Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical

Last week a member of our weekly tasting group in Chicago generously hosted a tasting of Clos Erasmus. I was particularly looking forward to this tasting as I don't have much experience with Spanish wines and no experience with Clos Erasmus. After some weather delays at O'Hare, I finally landed and made a mad dash to Bob's just in time for the first flight.

Overall the wines were quite strong with a clear lineage. That said, there was a big step up between the first (older) and second (younger) flights. In particular, the wines from 01-04 really shined (they introduced their second wine, the Laurel, in 2000 - coincidence??). Interestingly, almost all the wines had plenty of structure and many tasted 'young' to drink, but the ones that actually had a bit of bottle age generally did not show as well. I think there has to be an evolution in winemaking style over the course of the 90s.

• 1993 Clos Erasmus Priorat 92 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #5, My #3 - Full ruby purple color. Medium nose of black currant cough drop. Nice round focused red fruit with mineral notes on a firm tannin and acid frame.

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• 1994 Clos Erasmus Priorat 91 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #3, My #4 - Full ruby purple color. Medium dusty red fruit nose with notes of acidity. Big dusty blcak fruit with round cherry and tannin. Tastes young to me.

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• 1995 Clos Erasmus Priorat 89 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #4, My #5 - Full purple color with pink edges. tight dusty briar black fruit. Big bold black fruit with coffee and firm tannin - drinking very young in my view.

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• 1996 Clos Erasmus Priorat 93 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #2, My #2 - Full deep purple color. Mediu shy candied red fruit with some anise hints on the nose. Lovely round spicy red fruit with a irm frame.

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• 1997 Clos Erasmus Priorat 94 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #1, My #1 - Full purple red color. Full dusty tight black fruit with some spiciness on the nose. Big red cherry with spicy dusty tannic finish. Complex and balanced with hints of chocolate. Easy WOTF.

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• 1998 Clos Erasmus Priorat 93 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #3, My #4 - Full purple red color. Big clean black cherry nose with clean acidity as well. Nice rich tight black fruit. Lush with firm structure. Opened up nicely with a little air. 93-94 pts.

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• 1999 Clos Mogador Priorat 92 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #5, My #6 - Full purple pink color. Big sweet purple fruit nose. Medium/rich coffee black fruit with firm acidity and tannin. Still tight and will benefit from time.

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• 2000 Clos Erasmus Priorat 93 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #6, My #5 - clear deep red color. Big clean black fruit with some lifted sweetness on the nose. Big briar black fruit with a hint of sweet and coffee. Should improve with time as well.

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• 2001 Clos Erasmus Priorat 95 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #2, My #2 - Full deep red color. Lovely bright briar red fruit nose. Mmmn, big rich complex chewy lush black and red fruits with bit of spice. Great balance. Actually continued to improve in the glass - a good sign! This would have been easy WOTF/WOTN in most tastings like this, but then there was the 04...

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• 2002 Clos Erasmus Priorat 94 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Gropu #4, My #3 - full purple red color. Medium briar bright black currant nose. Big tight acidic spicy coffee black fruit on the palate. Still showing young with a lot of structure, but great stuffing.

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• 2004 Clos Erasmus Priorat 96 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Group #1, My #1 - a slam dunk for WOTF and WOTN even if it is still an absolute infant. Opaque deep purple red color. Full rich black fruit cassis toffee nose. Wow! Huge big tight but superrich black fruit and mocha with a searing dusty tannin finish that goes on and on. This is drinkable and possible to enjoy now (with plenty of air), but patience will be rewarded with an absolutely monumental wine.

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• NV Gonzalez-Byass Pedro Ximénez Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Viejo Noé VORS (30 Years/Años) 95 Points

  Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry

  Coffee brown deepening color. Big bright alcohol coffee/toffee nose. Supperrich toffee coffee brown sugar and mollasses on the palate. I've never tasted a sherry like this before. Can't drink much of it, but a very interesting wine.

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• 2004 Jorge Ordoñez & Co. Málaga #1 Selección Especial 92 Points

  Spain, Andalucía, Málaga

  Pale white yellow color. Huge perfumed white fruit aroma. Sweet mineral chalk white fruit with a long spicy finish. This wine kind of got lost after the huge sherry, IMO.

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