Served blind. Very reticent on the nose, with virtually no fruit aromatics, just some leather and forest floor. Syrah-dominated palate (I called northern Rhone), seamless, with smoke, bacon, garrique and plenty of acid. No signature Grenache notes, nor any florality. I suspect this will last 6-8 more years then gracefully decline for another decade+.
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A decent wine, and for the price point this is always a good wine to experience older CDNP. Sadly this was outshone by a Chapoutier 1990 Barbe Rac which I felt was far more balanced.
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Rhone North & South 1990, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): A good surprise . Lacks a bit of elegance but still this is healthy with good fruit core. Fruit on the nose, light sweet fruit feel. Good acidity, decent fruit, and just a touch of sharp tannin on the finish. Not bad data all. 89 and drink now
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Herbal nose, barnyard smell. Good acidity and length, mineral with some ripe fruit left. Not overly complex and quite a bit past its peak. Drink up. 88-90
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Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of spice, barnyard, and bacon, more of the same on the palate, touch simple, medium body, tasty for 23 years old. Drink up as its passed its peak. My fourth place, no first place votes.
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Beautiful nose of dry spices, fresh blackberries, casis and animal notes. Nose remained intense for the entire time this was open. Palate was big, full-bodied, with soft tannins, and lots of complexity. Blackberries, casis, leather, all pretty well wrapped by good (not sharp) acidity. Nice multi-layered long finish. Just great right now!
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probably the best chateauneuf i've had- still young; purple- a little lightening at the rim; the fragrance was remarkable- raspberry kirsch, tar and licorice, a symphony of spice that wafted over the table; dy-no-mite; full bodied and balanced this is a wine that is both savory and meant to be savored. ultra long finish- also had '02 fevre bougros, '04 aubert lauren chardonnay, and an outstanding '89 clinet that most certainly benefited from a 2+ hour decant...
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This Chateauneuf was simply awesome. As soon I as uncorked it, kitchen was smelling black olives all over the place. Not decanted (put in a decanter for service only), I could not help myself smelling the wine. Complex and enticing with black olives, light milk chocolate with raisin (but not the dry ones, kind of the ones you put in rhum to they can imbibe the rhum), hint of kirsh... Med body, mild acidity and smooth tannins, it is very well balanced and shows great fruits with again that black olives and kirsh without never being jammy nor too alcoholic. Finish is long. I fell in love with this wine ! Bottle was in perfect condition with no ullage.
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Pre-'90 Chateauneuf in Seattle (Kaspars): This was one of the pleasant surprises of the evening. A gorgeous wine. Nice complexity with some sous bois, barnyard and dried lavander. Great youthful fruit and well-balanced structure. A lovely bottle showing well.
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Telltale barnyard nose yields to a kirsch-inspired cherry current. Surprisingly, to me, the wine has some real heat at first blush. After the heat, though, this wine offers wonderful black and red fruits mixed with pepper and sage and thyme and even some hints of green olive. Again, the body is much more rich and dense than I expected--some real body to this wine both in profile as well as in aftertaste. It's hard to describe how long this lingers on the tongue, but this wine will just not quit. I'm not sure where it will go from here, but it doesn't seem like this has lost its punch. A full-bodied, brawny CDP that's still going strong.
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3/29/2020 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served blind. Very reticent on the nose, with virtually no fruit aromatics, just some leather and forest floor. Syrah-dominated palate (I called northern Rhone), seamless, with smoke, bacon, garrique and plenty of acid. No signature Grenache notes, nor any florality. I suspect this will last 6-8 more years then gracefully decline for another decade+.
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6/15/2019 - _water.into.wine_ wrote: 90 Points
A decent wine, and for the price point this is always a good wine to experience older CDNP. Sadly this was outshone by a Chapoutier 1990 Barbe Rac which I felt was far more balanced.
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4/10/2014 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Rhone North & South 1990, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): A good surprise . Lacks a bit of elegance but still this is healthy with good fruit core. Fruit on the nose, light sweet fruit feel. Good acidity, decent fruit, and just a touch of sharp tannin on the finish. Not bad data all. 89 and drink now
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4/10/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 89 Points
Herbal nose, barnyard smell. Good acidity and length, mineral with some ripe fruit left. Not overly complex and quite a bit past its peak. Drink up. 88-90
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11/18/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of spice, barnyard, and bacon, more of the same on the palate, touch simple, medium body, tasty for 23 years old. Drink up as its passed its peak. My fourth place, no first place votes.
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9/14/2012 - Lombardi wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose of dry spices, fresh blackberries, casis and animal notes. Nose remained intense for the entire time this was open. Palate was big, full-bodied, with soft tannins, and lots of complexity. Blackberries, casis, leather, all pretty well wrapped by good (not sharp) acidity. Nice multi-layered long finish. Just great right now!
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7/17/2011 - europat55 wrote: 89 Points
Past its prime...
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2/13/2011 - jonnyoro wrote: 100 Points
probably the best chateauneuf i've had- still young; purple- a little lightening at the rim; the fragrance was remarkable- raspberry kirsch, tar and licorice, a symphony of spice that wafted over the table; dy-no-mite; full bodied and balanced this is a wine that is both savory and meant to be savored. ultra long finish- also had '02 fevre bougros, '04 aubert lauren chardonnay, and an outstanding '89 clinet that most certainly benefited from a 2+ hour decant...
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11/26/2010 - europat55 wrote: 89 Points
I was expecting a little bit more from this bottle...
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12/14/2008 - french16 wrote: 96 Points
This Chateauneuf was simply awesome. As soon I as uncorked it, kitchen was smelling black olives all over the place. Not decanted (put in a decanter for service only), I could not help myself smelling the wine. Complex and enticing with black olives, light milk chocolate with raisin (but not the dry ones, kind of the ones you put in rhum to they can imbibe the rhum), hint of kirsh...
Med body, mild acidity and smooth tannins, it is very well balanced and shows great fruits with again that black olives and kirsh without never being jammy nor too alcoholic. Finish is long. I fell in love with this wine !
Bottle was in perfect condition with no ullage.
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9/29/2007 - SimonG wrote:
Remmington Norman Offline in aid of Pebbles Project (Le Colombier, London): Quite a flat nose. Sweet fruit, slightly savory in the mouth. A slightly 'pinched' aspect to the finish. Also slightly bitter - hints of anise.
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2/8/2006 - cellarid wrote:
Too roasted and plumy. Probably not a representative bottle.
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4/30/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote: 94 Points
Pre-'90 Chateauneuf in Seattle (Kaspars): This was one of the pleasant surprises of the evening. A gorgeous wine. Nice complexity with some sous bois, barnyard and dried lavander. Great youthful fruit and well-balanced structure. A lovely bottle showing well.
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4/30/2005 - ScottG wrote: 96 Points
Seattle does pre-90 Chateauneuf- April offline at Kaspars (Kaspars Restaurant in Seattle): Wow what a nose! Big, open, fruity nose with a bit of that lovely stink to it. Big tannic palate with a lot going on. Blood, meat, herbs. So much happening. Lots of time left.
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2/4/2005 - AlanC wrote: 89 Points
Telltale barnyard nose yields to a kirsch-inspired cherry current. Surprisingly, to me, the wine has some real heat at first blush. After the heat, though, this wine offers wonderful black and red fruits mixed with pepper and sage and thyme and even some hints of green olive. Again, the body is much more rich and dense than I expected--some real body to this wine both in profile as well as in aftertaste. It's hard to describe how long this lingers on the tongue, but this wine will just not quit. I'm not sure where it will go from here, but it doesn't seem like this has lost its punch. A full-bodied, brawny CDP that's still going strong.
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