The longer this ages the more it features heavy extraction and oak treatment. Serious acidity and grip, thus several years of maturation ahead of it. Recommend holding bottles for three or so years. Wines in this style tend to throw heavy sediment and this had already thrown a moderate amount.
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Strapping, brawny, and somewhat over extracted. Unmistakably Bordeaux, and the forty percent Cabernet family varieties could place this on either Bank. Technically excellent, and quite well balanced, albeit not a 'less is more' offering. Extraction, which has become more prominent over the last few years, detracts from the whole experience. Still plenty of life here. Drink or hold through 2030 or so.
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Excellent in all regards, and yet the least impressive showing of this wine to date. Still plenty of fruit and impressive structure. Just a touch reductive on the nose, though not on the palate. The middle to back transition felt a little wonky. At 17 years, my impression was that this bottle was in deep slumber, and never really came out of its shell. Recommend holding a few years more.
The tasting notes here that allege absence of fruit or heavy oak treatment puzzle me.
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Classics and Curiosities: Plummy black fruits and mocha and offering more sweetness than I'd prefer, but it's not ponderous or heavy for being a full bodied right bank Bordeaux. The most experienced Bordeaux drinker at this table thought this was on the young side still, so I'm not sure what to make of the inconsistent reports below.
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Had side by side at dinner with 2009 St. Lilion. Initially when opened and they breathed for about 15 minutes the St. Emilion was a little more robust than the Lilian, but the St. Emilion did not evolve as well after about an hour and developed a slight bitterness. The Liliian improved and opened up nicely. Don't know if it will improve.
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Difficult to understand the recent notes and scores here. This stellar offering followed a 2004 Sassicaia, and held its own. It features fruit to spare, striking sense of place, powerful structure, and a finish that knows no quit. Give it several hours of air to show its best if drinking now. Likely to reach a mid drinking window by 2030 and hold for several years thereafter. Serious juice!
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Drank with marinated tri-tip at home. Took about 30 minutes to open up. Juicy bold red fruit on mid-palate. But there is something strangely imbalanced about this wine. Thinner than the fruit would imply. Tannin/acid on finish don't match the fruit forward on the front-end.
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Tasted over two days. Going strong and still very young. The high percentage of ripe Cabernet Franc provides uniqueness and intrigue. Not yet fully integrated, another five to seven years should do the trick. Likely to evolve for another seven to ten years and hold for seven to years thereafter. Old School St. Émilion. 93-94.
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Not much secondary development, was a bit boring/foursquare, but did pick up plum, coffee bean, pencil graphite on the nose, and some firm grainy tannins. There are no noticeable notes of fennel/anise/or baking spices, so that's good. It would age longer, and the tannins might get finer--but a solid meh.
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Drinking nicely now. Sweeter fruit on the palate than the 2005 Saint Andre Corbin. Dried fruit palate. Softer tannin than the SAC. More evolved too. Drink to 2022.
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This is a good wine but I wasn’t as much in love with it as other tasters. First, it is quite tannic and is several years from maturity. Notes of red fruit, dark fruit, cedar, herbs and loads of tight tannins.
Not bad with our roast, heritage chicken but better with our roast, red potatoes. Maybe better with lamb? Needs time.
A Winebid lot we didn’t rebuy.
Hold for maturity.
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Tasted over three days. Quite tight, as with the last bottle, but also showing elegant secondary notes. The wine's terroir-driven character, firmness, and absence of obtrusive oak, impart Pomerol-like qualities to this St. Émilion. Far from maturity.
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I bought a case tat a good discount. I didn't rate the wine as I thought it had a lot of maturing to do. I am surprised at the community drink dates of 2010 to 2018. I am not going to open my next bottle for another year with the expectation of then saying another 2-3 years.
The most primary of the bottles tasted to date. Strong Cabernet family markers and powerful grip. This bottle could have aged for another two decades. Very interesting.
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Showing beautifully and entering a more mature phase but plenty of room to continue improving. Pretty bouquet with herbal notes, some dusty notes, layered fruit with a touch of earth but more pretty than earthy. Beautiful wine.
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Tasted blind alongside a same vintage Oreno. This showed beautiful purity of fruit and terroir, on the bouquet and palate. Excellent depth, range, and precision. Still young.
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Drank over three days. A blend of 60/38/2 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Pomerol-like Merlot actually, with strong red clay, dry loam, and white pepper notes dominates, with distinct pepper garden and blackcurrant elements adding layered depth. Velvet texture, medium plus acid, and refined medium tannins anchor this beautifully balanced offering. This substantive wine is still evolving and should continue to do so for another five to seven years. Overall, elegant presentation, backed by impressive power. 93-94.
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Not sure why this has low ratings on CT. This is a spectacular showing of St. Emilion. Multi-dimensional dryness on the bright front end, the meaty middle, and the sexy integrated tannic finish. This is a gorgeous wine and it is drinking wonderfully right now. Will likely improve over the next 5 years as well, becoming more rounded and complete.
This is a beautiful, balanced St. Emilion. Medium (+) ruby with garnet hues. The nose is clean, with black cherry, red cherry, tobacco, earth, and a hint of oak. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with medium (+) acidity, medium (+), resolving tannins and medium alcohol (13.5%). This is a really showing well after 12 years and has plenty of life left.
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Acid and tannin bomb. Terrible to start meal potentially average if consumed with creamy or flavorful food. Recommended by som at steak house, he has lost all credibility.
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3/24/2024 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Did not decant - left it air for 1 hour. Seemed about right. Significant sediment in bottom of bottle.
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10/7/2023 - DEMWine wrote:
Drinking well
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9/20/2023 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
The longer this ages the more it features heavy extraction and oak treatment. Serious acidity and grip, thus several years of maturation ahead of it. Recommend holding bottles for three or so years. Wines in this style tend to throw heavy sediment and this had already thrown a moderate amount.
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1/12/2023 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
Strapping, brawny, and somewhat over extracted. Unmistakably Bordeaux, and the forty percent Cabernet family varieties could place this on either Bank. Technically excellent, and quite well balanced, albeit not a 'less is more' offering. Extraction, which has become more prominent over the last few years, detracts from the whole experience. Still plenty of life here. Drink or hold through 2030 or so.
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2/18/2022 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
Drank over three days.
Excellent in all regards, and yet the least impressive showing of this wine to date. Still plenty of fruit and impressive structure. Just a touch reductive on the nose, though not on the palate. The middle to back transition felt a little wonky. At 17 years, my impression was that this bottle was in deep slumber, and never really came out of its shell. Recommend holding a few years more.
The tasting notes here that allege absence of fruit or heavy oak treatment puzzle me.
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9/11/2021 - silton Likes this wine:
Classics and Curiosities: Plummy black fruits and mocha and offering more sweetness than I'd prefer, but it's not ponderous or heavy for being a full bodied right bank Bordeaux. The most experienced Bordeaux drinker at this table thought this was on the young side still, so I'm not sure what to make of the inconsistent reports below.
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5/31/2021 - enthusiastic_amateur Likes this wine: 86 Points
Oak overpowers the wine, hard to get past the oak unfortunately.
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3/13/2021 - dalemosier wrote: 90 Points
Had side by side at dinner with 2009 St. Lilion. Initially when opened and they breathed for about 15 minutes the St. Emilion was a little more robust than the Lilian, but the St. Emilion did not evolve as well after about an hour and developed a slight bitterness. The Liliian improved and opened up nicely. Don't know if it will improve.
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11/23/2020 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Difficult to understand the recent notes and scores here. This stellar offering followed a 2004 Sassicaia, and held its own. It features fruit to spare, striking sense of place, powerful structure, and a finish that knows no quit. Give it several hours of air to show its best if drinking now. Likely to reach a mid drinking window by 2030 and hold for several years thereafter. Serious juice!
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3/21/2020 - enthusiastic_amateur wrote: 87 Points
Drank with marinated tri-tip at home. Took about 30 minutes to open up. Juicy bold red fruit on mid-palate. But there is something strangely imbalanced about this wine. Thinner than the fruit would imply. Tannin/acid on finish don't match the fruit forward on the front-end.
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11/28/2019 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Tasted over two days. Going strong and still very young. The high percentage of ripe Cabernet Franc provides uniqueness and intrigue. Not yet fully integrated, another five to seven years should do the trick. Likely to evolve for another seven to ten years and hold for seven to years thereafter. Old School St. Émilion. 93-94.
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7/31/2019 - Motz wrote: flawed
TCA.
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6/14/2019 - mercurius wrote: 88 Points
Not enough fruit to go the distance.
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6/8/2019 - mercurius wrote: 87 Points
Not much secondary development, was a bit boring/foursquare, but did pick up plum, coffee bean, pencil graphite on the nose, and some firm grainy tannins. There are no noticeable notes of fennel/anise/or baking spices, so that's good. It would age longer, and the tannins might get finer--but a solid meh.
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6/7/2019 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Drinking nicely now. Sweeter fruit on the palate than the 2005 Saint Andre Corbin. Dried fruit palate. Softer tannin than the SAC. More evolved too. Drink to 2022.
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3/31/2019 - TashNYC wrote: 89 Points
This is a good wine but I wasn’t as much in love with it as other tasters. First, it is quite tannic and is several years from maturity. Notes of red fruit, dark fruit, cedar, herbs and loads of tight tannins.
Not bad with our roast, heritage chicken but better with our roast, red potatoes. Maybe better with lamb? Needs time.
A Winebid lot we didn’t rebuy.
Hold for maturity.
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6/24/2018 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Tasted over three days. Quite tight, as with the last bottle, but also showing elegant secondary notes. The wine's terroir-driven character, firmness, and absence of obtrusive oak, impart Pomerol-like qualities to this St. Émilion. Far from maturity.
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6/17/2018 - dalemosier Likes this wine:
I bought a case tat a good discount. I didn't rate the wine as I thought it had a lot of maturing to do. I am surprised at the community drink dates of 2010 to 2018. I am not going to open my next bottle for another year with the expectation of then saying another 2-3 years.
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1/26/2018 - petenich Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well right now, near peak.
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1/6/2018 - gonzo_form wrote:
612 - Big & Bold
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12/10/2017 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
The most primary of the bottles tasted to date. Strong Cabernet family markers and powerful grip. This bottle could have aged for another two decades. Very interesting.
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12/5/2017 - bajayngo wrote:
Showing beautifully and entering a more mature phase but plenty of room to continue improving. Pretty bouquet with herbal notes, some dusty notes, layered fruit with a touch of earth but more pretty than earthy. Beautiful wine.
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12/1/2017 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind alongside a same vintage Oreno. This showed beautiful purity of fruit and terroir, on the bouquet and palate. Excellent depth, range, and precision. Still young.
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9/12/2017 - mats13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice dark fruit & tobacco though quite a short finish.
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9/4/2017 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Drank over three days. A blend of 60/38/2 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Pomerol-like Merlot actually, with strong red clay, dry loam, and white pepper notes dominates, with distinct pepper garden and blackcurrant elements adding layered depth. Velvet texture, medium plus acid, and refined medium tannins anchor this beautifully balanced offering. This substantive wine is still evolving and should continue to do so for another five to seven years. Overall, elegant presentation, backed by impressive power. 93-94.
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7/20/2017 - DrinkEverything702 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Not sure why this has low ratings on CT. This is a spectacular showing of St. Emilion. Multi-dimensional dryness on the bright front end, the meaty middle, and the sexy integrated tannic finish. This is a gorgeous wine and it is drinking wonderfully right now. Will likely improve over the next 5 years as well, becoming more rounded and complete.
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6/28/2017 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a beautiful, balanced St. Emilion. Medium (+) ruby with garnet hues. The nose is clean, with black cherry, red cherry, tobacco, earth, and a hint of oak. The palate is dry, consistent with the nose, with medium (+) acidity, medium (+), resolving tannins and medium alcohol (13.5%). This is a really showing well after 12 years and has plenty of life left.
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4/14/2017 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 90 Points
Black fruit, cedar, earthy notes, tobacco and smokey oak. A-
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4/14/2016 - dontime wrote: 91 Points
Spire Collection Tasting at Wine on the Way (Wine on the Way): Very dark in the glass, with a bright purple rim. Notes of dried cherry, licorice, tobacco leaf and all spice. Still showing some tannins with a satisfying finish.
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12/30/2015 - SethHeller Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Acid and tannin bomb. Terrible to start meal potentially average if consumed with creamy or flavorful food. Recommended by som at steak house, he has lost all credibility.
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