6/12/2014 - aktormedic wrote:

A very strange wine. While I am usually a fan of gideon's wine, this was a miss for me. Disjointed and unwieldy, and despite a low alcohol % (13.2), still a very heavy presence.

2/21/2012 - aktormedic wrote:

Typically overripe as I have found with all of the wines from the Rhone in 2003. Sweet, too much oak and overpriced. Guigal has lost what ever cache they used to have for Cote Rotie for me.... Well they actually did long ago, but this confirms why.

2/15/2012 - aktormedic wrote:

Classic BDX. Great with a steak.

2/15/2012 - aktormedic wrote:

Horribly corked

2/1/2012 - aktormedic wrote:

Lightest colored red I've ever had. And I drink a lot of Jura... Light, expansive and balanced, this is not the best wine for those that do not drink anything other than California reds. Highly acidic and floral, best with fatty cured meats or Jura cheeses.

1/26/2012 - aktormedic wrote:

Decent if modern bottle.... I am happy that I own far more current releases in the more restrained style than the older more "parkerized" style.

11/30/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

What the hell was going on in Germany this year? It tasted like a Auslese from a warmer year! Was not carrying its sugar well AT ALL. Very perfumed nose that promised far more than it could deliver. Unbalanced and overly sweet. Very poor QPR.

11/30/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

In a blind tasting this would be mistaken for a Sav Blanc 90% of the time. Has few characteristics of Riesling, let alone MSR. It was, however, pleasant enough with some high acidity good to cut through some fatty foods. Would not buy again, there are just too many good Rieslings at this price point.

11/16/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Not a typical Cornas with the fiery tannins and deep fruit. This was more like a de-classed syrah from an Northern Rhone vineyard. Had classic flavors of pepper and funk, but lacked a backbone to make it more interesting.

10/13/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

well integrated CDP with some remaining power to spare. certainly shows the ripeness of the vintage

10/12/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Classically restrained old school Bordeaux. Drinking really well at the moment, and certainly well with food. The fruit components take a little while to show, and the earthiness is certainly at the forefront at the opening, but the balance comes in rather quickly after a 45 minute decant.

7/19/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Nice and round on the nose, with warm typical burg scents... however, especially initially, the flavors were weak and flat. After a little time in the glass, it improved, but did not live up to the breeding expected of a C-M 1er cru

7/15/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Please don't drink this with out a good decant. Upon opening it had a nice nose, but was a simple drink. On the last glass 2 hours later, the complexity was stunning in comparison to the earlier glasses. Can taste the Full Cluster fermentation... Can leave for 3-5 more years.

7/15/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

seemed weak and over-ripe/over-oaked with the Copain it was next to. Poor QPR and simple.

2/16/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Very tasty. Perhaps a bit on the rich side for my liking, but had the balance and acids to pull it off. Maybe let it rest for 2/3 years more. Never had a bad selbach...

2/10/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

To be honest, not all that impressed. I expected a big more character from this bottle, but what I got was a good champagne without any particular distinction or special quality. Would certainly not buy at retail price...

1/31/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

A nicely balanced and pure expression of Pinot. I would not however have guessed the origins. The fact remains that it was quite tasty.

1/3/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Waited too long, but the shadows of it's former glory lurked. Certsinly drinkable, but fragile.

1/3/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

The discription waxes a bit too poetic for my tastes below, but this was certainly a very structured and taut wine that spoke above it's pedigree. Would pair quite well with a rich dish, as the acid would keep it all lively.

1/3/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Nice expression of the stile. Full of nutty, waxy minerality and enough acid to make your mouth water. Not for everyone, but for me, a delicious interesting wine that will stand out from the crowd.

1/3/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

A pleasant, if somewhat innocuous south french red. Paired well with lamb. A nice bit of herbal spice made the wine.

1/3/2011 - aktormedic wrote:

Extremely reductive, and possibly lightly corked... Others found it drinkable, but I am very sensitive to these flaws..

12/6/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

once again a disappointing bottle from this producer. I am done with them.

12/6/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

well balanced aged vouvray. Need to buy more wine like this.

9/29/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Completely out of wack. A jumbled mess of alcohol and acid with bitter-sweet finish.

9/1/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

pretty closed when first opened, with coxing a bit of iron, stone and raspberries emerge. The tannins come on a bit strong and the fruit seems muted, but this wine seems like in a bit of an awkward stage at the moment to be honest. First bottle out of the case and I hope the others will improve with some rest.

6/14/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Once again, high alcohol ruins a wine.

6/14/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Great stylistically correct northern rhone. If more syrahs from other parts of the world tasted and smelled like this, more people would drink syrah! Cracked pepper nose, high acidity and bacon/olive in the mouth. A complete wine.

6/9/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

As far as cider goes, it does not get more interesting than this. It is almost more like a apple gueze than what most people would consider a cider. Tart, mildly sparkling and palate cleansing, this is an amazing deal for the complexity.

5/19/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Obviously acidified. This wine is so innocuous that I am actually angry that I paid over 15 bucks for this (35 bucks if you care). It has nothing to distinguish it from any other red burgundy, or even an off year Rhone for that matter. Simple red wine that I will use for cooking. Time to open something better.

5/13/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Took a while to open up, but ended up as a strongly mineral, full bodied, floral and brightly acidic wine that had a moderate amount of oak. This blend is really something interesting and for the price, can beat a lot of other whites in similar styles. Cut right through a butter sauce on pasta.

4/27/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Not a very good example of a santenay or a burgundy for that matter. Blind, I could have guessed a poorly made syrah or a southern rhone from an off year. What a poor showing for this wine. Have 2 more d#%^ it!

4/27/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Surprisingly old world in nature, with a true to form Cabernet Savignon aroma, mouth watering acidity, tannic finish and roundness from the Merlot. Great QPR for me at 12 bucks. Needs 2-3 more years to round out a bit, or decant for at least 1 hour.

4/25/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Way over the hill.

4/24/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

What a nice surprise. Tasty, savory and complex with a touch of Brett and bracing acidity. Great with food or on it's own.

4/22/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Same impression... Like a sweet version of a northern rhone. Great great nose, wish the mouth completed the promise.

3/28/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Disappointing is an understatement. I have had more complete, better and more "au point" basic level Aligoté from unknown producers. Absolutely nothing to this wine but hard acids and some mineral characteristics.

3/11/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Dilute and thin.. Even after hours in a decanter this just never gave up anything. Maybe just closed, but I am not hopeful.

3/7/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Given accidentally in a restaurant by the glass and told it was a 2007 morey saint denis, I was shocked at the drinkability of such a young wine, and the smoothness of it.. Loved the long finish also. When we got the bill and saw what they actually gave us, it explained the breeding evident in the glass... However, it is certainly not (at least for me) worth the multiple-hundred dollar tab...

3/3/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

What a nice wine. Seriously. I could drink a bottle of this at one sitting myself. It has the purity that is so lacking in most wines (especially Italian wines) in the experiances that I have had. I has the cranberry nuances that others have noted, but I also find a really nice herbal, savory note on the nose. In the mouth, it is clean, pure fruit, again with more savory than sweetness and a great herby finish. A nice nice wine.

2/21/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

After reading such variety in ratings lately I opened up a bottle....

I think some of the negative reviews have some basis in the fact that this wine seems to be in a bit of an awkward stage, with the nose being a bit muted and subdued, but the breeding and class are obvious, and the structure and fruit lead me to blive it is just clamped down shut. I will wait about a year before I open another.

2/14/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

What a pleasant surprise. Buying burgundy from an unknown producer in an unknown year can be so iffy, but this wine performed admirably. It needed at least 45 minutes to open up, but once it was open, it was singing nicely. It has a great deal of fruit left, but the tannins have mostly receded to the background. In the mouth it was classic village gevrey with earth and dark fruit dominating. A little too much oak, but other wise a very nice wine, especially for the price.

2/14/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

wonderfully aromatic, with peaches and candied citrus with just a touch of aged petrol. In the mouth, full and balanced, with a nice clean acidity and long finish.

2/14/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Quite well developed nose, still carrying a surprising amount of tannin, has the secondary characteristics I want in a 21 year old wine , but none of the mustiness. Surprisingly good for 25 bucks at auction.

2/8/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Great with daube niçoise... Just enough tannins to grip the mouth and fruit to carry it off...

2/5/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Yet another nice qpr from copain. This was a bit more fruit forwards than usual for thus winery but remained true to variety and had nice peppery characteristics and sone good acid. A nice wine.

2/5/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

I don't understand the appeal of these wines. There is not much on the nose, and the flavors are so subtle as to not be there. The minerality is nice, but even this hard core mineral head wanted more than rubbing alcohol and rocks in this wine.

2/5/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

What a mess of a wine. Hot, unbalanced and overly oaked. Flavors of stewed plums, tomatoes and raisins. Yuk.

1/19/2010 - aktormedic wrote:

Waaaaayyyyy shut down.... Nothing but acid and tannin at the moment. dissapointing. Tasted at domiane and it was singing, but what a difference...

12/29/2009 - aktormedic wrote:

Much better. Definately some bottle variation. Has some depth from a bit more age. Last bottle but would have interesting to follow it farther...

Later note: Amazingly, I forgot that I had recorked a 1/2 bottle and stuck it in the fridge...I left no airspace and used the old cork from the 750.... Tried it tonight, more than 2 weeks later and it was completely fresh and maybe a bit more open, really peppery. AMAZING. Never had a wine last that long.

Have to try it next 750 I open!!