Opened in the cellar at 56 degrees, the initial nose was very tobacco-laced. As it warmed up the tobacco receded and was replace by dark plums, ripe blueberries, touch of herbs, forest floor and slate. Quite structured and seemingly holding back a lot in reserve. This probably never got above 68 degrees, and never approached my definition of jammy or plush. First of 16, and shall decant the next one for several hours and bring up to 72-74 degrees.
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Deep garnet red. Luscious blackberry black cherry notes a bit of vanilla and dark chocolate Full bodied silky tannins and excellent length. At the beginning of its apogee.
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2nd bottle of 12. Purchased in 2016 and properly cellared since that date. 1st bottle tasted back in September 2019 and honestly, that bottle was not drinkable. Then, it was purple, full of harsh tannins, exhibiting a big thick lick of oak, and showing alcohol heat. So, how is it after 3 years and 7 months?
Decanted for 2 hours, served at 19C. 15%. Based on previous experience, I thought about putting it through an aerator, but didn't, because of first taste.
Its a big, big wine in every way. Deep, dark crimson red colour. Initial nose of blood plums, very subtle violets, oak. Plush as! No doubt, its Merlot. Rich, extracted, but not chunky or blockish. Sweet, sweet, sweet fruit. Over-ripe?
If tasted blind, I would guess James Irvine Grand Merlot from South Australia. Its that rich, but not as "plummy" as the Grand Merlot tended to be before that winery was sold. If told Bordeaux, I would immediately guess 2009 because its that plush and rich. But, it doesn't exhibit heat from a hot vintage despite the 15%! Rather, it highlights extended ripeness from an ideal vintage where wine makers could make the wine they really desired. That's 2010 Bordeaux.
Is this a wine I would want to drink often? No, its just so big, ripe, and the oak is still too intrusive. But, I really look forward to see how it develops based on the transformation over the past 3.7 years.
Hard to believe this is an "entry" level wine from Pomerol - in that, its a great value wine. A lot of effort has gone into this wine and it really shows. If you love big, rich, plush Merlot, your are really going to like this wine. If you like old school Pomerol (i.e. LeGay 1989) this ain't the wine for you and never will be.
A work in progress for the wine. And, maybe for me too.
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Deep ruby red dense and concentrated lots of tobacco chocolate and licorice toped with some delicious black cherry and black pepper full with silky tannins and long finish.
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deep dens crimson red. Luscius flavors of ripe cherry a bit fresh fig and blueberry. Soft velvety tannins medium to full bodied and long persistent finish. At the beginninig of its apogee
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Deep ruby. Aromas of black cherry, blackberry, tomato leaves, cloves and nutmeg. Slight bite from the tannins otherwise silky, as well as blackberry, cherry and leafy flavours, and cloves and nutmeg, ending off with some dried leaves and tar. Medium length and fairly complex. Pretty enjoyable
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Great bottle at home. Direct pleasure from the first pour. So much ripe but clean and fresh fruit. Medium-long finish with everyting in balance which leaves you lingering for another sip.
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Ripe and approachable with well-judged oak and soft, powdery tannins. Emboldened by a sumptuous plummy fruit profile and robust structural heft. Nicely picked up the chocolate notes in a rich venison dish.
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By the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. No clues as to how long this has been open. Had a lot of promise give the vintage but the ripeness is overdone and the wine felt a bit cooked. Intensely so too, raisin feel, dark smoky but the burnt feel on the fruit stole away the hope. 87
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quick note: bottle opened 12h before, nice creamy pomerol with a good length. Showing very well now, but still need a few years to polish in my opinion. Will try again in 1-2 years
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Taisi olla sunnuntaipullo - todella hajuton ja mauton viini ja vain alkoholi tuntui. Seuraavana päivänä paljastui vähän napa cab - tyyppistä makeaa hedelmää ja mausteisuutta. Jätän pisteyttämättä, sillä olen melko varma, että tämä ei ollut aivan kunnossa.
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Jeff leve's note below is spot on. Black plums, licorice, chocolate. Lots of 2010 structure and unfortunately a very noticeable 15% alcohol. Almost throat scorching really. To be honest, at times this wine acts more like a cdp than a bdx. A couple of years will likely improve this wine.
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Stämmer ryktet att detta är Pomerols mest underskattade vin? Det är bra. Inte siden som de få 2010 Pomerol jag testat - detta är tanniner, och ett tätt vin, med mycket av allt (frukt, lakrits, tobak etc.). Det som belastar och drar ned betyget ett par snäpp är den onödigt höga alkoholhettan. Men jag är övertygad om att magi mycket väl kan uppstå om 10+ år.
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Beautiful bluish purple color with nice legs. Very typical plummy Pomerol nose -- very nice. Very round on the palate with strong tannins that suggest this can age longer. Soft, round mouthfeel, again of dark plums, and a decent amount of fruit. Finish maybe a bit astringent and not as smooth as some other Pomerols. Overall a nice and affordable example of Pomerol, but perhaps not a standout wine. Grade: B+.
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@Fred_Lund: When I asked Nicolas de Bailliencourt of Ch Gazin which Pomerol producer he thought most under rated, he said Rouget. This is plush, polished and very Pomerol in style. Delish but a tad alcoholic at 15%.
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As good, or even slightly better than the 2009, the wine is lush, plush and filled with sweet, juicy, ripe, black plums, cherries, truffle, licorice and dark chocolate. Rouget is making one of the best values in Pomerol today, which says a lot for wines from this increasingly expensive appellation.
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3/18/2024 - The_Cat wrote: 94 Points
Purple dens and concentrated complex nose of ripe cherries and ripe berries very round tannins and excellent length
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1/10/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened in the cellar at 56 degrees, the initial nose was very tobacco-laced. As it warmed up the tobacco receded and was replace by dark plums, ripe blueberries, touch of herbs, forest floor and slate. Quite structured and seemingly holding back a lot in reserve. This probably never got above 68 degrees, and never approached my definition of jammy or plush. First of 16, and shall decant the next one for several hours and bring up to 72-74 degrees.
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8/20/2023 - The_Cat wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet red. Luscious blackberry black cherry notes a bit of vanilla and dark chocolate Full bodied silky tannins and excellent length. At the beginning of its apogee.
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3/20/2023 - CharlesHK Likes this wine: 89 Points
2nd bottle of 12. Purchased in 2016 and properly cellared since that date. 1st bottle tasted back in September 2019 and honestly, that bottle was not drinkable. Then, it was purple, full of harsh tannins, exhibiting a big thick lick of oak, and showing alcohol heat. So, how is it after 3 years and 7 months?
Decanted for 2 hours, served at 19C. 15%. Based on previous experience, I thought about putting it through an aerator, but didn't, because of first taste.
Its a big, big wine in every way. Deep, dark crimson red colour. Initial nose of blood plums, very subtle violets, oak. Plush as! No doubt, its Merlot. Rich, extracted, but not chunky or blockish. Sweet, sweet, sweet fruit. Over-ripe?
If tasted blind, I would guess James Irvine Grand Merlot from South Australia. Its that rich, but not as "plummy" as the Grand Merlot tended to be before that winery was sold. If told Bordeaux, I would immediately guess 2009 because its that plush and rich. But, it doesn't exhibit heat from a hot vintage despite the 15%! Rather, it highlights extended ripeness from an ideal vintage where wine makers could make the wine they really desired. That's 2010 Bordeaux.
Is this a wine I would want to drink often? No, its just so big, ripe, and the oak is still too intrusive. But, I really look forward to see how it develops based on the transformation over the past 3.7 years.
Hard to believe this is an "entry" level wine from Pomerol - in that, its a great value wine. A lot of effort has gone into this wine and it really shows. If you love big, rich, plush Merlot, your are really going to like this wine. If you like old school Pomerol (i.e. LeGay 1989) this ain't the wine for you and never will be.
A work in progress for the wine. And, maybe for me too.
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12/23/2022 - Renevin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Jolie nez, fruits noirs noisettes, expressif. En bouche, ampleur moyenne avec de beaux tanins soyeux. Tout est bien équilibré, longueur respectable
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4/22/2022 - The_Cat wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby red dense and concentrated lots of tobacco chocolate and licorice toped with some delicious black cherry and black pepper full with silky tannins and long finish.
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10/6/2021 - The_Cat wrote: 93 Points
deep dens crimson red. Luscius flavors of ripe cherry a bit fresh fig and blueberry. Soft velvety tannins medium to full bodied and long persistent finish. At the beginninig of its apogee
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5/12/2021 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby. Aromas of black cherry, blackberry, tomato leaves, cloves and nutmeg. Slight bite from the tannins otherwise silky, as well as blackberry, cherry and leafy flavours, and cloves and nutmeg, ending off with some dried leaves and tar. Medium length and fairly complex. Pretty enjoyable
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4/11/2020 - WineJ2019 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well. Smooth, fruity, ripe flavors. 15% a bit surprising (didn’t come across that way)
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12/23/2019 - Lakeeden1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice bottle, drinking well at this point.
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12/8/2019 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great bottle at home. Direct pleasure from the first pour. So much ripe but clean and fresh fruit. Medium-long finish with everyting in balance which leaves you lingering for another sip.
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11/28/2019 - Will Devize wrote: 91 Points
Ripe and approachable with well-judged oak and soft, powdery tannins. Emboldened by a sumptuous plummy fruit profile and robust structural heft. Nicely picked up the chocolate notes in a rich venison dish.
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6/12/2019 - Papies wrote: 87 Points
By the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. No clues as to how long this has been open.
Had a lot of promise give the vintage but the ripeness is overdone and the wine felt a bit cooked. Intensely so too, raisin feel, dark smoky but the burnt feel on the fruit stole away the hope. 87
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2/25/2019 - Indywinefan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good fruit. Initially some crushed stone until opened up.
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2/21/2019 - Misterobit Likes this wine: 90 Points
quick note: bottle opened 12h before, nice creamy pomerol with a good length. Showing very well now, but still need a few years to polish in my opinion. Will try again in 1-2 years
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10/4/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 90 Points
Quite modern, with a lot of fruit and toasted oak. Not my type of wine. I really liked the 2001, but this does not have much charachter.
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7/14/2017 - AJG91 wrote:
Taisi olla sunnuntaipullo - todella hajuton ja mauton viini ja vain alkoholi tuntui. Seuraavana päivänä paljastui vähän napa cab - tyyppistä makeaa hedelmää ja mausteisuutta. Jätän pisteyttämättä, sillä olen melko varma, että tämä ei ollut aivan kunnossa.
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2/19/2017 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Jeff leve's note below is spot on. Black plums, licorice, chocolate. Lots of 2010 structure and unfortunately a very noticeable 15% alcohol. Almost throat scorching really. To be honest, at times this wine acts more like a cdp than a bdx. A couple of years will likely improve this wine.
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10/29/2016 - Rixon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stämmer ryktet att detta är Pomerols mest underskattade vin? Det är bra. Inte siden som de få 2010 Pomerol jag testat - detta är tanniner, och ett tätt vin, med mycket av allt (frukt, lakrits, tobak etc.). Det som belastar och drar ned betyget ett par snäpp är den onödigt höga alkoholhettan. Men jag är övertygad om att magi mycket väl kan uppstå om 10+ år.
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10/11/2016 - Brendel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful bluish purple color with nice legs. Very typical plummy Pomerol nose -- very nice. Very round on the palate with strong tannins that suggest this can age longer. Soft, round mouthfeel, again of dark plums, and a decent amount of fruit. Finish maybe a bit astringent and not as smooth as some other Pomerols. Overall a nice and affordable example of Pomerol, but perhaps not a standout wine. Grade: B+.
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11/29/2015 - Tavastgatan wrote: 91 Points
@Fred_Lund: When I asked Nicolas de Bailliencourt of Ch Gazin which Pomerol producer he thought most under rated, he said Rouget. This is plush, polished and very Pomerol in style. Delish but a tad alcoholic at 15%.
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11/1/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
As good, or even slightly better than the 2009, the wine is lush, plush and filled with sweet, juicy, ripe, black plums, cherries, truffle, licorice and dark chocolate. Rouget is making one of the best values in Pomerol today, which says a lot for wines from this increasingly expensive appellation.
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5/30/2014 - Tao wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at Vinexpo Asia 2014
Dark red! Rich nose of dark fruits, very deep! Sumptuous palate, mouthful of dark fruits, superb finish!
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11/24/2013 - AgedGed Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark, tight, strong acids and tannins. Nice fruit, but hidden in this big Pomerol. Put it away for 7 years then try.
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5/25/2013 - G_H Likes this wine: 92 Points
2010 Arrivage at Baur au Lac (Baur au Lac Hotel, Zurich): Nice, dense, classic Pomerol nose. Reasonable value
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5/4/2011 - thewineoceros wrote: 93 Points
Bibendum Bordeaux 2010 tasting including selected back vintages (Lords Cricket Ground - St Johns Wood, London): Lovely nose, all creamy, cedar, blackfruits and depth. Another notch up from the 2008 alongside it. Could be big value option? 92-94
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4/4/2011 - vespasian wrote: 89 Points
Overripe nose, dark fruited; nice palate with better freshness, open and approachable. Good early drinking? Grippy finish. 88-91
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