| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
A brilliant effort, this 2003 displays a vigorous, intact, deep blue/purple color as well as notes of scorched earth, barbecue spices, incense, creme de cassis and cedarwood. Long, lush, medium to full-bodied, round and generous, this opulent Pauillac can be drunk now and over the next 5-8 years. Drink 2014-2022
This is certainly one of the best 2003 Pauillacs and shone out at Farr's 2003 dinner. A deep garnet colour. The palate has a lovely, ravishing nose with succulent blackberry, iodine and Doris plum allwith great delineation. The palate is full-bodied, sinewy and tannic with notes of blackberry ,cedar and a touch of graphite. Still relatively backward and with even greater persistency than the Mouton '03. A great success for Mr. Seely and his team! Drink 2012-2025
Wow. Shows so much ripe fruit and berry character, with a hint of lead pencil and spice. Big and powerful. Beautiful.
A famously hot dry year that could be challenging on well-draining gravel soils, but this has held up well, majoring on cinnamon and turmeric spice, touches of black chocolate and liquorice. Soft tobacco notes on the finish, you know you are in Pauillac here, because the tannins are still present and confident even at 19 years old, and there is a mouthwatering edge of salinity on the finish. No need to wait, but also no great rush to drink up. 70% new oak. Jean-Rene Matignon technical director.
Well-shaded crimson. Shaded ripe fruit. Rather subtle and savoury and very dense. Hot finish though. (Average group score: 17.1)
2003 Pichon Baron placed joint eighth overall, out of 100 wines tasted blind, at the 2003 Farr Vintners Blind Tasting held in October 2010. For more information, please visit www.farrvintners.com/blog.php
In 2003, Pichon-Baron produced its highest-scoring wine since its 1989 (98 points), which was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 1992. The '03 shows gobs of ripe fruit, and the price is a lot less intimidating than those of the château's first-growth Pauillac neighbors. Managing director Christian Seely called Pichon-Baron a "sleeping beauty" when AXA Millésimes bought it in 1986. Thanks to significant investments in the vineyards and the chai, the beauty has been awake for some time now. 14,000 cases made.
Archetypal, rich, muscular Pauillac.
This is a brilliantly run property year in and year out, and especially since the mid- to late 1980s has produced one of the top four or five wines made in Pauillac in virtually every vintage. With 13.4% alcohol, the 2003 is one of the most powerful efforts this chateau has ever made. Its dense purple color is accompanied by sweet, jammy creme de cassis notes intermixed with roasted herbs, smoked meats, and chocolate. Although ripe, dense, full-bodied, and moderately tannic, it is silky (because of its low acidity and high glycerin) as well as accessible. It should firm up in the bottle, and be at its peak between 2008-2025.
A powerful, concentrated wine with an inky ruby/purple color to the rim and high alcohol (13.46%), this low-acid, fat, fleshy wine shows notes of incense, smoke, creme de cassis, and vanilla in a pure, rich, noble, yet corpulent, full-bodied style that could possibly pass as New World Cabernet given its low acidity and forward style. I have no reservations about how it is going to age as there is plenty of stuffing and density to this impressively endowed wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2023.
Reminiscent of Pichon Baron’s triumphant 1990, the 2003 is powerful and alcoholic (13.46%) for a cru classe Bordeaux, with a high pH of 3.85, and low acidity (3.1). Made from 31 hectoliters per hectare, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot exhibits an inky/purple color along with a big, thick, juicy nose of soy sauce, blackberries, creme de cassis, minerals, and flowers. Full-bodied and powerful, with terrific fruit purity as well as depth, this beauty should become increasingly delineated as it evolves in barrel. The finish lasts for 45+ seconds. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2025
Flamboyant. Full-bodied, with big velvety and wild fruit. Outrageous. This is one of the greatest bottles I have ever tasted from here. Like the 1989 or 1990. I can’t get over it. It’s really exciting.
Much deeper than Pichon Lalande. The sexual stereotyping of the Pichons is alive and well in 2003. This is quite savoury and beefy on the nose. With good compact fruit, this wine seemed relatively concentrated when tasted immediately after Pichon Lalande. Pretty impressive! Lots of impact here though no excessive heat or ripeness. Still quite a charge of fine tannins but there seems to be quite enough fruit to hold the wine while the tannins subside. And there’s even some freshness on the finish.
Lovely round appetising, glamorous glossy wine with great kick of refreshment glorying in its ripeness rather than apologizing for it. Very well done.
