2006 Magdelaine

Closed and difficult to fathom, this wine is certainly not performing up to what I expected from my initial tasting. Either this wine is going through an ungraceful stage, or I simply overrated it from barrel. Deep ruby in color, with the classic black cherry, licorice, spice box, and cedary nose, the firm, structured, medium-bodied flavors exhibit excellent depth and the potential for longevity, but then clamp down tightly with a wall of tannin and acids. This is a wine to forget for at least 5-6 years. Drink it over the following 15-20. Wine Advocate.February, 2009

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. I was not particularly enamoured by the 2006 Chateau Magdelaine from barrel, so after ten years, the question remains...was I too mean? Maybe. That said, I find the aromatics here more diffuse than the 2006 Canon-la-Gaffeliere, missing Magdelaine's usual cohesion and finesse. The palate is stocky, brittle in the mouth with dry tannin, tarry red berry fruit, a dash of white pepper with quite an austere finish. While I accept that I may have been harsh in barrel all those years ago, fact is, there are far superior wines from this "discontinued" estate out there. Tasted January 2016. May 2016, www.robertparker.com