This showed refined/elegant for de Courcel, but think that was a function of being next to the rustic Gaunoux. Black cherry and cocoa, a bit of tannin yet rather lush on palate. Some others liked slightly more. B+/B
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Sad to say this was an unusual bottle unlike all the others I have had from this case. It never opened up and evolved into a chemistry mistake. Did not expect this, but it does happen from time to time. All my other bottles I would have rated this wine a solid 92 points!
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Beautiful youthful appearance, accessible bouquet of rose petals, red fruits and some earthy spice. After 30 minutes all I wanted to do was stick my nose in the glass. Med weight with nice balance, layers of red fruits including distinctly strawberry notes after an hour. All framed with engaging tannins and acidity showing its cote de beaune roots, nice finish. This is really firing on all cylinders.
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Had along side the 2001 Clos des Epenots - both opened for an hour before tasting. Half way thru the case, this wine continues to mature, mid weight, dark fruit core, good balance and energy. Still has that touch of rusticity common to cote de beaune wines. Drinking well but bested by the Clos des Epenots which was a notch darker, bigger and deeper.
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A little further along than prior bottles. Starts out a little closed, within 15 minutes in the glass it starts to really open up with dark fruits leading the way. Rim starting to show some maturity. Less rusticity in this bottle, better integrated, more weight, more length.
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Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Singapore - Back to Basics 2012 (Absinthe, Bukit Pasoh): This was pretty good as well. It had a lovely earthy nose, just what you would expect from a Rugiens, with dark cherry notes touched by wood spice and then a savoury undercurrant of sous bois and game meat. Very darkly masculine stuff. The palate had a really nice sense of elegance to it. There was certainly a feel of the firm structure of Pommard, especially towards the backpalate, but the tannins were really fine as they guided the fruit through a pure attack of dark fruit and black cherry flavours into spice-infused midpalate, and finally into a good, long finish pure dark fruit, black cherries, spice, good long finish. This may have lacked a bit of complexity, but it had everything I like about a good 2001, from the lovely fresh balance and definition of the wine to the transparency of the fruit from which the terroir shone through. Not earth-shaking, but a very pleasant wine that was quite ready to drink.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Nice fruit and rouundness making it easy drinking. However, not that much to get excited about, not that memorable, not that intriguing minerality. I was expecting more.
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Based on my last bottle, i decanted this one 2 hours prior to tasting. The fruit here was still tight but had a spicyness and grip that was engaging. Still a little hard on the palate, but clearly a wine that should evolve quite well. Very nice 10 year old, should be a excellent 20 year old.
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Muted upon opening but after an hour it started to open up. A little rough and tannic on the palate but not in an unplesant way. The wine grew on me as it revealed layers of dark fruits and spice over the next two hours. Clearly has a long life ahead of it.
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At first blush the Comte Armand was so gracious and enchanting that it appeared to be the WOTN. And for many people it might well have been and there would be no argument as it was a wonderful bottle. However the Courcel just kept coming on. It was relentless throughout the dinner. Every time you came back to the glass it had opened a little more, evolved a touch, taken on another layer and it never let up. The last sip was the best one of the bottle. There is a lot of matter to unwind here and this wine will easily go another 15 years at full strength. The power of Rugiens is evident as the fruit runs almost entirely to the black cherry/blackberry side of things but there is so much more to this wine then that. Fantastic complexity and while it has a manly sort of tannic structure it feels perfectly in proportion with the other elements of the wine. Just a flat out great bottle of wine.
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7/11/2018 - DaleW wrote:
This showed refined/elegant for de Courcel, but think that was a function of being next to the rustic Gaunoux. Black cherry and cocoa, a bit of tannin yet rather lush on palate. Some others liked slightly more. B+/B
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11/12/2016 - WineArchitect wrote: flawed
Sad to say this was an unusual bottle unlike all the others I have had from this case. It never opened up and evolved into a chemistry mistake. Did not expect this, but it does happen from time to time. All my other bottles I would have rated this wine a solid 92 points!
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8/16/2015 - paul195 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful youthful appearance, accessible bouquet of rose petals, red fruits and some earthy spice. After 30 minutes all I wanted to do was stick my nose in the glass. Med weight with nice balance, layers of red fruits including distinctly strawberry notes after an hour. All framed with engaging tannins and acidity showing its cote de beaune roots, nice finish. This is really firing on all cylinders.
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5/7/2013 - Le Musigny wrote:
.
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12/25/2012 - paul195 wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with last bottles
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11/22/2012 - paul195 wrote: 91 Points
Had along side the 2001 Clos des Epenots - both opened for an hour before tasting. Half way thru the case, this wine continues to mature, mid weight, dark fruit core, good balance and energy. Still has that touch of rusticity common to cote de beaune wines. Drinking well but bested by the Clos des Epenots which was a notch darker, bigger and deeper.
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7/5/2012 - paul195 wrote: 92 Points
A little further along than prior bottles. Starts out a little closed, within 15 minutes in the glass it starts to really open up with dark fruits leading the way. Rim starting to show some maturity. Less rusticity in this bottle, better integrated, more weight, more length.
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6/2/2012 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Singapore - Back to Basics 2012 (Absinthe, Bukit Pasoh): This was pretty good as well. It had a lovely earthy nose, just what you would expect from a Rugiens, with dark cherry notes touched by wood spice and then a savoury undercurrant of sous bois and game meat. Very darkly masculine stuff. The palate had a really nice sense of elegance to it. There was certainly a feel of the firm structure of Pommard, especially towards the backpalate, but the tannins were really fine as they guided the fruit through a pure attack of dark fruit and black cherry flavours into spice-infused midpalate, and finally into a good, long finish pure dark fruit, black cherries, spice, good long finish. This may have lacked a bit of complexity, but it had everything I like about a good 2001, from the lovely fresh balance and definition of the wine to the transparency of the fruit from which the terroir shone through. Not earth-shaking, but a very pleasant wine that was quite ready to drink.
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3/3/2012 - Bisty Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours.
Nice fruit and rouundness making it easy drinking. However, not that much to get excited about, not that memorable, not that intriguing minerality. I was expecting more.
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2/19/2012 - paul195 wrote: 91 Points
Needs 1-2 hours of breathing
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12/24/2011 - paul195 wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with last bottle
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9/17/2011 - paul195 wrote: 92 Points
Based on my last bottle, i decanted this one 2 hours prior to tasting. The fruit here was still tight but had a spicyness and grip that was engaging. Still a little hard on the palate, but clearly a wine that should evolve quite well. Very nice 10 year old, should be a excellent 20 year old.
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4/19/2011 - paul195 wrote: 92 Points
Muted upon opening but after an hour it started to open up. A little rough and tannic on the palate but not in an unplesant way. The wine grew on me as it revealed layers of dark fruits and spice over the next two hours. Clearly has a long life ahead of it.
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2/11/2011 - jimbomatic wrote: 93 Points
At first blush the Comte Armand was so gracious and enchanting that it appeared to be the WOTN. And for many people it might well have been and there would be no argument as it was a wonderful bottle. However the Courcel just kept coming on. It was relentless throughout the dinner. Every time you came back to the glass it had opened a little more, evolved a touch, taken on another layer and it never let up. The last sip was the best one of the bottle. There is a lot of matter to unwind here and this wine will easily go another 15 years at full strength. The power of Rugiens is evident as the fruit runs almost entirely to the black cherry/blackberry side of things but there is so much more to this wine then that. Fantastic complexity and while it has a manly sort of tannic structure it feels perfectly in proportion with the other elements of the wine. Just a flat out great bottle of wine.
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