August 17, 2013 - deep read, sharp tanins in the beginning. Sweet strawberris, some oak and tobaco at the end.
October 22, 2012 - Tydlig Södra Rhöne-karaktär i doften. Fruktfylligt, ganska alkoholstarkt och med den för producenten typiska bitterheten i smaken
January 22, 2012 - Superior bottle at its peak. Lovely nose and palate. Quite rich. Fully satisfying. A baby CDP.
August 22, 2011 - Consistent with 7/15/11, 6/11/11, and 4/27/10 bottles: this just isn't very good.
July 15, 2011 - consistent with the bottle I had on 6/11/2011
June 11, 2011 - -- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
-- Grenache, Syrah, & Carignan --
NOSE: dark raspberry and blackberry aromas on this moderately expressive Nose; hints of game, garrigue, and earthiness; with time, a rum ball or fruitcake scent emerges; alcohol is sometimes a bit noticeable here, as well.
BODY: clear; purple-garnet color of medium-deep depth; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: quite earthy; alcohol is sometimes very noticeable – taste (14.5% on label); blackberry liquer; a bit raisined around the edges; dark-fruited; simple; too much alcohol taste; hint of oak spice; this wines goes in and out of being very tight and only moderately tight; overall: earthy, dark-fruited, a bit too alcoholic, and (possibly) tight. This is the third bottle I’ve had of this wine, and all have shown quite similarly. I guess hold ‘em if you got ‘em, and hope this comes out of the shell it might be in right now.
B: 50, 5, 11, 13, 6 = 85
October 29, 2010 - Good value. soft tannin, nice balance of spice and gentle sweetness. Had it with BBQ pulled pork and steak tips.
September 27, 2010 - I had high hopes based on the other reviews, but am disappointed. The nose was modest, the flavor more alcohol based than spice or fruit inflected. The blend didn't inspire or bring out more of any of the native grapes (to my palate). The nose was of modest plum overtones. The taste is slightly of blackcurrents and plums. I was hoping for more since its Grenache based (a favorite) and mixed with Syrah and Mourvedre. Also of note is that this is non-filtered -- a plus in my book. But, I didn't find it very memorable, or very exciting to the taste. There was a very short aftertaste and generally the alcohol was much more dominant on the palette.
September 18, 2010 - A wonderful wine. Plenty of garrigue in the nose, the spiciness is balanced. Flirty sweet fruit. Plums and dark cherries in the taste.
Good acidity. Difficult to believe it will improve with cellaring. This wine gives "easy drinking" a more sophisticated face. It is like asnack - we want more.
September 14, 2010 - Pooped & poured - not as big as shiraz opened first; VG CdR