Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bordeaux, with subtle wood, plum, old club leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. Can easily last another decade.
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At 27 years old, the peak of early maturity in my view, still showing sexy youthfulness, vibrant and energetic! Sweet mineral nose, sweet exotic fruits on the palate, and at the same time, complex and subtle! A lengthy finish! In one word, superb!
Perfect for gamey dishes
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Consumed over 2 1/2 hours whilst pottering around, cooking goat shank stew and the preparing (and eating) Cowra lamb rack.
This wine is (yet another) example of why I love Bordeaux; the age lends inherent complexity that makes it blossom. On the nose there are brambles, blackcurrant, sweet spice, cedar, wet leaves, mushrooms, earth, bonfires, a little saddle leather. And all of this translates to the palate which is juicy and fleshy, tannins are persistent, coarse flour textured, ridiculously long and wonderfully integrated. Balanced, pretty much glorious.
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This opens in an hour or so. It drank well fro 3-4 hours. Medium plus body, structure completely integrated, light red fruit nose, soft, nice complexity.red currant and marzipam. Nothing sour or green on this bottle. Drink now and over the next couple of years for well stored bottles.
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Pristine bottle, amazing cork condition for a wine close to 27 years of age. Double decanted for 1 hour. Tobacco and licorice in the bouquet followed by tremendous tobacco taste and after taste. At it’s very peak, I don’t see how this could get any better. Drink in the next 5 years. A beautiful example of a Bordeaux that has aged well.
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After a couple of underwhelming outings, (due to bottle taint,), this was rocking. Needing only a short time in the decanter, this is fully mature, and probably will need to be enjoyed over the next 5 years to have it at its peak. Packed with chocolate, blackberry, and raspberry with hints of cedar, the tannin is sweet and everything is well balanced, and really could be mistaken for a wine a decade older. To nit pick, the finish is not quite up there with the rest of the experience, and is on the leaner side.
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Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bdx, with subtle wood, plum, leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. Can easily last another decade.
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When last tasted 2 years ago, I had reservations about its potential longevity, and I concur and think this is moving through its drinking window. It probably needs to be drunk over the next 5 to 7 years to enjoy it at its best. Taste profile is as previous with blackberry and raspberry with rich chocolate underpinning. The rating is reduced on this occasion, but was driven more by a slight taint on the bottle.
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Paul D's Graves Greats (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Cigar box nose with some grated chocolate. Palate is fabulous with perfect balance and lovely texture. Unlike the LTHB the tannins are fully resolved here. An outstanding wine. My wine of the night.
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Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Farmyard, Autumn copse, wet earth, brambles, a little saddle leather and horse sweat, a touch of bonfire and crushed rock, cigar box. Juicy, fleshy, brambles and blackcurrant, saddle leather, long, tannins are present, persistent but silky and very much in a supporting role. Exceedingly long. Wonderful.
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Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bdx, with subtle wood, plum, leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. The only element not fitting this overall picture was a herbal note in mid palate, but not staining a wonderful drinking experience. Can be drunk during the next 10-15 years.
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Well stored bottle with a pristine label. Popped and poured at a wine bar. Right in it’s prime drinking window as far as I am concerned. Well resolved tanins, tertiary flavors of leather, tobacco, and soil. Just what you want in a mature Bordeaux.
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In the zone right now. Good fruit with secondary development and small hints of tertiary flavors. I like my Bordeaux like this, matured but on the younger as I also like the fruit to be very present as well. Juicy yet tannins are mostly resolved, plum, cassis and some old wood. This will be good fir 5-10 years but is quite delicious now.
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More powerful than 89 Lynch, fantastic red fruit. Tannins still present but so harmonious. Hedonistic and such a pleasure to drink. Long life ahead. Love it!
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Cellared since release. Impeccable long, quality cork. Not decanted (entering window of fragility, in my opinion). Surprisingly deep ruby to the rim, pretty. Delicate but plentiful nose, with notes of blueberries and cherries, soft tertiary scents of sweet tobacco and faint unobjectionable mustiness. Medium-bodied (13%), more tenor than baritone. Medium-plus acidity, a little remaining dusty tannin. Finish has all the components, though it’s not a “grabber,” and not endless.
An overall impression of refinement, finesse, tenderness: Old World Bordeaux typicité. Great with food, inspires a moment of gratitude for the vineyard managers and winemakers. Drink soon, enjoyable but cresting, storage conditions will determine your specific experience.
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Christmas dinner, with standing rib roast. 2 hour decant and it really showed beautifully after that. Nose of cassis cherry and smoky leather over a medium rich palate of more cherry but some classic herbal tobacco-y notes showing. Still youthful with a bit of tannin yet, but gorgeous with dinner. A great wine of its time and place.
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Cassis, graves earth, bitter chocolate, tobacco leaf, and stone fruits on the nose. It's mid plus weighted, well balanced with more of the same on the palate. It's well done, but with less depth and expansiveness than the '99 Mouton that preceded it. Graves earth, more tobacco, and some wood spice on the back end. The wood is more obvious on this wine, but still not intrusive. A little astringent on the back end, but I am picking nits. Overall a very well made wine showing at peak with plenty of time in hand. It just suffered a little in its company.
Outstanding with a simple great ingredient French dip sandwich.
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As per previous tasting from 8 months ago, this is firmly in its prime drinking window and starting to display tertiary characteristics. It is a deeply aromatic wine packed full of red berry fruits with raspberry prominent. I only spashed decanted on this occasion and I think it was a mistake, and it does need a couple of hours in the decanter to take off the rougher edges of the tannin on the palate. I am conflicted over the potential for aging, and still lean towards the opinion that this is a wine which should be drunk over the next 5 years.
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Browning throughout and sherry Madeira flavors.... bummer but this must have gotten to hot at some point. Surprising given I bought this in early 2000's from Zachy's and it has been in my climate controlled cellar since.... oh well moving on to a 2001 bottle of the same.
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This is one of the better 1996s wines shining close to its peak with well-defined tertiary aromas balanced by a sexy fruit component and kept fresh by a high and perfect acidity. This has the stature to develop nicely for another 10 years but it‘s perfect to drink today and looking at the current retail price, it‘s a steal. 95+ points.
TN: With a bit of swirling in the glass the nose opened-up beautifully with farmyard, sous bois, pepper, green bell pepper, leather and underneath dark fruit. Well-defined and with good intensity. Very fresh on the palate with the same aromas with more ripe dark fruit and cola notes shining through. Good structure with lots of noticeable but fine tannins and a high but round acidity.
Decanting: Slow-ox for 2h. Seemed perfect.
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Had this a few times and often found it to be "funky" but pleasurable. This bottle was much less funky but quite typical of Pape Clement - big rich fruit forward wine. This bottle beginning to display some real elegance as the puppy fat fruit recedes - very nice. There is, of course a freshness to the wine, despite it being Pape Clement, the tannins are ripe soft and integrated. There is an odd cigar and wood thing going on on the finish. There is leather too as the tertiaries begin to emerge. Long and complex.
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Tasted blind (slow ox for 90mins or so, no decant). Immediately screaming aged Brodeaux. Lots of barnyard, forest floor and mushroom notes with a forest berry fruit. Incredibly supple and soft and in an absolutely great drinking spot right now. A noble representative in perfect 1996 vintage garment, beating quite a number of my more recent 1996 left bank experiences (except the majestic Margaux).
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Fully mature this is drinking wonderfully, and encapsulates the beauty of great Bordeaux wine in its prime. The nose is deeply aromatic with ripe cherry and plum, with hints of raspberry. The tannin has fully resolved and the palate is sweet and deep, but still showing a steeliness with background notes of tobacco and old leather. The finish is decent and well balanced. This could be mistaken for a wine a decade and half older, and I do wonder about its potential longevity. I will look to consume my remaining remaining bottles over the next 5 years, and feel it is extremely unlikely that this has the structure to stay here as per initial guidelines, (2048!).
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This is why I like aged Bordeaux. Finesse, nuance, backbone and a finish that lasts. While fully mature, you don’t have to rush these out of the cellar. I will drink a bottle a year from here out. Drink by 2026.
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Tasted blind next to the 1996 La Mission. Was slow to open up. Herbal notes, great acidity, fine tannins and great length. Very good but on the leaner side.
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A tobacco leaf, cedar, and earthy aromatics. Dominating vegetative aroma hints of cab franc, thought I believe this is a predominantly cab savignon blend with about a third merlot. The tannins are almost fully resolved. A precise, aromatic, earthy mature bordeaux, lacking the sweetness and lushness of fruit.
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Nice aged wine. Despite it’s age it still needs a good decant. Elegant. Smooth, some menthol. A little on the weaker site on the back palate/finish. A joy to drink nonetheless.
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Opens over 2-3 hours. Dark fruits on the nose and palate, dry with integrated tannin and low acid...great food wine. Classic. Will last for another 5-10 years.
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This has definitely improved in the last year, and I would venture to say that this is now fully evolved. It is a wonderfully decadent wine with an almost Pomerol jaminess at its core. The wine is beautifully mature with heady aromas of ripe cherry and plum, with hints of raspberry. The tannin has sweetened on the palate, and the experience is wonderfully smooth with layers of complexity and tremendous depth. The finish is the weaker link in its appeal. It is lengthy, but the tannin reasserts itself and leaves a residual bitterness. This is now matching the 1990, and is highly recommended. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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This is a great bottle of Graves that has opened out in the last few years to reveal a persistent dark colour, a nose of blackcurrant, raspberry, tobacco, cola and cedar with a rich round palate of fruit balanced by lovely fine tannins, minerals and tobacco. The palate is very persistent and the overall effect savoury in the way of the very best Graves. It has reached a lovely early maturity with plenty to go.
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Another bottle of this.Better than last time and firing on all cylinders today.Classic Pessac nose with black currants,smoke,tobacco,lead pencil and subtle earth.Medium-bodied,smooth and silky on the palate,with excellent depth and a long complex racy finish.This is an excellent old school Bordeaux.
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60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 30 ha. Manual harvest and destemming. 30-40 day maceration. Malolactic and aging 18 months in oak barrels. 13% Abv. ~80,000 bottles.
A(ccuracy)=2: Deep ruby/brick rim. Peppery, woodsy, smoky. B(alance)=2: Delicate. Bit shy on vibrancy. C(omplexity)=2: Ripe berries, dried flowers, leather, licorice. D(epth)=2: Firm mouthfeel. Lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,2] = 8/10
Well kept and developed, but further tertiary finesse unlikely.
Last tasted a year ago, the wine is now fully mature. It is a classic left bank Bordeaux with a deep nose of blackcurrent and ripe plum combined with tobacco and leather. The tannins are strong on the palate but well balanced and with good depth, and completed with a decent finish. It is a very masculine wine and probably not to everyone's taste but typical of some of the older Bordeaux left bankers. Whether the tannin further sweetens and it can reach the heights of the 1990 is open to debate, but do decant.
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Quite funky, almost cork taint, with liquorice, tar and with time, a bit of almost plummy fruit. With this there is plenty of leather and Autumnal leaf, mushroom and horse sweat, fully mature for me. Juicy, quite dense, liquorice, tar, earth, lightly plum fruit, fine tannins on the palate, medium plus length. Nice
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Very, very good left bank Bordeaux in classic style, dry, strict, multi-layered with fine tobacco and animal notes developing. Drinks beautifully now and probably for at least five more years
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10th of 12, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, this wine has never really sung, fine certainly and with fine components which somehow are a bit muddy and 4 square with an unattractive sense of overextraction, equally all may be resolved with a bit more time in a vintage in which many wines seem to have re-entered deep sleep! Tentative F (17.5).
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Amazing colour, still purple and do not see any sign of aging. Plum, toasted coffee, chocolate. full bodied and good length. Why wait? drink now or within next 5 years to enjoy the fruits ...
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The wine possesses an intense nose of pure black current with a leathery background. This continues through to the palate where it collides with rounded tannins and a decent finish. The finish is very tannic and perhaps not to everybody's taste. This is drinking very well and still in evolution, but whether it lives up to the wonderful 1990 is to be seen.
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Robe grenat avec frange aux nuances orangées. Bouquet aux notes de cèdre, fumée, cuir. Notes de sureau, ronce, cuir, bouche ciselée, texture caressante, magnifique vin. À boire idéalement en méditation ou dégustation car déjà très évolué, tout plat risquant d'en masquer sa beauté 95/100
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This wine shows an extremely luxurious bouquet with cedar, cigar box, beautifully toasted oak, tobacco, cassis, dark forest fruits and rustic flavors. On the palate dark berry fruits, black olives, salty licorice, luxurious oak beautiful acidity and tannin. One of the best wines so far in this tasting.
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Classic and mature this drank like a gem, the best of the last four bottles of this wine over past few years. Inky purple, elegantly structured, blackberry and currant, spice, and roasted coffee that linger luxuriously on nose and mouth. Cedar, tobacco, lead pencil, earth, and sweet cedar. Velvet smooth tannins with a history that take you to a far away terroir and a mouth feel somewhere between glorious and gallant.
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Fully mature, with a smoky, thyme, earth, lit cigar, leafy forest and cassis filled nose. There is a slight sense of rusticity on the medium bodied, palate that alternates between fresh cassis and cranberry fruits in the finish. I'd probably opt for drinking this sooner than later.
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Wineberserker's offline: Tartufo Bianco (San Carlos, CA): Deep ruby without bricking; nose is aromatic, huge pyrazines with bell pepper, spices, underlying black fruits; palate is full bodied, ripe black fruit, alcohol seems just slightly high, pyrazines are interesting but a bit too prominent; finish is medium-long. 90-92
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Dark purple delight, merging cedar, tobacco, lead pencil and earth with aromatics of blue and black currant, spice, and roasted coffee. A balanced classic.
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Double decanted .....The nose explodes from the glass,revealing scents of jammy black and red fruits,smoke,truffle,tobacco,leather,faded rose ..... very beautiful ! Medium bodied,the palate is very well balanced,fresh and sappy,with very good lenght and complexity ! Potential for at least another 10-15 years.....Excellent !
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Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours in the glass. Garnet with a light brick. This was just rocking right out the gate; textbook Bordeaux here. An expressive nose of black currant, earth, tobacco, undergrowth, leather, horse stable, cedar and mint. On the palate, medium acidity, mostly resolved tannin. Finish is moderate plus in length, framed by tastes of blackcurrant, plum, earth, leather and light pyrazine notes, showing just a touch of grip on the finish. This was lovely.
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1996 Horizontal Tasting (David's House - Kitchener, ON): Polished....but still a bit of brett....which I love...wow. Pure dark fruit, cedar, leather, burning ember, briar, flowers, cassis and pyrazene. The palate has such pure polished blackfruit with cedar, leather, campfire, flowers cassis, pyrazene and ember also in the mix...then comes the brett again....a little earth, poop and shit...which is awesome and adds further complexity. Finish is medium+ and quite complex.
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The Wine Nerds do Christmas Dinner (Dave' Place - Kitchener, ON Canada): This was the surprise of the night for me. Excellent showing. A core of very pure ripe (still quite primary) fruit is balanced against a wonderfully rustic earthy note with that pleasant touch of Brett. Quite a contrast to the Smith Haut Lafitte. Nose is of plum, sweet cassis, charcoal, cedar, wet hay, horse stable, mint, truffle and sweet old leather. The palate has just a kiss of low dusty tannin with good acid. There is wonderfully enveloping plush dark plummy fruit that caresses the palate not unlike a great right bank Bordeaux. The finish is medium plus in length carried on a charred plum note.
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A lot of mineral and earth like other wines from Grave. It was my least favorite comparing with 89 and 94 cos estournel, 83 leoville las case, and 86 leoville barton. It does not have the power that a decent vintage 96 should have
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Had at a dinner with two more 96 Bordeaux. For first couple of hours after opening was beautiful, classic old bordeaux. Later on, turned very smokey on the nose, and palate started to follow.
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What a nose....Smoke,tobacco,sweet red cherry fruit (Maraschino liqueur),faded roses,wet earth and graphite.Very good balance,great freshness,deep,velvety and polished tannins,excellent lenght ! This is old school !
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Much different showing than the last bottle of the 96 that we drank, thankfully. Royal purple, medium bodied, pleasant from starting sip to finish. Lovely aromatics of blue and black currant, spice, sweet cedar and roasted coffee. Integrated tannins and balanced and mouth feel is delicious.
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Decanted for an hour, the in the glass, skunky nose blew away, but the fruit needed more air to reveal itself. An interesting, but austere wine that showed cedar, tobacco, lead pencil and earth. Mouthful became more and more interesting with time in the glass, interesting and classical are operative, delicious no, enjoyable yes.
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Nice ripeness, sweetness, tobacco. Creamy texture. Long finale.
Addition: I always try to save a third of the bottle to study the life cycle of a wine after opening the bottle. This one got a lot better after some hours (in the end even somewhere around 94-95). Unlike some new Pape Clement (all postmodern high-tech wines that are perfect in the beginning and then fade away), the older ones obviously have a more typical life cycle.
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This bottle seemed quite closed to start with. Extremely charming nose but initially the taste was very reserved. Did not decant. Over time it started opening and revealed its potential. Wonderful melange of Black currant, strawberries, liquorice, pepper, chocolate and the classic graphite. Good integrated tannins. A very good drink now with some food and will probably remain like this for years.
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2.5 years later & ow consumed in Saigon w chicken dinner. I think these are to be drunk now. At least my bottle... decidly dying after a few hours opned bottle. Did not decant.
Stinky cheese nose, really nice. Dirty dirty French wine she is. Some green notes, tobacco, tea, then a realy greenish finish. Tight cheery notes, some nice wood in there, herb... lingers. A bit sour green for my palate, dry. Balanced, tannins integrated & not enough fruit there for me to believe this will be nicer, just more green.
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Decanted and then drank. Needed more time. Surprising given its age. Drank over a two hour dinner and showed its stuff last 45 min. A little austere and not as rewarding as the 1990. Front and middle good finish shorter . I think this has another decade or more.
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took a while to open - despite its age lacking in the evolution and complexity we hoped for. Not a disappointment - will wait a while on the other two we have as I think this may have more life than the 2015 date below. consumed about two thirds at dinner with salmon, and with chicken scarpariello, and then the rest at home - the third that made it home, now open after 4 hours, was by far the most rewarding
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Purchased en primeur - tried it 2 years ago and it was a bit lean and ungiving, however it is now starting to talk; Colour is still dark to the rim, hot brick earthy nose with plenty of refreshing acidity, wine needed an hour in the glass to open up. Palate has silky fruit I associate with Cru Classe status, and there is a slightly green '1996' note on middle palate, tannins are still quite hard - I think this is the signature of the vintage and they are unlikely to fade. Now that the fruit is fleshing up and covering the tannins it looks like a good time to start drinking this. Attractive classical claret.
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„One Wine - Three Vintages“-Blind Tasting. Flight 7: Château Pape Clément. We tasted 1989, 1996 and 2002. One of my two favourite flights of the night (together with the impressive flight of Joseph Phelps Insignia) and the only flight I was unable to refrain from drinking. The three wines shared a sooty and smoky nose. The medium-bodied 1989 was my favourite wine of the flight and probably also of the night. It offered a smoky and “green” palate (in a positive sense), with bacon fat, bell pepper and ultra-fine tannin. The wine was impeccably balanced and silky and drank younger than the 1996. A truly great Bordeaux. I liked it a lot! The solid 1996 offered sweet fruit and bell pepper on the palate, with fully integrated tannin, good balance and a slightly bitter finish. It drank well, but will probably be less long-lived than the 1989. The decent 2002 was medium-bodied, chocolaty and very balanced. To me overall the weakest wine of the strong flight and the question if the change of ownership did do the Château well crossed my mind. Overall an impressive flight of Château Pape Clément. I would drink the 1989 and the 1996 now (and even buy a case of the 1989 if I could find one), and cellar the 2002 for another two to three years.
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The wine is drinking very nicely and really quite traditional relative to PC as made today. Graphite, cedar and a bit of Band-Aid on the finish, but all in all very pleasant and smooth with the tannins well in check and mostly resolved. Some fruit but not a great deal. This will go plenty more years although not sure how much better if at all it becomes. It's a bit austere and can't say I got either the lush fruit or excess oak noted by others
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Third bottle from case, youthfull extracted appearance, nice earthy notes on nose and palate, but vegetal notes and curious mid palate, though last glass was the best, frankly confused, my first bottle was attractive but the other two have been decidedly odd - a phase or over-extracted and cracking up, the jury's out.. At best very good (16/20).
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mature Bordeaux wine evening (Wine-Bar, Nahalat Binyamin, TLV): dark red-brwon with amber rim. expressive nose of rich black cherry and dark fruits with a good amount of lead pencil, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and charred oak. however lean fruits showing red cherries, tart raspberries, lead pencil shavings, black pepper spice, licorice, and some smokey oak. the crisp acidity is balanced by a moderate amount of round tannins. long ending on notes of red cherries. though not very complex, the balance is there. it will continue to improve and should be given at least a couple more years of bottle age. very enjoyable.
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After the excellent 95 Pape the other day, I was curious to dry the 96. 60 min decant and followed over 5h. Garnet with a very thin transparent rim. Beautiful nose with earth, dark fruit, some toasted oak, crispy bacon and animal notes. The palate does not entirely measure up to the nose, and lets the wine also fall slightly behind the great 95 in my eyes. Palate seems a little watered down. After about 2h in the decanter there are fine tannins appearing on the mid-palate and the medium finish. Would think one can still wait for a year or two for the tannins to further soften, on the other hand the last drops of the wine 5h after opening were slightly oxidized, so don't hold too long...
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Traditional cedar and dried currants nose. The fruit is a bit lean, never captivating or complex. A nice, stately Bordeaux with all the trimming of the mature wine, yet would happily trade this for an '06 Brunello.
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La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - Gala Dinner (Fairmont Pacific Rim): Pronounced nose right off the bat here with lots of charred oak, smoke, poop, lead pencil and dark red and black fruits. Just a really lovely nose. On the palate this had classic Bordeaux structure with a good amount of dusty tannins and solid acidity. Deep red fruit flavours with a fairly length smoky finish. A classy wine that’s approachable, but should continue to improve and develop for many years. Excellent. 91+
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Commanderie de Bordeaux: Gala Dinner (Fairmont Pacific Rim - Vancouver, BC): Fantastic expressive nose displaying rich black cherry and dark fruits, along with a a good amount of lead pencil, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and charred oak. The fruit starts to lean a bit more towards the red side on the palate showing red cherries, tart raspberries, lead pencil shavings, black pepper spice, licorice, and more smokey oak. Generous crisp acidity is balanced by a moderate amount of sandy tannins. Long length finish ending on notes of black licorice and red cherries. Although not stuffed with complexity, the balance is there and this is just coming together and entering it's drinking window. This will continue to improve and should be given at least a couple more years of bottle age. Very good.
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Clear deep ruby Clean pronounce nose strong oak with some red fruit and black fruit. Dry high acid high tannin full body Black fruit with strong oak Long finish.
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Drank at Napa Men's Lunch Club. Lighter red color than the La Sizeranne. Similar but less bricking at the edge. Cigar box, cedar on the nose. Palate is smooooth and has notes of tobacco, red fruit and pencil lead emerges over the hour I drank my glass. Very nice finish.
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pleasant nose of cherries, strawberries (!!) and typical graves hint of tobacco and earthy mushroom flavour, still a bit of tannins on the palate but the mud-like flavour is more distinct when swallowed. good depth of the wine which is enjoyable immediately after pulling the cork. Nice wine which I greedily downed all of it myself
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Drank this with Robbie...slow oxed from 2 PM and really delightful...clearly not the wines he makes today....not exuberant...but plenty of fruit to go with the cedar and cigarbox...lovely
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Leiden tasting January 2012: Sweet earthy nose with black fruit, tobacco, pencil lead. Mature velvety taste, tarty black and red fruit, plums, round tannins, medium finish. Very good, traditional Bordeaux.
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Very nice bouquet with a mix of tobacco, herbs, earthy gravel, soy sauce and consistently showed up on the palate as well - sweet tobacco, mocha, currants, plummy and hint of saltiness & spice at the back as well. Good balance, structure and certainly very attractive now. It has a savory and mouth-watering acid finish.
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2011 Simple Series X: Mark in town (Asia Grand @ Odeon Tower): Alcohol : 13% Almost everyone catched this as a Pessac Leognan. Lots of soil, gravel, scotched earth on the highly perfume bouquet along with tobacco, black cherry, peppery spice and green capsicum, so Claret! This has very good harmonious and complexity as well as purity on the palate. Expansive yet with the restraint of a classic claret. Very fresh with firm acid and fine tannin grip but all the element is well balance and integrated. A little bit edgy, but overall I really enjoy this compared to the recently highly extracted and opulent version. The finish is really juicy and sappy with bitter sweet cocoa. Real good wine.
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2011 Simple Series VIII: Dinner with Mark Roberson of Goedhuis (again) (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): Very nice without quite being great, but I did think it was just a bit better than the last bottle I had. This had a glorious nose - sweet and fragrant, with subtle tobacco notes, sweet spices, plums and dark cherries seasoned with toasty hints. Really nice. This could have been a 1998 right-bank on the nose. The palate swung my guess to a 1996 Graves though. It had the beautiful fresh balance of the the vintage, and although it did not quite have the depth of say the best 1996 Pauillacs or St Juliens, it showed lovely pure flavours of cassis and black cherries. These were sprinkled with bits of spice and tobacco smoke wrapped in really fine tannins. The finish was neither the longest nor the most powerful, but it was very yummy. Good enough when first poured, it got better after a short 15 minutes in the glass; while still a bit plush and quite modern with a touch of oak at first, it opened up a bit to reveal a more classic layer of Bordeaux flavours with time. Already more rounded, integrated and together than a bottle popped two years ago, I would say that this was actually not a bad time to drink this. However, it should be even better in another 3-4.
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Did not nose and taste much like a Graves to me especially with the seemingly high Cab Sauv concentration. Green tobacco notes but admittedly rather fragrant in a classic Bordeaux way. Nice, can't really find fault with it except it's not exactly my favorite style.
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Did not gave this enough time to breath, we finnished the 97 Spress and realized we needed more wine. Initially closed and only leather+earth, one hour later better and should have decanted this for 2 hours first, rating should be higher if we have more time.
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Opened three hours before, and decanted one before, drinking. A very good idea. At first blush (on opening, green twigs, and rather acidity. But that dissipated, and the tannins smoothed out, to reveal a nice cherry note (but not a fruit bomb) with still strong acid line and a long, slightly spicy (peppery) finish. A nice bottle, and better than the 97 that we paired with it.
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Wonderfully and mature right now. Cassis, black-currant, wood, peppar, liquirice. Extraordinary nose. Little dry in the taste. But goes better with food. Love it...
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Drank w Rob at Independence Day, Bistecca. Insane Beef Extravagance. Nice French nose. All in balance, if fruit a little light than I prefer. Not much match to the dry aged Dolminicos, but they held up to the Cali Cab. This had some nice secondary flavors going, just was a bit lacking. A bit too understated.
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Great bottle. Fabulously complex, deep and full nose of classic Graves earth, cedar and mineral. Palate follows the nose with strong body. Just a touch of drying tannins which will possibly outlive the fruit. In a great place to open now, but still a good decade in it. Overall, this is a real step up in class, approaching first growth territory. Very good QPR.
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Three years since I tried this wine , decanted 2 hours, still youthful appearance but lovely cedary bouquet, plenty of fruit on the palate & softening tannins. Overall a beautiful claret and now drinking well. WIll keep further.
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Nose: meaty gravy with herbs, cedar, spice, woody forest fruit and vanilla Mouth: Bramble, blackcurrant, very savoury not unripe just not sweet fruit. Silky tannins, some nutmeg and cloves. Medium long chocolate finish after woody vanilla tones. Very nice indeed.
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1996 left-bank Bordeaux tasting with lots more (Richfield, Lam Soon Building, Singapore): This was clearly the Pape Clement. A bit closed at first, but the nose opened up to show modern stylings of coffee, coconut and varnished wood riding above more classic Graves notes of mushroom, earth, boiled herbs and just the tiniest tiniest whiff of sweet flowers. Palate was mellow and gentle and rather plush, with slightly bitterish herbs and spice adding interest to polished cassis tones. A liitle short on power in the finish, but that was made up for in charm - closing off with gentle berry and cherry notes and a nice lingering spiceness.
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This blossomed into a very nice bottle of wine for Easter after 1.5 to 2 hours before dinner and about 1 hour into dinner. For Sue, a bit too much barnyard, but I of course enjoyed that. This wine is in a good spot, if you like this sort of wine, and I don't expect it to get better with time, but not declining either. This was PLCB so always a risk that this compromised its longevity, but I was very happy and drank far too much. Not a lot of fruit or ripeness on the nose and this is before Magrez ramped things up. I thought it was plenty ripe and the tannins nicely resolved and still a fairly dark ruby in color.
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Definitely from Graves. Not much fruit, either on the nose, or on the palate. Lots of mineral and earthiness, but a nice smooth texture. Well integrated tannins with about 2 hours decanting. Very commendable for its style, but just seems to be lacking a bit of fruit to have a great balance. 90.
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Popped and poured to celebrate the UW Husky's first Pac10 mens Basket ball title!
Lots of plummy fruits with a deep core of tannin. The nose offers an inticing panapoly of spices and currant; I really enjoyed sniffing the glass and savoring all the flavors. Enough punch to last another night in the bottle, drink at your leisure.
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Selected off the wine list at The Left Bank (Vail) and decanted expertly by the waitstaff. Purple hue with some lightening at the edges. Nose was full and effusive from the start, showing scents of cassis, mulberry, plum, and leather, with hints of tobacco and eucalyptus. The palate was seamless and elegant on the attack, then presented layers of plum, mullberry, black current, and earth. The mix of structure and hedonistic fruit was extremely satisfying, and a long finish capped each sip. Wonderful wine, and flying below radar at that.
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Great concentration. Full bodied, with only the slighest bricking at the edges.
On the nose, the wine presents loads of blackcurrant & spices & plums. On the palate, this dense wine offers up more black currants, coffee, smokiness and blackraspberry notes. Plenty of structure and a finish that just goes on and on.
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Fabulously rich nose of cassis and tobacco. Nice full fruit in the mouth with good underlying spice and tannins. The finish is firm, slightly austere, and very long. This wine makes a great dinner companion now, but will improve further.
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SFWS tasting of 1996 Vintgae Wines; MF colour, no browning. Classic cedary complex nose, veryy attractive. Well balanced on the palate, good fruit & structure. Complex flavours. Keep. Glad I have more in the cellar.
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SOBER (fka TWITS) Tasting (Mark's house): Nose of barnyard and leather. On the palate, this is a lovely balanced wine with great fruit, elegant tannins, and good acids. Blackberry and spice notes (cinnamon), along with some barnyard notes. Really beauitful. My WOTF. Drinking by far the best of the flight currently although the Leoville Barton might give it a run for the money in a few years.
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Classic Bordeaux nose of pencil shavings and minerals. Smooth, dry; nice tannins. A very accessible and enjoyable bottle. Served with steak and a pesto side. Glad I have a bunch more!
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First look at this Pape. Beautiful nose right out of the gates, with sweet tobacco, smoke, blackcurrents. On the palate the wine has a lush mouthfeel, with some fine tannins still present. The wine is perhaps 3 years away from full maturity. I think it could get a couple more points if it keeps filling out.
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Nose of pencil lead, shavings (Graves). Concentrated on the palate, with nice body. Again, I was a bit undewhelmed, perhaps b/c of expectations and high blood-alcohol level!
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Much better on night 2. Night one was tannic and a little closed. Night two showed classic bordeaux profile in the nose and palate while tannin had given away some. Night one was not bad, I would just not suggest killing another one of these for a while as it will no doubt improve.
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Still very dark ruby. Very interesting, albeit a bit passive, nose. Seems still closed and almost a bit reduced right now. Only hints of currants, tobacco, hot earth, tar, and mocha. On the balate, a rather big wine with a solid structure, but it's closed on the palate too. Contrary to many 96 BDX, this will need more time in the cellar, at least for me. Impressively long finish, but the tannins will have to integrate a bit more to make this an enjoyable wine. Yet I am sure it will be great in 5 to 10 years from now.
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Outstanding on this night. I am surprised that a 1996 Bordeaux is drinking this well this young. Cedar box and tobacco on the nose. Secondary flavor profile already showing up, tannins are soft and sweet… Very elegant mouthful of wine that has excellence length…a fine food wine, I had it with beef short-ribs as Pomme′ restaurant in Clayton.
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Dark red colour, nearly opaque. Scents of tobacco, pencil shavings and dried fruits. Large bodied with plenty of power and ripe tannin, great structure and definition and a sweet and dense core of fruit and flavour. Superbly integrated elements with a well-structured composition of components, and a long, balanced aftertaste. Still a wine in it's youth but no slouch at that, and beginning to open up. Very nice.
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Not decanted, consumed over a period of 3 hours. Deep purple with a thin clear rim in the glass. Found a nose of dark sweet fruit, with a touch of spice. In the mouth nice ripe fruit, blueberry, current and plum, with a lingering spice in the finish. Good balance and with fine sweet tannins rounding out the structure. Approachable, almost velvety, now, however, a couple of years will really smooth this out more.
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Portfolio Ref # BDX C2 Setting: Study Group / Bests at Paul Farrell's Appearance: bright, medium+ intensity garnet core with slight gradation Nose: vanilla, blueberry, butter, smoky tobacco and cedar notes Palate: dry, velvety, blueberry, anise & leather, higher acid level and tannins, medium+ body and medium-long finish, very well balanced Comments: can still age
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The very distinctive pear scents on the nose are very characteristic. Ian posed the question whether that would be Sauvignon or Semillion notes. Maybe someone on the board's got the answer. At any rate, the wine displayed a nice full yellow-greenish colour. Very floral and fresh. I like the good, clean acidity, without astringency, and this wine conveyed that perfectly. A medium bodied, medium-scaled wine with great definition and good length. Will last another 10-15 years.
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3/7/2024 - BradE wrote:
Classic old school. RA Jr, he of small pours, would love it.
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1/28/2024 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 94 Points
Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bordeaux, with subtle wood, plum, old club leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. Can easily last another decade.
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9/16/2023 - Tao wrote: 95 Points
At 27 years old, the peak of early maturity in my view, still showing sexy youthfulness, vibrant and energetic! Sweet mineral nose, sweet exotic fruits on the palate, and at the same time, complex and subtle! A lengthy finish! In one word, superb!
Perfect for gamey dishes
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6/4/2023 - chatters Likes this wine:
Popped and poured.
Consumed over 2 1/2 hours whilst pottering around, cooking goat shank stew and the preparing (and eating) Cowra lamb rack.
This wine is (yet another) example of why I love Bordeaux; the age lends inherent complexity that makes it blossom. On the nose there are brambles, blackcurrant, sweet spice, cedar, wet leaves, mushrooms, earth, bonfires, a little saddle leather. And all of this translates to the palate which is juicy and fleshy, tannins are persistent, coarse flour textured, ridiculously long and wonderfully integrated. Balanced, pretty much glorious.
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4/24/2023 - Chrysostomus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Old school Bordeaux. Red pepper, fleshy mouthfeel, perfect silky tannins. Wet earth, wood - all the tertiary stuff. A little bit drying in the end
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3/19/2023 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
This opens in an hour or so. It drank well fro 3-4 hours. Medium plus body, structure completely integrated, light red fruit nose, soft, nice complexity.red currant and marzipam. Nothing sour or green on this bottle. Drink now and over the next couple of years for well stored bottles.
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2/12/2023 - Philou68 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pristine bottle, amazing cork condition for a wine close to 27 years of age. Double decanted for 1 hour. Tobacco and licorice in the bouquet followed by tremendous tobacco taste and after taste. At it’s very peak, I don’t see how this could get any better. Drink in the next 5 years. A beautiful example of a Bordeaux that has aged well.
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2/10/2023 - Chrysostomus wrote: flawed
There is structure and should be great at the moment but: cork!
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2/3/2023 - djhammond wrote: 95 Points
After a couple of underwhelming outings, (due to bottle taint,), this was rocking. Needing only a short time in the decanter, this is fully mature, and probably will need to be enjoyed over the next 5 years to have it at its peak. Packed with chocolate, blackberry, and raspberry with hints of cedar, the tannin is sweet and everything is well balanced, and really could be mistaken for a wine a decade older. To nit pick, the finish is not quite up there with the rest of the experience, and is on the leaner side.
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10/15/2022 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 94 Points
Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bdx, with subtle wood, plum, leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. Can easily last another decade.
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8/18/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
When last tasted 2 years ago, I had reservations about its potential longevity, and I concur and think this is moving through its drinking window. It probably needs to be drunk over the next 5 to 7 years to enjoy it at its best. Taste profile is as previous with blackberry and raspberry with rich chocolate underpinning. The rating is reduced on this occasion, but was driven more by a slight taint on the bottle.
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5/13/2022 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 94 Points
Paul D's Graves Greats (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Cigar box nose with some grated chocolate. Palate is fabulous with perfect balance and lovely texture. Unlike the LTHB the tannins are fully resolved here. An outstanding wine. My wine of the night.
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5/13/2022 - Paul D wrote: 93 Points
Glorious Graves at Piccolino (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Blackcurrant fruit, some sweetness, liquorice, tobacco.Medium bodied, blackcurrant p, spice, tobacco, soft tannins, long harmonious finish. Excellent.
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2/13/2022 - ONEFIVE wrote:
Bottle was super bretty. Hard to rate but there was some decent fruit and nice texture on the palate. Need to try again soon.
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1/31/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Farmyard, Autumn copse, wet earth, brambles, a little saddle leather and horse sweat, a touch of bonfire and crushed rock, cigar box. Juicy, fleshy, brambles and blackcurrant, saddle leather, long, tannins are present, persistent but silky and very much in a supporting role. Exceedingly long. Wonderful.
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12/31/2021 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 92 Points
Most typical nose, revealing a noble, matured Bdx, with subtle wood, plum, leather. Very well structured, elegant, with lavish mature fruit aromas, cedar, leather, plum, sweetness. The only element not fitting this overall picture was a herbal note in mid palate, but not staining a wonderful drinking experience. Can be drunk during the next 10-15 years.
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10/25/2021 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Really classic mature Bordeaux with strong cigar box, leather, cedar notes, but with a nice layer of ripe black fruit. Really enjoyed this one.
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10/25/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well stored bottle with a pristine label. Popped and poured at a wine bar. Right in it’s prime drinking window as far as I am concerned. Well resolved tanins, tertiary flavors of leather, tobacco, and soil. Just what you want in a mature Bordeaux.
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6/6/2021 - angryphoton Likes this wine: 93 Points
In the zone right now. Good fruit with secondary development and small hints of tertiary flavors. I like my Bordeaux like this, matured but on the younger as I also like the fruit to be very present as well. Juicy yet tannins are mostly resolved, plum, cassis and some old wood. This will be good fir 5-10 years but is quite delicious now.
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3/13/2021 - Haze78 Likes this wine: 96 Points
More powerful than 89 Lynch, fantastic red fruit. Tannins still present but so harmonious. Hedonistic and such a pleasure to drink. Long life ahead. Love it!
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1/29/2021 - Been There wrote: 93 Points
Cellared since release. Impeccable long, quality cork. Not decanted (entering window of fragility, in my opinion). Surprisingly deep ruby to the rim, pretty. Delicate but plentiful nose, with notes of blueberries and cherries, soft tertiary scents of sweet tobacco and faint unobjectionable mustiness. Medium-bodied (13%), more tenor than baritone. Medium-plus acidity, a little remaining dusty tannin. Finish has all the components, though it’s not a “grabber,” and not endless.
An overall impression of refinement, finesse, tenderness: Old World Bordeaux typicité. Great with food, inspires a moment of gratitude for the vineyard managers and winemakers. Drink soon, enjoyable but cresting, storage conditions will determine your specific experience.
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12/25/2020 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 93 Points
Christmas dinner, with standing rib roast. 2 hour decant and it really showed beautifully after that. Nose of cassis cherry and smoky leather over a medium rich palate of more cherry but some classic herbal tobacco-y notes showing. Still youthful with a bit of tannin yet, but gorgeous with dinner. A great wine of its time and place.
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10/17/2020 - cct wrote: 92 Points
Cassis, graves earth, bitter chocolate, tobacco leaf, and stone fruits on the nose. It's mid plus weighted, well balanced with more of the same on the palate. It's well done, but with less depth and expansiveness than the '99 Mouton that preceded it. Graves earth, more tobacco, and some wood spice on the back end. The wood is more obvious on this wine, but still not intrusive. A little astringent on the back end, but I am picking nits. Overall a very well made wine showing at peak with plenty of time in hand. It just suffered a little in its company.
Outstanding with a simple great ingredient French dip sandwich.
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9/7/2020 - hllam wrote: 88 Points
mainly herb tobacco, not much fruit
lost some of favor
show fade out taste
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8/28/2020 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Back to Riesling County; 8/27/2020-8/31/2020 (Estates at the Nahe and Ruwer, different restaurants at Bad Kreuznach, Niederhausen and Trier): Just to pair a Wiener Schnitzel!
Great fragrance, cuban tobacco, truffles, more earthy aromas, black fruit, the palate more black cassis driven, very elegant finesse like flow, deep and still tight, in its prime, in the background creamy caramel, long+, great bottle
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7/28/2020 - Renevin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Quel beau vin, nez très expressif, floral, cuir, fruits noirs. En bouche tout en rondeur, bien équilibré, longue et belle finale sur le cuir
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7/23/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 Points
As per previous tasting from 8 months ago, this is firmly in its prime drinking window and starting to display tertiary characteristics. It is a deeply aromatic wine packed full of red berry fruits with raspberry prominent. I only spashed decanted on this occasion and I think it was a mistake, and it does need a couple of hours in the decanter to take off the rougher edges of the tannin on the palate. I am conflicted over the potential for aging, and still lean towards the opinion that this is a wine which should be drunk over the next 5 years.
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6/20/2020 - BradE wrote:
A very nice "classic" claret, that I quite liked.
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6/5/2020 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 94 Points
PNP. Tertiary palate. Primary at first then evolving. Years ahead but fantastic.
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3/28/2020 - Jdwinedrinker Does not like this wine:
Browning throughout and sherry Madeira flavors.... bummer but this must have gotten to hot at some point. Surprising given I bought this in early 2000's from Zachy's and it has been in my climate controlled cellar since.... oh well moving on to a 2001 bottle of the same.
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3/20/2020 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
This is one of the better 1996s wines shining close to its peak with well-defined tertiary aromas balanced by a sexy fruit component and kept fresh by a high and perfect acidity. This has the stature to develop nicely for another 10 years but it‘s perfect to drink today and looking at the current retail price, it‘s a steal. 95+ points.
TN: With a bit of swirling in the glass the nose opened-up beautifully with farmyard, sous bois, pepper, green bell pepper, leather and underneath dark fruit. Well-defined and with good intensity. Very fresh on the palate with the same aromas with more ripe dark fruit and cola notes shining through. Good structure with lots of noticeable but fine tannins and a high but round acidity.
Decanting: Slow-ox for 2h. Seemed perfect.
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3/8/2020 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this a few times and often found it to be "funky" but pleasurable. This bottle was much less funky but quite typical of Pape Clement - big rich fruit forward wine. This bottle beginning to display some real elegance as the puppy fat fruit recedes - very nice. There is, of course a freshness to the wine, despite it being Pape Clement, the tannins are ripe soft and integrated. There is an odd cigar and wood thing going on on the finish. There is leather too as the tertiaries begin to emerge. Long and complex.
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2/21/2020 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind (slow ox for 90mins or so, no decant). Immediately screaming aged Brodeaux. Lots of barnyard, forest floor and mushroom notes with a forest berry fruit. Incredibly supple and soft and in an absolutely great drinking spot right now. A noble representative in perfect 1996 vintage garment, beating quite a number of my more recent 1996 left bank experiences (except the majestic Margaux).
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12/29/2019 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable, fruit & secondary showing nicely. Classic smoky palate.
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11/7/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fully mature this is drinking wonderfully, and encapsulates the beauty of great Bordeaux wine in its prime. The nose is deeply aromatic with ripe cherry and plum, with hints of raspberry. The tannin has fully resolved and the palate is sweet and deep, but still showing a steeliness with background notes of tobacco and old leather. The finish is decent and well balanced. This could be mistaken for a wine a decade and half older, and I do wonder about its potential longevity. I will look to consume my remaining remaining bottles over the next 5 years, and feel it is extremely unlikely that this has the structure to stay here as per initial guidelines, (2048!).
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7/4/2019 - djhammond wrote: flawed
This is a great favourite of mine, and the bottle was enjoyable, but the bottle was off kilter and not fully singing.
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6/30/2019 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Properly unique wine. Really funky, vaguely recognisable as Bordeaux but sweet rich. Drink within next 2 or 3 years.
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12/29/2018 - BradA Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is why I like aged Bordeaux. Finesse, nuance, backbone and a finish that lasts. While fully mature, you don’t have to rush these out of the cellar. I will drink a bottle a year from here out. Drink by 2026.
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12/1/2018 - Rani Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind next to the 1996 La Mission. Was slow to open up. Herbal notes, great acidity, fine tannins and great length. Very good but on the leaner side.
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11/28/2018 - swapdoc wrote:
A tobacco leaf, cedar, and earthy aromatics. Dominating vegetative aroma hints of cab franc, thought I believe this is a predominantly cab savignon blend with about a third merlot. The tannins are almost fully resolved. A precise, aromatic, earthy mature bordeaux, lacking the sweetness and lushness of fruit.
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10/12/2018 - danckie wrote: 93 Points
Nice aged wine. Despite it’s age it still needs a good decant. Elegant. Smooth, some menthol. A little on the weaker site on the back palate/finish. A joy to drink nonetheless.
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9/28/2018 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opens over 2-3 hours. Dark fruits on the nose and palate, dry with integrated tannin and low acid...great food wine. Classic. Will last for another 5-10 years.
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9/26/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 96 Points
This has definitely improved in the last year, and I would venture to say that this is now fully evolved. It is a wonderfully decadent wine with an almost Pomerol jaminess at its core. The wine is beautifully mature with heady aromas of ripe cherry and plum, with hints of raspberry. The tannin has sweetened on the palate, and the experience is wonderfully smooth with layers of complexity and tremendous depth. The finish is the weaker link in its appeal. It is lengthy, but the tannin reasserts itself and leaves a residual bitterness. This is now matching the 1990, and is highly recommended. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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8/19/2018 - Frank Schneider wrote: flawed
Horroribly corked
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5/18/2018 - drjb Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a great bottle of Graves that has opened out in the last few years to reveal a persistent dark colour, a nose of blackcurrant, raspberry, tobacco, cola and cedar with a rich round palate of fruit balanced by lovely fine tannins, minerals and tobacco. The palate is very persistent and the overall effect savoury in the way of the very best Graves. It has reached a lovely early maturity with plenty to go.
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4/27/2018 - signotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cedar, red currants, leafy tobacco, and floral notes. Beautiful bouquet on this wine. Long finish and more good years ahead.
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3/22/2018 - Rani Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning nose of raspberry, olives and cedar. Open for bunsoess, very balanced, quote fruity but balanced, fruit me tannins and medium length.
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2/26/2018 - valedeniro wrote: 95 Points
Another bottle of this.Better than last time and firing on all cylinders today.Classic Pessac nose with black currants,smoke,tobacco,lead pencil and subtle earth.Medium-bodied,smooth and silky on the palate,with excellent depth and a long complex racy finish.This is an excellent old school Bordeaux.
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2/19/2018 - vzang wrote: 96 Points
First of two bottles. Fully mature, wonderful Bordeaux. Birthday bottle with grilled fillet. Just drink it.
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2/18/2018 - WineTally Likes this wine:
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 30 ha.
Manual harvest and destemming. 30-40 day maceration.
Malolactic and aging 18 months in oak barrels.
13% Abv. ~80,000 bottles.
A(ccuracy)=2: Deep ruby/brick rim. Peppery, woodsy, smoky.
B(alance)=2: Delicate. Bit shy on vibrancy.
C(omplexity)=2: Ripe berries, dried flowers, leather, licorice.
D(epth)=2: Firm mouthfeel. Lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,2] = 8/10
Well kept and developed, but further tertiary finesse unlikely.
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12/9/2017 - fournet Likes this wine: 93 Points
Took about an hour or so to really open up. Nice, classic Bordeaux.
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11/23/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last tasted a year ago, the wine is now fully mature. It is a classic left bank Bordeaux with a deep nose of blackcurrent and ripe plum combined with tobacco and leather. The tannins are strong on the palate but well balanced and with good depth, and completed with a decent finish. It is a very masculine wine and probably not to everyone's taste but typical of some of the older Bordeaux left bankers. Whether the tannin further sweetens and it can reach the heights of the 1990 is open to debate, but do decant.
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11/1/2017 - chatters wrote:
Quite funky, almost cork taint, with liquorice, tar and with time, a bit of almost plummy fruit. With this there is plenty of leather and Autumnal leaf, mushroom and horse sweat, fully mature for me. Juicy, quite dense, liquorice, tar, earth, lightly plum fruit, fine tannins on the palate, medium plus length. Nice
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10/31/2017 - Cmainardi wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful classic aged left bank wine. I agree with the accolades noted below
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3/18/2017 - nilseliasson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very, very good left bank Bordeaux in classic style, dry, strict, multi-layered with fine tobacco and animal notes developing. Drinks beautifully now and probably for at least five more years
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11/26/2016 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
10th of 12, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, this wine has never really sung, fine certainly and with fine components which somehow are a bit muddy and 4 square with an unattractive sense of overextraction, equally all may be resolved with a bit more time in a vintage in which many wines seem to have re-entered deep sleep! Tentative F (17.5).
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11/15/2016 - jskuek Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing colour, still purple and do not see any sign of aging. Plum, toasted coffee, chocolate. full bodied and good length. Why wait? drink now or within next 5 years to enjoy the fruits ...
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10/19/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine possesses an intense nose of pure black current with a leathery background. This continues through to the palate where it collides with rounded tannins and a decent finish. The finish is very tannic and perhaps not to everybody's taste. This is drinking very well and still in evolution, but whether it lives up to the wonderful 1990 is to be seen.
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9/15/2016 - stefad Likes this wine: 95 Points
Robe grenat avec frange aux nuances orangées.
Bouquet aux notes de cèdre, fumée, cuir.
Notes de sureau, ronce, cuir, bouche ciselée, texture caressante, magnifique vin. À boire
idéalement en méditation ou dégustation car déjà très évolué, tout plat risquant d'en masquer sa beauté 95/100
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7/9/2016 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
This wine shows an extremely luxurious bouquet with cedar, cigar box, beautifully toasted oak, tobacco, cassis, dark forest fruits and rustic flavors. On the palate dark berry fruits, black olives, salty licorice, luxurious oak beautiful acidity and tannin. One of the best wines so far in this tasting.
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6/17/2016 - galewskj wrote: 89 Points
Big-Time Reds (Tilia): 45 minute decant, then followed over 1.5 hours. Big and meaty. Anise funk. The palate is austere.
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3/4/2016 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic and mature this drank like a gem, the best of the last four bottles of this wine over past few years. Inky purple, elegantly structured, blackberry and currant, spice, and roasted coffee that linger luxuriously on nose and mouth. Cedar, tobacco, lead pencil, earth, and sweet cedar. Velvet smooth tannins with a history that take you to a far away terroir and a mouth feel somewhere between glorious and gallant.
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1/12/2016 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunning. Balanced. Long. Good for drinking now and in the next 20 years.
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12/21/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Fully mature, with a smoky, thyme, earth, lit cigar, leafy forest and cassis filled nose. There is a slight sense of rusticity on the medium bodied, palate that alternates between fresh cassis and cranberry fruits in the finish. I'd probably opt for drinking this sooner than later.
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11/21/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Wineberserker's offline: Tartufo Bianco (San Carlos, CA): Deep ruby without bricking; nose is aromatic, huge pyrazines with bell pepper, spices, underlying black fruits; palate is full bodied, ripe black fruit, alcohol seems just slightly high, pyrazines are interesting but a bit too prominent; finish is medium-long. 90-92
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8/26/2015 - senex Likes this wine: 95 Points
Like many 1996s this is in a good place now.
Opened, but not decanted, for a few hours - superb!
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8/9/2015 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark purple delight, merging cedar, tobacco, lead pencil and earth with aromatics of blue and black currant, spice, and roasted coffee. A balanced classic.
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3/22/2015 - valedeniro wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted .....The nose explodes from the glass,revealing scents of jammy black and red fruits,smoke,truffle,tobacco,leather,faded rose ..... very beautiful ! Medium bodied,the palate is very well balanced,fresh and sappy,with very good lenght and complexity ! Potential for at least another 10-15 years.....Excellent !
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12/26/2014 - alittle wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours in the glass. Garnet with a light brick. This was just rocking right out the gate; textbook Bordeaux here. An expressive nose of black currant, earth, tobacco, undergrowth, leather, horse stable, cedar and mint. On the palate, medium acidity, mostly resolved tannin. Finish is moderate plus in length, framed by tastes of blackcurrant, plum, earth, leather and light pyrazine notes, showing just a touch of grip on the finish. This was lovely.
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12/26/2014 - Dave Canada wrote: 94 Points
1996 Horizontal Tasting (David's House - Kitchener, ON): Polished....but still a bit of brett....which I love...wow.
Pure dark fruit, cedar, leather, burning ember, briar, flowers, cassis and pyrazene.
The palate has such pure polished blackfruit with cedar, leather, campfire, flowers cassis, pyrazene and ember also in the mix...then comes the brett again....a little earth, poop and shit...which is awesome and adds further complexity.
Finish is medium+ and quite complex.
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12/26/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
The Wine Nerds do Christmas Dinner (Dave' Place - Kitchener, ON Canada): This was the surprise of the night for me. Excellent showing. A core of very pure ripe (still quite primary) fruit is balanced against a wonderfully rustic earthy note with that pleasant touch of Brett. Quite a contrast to the Smith Haut Lafitte. Nose is of plum, sweet cassis, charcoal, cedar, wet hay, horse stable, mint, truffle and sweet old leather. The palate has just a kiss of low dusty tannin with good acid. There is wonderfully enveloping plush dark plummy fruit that caresses the palate not unlike a great right bank Bordeaux. The finish is medium plus in length carried on a charred plum note.
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12/16/2014 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lot of mineral and earth like other wines from Grave. It was my least favorite comparing with 89 and 94 cos estournel, 83 leoville las case, and 86 leoville barton. It does not have the power that a decent vintage 96 should have
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11/25/2014 - senex Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant-absolutely lovely-old school and very balanced.
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11/3/2014 - Shags Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had at a dinner with two more 96 Bordeaux. For first couple of hours after opening was beautiful, classic old bordeaux.
Later on, turned very smokey on the nose, and palate started to follow.
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10/19/2014 - valedeniro wrote: 93 Points
What a nose....Smoke,tobacco,sweet red cherry fruit (Maraschino liqueur),faded roses,wet earth and graphite.Very good balance,great freshness,deep,velvety and polished tannins,excellent lenght ! This is old school !
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9/15/2014 - LIE-user wrote: 94 Points
Second time this year, I opened one of these. Consistent with last bottle. Great, "old time" Pape Clement. Tobacco, warm sweetness. Good tannins.
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7/28/2014 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much different showing than the last bottle of the 96 that we drank, thankfully. Royal purple, medium bodied, pleasant from starting sip to finish. Lovely aromatics of blue and black currant, spice, sweet cedar and roasted coffee. Integrated tannins and balanced and mouth feel is delicious.
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2/25/2014 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour, the in the glass, skunky nose blew away, but the fruit needed more air to reveal itself. An interesting, but austere wine that showed cedar, tobacco, lead pencil and earth. Mouthful became more and more interesting with time in the glass, interesting and classical are operative, delicious no, enjoyable yes.
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2/8/2014 - LIE-user wrote: 93 Points
Nice ripeness, sweetness, tobacco. Creamy texture. Long finale.
Addition: I always try to save a third of the bottle to study the life cycle of a wine after opening the bottle. This one got a lot better after some hours (in the end even somewhere around 94-95). Unlike some new Pape Clement (all postmodern high-tech wines that are perfect in the beginning and then fade away), the older ones obviously have a more typical life cycle.
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11/12/2013 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle seemed quite closed to start with. Extremely charming nose but initially the taste was very reserved. Did not decant. Over time it started opening and revealed its potential. Wonderful melange of Black currant, strawberries, liquorice, pepper, chocolate and the classic graphite. Good integrated tannins. A very good drink now with some food and will probably remain like this for years.
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11/12/2013 - spillwine wrote: 92 Points
Cette bouteille était plus mature, toujours très agréable, quelque peu austère.
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10/23/2013 - GlöckliWein wrote: 96 Points
What an teriffic WINE
Chateau PAPE CLEMENT 1996
really a "old school wine"
at the moment you can feel a beautiful development !
a typical Pape Clement in style with
NOSE:
dark Chocolate, ripe tanins, grapihit like in the
drawer of my grandfathers bureau . mushrooms .
plums and rum, nearly madreiran wine oak
TASTE:
sweet seducive succulent full in flavour of the ingredients of what I described from the Nose
and the afterglow is lasting half a minute
BEAUTIFUL !°
96 / 100 Points
p.s. even on the next Day it is turning out the same
power of Taste ... not loosing any Charme and pressure/ force on the palate
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9/28/2013 - tplskylrk wrote:
2.5 years later & ow consumed in Saigon w chicken dinner. I think these are to be drunk now. At least my bottle... decidly dying after a few hours opned bottle. Did not decant.
Stinky cheese nose, really nice. Dirty dirty French wine she is. Some green notes, tobacco, tea, then a realy greenish finish. Tight cheery notes, some nice wood in there, herb... lingers. A bit sour green for my palate, dry. Balanced, tannins integrated & not enough fruit there for me to believe this will be nicer, just more green.
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8/17/2013 - capacious Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted and then drank. Needed more time. Surprising given its age. Drank over a two hour dinner and showed its stuff last 45 min. A little austere and not as rewarding as the 1990. Front and middle good finish shorter . I think this has another decade or more.
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6/30/2013 - capacious wrote: 88 Points
took a while to open - despite its age lacking in the evolution and complexity we hoped for. Not a disappointment - will wait a while on the other two we have as I think this may have more life than the 2015 date below. consumed about two thirds at dinner with salmon, and with chicken scarpariello, and then the rest at home - the third that made it home, now open after 4 hours, was by far the most rewarding
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6/15/2013 - Chimer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Purchased en primeur - tried it 2 years ago and it was a bit lean and ungiving, however it is now starting to talk;
Colour is still dark to the rim, hot brick earthy nose with plenty of refreshing acidity, wine needed an hour in the glass to open up. Palate has silky fruit I associate with Cru Classe status, and there is a slightly green '1996' note on middle palate, tannins are still quite hard - I think this is the signature of the vintage and they are unlikely to fade. Now that the fruit is fleshing up and covering the tannins it looks like a good time to start drinking this. Attractive classical claret.
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5/6/2013 - PSPatrick wrote:
„One Wine - Three Vintages“-Blind Tasting. Flight 7: Château Pape Clément. We tasted 1989, 1996 and 2002. One of my two favourite flights of the night (together with the impressive flight of Joseph Phelps Insignia) and the only flight I was unable to refrain from drinking. The three wines shared a sooty and smoky nose. The medium-bodied 1989 was my favourite wine of the flight and probably also of the night. It offered a smoky and “green” palate (in a positive sense), with bacon fat, bell pepper and ultra-fine tannin. The wine was impeccably balanced and silky and drank younger than the 1996. A truly great Bordeaux. I liked it a lot! The solid 1996 offered sweet fruit and bell pepper on the palate, with fully integrated tannin, good balance and a slightly bitter finish. It drank well, but will probably be less long-lived than the 1989. The decent 2002 was medium-bodied, chocolaty and very balanced. To me overall the weakest wine of the strong flight and the question if the change of ownership did do the Château well crossed my mind. Overall an impressive flight of Château Pape Clément. I would drink the 1989 and the 1996 now (and even buy a case of the 1989 if I could find one), and cellar the 2002 for another two to three years.
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5/5/2013 - Mr T wrote:
The wine is drinking very nicely and really quite traditional relative to PC as made today. Graphite, cedar and a bit of Band-Aid on the finish, but all in all very pleasant and smooth with the tannins well in check and mostly resolved. Some fruit but not a great deal. This will go plenty more years although not sure how much better if at all it becomes. It's a bit austere and can't say I got either the lush fruit or excess oak noted by others
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4/12/2013 - danielk168 wrote: 90 Points
Better than last, entering drinking phase for sure, but should have decanted, too many bottles and too many people, pity.
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4/5/2013 - liber Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Third bottle from case, youthfull extracted appearance, nice earthy notes on nose and palate, but vegetal notes and curious mid palate, though last glass was the best, frankly confused, my first bottle was attractive but the other two have been decidedly odd - a phase or over-extracted and cracking up, the jury's out.. At best very good (16/20).
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1/24/2013 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
mature Bordeaux wine evening (Wine-Bar, Nahalat Binyamin, TLV): dark red-brwon with amber rim.
expressive nose of rich black cherry and dark fruits with a good amount of lead pencil, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and charred oak.
however lean fruits showing red cherries, tart raspberries, lead pencil shavings, black pepper spice, licorice, and some smokey oak.
the crisp acidity is balanced by a moderate amount of round tannins.
long ending on notes of red cherries.
though not very complex, the balance is there.
it will continue to improve and should be given at least a couple more years of bottle age.
very enjoyable.
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12/31/2012 - pavel_p wrote: 91 Points
After the excellent 95 Pape the other day, I was curious to dry the 96. 60 min decant and followed over 5h. Garnet with a very thin transparent rim. Beautiful nose with earth, dark fruit, some toasted oak, crispy bacon and animal notes. The palate does not entirely measure up to the nose, and lets the wine also fall slightly behind the great 95 in my eyes. Palate seems a little watered down. After about 2h in the decanter there are fine tannins appearing on the mid-palate and the medium finish.
Would think one can still wait for a year or two for the tannins to further soften, on the other hand the last drops of the wine 5h after opening were slightly oxidized, so don't hold too long...
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12/15/2012 - PingVin Likes this wine: 88 Points
Great flavor, and some fruits left. A well balanced taste.
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11/23/2012 - swapdoc wrote:
Traditional cedar and dried currants nose. The fruit is a bit lean, never captivating or complex. A nice, stately Bordeaux with all the trimming of the mature wine, yet would happily trade this for an '06 Brunello.
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11/3/2012 - godx wrote: 91 Points
La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - Gala Dinner (Fairmont Pacific Rim): Pronounced nose right off the bat here with lots of charred oak, smoke, poop, lead pencil and dark red and black fruits. Just a really lovely nose. On the palate this had classic Bordeaux structure with a good amount of dusty tannins and solid acidity. Deep red fruit flavours with a fairly length smoky finish. A classy wine that’s approachable, but should continue to improve and develop for many years. Excellent. 91+
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11/3/2012 - MattTM wrote:
Commanderie de Bordeaux: Gala Dinner (Fairmont Pacific Rim - Vancouver, BC): Fantastic expressive nose displaying rich black cherry and dark fruits, along with a a good amount of lead pencil, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and charred oak. The fruit starts to lean a bit more towards the red side on the palate showing red cherries, tart raspberries, lead pencil shavings, black pepper spice, licorice, and more smokey oak. Generous crisp acidity is balanced by a moderate amount of sandy tannins. Long length finish ending on notes of black licorice and red cherries. Although not stuffed with complexity, the balance is there and this is just coming together and entering it's drinking window. This will continue to improve and should be given at least a couple more years of bottle age. Very good.
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10/12/2012 - jeremy@ wrote: 86 Points
Clear deep ruby
Clean pronounce nose strong oak with some red fruit and black fruit.
Dry high acid high tannin full body
Black fruit with strong oak
Long finish.
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8/16/2012 - fdub wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Napa Men's Lunch Club. Lighter red color than the La Sizeranne. Similar but less bricking at the edge. Cigar box, cedar on the nose. Palate is smooooth and has notes of tobacco, red fruit and pencil lead emerges over the hour I drank my glass. Very nice finish.
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5/12/2012 - clementwolf wrote: 93 Points
pleasant nose of cherries, strawberries (!!) and typical graves hint of tobacco and earthy mushroom flavour, still a bit of tannins on the palate but the mud-like flavour is more distinct when swallowed. good depth of the wine which is enjoyable immediately after pulling the cork. Nice wine which I greedily downed all of it myself
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5/7/2012 - Mr T wrote:
Drank this with Robbie...slow oxed from 2 PM and really delightful...clearly not the wines he makes today....not exuberant...but plenty of fruit to go with the cedar and cigarbox...lovely
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4/30/2012 - spillwine wrote: 92 Points
Bu avant le 1986. Très tannique, très bon mais incomparable au 1986 d'une finesse et d'une longueur extraordinaire.
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3/10/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: flawed
La Mission Haut Brion; 3/9/2012-3/10/2012 (Burg Staufeneck): The second impériale in a row that was corked, after I did not have any big bottle corked for years.
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1/19/2012 - Burgaddict wrote: 91 Points
Leiden tasting January 2012: Sweet earthy nose with black fruit, tobacco, pencil lead. Mature velvety taste, tarty black and red fruit, plums, round tannins, medium finish. Very good, traditional Bordeaux.
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12/4/2011 - Tartiflette wrote:
No Notes.
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11/16/2011 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Three Decades of Pape Clement (La Folie Restaurant in San Francisco): Outstanding nose (black currants, plums, beries), rich silky palate. The tannis are still a little bit sharp so I don't think this is at peak yet.
70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.
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10/18/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Lush, ripe and extravagant aromas of black fruit and cassis. Slightly less forward on the palate, but still lush and powerful. Long spicy finish with great textures.
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10/16/2011 - Vin Lover wrote: 91 Points
Very nice bouquet with a mix of tobacco, herbs, earthy gravel, soy sauce and consistently showed up on the palate as well - sweet tobacco, mocha, currants, plummy and hint of saltiness & spice at the back as well. Good balance, structure and certainly very attractive now. It has a savory and mouth-watering acid finish.
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10/13/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 90 Points
2011 Simple Series X: Mark in town (Asia Grand @ Odeon Tower): Alcohol : 13%
Almost everyone catched this as a Pessac Leognan. Lots of soil, gravel, scotched earth on the highly perfume bouquet along with tobacco, black cherry, peppery spice and green capsicum, so Claret! This has very good harmonious and complexity as well as purity on the palate. Expansive yet with the restraint of a classic claret. Very fresh with firm acid and fine tannin grip but all the element is well balance and integrated. A little bit edgy, but overall I really enjoy this compared to the recently highly extracted and opulent version. The finish is really juicy and sappy with bitter sweet cocoa. Real good wine.
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10/13/2011 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
2011 Simple Series VIII: Dinner with Mark Roberson of Goedhuis (again) (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): Very nice without quite being great, but I did think it was just a bit better than the last bottle I had. This had a glorious nose - sweet and fragrant, with subtle tobacco notes, sweet spices, plums and dark cherries seasoned with toasty hints. Really nice. This could have been a 1998 right-bank on the nose. The palate swung my guess to a 1996 Graves though. It had the beautiful fresh balance of the the vintage, and although it did not quite have the depth of say the best 1996 Pauillacs or St Juliens, it showed lovely pure flavours of cassis and black cherries. These were sprinkled with bits of spice and tobacco smoke wrapped in really fine tannins. The finish was neither the longest nor the most powerful, but it was very yummy. Good enough when first poured, it got better after a short 15 minutes in the glass; while still a bit plush and quite modern with a touch of oak at first, it opened up a bit to reveal a more classic layer of Bordeaux flavours with time. Already more rounded, integrated and together than a bottle popped two years ago, I would say that this was actually not a bad time to drink this. However, it should be even better in another 3-4.
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10/13/2011 - Dbrane wrote: 86 Points
Did not nose and taste much like a Graves to me especially with the seemingly high Cab Sauv concentration. Green tobacco notes but admittedly rather fragrant in a classic Bordeaux way. Nice, can't really find fault with it except it's not exactly my favorite style.
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9/29/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 89 Points
Did not gave this enough time to breath, we finnished the 97 Spress and realized we needed more wine. Initially closed and only leather+earth, one hour later better and should have decanted this for 2 hours first, rating should be higher if we have more time.
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7/17/2011 - bacchusnyon wrote: 91 Points
Opened three hours before, and decanted one before, drinking. A very good idea. At first blush (on opening, green twigs, and rather acidity. But that dissipated, and the tannins smoothed out, to reveal a nice cherry note (but not a fruit bomb) with still strong acid line and a long, slightly spicy (peppery) finish. A nice bottle, and better than the 97 that we paired with it.
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4/20/2011 - Yagil Likes this wine: 92 Points
1990s Bordeaux quartet round #1 meeting #1 (Yagil's home): red-brown color;
well developed secondary aromas;
rich, medium body. balanced, can endure many more years but will not develop to a greater wines
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4/20/2011 - Gizmo2011 wrote: 89 Points
stems. Bug like. Sharp acidity. Not very fine wine
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2/4/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 94 Points
Wonderfully and mature right now. Cassis, black-currant, wood, peppar, liquirice. Extraordinary nose. Little dry in the taste. But goes better with food. Love it...
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1/30/2011 - tplskylrk wrote: 91 Points
Drank w Rob at Independence Day, Bistecca. Insane Beef Extravagance. Nice French nose. All in balance, if fruit a little light than I prefer. Not much match to the dry aged Dolminicos, but they held up to the Cali Cab. This had some nice secondary flavors going, just was a bit lacking. A bit too understated.
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1/27/2011 - Ho Bryan wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle. Fabulously complex, deep and full nose of classic Graves earth, cedar and mineral. Palate follows the nose with strong body. Just a touch of drying tannins which will possibly outlive the fruit. In a great place to open now, but still a good decade in it. Overall, this is a real step up in class, approaching first growth territory. Very good QPR.
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12/12/2010 - EGunderson wrote: flawed
Not noticeably corked, but something was off. This wine had nothing going on.
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8/29/2010 - gout wrote: 92 Points
Three years since I tried this wine , decanted 2 hours, still youthful appearance but lovely cedary bouquet, plenty of fruit on the palate & softening tannins. Overall a beautiful claret and now drinking well. WIll keep further.
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1/31/2010 - meatbomb013 wrote: 91 Points
Typical Graves, decanted for 4 hours prior to dinner and was very pleasant with roast leg of lamb with rosemary.
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6/21/2009 - chatters wrote: 92 Points
Nose: meaty gravy with herbs, cedar, spice, woody forest fruit and vanilla
Mouth: Bramble, blackcurrant, very savoury not unripe just not sweet fruit. Silky tannins, some nutmeg and cloves. Medium long chocolate finish after woody vanilla tones.
Very nice indeed.
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5/23/2009 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
1996 left-bank Bordeaux tasting with lots more (Richfield, Lam Soon Building, Singapore): This was clearly the Pape Clement. A bit closed at first, but the nose opened up to show modern stylings of coffee, coconut and varnished wood riding above more classic Graves notes of mushroom, earth, boiled herbs and just the tiniest tiniest whiff of sweet flowers. Palate was mellow and gentle and rather plush, with slightly bitterish herbs and spice adding interest to polished cassis tones. A liitle short on power in the finish, but that was made up for in charm - closing off with gentle berry and cherry notes and a nice lingering spiceness.
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5/1/2009 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
No notes, except drinking very well now, still life ahead
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4/13/2009 - Mr T wrote:
This blossomed into a very nice bottle of wine for Easter after 1.5 to 2 hours before dinner and about 1 hour into dinner. For Sue, a bit too much barnyard, but I of course enjoyed that. This wine is in a good spot, if you like this sort of wine, and I don't expect it to get better with time, but not declining either. This was PLCB so always a risk that this compromised its longevity, but I was very happy and drank far too much. Not a lot of fruit or ripeness on the nose and this is before Magrez ramped things up. I thought it was plenty ripe and the tannins nicely resolved and still a fairly dark ruby in color.
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3/8/2009 - geoffucla wrote:
Definitely from Graves. Not much fruit, either on the nose, or on the palate. Lots of mineral and earthiness, but a nice smooth texture. Well integrated tannins with about 2 hours decanting. Very commendable for its style, but just seems to be lacking a bit of fruit to have a great balance. 90.
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3/7/2009 - BradA wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured to celebrate the UW Husky's first Pac10 mens Basket ball title!
Lots of plummy fruits with a deep core of tannin. The nose offers an inticing panapoly of spices and currant; I really enjoyed sniffing the glass and savoring all the flavors. Enough punch to last another night in the bottle, drink at your leisure.
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2/1/2009 - Stefanos T. wrote: 94 Points
Powerful Graves with dense fruit and long aftertaste.
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2/1/2009 - DougLee wrote: 94 Points
Selected off the wine list at The Left Bank (Vail) and decanted expertly by the waitstaff. Purple hue with some lightening at the edges. Nose was full and effusive from the start, showing scents of cassis, mulberry, plum, and leather, with hints of tobacco and eucalyptus. The palate was seamless and elegant on the attack, then presented layers of plum, mullberry, black current, and earth. The mix of structure and hedonistic fruit was extremely satisfying, and a long finish capped each sip. Wonderful wine, and flying below radar at that.
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1/10/2009 - 100pp wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied, berries but a bit drying.
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11/16/2008 - the godfather wrote: 93 Points
earthy, truffle, leather, very well rounded
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9/23/2008 - vancouvermatt wrote: 94 Points
Great concentration. Full bodied, with only the slighest bricking at the edges.
On the nose, the wine presents loads of blackcurrant & spices & plums. On the palate, this dense wine offers up more black currants, coffee, smokiness and blackraspberry notes. Plenty of structure and a finish that just goes on and on.
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8/24/2007 - jolson wrote: 90 Points
good though nothing too exciting, lots of mineral and a good nose.
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5/1/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Classic graves nose, heavy with minerals. Smoothe and ready to drink, though no hurry.
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1/21/2007 - PSide wrote:
Fabulously rich nose of cassis and tobacco. Nice full fruit in the mouth with good underlying spice and tannins. The finish is firm, slightly austere, and very long. This wine makes a great dinner companion now, but will improve further.
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1/16/2007 - gout wrote: 91 Points
SFWS tasting of 1996 Vintgae Wines; MF colour, no browning. Classic cedary complex nose, veryy attractive. Well balanced on the palate, good fruit & structure. Complex flavours. Keep. Glad I have more in the cellar.
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10/25/2006 - trankin wrote: 94 Points
SOBER (fka TWITS) Tasting (Mark's house): Nose of barnyard and leather. On the palate, this is a lovely balanced wine with great fruit, elegant tannins, and good acids. Blackberry and spice notes (cinnamon), along with some barnyard notes. Really beauitful. My WOTF. Drinking by far the best of the flight currently although the Leoville Barton might give it a run for the money in a few years.
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5/8/2006 - MRichman wrote:
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal: Soft fruit, a bit watery. Sweet core. Burnt oak. Lighter than I expected.
B
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1/2/2006 - Quequeg wrote: 88 Points
Classic Bordeaux nose of pencil shavings and minerals. Smooth, dry; nice tannins. A very accessible and enjoyable bottle. Served with steak and a pesto side. Glad I have a bunch more!
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7/29/2005 - MichaelB wrote: 92 Points
First look at this Pape. Beautiful nose right out of the gates, with sweet tobacco, smoke, blackcurrents. On the palate the wine has a lush mouthfeel, with some fine tannins still present. The wine is perhaps 3 years away from full maturity. I think it could get a couple more points if it keeps filling out.
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7/5/2005 - espia wrote:
Nose of pencil lead, shavings (Graves). Concentrated on the palate, with nice body. Again, I was a bit undewhelmed, perhaps b/c of expectations and high blood-alcohol level!
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7/5/2005 - RJD wrote:
Much better on night 2. Night one was tannic and a little closed. Night two showed classic bordeaux profile in the nose and palate while tannin had given away some. Night one was not bad, I would just not suggest killing another one of these for a while as it will no doubt improve.
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5/29/2005 - micha_e wrote: 92 Points
Still very dark ruby. Very interesting, albeit a bit passive, nose. Seems still closed and almost a bit reduced right now. Only hints of currants, tobacco, hot earth, tar, and mocha. On the balate, a rather big wine with a solid structure, but it's closed on the palate too. Contrary to many 96 BDX, this will need more time in the cellar, at least for me. Impressively long finish, but the tannins will have to integrate a bit more to make this an enjoyable wine. Yet I am sure it will be great in 5 to 10 years from now.
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5/26/2005 - Alpine wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding on this night. I am surprised that a 1996 Bordeaux is drinking this well this young. Cedar box and tobacco on the nose. Secondary flavor profile already showing up, tannins are soft and sweet… Very elegant mouthful of wine that has excellence length…a fine food wine, I had it with beef short-ribs as Pomme′ restaurant in Clayton.
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6/11/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 93 Points
Dark red colour, nearly opaque. Scents of tobacco, pencil shavings and dried fruits. Large bodied with plenty of power and ripe tannin, great structure and definition and a sweet and dense core of fruit and flavour. Superbly integrated elements with a well-structured composition of components, and a long, balanced aftertaste. Still a wine in it's youth but no slouch at that, and beginning to open up. Very nice.
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3/29/2004 - JohnB wrote:
Not decanted, consumed over a period of 3 hours. Deep purple with a thin clear rim in the glass. Found a nose of dark sweet fruit, with a touch of spice. In the mouth nice ripe fruit, blueberry, current and plum, with a lingering spice in the finish. Good balance and with fine sweet tannins rounding out the structure. Approachable, almost velvety, now, however, a couple of years will really smooth this out more.
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2/29/2004 - Nuray wrote:
Portfolio Ref # BDX C2
Setting: Study Group / Bests at Paul Farrell's
Appearance: bright, medium+ intensity garnet core with slight gradation
Nose: vanilla, blueberry, butter, smoky tobacco and cedar notes
Palate: dry, velvety, blueberry, anise & leather, higher acid level and tannins, medium+ body and medium-long finish, very well balanced
Comments: can still age
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9/11/2002 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 90 Points
The very distinctive pear scents on the nose are very characteristic. Ian posed the question whether that would be Sauvignon or Semillion notes. Maybe someone on the board's got the answer. At any rate, the wine displayed a nice full yellow-greenish colour. Very floral and fresh. I like the good, clean acidity, without astringency, and this wine conveyed that perfectly. A medium bodied, medium-scaled wine with great definition and good length. Will last another 10-15 years.
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