2003 Ch. La Couspaude, St. Emilion

TN: 2003 Ch. La Couspaude, St. Emilion. A sweet, oaky nose, sickly so, straight from the get-go. Vanilla, with confected berry. The nose is off-putting and artificial. The palate follows exactly. The long and (unfortunately) lingering finish is like something that a pharmaceutical company tries to create to make children willing to drink medicine. In a word, gross. $38. I want my money back. This isn’t wine. Maybe I can poach some pears in this for dessert? 60 points.

Lol, I’m just wondering why you of all peeps would have popped this! :wink:

Thanks for the warning.
I always think of the 2003 Bordeaux vintage, with a travel description in mind.
A guy on a bicycle tour passing the vinyards of Pomerol in late harvest time, noting the “yellow leaves and shriveled clusters still hanging, or dropped on the ground.”

It scared Me back then to read, and I only bought a fraction of normal. And no right-banks. The prices also took a big jump up from the kindly priced '02s. High sugar and high price, -pass.

-Søren

Limited cellar space has me doing a culling…unfortunately, more to go in terms of 2003 Right Banks. I was still under the hype-spell back then. Alas…alas…

Soren, Parker must have forgot to note that… [wow.gif]

I had a 98 in the last year, that I’d held since release, that had not developed so well either. They might be jamming more oak into this than it can handle. I’d be reluctant to buy this estate going forward.

LOL here, too. Before I opened the thread, knowing a little about Drew’s tastes from his prior notes, I knew that this was going to be really good (or, more accurately, really bad). Good note, Drew!

Terrible.
















Just slice and eat those pears. Why ruin them?

Here’s Parker’s note:

An attractive blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the dense ruby/purple-hued 2003 La Couspaude exhibits a big, smoky, oaky nose, loads of sweet black currant and cherry fruit, medium body, and abundant superficial charm. However, there is not much depth or persistence. Nevertheless, it will provide enjoyable drinking over the next 5–7 years.

It sounds like you should have had it 5-10 years ago. If at all.

Chris, I have never found Parker’s drinking window notes useful, but I had this several years ago and disliked it then too, and hoped it would swallow the proprietor’s poor use of oak with time. That said, I don’t understand how anyone could recognize “oaky nose, loads of sweet black currant and cherry fruit,… and abundant superficial charm” and still give it an 89! It was always gross.

Did you read those notes before purchase?

I don’t recall Victor. Back then, I did not have the same clear view of my palate preferences.

Good lessons tend to be painful.

Good lessons are good lessons. I wish I had fewer lessons in my cellar than I do, but no worries, my friend. The core of the cellar is strong. Just need to cull more the past mistakes. On the “to do” list.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/magazine/wine-and-dine.html [stirthepothal.gif]

I doubt anyone on this forum has never made a bad purchase.

My purchasing decisions were pretty solid pre-2003, but that’s before we really started to feel the omnipresence of Rolland and Parker’s declining palate. I bought quite a few of these 03s, 05 St Ems and 07 CDPs. Oh well, we all learn, and it gives us something fun to write about now!

:wink:

Thankfully, I almost completely avoided the 07 CDPs, which I have generally found abhorrent on tasting, Robert. I do have too many spoofy 2003 Bordeaux and 2005 right bankers for my actual preferences, but I will find a way to endure and carry on somehow. Drink up or sell off.

I got lucky, Drew. A good buddy of mine likes these modern St Ems, so we did a lot of great trades. Plus, my Dad loved the '07 CDPs, as his palate is aging like Uncle Bob’s. I pretty much brought him those CDPs for every family gathering! He thought I was a wonderful son. I’m quite happy with my left bank purchases in both vintages (well, except for Lascombes, which I found horrible).

SOunds like a good solution. The only Lascombes I bought was the 04, if memory serves. Hopefully they did not go overboard in that vintage. I have not cracked the case yet.

If you want some old school Medoc, K&L has a bunch of 99 Lanessan, 12 Potensac both for $20/per.

Maybe that will be a soothe the palate.