Much better than the previous bottle. Rich nose of ultra-ripe boysenberry, blackberry and Danson plum as well as garrigue. Medium-bodied, this has a decent amount of tannin and medium acid on a lean (for CdP) frame. Still kicking, this is probably best in the short run. Drink now-2026 90
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Was a bit worried after reading a few reviews it was past its prime, I have a a few. Not at all in my cellar! On the nose plenty of fruit and spice. A bit of blackberry and earthy tones. Really enjoying.
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Opened and pecked at over two days. Porty, heavy fruit, low acid and bitter high alcohol (I suspect stronger than the 15% admitted to on the label). Dumped it.
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Not to my liking tonight. Closed/stinky at first. After 2+ hours in decanter, it’s redolent of eucalyptus and other herbs. Medium bodied, this is likely past its prime but has many years before falling apart. Hopefully this is an off bottle (but does not taste flawed). 87-ish
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Unfortunately my final bottle - and it tasted fresh with a wonderful nose of rich forest floor notes and an impressive balanced finish. The only sign of aging was that it peaked after 45 mins but by then there were only drops left…..very good value and another fine example of this appellation.
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2010 La Celestiere Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition Red Rhone Blend Wish CT offered two like buttons: 'Liked it a lot' and 'It was just okay'. There can be such a huge gap wherein the neutral option seems a little unfair but "I liked it" overstates things. This is one such wine. Decanted only half an hour before serving, it showed no flaws per se but it was starchy with some asphalt notes amid the earth and reticent black fruits and was, therefore, 'just okay' for three of us at the table though mysteriously my brother in law--who adores fat, oaky new world chardonnays above all wines--preferred this to the more joyful Washington syrah it followed. A bottle a year ago July showed better.
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Expected more from this wine based on others’ notes. A bit hot on the approach. Herbal with strong menthol notes. Roasted meat and pepper as well but not a lot of fruit. Air time improved it a bit but still ended up thin. Seems like this is on the other side of its drinking window.
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Yes, still youthful. I would say hold but the deknking window here doesn't have much time left. Ok but not very round flavors. Some alcohol bite in the first few minutes. Not terribly distinctive.
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Still youthful for a 10 year old but much improved over last year. Just black fruit, still seems more syrah dominant though it's supposed to be grenache, with bing cherries, fennel and earth. Rewards a 30-60 minute decant.
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Super spicy nose of ground black pepper and Herbs de Provence along with blue and black fruits. Full bodied with loads and of peppery spice and sappy blue and black fruits with a hint of flowers. This is still moderately tannic with higher acidity than is usual for CdP and an odd bitter element in the finish. Drink now-2026 90.
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Almost black in color. Dark fruits, roasted meats, baba ganoush and wet red clay. Very dry finish. Tastes more of syrah than grenache though it is supposedly more of the latter. Didn't hate it, but it's not what I hope for from CdP.
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Very dark red color. PNP, drank two plus glasses over 2 hours. Lots of dark fruits on the nose bolstered by garrigue, olive, earth and smoky roasted meat. The palate shows black cherry and blackberry fruit, licorice, minerals, garrigue and a savory note of roasted meats. This is full bodied, well textured, with round tannins and a medium finish. This is in a prime spot now with a good 5 years left. Very pleased. 91+ to 92pts.
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Sweet black and red fruit compotes, black cherry pits, wood smoke and minerals. Bright acidity and moderate tannins. This is approaching full maturity. Drink now-2025. 90.
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This wine has always been overly reticent and this bottle is no exception. Very reduced/stinky at first. This took loads and loads of air to open up. Aromas of black brambles, dried figs and blood orange. Medium bodied and taut. Some black fruits, spice and intense minerality. Still moderately tannic with good acidity. I’m beginning to wonder if this will ever fully come around. That said, the zesty minerality makes it worthwhile. 89+
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No detailed Notes - Decanted for 2 hours. Initially a little high toned and lacking in mid palate density, flavors of cherry and garrigue dominated. Over another 2 hours the wine gained in body and richness with more savory notes developing toward the end. Could still definitely go for a while. Drink or hold.
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Smells of blackberry pie and creosote. Loaded with fennel, spices and espresso as well. Licorice. Full-bodied and quite dense. This is reaching maturity, but is still loaded for bear. The tannins are of exceptional quality for a Southern Rhone wine. Loaded with sweet fruit (after sufficient air (about 2.5 hours)), this is absolutely delicious! Plenty of herbs and complexity, perhaps even a hint of minerality and good acidity. Drink 2017-2025. 92
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Upon opening, I was afraid this wine had turned, it had a stewed prune smell and browning at the edges. But in 30 minutes with air it completely changed, put on weight and complexity, lost the funk and the color deepened. Delicious and medium-full bodied, great bottle for a Tradition! Loses a bit on day 2 with Vacuvin so I'm deducting a point from my prior review.
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Third bottle, first review. Was tight for several years but let these sit and now this is drinking very well. "Wineguyx" got it spot on, I couldn't agree more. Just a great example of classic CDP and feel free to crack open with maybe 30 minutes of air.
Certainly the best showing for this wine yet. Finally starting to loosen up and strut it's stuff. Rich aromas of black cherry, coffee and grilled herb switches. Smells ripe, but not over-ripe. Medium-full bodied and dense. Great tannic structure for a CdP as well as bright acidity. The flavors are unmistakably CdP, but the texture could be mistaken for Burgundy. Loads and loads of sweet blackberry, raspberry and black cherry fruit as well as fresh HdP spices. Lavender and Rosemary are evident. Excellent persistence. This has finally reached the mature part of its aging curve where it should reside and continue to evolve for another 4-6 years before beginning its decline. Absolutely delicious and I'm happy I purchased 2 cases of this wine. Decant at least an hour. 92. Df 9.3
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Open one hour before. Deep red color typical of southern Rhone wines. Expressive Nose on the red fruits. Palate offers powerful red fruit with a hint of black pepper. Over the lunch the wine has constantly evolved around different shades of red fruit. Full body, good finish, good complexity. Ready to be drunk now on the fruits but I'm sure that it could be pleasant in 5-10 years.
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This full-bodied red is vibrantly acidic and has a racy, tannic spine. It offers pleasant aromas of raisin and nice flavors of bramble, pine needles and licorice. The aftertaste is long, but mouth-drying. The wine is ready to drink now, but can be stored for several years.
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An impressive and concentrated Chateauneuf that is almost pitch black, with strong and inviting aromas of black and red raspberry and violets. The sip glides into the mouth and adds blackberry, and then the swallow engulfs the mouth with firm and brairy tannin. If you don't enjoy that mouth stripping tannin, just drink the wine with fatty foods, like lamb or cheese, which will make the tannin taste silky and in turn the tannin has all the power needed to clean out the fat and leave the mouth refreshed and ready for the next bite of food. A very worthwhile wine for aging for a decade, similar to the excellent 2005 vintage in the Rhone.
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PnP this was pretty rough. After decanting through an aerator for a couple hours it mellowed a little bit, but still didn't open up. Most prevalent aroma is alcohol with some fruit in the background. Pretty grippy tannins on the palate with some acid also, but they are not working together at present. I'm gonna guess its not ready yet.
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Wow. I like this wine. A lot. Looks like a lot more than others based on relative scores. Well balanced, with well-integrated tannins and long finish. Notes of tea, backwoods tobacco and raspberries. A little bit lighter body than I would expect, but now I'm nitpicking. Will save some for tomorrow and see how things change on day two.
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Full bodied southern Rhone that lacks a bit of clarity. Enjoyable but without the complexity that some better Rhone blends achieve. Time might help, and the wine is certainly not going downhill at all yet.
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Took this bottle to Piquant for dinner. It paired nicely with the braised short ribs and duck breast. It was slow to open, about 45 minutes, and I think the time to drink is now or soon.
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Lean and almost too thin on day one, it was muted and not showing well. On day three, the wine has gained flesh and body, with plenty of black pepper to go with the raspberries and underbrush. Definitely needs air and time if drinking in the near term.
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Deep ruby color. Very tight and closed on the nose at opening. Alcohol overwhelms the nose and palate initially. After about 2 hours decant it opens up some with some dark fruit on the nose and palate as well as earthiness and wet gravel.
Not my favorite CnP, especially for a 2010, but I can't complain for the price.
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Muted nose of blueberry, strawberry and herbs. Even on the second night not much fruit or body and short length. Not bad but many other 2010 CdP's are more enjoyable.
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Appearance: dark ruby, only moderately clear, medium legs. Nose: closed on opening. 3 hours after decanting, nose of plum, dark cherry, anise, menthol, barnyard and alcohol. Taste: astringent on open, strong mineral. 3 hours post decanting, plum, cherry, bitter almonds, anise and a bit of tar. Attack: soft fruit for about fifteen seconds, fading to drying tannins and bitter almonds. Window: 2016-2022. This is drinkable now, but should integrate much better with some time. Overall: respectable CDP, but I've had better at the price point.
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Tasting consistent with previous note. Perhaps a little shut down comparatively, but this bottle wasn't afforded the same opportunity to breathe before it was gone.
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Color: dark ruby with brighter cherry edges Nose: very tight, difficult to draw any conclusions when first opened; after 1 hr I could detect minerality but little fruit Flavor: early sips were earthy, wet leaves and musk. After about an hour the earth tones down and is balanced with carbon and smoke and some blackberry is evident Mouthfeel: lightweight but tight even after aereating; very dry and long finish
Though a 2010, I think I'll my remaining bottles rest for another year.
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Typical CDP nose. Very mineral on the palate right off. Flavors start to amalgamate and gets drier after fifteen mins. Cola emerges. But this wine confronts me with one of the primary human dilemmas, once you've had the good stuff, everything below that standard just seems lacking.
There are some CDPs that are vibrant and vital and drink above their price range. This is not one of those.
Delivering a rich, ripe, juicy mouthful of concentrated sweet, fresh, black raspberry jam, kirsch, black cherrry, pepper and garrigue. The wine is lush, long, lusty and sells for a fair price.
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While just over half Grenache (55%), the Grenache still seems to dominate, with the Mouvedre, Syrah, and Cinsault lending extra body and a slight darkness to the depth of fruit. Pronounced nose of white pepper, dried flower petals, anise, and a little warm raspberry. Medium bodied and smooth, the wine shows relatively high acid and a pronounced tannic structure. Palate reinforces the nose with raspberries, tea, violets, and unsweetened licorice. The long drying finish persists with white pepper and blueberries meshing seamlessly with a little cedar-like wood influence. Nice and harmonious wine, showing moderate complexity and moderate intensity, it will be interesting to see what happens with a little bottle age. Fair value at the $40 retail price point, nice value and performance on sale.
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I've drank 3 of my four bottles of this, the last one this past holiday. Needs more time, right now pretty hard and pepper-centric. I'm going to give my last bottle a few years, but I don't know that I'd set these aside en masse for the long haul.
4/3/2024 - WineGuyX wrote: 90 Points
Much better than the previous bottle. Rich nose of ultra-ripe boysenberry, blackberry and Danson plum as well as garrigue. Medium-bodied, this has a decent amount of tannin and medium acid on a lean (for CdP) frame. Still kicking, this is probably best in the short run. Drink now-2026 90
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11/17/2023 - idonotlikeliver Likes this wine: 90 Points
brief decant, drank well over the course of an hour. balanced, secondary-tertiary notes, a little bit of bramble, enjoyable. seems at full maturity?
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11/17/2023 - Likeith Likes this wine: 89 Points
Was a bit worried after reading a few reviews it was past its prime, I have a a few. Not at all in my cellar! On the nose plenty of fruit and spice. A bit of blackberry and earthy tones. Really enjoying.
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7/22/2023 - Neecies Does not like this wine:
Opened and pecked at over two days. Porty, heavy fruit, low acid and bitter high alcohol (I suspect stronger than the 15% admitted to on the label). Dumped it.
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4/1/2023 - WineGuyX wrote: 87 Points
Not to my liking tonight. Closed/stinky at first. After 2+ hours in decanter, it’s redolent of eucalyptus and other herbs. Medium bodied, this is likely past its prime but has many years before falling apart. Hopefully this is an off bottle (but does not taste flawed). 87-ish
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8/22/2022 - amswine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Unfortunately my final bottle - and it tasted fresh with a wonderful nose of rich forest floor notes and an impressive balanced finish. The only sign of aging was that it peaked after 45 mins but by then there were only drops left…..very good value and another fine example of this appellation.
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10/2/2021 - Neecies wrote: 85 Points
2010 La Celestiere Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition Red Rhone Blend
Wish CT offered two like buttons: 'Liked it a lot' and 'It was just okay'. There can be such a huge gap wherein the neutral option seems a little unfair but "I liked it" overstates things. This is one such wine. Decanted only half an hour before serving, it showed no flaws per se but it was starchy with some asphalt notes amid the earth and reticent black fruits and was, therefore, 'just okay' for three of us at the table though mysteriously my brother in law--who adores fat, oaky new world chardonnays above all wines--preferred this to the more joyful Washington syrah it followed. A bottle a year ago July showed better.
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4/24/2021 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
Drinking great now and no need to wait.
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12/5/2020 - elevwine wrote: 88 Points
Expected more from this wine based on others’ notes. A bit hot on the approach. Herbal with strong menthol notes. Roasted meat and pepper as well but not a lot of fruit. Air time improved it a bit but still ended up thin. Seems like this is on the other side of its drinking window.
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9/4/2020 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 90 Points
Yes, still youthful. I would say hold but the deknking window here doesn't have much time left. Ok but not very round flavors. Some alcohol bite in the first few minutes.
Not terribly distinctive.
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7/14/2020 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Still youthful for a 10 year old but much improved over last year. Just black fruit, still seems more syrah dominant though it's supposed to be grenache, with bing cherries, fennel and earth. Rewards a 30-60 minute decant.
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4/16/2020 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 90 Points
Super spicy nose of ground black pepper and Herbs de Provence along with blue and black fruits. Full bodied with loads and of peppery spice and sappy blue and black fruits with a hint of flowers. This is still moderately tannic with higher acidity than is usual for CdP and an odd bitter element in the finish. Drink now-2026 90.
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3/14/2020 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
Typical rich and lusicous CdP with come complexity.
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3/8/2020 - elevwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still improving. Medium-body CDP that pairs well with beef roast.
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11/28/2019 - Jasonr1023 wrote: 84 Points
Needs a few more years. Try again in 2021/2022
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5/5/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Almost black in color. Dark fruits, roasted meats, baba ganoush and wet red clay. Very dry finish. Tastes more of syrah than grenache though it is supposedly more of the latter. Didn't hate it, but it's not what I hope for from CdP.
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5/4/2019 - mikeyc wrote: 90 Points
Nice smooth blend of fruit and minerals...
after 2 hrs of air time tannins are well rounded,
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3/24/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Very dark red color. PNP, drank two plus glasses over 2 hours. Lots of dark fruits on the nose bolstered by garrigue, olive, earth and smoky roasted meat. The palate shows black cherry and blackberry fruit, licorice, minerals, garrigue and a savory note of roasted meats. This is full bodied, well textured, with round tannins and a medium finish. This is in a prime spot now with a good 5 years left. Very pleased. 91+ to 92pts.
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2/16/2019 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet black and red fruit compotes, black cherry pits, wood smoke and minerals. Bright acidity and moderate tannins. This is approaching full maturity. Drink now-2025. 90.
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1/20/2019 - margolism Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice CDP, lots of dark fruit, pairs well with duck.
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3/22/2018 - WineGuyX wrote: 89 Points
This wine has always been overly reticent and this bottle is no exception. Very reduced/stinky at first. This took loads and loads of air to open up. Aromas of black brambles, dried figs and blood orange. Medium bodied and taut. Some black fruits, spice and intense minerality. Still moderately tannic with good acidity. I’m beginning to wonder if this will ever fully come around. That said, the zesty minerality makes it worthwhile. 89+
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12/17/2017 - PDX-S wrote:
No detailed Notes -
Decanted for 2 hours. Initially a little high toned and lacking in mid palate density, flavors of cherry and garrigue dominated. Over another 2 hours the wine gained in body and richness with more savory notes developing toward the end. Could still definitely go for a while. Drink or hold.
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11/15/2017 - WineGuyX wrote: 92 Points
Smells of blackberry pie and creosote. Loaded with fennel, spices and espresso as well. Licorice. Full-bodied and quite dense. This is reaching maturity, but is still loaded for bear. The tannins are of exceptional quality for a Southern Rhone wine. Loaded with sweet fruit (after sufficient air (about 2.5 hours)), this is absolutely delicious! Plenty of herbs and complexity, perhaps even a hint of minerality and good acidity. Drink 2017-2025. 92
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7/18/2017 - Dale Rattles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Upon opening, I was afraid this wine had turned, it had a stewed prune smell and browning at the edges. But in 30 minutes with air it completely changed, put on weight and complexity, lost the funk and the color deepened. Delicious and medium-full bodied, great bottle for a Tradition! Loses a bit on day 2 with Vacuvin so I'm deducting a point from my prior review.
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5/29/2017 - bianca15 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Soft tannins, lovely flavor. An almost smoky quality. Very smooth.
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5/25/2017 - Dale Rattles wrote: 92 Points
Third bottle, first review. Was tight for several years but let these sit and now this is drinking very well. "Wineguyx" got it spot on, I couldn't agree more. Just a great example of classic CDP and feel free to crack open with maybe 30 minutes of air.
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5/7/2017 - WineGuyX wrote: 92 Points
Certainly the best showing for this wine yet. Finally starting to loosen up and strut it's stuff. Rich aromas of black cherry, coffee and grilled herb switches. Smells ripe, but not over-ripe. Medium-full bodied and dense. Great tannic structure for a CdP as well as bright acidity. The flavors are unmistakably CdP, but the texture could be mistaken for Burgundy. Loads and loads of sweet blackberry, raspberry and black cherry fruit as well as fresh HdP spices. Lavender and Rosemary are evident. Excellent persistence. This has finally reached the mature part of its aging curve where it should reside and continue to evolve for another 4-6 years before beginning its decline. Absolutely delicious and I'm happy I purchased 2 cases of this wine. Decant at least an hour. 92. Df 9.3
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3/13/2017 - vincemcd61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had with steak and roasted sweet potatoes and okra
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3/4/2017 - bkrup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent with food.
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12/25/2016 - Patrick_from_champagne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open one hour before.
Deep red color typical of southern Rhone wines.
Expressive Nose on the red fruits.
Palate offers powerful red fruit with a hint of black pepper.
Over the lunch the wine has constantly evolved around different shades of red fruit.
Full body, good finish, good complexity.
Ready to be drunk now on the fruits but I'm sure that it could be pleasant in 5-10 years.
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12/12/2016 - lkilpio Likes this wine: 91 Points
This full-bodied red is vibrantly acidic and has a racy, tannic spine. It offers pleasant aromas of raisin and nice flavors of bramble, pine needles and licorice. The aftertaste is long, but mouth-drying. The wine is ready to drink now, but can be stored for several years.
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5/22/2016 - mwneil Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at Preakness tasting, complex, slightly funky nose, spicy, good structure, big wine, lots of fruit, would drink again.
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4/9/2016 - greedy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. What a wine. 2010 what a beauty. Big powerful silky finish just the way I like them.
Fruit forward but unlike the big napa cabs that I also love, elogant.
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4/2/2016 - blaine wrote:
4th of 4 bottles, pop and pour, perfectly fine but never developed into something I will seek in the future
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3/1/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
An impressive and concentrated Chateauneuf that is almost pitch black, with strong and inviting aromas of black and red raspberry and violets. The sip glides into the mouth and adds blackberry, and then the swallow engulfs the mouth with firm and brairy tannin. If you don't enjoy that mouth stripping tannin, just drink the wine with fatty foods, like lamb or cheese, which will make the tannin taste silky and in turn the tannin has all the power needed to clean out the fat and leave the mouth refreshed and ready for the next bite of food. A very worthwhile wine for aging for a decade, similar to the excellent 2005 vintage in the Rhone.
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2/12/2016 - Mishawaka Ray wrote:
PnP this was pretty rough.
After decanting through an aerator for a couple hours it mellowed a little bit, but still didn't open up. Most prevalent aroma is alcohol with some fruit in the background. Pretty grippy tannins on the palate with some acid also, but they are not working together at present. I'm gonna guess its not ready yet.
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1/18/2016 - burgbob wrote: 88 Points
Showing too much alcohol which detracts from an otherwise full bodied southern Rhone. Air helped but the alcohol remained a bit obtrusive.
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1/10/2016 - TGOT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. I like this wine. A lot. Looks like a lot more than others based on relative scores. Well balanced, with well-integrated tannins and long finish. Notes of tea, backwoods tobacco and raspberries. A little bit lighter body than I would expect, but now I'm nitpicking. Will save some for tomorrow and see how things change on day two.
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9/15/2015 - burgbob wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied southern Rhone that lacks a bit of clarity. Enjoyable but without the complexity that some better Rhone blends achieve. Time might help, and the wine is certainly not going downhill at all yet.
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8/14/2015 - cappelman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Complex aroma of raspberry and blueberry mixed with floral. Great finish
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7/21/2015 - Jasonr1023 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wait for next bottle until July 2016 - wine a bit closed
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6/20/2015 - JohnRachelWine Likes this wine: 87 Points
Took this bottle to Piquant for dinner. It paired nicely with the braised short ribs and duck breast. It was slow to open, about 45 minutes, and I think the time to drink is now or soon.
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5/24/2015 - PDX-S wrote:
Lean and almost too thin on day one, it was muted and not showing well. On day three, the wine has gained flesh and body, with plenty of black pepper to go with the raspberries and underbrush.
Definitely needs air and time if drinking in the near term.
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5/18/2015 - mikeharris Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep ruby color. Very tight and closed on the nose at opening. Alcohol overwhelms the nose and palate initially. After about 2 hours decant it opens up some with some dark fruit on the nose and palate as well as earthiness and wet gravel.
Not my favorite CnP, especially for a 2010, but I can't complain for the price.
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3/17/2015 - JohnRachelWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Slow to open and very tight and earthy at first but after an hour in it rounded out well with great berry fruits.
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3/5/2015 - Tim and Bonnie wrote: 88 Points
A year in cellar has served this bottle well. Getting much more balanced and approachable.
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12/11/2014 - auhead wrote: 86 Points
Muted nose of blueberry, strawberry and herbs. Even on the second night not much fruit or body and short length. Not bad but many other 2010 CdP's are more enjoyable.
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11/2/2014 - PostOakBluffer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Appearance: dark ruby, only moderately clear, medium legs.
Nose: closed on opening. 3 hours after decanting, nose of plum, dark cherry, anise, menthol, barnyard and alcohol.
Taste: astringent on open, strong mineral. 3 hours post decanting, plum, cherry, bitter almonds, anise and a bit of tar.
Attack: soft fruit for about fifteen seconds, fading to drying tannins and bitter almonds.
Window: 2016-2022. This is drinkable now, but should integrate much better with some time.
Overall: respectable CDP, but I've had better at the price point.
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10/24/2014 - PDX-S wrote:
Tasting consistent with previous note. Perhaps a little shut down comparatively, but this bottle wasn't afforded the same opportunity to breathe before it was gone.
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9/21/2014 - blakel Likes this wine: 90 Points
A perfectly fine entry-level CdP.
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8/25/2014 - dmarion Likes this wine:
Age this at least another couple of years, will likely get fruitier. 2014
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3/8/2014 - JohnRachelWine wrote:
**Really feel this wine is too young still**
Color: dark ruby with brighter cherry edges
Nose: very tight, difficult to draw any conclusions when first opened; after 1 hr I could detect minerality but little fruit
Flavor: early sips were earthy, wet leaves and musk. After about an hour the earth tones down and is balanced with carbon and smoke and some blackberry is evident
Mouthfeel: lightweight but tight even after aereating; very dry and long finish
Though a 2010, I think I'll my remaining bottles rest for another year.
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2/12/2014 - Tim and Bonnie wrote: 85 Points
Typical CDP nose. Very mineral on the palate right off. Flavors start to amalgamate and gets drier after fifteen mins. Cola emerges. But this wine confronts me with one of the primary human dilemmas, once you've had the good stuff, everything below that standard just seems lacking.
There are some CDPs that are vibrant and vital and drink above their price range. This is not one of those.
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2/3/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Delivering a rich, ripe, juicy mouthful of concentrated sweet, fresh, black raspberry jam, kirsch, black cherrry, pepper and garrigue. The wine is lush, long, lusty and sells for a fair price.
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1/12/2014 - PDX-S wrote:
While just over half Grenache (55%), the Grenache still seems to dominate, with the Mouvedre, Syrah, and Cinsault lending extra body and a slight darkness to the depth of fruit. Pronounced nose of white pepper, dried flower petals, anise, and a little warm raspberry. Medium bodied and smooth, the wine shows relatively high acid and a pronounced tannic structure.
Palate reinforces the nose with raspberries, tea, violets, and unsweetened licorice. The long drying finish persists with white pepper and blueberries meshing seamlessly with a little cedar-like wood influence.
Nice and harmonious wine, showing moderate complexity and moderate intensity, it will be interesting to see what happens with a little bottle age. Fair value at the $40 retail price point, nice value and performance on sale.
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12/27/2013 - blaine wrote: 87 Points
I've drank 3 of my four bottles of this, the last one this past holiday. Needs more time, right now pretty hard and pepper-centric. I'm going to give my last bottle a few years, but I don't know that I'd set these aside en masse for the long haul.
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12/25/2013 - Tylerben Likes this wine: 90 Points
When open, all you smell is alcohol. Decanting 30 minutes solves this problem, and you are left with a very appealing CdP.
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