Not a lot of oomph left here, but sweet berries and black plums, some earth and cedar. Not a ton of structure- I’d never have guessed 1995- but pleasant for drinking now- don’t hold. B
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As per previous notes, it really is time be drinking up any remaining stock. It was a great wine 5 to 10 years ago, and exceptional value, but those days are sadly behind it.
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Decanted off minor sediment. Margaux floral aromatics, ripe cassis, black and red cherry. Sweet tobacco. Silky mouthfeel, sweet finish. Much better showing this time, goes to show there are only good bottles, especially off auction. Based on other notes, still time to drink up.
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1995 vs 1996 comparison. Didn't greatly care for either to be honest. The '95 was certainly much more tannic, and perhaps a little less balanced, but it did have a rather pleasing eucalyptus note to the nose.
Tasty claret, but no more than that.
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Just to reiterate my note from last year, this is in decline and needs to drunk up. It may just be my stock, but it seems that there is a wider consensus in recent reviews.
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Five years later, this feels like it's declining. Having it next to the 2000 Clos Mogador exacerbated the issue. It felt a bit tired. There still is some fruit but mostly in the background, it lacked some extract and felt a bit of a donut wine. Nitpicking aside, it still is drinkable and enjoyable. There are very nice tertiaries and it screams Bordeaux both on nose and palate. Great sense of place. And the finish is longer than I expected.
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Decanted for sediment. Magenta color, some bricking at the edges. Lovely perfumed nose of cherry and forest floor. The palate filled in after about an hour, but this presented pretty advanced, with delicate cassis fruit, some leather and cedar. Slightly bitter finish. Perfectly fine classic Margaux, just past peak for me. Drink up.
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This was unfortunately slightly corked, but still drinkable. It has always very advanced in its development for the year, and has been fully mature for a few years. My worry is that over age could be partly to blame for the taint. In any event i would recommend that this is consumed sooner rather than later.
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This is now fully mature and drinking at its peak displaying secondary and tertiary notes. It is great value for money and the estate really punched above its weight in 1995. The nose is rich and it possesses excellent balance and the tannin has sweetened. The depth on the palate is superb, and the finish likewise. Minimal decanting is necessary. 93+
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Consistent to previous note of 6 months ago, this is very forward for the vintage. The nose is mature with aromas of dark berry fruits and plum. The palate is evolved and the tannin well balanced, but a little acrid on the finish this time out, and hence the lower rating. I waver over whether this is a wine for longevity, and probably feel it needs to be consumed over the next 5 years to fully appreciate it.
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Reiterating previous note and rating, the wine is advanced for the year. Possessing a good nose with plum and liquorice dominant, on the palate the wine is very typical of 1995 with a robust tannic backbone. It is well balanced and has good depth, and a decent finish which has started to soften since the last tasting. It is still good value for money, and has a structure to stay here for a good few years at this level.
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Drinking well, my previous reservation that this was possibly over aging has been put to rest, and this has the structure to stay here for many years. Full of dark cherry, plum, and liquorice, the nose is deep. There is good fruit on the palate, and it is tempered by steely tannin. It is has good depth and balance, but I find the tannin a little inhibiting. All in all, a very enjoyable wine, and great value for money, and is far advanced for the vintage. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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Scored slightly less than the last tasting, but the sentiments are essentially the same. Fully ready to drink and bursting with fruits of cherry and plum, there is good balance and depth with tannin showing its teeth. Unusually for the year and given its relatively low alcohol content (12.8%), I get the feeling that this is starting to age, and whilst there is no panic it may be advisable to look to be consuming this over the next 3 years.
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In a surprisingly good shape, this well structured Margaux is full of charm, with more substance than some of the other vintages tasted over the last years. Playing with cherry and plum aromas, tobacco, chocolate, licorice this mediu, bodied wine was the perfect companion to our meat. Finish your bottles now.
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This has been in a dumb phase for the last couple of years after great initial promise. It was a bit of anomaly at the time with a great wine from an unexpected source, but I have been underwhelmed with the last two tastings and beginning to regret buying an additional case a couple of years ago. However, it is back with a bang and proving exceptional value for money. Now possessing a beautifully balanced nose of cherry and plum, on the palate it possesses an unwavering balance of fruit and classic sharp tannins. Completed with a good harmonious finish, it is now outperforming wines 5 times its cost from the same vintage. A further observation is that it is generally indicative that the 1995 vintage as a whole is starting to live up to its initial hype (I have been tasting a lot recently ).
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A lean wine with dark fruit and tobacco dominating the palate. The balance is good but there is some residual sourness on the finish. The wine does develop in the glass and perhaps there will be further evolvement. I am puzzled by the wine as a year ago it was a far superior drinking experience and seems to have closed down again; this is something I have noticed with some other left bank 1995s. Will try again in a few months and keep my fingers crossed.
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1995 was a tough year; the wines can be aggressive and lean. This had lots of pencil and cassis so picking this out of a line-up as a Left bank wouldn't be too difficult, but it also didn't have the floral elegance you'd hope to find from Margaux. There's certainly nothing wrong with it for the price, but I wouldn't seek it out.
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Not quite as expressive as the bottle I tasted about 6 months ago. Brilliant ruby color. Muted nose of red fruits, cigar, tobacco, and coffee. Slightly thin on the palate, lacking a bit of charm. Medium finish. Acid in good balance. Very round tannins. This appears to be a bit closed down right now. I plan to wait awhile before I open another bottle.
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A difficult wine to categorize/describe -- at least for me. Not that rich or fruity, but still reasonably balanced. I have one more left. I hope that I read these TNs beforehand and decant this for 2 hours. I opened it and let it breather for 60 min or so. I have to note that it paired very well with a very nice sirloin steak. After all, Bordeaux is a food wine.
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Still holding up well. Decanted for an hour. Drinking well with some muted red fruit flavors mixed with some earthiness. The tanins are still present in the wine but nothing overpowering.
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From Magnum at the Metro christmas party. Nice ruby core, smells and tastes much younger than the age suggests. Intense nose, cigar box, mushroom, black fruits, meat and asian spice, for some reason could not find the usual Margaux floral scent, would have round it off nicely. Palate is lean, straight, not much complexity to be found, good acidity within taste of stone, damp earth and red cherry. Good tannic bite in the back end, no hard edges, decent finish.
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Browning colors. Attractive nose of rich dark fruit, licorice and some savory and medicinal notes. The palate was medium-to-full bodied, concentrated with fruit but followed with a serious wall of tannins. Long but slightly astringent finish. A nice matured, serious Bordeaux but the tannins was still too much for my taste.
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Lots of caramel, mints, roses, cherries, plums, black truffles, and wet grass in the perfumed nose; the palate, dark berries, mild spices, and wet earth; not complex yet still well structured with moderate power and weight, plus quite some ripe tannins; the finish, longer than the one tasted last year with most of the elements from the palate; overall, 91-92 points for this perfumed and juicy wine; a point higher than last year's bottle thanks to the longer finish; probably going down the hill soon, so about time to drink up if you still have this wine.
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Needs 2 to 3 hours to open up. Heavy must smell gives way to black cherry and vanilla flavors. Finish is a little week. Okay effort. 5/24/15 - still drinking well.
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S FL WS Group celebrates JC & FKG's new home (Hollywood, FL): Opened an hour before drinking, but not decanted. Nose has tobacco and floral notes. On the palate, light to medium body, medium acidity, with reserved currant fruit. Some tea, cedar, and menthol notes on the somewhat short finish. Low alcohol, old school style claret that still has some firm tannins (not surprising for a 95).
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Complex, regal and polished - lots of caramel, rich fruit and smooth textures - a very dark appearance in the glass and the wine looks rich and smooth and glossy. Some spices and mint coming through. Beautiful tannins - very polished and has another 10 years in it without breaking sweat.
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London off-line w Pjaines (http://www.tufnellparktavern.com): An unusually perfumey bouquet of flowers and herbal notes. In the mouth it's an old school, elegant wine with a tannic bite. Me like! Incredibly delicious. Not yet fully mature and has many years of good life ahead. Had immediately.
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Decanted about 15 minutes prior to drinking. Aromas of tobacco, smoke, roses, and thyme. Fairly smooth on the palate, with a bit of tannin still left. Nice acidity, and decent balance. 12.5% alcohol was very easy to drink and enjoyed with a simply cooked rib-eye. Lighter style of wine that complements food well. Far from a fruit or oak bomb--very classic left-bank Bordeaux. Not particularly long or complex, but pleasant none-the-less. Could probably continue to age for a few more years.
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RP 86? WS 92? okay, to drink is to believe; no decanter used since it's been in the bottle for close to 2 decades; wow, very lovely perfumed nose and nice juicy palate full of berries and spices; no need to say more, 90-91 for now; more aging potential? not sure about that; the finish was rather short, but did not bother me at all.
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Wow, a seamless beauty tonight, almost no signs of age. Inky dark, silky on the palate and wonderful blueberry, cassis, earth, mocha swirling in and out. Another great '95
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Nice and pleasant, but lacking fruit and a tad unbalanced in terms of acidity and mid-palate. Not harsh, but far from smooth, the wine works better with food and delivers aromas of herbs, cigar box, a bit of chocolate, and cedar. Attractive, but quite subtle, this is at the end of its drinking window, at least if you expect to get some fruit out of it. Drink now.
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Color indicates the wine is still young, dark but not obscure. Nose is quite simple, not excessively vegetal. Palate is a real beauty and represents the main interest of this wine. Elegant but full bodied, still dominated by black fruits, it is delicious to drink with lovely tannins well built into the structure of the wine. OK length, a real treat.
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As other reviewers have said, a bit light and fleeting, but has a charming leafiness, and is quite classical. Graceful and winsome, as opposed to powerful. Take this wine as it comes, don't expect to be hit over the head.
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Wine is getting better. Compared to last note in May 2008 in which the wine improved considerably several hours after opening, it is now already good directly after opening. Nose not very abundant, some dark fruit. Medium bodied taste with dark fruit, graphite, mushrooms, plum. Fine tannins. Decent finish.
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Pretty much the same TN as two years ago. This wine sort of betrays any reputation that wines from Margaux are the softer wines of the Medoc, although this wine is far from harsh or excessively tannic. Reasonable fruit and decent balance. Not particularly rich, although I did not find it to be thin per se as some of our colleagues found it. Can't imagine that after close to 15 years past vintage (however you want to count years past the vintage) that any important changes will occur.
Day 2. I left a half bottle corked on the counter. To my surprise, the wine seemed to improve meaningfully over the day. A bit more fruit, not what I would have expected. Makes me wonder if more time in the bottle might not help -- even after 15 years. Bumped it up from 87 to 89.
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The wine was decanted three hours before sampling. The color was light purple-red with little observable brick color. Initial nose very smoky with overwhelming ash/ cigar box. Some cherry notes present. After about 4.5 hours,started to open but with little nose. Light plum and dark cherry notes evolved but the finish remained very short and dry. The 85 rating is likely being generous but I was influenced by the improvement with time.
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John's BDAY Joya -- Incredibly youthful, loaded with spicy cherry, herbs and earth. Leaner on the palate, without a ton of stuffing, but a nice fresh Bordeaux showing some nice development.
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Well kept bottles. After opening the wine is rather thin, tannic with hardly any nose. After decanting it opens up and shows very good fruit, long taste and becomes a very pleasantly drinking wine.
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As suggested by "the Bob", this is a decent claret. By this time (Dec 07) the tannins seem to be resolved. The fruit is not all that apparent, but that is not a problem, at least for me. Very nicely balanced. Although I like this wine very much (and have 3 more bottles that I am looking forward to drinking), the nose is not that strong, nor is the finish. So what, you drink the wine :-). All in all, quite respectable. You can, and eventually will, do a lot worse. I will set 2 of the remaining 3 aside to see what they are like 2010 plus. My guess is a tad softer. I may very well buy more so that I can drink a few while waiting for others. By the way, as you might imagine, you have to give this wine at least 60 min to breathe. I have no idea why people "pop and pour" Bordeauxs. Seriously.
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1/11/2024 - mplsbruin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Zoomed into Notre Dame NY Eve tasting. Held up for days afterwards. Hold that last one - still young-ish.
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9/25/2023 - DaleW wrote:
Not a lot of oomph left here, but sweet berries and black plums, some earth and cedar. Not a ton of structure- I’d never have guessed 1995- but pleasant for drinking now- don’t hold. B
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8/10/2023 - djhammond Likes this wine: 89 Points
As per previous notes, it really is time be drinking up any remaining stock. It was a great wine 5 to 10 years ago, and exceptional value, but those days are sadly behind it.
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8/8/2023 - Maphill01 wrote:
Decanted off minor sediment. Margaux floral aromatics, ripe cassis, black and red cherry. Sweet tobacco. Silky mouthfeel, sweet finish. Much better showing this time, goes to show there are only good bottles, especially off auction. Based on other notes, still time to drink up.
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5/29/2023 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 88 Points
1995 vs 1996 comparison. Didn't greatly care for either to be honest. The '95 was certainly much more tannic, and perhaps a little less balanced, but it did have a rather pleasing eucalyptus note to the nose.
Tasty claret, but no more than that.
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5/20/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just to reiterate my note from last year, this is in decline and needs to drunk up. It may just be my stock, but it seems that there is a wider consensus in recent reviews.
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1/28/2022 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 90 Points
Five years later, this feels like it's declining. Having it next to the 2000 Clos Mogador exacerbated the issue. It felt a bit tired. There still is some fruit but mostly in the background, it lacked some extract and felt a bit of a donut wine. Nitpicking aside, it still is drinkable and enjoyable. There are very nice tertiaries and it screams Bordeaux both on nose and palate. Great sense of place. And the finish is longer than I expected.
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4/22/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is as per previous notes, but I do feel it has reached its peak and is in gradual decline.
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1/1/2021 - Maphill01 wrote:
Decanted for sediment. Magenta color, some bricking at the edges. Lovely perfumed nose of cherry and forest floor. The palate filled in after about an hour, but this presented pretty advanced, with delicate cassis fruit, some leather and cedar. Slightly bitter finish. Perfectly fine classic Margaux, just past peak for me. Drink up.
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10/31/2020 - djhammond wrote: flawed
This was unfortunately slightly corked, but still drinkable. It has always very advanced in its development for the year, and has been fully mature for a few years. My worry is that over age could be partly to blame for the taint. In any event i would recommend that this is consumed sooner rather than later.
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5/1/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is now fully mature and drinking at its peak displaying secondary and tertiary notes. It is great value for money and the estate really punched above its weight in 1995. The nose is rich and it possesses excellent balance and the tannin has sweetened. The depth on the palate is superb, and the finish likewise. Minimal decanting is necessary. 93+
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5/22/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent to previous note of 6 months ago, this is very forward for the vintage. The nose is mature with aromas of dark berry fruits and plum. The palate is evolved and the tannin well balanced, but a little acrid on the finish this time out, and hence the lower rating. I waver over whether this is a wine for longevity, and probably feel it needs to be consumed over the next 5 years to fully appreciate it.
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12/30/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Reiterating previous note and rating, the wine is advanced for the year. Possessing a good nose with plum and liquorice dominant, on the palate the wine is very typical of 1995 with a robust tannic backbone. It is well balanced and has good depth, and a decent finish which has started to soften since the last tasting. It is still good value for money, and has a structure to stay here for a good few years at this level.
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8/7/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well, my previous reservation that this was possibly over aging has been put to rest, and this has the structure to stay here for many years. Full of dark cherry, plum, and liquorice, the nose is deep. There is good fruit on the palate, and it is tempered by steely tannin. It is has good depth and balance, but I find the tannin a little inhibiting. All in all, a very enjoyable wine, and great value for money, and is far advanced for the vintage. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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2/9/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Scored slightly less than the last tasting, but the sentiments are essentially the same. Fully ready to drink and bursting with fruits of cherry and plum, there is good balance and depth with tannin showing its teeth. Unusually for the year and given its relatively low alcohol content (12.8%), I get the feeling that this is starting to age, and whilst there is no panic it may be advisable to look to be consuming this over the next 3 years.
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12/24/2017 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 90 Points
In a surprisingly good shape, this well structured Margaux is full of charm, with more substance than some of the other vintages tasted over the last years. Playing with cherry and plum aromas, tobacco, chocolate, licorice this mediu, bodied wine was the perfect companion to our meat. Finish your bottles now.
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11/5/2017 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fine, aged Bordeaux. Creamy on the palate and dusty, ashy finish.
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9/30/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has been in a dumb phase for the last couple of years after great initial promise. It was a bit of anomaly at the time with a great wine from an unexpected source, but I have been underwhelmed with the last two tastings and beginning to regret buying an additional case a couple of years ago. However, it is back with a bang and proving exceptional value for money. Now possessing a beautifully balanced nose of cherry and plum, on the palate it possesses an unwavering balance of fruit and classic sharp tannins. Completed with a good harmonious finish, it is now outperforming wines 5 times its cost from the same vintage. A further observation is that it is generally indicative that the 1995 vintage as a whole is starting to live up to its initial hype (I have been tasting a lot recently ).
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3/1/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 90 Points
A lean wine with dark fruit and tobacco dominating the palate. The balance is good but there is some residual sourness on the finish. The wine does develop in the glass and perhaps there will be further evolvement. I am puzzled by the wine as a year ago it was a far superior drinking experience and seems to have closed down again; this is something I have noticed with some other left bank 1995s. Will try again in a few months and keep my fingers crossed.
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12/20/2016 - JackLynch00@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Classic Margaux. Not especially complex, but has all the right notes for a 20-year-old claret.
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8/6/2016 - englishman's claret wrote: 89 Points
1995 was a tough year; the wines can be aggressive and lean. This had lots of pencil and cassis so picking this out of a line-up as a Left bank wouldn't be too difficult, but it also didn't have the floral elegance you'd hope to find from Margaux. There's certainly nothing wrong with it for the price, but I wouldn't seek it out.
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5/22/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 91 Points
This a great value wine. Drinking nicely but rather reserved compared to previous bottles I have had, and perhaps has slightly closed down.
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12/10/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From a jerry its still going strong. And just opened too.
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11/17/2015 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 89 Points
Not quite as expressive as the bottle I tasted about 6 months ago. Brilliant ruby color. Muted nose of red fruits, cigar, tobacco, and coffee. Slightly thin on the palate, lacking a bit of charm. Medium finish. Acid in good balance. Very round tannins. This appears to be a bit closed down right now. I plan to wait awhile before I open another bottle.
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3/5/2015 - jjwala wrote: 88 Points
colour is good, not showing signs of age.
nose is muted. very closed.
very flat taste, light body, no depth.
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5/31/2014 - John Nezlek wrote: 89 Points
A difficult wine to categorize/describe -- at least for me. Not that rich or fruity, but still reasonably balanced. I have one more left. I hope that I read these TNs beforehand and decant this for 2 hours. I opened it and let it breather for 60 min or so. I have to note that it paired very well with a very nice sirloin steak. After all, Bordeaux is a food wine.
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1/5/2014 - rfras Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still holding up well. Decanted for an hour. Drinking well with some muted red fruit flavors mixed with some earthiness. The tanins are still present in the wine but nothing overpowering.
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12/31/2013 - Snoski62 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for about two hours. Nose was a bit funky. Nice dark fruits and earthy tones. Still some tannins on finish. Drinking well now.
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12/5/2013 - Cheungtp wrote: 89 Points
From Magnum at the Metro christmas party. Nice ruby core, smells and tastes much younger than the age suggests. Intense nose, cigar box, mushroom, black fruits, meat and asian spice, for some reason could not find the usual Margaux floral scent, would have round it off nicely. Palate is lean, straight, not much complexity to be found, good acidity within taste of stone, damp earth and red cherry. Good tannic bite in the back end, no hard edges, decent finish.
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11/23/2013 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
See previous notes. Clean and generic nose, mouthfeel to die for. A sure winner
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11/15/2013 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 92 Points
No detailed notes, but impressive for this Chateau- I preferred this to the 2000. Surprising complexity, tasty and with a decent finish.
Wasn't quie as great the second day though, so I'd wager this is the time to be drinking this.
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10/14/2013 - j30 wrote: 90 Points
Browning colors. Attractive nose of rich dark fruit, licorice and some savory and medicinal notes. The palate was medium-to-full bodied, concentrated with fruit but followed with a serious wall of tannins. Long but slightly astringent finish. A nice matured, serious Bordeaux but the tannins was still too much for my taste.
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9/7/2013 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 92 Points
See previous note - still delicious to drink but won't improve probably
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7/19/2013 - CWang wrote: 91 Points
Lots of caramel, mints, roses, cherries, plums, black truffles, and wet grass in the perfumed nose; the palate, dark berries, mild spices, and wet earth; not complex yet still well structured with moderate power and weight, plus quite some ripe tannins; the finish, longer than the one tasted last year with most of the elements from the palate; overall, 91-92 points for this perfumed and juicy wine; a point higher than last year's bottle thanks to the longer finish; probably going down the hill soon, so about time to drink up if you still have this wine.
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5/5/2013 - blash wrote: 88 Points
Needs 2 to 3 hours to open up. Heavy must smell gives way to black cherry and vanilla flavors. Finish is a little week. Okay effort.
5/24/15 - still drinking well.
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4/13/2013 - vinole wrote: 90 Points
S FL WS Group celebrates JC & FKG's new home (Hollywood, FL): Opened an hour before drinking, but not decanted. Nose has tobacco and floral notes. On the palate, light to medium body, medium acidity, with reserved currant fruit. Some tea, cedar, and menthol notes on the somewhat short finish. Low alcohol, old school style claret that still has some firm tannins (not surprising for a 95).
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3/5/2013 - pjaines Likes this wine:
Complex, regal and polished - lots of caramel, rich fruit and smooth textures - a very dark appearance in the glass and the wine looks rich and smooth and glossy. Some spices and mint coming through. Beautiful tannins - very polished and has another 10 years in it without breaking sweat.
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3/4/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 91 Points
London off-line w Pjaines (http://www.tufnellparktavern.com): An unusually perfumey bouquet of flowers and herbal notes. In the mouth it's an old school, elegant wine with a tannic bite. Me like! Incredibly delicious. Not yet fully mature and has many years of good life ahead.
Had immediately.
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2/14/2013 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 15 minutes prior to drinking. Aromas of tobacco, smoke, roses, and thyme. Fairly smooth on the palate, with a bit of tannin still left. Nice acidity, and decent balance. 12.5% alcohol was very easy to drink and enjoyed with a simply cooked rib-eye. Lighter style of wine that complements food well. Far from a fruit or oak bomb--very classic left-bank Bordeaux. Not particularly long or complex, but pleasant none-the-less. Could probably continue to age for a few more years.
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10/5/2012 - CWang wrote: 90 Points
RP 86? WS 92? okay, to drink is to believe; no decanter used since it's been in the bottle for close to 2 decades; wow, very lovely perfumed nose and nice juicy palate full of berries and spices; no need to say more, 90-91 for now; more aging potential? not sure about that; the finish was rather short, but did not bother me at all.
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9/16/2012 - danstrings wrote: 93 Points
Wow, a seamless beauty tonight, almost no signs of age. Inky dark, silky on the palate and wonderful blueberry, cassis, earth, mocha swirling in and out. Another great '95
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8/26/2012 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
See my previous note, this bottle was even better with a palate refinement to die for. Super Margaux, and a point!!
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12/19/2011 - Maestro wrote: 88 Points
Nice and pleasant, but lacking fruit and a tad unbalanced in terms of acidity and mid-palate. Not harsh, but far from smooth, the wine works better with food and delivers aromas of herbs, cigar box, a bit of chocolate, and cedar. Attractive, but quite subtle, this is at the end of its drinking window, at least if you expect to get some fruit out of it. Drink now.
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12/16/2010 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color indicates the wine is still young, dark but not obscure. Nose is quite simple, not excessively vegetal. Palate is a real beauty and represents the main interest of this wine. Elegant but full bodied, still dominated by black fruits, it is delicious to drink with lovely tannins well built into the structure of the wine. OK length, a real treat.
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8/20/2010 - pilsbry wrote: 88 Points
As other reviewers have said, a bit light and fleeting, but has a charming leafiness, and is quite classical. Graceful and winsome, as opposed to powerful. Take this wine as it comes, don't expect to be hit over the head.
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7/9/2010 - Burgaddict wrote: 90 Points
Wine is getting better. Compared to last note in May 2008 in which the wine improved considerably several hours after opening, it is now already good directly after opening. Nose not very abundant, some dark fruit. Medium bodied taste with dark fruit, graphite, mushrooms, plum. Fine tannins. Decent finish.
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3/28/2010 - John Nezlek wrote: 89 Points
Pretty much the same TN as two years ago. This wine sort of betrays any reputation that wines from Margaux are the softer wines of the Medoc, although this wine is far from harsh or excessively tannic. Reasonable fruit and decent balance. Not particularly rich, although I did not find it to be thin per se as some of our colleagues found it. Can't imagine that after close to 15 years past vintage (however you want to count years past the vintage) that any important changes will occur.
Day 2. I left a half bottle corked on the counter. To my surprise, the wine seemed to improve meaningfully over the day. A bit more fruit, not what I would have expected. Makes me wonder if more time in the bottle might not help -- even after 15 years. Bumped it up from 87 to 89.
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4/11/2009 - petitblanc wrote: 86 Points
Lots of tobacco and ripe olive character, otherwise thin and tannic. Fairly simple but drinkable.
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1/11/2009 - NealN wrote: 85 Points
The wine was decanted three hours before sampling. The color was light purple-red with little observable brick color. Initial nose very smoky with overwhelming ash/ cigar box. Some cherry notes present. After about 4.5 hours,started to open but with little nose. Light plum and dark cherry notes evolved but the finish remained very short and dry. The 85 rating is likely being generous but I was influenced by the improvement with time.
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12/25/2008 - fw wrote:
Excellant , lovely, smooth drink
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10/1/2008 - danstrings wrote: 90 Points
John's BDAY Joya -- Incredibly youthful, loaded with spicy cherry, herbs and earth. Leaner on the palate, without a ton of stuffing, but a nice fresh Bordeaux showing some nice development.
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5/19/2008 - Burgaddict wrote: 90 Points
Well kept bottles. After opening the wine is rather thin, tannic with hardly any nose. After decanting it opens up and shows very good fruit, long taste and becomes a very pleasantly drinking wine.
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3/8/2008 - espia wrote:
Drank with Pedro, Nacho, Alessandro, Nicola, not vy impressive for year/price
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12/7/2007 - John Nezlek wrote: 89 Points
As suggested by "the Bob", this is a decent claret. By this time (Dec 07) the tannins seem to be resolved. The fruit is not all that apparent, but that is not a problem, at least for me. Very nicely balanced. Although I like this wine very much (and have 3 more bottles that I am looking forward to drinking), the nose is not that strong, nor is the finish. So what, you drink the wine :-). All in all, quite respectable. You can, and eventually will, do a lot worse. I will set 2 of the remaining 3 aside to see what they are like 2010 plus. My guess is a tad softer. I may very well buy more so that I can drink a few while waiting for others. By the way, as you might imagine, you have to give this wine at least 60 min to breathe. I have no idea why people "pop and pour" Bordeauxs. Seriously.
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12/31/2006 - petitblanc wrote:
Not so great now, maybe better in 2+ years.
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12/20/2005 - MRichman wrote:
1995 Bordeaux Transit Strike Horizontal (Salute Restaurant, NYC): A little thin and tannic. Metal. Not much to it.
C
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