What to think about 2003?

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Nicklasss
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What to think about 2003?

Post by Nicklasss »

12 years after the super warm 2003 vintage, what to think about it?

Normally, warm vintage should be a quality that favorize red Bordeaux. But the 2003 seems really strange to me. It is like that vine growing and winemaking, that vintage, was a real challenge, almost as difficult as a rotten vintage, giving lots of headaches to most (if not all) producers.

Results are that different bottles from the same producer seem very uneven, unequal. Even worst, even the evolution in time seems very uneven, for bottles of the same producers. Bottles opened early seemed the better one.

While the shutdown phase hasn't been as hard as for some other vintages, dull roasted wines are encountered more often in time. Low acidity, super fine ripe almost inexistant tannins, and no blackberries or blackcurrants characters, cooked fruits, present in many 2003 red Bordeaux, not corresponding to my definition of great Bordeaux.

When I think of some 2003 I had, a Sociando was good, another eas underwhelming. A Duhart was excellent, the last one a deception. Peby Faugeres was bad, Grand-Puy Lacoste weird, Potensac ok, Lynch Bages ok to excellent, Haut-Bailly limit to be cooked, Cantenac Brown quelconque. Good surprise with Cantemerle and Lagrange while either aren't great. Angelus was excellent to great 3 years ago.

Pichon Baron is good, but only good in that 2003 vintage. That was clear at the Chateau in May, as I thought while 2003 was good, all other vintages that day were better or more complex or more interesting (1988, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

Pontet Canet and Montrose are probably the best 2003 I sampled.

So finally, for me, a tough vintage, unusual. Some will probably say to me that the wines are still young, that I should wait, but I don't know if freshness will comeback in wines that have never been fresh, lenght with balance tannic structure will appear one day, and if the plummy character will let place to fragrant black currants and black berries after 2020...

Nic
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AKR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AKR »

I liked the St Estephe's and surrounding regions. Some other estates did super that year. Pavie and Pontet Canet in the last year or so were super.

At this point, I've drunk a lot of my 03's up. Still have some left, but they were consumed relatively faster than 95,96L,98R,00,05. Hardly purchased any right banks (other than a case of Faugeres splits which was a flabby quaffer in its youth) and even that small spectrum developed poorly. But that wasn't a surprise - the early reports seemed down on it.

I've drunk a lot of the 03 GPL and its solid enough, but not what I was hoping for. The weather was like 1990, yet the wine didn't come out that way. Maybe the 2003 Sociando Mallet will deliver on that potential
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Nic 2003 is a vintage that I have had sufficient exposure to, to be happy to avoid and do without. I don't think it is universally poor but The only wine I regret not owning is Montrose. I am with you on that. Most of my experiences have been disappointing, and some wines are clearly unbalanced and over-ripe, in some cases cooked.

I only own Giscours, which I suspect I will find hard to like, and Pontet Canet, which I am open- minded about. The taste we had at lunch with Alfred in May was not sufficient to sway my opinion either way. But I will almost certainly hang on to that case given the generally favourable accolades it receives here.

Some of the super seconds - notably LLC and Leoville Barton - made wines which were well below the standard of surrounding vintages in those estates.
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Claret
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Claret »

While not generally a fan of 03's I was impressed with Pichon Lalande.
Glenn
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Blanquito
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Blanquito »

We can all agree I think that 2003 is primarily a northern Medoc year, but even in that area not everyone handled the conditions well. I have a middling sized stash of 2003 and I think the jury is still mostly out on these. Some which I used to think fabulous - like the 2003 Duhart Milon, perhaps the Pontet Canet -- are not showing nearly as well today. Awkward phase or decline? My gut says those wines good on release will come around, that it's mainly gangly adolescence right now. The chateau that has most consistently impressed is the 2003 Sociando Mallet and that wine's best days are still ahead of it.

Ian's point about how 2003 fares next to other vintages is a good point though, you could ask which 2003 you would take over the 2001, 2002, 2004 or 2006 of that chateau's wine? Not many I suppose, but I might take the 2003 for these wines: Duhart, Sociando, Pontet Canet, Montrose, some First Growths, perhaps Pichon Lalande.
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AKR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AKR »

At the time, 2003 offered the chance to be like 1990. The other years really never had that upside either in degree/days, weather. The elevage can help, but can't replace a warm year.

The other years were ones where there wasn't need to buy EP. I remember the craziness trying to secure some of the St Estephe's that summer.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Rudi Finkler »

I generally try to avoid this hot, unbalanced vintage, but there are noticeable exceptions, as always. I had outstanding bottles of Haut-Batailley -maybe the best vintage from this elegant and gentle Pauillac in decades, as well as classically styled, super elegant bottles of Ferrière, and an overwhelming bottle of Carrudades de Lafite, undoubtedly the best Carruades I ever had.
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Roel
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Roel »

St. Estephe clay soil provived some excellent Cru Bourgeois. Furthermore, I prefer the wines from North Médoc (St. E, P. and St. J). Others never rocked my boat.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by stefan »

I have been pleasantly surprised by the 2003s I have drunk. Lagrange, Leoville Poyferre, Calon Segur come to mind. I also find them better for drinking now than, e.g., the 2002s, though I expect the 2002s to surpass the 2003s down the road. I see no chance that even a limited range of 2003s will rival the 1990s. I have not experienced the bottle variation that Nic has.
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AKR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AKR »

stefan wrote:I have been pleasantly surprised by the 2003s I have drunk. Lagrange, Leoville Poyferre, Calon Segur come to mind. I also find them better for drinking now than, e.g., the 2002s, though I expect the 2002s to surpass the 2003s down the road. I see no chance that even a limited range of 2003s will rival the 1990s. I have not experienced the bottle variation that Nic has.
Calon Segur was super. I've really loved some of the other cru classe from that AOC that year - Cos Labory and Haut Marbuzet leap to mind (the latter I think is a cru bourgoise).

So slightly off the topic, but the 2003 Northern Rhones were great too. The southern end of the valley -- in the fullness of time -- turned out to have wines that ended up unbalanced, and deteriorated fast. They were tedious wines to drink.

But the northern ones are fantastic. And I'm amazingly still occasionally buying a few more here and there. Normally I don't do much backfilling, but they are such differentiated, rich, atypical wines.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Blanquito »

stefan wrote:Lagrange, Leoville Poyferre, Calon Segur come to mind.
These at or close to peak? I have some half bottles of each of these, but I've held off assuming they'd be better with more time (especially the Calon Segur).
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by stefan »

Lagrange yes, especially in half bottles. The other two will benefit from more time even if they are good now.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by DavidG »

I bought a smattering of 2003s, hopefully the "good ones" based on what I read here, but I haven't popped many. Not enough to make any useful sort of comment on the vintage in general, though I've heard that there are a number of wines showing better than initial expectations from a super-hot vintage. Wasn't a good year for people in Europe - my recollection is that there were a fair number of deaths from the heat.

2003 Pontet Canet was fabulous when young, then shut down, and is emerging but not showing the full glory I was hoping for. At least not yet.
2003 Branaire Ducru - had it twice in the last 6 months, once showing very nicely though fairly ripe and low acid but not flabby, once closed and tannic. Go figure.

Waiting on a few of the Calon Segur, Cos d'Estournel, Pichon Lalande and Pavie but haven't tried any of them yet. Cos was very controversial out of the gate so I bought a couple to see for myself.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by dstgolf »

I must say that I haven't experienced the controversy or variability people are referring to for the 2003s. I've been cruising through many in the last few years and not being disappointed. Any vintage you'll have likes and dislikes with some Chateau/regions better than others and variability within domaines so why should 2003 differ? I've been cruising through the 10 cases of mixed chateau with at least 1/2 gone and the only question has been possibly GPL. du Tertre is still going strong and still striking well above its level. Sociando lovely but not quite ready. Pichon Baron,Duhart Milon and Pontet Canet excellant and I'd drink these anytime. Monbousquet questionable but second the comment on Lagrange showing very well. Lafon Rochet has be lovely. Leoville Barton no issues but still way off from prime time. Haven't tried Calon Segur,Pavie Macquin,Montrose along with a few others. I just have not experienced the same controversy and if anyone wants to ship a few cases to make room in their cellars I'd gladly pay for the shipping cost!
Danny
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Jay Winton
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by Jay Winton »

Based on tasting a 2003 Sauternes-Myrat-a few months ago and last week, I think it may be time to start drinking these as the first 375 was excellent but the second was fading somewhat. I looked at a 750 of Suduiraut last night and it appears mature as well. Just my .02.
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AKR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AKR »

Jay Winton wrote:Based on tasting a 2003 Sauternes-Myrat-a few months ago and last week, I think it may be time to start drinking these as the first 375 was excellent but the second was fading somewhat. I looked at a 750 of Suduiraut last night and it appears mature as well. Just my .02.
The 03 Sauternes are very rich and honeyed.

Quite different than the zippy 2001's.

Of course I like them both!
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AlohaArtakaHoundsong »

I am in the camp with Danny in liking most 03s and disliking few. But I have only weak style-bias. And, notably, I found some very enjoyable 03s from outside the supposed "sweet spot" in the northern Medoc. The Bourgneuf, Pomerol, and Tour de Mons, Margaux, come to mind as very good wines from areas that were supposed to have been scorched flops. And they came incredibly cheaply from sale on consignment.
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by marcs »

I feel like people come to 2003s prejudging them because of the heat, then imposing a kind of stereotype of 'hot' vintage character on them. E.g. people frequently say they are flabby and overripe, whereas I have found many 2003s to have rough and clumsy tannins -- perhaps also something to do with the heat (normal growth may have shut down), but not flabby.

I have consistently found the 2003 Branire Ducru to be a surprisingly well balanced, deep, and graceful wine. I have a half a case of 03 Leoville Poyferre, when I dipped into it I found it to have a lot of substance but really shut down, tight and with searing tannins (this was a few years ago). I think it will be a long ager. Pichon Baron had fruit but a very clumsy finish (aforementioned rough tannins; this was also a few years ago).
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AKR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AKR »

I've been drinking that 03 Branaire too. It's good, very likable.

Probably time to try an 03 Poyferre too.
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AlexR
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by AlexR »

Yes, most are ready to drink.

Thing to do is to taste them blind, without prejudice.

Yes, some are topheavy, hot, and lacking in acidity.
Others are wonderful.

AR
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stefan
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Re: What to think about 2003?

Post by stefan »

Today I cracked open our case of 2003 St. Pierre to drink with left over hangar steak. I am surprised how black this wine is. In the mouth it is very jammy; not at all like the St. Pierre I know. The tannins are strong but resolved (this wine was stored since release at 62F). The wine tastes good but I do not recognize it as St Julien even while reading the appellation on the label. Perhaps it just needs more time in the bottle to develop place characteristics. Some modern right bank wines are like that. However, with air time, the nose develops a cooked fruit smell. Lucie and I do not take this as a good sign. Probably the right strategy is to wait a few more years before drinking another bottle. The tannin and fruit will prevent any decline.
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