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Rating:

89

Price ($)

$47

Drink Date

2005 - 2020

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

29th Apr 2005

Source

158, The Wine Advocate

It is good to see this wine showing much better from bottle than it did from barrel, where it had a certain leanness and herbaceousness. There is still a hint of dried herbs in the classy nose of red and black currants, cedar wood, and spice box. The wine has a deep ruby/purple-tinged color, excellent density, and medium body in an elegant style with a hint of road tar and sweet fruit. It should drink well young but age nicely for 12-15 years. Make no mistake about it, it has nowhere near the size, dimension, power, and intensity of the 2003. Of course, this estate is now being run by Bruno Borie, the eldest son of the late Jean-Eugene Borie. He replaced his younger brother, Xavier Borie, who remains fully responsible for Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Haut-Batailley.

A hot, dry summer resulted in a tiny production of under 10,000 cases of 2003 Ducru Beaucaillou from yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare. This beauty boasts a deep plum/ruby/purple color with a touch of lightening at the edge. Aromas of licorice, creme de cassis, incense and spring flowers are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine with loads of fruit and glycerin as well as a plush texture. It is just entering its plateau of maturity where it should remain for another 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate #194

May 2011             Robert M. Parker, Jr.      96          

A candidate for the “wine of the vintage,” Pontet Canet’s 2008 boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of sweet blueberries, blackberries and black currant fruit intertwined with lead pencil shavings, subtle barbecue smoke and a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, with fabulous richness, texture and tremendous freshness, this first-growth-like effort is more developed than the uber-powerful 2010. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades. Bravo!

Wine Advocate #182

Apr 2009              Robert M. Parker, Jr.      (96-98+)                              

A wine for our children’s children. Nobody in Bordeaux is more attentive to detail than Alfred Tesseron is at Pontet-Canet. Fashioned from incredibly low yields, a very late harvest, and a Draconian selection, the 2008 will not be close to drinkability for at least a decade, and it should still be in superb form circa 2060. An absolutely amazing effort, it boasts an inky/black/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of creme de cassis, graphite, charcoal, and incense, blockbuster depth, and full-bodied power. The tannins are high, but they are remarkably velvety as well as well-integrated. Sensational acidity gives the wine precision and vibrancy, but the impression is one of massive concentration and power. The 2008 Pontet-Canet, a candidate for the wine of the vintage, is a tour de force in viticultural precision and winemaking savoir faire.

A sleeper of the vintage, the 2008 Pichon Longueville Baron is one of the densest, most concentrated wines of Pauillac in 2008. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, blackberries, charcoal, coffee and licorice. Exceptionally full-bodied with velvety tannins and undeniable appeal, this gorgeous, well-proportioned, larger than life 2008 should age effortlessly for two decades or more. With the realistic pricing that remains for many 2008s, this is a no-brainer. Score: 95

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here - an underlying mineralité sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Ségur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see. Tasted March 2015.

Domaine du Clos Frantin
2005
Grands Echézeaux
Grand Cru Red 750 ml
Score: 94
Tasted: Jan 01, 2008
Drink: 2017+
Issue: 29
Note: from a .4 ha parcel
Producer note: This historic 13 ha domaine that owns some very impressive appellations was acquired by the Beaune négociant Albert Bichot in 1969. The wines are vinified in Nuits St. Georges. As the scores and comments suggest, the Clos Frantin '05s have really come together and to their credit, several of them exceeded the upper end of my initial projections. In particular, the Grands Echézeaux and the Clos de Vougeot are worth a search and all of the villages wines offer fine value if you're looking for cellar quality examples at that level that are built to age. Note that the '05 Malconsorts was unfortunately corked and no replacement bottle was immediately available. (Atherton Wine Imports, Atherton, CA and Southern Wine and Spirits, Miami, FL; Berry Bros & Rudd, Waverly Vintners and Alliance Wines, all of the UK).
Tasting note: Very pure and seductive spiced cassis and black cherry aromas dissolve into delicious, classy and focused medium full flavors that offer good richness and ample finishing punch and power. This is sleekly muscled with a structured but balanced finish that is austere but impressively persistent. A true long distance runner that will require every bit of a decade to reveal its full potential and perhaps longer. The clear class of the range and one of those wines with the 'wow' factor built to age for decades.
 

Rating

86+?

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2015

Reviewed by

 Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Jun 2015

Source

219, The Wine Advocate

There are only 10,800 cases (rather than the normal 15,000-20,000) of the 2003 Latour, a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot (13.3% finished alcohol). A prodigious effort, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of smoke, cedar, creme de cassis, flowers, crushed rocks, and blackberries. Massive and multi-layered, with huge richness and low acidity, it is about as unctuous as a young Latour can be. It could be compared to the 1982, but it may be even more pure, at least at this early stage, than that monumental wine. The level of intensity builds prodigiously in the mouth, and the finish lasts nearly a minute. Disarmingly accessible (although analytically the tannin level is high), I suspect it will ultimately shut down, but it was performing impeccably when I tasted it. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+.

Score: 96 Robert Parker, Hedonists Gazette, May 2007

A spectacular success, the opaque plum-colored 2003 Leoville Barton is still on the young side of its plateau of maturity. It exhibits a striking bouquet of forest floor and black currants as well as a full-bodied, exuberant, youthful style, an opaque plum/ruby color, a lot of complexity, and striking depth and richness. This is a profound, stunning effort from Anthony Barton and his team. Bravo! It should continue to provide immense pleasure for 20-30 years. Drink 2014-2044

Score: 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (214), August 2014

One cannot admire enough proprietor Anthony Barton and his classic, potentially long-lived wines that are models of power, elegance, and longevity – in short, these wines symbolize what makes Bordeaux so world-renowned! Probably capable of rivaling the 2000, the uncompromisingly made, formidably powerful, masculine, and highly extracted 2003 has an inky purple color to the rim, a big, deep personality with a tight but promising nose of forest floor, creme de cassis, smoke, charcoal, licorice, and perhaps even truffle. It is layered, rich, and set for an exceptionally long life, but don’t expect to get a lot of joy even in this somewhat overtly styled vintage for at least another 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030+.

Score: 95+ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (164), April 2006

This is a stunning inky purple-colored effort revealing a tight but promising bouquet of damp earth, forest floor, powerful ripe cassis and black raspberry notes intermixed with licorice and leather. Formidably-endowed, structured, dense, concentrated, and backward, this brawny 2003 should prove to be one of the vintage’s most enduring successes. It needs to be forgotten for 7-10 years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2035. One of the classic wines of Bordeaux and still realistically priced, Leoville-Barton is becoming increasingly popular because of the extraordinary quality/price ratio it offers.

Score: 93/95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (158), April 2005

One of the superstars of the vintage, Leoville-Barton’s 2003 (tasted four times with identical notes) is a powerfully rich, muscular offering possessing a saturated plum/purple color as well as high levels of tannin, low acidity, and inky flavors that have profound depth as well as penetration on the palate. It recalls the 2000 in color saturation and power, but has lower acidity, and a fleshier, fatter mouthfeel. I would assume the alcohol is also slightly high. This formidably endowed St.-Julien should prove to be one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. It will require 4-8 years of cellaring, and will keep for 25-30 years. It is a brilliant offering from proprietor Anthony Barton, who has demonstrated a Midas touch over the last 15 or so years.

Score: 93/95+ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (152), April 2004

Score: 95 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, April 2008

What a fabulous Léoville Barton this is turning into! The nose takes awhile to get going but reluctantly reveals some complex black fruits,minerals, a touch of cooked meats all with breathtaking definition.The palate has a lovely satin texture and is so harmonious andnatural. Blackberry, cedar, tobacco vie for attention, perhaps youcould argue lacking a little structure, but ultimately beguilingly elegant and wonderful poised on the finish. Completely seductive. Drink 2012-2025 [2012-2025] Tasted April 2008.

  Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, April 2008

Intense blackberry and cherry with hints of currant, toasted oak, sweet tobacco, roses and lilacs. Long and seductive.

Score: 98 James Suckling, Wine Spectator, February 2006

Very impressive licorice, blackberry and mint. Some pencil. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Super-long. Wonderful. Is it as good as 2000? Maybe.

Score: 95/100 James Suckling, Wine Spectator (April 04), April 2004

Score: 98 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Insider, March 2006

Intense blackberry and cherry, with hints of currant. Toasted oak and sweet tobaco, too, with roses, lilacs and other flowers. Full-bodied, with masses of tannins yet incredibly long and seductive. Best after 2012.

  James Suckling, Wine Spectator Insider (25/1/6), January 2006

Score: 16.5 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (April 04), April 2004

Score: 16.5 Michael Schuster, The World of Fine Wine (1), April 2004

Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.

Estate manager John Kolasa nailed the 2005 Château Rausan Segla. It's rapidly blossoming into one of the best wines from the estate in recent memory. Time has nurtured a gorgeous bouquet that leans slightly more to red berry fruit, intermingling with iris and rose petals, veins of cedar and fresh mint. It is bursting at the seams with fruité while all the time retaining wonderful delineation and control. The palate follows in a similar vein. It feels plush in the mouth, adorned with a satin texture, yet this is complemented by finesse and refinement. It gradually builds in the mouth to a sensual finish that epitomizes this great Margaux estate. You might well be able to broach this 2005 now. It has more approachability than some of its peers, though there is the substance to guarantee two decades and more of drinking pleasure. Tasted June 2015.

Rating

90

Release Price

$30 - 35

Drink Date

2006 - 2020

Reviewed by

 Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

22nd Apr 2003

Source

146, The Wine Advocate

A model of elegance, symmetry, and balanced power, the dense ruby/purple-colored 2000 displays sweet aromas of plums, currants, tobacco, and smoke. The wine possesses abundant power, concentration, extract, glycerin, and length. This elegant, expansive, juicy, layered, medium-bodied effort should prove reasonably long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020.

A somewhat under-the-radar La Mission, the 2006 was generally overlooked following the brilliance of the 2005. A young, dense purple-hued wine that is developing beautifully, it exhibits notes of Asian plum sauce, charcoal, barbecue smoke, roasted meats, graphite and background oak. Full-bodied with good acidity, moderate tannin and a vigorous, powerful youthfulness, the 2006 will age more quickly than the 2005, but it still requires another 5-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated Maturity: 2014-2035.

Score: 94Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (202), August 2012

This classic, powerful, firm Lynch Bages may be as concentrated (if not more so) than the 2005. It possesses a dense purple-tinged color, tell-tale cassis notes interwoven with hints of roast beef, savory herbs, spice box and subtle oak, good acidity and ripe tannin. The result is a full-bodied, fleshy Pauillac that will benefit from another 3-4 years of cellaring. It is capable of lasting 20-25 more years. Drink 2014-2039.

Score: 94 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (196), August 2011

1988 or 1995-ish in style, rather than 1996, which seems to be the vintage several 2006s recall, this dense purple-colored wine displays sweet notes of creme de cassis, tobacco leaf, licorice, and some cedar and graphite. The wine has plenty of structure a la 1995 and a backward, muscular personality, but beautiful fruit on the attack and alluring purity and a nicely textured mouthfeel. The finish suggests cellaring for 3-5 years and drinking over the following two decades.

Score: 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (181), February 2009

A stunning effort from Alexander Thienpont, the 2005 Vieux Chateau Certan (a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc) reveals an inky/blue/purple color along with a rich, sumptuous perfume of black olives, lavender, roasted herbs, licorice, pain grille, and oodles of truffles as well as creme de cassis. In the mouth, hints of chocolate and charcoal also make an appearance along with good acidity, fabulous purity, and a full-bodied, powerful mouthfeel. In keeping with the style of this terroir, the wine is reserved and restrained, but deep. It should develop magnificently, and age for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.

Tasting note: The nose offers an interesting contrast in that it is understated yet evidences intensely spicy fruit framed by toasted oak notes that lead to big, mineral laden flavors and a finish that emphasizes both green apples and a flinty quality that is somewhat reminiscent of a grand cru Chablis. There is really lovely purity here with beautifully elegant buffering acidity on the dazzlingly long finish. In sum, this is a great 2001.