Second of two bottles purchased at retail and the stronger of the two—a bit more even and complete and definitely open for business. This was very tasty, showing a big gulp of very pure, silky blackberry on the nose and palate, but there was some drop off in the mid-palate and on the finish. It was clearly more concentrated and refined than the 2010 Potensac Coravined alongside it, but concentration and refinement aren’t everything and it was neither more complete nor more even than the Potensac for all that. Very different wines, to be sure, but the Potensac definitely held its own and was arguably the more complete wine. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/91)
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2004 Bordeaux at Blacklock, City, with NLWTS (Blacklock, City): Heady, pure blackberry/bramble nose. Palate has some dark oak spice, and those same brambley notes from the nose repeat themselves. Tannins almost overbearing! This is the only wine of the night that I’d put in the ‘not yet ready’ camp - its in the ‘neither here nor there’ stage, for me. Full of potential and very concentrated, which bodes well for the future. 91++
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Bordeaux 2004 20 years on Part 1 (Blacklock City): Very bordeaux on the nose, like the GPL. Deep cassis, significantly more flamboyant than its flightmate, but an annoying trace of vanilla oak and caramel to go along with it. Normally I am not especially sensitive to this, but I think amongst these bottles with all of their classical restraint it really stood out. Is it really possible that the barrel toast has not been fully assimilated after 20 years, and that this wine is in fact still too young? Tellingly nobody even gave it a point, which for a wine of this calibre is pretty unusual, so perhaps everyone felt the same way.
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Jonathan's 2004 horizontal (Blacklock City): This was one of the pre-match favourites, but somehow didn't manage to gain a single WOTN vote, despite showing pretty well; I suspect its relative youthfulness did for it. A big, well-oaked wine, with a touch of sweetness and a feeling of heat on the finish, not from the alcohol (13%) but the sheer concentration. Some leafiness too, and every indication that this will turn out well, but we all felt it would be showing better in 5, perhaps even 10 years' time.
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2004 Bordeaux at 20 years courtesy of Mark Taylor; 3/23/2024-3/24/2024 (Atlanta, GA): Lifted, mint, crushed berries, red fruit. Such a palate, truffle, raspberry, lovely acidity, round, mouthwatering and then silky/sneaky tannins. Seems like a Right Bank profile to me, focused, precise. My #4 and the group #5. Guess incorrectly as the Vieux Chateau Certan.
Bordeaux 2004 - 20 Years On - 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted. Observations: 1) 2004 is a mediocre vintage overall, with many pleasant wines, but without the depth of better years. 2) At the top, the vintage produced some classic, old-school wines with lots of freshness and fresh fruit. 3) At the lower end, many wines lacked fruit and ripe tannins, resulting in some astringent and slightly drying wines. 4) An alarming number of Right Bank wines (5 out of 16, no Left Bank wine) were oxidized, including some heavyweights like Petrus, Evangile or Figeac. An unacceptably high proportion of faulty wines. 5) I’m not sure that the 2004 are currently in a good phase, many of my scores were lower than in previous tastings. The question is if it’s just a weaker phase or the beginning of the end. 6) At the top and the only wine >95pts was a layered Le Pin (rated 96pts), with a charming Vieux Chateau Certan, a surprising Issan and Clos l'Eglise, as well as an elegant Lafite sharing second place (all rated 94pts).
TN: This needed a bit of swirling to come out of its shell. Underneath there were some fine fresh red berries, some candied strawberries and a backbone of minerality. Fairly elegant and round wine and certainly among the better wines today, although without the complexity for a higher rating. This is a success for Pichon Comtesse which went to a quite weak phase around the millenium and before the sale to the Roederer family in 2006/2007.
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Nad Nite (Noizé, London): This followed the VCC and Rauzan-Segla from the same vintage and it was hard to separate them. This had a little bit more bite and a tad more depth.
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First of two bottles purchased at retail. Perfect fill and cork. Decanted for sediment (of which there was almost none), and away we go with a big, nicely concentrated mouthful of cassis and dark plums, dusty tannins, and perfect acidity. Still very dark in the glass. There was an initial greenness here, but it mostly disappeared and was replaced by leather and cigar wrapper.
As others have said, this lacked horsepower, depth, and finish and isn’t really showing anything you might call tertiary yet, but what was there was extremely well delineated. This is what you get from a great second growth in an off year, and I would say I got just about what I had hoped for from this bottle. I’ve had much lesser ‘04s, and they weren’t nearly this complete.
In the final analysis, this was very enjoyable and I’m certainly happy to have one more bottle of this, but just understand that if you’re buying this now and looking for great QPR, this ain’t it. This is a relatively inexpensive Pichon Lalande. That’s what this is. A 2009 Gloria, 2010 Cantemerle—hell, even a 2010 Potensac—will beat this wine silly every time where completeness is concerned. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/90)
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Needed at least 3 hours to open. A bit of caramel, licorice, dark berries and plum. Palate is round and balance. Not explosive but nice wine and better than I expected for 2004.
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Christmas Wimps (La Trompette, Chiswick): Nose shows pure blackcurrant fruit, touch of mocha and vanilla, Xmas cake too - surprisingly youthful. Medium bodied, quite rich, dark fruited, fresh acidity, firm but fine tannins, a touch monolithic at present but should improve.
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Christmas Cornucopia WIMPS #172 14th December 2023 (La Trompette, Chiswick): Oak still noticeable on the palate here. There is some cassis, a little smoky tea and some aniseed. Palate very youthful with dark fruits and suggestions of cedar, tannins really to the fore, a couple of hours in the glass don't really shift this.
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Good cab notes of forest floor, earthy, dried leaves, tobacco; just slightly thin in the mid-palate, smooth entry but grainy tannins, a little short. Not bad for '04. T-day at Bri's.
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Thirteen per cent alcohol, is rather strong for me! Of course, compared to 2020's standard, another story, approaching to nearly fifteen per cent these days! Anyway, strong and intense black currant nose, kirsch's syrup, pure and sweet, a hint of vanilla oak! The palate is full and rich, mouthful of sweet black fruits, satisfied with a lengthy finish! Although good to go, still, a tad young to me!
Drinks and Cards (London): Dark red/purple. Aroma of leather, mint, pencil lead. Lovely flavour of blackcurrant, oak, spices and a touch of raspberry. But super-dry. Maybe 4 hours in the decanter, not 2. Very good.
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Celebration wine, for entering the MW Program :)))
It is a very nice wine that needs a lot of air,
Still a baby to me, as I believe it can easily go for another 10 years at least and will probably peak at 5/8 from now
Day one, the wine shows aromas of cedar wood, pencil shavings, and dark fruits, with pepper and sweet spices... Palate is very smooth, and chocolaty, with still a good hold of velvety tannins, med alcohol which is nice in nowadays standards. The length is med/+ and the acidity is still present but well integrated. It is merely a 91 at this stage but !
Day two, the wine shows a lot more aromas, and complexity, licorice, pepper, black plum, cinnamon, cedar wood and sandal wood, not a sting of evolution or tertiary character ! it's insane... the wood is so integrated and the wine still fruity and has gained depth and length ! Long aftertaste of ripe dark fruits and spices, cinnamon, sandal wood, cedar wood, cigar box, sooth, and ashes ... A bit Syrah like but smoother and. a bit bigger at the same time !
Day 3 , the wine is still not oxidized and shows less complexity nor depth as day 2 ... still excellent though !
Nice ! Left bank Bordeaux are strange to me nowadays as they evolve so slowly when made quite traditionally, and the extraction would be moderated... it is in a weak year showing great potential still and some depth ! could easily be 94/95 ...
Disappointing bottle from my 2004 lot. Flat throughout the evening, no development, disappointing medium finish. The only positive: very nicely balanced tannins and acidity with distant hints of blackberry notes. We had this side-by-side with its 6-year younger sibling. Not sure if the 2004 - being a weak vintage in general - is giving up and needs to be drunk up or, if the Pichon Comtesse is going to its second beauty sleep.
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The wine has a dark garnet color when poured. The smell is a mix of dark fruits like plum and blackberry, with hints of chocolate and vanilla. When tasting, the first thing you notice is how smooth it is, driven mainly by the fruit flavors but also with some spice and chewy tannins. The finish is long and complex, and you can pick up some savory elements like leather and mushrooms. Overall, it's a well-balanced wine with a lot going on.
(Bdx 2004 "2ème cru"-tasting) Medium-fullish nose. Delicate. Black plum, small raisin, chocolate and oak. Pencil shavings and herbal notes. Good, but not great. Medium-fullish body. Soft tannic structure. Ripe and spicy. Black plum, chocolate and hints of perfume. Developed. A bit short finish and lacks some intensity. We guessed on one of the Pomerol's on this. The big Merlot part is really, really evident.
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From a half bottle. Very smooth palate with fruit dominating, cherries and strawberries with some cigar and oak. The nose is shy but improves with air, so I would decant if you want to skip to the best part. Initially reserved and fruity, this wine shows typical 2004 austerity, not the flamboyant nose you’d get with 2003 or 2001. With air there is more complexity, some earth, tobacco leaf, and underbrush. Super easy to drink and probably a top 2004 but it doesn’t escape the vintage’s limitations. I haven’t tried any 1st growths yet, so we’ll yet see if any wine does.
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This is really lovely, and an elegant representation of what pauillac wines can offer. After about a 60 minute decant this was ready for prime time. Beautiful red fruits played their song and a subtle minerality accompanied. Paired with an awesome boeuf bourguignon made from a Julia Child recipe. Both were winners.
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Chez Cov, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, quite dense but glossy ruby, youthful robe, purple rim; cassis, plum, bramble, some mineral and cedar, classy; med, good length, quite persistent if not particularly concentrated, bit tight, but quite round and well balanced with some silk helping to coat the tannins, significant upside, 20+ years. F for now (17.5) with upgrade expected, much better than a dumb and frankly unready bottle in March 19 and showing how good these 04s can be.
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Hamilton Blind Group: [Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium purple in the glass. The nose is of candied cherry, purple licorice, charcoal, violets, punchy blackberry, blueberry, and mulberry. The palate also feels very youthful, showing a vaguely tangy profile with medium tannin, medium acid, and some bitterness. Some alcohol pokes through on the finish, but not obtrusive. Overall I was quite stumped by this. Clearly Bordeaux varieties, and felt young. My best guess was a 2008 Chinon as I occasionally get that very bright and punchy fruit character form some producers. I was quite surprised on reveal. I have always loved this producer, so I'm really hoping this needs more age. Just so incredibly young right now and centred on the fruit.
Solid. Shows a lot of oak upon opening so would decant. Otherwise rather typical lalande profile with black currants and tobacco leaf notes. Nose became more expressive with air. Fine tannins—mostly integrated at this point. Delicious, if sowing a rather creamy oak influence. Will continue to improve but probably as earlier drinker. Drink now or over the next 15-20yrs. 93-94
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When the wife is away... (Broders): Decanted 1.5 hours and poured back in the bottle to be served a few hours later. Drank about half of the bottle over 2+ hours. The nose is classic Medoc, violets, forest floor, raspberry, red currant. The palate is regrettably less expressive, but oh-so elegant. I guess I'm Goldilocks, I was wishing for more body/fruit on the palate, and then a 2003 Pontet Canet had too much fruit and not enough other interest.
WINE COM J.N.Reltive to others it comes across as dumb. The fruit is very difficult to find. Not RFD. Very soft, tannins don't seem to be hiding the fruit. Is there a risk this will never come round? Try in 2024
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Red and dark fruit, dark cherries, graphite, and sweet fruit on the nose. The tannins are quite integrated with more dark cherry notes, cassis, and leather on the palate. Long finish. Showing really well, this is a very pretty wine that will only get better with time. 94+
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Excellent Bordeaux approaching maturity but with “plenty of fuel in the tank”. It responded well to long decant, breathing.
Noticeable ripe tannins are one of the things holding this wine together. It has charm but it’s not a Margaux. I know it’s the Comtesse but it’s more masculine than feminine.
13.5%, cork.
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This is really starting to come around. Needed a short decant to become expressive. Lovely black currant and leafy herbal nose. Palate is smooth and integrated—quite polished, with minimal tannin at this point. Quite typical and correct for the estate. Elegant and polished, leaning towards black fruit with telltale green herbal (the good kind) mixed in. Moderate finish, adding some pipe tobacco and leather notes. Not a blockbuster like ‘89/‘96 but an excellent bdx in an average vintage. Might bet marginally better but already in a great spot.
Surprisingly big and robust, especially for the 04 vintage. This has the balance found in Bordeaux but could also be a Cali cab made on the less extractive side, though this is fully ripe. Still young and with quite a wack of tannin. Lovely bramble fruit and close to full bodied, with moderate acidity. Long finish and some complexity. There is also pepper and mellow cake spices here. Drink now and over the next 20+ years.
An off year? Hmmmm.....pnp'd into a decanter about 30 min before dinner tonight with family visiting since the storm took out their power. Homemade meatloaf on the menu.....a little barnyard on the opening but it leaves only 10 minutes in. Nice, smooth red fruit, graphite, a little forest floor and just plain good, especially with meatloaf. What a nice wine for an 'off' year. I am amazed at those who only want to drink 100 point wines and miss so many other good vintages.
Deep indigo color. Aromatic, perfume on the nose. Plenty of fruit on the palate with some herbal notes on the finish. Medium plus body. Finish was lacking due to the paucity of tannins. I still have a magnum of this which should have more staying power but this may just be attributable to a wet vintage.
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(Mostly) Spanish dinner (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Textbook. Moderate green notes, clearly a Bordeaux from a cooler vintage in that those green tones are a little more prominent versus the fruit. Some perfume on the nose too, with a lightness on the palate that I found quite pleasant. Drinking nicely now; I wouldn't be shy about opening fifths of this now.
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The nose is terrific with an immediate bouquet of black licorice, cedar, and Pauillac goodness. Loads of pencil shavings on the finish with firm tannin. Unfortunately, the finish is lacking a bit of zeal. What's missing on the finish is the fruit and it reminds me very much of the 2002 PLC tasting experience. Neither of these vintages are the best showing for what is possible from this Chateau. I much prefer the Pichon Baron 2004 to the Lalande 2004. It is still a lovely wine, but I expected more. Decanted for 60 minutes and consumed over 2 additional hours.
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Well, some said a short air and we read a 4 hour decant was too much…I decided to decant 3/4 bottle, 45 min before Cornish game hens with rice. I poured two glasses and then poured the remaining wine into decanter about 30 min later. The wine really opened up an hour later. I would have decanted 1.5 hours before drinking, bearing in mind how many are consuming. Great wine. Reidel Bordeaux/ cab glasses.
Great nose of leather with a hint of tobacco and graphite. Initially tannins were a touch austere but after 30-40 minutes balance was spot on. While there was definitely a black fruit predominance, some red was present adding to the elegance. Hitting its stride now with many years left. Great with or without food.
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Fragrant and intense nose with lots of fruit, cassis, leather, and tobacco. The nose screams Bordeaux... Medium tannins on the palate with good balance, more fruit, red cherries, and cassis notes. Long finish. Lovely wine that is very approachable.
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5 Stunden vor dem Probieren geöffnet. - Farbe: Dunkelrot, fast schwarzrot. Hohe Farbtiefe. - Geruch: Keine Altersnoten. Eher Kräuter. Nur mittlere Intensität. - Geschmack: Kräuter. Schöne Tannine und Säure Balance. Allerdings kein Schmelz und auch nur mittlere Länge. Hat ich mir mehr von erwartet. Der 2003 Brane-Cantenac war an dem Abend besser.
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To me, this is a baby 1st Growth with great ageing potential. After 17 years, this wine is in a perfect drinking window. Decant and poured into a glass, no need to wait. Polished and silky, with cedar, cocoa, chocolate, ripe dark fruit, graphite, and so on. Very impressive but approachable. Two hours later in the decanter, it starts to fade slightly. Drink up now, or wait for further evolution in the next 10 years. The older it gets, the more fragile it is after contact with air. 95 points. December 2021
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Wow... this is drinking beautifully elegant and feminine, utterly open, drinkable and well-integrated. Jusgt an enormous joy to drink this wine now, with some good friends.
Needed air. You feel the cooler vintage and much bones under the flesh. This has years left ! In the end a real nice bordeaux with room for improvement.93+
We gave it two hours in a decanter before dinner. Initially a bit tight and sour. It did not really hit its stride for another two hours but very good thereafter. Chewy texture, dark cherry with a touch of cocoa. A nice bottle once given the time it needed.
The 2004 Pichon Lalande is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of rich dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with velvety tannins and a seamless, charming profile, it is really beginning to drink with some style.
Decided on 4 hour decant after reading notes here. Cassis and extreme tannins upon opening; totally unbalanced, I figure great glad I read the reviews, let’s do the decant and it will round out. Wrong. Drinking ~4.5 hours later with ox burgers I got some dull and unexciting stewed fruits I associate with the not-pleasant ageing process of expensive American merlots meant to drink young, hints of black currant / cassis on lucky swirls, only occasional flashes of pauillac dirt and pencil shavings. Not unpleasant but unbecoming for this wine. I’d have a bad/boring sip, then a decent sip with hints of regality, and back to a bad one like it pulsed.
Weird showing. I think it’s possible I decanted too long, and/or this wine is just a little finicky. Probably doesn’t help I drank a 1989 Pichon Baron a week earlier with ox burgers than was singing and a perfect pairing, might’ve been mentally building this dinner up too much.
24 Vintages of Pichon Lalande: All wines tasted blind. A few general observations: 1) Most wines showed the typical Pichon Lalande elegance. This is certainly one of the more delicate and elegant Paulliacs. 2) The relatively high Merlot content (often 20-30%) showed in many wines with fine, fresh rhubarb, rosehip and floral aromas I wouldn’t necessarily associate with a Medoc - all adding to the sensuous quality of the wines. 3) A few vintages showed the very sexy burnt sugar/coffee notes you associate with the 1982 Lalande or a Mouton or a Cheval Blanc - unfortunately, not to an extent and with an intensity to truly excite. 4) Following the legendary 1982 and until the most recent vintages (starting with 2014 but especially with 2016) there are three decades of pleasant Pichon Lalandes but hardly any vintage has the depth and length of truly great wines. The best wine tonight was the 2009 (rated 95+ points) with many more in the 92-94 point category.
TN: With some air the initially muted nose showed some nice candied fruits with the same profile mirrored on the palate. Some coffee and herbal notes as well but overall not much complexity, not much excitement there. The structure is good with fine tannins, a well-integrated acidity and a creamy texture. Easy to drink and quite pleasant.
Bringing an unhyped vintage - in this case a 2004 - to a Pauillac evening you might think that second to last is the best you can score. This was not the case. This 2004 Comtesse was a very good wine - ready to drink and to enjoy, but don't make the mistake to kill the smooth and well integrated tannins by serving cheese to it. We gave the wine sufficient time to breath some fresh air (2.5h) which in my view was necessary after close to 16 years in the bottle (no decanting). The wine comes with a great ruby-purple coloring demonstrating its age. The nose is first filled with secondary (vannilla) and then tertiary notes (truffle, tobacco) ending with a significant smell of black cheeries and a bit pepper. On the palate some fine notes of chocolate and caramel as well as black cherries and floral notes round the delicious wine experience. Tannins and acidity are very well balanced and the wine itself is medium-bodied, giving it the opportunity to become everybody's darling. Not sure if the 2004 Comtesse will further develop - I have my doubts but why not enjoy it now? It is in a perfect drinking window and your guests will honor you with returning visits.
List purchase at a steakhouse for a song. Paired with prime cut, pepper-encrusted, char-grilled Ribeye. A top 5 steak and red wine pairing of my lifetime!
By the original pro scores (RP apparently raised his score to 95 (from 92) in 2009), and many of the reviews here, including an average score of 91.2 at the time of this note, a strikingly understated, true to place, and wholly enthralling Pauillac, which like so many wines of this class...NEEDS TIME TO BREATHE!!!
In addition, 2004, along with, and on the strength of, 2001, 2006, and especially 2008 (to write nothing of 2005, and depending on how one counts decades, 2010), resulted in a decade of tremendous Left Bank wines. (Yes...I intentionally excluded 2000, very good but overstated, and 2009, grotesquely overstated.)
Enough with the commentary. This strapping yet sophisticated, poised and powerful, classically riveting Second Growth commanded attention from the outset, and after a half-hour decant, truly rocked...all pun intended! Cut tobacco, lit cigar and pipe, worn leather, gravel, graphite, blackcurrant, pepper garden, menthol, tar, and mineral ore laden bouquet! Hell Yeah! The wine tastes as it smells, launching a first order assault on the senses, in all the best ways. I would have enjoyed this with boiled asparagus and old shoe leather...but with the perfectly prepared Ribeye...Holy God!!!
The last glass was enjoyed as a sipper...and it delivered. Layered complexity, mind-bending range. Indeed, while retaining its rustically bold presence, the secondary and early tertiary nuance came off enchantingly feminine. In ongoing development, but no reason not to enjoy now (WITH AIR). It will likely begin showing its best by 2030 and last for a decade thereafter. 97-98.
Blind tasting Bordeaux night pair with Michelin Chinese cuisine.
My personal ranking: 1) 1985 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Wet forest, leather, mushroom, spices, medium+ tannin and medium tannin, ruby in colour, pronounced nose.
2) 1978 Chateau Lafite. Green, dried black/red fruits, finesse in the nose, ruby in colour. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin
3) 2009 Pontet Canet. Spices, flora, vanilla, purple in colour, medium+ tannin and acidity, rounded in the palate. Medium nose.
4) 2004 Pichon Lalande. The nose is closed or rather medium- nose. vanilla, medium+ acidity and tannin. Approachable.
However, WOTN goes to 2004 Pichon Lalande as my friends prefer young approachable wine instead of the secondary taste of vintage wine.
Medium red. Sour red fruit and herb. Leaf. Mint. Loads of menthol. Mid weight. Ripe tannin but very lean and herbal. Still holding up but it’s dominated by greens.
Impressed with the dark fruit/tannin balance after an hour in the decanter. Cassis, hint of sweetness, and some complexity made it a winner. Still plenty of time left.
Dark color, with even a tinge of purple still. Very primary cassis and just a hint of the sweet spiciness I usually pick up in Lalande. Good concentration, balance and length. This is not a classic vintage but better than expected. Still lots of time and room for development here.
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1st Post-CB Crab@Bay!: Drank this off a magnum - Rather mature and tight at the start but gradually opened up into more black fruits, leather and mint leaves. Slightly disappointed with this showing as I had expected more from a magnum format. Open up sooner than later.
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Tasted first then Ran through iFAVINE for 3X4 minutes equivalent of 3 hours of breathing. Significant improvement. Soft to palate still strong pauillac resulting in an enjoyable lingering finish. 93 now think it will move higher with more time in bottle
Wasn't sure what to expect given the mixed notes here recently.
Just opened - first taste, it's very good. Tertiary flavours starting to come through, almost a molasses/spiced plum after taste right now. Wil update as I decant if anything major changes over next 3-4 hours.
3 hours in its much more focused on the nose. The balance is a bit better now, a little more muted on aftertaste. Very nice.
This probably has 5 years easy to hit prime
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1 hour plus decant. Dark red color. Nose contains graphite, black cherry, and some medicinal elements. Wine has more oak than expected but nice cherry fruit. Awesome texture and great depth. Medium plus finish. Not as good as the ‘12 I recently had, but still one of my favorite producers!
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Intense floral bouquet. Very green on the palate with tight fruit complexity. Medium length on the finish. Overall, too austere and not well-rounded enough for the price.
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From 3L. Truly a classic bordeaux, with integrated notes of dark plum, bay leaf, and green pepper. It's ready to go with some years of good drinking ahead.
Decanted and drank over 2 hrs. cork was immaculate. Just barely began to open up. dark red to black fruit graphite, tobacco. well balanced with a long life ahead
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Followed over several hours. Quite closed initially and never quite shook its oak influence. Eventually shows quintessential Pichon Lalande favor profile. Slightly herbaceous on the nose and palate—but the good kind. Palate is a bit dry seemingly still showing oak tannin. Still needs a few more years to pull together. Lighter weight and complexity than the “better” years.
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Day of the Goat: A Pichon Lalande Fractured Vertical (Leo & Cheryl's Place, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple. PNP, Drank a glass in a flight with the '02 and '11. This took 30 miutes to really start to open up, but once it did, it showed well. Floral, a mix of red and black fruits, denser than the '02, more glycerin, full bodied, and continuing to improve through dinner. My favorite of the flight. This is getting back to the open knit wine we saw in its relative youth ten years ago when the nose was stunning. I think this can go longer than windows suggest.
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Good quality claret. Nothing to dislike but it doesn’t excite. Drunk with a cos de estournel 04 and a Pibran 1989. Yes you guessed it, the Pibran won with a bit to spare
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Un vin juteux et encore un peu boisé, il a l’élégance classique du domaine, savoureux déjà mais pas encore complexe. Pas encore à maturité, mais néanmoins délicieux. Revoir idéalement dans 3 ans, il vieillira encore longtemps. 91 pts
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Chez Sh, opened 30 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, not dense ruby, little development; mineral, graphite, tobacco, muted black fruit, slightly smokey, quite classy; medium, ok length and persistence, angular, not enough fruit to cover tannins (surely not?), lacking grip for PL, not come together and I'm not sure it will, some class and complexity though, one of the least convincing PLs I've drunk. Poor for PL but VG+ (16.5) in greater scheme of things.....wouldn't write it off as there are good elements and may just be a dumb phase but I'm not a buyer!
Had a glass after the wine was being opened for 24 hours Certainly quite mature on both the nose and the palate, slightly soy sauce, light leather, minerals on the nose, although being more mature on the palate, the texture was pretty silky with certain acidity and high level of purple fruits
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Dark ruby. Nose of cedar wood, oak, cassis, toast. After a Gevrey it took as a moment to get used to the wood. Luckily Pichon Lalande is always an elegant wines so we eased in over the course of the lunch. Does not have the complexity over better vintages for this cru but drinks well now with a short decant and can also keep for a few more years. 2004 cannot fully hide, relatively short finish for a Bdx of this pedigree.
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Red, purple hue, soft aroma. Light fresh first taste. Not a lot of complexity, takes a few seconds for the tannins to kick in before the finish. Hints of red fruit, peppers. Limited oaky finish.
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New Years eve at Kevin and Vicki's 2018: Shoot, 1 hour decant was not enough here. This was not giving up a lot. You can sense the quality but it's buried for now. I'm surpriosed that there are so many reviews saying a 1 hour decant was perfect. Open with a 3+ hour decant or wait 3+ years.
New Year's Eve Bash (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1hr; drank a glass over an hour. I have not had this for 8 years - how can that be? Those early bottles were in fact quite spectacular with a good bit air back then, and I was looking forward to seeing where this was at now. Well, this was another one where the nose is light years ahead of the palate which seemd very austere and ungiving. This had been decanted for an hour based on some recent CT notes, but given the difference we saw in the side by side with the '04 Lynch Bages, which got 3.5hrs, it would seem that this would likely have benefited from a good deal more air. There was a semblance of the nose I remember, bold and earthy, funk and dark succulent black fruit, oak and a strong floral overtone - yes! The palate told a distinctly different tale though - austere, woody, black fruit, gripping tannins and a clipped finish. I tend to disagree with those that suggest this is drink up time, as I still think these have a very good future ahead of them. 90+(+) pts on the strength of the nose.
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Easy to drink; not intense nor complex. Slight floral, cherry, graphite. Not fantastic to be honest but very approachable and balanced. Still feels young though; more time should do it good.
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Really nice dark fruit and tobacco, with medium, slightly coarse tannin. Plenty of dark fruit in the finish. On the young side- give this some time yet.
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Decanted 3 hours. This starts off with a beautifully aromatic nose of floral, black cherry licorice, some oak and tobacco that gives way to a plush and polished dark fruited palate with hints of menthol and mineral that are followed by a somewhat drying finish. Very good and starting to drink but I’ll like it better in a couple of more years.
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SLDS May 2018: Floral, tar, tobacco and plums. In the zone on the palate, there is well integrated fine tannins and fruit that feels fresh but is starting to soften. Long and really well balanced, can start drinking these now and over the next 10 years.
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Courtesy of J&K. Opens with notes of red and dark fruit with an odd ash tray note that I find distracting. Tannins are somewhat coarse, but there's plenty of dark fruit underneath. Hopefully this comes together a bit with additional cellaring. Hold for now.
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Just entering its prime drinking window. With at least a 30 minute decant (necessary) forest floor and mellow dark fruit on the nose. Medium body and silky tannins with cassis and a hint of anise on the palate. Great finish. The integration is excellent! Probably has a minimum of 10-15 years. What a treat.
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Wow, what a fantastic bottle. Deep purple colour, expressive nose with hints of beet and black currant. Really long finish, this wine just keeps on going. What a treat. I think a few more years in the cellar would make this even better. 91+
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Expressive nose of dark red fruit and licorice; more dark berries on the palate and starting to develop a hint of secondary, earthy flavours. Medium to lean body, medium length. This was the crowd pleaser of the evening.
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Drinking very well after a 3 hour decant. Well balanced palate with dark fruit, some savory notes, largely resolved tannin. Mouthfilling in a restrained way that nicely complemented the lamb we had. Clean finish. Not a lot going on with the nose, fine but not distinctive. Has time left, might develop more panache.
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Dark purple, with some brick red edges. Nicely open, with fresh fruit. Currant, plum, cranberry. Very smooth. Lighter bodied, but full for a Bordeaux and bigger than I recall from past notes. Drinking very well right now.
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Dark; classy, fulsome, fresh black currants, direct; clean, refreshing palate, tannins remain but wrapped in ripe, dark fruits. Forthright, sturdy & vigourous finish. Should drink well for close to a decade.
Agree with the last taster. Decanted two hours ahead of dinner. After another hour plus the wine developed some astringency. Otherwise, very good. I'd drink up.
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Needs about 30 min in glass and was fading at 3rd hour. Pleasant, balanced wine but overall boring. Novice crowd pleaser. In prime and will hold for a while.
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Expected more and was slightly disappointed. Hoped for more softness and fruit but it drank more tight and dry. Possibly too young still however will locate an older vintage and try again.
No detailed notes, but was drinking well and open for business. Not a lot going on with the nose, but a nice youthful palate with good balance and certainly a lot of life ahead.
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Last time I opened one of these was '09. This bottle was nothing like that one. This was so firm and unyeilding that I opened a '05 La Clemence because I thought it would never come around.
Four hours later the Comtesse started to show fresh berries on the nose, with firm fruit and firm tannins, with a lot of structure, long finish. The bottom line is that the first bottle was young and open, while this one is firm and almost austere...not rich. More mineral driven than fruit driven. Same on the second day.
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Nose: dust, cocoa, licorice, feet, birch bark, cinnamon, overripe black cherries. Palate: mushrooms, dark chocolate, mocha, blackberry, vanilla bean, and lightly-charred croissant crust. Weirdly specific, but that's half the fun I guess.
Holy hell, that finish tho. For daaaays.
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The Pichon Longueville was a little disappointing, but it's probably my fault for opening it at just age 12. Deep purple color with strong legs. Modest bouquet despite decanting 1 hour before dinner. On the palate, it comes across as quite young with lots of hard tannins and high acidity. Thin on the attack with a short finish. Some dark fruit: blackberry, currant, prune. Hopefully it is just in an awkward stage and will improve with age. I have 5 bottles left in my cellar and probably will not crack another for 4 or 5 years.
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Overall more reticent than I expected. 5yrs from my last bottle and I don't think it's moved much. Nose is still a little shy with some mineral and Pauillac funk. Dark fruit profile, fine introspective palate with prominent tannins and a distinct flint note. Does come across as a little thin and dilute today. Only moderate lengthy at this stage, showing a bitterness to the tannins and Pauillac funk/earth. Probably still needs 3-5 more years.
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notes of blackberries, black currents, black licorice, luxurious, lasting finish, nicely finessed and balanced, terrific mouth feel. This was all while drinking with a prime rib meal. The two paired extremely well.
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K & L Tour des Deux Rives, San Francisco: I really liked the nose on this wine, with lots of red and black fruit, oak, and a walnut nuttiness that evolved in the glass. The palate was intense and smooth. I really nice wine and a great 2004.
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Wine more than 10 years' old session (Pine Close): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about an hour plus before tasting. Drank over 2 hours. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of blackcurrant berries, ripe blackberries, black cherries, earth, chocolate, tobacco. Graphite and slight herbs with more air. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, ripe blackberries, black cherries, chocolate, earth, tobacco. Long finish. Very good quality. Somehow this was quite ripe at the start of the tasting, it even had us guessing an aged Napa Cab. With more air, the graphite and herbs revealed it's Bordeaux Left Bank character. Drinking well now. Drink up over the next 5+ years.
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Pichon Lalande Tasting: Weaker smell compared to the 01, peppers and menthol, some meat, tar and coconut, warm fruit. A lott of tannins, woody – but the fruit beneath is thinner than in 01. Overworked.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours before drinking. Initially very astringent and sour with no secondary notes. Let it breathe for a bit longer. After about 4.5 hours in the decanter, the sourness began to burn off and was replaced with sweet licorice and blackberry. Good, not great. Glad I got it on sale.
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Nose with black Basset’s wine gums, black currant, green dry herbs, dust, pencil lead/graphite and a touch of nice licorice. Textbook left bank excellent nose. Palate is less developed and exciting at this point. Some unresolved oak, rather dry fruit, black currant, touch of herbs and tobacco leafs. Not yet ready and fully open, needs a few more years. Medium + length and finish. A good PLCL, but not top class. (90+ – 92)
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On the nose: Black currant, green herbs, strawberry, salvia, dust and fruitgum. On the palate: Green herbs, violet, salvia, some alcohol heat and very integrated tannins. Medium + finish
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What a beautiful nose. Very floral and very classic Pichon Lalande. This 2004 has fine complexity, mid palate, and length. Shows fine breeding and finesse. Consumed along side the great 2003. Our table was split, half liked the 2004 over the 2003. The 2004 has more freshness and should cellar longer. Already quite appealing, just gets better with every bottle I open. Open with 2+ hour decant, or hold and and enjoy over the next 3-20 years. Excellent. 94/95 points.
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From magnum. Decanted 5 hours. In a great place. Tannins were smooth. Dark color. Med+ body. Fruit still dominating but secondary flavors coming through. Good balance. Paired perfectly with braised lamb shanks. Great finish.
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Good, not great, and with a lot of classed Bordeaux, a poor QPR. Restrained on the nose. Black current and rosemary. Tannins are full but well composed. Can keep living, for sure.
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About 50 bottles opened at a friend's party and it tasted consistently! Good fruit but very closed. An element of dullness to it and clear clear fruit was not at perfect ripeness at harvest. A little short at the end. Sadly unmemorable despite T huge generosity of the host.
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Decanted 1hr. Deep purple color, smelling really nice this time around started with dark fruits, then red fruits, hints of mint & smoke. Palate impression was integrated fruits, acidic & tannin, minty, tobacco, with pencil shavings. Med+ length finish. Total surprise given the lack of wow 3 months ago. This bottle is very pleasing....consumed with striploin.
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This is a classic austere Pauillac. Very dry tannins, a wine of power and some finesse. Will keep for a while yet. Loved this with a rare beef rib. Long finish.
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Sweet licorice candy, toast and oak, lovely herbal action, smoke and tobacco. Clearly more stubborn and reticent on the palate. So I think it needs a few more years of cellartime.
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Good wine friends; random wines (@ JK): The bouquet of this bottle was not extremely expressive, but definitely refined and elegant with ripe dark forest fruits, sweet spices and licorice. On the palate juicy and ripe dark forest fruits, a touch of sweetness, chocolate, smoke and tar. Good acidity. Round and somewhat drying tannin. Still youthful. Classical wine that most likely would have been better with some more air time. Probably wise to give it another 4 – 6 years of cellaring. 91 – 92+ for tonight.
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Decantd for 3hr before consuming over the next hour, did we need more time? Dark color, plenty of fruits left, smoke/tobacco, herbs, oak, med acidity, tannin was present & not harsh, finish was med(-) a little disappointing despite the air time. Didn't get much wow from the wine. Its a nice wine in early stage of consumption
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Decanted for 4 hours prior to serving from a 3L...outstanding wine! Very smooth with robust tannins that had clearly benefited from the extended time in the decanter. Plenty of fruit on the palate and really nice deep purple hue. Very pleasantly surprised with this wine.
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Eh. For one of my favorite château in all of Bordeaux this was rather lacking in personality as well as class. Not closed either as it is still fairly primary in fruit. I guess that counts as a triumph for the vintage, which isn't always so ripe. This did have a slight bite of bell pepper but that's something I welcome in PLL. I was mostly disappointed because PLL usually has a very graceful figure and this didn't show its breed as far as the texture goes.
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Tasted next to the 2005 and 2003. Classic nose with less depth and intensity in comparison. On the palate a little astringent, drying, a bit lean. 89-91
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Dark forest fruits, smoke, cedar and vanilla in the bouquet. On the palate cassis and other dark forest fruits, minerals, cedar, exclusive oak, firm but good acidity and good tannin with a firm bite. Beautiful wine. Harmonious and in its early drinking stage now. Will probably even be a bit better in about 4 years from now. 92+ for tonight.
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Last bottle and this has been a great purchase. Concentrated wine with spices, dust, minerals, dark fruits and soy. Medium to long finish and complex. While not as good as the 82 this at $50 is far superior to the 82 that my friend over paid for it.
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Tror kanskje disse adelige må ha blitt litt metroseksuelle for dette er definitivt den maskuline versjonen av Pichon. Hakk i hæl med Latour på konsentrasjon og en ekstrem saftighet i frukten. Intens og ungdommelig men moden nok tannin til å nytes nå.
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Dark red to purple in the glass and still youthful in appearance. Nose of currants and cigar box.
Smooth, Medium body, and Lots of black fruits and cherries. A long and lingering finish. Whilst drinkable now, there was still a lot of tannins remaining which give me confidence this is built for another 10+ years.
A great wine, albeit just a touch behind the Léoville Las Cases 04 (93pts) consumed a month earlier.
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Showing secondary characteristics of truffle, tobacco, cigar box, black cherry and floral notes, the wine is soft, silky and smooth, classic in style, with a minor hint of dryness in the finish.
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2 hours of decanting was insufficient. The wine had started to evolve after 3 hours. I have to agree with other people that the wine is in an interesting phase now. It is better to hold onto it as it is very likely to improve in 3-5 years. The finish of the wine was quite long and decent.
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2+ hour decant. With air, loved this tonight. Sensual, slightly fleshy from the merlot, blackberry, cream from oak, and hints of violet and woody spice on the nose and palate. Not especially concentrated but wonderful balance. By hour 4, still holding own but darker blackcurrant fruit profile on the palate with more shoe polish / mahogany on the nose. Clear from recent notes that others would wait but for me, while no rush at all, there is lots of pleasure here already.
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I don't get the past few reviews on here. To me the wine was singing with half an hour in the decanter and there's not much reason to wait. Classically styled with prominent but not hard tannin, pencil shavings and medium dark fruit. Quite concentrated but lacking some of the complexity and intensity of the warmer vintages. One for the old schoolers.
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2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, this deep red wine has not developed in a positive fashion since my last tasting more than three years ago. While there is still substantial black fruit, it is engulfed by very angular tannins. However, with medium acidity, well-integrated alcohol and secondary aromas (and flavors) of tobacco, dried herbs and lavender, it is not devoid of pleasure. Perhaps this wine is simply in an awkward phase, requiring more time to allow the tannins to resolve. That said, I am concerned that the tannins will ultimately outlast the fruit. Drink 2019-2030.
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This wine is in a very difficult phase at the moment. So no reason to describe flavors, scents and the taste in detail. The wine is fully backward and not approachable at all. Even after 3 hours it was not a joy. Lots of potential but really a big question mark in which direction the journey of the 2004 PiCoLa is heading...Wait for 5-10 years and hope there is still some fruit left to handle the tannins
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2hr decant put this in a really good spot. Nose makes you think this is big but there was nothing overbearing. Flavors and mouthfeel were all balanced and just floated over the palate in harmony. Still a some tannin to suggest a good run ahead. drinking very well
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Septet wine-lovers 7th meeting in 2014 (Mati hosted at Rokah 73 restaurant): pop & pour (which is no good for this wine…) dark red-black colour dark ripe fruits aroma with notes of smoke, leather and matchstick. full bodied, from tannins, good acidity level, well balanced and good harmony, black fruit, chalk, cedar and graphite, spicy flavours, present long finish. can age beautifully few more years.
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Fantastic Bordeaux. After 2 hour decant. Great nose, med to full bodied, smooth tannins, and deep, complex flavors. The wine enveloped and caressed the entire palate. I would rate this wine higher but towards the end of hour 3, after the food was consumed, the wine showed some bitterness. Drink now or hold.
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Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2004 Horizontal (Market at Shangri-La - Vancouver, BC): Very lean and reserved on the nose at this point in time showing rich red cherries, blue berries, and some nice floral notes. Quite tart at the forefront of the palate, displaying red cherries, cranberries, and sharp red currants. This was really tightly wound and not very giving on this night, and in need of plenty of time in the cellar. Put these away and leave them for at least 5 years as the potential is there. Very good
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Drunk over two nights, with the wine for the second night having been decanted into a half-bottle between opening and consumption.
Really lovely wine, with the nose far more prominent the first night, but the palate far more developed the second suggesting that there is scope for continuing to hold this wine.
Very sensual bouquet, with blackberries to the fore, tobacco and a hint of flowers. On the palate, this was full-bodied, beautifully balanced and integrated - a very seductive wine!
Would definitely buy again and wished I had a case...
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We decanted this at same time as the 05 trilogy. The California showed better so far. I'm not sure about this Pichon and usually for my wife and I Pichon can do little wrong. Maybe it will be more rewarding in another few years, maybe not. I'm finding so far that Paulliac made wines in 04 we enjoy least compared to the right bank 04's. There is a bitterness edge that never blew off.
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Good nose of dark fruit, cassis, smoke and hints of spice. Good mouthfeel with a soft and silky, medium finish. Probably not going to get any better but no rush to drink.
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Taking longer to be appealing than a lot of other of its predecessors this was drinking very nicely after about 45 minutes and got better and better over the evening. We didn't find the usual contribution of Merlot as apparent. Sorry we are down to one bottle. Might find some backups if the price is right.
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Not impressed at all with this wine and this 4th bottle confirms why I much prefer PB to Lalande in most if not all vintages. Very disjointed wine, short finish and a decent nose is all there is to this wine.
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Noch sehr junger Wein, der am 2. Tag erst seine Stärken zeigt; Nase "old-fashioned" mit roten Beeren, Leder, Jasmin, Pfeffer, Tabak; leicht weiblich und parfümiert wirkend; am Gaumen mittlere Statur, am 2. Tag runde, leicht scharfe und im Abgang etwas zehrende Tannine, gute Säure, sehr langer, aromatischer und komplexer Abgang; leckerer Wein
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Finally redeemed itself, two hours in decanter, very feminine Pauillac, perfumed nose reminiscent of Margaux nose with Jasmin, cassis, dark red berries, sweet tobacco, crushed rocks and some pepper. Excellent palate, very soft entry, coats mid palate with red berries and a decent finish. Medium to full bodied, great balance, nice indeed. One more bottle left before I decide on whether or not to restock on this wine.
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Very smooth, silky tannins. Merlot really helped the wine in this vintage. Some saline, and a slightly rough finish at present. I much prefer the 2006 (and potentially even the 2002). Lacks the mid-palate and plums I always associate with Pichon Lalande. Maybe going through a dumb phase? – I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
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Bordeaux 2004 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): The bouquet is luxurious, but still showing lactic impressions. On the palate concentrated juice with dark as well as red forest fruits, a lot of good acidity, bell pepper and sticky tannin. I wrote down a luxurious youthful monster. When this starts to show its finesse it will probably be great, but for now only 91 and possibly potential for 94+. Do not drink before 2019.
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Bordeaux 2004 - an overview (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Just like its wingmate in this flight, this wine is very backward and bursting with potential. Had to be a Left-banker, too. Grumpy notes of smoke, leather and matchstick. Black fruit, chalk, cedar and graphite peeking through spicy tannines, which need a couple of years to soften and integrate. I think this was the most unevolved wine of the evening. 18/20 (group scores: 90-93)
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Sheer elegance! Rarely have I tasted wine this fine in this vintage. Dark purple color with an ethereal nose of Pauillac earth, leather, and dried herbs. The palate exhibits a soft, warm character with flavors of currant, tobacco, saddle leather, lead pencil shavings, vanilla and toasted oak. Finishes very long with finely-integrated tannins. Very well-balanced and gracefully elegant. I'm a fan. Outstanding! Drink now until 2019.
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One of the lowest scores I've given in a long while on any of the wines from my cellar. Really paled in comparison when drunk side by side with the PB 04. The only thing that salvaged this wine was its nice nose of blackberries, cassis, leather and hints of tobacco. Deep blackish crimson core, the palate was disjointed; even after 2 - 3 hours of aeration this wine could not find its balance or any character. Tannic, short finish, nothing to write home about. Not sure whether this wine can go anywhere or do anything with age except soften.
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This was part of a 6 vintage dinner. It was young. It did not deserve to be downrated as some reviewers have suggested. Being young it was brash. The nose had the red fruit distinctiveness, perhaps even with a bit of vegetable. The taste was strong and robust.
Deeply colored. The wine was thin, dry and austere upon first opening, and then developed some bulk and balance over the next 3 hours of breathing - but it never showed any fruit and remained dry and austere. I had hoped for much better.
Addition on 5.April 2013: One CT colleague commented "hold the '04 Lalande another five years. It's too young - it's not showing well now". The wine shows no real signs of maturity, so I will take his advice and see how this develops.
I'm trying to be charitable in giving it an 84, for the fact is this wine is borderline awful. As several others who've given it harsh scores have noted, there's really nothing particularly worthwhile here. In my opinion, it's a disgrace to the concept of 'Super Second' Bordeaux, and betrays this property's legacy of some of the finest efforts in Bordeaux from the 1980's. What happened to this property? This wine is thin, harsh, and rather nasty on the finish. A hint of beefy meat on the nose makes promises the palate can't keep. This was one of my favorite properties in the 1980's, but with wines like this, it's sadly an embarrassing shadow of its former self. Avoid this wine, spend your money elsewhere.
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Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Very dark red with a slight start of bricking at the rim. Nice nose of dark cherry, plum and tobacco. Good palate with cedar, dark fruits, melting tannins and good acidity. A bit thin on the clean finish. Drank very well with lamb and by itself, entering a drinking window but has a lot of time left and could easily improve.
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I brought this blind to Boerne Wine Club champagne tasting, the common theme being the owner of Lalande is champagne heavyweight Lois Roederer. No one at table guessed left bank, most postulated California or Italy. Finally after nearly nine years of age, this wine has emerged. Dramatic improvement since my last tasting in 5/11. The nose was really singing from start, with aromas of black raspberries, spice, chocolate. A bit of oak still on palate, but tannins have begun to finally break down a bit. This Lalande has the typical full concentration of lively black fruits, licorice, glycerin, and cedar. I did not get any of the green elements I got 18 months ago though. Velvety long finish. After promoting the merits of the Pichon Baron '04, I think the Lalande '04 is equally worthy of high praise.
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From an assemblage of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the wine opened with coffee bean, earth, truffle tobacco and black cherry. Medium bodied with some dryness in the black cherry finish, this already starting to drink well and is not a wine to lay down for decades.
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Great nose and great finish. Good balance. Hints of chocolate and vanilla. Hopes were high for this one, but did not stand out in a tasting of ten great wines. 4 hours in the glass before tasting.
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Tasted at the chateau with Astrid. Rich dark fruit, chocolate, hazelnut, starting to develop floral notes. Vaguely animal palate. Still some tannins left to integrate. I think that this just requires a little more time to flesh out. I'll wait on my bottle for at least another 5 years. 4- to 4
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Sunday Night Tasting in KW (Andrew's House): Double decanted 1 hour prior to service, and followed in the glass for an additional 3 hours. Deep purple in the glass. At first, this was far more expressive than the '04 La Mission Haut Brion served along side it, offering up notes of dark and red fruits, cured meat, earth, light green minty/herbal note, and mild toasty oak notes by way of vanilla and caramel. Within 45 minutes, this closed up entirely and did not re-emerge. On the palate, a little thinner than it's counterpart, with notes of red fruits, earth, light herbaceousness, and caramel. Structure is moderate, with good and acidity and grainy tannins, that slightly dry the finish, causing it to be ever so clipped. As with the LMHB, all the pieces are there, but this needs an additional 5 years of cellaring at minimum to come in to its own.
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This was tight all night. You can tell there's a bit of mushroom funk underneath there and a bit of cedar note. I wouldn't even think about this wine for at least 5 years, if not more. 92+ is provisional. This could merit a much better score when mature.
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Filling in w/the Sunday Brown Bag Group (Rich's & Dana's): Garnet color, orangish meniscus. Aromas of raw rhubarb, rose petals and dark fruit. Medium-bodied with firm, slightly chalky tannins but loads of red fruit and cherry on the palate. Long finish dominated by red fruit tones.
My #5 Group #6, 55 pts
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Soft and seductive, but with a solid core of fruit that pairs well with food and leaves a lasting finish. Blackberry jam and cocoa on the aromatic and flavor profiles, with well-integrated tannins. Drinks easy and quick.
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Decanted for 2 hours...certainly a fine wine with the typical scent of Pauillac. Dark colour, tannins very present suggesting many years ahead in the future...it may soften up a bit in a few years.
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A bit too soft and modern for my taste. I don't really think Pauillac is supposed to taste like this. Nevertheless, it's an excellent wine for those who like the style, and I'm sure I would like it just fine in twenty years.
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Pauillac 2GCC. Expected a ton from this blue chip, but what came was a pedestrian, rather light bodied left bank claret. Not much complexity or lushness to speak of, both in bouquet and mouthfeel. Very ordinary, supermarket quality to it. Perhaps in a dumb phase now? Only time will tell. Poor Price to Quality ratio for now (7.2/10). http://sgbordeaux.blogspot.com/2011/02/pichon-lalande-2004-clerc-milon-2006.html
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Juicy, thick, chewy, round. Dense and blunt for a Pichon Lalande. Has some herb and sweet baking spices along with toasted oak, tobacco, and floral notes. Dark overall and fairly hot. Much more open than I expected. This is Pichon Lalande in the new world. Nice, enjoyable, but a little anonymous. Has a lot of kick. B+
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2hr decant and I think it needed 6...drank over 2+ hours and it just wasn't giving much up. light nose and soft on the palate with a decent finish. Much more interesting on day 2 showing the fruit and silkiness that we were looking for the first night…needs a lot of air and/or more time
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Dark ruby in color...Nose: Ripe dark fruit, leather, touch of tobacco and a hint of veggies..Palate: Very smooth and elegant..Full bodied with sweet fine grained tannins..Dark fruit , earth, fennel seed, and cedar..Well balanced with good mouth watering acidity...This is one of those 04's that presents really good value imo..Cheers!!!
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2011 Casual Session - 8 (On The Table - Solaris Dutamas): Dark core with red rim. It was this elegance and perfume aromas of violet that grab my attention, along with soft aromas of tobacco, earth, dry herbs that surrounded the inner core of creme de cassis. This medium bodied, well balance wine exhibit very bright, harmonious with very pure sweet red and dark fruits flavor, dried herb complexity with a touch of savory meatiness, with firm acidity backbone lending for lift and precision. What I like this vintage is the freshness and acidity lift that make this highly concentrated (in 2004) wine light on its feet and highly transparent. The fine, soft tannin has very well integrated and leads to the long, persistent finish with mineral, dry herbs and sweet plum nuances. An immense pleasure to drink this now and this should be able to continue evolved for the next 3-5yrs to reach its plateau. Buy - Yes.
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Consider that some vintages are among the worlds best wines this smooth 04 which i had on its own which is rarely the case as i usually have with food but i opened this in london.Has a rye seed taste very smooth and elegant but may need to breath a bit to open or it could just be a 04 problem.the italian wne back to back valdicava brunello was r a step above this wine.it did improve with food
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At Monterrey. Very excited to compare and contrast with P.Baron. Whereas Baron was open and complex, Lalande was clammed up and tannic. Aromas muted, but did elevate through the night, notes of dark raspberries and some smoke. Palate was smooth, with lots of green herbs, cedar. Like Montrose, needs considerable cellar time.
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Bordeaux at the Monterey (The Monterey): Splash decanted and recorked 12hrs prior to tasting. Initially served a little warm, after cooling, had a shy nose of charcoal and a thin green streak (the good kind), with a little black cherry. Palate was showing a nice cassis note, strong acidity and chewy tannins that stayed in the background. Despite the tannins, a soft mouthfeel. Finishing with a flinty fleshy finish with some currants poking through. With air through the evening tightened up, showing more of an herbaceous and “thinner” palate. Not the most enjoyable wine now, but I think this will flesh out with time. Certainly has the acidity, tannins, and balance to age well. Has potential to be the longest lived wine of the tasting.
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This did not perform well when tasted blind against a 2004 Montrose, it was shut down but also seemed green leading to believe it did not have enought fruit to go the distance. Now revisitinf the remaining quarter bottle two nights later. Some cocoa on the nose but also hints of olive and clove. This is definitely performing better than it did on the first night after a pop and pour. However, I am still not wowed by it.
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Still very young. Decanted for an hour but probably should have decanted longer. Dark fruit with tobacco and cedar notes. Will wait a few years before opening another bottle.
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This wine was tasted at a walk-around Super Bowl party. The bottle was kindly provided by Frank Noble. The bottle was opened without decanting and serially tasted over 2-3 hours. The nose shows moderately intense aromas of black currants, tobacco, pencil shavings and mocha. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and big sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Long, smooth finish. This is the real deal and tows the Pauillac line. It may merit a higher score in the future, as additional time in the cellar will likely add some complexity. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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Minneapolis Wine Club: High End Aussie Wines & Bordeaux: Nice wine and improved with some time. Decanted one hour but needed more time. Charcoal, raspberry, minerals, roses and cedar come together to offer an enjoyable experience. This is a wine to drink with a small group and see the development over 2 or 3 hours. Medium finish and plenty of life left on this wine.
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Drank on my 47th B-day. Decanted for 2 hours though the bouquet hit me upon opening the bottle. Really nice nose of red fruit, earth and cassis. On the palate it lacks depth and complexity but did pair well w/ our steak dinner. All and all a very nice wine.
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Opened for 2 hours, beautiful and complex nose of blackcurrents, cassis and raspberries with hints of mushrooms, graphite, lead and some pepper. On the palate it is a bit simple, and it still needs a few more years to show its true nature. But still, a very good effort from Pichon for a not too good vintage.
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First night: five hour double decant. This is not just young; this is undrinkable. Somewhere behind all that oak is a strong and sumptuous wine, but there's no getting to it tonight. Half a glass in and it was straight into the fridge to see if it might open up by tomorrow night. Second night: no development, so unter die Brucke. If you have preference against very strong oak I would wait at least 3 or 4 years (and probably more like 10) before approaching.
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Popped and poured: Rich and robust with smoke, cassis, oak, minerals and graphite. Firm tannins and needs some time in the decanter although solid. 93 points
2.5 hours later: Violets, graphite, minerals, raspberries, coffee, herbs and smoke. Coming around a bit more.
4 hours: Perfect timing! More subtle wine with coffee, raspberries, cassis, gravel and graphite. Concentrated and has a medium finish. This is a top ten wine of the year for sure! 95 points
Day 2: Still drinking well but not quite as good as day 1
Day 3: Too much time from being opened. I don't see the point in aging this wine for five years as if decated 4 hours it drinks as well as any 04 I have tasted.
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Pichon and CDP at my place (My House): Nose: Wonderful mineral and pencil lead qualities with assorted herbs. Palate: Soft and velvety with black fruits, French Roast coffee, red fruit hints and acidity showing up on the finish. Medium length but very elegant finish. This wine became more nuanced as the night went on. Wonderful and my WOTN! 94+ points.
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Pichon and CDP at Matt's (Matt's house): Dark Red Purple . Decanted for 1.5 hr and drank over an additional 3 hours. Showing nicely at presentiation, but really evolved over the evening, consistent with previous experience that required a 4 hours decant. This clearly needs time, but if you are patient and decant well, this will reward. Nose is aromatic with with cassis, pencil lead, herbs, a bit of smoke and sweet black cherry. The palate is concentrated with ripe black fruits and round tannins. My WOTN. 94-95pts.
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Le Gavroche Welcomes Gildas d’Ollone (Vancouver, BC): Fairly soft on the nose, next to the '03, which was expected. Tight, with sour current, mushroom, and barnyard notes on the nose. Very dry on the palette, with raisin, current, oak, and plums showing. This is still quite tight, with lots of tannin and acid
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BdX 01/04 (Oslo): Mellow berry fruit, complex and welcoming smell; spices, fairly heavy and with good tannins. A tiny hint of cork may have obscured any refinement. 90+
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Dark, ruby red in the glass. We popped and poured a small amount and it was closed without much fruit or anything. After an hour in the decanter it revealed laser beams of berries and a rich and smooth finish with well integrated tannins. After another hour it became even more open and approachable with dark cherry, raspberry, chocolate, and oak with a caressing finish. Very nice wine, but needs more time in the cellar or a minimum of 90-120 minutes of decanting.
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Very young wine. Dark in color, with fresh aromas of pen ink, roasted herbs, dried cranberry and sweet cherry. Dense, burly wine that will need a lot of time to mellow out. There were certainly moments while drinking it that the Lalande charm and charisma peaked out from behind the ripping tannis - just not enough to consider opening another for at least 5-7 years.
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Has a more lush, baked berry aspect to the nose with a crazy richness to the floral/perfume/iron notes. Dusty, iron-rich mocha. A great bouquet. Lush and ripe, but with firm tannic structure. Graphite and gravel to go with the dark berries. Coffee notes and a long, full finish that lingers. Even though this sees 100% new oak, it is remarkably integrated and not noticable.
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Minneapolis Wine Club does Bordeaux; 6/20/2010-6/24/2010 (Kevin's House): Wow! I don't know if others decanted this wine prior but 5 hours opened it up. Also tasted blind. Blackberries, pepper, blueberries, and minerals on the nose. The palate had a beautiful perfume quality. Great structure and expressive fruits. Medium tannins. The finish is long and very complex. Wine of the night by the group by a land slide!
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Minneapolis Wine Club: Bordeaux and Bordeaux Blends (Kevin and Vicki's): Very dark purple red in glass. Nose is very aromatic and shows pencil lead, creme de cassis, earth, cherry. the palate is very concentrated with sweet round tannins and a very long finish. This wine was the clear WOTN, I think it was unanimous as well. 95-96pts.
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Pichon: Baron vs. Comtesse: Obviously the youngest wine in the group. Purple with some ruby hues. The nose has coffee, cherries and is very tight. Slightly dusty. On the palate, this is simple and one dimensional. Lots of black cherry fruit. Thick tannins. Seems like it has the stuffing to develop though. Not a great time to be opening this.
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The color is dark, inky red. There is minimal bouquet. The wine is very heavy -- strong oak and tannin with subdued fruit. It is drinkable, but still a bit raw.
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Some sediments in bottle. Very dark and inky purple. Opaque. Very nice fragrant nose. Sweet cherries. Some licorice Fairly tight tannins but they do allow fruit to come through. Good stron and med-long finish ending in a dark bitter chocolate. Very nice wine but does need several more years to develop.
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Pichon vs Pichon NYC (New York, United States): Rich and corpulent, with a very pleasing almost sweet nose of ripe fruit, and a more giving palate but with good structure. This was indeed the Comtesse
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A very good wine. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates this moderately juicy and modern, smooth and elegant wine. A floral, fragrant nose. Fans of traditional Old World flavors might be disappointed, but this very good wine should please everyone. No flaws to speak of. J. Suckling's notes at WS are quite accurate in my opinion.
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Dark fruit aromas; cherry/tabacco flavours up front but rounded out silky smooth with hint of tannins after being open for 2 hours. Will develop for many years.
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Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): These 2004 wines are really rocking my world right now and this was no exception. Deep, primary colour - this wine is obviously just in its infancy but shows great potential with deep primary fruit, rich in the mouth with deep tannins. Needs another 10 years at least. Very good.
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The nose is restrained, though not closed, with lovely aromas of cassis, violets, cedar, and vanilla oak. On the palate, primary layers of fruit caress the palate, with flavors of cedar and earth poking through which give way to a very long finish that perhaps betrays the wine's potential. The tannins were certainly present, but the wines youth was more evident in the unevolved fruit flavors rather than a punishing tannin structure. I'd drink if this were on a list, but otherwise this should be cellared for another 5 years. 93+
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had a taste at joe canal (iselin). the pleasure is mostly in the nose. beautiful florals and a bit of earth. this is definitely bordeaux. i find it to be light to medium body with a short finish. i am hard pressed to believe the 20 year longevity estimates.
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Mostly the same impressions as 2 years ago. The wine has shut down a bit now, but there is still luxury, elegance, good cassis juice and a firm amount of acidity and bitterness. Give this wine 5+ years of rest and the score will probably be a bit higher.
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Dark purple. Lovely nose of dark red fruit, strawberry fruit rollups. On the palette the texture jumps out the most - soft, but gripping, somewhat elegant. Slightly more fruity than expected. Finishes dry with tannins pulling at the insides of my cheeks.
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Decanted 1-2 hours. This is developing slowly into a nice, classic Pauillac. Dark fruit, cassis, cedar, and some leather on the nose was confirmed on the palate. Still holding some reserve tannic structure signalling more to come, but overall a sound, pretty and well developed wine more juicy than lean, pleasant to drink. Close to full bodied, nice acidity & length, and good balance.
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Aromas and flavors of dark fruit, with some smoke nuances. Dark inky purple color. Big, bold, full bodied,-----almost Napa-like. A young chewy wine, expected more finesse, this wine is more of a French fruit bomb than expected.
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This wine needs serious coaxing. Opened for 12 hrs and decanted for a further 4 hrs before it started to open up. And once it does, wow! Layers of wonderful, complex flavours began to unfold. Cassis, dark berries, cigar box, earth, mushrooms, graphite. It was such wonderful experience that it was best to stop analysing the wine & indulge oneself in its complexity & elegance.
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WFA Bordeaux 2004 tasting by the Wine Review; 10/16/2008-10/17/2008 (Suntec City, Singapore): I have not had a stupendous Pichon Lalande since the 1996. This was decently good, but not mindblowing. Darkish, red-purple. The nose was rather modern, but really nice and complex - toasty mocha and coffee notes set against a backdrop of earth and plums. The palate was marked with fine tannins, rather tightly coiled, and good balancing acidity. There was a shade of greeness, but that was well under control. Otherthan that, I felt that the wine was closed, almost shut down. There was good fruit weight in the cassis character that came through, but little else. Finish was disappointingly short. Yet for all that, the wine does have good material and good structure and certainly shows quite a bit of class. This one will take time, but I think it will come around.
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Wine For Asia 2008 (Suntec City Singapore): Really tight wine now... tight on the nose, tight on the palate, tight on the tannins. This is just so closeted and difficult right now. Although there is some nice spice on the nose, good acid, tannin weight and structure that might make this a sleeper. Currently, still undecided and lost child looking for a direction in life. This gets 83 + ??? pts.
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Bordeaux Today (2005s & A Lone 2004) (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Opaque dark purple core with medium legs in the glass. There is an undeniably unique streak to the bouquet of this wine which is hard to place but seems to offer an herbal quality to the dark currant, licorice, and earth also present. The palate has fine high-toned flavors of red berry and currant fruit with herbal undertones. The tannin acid structure is firm and balances well with the fruit in the wine. Finally the long finish is very attractive with a sweet anise quality to it. I have heard the 2005 is terribly disappointing so I think this is the wine to buy if you are looking for a solid well priced Pichon Lalande.
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The last time I had this wine was right after release, back in March of 2007. While it was in an approachable state at that time, it has since closed up a bit but still shows some really nice character and does reveal itself with some time. I did a quick splash double decant before bringing this to a friends place for dinner and the wine itself was then reopened probably a couple hours after the initial decanting. The 2004 Bordeaux reds continue to impress me across the board and the fact that they are so much cheaper then the 05 make them the easier purchase choice.
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bottle was open 3hr beforehand and the nose was light and tiight at first. Opened up some in the glass with Cherry, Vanilla, a bit of black licorice and oak. Soft on the palate and the oak was more noticeable. Seemed like an awkward stage for this wine where the components haven't quite come together and I'm hoping it's just the youth. May have needed more air time. Finish was just ok but coated well with the oak and tannins showing their presence. Will be a few years before I open another.
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bordeaux tasting (Binny's Highland Park): nose: this nose is much more in line with what I'd expect from PLL then the last time I had this. Real nice soft and feminine nose with floral tones, red and black currants, some toasted oak tones, a bit of anise, and soft cranberries and cherries with some whisps of smoke tones hiding beneath
taste: very upfront on the attack with good cranberry and black currant notes that are complimented with some anise, toasted oak, and floral tones
overall: this is exactly what LaLande is about. A good feminine styled wine with class and elegance. Very nice silky feel to it some nice backbone and acidity with a good black currant and toasted oak finish
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Perhaps a little under the weather, this was underwhelming and unventful on the palate, though initially dense on the nose with very typical currant and earth aromas. Finishes nicely with a flurry of fine tannins.
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This 2004 is a promising wine. It's surely good when drink slowly between 3-4 persons to see its development from Cab Franc to Merlot...Cab Sauvignon at the end.
Good acidity, classic, nice texture, good finished.
Drink 2012 - 2025
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Pichon-Lalande Vertical (Harry's Steak): Interesting how different this feels in a vertical lineup versus the whole bottle I had. Next to the other wines, the oakiness of this wine is really obvious. Smells like nuts and barrel toast. Similar in style to the '01.
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HDH bordeaux tasting (evanston IL): nose: big broad and powerful nose. Lots of raspberry, cranberry,and some cedar bits. much more powerful then I'm used to from Lalande
taste: real nice firm tannins on the mouth. it brings some real good cranberry, raspberry, leather, and cedar
overall: real nice and firm. this is a powerful wine that also leaves a really good lasting finish
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Classic Comtesse fragrance of graphite and sagebrush leads to a softly textured, red-fruited palate with just enough fruit intensity to outweigh the tannic structure. In fact the degree of stuffing seems to ebb and flow and there are moments of "low tide" when it seems a little thin, but there is enough sweetness of fruit to compensate for its lighter density, and the crisp acidity makes it a more refreshing drink than most wines so sturdily constructed.
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This was one of the stars of this tasting. During initial tasting, the wine showed more potential then enjoyment, with a fine backbone overpowering the fruit. However, later in the evening, the pure fruit really shone, with the structure highlighting the fruit. An extremely enjoyable bottle, and I really wish I had a few more of these.
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Murrieta's Well comparison tasting - similar Bordeaux blends (Murrieta's Well): Compared to its compatriots, this was a heavy wine with big black cherry, a little tar, cassis, and herbal tea. It is a little tight on the mid-palate, but the finish was on another level. This wasn't a fruity wine - it was more powerful, more complex on the nose, and clearly had the tannins to resolve over a few years.
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Smooth and silky with nice tobacco, dark herb, some soy and cassis. Nice deep dark toasted oak and tight tannic finish. Less hard than many 2004's I've had. A little light on mid-palate, not a huge punch. Beautiful complex wine. Give it a few years, although it is drinking pretty well now. B++
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Although RPs notes give different blend %'s, the notes we were given at the KL tasting showed that the 2004 Pichon Lalande is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Petit Verdot. Red violet in color with a nice nose of cassis and black cherries. Lots of nice fruit on the palate and a little buttered toast on the finish. Very drinkable already and a relatively nice price point as well.
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BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): More forward than the 2005, this wine is going to be ready to drink sooner, and already reveals greater richness and pleasure on the palate than its younger sibling, but is not as complex. Lots of plum fruit with cedar aromas and flavors, but not quite as focused as the 2005. Still, because this vintage is somewhat forgotten between the freaky 03 and the super fine 05, this wine is worth looking for once in store shelves, if you are seeking higher end Bordeaux (53% Cab, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cab Franc). 91-93
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3/29/2024 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second of two bottles purchased at retail and the stronger of the two—a bit more even and complete and definitely open for business. This was very tasty, showing a big gulp of very pure, silky blackberry on the nose and palate, but there was some drop off in the mid-palate and on the finish. It was clearly more concentrated and refined than the 2010 Potensac Coravined alongside it, but concentration and refinement aren’t everything and it was neither more complete nor more even than the Potensac for all that. Very different wines, to be sure, but the Potensac definitely held its own and was arguably the more complete wine. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/91)
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3/25/2024 - Jamieson12o Likes this wine: 91 Points
2004 Bordeaux at Blacklock, City, with NLWTS (Blacklock, City): Heady, pure blackberry/bramble nose. Palate has some dark oak spice, and those same brambley notes from the nose repeat themselves. Tannins almost overbearing! This is the only wine of the night that I’d put in the ‘not yet ready’ camp - its in the ‘neither here nor there’ stage, for me. Full of potential and very concentrated, which bodes well for the future. 91++
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3/25/2024 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bordeaux 2004 20 years on Part 1 (Blacklock City): Very bordeaux on the nose, like the GPL. Deep cassis, significantly more flamboyant than its flightmate, but an annoying trace of vanilla oak and caramel to go along with it. Normally I am not especially sensitive to this, but I think amongst these bottles with all of their classical restraint it really stood out. Is it really possible that the barrel toast has not been fully assimilated after 20 years, and that this wine is in fact still too young? Tellingly nobody even gave it a point, which for a wine of this calibre is pretty unusual, so perhaps everyone felt the same way.
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3/25/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Jonathan's 2004 horizontal (Blacklock City): This was one of the pre-match favourites, but somehow didn't manage to gain a single WOTN vote, despite showing pretty well; I suspect its relative youthfulness did for it. A big, well-oaked wine, with a touch of sweetness and a feeling of heat on the finish, not from the alcohol (13%) but the sheer concentration. Some leafiness too, and every indication that this will turn out well, but we all felt it would be showing better in 5, perhaps even 10 years' time.
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3/23/2024 - Eric wrote:
2004 Bordeaux at 20 years courtesy of Mark Taylor; 3/23/2024-3/24/2024 (Atlanta, GA): Lifted, mint, crushed berries, red fruit. Such a palate, truffle, raspberry, lovely acidity, round, mouthwatering and then silky/sneaky tannins. Seems like a Right Bank profile to me, focused, precise. My #4 and the group #5. Guess incorrectly as the Vieux Chateau Certan.
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2/24/2024 - Cailles wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux 2004 - 20 Years On - 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted. Observations: 1) 2004 is a mediocre vintage overall, with many pleasant wines, but without the depth of better years. 2) At the top, the vintage produced some classic, old-school wines with lots of freshness and fresh fruit. 3) At the lower end, many wines lacked fruit and ripe tannins, resulting in some astringent and slightly drying wines. 4) An alarming number of Right Bank wines (5 out of 16, no Left Bank wine) were oxidized, including some heavyweights like Petrus, Evangile or Figeac. An unacceptably high proportion of faulty wines. 5) I’m not sure that the 2004 are currently in a good phase, many of my scores were lower than in previous tastings. The question is if it’s just a weaker phase or the beginning of the end. 6) At the top and the only wine >95pts was a layered Le Pin (rated 96pts), with a charming Vieux Chateau Certan, a surprising Issan and Clos l'Eglise, as well as an elegant Lafite sharing second place (all rated 94pts).
TN: This needed a bit of swirling to come out of its shell. Underneath there were some fine fresh red berries, some candied strawberries and a backbone of minerality. Fairly elegant and round wine and certainly among the better wines today, although without the complexity for a higher rating. This is a success for Pichon Comtesse which went to a quite weak phase around the millenium and before the sale to the Roederer family in 2006/2007.
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2/20/2024 - Rupert wrote:
Nad Nite (Noizé, London): This followed the VCC and Rauzan-Segla from the same vintage and it was hard to separate them. This had a little bit more bite and a tad more depth.
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1/20/2024 - Tompa71 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very elegant, well balanced and delicate. Drinking perfectly now but could easily last 5 more years. A great experience.
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1/12/2024 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 90 Points
First of two bottles purchased at retail. Perfect fill and cork. Decanted for sediment (of which there was almost none), and away we go with a big, nicely concentrated mouthful of cassis and dark plums, dusty tannins, and perfect acidity. Still very dark in the glass. There was an initial greenness here, but it mostly disappeared and was replaced by leather and cigar wrapper.
As others have said, this lacked horsepower, depth, and finish and isn’t really showing anything you might call tertiary yet, but what was there was extremely well delineated. This is what you get from a great second growth in an off year, and I would say I got just about what I had hoped for from this bottle. I’ve had much lesser ‘04s, and they weren’t nearly this complete.
In the final analysis, this was very enjoyable and I’m certainly happy to have one more bottle of this, but just understand that if you’re buying this now and looking for great QPR, this ain’t it. This is a relatively inexpensive Pichon Lalande. That’s what this is. A 2009 Gloria, 2010 Cantemerle—hell, even a 2010 Potensac—will beat this wine silly every time where completeness is concerned. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/90)
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12/19/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Christmas Wimps 2023 - Clean Bandit (La Trompette): Still a pup! There's a forcefulness an energy here - some people saying this is not characteristic of this wine but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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12/16/2023 - PC99 wrote: 92 Points
Needed at least 3 hours to open.
A bit of caramel, licorice, dark berries and plum. Palate is round and balance. Not explosive but nice wine and better than I expected for 2004.
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12/14/2023 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
Christmas Wimps (La Trompette, Chiswick): Nose shows pure blackcurrant fruit, touch of mocha and vanilla, Xmas cake too - surprisingly youthful. Medium bodied, quite rich, dark fruited, fresh acidity, firm but fine tannins, a touch monolithic at present but should improve.
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12/14/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 90 Points
Christmas Cornucopia WIMPS #172 14th December 2023 (La Trompette, Chiswick): Oak still noticeable on the palate here. There is some cassis, a little smoky tea and some aniseed. Palate very youthful with dark fruits and suggestions of cedar, tannins really to the fore, a couple of hours in the glass don't really shift this.
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11/23/2023 - peternelson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good cab notes of forest floor, earthy, dried leaves, tobacco; just slightly thin in the mid-palate, smooth entry but grainy tannins, a little short. Not bad for '04. T-day at Bri's.
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10/21/2023 - Tao wrote: 94 Points
Thirteen per cent alcohol, is rather strong for me! Of course, compared to 2020's standard, another story, approaching to nearly fifteen per cent these days! Anyway, strong and intense black currant nose, kirsch's syrup, pure and sweet, a hint of vanilla oak! The palate is full and rich, mouthful of sweet black fruits, satisfied with a lengthy finish! Although good to go, still, a tad young to me!
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10/7/2023 - SixHedgehogs Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinks and Cards (London): Dark red/purple. Aroma of leather, mint, pencil lead. Lovely flavour of blackcurrant, oak, spices and a touch of raspberry. But super-dry. Maybe 4 hours in the decanter, not 2. Very good.
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9/12/2023 - Stanrocks Likes this wine: 92 Points
Celebration wine, for entering the MW Program :)))
It is a very nice wine that needs a lot of air,
Still a baby to me, as I believe it can easily go for another 10 years at least and will probably peak at 5/8 from now
Day one, the wine shows aromas of cedar wood, pencil shavings, and dark fruits, with pepper and sweet spices... Palate is very smooth, and chocolaty, with still a good hold of velvety tannins, med alcohol which is nice in nowadays standards. The length is med/+ and the acidity is still present but well integrated. It is merely a 91 at this stage but !
Day two, the wine shows a lot more aromas, and complexity, licorice, pepper, black plum, cinnamon, cedar wood and sandal wood, not a sting of evolution or tertiary character ! it's insane... the wood is so integrated and the wine still fruity and has gained depth and length ! Long aftertaste of ripe dark fruits and spices, cinnamon, sandal wood, cedar wood, cigar box, sooth, and ashes ... A bit Syrah like but smoother and. a bit bigger at the same time !
Day 3 , the wine is still not oxidized and shows less complexity nor depth as day 2 ... still excellent though !
Nice ! Left bank Bordeaux are strange to me nowadays as they evolve so slowly when made quite traditionally, and the extraction would be moderated... it is in a weak year showing great potential still and some depth ! could easily be 94/95 ...
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9/9/2023 - luHar1423 wrote: 91 Points
Disappointing bottle from my 2004 lot. Flat throughout the evening, no development, disappointing medium finish. The only positive: very nicely balanced tannins and acidity with distant hints of blackberry notes. We had this side-by-side with its 6-year younger sibling.
Not sure if the 2004 - being a weak vintage in general - is giving up and needs to be drunk up or, if the Pichon Comtesse is going to its second beauty sleep.
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9/6/2023 - gparker777 Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine has a dark garnet color when poured. The smell is a mix of dark fruits like plum and blackberry, with hints of chocolate and vanilla. When tasting, the first thing you notice is how smooth it is, driven mainly by the fruit flavors but also with some spice and chewy tannins. The finish is long and complex, and you can pick up some savory elements like leather and mushrooms. Overall, it's a well-balanced wine with a lot going on.
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9/2/2023 - Argrath wrote: 92 Points
(Bdx 2004 "2ème cru"-tasting)
Medium-fullish nose. Delicate. Black plum, small raisin, chocolate and oak. Pencil shavings and herbal notes. Good, but not great.
Medium-fullish body. Soft tannic structure. Ripe and spicy. Black plum, chocolate and hints of perfume. Developed. A bit short finish and lacks some intensity.
We guessed on one of the Pomerol's on this. The big Merlot part is really, really evident.
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7/22/2023 - Bordeaux_Jon Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a half bottle. Very smooth palate with fruit dominating, cherries and strawberries with some cigar and oak. The nose is shy but improves with air, so I would decant if you want to skip to the best part. Initially reserved and fruity, this wine shows typical 2004 austerity, not the flamboyant nose you’d get with 2003 or 2001. With air there is more complexity, some earth, tobacco leaf, and underbrush. Super easy to drink and probably a top 2004 but it doesn’t escape the vintage’s limitations. I haven’t tried any 1st growths yet, so we’ll yet see if any wine does.
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7/15/2023 - BuckeyeBenS Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is really lovely, and an elegant representation of what pauillac wines can offer. After about a 60 minute decant this was ready for prime time. Beautiful red fruits played their song and a subtle minerality accompanied. Paired with an awesome boeuf bourguignon made from a Julia Child recipe. Both were winners.
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7/10/2023 - LNLeeV wrote:
Gifted to Andrea Goldsmith for her Birthday 7/4/23
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7/8/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
Chez Cov, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, quite dense but glossy ruby, youthful robe, purple rim; cassis, plum, bramble, some mineral and cedar, classy; med, good length, quite persistent if not particularly concentrated, bit tight, but quite round and well balanced with some silk helping to coat the tannins, significant upside, 20+ years. F for now (17.5) with upgrade expected, much better than a dumb and frankly unready bottle in March 19 and showing how good these 04s can be.
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6/19/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: 90 Points
Hamilton Blind Group: [Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium purple in the glass. The nose is of candied cherry, purple licorice, charcoal, violets, punchy blackberry, blueberry, and mulberry. The palate also feels very youthful, showing a vaguely tangy profile with medium tannin, medium acid, and some bitterness. Some alcohol pokes through on the finish, but not obtrusive. Overall I was quite stumped by this. Clearly Bordeaux varieties, and felt young. My best guess was a 2008 Chinon as I occasionally get that very bright and punchy fruit character form some producers. I was quite surprised on reveal. I have always loved this producer, so I'm really hoping this needs more age. Just so incredibly young right now and centred on the fruit.
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6/18/2023 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Solid. Shows a lot of oak upon opening so would decant. Otherwise rather typical lalande profile with black currants and tobacco leaf notes. Nose became more expressive with air. Fine tannins—mostly integrated at this point. Delicious, if sowing a rather creamy oak influence. Will continue to improve but probably as earlier drinker. Drink now or over the next 15-20yrs. 93-94
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4/16/2023 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
When the wife is away... (Broders): Decanted 1.5 hours and poured back in the bottle to be served a few hours later. Drank about half of the bottle over 2+ hours. The nose is classic Medoc, violets, forest floor, raspberry, red currant. The palate is regrettably less expressive, but oh-so elegant. I guess I'm Goldilocks, I was wishing for more body/fruit on the palate, and then a 2003 Pontet Canet had too much fruit and not enough other interest.
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4/5/2023 - Tavastgatan wrote: 90 Points
Yeah, it’s elegant but not enough stuffing. Will not be better.
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3/9/2023 - SaltWine wrote:
WINE COM J.N.Reltive to others it comes across as dumb. The fruit is very difficult to find. Not RFD. Very soft, tannins don't seem to be hiding the fruit. Is there a risk this will never come round? Try in 2024
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1/1/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Red and dark fruit, dark cherries, graphite, and sweet fruit on the nose. The tannins are quite integrated with more dark cherry notes, cassis, and leather on the palate. Long finish. Showing really well, this is a very pretty wine that will only get better with time. 94+
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12/25/2022 - Saadissimo Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Over-rated. Lacked the finesse you should expect at this price point…
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12/4/2022 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Bordeaux approaching maturity but with “plenty of fuel in the tank”. It responded well to long decant, breathing.
Noticeable ripe tannins are one of the things holding this wine together. It has charm but it’s not a Margaux. I know it’s the Comtesse but it’s more masculine than feminine.
13.5%, cork.
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12/3/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is really starting to come around. Needed a short decant to become expressive. Lovely black currant and leafy herbal nose. Palate is smooth and integrated—quite polished, with minimal tannin at this point. Quite typical and correct for the estate. Elegant and polished, leaning towards black fruit with telltale green herbal (the good kind) mixed in. Moderate finish, adding some pipe tobacco and leather notes. Not a blockbuster like ‘89/‘96 but an excellent bdx in an average vintage. Might bet marginally better but already in a great spot.
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11/2/2022 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly big and robust, especially for the 04 vintage. This has the balance found in Bordeaux but could also be a Cali cab made on the less extractive side, though this is fully ripe. Still young and with quite a wack of tannin. Lovely bramble fruit and close to full bodied, with moderate acidity. Long finish and some complexity. There is also pepper and mellow cake spices here. Drink now and over the next 20+ years.
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10/3/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 92 Points
An off year? Hmmmm.....pnp'd into a decanter about 30 min before dinner tonight with family visiting since the storm took out their power. Homemade meatloaf on the menu.....a little barnyard on the opening but it leaves only 10 minutes in. Nice, smooth red fruit, graphite, a little forest floor and just plain good, especially with meatloaf. What a nice wine for an 'off' year. I am amazed at those who only want to drink 100 point wines and miss so many other good vintages.
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9/11/2022 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep indigo color. Aromatic, perfume on the nose. Plenty of fruit
on the palate with some herbal notes on the finish. Medium plus body. Finish was lacking due to the paucity of tannins. I still have a magnum of this which should have more staying power but this may just be attributable to a wet vintage.
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9/4/2022 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
(Mostly) Spanish dinner (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Textbook. Moderate green notes, clearly a Bordeaux from a cooler vintage in that those green tones are a little more prominent versus the fruit. Some perfume on the nose too, with a lightness on the palate that I found quite pleasant. Drinking nicely now; I wouldn't be shy about opening fifths of this now.
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6/9/2022 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The nose is terrific with an immediate bouquet of black licorice, cedar, and Pauillac goodness. Loads of pencil shavings on the finish with firm tannin. Unfortunately, the finish is lacking a bit of zeal. What's missing on the finish is the fruit and it reminds me very much of the 2002 PLC tasting experience. Neither of these vintages are the best showing for what is possible from this Chateau. I much prefer the Pichon Baron 2004 to the Lalande 2004. It is still a lovely wine, but I expected more. Decanted for 60 minutes and consumed over 2 additional hours.
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5/29/2022 - Les Kangas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Well, some said a short air and we read a 4 hour decant was too much…I decided to decant 3/4 bottle, 45 min before Cornish game hens with rice. I poured two glasses and then poured the remaining wine into decanter about 30 min later. The wine really opened up an hour later. I would have decanted 1.5 hours before drinking, bearing in mind how many are consuming. Great wine. Reidel Bordeaux/ cab glasses.
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3/20/2022 - spineguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great nose of leather with a hint of tobacco and graphite. Initially tannins were a touch austere but after 30-40 minutes balance was spot on. While there was definitely a black fruit predominance, some red was present adding to the elegance. Hitting its stride now with many years left. Great with or without food.
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1/4/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fragrant and intense nose with lots of fruit, cassis, leather, and tobacco. The nose screams Bordeaux... Medium tannins on the palate with good balance, more fruit, red cherries, and cassis notes. Long finish. Lovely wine that is very approachable.
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12/28/2021 - 911henrik wrote: 92 Points
Good timing
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12/25/2021 - s******n Likes this wine: 90 Points
5 Stunden vor dem Probieren geöffnet.
- Farbe: Dunkelrot, fast schwarzrot. Hohe Farbtiefe.
- Geruch: Keine Altersnoten. Eher Kräuter. Nur mittlere Intensität.
- Geschmack: Kräuter. Schöne Tannine und Säure Balance. Allerdings kein Schmelz und auch nur mittlere Länge.
Hat ich mir mehr von erwartet. Der 2003 Brane-Cantenac war an dem Abend besser.
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12/4/2021 - ChinaWineDude Likes this wine: 95 Points
To me, this is a baby 1st Growth with great ageing potential. After 17 years, this wine is in a perfect drinking window. Decant and poured into a glass, no need to wait. Polished and silky, with cedar, cocoa, chocolate, ripe dark fruit, graphite, and so on. Very impressive but approachable. Two hours later in the decanter, it starts to fade slightly. Drink up now, or wait for further evolution in the next 10 years. The older it gets, the more fragile it is after contact with air. 95 points. December 2021
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8/12/2021 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Wow... this is drinking beautifully elegant and feminine, utterly open, drinkable and well-integrated.
Jusgt an enormous joy to drink this wine now, with some good friends.
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8/5/2021 - Frank Schneider wrote: 93 Points
Needed air. You feel the cooler vintage and much bones under the flesh. This has years left ! In the end a real nice bordeaux with room for improvement.93+
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7/1/2021 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
We gave it two hours in a decanter before dinner. Initially a bit tight and sour. It did not really hit its stride for another two hours but very good thereafter. Chewy texture, dark cherry with a touch of cocoa. A nice bottle once given the time it needed.
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6/29/2021 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2004 Pichon Lalande is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of rich dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with velvety tannins and a seamless, charming profile, it is really beginning to drink with some style.
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6/23/2021 - AAF2012 Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Decided on 4 hour decant after reading notes here. Cassis and extreme tannins upon opening; totally unbalanced, I figure great glad I read the reviews, let’s do the decant and it will round out. Wrong. Drinking ~4.5 hours later with ox burgers I got some dull and unexciting stewed fruits I associate with the not-pleasant ageing process of expensive American merlots meant to drink young, hints of black currant / cassis on lucky swirls, only occasional flashes of pauillac dirt and pencil shavings. Not unpleasant but unbecoming for this wine. I’d have a bad/boring sip, then a decent sip with hints of regality, and back to a bad one like it pulsed.
Weird showing. I think it’s possible I decanted too long, and/or this wine is just a little finicky. Probably doesn’t help I drank a 1989 Pichon Baron a week earlier with ox burgers than was singing and a perfect pairing, might’ve been mentally building this dinner up too much.
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6/23/2021 - Cailles wrote: 91 Points
24 Vintages of Pichon Lalande: All wines tasted blind. A few general observations: 1) Most wines showed the typical Pichon Lalande elegance. This is certainly one of the more delicate and elegant Paulliacs. 2) The relatively high Merlot content (often 20-30%) showed in many wines with fine, fresh rhubarb, rosehip and floral aromas I wouldn’t necessarily associate with a Medoc - all adding to the sensuous quality of the wines. 3) A few vintages showed the very sexy burnt sugar/coffee notes you associate with the 1982 Lalande or a Mouton or a Cheval Blanc - unfortunately, not to an extent and with an intensity to truly excite. 4) Following the legendary 1982 and until the most recent vintages (starting with 2014 but especially with 2016) there are three decades of pleasant Pichon Lalandes but hardly any vintage has the depth and length of truly great wines. The best wine tonight was the 2009 (rated 95+ points) with many more in the 92-94 point category.
TN: With some air the initially muted nose showed some nice candied fruits with the same profile mirrored on the palate. Some coffee and herbal notes as well but overall not much complexity, not much excitement there. The structure is good with fine tannins, a well-integrated acidity and a creamy texture. Easy to drink and quite pleasant.
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6/13/2021 - shutto1992@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Took several hours to open and still the flavors were somewhat muted. Drank over 2 hours and it gradually improved. Not a great Pichon.
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4/7/2021 - luHar1423 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bringing an unhyped vintage - in this case a 2004 - to a Pauillac evening you might think that second to last is the best you can score. This was not the case. This 2004 Comtesse was a very good wine - ready to drink and to enjoy, but don't make the mistake to kill the smooth and well integrated tannins by serving cheese to it. We gave the wine sufficient time to breath some fresh air (2.5h) which in my view was necessary after close to 16 years in the bottle (no decanting).
The wine comes with a great ruby-purple coloring demonstrating its age. The nose is first filled with secondary (vannilla) and then tertiary notes (truffle, tobacco) ending with a significant smell of black cheeries and a bit pepper. On the palate some fine notes of chocolate and caramel as well as black cherries and floral notes round the delicious wine experience.
Tannins and acidity are very well balanced and the wine itself is medium-bodied, giving it the opportunity to become everybody's darling. Not sure if the 2004 Comtesse will further develop - I have my doubts but why not enjoy it now? It is in a perfect drinking window and your guests will honor you with returning visits.
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12/25/2020 - Motz wrote: 97 Points
List purchase at a steakhouse for a song. Paired with prime cut, pepper-encrusted, char-grilled Ribeye. A top 5 steak and red wine pairing of my lifetime!
By the original pro scores (RP apparently raised his score to 95 (from 92) in 2009), and many of the reviews here, including an average score of 91.2 at the time of this note, a strikingly understated, true to place, and wholly enthralling Pauillac, which like so many wines of this class...NEEDS TIME TO BREATHE!!!
In addition, 2004, along with, and on the strength of, 2001, 2006, and especially 2008 (to write nothing of 2005, and depending on how one counts decades, 2010), resulted in a decade of tremendous Left Bank wines. (Yes...I intentionally excluded 2000, very good but overstated, and 2009, grotesquely overstated.)
Enough with the commentary. This strapping yet sophisticated, poised and powerful, classically riveting Second Growth commanded attention from the outset, and after a half-hour decant, truly rocked...all pun intended! Cut tobacco, lit cigar and pipe, worn leather, gravel, graphite, blackcurrant, pepper garden, menthol, tar, and mineral ore laden bouquet! Hell Yeah! The wine tastes as it smells, launching a first order assault on the senses, in all the best ways. I would have enjoyed this with boiled asparagus and old shoe leather...but with the perfectly prepared Ribeye...Holy God!!!
The last glass was enjoyed as a sipper...and it delivered. Layered complexity, mind-bending range. Indeed, while retaining its rustically bold presence, the secondary and early tertiary nuance came off enchantingly feminine. In ongoing development, but no reason not to enjoy now (WITH AIR). It will likely begin showing its best by 2030 and last for a decade thereafter. 97-98.
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10/30/2020 - Sean Tay wrote: 89 Points
Blind tasting Bordeaux night pair with Michelin Chinese cuisine.
My personal ranking:
1) 1985 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Wet forest, leather, mushroom, spices, medium+ tannin and medium tannin, ruby in colour, pronounced nose.
2) 1978 Chateau Lafite. Green, dried black/red fruits, finesse in the nose, ruby in colour. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin
3) 2009 Pontet Canet. Spices, flora, vanilla, purple in colour, medium+ tannin and acidity, rounded in the palate. Medium nose.
4) 2004 Pichon Lalande. The nose is closed or rather medium- nose. vanilla, medium+ acidity and tannin. Approachable.
However, WOTN goes to 2004 Pichon Lalande as my friends prefer young approachable wine instead of the secondary taste of vintage wine.
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10/24/2020 - Fat1Wombat wrote: 90 Points
Medium red.
Sour red fruit and herb. Leaf. Mint. Loads of menthol.
Mid weight. Ripe tannin but very lean and herbal.
Still holding up but it’s dominated by greens.
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10/11/2020 - spineguy Likes this wine:
Impressed with the dark fruit/tannin balance after an hour in the decanter. Cassis, hint of sweetness, and some complexity made it a winner. Still plenty of time left.
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9/27/2020 - tzelmer wrote: 92 Points
Dark color, with even a tinge of purple still. Very primary cassis and just a hint of the sweet spiciness I usually pick up in Lalande. Good concentration, balance and length. This is not a classic vintage but better than expected. Still lots of time and room for development here.
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7/31/2020 - dnnk88 wrote: 91 Points
1st Post-CB Crab@Bay!: Drank this off a magnum - Rather mature and tight at the start but gradually opened up into more black fruits, leather and mint leaves. Slightly disappointed with this showing as I had expected more from a magnum format. Open up sooner than later.
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7/26/2020 - dlcolester wrote:
Tasted first then Ran through iFAVINE for 3X4 minutes equivalent of 3 hours of breathing. Significant improvement. Soft to palate still strong pauillac resulting in an enjoyable lingering finish.
93 now think it will move higher with more time in bottle
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7/18/2020 - jacobg wrote: 91 Points
Still in closed phase, don’t open.
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7/11/2020 - Wino133 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wasn't sure what to expect given the mixed notes here recently.
Just opened - first taste, it's very good. Tertiary flavours starting to come through, almost a molasses/spiced plum after taste right now. Wil update as I decant if anything major changes over next 3-4 hours.
3 hours in its much more focused on the nose. The balance is a bit better now, a little more muted on aftertaste. Very nice.
This probably has 5 years easy to hit prime
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6/19/2020 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Where's the complexity? Ok freshness. Linear across 3 hours. A bit better day 2. Needs more time?
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5/24/2020 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 95 Points
1 hour plus decant. Dark red color. Nose contains graphite, black cherry, and some medicinal elements. Wine has more oak than expected but nice cherry fruit. Awesome texture and great depth. Medium plus finish. Not as good as the ‘12 I recently had, but still one of my favorite producers!
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5/16/2020 - Saadissimo Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Intense floral bouquet. Very green on the palate with tight fruit complexity. Medium length on the finish. Overall, too austere and not well-rounded enough for the price.
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4/30/2020 - mikdal wrote: 87 Points
Disappointed. ”Green” notes, hidden fruit and no complexity.
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4/8/2020 - Astronut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Exceeded expectations.
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3/4/2020 - JHSP Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice complex nose - surely too young - good potential - not too exciting
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12/21/2019 - HENNO1 wrote: 90 Points
Okay but does not deliver to the usual level of a comtesse
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12/14/2019 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
From 3L. Truly a classic bordeaux, with integrated notes of dark plum, bay leaf, and green pepper. It's ready to go with some years of good drinking ahead.
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10/5/2019 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Souper à Saint-Bruno: 3 heures de carafe. C’est pur et de belle longueur, superbe avec l’agneau. 91 pts
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8/28/2019 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
Wine10 monthly meeting (Messa Restaurant, Tel-Aviv): excellent, balanced, elegant, complexed.
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8/8/2019 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hrs. cork was immaculate. Just barely began to open up. dark red to black fruit graphite, tobacco. well balanced with a long life ahead
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7/13/2019 - Nekodab wrote: 96 Points
Great juice, had with A5 Wagyu a little Tooo smoooth
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6/22/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Followed over several hours. Quite closed initially and never quite shook its oak influence. Eventually shows quintessential Pichon Lalande favor profile. Slightly herbaceous on the nose and palate—but the good kind. Palate is a bit dry seemingly still showing oak tannin. Still needs a few more years to pull together. Lighter weight and complexity than the “better” years.
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5/21/2019 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not the best vintage, but always a great wine! Good complexity, delicious. Needs an hour of air at least.
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5/14/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Day of the Goat: A Pichon Lalande Fractured Vertical (Leo & Cheryl's Place, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple. PNP, Drank a glass in a flight with the '02 and '11. This took 30 miutes to really start to open up, but once it did, it showed well. Floral, a mix of red and black fruits, denser than the '02, more glycerin, full bodied, and continuing to improve through dinner. My favorite of the flight. This is getting back to the open knit wine we saw in its relative youth ten years ago when the nose was stunning. I think this can go longer than windows suggest.
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5/8/2019 - AndrewR wrote: 85 Points
Tastes generic and thin on the back. Pass.
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4/30/2019 - bboy Does not like this wine: 86 Points
a diss
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4/15/2019 - HENNO1 wrote: 90 Points
Good quality claret. Nothing to dislike but it doesn’t excite. Drunk with a cos de estournel 04 and a Pibran 1989. Yes you guessed it, the Pibran won with a bit to spare
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3/30/2019 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Un vin juteux et encore un peu boisé, il a l’élégance classique du domaine, savoureux déjà mais pas encore complexe. Pas encore à maturité, mais néanmoins délicieux. Revoir idéalement dans 3 ans, il vieillira encore longtemps. 91 pts
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3/21/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 89 Points
Chez Sh, opened 30 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, not dense ruby, little development; mineral, graphite, tobacco, muted black fruit, slightly smokey, quite classy; medium, ok length and persistence, angular, not enough fruit to cover tannins (surely not?), lacking grip for PL, not come together and I'm not sure it will, some class and complexity though, one of the least convincing PLs I've drunk. Poor for PL but VG+ (16.5) in greater scheme of things.....wouldn't write it off as there are good elements and may just be a dumb phase but I'm not a buyer!
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3/16/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Sheldon's 60th Birthday (The Bristol - Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Black cherries and berries with some cassis and mint. Good weight, better balance. Good now.
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3/5/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead wrote:
Had a glass after the wine was being opened for 24 hours
Certainly quite mature on both the nose and the palate, slightly soy sauce, light leather, minerals on the nose, although being more mature on the palate, the texture was pretty silky with certain acidity and high level of purple fruits
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3/2/2019 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby. Nose of cedar wood, oak, cassis, toast. After a Gevrey it took as a moment to get used to the wood. Luckily Pichon Lalande is always an elegant wines so we eased in over the course of the lunch. Does not have the complexity over better vintages for this cru but drinks well now with a short decant and can also keep for a few more years. 2004 cannot fully hide, relatively short finish for a Bdx of this pedigree.
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3/2/2019 - ShangGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Red, purple hue, soft aroma. Light fresh first taste. Not a lot of complexity, takes a few seconds for the tannins to kick in before the finish. Hints of red fruit, peppers. Limited oaky finish.
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1/5/2019 - galewskj wrote: 89 Points
New Years eve at Kevin and Vicki's 2018: Shoot, 1 hour decant was not enough here. This was not giving up a lot. You can sense the quality but it's buried for now. I'm surpriosed that there are so many reviews saying a 1 hour decant was perfect.
Open with a 3+ hour decant or wait 3+ years.
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12/31/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
New Year's Eve Bash (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1hr; drank a glass over an hour. I have not had this for 8 years - how can that be? Those early bottles were in fact quite spectacular with a good bit air back then, and I was looking forward to seeing where this was at now. Well, this was another one where the nose is light years ahead of the palate which seemd very austere and ungiving. This had been decanted for an hour based on some recent CT notes, but given the difference we saw in the side by side with the '04 Lynch Bages, which got 3.5hrs, it would seem that this would likely have benefited from a good deal more air. There was a semblance of the nose I remember, bold and earthy, funk and dark succulent black fruit, oak and a strong floral overtone - yes! The palate told a distinctly different tale though - austere, woody, black fruit, gripping tannins and a clipped finish. I tend to disagree with those that suggest this is drink up time, as I still think these have a very good future ahead of them. 90+(+) pts on the strength of the nose.
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12/29/2018 - dnnk88 wrote: 90 Points
Easy to drink; not intense nor complex. Slight floral, cherry, graphite. Not fantastic to be honest but very approachable and balanced. Still feels young though; more time should do it good.
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12/15/2018 - mats13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pichon showing beautifully - don't think I would sit on these any longer if I had some more in my cellar. Which I don't.
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10/19/2018 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 93 Points
SIA Wine Week; 10/15/2018-10/19/2018 (Singapore Airlines): deep ruby; nose of graphite and herbs; blackberry, plum, cloves, nutmeg, graphite, and a bit leathery
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10/9/2018 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
See my previous TN
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9/8/2018 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
This drank perfectly with a bison filet overlooking Yellowstone Lake. Great stuff.
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8/12/2018 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Really nice dark fruit and tobacco, with medium, slightly coarse tannin. Plenty of dark fruit in the finish. On the young side- give this some time yet.
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7/15/2018 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours. This starts off with a beautifully aromatic nose of floral, black cherry licorice, some oak and tobacco that gives way to a plush and polished dark fruited palate with hints of menthol and mineral that are followed by a somewhat drying finish. Very good and starting to drink but I’ll like it better in a couple of more years.
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6/19/2018 - baxter67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding, now in drinking window. Power, finesse and balance. Red berry slight menthol and graphite. *****
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5/19/2018 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well, needed a good hour decant to show its mettle. Still life ahead!
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5/19/2018 - spineguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely needed at least 45 minutes if not longer in the decanter. Same notes as there bottle.
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5/9/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS May 2018: Floral, tar, tobacco and plums. In the zone on the palate, there is well integrated fine tannins and fruit that feels fresh but is starting to soften. Long and really well balanced, can start drinking these now and over the next 10 years.
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3/9/2018 - Sean Tay wrote:
The wine looks purple colored. It smells like blackberry, blueberry, black currant (cassis), toast, lead pencil and vanilla.
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2/25/2018 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Courtesy of J&K. Opens with notes of red and dark fruit with an odd ash tray note that I find distracting. Tannins are somewhat coarse, but there's plenty of dark fruit underneath. Hopefully this comes together a bit with additional cellaring. Hold for now.
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2/3/2018 - spineguy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just entering its prime drinking window. With at least a 30 minute decant (necessary) forest floor and mellow dark fruit on the nose. Medium body and silky tannins with cassis and a hint of anise on the palate. Great finish. The integration is excellent! Probably has a minimum of 10-15 years. What a treat.
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1/26/2018 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wow, what a fantastic bottle. Deep purple colour, expressive nose with hints of beet and black currant. Really long finish, this wine just keeps on going. What a treat. I think a few more years in the cellar would make this even better. 91+
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1/20/2018 - Baron Samedi wrote: 91 Points
Expressive nose of dark red fruit and licorice; more dark berries on the palate and starting to develop a hint of secondary, earthy flavours. Medium to lean body, medium length. This was the crowd pleaser of the evening.
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1/19/2018 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well after a 3 hour decant. Well balanced palate with dark fruit, some savory notes, largely resolved tannin. Mouthfilling in a restrained way that nicely complemented the lamb we had. Clean finish. Not a lot going on with the nose, fine but not distinctive. Has time left, might develop more panache.
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12/31/2017 - DougSamuel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple, with some brick red edges. Nicely open, with fresh fruit. Currant, plum, cranberry. Very smooth. Lighter bodied, but full for a Bordeaux and bigger than I recall from past notes. Drinking very well right now.
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12/26/2017 - chbeaumont wrote: 90 Points
Dark; classy, fulsome, fresh black currants, direct; clean, refreshing palate, tannins remain but wrapped in ripe, dark fruits. Forthright, sturdy & vigourous finish. Should drink well for close to a decade.
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12/14/2017 - Moonie wrote: 91 Points
Agree with the last taster. Decanted two hours ahead of dinner. After another hour plus the wine developed some astringency. Otherwise, very good. I'd drink up.
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12/12/2017 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 91 Points
Needs about 30 min in glass and was fading at 3rd hour. Pleasant, balanced wine but overall boring. Novice crowd pleaser. In prime and will hold for a while.
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10/27/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Allred. No formal notes other than this wine being tight and still needing time. It opened up in the glass. 93 points.
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5/20/2017 - Kavine wrote: 90 Points
Expected more and was slightly disappointed. Hoped for more softness and fruit but it drank more tight and dry. Possibly too young still however will locate an older vintage and try again.
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3/10/2017 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 95 Points
SIA Wine Week; 3/6/2017-3/10/2017 (Singapore Airlines): nicely balanced between the cherry fruits and oak, and richly structured. well worthy of a 2eme Grand Cru Classe
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12/27/2016 - Burgnick wrote: 90 Points
Black currant, cinnamon, cassis and violets. Palate is a bit one dimensional with mostly cassis. Still too young. Needs a lot of time, unlike many 04.
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12/26/2016 - Rechrom wrote:
No detailed notes, but was drinking well and open for business. Not a lot going on with the nose, but a nice youthful palate with good balance and certainly a lot of life ahead.
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12/3/2016 - petec-s wrote: 89 Points
Some structure and fruit, somewhat closed and lacking in pleasure.
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11/25/2016 - wineotim Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last time I opened one of these was '09. This bottle was nothing like that one. This was so firm and unyeilding that I opened a '05 La Clemence because I thought it would never come around.
Four hours later the Comtesse started to show fresh berries on the nose, with firm fruit and firm tannins, with a lot of structure, long finish. The bottom line is that the first bottle was young and open, while this one is firm and almost austere...not rich. More mineral driven than fruit driven. Same on the second day.
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9/16/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 95 Points
Nose: dust, cocoa, licorice, feet, birch bark, cinnamon, overripe black cherries. Palate: mushrooms, dark chocolate, mocha, blackberry, vanilla bean, and lightly-charred croissant crust. Weirdly specific, but that's half the fun I guess.
Holy hell, that finish tho. For daaaays.
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8/22/2016 - jskuek Likes this wine: 97 Points
Minerals, limestones, very complex. Med+. Extremely long finishing. 97pts
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7/2/2016 - ProfBainbridge Likes this wine: 85 Points
The Pichon Longueville was a little disappointing, but it's probably my fault for opening it at just age 12. Deep purple color with strong legs. Modest bouquet despite decanting 1 hour before dinner. On the palate, it comes across as quite young with lots of hard tannins and high acidity. Thin on the attack with a short finish. Some dark fruit: blackberry, currant, prune. Hopefully it is just in an awkward stage and will improve with age. I have 5 bottles left in my cellar and probably will not crack another for 4 or 5 years.
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5/30/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Overall more reticent than I expected. 5yrs from my last bottle and I don't think it's moved much. Nose is still a little shy with some mineral and Pauillac funk. Dark fruit profile, fine introspective palate with prominent tannins and a distinct flint note. Does come across as a little thin and dilute today. Only moderate lengthy at this stage, showing a bitterness to the tannins and Pauillac funk/earth. Probably still needs 3-5 more years.
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5/12/2016 - AlbertaOenologist Likes this wine: 95 Points
notes of blackberries, black currents, black licorice, luxurious, lasting finish, nicely finessed and balanced, terrific mouth feel.
This was all while drinking with a prime rib meal. The two paired extremely well.
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4/26/2016 - Bordeaux_Jon Likes this wine: 94 Points
K & L Tour des Deux Rives, San Francisco: I really liked the nose on this wine, with lots of red and black fruit, oak, and a walnut nuttiness that evolved in the glass. The palate was intense and smooth. I really nice wine and a great 2004.
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4/20/2016 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 94 Points
Wine more than 10 years' old session (Pine Close): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about an hour plus before tasting. Drank over 2 hours.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of blackcurrant berries, ripe blackberries, black cherries, earth, chocolate, tobacco. Graphite and slight herbs with more air. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, ripe blackberries, black cherries, chocolate, earth, tobacco. Long finish.
Very good quality. Somehow this was quite ripe at the start of the tasting, it even had us guessing an aged Napa Cab. With more air, the graphite and herbs revealed it's Bordeaux Left Bank character.
Drinking well now. Drink up over the next 5+ years.
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4/19/2016 - LWI wrote: 91 Points
Pichon Lalande Tasting: Weaker smell compared to the 01, peppers and menthol, some meat, tar and coconut, warm fruit. A lott of tannins, woody – but the fruit beneath is thinner than in 01. Overworked.
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3/13/2016 - obmoen wrote: 86 Points
Anonym nese som sakte åpner seg mot umodne solbær. Kjølig men grønn frukt. Noe karamell i finish. God balanse. Kort. Dritskuffende. Ikke flaskefeil.
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3/5/2016 - Monaco wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours before drinking. Initially very astringent and sour with no secondary notes. Let it breathe for a bit longer. After about 4.5 hours in the decanter, the sourness began to burn off and was replaced with sweet licorice and blackberry. Good, not great. Glad I got it on sale.
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2/28/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Open, with a soft textured, silky, medium bodied palate that says it's ready to go. But the secondary aromatics are not showing themselves yet.
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2/28/2016 - MWiking wrote: 90 Points
stängt grönt och kanske inte så kul som man skulle hoppas på
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2/25/2016 - Ramberg wrote: 90 Points
Nose with black Basset’s wine gums, black currant, green dry herbs, dust, pencil lead/graphite and a touch of nice licorice.
Textbook left bank excellent nose.
Palate is less developed and exciting at this point.
Some unresolved oak, rather dry fruit, black currant, touch of herbs and tobacco leafs.
Not yet ready and fully open, needs a few more years.
Medium + length and finish.
A good PLCL, but not top class.
(90+ – 92)
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2/25/2016 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 92 Points
On the nose: Black currant, green herbs, strawberry, salvia, dust and fruitgum.
On the palate: Green herbs, violet, salvia, some alcohol heat and very integrated tannins.
Medium + finish
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1/24/2016 - edub7 wrote: 94 Points
What a beautiful nose. Very floral and very classic Pichon Lalande. This 2004 has fine complexity, mid palate, and length. Shows fine breeding and finesse. Consumed along side the great 2003. Our table was split, half liked the 2004 over the 2003. The 2004 has more freshness and should cellar longer. Already quite appealing, just gets better with every bottle I open. Open with 2+ hour decant, or hold and and enjoy over the next 3-20 years. Excellent. 94/95 points.
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12/25/2015 - miadelt Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum. Decanted 5 hours. In a great place. Tannins were smooth. Dark color. Med+ body. Fruit still dominating but secondary flavors coming through. Good balance. Paired perfectly with braised lamb shanks. Great finish.
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12/11/2015 - smphelps wrote: 85 Points
Good, not great, and with a lot of classed Bordeaux, a poor QPR. Restrained on the nose. Black current and rosemary. Tannins are full but well composed. Can keep living, for sure.
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11/27/2015 - dchain wrote: 90 Points
About 50 bottles opened at a friend's party and it tasted consistently! Good fruit but very closed. An element of dullness to it and clear clear fruit was not at perfect ripeness at harvest. A little short at the end. Sadly unmemorable despite T huge generosity of the host.
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11/11/2015 - bboard Likes this wine:
Decanted 1hr. Deep purple color, smelling really nice this time around started with dark fruits, then red fruits, hints of mint & smoke. Palate impression was integrated fruits, acidic & tannin, minty, tobacco, with pencil shavings. Med+ length finish. Total surprise given the lack of wow 3 months ago. This bottle is very pleasing....consumed with striploin.
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9/26/2015 - cerobo Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a classic austere Pauillac. Very dry tannins, a wine of power and some finesse. Will keep for a while yet. Loved this with a rare beef rib. Long finish.
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9/15/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pauillac (Thean's Place): 1 hour decant, Med to full body, tobacco, oak, nice integrated. Long finishing.
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8/27/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Sweet licorice candy, toast and oak, lovely herbal action, smoke and tobacco. Clearly more stubborn and reticent on the palate. So I think it needs a few more years of cellartime.
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8/27/2015 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Good wine friends; random wines (@ JK): The bouquet of this bottle was not extremely expressive, but definitely refined and elegant with ripe dark forest fruits, sweet spices and licorice. On the palate juicy and ripe dark forest fruits, a touch of sweetness, chocolate, smoke and tar. Good acidity. Round and somewhat drying tannin. Still youthful. Classical wine that most likely would have been better with some more air time. Probably wise to give it another 4 – 6 years of cellaring. 91 – 92+ for tonight.
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8/2/2015 - bboard wrote:
Decantd for 3hr before consuming over the next hour, did we need more time? Dark color, plenty of fruits left, smoke/tobacco, herbs, oak, med acidity, tannin was present & not harsh, finish was med(-) a little disappointing despite the air time. Didn't get much wow from the wine. Its a nice wine in early stage of consumption
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7/18/2015 - jfowler812 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 4 hours prior to serving from a 3L...outstanding wine! Very smooth with robust tannins that had clearly benefited from the extended time in the decanter. Plenty of fruit on the palate and really nice deep purple hue. Very pleasantly surprised with this wine.
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5/21/2015 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 85 Points
Eh. For one of my favorite château in all of Bordeaux this was rather lacking in personality as well as class. Not closed either as it is still fairly primary in fruit. I guess that counts as a triumph for the vintage, which isn't always so ripe. This did have a slight bite of bell pepper but that's something I welcome in PLL. I was mostly disappointed because PLL usually has a very graceful figure and this didn't show its breed as far as the texture goes.
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5/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points
Tasted next to the 2005 and 2003. Classic nose with less depth and intensity in comparison. On the palate a little astringent, drying, a bit lean. 89-91
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4/25/2015 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Dark forest fruits, smoke, cedar and vanilla in the bouquet. On the palate cassis and other dark forest fruits, minerals, cedar, exclusive oak, firm but good acidity and good tannin with a firm bite. Beautiful wine. Harmonious and in its early drinking stage now. Will probably even be a bit better in about 4 years from now. 92+ for tonight.
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4/24/2015 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle and this has been a great purchase. Concentrated wine with spices, dust, minerals, dark fruits and soy. Medium to long finish and complex. While not as good as the 82 this at $50 is far superior to the 82 that my friend over paid for it.
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4/20/2015 - Atreyu wrote:
Tror kanskje disse adelige må ha blitt litt metroseksuelle for dette er definitivt den maskuline versjonen av Pichon. Hakk i hæl med Latour på konsentrasjon og en ekstrem saftighet i frukten. Intens og ungdommelig men moden nok tannin til å nytes nå.
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4/12/2015 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite lean and cedary with pronounced vegetality.
Still tannic. Savoury flavors with a nice bitter finish.
Rather youthful - for me not yet ready.
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3/15/2015 - Neurowine1 wrote:
donated to NSA auction, $950
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1/26/2015 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red to purple in the glass and still youthful in appearance.
Nose of currants and cigar box.
Smooth, Medium body, and Lots of black fruits and cherries. A long and lingering finish. Whilst drinkable now, there was still a lot of tannins remaining which give me confidence this is built for another 10+ years.
A great wine, albeit just a touch behind the Léoville Las Cases 04 (93pts) consumed a month earlier.
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1/4/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Showing secondary characteristics of truffle, tobacco, cigar box, black cherry and floral notes, the wine is soft, silky and smooth, classic in style, with a minor hint of dryness in the finish.
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12/30/2014 - Burgnick wrote: 92 Points
2 hours of decanting was insufficient. The wine had started to evolve after 3 hours. I have to agree with other people that the wine is in an interesting phase now. It is better to hold onto it as it is very likely to improve in 3-5 years. The finish of the wine was quite long and decent.
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12/20/2014 - alion wrote: 94 Points
2+ hour decant. With air, loved this tonight. Sensual, slightly fleshy from the merlot, blackberry, cream from oak, and hints of violet and woody spice on the nose and palate. Not especially concentrated but wonderful balance. By hour 4, still holding own but darker blackcurrant fruit profile on the palate with more shoe polish / mahogany on the nose. Clear from recent notes that others would wait but for me, while no rush at all, there is lots of pleasure here already.
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10/25/2014 - Atreyu wrote: 91 Points
I don't get the past few reviews on here. To me the wine was singing with half an hour in the decanter and there's not much reason to wait. Classically styled with prominent but not hard tannin, pencil shavings and medium dark fruit. Quite concentrated but lacking some of the complexity and intensity of the warmer vintages. One for the old schoolers.
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10/18/2014 - Kris G wrote: 92 Points
lovely fruit, the structure is there to allow some additional cellaring, but nog the greatest p/q ratio ;)
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10/16/2014 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, this deep red wine has not developed in a positive fashion since my last tasting more than three years ago. While there is still substantial black fruit, it is engulfed by very angular tannins. However, with medium acidity, well-integrated alcohol and secondary aromas (and flavors) of tobacco, dried herbs and lavender, it is not devoid of pleasure. Perhaps this wine is simply in an awkward phase, requiring more time to allow the tannins to resolve. That said, I am concerned that the tannins will ultimately outlast the fruit. Drink 2019-2030.
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9/7/2014 - Wine_lvr wrote: 89 Points
This wine is in a very difficult phase at the moment. So no reason to describe flavors, scents and the taste in detail. The wine is fully backward and not approachable at all. Even after 3 hours it was not a joy. Lots of potential but really a big question mark in which direction the journey of the 2004 PiCoLa is heading...Wait for 5-10 years and hope there is still some fruit left to handle the tannins
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8/9/2014 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 92 Points
2hr decant put this in a really good spot. Nose makes you think this is big but there was nothing overbearing. Flavors and mouthfeel were all balanced and just floated over the palate in harmony. Still a some tannin to suggest a good run ahead. drinking very well
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8/3/2014 - Whinojb wrote: 93 Points
No signs of bricking- nose of stewed red fruits, slight wood and earth. A little thinner than I had hoped for - great finish - 60 seconds.
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7/10/2014 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Septet wine-lovers 7th meeting in 2014 (Mati hosted at Rokah 73 restaurant): pop & pour (which is no good for this wine…)
dark red-black colour
dark ripe fruits aroma with notes of smoke, leather and matchstick.
full bodied, from tannins, good acidity level, well balanced and good harmony, black fruit, chalk, cedar and graphite, spicy flavours, present long finish.
can age beautifully few more years.
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5/17/2014 - miadelt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic Bordeaux. After 2 hour decant. Great nose, med to full bodied, smooth tannins, and deep, complex flavors. The wine enveloped and caressed the entire palate. I would rate this wine higher but towards the end of hour 3, after the food was consumed, the wine showed some bitterness. Drink now or hold.
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5/12/2014 - MattTM wrote:
Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2004 Horizontal (Market at Shangri-La - Vancouver, BC): Very lean and reserved on the nose at this point in time showing rich red cherries, blue berries, and some nice floral notes. Quite tart at the forefront of the palate, displaying red cherries, cranberries, and sharp red currants. This was really tightly wound and not very giving on this night, and in need of plenty of time in the cellar. Put these away and leave them for at least 5 years as the potential is there. Very good
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5/3/2014 - Cooky474 wrote: 92 Points
Drunk over two nights, with the wine for the second night having been decanted into a half-bottle between opening and consumption.
Really lovely wine, with the nose far more prominent the first night, but the palate far more developed the second suggesting that there is scope for continuing to hold this wine.
Very sensual bouquet, with blackberries to the fore, tobacco and a hint of flowers. On the palate, this was full-bodied, beautifully balanced and integrated - a very seductive wine!
Would definitely buy again and wished I had a case...
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4/21/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 89 Points
We decanted this at same time as the 05 trilogy. The California showed better so far. I'm not sure about this Pichon and usually for my wife and I Pichon can do little wrong. Maybe it will be more rewarding in another few years, maybe not. I'm finding so far that Paulliac made wines in 04 we enjoy least compared to the right bank 04's. There is a bitterness edge that never blew off.
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4/3/2014 - macker100 wrote: 93 Points
Over Coq au vin dinner. Consistent with prior notes, one of the best wines of the vintage. Black fruit with velvety tannins.
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3/30/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 92 Points
Good nose of dark fruit, cassis, smoke and hints of spice. Good mouthfeel with a soft and silky, medium finish. Probably not going to get any better but no rush to drink.
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3/10/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Taking longer to be appealing than a lot of other of its predecessors this was drinking very nicely after about 45 minutes and got better and better over the evening. We didn't find the usual contribution of Merlot as apparent. Sorry we are down to one bottle. Might find some backups if the price is right.
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12/13/2013 - the player wrote: 89 Points
Not impressed at all with this wine and this 4th bottle confirms why I much prefer PB to Lalande in most if not all vintages. Very disjointed wine, short finish and a decent nose is all there is to this wine.
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10/19/2013 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Noch sehr junger Wein, der am 2. Tag erst seine Stärken zeigt; Nase "old-fashioned" mit roten Beeren, Leder, Jasmin, Pfeffer, Tabak; leicht weiblich und parfümiert wirkend; am Gaumen mittlere Statur, am 2. Tag runde, leicht scharfe und im Abgang etwas zehrende Tannine, gute Säure, sehr langer, aromatischer und komplexer Abgang; leckerer Wein
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9/11/2013 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux 2012 en primeur with WInefinder (Munchenbryggeriet, Stockholm): Simple, soft and integrated, but classic agreeable nose, quite elegant.
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7/20/2013 - the player Likes this wine: 91 Points
Finally redeemed itself, two hours in decanter, very feminine Pauillac, perfumed nose reminiscent of Margaux nose with Jasmin, cassis, dark red berries, sweet tobacco, crushed rocks and some pepper. Excellent palate, very soft entry, coats mid palate with red berries and a decent finish. Medium to full bodied, great balance, nice indeed. One more bottle left before I decide on whether or not to restock on this wine.
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7/18/2013 - JulianSkeels wrote: 94 Points
Very smooth, silky tannins. Merlot really helped the wine in this vintage. Some saline, and a slightly rough finish at present. I much prefer the 2006 (and potentially even the 2002). Lacks the mid-palate and plums I always associate with Pichon Lalande. Maybe going through a dumb phase? – I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
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6/23/2013 - Vin Rouge wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful nose, balance flavors of fruit, earth and tobacco, fantastic smooth finish
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5/31/2013 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux 2004 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): The bouquet is luxurious, but still showing lactic impressions. On the palate concentrated juice with dark as well as red forest fruits, a lot of good acidity, bell pepper and sticky tannin. I wrote down a luxurious youthful monster. When this starts to show its finesse it will probably be great, but for now only 91 and possibly potential for 94+. Do not drink before 2019.
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5/31/2013 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux 2004 - an overview (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Just like its wingmate in this flight, this wine is very backward and bursting with potential. Had to be a Left-banker, too. Grumpy notes of smoke, leather and matchstick. Black fruit, chalk, cedar and graphite peeking through spicy tannines, which need a couple of years to soften and integrate. I think this was the most unevolved wine of the evening. 18/20 (group scores: 90-93)
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5/29/2013 - usacoach Likes this wine: 92 Points
It took a full 24 hours for it to show itself. Quite austere at opening but turned beautiful after a full day.
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5/24/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sheer elegance! Rarely have I tasted wine this fine in this vintage. Dark purple color with an ethereal nose of Pauillac earth, leather, and dried herbs. The palate exhibits a soft, warm character with flavors of currant, tobacco, saddle leather, lead pencil shavings, vanilla and toasted oak. Finishes very long with finely-integrated tannins. Very well-balanced and gracefully elegant. I'm a fan. Outstanding! Drink now until 2019.
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4/28/2013 - the player wrote: 88 Points
One of the lowest scores I've given in a long while on any of the wines from my cellar. Really paled in comparison when drunk side by side with the PB 04. The only thing that salvaged this wine was its nice nose of blackberries, cassis, leather and hints of tobacco. Deep blackish crimson core, the palate was disjointed; even after 2 - 3 hours of aeration this wine could not find its balance or any character. Tannic, short finish, nothing to write home about. Not sure whether this wine can go anywhere or do anything with age except soften.
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4/22/2013 - the player Likes this wine: 91 Points
by the time we reached this bottle, my senses were shot. All I remember was that it was young, and I much prefer the Pichon Baron at this stage.
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4/13/2013 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was part of a 6 vintage dinner. It was young. It did not deserve to be downrated as some reviewers have suggested. Being young it was brash. The nose had the red fruit distinctiveness, perhaps even with a bit of vegetable. The taste was strong and robust.
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4/6/2013 - t018214 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Deeply colored. The wine was thin, dry and austere upon first opening, and then developed some bulk and balance over the next 3 hours of breathing - but it never showed any fruit and remained dry and austere. I had hoped for much better.
Addition on 5.April 2013: One CT colleague commented "hold the '04 Lalande another five years. It's too young - it's not showing well now". The wine shows no real signs of maturity, so I will take his advice and see how this develops.
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4/4/2013 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Purchase on cruise ship. Excellent balance, of course young but approachable. Needs 4+ hours decant
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3/31/2013 - Baron Samedi wrote: 91 Points
Pleasant bouquet. Raspberry, cedar and beginning earthy undertones on palate. In a good place now, but will improve.
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3/9/2013 - pacificoast wrote: 84 Points
I'm trying to be charitable in giving it an 84, for the fact is this wine is borderline awful. As several others who've given it harsh scores have noted, there's really nothing particularly worthwhile here. In my opinion, it's a disgrace to the concept of 'Super Second' Bordeaux, and betrays this property's legacy of some of the finest efforts in Bordeaux from the 1980's. What happened to this property? This wine is thin, harsh, and rather nasty on the finish. A hint of beefy meat on the nose makes promises the palate can't keep. This was one of my favorite properties in the 1980's, but with wines like this, it's sadly an embarrassing shadow of its former self. Avoid this wine, spend your money elsewhere.
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1/19/2013 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Very dark red with a slight start of bricking at the rim. Nice nose of dark cherry, plum and tobacco. Good palate with cedar, dark fruits, melting tannins and good acidity. A bit thin on the clean finish. Drank very well with lamb and by itself, entering a drinking window but has a lot of time left and could easily improve.
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12/18/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Seducive, silky, fleshy, light. Drinking quite well at the moment.
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12/16/2012 - macker100 wrote: 93 Points
I brought this blind to Boerne Wine Club champagne tasting, the common theme being the owner of Lalande is champagne heavyweight Lois Roederer. No one at table guessed left bank, most postulated California or Italy. Finally after nearly nine years of age, this wine has emerged. Dramatic improvement since my last tasting in 5/11. The nose was really singing from start, with aromas of black raspberries, spice, chocolate. A bit of oak still on palate, but tannins have begun to finally break down a bit. This Lalande has the typical full concentration of lively black fruits, licorice, glycerin, and cedar. I did not get any of the green elements I got 18 months ago though. Velvety long finish. After promoting the merits of the Pichon Baron '04, I think the Lalande '04 is equally worthy of high praise.
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12/7/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
From an assemblage of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the wine opened with coffee bean, earth, truffle tobacco and black cherry. Medium bodied with some dryness in the black cherry finish, this already starting to drink well and is not a wine to lay down for decades.
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9/7/2012 - Superpinot wrote:
Great nose and great finish. Good balance. Hints of chocolate and vanilla. Hopes were high for this one, but did not stand out in a tasting of ten great wines. 4 hours in the glass before tasting.
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9/2/2012 - hamadali wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color. It's overly tannic with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish.
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5/28/2012 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at the chateau with Astrid. Rich dark fruit, chocolate, hazelnut, starting to develop floral notes. Vaguely animal palate. Still some tannins left to integrate. I think that this just requires a little more time to flesh out. I'll wait on my bottle for at least another 5 years.
4- to 4
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5/12/2012 - Bisty wrote: 93 Points
Le Week-end des Grands Crus (Bordeaux): Surprisingly dark.
Quite a lot of new oak. Very good fruit. I bit too much vanilla right now. Wait!
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5/6/2012 - alittle wrote: 92 Points
Sunday Night Tasting in KW (Andrew's House): Double decanted 1 hour prior to service, and followed in the glass for an additional 3 hours. Deep purple in the glass. At first, this was far more expressive than the '04 La Mission Haut Brion served along side it, offering up notes of dark and red fruits, cured meat, earth, light green minty/herbal note, and mild toasty oak notes by way of vanilla and caramel. Within 45 minutes, this closed up entirely and did not re-emerge. On the palate, a little thinner than it's counterpart, with notes of red fruits, earth, light herbaceousness, and caramel. Structure is moderate, with good and acidity and grainy tannins, that slightly dry the finish, causing it to be ever so clipped. As with the LMHB, all the pieces are there, but this needs an additional 5 years of cellaring at minimum to come in to its own.
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5/6/2012 - Wine Canuck wrote: 92 Points
This was tight all night. You can tell there's a bit of mushroom funk underneath there and a bit of cedar note. I wouldn't even think about this wine for at least 5 years, if not more. 92+ is provisional. This could merit a much better score when mature.
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4/15/2012 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Filling in w/the Sunday Brown Bag Group (Rich's & Dana's): Garnet color, orangish meniscus. Aromas of raw rhubarb, rose petals and dark fruit. Medium-bodied with firm, slightly chalky tannins but loads of red fruit and cherry on the palate. Long finish dominated by red fruit tones.
My #5
Group #6, 55 pts
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2/19/2012 - florent.rodier wrote: 97 Points
Just amazing, a wonderful nose, and a taste extraordinary, with long finish as for the 2003 vintage it is a big big pleasure to drink this wine
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1/26/2012 - pgb67 wrote: 92 Points
Soft and seductive, but with a solid core of fruit that pairs well with food and leaves a lasting finish. Blackberry jam and cocoa on the aromatic and flavor profiles, with well-integrated tannins. Drinks easy and quick.
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12/26/2011 - gguyatt wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours...certainly a fine wine with the typical scent of Pauillac. Dark colour, tannins very present suggesting many years ahead in the future...it may soften up a bit in a few years.
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12/25/2011 - yofog wrote: 92 Points
A bit too soft and modern for my taste. I don't really think Pauillac is supposed to taste like this. Nevertheless, it's an excellent wine for those who like the style, and I'm sure I would like it just fine in twenty years.
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10/9/2011 - Andice wrote: 72 Points
Pauillac 2GCC. Expected a ton from this blue chip, but what came was a pedestrian, rather light bodied left bank claret. Not much complexity or lushness to speak of, both in bouquet and mouthfeel. Very ordinary, supermarket quality to it. Perhaps in a dumb phase now? Only time will tell. Poor Price to Quality ratio for now (7.2/10). http://sgbordeaux.blogspot.com/2011/02/pichon-lalande-2004-clerc-milon-2006.html
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9/14/2011 - willthethrill wrote: 88 Points
What a dud...totally boring Pauillac that insulted C's roast chicken...
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8/18/2011 - RayOB wrote: 91 Points
The 2005 Lynch Bages was better
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8/6/2011 - MRichman wrote:
Juicy, thick, chewy, round. Dense and blunt for a Pichon Lalande. Has some herb and sweet baking spices along with toasted oak, tobacco, and floral notes. Dark overall and fairly hot. Much more open than I expected. This is Pichon Lalande in the new world. Nice, enjoyable, but a little anonymous. Has a lot of kick.
B+
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7/15/2011 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 89 Points
2hr decant and I think it needed 6...drank over 2+ hours and it just wasn't giving much up. light nose and soft on the palate with a decent finish. Much more interesting on day 2 showing the fruit and silkiness that we were looking for the first night…needs a lot of air and/or more time
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7/11/2011 - vinopa wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby in color...Nose: Ripe dark fruit, leather, touch of tobacco and a hint of veggies..Palate: Very smooth and elegant..Full bodied with sweet fine grained tannins..Dark fruit , earth, fennel seed, and cedar..Well balanced with good mouth watering acidity...This is one of those 04's that presents really good value imo..Cheers!!!
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6/29/2011 - paulst wrote: 93 Points
Nice sweet leather nose; round with blackberry; young and developing; elegant with nice sweet young tannins.
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6/12/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
2011 Casual Session - 8 (On The Table - Solaris Dutamas): Dark core with red rim. It was this elegance and perfume aromas of violet that grab my attention, along with soft aromas of tobacco, earth, dry herbs that surrounded the inner core of creme de cassis. This medium bodied, well balance wine exhibit very bright, harmonious with very pure sweet red and dark fruits flavor, dried herb complexity with a touch of savory meatiness, with firm acidity backbone lending for lift and precision. What I like this vintage is the freshness and acidity lift that make this highly concentrated (in 2004) wine light on its feet and highly transparent. The fine, soft tannin has very well integrated and leads to the long, persistent finish with mineral, dry herbs and sweet plum nuances. An immense pleasure to drink this now and this should be able to continue evolved for the next 3-5yrs to reach its plateau. Buy - Yes.
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5/16/2011 - Porchino wrote: 91 Points
Consider that some vintages are among the worlds best wines this smooth 04 which i had on its own which is rarely the case as i usually have with food but i opened this in london.Has a rye seed taste very smooth and elegant but may need to breath a bit to open or it could just be a 04 problem.the italian wne back to back valdicava brunello was r a step above this wine.it did improve with food
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5/12/2011 - macker100 wrote: 91 Points
At Monterrey. Very excited to compare and contrast with P.Baron. Whereas Baron was open and complex, Lalande was clammed up and tannic. Aromas muted, but did elevate through the night, notes of dark raspberries and some smoke. Palate was smooth, with lots of green herbs, cedar. Like Montrose, needs considerable cellar time.
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5/12/2011 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bordeaux at the Monterey (The Monterey): Splash decanted and recorked 12hrs prior to tasting. Initially served a little warm, after cooling, had a shy nose of charcoal and a thin green streak (the good kind), with a little black cherry. Palate was showing a nice cassis note, strong acidity and chewy tannins that stayed in the background. Despite the tannins, a soft mouthfeel. Finishing with a flinty fleshy finish with some currants poking through. With air through the evening tightened up, showing more of an herbaceous and “thinner” palate. Not the most enjoyable wine now, but I think this will flesh out with time. Certainly has the acidity, tannins, and balance to age well. Has potential to be the longest lived wine of the tasting.
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3/7/2011 - cookie7 wrote:
This did not perform well when tasted blind against a 2004 Montrose, it was shut down but also seemed green leading to believe it did not have enought fruit to go the distance. Now revisitinf the remaining quarter bottle two nights later. Some cocoa on the nose but also hints of olive and clove. This is definitely performing better than it did on the first night after a pop and pour. However, I am still not wowed by it.
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2/26/2011 - Fishboy wrote: 91 Points
Still very young. Decanted for an hour but probably should have decanted longer. Dark fruit with tobacco and cedar notes. Will wait a few years before opening another bottle.
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2/6/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 92 Points
This wine was tasted at a walk-around Super Bowl party. The bottle was kindly provided by Frank Noble. The bottle was opened without decanting and serially tasted over 2-3 hours. The nose shows moderately intense aromas of black currants, tobacco, pencil shavings and mocha. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and big sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Long, smooth finish. This is the real deal and tows the Pauillac line. It may merit a higher score in the future, as additional time in the cellar will likely add some complexity. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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2/6/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club: High End Aussie Wines & Bordeaux: Nice wine and improved with some time. Decanted one hour but needed more time. Charcoal, raspberry, minerals, roses and cedar come together to offer an enjoyable experience. This is a wine to drink with a small group and see the development over 2 or 3 hours. Medium finish and plenty of life left on this wine.
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2/5/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club Does Highly Rated Aussies and some Bordeaux to boot ("Jan's Pseudo-place"): Dark red purple color. This wine did not show as well tonight, but was really on the up swing through the evening. clearly this is a wine that demands a significant decant, I recommend at least 4 hours. Creme de cassis, pencil lead, earth. Full on the palate with a long finish.
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1/23/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 90 Points
Germaine's dinner with P1 parents (FLM): from magnum. aromatic nose of roasted coffee beans and dark cherries. a bit tight and a little dry on the finish.
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1/17/2011 - jorge48 wrote: 89 Points
Herbs galore: vegetable stew on the nose, cooked spring greens on the palate. Delicate and refined. Drinking well now.
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12/28/2010 - MarkMich wrote: 92 Points
Drank on my 47th B-day. Decanted for 2 hours though the bouquet hit me upon opening the bottle. Really nice nose of red fruit, earth and cassis. On the palate it lacks depth and complexity but did pair well w/ our steak dinner. All and all a very nice wine.
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12/17/2010 - europat55 wrote:
18-bottle Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Vertical (1976-2007) (Jeff & Chuck's, Mountain View, California): Nice earthy nose, with hints of cassis, blackcurrents. Somewhat thin in the mouth. Not ready for business yet. Seems to have the potential for 90-92 pts in 5+ years. Certainly a great effort for the vintage.
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12/17/2010 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Lunch with my wine guy. GREAT wine. No notes because I was so enthraled with the wine I didn't take notes.
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11/27/2010 - clementwolf wrote: 93 Points
Opened for 2 hours, beautiful and complex nose of blackcurrents, cassis and raspberries with hints of mushrooms, graphite, lead and some pepper. On the palate it is a bit simple, and it still needs a few more years to show its true nature. But still, a very good effort from Pichon for a not too good vintage.
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11/6/2010 - Ho Bryan wrote:
First night: five hour double decant. This is not just young; this is undrinkable. Somewhere behind all that oak is a strong and sumptuous wine, but there's no getting to it tonight. Half a glass in and it was straight into the fridge to see if it might open up by tomorrow night. Second night: no development, so unter die Brucke.
If you have preference against very strong oak I would wait at least 3 or 4 years (and probably more like 10) before approaching.
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11/4/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Right off the pull more succulent and rich than the Baron, also tighter with more mocha across the finish. We shall see.
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11/2/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 95 Points
Pichon and CDP at Matt's (Matt's House): The transformation of this wine.
Popped and poured:
Rich and robust with smoke, cassis, oak, minerals and graphite. Firm tannins and needs some time in the decanter although solid. 93 points
2.5 hours later:
Violets, graphite, minerals, raspberries, coffee, herbs and smoke. Coming around a bit more.
4 hours:
Perfect timing! More subtle wine with coffee, raspberries, cassis, gravel and graphite. Concentrated and has a medium finish. This is a top ten wine of the year for sure! 95 points
Day 2:
Still drinking well but not quite as good as day 1
Day 3: Too much time from being opened. I don't see the point in aging this wine for five years as if decated 4 hours it drinks as well as any 04 I have tasted.
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10/30/2010 - Mattshank wrote: 94 Points
Pichon and CDP at my place (My House): Nose: Wonderful mineral and pencil lead qualities with assorted herbs. Palate: Soft and velvety with black fruits, French Roast coffee, red fruit hints and acidity showing up on the finish. Medium length but very elegant finish. This wine became more nuanced as the night went on. Wonderful and my WOTN! 94+ points.
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10/30/2010 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Pichon and CDP at Matt's (Matt's house): Dark Red Purple . Decanted for 1.5 hr and drank over an additional 3 hours. Showing nicely at presentiation, but really evolved over the evening, consistent with previous experience that required a 4 hours decant. This clearly needs time, but if you are patient and decant well, this will reward. Nose is aromatic with with cassis, pencil lead, herbs, a bit of smoke and sweet black cherry. The palate is concentrated with ripe black fruits and round tannins. My WOTN. 94-95pts.
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10/29/2010 - MattTM wrote:
Le Gavroche Welcomes Gildas d’Ollone (Vancouver, BC): Fairly soft on the nose, next to the '03, which was expected. Tight, with sour current, mushroom, and barnyard notes on the nose. Very dry on the palette, with raisin, current, oak, and plums showing. This is still quite tight, with lots of tannin and acid
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9/22/2010 - LWI wrote: 90 Points
BdX 01/04 (Oslo): Mellow berry fruit, complex and welcoming smell; spices, fairly heavy and with good tannins. A tiny hint of cork may have obscured any refinement. 90+
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9/4/2010 - gsquireh wrote: 93 Points
Rich purple full-bodied chewy black cherry with coffee and cassis aromas. An excellent 2004.
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7/23/2010 - DougSamuel wrote: 91 Points
Dark, ruby red in the glass. We popped and poured a small amount and it was closed without much fruit or anything. After an hour in the decanter it revealed laser beams of berries and a rich and smooth finish with well integrated tannins. After another hour it became even more open and approachable with dark cherry, raspberry, chocolate, and oak with a caressing finish. Very nice wine, but needs more time in the cellar or a minimum of 90-120 minutes of decanting.
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7/18/2010 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Very young wine. Dark in color, with fresh aromas of pen ink, roasted herbs, dried cranberry and sweet cherry. Dense, burly wine that will need a lot of time to mellow out. There were certainly moments while drinking it that the Lalande charm and charisma peaked out from behind the ripping tannis - just not enough to consider opening another for at least 5-7 years.
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6/27/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
(mostly) 2004 2nd growth Bordeaux (Waterford Wine Co., Milwaukee): proper (not over-ripe) blackberry. lots of tobacco leaf in the nose. Petit Verdot as salt. "purple lavender high note" 50% new oak.
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6/26/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Marked by Merlot but not in a bad way.
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6/25/2010 - Beavis77 wrote:
Has a more lush, baked berry aspect to the nose with a crazy richness to the floral/perfume/iron notes. Dusty, iron-rich mocha. A great bouquet.
Lush and ripe, but with firm tannic structure. Graphite and gravel to go with the dark berries. Coffee notes and a long, full finish that lingers. Even though this sees 100% new oak, it is remarkably integrated and not noticable.
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6/21/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 95 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club does Bordeaux; 6/20/2010-6/24/2010 (Kevin's House): Wow! I don't know if others decanted this wine prior but 5 hours opened it up. Also tasted blind. Blackberries, pepper, blueberries, and minerals on the nose. The palate had a beautiful perfume quality. Great structure and expressive fruits. Medium tannins. The finish is long and very complex. Wine of the night by the group by a land slide!
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6/19/2010 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club: Bordeaux and Bordeaux Blends (Kevin and Vicki's): Very dark purple red in glass. Nose is very aromatic and shows pencil lead, creme de cassis, earth, cherry. the palate is very concentrated with sweet round tannins and a very long finish. This wine was the clear WOTN, I think it was unanimous as well. 95-96pts.
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5/17/2010 - kopatrota wrote:
vin à carafer minimum 1 heure
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5/7/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Pichon: Baron vs. Comtesse: Obviously the youngest wine in the group. Purple with some ruby hues. The nose has coffee, cherries and is very tight. Slightly dusty. On the palate, this is simple and one dimensional. Lots of black cherry fruit. Thick tannins. Seems like it has the stuffing to develop though. Not a great time to be opening this.
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5/4/2010 - dssmith wrote: 86 Points
The color is dark, inky red. There is minimal bouquet. The wine is very heavy -- strong oak and tannin with subdued fruit. It is drinkable, but still a bit raw.
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4/18/2010 - Tag01 wrote: 91 Points
Some sediments in bottle.
Very dark and inky purple. Opaque.
Very nice fragrant nose. Sweet cherries. Some licorice
Fairly tight tannins but they do allow fruit to come through. Good stron and med-long finish ending in a dark bitter chocolate.
Very nice wine but does need several more years to develop.
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4/15/2010 - LeechDogg wrote: 88 Points
Dark tar, dusty, deep toast, oak, tannins, plum, resinous oaky finish.
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1/22/2010 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
Pichon vs Pichon NYC (New York, United States): Rich and corpulent, with a very pleasing almost sweet nose of ripe fruit, and a more giving palate but with good structure. This was indeed the Comtesse
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1/11/2010 - THA wrote: 89 Points
A very good wine. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates this moderately juicy and modern, smooth and elegant wine. A floral, fragrant nose. Fans of traditional Old World flavors might be disappointed, but this very good wine should please everyone. No flaws to speak of. J. Suckling's notes at WS are quite accurate in my opinion.
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1/3/2010 - gb1406 wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit aromas; cherry/tabacco flavours up front but rounded out silky smooth with hint of tannins after being open for 2 hours. Will develop for many years.
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11/18/2009 - pjaines wrote:
Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): These 2004 wines are really rocking my world right now and this was no exception. Deep, primary colour - this wine is obviously just in its infancy but shows great potential with deep primary fruit, rich in the mouth with deep tannins. Needs another 10 years at least. Very good.
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10/20/2009 - petrusncoke wrote: 93 Points
The nose is restrained, though not closed, with lovely aromas of cassis, violets, cedar, and vanilla oak. On the palate, primary layers of fruit caress the palate, with flavors of cedar and earth poking through which give way to a very long finish that perhaps betrays the wine's potential. The tannins were certainly present, but the wines youth was more evident in the unevolved fruit flavors rather than a punishing tannin structure. I'd drink if this were on a list, but otherwise this should be cellared for another 5 years. 93+
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9/19/2009 - bacchus wrote: 89 Points
had a taste at joe canal (iselin). the pleasure is mostly in the nose. beautiful florals and a bit of earth. this is definitely bordeaux. i find it to be light to medium body with a short finish. i am hard pressed to believe the 20 year longevity estimates.
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9/12/2009 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Mostly the same impressions as 2 years ago. The wine has shut down a bit now, but there is still luxury, elegance, good cassis juice and a firm amount of acidity and bitterness. Give this wine 5+ years of rest and the score will probably be a bit higher.
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8/17/2009 - jeremy_ross wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple. Lovely nose of dark red fruit, strawberry fruit rollups. On the palette the texture jumps out the most - soft, but gripping, somewhat elegant. Slightly more fruity than expected. Finishes dry with tannins pulling at the insides of my cheeks.
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5/19/2009 - City Wine Journal wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1-2 hours. This is developing slowly into a nice, classic Pauillac. Dark fruit, cassis, cedar, and some leather on the nose was confirmed on the palate. Still holding some reserve tannic structure signalling more to come, but overall a sound, pretty and well developed wine more juicy than lean, pleasant to drink. Close to full bodied, nice acidity & length, and good balance.
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1/22/2009 - wineotim wrote: 91 Points
Aromas and flavors of dark fruit, with some smoke nuances. Dark inky purple color. Big, bold, full bodied,-----almost Napa-like. A young chewy wine, expected more finesse, this wine is more of a French fruit bomb than expected.
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12/19/2008 - sfqwino wrote: 93 Points
This wine needs serious coaxing. Opened for 12 hrs and decanted for a further 4 hrs before it started to open up. And once it does, wow! Layers of wonderful, complex flavours began to unfold. Cassis, dark berries, cigar box, earth, mushrooms, graphite. It was such wonderful experience that it was best to stop analysing the wine & indulge oneself in its complexity & elegance.
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12/17/2008 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
31 Vintages of Pichon Lalande 1928-2005; 12/16/2008-12/17/2008 (IOD, London): Ripe blackberry jam perfume, deep and richly fruity, seamless and very very beautiful [universally loved by those present, for many the WOTN]
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10/16/2008 - Paul S wrote: 90 Points
WFA Bordeaux 2004 tasting by the Wine Review; 10/16/2008-10/17/2008 (Suntec City, Singapore): I have not had a stupendous Pichon Lalande since the 1996. This was decently good, but not mindblowing. Darkish, red-purple. The nose was rather modern, but really nice and complex - toasty mocha and coffee notes set against a backdrop of earth and plums. The palate was marked with fine tannins, rather tightly coiled, and good balancing acidity. There was a shade of greeness, but that was well under control. Otherthan that, I felt that the wine was closed, almost shut down. There was good fruit weight in the cassis character that came through, but little else. Finish was disappointingly short. Yet for all that, the wine does have good material and good structure and certainly shows quite a bit of class. This one will take time, but I think it will come around.
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10/16/2008 - Alex H wrote: 83 Points
Wine For Asia 2008 (Suntec City Singapore): Really tight wine now... tight on the nose, tight on the palate, tight on the tannins. This is just so closeted and difficult right now. Although there is some nice spice on the nose, good acid, tannin weight and structure that might make this a sleeper. Currently, still undecided and lost child looking for a direction in life. This gets 83 + ??? pts.
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10/11/2008 - Badfish wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux Today (2005s & A Lone 2004) (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Opaque dark purple core with medium legs in the glass. There is an undeniably unique streak to the bouquet of this wine which is hard to place but seems to offer an herbal quality to the dark currant, licorice, and earth also present. The palate has fine high-toned flavors of red berry and currant fruit with herbal undertones. The tannin acid structure is firm and balances well with the fruit in the wine. Finally the long finish is very attractive with a sweet anise quality to it. I have heard the 2005 is terribly disappointing so I think this is the wine to buy if you are looking for a solid well priced Pichon Lalande.
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10/4/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 90 Points
The last time I had this wine was right after release, back in March of 2007. While it was in an approachable state at that time, it has since closed up a bit but still shows some really nice character and does reveal itself with some time. I did a quick splash double decant before bringing this to a friends place for dinner and the wine itself was then reopened probably a couple hours after the initial decanting. The 2004 Bordeaux reds continue to impress me across the board and the fact that they are so much cheaper then the 05 make them the easier purchase choice.
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8/8/2008 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 88 Points
bottle was open 3hr beforehand and the nose was light and tiight at first. Opened up some in the glass with Cherry, Vanilla, a bit of black licorice and oak. Soft on the palate and the oak was more noticeable. Seemed like an awkward stage for this wine where the components haven't quite come together and I'm hoping it's just the youth. May have needed more air time. Finish was just ok but coated well with the oak and tannins showing their presence. Will be a few years before I open another.
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5/16/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
bordeaux tasting (Binny's Highland Park): nose: this nose is much more in line with what I'd expect from PLL then the last time I had this. Real nice soft and feminine nose with floral tones, red and black currants, some toasted oak tones, a bit of anise, and soft cranberries and cherries with some whisps of smoke tones hiding beneath
taste: very upfront on the attack with good cranberry and black currant notes that are complimented with some anise, toasted oak, and floral tones
overall: this is exactly what LaLande is about. A good feminine styled wine with class and elegance. Very nice silky feel to it some nice backbone and acidity with a good black currant and toasted oak finish
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4/23/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Perhaps a little under the weather, this was underwhelming and unventful on the palate, though initially dense on the nose with very typical currant and earth aromas. Finishes nicely with a flurry of fine tannins.
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4/18/2008 - noppakit s. wrote: 91 Points
This 2004 is a promising wine. It's surely good when drink slowly between 3-4 persons to see its development from Cab Franc to Merlot...Cab Sauvignon at the end.
Good acidity, classic, nice texture, good finished.
Drink 2012 - 2025
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4/18/2008 - loverboy wrote: 89 Points
Dinner at Ember (Ember, Bangkok): Tight and tannic, in close stage. medium-full. Most of 2004 I've tasted this year seem to be closed.
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2/23/2008 - Vinoguy wrote: 93 Points
Decanter Bordeaux Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark Hotel, London): Small sample given. Classic nose. Concentrated and ripe showing good structure and balance. Mouthfilling primary fruit. Tannic & backwards. Long intense finish.
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2/20/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 84 Points
Pichon-Lalande Vertical (Harry's Steak): Interesting how different this feels in a vertical lineup versus the whole bottle I had. Next to the other wines, the oakiness of this wine is really obvious. Smells like nuts and barrel toast. Similar in style to the '01.
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12/14/2007 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Toasted luxurious oak. Good cassis and bitterness. Elegant and firm at the same time. A real Comtesse.
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12/13/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
HDH bordeaux tasting (evanston IL): nose: big broad and powerful nose. Lots of raspberry, cranberry,and some cedar bits. much more powerful then I'm used to from Lalande
taste: real nice firm tannins on the mouth. it brings some real good cranberry, raspberry, leather, and cedar
overall: real nice and firm. this is a powerful wine that also leaves a really good lasting finish
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10/24/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
Classic Comtesse fragrance of graphite and sagebrush leads to a softly textured, red-fruited palate with just enough fruit intensity to outweigh the tannic structure. In fact the degree of stuffing seems to ebb and flow and there are moments of "low tide" when it seems a little thin, but there is enough sweetness of fruit to compensate for its lighter density, and the crisp acidity makes it a more refreshing drink than most wines so sturdily constructed.
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10/11/2007 - hutch wrote: 92 Points
This was one of the stars of this tasting. During initial tasting, the wine showed more potential then enjoyment, with a fine backbone overpowering the fruit. However, later in the evening, the pure fruit really shone, with the structure highlighting the fruit. An extremely enjoyable bottle, and I really wish I had a few more of these.
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9/15/2007 - vancouvermatt wrote:
One of my top picks from a 2004 Bordeaux tasting. Sillky, smooth, medium bodied, with coffee & tabacco notes. Should drink well early.
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8/10/2007 - nomadfromcincy wrote:
Murrieta's Well comparison tasting - similar Bordeaux blends (Murrieta's Well): Compared to its compatriots, this was a heavy wine with big black cherry, a little tar, cassis, and herbal tea. It is a little tight on the mid-palate, but the finish was on another level. This wasn't a fruity wine - it was more powerful, more complex on the nose, and clearly had the tannins to resolve over a few years.
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7/5/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Smooth and silky with nice tobacco, dark herb, some soy and cassis. Nice deep dark toasted oak and tight tannic finish. Less hard than many 2004's I've had. A little light on mid-palate, not a huge punch. Beautiful complex wine. Give it a few years, although it is drinking pretty well now.
B++
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7/1/2007 - Wil wrote: 84 Points
Tasted blind. Very dark colour; somewhat thin and tart. OK finish.
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3/3/2007 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Although RPs notes give different blend %'s, the notes we were given at the KL tasting showed that the 2004 Pichon Lalande is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Petit Verdot. Red violet in color with a nice nose of cassis and black cherries. Lots of nice fruit on the palate and a little buttered toast on the finish. Very drinkable already and a relatively nice price point as well.
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4/10/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 92 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): More forward than the 2005, this wine is going to be ready to drink sooner, and already reveals greater richness and pleasure on the palate than its younger sibling, but is not as complex. Lots of plum fruit with cedar aromas and flavors, but not quite as focused as the 2005. Still, because this vintage is somewhat forgotten between the freaky 03 and the super fine 05, this wine is worth looking for once in store shelves, if you are seeking higher end Bordeaux (53% Cab, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cab Franc). 91-93
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