I had a bottle at my daughter's house that was somewhat vinegary - thought it was passed its prime. This bottle was very good and should be at its prime at least another year
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First bottle opened of a case of 12. Lots of deposit, fairly solid. Pleasant fruity nose, rich sweet fruit on the palate with soft tannins. Not complex (yet?) but a very enjoyable modern style Bordeaux. Might develop further though it will be hard to resist the luscious fruit.
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per usual, reports of the death of this wine was greatly exaggerated. (I find drink by dates in CT are typically conservative for my taste - unless it's a well made Rioja which people seem to give a 40 years past vintage...) Maybe I just like aged wines. Had this with Gordon Ramsy's butter based ny strips. Delicious. I have one more which I'll hold onto for at least 2-4 more years. It tasted to me like it could stand up to a legit 15 yo napa cabs. Lots more dark fruit and body and sweetness than I imagined it would have. I haven't had one in a long time, but I'm going to keep picking them up if I see them in the 20-25 range, that's crazy good for the price at this age.
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Not my favorite vintage and not as strong as more recent vintages. Dark fruited and quite extracted with heavy toast and mocha notes. Don’t get much nuance or terrior here.
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Deep maroon to rim. After 30 minutes in glass, drying tannins, mushroom, lead pencil, blackberry. Full bodied, long finish, definitely Bordeaux. Still firm next day. This will continue drinking well another 5+ years. Nice surprise.
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Riper than I remember. Not sure how anyone doesn’t LOVE this for sub $18 Bordeaux. Admittedly I’ve stored it for 14 years but tasty tonight. Glad I sat on this.
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Not my cup of tea at all but I can see why others like it, hence the score. Candied notes on the nose, quite charming and mouth-watering. Candied notes on the palate too, quite fruity and winsome but for me, a bit syrupy and facile. I could really taste the 14% because of the low acidity. Like other vintages tasted, this could have come from anywhere in the world. But a well-made product.
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From a magnum. Deep purple color. After a little bit of air, it opened up well and became wonderfully complex. I caught notes of violet and raw meat against a cassis base. Freshness on the palate but lacking real substance. It felt a bit hollow. Mouth coating dry tannins and a good length finish.
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A ripe nose with notes of wood and cedar, and a nice amount of depth. The taste showed some nice fruit, with still some unresolved tannins, but dominated by a rather prominent, and burning amount of alcohol. At the sixth day with vacu-vin in the fridge slightly better. Especially the finish was more friendly (more fruit, more soft), be it a little bit faint. Although more developed since my last bottle of this wine in February 2021, this needs more aging of at least one year, probably more. Perhaps it will gain some more balance. Potentially 88+. (I will reflect on the remarkable difference between the ratings of most TN-writers and mine.)
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Very nice for the price as always. The 2009 was my first vintage of this wine and I followed it year over year to see if we could get a repeat. Though this is always a nice modern example of Bordeaux, nothing compares to the 2009, yet....Elegant, earthy, coffee nuances....This is fully sitting in phase 2. Drink
Pitch-dark purple-ruby, carmine, opaque and viscous @14% abv. Nose of black cherry, blackberry jam, oak, dried leaves, cedar, smoke, vanilla hints. Dry, medium acidity, medium-medium(+) ripe tannin, high alcohol and full body. Blackberry, blueberry, pepper, leather, oak and a distinctive savory notes in the back palate. Deeply concentrated, with crunch and and a long, elegant, velvety finish. Supple, seductive and mature. Very good indeed. Only 4 bottles to go.
In the drinking window.
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Nose: fruit comes out first, but this is incredibly well integrated. After the dark fruit (blackberry), there is leather, tobacco, some spearmint, maybe a touch of cocoa, chalk.
Palate: tannins are medium and velvety, a touch bitter, with some menthol sensation. Acid is medium and adds good freshness. Fairly full bodied. Primary flavor profile is dark fruit - blackberry, blueberry - underpinned with a bit of earth and herbs. Not overly complex but nicely integrated making individual notes difficult to distinguish.
Finish: medium, mouthwatering from acidity, a touch bitter but not out of balance. A bit of green apple comes through on the finish.
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Purchased on release for about 25-30 USD. At this point the QPR is ridiculous. Drink now with a bit of air or hold for several more years. Outstanding.
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"Elegant, with loads of black currant fruit, cherries and dusty, loamy soil notes as well as hints of tobacco leaf, spice box and cedar, it is a medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, fleshy wine" - as per parker.
Ready now drink up
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Drinking very well now but no hurry on this. It held up beautifully on night 2 and maybe even improved a bit. I would guess 5 years of great drinking ahead? But could last longer…
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Loved this tonight. Shows that lesser wines in good vintages are worth every $$. Deliciously rich and ripe with resolved tannins. Didn’t falter for 2-3 hrs. Drank with grilled New York strip and lobster with garlic butter. Decadence and perfection. Glad I’ve got a few more.
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Deep maroon with thin pink rim. Drying tannins add to red fruits after 30 minute decant. Went very well with pasta with marinara sauce, and chicken parm.
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Decanted for 2 hours. On the nose: cream, vanilla, melon, slate and tons of juicy raspberry . Long finish, herbal with hints of rosemary. The berries carry through. Outstanding Bordeaux! Phenomenal year.
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Deep garnet,black opaque core. Médoc aromas of black fruit, cedar, cigar, dried leaves wood. Dry-off dry, medium(-) acidity with black fruit, blueberry jam, bay leaf, licorice, earth all framed by firm tannins. Medium(+)-full body, 14% abv. Depth and concentrated with exciting and smooth finish showcasing the fruit and tannins. Balance par excellence. Excellent overall. Lilian Ladouys is an exceptional Cru Bourgeois indeed.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Aromas of burning embers, cherry, tomato leaf and iron. Flavors of cherry, plum, hint of smoke, earth and hint of iron. Ends with a big finish of 25+ seconds with plum and cherry notes. This is the best showing yet for this wine and aging quite nicely.
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Even better than before! Double decanted one hour - some granular sediment. Classic garrigue, blackberry and cassis aromas. Rich but still medium bodied - the Merlot gives a sweet dollop of mocha to the black currants. Nice structure - rich but elegant. Nearing peak but I can see room for further improvement. 91-92
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Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (Eagle Brook CC): Double blind. Aromas of incense, black fruit, blueberry and wood spice. Full-bodied. Black currant, spice box, hints of vanilla and blue fruit. Lingering finish. 92-93 pts. (J&J)
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Double decanted two hours before service. Opaque red/purple. Lots of tannins that continued to dry in the glass with air. Lots of black fruit. Still very young, but I think the two hour double decant gave it a bit too much air.
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Less fruit than two years ago. Truffle is gone. But detected hint of licorice. Dry, not complex, but really nice. Some drying tannins after 30 minutes in glass.
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Killer QPR. Agree with recent tasting notes but don’t think the fruit is lacking, it has always been a more feminine Bordeaux, and fruit is integrating well for its age. May be peaking but bet it will go for a few more years. Pairs well with a simple skirt steak, pork roast, or pasta bolognese with mushrooms. Save something bigger - or younger - for the ribeyes.
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Decanted 2 hours - some sediment. Typical Cab-based BDX nose with cedar, leather, tobacco, some dusty loam, and maybe a bit of minerality. Medium bodied with cassis, black fruits and a dollop of oak. medium finish with some tannins still present. I'm wondering if the fruit is starting to dry out a little... Paired with a beef rib roast and didn't really stand up to the richness of the beef.
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Delicious, and with many years ahead yet (10 at least), as the tannins haven't rounded out. Still, the tannins are fine grained. Great acidic punch and nice milk chocolate-laced fruit. Lengthy finish.
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Took just a bit to open up, it is developing some bordeaux secondary notes, still a fair bit of fruit, good overall balance if the tannins are a bit drying. Should go longer, I think, and may improve if the tannins resolve further.
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Popped about 30 minutes prior to dinner and poured into glasses. Reviewed at 2 hour mark. On opening this wine was a little tight and needed air. It paired really well with Chinese pork ribs. The spiced ribs really popped with the wine. Nose is cassis, touch of leather, some dark red and black fruit, interesting, Bordeaux.
Palate is complex, smoothly tannic, nice complexity with nicely resolved tannins that are showing nice integration and starting to show secondary flavors. The finish is long and interesting. Quite smooth. For me this is drinking at or very close to peak. Would buy again.
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Dark red, black core --- Nose masculine, elegant roughness, red fruit, tar, underbrush, burnt wood, blackberry, some glue, some bark, some honey --- Palate warm, smooth, nice powerful acidity coming through, red fruit, herbs, tart aspects, some blueberry --- Finishes on tart aspects and minerality. Believe it will develop for another 5 years, impressive. Right now less tasty but astonishing and captivating. Very good.
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Final bottle of an EP case. Overall value from the case was off the charts and this was a fine final bottle. Good plum color with apparent bricking, though not excessively for the age. Opens quickly with a predominant aromatic mixture dominated by plum with supporting notes of clove, briar, ganache, cassis, and a whiff of an old sweater locked away for a year. On the palate this provides a modest lift of acidity on the attack before stepping aside to let the plum, cassis, and cedar glide through the mid palate. The finish leaves a shallow but lengthy thread of chalky iron as it coasts along. Resolved tannins allow the bone structure of the fruit to shine through. Solid, and looking forward to my 2016 and 2019.
Day 2 - Half the bottle stored overnight. Presenting more vigor today from the acidity with the cassis showing dominance, backed up with smoke and an espresso centric finish. A very different wine from day 1. Day 2 - 90.
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Un bon bordeaux qui a bien tenu les années. Un nez agréable et un vin très équilibré, des tanins fondus mais encore de la matière, une longueur correcte. C'est bien, bon rapport Q/P. 14/20
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Clean. Medium(+) intensity with aromas of cassis blackberry pate des fruits thyme tar tobacco and vanilla.
Dry. Medium(+) tannins. Medium(+) acidity. Medium alcohol. Medium body. Medium(+) intensity with flavours of cassis blackberry blood thyme jasmine tea and coconut.
Medium(+) finish with lingering cassis black tea and herbal notes. Very good drink now suitable for further ageing. Fresh with nice tertiary elements and balance. Great window over the next five years. Nice reminder of why you need to be patient with BDX.
I have wrote enough notes about this wine and partially abused my cellar tracker space on this board. I am not writing to tell you about another bottle of this wine. I am writing to give you a comparison of this wine, opened alongside its younger sister, the 2015. Its clear that the 2009 is a boy and the 2015 is a girl. As to where the 2009 is dense, big, the 2015 is soft, elegant, and pretty in so many ways that in several breaths it made the beautiful 2009 seem over extracted, and over ripe. Needless to say, the 2009 is probably my favorite vintage of this wine so far, but drinking it next to the elegant and truffle scented 2015, it made me second guess my preference. Ultimately, the 2009 won, but the next day, the remaining wine in the bottle lost to the lively 2015. In conclusion, drink your 2009's now and over the next 3 to 5 years, and do the same with your 2015's! PT_
2018 BDX Blind (Chapel Hill, NC): #12 of 15 wines in our '18 BDX blind tasting. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot; 14% ABV. I had forgotten that I'd drank a bottle of this just last month, but since we were holding a blind '18 BDX tasting event, I wanted to throw this in as a ringer, since there would also be the "18 Lilian Ladouys in the mix. This was easily and almost universally the least popular wine in the lineup. While the other ringer ('09 d'Armailhac) had a lot of class and seemed more well-rounded, but not necessarily older, than the others in this lineup, this '09 Lilian Ladouys showed its age. My notes read: "espresso, baked aromas, and scorched earth. Not my style." Modern styled, and pretty much the poster child of what went wrong with many wines in this vintage.
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I’m not the biggest fan of ‘09 BDX. Too ripe and overblown, as a general rule. Nose is a bit smokey, with blackberry, black plum and herbal notes. Smooth, rich, with mocha accents and velvety tannins, finishing a bit hot. Attractive and quite modern, but not overdone. Not sure I would peg as St Estephe or even Bordeaux though.
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Double decanted 90 minutes before service. Completely opaque dark purple with no color loss. Black fruits, tannic, good acidity. Still extremely young.
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My first time tasting this producer. This was clearly a perfectly stored bottle. Came out very tense with grippy tannins. So I decanted half of it, which definitely helped balance the wine. It's an interesting expression of Bordeaux because I can taste both the high merlot count as well as the fact that it's from St. Estephe. A fairly dark and serious wine, it could use a bit more freshness in my opinion. I think I would wait 3-5 years before opening another bottle. Good QPR bordeaux. I will probably wait a while to try my 2016's.
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Definitely more modern and fruit forward, especially for St Esteph. Warm, roasted dark fruits and plum, pencil lead and eucalyptus. Full flavored palate, with tannins soft and resolved. Dark fruits, cassis and warm, toasty oak. Tasty. Great QPR.
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I think Shay.Aldriedge's note below is right on. I split my wine up over two days as did he. I found day two better, probably because I did not decant but pnp on day one. Great QPR ($20 nine years ago).
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I was able to find a couple of these 2-3yrs ago locally at a great price, so I’ve opened one a year since then, and this was my last bottle.
My familiarity with this producer isn’t extensive, but this 2009 shows so much character from that warm, powerful vintage while also providing a bridge to those who enjoy new world Bordeaux blends. 60/40 cab/merlot. I followed this over two days. I decanted almost two hours the first day and had half a bottle, then vacuumed and had the second half the next day. Funny enough, this wine was more tannic the second day! The aromatics here sport a more modern, ripe profile of toasty oak and roasted fruits (blue and black fruits, plum, fig). Even the palate mirrors much of that with added bitter dark chocolate and only a kiss of herbal flair. Zero brett. A mix of mocha/espresso on the finish with structure that really flexed muscles on day two. My initial reaction was enjoy over the next five years, but this has ten in it easily.
As an aside, I tried this out of my new Grassl 1855 glass and loved it, even more so than Zalto’s Bordeaux glass. Weight and balance are impeccable.
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A really lovely modern style Cru Bourgeois. Bright and clean fruit with sweet blackcurrant and plums. Graphite and tobacco, some oak, slightly herbal (sage, thyme?), polished tannins. Ready for drinking, but no rush. Excellent QPR. - 90 points
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Had my first bottle 8 years ago. Sadly, my last bottle from my case but this has a lot of life left. PnP. Tannins are far more resolved than where this started, but still has enough grip to cellar longer. Notes of dark berries suggesting youthfulness, some graphite, traces of tobacco. Nice structure; thick legs. Dark, thick plum color but picking up some amber notes on the edge. Great, great QPR at $18.50 (bought via futures).
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Very nice Bdx fruit-mix, still young, no sign of maturity, depth, no hurry, would be nice if it gained some elegance. Nice to drink right now. Waiting 2-3 years now before opening the next bottle.
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Zunächst etwas verschlossen; dunkles, funkelndes Rubin; zwei Stunden Luft tn ihm gut. Üppig, Dunkle Früchte, Brombeere, Leder, erdige Töne, Brasil-Tabak; schon eindeutig Bordeaux, komplex, aber mollig, ohne marmeladig oder zu alkoholisch zu sein.
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This wine has come into its own. Had side by side at dinner with 2005 St. Emilion. This was the winner. Initially when opened and they breathed for about 15 minutes the St. Emilion was a little more robust than the Lilian, but the St. Emion did not evolve well after about an hour and developed a slight bitterness. The Liiian improved and opened up nicely
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Decanted 1 hour prior to dinner. Took out of cellar early in the day and stood up for 12 hours to let the sediment settle to the bottom. A little sediment in the bottom that required some careful pouring into the decanter.
Review at 5 hour mark.
Nose dark fruited, earthy, minerals. cassis, pencil lead/graphite notes. Unmistakably Bordeaux.
Palate is firm, tannic, earthy, graphite, cassis, dark tannic fruit, nice acidity, very nicely balanced, decent length finish. Outstanding QPR at $25. Would buy again and have bought many vintages since this one. One of the best QPR's in Bordeaux that I know of.
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Quite delicious from the opening. Decanted, but we needed to start drinking with dinner right away. Lovely fruit presence, but both my wife and I noticed a little corkiness (first instance after 7 bottles from out case). Not quite enough to prevent us from drinking, but it did diminish the experience for us a little. In its prime drinking window and unlikely to improve further.
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Decanted three hours before drinking with dinner. Clearly dominated by rather nice mature notes and by the last of resolving tannins, it seems, not by fruit. Again a Medoc 2009 that after it shed off the lively fruit of the first years seems to "struggle" with a lot of (maybe to much?) stuff; what the French call matiere. Anyway lacking real balance for now. After five bottles in eight years I still do not know what to think of this wine. Therefore still no rating. Better at the fourth day. First day about 87, fourth about 88+.
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I see the appeal for those that favor modern-styled wines: ripe, concentrated, supple. It’s also what it doesn’t appeal to me: low acid, lacking in terroir, and just too eager to please. Regardless, it’s in spot where the tannins are supple but all the primary fruit is still showcased.
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Luscious. Deep, dark but also elegant. All the requisite elegance and energy of a great Bordeaux, with a lingering peppery finish. Just gorgeous. Served, appropriately, with French cuisine from a local joint called Cafe Bizou.
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Really different than 2 years ago with the fruit coming to the forefront and the tannins subsiding to make a terrific weekday drink. Insanely delicious for the cost, yet required patience. Much better, as of now, than the 2010. Time will tell.
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Nez classique pour un bordeaux, tanins et boisé fondus, le vin n'est pas très puissant mais très agréable et équilibré. Pas de signe de décli, c'est bon. 15/20
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As expected, such a significant improvement from my first bottle in 2014. Very drinkable now, even as standalone but prefer with dinner. Not very complex, a little light for a Bordeaux but very enjoyable. I am changing my target drinking window to 2020-2023
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Pnp. No need to decant. Still possesses a dark plum color. Aromatically offers vanilla, crushed blackberries, smoked alder, and subtle notes of anise, briar, and leather. On the palate the tannins are fully integrated. Acidity has a light hand on the throttle allowing the black currant, plum, anise, tobacco leaf, and light dusting of chocolate to show through. Not a long finish, but an overall very smooth and balanced wine. Enjoyable and great QPR.
Drink through 2025, though prime drinking window feels like the next 18-36 months.
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Quite pleasing. Fresher and more open than previous bottles so presume it has entered a nice drinking plateau. Still some grip on the finish so no concerns about longevity. And as others have said, value is off the charts - only challenged by Capbern in the region.
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Chunky and blocky. Dark and brooding still. Big tannin structure - not sure that the fruit will last as long as the tannin. Still somehow v. enjoyable at the moment. See what night 2 brings.
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Opened and poured into glasses 1 hour prior to dinner. Tight on pop and pour. Nose shows nice Bordeaux notes and some nice Cab notes. Palate was firm, a little grippy, nice fruit, good tannic structure. Decent finish. These need more time and wager better. For now a 2-3 hour decant is probably needed.
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Opened and allowed to breathe for 45 minutes before consumption. Good aromatics showing brine, anise, leather, and cassis blanketed with cocoa. Medium bodied mouthfeel with dusty tannins that allow the anise, chocolate, and plum flavors to pair well with the medium bodied and steady acidity. A steady and lingering finish filled with smoked cherry wood, savory herbs, and more anise.
This is in a good place with enough vigor and character to be enjoyed now. My sense is this has plateaued comparing this to a bottle from about 10 months ago. Likely in a prime maturity window for 3-5 years.
Day 2 - More aromatically pronounced cassis with a dusting of cocoa. On the palate this retains a noticeable anise with the brine and smoked cherry wood remaining. Remains energetic with good mid palate lift and a deft handling of tobacco and cedar on the finish.
An outstanding QPR for this wine, with seven bottles remaining from an en primeur case. No rush but no reason not to enjoy. Drink now through 2026.
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Getting there. Salted caramel. Big boned, saturated color; it may stay this way until the flavor poops out. I like this, but wonder if less (less alcohol presence, less overt burnt sugar) might be more. Easy on the wallet though. Hard to be disappointed.
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Lovely bottle, paired well with BBQ because it's still lively with dark and red fruit for an 11-year old CB. Smelled and tasted a bit more like St. Estèphe than four years ago, with lots of cedar, ground coffee, some earth and leather. Smooth tannins providing nice structure, oak fully integrated.
This is drinking very well now but no hurry. Perhaps it will even develop further interesting notes. I'd guess this will be good for at least 5 more years and perhaps another 10.
This was our first bottle and overall a good experience. Decanted for 2 hours, some sediment. A lot of dark berries and hints of vanilla on the nose. Secondary aromas clearly emerging at this stage. The wine is in great balance, tannins have softened, oak very well integrated, just a touch of smoke flavors. Paired well with brie and fig jam. Ready to drink, but doesn’t appear this would fade any time soon. 91-92
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Two years have gone by since my first bottle of the case and the wine has fallen apart in pieces. Every new bottle is worse than the previous one. Fruit is absent. It is all about lactic notes and dry oak. I should have drank it way younger.
Deep ruby in color with a bit of a garnet rim. Blackcurrant, blackberry, cigar box, toasted cedar on the nose. Tertiaries are starting to develop. This wine is just entering maturity, for me. Dry, well integrated tannins of medium grain but ripe and rounded. Full bodied but not heavy, the medium acidity helps. Alcohol is medium and also very balanced. The medium finish leaves traces of cassis and savory herbs. Bought a half case in 2012, should've bought a full one. I was a bit concerned about the oak on release but this had enough fruit to absorb it well so far. This is the fifth bottle I drink and I've certainly enjoyed every single one of them. It drank well in its youth and is now drinking great as it ages. PAIRING: Carne Asada Tacos. [A+]
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My last of these from a case I bought upon release. Consistent with previous notes, interestingly this fared better in its younger years showing a bit more richness. At this stage it feels quite lean. Nothing awry per-se, and not faded per-se but just lean and uninvolving. There is a silky smoothness, some minerality and otherwise just a bit plain.
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92/93. Half bottle. This is again lovely. Napa Valley meets Bordeaux but without the sweetness. Has lovely aromas of earth, leather, iron, coffee, plums, black raspberries and plums. It plush, voluptuous, medium to full bodied palate has great depth, nicely oaked and freshly fruited blue and red fruits. Ends longish, fresh and a bit animally. 14%. Drink in next 5/10 years. Great QPR at under 20 Euros buying price! My last bottle!
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This opens over 3 hours to a well balanced wine with plenty of fruit for another 5-10 years. I kept some of this in the freezer and opened it up yesterday evening. It still has huge thick tannin on the finish. I don't know if any fruit will outlast that structure....89
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Opened 3 hours ahead. Somewhat modern but pretty floral nose, touch of earth.Medium bodied with dark fruit profile and some nice spices. I would say these will be on a nice plateau for about 5 years. 90 points
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Very good value for money. Good access from the beginning, strong nose, dark fruits. Good body, balanced. Should have bought more considering the price!
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Popped and poured. Dark ruby red, lively color. Seductive nose of red and black berries, cassis and dusty cedar wood/tobacco notes. Fruity front palette, light grained tannins that have some bite towards the end. Good acidity. The mid palette could show a bit more complexity (not saying it is rather flat), but it is easily forgiven looking at the pleasure this brings versus price paid. This is an excellent well made wine in this price category. Drinking very well now. I drank already a few bottles on earlier occasions, but don't remember those performing so well as this one. Will certainly keep a few more years longer but there is no need to wait for any further improvement, I believe this is hitting its prime drinking window.
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My notes are consistent with my prior tasting of a different bottle. An Interesting note... I served this blind to a mixed group of mostly wine novices along side a 2003 Verite La Muse. Everyone except me preferred the Lilian Ladouys, likely because it is more of a fruit forward and ripe style and less complex and offered more immediate gratification to palates that might not be used to fuller bodied, more structured wines. It worked well for me to enjoy lore of the Verite too.
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Needs a decant. Still tight but evolved at the same time.....reflection of quality of fruit and lacking finesse. Good QPR. Enjoy for what it is and surprisingly good.
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Really hits its stride after 2 decanter hours. Treads a fine line between New World and Traditional. Very nicely balanced: fruit, secondary flavors, tannins, and acidity. Just delicious, but yet not a party girl. In its prime drinking window, and unlikely to improve much more. At $18, might be one of the best QPRs that I've ever had.
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Very soft wine - not in your face at all with fruit. Seemed like it could’ve used a bit more of a backbone to it, but it could’ve suffered from coming after the Beaucastel.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this wine, especially considering it was $20 on release. It showed its best after 2-3 hours of decant to show great rich dark fruit, spice and oak. Really smooth tannins as well.
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It's good but a little modern for my taste. You do get a little of the st estephe pebbly quality but it's somewhat buried in oak and extract, at least in the bottle I had. It's still a good wine though and threw off a nice perfume after a 2-hour decant. Not for purists but a lot of Americans will like it.
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92/93.Half Bottle. A tour de force! Has aromas of earthy coffee, iron hints, licoricey blackraspberries, plums and cassis. Its medium to full bodied voluptuous and spherical, opulent nicely oaked black, blue and red fruits palate has great layering and freshness. Ends lonigsh, fresh and a bit unknit. 14%. Needs 2-3 hrs + aeration. Lay down 3-5 years+. My final bottle. I paid less than 20 Euros for this! Superb QPR too!
One of the best $20 bottles I've ever had, better than a bottle ~18 months ago and considerably better than 2013. Peaking now and for the next few years.
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An excellent reminder of what decent affordable Bordeaux tastes like in this world obsessed with single varietals. There is a reason that the bordelais have blended for centuries. The tannins have come around and the fruit is still vibrant. Who has the patience to cellar for ten years though? Keep drinking.....at least five more years of life remaining
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Maybe it was an off bottle, but I though 4 years ago when I tasted it it last it was a lot better. This time while still good, it felt somewhat flat without secondary or tertiary flavors, with primary fruit and uninspiring finish. QPR makes it good (paid $18). Still have 3 bottles left and will revisit in few years.
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dark, complex ... layers of ripe fruit, spices and milk chocolate character. Full and long. Velvety. Gorgeous ... On the toasty, more modern side of the spectrum .. Long and lingering on the palate
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Red fruit in the taste, with a bitter note I have noticed in quite a lot of Medoc 2009, combined with a lot of alcohol. Maybe it will be better with one more year of keeping. No rating.
This is a great wine to drink now. Would probably be fine for another 2 to 5 years. Notes of cocoa, black fruit, softened tannins, medium acidity, the structure held up well. A treat!
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Brombeere, Pflaume, Tabak, kräftige Tannine. Zart gekühlt, um die 14% Alc. im Zaum zu halten. Hat eine extrem gute Balance mit zupackenden Tanninen und einer expressiven Frucht. Sensationelle 95 Punkte für mich.
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Very dark color. Cassis, blackberry, tobacco. Not elegantly balanced though, more on the heavy side. This is reflected on the palate, the wine packs a lot of berry punch, has a thick texture and rustic, though not overwhelming tannins.
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Drank alongside an '09 Le Crock, this was clearly the more modern-styled wine. Fruity nose of plums and blackberries. Smooth and in-your-face, not a subtle or elegant wine, and made for early drinking, as there is not a lot of structure here. Does not really speak of St. Estephe, but a pleasant-enough drink.
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Consistently great wine, blueberry, cassis, tart, a bit drying still tannic finish. Concentrated, lovely wine. Still showing young, will continue to evolve for another 5 years but more approachable now. Drink or hold
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Ten year CdP and Bordeaux retro tasting (with ringers). Hosted by Grinner.
Bordeaux Flight Two - Wine Four:
Prototypical Left Bank Bordeaux and my hands down preference of the tasting. This wine delivered a level of energy and power that no other matched (with the exception of a ringer, the Anakota Helena Montana), including the Classed Growths. Knowing a Gruaud-Larose was in the mix, the only Second Growth in the tasting, that was my guess. It sports medium plus acid and medium tannins, which bodes well for another decade of cellaring. Off-the-chain QPR!
Third bottle of an EP case. Cork bottom stained like pen ink, with tartrates on the cork base. On opening the tannins are gripping (not drying) with subtlety and finesse that was missing from my last bottle several years ago. This continues to develop nicely with time for me, with scores increasing with age (prior scores 85 in 2015 & 87 in 2017).
The aromas show black raspberry, plum, and anise. On the palate there is fresh acidity lifting up anise, black currant, pepper, and smoke through the mid palate where the wine transitions to a mineral, chalky and anise filled conclusion. Good length.
No rush as this bottle demonstrates how this wine can evolve and add polish. The St Estephe fist is finally opening up on this wine.
This is always a treat, and was a great value at it's original price. Chalky, nice minerality, quite a bit of depth with lovely red fruit profile, some dryness. Nice concentration. Very tasty and classy.
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This is a nice Saint Estèphe. Still feels young and needs air to come together. Ripe plums and blackberries, vanilla, cloves and some tobacco on the nose. Lots of ripe fruits on the palette. It shows plenty of acidity; at first a bit too much but with air it balances out. Well integrated tannins. Love it.
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Another fantastic bottle, and a clear cross between seriousness and deliciousness. This is throwing tobacco and scorched earth while maintaining sweetness and grip...Very nice again! Drink or hold
Have been really impressed by the evolution of some of the 09 Bdx recently which have completely lost the Napaesque ripeness shown in their youth (say Batailley or 2nd wine from SHL) but this wine is unchanged. Still showing the same overripeness and tar notes, and a fairly angular profile, this has not improved in my eyes and is still around the 89 point mark. Solid Bordeaux but clearly better buys out there
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Nice earthy loam notes with cherry, plum, and herbal spice notes, with a smoky finish. Seems on the early side of its maturity and it’s drinking great.
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Decanted for 2+ hours before drinking. Had with salt roasted chicken and tomahawk ribeye steaks. The wine was phenomenal. Lush mouthfeel, nose of burnt cherries, long finish. Tannins still very present but not so tight as to limit enjoyment of the wine. This will age for another decade or two no problem. Will probably not open more bottles for at least another 5 years.
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I decanted the bottle for 90 minutes. Modern ripeness was apparent on the nose and palate. Lots of structure remains. It is better than my last attempt years ago, but this will be smoother in 3-5 years.
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This drinks just like a young California Cabernet from the 80s: rich Cabernet fruit; ripe, dusty tannins; deep flavors; and satisfying length. This is a terrific wine to enjoy now and over next few years.
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Decanted for one hr. Deeply red colour. Nice viscosity. Blueberries, leather notes. Nice nose, pencil shaves, cigarbox. Starting it secundary phase. Nice aromas but a slight bitterness or drying tannins. After some time in the decanter the wine developed fine. Drink my next one in 2021.
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Half Bottle: 92/93. Has full on aromas of black raspberries, plums, flowers, iron, earthy coffee-ish hints. Its medium to full bodied bold + spherical earthy coffee infused lush and opulent black fruits and plums palate has got superb depth. Ends long, freshly fruited with exquisite and lush tannin. 14%. Can be laid down 5-10 years plus
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Complete modern Saint Estephe Bordeaux with a bit more oak then I prefer. Excellent fruit. Medium body and balanced. I believe the wine is just coming into its drinking window after 10 years. Tannins are still prominent but mellowing and the wine is just starting to develop complexity. I would guess this will start really shining in about five more years but is excellent drinking right now in its own way if you decant and let it get happy for a few.
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Very ripe almost high toned fruit. Big scale here for sure. Still has smoke and flint notes mixed with toast—so rooted in place but almost too much for sure. Tannins are fine, lush, and softening at this point. Seems like a near to medium term bdx for me. Definate modern leaning but seemingly in check. However, still shows a lot of oak on the finish.
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I would definitely give this wine more time. Tasted now, it was murky, bitter, and tannic. Perhaps the only positive thing I can say about this wine is that it has good concentration.
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Half Bottle. 93/94. This is almost outstanding had it had more length I would have given it a 94+. Has aromas of iron, coffee, leather, blackberries, plums and mint. Its medium to full bodied, impressive, viscous and opulent black, red and blue fruits palate has nice coffee-ish oak, acidity and layers. Ends mediumish, a bit grippy, fresh and tongue coating. 14%. Superb QPR at around 20 Euros.
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Tasted on open, after 1 hour decant, and at the 2 hour mark. Notes: PnP: BIG whiff of alcohol and anise. Not very good. 1 hr: Mostly red fruits, mild tannins, muted flavors and finish. 2 hrs: More expressive, leaning toward black fruits and a hint of coffee. Very short finish. Not very tannic.
I had high hopes for this wine. Sadly, it has no sense of place, limited complexity, and a short finish. I enjoyed it at the 2 hr mark. It was a good wine. But not what I expected from a St Estephe in a great vintage. I'll hold the other one for 2-3 years to see if some magic happens.
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Kept under condition 1 since summer 2012 (see my profile). Popped and poured. Color: dark ruby-purple. Nose: bread, toast, smoke, and herbs. Taste: sweet red and some dark fruit (cherry, raspberry and blackberry). Soft, partly unresolved tannins. Alcohol, acidity and other elements were not well integrated yet. Best after two hours in the glass at the second day. After all a decant would have done well. This wine, when kept the way I did, is just in the beginning of its drinking window. It revealed already enough of itself to show an interesting potential. To revisit after another one or two years. Potentially 89-90+.
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After an hour or so in the decanter, this is drinking really well...even better after 2+. Much better than the disjointed bottle about one year ago. Plum skins and elderberry fruit, vanilla, smoke, and flowers, with nice aromatics, mid-palate, and finish. Tannins are rounding out nicely, and there is pretty good acidity for an '09. This is a nice QPR.
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WOW, WOW WOW! Now I KNOW bottle variation...This wine was not supposed to drink this good. I had to look at the label 3X to make sure I had not grabbed a Montrose. I have gone through over a case of this wine, and have 2 cases to go, but this was the best damn bottle and so above and beyond the others. This was on fire! Held its own and ran several laps ahead of the 2009 Marojallia that passed up a Chateau Margaux 2006 next to it...What a surprising night. It was an evening of the underdog. Money doesn't always buy you the best wines, and I am so lucky to experience that over and over again, having tried so many head bending wines.
The wine was thick and magenta in shade, with shades of brown starting to form. It was clear and healthy. The fruit was incredible and there was no denying the St. Estephe dirt and living Margaux style violets were everywhere, intermixed with gobs of red and black fruit. Somewhat Pape Clement in style...Blind, I might have guessed 2005 Pape Clement...Yes that good!
*For what its worth, this came from a case that has been sitting in a cold hobby room for 6 months now, because of space issues in the cellar...The cork was brittle and broke during extraction. F*&^ the cellar, Im moving a few cases into the hobby room for faster aging...
Wundervolle Textur, sehr gute Balance, sehr gut eingebundene Säure, Holz und Tannine dezent aber spürbar. Ich will nicht sagen perfekt, aber unglaublich harmonisch, lecker und trinkig. Hat allen am besten geschmeckt. Ca. 1 Stunde vorher geöffnet, aber nach dem Probierschluck wieder verkorkt, der Wein war direkt nach dem Öffnen bereits sehr gut.
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Couleur très profonde avec aucun signe d'évolution. Nez incroyablement sexy, très Bordeaux: graphite, boisé luxueux, très belle signature. En bouche, j'attendais un peu plus de profondeur et de longueur. Demeure définitivement Bordeaux et d'un excellent rapport qualité prix.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of leather, blackberry, currant, violets and iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, touch of iron and touch of mineral. Ends with a blackberry, infused finish of 20-25 seconds. This is drinking very, very young right now. Long way to go on this. Was served a bit cool but still a very nice showing for this.
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Very pleasant wine. Maybe hurt a little by being overshadowed by the flamboyance of the Mollydooker. Current, cherry and some earthiness. Decent finish. Good solid offering.
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More soil and tobacco development since last time, at the cost of some fruit. Still good firmness. I would say this was at 100% last year and at about 95% this year...Drink!
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Still a fine wine with the same New World approach that is easy to love. Round fruit, toffee, some notes of maturity. I don't know that this wine is actually getting better with age, but it is certainly holding up well. Cellared properly in my cave since release.
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The cooked fruit of sur maturité pervades this Bordeaux that could pass for a California Zinfandel. Plenty of boysenberry fruit compote along with cooked dark fruits and good acidity that protects it from complete flaccidity. Has thrown a bit of sediment. Drink now-2023.
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It was not as interesting this time around... though I did not let it breathe for long. It was interesting but not full and forthcoming. Next time I will decant and let it pick up some air.
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Fourth of the blind wines this evening for our 9th year together.This is from Château Lilian Ladouys in the St. Estèphe region of Bordeaux. This is made by Eric Boissenot and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Aged for 16 months in 50% new French oak.
Dark garnet red with lighter edges. A bit mute to start on the nose with a subtle stinkiness. Followed by a little bit of candied cherries and stewed berries. Medium tannins (5/10) with equal acidity and a medium body. Dark attack on the palate with more acidity coming through on the backend. Flavors of dark spices and plums. Medium length finish. Drink now.
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Developing nicely, quite tight at first, needs a couple of hours of air. Lots of licorice, lead-pencil and fennel on the nose, focused and silky black fruit on the palate, fairly young and austere right now, could use another 4-5 years in the bottle.
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Mulled blackberry, black cherry and tobacco on the nose. Medium bodied (14% ABV) and very modern in overall style. Shows predominantly a mix of soft, open blackfruit: blackberry and black cherry. After just two hours open, this wine was integrated, open and showing well. Picks up some mineral qualities and blueberry notes towards the back. Finishes with very fine grained tannins (which felt nearly fully integrated) along with some lite spices qualities. Felt it showed the fruit quite well and was certainly very drinkable. However, without the structure to match, I probably wouldn't let this sit for more than another 3 years or so. Additional cellar time won't be a significant benefit and the mix of blackfruit and minerals is in a good place at present.
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Had some 2015 left from a recent tasting so opened one of my bottles for comparison. The 2009 is more refined and developed as we might expect. A good second tier Bordeaux that is very enjoyable. At its current price point, there are better values.
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First bottle from a 12 b/ case that I purchased upon release for as little as 12€. A bit closed at first, with plenty of oak, one hour after opening a very nice fruit came to the rescue and offered a balanced wine that is easy to drink even if it hits 14% in the alcohol scale (which is a tad too much for Left Bank for me). A modern Bordeaux that drinks well.
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Robe pourpre dense; Nez en richesse & en "rondeur", dense, principalement sur le cassis & les épices. Aspect de poivron vert grillé appuyé. Touche animale légère. alcool perceptible. Bouche riche dès l'attaque, sur le cassis, impression minérale/pierre concassé présente. Heureusement qu'il y a une acidité qui supporte la rondeur & la richesse du vin. Finale ample, sur des petites pointes de vanille. Bonne longueur.
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Consumed in July of this year. See prior notes: Dark, dark garnet; close to being opaque. Rim still purple. Smells like a Medoc. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, pencil lead, cigar box, French oak. Flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant and oak. Nice structure. A medium to long finish.
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A Saint Estèphe with lots of Merlot. Was wondering therefore opened a bottle: Still too Young or would Need a 3h decant. Very deep, Little spicy, Wood and definitly a good wine in my glass. A bit closed still as too Young. Enjoyed to Lamb what was good but Beef or aged soft cheese would be better. On second day even better, opend up on whole Palette and this Looks to be a favorite wine for me. Now I know why I paid 40$.
Half day decant. This young wine needs respect. Deep, primary purple color. A little funk, saddle leather and earth on the nose. Fine entry on the palate with clay and hints forest berry. Quite subtle. Good typicity for St. Estephe. 89-90.
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closed on the first day and signs of oxidation on the second, it was recognisable as Bordeaux but it reminded me of a wine from central Spain in a hot year as it showed a lot of cooked/stewed fruit
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La robe du vin est sombre et à peine évolué au pourtour. Le nez émane le cèdre, les épices douces, les fruits noirs légèrement macérés, avec une pointe de noix de coco et de moka. La bouche est plutôt corsé, fondu et concentré, avec une acidité moyenne, les tanins sont fins et poudreux et le tout s'avère bien structuré. Jolie finale sur de fins amers. Prêt à boire.
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This had 4hrs aeration. Has fragrant and striking aromas of blueberries, iron, plums, coffee, black raspberries. Its vibrant medium to full bodied spherical and concentrated yet stylish blue fruits and coffee palate has a plump, layered and opulent middle. Ends longish and with lovely grained tannin. 14%. This is stunning for the price. Superb QPR:
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Have gone through half a case of those by now, ranging from pnp to a proper 2h decant. I stand by my earlier mentioned view that this is a nice mid-week or party wine which is much enjoyed by casual drinkers. For me the fruit was picked a bit too late here resulting in overripeness, some tar notes and slightly noticeable alcohol on the palate. Good Bordeaux for the money nevertheless.
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Tannic and shy and woody after a short decant. Impressive material, especially considering the price, but this is not ready for prime time. The CT drinking window is way too conservative. I'd suggest 2022+ for early maturity.
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Pnp at home as I was curious to check-in on a small 09 Bdx. Nice, if not the most expressive nose of dark fruit and some wood spices, dark, ripe fruit on a medium body, tar notes. Fine to medium, but dense tannins giving it a somewhat chewy character. Short finish. 88-89 My first bottle from a case, so not entirely sure if this is currently in a somewhat difficult phase as more generous fruit might have melted away while the tannins still need a few more years to align, or if the wine was a bit on the leaner side for an 09 to start with. Anyway, this is pleasant but not much more, and I don’t see the potential to go beyond the 89/90 range really, so might as well drink in the near term with a week-day meal.
Still in a moderate tannic and oaky fog, the veil lifts when paired with grilled red meat and a succulent, rich, and delicious wine emerges. Has the fruit, acid, and tannin to age gracefully, though I worry about the level of char.
I last drank a bottle of this about 3 years back, and the wine has not evolved much since then.
Still lots of blackberry and cassis on the nose. Bright acidity (which is nice for such a ripe bdx), with very prominent tannins. Tannins are admittedly a little less coarse than the last bottle, but still not resolved to my liking. Moderate use of oak.
Decent juice now, but I much prefer older bdx. So I'm burying my remaining 1/2 case and waiting for the tannins to resolve.
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Served from magnum. Very fruit driven with blackcurrant to the fore and showing no signs of age. Cassis and mint on the palate with fine tannins and well integrated oak. Long finish.
This wine would appear to have a long life ahead of it. As noted previously the QPR is excellent, this is a great wine.
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Drank like a well-structured bordeaux with strong fruit and a good backbone. Not overly tannic, finishes nicely, no bite. It'll last a while but easy to drink now too.
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First bottle in two years from an EP case. Opened to slow ox and consume with a flank steak. The cork was saturated blackberry. Very aromatic on opening with cassis, blackberries, clove, and mint. The palate is not as fresh with strong tannic structure overtaking the fruit. Very dry on the palate with lots of oak, charcoal, and incense. A lingering finish of tart blackberries with incense.
Not terribly elegant for the vintage. Respectable for the price, but don't expect any wow factor.
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Oeil rouge pourpre; Nez sévère qui montre malgré un léger "fondu". Principalement sur le cassis, légèrement crémeux, poivron vert rôti & petite touche de cèdre. Alcool perceptible & léger boisé. Bouche dense, principalement sur le cassis & boisé perceptible. Texture légèrement crémeuse. Tannins fins, quasiment "fondus". Finale légèrement épicée, sur la roche concassé. Il y a tout juste assez d'acidité pour éviter que l'ensemble soit trop lourd. Équilibre limite.
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After the Cos 04 showed so well at early maturity, I though I would check in on this as well. Made in a much more modern style with rich fruit, espresso and bold oak notes. Rounding out and integrating the oak at this point with a touch of alcohol showing through, but overall I was pleased with where it is headed. If this is your style I suggest the 2016 for a value play.
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Very different than a few years ago, much less toasted oak influence - still ripe though with raspberry and blackberry and earthyness. Ageing well and needs a few more years but nice showing for this 2009 that could have fallen off a cliff, but hasnt. Great QPR. 90 pts. I will probably pick up some 2016 in time.
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Excellent qpr. This is Really amazing for the price paid. On the nose: dark red cherries,vanilla,cloves. On the palette: Nice smooth tannins. Good acidity and balance.
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Graphite, black cherry and a hint of cedar on the nose. Palate has cherry, strong tannins and a hint of flint. The finish is really tannic, even on the second night. Has some time to go on the bottle.
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My parents wedding anniversary wine. Has slightly burnt aromas of black raspberries, menthol, earth, crasse de fer, chocolate and blackberries. Its medium to full bodied punchy, opulent, velvety and savoury palate has got ample fruit nice acidity and good oak. Ends long and lush, with finely grained tannin. Delicious. Wish it were less than 14%. Excellent QPR at around 20E: Lay down for 3-5 years.
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Excellent for the price. The last glass on the 2nd day was particularly impressive - deep, dark red fruit, anise, concentration, a beam of acidity. Reminds me a bit of Malartic-Lagraviere - has that suave savory note and panoply of leather and red fruit flavors.
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Unmistakably St Estephe. Dark fruit and volcanic scorched earth. To put your nose into the glass is to overwhelm it. Very aromatic. Good in all departments. Same on Day 2. This seems fully expanded/at peak/mature to me.
Still superb! Has full on aromas of chocolate black raspberries, iron, blackberries and mint. Its medium to full bodied spherical and very powerful yet opulent and stately palate has good oak, acidity and nice layers. Ends long and flowing with some uplifted tannins. Keep indefinitely. Needs 4 hrs aeration. I am bowled over by the QPR of this wine at under 20 Euros.
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Pnp. At first a bit of balance between fruit and secondary flavors. Then it went dumb for a while, then came back as an elegant, balanced wine with dark fruit flavors. Very good. Should only get better.
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Last night I was on the edge of doubt about whether this was corked or just in a dumb phase, leaning towards corked. But finishing this up today it was very clearly just tight yesterday. With enough air, this is very pleasant drinking. I'm more inclined just to let it come around in its own good time than to worry about an appropriate decanting time.
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This was the first of six magnums I recently purchased and we drank it over two days. My only point of comparison for this chateau is the 2003 which we had a couple of Christmas' ago and which exhibited the typical earthy St Estephe flavours and aromas and which felt like it was approaching the end of its life with a lot of tertiary character.
Dark purple in colour and very fruity on the nose with both blackcurrant and blackberry coming through. The oak is well integrated and there was very little in the way of secondary or tertiary characteristics. On the palate the fruit very much dominates. The tannins are fine. While not unexpected, I suppose I was surprised by just how youthful and fresh this wine was and it clearly has a long way to go. Even if I have the patience and discipline to only drink one of these every couple of years I'm not convinced at this stage that that will let me see it all the way through its development.
As others have noted, the QPR is excellent and I suppose the solution is therefore to pick up another case and tuck it away to see what it's doing further down the line.
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From a 375ml bottles I purchased. Fortunately I have been lucky to watch this evolve over the past 3-4 years. A little better than the last time I tried this about a year ago. Beautiful nose and lovely bouquet with a deep purple color. Well balanced with integrated tannins. Reminds me of other Margaux wines of the same '09 vintage but with greater complexity. Year of good life left in the bottle.
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Great wine for $24. Beautifully balanced wine with great structure. Dark fruit flavors with enough tannins and a earthy component to complement. More sediment in this bottle than previous but not unexpected. This was the best bottle so far.
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Tastes like an excellent Cru Classe at less than 20 Euros! Superb QPR: Has plush and quite exotic aromas of coffee, plums, iron, cassis, black raspberries and cedar. Its medium to full bodied lush and full yet elegant palate has a strapping coffee infused blue fruits and delineated middle. Ends mediumish and sculpted. Can be kept for 5-10 years. Needs 4-5 hours minimum aeration.
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Had a glass on day one that I poured through vinturi and was a little tight and restrained. Put a cork in it and popped into frig and revisited next night. Wow, what a transformation! Rich, concentrated black fruit, tobacco, cassis, leather. Fantastic balance of tannins and minerality on a tongue-coating finish. If tasted blind I would have not guessed '09 Bordeaux. This rivals Napa cabs at 3-4 x price. Wish I had more to see how this evolves over next 3-5 years.
Kept under condition 1 (see my profile) since september 2012, since about one year under condition 2. Color: very dark purple. Very nice, rich nose with cedar, sous bois and cantherells. Taste: red berries and blackberries. Nicely concentrated. The tannins were still a bit astringent. With 14% quite much alcohol (14%). With to much St. Estephe rusticity to match the back of a hare with liver sauce. At the third day the nose was more closed, the taste more open. This promising wine has developed well since my last tasting but needs another two years of cellaring, which would be according to the information of the chateau that this wine will be mature in 2017-2018. Potentially 89+.
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Best bottle so far! Its drinking very well and probably 1 or 2 years from peak. Starting to throw more barnyard and St. Estephe dirt. Really lush and rather sweet for a Bordeaux with a nice tannic pinch. Drink or Hold
A bit of a disappointment since I've been on a hot streak with '09s, which I've found to be good early-drinkers, showing lively flavor profiles. This bottle might still be in a closed phase - hold?
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This wine reminds me of everything I like about Bordeaux, at a fair price. Ripe red fruit, some vanilla and a touch of cedar, nice balance. It could be exquisite but it's just a touch jammy and there's some unresolved oak in there. Happy with my buy though.
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I continue to enjoy this wine - lovely nose, balanced, smooth, good midpalate and nice finish. It held its own quite well against a beautiful 2003 Pichon Baron.
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Decanted 1 hr. More open than previous bottle 8 months ago. Quite modern with its rich ripe fruit and vanilla wood notes. The fruit is still a bit shy and partially concealed by tannins, but there is enough structure to allow the time to resolve. Delicious and hard to beat at the price ($18 on futures), though not the most evocative of St. Estephe.
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Drank over two days, the final glass was the best! I wouldn't have guessed this was a Bordeaux wine, with its concentrated very ripe (but pure) fruit, medium-low acidity and hardly any bitter tones creating a very polished, almost sweet sensation. But since everything is balanced so well, including the great ripe tannins, it's far from dull.
It will be interesting to see where this wine goes. Is it already showing its best and will it simply start to decline at some point, three to five years from now? Or will it change into something new, less fruit driven but with more interesting tertiary characteristics, and perhaps even better, needing perhaps five years or more? Hard to judge, especially with such an atypical wine.
One of the best QPRs ever en primeur at 15 euro, that's for sure!
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Dark purple to black. Nice bouquet. Palate shows blue fruits, dark cherries, well integrated tannins, and a level of concentration characteristic of this vintage. Excellent balance of tannin, fruit, acidity, and alcohol. A bit sweeter than the average Bordeaux style. This is the best vintage of this wine that I've tasted, and I have tasted many different earlier vintages. A real pleaser. Only reason for not giving a higher score is that the finish doesn't have that "wow" factor that is more typical or the higher classified chateaux.
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Nice. I wish I'd had more than one bottle to see where it goes. Nicely balanced wine with good flavors of fruit mixed with that old world earthiness and minerality.
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Decanted. Very nice and definitely in a modern style with plenty of extracted fruit. I think this will hold for a few years but I don't see it as built to be a long-term ager.
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Dark, clean red, almost black --- Nose blue and black fruit, sour cherry juice, hint of elegant wood notes, some almond, dusty --- Palate watery, very fruity, blueberry, cherries, youthful with wonderful tannins, nice elegant wood notes, some almond again, nice sourness --- Finishes on tart and mineral charachter. I like this a lot. Youthful, promising while showing elegance and class already. Tasty. Believe in nice development.
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Basically a pop and pour. Aromas of blackberry, iron, cherry and a touch of plum. On the palate more plum, blackberry, iron, herb and earth. Finish ends with a long iron note. For not being decanted it showed pretty well.
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From a 375ml bottle, poured through venturi and draned, grippier than I recall, it was clear it needed time to open up. I put away about the remains in the fridge. Next day the wine was a lot more composed and approachable. A couple of previous notes suggested a 2-2.5 hour decant which sound appropriate given how tight it was on the first night. Solid value with room for improvement with cellar time.
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One of a lot of 375ml bottles I purchased. This is definitely one of the best so far. Wine appears to be in a sweet spot of its evolution. Beautiful nose and lovely bouquet with a deep purple color. Well balanced with integrated tannins. Reminds me of other Margaux wines of the same '09 vintage but with greater complexity. I have 4 more of these to see how it evolves of the next couple years.
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Better than the bottle we had over Christmas. Still very tannic, and "new world" in composition. I had this over Christmas with a bottle of 2009 Bad Boy which is clearly over the hill. Glad I have 4 btls of Lilian Ladouys left to drink.
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A bit more shut down than previous bottle. Muted nose of earthy mineral berry with good structure of dark fruit and earth. Might have been better to wait on this
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Ageing just beautifully. Classic nose. Dark black fruits followed by dark chocolate. Excellent value, even in Australia where you tend to pay a premium for imported wines.
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This Saint Estèphe has a fruity nose and offers a complex taste with only little tannins. Not difficult and ready to uncork. Very good price quality ratio!
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Ann opened a bottle and served this to me blind. The nose is intense with a load of dark fruit. On the palate the wine is silky with lush dark fruits and accents of chocolate and a bit of oak. There is enough acidity to make me think this is old world but a modern producer. I guessed old world, Italy, and a super Tuscan. Tasting blind can be very humbling. Ann said if she didn't know it was a Bordeaux, she would have guessed new world.
We both enjoyed it, but this is even more modern in style than I remember.
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This was better than my last bottle and similar to my first. Classic Bordeaux style but more more feminine and not super bold. Beautiful color with a smooth finish. It has plenty of life left. First time I've notice quite a bit of sediment in this vintage; guess it is inevitable as it ages.
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Young Bordeaux with beautiful feminine vibe. Soft, pretty nose of violets and a balanced palate with relaxed tannins. Once again...This is going to be a great drink with short term aging. DRINK or HOLD but feel free, this is a great introductory Bordeaux that captures the essence of the region in a modern and pretty style.
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P'nP at a restaurant. Somewhat syrupy and flabby on the open, it needed a good hour to settle down. New World style, with lots of fruit and oak - blackberry, cherry and vanilla. Round and dense on the palate, with a slightly tannic backbone and grip on the finish. Secondary flavors of cedar or tobacco evolved as the evening wore on. Worth a second try with a good decant ahead of time.
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Not saying it is a grand 1er cru but this is one of my favourite bordeaux at a really reasonable price. Delivers (almost) everything i want from the left bank while it is very affordble. Rich nose and full body, good balance of intensity and subtle elegance. The everyday-bordeaux-benchmark. Just a notch below my favourite Chateau de Laussac.
Full body. Purple color. 14% alcohol. Modern style. Dark forward fruit, but not a fruit bomb. Leather and tobacco undertones. Still a bit tannic, but smooths out nicely about an hour after opening. Not very complex, but secondary flavors might emerge after a few more years. Very good value.
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90 minute double decent. Lots of sediment. Deep, deep inky magenta color. Firm, drying tannins start to soften and nose opens up after 2.5+ hours. Nose of blueberries and violets earth and stony riverbed. Lively acid and plenty of fruit balances drying tannin on the relatively long finish. No drop-off second day. Drinking awesome now so long as you give it the respect it deserves in the decanter. Nice QPR.
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Coming along nicely. Very dark. Some tannin still to resolve. A bit forward, but good mineral salts keep the finish from being too sweet. Drunk with lamb tonight, a really good match, with the tannin, fruit and fat interplay.
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Extremely well made. Still taught. Needed 90 minutes to loosen up before giving up the goods. Restrained, dark fruit that gave way to drying tannins and a lengthy finish that left you wanting that next sip. i think this will get better in a few years but very approachable now.
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Consistent notes. This wine continues to surprise me. Great dark/rich fruits but not over done. Smoke, charcoal, a little earth as well emerge from the glass. This producer has really improved and wines are underpriced. Impressive.
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Needed decanting & aerating to release its inner delights. Left bank Bordeaux from excellent vintage year, certainly not a shy wine. Ambitious roasted fig, apple wood & blueberry confiture notes followed by racy graphite, espresso & blackberry. Dense but well structured. Needs to lay down longer...
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First bottle since February, 2013. Still a very youthful-looking, dark, semi-opaque magenta in color, with almost no lightening at the edge. Maybe a little less expressive on the nose this time. Attractive, though very subtle scents of crushed berries, vanilla and earth. Full-bodied and noticeably less fruit-forward than last time, though still very New World in style for a St. Estephe. There's still plenty of luscious, ripe blueberry and boysenberry fruit character to this though. It's definitely more harmonious now - showing a lot less oak, and the tannins are becoming well-integrated. Beautiful, delicious and freakishly good for a Bordeaux at this price point. 50+5+12+17+8=92
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Perhaps the perfect poor man's Bordeaux as is reasonably-priced (mid-$20's) and significantly out-performs at that price point. This is a St. Estephe (60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot); my experience is they tend to be bolder, more robust and that was certainly the case here - strong black fruit, earthy/woody with plenty of tannins left, but not to the point of astringency. Threw a little sediment at the end. 2009 appears to be that rare Bordeaux vintage where the good wines are approachable earlier, yet still very good, although we will wait and open our two remaining bottles in future years. If the winemaker(s) wanted to put together a Bordeaux in Napa Cab style, they certainly did so here. We did let it breathe for 1/2 an hour, @ 58 degrees, decanted it for an additional half hour, which did the trick. The wine was superb from first to last sip. Served an early Mother's Day dinner (her request) of beef stroganoff over artisan parsley/garlic fettuccine, served with oven-broiled herbed fresh asparagus.
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Dark red in color. Plenty of sediment...happy I used the filter on the Rabbit. Decanting 3 hours brought the fruit. The funk, barnyard, dark cherries, cedar were all present, but muted. Tannins weren't huge but certainly stiff.
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Compared to the few previous bottles of this I've tried, this is is taking on more delicacy and bearing, more maturity. Ashen, some tobacco, savory; lovely stuff.
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Margaux on the nose with blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, cream, vanilla, lilac, violet, straw, coffee, toffee, banana, apple. Soft on the palate with tannins supplying enjoyable texture and grip. The finish was simple blackcurrant fruit, with a touch of sweetness. The tannins have energy but blend well with the overall drinking experience. I'd give this 10/10 for the price paid.
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I finally couldn't wait any longer to pop my first bottle of this wonderful Bordeaux. It was worth the wait. Wonderful on the nose, nice balance of fruit and tannins, smooth long finish. And that was the first day - second day was even better. Now I will need more patience to enjoy the remaining 5 bottles over the next several years. I would expect this wine to improve over the next few years. I hope my 2010 and 2011 are as well made.
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Bottle #2 out of a half case purchased from Costco in 2012. I think I'm starting to like this more and more. Certainly more so than the first bottle I drank about a year ago. Very dark and still fully tannic after slow ox for 2 hours. Best on day 2 or 3, when the dark fruit dominates and the tannins soften up. I think I'll continue to drink one each year and see how this continues to evolve. I may ultimately regret not buying more when I had the chance for $17.99!
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I'm now a believer! A pomerolesque st. Estephe. Reminds me of an adolescent trotanoy. That's saying a mouthful. Drinking really well now and at least another 5 years. Bottled up value for enjoyment by all :-)
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K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L Hollywood): Drank this after the 2006 Pape Clement, and I think it suffered by comparison. I think if I drank this earlier, it would have been utterly captivating. Great nose with spice, loads of red fruit, but lacking the complexity of the Pape Clement. Definitely a modern style. Much softer and not nearly as chewy on the finish as the Pape Clement. Still seemed a bit young.
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My Grade: EX. 1 hour decant. Translucent dark cherry in glass. Expressive and beguilingly complex nose of sweet cherries, plums, cassis, menthol, graphite and wet earth. on the palate: firm mouth feel, focused cassis and plum with lead pencil, great structure and minerality on the mid, fine, drying tannins on the medium-long finish with some tobacco and black-tea notes. Excellent now , should improve over next 5-6 years. ( see my profile for grades)
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An over-performer and great value. Deep ruby color. Started to drink well after one hour decant and just kept getting better with time. Lots of dark fruit, smoke, caramel, and eucalyptus. Silky smooth on the palate. Firm tannins. Nice, lengthy finish. Excellent overall. This is drinking well now, but should continue for at least 10 years.
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This is an excellent wine at a fantastic price. This wine is developing nicely since our last bottle. Very glad we have a few more in the cellar. I am sorry I did not buy a case when I had the opportunity.
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Wow! The nose on this is incredible - tons of black fruit with leather and cedar. It reminds me of a fruity new world wine coupled with the earthy Bordeaux style. A fairly complex wine with flavors of blackberry, red fruit, vanilla and spice Smooth, velvety tannins with a long finish.
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The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like red currant and black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
PnP. Took about 30 mins to completely open up. Silky smooth. Thinner than last bottle, but still pleasure to drink. For $20, you can hardly find any better bordeaux.
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The Lilian Ladouys has oft been criticized as being too "New World": Bring it. The nose is bathed in mocha and the fresh, bright, juicy mid-palate shows a hint of citronella on the wash of cassis and blueberry. This wine still has the power and freshness to mature in interesting ways. Side-by-side with a New World Merlot, if given only the provenance, the Lilian is the obvious French guess; however, I do see why it is given its tattoo. Lovely stuff and every bit the rating given by the pros.
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Beautiful deep purplish color, great legs. Nose is a bit stinky (old socks), lilacs, plums, rubber. Good attack, medium mouthfeel body, med high acidity, quite tannic, lots of structure that overpowers the fruit. Medium finish. Had with roast lamb, potatoes, asparagus. Bit disappointed, and don't feel it's worth the $40 it is now going for -- at $20 it would certainly be worth it. Tannins and and acidity just combine to overpower everything else and the wine comes off as a bit one dimensional. Much prefer the 2010 vintage, which seems more classy, more interesting, and more likely to improve in time.
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Cherries, wet wood, menthol on the nose. Dark red in the glass and full of flavor in the mouth. Decanted for about an hour and it is ready to drink. This wine will age well. I can't wait to try some with chocolate!
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Initial nose is plummy and impressive. Decanted. Left for 3 hours. Nose was a mix of berries and currants. Elegant and soft on the palate with seamless finish. This delivers the goods from nose to palate to finish. I drank a bottle in an hour. Say no more. This is a notch above Senejac 2010, so snap it up if you see it at a good price.
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Fantastic value for under $20 / bottle. I've had them in cellar for 32 months. Recommend decant for at least an hour - I think they have only perhaps 18-24 months of window before they fade. Good now with decant - moderate flavor profile 48 hours later. They seen pretty type specific (St. Estephe) to me - typical bordeaux. Not similar to Cal. wine at all - subdued fruit, good body. I wish I had bought 12 instead of 6 ! I don't see these lasting beyond 2016 - time to serve them with a good grilled something.
Darkest red --- Nose herbal notes and sour cherry, fat, blueberry, some walnut --- Palate fresh, fruity, nice acidity, cherries, tea, tartness, bitter chocolate, some plums, green aspects, oriental aspects --- Finishes rather long on elegant tartness and fruitiness. Nice vine, tasty, a little bit challenging right now. Appears to be a bit too much engineered.
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As others have said, this is modern styled, and even more so than I expected. Black fruits, plum, and chocolate. I thought brown sugar and faint toffee but Ann said light caramel. I see Chainthroer also noted mentioned that in his note. Light/medium tannin and decent acidity balance out the fruit. Pretty easy drinking now but I thnk it might be better down the road a few years.
Day 2: shows even better with less sweetness and oak influence; more structure and mineral notes.
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Holy cow, two years have done wonders for this wine! Splash decanted and then served 30 minutes later. The palate is explosive with black fruits, some minerals, and chocolate. The nose is dominated by leather and cedar. I disagree completely with the previous comments that say this tastes more like California than Bordeaux. This is clearly Bordeaux.
Very approachable now but will easily last another 10-15 years. What a fabulous wine for the original $20 price tag.
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This wine is quite the puzzle. Read the reviews, took a chance that it would be good now, opened a bottle to go with rack of lamb, let it breathe, decanted. It started out rather robust...tarry, graphite, good minerality, long finish. Then evolved to where it seemed to not "complete" and despite it being robust was VERY one-dimensional, did not get much complexity out of the fruit. Did throw off some sediment. Given its youth, going to let our 2 remaining age a tad more, but not too long. Based on the reviews, it appears there can be differences bottle to bottle (not good).
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Coravined a glass. I agree with most of the other reviewers. Jammy aromas and flavors dominate--primarily raspberry, but the full-bodied palate is not overly heavy or sweet. Lots of red fruits with some herbal character. Long finish. Oak is coming together. Not really classical Bordeaux, but pleasurable if you're in the mood for a fruit-forward cab/merlot. Became more herbal and simple with time in the glass. Clean. Excellent value!
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Second bottle. Previous bottle was about 8-9 months ago. What a difference. It was good then, but precocious. In just 2/3 of a year it has mellowed into a really smooth, luscious wine. Tremendous balance of fruit and tannin, though neither is overpowering.
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Great wine! Big, thick, jammy, with great tannins and a structured backbone that sits on your palate for a good 20-30 seconds. Earthy grassy notes, white pepper, and dark fruits take hold of you in this amazing value wine that I will continue to look for year after year for one of the best QPR's I've yet found!
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Rubino con netti lampi porpora. Naso ricco di ribes e mirtillo, mora, menta, violetta, note ematiche, cacao, chiodo di garofano e cannella. Equilibrato nella potenza in bocca, ha beva compulsiva. Quasi risolto il legno, avvertibile solo nel finale
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Slightly gamey, lovely fruit, almost caressing and lush. Lovely to drink. Somewhat unstructured, like many of the '09s I've tried, but really appealing, a lot of lift, expansive on the palate. This is the kind of wine I wish I had many more cases of, based on the original $20 price-point. 92pts++. A <$25 Bordeaux of this quality is very hard to come by.
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Good balance of fruit and tannin. Just enough restraint to keep this food-friendly. Good, but not great depth. Will be interesting to see how this ages.
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Robe dense rubis opaque. Le nez est d'abord dominé par des notes de cerises foncées, d'un agréable boisé bien intégré & petite touche de fumée. L'ensemble est dense avec un brin d'austérité que j'aime bien. L'aération apporte des petites notes animales, une pointe de poivron vert grillé & des épices (canelles, girofles). La bouche est autant sur la cerise foncé & le bois en attaque. La structure & densité y sont aussi. L'austérité du nez se goûte en bouche. Il s'agit d'un trait que j'apprécie. L'ensemble est bien droit, supporté par une bonne acidité qui apporte un bon équilibre à l'ensemble. Les tannins sont bien présents, la finale est de longeur moyenne. Très satisfaisant, je vais essayer d'ouvrir mes prochaines bouteilles dans qques années...
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This bottle was the same on the nose as last time but on the palate it was very astringent. It was decanted for a few hours but stayed the same. Maybe just bottle variation. Will decide after next bottle popped. Still good for 20 bucks.
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This is pure and simple a great wine. I don't think it has what it takes to develop into a fantastic wine. But it is very well structured, with great fruit and balance.
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Decanted, at the 30 minute mark it was fruit forward, tannic and still a little disjointed. All the elements are there but not yet coming together.
Came together nicely after a few more hours. Still very young and dominated by lots of ripe fruit. Hold for a few more years before trying another one.
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A little disappointed with this one. Lots of graphite, some dark fruits, acid is strong, fairly high tannins, fruit is present but not in the forefront. A lot of structure, so maybe it will melow out over time.
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This was my first taste of the case I bought. I hope it gets significantly better. There were 3 of us drinking a lot of heavy reds over the weekend and this was definitely the least favorite wine. Astringent, somewhat bitter lingering taste. I will wait for 2-3 years for my next bottle.
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Very fruit forward with nice jammy notes of blackberry and cherry. A bit heavy on the oak, but still well-balanced. This punches well above its price point and is great for drinking now. Faded significantly after a day, which makes me wonder if this one is built for the long haul. Still likely to drink well for the next few years, if not one to cellar for a decade.
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Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Bouquet with ripe dark forest fruits, roasted nuts, caramel and some smoke. On the palate ripe cassis, sweetness nicely balanced by the acidity, oaky and smoky flavors and round tannin. Already a lovely wine, but this can last at least until 2021. 90+
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Similar to previous notes. Decanted and poured back in bottle. Drank 3 hours later and was drinking awesome. My go to $20 bottle of Bordeaux. The oak was a touch more than I remember last time hence the drop of a point. Still a fantastic bottle. Drank with a ribeye steak
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Excellent value. Paired well with ribeye. More medium red fruit than dark but it followed a big CA cab. Some tobacco and oak, smooth tannins. Nice wine. Splits the difference between old world and new. Probably not a long ager but should drink well for the next few years.
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Very similar impressions to what Dapz wrote. Upon opening this was dark red almost purplish, with plenty of ripe dark berry fruits, blueberries and blackberries. Very fruity and modern but a tad earthy , with tar and smoky notes. Full of grippy tannins and finishing a bit hot. Improved with 90 mins of air, and turned into more of red currant and vanilla laced wine mimicking more a California cab than a Bordeaux. Some acidity kept this balanced. This is a must have with food wine. Could be rated higher if it had a bit more elegance and finesse. Maybe it will get there but i doubt it. It is wine with personality.
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Year 2 Dark garnett core with a dark ruby rim. Very youthful. Nose: Very hot at first with alcohol creeping in. Black cherry, blackberry. Red fruit as well: raspberry. Timid green notes. A little bit of minerality: graphite and its dusty. Dill for oak notes. Palate: High acid. Flavors of ripe blackberry, lots of ripe plum, mulberry, a hint green pepper. It has a sour mid palate and finishes with a touch of vanilla. The tannins are high both from fruit and oak. The alcohol is high, and it spikes right now. A little unbalaced. I expect for it to come together as it ages.
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Dark, dark garnet; close to being opaque. Rim still purple. Smells like a Medoc. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, pencil lead, cigar box, French oak. Flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant and oak.The tannins are not totally resolved and leave a slight acidic sting on the tongue. But, it's soft enough for a St. Estephe given its age. Not especially intense fruit, but decent enough. Nice structure. A medium to long finish. As the wine warms in the glass the oak gets bigger, almost to the point of being caramel-like. Pairs quite well with roasted rack of lamb. More of a food wine at this stage.
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Get some aromas of kirsch, currant, smoke and blackberry on the nose of this. Some more blackberry, iron and mineral of the palate. Tight and tannic at the moment, which is probably my fault. The first bottle I opened for 10 hours before drinking but this one I decanted only 2. I'm at the 6 hour mark right now and it is definitely better than when I opened it but the first bottle I had was much better. Lesson learned.
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Not much of a nose on this right now, but what there is is anise. Deep, dark purple color, shifting ever so slightly to red. In the mouth, moderately restrained at this stage, though likely to open in an hour or so. Firm tannins, though not overwhelming. Dark stone fruit, primarily black plums and black cherries. Perhaps a bit tightly wound, I think it is going to gain a great deal of character over the next 18 to 24 months, and I'll likely be pumping up the score in that time.
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Contrary to others on the thread, I think this is drinking well now. I tried a different pairing with this wine. Mozzarella and chicken ravioli with a touch of tomato sauce. The wine had the tannins and acid to stand up to the sauce. Not much on the nose, but great flavors of tart cherry and graphite. Very pleased, but might have been mistaken for Nebbiolo were it blind. Served about 62F and decanted for 1 hr.
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Much smoother from my last bottle 8 months ago, as the tannins seem to have integrated fairly well. This paired very well with a dry rubbed rib eye steak. Should continue to age and improve --- once again a great QPR.
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Popped and poured with grilled pork chops, then drank over the course of 4 hours. It showed some graphite and leather when initially opened, along with some dark fruits. After a couple hours, this just seemed to close up. This seemed to some good stuff, but I can't give a score now.
Very enjoyable fruit-forward quaff with noticeable oak (maybe too much for some people but not here). As others have mentioned, it's easy to mistake for a Napa cab. This was my second bottle of six. (The first one was a couple months ago as a lead-in to a 1995 Ch Grand Puy Lacoste and a 2003 Prieuré-Lichine -- quel difference!) Won't touch the others for a couple-three more years, very interested to see what happens as it ages.
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Way too young! Strong tannins, on the fruity side. Short finish. And strange enough, where are the 62% CS??? Next one in 4-5 years. Unclear if it'll gain, 'though.
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Popped at 10AM and started drinking at 4PM. Not a hard edge on this wine. Aromas of cherry, currant, smoke, flowers and blackberry. Flavors of cherry, blackberry, mineral and edges with a cherry/iron note. Finish last maybe 20-25 seconds. Beautiful 2009 that is drinking very well!
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Decanted for one hour and drank over 2 hours. Beautiful nose, with dark chocolate, blueberries and dark fruits. On the palate a little bit more one dimensional with a lot of blueberry. After 1.5 hours of drinking more complexity on the palate.
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A fine table wine. I found it to be very meek, lacking a strong backbone. Perhaps we can call this Bordeaux blending, but I found no true hallmark here. Good fresh fruit saves the day, crisp reds (cranberry stood out) and plum. I feel this will not age and should be enjoyed soon.
What an excellent Bordeaux blend. It is so well structured with a great balance. Nice acid, perfect tannins, medium red fruits with earthy dustiness on the backend. Stays on the palate for a solid 25-30 seconds. I should have bought a case of this when it was out for $25 bucks a bottle...
Deep, rich purple, full bodied Meaty, rich, tobacco+leather with mossy hints off the nose, coupled with dark fruit-cherries and blackberries Medium (-) finish, lacks length and finesse on the back end-rather short Some tannins, a well balanced, simple wine. Some blackberry jam notes. There was a little harshness present that i think will disappear as the years go by.
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Great QPR, quite open from pop and pour, closed up over time though. Definitely has some new world influence but still a Bordeaux, oak is there but IMO under control, quite a long finish for a $20 wine.
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Warmed up in a decanter for about 30 min, and came across as fruity and juicy for a Bordeaux, with currant and blueberry (also unusual for Bordeaux). Medium body with medium acidity, and smooth refined tannins. Also a lovely nose. After about an hour, the tannins started asserting themselves more, creating some astringency on the finish. Fun to drink in its young, primary stage, but do it fairly quickly. I will let my remaining bottles rest to resolve the tannins more, as this should age nicely with the concentration and acidity levels it has, and has 2 points of upside in the future. Strong QPR.
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Aroma amadeirado, notas de amanteigado, leve frutado. Ácido, leve amargor, notas de pimenta, ganhou sabores, força, evoluiu no copo, cresceu em complexidade. Vinho que necessita uma boa decantação. Vale a pena esperar.
Vibrant and rich with lots of chocolate, raspberry, and oak. Sustained richness on the mid and back-palate with relatively low tannins, but good acid. Drinking very well now. Wonder if this will shutdown and add complexity or if this will peak early.
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Poured a deep red/black color. Very dark. Nose has hints of cassis and chocolate. Mouth feel is quite smooth with some decent tannins lingering for a while. A good balanced wine but it doesn't blow me away... yet. Could get much better with age.
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Thoroughly enjoyable wine even though its young. Popped and poured thru aerator. Would have opened up more with proper decanting. Notes of cassis, black cherry, graphite and a hint of cedar. Wonderful brick red color. Like others whom have commented terrific QPR. Will get better with age. Glad I have a case left.
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Still full of primary fruit, both red and black, and the tannins are building. They are mouth-coating at first, but with more air time they sart to become drying and a touch bitter on the finish. I do believe this will be shutting down with in a few months drink up or wait for several years. This primary phase has been excellent and a bargain qpr under $20.
Of the 2009 Bordeaux I have tried in this price range, the Lilian Ladouys seems difficult to enjoy. The fruit is there, and the oak is certainly there -- this is not a wimpy wine -- but the package somehow doesn't add up to enjoyment.
Tonight I decanted a bottle for an hour and a half. My first impression was that this has developed into a powerful but more enjoyable wine since the last time I tried it. After a couple hours, however, a pronounced sharp or astringent note appeared on the finish. The closest flavor I can think of is black pepper or perhaps tobacco -- it has a definite bite to it. I'm not knowledgeable enough to know whether this is a sign of good things to come, but my gut feels that this needs to take a time out for another three to ten years until it learns to behave.
Is it a classic St. Estephe? I have no clue, but probably not. Still, it has plenty of spirit.
Great wine with lots of potential. Drinking nicely now with aeration but will get better with time. The wine has a nice deep red color typical for Bordeaux
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A Holiday Weekend BBQ (or "How I milked my birthday an extra few days") (Rancho de Los Olivos): Somewhat New World in style, and definitely among the more approachable '09's I have had. Deep and dark in the glass. Dusty dark fruit and soil notes on the nose along with some muted spice and tar. Rich fruit on the palate, with the merlot leading the charge, but a distracting tartness is present and may dissipate as the tannins integrate over time.
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While showing a lot better than last time around, the '09 is still far from outstanding. Tannic, massively oaky, and waves of toasted fat fruit, bordering on baked Christmas cake. Doesn't quite possess the breed to shed the rustic St Estephe character, either. I may be completely wrong of course but I very much doubt these super charged '09s will survive their 15th birthday. Harvested too late. Well--- those were his famous last words... Time will tell.
Very nice wine, excellent price point. Just slightly modern, with some cocoa or coffee elements to go with the nice blue fruit and light spice. Certainly good drinking now.
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Great left bank bordeaux comprised of 60% cab sauv and 40% merlot. This wine is much much more approachable than other left bank Bordeaux's that I've bought in the same price range recently. Full bodied wine exhibiting lots of chocolate and coffee on my palate. I'm not picking up too much fruit but I am surprised for how quickly the tannins are softening up on such a young Boudreaux. Great value for a quality Bordeaux that's drinkable now!
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PnP, drank over 1.5 hrs without much change. Quite fruit-forward for a Bordeaux, but still showing some lovely graphite on the nose. Silky mouthfeel with a moderate length and fairly complex finish. This wine is still a bit too tannic and harsh for my tastes, and I'll let my other bottles sit a year or two before trying again. Amazing QPR for a Bordeaux.
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Decanted for more than seven hours. Color: dark purple. Nose: fresh, lively fruit after decanting. Smokey and with dark black and red fruit in the glass. Taste: smoke, dark black and red fruit, some spices and a beginning of coffee. Much, fine, prominent tannins that gave the wine a astringent mouthfeel, certainly in the beginning, later in the glass a bit softening. At the second day not more developed. An already quite luscious, rich, and harmonious, medium bodied wine with a medium finish. Rather enjoyable but not really ready for drinking yet, this seems a very good cru bourgeois for the future. Best being held for at least two, three years, I guess. For now 88, potentially 89+.
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Open for business immediately on opening. Have 10 of these so had my fingers crossed as this was my first taste. On the nose lots of black cherry and ripe fruit but not over the top, there is even a hint of cigar in there as well as some Pencil lead. This wine is way darker than I imagined it would be for a $20 bottle. Palate is terrific and lush fruit with fine tannins and quite a mouthful to it with some dryness at the end. A nice decent finish that is absolutely amazing given the price. Glad I have more saved in the cellar. This should last as long as the professionals say it should. I am giving it a higher score than most but I think this can please the Bordeaux and Napa lovers at the same time!!
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As compared to the 2003 Lilian Ladouys which was enjoyed at the same time, this is clearly much younger and more "New World" in style. Decanted, a bit tight, and not as expressive as its older sibling. Much darker, with blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, and vanilla. Oak and tannins are noticeable, but linger in background. I expect this will evolve and age nicely. Surprisingly approachable for a very young Bordeaux.
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This is a big, beautiful wine, and though I normally don't drink Bordeaux young, I was impressed, just by the fruit in this big dark deeply opaqued scarlet wine. The nose was soft, but definitely filled with deep dark fruit and bright red fruit, and I could smell some tartness, which is odd. The other scents were of forest floor, no earth and I see the comparisons against Napa. On he palate the fruits again manifested, with big, but soft chewy tannin, perky acidity and a great mouthfeel. I don't think I tasted much of the forest floor, but maybe a little. The drying tannins were felt toward the finish with a note of mint or menthol on the aftertaste amongst the big fruits. I will definitely seek more of these bottles out as a sub $20 early drinking Bordeaux, this is a great value.
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This is really a beauty, especially after being open more than a full day. quite opaque with red legs. Penetrating cassis in the nose, full of great berry fruit. Rich and full on the palate, with creamy vanilla at the fore. Lovely smoky fruit, just smolders on the palate. Blackcurrants. Lovely finish. This is just aces. 5-13-18-9: 95/100.
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Still quite young and not yet integrated. The tannins are big and the fruit is too forward at this stage. I can't tell whether this will turn into a very good wine or not. The style is in the modern style, which I do not appreciate.
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Tasting just as good as I remember. Opaque black ruby with red tears. Nose has violets, earth, a hint of licorice. Very aromatic with black fruits. This baby is super-smooth and polished on the palate, big black fruits that really grab your atttention. Long finish. Drinkable now, it should last for quite awhile. A total steal for the quality at $29, it was a screaming bargain at $18 when I first bought it at Costco. Excellent expression of bordeaux. 5-14-17-9: 95/100.
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Cupissimo rubino. Inebriante il naso di mirtillo, ribes, lampone, grafite, violetta fresca, note speziate e di tostatura, netta menta. Bocca piena, suadente, già godibile per un tannino finissimo e godurioso
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Vinturried into a decanter for 3 hours. Dark red garnet; black currants, dark blue fruits, and some pencil lead and mint on the nose. The palate is getting tobacco leaf, black currants, dark chocolate, and graphite. The dry tannins are somewhat grippy on the front; agree that this is New World-ish like.
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From a 375ml bottle. A very modern Bordeaux at par with an above average Cali red blend. PnP, obviously it felt young but extremely approachable and enjoyable. There is vibrant fruit, nice fine tannins, and a smooth body. Solid QPR and a great Bordeaux to drink now while you wait for the big boys to get more cellar time.
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Good nose of dark fruits, vanilla, earth and minerality. Nice full body on the tongue. Very fruit forward and Napa like. Good finish. Very good for the price.
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Rating this for what it is- an absolutely excellent QPR Bordeaux for Napa cab lovers. It's big and dark, very fruit forward. A few hours in the decanter and it is easily confused for a smooth cab costing 2x. This IS NOT a miracle Bordeaux to supplant your palate for Petrus, Latour, or the like. Let's get real; nothing at this price will ever make it close. It IS a really good "drink now" Bordeaux for new-world style fans. Will it least for decades? I have no idea. Those in my cellar sure won't. I don't have the patience to leave a well-drinking QPR stud like this alone.
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This opaque crimson wine is seriously structured and concentrated. It takes a modern approach, with a nose of ripe black currants, loganberries, tar and crushed rocks. Despite being a full-bodied, fruit-forward offering, it is not lacking for structure. The wine has ample acid, massive (albeit dry) tannins and well-integrated alcohol (which is listed as 14%). Ripe black fruit and minerals carry through to the palate and are the dominant flavors. Solid in the middle, it ends with a lengthy but astringent finish. It is mind-boggling to me how a great vintage in Bordeaux can elevate the lesser châteaux! This is such an instance. If you love great Bordeaux but are on a budget, buy this wine and lay it down. Drink 1/17-12/24.
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Columbia Valley meets the Left Bank. The nose is extremely powerful, showing lots of blueberries, vanilla, earth and spice. On the palate this is full-bodied and rich. Very "New World" in style. So much so that if tasted blind, there is no way I could identify this as a St. Estephe. Loaded with ripe blueberry and plum fruit along with a pleasant minerality. There's remarkable depth and concentration to this. The creamy finish is incredibly long, but just a bit on the oaky side at this point. Excellent right now, this will be an absolute knockout once the oak has had a chance to integrate. 92+ 50+5+13+16+8=92
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Sweet, attractive and approachable, with plenty of charm. This is already showing so much better than a half year ago. I'm hard pressed to think of better Bordeaux value at this price-point - definitely a great example of what a great vintage like '09 can bring.
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Decanted a few hours. Nose is awful, artificial and quite off, almost like powdered sugary drinks!!! The palate shows some fruit but really diluted, tannins are a bit flabby also and quite short ending! Not showing well at all presently but for the price will wait a bit for my other 2 bottles!!!
Dark fruit along with some coffee and pencil lead. A little too much smoky oak for me at this point though perhaps that will become better integrated over time.
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I have consumed 5 bottles of this wine to date and I like the evolution of this wine. While some may argue that the wine is new world in style, I think with additional bottle age, the wines terroir will become more evident. This wine has a tremendous mouthfeel for such an inexpensive wine. Frankly, I think this wine is a steal at its current price.
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Sadly only had one bottle, and drank too soon. I opened it, let it breathe for 3 hours, then drank most of it. It was okay but nothing special - no subtle flavors, not very rich, etc. I then drank the rest another 3 hours later and it was like an entirely different wine that to me warrants a 90-91. Good sign that you probably shouldnt drink this before 2015. I will likely buy more bottles.
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Vin de couleur violet foncé... Très foncé. Au nez c'est assez imposant. Trame fruité subtil. Il y a une touche empyreumatique &/ou graphite. Touche fumé. Je qualifieria l'ensemble d'austère... En bouche la masse tannique & l'astringence domine. Le fruit est en arrière plan. L'ampleur est bonne. La longueur est aussi notable. C'est robuste. J'aime bien! Prochaine bouteille dans 3 ans. Salutations
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Dark purple-red with slight translucence, the nose on this wine did not stand out particularly, either in a good or bad way. It was just solid black fruit and a little bit of dust. It was nice and balanced, but I needed to get my nose right up in it. On the palate, the first sensation is a very nice smoothness of texture. Only then does the fruit come out, and it remains somewhat understated. This wine has above-average acidity, and the palate is refreshing despite the astringency of youthful tannins. Also despite the tannins, the body is medium at most. In general, this is a lighter, fresher take on Bordeaux, with (thankfully) no funk at all. There is good minerality (graphite), and the plum and blueberry flavors of Merlot come out clearly. There is not much in the way of secondary development, unsurprisingly in such a young wine. This was a really nice bottle, and it just sneaks over the 90-point line for me, which is very good performance from a $25 bottle from this region. The wine held up very nicely and even gained some richness on day 2. I have solid expectation that this wine will improve for several years yet and can last in the cellar for up to a decade.
Consumed over a span of 3 nights. On Day 1, I must admit the nose and flavor profile was a bit reserved, although you could tell there was quite a bit of oak in the background. On Day 2, the dark fruit and vanilla was more prominent and overall, the wine started to strut itself. At this point, you'd say 'ok, this isn't bad for a $20 bottle!' Well, one night later, gas'd and recorked and thrown back in the fridge, this thing emerged into what could easily be a modern $50-65 cab. Chewy, dark chocolate, new French oak that now has me saying, 'man, this is a steal at $20!' Quite frankly, felt embarrassed I have bottles 3x the price point with similar profiles from Napa. End result, went out and bought myself a case.
More fruit forward and toasty than the average Bordeaux, but in balance with the acidity. Well made wine. Curious as to how it will taste with couple years aging.
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Young...nose of blueberries...bleach tinge which i often detect in young powerful wines. Cherries, blueberries, spice, long finish....tannins, integrated. Very good QPR young bordeaux.
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Very pleasantly surprised for a $20, very young Bordeaux. Very dark fruit, peppery, acidic. Had some heat that blew off after 2 hours in the decanter. I'd recommend holding off for at least 3 years, but if opened now decant for at least 2 hours. Solid value Bordeaux
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First one of a 12 year personal project. I'm going to taste 12 bottles throughout 12 years, always around christmas and notice the difference to try to understand better how wine develops. Im going to taste all bottles under the same conditions, no decanting.
Sight: Dark garnett core with a dark magenta rim Nose: Ripe blackberry, cassis, plum as well. Some discreet green notes: green pepper, eucalyptus. Light notes of dark chocolate as well as graphite. The alcohol seems a bit high on the nose with that nail polisher aroma coming through. Palate: High acidity, medium + tannins. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate,green and black pepper. The mid palate is very acidic but it finishes long and spicy, The alcohol is very well integrated and does not spike at all. The wine is tasting great right now. I'm curious to see how the acidity will develop, surprised that the tannins are at a considerable lower level than than the acidity at this point.
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Second bottle in a week and will need restraint to let remaining bottles mature. Inky dark and opaque with a subtle nose of lead pencil. There is a gravely mineral component that exist throughout this wine that provides some edginess on the palate but somehow is smoothed out by the other components to make the wine not only pleasant but intriguing. It's like a riddle that you want to solve through further tasting which is why restraint is required to allow this to mature. My bet is that in 5-10 years that restraint will be rewarded in spades.
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Really fantastic black purple color, with lots of bubbles. Big lead pencil nose, dark fruits lurking. This is stuffed to the gills. Big wine on the palate, rich and thick with loads of young black fruit just waiting to open down the road. This is just filled with potential, even a blockbuster in waiting, but approachable even now. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
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More prominent toasty, almost burnt oak than previously noted. Full ripe fruit still present. Tannins seem more prominent than previous as well. Still enjoyed.
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I enjoyed this again. From 750 this time. Tannic and structured but generous fruit and earth. Needs time but enjoyable now if you don't mind the tannins.
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14% d'alcool, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Œil : profond, opacité 7/10, forte viscosité en parois, larmes colorées Nez : projection d'intensité 5/10, boisé, fumée, végétal, fruits noirs acidulés, cassis et myrtilles, pointe éthylique d'alcool qui transcende (malheureusement), tabac, séveux, une certaine élégance, invitant malgré la pointe d'alcool Bouche : sec, ample, acidité rafraîchissante, amertume moyenne-forte, plutôt asséchant, persistance moyenne, rétro boisée, fumée, amère, végétale, fruitée, éthylique Conclusion : potentiellement un beau vin en devenir, devra toutefois s'affiner car, pour le moment, il nous a semblé trop ambitieux. Très malheureusement, l'alcool transcende l'ensemble, ce qui nous déplaît au plus au point. Le 2008 était de très loin meilleur en jeunesse. À revoir tout de même. Le déséquilibre alcool inquiète un peu... Actuel : 84-85
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Bitter and corse, very much St-Estephe-like. Made notable progress over the three days I drank it. I think this has good value and good potential for the cellar. If you have to have it tonight I suggest as long a carafe time as possible !
Decanted and aired for 2 hours. Very new world in its jammyness but sill retain some Bordeaux character. Jammy cherry, dark fruits, new oak and vanilla on the nose. The palate is medium/full bodied showing lots of merlot character. Soft wine with dark fruits, jammy cherry, tobacco, anise, and graphite.
Very good Bordeaux and a great QPR. A little atypical for a St-Estephe, but who knows how this turns out in 5-10 years.
Voila !
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showed well but slightly worse than prior. I originally thought this would be an early/easy drink but I'm now getting the impression it actually needs time (years) or considerable aeration. I also got tannic chalky soil notes this time with way more blackcurrant and generally cab influence than prior (go figure). Sometimes wine messes us around.
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Drank over several days, and showing better on days 2/3. Quite dark purple with a garnet edge. Ripe and rich nose marked by eucalyptus, coffee, cherry cordials, dried herbs/underbrush. Full-bodied and modern in style, atypical St-Estephe but typical '09. Licorice, blackberries, espresso notes with nicoise olives, leather and hints of green peppercorn on the finish, which shows fairly smooth tannins. In a nutshell, seems to show its merlot on the nose, cab sauv in the midpalate, and cab franc on the back end (though RP claims this has no cab franc in the blend, 5% is planted). Though this is big, toasty, and somewhat monolithic now, it seems to have the complexity to suggest it could develop nicely with some bottle age. Not particularly representative of its terroir however.
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- Garnet color and aromas of licorice anise, black pepper and cherry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of vanilla and black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - Good value for bordeaux. Initial smell is spicy and will certainly benefit from time in the bottle or a good decanting. First taste is not very fruit forward, but then slowly develops and opens up well in the mouth. Strong/deep fruit flavors come forward and sits on the palate well. Finish is strong and might be indicative of the vintage but should do well for a couple years forward, will look for more.
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We followed Wine Data's advice after finding that our first sips weren't very interesting or "St. Estephe", we corked it up and had it a day later. Definitely more integrated, but like il_diavolo said, it's jammy and not very typical of Bordeaux. It's alright but not so far what I'd look for in a glass of Bordeaux. Pleasant nonetheless.
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Carafé le vin environ 1 heure. Le nez est très nouveau monde, fruits noirs et cerises, vanille. La bouche est ...Est-ce que je bois un zin ou un cab de Napa? Ce n'est pas mauvais, mais pas ce que j'attends d'un St-Estèphe... Je referme la bouteille un peu déçu... Le lendemain, Wow quel changement, je retrouve le terroir de St-Estèphe, un vin beaucoup plus sérieux avec en bouche, des fruits noirs, des figues, tabac et des tannis poudreux comme du graphite. Je crois que ça regarde bien pour l'avenir. 87 à l'ouverture et 91 le lendemain.
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This experience confirmed my earlier impression en primeur with perhaps the caveat that it may need a few more years to fully come around. Dark purple colour which hints at the dense and rich experience on palate. Jammy blackberry fruit with some graphite, tar and toasted oak. On the modern side and the high merlot % adds the fleshy character - i think (hope?) this will also continue to add more bordeaux character but time will tell.
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Fresh red fruits taste such as cherry, plum, red berry. Fruity and neat. Medium body. Overall near Bordeaux right bank style. Unusual Saint Estephe. A little bitter tannin taste at the end. Still very young to drink. Expected to have potential to improve for 8+ years.
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Purple-ruby color and nice viscosity. Lovel nose with smoke, black licorice, cocoa and berry fruit. Has plenty of tannin to age but is nevertheless quite drinkable popped and poured. Very sleek and nicely chewy. Long. This is one of the best values from 2009. Can't believe it's from St. Estephe. 5-12-17-8: 92/100
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Surprisingly open for an 09 Bordeaux, Great combination of earth and fruit. 3 hour decant. Very rich dark and brooding wine. Not too expensive. I will buy more
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from 375ml. inky red/purple. Pretty closed on the nose. 1 hours decanting. Perfect dark fruit. Blackberry, dark cherry. Jammy. Mocca, vanille, chocolate. Great performance for this steal. Great QPR. Well done.....
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Served blind. The nose is completely dominated by heavily toasted oak, very ripe, almost jammy fruits underneath. Good concentration, the balance is ok, as is the finish, but the oak overload brings flashbacks of 90's Oz plonk, oak chips fermentation, eucalyptus aromas. Not my style, but will probably improve. Shocked to discover this was the Lilian--- very far from my ideal kind of St. Estèphe
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PHMG WAG: The '09 Bordeaux (Chateau Lyon): Similar to my first bottle in May. Flavors lean towards classic Cab: cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, plus some vanilla, cedar, and earth. Not picking up the tobacco this time. Needs time.
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Striking vanilla and chocolate tones, somewhat backward. Needs more time to lose some edge. Missing some elegance and complexity perhaps, but who can complain at this price. A bargain.
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from 375ml. inky red/purple. Pretty closed on the nose. Some ripe fruit but oak needs time to integrate. No pleasure to drink now. try again in 4-5 yrs.
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Had with a nice steak dinner. Blackberry, chocolate, tobacco. Nice structure. PNP, better with air. Young - looking forward to seeing how my stash evolves.
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Tight and tannic at first, this opened up beautifully into gorgeous caramel, chocolate and cherries with chunky tannins holding on till the end. A full-bodied modern style cru bourgeois showing the great ripeness and fullness of 2009. Needs some time.
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Sacrificed one upon my futures arrival. First night note, the rest of the bottle is going in the fridge for a couple of days. Dark red color. Spicy rich fruit and graphite, a little jammy, and a little bubblegum on the nose (which is a reflection of the oak I believe). Really great body, but woud pretty tight as expected. The tannin is abundant but fine grained, my guess is the tannin resolves while the fruit matures and that this will be a beauty in about 10 years. 4 nights later- the bottle has been in the fridge. It's still tight and has even more fruit than before. I think this one will probably go a dozen years while improving. There is very little sign of oxidation and tons of power while the tannins are still showing but are very fine. I'd probably up my rating a point or two now, say 91-92 overall.
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Gorgeous color. Graphite and purple fruit in the nose. Very young and primary. Palate is tannic but fruit-laden. More promise than current pleasure right now. 5-11-14-7: 87/100.
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Again from 375. Drank over 2 hrs. Evolved nicely for young wine with substantial tannins. Vanilla definitely prominent. Maybe a little too much oak at this time. Enjoyable for now with anticipated improvement.
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Nose is a little dusty but with some fruit and leather. The palate isn't showing much now due to its age much beyond the abundance of tannins and acid, but there's definitely some black fruit on the finish that bodes well for ageing. I wouldn't touch it until 2014-2015, when it will probably be a 92-93 pointer.
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Tasted along with Chateaus Cruzeau, Macard and Papeterie. Not as elegant as the Cruzeau but with more stuffing. A little jammy, but a lot to like for the under $25 price tag. Macard was a half-step back and Papeterie did not show well on the first day, but lost some of its harshness over the following two. The Lilian Ladouys has potential for development over the medium term at least.
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Meeting (of) the Parents; 5/12/2012-5/13/2012 (Cambridge, MA / Lincoln, RI): PNP on this bottle, and not its best showing. Next to the silky CA Cabs we had this evening this Bordeaux came across very tannic and closed. Blackberrym Cassis and Chocolate, with Oak/Spice showing. Overall this needed time to open up and come up to temperature from the cellar.
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PNP before I got home, it was a nice surprise! A $20 wine that has a sense of place; that's all I ask! Cassis, tar, vanilla, earth and hint of tobacco in a medium bodied wine that has a fair amount of sediment. Nice texture, decent grip. Perfect w/ a 80/20 turkey/beef burger!
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Decanted an hour. Nose showing lots of vanilla, and some black pepper and spice. Plenty of ripe currants and cassis on the palate, quite smooth with some fine tannins mixed in. Vanilla returns on a moderate length finish. Not terribly complex, but reasonably well made. Shows the lush fruit of '09 but a little too much oak at this point. Can't say I can find St. Estephe here, but still tight and has potential to improve. On night two was showing was pepper and spice on the nose. Palate still stuffed with concentrated dark fruits and the finished overtaken by vanilla. Showing much more St Estephe character, but still very ripe with lots of oak that needs to integrate.
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Deep purple color. Nose opens with cassis, a little smoke and a touch of earthiness. Nice fruit shows itself with firm tannins lurking in the background. Developed nicely with spice notes over an hour in the glass and bottle. This was a test. This wine needs more time and has a nice aging potential. Great QPR for a St Estephe. Highly recommenced for aging. Would not recommend for immediate consumption.
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Medium bodied with ripe red berries and earthy scents, this soft textured, easy to drink St. Estephe wine is best enjoyed in its youth. If you're looking for value priced Bordeaux with character, this is a great choice.
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This is a balanced, easy to drink wine. It has nice tanins with good fruit. It is well worth the price. In fact I think it is a great value particularly for a Left bank bordeaux.
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Very nice. Ripe with strong but penetrable tannins, dark/red fruited profile with oak backbone but not obtrusive. earthy and substantial. I expect this to evolve nicely. Approachable now if you dont mind the tannic grip. Drank from 375.
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This really is an excellent bargain. Dark ruby, good viscosity. Deep, brooding, dark purple fruit wrapped in glorious oak aromas fill the nose. Very fine young Bordeaux nose, very promising. Silky but full in the mouth, loads of fruit and good grip, this just fills every corner with lovely young fruit.Takes awhile to unfold on the palate, and when it does, it is lovely if young and primary. Still tannic, this wine has quite a future although for me, it is still marvelous right now and would be great with a thick, juicy rare steak. A winner all around. 4-13-17-9: 93/100.
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Very young wine, drinking well now but all the components are there for an age worthy wine. Fantastic QPR have three bottles in cellar and will be buying more before price goes up.
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This wine is definetly reaping the benefits of the 2009 vintage. On the modern side, the 2009 Chateau Lilian Ladouys has an opaque purple color with densely packed blackberry, cassis, tobacco, and ash. Very full with round, polished tannins as well as long gripping finish. I have no problem saying this is a candidate to be the sleeper of the 2009 vintage. Chateau Lilian Ladouys is surrounded by big time neighbor's like Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel. (Drink 2012-2027+) - March, 2012. (JD)
Wow! I found this at Costco for $18 - 2 less than I paid for as a future. I decanted for two hours but the nose hit me immediately. Cherries and cream with hints of graphite and alcohol. Thick and viscous the wine is deep purple and grips the glass. Full bodied with red fruit, some menthol and a little heat, tannins and acid that makes me think this will last in the cellar for years to come. This has a long finish and will be difficult to stay away from. I am thrilled I went long on 09's and can't wait to try the big boys.
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Fantastic. Very concentrated. Big flavors of oak and dark, fleshy fruits. A great young Bordeaux. 2009 is shaping up to be an unbelievable Bordeaux year. For $17 at CostCo, I'm tempted to stock up and hold for years.
This bottle easily holds its own with Bordeauxs $75+. Straddles the old/new world line. California red blend drinkers would love this.
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been in the decanter now for 2.5 hours. at the start it was all oak and fruit but it has now calmed down a bit- the oak influence now seems far less invasive. at this stage, this wine is fruit dominated and tastes much more like a cali cab than something from st. estephe. i see why Parker likes it though; it has loads of fruit but somehow still comes across as balanced (for such a young wine- I'm guessing a bit here on its future). still, this wine is literally just off the docks and is just a baby. i suspect this will be a fantastic daily drinker in 1-3 years as the fruit starts to soften. i opened this thinking i might order more (and should note it was shipped from WL and arrived today). I will definitely pick up more, but not sure how much.
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Colour: Dense purple Nose: Excellent, blackberries, blackberry and cherries. Further notes of green pepper, clove and smoke is adding to evolving notes of cigar box, sweet licorice and mould. Mouth: Not as expressive as the nose, but still very persistent. Almost Mourvedre alike with plum, dark berries, turning to mocha along sweet licorice. Still heavy tannins. And still too young, but at $26 it is a great deal!
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Deep, dark purple color, such as one would expect with such a youthful wine. Concentrated nose with hints of licorice, plums, and a very forward expression of Cabernet, with a tad bit do wood and smoke lingering in the background. In the mouth, this is chewy right from the get go. Tannins are quite firm, but refined enough not to be disruptive. Classic French character, though with a very New World influence playing a role. The terroir is clearly being expressed, but there is also a good deal of fruit (plums and cherries, maybe some blackberries) coming through. Also, hints of cassis, cocoa, and eucalyptus meandering in the neighborhood. Drinkable now, especially with a nice ribeye, but clearly has a good decade worth of drinkability. Great wine for the value, and I might even say the mostvive liked a French wine in a number of years. Must pickup another half case for the wine tasting group, as this is in the budget and will be great for next year.
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Nose: Blackberry, Fig Paste, Cherry, Vanilla, Sweet Earth and hints of spice. Palate: Moderate to Full weight in the mouth with a nice sense of layering. Black Cherry, Plum, Cassis and red berry notes. Vanilla and slight truffle notes come in as well. Finish: Lingers with dark fruit and tanins that clamp down hard when first opened. Spice and cigar wrapper notes as well.
This sits between new and old world. A very modern style of Bordeaux from St. Estephe. CA Cab drinkers will like this.
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Wow, this is good juice for the price point. It has a bold nose of currants, blackberry jam, tobacco, and graphite. I agree that it's a modern style, but after sipping, its restrained austerity to remind you it's a Bordeaux! Mid weight wine, good fruit in mid palate with youthful tannins. With cellar time, this should smooth out nicely. Will buy a few more for cellaring!
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Very new world in power but with classic French flavor profile. I really liked this with food. Paired with pan seared cowboy cut ribeye. Fantastic. Amazing QPR. Night two this is even better. Buy the rest at Costco for $18.
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Impressed. The critics who noted that this wine trends toward to modern side of Bordeaux are correct. But its sense of place is there, most notably the aromas and flavors of cool stones and fresh tobacco. This is very good and very well made wine. Impressive depth and purity. Already sufficiently soft and round to drink now, which may turn out to be the common thread with the entire 2009 vintage. But it has the stuffing to cellar for several years to evolve into a more complex mature wine. Extraordinary value for this vintage. Recommended. Bottom feeders take note.
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Very different impressions over the course of 3 hours in the decanter. From a very extracted fruit with wood to a very peppery (almost szechuan pepper) state to a very good texture with lesser fruit and almost no wood. The tannins were low in all different states. If those parts get together nicely, this could become even more than excellent, but my experience with aging wines is definately not good enough to say whether this is going to happen or not. Maybe I should have left some for the second day. Or buy another one and try again.
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nice, rounded but with good concentration, sweet tannins but perhaps marginally too much wood influence. however that may be nitpicking at this price level and excellent QPR on this one, especially given where the 2009 cru classe prices are likely to head.
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4/20/2024 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 92 Points
I had a bottle at my daughter's house that was somewhat vinegary - thought it was passed its prime. This bottle was very good and should be at its prime at least another year
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4/6/2024 - Maximus wrote:
Tannins are melted. Very good and ready to drink now.
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3/2/2024 - swiftr Likes this wine: 88 Points
First bottle opened of a case of 12. Lots of deposit, fairly solid. Pleasant fruity nose, rich sweet fruit on the palate with soft tannins. Not complex (yet?) but a very enjoyable modern style Bordeaux. Might develop further though it will be hard to resist the luscious fruit.
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2/10/2024 - robert.kalinowski@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
per usual, reports of the death of this wine was greatly exaggerated. (I find drink by dates in CT are typically conservative for my taste - unless it's a well made Rioja which people seem to give a 40 years past vintage...) Maybe I just like aged wines. Had this with Gordon Ramsy's butter based ny strips. Delicious. I have one more which I'll hold onto for at least 2-4 more years. It tasted to me like it could stand up to a legit 15 yo napa cabs. Lots more dark fruit and body and sweetness than I imagined it would have. I haven't had one in a long time, but I'm going to keep picking them up if I see them in the 20-25 range, that's crazy good for the price at this age.
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2/3/2024 - GAET wrote: 88 Points
1ere bouteille.
Nez assez mutique. Peut-être servi trop froid vers 17°
Robe noire, aucune trace d'évolution.
En bouche : assez monolithique .
Gloabalement déçu, je m'attendais à beaucoup mieux !
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1/31/2024 - Nutty08 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Not my favorite vintage and not as strong as more recent vintages. Dark fruited and quite extracted with heavy toast and mocha notes. Don’t get much nuance or terrior here.
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12/11/2023 - ArtF wrote: 92 Points
Deep maroon to rim. After 30 minutes in glass, drying tannins, mushroom, lead pencil, blackberry. Full bodied, long finish, definitely Bordeaux. Still firm next day. This will continue drinking well another 5+ years. Nice surprise.
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11/16/2023 - texaswinelover wrote:
Riper than I remember. Not sure how anyone doesn’t LOVE this for sub $18 Bordeaux. Admittedly I’ve stored it for 14 years but tasty tonight. Glad I sat on this.
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11/7/2023 - King_Arthur Likes this wine: 93 Points
It still keeps on improving. Powerful, fruity.
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10/21/2023 - Julian Marshall wrote: 90 Points
Not my cup of tea at all but I can see why others like it, hence the score. Candied notes on the nose, quite charming and mouth-watering. Candied notes on the palate too, quite fruity and winsome but for me, a bit syrupy and facile. I could really taste the 14% because of the low acidity. Like other vintages tasted, this could have come from anywhere in the world. But a well-made product.
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9/27/2023 - Sggus wrote: 91 Points
From a magnum. Deep purple color. After a little bit of air, it opened up well and became wonderfully complex. I caught notes of violet and raw meat against a cassis base. Freshness on the palate but lacking real substance. It felt a bit hollow. Mouth coating dry tannins and a good length finish.
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9/8/2023 - euroyup wrote:
A ripe nose with notes of wood and cedar, and a nice amount of depth. The taste showed some nice fruit, with still some unresolved tannins, but dominated by a rather prominent, and burning amount of alcohol. At the sixth day with vacu-vin in the fridge slightly better. Especially the finish was more friendly (more fruit, more soft), be it a little bit faint. Although more developed since my last bottle of this wine in February 2021, this needs more aging of at least one year, probably more. Perhaps it will gain some more balance. Potentially 88+. (I will reflect on the remarkable difference between the ratings of most TN-writers and mine.)
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7/17/2023 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Very nice for the price as always. The 2009 was my first vintage of this wine and I followed it year over year to see if we could get a repeat. Though this is always a nice modern example of Bordeaux, nothing compares to the 2009, yet....Elegant, earthy, coffee nuances....This is fully sitting in phase 2. Drink
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6/20/2023 - Barolo Raymond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pitch-dark purple-ruby, carmine, opaque and viscous @14% abv. Nose of black cherry, blackberry jam, oak, dried leaves, cedar, smoke, vanilla hints. Dry, medium acidity, medium-medium(+) ripe tannin, high alcohol and full body. Blackberry, blueberry, pepper, leather, oak and a distinctive savory notes in the back palate. Deeply concentrated, with crunch and and a long, elegant, velvety finish.
Supple, seductive and mature. Very good indeed. Only 4 bottles to go.
In the drinking window.
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5/20/2023 - pmk wrote: 92 Points
consistent with earlier notes
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5/19/2023 - brybts Likes this wine: 91 Points
Overall: this wine is singing right now
Appearance: medium-dark ruby, fairly opaque
Nose: fruit comes out first, but this is incredibly well integrated. After the dark fruit (blackberry), there is leather, tobacco, some spearmint, maybe a touch of cocoa, chalk.
Palate: tannins are medium and velvety, a touch bitter, with some menthol sensation. Acid is medium and adds good freshness. Fairly full bodied. Primary flavor profile is dark fruit - blackberry, blueberry - underpinned with a bit of earth and herbs. Not overly complex but nicely integrated making individual notes difficult to distinguish.
Finish: medium, mouthwatering from acidity, a touch bitter but not out of balance. A bit of green apple comes through on the finish.
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5/3/2023 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is performing at its peak now. Love it.
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4/2/2023 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purchased on release for about 25-30 USD. At this point the QPR is ridiculous. Drink now with a bit of air or hold for several more years. Outstanding.
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2/4/2023 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 91 Points
delightful nose, especially compared to Sullivan bordeaux blend. Let it breathe for 30 minutes. I changed my drink date to 2025
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1/28/2023 - P_Hansen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth, friuity with a hint of oak and acidity - really nice.
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1/24/2023 - pmk wrote: 92 Points
"Elegant, with loads of black currant fruit, cherries and dusty, loamy soil notes as well as hints of tobacco leaf, spice box and cedar, it is a medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, fleshy wine" - as per parker.
Ready now drink up
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1/16/2023 - Empirate wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/2/2023 - signotim Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking very well now but no hurry on this. It held up beautifully on night 2 and maybe even improved a bit. I would guess 5 years of great drinking ahead? But could last longer…
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12/30/2022 - texaswinelover wrote:
Loved this tonight. Shows that lesser wines in good vintages are worth every $$. Deliciously rich and ripe with resolved tannins. Didn’t falter for 2-3 hrs. Drank with grilled New York strip and lobster with garlic butter. Decadence and perfection. Glad I’ve got a few more.
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12/24/2022 - Doc90 wrote: 91 Points
Horse blanket, blackberries, and a hint of peppermint. Woody and seductive with a caressing texture. Has a long life ahead.
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12/14/2022 - ArtF Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep maroon with thin pink rim. Drying tannins add to red fruits after 30 minute decant. Went very well with pasta with marinara sauce, and chicken parm.
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12/10/2022 - Inban Reddy wrote:
Decanted for 2 hours.
On the nose: cream, vanilla, melon, slate and tons of juicy raspberry .
Long finish, herbal with hints of rosemary.
The berries carry through.
Outstanding Bordeaux! Phenomenal year.
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12/9/2022 - Barolo Raymond Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet,black opaque core. Médoc aromas of black fruit, cedar, cigar, dried leaves wood. Dry-off dry, medium(-) acidity with black fruit, blueberry jam, bay leaf, licorice, earth all framed by firm tannins. Medium(+)-full body, 14% abv. Depth and concentrated with exciting and smooth finish showcasing the fruit and tannins. Balance par excellence.
Excellent overall. Lilian Ladouys is an exceptional Cru Bourgeois indeed.
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9/5/2022 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Aromas of burning embers, cherry, tomato leaf and iron. Flavors of cherry, plum, hint of smoke, earth and hint of iron. Ends with a big finish of 25+ seconds with plum and cherry notes. This is the best showing yet for this wine and aging quite nicely.
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9/5/2022 - cobystilp wrote: 89 Points
Still so good. My cork was a little crumbly but the wine was fresh.
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7/22/2022 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points
Even better than before! Double decanted one hour - some granular sediment. Classic garrigue, blackberry and cassis aromas. Rich but still medium bodied - the Merlot gives a sweet dollop of mocha to the black currants. Nice structure - rich but elegant. Nearing peak but I can see room for further improvement. 91-92
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7/15/2022 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (Eagle Brook CC): Double blind. Aromas of incense, black fruit, blueberry and wood spice. Full-bodied. Black currant, spice box, hints of vanilla and blue fruit. Lingering finish. 92-93 pts. (J&J)
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7/15/2022 - Border Boss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted two hours before service. Opaque red/purple. Lots of tannins that continued to dry in the glass with air. Lots of black fruit. Still very young, but I think the two hour double decant gave it a bit too much air.
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6/18/2022 - ArtF Likes this wine: 93 Points
Less fruit than two years ago. Truffle is gone. But detected hint of licorice. Dry, not complex, but really nice. Some drying tannins after 30 minutes in glass.
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6/3/2022 - flod wrote: 91 Points
Delish with a sirloin steak. Bright Bordeaux nose, great acid balance, mouth-coating, good length, grows tannic on finish. Drink 'em.
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6/1/2022 - BillyRayValentine wrote: 92 Points
Killer QPR. Agree with recent tasting notes but don’t think the fruit is lacking, it has always been a more feminine Bordeaux, and fruit is integrating well for its age. May be peaking but bet it will go for a few more years. Pairs well with a simple skirt steak, pork roast, or pasta bolognese with mushrooms. Save something bigger - or younger - for the ribeyes.
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5/20/2022 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Softened tannins. Good body of fruit. Excellent QPR
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5/11/2022 - msauer wrote: 88 Points
trinkfertig .
robust, etwas rustikal. deutlicher Merlot-Anteil . Kräftige 14 %
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4/23/2022 - CabIsKing wrote: 89 Points
Had with ribs. Definitely showing it’s age. Barnyard on the nose worn a short finish .
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4/17/2022 - BHRH Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 2 hours - some sediment. Typical Cab-based BDX nose with cedar, leather, tobacco, some dusty loam, and maybe a bit of minerality. Medium bodied with cassis, black fruits and a dollop of oak. medium finish with some tannins still present. I'm wondering if the fruit is starting to dry out a little... Paired with a beef rib roast and didn't really stand up to the richness of the beef.
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4/9/2022 - curtr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decant 1.5 hrs. Very good pairing with Provecal Braised Sort Ribs.
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3/11/2022 - WineBugz69 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Inky dark. Silky smooth tannins. Delicious. So glad I cellared this for the last 7 years. This is right at its peak.
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3/3/2022 - curtr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs at least 1.5 hrs to open up. Still a bit tannic. A big, masculine wine. Drink 2023-2025.
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2/27/2022 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious, and with many years ahead yet (10 at least), as the tannins haven't rounded out. Still, the tannins are fine grained. Great acidic punch and nice milk chocolate-laced fruit. Lengthy finish.
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2/22/2022 - thalver wrote:
Took just a bit to open up, it is developing some bordeaux secondary notes, still a fair bit of fruit, good overall balance if the tannins are a bit drying. Should go longer, I think, and may improve if the tannins resolve further.
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2/1/2022 - megropolis wrote:
QPR is high @ $25
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1/26/2022 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Popped about 30 minutes prior to dinner and poured into glasses.
Reviewed at 2 hour mark.
On opening this wine was a little tight and needed air.
It paired really well with Chinese pork ribs. The spiced ribs really popped with the wine.
Nose is cassis, touch of leather, some dark red and black fruit, interesting, Bordeaux.
Palate is complex, smoothly tannic, nice complexity with nicely resolved tannins that are showing nice integration and starting to show secondary flavors. The finish is long and interesting. Quite smooth.
For me this is drinking at or very close to peak.
Would buy again.
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1/18/2022 - Thief wrote: 92 Points
Black currants, a hint of charcoal and earth. Silky tannins. Drin now.
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1/17/2022 - pmk wrote: 91 Points
medium bodied, lots of terroir, black fruit. refined, layered. Ready now, opens after about 1 hour
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12/31/2021 - ArtF wrote: 91 Points
Dark red color. Some truffle on palate. Nice.
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12/26/2021 - td1836 wrote: 90 Points
Starts off nice with some only slightly ripe fruits and leather, but finished a bit thin with some vegetal notes.
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12/19/2021 - mhensel wrote: 92 Points
Dark red, black core --- Nose masculine, elegant roughness, red fruit, tar, underbrush, burnt wood, blackberry, some glue, some bark, some honey --- Palate warm, smooth, nice powerful acidity coming through, red fruit, herbs, tart aspects, some blueberry --- Finishes on tart aspects and minerality. Believe it will develop for another 5 years, impressive. Right now less tasty but astonishing and captivating. Very good.
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11/18/2021 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
Final bottle of an EP case. Overall value from the case was off the charts and this was a fine final bottle. Good plum color with apparent bricking, though not excessively for the age. Opens quickly with a predominant aromatic mixture dominated by plum with supporting notes of clove, briar, ganache, cassis, and a whiff of an old sweater locked away for a year. On the palate this provides a modest lift of acidity on the attack before stepping aside to let the plum, cassis, and cedar glide through the mid palate. The finish leaves a shallow but lengthy thread of chalky iron as it coasts along. Resolved tannins allow the bone structure of the fruit to shine through. Solid, and looking forward to my 2016 and 2019.
Day 2 - Half the bottle stored overnight. Presenting more vigor today from the acidity with the cassis showing dominance, backed up with smoke and an espresso centric finish. A very different wine from day 1. Day 2 - 90.
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11/15/2021 - wwolf1 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Un bon bordeaux qui a bien tenu les années. Un nez agréable et un vin très équilibré, des tanins fondus mais encore de la matière, une longueur correcte. C'est bien, bon rapport Q/P.
14/20
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9/24/2021 - df1962 wrote: 93 Points
PnD let air for 3hrs.
Clear deep ruby.
Clean. Medium(+) intensity with aromas of cassis blackberry pate des fruits thyme tar tobacco and vanilla.
Dry. Medium(+) tannins. Medium(+) acidity. Medium alcohol. Medium body. Medium(+) intensity with flavours of cassis blackberry blood thyme jasmine tea and coconut.
Medium(+) finish with lingering cassis black tea and herbal notes. Very good drink now suitable for further ageing. Fresh with nice tertiary elements and balance. Great window over the next five years. Nice reminder of why you need to be patient with BDX.
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9/23/2021 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Fine silky tannins. Creamy cherrie notes. Black fruit. Not very complex but drinking well.
Better on day 2.
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9/20/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 93 Points
I have wrote enough notes about this wine and partially abused my cellar tracker space on this board. I am not writing to tell you about another bottle of this wine. I am writing to give you a comparison of this wine, opened alongside its younger sister, the 2015. Its clear that the 2009 is a boy and the 2015 is a girl. As to where the 2009 is dense, big, the 2015 is soft, elegant, and pretty in so many ways that in several breaths it made the beautiful 2009 seem over extracted, and over ripe. Needless to say, the 2009 is probably my favorite vintage of this wine so far, but drinking it next to the elegant and truffle scented 2015, it made me second guess my preference. Ultimately, the 2009 won, but the next day, the remaining wine in the bottle lost to the lively 2015. In conclusion, drink your 2009's now and over the next 3 to 5 years, and do the same with your 2015's! PT_
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9/5/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 85 Points
2018 BDX Blind (Chapel Hill, NC): #12 of 15 wines in our '18 BDX blind tasting. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot; 14% ABV. I had forgotten that I'd drank a bottle of this just last month, but since we were holding a blind '18 BDX tasting event, I wanted to throw this in as a ringer, since there would also be the "18 Lilian Ladouys in the mix. This was easily and almost universally the least popular wine in the lineup. While the other ringer ('09 d'Armailhac) had a lot of class and seemed more well-rounded, but not necessarily older, than the others in this lineup, this '09 Lilian Ladouys showed its age. My notes read: "espresso, baked aromas, and scorched earth. Not my style." Modern styled, and pretty much the poster child of what went wrong with many wines in this vintage.
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8/13/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 90 Points
I’m not the biggest fan of ‘09 BDX. Too ripe and overblown, as a general rule. Nose is a bit smokey, with blackberry, black plum and herbal notes. Smooth, rich, with mocha accents and velvety tannins, finishing a bit hot. Attractive and quite modern, but not overdone. Not sure I would peg as St Estephe or even Bordeaux though.
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7/25/2021 - BigLooLaa wrote:
Très bonne dernière bouteille bue avec Luc et Christiane au restaurant Wellington
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7/23/2021 - Border Boss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted 90 minutes before service. Completely opaque dark purple with no color loss. Black fruits, tannic, good acidity. Still extremely young.
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7/11/2021 - Jd6725 Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first time tasting this producer. This was clearly a perfectly stored bottle. Came out very tense with grippy tannins. So I decanted half of it, which definitely helped balance the wine. It's an interesting expression of Bordeaux because I can taste both the high merlot count as well as the fact that it's from St. Estephe. A fairly dark and serious wine, it could use a bit more freshness in my opinion. I think I would wait 3-5 years before opening another bottle. Good QPR bordeaux. I will probably wait a while to try my 2016's.
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7/5/2021 - Labrador Likes this wine: 87 Points
No formal notes, but a very enjoyable wine
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6/26/2021 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely more modern and fruit forward, especially for St Esteph. Warm, roasted dark fruits and plum, pencil lead and eucalyptus. Full flavored palate, with tannins soft and resolved. Dark fruits, cassis and warm, toasty oak. Tasty. Great QPR.
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5/29/2021 - robertgf wrote: 91 Points
I think Shay.Aldriedge's note below is right on. I split my wine up over two days as did he. I found day two better, probably because I did not decant but pnp on day one. Great QPR ($20 nine years ago).
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5/17/2021 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was able to find a couple of these 2-3yrs ago locally at a great price, so I’ve opened one a year since then, and this was my last bottle.
My familiarity with this producer isn’t extensive, but this 2009 shows so much character from that warm, powerful vintage while also providing a bridge to those who enjoy new world Bordeaux blends. 60/40 cab/merlot. I followed this over two days. I decanted almost two hours the first day and had half a bottle, then vacuumed and had the second half the next day. Funny enough, this wine was more tannic the second day! The aromatics here sport a more modern, ripe profile of toasty oak and roasted fruits (blue and black fruits, plum, fig). Even the palate mirrors much of that with added bitter dark chocolate and only a kiss of herbal flair. Zero brett. A mix of mocha/espresso on the finish with structure that really flexed muscles on day two. My initial reaction was enjoy over the next five years, but this has ten in it easily.
As an aside, I tried this out of my new Grassl 1855 glass and loved it, even more so than Zalto’s Bordeaux glass. Weight and balance are impeccable.
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5/9/2021 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
A really lovely modern style Cru Bourgeois. Bright and clean fruit with sweet blackcurrant and plums. Graphite and tobacco, some oak, slightly herbal (sage, thyme?), polished tannins. Ready for drinking, but no rush. Excellent QPR. - 90 points
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5/5/2021 - FlyinI wrote: 92 Points
Had my first bottle 8 years ago. Sadly, my last bottle from my case but this has a lot of life left. PnP. Tannins are far more resolved than where this started, but still has enough grip to cellar longer. Notes of dark berries suggesting youthfulness, some graphite, traces of tobacco. Nice structure; thick legs. Dark, thick plum color but picking up some amber notes on the edge. Great, great QPR at $18.50 (bought via futures).
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4/25/2021 - rlu wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Bdx fruit-mix, still young, no sign of maturity, depth, no hurry, would be nice if it gained some elegance. Nice to drink right now. Waiting 2-3 years now before opening the next bottle.
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4/24/2021 - cburgner wrote: 88 Points
still nothing special with a long tannin finish
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4/6/2021 - bhouk wrote:
Solid, true to its source, makes for good drinking. Not more than that, but not a bit less. Pretty pleased all things considered.
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3/28/2021 - Hans Lukas Likes this wine: 89 Points
Zunächst etwas verschlossen; dunkles, funkelndes Rubin; zwei Stunden Luft tn ihm gut. Üppig, Dunkle Früchte, Brombeere, Leder, erdige Töne, Brasil-Tabak; schon eindeutig Bordeaux, komplex, aber mollig, ohne marmeladig oder zu alkoholisch zu sein.
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3/23/2021 - Dr_Bob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb, note to self, get more!!!
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3/22/2021 - msauer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Die erste von 6. erstaunlich Trinkerin. Saftig, frische Frucht, wenig Tannin. macht schon Spaß!
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3/13/2021 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has come into its own. Had side by side at dinner with 2005 St. Emilion. This was the winner. Initially when opened and they breathed for about 15 minutes the St. Emilion was a little more robust than the Lilian, but the St. Emion did not evolve well after about an hour and developed a slight bitterness. The Liiian improved and opened up nicely
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3/12/2021 - Cycledoc wrote: 82 Points
Purplish color
Plum and cherry nose
Plum, white pepper
enjoyable
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3/7/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Drinking well, nice balance of flavors. Great QPR. Drink now or hold another few years
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3/7/2021 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Decanted 1 hour prior to dinner. Took out of cellar early in the day and stood up for 12 hours to let the sediment settle to the bottom.
A little sediment in the bottom that required some careful pouring into the decanter.
Review at 5 hour mark.
Nose dark fruited, earthy, minerals. cassis, pencil lead/graphite notes. Unmistakably Bordeaux.
Palate is firm, tannic, earthy, graphite, cassis, dark tannic fruit, nice acidity, very nicely balanced, decent length finish.
Outstanding QPR at $25.
Would buy again and have bought many vintages since this one. One of the best QPR's in Bordeaux that I know of.
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3/6/2021 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quite delicious from the opening. Decanted, but we needed to start drinking with dinner right away. Lovely fruit presence, but both my wife and I noticed a little corkiness (first instance after 7 bottles from out case). Not quite enough to prevent us from drinking, but it did diminish the experience for us a little. In its prime drinking window and unlikely to improve further.
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2/25/2021 - grossie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great fruit in this. Nice tannin backbone. Some oak. Drank really well right now, a bargain wine IMO. Drink now or soon.
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2/22/2021 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 91 Points
6 years later and still a pleasure to drink. Lots of life left.
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2/6/2021 - euroyup wrote:
Decanted three hours before drinking with dinner. Clearly dominated by rather nice mature notes and by the last of resolving tannins, it seems, not by fruit. Again a Medoc 2009 that after it shed off the lively fruit of the first years seems to "struggle" with a lot of (maybe to much?) stuff; what the French call matiere. Anyway lacking real balance for now. After five bottles in eight years I still do not know what to think of this wine. Therefore still no rating. Better at the fourth day. First day about 87, fourth about 88+.
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12/19/2020 - chefdilletante wrote:
I see the appeal for those that favor modern-styled wines: ripe, concentrated, supple. It’s also what it doesn’t appeal to me: low acid, lacking in terroir, and just too eager to please. Regardless, it’s in spot where the tannins are supple but all the primary fruit is still showcased.
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12/16/2020 - RN wrote: 89 Points
Thick and chunky. Needs air. 3rd night still chunky. Lacks elegance but still lots going on.
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12/12/2020 - brasstab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Luscious. Deep, dark but also elegant. All the requisite elegance and energy of a great Bordeaux, with a lingering peppery finish. Just gorgeous. Served, appropriately, with French cuisine from a local joint called Cafe Bizou.
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12/7/2020 - Labrador Likes this wine: 87 Points
This wine continues to provide enjoyment.
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12/6/2020 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Best after two decanter hours. Drinking very well. Lovely fruit and secondary flavors. Probably another five years of life.
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12/2/2020 - pinkhouse Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really different than 2 years ago with the fruit coming to the forefront and the tannins subsiding to make a terrific weekday drink. Insanely delicious for the cost, yet required patience. Much better, as of now, than the 2010. Time will tell.
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11/22/2020 - wwolf1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nez classique pour un bordeaux, tanins et boisé fondus, le vin n'est pas très puissant mais très agréable et équilibré. Pas de signe de décli, c'est bon.
15/20
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11/21/2020 - cburgner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still a solid Bordeaux. Balanced tannins and great structure.
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11/10/2020 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 91 Points
As expected, such a significant improvement from my first bottle in 2014. Very drinkable now, even as standalone but prefer with dinner. Not very complex, a little light for a Bordeaux but very enjoyable. I am changing my target drinking window to 2020-2023
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11/4/2020 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
Pnp. No need to decant. Still possesses a dark plum color. Aromatically offers vanilla, crushed blackberries, smoked alder, and subtle notes of anise, briar, and leather. On the palate the tannins are fully integrated. Acidity has a light hand on the throttle allowing the black currant, plum, anise, tobacco leaf, and light dusting of chocolate to show through. Not a long finish, but an overall very smooth and balanced wine. Enjoyable and great QPR.
Drink through 2025, though prime drinking window feels like the next 18-36 months.
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11/4/2020 - Blacksmith450 wrote: 92 Points
2 ans plus tard même CR, Équilibre, puissance, finesse... pour 32$ ? Wow ! +1pt !
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10/31/2020 - pinkhouse wrote: 91 Points
Quite pleasing. Fresher and more open than previous bottles so presume it has entered a nice drinking plateau. Still some grip on the finish so no concerns about longevity. And as others have said, value is off the charts - only challenged by Capbern in the region.
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10/28/2020 - neomarcel wrote: 89 Points
4 hours opened
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10/23/2020 - nic.fcn wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant. Opened within 30 minutes. Not very complex.
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10/16/2020 - texaswinelover wrote:
Loved this last night. Tannins smooth and nearly resolved, balanced. Touch earthy, restrained fruit. A delight for $18. Purchased at release.
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10/3/2020 - King_Arthur Likes this wine: 92 Points
I give this time even a 92. Price/value is excellent, dark berries, very good acidity==> big pleasure to drink! No need to wait longer.
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9/26/2020 - Take Two wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, light, nice color. Not a lot of fruit, a little licorice, lead, pencil, tobacco. Uninspiring. More cellaring won’t help.
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9/11/2020 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Chunky and blocky. Dark and brooding still. Big tannin structure - not sure that the fruit will last as long as the tannin. Still somehow v. enjoyable at the moment. See what night 2 brings.
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8/21/2020 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Opened and poured into glasses 1 hour prior to dinner.
Tight on pop and pour.
Nose shows nice Bordeaux notes and some nice Cab notes.
Palate was firm, a little grippy, nice fruit, good tannic structure. Decent finish.
These need more time and wager better.
For now a 2-3 hour decant is probably needed.
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8/13/2020 - COWineLover wrote: 91 Points
Opened and allowed to breathe for 45 minutes before consumption. Good aromatics showing brine, anise, leather, and cassis blanketed with cocoa. Medium bodied mouthfeel with dusty tannins that allow the anise, chocolate, and plum flavors to pair well with the medium bodied and steady acidity. A steady and lingering finish filled with smoked cherry wood, savory herbs, and more anise.
This is in a good place with enough vigor and character to be enjoyed now. My sense is this has plateaued comparing this to a bottle from about 10 months ago. Likely in a prime maturity window for 3-5 years.
Day 2 - More aromatically pronounced cassis with a dusting of cocoa. On the palate this retains a noticeable anise with the brine and smoked cherry wood remaining. Remains energetic with good mid palate lift and a deft handling of tobacco and cedar on the finish.
An outstanding QPR for this wine, with seven bottles remaining from an en primeur case. No rush but no reason not to enjoy. Drink now through 2026.
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8/9/2020 - bhouk wrote:
Getting there. Salted caramel. Big boned, saturated color; it may stay this way until the flavor poops out. I like this, but wonder if less (less alcohol presence, less overt burnt sugar) might be more. Easy on the wallet though. Hard to be disappointed.
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7/24/2020 - cburgner Likes this wine: 89 Points
It's coming around. Balanced and smooth tanins. Enjoyed on its own...looking forward to the rest.
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7/13/2020 - Zorba Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely bottle, paired well with BBQ because it's still lively with dark and red fruit for an 11-year old CB. Smelled and tasted a bit more like St. Estèphe than four years ago, with lots of cedar, ground coffee, some earth and leather. Smooth tannins providing nice structure, oak fully integrated.
This is drinking very well now but no hurry. Perhaps it will even develop further interesting notes. I'd guess this will be good for at least 5 more years and perhaps another 10.
Best QPR ever at €15 en primeur, wish I had more!
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7/11/2020 - JoeMe Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was our first bottle and overall a good experience. Decanted for 2 hours, some sediment. A lot of dark berries and hints of vanilla on the nose. Secondary aromas clearly emerging at this stage. The wine is in great balance, tannins have softened, oak very well integrated, just a touch of smoke flavors. Paired well with brie and fig jam. Ready to drink, but doesn’t appear this would fade any time soon. 91-92
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6/21/2020 - cburgner Likes this wine: 89 Points
Getting better and looking forward to see how it keeps on improving
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6/21/2020 - mid_palate Likes this wine:
Fifth bottle of the case I bought en primeur, and the best one yet. Tannins in this bottle felt fully resolved, yielding a silky texture.
Still lots of fruit, graphite, and cut grass on the nose and palate.
Oak isn't as prominent as in past bottles.
Decent acidity.
Slightly bitter note on the finish.
Great match for a big tomahawk steak.
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6/14/2020 - grenache lover wrote: 70 Points
Two years have gone by since my first bottle of the case and the wine has fallen apart in pieces. Every new bottle is worse than the previous one. Fruit is absent. It is all about lactic notes and dry oak. I should have drank it way younger.
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6/11/2020 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby in color with a bit of a garnet rim. Blackcurrant, blackberry, cigar box, toasted cedar on the nose. Tertiaries are starting to develop. This wine is just entering maturity, for me. Dry, well integrated tannins of medium grain but ripe and rounded. Full bodied but not heavy, the medium acidity helps. Alcohol is medium and also very balanced. The medium finish leaves traces of cassis and savory herbs. Bought a half case in 2012, should've bought a full one. I was a bit concerned about the oak on release but this had enough fruit to absorb it well so far. This is the fifth bottle I drink and I've certainly enjoyed every single one of them. It drank well in its youth and is now drinking great as it ages.
PAIRING: Carne Asada Tacos. [A+]
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6/9/2020 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
My last of these from a case I bought upon release. Consistent with previous notes, interestingly this fared better in its younger years showing a bit more richness. At this stage it feels quite lean. Nothing awry per-se, and not faded per-se but just lean and uninvolving. There is a silky smoothness, some minerality and otherwise just a bit plain.
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5/30/2020 - macaujames Likes this wine: 92 Points
92/93. Half bottle. This is again lovely. Napa Valley meets Bordeaux but without the sweetness. Has lovely aromas of earth, leather, iron, coffee, plums, black raspberries and plums. It plush, voluptuous, medium to full bodied palate has great depth, nicely oaked and freshly fruited blue and red fruits. Ends longish, fresh and a bit animally. 14%. Drink in next 5/10 years. Great QPR at under 20 Euros buying price! My last bottle!
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5/29/2020 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 91 Points
This opens over 3 hours to a well balanced wine with plenty of fruit for another 5-10 years. I kept some of this in the freezer and opened it up yesterday evening. It still has huge thick tannin on the finish. I don't know if any fruit will outlast that structure....89
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5/29/2020 - sastewart wrote: 90 Points
Opened 3 hours ahead. Somewhat modern but pretty floral nose, touch of earth.Medium bodied with dark fruit profile and some nice spices. I would say these will be on a nice plateau for about 5 years. 90 points
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5/25/2020 - lushlife wrote: 91 Points
great qpr
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5/20/2020 - King_Arthur Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good value for money. Good access from the beginning, strong nose, dark fruits. Good body, balanced. Should have bought more considering the price!
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5/19/2020 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Dark ruby red, lively color. Seductive nose of red and black berries, cassis and dusty cedar wood/tobacco notes. Fruity front palette, light grained tannins that have some bite towards the end. Good acidity. The mid palette could show a bit more complexity (not saying it is rather flat), but it is easily forgiven looking at the pleasure this brings versus price paid. This is an excellent well made wine in this price category. Drinking very well now. I drank already a few bottles on earlier occasions, but don't remember those performing so well as this one. Will certainly keep a few more years longer but there is no need to wait for any further improvement, I believe this is hitting its prime drinking window.
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5/10/2020 - VAGentleman wrote: 90 Points
Dependable essential Bordeaux nose and feel. Great value.
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5/3/2020 - Thief Likes this wine: 92 Points
My notes are consistent with my prior tasting of a different bottle. An Interesting note... I served this blind to a mixed group of mostly wine novices along side a 2003 Verite La Muse. Everyone except me preferred the Lilian Ladouys, likely because it is more of a fruit forward and ripe style and less complex and offered more immediate gratification to palates that might not be used to fuller bodied, more structured wines. It worked well for me to enjoy lore of the Verite too.
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4/27/2020 - RN wrote: 89 Points
Needs a decant. Still tight but evolved at the same time.....reflection of quality of fruit and lacking finesse. Good QPR. Enjoy for what it is and surprisingly good.
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4/26/2020 - ArtF wrote: 88 Points
More Aussie shiraz than Bordeaux. Needs 2 hour decant or two years for less fruit more complexity.
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4/25/2020 - cburgner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and it really opened up nicely. I drank on its own and really enjoyed
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4/23/2020 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really hits its stride after 2 decanter hours. Treads a fine line between New World and Traditional. Very nicely balanced: fruit, secondary flavors, tannins, and acidity. Just delicious, but yet not a party girl. In its prime drinking window, and unlikely to improve much more. At $18, might be one of the best QPRs that I've ever had.
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4/11/2020 - Wine Sparty wrote: 91 Points
Very soft wine - not in your face at all with fruit. Seemed like it could’ve used a bit more of a backbone to it, but it could’ve suffered from coming after the Beaucastel.
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4/11/2020 - cheZ joZef Likes this wine: 88 Points
Needs time to open up and some more years.
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4/6/2020 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I thoroughly enjoyed this wine, especially considering it was $20 on release. It showed its best after 2-3 hours of decant to show great rich dark fruit, spice and oak. Really smooth tannins as well.
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4/1/2020 - jmh st louis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bright red fruit, medium finish
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3/29/2020 - mayfield Likes this wine: 90 Points
It's good but a little modern for my taste. You do get a little of the st estephe pebbly quality but it's somewhat buried in oak and extract, at least in the bottle I had. It's still a good wine though and threw off a nice perfume after a 2-hour decant. Not for purists but a lot of Americans will like it.
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3/29/2020 - Villon wrote: 91 Points
Très bon, encore jeune.
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3/27/2020 - gjv115 wrote:
Day one had nothing going on. Astringent. Flat. Day two more of the same. Hoping it's an off bottle but I'm going to wait a while for the next bottle
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3/26/2020 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
92/93.Half Bottle. A tour de force! Has aromas of earthy coffee, iron hints, licoricey blackraspberries, plums and cassis. Its medium to full bodied voluptuous and spherical, opulent nicely oaked black, blue and red fruits palate has great layering and freshness. Ends lonigsh, fresh and a bit unknit. 14%. Needs 2-3 hrs + aeration. Lay down 3-5 years+. My final bottle. I paid less than 20 Euros for this! Superb QPR too!
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3/22/2020 - silton Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of the best $20 bottles I've ever had, better than a bottle ~18 months ago and considerably better than 2013. Peaking now and for the next few years.
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3/1/2020 - Whidah Likes this wine: 92 Points
An excellent reminder of what decent affordable Bordeaux tastes like in this world obsessed with single varietals. There is a reason that the bordelais have blended for centuries. The tannins have come around and the fruit is still vibrant. Who has the patience to cellar for ten years though? Keep drinking.....at least five more years of life remaining
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2/22/2020 - cburgner Likes this wine: 89 Points
Starting to come along. Tannins are mellowing and a fairly smooth finish
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2/18/2020 - xxquadxx Likes this wine: 90 Points
Maybe it was an off bottle, but I though 4 years ago when I tasted it it last it was a lot better. This time while still good, it felt somewhat flat without secondary or tertiary flavors, with primary fruit and uninspiring finish. QPR makes it good (paid $18). Still have 3 bottles left and will revisit in few years.
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2/18/2020 - elyaz wrote:
dark, complex ... layers of ripe fruit, spices and milk chocolate character. Full and long. Velvety. Gorgeous ... On the toasty, more modern side of the spectrum .. Long and lingering on the palate
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2/10/2020 - euroyup wrote:
Red fruit in the taste, with a bitter note I have noticed in quite a lot of Medoc 2009, combined with a lot of alcohol. Maybe it will be better with one more year of keeping. No rating.
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1/23/2020 - lockandkey2 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a great wine to drink now. Would probably be fine for another 2 to 5 years. Notes of cocoa, black fruit, softened tannins, medium acidity, the structure held up well. A treat!
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1/21/2020 - hcl-1 wrote: 95 Points
Brombeere, Pflaume, Tabak, kräftige Tannine. Zart gekühlt, um die 14% Alc. im Zaum zu halten. Hat eine extrem gute Balance mit zupackenden Tanninen und einer expressiven Frucht. Sensationelle 95 Punkte für mich.
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1/17/2020 - PatrickO33 wrote: 87 Points
Very dark color. Cassis, blackberry, tobacco. Not elegantly balanced though, more on the heavy side. This is reflected on the palate, the wine packs a lot of berry punch, has a thick texture and rustic, though not overwhelming tannins.
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1/5/2020 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sensational keeping in mind its price
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12/26/2019 - GrapeScott wrote: 89 Points
Drank alongside an '09 Le Crock, this was clearly the more modern-styled wine. Fruity nose of plums and blackberries. Smooth and in-your-face, not a subtle or elegant wine, and made for early drinking, as there is not a lot of structure here. Does not really speak of St. Estephe, but a pleasant-enough drink.
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12/22/2019 - ArtF Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clearly in its drinking window. Blackcurrant and cedar. Some drying tannins. But acidity is in check. Drink or hold.
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12/21/2019 - ledocq Likes this wine:
Reminds me of a baby Di Co. Same kind of tannic structure.
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12/2/2019 - jstrovel@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of fruit but better on day 2 for me. needs a few more years for my palate.
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11/24/2019 - redz wrote: 92 Points
Last of a case, it's been a nice run.
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11/10/2019 - 82Latour Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistently great wine, blueberry, cassis, tart, a bit drying still tannic finish. Concentrated, lovely wine. Still showing young, will continue to evolve for another 5 years but more approachable now. Drink or hold
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11/10/2019 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Ten year CdP and Bordeaux retro tasting (with ringers). Hosted by Grinner.
Bordeaux Flight Two - Wine Four:
Prototypical Left Bank Bordeaux and my hands down preference of the tasting. This wine delivered a level of energy and power that no other matched (with the exception of a ringer, the Anakota Helena Montana), including the Classed Growths. Knowing a Gruaud-Larose was in the mix, the only Second Growth in the tasting, that was my guess. It sports medium plus acid and medium tannins, which bodes well for another decade of cellaring. Off-the-chain QPR!
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11/8/2019 - COWineLover wrote: 91 Points
Third bottle of an EP case. Cork bottom stained like pen ink, with tartrates on the cork base. On opening the tannins are gripping (not drying) with subtlety and finesse that was missing from my last bottle several years ago. This continues to develop nicely with time for me, with scores increasing with age (prior scores 85 in 2015 & 87 in 2017).
The aromas show black raspberry, plum, and anise. On the palate there is fresh acidity lifting up anise, black currant, pepper, and smoke through the mid palate where the wine transitions to a mineral, chalky and anise filled conclusion. Good length.
No rush as this bottle demonstrates how this wine can evolve and add polish. The St Estephe fist is finally opening up on this wine.
Drink or hold.
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11/4/2019 - cork breath Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last bottle and best so far. Cellar time greatly benefited this wine. Much fuller. Bigger nose. Long finish
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11/2/2019 - Grinner wrote: 93 Points
The Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Chateau Lyon): Crazy QPR wine and so much better than in its youth! Still big, with cassis, plum, tar, vanilla, and spice. 93 on day 2. Now-2029.
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10/25/2019 - cobystilp wrote: 91 Points
Getting more complex with time.
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10/21/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
This is always a treat, and was a great value at it's original price. Chalky, nice minerality, quite a bit of depth with lovely red fruit profile, some dryness. Nice concentration. Very tasty and classy.
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10/17/2019 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a nice Saint Estèphe. Still feels young and needs air to come together. Ripe plums and blackberries, vanilla, cloves and some tobacco on the nose. Lots of ripe fruits on the palette. It shows plenty of acidity; at first a bit too much but with air it balances out. Well integrated tannins. Love it.
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9/25/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 93 Points
Another fantastic bottle, and a clear cross between seriousness and deliciousness. This is throwing tobacco and scorched earth while maintaining sweetness and grip...Very nice again! Drink or hold
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9/25/2019 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Have been really impressed by the evolution of some of the 09 Bdx recently which have completely lost the Napaesque ripeness shown in their youth (say Batailley or 2nd wine from SHL) but this wine is unchanged. Still showing the same overripeness and tar notes, and a fairly angular profile, this has not improved in my eyes and is still around the 89 point mark. Solid Bordeaux but clearly better buys out there
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9/13/2019 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Nice earthy loam notes with cherry, plum, and herbal spice notes, with a smoky finish. Seems on the early side of its maturity and it’s drinking great.
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9/9/2019 - cobystilp wrote: 91 Points
This bottle was initially a little flat when opened. After an hour it began to sing. It is drinking very well. Glad I own a case.
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9/6/2019 - russfoul Likes this wine: 92 Points
mature tanins, dark fruit, drinking very nicely
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9/2/2019 - tourproto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours before drinking. Had with salt roasted chicken and tomahawk ribeye steaks. The wine was phenomenal. Lush mouthfeel, nose of burnt cherries, long finish. Tannins still very present but not so tight as to limit enjoyment of the wine. This will age for another decade or two no problem. Will probably not open more bottles for at least another 5 years.
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7/20/2019 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 90 Points
I decanted the bottle for 90 minutes. Modern ripeness was apparent on the nose and palate. Lots of structure remains. It is better than my last attempt years ago, but this will be smoother in 3-5 years.
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7/1/2019 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 93 Points
This drinks just like a young California Cabernet from the 80s: rich Cabernet fruit; ripe, dusty tannins; deep flavors; and satisfying length. This is a terrific wine to enjoy now and over next few years.
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6/8/2019 - schiwi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Trinkbereit, schöne - für 2009 vergleichsweise kühle - Estephe-Aromatik. Schöne Länge, sehr trinkig. Mir passt dieser Wein nun ausgezeichnet.
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5/16/2019 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2019-05; Bordeaux 2008 vs 2009 (@ My place): Red and dark berries, some herbs and spices, vanilla and oak in the bouquet. Same on the palate. The tannin still has a nice bite and there are some green impressions, Early maturity stage now.
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5/15/2019 - WilD wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hr. Deeply red colour. Nice viscosity. Blueberries, leather notes. Nice nose, pencil shaves, cigarbox. Starting it secundary phase. Nice aromas but a slight bitterness or drying tannins. After some time in the decanter the wine developed fine. Drink my next one in 2021.
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5/15/2019 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
Half Bottle: 92/93. Has full on aromas of black raspberries, plums, flowers, iron, earthy coffee-ish hints. Its medium to full bodied bold + spherical earthy coffee infused lush and opulent black fruits and plums palate has got superb depth. Ends long, freshly fruited with exquisite and lush tannin. 14%. Can be laid down 5-10 years plus
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5/13/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
This has improved over time; it’s now richer and more decadent.
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5/4/2019 - cheZ joZef Likes this wine: 92 Points
Complete modern Saint Estephe Bordeaux with a bit more oak then I prefer. Excellent fruit. Medium body and balanced. I believe the wine is just coming into its drinking window after 10 years. Tannins are still prominent but mellowing and the wine is just starting to develop complexity. I would guess this will start really shining in about five more years but is excellent drinking right now in its own way if you decant and let it get happy for a few.
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4/29/2019 - Lipsman wrote: 92 Points
Big and bold Cabernet flavors, suave tannins dominate at this point, spicy finish with balanced acidity. Quite nice.
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4/28/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very ripe almost high toned fruit. Big scale here for sure. Still has smoke and flint notes mixed with toast—so rooted in place but almost too much for sure. Tannins are fine, lush, and softening at this point. Seems like a near to medium term bdx for me. Definate modern leaning but seemingly in check. However, still shows a lot of oak on the finish.
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4/16/2019 - kmacSF Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth red fruit, supple sweetness and a hint of chicory.
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4/16/2019 - rmalloy wrote:
I would definitely give this wine more time. Tasted now, it was murky, bitter, and tannic. Perhaps the only positive thing I can say about this wine is that it has good concentration.
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3/23/2019 - macaujames Likes this wine: 94 Points
Half Bottle. 93/94. This is almost outstanding had it had more length I would have given it a 94+. Has aromas of iron, coffee, leather, blackberries, plums and mint. Its medium to full bodied, impressive, viscous and opulent black, red and blue fruits palate has nice coffee-ish oak, acidity and layers. Ends mediumish, a bit grippy, fresh and tongue coating. 14%. Superb QPR at around 20 Euros.
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3/22/2019 - Decanthor wrote: 87 Points
Tasted on open, after 1 hour decant, and at the 2 hour mark. Notes: PnP: BIG whiff of alcohol and anise. Not very good. 1 hr: Mostly red fruits, mild tannins, muted flavors and finish. 2 hrs: More expressive, leaning toward black fruits and a hint of coffee. Very short finish. Not very tannic.
I had high hopes for this wine. Sadly, it has no sense of place, limited complexity, and a short finish. I enjoyed it at the 2 hr mark. It was a good wine. But not what I expected from a St Estephe in a great vintage. I'll hold the other one for 2-3 years to see if some magic happens.
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3/11/2019 - euroyup wrote:
Kept under condition 1 since summer 2012 (see my profile). Popped and poured. Color: dark ruby-purple. Nose: bread, toast, smoke, and herbs. Taste: sweet red and some dark fruit (cherry, raspberry and blackberry). Soft, partly unresolved tannins. Alcohol, acidity and other elements were not well integrated yet. Best after two hours in the glass at the second day. After all a decant would have done well. This wine, when kept the way I did, is just in the beginning of its drinking window. It revealed already enough of itself to show an interesting potential. To revisit after another one or two years. Potentially 89-90+.
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3/10/2019 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
After an hour or so in the decanter, this is drinking really well...even better after 2+. Much better than the disjointed bottle about one year ago. Plum skins and elderberry fruit, vanilla, smoke, and flowers, with nice aromatics, mid-palate, and finish. Tannins are rounding out nicely, and there is pretty good acidity for an '09. This is a nice QPR.
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3/3/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 94 Points
WOW, WOW WOW! Now I KNOW bottle variation...This wine was not supposed to drink this good. I had to look at the label 3X to make sure I had not grabbed a Montrose. I have gone through over a case of this wine, and have 2 cases to go, but this was the best damn bottle and so above and beyond the others. This was on fire! Held its own and ran several laps ahead of the 2009 Marojallia that passed up a Chateau Margaux 2006 next to it...What a surprising night. It was an evening of the underdog. Money doesn't always buy you the best wines, and I am so lucky to experience that over and over again, having tried so many head bending wines.
The wine was thick and magenta in shade, with shades of brown starting to form. It was clear and healthy. The fruit was incredible and there was no denying the St. Estephe dirt and living Margaux style violets were everywhere, intermixed with gobs of red and black fruit. Somewhat Pape Clement in style...Blind, I might have guessed 2005 Pape Clement...Yes that good!
*For what its worth, this came from a case that has been sitting in a cold hobby room for 6 months now, because of space issues in the cellar...The cork was brittle and broke during extraction. F*&^ the cellar, Im moving a few cases into the hobby room for faster aging...
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2/23/2019 - hcl-1 wrote: 94 Points
Wundervolle Textur, sehr gute Balance, sehr gut eingebundene Säure, Holz und Tannine dezent aber spürbar. Ich will nicht sagen perfekt, aber unglaublich harmonisch, lecker und trinkig. Hat allen am besten geschmeckt. Ca. 1 Stunde vorher geöffnet, aber nach dem Probierschluck wieder verkorkt, der Wein war direkt nach dem Öffnen bereits sehr gut.
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2/13/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Quite attractive - nice earthy tone, slightly savory but not overdone, a hint of minerality, nice red fruit. Useful at the price.
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1/12/2019 - stephru Likes this wine: 89 Points
Couleur très profonde avec aucun signe d'évolution. Nez incroyablement sexy, très Bordeaux: graphite, boisé luxueux, très belle signature. En bouche, j'attendais un peu plus de profondeur et de longueur. Demeure définitivement Bordeaux et d'un excellent rapport qualité prix.
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1/9/2019 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great QPR. Nose of dried red fruit and leather. The merlot gives it a cocoa powder element which with the soft tannins make this an easy drinker.
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1/6/2019 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of leather, blackberry, currant, violets and iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, touch of iron and touch of mineral. Ends with a blackberry, infused finish of 20-25 seconds. This is drinking very, very young right now. Long way to go on this. Was served a bit cool but still a very nice showing for this.
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12/31/2018 - springdrive wrote: 90 Points
Black fruit, must, light herbs, supple tannins and enough acidity to balance. Really nice.
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12/24/2018 - JS1056 wrote: 89 Points
Very pleasant wine. Maybe hurt a little by being overshadowed by the flamboyance of the Mollydooker.
Current, cherry and some earthiness. Decent finish.
Good solid offering.
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12/21/2018 - racerchris Likes this wine: 91 Points
this is drinking well now but is still youthful
and would do well with a few more years of cellaring.
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12/13/2018 - Purple Tooth wrote: 91 Points
More soil and tobacco development since last time, at the cost of some fruit. Still good firmness. I would say this was at 100% last year and at about 95% this year...Drink!
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12/1/2018 - Tiderunner22 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and consumed over the next 3 hours. Sorry to see my last 2009 bottle go but it was enjoyed by all of our dinner guests.
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11/17/2018 - Kevincrouch Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still a fine wine with the same New World approach that is easy to love. Round fruit, toffee, some notes of maturity. I don't know that this wine is actually getting better with age, but it is certainly holding up well. Cellared properly in my cave since release.
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11/11/2018 - Lipsman wrote: 87 Points
The cooked fruit of sur maturité pervades this Bordeaux that could pass for a California Zinfandel. Plenty of boysenberry fruit compote along with cooked dark fruits and good acidity that protects it from complete flaccidity. Has thrown a bit of sediment. Drink now-2023.
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11/10/2018 - Kevincrouch Likes this wine: 89 Points
It was not as interesting this time around... though I did not let it breathe for long. It was interesting but not full and forthcoming. Next time I will decant and let it pick up some air.
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11/2/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 88 Points
Fourth of the blind wines this evening for our 9th year together.This is from Château Lilian Ladouys in the St. Estèphe region of Bordeaux. This is made by Eric Boissenot and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Aged for 16 months in 50% new French oak.
Dark garnet red with lighter edges. A bit mute to start on the nose with a subtle stinkiness. Followed by a little bit of candied cherries and stewed berries. Medium tannins (5/10) with equal acidity and a medium body. Dark attack on the palate with more acidity coming through on the backend. Flavors of dark spices and plums. Medium length finish. Drink now.
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11/2/2018 - Joesap wrote:
Developing nicely, quite tight at first, needs a couple of hours of air. Lots of licorice, lead-pencil and fennel on the nose, focused and silky black fruit on the palate, fairly young and austere right now, could use another 4-5 years in the bottle.
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10/26/2018 - RGCM Gananda wrote: 90 Points
Mulled blackberry, black cherry and tobacco on the nose. Medium bodied (14% ABV) and very modern in overall style. Shows predominantly a mix of soft, open blackfruit: blackberry and black cherry. After just two hours open, this wine was integrated, open and showing well. Picks up some mineral qualities and blueberry notes towards the back. Finishes with very fine grained tannins (which felt nearly fully integrated) along with some lite spices qualities. Felt it showed the fruit quite well and was certainly very drinkable. However, without the structure to match, I probably wouldn't let this sit for more than another 3 years or so. Additional cellar time won't be a significant benefit and the mix of blackfruit and minerals is in a good place at present.
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10/23/2018 - Whidah Likes this wine: 88 Points
Had some 2015 left from a recent tasting so opened one of my bottles for comparison. The 2009 is more refined and developed as we might expect. A good second tier Bordeaux that is very enjoyable. At its current price point, there are better values.
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10/21/2018 - schiwi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, da hat sich was getan seit der letzten Flasche. Dunkel, dicht und doch frisch. Wunderbar eingebunden, schöne Länge.
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10/12/2018 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, medium-full body. Really opened up second day with black fruits and oak. Smooth texture, silky tannins and medium length finish.
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9/29/2018 - grenache lover Likes this wine: 90 Points
First bottle from a 12 b/ case that I purchased upon release for as little as 12€. A bit closed at first, with plenty of oak, one hour after opening a very nice fruit came to the rescue and offered a balanced wine that is easy to drink even if it hits 14% in the alcohol scale (which is a tad too much for Left Bank for me). A modern Bordeaux that drinks well.
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9/22/2018 - sidaga wrote: 88 Points
Robe pourpre dense;
Nez en richesse & en "rondeur", dense, principalement sur le cassis & les épices. Aspect de poivron vert grillé appuyé. Touche animale légère. alcool perceptible.
Bouche riche dès l'attaque, sur le cassis, impression minérale/pierre concassé présente. Heureusement qu'il y a une acidité qui supporte la rondeur & la richesse du vin. Finale ample, sur des petites pointes de vanille. Bonne longueur.
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8/7/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
Consumed in July of this year. See prior notes: Dark, dark garnet; close to being opaque. Rim still purple. Smells like a Medoc. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, pencil lead, cigar box, French oak. Flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant and oak. Nice structure. A medium to long finish.
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7/9/2018 - jonflo Likes this wine: 93 Points
A Saint Estèphe with lots of Merlot. Was wondering therefore opened a bottle: Still too Young or would Need a 3h decant. Very deep, Little spicy, Wood and definitly a good wine in my glass. A bit closed still as too Young. Enjoyed to Lamb what was good but Beef or aged soft cheese would be better. On second day even better, opend up on whole Palette and this Looks to be a favorite wine for me. Now I know why I paid 40$.
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6/3/2018 - swade wrote: 89 Points
Half day decant. This young wine needs respect. Deep, primary purple color. A little funk, saddle leather and earth on the nose. Fine entry on the palate with clay and hints forest berry. Quite subtle. Good typicity for St. Estephe. 89-90.
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5/12/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Rich, savory red fruit, some acidity. Nice for the price.
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4/22/2018 - Kris G Does not like this wine: 86 Points
closed on the first day and signs of oxidation on the second, it was recognisable as Bordeaux but it reminded me of a wine from central Spain in a hot year as it showed a lot of cooked/stewed fruit
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4/20/2018 - Blacksmith450 wrote: 91 Points
Équilibre, puissance, finesse... pour 32$ ? Wow !
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4/8/2018 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Je l'ai bu avec mes amis la semaine dernière. C'était très bon, comme tous les vins de Bordeaux de 2009.
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3/31/2018 - ManuKey Likes this wine: 89 Points
La robe du vin est sombre et à peine évolué au pourtour. Le nez émane le cèdre, les épices douces, les fruits noirs légèrement macérés, avec une pointe de noix de coco et de moka. La bouche est plutôt corsé, fondu et concentré, avec une acidité moyenne, les tanins sont fins et poudreux et le tout s'avère bien structuré. Jolie finale sur de fins amers. Prêt à boire.
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3/17/2018 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
This had 4hrs aeration. Has fragrant and striking aromas of blueberries, iron, plums, coffee, black raspberries. Its vibrant medium to full bodied spherical and concentrated yet stylish blue fruits and coffee palate has a plump, layered and opulent middle. Ends longish and with lovely grained tannin. 14%. This is stunning for the price. Superb QPR:
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3/10/2018 - SteAmy wrote: 81 Points
This wine was soft on the palate with a gentle finish. It was polished with fine tannins. Elements of blackberries and moss.
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3/8/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Great for the price. Well balanced, nice sour cherry, some minerality. One of the better Bordeaux at this kind of price-point.
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3/4/2018 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Have gone through half a case of those by now, ranging from pnp to a proper 2h decant. I stand by my earlier mentioned view that this is a nice mid-week or party wine which is much enjoyed by casual drinkers. For me the fruit was picked a bit too late here resulting in overripeness, some tar notes and slightly noticeable alcohol on the palate. Good Bordeaux for the money nevertheless.
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2/8/2018 - Redguy wrote:
Tannic and shy and woody after a short decant. Impressive material, especially considering the price, but this is not ready for prime time. The CT drinking window is way too conservative. I'd suggest 2022+ for early maturity.
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1/17/2018 - redz wrote: 91 Points
Last tasted 3 years ago. Nice raspberry/ currant nose, moderate tannins, fun wine. Short decant helps. Still young
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1/13/2018 - ErikaandAmy Likes this wine: 91 Points
With jim and Ron. Very tasty!!
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1/2/2018 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very open nose with chocolate and concentrated black and red berries. Medium finish. Good wine!
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12/30/2017 - npettit wrote: 90 Points
Good bargain wine
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12/30/2017 - ulyon Likes this wine: 91 Points
one of my best bargain ever
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12/28/2017 - Labrador wrote: flawed
Sadly, this bottle was flawed.
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12/5/2017 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Pnp at home as I was curious to check-in on a small 09 Bdx. Nice, if not the most expressive nose of dark fruit and some wood spices, dark, ripe fruit on a medium body, tar notes. Fine to medium, but dense tannins giving it a somewhat chewy character. Short finish. 88-89
My first bottle from a case, so not entirely sure if this is currently in a somewhat difficult phase as more generous fruit might have melted away while the tannins still need a few more years to align, or if the wine was a bit on the leaner side for an 09 to start with. Anyway, this is pleasant but not much more, and I don’t see the potential to go beyond the 89/90 range really, so might as well drink in the near term with a week-day meal.
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11/27/2017 - Redguy wrote:
Still in a moderate tannic and oaky fog, the veil lifts when paired with grilled red meat and a succulent, rich, and delicious wine emerges. Has the fruit, acid, and tannin to age gracefully, though I worry about the level of char.
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11/26/2017 - mid_palate Likes this wine:
I last drank a bottle of this about 3 years back, and the wine has not evolved much since then.
Still lots of blackberry and cassis on the nose. Bright acidity (which is nice for such a ripe bdx), with very prominent tannins. Tannins are admittedly a little less coarse than the last bottle, but still not resolved to my liking. Moderate use of oak.
Decent juice now, but I much prefer older bdx. So I'm burying my remaining 1/2 case and waiting for the tannins to resolve.
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11/19/2017 - mtarrant003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served from magnum. Very fruit driven with blackcurrant to the fore and showing no signs of age. Cassis and mint on the palate with fine tannins and well integrated oak. Long finish.
This wine would appear to have a long life ahead of it. As noted previously the QPR is excellent, this is a great wine.
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11/10/2017 - grossie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank like a well-structured bordeaux with strong fruit and a good backbone. Not overly tannic, finishes nicely, no bite. It'll last a while but easy to drink now too.
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10/22/2017 - COWineLover wrote: 87 Points
First bottle in two years from an EP case. Opened to slow ox and consume with a flank steak. The cork was saturated blackberry. Very aromatic on opening with cassis, blackberries, clove, and mint. The palate is not as fresh with strong tannic structure overtaking the fruit. Very dry on the palate with lots of oak, charcoal, and incense. A lingering finish of tart blackberries with incense.
Not terribly elegant for the vintage. Respectable for the price, but don't expect any wow factor.
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10/21/2017 - sidaga wrote: 87 Points
Oeil rouge pourpre;
Nez sévère qui montre malgré un léger "fondu". Principalement sur le cassis, légèrement crémeux, poivron vert rôti & petite touche de cèdre. Alcool perceptible & léger boisé.
Bouche dense, principalement sur le cassis & boisé perceptible. Texture légèrement crémeuse. Tannins fins, quasiment "fondus". Finale légèrement épicée, sur la roche concassé. Il y a tout juste assez d'acidité pour éviter que l'ensemble soit trop lourd. Équilibre limite.
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10/2/2017 - RockinCabs wrote: 89 Points
After the Cos 04 showed so well at early maturity, I though I would check in on this as well. Made in a much more modern style with rich fruit, espresso and bold oak notes. Rounding out and integrating the oak at this point with a touch of alcohol showing through, but overall I was pleased with where it is headed. If this is your style I suggest the 2016 for a value play.
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9/16/2017 - burgund Likes this wine: 90 Points
More iron and earthyness, but very good balance and fruit. Medium long aftertaste
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8/2/2017 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Reliably great
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8/2/2017 - il_diavolo wrote: 90 Points
Very different than a few years ago, much less toasted oak influence - still ripe though with raspberry and blackberry and earthyness. Ageing well and needs a few more years but nice showing for this 2009 that could have fallen off a cliff, but hasnt. Great QPR. 90 pts. I will probably pick up some 2016 in time.
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7/16/2017 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent qpr. This is Really amazing for the price paid. On the nose: dark red cherries,vanilla,cloves. On the palette: Nice smooth tannins. Good acidity and balance.
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6/20/2017 - JMFWC Likes this wine: 89 Points
Graphite, black cherry and a hint of cedar on the nose. Palate has cherry, strong tannins and a hint of flint. The finish is really tannic, even on the second night. Has some time to go on the bottle.
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6/17/2017 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
My parents wedding anniversary wine. Has slightly burnt aromas of black raspberries, menthol, earth, crasse de fer, chocolate and blackberries. Its medium to full bodied punchy, opulent, velvety and savoury palate has got ample fruit nice acidity and good oak. Ends long and lush, with finely grained tannin. Delicious. Wish it were less than 14%. Excellent QPR at around 20E: Lay down for 3-5 years.
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6/12/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Excellent for the price. The last glass on the 2nd day was particularly impressive - deep, dark red fruit, anise, concentration, a beam of acidity. Reminds me a bit of Malartic-Lagraviere - has that suave savory note and panoply of leather and red fruit flavors.
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5/29/2017 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 90 Points
Unmistakably St Estephe. Dark fruit and volcanic scorched earth. To put your nose into the glass is to overwhelm it. Very aromatic. Good in all departments. Same on Day 2. This seems fully expanded/at peak/mature to me.
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5/26/2017 - Labrador Likes this wine: 89 Points
No formal notes but it was a very enjoyable bottle of wine.
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4/29/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium to full body with a meaty quality to it. Heavy dark fruit and earth while retaining balance. Drinking well now and still has some time to go.
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4/24/2017 - kmicho Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good. Good earthiness combined with subtle fruit. Well balanced. A good old world style wine.
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3/22/2017 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still superb! Has full on aromas of chocolate black raspberries, iron, blackberries and mint. Its medium to full bodied spherical and very powerful yet opulent and stately palate has good oak, acidity and nice layers. Ends long and flowing with some uplifted tannins. Keep indefinitely. Needs 4 hrs aeration. I am bowled over by the QPR of this wine at under 20 Euros.
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3/4/2017 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still tight on opening. Needed a few hours to come around.
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2/24/2017 - td1836 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better than my last bottle a couple years ago. Dark fruit, graphite, some oak, integrated tannins.
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2/21/2017 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pnp. At first a bit of balance between fruit and secondary flavors. Then it went dumb for a while, then came back as an elegant, balanced wine with dark fruit flavors. Very good. Should only get better.
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2/19/2017 - bhouk wrote:
Last night I was on the edge of doubt about whether this was corked or just in a dumb phase, leaning towards corked. But finishing this up today it was very clearly just tight yesterday. With enough air, this is very pleasant drinking. I'm more inclined just to let it come around in its own good time than to worry about an appropriate decanting time.
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2/19/2017 - mtarrant003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was the first of six magnums I recently purchased and we drank it over two days. My only point of comparison for this chateau is the 2003 which we had a couple of Christmas' ago and which exhibited the typical earthy St Estephe flavours and aromas and which felt like it was approaching the end of its life with a lot of tertiary character.
Dark purple in colour and very fruity on the nose with both blackcurrant and blackberry coming through. The oak is well integrated and there was very little in the way of secondary or tertiary characteristics. On the palate the fruit very much dominates. The tannins are fine. While not unexpected, I suppose I was surprised by just how youthful and fresh this wine was and it clearly has a long way to go. Even if I have the patience and discipline to only drink one of these every couple of years I'm not convinced at this stage that that will let me see it all the way through its development.
As others have noted, the QPR is excellent and I suppose the solution is therefore to pick up another case and tuck it away to see what it's doing further down the line.
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2/12/2017 - cltean Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a 375ml bottles I purchased. Fortunately I have been lucky to watch this evolve over the past 3-4 years. A little better than the last time I tried this about a year ago. Beautiful nose and lovely bouquet with a deep purple color. Well balanced with integrated tannins. Reminds me of other Margaux wines of the same '09 vintage but with greater complexity. Year of good life left in the bottle.
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2/6/2017 - epiphany Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full and chewy. Will be interesting to see how this develops.
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2/5/2017 - CabIsKing wrote: 92 Points
Nose about the same as last bottles but definitely developed on the tongue. Big, bold and well integrated with a long finish. I love the 09 vintage.
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2/4/2017 - Tiderunner22 wrote: 93 Points
Great wine for $24. Beautifully balanced wine with great structure. Dark fruit flavors with enough tannins and a earthy component to complement. More sediment in this bottle than previous but not unexpected. This was the best bottle so far.
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1/21/2017 - macaujames Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tastes like an excellent Cru Classe at less than 20 Euros! Superb QPR: Has plush and quite exotic aromas of coffee, plums, iron, cassis, black raspberries and cedar. Its medium to full bodied lush and full yet elegant palate has a strapping coffee infused blue fruits and delineated middle. Ends mediumish and sculpted. Can be kept for 5-10 years. Needs 4-5 hours minimum aeration.
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1/16/2017 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had a glass on day one that I poured through vinturi and was a little tight and restrained. Put a cork in it and popped into frig and revisited next night. Wow, what a transformation! Rich, concentrated black fruit, tobacco, cassis, leather. Fantastic balance of tannins and minerality on a tongue-coating finish. If tasted blind I would have not guessed '09 Bordeaux. This rivals Napa cabs at 3-4 x price. Wish I had more to see how this evolves over next 3-5 years.
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1/8/2017 - whme Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sensational! Great balance, very good structure. Many years to go.
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12/28/2016 - euroyup wrote:
Kept under condition 1 (see my profile) since september 2012, since about one year under condition 2. Color: very dark purple. Very nice, rich nose with cedar, sous bois and cantherells. Taste: red berries and blackberries. Nicely concentrated. The tannins were still a bit astringent. With 14% quite much alcohol (14%). With to much St. Estephe rusticity to match the back of a hare with liver sauce. At the third day the nose was more closed, the taste more open. This promising wine has developed well since my last tasting but needs another two years of cellaring, which would be according to the information of the chateau that this wine will be mature in 2017-2018. Potentially 89+.
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12/23/2016 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Best bottle so far! Its drinking very well and probably 1 or 2 years from peak. Starting to throw more barnyard and St. Estephe dirt. Really lush and rather sweet for a Bordeaux with a nice tannic pinch. Drink or Hold
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12/18/2016 - Mjohnson1989 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over thanksgiving dinner with family.
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12/18/2016 - twfwinedude Likes this wine:
Getting better with each successive bottle opened from this case. A very nice Bordeaux for under $23 case price.
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12/1/2016 - pgb67 wrote: 88 Points
A bit of a disappointment since I've been on a hot streak with '09s, which I've found to be good early-drinkers, showing lively flavor profiles. This bottle might still be in a closed phase - hold?
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11/26/2016 - Castle Peak wrote: 91 Points
Nice French Bourdeux at a 👍 price. Paired nicely with Thanksgiving feast.
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10/29/2016 - Pinkee wrote:
Wonderful good value Bordeaux
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10/29/2016 - uve Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine reminds me of everything I like about Bordeaux, at a fair price. Ripe red fruit, some vanilla and a touch of cedar, nice balance. It could be exquisite but it's just a touch jammy and there's some unresolved oak in there. Happy with my buy though.
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10/21/2016 - Labrador Likes this wine: 89 Points
I continue to enjoy this wine - lovely nose, balanced, smooth, good midpalate and nice finish. It held its own quite well against a beautiful 2003 Pichon Baron.
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10/17/2016 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Was a PnP. Needed about an hour to really open up then it was very nice with the steaks off the BBQ.
No notes.
Would buy again. Excellent value.
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10/14/2016 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Similar flavors to previous note. A little richer and softer than two years ago. Evolving well.
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10/10/2016 - Redguy wrote:
Decanted 1 hr. More open than previous bottle 8 months ago. Quite modern with its rich ripe fruit and vanilla wood notes. The fruit is still a bit shy and partially concealed by tannins, but there is enough structure to allow the time to resolve. Delicious and hard to beat at the price ($18 on futures), though not the most evocative of St. Estephe.
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10/10/2016 - GasperTheWineGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice black stone fruit and hints of vanilla, controlled tannin, tasty and pleasant. Outstanding for a reasonably priced Bordeaux.
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9/18/2016 - VAGentleman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great value. Smooth Bordeaux exemplar for "every day" but more than simple. Full fruit on the mouth and long finish.
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8/25/2016 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent QPR. Not a very special Bordeaux but has done everything right,definitely so for the price paid.
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8/21/2016 - npettit wrote: 91 Points
Great QPR
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8/14/2016 - John O' Likes this wine: 92 Points
decanted 1 hour. Maybe a bit in the modern style but I like it
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8/3/2016 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid wine but not full bodied.
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7/19/2016 - td1836 Likes this wine: 91 Points
In a nice spot. Smooth and decently complex.
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7/3/2016 - Tiderunner22 wrote: 92 Points
Developing nicely but still fairly tannic with the fruit flavors melding well. Excellent QPR. Paired well with BBQ marinated porterhouse steaks.
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6/29/2016 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 91 Points
Same notes as 5/10/2015. This is drinking exceptionally well now, although giving it lots of air will amply reward you.
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6/16/2016 - mrmikemtr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking well now. Cherries on the palate and slightly dry.
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5/15/2016 - Zorba Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over two days, the final glass was the best! I wouldn't have guessed this was a Bordeaux wine, with its concentrated very ripe (but pure) fruit, medium-low acidity and hardly any bitter tones creating a very polished, almost sweet sensation. But since everything is balanced so well, including the great ripe tannins, it's far from dull.
It will be interesting to see where this wine goes. Is it already showing its best and will it simply start to decline at some point, three to five years from now? Or will it change into something new, less fruit driven but with more interesting tertiary characteristics, and perhaps even better, needing perhaps five years or more? Hard to judge, especially with such an atypical wine.
One of the best QPRs ever en primeur at 15 euro, that's for sure!
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5/4/2016 - Thief Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple to black. Nice bouquet. Palate shows blue fruits, dark cherries, well integrated tannins, and a level of concentration characteristic of this vintage. Excellent balance of tannin, fruit, acidity, and alcohol. A bit sweeter than the average Bordeaux style. This is the best vintage of this wine that I've tasted, and I have tasted many different earlier vintages. A real pleaser. Only reason for not giving a higher score is that the finish doesn't have that "wow" factor that is more typical or the higher classified chateaux.
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4/28/2016 - vegasoenophile Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nice. I wish I'd had more than one bottle to see where it goes. Nicely balanced wine with good flavors of fruit mixed with that old world earthiness and minerality.
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4/24/2016 - cork breath Likes this wine: 90 Points
Did not seem as robust as previous tastings even with time in the decanter. At peak or bottle variation?
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4/23/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well made Bdx, balanced red fruit, tannins, and acid. Improved on 2nd day, intense red fruit and power, I would bump up my first day score by 1 point.
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3/29/2016 - Redteeth wrote:
Decanted. Very nice and definitely in a modern style with plenty of extracted fruit. I think this will hold for a few years but I don't see it as built to be a long-term ager.
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3/18/2016 - mhensel wrote: 92 Points
Dark, clean red, almost black --- Nose blue and black fruit, sour cherry juice, hint of elegant wood notes, some almond, dusty --- Palate watery, very fruity, blueberry, cherries, youthful with wonderful tannins, nice elegant wood notes, some almond again, nice sourness --- Finishes on tart and mineral charachter. I like this a lot. Youthful, promising while showing elegance and class already. Tasty. Believe in nice development.
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3/14/2016 - djarcara wrote: 88 Points
Modern style. Has many years left. Good value for the style. Dark fruit. A touch oaky, loamy, and extracted. 14% abv.
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3/5/2016 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
Basically a pop and pour. Aromas of blackberry, iron, cherry and a touch of plum. On the palate more plum, blackberry, iron, herb and earth. Finish ends with a long iron note. For not being decanted it showed pretty well.
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2/28/2016 - Redguy wrote:
First bottle from case. Closed and tannic but good material lurking beneath. Hold
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2/27/2016 - vinomex wrote: 89 Points
From a 375ml bottle, poured through venturi and draned, grippier than I recall, it was clear it needed time to open up. I put away about the remains in the fridge. Next day the wine was a lot more composed and approachable. A couple of previous notes suggested a 2-2.5 hour decant which sound appropriate given how tight it was on the first night. Solid value with room for improvement with cellar time.
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2/6/2016 - cltean Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of a lot of 375ml bottles I purchased. This is definitely one of the best so far. Wine appears to be in a sweet spot of its evolution. Beautiful nose and lovely bouquet with a deep purple color. Well balanced with integrated tannins. Reminds me of other Margaux wines of the same '09 vintage but with greater complexity. I have 4 more of these to see how it evolves of the next couple years.
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2/5/2016 - Rich E Mac Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than the bottle we had over Christmas. Still very tannic, and "new world" in composition. I had this over Christmas with a bottle of 2009 Bad Boy which is clearly over the hill. Glad I have 4 btls of Lilian Ladouys left to drink.
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1/31/2016 - Monaco wrote:
Much better on Day 2.
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1/19/2016 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 90 Points
2.5 hour decant. I was reminded of Petit Figeac with its fruity, flowery, gravelly taste. I might have guessed St-Emilion if tasted blind.
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1/9/2016 - GrapeTank Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Not my style. 2 hours to give up goods and there wasn't much in the bag. Very low fruit and a lot of gravel. Tannins low. Nothing exciting here.
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12/4/2015 - ScottPreston wrote: 90 Points
Solid effort. Wine is fruit forward and well balanced. Fantastic for the price
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11/30/2015 - allenn1999 wrote: 90 Points
A bit more shut down than previous bottle. Muted nose of earthy mineral berry with good structure of dark fruit and earth. Might have been better to wait on this
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11/28/2015 - whme Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ageing just beautifully. Classic nose. Dark black fruits followed by dark chocolate. Excellent value, even in Australia where you tend to pay a premium for imported wines.
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11/27/2015 - Longrange380 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This Saint Estèphe has a fruity nose and offers a complex taste with only little tannins. Not difficult and ready to uncork.
Very good price quality ratio!
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11/23/2015 - Outplaying wrote: 89 Points
Ann opened a bottle and served this to me blind. The nose is intense with a load of dark fruit. On the palate the wine is silky with lush dark fruits and accents of chocolate and a bit of oak. There is enough acidity to make me think this is old world but a modern producer. I guessed old world, Italy, and a super Tuscan. Tasting blind can be very humbling. Ann said if she didn't know it was a Bordeaux, she would have guessed new world.
We both enjoyed it, but this is even more modern in style than I remember.
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10/31/2015 - cork breath Likes this wine: 94 Points
one of my favorites. full flavor. great nose. great mouth feel. long finish
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10/17/2015 - racerchris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Leather on the nose, ripe dark fruits. Well balanced.
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10/3/2015 - cltean Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was better than my last bottle and similar to my first. Classic Bordeaux style but more more feminine and not super bold. Beautiful color with a smooth finish. It has plenty of life left. First time I've notice quite a bit of sediment in this vintage; guess it is inevitable as it ages.
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9/30/2015 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Young Bordeaux with beautiful feminine vibe. Soft, pretty nose of violets and a balanced palate with relaxed tannins. Once again...This is going to be a great drink with short term aging. DRINK or HOLD but feel free, this is a great introductory Bordeaux that captures the essence of the region in a modern and pretty style.
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9/25/2015 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 88 Points
P'nP at a restaurant. Somewhat syrupy and flabby on the open, it needed a good hour to settle down. New World style, with lots of fruit and oak - blackberry, cherry and vanilla. Round and dense on the palate, with a slightly tannic backbone and grip on the finish. Secondary flavors of cedar or tobacco evolved as the evening wore on. Worth a second try with a good decant ahead of time.
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9/19/2015 - COWineLover wrote: 85 Points
This was my first bottle from a case purchased EP.
This bottle was very tannic and masked the fruit and aromas.
Not much positive to say about this wine tonight.
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9/14/2015 - dissler Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not saying it is a grand 1er cru but this is one of my favourite bordeaux at a really reasonable price. Delivers (almost) everything i want from the left bank while it is very affordble. Rich nose and full body, good balance of intensity and subtle elegance. The everyday-bordeaux-benchmark. Just a notch below my favourite Chateau de Laussac.
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9/5/2015 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showed really well tonight. Lots of dark fruit, bags of flavor.
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8/30/2015 - djarcara wrote: 88 Points
Full body. Purple color. 14% alcohol. Modern style. Dark forward fruit, but not a fruit bomb. Leather and tobacco undertones. Still a bit tannic, but smooths out nicely about an hour after opening. Not very complex, but secondary flavors might emerge after a few more years. Very good value.
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8/16/2015 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hard to dislike
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7/19/2015 - WilD wrote: 90 Points
Consistent notes, great QPR.
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7/3/2015 - Bob Sacamano Likes this wine: 92 Points
90 minute double decent. Lots of sediment. Deep, deep inky magenta color. Firm, drying tannins start to soften and nose opens up after 2.5+ hours. Nose of blueberries and violets earth and stony riverbed. Lively acid and plenty of fruit balances drying tannin on the relatively long finish. No drop-off second day. Drinking awesome now so long as you give it the respect it deserves in the decanter. Nice QPR.
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6/29/2015 - bhouk wrote:
Coming along nicely. Very dark. Some tannin still to resolve. A bit forward, but good mineral salts keep the finish from being too sweet. Drunk with lamb tonight, a really good match, with the tannin, fruit and fat interplay.
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6/21/2015 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Extremely well made. Still taught. Needed 90 minutes to loosen up before giving up the goods. Restrained, dark fruit that gave way to drying tannins and a lengthy finish that left you wanting that next sip. i think this will get better in a few years but very approachable now.
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6/15/2015 - allenn1999 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice open earthy flowery nose. Open palette more of the same with smooth tannins but could wait another 3-5 years and will be beautiful.
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6/10/2015 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good body, nose, finish, tannins. Tar, blackberry, blueberry. Better after an hour so decant.
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5/30/2015 - cltean Likes this wine: 89 Points
A decent left bank wine, but tasting tart at the moment compared to other bottles from the same vintage I've had. Was better on the second day.
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5/25/2015 - ScottPreston wrote: 91 Points
Consistent notes. This wine continues to surprise me. Great dark/rich fruits but not over done. Smoke, charcoal, a little earth as well emerge from the glass. This producer has really improved and wines are underpriced. Impressive.
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5/22/2015 - Chip & Susanne Likes this wine: 89 Points
Needed decanting & aerating to release its inner delights. Left bank Bordeaux from excellent vintage year, certainly not a shy wine. Ambitious roasted fig, apple wood & blueberry confiture notes followed by racy graphite, espresso & blackberry. Dense but well structured. Needs to lay down longer...
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5/20/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
First bottle since February, 2013. Still a very youthful-looking, dark, semi-opaque magenta in color, with almost no lightening at the edge. Maybe a little less expressive on the nose this time. Attractive, though very subtle scents of crushed berries, vanilla and earth. Full-bodied and noticeably less fruit-forward than last time, though still very New World in style for a St. Estephe. There's still plenty of luscious, ripe blueberry and boysenberry fruit character to this though. It's definitely more harmonious now - showing a lot less oak, and the tannins are becoming well-integrated. Beautiful, delicious and freakishly good for a Bordeaux at this price point.
50+5+12+17+8=92
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5/10/2015 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perhaps the perfect poor man's Bordeaux as is reasonably-priced (mid-$20's) and significantly out-performs at that price point. This is a St. Estephe (60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot); my experience is they tend to be bolder, more robust and that was certainly the case here - strong black fruit, earthy/woody with plenty of tannins left, but not to the point of astringency. Threw a little sediment at the end. 2009 appears to be that rare Bordeaux vintage where the good wines are approachable earlier, yet still very good, although we will wait and open our two remaining bottles in future years. If the winemaker(s) wanted to put together a Bordeaux in Napa Cab style, they certainly did so here. We did let it breathe for 1/2 an hour, @ 58 degrees, decanted it for an additional half hour, which did the trick. The wine was superb from first to last sip. Served an early Mother's Day dinner (her request) of beef stroganoff over artisan parsley/garlic fettuccine, served with oven-broiled herbed fresh asparagus.
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5/9/2015 - FredF Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dep redcolor, great fruit on nose. Lots of sediment!
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5/3/2015 - Mech-E Likes this wine: 91 Points
In a dumb phase. Let her rest.
Dark red in color. Plenty of sediment...happy I used the filter on the Rabbit. Decanting 3 hours brought the fruit. The funk, barnyard, dark cherries, cedar were all present, but muted. Tannins weren't huge but certainly stiff.
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4/30/2015 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Compared to the few previous bottles of this I've tried, this is is taking on more delicacy and bearing, more maturity. Ashen, some tobacco, savory; lovely stuff.
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4/27/2015 - twfwinedude Likes this wine:
I just opened my first bottle of a case purchased. A solid inexpensive Bordeaux. I'm looking forward to its development.
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4/16/2015 - curtr Likes this wine:
Early drinking plateau. Try again in 2017.
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4/7/2015 - patsox wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding!
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3/29/2015 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark garnet, full bodied
Dark fruit, plums, chocolate, dried cassis, wet wood, mossy
Nice soft tannins, wet wood, leather, lots of sediment (furry tongue)
Terroir, sweet bell pepper.
WOW!! The wine has improved since the last bottle i consumed. EXCELLENT QPR. I wish I has a couple of cases of this. Empty now.
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3/29/2015 - redz wrote: 91 Points
mellowing nicely, compared to 2 yrs ago. 2 hr decant
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3/29/2015 - BillLowney Likes this wine: 90 Points
Margaux on the nose with blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, cream, vanilla, lilac, violet, straw, coffee, toffee, banana, apple. Soft on the palate with tannins supplying enjoyable texture and grip. The finish was simple blackcurrant fruit, with a touch of sweetness. The tannins have energy but blend well with the overall drinking experience. I'd give this 10/10 for the price paid.
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3/28/2015 - cork breath Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic. Nice full big flavor
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3/27/2015 - Skibank114 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I finally couldn't wait any longer to pop my first bottle of this wonderful Bordeaux. It was worth the wait. Wonderful on the nose, nice balance of fruit and tannins, smooth long finish. And that was the first day - second day was even better. Now I will need more patience to enjoy the remaining 5 bottles over the next several years. I would expect this wine to improve over the next few years. I hope my 2010 and 2011 are as well made.
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3/19/2015 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice notes of earth and leather, still solid tannins, but a thin finish.
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2/22/2015 - Monaco Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bottle #2 out of a half case purchased from Costco in 2012. I think I'm starting to like this more and more. Certainly more so than the first bottle I drank about a year ago. Very dark and still fully tannic after slow ox for 2 hours. Best on day 2 or 3, when the dark fruit dominates and the tannins soften up. I think I'll continue to drink one each year and see how this continues to evolve. I may ultimately regret not buying more when I had the chance for $17.99!
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2/21/2015 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
I'm now a believer! A pomerolesque st. Estephe. Reminds me of an adolescent trotanoy. That's saying a mouthful. Drinking really well now and at least another 5 years. Bottled up value for enjoyment by all :-)
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2/21/2015 - Aravind Asok wrote:
K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L Hollywood): Drank this after the 2006 Pape Clement, and I think it suffered by comparison. I think if I drank this earlier, it would have been utterly captivating. Great nose with spice, loads of red fruit, but lacking the complexity of the Pape Clement. Definitely a modern style. Much softer and not nearly as chewy on the finish as the Pape Clement. Still seemed a bit young.
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2/20/2015 - Joesap wrote:
My Grade: EX. 1 hour decant. Translucent dark cherry in glass. Expressive and beguilingly complex nose of sweet cherries, plums, cassis, menthol, graphite and wet earth. on the palate: firm mouth feel, focused cassis and plum with lead pencil, great structure and minerality on the mid, fine, drying tannins on the medium-long finish with some tobacco and black-tea notes. Excellent now , should improve over next 5-6 years.
( see my profile for grades)
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2/15/2015 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 93 Points
An over-performer and great value. Deep ruby color. Started to drink well after one hour decant and just kept getting better with time. Lots of dark fruit, smoke, caramel, and eucalyptus. Silky smooth on the palate. Firm tannins. Nice, lengthy finish. Excellent overall. This is drinking well now, but should continue for at least 10 years.
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2/13/2015 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Great as always
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2/12/2015 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious New World fruit coupled to Old Bordeaux earth and funk. A great marriage at a great price.
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2/1/2015 - Tiderunner22 wrote: 92 Points
This is an excellent wine at a fantastic price. This wine is developing nicely since our last bottle. Very glad we have a few more in the cellar. I am sorry I did not buy a case when I had the opportunity.
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1/12/2015 - trailsidedrive wrote: 93 Points
Wow! The nose on this is incredible - tons of black fruit with leather and cedar. It reminds me of a fruity new world wine coupled with the earthy Bordeaux style. A fairly complex wine with flavors of blackberry, red fruit, vanilla and spice Smooth, velvety tannins with a long finish.
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1/10/2015 - christopher marlowe Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like red currant and black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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1/8/2015 - EricLi wrote: 91 Points
PnP. Took about 30 mins to completely open up. Silky smooth. Thinner than last bottle, but still pleasure to drink. For $20, you can hardly find any better bordeaux.
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1/4/2015 - Kevincrouch Likes this wine:
The Lilian Ladouys has oft been criticized as being too "New World": Bring it. The nose is bathed in mocha and the fresh, bright, juicy mid-palate shows a hint of citronella on the wash of cassis and blueberry. This wine still has the power and freshness to mature in interesting ways. Side-by-side with a New World Merlot, if given only the provenance, the Lilian is the obvious French guess; however, I do see why it is given its tattoo. Lovely stuff and every bit the rating given by the pros.
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1/2/2015 - Perthor01 wrote:
Only thing negative about this wine is the label : what child made that ugly thing - or a adult after too much of the great wine in the bottle :-)
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1/2/2015 - Perthor01 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Maybe the rating is a bit too high but at this price this is a fabulous wine - nice to drink now with decant but can surely last for a decade or more
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12/26/2014 - Brendel Likes this wine: 89 Points
Beautiful deep purplish color, great legs. Nose is a bit stinky (old socks), lilacs, plums, rubber. Good attack, medium mouthfeel body, med high acidity, quite tannic, lots of structure that overpowers the fruit. Medium finish. Had with roast lamb, potatoes, asparagus. Bit disappointed, and don't feel it's worth the $40 it is now going for -- at $20 it would certainly be worth it. Tannins and and acidity just combine to overpower everything else and the wine comes off as a bit one dimensional. Much prefer the 2010 vintage, which seems more classy, more interesting, and more likely to improve in time.
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12/24/2014 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same rating as previous bottle. Drink up!
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12/20/2014 - ThMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very very dark. Modern style Bordeaux but with structure, big tannins and some tobacco leafs in the background. Nice, greta QPR too.
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12/20/2014 - FredF Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherries, wet wood, menthol on the nose. Dark red in the glass and full of flavor in the mouth. Decanted for about an hour and it is ready to drink. This wine will age well. I can't wait to try some with chocolate!
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12/19/2014 - BillLowney wrote: 90 Points
Initial nose is plummy and impressive. Decanted. Left for 3 hours. Nose was a mix of berries and currants. Elegant and soft on the palate with seamless finish. This delivers the goods from nose to palate to finish. I drank a bottle in an hour. Say no more. This is a notch above Senejac 2010, so snap it up if you see it at a good price.
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12/6/2014 - easttide Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. Slight more austere than I was expecting but very nice. Velvety texture and rich, dark fruit. Had for a few years but won't buy more.
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11/30/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fantastic value for under $20 / bottle. I've had them in cellar for 32 months.
Recommend decant for at least an hour - I think they have only perhaps 18-24 months of window before they fade. Good now with decant - moderate flavor profile 48 hours later.
They seen pretty type specific (St. Estephe) to me - typical bordeaux. Not similar to Cal. wine at all - subdued fruit, good body.
I wish I had bought 12 instead of 6 !
I don't see these lasting beyond 2016 - time to serve them with a good grilled something.
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11/17/2014 - mhensel wrote: 90 Points
Darkest red --- Nose herbal notes and sour cherry, fat, blueberry, some walnut --- Palate fresh, fruity, nice acidity, cherries, tea, tartness, bitter chocolate, some plums, green aspects, oriental aspects --- Finishes rather long on elegant tartness and fruitiness. Nice vine, tasty, a little bit challenging right now. Appears to be a bit too much engineered.
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10/21/2014 - Outplaying wrote:
As others have said, this is modern styled, and even more so than I expected. Black fruits, plum, and chocolate. I thought brown sugar and faint toffee but Ann said light caramel. I see Chainthroer also noted mentioned that in his note. Light/medium tannin and decent acidity balance out the fruit. Pretty easy drinking now but I thnk it might be better down the road a few years.
Day 2: shows even better with less sweetness and oak influence; more structure and mineral notes.
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10/20/2014 - Border Boss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Holy cow, two years have done wonders for this wine! Splash decanted and then served 30 minutes later. The palate is explosive with black fruits, some minerals, and chocolate. The nose is dominated by leather and cedar. I disagree completely with the previous comments that say this tastes more like California than Bordeaux. This is clearly Bordeaux.
Very approachable now but will easily last another 10-15 years. What a fabulous wine for the original $20 price tag.
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10/12/2014 - Z1nnfull wrote: 88 Points
This wine is quite the puzzle. Read the reviews, took a chance that it would be good now, opened a bottle to go with rack of lamb, let it breathe, decanted. It started out rather robust...tarry, graphite, good minerality, long finish. Then evolved to where it seemed to not "complete" and despite it being robust was VERY one-dimensional, did not get much complexity out of the fruit. Did throw off some sediment. Given its youth, going to let our 2 remaining age a tad more, but not too long. Based on the reviews, it appears there can be differences bottle to bottle (not good).
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9/30/2014 - DarinC Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravined a glass. I agree with most of the other reviewers. Jammy aromas and flavors dominate--primarily raspberry, but the full-bodied palate is not overly heavy or sweet. Lots of red fruits with some herbal character. Long finish. Oak is coming together. Not really classical Bordeaux, but pleasurable if you're in the mood for a fruit-forward cab/merlot. Became more herbal and simple with time in the glass. Clean. Excellent value!
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9/7/2014 - EricLi wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple, Need a little time to open up. Once it does, dark fruit and very jammy. More Californian than bordeaux. Sweet and luscious. Quite long.
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8/30/2014 - Chip Merlot wrote: 92 Points
Second bottle. Previous bottle was about 8-9 months ago. What a difference. It was good then, but precocious. In just 2/3 of a year it has mellowed into a really smooth, luscious wine. Tremendous balance of fruit and tannin, though neither is overpowering.
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8/27/2014 - tahaus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine! Big, thick, jammy, with great tannins and a structured backbone that sits on your palate for a good 20-30 seconds. Earthy grassy notes, white pepper, and dark fruits take hold of you in this amazing value wine that I will continue to look for year after year for one of the best QPR's I've yet found!
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8/25/2014 - Ludi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rubino con netti lampi porpora. Naso ricco di ribes e mirtillo, mora, menta, violetta, note ematiche, cacao, chiodo di garofano e cannella. Equilibrato nella potenza in bocca, ha beva compulsiva. Quasi risolto il legno, avvertibile solo nel finale
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8/24/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Slightly gamey, lovely fruit, almost caressing and lush. Lovely to drink. Somewhat unstructured, like many of the '09s I've tried, but really appealing, a lot of lift, expansive on the palate. This is the kind of wine I wish I had many more cases of, based on the original $20 price-point. 92pts++. A <$25 Bordeaux of this quality is very hard to come by.
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8/12/2014 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
Good balance of fruit and tannin. Just enough restraint to keep this food-friendly. Good, but not great depth. Will be interesting to see how this ages.
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8/9/2014 - sidaga Likes this wine: 89 Points
Robe dense rubis opaque.
Le nez est d'abord dominé par des notes de cerises foncées, d'un agréable boisé bien intégré & petite touche de fumée. L'ensemble est dense avec un brin d'austérité que j'aime bien. L'aération apporte des petites notes animales, une pointe de poivron vert grillé & des épices (canelles, girofles).
La bouche est autant sur la cerise foncé & le bois en attaque. La structure & densité y sont aussi. L'austérité du nez se goûte en bouche. Il s'agit d'un trait que j'apprécie. L'ensemble est bien droit, supporté par une bonne acidité qui apporte un bon équilibre à l'ensemble. Les tannins sont bien présents, la finale est de longeur moyenne.
Très satisfaisant, je vais essayer d'ouvrir mes prochaines bouteilles dans qques années...
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8/2/2014 - ThMeyer wrote: 90 Points
Crowd pleaser. Dark fruits, nose of jam, tobacco leaf. Nice, very good value.
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7/19/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was the same on the nose as last time but on the palate it was very astringent. It was decanted for a few hours but stayed the same. Maybe just bottle variation. Will decide after next bottle popped. Still good for 20 bucks.
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7/12/2014 - ScottPreston wrote: 90 Points
This is pure and simple a great wine. I don't think it has what it takes to develop into a fantastic wine. But it is very well structured, with great fruit and balance.
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7/7/2014 - 82Latour wrote: 91 Points
Fruit forward - blueberry, cassis, cherry. Heavily tannic, yet balanced. Terrific, hold now, but should be great in 5+ years.
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7/4/2014 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Decanted, at the 30 minute mark it was fruit forward, tannic and still a little disjointed. All the elements are there but not yet coming together.
Came together nicely after a few more hours. Still very young and dominated by lots of ripe fruit. Hold for a few more years before trying another one.
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6/20/2014 - td1836 wrote: 89 Points
A little disappointed with this one. Lots of graphite, some dark fruits, acid is strong, fairly high tannins, fruit is present but not in the forefront. A lot of structure, so maybe it will melow out over time.
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6/8/2014 - Monaco wrote: 86 Points
Pop and poured. Had higher expectations given the hoopla surrounding this producer. I'll give it another year before trying the next one.
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5/30/2014 - dalemosier Does not like this wine: 80 Points
This was my first taste of the case I bought. I hope it gets significantly better. There were 3 of us drinking a lot of heavy reds over the weekend and this was definitely the least favorite wine. Astringent, somewhat bitter lingering taste. I will wait for 2-3 years for my next bottle.
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5/8/2014 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 92 Points
Finally, a Bordeaux that's ready to drink! Popped and poured, and enjoyed over a couple of hours.
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5/5/2014 - Matt T wrote: 91 Points
Very fruit forward with nice jammy notes of blackberry and cherry. A bit heavy on the oak, but still well-balanced. This punches well above its price point and is great for drinking now. Faded significantly after a day, which makes me wonder if this one is built for the long haul. Still likely to drink well for the next few years, if not one to cellar for a decade.
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5/3/2014 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Bouquet with ripe dark forest fruits, roasted nuts, caramel and some smoke. On the palate ripe cassis, sweetness nicely balanced by the acidity, oaky and smoky flavors and round tannin. Already a lovely wine, but this can last at least until 2021. 90+
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4/21/2014 - Castle Peak wrote: 91 Points
Crowd pleasing Easter wine that perfectly accompanied beef tenderloin. Rich berry flavors, currants and smokey oak.
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4/16/2014 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to previous notes. Decanted and poured back in bottle. Drank 3 hours later and was drinking awesome. My go to $20 bottle of Bordeaux. The oak was a touch more than I remember last time hence the drop of a point. Still a fantastic bottle. Drank with a ribeye steak
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3/31/2014 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Excellent value. Paired well with ribeye. More medium red fruit than dark but it followed a big CA cab. Some tobacco and oak, smooth tannins. Nice wine. Splits the difference between old world and new. Probably not a long ager but should drink well for the next few years.
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3/15/2014 - Merengue wrote: 89 Points
Very similar impressions to what Dapz wrote. Upon opening this was dark red almost purplish, with plenty of ripe dark berry fruits, blueberries and blackberries. Very fruity and modern but a tad earthy , with tar and smoky notes. Full of grippy tannins and finishing a bit hot. Improved with 90 mins of air, and turned into more of red currant and vanilla laced wine mimicking more a California cab than a Bordeaux. Some acidity kept this balanced. This is a must have with food wine. Could be rated higher if it had a bit more elegance and finesse. Maybe it will get there but i doubt it. It is wine with personality.
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3/13/2014 - Dapz wrote: 88 Points
Year 2
Dark garnett core with a dark ruby rim. Very youthful.
Nose: Very hot at first with alcohol creeping in. Black cherry, blackberry. Red fruit as well: raspberry. Timid green notes. A little bit of minerality: graphite and its dusty. Dill for oak notes.
Palate: High acid. Flavors of ripe blackberry, lots of ripe plum, mulberry, a hint green pepper. It has a sour mid palate and finishes with a touch of vanilla. The tannins are high both from fruit and oak. The alcohol is high, and it spikes right now. A little unbalaced. I expect for it to come together as it ages.
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2/24/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
Dark, dark garnet; close to being opaque. Rim still purple. Smells like a Medoc. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, pencil lead, cigar box, French oak. Flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant and oak.The tannins are not totally resolved and leave a slight acidic sting on the tongue. But, it's soft enough for a St. Estephe given its age. Not especially intense fruit, but decent enough. Nice structure. A medium to long finish. As the wine warms in the glass the oak gets bigger, almost to the point of being caramel-like. Pairs quite well with roasted rack of lamb. More of a food wine at this stage.
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2/17/2014 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Getting better and fuller.
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2/13/2014 - slywka7 wrote: 89 Points
Get some aromas of kirsch, currant, smoke and blackberry on the nose of this. Some more blackberry, iron and mineral of the palate. Tight and tannic at the moment, which is probably my fault. The first bottle I opened for 10 hours before drinking but this one I decanted only 2. I'm at the 6 hour mark right now and it is definitely better than when I opened it but the first bottle I had was much better. Lesson learned.
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2/8/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Slightly better than my tasting experience last April. Seems to be developing nicely and has another 15 years of enjoyable drinking ahead. Very good.
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2/3/2014 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 89 Points
Not much of a nose on this right now, but what there is is anise. Deep, dark purple color, shifting ever so slightly to red. In the mouth, moderately restrained at this stage, though likely to open in an hour or so. Firm tannins, though not overwhelming. Dark stone fruit, primarily black plums and black cherries. Perhaps a bit tightly wound, I think it is going to gain a great deal of character over the next 18 to 24 months, and I'll likely be pumping up the score in that time.
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1/30/2014 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 91 Points
Contrary to others on the thread, I think this is drinking well now. I tried a different pairing with this wine. Mozzarella and chicken ravioli with a touch of tomato sauce. The wine had the tannins and acid to stand up to the sauce. Not much on the nose, but great flavors of tart cherry and graphite. Very pleased, but might have been mistaken for Nebbiolo were it blind. Served about 62F and decanted for 1 hr.
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1/24/2014 - WilD wrote: 90 Points
Consistent like my other 0,375 Bottle.... Still a perfect QPR. Less jammy than a year go. Tannins much more integrated but still a baby of course.
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1/22/2014 - feffer wrote:
very good. still young. better on day 3 than on day 1.
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1/20/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much smoother from my last bottle 8 months ago, as the tannins seem to have integrated fairly well. This paired very well with a dry rubbed rib eye steak. Should continue to age and improve --- once again a great QPR.
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1/11/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote:
Popped and poured with grilled pork chops, then drank over the course of 4 hours. It showed some graphite and leather when initially opened, along with some dark fruits. After a couple hours, this just seemed to close up. This seemed to some good stuff, but I can't give a score now.
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12/27/2013 - Chip Merlot Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very enjoyable fruit-forward quaff with noticeable oak (maybe too much for some people but not here). As others have mentioned, it's easy to mistake for a Napa cab. This was my second bottle of six. (The first one was a couple months ago as a lead-in to a 1995 Ch Grand Puy Lacoste and a 2003 Prieuré-Lichine -- quel difference!) Won't touch the others for a couple-three more years, very interested to see what happens as it ages.
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12/26/2013 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very solid wine with good earth and balance.
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12/18/2013 - cmadsen wrote: 88 Points
- Smooth texture - Smooth, but lack of depth.
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12/15/2013 - rlu wrote:
Way too young! Strong tannins, on the fruity side. Short finish. And strange enough, where are the 62% CS??? Next one in 4-5 years. Unclear if it'll gain, 'though.
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12/13/2013 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Revised my previous score. This drinks very well. Fruit forward, with smooth body. This was a very enjoyable wine, although not especially complex.
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12/8/2013 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points
Popped at 10AM and started drinking at 4PM. Not a hard edge on this wine. Aromas of cherry, currant, smoke, flowers and blackberry. Flavors of cherry, blackberry, mineral and edges with a cherry/iron note. Finish last maybe 20-25 seconds. Beautiful 2009 that is drinking very well!
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12/6/2013 - THA wrote:
In a good spot right now. Drinking well. Unashamedly modern in style. Smooth, lush, and deep. Glossy, toasty, creamy oak. Nice weight.
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11/22/2013 - erichrod wrote: 91 Points
Good future. Very good structure. 3-5 years?
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11/1/2013 - Kris Bouhuijzen wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for one hour and drank over 2 hours. Beautiful nose, with dark chocolate, blueberries and dark fruits. On the palate a little bit more one dimensional with a lot of blueberry. After 1.5 hours of drinking more complexity on the palate.
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10/30/2013 - Cblakejordan wrote: 85 Points
A fine table wine. I found it to be very meek, lacking a strong backbone. Perhaps we can call this Bordeaux blending, but I found no true hallmark here. Good fresh fruit saves the day, crisp reds (cranberry stood out) and plum. I feel this will not age and should be enjoyed soon.
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10/21/2013 - tahaus Likes this wine: 92 Points
What an excellent Bordeaux blend. It is so well structured with a great balance. Nice acid, perfect tannins, medium red fruits with earthy dustiness on the backend. Stays on the palate for a solid 25-30 seconds. I should have bought a case of this when it was out for $25 bucks a bottle...
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10/15/2013 - cork breath Likes this wine: 92 Points
excellent now with a 1 hour decant. Can only get better with time.
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10/14/2013 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep, rich purple, full bodied
Meaty, rich, tobacco+leather with mossy hints off the nose, coupled with dark fruit-cherries and blackberries
Medium (-) finish, lacks length and finesse on the back end-rather short
Some tannins, a well balanced, simple wine. Some blackberry jam notes. There was a little harshness present that i think will disappear as the years go by.
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9/24/2013 - burgund Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not st Estephe at all, but lush, velvet and very good flavours and nose. Tannins are present for many years ahead, but a delight already
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9/21/2013 - angryphoton wrote: 90 Points
Great QPR, quite open from pop and pour, closed up over time though. Definitely has some new world influence but still a Bordeaux, oak is there but IMO under control, quite a long finish for a $20 wine.
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9/15/2013 - ArtF Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lots of mocha, sort of like burgundy pinot. I love that in the 2009 bordeaux. Needs more time. At least 3 years, probably 5.
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9/11/2013 - jcrean1995 wrote: 95 Points
Delicious ! Complex, rich dark purple fruit...a lush, lovely red wine!
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9/8/2013 - vinole wrote: 90 Points
Warmed up in a decanter for about 30 min, and came across as fruity and juicy for a Bordeaux, with currant and blueberry (also unusual for Bordeaux). Medium body with medium acidity, and smooth refined tannins. Also a lovely nose. After about an hour, the tannins started asserting themselves more, creating some astringency on the finish. Fun to drink in its young, primary stage, but do it fairly quickly. I will let my remaining bottles rest to resolve the tannins more, as this should age nicely with the concentration and acidity levels it has, and has 2 points of upside in the future. Strong QPR.
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9/6/2013 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 89 Points
Open and full when opened. Closed after 3 hours of decanting.....
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9/3/2013 - vijayk416 wrote: 87 Points
Very good but TOO MUCH BLUEBERRY and not enough St Estephe.
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8/28/2013 - heldermramos@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aroma amadeirado, notas de amanteigado, leve frutado. Ácido, leve amargor, notas de pimenta, ganhou sabores, força, evoluiu no copo, cresceu em complexidade. Vinho que necessita uma boa decantação. Vale a pena esperar.
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8/15/2013 - BlancdeBlanc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Aroma: fruity-berries Palate, tannins, meaty, fruity
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8/12/2013 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
Vibrant and rich with lots of chocolate, raspberry, and oak. Sustained richness on the mid and back-palate with relatively low tannins, but good acid. Drinking very well now. Wonder if this will shutdown and add complexity or if this will peak early.
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8/6/2013 - mmccull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Poured a deep red/black color. Very dark. Nose has hints of cassis and chocolate. Mouth feel is quite smooth with some decent tannins lingering for a while. A good balanced wine but it doesn't blow me away... yet. Could get much better with age.
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8/3/2013 - rmarkt59 wrote: 90 Points
Thoroughly enjoyable wine even though its young. Popped and poured thru aerator. Would have opened up more with proper decanting. Notes of cassis, black cherry, graphite and a hint of cedar. Wonderful brick red color. Like others whom have commented terrific QPR. Will get better with age. Glad I have a case left.
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7/20/2013 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still full of primary fruit, both red and black, and the tannins are building. They are mouth-coating at first, but with more air time they sart to become drying and a touch bitter on the finish. I do believe this will be shutting down with in a few months drink up or wait for several years. This primary phase has been excellent and a bargain qpr under $20.
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7/18/2013 - Joe the Critic wrote: 88 Points
Of the 2009 Bordeaux I have tried in this price range, the Lilian Ladouys seems difficult to enjoy. The fruit is there, and the oak is certainly there -- this is not a wimpy wine -- but the package somehow doesn't add up to enjoyment.
Tonight I decanted a bottle for an hour and a half. My first impression was that this has developed into a powerful but more enjoyable wine since the last time I tried it. After a couple hours, however, a pronounced sharp or astringent note appeared on the finish. The closest flavor I can think of is black pepper or perhaps tobacco -- it has a definite bite to it. I'm not knowledgeable enough to know whether this is a sign of good things to come, but my gut feels that this needs to take a time out for another three to ten years until it learns to behave.
Is it a classic St. Estephe? I have no clue, but probably not. Still, it has plenty of spirit.
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7/14/2013 - mattdathan wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful!
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6/8/2013 - cltean Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great wine with lots of potential. Drinking nicely now with aeration but will get better with time. The wine has a nice deep red color typical for Bordeaux
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5/27/2013 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 90 Points
A Holiday Weekend BBQ (or "How I milked my birthday an extra few days") (Rancho de Los Olivos): Somewhat New World in style, and definitely among the more approachable '09's I have had. Deep and dark in the glass. Dusty dark fruit and soil notes on the nose along with some muted spice and tar. Rich fruit on the palate, with the merlot leading the charge, but a distracting tartness is present and may dissipate as the tannins integrate over time.
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5/23/2013 - mattdathan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow - lovely balance, smoothness and power. Still with plenty of tannin, it's nonetheless a delicious wine which will only smooth out over time.
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5/18/2013 - Timbalimba wrote: 87 Points
While showing a lot better than last time around, the '09 is still far from outstanding. Tannic, massively oaky, and waves of toasted fat fruit, bordering on baked Christmas cake. Doesn't quite possess the breed to shed the rustic St Estephe character, either. I may be completely wrong of course but I very much doubt these super charged '09s will survive their 15th birthday. Harvested too late. Well--- those were his famous last words... Time will tell.
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5/17/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice wine, excellent price point. Just slightly modern, with some cocoa or coffee elements to go with the nice blue fruit and light spice. Certainly good drinking now.
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5/16/2013 - Mterrano1 wrote: 92 Points
Great left bank bordeaux comprised of 60% cab sauv and 40% merlot. This wine is much much more approachable than other left bank Bordeaux's that I've bought in the same price range recently. Full bodied wine exhibiting lots of chocolate and coffee on my palate. I'm not picking up too much fruit but I am surprised for how quickly the tannins are softening up on such a young Boudreaux. Great value for a quality Bordeaux that's drinkable now!
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5/2/2013 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP, drank over 1.5 hrs without much change. Quite fruit-forward for a Bordeaux, but still showing some lovely graphite on the nose. Silky mouthfeel with a moderate length and fairly complex finish. This wine is still a bit too tannic and harsh for my tastes, and I'll let my other bottles sit a year or two before trying again. Amazing QPR for a Bordeaux.
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4/29/2013 - euroyup wrote:
Decanted for more than seven hours. Color: dark purple. Nose: fresh, lively fruit after decanting. Smokey and with dark black and red fruit in the glass. Taste: smoke, dark black and red fruit, some spices and a beginning of coffee. Much, fine, prominent tannins that gave the wine a astringent mouthfeel, certainly in the beginning, later in the glass a bit softening. At the second day not more developed. An already quite luscious, rich, and harmonious, medium bodied wine with a medium finish. Rather enjoyable but not really ready for drinking yet, this seems a very good cru bourgeois for the future. Best being held for at least two, three years, I guess. For now 88, potentially 89+.
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4/28/2013 - Griffeyfan04 wrote: 95 Points
Open for business immediately on opening. Have 10 of these so had my fingers crossed as this was my first taste. On the nose lots of black cherry and ripe fruit but not over the top, there is even a hint of cigar in there as well as some Pencil lead. This wine is way darker than I imagined it would be for a $20 bottle. Palate is terrific and lush fruit with fine tannins and quite a mouthful to it with some dryness at the end. A nice decent finish that is absolutely amazing given the price. Glad I have more saved in the cellar. This should last as long as the professionals say it should. I am giving it a higher score than most but I think this can please the Bordeaux and Napa lovers at the same time!!
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4/27/2013 - wmccone54 Likes this wine: 90 Points
As compared to the 2003 Lilian Ladouys which was enjoyed at the same time, this is clearly much younger and more "New World" in style. Decanted, a bit tight, and not as expressive as its older sibling. Much darker, with blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, and vanilla. Oak and tannins are noticeable, but linger in background. I expect this will evolve and age nicely. Surprisingly approachable for a very young Bordeaux.
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4/16/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Similar to previous notes. Great wine for the price.
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4/8/2013 - Champagneinhand wrote: 92 Points
This is a big, beautiful wine, and though I normally don't drink Bordeaux young, I was impressed, just by the fruit in this big dark deeply opaqued scarlet wine. The nose was soft, but definitely filled with deep dark fruit and bright red fruit, and I could smell some tartness, which is odd. The other scents were of forest floor, no earth and I see the comparisons against Napa. On he palate the fruits again manifested, with big, but soft chewy tannin, perky acidity and a great mouthfeel. I don't think I tasted much of the forest floor, but maybe a little. The drying tannins were felt toward the finish with a note of mint or menthol on the aftertaste amongst the big fruits. I will definitely seek more of these bottles out as a sub $20 early drinking Bordeaux, this is a great value.
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4/4/2013 - Myownscale wrote: 85 Points
Nose:
earthy, coke like
Palate:
nice good tannnin, graphite/pencil, a hint of fruitiness
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4/2/2013 - Matt T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and well-balanced. Amazing qpr.
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3/31/2013 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is really a beauty, especially after being open more than a full day. quite opaque with red legs. Penetrating cassis in the nose, full of great berry fruit. Rich and full on the palate, with creamy vanilla at the fore. Lovely smoky fruit, just smolders on the palate. Blackcurrants. Lovely finish. This is just aces. 5-13-18-9: 95/100.
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3/26/2013 - argento007 Likes this wine:
I liked the wine but if you asked me to guess where it came from, Bordeaux would be the last guess.
I didnt take formal notes. My overall impression was this was a good wine with present but not overpowering tannin. Paired well with a NY steak.
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3/24/2013 - fournet wrote: 88 Points
Still quite young and not yet integrated. The tannins are big and the fruit is too forward at this stage. I can't tell whether this will turn into a very good wine or not. The style is in the modern style, which I do not appreciate.
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3/24/2013 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasting just as good as I remember. Opaque black ruby with red tears. Nose has violets, earth, a hint of licorice. Very aromatic with black fruits. This baby is super-smooth and polished on the palate, big black fruits that really grab your atttention. Long finish. Drinkable now, it should last for quite awhile. A total steal for the quality at $29, it was a screaming bargain at $18 when I first bought it at Costco. Excellent expression of bordeaux. 5-14-17-9: 95/100.
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3/23/2013 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
From 375ml, similar notes as before. Very enjoyable and approachable young bordeaux. I'm sure it will improve with age, but why wait.
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3/4/2013 - Ludi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cupissimo rubino. Inebriante il naso di mirtillo, ribes, lampone, grafite, violetta fresca, note speziate e di tostatura, netta menta. Bocca piena, suadente, già godibile per un tannino finissimo e godurioso
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3/3/2013 - jrglm wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine from Costco.
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3/3/2013 - AMC Eagle wrote: 91 Points
Vinturried into a decanter for 3 hours. Dark red garnet; black currants, dark blue fruits, and some pencil lead and mint on the nose. The palate is getting tobacco leaf, black currants, dark chocolate, and graphite. The dry tannins are somewhat grippy on the front; agree that this is New World-ish like.
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3/1/2013 - WMWG wrote:
Suprisingly fruit forward, even for an '09 BDX. Made more in the new world cab style. On the palate it reminded me of Montelena's estate cab.
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2/25/2013 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
From a 375ml bottle. A very modern Bordeaux at par with an above average Cali red blend. PnP, obviously it felt young but extremely approachable and enjoyable. There is vibrant fruit, nice fine tannins, and a smooth body. Solid QPR and a great Bordeaux to drink now while you wait for the big boys to get more cellar time.
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2/24/2013 - CabIsKing wrote: 90 Points
Good nose of dark fruits, vanilla, earth and minerality. Nice full body on the tongue. Very fruit forward and Napa like. Good finish. Very good for the price.
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2/24/2013 - GoHeels Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rating this for what it is- an absolutely excellent QPR Bordeaux for Napa cab lovers. It's big and dark, very fruit forward. A few hours in the decanter and it is easily confused for a smooth cab costing 2x. This IS NOT a miracle Bordeaux to supplant your palate for Petrus, Latour, or the like. Let's get real; nothing at this price will ever make it close. It IS a really good "drink now" Bordeaux for new-world style fans. Will it least for decades? I have no idea. Those in my cellar sure won't. I don't have the patience to leave a well-drinking QPR stud like this alone.
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2/23/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 90 Points
This opaque crimson wine is seriously structured and concentrated. It takes a modern approach, with a nose of ripe black currants, loganberries, tar and crushed rocks. Despite being a full-bodied, fruit-forward offering, it is not lacking for structure. The wine has ample acid, massive (albeit dry) tannins and well-integrated alcohol (which is listed as 14%). Ripe black fruit and minerals carry through to the palate and are the dominant flavors. Solid in the middle, it ends with a lengthy but astringent finish. It is mind-boggling to me how a great vintage in Bordeaux can elevate the lesser châteaux! This is such an instance. If you love great Bordeaux but are on a budget, buy this wine and lay it down. Drink 1/17-12/24.
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2/23/2013 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Columbia Valley meets the Left Bank. The nose is extremely powerful, showing lots of blueberries, vanilla, earth and spice. On the palate this is full-bodied and rich. Very "New World" in style. So much so that if tasted blind, there is no way I could identify this as a St. Estephe. Loaded with ripe blueberry and plum fruit along with a pleasant minerality. There's remarkable depth and concentration to this. The creamy finish is incredibly long, but just a bit on the oaky side at this point. Excellent right now, this will be an absolute knockout once the oak has had a chance to integrate. 92+
50+5+13+16+8=92
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2/22/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Sweet, attractive and approachable, with plenty of charm. This is already showing so much better than a half year ago. I'm hard pressed to think of better Bordeaux value at this price-point - definitely a great example of what a great vintage like '09 can bring.
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2/21/2013 - jcomm wrote: 80 Points
Decanted a few hours.
Nose is awful, artificial and quite off, almost like powdered sugary drinks!!!
The palate shows some fruit but really diluted, tannins are a bit flabby also and quite short ending!
Not showing well at all presently but for the price will wait a bit for my other 2 bottles!!!
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2/11/2013 - mreinitz wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit along with some coffee and pencil lead. A little too much smoky oak for me at this point though perhaps that will become better integrated over time.
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2/9/2013 - raginbajan wrote: 93 Points
I have consumed 5 bottles of this wine to date and I like the evolution of this wine. While some may argue that the wine is new world in style, I think with additional bottle age, the wines terroir will become more evident. This wine has a tremendous mouthfeel for such an inexpensive wine. Frankly, I think this wine is a steal at its current price.
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2/6/2013 - d1rkbabs wrote: 90 Points
Sadly only had one bottle, and drank too soon. I opened it, let it breathe for 3 hours, then drank most of it. It was okay but nothing special - no subtle flavors, not very rich, etc.
I then drank the rest another 3 hours later and it was like an entirely different wine that to me warrants a 90-91.
Good sign that you probably shouldnt drink this before 2015. I will likely buy more bottles.
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2/3/2013 - sidaga wrote: 88 Points
Vin de couleur violet foncé... Très foncé.
Au nez c'est assez imposant. Trame fruité subtil. Il y a une touche empyreumatique &/ou graphite. Touche fumé. Je qualifieria l'ensemble d'austère...
En bouche la masse tannique & l'astringence domine. Le fruit est en arrière plan. L'ampleur est bonne. La longueur est aussi notable. C'est robuste. J'aime bien!
Prochaine bouteille dans 3 ans.
Salutations
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1/27/2013 - Phredd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple-red with slight translucence, the nose on this wine did not stand out particularly, either in a good or bad way. It was just solid black fruit and a little bit of dust. It was nice and balanced, but I needed to get my nose right up in it. On the palate, the first sensation is a very nice smoothness of texture. Only then does the fruit come out, and it remains somewhat understated. This wine has above-average acidity, and the palate is refreshing despite the astringency of youthful tannins. Also despite the tannins, the body is medium at most. In general, this is a lighter, fresher take on Bordeaux, with (thankfully) no funk at all. There is good minerality (graphite), and the plum and blueberry flavors of Merlot come out clearly. There is not much in the way of secondary development, unsurprisingly in such a young wine. This was a really nice bottle, and it just sneaks over the 90-point line for me, which is very good performance from a $25 bottle from this region. The wine held up very nicely and even gained some richness on day 2. I have solid expectation that this wine will improve for several years yet and can last in the cellar for up to a decade.
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1/27/2013 - hkfoebee wrote:
Consumed over a span of 3 nights. On Day 1, I must admit the nose and flavor profile was a bit reserved, although you could tell there was quite a bit of oak in the background. On Day 2, the dark fruit and vanilla was more prominent and overall, the wine started to strut itself. At this point, you'd say 'ok, this isn't bad for a $20 bottle!' Well, one night later, gas'd and recorked and thrown back in the fridge, this thing emerged into what could easily be a modern $50-65 cab. Chewy, dark chocolate, new French oak that now has me saying, 'man, this is a steal at $20!' Quite frankly, felt embarrassed I have bottles 3x the price point with similar profiles from Napa. End result, went out and bought myself a case.
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1/26/2013 - vanwino Likes this wine: 92 Points
More fruit forward and toasty than the average Bordeaux, but in balance with the acidity. Well made wine. Curious as to how it will taste with couple years aging.
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1/19/2013 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young...nose of blueberries...bleach tinge which i often detect in young powerful wines. Cherries, blueberries, spice, long finish....tannins, integrated. Very good QPR young bordeaux.
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1/17/2013 - Emvip wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasantly surprised for a $20, very young Bordeaux. Very dark fruit, peppery, acidic. Had some heat that blew off after 2 hours in the decanter. I'd recommend holding off for at least 3 years, but if opened now decant for at least 2 hours. Solid value Bordeaux
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1/10/2013 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Consistent like my other 0,375 Bottle.... perfect QPR.
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1/7/2013 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep, dark and opaque. Blackberries, earthy, cassis, pencil lead and a long peppery finish.
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12/28/2012 - Dapz wrote: 92 Points
First one of a 12 year personal project. I'm going to taste 12 bottles throughout 12 years, always around christmas and notice the difference to try to understand better how wine develops. Im going to taste all bottles under the same conditions, no decanting.
Sight: Dark garnett core with a dark magenta rim
Nose: Ripe blackberry, cassis, plum as well. Some discreet green notes: green pepper, eucalyptus. Light notes of dark chocolate as well as graphite. The alcohol seems a bit high on the nose with that nail polisher aroma coming through.
Palate: High acidity, medium + tannins. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate,green and black pepper. The mid palate is very acidic but it finishes long and spicy, The alcohol is very well integrated and does not spike at all. The wine is tasting great right now. I'm curious to see how the acidity will develop, surprised that the tannins are at a considerable lower level than than the acidity at this point.
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12/26/2012 - Tracypyo wrote: 92 Points
Second bottle in a week and will need restraint to let remaining bottles mature. Inky dark and opaque with a subtle nose of lead pencil. There is a gravely mineral component that exist throughout this wine that provides some edginess on the palate but somehow is smoothed out by the other components to make the wine not only pleasant but intriguing. It's like a riddle that you want to solve through further tasting which is why restraint is required to allow this to mature. My bet is that in 5-10 years that restraint will be rewarded in spades.
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12/16/2012 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really fantastic black purple color, with lots of bubbles. Big lead pencil nose, dark fruits lurking. This is stuffed to the gills. Big wine on the palate, rich and thick with loads of young black fruit just waiting to open down the road. This is just filled with potential, even a blockbuster in waiting, but approachable even now. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
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12/5/2012 - soyhead wrote: 88 Points
limited notes - dark deep berry flavors. still relatively primary with coarse tannins. attractive in potential but needs time to hopefully realize.
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11/24/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 90 Points
More prominent toasty, almost burnt oak than previously noted. Full ripe fruit still present. Tannins seem more prominent than previous as well. Still enjoyed.
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11/21/2012 - redz wrote: 90 Points
3 hour decant, still too tight, but expected. a couple more years.
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11/17/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 91 Points
I enjoyed this again. From 750 this time. Tannic and structured but generous fruit and earth. Needs time but enjoyable now if you don't mind the tannins.
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11/5/2012 - gjv115 wrote:
Day 1. Really tight and not much going on.
Day 2. Tannic but beginning to show some real potential.
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10/26/2012 - kosmik wrote: 84 Points
14% d'alcool, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Œil : profond, opacité 7/10, forte viscosité en parois, larmes colorées
Nez : projection d'intensité 5/10, boisé, fumée, végétal, fruits noirs acidulés, cassis et myrtilles, pointe éthylique d'alcool qui transcende (malheureusement), tabac, séveux, une certaine élégance, invitant malgré la pointe d'alcool
Bouche : sec, ample, acidité rafraîchissante, amertume moyenne-forte, plutôt asséchant, persistance moyenne, rétro boisée, fumée, amère, végétale, fruitée, éthylique
Conclusion : potentiellement un beau vin en devenir, devra toutefois s'affiner car, pour le moment, il nous a semblé trop ambitieux. Très malheureusement, l'alcool transcende l'ensemble, ce qui nous déplaît au plus au point. Le 2008 était de très loin meilleur en jeunesse. À revoir tout de même. Le déséquilibre alcool inquiète un peu...
Actuel : 84-85
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10/24/2012 - mduque wrote: 88 Points
Bitter and corse, very much St-Estephe-like. Made notable progress over the three days I drank it. I think this has good value and good potential for the cellar. If you have to have it tonight I suggest as long a carafe time as possible !
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10/21/2012 - Ben Paquet wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and aired for 2 hours. Very new world in its jammyness but sill retain some Bordeaux character. Jammy cherry, dark fruits, new oak and vanilla on the nose. The palate is medium/full bodied showing lots of merlot character. Soft wine with dark fruits, jammy cherry, tobacco, anise, and graphite.
Very good Bordeaux and a great QPR. A little atypical for a St-Estephe, but who knows how this turns out in 5-10 years.
Voila !
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10/16/2012 - il_diavolo wrote: 90 Points
showed well but slightly worse than prior. I originally thought this would be an early/easy drink but I'm now getting the impression it actually needs time (years) or considerable aeration. I also got tannic chalky soil notes this time with way more blackcurrant and generally cab influence than prior (go figure). Sometimes wine messes us around.
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10/15/2012 - GrapeScott wrote: 90 Points
Drank over several days, and showing better on days 2/3. Quite dark purple with a garnet edge. Ripe and rich nose marked by eucalyptus, coffee, cherry cordials, dried herbs/underbrush. Full-bodied and modern in style, atypical St-Estephe but typical '09. Licorice, blackberries, espresso notes with nicoise olives, leather and hints of green peppercorn on the finish, which shows fairly smooth tannins. In a nutshell, seems to show its merlot on the nose, cab sauv in the midpalate, and cab franc on the back end (though RP claims this has no cab franc in the blend, 5% is planted). Though this is big, toasty, and somewhat monolithic now, it seems to have the complexity to suggest it could develop nicely with some bottle age. Not particularly representative of its terroir however.
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10/8/2012 - cidiel wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of licorice anise, black pepper and cherry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of vanilla and black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - Good value for bordeaux. Initial smell is spicy and will certainly benefit from time in the bottle or a good decanting. First taste is not very fruit forward, but then slowly develops and opens up well in the mouth. Strong/deep fruit flavors come forward and sits on the palate well. Finish is strong and might be indicative of the vintage but should do well for a couple years forward, will look for more.
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10/7/2012 - cobystilp wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic. Young and complex. I'm glad I bought a bunch of this tremendous value.
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10/6/2012 - P&F wrote: 90 Points
We followed Wine Data's advice after finding that our first sips weren't very interesting or "St. Estephe", we corked it up and had it a day later. Definitely more integrated, but like il_diavolo said, it's jammy and not very typical of Bordeaux. It's alright but not so far what I'd look for in a glass of Bordeaux. Pleasant nonetheless.
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10/1/2012 - Wine data wrote: 89 Points
Carafé le vin environ 1 heure. Le nez est très nouveau monde, fruits noirs et cerises, vanille. La bouche est ...Est-ce que je bois un zin ou un cab de Napa? Ce n'est pas mauvais, mais pas ce que j'attends d'un St-Estèphe... Je referme la bouteille un peu déçu... Le lendemain, Wow quel changement, je retrouve le terroir de St-Estèphe, un vin beaucoup plus sérieux avec en bouche, des fruits noirs, des figues, tabac et des tannis poudreux comme du graphite. Je crois que ça regarde bien pour l'avenir. 87 à l'ouverture et 91 le lendemain.
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9/15/2012 - il_diavolo wrote: 91 Points
This experience confirmed my earlier impression en primeur with perhaps the caveat that it may need a few more years to fully come around. Dark purple colour which hints at the dense and rich experience on palate. Jammy blackberry fruit with some graphite, tar and toasted oak. On the modern side and the high merlot % adds the fleshy character - i think (hope?) this will also continue to add more bordeaux character but time will tell.
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8/27/2012 - dimdic wrote: 89 Points
Fresh red fruits taste such as cherry, plum, red berry. Fruity and neat. Medium body. Overall near Bordeaux right bank style. Unusual Saint Estephe. A little bitter tannin taste at the end. Still very young to drink. Expected to have potential to improve for 8+ years.
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8/26/2012 - MicklethePickle wrote: 92 Points
Purple-ruby color and nice viscosity. Lovel nose with smoke, black licorice, cocoa and berry fruit. Has plenty of tannin to age but is nevertheless quite drinkable popped and poured. Very sleek and nicely chewy. Long. This is one of the best values from 2009. Can't believe it's from St. Estephe. 5-12-17-8: 92/100
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8/20/2012 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 92 Points
Constantly awesome.
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8/14/2012 - piontenvy wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly open for an 09 Bordeaux, Great combination of earth and fruit. 3 hour decant. Very rich dark and brooding wine. Not too expensive. I will buy more
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8/13/2012 - WilD wrote: 92 Points
from 375ml. inky red/purple. Pretty closed on the nose. 1 hours decanting. Perfect dark fruit. Blackberry, dark cherry. Jammy. Mocca, vanille, chocolate. Great performance for this steal. Great QPR. Well done.....
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8/11/2012 - Timbalimba wrote: 85 Points
Served blind. The nose is completely dominated by heavily toasted oak, very ripe, almost jammy fruits underneath. Good concentration, the balance is ok, as is the finish, but the oak overload brings flashbacks of 90's Oz plonk, oak chips fermentation, eucalyptus aromas. Not my style, but will probably improve. Shocked to discover this was the Lilian--- very far from my ideal kind of St. Estèphe
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7/21/2012 - Grinner wrote: 90 Points
PHMG WAG: The '09 Bordeaux (Chateau Lyon): Similar to my first bottle in May. Flavors lean towards classic Cab: cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, plus some vanilla, cedar, and earth. Not picking up the tobacco this time. Needs time.
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7/15/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Striking vanilla and chocolate tones, somewhat backward. Needs more time to lose some edge. Missing some elegance and complexity perhaps, but who can complain at this price. A bargain.
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7/10/2012 - signotim wrote:
from 375ml. inky red/purple. Pretty closed on the nose. Some ripe fruit but oak needs time to integrate. No pleasure to drink now. try again in 4-5 yrs.
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7/9/2012 - FlyinI wrote: 91 Points
Had with a nice steak dinner. Blackberry, chocolate, tobacco. Nice structure. PNP, better with air. Young - looking forward to seeing how my stash evolves.
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6/23/2012 - Kevincrouch Likes this wine:
Tight and tannic at first, this opened up beautifully into gorgeous caramel, chocolate and cherries with chunky tannins holding on till the end. A full-bodied modern style cru bourgeois showing the great ripeness and fullness of 2009. Needs some time.
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6/21/2012 - grossie wrote: 90 Points
Sacrificed one upon my futures arrival. First night note, the rest of the bottle is going in the fridge for a couple of days. Dark red color. Spicy rich fruit and graphite, a little jammy, and a little bubblegum on the nose (which is a reflection of the oak I believe). Really great body, but woud pretty tight as expected. The tannin is abundant but fine grained, my guess is the tannin resolves while the fruit matures and that this will be a beauty in about 10 years.
4 nights later- the bottle has been in the fridge. It's still tight and has even more fruit than before. I think this one will probably go a dozen years while improving. There is very little sign of oxidation and tons of power while the tannins are still showing but are very fine. I'd probably up my rating a point or two now, say 91-92 overall.
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6/19/2012 - MicklethePickle wrote: 87 Points
Gorgeous color. Graphite and purple fruit in the nose. Very young and primary. Palate is tannic but fruit-laden. More promise than current pleasure right now. 5-11-14-7: 87/100.
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6/1/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 90 Points
Again from 375. Drank over 2 hrs. Evolved nicely for young wine with substantial tannins. Vanilla definitely prominent. Maybe a little too much oak at this time. Enjoyable for now with anticipated improvement.
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5/26/2012 - Border Boss wrote: 90 Points
Nose is a little dusty but with some fruit and leather. The palate isn't showing much now due to its age much beyond the abundance of tannins and acid, but there's definitely some black fruit on the finish that bodes well for ageing. I wouldn't touch it until 2014-2015, when it will probably be a 92-93 pointer.
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5/19/2012 - bhouk wrote:
Tasted along with Chateaus Cruzeau, Macard and Papeterie. Not as elegant as the Cruzeau but with more stuffing. A little jammy, but a lot to like for the under $25 price tag. Macard was a half-step back and Papeterie did not show well on the first day, but lost some of its harshness over the following two. The Lilian Ladouys has potential for development over the medium term at least.
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5/12/2012 - RockinCabs wrote:
Meeting (of) the Parents; 5/12/2012-5/13/2012 (Cambridge, MA / Lincoln, RI): PNP on this bottle, and not its best showing. Next to the silky CA Cabs we had this evening this Bordeaux came across very tannic and closed. Blackberrym Cassis and Chocolate, with Oak/Spice showing. Overall this needed time to open up and come up to temperature from the cellar.
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5/8/2012 - Grinner wrote: 90 Points
PNP before I got home, it was a nice surprise! A $20 wine that has a sense of place; that's all I ask! Cassis, tar, vanilla, earth and hint of tobacco in a medium bodied wine that has a fair amount of sediment. Nice texture, decent grip. Perfect w/ a 80/20 turkey/beef burger!
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5/6/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted an hour. Nose showing lots of vanilla, and some black pepper and spice. Plenty of ripe currants and cassis on the palate, quite smooth with some fine tannins mixed in. Vanilla returns on a moderate length finish. Not terribly complex, but reasonably well made. Shows the lush fruit of '09 but a little too much oak at this point. Can't say I can find St. Estephe here, but still tight and has potential to improve.
On night two was showing was pepper and spice on the nose. Palate still stuffed with concentrated dark fruits and the finished overtaken by vanilla. Showing much more St Estephe character, but still very ripe with lots of oak that needs to integrate.
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5/4/2012 - Nyindallas wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple color. Nose opens with cassis, a little smoke and a touch of earthiness. Nice fruit shows itself with firm tannins lurking in the background. Developed nicely with spice notes over an hour in the glass and bottle. This was a test. This wine needs more time and has a nice aging potential. Great QPR for a St Estephe. Highly recommenced for aging. Would not recommend for immediate consumption.
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5/3/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied with ripe red berries and earthy scents, this soft textured, easy to drink St. Estephe wine is best enjoyed in its youth. If you're looking for value priced Bordeaux with character, this is a great choice.
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4/26/2012 - dssmith wrote: 90 Points
This is a balanced, easy to drink wine. It has nice tanins with good fruit. It is well worth the price. In fact I think it is a great value particularly for a Left bank bordeaux.
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4/18/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Ripe with strong but penetrable tannins, dark/red fruited profile with oak backbone but not obtrusive. earthy and substantial. I expect this to evolve nicely. Approachable now if you dont mind the tannic grip. Drank from 375.
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4/9/2012 - MicklethePickle wrote: 93 Points
This really is an excellent bargain. Dark ruby, good viscosity. Deep, brooding, dark purple fruit wrapped in glorious oak aromas fill the nose. Very fine young Bordeaux nose, very promising. Silky but full in the mouth, loads of fruit and good grip, this just fills every corner with lovely young fruit.Takes awhile to unfold on the palate, and when it does, it is lovely if young and primary. Still tannic, this wine has quite a future although for me, it is still marvelous right now and would be great with a thick, juicy rare steak. A winner all around. 4-13-17-9: 93/100.
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4/6/2012 - Tiderunner22 wrote: 92 Points
Very young wine, drinking well now but all the components are there for an age worthy wine. Fantastic QPR have three bottles in cellar and will be buying more before price goes up.
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4/1/2012 - RockinCabs wrote: 91 Points
Similar to prior notes. Need to decant this right now for several hours to get the full experience.
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3/24/2012 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 92 Points
This wine is definetly reaping the benefits of the 2009 vintage. On the modern side, the 2009 Chateau Lilian Ladouys has an opaque purple color with densely packed blackberry, cassis, tobacco, and ash. Very full with round, polished tannins as well as long gripping finish. I have no problem saying this is a candidate to be the sleeper of the 2009 vintage. Chateau Lilian Ladouys is surrounded by big time neighbor's like Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel. (Drink 2012-2027+) - March, 2012. (JD)
92-93 POINTS
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3/23/2012 - Ali2615 wrote: 89 Points
Great nose. Lots of alcohol. Disappears mid palate. Tannic. Classic Bordeaux flavors.
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3/21/2012 - Wildheart wrote: 88 Points
Very good bottles to have with clients! I think this is a great value at Costco and will buy more and store.
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3/17/2012 - MarkMich wrote: 92 Points
Wow! I found this at Costco for $18 - 2 less than I paid for as a future. I decanted for two hours but the nose hit me immediately. Cherries and cream with hints of graphite and alcohol. Thick and viscous the wine is deep purple and grips the glass. Full bodied with red fruit, some menthol and a little heat, tannins and acid that makes me think this will last in the cellar for years to come. This has a long finish and will be difficult to stay away from. I am thrilled I went long on 09's and can't wait to try the big boys.
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3/17/2012 - IconeWino wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic. Very concentrated. Big flavors of oak and dark, fleshy fruits. A great young Bordeaux. 2009 is shaping up to be an unbelievable Bordeaux year. For $17 at CostCo, I'm tempted to stock up and hold for years.
This bottle easily holds its own with Bordeauxs $75+. Straddles the old/new world line. California red blend drinkers would love this.
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3/16/2012 - prof b wrote: 88 Points
been in the decanter now for 2.5 hours. at the start it was all oak and fruit but it has now calmed down a bit- the oak influence now seems far less invasive. at this stage, this wine is fruit dominated and tastes much more like a cali cab than something from st. estephe. i see why Parker likes it though; it has loads of fruit but somehow still comes across as balanced (for such a young wine- I'm guessing a bit here on its future). still, this wine is literally just off the docks and is just a baby. i suspect this will be a fantastic daily drinker in 1-3 years as the fruit starts to soften. i opened this thinking i might order more (and should note it was shipped from WL and arrived today). I will definitely pick up more, but not sure how much.
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3/15/2012 - Mmark wrote: 90 Points
Colour: Dense purple
Nose: Excellent, blackberries, blackberry and cherries. Further notes of green pepper, clove and smoke is adding to evolving notes of cigar box, sweet licorice and mould.
Mouth: Not as expressive as the nose, but still very persistent. Almost Mourvedre alike with plum, dark berries, turning to mocha along sweet licorice. Still heavy tannins. And still too young, but at $26 it is a great deal!
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3/14/2012 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 89 Points
Deep, dark purple color, such as one would expect with such a youthful wine. Concentrated nose with hints of licorice, plums, and a very forward expression of Cabernet, with a tad bit do wood and smoke lingering in the background. In the mouth, this is chewy right from the get go. Tannins are quite firm, but refined enough not to be disruptive. Classic French character, though with a very New World influence playing a role. The terroir is clearly being expressed, but there is also a good deal of fruit (plums and cherries, maybe some blackberries) coming through. Also, hints of cassis, cocoa, and eucalyptus meandering in the neighborhood. Drinkable now, especially with a nice ribeye, but clearly has a good decade worth of drinkability. Great wine for the value, and I might even say the mostvive liked a French wine in a number of years. Must pickup another half case for the wine tasting group, as this is in the budget and will be great for next year.
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3/12/2012 - RockinCabs wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Blackberry, Fig Paste, Cherry, Vanilla, Sweet Earth and hints of spice. Palate: Moderate to Full weight in the mouth with a nice sense of layering. Black Cherry, Plum, Cassis and red berry notes. Vanilla and slight truffle notes come in as well. Finish: Lingers with dark fruit and tanins that clamp down hard when first opened. Spice and cigar wrapper notes as well.
This sits between new and old world. A very modern style of Bordeaux from St. Estephe. CA Cab drinkers will like this.
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3/9/2012 - Toosh76 wrote: 90 Points
Wow, this is good juice for the price point. It has a bold nose of currants, blackberry jam, tobacco, and graphite. I agree that it's a modern style, but after sipping, its restrained austerity to remind you it's a Bordeaux! Mid weight wine, good fruit in mid palate with youthful tannins. With cellar time, this should smooth out nicely. Will buy a few more for cellaring!
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3/2/2012 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 92 Points
2009 is a very promising vintage. If this is this good right now, can't wait to try it again in 5 years.
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3/2/2012 - cobystilp wrote: 91 Points
Very new world in power but with classic French flavor profile. I really liked this with food. Paired with pan seared cowboy cut ribeye. Fantastic. Amazing QPR. Night two this is even better. Buy the rest at Costco for $18.
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2/13/2012 - THA wrote: 91 Points
Impressed. The critics who noted that this wine trends toward to modern side of Bordeaux are correct. But its sense of place is there, most notably the aromas and flavors of cool stones and fresh tobacco. This is very good and very well made wine. Impressive depth and purity. Already sufficiently soft and round to drink now, which may turn out to be the common thread with the entire 2009 vintage. But it has the stuffing to cellar for several years to evolve into a more complex mature wine. Extraordinary value for this vintage. Recommended. Bottom feeders take note.
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2/4/2012 - Joegish Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another nice QPR 09 Bordeaux. Everything worked here, nice nose, great fruit, and silky finish. Will look for more bottles.
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12/15/2011 - hcl-1 wrote: 89 Points
Very different impressions over the course of 3 hours in the decanter. From a very extracted fruit with wood to a very peppery (almost szechuan pepper) state to a very good texture with lesser fruit and almost no wood. The tannins were low in all different states. If those parts get together nicely, this could become even more than excellent, but my experience with aging wines is definately not good enough to say whether this is going to happen or not. Maybe I should have left some for the second day. Or buy another one and try again.
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5/8/2010 - il_diavolo wrote: 91 Points
nice, rounded but with good concentration, sweet tannins but perhaps marginally too much wood influence. however that may be nitpicking at this price level and excellent QPR on this one, especially given where the 2009 cru classe prices are likely to head.
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