2003 Haut Marbuzet

Dark red with shading. Very sweet and over the top and very painful to taste. ‘The Pavie of St-Estèphe’ my neighbours suggest. Painful. Drying. (Average group score: 16.1) (JR)

Red-ruby. Explosive, flamboyantly ripe aromas of black raspberry, grilled meat and fruity pepper. Large-scaled, fat and sweet, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness and a texture like liquid silk. An exuberant wine of great charm, with just enough acidity to maintain its balance. This has the unctuousness to give early pleasure but will be even better in four or five years. The alcohol here is a rather full 13.6%.

Having just had a brilliant bottle of 1982, I do not believe that Haut-Marbuzet has hit any peaks of greatness since 1990, but 2003 is a good vintage. The 2003 Haut-Marbuzet is ripe, fleshy, exotic, and seductive. Dark ruby/plum-colored with sweet black cherry fruit, dried herbs, and plenty of toasty oak, this wine has good ripeness and purity, and is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.