Chateau Fombrauge Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Surprisingly youthful and deeper than I remember. With the additional wine experience that I have gained since the last time I had this, it’s easy for me to pin this as a merlot and the old world allure would take me right to Saint emilion, but vintage wise, I’m thinking 2008. Long juicy finish. Acidity is king when it comes to aging wine gracefully, and great provenance doesn’t hurt. Drink!

2000 vintage

WOW, huge nose of leather, sous bois, animal, cedar wood, cigar box, ripe white peper… Taste of sous-bois, cedar wood, exotic wood, very silky tannin, very delicious mature claret.

2000 vintage

Amazing wine for the money. It's amazing how a 2003 St. Emilion (should be pruny and over extracted and tired by now), is drinking so fresh and balanced with lots of dark saturated red fruit, coffee, and now tamed and polished oak that shows as roasted coffee ground. Really fun and punching way above its weight. DRINK!

2003 vintage

still drinking very well

2000 vintage

非常好。水果很清晰。四次都没问题

2003 vintage

I am stunned that this wine is still good. the cork came out in 2 pieces and then into a decanter. The nose is leather with tomato scent. The wine swirls in the mouth with some forward fruit and it tastes like cherry creme, light oak, mixed berries and a vanilla-ish finish. The tannins are fully resolved. Don't wait another minute to drink this great wine, because the window is closing.

2000 vintage

Deep ruby garnet color. Aromas of plum, blackberry, cedar, graphite, tobacco, leather, forest floor. Medium acidity, ripe tannins. Taste of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate. Full of life.

2000 vintage

没有印象

2003 vintage

The 2003 Fombrauge is probably the best Fombrauge ever produced in my eyes. Opened for christmas eve pot luck as a pulse check on the other 3 or 4 remaining bottle and it wowed as usual. Cradling both sides of the world, drawing a line across from Napa to Bordeaux, right across the water. Very lush, yet extremely healthy and mature. Beautiful evolved color and shine, the finish was pretty drawn out and kept going and going. This is grand …

2003 vintage

Cork was dried but wine wasn't damaged. Feels past it prime. A little too dry but ok

2003 vintage

not bad but past its prime. Decent flavor and nose and relatively smooth

2003 vintage

Wine was drinking surprisingly well with light decant. Still has several years ahead of it.

2000 vintage

Opened for a couple of hours and it got better with more air. enjoyable and probably not going to get better with more time.

2003 vintage

What R2-D2 said!! A pleasant surprise!!

2000 vintage

Heavy leather on nose. Black cherry on nose and palate. First sip reminded me of a new belt. The leather faded with time in decanter/glass.

2000 vintage

Records not handy. Bought at least one 12b case for low 20s/b from either Sam's or Binny's 18-19 years ago; this is halfway through a case. Solid cork. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Good purple color; mature black plum, hint of tea; mature plum, some old leather. More lean than I recall. Likely past prime but still enjoyable. Stored in a cool, dark basement since purchase. Quality, price, age: Notable.

2000 vintage

Nicht dekantiert. Performt sofort im Glas. Schöne purpurne Farbe, keine Alterungstöne sichtbar, Bukett nach dunklen Früchten und Zeder, nobel, am Gaumen sehr harmonisch, Tannine geschmolzen, aber noch präsent, jetzt und in den nächsten Jahren auf dem Höhepunkt. Feiner Abgang.

2000 vintage

Forgot I even have this bottle. Tasting quite new world but the peppery notes takes it back to old world. Drinking well now and no need to wait.

2003 vintage

This is really good right now. Probably at peak. Overripe strawberries, red plums, red cherry, tobacco, sandlewood, old leather, cracked black pepper and a hint of funk. Full bodied, mellow tannins. Hedonistic little old world gem. Blind, I would call it a Super Tuscan.

2003 vintage

A hot vintage and feel the warmth in the wine. Slightly more extracted and tannic, dries in the mouth. Plenty of black jammy fruits to carry with low acidity. Drink up. Its time.

2003 vintage

Deep garnet color. Medium intensity aromas of plums, prunes,dried blackberry, pencil shaving, tobacco. Wine is dry, rich, balanced, with medium acidity, medium resolved tannins, intense taste of cherry, prunes and tobacco. Long finish.

2003 vintage

really delicious. Opened for about an hour before drinking. first sip was fruity, smooth, just a hint of tannins on the finish. nice feel in the mouth, good aroma. very happy with this bottle

2003 vintage

Wine Wednesday - Mixed Bag (Grapes & Grains, Temecula, CA) : Well stored since release, my bottle looks like it had hardly aged. Still showing a deep ruby-garnet color, the fleshy fruit flavors taste as fresh as upon release while the dusty tannins have smoothed over. Notes of cedar, forest floor, cassis, leather, vanilla bean, and smoke are scattered throughout the aroma and palate. Exquisite drinking at 21 years of age! Notes: Not decanted (I never decant mature wine), nor …

2000 vintage

Fully matured I'd say. Still has fruit character but also lots of leather going on in the nose as well. And juicy and fleshy on the palate as well. Time to drink up!

2000 vintage

Loves it

2003 vintage

In a good place. Opened about 3 hours before drinking, which was about right.

2000 vintage

Can’t complain at all, especially assuming I paid around $25 for it upon release. Still drinking well (perfect storage) and nicely balanced. Going strong at 20 years, but don’t wait.

2000 vintage

Lovely red color to the rim with solid legs. Nose it a bit muted but definitely bordeaux; flinty, dark fruits and a touch of sweetness. Wine needed 2 hours to open up and showed modest length and bit of tanin balanced by good fruit. Drinking now and good value.

2000 vintage

Perfectly resolved tannins, smooth, and color remains a beautiful deep purple, firmly on the drinking plateau. In a perfect spot but should continue to hold for at least another 5 years if not more.

2000 vintage

Well matured right bank in an excellent shape, considering the extremely hot summer that year. Fombrauge delivers quality in a reliable manner, but this vintage sticks out with a remarkable balance and finesse, melting sweet matured fruit, tobacco, caramel, toffee and liquorice, with nice roast aromas in the background. Bravo.

2003 vintage

This wine is progressing nicely. I would have guessed this wine dead based on style and age. Full and rich wine that marries ripe fruit and oak structure in harmony. Not profound nor complex, but a good mouthful with grilled dishes. Finish falls short but that is nitpicking. (88)

2000 vintage

Medium garnet in color. Medium intensity nose. Notes of black fruits, some leather and soil as well. Dry on the palate. Medium acid, tannin, alcohol and intensity on the palate. All seem in balance. Med - intensity on the palate. Finish is shorter than I expected. Fully mature but still in very good shape. This should linger in this stage for a handful of years.

2000 vintage

Enjoyable and balance and ready to drink. Fruit, tannins are moderate but youthful. A real pleasure.

2000 vintage

I don't normally like '03s, nor modern-leaning Bordeaux, but this was hard to argue with. Pretty bright ( limestone & clay, son!) and youthful. Plenty of spicy red fruit without the "brown note" that affects a lot of solar-vintage, modern Bordeaux with age. Okay, on with the glossy wine-porn adjectives: nutmeg, cardamom, tobacco, and tar – some barrel spice that makes me think of Vosne somehow. But darker and denser, of course. Mid-palate fruit profile is red cherry and and …

2003 vintage

Great wine after an hour in the decanter. Seems like it could remain in this state for a while. Nice fruit and the usual earthy aromatics that make mature BDX so great.

2000 vintage

Almost three years since my last note, this wine has not changed much. The fruit is still very much in evidence, fully mature, fragrant & sweet. Nice sweet tannins in the rather ful taste, this is at peak now. And will probably hold a little while yet. Excellent!

2003 vintage

Hazy and the color of dull brick. Merlot-dominated, too soft at this age.

1961 vintage

The last bottle I had (2 years ago) was all wood, and zero wine. Oddly enough this bottle is lots of wine and a little wood. Dark cassis and plum fruit is supplemented with hints of spice, vanilla and cedar. There is still a good bit of tannin, but it’s not dominating the fruit. This is a surprising comeback for a modern right bank value wine. I have two left, and will get to them when I get to them.

2000 vintage

Decanted at Marta for an hour+, smooth, some plum and a little leather. A lovely wine.

2000 vintage

Optimal after 2 hour decant. Opened because the fill had progressed to high shoulder and I was worried about the condition. Fears proved unfounded as the wine was in stellar shape. Absolutely delicious mature Bordeaux. It could likely go another few years but I doubt it improves from here. Recommendation is to drink up!

2000 vintage

Seems in peak condition after 2+ hour decant. Good structure. Graphite plus dried red fruit. Lasted well on second day.

2000 vintage

This is an absolutely stunning QPR, immensely fragrant, light but long and mouth coating on notes of cloves, tobacco, cassis and blackberries. Superbly integrated tannins and wonderful roundness and elegance to it. Very much surprised also by the freshness, showing no signs of decline whatsoever. Pure pleasure.

2003 vintage

My next to last bottle, and I think that is a good thing. A screaming bargain at release, this wine has been delicious throughout the years. Now, I fear, it is a bit over the hill. The nose is reticent, with slightly bitter acidity, camphor, and wet earth aromas . It is light to medium in body, with some plum and dried cherry on the palate. The finish is fairly short, with some dusty tannins. I’ll give it a bump …

2000 vintage

Nice, distinctive Bordeaux flavor. Modest yet evident oak, and significant fruit, although the fruit is fading compared to the acid. Likely just past the end of its window. Liked by the group, but not comparable to the 1990 Pavie tasted with it. Then again, it's much less expensive.

2003 vintage

Continuing to evolve nicely - only took an hour to come round. Very distinctive. Nothing from North America is comparable - notice that I didn't say better - just not comparable.

2003 vintage

Nice. Still plenty of dark fruit, leather, cedar, milky cocoa. Very short finish. I find it interesting the 2003 medocs have been very unfairly maligned and under rated. The right bank seems to continue to fall short. While not stewed, as some would suggest, this wine doesn't carry the spine needed to be really good. Now don't go throw it down the drain, it is still enjoyable ---but again a very short finish.

2003 vintage

Opened for about two hours but did not decant. First sips were good but a little light on flavor. Then wine opened up and had a very full mouthfeel. Could go another few years with this wine.

2003 vintage

I'm sad that this was my last bottle. Terrific wine. Well-balanced, smooth, and long. Much the same as the last bottle: cigar box, red berry fruit, hints of vanilla, some earth.

2003 vintage

The fruit is toning down just a bit on this, but still plenty there. Secondary and tertiary notes starting to be more evident giving this some additional complexity. Mix of dark and red fruit, nose of cedar, leather and a bit of cocoa, long finish. Good grip, good structure, still some potential for future improvement, but ready to drink now in my opinion.

2003 vintage

Ruby with slightly orange rim, plum, wet leather, tobacco, cherry, cedar, moderate intensity and medium bodied, still quite tannic. This is something to be watched. I don't believe in positive evolution, but this should hold for 3-5 years in cool cellar.

2003 vintage

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Chateau Fombrauge Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

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