Candie Does Cassoulet (Candie's, Mpls): Dark red plus color. Drank a glass over 90 minutes. Kirsch, black plum, cherry, classic garrigue, black pepper. The palate is plump and juicy, kirsch, cherry, plum, garrigue, olive tapenade, black pepper, medium full bodied, with moderate tannins now. This still has some room to improve.
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This great, traditional-style Châteauneuf-du-Pape is at a lovely phase at the moment, restoring my faith in the more matured wines of the region in general. In fact, this wine was outstanding for 3 years ago, but it is clearly even better now.
The wine is displaying stunning aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries and plums, herbs, tar, iron, minerals and earth. Contrary to many other Southern Rhône wines at this age, the wine gives a fresh impression, and it is not having any burnt taste at all. The wine is still richly, sweetly and intensively fruity. The tannins have already softened and integrated, but the tannic structure is still firm. Consequently, this wine is very enjoyable now, but it is still having many years of life ahead.
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Easily WOTN for me. It's very much a 2010, at this stage more so than a classic VD. Concentrated, cool, stony, almost Northern in style, notes of olives and garrigue with the Grenache very much in the background - and to me certainly too young. This will be Grand Vin, I am sure, but I will leave my own stash alone for at least a couple of years before trying one. 94++ #NC80#BarVin
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At 13 years old I’d have expected more from this. High alcohol (14.5%) which does show a little. Nice enough red berry nose but spirity finish that cancels out any fruit. Last bottle and I’m not sorry to see it go.
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With A Platter of Chicken Alfredo. Red fruit on the nose. The palate was red cherry, red plums, a touch of raspberry, currants and a hint of spice. A nice finish made it an enjoyable wine.
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I’m a bit disappointed with this wine based upon my a priori readings of comments. I don’t find this wine to be showing great depth. Is it maturing? Sure, it’s medium bodied weight with purple fruit and some nice nuances of herbs and brighter berries that announce themselves later in the profile than bright red acidity would make me expect. I served this with rack of lamb (with a citrus and rosemary marinade to sous vide before high temp sear over hardwood charcoal) and provided a slow ox over two hours. I just never got any “umph” or weight on the back palate. The terroir sits subtly in the background and tannins were missing heft. Again, no major flaws but just not as interesting as a maturing CdP should be.
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Very much in the mature drinking window. Primary notes of dark berry and juniper. Garrique characteristics are muted which is great. Smokey, tobacco, pine and cedar secondary notes very pleasing.
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Subsequent notes on this wine from 5 years ago. Dark garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of sous-bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of violets, herbs, pepper, iron, earth/dusty, coffee, minerals & a touch of oak/vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries & cranberries with beefy notes, earthy, herbs, pepper, minerals & a bit of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing & at 13 years of age, still has another 4 to 5 years of further potential ahead of it with additional aging. Fill was in mid-neck; cork was clean & intact.
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Dark and tannic but the oak is overpowering the wine. The garrigue and savory components are way in the background in this bottle and I find this disappointing. After 13 years this bottle should be drinking much better than it is today. Purchased on release and stored in a Eurocave.
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Garnet color. A touch of brett that stays in check and garrigue on the nose. Pleasing medium weight, quite supple. Lovely, fresh ripe plum and cherry, pepper, herb, and gentle soil. Light tannins and excellent acidity. Mature but balanced to last 5+ years. I love Vieux Donjon's savory, understated style.
Terrific tasting of three CDP: Château Lazaret cuvée exceptionnelle 2010, Vieux Donjon 2010 and Domaine de la Charbonnière 2009. A tie for first place but with two different styles. Vieux Donjon (94-95) having black fruits followed by anis, black olive and «herbes de provence » flavors. The Lazaret(94-95) was bursting with blackberry and raspberry nose and mouth. The Charbonnière(92) was more austere with a combination of black fruits, anis and olive. The Vieux Donjon was the most complex by far but the Lazaret was so fruity it was difficult to tell wich one I preferred.
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PnP. Nose a bit muted with subtle notes of forest, iron/rust, sous bios. No baked or pruned notes. The color is a vivid ruby, no bricking. Looks younger than 12 years. On the palate the wine is wonderfully ripe and lush with red fruits (raspberry, cranberry), a bit of minerals, medium to full bodied, very fresh. It finishes firm and dry with nice acidity and fine grained tannins. Really excellent showing. If you like them softer and more relaxed, wait. Otherwise, for my tastes, this was singing.
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Very nice - well-developed, good depth and length; probably right in the middle of its drinking window, without any risk of tipping over anytime soon. Could easily keep for another 10.
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Agree with other recent notes; this is in the heart of its drinking window. Benefits from an hour or so of air (I did not decant, just poured into the glass well before drinking). All of the elements are very nicely integrated. Great with food or on its own. A fine example of a moderately-aged CdP. I don't think this will improve, but it should continue to drink at this level for at least a few more years.
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Complex and evolved aromas of black fruit, charcuteries, baking spice and herbal elements. Very impressive nose and not tired or over extracted in any way.
Full bodied with enough structure and acidity (at age 12 or so) to suggest that this wine still has some development ahead of it. Excellent flavor concentration with a long finish.
Overall very well done is consistent with other '10 CDPs recently tasted- they are definitely hitting a great drinking spot!
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Agree with recent notes - this is definitely in the drinking window. However, really benefitted from a 1 hr decant. Nose was muted right out of the bottle, but blossomed beautifully over those 60 minutes. All the kirsch and garrigue (to name a few) was right there - exactly what you want from a CdP. Tannins fully integrated. Lovely mouthfeel, great finish. A great bottle - drink now or over next 2-3 years if you like your CdP fruit primary.
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This is ready to drink. Resolved tannins browsing dark blackberry, all spice and blueberry notes with red plums on a medium long finish. Not a lot of acidity given the hot year but enough to pair well with food. Solid
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This is the fourth bottle of a case. All four have been extremely good.....classic CNdP. The wine is in a great drink window. The Pro raters give it a long drink window. However, I have had one or two other CNdPs go downhill fast on me despite being well stored. Also, all four bottles over the past five years have produced a very level drinking experience. Hence, I do not see this one improving. Therefore, I will not hesitate to pull bottles of this wine......might as well enjoy it. I noticed that the auction price for this wine has really jumped over the past year.....not a surprise.
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I rate the first bottle I consumed of this wine well above other cellartracker.com raters at that time and noted that gap. By the time I had my second bottle, the other raters caught up to me. This was the third bottle. It is in a perfect drink window. Opened for about 45 minutes at a restaurant with no decant. It is classic CNdP.
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Popped'n poured at Sun Wah BBQ in Chicago to go with their amazing Beijing duck dinner. (One if the "Must-do's" in Chicago.) Better glasses would have merited an even better score, but this was a great bottle.
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In a good spot now with slow sipping or a short decant. The fruit is secondary, but shows dark and nuanced. Meat, pepper, coffee, smoke and tea notes all add to a balanced CdP. Hold for the hopes of some serious complexity, drink for near guaranteed enjoyment now.
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Still a youngster:the dark red color indicates a wine in a young stage. A muscular, strong, intense nose with beautiful fruit and aromas of smoke, olives, pepper. Remarkably tannins on the palate but in a elegant, polished way. Masculine, long finish in a wonderful balance indicating many more years of pleasure. Impressive!
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Excellent. Robust and weighty, even if a bit monolithic. Opened a bit before drinking but didn't decant. The side of the bottle was coated in sediment ... it all stayed there but otherwise it would have needed filtering.
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Last of a 4 pk i bought upon release. Color looks like its 3 years old. A pile of sediment. Garrigue. Szechwan Pepper, clove, blood sausage, grilled meat ,luxardo marachino cherries. JustBarely less enjoyable than the last bottle I had three years ago. the fruit is slowly dissipating. Alcohol is flexing his muscles nonetheless the wine is enjoyable and quite complex. Ive drunk a ton of cdp and 99% of the time it tastes better in it’s youth. The wine is delicious but it brought more enjoyment 3-5 years after vintage So why age it?
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Decanted for 45 mins. Open and inviting nose with striking complexity. Aromas of red cherries, cranberries and sour raspberries. Lovely stemminess with notes of tobacco, cinnamon, celery and undergrowth. Just a hint of brett. White pepper, roasted meat and boudin noir. Very fresh on the palate, with a nicely balanced sweetness offset by pronounced salinity, "turkish pepper" and black pepper. Much less tannic than the Charvin '10. Definitely ready to go, and should keep for another decade.
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Still very primary with beautiful grenache fruit dominant. Ashamed to say, I PNP'd a magnum, ran it through an aerator into a large decanter. Opened way too early. Wine abuse I know! Drank over the next hour with 5 other friends. In that time, developed more classic CDP character as the terroir integrated with the fruit, tannins smoothed out wonderfully and the nose became even more powerful. This would have evolved even better into the next day if we hadn't guzzled it all up. Guessing a 750ml would still have another few years to get even better and a magnum another 5 or so. Unfortunately my only bottle so I'll never know. Have had since release and cellared well so worried about bottle variation based on earlier comments.
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Aromatically, this is really open for business! Roast meat, deep floral aromas, dark cherries, licorice, dried herbs and garrigue. The palate is actually still quite young. There is a core of dark red fruit, along with spices and dried herbs, some dry extract, and a fine tannic structure and good acidity. Persistent length. This is drinking very well now! The aromas are spot on. The palate is still very fresh and vibrant, still no tertiary flavours. I think one could easily cellar this wine for 5-10 more years, but it is very good already:)
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This is in a great spot. Decanted 45 minutes and slow O'd for another 60 once we got to our gathering.
Really balanced, expressive mix of dark red and black fruits, garrigue, black olives, and herbs. Very long, lingering finish that kept a smile on my face.
Have shied away from purchasing Rhones as of late because I find them too big. This reminded me how producers don't need ripe, extracted fruit with huge alcohol to make a memorable wine. STRONG recommendation.
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1st of 6 at 2010 CdP tasting. This wine was somewhat unique in the group, as it had an earthy, leathery side to it. This strikes me as a bit atypical for CdP, but it captured the imagination of the tasting panel, and that seemed to give it the edge to be ranked number 1 of the night.
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This is evolving into a very pretty wine - black cherry and overripe strawberry mouth flavors with undertones of herbs and black licorice. A band of sweetness runs through the wine start to finish and is quite appealing. I only have one of these remaining and am in no hurry to drink it as I think the wine will soften a bit and be even more welcoming.
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Very much in harmony. Generous fruit and good overall balance. I think it will benefit from further cellaring to gain complexity, a bit shy at the moment. 93+
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Vin encore puissant et primaire, aux accents de kirsch et d’épices. À l’ouverture, l’alcool et les tanins prennent beaucoup de place, le vin semble trop jeune. Deux heures plus tard, il est nettement plus équilibré, plein d’énergie, avec la fraîcheur caractéristique du millésime, un fruité éclatant. Sans doute mieux de l’attendre 3 ans ou sinon de l’ouvrir au matin. Beau potentiel. 91+ pts
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Dark cherry, cough syrup and wet new pavement aromas leap from the glass. The flavors are cherry liqueur, horehound candy and grilled thyme and peppercorn. The finish is a bit odd, which detracts slightly from the experience. Not bad just a little unusual. It is drying, but on the roof of the mouth vs the tongue.
Overall, very enjoyable and just entering the peak enjoyment window. You have another decade or so to enjoy this wine.
Served at cellar temp after a 35 min decant.
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Grenat intense. nez plutôt discret, fruits noirs et rouges, mures, framboises, une touche poivré, un peu d’alcool. En bouche, beau fruits en attaque, acidité moyenne, tannins bien présent et un peu asséchants, bonne longueur. Beau CDP, mais à attendre pour en profiter à sa juste valeur, ou à prendre avec une viande rouge bien saignante.
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The aromas and flavors of cough medicine, tar, pepper and provencal herbs are beautiful and very open at the moment. While the fruitiness of the wine has somewhat started to fade, there is still enough fruit left, and the wine gives now a very balanced and integrated impression. Do not wait for too long, though. Being a great example of the traditional style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this wine is also one of the best buys in the whole region.
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Amazing how the rating is consistent. I did not remember rating it 93. I rated it in my mind 93 and then asked wy wife how she rated it: 93 ! Then I entered this in cellar tracker: average rating:92,6.... Anis, ripe black cherry, blackberry and spice flavors. Nice balance. Drink now but not fading.
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Classic CdP, still youthful but drinking well now after some air time or a decant. This shows a well balanced mix of ripe red fruit, herbes de Provence, and other spice elements. There is enough structure to last another 5 - 10 years. Top notch CdP
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One of the better CDPs I’ve had in recent years. The notes from others below are bang on. The nose hits you with this misty dark berry fruit, then some slight hints of smoke, raw meat, bacon fat dripping and black pepper. On the palate it’s subtle fruits with some spice and black pepper; the tannins are subtle and well integrated. Excellent rich and smooth finish with lingering dark fruits and peppery notes. Drinking really well now but can still age a decade at least. Excellent to outstanding.
Some barnyard flavors and cherries on the nose; well-balanced on the palate: not too heavy for a C9dP, alcohol in check and no baked fruit flavors, fine acidity, sweet cherry fruit, also some earth and barnyard flavors (brett), spicy and slightly vegetal with licorice notes, soft texture and gentle tannins and matching acidity. A rather classy Chateauneuf-du-Pape. At or near peak drinking window for my palate. - 90 points
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Started off a bit thin in the middle, but with 60-90 minutes of air it started to really come into itself. I'd guess this is a couple of years away from prime, given the colour of the wine - being a red colour rather than rust or deep purple.
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Decanted at the start of dinner with friends (outdoors), and another good bottle, from a great vintage and a very consistent (and under-rated producer).
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Stunning nose of dark berries,bacon,black olives and garrigue.On the palate this wine rocked.Smooth tannins giving a robust backbone to fruit and acidity.The finish just never ends and leaves you stunned by an everlasting sensation of ripe blackberries and tapenade.This is a very elegant and serious wine.
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Popped'n poured (and note that it's even better with a decant of an hour or so), and drank with Cajun carryout from RT's in Alexandria - the '10 has been so consistent, and so consistently good, it's crazy. At least another decade ahead, but my remaining 20 or so bottles won't make it nearly that long.
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Pop and pour at friend's house. A bit muted for the first hour. Also a bit tannic. Opened up nicely after 1 hour and became more balanced. Classic Rhone elements. While this was a solid effort I was a bit disappointed based on user and pro reviews. Significant sediment. Next time will decant for 1 hour.
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Nice pairing with Chateaubriand tonite....sublime nose after a short decant, beautiful intergration of herbal and forest floor with a nice smooth finish
Popped'n poured, with brisket on Memorial Day. Incredibly consistent wine, and so good. Even better if you can give it a decant for an hour or two. This will shine for the next decade, but the 20 or so bottles I have left won't make it nearly that long.
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Still excellent, and it's definitely ready to drink, although it still improves with a short decant. Drink or hold, depending on whether you like your Chateauneuf young or old.
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Wow this wine has some serious staying power. I did a Coravin taste on Super Bowl Sunday, remember live sports? And gave it a 94. Well opened it for Easter Sunday but only had one small glass as I was feeling under the weather. I had vacu-vined the bottle and forgot about it until tonight 5 days later as I was about to uncork a Napa Cab to pair with prime filets. I decided to sample this and wow it was in fantastic shape. Earthy, bold, fruity and powerful. Stood up to the grilled filet perfectly and was so enjoyable to sip and savor after dinner. Impressive as I’ve never had a wine taste just as good after 5 days of opening.
We slow ox'd for 2 hours and then decanted and it sat another hour before we slowly started drinking it. Red berries on the nose. The palate was dark cherry, red current, plum and garrique. The finish was long. Served alongside a roasted chicken with New Orleans seasoning and it went really well. A really enjoyable bottle of wine. I have 3 more in storage and I will leave them there for a while as there is no hurry with this wine.
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From 375, double decanted for an hour, deep ruby, classic CDP with dark fruit & herbs, med. tannins, long finish; delicious, best 1/2 bottle yet & entering its plateau
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Very good palate penetration, overall balance. Nice garrigue nuance typicity. Ripe fruit is in balance with the other elements. This did turn bitter on day two so I don’t recommend extended aging or long decanting. Drinking well now and for the next 3-4 yrs I’d expect.
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Coravin CdP Super Bowl Tasting. Did 6 ounce pours of Usseglio and Donjon from the 2010 vintage. The Usseglio was the 49'ers starting out fast and the Donjon ended up being the Chiefs and dominating by the 4th quarter. The Usseglio initially had the edge with some riper forward fruit while the Donjon was holding back and reserved. However, with air-time the Donjon just kept blossoming with those secondary notes, like cedar, olive tapenade and mineral elements while the Usseglio stayed one-dimensional.
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Going through an interesting late youth stage, where the dark plummy fruits are tussling with the garrigue and spices as well as the slowly subsiding sugars. The good news is that the tannins are still evident and definitely pushing on the finish. What surprisesd me the most was the clunkiness on the tongue, with a big swish of earthiness and unkempt barnyard, which makes me think the Grenache is going into a shutdown phase. Don’t get me wrong, this one is still a beauty, but going through an awkward teenager phase from my take. Wish I could have tried this one about two or three years ago for comparison. This really is a great vintage for rhe southern Rhône. And a solid wine from this vintage as well.
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Deep red. Very deep medium intense nose. Tire shop, black berry fruit and some real earthiness. Dry earthy berry and beef flavours and a huge tannic finish.
Lots here and not roasted.
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Borrowing Bill's note here: "odd sweet nougat and rubber nose, but aside from that the fruit wasn't at all roasted and the tannins were still firm and not overly hard...very tasty now, but resist the urge." Little more time needed for integration.
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Brought to Christmas Eve Dinner because my mother likes these. Drank a bit of it, but not a lot. Enough to say that these are consistently fine wines, with lots of S. Rhone character and perhaps a bit more spine than most CdP at this price. Perhaps because they put out only one bottling and do not hold back the "best" for a luxury cuvee, these do not disappoint.
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I'm going to quit rating individual bottles, and just give my remaining 20-some bottles all 94 or 95 points. Incredibly delicious, incredibly consistent; I can't believe there is a CduPape producer who makes better wine for the price.
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Popped'n poured as an "after dinner" bottle with friends, so it never received the time (or glassware) needed to really show what it has. But even so, this producer rarely disappoints, and with the 2010, the only question is how good.
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Love this CdPape. The 2010 is probably just in its early drinking window, but with an hour or two decant, it's smoking right now. Great fruit, spice, and drinking beautifully.
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Popped and poured with Mexican. I recognize I'm likely drinking this a couple of years too soon, but this is so good already, and likely still improving. Has to be one of the great quality/price ratios in CdP, if not all of France.
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Still young, but drinking very, very well. Beautiful fruit and spice. Decanted just prior to dinner, and would have merited an even higher score with an hour or two in the decanter.
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From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet Châteauneuf (a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault) delivers a youthful array of dark bramble fruits, plums, Provençal herbs, black pepper and lavender. Medium-to-full-bodied and with good lift, it still flaunts youthful rustic tannins that, combined with the wine's plentiful fruit, will ensure significant longevity. The alcohol (14%) is nicely integrated, the middle palate solid and the mineral-laden finish very long. Even though this wine is now nine years old, I still believe that it is on the upswing. Drink 2021-2034.
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Still young, but a very nice showing, especially considering this was popped'n poured. Deeper, richer, bigger nose, just a more serious wine than the '10 Charvin that preceded it.
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A slightly dissapointing bottle with very strong brettanomyces flavors: barnyard, horse stable and leather. These flavors were covering most of the fruit, but the structure of the wine was excellent and seemed more complex than the 2007. I hope my remaining bottles do not show the same levels of brett. For my palate this is on the verge of being flawed. Others in our tasting group liked the wine because of the brett flavors and some didn't even taste them at all. It seems it utlimately comes down to personal sensitivity to brett. - 89 points
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Another great bottle. Given an hour or so decant before dinner, and really hitting a nice spot, though with years ahead of it. My "house" CdP for the next several years!
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WTDS at Spoon (Spoon & Stable, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. I'm still not feeling the love from the '10 Donjon yet. Still very green, strong garrigue notes, stemmy herbaceousness, dark and heavy fruits. This feels really young yet. Score reserved.
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Second bottle of a case. Exactly like the first bottle.....a spectacular wine. No decant and only open a little while at a restaurant. My thoughts on the wine were confirmed by the only other red wine drinker at the table. This is a wine to be enjoyed now.
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I know this is young, but even popped and poured with no decant, both these bottles were rocking right out of the gate. And a nice match with Cajun food at a friend's house. Still upside, and at least another decade ahead, Donjon is one of the best values in French fine wine.
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Popped and popped at dinner with Cajun/Creole. Another really good bottle, drinking beautifully, but with plenty of life ahead. Donjon has to be pretty high on the list for best q/p ratio in Chateauneuf, if not all of France.
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Brought to a friend's bday dinner at their home, along with the '10 Pio Cesare Barolo and the '09 Jayer-Gilles Nuits-St-George Les Damodes (okay, YOU try to guess what will pair best with Latvian pork stew - the prunes make it a sweeter savory stew). While the Burgundy and the Barolo were both very nice wines, this clearly stole the show. Drinking beautifully right now, with delicious fruit and great structure, but I won't be surprised if this improves even more. One of my favorite CdePapes producers and I ordered a second case of the supposedly equally stellar '16 Donjon this morning. Fortunately, I've got another 40 or so bottles of the '10 to tide me over in the meantime.
Hard to not open these. Am almost through the case of 2010 and yet it will probably get even better if I was more patient. Have been glad to read that they follow an organic vineyard farming approach as in our household we are getting more and more focused on how the grapes were grown and avoiding pesticides and herbicides at all costs. A lovel mid range CNDP that never disappoints and at time soars. Nose is nicely complex mix of light fruit and darker chocolate and even pepper. Pallete has a round and smooth mouth feel and darker but sweet fruit. This is my no.1 go to mid range CNDP. Still can’t understand why they are not able to charge at least 50% more. Glad of course they choose not to.
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Good and mostly what one would expect but shut down. Less lively and less character than I would have expected. Based on this bottle I would say "hold".
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Young, but already drinking well in spite of its youth. Popped'n poured, improved over dinner in the glass - beautiful nose, with fruit and structure to match (with Mexican).
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I came home from work and Ann had a bottle of wine in a brown bag on the counter. Game on. Smells like crushed pepper, with a fair amount of darker fruit. A little alcohol, too? Immediately thought Syrah, and probably northern Rhone. On the palate, darker fruit, again crushed pepper, and some meaty notes. Medium bodied, solid acidity, and fine tannin. Definitely old world. Thinking northern Rhone, or possibly a old school CdP producer. I went with my first impressions and guessed northern Rhone Syrah.
As this opened over an hour or so, it started to show some red fruit tones, baking spices, cinnamon, and a little sappy, slightly sweet fruit. Dark honey. I'd like to think if I didn't rush to judgement I would have come around to CdP, but who knows? Either way this is pretty good and showing young. Should be better in 5 to 10 years. I'll wait a while on the others.
This wonderful C9P was really singing tonight! Dark fruit tones, cassis, figs, liquorice, black olives and hints of chocolate and Herbes de Provance. Drinking really well now, but I guess this wine will be even better with 5–10 years of further cellaring. 94+
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Second bottle drank of my "house" CdPape - the 2010 Le Vieux Donjon, and I think this may just be starting to hit it's sweet spot. Popped and poured, this was really yummy from the first sip - beautiful nose, fruit, spice, and perfect with the Cajun food at RT's in Alexandria. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rest of my stash evolves over the next five or so years.
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Blackberry and ripe dark plum followed by black licorice and herbs (thyme, savory herb). Superb almost sweet finish. Excellent now, many more years of potential but I doubt it will be better than now.
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My first bottle of this vintage-fortunately I still have 5 more bottles-this is a great CDP. Hard to believe it has so much Grenache. Great structure; a certain leanness to it which gives it much more verve. Wonderful wine-5-10 years to go for this one.
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Likely a 94 or 95 point wine in the future, with loads of potential. But big and still rather tight - pnp at a restaurant, and could have used a decent decant.
For my palate this is promising but at minimum, needs 3 more years before it really hits its stride. Old school, aged in a combination of cement and mostly large foudre to allow the grapes and terroir to shine through. Semi translucent ruby red color. Not opaque and not purple. 14% Alc. Slow oxed for 90 minutes before dinner in btl and a couple Burg glasses. I prefer CDP cooler 55-60 degrees, tops. Today this is more savory then fruity with darker tinged fruit, earthy minerality, hint of balsamic, herbs, garrigue and assorted spicy notes. Structure keeps this fresh and lifted but will need a minimum of 3 more years for tannins to resolve and take the backseat I'm looking for. To me this this seems built to last and likely nearer to peak drinking around 2025+. I won't touch my last 2 btls before 2021+. 93pts+ someday, not now for me. But, I like the the style and honesty here vs. about 90% of CDP being made today.
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Deep, dark garnet in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of violets, Provençal herbs with bay leaf & black pepper, earth/dusty, minerals & a touch of oak/vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing, but has the dense structure & ripe fruit to continue further development with additional aging even at 8 years of age. Seems to focus on the power of the vintage rather than the elegance of past vintage efforts.
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Color is still dark purple and concentrated. Double decant and left on bottle 5 hours. The nose is very open on raspberries, black currant, barnyard and leather. The legs are medium. Alcohol is medium. tannins are medium low. Acidity is medium. On the palate it is very smooth the tannins are swave and silky. Starting to see some secondary flavours of guarrigue but it is still fruity with some violet. This wine is beginning to peak but still has many years to go. Very good at this point.
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Fairly muted with some early notes on the nose. Really opened up after about an hour. Outstanding.Dry cherries with hints of tar, leather and minerals. Silky tannic finish. Better than the last bottle. Wait another year for the next.
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Decanted 2 hrs. Great Frenchy aromatics, dark cherry, strong pepper note, touch of animal fur, and wee bit of the ol' brett that I thought worked rather well with this. Having had the 07 last month, this was similar in profile initially, a solid core of ripe CdP fruit, but this had a lot more appearant structure keeping this on the straight and narrow. Wonderful back end minerality. I dont drink nearly as much CdP as I used too, but when I do, I reach for a 2010.
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Deep red color. Aromas of blueberries, black cherries, leather and wood spices. Ripe, highly extracted but balanced fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length and fully integrated tannins and oak. Nicely cool and suave on the palate. While just now reaching the beginning of its peak drinking period, it was delicious with the tasty lamb, pork and chicken kabobs at Kanella Restaurant.
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SLDS November 2017: Cherry, tar, spice, earth and smoky notes. The ripeness of the fruit does show through a bit with a little alcohol warmth as well. Pretty approachable now given the sweet edges, but will probably improve if it is given another 5-6 years.
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Very dark crimson in color. Nose of wet dirt, leather, saffron and moss. Classic CdP nose. Tight and dense upon opening, but opened up over the six hours we continued to drink. Cherry, black pepper, tar, iodine, rock and cured meats for sure on the palate. Also, faint prune, a hint of blueberry, savory herbs and juniper. Has moved on from "young" though still far from mature. Many years to go. (Day 2 - half glass left: almost no change to day one. Still solid)
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Drunk over two days. Compared to the "La fiole du Pape" that we drank (I was forced) side by side it was a stunner: Nice, deep color, medium- intense nose, still fruity and not overly complex, high alc of 14,5% was perfectly integrated. Very velvet, smooth taste. But it lacked a bit of complexity and tension for me. Therefore mixed feelings. Drinks nicely now, but I guess it will continue to improve for the next 5+ years.
Slow ox'd for 6 hours then poured through a soiree. The nose was all fruit, the palate mixed berries, dark cherries, some red meat, and hints of herbes de provence (garrique) which came out in the long smooth finish. The bottle might have scored higher but we drank it against a 2011 Saxum James Berry and that was all she wrote. I can see this wine developing a lot further over the next few years. I will save my remaining bottles until then.
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Very closed to begin with. After some hours with air, the wine evolved and expressed elegant tones of dark berries, liquorice and "herbes de provence". I think it is way too early to drink this wine at the moment - will not open the next bottle within the next 5 years. Great potential here! 92+
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Nez de garrigues, classique et agréable. Belle fraîcheur en bouche, alliée à de la concentration, caractéristiques fidèles au millésime. TRame tannique assez présente, ça demeure très jeune et voué à un bel avenir.
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1 hr decant. Very delicious and well balanced dark fruit core. Still tightly wound, can taste the heat, will be perfect in 3-5 years and last 10+ after that so no rush. 3-5 hr decant ideal.
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This took a little time to open up, and the last glass was the best; I may be underscoring this, since it disappeared within an hour. Rich cherry and blackberry with notes of iodine, black pepper, and anise; light tannins show on the medium to long finish. I have a few more bottles, but I wish I had bought a case. Excellent value at a bit under $60.
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4 hour decant.. This is what a CDP is all about.. definitely drinking well now but will probably wait another year before pulling the next bottle... fig and dried fruit on the nose. Very tarry with smoke, graphite, iodine and earthy notes..
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From a magnum, tasted over three days. Tight and dense upon opening, showing mostly bright red fruits, berry liqueurs, cracked peppercorns, crushed black rocks, and cured meats. After a few hours of air the bouquet revealed mesmeric notes of incense, potpourri, berry compote, sous-bois, umami, sanguinity, and sweet spices, backed by powerful mineral, ore, and graphite elements. Dense, bracing, yet elegant. The wine achieves spectacular balance and purity of fruit, earth, and umami. The thought-provoking finish does not quit.
For my money, the consistently best, most affordably priced Chateauneuf-du-Pape that can be had. In this way, like the Oreno of Super Tuscans, which belongs in flights with the most sought after specimens. The 2010 Vieux Donjon may the very best, longest-lived vintage to date. It should be rockin' twenty years from now! Deeply satisfying!
40th bday celebration; 2/17/2017-2/18/2017 (Harrison, ID): Had this from magnum before getting to the aged rhones but circled back to it that night and night two. Young big and luscious but grounded in cdp roots. Lots of graphite, lush berry fruit, garrigue, fig cake, with some accents of smoke, kelp and iodine. It was nice to have this next to the 2001 and see the connection as I believe the winemaking style is still the same and will only improve with age.
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First bottle of a case. I am usually in the ball park with other reviewers, but not on this wine. I see it fully consistent with the WA and WS ratings (96). Very drinkable right now. No decant......bottle was open for 1 to 1 and a half hours. The best description of the experience is classic DNdP. The pro reviewers give this wine a very long drink window.....and it might improve. However, I am not going to hesitate to pull bottles of this one.
An absolutely great wine from a superb year! With its tarry and peppery features, this is a parade example of a traditional style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but there is also plenty of fruitiness to make the tasting experience pleasant. If decanted for a couple of hours, there is no problem with drinking this now, although the wine will evolve and improve in the coming years.
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Wine People Chatenuef du Pape Tasting (Vandiner's): PnD let air for 1hr. Tight on the nose touch of ripe cherry and clay. Cherry anise plum and earth on the palate. Very closed to start then opened up. Huge life ahead.
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Dark red. Seriously concentrated beast. Just starting to open after on day two. Black and blue fruits, cracked pepper. Obviously well balanced beautifully made wine. I think I am going to have to wait a few years for these to tell me a little more. Hands off for now. Score is largely for potential.
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Dark purple, full bodied Oak, vanilla, dark fruit explosion off the nose Dry, tannic, sweet plums, medium finish. Decent QPR. Has settled down a little since my last bottle. More refined now.
Can't go wrong with a CNP. Great value, with loads of character. Great with grilled meat in this case.
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Enjoyed pairing with chargrilled rack of Lamb, with other wines including a 2001 Beaucastel; compared to Beaucastel 2001, of course it was rougher, but still integrating nicely with dusty fruit flavours and tart crisp finish; medium to medium/heavy weight, as expected; decanting took away the funkiness of the young grenache.
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Compared to prior bottles, there is a definite muskines to the nose. Mushrooms, coffee grounds, and bitter chocolate dominate the nose. Oak and dark cherries flavors control the flavor.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind Tasting, $40+ (Bin 75): Has some pepper on the nose, confused me a bit for maybe being N. Rhone. Youthful, grippy, but some elegance there. Really well done, but give it some time.
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Served with lamb Provencal and all agreed that it was great pairing. Didn't find it as tannic as some others have mentioned but gave it an hour aeration. Dried herbs and red fruit mixed with hints of black olive. Finish satisfying if a little shorter than desired..
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Blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. Youngish. Fruity with a little spice. Somewhat tame at the moment, and not sure what to think about it.
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Enjoyed with orange beef dish from local Chinese restaurant. Stood up to sweetness and spiciness of the dish. Better with food right now than by itself. Great fruit and peppery richness. Believe this bottle needs at least two more years and then could be stellar. The structure and fruit are there, just need to give time for tannins to smooth out.
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Tasting of the Utrecht Wine Society (Utrecht, NL): Tasted blind. A blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, aged for 16 months in foudres, 45,000 bottles produced. Sweet fruit, juicy, spicy, supple, clean, pure, anonymous, decent flavours and length. It is getting big scores from some critics, but it does not rock my boat.
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Similar to my note from Oct 2013. But noticed a little excess CO2 this time, which some aeration got rid of. Also some typical Syrah funk - blood & meat. Smoother now, better integrated. Still big & tannic. Nice complexity, long fruity/spicy finish. Still needs more time, but a gorgeous wine.
Tasted alongside Pegau 2010. This is more rustic, lighter and approachable today. But definately a great wine that will develop fore 3-5+ more years. Typical Vieux Donjon, old fashioned CnDP.
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Excellent CDP...really impressed with this. Very complex flavors, tons of earthy notes in addition to cranberry, plums...big structure. Beautiful wine enjoyed with grilled tri tip and it was perfect.
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There is a lot of big, chunky structure here, but I wish there was a little more fruit to carry it along. Still a great wine, from a very good vintage.
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Dark purple, with some royal purple bubbles on pour Sour cherries, vanilla bourbon hints, hibiscus, vinyl-new car scent Dry, tannic, meaty, sour cherries, medium finish Opened up very nicely hour two, a little jammy
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A big boy. A little too much for me. Good spicy nose. Big black fruit palate. needs five years or so to show it's hidden class. At this stage I miss some refinement.
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On the nose, menthol and iodine; on the palate, blackberry, raspberry, anise, iodine, white pepper, and a bit of leather on the medium to long finish, with good acidity. This is great stuff, and although it's drinkable now it will improve. I'm glad I have a few more.
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I'm not a big CdP drinker, so take this with a big grain of salt, but I really enjoyed this wine. Not stewed or over ripe at all, some light purple and red fruits are well balanced over a broad tannic palate. Enough acidity to keep this interesting, although the focus here is clearly the fruit. An almost floral nose adds to the interest.
Very nice, glad I have more.
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Kirschlike odor. Medium-bodied. Red fruit, black tea, shoe leather on the palate. I like all of what this wine has going on, I just want a little more concentration from it.
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Great flavor and rich fruit, but a little less complex than some of the other fantastic CNdPs from this amazing vintage. Still a little closed, but, a great wine.
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Decanted for 3 hours prior to drinking. Deep impenetrable color. Nose is a bit closed down but with coaxing shows herbs de provence, fennel, and kirsch liquor. Deep and rich palate but with crystalline minerality. Great wine with a bright future.
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Jeune mais combien prometteur et tout un RQP pour cette qualité. Nez très expressif, framboises et viandes avec des violettes et de la garrigue, belle complexité. En bouche, fort soyeux et structuré. Texture soyeuse avec un beau fruit noir et du poivre. Très long et savoureux.
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Big, deep ruby. Promising nose, will get some air ... Mostly mixed black-fruit, creosote, cherry, spice, chestnut. Nice complexity. Not quite the intensity, or gorgeous, luscious, sappy, perfect red cherry, black raspberry Grenache fruit of the '07 at similar stage of development, but might age slightly better.
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From 375ml bottle. Tasted much more advanced than expected. Would guess 10 years old for sure. Odd. Nevertheless, it deserves the across the board adoration. A rich, full bodied version of Donjon. This house is really showing differently vintage to vintage, just one of the reasons it's one of the elite in my book. 14.9% ABV
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Young, but I wanted to try a bottle early, given CdP's reputation for shutting down for a few years near this stage. As other notes observe, this benefits from lots of air time. PnP results in a very hot initial presentation. But it smooths out with time in the glass. High acidity, medium+ silky tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), medium+ body & finish. Lots of fruit. Lots of aromas/flavors: blackberry, bramble, blueberry, cherry, plum, baking spices, licorice, juniper, pepper, vanilla, coffee, leather, tobacco, earth. Keeps getting better with each sip. Very good balance given the high levels of fruit, acid, tannin, alcohol - it comes together quite smoothly. I might have to drink another bottle soon, then hold the rest for 5+ years...
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This is a total legend in the making. Such an archetype of Rhone and incredibly well built. If there were a textbook nose for Rhone, here it is in all its glory. All palate elements are in proportion, red fruit, acid, mineral, tannin, very mild barnyard, in a rich presentation that is constantly tempered by a nearly invisible acidity. A big wine, but very much in control. Obviously a bit grippy for the foreseeable future, this absolutely blossomed with food, in particular a plate of lamb and chanterelles which I cannot recommend highly enough. Will buy more, this is right there with the '10 Beaucastel. 95+.
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This wine is still very young, I double decanted it and let it sit for about two hours. This is a big wine and even this young quite well balanced. Red fruit and acid blend seamlessly into a very yummy wine. Medium tannins and earth add to this wine with a nice mouth feel and a long finish.
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Wowza, what a beauty this is - like a future runway model with high cheekbones, striking eyes and legs that run on and on and on.... It all starts with a POWERFUL nose, one that jumps out with such concentrated glycerine and vibrant red raspberries, it's a true tour de force from the get-go. Make no mistake, this wine is big big big, but because of the wonderful acidity and graceful body it is somehow controlled. The tannins are very apparent, but not overpowering, and add to the overall comportment of the flavors. Right now the wine is very open, but I decanted for three hours and was very glad I did; the time under the air gave it a chance to really let the nose open up and the midpalate started a dance on the tongue that made this beauty a memorable drinking experience. If all the '10 CdPs are as balanced as this one, it's going to be a vintage for the ages. Only a 95 now, but in two or more years it will be even higher.
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Blackberry, licorice, truffle and black raspberry scents emerge with little effort. In the mouth, the wine is lush, round and concentrated. With tannins and structure to age, give it a few years before popping a bottle.
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Le vieux Donjon est un excellent vin après quelques heures en carafe. Toutefois, il y a des différences notoires entre les bouteilles qui me rendent perplexes.
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Had at RWS event with flank steak. Dark wine. Closed in. Little nose. Went with food and improved somewhat but it is too soon to be drinking this wine. Wait several years.
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Beautiful youngster. Nice bitterness, meaty, herbal and spicy. Tannic of course with ripe black fruit and all in good balance. Will age but very good already. Has to improve on the nose so 92 points so far.
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Probably needs about a half day in the decanter to start showing its stuff at this point. Showed its armour over the first 3-4 hours tonight, but shows good character. Leather and tobacco dominated nose. Mid-weight texture, with good freshness and Grenache character.
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Toasty nose, dark color and dark fruit. Lacks some acidity on the palate, medium+ finish with moderate oaky tannin.
I would have guessed more syrah in the blend given how dark and brooding this was. Did not let this get a lot of air, as this was a pop-and-pour with Spruce burgers. Too young to exhibit much complexity. Nothing out of place, but lacks appeal to me, perhaps a bit too large scaled. Won't be purchasing any for the cellar. 14%
Nose is minty, eucalyptus, boisenberry, rich soil. Spicy in the front, clay component, balanced though very young - still much room to come together. Love it...
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Black currant, plum, blackberry, a hint of blueberry, herbs, juniper, and pepper. Very young yet, so a bit tighter and more tannic than it will be a few years from now. Nonetheless, this wine shows much promise. Give it a couple years and it should be stellar... possibly reaching it's 96 point WS rating.
This wine was ranked as the No. 16 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 96 points by Wine Spectator.
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Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Light garnet color. Aromas of cherry and red fruit- herbal; develops notes of evergreen and herbs, as well as roasted red fruit and pepper. Medium- to full-bodied, with roasted cherry, black fruit, herb, spice and pepper flavors. Long finish.
My #1, Domino's #2 Group #2, 45 pts (2 x 1st place & 3 x 2nd place)
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Man, is this good. It's a big, but well balanced wine that really needs some time to unfurl, but the goods are there. Initially the classic iodine/seaweed, black olive, meat, violet and garrigue profile was out in front, with the black fruit tight fisted. With air, though, rich blackberry and black raspberry fruit came up with a vengeance and the sweet tannins did a bit of a rope a dope in the mouth. That said, however, like the Saint Prefert Reserve, there's a real sexiness to the wine and that's not something I would normally say about Vieux Donjon. Complex and just full of everything I like about Châteauneuf. My favorite VD since the stellar '98. It definitely needs some decant time to enjoy now, though. Solid A.
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Nose:A lot of sweet cherries and a bit of the same kind of spice you can smell on the best veneto wines like Bussola´s for instance. Some strawberries.
Attack: Some oak Tannis and strawberries in sweet and sour souce.
Midpalete: A lot of sweet and dried strawberries. Some lemons coming through. Like a mix between cherries and strawberries. Some oak as well but not much. Great full body.
Finish: I expected more actually. Some sweet mints and lemon possible but it was way too short.
It took 6 hours before this wine opened up and it will improve for sure. Maybe I would score it 94 over time. This wine seems to be made to impress Robert Parker. This finish is the problem with this wine (at this point at least), it´s a bit boring. The wine is 91-92 right now.
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Le Vieux Donjon Vertical tasting 2004, 2006, 2010. Prime rib dinner with portabello mushroom reduction. Added 2004 Duhart Milon for dinner.
Garnet. Some cranberry and cherry on the nose. More fruity than I expected for such a young Cdp. Hold for at least 5 years to let this wine develop secondary flavours.
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From magnum and served at 16 c. Those with a sweet tooth will love this wine, it is an expression of wild strawberries and Baba raspberries in wonderful combination. No discernible heat and a wonderful long finish. Served with aged Sirloin and creamy Saffron Risotto alá Keller. Highly recommended.
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The 2010 Le Vieux Donjon showed a beautiful and highly expressive nose with aromas of black raspberry jam, charred meat, chalky minerals, dried floral notes, and wild herbs. On the palate it had velvety textures with a dark brooding feel yet somehow juicy and fresh with ripe black fruits, exotic spice, Espagnole and black pepper in the background. The finish was long with dark palate staining fruits and a flex of imposing structure.
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Nez de viande grillée, de poivre et de réglisse. La bouche est étonnamment structurée, avec de solide tanins, bien enrobés. Dense, serré et droit, il me semble moins accessible que la dernière bouteille. Aucune sucrosité, le vin est bien sec, avec un petit coté animal dans cette bouteille. Il semble plus dur et fermé que la dernière, beaucoup moins ouvert et agréable, mais très beau potentiel. À attendre ou carafer de longues heures. 92+ pts
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First few bottles felt a little closed but this one really shined. Exuberant nose filled the room, thick almost chewy mouth, rich deep colour. Feels like this wine will just keep on getting better over the years.
Great berries and baking spices nose. The palate is full and intense with lots of acidity and verve. A little tight on the fruit definition but still a great young CDP.
Clear dark garnet. Nose of vanilla, black cherry, blackberry, and fig. Ripe, full, sweet palate of blackberry, black cherry, spice, pepper, and black licorice. Excellent length. Racy acidity. Sweet tannins. Beautiful, big & balanced CdP. Drinking really well.
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Le Vieux Donjon '10 est une grande réussite. Vin dense qui montre la fraîcheur typique du millésime, des tanins dodus, enrobés, du fruit, c'est délicieux! L'équilibre est impressionnant. Racé et profond, moins gourmand et plus droit que d'autres, il a même une certaine minéralité en milieu de bouche. Je devine la vendange entière, car il a un coté végétal noble, qui pinotte presque. Il a presqu'un profil bourguignon, mais en plus corpulent! Il n'a pas la sucrosité d'autres domaines plus baroques, qui peut déplaire à certains. Un vin de garde, mais déjà magnifique sur cette fraîcheur et ce fruit. Wow! 93+ pts
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A big wine. Laser beam of dark fruit slathered with spice and fresh herbs. Complex and long. The potent alcohol was initially well hidden but after several glasses, it made its presence known. Highly enjoyable now. Outstanding.
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Open two and a half hours, followed over next 45 minutes. Beautiful, silky, refined, complex, well balanced with refreshing acidity, integrated and enjoyable already, excellent concentration and intensity and maintains its elegance through the lengthy finish. Excellent now and plenty of upside with cellaring.
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Aromatic sweet and savoury spice nose of pepper, plum, cherry, ginger and cinnamon. Rich and ripe, savoury and warming palate; focused with great balance and length. 5/5
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Really excellent young wine. Beautiful balance, dark fruit and earth and bramble and pepper. While very youthful, drinks extremely well with food now as is not dominating. Tannins present but not obtrusive, acid in good balance. Excellent now, very likeable, could age to outstanding.
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An elegant, seamless experience but these 2010s aren't drinking as well early as the more gregarious 2007s. Bramble-berry nose with supporting black pepper as you'd expect. Substantial tannins tell me not to touch these for a long long time, and I like drinking CdP young. Nice now, but wait would be my guidance. 14% alcohol, from 375ml.
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Closed down for the day. Big, dark and brooding. After a good 45 minutes beautiful violets and kirsch appear. This is a very nice example of this wine, but it is also very young and needs several years before drinking. Still, the palate is voluptuous with soft integrated tannins. This wine will for certain evolve into a beauty with all the classical Chateauneuf components in place and in balance. (Scored blind without proper food.)
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Could use some cellaring but has all the qualities of a great CDP in a good vintage. Well balanced, with enough fruit, pepper, and tobacco to bring everything together. Looking forward to trying this again in a few years.
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. First bottle open came across as incredibly simple with what seems like cherry cola character to me. Nobody thought this 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, so we opened and decanted a second bottle which came across with slightly greater density and power but was still surprisingly simple. Strange.
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Elegant and classy with gorgeous fresh blackberry, ripe plum, cloves, pepper, spices, lavender along with some floral and mineral mixed in. This is so soft, velvety and caressing as it glides effortlessly across your palate. Love the focus and balance this demonstrates from start to finish. It will be fun to watch this evolve over the next 20 years, however for those who can't wait it is also excellent today. A beautiful wine to say the least. (Best 2012-2030)
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Wine Blogger's Tasting - 2010 Châteauneufs (MacArthur's - Washington, DC): Vieux Donjon is one of my favorite Chateauneuf producers and in 2010 they really kick it up a notch. This wine is incredibly young, but surprisingly expressive. Aromas of pure blackberry fruit, roasted herbs along with a shot of green pepper and dried seaweed. I can only imagine what this wine will smell like with a few years in the cellar. The palate shows strikingly pure flavors, fine tannins and fresh acid. It's full of smoke, game, strawberry and fig flavors, which are complex and perfectly woven together. There's a nice herbal kick on the finish that lingers for a very long time. I really think this wine needs 10+ years to develop, and it will probably drink wonderfully for another decade at least.
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A little reserved at first, needed ample decanting time - but that's not surprising considering its youth at this time. Comes across very elegant overall. Really opened up beautifully. Nuanced, subtle, intoxicating, heady and lovely with impeccable balance. Le Vieux Donjon delivers once again!
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Eight in a flight of 8 from southern Rhone and Chateaunuef-du-Pape In the glass: Deep magenta. On the nose: Red fruits, raspberry, light spice with a hint of floral. In the mouth: Full mouth feel, lots of grip yet still balanced, medium finish. May need some decanting time to even it out a bit. Can go down for a few years to let the tannins integrate some. At retail: $78.00 Too rich for my budget, but very nice indeed!
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Chateauneuf du Pape, France - Tasted at Domaine: Tasted with Claire Michel. Concentrated fruit, very fresh and forward. This wine was bottled just two weeks ago. Dark fruits, Woodsy, earth, minerals, cloves. Claire recommends to be laid away for 8-10 years before drinking. Very nicely done.
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Blackberry, licorice, truffle and black raspberry scents emerge with little effort. In the mouth, the wine is lush, round and concentrated. With tannins and structure to age, give it a few years before popping a bottle.
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taste: very well balanced medium feel with very chewy tannins. Excellent depth with great tones of black fruits, garrigue, tobacco, a bit of leather and some dark red cherries
overall: this is showing very well now, but it has much to give for later. Great profile on both the nose and palate with excellent depth as well
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4/3/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Candie Does Cassoulet (Candie's, Mpls): Dark red plus color. Drank a glass over 90 minutes. Kirsch, black plum, cherry, classic garrigue, black pepper. The palate is plump and juicy, kirsch, cherry, plum, garrigue, olive tapenade, black pepper, medium full bodied, with moderate tannins now. This still has some room to improve.
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3/1/2024 - psi wrote: 93 Points
Impeccable. Maturer notes but no rush
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2/11/2024 - lkilpio Likes this wine: 96 Points
This great, traditional-style Châteauneuf-du-Pape is at a lovely phase at the moment, restoring my faith in the more matured wines of the region in general. In fact, this wine was outstanding for 3 years ago, but it is clearly even better now.
The wine is displaying stunning aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries and plums, herbs, tar, iron, minerals and earth. Contrary to many other Southern Rhône wines at this age, the wine gives a fresh impression, and it is not having any burnt taste at all. The wine is still richly, sweetly and intensively fruity. The tannins have already softened and integrated, but the tannic structure is still firm. Consequently, this wine is very enjoyable now, but it is still having many years of life ahead.
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2/11/2024 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Easily WOTN for me. It's very much a 2010, at this stage more so than a classic VD. Concentrated, cool, stony, almost Northern in style, notes of olives and garrigue with the Grenache very much in the background - and to me certainly too young. This will be Grand Vin, I am sure, but I will leave my own stash alone for at least a couple of years before trying one.
94++
#NC80#BarVin
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12/18/2023 - millesime66 wrote: 94 Points
Magnifique et resté tellement jeune et sur le fruit. Attention, vin au gros dépôt qui demande à être décanté.
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12/8/2023 - Bro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quel bon vin pour accompagner la viande de Wagyu ...
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12/8/2023 - yorkch wrote: 88 Points
At 13 years old I’d have expected more from this. High alcohol (14.5%) which does show a little. Nice enough red berry nose but spirity finish that cancels out any fruit. Last bottle and I’m not sorry to see it go.
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12/4/2023 - markcic wrote: 92 Points
With A Platter of Chicken Alfredo. Red fruit on the nose. The palate was red cherry, red plums, a touch of raspberry, currants and a hint of spice. A nice finish made it an enjoyable wine.
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10/28/2023 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
I’m a bit disappointed with this wine based upon my a priori readings of comments. I don’t find this wine to be showing great depth. Is it maturing? Sure, it’s medium bodied weight with purple fruit and some nice nuances of herbs and brighter berries that announce themselves later in the profile than bright red acidity would make me expect. I served this with rack of lamb (with a citrus and rosemary marinade to sous vide before high temp sear over hardwood charcoal) and provided a slow ox over two hours. I just never got any “umph” or weight on the back palate. The terroir sits subtly in the background and tannins were missing heft. Again, no major flaws but just not as interesting as a maturing CdP should be.
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10/9/2023 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of my favorite CdPs, and drinking beautifully.
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10/9/2023 - andreask888 wrote: 92 Points
Very much in the mature drinking window. Primary notes of dark berry and juniper. Garrique characteristics are muted which is great. Smokey, tobacco, pine and cedar secondary notes very pleasing.
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8/5/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Siggy's Annual BBQ (Chez Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. Small taste. Earthy, funk, garrigue, cherry, savory, olive, medium-full bodied, moderate tannins, really starting to come into its own now. 92+(+)pts.
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6/18/2023 - olalar wrote: 92 Points
Drinks great now. Still not into the more mature phase. Fruit is fresh and balance is great. Still more potential(?) - drink next in 3 years?
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6/8/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from 5 years ago. Dark garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of sous-bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of violets, herbs, pepper, iron, earth/dusty, coffee, minerals & a touch of oak/vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries & cranberries with beefy notes, earthy, herbs, pepper, minerals & a bit of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing & at 13 years of age, still has another 4 to 5 years of further potential ahead of it with additional aging. Fill was in mid-neck; cork was clean & intact.
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5/29/2023 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful
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4/23/2023 - khmark7 wrote:
Dark and tannic but the oak is overpowering the wine. The garrigue and savory components are way in the background in this bottle and I find this disappointing. After 13 years this bottle should be drinking much better than it is today. Purchased on release and stored in a Eurocave.
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2/19/2023 - drwine2001 wrote:
Garnet color. A touch of brett that stays in check and garrigue on the nose. Pleasing medium weight, quite supple. Lovely, fresh ripe plum and cherry, pepper, herb, and gentle soil. Light tannins and excellent acidity. Mature but balanced to last 5+ years. I love Vieux Donjon's savory, understated style.
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12/28/2022 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific tasting of three CDP: Château Lazaret cuvée exceptionnelle 2010, Vieux Donjon 2010 and Domaine de la Charbonnière 2009. A tie for first place but with two different styles. Vieux Donjon (94-95) having black fruits followed by anis, black olive and «herbes de provence » flavors. The Lazaret(94-95) was bursting with blackberry and raspberry nose and mouth. The Charbonnière(92) was more austere with a combination of black fruits, anis and olive. The Vieux Donjon was the most complex by far but the Lazaret was so fruity it was difficult to tell wich one I preferred.
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12/2/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured at home. Drinking incredibly well now. This is a great vintage and one of my favorite CdP.
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12/1/2022 - WineDuq Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP. Nose a bit muted with subtle notes of forest, iron/rust, sous bios. No baked or pruned notes. The color is a vivid ruby, no bricking. Looks younger than 12 years. On the palate the wine is wonderfully ripe and lush with red fruits (raspberry, cranberry), a bit of minerals, medium to full bodied, very fresh. It finishes firm and dry with nice acidity and fine grained tannins. Really excellent showing. If you like them softer and more relaxed, wait. Otherwise, for my tastes, this was singing.
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11/29/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
2010 was just a great CdP vintage and Donjon is one of my favorites. Excellent bottle.
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11/27/2022 - bagelcat wrote: 93 Points
Very nice - well-developed, good depth and length; probably right in the middle of its drinking window, without any risk of tipping over anytime soon. Could easily keep for another 10.
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11/11/2022 - df1962 wrote: 93 Points
PnD let air for 1hr.
Crunchy smoky tar cherry and garrigue. Getting better with age. Love it.
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10/8/2022 - sjtave Likes this wine:
Agree with other recent notes; this is in the heart of its drinking window. Benefits from an hour or so of air (I did not decant, just poured into the glass well before drinking). All of the elements are very nicely integrated. Great with food or on its own. A fine example of a moderately-aged CdP. I don't think this will improve, but it should continue to drink at this level for at least a few more years.
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10/6/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully!
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10/2/2022 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep medium ruby in appearance
Complex and evolved aromas of black fruit, charcuteries, baking spice and herbal elements. Very impressive nose and not tired or over extracted in any way.
Full bodied with enough structure and acidity (at age 12 or so) to suggest that this wine still has some development ahead of it. Excellent flavor concentration with a long finish.
Overall very well done is consistent with other '10 CDPs recently tasted- they are definitely hitting a great drinking spot!
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9/18/2022 - prelypchan wrote: 94 Points
Agree with recent notes - this is definitely in the drinking window. However, really benefitted from a 1 hr decant. Nose was muted right out of the bottle, but blossomed beautifully over those 60 minutes. All the kirsch and garrigue (to name a few) was right there - exactly what you want from a CdP. Tannins fully integrated. Lovely mouthfeel, great finish. A great bottle - drink now or over next 2-3 years if you like your CdP fruit primary.
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9/2/2022 - mimik Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is ready to drink. Resolved tannins browsing dark blackberry, all spice and blueberry notes with red plums on a medium long finish. Not a lot of acidity given the hot year but enough to pair well with food. Solid
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7/21/2022 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is the fourth bottle of a case. All four have been extremely good.....classic CNdP. The wine is in a great drink window. The Pro raters give it a long drink window. However, I have had one or two other CNdPs go downhill fast on me despite being well stored. Also, all four bottles over the past five years have produced a very level drinking experience. Hence, I do not see this one improving. Therefore, I will not hesitate to pull bottles of this wine......might as well enjoy it. I noticed that the auction price for this wine has really jumped over the past year.....not a surprise.
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5/25/2022 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 95 Points
I rate the first bottle I consumed of this wine well above other cellartracker.com raters at that time and noted that gap. By the time I had my second bottle, the other raters caught up to me. This was the third bottle. It is in a perfect drink window. Opened for about 45 minutes at a restaurant with no decant. It is classic CNdP.
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5/13/2022 - signotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful mix of ripe red fruit & herbal notes with soft tannins and nice acidity. Lasting finish
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5/9/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped'n poured at Sun Wah BBQ in Chicago to go with their amazing Beijing duck dinner. (One if the "Must-do's" in Chicago.) Better glasses would have merited an even better score, but this was a great bottle.
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5/8/2022 - gmbdds wrote: 93 Points
In a good spot now with slow sipping or a short decant. The fruit is secondary, but shows dark and nuanced. Meat, pepper, coffee, smoke and tea notes all add to a balanced CdP. Hold for the hopes of some serious complexity, drink for near guaranteed enjoyment now.
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4/30/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped'n poured at a friend's BBQ, and a perfect complement to the brisket, pulled pork, etc. I think this is at prime dining window.
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4/8/2022 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped'n poured - still drinking very well.
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2/23/2022 - mp44 Likes this wine: 93 Points
fan.tast.ic - had me at the nose - really nice, though not better on day2
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2/6/2022 - Morten & Morten Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open noise, younger body than expected. Great now, but no rush. 92+
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1/27/2022 - shafer1994 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a youngster:the dark red color indicates a wine in a young stage. A muscular, strong, intense nose with beautiful fruit and aromas of smoke, olives, pepper. Remarkably tannins on the palate but in a elegant, polished way. Masculine, long finish in a wonderful balance indicating many more years of pleasure. Impressive!
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1/22/2022 - PVJC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent. Robust and weighty, even if a bit monolithic. Opened a bit before drinking but didn't decant. The side of the bottle was coated in sediment ... it all stayed there but otherwise it would have needed filtering.
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1/14/2022 - Manuaia wrote: 92 Points
Last of a 4 pk i bought upon release. Color looks like its 3 years old. A pile of sediment. Garrigue. Szechwan Pepper, clove, blood sausage, grilled meat ,luxardo marachino cherries. JustBarely less enjoyable than the last bottle I had three years ago. the fruit is slowly dissipating. Alcohol is flexing his muscles nonetheless the wine is enjoyable and quite complex. Ive drunk a ton of cdp and 99% of the time it tastes better in it’s youth. The wine is delicious but it brought more enjoyment 3-5 years after vintage So why age it?
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12/28/2021 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée!
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12/25/2021 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well and took no time to open up. Well balanced and paired perfectly with Christmas dinner, especially the homemade meat ravioli.
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12/21/2021 - JGinMO wrote: 93 Points
From a split, nicely aged, with lots of secondary flavors, no edges; does feel like it might have peaked/edge of pruning, but drinking nicely now.
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12/10/2021 - psi wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful. No rush
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12/5/2021 - Finare Vinare wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 mins. Open and inviting nose with striking complexity. Aromas of red cherries, cranberries and sour raspberries. Lovely stemminess with notes of tobacco, cinnamon, celery and undergrowth. Just a hint of brett. White pepper, roasted meat and boudin noir. Very fresh on the palate, with a nicely balanced sweetness offset by pronounced salinity, "turkish pepper" and black pepper. Much less tannic than the Charvin '10. Definitely ready to go, and should keep for another decade.
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12/4/2021 - sastewart wrote: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully at the moment. Could not provide a better description than one written on 5/31/2019 by LA CAVE D'ARGENT. 94 points
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11/29/2021 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still very primary with beautiful grenache fruit dominant. Ashamed to say, I PNP'd a magnum, ran it through an aerator into a large decanter. Opened way too early. Wine abuse I know! Drank over the next hour with 5 other friends. In that time, developed more classic CDP character as the terroir integrated with the fruit, tannins smoothed out wonderfully and the nose became even more powerful. This would have evolved even better into the next day if we hadn't guzzled it all up. Guessing a 750ml would still have another few years to get even better and a magnum another 5 or so. Unfortunately my only bottle so I'll never know. Have had since release and cellared well so worried about bottle variation based on earlier comments.
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11/29/2021 - mp44 wrote: 92 Points
vs. 14 months ago, fruit seemed more muted and some signs of tertiary notes emerging - didn't grab me the way my last bottle did, but still v. v. nice
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11/19/2021 - henrik33 wrote:
Interesting. In a weird place. No fruit but tannic
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10/9/2021 - Villon wrote: 93 Points
Toujours délicieux. Le commentaire de MayValley est très juste.
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9/27/2021 - MayValley wrote: 93 Points
Aromatically, this is really open for business! Roast meat, deep floral aromas, dark cherries, licorice, dried herbs and garrigue.
The palate is actually still quite young. There is a core of dark red fruit, along with spices and dried herbs, some dry extract, and a fine tannic structure and good acidity. Persistent length.
This is drinking very well now! The aromas are spot on. The palate is still very fresh and vibrant, still no tertiary flavours. I think one could easily cellar this wine for 5-10 more years, but it is very good already:)
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8/28/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Annual Wine Group Summer Event - BBQ Brisket at Siggy's (Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Small tasting pour. Brief note; same bottle as Bellissimo, hey, we're getting there, very nice indeed, see his notes.
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8/28/2021 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
This is in a great spot. Decanted 45 minutes and slow O'd for another 60 once we got to our gathering.
Really balanced, expressive mix of dark red and black fruits, garrigue, black olives, and herbs. Very long, lingering finish that kept a smile on my face.
Have shied away from purchasing Rhones as of late because I find them too big. This reminded me how producers don't need ripe, extracted fruit with huge alcohol to make a memorable wine. STRONG recommendation.
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8/27/2021 - Wino133 Likes this wine: 94 Points
drinking super well now, doesnt really need air - surprised me a bit. no pressure to drink up now but peaking soon.
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8/5/2021 - up4wine wrote:
1st of 6 at 2010 CdP tasting. This wine was somewhat unique in the group, as it had an earthy, leathery side to it. This strikes me as a bit atypical for CdP, but it captured the imagination of the tasting panel, and that seemed to give it the edge to be ranked number 1 of the night.
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7/28/2021 - SeaWine Likes this wine:
Excellent. Clean with complex berry flavors and light herbal accents. Alcohol in check; everything well-balanced.
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6/11/2021 - randyjc wrote: 92 Points
This is evolving into a very pretty wine - black cherry and overripe strawberry mouth flavors with undertones of herbs and black licorice. A band of sweetness runs through the wine start to finish and is quite appealing. I only have one of these remaining and am in no hurry to drink it as I think the wine will soften a bit and be even more welcoming.
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4/24/2021 - Larre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very much in harmony. Generous fruit and good overall balance. I think it will benefit from further cellaring to gain complexity, a bit shy at the moment. 93+
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3/31/2021 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Vin encore puissant et primaire, aux accents de kirsch et d’épices. À l’ouverture, l’alcool et les tanins prennent beaucoup de place, le vin semble trop jeune. Deux heures plus tard, il est nettement plus équilibré, plein d’énergie, avec la fraîcheur caractéristique du millésime, un fruité éclatant. Sans doute mieux de l’attendre 3 ans ou sinon de l’ouvrir au matin. Beau potentiel. 91+ pts
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3/19/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured - another in a series of consistently very good bottles.
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3/18/2021 - Whisky&Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark cherry, cough syrup and wet new pavement aromas leap from the glass. The flavors are cherry liqueur, horehound candy and grilled thyme and peppercorn. The finish is a bit odd, which detracts slightly from the experience. Not bad just a little unusual. It is drying, but on the roof of the mouth vs the tongue.
Overall, very enjoyable and just entering the peak enjoyment window. You have another decade or so to enjoy this wine.
Served at cellar temp after a 35 min decant.
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2/17/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured at home. Another outstanding bootle.
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1/4/2021 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well after a double decant. Excellent balance, dark fruit, earth, spice notes. Lovely mouthfeel and a savory finish.
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1/2/2021 - cartime Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a great spot. Best after a couple hours open.
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12/29/2020 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 89 Points
Grenat intense.
nez plutôt discret, fruits noirs et rouges, mures, framboises, une touche poivré, un peu d’alcool.
En bouche, beau fruits en attaque, acidité moyenne, tannins bien présent et un peu asséchants, bonne longueur. Beau CDP, mais à attendre pour en profiter à sa juste valeur, ou à prendre avec une viande rouge bien saignante.
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12/28/2020 - lkilpio Likes this wine: 94 Points
The aromas and flavors of cough medicine, tar, pepper and provencal herbs are beautiful and very open at the moment. While the fruitiness of the wine has somewhat started to fade, there is still enough fruit left, and the wine gives now a very balanced and integrated impression. Do not wait for too long, though. Being a great example of the traditional style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this wine is also one of the best buys in the whole region.
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12/28/2020 - Wino133 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really opened up after a couple of hours. Doesnt taste oro act like a decade old CNDP at all. Really nice. Very primary still, no signs of age.
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11/12/2020 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing how the rating is consistent. I did not remember rating it 93. I rated it in my mind 93 and then asked wy wife how she rated it: 93 ! Then I entered this in cellar tracker: average rating:92,6....
Anis, ripe black cherry, blackberry and spice flavors. Nice balance. Drink now but not fading.
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11/8/2020 - signotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic CdP, still youthful but drinking well now after some air time or a decant. This shows a well balanced mix of ripe red fruit, herbes de Provence, and other spice elements. There is enough structure to last another 5 - 10 years. Top notch CdP
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11/8/2020 - FabesMTL Likes this wine:
One of the better CDPs I’ve had in recent years. The notes from others below are bang on.
The nose hits you with this misty dark berry fruit, then some slight hints of smoke, raw meat, bacon fat dripping and black pepper. On the palate it’s subtle fruits with some spice and black pepper; the tannins are subtle and well integrated. Excellent rich and smooth finish with lingering dark fruits and peppery notes. Drinking really well now but can still age a decade at least. Excellent to outstanding.
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10/17/2020 - up4wine wrote: 94 Points
This wine hits all the right notes with outstanding balance. What a pleasure to share with friends who appreciate excellent wines.
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10/16/2020 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
Some barnyard flavors and cherries on the nose; well-balanced on the palate: not too heavy for a C9dP, alcohol in check and no baked fruit flavors, fine acidity, sweet cherry fruit, also some earth and barnyard flavors (brett), spicy and slightly vegetal with licorice notes, soft texture and gentle tannins and matching acidity. A rather classy Chateauneuf-du-Pape. At or near peak drinking window for my palate. - 90 points
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10/11/2020 - Wino133 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Started off a bit thin in the middle, but with 60-90 minutes of air it started to really come into itself. I'd guess this is a couple of years away from prime, given the colour of the wine - being a red colour rather than rust or deep purple.
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10/5/2020 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Bouquet and palate of mesquite, cherry, damp earth, pepper, iodine, licorice, and lavender. Plush and oily, at a nice stage of maturity -2030.
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10/2/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deserved better glasses and an hour decant. But still a great bottle.
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9/26/2020 - Villon wrote: 93 Points
Au début de son plateau, avec un équilibre exemplaire : fruit mûr mais pas trop, bonne fraîcheur, tannins assouplis.
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9/5/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted at the start of dinner with friends (outdoors), and another good bottle, from a great vintage and a very consistent (and under-rated producer).
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8/13/2020 - valedeniro wrote: 95 Points
Stunning nose of dark berries,bacon,black olives and garrigue.On the palate this wine rocked.Smooth tannins giving a robust backbone to fruit and acidity.The finish just never ends and leaves you stunned by an everlasting sensation of ripe blackberries and tapenade.This is a very elegant and serious wine.
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8/9/2020 - mp44 wrote: 94 Points
gorgeous - drinking very well - thankfully this is first of the case
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6/26/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured (and note that it's even better with a decant of an hour or so), and drank with Cajun carryout from RT's in Alexandria - the '10 has been so consistent, and so consistently good, it's crazy. At least another decade ahead, but my remaining 20 or so bottles won't make it nearly that long.
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6/21/2020 - ccarter5181 wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour at friend's house. A bit muted for the first hour. Also a bit tannic. Opened up nicely after 1 hour and became more balanced. Classic Rhone elements. While this was a solid effort I was a bit disappointed based on user and pro reviews. Significant sediment. Next time will decant for 1 hour.
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6/6/2020 - ideliver2 wrote:
Nice pairing with Chateaubriand tonite....sublime nose after a short decant, beautiful intergration of herbal and forest floor with a nice smooth finish
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5/25/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured, with brisket on Memorial Day. Incredibly consistent wine, and so good. Even better if you can give it a decant for an hour or two. This will shine for the next decade, but the 20 or so bottles I have left won't make it nearly that long.
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5/12/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped'n poured, but this is even better with an hour or so decant. The "house" CdP - thank goodness I've got almost 2 cases left of the '10.
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5/11/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 375, decanted for an hour & similar to prior note, but a little dry on the finish
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4/23/2020 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
Still excellent, and it's definitely ready to drink, although it still improves with a short decant. Drink or hold, depending on whether you like your Chateauneuf young or old.
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4/17/2020 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow this wine has some serious staying power. I did a Coravin taste on Super Bowl Sunday, remember live sports? And gave it a 94. Well opened it for Easter Sunday but only had one small glass as I was feeling under the weather.
I had vacu-vined the bottle and forgot about it until tonight 5 days later as I was about to uncork a Napa Cab to pair with prime filets. I decided to sample this and wow it was in fantastic shape. Earthy, bold, fruity and powerful. Stood up to the grilled filet perfectly and was so enjoyable to sip and savor after dinner.
Impressive as I’ve never had a wine taste just as good after 5 days of opening.
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4/6/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
We slow ox'd for 2 hours and then decanted and it sat another hour before we slowly started drinking it. Red berries on the nose. The palate was dark cherry, red current, plum and garrique. The finish was long. Served alongside a roasted chicken with New Orleans seasoning and it went really well. A really enjoyable bottle of wine. I have 3 more in storage and I will leave them there for a while as there is no hurry with this wine.
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3/30/2020 - acheng wrote: 90 Points
Probably in an awkward phase. Not as focused as nuanced as I thought. Perhaps I just had higher expectation.
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3/11/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From 375, double decanted for an hour, deep ruby, classic CDP with dark fruit & herbs, med. tannins, long finish; delicious, best 1/2 bottle yet & entering its plateau
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2/16/2020 - ephorn wrote: 93 Points
Very good palate penetration, overall balance. Nice garrigue nuance typicity. Ripe fruit is in balance with the other elements. This did turn bitter on day two so I don’t recommend extended aging or long decanting. Drinking well now and for the next 3-4 yrs I’d expect.
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2/7/2020 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 1/1/18 bottle.
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2/3/2020 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coravin CdP Super Bowl Tasting. Did 6 ounce pours of Usseglio and Donjon from the 2010 vintage. The Usseglio was the 49'ers starting out fast and the Donjon ended up being the Chiefs and dominating by the 4th quarter.
The Usseglio initially had the edge with some riper forward fruit while the Donjon was holding back and reserved. However, with air-time the Donjon just kept blossoming with those secondary notes, like cedar, olive tapenade and mineral elements while the Usseglio stayed one-dimensional.
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1/27/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 93 Points
Going through an interesting late youth stage, where the dark plummy fruits are tussling with the garrigue and spices as well as the slowly subsiding sugars. The good news is that the tannins are still evident and definitely pushing on the finish. What surprisesd me the most was the clunkiness on the tongue, with a big swish of earthiness and unkempt barnyard, which makes me think the Grenache is going into a shutdown phase. Don’t get me wrong, this one is still a beauty, but going through an awkward teenager phase from my take. Wish I could have tried this one about two or three years ago for comparison. This really is a great vintage for rhe southern Rhône. And a solid wine from this vintage as well.
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1/27/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Deep red. Very deep medium intense nose. Tire shop, black berry fruit and some real earthiness. Dry earthy berry and beef flavours and a huge tannic finish.
Lots here and not roasted.
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1/19/2020 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Borrowing Bill's note here: "odd sweet nougat and rubber nose, but aside from that the fruit wasn't at all roasted and the tannins were still firm and not overly hard...very tasty now, but resist the urge." Little more time needed for integration.
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12/25/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine with dark black fruited core and nice touch of funk but exceptional depth.
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12/24/2019 - Not647f wrote:
Brought to Christmas Eve Dinner because my mother likes these. Drank a bit of it, but not a lot. Enough to say that these are consistently fine wines, with lots of S. Rhone character and perhaps a bit more spine than most CdP at this price. Perhaps because they put out only one bottling and do not hold back the "best" for a luxury cuvee, these do not disappoint.
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12/20/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another very good bottle; constant with last notes. Better glasses and a decant would have added a couple more points.
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11/24/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
I'm going to quit rating individual bottles, and just give my remaining 20-some bottles all 94 or 95 points. Incredibly delicious, incredibly consistent; I can't believe there is a CduPape producer who makes better wine for the price.
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10/17/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped'n poured as an "after dinner" bottle with friends, so it never received the time (or glassware) needed to really show what it has. But even so, this producer rarely disappoints, and with the 2010, the only question is how good.
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10/12/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Love this CdPape. The 2010 is probably just in its early drinking window, but with an hour or two decant, it's smoking right now. Great fruit, spice, and drinking beautifully.
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10/4/2019 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 1/1/18 bottle.
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8/31/2019 - olalar wrote: 92 Points
Ready to drink but will last many years.
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8/20/2019 - PVJC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hr, great with grilled steak
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8/2/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured with Mexican. I recognize I'm likely drinking this a couple of years too soon, but this is so good already, and likely still improving. Has to be one of the great quality/price ratios in CdP, if not all of France.
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7/12/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and then drank over dinner (tapas). Could have used an hour or two more, as still very young but already so good.
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7/6/2019 - andreask888 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coming along.
Balanced stone fruit, stewed red prunes with tannins that melt into tobacco and cedar box at end of palate.
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6/23/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young, but drinking very, very well. Beautiful fruit and spice. Decanted just prior to dinner, and would have merited an even higher score with an hour or two in the decanter.
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6/6/2019 - jww Likes this wine: 93 Points
very nice Rhone
Deep flavor plums dark fruits slightly spicy
full bodied flavor
nice finish
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5/31/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this deep garnet Châteauneuf (a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault) delivers a youthful array of dark bramble fruits, plums, Provençal herbs, black pepper and lavender. Medium-to-full-bodied and with good lift, it still flaunts youthful rustic tannins that, combined with the wine's plentiful fruit, will ensure significant longevity. The alcohol (14%) is nicely integrated, the middle palate solid and the mineral-laden finish very long. Even though this wine is now nine years old, I still believe that it is on the upswing. Drink 2021-2034.
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5/15/2019 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Jeune et fringant encore,
beau fruit dense sur une longue finale
épicée.
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4/21/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young, but a very nice showing, especially considering this was popped'n poured. Deeper, richer, bigger nose, just a more serious wine than the '10 Charvin that preceded it.
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4/5/2019 - isbjoern wrote: 89 Points
A slightly dissapointing bottle with very strong brettanomyces flavors: barnyard, horse stable and leather. These flavors were covering most of the fruit, but the structure of the wine was excellent and seemed more complex than the 2007. I hope my remaining bottles do not show the same levels of brett. For my palate this is on the verge of being flawed. Others in our tasting group liked the wine because of the brett flavors and some didn't even taste them at all. It seems it utlimately comes down to personal sensitivity to brett. - 89 points
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4/5/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another great bottle. Given an hour or so decant before dinner, and really hitting a nice spot, though with years ahead of it. My "house" CdP for the next several years!
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3/28/2019 - rocknroller wrote:
WTDS at Spoon (Spoon & Stable, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. I'm still not feeling the love from the '10 Donjon yet. Still very green, strong garrigue notes, stemmy herbaceousness, dark and heavy fruits. This feels really young yet. Score reserved.
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2/21/2019 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Super beau C9P, fruité, épicé, dense
et généreux mais avec une certaiine maitrise.
Long et tout simplement délicieux.
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2/19/2019 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 95 Points
Second bottle of a case. Exactly like the first bottle.....a spectacular wine. No decant and only open a little while at a restaurant. My thoughts on the wine were confirmed by the only other red wine drinker at the table. This is a wine to be enjoyed now.
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2/2/2019 - hprphf wrote:
La Tablee 2019: High tannin and bright.
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2/2/2019 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 1/1/18 bottle.
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2/1/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
I know this is young, but even popped and poured with no decant, both these bottles were rocking right out of the gate. And a nice match with Cajun food at a friend's house. Still upside, and at least another decade ahead, Donjon is one of the best values in French fine wine.
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1/27/2019 - jeffreylubowski wrote: flawed
So corked. What a bummer man.
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1/25/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to prior note
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12/25/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another very good bottle, quite consistent with previous notes. Followed the '09 Pegau at Christmas dinner.
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12/21/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and popped at dinner with Cajun/Creole. Another really good bottle, drinking beautifully, but with plenty of life ahead. Donjon has to be pretty high on the list for best q/p ratio in Chateauneuf, if not all of France.
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12/12/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted a 375 for 2 min in the iSommelier, deep ruby, classic young traditional CDP; very good, drink or preferably hold
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10/20/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brought to a friend's bday dinner at their home, along with the '10 Pio Cesare Barolo and the '09 Jayer-Gilles Nuits-St-George Les Damodes (okay, YOU try to guess what will pair best with Latvian pork stew - the prunes make it a sweeter savory stew). While the Burgundy and the Barolo were both very nice wines, this clearly stole the show. Drinking beautifully right now, with delicious fruit and great structure, but I won't be surprised if this improves even more. One of my favorite CdePapes producers and I ordered a second case of the supposedly equally stellar '16 Donjon this morning. Fortunately, I've got another 40 or so bottles of the '10 to tide me over in the meantime.
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10/5/2018 - Hermosabritdad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hard to not open these. Am almost through the case of 2010 and yet it will probably get even better if I was more patient. Have been glad to read that they follow an organic vineyard farming approach as in our household we are getting more and more focused on how the grapes were grown and avoiding pesticides and herbicides at all costs. A lovel mid range CNDP that never disappoints and at time soars. Nose is nicely complex mix of light fruit and darker chocolate and even pepper. Pallete has a round and smooth mouth feel and darker but sweet fruit. This is my no.1 go to mid range CNDP. Still can’t understand why they are not able to charge at least 50% more. Glad of course they choose not to.
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9/16/2018 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good and mostly what one would expect but shut down. Less lively and less character than I would have expected. Based on this bottle I would say "hold".
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9/14/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another very consistent bottle, and still young, with room for improvement.
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9/5/2018 - Hermosabritdad wrote: 89 Points
Heavy funk that took quite a while to burn off. Once it did it was good. But not as great as previous bottles. Going through a phase? Maybe.
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8/9/2018 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Assez concentré et dense, beau fruit et un peu d`épices.
Long et avec encore un peu de chauffe.
Bien mais à attendre encore pour la prochaine!
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8/6/2018 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 1/1/18 bottle except took about 30 minutes to open up.
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8/3/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young, but already drinking well in spite of its youth. Popped'n poured, improved over dinner in the glass - beautiful nose, with fruit and structure to match (with Mexican).
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8/2/2018 - Outplaying wrote:
I came home from work and Ann had a bottle of wine in a brown bag on the counter. Game on. Smells like crushed pepper, with a fair amount of darker fruit. A little alcohol, too? Immediately thought Syrah, and probably northern Rhone. On the palate, darker fruit, again crushed pepper, and some meaty notes. Medium bodied, solid acidity, and fine tannin. Definitely old world. Thinking northern Rhone, or possibly a old school CdP producer. I went with my first impressions and guessed northern Rhone Syrah.
As this opened over an hour or so, it started to show some red fruit tones, baking spices, cinnamon, and a little sappy, slightly sweet fruit. Dark honey. I'd like to think if I didn't rush to judgement I would have come around to CdP, but who knows? Either way this is pretty good and showing young. Should be better in 5 to 10 years. I'll wait a while on the others.
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7/12/2018 - Larre Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wonderful C9P was really singing tonight! Dark fruit tones, cassis, figs, liquorice, black olives and hints of chocolate and Herbes de Provance. Drinking really well now, but I guess this wine will be even better with 5–10 years of further cellaring. 94+
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6/22/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second bottle drank of my "house" CdPape - the 2010 Le Vieux Donjon, and I think this may just be starting to hit it's sweet spot. Popped and poured, this was really yummy from the first sip - beautiful nose, fruit, spice, and perfect with the Cajun food at RT's in Alexandria. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rest of my stash evolves over the next five or so years.
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5/13/2018 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackberry and ripe dark plum followed by black licorice and herbs (thyme, savory herb). Superb almost sweet finish. Excellent now, many more years of potential but I doubt it will be better than now.
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4/12/2018 - vintage52 Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first bottle of this vintage-fortunately I still have 5 more bottles-this is a great CDP. Hard to believe it has so much Grenache. Great structure; a certain leanness to it which gives it much more verve. Wonderful wine-5-10 years to go for this one.
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4/6/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 91 Points
Likely a 94 or 95 point wine in the future, with loads of potential. But big and still rather tight - pnp at a restaurant, and could have used a decent decant.
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4/1/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
For my palate this is promising but at minimum, needs 3 more years before it really hits its stride. Old school, aged in a combination of cement and mostly large foudre to allow the grapes and terroir to shine through. Semi translucent ruby red color. Not opaque and not purple. 14% Alc. Slow oxed for 90 minutes before dinner in btl and a couple Burg glasses. I prefer CDP cooler 55-60 degrees, tops. Today this is more savory then fruity with darker tinged fruit, earthy minerality, hint of balsamic, herbs, garrigue and assorted spicy notes. Structure keeps this fresh and lifted but will need a minimum of 3 more years for tannins to resolve and take the backseat I'm looking for. To me this this seems built to last and likely nearer to peak drinking around 2025+. I won't touch my last 2 btls before 2021+. 93pts+ someday, not now for me. But, I like the the style and honesty here vs. about 90% of CDP being made today.
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4/1/2018 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep, dark garnet in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of violets, Provençal herbs with bay leaf & black pepper, earth/dusty, minerals & a touch of oak/vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing, but has the dense structure & ripe fruit to continue further development with additional aging even at 8 years of age. Seems to focus on the power of the vintage rather than the elegance of past vintage efforts.
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3/24/2018 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Color is still dark purple and concentrated. Double decant and left on bottle 5 hours. The nose is very open on raspberries, black currant, barnyard and leather. The legs are medium. Alcohol is medium. tannins are medium low. Acidity is medium. On the palate it is very smooth the tannins are swave and silky. Starting to see some secondary flavours of guarrigue but it is still fruity with some violet. This wine is beginning to peak but still has many years to go. Very good at this point.
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3/10/2018 - henrik33 wrote: 95 Points
Fairly muted with some early notes on the nose. Really opened up after about an hour. Outstanding.Dry cherries with hints of tar, leather and minerals. Silky tannic finish. Better than the last bottle. Wait another year for the next.
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3/3/2018 - soyhead wrote:
Raspberry, dark fruited licorice, crushed gravel, hint of black pepper. Blinded I might have guessed St Emilion. Still quite young. Hold.
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2/21/2018 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée!
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2/21/2018 - Dale M wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Great Frenchy aromatics, dark cherry, strong pepper note, touch of animal fur, and wee bit of the ol' brett that I thought worked rather well with this. Having had the 07 last month, this was similar in profile initially, a solid core of ripe CdP fruit, but this had a lot more appearant structure keeping this on the straight and narrow. Wonderful back end minerality. I dont drink nearly as much CdP as I used too, but when I do, I reach for a 2010.
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2/4/2018 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to the 1/1/18 bottle.
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1/1/2018 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of blueberries, black cherries, leather and wood spices. Ripe, highly extracted but balanced fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length and fully integrated tannins and oak. Nicely cool and suave on the palate. While just now reaching the beginning of its peak drinking period, it was delicious with the tasty lamb, pork and chicken kabobs at Kanella Restaurant.
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12/16/2017 - quanmeister wrote: 92 Points
Delicious
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11/22/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
SLDS November 2017: Cherry, tar, spice, earth and smoky notes. The ripeness of the fruit does show through a bit with a little alcohol warmth as well. Pretty approachable now given the sweet edges, but will probably improve if it is given another 5-6 years.
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11/18/2017 - ChopperWine wrote: 93 Points
Very dark crimson in color. Nose of wet dirt, leather, saffron and moss. Classic CdP nose. Tight and dense upon opening, but opened up over the six hours we continued to drink. Cherry, black pepper, tar, iodine, rock and cured meats for sure on the palate. Also, faint prune, a hint of blueberry, savory herbs and juniper. Has moved on from "young" though still far from mature. Many years to go. (Day 2 - half glass left: almost no change to day one. Still solid)
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10/13/2017 - Kheuman wrote:
f
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10/7/2017 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 90 Points
Drunk over two days. Compared to the "La fiole du Pape" that we drank (I was forced) side by side it was a stunner: Nice, deep color, medium- intense nose, still fruity and not overly complex, high alc of 14,5% was perfectly integrated. Very velvet, smooth taste. But it lacked a bit of complexity and tension for me. Therefore mixed feelings. Drinks nicely now, but I guess it will continue to improve for the next 5+ years.
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9/2/2017 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slow ox'd for 6 hours then poured through a soiree. The nose was all fruit, the palate mixed berries, dark cherries, some red meat, and hints of herbes de provence (garrique) which came out in the long smooth finish. The bottle might have scored higher but we drank it against a 2011 Saxum James Berry and that was all she wrote. I can see this wine developing a lot further over the next few years. I will save my remaining bottles until then.
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8/1/2017 - Larre Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very closed to begin with. After some hours with air, the wine evolved and expressed elegant tones of dark berries, liquorice and "herbes de provence". I think it is way too early to drink this wine at the moment - will not open the next bottle within the next 5 years. Great potential here! 92+
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7/22/2017 - ludwigbpm wrote: 93 Points
Nez de garrigues, classique et agréable. Belle fraîcheur en bouche, alliée à de la concentration, caractéristiques fidèles au millésime. TRame tannique assez présente, ça demeure très jeune et voué à un bel avenir.
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7/15/2017 - Gene_Mo wrote: 90 Points
Does not show the depth of other CdP's
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7/9/2017 - jmoon Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hr decant. Very delicious and well balanced dark fruit core. Still tightly wound, can taste the heat, will be perfect in 3-5 years and last 10+ after that so no rush. 3-5 hr decant ideal.
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4/23/2017 - olalar wrote:
Great balance but closed after 1.5h decant. Wait another 2 -3 years.
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4/1/2017 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
This took a little time to open up, and the last glass was the best; I may be underscoring this, since it disappeared within an hour. Rich cherry and blackberry with notes of iodine, black pepper, and anise; light tannins show on the medium to long finish. I have a few more bottles, but I wish I had bought a case. Excellent value at a bit under $60.
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3/19/2017 - henrik33 wrote: 95 Points
4 hour decant.. This is what a CDP is all about.. definitely drinking well now but will probably wait another year before pulling the next bottle... fig and dried fruit on the nose. Very tarry with smoke, graphite, iodine and earthy notes..
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2/24/2017 - Motz wrote: 97 Points
From a magnum, tasted over three days. Tight and dense upon opening, showing mostly bright red fruits, berry liqueurs, cracked peppercorns, crushed black rocks, and cured meats. After a few hours of air the bouquet revealed mesmeric notes of incense, potpourri, berry compote, sous-bois, umami, sanguinity, and sweet spices, backed by powerful mineral, ore, and graphite elements. Dense, bracing, yet elegant. The wine achieves spectacular balance and purity of fruit, earth, and umami. The thought-provoking finish does not quit.
For my money, the consistently best, most affordably priced Chateauneuf-du-Pape that can be had. In this way, like the Oreno of Super Tuscans, which belongs in flights with the most sought after specimens. The 2010 Vieux Donjon may the very best, longest-lived vintage to date. It should be rockin' twenty years from now! Deeply satisfying!
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2/17/2017 - bajayngo wrote:
40th bday celebration; 2/17/2017-2/18/2017 (Harrison, ID): Had this from magnum before getting to the aged rhones but circled back to it that night and night two. Young big and luscious but grounded in cdp roots. Lots of graphite, lush berry fruit, garrigue, fig cake, with some accents of smoke, kelp and iodine. It was nice to have this next to the 2001 and see the connection as I believe the winemaking style is still the same and will only improve with age.
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2/16/2017 - yarnon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Intense nose, powerful an smooth on the palate and long finish
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2/12/2017 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Needed decanting.
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1/26/2017 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 95 Points
First bottle of a case. I am usually in the ball park with other reviewers, but not on this wine. I see it fully consistent with the WA and WS ratings (96). Very drinkable right now. No decant......bottle was open for 1 to 1 and a half hours. The best description of the experience is classic DNdP. The pro reviewers give this wine a very long drink window.....and it might improve. However, I am not going to hesitate to pull bottles of this one.
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1/14/2017 - pandi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious now, but probably need to let it sit another 2 - 3 years before we try our next bottle
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1/1/2017 - lkilpio Likes this wine:
An absolutely great wine from a superb year! With its tarry and peppery features, this is a parade example of a traditional style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but there is also plenty of fruitiness to make the tasting experience pleasant. If decanted for a couple of hours, there is no problem with drinking this now, although the wine will evolve and improve in the coming years.
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11/19/2016 - Vandiner wrote: 91 Points
Good stuff, but needs a bit of time
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10/28/2016 - df1962 wrote: 91 Points
Wine People Chatenuef du Pape Tasting (Vandiner's): PnD let air for 1hr. Tight on the nose touch of ripe cherry and clay. Cherry anise plum and earth on the palate. Very closed to start then opened up. Huge life ahead.
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10/1/2016 - short and confused wrote: 93 Points
Dark red. Seriously concentrated beast. Just starting to open after on day two. Black and blue fruits, cracked pepper. Obviously well balanced beautifully made wine. I think I am going to have to wait a few years for these to tell me a little more. Hands off for now. Score is largely for potential.
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9/24/2016 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark purple, full bodied
Oak, vanilla, dark fruit explosion off the nose
Dry, tannic, sweet plums, medium finish. Decent QPR.
Has settled down a little since my last bottle. More refined now.
Can't go wrong with a CNP. Great value, with loads of character. Great with grilled meat in this case.
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9/17/2016 - jfmontreal Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needs at least 3h decant and then, beautiful!
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9/5/2016 - Ibetian wrote:
First bottle of two cases, my last big CduP purchase. Popped and poured. No detailed note, but my impression is that this needs another year or two.
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7/22/2016 - andreask888 wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed pairing with chargrilled rack of Lamb, with other wines including a 2001 Beaucastel; compared to Beaucastel 2001, of course it was rougher, but still integrating nicely with dusty fruit flavours and tart crisp finish; medium to medium/heavy weight, as expected; decanting took away the funkiness of the young grenache.
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7/21/2016 - jhieb wrote: 91 Points
Compared to prior bottles, there is a definite muskines to the nose. Mushrooms, coffee grounds, and bitter chocolate dominate the nose. Oak and dark cherries flavors control the flavor.
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7/19/2016 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Dark core, maroon rim; tangy tart sour cherry, cement dust, funky, wild, raspberry, lighter body, nori, almost autumnal; very good.
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7/19/2016 - lgeeker Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind Tasting, $40+ (Bin 75): Has some pepper on the nose, confused me a bit for maybe being N. Rhone. Youthful, grippy, but some elegance there. Really well done, but give it some time.
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6/8/2016 - ELH wrote: 91 Points
Integrating well.
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5/20/2016 - sfowine Likes this wine:
Served with lamb Provencal and all agreed that it was great pairing. Didn't find it as tannic as some others have mentioned but gave it an hour aeration. Dried herbs and red fruit mixed with hints of black olive. Finish satisfying if a little shorter than desired..
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4/4/2016 - ELH wrote: 90 Points
Blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. Youngish. Fruity with a little spice. Somewhat tame at the moment, and not sure what to think about it.
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3/25/2016 - Buckwheet wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed with orange beef dish from local Chinese restaurant. Stood up to sweetness and spiciness of the dish. Better with food right now than by itself. Great fruit and peppery richness. Believe this bottle needs at least two more years and then could be stellar. The structure and fruit are there, just need to give time for tannins to smooth out.
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3/20/2016 - keio Likes this wine: 90 Points
needs more time
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3/19/2016 - jww Likes this wine: 90 Points
very nice Rhone
Deep flavor plums dark fruits slightly spicy
full bodied flavor
could wait another couple of years to try again
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2/11/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 90 Points
Tasting of the Utrecht Wine Society (Utrecht, NL): Tasted blind. A blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, aged for 16 months in foudres, 45,000 bottles produced. Sweet fruit, juicy, spicy, supple, clean, pure, anonymous, decent flavours and length. It is getting big scores from some critics, but it does not rock my boat.
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1/27/2016 - budh wrote:
Similar to my note from Oct 2013. But noticed a little excess CO2 this time, which some aeration got rid of. Also some typical Syrah funk - blood & meat. Smoother now, better integrated. Still big & tannic. Nice complexity, long fruity/spicy finish. Still needs more time, but a gorgeous wine.
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12/9/2015 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent old school wine drinking incredibly well at present.
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10/25/2015 - rocknroller wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group: 2010 Vintage in France (Tilia, Mpls): Small pour. Young, aggressive, rustic, dark fruit, yikes - needs time, good fruit, heat on the palate and finish. Very spicy. Score withheld.
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10/22/2015 - brihprivat wrote: 92 Points
Tasted alongside Pegau 2010. This is more rustic, lighter and approachable today. But definately a great wine that will develop fore 3-5+ more years. Typical Vieux Donjon, old fashioned CnDP.
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5/31/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Excellent CDP...really impressed with this. Very complex flavors, tons of earthy notes in addition to cranberry, plums...big structure. Beautiful wine enjoyed with grilled tri tip and it was perfect.
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2/9/2015 - jhieb wrote: 92 Points
There is a lot of big, chunky structure here, but I wish there was a little more fruit to carry it along. Still a great wine, from a very good vintage.
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11/16/2014 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark purple, with some royal purple bubbles on pour
Sour cherries, vanilla bourbon hints, hibiscus, vinyl-new car scent
Dry, tannic, meaty, sour cherries, medium finish
Opened up very nicely hour two, a little jammy
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10/31/2014 - BarryPaulPrice Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, dense and dark with tons going on in a tobacco leather tannin w kirsch finish. Opened a couple years too soon imo.
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10/27/2014 - Kriz wrote: 91 Points
A big boy. A little too much for me. Good spicy nose. Big black fruit palate. needs five years or so to show it's hidden class. At this stage I miss some refinement.
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8/29/2014 - RichardP wrote: 94 Points
On the nose, menthol and iodine; on the palate, blackberry, raspberry, anise, iodine, white pepper, and a bit of leather on the medium to long finish, with good acidity. This is great stuff, and although it's drinkable now it will improve. I'm glad I have a few more.
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8/17/2014 - Michael Davidson wrote:
I'm not a big CdP drinker, so take this with a big grain of salt, but I really enjoyed this wine. Not stewed or over ripe at all, some light purple and red fruits are well balanced over a broad tannic palate. Enough acidity to keep this interesting, although the focus here is clearly the fruit. An almost floral nose adds to the interest.
Very nice, glad I have more.
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7/4/2014 - alpha_ori Likes this wine: 91 Points
Kirschlike odor. Medium-bodied. Red fruit, black tea, shoe leather on the palate. I like all of what this wine has going on, I just want a little more concentration from it.
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6/29/2014 - jhieb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great flavor and rich fruit, but a little less complex than some of the other fantastic CNdPs from this amazing vintage. Still a little closed, but, a great wine.
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4/19/2014 - fdub Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours prior to drinking. Deep impenetrable color. Nose is a bit closed down but with coaxing shows herbs de provence, fennel, and kirsch liquor. Deep and rich palate but with crystalline minerality. Great wine with a bright future.
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12/29/2013 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Jeune mais combien prometteur et tout un RQP pour cette qualité.
Nez très expressif, framboises et viandes avec des violettes et de la garrigue, belle complexité.
En bouche, fort soyeux et structuré. Texture soyeuse avec un beau fruit noir et du poivre.
Très long et savoureux.
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12/25/2013 - Rob Hansult Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, deep ruby.
Promising nose, will get some air ...
Mostly mixed black-fruit, creosote, cherry, spice, chestnut.
Nice complexity.
Not quite the intensity, or gorgeous, luscious, sappy, perfect red cherry, black raspberry Grenache fruit of the '07 at similar stage of development, but might age slightly better.
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12/24/2013 - jtinto Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375ml bottle. Tasted much more advanced than expected. Would guess 10 years old for sure. Odd. Nevertheless, it deserves the across the board adoration. A rich, full bodied version of Donjon. This house is really showing differently vintage to vintage, just one of the reasons it's one of the elite in my book. 14.9% ABV
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10/22/2013 - budh wrote: 92 Points
Young, but I wanted to try a bottle early, given CdP's reputation for shutting down for a few years near this stage. As other notes observe, this benefits from lots of air time. PnP results in a very hot initial presentation. But it smooths out with time in the glass. High acidity, medium+ silky tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), medium+ body & finish. Lots of fruit. Lots of aromas/flavors: blackberry, bramble, blueberry, cherry, plum, baking spices, licorice, juniper, pepper, vanilla, coffee, leather, tobacco, earth. Keeps getting better with each sip. Very good balance given the high levels of fruit, acid, tannin, alcohol - it comes together quite smoothly. I might have to drink another bottle soon, then hold the rest for 5+ years...
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10/18/2013 - kenhoeve wrote: 95 Points
This is a total legend in the making. Such an archetype of Rhone and incredibly well built. If there were a textbook nose for Rhone, here it is in all its glory. All palate elements are in proportion, red fruit, acid, mineral, tannin, very mild barnyard, in a rich presentation that is constantly tempered by a nearly invisible acidity. A big wine, but very much in control. Obviously a bit grippy for the foreseeable future, this absolutely blossomed with food, in particular a plate of lamb and chanterelles which I cannot recommend highly enough. Will buy more, this is right there with the '10 Beaucastel. 95+.
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8/12/2013 - blabbott wrote: 91 Points
This wine is still very young, I double decanted it and let it sit for about two hours. This is a big wine and even this young quite well balanced. Red fruit and acid blend seamlessly into a very yummy wine. Medium tannins and earth add to this wine with a nice mouth feel and a long finish.
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7/8/2013 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wowza, what a beauty this is - like a future runway model with high cheekbones, striking eyes and legs that run on and on and on....
It all starts with a POWERFUL nose, one that jumps out with such concentrated glycerine and vibrant red raspberries, it's a true tour de force from the get-go. Make no mistake, this wine is big big big, but because of the wonderful acidity and graceful body it is somehow controlled. The tannins are very apparent, but not overpowering, and add to the overall comportment of the flavors. Right now the wine is very open, but I decanted for three hours and was very glad I did; the time under the air gave it a chance to really let the nose open up and the midpalate started a dance on the tongue that made this beauty a memorable drinking experience. If all the '10 CdPs are as balanced as this one, it's going to be a vintage for the ages. Only a 95 now, but in two or more years it will be even higher.
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5/29/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Blackberry, licorice, truffle and black raspberry scents emerge with little effort. In the mouth, the wine is lush, round and concentrated. With tannins and structure to age, give it a few years before popping a bottle.
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4/28/2013 - jfmontreal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Le vieux Donjon est un excellent vin après quelques heures en carafe. Toutefois, il y a des différences notoires entre les bouteilles qui me rendent perplexes.
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4/20/2013 - Zinlady wrote: 91 Points
Had at RWS event with flank steak. Dark wine. Closed in. Little nose. Went with food and improved somewhat but it is too soon to be drinking this wine. Wait several years.
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3/28/2013 - Kriz wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful youngster. Nice bitterness, meaty, herbal and spicy. Tannic of course with ripe black fruit and all in good balance. Will age but very good already. Has to improve on the nose so 92 points so far.
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2/12/2013 - karl.1480 wrote: 90 Points
All the components in this one are really good but I think it needs some aging to come together and show off it's full potential.
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2/8/2013 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Probably needs about a half day in the decanter to start showing its stuff at this point. Showed its armour over the first 3-4 hours tonight, but shows good character. Leather and tobacco dominated nose. Mid-weight texture, with good freshness and Grenache character.
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1/27/2013 - alr6767 wrote:
Toasty nose, dark color and dark fruit. Lacks some acidity on the palate, medium+ finish with moderate oaky tannin.
I would have guessed more syrah in the blend given how dark and brooding this was. Did not let this get a lot of air, as this was a pop-and-pour with Spruce burgers. Too young to exhibit much complexity. Nothing out of place, but lacks appeal to me, perhaps a bit too large scaled. Won't be purchasing any for the cellar. 14%
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1/26/2013 - Treblid wrote: 92 Points
Group tasting result
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1/21/2013 - Win-E Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose is minty, eucalyptus, boisenberry, rich soil. Spicy in the front, clay component, balanced though very young - still much room to come together. Love it...
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1/19/2013 - The13thGryphon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black currant, plum, blackberry, a hint of blueberry, herbs, juniper, and pepper. Very young yet, so a bit tighter and more tannic than it will be a few years from now. Nonetheless, this wine shows much promise. Give it a couple years and it should be stellar... possibly reaching it's 96 point WS rating.
This wine was ranked as the No. 16 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 96 points by Wine Spectator.
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1/6/2013 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Light garnet color. Aromas of cherry and red fruit- herbal; develops notes of evergreen and herbs, as well as roasted red fruit and pepper. Medium- to full-bodied, with roasted cherry, black fruit, herb, spice and pepper flavors. Long finish.
My #1, Domino's #2
Group #2, 45 pts
(2 x 1st place & 3 x 2nd place)
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1/1/2013 - BradKNYC Likes this wine:
Man, is this good. It's a big, but well balanced wine that really needs some time to unfurl, but the goods are there. Initially the classic iodine/seaweed, black olive, meat, violet and garrigue profile was out in front, with the black fruit tight fisted. With air, though, rich blackberry and black raspberry fruit came up with a vengeance and the sweet tannins did a bit of a rope a dope in the mouth. That said, however, like the Saint Prefert Reserve, there's a real sexiness to the wine and that's not something I would normally say about Vieux Donjon. Complex and just full of everything I like about Châteauneuf. My favorite VD since the stellar '98. It definitely needs some decant time to enjoy now, though. Solid A.
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12/31/2012 - Sevencircles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose:A lot of sweet cherries and a bit of the same kind of spice you can smell on the best veneto wines like Bussola´s for instance. Some strawberries.
Attack: Some oak Tannis and strawberries in sweet and sour souce.
Midpalete: A lot of sweet and dried strawberries. Some lemons coming through. Like a mix between cherries and strawberries. Some oak as well but not much. Great full body.
Finish: I expected more actually. Some sweet mints and lemon possible but it was way too short.
It took 6 hours before this wine opened up and it will improve for sure. Maybe I would score it 94 over time. This wine seems to be made to impress Robert Parker. This finish is the problem with this wine (at this point at least), it´s a bit boring. The wine is 91-92 right now.
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12/26/2012 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Le Vieux Donjon Vertical tasting 2004, 2006, 2010. Prime rib dinner with portabello mushroom reduction. Added 2004 Duhart Milon for dinner.
Garnet. Some cranberry and cherry on the nose. More fruity than I expected for such a young Cdp. Hold for at least 5 years to let this wine develop secondary flavours.
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12/22/2012 - robw Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum and served at 16 c. Those with a sweet tooth will love this wine, it is an expression of wild strawberries and Baba raspberries in wonderful combination. No discernible heat and a wonderful long finish. Served with aged Sirloin and creamy Saffron Risotto alá Keller. Highly recommended.
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12/18/2012 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2010 Le Vieux Donjon showed a beautiful and highly expressive nose with aromas of black raspberry jam, charred meat, chalky minerals, dried floral notes, and wild herbs. On the palate it had velvety textures with a dark brooding feel yet somehow juicy and fresh with ripe black fruits, exotic spice, Espagnole and black pepper in the background. The finish was long with dark palate staining fruits and a flex of imposing structure.
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12/16/2012 - dbeuckman wrote: 90 Points
A little early.....will be killer in several years.
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12/16/2012 - rsbeck wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Decanted 2.5 hours, consumed over next 90 minutes. Lovely now, but only going to get better.
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12/14/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Nez de viande grillée, de poivre et de réglisse.
La bouche est étonnamment structurée, avec de solide tanins, bien enrobés. Dense, serré et droit, il me semble moins accessible que la dernière bouteille. Aucune sucrosité, le vin est bien sec, avec un petit coté animal dans cette bouteille. Il semble plus dur et fermé que la dernière, beaucoup moins ouvert et agréable, mais très beau potentiel. À attendre ou carafer de longues heures.
92+ pts
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12/7/2012 - Eric P Likes this wine: 95 Points
First few bottles felt a little closed but this one really shined. Exuberant nose filled the room, thick almost chewy mouth, rich deep colour. Feels like this wine will just keep on getting better over the years.
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12/6/2012 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Great berries and baking spices nose. The palate is full and intense with lots of acidity and verve. A little tight on the fruit definition but still a great young CDP.
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12/4/2012 - Wink wrote: 93 Points
Clear dark garnet. Nose of vanilla, black cherry, blackberry, and fig. Ripe, full, sweet palate of blackberry, black cherry, spice, pepper, and black licorice. Excellent length. Racy acidity. Sweet tannins. Beautiful, big & balanced CdP. Drinking really well.
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11/17/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Le Vieux Donjon '10 est une grande réussite.
Vin dense qui montre la fraîcheur typique du millésime, des tanins dodus, enrobés, du fruit, c'est délicieux! L'équilibre est impressionnant. Racé et profond, moins gourmand et plus droit que d'autres, il a même une certaine minéralité en milieu de bouche. Je devine la vendange entière, car il a un coté végétal noble, qui pinotte presque. Il a presqu'un profil bourguignon, mais en plus corpulent! Il n'a pas la sucrosité d'autres domaines plus baroques, qui peut déplaire à certains. Un vin de garde, mais déjà magnifique sur cette fraîcheur et ce fruit. Wow! 93+ pts
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11/15/2012 - kopke Likes this wine: 89 Points
Vin très jeune, sans doute trop. Le Rhône Sud était perceptible par la touche de garrigues. Haute acidité, à oublier plusieurs années.
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11/11/2012 - acheng wrote: 92 Points
A big wine. Laser beam of dark fruit slathered with spice and fresh herbs. Complex and long. The potent alcohol was initially well hidden but after several glasses, it made its presence known. Highly enjoyable now. Outstanding.
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11/2/2012 - rsbeck wrote: 94 Points
Open two and a half hours, followed over next 45 minutes. Beautiful, silky, refined, complex, well balanced with refreshing acidity, integrated and enjoyable already, excellent concentration and intensity and maintains its elegance through the lengthy finish. Excellent now and plenty of upside with cellaring.
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10/30/2012 - Double-A Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aromatic sweet and savoury spice nose of pepper, plum, cherry, ginger and cinnamon. Rich and ripe, savoury and warming palate; focused with great balance and length.
5/5
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10/24/2012 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
Really excellent young wine. Beautiful balance, dark fruit and earth and bramble and pepper. While very youthful, drinks extremely well with food now as is not dominating. Tannins present but not obtrusive, acid in good balance. Excellent now, very likeable, could age to outstanding.
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10/18/2012 - RobertDwyer Likes this wine: 93 Points
An elegant, seamless experience but these 2010s aren't drinking as well early as the more gregarious 2007s. Bramble-berry nose with supporting black pepper as you'd expect. Substantial tannins tell me not to touch these for a long long time, and I like drinking CdP young. Nice now, but wait would be my guidance. 14% alcohol, from 375ml.
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10/16/2012 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Closed down for the day. Big, dark and brooding. After a good 45 minutes beautiful violets and kirsch appear. This is a very nice example of this wine, but it is also very young and needs several years before drinking. Still, the palate is voluptuous with soft integrated tannins. This wine will for certain evolve into a beauty with all the classical Chateauneuf components in place and in balance. (Scored blind without proper food.)
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10/10/2012 - quanmeister wrote: 93 Points
Could use some cellaring but has all the qualities of a great CDP in a good vintage. Well balanced, with enough fruit, pepper, and tobacco to bring everything together. Looking forward to trying this again in a few years.
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10/6/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. First bottle open came across as incredibly simple with what seems like cherry cola character to me. Nobody thought this 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, so we opened and decanted a second bottle which came across with slightly greater density and power but was still surprisingly simple. Strange.
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10/2/2012 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 95 Points
Elegant and classy with gorgeous fresh blackberry, ripe plum, cloves, pepper, spices, lavender along with some floral and mineral mixed in. This is so soft, velvety and caressing as it glides effortlessly across your palate. Love the focus and balance this demonstrates from start to finish. It will be fun to watch this evolve over the next 20 years, however for those who can't wait it is also excellent today. A beautiful wine to say the least. (Best 2012-2030)
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8/9/2012 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 94 Points
Wine Blogger's Tasting - 2010 Châteauneufs (MacArthur's - Washington, DC): Vieux Donjon is one of my favorite Chateauneuf producers and in 2010 they really kick it up a notch. This wine is incredibly young, but surprisingly expressive. Aromas of pure blackberry fruit, roasted herbs along with a shot of green pepper and dried seaweed. I can only imagine what this wine will smell like with a few years in the cellar. The palate shows strikingly pure flavors, fine tannins and fresh acid. It's full of smoke, game, strawberry and fig flavors, which are complex and perfectly woven together. There's a nice herbal kick on the finish that lingers for a very long time. I really think this wine needs 10+ years to develop, and it will probably drink wonderfully for another decade at least.
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7/28/2012 - Jack Cranley wrote: 92 Points
A little reserved at first, needed ample decanting time - but that's not surprising considering its youth at this time. Comes across very elegant overall. Really opened up beautifully. Nuanced, subtle, intoxicating, heady and lovely with impeccable balance. Le Vieux Donjon delivers once again!
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6/23/2012 - SportstHER wrote: 90 Points
Eight in a flight of 8 from southern Rhone and Chateaunuef-du-Pape
In the glass: Deep magenta. On the nose: Red fruits, raspberry, light spice with a hint of floral. In the mouth: Full mouth feel, lots of grip yet still balanced, medium finish. May need some decanting time to even it out a bit. Can go down for a few years to let the tannins integrate some. At retail: $78.00 Too rich for my budget, but very nice indeed!
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5/25/2012 - cliffkol wrote: 93 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape, France - Tasted at Domaine: Tasted with Claire Michel. Concentrated fruit, very fresh and forward. This wine was bottled just two weeks ago. Dark fruits, Woodsy, earth, minerals, cloves. Claire recommends to be laid away for 8-10 years before drinking. Very nicely done.
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3/21/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Blackberry, licorice, truffle and black raspberry scents emerge with little effort. In the mouth, the wine is lush, round and concentrated. With tannins and structure to age, give it a few years before popping a bottle.
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1/16/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Alain Junguenet Selections-2010 CdPs (Benny's Chop House Chicago IL): nose: very savory nose filled with tones of black fruits, dark red cherries, red fruits, some bits of tobacco and garrigue. Excellent depth and it is a bit on teh tight side
taste: very well balanced medium feel with very chewy tannins. Excellent depth with great tones of black fruits, garrigue, tobacco, a bit of leather and some dark red cherries
overall: this is showing very well now, but it has much to give for later. Great profile on both the nose and palate with excellent depth as well
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