Pretty sure this is on the downslope, or at least this bottle seemed to be showing fatigue. As good as it was a mere year ago, I think it would be wise to get after these in the next year or two.
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Easily the best bottle I have had to date. All of the previous reductive notes have disappeared and what is left is a wine of great purity. Nice nose of red raspberry, black cherry, leather, and a hint of spicy oak. On palate, supple and lush with raspberry, leather, anise, and spice. Long balanced finish with nice grip. The starts were lined up for this bottle. Drink or hold over the short term.
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Don't what it was about this bottle on this night, but this wine showed very well. Nice nose of violets, tar, red raspberry, leather, and smoke. On the palate, rich with red berries, black raspberry, spice, leather, and smoked game. Nice finish with decent grip and balanced acidity. The floral aromas were incredible. Drink or continue to hold over the shorter term.
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Such a pleasurable, easy drinker but this one did not shine quite like the last. It might have crested or perhaps it's just a moody bottle. Nevertheless, it washes down with burgers really well and did not stand much of a chance of lasting into day two.
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Served with roast chicken. In a really good spot right now. Nose of dried cherries, smoke, leather, and hints of raspberry. On the palate, medium bodied with flavors of red berries, dried cherry, leather, and hints of licorice. Nice balanced finish with great acidity. Drink or continue to hold, no big hurry.
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Pretty well resolved now and drinking in great form. Hints of smoke and spices, dried cherries, sweet and savory elements. One of the better CdP's in my memory. Oh yeah, it isn't CdP. ;) Really nice wine, Mr Smigelski. Fully IPOB. 5+12+16+8= 91
Very sad that this was my last bottle, awesome stuff. I love how it's light on the front of the palate and then medium silky body on the backside. I will take donations :-)
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Man I like this stuff. Bright and pleasing, it stood out on a night when we tasted a wide variety of wines. Not one to ponder for a long time, but definitely a wine to call delicious and enjoy every last drop.
Notes on pop n'pour. Light ruby/garnet color, very light - about 30% opaque, with slow forming legs and some very long-grained sediment. The nose is weak on the intensity scale but beautiful in it's profile and complexity. Gotta love that Grenache and Mourvedre combo bouquet! Palate is smooth and round, medium weight, with refreshing acidity and understated tannins. This is "Joey Chestnut" wine, i.e. consume in large quantities, or when you would like to write in the One Whole Bottle Consumed Alone thread in the forum :) 4+11+17+8 = 90
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Decanted one hour. Nice nose of raspberry, leather, smoke, and a bit of burnt rubber that blew off quickly. On the palate, gamy with red fruits, smoke, and leather. Piercing acidity on the finish, still has a bit of grip. Great with food. Drink or hold.
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I really like how easy drinking with grilled burgers this wine is. Smoky meats and strawberries. Really nice mouvedre component to this. Its light and I like the style. Wish I had a few more, or at least the room for a few more.
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Light body Southern Rhone style blend. An inviting nose of tart cherry and Cinnamon. The palate is somewhat unbalanced that detracts from the overall flavors of tart cherry, cure meat and cinnamon spice. A nice acidity level although the finish is harsh.
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Light with strawberry and raspberry, and then a bit of light pepper spice throughout. With some air, it adds weight and a trace amount of funk. Good accompaniment to grilled lightly BBQd chicken and roasted mushrooms and eggplant on a cool, wet spring evening.
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Great rhone blend. Very light in color and palate. Easy drinking but still enough going on to make you pay attention. I am going to hold my remaining 2009 for at least six more months. CT says I still have a 2008 but I think it is lying. CT is cruel that way.
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Strawberries and more ripe strawberries. To go with your very ripe strawberries through in some blackberries and serious garrigue. Nice touch of peppercorn and a very smooth but full CA version of a CdP. Nice and great QPR. Makes Jaja look as poor as it really is. Dacalier is classy, full and flavorful, not overly hot for a very ripe year. 1 more in the cellar and wish I had more. enjoy this wonderful wine now or in a few years. This ship isn't sailing anytime soon.
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Consumed with lamb, a great match for this wine. On the nose, Mouvedre funk with bright raspberry, anise, and sage. On the palate, leathery expression of pure red fruit, melted licorice, herbs, and hints of tobacco. Nice balance finish with a bit of grip. Drinking very well at this point.
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Really settling in nicely. Nose of raspberry, leather, burnt rubber, spice. On the palate, nice red fruits, leather, spice. More heft that than the color would indicate. Just a pretty wine, great match for lamb.
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Getting a plumper and juicier profile from this bottle. Seems to have added weight and complexity and really singing right out of gate. 5th bottle of a case and I wouldn't say there's any clear bottle variation, but maybe the moon is in just the right phase.... this one is fantastic!
Ready to enjoy right from the pop. Medium ruby color, about 50% saturated (looks like a dark rose'), very fine sediment in the bottle. Spicy herbal nose, cherry must, tobacco, sage, and earth. Very nice flavor and balance. Minerals and acidity creating a vibrant and refreshing splash across the palate and extra nuance into the finish. Not very persistent but well-behaved in an Old World sense. I think it should drink at prime for another year or three. 4+11+15+8 = 88
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The fruit on this bottle appears faded from what I remember just a few months ago. Still nice, but might suggest that this needs to be consumed sooner than later.
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A very nice example of a Rhone style blend with a profile that would compare well to any of it's counterparts from the Southern Rhone. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with a meal.
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As with previous, light in color but this belies what is to be found on the palate. Very close to a Pinot Noir in many ways, but more going on. Red fruit, ample acidity, nice touch of oak.
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Initial aromatics are very good, just like old world pinot noir. My initial impression is that you can really taste the Mourvedre in the blend, but as it is opened longer there is a tart lingering cranberry note that suggests a mischievous herbal expression.
PnP - Expressive nose of raspberry and earth. Both carried through to the palate, with the addition of leather and tar. Dry, food friendly tannins. Very enjoyable.
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Interesting bottle. Lightly colored it could be mistaken from afar as an Old World PN. translucent ruby in the glass, with a light bit of orange towards the rim. On day one the wine wasn't too expressive. Red fruits, garrigue and some peppercorn on the nose with very soft tannin. Day 2, the wine seems more alive, more meaty notes on the nose with some five spice as well. The tannin are more pronounced but pleasantly chewy. Medium finish which is quite clean for a red. I can't accurately score this as its unlike the WA CdP blends which seem overly hot and thin. This has thickened up a bit from day 1, but wouldn't be confused with old world CdP, but maybe a cru Vacqeyras. Decent drinker, and could get better in the cellar.
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Light red with orange rim, red fruit nose. Lightly tart, dry tannins, red plum fruit, sour cherries, blood oranges. Medium body with chewy mouth feel, well balanced with good acid, light tannins. I have had this open on the counter and in the fridge for 2 weeks now while drinking up some older whites. On revisiting, it has lost nothing, just gained some smoothness and a bit of complexity. I will bump it a point based upon improvement with age.
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Light ruby, red fruit nose. Lightly dry, red currants, boysenberry, nice acid tannins balance. Smooth mouthfeel, medium body, just a hint of bitter on the finish. Drinking very nicely on the PnP.
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Light ruby red, soft raspberry nose. Lightly tart with a hint of sugar, lovely soft fruit, ripe plums, strawberries. Very well balanced and drinking well, some mineral with light bitter in a positive way. Good to go on the PnP.
Pop and pour. Nice nose of red fruit, smoke, leather, and a little bit of funk. On the palate, very nice and restrained with red raspberry, tar, sour cherry, and hint of leather. Finishes with great balance. Very nice package for the money.
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PNP, Pale red in color, cherry and smoke on the palate fairly mellow wine not a lot of body, medium finish, light tannins. I agree with the other TNs it comes across much as a PN would. Smoke seems to be blowing off as it gets some air. Very enjoyable summer type wine.
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Very much enjoyed this wine, the first '09 that I opened. Pale in color, could easily be mistaken for a Pinot based upon that. On the palate the similarities don't stop; cherry, raspberry and a nice oak note. Good acidity, some leather, small flourish on the finish.
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Soft and luscious with subtle cherry/strawberry flavor profile against a fairly light body. Between the soft mouthfeel and the absence of any telltale rhone spice notes, I could definitely have confused this for a pinot noir. In any event, it's delicious and a real treat to drink.
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6/12/2016 - fingers wrote:
Pretty sure this is on the downslope, or at least this bottle seemed to be showing fatigue. As good as it was a mere year ago, I think it would be wise to get after these in the next year or two.
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2/5/2016 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Easily the best bottle I have had to date. All of the previous reductive notes have disappeared and what is left is a wine of great purity. Nice nose of red raspberry, black cherry, leather, and a hint of spicy oak. On palate, supple and lush with raspberry, leather, anise, and spice. Long balanced finish with nice grip. The starts were lined up for this bottle. Drink or hold over the short term.
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12/18/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Don't what it was about this bottle on this night, but this wine showed very well. Nice nose of violets, tar, red raspberry, leather, and smoke. On the palate, rich with red berries, black raspberry, spice, leather, and smoked game. Nice finish with decent grip and balanced acidity. The floral aromas were incredible. Drink or continue to hold over the shorter term.
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11/21/2015 - fingers Likes this wine:
Such a pleasurable, easy drinker but this one did not shine quite like the last. It might have crested or perhaps it's just a moody bottle. Nevertheless, it washes down with burgers really well and did not stand much of a chance of lasting into day two.
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10/27/2015 - Redrunners wrote: 89 Points
Interesting blend.
Popped and poured. Started out a little tart, but opened up fairly quickly.
Flavors of sour cherry, raspberry and cinnamon. Moderate complexity.
My last bottle - good value for the money
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9/19/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served with roast chicken. In a really good spot right now. Nose of dried cherries, smoke, leather, and hints of raspberry. On the palate, medium bodied with flavors of red berries, dried cherry, leather, and hints of licorice. Nice balanced finish with great acidity. Drink or continue to hold, no big hurry.
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8/9/2015 - fingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty well resolved now and drinking in great form. Hints of smoke and spices, dried cherries, sweet and savory elements. One of the better CdP's in my memory. Oh yeah, it isn't CdP. ;)
Really nice wine, Mr Smigelski. Fully IPOB.
5+12+16+8= 91
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7/10/2015 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very sad that this was my last bottle, awesome stuff. I love how it's light on the front of the palate and then medium silky body on the backside. I will take donations :-)
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2/7/2015 - grayfont Likes this wine:
Man I like this stuff. Bright and pleasing, it stood out on a night when we tasted a wide variety of wines. Not one to ponder for a long time, but definitely a wine to call delicious and enjoy every last drop.
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1/6/2015 - fingers Likes this wine: 90 Points
Notes on pop n'pour. Light ruby/garnet color, very light - about 30% opaque, with slow forming legs and some very long-grained sediment.
The nose is weak on the intensity scale but beautiful in it's profile and complexity. Gotta love that Grenache and Mourvedre combo bouquet!
Palate is smooth and round, medium weight, with refreshing acidity and understated tannins. This is "Joey Chestnut" wine, i.e. consume in large quantities, or when you would like to write in the One Whole Bottle Consumed Alone thread in the forum :) 4+11+17+8 = 90
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12/30/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted one hour. Nice nose of raspberry, leather, smoke, and a bit of burnt rubber that blew off quickly. On the palate, gamy with red fruits, smoke, and leather. Piercing acidity on the finish, still has a bit of grip. Great with food. Drink or hold.
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9/30/2014 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 89 Points
I really like how easy drinking with grilled burgers this wine is. Smoky meats and strawberries. Really nice mouvedre component to this. Its light and I like the style. Wish I had a few more, or at least the room for a few more.
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9/16/2014 - Bob in NC wrote: 86 Points
Light body Southern Rhone style blend. An inviting nose of tart cherry and Cinnamon. The palate is somewhat unbalanced that detracts from the overall flavors of tart cherry, cure meat and cinnamon spice. A nice acidity level although the finish is harsh.
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8/11/2014 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Very light and refreshing for a gsm. Easy drinking and developed nicely after an hour.
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5/28/2014 - ssimpsonjr wrote: 88 Points
Light with strawberry and raspberry, and then a bit of light pepper spice throughout. With some air, it adds weight and a trace amount of funk. Good accompaniment to grilled lightly BBQd chicken and roasted mushrooms and eggplant on a cool, wet spring evening.
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5/14/2014 - ChrisinCowiche wrote: 90 Points
Light but meaty smokey and very easy drinker. Excellent crowd pleasing wine.
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5/10/2014 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Great rhone blend. Very light in color and palate. Easy drinking but still enough going on to make you pay attention. I am going to hold my remaining 2009 for at least six more months. CT says I still have a 2008 but I think it is lying. CT is cruel that way.
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5/6/2014 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 90 Points
Strawberries and more ripe strawberries. To go with your very ripe strawberries through in some blackberries and serious garrigue. Nice touch of peppercorn and a very smooth but full CA version of a CdP. Nice and great QPR. Makes Jaja look as poor as it really is. Dacalier is classy, full and flavorful, not overly hot for a very ripe year. 1 more in the cellar and wish I had more. enjoy this wonderful wine now or in a few years. This ship isn't sailing anytime soon.
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5/4/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consumed with lamb, a great match for this wine. On the nose, Mouvedre funk with bright raspberry, anise, and sage. On the palate, leathery expression of pure red fruit, melted licorice, herbs, and hints of tobacco. Nice balance finish with a bit of grip. Drinking very well at this point.
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3/21/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really settling in nicely. Nose of raspberry, leather, burnt rubber, spice. On the palate, nice red fruits, leather, spice. More heft that than the color would indicate. Just a pretty wine, great match for lamb.
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3/8/2014 - fingers Likes this wine:
Getting a plumper and juicier profile from this bottle. Seems to have added weight and complexity and really singing right out of gate. 5th bottle of a case and I wouldn't say there's any clear bottle variation, but maybe the moon is in just the right phase.... this one is fantastic!
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12/30/2013 - fingers Likes this wine: 88 Points
Ready to enjoy right from the pop. Medium ruby color, about 50% saturated (looks like a dark rose'), very fine sediment in the bottle.
Spicy herbal nose, cherry must, tobacco, sage, and earth. Very nice flavor and balance. Minerals and acidity creating a vibrant and refreshing splash across the palate and extra nuance into the finish. Not very persistent but well-behaved in an Old World sense. I think it should drink at prime for another year or three. 4+11+15+8 = 88
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12/26/2013 - khmark7 wrote: 86 Points
The fruit on this bottle appears faded from what I remember just a few months ago. Still nice, but might suggest that this needs to be consumed sooner than later.
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12/5/2013 - Rob MacKay wrote: 90 Points
A very nice example of a Rhone style blend with a profile that would compare well to any of it's counterparts from the Southern Rhone. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with a meal.
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11/28/2013 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
As with previous, light in color but this belies what is to be found on the palate. Very close to a Pinot Noir in many ways, but more going on. Red fruit, ample acidity, nice touch of oak.
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9/24/2013 - khmark7 wrote: 87 Points
Initial aromatics are very good, just like old world pinot noir. My initial impression is that you can really taste the Mourvedre in the blend, but as it is opened longer there is a tart lingering cranberry note that suggests a mischievous herbal expression.
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9/24/2013 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP - Expressive nose of raspberry and earth. Both carried through to the palate, with the addition of leather and tar. Dry, food friendly tannins. Very enjoyable.
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9/11/2013 - Champagneinhand wrote:
Interesting bottle. Lightly colored it could be mistaken from afar as an Old World PN. translucent ruby in the glass, with a light bit of orange towards the rim. On day one the wine wasn't too expressive. Red fruits, garrigue and some peppercorn on the nose with very soft tannin. Day 2, the wine seems more alive, more meaty notes on the nose with some five spice as well. The tannin are more pronounced but pleasantly chewy. Medium finish which is quite clean for a red. I can't accurately score this as its unlike the WA CdP blends which seem overly hot and thin. This has thickened up a bit from day 1, but wouldn't be confused with old world CdP, but maybe a cru Vacqeyras. Decent drinker, and could get better in the cellar.
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9/6/2013 - dsgris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light red with orange rim, red fruit nose. Lightly tart, dry tannins, red plum fruit, sour cherries, blood oranges. Medium body with chewy mouth feel, well balanced with good acid, light tannins. I have had this open on the counter and in the fridge for 2 weeks now while drinking up some older whites. On revisiting, it has lost nothing, just gained some smoothness and a bit of complexity. I will bump it a point based upon improvement with age.
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8/16/2013 - dsgris Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light ruby, red fruit nose. Lightly dry, red currants, boysenberry, nice acid tannins balance. Smooth mouthfeel, medium body, just a hint of bitter on the finish. Drinking very nicely on the PnP.
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8/7/2013 - dsgris Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light ruby red, soft raspberry nose. Lightly tart with a hint of sugar, lovely soft fruit, ripe plums, strawberries. Very well balanced and drinking well, some mineral with light bitter in a positive way. Good to go on the PnP.
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8/3/2013 - mkmast wrote: 90 Points
Very solid lighter textured wine. Great for a summer red wine. Bottle disappeared quickly.
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6/7/2013 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really quite nice. Red fruit, leather, subtle smoky oak. Good backing acidity. Very hard not to guzzle in one evening if the wife finds out it's open.
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5/15/2013 - GalvezGuy wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour. Nice nose of red fruit, smoke, leather, and a little bit of funk. On the palate, very nice and restrained with red raspberry, tar, sour cherry, and hint of leather. Finishes with great balance. Very nice package for the money.
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10/25/2012 - RLP805 Likes this wine: 89 Points
PNP, Pale red in color, cherry and smoke on the palate fairly mellow wine not a lot of body, medium finish, light tannins. I agree with the other TNs it comes across much as a PN would. Smoke seems to be blowing off as it gets some air. Very enjoyable summer type wine.
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9/5/2012 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very much enjoyed this wine, the first '09 that I opened. Pale in color, could easily be mistaken for a Pinot based upon that. On the palate the similarities don't stop; cherry, raspberry and a nice oak note. Good acidity, some leather, small flourish on the finish.
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6/24/2012 - grayfont wrote: 90 Points
Soft and luscious with subtle cherry/strawberry flavor profile against a fairly light body. Between the soft mouthfeel and the absence of any telltale rhone spice notes, I could definitely have confused this for a pinot noir. In any event, it's delicious and a real treat to drink.
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3/15/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 88 Points
Davids & Rhone Dinner (San Francisco): Sweet red cherry fruit, cough syrup; plush structure, red fruits, nice overall with moderate finish. Somewhat linear. 88
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