Bordeaux 2004 - 20 Years On - 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted. Observations: 1) 2004 is a mediocre vintage overall, with many pleasant wines, but without the depth of better years. 2) At the top, the vintage produced some classic, old-school wines with lots of freshness and fresh fruit. 3) At the lower end, many wines lacked fruit and ripe tannins, resulting in some astringent and slightly drying wines. 4) An alarming number of Right Bank wines (5 out of 16, no Left Bank wine) were oxidized, including some heavyweights like Petrus, Evangile or Figeac. An unacceptably high proportion of faulty wines. 5) I’m not sure that the 2004 are currently in a good phase, many of my scores were lower than in previous tastings. The question is if it’s just a weaker phase or the beginning of the end. 6) At the top and the only wine >95pts was a layered Le Pin (rated 96pts), with a charming Vieux Chateau Certan, a surprising Issan and Clos l'Eglise, as well as an elegant Lafite sharing second place (all rated 94pts).
TN: Oxidized.
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Consumed my last bottle of this wine and paired with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks. The wine is drinking very well with notes of dark harmonious fruit, cedar, graphite with hint of minerals. Well balanced with soft tannins, long finish.
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PnP. Nice expressive nose of cassis, stewed plums, some flowery notes. The palate shows good acidity, with vivid black stone fruits (plums) and blueberries, with graphite notes, spice, an ever-so-slight hint of pencil, good tannins to keep everything together. I wouldn’t consider this a very complex wine, but it’s very polished and definitely at its peak. Very enjoyable.
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I decided to open this as I knew it was either past it’s time or close to it. As we popped the cork , a stinky odor perfused from the bottle. Probably one of the worst I have ever smelled. The taste was equally off and I would say skunky. I was skeptical, but I decided to decant over night and see if that allowed the wine to work it’s magic. What entailed was a beautiful wine. Elegant cascading wine. Skunk tast and smells gone. A little past it’s prime but not by much. Medium finish. Slight plum on the miniscus of the glass. Slight bit of spice. I would say drink up and enjoy. Yet another winner supporting decanting.
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A sparkling purplish ruby in the glass, the nose is quite fruit poor and features significant oak elements, violet, and earth. Structured on the palate, albeit fruit poor, with aforementioned notes featuring. Clean, good acidity, but lacking fruit has a simple, clipped finish. Prior note stating "drink up" is right on point. Nonetheless, enjoyed by all with grilled Santa Maria tri-tip roast.
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Nose of mesquite, violets, forest, cherries. Bright and charming. At middle age, it is open and lively. Luxurious cherry and plum fruit; a nice blend. Hard to find any faults here. While it has obvious stamina, it is drinking wonderfully now.
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Really enjoying this bottle. Plenty of well integrated wood, bitter cherry, peach. Full, with moderate acidity and generous tannins. Long and sweet. Great now, and should hold easily for a couple of years.
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Still nice, not special. Similar to before- bit of a charred nose, some minerals and sweet fruit. Medium body, very pleasant. Very slight bite on the back end. Not much finish. Should be drunk soon (the wine, not me)
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Tasted blind. Fresh and youthful, good dose of wood but not overpowering. Seems very well structured, though the tannins are not harsh, but rather mostly resolved. Licorice, olive, spearmint notes. This wine has very good power, though the flavors are not sharply focused. I did not hazard a guess to its origin, but it's nice juice, I'd drink it any time.
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This wine still has a deep ruby (almost opaque) appearance after 12 years or so in the bottle.
Pronounced and evolved aromas of red fruits (plum), spice and vanilla. (they were not shy with the new oak which not everyone will like).
Beautiful full bodied palate with medium tannins and fresh acidity. For what I assume is a merlot based cuvee it is surprisingly un evolved (in a good way) for its age. Similar flavor characteristics as on the nose with a medium plus finish.
Drink now or hold ten years + in cold cellar. Overall well done.
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Impeccably well stored sine acquisition upon release. On opening plenty of dullish fruit and lacked complexity. Four hours in flowered - very much on the black fruit side with a nicely complex, indeed impressively complex finish, given the vintage. That said, some heat is in the picture.
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Dark fruits, black cherries, blackberries, black currants, and plums along with leather, coffee, licorice, earthiness, and hints of spice in the nose and flavor. Medium to full bodied and a medium to long finish.
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Vinturied into decant, consumed over 4 hours, A great showing for an off vintage...if there is one for this producer! Near peak integration, nice fruit still showing, a terrific btl. Drink now -24-28?
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Wow, big wine. Tannins we’re still gripping when opened so I decanted and let sit for 2 hours. This wine really came together and harmonized. Very nice St Emilion.
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Charming on the first night. Somewhat sweet fruit with a bit of a tart side, perhaps some cocoa. Tannins soft. By night 2 (24 hours later) it had become too soft, tasted a little too aged with a bit of a brown color. Nothing wrong per se, but this is ready now and might be starting to slide downhill. Drink up!
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First: after screwing the cork.. NOSE: lovely plum yam,Madeiran Oak Smell, barnyard, Foest... dark berries TASTE: not yet open, but lovely for the first sight / Taste but: not really open
After 12-15 hours of decanting: but also beginning from the 5th hour on
this wine shows it´s superbness, wonderfull knittet tigether in ripeness, frutiness, alchohol and finesse
TASTE: like in the first sight just the Nose bit now also in the Mouth lovely plum yam,Madeiran Oak Smell, barnyard, Foest... dark berries and more: charcoal, lacrize ... and dark chocolate ..
94/ 100 and yet more to come this wine show´s from now on more complexity
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Fully mature, medium bodied and delivering its smoky, licorice, espresso and plummy character with ease. The wine is soft, round and still a bit oaky, yet it also delivers soft, supple, textured fruit.
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How different from the last two bottles! This was gorgeous - one of the best bottles I've had in quite some time. Did not decant. Popped and poured a couple of glasses, then drank about an hour later. Singing! There was only very fine sediment in the last glasses from the bottle. The nose had a little more cigar box than when we drank it but mostly the nose and palate were the same with a nice balance of dark fruit, cigar box, hints of pepper, and a little bit of leather. Well balanced acidity also, but pretty vibrant. The tannins have all resolved. This is drinking wonderfully now!
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This has aged gracefully. Nose has muted, but in the mouth more elegant than earlier bottles. Good with food, tannins soft, ends with a bit of acidity.
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Flawed. Last of a case, and the first 11 were just fine. This one seemed a little off, but over an hour became more and more corked. Sad. The rest went down the drain.
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Great nose! Dark fruit and impressive weight for the vintage. Decanting did not noticeably improve. My only criticism was the finish where I felt it was a bit astringent. I expected a more smoother feel on the palate. I would drink this wine sooner than later.
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I keep being a little disappointed by these. Again, it smells absolutely wonderful - a pleasant mix of cigar box, dark fruit, and spice. But it's so tarry on the palate, overwhelming the rest of the flavors. It's better with food of course, but the palate is really a let-down after smelling it.
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I can't imagine this wine ever being better than it is right now. Some inviting red and green notes on the nose. Medium tannins. Rich deep red and green on the palate. Best Bdx I've tried in some time.
If you have a bottle, now's the time to open it
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Smells like a Eucalytus wood camp fire put out by the drizzling rain. Black cherry, ash, tobacco, dried spice and anise flavor with dusty tannins. Excessive oak char dominates the flavor profile. Settled down and integrated after breathing.
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Weekly tasting group #191; a mixed set of red wines. (@ The factory by MN): Really complex and beautiful bouquet with cherries, dark berries, some creaminess, some bell pepper, some tobacco and autumn impressions and with a little more air time other flavors appeared as well, like cinnamon, cigar box etc. On the palate soft red fruit acidity, chocolate, sweet spices, earth, some pepper and autumn. The tannin is round and soft. Overall this is a beautiful and elegant wine with a fabulous bouquet. Just sniffing is almost enough. I kept a little leftover for the next day, but then the wine was almost dead and gone. So, fully mature now and if kept in a cold cellar no real hurry.
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I think this wine has improved over the last 2- 3 years. Decanted about 30 minutes and served with hickory-molasses coated filets on the grill. Lush dark fruit with notes of cedar, tannins are becoming more subdued and integrated with nice finish.
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Brisket, Bordeaux, and Rhones: The vanilla oak and ripe fruit on the nose shows its modernity, but the ripeness is more toned down on the palate and is joined by more savory mineral and leather character, leading me to enjoy it more than I expected at first sniff.
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Hmmm. I was a little disappointed with this bottle. It smelled absolutely fantastic, but as a wine to drink by itself, it was a little bit too bitter, perhaps from the tannins. It was great with food, but by itself the dark and bitter flavors rode roughshod over the fruit. Nice oak and fruit on the nose.
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Decanted 45 minutes before service. In the glass, auburn-tinted red at the rim, black in the center. On the nose, barnyard funk mixed with mint and crushed currants. On the palate, tobacco, mint, cocoa, ample dark red fruit, and mild amounts of tannin on a moderately long finish. The funk never quite went away, but neither was it so assertive that it interfered with enjoyment. I'd be happy to have more of this around...
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Decanted 3 hours. Nice wine, some bordeaux notes, red and black fruits a bit of graphite, with some earth. Tannins were still in the forefront, medium body and finish. Took some time to open still early. 90+ points
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Medium bodied with silky tannins, very well balanced. Nose has strong menthol/eucalyptus aromas along with nice red fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed this bottle.
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Bordeaux 2004 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): Dark fruits and exclusive smoky oak in the bouquet. On the palate creamy and round with red as well as black forest fruits, sweet spices like cinnamon, cocoa, soft and powdery tannin. Evolves beautifully with some more air. Extremely beautiful wine.
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Bordeaux 2004 - an overview (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Big nose of cherry-liqueur, smoke and earth. Powerful, concentrated yet harmonious, alcohol is noticable but it stays within reasonable limits. Sumptuous, ripe forestfruit covers the palate. Maybe a tiny dip in midpalate. Still showing some cellaring potential, but what a nice wine to drink now! 18-18.5/20 (Group scores: 93-96)
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Nose of chocolate, Cherry Heering and Chambord. Reminds me of those fancy chocolates you can get at Haigh's and Koko Black. Palate shows good structure; this should last a long time. Strong mineral notes, like the 2004 Vieux Château Certan (tasted at the same dinner). This seems much younger and more closed than the VCC, though.
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Only had a taste. Some complexity with toasty, earthy, cedary flavor. Seems approaching maturity. Medium bodied and not overripe. Overall quite balanced and just slightly tannic.
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PnP one of my favorite affordable wines in Bordeaux. Drinking this exquisite concoction will make you happy in every way. Tobacco, leather, smoky wood spices and chocolate.
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Beautiful wine. Very good, maybe outstanding. Tastes better than it is when I think about it objectively perhaps? Smoky, dark berries, and some kind of minerality on the nose. Rich palate without being heavy with a tobacco kind of flavor. Long finish with a kind of rough dark chocolate character to it.
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Needs more time. It took a couple of days to come out of its shell. On the first night I could tell there was power there, but the tannins were hard and it was just too tightly wound. 48 hours later it had softened up a lot, and really showed some good deep fruit without too much bite. My rating is how the wine drank at 48 hours.
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Upon opening this wine was shackled by harsh tannin and pervasive burnt-toast or coffee flavors. There were some nice notes of tobacco, cedar and dark fruits but I found these to be fading and overwhelmed by the rest of the flavor profile. After 24 hours or so in bottle, a noticeable taste of oxidized and slightly cooked fruit began to emerge before being hit by all that tannin. This had more of a left-bank, classically styled character, but not a successful execution of one. I've had better experiences with other 2004 Bordeaux. Storage may have been an issue but I doubt that is the culprit here. Two bottles tasted 12 months apart with similar notes.
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Dark red, nose of spicy tobacco, earth, blackberry, and some tar notes, but little barnyard I usually find in Monbousquet. The first sips are distinctive Monbousquet, with even tannins and good balance. Long finish.
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Decanted for 1 hour and drank during dinner. Smell of black berries, leather and a little tobacco. Front and mid palate just taste of acid and forest floor. Lingers in the mouth for about 25 seconds and as the night goes on, the tannins become more gentle while the fruit slowly fades. I have drank a bottle of this every year and no significant improvement or evolution noticed, just some tiny steps. Drink up and free up the cellar space!
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Dark fruit on the nose with a hint of graphite. Not overpowering. The wine tasted of black cherry and blackberries with coffee notes. It had medium tannins. It still managed to be elegant particularly after opening up. The long finish emphasised the coffee.
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Very dark wine, moderately opaque. The nose is of smoky crushed black berries with graphite overtones. On the tongue it's got really good weight and good balance. Moderate tannins, good acidity, and decent length. Slightly bitter finish. This is a very nice wine, only the finish detracts from the overall quality, but even so this is quite enjoyable.
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Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Red fruit and vanilla aromas follow through on the palate. Picks up an herbal quality on the long finish. Again, not as impressive as other '04s tasted a week earlier. This was decanted briefly about three hours before the tasting.
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I think nutty08's itaian burnt coffee is my oxidative effects?, Nose of terroir, burnt toast, dark chocolate, tobacco, prune, some oak, vanilla. Dark purple to the rim. Palate is thin with dark fruit some spice and acidity. Not as tannic as expected. Nice finish of dark chocolate spice and black fruit
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Closest to Pavie at the BWC tasting, with rich vanilla and blackberries on nose. This wine had the most heat of the night, that distracted from the rich fruit profile. Notes of figs, nuts, black tar, with tight finish. My #7.
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Boerne Wine Club - Right Bank Bordeaux (Scenic Loop Cafe, San Antonio, TX): Splash decanted. Very dark in the glass. Nose very toasted, with roasted Italian slightly burnt coffee with a little plum mixed in. Palate very concentrated and ripe, with dark fruit with a slightly liquor-like quality, again slowing lots of oak influence and prominent tannins. Dry oak tannin on the finish along with black currants. Seemed a little out of balance and over extracted. No change several hours in. Revisit in 5+ years. Did seem to have the fruit to integrate the oak. Quite modern style. And reminiscent of Pavie (though lacking the polish and acidity)
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Had with Christmas goose. That whole barnyard funk thing was definitely present - lauren asked if the wine was bad at first - but most of that blew off after 30 or so minutes. Tannins were well integrated. Nice palate and medium body and finish. Finish was nice, but really didn't last particularly long. Not a bad wine, but definitely not a knock-out. Still, paired pretty well with the goose and wild rice with mushrooms. Probably will wait quite some time to try the 2005, but is nice to have something to ultimately compare it with.
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Pop'n'pour at restaurant. I was skimming the menu and found this in-between non descript bottles of, well, plonk. Right off the bat (apart from the fact that it's monbousquet...) I knew this was more than your average restaurant fare. Almost black in the glass, with a beautiful nose of leather, spice and dark berries. the palate was a little closed, but after about 30-40 minutes it opened up and became incredibly smooth. After and hour more, cordouroy tannins announced their presence, indicating that you can keep this for a decade. I wish I had bought this EP.
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Did not seem to need decanting or any type of meaningful breathing. After about 25 minutes or so, it seemed to be good to go. It improved over the course of the bottle -- 90 min or so. I did not find it heavy -- in fact, quite the opposite. Very well balanced.
I will admit that I was a bit surprised at how quickly and fully the wine opened. Moreover, I suspect that more aging will not matter too much. Given that this is an upscale wine from a decent vintage, I was a bit surprised at how accessible the wine was. Oh well.
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If you enjoy Monbousquet (I do), you know about the barnyard wiff at first pour. Love it or leave it, it does blow off. This is not the best vintage, but still enjoyable with slow grilled, well seasoned pork spare ribs, no sauce. Dark purple/black in color. Black fruits, (blackberry, black cherry), tar, leather, and lots of cigar box. But open time changes the dominance of each. Not balanced at this point, but nice acid through the long finish. This begs to accompany a wild game dinner.
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Popped and poured. Better than I remember the last bottle. Notes very consistent with last bottle, except did not detect any heat. Still young and vibrant with years left to go, 10 to 15+ years.
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Decanted for 1 hour. This wine reeks of maduro leaf tobacco, wet soil (with bugs, twigs and all), old, worn leather, and dried herbs framing a core of dried figs and pruney notes. Definitely lots of horse crap on the nose too (indication of a high degree of brett). More subtle aromas of clove spice, mocha, and cinnamon emerge with more time. This is a pretty big wine on the initial attack, entering with big, powerful flavors of chocolate, leather, forest floor, tar, soy sauce, graphite, and more of that dark tobacco again...then something strange happens; no mid-palate. Thise is the worst example of what they call a "donut wine" I've ever had. Huge entry with big flavors and fat body that just seems to vanish, only to bring in a big, long, and tannic finish. Wine seems over extracted, but there is a much more subtle use of oak than I would have expected (read somewhere that Monbo usually goes with 90-100% new oak) from a Perse/Rolland wine. Finish has nice earthy flavors but is tannic and hot, too hot. Lacks polish and balance. Along with rough tannins, a hot finish, and somewhat undesireable pruney flavors this wine is quite flawed. Throw in the unforgivable "donut wine" effect and you could easily regard this wine as a failure, but somehow it retains enough interesting character and complexity to make it memorable. It's a shame really, I wish it were a little more cohesive, we'd have found a winner here.
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this was good dark rich wine. and i agree with other descriptions here, but to me a wine should taste like grapes, not tobacco, since i neither enjoy smoking nor eating cigars. thus i opened some grand pontet instead, as neither my wife nor i could drink this enjoyably. when i added some grand pontet or some potensac to this it went down better. maybe after a day or two it will be less austere. recommended more for those who like wine that tastes like tobacco. or maybe some food would ameliorate the hard taste.
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Not decanted, but the cork was popped about an hour before drinking during dinner at Bon Soiree. This is drinking beautifully right now. The aromatics are earthy and rustic, almost funky, and they interact beautifully with a nice core of blackberry and plum fruit. Mid-weight body to this. And nice length. It paired gorgeously with braised veal cheeks and seared duck breast. A huge hit at the table. 92.
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This wine was excellent. Dark and leathery, yet supple and inviting. On the tip of my tongue, it was a bit of a chocolate and espresso taste that is not often replicated by other wines I’ve had, and yet it was silky on the tannins. Can see how this wine has many years of aging to go before it opens up even more, so give it about 5 more years before opening the next. Resist if you can...seems to be be worth it.
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Yummy! Really opened up on decanting and warming to room temp. The best glass was the last. A great nose of tobacco and that same tobacco lingers on the finish. if you like thick dark sexy Bordeaux this one's for you!!
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Absolutely being boring drinking Monbousquet indeed but 2004 seems very nice, maybe the best I ever had. ( when compare with its price )
Should open 1.30 hours before drink to avoid bloody Merlot scent at the beginning. After 2 hours, all scents are combined very beautiful, dramatic and quite classic, cloning the 2000, the structure is lovely elegant, lovely full-bodied, nice fruit. The finish is very good too.
Drink now - 2018 ............92-93/100...............
ps. if one never try this wine, 2004 is highly recommended.
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Thematic tasting of Bordeaux 2004 (Crystal Wines): Garrique-like smells of animal barnyard, fowl feathers and cigar box. Interesting enough to stand out among the rest of the right banks. Its kinda a more backward and austere styled wine with good black fruits lying in wait. At the moment, there's more light cherry plum fruits and bitter herbs on the finish that just throws me off a little. Masculine wine ...like a farmhand after a long day's work helping out in the barn. Really liked the nose but was slightly less impressed by the palate.
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First taste of 2 cases and I am sooo impressed. I have had the past several vintages and the 2003 was the best for me but this is going to be better, I think. Thick heavy color is not consistent with the smooth flavor and balanced tannins. I don't think legs matter but boy do they stream down the glass. Great earthy nose with tons of character. I expect this is going to be much better in 2-4 years, 94 pts or so. I just hope I can wait!
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Aroma is very similar to vintage 2002. A bit dilute on the plate but still elegant and harmony. Does not have the bitterness that 2002 does but not comparable to concentrate and powerful 2003.
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fruit and cassis aromas lept from the bottla as the cork came out. Deep dark eggplant color. Primary dark fruit aromas from the glass and palate as well. I am not sure, but there seemed to be an ever so slight hint of heat on the palate. Hope it was just me. I still prefer the 1999 Monbo.
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Big interesting nose that fills the glass. Cherries and darker fruit were prevalent with a little vanilla & band-aid smell. After a couple hours decanting a vegetable or green pepper component was noticeable with some hints of coffee as well. Medium and complex body, lots going on the palate...Some back end tannin that should soften with more bottle time but still and interesting good wine to have now.
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This wine has my interest because I love Gerard Perse style of wine making. It is not for everyone but it suits me fine. With that said I have been scouring the world looking to buy some underated older vintages of his wines and I just came upon a six bottle haul in Fla. We are planning on being in Vero Beach soon so I decided to drink one. The wine was opened and not decanted unfortunately. We poured large glasses into nice stem ware and let it sit for two hrs.
The wine was inky purple and had a great fruity bouquet he has become famous for. It was loaded with dark berry fruit cherry and spice box with tobacco undertones. The first sip showed that the wine was very similiar stylistically to the other Monbousquet's since 96. This wine was medium bodied compared to the the monster 2000 and the 2005 but it was quite smooth with 60 % Merlot in its chemistry. The midpalate reveals more cherry black berry with cassis licorice spice box cigar box. The finish is long and strong and I got a coffee and toffee sense on my palate I had not before. The texture of this wine made it special for me. It is far smoother than the 2000 or the 2005 which clearly have higher tannin loads but this wine is a pleasure to drink even now. With the price point so low compared to its older and younger higher rated vintages I would strongly recommend buying this wine and cellaring it for 8-12 more yrs because it will get better..............on the other hand this is a very cheap high quality new world Bordeaux that is drinking really nice right now.........love it. Rating 92
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bordeaux tasting (Binny's Highland Park): nose: huge and extracted nose(well, extracted for a bordeaux) showing the Perse influence. Loads of coffee, vanilla, toasted oak, dark cherry, with cedar and mixed berry notes
taste: again big, and almost over the top with dark cherry, coffee tones, mixed berries and black berries
overall: Big and gregarious. Massive attack and a good finish, but this is bordering on the obnoxious level. Will be a very interesting wine when it tones down a bit, but right now its a bit much for me
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A fine 2004. QPR? $33 a bottle at the Chicago Wine Company. Toasty new oak over blackish fruit on the nose. More black fruit on the palate with some slate/pencil and coffee. Nice richness, although not remotely in the ballpark with an 05. Not a shortcoming, just a reflection of where the vintage fits. Fine long finish with plenty of acid in the mix and maybe a bit of tannin. Five years or so and this will really work. Another case where a Bordeaux of this quality at this price will likely not ever again be seen on the retail shelves of America.
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Very dark red in the glass. Nose of dark fruit, coffee, dust, and oak. On the palate more dustiness and fruitiness, less oak, with a bit of licorice, especially on the finish. Longish finish. Good acidity and structure.
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Dark, chocolaty garnet red color. Nose is exploding with blackberry, espresso, tar, and licorice. Really solid on the palate with massive structure and good balance. Flavors are notably of blackberry and chocolate covered coffee beans. Finish is very long. Not for traditionalists (at least not right now), but a great young Monbousquet that is absolutely true to its St. Emilion origins. In my opinion, the best Monbousquet since the 2000. On a side note, I drove by Monbousquet when I was in Bordeaux in July 2006 and I was impressed by its location that is west and south of D670 on a fairly flat plot of land.
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(from 3L bottle) This was kind of fun in a new world Bordeaux style. Opened at 1 PM for an 8 PM dinner. Dark purple blue color. Black and red fruits on the nose mixed with toast and vanilla. Medium bodied and in balance, there was no lack of flavor, but no heaviness either. There was a bit of a tannic bite that blew off in the glass, but the truth is this shouldn’t be drunk for 5 to 7 years. While not “classic” Bordeaux, this was still true to origin and really nice. (90+)
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2/24/2024 - Cailles wrote: flawed
Bordeaux 2004 - 20 Years On - 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted. Observations: 1) 2004 is a mediocre vintage overall, with many pleasant wines, but without the depth of better years. 2) At the top, the vintage produced some classic, old-school wines with lots of freshness and fresh fruit. 3) At the lower end, many wines lacked fruit and ripe tannins, resulting in some astringent and slightly drying wines. 4) An alarming number of Right Bank wines (5 out of 16, no Left Bank wine) were oxidized, including some heavyweights like Petrus, Evangile or Figeac. An unacceptably high proportion of faulty wines. 5) I’m not sure that the 2004 are currently in a good phase, many of my scores were lower than in previous tastings. The question is if it’s just a weaker phase or the beginning of the end. 6) At the top and the only wine >95pts was a layered Le Pin (rated 96pts), with a charming Vieux Chateau Certan, a surprising Issan and Clos l'Eglise, as well as an elegant Lafite sharing second place (all rated 94pts).
TN: Oxidized.
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2/21/2024 - v.sidlauskas63 wrote:
Superinis vynas,nuostabi emocija-Benui 27m!
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9/14/2023 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decant for 5 to 6 hours.
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6/18/2023 - Paul-SA wrote: 92 Points
Great mature Bordeaux. Very smooth tannins with tobacco flavours.
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6/5/2023 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decant for 5 hours
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5/29/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed my last bottle of this wine and paired with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks. The wine is drinking very well with notes of dark harmonious fruit, cedar, graphite with hint of minerals. Well balanced with soft tannins, long finish.
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5/4/2023 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant for 5 hours.
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4/19/2023 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant for 5 hours
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4/12/2023 - lek55 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still decent structure, but earthiness is beginning to predominate. Time to drink up.
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1/7/2023 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decant for 5 hours
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12/20/2022 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant for 4 hours
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10/16/2022 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decant for 3 hours
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8/16/2022 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant for 1 hour
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4/30/2022 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Nice expressive nose of cassis, stewed plums, some flowery notes. The palate shows good acidity, with vivid black stone fruits (plums) and blueberries, with graphite notes, spice, an ever-so-slight hint of pencil, good tannins to keep everything together. I wouldn’t consider this a very complex wine, but it’s very polished and definitely at its peak. Very enjoyable.
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11/19/2021 - 2 Utes Likes this wine: 90 Points
I decided to open this as I knew it was either past it’s time or close to it. As we popped the cork , a stinky odor perfused from the bottle. Probably one of the worst I have ever smelled. The taste was equally off and I would say skunky. I was skeptical, but I decided to decant over night and see if that allowed the wine to work it’s magic. What entailed was a beautiful wine. Elegant cascading wine. Skunk tast and smells gone. A little past it’s prime but not by much. Medium finish. Slight plum on the miniscus of the glass. Slight bit of spice. I would say drink up and enjoy. Yet another winner supporting decanting.
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9/17/2021 - wicozani wrote: 89 Points
A sparkling purplish ruby in the glass, the nose is quite fruit poor and features significant oak elements, violet, and earth. Structured on the palate, albeit fruit poor, with aforementioned notes featuring. Clean, good acidity, but lacking fruit has a simple, clipped finish. Prior note stating "drink up" is right on point. Nonetheless, enjoyed by all with grilled Santa Maria tri-tip roast.
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9/6/2021 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 89 Points
Last bottle of thus mature Bordeaux. Some fruit, graphite and earth. Drank with grilled beef tenderloin. Drink up,
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1/1/2021 - Mr Dregs wrote:
actually drunk earlier but not recorded.
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12/28/2020 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of mesquite, violets, forest, cherries. Bright and charming. At middle age, it is open and lively. Luxurious cherry and plum fruit; a nice blend. Hard to find any faults here. While it has obvious stamina, it is drinking wonderfully now.
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5/14/2020 - robmatic wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoying this bottle. Plenty of well integrated wood, bitter cherry, peach. Full, with moderate acidity and generous tannins. Long and sweet. Great now, and should hold easily for a couple of years.
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11/1/2019 - grossie Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still nice, not special. Similar to before- bit of a charred nose, some minerals and sweet fruit. Medium body, very pleasant. Very slight bite on the back end. Not much finish. Should be drunk soon (the wine, not me)
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9/8/2019 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Fresh and youthful, good dose of wood but not overpowering. Seems very well structured, though the tannins are not harsh, but rather mostly resolved. Licorice, olive, spearmint notes. This wine has very good power, though the flavors are not sharply focused. I did not hazard a guess to its origin, but it's nice juice, I'd drink it any time.
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9/2/2019 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 88 Points
I drank this following a really good bottle of '05 O'Shanessey Cab and think my perception was impacted. The Monbousquet was "harsh" by comparison.
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7/31/2019 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 91 Points
Love great producers in these "off vintages" ....
This wine still has a deep ruby (almost opaque) appearance after 12 years or so in the bottle.
Pronounced and evolved aromas of red fruits (plum), spice and vanilla. (they were not shy with the new oak which not everyone will like).
Beautiful full bodied palate with medium tannins and fresh acidity. For what I assume is a merlot based cuvee it is surprisingly un evolved (in a good way) for its age. Similar flavor characteristics as on the nose with a medium plus finish.
Drink now or hold ten years + in cold cellar. Overall well done.
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4/4/2019 - theusualsuspect wrote: 91 Points
Impeccably well stored sine acquisition upon release. On opening plenty of dullish fruit and lacked complexity. Four hours in flowered - very much on the black fruit side with a nicely complex, indeed impressively complex finish, given the vintage. That said, some heat is in the picture.
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10/24/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruits, black cherries, blackberries, black currants, and plums along with leather, coffee, licorice, earthiness, and hints of spice in the nose and flavor. Medium to full bodied and a medium to long finish.
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10/7/2018 - wino121 wrote: 92 Points
Vinturied into decant, consumed over 4 hours,
A great showing for an off vintage...if there is one for this producer!
Near peak integration, nice fruit still showing, a terrific btl.
Drink now -24-28?
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8/13/2018 - Sam Levain wrote: 91 Points
Wow, big wine. Tannins we’re still gripping when opened so I decanted and let sit for 2 hours. This wine really came together and harmonized. Very nice St Emilion.
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8/13/2018 - grossie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Charming on the first night. Somewhat sweet fruit with a bit of a tart side, perhaps some cocoa. Tannins soft. By night 2 (24 hours later) it had become too soft, tasted a little too aged with a bit of a brown color. Nothing wrong per se, but this is ready now and might be starting to slide downhill. Drink up!
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6/29/2018 - GlöckliWein Likes this wine: 94 Points
First:
after screwing the cork..
NOSE: lovely plum yam,Madeiran Oak Smell, barnyard, Foest... dark berries
TASTE: not yet open, but lovely for the first sight / Taste
but: not really open
After 12-15 hours of decanting:
but also beginning from the 5th hour on
this wine shows it´s superbness, wonderfull
knittet tigether in ripeness, frutiness, alchohol and finesse
TASTE: like in the first sight just the Nose bit now also in the Mouth
lovely plum yam,Madeiran Oak Smell, barnyard, Foest... dark berries
and more: charcoal, lacrize ... and dark chocolate ..
94/ 100
and yet more to come
this wine show´s from now on more complexity
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3/26/2018 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Incredible bottle. Lots of secondary flavors now, but still some robust dark fruit. Long finish. Did not decant. Not a lot of sediment.
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11/19/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Fully mature, medium bodied and delivering its smoky, licorice, espresso and plummy character with ease. The wine is soft, round and still a bit oaky, yet it also delivers soft, supple, textured fruit.
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9/28/2017 - Wizaard1 wrote:
Excellent progress. Wait until 2019 for next bottle
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8/14/2017 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
How different from the last two bottles! This was gorgeous - one of the best bottles I've had in quite some time. Did not decant. Popped and poured a couple of glasses, then drank about an hour later. Singing! There was only very fine sediment in the last glasses from the bottle. The nose had a little more cigar box than when we drank it but mostly the nose and palate were the same with a nice balance of dark fruit, cigar box, hints of pepper, and a little bit of leather. Well balanced acidity also, but pretty vibrant. The tannins have all resolved. This is drinking wonderfully now!
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7/13/2017 - RR47 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This has aged gracefully. Nose has muted, but in the mouth more elegant than earlier bottles. Good with food, tannins soft, ends with a bit of acidity.
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6/10/2017 - Sandbar wrote: flawed
Flawed. Last of a case, and the first 11 were just fine. This one seemed a little off, but over an hour became more and more corked. Sad. The rest went down the drain.
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5/7/2017 - unc0rked Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great nose! Dark fruit and impressive weight for the vintage. Decanting did not noticeably improve. My only criticism was the finish where I felt it was a bit astringent. I expected a more smoother feel on the palate. I would drink this wine sooner than later.
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10/13/2016 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
I keep being a little disappointed by these. Again, it smells absolutely wonderful - a pleasant mix of cigar box, dark fruit, and spice. But it's so tarry on the palate, overwhelming the rest of the flavors. It's better with food of course, but the palate is really a let-down after smelling it.
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8/21/2016 - Colima74 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I can't imagine this wine ever being better than it is right now. Some inviting red and green notes on the nose. Medium tannins. Rich deep red and green on the palate. Best Bdx I've tried in some time.
If you have a bottle, now's the time to open it
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1/28/2016 - bin905 wrote: 89 Points
Smells like a Eucalytus wood camp fire put out by the drizzling rain. Black cherry, ash, tobacco, dried spice and anise flavor with dusty tannins. Excessive oak char dominates the flavor profile. Settled down and integrated after breathing.
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11/2/2015 - Zweder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Weekly tasting group #191; a mixed set of red wines. (@ The factory by MN): Really complex and beautiful bouquet with cherries, dark berries, some creaminess, some bell pepper, some tobacco and autumn impressions and with a little more air time other flavors appeared as well, like cinnamon, cigar box etc. On the palate soft red fruit acidity, chocolate, sweet spices, earth, some pepper and autumn. The tannin is round and soft. Overall this is a beautiful and elegant wine with a fabulous bouquet. Just sniffing is almost enough. I kept a little leftover for the next day, but then the wine was almost dead and gone. So, fully mature now and if kept in a cold cellar no real hurry.
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8/10/2015 - spendergast Likes this wine: 91 Points
I think this wine has improved over the last 2- 3 years. Decanted about 30 minutes and served with hickory-molasses coated filets on the grill. Lush dark fruit with notes of cedar, tannins are becoming more subdued and integrated with nice finish.
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5/9/2015 - MikeATL wrote: 88 Points
Brisket, Bordeaux, and Rhones: The vanilla oak and ripe fruit on the nose shows its modernity, but the ripeness is more toned down on the palate and is joined by more savory mineral and leather character, leading me to enjoy it more than I expected at first sniff.
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12/24/2014 - bin905 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Smoky char flavor dominates the flavor profile which also includes meat, tobacco and leather. Finishes with ample fine tannins.
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7/31/2014 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Hmmm. I was a little disappointed with this bottle. It smelled absolutely fantastic, but as a wine to drink by itself, it was a little bit too bitter, perhaps from the tannins. It was great with food, but by itself the dark and bitter flavors rode roughshod over the fruit. Nice oak and fruit on the nose.
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7/5/2014 - BcDuncan Likes this wine: 91 Points
this was a beautiful wine, mature and well preserved
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6/15/2014 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 45 minutes before service. In the glass, auburn-tinted red at the rim, black in the center. On the nose, barnyard funk mixed with mint and crushed currants. On the palate, tobacco, mint, cocoa, ample dark red fruit, and mild amounts of tannin on a moderately long finish. The funk never quite went away, but neither was it so assertive that it interfered with enjoyment. I'd be happy to have more of this around...
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10/7/2013 - GEDC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my notes on 11/10/2012 - 3/9/2013 PnP lovely aromas of leather, tobacco, dark chocolate, and coffee. Excellent in every way!!!
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9/18/2013 - sastewart wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Nice wine, some bordeaux notes, red and black fruits a bit of graphite, with some earth. Tannins were still in the forefront, medium body and finish. Took some time to open still early. 90+ points
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9/15/2013 - jonanator wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very nicely
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7/27/2013 - wkphang wrote: 89 Points
Opened too early but then again, it does not seemed to have too much more to go.
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6/30/2013 - jonanator wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied with silky tannins, very well balanced. Nose has strong menthol/eucalyptus aromas along with nice red fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed this bottle.
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5/31/2013 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux 2004 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): Dark fruits and exclusive smoky oak in the bouquet. On the palate creamy and round with red as well as black forest fruits, sweet spices like cinnamon, cocoa, soft and powdery tannin. Evolves beautifully with some more air. Extremely beautiful wine.
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5/31/2013 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux 2004 - an overview (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Big nose of cherry-liqueur, smoke and earth. Powerful, concentrated yet harmonious, alcohol is noticable but it stays within reasonable limits. Sumptuous, ripe forestfruit covers the palate. Maybe a tiny dip in midpalate. Still showing some cellaring potential, but what a nice wine to drink now! 18-18.5/20 (Group scores: 93-96)
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5/23/2013 - Drinking Trees wrote:
Nose of chocolate, Cherry Heering and Chambord. Reminds me of those fancy chocolates you can get at Haigh's and Koko Black. Palate shows good structure; this should last a long time. Strong mineral notes, like the 2004 Vieux Château Certan (tasted at the same dinner). This seems much younger and more closed than the VCC, though.
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5/3/2013 - mclanew wrote: 90 Points
Open knit pretty wine with mix of red berry fruits, licorice and spices. Medium bodied, nice balance.
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4/10/2013 - j30 wrote:
Only had a taste. Some complexity with toasty, earthy, cedary flavor. Seems approaching maturity. Medium bodied and not overripe. Overall quite balanced and just slightly tannic.
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3/9/2013 - GEDC Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP one of my favorite affordable wines in Bordeaux. Drinking this exquisite concoction will make you happy in every way. Tobacco, leather, smoky wood spices and chocolate.
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2/21/2013 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Beautiful wine. Very good, maybe outstanding. Tastes better than it is when I think about it objectively perhaps?
Smoky, dark berries, and some kind of minerality on the nose. Rich palate without being heavy with a tobacco kind of flavor. Long finish with a kind of rough dark chocolate character to it.
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2/12/2013 - grossie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs more time. It took a couple of days to come out of its shell. On the first night I could tell there was power there, but the tannins were hard and it was just too tightly wound. 48 hours later it had softened up a lot, and really showed some good deep fruit without too much bite. My rating is how the wine drank at 48 hours.
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11/13/2012 - InflationHedge wrote:
Awful. Hoping this is just a bad bottle, but this was vegetal, metallic and just plain bad.
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11/10/2012 - GEDC wrote: 93 Points
PnP lovely aromas of leather, tobacco, dark chocolate, and coffee. Excellent in every way!!!
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10/23/2012 - d'Yquembe Mutombo wrote: 84 Points
Upon opening this wine was shackled by harsh tannin and pervasive burnt-toast or coffee flavors. There were some nice notes of tobacco, cedar and dark fruits but I found these to be fading and overwhelmed by the rest of the flavor profile. After 24 hours or so in bottle, a noticeable taste of oxidized and slightly cooked fruit began to emerge before being hit by all that tannin. This had more of a left-bank, classically styled character, but not a successful execution of one. I've had better experiences with other 2004 Bordeaux. Storage may have been an issue but I doubt that is the culprit here. Two bottles tasted 12 months apart with similar notes.
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10/21/2012 - RR47 wrote: 90 Points
Dark red, nose of spicy tobacco, earth, blackberry, and some tar notes, but little barnyard I usually find in Monbousquet. The first sips are distinctive Monbousquet, with even tannins and good balance. Long finish.
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6/9/2012 - wkphang wrote: 84 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and drank during dinner. Smell of black berries, leather and a little tobacco. Front and mid palate just taste of acid and forest floor. Lingers in the mouth for about 25 seconds and as the night goes on, the tannins become more gentle while the fruit slowly fades. I have drank a bottle of this every year and no significant improvement or evolution noticed, just some tiny steps. Drink up and free up the cellar space!
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6/1/2012 - A.Hansen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruit on the nose with a hint of graphite. Not overpowering. The wine tasted of black cherry and blackberries with coffee notes. It had medium tannins. It still managed to be elegant particularly after opening up. The long finish emphasised the coffee.
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4/29/2012 - grossie wrote: 91 Points
Very dark wine, moderately opaque. The nose is of smoky crushed black berries with graphite overtones. On the tongue it's got really good weight and good balance. Moderate tannins, good acidity, and decent length. Slightly bitter finish. This is a very nice wine, only the finish detracts from the overall quality, but even so this is quite enjoyable.
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4/23/2012 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Red fruit and vanilla aromas follow through on the palate. Picks up an herbal quality on the long finish. Again, not as impressive as other '04s tasted a week earlier. This was decanted briefly about three hours before the tasting.
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4/10/2012 - Wizaard1 wrote:
Dark fruit and smoke was dominant but mustiness / cork taint never subsided. Disappointed after the long wait Will try another this summer
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2/5/2012 - BillyT wrote: 89 Points
I think nutty08's itaian burnt coffee is my oxidative effects?, Nose of terroir, burnt toast, dark chocolate, tobacco, prune, some oak, vanilla. Dark purple to the rim. Palate is thin with dark fruit some spice and acidity. Not as tannic as expected. Nice finish of dark chocolate spice and black fruit
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1/29/2012 - macker100 wrote: 89 Points
Closest to Pavie at the BWC tasting, with rich vanilla and blackberries on nose. This wine had the most heat of the night, that distracted from the rich fruit profile. Notes of figs, nuts, black tar, with tight finish. My #7.
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1/29/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 88 Points
Boerne Wine Club - Right Bank Bordeaux (Scenic Loop Cafe, San Antonio, TX): Splash decanted. Very dark in the glass. Nose very toasted, with roasted Italian slightly burnt coffee with a little plum mixed in. Palate very concentrated and ripe, with dark fruit with a slightly liquor-like quality, again slowing lots of oak influence and prominent tannins. Dry oak tannin on the finish along with black currants. Seemed a little out of balance and over extracted. No change several hours in. Revisit in 5+ years. Did seem to have the fruit to integrate the oak. Quite modern style. And reminiscent of Pavie (though lacking the polish and acidity)
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12/26/2011 - lano wrote: 91 Points
Had with Christmas goose. That whole barnyard funk thing was definitely present - lauren asked if the wine was bad at first - but most of that blew off after 30 or so minutes. Tannins were well integrated. Nice palate and medium body and finish. Finish was nice, but really didn't last particularly long. Not a bad wine, but definitely not a knock-out. Still, paired pretty well with the goose and wild rice with mushrooms. Probably will wait quite some time to try the 2005, but is nice to have something to ultimately compare it with.
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9/24/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Pop'n'pour at restaurant. I was skimming the menu and found this in-between non descript bottles of, well, plonk. Right off the bat (apart from the fact that it's monbousquet...) I knew this was more than your average restaurant fare. Almost black in the glass, with a beautiful nose of leather, spice and dark berries. the palate was a little closed, but after about 30-40 minutes it opened up and became incredibly smooth. After and hour more, cordouroy tannins announced their presence, indicating that you can keep this for a decade. I wish I had bought this EP.
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8/18/2011 - John Nezlek wrote: 90 Points
An excellent bottle. Great right bank wine.
Did not seem to need decanting or any type of meaningful breathing. After about 25 minutes or so, it seemed to be good to go. It improved over the course of the bottle -- 90 min or so. I did not find it heavy -- in fact, quite the opposite. Very well balanced.
I will admit that I was a bit surprised at how quickly and fully the wine opened. Moreover, I suspect that more aging will not matter too much. Given that this is an upscale wine from a decent vintage, I was a bit surprised at how accessible the wine was. Oh well.
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7/25/2011 - RR47 wrote: 91 Points
If you enjoy Monbousquet (I do), you know about the barnyard wiff at first pour. Love it or leave it, it does blow off. This is not the best vintage, but still enjoyable with slow grilled, well seasoned pork spare ribs, no sauce. Dark purple/black in color. Black fruits, (blackberry, black cherry), tar, leather, and lots of cigar box. But open time changes the dominance of each. Not balanced at this point, but nice acid through the long finish. This begs to accompany a wild game dinner.
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5/31/2011 - vintage61 wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Better than I remember the last bottle. Notes very consistent with last bottle, except did not detect any heat. Still young and vibrant with years left to go, 10 to 15+ years.
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3/13/2011 - vhild wrote: 90 Points
Very heavy, moss, stable, round.
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3/11/2011 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Decanted for about an hour.
Beautiful wine. Oaky. Tobacco, some dark fruit, a little bit of minerality. Balanced and smooth with a long finish.
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1/30/2011 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Notes of leather and dark fruit. Well-balanced, with plush red fruit and earth tones.
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12/18/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 89 Points
Did not decant but over time it opened up nicely. Dark fruit with earth and tobacco notes.
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9/20/2010 - GrapeApe808 wrote: 91 Points
A lot of tobacco and red fruit on the nose. Taste of tobacco with a long elegant finish.
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5/25/2010 - Sweet_Berry_Wine!! wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. This wine reeks of maduro leaf tobacco, wet soil (with bugs, twigs and all), old, worn leather, and dried herbs framing a core of dried figs and pruney notes. Definitely lots of horse crap on the nose too (indication of a high degree of brett). More subtle aromas of clove spice, mocha, and cinnamon emerge with more time. This is a pretty big wine on the initial attack, entering with big, powerful flavors of chocolate, leather, forest floor, tar, soy sauce, graphite, and more of that dark tobacco again...then something strange happens; no mid-palate. Thise is the worst example of what they call a "donut wine" I've ever had. Huge entry with big flavors and fat body that just seems to vanish, only to bring in a big, long, and tannic finish. Wine seems over extracted, but there is a much more subtle use of oak than I would have expected (read somewhere that Monbo usually goes with 90-100% new oak) from a Perse/Rolland wine. Finish has nice earthy flavors but is tannic and hot, too hot. Lacks polish and balance. Along with rough tannins, a hot finish, and somewhat undesireable pruney flavors this wine is quite flawed. Throw in the unforgivable "donut wine" effect and you could easily regard this wine as a failure, but somehow it retains enough interesting character and complexity to make it memorable. It's a shame really, I wish it were a little more cohesive, we'd have found a winner here.
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2/4/2010 - mathwonk wrote:
this was good dark rich wine. and i agree with other descriptions here, but to me a wine should taste like grapes, not tobacco, since i neither enjoy smoking nor eating cigars. thus i opened some grand pontet instead, as neither my wife nor i could drink this enjoyably. when i added some grand pontet or some potensac to this it went down better. maybe after a day or two it will be less austere. recommended more for those who like wine that tastes like tobacco. or maybe some food would ameliorate the hard taste.
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11/11/2009 - CobraKahn wrote: 86 Points
A bit thin and bitter for me.
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10/26/2009 - jmull wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted, but the cork was popped about an hour before drinking during dinner at Bon Soiree. This is drinking beautifully right now. The aromatics are earthy and rustic, almost funky, and they interact beautifully with a nice core of blackberry and plum fruit. Mid-weight body to this. And nice length. It paired gorgeously with braised veal cheeks and seared duck breast. A huge hit at the table. 92.
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10/10/2009 - cnordstr wrote: 93 Points
Great wine, dark color almost black. Wonderful subtle nose, typical St Emilion, taste is long and full of fruits.
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10/4/2009 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Great balance of fruit, earthiness and oak. Typical St Emilion with a round taste and a deep concentrated fruit flavor. drink now-2015.
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6/20/2009 - Kraigers1 wrote: 93 Points
This wine was excellent. Dark and leathery, yet supple and inviting. On the tip of my tongue, it was a bit of a chocolate and espresso taste that is not often replicated by other wines I’ve had, and yet it was silky on the tannins. Can see how this wine has many years of aging to go before it opens up even more, so give it about 5 more years before opening the next. Resist if you can...seems to be be worth it.
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6/11/2009 - pakabear wrote: 90 Points
Loads of graphite, cedar box and cigar galore!
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5/25/2009 - Always4wine wrote: 93 Points
Yummy! Really opened up on decanting and warming to room temp. The best glass was the last. A great nose of tobacco and that same tobacco lingers on the finish. if you like thick dark sexy Bordeaux this one's for you!!
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5/24/2009 - noppakit s. wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely being boring drinking Monbousquet indeed but 2004 seems very nice, maybe the best I ever had. ( when compare with its price )
Should open 1.30 hours before drink to avoid bloody Merlot scent at the beginning. After 2 hours, all scents are combined very beautiful, dramatic and quite classic, cloning the 2000, the structure is lovely elegant, lovely full-bodied, nice fruit. The finish is very good too.
Drink now - 2018 ............92-93/100...............
ps. if one never try this wine, 2004 is highly recommended.
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3/21/2009 - Alex H wrote: 85 Points
Thematic tasting of Bordeaux 2004 (Crystal Wines): Garrique-like smells of animal barnyard, fowl feathers and cigar box. Interesting enough to stand out among the rest of the right banks. Its kinda a more backward and austere styled wine with good black fruits lying in wait. At the moment, there's more light cherry plum fruits and bitter herbs on the finish that just throws me off a little. Masculine wine ...like a farmhand after a long day's work helping out in the barn. Really liked the nose but was slightly less impressed by the palate.
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3/19/2009 - Time4Wine wrote: 92 Points
First taste of 2 cases and I am sooo impressed. I have had the past several vintages and the 2003 was the best for me but this is going to be better, I think. Thick heavy color is not consistent with the smooth flavor and balanced tannins. I don't think legs matter but boy do they stream down the glass. Great earthy nose with tons of character. I expect this is going to be much better in 2-4 years, 94 pts or so. I just hope I can wait!
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3/15/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 91 Points
Very nice will try to pick up more.
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2/8/2009 - CCL957 wrote:
Aroma is very similar to vintage 2002. A bit dilute on the plate but still elegant and harmony. Does not have the bitterness that 2002 does but not comparable to concentrate and powerful 2003.
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9/12/2008 - vintage61 wrote: 91 Points
fruit and cassis aromas lept from the bottla as the cork came out. Deep dark eggplant color. Primary dark fruit aromas from the glass and palate as well. I am not sure, but there seemed to be an ever so slight hint of heat on the palate. Hope it was just me. I still prefer the 1999 Monbo.
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8/9/2008 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Black ink nose; Nice dark palatte; Black & purple; Dusty
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7/24/2008 - SacramentoCharlie wrote: 91 Points
Big interesting nose that fills the glass. Cherries and darker fruit were prevalent with a little vanilla & band-aid smell. After a couple hours decanting a vegetable or green pepper component was noticeable with some hints of coffee as well. Medium and complex body, lots going on the palate...Some back end tannin that should soften with more bottle time but still and interesting good wine to have now.
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6/6/2008 - Pavie Princess wrote: 92 Points
This wine has my interest because I love Gerard Perse style of wine making. It is not for everyone but it suits me fine. With that said I have been scouring the world looking to buy some underated older vintages of his wines and I just came upon a six bottle haul in Fla. We are planning on being in Vero Beach soon so I decided to drink one. The wine was opened and not decanted unfortunately. We poured large glasses into nice stem ware and let it sit for two hrs.
The wine was inky purple and had a great fruity bouquet he has become famous for. It was loaded with dark berry fruit cherry and spice box with tobacco undertones. The first sip showed that the wine was very similiar stylistically to the other Monbousquet's since 96. This wine was medium bodied compared to the the monster 2000 and the 2005 but it was quite smooth with 60 % Merlot in its chemistry. The midpalate reveals more cherry black berry with cassis licorice spice box cigar box. The finish is long and strong and I got a coffee and toffee sense on my palate I had not before. The texture of this wine made it special for me. It is far smoother than the 2000 or the 2005 which clearly have higher tannin loads but this wine is a pleasure to drink even now. With the price point so low compared to its older and younger higher rated vintages I would strongly recommend buying this wine and cellaring it for 8-12 more yrs because it will get better..............on the other hand this is a very cheap high quality new world Bordeaux that is drinking really nice right now.........love it. Rating 92
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5/16/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 89 Points
bordeaux tasting (Binny's Highland Park): nose: huge and extracted nose(well, extracted for a bordeaux) showing the Perse influence. Loads of coffee, vanilla, toasted oak, dark cherry, with cedar and mixed berry notes
taste: again big, and almost over the top with dark cherry, coffee tones, mixed berries and black berries
overall: Big and gregarious. Massive attack and a good finish, but this is bordering on the obnoxious level. Will be a very interesting wine when it tones down a bit, but right now its a bit much for me
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4/29/2008 - theusualsuspect wrote: 91 Points
A fine 2004. QPR? $33 a bottle at the Chicago Wine Company. Toasty new oak over blackish fruit on the nose. More black fruit on the palate with some slate/pencil and coffee. Nice richness, although not remotely in the ballpark with an 05. Not a shortcoming, just a reflection of where the vintage fits. Fine long finish with plenty of acid in the mix and maybe a bit of tannin. Five years or so and this will really work. Another case where a Bordeaux of this quality at this price will likely not ever again be seen on the retail shelves of America.
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1/31/2008 - chitowncdpguy wrote: 89 Points
Very dark red in the glass. Nose of dark fruit, coffee, dust, and oak. On the palate more dustiness and fruitiness, less oak, with a bit of licorice, especially on the finish. Longish finish. Good acidity and structure.
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12/20/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
Dark, chocolaty garnet red color. Nose is exploding with blackberry, espresso, tar, and licorice. Really solid on the palate with massive structure and good balance. Flavors are notably of blackberry and chocolate covered coffee beans. Finish is very long. Not for traditionalists (at least not right now), but a great young Monbousquet that is absolutely true to its St. Emilion origins. In my opinion, the best Monbousquet since the 2000. On a side note, I drove by Monbousquet when I was in Bordeaux in July 2006 and I was impressed by its location that is west and south of D670 on a fairly flat plot of land.
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9/3/2007 - dbkitc wrote: 90 Points
(from 3L bottle) This was kind of fun in a new world Bordeaux style. Opened at 1 PM for an 8 PM dinner. Dark purple blue color. Black and red fruits on the nose mixed with toast and vanilla. Medium bodied and in balance, there was no lack of flavor, but no heaviness either. There was a bit of a tannic bite that blew off in the glass, but the truth is this shouldn’t be drunk for 5 to 7 years. While not “classic” Bordeaux, this was still true to origin and really nice. (90+)
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7/6/2007 - yotaiwan wrote: 92 Points
very strong and inky in smell and taste, needs to sit for a while but shows strong potential in depth and tannins
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