One major complaint and one minor complaint, but we get to them later( this way I force you to read my boring review to the end 🙄) This is the 3rd Growth Cru Classé and I expect something special. 3 hours in the decanter. Very nice aromas of red fruits, earth, cedar, flowers and a lot of...mint. Interesting, unique and magnetic. The taste? Again red fruits, tobacco,a lot of spice and...mint. Perfect balance with acidity and tannins. Pretty long, soft finish. Velvety texture. Everything is done by the book. And the book is very interesting except in a 2 chapters. First chapter is short one - structure. It seems to be a little bit too flat, especially with fruits. The second chapter is much longer. 3rd Growth Cru Classé, very good vintage, 50€, great producer... hence I expect some excitement, some surprises, some unique taste. None of the characterization is in this wine. And it is a very important lesson. What makes wine very good to be? Classification? Price? Reputation? Pro critics scores? 2014 vintage in Margeaux got 93 points according to the WA Vintage Guide. Outstanding. Wine? WE - 95 JS - 95 Vinous - 93 RP - 92 Jeff Leve - 92 WS - 91 Jean Marc Quarin - 90 Decanter - 90
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Rich blackberry, not the “blackberry” flavor we’re used to but fresh blackberry, black plum, violets, black licorice, light pyrazines, and loads and loads of warm cedar, sprinkled with baking spice, sweet acetone notes floating high up. The palate is refined, with tannins gone to velvet, and the body is no more than a medium. Honestly, I’d never understood the Bordeaux hype train, but this might be the finest example I’ve had so far. The cedar amplifies as she opens up, absolutely divine, intertwining with the blackberry and wafting upwards.
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As others have noted, 2014 was not a great year, and sadly, this Giscours reflects several of the shortcomings. While the nose was characteristic, the palate seemed a muddle of flavors, with very little delineation. Mid-palate is flabby and finish unremarkable. Thankfully, enough acid and tannins to make this much more enjoyable with grilled steaks, but the wine was clearly a bit player. Perhaps a "dumb" stage?
Black cherry and blackberry on the nose, with herbs and a little tobacco, then a juicy mouthful of the same, but mostly featuring the blackberry. Less developed than the P-L, it doesn’t really take off mid-palate, but the same silky elegance and some good forest fruits on the long finish. There are still some grainy tannins in the background, but not so much as to spoil the experience. The fruit is quite rich but balanced by the acidity and in another four or five years, this will be a very good Giscours, maybe even an excellent one.
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This was excellent on the first day, right after PnP, a bit tired the next day. But overall I would say this is undervalued, beautiful bouquet and nice texture / structure.
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Mooie kleur. Niet gedecanteerd. Jong rood fruit in de neus en goed geïntegreerd. Zachte tannines met een mooi zuurtje. Fluweel zacht in de mond. Kan nog lang mee.
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Part of a verticale organized by the château. Ample fresh fruit aromas, cedar, coffee, but also floral tones. Still young on the palate, struggling with remaining adstringence and acidity, with limited upward potential. I rightly skipped that vintage in my cellar.
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70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit verdot, 13.5% abv. Good quality Margaux, but more woody than fruits in this time. Very smooth and thick tannin.
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Drank this in restaurant Vigor in Vught. It was decanted for two hours. Very much Margeaux. Blackberries, vanilla in the nose. Smooth balanced palate with long aftertaste.
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Medium deep ruby. Layered nose of ripe blackberries, vanilla, soft chocolate and cedar. Dry, rounded acidity, grainy tannins, palate follows through. Medium full body. Very good balance (tannic afternote). Medium long finish. Give it some time.
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Same bottle as collector. Poured into decanted and drank over 90 min or so. I like the fairly classic 2014 Bordeaux vintage, and this is another nice wine. A little austere and almost more Pauillac than Margaux, the 2014 Giscours is already showing great balance with dark fruit, some wood spices and well integrated oak. Polished tannins. This will evolve but already very nice to drink. 92-93
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Dark ruby. Closed on the nose, not revealing much. Some blackberry, touch of oak. On the palate this is fairly light, in line with the fresh but not deep 2014 vintage. Pleasant to drink now due to the polished tannins, but a bit of waste because I am sure this wine can add a point or two with proper tertiary notes.
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I love wines from weaker vintages by overachievers. This is one of them. It took some time for this wine to open up, but I believe it started the drinkability window now. This is complex and elegant wine with super attractive mid palate with its gorgeous acid elements. I believe this is a classic in the making. Super lovely! 92-94pts
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Took a while to open up (unlike my previous bottle) and in hindsight, would have benefited from a decant. Started to show its quality as the evening wore on, and I still rate this highly. Beautiful balance, medium + bodied. Will leave the others for another 5 years+ before touching.
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The nose has tons of fresh herbaceous elements, sage, oregano and fennel with ripe blue and black fruits residing at the background surrounded by layer of tobacco and pebbles. Quite interesting nose for a unrecognisable Margaux, with a complete lack of floral and ripe cherry tomatoes aromatics. Only after 3 hours decanting from the bottle the rich and fruity elements started to emerge from the full-bodied and bold structure. Impression and notes from the palate very much follow the nose. Finish has good length but it’s somewhat austere for now. Too young to drink now. Another 5 years of aging will benefit the development of this Giscours. 89-91 pts.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Cassis, oak, Margauxberries, a bit of oak on the nose. Medium body, well-balanced, drinking well but young. Excellent.
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PNP with a stunning nose of violets, vanilla and cassis right of the bat. Medium bodied + with blackcurrant dominating, firm, grippy tannins, yet all beautifully integrated with a typical Margaux elegance. The finish lasted a minute or more. Wow!
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Bottle previously accessed from Coravin. Tasted over several days, first a Coravin pour, then over consecutive days after pulling the cork, alongside the same vintage Nenin.
This vintage offers a wondrous bouquet of flower garden, fruit blossoms, and wafting suggestions of creme de cassis, along with rustic varietal markers, notably blackcurrant, blackberry, and graphite. It seemed as if Merlot and Petit Verdot carried the lifted bouquet, with Cabernet Sauvignon providing the backdrop and cannvas. The bouquet also showed quality oak elements, which almost harmonized with the perfume...but not quite.
All Merlot attack! Ripe and supple red fruits, berries, and flowers, carried on velour-like texture. Petit Verdot seemingly delivered the transition from attack to middle, with Cabernet Sauvignon making its presence known thereafter. The back revealed a solid, if luxurious, tannin wall, which the finish carried, through Petit Verdot accents, for a long while.
Overall, a complete wine...at least for now too complete...because of heavy-handed oak!!! A wine this elegant and poised would have benefited from a 30 percent reduction in oak treatment. The oak shows as a pinching bite at the back, detracting from otherwise total, and I might add, seductive, harmony. The Nenin, judiciously oaked, if less complex, delivered strong testament to the winemaker's misguided timber-fest.
Without the distracting oak, score the wine 95-96 points. Yeah!...it is that good!!! Will it integrate? I would give it equal chances, after no less than five years, probably seven to ten. The wine certainly packs the substance to age for another decade, probably longer. At the end of the day though, the excessive oak will not equate to value added!
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Medium purple, medium perfumed nose of violets, blackberry, black currant and hints of earth, tobacco, vanilla and coconut, powdery black fruit on the attack with layers of berry, earth, plump acidity and fine-grained tannins, finishes long and elegant with perfumed black fruit, earth, black tea, mineral streaks, hints of tobacco leaf and more
Note: It's at a very lush state but given time, there appears to be enough acidity to mellow the fruit and make this something special
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Opened for an hour but not decanted.... likely a mistake.... longer decant might have been better. Drank over cheese and an hour’s end of dinner conversation. Sadly, totally forgettable even as I drink a final glass a couple of hours later as I write this note.
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My first of 4. Only a touch of sediment in the bottle. A beautiful purple/black —sheeny surface, but not reflective the way a Cali cab typically is. Little to no legs, so not very viscous. Nose reticent (as you’d expect st this stage) and pure. Some graphite, charcoal, crushed stone. Flavors follow in same key: pencil lead and eucalyptus, black fruit in background. Perfect acid balance, plenty of tannins of the softer variety. A serious wine, good now but made to age. 92 with a great future. I’ll try it next in 3 years but expect 8-10 more to peak.
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Tasted alongside the same vintage Batailley and Pontet-Canet. Youthfully vivacious up front, backed by enchanting Margaux elegance at the middle, back, and finish. So much to love here, suave and satisfying. Whereas its Pauillac stablemates on this evening showed the hallmarks of three plus decade longevity, this should easily last for two or more. While remarkably approachable now, it will likely improve over the next five to seven years, perhaps ten. In a word: lovely.
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A: Medium ruby N: Cassis, graphite, violet, baking spice, vanilla, cedar, tobacco P: Dry, high acid, medium (+) alcohol (13.5%), medium (+) body, medium (+) tannin, medium intensity and medium (+) finish C: Very good quality. Can hold but will improve with age
Guesses: I thought this could have performed better as a grand cru Classe. I thought it might be cru bourgeois
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Aromas of blackcurrant and oak. Good acidity. Sweet fruit on the palate, and a bitter-sweet finish. A bit clumsy, and less elegant than the d'Issan tasted the same evening.
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This wine is elegant! medium body lovely strawberry earth and pencil lead. Fine tannin and acid structure. Pleasant to drink now but has a fine future. Would never have pulled this bottle to drink now, I was running late for my daughters birthday dinner and asked her boyfriend to pull a couple of bottles out of the cellar and this was one of them. Oh well good times.
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Freshness on the nose with hints of raspberry, tobacco, dark cherry, strawberry and pencil lead. Soft and medium bodied, this exhibits a nice roundness and elegance in the mouth with plum, raspberry, floral, and even the slightest hints of pepper. The finish on this is really nice. This is drinking nice already, but I think this will improve slightly with time yet. Very enjoyable.
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2014 Bordeaux Tasting/J&K Home - Very enjoyable and a crowd pleaser. This Bordeaux has a very deep crimson color. It's nose is floral, earthy, and fruity and it tastes of ripe, fresh fruit; almost new world in character. These flavors include blackberries, black cherries, plums, cocoa, and smoke. There is plenty to like about this wine. It is medium to full bodied with a silky mouth feel. Tannins are softening at this time. It is much more approachable than many other bordeaux wines; so it needs less cellaring. Drink 2020-2030.
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(Decanter Fine Wine 2017) :: N: A ripe cassis core, plenty of leather and soil notes, floral. Lifted and expressive. P: ripe, fresh and fleshy; med bodied. Moreish.
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During a 2014 walkabout arrivage tasting, no tasting notes given, only selective comments. In general I did not walk away excited after sampling ca. 40 wines (to be fair, all the big weights were missing). In a nutshell, while the vintage is pleasant and fresh, it is often too lean, lacking charm and aromatic depth. Still, Bordeaux being Bordeaux, the wines are not made for immediate drinking so, I don't see the point in buying them now. There will be plenty of them in the market in 2024 when they reached their peak and prices then will probably still be relatively attractive given the release prices. TN: Decent wine here, fresh, pleasant but a bit lean and nowhere near the outstanding 2010.
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BODY: blood red color of medium to medium-deep depth; medium-light to medium bodied.
TASTE: light, stony tannins; good freshness; raspberry & blackberry -- fruit does taste a bit baked; hint of chocolatey oak. Day 3: still red-fruited; oak more noticeable today; excellent. Drink now and over the next 15 years. Definite re-buy @$40. Gut impression score: 92-93.
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Blackberry, black cherry, coconut, rose petals and wet earth. Sumptuous and long, with fine, polished tannins; this is very approachable, yet there's an evident grip. Quite androgynous and fresh. I did not decant. Drink 2020 -.
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Surprisingly flamboyant, with sweet notes of cassis, black cherries, smoke, spices, tobacco and some oaky notes too. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin. Good length. A surprisingly open and voluptuous Giscours. Not the last word about complexity at this stage but fun to drink. (91+)
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UGC-Tasting 2014 Amsterdam March 6, 2017. Not better than du Tertre, but slightly different; bouquet a bit closed, in the midtaste a bit more vanilla and a bit firmer in the aftertaste; also a Margaux-surprise.
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Polished tannins, pure, ripe, fresh, sweet, dark, red fruits, and a silky textured, fresh finish are really already showing well, with little effort. As this ages, it could score higher.
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UGC TASTING San Francisco Vintage 2014, nose of red and black cherry fruit, plum, allspice, same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty, needs 3 years to peak, slightly fruit forward which is a surprise today, medium/long finish.
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UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Plum and black cherry with background spice. Very bright, very good balance. a highlight today, 90-92 point potential.
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Château Giscours, Margaux 2014: Tasted after 16 hours of decanting. Deep garnet with a royal purple hue. On the nose, cigar box, crushed forest berries, freshly brewed coffee and a hint of Dutch cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, not overly extracted with an elegant and silky texture. The palate is quite austere yet feminine, displaying notes of tart raspberries and blackberries, graphite, hints of earth, bittersweet cocoa, luxurious cigars, nutmeg and espresso. The structure features medium-plus acidity and tight, searing tannins with notes of charcoal and dark chocolate on a seemingly endless finish. This beauty has lots of potential but needs to be forgotten in the cellar for quite a few years. Drink 2022-2032, perhaps longer. 13.5% Abv.
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I preferred this to the 2014 du Tertre served alongside. The fruit is riper and more generous, the tannins are finer, there is very good depth and length. 90-91+
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En Primeur Bdx. 2014 tasting event, tasting pour, short note. Another fine Left Bank, 2014 seems promising after a few perhaps lesser years. Classic tones, with graphite, earth, touch leather and fine black currant and herbs. Palate is fresh and elegant, medium sized, with good length. Will gain I complexity, and evolve fine. (89 – 91)
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A complex nose of earth, tobacco, mint, black cherry and raspberries, this wine is soft and polished and there is a fresh, unadulterated plum and fresh, black raspberry sensation in the silky finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. 91-92 Pts
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4/6/2024 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured, and drank over one hour. Drinking well now, but certainly could have benefitted from a decant. Will try again soon.
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3/22/2024 - WojteG Likes this wine: 91 Points
One major complaint and one minor complaint, but we get to them later( this way I force you to read my boring review to the end 🙄)
This is the 3rd Growth Cru Classé and I expect something special.
3 hours in the decanter.
Very nice aromas of red fruits, earth, cedar, flowers and a lot of...mint. Interesting, unique and magnetic.
The taste? Again red fruits, tobacco,a lot of spice and...mint. Perfect balance with acidity and tannins. Pretty long, soft finish. Velvety texture. Everything is done by the book.
And the book is very interesting except in a 2 chapters.
First chapter is short one - structure. It seems to be a little bit too flat, especially
with fruits.
The second chapter is much longer.
3rd Growth Cru Classé, very good vintage, 50€, great producer... hence I expect some excitement, some surprises, some unique taste.
None of the characterization is in this wine.
And it is a very important lesson.
What makes wine very good to be?
Classification?
Price?
Reputation?
Pro critics scores?
2014 vintage in Margeaux got 93 points according to the WA Vintage Guide. Outstanding.
Wine?
WE - 95
JS - 95
Vinous - 93
RP - 92
Jeff Leve - 92
WS - 91
Jean Marc Quarin - 90
Decanter - 90
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3/11/2024 - andrewfowler Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich blackberry, not the “blackberry” flavor we’re used to but fresh blackberry, black plum, violets, black licorice, light pyrazines, and loads and loads of warm cedar, sprinkled with baking spice, sweet acetone notes floating high up. The palate is refined, with tannins gone to velvet, and the body is no more than a medium. Honestly, I’d never understood the Bordeaux hype train, but this might be the finest example I’ve had so far. The cedar amplifies as she opens up, absolutely divine, intertwining with the blackberry and wafting upwards.
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3/9/2024 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 89 Points
As others have noted, 2014 was not a great year, and sadly, this Giscours reflects several of the shortcomings. While the nose was characteristic, the palate seemed a muddle of flavors, with very little delineation. Mid-palate is flabby and finish unremarkable. Thankfully, enough acid and tannins to make this much more enjoyable with grilled steaks, but the wine was clearly a bit player. Perhaps a "dumb" stage?
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2/24/2024 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black cherry and blackberry on the nose, with herbs and a little tobacco, then a juicy mouthful of the same, but mostly featuring the blackberry. Less developed than the P-L, it doesn’t really take off mid-palate, but the same silky elegance and some good forest fruits on the long finish. There are still some grainy tannins in the background, but not so much as to spoil the experience. The fruit is quite rich but balanced by the acidity and in another four or five years, this will be a very good Giscours, maybe even an excellent one.
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12/10/2023 - MatLot Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bon margaux nice rqp
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9/24/2023 - racerchris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Drank over 8 hours. Elegant and balanced, medium weight, slow to open up. The last glass was the best.
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6/10/2023 - PlanetX wrote: 92 Points
Union Grands Crus Bordeaux (UGC) 2020 Tasting (Hangar 14, Bordeaux): Well integrated and drinkable now with many years of drinking ahead. Enjoyable
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2/6/2023 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 91 Points
More reserved as the fruit is no longer stealing the show. Classic in the making. This will offer many years of quality drinking. Lovely
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1/29/2023 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Felt a bit closed, this is anther of the '14 vintage that needs more time. Not a lot of charm here either.
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12/26/2022 - wabi47 wrote: 87 Points
medium body, savory, cedar notes
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11/25/2022 - fozzibaer Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was excellent on the first day, right after PnP, a bit tired the next day. But overall I would say this is undervalued, beautiful bouquet and nice texture / structure.
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9/4/2022 - sfbikeguy wrote: 90 Points
More ‘present’ than the 2015. I can see where the 2014 is appropriate where you want a softer red.
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7/1/2022 - Frankie63 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mooie kleur. Niet gedecanteerd. Jong rood fruit in de neus en goed geïntegreerd. Zachte tannines met een mooi zuurtje. Fluweel zacht in de mond. Kan nog lang mee.
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6/2/2022 - CarpeDiem! wrote: 88 Points
Part of a verticale organized by the château. Ample fresh fruit aromas, cedar, coffee, but also floral tones. Still young on the palate, struggling with remaining adstringence and acidity, with limited upward potential. I rightly skipped that vintage in my cellar.
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5/31/2022 - vigure Likes this wine: 90 Points
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit verdot, 13.5% abv. Good quality Margaux, but more woody than fruits in this time. Very smooth and thick tannin.
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4/24/2022 - querilant Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank this in restaurant Vigor in Vught. It was decanted for two hours. Very much Margeaux. Blackberries, vanilla in the nose. Smooth balanced palate with long aftertaste.
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3/27/2022 - Counsel71 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine but need time to decant. Decanter for an hour or so - not enough.
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1/14/2022 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium deep ruby. Layered nose of ripe blackberries, vanilla, soft chocolate and cedar. Dry, rounded acidity, grainy tannins, palate follows through. Medium full body. Very good balance (tannic afternote). Medium long finish. Give it some time.
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11/29/2021 - Bew Naweera Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wonderful wine. Velvetly tannin, blackberries and super smooth and balanced bordeaux blend. I love this wine.
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11/14/2021 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same bottle as collector. Poured into decanted and drank over 90 min or so. I like the fairly classic 2014 Bordeaux vintage, and this is another nice wine. A little austere and almost more Pauillac than Margaux, the 2014 Giscours is already showing great balance with dark fruit, some wood spices and well integrated oak. Polished tannins. This will evolve but already very nice to drink. 92-93
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11/13/2021 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby. Closed on the nose, not revealing much. Some blackberry, touch of oak. On the palate this is fairly light, in line with the fresh but not deep 2014 vintage. Pleasant to drink now due to the polished tannins, but a bit of waste because I am sure this wine can add a point or two with proper tertiary notes.
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9/15/2021 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I love wines from weaker vintages by overachievers. This is one of them. It took some time for this wine to open up, but I believe it started the drinkability window now. This is complex and elegant wine with super attractive mid palate with its gorgeous acid elements. I believe this is a classic in the making. Super lovely! 92-94pts
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5/31/2021 - Ianjaig Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took a while to open up (unlike my previous bottle) and in hindsight, would have benefited from a decant. Started to show its quality as the evening wore on, and I still rate this highly. Beautiful balance, medium + bodied. Will leave the others for another 5 years+ before touching.
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4/3/2021 - Psdycp wrote: 89 Points
The nose has tons of fresh herbaceous elements, sage, oregano and fennel with ripe blue and black fruits residing at the background surrounded by layer of tobacco and pebbles. Quite interesting nose for a unrecognisable Margaux, with a complete lack of floral and ripe cherry tomatoes aromatics. Only after 3 hours decanting from the bottle the rich and fruity elements started to emerge from the full-bodied and bold structure. Impression and notes from the palate very much follow the nose. Finish has good length but it’s somewhat austere for now. Too young to drink now. Another 5 years of aging will benefit the development of this Giscours. 89-91 pts.
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3/8/2021 - dbg wrote:
Excellent
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2/9/2021 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Cassis, oak, berries. Medium body, well-balanced, drinking well but young. Excellent.
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2/7/2021 - dbg wrote: flawed
Badly corked.
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1/14/2021 - Mapka1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very tasty, opens up in only 30-60 mins. Smooth, fruity, blueberry little leather.
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12/13/2020 - epiphany wrote: 88 Points
Not much going on here. Hopefully will improve with time.
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12/4/2020 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Cassis, oak, Margauxberries, a bit of oak on the nose. Medium body, well-balanced, drinking well but young. Excellent.
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12/3/2020 - Ianjaig Likes this wine: 94 Points
PNP with a stunning nose of violets, vanilla and cassis right of the bat. Medium bodied + with blackcurrant dominating, firm, grippy tannins, yet all beautifully integrated with a typical Margaux elegance. The finish lasted a minute or more. Wow!
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11/23/2020 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Bottle previously accessed from Coravin. Tasted over several days, first a Coravin pour, then over consecutive days after pulling the cork, alongside the same vintage Nenin.
This vintage offers a wondrous bouquet of flower garden, fruit blossoms, and wafting suggestions of creme de cassis, along with rustic varietal markers, notably blackcurrant, blackberry, and graphite. It seemed as if Merlot and Petit Verdot carried the lifted bouquet, with Cabernet Sauvignon providing the backdrop and cannvas. The bouquet also showed quality oak elements, which almost harmonized with the perfume...but not quite.
All Merlot attack! Ripe and supple red fruits, berries, and flowers, carried on velour-like texture. Petit Verdot seemingly delivered the transition from attack to middle, with Cabernet Sauvignon making its presence known thereafter. The back revealed a solid, if luxurious, tannin wall, which the finish carried, through Petit Verdot accents, for a long while.
Overall, a complete wine...at least for now too complete...because of heavy-handed oak!!! A wine this elegant and poised would have benefited from a 30 percent reduction in oak treatment. The oak shows as a pinching bite at the back, detracting from otherwise total, and I might add, seductive, harmony. The Nenin, judiciously oaked, if less complex, delivered strong testament to the winemaker's misguided timber-fest.
Without the distracting oak, score the wine 95-96 points. Yeah!...it is that good!!! Will it integrate? I would give it equal chances, after no less than five years, probably seven to ten. The wine certainly packs the substance to age for another decade, probably longer. At the end of the day though, the excessive oak will not equate to value added!
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11/15/2020 - duchamp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium purple, medium perfumed nose of violets, blackberry, black currant and hints of earth, tobacco, vanilla and coconut, powdery black fruit on the attack with layers of berry, earth, plump acidity and fine-grained tannins, finishes long and elegant with perfumed black fruit, earth, black tea, mineral streaks, hints of tobacco leaf and more
Note: It's at a very lush state but given time, there appears to be enough acidity to mellow the fruit and make this something special
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7/26/2019 - Goldstone wrote: 88 Points
Opened for an hour but not decanted.... likely a mistake.... longer decant might have been better. Drank over cheese and an hour’s end of dinner conversation. Sadly, totally forgettable even as I drink a final glass a couple of hours later as I write this note.
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5/15/2019 - Shrages wrote: 92 Points
My first of 4. Only a touch of sediment in the bottle. A beautiful purple/black —sheeny surface, but not reflective the way a Cali cab typically is. Little to no legs, so not very viscous. Nose reticent (as you’d expect st this stage) and pure. Some graphite, charcoal, crushed stone. Flavors follow in same key: pencil lead and eucalyptus, black fruit in background. Perfect acid balance, plenty of tannins of the softer variety. A serious wine, good now but made to age. 92 with a great future. I’ll try it next in 3 years but expect 8-10 more to peak.
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4/8/2019 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Tasted alongside the same vintage Batailley and Pontet-Canet. Youthfully vivacious up front, backed by enchanting Margaux elegance at the middle, back, and finish. So much to love here, suave and satisfying. Whereas its Pauillac stablemates on this evening showed the hallmarks of three plus decade longevity, this should easily last for two or more. While remarkably approachable now, it will likely improve over the next five to seven years, perhaps ten. In a word: lovely.
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2/4/2019 - Heynetty wrote:
Wine Dojo - Bordeaux Part One (Elissa's Place): Tasted Blind
A: Medium ruby
N: Cassis, graphite, violet, baking spice, vanilla, cedar, tobacco
P: Dry, high acid, medium (+) alcohol (13.5%), medium (+) body, medium (+) tannin, medium intensity and medium (+) finish
C: Very good quality. Can hold but will improve with age
Guesses:
I thought this could have performed better as a grand cru Classe. I thought it might be cru bourgeois
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1/13/2019 - AudunG wrote: 88 Points
Aromas of blackcurrant and oak. Good acidity. Sweet fruit on the palate, and a bitter-sweet finish. A bit clumsy, and less elegant than the d'Issan tasted the same evening.
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8/18/2018 - scott w Likes this wine:
This wine is elegant! medium body lovely strawberry earth and pencil lead. Fine tannin and acid structure. Pleasant to drink now but has a fine future. Would never have pulled this bottle to drink now, I was running late for my daughters birthday dinner and asked her boyfriend to pull a couple of bottles out of the cellar and this was one of them. Oh well good times.
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6/10/2018 - Winelink Likes this wine:
A QPR at this vintage. 40 bucks
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3/31/2018 - mikeharris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Freshness on the nose with hints of raspberry, tobacco, dark cherry, strawberry and pencil lead. Soft and medium bodied, this exhibits a nice roundness and elegance in the mouth with plum, raspberry, floral, and even the slightest hints of pepper. The finish on this is really nice. This is drinking nice already, but I think this will improve slightly with time yet. Very enjoyable.
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2/11/2018 - melodrameric Likes this wine: 92 Points
Liked this wine a lot, the nose is wonderful and complex. Oak is a little overpowering now, but should be beautiful in time. Needs several more years.
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2/4/2018 - Endodr Likes this wine: 91 Points
2014 Bordeaux Tasting/J&K Home - Very enjoyable and a crowd pleaser. This Bordeaux has a very deep crimson color. It's nose is floral, earthy, and fruity and it tastes of ripe, fresh fruit; almost new world in character. These flavors include blackberries, black cherries, plums, cocoa, and smoke. There is plenty to like about this wine. It is medium to full bodied with a silky mouth feel. Tannins are softening at this time. It is much more approachable than many other bordeaux wines; so it needs less cellaring. Drink 2020-2030.
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12/9/2017 - Phenol73 Likes this wine: 93 Points
(Decanter Fine Wine 2017) :: N: A ripe cassis core, plenty of leather and soil notes, floral. Lifted and expressive. P: ripe, fresh and fleshy; med bodied. Moreish.
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12/2/2017 - Vinobay wrote: 91 Points
Excellent balance of raspberry and plum combined with medium tannins on a solid base of classic Bordeaux minerality.
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10/19/2017 - cltean Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at Total Wine in Towson, MD on Thursday, October 19, 2017. Third growth wine. Full-bodied wine. Beautiful color. Deep and elegant wine . $49.99
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10/14/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
During a 2014 walkabout arrivage tasting, no tasting notes given, only selective comments. In general I did not walk away excited after sampling ca. 40 wines (to be fair, all the big weights were missing). In a nutshell, while the vintage is pleasant and fresh, it is often too lean, lacking charm and aromatic depth. Still, Bordeaux being Bordeaux, the wines are not made for immediate drinking so, I don't see the point in buying them now. There will be plenty of them in the market in 2024 when they reached their peak and prices then will probably still be relatively attractive given the release prices. TN: Decent wine here, fresh, pleasant but a bit lean and nowhere near the outstanding 2010.
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10/10/2017 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted 30 minutes before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind on Day 1 and Day 3 --
NOSE: young; red-fruited Cab.; noticeable-but-light-oak
BODY: blood red color of medium to medium-deep depth; medium-light to medium bodied.
TASTE: light, stony tannins; good freshness; raspberry & blackberry -- fruit does taste a bit baked; hint of chocolatey oak. Day 3: still red-fruited; oak more noticeable today; excellent. Drink now and over the next 15 years. Definite re-buy @$40. Gut impression score: 92-93.
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6/3/2017 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blackberry, black cherry, coconut, rose petals and wet earth. Sumptuous and long, with fine, polished tannins; this is very approachable, yet there's an evident grip. Quite androgynous and fresh. I did not decant. Drink 2020 -.
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3/11/2017 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprisingly flamboyant, with sweet notes of cassis, black cherries, smoke, spices, tobacco and some oaky notes too. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin. Good length. A surprisingly open and voluptuous Giscours. Not the last word about complexity at this stage but fun to drink. (91+)
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3/10/2017 - FransS wrote: 92 Points
UGC-Tasting 2014 Amsterdam March 6, 2017. Not better than du Tertre, but slightly different; bouquet a bit closed, in the midtaste a bit more vanilla and a bit firmer in the aftertaste; also a Margaux-surprise.
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3/6/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Amsterdam UGCB Tasting and Winemakers' Dinner (Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky / Café De Klepel): Tasting, brief note. Supple, creamy, flowing and relaxed, elegant and floral, gentle phenolics, long.
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2/4/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Polished tannins, pure, ripe, fresh, sweet, dark, red fruits, and a silky textured, fresh finish are really already showing well, with little effort. As this ages, it could score higher.
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1/27/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
UGC TASTING San Francisco Vintage 2014, nose of red and black cherry fruit, plum, allspice, same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty, needs 3 years to peak, slightly fruit forward which is a surprise today, medium/long finish.
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1/27/2017 - alanr wrote: 87 Points
Bright red fruit, bit lighter body, medium intensity but lacks some depth and complexity.
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1/26/2017 - jmcmchi wrote: 89 Points
Attractive, easy drinking made in the N American style. Bramble and oak throughout
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1/25/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Plum and black cherry with background spice. Very bright, very good balance. a highlight today, 90-92 point potential.
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1/25/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Ripe and ready and darn. Kinda tastes like it's hitting a profile
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1/24/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting Bordeaux from bottle in New York City (Cipriani in New York City): I really like Giscours from bottle, as among the best Medocs I tried at this tasting: balanced, fruit driven and fresh, with a floral finish. Give it time in barrel to let is sing properly.
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1/22/2017 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
UGC Bordeaux 2014 Vintage (Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia): tasted at large walkaround tasting. dark floral aromatics, red cherry, pencil lead. soft tannins.
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1/13/2017 - theeagle03 wrote: 88 Points
Soft fruit, great grippy tanning. Round texture but the fruit is not quite ripe enough
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1/7/2017 - Gabriel Geller Likes this wine: 93 Points
Château Giscours, Margaux 2014: Tasted after 16 hours of decanting. Deep garnet with a royal purple hue. On the nose, cigar box, crushed forest berries, freshly brewed coffee and a hint of Dutch cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, not overly extracted with an elegant and silky texture. The palate is quite austere yet feminine, displaying notes of tart raspberries and blackberries, graphite, hints of earth, bittersweet cocoa, luxurious cigars, nutmeg and espresso. The structure features medium-plus acidity and tight, searing tannins with notes of charcoal and dark chocolate on a seemingly endless finish. This beauty has lots of potential but needs to be forgotten in the cellar for quite a few years. Drink 2022-2032, perhaps longer. 13.5% Abv.
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10/19/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
I preferred this to the 2014 du Tertre served alongside. The fruit is riper and more generous, the tannins are finer, there is very good depth and length. 90-91+
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9/3/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 90 Points
En Primeur Bdx. 2014 tasting event, tasting pour, short note.
Another fine Left Bank, 2014 seems promising after a few perhaps lesser years.
Classic tones, with graphite, earth, touch leather and fine black currant and herbs.
Palate is fresh and elegant, medium sized, with good length.
Will gain I complexity, and evolve fine.
(89 – 91)
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4/22/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
A complex nose of earth, tobacco, mint, black cherry and raspberries, this wine is soft and polished and there is a fresh, unadulterated plum and fresh, black raspberry sensation in the silky finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. 91-92 Pts
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