April 9, 2024 - The mouthfeel immediately shouted over-extraction, with sweet and spicy dark fruits developing mocha from the mid-palate through to the finish. I found this soupy and muddy, lacking the focus and structure I expect from fine claret. A lighter touch on the tiller could have improved this no end. CHP 87pts
March 29, 2024 - Really outstanding. The first 2005 Bordeaux that seems in its prime drinking window to me. Maybe they are just starting to hit their stride.
March 16, 2024 - This was just…wow. Reserved with initial notes and closed off. With a 3.5 hour bottle decant, this turned out to be the most remarkable wine I have had in a very long time. Its evolution reminded me of the 05 Baron de Pichon but this sang in the most amazing way. The nose showed menthol, cedar, and dark black fruits. The color was inky with bricking at the rim. The palate shows juicy dark black fruits (mostly seared blackberry), licorice, milky dark chocolate, a finish that goes forever, and truly “SILKY” tannins. The finish goes forever. My heart melts that this is my only bottle.
February 23, 2024 - Relativt lukka på duft rett fra flaska. Men synger i munnen! Flott tanninstruktur som holder orden på en deilig fruktsødme. I bakgrunnen litt skogbunn og blyantspiss. Tanninene snerper godt ennå. Noe tobakk og skogbunn dukker opp på duft etter noen minutter i glasset. Venter.
Noen timer seinere er tanninene helt supre til entrecote. Men er det lufta eller er det fettet? Herlig er det i alle fall. Fremdeles litt tilbaketrukket på duft, noe skuffende for en 2 cru. Uansett en fin opplevelse. Kan vente en hos stund med neste.
February 17, 2024 - Opened this bottle after having a flawed bottle of '02 La Tache. This bottle wasn't singing like the others I've had. Tannic and just not open for business even after a couple of hours of decant.
January 4, 2024 - Absolutely delicious. Needs an hour + of decant.
December 31, 2023 - From a double mag. Opened 3 hours in advance. Decanted the whole bottle through a filter to remove fine sediment. Rinsed bottle and poured back in. Everyone in the party of 14 had at least a taste and we all were entranced. It tasted marvelous and we enjoyed it very much.
December 30, 2023 - Incredible sense of youth and energy. Perfect drinking but no need to hurry. Text book St. Estephe, and a true Cos!
December 20, 2023 - This is the first time I’ve had this wine before, but my impression is that it is going thru an awkward phase, or phase shift, from young to old. There was a unique ‘greek yogurt’ note present that I’ve only ever tasted in Promontory barrel samples previously, that really seemed to crowd out the tobacco and cedar notes that were just barely beginning to emerge. We decanted for 3 hrs and then drank it slowly over another few hours and it was ever so slowly continuing to evolve with air.
All signs point to ‘hold’.
December 9, 2023 - Only had little over hr to breath. Amazing nose, but tannins need to settle down.
If drinking today let it breathe for 3/4 hours. 94+ today.