Cuvee Raphael, Chateau de Parenchere, Bordeaux Superieur

Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #037: Bordeaux 2003, 2004 and 2006 (By me) : Red and dark berries in the bouquet and on the palate. Firm and good acidity, herbs and spices, a touch of autumn forest impressions, some graphite and cherries. Slightly sticky tannin. Altogether a juicy, well made, not overly complex wine which still has a future of several years.

In the bouquet dark berries and a pleasant touch of oak. On the palate juicy dark berries and vanilla as well. There is still plenty of life and future left in this wine. 87+

This wine improved considerably over the last 18 months. There are good dark berries in the bouquet as well as on the palate. Some vanilla as well. Good acidity and round tannin with still some bite. Probably at its peak now and the next few years.

A few days ago I drank the basic cuvee and now this one. Not really very special either, but also in this wine the fruits are certainly ok and there is a slight touch of oak. Pleasant and easy drinker. Fully mature now and no real hurry. I have a few more, so there will be a follow up. 85-86

Defective bottle.

Pleasant and easy going right bank Bordeaux modern style wine. Black fruits and a bit creamy bouquet. On the palate pleasant and soft mainly black berry fruit juice. Good amount of acidity and supple and round tannin. Early/adolescent maturity stage now and it can last at least until 2016, possibly longer. I own a few, so there will be a follow up.

Voor .deze prijs een mooie Bordeaux. Tweede dag nog wat meer fruit, goede tannines en een lekker fris zuurtje.

Voor de prijs een goede Bordeaux. Lekker veel fruit. Tannines zijn al gerijpt. Heb de wijn gedronken over verschillende avonden. Tannines werden steeds zachter. Wijn kan nog prima aantal jaren rijpen.

Sunday Grilling Afternoon (Chez Pelz) : One of the guest brought this bottle and despite this being a "lesser" Bordeaux wine (Bordeaux Superieur), this was fabulous in its own right. Nice, ripe fruit, very little tannin relative to the Pontet we drank afterwards, but great freshness and dryness which made this a fun wine to drink with our grilled foods. Finished well. Probably not something that I think will reward cellaring, but it's really solid drinking right now.

Retailer tasting. Medium bodied with approachable tannins. Notes of crushed grape skins. Not as good as the 2005. 87 points.