Grenache Night 2023 (Black Sheep, Santa Barbara, CA): Another fabulous bottle of this, my best yet. Still combining freshness and power, with plenty of structure and impressive concentration. Loads of dark berries, some minerality and spice. No evident oak. This was served alongside a splendid 2013 Erasmus, and frankly it was very hard to distinguish between the two. No complaints here!
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Some Priorat Giants, Plus a Bonus Wine to Boot (A Pristine Outdoor Setting Somewhere in Los Olivos): Still youthful in appearance, and while the powerful nose showed some earthy tertiary aspects, this wine has plenty left in the tank, and help up for the several hours we enjoyed it. Plenty of structure, with dusty tannins and impressive depth. Notes of dark berries, minerals, spice and some green notes. No evident oak. This should drink well for many years. To me this showed the greatest typicity of the five Clos Erasmus tried, but others perceived an outsized contribution from the Cabernet component of the blend.
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Wonderful nose and palate. This wine ought to be consumed within the first few hours - quickly oxidized and lost lots of its character within 2 hours !!! Drink up now.
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I know I said I'd hold on to my last few bottles, but this is always the vintage that calls to me. It continues to drink fabulously, and seems to hardly age at all each time I open one. Note to self: start drinking some other vintages!!
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Mineral, licorice, tobacco nose. Spicy, intense, clove palate that is intensely and chalky and reminiscent of rain on schist. While not showing a whole lot of fruit, the silky, refined structure really elevates this wine.
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Meaty, dense, quite a bit more backward than recent bottles. Minerals dominate, with smoke and spice close behind. Although showing a little more funky character than usual, the overall impression is still lush and lusty. I'm thinking about holding on to my last few bottles of this and see how they're doing at age 20.
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Iberian Dinner (w/ Clos Erasmus) @ Home (CT): Although corked (Uggh! Why the 1994!), you can get some hints at the quality of the fruit. I bought two bottles of this wine in 1997; I drank the other bottle in 2007 and it was corked as well.
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This one was closed up when opened and took a couple of hours to come around. Once it did it was very good but still not as much fun when young. 88pts when opened and 93 after a couple hours of air.
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Still looking young, with a powerful nose of earth, minerals, and herbal smoke. Shows a surprising amount of structure, with dusty, gritty tannins and piercing acidity. Spice and olive nuances appear through the powerful dark fruits; Outstanding depth, and continued to open up and develop over the course of several hours. This wine has been a mainstay for many years now and shows little sign of decline. I expect it will continue to drink well for many years.
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Generously opened by Rob Gardner. A rare OMG wine. Nose is like walking into an old wooden winery, rustic and earthy, I could just smell the glass all night. The palate is rich and vibrant, still extremely youthful, deep dark cherry and plum, not a hint of overripeness or oak, just a wave of complex intensity, seamless balance, and a long, lingering finish. There is probably a slight touch of brett, which at its low level adds to the wine more than subtracts. This was opened at the dinner table, decanted, and drunk over a couple of hours, with the last sip being better than the first. I brought bottle home, and managed to eek out a couple of sips from the dregs in the bottom, with the depth and intensity increasing even more. An absolutely spectacular wine, one of the best I've ever had.
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Surprisingly the 99 was a better wine tonight. The 94 was more restrained and had an interesting ash component while the 99 was just a tad richer. Both were very good.
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The last one I had must have been slightly flawed. This one was better but seemed like it could use a little more time?? The tannin was fine, sweet and gritty. Great fruit and structure.
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Spanish Wines with Rob: Yehaa...very elegant- Rhone Syrah tones - smoke, bacon, feminine grace in the middle, touch of caramel... good tannins...i can drink this all day - this is a ture mindblowing success. One of the top reds i've ever had.
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Some Spain in NY (Tintol, NYC): Deep ruby color. Complex, elegant nose of sweet tobacco, mulling spice, coffee, along with a humid mushroomy note. Delicious as well on the palate with notes of roast meat and slight caramel on the finish. This one has a long way to go yet.
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A smoky, tarry nose dominated this particular bottle, with subtle dark fruits and coffee. In the mouth, it's the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove; Powerful yet also soft and alluring, long and lush. Great concentration, balance, and depth. I think the wine suffered a little from being served a little bit too warm, and wasn't quite as focused as i recall previous bottles, but I'm reaching here in an effort to be as critical as possible. Overall, the wine is still offering up a great deal of pleasure., and shows no signs of fading. Drink or hold.
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Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #3, My #4 - Full ruby purple color. Medium dusty red fruit nose with notes of acidity. Big dusty blcak fruit with round cherry and tannin. Tastes young to me.
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Juan Valdez meets Granny Smith. This has thrown quite a bit of sediment so it needs to be decanted. After just a little bit of air this wine opens up beautifuly. I remember the first time tasting this wine it had a very long finish with sweet Granny Smith apples in the background and I still get a little of that today. I saved a little bit for day 2 and it seemed to be disjointed??
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7/21/2023 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 96 Points
Grenache Night 2023 (Black Sheep, Santa Barbara, CA): Another fabulous bottle of this, my best yet. Still combining freshness and power, with plenty of structure and impressive concentration. Loads of dark berries, some minerality and spice. No evident oak. This was served alongside a splendid 2013 Erasmus, and frankly it was very hard to distinguish between the two. No complaints here!
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6/8/2020 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
Some Priorat Giants, Plus a Bonus Wine to Boot (A Pristine Outdoor Setting Somewhere in Los Olivos): Still youthful in appearance, and while the powerful nose showed some earthy tertiary aspects, this wine has plenty left in the tank, and help up for the several hours we enjoyed it. Plenty of structure, with dusty tannins and impressive depth. Notes of dark berries, minerals, spice and some green notes. No evident oak. This should drink well for many years. To me this showed the greatest typicity of the five Clos Erasmus tried, but others perceived an outsized contribution from the Cabernet component of the blend.
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1/28/2013 - Old Vino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful nose and palate. This wine ought to be consumed within the first few hours - quickly oxidized and lost lots of its character within 2 hours !!! Drink up now.
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12/14/2012 - Jack wrote:
same as last note.
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12/10/2012 - robmatic Likes this wine: 96 Points
I know I said I'd hold on to my last few bottles, but this is always the vintage that calls to me. It continues to drink fabulously, and seems to hardly age at all each time I open one. Note to self: start drinking some other vintages!!
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8/25/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Mineral, licorice, tobacco nose. Spicy, intense, clove palate that is intensely and chalky and reminiscent of rain on schist. While not showing a whole lot of fruit, the silky, refined structure really elevates this wine.
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8/24/2011 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
Meaty, dense, quite a bit more backward than recent bottles. Minerals dominate, with smoke and spice close behind. Although showing a little more funky character than usual, the overall impression is still lush and lusty. I'm thinking about holding on to my last few bottles of this and see how they're doing at age 20.
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6/4/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: flawed
Iberian Dinner (w/ Clos Erasmus) @ Home (CT): Although corked (Uggh! Why the 1994!), you can get some hints at the quality of the fruit. I bought two bottles of this wine in 1997; I drank the other bottle in 2007 and it was corked as well.
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12/5/2010 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
This one was closed up when opened and took a couple of hours to come around. Once it did it was very good but still not as much fun when young. 88pts when opened and 93 after a couple hours of air.
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11/18/2010 - robmatic wrote: 97 Points
Still looking young, with a powerful nose of earth, minerals, and herbal smoke. Shows a surprising amount of structure, with dusty, gritty tannins and piercing acidity. Spice and olive nuances appear through the powerful dark fruits; Outstanding depth, and continued to open up and develop over the course of several hours. This wine has been a mainstay for many years now and shows little sign of decline. I expect it will continue to drink well for many years.
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11/18/2010 - alanr Likes this wine: 98 Points
Generously opened by Rob Gardner. A rare OMG wine. Nose is like walking into an old wooden winery, rustic and earthy, I could just smell the glass all night. The palate is rich and vibrant, still extremely youthful, deep dark cherry and plum, not a hint of overripeness or oak, just a wave of complex intensity, seamless balance, and a long, lingering finish. There is probably a slight touch of brett, which at its low level adds to the wine more than subtracts. This was opened at the dinner table, decanted, and drunk over a couple of hours, with the last sip being better than the first. I brought bottle home, and managed to eek out a couple of sips from the dregs in the bottom, with the depth and intensity increasing even more. An absolutely spectacular wine, one of the best I've ever had.
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5/7/2010 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
Great Grapes for a Great Cause SQN Tasting -- 3rd Annual; 5/7/2010-5/8/2010 (Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC): Had been opened night before. Very secondary -- vegetal/mushroom notes
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3/13/2010 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly the 99 was a better wine tonight. The 94 was more restrained and had an interesting ash component while the 99 was just a tad richer. Both were very good.
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11/18/2009 - blanquito wrote:
Dry, tannic, high acid, good stuffing, but a let down.
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5/20/2008 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
The last one I had must have been slightly flawed. This one was better but seemed like it could use a little more time?? The tannin was fine, sweet and gritty. Great fruit and structure.
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4/10/2008 - Jack wrote: 90 Points
Not the best showing. It was good but not as rich as past expeiences.
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12/16/2007 - robmatic wrote: 95 Points
Very consistent wine. I've had this many times in the past few years, and it continues to wow each time. Too bad the price has gone out of sight.
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9/17/2007 - Mlermontov wrote: 95 Points
Spanish Wines with Rob: Yehaa...very elegant- Rhone Syrah tones - smoke, bacon, feminine grace in the middle, touch of caramel... good tannins...i can drink this all day - this is a ture mindblowing success. One of the top reds i've ever had.
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9/16/2007 - dougsmith wrote: 95 Points
Some Spain in NY (Tintol, NYC): Deep ruby color. Complex, elegant nose of sweet tobacco, mulling spice, coffee, along with a humid mushroomy note. Delicious as well on the palate with notes of roast meat and slight caramel on the finish. This one has a long way to go yet.
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9/16/2007 - robmatic wrote: 95 Points
A smoky, tarry nose dominated this particular bottle, with subtle dark fruits and coffee. In the mouth, it's the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove; Powerful yet also soft and alluring, long and lush. Great concentration, balance, and depth. I think the wine suffered a little from being served a little bit too warm, and wasn't quite as focused as i recall previous bottles, but I'm reaching here in an effort to be as critical as possible. Overall, the wine is still offering up a great deal of pleasure., and shows no signs of fading. Drink or hold.
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8/13/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: flawed
Corked!
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4/26/2007 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #3, My #4 - Full ruby purple color. Medium dusty red fruit nose with notes of acidity. Big dusty blcak fruit with round cherry and tannin. Tastes young to me.
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12/19/2005 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Juan Valdez meets Granny Smith. This has thrown quite a bit of sediment so it needs to be decanted. After just a little bit of air this wine opens up beautifuly. I remember the first time tasting this wine it had a very long finish with sweet Granny Smith apples in the background and I still get a little of that today. I saved a little bit for day 2 and it seemed to be disjointed??
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