Very nice red - perfect for family dinner. The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and nutmeg. It tastes like blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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Cellared since release. Leathery and tannic out of the bottle. But unwinds in the glass to reveal considerable charm. Black plums, raspberries, ripe cherries with a lovely mineral backbone. Long, satisfying finish. The CT scores don’t do this justice. I’d put this in the mid-90s. But decant generously first. Worth Seeking Out.
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Drank alongside the 2010. 2010 holding up much better. 09 tastes much more advanced and not in a good way. Some of the funk blew off but it stayed kind of off-putting, compared to the 10 that was silky smooth and ready to go.
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At first somewhat impenetrable with black fruit, leather, forest floor flavors enveloped with mouth coating tannins. Over a couple hours of air it evolved, fleshing out a bit and becoming a bit more accessible and enjoyable. I think this is a well made wine that could use a few more years and or a decent decant.
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This compared very favorably against a bottle consumed three years ago (Sept. 2014). My private note then was "Had over two nights. Decanted, kept half overnight in decanter with plastic wrap on top in wine closet. A bit dissapointing and the depth grew on the 2nd night but became a bit raisiny and almost cooked. It's good, but I'm not sure about it right now."
This time it really showed well. Note that it has been kept in good, but imperfect conditions, dark, but with seasonal temperature fluctuating from upper 50's to mid-upper 60's. So it's effective age is probably about 2021 vs. ideal conditions.
It gets right up to the edge of that southern Rhone / CdP too-ripe fruit, but doesn't cross the line. Big and burly, with a combination of dark, very ripe fruit and fresher red fruits. I got mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, black tea, garrigue. Really liked it on PnP and it opened a bit over a couple of hours.
W cheese souffle. Good color but no nose and on palate this did not come together. Admittedly a short decant and we drank ove rtwo hours so didnt really give it good time. Maybe that the mouvedre made this way to tight and needs a few years but i am not sure. Nothing bad, well made but it didnt speak to us.
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Intriguing perfumed nose, dark fruits, maybe a whiff of alcohol. Fiercely tannic, and I enjoy cleansing tannins, but without the astringency you would get in a Cab. I would suggest a long decant or wait 4 or 5 more years. I love the idea of a MTG blend.
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Beautiful wine, but not as good as some of the more recent vintages. If you have some, I say drink now. Not sure how much better it will get, but it was a very nice wine.
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On day 1 it was somewhat challenging to drink after a nice Turley. I reserved 1/2 bottle in a 1/2 bottle and it was still interesting with smoky mission figs and dark chocolate on day 3. There's wet carob in the nose. Probably past prime but more drinkable than dump-able.
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Drinking very nice- I let it breathe for 60 mins and drank over another 60 mins. I like this wine a lot- I would agree nothing special... but also nothing wrong just a very tasty Rhone blend from Tablas.
Enjoyable and pleasant Rhone blend that combined red and darker fruits and light spice with a medium body. Some initial heat, but good match with Korean food. Aerated 9 hours prior to dinner.
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Drinking quite well. Another excellent one from Tablas Creek. Maybe not quite as over the top excellent as some others in their line, but we fully enjoyed it. I was especially intrigued by the Tannat with Mourvedre and Grenache. In some ways, to my taste, the Mourvedre was more dominant than I would have first expected (thought it's 56%, I expected to taste more of the 23% Tannat). Improved with time out of the bottle, so while drinking well, it would suggest holding off for another year or two on any other bottles.
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Initial strong tastes of dark chocolate & dark fruits. Taste changed & softened in last 1/3 of the bottle to more fruits & less tannins. Quite drinkable.
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Interesting blend, with dark, smoky characteristics presumably from the Tannat, giving it a very distinctive flavor profile compared to the more common GSM blend.
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Med bodied but quite concentrated. Still shows fine structure. Dark fruits and earthiness comes across a bit exuberant. Very primary...In need of some age related depth and complexity. Patience.
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Color: medium ruby -> medium ruby rim. Wow; really primary, almost difficult to pinpoint nose of, well, concord grapes. Not complex and not a lot to tease out here. Palate was very similar; I think I've made a mistake and opened this way, way too soon. All I'm getting is red twizzler fruit (not a complement) and not much else. I'm going to vacu-vin the second half of the bottle and revisit tomorrow night. Rating reserved . . . .
Second day and the wine has developed a little black pepper and violets on the nose to go with those concord grapes. Noticeably tannic with some minerals on the palate but still not saying much. Really short finish. Ouch! I guess this is just not in my wheelhouse.
Very good wine. On the nose notes of dark berries and on the palate initial tastes of cinnamon and spice evolving into cranberries with a very nice mouth feel almost creamy. The wine is bit thin and does not have a very long finish other wise an excellent well made wine.
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PNP, Ruby in color with a nice mouth feel not too heavy, made for a nice summer wine. Dark fruit with some earthiness mild tannins with a medium finish. We were going to drink it with marinated strip steak but a friend stopped by and it was gone before dinner it was lovely as a stand alone wine to have with conversation.
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This is an amazing complex wine that dazzles the senses. The nose is very earthy. It has aromas of mushroom, clove, Hickory, and wild raspberry. The palate is amazingly complex. It has flavors of black olive, raspberry, currant, and dark cherry. The finish is long and pleasant with flavored of mocha. Great wine with barbecue chicken.
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Ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Soapy nose of flowers, strawberry and heat. Medium body with black fruit on the palate. Young and tight. Medium finish.
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A spicy nose of black olive, dark chocolate, menthol and blue fruits. The mouth is powerfully structured showing flavors of fig, briary fruit, pepper spice and a surprisingly creamy texture with fine, chalky tannins. The finish shows Tannat's characteristic firmness leavened by bright acids and a pretty floral note from Grenache. For now, pair with substantial food like wild boar ragout or pasta puttanesca, or lay it down for a decade or more.
Tasting room pour - another excellent showing from this wine. Very silky and elegant in its approach with cool black fruits, underbrush, spices, and earthiness throughout. Lovely minerality, especially for a red, and a firm but fine tannic structure. Juicy acidity and a med+ body, though it feels lighter due to its silkiness. From a textural and mouthfeel point of view it almost reminds me of a heavier weight red version of a German reisling with perceived delicacy inspite of it's penetrating flavors. Lovely and remarkable.
While flashy and drinking well now, these have the structure to age and should benefit from a short cellar nap - say 2 years and last for another 8 or so.
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From the winemaker: A spicy nose of black olive, dark chocolate, menthol and blue fruits. The mount is powerfully structured showing flavors of fig, briary fruit, pepper spice and a surprisingly creamy texture with fine, chalky tanins. The finish shows Tannat's characteristic firmness leavened by bright acids and a pretty floral note from Grenache. For now, pair with substantial food like wild boar ragout or pasta puttanesca, or lay it down for a decade or more.
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Wow, my experience with this couldn't be more different than the previous tasters. A beautifully elegant wine with great intensity to the red and black fruits, baking spices, and a savory herbal element. Beautiful balance and elegance within its firm tannic structure. The glossy appearance is repeated on the palate with a satiny texture. Great acidity and beautiful tannins. Sexy - this wines just oozes class and elegance. While drinking well now, this should imrpove with some time in the cellar. Exciting stuff. 92+
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5/14/2021 - bmigneron Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice red - perfect for family dinner.
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and nutmeg. It tastes like blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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9/30/2019 - barrytaylor wrote: 90 Points
deep color ready
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3/23/2019 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
Cellared since release. Leathery and tannic out of the bottle. But unwinds in the glass to reveal considerable charm. Black plums, raspberries, ripe cherries with a lovely mineral backbone. Long, satisfying finish. The CT scores don’t do this justice. I’d put this in the mid-90s. But decant generously first. Worth Seeking Out.
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11/10/2018 - mtaczak wrote:
Drank alongside the 2010. 2010 holding up much better. 09 tastes much more advanced and not in a good way. Some of the funk blew off but it stayed kind of off-putting, compared to the 10 that was silky smooth and ready to go.
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12/27/2017 - mclanew wrote: 91 Points
At first somewhat impenetrable with black fruit, leather, forest floor flavors enveloped with mouth coating tannins. Over a couple hours of air it evolved, fleshing out a bit and becoming a bit more accessible and enjoyable. I think this is a well made wine that could use a few more years and or a decent decant.
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9/16/2017 - tward Likes this wine: 91 Points
This compared very favorably against a bottle consumed three years ago (Sept. 2014). My private note then was "Had over two nights. Decanted, kept half overnight in decanter with plastic wrap on top in wine closet. A bit dissapointing and the depth grew on the 2nd night but became a bit raisiny and almost cooked. It's good, but I'm not sure about it right now."
This time it really showed well. Note that it has been kept in good, but imperfect conditions, dark, but with seasonal temperature fluctuating from upper 50's to mid-upper 60's. So it's effective age is probably about 2021 vs. ideal conditions.
It gets right up to the edge of that southern Rhone / CdP too-ripe fruit, but doesn't cross the line. Big and burly, with a combination of dark, very ripe fruit and fresher red fruits. I got mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, black tea, garrigue. Really liked it on PnP and it opened a bit over a couple of hours.
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5/12/2017 - MichielV wrote: 89 Points
W cheese souffle. Good color but no nose and on palate this did not come together. Admittedly a short decant and we drank ove rtwo hours so didnt really give it good time. Maybe that the mouvedre made this way to tight and needs a few years but i am not sure. Nothing bad, well made but it didnt speak to us.
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4/11/2017 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intriguing perfumed nose, dark fruits, maybe a whiff of alcohol. Fiercely tannic, and I enjoy cleansing tannins, but without the astringency you would get in a Cab. I would suggest a long decant or wait 4 or 5 more years. I love the idea of a MTG blend.
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6/3/2016 - Neras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully today. Has really come together very well!
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4/25/2016 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beautiful wine, but not as good as some of the more recent vintages. If you have some, I say drink now. Not sure how much better it will get, but it was a very nice wine.
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4/18/2016 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 89 Points
On day 1 it was somewhat challenging to drink after a nice Turley. I reserved 1/2 bottle in a 1/2 bottle and it was still interesting with smoky mission figs and dark chocolate on day 3. There's wet carob in the nose. Probably past prime but more drinkable than dump-able.
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1/24/2016 - ntruder wrote: 89 Points
Meh. Continuing my fading affection for TCR wines. This was drinkable but just lacked anything significant to get excited about.
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12/27/2015 - EducatedDrunk wrote: 88 Points
It's OK, not terribly sophisticated, a little hot on the finish. Decanted for an hour.
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8/9/2015 - VinoPKM wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very nice- I let it breathe for 60 mins and drank over another 60 mins. I like this wine a lot- I would agree nothing special... but also nothing wrong just a very tasty Rhone blend from Tablas.
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8/9/2015 - Neras Likes this wine: 89 Points
Again, drinking nicely, but nothing spectacular about it. Not sure it is worth waiting for more.
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3/2/2015 - Redguy wrote: flawed
Roasted fruit in a VA bath. Not pleasant.
Stored in Eurocave since release.
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2/28/2015 - Tom Warden Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking quite well now....very harmonious. This may get better with time, but I can't imagine it getting much better than it is today.
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2/5/2015 - BobMilton wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit with underlying earthiness and spice. Drinking very well right now.
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1/3/2015 - Neras Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great nose. Drinking nicely, although quite simple and short.
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10/24/2014 - dgriffin3480 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyable and pleasant Rhone blend that combined red and darker fruits and light spice with a medium body. Some initial heat, but good match with Korean food. Aerated 9 hours prior to dinner.
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9/24/2014 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ready to drink now. Deep and rich earthy flavors and very nice balance.
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9/18/2014 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking quite well. Another excellent one from Tablas Creek. Maybe not quite as over the top excellent as some others in their line, but we fully enjoyed it. I was especially intrigued by the Tannat with Mourvedre and Grenache. In some ways, to my taste, the Mourvedre was more dominant than I would have first expected (thought it's 56%, I expected to taste more of the 23% Tannat). Improved with time out of the bottle, so while drinking well, it would suggest holding off for another year or two on any other bottles.
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4/13/2014 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Initial strong tastes of dark chocolate & dark fruits. Taste changed & softened in last 1/3 of the bottle to more fruits & less tannins. Quite drinkable.
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2/19/2014 - JDRFoster wrote: 86 Points
Interesting blend, with dark, smoky characteristics presumably from the Tannat, giving it a very distinctive flavor profile compared to the more common GSM blend.
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7/20/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Med bodied but quite concentrated. Still shows fine structure. Dark fruits and earthiness comes across a bit exuberant. Very primary...In need of some age related depth and complexity. Patience.
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6/20/2013 - BVal wrote: 85 Points
Color: medium ruby -> medium ruby rim. Wow; really primary, almost difficult to pinpoint nose of, well, concord grapes. Not complex and not a lot to tease out here. Palate was very similar; I think I've made a mistake and opened this way, way too soon. All I'm getting is red twizzler fruit (not a complement) and not much else. I'm going to vacu-vin the second half of the bottle and revisit tomorrow night. Rating reserved . . . .
Second day and the wine has developed a little black pepper and violets on the nose to go with those concord grapes. Noticeably tannic with some minerals on the palate but still not saying much. Really short finish. Ouch! I guess this is just not in my wheelhouse.
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2/20/2013 - bzell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good wine. On the nose notes of dark berries and on the palate initial tastes of cinnamon and spice evolving into cranberries with a very nice mouth feel almost creamy. The wine is bit thin and does not have a very long finish other wise an excellent well made wine.
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1/12/2013 - Neras wrote: 91 Points
Typical TC nose. Quite heavy on Mourvouedre and maybe a little young. Pleasant.
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10/19/2012 - RLP805 wrote: 90 Points
PNP, Ruby in color with a nice mouth feel not too heavy, made for a nice summer wine. Dark fruit with some earthiness mild tannins with a medium finish. We were going to drink it with marinated strip steak but a friend stopped by and it was gone before dinner it was lovely as a stand alone wine to have with conversation.
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7/1/2012 - bbeissler wrote: 93 Points
This is an amazing complex wine that dazzles the senses. The nose is very earthy. It has aromas of mushroom, clove, Hickory, and wild raspberry. The palate is amazingly complex. It has flavors of black olive, raspberry, currant, and dark cherry. The finish is long and pleasant with flavored of mocha. Great wine with barbecue chicken.
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1/22/2012 - Vinomarcus wrote: 91 Points
Gorgeous black fruit, india ink, Asian spices, a thick velvety mouth feel that coats the palate. Wonderful wine.
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11/12/2011 - christophee Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Soapy nose of flowers, strawberry and heat. Medium body with black fruit on the palate. Young and tight. Medium finish.
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11/5/2011 - Aydin&Melissa wrote:
A spicy nose of black olive, dark chocolate, menthol and blue fruits. The mouth is powerfully structured showing flavors of fig, briary fruit, pepper spice and a surprisingly creamy texture with fine, chalky tannins. The finish shows Tannat's characteristic firmness leavened by bright acids and a pretty floral note from Grenache. For now, pair with substantial food like wild boar ragout or pasta puttanesca, or lay it down for a decade or more.
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10/8/2011 - Redguy wrote: 92 Points
Tasting room pour - another excellent showing from this wine. Very silky and elegant in its approach with cool black fruits, underbrush, spices, and earthiness throughout. Lovely minerality, especially for a red, and a firm but fine tannic structure. Juicy acidity and a med+ body, though it feels lighter due to its silkiness. From a textural and mouthfeel point of view it almost reminds me of a heavier weight red version of a German reisling with perceived delicacy inspite of it's penetrating flavors. Lovely and remarkable.
While flashy and drinking well now, these have the structure to age and should benefit from a short cellar nap - say 2 years and last for another 8 or so.
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10/5/2011 - ichhina wrote:
From the winemaker: A spicy nose of black olive, dark chocolate, menthol and blue fruits. The mount is powerfully structured showing flavors of fig, briary fruit, pepper spice and a surprisingly creamy texture with fine, chalky tanins. The finish shows Tannat's characteristic firmness leavened by bright acids and a pretty floral note from Grenache. For now, pair with substantial food like wild boar ragout or pasta puttanesca, or lay it down for a decade or more.
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9/18/2011 - Redguy wrote: 92 Points
Wow, my experience with this couldn't be more different than the previous tasters. A beautifully elegant wine with great intensity to the red and black fruits, baking spices, and a savory herbal element. Beautiful balance and elegance within its firm tannic structure. The glossy appearance is repeated on the palate with a satiny texture. Great acidity and beautiful tannins. Sexy - this wines just oozes class and elegance. While drinking well now, this should imrpove with some time in the cellar. Exciting stuff. 92+
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3/27/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 84 Points
Rhone Rangers 2011 (San Francisco): Sweet ripe red fruit; good, balanced, simple. 83-84
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