Weekly tasting group #131; Bordeaux

We knew the theme, but all wines were tasted blind.

• 2000 Château Bonnet Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers

  After the exposure this was really a big surprise. The bouquet was creamy and fresh, with white and some yellow fruit and some hay and caramel. On the palate good citrus and green apple, some peach and vanilla. Beautiful acidity. The wine showed very youthful and with good complexity. No hurry, but a beauty now.

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• 2001 Château La Louvière Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Oxidized in the nose and on the palate. Nuts. A lot of tart grapefruit and really a lot of bitterness. This bottle was still drinkable, but too old. No score.

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• 2004 Château Chasse-Spleen Blanc

  France, Bordeaux

  Yellow fruit like banana in the bouquet. On the palate butter, minerals, pineapple, tart grapefruit and firm bitterness. The wine is quite mature. Not too old yet, but I am sure it has been better. No score.

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• 2005 Prince de la Riviere Bordeaux Clairet 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Clairet

  In the bouquet red berry fruits like raspberry, anise and licorice. Same on the palate. Concentrated rosé with good acidity and just a little bit of sweetness. Not too old yet and very drinkable. It has been stored at 39°F for 8 years, so maybe that helped.

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• 2010 Château Clos Chaumont 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux

  Slightly garnet rim already. In the bouquet sweet cherries, cassis and some bell pepper. In the mouth a juicy start, some sweetness and herbs and spices. Good acidity and firm, slightly drying tannin. The alcohol shows a bit. The wine develops in the glass. Ok wine, but the color worries me a bit.

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• 2006 Château Guillemin la Gaffelière 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blood red. Cherries and cassis in the bouquet. On the palate slightly harsh cherries and red berry fruits, a bit lactic, ok acidity, a touch of sweetness, soft and round tannin and a lot of bitterness from the oak. The alcohol shows a bit. Ok, but not really complex wine. Needs some age. Probably wise to wait until 2017 or a bit later. 85 for today.

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• 2008 Château Brown 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Extremely concentrated dark red color. Beautiful Bdx bouquet with cassis, cherries, leather, pepper, licorice and nicely integrated oak. On the palate juicy black and red berry fruits, some sweet spices and somewhat grainy tannin with still a firm bite and a bit drying in the finish. Ok acidity and a pleasant touch of sweetness. The wine will improve with more ageing. Probably best between 2018 and 2022. 87+ for tonight.

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• 2008 Château Maucaillou 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  In the bouquet some sweet red berry fruits. On the palate juicy and creamy red and dark berry fruits, some vanilla, herbs and spices, licorice, ok acidity and tannin. See also my previous note.

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• 2005 Château du Gaby 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Canon-Fronsac

  This bottle showed completely different than my last year’s note. The bouquet was expressive with very ripe dark forest fruits, chocolate and sweet spices. Also very open on the palate with cassis and cherries. Opinions differed about this wine. Many said the fruits were overripe and the tannin too harsh so the wine was completely out of balance according to them. It did not disturb me as much as the others, so I scored the wine 86 again. The person who disliked the wine most has 5 bottles, so there will probably be a follow up soon.

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• 2005 Château Clarke 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Listrac-Médoc

  The bouquet is still locked, but there are dark forest fruits and sweet spices. On the palate juicy cassis and other ripe dark forest fruits, a good balance between acidity and sweetness and well used oak. The tannin is still very tight and a bit drying. Also firm bitterness in the finish. The alcohol shows a bit. The wine has a good length. Last year's bottle was much more open, so the wine closed down for business. Probably wise to wait until 2017 or 2018. 87+ for tonight.

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• 2005 L'Esprit de Chevalier 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Beautiful and rich bouquet with ripe red and dark berry fruits, exclusive oak, cedar, vanilla and a pleasant touch of barnyard. In the mouth a full bodied wine with the same sweet fruits, beautifully integrated oak and round and soft tannin with a good bite. Young maturity stage now and the wine will improve over the next three years. Probably at its peak between 2017 and 2020 or even a bit later. 88+

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• 2004 Château d'Issan 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Beautiful bouquet with red berry fruits, tobacco, exclusive oak and a slight touch of barnyard. On the palate juicy red and dark forest fruits, tobacco, sweet licorice, beautiful acidity and soft tannin with a pleasant bite. Refined wine. The wine is ready now and will stay on this level for some years because of the good tannin. But if it will still be nice in 2030 as the drinking window in Cellatracker indicates…. I have serious doubts about that.

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• 2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Ripe dark and red forest fruits, chocolate, licorice and beautiful oak in the bouquet. On the palate ripe cassis, blueberries and blackberries. Sweet spices, leather, graphite and a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity. Beautiful and supple tannin with a soft bite and a good length. Ready now and the wine will stay on this level for at least 5 years.

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• 2000 Château Chasse-Spleen 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  Cassis, sweet spices and pepper in the bouquet. In the mouth a sweet start of ripe red and black forest fruits, sweet spices, good oak usage, leather and a good balance between fine acidity and sweetness. Also some bell peppers. Round and soft tannin with a pleasant bite. Personally I think this wine will improve a bit with a few more years of ageing. I will probably try another bottle in 2015 or 2016. No problem keeping this until 2020. 89+ for today.

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• 1999 Les Pagodes de Cos 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Beautifully mature and expressive bouquet with sweet spices, cedar, leather and some autumn impressions. On the palate a beautiful and harmonious wine with red and dark berry fruits and soft and friendly tannin with a beautiful soft bite. Ready now and the next year, but I wouldn’t wait much longer. Really beautiful now.

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• 1999 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru) 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Beautiful bouquet with chocolate, tobacco, leather, but also some old age celery and reductive flavors. On the palate the age is showing as well. In the mouth still juicy dark fruits, sweet spices, good acidity and concentration. The wine is still beautiful and completely ready and the tannin still has some bite, but to be honest; this bottle was just a little past its prime. Have one or two more, so time to drink them before they are too old.

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• 2001 Grande Maison Monbazillac Cuvée des Monstres 91 Points

  France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Monbazillac

  Beautiful and concentrated wine with currants, apple syrup, apricots and caramel both in the nose and the mouth. Very pure and clean wine. Great concentration. Beautiful balance between (a lof of) sweetness and acidity, but I have the impression the wine is losing some of its freshness it had a few years ago. Still a beautiful wine. 91 for tonight.

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