Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

9.4

2003 vintage. Last tasted 10.16.22 (9.1) and a relatively disappointing showing then. This time round, decanted and tasted multiple x's after 1.5 hours-3 hours. Decent sed yet less than expected. Good fill but cork seemed a tad dry. The blueberry, cocoa powder nose was there with the quintessential, P-L hallmarks. Light-medium body. A billowing, smoky initiation, then plum along with graphite and touches of cedar + espresso crema. Left me wanting just a little more and thinking a different bottle of this same P-L vintage just might yield a 9.5. This and La Mission Haut-Brion fave two red BDX producers and this did nothing to change that. Hopefully, another P-L 2003 cycles through soon enough to prove my theorem. Thanksgiving 11.23.23. — 7 days ago

Vino, Ted and 14 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Doug Powers

9.3

Sometimes no other wine will do for me than old-style (13% ABV) Bordeaux, and this lovely medium-aged Pauillac absolutely fills the bill, redfruits, structured but not really tannic, great acid balance really lifts the fruit, not a blockbuster, but very fine nonetheless, I could drink a lot of this!! — 20 days ago

with Jim

Severn, Peter and 5 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — a month ago

Jason, Bob and 18 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Still remarkably youthful, it’s rich, dense and dark fruited, layered with classicism of cigar box, cedar and spices. The palate is concentrated and powerful with a silky texture and incredible length. 95 is nowhere near its peak. Many more years to go. And while I’ll never be a real Bordeaux lover, it’s clear what makes these first growths special. — 4 days ago

Severn, Douglas and 10 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1995

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1995 vintage. Nice fill. Cork good. Decanted and tasted immediately, after 15 mins and at the 2 hour mark. Threw less sed than expected. Vibrant color. Medium body. Pencil shavings and chocolate-covered blueberries nose and flavors segued to graphite, cedar closet and the ole L-B mint chocolate chip ice cream standard. Not improving but holding steady here for the next 4-6 years. Good stuff. 11.16.23. — 14 days ago

Shay, Severn and 22 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2005 vintage. Wowzers. Never been the biggest Lafite guy. Have had all the big vintages since/including 1961 but never been officially “wowed” or wowzered by Lafite. Achievement unlocked. Decanted and tasted after 2.5 hours. Threw a pretty respectable amount of sed. Cork was pristine. Nose was slightly more forward upon a high decant than usual. Light-medium body. Great, underlying richness flowing through from start to finish. An incredible 45 second denouement. Showing fantastically currently but no rush to crush. This ain’t goin nowhere. 11.5.23. — 25 days ago

Shay, Jan and 19 others liked this

Tyler Felous

Curious to ask/learn more about expected sediment in this old of a wine…asking bc I just opened an 03 Ornellaia and it threw no sed whatsoever. Was surprised. What does that mean? Thanks and cheers

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@Tyler Felous It would seem that the 2003 was both fined and filtered since there was no sediment. Usually, with a 20 yo wine, there would be at least a discernible amount of sediment. Some winemakers neither fine nor filter their wines. Some do one or the other. Some do both. Seems to be a matter of winemaker preference. Intervention vs minimal intervention. Have had great wines on both ends of the spectrum and in between. I post amount of sed(iment) notes for the older wines as more of a “heads up” for those opening those wines in more of a relaxed setting, such as the family over for the holidays. You get to talking while pouring/decanting and a moment’s inattention can result in a glass/decanter filled with grit. Some people love sifting through the sediment but in my experience, it’s a small percentage. They can always pour those last few drops into their glass if they really want to go to town.

Tyler Felous

I see. Thanks for the learning, and, inspo to track down more of these great bottles!

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2019

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and cedar notes, blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and spice. Fine grainy tight tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar and earthy mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy! — 10 days ago

Douglas, Anthony and 8 others liked this