Lunch with the wine ark boys (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Blackberry and black pepper, a little earth, touch of woody sweet spice, cream, smells very fresh. Medium plus intensity acidity, tightly textured tannins, peppery with blackberry fruit, slight alcohol warmth, absolutely lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last of six (6). Decant recommended as significant sediment present. Predominantly black fruit accompanied with sweet spice notes. Showed well enough but fruit is fading. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think this is at it's peak for me. Some might think the fruit is fading but the balance is just right. I'm going to drink the rest during this stupid lockdown.
Magnum bottle; Color, clear garnet red; 1st nose, plums; 2nd nose, cedar, red fruits and smoke; on the palate, medium to full body with good balance of fruits and acidity. Long finish. Paired well with meat paella, especially with the smokiness of the dish. Flavors of fruits, chocolate and tar emerged through the evening as the wine opened up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color: Dark purple. Nose:cherry, anise and spice Taste: Some red fruit but a bit muted with secondary notes of smoke and licorice. This is drinking well with a short finish. All flavors are integrated and may be time to drink up. I "found" these in my cellar and have two more to use as a DD.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted next to the Domaine de la Garrigue of the same vintage, this wine did not show the class, lushness or intensity of the Vacqueyras. Fruit has faded and while the juice is still a pleasure, it lacks distinction and depth. Would not hold these any longer if you have any remaining
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent. Elegant yet big in the mouth with little happening on the nose. Tasted next to Vacqueyras and big brother GV CNP. Lirac held its own and then some
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Short decant (significant sediment). Elegant and well balanced wine showing a bit of age in a good way. Nice full fruit flavors, some secondary elements adding complexity. Alcohol and tannins are well integrated. Smooth finish. Excellent overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
92 First bottle of 4 , very nice easy drinking quality, going to 93 impressed with this, was purchased in year 5 of building my wine cellar. Will share the next bottles with friends over 3 to 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bought this more than four years ago, and have been saving it. Decided to drink it in a Wednesday night after a long day at work. Good choice. It's delicious, and the aroma enchants; it reminds me why I love wine so much.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1.5 hrs and drank without food. Strong florals and blue fruit, and very pleasant drinking, though I agree with one commenter that the alcohol peeks through a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Joli grenat brillant et foncé, nez engageant de fruits noirs (belle mûre), d'iris capiteux, d'épices (girofle, cannelle, poivre), de café. La bouche ensuite est un peu sévère (Lirac oblige!?) car derrière la rondeur et la concentration douce, la puissance alcoolique et la matière serrée apportent un peu de sécheresse en finale. On sent tout de même le beau millésime. 89/90
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grenat opaque avec disque rubis pourpré. Au nez, fruits rouges et noirs mûres(fraises, mures, cassis), poivre blanc. En bouche, beau fruits en attaque, tanins velouté, longueur moyenne+, un peu chaud en fin de bouche. Toujours très bien et a ce prix. Gagnera avec un peu de temps en cave. 89+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple in color. Clean, light nose with aromas of smoke and tobacco. Dry, Full bodied, high acidity, tannins and alcohol. Balanced with good flavors of dark berries, black currants, plum skins, tobacco, cedar smoke and baking spices. Long jammy finish. Well done and recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
GSM 50-35-15. When I first purchased and tasted this release in the Spring of 2013 I proclaimed a loud wow at the integrated sensation of spice, abundant blue and black fruit, bay leaf, floral accents, the kiss of sweet oak, and garrigue, and how all that hung together on a backbone of tannin.
Seamless it is not. Sometimes a blend does not cohere. Impressionistically, all those beautiful components seem to be un-fusing, as though the wine was disassembling itself. The dominant Grenache component has lost the bloom of youth and is less interesting. The alcohol that supports all the fruit aromatics now dominates the totality. The aromatics are still good, but both the nose and mouth seem coarse to me now. The tannins are ganging up on the fruit. If the wine has been stored perfectly it may show better (my cellar is my basement which varies between 58 F in winter and 72 in summer). Nevertheless, still flavorful in a rustic way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seductive bouquet of violets, rose petals, herbs, spice, and incense. The palate opens with an intensely juicy wave of ripe black and blue berries and transitions to a stalwart and structured middle that features a pure 'sweetness' and wonderful texture. The wine finishes with a flourish for purple flowers and sweet dark berries, backed by ample tannic grip and rockiness. Tasted double blind and guessed high-end Nebbiolo because of the sweetness and spice and was surprised by its provenance. Possibly the best made, most enjoyable Lirac I have tasted. Great wine! 92-93.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I agree with 10/25/2014 ZORG, "Blueberries and dark fruit both on the nose and in the mouth." However, I disagree that there is "good tannic structure." The tannins are very strong and drown out the limited fruit flavor. Again, ZORG, "Good but nothing special, but still too young."
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Clos de Sixte Lirac is a deep ruby red, the nose is fragrant with floral scents, along with earth, leather and cherries. The wine is smooth with plenty of black cherry, and supported with a firm structure. Good acidity, average finish. This bottle not as good as the previous one, which was fabulous (~92). Seems to be wound a little tighter at this stage. Going to wait at least a year before going back to this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blueberries and dark fruits both on the nose and in the mouth, good acidic and tannic structure but the 15% alcohol feels like 18.... Good but nothing special, but still too young, will wait at least a year until I open my next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second Sunday Group: 2009 Bordeaux (Augie's): Perfumed and pretty, with dark fruit notes beneath the florals. Full-bodied and balanced, with flavors of dark fruit, licorice and spice. Finishes well; good underlying acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Alain Jaume & Fils (Ultimo wines basement room): Medium minus intensity aromas of meat, black pepper, leather, black berry and very slight candied red currant. Touches of black olive and a certain briny quality. In the mouth the wine is rich, thick, spicy with black pepper and black berry fruit, plenty of spice in fact and joined by tongue coating tannin that is slightly course. Dense on the palate. Long finish. Very nice. Needs time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Garnet color - The wine must have been bad - oxidized. Scent of alcohol with a little dark fruit. Tasted like alcohol and vinegar and nothing really else. Have another bottle that ill try at some point which hopefully will be better
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not decanted (mistake) & consumed over ~2 hours. Purplish in color, dark berry fruit with an ashy/smoky/tarry character and a somewhat rough, rustic structure. Good acidity, although its bigness and a bit of alcohol-sweetness push this towards the modern end of the stylistic range.
I'm not sure this will ever become greatly complex, but what's there is solid enough, and if it calms down and comes together with time, this could move up the scale a couple of points. For current drinking, definitely give it some air, but I'd really recommend giving it a couple of years. 89ish by the end of the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, then finished a couple nights later. Aroma has dark fruit, as well as an aroma of tree branches. Taste is a relatively straightforward plum and slight blackberry taste, as well as a bit of charcoal. This is pretty enjoyable, but I think it was definitely much better the first night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine is young red purple in colour however its lip was quite transparent. There were predominate Grenache aromas of red fruit which followed through onto the pallet which despite the wine’s 15% alcohol content were not in the over ripe spectrum. The pallet was luscious and full had cherries, strawberries and a hint of floralness which was possibly rose and the tannins were soft. The wine initially showed some barn yard characters ( E did not get these) , however after about an hour the fruit began to dominate and was quite sweet and bordering on jammy. The wine was full bodied and smooth and the alcohol was not particularly discernible. The wine had definite legs and there was no sediment in the bottle. E thought the wine was fruitier at the beginning than I did.
Overall we liked: the fruit flavours, its balance and smooth full good mouth feel
Criticisms: Fruit is possibly a little too sweet for me; it was full bodied without much spiciness or additional complexity
Overall a nice wine with good fruit flavors we would be happy to drink again.
Notes: Composition 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre 14 months in 35% new oak. $35 from Vintage Cellars Ultimo.
Much better, and now rates as a great buy. Balanced red and black fruit packaged with savory Rhone scents. The fruit is forward but not candied. The impression is new world and expansive, but there has been some bottle development over the last 8 months that results in greater depth and structure. The 15% alcohol is well integrated. This equals some CdPs I've tasted recently.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The initial nose of saline/iodine/seaweed blew off after 30 minutes. Revealing a wonderful nose of black fruit. Good mouthfeel and long finish. The blend is 50/30/20 GSM. I would of guessed more Syrah than Grenache. it seemed youthful with many years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Un vin ample et concentré mais bien fait...pas "over the top" Le nez est sur les fruits confits et la garrigue avec une pointe d'épices. En bouche, rond avec beaucoup de mâche. Les fruits rouges avec les notes d'élevage domine. Les tannins sont bien enrobés et la finale longue avec une légère chauffe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich and full-bodied, this Lirac has a densely packed palate of blackberries, raspberries and a hint of licorice; There is some nice finishing acidity which keeps this wine in balance; Great value
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple color. Full body. Potent and heady, with loads of ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit. Well-proportioned, there is enough acidity for freshness and fairly smooth tannins. One hour of air works nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Cranberry, Blackberry, and Blackberry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Medium.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grenat intense. Nez assez discret sur les fruits rouges. Tanins biens enveloppe avec fruits rouges. Bonne longueur. Tres prometteur. A revisiter dans 2-3 ans.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A perfect example of high quality wine-making and the somewhat restrained and classy vintage of 2010. The 2010 Clos des Sixte Lirac delivers a beautiful nose full of dark mature fruit, thyme, sage and subtle lavender. The palate follows through nicely and adds a nice texture with rather vivid but still well-behaved tannins. Acidity is well-integrated but this effort should be enjoyed with food given its present state. It is for sure a very nice example of Lirac and a wine I would love to revisit in the years to come.
Compared to a 2009 Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, this effort is more restrained and not at all as open or flirtatious. This is of course partly dependent on appellation and producer but the ample fruit and expressive behaviour of the Saint Damien to me reveals the difference between the 09 and 010 vintages.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gangbusters billowing bouquet of fragrant Grenache and savory Syrah on opening. The Mourvedre comes across more on the meaty palate. This wine is ready to drink. Similar in profile to a big Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, up front fruit, 15% alc, spice, oak and tannin, medium body and finish. For $20 quite appealing. At four hours the initial rush of intensity had rather faded, causing me to knock it down a point. Great now, ageing potential, perhaps?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby in appearance the nose exhibits aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum interwoven with notes of black pepper, liquorice and vanilla. Some muted earth and floral scents exist although the dark fruit is dominating at the moment. On the palate the wine is full bodied, fruit foward and round in the mouth with medium to high levels of acidity. Stringent tannins currently overwhelm long tapered finish. While this can be enjoyed now; it should show a greater depth of complexity once the tannin levels have reduced sufficiently.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not really understanding the 90+ point scores. It's a perfectly drinkable everyday GSM, although for me the Grenache is dominating more than I'd care for (although I admit that on first "sniff," I guessed the proportions of each within a few percent, to take that for what it's worth).
I feel like it lacks the focus I want in order to rate it above 90 points. On top of that, I feel like Andre Brunel's southern Rhone wines are a much better value for at least the same quality. I'm sure I'll end up buying another bottle to revisit it though. Maybe I got a dumb one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Floral, some mineral and intense but not sloppy fruit. Very balanced and precise. If it had more earthy notes it would be incredible, especially for the price (and it isn't cheap in BC) This is a seriously pretty wine, and I suspect if it came from some place else, and cost three times as much, it would be getting even higher scores.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Med+ Intensity on the nose with meaty more like roast beef, floral notes and a hint of darknesss! med+ body, med+ acid, med+ intensity, med/+ finish nice dark red fruit with some fruit darker notes, tannins are soft
conc: good wednesday night wine tasty South France i enjoy at this price nothing overly complex but thats ok
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another 2010 Southern Rhone that's really singing right now. Very expressive nose full of dark fruit immediately off the first pour. No need to aerate for long as it was ready to go fairly quickly. Initially showed beautiful, dense, ripe black raspberries that carried some real heft well into the midpalate. Notes of violets and gravel followed along with a consistent spine of limestone that kept the weight of the fruit from being overbearing. Some sturdy tannin and a small hint of garrigue provided a solid bookend to the deliciously ripe nature of the wine.
The alcohol shows pretty quickly but not in a negative way. There's a liqueur-like quality to the fruit as the wine transitions to the midpalate and at times is reminiscent of currant and blackberry but I didn't find that the wine ultimately settled on any particular fruit. It also evolved a bit on the midpalate as well with notes of charred wood, light smoke and graphite coming into the picture with additional aeration. There's a bit of an oak presence here but in a very complementary way.
Near the 2-hour mark the Grenache totally takes a backseat and the wine becomes far more brooding with as the Syrah brings in notes of dense blackberry along with a very inky in terms of texture and on the palate. It showed a narrow focus but showed off the contributions of the Syrah.
Simply a delicious wine that's rather modern in style. I continue to be impressed with where some of the 2010 Rhone wines are right now. Pretty opulent stylistically and has points of interest but overall it's just a seriously tasty wine. The fruit is really showing off here and my guess is that this wine is going to stay youthful for at least another 12-18 months before it starts to close down. It will be hard to not drink them while they're so young, but at least a couple bottles deserves to make the journey to the other side.
Highly recommended. I can't say enough about some of these 2010 Southern Rhones (as you can see). A joy to drink and an excellent value as well.
Edit: I've had this wine several more times with a good deal of bottle variation (including a corked bottle).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This opaque crimson wine (a blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre) was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing 2-3 hours. Right out of the box it flaunts intense aromas of black raspberries, black pepper, underbrush and rosemary. Full-bodied and fresh on the palate, with ample sweet tannins and amazingly well-integrated alcohol (despite being listed as 15%). The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this wine is its lengthy finish. Bravo to Alain Jaume for producing a truly outstanding wine at such a reasonable price. Lirac is yet another Southern Rhone appellation which will be (deservedly but unfortunately) commanding higher prices in the future. Drink now-12/20.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of my favourite producers that will soon be a 'secret' no more I fear, these are huge wines and extremely opulent and hedonistic, I dare you not to love these - Dark, full bodied with a nose of cherry, plum, kirsch liquer, garrigue, spice, pepper and vanilla, amazing intensity and flavour, huge, fruit forward, sweet on the palate with terrific length, awesome! (92 Points).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark mature fruit, classy garrigue, thyme, lavender and sublte morellos. The nose is really pleasant tonight and together with the palate it transforms this wine into something very likeable. The palate is full and lush but not overly integrated. Tannins and acidity both make their voices heard tonight. Still there is a purity and a sense of aging potential which cannot be neglected. My guess is this effort needs a couple of years in the cellar to fully integrate and mature. A very nice wine and a super QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crimson core with a ruby rim. Started out very high pitched, with aromas of cocoa and berries, and astringent tannins. An hour of decanting revealed a more expansive flavor profile with both fruity (bing cherry, concord grape) and spicy (pencil shavings, turmeric, licorice) nuances. Still structured enough to warrant perhaps 5 years of cellaring, this is a solid and respectable effort, particularly at such an attractive price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby purple. Heavy nose of ripe fruit, but not syrupy or fruit-bombish. Fruity and tannic, some charcoal and leather (slight). Bright and floral on the finish. Really good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The dark fruit dominates this effort just as much as during the last tasting. The wine is nicely balanced but tannins will need some time to integrate. We did not feel any heat tonight, but the wines were served at around 16-17 degrees. (Compared to the 2010 Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue this wine is more fruit forward and more open for business. Maybe this depends on the Grenache component?)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
a beautiful and pure effort, the 2010 Lirac Clos de Sixte offers a deep and close to profound Grenache perfume combined with tar, wet leather, sweet licorice and provencal herbs. The palate is full-bodied with nice balance between oak, fruit and acidity. There is some heat permeating the end palate though, which might mellow in due course (sometimes it does - sometimes it does not). A beautiful Lirac well worth buying and tasting. (A nice pairing in a tasting would be La Pèira Les Obriers, a wine of the same quality but different grape varietals.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Violacé et pourpre, le nez est ample, fruité et minéral. On sent la confiture de cerise, la réglisse, les herbes séchées, et le bois de merisier. En bouche, l'attaque est souple, les tannins sont mûrs, l'acidité est fraîche. On goûte presque la pulpe et le pépin Le corps est épicé, fruité et mûr avec des notes de minéralisé et un certain apport de boisé. L'ensemble est complexe, fin et équilibré. Finale longue, vaporeuse et fruité qui se termine sur les épices, le minéral. Un vin tout jeune encore et quelle extraction ! Un vin qui durera encore 5-10 ans sans problème.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/21/2023 - IWFS DC wrote:
Consumed as a test for the Jan 2024 trial dinner. Drinkable but not good enough to serve at a society dinner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2023 - Alaskawino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tight on day one. Really lovely day two Try a 4 hour decanting
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2022 - chatters wrote:
Lunch with the wine ark boys (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Blackberry and black pepper, a little earth, touch of woody sweet spice, cream, smells very fresh. Medium plus intensity acidity, tightly textured tannins, peppery with blackberry fruit, slight alcohol warmth, absolutely lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2022 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 92 Points
20 minute decant. Amazing wine at this stage, probably nearing the end of it's prime drinking window. Drink now and enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2021 - SouthernStateofMind wrote:
Last of six (6). Decant recommended as significant sediment present. Predominantly black fruit accompanied with sweet spice notes. Showed well enough but fruit is fading. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2021 - oakland.cory wrote:
Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2020 - johneagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
I think this is at it's peak for me. Some might think the fruit is fading but the balance is just right. I'm going to drink the rest during this stupid lockdown.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
8/29/2020 - margaux321 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Magnum bottle; Color, clear garnet red; 1st nose, plums; 2nd nose, cedar, red fruits and smoke; on the palate, medium to full body with good balance of fruits and acidity. Long finish. Paired well with meat paella, especially with the smokiness of the dish. Flavors of fruits, chocolate and tar emerged through the evening as the wine opened up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - smahk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color: Dark purple.
Nose:cherry, anise and spice
Taste: Some red fruit but a bit muted with secondary notes of smoke and licorice.
This is drinking well with a short finish. All flavors are integrated and may be time to drink up. I "found" these in my cellar and have two more to use as a DD.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2020 - Zorg wrote:
Coravin. Glass 2. 90 p.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2020 - Zorg wrote:
Coravin. Glass 1. 89 p.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2019 - 2caveman Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted next to the Domaine de la Garrigue of the same vintage, this wine did not show the class, lushness or intensity of the Vacqueyras. Fruit has faded and while the juice is still a pleasure, it lacks distinction and depth. Would not hold these any longer if you have any remaining
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2019 - rickfell-new wrote: flawed
this bottle was both corked and oxidized
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2018 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2018 - 2caveman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent. Elegant yet big in the mouth with little happening on the nose. Tasted next to Vacqueyras and big brother GV CNP. Lirac held its own and then some
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2018 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Elegant stuff, nearing its peak. As good as any village level CdP.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2018 - ccarter5181 wrote: 90 Points
Short decant (significant sediment). Elegant and well balanced wine showing a bit of age in a good way. Nice full fruit flavors, some secondary elements adding complexity. Alcohol and tannins are well integrated. Smooth finish. Excellent overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - winejack wrote: 92 Points
92 First bottle of 4 , very nice easy drinking quality, going to 93 impressed
with this, was purchased in year 5 of building my wine cellar. Will share the next bottles with friends over 3 to 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2017 - reubenshapcott wrote: 92 Points
Bought this more than four years ago, and have been saving it. Decided to drink it in a Wednesday night after a long day at work. Good choice. It's delicious, and the aroma enchants; it reminds me why I love wine so much.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2017 - Mtnbkrmark wrote: 90 Points
Ripe cherry with faint tobacco notes. The tannins are smooth with just a tiny bite from the alcohol.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2016 - schicker-not wrote: 90 Points
Nice Rhone blend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2016 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs and drank without food. Strong florals and blue fruit, and very pleasant drinking, though I agree with one commenter that the alcohol peeks through a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2016 - Raage wrote: 89 Points
Joli grenat brillant et foncé, nez engageant de fruits noirs (belle mûre), d'iris capiteux, d'épices (girofle, cannelle, poivre), de café. La bouche ensuite est un peu sévère (Lirac oblige!?) car derrière la rondeur et la concentration douce, la puissance alcoolique et la matière serrée apportent un peu de sécheresse en finale. On sent tout de même le beau millésime.
89/90
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2016 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 89 Points
Grenat opaque avec disque rubis pourpré.
Au nez, fruits rouges et noirs mûres(fraises, mures, cassis), poivre blanc.
En bouche, beau fruits en attaque, tanins velouté, longueur moyenne+, un peu chaud en fin de bouche. Toujours très bien et a ce prix. Gagnera avec un peu de temps en cave. 89+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2016 - Zorg wrote: 91 Points
Very good but still young.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2015 - WineMedic Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purple in color. Clean, light nose with aromas of smoke and tobacco. Dry, Full bodied, high acidity, tannins and alcohol. Balanced with good flavors of dark berries, black currants, plum skins, tobacco, cedar smoke and baking spices. Long jammy finish. Well done and recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2015 - drgrape Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks purple colored, nose of strawberry and raspberry, medium/full body and medium finish. Similar to CDP
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2015 - wilypod Likes this wine: 87 Points
GSM 50-35-15. When I first purchased and tasted this release in the Spring of 2013 I proclaimed a loud wow at the integrated sensation of spice, abundant blue and black fruit, bay leaf, floral accents, the kiss of sweet oak, and garrigue, and how all that hung together on a backbone of tannin.
Seamless it is not. Sometimes a blend does not cohere. Impressionistically, all those beautiful components seem to be un-fusing, as though the wine was disassembling itself. The dominant Grenache component has lost the bloom of youth and is less interesting. The alcohol that supports all the fruit aromatics now dominates the totality. The aromatics are still good, but both the nose and mouth seem coarse to me now. The tannins are ganging up on the fruit. If the wine has been stored perfectly it may show better (my cellar is my basement which varies between 58 F in winter and 72 in summer). Nevertheless, still flavorful in a rustic way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2015 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Seductive bouquet of violets, rose petals, herbs, spice, and incense. The palate opens with an intensely juicy wave of ripe black and blue berries and transitions to a stalwart and structured middle that features a pure 'sweetness' and wonderful texture. The wine finishes with a flourish for purple flowers and sweet dark berries, backed by ample tannic grip and rockiness. Tasted double blind and guessed high-end Nebbiolo because of the sweetness and spice and was surprised by its provenance. Possibly the best made, most enjoyable Lirac I have tasted. Great wine! 92-93.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2015 - Squire wrote: 86 Points
I agree with 10/25/2014 ZORG, "Blueberries and dark fruit both on the nose and in the mouth." However, I disagree that there is "good tannic structure." The tannins are very strong and drown out the limited fruit flavor. Again, ZORG, "Good but nothing special, but still too young."
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2015 - OregonLoafer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely. Drank from the magnum with a bit of air with goose on Christmas.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2014 - khmark7 wrote: 89 Points
Very dark with plenty of life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2014 - The Kokopelli wrote: 89 Points
The Clos de Sixte Lirac is a deep ruby red, the nose is fragrant with floral scents, along with earth, leather and cherries. The wine is smooth with plenty of black cherry, and supported with a firm structure. Good acidity, average finish. This bottle not as good as the previous one, which was fabulous (~92). Seems to be wound a little tighter at this stage. Going to wait at least a year before going back to this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2014 - Mtnbkrmark wrote: 90 Points
Xmas with the doves
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2014 - Zorg wrote: 87 Points
Blueberries and dark fruits both on the nose and in the mouth, good acidic and tannic structure but the 15% alcohol feels like 18.... Good but nothing special, but still too young, will wait at least a year until I open my next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2014 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2009 Bordeaux (Augie's): Perfumed and pretty, with dark fruit notes beneath the florals. Full-bodied and balanced, with flavors of dark fruit, licorice and spice. Finishes well; good underlying acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2014 - chatters wrote:
Alain Jaume & Fils (Ultimo wines basement room): Medium minus intensity aromas of meat, black pepper, leather, black berry and very slight candied red currant. Touches of black olive and a certain briny quality. In the mouth the wine is rich, thick, spicy with black pepper and black berry fruit, plenty of spice in fact and joined by tongue coating tannin that is slightly course. Dense on the palate. Long finish. Very nice. Needs time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2014 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
remains outstanding QPR
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2014 - Robert Walters wrote: 80 Points
- Garnet color - The wine must have been bad - oxidized. Scent of alcohol with a little dark fruit. Tasted like alcohol and vinegar and nothing really else. Have another bottle that ill try at some point which hopefully will be better
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2014 - bretrooks wrote: 89 Points
Not decanted (mistake) & consumed over ~2 hours. Purplish in color, dark berry fruit with an ashy/smoky/tarry character and a somewhat rough, rustic structure. Good acidity, although its bigness and a bit of alcohol-sweetness push this towards the modern end of the stylistic range.
I'm not sure this will ever become greatly complex, but what's there is solid enough, and if it calms down and comes together with time, this could move up the scale a couple of points. For current drinking, definitely give it some air, but I'd really recommend giving it a couple of years. 89ish by the end of the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured, then finished a couple nights later. Aroma has dark fruit, as well as an aroma of tree branches. Taste is a relatively straightforward plum and slight blackberry taste, as well as a bit of charcoal. This is pretty enjoyable, but I think it was definitely much better the first night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2014 - Benito0902 Likes this wine:
The wine is young red purple in colour however its lip was quite transparent. There were predominate Grenache aromas of red fruit which followed through onto the pallet which despite the wine’s 15% alcohol content were not in the over ripe spectrum. The pallet was luscious and full had cherries, strawberries and a hint of floralness which was possibly rose and the tannins were soft. The wine initially showed some barn yard characters ( E did not get these) , however after about an hour the fruit began to dominate and was quite sweet and bordering on jammy. The wine was full bodied and smooth and the alcohol was not particularly discernible. The wine had definite legs and there was no sediment in the bottle. E thought the wine was fruitier at the beginning than I did.
Overall we liked: the fruit flavours, its balance and smooth full good mouth feel
Criticisms: Fruit is possibly a little too sweet for me; it was full bodied without much spiciness or additional complexity
Overall a nice wine with good fruit flavors we would be happy to drink again.
Notes: Composition 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre 14 months in 35% new oak. $35 from Vintage Cellars Ultimo.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/4/2014 - wilypod Likes this wine: 89 Points
Much better, and now rates as a great buy. Balanced red and black fruit packaged with savory Rhone scents. The fruit is forward but not candied. The impression is new world and expansive, but there has been some bottle development over the last 8 months that results in greater depth and structure. The 15% alcohol is well integrated. This equals some CdPs I've tasted recently.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2014 - mnoljo wrote: 91 Points
The initial nose of saline/iodine/seaweed blew off after 30 minutes. Revealing a wonderful nose of black fruit. Good mouthfeel and long finish. The blend is 50/30/20 GSM. I would of guessed more Syrah than Grenache. it seemed youthful with many years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2013 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Un vin ample et concentré mais bien fait...pas "over the top"
Le nez est sur les fruits confits et la garrigue avec une pointe d'épices.
En bouche, rond avec beaucoup de mâche. Les fruits rouges avec les notes d'élevage domine.
Les tannins sont bien enrobés et la finale longue avec une légère chauffe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2013 - eluebchow Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich and full-bodied, this Lirac has a densely packed palate of blackberries, raspberries and a hint of licorice; There is some nice finishing acidity which keeps this wine in balance; Great value
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2013 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:
Dark purple color. Full body. Potent and heady, with loads of ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit. Well-proportioned, there is enough acidity for freshness and fairly smooth tannins. One hour of air works nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2013 - Tsubasa wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Cranberry, Blackberry, and Blackberry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Medium.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2013 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still excellent -- outstanding QPR and well-balanced --
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2013 - jorivesud Likes this wine:
Grenat intense. Nez assez discret sur les fruits rouges. Tanins biens enveloppe avec fruits rouges. Bonne longueur. Tres prometteur. A revisiter dans 2-3 ans.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2013 - jeremie wrote: 89 Points
Too woody for my taste but this a powerful and well balanced wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2013 - unrelenting wrote: 91 Points
fairly dense with a respectable finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A perfect example of high quality wine-making and the somewhat restrained and classy vintage of 2010. The 2010 Clos des Sixte Lirac delivers a beautiful nose full of dark mature fruit, thyme, sage and subtle lavender. The palate follows through nicely and adds a nice texture with rather vivid but still well-behaved tannins. Acidity is well-integrated but this effort should be enjoyed with food given its present state. It is for sure a very nice example of Lirac and a wine I would love to revisit in the years to come.
Compared to a 2009 Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, this effort is more restrained and not at all as open or flirtatious. This is of course partly dependent on appellation and producer but the ample fruit and expressive behaviour of the Saint Damien to me reveals the difference between the 09 and 010 vintages.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2013 - wilypod Likes this wine: 89 Points
Gangbusters billowing bouquet of fragrant Grenache and savory Syrah on opening. The Mourvedre comes across more on the meaty palate. This wine is ready to drink. Similar in profile to a big Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, up front fruit, 15% alc, spice, oak and tannin, medium body and finish. For $20 quite appealing. At four hours the initial rush of intensity had rather faded, causing me to knock it down a point. Great now, ageing potential, perhaps?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2013 - SouthernStateofMind wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby in appearance the nose exhibits aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum interwoven with notes of black pepper, liquorice and vanilla. Some muted earth and floral scents exist although the dark fruit is dominating at the moment. On the palate the wine is full bodied, fruit foward and round in the mouth with medium to high levels of acidity. Stringent tannins currently overwhelm long tapered finish. While this can be enjoyed now; it should show a greater depth of complexity once the tannin levels have reduced sufficiently.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2013 - floatingboy wrote: 89 Points
Not really understanding the 90+ point scores. It's a perfectly drinkable everyday GSM, although for me the Grenache is dominating more than I'd care for (although I admit that on first "sniff," I guessed the proportions of each within a few percent, to take that for what it's worth).
I feel like it lacks the focus I want in order to rate it above 90 points. On top of that, I feel like Andre Brunel's southern Rhone wines are a much better value for at least the same quality. I'm sure I'll end up buying another bottle to revisit it though. Maybe I got a dumb one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2013 - oldworldlover wrote: 93 Points
Floral, some mineral and intense but not sloppy fruit. Very balanced and precise. If it had more earthy notes it would be incredible, especially for the price (and it isn't cheap in BC) This is a seriously pretty wine, and I suspect if it came from some place else, and cost three times as much, it would be getting even higher scores.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2013 - Weston3220 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Med+ Intensity on the nose with meaty more like roast beef, floral notes and a hint of darknesss!
med+ body, med+ acid, med+ intensity, med/+ finish
nice dark red fruit with some fruit darker notes, tannins are soft
conc: good wednesday night wine tasty South France i enjoy at this price nothing overly complex but thats ok
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2013 - TSBWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another 2010 Southern Rhone that's really singing right now. Very expressive nose full of dark fruit immediately off the first pour. No need to aerate for long as it was ready to go fairly quickly. Initially showed beautiful, dense, ripe black raspberries that carried some real heft well into the midpalate. Notes of violets and gravel followed along with a consistent spine of limestone that kept the weight of the fruit from being overbearing. Some sturdy tannin and a small hint of garrigue provided a solid bookend to the deliciously ripe nature of the wine.
The alcohol shows pretty quickly but not in a negative way. There's a liqueur-like quality to the fruit as the wine transitions to the midpalate and at times is reminiscent of currant and blackberry but I didn't find that the wine ultimately settled on any particular fruit. It also evolved a bit on the midpalate as well with notes of charred wood, light smoke and graphite coming into the picture with additional aeration. There's a bit of an oak presence here but in a very complementary way.
Near the 2-hour mark the Grenache totally takes a backseat and the wine becomes far more brooding with as the Syrah brings in notes of dense blackberry along with a very inky in terms of texture and on the palate. It showed a narrow focus but showed off the contributions of the Syrah.
Simply a delicious wine that's rather modern in style. I continue to be impressed with where some of the 2010 Rhone wines are right now. Pretty opulent stylistically and has points of interest but overall it's just a seriously tasty wine. The fruit is really showing off here and my guess is that this wine is going to stay youthful for at least another 12-18 months before it starts to close down. It will be hard to not drink them while they're so young, but at least a couple bottles deserves to make the journey to the other side.
Highly recommended. I can't say enough about some of these 2010 Southern Rhones (as you can see). A joy to drink and an excellent value as well.
Edit: I've had this wine several more times with a good deal of bottle variation (including a corked bottle).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
This opaque crimson wine (a blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre) was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing 2-3 hours. Right out of the box it flaunts intense aromas of black raspberries, black pepper, underbrush and rosemary. Full-bodied and fresh on the palate, with ample sweet tannins and amazingly well-integrated alcohol (despite being listed as 15%). The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this wine is its lengthy finish. Bravo to Alain Jaume for producing a truly outstanding wine at such a reasonable price. Lirac is yet another Southern Rhone appellation which will be (deservedly but unfortunately) commanding higher prices in the future. Drink now-12/20.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
One of my favourite producers that will soon be a 'secret' no more I fear, these are huge wines and extremely opulent and hedonistic, I dare you not to love these - Dark, full bodied with a nose of cherry, plum, kirsch liquer, garrigue, spice, pepper and vanilla, amazing intensity and flavour, huge, fruit forward, sweet on the palate with terrific length, awesome! (92 Points).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2012 - Christoffer78 wrote: 92 Points
Dark mature fruit, classy garrigue, thyme, lavender and sublte morellos. The nose is really pleasant tonight and together with the palate it transforms this wine into something very likeable. The palate is full and lush but not overly integrated. Tannins and acidity both make their voices heard tonight. Still there is a purity and a sense of aging potential which cannot be neglected. My guess is this effort needs a couple of years in the cellar to fully integrate and mature. A very nice wine and a super QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2012 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 88 Points
Crimson core with a ruby rim. Started out very high pitched, with aromas of cocoa and berries, and astringent tannins. An hour of decanting revealed a more expansive flavor profile with both fruity (bing cherry, concord grape) and spicy (pencil shavings, turmeric, licorice) nuances. Still structured enough to warrant perhaps 5 years of cellaring, this is a solid and respectable effort, particularly at such an attractive price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2012 - nectar14 wrote: 90 Points
Ruby purple. Heavy nose of ripe fruit, but not syrupy or fruit-bombish. Fruity and tannic, some charcoal and leather (slight). Bright and floral on the finish. Really good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2012 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent QPR -- similar to 2009 -- opens up with time in the glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2012 - linuhage wrote: 90 Points
Läcker mörkfruktig doft som kompletteras av örter och kött. Rejält fylligt men balanserat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2012 - Christoffer78 wrote: 92 Points
The dark fruit dominates this effort just as much as during the last tasting. The wine is nicely balanced but tannins will need some time to integrate. We did not feel any heat tonight, but the wines were served at around 16-17 degrees. (Compared to the 2010 Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue this wine is more fruit forward and more open for business. Maybe this depends on the Grenache component?)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2012 - Christoffer78 wrote: 92 Points
a beautiful and pure effort, the 2010 Lirac Clos de Sixte offers a deep and close to profound Grenache perfume combined with tar, wet leather, sweet licorice and provencal herbs. The palate is full-bodied with nice balance between oak, fruit and acidity. There is some heat permeating the end palate though, which might mellow in due course (sometimes it does - sometimes it does not). A beautiful Lirac well worth buying and tasting. (A nice pairing in a tasting would be La Pèira Les Obriers, a wine of the same quality but different grape varietals.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2012 - DuVinMD wrote: 93 Points
Violacé et pourpre, le nez est ample, fruité et minéral. On sent la confiture de cerise, la réglisse, les herbes séchées, et le bois de merisier. En bouche, l'attaque est souple, les tannins sont mûrs, l'acidité est fraîche. On goûte presque la pulpe et le pépin Le corps est épicé, fruité et mûr avec des notes de minéralisé et un certain apport de boisé. L'ensemble est complexe, fin et équilibré. Finale longue, vaporeuse et fruité qui se termine sur les épices, le minéral. Un vin tout jeune encore et quelle extraction ! Un vin qui durera encore 5-10 ans sans problème.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment