It's been 20 years since 2003, a year that Bordeaux saw unparalleled record-breaking heat, creating a vintage that was extraordinary for dividing critics as well as producing great wine. So much so that wine critic heavyweights, Jancis Robinson and Robert Parker engaged in a public war of words, with Parker firmly in the pro camp.
Today, the 2003 vintage is widely regarded as a very good one in Bordeaux, where the masters of their trade turned the hot, dry growing season to their advantage, producing fruit of high tannins that created some very interesting wines.
It's four such masters of the vine that we have to offer you today, first growths from Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild, whose old vines with deep roots weathered the heat to produce something special.
Today, the 2003 vintage is widely regarded as a very good one in Bordeaux, where the masters of their trade turned the hot, dry growing season to their advantage, producing fruit of high tannins that created some very interesting wines.
It's four such masters of the vine that we have to offer you today, first growths from Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild, whose old vines with deep roots weathered the heat to produce something special.
Of particular note is the 100-point pure perfection in a glass from Chateau Latour Grand Vin, that's summed up nicely in one word from the Wine Advocate's Lisa Perotti-Brown - "Wow".
None of these wines should be overlooked, however, with Robert Parker describing the 2003 Chateau Margaux as the "finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released", and Chateau Haut-Brion as "clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003... Bravo!".
Vinous' Antonio Galloni is also a fan of the vintage, noting that the Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003 is "an exceptional, deeply satisfying Mouton endowed with notable richness but also exceptional balance".
We have just one double magnum of each of these available, and with a tonne of maturity under their belt already, these wines are drinking well now and will happily cellar for the next couple of decades or more.
These are in stock and immediately ready for delivery, so do let me know if you would like to order.
None of these wines should be overlooked, however, with Robert Parker describing the 2003 Chateau Margaux as the "finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released", and Chateau Haut-Brion as "clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003... Bravo!".
Vinous' Antonio Galloni is also a fan of the vintage, noting that the Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003 is "an exceptional, deeply satisfying Mouton endowed with notable richness but also exceptional balance".
We have just one double magnum of each of these available, and with a tonne of maturity under their belt already, these wines are drinking well now and will happily cellar for the next couple of decades or more.
These are in stock and immediately ready for delivery, so do let me know if you would like to order.
|
Wine |
Vintage |
Unit |
Qty of Units |
IB Price per Unit |
|
Chateau Haut-Brion |
2003 |
1 x 3L |
1 |
£1,575 |
|
Chateau Latour |
2003 |
1 x 3L |
1 |
£4,650 |
|
Chateau Margaux |
2003 |
1 x 3L |
1 |
£1,900 |
|
Chateau Mouton Rothschild |
2003 |
1 x 3L |
1 |
£1,880 |
Chateau Haut-Brion 2003
95 Points | Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Even better, and clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003 (the last vintage of the great Jean-Bernard Delmas as administrator), the 2003 Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol, which seemed high at the time, but given more recent vintages is modest. Dark ruby/plum in color, with no amber or orange at the edge, the wine exhibits an abundance of roasted herbs, hot rocks, black currants, plum, and balsamic notes. Bravo!
Chateau Latour Grand Vin 2003
100 Points | Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
2003 was one of the hottest, earliest Bordeaux vintages ever. Some vines suffered from lack of moisture, but old vines and clay subsoil at Enclos saw this vineyard through. The Merlot harvest occurred between September 8 and 13, and the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked between September 22 and 30. The 2003 Latour is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Six percent of the press wine was added to the final blend. It has a medium to deep garnet-purple color, then wow—it explodes from the glass with bombastic black and blue fruits, followed up by meat, wood smoke, sandalwood and Indian spice accents with underlying floral wafts. The palate is full, rich, velvety, seductive and very long on the finish. There were only 10,800 cases made (rather than the normal 15,000-20,000).
Chateau Margaux 2003
98 Points | Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003
95 Points | Antonio Galloni, Vinous
A heady, exotic wine, the 2003 Mouton Rothschild takes hold of all the senses. The ripeness and exuberance of the year comes through in spades as this dramatic, opulent wine shows off its radiant personality. The 2003 can be enjoyed now, but it could also use another few years for the tannins to soften. Still, the 2003 is pretty hard to resist today. This is an exceptional, deeply satisfying Mouton endowed with notable richness but also exceptional balance. Hints of toffee, torrefaction and dark spices are laced into the finish. In 2003 the blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all brought in between a fairly narrow window of ten days between September 15 and 25.
95 Points | Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Even better, and clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003 (the last vintage of the great Jean-Bernard Delmas as administrator), the 2003 Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol, which seemed high at the time, but given more recent vintages is modest. Dark ruby/plum in color, with no amber or orange at the edge, the wine exhibits an abundance of roasted herbs, hot rocks, black currants, plum, and balsamic notes. Bravo!
Chateau Latour Grand Vin 2003
100 Points | Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
2003 was one of the hottest, earliest Bordeaux vintages ever. Some vines suffered from lack of moisture, but old vines and clay subsoil at Enclos saw this vineyard through. The Merlot harvest occurred between September 8 and 13, and the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked between September 22 and 30. The 2003 Latour is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Six percent of the press wine was added to the final blend. It has a medium to deep garnet-purple color, then wow—it explodes from the glass with bombastic black and blue fruits, followed up by meat, wood smoke, sandalwood and Indian spice accents with underlying floral wafts. The palate is full, rich, velvety, seductive and very long on the finish. There were only 10,800 cases made (rather than the normal 15,000-20,000).
Chateau Margaux 2003
98 Points | Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003
95 Points | Antonio Galloni, Vinous
A heady, exotic wine, the 2003 Mouton Rothschild takes hold of all the senses. The ripeness and exuberance of the year comes through in spades as this dramatic, opulent wine shows off its radiant personality. The 2003 can be enjoyed now, but it could also use another few years for the tannins to soften. Still, the 2003 is pretty hard to resist today. This is an exceptional, deeply satisfying Mouton endowed with notable richness but also exceptional balance. Hints of toffee, torrefaction and dark spices are laced into the finish. In 2003 the blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all brought in between a fairly narrow window of ten days between September 15 and 25.
