100 Pontos por Robert Parker – Safra 2003

Seguindo nossas matérias que visam listar os vinhos considerados como “perfeitos” por Robert Parker na primeira década do ano 2000, chegamos a Safra de 2003.

Aqui o domínio volta a ser massivamente Francês. Dos 16 vinhos pontuados com 100 pontos na Safra de 2003, 13 são da França!

Se encontrar algum deles por aí não deixe passar!

Sempre lembrando que os preços listados são para o mercado dos Estados Unidos e em dólares americanos.

In Vino Veritas!

Gustavo Kauffman (GK)

100 Pontos por Robert Parker – Safra 2003

2003 Ausone

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Emilion, Bordeaux, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #164 (Apr 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2021 - 2105

Cost: $1395-$2499

The 2003 Ausone is off the charts in terms of richness. While I gave a 3-digit score to the 2000, I think this profoundly concentrated wine may be even more sublime and exotic. Its inky/blue/purple color is followed by an extraordinary perfume of flowers, crushed rocks, sweet raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and God knows what else. The impression is one of extraordinary richness and purity, and a multilayered texture yet a surreal lightness as well as laser-like precision. This exquisite offering must be tasted to be believed. Incredibly young, it will undoubtedly close down over the next few years, re-emerging after 15-20 years. It should last for 70-100 years. It is a wine for anthology! No one in Bordeaux has made greater progress in taming the extraordinary potential of this noble terroir than Alain Vauthier, an obsessed perfectionist if there ever was one. He has instituted a Draconian selection at this tiny estate, both in the vineyard and the cellar, and the second wine, Chapelle d’Ausone, has also become one of the region’s finest wines. Prospective purchasers should be aware that Ausone requires 10-20 years of cellaring before it approaches maturity.

2003 Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc

A Marsanne Dry White Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #163 (Feb 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $502-$644

Nearly scary in its intensity and over-the-top liqueur of stones and minerals is the 2003 Ermitage l’Ermite blanc. I’ll keep my tasting notes brief as there are less than 60 cases of this extraordinary wine. It represents the essence of marmalade, citrus oil, white flowers, and minerals. This great dry white wine is undoubtedly 2-3 times more concentrated than the greatest Montrachets I have ever tasted.

2003 Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #163 (Feb 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2006 - 2056

Cost: $320-$653

In terms of pure perfection and singularity, the black/purple-colored 2003 Ermitage l’Ermite is hauntingly perfect. A gorgeous perfume of flowers, black and blue fruits intermixed with a liqueur of rocks soars from the glass of this extraordinary wine. Full-bodied and multilayered, with magnificent concentration, and a stunning freshness and precision that are hard to believe given the frightfully low acidity, this is an extraordinary expression of terroir and vintage character that must be tasted to be believed. While it will be less approachable in its youth than some of its siblings, it will last for 40-50 years.

2003 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #163 (Feb 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2006 - 2056

Cost: $369-$514

A legend of the future is the 2003 Ermitage Le Pavillon (659 cases). The equal of such stupendous examples as 1990 and 1989, the 2003 is incredibly rich as well as awesomely well-delineated and fresh. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by a subtle but impressively intense nose of barbecue smoke, creme de cassis, blueberries, blackberries, and white flowers. The wine cascades over the palate (15.8% natural alcohol) with extraordinary richness, intensity, and silkiness. This seamlessly constructed Hermitage is, analytically, high in tannin, but extremely low in acidity, with a freaky accessibility (a vintage character). Prodigiously concentrated and high in extract, it should last for a half century or longer. It will be fascinating to follow over the next several decades.

2003 Chave Hermitage

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #163 (Feb 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2006 - 2046

Cost: $490-$789

The perfect 2003 Hermitage has acquired extraordinary minerality as well as definition since I first tasted it 12 months earlier. Its inky/purple color is accompanied by glorious aromas of creme de cassis, black cherries, licorice, crushed rocks, and flowers. Prodigiously rich and full-bodied yet elegant and fresh, this is a tour de force in winemaking. There are no overripe, scorched, pruny, fig-like notes in this extraordinary Hermitage. It will be drinkable young, yet evolve for 35-40+ years.

2003 Chave Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #182 (Apr 2009)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $2100

As I have indicated in previous reviews, Chave’s 2003 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin merits a perfect score. I know several excellent tasters who think this is the single greatest wine they have ever tasted, and it is difficult to disagree. This was an extraordinary vintage at Chave, with outrageously high alcohols, but unbelievable balance. It is truly an individualistic, but profound vintage that transcends all tasting parameters. An amazing tour de force in winemaking, the inky/purple-colored 2003 Cuvee Cathelin exhibits a gorgeous perfume of black truffles, blackberries, cassis, licorice, cedar, pepper, and spice. It possesses remarkable concentration, a finish that lasts over a minute, and it is clearly one of the most monumental wines ever made in the world. This 125-case cuvee should last for 50+ years. One of my favorite true and authentic vignerons to visit is the Chave family, located in the tiny, one-horse village of Mauves, just south of Tournon. The son, Jean-Louis, is taking over the reins more and more, but his father, Gerard, is still involved even though he is officially retired. As always, these wines performed brilliantly. Readers should keep in mind that the reviews of the 2007 white Hermitage and 2007 red Hermitage are a matter of extrapolating from tasting all the separate vineyards that go into these wines. That said, the Chaves appear to be ratcheting up their quality level because of a Draconian selection process in the vineyard as well as in the winery. The Chave estate wines’ finest value is St.-Joseph (5,000 bottles produced in each vintage), which comes from hillside vines planted in pure schist just outside their home village of Mauves.

2003 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve

A Proprietary Blend Dry Red Table wine from , Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #163 (Feb 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2010 - 2036

Cost: $393-$504

Sadly, the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Reservee (150 cases of a wine that reached 16.5% natural alcohol) is one of the most profound Chateauneuf du Papes ever produced, but latching onto a few bottles is virtually impossible. A blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Syrah, it is an astonishingly rich wine, offering up notes of black raspberry liqueur intermixed with kirsch, crushed rocks, and white flowers. The wine has superb richness, amazing intensity, yet comes across as relatively light on its feet for a wine of such massive richness and intensity. Made from yields of 12 hectoliters per hectare, the wine is a modern-day legend that should age for three decade or more. I could actually drink it now, although I know that’s infanticide, but I suspect this wine will hit its peak around 2010 and then age effortlessly. Bravo! P.S. I asked Daumen to indicate the yields of his vintages since 1998. Interestingly, he exceeded 30 hectoliters per hectare in 1998 and 1999, fell below that in 2000, and then his two smallest crops were 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2003 and 25 hectoliters per hectare in 2004. Obviously, this is for the entire estate and not just his Chateauneuf du Pape holdings, which are much smaller.

2003 Greenock Creek Shiraz Creek Block

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #167 (Oct 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $335-$349

Pure perfection, the 2003 Shiraz Creek Block was fashioned from a 65-year-old vineyard that yielded one ton of fruit per acre. This full-bodied, multifaceted effort reveals tremendous notes of bacon fat interwoven with black raspberries, blackberries, cassis, pen ink, graphite, incense, and acacia flowers. The finish lasts well past a minute. Although not the most powerful Shiraz (15.5% alcohol), to my mind it is the best of this portfolio, and is superior to the limited production, super-duper expensive Roennfeldt cuvees.

2003 Guigal Cote Rotie la Mouline

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #170 (Apr 2007)

Rating: 100

Drink 2007 - 2037

Cost: $633-$1100

The 2003 Cote Rotie La Mouline is by far the most delicate and elegant wine (11% Viognier is co-fermented with 89% Syrah). but the enormous aromatics of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, black raspberry, mocha, caramel, and cola, and enormous full-bodied opulence and striking velvety, seamless texture make for one of the most memorable wines anyone could every drink. This wine should age effortlessly for 25-30 or more years.

2003 Guigal Cote Rotie la Landonne

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #170 (Apr 2007)

Rating: 100

Drink 2007 - 2037

Cost: $595-$1100

Dense purple to the rim with a nose of graphite, creosote, earth, olives, and black, black, black fruits, the primordial, full-bodied, monumental 2003 Cote Rotie La Landonne is amazing stuff. I suspect this is more akin to a dry vintage port than most Cote Roties ever tend to be, but the purity, the richness, the texture, the length are all out of this world. This wine does need some patience on the part of its purchasers, probably five years, more likely 8-10, but then one of the world’s most compelling elixirs will be at its peak for another 20-30+ years.

2003 Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #170 (Apr 2007)

Rating: 100

Drink 2009 - 2037

Cost: $543-$1200

A pure aromatic smorgasbord is offered by the 2003 Cote Rotie La Turque, which has an amazing aromatic profile of espresso coffee interwoven with scorched earth, tar, truffle, incense, blackberry, bacon fat, and flowers. Powerful, thick flavors ooze across the palate with a viscous texture, amazing purity, and just enough acidity and tannin to give uplift and precision to this remarkable tour de force in winemaking. Of the 2003s, this is also approachable, but ideally 2-5 years of cellaring would be suggested, and the wine will evolve for at least 30 more years.

2003 Guigal Hermitage Ex Voto

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #170 (Apr 2007)

Rating: 100

Drink 2007 - 2106

Cost: $575-$1005

The good news continues as the 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto may even be the richest of all these wines. Only 4,000 bottles were produced from Guigal’s favorite parcels of Hermitage, Les Bessards, l’Hermite, Les Greffieux, and Les Murets. It is the most alcoholic of all the wines at 15%, but its off-the-chart richness, full-bodied, powerful, and amazing creme de cassis flavors along with truffle, crushed rocks, and acacia flowers, are utterly profound. This is one of the great Hermitages and it should last for 50-100 years. Just amazing.

2003 Lafite-Rothschild

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #164 (Apr 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2010 - 2050

Cost: $1075-$3002

A modern day version of the 1959 Lafite, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild was bottled in mid-May, 2005 after achieving 12.9% natural alcohol – hardly an astonishing figure given the vintage’s weather conditions. A combination of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it represents a ripe version of the essence of Lafite-Rothschild. Dense purple-colored, with classic notes of graphite intertwined with melted licorice, creme de cassis, smoke, and flowers, it reveals extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity, intensity, and viscosity. Whether this wine will close down or not is questionable as it is somewhat atypical given its sweetness and softness. Analytically, there are extremely high tannins, which I suspect will assert themselves in the future. Production in 2003 was less than half of normal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.

2003 Latour

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #164 (Apr 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2010 - 2040

Cost: $1000-$2169

There are only 10,800 cases (rather than the normal 15,000-20,000) of the 2003 Latour, a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot (13.3% finished alcohol). A prodigious effort, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of smoke, cedar, creme de cassis, flowers, crushed rocks, and blackberries. Massive and multi-layered, with huge richness and low acidity, it is about as unctuous as a young Latour can be. It could be compared to the 1982, but it may be even more pure, at least at this early stage, than that monumental wine. The level of intensity builds prodigiously in the mouth, and the finish lasts nearly a minute. Disarmingly accessible (although analytically the tannin level is high), I suspect it will ultimately shut down, but it was performing impeccably when I tasted it. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.

2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

A Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Table wine from Washington, USA,

Review by Pierre Rovani

WA # , #164 (Apr 2006)

Rating: 100

Drink 2010 - 2024

Cost: $275-$550

Unlike some minuscule production “cult” wines or luxury cuvees culled from a winery’s primary product that have earned perfect scores over the years, Quilceda Creek’s Cabernet Sauvignon is the winery’s raison d’etre and is produced in significant quantities (3,400 cases in 2002, 3,425 in 2003). For accomplishing this feat the Golitzens should be doubly proud. Darker colored and significantly more powerful than the 2002, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon displays mouth-watering aromatics of black chocolate, sage, and blackberry liqueur. Its awe-inspiring core of cassis liqueur, violets, blueberry nectar, black cherry syrup, and chocolate is immensely muscular yet elegant. Texturally reminiscent of liquid velvet, it slathers the palate with oodles of fruit, displaying unreal depth, balance, and length. Wow! Projected maturity: 2010-2024. Congratulations Alex and Paul, welcome to the big leagues. Tel. (360) 568-2389 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting

2003 Sine Qua Non The Inaugural (Syrah)

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from Central Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #172 (Aug 2007)

Rating: 100

Drink 2007 - 2022

Cost: $795-$1000

The mind-boggling 2003 The Inaugural Syrah is an emotional experience to taste as well as drink. Aged 38 ½ months in French oak, it was fashioned entirely from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard, which is planted with Syrah clones #470, 174, and the Estrella River and Alban field selections. This stunning Syrah boasts a magnificent bouquet of spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, charcoal, licorice, and roasted meats. It hits the palate with remarkable intensity, purity, and full-bodied power, but it somehow manages to dance across the taste buds with the gracefulness of a ballerina. Awesomely long, I still tasted this wine 60 seconds after I had spit it out – no easy task, even for a professional. This majestic Syrah should be a modern day legacy for Sine Qua Non, ranking alongside the other stunning Syrahs they have produced, such as the two 2002 cuvees, Just For The Love Of It and Heart Chorea. This is a nuanced, complex wine, whereas the 2004 Poker Face is more exuberant and flamboyant. It should age beautifully for 10-15+ years. To reiterate, it is a challenge to analyze these wines. I know they are distinctive, and I think I am beginning to understand why they are so much greater than just about every other Syrah or Grenache-based wine in California. In short, it is talent and incredibly meticulous hard work. No one works as hard or is as maniacal about a vineyard’s viticulture and winemaking as Manfred Krankl. Take that, add in exceptional talent, humility, top-notch vineyards, and I believe I understand the fundamentals of why these wines are so special.