2003 Bordeaux with Robert M. Parker, Jr.
EWS Blind Tasting - February 6, 2007

Ironically, we offered this blind tasting of top 2003 Bordeaux in the midst of a buying frenzy for 2005 Bordeaux futures. At the time, consumer interest seemed more focused on the 2005s than the 2003s although both are truly great vintages.  But given that the tasting was hosted by Robert M. Parker, Jr., we had no trouble filling every seat, even if our audience had already tasted and purchased most of the wines.  After all, you don’t get many opportunities to taste 14 of the highest rated wines from a spectacular Bordeaux vintage -- hosted by the world’s most influential wine critic.

While the 2003 Bordeaux vintage is beyond controversy in terms of quality, there were some questions as to how the wines would show as they entered their fourth year of life.  Before the tasting began, Mr. Parker privately expressed his reservations to us on this issue, noting that he had recently tasted a few top 2003s that seemed rather closed and awkward, not an unusual occurrence for Bordeaux of this age.

Still, we were about to taste a short list of the very best 2003s personally selected by Mr. Parker.  In terms of ratings and reviews, there was no question it was a very exciting lineup. Would they live up to the very high expectations that people brought with them to the tasting?

As it turned out, much to everyone’s delight (especially RP), any lofty expectations were surpassed.  In fact, this tasting must be regarded as one of the all-time greatest EWS tastings, with or without Mr. Parker.  Even as you read our notes, you can’t get a sense of the euphoria and giddiness that engulfed the room as we tasted one mind boggling wine after another!  Closed down?  In a dumb stage?  No way!  While it is true that the 2003s as a group were extremely young, they still displayed enough attributes and hallmarks of greatness to make everyone happy.

And we can hardly wait to taste the best 2003s when they reach full maturity, even if we’re living in a home for assisted living at that time.

The following are consensus tasting notes, written to share commentary, descriptors, and convey the overall impression the group had for each wine.  Rating reflects the quality of the wine and the enthusiasm (or lack thereof) displayed by our group of 106 tasters during our in-depth discussions.  Wines were poured in three flights from numbered bags (1 - 14) and are listed below in the order they were poured.  Participants were asked to vote (by number) for their three favorite wines.  We award three points for every first place vote, two for every second place vote, and one point for every third, allowing for ties.  Voting tallies: 1st/2nd/3rd   Note: wines were double decanted about three hours before the tasting.

1) Chateau Pichon Lalande (Pauillac) -  $140  -  4 points (0/1/2)  -  91 rating
Medium-deep saturation, although it is probably the lightest color in the first flight of five.  Very attractive nose features sappy blackberry and cassis aromas with hints of chocolate, mint, and vanilla ice cream.  There’s a smoky, tobacco component as well; this wine has seen new oak.  Sweet on entry, painfully young, with density and excellent concentration.  This full-bodied wine has mouth-puckering tannins and modest acidity, yet it still comes across as well-rounded, even charming despite relatively undelineated fruit.  We notice that it keeps getting better in the glass.  Very long finish.  Obviously opened way too soon, 2003 Pichon Lalande will score much higher when fully mature.

2) Chateau Bellevue Mondotte (St. Emilion) -  $225  -  13 points (0/5/3)  -  92 rating
Fairly dark color.  The nose is initially tight and brooding, dominated by alcoholic fumes.  But with aeration, we pick up more pleasant notes of spicy black berries, chocolate, tar, licorice, mint, tobacco, lilac, and honeysuckle.  Youthfully tight in the mouth with ripe fruit, modest tannins, and lively acidity, this 2003 is quite sexy in a feminine, elegant way.  It stays rather muted but keeps improving in the glass, enough for us to conclude that it has great potential.  Long, delicious finish.

3) Chateau Pape Clement (Pessac-Léognan) -  $125  -  18 points (4/2/2)  -  93 rating
Deeply colored.  Sexy, modern, oak-influenced aromatics dominate in the nose.  Make no mistake, we like it a lot.  We get scents of ripe currant, plum, creme de cassis, spice, toast, smoke, and a hint of barnyard.  Very nicely balanced on the palate; a fine interplay of fruit, tannin, and oak.  It’s not as massive or concentrated as others in this flight, but we like its texture through the mid-palate and length in the finish.  This is a beautifully crafted wine in need of cellaring.

4) Chateau Ausone (St. Emilion) -  $1,500  -  20 points (2/4/6)  -  93 rating
Deeply colored, probably the darkest wine in the first flight.  Somewhat muted nose at first, but it opens with aeration to reveal a very ripe confit of dark berries, chocolate, and a soft fragrance of black cherry, black currant, and Christmas spice.  Big, youthful, and backward in the mouth; at this point it is rather hollow, lacking in elegance and refinement.  Still, we are impressed with this wine’s potential as we are attracted to its power, weight, and expression of terroir, minerality, and fascinating blend of red and black fruit flavors.  In addition, we get interesting iodine, medicinal, and iron notes. The tannins are noticeable and the acidity is perfect.  Moderate length.  Again, this RP 100 pointer was all about potential rather than deliverance this evening.

5) Chateau Pavie (St. Emilion) -  $250  -  44 points (6/6/14)  -  95 rating
Deeply colored.  Rich, floral, fruit-filled nose is lovely with its “classically pure” scents of black currant, violet, rose petal, licorice, pepper, spice, clay, and smoke.  It’s also a bit high-toned, showing more alcohol than we like.  Follows through nicely in the palate with mouth-coating tannins, excellent concentration, lots of structure, very good acidity, and superb grip and texture.  Youthful and balanced with lots of extraction without heaviness, this 2003 shows the effects of superior winemaking skills.  Long, clean, persistent finish.  Superb wine with a great future.

6) Chateau Margaux (Margaux) -  $600  -  14 points (2/1/6)  -  92 rating
Medium saturated color.  Open, oak-influenced nose is attractive with notes of black plum and cherry fruit, tobacco, smoke, toast, lead pencil, and chocolate.  Extremely concentrated, complex, and youthful in the mouth with ripe fruit and plentiful soft tannins.  This 2003 seems a bit drier and more minerally than others; the undelineated fruit is buried at this point.  Finish is long and pleasurable, ending on a strong bitter chocolate note.  Very long finish.  Should develop into a great wine but not showing at its best this evening.

7) Chateau Branaire Ducru (St. Julien) -  $75  -  20 points (4/2/4)  -  95 rating
Deeply colored.  Another tight nose that gradually seduced us with an array of wonderful scents including plum, black olive, freshly baked German black bread, licorice, spice, and lots of smoky oak.  Aromatically, it’s a sexy package.  Just as wonderful on the palate: big, powerful, balanced, with excellent ripe fruit, terrific structure, and perfectly integrated tannins.  This 2003 offers a brilliant paradox: a lively, light dancing body with truly great concentration, intensity, and purity of flavor.  Very long, consistent finish.  Spectacular showing for this wine; everybody loved it!

8) Chateau Leoville Poyferre (St. Julien)  -  $150  -  54 points (6/13/10)  -  96 rating
Fairly deep color.  Fascinating, attractive bouquet is particularly spicy with additional notes of cassis, black cherry, mint, violet, smoke, pepperoni, and a whiff of alcohol.  Very tannic on entry, but so much more is going on.  Big, robust, sweet, complex, balanced, and quite the crowd pleaser, this beautiful wine appears to be Cabernet based. It’s sweet and satisfying through the mid-palate, with excellent grip, finishing with a smoky, bitter chocolate, Cabernet Franc note.  Very long, consistent, thoroughly delicious finish.  This was yet another winner.

9) Chateau Montrose (St. Estephe) -  $225  -  91 points (16/15/13)  -  97 rating
Deeply colored.  Mesmerizing nose is fresh and pure, featuring a complex array of scents: black currant fruit, smoked meat, earth, licorice, tobacco, spice, and charcoal dust.  First Growth quality in the mouth; this 2003 offers great concentration, fruit extraction, richness, balance, and perfect acids.  This is a very, very youthful blockbuster, undoubtedly vinified to last at least 50 years (maybe 100!)  It has a bloody rich, iron laden, and tannic structure.  Very long, penetrating finish.  RP summed it up best: “A great, great classic, as good as young Bordeaux can be.”

At this point, the crowd was euphoric over the spectacular showing of the wines in the first two flights.  As the wines were being poured for the final flight, Mr. Parker, with his keen sense of humor, publicly asked us if we “...had saved the best wines for the last flight,” knowing full well that the order of the wines was 100% random.  As it turned out, RP’s “joke” turned out to be prophetic.

10) Chateau Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) -  $800  -  42 points (6/9/6)  -  95 rating
Fairly deep color.  Wonderful, expressive, charming, modern-styled nose is overstocked in the oak department, but notes of lush, currant fruit, tar, black earth, rose petal, coffee grounds, toast, and bitter chocolate mingle nicely with the wood influence.  There’s excellent depth on the palate, yet it’s elegant as well.  Although a little restrained right now, this youthful wine is amazingly delicious.  It gets better as it sits; the smoky quality becomes more pronounced.  Long, balanced, beautiful finish.  Wow!

11) Chateau Clos Fourtet (St. Emilion) -  $75  -  37 points (5/7/8)  -  94 rating
Deeply colored.  Like many other wines in this tasting, the nose is slow to evolve.  But as we keep coming back, it gets better and more complex.  There are notes of cassis, black cherry, wet earth, forest floor, smoke, tar, and Pastis.  Tremendously opulent in the mouth, with lush, sweet dark berry and cassis fruit.  This heavily extracted, concentrated, modern-styled wine offers wonderful power and richness, with a boat load of tannin.  We were particularly impressed with the extra long, persistent finish.  Clos Fourtet needs at least five more years to reach a maturity plateau.  It should be worth the wait!

12) Chateau Latour (Pauillac) -  $800  -  52 points (8/11/6)  -  96 rating
Deeply colored.  Sweet, penetrating, opulent, compellingly sexy nose with aromatic texture, offering scents of ripe dark berries, chocolate, licorice, and spice.  Extremely concentrated in the mouth with puckery tannins.  The acidity of this 2003 is brighter and more pronounced than most others.  We love the mouth feel of this wine. It has heavily extracted, fleshy, inky black fruits.  It’s one of the most backward wines in the tasting, yet manages to convey its First Growth pedigree.  Very long, consistent, beautiful finish.  We should all live as long as 2003 Latour!  Give this baby lots of time in the cellar.

13) Chateau Angelus (St. Emilion) -  $160  -  124 points (25/18/13)  -  99 rating
Deeply colored.  The nose was reticent at first, but it became increasingly lovelier each time we returned to the glass.  There is a cornucopia of wonderful scents including toasty oak (not to excess), dark plum fruit, dried flowers, and red licorice.  Remarkably vibrant on the palate; the flavors dance and constantly change from entry to finish.  To say this is a delicious wine would be an understatement as we are by the gorgeous black plum and bitter chocolate flavors.  Complex and perfectly balanced, you’d be hard-pressed to find any faults here.  Amazingly long finish.  Compelling, brilliantly made, 2003 Angelus was the “wine of the night.”

14) Chateau Cos d’Estournel (St. Estephe) -  $225  -  106 points (23/12/13)  -  98 rating
Deeply colored.  Rich nose shows some sweetness with almost overripe honeysuckle, black cherry, dark plum, smoke, tar, tobacco, and mushroom notes.  Simply profound in the mouth; extremely dense, complex, concentrated, and hugely extracted.  Once again, we are tasting a wine “before its time,” but we are still drawn to this wine’s blend of terroir typicity and sexy fruit.  There’s plenty of tannin, perfect acidity, and total harmony of flavors.  The finish was very long with that wonderful fruit leading the way.  This was a great, great wine tonight that will improve with time.

Executive Wine Seminars, Inc.
P. O. Box 1791
New York, NY 10113-1791

Tel: (800) 404-WINE (9463)
E-Mail: ews.wine@instantlink.com

Howard Kaplan and Robert Millman, Co-Directors
Reprinted with permission.