditional and “blocky” than the Haut Bergey. A bit more stodgy and oaky, but too young to really condemn the wine in terms of its balance. It clearly has the stuffing and depth that one wouldn’t expect from Carbonnieux, but as a rule, it is something to expect from the 09s. (88-91)
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Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux 2009 Tasting K&L, nose of black cherry, pencil lead and cherry cola, same on the palate, medium body, needs 4 years to peak, slightly subdued today, tasty with slightly candied fruit, medium/long finish.
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Lovely pure fruits here - good richness and concentration with subtle mineral notes. Pretty; elegant palate again with good richness and abundant flavour leading to a refined finish. Charming. 92-94
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9/25/2023 - PrinceKyrris wrote: 92 Points
Very nice for the money. Decanted an hour during which it opened up and put on weight. Alone, the tannins are pretty dusty and apparent but when paired with risotto and ribeye, everything was harmonius. So smooth and velvety. Drink or hold. Decant if opening now.
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4/21/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Three hour slow ox. Deep dark hazy magenta color. Dark chocolate, mushroom, plum, and anise. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This has aged beautifully. My notes don’t do it justice. Enjoying it at a dinner party in a French village with only French people may have helped add ambience. Certainly don’t want it any older.
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1/2/2023 - peterag Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent wine
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9/25/2022 - englishman's claret wrote: 84 Points
An uninteresting wine; vaguely pleasant raspberry and warm earth but followed by an oaky, slightly hot palate and a short finish. 50 CS, 20 M, 20 CF. 14% ABV.
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7/31/2022 - khmark7 wrote:
Has not improved in the last 5 years. Still very modern, tannic and unforgiving. Best with grilled lamb or beef. I much prefer the restraint in more recent vintages.
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1/15/2022 - cheksiang Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted for an hour and paired with Hokkaido ribeye dinner. Plum yet supple tannins with sandalwood overtones again. So agreeable and pleasing. Love it.
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8/9/2021 - Jacek P Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Deep purple, great aroma, well balanced. Still potential to develop but clearly getting better
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7/3/2021 - cheksiang Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for just 30 mins. Smooth supple tannins with a palate of toasted sandalwood. Lovely to the last drop and clearly in the prime.
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5/4/2021 - Dr Ivan wrote: 92 Points
I find this one fully ready to go, drank over 5 days, excellent from day one till the last drop today.
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4/25/2021 - MADHouse Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent nose but too tannic... still needs to be aged .. hope the fruit lasts
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4/20/2021 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy nose with plums. Smooth entry on the palate leads to drying tannins. Sweet tobacco finish. More red than black fruit. This transformed with Prime Rib and became richer, rounder and the tannins disappeared. A great advert for both the vintage and Cabernet & beef pairing. Drink now with beef or wait another 5 years!
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4/4/2021 - Mika78 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted 14-15 celsius degree. The wine looks crimson colored. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. It tastes like blackberry, hint of black currant, medicinal black olive, tea, flint and stoniness. The body is medium/full with great vigour. The wine has round texture. The wine is ~ 30-40 seconds long. Solid PL with character to show where it´s coming from. 91 pts.
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10/23/2020 - Fat cat Likes this wine: 90 Points
First from a case of 6. Half hour decant. Still quite primary but already approachable. Should improve over the next few years.
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8/2/2020 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 90 Points
Gave the wine this time a fairly long decant (2h) before drinking over dinner. Was slightly less impressed than with the recent pnp bottle. Seemed well integrated and ready to drink now, but lacked a bit depth and concentration for a higher score. Would try with a shorter, perhaps 30 min decant next time.
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6/30/2020 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
First bottle from a case. Pnp. Very interesting, unlike any other 09 Bdx I have recently had, Carbonnieux is still drinking the way almost all of the 09 tasted 5 years ago. Starts with plenty of oak, which later however integrates much better, very smooth and creamy dark fruit, good depth too, wood spices, not overripe, the tannins only start showing a bit after more air, but there is still plenty of fruit, more than a 09 SHL or Pontet Canet will show today even after hours of decanting. Curious to see this evolve but certainly a great success for Carbonnieux. A very solid 92
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4/24/2020 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
W beef goulash. Good medium bodied wine with good fruit, spice and length. Yummy combination. Just cheked the price on the 2015 ($60) which is pushing it.
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4/19/2020 - Ibetian wrote: flawed
Two 375 from same case, one corked
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4/11/2020 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
A Bordeaux Deep Dive, With Proper Social Distancing; 4/11/2020-4/12/2020 (The Virtual World of Zoom): Though still primary, I thought this outshone the 2005 Carbonnieux drank alongside this, and also offers more promise as it develops. Medium-bodied, with smoke and dusty black cherry notes. A bit less concentrated than I would like, polished, with an expectation that this will add weight and complexity as it sheds its baby fat. To revisit in a few years.
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9/20/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Medium-bodied, with smoke, burning leaf and cherry pipe tobacco aromas on the nose, the wine is elegant, soft and polished, with an olive and herb edge to the red fruits in the finish.
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1/30/2018 - Jamesarthur Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic wine, soft tannins and lingering finish, well balanced in acidity, classic Bordeaux, will keep for many years but very enjoyable now.
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11/30/2017 - jnewman77 wrote:
This is a nice example of Pessac; a little young and still needs to absorb the oak a touch more for my taste; but quite tasty; the nose shows lovely dark fruit, vanilla, floral notes, mineral hints, and just a touch of herbs. The palate is rich and layered with nice balance and depth. Should be better in 3-5 years, but good now.
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11/23/2017 - Cracker Barrel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite young. Double decanted and drank over the course of an evening with steak, which made it very nice.
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10/28/2017 - khmark7 wrote:
2nd bottle. Consistent with my 1st bottle earlier this year. Rather straight forward in style and a little too modern for my taste.
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5/12/2017 - khmark7 wrote: 87 Points
Typical 2009 aromatics. Ripe, with resolved tannins, very soft and easy drinking....and boring. Clean, stripped down style is why i've been moving on to different wine regions.
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4/22/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 90 Points
Académie des Cinquante Claret Tasting (Restaurant de Moerbei *, Warmond, NL): Tasted blind. There is a slight unevenness on the nose, crisp and fresh, Cabernet character and freshness, ripe and fuller than the previous wine, lovely length.
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1/4/2015 - Gargantua wrote:
Seemed as though others thought this was drinking well/not yet closed down/open for business, and I must say I regret opening it. Granted it was just a gift, but all the same, it felt spiky, not really ready to drink at all. Certainly not so tannic as to be cactus-like, but for sure the little fruit that was up for grabs was enrobed in puckering tannins. Really wouldn't touch this for many years.
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12/4/2014 - Kraigers1 wrote: 93 Points
Solid showing. Has a lot of life in it.
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10/4/2014 - vanderpee wrote: 89 Points
Drinking nicely, good wine, not great. Lacks lenght. Not sure this will get a lot better with some years.
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7/16/2014 - MarkusBig wrote: 90 Points
Deep dark red. Nose was brett and cassis. On the palette, dark chocolate, leather, and earth. Fruit came out after an hour, dark berries and raisin. Good balance with light tannins. Very delicious with rib eye.
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6/7/2014 - Kraigers1 wrote: 93 Points
Earlier instincts proved me well - after waiting about 1.5 years, it's drinking very nicely now. Has lots of legs in it still.
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5/15/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted @ big Bordeaux tasting in Zurich. Nice aromatics of dark berries, cassis, minerals and lead pencil. Medium+ bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin that is very silky. Good length. A very nice and round Graves from this great and opulent vintage.
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12/24/2013 - Jasper May wrote: 90 Points
Red at the rim, tending to black at the centre - shy nose at the moment, cedar and oak. Full and smooth on the palate, nice acidity with a full but as yet unevolved middle palate, integrated but evident tannins - I think this will be really quite nice in a few years - leave in the cellar for now.
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10/16/2013 - sergio65 wrote: 87 Points
Too little fruit to deserve a better score. Lots of everything but lacking fruit and real substance. Not sure this will develop into something nicer with age.
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10/12/2013 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
The middle palate on the Graves goddess is setting the trend. Full and velvety, then silky on the long finish. Gravel, blackberry and pipe tobacco. There are no rough edges at all and ultimately rather enjoyable, and rather open. Decanted for one hour. Drink 2015 - 2030.
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7/26/2013 - Tavastgatan wrote: 89 Points
This one doesn't really convince. Structured and lots of tannins. Dark fruit in a lighter style. But in the end there just a tad too litte fruit.
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11/24/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 87 Points
Althouht sligthly tannic, this wine can be enjoyed already today. Dark cherries on the nose and with a palate that mixes dark cherries and vanilla. Quite a crowdpleaser, which I find negative. Does not stand out in any way.
Day 18: Still holding up well.
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11/23/2012 - Kraigers1 wrote: 93 Points
Shouldn't have opened it now, but was hard to resist. Opened up nicely after about an hour's decant. Trust me though - hands off for a few more years. You can thank me in 2015+.
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11/23/2012 - Kraigers1 wrote: 93 Points
Shoulda let it cellar but was hard to resist. Very tight but opens up nicely after about an hour decant. Drinking nicely now but I suggest hands off for a few more years and you'll thank me then.
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10/14/2012 - tirmi Likes this wine: 89 Points
Отличное вино. Еще незрелое, но с большим потенциалом
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1/30/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Smoke, earth and black cherry scents lead to a soft, medium bodied, crowd pleasing, lighter style of Pessac Leognan that will drink well early.
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1/28/2012 - mike410 wrote: 91 Points
Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (MONTREAL). Full bodies. Unbalanced. Needs plenty of aging.
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1/25/2012 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
Similar to Haut Bergey, but a touch more refined. Talcum powder, red-to-purple fruits, a dash of licorice on the nose. Cherry licorice flavors on the palate. Again, a touch more refined than the Haut Bergey, but not quite a world-beater, just a solid wine. 90-91+
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1/25/2012 - Faryan wrote:
UGC 2009 Bordeaux Tasting - NYC - 1.25.12 (New York City): More traditional and “blocky” than the Haut Bergey. A bit more stodgy and oaky, but too young to really condemn the wine in terms of its balance. It clearly has the stuffing and depth that one wouldn’t expect from Carbonnieux, but as a rule, it is something to expect from the 09s. (88-91)
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1/21/2012 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux 2009 Tasting K&L, nose of black cherry, pencil lead and cherry cola, same on the palate, medium body, needs 4 years to peak, slightly subdued today, tasty with slightly candied fruit, medium/long finish.
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10/18/2011 - vespasian wrote: 93 Points
Lovely pure fruits here - good richness and concentration with subtle mineral notes. Pretty; elegant palate again with good richness and abundant flavour leading to a refined finish. Charming. 92-94
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