4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Double blind. Light color with a bit of bricking. The bouquet is a little port-like and a touch maderized as well. The palate starts off a bit tannic and austere with ripe, raisiny fruit underneath but as it opens the ripeness fades and the fruit becomes quite vibrant and enjoyable…less obviously ripe and raisined. To me this drank a bit like a mid-90s cab sauv. (MM)
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This bottle had a persistent funk in the nose, and I thought initially it might be corked. But the palate was sharp, bright, and fresh, and showed no evidence of taint. The aromatic funk was not awful, but it was a notable element that detracted from the full enjoyment of the wine.
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Had not tried this wine in a very long time, and was happy to discover it is still drinking well. Sharp as always, with impressive palate presence and spicy, exotic flavors in the mix. The fruit is a tiny bit weaker than it was last time, and I hesitate to concede that this was probably at its peak a few years ago. Started out with a little funk that dissipated quickly, and then the typical blast of minerals and grilled meat. Still very enjoyable wine that should continue to drink well for some time.
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Decanted from magnum about 3 hours (definitely had a positive effect, but PnP is an option). Exceeded expectations, bringing aroma and palate complexity even though it looked inky and brooding in the glass compared to the preceding light and beautiful '99 Lambrays. Tarry, earthy, licorice and dark berries on the nose and following through with matching flavors. Yet this wine accomplished an elegance and felt lighter than color and palate persistence hinted at. Gritty soft tannins and a good dose of acidity still in play. Great with the NY strips.
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Very mature, but attractive nose. Animaly with warm fruit and plum. Walnuts, dried fruit, hints of cedar and tobacco. Good complexity and depth. Fullish, harmonius, slightly fiery palate with aromas of walnuts, plums and mixed Spices. Good length, balance and concentration. Tasty. Not for keeping, but still fresh. Tasted blind I couldn't decide between ChndP, Ribera or Priorat.
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Balanced with ripe plum, strawberry and raspberry fruit; strong licorice notes. Long in the finish and good acidity. Tannins fine and light. Hint of oak. Very integrated and fully mature. Decanted for more than an hour.
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Black with a deep garnet rim. This is on its way down, but still impressive. Flavors of dry red berries, tobacco leaf, and spice. Full bodied with great presence on the palate. Smooth and silky.
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Another flawless bottle (5 for 6). Very similar to note from April even though not decanted this time. My last bottle is a magnum which I would target opening 4-6 years from now.
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Very evolved nose of bacon fat, roasted meat, characoal, black cherries... Beautiful meaty, super silky tannins, black ripe cherries, very nice mature Clos Mogador, 30 seconds finish!
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BYO by Lazer at Tertulia. Nice fruit and structure but what else? Iat first I thought this would develop nicely with more time but lacks the tannins or acid on which to do so. Struggling with Priorats so far.
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Decanted 3 hours with benefit. Inky violet, no browning at all. Dark berries, tar, anise and a little piney earth - no hint of the earthy mushrooms that was quite distracting 3 years ago (I'm thinking that bottle had a good dose of Brett). Palate had medium plus weighted fruit that. Gorgeous balance with mineral, acid and tannins framing the fruit and allowing it more power by the finish where it becomes slightly more weighty. Good length and complexity. Walks between new and old world; most guessed new world. Very nice.
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Broke out the 98, 99, 00 ad 01 vintages of this wine, and I have to say it was the most disappointing vertical I've ever tasted. None of these wines showed well. All were on some level bitter and tannic without the wonderful fruit and power I have experienced in prior tastings of these wines.
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1st Spaniards meeting, 6 weeks after returning from Spain (at Adina's): decanted 5 hours prior to drinking (cork red-stained till top) color: dark red-brown Nose: (surprisingly not oxidised since cork was all red), tertiary aromas, rich dark red cherries, earthy-spicy notes, dusty rocks. promising! Palate: Full bodied, good acidity, firm tannins, good structure, good harmony, well balanced, a bit rustic, already mature, but can still age few more years, savoury flavours, medium finish.
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Another Friday Afternoon @ Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): I'm usually not a fan of Priorat, but this had a bit more balance and elegance than I expected (full disclosure, I drank this wine after a 2008 Shafer Relentless...). The palate was dark, rich, and filled with smokey minerals. Not Graves like, but the undertones of minerals were really nice. While this never really hit my sweet spot, I can appreciate the overall package here.
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Nose: Lush and balanced nose with tones of dark red cherries, spice tones, dark red fruits, mocha, crushed rocks, and earth tones. There is very good depth to this with it being very open.
Taste: Full bodied with medium acidity and very good tannins providing support and a spine. The feel is mature, but on the younger side with tones of dark red cherries, mocha, dark red fruits, and crushed rocks.
Overall: This was had on the 2nd day of it being open. This was showing great and seems like it still has plenty of time.
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Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of mocha, earth, and spice. Wonderful blend of black fruit and complex earthy spice on the palate. Great balance and presence.
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Hmm, this was surprisingly disappointing. Tart and somewhat candied. Still showing considerable structure but with fruit really fading badly. This doesn't even begin to resemble the monster wine I remember from its youth. I followed this across two days, and it had crashed badly on day 2. Disappointed.
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Great juice, keeps getting better and better. This bottle was the best I've had, and the wine is now just about fully mature. Should drink well for quite a while I'd say.
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last bottle, and i had the first back in 2003, and it was glowing then, and now more or less at peak, but feels as if it will hold for a while, and if i had to guess id say 2 years or so. Very rich, with slick balance. Tasty and fruity with lovely minerals in the background. Excellent wine right now!
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PnP. Inky violet. Dark fruit and mushroomy earth on nose. The earth notes were almost a distraction to me (I don't think this was Brett) and was not noted in my previous bottles. Also spice, meat and a little anise. Intense fruit on palate with a round somewhat fat texture that is balanced nicely by still firm tannins and lacy mineral. Not much finesse as the earth pushed it towards rusticity, but nice complexity.
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I suppose this wine fits my view of Spanish wines in general. Strong, food oriented, and quite harsh on the palate. With food, it complements quite nicely and thus my "good" score of 85. Is it "outstanding" that the 90+ scores would indicate from the panel? I'd say no because in my opinion, this wine can only be enjoyed one way, and that's with the appropriate food. On its own, it will dry you out faster than the Mojave. But it is good. Enjoy.
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Perhaps mildly cooked, the cork was streaked all the way up with mold under the capsule and the fill was a touch lower than expected (base neck / very top shoulder). On opening a cloying sweetness that did dissipate to a large degree. Character slowly emerged with schist, dark fruit, garrigue and oaken spice. On the palate though it remained a touch muted. Easy enough to drink the bottle, and enjoyable on its own, but I still think it was a less than perfect bottle.
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A rich, fruity wine that straddles old and new wine making styles, mainly due to the terrific slately-minerality of the fruit. The acid and tannin play second fiddle here and there's not much in the way of complexity, but still a very classy satisfying wine with excellent chewy concentration and good length.
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Dark purple with bluish hues, indicating the wine's youth despite the age. Kirsch liqueur, licorice, herbs, chocolate and some meaty aromas on the continuously evolving nose. Full-bodied and perfectly round, with an explosion of fruit in the mid-palate, big yet polished tanins and balancing acidity. Long, persistent finish. A beauty in every sence of the word. To drink now or over the next 10+ years. Great with a hearty, spicy fillet with my wife's Reciotto Della Valpolicella Sauce.
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Deep purple-black in colour with huge aromatics of ripe red and dark fruits, chocolate, earth and a balsamic/VA note that adds complexity here. A powerhouse in the mouth with dark chocolate-covered plums and cherries and some savoury tarry notes on the back end, with large chewy tannins felt on the finish.
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Deep and dark in color. A entoxicating nose of plums and dark fruits. Layors of licorice and chocolate play a supporting role. A silky rush of lush dark fruit on the palate. Balanced and structured without the tannins taking predominance. Long finish. Nice!
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Chateau Montelena Vertical: Earthy raisin/brandy nose. Thick, concentrated and so smooth, with lots of aged leather and a hint of sweetness. Perfect age, really delicious.
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Few signs of ageing other than a slight softening of the colour. Silky, sensual nose of figs, cocoa, sweet spices, bacon fat and liquorice. Enveloping and velvety mouthfeel, expressing a bewildering array of flavours - the fruit component now more reminiscent of port, with secondary sensations such as treacle, cloves, wood smoke and pine needles, and the gentle remnants of classic Priorat minerality on the finish. The typical tannicity and vibrant astringency of Priorat has now softened into an impressive, mature and satisfyingly complex experience. This wine has perhaps aged more rapidly than expected, but it was kept in less than ideal conditions for the first five or six years. However, there's no doubting that this is a splendid wine and it augurs well for other mid-late 90s Priorats of the same quality.
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Nose is of raisiny overripe fruit, black pepper, torrefaction, and powdered obsidian (yes, i used to collect rocks), with some secondary notes beginning to happen as well. A mouthful of sweet, stewed dark fruit, licorice, bittersweet chocolate, almost gritty with tar/torrefaction, hugely concentrated. As the wine coasts from midpalate to finish there is a growing bitterness reminiscent of coffee grounds. I don't drink a lot of Priorat and this reminds me why -- while the early secondary notes here are certainly pleasing, overall I find the wine sweet and sickly-ripe, overextracted and bitter.
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Enjoyed upon an important accomplishment, and the 1999 Clos Mogador was the right wine for savoring the achievement. Unbelievable layers of wilderness and minerals; all sorts of berries; an evocative wine.
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Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #5, My #6 - Full purple pink color. Big sweet purple fruit nose. Medium/rich coffee black fruit with firm acidity and tannin. Still tight and will benefit from time.
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Deep ruby color with a hint of tawny. Only very slight deposit in the bottle. Nose of dry herbs, rosemary, lavander and thyme, sweet blackberries and smoke, with elements of cassis and pencil lead. On the palate this is full bodied and silky, almost meaty, with residual tannins. I think this has a few years to go yet.
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Full-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, candied cherries, barnyard, and earth. On the palate, black cherries, dark chocolate, blueberries, and vanilla on a long 20-30 second finish.
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Seattle Tasting Group does Priorat (Bellevue, WA): Inky, dusky, olive, paint, road tar, pomegranate syrup. This is unreal wine, saturated, chewy, with great acidity, mouthwatering. Almost impenetrable.
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Another great showing for this wine. Decanted 2 and a half hours ahead. It was served with wild mushroom rissotto and its mouth coating, almost 'thick' fruit was a bit much without a meat dish. Served alongside a beautifully evolved '95 Vieux Telegraphe, it was evident that this wine would benefit from some more cellar age.
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This was infanticide !! But it was sure good . Big and well structured, not hard to drink this in spite of it's primary status though. I have a major obsession with these Priorat wines and this baby doesn't disappoint. My following Mogador's won't be even considered for consumption for 3-5 years. This was all about floral, black fruits, asphalt, tar, rocky mineral, and well balanced acid to tannin structure. The palate gave a beautiful long and powerful finish, perfect and delicious.
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Big and large and big. But very good and in balance. Wish I had more to see how it develops over time but not sad this last bottle is gone. It was good. 90pts.
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Very (almost scary) dark. A 'Wow' wine from start to finish. Decanted about 90 minutes ahead, but no real hint that this was necessary as the 'sneak peak' of the sediment dregs was wide open at opening. The nose is awesome with dark cherry, bacon, smoke up front and then lots of things brooding in the back (chocolate, anise, flowers cassis (?), earth...). Palate has everything in nice measure with the aromas mentioned above layering out in a full, mouth coating way. Also the tannins come across in a minerally texture and the finish is long, complex and with food-friendly acidity. While this wine is at an awesome state now, I don't think there is reason to be in any hurry to drink them either.
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<harvest vine> The cork was coated from top to bottom with wine stains. Fortunately the mold mustve provided a tight seal because my nose and palate could find no ill effects. This was my first Mogador and I was duly impressed. Despite the glassware (c'mon Harvest Vine -- Hook me up!!) the nose was very revealing -- dark fruits and berries, various flowers, and oldskool chowards violet candies. My wife was getting green apple and vanilla scents. On the palate, waves of fruit and complexity kept rolling me up. This wine changed throughout the night (3hrs.) not better, not worse, just different. The intial stages were comprised of super ripe plums and dark fruits and spices. Tannins were not assertive (I'd be curious if the semi-cork failure partially decanted this wine,) and if I had this wine in the cellar I would not be afraid to drink it now. As time went by chocolate notes , exotic spices (star anise), and a cinnamonny leather started to show on the palate. At all times this was opulent, rich and complex. It is funny that my wife made Eric's exact comment -- 'what does this mean -- we are starting to collect Spanish wines now?' Uh, Maybe. This was one hell of an introduction.
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Dinner at Harvest Vine (Seattle, WA, USA): Wow, I just love the Mogador style; a black, brooding, animal, this screams of minerals and ripe fruit on the lightly smoky nose. On the palate this is a monster yet manages to be seamless at the same time. The element that continues to surprise me is the intense minerality that elevates this from being just a deeply extracted, leathery, chewy, chocolatey wine. Of course, those rich elements help a lot, but this wine just manages to sing.
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Enjoyed tonight at a favourite restaurant. The lighting is very dim so I was unable to really discern the color of this wine. Immediaely the nose is what strikes you. It is extremely aromatic revealing notes of black fruits and flowers. The mouth feel is medium to full-bodied with a perfect balance of tannin and acidity. This wine will age well for at least another 10 years.
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Dinner at Harvest Vine with Justin. Holy Toledo! It is always amazing when you encounter something entirely new and unique to your palate. I have had very little Spanish wine, and this was a stunning introduction. From the moment we popped the cork this showed an impressive nose that kept moving in different directions all night, from coffee to cocoa to leather to even a somewhat savory, almost marine smell. On the palate this was explosive, leathery and acidic like a fine Sangiovese yet with much more body and structure. The wine started tight but over time showed more and more blackberry, mocha and chewy, chunky tannins. Man oh man, this is an awesome mouthful! Very old-world in character, somewhat rustic, yet awesomely deep and complex. Sigh, do I need to start collecting Spanish wines now too?
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Well, wow. Deep dark red in color. Splendid sweet aromas of plums, apples and blackberries. Full body, with very solid concentrated flavors of ripe fruit, combined with tasty oak and great acidity. Wonderfully balanced (truly!), with a nice good reasonably long finish. Overall, a remarkable red wine, that though is only 4 years old, is truly a pleasure to enjoy right now! With everything included - this young beast should age well for many more years. Note: I liked this one a lot more than the 95. I have a 92 which I plan to taste in the next few weeks. This 99 is defiantly the kind of bottle to stock up on due to its quality and very reasonable ($55 US) price tag.
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9/23/2023 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Double blind. Light color with a bit of bricking. The bouquet is a little port-like and a touch maderized as well. The palate starts off a bit tannic and austere with ripe, raisiny fruit underneath but as it opens the ripeness fades and the fruit becomes quite vibrant and enjoyable…less obviously ripe and raisined. To me this drank a bit like a mid-90s cab sauv. (MM)
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1/6/2022 - robmatic wrote: 89 Points
This bottle had a persistent funk in the nose, and I thought initially it might be corked. But the palate was sharp, bright, and fresh, and showed no evidence of taint. The aromatic funk was not awful, but it was a notable element that detracted from the full enjoyment of the wine.
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12/22/2021 - jhbehrens Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully developed with dark fruit, liquorice and tar. I must have found a well kept bottle because the wine seemed at its prime. Delicious
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10/18/2020 - robmatic wrote: 92 Points
Had not tried this wine in a very long time, and was happy to discover it is still drinking well. Sharp as always, with impressive palate presence and spicy, exotic flavors in the mix. The fruit is a tiny bit weaker than it was last time, and I hesitate to concede that this was probably at its peak a few years ago. Started out with a little funk that dissipated quickly, and then the typical blast of minerals and grilled meat. Still very enjoyable wine that should continue to drink well for some time.
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5/20/2019 - Frank Schneider wrote: 89 Points
Drinkable but uninspiring ! Flabby and onedimensional. Avoid
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12/3/2017 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Meaty and herbal nose, red cherries, sous-bois, mushrooms... Lighter than other vintages, integrated tannin, red fruit, lenght of 20 seconds!
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11/24/2017 - gthelen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consumed over 3 days. Still going strong. Hard to say if it'll get better. I don't drink enough Mogador verticals.
* day 1, after 1 hr decant. balsamic and slate notes with lots of power in mouth of dark fruits, leather, tar.
* day 2. Better than the day-1. Powerful nose and mouthfeel. Lots of life left.
* day 3. Still quite good, but a tad weaker than day 2.
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4/9/2017 - thomaskeil wrote: 94 Points
Decanted from magnum about 3 hours (definitely had a positive effect, but PnP is an option). Exceeded expectations, bringing aroma and palate complexity even though it looked inky and brooding in the glass compared to the preceding light and beautiful '99 Lambrays. Tarry, earthy, licorice and dark berries on the nose and following through with matching flavors. Yet this wine accomplished an elegance and felt lighter than color and palate persistence hinted at. Gritty soft tannins and a good dose of acidity still in play. Great with the NY strips.
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12/29/2016 - jsebiri wrote:
Slightly stewed nose on opening , very sweet taste on 1st pour , over the next hour was less stewed. Fine juice, less than expected but very nice .
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4/7/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 92 Points
Burnt rubber on the nose, liquorice, resolved tannins and drinking nicely now.
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12/31/2015 - Argrath wrote: 91 Points
Very mature, but attractive nose. Animaly with warm fruit and plum. Walnuts, dried fruit, hints of cedar and tobacco. Good complexity and depth.
Fullish, harmonius, slightly fiery palate with aromas of walnuts, plums and mixed Spices. Good length, balance and concentration. Tasty. Not for keeping, but still fresh.
Tasted blind I couldn't decide between ChndP, Ribera or Priorat.
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11/1/2015 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Balanced with ripe plum, strawberry and raspberry fruit; strong licorice notes. Long in the finish and good acidity. Tannins fine and light. Hint of oak. Very integrated and fully mature. Decanted for more than an hour.
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2/6/2015 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black with a deep garnet rim. This is on its way down, but still impressive. Flavors of dry red berries, tobacco leaf, and spice. Full bodied with great presence on the palate. Smooth and silky.
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11/2/2014 - thomaskeil Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another flawless bottle (5 for 6). Very similar to note from April even though not decanted this time. My last bottle is a magnum which I would target opening 4-6 years from now.
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9/21/2014 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Very evolved nose of bacon fat, roasted meat, characoal, black cherries... Beautiful meaty, super silky tannins, black ripe cherries, very nice mature Clos Mogador, 30 seconds finish!
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9/7/2014 - VDLT Wine wrote:
BYO by Lazer at Tertulia. Nice fruit and structure but what else? Iat first I thought this would develop nicely with more time but lacks the tannins or acid on which to do so. Struggling with Priorats so far.
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6/11/2014 - robmatic wrote: 95 Points
I know I said this was fully mature before, but this particular bottle was really not so much. Drink or hold.
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4/13/2014 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours with benefit. Inky violet, no browning at all. Dark berries, tar, anise and a little piney earth - no hint of the earthy mushrooms that was quite distracting 3 years ago (I'm thinking that bottle had a good dose of Brett). Palate had medium plus weighted fruit that. Gorgeous balance with mineral, acid and tannins framing the fruit and allowing it more power by the finish where it becomes slightly more weighty. Good length and complexity. Walks between new and old world; most guessed new world. Very nice.
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3/8/2014 - Dough Boy wrote: flawed
Broke out the 98, 99, 00 ad 01 vintages of this wine, and I have to say it was the most disappointing vertical I've ever tasted. None of these wines showed well. All were on some level bitter and tannic without the wonderful fruit and power I have experienced in prior tastings of these wines.
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12/9/2013 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
1st Spaniards meeting, 6 weeks after returning from Spain (at Adina's): decanted 5 hours prior to drinking (cork red-stained till top)
color: dark red-brown
Nose: (surprisingly not oxidised since cork was all red), tertiary aromas, rich dark red cherries, earthy-spicy notes, dusty rocks. promising!
Palate: Full bodied, good acidity, firm tannins, good structure, good harmony, well balanced, a bit rustic, already mature, but can still age few more years, savoury flavours, medium finish.
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7/26/2013 - tooch wrote: 88 Points
Another Friday Afternoon @ Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): I'm usually not a fan of Priorat, but this had a bit more balance and elegance than I expected (full disclosure, I drank this wine after a 2008 Shafer Relentless...). The palate was dark, rich, and filled with smokey minerals. Not Graves like, but the undertones of minerals were really nice. While this never really hit my sweet spot, I can appreciate the overall package here.
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5/31/2013 - Stefanos T. wrote: flawed
Unfortunately the wine was oxidised and smelled badly due to bad storing conditions.
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5/19/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Lush and balanced nose with tones of dark red cherries, spice tones, dark red fruits, mocha, crushed rocks, and earth tones. There is very good depth to this with it being very open.
Taste: Full bodied with medium acidity and very good tannins providing support and a spine. The feel is mature, but on the younger side with tones of dark red cherries, mocha, dark red fruits, and crushed rocks.
Overall: This was had on the 2nd day of it being open. This was showing great and seems like it still has plenty of time.
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2/1/2013 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of mocha, earth, and spice. Wonderful blend of black fruit and complex earthy spice on the palate. Great balance and presence.
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4/6/2012 - MikeZ wrote:
this bottle was much more mature than the last, some port like notes and very rich
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1/16/2012 - tom_wine wrote: 95 Points
Complex, well balanced with intense aromatics and lush raspberry, cassis flavors. Fruit starting to fade. Can't imagine it getting any better.
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1/6/2012 - Eric wrote:
Hmm, this was surprisingly disappointing. Tart and somewhat candied. Still showing considerable structure but with fruit really fading badly. This doesn't even begin to resemble the monster wine I remember from its youth. I followed this across two days, and it had crashed badly on day 2. Disappointed.
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7/27/2011 - MikeZ wrote:
more stone, crushed rock and acid than the 2000...more austere but not in a bad way just different...no real rush to open
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7/20/2011 - gthelen wrote: 95 Points
Very enjoyable. Deep expressive nose. Integrated, solid tannins. Lots of fruit with a long finish. Drank without any significant decanting.
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2/16/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 94 Points
Rain, rocks, sweet fruit. Verve, minerality that seems almost electric. Everything I look for in Priorat. Killer!
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2/5/2011 - robmatic wrote: 96 Points
Great juice, keeps getting better and better. This bottle was the best I've had, and the wine is now just about fully mature. Should drink well for quite a while I'd say.
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11/28/2010 - veniceslug1 wrote: 91 Points
Nice complexity. Light in weight.
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10/16/2010 - Lorien wrote: 90 Points
last bottle, and i had the first back in 2003, and it was glowing then, and now more or less at peak, but feels as if it will hold for a while, and if i had to guess id say 2 years or so. Very rich, with slick balance. Tasty and fruity with lovely minerals in the background. Excellent wine right now!
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7/25/2010 - winemaker wrote: 97 Points
Terrific bottle! Really, rich, thick and complex. Fully mature. Almost perfect.
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6/26/2010 - thomaskeil wrote: 91 Points
PnP. Inky violet. Dark fruit and mushroomy earth on nose. The earth notes were almost a distraction to me (I don't think this was Brett) and was not noted in my previous bottles. Also spice, meat and a little anise. Intense fruit on palate with a round somewhat fat texture that is balanced nicely by still firm tannins and lacy mineral. Not much finesse as the earth pushed it towards rusticity, but nice complexity.
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1/11/2010 - t4drman wrote: 85 Points
I suppose this wine fits my view of Spanish wines in general. Strong, food oriented, and quite harsh on the palate. With food, it complements quite nicely and thus my "good" score of 85. Is it "outstanding" that the 90+ scores would indicate from the panel? I'd say no because in my opinion, this wine can only be enjoyed one way, and that's with the appropriate food. On its own, it will dry you out faster than the Mojave. But it is good. Enjoy.
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12/25/2009 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
Delightful, rich, full-bodied, great with beef
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12/6/2009 - pbjosh wrote:
Perhaps mildly cooked, the cork was streaked all the way up with mold under the capsule and the fill was a touch lower than expected (base neck / very top shoulder). On opening a cloying sweetness that did dissipate to a large degree. Character slowly emerged with schist, dark fruit, garrigue and oaken spice. On the palate though it remained a touch muted. Easy enough to drink the bottle, and enjoyable on its own, but I still think it was a less than perfect bottle.
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11/8/2009 - blanquito wrote: 90 Points
A rich, fruity wine that straddles old and new wine making styles, mainly due to the terrific slately-minerality of the fruit. The acid and tannin play second fiddle here and there's not much in the way of complexity, but still a very classy satisfying wine with excellent chewy concentration and good length.
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11/4/2009 - birdman5828 wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit loads of minerality and fruit. Long finish, firm tannins and a nice sweetness on the mid pallet. Very enjoyable.
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10/26/2009 - Yiannis wrote: 95 Points
Dark purple with bluish hues, indicating the wine's youth despite the age. Kirsch liqueur, licorice, herbs, chocolate and some meaty aromas on the continuously evolving nose. Full-bodied and perfectly round, with an explosion of fruit in the mid-palate, big yet polished tanins and balancing acidity. Long, persistent finish. A beauty in every sence of the word. To drink now or over the next 10+ years. Great with a hearty, spicy fillet with my wife's Reciotto Della Valpolicella Sauce.
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8/28/2009 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple-black in colour with huge aromatics of ripe red and dark fruits, chocolate, earth and a balsamic/VA note that adds complexity here. A powerhouse in the mouth with dark chocolate-covered plums and cherries and some savoury tarry notes on the back end, with large chewy tannins felt on the finish.
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8/27/2009 - Spencer wrote: 90 Points
Balanced, very deep fruit, firm tannins on finish. Best on the nose.
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8/22/2009 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
WOW!
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7/16/2009 - Ive Marx wrote: 93 Points
Has aged very nicely and become a perfectly integrated, mature wine. At peak I think.
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3/30/2009 - KSC02 wrote: 95 Points
Deep and dark in color. A entoxicating nose of plums and dark fruits. Layors of licorice and chocolate play a supporting role. A silky rush of lush dark fruit on the palate. Balanced and structured without the tannins taking predominance. Long finish. Nice!
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3/27/2009 - mimik wrote: 96 Points
Montreal Wine Guy Weekend a la Quebecoise; 3/27/2009-3/28/2009 (Wentworth North-Vinaigre's brother's cottage): Wow. This is the 2005 with some age on it. Lots of chocolate and dark cherries and ripe plum flavours but on a more seemless and integrated palate than the 2005. Now, it is transforming into a grand vin. Very nice stuff. Long cedary finish. Can age more but already singing.
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3/25/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 95 Points
Chateau Montelena Vertical: Earthy raisin/brandy nose. Thick, concentrated and so smooth, with lots of aged leather and a hint of sweetness. Perfect age, really delicious.
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2/3/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 91 Points
1999 Clos Mogador Priorat (Spain, Catalunya, Priorat) (Spanje, Catalunya, Priorat) Kleur: Diep robijnrood Aroma / bouquet: Expressief en geconcentreerd, prachtig rijp, jammig rood fruit, sigarenkistjes, rijpe en tertiaire indrukken: natte bladeren, beetje zoetig fruit. Smaak / Afdronk: Vol en krachtig, wel soepel, zachte zuren, boterzachte tannines, aangename rijpheid en een prachtige lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Heerlijk glas. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
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9/14/2008 - ricard Likes this wine: 94 Points
Few signs of ageing other than a slight softening of the colour. Silky, sensual nose of figs, cocoa, sweet spices, bacon fat and liquorice. Enveloping and velvety mouthfeel, expressing a bewildering array of flavours - the fruit component now more reminiscent of port, with secondary sensations such as treacle, cloves, wood smoke and pine needles, and the gentle remnants of classic Priorat minerality on the finish. The typical tannicity and vibrant astringency of Priorat has now softened into an impressive, mature and satisfyingly complex experience. This wine has perhaps aged more rapidly than expected, but it was kept in less than ideal conditions for the first five or six years. However, there's no doubting that this is a splendid wine and it augurs well for other mid-late 90s Priorats of the same quality.
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4/30/2008 - 5laton wrote:
Nose is of raisiny overripe fruit, black pepper, torrefaction, and powdered obsidian (yes, i used to collect rocks), with some secondary notes beginning to happen as well. A mouthful of sweet, stewed dark fruit, licorice, bittersweet chocolate, almost gritty with tar/torrefaction, hugely concentrated. As the wine coasts from midpalate to finish there is a growing bitterness reminiscent of coffee grounds. I don't drink a lot of Priorat and this reminds me why -- while the early secondary notes here are certainly pleasing, overall I find the wine sweet and sickly-ripe, overextracted and bitter.
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2/15/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92. New worldish in nature. Big, bold. Concentrated fruit flavors and aromas. Impressive wine. Drink or hold.
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2/15/2008 - win wrote: 92 Points
Large tasting. Minimal notes. Very impressive.
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10/27/2007 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyed upon an important accomplishment, and the 1999 Clos Mogador was the right wine for savoring the achievement. Unbelievable layers of wilderness and minerals; all sorts of berries; an evocative wine.
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4/26/2007 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #5, My #6 - Full purple pink color. Big sweet purple fruit nose. Medium/rich coffee black fruit with firm acidity and tannin. Still tight and will benefit from time.
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3/16/2007 - dougsmith wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby color with a hint of tawny. Only very slight deposit in the bottle. Nose of dry herbs, rosemary, lavander and thyme, sweet blackberries and smoke, with elements of cassis and pencil lead. On the palate this is full bodied and silky, almost meaty, with residual tannins. I think this has a few years to go yet.
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12/20/2006 - Nanda wrote: flawed
Priorat Vertical / Horizontal (Rios d' Sudamerica - Chicago, IL): Corked --- bummer as I was looking forward to this one.
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11/19/2006 - DFC wrote: 93 Points
Full-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, candied cherries, barnyard, and earth. On the palate, black cherries, dark chocolate, blueberries, and vanilla on a long 20-30 second finish.
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11/19/2006 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Seattle Tasting Group does Priorat (Bellevue, WA): Inky, dusky, olive, paint, road tar, pomegranate syrup. This is unreal wine, saturated, chewy, with great acidity, mouthwatering. Almost impenetrable.
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9/3/2006 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
Another great showing for this wine. Decanted 2 and a half hours ahead. It was served with wild mushroom rissotto and its mouth coating, almost 'thick' fruit was a bit much without a meat dish. Served alongside a beautifully evolved '95 Vieux Telegraphe, it was evident that this wine would benefit from some more cellar age.
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3/24/2006 - Shiraziste wrote: 94 Points
This was infanticide !!
But it was sure good .
Big and well structured, not hard to drink this in spite of it's primary status though. I have a major obsession with these Priorat wines and this baby doesn't disappoint. My following Mogador's won't be even considered for consumption for 3-5 years.
This was all about floral, black fruits, asphalt, tar, rocky mineral, and well balanced acid to tannin structure. The palate gave a beautiful long and powerful finish, perfect and delicious.
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3/1/2006 - Pool Boy wrote: 90 Points
Big and large and big. But very good and in balance. Wish I had more to see how it develops over time but not sad this last bottle is gone. It was good. 90pts.
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2/22/2006 - thomaskeil wrote: 94 Points
Very (almost scary) dark. A 'Wow' wine from start to finish. Decanted about 90 minutes ahead, but no real hint that this was necessary as the 'sneak peak' of the sediment dregs was wide open at opening. The nose is awesome with dark cherry, bacon, smoke up front and then lots of things brooding in the back (chocolate, anise, flowers cassis (?), earth...). Palate has everything in nice measure with the aromas mentioned above layering out in a full, mouth coating way. Also the tannins come across in a minerally texture and the finish is long, complex and with food-friendly acidity. While this wine is at an awesome state now, I don't think there is reason to be in any hurry to drink them either.
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12/1/2005 - tawd wrote: 92 Points
(tasted blind) - deep red, volatile at first - anise, food, fruit, cola (dr. pepper), shoe leather & prunes.
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4/20/2005 - lorenzo wrote: 95 Points
<harvest vine>
The cork was coated from top to bottom with wine stains. Fortunately the mold mustve provided a tight seal because my nose and palate could find no ill effects. This was my first Mogador and I was duly impressed. Despite the glassware (c'mon Harvest Vine -- Hook me up!!) the nose was very revealing -- dark fruits and berries, various flowers, and oldskool chowards violet candies. My wife was getting green apple and vanilla scents. On the palate, waves of fruit and complexity kept rolling me up. This wine changed throughout the night (3hrs.) not better, not worse, just different. The intial stages were comprised of super ripe plums and dark fruits and spices. Tannins were not assertive (I'd be curious if the semi-cork failure partially decanted this wine,) and if I had this wine in the cellar I would not be afraid to drink it now. As time went by chocolate notes , exotic spices (star anise), and a cinnamonny leather started to show on the palate. At all times this was opulent, rich and complex.
It is funny that my wife made Eric's exact comment -- 'what does this mean -- we are starting to collect Spanish wines now?' Uh, Maybe.
This was one hell of an introduction.
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4/4/2005 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Harvest Vine (Seattle, WA, USA): Wow, I just love the Mogador style; a black, brooding, animal, this screams of minerals and ripe fruit on the lightly smoky nose. On the palate this is a monster yet manages to be seamless at the same time. The element that continues to surprise me is the intense minerality that elevates this from being just a deeply extracted, leathery, chewy, chocolatey wine. Of course, those rich elements help a lot, but this wine just manages to sing.
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10/2/2004 - DelYap wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed tonight at a favourite restaurant. The lighting is very dim so I was unable to really discern the color of this wine. Immediaely the nose is what strikes you. It is extremely aromatic revealing notes of black fruits and flowers. The mouth feel is medium to full-bodied with a perfect balance of tannin and acidity. This wine will age well for at least another 10 years.
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3/24/2004 - Eric wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Harvest Vine with Justin. Holy Toledo! It is always amazing when you encounter something entirely new and unique to your palate. I have had very little Spanish wine, and this was a stunning introduction. From the moment we popped the cork this showed an impressive nose that kept moving in different directions all night, from coffee to cocoa to leather to even a somewhat savory, almost marine smell. On the palate this was explosive, leathery and acidic like a fine Sangiovese yet with much more body and structure. The wine started tight but over time showed more and more blackberry, mocha and chewy, chunky tannins. Man oh man, this is an awesome mouthful! Very old-world in character, somewhat rustic, yet awesomely deep and complex. Sigh, do I need to start collecting Spanish wines now too?
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11/14/2003 - Lorien wrote: 93 Points
Well, wow. Deep dark red in color. Splendid sweet aromas of plums, apples and blackberries. Full body, with very solid concentrated flavors of ripe fruit, combined with tasty oak and great acidity. Wonderfully balanced (truly!), with a nice good reasonably long finish. Overall, a remarkable red wine, that though is only 4 years old, is truly a pleasure to enjoy right now! With everything included - this young beast should age well for many more years.
Note: I liked this one a lot more than the 95. I have a 92 which I plan to taste in the next few weeks. This 99 is defiantly the kind of bottle to stock up on due to its quality and very reasonable ($55 US) price tag.
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