2004 Bordeaux thread

wineglas

Member

posted

I have found 04 approachable and better than the original vintage score.

2004 Les Pagodes de Cos - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (3/11/2012)
Some nice Old World Wines (St. Paul): Really drinking well tonight with dried herbs, minerals, chocolate and red fruits. A crowd favorite and should drink well for another five plus years. This is evolving in the right direction and at $20 a steal! (91 points)

2004 Le Baron de Brane - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (10/29/2011)
Hennepin Lake's Annual Tasting (Tons of Napa Cabs) (Minneapolis, MN): The surprise at the tasting with tobacco, spice, raspberry and minerals. Real balanced wine and plenty of flavors on the finish. Medium in length and drink now or cellar for a few years. Well done. (91 points)

2004 Château Giscours - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (3/1/2011)
Minneapolis Does Bordeaux (Edina Country Club): Second time trying this wine and I got dust, cherry, spice, floral and minerals. A light wine compared to the more concentrated 03. This wine should improve a little bit with time but I would consume in the next five years. (90 points)

2004 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (2/6/2011)
Minneapolis Wine Club: High End Aussie Wines & Bordeaux: Nice wine and improved with some time. Decanted one hour but needed more time. Charcoal, raspberry, minerals, roses and cedar come together to offer an enjoyable experience. This is a wine to drink with a small group and see the development over 2 or 3 hours. Medium finish and plenty of life left on this wine. (93 points)

2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (12/18/2010)
What a great wine and showing well with cassis, raspberry, cedar and gravel. Medium and concentrated finish. Should go another 10 years. (92 points)

2004 Château Colombier-Monpelou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (10/16/2010)
What you would expect from an 04 from a non major player. Earth, leather and gravel. The finish is a bit weak but the wine is drinkable. (86 points)

2004 Château Haut-Bailly - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/30/2010)
Bordeaux Tasting (Edina Country Club): Cigar, scorched earth, dark fruits and mint on the nose. Over the course of the evening this wine did open up and really needs a 3 hour decant prior to consumption. Tannins are medium and finish is solid. (91 points)

2004 Château Lascombes - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (7/17/2010)
Big nose with blueberries, violets, Asian spice, and soy. On the palate a blueberries, floral, Asian spice, soy sauce and cherry. Medium finish and concentrated overall for an 04. Solid effort. (92 points)

2004 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (6/24/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Bordeaux; 6/20/2010-6/24/2010 (Kevin's House): Dark purple. Gravel, blueberries, cassis, and spice on the nose. Good concentration on the palate with good acidity. Medium finish and should improve with some age. (93 points)

2004 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (6/24/2010)
Bordeaux, Italy and a Burg in Minneapolis: Dark! Blind I would never guess Bordeaux and had an in your face nose of crushed rock, violets, spices and cassis. Rich wine with cherry, violets, spices and chocolate dominating the palate and finish. Long finish and tannic. Should have 20 plus years left. (93 points)

2004 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (6/24/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Bordeaux; 6/20/2010-6/24/2010 (Kevin's House): Dark purple. Spices, floral, perfume and mulberries on the nose. There is a nice perfume quality throughout the wine and a good mix of fruit and earth elements. Medium finish and some cinnamon. (92 points)

www.twincitieswinetasting.com

Posts: 460 | Location: Minneapolis | Registered: Jan 22, 2006

Ignored post by wineglas posted

Redhawk

Member

posted

I bought a 6 of Palmer to follow, and the first bottle was very thrilling when I popped it shortly after arrival back in '08, but my most recent bottle (about 6 months ago) was definitely shut down. I am not planning to touch my next bottle until it's about 15 years old. I also had a 6 of Lascombes, but the first two bottles were badly corked. I am fearful of the other 4, at that rate. I have other '04's in the cellar, but since I only have 1 or 2 of each, I am letting these sleep (Ducru Beaucaillou, P. Baron, St. Pierre, and a few others). I will be interested to follow this thread.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Posts: 4072 | Location: Saginaw, MI | Registered: Mar 12, 2007

Ignored post by Redhawk posted

spo

Member

posted

2004 Château Caronne Ste. Gemme

82 points: Gamy, gravely and plummy, also some pleasant, not too dirty funk and nice pure grapy fruit. Ok, but not really cohesive at all. I liked this better almost 3 years ago when it was rough/unready but tasted better and was more complex

Posts: 9318 | Registered: May 28, 2005

Ignored post by spo posted

tagheuer

Member

posted

2004 Ducru Beaucaillou

The bottle was opened for 2 hours prior to serving. No decanting.

I didn't take notes due to the circumstance. But I'll try my best to remember:

The nose was fruity, lots of berries and currants.

Medium body on the palate. Fresh (due its fruitiness ??). Not quite as elegant as the 04 Leoville Las Cases.

It's drinkable at this time, but I think it is still too young for regular consumption. Probably wait for 3-5 more years.

Overall score: 91

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tagheuer,

Posts: 70 | Registered: May 05, 2012

Ignored post by tagheuer posted

mitPradikat

Member

posted

Thanks for the notes, everyone. I'm glad to see that the few 2004s I did buy on release are doing well and have a decent future ahead.

Punch it , Chewie!

Posts: 1473 | Location: Edmonton | Registered: Jul 15, 2008

Ignored post by mitPradikat posted

dzitt

Member

posted

Have opened to date:

Gruaud-Larose
Lafon-Rochet
Bellefont-Belcier
Rollan de By
Labegorce
Durfort-Vivens

And some Cru Bourgeois.

The last one was Haut-Bailly:

Dark garnet color. Nose and palate have graphite and smoke with dense red fruits flavors. Leather, spices and low profile wood/cedar notes. Excellent now but will improve.

dzitt

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Posts: 1327 | Location: Montréal, Canada | Registered: Dec 19, 2009

Ignored post by dzitt posted

Shane T.

Member

posted

quote:
2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (12/18/2010)
What a great wine and showing well with cassis, raspberry, cedar and gravel. Medium and concentrated finish. Should go another 10 years. (92 points)

I opened a bottle of this a couple nights ago. It needed 6+ hours of air to show its stuff. This is a fantastic wine, and a steal compared to the '03, '05, and definitely '09!

Posts: 2501 | Location: Murrieta, CA | Registered: Mar 14, 2011

Ignored post by Shane T. posted

aphilla

Member

posted

2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (11/3/2012)
Decanted for an hour before drinking. LOTS of structure. Pretty nose and pretty on the palate, but hidden behind the structure for the most part. Classic cassis and cigar box on both the nose and the palate. The nose is also giving up some floral hints and some chocolate flavors on the palate. Longish finish. Wait for this one.

Posted from CellarTracker

I guess I'm glad I checked in on it. Pretty wine, but I'll sit on the rest of them for another 4 or 5 years before trying again.

"Wine, one sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise and taste."
- Milton

Posts: 4310 | Location: NW Suburbs of Chicago | Registered: Aug 16, 2006

Ignored post by aphilla posted

thirsty man

Member

posted

2004 Moulin St. George - Fruit was faded and tannins were center stage. Nose of cedar and a hint of dark fruit. Initially grainy and rough - smoothed out over a few hours. Still fairly astringent over 3 hours. Fruit never came forward and the nose was shy the whole time. Begining to think this should have been opened a few years ago. I'll hold on to my last bottle for another few years and see if anything changes.

Posts: 2119 | Location: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 17, 2008

Ignored post by thirsty man posted

grossie

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by aphilla:
2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (11/3/2012)
Decanted for an hour before drinking. LOTS of structure. Pretty nose and pretty on the palate, but hidden behind the structure for the most part. Classic cassis and cigar box on both the nose and the palate. The nose is also giving up some floral hints and some chocolate flavors on the palate. Longish finish. Wait for this one.

Posted from CellarTracker

I guess I'm glad I checked in on it. Pretty wine, but I'll sit on the rest of them for another 4 or 5 years before trying again.

Thanks. I just eyed a bottle of this in my cellar,i think I have a few, but I'll keep my hands off.

*******
Go Habs Go

Posts: 5649 | Location: Chicago | Registered: May 24, 2002

Ignored post by grossie posted

Shane T.

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by grossie:
quote:
Originally posted by aphilla:
2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (11/3/2012)
Decanted for an hour before drinking. LOTS of structure. Pretty nose and pretty on the palate, but hidden behind the structure for the most part. Classic cassis and cigar box on both the nose and the palate. The nose is also giving up some floral hints and some chocolate flavors on the palate. Longish finish. Wait for this one.

Posted from CellarTracker

I guess I'm glad I checked in on it. Pretty wine, but I'll sit on the rest of them for another 4 or 5 years before trying again.

Thanks. I just eyed a bottle of this in my cellar,i think I have a few, but I'll keep my hands off.

+ A Bunch

This '04 Montrose is a steal compared to '00, '03, '05, & '09.

I found the wine to be approachable after several hours of air. Fantastic juice!

Posts: 2501 | Location: Murrieta, CA | Registered: Mar 14, 2011

Ignored post by Shane T. posted

Member

posted

I tasted 15-18 '04 Bordeaux (red) recently in a presale for a wine chain in our metroplex going broke. The wines will be marked between 40% - 60% off retail.

Clearly an average and even pedestrian vintage overall, but solid wines that reflect Bordeaux more than the '03 vintage. I much prefer the '01 vintage to '04.

As in most vintages, there are some gems in '04.

Posts: 34138 | Location: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM | Registered: Feb 21, 2005

Ignored post by wine+art posted

KSC02

Member

posted

Opened an '04 Cheval Blanc last weekend with venison. This is developing very nicely and showed well with an hour in glass. Textbook C-B

Posts: 17031 | Location: Montreal, QC | Registered: Feb 17, 2007

Ignored post by KSC02 posted

PurpleHaze

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by KSC02:
Opened an '04 Cheval Blanc last weekend with venison. This is developing very nicely and showed well with an hour in glass. Textbook C-B

Very young. Very good.

PH

Posts: 16664 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003

Ignored post by PurpleHaze posted

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by KSC02:
Opened an '04 Cheval Blanc last weekend with venison. This is developing very nicely and showed well with an hour in glass. Textbook C-B

Very young. Very good.

PH

I was thinking about buying a magnum of this wine from the retailer I tasted it at, as it was marked down 60%. The bottle I tasted was showing too much menthol and licorice, thus I passed.

Did your bottle show much of these?

Posts: 34138 | Location: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM | Registered: Feb 21, 2005

Ignored post by wine+art posted

PurpleHaze

Member

posted

Funny.... I got neither of these when we tasted it last Sunday. Lots of dark fruit, a little leather and some tobacco from the CF. Tannins were remarkably soft.

PH

Posts: 16664 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003

Ignored post by PurpleHaze posted

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Funny.... I got neither of these when we tasted it last Sunday. Lots of dark fruit, a little leather and some tobacco from the CF. Tannins were remarkably soft.

PH

Thanks. I may see if the bottle sold.

Posts: 34138 | Location: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM | Registered: Feb 21, 2005

Ignored post by wine+art posted

KSC02

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Funny.... I got neither of these when we tasted it last Sunday. Lots of dark fruit, a little leather and some tobacco from the CF. Tannins were remarkably soft.

PH

+1

At 60% off I'd certainly consider it a buy for the cellar

Posts: 17031 | Location: Montreal, QC | Registered: Feb 17, 2007

Ignored post by KSC02 posted

txgolfpro

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
I tasted 15-18 '04 Bordeaux (red) recently in a presale for a wine chain in our metroplex going broke. The wines will be marked between 40% - 60% off retail.

Clearly an average and even pedestrian vintage overall, but solid wines that reflect Bordeaux more than the '03 vintage. I much prefer the '01 vintage to '04.

As in most vintages, there are some gems in '04.

Hey Wine+, what store is going out of business? If you don't mind me asking.

Posts: 278 | Registered: Oct 17, 2010

Ignored post by txgolfpro posted

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by txgolfpro:

Hey Wine+, what store is going out of business? If you don't mind me asking.

Pro, as you know, a person that was ALL hat and no cattle bought out the great Centennial in March of 2010. Since then, this once great chain has suffered and now is no longer a serious wine store.

They are closing down ( forced) many Big Daddy's, Majestic and Centennial stores across the metroplex, and all others are on life support.

There were several pre-buy tasting at their corporate office last week before their 50%+ off sale that started on Friday.

Posts: 34138 | Location: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM | Registered: Feb 21, 2005

Ignored post by wine+art posted

thirsty man

Member

posted

quote:
As in most vintages, there are some gems in '04.

any you wish to identify? I have opened or tried most of my non-classified growths that I was gifted or bought and am fairly unimpressed with 04 and think it was better 2-4 years ago.

I have not opened any of my classified growths and am beginning to think I might need to get to them sooner than later. Any gems you wish to point out, I'm all ears.

G

EDIT: I forgot that I have tried a few of my lascombes.... but I think that is all.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: thirsty man,

Posts: 2119 | Location: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 17, 2008

Ignored post by thirsty man posted

grossie

Member

posted

I've had 3 different 2004 Bdx in the last few months. The ones I had were all pretty good, but then again I might have just chosen well. Here are my notes:

2004 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (8/12/2012)
Sacrificed in France with Birdungy. Huge wine, but very refined and actually somewhat drinkable. It will undoubtedly improve and become a blockbuster. Right now it's got power and huge length. It'll develop some refinement over time.
[img]http://sc.cellartracker.com/labels/65421.jpg[/img]

Posted from CellarTracker

2004 Château Monbousquet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (4/29/2012)
Very dark wine, moderately opaque. The nose is of smoky crushed black berries with graphite overtones. On the tongue it's got really good weight and good balance. Moderate tannins, good acidity, and decent length. Slightly bitter finish. This is a very nice wine, only the finish detracts from the overall quality, but even so this is quite enjoyable. (91 pts.)
[img]http://sc.cellartracker.com/labels/20118.jpg[/img]

Posted from CellarTracker

2004 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru) - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (5/7/2012)
Shy & reserved on the first night, this only starts to strut on night #2. Really nice licorice thing going on on the nose, along with rich dark fruit. Still quite acidic in the mouth but rich fruit, dark crushed berries and licorice. It finishes quite well, although could have more length. Very enjoyable, but the rest of mine should be left a couple of more years to blossom. (91 pts.)
[img]http://sc.cellartracker.com/labels/52021.jpg[/img]

Posted from CellarTracker

Yes, you read that right. I traveled to France with a bottle of Latour. When I put it that way it seems kind of stupid, especially given how young this bottle was. OTOH I have a philosophy about wines which says "what the f, may as well drink it". Plus as a bonus I scored a bunch of them at Costco for a lot less than market price

My impression of the vintage is overall mildly positive but is based on a very limited sampling.

*******
Go Habs Go

Posts: 5649 | Location: Chicago | Registered: May 24, 2002

Ignored post by grossie posted

aphilla

Member

posted

2004 Château Monbousquet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (2/21/2013)
Beautiful wine. Very good, maybe outstanding. Tastes better than it is when I think about it objectively perhaps?
Smoky, dark berries, and some kind of minerality on the nose. Rich palate without being heavy with a tobacco kind of flavor. Long finish with a kind of rough dark chocolate character to it.

Posted from CellarTracker

"Wine, one sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise and taste."
- Milton

Posts: 4310 | Location: NW Suburbs of Chicago | Registered: Aug 16, 2006

Ignored post by aphilla posted