Coravin fun - 1995 & 2005 Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slight cream, blackcurrant, pyrazine, savoury spice, cedar, earthy notes, chalky minerality, a little red currant underpin with time. Savoury, meaty underpin, red and black fruits, chalky chewy tannins, earthy, leathery notes. Non intrusive alcohol warmth but this is the best this wine has shown for me.
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Loyang CSC chalet party. Pop and poured. Drank in Gabriel Standart. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of grilled herbs, leather, blackcurrant + blackberries. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (13.5%), high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, grilled herbs, ripe capsicum, blackberries, black cherries, blackcurrant, touch of dark leather to the ling structured finish. Good quality Left Bank Bordeaux.
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Coravin tasted. This bottle is definitely better than my last one. Very dark fruited nose with hints of forest floor, cedar and ash tray notes. The palate is quite intense and inky. It sticks to your gums. There is a bit of over-extraction that gives it a sense of bitterness but this seems to be receding with time. I will pop this in 2025 to see how it evolved. Will let you know!
Update: Couldn't wait till 2025 but it was in great shape until today 10/26/22.
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Cork is friable. Decanted for 1.5 hours. Dark fruit on nose somewhat muted. Stewed plums and blackberry with some tobacco chocolate and drying tannins. This still has life in the cellar. The alcohol seems to be present throughout the finish.
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Still pretty dark in colour, dark plum with just a tinge of brick. Lovely earthy blackberry currant BDX nose, some cedar, leather, dark cheery jam. Palate is medium to full bodied, nicely balanced, medium soft tannins, same for acidity. Black plum and berry fruit with currant and brush notes on the drying finish. Seemed like a good time to drink, drying a little. Excellent.
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Decanted for approximately one hour. Minimal bricking and some fine sediment noted at the bottom of the bottle. Nose of earth and some dark fruits, but not your typical Bordeaux. No major flaws here. The pallet was mostly secondaries, fruit a bit thin. With no great flaws this was not a wow wine tonight. Dark along side an 09’ Viader and Lewelling Wight which both had more of the Napa-Esque fruit that made them more of the crowd pleasers to night.
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Decanted 30 minutes. The nose has some nice Bordeaux components. The palate is just odd and rough. The palate reminds me of a Rhone wine. Not a good value at $30.
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Dark fruit on the nose with some leather and tobacco. Bone dry on the palate. Medium plus acidity. Chalky tannins. Medium alcohol. Woody, leafy and wet paper notes on the palate. Very little fruit left. If it wasn't for the pleasant nose, I'd say this was corked. I just may be late on this one.
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Wow, this has cellared very well. Three hour decant. Nose of muted dark fruit and library books. Leather with hints of tobacco and flint, pencil shavings and dried earth transforms into drying tannins. I believe this still has time in the cellar. I do not know if it improves beyond my current impression. BTW I paired it with roasted duck on a winter night.
Day 2 still going strong. Less fruit but otherwise very similar and still enjoyable.
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Three-hour decant. Beautiful purple-red color, not exhibiting any signs of age. Boysenberry, minerals, and punchy acidity are prominent. Signature Margaux violets and some forest floor on the nose, too. Still, quite drying tannins that suggest possible further development, and make it more appropriate for food pairing than parlor sipping. Keep my last bottle for 5 years perhaps.
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Still looking young. Needs a decant to open. Somewhat unresolved but has all the components. Currently dominated by its tannin structure. Still enjoyable with food. Held together nicely after three nights Indicating a long life ahead.
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Cork in perfect shape Decanted about 2 hrs Perfectly ready to drink. Everything resolved and in balance. Plenty of fruit. Everything I’m hoping for in this bottle at this price. Could last longer but I don’t see more than a couple years. No reason to wait.
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Drinking window is for sure more than 2020 - this is still pretty young and out of the bottle was pretty tight. Still pretty young in colour, only a hint of brick on rim. Earthy dark plum and currant nose. Medium bodied on the palate, tastes fresh and with good acidity, currant and dark plum fruit with medium tannins. Tasty long finish with excellent length. Seems to be punching above its weight after some years in bottle. Delicious with some air.
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Very similar to prior note a year ago. Decanted for three hours. IMHO this is mandatory to bring out the finesse of this left bank Bordeaux. Notes of dark fruit, gravel, tobacco , leather, pencil shavings with long finish. I truly enjoyed this wine with lamb shank. Still think this can easily cellar for another 3 to five years.
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From Coravin. Tomato leaf, sweet spice (nutmeg/clove), blackcurrant, red currant. Pronounced acidity, red currant with a leafy underpin and drying, leathery, grainy tannic burr. a bit out of whack for me.
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Bought 6b for 27/b from a local independent shop about 10 years ago; this is #2. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple; restrained blackcurrant nose that blossomed by day 3; some fruit but tight during first two hour and took 3 days to emerge with vacu-vinning after each day's opening. Eventually delicious, glad I have more but will wait a while before trying again. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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Just PNP very tight and closed ruby color with brick meniscus.Very tannic with acidity on finish (I have high hopes for this 2005 Margaux.) Will decant 3.5 hours prior to serving. IMHO the aeration is mandatory for this wine to begin to evolve.
Notes of cherry and cedar with hints of coffee, leather, tobacco, and pencil shavings on finish. My impression is this wine is an old style Bordeaux, more subtle and refined than new world red blends. I think the finish is not super long but still very nice.
Probably not the best example of the 2005 left bank Margaux, but an incredibly enjoyable wine with the bones to cellar for another 5 plus years.
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First bottle from an en primeur case buy back in 2006. Very nice now with a couple hour decant, and showing no age whatsoever. Good fruit, tannic backbone, and refreshing acidity. Some very characteristic Margaux violets and intense fruit salad. I can see this as a good food wine. Plenty of tannins to support this wine for another 10 years at least, it seems. We'll see though.
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To me, this vintage from Marquis d'Alesme was thin in its youth, and certainly taught me the value of giving good Bordeaux time to grow and evolve. Eight years, even 10 years, into this vintage were inadequate.
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I know I have been a critic of this producer, but this bottle is now starting to show the bones of the 05 vintage. Not a bold wine, but one that is now showing some nuance and complexity.
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Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Polished savoury cassis underpinned by herbaceous notes and mineral elements. A little leather and spice. More red fruit than cassis on the palate with drying, silky tannins, juicy acidity and a little alcohol warmth on the finish.
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This may be finally starting to come around. I have been a tough critic of this vintage for Marquis D'Alesme, but this bottle is the best to date. Love the finish, in particular -- tart, but at just the right level.
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This is relatively mature. Two hours decant before a two hour consumption period. Rather unremarkable. None of the charming bouquet typical of this appellation. Fruit is rather thin for a 2005. There is much better wine from this vintage from other producers. Not bad...but not great.
Dark Ox-blood, full bodied. High ABV Dirty socks. Cigar box. Pencil led. Some dark fruit and barnyard Dry. Sour cherries. Longish finish. Dry. Weakening tannins
A very good wine for sure. Worth buying if you see it.
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Better second day as it fleshed out a bit more and the balance improved. First day was not pleasant without food. Some earthiness and coffee grounds beneath dark fruit. Silky
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Fully mature, light in color, light in fruit and delivering more secondary, earth, tobacco, green, leafy notes than its red fruits. Soft texture, without the stuffing for much aging, this is a wine to open over the next few years. Current vintages from the new owner show marked improvements.
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Best showing of this wine to date. I believe it is finally coming around, with good future ahead. Classic Margaux perfume evolved after aeration and an hour in the glass... Good balance and length. Regret consuming the majority of the case I bought a bit prematurely. 3 left...
Strange thing about this is there are virtually no aromas when it is in the glass. Getting softer as it ages. Not a lot of tannins left. Finishes slightly sour.
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Still has time in the cellar. Drank this over a three day period and it did not fall apart. Consider a two hour decant. Notes of Black fruit, leather and tobacco with strong tannins that smooth out with aeration. Very enjoyable and evolving in the glass and over the three days.
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Found this on a fair deal and could not resist. Had previously read the CT notes and it seems there may be some bottle variation. This bottle was stunning, classy, and elegant! The bouquet featured heady Margaux perfume of blackcurrant, bramble berry, exotic spices, peppers, and graphite. The palate revealed a most appealing combination of power and finesse, with medium plus acid and medium tannins. The wine was more open on the second day, the last drops making a serious impression. Little sign of aging, and likely a 20 year wine from now. Pure pleasure. 93-94.
This needs to be decanted for at least 40 minutes. Mature notes of alluvial and mushrooms on the nose. I really enjoyed this. Dark fruits with some leather and smokey finish. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea but I really like this wine.
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The wine has high acidity. It smells like cranberry, black currant (cassis) and strawberry jam. The wine finishes medium. It tastes like strawberry jam, red currant and stoniness. The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. The wine has juicy texture.
30 minutes after opening. Aerated with Vinturi.
Opens up nicely with time. Still jammy with red berries prevailing. Slight earthy, herbal finish.
Buy Again?: Yes, but not this vintage.
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Dark, promising color. Muted nose with hints of spice and a slight overcooked note. Tasted some black cherries and again a note of stewed fruits, slightly overcooked. Maybe a bit disjointed. Not impressed.
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This was my last bottle and I decided to kill it based on recent notes and the fear it may be approaching it's end. It was really nice with an excellent dinner of Lamb loin chops and Cacio e Pepe. This is not to the standard of other 05's I have had but IMHO deserves better than an 84 or 85. I wish I had more.
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Not a star of the vintage by any stretch, even at the relatively low price point. But this bottle was richer and fuller than recent TNs would indicate. Opened in the bottle for 24 hours. This needs time to fill out
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Bought a half-case of this as a future. This was my second bottle; not much improvement since I opened the first one two years ago. This wine is like a stuffy corporate lawyer at a big firm: austere, self-important, and not memorable.
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Decanted for about 90 minutes before serving with braised short ribs with mushrooms. I found that even with the decant, this took even longer to show it's stuff. Fairly classic Bordeaux profile but will definitely decant much longer on my last bottle.
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Initially tight and closed. A decant of an hour improved the wine softening the tannins. Black currant, cherry and leather. Still needs time in the cellar. Will retry in six months. Not very complex for a grand cru of a great vintage.
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The bottle is popped and decanted for half a day. It pours a dark, almost inky black color with thick rims. Regrettably, the wine is still very tight despite the aeration. The nose is quite jammy with notes of blackcurrants, truffles and sweet tar. Nonetheless, these are all masked behind a wall of graphite, with the earthiness of the wine dominating the bouquet. On the palate, tannins are pretty thick, if not slightly abrasive, as they have not been resolved yet. The wine boasts a broad and masculine structure, with even more flavors of earth and mulch against a backdrop of black fruits, tea and jam. Acidity is minimal and the finish is only of medium length. I am quite disappointed with this wine and I expected more from a good year from a Grand Cru. For what it costs, based on the QPR, this is quite steep as the wine lacks balance and complexity. This wine is only alright.
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Very dry. Medium bodied and medium length. Black fruits and raspberries, though not as concentrated as I expected. Some cedar and cigar notes, with some earthy elements. Not sure this will get better from here, but my recollection of previous bottles is they were in better shape.
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Very interesting, initially pretty light, but gained complexity and depth over the evening, nice earthy BDX nose, some cassis and plum but mainly earth. Smooth and refined on the palate, delicious with a steak but also with the tannins mellowed enough to be good without. Medium cherry currant acidity provides a nice balance. Overall, a very tasty wine that was drinking very well.
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I believe this wine still has a number of years ahead of it. Opened it at lunchtime and found it of average weight with reasonable tannins and an elegance associated with Margaux. I then set half the bottle aside and returned to it much later that evening with cheese. By now the wine had fleshed out and taken on a much greater depth through the middle with cedar wood and pencil tones producing a very moorish wine.
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Decanted 90 minutes. Dark red color, tight bouquet with very little fruit coming through unless swirled vigorously. Medium body, soft, drinks very nicely with earthy, slight cherry, toffee, cedar. Tannins are smooth I think it's drinking just fine now and would not hesitate to consumer this now. Not sure if it gets better, doubt it gets worse over next 5 years.
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Less drinkable and enjoyable than last time. Rustic, a hint of tannic and a bit flat at the end. I have one bottle left that I am not looking forward to drinking.
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Tasted more right bank than left. It has 45% Merlot, so I guess that should not have Ben a surprise. That and the Cab Franc seemed to soften it a bit. Quite drinkable for a youngster.
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Consistent with last bottle. A nice, rustic mix of dark fruit and earthy, tobacco type flavors. Very nice entry level 05 Bordeaux that is drinking well right now.
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Full disclosure: I detected a slight musty element in this bottle, but found it to be quite drinkable. My wife, who has a more sensitive pallet, declared the wine to be undrinkable...She agreed to empty her glass into mine...My wife did not have this reaction to the two previous bottles we have consumed.
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I did not decant and do not believe that is necessary. I subscribe to the belief that this wine is now as good as it will get. The tannins have subsided and it works with food. I will drink my remaining five bottles during the coming month.
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PnP. Not bad but for $30, not the greatest QPR. I took out this bottle from the storage facility and opened within 1hour. No decanting or areation. Very drinkable, a bit stern, initially lots of graphite with rich fruit. Over time, fruit faded, it became more stringent. Was pleasantly surprised. Drink quickly upon opening.
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blackberry and blackcurrant crumble...touches of leather and meat, varnish and shoe polish...and cream. Slight smoky note along with a stemmy element. Very 'fruity bordeaux'. In the mouth the wine is a touch sour with blackberry over black currant notes. Slight leathery elements. A little tart and bitter. Surprisingly unripe for such a good vintage. Oh dear. I'll leave the others for a few years to see if there is any improvement (somehow I don't think there will be).
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"A soft, fruity wine, with blackberry, coffee and light vanilla on the nose and palate. Full, with very velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish." 91 Points - Wine Spectator" Six months after my previous review (1/19/2014) the wine has matured and the tannins noticeably reduced. This bottle of wine tasted better than the last. (Funny how that happens sometimes.) I agree with Wine Spectator, except that the long, flavorful finish seems to be missing.
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Decanted for 30 mins. Medium purple color with some fine sediment. Nose of black cherry, dark ripe plum, cedar cigar box and a bit of fresh soil. Similar flavors on the palate with cassis and black cherries along with a bit more of the cigar and a touch of oak. Medium acid and tannins with a nice finish. Started to fade a little toward the end of the bottle so I would consider drinking this in the near to intermediate term.
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Bitter stuff. Very tight, with a vegetal iron stink that took several hours to blow off. Six hours later it's drinking fine. Still bitter, but the fruit is coming out. Blackberry, coffee, iodine on the palate, with a lingering vegetal quality on the nose.
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Decanted for around 30 mins. Medium purple color with some fine sediment. Nice nose of black currant, cedar, a bit of pyrazine and some earthy, soil driven aromas. Similar flavors on the palate with a good mix of fruit and terroir. Medium acid and tannins and a pleasant finish. A balanced wine that worked well with food. Not an overly complex wine but a solid $30 Bordeaux from a well regarded vintage.
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Let breath for a couple of hours before drinking. Nice nose, earthy tones and very smooth with well integrated and round tannins. Enjoyable and easy drinking Bordeaux for a casual evening. It's very approachable and in a good stage right now... and I'm not getting any hint of tightness or overly tannic that several other reviewers have commented on...
If anything a bit too light and soft for my preference and wouldn't recommend cellering any further.
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This is to confirm the other tasting notes. After eight years, this vintage is still tight. Further, I do not taste a lot behind the tannins. To quote Gertrude Stein, "There's no there there!" (She was referring to Oakland, California, USA.) I have another three bottles and will wait a year before opening one.
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Very tight. The dark berry fruit is there, but right now is overwhelmed by all the tannins. Long dry tannic finish. Will wait 2-4 years before opening another bottle.
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very tight no fruit decanted for 1.5 hours… Wow only thing remarkable was tannic finish and deep ruby color…. I have 11 more… thank you wine spectator.
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So I bought this as a future, after reading a wine retailer's glowing review that this was the best Marquis d'Alesme Becker ever, that it was a Third Growth, that the estate was making all kinds of major renovations, and so on... The store must have got cases of it on the cheap. As far as Bordeaux goes, trust Robert Parker, who labels this for what it is. Not necessarily a bad wine, but it's thin and hardly worthy of being labeled fine Bordeaux, much less Margaux. Without question, the worst $30 bottle I have ever bought. And I've got five more!
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Pretty much the same as the other notes. It was tight and closed right out of the bottle. I gave it about 90 minutes in a decanter and it filled out a bit, but still a more pedestrian wine. Graphite, with dark fruits, somewhat chalky tannins. Overall, the back palate was rather weak and the finish non-existent. Drink it now though....this won't really get much better. It is what it is. A nice, pleasant wine, but not much more than a Cru Bourgeois.
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Very closed initially without much to offer. After an hour and a half in the decanter it began to open up with some lovely mineral and graphite scents, touches of fruit, and some spice. The finish which was initially very short became better with time. Overall better than expected.
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OK but nothing memorable or satisfying. Fruit is getting better so I'll hold my remaining bottles for a few more years. For me, it is still dry and tannic on the finish. Very dark wine with similar palate profile as before. Dirt and lead notes.
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I guess the previous bottle I had of this was affected in some way as this is simply lovely, classic Margaux. Classy, sweet, well-integrated, showing nice fruit, but also earthy very dry tones on the finish. Excellent balance and nice persistence.
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Still young and tight needs more time. Triple vinturi, 3 hour decant opened it up a little. Nice fresh and pure but flavor and aroma still way in the background. Like sex with a condom on; you get the impression of it but not the full sensory experience.
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Much better balance than recent examples of 2005 Bordeaux that i have tried, yet this sample is still very muted and tannic. The Cabernet comes across rather metallic and not offering much fruit. This can improve, and i expect that it will. Hold....
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Ripe red and black fruit, some green pepper and a dusty element on the nose. The palate shows high alcohol, tannins and acidity. Same flavor profile suggested by the nose. Th wine is delicious but the alcohol is unfortunately too much right now, I suspect it would get much better with a 2 hours decant. This wine shows tons of potential but it's way too early to drink it right now, hold it for at least another 5 years....or do some serious decanting if you can't wait!!
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Dark red / purple color. Scents of blackberry, plum and dark fruits. Tastes of dark fruits, cherry and some tannins. Adequate, but not overly impressive, Margaux from the 2005 vintage. Consistent with prior tasting note.
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Dark and brooding at this point and holding back a bit. Very tightly wound and very very dark. Even with 4 hours of decanting and vinturi. Will wait at least another year or two before opening another one.
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Tannic and not integrated. Not much fruit and not much promise. Very disappointing. The burst of blackberry nose when uncorked didn't hold. Another overpayment to Total Wine & Spirits - a store I truly love for most of the values I have found there.
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Dark red / purple color. Scents of blackberry, plum and dark fruits. Tastes of dark fruits, cherry and some tannins. Adequate, but not overly impressive, Margaux from the 2005 vintage.
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On the nose, some faint fruit with a strong sense of umami. Took a sip, this is tasting very nice - tannins still firm to me, medium body, I get some plum and cedar. It seems almost thin at very first approach, but the finish hangs on. Overall nice but not a stunner, have 2 more bottles that I think might still show better with age.
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Given the vintage was disappointed in this wine. No complexity or depth; short-medium finish. Better to drink with food as long as you don't mind the food being the center of attention.
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Popped and poured. Medium to medium-plus purple/ruby hue. Fairly pronounced nose of black currant, black raspberry, earth, and a touch of cigar box. Medium body. On the palate, the overall profile keeps to the appellation and shows as elegant and smooth, with flavors of black fruits, currant, anise, and a touch of oak. Tannins are still somewhat tight and astringent on the moderate finish; probably best to cellar for a few more years. Although not overly complex, this is a tasty, easy-going Margaux that offers a nice value relative to other examples from the appellation.
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Consumed over 2 nights; better on the second night. This is much better now than last time (1/09), but still needs a little more time in the bottle. Clear ruby/purple to the rim. More fruit forward now with tannins beginning to recede but still a little herbacious. I'd guess another 6 mos in the cellar and consume over the following 2-3 years. A good 2005 Bordeaux to drink while waiting for the better stuff to mature.
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A reticent nose with plums, dark berries and licorice. At first it was pretty sharp and tannic but with air the fruit shows up and this becomes more balanced and elegant. Not very complex but this will certainly improve for several more years.
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popped and poured into an Eisch glass, and found the wine pretty well integrated; nicely floral and soft enough tannins. Probably will peak soon. Nothing profound, but certainly worthy.
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I think this wine has a lot of upside potential and I could see myself scoring it higher with some bottle age. After a 2hr decant I still found this wine to be tight as a clam. The nose took a long time to come around, at which point I got a very fresh and vibrant red berry fruit peeking through, with a good amount of oak and a touch of mint on the nose. On the palate - again, very tight. The structure is great - the wine is still quite tannic but the tannins are manageable, and while the wine may lack "weight" it makes up for it in elegance.
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Very disappointing '05 effort from this 3rd growth Margaux. Almost no nose to speak of for the first 15 minutes. Even after vinturi + 1, 2, 3 hours of decanting, still not much going on. My wife thought it was a pinot noir initially because of its light weight. So here we are after hour 3, minimal cherry nose and a bit of milk chocolate, but that's really reaching. Taste is cherry. Finish is short and sourly austere. The finish should soften with some time but I wouldn't call this wine "ageworthy". If you're low on space in your cellar, drink this now to make room for other more deserving wines. Even at $15-$20 I would pass on this one. Despite the poor review, it did pair well with chocolate covered almonds which seemed to soften up the impact.
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some firm tannins, cassis and black cherry, a bit of vanilla and cedar. Modest length. If you're looking at this as a 3rd growth from a great vintage, don't think you'll be impressed. But as a $16 Margaux, pretty good. B
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Lovely perfumed notes of violet and cassis. Just a hint of vanilla. Nicely balanced on the pallet, but a bit austere flavor-wise. Not a lot of fruit yet. The tannins are significant, but I don't think there's enough fruit to back them up. We'll see how the second half of the bottle does on the second day. First day score: 88
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Dinner at home with my friend Vassilis. Popped and poured. Ruby in color with a pink rim. At the beginning shy nose and a bit alcoholic. After some aeration reveals aromas of black fruits, minerals, smoke and herbs. Vassilis found a hint of beewax. On the palate is medium - bodied, austere, with harsh tannins and flavors of milk chocolate, bitter almond and sour cherry. Short and bitter finish. Nothing on this wine reminds me a classic margaux...
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Drank last night as part of a bordeaux blind tasting. Nice, dark purple color. Nose of red fruit, currant, and a bit of savory herbs. Similar flavors on the palate with bright red fruit. Medium acid, with structured but not overbearing tannins. Enjoyable finish. This wine will probably drink really well over the next 3-5 years and should continue to evolve.
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Was really impressed with this and liked it a lot more than I expected to based on reviews I'd read. Punishing tannins on opening but after an hour was very pleasant. Even better after a few days (vacuvin'd) Will last a couple decades but no reason to wait all that long. Should be peaking in a decade. Glad I have a case to see how it goes over that time.
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This has a healthy dark purple color. It's a bit tight in at first, but opens nicely. Ripe, nicely balanced, and full across the palate. Not much complexity, but it has all the hallmarks of what good, mid-level Margaux should look like in an excellent vintage. This estate may be a perennial underachiever, but in this vintage, they turned out a quality effort.
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Nice medium ruby/purple color in glass. Limited, slightly fruity nose. Medium bodied, simple, decent fruit and a litle tannin; pleasant enough, though was expecting more. Agree with others that this is approachable now, but will hold and try again in 6-9 mos to see if it develops more interest.
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After reading the WA review of this wine I decided to open another - since they recommend to drink now vs hold. (CT window is 2012-2020 - I am confused!)
Initially tight but opened up very nicely after 2 hours decanting. Definetly cassis, a little pencil lead, blue and red fruits on the nose. On the pallet it is medium in weight with bright acidity. Cherry/berry, some vanilla on the finish. Really very nice and I do agree with WA that it is drinkable now.
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I expect to tast many wonderful wines from Margaux in this vintage, but I didn't feel this was one. This wine was a bit light but at the same time it showed some harshness. Cherry, cassis and vanilla bean with moderate finish, I liked the du Tetre better for the same $$.
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Great for the price - these have already gone up at Bevmo to $50 but you can still buy them elsewhere for $30. I'm not sure what Bevmo is thinking on this one.
This is a delicious and food friendly wine - it might be a little young now but I don't plan to cellar them long - I hope I still have one left in 2012 when they are supposedly ready!! I bought one bottle to taste and ran back to buy 4 more and will use them to dishes like rack of lamb, roasted pork loin, etc. I plan to drink these over the next 2-3 years.
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BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): Hint of just ripe enough plum with some spice on the nose precedes a frank attack on the palate, which turns fresh and plum-like. Has a slightly hard edge however and also some alcoholic excess on the back end. Still, retains a freshness which balances it for the most part... 88-91
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1/2/2023 - vinero Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good, but not spectacular. Overall still young/primary in appearance. A bit of an underwhelming experience.
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12/2/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - 1995 & 2005 Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slight cream, blackcurrant, pyrazine, savoury spice, cedar, earthy notes, chalky minerality, a little red currant underpin with time. Savoury, meaty underpin, red and black fruits, chalky chewy tannins, earthy, leathery notes. Non intrusive alcohol warmth but this is the best this wine has shown for me.
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11/20/2022 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points
Loyang CSC chalet party. Pop and poured. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of grilled herbs, leather, blackcurrant + blackberries. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (13.5%), high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, grilled herbs, ripe capsicum, blackberries, black cherries, blackcurrant, touch of dark leather to the ling structured finish.
Good quality Left Bank Bordeaux.
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7/17/2022 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coravin tasted. This bottle is definitely better than my last one. Very dark fruited nose with hints of forest floor, cedar and ash tray notes. The palate is quite intense and inky. It sticks to your gums. There is a bit of over-extraction that gives it a sense of bitterness but this seems to be receding with time. I will pop this in 2025 to see how it evolved. Will let you know!
Update: Couldn't wait till 2025 but it was in great shape until today 10/26/22.
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2/12/2022 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cork is friable. Decanted for 1.5 hours. Dark fruit on nose somewhat muted. Stewed plums and blackberry with some tobacco chocolate and drying tannins. This still has life in the cellar. The alcohol seems to be present throughout the finish.
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10/29/2021 - thebonnydooner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still pretty dark in colour, dark plum with just a tinge of brick. Lovely earthy blackberry currant BDX nose, some cedar, leather, dark cheery jam. Palate is medium to full bodied, nicely balanced, medium soft tannins, same for acidity. Black plum and berry fruit with currant and brush notes on the drying finish. Seemed like a good time to drink, drying a little. Excellent.
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10/16/2021 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted for approximately one hour. Minimal bricking and some fine sediment noted at the bottom of the bottle. Nose of earth and some dark fruits, but not your typical Bordeaux. No major flaws here. The pallet was mostly secondaries, fruit a bit thin. With no great flaws this was not a wow wine tonight.
Dark along side an 09’ Viader and Lewelling Wight which both had more of the Napa-Esque fruit that made them more of the crowd pleasers to night.
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10/7/2021 - galewskj wrote: 87 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. The nose has some nice Bordeaux components. The palate is just odd and rough. The palate reminds me of a Rhone wine. Not a good value at $30.
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3/28/2021 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs about two hours of air to evolve. Notes of muted dark berry and soy like salinity with mid and back notes of expresso and caramel.
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3/21/2021 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 85 Points
Dark fruit on the nose with some leather and tobacco. Bone dry on the palate. Medium plus acidity. Chalky tannins. Medium alcohol. Woody, leafy and wet paper notes on the palate. Very little fruit left. If it wasn't for the pleasant nose, I'd say this was corked. I just may be late on this one.
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1/1/2021 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, this has cellared very well. Three hour decant. Nose of muted dark fruit and library books. Leather with hints of tobacco and flint, pencil shavings and dried earth transforms into drying tannins. I believe this still has time in the cellar. I do not know if it improves beyond my current impression. BTW I paired it with roasted duck on a winter night.
Day 2 still going strong. Less fruit but otherwise very similar and still enjoyable.
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12/23/2020 - wineappreciation wrote: 91 Points
Gravel, unripe blackberry, oak; full, smooth, long, developed, old-school and not much fruit but very good
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12/9/2020 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Three-hour decant. Beautiful purple-red color, not exhibiting any signs of age. Boysenberry, minerals, and punchy acidity are prominent. Signature Margaux violets and some forest floor on the nose, too. Still, quite drying tannins that suggest possible further development, and make it more appropriate for food pairing than parlor sipping. Keep my last bottle for 5 years perhaps.
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10/16/2020 - RN wrote:
Still looking young. Needs a decant to open. Somewhat unresolved but has all the components. Currently dominated by its tannin structure. Still enjoyable with food. Held together nicely after three nights Indicating a long life ahead.
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6/6/2020 - advinm41 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Average Bordeaux, nothing spectacular, a bit unbalanced between alchohol, acid and tannins.
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4/28/2020 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very similar to previous note.
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4/19/2020 - Deryl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork in perfect shape
Decanted about 2 hrs
Perfectly ready to drink.
Everything resolved and in balance. Plenty of fruit.
Everything I’m hoping for in this bottle at this price.
Could last longer but I don’t see more than a couple years. No reason to wait.
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2/23/2020 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Drinking window is for sure more than 2020 - this is still pretty young and out of the bottle was pretty tight. Still pretty young in colour, only a hint of brick on rim. Earthy dark plum and currant nose. Medium bodied on the palate, tastes fresh and with good acidity, currant and dark plum fruit with medium tannins. Tasty long finish with excellent length. Seems to be punching above its weight after some years in bottle. Delicious with some air.
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2/22/2020 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very similar to prior note a year ago. Decanted for three hours. IMHO this is mandatory to bring out the finesse of this left bank Bordeaux. Notes of dark fruit, gravel, tobacco , leather, pencil shavings with long finish. I truly enjoyed this wine with lamb shank. Still think this can easily cellar for another 3 to five years.
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11/17/2019 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Tomato leaf, sweet spice (nutmeg/clove), blackcurrant, red currant. Pronounced acidity, red currant with a leafy underpin and drying, leathery, grainy tannic burr. a bit out of whack for me.
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11/1/2019 - Oenecnist wrote:
Bought 6b for 27/b from a local independent shop about 10 years ago; this is #2. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple; restrained blackcurrant nose that blossomed by day 3; some fruit but tight during first two hour and took 3 days to emerge with vacu-vinning after each day's opening. Eventually delicious, glad I have more but will wait a while before trying again. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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2/23/2019 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Just PNP very tight and closed ruby color with brick meniscus.Very tannic with acidity on finish (I have high hopes for this 2005 Margaux.) Will decant 3.5 hours prior to serving. IMHO the aeration is mandatory for this wine to begin to evolve.
Notes of cherry and cedar with hints of coffee, leather, tobacco, and pencil shavings on finish. My impression is this wine is an old style Bordeaux, more subtle and refined than new world red blends. I think the finish is not super long but still very nice.
Probably not the best example of the 2005 left bank Margaux, but an incredibly enjoyable wine with the bones to cellar for another 5 plus years.
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7/13/2018 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 90 Points
First bottle from an en primeur case buy back in 2006. Very nice now with a couple hour decant, and showing no age whatsoever. Good fruit, tannic backbone, and refreshing acidity. Some very characteristic Margaux violets and intense fruit salad. I can see this as a good food wine. Plenty of tannins to support this wine for another 10 years at least, it seems. We'll see though.
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6/30/2018 - quanmeister wrote:
average
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5/30/2018 - Pour Boy wrote: 91 Points
To me, this vintage from Marquis d'Alesme was thin in its youth, and certainly taught me the value of giving good Bordeaux time to grow and evolve. Eight years, even 10 years, into this vintage were inadequate.
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5/23/2018 - Pour Boy wrote: 91 Points
I know I have been a critic of this producer, but this bottle is now starting to show the bones of the 05 vintage. Not a bold wine, but one that is now showing some nuance and complexity.
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4/13/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Polished savoury cassis underpinned by herbaceous notes and mineral elements. A little leather and spice. More red fruit than cassis on the palate with drying, silky tannins, juicy acidity and a little alcohol warmth on the finish.
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11/5/2017 - jrisner Likes this wine: 95 Points
11.4.17 - had with home grilled dry aged porterhouse. Fantastic. Tannins have smoothed out but still full bodied
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10/31/2017 - Pour Boy wrote: 91 Points
This may be finally starting to come around. I have been a tough critic of this vintage for Marquis D'Alesme, but this bottle is the best to date. Love the finish, in particular -- tart, but at just the right level.
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7/22/2017 - O'Meara wrote:
This is relatively mature. Two hours decant before a two hour consumption period. Rather unremarkable. None of the charming bouquet typical of this appellation. Fruit is rather thin for a 2005. There is much better wine from this vintage from other producers. Not bad...but not great.
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5/3/2017 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 88 Points
@Nocturne in Hong Kong
Dark Ox-blood, full bodied. High ABV
Dirty socks. Cigar box. Pencil led. Some dark fruit and barnyard
Dry. Sour cherries. Longish finish. Dry. Weakening tannins
A very good wine for sure. Worth buying if you see it.
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1/15/2017 - iamandyc wrote: 87 Points
Better second day as it fleshed out a bit more and the balance improved. First day was not pleasant without food. Some earthiness and coffee grounds beneath dark fruit. Silky
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10/18/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 85 Points
Fully mature, light in color, light in fruit and delivering more secondary, earth, tobacco, green, leafy notes than its red fruits. Soft texture, without the stuffing for much aging, this is a wine to open over the next few years. Current vintages from the new owner show marked improvements.
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9/20/2016 - guribh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Best showing of this wine to date. I believe it is finally coming around, with good future ahead. Classic Margaux perfume evolved after aeration and an hour in the glass... Good balance and length. Regret consuming the majority of the case I bought a bit prematurely. 3 left...
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9/18/2016 - Pour Boy wrote: 86 Points
Strange thing about this is there are virtually no aromas when it is in the glass. Getting softer as it ages. Not a lot of tannins left. Finishes slightly sour.
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8/29/2016 - Enfantterrible wrote: 90 Points
Similar experience to Arguseyes6. My impression of this wine is much improved. Nice QPR at $24 on release. Hold for 3-4 more years
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8/12/2016 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still has time in the cellar. Drank this over a three day period and it did not fall apart. Consider a two hour decant. Notes of Black fruit, leather and tobacco with strong tannins that smooth out with aeration. Very enjoyable and evolving in the glass and over the three days.
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6/23/2016 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Found this on a fair deal and could not resist. Had previously read the CT notes and it seems there may be some bottle variation. This bottle was stunning, classy, and elegant! The bouquet featured heady Margaux perfume of blackcurrant, bramble berry, exotic spices, peppers, and graphite. The palate revealed a most appealing combination of power and finesse, with medium plus acid and medium tannins. The wine was more open on the second day, the last drops making a serious impression. Little sign of aging, and likely a 20 year wine from now. Pure pleasure. 93-94.
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4/9/2016 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This needs to be decanted for at least 40 minutes. Mature notes of alluvial and mushrooms on the nose. I really enjoyed this. Dark fruits with some leather and smokey finish. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea but I really like this wine.
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2/22/2016 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for about two hours. Wow this wine is great. Nice balance of tannins and alcohol still can be cellared for many more years.
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2/22/2016 - tabachus wrote: 87 Points
The wine has high acidity. It smells like cranberry, black currant (cassis) and strawberry jam. The wine finishes medium. It tastes like strawberry jam, red currant and stoniness. The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. The wine has juicy texture.
30 minutes after opening. Aerated with Vinturi.
Opens up nicely with time. Still jammy with red berries prevailing. Slight earthy, herbal finish.
Buy Again?: Yes, but not this vintage.
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2/11/2016 - guribh wrote: 85 Points
Dark, promising color. Muted nose with hints of spice and a slight overcooked note. Tasted some black cherries and again a note of stewed fruits, slightly overcooked. Maybe a bit disjointed. Not impressed.
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11/24/2015 - MarkMich wrote: 90 Points
This was my last bottle and I decided to kill it based on recent notes and the fear it may be approaching it's end. It was really nice with an excellent dinner of Lamb loin chops and Cacio e Pepe. This is not to the standard of other 05's I have had but IMHO deserves better than an 84 or 85. I wish I had more.
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11/24/2015 - Enfantterrible wrote: 86 Points
Not a star of the vintage by any stretch, even at the relatively low price point. But this bottle was richer and fuller than recent TNs would indicate. Opened in the bottle for 24 hours. This needs time to fill out
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11/20/2015 - phellstrand wrote: 85 Points
Nothing wrong with it, just not very interesting and probably won't improve much with time.
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11/15/2015 - Pour Boy wrote: 84 Points
Bought a half-case of this as a future. This was my second bottle; not much improvement since I opened the first one two years ago. This wine is like a stuffy corporate lawyer at a big firm: austere, self-important, and not memorable.
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11/14/2015 - wirelesswine wrote:
Decanted for about 90 minutes before serving with braised short ribs with mushrooms. I found that even with the decant, this took even longer to show it's stuff. Fairly classic Bordeaux profile but will definitely decant much longer on my last bottle.
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10/17/2015 - CieloVista wrote: 90 Points
I'm glad that we waited; rich, smooth and velvety dark fruit.
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8/14/2015 - garrigue65 wrote: 86 Points
Initially tight and closed. A decant of an hour improved the wine softening the tannins. Black currant, cherry and leather. Still needs time in the cellar. Will retry in six months. Not very complex for a grand cru of a great vintage.
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7/24/2015 - emzee.mc wrote: 85 Points
The bottle is popped and decanted for half a day. It pours a dark, almost inky black color with thick rims. Regrettably, the wine is still very tight despite the aeration. The nose is quite jammy with notes of blackcurrants, truffles and sweet tar. Nonetheless, these are all masked behind a wall of graphite, with the earthiness of the wine dominating the bouquet. On the palate, tannins are pretty thick, if not slightly abrasive, as they have not been resolved yet. The wine boasts a broad and masculine structure, with even more flavors of earth and mulch against a backdrop of black fruits, tea and jam. Acidity is minimal and the finish is only of medium length. I am quite disappointed with this wine and I expected more from a good year from a Grand Cru. For what it costs, based on the QPR, this is quite steep as the wine lacks balance and complexity. This wine is only alright.
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7/14/2015 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very dry. Medium bodied and medium length. Black fruits and raspberries, though not as concentrated as I expected. Some cedar and cigar notes, with some earthy elements. Not sure this will get better from here, but my recollection of previous bottles is they were in better shape.
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7/13/2015 - yiuwing_hk wrote: 91 Points
Dark, bordeaux nose, cassis, earthy, med acidity, high tannins, minerals, graphite, black fruits, med+ length.
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7/3/2015 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Very interesting, initially pretty light, but gained complexity and depth over the evening, nice earthy BDX nose, some cassis and plum but mainly earth. Smooth and refined on the palate, delicious with a steak but also with the tannins mellowed enough to be good without. Medium cherry currant acidity provides a nice balance. Overall, a very tasty wine that was drinking very well.
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4/4/2015 - vinomex wrote: 89 Points
Best of my three bottles. This one continues to improve.
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3/9/2015 - rooman Likes this wine: 92 Points
I believe this wine still has a number of years ahead of it. Opened it at lunchtime and found it of average weight with reasonable tannins and an elegance associated with Margaux. I then set half the bottle aside and returned to it much later that evening with cheese. By now the wine had fleshed out and taken on a much greater depth through the middle with cedar wood and pencil tones producing a very moorish wine.
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2/15/2015 - stevenrcagle wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. Dark red color, tight bouquet with very little fruit coming through unless swirled vigorously. Medium body, soft, drinks very nicely with earthy, slight cherry, toffee, cedar. Tannins are smooth I think it's drinking just fine now and would not hesitate to consumer this now. Not sure if it gets better, doubt it gets worse over next 5 years.
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1/24/2015 - vinomex wrote: 88 Points
Less drinkable and enjoyable than last time. Rustic, a hint of tannic and a bit flat at the end. I have one bottle left that I am not looking forward to drinking.
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1/9/2015 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted more right bank than left. It has 45% Merlot, so I guess that should not have Ben a surprise. That and the Cab Franc seemed to soften it a bit. Quite drinkable for a youngster.
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1/6/2015 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was the last of my six bottles and I believe the best of the lot.
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12/24/2014 - flashvictor wrote: 89 Points
Needs lots of air. Much better on day two.
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11/28/2014 - Rich S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with last bottle. A nice, rustic mix of dark fruit and earthy, tobacco type flavors. Very nice entry level 05 Bordeaux that is drinking well right now.
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11/26/2014 - chatters wrote:
End of Project Supper 2 (Bitton Restaurant, Erskinville): Violets, tar, leather, blackcurrant, horse sweat, cedar…lovely nose, juicy rich and far less sour than the last bottle I had. Rather splendid
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11/20/2014 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full disclosure: I detected a slight musty element in this bottle, but found it to be quite drinkable. My wife, who has a more sensitive pallet, declared the wine to be undrinkable...She agreed to empty her glass into mine...My wife did not have this reaction to the two previous bottles we have consumed.
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10/27/2014 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 90 Points
I did not decant and do not believe that is necessary. I subscribe to the belief that this wine is now as good as it will get. The tannins have subsided and it works with food. I will drink my remaining five bottles during the coming month.
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8/13/2014 - vinomex wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Not bad but for $30, not the greatest QPR. I took out this bottle from the storage facility and opened within 1hour. No decanting or areation. Very drinkable, a bit stern, initially lots of graphite with rich fruit. Over time, fruit faded, it became more stringent. Was pleasantly surprised. Drink quickly upon opening.
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8/10/2014 - chatters wrote:
blackberry and blackcurrant crumble...touches of leather and meat, varnish and shoe polish...and cream. Slight smoky note along with a stemmy element. Very 'fruity bordeaux'. In the mouth the wine is a touch sour with blackberry over black currant notes. Slight leathery elements. A little tart and bitter. Surprisingly unripe for such a good vintage. Oh dear. I'll leave the others for a few years to see if there is any improvement (somehow I don't think there will be).
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7/22/2014 - Squire wrote: 88 Points
"A soft, fruity wine, with blackberry, coffee and light vanilla on the nose and palate. Full, with very velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish."
91 Points - Wine Spectator"
Six months after my previous review (1/19/2014) the wine has matured and the tannins noticeably reduced. This bottle of wine tasted better than the last. (Funny how that happens sometimes.) I agree with Wine Spectator, except that the long, flavorful finish seems to be missing.
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7/6/2014 - Rich S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 30 mins. Medium purple color with some fine sediment. Nose of black cherry, dark ripe plum, cedar cigar box and a bit of fresh soil. Similar flavors on the palate with cassis and black cherries along with a bit more of the cigar and a touch of oak. Medium acid and tannins with a nice finish. Started to fade a little toward the end of the bottle so I would consider drinking this in the near to intermediate term.
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3/14/2014 - jayw wrote:
Bitter stuff. Very tight, with a vegetal iron stink that took several hours to blow off. Six hours later it's drinking fine. Still bitter, but the fruit is coming out. Blackberry, coffee, iodine on the palate, with a lingering vegetal quality on the nose.
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3/2/2014 - Rich S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for around 30 mins. Medium purple color with some fine sediment. Nice nose of black currant, cedar, a bit of pyrazine and some earthy, soil driven aromas. Similar flavors on the palate with a good mix of fruit and terroir. Medium acid and tannins and a pleasant finish. A balanced wine that worked well with food. Not an overly complex wine but a solid $30 Bordeaux from a well regarded vintage.
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2/16/2014 - folsomarndt wrote: 89 Points
Let breath for a couple of hours before drinking. Nice nose, earthy tones and very smooth with well integrated and round tannins. Enjoyable and easy drinking Bordeaux for a casual evening. It's very approachable and in a good stage right now... and I'm not getting any hint of tightness or overly tannic that several other reviewers have commented on...
If anything a bit too light and soft for my preference and wouldn't recommend cellering any further.
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1/19/2014 - Squire Does not like this wine: 84 Points
This is to confirm the other tasting notes. After eight years, this vintage is still tight. Further, I do not taste a lot behind the tannins. To quote Gertrude Stein, "There's no there there!" (She was referring to Oakland, California, USA.) I have another three bottles and will wait a year before opening one.
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12/31/2013 - jayw wrote:
Very tight. The dark berry fruit is there, but right now is overwhelmed by all the tannins. Long dry tannic finish. Will wait 2-4 years before opening another bottle.
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12/19/2013 - garrigue65 wrote: 85 Points
very tight no fruit decanted for 1.5 hours… Wow only thing remarkable was tannic finish and deep ruby color…. I have 11 more… thank you wine spectator.
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10/19/2013 - Pour Boy wrote: 84 Points
So I bought this as a future, after reading a wine retailer's glowing review that this was the best Marquis d'Alesme Becker ever, that it was a Third Growth, that the estate was making all kinds of major renovations, and so on... The store must have got cases of it on the cheap. As far as Bordeaux goes, trust Robert Parker, who labels this for what it is. Not necessarily a bad wine, but it's thin and hardly worthy of being labeled fine Bordeaux, much less Margaux. Without question, the worst $30 bottle I have ever bought. And I've got five more!
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10/14/2013 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine: 84 Points
Pretty much the same as the other notes. It was tight and closed right out of the bottle. I gave it about 90 minutes in a decanter and it filled out a bit, but still a more pedestrian wine. Graphite, with dark fruits, somewhat chalky tannins. Overall, the back palate was rather weak and the finish non-existent. Drink it now though....this won't really get much better. It is what it is. A nice, pleasant wine, but not much more than a Cru Bourgeois.
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9/8/2013 - MarkMich wrote: 90 Points
Still needs time to open up but drinking well.
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5/9/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
Very closed initially without much to offer. After an hour and a half in the decanter it began to open up with some lovely mineral and graphite scents, touches of fruit, and some spice. The finish which was initially very short became better with time. Overall better than expected.
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3/18/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 87 Points
OK but nothing memorable or satisfying. Fruit is getting better so I'll hold my remaining bottles for a few more years. For me, it is still dry and tannic on the finish. Very dark wine with similar palate profile as before. Dirt and lead notes.
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3/14/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
I guess the previous bottle I had of this was affected in some way as this is simply lovely, classic Margaux. Classy, sweet, well-integrated, showing nice fruit, but also earthy very dry tones on the finish. Excellent balance and nice persistence.
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12/25/2012 - jbeauprez Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still young and tight needs more time. Triple vinturi, 3 hour decant opened it up a little. Nice fresh and pure but flavor and aroma still way in the background. Like sex with a condom on; you get the impression of it but not the full sensory experience.
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12/7/2012 - khmark7 wrote: 85 Points
Much better balance than recent examples of 2005 Bordeaux that i have tried, yet this sample is still very muted and tannic. The Cabernet comes across rather metallic and not offering much fruit. This can improve, and i expect that it will. Hold....
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7/20/2012 - Dapz wrote: 90 Points
Ripe red and black fruit, some green pepper and a dusty element on the nose. The palate shows high alcohol, tannins and acidity. Same flavor profile suggested by the nose. Th wine is delicious but the alcohol is unfortunately too much right now, I suspect it would get much better with a 2 hours decant. This wine shows tons of potential but it's way too early to drink it right now, hold it for at least another 5 years....or do some serious decanting if you can't wait!!
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6/17/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 88 Points
Surprised at how this is rated 92-94 pts. Seems quite uninspired, dry, uninvolving. Nothing to see..
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5/20/2012 - dougie wrote: 88 Points
same as before.
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4/5/2012 - RedLoverJim Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is coming along very nicely. Full fruit flavors, well rounded tannins. Very good now but will last a few years.
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9/29/2011 - MBannon wrote: 86 Points
No fireworks, but a well made wine. No need to hurry on drinking these yet.
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8/26/2011 - dase13 wrote: 88 Points
Dark red / purple color. Scents of blackberry, plum and dark fruits. Tastes of dark fruits, cherry and some tannins. Adequate, but not overly impressive, Margaux from the 2005 vintage. Consistent with prior tasting note.
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5/24/2011 - spo wrote: 85 Points
Plum, graphite, stony mineral, milk chocolate, sour acidity and mellow tannin. No apparent flaws but very tight.
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5/19/2011 - jbeauprez wrote: 88 Points
Dark and brooding at this point and holding back a bit. Very tightly wound and very very dark. Even with 4 hours of decanting and vinturi. Will wait at least another year or two before opening another one.
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5/17/2011 - iamandyc wrote: 84 Points
Just not my cup of tea. Weak flavors, thin body and seems out of balance without food to mellow the palate. No depth. Good but nothing impresses me.
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3/9/2011 - pbarnet wrote: 80 Points
Tannic and not integrated. Not much fruit and not much promise. Very disappointing. The burst of blackberry nose when uncorked didn't hold. Another overpayment to Total Wine & Spirits - a store I truly love for most of the values I have found there.
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2/25/2011 - dase13 wrote: 88 Points
Dark red / purple color. Scents of blackberry, plum and dark fruits. Tastes of dark fruits, cherry and some tannins. Adequate, but not overly impressive, Margaux from the 2005 vintage.
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2/11/2011 - wirelesswine wrote: 89 Points
On the nose, some faint fruit with a strong sense of umami. Took a sip, this is tasting very nice - tannins still firm to me, medium body, I get some plum and cedar. It seems almost thin at very first approach, but the finish hangs on. Overall nice but not a stunner, have 2 more bottles that I think might still show better with age.
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1/9/2011 - mcole23 wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyed this Bordeaux but did not have the depth as some of the other 2005 Bordeaux wines i have consumed. Maybe would drink better later.
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12/11/2010 - Solombra wrote: 89 Points
Given the vintage was disappointed in this wine. No complexity or depth; short-medium finish. Better to drink with food as long as you don't mind the food being the center of attention.
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12/4/2010 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium to medium-plus purple/ruby hue. Fairly pronounced nose of black currant, black raspberry, earth, and a touch of cigar box. Medium body. On the palate, the overall profile keeps to the appellation and shows as elegant and smooth, with flavors of black fruits, currant, anise, and a touch of oak. Tannins are still somewhat tight and astringent on the moderate finish; probably best to cellar for a few more years. Although not overly complex, this is a tasty, easy-going Margaux that offers a nice value relative to other examples from the appellation.
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9/19/2010 - stoneb wrote: 87 Points
Consumed over 2 nights; better on the second night. This is much better now than last time (1/09), but still needs a little more time in the bottle. Clear ruby/purple to the rim. More fruit forward now with tannins beginning to recede but still a little herbacious. I'd guess another 6 mos in the cellar and consume over the following 2-3 years. A good 2005 Bordeaux to drink while waiting for the better stuff to mature.
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7/14/2010 - krmcgrath wrote: 89 Points
A reticent nose with plums, dark berries and licorice. At first it was pretty sharp and tannic but with air the fruit shows up and this becomes more balanced and elegant. Not very complex but this will certainly improve for several more years.
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7/4/2010 - Wino1981 wrote: 92 Points
Wow. Loved it. Dark. Cassis. Plum. Rasberry.
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4/6/2010 - bags wrote:
popped and poured into an Eisch glass, and found the wine pretty well integrated; nicely floral and soft enough tannins. Probably will peak soon. Nothing profound, but certainly worthy.
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4/2/2010 - wirelesswine wrote: 90 Points
I think this wine has a lot of upside potential and I could see myself scoring it higher with some bottle age. After a 2hr decant I still found this wine to be tight as a clam. The nose took a long time to come around, at which point I got a very fresh and vibrant red berry fruit peeking through, with a good amount of oak and a touch of mint on the nose. On the palate - again, very tight. The structure is great - the wine is still quite tannic but the tannins are manageable, and while the wine may lack "weight" it makes up for it in elegance.
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1/4/2010 - scotty_b wrote: 84 Points
Very disappointing '05 effort from this 3rd growth Margaux. Almost no nose to speak of for the first 15 minutes. Even after vinturi + 1, 2, 3 hours of decanting, still not much going on. My wife thought it was a pinot noir initially because of its light weight. So here we are after hour 3, minimal cherry nose and a bit of milk chocolate, but that's really reaching. Taste is cherry. Finish is short and sourly austere. The finish should soften with some time but I wouldn't call this wine "ageworthy". If you're low on space in your cellar, drink this now to make room for other more deserving wines. Even at $15-$20 I would pass on this one. Despite the poor review, it did pair well with chocolate covered almonds which seemed to soften up the impact.
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11/7/2009 - DaleW wrote:
some firm tannins, cassis and black cherry, a bit of vanilla and cedar. Modest length. If you're looking at this as a 3rd growth from a great vintage, don't think you'll be impressed. But as a $16 Margaux, pretty good. B
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10/30/2009 - GuruofAV wrote: 87 Points
Still very young ..... shows a lot of potential
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9/14/2009 - nietzschephilosopher wrote: 88 Points
Lovely perfumed notes of violet and cassis. Just a hint of vanilla. Nicely balanced on the pallet, but a bit austere flavor-wise. Not a lot of fruit yet. The tannins are significant, but I don't think there's enough fruit to back them up. We'll see how the second half of the bottle does on the second day. First day score: 88
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7/15/2009 - balassis wrote: 86 Points
Dinner at home with my friend Vassilis.
Popped and poured.
Ruby in color with a pink rim.
At the beginning shy nose and a bit alcoholic.
After some aeration reveals aromas of black fruits, minerals, smoke and herbs. Vassilis found a hint of beewax.
On the palate is medium - bodied, austere, with harsh tannins and flavors of milk chocolate, bitter almond and sour cherry.
Short and bitter finish.
Nothing on this wine reminds me a classic margaux...
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5/29/2009 - dougie wrote: 88 Points
Very good. But, no big shakes either.
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5/29/2009 - Rich S wrote: 89 Points
Drank last night as part of a bordeaux blind tasting. Nice, dark purple color. Nose of red fruit, currant, and a bit of savory herbs. Similar flavors on the palate with bright red fruit. Medium acid, with structured but not overbearing tannins. Enjoyable finish. This wine will probably drink really well over the next 3-5 years and should continue to evolve.
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5/27/2009 - jbeauprez wrote: 91 Points
Was really impressed with this and liked it a lot more than I expected to based on reviews I'd read. Punishing tannins on opening but after an hour was very pleasant. Even better after a few days (vacuvin'd) Will last a couple decades but no reason to wait all that long. Should be peaking in a decade. Glad I have a case to see how it goes over that time.
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5/11/2009 - mikecase00 wrote: 89 Points
This has a healthy dark purple color. It's a bit tight in at first, but opens nicely. Ripe, nicely balanced, and full across the palate. Not much complexity, but it has all the hallmarks of what good, mid-level Margaux should look like in an excellent vintage. This estate may be a perennial underachiever, but in this vintage, they turned out a quality effort.
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2/27/2009 - jbshows wrote: 87 Points
Needs time. TIGHT. Has potential.
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1/24/2009 - stoneb wrote: 85 Points
Nice medium ruby/purple color in glass. Limited, slightly fruity nose. Medium bodied, simple, decent fruit and a litle tannin; pleasant enough, though was expecting more. Agree with others that this is approachable now, but will hold and try again in 6-9 mos to see if it develops more interest.
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12/25/2008 - LeechDogg wrote: 88 Points
Boring, stiff, closed. If I had paid $25 for a California Cab I would have expected more...
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12/6/2008 - Outplaying wrote: 88 Points
AWS White Clay Chapter Cabernets (Brett and Carols): The nose was not very complex and had simple candied cherry fruit. Balanced but simple cherry fruits with some briary characteristics. Dry.
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10/26/2008 - iamandyc wrote: 87 Points
Better than expected. A little simple but overall very drinkable at this stage.
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7/14/2008 - winenewb068 wrote: 86 Points
Like many of the other '05's I've had, accessible after a decant. Good fruit - promising.
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7/11/2008 - Lucky96 wrote: 90 Points
Drink Up!! Exceptionally approachable and eminently quaffable already for a 2005. A nice peek at what this vintage has to offer.
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5/28/2008 - D.Callahan wrote: 84 Points
Somewhat closed and tannic. Lacks balance and appeal. Hopefully will get better in several years since I have 5 more bottles.
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5/25/2008 - LeechDogg wrote: 82 Points
Bitter and tannic. Unpleasant to drink. I had hoped it would soften by day two, but no such luck.
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5/20/2008 - Zinny wrote:
After reading the WA review of this wine I decided to open another - since they recommend to drink now vs hold. (CT window is 2012-2020 - I am confused!)
Initially tight but opened up very nicely after 2 hours decanting. Definetly cassis, a little pencil lead, blue and red fruits on the nose. On the pallet it is medium in weight with bright acidity. Cherry/berry, some vanilla on the finish. Really very nice and I do agree with WA that it is drinkable now.
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5/7/2008 - ASW wrote:
3rd growth
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3/17/2008 - bin86 wrote:
Drinkable now. Buy more.
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3/15/2008 - N2Vin wrote: 88 Points
I expect to tast many wonderful wines from Margaux in this vintage, but I didn't feel this was one. This wine was a bit light but at the same time it showed some harshness. Cherry, cassis and vanilla bean with moderate finish, I liked the du Tetre better for the same $$.
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3/14/2008 - Zinny wrote: 91 Points
Great for the price - these have already gone up at Bevmo to $50 but you can still buy them elsewhere for $30. I'm not sure what Bevmo is thinking on this one.
This is a delicious and food friendly wine - it might be a little young now but I don't plan to cellar them long - I hope I still have one left in 2012 when they are supposedly ready!! I bought one bottle to taste and ran back to buy 4 more and will use them to dishes like rack of lamb, roasted pork loin, etc. I plan to drink these over the next 2-3 years.
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3/3/2008 - bin86 wrote:
Decanted while cooking and drank with passata of white beans & sage. Worth buying a few more bottles.
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3/3/2008 - DenisLee wrote:
Pretty tasty but very young. Drank too fast.
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2/27/2008 - rjonas wrote: 87 Points
Excellent QPR. A fine Bordeaux albeit a bit young to be drinking now. Definitely fared better after being opened for a day or so.
Good fruit, good tannin balance.
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4/5/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 90 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): Hint of just ripe enough plum with some spice on the nose precedes a frank attack on the palate, which turns fresh and plum-like. Has a slightly hard edge however and also some alcoholic excess on the back end. Still, retains a freshness which balances it for the most part... 88-91
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