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Deep purple with a tight pinkish rim, the 2010 vintage is a rare gem, presenting as a more extensive wine for the class with a tremendous mid-palate impression. This is an excellent vintage, so 2010 is ripe and sweet with fine structure and length. The aroma is perfumy and classy, with a balanced 'racio' of blackberry, plum fruit, smoke and wood. This 'ratio' refers to the harmonious blend of these flavours, creating a complex and layered taste. On the palate, you'll find a delightful mix of red fruits(strawberries and cherries). Length is more than reasonable. There are significant scores: 95 Tim Atkins, 93 Falstaff, and 92 Wine Enthusiast.


2010 has a tannic structure and finishes fine. It is denser and weightier. Fresher and riper than 2002, 1999 and 1996, this 2010 finishes nicely: medium length, dry finish with balanced fruit and wood; the suitable alcohol; tamed, dense tannins; slowly evolving with discreet charm. This claret has the structure of a classified growth at a great price(thanks to the low or non-scores from Robert Parker et al. and James Suckling).


In a recent, exclusive Olympian tasting, the 2003 Angludet vintage proved its mettle, outshining a host of better-known wines. Sold out, that 2003 vintage should have demanded more of your attention and rewarded patience and a discerning palate. In that blind tasting, five seasoned wine tasters scored this vintage an impressive 3rd place, with a weighted average score of 88.68. It surpassed the likes of Boyd Cantenac, Centenac Brown, Siran, La Gurgue, Dauzac, Ferriere, Marquis de Terme, Monbrison, Marjolla, and others. While it did lose marginally to Durfort Viviens (87.15) and du Tertre (87.08), its performance was still commendable. So, the old vintages of 1996, 1999, 2002, and 2010 that we are showing here will also be as good. For this Cru-level, like Margaux, these vintages will require patience in the tasting. Don't expect these vintages to give power and fresh fruit; they are more to be appreciated on subtleties. They may need 30 minutes of full decanting. 


Surrounded by vineyards of the highest prestige, Giscours, Brane-Cantenac, and Kirwan, these vintages from d'Angludet stand tall. These are not just vineyards; they are the guardians of a rich history and a testament to the art of winemaking. On pebbly stones, no grass growth is possible—one of our first bottles of fine claret, a testament to the rich history of this wine, 30 years back.   




Château Dauzac is home to 42 hectares of vines planted to a single block on deep gravel soils. Thomas Michel Lynch acquired Dauzac in 1740 and is responsible for establishing the reputation of this beautiful, large estate. In 1885, Ernest David, manager of both Dauzac and Ducru-Beaucaillou, perfected the Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate and hydrated lime) here in conjunction with Professor Alexis Millardet to fight mildew and other fungi. The M.A.I.F. purchased this fine estate in 1988 and handed over management to André Lurton, who became President of the Executive Board in 1992. His daughter, Christine Lurton de Caix, took over for him in 2005. Under her leadership, the estate has [specific achievements or changes]. The cellars were renovated in 2004 and now feature state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. The grapes are hand-picked into small crates and sorted twice (before and after destemming). The wine is aged in new barrels.


As Parker aptly describes, this 1995 bottle is a wine that demands attention. It is a broodingly backward, tannic, dark, ruby-coloured wine, perhaps too austere in its youth. However, beneath its initial reserve is a wealth of sweet black currant fruit, a medium body, and a fleshy mid-palate that will ignite enthusiasm. This is a well-made, competent Margaux that promises to age gracefully, a testament to the artistry of Château Dauzac. This summary was based on the notes written 20 years ago.


We believe the fruit barely made adequate for the class by now, given the old age of having survived 30 years. It has some nostalgic qualities, though. However, only buy this wine if you prefer the sort of Margaux subtleties more than robust fruit and are experienced enough to appreciate an aged wine. It has a [specific number of years] ageing potential, which means it will continue to develop and improve over time. 


Wine Spectator gave it 92 points, saying it's the best Dauzac ever. Attractive berry and violet aromas follow through on the palate. It is medium—to full-bodied, with racy tannins and a long, floral aftertaste. Very pretty indeed. (1/1998). Mind you, this tasting note was written in 1998.


91 Decanter wrote, 'There were plenty of changes between 1980 and 1995 - for a start, the M.A.I.F. bought Dauzac in 1988 and introduced a second wine with their first vintage. The current technical director, Philippe Roux, began in 1993. In the cellar, a small amount of new oak was added (around 30%), which feels like an altogether more serious wine. This change in the winemaking process [specific impact on the wine's characteristics]. It's enjoyable and well constructed, still with slightly drying tannins on the finish that stop it being quite as delectable as it initially seemed. Still, there is a good freshness and lift, and the floral aromatics add interest. (J.A.)  This tasting note was written in 2018. 







 Indulge yourself in the luxurious taste of this exceptional wine that many of our customers love. Its deep, dark ruby-red colour and rich, smoky new-oak nose with intense blackcurrants make it a benchmark Pauillac. The dark fruit aromas, with some ripeness and notes of cedar and cocoa, add to its irresistible charm. On the palate, the wine showcases more cassis fruit with milky notes, and the acidity lifts the fruit, giving it life. 


Although the fruit lacks absolute concentration, the well-balanced alcohol and attractively supple tannins offer a fair length of flavour that you can relish. This wine is best suited for early or mid-term drinking and contains a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, making it a customer favourite. Try it today and experience the exquisite taste that has earned it its well-deserved place among our most beloved wines!

This is a consolidation of the tasting and papers

written from 2006 to 2013. These write-ups had been with the orginal site Wine and Beyond, Yahoo, until the service stopped by Yahoo in September 2013.

 

For years I have been working with wines, either buying it, selling it to wine companies, lecturing and writing about it, and, not unimportantly, enjoying it with friends. If any of the articles on this site are worth reading it is due to my teachers, my mentors, my peers and friends, my students, and in particularly my editors who ignite in me a desire to communicate in wines.

 

Clinging to the trellis of wine, I started to get more and more involved with estates and winemakers, by supporting them with consultancy in communication and marketing. The more I spend my time outside Hong Kong, the more I sense a desire to be part of the international wine family.

 

Writing about wine represents a moment of reflection, curiosity, atitudes and a desire to analyse often hidden structures and history, in an effort to make the wealth of wine accessible to a targetted, and hopefully larger audience.

 

I am not sure if I can wine proivde more accessible to all through this blog. But I am sure to write in wine means being involved in wine and  to remain as impartial and objective as possible.

 

Kevin Tang.

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