|
Red Bordeaux |
1957 |
Haut Brion
|
2 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£625 |
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
In January, 1997, I had the exceptionally smoky, sweet, rich, impressively endowed 1957 Haut-Brion. The wine was fully mature, as evidenced by its dark garnet color with considerable rust. The wine was very aromatic, plump, and succulently textured, with fleshy flavors, plenty of glycerin, and sweet fruit. It is another example of an unheralded vintage producing a top flight wine.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1964 |
Latour a Pomerol
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£320 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1978 |
Lafite Rothschild
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
500cl |
£3,200 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1982 |
Lynch Bages
|
4 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£275 |
Beautifully mature with sweet, sun-drenched black currant, fig, roasted herb and loamy soil characteristics, the dark plum/garnet-colored 1982 possesses opulent, fleshy flavors and a full-bodied finish. All the tannins are resolved, the acidity is low and this deliciously savory, rich wine is in full bloom. Drink the complex, beautiful 1982 now and over the next decade.
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Wine Advocate #183
Jun 2009 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 94 Drink: 2009 - 2024 $202-$548
One of the most drinkable, complex, and tasty 1982s of the northern Medoc, this wine is beginning to reach its plateau of full maturity. Still a dense ruby/purple color with some lightening at the edge, it offers up classic aromas of cedar wood, fruitcake, tobacco leaf, and creme de cassis. This full-bodied, opulent, fleshy, sexy Pauillac can be drunk now with great pleasure and complexity, or cellared for another 10-15 years. Release price: ($150.00/case)
Wine Advocate #129
Jun 2000 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 94 Drink: 2000 - 2015 $202-$548
This is another Lynch Bages that has never gone through an awkward, disjointed stage where it completely shut down. The color remains a dense ruby with some lightening at the edge. Thick, juicy, succulent notes of creme de cassis intermixed with dried herbs, vanillin, minerals, and anise leap from the glass. Fleshy and full-bodied, with the vintage's voluptuous texture and low acid, fruit/glycerin-dominated flavors well-displayed in its full-bodied personality, this wine tastes young, but isalso ready to drink. Anticipated maturity: now-2015.
|
|
93 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1982 |
Leoville Las Cases
|
2 |
Bottle |
|
500cl |
£3,300 |
This huge wine is, in many ways, just as massive as Leoville Barton, but it possesses a greater degree of elegance as well as unreal concentration.
100 Points, Drink Date 2003 - 2035, Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Still stubbornly backward, yet beginning to budge from its pre-adolescent stage, this dense, murky ruby/purple-colored wine offers up notes of graphite, sweet caramel, black cherry jam, cassis, and minerals. The nose takes some coaxing, and the decanting of 2-4 hours prior to service is highly recommended. For such a low acid wine, it is huge, well-delineated, extremely concentrated, and surprisingly fresh. Perhaps because I lean more toward the hedonistic view of wine than the late Michel Delon, I have always preferred this to the 1986, but the truth is that any lover of classic Medoc should have both vintages in their cellar. This wine has monstrous levels of glycerin, extract, and density, but still seems very youthful, and tastes more like a 7 to 8-year-old Bordeaux than one that is past its twentieth birthday. A monumental effort. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035. Last tasted, 9/02.
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1982 |
Palmer
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£3,600 |
Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy’s 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. At thirty years of age, the Palmer 1982 still remains in the shadow of the 1983, although this is one of the best bottles that I have encountered. Yes, it remains a little fatigued on the nose but it is harmonious and nicely defined with that tincture of brine amongst the undergrowth. The palate is medium bodied and missing a little cohesion with age. But there is a pleasant sweet decayed core with a simple but fresh finish that would benefit from more vigour and persistency. Tasted November 2012.
|
|
89 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1983 |
Latour
|
3 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£360 |
Tasted from my cellar, this wine is fully mature, not terribly concentrated, and slightly herbaceous, exhibiting aromas of sweaty saddle leather, melted asphalt, tobacco, and red as well as black fruits. Notions of caramel and roasted nuts also emerge. A medium-bodied effort with soft tannin, but little persistence and length, it requires consumption over the next decade.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1983 |
Mouton Rothschild
[damp affected label] |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£500 |
Rating
90
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
1990 - 2015
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 1998
Source
Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, The Wine Advocate
The classic Mouton lead-pencil, cedary nose has begun to emerge. This medium dark ruby, elegant, medium-bodied wine will never be a great or legendary Mouton. The flavors are ripe and moderately rich. With good depth and some firm tannins to resolve, this offering from Mouton is bigger and richer than the 1981, 1979, or 1978. Austere by the standards of Mouton and the vintage, the 1983 resembles the chateau's fine 1966. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/90.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1983 |
Mouton Rothschild
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£620 |
Rating
90
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
1990 - 2015
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 1998
Source
Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, The Wine Advocate
The classic Mouton lead-pencil, cedary nose has begun to emerge. This medium dark ruby, elegant, medium-bodied wine will never be a great or legendary Mouton. The flavors are ripe and moderately rich. With good depth and some firm tannins to resolve, this offering from Mouton is bigger and richer than the 1981, 1979, or 1978. Austere by the standards of Mouton and the vintage, the 1983 resembles the chateau's fine 1966. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/90.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1983 |
Latour
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£4,250 |
Tasted from my cellar, this wine is fully mature, not terribly concentrated, and slightly herbaceous, exhibiting aromas of sweaty saddle leather, melted asphalt, tobacco, and red as well as black fruits. Notions of caramel and roasted nuts also emerge. A medium-bodied effort with soft tannin, but little persistence and length, it requires consumption over the next decade.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1985 |
Pape Clement
[Duty Paid] |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£180 |
Rating
87
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 1998
Source
Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, The Wine Advocate
The 1985, the best Pape-Clement since the 1975, is a fragrant, supple, tasty wine with a great deal of finesse and charm. It is deeply concentrated, medium bodied, long, and complex.
|
|
87 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1985 |
Latour
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£390 |
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003
Score: 87 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (3), November 1998
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (129), June 2000
This wine was tasted from my personal collection, following the Latour tasting. The 1985 Latour is a soft, open-knit example, without much structure, delineation, and depth. The dark ruby color displays amber at the edge. The bouquet of tobacco, black fruits, herbs, earth, and new oak is pleasant, but neither intense nor persistent. The wine is medium-bodied, with sweet fruit on the attack, but it narrows out to reveal dry tannin and herbaceous notes. Anticipated maturity: now-2012.
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (129), April 2000
Score: 94 James Suckling, Wine Spectator, August 2000
Almost as great as the 1982. Dense and luscious with amazingly deep plum, blackberry and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and full tannins. A wine with a terrific future. Try after 1998.--The Bordeaux 50. (JS) 95points
James Suckling, Wine Spectator
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1985 |
Leoville Poyferre
|
4 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,250 |
Rating
86
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2003 - 2006
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 2003
Source
Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, The Wine Advocate
A very flaccid, diffuse style of Leoville-Poyferre with an evolved medium ruby color already exhibiting amber, the nose offers up notes of herbs intermixed with currants, licorice, and vanilla. The mouth is round and medium-bodied with good concentration. The finish shows some sweet tannin. This wine is fully mature.
|
|
86 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1986 |
Smith Haut Lafitte
[Duty Paid] |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£120 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1986 |
Lafite Rothschild
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£800 |
Parker The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2030
The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required. (Taken from the Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition)
Score: 100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2000-203001 January 1998
The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required.
Score: 100
Robert Parker, 'Bordeaux' 3rd Ed. Maturity: 2000-203001 January 1998
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1986 |
Lagrange
[Duty Paid repack] |
5 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£900 |
Rating
92
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2003 - 2025
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 2003
Source
Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, The Wine Advocate
Here is a classic example of a wine that is showing significantly more complexity and richness from the bottle than out of cask, although it was certainly a potentially outstanding wine when tasted from the barrel. In a vintage that produced a number of enormously structured, rich, concentrated wines, Lagrange is another of the blockbuster wines that seems capable of lasting 30-35 years. Black/ruby in color, with a closed but burgeoning bouquet of spicy new oak, black fruits, and flowers, this muscular, full-bodied, tannic wine is packed with fruit and is clearly one of the great long-distance runners from this vintage. I admire how the significant investment made by the Japanese owners in this property has paid off with a thrilling, albeit amazingly backward, wine. The finest Lagrange to date! Anticipated maturity: Now-2025. Last tasted, 1/97.
|
|
92 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1986 |
Mouton Rothschild
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£8,500 |
Jeroboam
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 31/08/1996 After stumbling over some wines I thought were high class Bordeaux, I nailed this wine in one of the blind tastings for this article. In most tastings where a great Bordeaux is inserted with California Cabernets, the Bordeaux comes across as drier, more austere, and not nearly as rich and concentrated (California wines are inevitably fruitier and more massive). To put it mildly, the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild held its own (and then some), in a flight that included the Caymus Special Selection, Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23, Dunn Howell Mountain, and Joseph Phelps Eisele Vineyard. Clearly the youngest looking, most opaque and concentrated wine of the group, it tastes as if it has not budged in development since I first tasted it out of barrel in March, 1987. An enormously concentrated, massive Mouton-Rothschild, comparable in quality, but not style, to the 1982, 1959, and 1945, this impeccably made wine is still in its infancy. Interestingly, when I was in Bordeaux several years ago, I had this wine served to me blind from a magnum that had been opened and decanted 48 hours previously. Even then, it still tasted like a barrel sample! I suspect the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild requires a minimum of 15-20 more years of cellaring; it has the potential to last for 50-100 years! Given the outrageously high prices being fetched by so many of the great 1982s and 1990s (and lest I forget, the 1995 Bordeaux futures), it appears this wine might still be one of the "relative bargains" in the fine wine marketplace. I wonder how many readers will be in shape to drink it when it does finally reach full maturity? The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore. An enormously concentrated, massive Mouton-Rothschild, comparable in quality, but not style, to the 1982, 1959, and 1945, this impeccably made wine is still in its infancy. Interestingly, when I was in Bordeaux several years ago, I had this wine served to me blind from a magnum that had been opened and decanted 48 hours previously. Even then, it still tasted like a barrel sample! I suspect the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild requires a minimum of 15-20 more years of cellaring; it has the potential to last for 50-100 years! (100)
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1989 |
Angelus
[Duty Paid] |
5 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£360 |
A great Angélus and one of the two or three best wines of the vintage made under the talented young Hubert de Bouard, this wine still has a youthful, saturated ruby/purple color and a sweet nose of melted licorice intermixed with crème de cassis, tapenade, cedar, spice box, and vanilla. Very full-bodied, opulent, and rich, it is one of the 1989s that justifies the lofty reputation of the vintage. Extremely thick, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for at least another 10-15 years.
Score: 96 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003
The 1989 possesses a huge finish, with more noticeable tannin than in the 1990. Picking a favorite between these two fabulous examples of their respective vintages is - for me - presently impossible. I will probably end up drinking the 1990 before the 1989, but both are 25-30 year wines, with the 1989 possibly reaching full maturity in 5-6 years and the 1990 needing several more years of cellaring. Last tasted, 11/96.
Score: 96 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (3), November 1998
Tasted at Farr Vintners’ vertical from ex-chateau magnum. One of the finest vintages made at the estate, the Chateau Angelus 1989 has a very intense, powerful bouquet with blackberry, cedar, cooked meat and a little Christmas cake. Whereas the 1990 gives you everything up front, the 1989 is far more coquettish and takes time to unfold. The palate is very smooth on the entry, beautifully balanced with filigree tannins. There is an edginess to the 1989, much more feminine with a touch of truffle, coca and pepper on the finish. Wonderful, a wine at its peak, although it shows no signs of flagging. Tasted October 2011. Drink 2015-2035.
Score: 97
|
|
97 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1989 |
Leoville Barton
|
3 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,275 |
This wine continues to lose out to its younger sibling, the 1990. Aromatically, the dark garnet (some amber is beginning to creep in at the edge) 1989 seems fully mature until it hits the palate. There is big, spicy, cedary, sweet cherry and black currant fruit, along with some tobacco notes in the impressive aromatics. On the palate, the wine is more narrowly constructed, medium-bodied, with excellent richness on the attack but then some relatively dry, dusty tannins in the finish. This kind of performance tends to suggest the wine needs to be drunk sooner rather than later. Anticipated maturity: Now-2016. Last tasted, 9/01.
|
|
89 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Montrose
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£475 |
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 30/06/2009 I have had the 1990 Montrose on four separate occasions over the last several months, and I have consistently rated it either 99 or 100. Three of the bottles came from my cellar, and one was tasted at the chateau. None of them revealed any brett, which is not the case with bottles that were exposed to heat, or had bad storage issues. The wine remains a blockbuster, an inky/ruby/purple-colored effort revealing stunning concentration, amazingly high glycerin, and abundant amounts of sweet black fruits intermixed with notions of earth and spice. It is a fleshy, full-bodied St.-Estephe with atypically high amounts of fatness and fruit extract, but it is settling down nicely and seems set for another 2-3 decades of longevity. Many have felt the 1989 Montrose is better, and it is getting closer to meriting a three digit score, but it remains more tannic and backward. Release price:
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Cheval Blanc
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£800 |
One of my favorite Cheval Blancs, it remains to be seen if the 1998, 2000, and 2008 will live up to this offering. It is the ripest wine of the aforementioned vintages, with a complex bouquet of tobacco leaf, Christmas fruitcake, sweet black fruits, bordering on fig and plum, but no hint of overripeness, and notions of new saddle leather, mint, and incense. The gorgeously expressive aromatics are followed by a full-bodied wine revealing abundant glycerin as well as elevated alcohol, but it is not hot, and nothing is out of place. Expansive, rich, and revealing the nuances and complexity that come from bottle age, it is at its peak of maturity where it should remain for another 10-15 years. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate June 2009
|
|
98 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Ducru Beaucaillou
|
7 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,550 |
Rating
91
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2020 - 2028
Reviewed by
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Issue Date
13th Aug 2020
Source
August 2020 Week 2, The Wine Advocate
Harvest took place this year from 23rd September to 8th October. The wine was aged for around 12 months in two-thirds new oak. Medium brick-brown in color, the 1990 Ducru-Beaucaillou is quite evolved, offering notions of incense, tree bark, tilled soil and tobacco with nuances of preserved plums, kirsch, tapenade and leather. Medium to full-bodied, the palate still possesses a good amount of earth-laced savory fruit with a bit of chew to the texture and a stewed tea finish.
Wine Journal
Jan 2009 Neal Martin 86 Drink N/A $120-$200
Always a bit of Russian Roulette when it comes to Ducru born at a time when one of their storage houses was infected. I do not think this bottle was compromised but neither it is a patch on what I would expect. Tobacco, cedar and green leaves on the nose, well defined and showing a modicum of freshness. The palate is simple, lacking some definition with an attenuated finish. Fails to launch. Drink now. Tasted August 2008.
Wine Journal
Jan 2000 Neal Martin 90-92 Drink 1999 - 2015 $120-$200
One tainted bottles, then in May 2006 an untainted one. A refined tobacco-infused nose, fresh and vigorous with a touch of graphite. The medium-bodied palate has good acidity, cedary black fruit, and a little savory, autumnal with an almost Pomerol-like finish. Tasted May 2006.
|
|
91 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Gruaud Larose
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,600£1,500 |
Rating
90
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2015 - 2030
Reviewed by
Neal Martin
Issue Date
29th Jul 2016
Source
Interim End of July, The Wine Advocate
Tasted in that well-known Bordeaux appellation called "Burgundy," the 1990 Château Gruaud Larose is a Saint Julien that has always flirted with funkiness. Here that came through quite strongly on this occasion, partly because it was juxtaposed against the purity of the 1990 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. That does not detract from a thoroughly enjoyable wine. The nose shows just a touch of brettanomyces here, soft black fruit with melted tar, graphite, leather and game. The palate has a gaminess from start to finish, carrying the warmth of that summer into the glass, melted tannins with just a touch of dryness towards the finish. It is a pleasurable, if not intellectual Saint Julien to drink over the next 15 years. Tasted June 2015.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
|
4 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,675 |
Coffee, cedar, spice and blackcurrant aromas. Fresh, nicely delineated fruit of good richness and depth. Lingering, moderately tannic finish. Quite refined alongside the more exotic '89, but this wine lacks the fat and concentration of the best '90s.
-- Stephen Tanzer 88 Stephen Tanzer Not Available Nov 1993
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Cos d'Estournel
|
3 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£2,450 |
Rating
94
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2009 - 2019
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Jun 2009
Source
183, The Wine Advocate
Not as concentrated as the 1982, or as most of the vintages made since 2001, the 1990 Cos has reached full maturity. It exhibits sweet berry fruit intermixed with spice box, herbs, and spring flowers. Expansive, round, and sensual, with wonderful purity as well as lushness, this irresistible wine can be enjoyed over the next 6-10 years. Release price: ($350.00/case)
|
|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Carruades de Lafite
|
5 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£2,850 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Lafite Rothschild
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£7,800 |
Medium garnet-brick colour. Earthy, Provence herb seasoned aromas of warm cassis and stewed plum with nuances of smoked duck, cracked black pepper and dark soy. The palate leads with structure – medium to high, finely grained tannins and medium to high acid. Plenty of complex fruit to flesh out the mid-palate with a long, layered finish. Drink now – 2030+
|
|
97 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1990 |
Petrus
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£44,000 |
The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement!
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1991 |
Lafite Rothschild
[Duty Paid] |
3 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£500 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1992 |
La Mission Haut Brion
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£900 |
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003
The wine exhibits a dark ruby color, an intense, black currant-, mineral-, and floral-scented nose, and supple, medium-bodied flavors that cascade over the palate. The wine is soft and opulent, with plenty of glycerin and lusty alcohol in the gorgeous finish. Drink over the next 10-12 years. Don't be surprised if this wine turns out to merit an even higher rating a few years.
Score: 89 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (96), December 1994
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1992 |
La Mission Haut Brion
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,920 |
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003
The wine exhibits a dark ruby color, an intense, black currant-, mineral-, and floral-scented nose, and supple, medium-bodied flavors that cascade over the palate. The wine is soft and opulent, with plenty of glycerin and lusty alcohol in the gorgeous finish. Drink over the next 10-12 years. Don't be surprised if this wine turns out to merit an even higher rating a few years.
Score: 89 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (96), December 1994
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1993 |
Margaux
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£585 |
Rating
88
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2003 - 2010
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 2003
Source
Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, The Wine Advocate
In a difficult vintage, Chateau Margaux produced a relatively mid-weight, soft, richly fruit wine with some hints of weedy tobacco in the aromas and flavors of this dark plum-colored wine. The wine is medium-bodied, reaching full maturity, and has surprising depth, ripeness, and sweetness for a wine from such a horrific year. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted, 10/02.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1993 |
Lafite Rothschild
[individual owc] |
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£850 |
Rating
85
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2017 - 2021
Reviewed by
Neal Martin
Issue Date
28th Feb 2017
Source
229, The Wine Advocate
Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 1993 Lafite-Rothschild is a vintage that has never really appealed to me and this bottle did nothing to alter that view. It has a very austere, foursquare bouquet that leaves you wondering where the fruit went. The palate actually starts well with crisp acidity that leads into what feels like the vestiges of fruit that feel a little raw and green. Then it feels rather hollow in the middle, the finish a husk of what it might once have been. Not a successful wine for the estate, I would consume bottles in the near future. Tasted December 2016.
|
|
85 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1993 |
Lafite Rothschild
[Direct ex Chateau] |
1 |
Case |
3 |
150cl |
£2,700£2,500 |
Rating
85
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2017 - 2021
Reviewed by
Neal Martin
Issue Date
28th Feb 2017
Source
229, The Wine Advocate
Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 1993 Lafite-Rothschild is a vintage that has never really appealed to me and this bottle did nothing to alter that view. It has a very austere, foursquare bouquet that leaves you wondering where the fruit went. The palate actually starts well with crisp acidity that leads into what feels like the vestiges of fruit that feel a little raw and green. Then it feels rather hollow in the middle, the finish a husk of what it might once have been. Not a successful wine for the estate, I would consume bottles in the near future. Tasted December 2016.
|
|
85 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1994 |
Trotanoy
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£195£175 |
Rating
88
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2003 - 2016
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
1st Jan 2003
Source
Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, The Wine Advocate
Beginning to show some evolution, the dark plum/garnet-colored 1994 Trotanoy has a certain herbaceousness and an interesting beef bouillon smell intermixed with some sweet cherries and earth. On the palate, it is a medium-bodied wine with sweet fruit, good brightness, but some relatively hard and slightly astringent tannins in the finish. That latter characteristic may become worrisome if they do not melt away
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1995 |
La Grave a Pomerol, Trigant de Boisset
|
4 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£325 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1995 |
Pavie
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£960 |
1995 Pavie: Medium color. Cherry fruit suppressed by high-toned wood; notes of minerals and shellac. Fruity and fresh but on the lean side, with spicy black fruit flavor and a stony edge. A rather restrained, dryer style of Bordeaux with a structure and shape more typical of the left bank.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1995 |
Calon Segur
|
3 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,100 |
As I have said many times since I first tasted this wine, the 1995 Calon-Segur is one of the great sleepers of the vintage (I bought the wine as a future for a mere $250 a case). The wine has closed down completely since bottling, but it is a sensational effort that may ultimately merit an even higher score. The wine is opaque purple-colored. With coaxing, the tight aromatics reveal some weedy cassis intertwined with truffles, chocolate, and beef blood-like aromas. On the palate, there is an element of sur-maturite (1995 was an extremely late harvest at Calon-Segur), fabulous density and purity, and a boatload of tannin. This deep, broodingly backward, classic Bordeaux will require a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035. Proprietor Madame Gasqueton (one of The Wine Advocate's heroines of 1997) has produced two unqualified back to back successes. Kudos to Calon-Segur, as both the 1995 and 1996 wines have a strong buy recommendation from me, but only for readers who have the patience to wait them out.
Score: 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (115), February 1998
|
|
92 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1995 |
Tertre Roteboeuf
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,650 |
Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition
Jan 2003 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 94+ Drink: 2003 - 2020 $160-$206
A very powerful, concentrated Tertre Roteboeuf, but completely closed at present, this wine has a deep ruby/purple color, and a sweet nose of black cherry and plum jam intermixed with hints of vanilla, chocolate, and espresso roast. The wine is medium to full-bodied, quite tannic, powerful, and one of the more backward wines I have tasted at this estate. It requires much more cellaring than I originally anticipated. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. Last tasted, 12/02.
|
|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1996 |
La Grave a Pomerol, Trigant de Boisset
|
4 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£350 |
Rating
(86 - 87)
Release Price
$25 - 26
Drink Date
1998 - 2007
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
23rd Feb 1998
Source
115, The Wine Advocate
A well-made, smoky, coffee, and cherry-scented wine, the 1996 La Grave a Pomerol exhibits good concentration, nicely integrated acidity and tannin, and a round, attractive softness that makes it an ideal candidate for consuming in its youth.
|
|
87 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1996 |
Feytit Clinet
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£650 |
|
|
|
|
Red Bordeaux |
1997 |
Latour
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£360 |
Rating:
89
Price ($)
$180
Drink Date
2000 - 2014
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
21st Apr 2000
Source
128, The Wine Advocate
|
|
89 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1997 |
Lafite Rothschild
[individual owc] |
4 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£920 |
Rating
92
Release Price
$165
Drink Date
2000 - 2015
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
21st Apr 2000
Source
128, The Wine Advocate
Only 26% of the crop made it into the final blend, resulting in only 15,000 cases of the 1997 Lafite-Rothschild. Readers should not ignore this wine because of the negative press surrounding the 1997 vintage. It boasts an opaque dense purple color in addition to a gorgeously sweet, expansive perfume of cedar wood, black currants, lead pencil, and minerals. What follows is a fat mid-palate, medium body, explosive fruit and richness, soft tannin, and a velvety texture. It is a beautiful, compelling Lafite-Rothschild that can be drunk young, yet promises to evolve for 15+ years. Although one of the most forward Lafites ever tasted, it is all the more captivating because of this characteristic. Don't miss it!
|
|
92 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1998 |
Les Forts de Latour
|
3 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£150 |
Score: 88 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003
Score: 86/87+ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (128), April 2000
Consistently Bordeaux's best "second" wine, a star in its own right. This is a very open, blackcurrant fruit wine with elegance and harmony and good weight on the palate with quite a sweet, oaky finish. FV15.5.
Score: 15.5 Farr Vintners, June 1999
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1998 |
Haut Batailley
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£460 |
Rating
86
Release Price
$30
Drink Date
2002 - 2014
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
23rd Apr 2001
Source
134, The Wine Advocate
A touch of austerity recalls some of the less desirable characteristics of this vintage in the Medoc. The 1998 exhibits firmness along with good, sweet, berry fruit intermixed with mineral, cassis, and spice notes. Medium-bodied and elegant, this effort is best drunk earlier rather than later
|
|
86 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1998 |
Bon Pasteur
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,080 |
Rating
91
Release Price
$50
Drink Date
2001 - 2016
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
23rd Apr 2001
Source
134, The Wine Advocate
The dense purple-colored 1998 boasts a beautifully rich, complex perfume of blackberries, plums, lead pencil, cherries, mocha, and caramel. Powerful and rich, with a multilayered texture, and an opulent, viscous finish revealing enough sweet tannin for definition, this is a terrific, full-bodied, seamless effort from one of the world's greatest winemakers. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.
|
|
91 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1999 |
L'Evangile
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£170 |
Rating
89
Release Price
$125 - 150
Drink Date
2004 - 2015
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Apr 2002
Source
140, The Wine Advocate
The dark purple-colored 1999 L'Evangile is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. It reveals an unexpected touch of herbaceousness, which cost it a point or two in the ultimate rating. Nevertheless, the striking, evolved, hedonistic perfume of melted licorice intermixed with black raspberries, minerals, and truffles is an intellectual turn-on. This is a beautiful, medium to full-bodied L'Evangile with a sweet attack and mid-palate. It may merit a higher score, depending on its evolution.
|
|
89 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
1999 |
Leoville Barton
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
150cl |
£775£750 |
Dry tannin and a backward, austere, muscular, brooding personality characterize Leoville Barton's 1999. However, it is packed with grip, body, and depth. Give it 5-6 years of cellaring and hope the tannin melts away sufficiently for the fruit to come forward
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Le Plus de la Fleur de Bouard
|
4 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£235 |
Rating
99
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2010 - 2025
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
29th Jun 2010
Source
189, The Wine Advocate
A tremendous achievement by Hubert de Bouard, the 2000 La Plus de la Fleur de Bouard (a 420-case luxury cuvee) is a blend of 80% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc and a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. Filled with richness and intensity, with elegance, harmony, and poise, it is one of the top wines of the vintage. Sadly, very little is available. Approachable, with a velvety texture as well as abundant notes of blueberries, coffee, black currants, kirsch, smoke, and licorice, it is a massive, rich (but not heavy) wine that should drink well for another 10-15 years.
|
|
99 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Duhart Milon
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£450 |
Rating
90
Release Price
$26 - 30
Drink Date
2008 - 2019
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
23rd Apr 2003
Source
146, The Wine Advocate
An outstanding Duhart, certainly one of the best produced at this estate since the 1996, 1986, and 1982, this blend of 80.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19.5% Merlot reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as notes of lead pencil intermixed with wet stones, black currants, and a certain leafiness. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, and dense, but tightly-knit, with considerable tannin, it will require patience. For those willing to wait, it will be a sleeper of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2019.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Talbot
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£475 |
Parker score - 90 To my surprise, the in the bottle tastings revealed a supple, open-knit, surprisingly accessible and open-styled wine. Although not a blockbuster, this outstanding St.-Julien reveals admirable richness, a layered texture, sweet tannin, and abundant quantities of smoky cassis, licorice, herb, earth, and leather characteristics. With complex aromatics and splendid richness, it admirably blends power with elegance. Some tannin suggests 2-3 years of cellaring might be warranted, but drinking it now hardly seems like infanticide. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Calon Segur
|
3 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,050 |
Rating
94
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2018 - 2050
Reviewed by
Neal Martin
Issue Date
28th Oct 2016
Source
227, The Wine Advocate
Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. The 2000 Calon Segur is one of those wines that reminds you how great the millennial vintage could be. Now at fifteen years old, it has a brilliant, vivacious red berry nose infused with ash and cigar box aromas. The detail here is a beguiling and it just "sings" Saint Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, firm tannin that provide a rigid backbone, but it is swathed in copious tobacco-drenched black fruit and a superb line of acidity. It finishes with a twist of bitter cherry on the finish that completes what is a deeply impressive Calon-Ségur; it might just outclass the 2005. Tasted March 2015.
|
|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Le Plus de la Fleur de Bouard
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
150cl |
£2,900 |
Rating
99
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2010 - 2025
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
29th Jun 2010
Source
189, The Wine Advocate
A tremendous achievement by Hubert de Bouard, the 2000 La Plus de la Fleur de Bouard (a 420-case luxury cuvee) is a blend of 80% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc and a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. Filled with richness and intensity, with elegance, harmony, and poise, it is one of the top wines of the vintage. Sadly, very little is available. Approachable, with a velvety texture as well as abundant notes of blueberries, coffee, black currants, kirsch, smoke, and licorice, it is a massive, rich (but not heavy) wine that should drink well for another 10-15 years.
|
|
99 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Angelus
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£4,920 |
Parker Score - 97 The finest effort since the 1989 and 1990, this dense purple-colored wine has an extravagantly ripe, concentrated style. The 2000 (in a new engraved bottle) offers up aromas of blackberry liqueur and vintage port. As the wine sits in the glass, graphite, wet stones, smoke, barbecue spices, and olives also make an appearance. It unfolds on the palate in layers, is full-bodied, big and rich yet incredibly poised, well-balanced, and pure. Quite backward, this is one of the greatest Angelus made to date. Yields were a modest 35 hectoliters per hectare. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Bravo!
|
|
97 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Lafleur
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£7,750£7,600 |
Parker Score - 100 I am not surprised the 2000 Lafleur has garnered the magical three-digit score. From bottle, the wine boasts a dense plum/purple color in addition to a gorgeous nose of kirsch liqueur intermixed with hints of black truffles, raspberries, and minerals. The tannin is present, but seems to creep up only upon intense inspection. Lafleur is enormously endowed, rich, and full-bodied, with a tremendous chewiness and, at the same time, sensuality. Pure, massive, and rich, with exceptional levels of glycerin and fruit nearly concealing high levels of tannin, and a 60+ second finish, this is a remarkable achievement, and ... just maybe the finest Lafleur since the 1982. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040+.
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2000 |
Mouton Rothschild
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£19,900 |
Perhaps the most beautiful packaging ever on a Bordeaux bottle, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild literally produced a work of art in the gold-engraved bottle of 2000 Mouton Rothschild. Of course, one can’t drink the glass, but this is a top-flight Mouton Rothschild, eclipsed only by the 2006 and 2009. A rich, tannic, earthy style, with loads of creme de cassis and floral notes, the final blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot is a full-bodied wine with plenty of coffee, earth, chocolatey notes, and still plenty of tannin to resolve. I gave it an anticipated maturity range of 2015-2050 back in 2003, and that looks on target. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate June 2010
|
|
96 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2001 |
Fonroque
|
5 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£275 |
Rating
(87 - 88)
Release Price
$20 - 22
Drink Date
2005 - 2015
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
23rd Apr 2003
Source
146, The Wine Advocate
This looks to be a promising effort, and possibly better than the 2000. The color is a dark plum/ruby, and the wine offers up dusty, earthy notes interwoven with plum, currant, and a hint of prune. Some licorice and new oak also make an appearance. The wine is medium-bodied and ripe, without the rusticity and emaciated feel many previous vintages have exhibited.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2001 |
Certan de May
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£680 |
Since Michel Rolland was hired as a consultant in 2003, it appears things are moving forward in a positive manner at Certan de May. However, the 2001 reveals some of the problems this estate's wines have exhibited in the past, including a distinct herbal component that borders on being vegetal. It possesses a dark plum/ruby color as well as a bouquet of fresh mushrooms intermixed with spice box, bell peppers, and cedar. This medium-bodied, round, elegant but herbaceous Pomerol resembles a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc more than a wine from the appellation's highly regarded plateau section. Its low acidity and up-front personality suggest it should be consumed over the next 7-10 years. This is one 2001 Pomerol that is significantly behind the quality of the 2000.
Score: 87 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (153), June 2004
|
|
87 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2002 |
Troplong Mondot
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£595£550 |
Rating
88
Release Price
$49
Drink Date
2008 - 2016
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
29th Apr 2005
Source
158, The Wine Advocate
From bottle, the 2002 appears to have gone to sleep. Nevertheless, it is a fine effort exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color along with notes of roasted coffee intermixed with melted licorice, black currants, dried herbs, and earth. Spicy and medium-bodied, with moderate concentration, this beautifully made, elegant offering can be drunk early in life, but is capable of evolving for 10-13 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2003 |
Talbot
[Duty Paid] |
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£370 |
Wine Advocate #214
Aug 2014 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 90 Drink: 2014 - 2018 $54-$128
Black olive tapenade intermixed with red and black currants, new saddle leather, licorice and spice aromas are followed by a medium-bodied, juicy, succulent, fully mature 2003. There is no reason to defer your gratification any longer. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2003 |
La Croix de Beaucaillou
|
7 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£490 |
Rating
90
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2014 - 2020
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
28th Aug 2014
Source
214, The Wine Advocate
A sleeper of the vintage, Ducru’s second wine, the 2003 Croix du Beaucaillou is a complex, fully mature effort displaying notes of cedarwood, incense, spice and red and black currants. With medium body as well as a spicy, round finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years.
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2003 |
Domaine de Chevalier
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£605 |
Rating
88
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2014 - 2019
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
28th Aug 2014
Source
214, The Wine Advocate
This evolved 2003 exhibits lots of smoky barbecue spices intermixed with notes of cedarwood, underbrush, damp forest, plums and figs. Medium-bodied, fully mature and relatively complex, it requires consumption over the next 4-5 years.
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2003 |
Gruaud Larose
|
2 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£675 |
ROBERT PARKER
The 2003 Gruaud Larose’s dark plum/garnet color is followed by sweet aromas of damp earth, forest floor, herbs, espresso roast, cassis, licorice, and plums. Medium-bodied as well as surprisingly up-front and precocious, it possesses sweet tannin, very nice concentration, and loads of earthy/herbal characteristics intermixed with black fruits, and an attractive, but supple, evolved finish. Drink it over the next 12-15 years. It does not rank alongside the top St.-Juliens. Wine Advocate.April, 2006
|
|
88 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2003 |
Lafite Rothschild
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
75cl |
£4,400 |
The 2003 Lafite Rothschild comes as close to perfection as any of the great Lafites made over the past three decades (1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010). This sensational effort came in at 12.7% natural alcohol, it is made in the style of one of this estate's great classics, the 1959. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color to the rim along with a luxurious bouquet of cedarwood, lead pencil shaving, white chocolate, cocoa and cassis. Fat, rich, opulent and full-bodied with low acidity and stunning seductiveness and complexity, this noble wine possesses a bountiful, generous, heady style. It is just coming into its plateau of maturity where it should hold for 20-25 years. This is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage - make no mistake about that. Drink: 2014 - 2039
Score: 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (214), August 2014
A modern day version of the 1959 Lafite, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild was bottled in mid-May, 2005 after achieving 12.9% natural alcohol – hardly an astonishing figure given the vintage’s weather conditions. A combination of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it represents a ripe version of the essence of Lafite-Rothschild. Dense purple-colored, with classic notes of graphite intertwined with melted licorice, creme de cassis, smoke, and flowers, it reveals extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity, intensity, and viscosity. Whether this wine will close down or not is questionable as it is somewhat atypical given its sweetness and softness. Analytically, there are extremely high tannins, which I suspect will assert themselves in the future. Production in 2003 was less than half of normal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.
Score: 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (164), April 2006
One of the vintage’s most prodigious wines, the 2003 may be a modern day clone of the1959 Lafite Rothschild. Unusually opulent and viscous, with a dense purple color and an amazingly complex nose of scorched earth, Asian soy, balsamic vinegar, black currants, plums, and even some figs, Lafite tips the scales at 12.75% alcohol (less than they expected). The final blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. A wine of great intensity, tremendous viscosity and density with low acidity (the pH is pushing 4), and a magnificent finish, but all with great precision, purity, and freshness, this is a tour de force in winemaking and something that simply has to be tasted to be believed. I have never had another Lafite Rothschild anything like it, and those who would argue that the 1982 or 1959 are cut from the same mold may have some supportive evidence. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050+.
Score: 96/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (158), April 2005
Revealing enormous richness, flesh, and succulence, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild is one of the candidates for “wine of the vintage.” A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot (the Merlot was harvested between September 8 - 12, and the Cabernet Sauvignon between September 15 - 24), it possesses ethereal richness as well as perfume. Yields were a low 34 hectoliters per hectare, there is just under 13% natural alcohol, and the pH level is frightfully high at 3.9 with a total acidity of only 2.9. These figures are nearly identical to such ripe, concentrated vintages as 1982 and 1959. Inky/ruby/purple-colored with a spectacular, ripe perfume of black fruits, cedar, Asian soy, and balsamic vinegar, it exhibits massive richness yet is remarkably fresh and lively on the palate for such an unctuous effort (amazing levels of glycerin). In that sense, it is atypical, but like the 1982, I suspect the 2003 will become more delineated as the tannin emerges over the next 1-2 years. An amazing textural impression left me scratching my head as I have never tasted a Lafite Rothschild quite like this. This is one first-growth worth mortgaging the house for! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035.
Score: 98/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (152), April 2004
Subtle, complex aromas of berrry, licorice and currant. Full-bodied and very well intergrated. Wonderful length and finesse.
Score: 96 James Suckling, Wine Spectator, February 2006
Exciting, yet polished and refined. This is a rich and structured Lafite. Very classic style.
Score: 95/100 James Suckling, Wine Spectator (April 04), April 2004
Deep lively purplish crimson. This is a very exciting wine which manages to be primarily a fine Lafite and only then an expression of the extreme ripeness of the vintage. There is no exaggeration here and most of all the dancing finesse of lafite on song. Deep and concentrated - and still introvert but it opened out to great delicacy. Pure Lafite with extra ripeness of 2003 and a little spike of leafiness on the edge to keep it lively. Round and opulent on the mid palate but never heavy. Sweeter than usual but there is sufficient acidity and a nice dry kick of dryness to keep it all in check and beautifully airbourne.
Score: 18.5+ Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (April 04), April 2004
Deep crimson. Very rich indeed. Super opulent. Lots of alcohol and sweetness. A little California! But dry on the end. It does finish a little suddenly. Very obviously sweet. (Average group score: 18.1)
Score: 17 Jane MacQuitty, JancisRobinson.com, October 2010
Lovely gently spicy toasty oak but then all sorts of lovely complexity of dark fruit and savoury notes - at the end just a hint of raisiny ripeness. So so silky. tissue paper tannins, cool fresh length. Well formed and well dressed. Subtle and understated. Very long. Drink 2008-2028.Date tasted 23rd Jan 08
Score: 18+ Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, January 2008
Score: 18.5/19 Michael Schuster, The World of Fine Wine (1), April 2004
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2005 |
Pichon Baron
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£1,400 |
Rating
94
Release Price
$145 - 180
Drink Date
2015 - 2035
Reviewed by
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Issue Date
30th Apr 2008
Source
176, The Wine Advocate
As usual, this superb Pauillac possesses an inky/blue/black color in addition to a big, sweet nose of graphite, charcoal, burning embers, black currant liqueur, and toasty vanillin from new oak casks. Full-bodied with high but sweet, well-integrated tannins, the 2005 Pichon Baron is more backward than the blockbuster 2003 or prodigious 2000. Nevertheless, it is a superb effort whose power, length, and tannic structure suggest it should be at its peak between 2015-2035.
|
|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2005 |
Cheval Blanc
|
1 |
Case |
6 |
150cl |
£7,800 |
The 2005 from Cheval Blanc is a quintessentially elegant, beautiful, deep bluish/ruby-colored wine from St.-Emilion, with raspberry, blueberry, and floral notes, impressive density, great precision, freshness and purity. Full-bodied, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Drink 2015-2035.
100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (219), June 2015
|
|
100 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2007 |
Les Forts de Latour
|
1 |
Bottle |
|
75cl |
£140 |
The outstanding 2007 Les Forts de Latour reveals a touch of graphite and black currant fruit intermixed with an unmistakable minerality. It is a generous, silky textured, medium to full-bodied, evolved, elegant, and pure offering that is ideal for drinking over the next 10-12+ years. Drink 2010-2022. Score: 90
|
|
90 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2007 |
Lafite Rothschild
[individual owc] |
2 |
Bottle |
|
150cl |
£1,100£1,050 |
A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2007 Lafite Rothschild (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot) reveals classic Lafite aromas of graphite, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants, cherries, and a hint of truffles. The complex aromatics are followed by a round, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins, an overall subtle smoky component, and a rich, round, generous, plump finish. Already evolved and delicious, it should continue to drink well for two decades. Drink 2010-2030.
Score: 94Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188), April 2010
|
|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2008 |
Clinet
[US Slip Labels] |
2 |
Bottle |
|
600cl |
£495 |
Another resounding success for the vintage, the opaque purple-colored 2008 Clinet (14.4% alcohol) is composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare, while higher than in 2010, were still modest. Another powerful, big, large-scaled effort, the 2008 exhibits an inky/purple color as well as sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, plum, Asian spice, licorice and incense notes. Layered and full-bodied with stunning purity and a 40+ second finish, this beauty needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for 25-30 years.
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|
94 |
|
Red Bordeaux |
2008 |
Margaux
|
1 |
Case |
12 |
75cl |
£3,950 |
his is a stunning Chateau Margaux, made in a sexy, up-front, elegant style, with deep creme de cassis fruit intermixed with spring flowers, a solid inner core of richness and depth, but again, very sweet tannins as well as striking minerality and elegance. One of the most seductive Chateau Margauxs given its recent bottling, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot should drink beautifully for the next 25-30 years. Remarkably, a mere 36% of the entire production was selected for the 2008 Chateau Margaux. Score: 94
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|
94 |
