1 | Wine | Red Bordeaux Blend, 2003, 750 ml

"This is a stunning, pure, classic Pontet-Canet. Deep purple to the rim with a glorious nose of scorched earth, black currant jam, smoke, licorice, and roasted meats, it is full-bodied, incredibly powerful, dense, with low acidity but high tannin, broad-shouldered, and savory." -Robert Parker

"The nose is intense and floral with hints of red fruit and oak not yet completely absorbed. The mouth is flavorful with immediate tannins that envelop and saturate the taste buds. This long, persistent wine has returning sensations of fruit and a note of fresh acidity that guarantees its longevity."

"Incredible nose of crushed berry, licorice, violets and lightly toasted oak. Pure crème de cassis. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Solid."

"The noteworthy, classic Margauxs from this estate remain under most consumers’ radar. Displaying low acidity and a forward style, the exotic 2003 is undeniably fragrant, complex, and sexy. Its dark ruby/purple color is followed by sumptuous aromas of truffles, underbrush, plums, cassis, and a hint of figs. The tannin is sweet, and the texture is multilayered. This full-bodied, chewy, round, sensual Margaux should evolve gracefully for 15+ years. Bravo!"

"I tasted the 2003 on three separate occasions, one of which merited a three-digit rating... A dense, viscous-looking purple color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of blackberries, espresso roast, fried lard, and pain grille. Full-bodied and massively rich with decent acidity and plenty of structure as well as tannin." Reviewed by Robert Parker

"As usual, this superb Pauillac possesses an inky/blue/black color in addition to a big, sweet nose of graphite, charcoal, burning embers, black currant liqueur, and toasty vanillin from new oak casks. Full-bodied with high but sweet, well-integrated tannins, the 2005 Pichon Baron is more backward than the blockbuster 2003 or prodigious 2000. Nevertheless, it is a superb effort." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"The inky/purple-tinged 2003 exhibits an extraordinary bouquet of crushed rocks, white flowers, and red as well as black fruits. The most port-like of the 2003 Perse offerings, it is a sexy, opulent, viscous St.-Emilion with extraordinary density as well as an exotic, nearly over-the-top richness."

"The 2003 is a soft, relatively evolved style of wine. Up-front and forward, with a complex, perfumed (smoke, incense, fruitcake) style, it offers creme de cassis, cherry, plum, fig, incense, and cedar characteristics on the palate. The round, opulent attack quickly fades in the finish. Nevertheless, it possesses plenty of appeal, and is the most accessible Canon-La-Gaffeliere I have tasted." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Revealing more texture, depth, and persistence than I initially predicted, it possesses a dense purple color along with a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, graphite, espresso roast, new saddle leather, and truffles. This opulent, dense, full-bodied, gloriously rich effort can be drunk in 1-3 years, but because of its power, concentration, and overall equilibrium will keep for two decades."

"Good dark ruby-red. Sappy, liqueur-like aromas of maraschino cherry, cassis, licorice and smoky oak. Sweet, supple and chocolatey, with reasonably fresh flavors of framboise, cassis and violet." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer. 87-90 pts.