Supper with Frank (Porcine, Oxford Street): Savoury, perhaps a little cellar stink, meaty, sour and sweet red fruits, garrigue, leather, peppery and sweet spice, a little darker fruit here as well. Juicy, talc textured tannins, slightly baked red fruits, earth, that cellar stink is a slight tinge in the under palate, savoury, meaty, a little black pepper...good to tidy up now
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Totally singing. Complete. Fully integrated. Earl Grey tea, red fruit compote, diminshed garrigue, velvety texture, and zero hard edges. This is a great bottle that was in a super spot. Made 8 peoples jaw hit the floor with lamb dinner. When Pape is on, it's on, and this one was ON. Super.
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Down to my last couple of bottles. Kirsch notes, raspberry, quite sweet-fruited. Airy, almost elegant, sprinkles of pepper. Great wine, love this domaine for its purity of fruit in the wines.
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Dried red cherries, dried cherries, dried raspberries and dried roses. Just the right amount of new French oak and maturation creates a pronounced spiciness and earth quality to this wine with black pepper, cloves, smoke, tobacco, cigar box, forest floor, game meat, figs and chocolate flavors. The finish is long and spicy with a lingering tangy sensation behind the jaw in the back palate. The tannins here have a sharp quality, and the oak spice + sharp tannin + elevated alcohol all accentuate one another in a way that presents itself as a lot of spice (rather than an unpleasant burning sensation). Looking forward to enjoying this one again soon.
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Latest bottle much better than previous, hour decanted and well worth a try. Some menthol and a little herb but classic CNDP underneath. It’s not a classic but bery enjoyable
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Chateauneuf du Pape lunch (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Initially there is a bit of cellar stink and slight volatility, then red currant and red berry fruit, leather, charcuterie, earth, mushroom and a touch of raisins with time. In the mouth there is juicy acidity, it's savoury and meaty with red currants and red berry fruit, still has chalky tannins but proves wetly enjoyable.
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Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Farmyard, leather, volatile acidity, raspberries, a little asian five spice. Juicy, red fruit, spice, leathery tannins. The VA note not so obvious on the palate. Nice but also a touch of damp stink on the finish. Perhaps drink up now.
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Medium pale ruby red. Sweet red berries, leather, a little earth. Supple, lightly spiced, plums and damson, leather, a nice gamey streak through it. All very well balanced. Certainly developed but on a lovely plateau where fruit still dominates.
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From Coravin. Slightly volatile, biscuit, red berries, raspberry, slightly meaty notes, gamey, garrigue, wood glue, marzipan. ooh, fresh and rather lovely on the palate; no volatility, red berries; raspberry, sweet spice. Long. Tannins resolved. On the way to Burgundyland...
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This continue to show well. The fruit is still airy and wonderfully spicy, and there is now tertiary notes kicking in. My daughter, who has no experience with wine, loved this. Great wine.
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Another great bottle. Airy fruit, great purity, lightness. Drinking very well now, just hitting the point where there’s still fruit and tertiary notes. To me, much better than the sweeter, darker, heavier Centenaire.
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Coravin fun with Mats & Fredrik part two (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Gamey, leathery, red berry fruit, sweet spice, slightly funky also a slightly baked earthy caramel note. On the palate it's juicy, strawberry, sweet spice, fine tannic burr, medium plus length.
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Tasted vis-avis the Centenaire, this is totally different - and much easier to drink. It's pure fun, sexy wine, light, very much on the sweet Grenache, so easy to drink - and such a joy. I have drunk to a case of this, and many bottles are in my exprience gone by now, but this example was very fine. Dont't keep it, drink it. #ChampionsLeague #PB
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Luckily another great bottle. Lovely easy-flowing Grenache, light in color, en finesse. Notes of raspberry and kirsch, garrigue notes on the back. When this wine is on, it is a beauty and tonight it was a beauty. Tasted up against the Centenaire, a much darker, more serious wine. For joy and fun, this is the bottle we reached out for. CL nigh chez Lillelund.
Coravin fun - Plundering the cellar (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Almost raspberry, even rhubarb compote, slight leather. With agitation there is a porty element, a touch of biscuit, cheese and sweet tobacco leaf. Some cherry elements here as well. Wonderful nose. More of the same on the palate, really good and very yummy. Best bottle of this vintage I've had by a long shot. Tannins are barely discernible and it's just beginning to stray into that Pinotesque territory - this one reminds me of the Copain En Haut Kiser I had - for some odd reason.
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One can notice plenty of warm fruit in the midpalate, which is kept in check by ample grip on finish due to the mourvedre in the blend. Tasted again 2 days later, the fruit has melded into the background, complemented by aged leather & mahogany notes. With the tannin less perceptible, the wine is more seamless. Drink or hold, according to preference.
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Coravin fail... attempted to inject the argon and the wine leaked alongside the cork, so I opened the bottle. Pale ruby color with some bricking; aromatic nose with plenty of red fruit, almost pinot-like with some additional funk and gameyness; palate is light bodied, plenty of red fruit on the palate, fresh medium acid, low integrated tannin, nice smooth texture throughout; medium to medium-plus finish. Very nicely balanced overall with surprising concentration and depth of fruit for a wine nearly 20 years of age. Ready now, my last bottle. 90-91
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Robert Kacher import. Still such a happy, Grenache-driven wine showing pretty cherry and strawberry fruit with just a touch of tertiary flavors. The fruit is still very much alive and by no means warm or cooked. Cool, understated style, very pure. Provence in a bottle.
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Coravin 4/20/16. Clear ruby with significant bricking and tawny edges; nose is aromatic, initially almost funky and some concern that it was corked, but that blows off and there is good underlying red fruit, somewhat gamey, meaty, caramel, licorice; palate is medium bodied, medium acid, low tannin, some remaining red fruit; medium finish with slight black licorice. A well balanced, traditionally styled CnDP at full maturity but not over the hill, likely has 2-3 years left at this plateau, but not as good as my last bottle (less juicy fruit). Enjoyable, pairs well with food, but I wouldn't buy more as it's not my style. 89-90
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1998 (Chez moi): Happy wine, very local, very Provence, the sweet Grenache is singing … typical for the cuvee, this (from PB) was showing much better than the last bottles from my own cellar, oddly enough.
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At a friends celebration. This was the last of several bottles between the two of us. This went through many stages over the years, from mute and dark fruited while young, to funky and closed, but has finally blossomed and has an openness that seemingly appeared out of nowhere since our last bottle about 4 years ago. Lovely bouquet with red fruit and leathery spice, and really pops in the mouth with juicy, energetic flavour. I've noticed a lot of 98s faded lately and taste a bit flat these days but this has gained immensely; the Brunels make a great case for a more traditionally styled Chateauneuf.
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Drinking beautifully. Quick nose of Vanilla and bright (almost bing) cherry. Palate had same initially but then settled down into a nice earthy, fruity, fabric with blackberry, forest floor, and a bit of blueberry along with nice crushed rock dryness.
It's not going to get better than this, drink it!
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Christmas in July (Frank's place in Matraville): Sweet red berry, especially raspberry and strawberry, sweet spice, very slight cork taint that grew with time. On the mouth the wine is juicy with fine tannins, raspberries, strawberries spice, touch of warmth on the back palate but cork taint here as well. hmm. FLAW tonight.
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Chateauneuf du Pape (Bronte, Sydney): brick red. Cool nose, dark berries with a hint of blue, some spice, excellent depth. Beautiful balance, supple and very long. Pure red and blue berry fruits with excellent intensity. Very youthful. Hints of leather and licorice spice but fruit dominates. excellent drinking.
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Still got something to offer with jammy aromas of kirch, wild cherry, spice. Mild and very pleasant to drink with medium aciddity and fine mature medium tannins. A bit over the hill offcourse , but still enjoyable. 87-88p
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We just drank the last of our 24 bottles, all purchased on release. Like others, I was disappointed in this last bottle - the wine is clearly over the hill, which was not the case with the last bottle we had in October 2013. We were too spoiled by the 1989 and 1990, which had much longer runs. I don't want to diminish this wine's legacy by giving it a low score at this age - it was a beautiful wine for 15 years.
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Bricked red with edges of amber in color, this wine showed tired notes of garrigue, black cherry and candied Jolly Rancher on the nose. The mouth feel has clearly lost most of its verve and brought an acidic tone. The finish was short to medium in length with tobacco and green bell pepper tones.
Purchased in 2014 for $45US, this wine is clearly fading and already on the downside of its drinking window. Drink now, right now. Even my excellent entree of veal medallions at Tastebuds BYOB in New Hope, PA couldn't bring life back to this offering.
Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC
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Medium garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of well developed, mature & complex, ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & raspberries with an initial funky notes of Madera & barnyard which dissipated with airing, eventually developing into lovely floral notes, ginger spice, beefy, leather, earthiness, caramel, dusty, some garrigue notes, underbrush, dried Provençal herbs and minerals. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced, smooth textured, well developed, mature & complex ripe red fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries & strawberries with spices, peppery, black tea, iron notes, herbs & minerals. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present and may be headed towards the downward portion of its development, so drink it up!
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These older bottlings of Les Cailoux overdeliver for the price. Let stand in a decanter for approx. 1 hour. The initial nose is a bit of that old world CDP funk, barnyard and saddle. With time, it loosened up a bit to show more rich fruits. On the palate, the tannins as completely integrated. Again, that rich fruit with a bit of earth fills the mouth. Decently long finish and still a touch of acid to keep this balance. Really nice. I really like how 1998 CDP's are showing right now.
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Last bottle - startred well in the glass but within 30 min fruit gone not much to like after that. This vintage has matured quickly and now over the hill for Les Cailloux.
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Very unfortunate: bought 4 bottles upon release--well stored. Just opened two to confirm: this wine has crashed and burned. Soft brick color--totally oxidized and faded. Completely undrinkable. So sad with other 98's holding up well.
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Comes out as a Pinot Noir, with a lovely nose of raspberries, strawberries and ginger. Really soft tannins- but not lacking structure. The color suggests the same with an orangey brim. However, possibly because I know this is a CNdP, I also spot a spicy sensation suggesting rosemary and pepper.
Check out my blog at misternordin.com!
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Dull med dark ruby, reticent clean nose of plums and tea, surprisingly lively on palate with mouth caressing tannins and enough tartness to keep the fading core in focus
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Color: light ruby -> garnet/brick rim. Bouquet was medicinal with minerals and iodine overlaying saline and madeira notes. Palate showed that the fruit was pretty much gone; all tertiary elements here. Brown sugar, leather, a little garrigue and spice with a slight bitterness too. Acidity really searing through the palate with the finish growing shorter the longer the wine was open. I think this one crested its hill a while ago. Definitely past time to drink . . . or hold a few years to make some really nice red wine vinegar.
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Mid weight with intense juicy flavors of dark fruit and classic cdp kirsch. A touch of glycerin and heat detracted from this one for me. This wine is on its maturity plateau. Drink now or hold for up to ten years.
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Beautiful example of a fully mature CDP. The grenache characteristics dominate: the usual notes of cherry, raspberry, pepper and earth, with a pleasing glycerin sense in the mouthy. Lovely. Glad we held on for this long and also really glad we consumed it now. Would not wait any longer on any remaining bottles.
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My experiences with this wine have been variable but this bottle was as good as I've had. A brick red colour with earthy, loamy, fully mature notes of leather, tea, dried Provencale herbs and a hint of red liquorice. Fully resolved tannins, a smooth silky mouthfeel, decent acidity and a good if slightly light finish. If you have them, drink them as I doubt they'll improve.
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Casual evening at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Sweet fruit nose with pleasant funk that at first had my thinking Northern Rhone, but once it warmed up and opened up the Grenache fruit became more apparent. This showed some elegance and finesse and in my slightly intoxicated state thought this was quite good. Drink or hold. Very good.
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Well I have had a case since release and took this to a Brazilian resturaunt with friends. I didn't expect much so I was open minded prior to serving. I decanted and brought an aeration device (people around us thought I was crazy) using decent resturaunt glass. After twenty min in the decanter we went to work. Good glassy red color with slight edge brown. Strong aromas of raisins licorice and earth. Tasted a little cranky at first but opened up to a very well rounded CDP. Should last another 3-5 years. I give this a hurrah.
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After reading the notes on other bottles purchased on WineBid, I was nervous that this would be flawed. Thankfully that was not the case and it turned out to be a very nice, mature CdP. While it didn't appear to be heading downwards yet, I see no reason to wait to drink these. Notes of plum that almost bordered on pruney without going quite that far. Day 2 was even slightly better than Day 1.
On the nose quite like Pinot with earthy aromas and red fruit but in the mouth unmistakably grenache dominant. Red fruit and slight white pepper and sweet spice with a plentiful dollop of, albeit integrated, alcohol. I simplify the complexities that this wine offered but it was jolly good. At it's peak, I'd suggest.
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Medium intensity garnet colour. Aromas of farmyard funk, oxidation, sour red cherries and plus, biscuit, leather and sweet tobacco. in the mouth it has warming medium plus alcohol and savoury but almost porty fruit, spices (nutmeg and slight clove) and leather. Medium minus tannin and a long, lovely warm finish. Good.
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Opened for Christmas dinner to find nothing but vinegar in the bottle. Since I sourced this in October 2011 from winebid.com, I shrugged it off as part of the risk of buying wines of unknown provenance. No big deal. Then I came to log the bottle out of CT and noticed the notes below about cooked/oxidized bottles all coming from the same importer. Sure enough, this bottle was imported by Adventures In Wine as well. I suspect my bottle was on the same shipment as the ones referenced below. Caveat Emptor!
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This bottle's expected charms were bothersomely encroached upon by oxidative funk. Drinkable but the nice core was hard to see in good focus due to the fog.
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Another crap bottle from Adventures in Wine. So weird, the cork is clean and looks like it was just inserted yesterday but they wine is so cooked and taste like raisin juice.
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The nose showed herbal tea, hints of decay and carmelization. On the palate, it was soft and balanced, showing sweet berries but with an old tea note. The finish was reminiscent of the nose but with a peppery quality.
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The nose showed herbal tea, hints of decay and carmelization. On the palate, it was soft and balanced, showing sweet berries but with an old tea note. The finish was reminiscent of the nose but with a peppery quality.
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Color browning at rim. Nose full of underbrush, smoke and herbs. Palate follows with dried herbs, earth and some cherry. Complex and enjoyable. Agree with other reviews would drink-up and enjoy now.
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This wine was great. we drank it without decanting. The fruit was mature but flavorful; Cherries with a hint of leather. The tannins were well integrated and there was good balance overall. The was clearly a wine with a few years on it but it was very nice. if I had more I am not sure I wold hold it much longer. Why take the risk?
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Lovely pale tawny color; lots of red fruits, cherry, leather, gamey, licorice; palate shows initial burst of great acidity, strong tannic structure in the midpalate, leathery texture with plenty of juicy fruit, pepper; finish is balanced, light licorice, medium length. This was imported by Adventures in wine and is showing well, so I don't think the importer had any problems here. Perhaps the other taster got a batch of cooked bottles? This is lovely and showing youthful to mid-maturity. Perfect to drink now but I expect this will last a few years. 90-91
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So we're back in business with this wine. This bottle is imported by Robert Kacher and it is both young and a beauty much like previous bottles I've had of this wine. There is warm, baked fruit on the nose along with licorice and toffee and soft, jammy fruit (in the good, pleasant way). The palate is smooth and contained with peppery marks, garrigue, licorice and warm Grenache. A great showing, lovely wine, plenty of years left. Avoid by all means bottles imported by 'Adventures in Wine' of this wine. Something went wrong here. This bottle, on the other hand, is a beauty.
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I've never had a bad bottle of the 1998 Les Cailloux before I sourced 5 bottles from WineBid all imported by 'Adventures in Wine'. It's quite some adventures these wines have been on I gather. This second bottle is, as the first one from this importer, completely shot: liquid raisins, jammy, stewed fruit, brownish color. Undrinkable. Could this be a fake?
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So another year went by, and the wine is still going strong; sweet berries, garrigue, very much grenache, very much chateauneuf, quite open and quite light on it's feat. No sign of decline, itø's holding very steady. Very nice with pintade, morels and grean cabbage. Dinner at home.
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Chiefly ditto from 9/15/11 bottle except little of the nice fresh florality I found most enchanting in the last bottle; a bit of oxidative encroachment or just dulled senses. Either way no matter still a good drink.
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Capsule spinning, cork clean and nice but brown/orange color and a very cloudy wine even if it has been standing upright for weeks. Advanced nose and palate of raisins and cooked fruits. I don't know what went wrong here, but this bottle is clearly oxidized. Imported by 'Adventures in Wine'.
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Gorgeous, vrai Chateauneuf and still very young. Very '98 with flavors of kirsch, plums and provencal herbs. A rich and full wine, yet by no means over the top. There is a decade of life left here.
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Medium dull ruby consistent with age, interesting nose dominated by kirsch and licorice but some floral and spice notes showed up as well, bitter cherries and plums on ample fine grainy tannins on the palate
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A beauty of a wine. Early on, it still showed some youthful reticence, especially on the grippy/peppery finish, but it opened up nicely in the 3+ hours of its consumption. Last sip was definitely the best -- fully open, showing lots of grace, sweetness, and full flavors of berry & garrigue, along with notes reminiscent of blood orange bitters and flower water. Bottles like this can go 5-7 years still.
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The bottle was double decanted a couple of hours in advance of drinking. The cork and wine were in good shape. The wine opened up nicely and exhibited rich, mature fruit and some spice. If I had more I would not worry about keeping it a few more years but it was very enjoyable now.
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Provenance must have been good here because the cork looked like it was inserted just yesterday. Grenachy nose of kirsch, strawberry jam and tomato juice (an aroma I often find in Rayas). Ripe, red fruit on the palate, licorice, plenty of variety. Good structure, is well contained. Enter some warm, baked fruit after a couple of hours. Gets better and better with air, broadens out nicely with multiple layers and lingers on the palate. There is a floral element here which gives the wine grace and elegance. A really beau vin and there is no hurry to drink up.
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The dregs of a bottle drained by my wife. Ruby/brown and a bit cloudy. Perhaps because this pour contained sediment, it was weightier and had more stuffing than I recall. It smelled like real Chateauneuf with some funk, herbs, lavender, and licorice along with barky, medicinal cherry fruit. A little hot and a touch of VA makes the finish prickly rather than smooth. Last of my bottles and not a bad time or bad way to close them out.
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Decanted and poured, this wine gave mixed results and ultimately failed to develop as anticipated. The aromatics start off showing well with mature notes of leather, tar, raspberry, stone and dried herbs. Unfortunately the bouquet becomes disjointed with airing, losing its initial balance and nuance. After about a half hour it shows a fully mature, monolithic profile. The color is a tarnished dark ruby that is about right for the wines age. It has lost its youthful vibrancy and is in the mature spectrum for color. The medium/full bodied palate initially shows a mature, unbalanced profile. The palate improves with airing but never fully displays the characteristics expected from this wine. Based on this showing, this wine is fully mature and on its downside. It does not appear that it will benefit from any additional bottle age. This wine has been followed since its release and previous bottles tasted over the years have all shown in the 90+ range. Hopefully this bottle is not representative of the current state of this wine. Purchased on release. Imported by Robert Kacher Selections.
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Been a year since I had this at USQ in NYC ... this time at home, popped and poured at the 11.5 C cellar temperature (warming up quickly, of course); it is quite open, lovely wine, singing with Grenache fruit, mature, but in no way dying. Kirsch, provencal herbs dominates. Lovely.
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Le vin titre 14%. Bu sur 2-3 heures environ. Pas de carafage.
La robe est rubis éclatant avec les pourtours assez foncés. Au nez, c'est très expressif, arômes de sous-bois, feuilles mortes, petits fruits rouges, épices légèrement en retrait. En bouche, c'est soyeux, belle rétro olfaction, assez évolué, assez dense en bouche, équilibré, coule parfaitement, assez typique. Belle bouteille. À boire en ce moment.
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We were anxious to try this after our last bottle was corked. A nice surprise with full grapey fruit and rich earthy flavors. Great stuff and drinking at its peak.
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Popped and poured. A bit muddy looking. Smells great! A clean expression of grenache smelling of cherries. Tastes very pure of cherries. Very smooth. Rich mouthfeel. Not particularly complex, but delicious. Easy to drink.
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Mature looking with browning rim. A goodly amount of stink that made me wonder whether this bottle was irretrievably flawed, but no, this was held in check at a low level for the several hours it was open. As described last time, in the lighter, more elegant vein of Chateauneuf with real secondary perfume that included sous bois and faded red fruit. Gentle but lingering finish with tannin that has all but disappeared. Very nice, approaching at least the autumn of its years.
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Kind of a muddy brownish red, transparent at the rim. Somewhat muted nose of some sweet cherry fruit with a bit of earthiness. Double decanted for about 4 hours before I tasted it. Pretty nice, smooth some layers of cherry fruit, garrigue, some iodine. Still a bit tight. Initial impression is smoothness. The fruit and the bulk of the flavors show up in the back palate. Definitely some of the Mourvedre earthiness and leather. Very good finish. Not as good as the 1998 Roger Sabon Cuvee Prestige that I had last night. Still pretty darn good though! With this cold weather on the east coast, it is a great time to be drinking CdP!
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With Niels at Union Square Cafe. Niels brought this bottle. Wow, an absolutely stunning bottle of wine and one of the best CdPs I have drunk in a while. Dark red color. No signs of age. Aromas of sweet cherries and raspberry soaring from the glass. Ah, this is pure Grenache. Abundant fruit, kirsch, lavender and white pepper on the palate. Excellent concentration in combination with focus and poise. While this wine will surely last another 10 years, it drinks beautifully now. A great surprise. While the Clape was intelectually more interesting, this was my wine of the night.
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This bottle appears younger than the last, displaying more raspberry fruit and spices. Some barnyard as well. Tannins are well resolved and integrated. Long finish. Nice to drink now but should hold.
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Stunning wine that feels Burgundian with its finesse, elegance and perfumed truffle and red fruited aromatics. Medium bodied in the mouth with cherry and raspberry flavours over earth and cardamom notes, showing good acidity and slightly grainy tannins on the back and finishing with great length.
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The last bottle of a case. Developed color. A little dusty on the nose with additional barnyard. Moderate body and concentration. Slim finish and a hint of sweetness in mid-palate. Some tannin still but on its way down – in my opinion.
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Brilliant bottle of CdP! Incredibly complex with plenty of garrigue and a very long lingering finish! I guess my bottle was stored properly. Glad I have a bunch more of these left!
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Decanted off some sediment. There is considerable bricking, suggesting much older wine. Disappointing. NJ says it smells like stinky work boots and I have to agree. No fruit. My one and only bottle which is a good thing.. I guess there is considerable bottle variation on thios particular wine and I drew the short straw.
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Upon opening, some off note, but nose improves and shows already a nice complexity, displaying tertiary aromas. Quite nice attack and good body, tannins not entirely smooth.
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Medium bodied, strawberry and sweet cherry fruit. Slightly roasted feel to the fruit, yet there is a healthy dose of acidity hanging about to keep things moving. Very nice with roast chicken and veggies. Great wine for comfort food on a cold night. I enjoyed it. Drink up.
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First visit in almost a year. Now looks mature with medium color intensity and browning. Less funky than the last bottle. Sorry, but I have to use the "B" word here-very Burgundian impression of strawberry fruit, light medium weight, racy acidity, and sap with evergreen layered on top of this. Understated sweetness of fruit, tremendous elegance, and completey resolved structure. As alluring a bottle of this as I've tried. For near term pleasure.
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A bit wild – a touch of brett and VA when opened that doesn’t go fully away with air time. Super, silky mouthfeel and a nice richness. A dirty wine that I liked that had both admirers and detractors at the table. Not reason to wait on the remaining bottles. (89)
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Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting - Seattle: Now here we have a nicely aged Chateauneuf. This had some serious bricking and showed soy and pork broth aspects on the nose (in a very good way). The palate was beautifully soft with pure red fruits and the finish was equally lovely. One of our group summed it up perfectly by stating that this wine is great with food. Outstanding and the favorite of our gathering.
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Medium red. Raspberry and white pepper. Lot's of Grenache fruit. Very balanced. Both times I have drank this in the last few months it has been a near perfect CdP.
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Cork in very good condition. Inital strong aroma of alcohol, but the wine had sediment and blew off nicely when decanted. Unfortunately, didn't leave much else, flavor was good, finish a little short. Left the remaining wine out for a couple of hours, by then anything attractive had vanished.
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Decided to drink this sole bottle based on recent concerns over its' pasing. For good, this bottle was nice, had with my brother-in-laws ribs, Arthur Bryant's sauce, and a highly spiced side of lentils and caramelized oinions
Color: Cloudy, but solid color with just a 1/4" of orange on the rim Nose: a bit of barnyard and plum and a small bit of violet. Very floral nose although not specific. Mouth: Very clear cherry profile, backed by a flank steak and a touch of good black licorice. Solidly sweet, no baby fat. Very very fine tannins showing strong on the finish covering the mouth and teeth.
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1998 revisited ten years on (Nottingham): Sweet, slightly spirity nose with some vanilla. A touch high toned on the nose too. On the palate, it has a sweaty, hot feel; and feeling a touch high toned too. A bit unbalanced and unimpressive.
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Pâle avec le ménisque bien orangé. Nez d'herbes de Provence, de garrigue avec un coté balsamique (au début). Un très beau Châteauneuf au style traditionnel, d'une belle richesse avec des saveurs classiques de kirsch et d'épices. Pour un vin de ce prix (31.25), il surprend par sa profondeur et son ampleur. À presque 10 ans d'âge, il n'a rien perdu de sa fougue et il demeure tellement savoureux. Un achat vraiment exceptionnel.
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dark red. some iron on the nose. a bit tight out of the bottle, but still at cellar temperature. drinkable now, but maybe another year in the bottle based on early taste. The problem is 30 minutes later it seemed much more evolved and even a bit roasted. My other notes and the notes I have read from others clearly show there is wide bottle variation as these are all from the same case. B-/B (for this bottle)
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This wine is drinking great right now! The nose was earthly with some black fruits and mushrooms. The wine looked thin (like pinot noir's sometimes do) but the palette exploded with sweet cherry and black fruit and a stong, pleasurable white pepper on the back end. Finish was impressive, lasting 20-30 seconds. Incredible when I look back and see I spent $25/bottle on this. I don't have any idea what the 2005 is selling for. But I must admit, after having this bottle, what is better than an aged rhone wine, especially in superb vintages like 98? Gotta give this around a 94. Great bottle of wine.
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cloudy dark hue, nose is completely funky, serious fertilizer, dirt, moldly compost funk. as earthy of a wine I have ever tasted, and very interesting no doubt, but not something I am in to.
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The only reason I'm noting this for the third time this year is to point out its variability at this stage. This bottle came from the same case as the last one, but unlike previous examples, this one had a heavy dose of brett that obscured the fruit and herb aromas. Not fatal, definitely drinkable, but polarizing depending upon your tolerance for this. I'm right on the cusp of checking off "flawed" for this bottle because I know how much better pristine ones can be.
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Seems to be fully mature. Tannins are soft, almost resolved. To my palate, not overly roasted as some have reported, but the strawberry fruit does have a bit of a baked aspect. This wine has really advanced over the past two years and should be consumed.
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Some brown, but still dark colour. Mellow, some acidity and tannin, slightly sweet and with a spicy “provencale” taste. Medium bodied with medium long finish. Possibly at its peak.
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Mature bouquet with soft cherries, strawberries and spices. A somewhat sweet start, but also spices. A little bit aggressive acidity. A bit one dimensional
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This was quite a bit different and even better than the bottle I noted in January. For the record, this was the Kacher bottling. Medium color with only minimal brown at the rim. The aroma started with clove and black fruit, then developed more fragrant spices including nutmeg without the more typical herb notes. This reminded me of the "Asian spice box" aromas of some great Burgundies. Ripe strawberries appeared as it evolved. The balance was lovely, especially for a '98, with medium weight, complex fruit, and acidity and tannin to provide structure. This showed much younger than the last bottle and was an absolute delight to drink tonight. The Brunel Centenaire may be the trophy wine, but this is a gem in the universe of regular, unadorned Chateauneuf.
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A point. Blooming secondaries of garrigue and blood with loads of red fruits. More proof of the huge value of this maker. Great stuff. Excellent now, will mature for a number of years.
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medium to light red in color. nice berried aroma. medium weight mouth-feel. not very tannic but a fair amount of acidity. not a very long finish; not sure where it will go from here.
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Medium to lightish color showing signs of resolution and a tinge of brown at the edge. Nice raspberry/strawberry aromas enhanced by a touch of funk and secondary high tones, forest floor, char, and thyme. As it sat open, a classic "herbes de Provence" smell blossomed. Elegant, balanced, and again, medium weight, not monstrous in the mouth, with tangy acidity rather than tannins providing the backbone. Finish could be longer. All in all, a complex and very enjoyable drink, more refreshing than some Grenache-based super cuvees, and not a typical '98 in terms of weight, concentration, or ripeness (I got no overripeness here). This will keep well and develop more secondary flavors over the next few years to accompany the more advanced aromatics.
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This is a really ripe mofo, yo! Sweet grenache fruit with mild spices and a long sweet finish. This seems fully mature, but there's still some nice structure. Borders of overripe -- barely there. I like it, but I don't love it. Other bottles have seemed more fresh and vibrant.
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Garnet with some beginning brown. Sweet grenache nose with strawberries and red cherries and some Provence spices as well as pepper. Medium bodied with excellent definition - very fresh and vibrant. Almost like a young burg in a CNDP disguise. Rating: 92
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Brownish color and a bit murky. Very fruity nose of strawberries (!!), plums and cherries. Very thick looking (high glycerine). Some garrigue on the nose. Thick, soft mouthfeel. Lots of sweetness on the palate, tannins are there but they are soft and sweet. Aftertaste is excellent with medium length and lots of fruit and black pepper. Delicious, but a bit rustic.
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Double decanted for ~4 hours. Yowza...what a kirsch bomb nose...could not stop inhaling this one! On the palate, glycerine-laden cherry cough syrup...but in a good way. The nose alone on this wine is worth the price of admission. Can't wait to see how it develops.
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1990 and older CdP Redux (Ed Murray's): This was the big surprise of the evening. Still VERY primary, it exploded with candied red fruits in a well balanced package. Plenty of stuffing to go the distance, if this bottle is representative I think this will surpass all other base CdP cuvees of the vintage. Must get some now.
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Chateauneuf du Pape tasting at Hi-Time (Hi-Time Wine Cellar): Very brown in color. Not a pleasant nose - tea, prunes - smells much older than it is. Very similar notes on the palate - thin, no fruit, tea-like flavors. No finish to speak of (at least in anything resembling a pleasant finish). We all tried to figure out if this was a bad bottle, or just really, really aging prematurely. We decided to go with a bad bottle, and hold out hope for the bottles in our cellars. No rating.
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12/24/2023 - mclanew wrote: flawed
Vinegar even with a good fill
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3/17/2023 - chatters wrote:
Supper with Frank (Porcine, Oxford Street): Savoury, perhaps a little cellar stink, meaty, sour and sweet red fruits, garrigue, leather, peppery and sweet spice, a little darker fruit here as well. Juicy, talc textured tannins, slightly baked red fruits, earth, that cellar stink is a slight tinge in the under palate, savoury, meaty, a little black pepper...good to tidy up now
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10/7/2022 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 95 Points
Totally singing. Complete. Fully integrated. Earl Grey tea, red fruit compote, diminshed garrigue, velvety texture, and zero hard edges. This is a great bottle that was in a super spot. Made 8 peoples jaw hit the floor with lamb dinner. When Pape is on, it's on, and this one was ON. Super.
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11/27/2021 - pbaek wrote:
Down to my last couple of bottles. Kirsch notes, raspberry, quite sweet-fruited. Airy, almost elegant, sprinkles of pepper. Great wine, love this domaine for its purity of fruit in the wines.
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8/25/2021 - TomBear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Was the 1995. Lovely wine. Plum, blackberry. Leather and earth on the secondary. 2 hours plus decant.
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7/12/2021 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dried red cherries, dried cherries, dried raspberries and dried roses. Just the right amount of new French oak and maturation creates a pronounced spiciness and earth quality to this wine with black pepper, cloves, smoke, tobacco, cigar box, forest floor, game meat, figs and chocolate flavors. The finish is long and spicy with a lingering tangy sensation behind the jaw in the back palate. The tannins here have a sharp quality, and the oak spice + sharp tannin + elevated alcohol all accentuate one another in a way that presents itself as a lot of spice (rather than an unpleasant burning sensation). Looking forward to enjoying this one again soon.
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3/12/2021 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fresh and energetic, with strawberries, blood orange, smoked meats and some iron. Clean and quaffable. Impressive longevity.
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10/29/2020 - cakie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Latest bottle much better than previous, hour decanted and well worth a try. Some menthol and a little herb but classic CNDP underneath. It’s not a classic but bery enjoyable
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8/23/2020 - chatters wrote:
Chateauneuf du Pape lunch (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Initially there is a bit of cellar stink and slight volatility, then red currant and red berry fruit, leather, charcuterie, earth, mushroom and a touch of raisins with time. In the mouth there is juicy acidity, it's savoury and meaty with red currants and red berry fruit, still has chalky tannins but proves wetly enjoyable.
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7/14/2020 - chatters wrote:
Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Farmyard, leather, volatile acidity, raspberries, a little asian five spice. Juicy, red fruit, spice, leathery tannins. The VA note not so obvious on the palate. Nice but also a touch of damp stink on the finish. Perhaps drink up now.
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6/7/2020 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium pale ruby red.
Sweet red berries, leather, a little earth.
Supple, lightly spiced, plums and damson, leather, a nice gamey streak through it. All very well balanced. Certainly developed but on a lovely plateau where fruit still dominates.
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4/4/2020 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Slightly volatile, biscuit, red berries, raspberry, slightly meaty notes, gamey, garrigue, wood glue, marzipan. ooh, fresh and rather lovely on the palate; no volatility, red berries; raspberry, sweet spice. Long. Tannins resolved. On the way to Burgundyland...
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4/4/2020 - pbaek wrote:
This continue to show well. The fruit is still airy and wonderfully spicy, and there is now tertiary notes kicking in. My daughter, who has no experience with wine, loved this. Great wine.
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2/1/2020 - AudunG wrote: 89 Points
Fruity aromas with some wet wool notes. Meaty. A rather coarse and not too complex C-d-P.
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1/8/2019 - pbaek wrote:
Another great bottle. Airy fruit, great purity, lightness. Drinking very well now, just hitting the point where there’s still fruit and tertiary notes. To me, much better than the sweeter, darker, heavier Centenaire.
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12/29/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun with Mats & Fredrik part two (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Gamey, leathery, red berry fruit, sweet spice, slightly funky also a slightly baked earthy caramel note. On the palate it's juicy, strawberry, sweet spice, fine tannic burr, medium plus length.
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4/11/2018 - beatles wrote: 91 Points
Tasted vis-avis the Centenaire, this is totally different - and much easier to drink. It's pure fun, sexy wine, light, very much on the sweet Grenache, so easy to drink - and such a joy. I have drunk to a case of this, and many bottles are in my exprience gone by now, but this example was very fine. Dont't keep it, drink it. #ChampionsLeague #PB
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4/11/2018 - pbaek wrote:
Luckily another great bottle. Lovely easy-flowing Grenache, light in color, en finesse. Notes of raspberry and kirsch, garrigue notes on the back. When this wine is on, it is a beauty and tonight it was a beauty. Tasted up against the Centenaire, a much darker, more serious wine. For joy and fun, this is the bottle we reached out for. CL nigh chez Lillelund.
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3/1/2018 - Fausto_Coppi Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lovely balance of mature red fruit and soft tannins. Quite complex flavours with long firm finish
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9/26/2017 - Mr T wrote:
seemingly over the hill. I let it breather, but very pale and very sherried on nose and and palate....maybe a mireacle when I revisit but not likely
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1/5/2017 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Plundering the cellar (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Almost raspberry, even rhubarb compote, slight leather. With agitation there is a porty element, a touch of biscuit, cheese and sweet tobacco leaf. Some cherry elements here as well. Wonderful nose. More of the same on the palate, really good and very yummy. Best bottle of this vintage I've had by a long shot. Tannins are barely discernible and it's just beginning to stray into that Pinotesque territory - this one reminds me of the Copain En Haut Kiser I had - for some odd reason.
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11/12/2016 - MarkLA wrote:
One can notice plenty of warm fruit in the midpalate, which is kept in check by ample grip on finish due to the mourvedre in the blend. Tasted again 2 days later, the fruit has melded into the background, complemented by aged leather & mahogany notes. With the tannin less perceptible, the wine is more seamless. Drink or hold, according to preference.
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11/1/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin fail... attempted to inject the argon and the wine leaked alongside the cork, so I opened the bottle. Pale ruby color with some bricking; aromatic nose with plenty of red fruit, almost pinot-like with some additional funk and gameyness; palate is light bodied, plenty of red fruit on the palate, fresh medium acid, low integrated tannin, nice smooth texture throughout; medium to medium-plus finish. Very nicely balanced overall with surprising concentration and depth of fruit for a wine nearly 20 years of age. Ready now, my last bottle. 90-91
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10/22/2016 - pbaek wrote:
Robert Kacher import. Still such a happy, Grenache-driven wine showing pretty cherry and strawberry fruit with just a touch of tertiary flavors. The fruit is still very much alive and by no means warm or cooked. Cool, understated style, very pure. Provence in a bottle.
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4/20/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin 4/20/16. Clear ruby with significant bricking and tawny edges; nose is aromatic, initially almost funky and some concern that it was corked, but that blows off and there is good underlying red fruit, somewhat gamey, meaty, caramel, licorice; palate is medium bodied, medium acid, low tannin, some remaining red fruit; medium finish with slight black licorice. A well balanced, traditionally styled CnDP at full maturity but not over the hill, likely has 2-3 years left at this plateau, but not as good as my last bottle (less juicy fruit). Enjoyable, pairs well with food, but I wouldn't buy more as it's not my style. 89-90
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4/11/2016 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: flawed
Cooked. Stank of mesquite.
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4/10/2016 - Mr T wrote:
PNP with lots of folks
Brownish red but still going strong and good flavor
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3/8/2016 - beatles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1998 (Chez moi): Happy wine, very local, very Provence, the sweet Grenache is singing … typical for the cuvee, this (from PB) was showing much better than the last bottles from my own cellar, oddly enough.
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2/5/2016 - AudunG wrote: 89 Points
Aromatic, with leather and spices. Soft and delicate in the mouth, with low acidity.
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10/20/2015 - drwine2001 wrote: flawed
Disgusting volatile acidity and lord knows what other flaws to render this undrinkable. Let's just say dead and be done with it.
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10/5/2015 - James Bornn wrote: 95 Points
At a friends celebration. This was the last of several bottles between the two of us. This went through many stages over the years, from mute and dark fruited while young, to funky and closed, but has finally blossomed and has an openness that seemingly appeared out of nowhere since our last bottle about 4 years ago. Lovely bouquet with red fruit and leathery spice, and really pops in the mouth with juicy, energetic flavour. I've noticed a lot of 98s faded lately and taste a bit flat these days but this has gained immensely; the Brunels make a great case for a more traditionally styled Chateauneuf.
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9/14/2015 - morpheusrising wrote: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully. Quick nose of Vanilla and bright (almost bing) cherry. Palate had same initially but then settled down into a nice earthy, fruity, fabric with blackberry, forest floor, and a bit of blueberry along with nice crushed rock dryness.
It's not going to get better than this, drink it!
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7/25/2015 - chatters wrote: flawed
Christmas in July (Frank's place in Matraville): Sweet red berry, especially raspberry and strawberry, sweet spice, very slight cork taint that grew with time. On the mouth the wine is juicy with fine tannins, raspberries, strawberries spice, touch of warmth on the back palate but cork taint here as well. hmm. FLAW tonight.
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7/24/2015 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape (Bronte, Sydney): brick red. Cool nose, dark berries with a hint of blue, some spice, excellent depth. Beautiful balance, supple and very long. Pure red and blue berry fruits with excellent intensity. Very youthful. Hints of leather and licorice spice but fruit dominates. excellent drinking.
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7/15/2015 - Ebrim Likes this wine: 87 Points
Still got something to offer with jammy aromas of kirch, wild cherry, spice. Mild and very pleasant to drink with medium aciddity and fine mature medium tannins. A bit over the hill offcourse , but still enjoyable. 87-88p
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4/25/2015 - Ebrim wrote: flawed
Volatile, acetaldehyd.
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3/10/2015 - berkeleywinedog wrote:
We just drank the last of our 24 bottles, all purchased on release. Like others, I was disappointed in this last bottle - the wine is clearly over the hill, which was not the case with the last bottle we had in October 2013. We were too spoiled by the 1989 and 1990, which had much longer runs. I don't want to diminish this wine's legacy by giving it a low score at this age - it was a beautiful wine for 15 years.
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1/4/2015 - cuffthis wrote: 84 Points
Bricked red with edges of amber in color, this wine showed tired notes of garrigue, black cherry and candied Jolly Rancher on the nose. The mouth feel has clearly lost most of its verve and brought an acidic tone. The finish was short to medium in length with tobacco and green bell pepper tones.
Purchased in 2014 for $45US, this wine is clearly fading and already on the downside of its drinking window. Drink now, right now. Even my excellent entree of veal medallions at Tastebuds BYOB in New Hope, PA couldn't bring life back to this offering.
Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC
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1/2/2015 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of well developed, mature & complex, ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & raspberries with an initial funky notes of Madera & barnyard which dissipated with airing, eventually developing into lovely floral notes, ginger spice, beefy, leather, earthiness, caramel, dusty, some garrigue notes, underbrush, dried Provençal herbs and minerals. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced, smooth textured, well developed, mature & complex ripe red fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries & strawberries with spices, peppery, black tea, iron notes, herbs & minerals. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present and may be headed towards the downward portion of its development, so drink it up!
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12/29/2014 - Sennma wrote:
These older bottlings of Les Cailoux overdeliver for the price. Let stand in a decanter for approx. 1 hour. The initial nose is a bit of that old world CDP funk, barnyard and saddle. With time, it loosened up a bit to show more rich fruits. On the palate, the tannins as completely integrated. Again, that rich fruit with a bit of earth fills the mouth. Decently long finish and still a touch of acid to keep this balance. Really nice. I really like how 1998 CDP's are showing right now.
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11/3/2014 - Graham Fewkes Does not like this wine: 82 Points
A pale ghost of a CdP, fit company for the over-cooked lamb that it was served with
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9/12/2014 - wine65 wrote: 82 Points
Last bottle - startred well in the glass but within 30 min fruit gone not much to like after that. This vintage has matured quickly and now over the hill for Les Cailloux.
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6/7/2014 - jbmays Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Very unfortunate: bought 4 bottles upon release--well stored. Just opened two to confirm: this wine has crashed and burned. Soft brick color--totally oxidized and faded. Completely undrinkable. So sad with other 98's holding up well.
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4/12/2014 - misternordin wrote: 90 Points
Comes out as a Pinot Noir, with a lovely nose of raspberries, strawberries and ginger. Really soft tannins- but not lacking structure. The color suggests the same with an orangey brim. However, possibly because I know this is a CNdP, I also spot a spicy sensation suggesting rosemary and pepper.
Check out my blog at misternordin.com!
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12/5/2013 - Tgood wrote: 91 Points
Dull med dark ruby, reticent clean nose of plums and tea, surprisingly lively on palate with mouth caressing tannins and enough tartness to keep the fading core in focus
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9/22/2013 - BVal wrote: 87 Points
Color: light ruby -> garnet/brick rim. Bouquet was medicinal with minerals and iodine overlaying saline and madeira notes. Palate showed that the fruit was pretty much gone; all tertiary elements here. Brown sugar, leather, a little garrigue and spice with a slight bitterness too. Acidity really searing through the palate with the finish growing shorter the longer the wine was open. I think this one crested its hill a while ago. Definitely past time to drink . . . or hold a few years to make some really nice red wine vinegar.
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9/17/2013 - europat55 wrote: flawed
Second flawed bottle in this group of 4 bottles that originated from a private collection.
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7/6/2013 - wine65 wrote: 85 Points
Heading over the hill. Drink up
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6/15/2013 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Mid weight with intense juicy flavors of dark fruit and classic cdp kirsch. A touch of glycerin and heat detracted from this one for me. This wine is on its maturity plateau. Drink now or hold for up to ten years.
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5/27/2013 - mmkatz wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful example of a fully mature CDP. The grenache characteristics dominate: the usual notes of cherry, raspberry, pepper and earth, with a pleasing glycerin sense in the mouthy. Lovely. Glad we held on for this long and also really glad we consumed it now. Would not wait any longer on any remaining bottles.
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5/5/2013 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Euro Themed Lunch - Rhones (Donato Enoteca, Redwood City, CA): Vegetal nose with a touch of rustic. Red fruits. Tannins still strong.
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3/30/2013 - DemonC2H5OH wrote: 90 Points
My experiences with this wine have been variable but this bottle was as good as I've had. A brick red colour with earthy, loamy, fully mature notes of leather, tea, dried Provencale herbs and a hint of red liquorice. Fully resolved tannins, a smooth silky mouthfeel, decent acidity and a good if slightly light finish. If you have them, drink them as I doubt they'll improve.
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3/16/2013 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Casual evening at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Sweet fruit nose with pleasant funk that at first had my thinking Northern Rhone, but once it warmed up and opened up the Grenache fruit became more apparent. This showed some elegance and finesse and in my slightly intoxicated state thought this was quite good. Drink or hold. Very good.
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3/6/2013 - ajcords Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well I have had a case since release and took this to a Brazilian resturaunt with friends. I didn't expect much so I was open minded prior to serving. I decanted and brought an aeration device (people around us thought I was crazy) using decent resturaunt glass. After twenty min in the decanter we went to work. Good glassy red color with slight edge brown. Strong aromas of raisins licorice and earth. Tasted a little cranky at first but opened up to a very well rounded CDP. Should last another 3-5 years. I give this a hurrah.
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2/24/2013 - gregg g wrote: flawed
Last had this on 2008 and was really looking forward to seeing its development.
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2/3/2013 - jreynolds3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
After reading the notes on other bottles purchased on WineBid, I was nervous that this would be flawed. Thankfully that was not the case and it turned out to be a very nice, mature CdP. While it didn't appear to be heading downwards yet, I see no reason to wait to drink these. Notes of plum that almost bordered on pruney without going quite that far. Day 2 was even slightly better than Day 1.
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1/30/2013 - chatters wrote:
On the nose quite like Pinot with earthy aromas and red fruit but in the mouth unmistakably grenache dominant. Red fruit and slight white pepper and sweet spice with a plentiful dollop of, albeit integrated, alcohol. I simplify the complexities that this wine offered but it was jolly good. At it's peak, I'd suggest.
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1/19/2013 - humagne wrote: 90 Points
Mature. Drink now.
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12/26/2012 - chatters wrote:
Medium intensity garnet colour. Aromas of farmyard funk, oxidation, sour red cherries and plus, biscuit, leather and sweet tobacco. in the mouth it has warming medium plus alcohol and savoury but almost porty fruit, spices (nutmeg and slight clove) and leather. Medium minus tannin and a long, lovely warm finish.
Good.
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12/25/2012 - grayfont wrote: flawed
Opened for Christmas dinner to find nothing but vinegar in the bottle. Since I sourced this in October 2011 from winebid.com, I shrugged it off as part of the risk of buying wines of unknown provenance. No big deal. Then I came to log the bottle out of CT and noticed the notes below about cooked/oxidized bottles all coming from the same importer. Sure enough, this bottle was imported by Adventures In Wine as well. I suspect my bottle was on the same shipment as the ones referenced below. Caveat Emptor!
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12/4/2012 - Tgood wrote: 84 Points
This bottle's expected charms were bothersomely encroached upon by oxidative funk. Drinkable but the nice core was hard to see in good focus due to the fog.
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12/1/2012 - pbaek wrote: flawed
Another crap bottle from Adventures in Wine. So weird, the cork is clean and looks like it was just inserted yesterday but they wine is so cooked and taste like raisin juice.
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11/23/2012 - Fausto_Coppi wrote: 90 Points
Rich, elegant, red fruit based wine with elegant tannins and excellent balance. Lovely wine which has matured well and could last another 5 years
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11/5/2012 - MC wrote:
Sweet, funky fruit - bordering on the roasted side - with some heat on the finish. Drink up. B+
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10/27/2012 - pbaek wrote: flawed
Another shot bottle from 'Adventures in Wine'. Even though the cork is clean and looks new, the wine is cooked and tastes like Madeira. No good.
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6/24/2012 - humagne wrote: 92 Points
Mature nose, good mouthfeel with some sweetness. Drink now.
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5/6/2012 - Eric Guido wrote: 87 Points
The nose showed herbal tea, hints of decay and carmelization. On the palate, it was soft and balanced, showing sweet berries but with an old tea note. The finish was reminiscent of the nose but with a peppery quality.
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5/4/2012 - presterjohn wrote:
Sweet spicy red fruit, tannins have softened, drink now
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5/2/2012 - Eric Guido Does not like this wine: 82 Points
The nose showed herbal tea, hints of decay and carmelization. On the palate, it was soft and balanced, showing sweet berries but with an old tea note. The finish was reminiscent of the nose but with a peppery quality.
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4/11/2012 - wine65 wrote: 90 Points
Color browning at rim. Nose full of underbrush, smoke and herbs. Palate follows with dried herbs, earth and some cherry. Complex and enjoyable. Agree with other reviews would drink-up and enjoy now.
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3/25/2012 - Redteeth wrote:
This wine was great. we drank it without decanting. The fruit was mature but flavorful; Cherries with a hint of leather. The tannins were well integrated and there was good balance overall. The was clearly a wine with a few years on it but it was very nice. if I had more I am not sure I wold hold it much longer. Why take the risk?
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2/24/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Lovely pale tawny color; lots of red fruits, cherry, leather, gamey, licorice; palate shows initial burst of great acidity, strong tannic structure in the midpalate, leathery texture with plenty of juicy fruit, pepper; finish is balanced, light licorice, medium length. This was imported by Adventures in wine and is showing well, so I don't think the importer had any problems here. Perhaps the other taster got a batch of cooked bottles? This is lovely and showing youthful to mid-maturity. Perfect to drink now but I expect this will last a few years. 90-91
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1/6/2012 - pbaek wrote:
So we're back in business with this wine. This bottle is imported by Robert Kacher and it is both young and a beauty much like previous bottles I've had of this wine. There is warm, baked fruit on the nose along with licorice and toffee and soft, jammy fruit (in the good, pleasant way). The palate is smooth and contained with peppery marks, garrigue, licorice and warm Grenache. A great showing, lovely wine, plenty of years left. Avoid by all means bottles imported by 'Adventures in Wine' of this wine. Something went wrong here. This bottle, on the other hand, is a beauty.
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12/27/2011 - pbaek wrote: flawed
I've never had a bad bottle of the 1998 Les Cailloux before I sourced 5 bottles from WineBid all imported by 'Adventures in Wine'. It's quite some adventures these wines have been on I gather. This second bottle is, as the first one from this importer, completely shot: liquid raisins, jammy, stewed fruit, brownish color. Undrinkable. Could this be a fake?
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12/21/2011 - beatles wrote: 91 Points
So another year went by, and the wine is still going strong; sweet berries, garrigue, very much grenache, very much chateauneuf, quite open and quite light on it's feat. No sign of decline, itø's holding very steady. Very nice with pintade, morels and grean cabbage. Dinner at home.
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12/5/2011 - Tgood wrote: 89 Points
Chiefly ditto from 9/15/11 bottle except little of the nice fresh florality I found most enchanting in the last bottle; a bit of oxidative encroachment or just dulled senses. Either way no matter still a good drink.
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11/18/2011 - pbaek wrote: flawed
Capsule spinning, cork clean and nice but brown/orange color and a very cloudy wine even if it has been standing upright for weeks. Advanced nose and palate of raisins and cooked fruits. I don't know what went wrong here, but this bottle is clearly oxidized. Imported by 'Adventures in Wine'.
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10/15/2011 - pbaek wrote:
Gorgeous, vrai Chateauneuf and still very young. Very '98 with flavors of kirsch, plums and provencal herbs. A rich and full wine, yet by no means over the top. There is a decade of life left here.
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9/15/2011 - Tgood wrote: 91 Points
Medium dull ruby consistent with age, interesting nose dominated by kirsch and licorice but some floral and spice notes showed up as well, bitter cherries and plums on ample fine grainy tannins on the palate
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9/4/2011 - MarkLA wrote: 93 Points
A beauty of a wine. Early on, it still showed some youthful reticence, especially on the grippy/peppery finish, but it opened up nicely in the 3+ hours of its consumption. Last sip was definitely the best -- fully open, showing lots of grace, sweetness, and full flavors of berry & garrigue, along with notes reminiscent of blood orange bitters and flower water. Bottles like this can go 5-7 years still.
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8/14/2011 - Redteeth wrote:
The bottle was double decanted a couple of hours in advance of drinking. The cork and wine were in good shape. The wine opened up nicely and exhibited rich, mature fruit and some spice. If I had more I would not worry about keeping it a few more years but it was very enjoyable now.
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5/20/2011 - pbaek wrote:
Provenance must have been good here because the cork looked like it was inserted just yesterday. Grenachy nose of kirsch, strawberry jam and tomato juice (an aroma I often find in Rayas). Ripe, red fruit on the palate, licorice, plenty of variety. Good structure, is well contained. Enter some warm, baked fruit after a couple of hours. Gets better and better with air, broadens out nicely with multiple layers and lingers on the palate. There is a floral element here which gives the wine grace and elegance. A really beau vin and there is no hurry to drink up.
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5/7/2011 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Another great aged CdP. Ruby/brown color and a bit cloudy. Outstanding nose. Great palate. Fair amount of sediments.
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3/9/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
The dregs of a bottle drained by my wife. Ruby/brown and a bit cloudy. Perhaps because this pour contained sediment, it was weightier and had more stuffing than I recall. It smelled like real Chateauneuf with some funk, herbs, lavender, and licorice along with barky, medicinal cherry fruit. A little hot and a touch of VA makes the finish prickly rather than smooth. Last of my bottles and not a bad time or bad way to close them out.
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2/16/2011 - dd wrote: flawed
corked
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12/31/2010 - sehill wrote: 83 Points
Decanted and poured, this wine gave mixed results and ultimately failed to develop as anticipated. The aromatics start off showing well with mature notes of leather, tar, raspberry, stone and dried herbs. Unfortunately the bouquet becomes disjointed with airing, losing its initial balance and nuance. After about a half hour it shows a fully mature, monolithic profile. The color is a tarnished dark ruby that is about right for the wines age. It has lost its youthful vibrancy and is in the mature spectrum for color. The medium/full bodied palate initially shows a mature, unbalanced profile. The palate improves with airing but never fully displays the characteristics expected from this wine. Based on this showing, this wine is fully mature and on its downside. It does not appear that it will benefit from any additional bottle age. This wine has been followed since its release and previous bottles tasted over the years have all shown in the 90+ range. Hopefully this bottle is not representative of the current state of this wine. Purchased on release. Imported by Robert Kacher Selections.
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12/17/2010 - Opusone99 wrote: 92 Points
Robe assez profonde. Nez de sous-bois, champignons, feuilles mortes, quelques fruits résiduaires. Bouche équilibrée, belle rétro olfaction, longueur correcte, belle bouteille.
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12/17/2010 - beatles wrote: 91 Points
Been a year since I had this at USQ in NYC ... this time at home, popped and poured at the 11.5 C cellar temperature (warming up quickly, of course); it is quite open, lovely wine, singing with Grenache fruit, mature, but in no way dying. Kirsch, provencal herbs dominates. Lovely.
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11/15/2010 - Opusone99 wrote: 92 Points
Le vin titre 14%. Bu sur 2-3 heures environ. Pas de carafage.
La robe est rubis éclatant avec les pourtours assez foncés. Au nez, c'est très expressif, arômes de sous-bois, feuilles mortes, petits fruits rouges, épices légèrement en retrait. En bouche, c'est soyeux, belle rétro olfaction, assez évolué, assez dense en bouche, équilibré, coule parfaitement, assez typique. Belle bouteille. À boire en ce moment.
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11/7/2010 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Quite good. No funk, however hi alcohol seems to give jammy liqueur note.
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11/6/2010 - dd wrote:
really great
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9/16/2010 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
We were anxious to try this after our last bottle was corked. A nice surprise with full grapey fruit and rich earthy flavors. Great stuff and drinking at its peak.
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8/21/2010 - winemaker wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. A bit muddy looking. Smells great! A clean expression of grenache smelling of cherries. Tastes very pure of cherries. Very smooth. Rich mouthfeel. Not particularly complex, but delicious. Easy to drink.
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5/16/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Mature looking with browning rim. A goodly amount of stink that made me wonder whether this bottle was irretrievably flawed, but no, this was held in check at a low level for the several hours it was open. As described last time, in the lighter, more elegant vein of Chateauneuf with real secondary perfume that included sous bois and faded red fruit. Gentle but lingering finish with tannin that has all but disappeared. Very nice, approaching at least the autumn of its years.
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5/8/2010 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gentle, sweet fruit, light spice
Smooth, lush, med wt, plummy, soft, licorice/tar spice, hint of jamminess, gorgeous bush-vine complexity, lovely Grenache blueberry essence.
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3/11/2010 - IAMVLAD wrote: 80 Points
past prime. not much left.
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1/30/2010 - winemaker wrote: 92 Points
Kind of a muddy brownish red, transparent at the rim. Somewhat muted nose of some sweet cherry fruit with a bit of earthiness. Double decanted for about 4 hours before I tasted it. Pretty nice, smooth some layers of cherry fruit, garrigue, some iodine. Still a bit tight. Initial impression is smoothness. The fruit and the bulk of the flavors show up in the back palate. Definitely some of the Mourvedre earthiness and leather. Very good finish. Not as good as the 1998 Roger Sabon Cuvee Prestige that I had last night. Still pretty darn good though! With this cold weather on the east coast, it is a great time to be drinking CdP!
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10/21/2009 - pbaek wrote:
With Niels at Union Square Cafe. Niels brought this bottle. Wow, an absolutely stunning bottle of wine and one of the best CdPs I have drunk in a while. Dark red color. No signs of age. Aromas of sweet cherries and raspberry soaring from the glass. Ah, this is pure Grenache. Abundant fruit, kirsch, lavender and white pepper on the palate. Excellent concentration in combination with focus and poise. While this wine will surely last another 10 years, it drinks beautifully now. A great surprise. While the Clape was intelectually more interesting, this was my wine of the night.
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10/15/2009 - KristianT wrote: 89 Points
Very nicely matured Chateauneuf. Round and smooth. Very pleasant.
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9/22/2009 - alamoave wrote: 90 Points
Last of these. Still holding up well. Softer but as good as two years ago. Similar to a very good pinot, of all things. But better than most.
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6/30/2009 - humagne wrote: 93 Points
This bottle appears younger than the last, displaying more raspberry fruit and spices. Some barnyard as well.
Tannins are well resolved and integrated. Long finish. Nice to drink now but should hold.
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5/21/2009 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Stunning wine that feels Burgundian with its finesse, elegance and perfumed truffle and red fruited aromatics. Medium bodied in the mouth with cherry and raspberry flavours over earth and cardamom notes, showing good acidity and slightly grainy tannins on the back and finishing with great length.
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4/13/2009 - LWI wrote: 87 Points
The last bottle of a case. Developed color. A little dusty on the nose with additional barnyard. Moderate body and concentration. Slim finish and a hint of sweetness in mid-palate. Some tannin still but on its way down – in my opinion.
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2/21/2009 - Senior wrote: 80 Points
Tried to drink with dinner. Corked. Very musty. 5 more bottles. Hope for the best.
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1/27/2009 - blanquito wrote: 88 Points
I liked this more than some, but it's definitely in decline. Complex nose, not much on the palate.
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1/25/2009 - winemaker wrote: 93 Points
Brilliant bottle of CdP! Incredibly complex with plenty of garrigue and a very long lingering finish! I guess my bottle was stored properly. Glad I have a bunch more of these left!
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1/11/2009 - Winger wrote: flawed
Decanted off some sediment. There is considerable bricking, suggesting much older wine.
Disappointing. NJ says it smells like stinky work boots and I have to agree. No fruit. My one and only bottle which is a good thing..
I guess there is considerable bottle variation on thios particular wine and I drew the short straw.
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12/14/2008 - humagne wrote: 89 Points
Upon opening, some off note, but nose improves and shows already a nice complexity, displaying tertiary aromas.
Quite nice attack and good body, tannins not entirely smooth.
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12/13/2008 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied, strawberry and sweet cherry fruit. Slightly roasted feel to the fruit, yet there is a healthy dose of acidity hanging about to keep things moving. Very nice with roast chicken and veggies. Great wine for comfort food on a cold night. I enjoyed it. Drink up.
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8/2/2008 - drwine2001 wrote:
First visit in almost a year. Now looks mature with medium color intensity and browning. Less funky than the last bottle. Sorry, but I have to use the "B" word here-very Burgundian impression of strawberry fruit, light medium weight, racy acidity, and sap with evergreen layered on top of this. Understated sweetness of fruit, tremendous elegance, and completey resolved structure. As alluring a bottle of this as I've tried. For near term pleasure.
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7/27/2008 - dbkitc wrote: 89 Points
A bit wild – a touch of brett and VA when opened that doesn’t go fully away with air time. Super, silky mouthfeel and a nice richness. A dirty wine that I liked that had both admirers and detractors at the table. Not reason to wait on the remaining bottles. (89)
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6/28/2008 - greenblanket wrote:
Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting - Seattle: Now here we have a nicely aged Chateauneuf. This had some serious bricking and showed soy and pork broth aspects on the nose (in a very good way). The palate was beautifully soft with pure red fruits and the finish was equally lovely. One of our group summed it up perfectly by stating that this wine is great with food. Outstanding and the favorite of our gathering.
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6/21/2008 - David J Cooper wrote:
Medium red. Raspberry and white pepper. Lot's of Grenache fruit. Very balanced. Both times I have drank this in the last few months it has been a near perfect CdP.
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6/15/2008 - wjcole wrote: 80 Points
Cork in very good condition. Inital strong aroma of alcohol, but the wine had sediment and blew off nicely when decanted. Unfortunately, didn't leave much else, flavor was good, finish a little short. Left the remaining wine out for a couple of hours, by then anything attractive had vanished.
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5/19/2008 - bmr67 wrote: 92 Points
Decided to drink this sole bottle based on recent concerns over its' pasing. For good, this bottle was nice, had with my brother-in-laws ribs, Arthur Bryant's sauce, and a highly spiced side of lentils and caramelized oinions
Color: Cloudy, but solid color with just a 1/4" of orange on the rim
Nose: a bit of barnyard and plum and a small bit of violet. Very floral nose although not specific.
Mouth: Very clear cherry profile, backed by a flank steak and a touch of good black licorice. Solidly sweet, no baby fat. Very very fine tannins showing strong on the finish covering the mouth and teeth.
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4/4/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 81 Points
1998 revisited ten years on (Nottingham): Sweet, slightly spirity nose with some vanilla. A touch high toned on the nose too. On the palate, it has a sweaty, hot feel; and feeling a touch high toned too. A bit unbalanced and unimpressive.
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3/1/2008 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Pâle avec le ménisque bien orangé. Nez d'herbes de Provence, de garrigue avec un coté balsamique (au début). Un très beau Châteauneuf au style traditionnel, d'une belle richesse avec des saveurs classiques de kirsch et d'épices. Pour un vin de ce prix (31.25), il surprend par sa profondeur et son ampleur. À presque 10 ans d'âge, il n'a rien perdu de sa fougue et il demeure tellement savoureux. Un achat vraiment exceptionnel.
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2/20/2008 - MC wrote:
dark red. some iron on the nose. a bit tight out of the bottle, but still at cellar temperature. drinkable now, but maybe another year in the bottle based on early taste. The problem is 30 minutes later it seemed much more evolved and even a bit roasted. My other notes and the notes I have read from others clearly show there is wide bottle variation as these are all from the same case. B-/B (for this bottle)
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2/20/2008 - MC wrote:
cork spun on the screw's way in. no seepage, just a bad cork. completely oxidized. next bottle was right.
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2/10/2008 - MC wrote:
Drink now. B+
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1/21/2008 - JBVino wrote: flawed
corked...bummed
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1/19/2008 - wine guy wrote: 94 Points
This wine is drinking great right now! The nose was earthly with some black fruits and mushrooms. The wine looked thin (like pinot noir's sometimes do) but the palette exploded with sweet cherry and black fruit and a stong, pleasurable white pepper on the back end. Finish was impressive, lasting 20-30 seconds. Incredible when I look back and see I spent $25/bottle on this. I don't have any idea what the 2005 is selling for. But I must admit, after having this bottle, what is better than an aged rhone wine, especially in superb vintages like 98? Gotta give this around a 94. Great bottle of wine.
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12/31/2007 - sosgoodjhu wrote: 86 Points
cloudy dark hue, nose is completely funky, serious fertilizer, dirt, moldly compost funk. as earthy of a wine I have ever tasted, and very interesting no doubt, but not something I am in to.
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12/31/2007 - JOsgood wrote: 85 Points
Didn't like this much at all. Much too funky and bitter.
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12/31/2007 - the godfather wrote: 87 Points
a bit funky for me right now
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11/8/2007 - Milhous wrote: 91 Points
Tiebinders demolished this in 45 min. Very impressive performance.
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10/20/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
The only reason I'm noting this for the third time this year is to point out its variability at this stage. This bottle came from the same case as the last one, but unlike previous examples, this one had a heavy dose of brett that obscured the fruit and herb aromas. Not fatal, definitely drinkable, but polarizing depending upon your tolerance for this. I'm right on the cusp of checking off "flawed" for this bottle because I know how much better pristine ones can be.
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9/27/2007 - Pknut wrote:
Seems to be fully mature. Tannins are soft, almost resolved. To my palate, not overly roasted as some have reported, but the strawberry fruit does have a bit of a baked aspect. This wine has really advanced over the past two years and should be consumed.
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9/18/2007 - LWI wrote: 88 Points
Some brown, but still dark colour. Mellow, some acidity and tannin, slightly sweet and with a spicy “provencale” taste. Medium bodied with medium long finish. Possibly at its peak.
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8/1/2007 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Mature bouquet with soft cherries, strawberries and spices. A somewhat sweet start, but also spices. A little bit aggressive acidity. A bit one dimensional
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6/9/2007 - BordeauxNut wrote: 60 Points
Bottles of this wine imported by Adventures in Wine were cooked. Many US customers are holding on to dead bottles...
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6/8/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
This was quite a bit different and even better than the bottle I noted in January. For the record, this was the Kacher bottling. Medium color with only minimal brown at the rim. The aroma started with clove and black fruit, then developed more fragrant spices including nutmeg without the more typical herb notes. This reminded me of the "Asian spice box" aromas of some great Burgundies. Ripe strawberries appeared as it evolved. The balance was lovely, especially for a '98, with medium weight, complex fruit, and acidity and tannin to provide structure. This showed much younger than the last bottle and was an absolute delight to drink tonight. The Brunel Centenaire may be the trophy wine, but this is a gem in the universe of regular, unadorned Chateauneuf.
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4/18/2007 - Tree512 wrote: 91 Points
A point. Blooming secondaries of garrigue and blood with loads of red fruits. More proof of the huge value of this maker. Great stuff. Excellent now, will mature for a number of years.
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2/11/2007 - gbs wrote:
medium to light red in color. nice berried aroma. medium weight mouth-feel. not very tannic but a fair amount of acidity. not a very long finish; not sure where it will go from here.
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1/30/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium to lightish color showing signs of resolution and a tinge of brown at the edge. Nice raspberry/strawberry aromas enhanced by a touch of funk and secondary high tones, forest floor, char, and thyme. As it sat open, a classic "herbes de Provence" smell blossomed. Elegant, balanced, and again, medium weight, not monstrous in the mouth, with tangy acidity rather than tannins providing the backbone. Finish could be longer. All in all, a complex and very enjoyable drink, more refreshing than some Grenache-based super cuvees, and not a typical '98 in terms of weight, concentration, or ripeness (I got no overripeness here). This will keep well and develop more secondary flavors over the next few years to accompany the more advanced aromatics.
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12/14/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 93 Points
At Beefsteak restaurant. Very good bottle. Rich, mature with a very nice core of sweetness in it. Long mature aftertaste.
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11/22/2006 - cellarid wrote: 88 Points
This is a really ripe mofo, yo! Sweet grenache fruit with mild spices and a long sweet finish. This seems fully mature, but there's still some nice structure. Borders of overripe -- barely there. I like it, but I don't love it. Other bottles have seemed more fresh and vibrant.
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10/22/2006 - gorm wrote: 92 Points
Garnet with some beginning brown. Sweet grenache nose with strawberries and red cherries and some Provence spices as well as pepper. Medium bodied with excellent definition - very fresh and vibrant. Almost like a young burg in a CNDP disguise. Rating: 92
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4/7/2006 - Tree512 wrote: 91 Points
Pure grenache, kirsch, and lavender. Still tannic, fresh, a long way to go for maturity. Good now but try to keep hands off the rest until 2010.
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3/2/2006 - dd wrote:
drinking really great, dark fruit cherries tannins still there reallywell balanced looking forward to this in a couple years
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11/2/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 92 Points
Brownish color and a bit murky. Very fruity nose of strawberries (!!), plums and cherries. Very thick looking (high glycerine). Some garrigue on the nose. Thick, soft mouthfeel. Lots of sweetness on the palate, tannins are there but they are soft and sweet. Aftertaste is excellent with medium length and lots of fruit and black pepper. Delicious, but a bit rustic.
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10/26/2005 - christopher wish wrote: 92 Points
a very elegant expression of a CDP. Still tasting young, with many years of life left in it.
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10/22/2005 - DFC wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted for ~4 hours. Yowza...what a kirsch bomb nose...could not stop inhaling this one! On the palate, glycerine-laden cherry cough syrup...but in a good way. The nose alone on this wine is worth the price of admission. Can't wait to see how it develops.
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10/22/2005 - Not Levine wrote: 95 Points
1990 and older CdP Redux (Ed Murray's): This was the big surprise of the evening. Still VERY primary, it exploded with candied red fruits in a well balanced package. Plenty of stuffing to go the distance, if this bottle is representative I think this will surpass all other base CdP cuvees of the vintage. Must get some now.
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9/19/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 90 Points
Chateauneuf Offline (Caldesi, London): Rich, deep nose of black cherry. I really liked this, nice tannic structure, smooth finish.
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1/20/2005 - Greg W wrote:
Chateauneuf du Pape tasting at Hi-Time (Hi-Time Wine Cellar): Very brown in color. Not a pleasant nose - tea, prunes - smells much older than it is. Very similar notes on the palate - thin, no fruit, tea-like flavors. No finish to speak of (at least in anything resembling a pleasant finish). We all tried to figure out if this was a bad bottle, or just really, really aging prematurely. We decided to go with a bad bottle, and hold out hope for the bottles in our cellars. No rating.
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1/1/2005 - ccn wrote:
early 2005 still too young
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10/30/2004 - chbeaumont wrote:
Lovely, brambley nose; characterful, vigorous, meaty, finish lacks zip, due to mourvedre? Delicious. 16+
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3/1/2001 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Disappointing. Thin. Translucent pink-red. Ripe, hard fruit. Needs to soften up and needs additional body.
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