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| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.7 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 46 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by chifred on 5/12/2024 & rated 91 points: Big fruit on nose/palate. Very nice, better than expected. Good smooth tannins and progression, decent finish, well constructed. Some nuance, no formal notes. (44 views) | | | Tasted by WojteG on 4/13/2023 & rated 93 points: 4 months ago I had 2005 vintage ( 97 pts!). Let's see what 2004 can bring to my mouth. An hour in decanter.
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Wine Advocate Vintage Guide scores:
2005 vintage - 99 pts!!!
2004 - 88
Big difference!
But...I could just copy and paste words from my 2005 vintage! Delicious, lively juice.
Strong, well defined aromas of mocha, black cherry, plum, blackberry, blueberry and... some flowers ( amazing). Hypnotic smell! Full body wine with velvety texture. Perfect acidity and tannins. Taste is definitely on sweet side of dry wines, but with perfect balance between all its components. Blackberry and red currant, vanilla and chocolate, plum and raisins (wow). Long finish with chewy, ripe tannins, red cherry and ...and spice, that comes at second half of finish. Taste is much sweeter, then in 2005 vintage , but everything is in full harmony and in perfect balance.
Why "only" 93 pts?
Everything is perfect here, but the same time everything looks like is done by the book.
On other hand, this vintage is cheaper then 2005.
22.32€. Unbelievable!
...
This wine is so good, that it's no wonder that it was upgraded from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé in 2012 (326 views) | | | Tasted by Toasty Oak on 5/28/2022 & rated 87 points: This bottle was heavy on the earthy aromas, mushrooms and damp forest floor with a little dried cherry and potpourri sneaking in. The palate is still lively with slightly green tannins and additional flavors of celery, cedar and cigar box. The finish is moderately long. This was my only bottle, but if I had more, I’d be drinking them sooner rather than later (812 views) | | | Tasted by mr_rancho on 10/24/2020 & rated 88 points: Despite of the tannins this is a wonderful wine. Nice fruit, plum, cassies, cherry etc., vanilla, wood, a tiny bit of leather and leaves. Beautiful nose and attaque, but then the tannins kick in... very restrained, harsh, bitter - a real show stopper. Might have been bottle variation but I will not buy another one. But I will have a look at another vintage, hoping that they manage the tannins better. (1420 views) | | | Tasted by Saintock on 11/17/2018 & rated 90 points: Medium garnet,full body, medium acidic, dry
Long Fruity finish. (2296 views) | | | Tasted by Rumi on 12/29/2017 & rated 92 points: Lovely mature flavor of sour cherry. Finish was perfectly balanced between tannins and acids. Almost a little lemon rind at the very tail end. Fabulous. (2718 views) | | | Tasted by Life At Your Leisure 🍷 on 7/3/2016 & rated 90 points: Dark garnet color turning crimson/rust at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose is very earthy with hints of dried herbs, espresso and tobacco on the back of black and red currants. The palate well-structured, full bodied, and dry with a fleshy texture. Flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cigar box, dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, smoke and vanilla. Finishes earthy with hints of dried herbs. Drink now until 2024. (4297 views) | | | Tasted by sduraybito on 5/31/2016 & rated 90 points: Encouraged this drank so well. I didn't think it would last this long. Very smooth with still excellent fruit. Not terribly complex and, frankly, I don't see a reason to buy any more to put down. Not to mention I can't remember where and when I bought this and have not seen it since. (3993 views) | | | Tasted by theusualsuspect on 12/24/2015 & rated 90 points: A nice mouthful - very much on the plump side. Sophisticated elegant Bordeaux this isn't, but it is very much an easy drink. (4479 views) | | | Tasted by chitowncdpguy on 11/30/2015: This was pretty good. Similar to previous note (from '12) but relatively more secondary (cigar box) and less fruit (plum). Same unpleasant flavor on opening that went away after about half an hour. Medium length finish. (3812 views) | | | Tasted by capacious on 7/16/2015 & rated 90 points: Still young but fully approachable, a great QPR. Very good right bank, rich, complex, lengthy, has a decade or more to go. Kudos to lesser growths in not highly touted years for making excellent bordeaux. (4017 views) | | | Tasted by yofog on 3/29/2015: Exotic and very ripe style, very forward, but a bit rustic. (2409 views) | | | Tasted by ParisFan on 6/21/2014: Fabulous value. Strong smell of red fruits. Perfectly rounded and great with steak dinner. Buying more. (3264 views) | | | Tasted by capacious on 5/22/2014 & rated 89 points: Drank better the first night than the second which is reversed, a good Wine from this producer but not the structure and depth other Vintages of this wine show, and I doubt it will go for more than another 4-5 years (3098 views) | | | Tasted by ksmith on 10/4/2013 & rated 90 points: Dark purple. Nose of brambles, earth, blackberries. Smooth silky tannins, dark fruit, A touch of licorice on the finish. Drinking very well now (my wife really liked it). Part of a Fombrauge vertical, I have one left. I think this has legs to keep going, so I'll save the last one for a year or two out. (3712 views) | | | Tasted by MemorialWineFan on 9/5/2013 & rated 89 points: I agree with the earlier review that this bordeaux is drinking nicely now and would pair well with a meat dish. (3567 views) | | | Tasted by d'Yquembe Mutombo on 9/2/2013 & rated 88 points: Crimson color. Medium body. Tannins are fully integrated. Red fruits (cherry, raspberry) with lots of cedar/cigar-box/cigar-ash character on the palate. This is a nice, straightforward Bordeaux that has aged gracefully and over-delivers for what must have been <$20 on release. I don't see this improving more from here. Drink now. Would pair nicely with meatloaf or brisket. (3455 views) | | | Tasted by Hschmitz on 9/1/2013 & rated 94 points: Lækker lækker (2468 views) | | | Tasted by Fatty Cat on 1/4/2013 & rated 90 points: In a restaurant, early Jan 2013: thick purple red color; vanilla, wood, intense blackberry and cherry; full body; satin-like texture.
Reminded on a California Merlot. (824 views) | | | Tasted by chitowncdpguy on 5/6/2012: Pleasant surprise after some air. When I opened it I thought it might be bad - very bitter tarry taste, but after about 30 minutes it was quite lovely. Did not decant and it wasn't throwing sediment. Very dark ruby with only glimpses of any age at the edge. Cigar box and black currant nose, but the palate was dark fruit, alternating between a pure taste and a slightly stewed taste, plum mostly(?), with just occasional hints of vanilla and cigar box. Quite acidic, but tannins are resolved. Long finish with just a touch of an herbal note at the end. (4058 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 4/15/2012 & rated 88 points: Filling in w/the Sunday Brown Bag Group (Rich's & Dana's): Deep color. Aromas of dark fruit- plum and black currants- also vanilla, then red fruit and herb notes with time. Full-bodied with firm, drying tannins. Most austere of the group. Dark fruit qualities dominate the palate. 88+ to 90 pts.
My #7
Group #3, 42 pts (4086 views) | | | Tasted by Hschmitz on 3/20/2012 & rated 93 points: Super nu, lækker duft, lækker smag halvlang eftersmag (3177 views) | | | Tasted by europat55 on 11/16/2011 & rated 87 points: Three Decades of Pape Clement (La Folie Restaurant in San Francisco): Somewhat California Merlot in style. Dark color, black berries nose and soft palate. Drinking well right now.
78% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. (4267 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 5/21/2010 & rated 88 points: Ch. Fombrauge Vertical (Kemp's): Inky in color with some ruby at the rim. The nose has camphor and black cherries. Soft in texture. Some black cherries and anise. Some heat on the finish. Medium tannins. Good. Needs some time but probably doesn't get better. (5228 views) | | | Tasted by il_diavolo on 4/7/2010 & rated 89 points: pleasant bordeaux for the masses with some nice rounded flavours and barrel intervention. not for the long haul but a nice drink. (3476 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château Fombrauge Producer website - Read more about Chateau FombraugeRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?St. Émilion Grand Cru Les Vins de St. Émilion (Syndicate Vitocole de Saint-Emilion) – Read about St. Emilion
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Soil: Sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits
Surface Area: 4,160 ha |
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