Chateau L'Arrosee 2000 - Bordeaux
St Emilion, Bordeaux The deep ruby/purple-colored 2000 is revealing more of a mid-palate and depth than previously. Sweet vanilla and black cherry jam aromas are followed by a wine of outstanding purity, attractive texture, moderate tannin, and a distinctive, traditional St.-Emilion style. There are also hints of mint and underbrush in this medium-bodied, elegantly-wrought wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018. - Rated 89, Robert Parker Powerful and decadent young red. Lots of smoky, berry and cherry character. Full-bodied and very chewy, with loads of fruit. This always impresses me, with its rich and decadent character. Best after 2009. 3,330 cases made. –JS - Rated 92, Wine Spectator
Chateau Monbousquet 2003 Bordeaux 1.5Liter
St. Emilion, Bordeaux From a mixture of sand, gravel, and clay soils, this unheralded terroir produces wines well-above its pedigree thanks to the extraordinary efforts of proprietors Chantal and Gerard Perse. The wines are given a 4- to 5-week maceration in both stainless steel and oak, and are aged sur-lie in new oak. The dark ruby/purple-colored 2003 offers up notes of smoky meats, melted licorice, jammy black cherries, spice box, earth, and cedar. This plump, fleshy, sexy, unfined, unfiltered wine represents a classic blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol is 13.5%. Anticipated maturity: now-2016. - Rated 93, Robert Parker Essence of blackberry here on the nose with a hint of cream. Full-bodied yet silky and refined, with lovely texture and length. Delicious and long. Gorgeous. Best after 2010. 7,000 cases made. –JS - Rated 90, Wine Spectator
St. Emilion, Bordeaux One of the candidates for wine of the vintage ... again, the 2001 Pavie, from a magnificent south-facing vineyard planted primarily on limestone soil, is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. After a six week maceration, it spent nearly 24 months in...
St. Emilion, Bordeaux Kudos to proprietor Hubert Bouard, who has been making brilliant wines at this estate since the mid- to late-1980s. A blend of 58% Cabernet Franc and 42% Merlot, the beautiful 2003 (14% alcohol; 6,500 cases produced) is somewhat tightly knit, but it reveals a perfumed nose of rose...
Chateau Bellevue Mondotte 2003 Bordeaux
St. Emilion, Bordeaux An exquisite jewel in Chantal and Gerard Perse’s Right Bank empire, Bellevue-Mondotte is a tiny, 5-acre parcel of 45-year-old vines planted on the limestone plateau above Pavie-Decesse and Pavie-Macquin. It is composed of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. I tasted the 2003 on three separate occasions, one of which merited a three-digit rating. Sadly, there are only 4,000 bottles of this prodigious effort. Possessing relatively high alcohol (14.5%) for a Bordeaux, it is an amazing blend made from 15 hectoliters per hectare. A dense, viscous-looking purple color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of blackberries, espresso roast, fried lard, and pain grille. Full-bodied and massively rich with decent acidity and plenty of structure as well as tannin, this youthful 2003 should hit its stride in 3-5 years, and last for three decades. This may be what the great 1929s or 1947s tasted like at age three. - Rated 90, Robert Parker Beautiful aromas of blackberry, coffee and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft, round tannins and a long, rich finish. Supersilky. Best after 2007. –JS - Rated 92, Wine Spectator
St. Emilion, Bordeaux This 92-acre vineyard, which enjoys an impeccable southern orientation, is composed of limestone on the upper slopes, clay and limestone in the middle, and sand and clay at the base. Proprietor Gerard Perse, who has done a brilliant job since acquiring the estate in 1998, continues to push...
Chateau Monbousquet 2003 Bordeaux 3.0Liter
St. Emilion, Bordeaux From a mixture of sand, gravel, and clay soils, this unheralded terroir produces wines well-above its pedigree thanks to the extraordinary efforts of proprietors Chantal and Gerard Perse. The wines are given a 4- to 5-week maceration in both stainless steel and oak, and are aged sur-lie in new oak. The dark ruby/purple-colored 2003 offers up notes of smoky meats, melted licorice, jammy black cherries, spice box, earth, and cedar. This plump, fleshy, sexy, unfined, unfiltered wine represents a classic blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol is 13.5%. Anticipated maturity: now-2016. - Rated 93, Robert Parker Essence of blackberry here on the nose with a hint of cream. Full-bodied yet silky and refined, with lovely texture and length. Delicious and long. Gorgeous. Best after 2010. 7,000 cases made. –JS - Rated 90, Wine Spectator
Chateau Valandraud 2003 -Bordeaux
St. Emilion, Bordeaux The home property of Jean-Luc Thunevin, the inspirational spirit for Bordeaux’s garagiste movement, is Valandraud. The 2003 is a full-bodied, powerful St.-Emilion offering up notes of espresso roast, chocolate, sweet currants and cherries, and hints of minerals as well as cedar. Expressive and pure, with copious tannins lurking behind the cascade of fruit and glycerin, this wine requires 2-4 years of bottle age, and should drink well for two decades or more. - Rated 93, Robert Parker Intense aromas of blackberry, chocolate and spice. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and loads of fruit. Long. Spicy and chewy. This has guts. Structured. Best after 2010. 1,000 cases made. –JS - Rated 93, Wine Spectator
Chateau La Mondotte 2003 Bordeaux
St. Emilion, Bordeaux This cuvee (from an 11+ acre vineyard planted on a clay and limestone plateau above Pavie-Decesse) performed better in January than they did last year. Minuscule yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare and bottling without fining or filtration after 24 months in new oak have resulted in an outstanding 2003 La Mondotte. Revealing more texture, depth, and persistence than I initially predicted, it possesses a dense purple color along with a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, graphite, espresso roast, new saddle leather, and truffles. This opulent, dense, full-bodied, gloriously rich effort can be drunk in 1-3 years, but because of its power, concentration, and overall equilibrium will keep for two decades. - Rated 95, Robert Parker Fascinating aromas of blackberry, green olive, fresh basil and black licorice. Great nose. Full-bodied, with very soft tannins and a long, caressing finish. A beautiful wine in every sense of the word. Best after 2010. 665 cases made. –JS - Rated 94, Wine Spectator
Chateau Cheval Blanc 2003 Bordeaux
St. Emilion, Bordeaux The 2003 Cheval Blanc, a tiny production of 5,000 cases, was bottled early to protect its delicate style. It is a light to medium-bodied, superficial, but seductive effort offering notes of cherries, herbs, smoke, and new oak. It possesses moderate depth as well as exceptional elegance and finesse....
Chateau Cheval Blanc 2003 Bordeaux 1.5L
St. Emilion, Bordeaux The 2003 Cheval Blanc, a tiny production of 5,000 cases, was bottled early to protect its delicate style. It is a light to medium-bodied, superficial, but seductive effort offering notes of cherries, herbs, smoke, and new oak. It possesses moderate depth as well as exceptional elegance and finesse....
