April 15, 2024 - Another 2004 horizontal (Hawksmoor Guildhall): Soft, rounded, sensual nose. Very approachable and easy to drink, with a hint of savour and some sweetness and decay showing with air. Fabulous with the T-bone, then, but I actually preferred the punchier showing when I last had this in 2020. Given that, I'm tempted to leave my other bottles a few years in order to lean into the wine's tertiary side.
April 15, 2024 - Jonathan’s/Nick’s 04 Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall, London): Dense mid to full ruby. Some blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf, softer with a touch of mocha. Some spice. Soft and approachable. Really quite giving. Lovely but not quite up to the promise of the 06 Bibendum tasting or a subsequent bottle at the 09 Alba PB offline.
April 14, 2024 - Less power than expected, came across a bit flat, but with time fine flavours, plums, leather, very fresh... Drink now.
April 5, 2024 - Excellent for the vintage. As good as Palmer 2004 I drank recently. Nose of cassis, leather, pencil lead, tobacco and peppery note. Palate is fairly rich, dark fruit and leather, some mushroom and tobacco and chocolate notes and smooth tannins. Medium finish
February 4, 2024 - Still more development ahead
December 22, 2023 - (at Elkridge Club - Baltimore) Glorious from magnum. Classic Pauillac black current and tobacco nose. Maturing fruit is sweetening and plump yet the backbone provides balance. Best at 60 minutes after decanting. One of the better 2004 Bordeaux I have tasted. Bravo. No rush but why not? (94)
November 18, 2023 - pretty much followed and agreed with the Player's notes, thank you. layered with good finishing. very enjoyable, esp with good friends who also appreciated PB.
October 20, 2023 - Beautiful given the vintage I think Pauillac shone in 2004. Rich ruby red color. Decanted and aerated for two hours then drank over 90 minutes. Perfumed cassis nose, black pepper, graphite. On the palate very intense, lots of cassis and dark red fruits, some leather and graphite, explosive fruit mid palate, amazing structure, finishes rich with bitter chocolate notes with silky tannins.
September 29, 2023 - Lovely bottle of unmistakeable claret. Showing some tertiary evolution of smoked meat, tobacco, dried cherries but only just. Still lots of freshness and fruits left. Pencil shaving, graphite and the usual Bordeaux goodness. Bell peppers coming across nicely and not jarring. Good to go now, and potential to age for another decade no doubt.
September 4, 2023 - this was certainly mature, if not a bit tired and needs drinking - maybe an odd bottle?