Opened a bottle of the 2004 Chateau Pipeau (St. Emilion) last night to accompany some rare beef and a rather delightful spinach/pine nuts/sultanas dish.
After a 90 minute decanting, the dark almost opaque Bordeaux gives up aromas of dark fruits and an almost espresso like complexity. Rich and full on the palate, the wine is surprisingly soft for being so young. The wine is probably at risk of being characterized as a 'New World' style wine from the Old World, but if you like a big, rich, easy drinking right bank wine, this one is definitely two paws up.
My ability to project drinking windows can be rather hit and miss (I tend to drink my Bdx earlier than some folk), but I would suggest that this wine is drinkable now, with some improvement potential for a few more years. But the soft tannins and moderate acidity suggest to me that it probably should be polished off within the next 5 to 10 years.
Those who are interested can find the wine at K&L, where I got these for $28.99. A good price for a decent quality Bordeaux.