Despite a decanting, the nose struggles to fully define itself, we remain a little vague on black fruits.
The mouth is of the same ilk, it lacks definition. The fruit is pretty, and the structure is there, but the whole thing fails to convince me by not offering anything coherent. It’s fruity with an acidic backbone but nothing transcendent. Still tannic finish.
Bottle problem?
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I'm upgrading my prior ratings of this wine because I really like its current phase of tertiary development. With 2 hours of air, this is full of mushroom and barnyard aroma. Refined tannins. Probably at this peak for another 5 years. I'm drinking this from a Conterno Sensory glass for the first time and couldn't be more impressed by the glass.
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Après la grâce et la finesse du magnum de Musigny, nous avons tous été déçus par ce magnum. Sur-extrait, alcooleux, écoeurant, chaud, fruité caricatural, lourd, bref une très grosse déception pour tous les convives. Magnifique niveau, bouchon à peine coloré, ouvert bien à l’avance…tous les voyants étaient au vert a priori… Marginalement mieux le lendemain… mais à peine 85 pour moi.
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Ruby in color (very nice). Nose of red fruit and some spice. Palate of dark, tart cherry, herbs, and flowers. Very interesting. Tannins have resolved and were soft. Acidity less than medium. A little fat in the mouthfeel like it does not quench your thirst.
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Deep ruby color, pronounced aromas of ripe or cooked blackberry, plum, and faint petrol odor. Full body, medium acidity, smooth tannins faint but noticeable.
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Slightly cloudy gorgeous vivid crimson-ruby color. Candied mixed berries on the nose. Notes of Sweet, tasty mulberries with a tannic bite on the finish with bay leaves and sage. Tasty stuff.
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Expressive nose displaying ripe but pure concentrated black and blue fruit, blackberry liqueur, blueberry, ink, animal, a hint of garrigue and mineral. There is no longer dominant Syrah impression. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, finely layered sweet black and blue fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and limestone mineral, and a seamless long sweet black fruit driven finish with animal at the end. Although it is drinking nicely it can improve further. Despite being ripe and concentrated, it remains very pure. Excellent showing.
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Been almost 4 years since the last bottle. Still excellent. Full mouthful. The funk/barnyard is gone and is a bit more jammy. Still the blackberry reduction. Inky yes. Dark raspberries. A hint of leather. Great with grilled olives. Drink or hold. Plum now starting to come out.
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Double decanted 90 mins early based on others notes. This was an elegant Syrah that paired well with cheese, but it lacked the secondary earth tones I enjoy from St Joseph and Cornas. Maybe they will emerge over time? And I’m not sure it has the backbone to stand up to a hearty meal.
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I opened tbe bottle 6 hours before the tasting. Decant it for a long time if you want to drink this in the next few months. Med+ intensity on the nose. Loads of ripe ripe black fruits. Velvet touch on the palate (very typical of the domain), Full throttle when it comes to alcohol, body, acidity adn tannins. Ultra dense, way too young for now. Exhuberant in one word. In the same flight we had the similar cuvée in the 2007 vintage...it showed really well so it is very encouraging for the 2012. Just wait some more.
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With Paco and Esperanza in the key Did not decant; tight at the beginning but started to open about 60 mins later. This is a full body solid and serious wine. Great pairing with braised short ribs
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Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Equal parts Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Carignon. Nose: Medium expressiveness, Mourvedre and Carignon dominate the nose initially with their rustic and gamey characteristics while the Syrah and Grenache show up as undertones of dark fruit - black berry and black raspberry - and dark flowers. Palate: Medium-full bodied, juicy dark fruit and allspice attack, solid acidic back-bone with gamey flavors showing through the mid-palate and persisting through the back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by sweet dark fruit and rusty earth. There's an awful lot going on here and it works very well as a whole - wonderful wine worthy of it's stellar CT scores.
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Excellent. Funky/barnyard/rustic nose. Burnt toast. Blackberry reduction in the beginning. Inky. A hint of smoke with fresh pipe tobacco. Flash of raspberry. Dark cherries muddled with balsamic. Wet leather. Bright acidity. Tannins are smooth. Grilled plums. Kept evolving. Great now and will continue to get better. After two hours the taste is lighter than the bouquet. I wonder what it would be like after three hours..but it is over now. I have a second bottle in the cellar and I will go out and get more.
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Very ripe and very pure nose. The initial nose expression is dominated by Syrah; blackberries, blackberry jam, liquid smoke, ink, charred steak, oak via vanilla, lavender and mineral. The end nose is very Grenache, strawberry and animal. Exceptional concentration, ripe yet silky, cool and suave, ripe inky black fruit driven palate impression, nicely layered fruits, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity, sweet tannins and lovely long energetic finish that ends with a smoky note. Due to the nicely layered opulent sweet fruit, the tannins are nicely masked. There is a nice resemblance to a ripe vintage northern Rhone. If you like a riper style of French syrah like Chateau d'Ampuis, you will enjoy this. This will age beautifully for the next ten to twenty years.
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4/13/2024 - Benoit Hardy Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Despite a decanting, the nose struggles to fully define itself, we remain a little vague on black fruits.
The mouth is of the same ilk, it lacks definition. The fruit is pretty, and the structure is there, but the whole thing fails to convince me by not offering anything coherent. It’s fruity with an acidic backbone but nothing transcendent. Still tannic finish.
Bottle problem?
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1/15/2024 - JGinMO wrote: 93 Points
Great balance, well integrated , with emerging secondary flavors.
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1/5/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 94 Points
I'm upgrading my prior ratings of this wine because I really like its current phase of tertiary development. With 2 hours of air, this is full of mushroom and barnyard aroma. Refined tannins. Probably at this peak for another 5 years. I'm drinking this from a Conterno Sensory glass for the first time and couldn't be more impressed by the glass.
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12/31/2023 - Ericsson Does not like this wine:
Après la grâce et la finesse du magnum de Musigny, nous avons tous été déçus par ce magnum.
Sur-extrait, alcooleux, écoeurant, chaud, fruité caricatural, lourd, bref une très grosse déception pour tous les convives.
Magnifique niveau, bouchon à peine coloré, ouvert bien à l’avance…tous les voyants étaient au vert a priori…
Marginalement mieux le lendemain… mais à peine 85 pour moi.
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10/28/2023 - Sookay Likes this wine:
Delicious
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9/23/2022 - Grenik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lighter style, red fruit, good acidity, nice finish
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4/12/2022 - Grenik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ruby in color (very nice). Nose of red fruit and some spice. Palate of dark, tart cherry, herbs, and flowers. Very interesting. Tannins have resolved and were soft. Acidity less than medium. A little fat in the mouthfeel like it does not quench your thirst.
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3/19/2022 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tart red fruit, crushed herbs, saddle and rhubarb. Somewhat astringent and linear/abrupt on the palate. Enjoyable but lacks complexity and nuances.
p.s. buttermilk brined roasted chicken over veggies.
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1/29/2022 - Kayentacellars wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby color, pronounced aromas of ripe or cooked blackberry, plum, and faint petrol odor. Full body, medium acidity, smooth tannins faint but noticeable.
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8/6/2021 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 91 Points
Slightly cloudy gorgeous vivid crimson-ruby color. Candied mixed berries on the nose. Notes of Sweet, tasty mulberries with a tannic bite on the finish with bay leaves and sage. Tasty stuff.
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1/7/2021 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Expressive nose displaying ripe but pure concentrated black and blue fruit, blackberry liqueur, blueberry, ink, animal, a hint of garrigue and mineral. There is no longer dominant Syrah impression. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, finely layered sweet black and blue fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and limestone mineral, and a seamless long sweet black fruit driven finish with animal at the end. Although it is drinking nicely it can improve further. Despite being ripe and concentrated, it remains very pure. Excellent showing.
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11/14/2020 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Beau vin gorgé de fruits avec un fond d`épices.
simple mais bien fait et franc de gout.
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8/15/2020 - Dalton_Noble Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine. Tannins still pretty prominent. Will open next one in 2 yrs.
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8/5/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful, smooth, complex Syrah.
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8/1/2020 - happytom Likes this wine: 93 Points
Been almost 4 years since the last bottle. Still excellent. Full mouthful. The funk/barnyard is gone and is a bit more jammy. Still the blackberry reduction. Inky yes. Dark raspberries. A hint of leather. Great with grilled olives. Drink or hold. Plum now starting to come out.
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3/1/2020 - redknife Likes this wine: 89 Points
Took to silver palace on a Sunday for Chinese lunch
Needed to be decanted to open up but still a great qpr
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1/12/2020 - JGinMO wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted 90 mins early based on others notes. This was an elegant Syrah that paired well with cheese, but it lacked the secondary earth tones I enjoy from St Joseph and Cornas. Maybe they will emerge over time? And I’m not sure it has the backbone to stand up to a hearty meal.
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1/27/2019 - redknife Likes this wine: 90 Points
I did not decant
Solid but needs at least 2 hr decant
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5/5/2018 - bigop Likes this wine: 90 Points
I opened tbe bottle 6 hours before the tasting. Decant it for a long time if you want to drink this in the next few months.
Med+ intensity on the nose. Loads of ripe ripe black fruits. Velvet touch on the palate (very typical of the domain), Full throttle when it comes to alcohol, body, acidity adn tannins. Ultra dense, way too young for now. Exhuberant in one word.
In the same flight we had the similar cuvée in the 2007 vintage...it showed really well so it is very encouraging for the 2012. Just wait some more.
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4/29/2018 - redknife Likes this wine: 93 Points
With Paco and Esperanza in the key
Did not decant; tight at the beginning but started to open about 60 mins later. This is a full body solid and serious wine. Great pairing with braised short ribs
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2/1/2018 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding. Not terribly complex, but a beautiful expression of Syrah.
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11/25/2017 - prasm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Equal parts Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Carignon. Nose: Medium expressiveness, Mourvedre and Carignon dominate the nose initially with their rustic and gamey characteristics while the Syrah and Grenache show up as undertones of dark fruit - black berry and black raspberry - and dark flowers. Palate: Medium-full bodied, juicy dark fruit and allspice attack, solid acidic back-bone with gamey flavors showing through the mid-palate and persisting through the back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by sweet dark fruit and rusty earth. There's an awful lot going on here and it works very well as a whole - wonderful wine worthy of it's stellar CT scores.
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4/2/2017 - redknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smith and Wollensky with sisters and Bellas parents
Short decant, nice minerality and fruit
No formal tasting notes but liked
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12/24/2016 - happytom Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Funky/barnyard/rustic nose. Burnt toast. Blackberry reduction in the beginning. Inky. A hint of smoke with fresh pipe tobacco. Flash of raspberry. Dark cherries muddled with balsamic. Wet leather. Bright acidity. Tannins are smooth. Grilled plums. Kept evolving. Great now and will continue to get better. After two hours the taste is lighter than the bouquet. I wonder what it would be like after three hours..but it is over now. I have a second bottle in the cellar and I will go out and get more.
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7/20/2016 - tuzlukov Likes this wine: 93 Points
for a while 93 only. Still young
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9/28/2015 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Very ripe and very pure nose. The initial nose expression is dominated by Syrah; blackberries, blackberry jam, liquid smoke, ink, charred steak, oak via vanilla, lavender and mineral. The end nose is very Grenache, strawberry and animal. Exceptional concentration, ripe yet silky, cool and suave, ripe inky black fruit driven palate impression, nicely layered fruits, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity, sweet tannins and lovely long energetic finish that ends with a smoky note. Due to the nicely layered opulent sweet fruit, the tannins are nicely masked. There is a nice resemblance to a ripe vintage northern Rhone. If you like a riper style of French syrah like Chateau d'Ampuis, you will enjoy this. This will age beautifully for the next ten to twenty years.
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