4/26/2024 - eudora wrote:

Stunning. Better with age. My first bottle in 7 of 8 years; added weight and texture, tasted like a caramel apple. Long finish, more caramel and honey too.

4/26/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

Faded. We decanted for 20 minutes, then sipped just before dinner was served. Mushroom-y nose, a bit off, thin cherry fruit. Taste was similar. I grabbed an emergency CDP just in case …

Redemption with the meal. We Ian-grilled steaks Glorentine style, and the brunello came to life. Still some mushroom on the nose, but the fruit emerged on the palate: ripe cherries, plums, berries. Enough tannins and acidity to hold up against the rich meat

Do not wait - this wine is nearing its shelf life.

4/26/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

This has evolved into a superstar. Unctuous mouth texture, ripe pear and peaches, allspice, even some anise; 21 years out and completely structured. This is a far better wine with age.

4/25/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

Aubert Chardonnay is built to age. Peach, tart apple, great acidity, perfectly balanced. This wine is better now than five years and eight years ago. Wow.

3/19/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

This was always a solid, reasonably priced example of a Côtes de Bordeaux from a legendary vintage. I had bought this case from a reliable source who said, “one day you’re going to wake up and all the 2000s will be gone, and you’ll wish you’d bought more.” For $17/bottle, why not?

My contemporaneous notes from the first eleven bottles referred to smooth or silky tannins, great balance, great structure, classic blackberry and licorice flavors (twice I mentioned plums). Zero references to complexity or the fancy “tar” or “pencil shavings” or “spice box” descriptors. Bottom line: it was one of the solid starters of the Bordeaux junior varsity.

And then 15 years passed before I stumbled on this bin end. The 24-year-old version was a validation of the winemaker and the vintage. My Tuesday night poker game has some good, unpretentious, appreciative, and experienced palates. We sipped our portions from water glasses. I had had a root canal eleven hours earlier, so don’t rely on my flavor impressions. But I’m confident about the following,
- Puy Bardens made a wine that holds up and improves.
- The color was dark red, edging to purple.
- The tannins had crossed from silky to soft and sweet.
- The table tossed out descriptors of flavors and aromas like blackberry, blueberry, black licorice, and (this a new one on me) Hawaiian beef.
- the wine was well-balanced and retained structure.
- It threw out a slight deposit.
- Absolutely nothing was off.
- it was at least as good as any of the prior bottles and had many years of life left.

Overall, this bottle validates the winery, the vintage, and Bordeaux’s reputation as perhaps the most consistent source of long-lived, well-made wines across all price points and appellations. I’m going to celebrate by hunting down and laying down a few cases of outer-borough 2022 Bordeaux and then drinking them over the next 24 years with the same group of friends. I’ll be 85 when they turn 24, but hopefully some of us geezers will be able to report back.

2/11/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

This was my Super Bowl wine. The game (Chiefs win!) was better than the wine. The wine had faded. Good acidity and well balanced, with muted notes of blackberry and black licorice. Overall, I wish I’d tried this bottle five years ago. I love the winery and feel bad not loving this wine.

1/5/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

Still a layered, textured, bang-you-over-the-head flavor set, but at age 12 the acidity has faded. Like many past-peak wines, it was enjoyable but less a present force and more a reminder of what it had been. I waited too long.

1/28/2024 - eudora Likes this wine:

This wine is way way past its expiration date … but what an amazing experience. First the age-related aspects: not exactly oxidized, but definitely nutty. Fruit has faded.

Now the positives: still structured with lots of acidity and to keep everything stitched together. Honey, peach, pear notes, lemon curd. Perfectly balanced. Voluptuous mouth feel.

Now the odd: no chance I ever peg this as a Sauvignon Blanc if I did not know it coming in. This is an unusual wine, and the only one I can compare it to is Melka, from Napa, with similar structure and texture (but more of a tropical fruit array).

Overall - I would not seek this wine on the secondary market as my bottle was perfectly stored and still showed signs of senescence… but if I stumbled on one, I would snap it up. It’s unique, masterful, delicious, and a homage to a legend.

11/22/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Superb with grilled tenderloin

10/28/2023 - eudora wrote:

Gave to bill wall for guys’ dinner - Annie back from A hose Island to see her mom

10/1/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

I drank it to young but this is an astonishing wine. Powerful, nuanced, a super child offspring of Pauillac and Napa.

2/21/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Drinking super well.

9/29/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Stunning at 18, this drinks like a well-made, well-aged St. Emilion. Plenty of fruit; cedar bouquet;, spice box , cinnamon and tobacco on the palate; well-balanced. Head-turning.

9/22/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Sensational. I was advised to wait until around now to try it … and glad I did. It’s opening up and generous in a way it had not been six years ago.

9/23/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Golden-hued and a bit out of balance (not enough acidity), but the trademark pear, peach and passion fruit flavors were abundant and there was no mistaking this beautiful wine’s Gewurtz lineage. We enjoyed it mightily.

9/10/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Consumed at 22 years. A bit less acidity but we’ll-balanced, and the fruit has maintained beautifully. Lots of life remaining. Straw-colored. No oxidation.

6/7/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Another stellar 2003 shining at age 20. These wines are excelling.

6/5/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Beautiful, fully mature, no decline.

6/5/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Drinking beautifully. No trace of decline.

4/9/2023 - eudora Likes this wine:

Silky tannins, nose of currants, cherry and plum, all elements in balance. This is a superb example of 2003s far exceeding the expert predictions.

3/1/2023 - eudora wrote:

Drinking beautifully at age 12.

11/23/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

This wine was mind-blowing. I bought two cases 10 years ago for short money from a distributor looking to clear inventory … under $20/bottle. Most I drank quickly with Tuesday burgers or Thursday pizza, or brought as a host gift. I found a stray bottle in the cellar last night and gave it a shot with Provençal beef stew. This wine was at an absolute peak, with an explosive bouquet of Asian spices, lavender, and cedar; ripe plums and tarry on the palate, 75-second finish. Balanced, with silky tannins and a decent acidity.

After writing this, I looked at the Parker write up. Apparently I stumbled upon one of the greatest bargains of my life and largely squandered the wine before it was ready to drink.

Anyways, I am now on the search for Legon.

11/7/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

Spectacular experience. Deep golden hue , Rich flavors of ripe pear and apricot, still enough acidity to work beautifully with a spicy shrimp scampi over white rice.

9/5/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

This has aged beautifully and drinks like a six-year (my sweet spot for Steve Kistler’s Pinots). Well-balanced, loaded with bright strawberry and raspberry fruit and lots of cassis. This wine more than held its own with my wife’s shrimp scampi using freshly dried garlic from our garden. I’ve never tried a Pinot with scampi - it worked!

3/20/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

Opened for a friend who cancelled last minute. I consumed the bottle over six hours, just pouring into the glass I enjoyed it with charcuterie, which brought out the gaminess and meatiness of the wine over the course of the evening, the cherries, fresh raspberries and anise or black licorice emerged. Also cedar and tobacco. Complex evolving wine; massive; another 20 years of life easily.

1/14/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

This bottle captures my original experience with traditional Brunellos. Lean, more expressive bouquet than flavor, tart cherry, balanced, ok before dinner but opened up when we started our meal of breaded pork cutlet with mushrooms and broccoli rabe. There is nothing modern or lush about this wine, and while not a high-water mark for B-S, it was unmistakably a Brunello and a well-made, clean example at that.

1/11/2022 - eudora Likes this wine:

My first post-COVID wine and it did not disappoint. Beautiful bouquet of black berries and fruits and cassis, and a bit of wet earth. Flavor was similar. Nicely balanced, worked seamlessly with mild grilled sausages.

1/4/2022 - eudora Does not like this wine:

The wine was technically clean and balanced but devoid of body, fruit of life. Just an uninspired effort. I was disappointed and hoping I merely caught it in a dumb stage.

12/30/2021 - eudora wrote:

This elegant, balanced, almost tight D’Issan exemplifies left-bank Bordeaux. At 14 years old, it’s nearing its best drinking window but has a ways to go (I consumed a 375, so it might have a long way until reaching peak). Dark fruit, a reserved bouquet that opened up after thirty minutes in the glass, graphite and gravel. Clean, well-balanced.

12/29/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

The single best CDP I’ve tasted in years. Consumed from a half-bottle so take that into account on the drinkability window, but I think this wine is at its zenith. Medium weight, beautiful acidity, dark ripe fruit (plum, black cherry), silky tannins. We had this in a cold winter night with a vegetarian bean stew and lightly toasted French bread (no garlic bug that would have worked). Spectacular wine with the perfect complementary peasant meal.

12/22/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Drinking perfectly balanced, structured, gorgeous fruit.

11/24/2021 - eudora wrote:

Thanksgiving guests loved it. I had a head cold so barely tasted it.

11/24/2021 - eudora wrote:

Thanksgiving guests loved it. I had a head cold so tasted it it poorly. Rating based on guest expressions.

11/24/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

This was a failed consumption. I like pinot noir with Thanksgiving. My guests claimed to have loved it, but I was getting over a head cold and experienced only acidity. My rating is based solely on guest expressions of enjoyment. I have more and will update my review on the next tasting.

8/29/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Beautiful fruit, spectacular balance. Taut.

8/27/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Spectacular.

6/12/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

I found 12 half-bottles lurking in my cellar. Had no expectations but have to admit it was really really good. Plums, black licorice, spice box, a bit of tar. I would have believed this was St. Emilion if tasted blind. No sign of pruniness, still good balance. Such a treat!

4/30/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

This is an excellent wine but I differ from those claiming it's getting better with age. I found the fruit to be fading faster than the tannins are softening, with the acidity more prominent than I remember. I drank this on its own; but for my final bottle, I will definitely have it with a sirloin. In general, I've always viewed left-bank Bordeaux as food wines, but the 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010 vintages had persuaded me that they do wonderfully on their own. I do not think that's the case with the 2000 Malescot.

4/28/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Outstanding. Consumed a 375. Sweet tannins, ripe cherry, anise, perfect balance. This is a serious but generous wine. I have 11 more 375s and font expect many to see 2022. It’s really drinking as well as I could imagine.

4/25/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Spectator and Parker diverged, the former saying to wait until after 2012 and the latter urging consumption by 2007.

Advantage Spectator. Barely. It’s drinking well. Thus never had a ton of fruit but was balanced and unmistakably a quality Claret. It’s still there.

4/25/2021 - eudora wrote:

Alas, my final bottle. The 2003 vintage has outperformed predictions, and the Lascombes was no exception. But this bottle would not have improved. The fruit had faded compared to past tastings. Cedar still prominent, and it is still balanced with beautiful hue. But I’m glad I waited no longer.

4/25/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Technically strong but overextracted and not well-balanced. More power than finesse.

3/5/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Hanging on and drinking great. More proof how well 2003 is performing. I bought this for $28 in 2004 futures and would pay $200 for the experience. Anis and cedar and lead pencil; rich silky tannins. A wine in full.

1/30/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

This has benefited by being left alone for a few years. It tasted like it could have been from St. Emilion, with tobacco, cedar and red fruits and tannins that had softened and knit together better than when I last tried this. It is outperforming the vintage and the predictions.

1/30/2021 - eudora Likes this wine:

Extraordinary- purity of fruit, not a trace of oak, perfectly balanced and citrus and tart apple exploded in the glass as it warmed up. Maybe the best Chardonnay I will drink this year!

11/13/2020 - eudora Likes this wine:

Opened this way too young. It has all the ingredients of a beautiful PM Pinot but way too young and not yet knit together. Cherries, raspberries, exotic spices, dark chocolate, even some eucalyptus- but the spices overwhelm and it’s just not knit together yet. I’m sitting on other bottles for another couple or three years.

11/14/2020 - eudora Likes this wine:

This is the best wine I’ve tasted in 2020. We drank this ahead of dinner, with charcuterie, over two hours. Bright vibrant red berry fruit, cherries and a bit of black licorice, spice and peppery on the back end. Long finish. We did not decant, and the wine at two hours in an open bottle drank like the first glass, but without the initial funk that came right after opening. I think it’s still pretty young. Since I’ve only been drinking good wine for 25 years, I cannot say what is a 30- or 40-year wine - but this bottle was fresh and even a bit tight. I do not feel any pressure to open remaining bottles.

This is Grenache at its best.

11/17/2020 - eudora Likes this wine:

Drinking gorgeously. The window has not closed. Silky tannins, great fruit still, well-balanced. I’ve got a few more bottles and am not in a hurry.

11/16/2020 - eudora Likes this wine:

Holding up surprisingly well. Good fruit, acidity. Still a solid match with red-sauce fare.

10/22/2020 - eudora Likes this wine:

Ample fruit and better balance and structure than I remember. Truly pleasurable