Deep ruby. Medium intensity on the nose with aromas of roses, fresh red cherries, dried cherries, bell pepper, black pepper, vegetal, cedar, cloves, tobacco, earthy. Developing. Dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol (13%), medium plus tannin, medium plus bodied. Medium intensity on the palate with flavours of dried cherries, cedar, herbal notes. The finish is medium. The wine is good quality. It is balance, with good level of complexity, intensity and length. The wine ready to drink with no further aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still have a couple of bottles of this left in the cellar and really enjoyable after 2-3 hours decanting. Full, flavoursome and better than I recall at previous tastings.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Venue: Mom & Dad's; General Notes: This was made back when May-Élaine de Lencquesaing, of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande fame, was at the helm of the Haut-Médoc AOC. Sadly, 2003 was a crap year in Bordeaux - the was a heatwave, the grapes were somewhat fucked, and the wines ended up being overly tannic among other things. This was no exception for this Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot blend. Lots of promising deep red fruit and licorice on the nose, but in the mouth, even after hours out, one can barely get at anything other than the barrage of super dry tannins. As my son, who I let taste wine from time to time said, “Well papa, I don’t think it's good, but I can admit that it is well made.” That's my boy. Parker called it a sleeper of the vintage. No wonder I think its garbage. ; Wine Notes: | Eco Style | Conventional | Farming Notes | The 35 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Chateau Bernadotte is planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The terroir is gravel and sand with some clay in the soil. The vineyard On average, the vines are 25 years of age. The vines are planted to a density of 6,500 vines per hectare. | Winemaking Notes | To produce the wine of Chateau Bernadotte, vinification takes place in 23, large, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wines of Chateau Bernadotte are then aged in 30% new, French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, depending on the quality and character of the vintage. ;
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A decent bottle for the age. At first it had a little too much plum/tobacco but later mellowed and become more integrated. The second day, even better. As someone mentioned, air definitely benefits this wine. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brick red with a soft fruit nose. This is surprisingly good. Condensed fruit, tannins and integrated oak. Somewhat monolithic. Enormous mouth grip and length for its rather humble origins. Crowd pleaser type wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle was quite fresh and balanced, probably at its peak. Black cherry and cassis, leather and light tobacco. I was quite surprised at how well this showed. Good solid bordo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Straightforward example of Bordeaux, solid, but not spectacular upon opening. Decanted, not a lot of sediment. Good mouthfeel and balanced more towards Cabernet, like a Cali faux-Bordeaux style. Good fit with grilled steak and potatoes. Not past its prime in any material way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I wasn't sure what to pull out with a grilled steak and some non wine drinking friends. I hadn't had this in a while and I simply refer you to the other CT notes and the wine's score is right on. Dark color, balanced with resolved tannin and enough fruit to receive compliments.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Our last two bottles of this were opened up 3 hours prior to pairing with marinated, grilled flank steak. Perfect corks and well-stored, both. A starbright violet-ruby in the glass, with copious quick-forming legs and a thinning meniscus. The nose features red alpine currant, cassis, violets and tobacco. Good intensity and concentration on the palate, with a tobacco-tinged finish. This was perfectly adequate on its own, but did work a bit better with food. This is probably at peak, and there is no way that well-stored examples are over-the-hill. Excellent QPR in the scope of things!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I wasn't expecting much here but got more than I expected. Nose of licorice and pencil lead with a full body and short finish. Simple but with a great mouth feel. Not bad for the price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice color, with a little fading on the edge. Decanted for an hour before dinner. Some nice fruit still coming through, tannins are silky smooth. The wine is fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing a bit of age towards the rim, but pretty dark still. Intense nose, cedar, tobacco, sweet spices - very nice. On the palate very dry, slightly sharp acidity, not too much fruit, lots of tannins, rather short. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hang on. This wine was made by the Pichon Lalande team, and although it doesn't share the exact same terroir (this Chateau is a few kilometers away), this is 1/5 the price of the 2003 Pichon L.
A mature wine. Spicy and exotic (anise). Thoroughly enjoyable. Drink now.
The first of 12 bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is still drinking well. The tanins are very assertive but not overpowering. I would say that at this point the wine is reasonably balanced, but not real fruity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I bought a case of this wine and this, my last bottle. For an <$20 pre-release Bordeaux, this has served me well. Classic masculine styling, it's aged nicely and matched with food fairly well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color me completely unimpressed. ok, for $23 dollars you can do worse in Bordeaux, but this wine might as well be the Beige of Claret. Yes there are some dusty tannins and a bit of cigar box, touch of red fruits, but it is light and uninspiring on the palate. It drinks easy, maybe it would do better with a bit of food to fill in for its gaps, but it leaves me debating what to do with my other two bottles...Coq au vin?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bought this at a local wine store for $40 several years ago. It is a nice claret - a bit dusky, tannins still noticeable but hardly harsh. Fruit was restrained but pleasant. It would be a good deal at $20-$25.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a terrific wine! Opened and pored straight away. Great balance, fruit forward, soft tannins and a long silky finish. Had it been more intense it could have been confused with a classified Bordeaux. Unlikely to last many more years but is great right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Less enamored with it 8 mos later. Lots of leather nose. Full bodied and tannic. The tannins need more time but there's not enough fruit left to get there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good – Clear dark ruby appearance; pronounced fruit and cigar box on nose; off-dry; mid acid; mid tannins; full body and mid length finish. Dark fruits; cigar box; bit of liquorice; nice balance; best one to date. With Boeuf Bourgignon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing well now, not gonna get any better. Nice nose of cedar and smooth cherry. Tart cherry up front with cedar box finish. Almost no mid-palate, finishes a bit thin but has longer than expected. Not bad for the price but wouldn't seek it out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing well. Mature nose, some leather hints of spice. Palate is quite smooth, with fine grained tannins on the back end. Sweet dried fruits and cedar on the finish. Good for the price and drinking well now. I don't think this has the stuffing to improve, but certainly won't fall off a cliff either.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Only 2003 Bordeaux I had in cellar. Too bad, this was a great bottle of wine to enjoy with grilled beef. Excellent balance and long finish. Not as complex or with enough variety of taste and smell to get a higher score, but an overall outstanding entry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Have had this wine before with more modest results. With a little more age, however, this was excellent. Nice complexity and minerality with an unexpected sweet finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I read notes in this site and decided to air the wine for a little while before serving. The longer it aired, the worse it got, so I doubt there is much left to store this wine. It could have been the bottle I opened, but it has been stored in ideal conditions and consumed in Reidel Vinum. I have a few more bottles, but decided to drink asap and not air them. If this didn't have the beautiful nose it has, I would have given this a lower score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. This has integrated well. Black cherry, minerals, vanilla. Full bodied, long finish, tannins providing a great back bone. I don't think this is going to improve but believe it has a few years more of life at this level. Great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep red center, red rim with moderate signs of age. Classic Haut-Medoc nose, cassis, richness, burnt stones, a little VA. Smooth, cassis and wood, pork fat, a little stalky greenness, moderate tannins and acidity, good length of creamy fruit - slightly stewed. Drinking very well now, surprised by the low scores as well, tasting a number of 00s and 03s recently this has been a stand out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Shocked by the low scores. Well maintained cellar perhaps. Best in class for the price point. Round, Great nose finish. Lacks delineation of flavor but hits on all other fronts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I don't think this is closed, but for whatever reason both my bottles are very thin, unripe and just boring. Should have consumed this young before the fruit disappeared.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With Lamb cutlets. Double decanted 2hrs. New world fruit with old world structure make slightly uncomfortable bedfellows here. Initial impression of fruit subsides to dry tannins as the wine travels over the palate, the finish marked by that 2003 slightly unripe 'pippy' characteristic. On the whole one of the better '03's I've tasted though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very slightly corked. Medium garnet in color. Blackberries, earth, some cedar and smoke. Mid-bodied with firm tanins, moderate acidity and a medium finish. No score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4 magnums. Solid, fairly contrived wine, fruity but with a tannic edge, which currently has enough fruit to mask the astringency which is to be anticipated as the fruit fades. Unbalanced, little acidity. Definitely to be drunk soon, while it is still (fairly) charming. A crowd pleaser for now (it drew appreciative comments at a shoot lunch).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good – Clear mid/dark red appearance; pronounced fruit on nose; quite fruity; off-dry; some tannins but softened on air – decanted 1 hour before; medium/full body and mid length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense Purple. First nose showed ripe plums and figs, underbrush. The second nose was started with sweet blackcurrant, vanilla and fresh underbrush, intermixed with freshly cut wood, really strong figs, strong savory notes of spice and roasted nuts. Rich entry of savory spice and ripe fruits and mainly plums, rather mouth-drying strong tannin and low acidity which was not enough, medium to full bodied, chewy and concentrated, some savory leather note which extended to the medium to long finish with some sweetness of plum on the tip of the tongue at the end too. A Haut-Medoc wine that had a delicate bouquet but the tannin was still not ready, and could be great if it was laid down for 2 or 3 years more. Also the alcohol was a bit too strong if the wine was drunk on its own. But it still showed the character of underbrush and vanilla of Haut-Medoc, and its range of flavor and density made it an excellent companion to red meat since the tannin would be less obvious, and it would score 90.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has improved. We had two bottles decanted about 30 minutes prior to drinking. Overall the wine has mellowed out and has become better integrated. It still has some sharp edges. After 60 minutes it was a little better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
New Rivers - Disappointing, one dimensional wine. Did not have the depth to stand up to the squab tonight. Recommend using remaining 6 bottles by the end of 2011. Try opening bottles closer to dinner time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I had my last bottle of this wine in June, 2009 and was unimpressed. It is now 15 months later and I have to revise my opinion. This particular bottle drank very well. The color was dark red. There was a pleasant, alcohol aroma. The fruit, oak and tanin were nicely balanced. The overall tone was a bit earthy but pleasant. It is hard to believe that I am drinking the same wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was picking up some wine I hard ordered at the shop and saw this on the shelves. I'm focusing on buying Bordeaux vintages 2005 and earlier since I just don't want to wait for the later years to be ready to drink anymore. Decanted and started drinking. Developed for about an hour. Cedar, cherry, cocoa. Good nose and palate. Brickish color, medium body, good finish. Great QPR. Decided to pick up a case as this makes a good table wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1st bottle for 3 hours. Second bottle 1 hour. 1st bottle was open and integrated when consumed. 2nd bottle was still tight. Recommend decanting. Nothing was overpowering. Earthy, tannic, mild fruit, medium weight and medium finish. Very nice bottle. Drink now or wait a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With pizza! Decanted 1hr.Very light nose, just a little blackberry. Medium bodied, with nice weight in the mouth, although it is still tight and very dry throughout. Medium finish. Will try a much much longer decant next time, possibly even overnight in the fridge.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color was a medium red, not real dark, but showed some good body. Nose was faint, no real impressions other than light aromas. Fruit was very dry on the front and finish. Was hoping for some fruit or spice on the finish, but never appeared. Drank over 2 days and never got better. Drank with somked meat and glazed ribs, but food didn't help to fight off the dryness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, a very enjoyable Bordeaux, though it had me a bit confused as I didn't expect merlot to be dominating the blends. Not a whole ton of complexity here, but well made and balanced. Quite ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprised given vintage. Pronounced nose. Black fruit, smoke and chocolate. Good concentration with medium plus length. Still a bit to go however thought this drinks well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very impressive showing. The fruit, oak and tannins are almost fully intergrated showing none of the jammyness often found in manyy 2003's. This has become smooth and elegant in a very typical haut medoc style with reasonale complexity and length. No reason to enjoy now but will continue to celler well for a few years yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): Now here was a little surprise - very smooth, complex elegant wine which is starting to show a little bit of age. Mouth filling fruit framed with gritty earthy tannins that provide balance - long finish Quite plush and will age for a few years yet. But at this price no harm in trying one or two now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This Haut-Medoc easily merits the 90 point scores it received from RP and WS. A delightfully fragrant nose, mouth coating fruit and tannin in a Bordeaux style, and a lingering, dry finish. Outstanding. The best $20 Bordeaux I've ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I consumed this bottle of wine over four evenings (vacuum-pumped). On day one I decanted the wine for 1 1/2 hours before I poured the first glass. Even after decanting the nose was very tight, only showing shy floral aromas and a Salami-note. The wine also was extremely tight on the palate, only showing some blackberry flavours.
On day two I decanted the wine for another 1 1/2 hours. It did not do the trick as the wine still was very limited on the nose, but at least the wine now showed some roundness on the palate. Another decant of 1 1/2 hours on day three finally did the trick. The wine now showed an Haut-Médoc nose, floral, with chocolate aromas. It also opened up on the palate, showing subtle fruit, hints of dark chocolate, and cinnamon and vanilla on the finish, with great acidity.
The wine clearly showed best on the fourth evening (no additional decant on that day). On day four I got sweet spices, sweet vanilla, sour fruit, a hint of leather and floral aromas on the nose. On the palate the wine now showed sour cherries, some vegetable flavours and great acidity, very firm, but undeniably delicious.
This wine has great potential, but to me it is too young to be drunk now. I will keep my remaining bottles for another three years before opening another one. 89 points for the time being.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I bought a case as futures thinking that this would be a great everyday Bordeaux. I was overall disappointed. It's incredibly dry and lacks structure. Tannins are all over the place leaving me pessimistic about age-ability. I'll taste it over a few days to see if I get any improvement. Maybe just cook with it. 82 points
After a few days in the fridge is was a little more approachable and had a pronounced cherry cola profile. upgrade to 84 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a very impressive value bordeaux. Classic left bank flavors of cassis, tobacco and crushed rock; still significant tannins, but this has decent length and is approachable. This is an 89-90 pt wine that is very similar in flavor profile to some 92-93 pointers - if only it had a touch more sweetness or depth to the fruit. I'm very happy with the purchase of this at $18 - this kind of wine could make me quite content to give up classed growths in recessionary times - on par with most fifth and fourth growths.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good value. Nicely integrated - some fruit, spice , a slight vegetal note, but really smooth. After a couple hours there was some graphite and really nice depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an ordinary left bank bordeaux. The color was dark red, it had minimal bouquet. The fruit was subdued. The tanins were too pronounced. I felt that the wine at this point was unbalanced. It went fine with our dinner, but it was not a wine to rave about or buy again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vibrant red color. Pretty floral nose, fairly pronounced. Full rich mouthfeel. Great stuff. Mint, black fruit, dried fruit leather. Fairly complex. Still young and not fully integrated but great stuff and very drinkable. All Bordeaux, all the time. The nose, the palate, the sensibility. I would definitely buy this again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for one hour. In the glass, slight garnet at the rim, red-black at the core. On the nose, dark fruit and scents of tobacco. On the palate, initially fairly structured with moderate fruit and complexity, but over the next two hours, really began to show much deeper fruit, tobacco, and complex mineral flavor, with a plush texture and nice finish. If I had another bottle, I'd decant for three hours and/or leave it alone for 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark brooding looking, even the rim is holding its colour/ complex spice nose with gentle compost/ spice and fine grained palate/ fair length/ prob needs more time/ quite dry/ 13%/ 14/20/ had a nasty baked fruit thing going on (2003????).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A: Black - Goth Lipstick. Big looking wine. N: Purple fruits and spice. Liver and cave mushrooms. Woodsy and smokey. Lots of violet in this, likely the Cab-Franc T: Mushroom and big tannins. Tart old world and cigars. Floral. F: Tart and floral. Medium length. Overall: I love this, great with a steak. Looses a couple points as the night went on this wine flattened out not opened up. Instead the bitterness prevails. V: 3/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank this bottle over three nights. Impressive for ~$20. Color looked deep ruby red. The nose had 2003 fruit fullness with leather and tobacco coming through. Initial impression was thin and light, but with time the bottle rounding out with tart cherries and blueberries. My expectation of the extraction (being 2003) was not present. It kept its presence wonderfully with the acid and tannins. A great wine for the price, I expect it to get more balanced over the next 2 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark color with no signs of age. The nose is cherries, green bell peppers, and spicy wood. Tart cherries meet cedar on the palate with a boldness that seems to be a theme with 2003 Bordeaux. The finish is a sour-fruit-fest that is enjoyable even though it is short. Overall it might be a bit rough around the edges for some but it is still a very enjoyable wine for the price point. IMO I would drink it in the next 12 months before the fruit fades.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine but not outstanding. Nice dark fruit that is still very primary. Had the 2000 yesterday and I think this is the better wine, but maybe its just in a better drinking place right now. This ones not as tannic and much more fruit coming through. Just a hint of the herbaciousness that tell you where this is from.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Some vanilla and oak on the nose with lots of dark fruit. Decent balance of dark berries and oak. Middle of the pack wine in a tasting of similar inexpensive red Bordeaux wines. Lacking in character/uniqueness, but very drinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This opened with a sharp tannic spine and a brightness reminicent of iron filings. But my past experience with this overachiever told me to give it some time in the decanter. And boy did that change things around! This wine positively blossomed through the evening. A plush mouthfeel came out of nowhere to envelop the earlier rough edges and integrate them into the larger size of this wine. This really is impressive for its pedigree - a testament to the enormous abilities of the current property owners. A mini Pichon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Impressive. Nose of granite, mocha, and cedar. Palate is firm but eith fine smooth tannins, with some sour cherry and eucalyptus. Medium to slightly light bodied, but not too dilute. Finish is medium to long with mocha, tobacco, mineral, and granite. Really well structured and balanced. An absolute steal for $15. I'll be drinking the rest I have over the next 5yrs, and it should improve over that time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very approachable now, with what seems like buttered blueberries on the nose, with some violet and terroir components as well - very aromatic. Rich mouthfeel, tannins are nicely structured, if a bit on the flabby side, still enjoyable. With a braised beef dish, this was a perfect match, and it proved very enjoyable - ironically the best Bordeaux I've had this year (which isn't all that many).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted (critical) about 3 hours. This was still a little tight, but opened nicely in the glasses. Poured amongst a bunch of random decent bottles (mostly $30-$40 bottles) as part of a celebration, this one held its own nicely with a few people picking it as the class of the bunch. This has really good structure. The fruit is not at all overdone - this is not a new-style Bordeaux in that sense. Begs for food to counterbalance its youthful cut. A good one to be sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A nice surprise here with pretty aromas of dark berries, earth and wood. Tart black cherry on the palate which had nice weight and grip and fished with chewy tannins. Great food wine with its ample fruit and tannin structure. Should age well in the short term, but drinking nicely now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is my second bottle of this in the last couple months. The first bottle was opened and consumed in about an hour. The first one was forbiddingly tight and extremely tannic. Not terribly enjoyable. For the second bottle, I decanted for 5 hours. This was required to extract the substantial goodness from this wine. Once it opened, the wine showed much better than its Cru Bourgeois status would indicate. Certainly the ownership by Pichon Lalande is a better indicator of what to expect from this one. Great structure, lovely cool fruit, pencil shavings, some mint. A really good wine that has a long future ahead of it, if bottles are well stored.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank on xmas eve with big family dinner of prime rib. Decanted for three hours, still tight with firm tannins, but good fruit, some earthiness, and a hint of leather. Wait a few years before opening another.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think this is a very good drinker wine. Not much to contemplate but not much to fault either for the price. Fruity and tannic the first day, a little smoother on day two and still good. Doesnt get much better for $17 if you like the bigger style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
better than last time. Slightly lower temperature drew out the dry tannins and the acidity and coated the experience in more classic claret; black currants, some (white) pepper and graphite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted a few hours and drank over 2 days. Day 1, cassis nose, tastes like it has some good fruit lying beneath the very evident dry tannins. Day 2, big improvement, nose of cassis, anise and blueberry. Big sweet dark fruit in the mouth tannins still there but the fruit is taking center stage now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark. On the nose, pencil shavings and roasting meat. On the palate, cassis, dark berries. Also some licorice. Dark chocolate on the finish with some very fine, powdery tannin. Very drinkable now but should age short term. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1 hour in advance. Tannin over powers the fruit but still it is a good wine. I feel there is real potential. Will buy 1-2 cases for drinking in 2 - 6 years. For curent drinking this wine probably needs 2-3 hours of decanting
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and then drank over a 5-6 period. This one is a real puzzler... not much fruit, not much of anything really. I was bored with it -- it was boring at first, a little better some time in the decanter, and by the end of the evening it just sucked. It tasted diluted and green -- and I'll pass on buying more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 1 hr. and consumed over the next 3hrs. Quiet nose, a bit musky, nothing really jumps out at the moment. Medium body to full body with cedar box, tobacco, and a sour soy sauce on the palate. Couldn’t find much fruit, which is a bit disturbing. The finish does last, but you have to deal with a bit of heat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
decent medoc. Maybe one would have liked a bit more fragrance and longer aftertaste. the price value ratio was not as I had experienced with for example the outstanding 2000. No need to cellar this any longer. But fair enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2003 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Bottle was opened the previous evening in preparation for a retail tasting. I wasn't a big fan of the 2000 vintage of this wine, and 03 is the same for me. Somewhat muddled fruit flavors ending with a 15-20 second finish that just doesn't excite me anywhere along the way. Not a bad wine by any means, just that there are better '03 Bordeaux's out there for the same money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good structured medium bodied wine. Is pretty tannic right now. Well made but possibly lacking a tad in the fruit dept. Hopeful for improvement in a couple years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wineflock - 2003 Bordeaux, Parker 90+ (Ken's): Group #10, My #7 - Full deep red. Full aroma of red/black fruit, acidity and some heat. big bold ripe black coffee fruit with notes of asphalt on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs to be decanted or keep in your cellar for a few years. Comes on smooth but the cab just takes over and oak overpowers. It settled after an hour but the finish was flat regardless. Good fruit and tannins but just didn't captivate me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day 1: sweet floral nose with slight vegetal presence; medium concentration with lots of sweet, young tannin. Day 2: slightly better; palate still somewhat thin and unimpressive finish. Reasonably enjoyable, but I won't be buying any more of this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose was musty with marzipan richness. The palate was deep and almost nutmeggy with well developed oak and a baking spice back. Chewy tanins, could age a few more years or decant at least an hour before serving if before 2009.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/12/2024 - Doctor Vyd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruity nose deep color nice smooth light finish even better after 3days
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2022 - Doctor Vyd Likes this wine: 87 Points
Faint fruit on the nose nice smooth moderate finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2022 - Doctor Vyd Likes this wine: 85 Points
Good color fruity nose smooth light finish Just pleasant drinking
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/22/2022 - Doctor Vyd Likes this wine: 85 Points
Deep color slight fruit on nose smooth finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2022 - ericpoh1980 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep ruby. Medium intensity on the nose with aromas of roses, fresh red cherries, dried cherries, bell pepper, black pepper, vegetal, cedar, cloves, tobacco, earthy. Developing.
Dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol (13%), medium plus tannin, medium plus bodied. Medium intensity on the palate with flavours of dried cherries, cedar, herbal notes. The finish is medium.
The wine is good quality. It is balance, with good level of complexity, intensity and length. The wine ready to drink with no further aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2022 - kris.h Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tight restrained nose but on the palate it's silky smooth with a firm finish. Drinking very well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2021 - Doctor Vyd wrote: 90 Points
Drinking nicely Solid color smooth firm finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2020 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 89 Points
Final bottle of a case purchased en primeur.
Dark ruby, lovely blackberry, black currant nose.
Well balanced and still drinking well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Nice fully mature Bordeaux
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2020 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still drinking well, but flattening out and needs to be drunk up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2019 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still have a couple of bottles of this left in the cellar and really enjoyable after 2-3 hours decanting. Full, flavoursome and better than I recall at previous tastings.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2018 - marcusdoshi wrote: 60 Points
Venue: Mom & Dad's; General Notes: This was made back when May-Élaine de Lencquesaing, of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande fame, was at the helm of the Haut-Médoc AOC. Sadly, 2003 was a crap year in Bordeaux - the was a heatwave, the grapes were somewhat fucked, and the wines ended up being overly tannic among other things. This was no exception for this Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot blend. Lots of promising deep red fruit and licorice on the nose, but in the mouth, even after hours out, one can barely get at anything other than the barrage of super dry tannins. As my son, who I let taste wine from time to time said, “Well papa, I don’t think it's good, but I can admit that it is well made.” That's my boy. Parker called it a sleeper of the vintage. No wonder I think its garbage. ; Wine Notes: | Eco Style | Conventional | Farming Notes | The 35 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Chateau Bernadotte is planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The terroir is gravel and sand with some clay in the soil. The vineyard On average, the vines are 25 years of age. The vines are planted to a density of 6,500 vines per hectare.
| Winemaking Notes | To produce the wine of Chateau Bernadotte, vinification takes place in 23, large, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wines of Chateau Bernadotte are then aged in 30% new, French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, depending on the quality and character of the vintage.
;
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2018 - scm wrote: 88 Points
Earthy aromas with dark fruit flavors, medium finish. Still has some life , I'm happy to have 7 bottles left. May be the best $18 I've spent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2018 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still enjoyable, bit of life left still.
Last bottle......
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2018 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Drank with the 2004. Much more substance, body and length than the 2004... not surprisingly given the year. 2003 is holding up very well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2018 - RN wrote: 89 Points
Consistently good. Not hot. lots of secondary flavours emerging. Satisfying.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2018 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 87 Points
Pleasant enough. Bit flatter than when tasted last April. Last couple of bottles need drinking up I think.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2017 - PolarBear22 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well, but may be starting to fade. The cork fell apart on this one. But the wine was fine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2017 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking very well. Not likely to improve, but has not started downhill yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2017 - capnkirk Likes this wine: 89 Points
drinking well with classic bordeaux structure, well balanced some tannins and earthy flavors
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2017 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drinking well. Opened up after half an hour or so in the glass. Quite enjoyable. Maybe another year or two of life left in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2017 - wine4me2 wrote: 87 Points
A decent bottle for the age. At first it had a little too much plum/tobacco but later mellowed and become more integrated. The second day, even better. As someone mentioned, air definitely benefits this wine. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2016 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful wine. Paired with standing rib roast. Dark fruit with plum/prune. Smooth tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2016 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Great nose and fruit. Smooth tannins. Very popular with the group.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2016 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Nice and dark. Great nose. Good fruit with smooth tannins. This has matured wonderfully.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2016 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good, delicious bordo, concentrated and plum/prune aromas and flavors. If anything, a bit overripe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2016 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Continues to drink superbly. Better with air. Becomes inky second night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2016 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Brick red with a soft fruit nose. This is surprisingly good. Condensed fruit, tannins and integrated oak. Somewhat monolithic. Enormous mouth grip and length for its rather humble origins. Crowd pleaser type wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2015 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle was quite fresh and balanced, probably at its peak. Black cherry and cassis, leather and light tobacco. I was quite surprised at how well this showed. Good solid bordo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2015 - datorr Likes this wine: 88 Points
I agree completely with this year's other tasters. Tres correct!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2015 - plambert12 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Straightforward example of Bordeaux, solid, but not spectacular upon opening. Decanted, not a lot of sediment. Good mouthfeel and balanced more towards Cabernet, like a Cali faux-Bordeaux style. Good fit with grilled steak and potatoes. Not past its prime in any material way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2015 - WinoRick wrote: 89 Points
I wasn't sure what to pull out with a grilled steak and some non wine drinking friends. I hadn't had this in a while and I simply refer you to the other CT notes and the wine's score is right on. Dark color, balanced with resolved tannin and enough fruit to receive compliments.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2015 - wicozani Likes this wine: 89 Points
Our last two bottles of this were opened up 3 hours prior to pairing with marinated, grilled flank steak. Perfect corks and well-stored, both. A starbright violet-ruby in the glass, with copious quick-forming legs and a thinning meniscus. The nose features red alpine currant, cassis, violets and tobacco. Good intensity and concentration on the palate, with a tobacco-tinged finish. This was perfectly adequate on its own, but did work a bit better with food. This is probably at peak, and there is no way that well-stored examples are over-the-hill. Excellent QPR in the scope of things!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2015 - 818wines Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Not much there at all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2015 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Dark cherry, mineral, cassis and pencil lead flavors, medium bodied, smooth. Mature and drinking nicely now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2014 - rogerr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great right now. Beautiful fruit and floral nose for a Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2014 - Tannic Monster wrote: 89 Points
I wasn't expecting much here but got more than I expected. Nose of licorice and pencil lead with a full body and short finish. Simple but with a great mouth feel. Not bad for the price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - PolarBear22 wrote: 89 Points
Nice color, with a little fading on the edge. Decanted for an hour before dinner. Some nice fruit still coming through, tannins are silky smooth. The wine is fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2014 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little rough and tough, but nice saddle leather notes and good tannins. Ripe dark fruit, but definitely not "fruit forward".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 87 Points
Showing a bit of age towards the rim, but pretty dark still. Intense nose, cedar, tobacco, sweet spices - very nice. On the palate very dry, slightly sharp acidity, not too much fruit, lots of tannins, rather short. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2014 - AdamJP wrote:
I was surprised at how good this still is, shame it's my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2013 - AdamJP wrote:
Tiny amount of sediment. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2013 - alhun wrote: 90 Points
value for money
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2013 - Saint-Julien Likes this wine:
Hang on. This wine was made by the Pichon Lalande team, and although it doesn't share the exact same terroir (this Chateau is a few kilometers away), this is 1/5 the price of the 2003 Pichon L.
A mature wine. Spicy and exotic (anise). Thoroughly enjoyable. Drink now.
The first of 12 bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2013 - dssmith wrote: 90 Points
This wine is still drinking well. The tanins are very assertive but not overpowering. I would say that at this point the wine is reasonably balanced, but not real fruity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2013 - cstir Likes this wine: 89 Points
Smooth on opening with good depth and complexity; dark red fruit with nice balance; pleasant finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2012 - John O' Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Not much there. Thin. Got a crack better with air, but was disappointed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2012 - plitton wrote: 90 Points
I bought a case of this wine and this, my last bottle. For an <$20 pre-release Bordeaux, this has served me well. Classic masculine styling, it's aged nicely and matched with food fairly well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2012 - AdamJP wrote:
No sediment. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2012 - TimothyJames wrote: 90 Points
Really nice cheap bordeaux. Full of fruit, ready to drink, smooth, nice finish, lots of currants.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2012 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
very nice dark berry, spice, earth and mineral flavors, nice acidity, soft tannins and texture. Drinking nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2012 - Hollowine wrote: 79 Points
Color me completely unimpressed. ok, for $23 dollars you can do worse in Bordeaux, but this wine might as well be the Beige of Claret. Yes there are some dusty tannins and a bit of cigar box, touch of red fruits, but it is light and uninspiring on the palate. It drinks easy, maybe it would do better with a bit of food to fill in for its gaps, but it leaves me debating what to do with my other two bottles...Coq au vin?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2012 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bought this at a local wine store for $40 several years ago. It is a nice claret - a bit dusky, tannins still noticeable but hardly harsh. Fruit was restrained but pleasant. It would be a good deal at $20-$25.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2012 - MrBrege Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a terrific wine! Opened and pored straight away. Great balance, fruit forward, soft tannins and a long silky finish. Had it been more intense it could have been confused with a classified Bordeaux. Unlikely to last many more years but is great right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2012 - leungallan wrote: 86 Points
Decented for about an hour, nose with vanilla, quite silky palate. 2 hours passed, blossom of large bunch of smell, including berries.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2012 - paulst wrote: 88 Points
Started nicely balanced with blackberry and sweetness; later became acidic with less length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2012 - unrelenting wrote: 89 Points
Less enamored with it 8 mos later. Lots of leather nose. Full bodied and tannic. The tannins need more time but there's not enough fruit left to get there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2012 - HStaal wrote: 88 Points
Good – Clear dark ruby appearance; pronounced fruit and cigar box on nose; off-dry; mid acid; mid tannins; full body and mid length finish. Dark fruits; cigar box; bit of liquorice; nice balance; best one to date. With Boeuf Bourgignon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2012 - floating_cellar wrote: 88 Points
Showing well now, not gonna get any better. Nice nose of cedar and smooth cherry. Tart cherry up front with cedar box finish. Almost no mid-palate, finishes a bit thin but has longer than expected. Not bad for the price but wouldn't seek it out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Showing well. Mature nose, some leather hints of spice. Palate is quite smooth, with fine grained tannins on the back end. Sweet dried fruits and cedar on the finish. Good for the price and drinking well now. I don't think this has the stuffing to improve, but certainly won't fall off a cliff either.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2011 - up4wine wrote: 90 Points
Only 2003 Bordeaux I had in cellar. Too bad, this was a great bottle of wine to enjoy with grilled beef. Excellent balance and long finish. Not as complex or with enough variety of taste and smell to get a higher score, but an overall outstanding entry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2011 - paulst wrote: 90 Points
Cannot get better QPR. Smooth soft silky tannins; elegant with nice earthy light lead pencil and decent length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2011 - tpspoon wrote: 92 Points
Have had this wine before with more modest results. With a little more age, however, this was excellent. Nice complexity and minerality with an unexpected sweet finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2011 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Softening nicely, with dark cherry, cassis, mineral and pencil lead flavors, medium bodied and supple. Drinking now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2011 - AdamJP wrote:
No sediment. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2011 - pdadams66 wrote: 88 Points
Same as last note
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 87 Points
simple wine with good ripeness, balance and length. would have given it higher score if not for slight greenness on the nose.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2011 - bugdoced wrote: 91 Points
initial tannins blew off within 15 minutes; then french earth balanced nicely with dark fruit; a lovely bottle of wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2011 - plitton wrote: 89 Points
This continues to improve. Better integrated and softening. Decant 1 hr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2011 - Les Kangas wrote: 88 Points
I read notes in this site and decided to air the wine for a little while before serving. The longer it aired, the worse it got, so I doubt there is much left to store this wine. It could have been the bottle I opened, but it has been stored in ideal conditions and consumed in Reidel Vinum. I have a few more bottles, but decided to drink asap and not air them. If this didn't have the beautiful nose it has, I would have given this a lower score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2011 - HOS wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. This has integrated well. Black cherry, minerals, vanilla. Full bodied, long finish, tannins providing a great back bone. I don't think this is going to improve but believe it has a few years more of life at this level. Great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2011 - paulst wrote: 91 Points
Smooth and silky with well developed sweet and textured tanins; well structured with good body and well developed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2011 - pdadams66 wrote: 88 Points
Deep red center, red rim with moderate signs of age.
Classic Haut-Medoc nose, cassis, richness, burnt stones, a little VA.
Smooth, cassis and wood, pork fat, a little stalky greenness, moderate tannins and acidity, good length of creamy fruit - slightly stewed.
Drinking very well now, surprised by the low scores as well, tasting a number of 00s and 03s recently this has been a stand out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2011 - unrelenting wrote: 92 Points
Shocked by the low scores. Well maintained cellar perhaps. Best in class for the price point. Round, Great nose finish. Lacks delineation of flavor but hits on all other fronts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2011 - khmark7 wrote: 82 Points
I don't think this is closed, but for whatever reason both my bottles are very thin, unripe and just boring. Should have consumed this young before the fruit disappeared.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2011 - paulst wrote: 89 Points
Smooth silky with rich blackberry and nice texture.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2011 - psrv wrote:
Very closed and tannic, even after lots of air. This was opened too early - hold for now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2011 - khmark7 wrote:
Still very closed, and really nothing to report. Will wait before opening another.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2011 - SeaSmoke wrote: 88 Points
Dark red, with merlot nose. Fruit was very subtle. Good value for the money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2011 - dave747400 wrote: 90 Points
With Lamb cutlets. Double decanted 2hrs. New world fruit with old world structure make slightly uncomfortable bedfellows here. Initial impression of fruit subsides to dry tannins as the wine travels over the palate, the finish marked by that 2003 slightly unripe 'pippy' characteristic. On the whole one of the better '03's I've tasted though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2011 - AdamJP wrote:
Tiny amount of sediment. Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2011 - EGunderson Likes this wine: 88 Points
This bottle pretty much open for business. Tannins are definitely softer and the nose is nice. Pretty decent for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2011 - Yiannis wrote: flawed
Very slightly corked. Medium garnet in color. Blackberries, earth, some cedar and smoke. Mid-bodied with firm tanins, moderate acidity and a medium finish. No score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2010 - paulst wrote: 88 Points
Some moments of blackberry; good texture but rough at times.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2010 - Remony wrote: 85 Points
4 magnums. Solid, fairly contrived wine, fruity but with a tannic edge, which currently has enough fruit to mask the astringency which is to be anticipated as the fruit fades. Unbalanced, little acidity. Definitely to be drunk soon, while it is still (fairly) charming. A crowd pleaser for now (it drew appreciative comments at a shoot lunch).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - HStaal wrote: 87 Points
Good – Clear mid/dark red appearance; pronounced fruit on nose; quite fruity; off-dry; some tannins but softened on air – decanted 1 hour before; medium/full body and mid length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2010 - Ambrose wrote: 88 Points
Dense Purple. First nose showed ripe plums and figs, underbrush. The second nose was started with sweet blackcurrant, vanilla and fresh underbrush, intermixed with freshly cut wood, really strong figs, strong savory notes of spice and roasted nuts. Rich entry of savory spice and ripe fruits and mainly plums, rather mouth-drying strong tannin and low acidity which was not enough, medium to full bodied, chewy and concentrated, some savory leather note which extended to the medium to long finish with some sweetness of plum on the tip of the tongue at the end too.
A Haut-Medoc wine that had a delicate bouquet but the tannin was still not ready, and could be great if it was laid down for 2 or 3 years more. Also the alcohol was a bit too strong if the wine was drunk on its own. But it still showed the character of underbrush and vanilla of Haut-Medoc, and its range of flavor and density made it an excellent companion to red meat since the tannin would be less obvious, and it would score 90.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2010 - NY Wino wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes, wine had good fruit, a bit tannic still but did well with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2010 - Gulelin wrote:
This is coming along nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2010 - plitton wrote: 88 Points
This has improved. We had two bottles decanted about 30 minutes prior to drinking. Overall the wine has mellowed out and has become better integrated. It still has some sharp edges. After 60 minutes it was a little better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2010 - paulst wrote: 89 Points
Initially light and without texture; developed later with softness and sweeter tannins and some earthy texture and blackberry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2010 - CellarBord wrote: 86 Points
New Rivers - Disappointing, one dimensional wine. Did not have the depth to stand up to the squab tonight. Recommend using remaining 6 bottles by the end of 2011. Try opening bottles closer to dinner time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2010 - CellarBord wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2010 - paulst wrote: 90 Points
Rich earthy blackberry; well balanced; tannins developing nicely; gravely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2010 - dssmith wrote: 90 Points
I had my last bottle of this wine in June, 2009 and was unimpressed. It is now 15 months later and I have to revise my opinion. This particular bottle drank very well. The color was dark red. There was a pleasant, alcohol aroma. The fruit, oak and tanin were nicely balanced. The overall tone was a bit earthy but pleasant. It is hard to believe that I am drinking the same wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2010 - HOS wrote: 89 Points
Just picked up my case and had to try another bottle. Decanted and poured. Consistent with earlier note. Very dry, classic Bordeaux. Great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2010 - paulst wrote: 89 Points
Light earthy acidic blackberry with some sweet tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2010 - HOS Likes this wine: 89 Points
I was picking up some wine I hard ordered at the shop and saw this on the shelves. I'm focusing on buying Bordeaux vintages 2005 and earlier since I just don't want to wait for the later years to be ready to drink anymore. Decanted and started drinking. Developed for about an hour. Cedar, cherry, cocoa. Good nose and palate. Brickish color, medium body, good finish. Great QPR. Decided to pick up a case as this makes a good table wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2010 - AdamJP wrote:
Tiny amount of sediment. Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2010 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted 1st bottle for 3 hours. Second bottle 1 hour. 1st bottle was open and integrated when consumed. 2nd bottle was still tight. Recommend decanting. Nothing was overpowering. Earthy, tannic, mild fruit, medium weight and medium finish. Very nice bottle. Drink now or wait a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2010 - dave747400 wrote: 89 Points
With pizza! Decanted 1hr.Very light nose, just a little blackberry. Medium bodied, with nice weight in the mouth, although it is still tight and very dry throughout. Medium finish. Will try a much much longer decant next time, possibly even overnight in the fridge.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2010 - Pinot Joe wrote: 88 Points
Color was a medium red, not real dark, but showed some good body. Nose was faint, no real impressions other than light aromas. Fruit was very dry on the front and finish. Was hoping for some fruit or spice on the finish, but never appeared. Drank over 2 days and never got better. Drank with somked meat and glazed ribs, but food didn't help to fight off the dryness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2010 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured, a very enjoyable Bordeaux, though it had me a bit confused as I didn't expect merlot to be dominating the blends. Not a whole ton of complexity here, but well made and balanced. Quite ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2010 - zinhead wrote:
Surprised given vintage. Pronounced nose. Black fruit, smoke and chocolate. Good concentration with medium plus length. Still a bit to go however thought this drinks well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2009 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Very impressive showing. The fruit, oak and tannins are almost fully intergrated showing none of the jammyness often found in manyy 2003's. This has become smooth and elegant in a very typical haut medoc style with reasonale complexity and length. No reason to enjoy now but will continue to celler well for a few years yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2009 - pjaines wrote:
Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): Now here was a little surprise - very smooth, complex elegant wine which is starting to show a little bit of age. Mouth filling fruit framed with gritty earthy tannins that provide balance - long finish Quite plush and will age for a few years yet. But at this price no harm in trying one or two now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2009 - THA wrote: 91 Points
This Haut-Medoc easily merits the 90 point scores it received from RP and WS. A delightfully fragrant nose, mouth coating fruit and tannin in a Bordeaux style, and a lingering, dry finish. Outstanding. The best $20 Bordeaux I've ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2009 - PSPatrick wrote: 89 Points
I consumed this bottle of wine over four evenings (vacuum-pumped). On day one I decanted the wine for 1 1/2 hours before I poured the first glass. Even after decanting the nose was very tight, only showing shy floral aromas and a Salami-note. The wine also was extremely tight on the palate, only showing some blackberry flavours.
On day two I decanted the wine for another 1 1/2 hours. It did not do the trick as the wine still was very limited on the nose, but at least the wine now showed some roundness on the palate. Another decant of 1 1/2 hours on day three finally did the trick. The wine now showed an Haut-Médoc nose, floral, with chocolate aromas. It also opened up on the palate, showing subtle fruit, hints of dark chocolate, and cinnamon and vanilla on the finish, with great acidity.
The wine clearly showed best on the fourth evening (no additional decant on that day). On day four I got sweet spices, sweet vanilla, sour fruit, a hint of leather and floral aromas on the nose. On the palate the wine now showed sour cherries, some vegetable flavours and great acidity, very firm, but undeniably delicious.
This wine has great potential, but to me it is too young to be drunk now. I will keep my remaining bottles for another three years before opening another one. 89 points for the time being.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2009 - prez wrote: 82 Points
Strong tannins, not much fruit at all. Ok balance, but not much finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2009 - plitton wrote: 84 Points
I bought a case as futures thinking that this would be a great everyday Bordeaux. I was overall disappointed. It's incredibly dry and lacks structure. Tannins are all over the place leaving me pessimistic about age-ability. I'll taste it over a few days to see if I get any improvement. Maybe just cook with it. 82 points
After a few days in the fridge is was a little more approachable and had a pronounced cherry cola profile. upgrade to 84 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 90 Points
This is a very impressive value bordeaux. Classic left bank flavors of cassis, tobacco and crushed rock; still significant tannins, but this has decent length and is approachable. This is an 89-90 pt wine that is very similar in flavor profile to some 92-93 pointers - if only it had a touch more sweetness or depth to the fruit. I'm very happy with the purchase of this at $18 - this kind of wine could make me quite content to give up classed growths in recessionary times - on par with most fifth and fourth growths.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2009 - JJKinch wrote: 89 Points
Good value. Nicely integrated - some fruit, spice , a slight vegetal note, but really smooth. After a couple hours there was some graphite and really nice depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2009 - BrianV wrote: 90 Points
Bottle opened up nicely. Not bitter and sweet aftertaste. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2009 - SeaSmoke wrote: 87 Points
Dark red, with merlot nose. Fruit was very subtle. Good value for the money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2009 - dssmith wrote: 80 Points
This is an ordinary left bank bordeaux. The color was dark red, it had minimal bouquet. The fruit was subdued. The tanins were too pronounced. I felt that the wine at this point was unbalanced. It went fine with our dinner, but it was not a wine to rave about or buy again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2009 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Vibrant red color.
Pretty floral nose, fairly pronounced.
Full rich mouthfeel. Great stuff. Mint, black fruit, dried fruit leather. Fairly complex.
Still young and not fully integrated but great stuff and very drinkable.
All Bordeaux, all the time. The nose, the palate, the sensibility.
I would definitely buy this again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2009 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for one hour. In the glass, slight garnet at the rim, red-black at the core. On the nose, dark fruit and scents of tobacco. On the palate, initially fairly structured with moderate fruit and complexity, but over the next two hours, really began to show much deeper fruit, tobacco, and complex mineral flavor, with a plush texture and nice finish. If I had another bottle, I'd decant for three hours and/or leave it alone for 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2009 - azahoner wrote: 88 Points
Young and tannic, very good structure. This wine wine needs some years in the cellar. Good potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2009 - petec-s wrote: 74 Points
Very dark brooding looking, even the rim is holding its colour/ complex spice nose with gentle compost/ spice and fine grained palate/ fair length/ prob needs more time/ quite dry/ 13%/ 14/20/ had a nasty baked fruit thing going on (2003????).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2009 - btennan1 wrote: 86 Points
A: Black - Goth Lipstick. Big looking wine.
N: Purple fruits and spice. Liver and cave mushrooms. Woodsy and smokey. Lots of violet in this, likely the Cab-Franc
T: Mushroom and big tannins. Tart old world and cigars. Floral.
F: Tart and floral. Medium length.
Overall: I love this, great with a steak. Looses a couple points as the night went on this wine flattened out not opened up. Instead the bitterness prevails.
V: 3/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2009 - dthompson wrote: 90 Points
Fruit subdued but very smooth and well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2009 - Squeeze wrote:
Very good but needs more bottle age. Try 2010 or 2011
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2009 - polimeri wrote: 89 Points
Drank this bottle over three nights. Impressive for ~$20. Color looked deep ruby red. The nose had 2003 fruit fullness with leather and tobacco coming through. Initial impression was thin and light, but with time the bottle rounding out with tart cherries and blueberries. My expectation of the extraction (being 2003) was not present. It kept its presence wonderfully with the acid and tannins. A great wine for the price, I expect it to get more balanced over the next 2 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2009 - SoCal wrote: 87 Points
Dark color with no signs of age. The nose is cherries, green bell peppers, and spicy wood. Tart cherries meet cedar on the palate with a boldness that seems to be a theme with 2003 Bordeaux. The finish is a sour-fruit-fest that is enjoyable even though it is short. Overall it might be a bit rough around the edges for some but it is still a very enjoyable wine for the price point. IMO I would drink it in the next 12 months before the fruit fades.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2009 - Ekoostik wrote:
Nice wine but not outstanding. Nice dark fruit that is still very primary. Had the 2000 yesterday and I think this is the better wine, but maybe its just in a better drinking place right now. This ones not as tannic and much more fruit coming through. Just a hint of the herbaciousness that tell you where this is from.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2008 - Cibolo wrote:
Definitely worth the wait and great value. Nice fruit, balance, and smooth!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2008 - Ekoostik wrote: 89 Points
No notes when drinking, but I thought this left a good impression. Drinking well right now. Excellent for the price too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2008 - djdaqm wrote: 88 Points
Some vanilla and oak on the nose with lots of dark fruit. Decent balance of dark berries and oak. Middle of the pack wine in a tasting of similar inexpensive red Bordeaux wines. Lacking in character/uniqueness, but very drinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
This opened with a sharp tannic spine and a brightness reminicent of iron filings. But my past experience with this overachiever told me to give it some time in the decanter. And boy did that change things around! This wine positively blossomed through the evening. A plush mouthfeel came out of nowhere to envelop the earlier rough edges and integrate them into the larger size of this wine. This really is impressive for its pedigree - a testament to the enormous abilities of the current property owners. A mini Pichon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2008 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Impressive. Nose of granite, mocha, and cedar. Palate is firm but eith fine smooth tannins, with some sour cherry and eucalyptus. Medium to slightly light bodied, but not too dilute. Finish is medium to long with mocha, tobacco, mineral, and granite. Really well structured and balanced. An absolute steal for $15. I'll be drinking the rest I have over the next 5yrs, and it should improve over that time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2008 - Todd French wrote: 92 Points
Very approachable now, with what seems like buttered blueberries on the nose, with some violet and terroir components as well - very aromatic. Rich mouthfeel, tannins are nicely structured, if a bit on the flabby side, still enjoyable. With a braised beef dish, this was a perfect match, and it proved very enjoyable - ironically the best Bordeaux I've had this year (which isn't all that many).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
Decanted (critical) about 3 hours. This was still a little tight, but opened nicely in the glasses. Poured amongst a bunch of random decent bottles (mostly $30-$40 bottles) as part of a celebration, this one held its own nicely with a few people picking it as the class of the bunch. This has really good structure. The fruit is not at all overdone - this is not a new-style Bordeaux in that sense. Begs for food to counterbalance its youthful cut. A good one to be sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2008 - keelegl wrote: 91 Points
A nice surprise here with pretty aromas of dark berries, earth and wood. Tart black cherry on the palate which had nice weight and grip and fished with chewy tannins. Great food wine with its ample fruit and tannin structure. Should age well in the short term, but drinking nicely now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
This is my second bottle of this in the last couple months. The first bottle was opened and consumed in about an hour. The first one was forbiddingly tight and extremely tannic. Not terribly enjoyable. For the second bottle, I decanted for 5 hours. This was required to extract the substantial goodness from this wine. Once it opened, the wine showed much better than its Cru Bourgeois status would indicate. Certainly the ownership by Pichon Lalande is a better indicator of what to expect from this one. Great structure, lovely cool fruit, pencil shavings, some mint. A really good wine that has a long future ahead of it, if bottles are well stored.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2008 - phantphant wrote: 88 Points
Opened the bottle
Did full throttle
Tasted like fruit
Not too stong; not too cute
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2008 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Pencil lead, mineral, dark cherry and earth flavors, medium bodied, silky texture. Don't hesitate to open a bottle now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2008 - yorkvilleterrier wrote: 90 Points
Nice balance, drinks like a Pauillac. The label says the winemaker from Pichon-Longueville Comtesse made this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2007 - Gulelin wrote: 90 Points
Had at Molinari's for dinner. Nose was great, structure was good. Mouth coating tannins. This will absolutely get better with time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2007 - Sleak wrote: 89 Points
Drank on xmas eve with big family dinner of prime rib. Decanted for three hours, still tight with firm tannins, but good fruit, some earthiness, and a hint of leather. Wait a few years before opening another.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2007 - pdadams66 wrote: 87 Points
Good bordeaux for the price. Will develop further but drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2007 - EGunderson wrote: 87 Points
Drank over two nights, first night was really tight, very little if anything on the nose, no distinguishing taste.
Better the second night, plumb on the nose, fruity tasting, decent finish.
Certainly good for the price, could probably benefit from some more time in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 89 Points
I think this is a very good drinker wine. Not much to contemplate but not much to fault either for the price. Fruity and tannic the first day, a little smoother on day two and still good. Doesnt get much better for $17 if you like the bigger style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2007 - hutch wrote: 86 Points
This stood out admist all the 2004's. Much riper, and more flamboyent. None of the elegance that the others showed. A good everyday drinker. 86-87
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2007 - paulst wrote: 90 Points
Showing some nice smooth currant and blackberry with a long creamy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2007 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 85 Points
better than last time. Slightly lower temperature drew out the dry tannins and the acidity and coated the experience in more classic claret; black currants, some (white) pepper and graphite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2007 - dcleven wrote: 90 Points
Decanted a few hours and drank over 2 days.
Day 1, cassis nose, tastes like it has some good fruit lying beneath the very evident dry tannins.
Day 2, big improvement, nose of cassis, anise and blueberry. Big sweet dark fruit in the mouth tannins still there but the fruit is taking center stage now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2007 - winesteward wrote: 89 Points
Very dark. On the nose, pencil shavings and roasting meat. On the palate, cassis, dark berries. Also some licorice. Dark chocolate on the finish with some very fine, powdery tannin. Very drinkable now but should age short term. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2007 - xavier2000 wrote: 95 Points
Excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2007 - dthompson wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour in advance. Tannin over powers the fruit but still it is a good wine. I feel there is real potential. Will buy 1-2 cases for drinking in 2 - 6 years. For curent drinking this wine probably needs 2-3 hours of decanting
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2007 - Coucher73 wrote: 79 Points
Decanted and then drank over a 5-6 period. This one is a real puzzler... not much fruit, not much of anything really. I was bored with it -- it was boring at first, a little better some time in the decanter, and by the end of the evening it just sucked. It tasted diluted and green -- and I'll pass on buying more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2007 - R-squared wrote: 87 Points
average. not bad, not great, just average. no need for any more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2007 - aes0300 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 1 hr. and consumed over the next 3hrs. Quiet nose, a bit musky, nothing really jumps out at the moment. Medium body to full body with cedar box, tobacco, and a sour soy sauce on the palate. Couldn’t find much fruit, which is a bit disturbing. The finish does last, but you have to deal with a bit of heat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2007 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 83 Points
decent medoc. Maybe one would have liked a bit more fragrance and longer aftertaste. the price value ratio was not as I had experienced with for example the outstanding 2000. No need to cellar this any longer. But fair enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2007 - vinole wrote: 87 Points
2003 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Bottle was opened the previous evening in preparation for a retail tasting. I wasn't a big fan of the 2000 vintage of this wine, and 03 is the same for me. Somewhat muddled fruit flavors ending with a 15-20 second finish that just doesn't excite me anywhere along the way. Not a bad wine by any means, just that there are better '03 Bordeaux's out there for the same money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2006 - win wrote: 89 Points
Very pleasing wine with good black currant aromas, a bit of earth and nice acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2006 - Ekoostik wrote: 90 Points
Good structured medium bodied wine. Is pretty tannic right now. Well made but possibly lacking a tad in the fruit dept. Hopeful for improvement in a couple years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2006 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Wineflock - 2003 Bordeaux, Parker 90+ (Ken's): Group #10, My #7 - Full deep red. Full aroma of red/black fruit, acidity and some heat. big bold ripe black coffee fruit with notes of asphalt on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2006 - Maverick wrote: 84 Points
Needs to be decanted or keep in your cellar for a few years. Comes on smooth but the cab just takes over and oak overpowers. It settled after an hour but the finish was flat regardless. Good fruit and tannins but just didn't captivate me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2006 - PathDoc wrote:
Day 1: sweet floral nose with slight vegetal presence; medium concentration with lots of sweet, young tannin. Day 2: slightly better; palate still somewhat thin and unimpressive finish. Reasonably enjoyable, but I won't be buying any more of this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2006 - trucrime wrote: 92 Points
Nose was musty with marzipan richness. The palate was deep and almost nutmeggy with well developed oak and a baking spice back. Chewy tanins, could age a few more years or decant at least an hour before serving if before 2009.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2004 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Bordeaux "en Primeur" Tasting and Rhone side visit; 3/29/2004-4/2/2004 (France): En Primeur tasting. Ripe and jammy black berries and currant, but able to retain its balance and freshness. 87-89 point potential.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment