3rd of 12, opened an hour, decanted 30 minutes, perfect cork and level, unchanged since bottle noted in August 22, purple rimmed, still very much on the fruit, intense and mouth covering, underlying tannic structure, fruit ripe but not baked, v persistent and involving, attractive now but substantial upside and likely upgrade when fully mature, 25+ years. F+ (18).
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Four bottles from the same case and 3 different experiences. All in great condition with high neck fills and not having moved for 18 years since purchase. Key "tell" seemed to be the cork: The bottle with the toughest, densest cork was by far the best, the softest, least dense the weakest version and the two in the middle were, well, in the middle. The best version showed a pretty bouquet that had those characteristic lead pencil and lavender notes. The floral bouquet was lighter than the fairly muscular wine, though not as brutal as some have suggested -- the alcohol was not hot or prominent for any of the bottles, and there were no chocolate notes or searing tannins. Rather this is a bigger wine than I typically would expect from Comtesse, but not out of character. The middle-bottles were nice, though less complex, while the lesser bottle was simple, and a touch tart at first, though it did improve with time in the glass..
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Guy's Night: Aged Bordeaux/Bordeaux Blends (Joe & Khem's Place, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hours, drank a glass over 3 hours in a flight with '86 Rausan Segla and '00 Pichon Baron. Dense and concentrated, purple fruits, deep dark cherry, wood, tighter right now. This looked to need more time. 92+ to 93pts.
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This wine gave pause when first opened, as it showed a nice perfumed nose and plenty of fruit and secondary flavors, but finished with some stewed fruit notes. Fortunately, the stewed fruit disappeared with time in the decanter.
Nose showed cherry blossom, violets anise and spice (predominantly cardamom). Palates was marked with red fruit (cherry and red currant) and dark fruit (cassis), along with tar, leather and spice. There was also a slight alcohol note (without the heat) on the finish. This wine needs either a longer decant (I would go 4 hours) or a few more years in the cellar (probably 3 more years). 92 now, but should improve.
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Nose: Muted, spiced dark plum, hint of blood. Palate. Warmingly tart spiced dark plum; lightly oxidized dark cherry, prune, faint cigar box, hint of licorice, light and mildly sandy tannins. I was very curious about this bottle as I really disliked my tasting of it from a year ago. While I'll chalk up my previous poor score to having tasted it with a wide variety of other wines, I'm not very confident this vintage from this producer is going to improve from here.
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2003 vintage. Last tasted 10.16.22 (9.1/91) and a relatively disappointing showing then. This time round, decanted and tasted multiple x's after 1.5 hours-3 hours. Decent sed yet less than expected. Good fill but cork seemed a tad dry. The blueberry, cocoa powder nose was there with the quintessential, P-L hallmarks. Light-medium body. A billowing, smoky initiation, then plum along with graphite and touches of cedar + espresso crema. Left me wanting just a little more and thinking a different bottle of this same P-L vintage just might yield a 9.5/95. This and La Mission Haut-Brion fave two red BDX producers and this did nothing to change that. Hopefully, another P-L 2003 cycles through soon enough to prove my theorem. Thanksgiving 11.23.23.
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Popped and poured. This is a ruby red wine with some minimal sediment at the end of the bottle (not much sediment for a 20-year-old wine). On the nose, I get blueberry, pencil lead, tobacco, damp woods, and a surprising floral note. In the mouth, this is a well structured wine with a focus on sweet red fruits. The finish is smooth, with more red fruit, and fully integrated tannins. Overall, this is a refined and graceful wine. I didn’t experience any 2003 vintage issues and found this to be very enjoyable at the moment. Drink now or hold for another 5-10 years. 93 points.
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fabulous and stunning wine, rises above the limitations of this torrid vintage to provide that wonderful Lalande trademark: gorgeous texture, cassis, blackcurrant, cedar and faint mint. Gloriously complex, I've seen this wine many times over the past 15 years, and the improvement as it ages has been nothing short of astonishing. no hurry to consume, but it is either very close to or at peak drinking window, but certainly no danger of falling off any time soon!!
Decent but not great. Easy drinking and pleasant, but more overly ripe than the Cos of the same vintage drunk a few nights before. Fruits are blacker and the wine doesn't hold together as well, going softer and a little warm. For sure don't see this getting better with age.
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Stunning! Stunning wine! If it is willing to give me more refinement, One hundred points is a must in my view! Luxurious ripe fruits, with enough spiciness and minerality to balance the ripe fruits, as people said, this is the modern day version of vintage 1982!
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My birthday bottle last year, we had a wonderful lunch date at one of our favourite restaurants in Kuala Lumpur - Cilantro.
I am a huge fan of Pichon Lalande (Not so much of Pichon Baron), and this is a blend of 65% Cab, 31% Merlot, and 4% PV.
Simply bottle breathed for 60 minutes prior to opening. Appearance wise, very dark with a tinge of purple, and no rim observed. Its hardly aged!
Classical bouquet nose of cedar wood, with black fruit which took a little while to open up - Perhaps served a wee bit too cold, next time must remember to have this at 16C.
Interestingly, but perhaps not surprising considering the hot and legendary 2003 Bordeaux vintage; This is both dense as well as richly textured, and the tannins are still lightly structured providing a nice backbone.
Overall, I loved the pencil lead and ripe fruits, but it is slightly brutish in style and less elegant then I would have liked. I would say it is still not perfectly in balance, and one could wait 10 years before having this.
Happy Birthday to me (2023!), and thanks again to brother TC for ferrying this all the way back from Hong Kong into my cellar.. Don't know why I had forgotten to post these tasting notes nearly a year ago!
Paid circa USD 210 for this, and that was on sale in Hong Kong - Aged Bordeauxs with a good pedigree don't come cheap these days!
Cilantro, Micasa hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 17th July 2023
After finishing our entrees at La Piquette in D.C. (if on the menu, order the veal chop!) and before we could order dessert, the husband of the friends with whom we were dining looked at me and said, "how about another red?". In the spirit of "you can't take it with you", I reached into the wine bag and pulled out the '03 Pichon Lalande. (It was this or the 2000 Léoville Poyferré.) This bottle has really hit a really beautiful spot in the last year or two. Unlike several other '03 Bordeaux which started drinking well relatively young (and yes, I drank several bottles of this too early), this one needed some time to fully express itself. This has become a lovely bottle, with no elements of over-ripeness, and I'm looking forward to opening a bottle of the 2000 soon.
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Gaumen: trocken, mittlere Säure, mittlerer Alkohol, mittleres (+) Tannin, mittlerer Körper mit intensiven Aromen wie in der Nase, langer Abgang.
Potentail: Jetzt trinken, kein Lagerpotential.
Qualität: Sehr gut
Allgemein: Wunderbar gereift. Frucht immer noch prösent, aber alles im reifem Bereich. Die Tannine sind nach dem Öffnen noch sehr präsent, unbedingt dekantieren. Jetzt optimale Trinkreife, die sicher noch 2-3 Jahre halten wird.
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Good to go after 30 minutes, decanted over 2 hours and drank over 3 hours: Although the wine continues to evolve nicely, this was more light bodied than I was expecting for an 03. Decent Pauillac nose, Cab dominant, complex, coffee notes, cedar, moist earth, mint. Medium finish with light rounded tannin. Drink up!
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Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
TN: Intense nose, dark fruited and luxurious oak notes. On the palate ripe but not too ripe. Some coffee notes come with the dark fruit notes. Not overly deep but still quite round and harmonious. While not an overly exciting wine, this was another Pauillac that handled the hot vintage quite well. No comparison, however, of the quality level the winery achieved today.
Decanting: Good from the go, no extensive decanting needed.
Group average: 90.3 pts Group rank: Shared 21st out of 29 reds
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Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note: Ripe and well defined fruit of cherry along with floral notes and toppings of sweet spice. Youthful with hardly any aging notes. Unfortunately, the palate felt marginally cooked and unbalanced.
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One of the very top wines of the '03 Bdx tasting, this showed Pauillac in character with an incredibly smooth, seamless texture and plenty of volume and power. Layered and fine with no hints of the heat of the vintage apparent and delicious flavors of black fruits and graphite minerals. Finishes long with soft but very refined tannins. Impressive for the vintage and plenty left in the tank.
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Everything I love in bordeaux here. I could have just smelled it all night. Effusive nose but scents so disparate and interesting yet everything balanced and in its place. Floral components on the nose which play at my heart strings. Wines like this tempt me to shift more of my budget to the old world.
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Blind. Deep ruby, still quite dense but clearly with some evolution. Blackcurrant and graphite nose. Similar on attack with an initially firm structure that pushes me to ‘95. Finely grippy. Apparently not 95, so probably 03. Lovely surprise when revealed — nothing drying here, the fruit and structure are balanced and it seems to be ageing well. It’s helped by a raw steak but regardless it’s a good wine, and not the alcoholic monster some recent vintages seem to be. There’s a little more wine and more energy here than the 02 Lynch B alongside. ****
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, currant, graphite, forest floor and leather. Red and black fruit, anise, graphite and forest floor on the palate. Very long, soft, dry finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with roast beef and a persillade sauce.
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Paolo generously shared this bottle with me pre-dinner. My first time with this vintage of the wine - a great chance to taste a warm (and at time controversial) vintage. Decanted prior
Garnet color, showing some age. Nose showing dark fruit, menthol and graphite. Palate showing blackcurrant, cherry, earth notes, pencil. Very rich through the mid palate, silky and luxurious. Medium/full body, long finish.
In a great spot right now. Warm vintage turned to the advantage of delivering a full body and depth throughout. It will doubtless go for another decade plus. That said, really worth opening this now, especially if you have more than one
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Nose: menthol, hint of plastic. Palate: Loads of perfumed new wood that is not well-integrated with a hint of plum; acid has almost completely faded. Overall, has more of a right bank flavor than left bank to me, with too much oak for my taste. I'll chalk this experience up to being an off bottle as I usually love Bordeaux, and I am hopeful that I'll get to revisit this a wine from this chateau again someday
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Coming from a magnum, prisitine shape. Color has some age to it with a burnt umber rim constasted by a deep and dark core. Fresh fragrant nose. Smells very much like Pichon Lalande, with various fruits and cool menthol.
On the palate more of the same. Still fresh and vibrant. This wine in 2003 has always been soft and sexy, yet one of the more lively wines of the very warm vintage. This wine is prime now. Pretty direct, but has some subtle and delcate naunces.
While this claret will hold for years to come, it's in a nice stage right now to drink up, Poured in a decanter and really developed its first hour, however it did not go anywhere after hour 2-3+ and was rather at its best within the first 2 hours out of the bottle. A nice uber prime wine to open now.
A great testament and release from this label during a hot vintage.
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It is interesting watching the top left bankers from 2003 evolve. As with 2009 there is maximum enjoyment to be had at a relatively young age when they are sumptious fruit bombs. As the fruit is starting to recede and secondary notes are evolving, the Pichon Lalande is starting to take on different notes. The nose is still rich with cherry, blackcurrant, and raspberry, and it lingers and lingers. Tannin is now more obvious on the palate and finish, but is perfectly balanced, and it lends a more "grown up" feel to the wine. I think it bodes well for the future and the wine has real legs for aging. This now benefits from 2 or 3 hours in the decanter. 94+
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When I had this in a vertical a couple years ago it stuck out very clearly as the 2003. Now, at least by itself, I'm not sure I'd have been able to call it an '03 at all. So apparently it is aging gracefully. It still tastes like a young wine however. The fruit is ripe and inky but not overripe in flavor, and forward enough it is only very lightly cedary. The tannins show that classic Comtesse polish and refinement, which are, as a certain wine critic's limited-vocabulary bingo card might have it, "impossible to miss," and whatever your tolerance level for rich fruit might be, it should only dictate whether to start drinking this now or hold off another decade for further mellowing. Either way, this is now a mighty fine and classy PLL.
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Bright dark red. Great nose, cassis, cedar box, blackberry, old wood and pencil shavings. Delicious berry and cassis flavours and a mid weight finish.
A very elegant Bordeaux that might improve but great now. The mouth feel and finish was a little lighter than the Ill Poggione 2006 we drank next the nose though was a 95.
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2nd of 12, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, as bottle recorded in January, lovely elegant style as usual with excellent structure and grip, the unresolved tannins are very fine and the weight of fruit perfectly pitched giving the wine significant upside and potential longevity. For now F+ (18), VF on potential.
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Two hour decant. Big legs, especially for Bordeaux with this much age. Nose of ripe raspberries with lilac and lots of other floral notes. Palate starts with a line of firm black coffee grounds, black licorice, and tar, then adds lots of baked gravely earth and dry black fruits. Fine-grained tannins on the finish with layers of dusty earth, cranberry fruit, and a bit of charcoal / campfire.
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Tasted at a wine dinner in NYC @ Marta. This seems very classic, with just an extra level of fruit from the vintage, showing notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, green bell pepper, spices, some cigarbox. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium- acidity and medium+ tannin adding grip and some structure. Very good length. A surprisingly classic Pichon Lalande from this hot vintage, it doesn‘t show much of the challenges of the vintage and is just totally delicious but also complex enough to be really interesting.
So well made and not showing any of the heat of this vintage (the hottest vintage ever in France). Smooth as silk and quite refined with good depth and a layered finish. While it can’t match the 2000’s intensity and complexity, it’s a great success for the vintage and is drinking very well now
Just about, or at full maturity, the wine is lush, opulent, silky, sweet and long, with a core of earthy, spicy, blackberry, black currant and tobacco-tinged fruits. Full-bodied, rich and sensuous, with no touch of heat, or jam, this is a solid vintage for Pichon Lalande. Not decanted, just popped, poured and savored.
Medium dark red color. Chocolate, herbs, cassis bouquet. Ripe fruit entry, soft and round, supple, with very modest tannins. Medium length. Elegant and well-balanced for a 2003 Bordeaux. Delicious drinking now.
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1st of 12, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, translucent, ruby, little rim development; attractive, well balanced nose, cassis and black cherry, cocao element, vanilla, primary; med/full, long, persistent, quite intense, balance, decent grip, decent drink now but much more to come, proper wine, upgrade expected, 25+ years development ahead. F+ (18).
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Schwarzer Adler 2021 (Schwarzer Adler): - approximately 1.5 hour decanted @Schwarzer Adler. - Nose: Primarily dark fruit, peppermint and lots of wild berries and blueberries, coffee, dark chocolate and herbal spice. Intense aromas. Still seems quite youthful except for the present coffee aromas. - Palate: Extremely pressured and intense flavours present, full-bodied, lots of body and blue to dark fruit spectrum. Lacks some acidity (medium), present tannins (medium). Long finish. Is a rather expressive bomb after Armand Rousseau's Charmes Chambertin and the freshness is a bit lacking for me personally. - 92-93 points with still a lot of storage potential.
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Schwarzer Adler 2021 (Schwarzer Adler): short notes: dark fruit, the wine had a lot of power, dense. lacked a little bit of acidity drank side-by-side with a cos d'estournel 2000, which was fresher and more to the point than this pichon 2003
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Still very deep and extracted looking in colour. Nose has a caramel, touch overripe fruit nose. Exotic but lacks definition and finesse. Really big on the palate, massive dark fruits, bell pepper, tobacco, leafy, all black fruit spectrum on the palate. Very large framed wine and framed by quite a lot of oak. I am not sure the poor wine maker at the time knew what to do with this and turned this into a bit of a beast. Very dense and chewy. Perhaps it still needs more time to decompress. Impressive superficially but don’t open this looking for floral, scented lily and the elegant expressions of Paulliac that Pichon Lalande of the 80s use to show. I think the first of the solar vintages in Bordeaux took too many winemakers by surprise and outside of their comfort zone for making Bordeaux!
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deep red purple color, spicy sweet dark plums on the nose, sleek and primary, cassis, black cherry, on the palate a semi-closed overly sweet fruit, moderate finish with a light impact, with time in glass a bit of bell pepper, while the fruit itself has a certain hedonistic attractiveness this wine is sadly starting to get a bit flabby while the oak treatment begins to gain the upper hand- a tale I think will be told of many 2003s in due course, some will surely succeed but in a vintage of such extremes I think in retrospect this and many others will have best been consumed in their early days while the fruit was still in a primary and vibrant state, time will tell.
***, drink soon
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So…. This gets better every time we open it. Finally in a strong place with a rich slightly menthol nose and hints of plum and blackberry Palate coating and delicious with a 20+ second finish I suspect this will continue to evolve as a late bloomer. Showing no sign of age in the traditional sense.
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Leaky cork, so the wine was probably more advanced than it should have been. Low tannin, full body, dark color with lots of brown, advanced aromas and flavors, but surprisingly intact given the poor storage and the problematic cork. Better-stored examples will probably offer a lot of satisfaction, though I suspect that the low acidity of this bottle may reflect the hot vintage.
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Quite a smooth and silky wine with a bit of the green pepper on the palate that this wine can sometimes show. Mark guessed 1996 and I thought that made sense given the way the wine is drinking now. This has so far avoided the roasted qualities of the hot vintage quite well. Ready now out of magnum but will hold here for a decade.
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Last time in 12/20 this wine was a disappointment. Now, after a much longer, nearly four hour decant, it was much better. Fairly good complexity and fruit, but not over ripe. Still, a long way away from the best Pichon vintages.
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Last tasted in March, the taste profile and observations are pretty much the same. Like many of the great and quality left bankers from the year it is already very approachable and drinking superbly possessing the typical opulence of the vintage, but with a good tannic structure. It will continue to evolve and probably soften the tannin on the finish. It is a different experience from say the 1995 and 1996 but still highly enjoyable and highlights the quality of the left bank wines in 2003. This needs a few hours in the decanter.
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Definitely time to drink this now. I have one more bottle and will open it soon. This was enjoyable but lacked the depth and complexity and that level of interest that you expect of a wine in this category. There was good ripe fruit and no tannin remaining. Fruit was a little closer to what we expect in a California Central Coast wine, but still with the terroir of Bordeaux.
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Tasted back in 2018, so decided to check in on it again. While it is definitely not my favorite vintage of Pichon Lalande, it is still delicious. Decanted for 1 hour. It was more femanine than I remembered and I did detect a touch of overripeness on the finish. It was the first 2003 that I’ve had in a while showing the heat from the vintage. My gut tells me this is at its peak and probably won’t get any better with age.
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No notes taken. This vintage of Pichon showed quite well with that extra kick of power from the hot vintage. While ripe it’s not too ripe and remains quite fresh. In terms of complexity, it paled a bit in comparison to the Lynch 1990 and the Castello Banfi Banda Oro 2004 we had next to it as it did not had the focus and complexity of the other wines. The quality improvement in more recent years (probably starting with 2014) is tremendous at this Chateau and I would hence focus any purchases on these vintages. Back in these days the gap to the best left banks is just too big.
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This seems to be at maturity. Decanted about 2-2.5 hours and just kept improving. Medium weight, subtle and complex, long finish. Nothing out of place. Looking forward to enjoying this for several more years.
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Nose: intensely fruity with blackberries and Cabernet spice, also some blue fruit. In addition tarry and forest floor. Time in the decanter definitely helps the wine to develop.
Palate: Is on the slightly richer side with lots of fruit and tobacco, light leather and vanilla. Nice acidity (medium ~ +) yet ripe tannins! Exciting to drink, especially since it 2003 vintage in general was not one of the best. Definitely still has storage potential, doesn't seem on the peak to me yet.
24 Vintages of Pichon Lalande: All wines tasted blind. A few general observations: 1) Most wines showed the typical Pichon Lalande elegance. This is certainly one of the more delicate and elegant Paulliacs. 2) The relatively high Merlot content (often 20-30%) showed in many wines with fine, fresh rhubarb, rosehip and floral aromas I wouldn’t necessarily associate with a Medoc - all adding to the sensuous quality of the wines. 3) A few vintages showed the very sexy burnt sugar/coffee notes you associate with the 1982 Lalande or a Mouton or a Cheval Blanc - unfortunately, not to an extent and with an intensity to truly excite. 4) Following the legendary 1982 and until the most recent vintages (starting with 2014 but especially with 2016) there are three decades of pleasant Pichon Lalandes but hardly any vintage has the depth and length of truly great wines. The best wine tonight was the 2009 (rated 95+ points) with many more in the 92-94 point category.
TN: I liked this a lot and it was not easily identifiable as a 2003. I guess in that rather mediocre to weak period of Pichon Lalande, the extra kick from the hot vintage just helped enough to bring a bit extra depth and poise into the wines. On of the best wines of the tasting. Dark and medium+ intense nose with darker fruit than normal but still some red berries, cola and floral notes. Ripe but not too ripe. Same on the palate with good red and dark fruits, coffee, tobacco and earthy. Nicely sweet but not too sweet. It doesn’t have the complexity of the best wines of the vintage but it is so easy to drink and was good from the go.
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A beautiful nose of currants, cedar wood and dark fruits. On the palate, ripe red fruits, warm, soft tannins, tobacco, earth, cedar wood, smoke and some spices. Good structure. I decanted it for 2 hours. Then he was perfect.
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Drinking beautifully right now. Bottle decant for 30 mins. Developed nicely over 90 minutes. Classic bdx at an ideal age. Still years ahead of it but you won’t be disappointed now.
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Easter gathering (Andrew's): Runner-up for WOTN for me. Although this wine hasn't received great critical love, and I was worried about the hot vintage, our particular bottle exhibited great beauty and depth on a light frame. Thought it was drinking wonderfully.
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This has really stepped up a level in the last 12 months and is drinking at its peak. The tannin is fully resolved, and it is displaying secondary notes. It is a great wine from a great vintage, (in spite of moans from some of the purists,). The nose is rich and deep with black cherry and blackcurrant dominating. It is deliciously smooth on the palate with excellent depth and balance. The tannin asserts itself on the finish but it is robust rather than harsh. On the shorter side, the finish still pushes 30 seconds, but lacks depth and ideally would be longer.
Popped and poured over a 3 hour period. Leafy, spicy and black fruited nose. Great palate, the texture is engaging with gripping tannins buffered by slightly overripe fruit that still maintains freshness.
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Tasting dinner with T & M accompanied by polenta with short rib ragu.
Had it alongside a 2003 NSG 1er by Gouges and a 05 Duhart Milon. The smell from this one after a 2 hour or so decant was intoxicating and showed much sweeter on the nose than the 05 Duhart. Flavors were memorable with a super long finish with great complexity of flavors.
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Decanted with dinner at La Piquette, my favorite French bistro in DC. I drank my first few bottles of the '03 Pichon a few years and was honestly a bit disappointed, given the Parker ratings and, more importantly, the 2014 "start drinking window". I decided to put aside my last 3 bottles and am really glad I did. This bottle was singing from the start (and decanting certainly helped). A beautiful nose of black current and cedar, and a great texture. Outstanding bottle and really looking forward to the last two.
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Disappointing. Lacking the well-known P-L notes of bell pepper and so forth. Clearly over-ripe. Not badly, but just enough to take away the tertiary notes that are so desirable. Maybe a few more years in the bottle will help.
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Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Pichon Longueville 2003 Winery: Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Varietal: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac Vintage: 2003 Price: $150/ Direct from Distributors. My store inventory. Color: dark purple/ruby from below opaque purple from above Legs: medium Nose: wet mushrooms, truffle, wet earth, black licorice, plums and currants, Palate: warm and toasty entry with loamy earth and black currants, plum and cedar oak and vanilla along with tobacco Finish: tannins are fine and resolved lots of wet earth, black currants, cedar, vanilla, oak, aged tobacco Comments: I’ve had other 2003 Bordeaux where the heat from the summer extreme temps was readily apparent, but not here this had aged so well and so delicious and in a perfect a mature state. One week under private preserve: blackberries, licorice, anise, tar, dried leather on the nose. On the palate, dried leather, pomegranate, dried plums, dried blackberries, aged tobacco. Finish is still savory but drying on the leathery end. Pairing Suggestions: Roast suckling pig, lamb, roast duck, prime rib etc. Score in terms of Vintage: 95 Score for the Wine: 94 Value for the Money: Very Good Date Tasted: 12/5 & 12/12/2020 Tasted by: ACK
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Earthy bouquet with tobacco, smoke and blueberry compote frame the viscosity and velvety texture that makes one want to come back for another sip. This should last, but doubtfully improve, for another 10-15 years in a cold cellar.
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It's Thanksgiving today and I am opening some stunners tonight, this was the first red. Nearly black in the glass and opaque AF. This wine is blowing me away on the nose- cassis, tobacco, leather and the umami of dried mushrooms. On the palate this Bordeaux beauty is at peak. The primal fruit has given way to the most amazing tertiary notes that we can only hope to taste in mature wine. Earth, funk, leather, Maduro tobacco, rich cassis and a hint of tannins on the very back end. It is stunning, graceful, developed and powerful in a staid manner. I’m floored that this mediocre, hot vintage has held itself together for 17 years and rewarded my cellaring in such an amazing manner. 95 points for tonights bottle which is a massive step up from the last time I drank a Magnum of the stuff. You can read my original notes here. Not cheap, nor is it easy to find- at $150 for a regular size or close to $350 for the big boy. 5 stars with a drink now window. Yummm.
Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Dark core with brick maroon rim; olives, oak, black fruit, thick, spicy, cooked red currant, meaty, green pepper, black currant on the palate, graphite, very firm on the back half, some secondary development but still very young, gravitas; '03 Leoville Barton?
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2.5H decant. Opaque. Strong nose of a mix of dark and red fruits. Sweet and savory. I do pick up some heat although not pruney or overripe. A Ton of minerality, I would say too much. This wine is smooth with a velvety feel without being plush like other 2003s. Lone bottle. I liked this. Would buy again. 92-93
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Consumed over two nights. Better second night. Muted first 2 hours on night one, then opened up. Fantastic blackcurrants, floral high note, black cherry mid and end palate, tannins mostly resolved. Very good balance and showed no 03 heat.
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Decanted for 4h, started sampling after 2h. A beautiful mature Bdx, tannins long gone, ready to enjoy. Huge perfumy nose, tobacco, leather, faint spices. The palate expressed juicy cherries, minerals, graphite, and a soft finish. I remember some milk chocolate at some point (2-3h) after opening but by 4h the chocolate was gone, but the cherries remained. Hints of sweetness, but the wine is dry. Very enjoyable to all, paired with grilled chicken. This wine has a subtle touch, medium bodied, suave, sophisticated. 93/94
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Did a blind tasting with 7 friends with Bordeaux 95-05 theme
2000 Pichon had smoke, meaty, toast, spices, blackcurrant, medium+ acidity and tannin. Decant for 3 hours.
2003 Pichon had cassis, spices, black fruits, medium+ acidity and tannin. Decant for 2-3 hours.
2002 Haut Brion had floral, spices, red/black fruits, medium+ acidity and tannin. Rounded in the palate. Slow oxy for 4 hours.
2000 Figeac had a wet forest, mushroom, spices, vanilla, medium acidity and medium+ tannin. Double decant for 2-3 hours.
WOTN was 2000 Figeac, followed by 2002 Haut Brion, 2003 Pichon and lastly 2000 Pichon.
It was a surprise to see such weaker vintage 2003 Pichon picked over strong vintage 2000 Pichon. My opinion is that 2000 Pichon had not entered its prime drinking window and it's best to store and aged it further.
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loved this. with a bit of trepidation after reading so much about how 2003 was too hot and thus the wines too monstrous, i did not sense that in this at all. beautiful blueberry, some tobacco and bay lead notes, medium + body, great snappy acidity to keep it fresh and balanced, long finish. this was absolutely delicious IMHO.
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2.5 hour decant. Plenty of very ripe black, blue and red fruits in elegant fashion. Surprising how elegant this is for a record hot year. Near silky smooth. Some graphite, sweet Oak, cedar, but also creme de cassis on the finish.
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Very hesitant at first, with a subtle nose of fine wood and leather. Still young, crisp berry aromas, leather, tobacco, pencil, ink, tea, sous-bois and roast aromas. Medium bodied, elegant, but acidity in the background still to be sorted, the wine took two full hours to unfold. I expect it to further improve over the coming 3 years.
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Last tasted 6 months ago, this is edging forward and is already very enjoyable with a couple of hours in the decanter. I do find it lacks the elegance of the St. Estephes, and St.Juliens from the year and cannot compete with the first growths, but is a great wine and also exceptional value if bought a few years ago. The nose has the typical opulence of the vintage as a whole, and is packed with ripe cherry and blackcurrant. The tannin is still in evolvement, but has further resolved since January. It has great depth and balance on the palate, and the finish is lengthy, if still a little over tannic. Whilst lacking that wow factor of other left bank siblings from the year, it is highly recommended and certainly one the better Pichon Lalandes drinking well at present.
Really lovely. Elegant and not at all overblown, as I was expecting from this vintage. Kirsch, herbes de Provence, slight coffee notes. Hardly any tannins. Drinking very well right now.
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It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead.
I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire.
The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm.
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Bastille Day dinner (R&D's): Popped and poured from magnum, courtesy of our hosts. Garnet core showing a bit lighter at the meniscus, making it easily distinguishable from the Angelus poured alongside. Notes of dried tobacco and red fruit. Has a rustic earthy quality as well. With time, the herbal elements that are the hallmark of the Chateau emerge. The palate shows more dark fruit than red, along with tobacco and a hint of spice. Still has some tannin to integrate (at least in this format). Finishes with good length. 92+ pts.
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Beef blood, graphite, milk chocolate, iron filings, macerated blackberry, medium to full bodied, integrated tannins, long finish. I definitely feel that it's time to drink this one. Any more time and you'll probably be experiencing it's denouement.
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Complex bouquet of cherries, cassis, coffee, tobacco, and sousbois. Palate is rich, full-bodied, concentrated, with well-integrated tannins. Long finish. So balanced and pure. Great wine. Drinking very well right now!
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Double decanted for 90 min, med. ruby with some lightening on the rim, classic CA nose of black cherry, med. tannins, med/long finish; delicious & ready to drink. Shows how similar Bordeaux & CA are when they have similar weather
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I have tried this every 6 months or so for the last couple of years, and whilst it is definitely still in evolvement, it is already very approachable and a glorious drink. If you have a few bottles there is no need not to be consuming this now with 2 or 3 hours in the decanter. The nose is opulent with ripe blackcurrant and red cherry. On the palate it is starting to displaying secondary characteristics and is complex with good depth. The finish is excellent and exceeding 30 seconds and showing perfect balance to the very end. However, the tannin still needs to continue to sweeten to complete the wine's full potential, and, although not as advanced as some of the other left bankers from the year, it is only a year or two away from hitting its peak.
Friendsgiving Dinner (Riverwoods, IL): More mature than I would hope from top Bordeaux at this age, but good weight and spice complementing the clearly ripe and powerful black fruit with cigarbox aromas providing able support. I liked this more than most other tasters did tonight.
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I’ve got a nice cold cellar. That being said, I can’t say I agree with the notes that state that this is ready. It’s definitely an easy drink right now. The fruit is like a laser beam, dense, concentrated, and pure. The tannins are under control. But the nose is not developed yet...at least not to my liking. Don’t hate me for speaking my mind. Give it a few years for those savory Medoc nuisances.
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A fantastic Pauillac that combines elegance with power that I normally associate with Pichon Baron. Little sign of a ripe vintage as the fruit is lush but balanced harmonious blend of dark fruit, spice, earth, leather that oozes class. Drink after an hour or two of air and you're good to go.
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Still a bit tight but coming into its own. Elegant and refined nose of deep aged spice with slight vanilla overdone. Finish about 30 seconds and no discernible tannins. But we think will be much more intretwting in a Few years. So hang on!
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This is drinking just great. The wine is soft, silky, lush and filled with ripe red fruits, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Richly textured, with no hard edges and zero sensation of overripe notes or heat, 30 minutes of air was al this needed to come around.
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Interesting wine....soft early as PNP and then almost a bit tighter with time. This is certainly not a crazy fruit bomb or flabby and falling apart....I might have liked it best initially when it most California. I would score low 90's and certainly no rush to drink quickly...this has plenty of years to go
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Last night, my second favorite pairing. Tonight, my favorite! An older Pichon Lalande and a ribeye. Counting it down.
While this 03 is delicious tonight, I won’t touch another bottle until 2028 for the way I’ve learned to enjoy em. However, a good time for a check in given I have several more bottles.
The nose reveals; thick, rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, older tobacco, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers.
The body is creamy, lush and full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting themselves together nicely. The tannins are round, dark and only 45-50% resolved. She’s an elegant beauty that will deliver so much more at 25 years and later. Rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, cigar box with ash, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, coco powder, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers & violets on the long set. The acidity is round and beautiful. The creamy, elegant finish is balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes.
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Very nice wine that is ready to drink. Missing a little structural and flavor complexity and intensity...but other than that, right up the fairway! Sour dark cherry and graphite and lead
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Firmly in its drinking window, this is still in evolvement, but is very enjoyable now with a few hours in the decanter. As noted previously, it is very typical of the top left bank estates from the vintage, in that the nose is opulent with ripe fruit with flavours of blackcurrant and red cherry. On the palate tannin does tend to dominate, but it has excellent depth and balance. The finish has good length, but is a little acrid towards the end. However, it is an excellent wine, and while not able to compete with the top St Estephe's and St Julien's, it is the best Pichon Lalande drinking at present from the last 2 decades.
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This was a stunner and blind tasted I did not guess it was from the heat wave year. Beautifully silky and fruit forward in an elegant and way with a broad palate and nice length. A stunner, let alone for the vintage...
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Very very pleasant and with plenty of life. Unlike the 2004 comtesse this puts a smile on your face although I would probably leave for a few years. I recently tried a poyferre 03 and it tasted over-extracted, this wine, however, is very balanced.
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Disregard the drinking window offered below the title: 2011-2025? Not even close. Try 2025-2040. Opened for 3 hrs and tasted. Blunted blackberry taste and tannins like the edge of a serrated knife. OK then, decanted and gave it another hour. Now it shows deep cherry, vanilla, rose water, vanilla and orange peel on the nose, and a very different palate expression: espresso, cherry, graphite. Still a taut finish, but one that just shows longevity rather than flaw. Right now, decanting for minimum 3 hrs required. To me this is a very atypical Pichon-Lalande: none of the finesse and quiet elegance I associate with this estate, and have certainly experienced with the 1982 and 1996. This is much more masculine, broad-shouldered and in your face. Nevertheless it is a great success for 2003, the year of the great heat. In a year that risked unbalanced wines, this one is balanced, if not exactly as subtle as other Pichon Lalandes. Score:93-94. Relative to expectations: 0
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Perfect and typical Pichon Comtesse. Nice dark red fruits in the nose. Dark berries, some graphite, cherries and herbs on the palate. Perfect balance with a deep structure and soft, integrated tannins. Long and juicy finish. This drinks absolutely amazing and elegant right now - just give it 30 minutes in the decanter. Drink now or within the next 5-8 years.
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Very masculine for a Comtesse tannins still present with lots of leather, dark red berries and cassis and a long finish. Medium to full bodied and extra cellaring for another 5 years would do this wine wonders.
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Lots of oak and cassis but where is the pencil and lavender magic of Pichon Comtesse? It’s not just the aromatic profile - the structure is big and fat. Not as brazenly alcoholic as the last time around, but also a small glass.
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Rich and opulent black fruits on initial opening. Ripe and sweet blackcurrant, full bodied, smooth and juicy aftertaste. But after that, there is no further development, the taste is a little bit fading out or keep at that level. It is still a very good wine, but is it not strong enough to hold the whole night? Is it due to bottle variation or storage condition problem? Bought from idealwine.com few years ago...
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, minimal lightening at rim. After an hour in the glass to get a little air and warm from cellar temp, there is a deep rich nose of cassis, black cherry, tobacco, hints of smoke/tar and a nice streak of green. Medium body, great balance, structure built on both acid and tannin, flavors follow the nose, medium/long finish. Beginning complexity. Many years to go. Excellent.
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A beautiful wine which seems to be consistent with each tasting. Firmly in its drinking window, the nose is opulent with flavours of blackcurrant and red cherry. It is advancing on the palate, and has excellent depth and complexity. The finish is balanced and 30 seconds plus, but a little sour towards the end. However, it does not detract from the overall experience. This still needs a few hours in the decanter, and will continue to develop over the next couple of years.
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Smoke, green tobacco leaf, cedar, creosote and blackberry liqueur on the nose. Still very primary and dark fruited on the nose. Surprising acidity and lively silky texture makes for a great palate and a lush finish.
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Pichon Lalande holds so many great memories of our visit and luncheon and the opportunity to drink great wines from the cellar. I love the wine and honor the experience of being there.
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Tasted blind alongside ‘11 Ducru; ‘11 Figeac; ‘05 Cos; and ‘06 Ducru. ‘Dark ruby color turning orange rust at the rim with a transparent edge. There are secondary and tertiary flavors of cola, aged meat, tobacco and leather emerging from the ripe blackberry and hoisin sauce core that’s balanced elegantly by vibrant acidity. Finishes very long with hints of orange peel. Sublime. Drink now until 2029.
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Herbs, menthol, full fruit throttle !!!! California ???? No !! Paulliac !!! Great wine not for the aristocratic drinkers out there.Yum yum !!! Love it ! Ready to go . Improvement ??? Maybe but why wait !
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Decanted for about an hour — this was not necessary based on sediment but helped the wine stretch its legs. This is a solid red wine with a nose of pencil, rocks, blueberry, and some flowery undertones. In the mouth, this has some medium fruit and dark ash notes. The finish is smooth with integrated tannin. Overall, this is a poised and structured wine. It has a deep buried soul that has yet to fully emerge. Right now, this is more like a CA cab than a BDX with wonderful forest notes, etc. — but I think it will get there. 92 points.
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While still more primary than how I prefer to drink my Pichon Lalande, this wine is entering its early maturity window. Lovely soft and round tannin and some green tobacco/herb on the finish. Classic Pauillac nose of cedar, black licorice, Asian spices, etc. Decanted for 1 hour.
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Did not perform as the same level as other bottles of this I have had - a bit more funk on the nose than I am used to with this wine which did not blow off with time. Normally, I would not mind, but it detracted from the purity of this wine that I am used to. Behind the funk, I could still pick out the usual sweet blackcurrant with a hint of espresso on the nose, but this was unfortunately in the background. The palate was a bit lighter-bodied but could still catch cherry, licorice, cedar, and a tinge of smoke on the finish. Smooth round tannins with acidity sticking out a bit on the finish. I think this bottle may have been slightly off and not representative, but I'd still score it just over 90 if we're talking numbers.....just not the purity and balance I'm accustomed to with this wine (which is usually a pleasant surprise for a 2003!).
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Decanted 3 hours b/c that’s about how long it took for for this wine to show its pedigree. The nose on this 2003 Pichon Lalande is to die for, with aromas of cherry, cedar, lavender and truffle which give way to a rich and polished, full bodied palate that is cherry licorice driven and finishes off with a lingering cedar aftertaste. This is an absolutely cracking good wine - 95 points!
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Absolutely singing right now. 2 hours in the decanter. Fabulous fruit, great length. Soft and supple. Still got another 5 years at this level I hope, before it begins to fade
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Out of magnum with 2-hr decant - was initially blown away by the '96 drunk alongside but this did find it's footing late. Not nearly as chiseled and refined as the '96 but this had plenty of rich red and black fruits with a tinge of roasted flavors from the hot vintage. Quite mouth-filling and really delicious in a softer, more decadent style.
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This has many years ahead of it, and is a great example of the excellence of many left bankers in this vintage in spite of some unwarranted criticism of the year. The nose has deep jammy aromas of red cherry and blackcurrent. On the palate the tannin is still developing but is very approachable, and with good depth and with layers of complexity. The finish is lengthy and well balanced, but still with a little residual sourness at this time in its life. It is an excellent wine, and while not at the dizzying heights of the leading St Estephe's and some of its other left bank siblings, it is a wonderful wine which is only going to continue to get better. It does need aeration at present with 2 or 3 hours in the decanter sufficient.
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Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): Here I found dark, intense wildberry, plum, currant, crushed stone, lavender, and moist soil tones. Silky, weighty textures met me on the palate, with ripe black fruits and violet florals offset by lively acidity. It finished long, with zesty, spice, dark fruits and lingering grippy tannin. Its bigger in scale than you’d expect yet balanced and very easy to like.
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Wines tasted during Super Bowl LII (Chez Kailin): A terrific vintage for this wine. Some richness and plushness of fruit, but no signs of a roasted character. Youthful rich plum with cedar and bell pepper. Round, yet firm tannins balance out the abundant fruit. Very good, if a little inelegant for PLL.
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Christmas supper with the Wine Ark boys (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Surprisingly medium minus intensity aromas of biscuit, slight prune, blackcurrant, very ripe though a little savoury. On the palate its thick and dense, big but also a little closed initially though it gains in generosity, cassis, rich, tannic and a little leathery. Hmm.
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This has really moved forward in the last 6 months, and is starting to drink at its optimum. The nose still has the same opulence with its jammy flavours of blackcurrent and red cherry and hints of vanilla. It is on the palate the advancements are noticible with the tannin sweetening, giving a beautiful roundness, but still with good tannic balance and tremendous depth. The finish is lengthy and balanced and the wine should stay here for a good few years.
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A nice wine. A beautiful nose with lots of floral and spice elements with some blackberry and cassis. A subdued palate of earth, cedar, blackberry and cassis. No tannin. I don't expect this to improve.
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Almost black. Brooding and not giving much away on the nose. Lots of black fruit, monolithic and none of the Pichon elegance just brute force black fruit. Missing in the mid-palate and lacking in acidic freshness and uplift. This is a worrying wine and cannot see this getting better or lasting given the drying and astringent finish. I believe that this wine has been overrated and drinkers have been seduced by the power but have overlooked the other missing aspects in the wine. I will be selling my two OWCs of this wine shortly. Should get a good price and move it into something better like the 2001 or 2006 of this Chateau.
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Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Vertical Tasting with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero): Nicolas said the chateau's proximity to the river was key this vintage. That said, this vintage alongside any other combination of vintages on the table will have you singing that song from Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other ones...." It's a perfectly good wine, maybe even a perfectly good Bordeaux, but it tastes nothing like Pichon-Lalande. Not much aroma. On the palate, the fruit is sweet and squishy, uncharacteristcally on the red-fruit side of the spectrum. All sweet cherries and doesn't really show much else until the finish which has a touch of cedar.
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Pichon Lalande dinner with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Surprisingly classic, nicely masking most of the 03 roasted fruit expression, a hint of cassis and licorice, cherry, plum, grilled shiitake, cedar, bell pepper, a hint of eucalyptus, mocha, lactic and earth. Medium to fully body, silky but not terribly layered and a bit one dimensional, good acidity and mineral, and a medium to long black fruit and milk driven finish. I am surprised by the classic showing in lieu of the vintage. Not the most complex wine but really enjoyable. I believe it has reach the youthful peak but no need to hurry.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, minimal lightening at rim. Opens over an hour to show a deep rich nose of cassis and black cherry, tobacco, hints of smoke/tar and a whiff of green. Medium body, great balance with structure built on both acid and tannin, flavors follow the nose, medium/long finish. Many years to go. Excellent.
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125ml by the glass in 67 PM. After a weak 05 Pichon Lalande this had a lot more fruit and intensity. I have found myself not to be huge fan of 03 Bordeaux in general as it just isn't classic enough for me. Lacking tannins, just a bit flabby and could come from other parts of the world. This wine did little to change my mind, although I enjoyed washing down the Chateaubriand with a glass of this. But it is not an "interesting" wine, at least for me.
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Decanted and found few solids. Deep dark red. Flowers and fruits on the nose. Initial taste of dark fruits, some dark licorice, and a bit of wood. Seems to be going strong. After two hours and more, this baby is holding up well and in fine form. 13% ABV; this is why I love Bordeaux reds.
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Firmly in the early stages of its drinking window, it possesses a deep luscious nose of red cherry, blackberry, and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth the tannins have softened to provide good balance and there is complexity and depth. All completed with a good finish, this is now drinking very well and should stay here for a good few years.
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Very nice showing tonight. After I had this in the past in an awkward phase where it was closed and had little aromas but some alc. heat, this was really great. Medium garnet. Mature Medoc notes of blue fruit, earth but also bakery, gingerbread. Soft palate without being flabby, richness of 2003 visible but remains elegant. Enough acidity too. Fully mature, drink up.
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We just finished setting up the wine cellar and decided to try this one. 1/2 hour decant. Espresso, wet rock, thyme with stewed fruit on the finish. Silky smooth, medium bodied and nice acidity with a long finish. Not as good as 7 years ago but a strong performer. Do not see any upside remaining.
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Bordeaux Second Growths Lunch (Capital Grille NY): This was the most flamboyant wine of the tasting. Mouth filling with new world-type sweetness and roundness. Waves of fine tannins carried the rich stew of eucalyptus, vanilla, cream cheese frosting, and menthol. This benefited from a two hour decant and seems to be in the early stages of its drinking window.
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Compelling nose of graphite, truffled blackberry, cassis, coffee grinds and cedar. The palate is well balanced, very polished and silky with fine grained well integrated tannins and a lovely mouth caressing texture. In a great spot today, but no hurry to drink these up.
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Dark chocolate and rich dark ripe fruit to go with cedar and herbal notes. A slight hint of warmth on the finish, but by no means obtrusive. A slight milky tang to it. Very concentrated, medium acid with medium plus finish. Not overly heady by any means, but a nice wine. Tannin is well folded in. Drink now and over the next 5-10.
Tasted blind. This was probably the closest I was to getting new and old world mixed up for this tasting. Still guessed L bank.
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WineLA event: Bordeaux vs. Cabernet tasting (Los Angeles, CA): Tasted blind. The nose is sneaky. Burnt caramel. Big wine. Off the bat, I thought this was a 2003 Bordeaux by its over ripeness and a slightly burnt caramel after taste. Something about this wine though. I really liked it.
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This bottle was better than my last 2. Oak is more integrated. A more plush, soft, darkly fruited Lalande, with still has the telltale herbal signature of the estate. Seems to be in it's drinking plateau. Won't fade for some time, though I don't see marked improvement either. My last bottle.
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Initially big and inelegant, but softened up after 72 hours in the bottle to something smooth and feminine. Lingering tannins on the palate not very pleasant, but nice drink otherwise
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After four hours in the decanter, this wine was excellent, if a tiny bit on the acid side. The bouquet was complex, the finish was long with soft and pleasant tannins, with a distinct note of anise and chocolate, with both fruit and age showing.
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Who put a Napa cab into my Pichon Lalande bottle? Of the 20 or so vintages of PLL I've enjoyed, this was without doubt my least favorite. The heat of the vintage shines through and dominates the nose. I wondered if cooling it down a bit might help, but alas not. What this wine has is heft and alcohol. What it doesn't have is the trademark Pichon Lalande charm, sophistication, and breeding that makes vintages like the 82 and 96 among the best bottles to come out of Bordeaux.
I followed this for about 3.5 hours in the decanter without much improvement. Luckily, I still had plenty of 82 Haut Brion in the decanter so this wasn't a loss too keenly felt.
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This is a beauty. The smoke, tobacco, truffle, cedar, cherry liqueur, mint, thyme and light cocoa dust in the nose if a winner. But the silky, lush, sexy texture, and the sweet, cassis, cherry and bitter chocolate in the end, seals the deal. Decanted about 20 minutes and enjoyed over the subsequent 90 minutes was working tonight.
Very good. Still primary with some nail polish aromas. Only slightly hot, but not over-ripe. Tannins softened and integrated, surprisingly balanced. 31% Merlot according to Nicolas Glumineau.
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After a couple of hours decant...perfect to drink. Nice black fruit with just the right amount of silky tannins left. I didn't feel the heat of 03 either. 13% volume. Good, but not like the extraordinary Pichon Baron 03.
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Wines Tasted at HDH Auction (Tru - Chicago IL): Slightly too ripe and almost roasted, but there is so much concentration here that it is intriguing to imagine where this will be when it becomes interesting in another decade. Perhaps 89-90 points today, but lots of interesting upside for those who are patient.
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HDH Bordeaux Auction; 11/4/2016-11/5/2016 (Chicago, IL): A bit of roastedness on the nose, but not too much. Dark fruit here, this shows obviously very, very ripe, but this wine really does seem to grow on you with time. Quite a lot of tannin, and a touch of stewed fruit, as well as a touch of burnt something or other on the back end. But despite all of that, this is still a pretty solid 2003.
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NYC Tasters Guild: 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: Drank at NYC tasters guild. Drank with Pichon Baron. Solid red core, no signs of age. Wine is more open and more developed than the Baron. Elegant and graceful with soft tannins. More approachable than the Baron. Plenty of cedar, lead pencil, graphite and glycerine here. Delicious and showing nicely on this occasion.
Like most Bordeaux's from the hot summer of 2003, this wine is much more fruit forward than a classic bordeaux. Still a little on the young side, however this wine shows lots of potential. Really nice fruit, good depth, great nose, and a starting to develop a very nice finish.
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Tasted the Pichon Lalande 2003 alongside the Shafter One Point Five from 2008 and Cakebread 2009. The Pichon was more fragrant with more finesse, the Shafer more powerful and fruit forward and the Cakebread somewhere in between. People voted in different ways with the overall view that "all three were equally lovely but different"
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Has matured significantly since my previous bottle in 2012. Gone are the voluptuous red fruits and new world ripeness and in their place are more typical, if not taut, expressions of a great vintage in Pauillac. The nose was rustic blackberries, graphite, dried fruit, and kirsch. the complexity came in the mouth and on the long finish due to layers of grainy tannins and waves of mouth-coating acidity.
Drinking relatively young and definitely benefited from 2 hours of decanting.
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A stunningly good bottle of Bordeaux tonight. This is drinking so well now with a gorgeous classic Pauillac nose of graphite minerals and deep blackberry fruit. On the palate, it is showing a beautiful, aged soft texture with delicious, ripe flavors of blackberry and cassis. Quite plush but then finishes with good crisp tannins and lovely chocolate and mineral notes. From magnum, this is rich and singing now as the Merlot is especially prominant but it will probably still improve given the firm tannins. 93+
A lovely wine. A little tight at first, it really opens up in the glass, with subtle aromas of ripe berry fruits. It really comes alive in the mouth with jammy flavours of blackberry and red cherry, and ends with a long steely finish. It is drinking very well but I would recommend leaving it to decant for a good few hours. Another great success from 2003.
Wine Sunday. 2003 Pichon Longeuville Comtesse de Lalande. Classic Pauillac on the nose. Very nice fruit, dark, black currant, smooth finish that goes on and on. #wine #bordeaux
Decanted for 2h. Immediately after opening this had the smell and taste of dark chocolate. After two hours the chocolate has receded a bit. The nose is a perfumy mix of oak, graphite, faint tobacco, and cranberry. This is a medium- to full-bodied red, it fills every corner of the mouth. Wow. Leather, ripe plums and dark cherries, oak, dark chocolate (still there!), all integrated with soft, plush tannins. Very elegant, like liquid velvet. This is an excellent, delicious bdx in its drinking window. Youthful, certainly 5 or more years or more to go. Tonight with some elaborate sushi rolls, proving -- in my mind at least -- that a good bdx is an excellent accompaniment to just about any flavorful savory meal.
Decanted and had with a grilled NY the first night. Was struck by its "new world" characteristics immediately. Very dark color in the glass, had notes of ripe (but not stewed) black fruit, mint, red fruit, and mineral. Tannins seemed blunt at the back end. Did not get the vegetal notes others spoke of. This seemed young and primary, much more so than I expected.
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Drank from two separate bottles in France tonight. Pnp. Floral nose, pleasant but not overpowering. Smooth from the first sip and didn't change after aeration. Great initial taste and finish. Definitely ready to drink, just fantastic.
Beautiful, plush and concentrated, yet light on its feet. True class, and a bit exotic for Lalande. So appealing now. Early prime for the past few years and remains the same. Very velvety. Plenty of terroir and character. Consumed alongside the 2004. The 2003 is a bit more polished and generous, though I think the 2004 may have a bit more longevity. This 2003 Pichon Lalande is fantastic and ready to enjoy now. While it does not have the depth of direct neighbor Chateau Latour in 2003, it may in fact have more purity. Drink now or hold up to 7 -10 years. 95/96
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Second tasting of this and quite different. Serious nose with good depth. Vanilla and cassis;. Usual hints of graphite and leather but not in abundance. Not "stewed" this time and no sharpness as before. Rounded with some tannins.
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This bottle seemed to have shut down. There's definitely - in my view - lots of life left in this. I don't get the early drinking window suggested by most critics. My sense is that there's good potential in this. I'm going to give it another couple of years before I try another bottle.
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Tobacco, licorice, earth, cedar, roasted dark berries, herbs, black cherry and spice, open to a lush, sexy, plush, opulently textured wine of pleasure, finishing with sensuous, sweet, ripe, milk chocolate covered cherries.
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Slightly stewed nose but pleasant all the same. Thick legs, nice clear purple colour. Slightly burnt on the palate. Not much fruit. Not great depth of flavour. A little sharp. Disappointing.
Still too early I think. Did have a vegetal aftertaste that has been noticed by Neal Martin. Maybe that will resolve over time - hope so. Nice bottle but underwhelmed this time.
Welcome to the barnyard! Nose was full that of a barnyard scent and even after a 3 hour decant, it was still present. Not corked and not bad. Leather, and tobacco dominate this, but the fruit is there, but 2nd chair, not first. The question is, will this improve...and when? I hope so. Don't get me wrong, the wine is very good, but for the price I expected more. Try again next year.
A solid bdx, if slightly below the expectations of this estate. Showing more expressive than my last bottle almost 2yrs ago. Black current, smoke, and cedar nose. Palate is rather plush as might be expected of '03, but no roasted notes or seemingly early maturity. Bulky tannins in the background. Moderate length finish would cedar notes comes through more prominently. Doesn't have the lift and nuance of more typical years-- but is solid. just not a great QPR at current prices.
Coravin fun - Dom. de Chevalier plus lunch (My place, parramatta, sydney): on the nose, and despite a double decant, an initial musty note that dissipated reasonably rapidly to be replaced by blackcurrant, plentiful sweet spice, vanilla, cream, bitter chocolate and just a hint of candied orange peel. On the palate the wine is juicy and the blackcurrant fruit is almost instantaneously closed down by grippy, drying tannins, fruit persists beneath this tsunami though and is joined by chocolate notes. Hmm. I think, despite vintage, we might have just committed vinfanticide.
There is Pichon, and then there are other wines. Might be the wine of the vintage, albeit based on a narrow sampling. Loved it. everything that needed to happen has happened. Forget what I said a year ago.
For the price paid the only positive was it showed lots of life left given the tannic structure. But I was not impressed by its nose - reticent; fruit - stewed; complexity - uninteresting; balance - too tannic. Not a classic and not what I wanted in an 11 year Pauillac from a reputable Chateau.
Decanted for 90 minutes. The nose was dominated by barnyard/funk for the first hour, combined with earth and soil. Even after the funk faded a bit, the nose did not show a lot of fruit. Frankly, the nose was not particularly appealing.
In the mouth, this wine was beautiful. Sweet dark fruit, lush and chewy. Tannins were soft and matched up well with the fruit. The finish was long and complex. As the night went on, this got better and better, with layers of flavors on display.
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More evolved in colour than 2001 and 2004. Ripe fruit on the nose, quite opulent, sweet tobacco, cigar box, spices. Pretty well balanced on the palate, a little simple, but with good fruit, nice acidity and good length. Just a little drying towards the finish. Drink soon. 89-91
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An earthy wine, with layered flavors integrating well: sweet oak, mint, confected fruit, mocha and tobacco. Knocked down a point or two for its density, doubt that changes with time.
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Deep ruby red with no color loss medium body with perfect tannins and medium acidity. Dark fruit black raspberry with dark chocolate on the mid palate. Earthy but not musty or damp. I like that the wine displayed good fruit at 12 years but I think it will not go past 2020. Well recommended
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Muted fruit - currants, raisins, dried black cherry - and nice earth tones. Complex and lush. Beautiful finish. Will definitely keep my eyes open for more.
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Slow ox'ed for 2h since no decanter available. Fairly young color with a dark garnet and a very thin translucent rim. Well done wine given the vintage, not showing the heat, and in that sense better than the Pichon Baron in the same year. Not surprisingly this is however clearly Merlot dominated, with a very round palate of dark and red fruit, coffee and a fair bit of leather and tobacco already showing. Fine tannins barely noticeable. Impressive, long finish. A very good wine, lacking a bit of precision and structure in my eyes. Prefer Duhart and Pontet Canet among the Pauillac's in 2003.
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Left Bank Bordeaux tasting (Le Petit Sommelier): The color is clear ruby. The nose is clean, medium intensity, floral character with ripe black fruit, brett again but giving depth, graphite, jammy nose, developed, minty with ripe strawberry after a while. The wine is dry, medium body and intensity, medium acidity and alcohol, tannins are medium but round, black currant and berry, black fruit liquer notes due to the extreme heat of the vintage, cinnamon and nutmeg, balancing acidity, med+ finish. Outstanding quality, drinking now but I guess could hold. Wine of the night for me
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Must have been drinking a different wine if I read the reviews below. This well kept bottle had some unpleasant vegetal notes. Oak dominated & closed, which did not improve the next day. No rating, because this must have been an off-bottle, especially compared to the excellent and utterly charming 1986 Pichon Comtesse.
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Bordeuax 2003 horizontal tasting with Pichon L, Mouton R, Cos d’Estournel and Margaux. All were excellent and in good condition, but there were striking differences. My wife and I had the wines with duck confit and mushroom Risotto, finishing with fresh Manchego cheese. The Cos was, surprisingly, the least impressive. It was fruity, round, but one dimensional, with little in the way of a finish. About a 92. The Pichon was next, with a bit of spice on the front end, with good red fruit, and a nice finish. Not spectacular, but very good. About 94. The Mouton was a surprise, given what I had read about it. It was really good, deep red fruits, long mid palate with earthy tones, and a long finish. This had been decanted for about four hours, so maybe that helped. About 96. The star of the evening was the Margaux. Right off the bat, complex red fruits with spices and earthy notes, mid palette of deep dark fruit, very long and satisfying finish. This is what makes Bordeaux so great. We tasted a very good California cab right after, and it seemed thin and one-dimensional. Give it a 98. Wow.
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A year since I drank my last bottle and this was definitely an improvement. Perhaps my expectations were simply lower. A nice nose, creamy texture and taste that was like a cross between a classic Bordeaux and a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2003s still confuse me. The optimist in me thinks this is still just a bit young and could develop into something really special in the future.The pessimist thinks that wines from this vintage are always destined to be monolithic and have less complexity and fruit than normal. The optimist in me is winning but only just. Hope so as I have cases from Margaux, Lafite, Pavie, Mouton, Cos and Montrose yet to be opened.
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decanted 2 hrs . Was drinking perfectly . Ready to drink if decanted but will hold on 5 yrs . Moderately typical med bodied but well structured pauillac. slightly green notes but a lovely crushed violet core and good length.
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This drank very well, but felt a little closed or maybe I was just expecting the fruit to be a touch bolder. I think this will improve with time and emerge to be an amazing wine. Was good today, but will be much more impressive in time.
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Deep ruby color, looks young. Nice exotic nose of violet and other flowers with some spice. Detected a little heat at first but blew off. Nice palate with plum and dark berries with good cedary tones. Maybe some cream and vanilla there too. Good finish. Still quite tannic. Should improve, although if I had an issue it's the fruit being less bold than I'd like. Will it be there when tannins fade?
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Incredible Wines at Private Wine Dinner at Collyer Catering (Westport, CT): Seemed like a lot of us were in agreement that this was the best Bordeaux of the night although for a while it was the Cos for me. This was served too cool to start but as it warmed up it really started to kick into high gear. Most interesting nose of the 3 Bordeaux's with kirsch, bell pepper, game and herb. Once the palate came around though this was really singing with flavors of cherry, iron, espresso, licorice and a hint of smoke. The finish was also about 35-40 seconds. By the time I was taking my last couple of sips they were by far the best. This is still a baby to be honest and will provide outstanding drinking for years to come.
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Drank after a 2 hour decant with lamb chops at Evvia in Palo Alto. Gorgeous and elegant aromas of berries, herbs, tobacco and smoke. Opulent but smooth and perfectly balanced, great example of Pauillac. This is amazing now, very close to maturity and will hold at this level for the next decade. Will be looking to purchase more on auction.
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Oak, coconut, vanilla, berry, ripe, and thick. Luscious and full of fruit, but an obvious departure in style from the other bottles tonight. More like a good Cali Cab, and my least favorite of the night. It's certainly stacked, so there might be considerable upside here.
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What a difference a day makes. We had about a third of a bottle left from the prior night, kept under cork on the counter. Aromas of currants- red and black- with tobacco, cedar and earth and spice undertones. The palate is full and weighty, with flavors of black fruit, tobacco and green herbs. Long finish. Just terrific tonight.
If this is being drunk now it needs a very long decant, but best to wait a few years yet. Drink from 2020+.
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Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Mike & Judi's): Crimson color. Aromas of cassis, dark fruit and green tobacco with Pichon's underlying green/herbal qualities. Medium+ tannins are balanced by dark fruit and herb tones. Has an elegance. Nice finish. Young. I knew this wine was in the last flight, and suspected it was the PLL when I picked up the green notes. Others' guesses leaned towards CA Cab Franc or Franc-heavy blends.
I popped the cork back in and saved what was left for the next day to see what would become of it.
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Was amazed how this Pichon was ready to drink minutes after opening. Bright fruit, round, yet complex with ruby red color. Dark berry fruit layered with cinnamon, cassis and licorice. Ridiculously smooth on the palate, yet nice structure with tannins seamlessly integrated into the fruit. An absolutely amazing wine.
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CdB BYOB; rather simple nose; supple blackberry; bold and textured; young massive and vigorous; developing very well with a great future; somewhat abrupt finish.
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Color is dark garnet with some lightening at the rim. Nose shows currant and cedar with hints of tobacco. Palate shows soft dark fruit as well as integrated tannins. Relatively ready to go from opening. 2003 does seem to be maturing a bit early. Enjoyable.
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Like too many '03s I have had in the last year (Pontet Canet, Leoville Barton, Calon Segur, Grand Puy Lacoste, etc): relatively high on acid and tannin but low on fruit. Is this a phase they are are all going through? Nose was attractive and it did soften out a bit after a year but not as enjoyable as some unclassed crus from '01 or '04 I've had recently. Perhaps this will come around in a couple of years?
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What a beautiful Lalande and a beautiful Pauillac. As soon as I pulled the cork, I knew that this would be a great bottle. Brilliant ruby red with no bricking. A youthful nose that is red fruit driven - showing cassis, cherry, cinnamon, tobacco, briar patch, menthol, and pencil. Textbook Pauillac. I had a hard time keeping my nose out of the glass. The palate is almost identical to the nose and the fruit is very rich and young. A long and layered finish has an exclamation point of some wonderful pencil notes. I was way surprised at how youthful this was and well stored bottles could use another 5 years easy. Brilliant showing! 96 Pts
I must address that there appear to be some less than stellar bottles of this wine showing up on CT. I do not have an answer?? All that I can say is that I know exactly where my bottles came from and how they have been stored. This is said with no disrespect to those who have had bad bottles. Perhaps bad luck, but a trend certainly seems to be forming. I have had this wine at least 6 times and all the bottles have been incredibly consistent, one of my favorite Lalandes - with the exception of 82 and 96 (have not popped an 00 yet). I will be buying more 03 Lalande, but based on other reviews here, I would suggest due diligence before you purchase this wine.
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A smooth and silky PL that shows very little of the '03 roastedness. Lovely black fruit flavors with a velvety texture and soft, rounded tannins. There is a nice complexity developing on the finish with notes of graphite minerals and tobacco. Out of magnum, it still needs a few more years to come around. Well done for the vintage. 91+
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Bring your best you paid under $100- double blind (Norcross, GA): Deeper color, more extraction, darker garnet core with red rim; vanilla, cherry, roses, violets, deep, sweet red and dark berry, plum; soft acid, somber, very fleshy, red apple skin on finish, grainy prickly tannin, slight heat on finish; I thought this was domestic Merlot- Pahlmeyer '01 is what I called; surprised how modern the wine showed with very little Bordeaux complexity- 2nd time having it and similar showings both times.
Cedar wood, tobacco, oak, blackberries and truffle scents pop with no effort. Silk and velvet textures and a rich, open, lush, fruit filled finish make this a pleasure to drink, now and in the future. This is a very sexy example of Pauillac.
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PNP which was big big mistake. Shared with friends out to dinner. This took nearly an hour to begin to open and soften. For us Pichon Lalande often drinks well younger than many other of its neighbors. The 2003 seemed a different Pichon, starting off and remaining somewhat austere without the usual softening of the merlot. Will wait a while before tackling the next one which is not the way we usually feel about this wine.
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I Agee with others who thought this wine is one dimensional and (hardly) tannic. It is--at first. It then opens up to reveal more dark red fruit and a bit of spice. The true disappointment came when it developed a beautiful nose and no taste.
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In line with what many others are experiencing -- this is just not a complex 95 point wine like some of the pros have rated it in the past. Loads of tannin, average fruit, and no finish at all which is disappointing for a $130 bottle. First time I've tried this vintage -- sounds like it was drinking great a few years ago but I would not buy another bottle...at this price point you can do much, much better.
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Tasted at Sandbar. Not often I drink a Pauillac so this is a treat. Wonderful nose. Well decanted and aerated and reasonably open. Flavor profile feels a bit narrow and focused on the tannins - so still a bit closed. Lovely dark fruit flavors underneath. Nice but I get the feeling it can and probably will be better.
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Cassis, herbs, sweet cherries, chocolate. I dont remember it being so sweet and youtmful from the last times I had it, so seems to be on an interesting trajectory.
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Disappointment. Decanted 3 hours prior and even after another 2 hours was closed with a seemingly insurmountable wall of tannin. It is interesting to see how several others have expressed a similar view these last few months compared to last year when the vintage seems to have been drinking well. My feeling is this has closed down now…till when and how will it evolve when it eventually reopens? But also very possibly a bad bottle…will give it another try with my last bottle. Fingers crossed.
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Decanted and followed over 2 days. Seemed quite closed and far below expectations, especially after an excellent bottle 2yrs ago. This still has a prominent char/toast/espresso (reduction?) quality to the nose, along with pencil, and with a dark plum fruit profile. Palate shows the lushness of the '03 vintage, but much less expressive than expected--maybe sullen, and a bit muddled. Adds a little red fruit to the mix, but this is still a rather dark fruit profile for a Lalande and lacking the typical touch of herbaceousness. Luckily the finish is quite long, showing some balance. This seems more like a PB than a Lalande. Might need a few more years if this bottle is typical, with the early expressive window now closed.
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Pretty significant disappointment, especially in light of its price. Dark as ink and flat as a board. I didn't get any fruit and, at best, some mustiness on the nose and some cedar finish.
well, this was a bit of a disappointment, given the price point. Less interesting that three years ago, and perhaps closed for business. Smooth, with some crushed stone and cherry pits, but a medium finish, and not much of the secondary notes that others have seen. Perhaps I should have double decanted, but either way, it does not hit the peaks.
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Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot created a ruby colored wine that is showing lightening at the edge. Truffle, blackberry, cassis, cocoa, plum, spice, black cherry, tobacco and smoke produce a complex perfume. Plush, rich, sexy and sensuous, this opulent, pure, velvet textured wine is a treat for the senses. Maturing at a rapid pace, you can enjoy a bottle now, or over the next 15-20 years. If this wasn’t tasted in a vertical with numerous other vintages to write about, I would have put this delicious elixir where it belonged instead of the bucket.
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Tasted at the 2013 New York Wine Experience Nose surprisingly closed and reticent. Some finesse shines through. On palate a bit flat and unexciting. something seemed to be missing. Is it going through a "dumb" phase?
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0.375 L bottle in restaurant "Dollenberg", mid Oct 2013: decanted; rubin red color; weak red fruits and lots of vanilla; full body; open, bright, mild texture; no finish.
This Comtesse 2003 half bottle was ripe, maybe already fading. Not as good as I expected. Bad or wrongly stored bottle?
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Birthday dinner gathering with 2003 wines (Hong Kong): Its unfortunate that this great wine didn't show its true form tonight, seems like its not ready for business. Tight, green notes and muted fruits and smoke. On the palate, not much fruit or secondary nuances, yet rather spicy. Hope this is just an off bottle, and will have better showing next time.
Removed the cork on Friday morning, re-corked, then aerated to decanter for three hours on Saturday before the dinner.
Captivating aromas and flavors for the first few minutes, but then an odd array of flavors including stem, green olive and red cabbage. By the second glass this has mostly come together, but it's obvious this needs more time to knit. Should be quite something in the coming years. Head and shoulders above the 05 Lascombes that came before it, but eclipsed by the stunning '03 Cos d'Estournel that followed this wine. Drink thru 2024
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popped and poured after Neal Martin's less than enthusiastic review of the 2003's after 10 years. This bottle opened with some funk that blew off and moderately ripe nose. Color going to ruby on the edges. The wine was very soft with tannins resolved and presumably strong merlot presence. None of the green sometimes seen at PLL. Very pretty wine adn easy to drink although not sure I got that much classic Pauillac of cedar and pencil as described below. I don't know if that changes/improves much with age; very nice now and presumably stays that way for a good while. Pretty wine
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Dark ruby. Attractive, elegant and archetypical Pauillac nose with ink, cedar, pronounced melted graphite and cassis. Medium-bodied with amazing freshness given the vintage, refined, with soft tannins and an excellent acidic lift. Long aftertaste. Absolutely approachable now with a good decade of life ahead.
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A relaxing evening with wines and friends (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): Sexy, soft feminine bouquet of vanilla, cigar, cedar, crushed stone, black currants, simply beautiful. Balance and structure of the wine is elegant and rich, taste of spicy oak, leather, vanilla, bitter cocoa bean, ripe raspberry and wet earth. Tannins are quite noticeable, but finely integrated and tasty. Rewarding long finish with dark fruits, tobacco leaf and spice. A tiny bit of heat shown near the end.
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Rheingau Gourmet Festival "Weinraritätenlunch Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande" (12 PLC vintages), late Feb 2013: red ink; lush red fruit bowl; full body; smooth texture; juicy fruit acid.
California here I come! In a blind tasting I would have definitively voted for a California Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
2nd flight: 1995 - 1998 - 2000 - 2003
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Opened and decanted 2 hrs. Dark fruit, tar, char, herb, plum & coffee touch forest floor. Not as Pauillac as I would have expected. The Merlot shows through on both the palate(plum, herb) and the finish(velvet intergrated tannin). Great length and got better and better as it evolved. Great bottle with plenty of life left to go. I wish I would have opened it 5 hrs earlier. 19/20 rating. 2-5-6-3-3. Nose would probably get a 6 with time.
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Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Pastis - Vancouver, BC): This was a weird showing for this wine. Tons of candied red cherry on the nose, along with boysenberry, red plum, green bean, and violet floral aromas. More candied red cherry follows through to the palate, as well as asphalt, kirsch, black pepper, and some green notes. Moderate+ acidity with mouth numbing tannins. Medium+ length finish ending on notes of red cherry and kirsch. This was far from exciting, resembling more of a simple, cheap Merlot-dominated right bank Bordeaux. Having tasted this previously I can't rate this showing as I don't think this was a fair representation of what this wine has to offer. Not rated
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Soft, velvety,wonderful wine with the Filet of Beef topped with Foie Gras. The Merlot was very evident in the blend. Drinking very nice now and will add a bit more character and depth with age.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; the sommelier at 1862 opened 1.5 hours prior to service, but did not decant. Notes of ripe dark fruits, a hint of olive, truffle, and earth. A bit more subdued on the nose than I was expecting. Medium-bodied, with good depth and balance, but not as lush or velvety as the '03 Pichon Baron served along side it.
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Vanilla, tobacco, cassis in the nose. Vibrant and opulent on the palate with cassis, dark fruit, plums, marmelade. Really good even if not a typical comtesse.
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Disappointed. Intense aromas, however alcoholics. In the mouth, very concentrated, but without much complexity. Does not evolved with aeration. The tasters felt that their aging capacity is limited, although Bordeaux surprised in this regard. The positive point was its improvement with the second dish: Fillet the Poivre. Drunk on Freddy restaurant in São Paulo – Brazil
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Very expressive nose packed with smoke, tobacco, earth, blackberry, spice and truffle scents. In the mouth, this is plush, soft and round. At 9 years of age, this is already a pleasure to enjoy, but it has room to age and develop as its not yet fully mature. The rich finish ends with black cherry, cocoa, earth, olive and spicy sensations.
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Semi blind, opened 5 hours. Expressive nose multi-layered sweet ripe fruits (cherry, blue- and strawberry), lactic tones, mocha, roasted coffee and licorice surrounded by layers of minerals and crushed rocks. Powerful palate but also elegant. Long lingering. Several of us thought this would be the Mouton (since it) easily outperformed the excellent Pichon Baron 2003 beside. Still in its infancy. Could well gain more points later.
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06 What a lovely young Lalande. Expressive aromatics of deep cherry, cassis, briar, menthol, and pencil. The nose on this is surprisingly open, if young. The palate is rich and displays a similar flavor profile, while showing some boldness mid-palate with a long layered finish. Bright acidity and firm tannins close the deal. A complete winner. 95+ Pts
03 Wow, this is coming along very nicely indeed! A recent retail purchase, perhaps more developed than those of excellent provenance. The family lineage is clear, but the 03 is starting to develop some fine complexities. The telltale nose of cherry, cassis, briar, menthol, and pencil is further enhanced with additional notes of tobacco, earth, and black tea. Just magnificent! The deep, rich palate is loaded and intense and serves up layer after layer of nuance and velvet. Did I mention that this wine is coming along very nicely? Wow! Very impressive indeed. 97 Pts
Two clear winners from my favorite chateau. You really cannot go wrong with either one. The 06 is currently a bit less expensive, but the 03 is worth the extra money. (both are significantly below 09 and 10 pricing)
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need 3 hours decanting, cassis, dark fruits, quite classy Pauillac. Solid mid palate with long finish. An excellent wine that has another 10 years aging potential.
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With an expressive nose packed with mocha, cassis, vanilla, forest floor, earth, red and black plum and cigar box aromas, this sensuous, lush, rich, Pichon Lalande is drinking great today. It should age effortlessly for at least another 15-20 years.
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Bordeaux night at Matt's (with wives) (Matt's house): The ripeness of the vintage is evident in this bottle, but all in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The nose jumps out at you with cream cheese frosting, ripe red fruit, musty barnyard stink, and some pencil lead. This was the most voluptuous red of the night and in the mouth there was new world-type depth of flavor and concentration. Fairly long finish leaves the mouth coated in a rich plum stew. This will be an early drinker, but no hurry as it will develop for years.
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Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Notes of red fruit, vanilla and berries. Softened tannins; full-bodied, with flavors of red fruit, spice and graphite. Finishes well.
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Much better than the Hosanna at the table. Rich nose of vanilla, smoke, blackberries. Lalande had that '03 richness, but very nicely balanced with acidity. Black fruit, chocolate, spice notes with long finish.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks; 4/13/2012-4/14/2012 (Tre Trattoria): Initially decanted an hour. Dark ruby red color. Delicious nose of smoke, toast, and dark fruit and just a hint of that herbal "greeness" I get with Lalande. Palate is smooth, quite round, showing black cherry and currants--really quite dark in flavor profile, no red fruits to be found. Toast and mocha dominate into the finish where is shows some tar, toast, and roasted espresso. This still has a LOT of oak left to integrate. Plush fruit profile but it's in the background here. The nose is the only thing that reminds me of Lalande here. Later in the evening I retried this, and it was much more typical of Lalande, losing the strong toast and roasted notes and showing dark fruit with a delightful herbal streak with hints of tobacco leaf. Really showing well after a few hrs air.
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Earth, tobacco leaf, cassis, blackberry, smoke, forest floor and olive notes open up the nose. Full bodied, with lush, round, silky ripe dark berries, cassis and spice, the wine continues developing well. At 9 years of age, it's already drinking well. Even though it's showing surprisingly well, I expect the wine to continue improving for several more years.
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Black fruity grapey rich and really easy drinking. But Pichon Lalande was once up with the big boys, yet I don't see it in this wine. Or in other recent vintages of Pichon Lalande. Like Lynch Bages, I think Pichon Lalande has taken a substantial step backwards in the last twenty years or so. In 1982, for example, Pichon Lalande was easily a top ten left bank wine, if not top five. Back then, Pontet Canet was a disappointing also ran. Today in vintage after vintage, I find Pontet Canet the more worthy wine, especially given the discount it sells at relative to Pichon Lalande. Certainly in 2003, Pontet Canet is a more ambitious structured wine that I think will far more rewarding down the road than the Pichon Lalande.
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Dense purple colour. Blackberries, cherries, and smoke on the palate somehow affirm the nose. Nicely integrated, intense wine that is oh-so-easy to drink.
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(blind tasting of an unknown Bordeaux) dark red-black color with no lighter rim great rich developed & classic Pauillac vanilla-oak & chocolate aroma of high-quality wine on the palate backward fruits - smoky plum, blackberry and black currant - firm tannin, high acidity & bitterness, full-body, med-balanced as the aroma is much richer & enjoyable than the rather bitter taste. Nevertheless, a lovely wine to sniff for hours.
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This wine opens with dark berries, mushroom, earth, pepper and tobacco notes. Soft, elegant, silky tannins, coupled with velvety dark fruit ends with fresh, ripe blackberries, pepper and hints of green olive tapenade. This sexy wine will only get better with age.
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Stellar showing. Smoke, tobacco and soaring notes of red currant on the nose. Some barnyardy aspect as a faint background element. On the palate, screaming minerality and red fruit with a lush and silky texture. Faintly dusty tannins.
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Pichon Baron vs. Pichon Lalande @ Palena (Washington DC): Started with a hint of green and I preferred the Pichon Baron for its flamboyant expression. This however opened up very quickly, fresh, mineral, sea salt, crushed blackberries and cassis. The palate displays better definition than the Baron. It is drinking well in primary sense and I don’t anticipate this wine shutting down hard. Quite enjoyable, very little sign of the 03ness as the fruit expression is fresh.
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Pichon Dinner - Lalande vs. Baron (Palena - Washington, DC): Nose was filled with lavender, violets, dark berries and crushed rocks. Very feminine, yet powerful nose. The palate had the 2003 vintage richness, with blackberries and cassis...very nice balance though with nice minerals and tannin. Thought this outperformed the 2003 Pichon Baron that was drank alongside.
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Goedhuis Pichon Lalande Tasting & Dinner (Hibiscus Restaurant, London): Really drinking quite well tonight. Good fruit, no acidity. Not complex. Two dimensional wine. Enjoyable now. Thomas Do Chi Nam says it won't be ready for another 5 years, and will last for 20-25 years after that. But will it? I am doubtful.
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Le Gavroche Welcomes Gildas d’Ollone (Vancouver, BC): One of my favorite's of the night, a big wine, with lot's of fruit coming through. A nose of vanilla oak, cassis, and a bit of strawberry jam. On the palette, sweet vanilla, oak, black current, dark berries. Tannins still quite strong, this wine will be great with some time.
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Subtle, raspberry, plum, with a herbal note and very long finish - 20 seconds. Still not fully integrated so I would wait a few years. But a lovely bottle indeed. Opened, double decanted, two hours - could have used more.
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This showed extremely well; popped and poured at our annual Chaine picnic. A dark and youthful purple core, turning to ruby at the rim. Notes of ripe dark fruits, tapenade, and roasted herbs. Medium-bodied, with good concentration of fruit, lovely balance and depth, velvety tannins, and a long and focused finish.
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Milking my birthday for all its worth, D took me to dinner to a great French restaurant a couple of days later. I had just bought 4 bottles of this and wanted to try one. Decanted for 1 1/2 hours then poured back into the bottle to take to the restaurant. Impressed the waiter, who could ask for more? Would have been really helpful to have a funnel though. Started drinking 2 hours after decanting and finished the bottle 4 hours after. It kept getting better as we drank it with dinner. Great nose of dark fruit, graphite, leather, dark chocolate. Concentrated taste of plum, cherry, truffle. Medium bodied, inky purple with a long, lingering finsh that was amazing. Great wine. Will keep developing for 5+ years in the bottle. Parker got this one right.
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Spice, cinnamon, black fruit, coffee and oak make up the aromatics. Lots of exotic, black fruit on the palate with plummy accents. The wine clearly shows its trademark richness and soft, elegant style of Bordeaux. Give it 5 more years and let it strut its stuff.
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Red raspberries and stemmy on the nose. Mixed fruit on the attack and spiciness throughout. Smooth palate, but the finish is clipped. Too simple and bringing nothing notable in any dimension. To be fair, there was some inconclusive talk about whether this was a flawed bottle. No official score, but this particular bottle was not impressive. (87)
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Decanted for 6 hours. Earthy, sexy fruit, white pepper, graphite and licorice on the nose. Roasted coffee and dark fruit on a pretty muted palate at a first and a tad acidic on the finish. Continued to improve as it opend up throught he night, with more fruit poking through and the palate coming more in line with the incredible nose. Going to be a terrific wine in another 5-10 years.
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I decanted the wine for 2 hours and met a good friend at a restaurant where both of us brought our bottles blind to the other person. Turns out, he brought a 95 Pahlmeyer Bordeaux blend which I mistook for the 03 Pichon that I brought (assuming the Sommelier didn't screw it up, which both of us first suspected). I was looking for the classic Pauillac lead pencil and cedar which was not present at first, although the Pahlmeyer seemed to have it nailed. This wine was so tight for the first 3 hours and then started to show its hand a little by the 4th hour. It came across more like a right bank wine to me. Tons of structure, good mouth feel, dark fruits but mostly hidden at this point. The lack of fruit showing through was my biggest disappointment. My only bottle, but would like to have waited many more years before opening. Still wondering if the Sommelier screwed up the revealing. Should improve immensely with aging, as would my ranking.
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Gave 2 hours in the decanter yet when we finished the wine 5 hours after it was opened it was still not delivering its true potential. I have two cases, so will give it another 2 or 3 years and check back in then.
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Decanted at 4:30, consumed at 8. Initial reaction upon opening - WHY the heck did we open this baby now? Aeration brought everything together and revealed the aging potential. Should be remarkable wine 10-15 years down the road. The nose is a killer, the balance and core are impeccable. Patience is a virtue and the patient ones will be rewarded. I guarantee this in writing. If you are not fully satisfied in June of 2022 - I'll pay you back with interest everything you paid for this note.
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Full-bodied, viscous and textured, rich dark purple, the lovely alcoholic nose is sweet red and black fruit and licorice with hints of floral and smoke. This lady is balanced from head to toe.
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This offers an exotic, spicy nose combining ripe, spicy, red and black fruits. The wine hits the palate with a very sexy feel and maintains a lot of complexity through the finish.
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This is beautiful! Bought and held nearly 2 years. Decanted 2 hours, and is opening bigger and bigger. Gorgeous aromas, deep dark blackberry, long leaf tobacco, milk chocolate, and cassis. Generous mouth feel and a good balance of acidity & lovely tannins that are still resolving. Slight catch in the throat reveals a little heat, but all is well and very long on the mouth-watering finish. Nearly there, but can't fault anyone for dipping in now. Grill a great steak and you'll have a great night.
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Fill was into the neck and the cork was like new; opened about 1 hour prior to drinking. Youthful appearance; purple-plum color. A farily restrained bouquet at this point, revealing notes of pure casis, blackberry and sun-baked stones. Medium bodied, with a lush mouthfeel, outstanding concentration and depth, and a long, complex, well-focused finish. I was hoping for more on the nose, but am confident that will come with bottle age; re-visit in 2012.
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Deep garnet color, sweet red and black fruit on the nose. Very complex, different types of fruit mingled with hints of cedar and blueberry. Toasy finish, still has grip from the tannins,but drinking beautifully. Tasted at Arnie Millan's Bordeaux Round Table at Esquin. More cab than a typical Lalande, we were told. Wine was double-decanted. Clear WOTN for me.
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This was funky on the first night...thought I got a bad bottle. But then on nights 2 and 3, this was terrific. Beautiful integration, medium-bodied, almost creamy consistency and very elegant. Really like it.
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Opened and decanted 2 hours. At first the aroma was dominated by cassis and black fruits, I could smell the decanter from the other room. Two hours later in the glass the fruit was still there along with cedar, classic Pauillac lead pencil and leather and just the slightest hint of roasted meats. Definitely a young wine but so enjoyable a temptress that I’ll have to ship my others offsite to keep my hands off them.
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A very young, vibrant and oh so lovely Pichon. Bright ruby and translucent in colour. Fragrances of coffee, creme de la cassis, rasberry and strawberry. Great assortment of classic bordeaux led pencil type flavour complimented by a burst of cherries and liquour. Wonderful now - and should be great for the cellar as it presents different faces in years to come.
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A bit tight upon opening, but after decanting for an hour, it opened up. Incredibly smooth with long finish. Minerally at the start with fruit coming out on the finish.
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Wow! What an excellent wine. I agree that drinking a 2003 Bordeaux in 2008 is a little premature, but this wine is spectacular. I let this wine stand in a decanter for approximately 2 hours prior to consumiing it with friends. Pop and pour people will be disappointed because the wine is tight and tannic initially. Once it opens up, it has a wonderful aroma and just a dazzling finish. If I had to fault it, I would say that its midpalate is not as spectacular as the finish. Regardless, this is a really good wine. Highly recommended. An exemplary Bordeaux.
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Smooth and silky, Concentrated blackberry on the nose with hints of graphite. intensely focused black fruits on the palate, drinking really well at this point. Definitely a modern style bordeaux.
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Modern in style with a ripe nose full of cedar, vanilla, tar and currant fruit. Shows outstanding concentration of fruit in the mouth, with ample texture provided by well integrated tannins. Drinking really nicely at this point.
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This is terrific! Decanted about three hours. Rich murky reddish purple. Cassis, cedar, and some lead pencil on the nose. Beautifully balanced, unctuous, full of dark fruits and a bit of earth. A fantastic Bordeaux to be enjoyed now but this has the stuffing to last as well.
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Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 31% and Petit Verdot 4%. Decanted for 3 hours. Crimson in color. Impressive nose with scents of violet, black berries, currants, dark chocolate, cherry liquer, wood and smoked bacon. Full-bodied with a lovely acidity and sweet tannins. Flavors of plums, cherries, oaky vanilla, spices, and black forest fruits in a velvety texture. The finish lasts over 30 sec. A sexy and solid wine to keep for at least two decades. Excellent!!!
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HDH Auction (Tru): Soft red/purple color. birght ripe purple fruit nose with scare a hint of the telltale PLL green... Lovely lithe forward ripe sweet fruit with hints of chocolate on the palate. 93-94pts.
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Poured at a retailer tasting. Garnet color. Aromas of smoky plum, blackberry and black currant. Chewy tannins, with red currant, cherry and plum flavors. The oak is restrained. Nice finish.
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Sam's Wine Bordeaux Night; 2/27/2007-2/28/2007 (Chicago): Poured straight from the the bottle. I was a little disappointed with this. The structure was light and weak with a pronounced raspberry palate. Is it in an awkward stage or is this it?
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Opened and breathed for two and a half hours then decanted vigorously into a claret jug. Deep garnet-purple color-- excellent. Nose still tight but with elements of berry and vanilla. Fruit is very backward on the palate still and though well-balanced I wonder if it has enough to go the distance. Beautiful finish. Difference of opinion among drinkers with point scores of 87 to 90. This is beautiful claret in a classic style but it is not a fabulous bottle of Bordeaux.
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Wineflock - 2003 Bordeaux, Parker 90+ (Ken's): Group #8, My #2 - Full deep red color. Lovely nose of rich black fruit with some green pepper and chocolate notes. Mmmn, nice rich spicy black fruit on the palate with just a hint of green pepper.
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2003 Bordeaux Tasting (Binny's, Schaumburg): Ruby/garnet color. Smoke, leather, dark fruit and currant aromas. A bit tight, with dark fruit flavors hiding amidst the tannins. Long, structured finish.
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Chicago's Best Bordeaux Tasting Ever? (Ken's Home): Rich dense rich carmel cherry nose Lots of everything, lush red and black berries, toastywith good acid and sweet soft tannins. Some green pepper chacater added depth. Yummy wine with long life.
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Great Wines of Bordeaux dinner (Ken Kailin's): Blind. Full purple ruby red. Huge aroma of chocolate chip and black raspberry. Big bright dusty tannic red fruit on the palate. Should be a great one.
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Winestreet Does 2003 Bordeaux (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Brilliant clarity. Reticent nose. Jammy red cherries, spice, and tobacco on the palate. Seems very youthful. Softer mouthfeel. A slight green streak on the midpalate.
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2003 Bordeaux (Mouton, Haut Brion, Cos, Ducru, Trotanoy, Lynch, many others): Dark red color. The nose is very stern, giving tobacco, lead pencil, and a hint of red fruit. Smells slightly green/herbal. In the mouth the taste is a syrupy red fruit with licorice and a slight earthiness. Very concentrated. Full bodied. Decent length. A very nice wine.
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Amazing deep and vibrant red color with a nose of creme brulee and some floral characteristics. Still fairly tannic--I really like wines from Bordeaux in 2003.
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Tasted alongside the 02 Cos d'Estounel...this is a close call between the two. Color is dark garnet to the rim. Nose reveals cassis, cedar, spice, and smoke. On the palate, cassis, tart cherry, licorice, and earth make for a substantial wine. Tannins are present, but not overwhelming and acidity is in good balance. Still a bit disjointed, but quite enjoyable...and should only improve with age.
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Full red with purple notes. Rich tight briar black fruit aroma with hints of anise. Big bold tight black cherry fruit on the palate. Not as open as I'd hoped. Long dusty tannic finish. Got a little 'pruney' with air. Needs time. 3/06
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Bordeaux "en Primeur" Tasting and Rhone side visit; 3/29/2004-4/2/2004 (France): En Primeur tasting. Surprisingly reserved nose for the vintage. Ripe and powerful flavors with firm tannins. I am certain many will enjoy this wine far more than I ever will. 89-91 point potential for me, others enjoyed it more than I did today.
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4/21/2024 - VinandJoan wrote:
Left open for 6 hours as used for cooking. Slightly maderized.
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4/12/2024 - Mbullmer wrote: 91 Points
Most powerful of the Bordeaux’s drank tonight. Typical left bank Bordeaux notes.
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3/10/2024 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
3rd of 12, opened an hour, decanted 30 minutes, perfect cork and level, unchanged since bottle noted in August 22, purple rimmed, still very much on the fruit, intense and mouth covering, underlying tannic structure, fruit ripe but not baked, v persistent and involving, attractive now but substantial upside and likely upgrade when fully mature, 25+ years. F+ (18).
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3/4/2024 - PDavisMarble wrote: 90 Points
Four bottles from the same case and 3 different experiences. All in great condition with high neck fills and not having moved for 18 years since purchase. Key "tell" seemed to be the cork: The bottle with the toughest, densest cork was by far the best, the softest, least dense the weakest version and the two in the middle were, well, in the middle. The best version showed a pretty bouquet that had those characteristic lead pencil and lavender notes. The floral bouquet was lighter than the fairly muscular wine, though not as brutal as some have suggested -- the alcohol was not hot or prominent for any of the bottles, and there were no chocolate notes or searing tannins. Rather this is a bigger wine than I typically would expect from Comtesse, but not out of character. The middle-bottles were nice, though less complex, while the lesser bottle was simple, and a touch tart at first, though it did improve with time in the glass..
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3/3/2024 - eb1202 Likes this wine: 93 Points
similar notes as 2021
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2/18/2024 - jhw425 wrote: 90 Points
Better than prior bottle. Nothing wrong here just continues to be a little muted. Opened up a little more with air
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1/25/2024 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Semi-guys night (My house): Two hour decant, leather, great pedigree, slightly flirtatious youngster.
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1/25/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Guy's Night: Aged Bordeaux/Bordeaux Blends (Joe & Khem's Place, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hours, drank a glass over 3 hours in a flight with '86 Rausan Segla and '00 Pichon Baron. Dense and concentrated, purple fruits, deep dark cherry, wood, tighter right now. This looked to need more time. 92+ to 93pts.
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1/25/2024 - MN Wine Junkie Likes this wine: 92 Points
5 Guys and a Gal! (Casa Joe & Khem): Treatment: 2 hour decant, back in the bottle for another hour of slo-O.
This wine gave pause when first opened, as it showed a nice perfumed nose and plenty of fruit and secondary flavors, but finished with some stewed fruit notes. Fortunately, the stewed fruit disappeared with time in the decanter.
Nose showed cherry blossom, violets anise and spice (predominantly cardamom). Palates was marked with red fruit (cherry and red currant) and dark fruit (cassis), along with tar, leather and spice. There was also a slight alcohol note (without the heat) on the finish. This wine needs either a longer decant (I would go 4 hours) or a few more years in the cellar (probably 3 more years). 92 now, but should improve.
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11/26/2023 - stamperb Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Muted, spiced dark plum, hint of blood. Palate. Warmingly tart spiced dark plum; lightly oxidized dark cherry, prune, faint cigar box, hint of licorice, light and mildly sandy tannins. I was very curious about this bottle as I really disliked my tasting of it from a year ago. While I'll chalk up my previous poor score to having tasted it with a wide variety of other wines, I'm not very confident this vintage from this producer is going to improve from here.
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11/23/2023 - scott@asrestaurant.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
2003 vintage. Last tasted 10.16.22 (9.1/91) and a relatively disappointing showing then. This time round, decanted and tasted multiple x's after 1.5 hours-3 hours. Decent sed yet less than expected. Good fill but cork seemed a tad dry. The blueberry, cocoa powder nose was there with the quintessential, P-L hallmarks. Light-medium body. A billowing, smoky initiation, then plum along with graphite and touches of cedar + espresso crema. Left me wanting just a little more and thinking a different bottle of this same P-L vintage just might yield a 9.5/95. This and La Mission Haut-Brion fave two red BDX producers and this did nothing to change that. Hopefully, another P-L 2003 cycles through soon enough to prove my theorem. Thanksgiving 11.23.23.
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10/21/2023 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. This is a ruby red wine with some minimal sediment at the end of the bottle (not much sediment for a 20-year-old wine). On the nose, I get blueberry, pencil lead, tobacco, damp woods, and a surprising floral note. In the mouth, this is a well structured wine with a focus on sweet red fruits. The finish is smooth, with more red fruit, and fully integrated tannins. Overall, this is a refined and graceful wine. I didn’t experience any 2003 vintage issues and found this to be very enjoyable at the moment. Drink now or hold for another 5-10 years. 93 points.
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9/17/2023 - felixp Likes this wine: 98 Points
fabulous and stunning wine, rises above the limitations of this torrid vintage to provide that wonderful Lalande trademark: gorgeous texture, cassis, blackcurrant, cedar and faint mint. Gloriously complex, I've seen this wine many times over the past 15 years, and the improvement as it ages has been nothing short of astonishing.
no hurry to consume, but it is either very close to or at peak drinking window, but certainly no danger of falling off any time soon!!
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9/12/2023 - ocfriday wrote: 88 Points
Agree with:
7/23/2023 - Ara Kafafian wrote: 88 Points
Blind, medium body, brick rim, maderized notes of plums and raisins with some red berries. I was expecting more drink now.
Drink now.
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8/14/2023 - Mr T wrote:
Decent but not great. Easy drinking and pleasant, but more overly ripe than the Cos of the same vintage drunk a few nights before. Fruits are blacker and the wine doesn't hold together as well, going softer and a little warm. For sure don't see this getting better with age.
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8/10/2023 - Tao wrote: 98 Points
Stunning! Stunning wine! If it is willing to give me more refinement, One hundred points is a must in my view! Luxurious ripe fruits, with enough spiciness and minerality to balance the ripe fruits, as people said, this is the modern day version of vintage 1982!
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7/29/2023 - Alex Barbera Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfekte Trinkreife
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7/23/2023 - Ara Kafafian wrote: 88 Points
Blind, medium body, brick rim, maderized notes of plums and raisins with some red berries. I was expecting more drink now.
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7/17/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 90 Points
My birthday bottle last year, we had a wonderful lunch date at one of our favourite restaurants in Kuala Lumpur - Cilantro.
I am a huge fan of Pichon Lalande (Not so much of Pichon Baron), and this is a blend of 65% Cab, 31% Merlot, and 4% PV.
Simply bottle breathed for 60 minutes prior to opening. Appearance wise, very dark with a tinge of purple, and no rim observed. Its hardly aged!
Classical bouquet nose of cedar wood, with black fruit which took a little while to open up - Perhaps served a wee bit too cold, next time must remember to have this at 16C.
Interestingly, but perhaps not surprising considering the hot and legendary 2003 Bordeaux vintage;
This is both dense as well as richly textured, and the tannins are still lightly structured providing a nice backbone.
Overall, I loved the pencil lead and ripe fruits, but it is slightly brutish in style and less elegant then I would have liked. I would say it is still not perfectly in balance, and one could wait 10 years before having this.
Happy Birthday to me (2023!), and thanks again to brother TC for ferrying this all the way back from Hong Kong into my cellar.. Don't know why I had forgotten to post these tasting notes nearly a year ago!
Paid circa USD 210 for this, and that was on sale in Hong Kong - Aged Bordeauxs with a good pedigree don't come cheap these days!
Cilantro, Micasa hotel,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
17th July 2023
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7/14/2023 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
After finishing our entrees at La Piquette in D.C. (if on the menu, order the veal chop!) and before we could order dessert, the husband of the friends with whom we were dining looked at me and said, "how about another red?". In the spirit of "you can't take it with you", I reached into the wine bag and pulled out the '03 Pichon Lalande. (It was this or the 2000 Léoville Poyferré.) This bottle has really hit a really beautiful spot in the last year or two.
Unlike several other '03 Bordeaux which started drinking well relatively young (and yes, I drank several bottles of this too early), this one needed some time to fully express itself. This has become a lovely bottle, with no elements of over-ripeness, and I'm looking forward to opening a bottle of the 2000 soon.
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6/17/2023 - Philippe_C wrote: 97 Points
Nez enorme de fruits noirs, poivrons tres murs, tobacco cigar box… Very very delicious, loads of ultra rie tannins, black ripe fruit,
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5/15/2023 - natap Likes this wine: 92 Points
Auge: klares, mittleres rubinrot
Nase: mittlere Aromen von reifen Erdbeeren, marmeladig, Schokolade, reife Pflaumen. Voll gereift.
Gaumen: trocken, mittlere Säure, mittlerer Alkohol, mittleres (+) Tannin, mittlerer Körper mit intensiven Aromen wie in der Nase, langer Abgang.
Potentail: Jetzt trinken, kein Lagerpotential.
Qualität: Sehr gut
Allgemein: Wunderbar gereift. Frucht immer noch prösent, aber alles im reifem Bereich. Die Tannine sind nach dem Öffnen noch sehr präsent, unbedingt dekantieren. Jetzt optimale Trinkreife, die sicher noch 2-3 Jahre halten wird.
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5/11/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good to go after 30 minutes, decanted over 2 hours and drank over 3 hours: Although the wine continues to evolve nicely, this was more light bodied than I was expecting for an 03. Decent Pauillac nose, Cab dominant, complex, coffee notes, cedar, moist earth, mint. Medium finish with light rounded tannin. Drink up!
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5/7/2023 - Cailles wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
TN: Intense nose, dark fruited and luxurious oak notes. On the palate ripe but not too ripe. Some coffee notes come with the dark fruit notes. Not overly deep but still quite round and harmonious. While not an overly exciting wine, this was another Pauillac that handled the hot vintage quite well. No comparison, however, of the quality level the winery achieved today.
Decanting: Good from the go, no extensive decanting needed.
Group average: 90.3 pts
Group rank: Shared 21st out of 29 reds
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3/20/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 89 Points
Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note:
Ripe and well defined fruit of cherry along with floral notes and toppings of sweet spice. Youthful with hardly any aging notes. Unfortunately, the palate felt marginally cooked and unbalanced.
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3/2/2023 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of the very top wines of the '03 Bdx tasting, this showed Pauillac in character with an incredibly smooth, seamless texture and plenty of volume and power. Layered and fine with no hints of the heat of the vintage apparent and delicious flavors of black fruits and graphite minerals. Finishes long with soft but very refined tannins. Impressive for the vintage and plenty left in the tank.
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2/26/2023 - erictayl wrote: 95 Points
Everything I love in bordeaux here. I could have just smelled it all night. Effusive nose but scents so disparate and interesting yet everything balanced and in its place. Floral components on the nose which play at my heart strings. Wines like this tempt me to shift more of my budget to the old world.
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2/16/2023 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect pairing with ribeye in Salt Lake City, consistent with my previous notes.
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2/9/2023 - Peter1983 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed this bottle with a couple of close friends and we were all blown away! Delicate on the palate, great notes and over all a wonderful bottle.
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1/9/2023 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Blind. Deep ruby, still quite dense but clearly with some evolution. Blackcurrant and graphite nose. Similar on attack with an initially firm structure that pushes me to ‘95. Finely grippy. Apparently not 95, so probably 03. Lovely surprise when revealed — nothing drying here, the fruit and structure are balanced and it seems to be ageing well. It’s helped by a raw steak but regardless it’s a good wine, and not the alcoholic monster some recent vintages seem to be. There’s a little more wine and more energy here than the 02 Lynch B alongside. ****
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12/25/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, currant, graphite, forest floor and leather. Red and black fruit, anise, graphite and forest floor on the palate. Very long, soft, dry finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with roast beef and a persillade sauce.
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12/7/2022 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Paolo generously shared this bottle with me pre-dinner. My first time with this vintage of the wine - a great chance to taste a warm (and at time controversial) vintage. Decanted prior
Garnet color, showing some age. Nose showing dark fruit, menthol and graphite. Palate showing blackcurrant, cherry, earth notes, pencil. Very rich through the mid palate, silky and luxurious. Medium/full body, long finish.
In a great spot right now. Warm vintage turned to the advantage of delivering a full body and depth throughout. It will doubtless go for another decade plus. That said, really worth opening this now, especially if you have more than one
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12/1/2022 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 30 min up to 60min in a tight decanter … 2003 Californian power fade during the last 2 years, now much more elegant.
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11/24/2022 - stamperb Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Nose: menthol, hint of plastic. Palate: Loads of perfumed new wood that is not well-integrated with a hint of plum; acid has almost completely faded. Overall, has more of a right bank flavor than left bank to me, with too much oak for my taste. I'll chalk this experience up to being an off bottle as I usually love Bordeaux, and I am hopeful that I'll get to revisit this a wine from this chateau again someday
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10/30/2022 - edub7 wrote: 95 Points
Coming from a magnum, prisitine shape. Color has some age to it with a burnt umber rim constasted by a deep and dark core. Fresh fragrant nose. Smells very much like Pichon Lalande, with various fruits and cool menthol.
On the palate more of the same. Still fresh and vibrant. This wine in 2003 has always been soft and sexy, yet one of the more lively wines of the very warm vintage. This wine is prime now. Pretty direct, but has some subtle and delcate naunces.
While this claret will hold for years to come, it's in a nice stage right now to drink up, Poured in a decanter and really developed its first hour, however it did not go anywhere after hour 2-3+ and was rather at its best within the first 2 hours out of the bottle.
A nice uber prime wine to open now.
A great testament and release from this label during a hot vintage.
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10/23/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
It is interesting watching the top left bankers from 2003 evolve. As with 2009 there is maximum enjoyment to be had at a relatively young age when they are sumptious fruit bombs. As the fruit is starting to recede and secondary notes are evolving, the Pichon Lalande is starting to take on different notes. The nose is still rich with cherry, blackcurrant, and raspberry, and it lingers and lingers. Tannin is now more obvious on the palate and finish, but is perfectly balanced, and it lends a more "grown up" feel to the wine. I think it bodes well for the future and the wine has real legs for aging. This now benefits from 2 or 3 hours in the decanter. 94+
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9/13/2022 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
When I had this in a vertical a couple years ago it stuck out very clearly as the 2003. Now, at least by itself, I'm not sure I'd have been able to call it an '03 at all. So apparently it is aging gracefully. It still tastes like a young wine however. The fruit is ripe and inky but not overripe in flavor, and forward enough it is only very lightly cedary. The tannins show that classic Comtesse polish and refinement, which are, as a certain wine critic's limited-vocabulary bingo card might have it, "impossible to miss," and whatever your tolerance level for rich fruit might be, it should only dictate whether to start drinking this now or hold off another decade for further mellowing. Either way, this is now a mighty fine and classy PLL.
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9/9/2022 - David J Cooper wrote: 94 Points
Bright dark red. Great nose, cassis, cedar box, blackberry, old wood and pencil shavings. Delicious berry and cassis flavours and a mid weight finish.
A very elegant Bordeaux that might improve but great now. The mouth feel and finish was a little lighter than the Ill Poggione 2006 we drank next the nose though was a 95.
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8/19/2022 - jonanator wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully! No hurry on this one, should hold for a while, but can't see it getting that much better
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8/7/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
2nd of 12, opened an hour, perfect cork and level, as bottle recorded in January, lovely elegant style as usual with excellent structure and grip, the unresolved tannins are very fine and the weight of fruit perfectly pitched giving the wine significant upside and potential longevity. For now F+ (18), VF on potential.
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7/15/2022 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two hour decant. Big legs, especially for Bordeaux with this much age. Nose of ripe raspberries with lilac and lots of other floral notes. Palate starts with a line of firm black coffee grounds, black licorice, and tar, then adds lots of baked gravely earth and dry black fruits. Fine-grained tannins on the finish with layers of dusty earth, cranberry fruit, and a bit of charcoal / campfire.
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7/13/2022 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted at a wine dinner in NYC @ Marta. This seems very classic, with just an extra level of fruit from the vintage, showing notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, green bell pepper, spices, some cigarbox. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium- acidity and medium+ tannin adding grip and some structure. Very good length. A surprisingly classic Pichon Lalande from this hot vintage, it doesn‘t show much of the challenges of the vintage and is just totally delicious but also complex enough to be really interesting.
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6/10/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
So well made and not showing any of the heat of this vintage (the hottest vintage ever in France). Smooth as silk and quite refined with good depth and a layered finish. While it can’t match the 2000’s intensity and complexity, it’s a great success for the vintage and is drinking very well now
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6/4/2022 - jhw425 wrote: 88 Points
Not a great bottle. Reading other reviews I wonder if something was off here? Just not a lot of there there
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6/1/2022 - CellarBord wrote: flawed
Off bottle was not consumed. The other 6 were fine.
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6/1/2022 - CellarBord Likes this wine: 91 Points
At this stage the wine shows a bit one dimensional. The character is a bit muted. I preferred the 2003 Pontet-Canet.
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2/28/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Just about, or at full maturity, the wine is lush, opulent, silky, sweet and long, with a core of earthy, spicy, blackberry, black currant and tobacco-tinged fruits. Full-bodied, rich and sensuous, with no touch of heat, or jam, this is a solid vintage for Pichon Lalande. Not decanted, just popped, poured and savored.
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2/11/2022 - VinhoVerde Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium dark red color. Chocolate, herbs, cassis bouquet. Ripe fruit entry, soft and round, supple, with very modest tannins. Medium length. Elegant and well-balanced for a 2003 Bordeaux. Delicious drinking now.
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1/2/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
1st of 12, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level - dark, translucent, ruby, little rim development; attractive, well balanced nose, cassis and black cherry, cocao element, vanilla, primary; med/full, long, persistent, quite intense, balance, decent grip, decent drink now but much more to come, proper wine, upgrade expected, 25+ years development ahead. F+ (18).
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11/28/2021 - J_H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Schwarzer Adler 2021 (Schwarzer Adler): - approximately 1.5 hour decanted @Schwarzer Adler.
- Nose: Primarily dark fruit, peppermint and lots of wild berries and blueberries, coffee, dark chocolate and herbal spice. Intense aromas. Still seems quite youthful except for the present coffee aromas.
- Palate: Extremely pressured and intense flavours present, full-bodied, lots of body and blue to dark fruit spectrum. Lacks some acidity (medium), present tannins (medium). Long finish. Is a rather expressive bomb after Armand Rousseau's Charmes Chambertin and the freshness is a bit lacking for me personally.
- 92-93 points with still a lot of storage potential.
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11/27/2021 - La Sprezzatura Likes this wine: 92 Points
Schwarzer Adler 2021 (Schwarzer Adler): short notes: dark fruit, the wine had a lot of power, dense.
lacked a little bit of acidity
drank side-by-side with a cos d'estournel 2000, which was fresher and more to the point than this pichon 2003
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11/19/2021 - dchain wrote: 92 Points
Still very deep and extracted looking in colour. Nose has a caramel, touch overripe fruit nose. Exotic but lacks definition and finesse. Really big on the palate, massive dark fruits, bell pepper, tobacco, leafy, all black fruit spectrum on the palate. Very large framed wine and framed by quite a lot of oak. I am not sure the poor wine maker at the time knew what to do with this and turned this into a bit of a beast. Very dense and chewy. Perhaps it still needs more time to decompress. Impressive superficially but don’t open this looking for floral, scented lily and the elegant expressions of Paulliac that Pichon Lalande of the 80s use to show. I think the first of the solar vintages in Bordeaux took too many winemakers by surprise and outside of their comfort zone for making Bordeaux!
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11/6/2021 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 95 Points
Preset excellent right now
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10/29/2021 - Elpaninaro wrote:
deep red purple color, spicy sweet dark plums on the nose, sleek and primary, cassis, black cherry, on the palate a semi-closed overly sweet fruit, moderate finish with a light impact, with time in glass a bit of bell pepper, while the fruit itself has a certain hedonistic attractiveness this wine is sadly starting to get a bit flabby while the oak treatment begins to gain the upper hand- a tale I think will be told of many 2003s in due course, some will surely succeed but in a vintage of such extremes I think in retrospect this and many others will have best been consumed in their early days while the fruit was still in a primary and vibrant state, time will tell.
***, drink soon
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10/24/2021 - LARich Likes this wine: 94 Points
So…. This gets better every time we open it. Finally in a strong place with a rich slightly menthol nose and hints of plum and blackberry Palate coating and delicious with a 20+ second finish I suspect this will continue to evolve as a late bloomer. Showing no sign of age in the traditional sense.
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10/17/2021 - talbot61 wrote:
Leaky cork, so the wine was probably more advanced than it should have been. Low tannin, full body, dark color with lots of brown, advanced aromas and flavors, but surprisingly intact given the poor storage and the problematic cork. Better-stored examples will probably offer a lot of satisfaction, though I suspect that the low acidity of this bottle may reflect the hot vintage.
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10/2/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite a smooth and silky wine with a bit of the green pepper on the palate that this wine can sometimes show. Mark guessed 1996 and I thought that made sense given the way the wine is drinking now. This has so far avoided the roasted qualities of the hot vintage quite well. Ready now out of magnum but will hold here for a decade.
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9/26/2021 - Moonie wrote: 90 Points
Last time in 12/20 this wine was a disappointment. Now, after a much longer, nearly four hour decant, it was much better. Fairly good complexity and fruit, but not over ripe. Still, a long way away from the best Pichon vintages.
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9/23/2021 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
Excellent - 2003 are better than I thought they would be 15 years ago
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9/13/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last tasted in March, the taste profile and observations are pretty much the same. Like many of the great and quality left bankers from the year it is already very approachable and drinking superbly possessing the typical opulence of the vintage, but with a good tannic structure. It will continue to evolve and probably soften the tannin on the finish. It is a different experience from say the 1995 and 1996 but still highly enjoyable and highlights the quality of the left bank wines in 2003. This needs a few hours in the decanter.
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9/12/2021 - Deryl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely time to drink this now. I have one more bottle and will open it soon.
This was enjoyable but lacked the depth and complexity and that level of interest that you expect of a wine in this category.
There was good ripe fruit and no tannin remaining. Fruit was a little closer to what we expect in a California Central Coast wine, but still with the terroir of Bordeaux.
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8/27/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted back in 2018, so decided to check in on it again. While it is definitely not my favorite vintage of Pichon Lalande, it is still delicious. Decanted for 1 hour. It was more femanine than I remembered and I did detect a touch of overripeness on the finish. It was the first 2003 that I’ve had in a while showing the heat from the vintage. My gut tells me this is at its peak and probably won’t get any better with age.
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8/24/2021 - Cailles wrote: 92 Points
No notes taken. This vintage of Pichon showed quite well with that extra kick of power from the hot vintage. While ripe it’s not too ripe and remains quite fresh. In terms of complexity, it paled a bit in comparison to the Lynch 1990 and the Castello Banfi Banda Oro 2004 we had next to it as it did not had the focus and complexity of the other wines. The quality improvement in more recent years (probably starting with 2014) is tremendous at this Chateau and I would hence focus any purchases on these vintages. Back in these days the gap to the best left banks is just too big.
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8/6/2021 - Valaprop Likes this wine: 94 Points
This seems to be at maturity. Decanted about 2-2.5 hours and just kept improving. Medium weight, subtle and complex, long finish. Nothing out of place. Looking forward to enjoying this for several more years.
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7/26/2021 - J_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour
Nose: intensely fruity with blackberries and Cabernet spice, also some blue fruit. In addition tarry and forest floor. Time in the decanter definitely helps the wine to develop.
Palate: Is on the slightly richer side with lots of fruit and tobacco, light leather and vanilla. Nice acidity (medium ~ +) yet ripe tannins! Exciting to drink, especially since it 2003 vintage in general was not one of the best. Definitely still has storage potential, doesn't seem on the peak to me yet.
93-94 point
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6/23/2021 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
24 Vintages of Pichon Lalande: All wines tasted blind. A few general observations: 1) Most wines showed the typical Pichon Lalande elegance. This is certainly one of the more delicate and elegant Paulliacs. 2) The relatively high Merlot content (often 20-30%) showed in many wines with fine, fresh rhubarb, rosehip and floral aromas I wouldn’t necessarily associate with a Medoc - all adding to the sensuous quality of the wines. 3) A few vintages showed the very sexy burnt sugar/coffee notes you associate with the 1982 Lalande or a Mouton or a Cheval Blanc - unfortunately, not to an extent and with an intensity to truly excite. 4) Following the legendary 1982 and until the most recent vintages (starting with 2014 but especially with 2016) there are three decades of pleasant Pichon Lalandes but hardly any vintage has the depth and length of truly great wines. The best wine tonight was the 2009 (rated 95+ points) with many more in the 92-94 point category.
TN: I liked this a lot and it was not easily identifiable as a 2003. I guess in that rather mediocre to weak period of Pichon Lalande, the extra kick from the hot vintage just helped enough to bring a bit extra depth and poise into the wines. On of the best wines of the tasting. Dark and medium+ intense nose with darker fruit than normal but still some red berries, cola and floral notes. Ripe but not too ripe. Same on the palate with good red and dark fruits, coffee, tobacco and earthy. Nicely sweet but not too sweet. It doesn’t have the complexity of the best wines of the vintage but it is so easy to drink and was good from the go.
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6/5/2021 - eb1202 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beautiful nose of currants, cedar wood and dark fruits. On the palate, ripe red fruits, warm, soft tannins, tobacco, earth, cedar wood, smoke and some spices. Good structure. I decanted it for 2 hours. Then he was perfect.
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4/17/2021 - tcarter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. Bottle decant for 30 mins. Developed nicely over 90 minutes. Classic bdx at an ideal age. Still years ahead of it but you won’t be disappointed now.
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4/5/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Easter gathering (Andrew's): Runner-up for WOTN for me. Although this wine hasn't received great critical love, and I was worried about the hot vintage, our particular bottle exhibited great beauty and depth on a light frame. Thought it was drinking wonderfully.
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3/7/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
This has really stepped up a level in the last 12 months and is drinking at its peak. The tannin is fully resolved, and it is displaying secondary notes. It is a great wine from a great vintage, (in spite of moans from some of the purists,). The nose is rich and deep with black cherry and blackcurrant dominating. It is deliciously smooth on the palate with excellent depth and balance. The tannin asserts itself on the finish but it is robust rather than harsh. On the shorter side, the finish still pushes 30 seconds, but lacks depth and ideally would be longer.
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3/5/2021 - HOS wrote: 95 Points
What a difference from the last bottle in 2018. PnP. Truffle, currant, black cherry. Silky smooth, long finish. Medium bodied. Wonderful.
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2/25/2021 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 2, better 3 hours !
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2/24/2021 - llink wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured over a 3 hour period. Leafy, spicy and black fruited nose. Great palate, the texture is engaging with gripping tannins buffered by slightly overripe fruit that still maintains freshness.
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2/13/2021 - Snowey Likes this wine:
Tasting dinner with T & M accompanied by polenta with short rib ragu.
Had it alongside a 2003 NSG 1er by Gouges and a 05 Duhart Milon. The smell from this one after a 2 hour or so decant was intoxicating and showed much sweeter on the nose than the 05 Duhart.
Flavors were memorable with a super long finish with great complexity of flavors.
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2/5/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted with dinner at La Piquette, my favorite French bistro in DC. I drank my first few bottles of the '03 Pichon a few years and was honestly a bit disappointed, given the Parker ratings and, more importantly, the 2014 "start drinking window". I decided to put aside my last 3 bottles and am really glad I did. This bottle was singing from the start (and decanting certainly helped). A beautiful nose of black current and cedar, and a great texture. Outstanding bottle and really looking forward to the last two.
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12/18/2020 - Moonie wrote: 89 Points
Disappointing. Lacking the well-known P-L notes of bell pepper and so forth. Clearly over-ripe. Not badly, but just enough to take away the tertiary notes that are so desirable. Maybe a few more years in the bottle will help.
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12/16/2020 - isdblm@lsu.edu Likes this wine:
The Comtesse is in full bloom. Rich, tasty, filling the palate. A giving, gorgeous wine.
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12/13/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Pichon Longueville 2003
Winery: Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Varietal: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot,
Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac Vintage: 2003
Price: $150/ Direct from Distributors. My store inventory.
Color: dark purple/ruby from below opaque purple from above
Legs: medium
Nose: wet mushrooms, truffle, wet earth, black licorice, plums and currants,
Palate: warm and toasty entry with loamy earth and black currants, plum and cedar oak and vanilla along with tobacco
Finish: tannins are fine and resolved lots of wet earth, black currants, cedar, vanilla, oak, aged tobacco
Comments: I’ve had other 2003 Bordeaux where the heat from the summer extreme temps was readily apparent, but not here this had aged so well and so delicious and in a perfect a mature state.
One week under private preserve: blackberries, licorice, anise, tar, dried leather on the nose. On the palate, dried leather, pomegranate, dried plums, dried blackberries, aged tobacco.
Finish is still savory but drying on the leathery end.
Pairing Suggestions: Roast suckling pig, lamb, roast duck, prime rib etc.
Score in terms of Vintage: 95
Score for the Wine: 94
Value for the Money: Very Good
Date Tasted: 12/5 & 12/12/2020
Tasted by: ACK
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12/10/2020 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 94 Points
67 Pall Mall tasting sample. Drinking wonderfully already.
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12/10/2020 - auhead Likes this wine: 94 Points
Earthy bouquet with tobacco, smoke and blueberry compote frame the viscosity and velvety texture that makes one want to come back for another sip. This should last, but doubtfully improve, for another 10-15 years in a cold cellar.
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11/27/2020 - caspernick wrote: 95 Points
It's Thanksgiving today and I am opening some stunners tonight, this was the first red. Nearly black in the glass and opaque AF. This wine is blowing me away on the nose- cassis, tobacco, leather and the umami of dried mushrooms. On the palate this Bordeaux beauty is at peak. The primal fruit has given way to the most amazing tertiary notes that we can only hope to taste in mature wine. Earth, funk, leather, Maduro tobacco, rich cassis and a hint of tannins on the very back end. It is stunning, graceful, developed and powerful in a staid manner. I’m floored that this mediocre, hot vintage has held itself together for 17 years and rewarded my cellaring in such an amazing manner. 95 points for tonights bottle which is a massive step up from the last time I drank a Magnum of the stuff. You can read my original notes here. Not cheap, nor is it easy to find- at $150 for a regular size or close to $350 for the big boy. 5 stars with a drink now window. Yummm.
https://caspernick.com/2020/11/27/chateau-pichon-longueville-comtesse-de-lalande-2003-pauillac-france/
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11/24/2020 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Dark core with brick maroon rim; olives, oak, black fruit, thick, spicy, cooked red currant, meaty, green pepper, black currant on the palate, graphite, very firm on the back half, some secondary development but still very young, gravitas; '03 Leoville Barton?
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11/7/2020 - jordanj Likes this wine: 92 Points
2.5H decant. Opaque. Strong nose of a mix of dark and red fruits. Sweet and savory. I do pick up some heat although not pruney or overripe. A Ton of minerality, I would say too much. This wine is smooth with a velvety feel without being plush like other 2003s. Lone bottle. I liked this. Would buy again. 92-93
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11/5/2020 - hprphf wrote: 91 Points
Ripe, woody. 91
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10/10/2020 - jmht wrote: 93 Points
Consumed over two nights. Better second night. Muted first 2 hours on night one, then opened up. Fantastic blackcurrants, floral high note, black cherry mid and end palate, tannins mostly resolved. Very good balance and showed no 03 heat.
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10/10/2020 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 4h, started sampling after 2h. A beautiful mature Bdx, tannins long gone, ready to enjoy. Huge perfumy nose, tobacco, leather, faint spices. The palate expressed juicy cherries, minerals, graphite, and a soft finish. I remember some milk chocolate at some point (2-3h) after opening but by 4h the chocolate was gone, but the cherries remained. Hints of sweetness, but the wine is dry. Very enjoyable to all, paired with grilled chicken. This wine has a subtle touch, medium bodied, suave, sophisticated. 93/94
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9/16/2020 - Sean Tay wrote: 89 Points
Did a blind tasting with 7 friends with Bordeaux 95-05 theme
2000 Pichon had smoke, meaty, toast, spices, blackcurrant, medium+ acidity and tannin. Decant for 3 hours.
2003 Pichon had cassis, spices, black fruits, medium+ acidity and tannin. Decant for 2-3 hours.
2002 Haut Brion had floral, spices, red/black fruits, medium+ acidity and tannin. Rounded in the palate. Slow oxy for 4 hours.
2000 Figeac had a wet forest, mushroom, spices, vanilla, medium acidity and medium+ tannin. Double decant for 2-3 hours.
WOTN was 2000 Figeac, followed by 2002 Haut Brion, 2003 Pichon and lastly 2000 Pichon.
It was a surprise to see such weaker vintage 2003 Pichon picked over strong vintage 2000 Pichon. My opinion is that 2000 Pichon had not entered its prime drinking window and it's best to store and aged it further.
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9/13/2020 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 95 Points
loved this. with a bit of trepidation after reading so much about how 2003 was too hot and thus the wines too monstrous, i did not sense that in this at all. beautiful blueberry, some tobacco and bay lead notes, medium + body, great snappy acidity to keep it fresh and balanced, long finish. this was absolutely delicious IMHO.
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9/7/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 95 Points
2.5 hour decant. Plenty of very ripe black, blue and red fruits in elegant fashion. Surprising how elegant this is for a record hot year. Near silky smooth. Some graphite, sweet Oak, cedar, but also creme de cassis on the finish.
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8/25/2020 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very hesitant at first, with a subtle nose of fine wood and leather. Still young, crisp berry aromas, leather, tobacco, pencil, ink, tea, sous-bois and roast aromas. Medium bodied, elegant, but acidity in the background still to be sorted, the wine took two full hours to unfold. I expect it to further improve over the coming 3 years.
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7/29/2020 - djhammond wrote: 95 Points
Last tasted 6 months ago, this is edging forward and is already very enjoyable with a couple of hours in the decanter. I do find it lacks the elegance of the St. Estephes, and St.Juliens from the year and cannot compete with the first growths, but is a great wine and also exceptional value if bought a few years ago. The nose has the typical opulence of the vintage as a whole, and is packed with ripe cherry and blackcurrant. The tannin is still in evolvement, but has further resolved since January. It has great depth and balance on the palate, and the finish is lengthy, if still a little over tannic. Whilst lacking that wow factor of other left bank siblings from the year, it is highly recommended and certainly one the better Pichon Lalandes drinking well at present.
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7/19/2020 - GrapeScott wrote: 94 Points
Really lovely. Elegant and not at all overblown, as I was expecting from this vintage. Kirsch, herbes de Provence, slight coffee notes. Hardly any tannins. Drinking very well right now.
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7/11/2020 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 95 Points
It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead.
I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire.
The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm.
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7/11/2020 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Bastille Day dinner (R&D's): Popped and poured from magnum, courtesy of our hosts. Garnet core showing a bit lighter at the meniscus, making it easily distinguishable from the Angelus poured alongside. Notes of dried tobacco and red fruit. Has a rustic earthy quality as well. With time, the herbal elements that are the hallmark of the Chateau emerge. The palate shows more dark fruit than red, along with tobacco and a hint of spice. Still has some tannin to integrate (at least in this format). Finishes with good length. 92+ pts.
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6/6/2020 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 3 hours
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6/5/2020 - postiglioni wrote: 93 Points
Beef blood, graphite, milk chocolate, iron filings, macerated blackberry, medium to full bodied, integrated tannins, long finish. I definitely feel that it's time to drink this one. Any more time and you'll probably be experiencing it's denouement.
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5/3/2020 - streethawk wrote: 94 Points
Complex bouquet of cherries, cassis, coffee, tobacco, and sousbois. Palate is rich, full-bodied, concentrated, with well-integrated tannins. Long finish. So balanced and pure. Great wine. Drinking very well right now!
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3/29/2020 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 2 hours.
Hot year, no classic year, full bodied, modern style.
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3/18/2020 - Sean Tay wrote:
Opulent rich black fruits, cassis, blackcurrant, chocolate, smoke, tobacco. A very intense wine, which is expected in 2003.
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1/17/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double decanted for 90 min, med. ruby with some lightening on the rim, classic CA nose of black cherry, med. tannins, med/long finish; delicious & ready to drink. Shows how similar Bordeaux & CA are when they have similar weather
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1/12/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
I have tried this every 6 months or so for the last couple of years, and whilst it is definitely still in evolvement, it is already very approachable and a glorious drink. If you have a few bottles there is no need not to be consuming this now with 2 or 3 hours in the decanter. The nose is opulent with ripe blackcurrant and red cherry. On the palate it is starting to displaying secondary characteristics and is complex with good depth. The finish is excellent and exceeding 30 seconds and showing perfect balance to the very end. However, the tannin still needs to continue to sweeten to complete the wine's full potential, and, although not as advanced as some of the other left bankers from the year, it is only a year or two away from hitting its peak.
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11/29/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Friendsgiving Dinner (Riverwoods, IL): More mature than I would hope from top Bordeaux at this age, but good weight and spice complementing the clearly ripe and powerful black fruit with cigarbox aromas providing able support. I liked this more than most other tasters did tonight.
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11/23/2019 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
I’ve got a nice cold cellar. That being said, I can’t say I agree with the notes that state that this is ready. It’s definitely an easy drink right now. The fruit is like a laser beam, dense, concentrated, and pure. The tannins are under control. But the nose is not developed yet...at least not to my liking. Don’t hate me for speaking my mind. Give it a few years for those savory Medoc nuisances.
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11/21/2019 - Hazeo wrote: 95 Points
A fantastic Pauillac that combines elegance with power that I normally associate with Pichon Baron. Little sign of a ripe vintage as the fruit is lush but balanced harmonious blend of dark fruit, spice, earth, leather that oozes class. Drink after an hour or two of air and you're good to go.
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11/16/2019 - Nate and Allison wrote:
Drinking incredibly well. Still quite complex.
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10/27/2019 - LARich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still a bit tight but coming into its own. Elegant and refined nose of deep aged spice with slight vanilla overdone. Finish about 30 seconds and no discernible tannins. But we think will be much more intretwting in a Few years. So hang on!
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9/30/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This is drinking just great. The wine is soft, silky, lush and filled with ripe red fruits, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Richly textured, with no hard edges and zero sensation of overripe notes or heat, 30 minutes of air was al this needed to come around.
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9/27/2019 - RusisWine wrote:
Outstanding post-op bottle. Still plenty of fruit and structure...just like me!
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8/26/2019 - Mr T wrote:
Interesting wine....soft early as PNP and then almost a bit tighter with time. This is certainly not a crazy fruit bomb or flabby and falling apart....I might have liked it best initially when it most California. I would score low 90's and certainly no rush to drink quickly...this has plenty of years to go
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8/25/2019 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last night, my second favorite pairing. Tonight, my favorite! An older Pichon Lalande and a ribeye. Counting it down.
While this 03 is delicious tonight, I won’t touch another bottle until 2028 for the way I’ve learned to enjoy em. However, a good time for a check in given I have several more bottles.
The nose reveals; thick, rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, older tobacco, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers.
The body is creamy, lush and full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting themselves together nicely. The tannins are round, dark and only 45-50% resolved. She’s an elegant beauty that will deliver so much more at 25 years and later. Rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, cigar box with ash, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, coco powder, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers & violets on the long set. The acidity is round and beautiful. The creamy, elegant finish is balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes.
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8/5/2019 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
Excellent wine!
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7/12/2019 - SenorYay wrote:
Beautiful full elegant wine. Pure pleasure. Let ng finish
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6/1/2019 - richshoes Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice wine that is ready to drink. Missing a little structural and flavor complexity and intensity...but other than that, right up the fairway! Sour dark cherry and graphite and lead
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5/26/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
Firmly in its drinking window, this is still in evolvement, but is very enjoyable now with a few hours in the decanter. As noted previously, it is very typical of the top left bank estates from the vintage, in that the nose is opulent with ripe fruit with flavours of blackcurrant and red cherry. On the palate tannin does tend to dominate, but it has excellent depth and balance. The finish has good length, but is a little acrid towards the end. However, it is an excellent wine, and while not able to compete with the top St Estephe's and St Julien's, it is the best Pichon Lalande drinking at present from the last 2 decades.
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5/20/2019 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a stunner and blind tasted I did not guess it was from the heat wave year. Beautifully silky and fruit forward in an elegant and way with a broad palate and nice length. A stunner, let alone for the vintage...
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5/11/2019 - ocwineo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vibrant with ample fruit a well structured wine with a pleasent finish
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5/6/2019 - HENNO1 wrote: 94 Points
Very very pleasant and with plenty of life. Unlike the 2004 comtesse this puts a smile on your face although I would probably leave for a few years. I recently tried a poyferre 03 and it tasted over-extracted, this wine, however, is very balanced.
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5/4/2019 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disregard the drinking window offered below the title: 2011-2025? Not even close. Try 2025-2040. Opened for 3 hrs and tasted. Blunted blackberry taste and tannins like the edge of a serrated knife. OK then, decanted and gave it another hour. Now it shows deep cherry, vanilla, rose water, vanilla and orange peel on the nose, and a very different palate expression: espresso, cherry, graphite. Still a taut finish, but one that just shows longevity rather than flaw. Right now, decanting for minimum 3 hrs required.
To me this is a very atypical Pichon-Lalande: none of the finesse and quiet elegance I associate with this estate, and have certainly experienced with the 1982 and 1996. This is much more masculine, broad-shouldered and in your face. Nevertheless it is a great success for 2003, the year of the great heat. In a year that risked unbalanced wines, this one is balanced, if not exactly as subtle as other Pichon Lalandes.
Score:93-94. Relative to expectations: 0
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5/4/2019 - DrZett wrote: 94 Points
Perfect and typical Pichon Comtesse. Nice dark red fruits in the nose. Dark berries, some graphite, cherries and herbs on the palate. Perfect balance with a deep structure and soft, integrated tannins. Long and juicy finish. This drinks absolutely amazing and elegant right now - just give it 30 minutes in the decanter. Drink now or within the next 5-8 years.
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4/26/2019 - the player Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very masculine for a Comtesse tannins still present with lots of leather, dark red berries and cassis and a long finish. Medium to full bodied and extra cellaring for another 5 years would do this wine wonders.
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4/18/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 88 Points
Lots of oak and cassis but where is the pencil and lavender magic of Pichon Comtesse? It’s not just the aromatic profile - the structure is big and fat. Not as brazenly alcoholic as the last time around, but also a small glass.
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3/16/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Sheldon's 60th Birthday (The Bristol - Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Very ripe, less balanced vs another bottle from a year ago. Came across off balance to me.
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3/15/2019 - Burgnick wrote: 88 Points
Despite decanting for an hour, the wine was shut down. The nose and palate showed mostly dark currant and oak.
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2/8/2019 - schway wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. In drinking window
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1/19/2019 - JChan wrote: 91 Points
Rich and opulent black fruits on initial opening. Ripe and sweet blackcurrant, full bodied, smooth and juicy aftertaste. But after that, there is no further development, the taste is a little bit fading out or keep at that level. It is still a very good wine, but is it not strong enough to hold the whole night? Is it due to bottle variation or storage condition problem? Bought from idealwine.com few years ago...
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1/15/2019 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, minimal lightening at rim. After an hour in the glass to get a little air and warm from cellar temp, there is a deep rich nose of cassis, black cherry, tobacco, hints of smoke/tar and a nice streak of green. Medium body, great balance, structure built on both acid and tannin, flavors follow the nose, medium/long finish. Beginning complexity. Many years to go. Excellent.
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1/6/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
A beautiful wine which seems to be consistent with each tasting. Firmly in its drinking window, the nose is opulent with flavours of blackcurrant and red cherry. It is advancing on the palate, and has excellent depth and complexity. The finish is balanced and 30 seconds plus, but a little sour towards the end. However, it does not detract from the overall experience. This still needs a few hours in the decanter, and will continue to develop over the next couple of years.
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1/5/2019 - mchern02 wrote:
3 hour decant; opened up beautifully at hour 4
Nose: Black licorice, blackberry, smoke, granite
Palate: chocolate, layers and dimensional with nice acidity and backbone, thick and attractive density
Finish: nice finish and length
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1/3/2019 - llink wrote: 94 Points
Smoke, green tobacco leaf, cedar, creosote and blackberry liqueur on the nose. Still very primary and dark fruited on the nose. Surprising acidity and lively silky texture makes for a great palate and a lush finish.
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12/9/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pichon Lalande holds so many great memories of our visit and luncheon and the opportunity to drink great wines from the cellar. I love the wine and honor the experience of being there.
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12/8/2018 - Bigtuna Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP, very approachable and enjoyable, typical 2003 Pauillac
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11/22/2018 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind alongside ‘11 Ducru; ‘11 Figeac; ‘05 Cos; and ‘06 Ducru. ‘Dark ruby color turning orange rust at the rim with a transparent edge. There are secondary and tertiary flavors of cola, aged meat, tobacco and leather emerging from the ripe blackberry and hoisin sauce core that’s balanced elegantly by vibrant acidity. Finishes very long with hints of orange peel. Sublime. Drink now until 2029.
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10/16/2018 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Herbs, menthol, full fruit throttle !!!! California ???? No !! Paulliac !!! Great wine not for the aristocratic drinkers out there.Yum yum !!! Love it ! Ready to go . Improvement ??? Maybe but why wait !
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10/14/2018 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour — this was not necessary based on sediment but helped the wine stretch its legs. This is a solid red wine with a nose of pencil, rocks, blueberry, and some flowery undertones. In the mouth, this has some medium fruit and dark ash notes. The finish is smooth with integrated tannin. Overall, this is a poised and structured wine. It has a deep buried soul that has yet to fully emerge. Right now, this is more like a CA cab than a BDX with wonderful forest notes, etc. — but I think it will get there. 92 points.
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9/17/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
While still more primary than how I prefer to drink my Pichon Lalande, this wine is entering its early maturity window. Lovely soft and round tannin and some green tobacco/herb on the finish. Classic Pauillac nose of cedar, black licorice, Asian spices, etc. Decanted for 1 hour.
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9/3/2018 - J_Smallwood Likes this wine: 91 Points
Did not perform as the same level as other bottles of this I have had - a bit more funk on the nose than I am used to with this wine which did not blow off with time. Normally, I would not mind, but it detracted from the purity of this wine that I am used to. Behind the funk, I could still pick out the usual sweet blackcurrant with a hint of espresso on the nose, but this was unfortunately in the background. The palate was a bit lighter-bodied but could still catch cherry, licorice, cedar, and a tinge of smoke on the finish. Smooth round tannins with acidity sticking out a bit on the finish. I think this bottle may have been slightly off and not representative, but I'd still score it just over 90 if we're talking numbers.....just not the purity and balance I'm accustomed to with this wine (which is usually a pleasant surprise for a 2003!).
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8/24/2018 - mmcdds wrote: flawed
Sadly, corked.
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8/19/2018 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours b/c that’s about how long it took for for this wine to show its pedigree. The nose on this 2003 Pichon Lalande is to die for, with aromas of cherry, cedar, lavender and truffle which give way to a rich and polished, full bodied palate that is cherry licorice driven and finishes off with a lingering cedar aftertaste. This is an absolutely cracking good wine - 95 points!
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8/7/2018 - Plabella Likes this wine: 94 Points
great wine with cherry dark fruit full body
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8/4/2018 - ctc wrote: 92 Points
Mature. I would drink it now or within the next couple years.
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7/29/2018 - AlanM68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely singing right now. 2 hours in the decanter. Fabulous fruit, great length. Soft and supple. Still got another 5 years at this level I hope, before it begins to fade
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7/13/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
Out of magnum with 2-hr decant - was initially blown away by the '96 drunk alongside but this did find it's footing late. Not nearly as chiseled and refined as the '96 but this had plenty of rich red and black fruits with a tinge of roasted flavors from the hot vintage. Quite mouth-filling and really delicious in a softer, more decadent style.
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6/30/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note after an hour decant; delicious but I believe that it will improve with more time (wait another year or 2)
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6/27/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
This has many years ahead of it, and is a great example of the excellence of many left bankers in this vintage in spite of some unwarranted criticism of the year. The nose has deep jammy aromas of red cherry and blackcurrent. On the palate the tannin is still developing but is very approachable, and with good depth and with layers of complexity. The finish is lengthy and well balanced, but still with a little residual sourness at this time in its life. It is an excellent wine, and while not at the dizzying heights of the leading St Estephe's and some of its other left bank siblings, it is a wonderful wine which is only going to continue to get better. It does need aeration at present with 2 or 3 hours in the decanter sufficient.
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6/20/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): Here I found dark, intense wildberry, plum, currant, crushed stone, lavender, and moist soil tones. Silky, weighty textures met me on the palate, with ripe black fruits and violet florals offset by lively acidity. It finished long, with zesty, spice, dark fruits and lingering grippy tannin. Its bigger in scale than you’d expect yet balanced and very easy to like.
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4/14/2018 - arthurogus Likes this wine: 87 Points
Excellent and expansive nose, good mouth feel, reasonable tannins, but somehow we didn't feel the balance was right. A little thin perhaps.
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3/27/2018 - mchern02 wrote:
Drank next to 2003 la mission haut brion
90 minutes decant.
Funky nose to start but settled into graphite, pencil shavings, anise, and a bit of green.
Well integrated tannins with dark fruit on palate. Nice finish with some minerality but pretty resolved.
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3/17/2018 - Eric wrote:
2003 Bordeaux at 15 years courtesy of Mark Taylor; 3/17/2018-3/18/2018 (Atlanta, GA): Earthy, bretty, very dirty (in a good way). Is this the Montrose? Huge, powerful and brooding palate. Guessed as Montrose, but this was Pichon Lalande. Ranked 3 out of 6 and the group #5.
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2/11/2018 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
not something I'd buy again
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2/5/2018 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark brawny wine with some serious chew. Well made and real upside, nice spice on long finish. Needs time.
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2/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Small glass, brief note. Much better than the Pichon Baron just tasted. Ripe and rich, but certainly well balanced and very tasty. Didn't seem particularly "2003." Good+ weight, length and balance.
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2/4/2018 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Wines tasted during Super Bowl LII (Chez Kailin): A terrific vintage for this wine. Some richness and plushness of fruit, but no signs of a roasted character. Youthful rich plum with cedar and bell pepper. Round, yet firm tannins balance out the abundant fruit. Very good, if a little inelegant for PLL.
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1/27/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
Side by side with a right bank 2000 Monbouquet (so) and drank really well very feminine and warm on the palate. Overall very good.
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1/3/2018 - HOS wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 20 minutes. Nose of a Napa cab which was the first bad sign. Faded fruit without much else. On the way down. Drink up.
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12/19/2017 - chatters wrote:
Christmas supper with the Wine Ark boys (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Surprisingly medium minus intensity aromas of biscuit, slight prune, blackcurrant, very ripe though a little savoury. On the palate its thick and dense, big but also a little closed initially though it gains in generosity, cassis, rich, tannic and a little leathery. Hmm.
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12/13/2017 - djhammond wrote: 96 Points
This has really moved forward in the last 6 months, and is starting to drink at its optimum. The nose still has the same opulence with its jammy flavours of blackcurrent and red cherry and hints of vanilla. It is on the palate the advancements are noticible with the tannin sweetening, giving a beautiful roundness, but still with good tannic balance and tremendous depth. The finish is lengthy and balanced and the wine should stay here for a good few years.
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12/7/2017 - cos82 wrote: 91 Points
A nice wine. A beautiful nose with lots of floral and spice elements with some blackberry and cassis. A subdued palate of earth, cedar, blackberry and cassis. No tannin. I don't expect this to improve.
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11/9/2017 - dchain Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Almost black. Brooding and not giving much away on the nose. Lots of black fruit, monolithic and none of the Pichon elegance just brute force black fruit. Missing in the mid-palate and lacking in acidic freshness and uplift. This is a worrying wine and cannot see this getting better or lasting given the drying and astringent finish. I believe that this wine has been overrated and drinkers have been seduced by the power but have overlooked the other missing aspects in the wine. I will be selling my two OWCs of this wine shortly. Should get a good price and move it into something better like the 2001 or 2006 of this Chateau.
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10/18/2017 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 88 Points
Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Vertical Tasting with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero): Nicolas said the chateau's proximity to the river was key this vintage. That said, this vintage alongside any other combination of vintages on the table will have you singing that song from Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other ones...." It's a perfectly good wine, maybe even a perfectly good Bordeaux, but it tastes nothing like Pichon-Lalande. Not much aroma. On the palate, the fruit is sweet and squishy, uncharacteristcally on the red-fruit side of the spectrum. All sweet cherries and doesn't really show much else until the finish which has a touch of cedar.
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10/18/2017 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Pichon Lalande dinner with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Surprisingly classic, nicely masking most of the 03 roasted fruit expression, a hint of cassis and licorice, cherry, plum, grilled shiitake, cedar, bell pepper, a hint of eucalyptus, mocha, lactic and earth. Medium to fully body, silky but not terribly layered and a bit one dimensional, good acidity and mineral, and a medium to long black fruit and milk driven finish. I am surprised by the classic showing in lieu of the vintage. Not the most complex wine but really enjoyable. I believe it has reach the youthful peak but no need to hurry.
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10/3/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 1/2 hr, deep ruby, dark fruit with tobacco, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious, drink or hold
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9/29/2017 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, minimal lightening at rim. Opens over an hour to show a deep rich nose of cassis and black cherry, tobacco, hints of smoke/tar and a whiff of green. Medium body, great balance with structure built on both acid and tannin, flavors follow the nose, medium/long finish. Many years to go. Excellent.
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9/24/2017 - HOS wrote: 92 Points
Brought to a restaurant for celebration dinner. Decanted and poured. Fruit totally faded leaving herbs, espresso, earth. Medium bodied, ok finish.
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8/30/2017 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 91 Points
125ml by the glass in 67 PM. After a weak 05 Pichon Lalande this had a lot more fruit and intensity. I have found myself not to be huge fan of 03 Bordeaux in general as it just isn't classic enough for me. Lacking tannins, just a bit flabby and could come from other parts of the world. This wine did little to change my mind, although I enjoyed washing down the Chateaubriand with a glass of this. But it is not an "interesting" wine, at least for me.
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8/19/2017 - Serge Birbrair Likes this wine:
Darn good!
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7/15/2017 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and found few solids. Deep dark red. Flowers and fruits on the nose. Initial taste of dark fruits, some dark licorice, and a bit of wood. Seems to be going strong. After two hours and more, this baby is holding up well and in fine form. 13% ABV; this is why I love Bordeaux reds.
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7/14/2017 - jmoon wrote: 91 Points
Good but a bit flabby tonight. Possible an off bottle
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6/26/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Firmly in the early stages of its drinking window, it possesses a deep luscious nose of red cherry, blackberry, and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth the tannins have softened to provide good balance and there is complexity and depth. All completed with a good finish, this is now drinking very well and should stay here for a good few years.
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6/23/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Very nice showing tonight. After I had this in the past in an awkward phase where it was closed and had little aromas but some alc. heat, this was really great. Medium garnet. Mature Medoc notes of blue fruit, earth but also bakery, gingerbread. Soft palate without being flabby, richness of 2003 visible but remains elegant. Enough acidity too. Fully mature, drink up.
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6/18/2017 - HOS wrote: 93 Points
We just finished setting up the wine cellar and decided to try this one. 1/2 hour decant. Espresso, wet rock, thyme with stewed fruit on the finish. Silky smooth, medium bodied and nice acidity with a long finish. Not as good as 7 years ago but a strong performer. Do not see any upside remaining.
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6/9/2017 - overhill wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux Second Growths Lunch (Capital Grille NY): This was the most flamboyant wine of the tasting. Mouth filling with new world-type sweetness and roundness. Waves of fine tannins carried the rich stew of eucalyptus, vanilla, cream cheese frosting, and menthol. This benefited from a two hour decant and seems to be in the early stages of its drinking window.
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5/29/2017 - Deryl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful. I would not hold much longer.
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5/16/2017 - llink wrote: 94 Points
Compelling nose of graphite, truffled blackberry, cassis, coffee grinds and cedar. The palate is well balanced, very polished and silky with fine grained well integrated tannins and a lovely mouth caressing texture. In a great spot today, but no hurry to drink these up.
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4/22/2017 - yossarian.livez wrote: 91 Points
Dark chocolate and rich dark ripe fruit to go with cedar and herbal notes. A slight hint of warmth on the finish, but by no means obtrusive. A slight milky tang to it. Very concentrated, medium acid with medium plus finish. Not overly heady by any means, but a nice wine. Tannin is well folded in. Drink now and over the next 5-10.
Tasted blind. This was probably the closest I was to getting new and old world mixed up for this tasting. Still guessed L bank.
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4/22/2017 - Keeping It Real wrote: 92 Points
WineLA event: Bordeaux vs. Cabernet tasting (Los Angeles, CA): Tasted blind. The nose is sneaky. Burnt caramel. Big wine. Off the bat, I thought this was a 2003 Bordeaux by its over ripeness and a slightly burnt caramel after taste. Something about this wine though. I really liked it.
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4/22/2017 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was better than my last 2. Oak is more integrated. A more plush, soft, darkly fruited Lalande, with still has the telltale herbal signature of the estate. Seems to be in it's drinking plateau. Won't fade for some time, though I don't see marked improvement either. My last bottle.
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2/18/2017 - Tad GW Likes this wine: 96 Points
50+5+14+18+9=96
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2/14/2017 - batas wrote: 90 Points
Initially big and inelegant, but softened up after 72 hours in the bottle to something smooth and feminine. Lingering tannins on the palate not very pleasant, but nice drink otherwise
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1/15/2017 - premiercruclasse wrote: 92 Points
Consumed at Church State with HJ. Smells and tastes like a typical Paulliac, but still very closed. Probably needs 5+ years.
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1/8/2017 - arthurogus wrote: 95 Points
After four hours in the decanter, this wine was excellent, if a tiny bit on the acid side. The bouquet was complex, the finish was long with soft and pleasant tannins, with a distinct note of anise and chocolate, with both fruit and age showing.
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12/25/2016 - englishman's claret wrote: 86 Points
Who put a Napa cab into my Pichon Lalande bottle? Of the 20 or so vintages of PLL I've enjoyed, this was without doubt my least favorite. The heat of the vintage shines through and dominates the nose. I wondered if cooling it down a bit might help, but alas not. What this wine has is heft and alcohol. What it doesn't have is the trademark Pichon Lalande charm, sophistication, and breeding that makes vintages like the 82 and 96 among the best bottles to come out of Bordeaux.
I followed this for about 3.5 hours in the decanter without much improvement. Luckily, I still had plenty of 82 Haut Brion in the decanter so this wasn't a loss too keenly felt.
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12/11/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This is a beauty. The smoke, tobacco, truffle, cedar, cherry liqueur, mint, thyme and light cocoa dust in the nose if a winner. But the silky, lush, sexy texture, and the sweet, cassis, cherry and bitter chocolate in the end, seals the deal. Decanted about 20 minutes and enjoyed over the subsequent 90 minutes was working tonight.
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12/2/2016 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
excellent wine - irrespective of the vintage, this has an excellent balance with an acidity structure and fruit which is not heavy
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12/1/2016 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Still primary with some nail polish aromas. Only slightly hot, but not over-ripe. Tannins softened and integrated, surprisingly balanced. 31% Merlot according to Nicolas Glumineau.
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11/6/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a couple of hours decant...perfect to drink. Nice black fruit with just the right amount of silky tannins left. I didn't feel the heat of 03 either. 13% volume. Good, but not like the extraordinary Pichon Baron 03.
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11/5/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wines Tasted at HDH Auction (Tru - Chicago IL): Slightly too ripe and almost roasted, but there is so much concentration here that it is intriguing to imagine where this will be when it becomes interesting in another decade. Perhaps 89-90 points today, but lots of interesting upside for those who are patient.
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11/5/2016 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
HDH Bordeaux Auction; 11/4/2016-11/5/2016 (Chicago, IL): A bit of roastedness on the nose, but not too much. Dark fruit here, this shows obviously very, very ripe, but this wine really does seem to grow on you with time. Quite a lot of tannin, and a touch of stewed fruit, as well as a touch of burnt something or other on the back end. But despite all of that, this is still a pretty solid 2003.
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10/27/2016 - cephomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
NYC Tasters Guild: 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: Drank at NYC tasters guild. Drank with Pichon Baron. Solid red core, no signs of age. Wine is more open and more developed than the Baron. Elegant and graceful with soft tannins. More approachable than the Baron. Plenty of cedar, lead pencil, graphite and glycerine here. Delicious and showing nicely on this occasion.
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10/8/2016 - Bigtuna Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like most Bordeaux's from the hot summer of 2003, this wine is much more fruit forward than a classic bordeaux. Still a little on the young side, however this wine shows lots of potential. Really nice fruit, good depth, great nose, and a starting to develop a very nice finish.
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10/4/2016 - phynes wrote: 92 Points
Tasted the Pichon Lalande 2003 alongside the Shafter One Point Five from 2008 and Cakebread 2009. The Pichon was more fragrant with more finesse, the Shafer more powerful and fruit forward and the Cakebread somewhere in between. People voted in different ways with the overall view that "all three were equally lovely but different"
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9/24/2016 - overhill wrote: 94 Points
Has matured significantly since my previous bottle in 2012. Gone are the voluptuous red fruits and new world ripeness and in their place are more typical, if not taut, expressions of a great vintage in Pauillac. The nose was rustic blackberries, graphite, dried fruit, and kirsch. the complexity came in the mouth and on the long finish due to layers of grainy tannins and waves of mouth-coating acidity.
Drinking relatively young and definitely benefited from 2 hours of decanting.
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9/9/2016 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A stunningly good bottle of Bordeaux tonight. This is drinking so well now with a gorgeous classic Pauillac nose of graphite minerals and deep blackberry fruit. On the palate, it is showing a beautiful, aged soft texture with delicious, ripe flavors of blackberry and cassis. Quite plush but then finishes with good crisp tannins and lovely chocolate and mineral notes. From magnum, this is rich and singing now as the Merlot is especially prominant but it will probably still improve given the firm tannins. 93+
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9/5/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
A lovely wine. A little tight at first, it really opens up in the glass, with subtle aromas of ripe berry fruits. It really comes alive in the mouth with jammy flavours of blackberry and red cherry, and ends with a long steely finish. It is drinking very well but I would recommend leaving it to decant for a good few hours. Another great success from 2003.
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8/21/2016 - vintman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine Sunday. 2003 Pichon Longeuville Comtesse de Lalande. Classic Pauillac on the nose. Very nice fruit, dark, black currant, smooth finish that goes on and on. #wine #bordeaux
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8/7/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 2h. Immediately after opening this had the smell and taste of dark chocolate. After two hours the chocolate has receded a bit. The nose is a perfumy mix of oak, graphite, faint tobacco, and cranberry. This is a medium- to full-bodied red, it fills every corner of the mouth. Wow. Leather, ripe plums and dark cherries, oak, dark chocolate (still there!), all integrated with soft, plush tannins. Very elegant, like liquid velvet. This is an excellent, delicious bdx in its drinking window. Youthful, certainly 5 or more years or more to go. Tonight with some elaborate sushi rolls, proving -- in my mind at least -- that a good bdx is an excellent accompaniment to just about any flavorful savory meal.
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7/23/2016 - Plabella Likes this wine: 95 Points
drank with Pippia. Great wine which has aged well.
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6/20/2016 - skifree wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and had with a grilled NY the first night. Was struck by its "new world" characteristics immediately. Very dark color in the glass, had notes of ripe (but not stewed) black fruit, mint, red fruit, and mineral. Tannins seemed blunt at the back end. Did not get the vegetal notes others spoke of. This seemed young and primary, much more so than I expected.
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6/5/2016 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Pretty lush and enjoyable.
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5/29/2016 - BrunelloBaroloCabernet1984 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank from two separate bottles in France tonight. Pnp. Floral nose, pleasant but not overpowering. Smooth from the first sip and didn't change after aeration. Great initial taste and finish. Definitely ready to drink, just fantastic.
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4/19/2016 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
Pichon Lalande Tasting: A hint of green on the nose, coconut; Varm in the mouth, drying tannin, a hint of something burned in the finish, yogurt.
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1/24/2016 - edub7 wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful, plush and concentrated, yet light on its feet. True class, and a bit exotic for Lalande. So appealing now. Early prime for the past few years and remains the same. Very velvety. Plenty of terroir and character. Consumed alongside the 2004. The 2003 is a bit more polished and generous, though I think the 2004 may have a bit more longevity. This 2003 Pichon Lalande is fantastic and ready to enjoy now. While it does not have the depth of direct neighbor Chateau Latour in 2003, it may in fact have more purity. Drink now or hold up to 7 -10 years. 95/96
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1/17/2016 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second tasting of this and quite different. Serious nose with good depth. Vanilla and cassis;. Usual hints of graphite and leather but not in abundance. Not "stewed" this time and no sharpness as before. Rounded with some tannins.
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1/1/2016 - redknife Likes this wine: 94 Points
Took to le provencale for the holiday dinner with my NPs
Decanted for 3 hrs; showed well with plenty of life ahead
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12/6/2015 - peterk wrote:
This bottle seemed to have shut down. There's definitely - in my view - lots of life left in this. I don't get the early drinking window suggested by most critics. My sense is that there's good potential in this. I'm going to give it another couple of years before I try another bottle.
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11/18/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Tobacco, licorice, earth, cedar, roasted dark berries, herbs, black cherry and spice, open to a lush, sexy, plush, opulently textured wine of pleasure, finishing with sensuous, sweet, ripe, milk chocolate covered cherries.
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11/1/2015 - Shoebox wrote: 87 Points
Slightly stewed nose but pleasant all the same. Thick legs, nice clear purple colour. Slightly burnt on the palate. Not much fruit. Not great depth of flavour. A little sharp. Disappointing.
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10/24/2015 - mwanasheria Likes this wine: 93 Points
Herbs, vanilla, cassis, dark fruit. Developing quite some heat on the backend. Not sure this is going into the right direction. Nice nevertheless.
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10/4/2015 - King JR wrote: 90 Points
Still too early I think. Did have a vegetal aftertaste that has been noticed by Neal Martin. Maybe that will resolve over time - hope so. Nice bottle but underwhelmed this time.
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9/26/2015 - Highlander wrote:
Welcome to the barnyard! Nose was full that of a barnyard scent and even after a 3 hour decant, it was still present. Not corked and not bad. Leather, and tobacco dominate this, but the fruit is there, but 2nd chair, not first. The question is, will this improve...and when? I hope so. Don't get me wrong, the wine is very good, but for the price I expected more. Try again next year.
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9/16/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A solid bdx, if slightly below the expectations of this estate. Showing more expressive than my last bottle almost 2yrs ago. Black current, smoke, and cedar nose. Palate is rather plush as might be expected of '03, but no roasted notes or seemingly early maturity. Bulky tannins in the background. Moderate length finish would cedar notes comes through more prominently. Doesn't have the lift and nuance of more typical years-- but is solid. just not a great QPR at current prices.
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9/13/2015 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Dom. de Chevalier plus lunch (My place, parramatta, sydney): on the nose, and despite a double decant, an initial musty note that dissipated reasonably rapidly to be replaced by blackcurrant, plentiful sweet spice, vanilla, cream, bitter chocolate and just a hint of candied orange peel. On the palate the wine is juicy and the blackcurrant fruit is almost instantaneously closed down by grippy, drying tannins, fruit persists beneath this tsunami though and is joined by chocolate notes. Hmm. I think, despite vintage, we might have just committed vinfanticide.
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7/3/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 94 Points
There is Pichon, and then there are other wines. Might be the wine of the vintage, albeit based on a narrow sampling. Loved it. everything that needed to happen has happened. Forget what I said a year ago.
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6/22/2015 - glassnost wrote: 85 Points
For the price paid the only positive was it showed lots of life left given the tannic structure. But I was not impressed by its nose - reticent; fruit - stewed; complexity - uninteresting; balance - too tannic. Not a classic and not what I wanted in an 11 year Pauillac from a reputable Chateau.
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5/16/2015 - hman888 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. The nose was dominated by barnyard/funk for the first hour, combined with earth and soil. Even after the funk faded a bit, the nose did not show a lot of fruit. Frankly, the nose was not particularly appealing.
In the mouth, this wine was beautiful. Sweet dark fruit, lush and chewy. Tannins were soft and matched up well with the fruit. The finish was long and complex. As the night went on, this got better and better, with layers of flavors on display.
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5/9/2015 - MEKWINE wrote: 86 Points
Landmark Hotel Decanter Masterclass with Nicolas Glumineau. Exuberant and with a 'carpet of tannins and cat's fur' not my cup of tea.
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5/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points
More evolved in colour than 2001 and 2004. Ripe fruit on the nose, quite opulent, sweet tobacco, cigar box, spices. Pretty well balanced on the palate, a little simple, but with good fruit, nice acidity and good length. Just a little drying towards the finish. Drink soon. 89-91
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5/7/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
An earthy wine, with layered flavors integrating well: sweet oak, mint, confected fruit, mocha and tobacco. Knocked down a point or two for its density, doubt that changes with time.
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5/2/2015 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby red with no color loss medium body with perfect tannins and medium acidity. Dark fruit black raspberry with dark chocolate on the mid palate. Earthy but not musty or damp. I like that the wine displayed good fruit at 12 years but I think it will not go past 2020. Well recommended
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2/21/2015 - slapsht007 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Muted fruit - currants, raisins, dried black cherry - and nice earth tones. Complex and lush. Beautiful finish. Will definitely keep my eyes open for more.
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1/13/2015 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decant and delight. Be sure to decant.
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12/24/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slow ox'ed for 2h since no decanter available. Fairly young color with a dark garnet and a very thin translucent rim. Well done wine given the vintage, not showing the heat, and in that sense better than the Pichon Baron in the same year. Not surprisingly this is however clearly Merlot dominated, with a very round palate of dark and red fruit, coffee and a fair bit of leather and tobacco already showing. Fine tannins barely noticeable. Impressive, long finish. A very good wine, lacking a bit of precision and structure in my eyes. Prefer Duhart and Pontet Canet among the Pauillac's in 2003.
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12/16/2014 - kostaslonis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Left Bank Bordeaux tasting (Le Petit Sommelier): The color is clear ruby.
The nose is clean, medium intensity, floral character with ripe black fruit, brett again but giving depth, graphite, jammy nose, developed, minty with ripe strawberry after a while.
The wine is dry, medium body and intensity, medium acidity and alcohol, tannins are medium but round, black currant and berry, black fruit liquer notes due to the extreme heat of the vintage, cinnamon and nutmeg, balancing acidity, med+ finish.
Outstanding quality, drinking now but I guess could hold. Wine of the night for me
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12/13/2014 - svdheijden wrote:
Must have been drinking a different wine if I read the reviews below. This well kept bottle had some unpleasant vegetal notes. Oak dominated & closed, which did not improve the next day. No rating, because this must have been an off-bottle, especially compared to the excellent and utterly charming 1986 Pichon Comtesse.
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11/27/2014 - wbq8f Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bordeuax 2003 horizontal tasting with Pichon L, Mouton R, Cos d’Estournel and Margaux. All were excellent and in good condition, but there were striking differences. My wife and I had the wines with duck confit and mushroom Risotto, finishing with fresh Manchego cheese. The Cos was, surprisingly, the least impressive. It was fruity, round, but one dimensional, with little in the way of a finish. About a 92. The Pichon was next, with a bit of spice on the front end, with good red fruit, and a nice finish. Not spectacular, but very good. About 94. The Mouton was a surprise, given what I had read about it. It was really good, deep red fruits, long mid palate with earthy tones, and a long finish. This had been decanted for about four hours, so maybe that helped. About 96. The star of the evening was the Margaux. Right off the bat, complex red fruits with spices and earthy notes, mid palette of deep dark fruit, very long and satisfying finish. This is what makes Bordeaux so great. We tasted a very good California cab right after, and it seemed thin and one-dimensional. Give it a 98. Wow.
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11/23/2014 - phynes wrote: 92 Points
A year since I drank my last bottle and this was definitely an improvement. Perhaps my expectations were simply lower. A nice nose, creamy texture and taste that was like a cross between a classic Bordeaux and a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2003s still confuse me. The optimist in me thinks this is still just a bit young and could develop into something really special in the future.The pessimist thinks that wines from this vintage are always destined to be monolithic and have less complexity and fruit than normal. The optimist in me is winning but only just. Hope so as I have cases from Margaux, Lafite, Pavie, Mouton, Cos and Montrose yet to be opened.
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10/27/2014 - jmoon Likes this wine: 93 Points
decanted 2 hrs . Was drinking perfectly . Ready to drink if decanted but will hold on 5 yrs . Moderately typical med bodied but well structured pauillac. slightly green notes but a lovely crushed violet core and good length.
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10/22/2014 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
This drank very well, but felt a little closed or maybe I was just expecting the fruit to be a touch bolder. I think this will improve with time and emerge to be an amazing wine. Was good today, but will be much more impressive in time.
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10/19/2014 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote:
too young to dinrk, at least without decanting for quite awhile, which I didn't do.
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10/18/2014 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color, looks young. Nice exotic nose of violet and other flowers with some spice. Detected a little heat at first but blew off. Nice palate with plum and dark berries with good cedary tones. Maybe some cream and vanilla there too. Good finish. Still quite tannic. Should improve, although if I had an issue it's the fruit being less bold than I'd like. Will it be there when tannins fade?
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10/10/2014 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Incredible Wines at Private Wine Dinner at Collyer Catering (Westport, CT): Seemed like a lot of us were in agreement that this was the best Bordeaux of the night although for a while it was the Cos for me. This was served too cool to start but as it warmed up it really started to kick into high gear. Most interesting nose of the 3 Bordeaux's with kirsch, bell pepper, game and herb. Once the palate came around though this was really singing with flavors of cherry, iron, espresso, licorice and a hint of smoke. The finish was also about 35-40 seconds. By the time I was taking my last couple of sips they were by far the best. This is still a baby to be honest and will provide outstanding drinking for years to come.
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8/16/2014 - Eltigro814 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank after a 2 hour decant with lamb chops at Evvia in Palo Alto. Gorgeous and elegant aromas of berries, herbs, tobacco and smoke. Opulent but smooth and perfectly balanced, great example of Pauillac. This is amazing now, very close to maturity and will hold at this level for the next decade. Will be looking to purchase more on auction.
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8/15/2014 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Oak, coconut, vanilla, berry, ripe, and thick. Luscious and full of fruit, but an obvious departure in style from the other bottles tonight. More like a good Cali Cab, and my least favorite of the night. It's certainly stacked, so there might be considerable upside here.
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7/12/2014 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
What a difference a day makes. We had about a third of a bottle left from the prior night, kept under cork on the counter. Aromas of currants- red and black- with tobacco, cedar and earth and spice undertones. The palate is full and weighty, with flavors of black fruit, tobacco and green herbs. Long finish. Just terrific tonight.
If this is being drunk now it needs a very long decant, but best to wait a few years yet. Drink from 2020+.
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7/11/2014 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Mike & Judi's): Crimson color. Aromas of cassis, dark fruit and green tobacco with Pichon's underlying green/herbal qualities. Medium+ tannins are balanced by dark fruit and herb tones. Has an elegance. Nice finish. Young. I knew this wine was in the last flight, and suspected it was the PLL when I picked up the green notes. Others' guesses leaned towards CA Cab Franc or Franc-heavy blends.
I popped the cork back in and saved what was left for the next day to see what would become of it.
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6/22/2014 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Was amazed how this Pichon was ready to drink minutes after opening. Bright fruit, round, yet complex with ruby red color. Dark berry fruit layered with cinnamon, cassis and licorice. Ridiculously smooth on the palate, yet nice structure with tannins seamlessly integrated into the fruit. An absolutely amazing wine.
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5/30/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
CdB BYOB; rather simple nose; supple blackberry; bold and textured; young massive and vigorous; developing very well with a great future; somewhat abrupt finish.
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5/26/2014 - Thilo wrote: 92 Points
Color is dark garnet with some lightening at the rim. Nose shows currant and cedar with hints of tobacco. Palate shows soft dark fruit as well as integrated tannins. Relatively ready to go from opening. 2003 does seem to be maturing a bit early. Enjoyable.
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5/1/2014 - phynes wrote: 89 Points
Like too many '03s I have had in the last year (Pontet Canet, Leoville Barton, Calon Segur, Grand Puy Lacoste, etc): relatively high on acid and tannin but low on fruit. Is this a phase they are are all going through? Nose was attractive and it did soften out a bit after a year but not as enjoyable as some unclassed crus from '01 or '04 I've had recently. Perhaps this will come around in a couple of years?
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4/17/2014 - Jamie Manley Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a beautiful Lalande and a beautiful Pauillac. As soon as I pulled the cork, I knew that this would be a great bottle. Brilliant ruby red with no bricking. A youthful nose that is red fruit driven - showing cassis, cherry, cinnamon, tobacco, briar patch, menthol, and pencil. Textbook Pauillac. I had a hard time keeping my nose out of the glass. The palate is almost identical to the nose and the fruit is very rich and young. A long and layered finish has an exclamation point of some wonderful pencil notes. I was way surprised at how youthful this was and well stored bottles could use another 5 years easy. Brilliant showing! 96 Pts
I must address that there appear to be some less than stellar bottles of this wine showing up on CT. I do not have an answer?? All that I can say is that I know exactly where my bottles came from and how they have been stored. This is said with no disrespect to those who have had bad bottles. Perhaps bad luck, but a trend certainly seems to be forming. I have had this wine at least 6 times and all the bottles have been incredibly consistent, one of my favorite Lalandes - with the exception of 82 and 96 (have not popped an 00 yet). I will be buying more 03 Lalande, but based on other reviews here, I would suggest due diligence before you purchase this wine.
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4/4/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
A smooth and silky PL that shows very little of the '03 roastedness. Lovely black fruit flavors with a velvety texture and soft, rounded tannins. There is a nice complexity developing on the finish with notes of graphite minerals and tobacco. Out of magnum, it still needs a few more years to come around. Well done for the vintage. 91+
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3/28/2014 - Rezy13 wrote: 91 Points
Bring your best you paid under $100- double blind (Norcross, GA): Deeper color, more extraction, darker garnet core with red rim; vanilla, cherry, roses, violets, deep, sweet red and dark berry, plum; soft acid, somber, very fleshy, red apple skin on finish, grainy prickly tannin, slight heat on finish; I thought this was domestic Merlot- Pahlmeyer '01 is what I called; surprised how modern the wine showed with very little Bordeaux complexity- 2nd time having it and similar showings both times.
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2/22/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Cedar wood, tobacco, oak, blackberries and truffle scents pop with no effort. Silk and velvet textures and a rich, open, lush, fruit filled finish make this a pleasure to drink, now and in the future. This is a very sexy example of Pauillac.
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1/25/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 90 Points
PNP which was big big mistake. Shared with friends out to dinner. This took nearly an hour to begin to open and soften. For us Pichon Lalande often drinks well younger than many other of its neighbors. The 2003 seemed a different Pichon, starting off and remaining somewhat austere without the usual softening of the merlot. Will wait a while before tackling the next one which is not the way we usually feel about this wine.
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1/12/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
I Agee with others who thought this wine is one dimensional and (hardly) tannic. It is--at first. It then opens up to reveal more dark red fruit and a bit of spice. The true disappointment came when it developed a beautiful nose and no taste.
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1/8/2014 - wdcwine wrote: 85 Points
In line with what many others are experiencing -- this is just not a complex 95 point wine like some of the pros have rated it in the past. Loads of tannin, average fruit, and no finish at all which is disappointing for a $130 bottle. First time I've tried this vintage -- sounds like it was drinking great a few years ago but I would not buy another bottle...at this price point you can do much, much better.
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12/31/2013 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted at Sandbar. Not often I drink a Pauillac so this is a treat. Wonderful nose. Well decanted and aerated and reasonably open. Flavor profile feels a bit narrow and focused on the tannins - so still a bit closed. Lovely dark fruit flavors underneath. Nice but I get the feeling it can and probably will be better.
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12/29/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 95 Points
Cassis, herbs, sweet cherries, chocolate. I dont remember it being so sweet and youtmful from the last times I had it, so seems to be on an interesting trajectory.
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12/28/2013 - WKC wrote: 85 Points
Disappointment. Decanted 3 hours prior and even after another 2 hours was closed with a seemingly insurmountable wall of tannin. It is interesting to see how several others have expressed a similar view these last few months compared to last year when the vintage seems to have been drinking well. My feeling is this has closed down now…till when and how will it evolve when it eventually reopens? But also very possibly a bad bottle…will give it another try with my last bottle. Fingers crossed.
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12/23/2013 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and followed over 2 days. Seemed quite closed and far below expectations, especially after an excellent bottle 2yrs ago. This still has a prominent char/toast/espresso (reduction?) quality to the nose, along with pencil, and with a dark plum fruit profile. Palate shows the lushness of the '03 vintage, but much less expressive than expected--maybe sullen, and a bit muddled. Adds a little red fruit to the mix, but this is still a rather dark fruit profile for a Lalande and lacking the typical touch of herbaceousness. Luckily the finish is quite long, showing some balance. This seems more like a PB than a Lalande. Might need a few more years if this bottle is typical, with the early expressive window now closed.
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12/18/2013 - pikemasterflash wrote: 84 Points
Pretty significant disappointment, especially in light of its price. Dark as ink and flat as a board. I didn't get any fruit and, at best, some mustiness on the nose and some cedar finish.
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12/7/2013 - bacchusnyon wrote: 89 Points
well, this was a bit of a disappointment, given the price point. Less interesting that three years ago, and perhaps closed for business. Smooth, with some crushed stone and cherry pits, but a medium finish, and not much of the secondary notes that others have seen. Perhaps I should have double decanted, but either way, it does not hit the peaks.
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12/7/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot created a ruby colored wine that is showing lightening at the edge. Truffle, blackberry, cassis, cocoa, plum, spice, black cherry, tobacco and smoke produce a complex perfume. Plush, rich, sexy and sensuous, this opulent, pure, velvet textured wine is a treat for the senses. Maturing at a rapid pace, you can enjoy a bottle now, or over the next 15-20 years. If this wasn’t tasted in a vertical with numerous other vintages to write about, I would have put this delicious elixir where it belonged instead of the bucket.
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11/3/2013 - Grinner wrote: 89 Points
17th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (The Lyon's Tree House): Another underperformer in this blind tasting. Not bad, not great. Pencil, black fruit/cassis, tar, and earth but only medium depth and length. Same on day 2.
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10/25/2013 - Bandreas wrote: 86 Points
Tasted at the 2013 New York Wine Experience
Nose surprisingly closed and reticent. Some finesse shines through.
On palate a bit flat and unexciting. something seemed to be missing.
Is it going through a "dumb" phase?
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10/13/2013 - Fatty Cat wrote: 88 Points
0.375 L bottle in restaurant "Dollenberg", mid Oct 2013: decanted; rubin red color; weak red fruits and lots of vanilla; full body; open, bright, mild texture; no finish.
This Comtesse 2003 half bottle was ripe, maybe already fading. Not as good as I expected. Bad or wrongly stored bottle?
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5/18/2013 - Cheungtp wrote: 88 Points
Birthday dinner gathering with 2003 wines (Hong Kong): Its unfortunate that this great wine didn't show its true form tonight, seems like its not ready for business. Tight, green notes and muted fruits and smoke. On the palate, not much fruit or secondary nuances, yet rather spicy. Hope this is just an off bottle, and will have better showing next time.
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5/11/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Removed the cork on Friday morning, re-corked, then aerated to decanter for three hours on Saturday before the dinner.
Captivating aromas and flavors for the first few minutes, but then an odd array of flavors including stem, green olive and red cabbage. By the second glass this has mostly come together, but it's obvious this needs more time to knit. Should be quite something in the coming years. Head and shoulders above the 05 Lascombes that came before it, but eclipsed by the stunning '03 Cos d'Estournel that followed this wine. Drink thru 2024
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4/28/2013 - Alexjr1 wrote: 93 Points
A classic Pichon from a lighter year. Still very much alive but, don't expect it to last like the 82's. Regardless a delightful bottle.
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4/9/2013 - Mr T wrote:
popped and poured after Neal Martin's less than enthusiastic review of the 2003's after 10 years. This bottle opened with some funk that blew off and moderately ripe nose. Color going to ruby on the edges. The wine was very soft with tannins resolved and presumably strong merlot presence. None of the green sometimes seen at PLL. Very pretty wine adn easy to drink although not sure I got that much classic Pauillac of cedar and pencil as described below. I don't know if that changes/improves much with age; very nice now and presumably stays that way for a good while. Pretty wine
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3/22/2013 - Yiannis wrote: 95 Points
Dark ruby. Attractive, elegant and archetypical Pauillac nose with ink, cedar, pronounced melted graphite and cassis. Medium-bodied with amazing freshness given the vintage, refined, with soft tannins and an excellent acidic lift. Long aftertaste. Absolutely approachable now with a good decade of life ahead.
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3/21/2013 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 94 Points
A relaxing evening with wines and friends (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): Sexy, soft feminine bouquet of vanilla, cigar, cedar, crushed stone, black currants, simply beautiful. Balance and structure of the wine is elegant and rich, taste of spicy oak, leather, vanilla, bitter cocoa bean, ripe raspberry and wet earth. Tannins are quite noticeable, but finely integrated and tasty. Rewarding long finish with dark fruits, tobacco leaf and spice. A tiny bit of heat shown near the end.
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3/6/2013 - J-Sho Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great drinking Bordeaux with nose of dark fruit, currant, espresso, and oak. Medium bodied with deft balance and integrated tannins. Nice long finish.
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3/1/2013 - ecnemergut wrote: 93 Points
Incredible. Wonderful blackberry currant nose with a wonderfully long finish.
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2/24/2013 - Fatty Cat wrote: 91 Points
Rheingau Gourmet Festival "Weinraritätenlunch Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande" (12 PLC vintages), late Feb 2013: red ink; lush red fruit bowl; full body; smooth texture; juicy fruit acid.
California here I come!
In a blind tasting I would have definitively voted for a California Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
2nd flight: 1995 - 1998 - 2000 - 2003
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2/10/2013 - dougwine wrote:
Opened and decanted 2 hrs. Dark fruit, tar, char, herb, plum & coffee touch forest floor. Not as Pauillac as I would have expected. The Merlot shows through on both the palate(plum, herb) and the finish(velvet intergrated tannin). Great length and got better and better as it evolved. Great bottle with plenty of life left to go. I wish I would have opened it 5 hrs earlier. 19/20 rating. 2-5-6-3-3. Nose would probably get a 6 with time.
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1/21/2013 - godx wrote:
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Bistro Pastis): Cool and open nose of creamy dark fruits with hints of bell pepper. Palate seemed quite simple and a little stripped and dried out. Other tables liked their bottle more than we liked ours, so perhaps ours was off.
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1/21/2013 - MattTM wrote:
Commanderie de Bordeaux: 2003 Left Bank Dinner (Pastis - Vancouver, BC): This was a weird showing for this wine. Tons of candied red cherry on the nose, along with boysenberry, red plum, green bean, and violet floral aromas. More candied red cherry follows through to the palate, as well as asphalt, kirsch, black pepper, and some green notes. Moderate+ acidity with mouth numbing tannins. Medium+ length finish ending on notes of red cherry and kirsch. This was far from exciting, resembling more of a simple, cheap Merlot-dominated right bank Bordeaux. Having tasted this previously I can't rate this showing as I don't think this was a fair representation of what this wine has to offer. Not rated
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12/14/2012 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Battle between Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse and Lynch Bages. 11 TOP Vintages from 1982 - 2009 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): In the bouquet beautiful and exclusive oak, smoke, cassis and just a little bit pleasant barnyard. Same on the palate with a lot of ripe and sweet juicy mainly black forest fruits. Already a great pleasure and very early maturity stage now. Great and luxurious wine.
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12/14/2012 - CellarBord Likes this wine: 93 Points
Soft, velvety,wonderful wine with the Filet of Beef topped with Foie Gras. The Merlot was very evident in the blend. Drinking very nice now and will add a bit more character and depth with age.
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12/14/2012 - CellarBord wrote: flawed
Two bottles were off this evening.
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11/15/2012 - tbabes wrote: 92 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; the sommelier at 1862 opened 1.5 hours prior to service, but did not decant. Notes of ripe dark fruits, a hint of olive, truffle, and earth. A bit more subdued on the nose than I was expecting. Medium-bodied, with good depth and balance, but not as lush or velvety as the '03 Pichon Baron served along side it.
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11/2/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Vanilla, tobacco, cassis in the nose. Vibrant and opulent on the palate with cassis, dark fruit, plums, marmelade. Really good even if not a typical comtesse.
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10/31/2012 - LFCHALA wrote: 90 Points
Disappointed. Intense aromas, however alcoholics. In the mouth, very concentrated, but without much complexity. Does not evolved with aeration. The tasters felt that their aging capacity is limited, although Bordeaux surprised in this regard. The positive point was its improvement with the second dish: Fillet the Poivre. Drunk on Freddy restaurant in São Paulo – Brazil
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10/26/2012 - EyeDoc wrote:
Tremendous but needs more time - like a decade.....
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9/24/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Very expressive nose packed with smoke, tobacco, earth, blackberry, spice and truffle scents. In the mouth, this is plush, soft and round. At 9 years of age, this is already a pleasure to enjoy, but it has room to age and develop as its not yet fully mature. The rich finish ends with black cherry, cocoa, earth, olive and spicy sensations.
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9/18/2012 - danielk168 wrote: 90 Points
Did not haveenough timefor it to develop, a pity, finished it too soon and also after the intense 02 Insignia, a bit unfair, should be reversed.
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9/8/2012 - Ary wrote: 95 Points
Semi blind, opened 5 hours. Expressive nose multi-layered sweet ripe fruits (cherry, blue- and strawberry), lactic tones, mocha, roasted coffee and licorice surrounded by layers of minerals and crushed rocks. Powerful palate but also elegant. Long lingering. Several of us thought this would be the Mouton (since it) easily outperformed the excellent Pichon Baron 2003 beside. Still in its infancy. Could well gain more points later.
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7/25/2012 - Jamie Manley wrote: 97 Points
06 What a lovely young Lalande. Expressive aromatics of deep cherry, cassis, briar, menthol, and pencil. The nose on this is surprisingly open, if young. The palate is rich and displays a similar flavor profile, while showing some boldness mid-palate with a long layered finish. Bright acidity and firm tannins close the deal. A complete winner. 95+ Pts
03 Wow, this is coming along very nicely indeed! A recent retail purchase, perhaps more developed than those of excellent provenance. The family lineage is clear, but the 03 is starting to develop some fine complexities. The telltale nose of cherry, cassis, briar, menthol, and pencil is further enhanced with additional notes of tobacco, earth, and black tea. Just magnificent! The deep, rich palate is loaded and intense and serves up layer after layer of nuance and velvet. Did I mention that this wine is coming along very nicely? Wow! Very impressive indeed. 97 Pts
Two clear winners from my favorite chateau. You really cannot go wrong with either one. The 06 is currently a bit less expensive, but the 03 is worth the extra money. (both are significantly below 09 and 10 pricing)
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7/16/2012 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Lush, rich - still young yet beautifully integrated
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6/30/2012 - John Tang wrote: 95 Points
need 3 hours decanting, cassis, dark fruits, quite classy Pauillac. Solid mid palate with long finish. An excellent wine that has another 10 years aging potential.
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6/14/2012 - LARich wrote: 89 Points
Bit young and licorice taste at first. No real finish and a bit tight at this stage. Potential, but not there yet. Needs time.
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6/5/2012 - mccaffery wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely stunning and delicious
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5/8/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
With an expressive nose packed with mocha, cassis, vanilla, forest floor, earth, red and black plum and cigar box aromas, this sensuous, lush, rich, Pichon Lalande is drinking great today. It should age effortlessly for at least another 15-20 years.
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5/4/2012 - overhill wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux night at Matt's (with wives) (Matt's house): The ripeness of the vintage is evident in this bottle, but all in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The nose jumps out at you with cream cheese frosting, ripe red fruit, musty barnyard stink, and some pencil lead. This was the most voluptuous red of the night and in the mouth there was new world-type depth of flavor and concentration. Fairly long finish leaves the mouth coated in a rich plum stew. This will be an early drinker, but no hurry as it will develop for years.
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4/23/2012 - AllRed wrote:
Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Notes of red fruit, vanilla and berries. Softened tannins; full-bodied, with flavors of red fruit, spice and graphite. Finishes well.
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4/15/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 95 Points
Sweet cassis, red fruit, vanilla, smoke. Really big, and this is getting better all the time.
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4/14/2012 - macker100 wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the Hosanna at the table. Rich nose of vanilla, smoke, blackberries. Lalande had that '03 richness, but very nicely balanced with acidity. Black fruit, chocolate, spice notes with long finish.
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4/13/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 94 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks; 4/13/2012-4/14/2012 (Tre Trattoria): Initially decanted an hour. Dark ruby red color. Delicious nose of smoke, toast, and dark fruit and just a hint of that herbal "greeness" I get with Lalande. Palate is smooth, quite round, showing black cherry and currants--really quite dark in flavor profile, no red fruits to be found. Toast and mocha dominate into the finish where is shows some tar, toast, and roasted espresso. This still has a LOT of oak left to integrate. Plush fruit profile but it's in the background here. The nose is the only thing that reminds me of Lalande here.
Later in the evening I retried this, and it was much more typical of Lalande, losing the strong toast and roasted notes and showing dark fruit with a delightful herbal streak with hints of tobacco leaf. Really showing well after a few hrs air.
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3/19/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Earth, tobacco leaf, cassis, blackberry, smoke, forest floor and olive notes open up the nose. Full bodied, with lush, round, silky ripe dark berries, cassis and spice, the wine continues developing well. At 9 years of age, it's already drinking well. Even though it's showing surprisingly well, I expect the wine to continue improving for several more years.
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3/9/2012 - theusualsuspect wrote: 91 Points
Black fruity grapey rich and really easy drinking. But Pichon Lalande was once up with the big boys, yet I don't see it in this wine. Or in other recent vintages of Pichon Lalande. Like Lynch Bages, I think Pichon Lalande has taken a substantial step backwards in the last twenty years or so. In 1982, for example, Pichon Lalande was easily a top ten left bank wine, if not top five.
Back then, Pontet Canet was a disappointing also ran. Today in vintage after vintage, I find Pontet Canet the more worthy wine, especially given the discount it sells at relative to Pichon Lalande. Certainly in 2003, Pontet Canet is a more ambitious structured wine that I think will far more rewarding down the road than the Pichon Lalande.
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2/5/2012 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Dense purple colour. Blackberries, cherries, and smoke on the palate somehow affirm the nose. Nicely integrated, intense wine that is oh-so-easy to drink.
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1/20/2012 - BMcD77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby color with a chocolate nose. Taste of burnt toffee and cherry? Good tannin finish with impressive length
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1/1/2012 - Marc S wrote:
New Years Eve.
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11/4/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Lots of sweet fruit, cassis, vanilla, herbs, chocolate. Very good.
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8/31/2011 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
(blind tasting of an unknown Bordeaux)
dark red-black color with no lighter rim
great rich developed & classic Pauillac vanilla-oak & chocolate aroma of high-quality wine
on the palate backward fruits - smoky plum, blackberry and black currant - firm tannin, high acidity & bitterness, full-body, med-balanced as the aroma is much richer & enjoyable than the rather bitter taste. Nevertheless, a lovely wine to sniff for hours.
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6/29/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
This wine opens with dark berries, mushroom, earth, pepper and tobacco notes. Soft, elegant, silky tannins, coupled with velvety dark fruit ends with fresh, ripe blackberries, pepper and hints of green olive tapenade. This sexy wine will only get better with age.
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6/24/2011 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Stellar showing. Smoke, tobacco and soaring notes of red currant on the nose. Some barnyardy aspect as a faint background element. On the palate, screaming minerality and red fruit with a lush and silky texture. Faintly dusty tannins.
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6/5/2011 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Dense, full-bodied, blackberries, cherries and all kinds of good things.
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5/17/2011 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Pichon Baron vs. Pichon Lalande @ Palena (Washington DC): Started with a hint of green and I preferred the Pichon Baron for its flamboyant expression. This however opened up very quickly, fresh, mineral, sea salt, crushed blackberries and cassis. The palate displays better definition than the Baron. It is drinking well in primary sense and I don’t anticipate this wine shutting down hard. Quite enjoyable, very little sign of the 03ness as the fruit expression is fresh.
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5/17/2011 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Pichon Dinner - Lalande vs. Baron (Palena - Washington, DC): Nose was filled with lavender, violets, dark berries and crushed rocks. Very feminine, yet powerful nose. The palate had the 2003 vintage richness, with blackberries and cassis...very nice balance though with nice minerals and tannin. Thought this outperformed the 2003 Pichon Baron that was drank alongside.
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1/26/2011 - Remony wrote: 89 Points
Goedhuis Pichon Lalande Tasting & Dinner (Hibiscus Restaurant, London): Really drinking quite well tonight. Good fruit, no acidity. Not complex. Two dimensional wine. Enjoyable now. Thomas Do Chi Nam says it won't be ready for another 5 years, and will last for 20-25 years after that. But will it? I am doubtful.
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1/23/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Getting ever better into shape. Cassis, red berries, vanilla, herbs. Tannins integrate well.
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12/17/2010 - europat55 wrote:
18-bottle Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Vertical (1976-2007) (Jeff & Chuck's, Mountain View, California): Very nice earthy nose, with hints of blackcurrents, cassis and mushrooms. Somewhat thin in the mouth. Not ready for business yet, but I'm starting to see the aging style of this wine. Seems to have the potential for 92-94 pts in 10 years.
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12/5/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Cassis, red berries, herbs, pretty tannic.
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11/1/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Red berries, cassis, herbs, chocolate. Tannins integrated nicely.
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10/29/2010 - MattTM wrote:
Le Gavroche Welcomes Gildas d’Ollone (Vancouver, BC): One of my favorite's of the night, a big wine, with lot's of fruit coming through. A nose of vanilla oak, cassis, and a bit of strawberry jam. On the palette, sweet vanilla, oak, black current, dark berries. Tannins still quite strong, this wine will be great with some time.
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10/24/2010 - bacchusnyon wrote: 92 Points
Subtle, raspberry, plum, with a herbal note and very long finish - 20 seconds. Still not fully integrated so I would wait a few years. But a lovely bottle indeed. Opened, double decanted, two hours - could have used more.
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8/15/2010 - tbabes wrote: 95 Points
This showed extremely well; popped and poured at our annual Chaine picnic. A dark and youthful purple core, turning to ruby at the rim. Notes of ripe dark fruits, tapenade, and roasted herbs. Medium-bodied, with good concentration of fruit, lovely balance and depth, velvety tannins, and a long and focused finish.
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7/22/2010 - HOS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Milking my birthday for all its worth, D took me to dinner to a great French restaurant a couple of days later. I had just bought 4 bottles of this and wanted to try one. Decanted for 1 1/2 hours then poured back into the bottle to take to the restaurant. Impressed the waiter, who could ask for more? Would have been really helpful to have a funnel though. Started drinking 2 hours after decanting and finished the bottle 4 hours after. It kept getting better as we drank it with dinner. Great nose of dark fruit, graphite, leather, dark chocolate. Concentrated taste of plum, cherry, truffle. Medium bodied, inky purple with a long, lingering finsh that was amazing. Great wine. Will keep developing for 5+ years in the bottle. Parker got this one right.
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7/4/2010 - Cippo Likes this wine: 93 Points
beautiful color and smooth palate. Benefited greatly with decanting time. Looking forward to experiencing it in the future as well.
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7/2/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Spice, cinnamon, black fruit, coffee and oak make up the aromatics. Lots of exotic, black fruit on the palate with plummy accents. The wine clearly shows its trademark richness and soft, elegant style of Bordeaux. Give it 5 more years and let it strut its stuff.
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6/6/2010 - Spruce Goose wrote:
Red raspberries and stemmy on the nose. Mixed fruit on the attack and spiciness throughout. Smooth palate, but the finish is clipped. Too simple and bringing nothing notable in any dimension. To be fair, there was some inconclusive talk about whether this was a flawed bottle. No official score, but this particular bottle was not impressive. (87)
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6/1/2010 - jreis wrote:
Decanted for 6 hours. Earthy, sexy fruit, white pepper, graphite and licorice on the nose. Roasted coffee and dark fruit on a pretty muted palate at a first and a tad acidic on the finish. Continued to improve as it opend up throught he night, with more fruit poking through and the palate coming more in line with the incredible nose. Going to be a terrific wine in another 5-10 years.
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5/2/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
A strong showing. Cassis, berries and good texture.
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4/18/2010 - LeechDogg wrote: 89 Points
Vegetal, oxidized, graphite, dark tannins, black olives, acidic.
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4/2/2010 - Baeyens Cellars wrote: 91 Points
I decanted the wine for 2 hours and met a good friend at a restaurant where both of us brought our bottles blind to the other person. Turns out, he brought a 95 Pahlmeyer Bordeaux blend which I mistook for the 03 Pichon that I brought (assuming the Sommelier didn't screw it up, which both of us first suspected). I was looking for the classic Pauillac lead pencil and cedar which was not present at first, although the Pahlmeyer seemed to have it nailed. This wine was so tight for the first 3 hours and then started to show its hand a little by the 4th hour. It came across more like a right bank wine to me. Tons of structure, good mouth feel, dark fruits but mostly hidden at this point. The lack of fruit showing through was my biggest disappointment. My only bottle, but would like to have waited many more years before opening. Still wondering if the Sommelier screwed up the revealing. Should improve immensely with aging, as would my ranking.
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3/30/2010 - Whistler wrote:
Gave 2 hours in the decanter yet when we finished the wine 5 hours after it was opened it was still not delivering its true potential. I have two cases, so will give it another 2 or 3 years and check back in then.
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3/26/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Nice tannins and acidity, berries.
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1/11/2010 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
Decanted at 4:30, consumed at 8. Initial reaction upon opening - WHY the heck did we open this baby now? Aeration brought everything together and revealed the aging potential. Should be remarkable wine 10-15 years down the road. The nose is a killer, the balance and core are impeccable. Patience is a virtue and the patient ones will be rewarded. I guarantee this in writing. If you are not fully satisfied in June of 2022 - I'll pay you back with interest everything you paid for this note.
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1/10/2010 - wallstreet wrote:
wine is still a baby , but after about 2 hours of air time, it showed alot of promise. Well done now, but in 10-15 years it should be quite excellent.
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11/21/2009 - gsquireh wrote: 94 Points
Full-bodied, viscous and textured, rich dark purple, the lovely alcoholic nose is sweet red and black fruit and licorice with hints of floral and smoke. This lady is balanced from head to toe.
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11/18/2009 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
RICH DARK BERRY FRUIT AND LEATHER IN THE NOSE WITH CURRANTS, BLACKBERRIES, AND BLACK CHERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXIY AND A LONG FINISH.
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11/14/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
This offers an exotic, spicy nose combining ripe, spicy, red and black fruits. The wine hits the palate with a very sexy feel and maintains a lot of complexity through the finish.
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11/8/2009 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 90 Points
This wine is hot and a little scorched. Certainly closed for business, will it improve?
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9/1/2009 - Tad GW wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous aeromatics not quite matched by the taste, but still a wonderful wine that will continue to improve with several years in the cellar.
50+5+13+17+8=93
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7/23/2009 - nicolas1 wrote:
bon
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7/10/2009 - City Wine Journal wrote: 94 Points
This is beautiful! Bought and held nearly 2 years. Decanted 2 hours, and is opening bigger and bigger. Gorgeous aromas, deep dark blackberry, long leaf tobacco, milk chocolate, and cassis. Generous mouth feel and a good balance of acidity & lovely tannins that are still resolving. Slight catch in the throat reveals a little heat, but all is well and very long on the mouth-watering finish. Nearly there, but can't fault anyone for dipping in now. Grill a great steak and you'll have a great night.
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5/7/2009 - tbabes wrote: 94 Points
Fill was into the neck and the cork was like new; opened about 1 hour prior to drinking. Youthful appearance; purple-plum color. A farily restrained bouquet at this point, revealing notes of pure casis, blackberry and sun-baked stones. Medium bodied, with a lush mouthfeel, outstanding concentration and depth, and a long, complex, well-focused finish. I was hoping for more on the nose, but am confident that will come with bottle age; re-visit in 2012.
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3/22/2009 - skifree wrote: 96 Points
Deep garnet color, sweet red and black fruit on the nose. Very complex, different types of fruit mingled with hints of cedar and blueberry. Toasy finish, still has grip from the tannins,but drinking beautifully. Tasted at Arnie Millan's Bordeaux Round Table at Esquin. More cab than a typical Lalande, we were told. Wine was double-decanted. Clear WOTN for me.
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2/9/2009 - JJA wrote: 92 Points
This was funky on the first night...thought I got a bad bottle. But then on nights 2 and 3, this was terrific. Beautiful integration, medium-bodied, almost creamy consistency and very elegant. Really like it.
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2/7/2009 - msny98 wrote: 93 Points
Opened and decanted 2 hours. At first the aroma was dominated by cassis and black fruits, I could smell the decanter from the other room. Two hours later in the glass the fruit was still there along with cedar, classic Pauillac lead pencil and leather and just the slightest hint of roasted meats. Definitely a young wine but so enjoyable a temptress that I’ll have to ship my others offsite to keep my hands off them.
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1/12/2009 - idrinkvino wrote: 94 Points
A very young, vibrant and oh so lovely Pichon. Bright ruby and translucent in colour. Fragrances of coffee, creme de la cassis, rasberry and strawberry. Great assortment of classic bordeaux led pencil type flavour complimented by a burst of cherries and liquour. Wonderful now - and should be great for the cellar as it presents different faces in years to come.
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12/16/2008 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
31 Vintages of Pichon Lalande 1928-2005; 12/16/2008-12/17/2008 (IOD, London): Oaky, sharp penetrating nose, frank plum and berry fruit, ripe and juicy, dense, not hot, very good
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11/6/2008 - dmlove18 wrote: 94 Points
A bit tight upon opening, but after decanting for an hour, it opened up. Incredibly smooth with long finish. Minerally at the start with fruit coming out on the finish.
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10/25/2008 - ChinonRouge wrote: 94 Points
Wow! What an excellent wine. I agree that drinking a 2003 Bordeaux in 2008 is a little premature, but this wine is spectacular. I let this wine stand in a decanter for approximately 2 hours prior to consumiing it with friends. Pop and pour people will be disappointed because the wine is tight and tannic initially. Once it opens up, it has a wonderful aroma and just a dazzling finish. If I had to fault it, I would say that its midpalate is not as spectacular as the finish. Regardless, this is a really good wine. Highly recommended. An exemplary Bordeaux.
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7/13/2008 - Delund wrote: 93 Points
Smooth and silky, Concentrated blackberry on the nose with hints of graphite. intensely focused black fruits on the palate, drinking really well at this point. Definitely a modern style bordeaux.
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5/18/2008 - jbsteven wrote: 93 Points
very smooth. Will make a nice daily drink.
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4/23/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
Modern in style with a ripe nose full of cedar, vanilla, tar and currant fruit. Shows outstanding concentration of fruit in the mouth, with ample texture provided by well integrated tannins. Drinking really nicely at this point.
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12/31/2007 - nvandyk wrote: 95 Points
This is terrific! Decanted about three hours. Rich murky reddish purple. Cassis, cedar, and some lead pencil on the nose. Beautifully balanced, unctuous, full of dark fruits and a bit of earth. A fantastic Bordeaux to be enjoyed now but this has the stuffing to last as well.
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10/14/2007 - balassis wrote: 95 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 31% and Petit Verdot 4%.
Decanted for 3 hours.
Crimson in color.
Impressive nose with scents of violet, black berries, currants, dark chocolate, cherry liquer, wood and smoked bacon.
Full-bodied with a lovely acidity and sweet tannins.
Flavors of plums, cherries, oaky vanilla, spices, and black forest fruits in a velvety texture.
The finish lasts over 30 sec.
A sexy and solid wine to keep for at least two decades.
Excellent!!!
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6/1/2007 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Red Carpet: Classic sous-bois, red dark frt; rich very bal mth; licorice; silky good all around; Clasic!
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3/31/2007 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
HDH Auction (Tru): Soft red/purple color. birght ripe purple fruit nose with scare a hint of the telltale PLL green... Lovely lithe forward ripe sweet fruit with hints of chocolate on the palate. 93-94pts.
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3/24/2007 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Poured at a retailer tasting. Garnet color. Aromas of smoky plum, blackberry and black currant. Chewy tannins, with red currant, cherry and plum flavors. The oak is restrained. Nice finish.
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2/28/2007 - plitton wrote: 89 Points
Sam's Wine Bordeaux Night; 2/27/2007-2/28/2007 (Chicago): Poured straight from the the bottle. I was a little disappointed with this. The structure was light and weak with a pronounced raspberry palate. Is it in an awkward stage or is this it?
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1/1/2007 - asiabear wrote: 89 Points
Opened and breathed for two and a half hours then decanted vigorously into a claret jug. Deep garnet-purple color-- excellent. Nose still tight but with elements of berry and vanilla. Fruit is very backward on the palate still and though well-balanced I wonder if it has enough to go the distance. Beautiful finish. Difference of opinion among drinkers with point scores of 87 to 90. This is beautiful claret in a classic style but it is not a fabulous bottle of Bordeaux.
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11/29/2006 - MRichman wrote:
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal at Post House, NYC
Smooth, complex. Some leather & tobacco. Dark tar core. Very long, delicate high end flavors, bright. Currently a bit awkward.
B++
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11/24/2006 - ancientvines wrote: 93 Points
Drank at the Trace Restaurant. Really nice finish. Definitely not big and fruity.
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11/9/2006 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Wineflock - 2003 Bordeaux, Parker 90+ (Ken's): Group #8, My #2 - Full deep red color. Lovely nose of rich black fruit with some green pepper and chocolate notes. Mmmn, nice rich spicy black fruit on the palate with just a hint of green pepper.
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9/9/2006 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
2003 Bordeaux Tasting (Binny's, Schaumburg): Ruby/garnet color. Smoke, leather, dark fruit and currant aromas. A bit tight, with dark fruit flavors hiding amidst the tannins. Long, structured finish.
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8/27/2006 - KenK wrote: 96 Points
Chicago's Best Bordeaux Tasting Ever? (Ken's Home): Rich dense rich carmel cherry nose
Lots of everything, lush red and black berries, toastywith good acid and sweet soft tannins. Some green pepper chacater added depth.
Yummy wine with long life.
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8/26/2006 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Great Wines of Bordeaux dinner (Ken Kailin's): Blind. Full purple ruby red. Huge aroma of chocolate chip and black raspberry. Big bright dusty tannic red fruit on the palate. Should be a great one.
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8/12/2006 - paulst wrote: 91 Points
Lucious fruit with rich blackberry, licorice, tea, mint, chocolate and vanilla. Long finsh. Expect improvement over next 10-15 years.
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7/27/2006 - Siggy wrote: 91 Points
Winestreet Does 2003 Bordeaux (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Brilliant clarity. Reticent nose. Jammy red cherries, spice, and tobacco on the palate. Seems very youthful. Softer mouthfeel. A slight green streak on the midpalate.
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7/27/2006 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 93 Points
2003 Bordeaux (Mouton, Haut Brion, Cos, Ducru, Trotanoy, Lynch, many others): Dark red color. The nose is very stern, giving tobacco, lead pencil, and a hint of red fruit. Smells slightly green/herbal. In the mouth the taste is a syrupy red fruit with licorice and a slight earthiness. Very concentrated. Full bodied. Decent length. A very nice wine.
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7/14/2006 - win wrote: 93 Points
Amazing deep and vibrant red color with a nose of creme brulee and some floral characteristics. Still fairly tannic--I really like wines from Bordeaux in 2003.
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6/19/2006 - brion wrote: 94 Points
เป็นอีกตัวที่หอมอย่างฉกาจ รสชาดบาดใจ ชอบจริงๆ ตัวนี้ดื่มที่ห้องอาหารที่เกาะสมุย บรรยากาศดี ไวน์ดี อาหารอร่อย
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4/8/2006 - Thilo wrote: 93 Points
Tasted alongside the 02 Cos d'Estounel...this is a close call between the two. Color is dark garnet to the rim. Nose reveals cassis, cedar, spice, and smoke. On the palate, cassis, tart cherry, licorice, and earth make for a substantial wine. Tannins are present, but not overwhelming and acidity is in good balance. Still a bit disjointed, but quite enjoyable...and should only improve with age.
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3/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Full red with purple notes. Rich tight briar black fruit aroma with hints of anise. Big bold tight black cherry fruit on the palate. Not as open as I'd hoped. Long dusty tannic finish. Got a little 'pruney' with air. Needs time. 3/06
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3/31/2004 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Winery: Ripe prunes & berries; beaut. sweet licorice, blk cherry; grt full, silky smooth mth of licorice, coffee, blk cherry.***Layers of big licorice & prunes.
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3/31/2004 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Winery: Coffee, prunes; licorice, petrolly, toasty;big hot mth; slight bitter fin.--long fin.--med. hot.***Nice--but bitter hot notes.
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3/30/2004 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Bordeaux "en Primeur" Tasting and Rhone side visit; 3/29/2004-4/2/2004 (France): En Primeur tasting. Surprisingly reserved nose for the vintage. Ripe and powerful flavors with firm tannins. I am certain many will enjoy this wine far more than I ever will. 89-91 point potential for me, others enjoyed it more than I did today.
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