Region - Bordeaux
* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Strange aromas, a mixture of sweet ripe fruit and almost chemical and wet earth aromas; this clearly is a damaged bottle, although it is not corked; I suspect that there is bacteria in this wine; the flavors are similarly impeded by a dry, woody flavor that has an unpleasant sour character; it is a shame, as a good bottle is a treat and one of the best wines of the vintage. (NR)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Deep, rich and complex nose, real first growth power and sophistication, lots of herbs and spices, pepper, still quite closed and brooding; this is a really intense and powerful wine, while at the same time keeping its elegance intact; complex flavors with real punch, red cherries dominate; long powerful finish, loaded with spices and citrus fruits; still somewhat reluctant in the mouth, and needs more bottle time. (19/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Another winner from this property, very perfumed and aromatic on first pour with soft sweet aromas of lilacs and violets, but then showing more black fruits and earth with a strong overlay of cassis; sweet and ripe in the mouth, not yet really ready to drink as there is an abundance of green tannins in the mouth that keep the wine restrained and leave a dry, dusty finish on the palate; there is a lot of fruit in the background that exerts a powerful pull toward the center, and I suspect that a few more years of bottle age will make this wine really sing. (19/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very light nose, at first hard to discern, then some emerging aromas of licorice and lots of leather, beeswax, black pepper and smoke; sweet and smooth in the mouth, silky, earthen but lacks the Cheval elegance; a bit two-dimensional although spicy and sweet with a hot spice finish. (15.5/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Older nose with definite decay evident with some volatility on the nose and a pronounced medicinal quality, but at the same time sweet aromas with chocolate and cacao; still very sweet with ripe fruit and a silky ripe quality that often defines these wines once they age; ripe and soft, seductive with lots of black fruits; smooth finish, a bit monolithic now as the wine has lost some focus and there is no acidity or tannins to impart structure; good for this vintage though. (15.5/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
First nose is a bit tough with scents of leather and tar, earthen and peppery, softens more with time in the glass and becomes quite perfumed and aromatic with black fruits scents dominating, still pretty coarse and hard; first taste is quite sweet and ripe, but that quickly closes down in the mouth, becoming more leathery and tough as the wine passes through the palate; there is an ample amount of fresh fruit in the middle of this wine and it is starting to show after some time in the glass; the wine needs more structure, however, and is a bit brutish at the finish; time may help. (16.5/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Wonderful nose with ripe rich black fruits, cassis, seductive and sweet with smoke and earth, tannins, balanced and rich; smooth and ripe fruit-laden in the mouth; big plum and cherry flavors; very well- balanced with integrated acidity and smooth tannins; perhaps without the depth and strength of the more “famous” labels, but this is one of the best bargains in wine today; long finish, smooth and smoky with wonderful fruit. (17.5/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
A wine of considerable reputation, this bottle affirmed its pedigree; while the wine is still not fully ready, it shows great qualities now but needs a good deal of time in the glass to come into flower; big and deep nose with complex and layered aromas, opening at first with a tight set of aromas of leather, minerals, iodine and a touch of medicinal scents, the nose opens to reveal rich and buttery aromas of sweet fruit, taffy and caramel; sweet and rich in the mouth, dense but balanced with layers of black fruit; ripe tannins that have softened now but provide a solid structure to the base of the wine; there is surprisingly low acidity noticeable in the wine, but I suspect that it is there but masked right now; long finish, sweet, smooth and ripe with the typical port-like richness that this property is known for. (18.5/20) Another bottle tried at a different time from a different source showed a more advanced nose that had sweeter fruit aromas, but the remaining notes were consistent.
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very deep and sweet nose, typical for the 1990’s at this stage of their evolution, soft scents of chocolate, green peppers and spices; deeply hued and enticing; soft, rich and sweet in the mouth with a real shot of flavor when it first hits the palate; good balance; nice spiciness; long flavors at the end, but the finish is more simple than the early promise the wine would suggest; not up to the same level as the 2000. (17/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very sweet and ripe nose, very “old vine” with soft rich earthen aromas shadowed by a faded sweetness, exotic and perfumed, chocolate, sour mash; sweet and spicy in the mouth, very ripe fruit, silky and exotic flavors; some drying out of course, but still well composed and deep; layers of flavor and a long finish; a wine built to last. (NR)
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