From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes, improved until final drop. Putting the "currant" back into the word "blackcurrant", this very serious wine from a much maligned "poor" year shows immense aromatic complexity. Dessicated mulberry meets intense fresh blackcurrant; huge concentration of dark spice. Star anise, five-spice. Bright healthy acidity; virile tannic grip. Perhaps not a "Great Wine" but a great bottle of St. Julien approaching peak maturity. 92P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still quite young and fresh from a magnum. Opaque garnet, still purple to the edge. Initially refined tannins coat the mouth, then the complexity of smoke and saddle leather with a tart mouthwatering finish of licorice and earthy notes. Balanced and big, the magnums have another decade to mature. Decant for two hours minimum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderfully evolved now and testament to ageing these wines. Still four years ago, this was pretty massive and tough (at least in my book), whereas now, the wine is fully open for business, nice remainders of fruit and lots of cloves, dark berries and leather. Tannins now melted but still full of structure. 22 years, minor vintage, great chateau, a winning formula. A good buy for some 10 years more i guess and probably a superb PQR.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was my Super Bowl wine. The game (Chiefs win!) was better than the wine. The wine had faded. Good acidity and well balanced, with muted notes of blackberry and black licorice. Overall, I wish I’d tried this bottle five years ago. I love the winery and feel bad not loving this wine.
Classic style! Needs min. 2h of air. Good balance between acid, tertiary notes and tannin structure. Will last many more years but is in its prime window imho. Not the best vintage but underestimated…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over a few hours including day 2. Black fruits with oak, tobacco and earth notes. Fully developed at this point and while it won't get any better should continue to hold up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberries, blackcurrant, dark flowers and tobacco present on the nose. Impeccably transferred to palette. Strong reminders of the 1995, which I one of the best wines I’ve ever had, but without the concentration. This is not an insult
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stood up for a week. Cork in perfect condition. Opened four hours in advance. A deep ruby core fading to a medium ruby outer edge. On the more perfumed, scented range of the Bordeaux spectrum aromatically with dried purple flowers, both red and black currents, a touch of black shoe polish, and a hint of pyrazine yet pyrazines that are perfectly ripe. While the palate isn’t quite as expressive as the nose it was still a pleasure to drink and retained many of the characteristic you’d want and indeed expect to see in a Saint Julien.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Upon opening, this showed with very intense and dense black fruit, some oak, graphite, cigar and some earthiness. After a while in the decanter, the wine became a bit more elegant, showing some more freshness. I don't expect this to become any better (for my taste at least), buti t will last for a few more years at this level I would assume.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear, beautiful dark garnet. A bit of cherry cough syrup on the nose . Red cherries are the dominate note with a bit of raspberry. Not my preferred style, but very nice .
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fully mature and ready to go. Fruit has toned down and balance is up with resolved tannins. Not particularly complex or long but perfectly typical mature Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This vintage is often maligned, and as such, I have not tried anything from it before. Tonight, I found a fair priced winner in this LP. Initially, there was a VA note and some greenness that blew off in the first 30 minutes or so. Moderately well integrated but not perfect in balance. Probably good for another 5-10 years if not slightly longer, which I did not expect going in, though I doubt those years will be an upswing they will likely hold.
Nose - Black fruit - Oak - Slight VA - No oldness or earthiness detected
Palate - Grippy - Black fruit - Blackberry (almost syrah-esc) - some flinty notes below the tannins
90+
Just realized this note is a duplicate but it is more in depth so...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great modern style left bank with 5-10 years in the tank.
A little VA and green note that blew off after 30 minutes in the glass. Very fruit forward with a pleasant backing of oak. Almost syrah like in its character as it possessed a roundness and blackberry note that I usually expect in Australia. All good to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted of considerable slimy deposit 2 hours, improved until final drop. My best bottle yet of this drop-dead-gorgeous LP from an unfairly maligned year. Pure, deep, cool classic cassis + darkish red-fruit St. Julien profile, this bottle was in peak, virile maturity with many years to go. 92–93P
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby garnet color on the rim. Lots of graphite, earthy mineral notes, muted fruit of dark berries and cherry on the nose. Palate is still tannic, no acidity, lots of dried dirt, graphite, kicked gravel, wet leaves, not a ton of fruit. Tasted over four hours, tannins dropped after about one hour and the wine became silky smooth. Could definitely go another decade but with a decant, drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
13.5% alcohol. Top quality cork, not that long but virtually free of defect; wine penetration is uneven, between 2 and 5 mm. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour all the way to the rim. Superb nose marrying lively dark berries with some tertiary notes of tobacco; the oak is barely perceptible in the background, contributing to the overall harmony. The mouth is joyful and juicy in a way that Médoc rarely is; glorious and unstuffy. The tannins are resolved, but the wine is not lacking grip. Incredibly youthful at age twenty and capable of much longer ageing. I don't expect to drink a better Bordeaux this year.
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted off substantial slimy deposit 1 hour, improved until final drop. Pure. surprisingly concentrated, slightly underripe blackcurrant, cedar, mint and tobacco scent; bigger-bodied entry than I remembered or expected, this has put on some middle-aged spread in the last couple of years; shortish but pure, pleasantly astringent finish. Outstanding, classic St. Julien in a light-medium format, and a great advertisement for the many cool virtues of the 2002 vintage. No hurry. 92–93P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10th bottle from a case bought en primeur. Double decanted. Still has the lovely smoky blackcurrant nose. Plentiful tannins and decent level of fruit with great flavour on a masculine palate. Long finish with wood smoke, cedar and blackcurrant. All of the bitterness has now fallen out. Fruit has receded a little and the wine has started its slow decline, which after 20 years for a lesser vintage is great going.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting (Fribourg): 2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting. Key takeaways: 1/ 31 out of 32 wines were in flawless condition which indicates either luck or less bottle variation in the vintage, 2/ On average still early days with the fruit predominantly primary, 3/ solid hedonistic quality with only few laggards, but also no blow-outs, 4/ structures built on both tannin and acidity, but common mid-palate weakness, 5/ best wines were Valandrau, Palmer and a surprise underdog Lagrange (all 95), 6/ biggest disappointment was a cooked Figeac (87). More comments and full list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note: Dark and red cherry fruit, white pepper, mineral notes of pencil shavings and iodine, floral notes of violets. Palate is firmly structured, feels definitely young but in good balance overall. A solid Poyferré which, while different in style from Barton, was similarly good seeing eye to eye in this vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2002 Claret Horizontal (Piccolino, Exchange Square): Such a shame there is a persistent 1/10 cork taint to this wine. Underneath there is real quality with a beautiful blackcurrant pastille and sandalwood character. Grrr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
02 Claret @ Piccolino (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London): Quite a dense, plush St Julian nose. Really quite rich, though not s plush as previous bottles. Ducru on steroids with everything g dialled up a notch. Plusher, riper, fuller. A bit more obvious. Would be lovely on its own but made to look a little blowsy alongside the Ducru. Double decanted for six hours and there’s just a smidge of TCA appearing. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unfortunately a tiny hint of TCA, but still a great wine. Seems to be in prime drinking window. Lovely layers of dark fruit, elegant symmetry, secondary notes of cigar box and milk chocolate, and a compelling finish with dry, sandy tannins. If it were not for the TCA lurking in the background, this would have been an exceptional wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice. Decanted for a couple of hours which is recommended as it was a little tannic on first opening, this is ready to drink with a bit of air and a classic mature left bank Bordeaux. Flavours of cassis, graphite and a lovely mineral/smoky quality. Decent length finish and very well balanced. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Incredibly well balanced, perfect showing of this wine. Drinking at its peak right now? Wine of the night for a few in the group. This is classic St. Julien wine, perfected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It's been 5 years since we last opened this, and it has barely budged (it was almost as if it had gotten younger). For the first 20 minutes, it was big, rich, and dark, but then went into a shell. It re-emerged about 2-3 hours later and was at its best after 5 hours of air. The nose was never prominent, but it did exhibit earthy notes of leather, graphite, and dark fruits (plum, blackberry, etc.). It shined in the mouth though, gaining weight and depth with air, powerful, though a bit austere and never completely forthcoming. The finish finally arrived with the final glass (which is what my score reflects). This was my last one, and wish I had held it at least a few more years. At $35/bottle when purchased on release, this has been about as good of a value I can imagine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Girl and the Goat - a little stingy at first but it blossomed fast. did not go with the beet salad with pickled veggies, but it did with the coconut caramel street corn, and then it was like poetry and modern dance with the sesame chili chicken thigh. So good!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good dark ruby/purple in color. Expressive aromas of cassis, violets, black licorice, graphite. Palate shows sweet crushed dark berries/dried florals, good acidity, some drying tannins present on the rather short finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9th or 10th? bottle from a case bought en primeur. Double decanted back into the washed out bottle. I keep thinking this wine has peaked and am proved wrong every time. Lovely smoky blackcurrant nose. Plentiful tannins and fruit with great flavour balance well on a masculine palate. Very long finish with wood smoke, cedar and blackcurrant. All of the bitterness has now fallen out. Excellent wine that you would not think is from a lesser Bordeaux vintage. Score could go even higher.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I will stop leaving tasting notes on this soon, but I keep laughing because of the open secret of 2002 St Julien. This is magificent wine, everey bit the classified growth, and yet I got this for $65 because of the prejudice against the vintage. I believe good bottles will keep evolving for at least another decade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
13.5% alcohol. Good long whitish dense cork with little wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is dark with marginal thinning at the edge. The nose is not expansive, but it shows maturing notes of blackcurrant. The mouth is again slightly muted, but it has pleasant fruit (blackcurrant), very good acidity in the finish and very good grip; the tannins are resolved at this stage, and there is no sign of oak. Pretty good, but maybe not quite up to expectation on this occasion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour. The first sip was the best, as the wine hardened up with air. Strong pencil-shaving, oaky and black-fruit scent; quite hefty entry, rough-textured tanninic gain to the cassis-led, ripe mid-palate. Somehow the fruit and tannins aren‘t aligned, something is green and hard towards the finish. Needed rare steak with a creamy/garlic/port sauce. My least enjoyable bottle yet (5/12); wonder whether the unflattering tannins will ever resolve. 89P
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
13.5% alcohol. Good long cork with about 5 mm of wine penetration. Decanted 75 mn ahead. Slightly reduced smell from the neck of the bottle. Dark colour with no sign of ageing. The nose is fiery with very pure wild berries. The mouth is incredibly youthful with bright red fruit and plenty of grip; substantial acidity but the tannins are resolved. The oak is integrated. Vey enjoyable but certainly not opulent, in fact the wine is still slightly pinched, which will upset some people. This wine is built for the long haul, and I will wait at least three years before I open the next bottle. One of the joys of good red CS-based Bordeaux is its ability to age.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic Bordeaux, classic St Julien: fruity elegance. Raspberry, blackberries and black currant. Acidity and tannin quite high. Good weight in the mouth. The only mis-note in this wine is the oak, which bosses the palate the longer it is open, very noticeable on opening and still more so after 24 hours. This wine is still young, though there are some tertiary notes of leather, forest floor and rosemary. This has easily 20 years in front of it, my only doubt is whether the oak will ever resolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby with a purplish hue. Refined dark floral and leafy aromas, as well as blackberry and cloves. The attack on the palate was sure, yet delicate, with still biting tannins, and then the ripe berry flavours emerge with dried florals and savoury spices and greens. A good length, and a complex feel as the flavours extend to the back. Great wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am in post-Covid. My sense of smell seems unaffected but my tastebuds are like an out-of-tune instrument. For the first hour, I was convinced this was like a prison-yard experiment of bandaids and alcohol, but then it became what everyone else's experience is. Look, 2002 Leoville ANYTHING is a big secret among all of us sneaky enough to be looking here. This one went amazingly with spaghetti squash, mushooms, RAO marinara and Brussels sprrouts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, good cork stained 0,5cm back, opened 3 hours, decanted for sediment just before drinking. On opening: surprisingly exuberant dark N. Médoc scent, deep colour, profound velvety texture, mouthwatering balance between unexpected richness of fruit (for a 2002) robust tannins and bright acidity. After aeration: this has hardened up. Still an excellent bottle of full-bodied claret, but the more sensuous elements have withdrawn behind hardening tannins and an extracted frame. Would have been better with a rare steak than the chicken I served it with, but next time I’m going to risk P&P and hope for more of the joy and glamour of this evening’s first impression. 90-(92?)P
This isn’t the first time I’ve felt that a 2002 Médoc showed better with less aeration than expected. Lynch Bages, Armailhac and possibly Pontet Canet come to mind, and I wonder whether it had something to do with the winemaking in a difficult vintage, in which virtuosic work in the winery produced surprisingly good wines. Certainly I can’t remember any 2002 of which the final drop tasted best; usually it was the first sip which impressed me instead. I visited N. Médoc in early 2004, i.e. in the winter before the 2002s were bottled; tasting samples of the final blend, even Latour was super-supple and delicious, with Mouton and Lafite so come-hither they seemed ready to drink with dinner the same evening. I remember being very pleased to have invested in en primeur against the trend, but concerned about how these flattering, gorgeous wines might taste at maturity. How will the first growths show at maturity? It would be helpful if more tasters posting here provided detailed information on aeration time and decanting, as I think this may be a particularly important factor in enjoying this vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle seemed a bit on different path than others tasted here. Quite a massive wine, solid tannins, and quite high acidity. I find this relatively unapproachable, some sort of stone to chew on.... It remains interesting, but is muted and rough. Will try to avoid the remaining bottles for some time, maybe this comes back.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic value if bought years back. Wonderful nose and a very long aftertaste. Great Bordeaux and a surprise for those who have written off 2002. sure can life longer but for me at a good spot. Just pure Bdx pleasure. Sadly the last bottle but this wine keeps being on my purchase list for more recent vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
13.5% alcohol. Good cork, not that long, but with no more than 3mm of wine penetration. No info on blend, but this tastes to me like CS 70%, M 30% or thereabout. Decanted 75mn ahead, could possibly have done with more. The colour is very dark with no thinning even at the edge of the rim. The nose is superbly alive with vivid blackcurrant dominating other wild berries. The mouth is equally good with a winning juicy quality and the harmonious remnants of oak élevage. Slightly sharp in the finish, but this gives the wine a lift, and the remaining tannins are not bitter. Nothing opulent here, but plenty of succulence. This wine is as fresh as a daisy, and arguably not quite ready yet. Will improve further over the next five years and then age gracefully for the next ten years, I would say. Whoever rated the 2002 vintage in Médoc as mediocre should quit reviewing; on second thoughts, stick to the job to allow the rest of us to get bargains on the back of your lame reviews.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sheer delight, one of those "this is why I drink wine" wines. Purchased because the 2002 LLC was also a delight, so I like this open secret of 02 St Juliens. Deep color, mushroom aromas on the nose, and then a wonderfully rich, lengthy taste with resolved tannins. The crazy thing was how well it went with a goat cheese appetizer, then maitaki mushroom pizza with a spicey sauce, then broccoli raab, then bread with ranch dressing on it. Serously, turns out the perfect pairing with bread with ranch dressing on it is 2002 Leoville Poyferre. It's like wild boar and Chateauneuf. One of my WOTY and definitely WOTP.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking well now. Nice balance and tannins reasonably subdued. Held up well over two nights under pump. Probably not getting any better, although will be fine for a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes, which it needed. Gradually entering maturity, this has improved a lot since my previous TN (31.01.2016). Still a strict, correct, classical St. Julien, it has filled out beautifully. Now the cedar-astringent discipline is balanced by a surprisingly full-bodied, sweet blackcurrant entry, which admittedly thins out on the mid-palate. The trajectory is upwards (as opposed to, for example the 2002 Lynch Bages, which I mistakenly considered "richer" than this wine four years ago, and is now evidently the lesser wine). Drink now, or anytime in the next ten years or so. 92-93P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It would be a shame to overlook the 2002 Léoville Poyferré because this really is a fine example of the terroir. The nose here is filled with fresh blueberry, cassis, cedar, pencil, and subtle wildflower accents. Plush and intense (more from the decanter than the glass), this seems unmistakably St Julien. This has a finer silhouette, grittier tannin, and a shorter finish than the top vintages, but there’s unequivocally great pleasure to be found here.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep, dense ruby. Cedar and pencil lead, blackcurrant nose. Just a little less bright and expressive than previous bottle. Dense, a little drier than previously, this bottLe not quite as open and giving. Lots of wine here for tHe vintage. ****
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a sleeper. Drinking so luxuriously right now. This 2002 Léoville Poyferré has come into its prime. The intoxicating aroma of anise and cedar follows through with palate staining depth. Silky smooth and saturated with black cherries, violets, and cigar box, the complexity and length are all on point. Enjoy now. There is some unfortunate bottle variation.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic wine at perfect maturation. Aromas are already described here. Just want to add that few minutes after opening the bottle the wine is already ready, does not need decant.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fabulous relaxed wooden nose with blackberry underneath. Entry is delightful with a lot of dark fruit weight early. Build up to nice refined tannins coming quit late. This is older Bordeaux as it should be. Very nice bottle now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Corked, ever so slightly; the type of taint where you get an actual taste of cork rather than wet cardboard and floor-cloth. The cork itself smells fine. Did not get worse with air, unlike in more serious TCA occurrences. The bottle was consumable as a result, with some of the qualities of the wine managing to shine through, but at a much reduced level, as though through a veil; not worth detailing as a result. Only my fourth corked bottle in over 500 notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice for a not-so-respected vintage. It lacks voluptuousness, but still has wonderful cranberry and other red berry. Decant was helpful, lots of sediment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby, very dense and bright. Classic St Julian nose, all cedar, pencil lead and blackcurrant. Lovely sweet blackcurrant fruit on the attack and through the mid-palate. Dense. Nicely fine tannins, almost fully resolved, with good acidity on the finish. Surprisingly full and complete with a sense of plushness. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was closed compared to an effusive bottle three years ago. Nonetheless showing great balance and poise with soft tannins, dark fruits, ample length on the palate, but simplicity. Bottle variation or the next phase?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9th bottle from case bought en primeur. After a couple of good years it seems to have gone back into its shell. Mute on the nose. Blackcurrant and plenty of soft fruit and medium tannins on the palate. Finish has too much bitterness, and more concerning, some astringency, for my taste. Yet this is enjoyable and easy to drink. Worth keeping for a few years before trying again. Long life ahead so don’t panic. Just wait. (Sounds a bit like the FTSE)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Even after 16+ years, the color shows virtually no evolution. Impenetrable. Dark and really brooding nose shows cassis, currant bush, green coffee beans, eucalyptus, and a slightly fresh woody note that comes off as very slight sourness -- reminds me a bit of the quite oaky 2001 La Tour Carnet, in that regard. Plenty of dense fruit -- it's roundish and pretty deep though the finish is pretty modest. Better than expected. I'd suggest drinking now for fear that the fruit might start to fade at a faster pace than the oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Leoville Poyferre vertical with Sarah Cuvelier (Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy): Medium expressive nose displaying sweet but simple red fruit, plum, strawberry jam, noticeable green, lead pencil, leather, cedar and earth. Very good concentration, chunky red fruit, a bit dull and murky, good acidity, earthy mineral, coarse tannin and a medium long plum and leather driven finish. The style is similar to the 12. It can improve for another decade or two, perhaps becoming softer and more complex.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
this was Xmas eve wine...Christmas...as in yule...yule log...not a log I don’t have a log...not in the sense that you think that I said I did...it was a bit nipply outside here today...I mean nippy LOL...did I say nipple?? well there is a nip in the air...and I offered that lingerie model from the mall if she wanted to come drink 2nd growth Bordeaux with Bro-rolo...she sneezed and then got really awkward so I was like whatever don’t come if you’re gonna be weird lol...tis the season to be Mary...pretty sure that was that weird chick’s name...lol
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
13.5% alcohol. Very good long cork with barely 2mm of wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with no sign of ageing. The nose is full of ripe berries with no obvious oak influence. The mouth is surprisingly high-pitched after that nose, without being inharmonious; definitely a food wine, well able to cope with the fat in our leg of lamb. Again no direct oak influence until the finish, which is elegant. Virtually no residual tannins. Longer on liveliness than on opulence. Close enough to to Talbot 2003 but classier and more substantial. This wine tastes like it will last another 15 years without trouble; it will probably round up in the process. Very enjoyable as it is for those who can cope with a measure of liveliness in their Médoc; Parkerites should abstain (are there any left ?).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium red color. In the nose, it's a very typical left bank Bordeaux with notes of blackberry and cassis, some leather, pencil shavings, very sincere and quite elegant. In the mouth, it's maybe slightly rough around the edges, but in total the balance is good, the intensity and depth of better vintages is lacking, but this is definitely a good Léoville Poyferré.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very good wine struggling against a very poor vintage. Dark plum colour; nose of timber/cigar box, some dark fruit, with that typical smoky L-P quality; soft, well integrated palate, good mouthfeel, some dark fruit but too much acidity on back palate (presaging "a thinny"). The wine developed from 89-90 points during the first hour to something close to 91, because of a gaining in weight. But after 2-3 hours, it was showing signs of maderisation.
To repeat myself: the texture and knitted quality of a fine wine was there, but not the substance. Of course, L-P goes on to greater things after this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very similar to previous note, but I thought this was really in a great place and drinking beautifully. Better balanced and fresher than the last bottle. The wine is clear and deep garnet in colour. The nose is clear with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, plum), spice (liquorice), dried fruit (prune), oak (cedar, clove, smoke), tertiary (earth, leather). The wine is developing. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, full body and pronounced intensity flavours of blackcurrant, prune, cedar, smoke, earth, leather. It has a long finish. The wine is very good quality. The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing over the next five years, although frankly, why wait?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Solid wine. Just loosing it's baby fat and beginning to mature. Not a block buster but very pleasurable to drink. Dark fruited, chocolate notes and mellow tannins. Glad I still have a case to enjoy over the next 10-15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An easy afternoon with close friends; Bordeaux (@ My place): Just a short note. Red berries, some bell pepper, tobacco, oak and autumn forest. Some earth and pleasant oak. Juicy acidity and still slightly sticky and drying tannin. Very good wine and no hurry to drink this. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still on the young side, but past the true infant/baby side. Very bordeaux. More library and cigar and leather. Hints of fruit. Strong tannin. Good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very good representative of a mature Saint-Julien, and one of my favorites. Not the most powerful but very elegant and full of all you expect from this district.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very classic left bank nose. This is old school Bordeaux. I love this vintage! I agree that 2001 is perhaps even better, and more mature, but the 2002 is sp well built and will last a long time. The nose has green peppers, blackcurrant, some cedar and cigar and just beginning hints of forest floor, which to me implies that it is entering its drinking window (tertiary aromas). Medium bodied with impeccable balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. The tannins are still there obviously but they are quite soft. 1 hour decant is enough.
Classic Bordeaux nose. Mature and full of black fruit, leather and dry wood. It is not very powerful but a has a very long and complex finish that just makes you wish for more. I think this one is at its peak and should be enjoyed in the next couple of years. It needs a few hours to open up and is very rewarding. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decided to open this next to the 2001. In short, the '02 seemed not ready yet, and definitely in comparison to the '01 (both were stored in climate-controlled conditions since purchased upon release). The '02, at first, was very restrained, yielding some earthy, eucalyptus notes, but the wine did not really open up until 3-4 hours were spent in the decanter, at which point gamey notes of soy, spice (with a touch of cinnamon), and roasted espresso emerged. Compared to the '01, this was notably more brooding and darker in the mouth, revealing much less, but yielding a sense of greater depth (and potential) as well. There is still a good acidic/tannic spine, which did not let-up until the 5-hour mark, where the wine had clearly gained weight and mouth-coating pleasure, revealing dark fruits, chocolate, and spice. I plan to hold remaining bottles at least 5 more years, as I feel we got a good sense of what might lie ahead with more bottle age. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In my cellar since release. Lots of life left, but didn't seem to change much throughout the night. Lots of graphite, forest floor, etc. I think it has years left, but won't get much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic Bordeaux with an excellent nose and clear cut taste. One of the better 2002 vintage which has been downtalked but this documents that there are still nice wines to enjoy from 2002.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite open for business after 30 min decant. Lovely classic Bordeaux nose. Some dust, green herbs, some violets and of course lots of black currants. On the palate it is very wekk balance, not very full bodied, but again a very classic weight from yesteryears when everything was calmer and more normal. I really like both the 2001 and 2002, clearly prefer them to the 2003 which has received 100p for some reason.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened 4 hours ahead - still needed a 1+ hour decant to open and shed some pretty strong tannin (more than a bottle a year ago). Nice concentration and weight, medium bodied. Dark fruits with some earthy and mineral notes, decent fruit showing through. 91 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black Lion Wine Club - Riesling and 2002 Bordeaux (The Black Lion): The wine is clear and deep garnet in colour. The nose is clear with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe and cooked black fruit (blackcurrant, plum), spice (liquorice), dried fruit (prune), oak (cedar, clove, smoke), tertiary (earth, leather). The wine is developing. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, full body and pronounced intensity flavours of blackcurrant, prune, cedar, smoke, earth, leather. It has a long finish. The wine is very good quality. It has excellent confrontation of fruit, which balances the acidity and tannins. It has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary clusters and has a long finish. However it lacks freshness and elegance to be outstanding. The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing over the next five years as it has the fruit concentration and structure to develop further tertiary characteristics. It is however drinking very nicely now so there is no need to wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice claret but its not going to get any better. Not complicated. Decanted for about an hour which I think helped. Its a fine Tuesday night wine with Salmon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A wine that may yet benefit from some cellar time - nice dark ruby color and the nose was quite nice and violety with hints of cassis and spice and a waft of tobacco - the palate as others have stated was a little mismatched - it is well balanced but somehow I feel it is in an awkward phase and a year or two may bring out the best in it yet - it is a medium to light on the palate and that will not change but I think the concentration will improve - the finish in the wine is fairly long and persistent with black fruits dominant and nicely balanced acidity - the structured tannins yet suggest a more balanced and elegant wine will emerge with an additional year or two of cellar time - will try again next year. A good effort overall
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A really open and effusive nose immediately upon opening, followed by an open knit wine on the palate with deep flavors that go on and on. Medium to full bodied. An outstanding Poyferré.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Love the bordeaux nose on this. But the palate definitely leaves me hanging. the two don't match each other. you'd think this was rich wine from the color and nose, but the palate is watery and tannic. bummer. consistent tastings with this, which is at least my 3rd bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second bottle of a case "discovered" in the cellar, drinking much better than the first bottle. I enjoyed this more than a bottle of 2003 Sociando drunk already alongside; P had opposite call. Z's note below describes this well. Not a big wine, but balanced and elegant, what some would call classic BDX.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Monthly Tuesday group #006: Bordeaux 2001 versus 2002 (By VD): The bouquet is not extremely expressive at first, but there are dark forest fruits, a firm amount of vanilla, sweet spices and some iodine. On the palate a firm wine with dark berries, graphite, chocolate, some licorice and green bell pepper. Beautiful acidity, round tannin, firm bitterness and a good length. Overall a beautiful wine which lacks a bit in refinement to be really great. (The great years of Poyferré still had to come…) Can easily last until the end of the decade.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good right now. A medium bodied effort where the elegance is coming through with black fruit, licorice and tobacco. It needed some time to open up and was significantly better day 2. Ready to drink but should hold well over next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 75cl, bottle not moved since delivery as subscription purchase, perfect cork. Decanted 90 minutes. Promising cedar and blackcurrant scent on decanting the best part. This was rather green, underripe, thin, tannic and forbidding; best after 3 hours. My guess is this should hit a sweet spot in about 2-3 years when the remaining grippy tannins melt, and hold well for some time after that. It'll never be a great wine, or as rich as the ripest 2002 super seconds (Lynch Bages). 90P at peak (in 2018?)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of those bottles that's finished quicker than you expect. 7th bottle in 4 years. In 2012 it was a little bitter and over extracted. A pointe in 2014 with well integrated blackcurrant. Always very long and persistent. The fruit is now starting to recede and develop secondary flavours of liquorice and smoke. Still plenty of tannic backbone. Drink now. Right now!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Everyone speaks ill of the 2002 bdx vintage. Wasn't it rainy and cold and produced watery and tannic wines? Yet I haven't had a bad one yet! This 13 year old wine is just singing right now. Fruit has mostly receded into the background, and we are left with pencil leather and dust, but also some blackberry. Still tannic, but the right level. Drink now or in 10 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting Bordeaux Blind (Edina, MN): Tasted blind with approximately 2h decant. Dark purple color. Full body. Great, deep entry carries through to mid-palette. Chewy tannin migrated toward velvety with time in the glass. Good, fresh acidity. I guessed '03 Sanctus. Probably continue cellaring this, but drinks fantastic now too if given adequate air.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Le millésime difficile se fait un peu sentir. Au nez c`est un brin végétal et terreux, assez subtil et muet. En bouche corps très léger, léger manque de matière et de fruit, mine de crayon, terre et cerises, tannins fins et finale courte...à boire sans tarder, possiblement en déclin!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2002 is just a solid wine. Really nice, full bodied, well extracted and balanced with pleasing length. Much better than the 2001, not quite as good as the 2000. Terrific value.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still a deep, nearly opaque purple, with just the faintest hint of bricking at the rim. Nose is reticent, but vigorous swirling gives off some nice cedar, floral notes, and spice. Decanted for an hour or so. Least impressive on the palate: rather simple, with blocky tannins still dominating. Rich and modern, but the fruit's pedigree peeks through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium bodied and less complex than I remembered, licorice, currant and plum are prominent with some spice and tobacco lead to a bit disjointed finish that smoothed out after two hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Belle couleur pourpre foncée, avec ocelle rubis. Lourd, larmes fines et rapides, dépôt de matière. 13.5°. Immense premier nez de violettes et d'épices. Evolue sur de puissants fruits rouges (cerises et groseilles), et la myrtille. Fond cendreux, graphité et minéral. Belle notion de torréfaction. Attaque large et enveloppante sur la cerise et les groseilles rouges laissant place au cassis et à la prune. Puissance aromatique remarquable. Très belle acidité. Très belle finale tannique interminable. Le plus puissant des 3 Léoville en 2002. Un très grand Saint-Julien marquant nettement sa différence avec Barton et Las Cases. Un autre style, moins de complexité, mais un fruit explosif.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brisket, Bordeaux, and Rhones: Brighter and sweeter than the 2002 Léoville Barton tasted with it, but with less complexity, and not nearly as complex or deep as the 2000 Léoville Poyferré tasted with it as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 60 mins ahead, then drank over 3 hrs. I thought this was really showing well, with years ahead. Fruit had plenty of local color: earthy, leather. Tannins were mostly integrated, but wine still had backbone and plenty of finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is so glossy. Lots of aromatic cedar scents, which get sweeter and fruitier with aeration. It's a bit thicker and chunkier than I'd like but a lot of Bordeaux at this age lately drinks just like this. If it had a bit more punch to the flavour or was a bit juicier in nature this would really stand out. Tastes a bit more like it is expensively made than that it comes from a great vineyard.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chocolate, coffee, sweet tobacco, licorice, spice combine with richly velvet black currant and plum to reveal a full-bodied, balanced, smooth and satisfying beauty.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After a couple of hours in the decanter. Musty dark plum nose, nice truffle. Entry is precise and clean dark fruit, nice round mouth with a mid weight. Fairly straightforward finish with a touch of tobacco and white pepper with fine tannins. The decant did this good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted this bottle and it really opened up and showed some secondary flavors. A bit of herbs, flowers, and pencil lead, but still had nice bright fruit. Should have plenty of time left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Soft and spicy nose that follows through in the taste. Smooth and complex, balanced and long on the palate. A wonderful wine. 2000's little brother. Drink now. Highly recommended.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Expressive nose, quite open, showing pleasant fruit, spices, tobacco. On the palate not overly harmonious, decent structure with slightly drying tannins. A bit lean with bright fruit, good acidity with medium length. 89-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Spicy and somewhat vegetal nose- but in an interesting not intrusive way. Initially a little too much green pepper but settled down with time. Soft tannins, medium though slightly watery finish; probably the least impressive of the three. Drinking well right now- potentially could improve but not much.
This was tasted in a flight with the other Leovilles of the same year, and it split the room. Most judged it their least favorite, but two judged it the best.
I found this to be the boldest of the three, and whilst it had immediate appeal, over the course of the night I tended to find myself drinking the other two. Nonetheless highly impressive for the vintage.
A touch faded the following day; the finish becoming even more clipped. Eclipsed the Barton though, which did not show well.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Continuing to explore 2002 Bordeaux, the Leoville Poyferre has the vintage chunkiness. It also has a good deal of fruit, so while rustic in impression, it is enjoyable as a partner to food, and even on its own if you are a little masochistic. I see no signs of imminent decline, so my other bottles will sleep for a while, as I focus on the 2001.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nez intense et profond, mêlant fruits noirs, humus, cèdre et notes minérales. Bouche fine, fondue, fraîche, très digeste. Longueur moyenne. Peut tenir encore au moins 5 ans. Beaucoup de charme.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dignified nose of dark fruit and rich succulence. Very classic Bordeaux pencil shavings and earth, cedar and such but still young - in both a good vibrant way and also in the needs more time way. All in all, a pleasurable wine. (fI)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
CT Tasting Group (Steve's House): Tasted Blind - Bretty nose with some red currant, sandalwood and funk that showed itself towards the end of the nose. Lighter bodied than the 2001 and showing much more acid. Palate shows a little heat and spice. Medium finish.
Good to Very good - Hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
R31 Very fragrant nose of dark fruit with lots of pencil lead - distinctive and rich. Entry is smooth with a very strong flavour profile. A bit of a drop off mid mouth with again an abundance of pencil lead and then cigar box and cedar on the finish. Tannins are fairly fine if a bit drying. People will like this for the fruity nose and decent weight of entry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic bordeaux nose with cassis and blackberry predominant. On the palate some black raspberry, cedar are added to the already noted fruits on the nose. Nicely balanced acidity plus softening tannins suggest that this wine has some time to go before achieving its best overall presentation as evidenced by its continual improvement in the glass throughout the meal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After half hour of airtime, this wine was singing. Dark ruby, medium body with red currant, berry and plum. Strong minerality with firm tannins and good acidic balance in the long finish. 02 wasn't such a bad vintage after all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Occasional tasting group (@ My place Bordeaux 2002 plus some other nice wines.): Beautiful and still a bit reticent bouquet with cassis, graphite and luxurious oak. On the palate concentrated cassis juice, truffle and beautiful oak. Good balance between acidity and sweetness and round tannin with still a firm bite. Concentrated wine and more body than the Gruaud Larose of the same vintage. Will probably improve a bit over the next 2 or 3 years and offer nice drinking until 2020 or even a bit later. 92+
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has taken on a more evolved nose since last year. More blueberries and Merlot on the nose. Almost hinting at tertiary aromas of leather and barnyard, but just slightly in the background. On the palate it is fresh with a touch too much dry acidity/tannins in the finish, but again just very little. Altogether a nice wine, drinking well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Garnet colored. Aromas of Mineral, Mushroom, Black currant (cassis), and Blackberry. Tastes of Black currant (cassis), Stoniness, and Mineral. Mild tannins, medium length, and smooth finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice wine. Dark garnet color. Nose of spice and soy sauce. Mildly tanic. Some dark fruit and spice on the palate. Can last another 10 years. A good wine with Stilton and/or rib eye. 1st of 4.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Secondary notes of tobacco, earth, wet leaf and olive, which add to the cassis, blackberry and red fruits. The tannins are firm, ending in a finish of blackberries and earth . This is showing better than the last time I tasted it. You can drink this now, or age it for a few years, as it could improve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and let it breath for about 20 mins. Really nice purplish red color. Mild barnyard on the nose along with boysenberry very nice perfume like fragrance. I prefer the nose than the actual taste. Nice light syrup type consistency. Nice 10-15 second finish with taste like black cherries, black currant some ceder and hints of mushrooms. Nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bel naso rigoroso ed elegante, prugna, tabacco, speziatura e leggerissimo erbaceo. Rigoroso anche in bocca, buona densita', tannino setoso e bel finale pulito e saporito.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice concentration and weight, a bit firm, but really nice. Almost a creaminess to it. Very stylish, with some welcome earthy and mineral notes, but still lovely fruit showing through. One of the better Bordeaux of this somewhat difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Weekly tasting group #058; Bordeaux left bank 2001, 2002 and 2003. (@ VD): Darker in color than the 2001. Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, graphite and luxurious oak. On the palate ripe dark and red forest fruits, bell pepper, chocolate, a firm amount of acidity, tannin and bitterness. They made a great effort to make a beautiful wine in this lesser vintage and for the most they succeeded. The 2002 is more concentrated than the 2001 and at this moment the 2001 is more open for business. But the amount of bell pepper is more evident in the 2002. The 2002 probably has a longer future. Considering the pros and cons at this moment I have to score the wines the same, but possibly this 2002 deserves a score which is a bit higher. No problem cellaring this until 2020+?.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had the 2002 and 2003 together. The 2002 had a classic Pauillac nose of herbs, cedar, black currants and cassis. Medium body and good balance. Easy to drink, and very fresh to be 10 years old, but still some tannins left. The 2003 had a more Merlot dominated nose, almost new world, hedonistic, but less elegant and less in balance. More full bodied, but still a bit closed. Needs more time, but I doubt this will ever be a classic Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic bdx nose of dark fruits, cassis, dust and some leather. Very noticeable tannins and nice acidity that spoke of a long life, but mercifully mellowed out after a 4 hour decant. This was full on goodness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking this over 2 days and will score tomorrow. More open and developed than 6 months ago - surprisingly delicate fruit nose - wisps of red and blackcurrant fruit; within an hour some liquorice, and more traditional pencil lead and leather. More concentrated than I remember on the palate - fleshier. 2 hours+ - darker, more closed, tannic. Very nice indeed on day 1. Darker on day 2 - wonderful nose, blackcurrant, cedar - leather, cocoa, dark and spicy. Lovely 2 days - savory, complex, challenging but wonderful wine. For me, 92 with ++ over the next 5 years. And more than survived into day 3 just kept in fridge. Maybe these 2002s will last longer than some suggest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 2002 Horizontal (Blue Water Cafe): Medium red. Nicest nose yet with a classic Bordeaux profile of red and black fruits, bell pepper, tobacco, spice and a hint of funk. Most tannic wine of the flight with fine yet firm tannins and excellent acidity. This shows the most Bordeaux typicity in this flight and is my favorite wine so far tonight. The least approachable of the flight with its structure, but should be very nice in 5-10 years. Excellent. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had the 2002 and 2000 after eachother. The difference was smaller than expected. The 2002 had a lovely nose of green herbs, some cedar but less so than in a Pauillac. Also some red berries. Good body with mature fruit, albeit some greenness and more acid than the 2000. The 2000 had another notch to offer both on the nose and on the palate. More dark berries, less green herbs and another layer of fruit. Deeper fruit on the palate. But as I said the difference is smaller than the vintages would suggest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking well now. Opaque ruby, good nose of ripe fruit, med-full bdy with flavors of berry, currant, and lead pencil. Expressive and vibrant with perfect balance and a long finish. Really good!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At BWC tasting, my #6. Similar to 7/10 note with cedar, red berries on nose. Distinct menthol and tar with black fruits on a still tannic palate. Demonstrates more minerality than the '00 or '03. Like many others in the vintage, needs additional cellar time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
BWC - BDX - St Julien and Margaux (Scenic Loop Cafe): Go to take this bottle home and spend some time with it. Nose of menthol (Tim I found it), black currants, and touch of bell pepper. Palate shows some very prominent hard tannins that hide some currants and cassis. Moderate finish, becoming a little hard and dry and a little simple. The more time I spent with this, the less I liked it as it showed more structure and less fruit through the evening. Suprised Lascombes did better in a tough year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful nose. Starts all cigar box, stinky farmyard, hint of cedar. No fruit. With time, some damson. Palate - oh boy, this is dry, old school, not concentrated, no fruit to start, anti-modern. I'm looking for cassis. Like waiting for Godot. 2 hours - some blueberry, still some pretty fierce tannins. If you like modern bordeaux, ignore. If not, spend some time with this wine and remind yourself why classic can be so great. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark and beautiful. Very classic nose of iodine, soil and leather. Taste was a good balance of fruit and acidity. A little dry on the finish. Will keep
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark, opaque, nicely mature at the rim. Moderately fruity nose with good intensity, blackcurrants. Med+ body, quite smooth, very mineral, concentrated, balanced, complex, well-structured, rather restrained. Moderate cherry fruit, truffles. Still quite some potential. Very long, interesting, very good. Pleasantly bitter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is really great for the vintage! Generous with cassis fruit, roasted coffee and earth. Hints of secondary tones of sweet tobacco and chocolate. Nice tannins and integrated oak in the finnish. Will surely improve with another 5 years in the cellar. Classic!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pretty tasty and good, should be better on the second day. My personal penchant for Bordeaux continues on its downward trend, however, and I am not restocking.
Better the second day - much. Let this air in a decanter for several hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tannins have softened nicely a bit, leaving behind a nice cab essence with a hint of plum, a little leather and a bit of minerality and sea air. Well-balanced and very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted about three hours before drinking with New York strip steak. Lovely density and still-reserved cabernet sinister fruit and cedar; ample tannins but not excessive. Terrific with the steak. I'm liking my 02s quite a bit, but then I am not a large-scale B'x devotee, so your mileage may vary.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Full-bodied, deep purple color with black fruit, licorice, coffee and chocolate. Classic structure and great to drink. What at value at $30 per bottle futures.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I'm in the camp that enjoyed this wine for its pure, classic, Bordeaux profile. While this lacked a great deal of complexity, I found it to be relatively rich, with ample structure, and enough black fruits to make it a rewarding choice for a cool fall evening. What's more, the price makes this a very good buy and I only wish other more recent "lesser" vintages were similarly priced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is why bordeaux are so famous; depth in taste and color, dark fruits and balanced tannines, every taste seems to open up other kinds of experiences; an itellectual wine. Also very drinkable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fragrant nose of blackberry, dark fruits, mint and smoke. Wood is nicely done at this point. Entry is very savoury and full with a nice and very pleasant finish. Tannins there but back door. This is rich and tasty. Great now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Eher ein feiner und zurückhaltender Wein, der in jedem Fall über den Abend noch von der zusätzlichen Luft profitiert hat. In der Nase schwarze und rote Johannisbeere, Veilchen, Minze, mineralisch, Jod, Graphit, Eukalyptus und typische Cabernet-Würznoten. Am Gaumen von leichter Statur mit wenig Druck, aber perfekt balanciert mit guter Säure, fruchtiger und erstaunlicher konzentrierter Johannisbeere, leichter Würze, feinkörnigem Tannin und schokoladigem Finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very focused wine with tightly defined flavors of pencil lead, graphite and dark fruit. Not as expressive as I prefer but nevertheless enjoyable. May very well improve with more time in the bottle. I think I will wait a few more years before trying again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aéré 1h. Robe très sombre, nez assez puissant sur les fruits noirs mais sans trop de complexité. Suit la bouche avec une concentration surprenante de fruits noirs, des tannins bien présents mais soyeux et une très longue finale. Puissance et équilibre. Vraiment beau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted against a Leoville Barton 2002, which did not impressed much. The promising nose does not deliver and there's not much in the mouth. The Poyferré is more complex and more achieved. Black fruits are very present. Nice nose and rather good finish. Both decanted for one hour
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine was very soft and velvety but a bit light for the vintage. I would recommend drinking them now as I don't believe the will be getting any better from this point on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very feminine nose of violets, graphite, cellar dust, and cassis. The palate, however, was darker...firmer...more masculine. Dark fruit, shredded tobacco, violets with a sweet tannic finish. Do yourself a favor and pair this with some nice red meat...the combination is very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
continues to evolve with the tannins much softer than a few years ago but still with years to go. Very nice with food. Vibrant light red fruits with hints of tobacco and stones
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is one for the classicists - it can seem a little austere but in a well-knit, contained way. I think it's at a stage where the pieces are starting to come together. Cassis, blackberry, coffee, tobacco, and bell pepper on the nose. Lively acidity, firm but smooth tannins, and appropriate weight on the palate make for a balanced claret. Too bad I didn't have food to go with this wine, as this just calls for it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought to a BYO wines dinner to celebrate for Christmas. It has very dark core with purple hues. Expressive nose of tobacco, leather, cassis and vanilla oak. It is a big wines with good substance and supported by good acidity backbone. Excellent length of finish with ripe and fine grained tannins. It drinks well now and better than 2000 which I tasted recently, with great potential to age. I love 2002 for its value and drinkability compare to other vintage, at least for now :).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Boy, I enjoy and respect the notes on cellartracker, but I'm going to just have to respectfully disagree with the trend towards 89-ish scores for this wine. I have had probably a dozen or more bottles of this wine in the past five years or so, and to me it is the epitome of classic claret-styled Bordeaux. I realize this is all subjective but, damn it, here is my subjective opinion: If you don't like this classic St. Julien, you don't like Bordeaux. To me, this wine has everything I'm looking for in a great Medoc: Cassis; cedar; black cherries; restraint; elegance and strength; balance; structure; alchohol in restraint. I have said several times before, and I will say it again: The 2002 left bank vintage is the best post-2000 vintage in Bordeaux (have not tasted 2009 or 2010). It is the last great non-Parkerized vintage. I have consistently rated this beauty over 90 points, and tonight it merited its highest score yet. Tremendous, extremely satisfying finish. Lots of sediment in the end... but then again, what else would you expect from a great left bank vintage. Is this the greatest Leoville Poyferre ever? Maybe. Drinking great now, and will drink even greater over the next 10-20 years. We've been talking about this wine a lot over on my website at www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Open nose, rather classic old-school Bordeaux nose of green herbs, blackcurrant and some wood. Not much new wood evident. Not a blockbuster, but a clean well made wine which sits nicely on the mid-palate. Some people might think there is too much acidity, but I think the wine balances OK. Needs time in a decanter though, as I had the wine over two days, and not much changed during day two. Still the same taste profile as day one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An easy afternoon with close friends. 2010-06: Bordeaux. (@ FD): Classical bouquet with pleasant and beautiful oak, but the cassis and black cherries prevail. Sweet start with ripe black forest fruits. Firm and round tannin. Pleasant acidity. Elegant acidity and complex. What a great effort for the vintage. Young maturity now and a great pleasure when decanted well before. Or store it for another 5+ years; no problem.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and dropped into the decanter where it was consumed for about 2 hours with Steak Diane for dinner. Reading my previous note, I see I gave it a good long decant last time out, and it still needs it. Showed very much the same flavor profile, but just never really had the chance to open up like previous bottles. Still an insane value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2002 Leoville Poyferre is eight years of age and drinking superbly, though still young. If I had it to do over again I would wait another four years hoping more tertiary aromas such as tobacco and older, more mature fruit start to emerge. Very dark purple all the way to the rim, the Leoville is wonderfully balanced on the nose with dark red and black fruits, minerality, spicy oak, and best of all is unmistakably a wine from St Julien. On the palate the acid provides great backbone making it a good food wine with a finish that is a bit short but pleasant. A killer bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An excellent wine, but in the end uninspiring. Still young, fresh, and bright. Acidity is up front - perhaps too up front. Tannins still a little gritty. The nose shows wonderfully fragrant Cabernet and Bordeaux typicity, with sweet oak well integrated. Medium bodied, and smooth. Oak is more pronounced on the palate than in the nose. Tannins might outlive the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black plum and currant on the palette, inky dark purple color. The real feature here is the gorgeous texture: delicate tannins that linger and and linger in the mouth followed by a medium finish. Delicous. Drinking very well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light ruby-colored center with ripe aromas of red berries, cedar, and toasted oak. Medium bodied with sleek palate notes of lighter black fruit with earthy feel and fine tannins. Solid wine, but unexceptional. Just need time to blossom.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very consistent with previous experiences with this wine. It is all about restraint, on both the nose and palate. I just checked back on my note from June 2007 and really nothing has changed: It is not going to be a wine that will appeal to everyone, but for me it has an appealing understatement, medium bodied, cedary, black-fruited with moderate tannins, a well made wine. It evolved slowly and beautifully with dinner. A notable deep rich inky purple color.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loved this - really shows what a good Bordeaux is capable of. Nice concentration, still some tanins for sure, and will improve with age, but still showing well now after a bit of decanting. Rich and racey. Wish I had more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted, drank some immediately, left alone for about 2 hours and finished over approximately 5 hours. Right from the pop the nose jumped from the bottle with haunting lead, fresh soil, pine, plum, licorice, and black currant. Bold and pretty angular tannins held on throughout the entire bottle, but certainly softened as it decanted. This is a classically styled wine with flavors of leather, forest floor, blackberries, plums, and coffee that ever so slowly faded away in the insanely long finish. This was one of my top 10 Bordeaux experiences and it came in a $35 bottle of "weak vintage" wine. I'll take that everyday and twice on Sunday!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better than expected. Nice balanced wine with dark fruit and barnyard on the nose. Some strong tannin, but overall a very traditional, nice bottle of Bordeaux. Medium bodied, with rich dark, almost opaque color. Nice length and expression of terroir. I paid less than $40 for this bottle and it was a steal. Not an earth shattering vintage, but a solid bottle. Excellent for the money. My first 2002 Bordeaux and I think it is better than the reviews of the vintage would make you think. Probably doesn't have the fruit for a long life, but excellent for drinking over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Two bottles over 3 nights. Deep, dark red colour. Drinking perfectly now - I'll finish up the balance of my inventory (7 bottles) over the next 12 months to take advantage of this wine's freshness and classic Bordeaux nose and taste. Very seductive. An excellent effort for an average vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic nose of smoked meat, leather, cedar and currants. Dark fruit palate, with nice acidity and concentration. Plum, currants and a little licorice come through. Just a hint of greenness sneaks through as well, but adds complexity rather than detracts. Mid palate comes across as slightly thin compared to the nose which was surprising given the concentration. Medium finish of toast, flint, and mineral. Well made wine in tough year, but will never be a great wine. Drink now to the next 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bord-decanted 3 hours. Some noble blackcurrant and tobacco, but all v restrained. V rare steak and v good company muted my analysis. I think the fairly prominent tannin is blunting it too. I wish I'd looked for the texture that other CTers have enjoyed. There's some good substance atop the structures, so probably is good enough to come round in 4 years; but I doubt will ever be stunning. 89+.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple color. Sort of restrained on the nose, but does offer aromas of cassis, coffee ground and, with coaxing, hints of blueberries. Nicely textured mouthfeel, especially on the attack with flavors of blueberries and coffee, which gives way to a very strong grip of tannins and acidity on the back end before a lingering, chewy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice nose light red fruit. Tannins noticable but not overpowering a nice mouth feel. Nice but shorter than expected finish. Good and in keeping with the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bitter chocolate, wet earth, some greenness, with moderate concentration of dark fruits and quite tart tannins. Some secondary nuance developing already, but not very balanced or attractive at the moment. It does not seem to me that this wine has the stuff for the long haul.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Leoville Poyferre masterclass with Didier Cuvelier (St Regis, Singapore): Not a bad wine in itself, but probably my least favourite of the tasting. Nice nose - prunes, plums, dried fruit (figs?), and earthy leather and undergrowth tones. Very attractive, very St Julien actually. The palate was unfortunately a little disjointed. Ripe tannins, a little mouthcoating, but not hard in any way. Very fresh acid, but so much so that it was rather sharp and astringent, distracting from what were otherwise pretty decent, if just a little simplistic flavours of cassis and orange zest. Again, this had the familiar bittersweet herbs moving into a mid-length finish. With time, I got a touch of menthol. I think this needs time and food, neither of which we had at the tasting. Something to visit again (hopefully over a nice lamb dish) in a few years perhaps, but not one I would rush out to buy
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep purple in the glass, the nose starts by showing dark berry fruit and blackcurrant which develop into more savouy notes. The palate is concentrated and pure. It shows liquorice, bitter chocolate and delicate oak characters. Great balance and nice long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Earthy nose with plenty of black fruits, it tasted so much better compared to couple years back. The tannin is definitely melting with the plenty of black fruits revealing now. It's nice to drink now and the I'm sure this hidden gem will improve further with the next 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wowsa - Very enjoyable but not exactly subtle. From the unique nose to the nice tannic (but not overly acidic) grip on the back end, this bottle is interesting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It's evolving but it gives a lot of pleasure right now. Plum,redcurrant intertwined with peppercorn,cloves and coffee,animal charachters on the background,little leafy note underground. Elegant with tannin which is smoothing down and a nice acidity which will ensure a nice evolution.
Drink 2009-2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was very structured and unforgiving - it is just too young to offer any enjoyment at this stage. Shows a lot of left bank typicity - cedar, cassis, leather.. but the nose is not at all intense and the palate is tight. Will taste again in another 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Notes from last night: If you like your wines austere, you will like this wine. If you do not like your wines austere, you will not like this wine. What is my definition of austere? I don't know what Parker and others may mean, but the descriptors that come to my mind include: restrained, classic, structured, tannic, hard, backward, etc. I concluded from the very first time I drank this wine that it was one of the more tannic examples from a tannic vintage in the Medoc. And I love it! It hasn't changed much in the past three years. Inky, dense purple color. For a split-second I thought the wine may have been tainted but I soon realized it was rather an earthiness, a funkiness, a leathery bouquet almost like what we used to see out of Gruaud Larose when that estate still offered up quality. At the end it developed all kinds of nuances on both the nose and palate: leather, earth, tobacco, coffee, licorice(?). Inky, inky, purple, purple, purple. The nose continued to expand beautifully through the evening. This is "real St. Julien." I got this wine at the incredible price of $25.00 from Premier Cru, back when that wine store still offered up quality. This wine has not evolved much in bottle. It should be consumed probably about eight to ten years from now. Nice wine, classic Bordeaux is alive and well. I'm thinking back to my term at Christ's College, Cambridge, back in 1979, the faculty was probably sipping stuff like this from the cellars, more old-school I'm sure, but with the basic classic claret characteristics of tobacco, coffee, and leather, wines of restraint, with a lasting finish, austerity backboning ripe St. Julien fruit. Quite an impressive finish! Some very fine particulates of sediment at the very end. Oh yeah! Rating: 90 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An easy afternoon with close friends. 2007-02: Bordeaux: St. Julien & Pessac. (@ BV): Purple red. Tasted a few times during the evening. First a slightly perfumed bouquet but backward and some black cherries. Later chocolate, tar and green flavours. In the taste a lot of dark cherries and soft sticky tannin. Young and very juicy wine. Wait at least 3 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I do not think this was a bad bottle - not oxidized, corked or cooked. Perhaps somewhat shutdown, this took 3+ hours after a vigorous decanting to show what little fruit it had (dark berries). On top of a bit of fruit this had gobs of harsh green flavors and unripe tannins. Strikes me as vastly overextracted but I will try again in 4+ years just as an education.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, brooding earth nose. Concentrated brambly black fruit, juniper berry, coffee, and spice. This is a very fine full bodied but delicate bordeaux now, which will only improve with several more years. Quite a bargain price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much more open and accessible than the last bottle. But still a rather burly, almost rustic wine with great intensity and grip. For details see my last note. Once again tons of sediment in the bottle, so I would recommend careful decanting even at this young stage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit more evolved than the Poujeaux at this stage, classic young bordeaux showing very well already but bound to get better. Very happy with this purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2002 Leoville Poyferré St. Julien... I guess what you would call a classic young claret. Leather, dark cherries and cassis, although the fruit is underwhelming (the leather dominates), a touch lean, not much fat, but not too tannic, finish keeps getting longer as I work my way through 1/2 of the bottle, with the remainder to be reserved till Monday. Perfect with pan-grilled prime aged rib steak. See ya in 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first encounter with this wine from the 2002 vintage. Opaque ruby/purple color. A typical, rather earthy nose with stony red and black fruits, tobacco, and some subtle toast. Gives the impression of being a bit closed at the moment. On the palate, a medium to full-bodied wine with gripping, earthy, black fruited flavors. Rather lively acidity which integrates a bit over the evening. This wine seems very dense and powerful with quite a lot of tannins that really stain the teeth and tongue. Perhaps it ultimately lacks a bit of refinement for my taste - I much prefer the elegance of Leoville Barton over this, but then Poyferre is usually much cheaper. The finish is quite long and the tannins are not dry at all. I suspect it will age quite well. By the way, already tons of sediment in the bottle evidencing the absence of filtering. A solid effort for the vintage. Drink 2010-2025
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2002 Leoville Poyferre shows aromas of tobacco interlaced with red fruts and earth. The attack is fairly round but it has a weak mid palate. The wines shows a good level of acidity and tannin. It may improve with some aging
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/14/2024 - redz wrote: 92 Points
full-bodied cabernet, still has more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2024 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes, improved until final drop. Putting the "currant" back into the word "blackcurrant", this very serious wine from a much maligned "poor" year shows immense aromatic complexity. Dessicated mulberry meets intense fresh blackcurrant; huge concentration of dark spice. Star anise, five-spice. Bright healthy acidity; virile tannic grip. Perhaps not a "Great Wine" but a great bottle of St. Julien approaching peak maturity. 92P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2024 - Lipsman wrote: 95 Points
Still quite young and fresh from a magnum. Opaque garnet, still purple to the edge. Initially refined tannins coat the mouth, then the complexity of smoke and saddle leather with a tart mouthwatering finish of licorice and earthy notes. Balanced and big, the magnums have another decade to mature. Decant for two hours minimum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2024 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully evolved now and testament to ageing these wines. Still four years ago, this was pretty massive and tough (at least in my book), whereas now, the wine is fully open for business, nice remainders of fruit and lots of cloves, dark berries and leather. Tannins now melted but still full of structure. 22 years, minor vintage, great chateau, a winning formula. A good buy for some 10 years more i guess and probably a superb PQR.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2024 - eudora Likes this wine: 89 Points
This was my Super Bowl wine. The game (Chiefs win!) was better than the wine. The wine had faded. Good acidity and well balanced, with muted notes of blackberry and black licorice. Overall, I wish I’d tried this bottle five years ago. I love the winery and feel bad not loving this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (4)
10/2/2023 - Chrysostomus wrote: 92 Points
Classic style! Needs min. 2h of air. Good balance between acid, tertiary notes and tannin structure. Will last many more years but is in its prime window imho. Not the best vintage but underestimated…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2023 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over a few hours including day 2. Black fruits with oak, tobacco and earth notes. Fully developed at this point and while it won't get any better should continue to hold up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2023 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberries, blackcurrant, dark flowers and tobacco present on the nose. Impeccably transferred to palette. Strong reminders of the 1995, which I one of the best wines I’ve ever had, but without the concentration. This is not an insult
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2023 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 90 Points
Stood up for a week. Cork in perfect condition. Opened four hours in advance. A deep ruby core fading to a medium ruby outer edge. On the more perfumed, scented range of the Bordeaux spectrum aromatically with dried purple flowers, both red and black currents, a touch of black shoe polish, and a hint of pyrazine yet pyrazines that are perfectly ripe. While the palate isn’t quite as expressive as the nose it was still a pleasure to drink and retained many of the characteristic you’d want and indeed expect to see in a Saint Julien.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2023 - Peter Spijker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Upon opening, this showed with very intense and dense black fruit, some oak, graphite, cigar and some earthiness. After a while in the decanter, the wine became a bit more elegant, showing some more freshness. I don't expect this to become any better (for my taste at least), buti t will last for a few more years at this level I would assume.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clear, beautiful dark garnet. A bit of cherry cough syrup on the nose . Red cherries are the dominate note with a bit of raspberry. Not my preferred style, but very nice .
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2023 - Tree512 wrote: 90 Points
Fully mature and ready to go. Fruit has toned down and balance is up with resolved tannins. Not particularly complex or long but perfectly typical mature Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2023 - VinDeVie_1 wrote: 90 Points
2002 Leoville Poyeferre
This vintage is often maligned, and as such, I have not tried anything from it before. Tonight, I found a fair priced winner in this LP. Initially, there was a VA note and some greenness that blew off in the first 30 minutes or so. Moderately well integrated but not perfect in balance. Probably good for another 5-10 years if not slightly longer, which I did not expect going in, though I doubt those years will be an upswing they will likely hold.
Nose
- Black fruit
- Oak
- Slight VA
- No oldness or earthiness detected
Palate
- Grippy
- Black fruit
- Blackberry (almost syrah-esc)
- some flinty notes below the tannins
90+
Just realized this note is a duplicate but it is more in depth so...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2023 - VinDeVie_1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great modern style left bank with 5-10 years in the tank.
A little VA and green note that blew off after 30 minutes in the glass. Very fruit forward with a pleasant backing of oak. Almost syrah like in its character as it possessed a roundness and blackberry note that I usually expect in Australia. All good to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2023 - honest bob wrote: 93 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted of considerable slimy deposit 2 hours, improved until final drop. My best bottle yet of this drop-dead-gorgeous LP from an unfairly maligned year. Pure, deep, cool classic cassis + darkish red-fruit St. Julien profile, this bottle was in peak, virile maturity with many years to go. 92–93P
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2023 - beeg612 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby garnet color on the rim. Lots of graphite, earthy mineral notes, muted fruit of dark berries and cherry on the nose. Palate is still tannic, no acidity, lots of dried dirt, graphite, kicked gravel, wet leaves, not a ton of fruit. Tasted over four hours, tannins dropped after about one hour and the wine became silky smooth. Could definitely go another decade but with a decant, drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2023 - egoya Likes this wine: 92 Points
Saved my last bottle to see how it would evolve. Still an excellent elegant wine, although the fruit has faded a bit. Paid once 30 EUR per bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2023 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13.5% alcohol. Top quality cork, not that long but virtually free of defect; wine penetration is uneven, between 2 and 5 mm. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour all the way to the rim.
Superb nose marrying lively dark berries with some tertiary notes of tobacco; the oak is barely perceptible in the background, contributing to the overall harmony. The mouth is joyful and juicy in a way that Médoc rarely is; glorious and unstuffy. The tannins are resolved, but the wine is not lacking grip.
Incredibly youthful at age twenty and capable of much longer ageing.
I don't expect to drink a better Bordeaux this year.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
11/27/2022 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted off substantial slimy deposit 1 hour, improved until final drop. Pure. surprisingly concentrated, slightly underripe blackcurrant, cedar, mint and tobacco scent; bigger-bodied entry than I remembered or expected, this has put on some middle-aged spread in the last couple of years; shortish but pure, pleasantly astringent finish. Outstanding, classic St. Julien in a light-medium format, and a great advertisement for the many cool virtues of the 2002 vintage. No hurry. 92–93P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2022 - wineforth Likes this wine: 92 Points
10th bottle from a case bought en primeur. Double decanted. Still has the lovely smoky blackcurrant nose. Plentiful tannins and decent level of fruit with great flavour on a masculine palate. Long finish with wood smoke, cedar and blackcurrant. All of the bitterness has now fallen out. Fruit has receded a little and the wine has started its slow decline, which after 20 years for a lesser vintage is great going.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 94 Points
2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting (Fribourg): 2002 Bordeaux 20 years on tasting. Key takeaways: 1/ 31 out of 32 wines were in flawless condition which indicates either luck or less bottle variation in the vintage, 2/ On average still early days with the fruit predominantly primary, 3/ solid hedonistic quality with only few laggards, but also no blow-outs, 4/ structures built on both tannin and acidity, but common mid-palate weakness, 5/ best wines were Valandrau, Palmer and a surprise underdog Lagrange (all 95), 6/ biggest disappointment was a cooked Figeac (87). More comments and full list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
Dark and red cherry fruit, white pepper, mineral notes of pencil shavings and iodine, floral notes of violets. Palate is firmly structured, feels definitely young but in good balance overall. A solid Poyferré which, while different in style from Barton, was similarly good seeing eye to eye in this vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2022 - Vinumming & Ahhing wrote: flawed
2002 Claret Horizontal (Piccolino, Exchange Square): Such a shame there is a persistent 1/10 cork taint to this wine. Underneath there is real quality with a beautiful blackcurrant pastille and sandalwood character. Grrr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2022 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
02 Claret @ Piccolino (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London): Quite a dense, plush St Julian nose. Really quite rich, though not s plush as previous bottles. Ducru on steroids with everything g dialled up a notch. Plusher, riper, fuller. A bit more obvious. Would be lovely on its own but made to look a little blowsy alongside the Ducru. Double decanted for six hours and there’s just a smidge of TCA appearing. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2022 - ledocq wrote: flawed
Corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2022 - Axelpeter wrote: 90 Points
ZH) Mild und schon etwas müde…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2022 - Larre Likes this wine: 92 Points
Unfortunately a tiny hint of TCA, but still a great wine. Seems to be in prime drinking window. Lovely layers of dark fruit, elegant symmetry, secondary notes of cigar box and milk chocolate, and a compelling finish with dry, sandy tannins. If it were not for the TCA lurking in the background, this would have been an exceptional wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2022 - Hendmo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. Decanted for a couple of hours which is recommended as it was a little tannic on first opening, this is ready to drink with a bit of air and a classic mature left bank Bordeaux. Flavours of cassis, graphite and a lovely mineral/smoky quality. Decent length finish and very well balanced. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2022 - enthusiastic_amateur Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredibly well balanced, perfect showing of this wine. Drinking at its peak right now? Wine of the night for a few in the group. This is classic St. Julien wine, perfected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2021 - Apollo5710 wrote: 94 Points
It's been 5 years since we last opened this, and it has barely budged (it was almost as if it had gotten younger). For the first 20 minutes, it was big, rich, and dark, but then went into a shell. It re-emerged about 2-3 hours later and was at its best after 5 hours of air. The nose was never prominent, but it did exhibit earthy notes of leather, graphite, and dark fruits (plum, blackberry, etc.). It shined in the mouth though, gaining weight and depth with air, powerful, though a bit austere and never completely forthcoming. The finish finally arrived with the final glass (which is what my score reflects). This was my last one, and wish I had held it at least a few more years. At $35/bottle when purchased on release, this has been about as good of a value I can imagine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2021 - ledocq Likes this wine:
Girl and the Goat - a little stingy at first but it blossomed fast. did not go with the beet salad with pickled veggies, but it did with the coconut caramel street corn, and then it was like poetry and modern dance with the sesame chili chicken thigh. So good!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2021 - devraj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good dark ruby/purple in color. Expressive aromas of cassis, violets, black licorice, graphite. Palate shows sweet crushed dark berries/dried florals, good acidity, some drying tannins present on the rather short finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2021 - winecadence Likes this wine: 97 Points
Stunning. Elegant. Wine of the night. Decanted for about 30 minutes. Well balanced with plenty more life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2021 - wineforth Likes this wine: 93 Points
9th or 10th? bottle from a case bought en primeur. Double decanted back into the washed out bottle. I keep thinking this wine has peaked and am proved wrong every time. Lovely smoky blackcurrant nose. Plentiful tannins and fruit with great flavour balance well on a masculine palate. Very long finish with wood smoke, cedar and blackcurrant. All of the bitterness has now fallen out. Excellent wine that you would not think is from a lesser Bordeaux vintage. Score could go even higher.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2021 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Drank over 4+ hours. Improved over time. Fruit is must more robust than before. Getting better and many years of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2021 - ledocq Likes this wine:
I will stop leaving tasting notes on this soon, but I keep laughing because of the open secret of 2002 St Julien. This is magificent wine, everey bit the classified growth, and yet I got this for $65 because of the prejudice against the vintage. I believe good bottles will keep evolving for at least another decade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13.5% alcohol. Good long whitish dense cork with little wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is dark with marginal thinning at the edge.
The nose is not expansive, but it shows maturing notes of blackcurrant.
The mouth is again slightly muted, but it has pleasant fruit (blackcurrant), very good acidity in the finish and very good grip; the tannins are resolved at this stage, and there is no sign of oak.
Pretty good, but maybe not quite up to expectation on this occasion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2021 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points
From 75cl, good cork, decanted 1 hour. The first sip was the best, as the wine hardened up with air. Strong pencil-shaving, oaky and black-fruit scent; quite hefty entry, rough-textured tanninic gain to the cassis-led, ripe mid-palate. Somehow the fruit and tannins aren‘t aligned, something is green and hard towards the finish. Needed rare steak with a creamy/garlic/port sauce. My least enjoyable bottle yet (5/12); wonder whether the unflattering tannins will ever resolve. 89P
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13.5% alcohol. Good long cork with about 5 mm of wine penetration. Decanted 75 mn ahead. Slightly reduced smell from the neck of the bottle. Dark colour with no sign of ageing.
The nose is fiery with very pure wild berries. The mouth is incredibly youthful with bright red fruit and plenty of grip; substantial acidity but the tannins are resolved. The oak is integrated.
Vey enjoyable but certainly not opulent, in fact the wine is still slightly pinched, which will upset some people.
This wine is built for the long haul, and I will wait at least three years before I open the next bottle. One of the joys of good red CS-based Bordeaux is its ability to age.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2021 - winecadence Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well balanced. Super expressive. Full bodied with silky tannins. This wine has aged beautifully.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2021 - centvins wrote:
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2021 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Bordeaux, classic St Julien: fruity elegance. Raspberry, blackberries and black currant. Acidity and tannin quite high. Good weight in the mouth. The only mis-note in this wine is the oak, which bosses the palate the longer it is open, very noticeable on opening and still more so after 24 hours. This wine is still young, though there are some tertiary notes of leather, forest floor and rosemary. This has easily 20 years in front of it, my only doubt is whether the oak will ever resolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2021 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium ruby with a purplish hue. Refined dark floral and leafy aromas, as well as blackberry and cloves. The attack on the palate was sure, yet delicate, with still biting tannins, and then the ripe berry flavours emerge with dried florals and savoury spices and greens. A good length, and a complex feel as the flavours extend to the back. Great wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2020 - ledocq wrote: flawed
Chemical flaw
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2020 - ledocq Likes this wine:
I am in post-Covid. My sense of smell seems unaffected but my tastebuds are like an out-of-tune instrument. For the first hour, I was convinced this was like a prison-yard experiment of bandaids and alcohol, but then it became what everyone else's experience is. Look, 2002 Leoville ANYTHING is a big secret among all of us sneaky enough to be looking here. This one went amazingly with spaghetti squash, mushooms, RAO marinara and Brussels sprrouts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2020 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, good cork stained 0,5cm back, opened 3 hours, decanted for sediment just before drinking. On opening: surprisingly exuberant dark N. Médoc scent, deep colour, profound velvety texture, mouthwatering balance between unexpected richness of fruit (for a 2002) robust tannins and bright acidity. After aeration: this has hardened up. Still an excellent bottle of full-bodied claret, but the more sensuous elements have withdrawn behind hardening tannins and an extracted frame. Would have been better with a rare steak than the chicken I served it with, but next time I’m going to risk P&P and hope for more of the joy and glamour of this evening’s first impression. 90-(92?)P
This isn’t the first time I’ve felt that a 2002 Médoc showed better with less aeration than expected. Lynch Bages, Armailhac and possibly Pontet Canet come to mind, and I wonder whether it had something to do with the winemaking in a difficult vintage, in which virtuosic work in the winery produced surprisingly good wines. Certainly I can’t remember any 2002 of which the final drop tasted best; usually it was the first sip which impressed me instead. I visited N. Médoc in early 2004, i.e. in the winter before the 2002s were bottled; tasting samples of the final blend, even Latour was super-supple and delicious, with Mouton and Lafite so come-hither they seemed ready to drink with dinner the same evening. I remember being very pleased to have invested in en primeur against the trend, but concerned about how these flattering, gorgeous wines might taste at maturity. How will the first growths show at maturity? It would be helpful if more tasters posting here provided detailed information on aeration time and decanting, as I think this may be a particularly important factor in enjoying this vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2020 - pilatus88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice bouquet of dark ripe fruit. Soft and mature Bordeaux at its best not the most powerful, but filling and very elegant balance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2020 - dougie wrote: 91 Points
Bright fruit and good depth. Will go several more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2020 - Willi Vinotti wrote: 88 Points
This bottle seemed a bit on different path than others tasted here. Quite a massive wine, solid tannins, and quite high acidity. I find this relatively unapproachable, some sort of stone to chew on.... It remains interesting, but is muted and rough. Will try to avoid the remaining bottles for some time, maybe this comes back.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2020 - doncabernet Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic value if bought years back. Wonderful nose and a very long aftertaste. Great Bordeaux and a surprise for those who have written off 2002. sure can life longer but for me at a good spot. Just pure Bdx pleasure. Sadly the last bottle but this wine keeps being on my purchase list for more recent vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13.5% alcohol. Good cork, not that long, but with no more than 3mm of wine penetration. No info on blend, but this tastes to me like CS 70%, M 30% or thereabout. Decanted 75mn ahead, could possibly have done with more. The colour is very dark with no thinning even at the edge of the rim.
The nose is superbly alive with vivid blackcurrant dominating other wild berries. The mouth is equally good with a winning juicy quality and the harmonious remnants of oak élevage. Slightly sharp in the finish, but this gives the wine a lift, and the remaining tannins are not bitter.
Nothing opulent here, but plenty of succulence.
This wine is as fresh as a daisy, and arguably not quite ready yet. Will improve further over the next five years and then age gracefully for the next ten years, I would say.
Whoever rated the 2002 vintage in Médoc as mediocre should quit reviewing; on second thoughts, stick to the job to allow the rest of us to get bargains on the back of your lame reviews.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2020 - JHH51 wrote: 92 Points
I’m with Honestbob. We decanted for a half hour but the last glass poured an hour later had evolved. Delightful wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2020 - ledocq Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sheer delight, one of those "this is why I drink wine" wines. Purchased because the 2002 LLC was also a delight, so I like this open secret of 02 St Juliens. Deep color, mushroom aromas on the nose, and then a wonderfully rich, lengthy taste with resolved tannins. The crazy thing was how well it went with a goat cheese appetizer, then maitaki mushroom pizza with a spicey sauce, then broccoli raab, then bread with ranch dressing on it. Serously, turns out the perfect pairing with bread with ranch dressing on it is 2002 Leoville Poyferre. It's like wild boar and Chateauneuf. One of my WOTY and definitely WOTP.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2020 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well now. Nice balance and tannins reasonably subdued. Held up well over two nights under pump. Probably not getting any better, although will be fine for a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2020 - honest bob wrote: 93 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes, which it needed. Gradually entering maturity, this has improved a lot since my previous TN (31.01.2016). Still a strict, correct, classical St. Julien, it has filled out beautifully. Now the cedar-astringent discipline is balanced by a surprisingly full-bodied, sweet blackcurrant entry, which admittedly thins out on the mid-palate. The trajectory is upwards (as opposed to, for example the 2002 Lynch Bages, which I mistakenly considered "richer" than this wine four years ago, and is now evidently the lesser wine). Drink now, or anytime in the next ten years or so. 92-93P
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
It would be a shame to overlook the 2002 Léoville Poyferré because this really is a fine example of the terroir. The nose here is filled with fresh blueberry, cassis, cedar, pencil, and subtle wildflower accents. Plush and intense (more from the decanter than the glass), this seems unmistakably St Julien. This has a finer silhouette, grittier tannin, and a shorter finish than the top vintages, but there’s unequivocally great pleasure to be found here.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2020 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Deep, dense ruby. Cedar and pencil lead, blackcurrant nose. Just a little less bright and expressive than previous bottle. Dense, a little drier than previously, this bottLe not quite as open and giving. Lots of wine here for tHe vintage. ****
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2020 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a sleeper. Drinking so luxuriously right now. This 2002 Léoville Poyferré has come into its prime. The intoxicating aroma of anise and cedar follows through with palate staining depth. Silky smooth and saturated with black cherries, violets, and cigar box, the complexity and length are all on point. Enjoy now. There is some unfortunate bottle variation.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2019 - Philipp Biermann Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice, but lacks a bit palate/ quite short finish. However, great flavors of mon Cherie and cedar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2019 - mr_rancho Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic wine at perfect maturation. Aromas are already described here. Just want to add that few minutes after opening the bottle the wine is already ready, does not need decant.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2019 - riskun Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fabulous relaxed wooden nose with blackberry underneath. Entry is delightful with a lot of dark fruit weight early. Build up to nice refined tannins coming quit late. This is older Bordeaux as it should be. Very nice bottle now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2019 - Eudemis wrote: flawed
Corked, ever so slightly; the type of taint where you get an actual taste of cork rather than wet cardboard and floor-cloth. The cork itself smells fine. Did not get worse with air, unlike in more serious TCA occurrences. The bottle was consumable as a result, with some of the qualities of the wine managing to shine through, but at a much reduced level, as though through a veil; not worth detailing as a result.
Only my fourth corked bottle in over 500 notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2019 - Two Winos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice for a not-so-respected vintage. It lacks voluptuousness, but still has wonderful cranberry and other red berry. Decant was helpful, lots of sediment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2019 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby, very dense and bright. Classic St Julian nose, all cedar, pencil lead and blackcurrant. Lovely sweet blackcurrant fruit on the attack and through the mid-palate. Dense. Nicely fine tannins, almost fully resolved, with good acidity on the finish. Surprisingly full and complete with a sense of plushness. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2019 - Lipsman wrote: 91 Points
This was closed compared to an effusive bottle three years ago. Nonetheless showing great balance and poise with soft tannins, dark fruits, ample length on the palate, but simplicity. Bottle variation or the next phase?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2019 - wineforth Likes this wine: 90 Points
9th bottle from case bought en primeur. After a couple of good years it seems to have gone back into its shell. Mute on the nose. Blackcurrant and plenty of soft fruit and medium tannins on the palate. Finish has too much bitterness, and more concerning, some astringency, for my taste. Yet this is enjoyable and easy to drink. Worth keeping for a few years before trying again. Long life ahead so don’t panic. Just wait. (Sounds a bit like the FTSE)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2019 - BordeauxNut wrote: 92 Points
Even after 16+ years, the color shows virtually no evolution. Impenetrable. Dark and really brooding nose shows cassis, currant bush, green coffee beans, eucalyptus, and a slightly fresh woody note that comes off as very slight sourness -- reminds me a bit of the quite oaky 2001 La Tour Carnet, in that regard. Plenty of dense fruit -- it's roundish and pretty deep though the finish is pretty modest. Better than expected. I'd suggest drinking now for fear that the fruit might start to fade at a faster pace than the oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2019 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Chateau Leoville Poyferre vertical with Sarah Cuvelier (Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy): Medium expressive nose displaying sweet but simple red fruit, plum, strawberry jam, noticeable green, lead pencil, leather, cedar and earth. Very good concentration, chunky red fruit, a bit dull and murky, good acidity, earthy mineral, coarse tannin and a medium long plum and leather driven finish. The style is similar to the 12. It can improve for another decade or two, perhaps becoming softer and more complex.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2018 - danckie Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal note. Really nice wine. Ready for business. Decanted for 2 hours. Elegant but with enough complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2018 - Bro-rolo Likes this wine: 94 Points
this was Xmas eve wine...Christmas...as in yule...yule log...not a log I don’t have a log...not in the sense that you think that I said I did...it was a bit nipply outside here today...I mean nippy LOL...did I say nipple?? well there is a nip in the air...and I offered that lingerie model from the mall if she wanted to come drink 2nd growth Bordeaux with Bro-rolo...she sneezed and then got really awkward so I was like whatever don’t come if you’re gonna be weird lol...tis the season to be Mary...pretty sure that was that weird chick’s name...lol
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2018 - Sen4469 Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a nice surprise! Much better than expected. Wine is ready and very enjoyable. Very good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2018 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13.5% alcohol. Very good long cork with barely 2mm of wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead.
Dark colour with no sign of ageing. The nose is full of ripe berries with no obvious oak influence. The mouth is surprisingly high-pitched after that nose, without being inharmonious; definitely a food wine, well able to cope with the fat in our leg of lamb. Again no direct oak influence until the finish, which is elegant. Virtually no residual tannins.
Longer on liveliness than on opulence. Close enough to to Talbot 2003 but classier and more substantial.
This wine tastes like it will last another 15 years without trouble; it will probably round up in the process.
Very enjoyable as it is for those who can cope with a measure of liveliness in their Médoc; Parkerites should abstain (are there any left ?).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2018 - drinkmore Likes this wine: 90 Points
Took quite some time to open up, was hoping for more but understand given the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2018 - g-man wrote: 90 Points
Very nice bottle. Fully mature taking on more tertiary notes. Not a blockbuster but represents the vintage well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2018 - octopussy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium red color. In the nose, it's a very typical left bank Bordeaux with notes of blackberry and cassis, some leather, pencil shavings, very sincere and quite elegant. In the mouth, it's maybe slightly rough around the edges, but in total the balance is good, the intensity and depth of better vintages is lacking, but this is definitely a good Léoville Poyferré.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2018 - vide wrote: 91 Points
A very good wine struggling against a very poor vintage. Dark plum colour; nose of timber/cigar box, some dark fruit, with that typical smoky L-P quality; soft, well integrated palate, good mouthfeel, some dark fruit but too much acidity on back palate (presaging "a thinny"). The wine developed from 89-90 points during the first hour to something close to 91, because of a gaining in weight. But after 2-3 hours, it was showing signs of maderisation.
To repeat myself: the texture and knitted quality of a fine wine was there, but not the substance. Of course, L-P goes on to greater things after this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2018 - dougie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tart cherry and blueberry. Nicely aged!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2018 - Andrewbdc wrote: 91 Points
Very similar to previous note, but I thought this was really in a great place and drinking beautifully. Better balanced and fresher than the last bottle.
The wine is clear and deep garnet in colour.
The nose is clear with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, plum), spice (liquorice), dried fruit (prune), oak (cedar, clove, smoke), tertiary (earth, leather). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, full body and pronounced intensity flavours of blackcurrant, prune, cedar, smoke, earth, leather. It has a long finish.
The wine is very good quality.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing over the next five years, although frankly, why wait?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2018 - winelover20 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classical Bordeaux with black berries, medium to full body. After 30 min it opened up. Nice bottle. Still some more years to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2017 - g-man wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine. Just loosing it's baby fat and beginning to mature. Not a block buster but very pleasurable to drink. Dark fruited, chocolate notes and mellow tannins. Glad I still have a case to enjoy over the next 10-15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2017 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends; Bordeaux (@ My place): Just a short note. Red berries, some bell pepper, tobacco, oak and autumn forest. Some earth and pleasant oak. Juicy acidity and still slightly sticky and drying tannin. Very good wine and no hurry to drink this. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2017 - pilatus88 wrote: 92 Points
A very potent mature St Julienne. Classic elegant and jummy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2017 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Second of the case. Younger. Strict still with firm acids. Fleshy blackcurrant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Still on the young side, but past the true infant/baby side. Very bordeaux. More library and cigar and leather. Hints of fruit. Strong tannin. Good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2017 - dougie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. Drank over 4 hours. Transformed, but all good. I think it will go 7-10 plus years more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2017 - pilatus88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very good representative of a mature Saint-Julien, and one of my favorites. Not the most powerful but very elegant and full of all you expect from this district.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2017 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and perfectly ready to drink. I've been continuously surprised by all of the 2002 Bordeaux from both the left and right bank.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2017 - UTPK wrote:
Very classic left bank nose. This is old school Bordeaux. I love this vintage! I agree that 2001 is perhaps even better, and more mature, but the 2002 is sp well built and will last a long time. The nose has green peppers, blackcurrant, some cedar and cigar and just beginning hints of forest floor, which to me implies that it is entering its drinking window (tertiary aromas). Medium bodied with impeccable balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. The tannins are still there obviously but they are quite soft. 1 hour decant is enough.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/25/2017 - Radboy wrote: 91 Points
Tasty and drinking well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2017 - DENKMAELER Likes this wine: 93 Points
sensationell, noch hohes Lagerpotential, etwas verschlossen
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2017 - pilatus88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Bordeaux nose. Mature and full of black fruit, leather and dry wood. It is not very powerful but a has a very long and complex finish that just makes you wish for more. I think this one is at its peak and should be enjoyed in the next couple of years. It needs a few hours to open up and is very rewarding. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2016 - Apollo5710 wrote: 92 Points
Decided to open this next to the 2001. In short, the '02 seemed not ready yet, and definitely in comparison to the '01 (both were stored in climate-controlled conditions since purchased upon release). The '02, at first, was very restrained, yielding some earthy, eucalyptus notes, but the wine did not really open up until 3-4 hours were spent in the decanter, at which point gamey notes of soy, spice (with a touch of cinnamon), and roasted espresso emerged. Compared to the '01, this was notably more brooding and darker in the mouth, revealing much less, but yielding a sense of greater depth (and potential) as well. There is still a good acidic/tannic spine, which did not let-up until the 5-hour mark, where the wine had clearly gained weight and mouth-coating pleasure, revealing dark fruits, chocolate, and spice. I plan to hold remaining bottles at least 5 more years, as I feel we got a good sense of what might lie ahead with more bottle age. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2016 - MWes Likes this wine: 92 Points
In my cellar since release. Lots of life left, but didn't seem to change much throughout the night. Lots of graphite, forest floor, etc. I think it has years left, but won't get much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2016 - Bourgognefreak wrote: 91 Points
Classic Bordeaux with an excellent nose and clear cut taste. One of the better 2002 vintage which has been downtalked but this documents that there are still nice wines to enjoy from 2002.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2016 - UTPK wrote:
Quite open for business after 30 min decant. Lovely classic Bordeaux nose. Some dust, green herbs, some violets and of course lots of black currants. On the palate it is very wekk balance, not very full bodied, but again a very classic weight from yesteryears when everything was calmer and more normal. I really like both the 2001 and 2002, clearly prefer them to the 2003 which has received 100p for some reason.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2016 - sastewart wrote: 91 Points
Opened 4 hours ahead - still needed a 1+ hour decant to open and shed some pretty strong tannin (more than a bottle a year ago). Nice concentration and weight, medium bodied. Dark fruits with some earthy and mineral notes, decent fruit showing through. 91 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2016 - Andrewbdc wrote: 90 Points
Black Lion Wine Club - Riesling and 2002 Bordeaux (The Black Lion): The wine is clear and deep garnet in colour.
The nose is clear with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe and cooked black fruit (blackcurrant, plum), spice (liquorice), dried fruit (prune), oak (cedar, clove, smoke), tertiary (earth, leather). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, full body and pronounced intensity flavours of blackcurrant, prune, cedar, smoke, earth, leather. It has a long finish.
The wine is very good quality. It has excellent confrontation of fruit, which balances the acidity and tannins. It has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary clusters and has a long finish. However it lacks freshness and elegance to be outstanding.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing over the next five years as it has the fruit concentration and structure to develop further tertiary characteristics. It is however drinking very nicely now so there is no need to wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2016 - tomreep Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice claret but its not going to get any better. Not complicated. Decanted for about an hour which I think helped. Its a fine Tuesday night wine with Salmon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2016 - Tree512 wrote: 88 Points
Complete and correct but not much there there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2016 - boses wrote: 90 Points
A wine that may yet benefit from some cellar time - nice dark ruby color and the nose was quite nice and violety with hints of cassis and spice and a waft of tobacco - the palate as others have stated was a little mismatched - it is well balanced but somehow I feel it is in an awkward phase and a year or two may bring out the best in it yet - it is a medium to light on the palate and that will not change but I think the concentration will improve - the finish in the wine is fairly long and persistent with black fruits dominant and nicely balanced acidity - the structured tannins yet suggest a more balanced and elegant wine will emerge with an additional year or two of cellar time - will try again next year. A good effort overall
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2016 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 95 Points
A really open and effusive nose immediately upon opening, followed by an open knit wine on the palate with deep flavors that go on and on. Medium to full bodied. An outstanding Poyferré.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2016 - markswine wrote: 89 Points
Love the bordeaux nose on this. But the palate definitely leaves me hanging. the two don't match each other. you'd think this was rich wine from the color and nose, but the palate is watery and tannic. bummer. consistent tastings with this, which is at least my 3rd bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2016 - Jurgens wrote: 89 Points
Nice, Up and downs but general classic and great
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2016 - Ibetian wrote:
Second bottle of a case "discovered" in the cellar, drinking much better than the first bottle. I enjoyed this more than a bottle of 2003 Sociando drunk already alongside; P had opposite call. Z's note below describes this well. Not a big wine, but balanced and elegant, what some would call classic BDX.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tuesday group #006: Bordeaux 2001 versus 2002 (By VD): The bouquet is not extremely expressive at first, but there are dark forest fruits, a firm amount of vanilla, sweet spices and some iodine. On the palate a firm wine with dark berries, graphite, chocolate, some licorice and green bell pepper. Beautiful acidity, round tannin, firm bitterness and a good length. Overall a beautiful wine which lacks a bit in refinement to be really great. (The great years of Poyferré still had to come…) Can easily last until the end of the decade.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2016 - Radboy wrote: 91 Points
This has improved with additional cellar time. Sweet fruit, nice balance. Ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2016 - pilatus88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good right now. A medium bodied effort where the elegance is coming through with black fruit, licorice and tobacco. It needed some time to open up and was significantly better day 2. Ready to drink but should hold well over next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2016 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 75cl, bottle not moved since delivery as subscription purchase, perfect cork. Decanted 90 minutes. Promising cedar and blackcurrant scent on decanting the best part. This was rather green, underripe, thin, tannic and forbidding; best after 3 hours. My guess is this should hit a sweet spot in about 2-3 years when the remaining grippy tannins melt, and hold well for some time after that. It'll never be a great wine, or as rich as the ripest 2002 super seconds (Lynch Bages). 90P at peak (in 2018?)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2016 - wineforth Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of those bottles that's finished quicker than you expect. 7th bottle in 4 years. In 2012 it was a little bitter and over extracted. A pointe in 2014 with well integrated blackcurrant. Always very long and persistent. The fruit is now starting to recede and develop secondary flavours of liquorice and smoke. Still plenty of tannic backbone. Drink now. Right now!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2016 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Everyone speaks ill of the 2002 bdx vintage. Wasn't it rainy and cold and produced watery and tannic wines? Yet I haven't had a bad one yet! This 13 year old wine is just singing right now. Fruit has mostly receded into the background, and we are left with pencil leather and dust, but also some blackberry. Still tannic, but the right level. Drink now or in 10 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2015 - Ibetian wrote:
Decanted an hour or two before dinner. A bit of funk mostly blew off, but this didn't seem quite right. Withhold judgment for now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/12/2015 - CIAgrad86 wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding wine, not as good as the '01, and looking forward to 2003 buy still a superb producer
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2015 - Bob Sacamano Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasting Bordeaux Blind (Edina, MN): Tasted blind with approximately 2h decant. Dark purple color. Full body. Great, deep entry carries through to mid-palette. Chewy tannin migrated toward velvety with time in the glass. Good, fresh acidity. I guessed '03 Sanctus. Probably continue cellaring this, but drinks fantastic now too if given adequate air.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2015 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Le millésime difficile se fait un peu sentir.
Au nez c`est un brin végétal et terreux, assez subtil et muet.
En bouche corps très léger, léger manque de matière et de fruit, mine de crayon, terre et cerises, tannins fins et finale courte...à boire sans tarder, possiblement en déclin!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2015 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2002 is just a solid wine. Really nice, full bodied, well extracted and balanced with pleasing length. Much better than the 2001, not quite as good as the 2000. Terrific value.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2015 - Brix wrote: 88 Points
Still a deep, nearly opaque purple, with just the faintest hint of bricking at the rim. Nose is reticent, but vigorous swirling gives off some nice cedar, floral notes, and spice. Decanted for an hour or so. Least impressive on the palate: rather simple, with blocky tannins still dominating. Rich and modern, but the fruit's pedigree peeks through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2015 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium bodied and less complex than I remembered, licorice, currant and plum are prominent with some spice and tobacco lead to a bit disjointed finish that smoothed out after two hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2015 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 95 Points
Belle couleur pourpre foncée, avec ocelle rubis. Lourd, larmes fines et rapides, dépôt de matière. 13.5°.
Immense premier nez de violettes et d'épices. Evolue sur de puissants fruits rouges (cerises et groseilles), et la myrtille. Fond cendreux, graphité et minéral. Belle notion de torréfaction.
Attaque large et enveloppante sur la cerise et les groseilles rouges laissant place au cassis et à la prune. Puissance aromatique remarquable. Très belle acidité.
Très belle finale tannique interminable. Le plus puissant des 3 Léoville en 2002.
Un très grand Saint-Julien marquant nettement sa différence avec Barton et Las Cases. Un autre style, moins de complexité, mais un fruit explosif.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2015 - MikeATL wrote: 88 Points
Brisket, Bordeaux, and Rhones: Brighter and sweeter than the 2002 Léoville Barton tasted with it, but with less complexity, and not nearly as complex or deep as the 2000 Léoville Poyferré tasted with it as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2015 - JGinMO wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 60 mins ahead, then drank over 3 hrs. I thought this was really showing well, with years ahead. Fruit had plenty of local color: earthy, leather. Tannins were mostly integrated, but wine still had backbone and plenty of finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2015 - James Bornn wrote: 90 Points
This is so glossy. Lots of aromatic cedar scents, which get sweeter and fruitier with aeration. It's a bit thicker and chunkier than I'd like but a lot of Bordeaux at this age lately drinks just like this. If it had a bit more punch to the flavour or was a bit juicier in nature this would really stand out. Tastes a bit more like it is expensively made than that it comes from a great vineyard.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2015 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Chocolate, coffee, sweet tobacco, licorice, spice combine with richly velvet black currant and plum to reveal a full-bodied, balanced, smooth and satisfying beauty.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2015 - riskun Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a couple of hours in the decanter. Musty dark plum nose, nice truffle. Entry is precise and clean dark fruit, nice round mouth with a mid weight. Fairly straightforward finish with a touch of tobacco and white pepper with fine tannins. The decant did this good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2015 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted this bottle and it really opened up and showed some secondary flavors. A bit of herbs, flowers, and pencil lead, but still had nice bright fruit. Should have plenty of time left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2015 - Lipsman wrote: 94 Points
Soft and spicy nose that follows through in the taste. Smooth and complex, balanced and long on the palate. A wonderful wine. 2000's little brother. Drink now. Highly recommended.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points
Expressive nose, quite open, showing pleasant fruit, spices, tobacco. On the palate not overly harmonious, decent structure with slightly drying tannins. A bit lean with bright fruit, good acidity with medium length. 89-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2014 - jeremy@ Likes this wine: 89 Points
Spicy and green fruit on the nose. Spicy fruit medium body. Medium tannins. Long finish. Quite enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great fruit, tannins, acidity, not showing much secondary flavors yet. This one is just starting out. It should have plenty of time ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2014 - Leoville_2012 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great value for money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2014 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 89 Points
Spicy and somewhat vegetal nose- but in an interesting not intrusive way. Initially a little too much green pepper but settled down with time. Soft tannins, medium though slightly watery finish; probably the least impressive of the three. Drinking well right now- potentially could improve but not much.
This was tasted in a flight with the other Leovilles of the same year, and it split the room. Most judged it their least favorite, but two judged it the best.
I found this to be the boldest of the three, and whilst it had immediate appeal, over the course of the night I tended to find myself drinking the other two. Nonetheless highly impressive for the vintage.
A touch faded the following day; the finish becoming even more clipped. Eclipsed the Barton though, which did not show well.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2014 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Continuing to explore 2002 Bordeaux, the Leoville Poyferre has the vintage chunkiness. It also has a good deal of fruit, so while rustic in impression, it is enjoyable as a partner to food, and even on its own if you are a little masochistic. I see no signs of imminent decline, so my other bottles will sleep for a while, as I focus on the 2001.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2014 - Jeanda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nez intense et profond, mêlant fruits noirs, humus, cèdre et notes minérales. Bouche fine, fondue, fraîche, très digeste. Longueur moyenne. Peut tenir encore au moins 5 ans. Beaucoup de charme.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2014 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cappaccino and licorice with rich black currant in this classically structured smooth drinking St Julien.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2014 - lepetitchateau wrote: 92 Points
Dignified nose of dark fruit and rich succulence. Very classic Bordeaux pencil shavings and earth, cedar and such but still young - in both a good vibrant way and also in the needs more time way. All in all, a pleasurable wine. (fI)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2014 - WMWG Likes this wine:
CT Tasting Group (Steve's House): Tasted Blind - Bretty nose with some red currant, sandalwood and funk that showed itself towards the end of the nose. Lighter bodied than the 2001 and showing much more acid. Palate shows a little heat and spice. Medium finish.
Good to Very good - Hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2014 - riskun Likes this wine: 91 Points
R31 Very fragrant nose of dark fruit with lots of pencil lead - distinctive and rich. Entry is smooth with a very strong flavour profile. A bit of a drop off mid mouth with again an abundance of pencil lead and then cigar box and cedar on the finish. Tannins are fairly fine if a bit drying. People will like this for the fruity nose and decent weight of entry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Large and firm black fruit aromas and flavors. Starts nicely with balanced fruit, but ends with lots of tannins. I wouldn't consider this a particularly food friendly wine right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2014 - VinVet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic bordeaux nose with cassis and blackberry predominant. On the palate some black raspberry, cedar are added to the already noted fruits on the nose. Nicely balanced acidity plus softening tannins suggest that this wine has some time to go before achieving its best overall presentation as evidenced by its continual improvement in the glass throughout the meal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2014 - sdylewski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful and drinking well now. Was noticeably firmer in the middle than the Lagrange from the same year. Perfect bottle with our cassoulet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2013 - WDK wrote: 93 Points
After half hour of airtime, this wine was singing. Dark ruby, medium body with red currant, berry and plum. Strong minerality with firm tannins and good acidic balance in the long finish. 02 wasn't such a bad vintage after all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2013 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Occasional tasting group (@ My place Bordeaux 2002 plus some other nice wines.): Beautiful and still a bit reticent bouquet with cassis, graphite and luxurious oak. On the palate concentrated cassis juice, truffle and beautiful oak. Good balance between acidity and sweetness and round tannin with still a firm bite. Concentrated wine and more body than the Gruaud Larose of the same vintage. Will probably improve a bit over the next 2 or 3 years and offer nice drinking until 2020 or even a bit later. 92+
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2013 - UTPK wrote:
This has taken on a more evolved nose since last year. More blueberries and Merlot on the nose. Almost hinting at tertiary aromas of leather and barnyard, but just slightly in the background. On the palate it is fresh with a touch too much dry acidity/tannins in the finish, but again just very little. Altogether a nice wine, drinking well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2013 - tb76 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Garnet colored. Aromas of Mineral, Mushroom, Black currant (cassis), and Blackberry. Tastes of Black currant (cassis), Stoniness, and Mineral. Mild tannins, medium length, and smooth finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2013 - jnadler12@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice wine. Dark garnet color. Nose of spice and soy sauce. Mildly tanic. Some dark fruit and spice on the palate. Can last another 10 years. A good wine with Stilton and/or rib eye. 1st of 4.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Secondary notes of tobacco, earth, wet leaf and olive, which add to the cassis, blackberry and red fruits. The tannins are firm, ending in a finish of blackberries and earth . This is showing better than the last time I tasted it. You can drink this now, or age it for a few years, as it could improve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2013 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and let it breath for about 20 mins. Really nice purplish red color. Mild barnyard on the nose along with boysenberry very nice perfume like fragrance. I prefer the nose than the actual taste. Nice light syrup type consistency. Nice 10-15 second finish with taste like black cherries, black currant some ceder and hints of mushrooms.
Nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2013 - Venexian wrote: 91 Points
Bel naso rigoroso ed elegante, prugna, tabacco, speziatura e leggerissimo erbaceo. Rigoroso anche in bocca, buona densita', tannino setoso e bel finale pulito e saporito.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Nice concentration and weight, a bit firm, but really nice. Almost a creaminess to it. Very stylish, with some welcome earthy and mineral notes, but still lovely fruit showing through. One of the better Bordeaux of this somewhat difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2013 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group #058; Bordeaux left bank 2001, 2002 and 2003. (@ VD): Darker in color than the 2001. Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, graphite and luxurious oak. On the palate ripe dark and red forest fruits, bell pepper, chocolate, a firm amount of acidity, tannin and bitterness. They made a great effort to make a beautiful wine in this lesser vintage and for the most they succeeded. The 2002 is more concentrated than the 2001 and at this moment the 2001 is more open for business. But the amount of bell pepper is more evident in the 2002. The 2002 probably has a longer future. Considering the pros and cons at this moment I have to score the wines the same, but possibly this 2002 deserves a score which is a bit higher. No problem cellaring this until 2020+?.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2013 - UTPK wrote:
Had the 2002 and 2003 together. The 2002 had a classic Pauillac nose of herbs, cedar, black currants and cassis. Medium body and good balance. Easy to drink, and very fresh to be 10 years old, but still some tannins left. The 2003 had a more Merlot dominated nose, almost new world, hedonistic, but less elegant and less in balance. More full bodied, but still a bit closed. Needs more time, but I doubt this will ever be a classic Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote: 93 Points
Classic bdx nose of dark fruits, cassis, dust and some leather. Very noticeable tannins and nice acidity that spoke of a long life, but mercifully mellowed out after a 4 hour decant. This was full on goodness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2012 - GEDC wrote: 93 Points
PnP lovely nose leather, chocolate, and dark fruits with a bit of sour apple. Finishes with lovely tannins a bit of sour apples. Very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2012 - MitchL wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, smooth muted tannins, some blackcurrant and leather, savory.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2012 - alion wrote: 92 Points
Drinking this over 2 days and will score tomorrow. More open and developed than 6 months ago - surprisingly delicate fruit nose - wisps of red and blackcurrant fruit; within an hour some liquorice, and more traditional pencil lead and leather. More concentrated than I remember on the palate - fleshier. 2 hours+ - darker, more closed, tannic. Very nice indeed on day 1. Darker on day 2 - wonderful nose, blackcurrant, cedar - leather, cocoa, dark and spicy. Lovely 2 days - savory, complex, challenging but wonderful wine. For me, 92 with ++ over the next 5 years. And more than survived into day 3 just kept in fridge. Maybe these 2002s will last longer than some suggest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2012 - godx wrote: 91 Points
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 2002 Horizontal (Blue Water Cafe): Medium red. Nicest nose yet with a classic Bordeaux profile of red and black fruits, bell pepper, tobacco, spice and a hint of funk. Most tannic wine of the flight with fine yet firm tannins and excellent acidity. This shows the most Bordeaux typicity in this flight and is my favorite wine so far tonight. The least approachable of the flight with its structure, but should be very nice in 5-10 years. Excellent. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2012 - UTPK wrote:
Had the 2002 and 2000 after eachother. The difference was smaller than expected. The 2002 had a lovely nose of green herbs, some cedar but less so than in a Pauillac. Also some red berries. Good body with mature fruit, albeit some greenness and more acid than the 2000. The 2000 had another notch to offer both on the nose and on the palate. More dark berries, less green herbs and another layer of fruit. Deeper fruit on the palate. But as I said the difference is smaller than the vintages would suggest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2012 - fitzi wrote:
Good with lamb. Leftovers the next day fine, so no rush to finish bottles of this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2012 - WDK wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now. Opaque ruby, good nose of ripe fruit, med-full bdy with flavors of berry, currant, and lead pencil. Expressive and vibrant with perfect balance and a long finish. Really good!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2012 - macker100 wrote: 90 Points
At BWC tasting, my #6. Similar to 7/10 note with cedar, red berries on nose. Distinct menthol and tar with black fruits on a still tannic palate. Demonstrates more minerality than the '00 or '03. Like many others in the vintage, needs additional cellar time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
BWC - BDX - St Julien and Margaux (Scenic Loop Cafe): Go to take this bottle home and spend some time with it. Nose of menthol (Tim I found it), black currants, and touch of bell pepper. Palate shows some very prominent hard tannins that hide some currants and cassis. Moderate finish, becoming a little hard and dry and a little simple. The more time I spent with this, the less I liked it as it showed more structure and less fruit through the evening. Suprised Lascombes did better in a tough year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2012 - alion wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful nose. Starts all cigar box, stinky farmyard, hint of cedar. No fruit. With time, some damson. Palate - oh boy, this is dry, old school, not concentrated, no fruit to start, anti-modern. I'm looking for cassis. Like waiting for Godot. 2 hours - some blueberry, still some pretty fierce tannins. If you like modern bordeaux, ignore. If not, spend some time with this wine and remind yourself why classic can be so great. 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2012 - Lord Rodney wrote: 91 Points
Dark and beautiful. Very classic nose of iodine, soil and leather. Taste was a good balance of fruit and acidity. A little dry on the finish. Will keep
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2012 - Tavastgatan wrote: 90 Points
This one is improving by the year. Clean classic Bordeaux. Best right out of the bottle, does not benefit from air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2012 - igaf wrote:
Very dark, opaque, nicely mature at the rim. Moderately fruity nose with good intensity, blackcurrants. Med+ body, quite smooth, very mineral, concentrated, balanced, complex, well-structured, rather restrained. Moderate cherry fruit, truffles. Still quite some potential. Very long, interesting, very good. Pleasantly bitter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2012 - stinkycook wrote:
Drank too young. wait another 5 years at least
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2012 - Larre wrote: 93 Points
This wine is really great for the vintage! Generous with cassis fruit, roasted coffee and earth. Hints of secondary tones of sweet tobacco and chocolate. Nice tannins and integrated oak in the finnish. Will surely improve with another 5 years in the cellar. Classic!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Pretty tasty and good, should be better on the second day. My personal penchant for Bordeaux continues on its downward trend, however, and I am not restocking.
Better the second day - much. Let this air in a decanter for several hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2011 - gimonca wrote: 91 Points
Tannins have softened nicely a bit, leaving behind a nice cab essence with a hint of plum, a little leather and a bit of minerality and sea air. Well-balanced and very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Decanted about three hours before drinking with New York strip steak. Lovely density and still-reserved cabernet sinister fruit and cedar; ample tannins but not excessive. Terrific with the steak. I'm liking my 02s quite a bit, but then I am not a large-scale B'x devotee, so your mileage may vary.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2011 - gsquireh wrote: 92 Points
Full-bodied, deep purple color with black fruit, licorice, coffee and chocolate. Classic structure and great to drink. What at value at $30 per bottle futures.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2011 - Bellaire Wino wrote: 97 Points
Yum!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2011 - MJHDC wrote:
I'm in the camp that enjoyed this wine for its pure, classic, Bordeaux profile. While this lacked a great deal of complexity, I found it to be relatively rich, with ample structure, and enough black fruits to make it a rewarding choice for a cool fall evening. What's more, the price makes this a very good buy and I only wish other more recent "lesser" vintages were similarly priced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
With an earthy, black and red fruit nose, the wine shows some tart flavors along with hints of green flavors in the austere style of this vintage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2011 - ReneB wrote:
This is why bordeaux are so famous; depth in taste and color, dark fruits and balanced tannines, every taste seems to open up other kinds of experiences; an itellectual wine. Also very drinkable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2011 - riskun wrote: 93 Points
Fragrant nose of blackberry, dark fruits, mint and smoke. Wood is nicely done at this point. Entry is very savoury and full with a nice and very pleasant finish. Tannins there but back door. This is rich and tasty. Great now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2011 - pinotwok wrote: 91 Points
Eher ein feiner und zurückhaltender Wein, der in jedem Fall über den Abend noch von der zusätzlichen Luft profitiert hat. In der Nase schwarze und rote Johannisbeere, Veilchen, Minze, mineralisch, Jod, Graphit, Eukalyptus und typische Cabernet-Würznoten. Am Gaumen von leichter Statur mit wenig Druck, aber perfekt balanciert mit guter Säure, fruchtiger und erstaunlicher konzentrierter Johannisbeere, leichter Würze, feinkörnigem Tannin und schokoladigem Finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2011 - Radboy wrote: 90 Points
A very focused wine with tightly defined flavors of pencil lead, graphite and dark fruit. Not as expressive as I prefer but nevertheless enjoyable. May very well improve with more time in the bottle. I think I will wait a few more years before trying again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2011 - Domfrenette wrote: 92 Points
Aéré 1h. Robe très sombre, nez assez puissant sur les fruits noirs mais sans trop de complexité. Suit la bouche avec une concentration surprenante de fruits noirs, des tannins bien présents mais soyeux et une très longue finale. Puissance et équilibre. Vraiment beau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2011 - stephane wrote: 90 Points
Tasted against a Leoville Barton 2002, which did not impressed much. The promising nose does not deliver and there's not much in the mouth.
The Poyferré is more complex and more achieved. Black fruits are very present. Nice nose and rather good finish.
Both decanted for one hour
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2011 - Mr. Jeffries Likes this wine: 88 Points
The wine was very soft and velvety but a bit light for the vintage. I would recommend drinking them now as I don't believe the will be getting any better from this point on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2011 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
Very feminine nose of violets, graphite, cellar dust, and cassis. The palate, however, was darker...firmer...more masculine. Dark fruit, shredded tobacco, violets with a sweet tannic finish. Do yourself a favor and pair this with some nice red meat...the combination is very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2011 - beau11 wrote: 92 Points
continues to evolve with the tannins much softer than a few years ago but still with years to go. Very nice with food. Vibrant light red fruits with hints of tobacco and stones
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2011 - spotfin wrote: 91 Points
Very good, still evolving. Hold remaining bottles for another 2 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2011 - Pfi wrote: 94 Points
Danke "Abu" für diesen exzellenten Wein. Denke ich habe gut gewählt, oder? Hoffentlich bis bald. Pfi
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2011 - Pfi wrote: 94 Points
Der Wein war außergewöhnlich
gut. Vielen Dank
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2011 - abu wrote: 94 Points
Pf
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2011 - br wrote:
simple, nice berries and smoke with a hint of leather. short midpalate and finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2011 - heythatslife wrote: 90 Points
This is one for the classicists - it can seem a little austere but in a well-knit, contained way. I think it's at a stage where the pieces are starting to come together. Cassis, blackberry, coffee, tobacco, and bell pepper on the nose. Lively acidity, firm but smooth tannins, and appropriate weight on the palate make for a balanced claret. Too bad I didn't have food to go with this wine, as this just calls for it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2010 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
Brought to a BYO wines dinner to celebrate for Christmas. It has very dark core with purple hues. Expressive nose of tobacco, leather, cassis and vanilla oak. It is a big wines with good substance and supported by good acidity backbone. Excellent length of finish with ripe and fine grained tannins. It drinks well now and better than 2000 which I tasted recently, with great potential to age. I love 2002 for its value and drinkability compare to other vintage, at least for now :).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2010 - JimHow wrote: 94 Points
Boy, I enjoy and respect the notes on cellartracker, but I'm going to just have to respectfully disagree with the trend towards 89-ish scores for this wine. I have had probably a dozen or more bottles of this wine in the past five years or so, and to me it is the epitome of classic claret-styled Bordeaux. I realize this is all subjective but, damn it, here is my subjective opinion: If you don't like this classic St. Julien, you don't like Bordeaux. To me, this wine has everything I'm looking for in a great Medoc: Cassis; cedar; black cherries; restraint; elegance and strength; balance; structure; alchohol in restraint. I have said several times before, and I will say it again: The 2002 left bank vintage is the best post-2000 vintage in Bordeaux (have not tasted 2009 or 2010). It is the last great non-Parkerized vintage. I have consistently rated this beauty over 90 points, and tonight it merited its highest score yet. Tremendous, extremely satisfying finish. Lots of sediment in the end... but then again, what else would you expect from a great left bank vintage. Is this the greatest Leoville Poyferre ever? Maybe. Drinking great now, and will drink even greater over the next 10-20 years. We've been talking about this wine a lot over on my website at www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 88 Points
Sweet, plummy, surprisingly soft. A bit flabby at the end. Not particularly complex but pleasant to drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - WDK wrote: 89 Points
Decent 02, showing dark fruit and powerful tannins. Needs 3-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2010 - UTPK wrote:
Open nose, rather classic old-school Bordeaux nose of green herbs, blackcurrant and some wood. Not much new wood evident. Not a blockbuster, but a clean well made wine which sits nicely on the mid-palate. Some people might think there is too much acidity, but I think the wine balances OK. Needs time in a decanter though, as I had the wine over two days, and not much changed during day two. Still the same taste profile as day one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2010 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends. 2010-06: Bordeaux. (@ FD): Classical bouquet with pleasant and beautiful oak, but the cassis and black cherries prevail. Sweet start with ripe black forest fruits. Firm and round tannin. Pleasant acidity. Elegant acidity and complex. What a great effort for the vintage. Young maturity now and a great pleasure when decanted well before. Or store it for another 5+ years; no problem.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2010 - jhannah27 wrote:
Popped and dropped into the decanter where it was consumed for about 2 hours with Steak Diane for dinner. Reading my previous note, I see I gave it a good long decant last time out, and it still needs it. Showed very much the same flavor profile, but just never really had the chance to open up like previous bottles. Still an insane value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2010 - kanjimoti wrote: 90 Points
The 2002 Leoville Poyferre is eight years of age and drinking superbly, though still young. If I had it to do over again I would wait another four years hoping more tertiary aromas such as tobacco and older, more mature fruit start to emerge. Very dark purple all the way to the rim, the Leoville is wonderfully balanced on the nose with dark red and black fruits, minerality, spicy oak, and best of all is unmistakably a wine from St Julien. On the palate the acid provides great backbone making it a good food wine with a finish that is a bit short but pleasant. A killer bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2010 - Buster Kilpatrick wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Drinking very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2010 - THA wrote: 88 Points
An excellent wine, but in the end uninspiring. Still young, fresh, and bright. Acidity is up front - perhaps too up front. Tannins still a little gritty. The nose shows wonderfully fragrant Cabernet and Bordeaux typicity, with sweet oak well integrated. Medium bodied, and smooth. Oak is more pronounced on the palate than in the nose. Tannins might outlive the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2010 - guido23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black plum and currant on the palette, inky dark purple color. The real feature here is the gorgeous texture: delicate tannins that linger and and linger in the mouth followed by a medium finish. Delicous. Drinking very well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2010 - macker100 wrote: 90 Points
Light ruby-colored center with ripe aromas of red berries, cedar, and toasted oak. Medium bodied with sleek palate notes of lighter black fruit with earthy feel and fine tannins. Solid wine, but unexceptional. Just need time to blossom.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2010 - JimHow wrote: 90 Points
Very consistent with previous experiences with this wine. It is all about restraint, on both the nose and palate. I just checked back on my note from June 2007 and really nothing has changed: It is not going to be a wine that will appeal to everyone, but for me it has an appealing understatement, medium bodied, cedary, black-fruited with moderate tannins, a well made wine. It evolved slowly and beautifully with dinner. A notable deep rich inky purple color.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2010 - tvmama wrote: 90 Points
not as good as other vintage
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Loved this - really shows what a good Bordeaux is capable of. Nice concentration, still some tanins for sure, and will improve with age, but still showing well now after a bit of decanting. Rich and racey. Wish I had more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2010 - Sea1959 wrote: 90 Points
Pretty good of a 2002. Fine BDX noise. A little short in the mouth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2010 - Vitisvinifera Likes this wine: 87 Points
let it breathe for 1 and half. graphite, cedar, on nose. A bit harsh on palate, too tannic and good acid suggest some way to go, Good not great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2010 - jhannah27 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted, drank some immediately, left alone for about 2 hours and finished over approximately 5 hours. Right from the pop the nose jumped from the bottle with haunting lead, fresh soil, pine, plum, licorice, and black currant. Bold and pretty angular tannins held on throughout the entire bottle, but certainly softened as it decanted. This is a classically styled wine with flavors of leather, forest floor, blackberries, plums, and coffee that ever so slowly faded away in the insanely long finish. This was one of my top 10 Bordeaux experiences and it came in a $35 bottle of "weak vintage" wine. I'll take that everyday and twice on Sunday!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2010 - pian0_player wrote: 92 Points
Better than expected. Nice balanced wine with dark fruit and barnyard on the nose. Some strong tannin, but overall a very traditional, nice bottle of Bordeaux. Medium bodied, with rich dark, almost opaque color. Nice length and expression of terroir. I paid less than $40 for this bottle and it was a steal. Not an earth shattering vintage, but a solid bottle. Excellent for the money. My first 2002 Bordeaux and I think it is better than the reviews of the vintage would make you think. Probably doesn't have the fruit for a long life, but excellent for drinking over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2010 - Vine wrote:
Two bottles over 3 nights. Deep, dark red colour. Drinking perfectly now - I'll finish up the balance of my inventory (7 bottles) over the next 12 months to take advantage of this wine's freshness and classic Bordeaux nose and taste. Very seductive. An excellent effort for an average vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2010 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic nose of smoked meat, leather, cedar and currants. Dark fruit palate, with nice acidity and concentration. Plum, currants and a little licorice come through. Just a hint of greenness sneaks through as well, but adds complexity rather than detracts. Mid palate comes across as slightly thin compared to the nose which was surprising given the concentration. Medium finish of toast, flint, and mineral. Well made wine in tough year, but will never be a great wine. Drink now to the next 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2009 - campingfleurie wrote: 89 Points
Bord-decanted 3 hours. Some noble blackcurrant and tobacco, but all v restrained. V rare steak and v good company muted my analysis. I think the fairly prominent tannin is blunting it too. I wish I'd looked for the texture that other CTers have enjoyed. There's some good substance atop the structures, so probably is good enough to come round in 4 years; but I doubt will ever be stunning. 89+.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2009 - alion wrote: 94 Points
With cheese. 3 hours air. I like 2002s more and more - old school, tannic, but with more dark fruit and coffee richness than expected. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2009 - Zweder wrote: flawed
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2009 - bbrantley wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple color. Sort of restrained on the nose, but does offer aromas of cassis, coffee ground and, with coaxing, hints of blueberries. Nicely textured mouthfeel, especially on the attack with flavors of blueberries and coffee, which gives way to a very strong grip of tannins and acidity on the back end before a lingering, chewy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2009 - CTwine wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose light red fruit. Tannins noticable but not overpowering a nice mouth feel.
Nice but shorter than expected finish. Good and in keeping with the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 88 Points
Bitter chocolate, wet earth, some greenness, with moderate concentration of dark fruits and quite tart tannins. Some secondary nuance developing already, but not very balanced or attractive at the moment. It does not seem to me that this wine has the stuff for the long haul.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2009 - Paul S wrote: 88 Points
Leoville Poyferre masterclass with Didier Cuvelier (St Regis, Singapore): Not a bad wine in itself, but probably my least favourite of the tasting. Nice nose - prunes, plums, dried fruit (figs?), and earthy leather and undergrowth tones. Very attractive, very St Julien actually. The palate was unfortunately a little disjointed. Ripe tannins, a little mouthcoating, but not hard in any way. Very fresh acid, but so much so that it was rather sharp and astringent, distracting from what were otherwise pretty decent, if just a little simplistic flavours of cassis and orange zest. Again, this had the familiar bittersweet herbs moving into a mid-length finish. With time, I got a touch of menthol. I think this needs time and food, neither of which we had at the tasting. Something to visit again (hopefully over a nice lamb dish) in a few years perhaps, but not one I would rush out to buy
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple in the glass, the nose starts by showing dark berry fruit and blackcurrant which develop into more savouy notes. The palate is concentrated and pure. It shows liquorice, bitter chocolate and delicate oak characters. Great balance and nice long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Graceful, charming, and luminescent. With clarity and expression. Still young now but quite enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2008 - yeoman wrote:
Earthy nose with plenty of black fruits, it tasted so much better compared to couple years back. The tannin is definitely melting with the plenty of black fruits revealing now. It's nice to drink now and the I'm sure this hidden gem will improve further with the next 5-10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2008 - kfr01 wrote: 89 Points
Wowsa - Very enjoyable but not exactly subtle. From the unique nose to the nice tannic (but not overly acidic) grip on the back end, this bottle is interesting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Fairly grippy and intense. Not a subtle thing right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2008 - Le Baron wrote: 88 Points
It's evolving but it gives a lot of pleasure right now.
Plum,redcurrant intertwined with peppercorn,cloves and coffee,animal charachters on the background,little leafy note underground.
Elegant with tannin which is smoothing down and a nice acidity which will ensure a nice evolution.
Drink 2009-2016
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2007 - beau11 wrote: 90 Points
goog earthy bordeaux nose...med body and still evolving..decanted for an hour...wine continued to get better as it warmed up..a lot of sediment
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2007 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Tasting Group Dinner - Bordeaux (Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis): Interesting nose of violets, black fruit, smoke, and white pepper. Medium weight. Promising, but a bit closed at the moment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2007 - sivilli wrote:
This was very structured and unforgiving - it is just too young to offer any enjoyment at this stage. Shows a lot of left bank typicity - cedar, cassis, leather.. but the nose is not at all intense and the palate is tight. Will taste again in another 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2007 - JimHow wrote: 90 Points
Notes from last night: If you like your wines austere, you will like this wine. If you do not like your wines austere, you will not like this wine. What is my definition of austere? I don't know what Parker and others may mean, but the descriptors that come to my mind include: restrained, classic, structured, tannic, hard, backward, etc. I concluded from the very first time I drank this wine that it was one of the more tannic examples from a tannic vintage in the Medoc. And I love it! It hasn't changed much in the past three years. Inky, dense purple color. For a split-second I thought the wine may have been tainted but I soon realized it was rather an earthiness, a funkiness, a leathery bouquet almost like what we used to see out of Gruaud Larose when that estate still offered up quality. At the end it developed all kinds of nuances on both the nose and palate: leather, earth, tobacco, coffee, licorice(?). Inky, inky, purple, purple, purple. The nose continued to expand beautifully through the evening. This is "real St. Julien." I got this wine at the incredible price of $25.00 from Premier Cru, back when that wine store still offered up quality. This wine has not evolved much in bottle. It should be consumed probably about eight to ten years from now. Nice wine, classic Bordeaux is alive and well. I'm thinking back to my term at Christ's College, Cambridge, back in 1979, the faculty was probably sipping stuff like this from the cellars, more old-school I'm sure, but with the basic classic claret characteristics of tobacco, coffee, and leather, wines of restraint, with a lasting finish, austerity backboning ripe St. Julien fruit. Quite an impressive finish! Some very fine particulates of sediment at the very end. Oh yeah! Rating: 90 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2007 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends. 2007-02: Bordeaux: St. Julien & Pessac. (@ BV): Purple red. Tasted a few times during the evening. First a slightly perfumed bouquet but backward and some black cherries. Later chocolate, tar and green flavours. In the taste a lot of dark cherries and soft sticky tannin. Young and very juicy wine. Wait at least 3 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2006 - pbjosh wrote: 75 Points
I do not think this was a bad bottle - not oxidized, corked or cooked. Perhaps somewhat shutdown, this took 3+ hours after a vigorous decanting to show what little fruit it had (dark berries). On top of a bit of fruit this had gobs of harsh green flavors and unripe tannins. Strikes me as vastly overextracted but I will try again in 4+ years just as an education.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2006 - sbwino wrote: 92 Points
Dark, brooding earth nose. Concentrated brambly black fruit, juniper berry, coffee, and spice. This is a very fine full bodied but delicate bordeaux now, which will only improve with several more years. Quite a bargain price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2006 - micha_e wrote: 91 Points
Much more open and accessible than the last bottle. But still a rather burly, almost rustic wine with great intensity and grip. For details see my last note. Once again tons of sediment in the bottle, so I would recommend careful decanting even at this young stage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2005 - Will wrote:
A bit more evolved than the Poujeaux at this stage, classic young bordeaux showing very well already but bound to get better. Very happy with this purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2005 - Robertito wrote: 87 Points
2002 Leoville Poyferré St. Julien... I guess what you would call a classic young claret. Leather, dark cherries and cassis, although the fruit is underwhelming (the leather dominates), a touch lean, not much fat, but not too tannic, finish keeps getting longer as I work my way through 1/2 of the bottle, with the remainder to be reserved till Monday. Perfect with pan-grilled prime aged rib steak. See ya in 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2005 - Gwalchgwynn wrote: 94 Points
New oak vanilla on the nose with beautiful chewy cherry fruit and soft tannins up front followed by a wave of tannin on the very long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2005 - MRichman wrote:
2002 Bordeaux Offline (Frank's Steakhouse, NYC): Lots of vanilla fruit, but short. Some tacky tannins, a little light.
B/B-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2005 - micha_e wrote: 90 Points
My first encounter with this wine from the 2002 vintage. Opaque ruby/purple color. A typical, rather earthy nose with stony red and black fruits, tobacco, and some subtle toast. Gives the impression of being a bit closed at the moment. On the palate, a medium to full-bodied wine with gripping, earthy, black fruited flavors. Rather lively acidity which integrates a bit over the evening. This wine seems very dense and powerful with quite a lot of tannins that really stain the teeth and tongue. Perhaps it ultimately lacks a bit of refinement for my taste - I much prefer the elegance of Leoville Barton over this, but then Poyferre is usually much cheaper. The finish is quite long and the tannins are not dry at all. I suspect it will age quite well. By the way, already tons of sediment in the bottle evidencing the absence of filtering. A solid effort for the vintage. Drink 2010-2025
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 87 Points
Full purple. Clean aroma. Red fruit and tannin. 1/05
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2004 - claudio_bxl wrote:
The 2002 Leoville Poyferre shows aromas of tobacco interlaced with red fruts and earth. The attack is fairly round but it has a weak mid palate. The wines shows a good level of acidity and tannin. It may improve with some aging
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment