Vieux Telegraphe Vertical (The Sun Street Hotel, Liverpool Street): Slightly lighter in colour than the 1990. More sweet fruit on the nose than the older wine but less on the palate. Cherry and strawberry fruit, again fully integrated but a shade off the older wine with more of a spicy kick at the finish that enhances interest. I prefer the 1990 by a small margin but this is very good.
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Vieux Telegraphe Vertical (Sun Street Hotel, Liverpool Street, London): A tiny bit behind the exalted 1990, but this is still showing strongly. There is a chalky, talc note to the nose with some blueberry compote and a hint of marzipan. Lovely freshness too. Very light on its feet. Chapeau.
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From magnum, this wine was fresh and vibrant, still showing more primay nuances than secondary. A pleasure to drink from the beginning and even better after about an hour. Medium weight and plush in the mouth with plenty of finesse. Finish could have been longer, but still an excellent effort for the vintage.
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Based on the vintage, this fully mature Chateauneuf du Pape is showing much better than expected. Medium bodied, and lacking the intensity of a great vintage, the red berries are fresh, clean feminine. This is not a wine to hold.
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Consumed over 2 days. Strong tannin at first, but smoothed out after 2 hours and balanced well with the fruit. Leather, smoke, dark fruit, grilled meat and cedar. Lovely. Nearing the end of its time I would think.
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Nose of flowers, olive, lipstick, cherries, herbs, licorice. Sweet black cherries and raspberry palate with licorice, tobacco, minerals, clove, briar, linen...this wine just kept giving and giving until the resolved but present tannin cut the finish nicely. What a surprise; drinking beautifully.
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Blind Chateauneuf and Gigondas 1988 - 1995 (Berkeley): Group's #7; my #1; 4 first; 0 second; 1 third; 3 last. Aromas and flavors of dark fruits, meat, leather, minerals, spice, and barnyard. Complex, balanced, smooth, velvety, with excellent acidity and a long finish. Some others thought that this was over the hill.
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Following up on my previous note, this wine is definitely on the quick and steady decline. The cork was dry and required major surgery to remove it. An off aroma and first taste provided a earthy, bitter finish. I decanted it and left it to sit for about an hour. Came back to it and had a glass or two but it was more science and enjoyment.
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Laurie and I opened this wine with our 23 year old son, Gordon. I almost immediately figured out we were on different tracks so to speak. Gordon's glass was barely touched half way through the meal and i was on my second -- so was Laurie. Gordon remarked, can we have something younger, a bit fresher with more lively fruit. I told him go to the frig and open a Coke!
This wine was amazing for 17 years in the bottle. Plenty of blackberry fruit with red pepper, spicy overones. Grounded by earth tonality. Lots of balance and structure. And a long finish.
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Very nice and very full compared to other years. I was not expecting much but this was a tremendous wine and could easily last another 5 years or more. Outside of a tiny bit of noticeable wood taste, I was really impressed with the depth of this wine.
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(from magnum) A very pleasant surprise. A bit lean on opening, but filled out wonderfully. Mature blue/red fruit mixed with a good does of dry leaves, earth and animal. Provencal herbs as well. The finish builds. A lovely mature example of Chateauneuf. A surprise winner. (92)
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Found lurking in the cellar; popped and poured. The cork was perfect; the wine has seen better days; red going to brown, tannic with fading fruit. Interesting that a 94 from half-bottle was excellent last year.
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Deep red. Lots of tomato and pepper on the nose at first. A lot like a Bloody Mary. later the beautiful grenache notes showed themselves. At first it seemed very weird but in the end it was a very elegant grenache forward aged CdP.
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Great effort from an apparently average vintage. Huge garrigue gives way to lovely strawberry fruit under a jasmine nose. Opens up over time becoming more rosy with hints of tobacco and leather. Drink during that window however as it turned completely to soy sauce by the next day.
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Vieux Telegraphe Vertical Dinner (Rubicon, San Francisco): Medium color but mousy aromatics and harsh tannins with little fruit. I much preferred the '92, which was no great shakes but at least it was clean. I wonder if these were hail-affected grapes.
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Loads of brett which blew off quickly. Forest floor, black cherry, sage, and dusty tannins on the finish. Tastes like decent mature CdP - great effort for the vintage.
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Sound color – younger looking than expected, actually. Somewhat closed on the nose, with smoked meat and spice. In the mouth it’s fairly tannic with dark cherry fruit, spice and a fairly high (but not off-putting) acid profile. Traditionally styled. I’m surprised to say that this ’93 Chateauneuf, now twelve years old, probably still needs a couple more years...
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4/25/2023 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vieux Telegraphe Vertical (The Sun Street Hotel, Liverpool Street): Slightly lighter in colour than the 1990. More sweet fruit on the nose than the older wine but less on the palate. Cherry and strawberry fruit, again fully integrated but a shade off the older wine with more of a spicy kick at the finish that enhances interest. I prefer the 1990 by a small margin but this is very good.
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4/25/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 90 Points
Vieux Telegraphe Vertical (Sun Street Hotel, Liverpool Street, London): A tiny bit behind the exalted 1990, but this is still showing strongly. There is a chalky, talc note to the nose with some blueberry compote and a hint of marzipan. Lovely freshness too. Very light on its feet. Chapeau.
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8/15/2017 - rm97 wrote: 89 Points
On the way down but still enjoyable
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6/21/2017 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at the Domaine
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12/6/2015 - ojeffso wrote:
From magnum, this wine was fresh and vibrant, still showing more primay nuances than secondary. A pleasure to drink from the beginning and even better after about an hour. Medium weight and plush in the mouth with plenty of finesse. Finish could have been longer, but still an excellent effort for the vintage.
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12/23/2014 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 91 Points
From the domaine. Beautiful example of older Grenache.
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11/29/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 88 Points
Based on the vintage, this fully mature Chateauneuf du Pape is showing much better than expected. Medium bodied, and lacking the intensity of a great vintage, the red berries are fresh, clean feminine. This is not a wine to hold.
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1/31/2014 - Port Townsend Steve Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consumed over 2 days. Strong tannin at first, but smoothed out after 2 hours and balanced well with the fruit. Leather, smoke, dark fruit, grilled meat and cedar. Lovely. Nearing the end of its time I would think.
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12/28/2013 - keepitreal wrote: 92 Points
Nose of flowers, olive, lipstick, cherries, herbs, licorice. Sweet black cherries and raspberry palate with licorice, tobacco, minerals, clove, briar, linen...this wine just kept giving and giving until the resolved but present tannin cut the finish nicely. What a surprise; drinking beautifully.
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4/21/2013 - peeno wrote: 88 Points
Slightly over peak but still smooth but uneventful.
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5/15/2012 - psrv wrote: 93 Points
Blind Chateauneuf and Gigondas 1988 - 1995 (Berkeley): Group's #7; my #1; 4 first; 0 second; 1 third; 3 last. Aromas and flavors of dark fruits, meat, leather, minerals, spice, and barnyard. Complex, balanced, smooth, velvety, with excellent acidity and a long finish. Some others thought that this was over the hill.
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10/15/2010 - pepmi wrote: 80 Points
Following up on my previous note, this wine is definitely on the quick and steady decline. The cork was dry and required major surgery to remove it. An off aroma and first taste provided a earthy, bitter finish. I decanted it and left it to sit for about an hour. Came back to it and had a glass or two but it was more science and enjoyment.
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9/3/2010 - pepmi wrote: 90 Points
Laurie and I opened this wine with our 23 year old son, Gordon. I almost immediately figured out we were on different tracks so to speak. Gordon's glass was barely touched half way through the meal and i was on my second -- so was Laurie. Gordon remarked, can we have something younger, a bit fresher with more lively fruit. I told him go to the frig and open a Coke!
This wine was amazing for 17 years in the bottle. Plenty of blackberry fruit with red pepper, spicy overones. Grounded by earth tonality. Lots of balance and structure. And a long finish.
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2/12/2010 - chrisa23 wrote: 93 Points
Very nice and very full compared to other years. I was not expecting much but this was a tremendous wine and could easily last another 5 years or more. Outside of a tiny bit of noticeable wood taste, I was really impressed with the depth of this wine.
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11/2/2009 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points
(from magnum) A very pleasant surprise. A bit lean on opening, but filled out wonderfully. Mature blue/red fruit mixed with a good does of dry leaves, earth and animal. Provencal herbs as well. The finish builds. A lovely mature example of Chateauneuf. A surprise winner. (92)
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6/30/2009 - rosenst1 wrote: 75 Points
Found lurking in the cellar; popped and poured. The cork was perfect; the wine
has seen better days; red going to brown, tannic with fading fruit. Interesting that a 94
from half-bottle was excellent last year.
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6/23/2009 - smcg wrote: 89 Points
Good fruit, but not very complex. Improved a bit after 30 minutes to show some spice/leather, but I don't think this is headed anywhere.
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2/12/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Deep red. Lots of tomato and pepper on the nose at first. A lot like a Bloody Mary. later the beautiful grenache notes showed themselves. At first it seemed very weird but in the end it was a very elegant grenache forward aged CdP.
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6/11/2007 - keepitreal wrote: 88 Points
Great effort from an apparently average vintage. Huge garrigue gives way to lovely strawberry fruit under a jasmine nose. Opens up over time becoming more rosy with hints of tobacco and leather. Drink during that window however as it turned completely to soy sauce by the next day.
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5/14/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
Vieux Telegraphe Vertical Dinner (Rubicon, San Francisco): Medium color but mousy aromatics and harsh tannins with little fruit. I much preferred the '92, which was no great shakes but at least it was clean. I wonder if these were hail-affected grapes.
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2/16/2007 - rmodak wrote: 88 Points
Loads of brett which blew off quickly. Forest floor, black cherry, sage, and dusty tannins on the finish. Tastes like decent mature CdP - great effort for the vintage.
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11/14/2005 - Ben Andersen wrote:
Sound color – younger looking than expected, actually. Somewhat closed on the nose, with smoked meat and spice. In the mouth it’s fairly tannic with dark cherry fruit, spice and a fairly high (but not off-putting) acid profile. Traditionally styled. I’m surprised to say that this ’93 Chateauneuf, now twelve years old, probably still needs a couple more years...
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