Lafon Rochet certainly shows the vintage character with a nose of cooked and dried fruits: prune, cooked fig, and kirsch. Paradoxically the palate offers fresher fruit at times - still sweet but not stewed - and accented by a little floral appeal and soy sauce. Despite its 21 years, the palate remains grippingly tannic. Happily the 14% ABV (as labeled) doesn't seem particularly conspicuous. Striking Lapsang souchong, beef blood finish. This bottle, in excellent condition, requires some time for the fruit to awaken on the palate and shows its best with 30 minutes - 2 hours of time in the decanter. This has its merits, but the nose is marked enough by the vintage that I find it hard to love. I could imagine that more vivacity earlier in life could have imparted a better impression than tonight's bottle.
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Twelfth bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Opened and decanted two hours in advance. On fine form, closer to the harmonious elegance of the 10th bottle (7 June 2022) than the burly power of the 11th (14 February 2023). Ripe cherry fruit, lovely freshness, leather and cedar evolution, graphite minerality, creamy texture, hint of black tea on the finish. This case has served me very well.
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En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux): From Double Magnum. Smoked bacon, sweet spice, savoury black fruits in support, earth, leather and alcohol warmth. Juicy, fleshy, dark hued fruits; sweet spice followed by massive drying tannins, off, time but I don't this will ever be in balance.
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Overall: well integrated, balanced wine, but fruit is drying out and seems to be over the hill
Nose: soil, cinnamon, clove, smells a bit like a barrel cellar, subtle fruit is way in the background; some leather, cedar
Palate: medium acidity helps with freshness; completely integrated, soft tannins. Fruit is subtle- blackberries only. Earthy, spicy notes, some citrus rind; body is medium
Finish: medium-short, mouthwatering, not bitter but maybe a bit sour
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Bordeaux 2003 Horizontal (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Some star anise and an exotic beef pho character to this, a little coriander and some soy notes. Palate is short but all in balance. Like this but again a bottle 5 years ago gave more pleasure.
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Xavier Auerbach's review was the reason, why I had to taste this one. He hit the nail on the head in his review...
Purple Red color, no signs of ageing here. The same on the beautiful, fresh nose: no tertiary aromas, only black and blue fruits and a typical Saint-Estephe "flowerish" note, bell pepper and kardamon. You want to dive into this... Palate is fresh, black currants and cherries dominate, fine tannins, which are a little bit drying at the end..this adstringence is the only disturbing thing here, the rest is pure fresh beauty. Perfect balance between sugar and acid. No overheating. Stunning for the price!
Eleventh bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Opened and decanted two hours in advance. Rich and tannic style, less finesse than some of the previous bottles but certainly with a lot of power and weight (14% ABV), warm spices and espresso, rich black fruit and soft red berries, lively and energetic for a 2003, grippy and gritty tannins, drying finish. Quite tough - needs food. Wild boar pasta al forno fits the bill perfectly.
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20 years on, very tasty. Lots of flavours but hard to describe, all secondary, tertiary flavours some fruit, some forest floor some mature wood. Might I have enjoyed this 3-4 years ago?
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A fabulous wine entering peak maturity. Ruby color with some pink at rim. Aged but not mature color. The nose is classic Saint Estephe: funky, leather rubbed black fruits. A touch animal. Velvety palate with excellent flavor depth. Some tannin remains on the finish but is amply covered by the fruit. Has a wonderful life ahead. I think this Chateau consistently delivers a real Bordeaux experience at a very fair price. One of the good 2003’s. (93)
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Tenth bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Not decanted, opened two hours in advance. I really like this wine. It is not really refined or subtle, but it is not rough or pedestrian either. The cherry and blackcurrant fruit is ripe but fresh, there is a hint of creamy oak, the finely grained tannins are grippy but not green, the palate is full-bodied but without excess (14% ABV) and the firm acidity and graphite minerality provide an energetic core. The aftertaste has good persistence but it finishes on a note of black tea, suggesting full maturity. A confident expression of vintage and terroir.
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Better bottle than last one, finishing less dry. Impressive colour, mature fruit-driven nose. Full'bodied, slightly rustic, but with that little bit of elegance that betrays a medoc grand cru.
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Beau nez qui évolue constamment. Cuir, epice, confiture. En bouche beau fruit rouge, finale sur le cuir. Tout est en rondeur. Ampleur moyenne, belle longueur. Fort agréable
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Lovely nose of rich cassis, plum, wild strawberry and polished leather. Medium bodied on the palate and sweet black fruit, rose petal and some acetate from the hot vintage. Smooth, integrated tannins and a medium spiced fruit, licorice and leathery finish. Lush claret that definitely shows signs of its heatwave vintage but is great value and delicious nonetheless.
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The nose was much better than my last bottle opened in 2019 - very enticing aromas of sweet blackcurrant, dark cherry and plum. In the mouth, it was striking by its freshness - none of the burnt, raisin-like flavours so many 03s suffer from (but this wine never has): cool blackcurrant at first, then some creamy cherry and Xmas cake flavours, rising into a dense middle section where for now, the dark raspberry just pops its head out, promising more in the future, and a long, vigorous finish. Still quite primary, this needs another five years, but it's very impressive.
Not my favourite LR, nor my favourite 03, but a very good wine.
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Dark ruby garnet color turning amber at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose gives off high octane aromas of smoky dark berries with old leather, iodine and forest floor. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with a velvety texture and medium acidity to balance the ripe blackberry, dark raspberry fruit. There’s a solid mid palate that introduces secondary flavors of black olives, dark chocolate, and espresso notes coming through to a heightened finish with hints of eucalyptus and scorched earth. Drink now until 2028. 92+
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Ninth bottle from a full case purchased in 2005. Pristine, perfect level, perfect cork. Decanted for two hours. I don't decant as often as I used to, but this felt a bit thin on opening and I thought it might flesh out a bit with some oxygen. It didn't. Aromatically it is perfectly alright on the nose, but on the palate and on the finish it remains thin and a bit raw. It's not TCA (not even low-level I would have thought), but the lack of generosity is quite marked and inconsistent with previous notes. I will put it down to the bottle variation which cbuhlman recently noted too. Not rated.
flash decant heavy sediment. Soft and sweet dark fruits with smoke and cigar box. Savory low toned style, far from "racy" with a lingering medium weight finish. These bottles seem to have some variation from one to the next, but all good nonetheless historically, I put this wine in a wide range of 88-92
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Contrary to my expectations in 2017, the wine held well (or better bottle now ?) : delicious and fine ! It‘s a classic northern medoc at its best and will accompany all dark meats with maximum effect. I can‘t imagine this one to get any better yet. But maybe stays a couple of years on this level ?
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Well, I was spot on, on the five year wait last time. This was fantastic. Absolutely singing. From the dark fruited nose to the rich, lush texture and the long finish. What a difference five years make. It is as if it came together and the core is much better now. Everything feels in balance. If there were more tertiaries, I'd score this higher but it does feel like it is almost at peak maturity. My luck with '03 Bordeux is finally changing!
5/12, no formal notes. This had an authentic dark fruit, gravelly mineral nose. Certainly rich and ripe but with soft tannins, and decent balancing acidity this also had good depth and length. A definite success in the context of the vintage.
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14/20 pour un Grand Cru Classé.... ce St-Estèphe 2003 se vendait 55$ en primeur à l’époque et maintenant il vaut environ 84$ Néanmoins, il est très en deçà des attentes... brun foncé tirant sur l’acajou il offre un nez évolué tendance pruneau. Les tanins sont encore rudes même après 17 ans..... profond et sombre, rugueux et trop jus de planche. Bon, je sais que je ne ferai pas l’unanimité sur CT pour mon commentaire mais peu importe la renommée, le GCC, l’appellation.... c’est tout ce que je peut lui donner.... un maigre 14/20. Bref, il n’était pas à la hauteur de l’excellent braisé de sanglier.
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Very concentrated wine and showing a lot of wood. Both characteristics which I normally don't associate with Lafon-Rochet, so the vintage is showing. The fruit was warm and a bit stewed with a lot of paprika. There were some spices. The acidity is there but it interacts too much with the bitterness from the wood, preventing a perfect balance. After 1,5 glass this wine become a bit boring and bit 'too much'.
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Almost black color with ruby rim. Beautiful, strong and complex nose of sweet red currants, raspberries, strawberries and hint of earth and leather. On palate higher acidity which gives freshness and long dry aftertaste. Feel of elegance but unfortunately tannins are drying out and lacks of concentration and sweetness of fruits (which are nicely present in smell) to balance acidity and drying tannins. It is high time to open all bottles which you own, there is nothing to wait for. It will not be better.
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Bought en primeur, well-stocked since. Nice enough nose that does not suggest full maturity. Full taste, red fruit, early tertiary notes. Then a whack of dryish tannins to finish. This is it, or wait longer with the risc of the wine drying out completely?
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Chef Michel Roux Jr & Lafon-Rochet (Basile Tesseron) Wine Dinner - Roux at Parliament Square. Limited notes. Smoke, ripe berry fruits and showing spicy rather than green herb complexity. Plenty of firm tannins in the frame. Full bodied. 91pts now but would recommend that it be held till 20 years from vintage when could easily gain a couple more. 91+?+
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More "interesting" than "good," this took an hour to resolve in the glass. Once it did, I was having more of an intellectual experience than that easy "am I enjoying this wine" thing. That's because it has all the components of mature Bordeaux and none of the excitements. It's..fine. Just fine. So I was having to ask myself if I prefer this phase to the youthful fruit kind of thing. No? No, I don't? Drying, drying tannins, like licking a chalkboard.
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Eighth bottle from a full case purchased in 2005. Pristine. Decanted for one hour. Completely ready but with time in hand. It has now reached that stage where the component parts which contribute to its character are all well expressed, and tertiary evolution (beef stock) starts to set in. The tannins are not drying but quite tight, with gravel and clay minerality and the warmth of its Merlots; the finish is a bit pinched, but overall this Château has dealt very well with the difficulties of the vintage.
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Fruit, Tannins, acidity and alcohol together have a somewhat harmony. Not too exciting. Feel it would be better with than without food. No need to wait and no hurry to drink.
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I really enjoyed my last bottle, back in 2011, and this has none of the burnt flavours of other 2003s, but it couldn't match the Ferrière 00 tasted alongside. The nose is reticent, with blackcurrant and dark, earthy notes. In the mouth, burly and masculine, even after six hours in the decanter - blackcurrant and red berries, but mostly Xmas cake flavours and a little stodgy. It never gets out of second gear. Probably a bad phase, hence the score (in real terms this would have got 84 or 85), but I'll come back to it in another three years time.
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2003 Bordeaux (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Nose shows blackcurrant fruit and a touch of gravelly mineral. Palate is full bodied with ripe dark fruit, a touch of mineral, beefy notes, moderate acidity some firm tannins on the medium/good length finish.
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No sign of overripe fruits. Good balance of cassis, leather, cedar and earthy notes. More rustic and diluted than most St. Estephe. Can be enjoyed right out of the bottle, but gets better after spending an hour in the glass. It's an easy-going wine, but nothing profound.
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Super hot vintage...really? You would never know it based on this classically animal, leathery Saint Estephe. Ripe fruit - check; balancing structure - check; rounded and supporting tannins (not bitter) - check. A wine to drink over the next 15 to 25 years. A profound Lafon Rochet that benefited from the weather conditions. (93)
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At a good phase with short decant. Subtle nose of black fruit and Asian spice. Palate fills up after 30 minutes. Tannins is present but quite smooth. Drink or hold.
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A touch of VA with the correspondingly dark and hopeful colour this flaw seems to communicate. Not bad. Seemed to have reasonable precision for a 2003 .Not so flawed as to be undrinkable.
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Hocharomatisch, tiefschwarze Johannisbeere, Schwarzkirsche, dezente Vanille-Noten, Rauch, Spicebox, später auch rote Beeren. Man sagt ja das St. Estephe mit seinen nördlichen Lage und den eher lehmhaltigen Böden in warmen Jahrgängen besser zurecht kommt. Insofern nur konsequent für 2003 relativ straff und frisch, gerade noch genug Säure und Kühle um die 14% Alkohol, die überbordende Frucht und das hohe Extrakt in Schach zu halten. Insgesamt eher rustikal, aber in sich stimmig, im Abgang feines Tannin. Der Wein ist immer noch sehr gut, war aber vor zwei Jahren deutlich besser. Besser heute als morgen austrinken.
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16/29 Grenat aux reflets orangés Beau nez alliant finesse et race. Très Bordeaux Tanins : en veux-tu ? En voilà! Ça te tapisse la bouche et les tanins sont encore rude. Combien de résidus de pesticides ? Impossible à savoir mais les effets sont bien présents avec des éternuements à la mesure. Aimez-vous le goût des phytosanitaires?
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drink this now. further cellaring will propably only worsen this wine. anway, good choice for game and beef, as well as all defty meals. needed 1-2 hrs decanting, then proofed mid to full bodied, savory, supple and round, with some catchy tannins torwards the finish. classic st. estephe / pauillac style - but the strength is fading . . . . . don't wait, rather decant.
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Pristine bottle, level into neck. Not decanted. Spices and blackcurrants on the nose, black cherries, Tahiti vanilla and lead pencil, deep and complete; energetic palate, lots of firm tannic grip, no lack of freshness, not as broad or full as 14% ABV would suggest, not too drying; complete finish, good length. Completely ready.
First impression is a big dumb Bordeaux, in a good way, but it has nice structure to back up the soft dark body. Not the most interesting bdx, but very good drinking.
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I haven't had this in 18 months, and it has really improved. Wonderful aromatic nose on opening, I went for a double-decant and 4hrs slow ox in the bottle (seemed good). Still very dark, but I don't sense the over-ripeness that others note. Ripe dark fruits on entry, with integrated alcohol, and a big and lingering mint and ash finish. A tad monolythic due to the lack of finese and relatively low acid. But not roasted and the finish is actually quite fresh. I really like St Estephe in warm years (89, 90, 03, 05, 09, 10, etc). Went wonderfully with my beef dinner (large homemade and spiced burgers with a side of eastern European veggies). No signs of decline for me - should drink to 2025, but I'll check again next year. 92pts
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Weekly tasting group RWP #261: Leftovers (@ DJ): In the bouquet dark and red berries. Blackberries. On the palate juicy dark berries, some coffee and chocolate, beautifully fresh acidity and still firm but round tannin. Beautiful now, but can last a few years as well.
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Sadly, my last bottle of this. For my tastes, this wine has punched well above it's weight. Drinking well now, it retains adequate tannin and structure to go a good bit longer. This was drunk alongside a 2002 Anderson's Conn Valley (Napa) cabernet. The noses were remarkably similar. This retained more structure and energy on the palate, with more traditional bordeaux flavors
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Wine was properly stored from purchase upon release until consumed. Big initial scent of red fruit. Fresh, lovely, classic cassis. Balanced. A beautiful wine. At 15 minutes, opens more, promises great depth. Lots of layers. At 30 minutes, spectacular fruit basket. A lovely wine with complexity, drunk with Steak.
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This was not as good as the last bottle enjoyed 1.5 years ago - it seems to be on its downward trajectory. That said, after 3-4 hours in the decanter, it did gain some weight and complexity. However, it was clearly not the wine it used to be just a few years ago. At first, the nose was non-existent and was fairly light and diluted in the mouth with no real finish to speak of. With time in the decanter, slight notes of dark cherry, licorice, spice, and damp earth emerged, coupled with added weight and concentration in the mouth. It never developed the complexity and depth of previous bottles though. Though enjoyable, I'm not entirely sure much more can come from waiting any longer...
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Pristine bottle, 6th from a case of 12. Immediately impressive and attractive straight from the bottle and straight from the cellar. Pure and fresh, warm cherries, earth, spicy oak, firm but ripe tannins, lovely weight, balance and length. After three hours in the decanter, the wine is still energetic but more harmonious, plummy, vinous, spicy, and ever-so-slightly volatile, with a hint of cocoa. It has lost a lot of definition though and I would tend not to decant it. A successful 2003 but today's experience reaffirms my belief that this should not be kept too long.
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St Estephe @ RSJ (RSJ, London): Deep purple red. Vanilla and coconut nose with a touch of milk chocolate. Smooth attack and quite expansive, broad even, across the front end before narrowing on the finish that's really quite dry. Dusty and dry. Really not sure how this will fare. **
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My last note is still spot on - although needed more air tonight. 2-3hrs in a decanter. Hold, drink 2020-2030 as this isn't yet in its sweet spot. I'm optimistic this will turn out very well and could become a 93pt wine.
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Dam my last bottle, while I haven't had an affinity for many 03 Bordeaux I have always enjoyed this one,lots of terrific dark currants, dried black berries, lead, dark chocolate, nice smooth palate, with a similar flavour profile, while still got lots of structure is all in harmony, despite the hot vintage there's lots of freshness and a lovely complex focused finish
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Denser and a little more closed than my last 2 bottles, but also seemingly more youthful. Moderately expressive nose with a little charcoal, smoke, and mint. Palate is dense and quite tannic, with a back fruit/merlot profile. Still rather primary. Plenty of fruit for the tannins--but this is quite tannic. Moderate finish. This bottle seems to want another 3-5yrs unlike the previous that seemed to suggest drinking now.
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Deep rich berry nose. Bold fruit. Rich integrated flavors with just a hint of bordeaux steel at the very end of the extended finish. Drinking well but should improve further. Mated well with stuffed pork roast.
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Impressive for its class. Blackcurrant, pencil, vanilla and lightly roasted red fruits. Ripe and full-bodied but not overdone. Even better on second night. Wishing I had more. As others have said, it's drinking well now.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #104; St. Estèphe (By BS): In the bouquet dark berries, toast, matches, celery and meaty flavors. On the palate red berry fruits, a lot of toast, chocolate, some minerals, firm but good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. Reading back my older notes, this is a quite disappointing bottle and much more developed than expected. Maybe an off bottle, but I will nevertheless score it for future comparison.
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Really hitting its stride now with intoxicating nose of lead, graphite, dark fruit, dried earth and subtle spice notes, fully integrated tannins and a smooth mouth feel on the palate with a robust evolved dark fruits, medium length and finish
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Pristine bottle. Rich and mature, lively and Cabernet-fresh, plummy fruit and earth, lead pencil, fleshy but transparent, well-balanced, no noticeable oak, firm but ripe tannins, medium weight and concentration but no over-extraction, spicy depth, still primary, bright juicy fruit, clean and pure flavours, good length. A very successful 2003, avoids the vicissitudes of the vintage but not for the very long term, drink now-2020.
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I remember some exotic oak and over-ripe fruit scents when this wine was young; those have really subsided now. Rich in flavour but a bit too dark and hard to enjoy. For purists of classic St Estephe today. If it developed more aromatic complexity without drying out too much it could still go places.
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Good nose, still young. Mid-palate seems hollow. A bit too fruity for Bordeaux. Lacks some tannin but acid is good. I'd say this needs about 5 years to develop into Bordeaux.
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Fully mature, deep ruby with rich red and black fruit, licorice, cedar, espresso, and iron/blood. Silky resolved mouth coating tannin. Unfortunately, my last bottle. Ready to drink now. Enjoy!
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Following the all the assessments that the '03s are evolving rapidly and need to be tended to, I decided to pull my first of two bottles. Indeed, it seemed more evolved than you'd expect at this age, but this is an '03. I personally liked this vintage on release, and found this estate enjoyable, showing odd raspberry notes on the nose, which were melded with licorice, cedar, mint, and minerals (iron). Good, medium sized wine still packaged in a notable structure, little heat detected, although not especially complex in the mouth, or long on the finish. I'll hold my last bottle another 2-3 years to see what comes of it...
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Nice nose of graphite, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, leafy, stalky, cherry, cedar. Palate: big tannins, chewy, high acid, med finish, notes of graphite, cedar, blackcurrant, cherry, plum.
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Youthful in appearance. Expressive nose of smoke, coffee, and dark fruit. Palate shows some ripe fruit moving into a mature phase. Dark fruit profile. Chinky coarse tannins on the finish with a little pepper. This is an '03 that is balanced and showing well. Drink or hold, though not sure if there is clear upside for long term holding.
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Fron 375. Consistent with my 10/14 note. Nice, rich, ripe wine on its plateau from 375. Drinking well now, but seems unlikely to reward extended cellaring. I'll finish mine in the next few years.
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From 375, popped and poured. Nice complexity on nose, mushrooms, leather and black fruit. Smooth, tannins mostly resolved. Tasty. Drinking fine perhaps at peak from 375. Nice wine, but like a lot of 2003, I'll drink sooner rather than later.
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Lively colour, good depth, youthful appearance, little browning at the edges; nose opens up well in the decanter, still primary, gravelly depth, lead pencil, blackcurrants, black cherries, hint of prune, smoky oak, mint and lovage; the palate displays ample, grainy but ripe tannins and the extraction does not seem to have been exaggerated, there is freshness and balance, it has weight but it does not seem to have real density and power; complete finish, good length. Drink now - 2020/2023.
Medium/deep ruby core, pale garnet rim. The nose shows sweet blackcurrant fruit, notes of gravelly mineral and a touch of bloody meat. Aromatic. On the palate this is quite full bodied, with bold, ripe black fruits, but showing good purity too, a slight note of chocolate, nice mineral undertow, soft tannins on mid-palate, decent acidity and then a touch of firmness on the good length finish. Certainly ripe but not OTT and showing good overall balance. Excellent, drinking now but no need to hurry.
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Still really juvenile and full of rough tannins. Very good structure and dawning flavours of impressiv as well as fresh seeming (for 2003) quality. A lot of racy herbs and great dark fruit. Perhaps a bit more rich than other Lafon-Rochet wines I had so far. Leave it for some more years, pls. One little remark - I had this from a tooth brush glass in a hotelroom, I know - totally appalling ;-)... no decent glass availabe at midnight
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Dark purple/ruby color, medium-full bodied with slightly opacity, vibrant and expressive fruit and floral tones, full forward blackberry fruit with tones of cassis, earth and hints of tobacco, low acidity and a somewhat subdued finish.
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Cedar, dark fruit and leather. Bordeaux like. Tate is. Like the nose. Tannins are still there but mostly rounded. Silky. Drink over next 2to 3 years. But ready now
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Needs a couple of hours in the decanter to really open up. Lovely classic Bdx with plenty of fruit and still keeping a fairly good balance. Seems fresh and not inflicted by the usual issues with the 2003 vintage.
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Intensely dark, some bricking at the edges. Black currant / blueberry driven nose. Fresh attack, full taste, some grainy and slightly dry tannins at the end. Alltogether powerful, not very subtle, and satisfying. And no hurry to drink up.
Coravin glass. Needs an hour to open up. Smoky, slightly funky/barnyard nose with a little sweet black currant. Palate is fine, with leather plum notes. Quite dark fruit profile and while it's ripe and moving towards sweet, hold together well for the vintage. Only on the finish do the coarse '03 tannins come through. Drinking well though will likely age positivity for the moderate term.
After plowing through many 2003's I've concluded that the good ones - Northern mid Medoc, Lafon Rochet included - will live longer than initially expected (an early drinking vintage from a hot year was the general assessment as I recall). This wine has gobs of fruit but the acid and modest tannin are very much coming forward. The point I can't get past with the 03's is I've opened and drunk many of the good 03's across three or four days and at the fourth day they were still a nice drink. These are not wines at the risk of short term collapse - drying out whatever. That said, they will never be great wines, and given the fact that the Bordelais were allowed to acidify in 2003, I think they will always from this point on and maybe for the last few years have an acidic edge. Apropos of the day when California winemakers were prone to acidify heavily, a few of the 2003 Bordeaux may crack up if you will, but my guess is not many. Surprisingly to me, the 2003's reflect the modern Western Hemisphere style in a hot vintage, but they still taste very much like Bordeaux.
Got a well stored Northern or mid Medoc 2003? Open it up, drink a quarter of the bottle, and put it in the fridge. Next night, drink another quarter of the bottle, and so on.
After sitting on the sideboard for six hours, the fruit is basically gorgeous for want of a better word. Complexity, cedar box, forget it. Indeed the 2003 Bordeaux story and I'm fine with it.
Left the bottle half full on the sideboard last night, and tonight it is the same, maybe just a bit better, gobs of simple fruit and seemingly acid a bit more subdued.
Decanted just before dinner. Drinking fine, but could use another year or two in the cellar or more air. Nice contrast to the 2003 Malescot. This is more restrained and balanced, more medium than full bodied. Pleasant nose, clean, lingering finish. Good wine, still improving.
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Starting to lose its fruit, the wine has taken on more of a tart, sweet and sour, red berry character on the palate. I’d opt for drinking this sooner than later.
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This was showing really well, clearly the best of several Bordeaux at a dinner. Expressive nose, very Bordeaux dark fruits, tobacco. Tannins rounded and well integrated. They did come to the fore after a few hours in a decanter. Double decanted and put back into the bottle for about 5 hours. Decanted and served.
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Very dark wine, with a wonderful perfume on opening. 90min double-decant and cool-down which is currently about right (perhaps 2hrs better). Initially disjointed, with alcohol showing, after 90 mins it was still not fully integrated but marked by sweet tannins but little nose. Well made for a 2003 but there is a noticeable lack of acidity - I couldn't finish the bottle. With a few more hours in the glass the wine became drier before the rim turned royal purple and it showed more balance, but little nose or complexity. Quite sweet and simple for now, blackberry and some mocha taste, with a rich mouthfeel (albeit hidden behind sweetness on the tongue) and a touch of green leaf on the nose. This isn't ready and may even still be somewhat dumb. 91pts now but clear upside if it ages well and gains complexity/perfume. Difficult to read, but I think this will be a 93+pt cracker in 5yrs. Hold and try next bottle in 2016, there is only upside to this wine which should easily drink to 2025.
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Drinking wonderfully now. Early maturity has yielded integration, harmony, and a rounding around the edges. It has depth and length. Delicious, but homogeneous and lacking singularity.
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Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: Beautiful bouquet with cassis, blackberry, smoke, tobacco, licorice, vanilla and coffee. Same impressions on the palate. Creamy and concentrated dark forest fruits. A touch of sweetness balanced by good acidity and round but powerful tannin. Already a beautiful wine in its early maturity stage, but it will continue to improve for the next few years. Will still be nice around 2020 and I am sure the scores in CT will go up over the next few years.
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In de neus veel rijp fruit en wat potloodslijpsel. Zwoele wijn met goede concentratie zwart fruit, chocolade. Goed geintegreerde tannines. Vrij modern, een erg fraai wijn.
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Popped and poured at a family reunion. Nice medium to full bodied wine. Dense dark color. Nicely aged with dark fruit flavors and a subtle tannic backbone.
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From a magnum and decanted for 1-2 hours. Classic, textbook bordeaux nose that starts with a dose of barnyard which blows off after a few minutes and then reveals cassis & dark fruits , graphite, earth and a bit of cedar. I expected it might be young and tight, but that was really not the case. Medium to full bodied with terrific balance, good depth and concentration, and not a rough edge in sight. The fruit is not at all overripe in spite of the vintage. Nice, solid, medium length, but unexceptional finish. This was a classic bordeaux and a great food wine. Drinking great now and with plenty of life remaining.
Nose - sweet berry, tobacco, earth Mouth - well integrated nice juicy berry fruit, good acidity and very mellow tannins. Showing complexity. Better than expected. Drink now or in the upcoming few years
Last tasted nine months ago, when I was still a bit sceptical. Recent reviews in Decanter and La Revue du Vin de France were quite complimentary, so time to open another bottle (3/12). The nose is still quite primary, has good depth and 2003-richness, sweet black fruit, characteristic lead-pencil minerality and a distinct minty note; on the palate the tannins are still present but they have softened and integrated further, the extraction does not seem to have been too strong and the ripe fruit comes out victorious, flavoursome, adequate acidity and energy, balance is excellent; very good length. A very good 2003 that has entered its plateau of maturity, drink now - 2020.
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Vinetasters-2003 Bordeaux (Holiday Inn, Niles IL): Nose: The nose is very perfumed with tones of red fruits, cherries, spices, floral tones, liqueur, cedar, and some campfire smoke. There is very good depth to this with an elegant touch as well.
Taste: Medium bodied with sneaky, but firm tannins. The tannins seem to bite more on the back end with silky tones of red fruits, cherries, liqueur, currants, floral tones, and some fresh picked berries.
Overall: This was my no.2. This was a very pleasant surprise and it showed extremely well. I would like to see where this is in another 5-8 years.
Beautiful deep burgundy color; Immediate nose of classic cassis with raspberries. After 5 minutes, perfume bursts out. Bouquet is like a big basket of fruits, with particular scents of cassis, raspberry, melon and citrus, with hints of vanilla and cinnamon spice. Powerful enough to last. There are layers. Perhaps after more bottle age, specific fruits will emerge as it breathes. Try again in 2015.
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1/12. Very youthful opaque ruby appearance, with a very narrow pale ruby rim. Nose shows ripe blackcurrant, and some attractive development with notes of gravelly mineral, a touch of cedar. Medium/full bodied on the palate, more youthful with ripe blackcurrant to the fore, touch of cream and notes of cedar. The mid-palate is plush and soft, but there is enough acidity to keep this balanced and the finish is long with just a touch of chocolate at the tail end. Undoubtedly soft and ripe but recognisably Bordeaux, very enjoyable, certainly approachable now but should also age well. Excellent.
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Very smooth and well blended . Good tannins and nose of leather and dried fruit. Garnet color and medium legs. Hint of black pepper and mudium full body. T
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Ten years old. Deep purple color, cedar on the nose, dense fruit in the palate. Tannin on the finish that is a little aggressive but fine. This doing just fine, should keep on trucking for a while
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Good favorable upside surprise. Drank over two nights. The first night very tight and a bit tannic. Second night the wine was more open and if I had tasted it blind I would have guess it was from Margaux, with its characteristically chalky notes. Pretty good $25 bottle.
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On the cusp of maturity, tannins not yet fully integrated. Dark and graceful in appearance, with a muted nose of cedar and black cherries that never really opened. A classic St. Estephe duel between cab & merlot, probably contributing to this being one of the few wines to fare so well in the '03 heat wave. Not sure this ever turns the corner to evoke the mid-'90's elegance of the estate, but nevertheless a satisfying and provocative example of terroir trumping all. To be revisted in 3+ years.
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Recognizable nose from this SE bordeaux; leather, smokey, etc. just fine. Rather thin on the tongue showing lines of orange, cedar and abvious young oak here. Further down it puts down big tannins even some sourness with some a bitter to end with. Not sure if this will develop later since this should disappear after 4 to 5 years. Perhaps another bottle should clarify. Expected more
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NY/NJ Offline at Aureole 8.20.12 (Aureole, NYC): Just had a quick taste of this one between other wines. Cassis and pyrazine on the nose and similar on the palate. Medium body tannin and acid. Medium length finish. Decent Bordeaux showing good typicity.
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Lovely nose, rich blackcurrant and cherry fruit steeped in luxurious oak, good depth, lead pencil; nice weight, has a savoury quality to it; good length but finishes rather dry. Showing better than last year, has opened up considerably, but there still is a rough edge to the tannins and I wonder whether that will disappear. The Cabernet-Sauvignon clearly fared well in Saint-Estèphe in the sweltering 2003 heat, but there is a lot of Merlot in this wine too. Was it too hot for that? Was the extraction just a little heavy-handed? The jury is still out in my opinion but after nine years one does start to entertain certain doubts.
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From 375. Although drinkable now, I think this needs another couple of years to really hit its stride, and my score will probably be higher then. Nice ripe fruit, but no roasting or other negative notes from 2003 heat.
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This seems to be in a nice place right now, just barely entering maturity. Lovely tar and tobacco notes, cedar, and a good depth of fruit. Vibrant acidity. Not terribly complex, but this showed quite well against some new world Bdx style reds.
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Still a purple hue in the color. Beautiful and complex bouquet; black fruits and beautiful luxurious oak. On the palate still a bit reticent, beautiful black berry fruits and oak again. Soft and sticky tannin. A bit dusty. Many layers and tastes. Also some cocoa, cinnamon and chocolate in the distance. Long finish. Great wine! Early maturity now. In 5 years probably showing even more complexity and smoothness. A great pleasure already, certainly with enough air time.
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From a 375ml bottle. Probably has aged a bit quicker than wine in normal sized bottles. Blueberries, cassis and some raspberry brightness on the nose with notes of meat, leather, graphite and earth. Fullbodied and silky smooth cooling palatal feel turning more chewy from mid-palate on. Adequate mid-level acidity, good concentration of red and dark fruit, complementing notes of loam and stewed vegetables. Long aftertaste. Drinking rather well now with good energy levels. @Pinella.
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nice wine, tannins not fully integrated took 3 hours of decanting before serving, probably 5 years too soon, really dark colour, with a nose of black forest fruit and pencil shavings, palate of succulent dark blackberries, medium body, smooth mouth feel, medium finish nice wine given the prices of it
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Decanted for 2 hours. Nose of olives, anise, earth and lead pencil. Dried fruits, plums, black currants, cloves on the palate. A little hollow on the mid palate. Medium tannins.
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Opened an hour before drinking; not decanted. Drinking well now; really dark, full bodied, good length, elegant wine. In hindsight an excellent buy on the basis of JR's 17/20 scoring on release. Paid £12.50 bottle then!
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Opened an hour before drinking; not decanted. Drinking well now; really dark, full bodied, good length, elegant wine. In hindsight an excellent buy on the basis of JR's 17/20 scoring on release. Paid £12.50 bottle then!
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Rich but dry, power, fruit and depth, typical St-Estèphe, pencil; drying tannins but appears balanced. Good weight but seems to lack a certain energy and tension. Difficult right now. Not so easy to foresee what this will turn into. May be either 87 or 92. 2013 - 2022?
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2003 is such a great vintage for St. Estephe! Almost every producer from top to bottom made great wine and Lafon Rochet is no exception. With its nose of stone, tobacco, roasted dark berries, licorice and earth, this medium/full bodied Bordeaux wine is already giving pleasure. The wine ends with a round, fleshy textured black and red fruit filled finish.
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A well put together St. Estephe Bordeaux. This wine has a deep crimson color with dark berry / cassis on the palate. Right now it has a nice smooth way about it with a medium finish. Still has some room to develop and I think it will.
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decanted. dark garnet, still quite youthful. Soft and sweet dark fruits with the classic left bank graphite and leather. This is a little too low acid for my liking, the antithesis of "racy"- so the wine comes across as not very expressive. It's very good nontheless.
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Popped and poured. Deep purple colour, on nose with some rich and matured berries and red fruits, just a bit tight, and on palate with some fruits, cedar, and a little bit soil minerals, associated with the acidity, overall quite balance. medium to full bodied. After 2 hours it was still improving. It is a young wine which just enters it's drinking window and can be kept in cellar for few more years.
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Full bodied, deep purple in color. Very perfumed nose with notes of black currant, graphite, and dark berries. Great mouthfeel and wonderfully balanced with a well integrated tannic backbone. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking. Nice finish. Enjoyed with grilled ribeye and vegetables.
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Risoto em casa com Dimas: Demorou pra abrir. Tanico no inicio, apos 1,5 de decantacao abrir muito bem, amaciando e ganhando complexidade. Otimo bordeaux, com um certa lembranca de cab chileno, por mais estranho que possa parecer. Ainda tem bom tempo de guarda, apesar de estar muito bom.
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17,5/20 Visuel: Rubis intense Olfactif: Nez superbe avec des notes balsamiques, du fruits murs (bleuets). Frais, racé, élégant et complexe*** Gustatif: Attaque d'une richesse et d'une structure exemplaire. On a ici bcp d'extracvtion. Les tanins sont maintenant soyeux (8 ans ) et joliment intégrés. Pas de doute le GCC donne ici tout ce qu'il y a de mieux ! C'est comme une confiture en bouche (bleuets, mûres). Un véritable délice. Ensemble:
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From 375. Much better and more evolved than from 750 recently. Very dark purple. Nice nose of red and black fruit, though still a bit closed. Smooth and slightly sweet on the palate, but not cloying. Not hot or roasted. Not an especially long finish, but nice, pleasantly sweet. Will likely improve and be better in a year or three.
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At van Baerle AMS - Blind tasting, theme Left Bank 2003. Purple red colour. Thick, sweet, nice fruits and oak to "chew" on. Some malolactic tones. The most modern wine of the evening. Promising.
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From 750. Closer to being ready to drink than the 2000 L-R, but could still use a little time. Nose offered animal fur at first. That blew off quickly, but the nose was fairly muted, a bit of licorice and black fruit. The palate was better than the nose, smooth, with black and some red fruit, nice finish. I have a case of 375 of this that I'll open soon, but there is no hurry to drink this.
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Wow. Last I opened this bottle was in 2006. Its like time has been standing still. Incredibly dark wine, concentrated yet fresh nose and firm structured taste. 03 shines thru in the showing of the cassis and the berries who seem well matured and very ripe but there is no negative heat influence dominating it. Tannins are mouth coating in a pleasant way leading to a long finale. Bravo. /steen
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Super colour. Sweet vibrant nose, no hint of heatwave. Well-balanced firm taste, plenty fruit and still some good tannins around. Entering prime-time, but has years ahead. Very good performance.
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This bottle immediately confronting in its black colour and scent of sawn oak and blackcurrant. Yes, the palate is a little firm and dry, but this is a really lovely 03. Proof indeed that St Estephe was the place to be in the heatwave. Drink now -2023
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Note from what was left in the bottle after 24 hours. Nose seems a bit muted (as it was last night) with hints of licorice. Thick and a bit brooding on the palate. Some eucalyptus on the palate. Loads of fruit and tannins. This should age well.
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I bought the 2003 Bordeaux, particularly the left bank, because I thought they would drink early. It may just not turn out that way for a whole bunch of them. This wine has really fine concentrated blackish fruit, but in short order it runs into a wall of tannin. This after three hours of airing. Put this one away. 2003 is such a one off vintage in the modern era where I'm not sure the Bordelais or the critics back then quite really knew where they were going.
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Very dark purple color with an aromatic nose of blackberry, cedar and tobacco. Medium bodied with nice ripe black fuit on the palate. Nice secondary characteristics of graphite, smoke and a little oak and a moderate finish with prominent tannins. Gave this a 6 hour decant on the first day but it was still quite tight. Softened a little on day 2 but the overall impression is that this wine really needs quite a bit more time. (88+ pts)
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Regular dinner group (@ CdW Bordeaux 2000 vs 2001.): Very concentrated, modern made wine. A lot of sweetness in the bouquet as well as the taste. Beautiful elegant oak, a lot of good acidity and bitterness. Already (or still?) quite open, but this wine can last for many more years.
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nice, could have gotten more points if there wasn't a slight thing wrong (difficult to describe) in the aftertaste: occured on both the 2nd and 3rd day
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Black, very oaky, new world like in its ripeness, a good graphite streak in it to freshen it up - can't make my mind up about this, enjoyed it some of the time...
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Very deep ruby, almost black. Nose full of red ripe fruits, minerals, charcoal, wet earth and gentle oaky vanilla. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with lot of glycerin, high acidity and firm tannins. Needs absolutely time to became softer and more approachable. Loads of berries, licorice, oriental spices and plums. A touch of dark chcolate and roast coffee beans on the finish. The atertaste lasts about 25 sec. Because of high proportion of Merlot (40%), it pairs nicely with a juicy hamburger.
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dark ruby, full bodied. sweet and ripe cherry and blackberries, sweet polished tannins with good structure. nice clean fruit/ tobacco leather mouthcoating finish well done and delicious.
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Popped and poured. Initially bright red fruits on the palate, which over 90 minutes in the bottle have muted somewhat now showing a bit more earth and cedar. Very well balanced. Enjoable wine and good QPR.
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after an hour of air opened a little,very tannic, deep, purple,full bodied.had several 03 bordeaux with some drinking better than others..is this a different,hot year vintage that will develop or is it just a difficult year to be avoided
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Decanted shortly before drinking. A rather approachable young wine with great structure, black fruits, typical 2003 character, and a powerful nose. Give this time.
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This is delicous now! Dark in color, almost opaque with deep garnet hues at the rim. Nice and smoky aromas of toasted wood, dark fruit and sweet tobacco. This smells like a man's wine. On the palette, medium body, fine tannin with nice coating and decent after taste in the mouth. This is better than I expected, good to drink now, but should also develope for another 5-10yrs. 92pts.
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Deep, dark garnet in the glass. Nose: strong tobacco, cedar, smoke, cherry syrup, cassis. Palate: med+ tannins, not super-tannic. Med+ body, med acid, bitter. 89pts.
After 5 hrs:
Opened up into mushrooms on the nose, vaguely reminiscent of the 82 Calon Segur (also in St. Estephe). Good stuff, but missing a lot of fruit, punch. It was better when it was newly opened. Fresher acidity and all that.$34, 88. Doesn't have the structure that I would expect from a young Bdx (2003 was HOT).
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This will be one of the sleeper finds of my cellar. It opened up with every passing minute. I let this big ruby colored bordeaux breathe for about 15 minutes before tasting. A great fruit forward cherry/blackberry flavor with soft tannins and long velvety finish. Two of drank the bottle over about 90 minutes and every taste was better than the last. It got more complex and integrated with time. I would recommend you let this wine breathe for at least 30 minutes after coming out of the cellar.
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Olive, tar, and dark notes that I'm finding to be the hallmark of 2003 left bank. Round, warm and plush with a silky juicy structure and a good sweet core. Not unlike the 2003 Duhart, but less deep. Friendly, easy drinking red fruit with a dark base. Nice concentration, nice fruit, nice classy French oak profile, but not a lot of subtlty. Drinking well now or hold medium term, but I don't expect it to be a long ager. Decent qpr. B/B+?
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Dark purple color, strong Bordeaux nose of cedar, cassis and the tiniest bit of funk (good funk). Plenty of fruit on palate but no fruit bomb. Tannins still strong, but good acidity. This will be a joy to taste over the coming years.
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Deep purple color, vibrant nose of blackberry, burnt coffee, and lead pencil, approachable amount of backberry fruit with some definite tannin structure and oak, and a nice finish. If I can find this at a good price, I will buy more.
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clear, intense purple, dark intensity, pale rim clean, perfume, lavendar palate: smooth black fruit, lavendar and violet, med acidity, tannin, intensity, very smooth -- smooth finish
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Deep red, garnet color. Excellent nose. Loads of cherry and red fruit. Some leather and scorched earth. Still very tannic. Definitely still too young. Became more subdued on the second night, in a good way. Will be getting more of this.
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Tasted at a retailer tasting next to an 03 Faugeres. Dark marroon in color with very little bricking at the edges. Black currant, black cherry and blackberry on the nose. Appeared to be drier and more tannic than the Faugeres. Acidity seemed lacking, but cherry explodes onto the palate. Medium finish. Decent wine, but nothing spectacular.
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Opening the Chateau Lafon-Rochet (around $35) came at the climax of a day dedicated to Bordeaux education ... we chose at lunch a '97 Chateau Montrose at Chanterelle in NYC ($125) having the wine list in hand in advance, knowing we wanted a Bordeaux, and seeing that most cellar trackers liked this wine. Now that wine needed another two years to develop -- this Chateau Lafon-Rochet absolutely needs 5-7 minimum. Overall, a good exercise in understanding "structure." This is a wine to cellar for a long, long time. Do not dare open a 2003 until 2010 or better, much later.
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Pulled the cork and let it sit about an hour to an hour and a half in the bottle before pouring. Dense and inky purple in the glass. The Lafon-Rochet had a clearly smoky nose with hints of graphite and lots of svelte red fruit aromas. On the tongue this has lots ot blackberry and sexy dark cherry flavors, with more smoke and asian spice. Tannins were fairly smoothe. Well-balanced and absolutely open for business. Each taste seemed to reveal new flavors. A really great wine...
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14% abv. Pure Creme de Mure. Although I'm sure there's new oak, none is perceptible behind the dense, rich, inky wine. There may be some minerals underneath that thick blanket, too. Above the proper serving temperature, this actually emitted a wave of alcohol that took my breath away.
My fears are confirmed. Is this Cabernet? Really? This is like Pavie-Mac with part of the backbone missing. It is rich, and while not as sweetly alcoholic as a Ridge or Turley zin, far more reminiscent of these wines than a left bank Bordeaux. I freely admit that my Bordeaux-tasting experience is not on the level of the big (or even the little) critics; it is a comfort to see that Tanzer also thinks this wine will turn out well. I haven't drunk any '82s, 89s, or 90s, so maybe I've just been weaned, so to speak, on underripe Bordeaux. I can see that it is well made; there are no technical flaws, and if I poured it out of a bottle with a Ridge label, I would rate it highly. I am trying to be fair.
I wonder if this is what the Jancis Robinson/Robert Parker fight is about?
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A Sampling of Bordeaux (Farpointe Cellar): Deep ruby. The fruit on the nose was wonderful. Raspberry, blueberry, and plum. This was mixed with hints of chocolate and vanilla. The palate showed a lot of earthiness, with raspberry, cedar, and spice. The finish was nice and long, with firm tannins. This was thew best of the tasting.
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Velvety feel with a mature red cassis red cherry flavor with fairly stong tannins. Extremely long finish--I believe this wine will age really well. Bottle in excellent condition--buying some and looking forward to the the future...
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Almost black purplish color as one would expect from such a young Bordeaux. It almost colors the glass rosa when you swirl.
Gentle warmish nose of mature dark fruits/berries and vanilla yet with a good concentration and freshness to it.
Taste is soft lush cassis, chocolate and tobacco. Tannins are almost sweet and well hidden showing their true colors only at the end of the sip. It ends a bit on the dry side but with a nice long aftertaste. It has power in a gentle way but lacks more finesse, maybe when given some more time? Great QPR.
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4/12/2024 - englishman's claret wrote: 87 Points
Lafon Rochet certainly shows the vintage character with a nose of cooked and dried fruits: prune, cooked fig, and kirsch. Paradoxically the palate offers fresher fruit at times - still sweet but not stewed - and accented by a little floral appeal and soy sauce. Despite its 21 years, the palate remains grippingly tannic. Happily the 14% ABV (as labeled) doesn't seem particularly conspicuous. Striking Lapsang souchong, beef blood finish. This bottle, in excellent condition, requires some time for the fruit to awaken on the palate and shows its best with 30 minutes - 2 hours of time in the decanter. This has its merits, but the nose is marked enough by the vintage that I find it hard to love. I could imagine that more vivacity earlier in life could have imparted a better impression than tonight's bottle.
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1/4/2024 - 1wine1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still wonderful but drink it this year
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5/29/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Twelfth bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Opened and decanted two hours in advance. On fine form, closer to the harmonious elegance of the 10th bottle (7 June 2022) than the burly power of the 11th (14 February 2023). Ripe cherry fruit, lovely freshness, leather and cedar evolution, graphite minerality, creamy texture, hint of black tea on the finish. This case has served me very well.
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4/25/2023 - chatters wrote:
En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux): From Double Magnum. Smoked bacon, sweet spice, savoury black fruits in support, earth, leather and alcohol warmth. Juicy, fleshy, dark hued fruits; sweet spice followed by massive drying tannins, off, time but I don't this will ever be in balance.
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4/16/2023 - brybts Likes this wine: 86 Points
Overall: well integrated, balanced wine, but fruit is drying out and seems to be over the hill
Nose: soil, cinnamon, clove, smells a bit like a barrel cellar, subtle fruit is way in the background; some leather, cedar
Palate: medium acidity helps with freshness; completely integrated, soft tannins. Fruit is subtle- blackberries only. Earthy, spicy notes, some citrus rind; body is medium
Finish: medium-short, mouthwatering, not bitter but maybe a bit sour
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2/16/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bordeaux 2003 Horizontal (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Some star anise and an exotic beef pho character to this, a little coriander and some soy notes. Palate is short but all in balance. Like this but again a bottle 5 years ago gave more pleasure.
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2/16/2023 - SimonG wrote: 86 Points
2003 Bordeaux @ Piccolino (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London): Dense ruby. Blackberry and cream on the nose. Dense on the attack. Quite plush. Full with a density but also balance. Perhaps a touch gloopy. Starting to dry a bit after ten minutes or so. Bare ***
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2/15/2023 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Xavier Auerbach's review was the reason, why I had to taste this one. He hit the nail on the head in his review...
Purple Red color, no signs of ageing here. The same on the beautiful, fresh nose: no tertiary aromas, only black and blue fruits and a typical Saint-Estephe "flowerish" note, bell pepper and kardamon. You want to dive into this...
Palate is fresh, black currants and cherries dominate, fine tannins, which are a little bit drying at the end..this adstringence is the only disturbing thing here, the rest is pure fresh beauty. Perfect balance between sugar and acid. No overheating. Stunning for the price!
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2/14/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Eleventh bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Opened and decanted two hours in advance. Rich and tannic style, less finesse than some of the previous bottles but certainly with a lot of power and weight (14% ABV), warm spices and espresso, rich black fruit and soft red berries, lively and energetic for a 2003, grippy and gritty tannins, drying finish. Quite tough - needs food. Wild boar pasta al forno fits the bill perfectly.
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1/19/2023 - Winance Tom Likes this wine: 94 Points
20 years on, very tasty. Lots of flavours but hard to describe, all secondary, tertiary flavours some fruit, some forest floor some mature wood. Might I have enjoyed this 3-4 years ago?
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12/28/2022 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
A fabulous wine entering peak maturity. Ruby color with some pink at rim. Aged but not mature color. The nose is classic Saint Estephe: funky, leather rubbed black fruits. A touch animal. Velvety palate with excellent flavor depth. Some tannin remains on the finish but is amply covered by the fruit. Has a wonderful life ahead. I think this Chateau consistently delivers a real Bordeaux experience at a very fair price. One of the good 2003’s. (93)
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11/12/2022 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 90 Points
needs to breath for several hours first. delicate, supple. starts quite well but now lacking oomph. past its prime but still very enjoyable. drink up.
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6/7/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Tenth bottle from a full case purchased from a Dutch wholesaler in 2005. Pristine condition, perfect level, perfect cork. Not decanted, opened two hours in advance. I really like this wine. It is not really refined or subtle, but it is not rough or pedestrian either. The cherry and blackcurrant fruit is ripe but fresh, there is a hint of creamy oak, the finely grained tannins are grippy but not green, the palate is full-bodied but without excess (14% ABV) and the firm acidity and graphite minerality provide an energetic core. The aftertaste has good persistence but it finishes on a note of black tea, suggesting full maturity. A confident expression of vintage and terroir.
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1/16/2022 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better bottle than last one, finishing less dry. Impressive colour, mature fruit-driven nose. Full'bodied, slightly rustic, but with that little bit of elegance that betrays a medoc grand cru.
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12/28/2021 - Renevin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beau nez qui évolue constamment. Cuir, epice, confiture. En bouche beau fruit rouge, finale sur le cuir. Tout est en rondeur. Ampleur moyenne, belle longueur. Fort agréable
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11/23/2021 - winecoffee wrote: 92 Points
Great nose of rose petals and blackberry. Classic palate of leather, mud, earth, and mushrooms. Very well balanced.
Needed to decant for an hour.
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11/15/2021 - Weinberg Falls wrote: 92 Points
Lovely nose of rich cassis, plum, wild strawberry and polished leather. Medium bodied on the palate and sweet black fruit, rose petal and some acetate from the hot vintage. Smooth, integrated tannins and a medium spiced fruit, licorice and leathery finish. Lush claret that definitely shows signs of its heatwave vintage but is great value and delicious nonetheless.
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9/12/2021 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose was much better than my last bottle opened in 2019 - very enticing aromas of sweet blackcurrant, dark cherry and plum. In the mouth, it was striking by its freshness - none of the burnt, raisin-like flavours so many 03s suffer from (but this wine never has): cool blackcurrant at first, then some creamy cherry and Xmas cake flavours, rising into a dense middle section where for now, the dark raspberry just pops its head out, promising more in the future, and a long, vigorous finish. Still quite primary, this needs another five years, but it's very impressive.
Not my favourite LR, nor my favourite 03, but a very good wine.
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5/10/2021 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby garnet color turning amber at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose gives off high octane aromas of smoky dark berries with old leather, iodine and forest floor. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with a velvety texture and medium acidity to balance the ripe blackberry, dark raspberry fruit. There’s a solid mid palate that introduces secondary flavors of black olives, dark chocolate, and espresso notes coming through to a heightened finish with hints of eucalyptus and scorched earth. Drink now until 2028. 92+
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4/17/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:
Ninth bottle from a full case purchased in 2005. Pristine, perfect level, perfect cork. Decanted for two hours. I don't decant as often as I used to, but this felt a bit thin on opening and I thought it might flesh out a bit with some oxygen. It didn't. Aromatically it is perfectly alright on the nose, but on the palate and on the finish it remains thin and a bit raw. It's not TCA (not even low-level I would have thought), but the lack of generosity is quite marked and inconsistent with previous notes. I will put it down to the bottle variation which cbuhlman recently noted too. Not rated.
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3/14/2021 - cbuhlman wrote:
flash decant
heavy sediment.
Soft and sweet dark fruits with smoke and cigar box. Savory low toned style, far from "racy" with a lingering medium weight finish.
These bottles seem to have some variation from one to the next, but all good nonetheless
historically, I put this wine in a wide range of 88-92
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2/1/2021 - winebargainchaser Likes this wine: 92 Points
Contrary to my expectations in 2017, the wine held well (or better bottle now ?) : delicious and fine !
It‘s a classic northern medoc at its best and will accompany all dark meats with maximum effect.
I can‘t imagine this one to get any better yet. But maybe stays a couple of years on this level ?
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1/14/2021 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well, I was spot on, on the five year wait last time. This was fantastic. Absolutely singing. From the dark fruited nose to the rich, lush texture and the long finish. What a difference five years make. It is as if it came together and the core is much better now. Everything feels in balance. If there were more tertiaries, I'd score this higher but it does feel like it is almost at peak maturity.
My luck with '03 Bordeux is finally changing!
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10/16/2020 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
5/12, no formal notes. This had an authentic dark fruit, gravelly mineral nose. Certainly rich and ripe but with soft tannins, and decent balancing acidity this also had good depth and length. A definite success in the context of the vintage.
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9/27/2020 - BoireBio Does not like this wine:
14/20 pour un Grand Cru Classé.... ce St-Estèphe 2003 se vendait 55$ en primeur à l’époque et maintenant il vaut environ 84$
Néanmoins, il est très en deçà des attentes... brun foncé tirant sur l’acajou il offre un nez évolué tendance pruneau. Les tanins sont encore rudes même après 17 ans..... profond et sombre, rugueux et trop jus de planche.
Bon, je sais que je ne ferai pas l’unanimité sur CT pour mon commentaire mais peu importe la renommée, le GCC, l’appellation.... c’est tout ce que je peut lui donner.... un maigre 14/20. Bref, il n’était pas à la hauteur de l’excellent braisé de sanglier.
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1/28/2020 - Kris G wrote: 88 Points
Very concentrated wine and showing a lot of wood. Both characteristics which I normally don't associate with Lafon-Rochet, so the vintage is showing. The fruit was warm and a bit stewed with a lot of paprika. There were some spices. The acidity is there but it interacts too much with the bitterness from the wood, preventing a perfect balance. After 1,5 glass this wine become a bit boring and bit 'too much'.
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1/26/2020 - awever Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ziemlich gereift, untypisch für einen St.Estèphe
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12/19/2019 - Joealex wrote: 90 Points
Almost black color with ruby rim. Beautiful, strong and complex nose of sweet red currants, raspberries, strawberries and hint of earth and leather. On palate higher acidity which gives freshness and long dry aftertaste. Feel of elegance but unfortunately tannins are drying out and lacks of concentration and sweetness of fruits (which are nicely present in smell) to balance acidity and drying tannins. It is high time to open all bottles which you own, there is nothing to wait for. It will not be better.
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10/31/2019 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Bought en primeur, well-stocked since. Nice enough nose that does not suggest full maturity. Full taste, red fruit, early tertiary notes. Then a whack of dryish tannins to finish. This is it, or wait longer with the risc of the wine drying out completely?
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10/16/2019 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 91 Points
Chef Michel Roux Jr & Lafon-Rochet (Basile Tesseron) Wine Dinner - Roux at Parliament Square. Limited notes.
Smoke, ripe berry fruits and showing spicy rather than green herb complexity. Plenty of firm tannins in the frame. Full bodied.
91pts now but would recommend that it be held till 20 years from vintage when could easily gain a couple more. 91+?+
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6/15/2019 - ledocq Likes this wine:
More "interesting" than "good," this took an hour to resolve in the glass. Once it did, I was having more of an intellectual experience than that easy "am I enjoying this wine" thing. That's because it has all the components of mature Bordeaux and none of the excitements. It's..fine. Just fine. So I was having to ask myself if I prefer this phase to the youthful fruit kind of thing. No? No, I don't? Drying, drying tannins, like licking a chalkboard.
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5/24/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Eighth bottle from a full case purchased in 2005. Pristine. Decanted for one hour. Completely ready but with time in hand. It has now reached that stage where the component parts which contribute to its character are all well expressed, and tertiary evolution (beef stock) starts to set in. The tannins are not drying but quite tight, with gravel and clay minerality and the warmth of its Merlots; the finish is a bit pinched, but overall this Château has dealt very well with the difficulties of the vintage.
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2/1/2019 - EricLi wrote: 90 Points
Fruit, Tannins, acidity and alcohol together have a somewhat harmony. Not too exciting. Feel it would be better with than without food. No need to wait and no hurry to drink.
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1/27/2019 - Julian Marshall wrote: 88 Points
I really enjoyed my last bottle, back in 2011, and this has none of the burnt flavours of other 2003s, but it couldn't match the Ferrière 00 tasted alongside. The nose is reticent, with blackcurrant and dark, earthy notes. In the mouth, burly and masculine, even after six hours in the decanter - blackcurrant and red berries, but mostly Xmas cake flavours and a little stodgy. It never gets out of second gear. Probably a bad phase, hence the score (in real terms this would have got 84 or 85), but I'll come back to it in another three years time.
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1/17/2019 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 85 Points
Classical nose, nice ripeness, not obviously over-ripe, but it remains quite tannic and the finish is harsh and falls off abruptly.
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1/17/2019 - Paul D wrote: 88 Points
2003 Bordeaux (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Nose shows blackcurrant fruit and a touch of gravelly mineral. Palate is full bodied with ripe dark fruit, a touch of mineral, beefy notes, moderate acidity some firm tannins on the medium/good length finish.
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1/17/2019 - SimonG wrote: 88 Points
2003 Bordeaux (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London): Dusty, moderately dark fruited nose. Full. Quite plush. A fresh start to the finish but ends quite dry and grainy. Blocky. Needs food. ***
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11/19/2018 - vinhslee wrote: 90 Points
No sign of overripe fruits. Good balance of cassis, leather, cedar and earthy notes. More rustic and diluted than most St. Estephe. Can be enjoyed right out of the bottle, but gets better after spending an hour in the glass. It's an easy-going wine, but nothing profound.
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11/16/2018 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
Super hot vintage...really? You would never know it based on this classically animal, leathery Saint Estephe. Ripe fruit - check; balancing structure - check; rounded and supporting tannins (not bitter) - check. A wine to drink over the next 15 to 25 years. A profound Lafon Rochet that benefited from the weather conditions. (93)
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10/10/2018 - imcarthur wrote: 90 Points
A bid wine. Intense with a trace of tannins still hovering in the background. Unevenness on the finish.
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9/28/2018 - Renevin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beau nez de fruits noirs. En bouche ampleur moyenne. Les tanins sont encore présents . Bel équilibre. De longueur moyenne. A revoir dans 4 à 5 ans
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8/12/2018 - Nels+ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Schwarze Johannisbeern, etwas Brombeeren und Cassis, Tabak, Zedernholz und Rauch. Tolle Säure- und Tanninstruktur, noch keineswegs müde.
BoW 18/20
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8/6/2018 - EricLi wrote: 90 Points
Losing power on 2nd day. Drink rather than hold.
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7/29/2018 - bankermd wrote: 93 Points
In a great place; 1 hr decant.
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4/30/2018 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 90 Points
Stored in a cold cellar since release. High fill. Perfect condition.
Benchmark St Estephe from a hot vintage. Time in hand but seems at plateau.
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1/21/2018 - EricLi wrote: 91 Points
At a good phase with short decant. Subtle nose of black fruit and Asian spice. Palate fills up after 30 minutes. Tannins is present but quite smooth. Drink or hold.
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1/6/2018 - rwpalmer wrote: flawed
A touch of VA with the correspondingly dark and hopeful colour this flaw seems to communicate. Not bad. Seemed to have reasonable precision for a 2003 .Not so flawed as to be undrinkable.
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12/30/2017 - pinotwok Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hocharomatisch, tiefschwarze Johannisbeere, Schwarzkirsche, dezente Vanille-Noten, Rauch, Spicebox, später auch rote Beeren. Man sagt ja das St. Estephe mit seinen nördlichen Lage und den eher lehmhaltigen Böden in warmen Jahrgängen besser zurecht kommt. Insofern nur konsequent für 2003 relativ straff und frisch, gerade noch genug Säure und Kühle um die 14% Alkohol, die überbordende Frucht und das hohe Extrakt in Schach zu halten. Insgesamt eher rustikal, aber in sich stimmig, im Abgang feines Tannin. Der Wein ist immer noch sehr gut, war aber vor zwei Jahren deutlich besser. Besser heute als morgen austrinken.
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12/24/2017 - BoireBio wrote:
16/29
Grenat aux reflets orangés
Beau nez alliant finesse et race. Très Bordeaux
Tanins : en veux-tu ? En voilà!
Ça te tapisse la bouche et les tanins sont encore rude.
Combien de résidus de pesticides ? Impossible à savoir mais les effets sont bien présents avec des éternuements à la mesure.
Aimez-vous le goût des phytosanitaires?
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12/19/2017 - winebargainchaser wrote: 90 Points
drink this now. further cellaring will propably only worsen this wine. anway, good choice for game and beef, as well as all defty meals. needed 1-2 hrs decanting, then proofed mid to full bodied, savory, supple and round, with some catchy tannins torwards the finish. classic st. estephe / pauillac style - but the strength is fading . . . . . don't wait, rather decant.
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11/29/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Pristine bottle, level into neck. Not decanted. Spices and blackcurrants on the nose, black cherries, Tahiti vanilla and lead pencil, deep and complete; energetic palate, lots of firm tannic grip, no lack of freshness, not as broad or full as 14% ABV would suggest, not too drying; complete finish, good length. Completely ready.
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9/2/2017 - BailliSacks Likes this wine: 90 Points
First impression is a big dumb Bordeaux, in a good way, but it has nice structure to back up the soft dark body. Not the most interesting bdx, but very good drinking.
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9/2/2017 - JulianSkeels wrote: 92 Points
I haven't had this in 18 months, and it has really improved. Wonderful aromatic nose on opening, I went for a double-decant and 4hrs slow ox in the bottle (seemed good). Still very dark, but I don't sense the over-ripeness that others note. Ripe dark fruits on entry, with integrated alcohol, and a big and lingering mint and ash finish. A tad monolythic due to the lack of finese and relatively low acid. But not roasted and the finish is actually quite fresh. I really like St Estephe in warm years (89, 90, 03, 05, 09, 10, etc). Went wonderfully with my beef dinner (large homemade and spiced burgers with a side of eastern European veggies). No signs of decline for me - should drink to 2025, but I'll check again next year. 92pts
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7/31/2017 - mike410 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not as good as my last few. It seems that this wine is on the decline, or it was just an off bottle.
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7/10/2017 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #261: Leftovers (@ DJ): In the bouquet dark and red berries. Blackberries. On the palate juicy dark berries, some coffee and chocolate, beautifully fresh acidity and still firm but round tannin. Beautiful now, but can last a few years as well.
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3/28/2017 - thalver wrote:
Sadly, my last bottle of this. For my tastes, this wine has punched well above it's weight. Drinking well now, it retains adequate tannin and structure to go a good bit longer. This was drunk alongside a 2002 Anderson's Conn Valley (Napa) cabernet. The noses were remarkably similar. This retained more structure and energy on the palate, with more traditional bordeaux flavors
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2/27/2017 - RayOB wrote: 90 Points
Drank in London
Rich heavy fruit nose from the hot vintage. Maturing nicely.
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2/5/2017 - Wine_Bear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine was properly stored from purchase upon release until consumed. Big initial scent of red fruit. Fresh, lovely, classic cassis. Balanced. A beautiful wine. At 15 minutes, opens more, promises great depth. Lots of layers. At 30 minutes, spectacular fruit basket.
A lovely wine with complexity, drunk with Steak.
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11/7/2016 - Apollo5710 wrote: 89 Points
This was not as good as the last bottle enjoyed 1.5 years ago - it seems to be on its downward trajectory. That said, after 3-4 hours in the decanter, it did gain some weight and complexity. However, it was clearly not the wine it used to be just a few years ago. At first, the nose was non-existent and was fairly light and diluted in the mouth with no real finish to speak of. With time in the decanter, slight notes of dark cherry, licorice, spice, and damp earth emerged, coupled with added weight and concentration in the mouth. It never developed the complexity and depth of previous bottles though. Though enjoyable, I'm not entirely sure much more can come from waiting any longer...
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9/7/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Pristine bottle, 6th from a case of 12. Immediately impressive and attractive straight from the bottle and straight from the cellar. Pure and fresh, warm cherries, earth, spicy oak, firm but ripe tannins, lovely weight, balance and length. After three hours in the decanter, the wine is still energetic but more harmonious, plummy, vinous, spicy, and ever-so-slightly volatile, with a hint of cocoa. It has lost a lot of definition though and I would tend not to decant it. A successful 2003 but today's experience reaffirms my belief that this should not be kept too long.
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6/6/2016 - jdinkin1 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking perfectly now.
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5/8/2016 - Wineshington wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted two hours. Nice bottle, exhibiting St Estphe profile.
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3/21/2016 - SimonG wrote: 84 Points
St Estephe @ RSJ (RSJ, London): Deep purple red. Vanilla and coconut nose with a touch of milk chocolate. Smooth attack and quite expansive, broad even, across the front end before narrowing on the finish that's really quite dry. Dusty and dry. Really not sure how this will fare. **
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3/18/2016 - jdinkin1 wrote: 88 Points
3/16 wine club next to last
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3/6/2016 - JulianSkeels wrote: 91 Points
My last note is still spot on - although needed more air tonight. 2-3hrs in a decanter. Hold, drink 2020-2030 as this isn't yet in its sweet spot. I'm optimistic this will turn out very well and could become a 93pt wine.
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2/28/2016 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dam my last bottle, while I haven't had an affinity for many 03 Bordeaux I have always enjoyed this one,lots of terrific dark currants, dried black berries, lead, dark chocolate, nice smooth palate, with a similar flavour profile, while still got lots of structure is all in harmony, despite the hot vintage there's lots of freshness and a lovely complex focused finish
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2/25/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Denser and a little more closed than my last 2 bottles, but also seemingly more youthful. Moderately expressive nose with a little charcoal, smoke, and mint. Palate is dense and quite tannic, with a back fruit/merlot profile. Still rather primary. Plenty of fruit for the tannins--but this is quite tannic. Moderate finish. This bottle seems to want another 3-5yrs unlike the previous that seemed to suggest drinking now.
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1/30/2016 - imcarthur Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep rich berry nose. Bold fruit. Rich integrated flavors with just a hint of bordeaux steel at the very end of the extended finish. Drinking well but should improve further. Mated well with stuffed pork roast.
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1/2/2016 - auhead Likes this wine: 91 Points
Impressive for its class. Blackcurrant, pencil, vanilla and lightly roasted red fruits. Ripe and full-bodied but not overdone. Even better on second night. Wishing I had more. As others have said, it's drinking well now.
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12/11/2015 - bjlcrucrazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice place right now and paired well with lamb tenderloin
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12/9/2015 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #104; St. Estèphe (By BS): In the bouquet dark berries, toast, matches, celery and meaty flavors. On the palate red berry fruits, a lot of toast, chocolate, some minerals, firm but good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. Reading back my older notes, this is a quite disappointing bottle and much more developed than expected. Maybe an off bottle, but I will nevertheless score it for future comparison.
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9/20/2015 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really hitting its stride now with intoxicating nose of lead, graphite, dark fruit, dried earth and subtle spice notes, fully integrated tannins and a smooth mouth feel on the palate with a robust evolved dark fruits, medium length and finish
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7/14/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Pristine bottle. Rich and mature, lively and Cabernet-fresh, plummy fruit and earth, lead pencil, fleshy but transparent, well-balanced, no noticeable oak, firm but ripe tannins, medium weight and concentration but no over-extraction, spicy depth, still primary, bright juicy fruit, clean and pure flavours, good length. A very successful 2003, avoids the vicissitudes of the vintage but not for the very long term, drink now-2020.
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7/9/2015 - jdinkin1 wrote: 89 Points
Ready.
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6/29/2015 - James Bornn wrote: 89 Points
I remember some exotic oak and over-ripe fruit scents when this wine was young; those have really subsided now. Rich in flavour but a bit too dark and hard to enjoy. For purists of classic St Estephe today. If it developed more aromatic complexity without drying out too much it could still go places.
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6/6/2015 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 89 Points
Good nose, still young. Mid-palate seems hollow. A bit too fruity for Bordeaux. Lacks some tannin but acid is good. I'd say this needs about 5 years to develop into Bordeaux.
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6/4/2015 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted just before dinner. Ripe and rich, as most 2003s are. Moderate complexity, quite enjoyable. Dark fruit on nose and palate.
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5/1/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fully mature, deep ruby with rich red and black fruit, licorice, cedar, espresso, and iron/blood. Silky resolved mouth coating tannin. Unfortunately, my last bottle. Ready to drink now. Enjoy!
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4/28/2015 - Apollo5710 wrote: 92 Points
Following the all the assessments that the '03s are evolving rapidly and need to be tended to, I decided to pull my first of two bottles. Indeed, it seemed more evolved than you'd expect at this age, but this is an '03. I personally liked this vintage on release, and found this estate enjoyable, showing odd raspberry notes on the nose, which were melded with licorice, cedar, mint, and minerals (iron). Good, medium sized wine still packaged in a notable structure, little heat detected, although not especially complex in the mouth, or long on the finish. I'll hold my last bottle another 2-3 years to see what comes of it...
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1/14/2015 - PT insurgent wrote:
Nice nose of graphite, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, leafy, stalky, cherry, cedar.
Palate: big tannins, chewy, high acid, med finish, notes of graphite, cedar, blackcurrant, cherry, plum.
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11/16/2014 - tgarside Likes this wine:
Drinking very well
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11/8/2014 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Youthful in appearance. Expressive nose of smoke, coffee, and dark fruit. Palate shows some ripe fruit moving into a mature phase. Dark fruit profile. Chinky coarse tannins on the finish with a little pepper. This is an '03 that is balanced and showing well. Drink or hold, though not sure if there is clear upside for long term holding.
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10/27/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Fron 375. Consistent with my 10/14 note. Nice, rich, ripe wine on its plateau from 375. Drinking well now, but seems unlikely to reward extended cellaring. I'll finish mine in the next few years.
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10/14/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
From 375, popped and poured. Nice complexity on nose, mushrooms, leather and black fruit. Smooth, tannins mostly resolved. Tasty. Drinking fine perhaps at peak from 375. Nice wine, but like a lot of 2003, I'll drink sooner rather than later.
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8/18/2014 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Lively colour, good depth, youthful appearance, little browning at the edges; nose opens up well in the decanter, still primary, gravelly depth, lead pencil, blackcurrants, black cherries, hint of prune, smoky oak, mint and lovage; the palate displays ample, grainy but ripe tannins and the extraction does not seem to have been exaggerated, there is freshness and balance, it has weight but it does not seem to have real density and power; complete finish, good length. Drink now - 2020/2023.
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7/6/2014 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
Medium/deep ruby core, pale garnet rim. The nose shows sweet blackcurrant fruit, notes of gravelly mineral and a touch of bloody meat. Aromatic. On the palate this is quite full bodied, with bold, ripe black fruits, but showing good purity too, a slight note of chocolate, nice mineral undertow, soft tannins on mid-palate, decent acidity and then a touch of firmness on the good length finish. Certainly ripe but not OTT and showing good overall balance. Excellent, drinking now but no need to hurry.
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5/26/2014 - Oh Dae-su wrote: 90 Points
Still really juvenile and full of rough tannins. Very good structure and dawning flavours of impressiv as well as fresh seeming (for 2003) quality.
A lot of racy herbs and great dark fruit. Perhaps a bit more rich than other Lafon-Rochet wines I had so far. Leave it for some more years, pls. One little remark - I had this from a tooth brush glass in a hotelroom, I know - totally appalling ;-)... no decent glass availabe at midnight
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5/4/2014 - rmcnees wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple/ruby color, medium-full bodied with slightly opacity, vibrant and expressive fruit and floral tones, full forward blackberry fruit with tones of cassis, earth and hints of tobacco, low acidity and a somewhat subdued finish.
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5/1/2014 - jdinkin1 wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Needs few more years.
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3/22/2014 - jdinkin1 wrote: 89 Points
Cedar, dark fruit and leather. Bordeaux like. Tate is. Like the nose. Tannins are still there but mostly rounded. Silky. Drink over next 2to 3 years. But ready now
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2/25/2014 - canan wrote: 91 Points
Needs a couple of hours in the decanter to really open up.
Lovely classic Bdx with plenty of fruit and still keeping a fairly good balance.
Seems fresh and not inflicted by the usual issues with the 2003 vintage.
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2/23/2014 - EBlane wrote: 79 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Lacked any complexity. Short finish. Disappointing. Perhaps past its drinking window.
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2/9/2014 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Intensely dark, some bricking at the edges. Black currant / blueberry driven nose. Fresh attack, full taste, some grainy and slightly dry tannins at the end. Alltogether powerful, not very subtle, and satisfying. And no hurry to drink up.
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1/16/2014 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravin glass. Needs an hour to open up. Smoky, slightly funky/barnyard nose with a little sweet black currant. Palate is fine, with leather plum notes. Quite dark fruit profile and while it's ripe and moving towards sweet, hold together well for the vintage. Only on the finish do the coarse '03 tannins come through. Drinking well though will likely age positivity for the moderate term.
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12/26/2013 - theusualsuspect wrote: 88 Points
After plowing through many 2003's I've concluded that the good ones - Northern mid Medoc, Lafon Rochet included - will live longer than initially expected (an early drinking vintage from a hot year was the general assessment as I recall). This wine has gobs of fruit but the acid and modest tannin are very much coming forward. The point I can't get past with the 03's is I've opened and drunk many of the good 03's across three or four days and at the fourth day they were still a nice drink. These are not wines at the risk of short term collapse - drying out whatever. That said, they will never be great wines, and given the fact that the Bordelais were allowed to acidify in 2003, I think they will always from this point on and maybe for the last few years have an acidic edge. Apropos of the day when California winemakers were prone to acidify heavily, a few of the 2003 Bordeaux may crack up if you will, but my guess is not many. Surprisingly to me, the 2003's reflect the modern Western Hemisphere style in a hot vintage, but they still taste very much like Bordeaux.
Got a well stored Northern or mid Medoc 2003? Open it up, drink a quarter of the bottle, and put it in the fridge. Next night, drink another quarter of the bottle, and so on.
After sitting on the sideboard for six hours, the fruit is basically gorgeous for want of a better word. Complexity, cedar box, forget it. Indeed the 2003 Bordeaux story and I'm fine with it.
Left the bottle half full on the sideboard last night, and tonight it is the same, maybe just a bit better, gobs of simple fruit and seemingly acid a bit more subdued.
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12/20/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Decanted just before dinner. Drinking fine, but could use another year or two in the cellar or more air. Nice contrast to the 2003 Malescot. This is more restrained and balanced, more medium than full bodied. Pleasant nose, clean, lingering finish. Good wine, still improving.
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12/18/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 88 Points
Starting to lose its fruit, the wine has taken on more of a tart, sweet and sour, red berry character on the palate. I’d opt for drinking this sooner than later.
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11/30/2013 - thalver wrote:
This was showing really well, clearly the best of several Bordeaux at a dinner. Expressive nose, very Bordeaux dark fruits, tobacco. Tannins rounded and well integrated. They did come to the fore after a few hours in a decanter. Double decanted and put back into the bottle for about 5 hours. Decanted and served.
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11/24/2013 - Tight Lines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent nose: dark berries, tabacco; soft on the palate, tannis in check, nice finish. Nice Bordeaux experience.
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11/12/2013 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Great 2003 Bordeaux (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): nose: excellent earthy aroma
palate: rich flavours, leather notes, grip tannins, long finish
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10/20/2013 - JulianSkeels wrote: 91 Points
Very dark wine, with a wonderful perfume on opening. 90min double-decant and cool-down which is currently about right (perhaps 2hrs better). Initially disjointed, with alcohol showing, after 90 mins it was still not fully integrated but marked by sweet tannins but little nose. Well made for a 2003 but there is a noticeable lack of acidity - I couldn't finish the bottle. With a few more hours in the glass the wine became drier before the rim turned royal purple and it showed more balance, but little nose or complexity. Quite sweet and simple for now, blackberry and some mocha taste, with a rich mouthfeel (albeit hidden behind sweetness on the tongue) and a touch of green leaf on the nose. This isn't ready and may even still be somewhat dumb. 91pts now but clear upside if it ages well and gains complexity/perfume. Difficult to read, but I think this will be a 93+pt cracker in 5yrs. Hold and try next bottle in 2016, there is only upside to this wine which should easily drink to 2025.
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10/20/2013 - THA wrote:
Drinking wonderfully now. Early maturity has yielded integration, harmony, and a rounding around the edges. It has depth and length. Delicious, but homogeneous and lacking singularity.
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10/11/2013 - Zweder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: Beautiful bouquet with cassis, blackberry, smoke, tobacco, licorice, vanilla and coffee. Same impressions on the palate. Creamy and concentrated dark forest fruits. A touch of sweetness balanced by good acidity and round but powerful tannin. Already a beautiful wine in its early maturity stage, but it will continue to improve for the next few years. Will still be nice around 2020 and I am sure the scores in CT will go up over the next few years.
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10/11/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 94 Points
In de neus veel rijp fruit en wat potloodslijpsel. Zwoele wijn met goede concentratie zwart fruit, chocolade. Goed geintegreerde tannines. Vrij modern, een erg fraai wijn.
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9/25/2013 - Ibetian wrote:
No detailed note, but drinking fine now from 375.
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8/12/2013 - wynnewood500 wrote:
Popped and poured at a family reunion. Nice medium to full bodied wine. Dense dark color. Nicely aged with dark fruit flavors and a subtle tannic backbone.
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7/27/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
From a magnum and decanted for 1-2 hours. Classic, textbook bordeaux nose that starts with a dose of barnyard which blows off after a few minutes and then reveals cassis & dark fruits , graphite, earth and a bit of cedar. I expected it might be young and tight, but that was really not the case. Medium to full bodied with terrific balance, good depth and concentration, and not a rough edge in sight. The fruit is not at all overripe in spite of the vintage. Nice, solid, medium length, but unexceptional finish. This was a classic bordeaux and a great food wine. Drinking great now and with plenty of life remaining.
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5/17/2013 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
Nose - sweet berry, tobacco, earth
Mouth - well integrated nice juicy berry fruit, good acidity and very mellow tannins. Showing complexity. Better than expected. Drink now or in the upcoming few years
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5/17/2013 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Last tasted nine months ago, when I was still a bit sceptical. Recent reviews in Decanter and La Revue du Vin de France were quite complimentary, so time to open another bottle (3/12). The nose is still quite primary, has good depth and 2003-richness, sweet black fruit, characteristic lead-pencil minerality and a distinct minty note; on the palate the tannins are still present but they have softened and integrated further, the extraction does not seem to have been too strong and the ripe fruit comes out victorious, flavoursome, adequate acidity and energy, balance is excellent; very good length. A very good 2003 that has entered its plateau of maturity, drink now - 2020.
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5/11/2013 - wynnewood500 Likes this wine:
Nice medium to full bodied wine. Dense dark color. Nicely aged with dark fruit flavors and integrated tannins.
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3/10/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Vinetasters-2003 Bordeaux (Holiday Inn, Niles IL): Nose: The nose is very perfumed with tones of red fruits, cherries, spices, floral tones, liqueur, cedar, and some campfire smoke. There is very good depth to this with an elegant touch as well.
Taste: Medium bodied with sneaky, but firm tannins. The tannins seem to bite more on the back end with silky tones of red fruits, cherries, liqueur, currants, floral tones, and some fresh picked berries.
Overall: This was my no.2. This was a very pleasant surprise and it showed extremely well. I would like to see where this is in another 5-8 years.
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3/10/2013 - Wine_Bear wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful deep burgundy color; Immediate nose of classic cassis with raspberries. After 5 minutes, perfume bursts out. Bouquet is like a big basket of fruits, with particular scents of cassis, raspberry, melon and citrus, with hints of vanilla and cinnamon spice. Powerful enough to last. There are layers. Perhaps after more bottle age, specific fruits will emerge as it breathes. Try again in 2015.
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3/1/2013 - Paul D wrote: 91 Points
1/12. Very youthful opaque ruby appearance, with a very narrow pale ruby rim. Nose shows ripe blackcurrant, and some attractive development with notes of gravelly mineral, a touch of cedar. Medium/full bodied on the palate, more youthful with ripe blackcurrant to the fore, touch of cream and notes of cedar. The mid-palate is plush and soft, but there is enough acidity to keep this balanced and the finish is long with just a touch of chocolate at the tail end. Undoubtedly soft and ripe but recognisably Bordeaux, very enjoyable, certainly approachable now but should also age well. Excellent.
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2/17/2013 - tmoritz1 wrote:
Very smooth and well blended . Good tannins and nose of leather and dried fruit. Garnet color and medium legs. Hint of black pepper and mudium full body.
T
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2/16/2013 - jimkay21 wrote: 91 Points
Ten years old. Deep purple color, cedar on the nose, dense fruit in the palate. Tannin on the finish that is a little aggressive but fine. This doing just fine, should keep on trucking for a while
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1/21/2013 - pikemasterflash wrote: 91 Points
Good favorable upside surprise. Drank over two nights. The first night very tight and a bit tannic. Second night the wine was more open and if I had tasted it blind I would have guess it was from Margaux, with its characteristically chalky notes. Pretty good $25 bottle.
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12/21/2012 - i musicisti di boston wrote:
Very nice- still a youthful edge, but settled somewhat from my last taste . Pure, focused, slightly gravelly and raw, but with an elegant finish.
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12/14/2012 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
On the cusp of maturity, tannins not yet fully integrated. Dark and graceful in appearance, with a muted nose of cedar and black cherries that never really opened. A classic St. Estephe duel between cab & merlot, probably contributing to this being one of the few wines to fare so well in the '03 heat wave. Not sure this ever turns the corner to evoke the mid-'90's elegance of the estate, but nevertheless a satisfying and provocative example of terroir trumping all. To be revisted in 3+ years.
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10/21/2012 - Sjoerdoz wrote: 74 Points
Recognizable nose from this SE bordeaux; leather, smokey, etc. just fine. Rather thin on the tongue showing lines of orange, cedar and abvious young oak here.
Further down it puts down big tannins even some sourness with some a bitter to end with. Not sure if this will develop later since this should disappear after 4 to 5 years.
Perhaps another bottle should clarify. Expected more
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10/6/2012 - Javachip wrote:
San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 10/6/2012 (Carlsbad, California): Opened late in the evening, not decanted, not included in voting, and probably not given a fair chance. Ripe fruit with a stewed quality, melted licorice, coffee. Very nice.
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8/21/2012 - eoinhharkins wrote: 90 Points
similar notes as before
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8/20/2012 - amgryger wrote:
NY/NJ Offline at Aureole 8.20.12 (Aureole, NYC): Just had a quick taste of this one between other wines. Cassis and pyrazine on the nose and similar on the palate. Medium body tannin and acid. Medium length finish. Decent Bordeaux showing good typicity.
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8/7/2012 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Lovely nose, rich blackcurrant and cherry fruit steeped in luxurious oak, good depth, lead pencil; nice weight, has a savoury quality to it; good length but finishes rather dry. Showing better than last year, has opened up considerably, but there still is a rough edge to the tannins and I wonder whether that will disappear. The Cabernet-Sauvignon clearly fared well in Saint-Estèphe in the sweltering 2003 heat, but there is a lot of Merlot in this wine too. Was it too hot for that? Was the extraction just a little heavy-handed? The jury is still out in my opinion but after nine years one does start to entertain certain doubts.
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8/7/2012 - Ibetian wrote: 89 Points
From 375. Although drinkable now, I think this needs another couple of years to really hit its stride, and my score will probably be higher then. Nice ripe fruit, but no roasting or other negative notes from 2003 heat.
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5/29/2012 - Ibetian wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well now, but likely still has upside.
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5/18/2012 - graphite wrote: 91 Points
This seems to be in a nice place right now, just barely entering maturity. Lovely tar and tobacco notes, cedar, and a good depth of fruit. Vibrant acidity. Not terribly complex, but this showed quite well against some new world Bdx style reds.
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5/12/2012 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Still a purple hue in the color. Beautiful and complex bouquet; black fruits and beautiful luxurious oak. On the palate still a bit reticent, beautiful black berry fruits and oak again. Soft and sticky tannin. A bit dusty. Many layers and tastes. Also some cocoa, cinnamon and chocolate in the distance. Long finish. Great wine! Early maturity now. In 5 years probably showing even more complexity and smoothness. A great pleasure already, certainly with enough air time.
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4/10/2012 - avp wrote:
From a 375ml bottle. Probably has aged a bit quicker than wine in normal sized bottles.
Blueberries, cassis and some raspberry brightness on the nose with notes of meat, leather, graphite and earth.
Fullbodied and silky smooth cooling palatal feel turning more chewy from mid-palate on. Adequate mid-level acidity, good concentration of red and dark fruit, complementing notes of loam and stewed vegetables. Long aftertaste.
Drinking rather well now with good energy levels. @Pinella.
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4/8/2012 - eoinhharkins wrote: 90 Points
nice wine, tannins not fully integrated took 3 hours of decanting before serving, probably 5 years too soon, really dark colour, with a nose of black forest fruit and pencil shavings, palate of succulent dark blackberries, medium body, smooth mouth feel, medium finish nice wine given the prices of it
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3/26/2012 - tmoritz1 wrote: 92 Points
Medium finish, rich color and well blended nose of dried fruit ant tabacco. a bit short on acidity but a very elegant and enjoyable wine
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3/24/2012 - Tight Lines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice fruit, a bit tanic.
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3/7/2012 - mike410 wrote: 92 Points
beautiful wine but a little too tannic. May need a few more years. Ripe fruit, sweet and very lively.
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2/18/2012 - cookie7 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Nose of olives, anise, earth and lead pencil. Dried fruits, plums, black currants, cloves on the palate. A little hollow on the mid palate. Medium tannins.
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1/8/2012 - JMAC03 wrote: 90 Points
Opened an hour before drinking; not decanted. Drinking well now; really dark, full bodied, good length, elegant wine. In hindsight an excellent buy on the basis of JR's 17/20 scoring on release. Paid £12.50 bottle then!
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1/7/2012 - JMAC03 wrote: 90 Points
Opened an hour before drinking; not decanted. Drinking well now; really dark, full bodied, good length, elegant wine. In hindsight an excellent buy on the basis of JR's 17/20 scoring on release. Paid £12.50 bottle then!
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12/24/2011 - wolf66 wrote: 86 Points
Herbal, a bit off, no cork,
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12/3/2011 - wolf66 wrote:
decanted 2 hours however, thin, herbal, off bottle? 85
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10/22/2011 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 90 Points
Rich but dry, power, fruit and depth, typical St-Estèphe, pencil; drying tannins but appears balanced. Good weight but seems to lack a certain energy and tension. Difficult right now. Not so easy to foresee what this will turn into. May be either 87 or 92. 2013 - 2022?
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10/7/2011 - cbuhlman wrote: 92 Points
much more expressive than the last bottle, lots of cassis and smoke on this one. Drinking very well
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10/1/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
2003 is such a great vintage for St. Estephe! Almost every producer from top to bottom made great wine and Lafon Rochet is no exception. With its nose of stone, tobacco, roasted dark berries, licorice and earth, this medium/full bodied Bordeaux wine is already giving pleasure. The wine ends with a round, fleshy textured black and red fruit filled finish.
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9/25/2011 - Tight Lines wrote: 90 Points
A well put together St. Estephe Bordeaux. This wine has a deep crimson color with dark berry / cassis on the palate. Right now it has a nice smooth way about it with a medium finish. Still has some room to develop and I think it will.
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9/5/2011 - cbuhlman wrote: 90 Points
decanted.
dark garnet, still quite youthful.
Soft and sweet dark fruits with the classic left bank graphite and leather. This is a little too low acid for my liking, the antithesis of "racy"- so the wine comes across as not very expressive. It's very good nontheless.
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8/18/2011 - DSo wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Deep purple colour, on nose with some rich and matured berries and red fruits, just a bit tight, and on palate with some fruits, cedar, and a little bit soil minerals, associated with the acidity, overall quite balance. medium to full bodied. After 2 hours it was still improving. It is a young wine which just enters it's drinking window and can be kept in cellar for few more years.
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8/13/2011 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Full bodied, deep purple in color. Very perfumed nose with notes of black currant, graphite, and dark berries. Great mouthfeel and wonderfully balanced with a well integrated tannic backbone. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking. Nice finish. Enjoyed with grilled ribeye and vegetables.
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8/12/2011 - Kris G wrote: 89 Points
harsh tannines (even on day 2), so way too early to drink this
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7/28/2011 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
WCC 2003-2005 Red Bordeaux Blind (Yono's Restaurant, Albany, NY): Big smoky red and black fruit nose. Rich and balanced, but quite tannic. Needs some time to show, but I think the potential is there. One of 3 wines tied for group #3 WOTN.
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7/14/2011 - Marcyrillo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Risoto em casa com Dimas: Demorou pra abrir. Tanico no inicio, apos 1,5 de decantacao abrir muito bem, amaciando e ganhando complexidade. Otimo bordeaux, com um certa lembranca de cab chileno, por mais estranho que possa parecer. Ainda tem bom tempo de guarda, apesar de estar muito bom.
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6/20/2011 - skhemka wrote: 92 Points
Super dark cherries
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6/14/2011 - steveyboy17 wrote: 93 Points
needs a long time out of the bottle but when it has the time it's gloriously fruit arises from the glass combined with unmistakable bordaux
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5/22/2011 - BoireBio wrote: 95 Points
17,5/20
Visuel: Rubis intense
Olfactif: Nez superbe avec des notes balsamiques, du fruits murs (bleuets). Frais, racé, élégant et complexe***
Gustatif: Attaque d'une richesse et d'une structure exemplaire. On a ici bcp d'extracvtion. Les tanins sont maintenant soyeux (8 ans ) et joliment intégrés. Pas de doute le GCC donne ici tout ce qu'il y a de mieux ! C'est comme une confiture en bouche (bleuets, mûres). Un véritable délice.
Ensemble:
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5/22/2011 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
From 375. Much better and more evolved than from 750 recently. Very dark purple. Nice nose of red and black fruit, though still a bit closed. Smooth and slightly sweet on the palate, but not cloying. Not hot or roasted. Not an especially long finish, but nice, pleasantly sweet. Will likely improve and be better in a year or three.
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5/1/2011 - Ary Likes this wine: 92 Points
At van Baerle AMS - Blind tasting, theme Left Bank 2003. Purple red colour. Thick, sweet, nice fruits and oak to "chew" on. Some malolactic tones. The most modern wine of the evening. Promising.
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4/18/2011 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 92 Points
Young, but open for business.
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4/16/2011 - Ibetian wrote: 89 Points
From 750. Closer to being ready to drink than the 2000 L-R, but could still use a little time. Nose offered animal fur at first. That blew off quickly, but the nose was fairly muted, a bit of licorice and black fruit. The palate was better than the nose, smooth, with black and some red fruit, nice finish. I have a case of 375 of this that I'll open soon, but there is no hurry to drink this.
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4/10/2011 - JMAC03 wrote: 88 Points
Strong and still a little raw for my taste. Needs another year but will be great then.
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2/18/2011 - bevort wrote: 93 Points
Wow. Last I opened this bottle was in 2006. Its like time has been standing still. Incredibly dark wine, concentrated yet fresh nose and firm structured taste. 03 shines thru in the showing of the cassis and the berries who seem well matured and very ripe but there is no negative heat influence dominating it. Tannins are mouth coating in a pleasant way leading to a long finale. Bravo. /steen
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1/29/2011 - Rupert wrote: 89 Points
Dark and oaky, tannic, ripe but clearly claret, and rather good
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1/16/2011 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Super colour. Sweet vibrant nose, no hint of heatwave. Well-balanced firm taste, plenty fruit and still some good tannins around. Entering prime-time, but has years ahead. Very good performance.
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12/24/2010 - rwpalmer wrote: 89 Points
This bottle immediately confronting in its black colour and scent of sawn oak and blackcurrant. Yes, the palate is a little firm and dry, but this is a really lovely 03. Proof indeed that St Estephe was the place to be in the heatwave. Drink now -2023
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8/22/2010 - cookie7 wrote: 90 Points
Note from what was left in the bottle after 24 hours. Nose seems a bit muted (as it was last night) with hints of licorice. Thick and a bit brooding on the palate. Some eucalyptus on the palate. Loads of fruit and tannins. This should age well.
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6/23/2010 - schimmy23 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still young and didn't have enough time in the decanter. I think it will get much better.
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6/13/2010 - theusualsuspect wrote: 89 Points
I bought the 2003 Bordeaux, particularly the left bank, because I thought they would drink early. It may just not turn out that way for a whole bunch of them. This wine has really fine concentrated blackish fruit, but in short order it runs into a wall of tannin. This after three hours of airing. Put this one away. 2003 is such a one off vintage in the modern era where I'm not sure the Bordelais or the critics back then quite really knew where they were going.
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3/16/2010 - Yamadori wrote: 88 Points
Very dark purple color with an aromatic nose of blackberry, cedar and tobacco. Medium bodied with nice ripe black fuit on the palate. Nice secondary characteristics of graphite, smoke and a little oak and a moderate finish with prominent tannins. Gave this a 6 hour decant on the first day but it was still quite tight. Softened a little on day 2 but the overall impression is that this wine really needs quite a bit more time. (88+ pts)
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2/13/2010 - dje69 wrote: 91 Points
Classy - you can taste it was a hot year, but still manages to be cool, refreshing and delicious.
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1/23/2010 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Regular dinner group (@ CdW Bordeaux 2000 vs 2001.): Very concentrated, modern made wine. A lot of sweetness in the bouquet as well as the taste. Beautiful elegant oak, a lot of good acidity and bitterness. Already (or still?) quite open, but this wine can last for many more years.
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1/10/2010 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Yet again very enjoyable to drink.
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12/9/2009 - Kris G wrote: 90 Points
nice, could have gotten more points if there wasn't a slight thing wrong (difficult to describe) in the aftertaste: occured on both the 2nd and 3rd day
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12/7/2009 - Rupert wrote: 89 Points
Black, very oaky, new world like in its ripeness, a good graphite streak in it to freshen it up - can't make my mind up about this, enjoyed it some of the time...
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9/8/2009 - balassis wrote: 92 Points
Very deep ruby, almost black.
Nose full of red ripe fruits, minerals, charcoal, wet earth and gentle oaky vanilla.
Medium to full bodied on the palate, with lot of glycerin, high acidity and firm tannins. Needs absolutely time to became softer and more approachable.
Loads of berries, licorice, oriental spices and plums.
A touch of dark chcolate and roast coffee beans on the finish.
The atertaste lasts about 25 sec.
Because of high proportion of Merlot (40%), it pairs nicely with a juicy hamburger.
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5/12/2009 - il_diavolo wrote: 92 Points
this was a surprise - really enjoyable with nice leather and cedary finish. great QPR
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2/22/2009 - cbuhlman wrote: 93 Points
dark ruby, full bodied. sweet and ripe cherry and blackberries, sweet polished tannins with good structure. nice clean fruit/ tobacco leather mouthcoating finish
well done and delicious.
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2/2/2009 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Initially bright red fruits on the palate, which over 90 minutes in the bottle have muted somewhat now showing a bit more earth and cedar. Very well balanced. Enjoable wine and good QPR.
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10/5/2008 - pupaes wrote: 88 Points
after an hour of air opened a little,very tannic, deep, purple,full bodied.had several 03 bordeaux with some drinking better than others..is this a different,hot year vintage that will develop or is it just a difficult year to be avoided
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9/27/2008 - khmark7 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted shortly before drinking. A rather approachable young wine with great structure, black fruits, typical 2003 character, and a powerful nose. Give this time.
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9/11/2008 - Motronic wrote: 92 Points
This is delicous now! Dark in color, almost opaque with deep garnet hues at the rim. Nice and smoky aromas of toasted wood, dark fruit and sweet tobacco. This smells like a man's wine. On the palette, medium body, fine tannin with nice coating and decent after taste in the mouth. This is better than I expected, good to drink now, but should also develope for another 5-10yrs. 92pts.
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8/25/2008 - Rupert wrote:
A caricature 2003 - thick, rich, sweet and port-like - the oak adding a bit of bite. I enjoyed the first glass.
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7/5/2008 - brownman6 wrote: 92 Points
Powerful nose at this age was open 20 minutes before tasting, ripe fruit, deep color a perfect young bordeaux.
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6/18/2008 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
Ivy Library Tasting Night (Ivy Library, with Jordan and Katy): First impression:
Deep, dark garnet in the glass. Nose: strong tobacco, cedar, smoke, cherry syrup, cassis. Palate: med+ tannins, not super-tannic. Med+ body, med acid, bitter. 89pts.
After 5 hrs:
Opened up into mushrooms on the nose, vaguely reminiscent of the 82 Calon Segur (also in St. Estephe). Good stuff, but missing a lot of fruit, punch. It was better when it was newly opened. Fresher acidity and all that.$34, 88. Doesn't have the structure that I would expect from a young Bdx (2003 was HOT).
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5/26/2008 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Essence of claret cedar nose, thick blackcurrant fruit, a fair bit of spicy oak - yes, it's big and ripe, but it's still clearly old world
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5/19/2008 - Employee500 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious, enjoyable young, fruit-forward, complex layers of red and black fruit...Just terrific for the price.
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4/25/2008 - assaf wrote: 92 Points
Delicious as usual unmistakingly Bordeaux, but very fruit forward and lush. Long finish.
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1/23/2008 - spisakc wrote: 94 Points
This will be one of the sleeper finds of my cellar. It opened up with every passing minute. I let this big ruby colored bordeaux breathe for about 15 minutes before tasting. A great fruit forward cherry/blackberry flavor with soft tannins and long velvety finish. Two of drank the bottle over about 90 minutes and every taste was better than the last. It got more complex and integrated with time. I would recommend you let this wine breathe for at least 30 minutes after coming out of the cellar.
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6/30/2007 - Cracker Barrel wrote: 93 Points
Very nice with characteristics of many 2003s. Yummy
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6/2/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Olive, tar, and dark notes that I'm finding to be the hallmark of 2003 left bank. Round, warm and plush with a silky juicy structure and a good sweet core. Not unlike the 2003 Duhart, but less deep. Friendly, easy drinking red fruit with a dark base. Nice concentration, nice fruit, nice classy French oak profile, but not a lot of subtlty. Drinking well now or hold medium term, but I don't expect it to be a long ager. Decent qpr.
B/B+?
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5/4/2007 - jimkay21 wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple color, strong Bordeaux nose of cedar, cassis and the tiniest bit of funk (good funk). Plenty of fruit on palate but no fruit bomb. Tannins still strong, but good acidity. This will be a joy to taste over the coming years.
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3/18/2007 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Nose of espresso and black fruit. Hefty tannins with good presence of fruit.
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3/12/2007 - willison wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple color, vibrant nose of blackberry, burnt coffee, and lead pencil, approachable amount of backberry fruit with some definite tannin structure and oak, and a nice finish. If I can find this at a good price, I will buy more.
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3/3/2007 - awinestory wrote:
clear, intense purple, dark intensity, pale rim clean, perfume, lavendar palate: smooth black fruit, lavendar and violet, med acidity, tannin, intensity, very smooth -- smooth finish
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2/24/2007 - willison wrote: 93 Points
Deep red, garnet color. Excellent nose. Loads of cherry and red fruit. Some leather and scorched earth. Still very tannic. Definitely still too young. Became more subdued on the second night, in a good way. Will be getting more of this.
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2/17/2007 - drcbarroso wrote:
Tasted at a retailer tasting next to an 03 Faugeres. Dark marroon in color with very little bricking at the edges. Black currant, black cherry and blackberry on the nose. Appeared to be drier and more tannic than the Faugeres. Acidity seemed lacking, but cherry explodes onto the palate. Medium finish. Decent wine, but nothing spectacular.
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12/23/2006 - awinestory wrote:
Opening the Chateau Lafon-Rochet (around $35) came at the climax of a day dedicated to Bordeaux education ... we chose at lunch a '97 Chateau Montrose at Chanterelle in NYC ($125) having the wine list in hand in advance, knowing we wanted a Bordeaux, and seeing that most cellar trackers liked this wine. Now that wine needed another two years to develop -- this Chateau Lafon-Rochet absolutely needs 5-7 minimum. Overall, a good exercise in understanding "structure." This is a wine to cellar for a long, long time. Do not dare open a 2003 until 2010 or better, much later.
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12/20/2006 - tcfishler wrote: flawed
Bright blood-red. Quickly turned funky and lost any semblance of fruit - hopefully a bad bottle.
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12/14/2006 - Old_Winyards wrote: 94 Points
Pulled the cork and let it sit about an hour to an hour and a half in the bottle before pouring. Dense and inky purple in the glass. The Lafon-Rochet had a clearly smoky nose with hints of graphite and lots of svelte red fruit aromas. On the tongue this has lots ot blackberry and sexy dark cherry flavors, with more smoke and asian spice. Tannins were fairly smoothe. Well-balanced and absolutely open for business. Each taste seemed to reveal new flavors. A really great wine...
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7/1/2006 - David Wilson wrote:
14% abv. Pure Creme de Mure. Although I'm sure there's new oak, none is perceptible behind the dense, rich, inky wine. There may be some minerals underneath that thick blanket, too. Above the proper serving temperature, this actually emitted a wave of alcohol that took my breath away.
My fears are confirmed. Is this Cabernet? Really? This is like Pavie-Mac with part of the backbone missing. It is rich, and while not as sweetly alcoholic as a Ridge or Turley zin, far more reminiscent of these wines than a left bank Bordeaux. I freely admit that my Bordeaux-tasting experience is not on the level of the big (or even the little) critics; it is a comfort to see that Tanzer also thinks this wine will turn out well. I haven't drunk any '82s, 89s, or 90s, so maybe I've just been weaned, so to speak, on underripe Bordeaux. I can see that it is well made; there are no technical flaws, and if I poured it out of a bottle with a Ridge label, I would rate it highly. I am trying to be fair.
I wonder if this is what the Jancis Robinson/Robert Parker fight is about?
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5/13/2006 - mmurry wrote: 91 Points
A Sampling of Bordeaux (Farpointe Cellar): Deep ruby. The fruit on the nose was wonderful. Raspberry, blueberry, and plum. This was mixed with hints of chocolate and vanilla. The palate showed a lot of earthiness, with raspberry, cedar, and spice. The finish was nice and long, with firm tannins. This was thew best of the tasting.
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5/12/2006 - win wrote: 94 Points
Velvety feel with a mature red cassis red cherry flavor with fairly stong tannins. Extremely long finish--I believe this wine will age really well. Bottle in excellent condition--buying some and looking forward to the the future...
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3/17/2006 - bevort wrote: 92 Points
Almost black purplish color as one would expect from such a young Bordeaux. It almost colors the glass rosa when you swirl.
Gentle warmish nose of mature dark fruits/berries and vanilla yet with a good concentration and freshness to it.
Taste is soft lush cassis, chocolate and tobacco. Tannins are almost sweet and well hidden showing their true colors only at the end of the sip. It ends a bit on the dry side but with a nice long aftertaste. It has power in a gentle way but lacks more finesse, maybe when given some more time? Great QPR.
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1/27/2006 - Vino Me wrote: 89 Points
TN: 2003 Red Bordeaux (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting); 1/26/2006-1/27/2006 (Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois): Another estate which could not duplicate its outstanding 2000 wine. An elegant wine nonetheless. However, it lacked the concentration and depth of the 2000. Mocah and cassis came across on the palate. 89-90 points.
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1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark purple color, with an open nose of blackcurrant and smooth on the palate – compared to the barrel sample. Good finish. Quite nice.
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1/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Medium aroma of floral black fruit. Nice fruit on the plate with some sweetness. 1/06
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3/30/2004 - peternelson wrote: 87 Points
Ch. Branaire-Ducru: Bright scarlet; med. intense nose, cigar box, cassis, hi notes.***Good, but closed & needs 10 yrs.
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