2003 Chateau d'Armailhac 5eme Cru Classe, Pauillac

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s “10-Year On” tasting in London. The Chateau d’Armailhac has a ripe, dark plum, Morello cherry and mint-scented bouquet with touches of leather emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a savoury, slightly gamey entry. There is good weight and volume here, decent acidity and a pleasant build in the mouth to the meaty finish with just a dash of white pepper. Fine. Tasted March 2013.

The deep ruby/purple-hued 2003 d’Armailhac exhibits notes of Asian plum sauce interwoven with creme de cassis, licorice, and roasted herbs. With moderately high yet sweet tannin, an earthy character, and chewy, muscular, deep fruit as well as medium to full body, it should be drunk between 2008-2019.

Good full ruby-red. Expressive aromas of cherry, currant and chocolate, with a hint of roasted oak. Big, rich, fat and sweet, with an enticing flavor of crystallized currant. Unusually broad for this wine, with tannins sweet and ripe. An excellent showing.