Decanted for 2-3h before enjoying on a Fri night. Vanilla, oaky cedarwood on the nose. Bright red fruit, cherries, mineral, toothy tannins, great acidity in the finish. Soft and smooth. This is aging gracefully. Very solid showing from a good value right bank Bdx. Plenty of life left. Tonight with spicy cauliflower panang curry.
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St.Emilion Grand Cru Classée values tasting: The 2015 (88pt) did not convince me that much as it had some riper, torrefaction notes but the 2019 (92pt) was really elegant with spice box, red fruit, polished tannins.
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Has great fruit, balance and structure but lacks complexity and is mono dimensional. Cannot fault it in any way but lacking in evoking sensory pleasures. Holds well, probably has significant life, but do not see it dramatically improving. Easily approachable more like a solid new world merlot.
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Light Cork & earth, not terroir type notes, more like dirt. No fruit, cork & earth on the palette, somewhat bitter + alcohol thru the finish. Tannic bite, not overly stiff. With air, the nose blows off some of the lesser attributes. In the mouth a suggestion of fruit, but still some cork on the finish. Just mostly dark & damp after an hour. Not much plum, cherry or berry. I sure hope day 2 is better, &/or bottle 2 is better. 1 of 2
PnP. This is a pretty rich wine. Dark plum, dark cherry, faint chocolate, but unfortunately not much earthiness or complexity. The alcohol is coming through some (not a lot, but it's there). Low/medium tannin and medium/high acid. The wine is fine, but definitely nothing to write home about. Too modern for my palate. It's ready to drink now and doesn't need a decant. I don't see this as a long ager. Drink now-2029. 87 points.
Decanted 2 1/2 hours and drank over the next hour. Smooth, rich & opulent. I found it a bit one dimensional though. I didn’t think it was amazing but very good and well worth the money.
Some nice earthy notes but modern style. I was looking for more tobacco, leather or chocolate notes but they weren’t really there. I put this in the good not great category. Maybe with more cellaring we’ll get more structure and flavor layers.
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Clearly elegant from the off with notes of plum, cedar, leather, blackberry and raspberry. Violets and gravel too. On the palate, hint of mashmellow, rich decadent fruit, nice sweet acidity with evident tannins adding to a full bodied feel. A little too much cedar though. This 50% of wine is aged in new oak barrels and 30% in one year old oak barrels, both for 16-20 months, which explains a very leathery, oaky finish. Quite reminiscent of a Rioja in many ways. Not the most polished Bordeaux - a few more years would integrate the tannins better. Juicy, sweet in a sophisticated way and woody. Well done and went great with slow cooked beef ribs.
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St. Emilion Grand Cru Classés Walkaround tasting, so just short notes (Amsterdam): 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The 2015 is raised for 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels, 25% one year old French barrels and 15% cement eggs. The result is a wine with a firm dose of pleasant oak, full bodied with juicy red berries and good acidity and firm tannin. Give the wine another 3+ years of ageing. 92+
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A dark colour, not showing any age; ripe and rich plum and blackberry fruit, very approachable although there is some discreet tannin. Good for 10 years plus.
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Almost too open for business. In blind testing I wouldn’t have pegged it as Bordeaux. If you had for someone who is into new world wine and wanted to try Bordeaux for the first time, you MIGHT pour them a glass of this within 5 minutes of popping cork. To my palate it’s too big and the wine dropped off substantially after about one hour in the bottle. Not expensive but not good QPR
.375 from TW presale
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First of two bottles. The nose is a little shy, not all that much fruit. Plum, cherry, just a touch of oak. The palate, very elegant, offers impeccable balance, plum again, sweet cherry and leather. Oak very well integrated, medium body, very soft tannins. This bottle tastes older than 2015 (which is a good thing to me) and the wine offers great enjoyment already. Did give this 5 hours in the decanter. 92-93
Full- bodied, modern styling. Aged oak, oak dust, charred oak. Finishes long with drying oak. Some herbs and menthol blended in.
Now 24 hours since opening (compressor-vacuumed overnight) and still so little fruit I feel as if it will never arrive. This is my fourth bottle since 2019. The two 375ml drank a few years ago were phenomenal. The modern beauty echoed in my mind for days. But these 750ml bottles are like sucking on an oak raft adrift on ruby seas.
Today... 375ml bottles are 92-93, and 750ml bottles are 89-91. Needs time.
Edit: continued following over 48 hours and it went to blackened bananas. Needs a few years and air can't help.
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This was opened in bottle for several hours. small samples along the way. It may be in a phase but just seemed not very approachable. Will give my last bottle of this vintage 5+ years before revisiting. Much preferred the 2016 in its youth.
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Bought 2 bottles 3 years ago and tried the first bottle 3 years ago. Didn't like it much. Opened this one, not expecting much and it knocked me over it was so good. My bad for drinking the first one so young. So smooth, balanced, luscious, and elegant. Great intensity of flavors and complexity. Complimentary and well integrated oak, blackberry, tobacco, cassis, and red fruit. Just ordered 4 bottles of the 2016.
Just PNP and enjoyed over 3h with a pan seared duck breast dinner. Tons of fruit, this wine was open for business right away. Delicious and consistent with my previous notes.
Expected more from this highly rated GCC. A little disappointed but not sure if it is because I didn’t decant long enough. Decanted for about a hour plus.
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2015er Bordeaux, 2 Stunden dekantiert. Dunkles Rubinrot im Glas. In der Nase kräftig mit Kirsche, rote Beeren und etwas Eukalyptus. Auch im Mund fruchtige Noten, Würzigkeit und angenehme Säure. Im Abgang holzig und ledrig. Insgesamt weiche und ausgewogene Struktur. Schöner straffer Bordeaux ohne zu viel Opulenz. Für Bordeaux dieser Klasse gutes Preis-Leistungsverhältnis.
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This Fongplegade is tasting really good immediately out of the bottle. Tasting much better than the ‘13 Adamvs I had last night and this F cost $300 less!
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Decanted 2-3h before dinner. On the nose, leather, cedar, creme de cassis. On the palate, dark fruit, earthy leather, mild tannins, and acid in the finish. Hints of black pepper too. Got better and better with more time in the decanter, recommend 3-4h. 91/92
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(375ml) Medium bodied, modern styling with traditional elements. Nose open with graphite, cedar, spiced small berries -- but grew reticent over the hours. Palate is massive attack but still tight... bright red fruit, smoked salt, dried tobacco. Finishes with remarkable salinity, backed by sprinkles of cacao powder and iron.
Obviously needs to 2025-2028 to gain complexity, balance, and depth -- but completely enjoyable today as a 2015 Bdx powerhouse. USD$36 en primeur was a steal, and ~$55 in 2021 is still a good value. 90 minutes air at least.
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Color: Transparent ruby. Only very slight signs of a wine that is more mature. Nose: Red berries, cherries. A hint of spice. Delicate and at the same time quite perfumy. Mouth: Wow, this is good juice! Lean and tight. Elegant. There is an appetizing only slightly effervescent sour sensation. Medium bodied. Good length. Some complexity. It is really getting started after having been breathing for 10 minutes or so. I can smell menthol, now.
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Blackberry, earth, graphite and minerals on the nose. TIghtly coiled on the palate. Needs a decant to consume. Will benefit from more time in the bottle
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Medium+ body, dark color in glass, dark fruits- plum, blackberry, blueberry and fig with floral hints on the nose. Dark fruit in the palate- ripe plum, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, with secondary floral and mineral notes. Medium tannins. Very well balanced with a medium finish. Nice Bodeaux at this price point. Should improve with age.
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Medium body, medium/+ tannin, medium acidity. Balanced. Ripe dark fruits, blackberry, cassis, plum, blue fruits, red fruit, raspberry. Graphite, leather, spice, cedar, and chocolate. Velvety, silky, and very drinkable. Will be even better in 5-10 years.
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1hr decant. First enjoyed with dinner. Black fruits, graphite, leather, tannins are smooth and well integrated. Paired well with duck. Enjoyable bottle of Bordeaux at a good price point.
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No formal TN's. PNP- and enjoyed with friends over good conversation. I think this is par for the price point considering location and vintage. This wine will cellar well and should soften with age. Hold
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This wine is completely underrated. Outstanding. Excellent on the opening. Bold. Fruity. Cassis, chewy tannins. Typical of the bordeaux region of earth, mineral with a hint of spice. A bit structured and likely needs a few more years.
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Still youthful as expected, but the tannins are starting to soften and the wine is beginning to fill out. Espresso, licorice, crushed stone, flowers and sweet, juicy plums show on the nose and the refined, mineral-driven, fresh palate. Perhaps another 4-5 years are needed before the wine really starts popping. It is going to be worth the wait.
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Decanted for an hour. Nose was immediately blueberry and blackberry but later added a wonderful floral note! Across the palate was blackberry, Cedar, espresso and a little cherry at the end. Nice tannins in balance. Will give many years of wonderful flavors and experiences!
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Pop and pour initially but consumed over two days; dark purple color with a ruby rim; blackberry liqueur nose with quite a lot of alcohol heat initially, followed by scorched earth and some floral notes; the palate was a wall of tannins, even after decanting and waiting a day, still very strong; definitely a darker, sweet fruit profile, with menthol, earth and leather on the back-end.
This is a bit of a bruiser with all power and lacking the finesse but it seems to have the stuffing...just needs time because it's a bit backwards at the moment.
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Opened to breathe 2-3h before dinner. Soft cedary and mineral nose, on the palate lots of oak, mineral, soft tannins, and blackberries - where did the red fruit go?! Alcohol too on the nose and palate. Still plush and mouthfilling, decently heft, but this bottle was a notch lower in fruit than in my previous note. Still, a good pairing with grilled chicken. 91/92
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Smooth, but very dry. More so than I expected. Earth on the nose along with blackberry, tart cherry and stone. Wood, spice and dusty chocolate mixes with light red fruit flavors. Overall, a great old world taste that time will help wonderfully.
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Geniale dunkle Frucht mit attraktiven Akzenten von reifen Herzkirschen. Zeder, etwas Rauch. Öffnet sich schnell, beeindruckt dann mit attraktivem Spiel zwischen fantastischem Saft und mineralisch gebündelter Frische. Fächert im langen Nachgeschmack immer weiter auf. Dezent salzige Tannine. Vielleicht nicht der allerfeinste Saint Emilion des Jahrgangs, aber immer transparent und nie überextrahiert. Ein moderner Wein mit klassischen Zügen. Der Preis ist angemessen. In 2 bis 3 Jahren beginnt die Genussphase. 92+
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Deep color. Nose > Rich, ripe, intense black & purple fruit nose, with hint of new oak & marshmallow. Palate > Great richness with good freshness. Stuffed with fat, rich, ripe, sweet black fruit. Some new oak evident. Rich, smooth, ripe tannins. All of a piece already. Great balance. Excellent intensity. Impressive fruit. Better than the '16 by a nose. 14.5% ABV 39 hl/hc (2.4 tons/acre) 95% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc (94+)
GRANDS CRUS CLASSES OF SAINT EMILION 2019 TASTING OF 2016 VINTAGE, nose of as, black berry, black cherry tart, and dusty gravel, same on the palate, medium/big body, lovely, rich fruit, needs 3 years to peak drinking, lovely, medium/long finish.
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Pnp on Labor day for a family dinner. Big round and juicy, lots of cedar, oak, mineral, graphite and red fruit. Plush and very tasty, even 2 days after opening.
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Pretty smooth and dry. An interesting nose that has some Earth elements. The aroma is interesting but you don't want to taste whatever it is that you smell and you don't. The wine is dark fruit based and has a nice drying feel to it without any burn.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Deep dark opaque purple. Very ripe red fruit with some anise and licorice on the nose. This is definitely a new world right bank. The pallet is almost sweet with ripe red fruit, more licorice, hints of cardamom, and some heat and “minerality” on the finish. Full bodied with elegant texture. This is enjoyable to drink now but I believe it will get better with some time to allow the oak to fully integrate.
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A modern styled wine, hard to see it improving but it’s tasty now. Soft tannins make it drinkable but there’s not a lot of acid to sustain the material.
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Nose: Great integration of dark red fruit, a very slight graphite (well done there), deep forest floor with mineral and stones.. there's moss and undergrowth.
Palate: Dark red and blue fruit, nice bitter earth, same slight graphite (again, the slight touch of it makes it very nice and subtle), and a slight oak as well.
Dark garnet color. Dry with smooth and chewy tannins. Light-plus to medium-minus body with light acidity. Short to decent finish of about 3-4 seconds. Really nice nose and palate. Very enjoyable and smooth.. with some time in the glass, it becomes slightly more deeper and darker. Very pleasant to drink but falls a little short on the finish and the body. Slightly not worth the quality to price ratio. I suggest to enjoy right out the bottle without decanting as too much time in the glass seems to allow the palate to 'decay' too quickly. This seemed to have so much potential initially.. decent balance but eventually didn't seem to hold up. Again, try to enjoy sooner than later when opened and not let it sit too long. 89-90 (more on the 89 side for it's finish).
Classic notes of blackberry, graphite, black currant, pencil lead and minerals. On the palate, exceptionally well managed tannins, great texture, smooth entry and well-balanced wine. Decanted one hour and consumed over two. This wine will benefit from time in the bottle but can be consumed with 3-4 hours in the decanter. This will improve with some more time in the bottle. Very nice St Emilion example.
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Opened at a party, and enjoyed throughout the evening. No detailed notes except to say a new world impression, with mineral, red and black fruit, nice long finish. Tried this head to head with the '15 Fleur Cardinale which had slightly more black fruit and mineral. But this Fonplegade was my WOTN. Bold, and impressively accessible in its youth. Outstanding QPR. I've collected a few bottles to age in the cellar.
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Ultimately surprising, this vintage truly accentuates the stunning terroir. So silky and long, with a plush, yet stern middle palate. The fruit is goregeous, with plum, char siu, salty rock, soy sauce, all things floral and Jägermeister. Completely androgynous, the cellar potential is all there in spades, even though the enjoyment today is beyond evident. I should also mention this grainy acidity that is quite intriguing. Drink 2021 -.
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Picked up today at total wine in lv. Lesson learned. I’ve got little right to be drinking and or evaluating freshly released bdx. Tightly wound upon opening. Took easily 30mins in glass to release any aromatics. Dark, very well balanced, rich style, tannins fine. Can’t remotely guess what this will be like in 20 years. I’ll be happy to see how it evolves over the next 2-3 days.
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This opaque crimson wine is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Possessing a rich core of tarry black cherries, dried herbs, orange zest, sandalwood and tobacco, it is a fresh, full-bodied offering with plentiful silky tannins, nicely integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%) and a judicious amount of oak. Beautifully dense on the mid-palate and finishing with impressive length, this is a standout even amid its top-quality 2015 peers. Although delicious now, it should get even better with a bit of cellaring. Drink 2021-2035.
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Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was spicy and intense with mineral encased blackberry fruit, savory herbs and sweet dark floral tones. On the palate, I found silky textures offset by a zesty acid and mineral mix, tart blackberry and savory herbs as fine tannin saturated the senses. The finish was long with penetrating red and blue fruits lingering along with zesty spices.
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Black licorice, truffle, smoke, ripe, sweet, dark red berries and cherry notes might be what you notice first. But it is the elegant, sensuous, silky textures that you feel when tasting the fresh, luscious fruits and salty tannins, with its length and purity that leaves the biggest impression.
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Tasted over two days. Another flashy, extracted, and oaky 2015 Right Banker, similar in style to the same Château Beau-Séjour Bécot tasted recently, though lacking that wine's poise. Other than fruit and oak there is nothing to this, no expression of place other than perhaps, Bordeaux gone modern. The oak imparts a bitterness that masquerades as acid, whereas the actual acid level is no higher than medium. It will hold for several years, but it lacks the substance to evolve. Other than the score, I agree with Keith Levenberg. I cannot explain what the pros saw in this.
My Grade: EX. Much too early to be even thinking about drinking this for pleasure now, but this has great foundation with a combination of power and finesse. Dark plums, blackcurrant, licorice, menthol and vanilla on the nose, big, but fine-grained tannins on the palate, delivering mouth-puckering dryness, dark berry fruit with licorice, dark chocolate and burnt-toast notes. Juicy acidity on the long, dry finish. This is one to cellar and forget for the next 8-10 years and promises to evolve into a great wine.
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This is in the style we used to call "modern," but which now comes across passé. It feels unnaturally extracted, inky red fruit with powdery tannins nearly as heavy, though the fruit doesn't veer into overly sweet or jammy territory. It just feels like you put a normal wine on the stovetop to reduce awhile. There is a touch of cedary wood but for the most part the fruit is so dense you don't get a window into much else.
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From a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, this is a winner. There is a solid depth of color, the nose shows off its cocoa, black plum and even dark cherry nuances with ease. There is a floral note that stands out in the crowd. In the finish, the wine is full bodied, elegant, fresh and long, with stony character to the ripe fruits.
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Showing a good depth of color, the wine kicks off with dark chocolate covered plums, flowers and crushed rock aromatics before you discover the elegant, silky, polished tannins and sweet, fresh, pure, dark red fruits in the finish. At least 6-8 years in the cellar will add a lot this wine.
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2017 Grands Crus Classes of St. Emilion, nose of rich fruit, dark fruit, licorice, coffee must, and earth, same on the palate, tasty, medium body, needs 2 years of ageing, and a long finish.
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Forest floor, truffle, smoke, licorice and sweet, ripe plum and cherry notes, this wine is sensuous, silky and packed with fresh fruits and crushed rocks that leave you with an elegant sensation of just-picked, sun-ripened cherries. Harvested from September 18 to October 6, the wine was made from a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.5. This is the first vintage for Stephane Derenoncourt at the estate.
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4/19/2024 - RichardsEric1 wrote: 87 Points
A WTSO special. Very yummy!
Color. Saturated red/purple
Nose. Cherries, kirsch, cocoa, pencil lead, alcohol
Palate. Backwards, cocoa, cherries, astringent. Needs time.
If you're sitting on any of these bottles, wait 3-5 years.
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4/12/2024 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2-3h before enjoying on a Fri night. Vanilla, oaky cedarwood on the nose. Bright red fruit, cherries, mineral, toothy tannins, great acidity in the finish. Soft and smooth. This is aging gracefully. Very solid showing from a good value right bank Bdx. Plenty of life left. Tonight with spicy cauliflower panang curry.
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2/6/2024 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
St.Emilion Grand Cru Classée values tasting: The 2015 (88pt) did not convince me that much as it had some riper, torrefaction notes but the 2019 (92pt) was really elegant with spice box, red fruit, polished tannins.
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1/18/2024 - Bimal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Has great fruit, balance and structure but lacks complexity and is mono dimensional. Cannot fault it in any way but lacking in evoking sensory pleasures. Holds well, probably has significant life, but do not see it dramatically improving. Easily approachable more like a solid new world merlot.
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10/28/2023 - stokeme wrote:
Light Cork & earth, not terroir type notes, more like dirt. No fruit, cork & earth on the palette, somewhat bitter + alcohol thru the finish. Tannic bite, not overly stiff. With air, the nose blows off some of the lesser attributes. In the mouth a suggestion of fruit, but still some cork on the finish. Just mostly dark & damp after an hour. Not much plum, cherry or berry.
I sure hope day 2 is better, &/or bottle 2 is better. 1 of 2
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10/28/2023 - StBlGT wrote: 87 Points
PnP. This is a pretty rich wine. Dark plum, dark cherry, faint chocolate, but unfortunately not much earthiness or complexity. The alcohol is coming through some (not a lot, but it's there). Low/medium tannin and medium/high acid. The wine is fine, but definitely nothing to write home about. Too modern for my palate. It's ready to drink now and doesn't need a decant. I don't see this as a long ager. Drink now-2029. 87 points.
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10/21/2023 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 1/2 hours and drank over the next hour. Smooth, rich & opulent. I found it a bit one dimensional though. I didn’t think it was amazing but very good and well worth the money.
Some nice earthy notes but modern style. I was looking for more tobacco, leather or chocolate notes but they weren’t really there. I put this in the good not great category. Maybe with more cellaring we’ll get more structure and flavor layers.
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10/8/2023 - Thomas419 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clearly elegant from the off with notes of plum, cedar, leather, blackberry and raspberry. Violets and gravel too. On the palate, hint of mashmellow, rich decadent fruit, nice sweet acidity with evident tannins adding to a full bodied feel. A little too much cedar though. This 50% of wine is aged in new oak barrels and 30% in one year old oak barrels, both for 16-20 months, which explains a very leathery, oaky finish. Quite reminiscent of a Rioja in many ways. Not the most polished Bordeaux - a few more years would integrate the tannins better. Juicy, sweet in a sophisticated way and woody. Well done and went great with slow cooked beef ribs.
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9/11/2023 - Zweder Likes this wine: 92 Points
St. Emilion Grand Cru Classés Walkaround tasting, so just short notes (Amsterdam): 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The 2015 is raised for 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels, 25% one year old French barrels and 15% cement eggs. The result is a wine with a firm dose of pleasant oak, full bodied with juicy red berries and good acidity and firm tannin. Give the wine another 3+ years of ageing. 92+
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5/13/2023 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
A dark colour, not showing any age; ripe and rich plum and blackberry fruit, very approachable although there is some discreet tannin. Good for 10 years plus.
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5/10/2023 - 3HappyWinos Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Almost too open for business. In blind testing I wouldn’t have pegged it as Bordeaux. If you had for someone who is into new world wine and wanted to try Bordeaux for the first time, you MIGHT pour them a glass of this within 5 minutes of popping cork. To my palate it’s too big and the wine dropped off substantially after about one hour in the bottle. Not expensive but not good QPR
.375 from TW presale
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4/9/2023 - kuese Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened up quickly, very nice
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2/9/2023 - GroveChe Wine Tasting Likes this wine: 91 Points
Warmth and red fruit on the nose. Cherry with tannins on the finish.
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12/17/2022 - JoeMe Likes this wine: 92 Points
First of two bottles. The nose is a little shy, not all that much fruit. Plum, cherry, just a touch of oak. The palate, very elegant, offers impeccable balance, plum again, sweet cherry and leather. Oak very well integrated, medium body, very soft tannins. This bottle tastes older than 2015 (which is a good thing to me) and the wine offers great enjoyment already. Did give this 5 hours in the decanter. 92-93
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12/13/2022 - aero wrote:
Full- bodied, modern styling. Aged oak, oak dust, charred oak. Finishes long with drying oak. Some herbs and menthol blended in.
Now 24 hours since opening (compressor-vacuumed overnight) and still so little fruit I feel as if it will never arrive. This is my fourth bottle since 2019. The two 375ml drank a few years ago were phenomenal. The modern beauty echoed in my mind for days. But these 750ml bottles are like sucking on an oak raft adrift on ruby seas.
Today... 375ml bottles are 92-93, and 750ml bottles are 89-91. Needs time.
Edit: continued following over 48 hours and it went to blackened bananas. Needs a few years and air can't help.
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10/17/2022 - TMOVino2 wrote: 89 Points
This was opened in bottle for several hours. small samples along the way. It may be in a phase but just seemed not very approachable. Will give my last bottle of this vintage 5+ years before revisiting. Much preferred the 2016 in its youth.
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3/17/2022 - Luap1111 Likes this wine: 92 Points
For the price, this is a really nice right bank Bordeaux. It bats above it's weight, as they say...
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3/6/2022 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought 2 bottles 3 years ago and tried the first bottle 3 years ago. Didn't like it much. Opened this one, not expecting much and it knocked me over it was so good. My bad for drinking the first one so young. So smooth, balanced, luscious, and elegant. Great intensity of flavors and complexity. Complimentary and well integrated oak, blackberry, tobacco, cassis, and red fruit. Just ordered 4 bottles of the 2016.
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2/20/2022 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just PNP and enjoyed over 3h with a pan seared duck breast dinner. Tons of fruit, this wine was open for business right away. Delicious and consistent with my previous notes.
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12/25/2021 - Counsel71 wrote: 88 Points
Expected more from this highly rated GCC. A little disappointed but not sure if it is because I didn’t decant long enough. Decanted for about a hour plus.
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11/5/2021 - mkoetting Likes this wine: 91 Points
2015er Bordeaux, 2 Stunden dekantiert. Dunkles Rubinrot im Glas. In der Nase kräftig mit Kirsche, rote Beeren und etwas Eukalyptus. Auch im Mund fruchtige Noten, Würzigkeit und angenehme Säure. Im Abgang holzig und ledrig. Insgesamt weiche und ausgewogene Struktur. Schöner straffer Bordeaux ohne zu viel Opulenz. Für Bordeaux dieser Klasse gutes Preis-Leistungsverhältnis.
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6/20/2021 - Markush_This Likes this wine: 92 Points
This Fongplegade is tasting really good immediately out of the bottle. Tasting much better than the ‘13 Adamvs I had last night and this F cost $300 less!
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5/22/2021 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2-3h before dinner. On the nose, leather, cedar, creme de cassis. On the palate, dark fruit, earthy leather, mild tannins, and acid in the finish. Hints of black pepper too. Got better and better with more time in the decanter, recommend 3-4h. 91/92
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4/21/2021 - aero Likes this wine: 92 Points
(375ml) Medium bodied, modern styling with traditional elements. Nose open with graphite, cedar, spiced small berries -- but grew reticent over the hours. Palate is massive attack but still tight... bright red fruit, smoked salt, dried tobacco. Finishes with remarkable salinity, backed by sprinkles of cacao powder and iron.
Obviously needs to 2025-2028 to gain complexity, balance, and depth -- but completely enjoyable today as a 2015 Bdx powerhouse. USD$36 en primeur was a steal, and ~$55 in 2021 is still a good value. 90 minutes air at least.
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2/10/2021 - tekygeek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely, classic S.E.G.C.
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1/18/2021 - wineaficionado Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: Transparent ruby. Only very slight signs of a wine that is more mature. Nose: Red berries, cherries. A hint of spice. Delicate and at the same time quite perfumy. Mouth: Wow, this is good juice! Lean and tight. Elegant. There is an appetizing only slightly effervescent sour sensation. Medium bodied. Good length. Some complexity. It is really getting started after having been breathing for 10 minutes or so. I can smell menthol, now.
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12/31/2020 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry, earth, graphite and minerals on the nose. TIghtly coiled on the palate. Needs a decant to consume. Will benefit from more time in the bottle
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12/4/2020 - Dmc2cfp Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium+ body, dark color in glass, dark fruits- plum, blackberry, blueberry and fig with floral hints on the nose. Dark fruit in the palate- ripe plum, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, with secondary floral and mineral notes. Medium tannins. Very well balanced with a medium finish. Nice Bodeaux at this price point. Should improve with age.
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11/21/2020 - Professor_Budge Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium body, medium/+ tannin, medium acidity. Balanced. Ripe dark fruits, blackberry, cassis, plum, blue fruits, red fruit, raspberry. Graphite, leather, spice, cedar, and chocolate. Velvety, silky, and very drinkable. Will be even better in 5-10 years.
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10/11/2020 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 92 Points
1hr decant. First enjoyed with dinner. Black fruits, graphite, leather, tannins are smooth and well integrated. Paired well with duck. Enjoyable bottle of Bordeaux at a good price point.
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9/27/2020 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal TN's. PNP- and enjoyed with friends over good conversation.
I think this is par for the price point considering location and vintage. This wine will cellar well and should soften with age. Hold
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9/23/2020 - jjhsom Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blue black fruits. Good now, but will age nicely for years
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8/6/2020 - WineNot? wrote: 96 Points
This wine is completely underrated. Outstanding. Excellent on the opening. Bold. Fruity. Cassis, chewy tannins. Typical of the bordeaux region of earth, mineral with a hint of spice. A bit structured and likely needs a few more years.
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7/29/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Still youthful as expected, but the tannins are starting to soften and the wine is beginning to fill out. Espresso, licorice, crushed stone, flowers and sweet, juicy plums show on the nose and the refined, mineral-driven, fresh palate. Perhaps another 4-5 years are needed before the wine really starts popping. It is going to be worth the wait.
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7/14/2020 - Swanywawa Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Nose was immediately blueberry and blackberry but later added a wonderful floral note! Across the palate was blackberry, Cedar, espresso and a little cherry at the end. Nice tannins in balance. Will give many years of wonderful flavors and experiences!
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5/25/2020 - Be.Lee Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 2 hrs; lush cherry, apricot, honey suckle but also hint of cedar? something earthy and woody i guess.
higher alcohol content than expected. Moderate tannins and finish
this was very delicious, paired well with tomato based pasta. costco has it for $35. worth it.
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5/22/2020 - tcufletch Likes this wine:
Pop and pour initially but consumed over two days; dark purple color with a ruby rim; blackberry liqueur nose with quite a lot of alcohol heat initially, followed by scorched earth and some floral notes; the palate was a wall of tannins, even after decanting and waiting a day, still very strong; definitely a darker, sweet fruit profile, with menthol, earth and leather on the back-end.
This is a bit of a bruiser with all power and lacking the finesse but it seems to have the stuffing...just needs time because it's a bit backwards at the moment.
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4/17/2020 - skurtz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened to breathe 2-3h before dinner. Soft cedary and mineral nose, on the palate lots of oak, mineral, soft tannins, and blackberries - where did the red fruit go?! Alcohol too on the nose and palate. Still plush and mouthfilling, decently heft, but this bottle was a notch lower in fruit than in my previous note. Still, a good pairing with grilled chicken. 91/92
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12/31/2019 - ChopperWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, but very dry. More so than I expected. Earth on the nose along with blackberry, tart cherry and stone. Wood, spice and dusty chocolate mixes with light red fruit flavors. Overall, a great old world taste that time will help wonderfully.
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11/23/2019 - Mali Likes this wine: 92 Points
Geniale dunkle Frucht mit attraktiven Akzenten von reifen Herzkirschen. Zeder, etwas Rauch. Öffnet sich schnell, beeindruckt dann mit attraktivem Spiel zwischen fantastischem Saft und mineralisch gebündelter Frische. Fächert im langen Nachgeschmack immer weiter auf. Dezent salzige Tannine. Vielleicht nicht der allerfeinste Saint Emilion des Jahrgangs, aber immer transparent und nie überextrahiert. Ein moderner Wein mit klassischen Zügen. Der Preis ist angemessen. In 2 bis 3 Jahren beginnt die Genussphase. 92+
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11/13/2019 - Rob Hansult Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep color.
Nose > Rich, ripe, intense black & purple fruit nose, with hint of new oak & marshmallow.
Palate > Great richness with good freshness. Stuffed with fat, rich, ripe,
sweet black fruit. Some new oak evident.
Rich, smooth, ripe tannins. All of a piece already. Great balance. Excellent intensity. Impressive fruit.
Better than the '16 by a nose.
14.5% ABV
39 hl/hc (2.4 tons/acre)
95% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc
(94+)
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11/6/2019 - bestdamncab wrote: 91 Points
GRANDS CRUS CLASSES OF SAINT EMILION 2019 TASTING OF 2016 VINTAGE, nose of as, black berry, black cherry tart, and dusty gravel, same on the palate, medium/big body, lovely, rich fruit, needs 3 years to peak drinking, lovely, medium/long finish.
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9/2/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp on Labor day for a family dinner. Big round and juicy, lots of cedar, oak, mineral, graphite and red fruit. Plush and very tasty, even 2 days after opening.
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8/11/2019 - zylmanj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty smooth and dry. An interesting nose that has some Earth elements. The aroma is interesting but you don't want to taste whatever it is that you smell and you don't. The wine is dark fruit based and has a nice drying feel to it without any burn.
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7/23/2019 - arthurogus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soft and approachable for a 2015, very nice drinking.
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6/25/2019 - BI81 Likes this wine:
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Deep dark opaque purple. Very ripe red fruit with some anise and licorice on the nose. This is definitely a new world right bank. The pallet is almost sweet with ripe red fruit, more licorice, hints of cardamom, and some heat and “minerality” on the finish. Full bodied with elegant texture. This is enjoyable to drink now but I believe it will get better with some time to allow the oak to fully integrate.
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6/24/2019 - mancuta wrote:
Seemed a little overripe, slightly disappointing.
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5/30/2019 - The Cellar@2930 wrote:
Entry mistake
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5/12/2019 - spacewrangler wrote: 90 Points
A modern styled wine, hard to see it improving but it’s tasty now. Soft tannins make it drinkable but there’s not a lot of acid to sustain the material.
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4/28/2019 - SA John wrote: 90 Points
DRANK TOO EARLY, GIVE IT 5 MORE YEARS
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1/27/2019 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Great integration of dark red fruit, a very slight graphite (well done there), deep forest floor with mineral and stones.. there's moss and undergrowth.
Palate: Dark red and blue fruit, nice bitter earth, same slight graphite (again, the slight touch of it makes it very nice and subtle), and a slight oak as well.
Dark garnet color. Dry with smooth and chewy tannins. Light-plus to medium-minus body with light acidity. Short to decent finish of about 3-4 seconds. Really nice nose and palate. Very enjoyable and smooth.. with some time in the glass, it becomes slightly more deeper and darker. Very pleasant to drink but falls a little short on the finish and the body. Slightly not worth the quality to price ratio. I suggest to enjoy right out the bottle without decanting as too much time in the glass seems to allow the palate to 'decay' too quickly. This seemed to have so much potential initially.. decent balance but eventually didn't seem to hold up. Again, try to enjoy sooner than later when opened and not let it sit too long. 89-90 (more on the 89 side for it's finish).
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12/11/2018 - arthurogus wrote: 90 Points
Quite good, after some time open and some aeration. more acid than tannin at its present stage, but we enjoyed it. Good potential I think.
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12/4/2018 - sdr wrote:
Tasted briefly. I like it for its genuine Bordeaux typicality. Not too fruity.
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12/1/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Classic notes of blackberry, graphite, black currant, pencil lead and minerals. On the palate, exceptionally well managed tannins, great texture, smooth entry and well-balanced wine. Decanted one hour and consumed over two. This wine will benefit from time in the bottle but can be consumed with 3-4 hours in the decanter. This will improve with some more time in the bottle. Very nice St Emilion example.
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12/1/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened at a party, and enjoyed throughout the evening. No detailed notes except to say a new world impression, with mineral, red and black fruit, nice long finish. Tried this head to head with the '15 Fleur Cardinale which had slightly more black fruit and mineral. But this Fonplegade was my WOTN. Bold, and impressively accessible in its youth. Outstanding QPR. I've collected a few bottles to age in the cellar.
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10/12/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ultimately surprising, this vintage truly accentuates the stunning terroir. So silky and long, with a plush, yet stern middle palate. The fruit is goregeous, with plum, char siu, salty rock, soy sauce, all things floral and Jägermeister. Completely androgynous, the cellar potential is all there in spades, even though the enjoyment today is beyond evident. I should also mention this grainy acidity that is quite intriguing. Drink 2021 -.
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9/30/2018 - texaswinelover wrote:
Picked up today at total wine in lv. Lesson learned. I’ve got little right to be drinking and or evaluating freshly released bdx. Tightly wound upon opening. Took easily 30mins in glass to release any aromatics. Dark, very well balanced, rich style, tannins fine. Can’t remotely guess what this will be like in 20 years. I’ll be happy to see how it evolves over the next 2-3 days.
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7/5/2018 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
This opaque crimson wine is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Possessing a rich core of tarry black cherries, dried herbs, orange zest, sandalwood and tobacco, it is a fresh, full-bodied offering with plentiful silky tannins, nicely integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%) and a judicious amount of oak. Beautifully dense on the mid-palate and finishing with impressive length, this is a standout even amid its top-quality 2015 peers. Although delicious now, it should get even better with a bit of cellaring. Drink 2021-2035.
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6/20/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was spicy and intense with mineral encased blackberry fruit, savory herbs and sweet dark floral tones. On the palate, I found silky textures offset by a zesty acid and mineral mix, tart blackberry and savory herbs as fine tannin saturated the senses. The finish was long with penetrating red and blue fruits lingering along with zesty spices.
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5/21/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Black licorice, truffle, smoke, ripe, sweet, dark red berries and cherry notes might be what you notice first. But it is the elegant, sensuous, silky textures that you feel when tasting the fresh, luscious fruits and salty tannins, with its length and purity that leaves the biggest impression.
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5/15/2018 - Motz wrote: 89 Points
Tasted over two days. Another flashy, extracted, and oaky 2015 Right Banker, similar in style to the same Château Beau-Séjour Bécot tasted recently, though lacking that wine's poise. Other than fruit and oak there is nothing to this, no expression of place other than perhaps, Bordeaux gone modern. The oak imparts a bitterness that masquerades as acid, whereas the actual acid level is no higher than medium. It will hold for several years, but it lacks the substance to evolve. Other than the score, I agree with Keith Levenberg. I cannot explain what the pros saw in this.
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4/13/2018 - Joesap wrote:
My Grade: EX. Much too early to be even thinking about drinking this for pleasure now, but this has great foundation with a combination of power and finesse. Dark plums, blackcurrant, licorice, menthol and vanilla on the nose, big, but fine-grained tannins on the palate, delivering mouth-puckering dryness, dark berry fruit with licorice, dark chocolate and burnt-toast notes. Juicy acidity on the long, dry finish. This is one to cellar and forget for the next 8-10 years and promises to evolve into a great wine.
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3/20/2018 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 83 Points
This is in the style we used to call "modern," but which now comes across passé. It feels unnaturally extracted, inky red fruit with powdery tannins nearly as heavy, though the fruit doesn't veer into overly sweet or jammy territory. It just feels like you put a normal wine on the stovetop to reduce awhile. There is a touch of cedary wood but for the most part the fruit is so dense you don't get a window into much else.
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3/12/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
From a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, this is a winner. There is a solid depth of color, the nose shows off its cocoa, black plum and even dark cherry nuances with ease. There is a floral note that stands out in the crowd. In the finish, the wine is full bodied, elegant, fresh and long, with stony character to the ripe fruits.
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11/22/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Showing a good depth of color, the wine kicks off with dark chocolate covered plums, flowers and crushed rock aromatics before you discover the elegant, silky, polished tannins and sweet, fresh, pure, dark red fruits in the finish. At least 6-8 years in the cellar will add a lot this wine.
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11/13/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 89 Points
2017 Grands Crus Classes of St. Emilion, nose of rich fruit, dark fruit, licorice, coffee must, and earth, same on the palate, tasty, medium body, needs 2 years of ageing, and a long finish.
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4/29/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Forest floor, truffle, smoke, licorice and sweet, ripe plum and cherry notes, this wine is sensuous, silky and packed with fresh fruits and crushed rocks that leave you with an elegant sensation of just-picked, sun-ripened cherries. Harvested from September 18 to October 6, the wine was made from a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.5. This is the first vintage for Stephane Derenoncourt at the estate.
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