Thematic tasting of Bordeaux 2003

I had written TNs but lost them somehow so mosst of the notes below are a recollection. As you can see, four of the top wines stood out for me so it was easy to remember. Also, a few notable ones that left impressions as well as the petit cheval which I had an "intense discussion" about with my gf.
But I still remembered the scorings I gave ...thank goodness!

• 2003 Château Corbin Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 82 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

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• 2004 Château Larcis Ducasse 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Delicately sweet ripe red fruits with nuances of leather and stewed cabbage. Ends on an oleandia water note. Attractive and approachable.

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• 2003 Château La Gaffelière Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Smelt of cooked prunes with dark soy sauce but the palate was still okay with cooked blackberries and plums. Very confusing. Not sure if it was really cooked or just tasted that way.

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• 2003 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval 81 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Overall, approachable wine with some nice ripe red fruits and earthy undertones. However, I thought it a little diluted nearing the finish and had some wet cardboard as well. My girlfren disagrees though. So its a mixed bag. For the price , I wouldn't load up though.

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• 2003 Clos Les Lunelles 82 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

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• 2003 Château Cantemerle 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Just as how I remembered my last Cantermerle from another vintage. Meaty , earthy and stewed hide with capsicums thrown in for that slightly spearmint lift. I enjoy it for being true to its terroir. Nice ripe fruits backing up too.

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• 2003 Château La Lagune 82 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

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• 2003 Château Brane-Cantenac 83 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

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• 2003 Château Palmer Alter Ego 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

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• 2003 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Croix de Beaucaillou 83 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

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• 2003 Château Léoville Poyferré 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Stewed raspberries and blueberries lifted by floral scents though still very tightly shut. Was wowed more by the attractiveness of the palate with juicy, dense, nicely sweet fruits on layers of secondary smoke and stewed sweet cabbage. Elegant and bright. Lovely wine that could do so much better given time for its nose to develop.

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• 2003 Château Clerc Milon 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  A mile better than the 2004 tasted last week. Dark ruby coloured. Smoky blueberries, spiced with streaks of green pepper and dried hide. Juicy blackberries, rich and full. Vanilla latte oozes to a satisfying finish. Elegant well-structured tannins. Good stuff.

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• 2003 Château Mouton Rothschild 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Dark ruby purple. Explosive packed nose with a whole bomb of aromas. Dark roasted beans, mocha, spice cigar box, some barnyard and loads of pencil shavings atop a basket of berry fruits. Extremely layered nose that is still evolving. Very monolithic and focused beam of soft bright dark red fruits and creme de cassis. Creamy and strong tannins. Will develop.

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• 2003 Château Calon-Ségur 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Big and beautiful! Nicely ripened nose of blackberries, dark cherries, green capsicum, opulent earthy, meaty undertones with dense coffee liquer. Powerful , elegant and indulgent palate of sweet juicy fruits. Welll-endowed and not afraid to show it but in a nice way. What a wonderful wine!

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• 2003 Château Montrose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Oh my..my my... big elegant nose of blackberry , blueberries, green capsicums, smoke, sweet berry liquer, mocha and framed by vanilla oak and lifted by animalistic notes. What is interesting is you get more and more exotic spices with airing. This wines explodes with one big green bell pepper! bomb...that smokes out to a dense conundrum of beautifully ripened dark and red fruits. Delicious and approachable with faultless finesse. Excellently structured wine that carries the front to the finish in one perfect flowing train of flavours. The finish is just amazingly lengthy for ...30s ..40s...a min...and i can still taste the last bits of mocha notes waning away gently on a bed of thick juicy tannins. Awe-struck bec ause this still has so much more potential going for it.

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Overall, wines were much more approachable than the 2004s tasted last week and in general, juicier, more attractive and riper due most prob to the vintage. These wines , though ripe, were very well balanced and had nice soft but firm tannins to last.