I enjoyed this bottle undecanted over a couple of hours, with tacos and beans and rice. I have had this bottle from numerous vintanges, and this vintage, many times. I was surprised at how fruit forward and vibrant it still is at this stage. I predict it will be in it's prime for another 3-5 years given the initial primary notes and the time it took to open. Initially dark fruit, then a bit of blueberry, then a core of cherry. Constantly evolving. A consistent, sometimes dominant note of spices. I could not identify the spice, but it was very pronounced and very unique. Harmonious, inviting on the nose. I would say it is more inviting and complex on the nose than the mid-palate, at least for me. Very good with food. Probably one of the veyr top wine values of my life. I would recommend buying several cases in a top vintage and starting in year 3-5. The quality and complexity belie this humble appellation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle —- and still remarkably drinkable. Somewhat sweet actually, perhaps oaky. Licorice, medium body. Nothing much to write home about, but at this stage and this price, certainly no complaints.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Past peak, immense bottle variation. The average filling seems to be far away from the bottle which WA gave 94 pts to. Even the better bottles I had, were below 90 imho.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gotta say I like it. And for the money can't be beat and wish I bought more. For the 28% of us still holding on CT, you are sitting on a nice night to come. Very Opaque in the glass between dark garnet and ruby. Thick, weighty; nose leads with red but settles on more blue fruits, cocoa dust, vanilla, a light airy gazpacho (?) note underneath. The front is punchy with red fruits but shifts quickly to a pure blueberry that carries to the middle, skins and all, with moderate acidity and tannin. The finish starts astringent, however brings all the fruits together yet initially disjointed down the back. HOWEVER... fast forward another 2 hours... nothing astringent, smooth with the fruit playing nice, some vanilla, and the tannins softened with acidity playing nice. Solid finish. Smoother and feels like a screaming value that can last for another few years and evolve a bit more to be more integrated. So to the 28% of us still holding, Na Zdrowie.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted this with a friend in 2020. It was amazing and resulted in my purchasing a case.
The case proved very inconsistent from bottle to bottle. Roughly half were excellent. Other bottles were overwhelming brettanomyces. Drank 2021 to 2023.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not sure what happened with this bottle, suspect secondary fermentation given multiple ‘pops’ over 4 days and the tongue-tingles which have finally subsided. Did not get the great experience others had, but it wasn’t terrible either. So no rating here, simply too odd to judge fairly!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still purple without any sign of ageing. Intense and long with blackberries, white pepper, coffee, blueberries and flowers. But dominated by its wall of fruit. Still young and it needs some time in the glass to open, and I can't find a obvious difference to this 3 or 4 years ago. 5/12/17/10. -2030+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over three days. Day one: black pepper and tobacco on the nose. Much better after 1.5 hours of air as the oak starts to fade and the berry and pomegranate flavors start to shine through. On day two, tannins mellow out, the juice is much less acidic and even more fruit-forward. Day three: should have finished this on day two. Very flat. I do not recommend drinking this over more than 24 hours.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose was light earthy and pleasant. Dark color but medium body in the mouth. Plum, dark berries, eggplant, forest, medium tannins, mild oak on finish. Hard to beat for the price ($14).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle of this impressive find from way back in 2017. Has only improved with time. Offers blackcurrant and blackberry, forest floor and white pepper. Medium-full bodied, satin texture, with succulent dark fruit framed by fine-grained tannins. Highly developed; deep and graceful and supple all at once.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lot going on here. Old World on the nose. Notes of earth, dried herbs, black plum, dark cherry, raspberry, and blackberry. Alcohol medium+, tannins medium, acid medium+
With each vintage, this wine represents an exceptional value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious, initially felt quite sweet, with a bubble gum like feel to the aroma. This wore off quickly to reveal a nice medium body wine that has a nice combo of savory & fruit notes. A very good drinking wine and a great price for the quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite pleasant to drink. Tannins are very soft, allowing the fruit to shine. Blue fruits, slightly sweet. Quite well balanced. On a pleasant-to-drink scale, about 92 - 93. Not complex nor terribly interesting. Now, at 5 1/2 years of age, this could be a real crowd pleaser. It should hold up like this for a few more years. If I remember correctly, the 2016 was rather hard a couple of years ago, wonder how they will compare now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed this with braised short ribs in a slightly sweet gravy, although I think the fruitiness and soft tannins of the wine were not the best pairing. Something more acidic like a Sangiovese might have offset the richness of the meat and sweetness of the gravy a little better. I didn't get as much 'wow' from this bottle as some of the other reviewers -- perhaps it was an off bottle or a poor food pairing -- but it was quite quaffable nevertheless.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle and it is really good. A mouthful of sweet red and blue fruit, coating the tongue. Nice finish, with a hint of earth and tar. Silky smooth texture.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another one bites the dust. The missus had finished half the bottle. Then a friend was in town for the member guest tournament at Oakmont, and after two nice bottles of wine he sucked down the last of the Bastide as I watched with amusement. Must be similar to the $19 pinot that 4 wall-streeters thought was a $2000 Mouton Rothschild.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just great stuff and killer QPR, liked this better than a 2016, although I liked both (2016 I gave a 93.)
A lot of beautiful blue/purple fruits, not quite "black" fruit but a lot of very dark blueberry, sugar plum, some black licorice, but showing a distinct freshness that the 2016 lacked. Nose is powerful and candied, but also pretty airy and almost floral. Not a lot of character beyond the fruit, but it's about as good as fruit can get for $12 wine.
Palate had a perfectly good amount of acidic energy to balance the big fruit, not a laser beam or anything but a solid medium at least- good amount of tannins too, and it seems to be expressive and balanced enough for aging, although it obviously doesn't need it.
Not the most complex wine, and sometimes spending just a few more dollars will net you a lot more complexity, but definitely hard to beat in terms of pure deliciousness for the price. I will say it was better on night 1, still enjoyable on second day but the initial burst of fruit is the best part.
I'm on the fence with this one. The last bottle scored a 90 but this one was just a touch softer, less focused, still savory but more pillowy, less structured. As its an Eric Solomon European Cellars Selection (he's one of "those" who often has the producer make a special blend to his particular specifications and therefore a-typical of what is really going on in the place - I get it, he has to sell the stuff) its tough to know if this was pushed forward since he "knew" that 95% of his buyers would be drinking this within 48 hours of purchase, or its just starting to fall apart on its own.... Still at 5 years old its a nice glass of wine (well done Eric) but I wouldn't put much stock in keeping it longer. I have 3 more bottles and plan on drinking them within the next year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle was consistently good compared to the other bottles I have had. Just based on the shear volume of tasting notes for this it would appear to be quite a popular wine. And why not, given the price and the comparatively excellent quality for that price it makes a lot of sense. I like the cherry fruit mixed with the touches of pepper that are present. There is a slight hint of smoke [maybe smoked meat?] that I get in this as well. A very enjoyable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2020: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2020-12/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): Been a year since I last tried this QPR monster from the 2015 vintage. Has continued to evolve positively and I think is in a fantastic window for consumption right now. Medium ruby color. Aromas of blackberry, red currant, smoke, game, with hints of thyme and truffle. Satin texture, full-bodied, with red and black fruit on the palate, along with echoes of the game and truffle and a spicy lift in the finish. Tannins are resolved at this point, but maintain a chalky firmness that provides a frame for the wine.
Dark, dense and earthy and I'm very glad I have a few more.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I can confirm the variation between bottles. Had a few of the 2015 vintage in the beginning which were between excellent and outstanding. Then ordered two batches at a later stage. Those were rather between good and very good. My wine trader also confirmed this for other Lafage wines. Due to the lack of reliability in quality I won't buy any more wines from Lafage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seems to be some bottle variation with the four or five I’ve had. This one was excellent with sweet red fruit offset but plenty of smoked meat, herbs and Asian spice. Grenache is what is really dominating now. Drinks like a $25-30 bottle so it’s solid but won’t necessarily blow you away. Likely holds strong another year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A true 90. Plenty of color, fruit, and taste. Maybe it's just a selfish opinion, but my inventory is a great relief during these shelter-in-place times. A great daily agenda--take a Walk; open a bottle. Great exercise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened another bottle two years after my last comment. Nice! I am glad that I waited. The wine now leaps out of the glass with dusty Mediterranean herbs, pastilles, and juicy cherry fruit. A touch of black olive is added on a mid weight palate, the wine is well integrated, and lip smacking juicy. So fun to drink! Will look for recent vintages and buy a case.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice! This GS(no M) blend was dark rich fruit and smooth tannins with lots of savory and garrigue undertones. Deft touch - could have turned into something much more syrupy but instead remained balanced. Long finish. Alcohol is 14.5% but wasn't evident. Good PQR (QPR? whatever).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank with spaghetti and meatballs. Not the greatest pairing, but felt like cracking a better bottle so there we are. At first underwhelming, flat with med stone fruit notes. After 90m or so, blueberry and ripe cherry emerge, both with dark chocolate covering. Soft, lush but not juicy or overwhelming. Very mild tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Once some air blew the alcohol off this was a very enjoyable syrah blend. Tart blueberries and raspberries on top of blackberry jam flavors. Medium long finish. Nice structure. Light tannins. (Time in the glass took this from a 90 to a 92.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ok nice characteristics lots of berries and similar notes on the nose. Initially very tart with some rogue acidity took some time to settle and reveal a dry moderately tannic profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second bottle of two. I enjoyed my first bottle of this wine just over a year ago. Did a quick splash decant back into the bottle on Day 1, and parked the bottle into the fridge.
Day 2: Plush mixed berries on the nose with a little of a sanguine element. Full and mouth-coating body with dusty but relatively unobtrusive tannins. Enough acidity to carry the day. Blackberry, dark plum, and raspberry fruit on the palate with bacon fat and mocha/dark chocolate flavors. Like my previous bottle, really tasty.
Slightly different tasting notes compared to my previous bottle, but by and large the wine was consistent. Regardless, this wine is just as great as I remembered and represents a no-brainer bargain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My last bottle of this vintage. While I have never gotten WA's 94 rating, it is a QPR star! It seemed a little simple, compared to the 2014 vintage. Very fruit forward. Medium length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple flowers on the nose, along with blueberry, black cherry, raspberry. Confirmed on the palate. Rich, ripe, smooth. Sweet fruit offset by present but not harsh tannins. Very good, excellent value
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2nd bottle down, on a whim for dinner w/ pizza & salad, only able to open 6 hours prior to get air and regret not having time to decant. This one certainly may not be some peoples style but get the feeling some are not allowing it to open properly. 1st bottle 11/2018 reached peak and finally integrated on day 3. Def drinks better than most $13 wines, even tonight. Keeping to a score of original 92 as has not changed, not going anywhere fast, still has full potential. Patience and planning the opening before serving can be rewarded.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Notes of strawberry, graphite, roasted meats, rubber and tar. Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Disjointed on the finish and a little hot. Integrated firm tannin. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This definitely will have a longer drinking window then shown. It took and an hour + in the glass before it opened up, wow what a difference when it did. The complexity of the fruit and finish is well worth the wait!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sept 2019: It is not a dense side: just light to medium bodied. But it has an elegant taste, a bit of length and enjoyable to sip the last drops in the glas. Great QPR. Great for drinking on cooler spring or fall days, when a light sweater might be called for. Grade 90.
May 2021: Didn’t like it all that much this time around. I actually poured out the last glass, drank another wine instead. I am hoping it was just the mood, weather, bottle, but perhaps the wine is simply no longer as tasty as it once was. Grade 87.
October 2021: tasting fine, again! There may be bottle variation or perhaps the wine just went through a dull phase. Open the bottle, wait perhaps 15 minutes or more, then drink. Even better after a bit more time or the next day or two. Spices, minerals, earth. Good everyday drinker. Grade 90, perhaps even 91.
Overall grade: 90.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple. According to the opinion of some professional tasters this is leaving its optimal drinking window in ca. 2021. From my warmer than textbook cellar, were it is since early 2018, it still shows no sign of evolution or aging. Still rich and fruity with great complexity adding with time in the glass or after decant, but it is still dominated by its walls of fruit concentration that lingers for minutes after swallowing. Drunk at correct temperatures it hides his alcohol levels easily. Of course it is great to drink right now, but I suggest a longer drinking window. Still a baby for me. -2030 + in a cool cellar. 5/12/17/10
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the most amazing QPR wine you could ever hope for. Still has bottle age on it - or you can drink it now and enjoy it. We certainly did tonight!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I see why people get excited about this, especially for the price. There is lots of muscular dense fruit in here--great intensity--along with a potpourri of chalk, herb, smoke, and nicely balanced acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Worst showing yet for this wine. Popped it right after I brought it out of the cellar so it was definitely was too cool. Figured it would come around once it warmed up. It didn’t. None of the bright fruit from the initial bottle. Not sure why this is fading so bad.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
90m air. Medium/Deep Purple color. Very fragrant, with blackberry, red currant, a hint of blueberry, forest floor and potting soil. Very earthy at this stage. Lovely satin texture, medium-full body, edgy, with supple tannins. Dark fruit and earthy, with a fractional spicy lift in the finish. Everything well integrated at this stage, letting this dark and powerful wine really show it's stuff. Thinking this will be at its best for the next 3-5 years, so I will stretch the remaining bottles out over that time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense dark purple-red. Good nose: leather, dry rose petals, pepper, an undercurrent of moist tobacco, a wisp of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied; tannins present but softening; leather again and pepper, some dried red/black fruits. Not as complex or as many-layered as a CdP or even a Gigondas; but an excellent full-on S.French red with an excellent QPR. 94 points awarded professionally seems a little OTT.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this with my wine group at a Turkish restaurant. We all liked it, but it was the least favorite of the 4 reds we had. Huge QPR, it is a bargain for the price. My third bottle and I still don't see WA's 94 point score.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Ruby color - All the reviews are true. On the lighter side but lots of depth to this wine. The Grenache adds lighter red fruits and the proportions are well suited. Didnt let it breath and it didnt disappoint. The next will definitely not be rushed.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear deep purple with no sediments/suspensions Intense yet simple nose of ripe blackberries, violets and macadamia nuts Relatively high acidity, supple tannin, medium bodied, a touch of sweetness on the palate, flavour of ripe blueberry jam, sweet finish of medium length
Personally, the wine is too simple to receive the 94 RP accolade, and it does not have the sense of restraint and complexity of French wine.
Postscrpt: the wine gains complexity of rasberries, bacon, and garrigue, as well as funkiness with two hours in glass. Drinkers should decant this wine.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Notes of crisp bacon, ripe black fruits, spice box and loamy earth. Medium to full bodied, quite fruit forward and easily accessible, but with good focus and grip. Can’t do better for $12.95!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Aromatic nose of blackberry, black cherry, garrigue and licorice. Black fruit, garrigue, forest floor and fine tannins on the palate. Finishes with good length. Full bodied. A very good QPR. Served with pizza.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/20/2019 at home. Pnp the nose is a bit closed but syrah for sure, black fruit and some bell pepper. Palate also fairly closed, black fruit again, black pepper with just a hint of Garrigue, high acid, soft tannin. With half an hour or so the Grenache comes out more and it becomes earthier/loamier, the acid calms down some, more like a CdR. Continues to improve with air, I would open this early or decant. Good wine, and for the $13 I paid, very good. Will likely buy again. 6.5+/10
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Holy cow this wine is flat out fabulous! Needed just about 15 mins of airtime and and it was amazing from start to finish. 5 Star QPR for sure. Case buy if you can get it. Food friendly to say the least. Syrah and Grenache. Drinks like a $25 bottle easily. Paid $13.99 IIRC.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great QPR! The richness of fruit, balance of fruit, acid, tannins bring this wine together seamlessly. While I'm sure it will survive longer, drink sooner to fully enjoy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
juicy, ripe, the grenache comes through but followed by the hint of spice and more from the syrah. Very food friendly, ready to go.I have one more to enjoy. DRINK NOW and enjoy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I liked this much better than my previous bottle. Maybe at this price point, there is a lot of bottle variation? A big hit with my wine group at a Turkish restaurant. It is highly fruit driven. Medium length finish. I don't see WA's 94 point rating, but for the price, I have no complaints.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had with ratatouille and brioche, went well. Moderately fruit forward plum and peppery spice notes and violet floral aromas. Would definitely buy again.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very new world. Some structure deep purple notes. Lots of syrah a but heavy handed lacks the softening or depth I would want to stock up at this QPR. That being said it ain't bad.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over two nights. Went very well with food. But on its own it was a little too acidic and tannins a little too rough. No appreciable improvement on second night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day 1: Based on the notes here, I took one sip and packed the bottle away for Day 2. Loads of raspberry and a touch of iron on the nose. Palate is extremely tight.
Day 2: Decanted for about two hours. Got some forest floor accents added onto the nose. The wine softened considerably overnight and became much more accessible. Red (raspberry) and black (blackberry and black currant) fruit, black pepper, and bacon fat flavors. Some glycerin to this; full in the mouth. Dusty tannins and good acidity.
Gotta say, this is great for a "value-priced" wine. Gonna plan on hanging onto my remaining bottle for another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had with Ricotta Cheese Spicy Grape Crostini Drinks well for a $16.00 wine not sure I would give it a 90 or 89. Lacks depth and not well balanced. Lots of acid not bad but not great. Guess Im expecting too much given my prior bottle of Grenache was a Gigondas.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Translucent magenta color. Sage, leather, and grape lifesaver nose. Light to medium bodied, dirty blueberries, pepper, black cherries, very dusty tannins, a bit of burn, and a medium finish. I think I made it sound like a hot mess, but it was really pretty good and a great value at the Costco price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hedonistic and warm, this is a wine composed in the bass clef, with lots of licorice melting through the dark berry flavors. This became looser and more friendly after two nights, and I suspect might improve with a short-term cellaring. Jeb's 94 in the Wine Advocate seems a little overblown, but this is certainly tasty, and a great QPR in the $14 range.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, black currant (cassis) and cinnamon. It tastes like blackberry, black currant (cassis), raisin, cinnamon and oak. The body is full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and decanted one hour. Dark ruby colour. Lovely rich nose and palate of blackcurrants, hedgerow fruits and spice. Full bodied, long. Great match for slow roasted pork. Drinking perfectly now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not quite as much a knockout as the first bottle, but still and delicious and seductive without going over-the-top. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, garrigue. Give it time to open up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple with small intense pink rim. Intense fruity nose right from the start even though it is a bit cold from the cellar at 16°C which is 57° F. Though intense it shows good complexity as the fruit changes with every sniff, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries. On the palate aromas of smoke, meat and tar add complexity. Unbelievable long for its pedigree. It is that plus of concentration and purity without heaviness that puts this apart from the oceans of very good but not excellent wines from southern france. This hasn't changed or developed over the last 8 month and I don't expect this for the next years. I believe more and more that this has great aging ability. Maybe I'm wrong time will tell. But I have to discipline myself not to consume this completely over the next few years. 5/13/17/9 -2030
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Visual- opaque full bodied purple, medium legs Aromas- light fruity, ripe pear, vanilla Palate - peppery, full bodied, balanced acidity, medium dry, cranberry
Paired with pan seared filet mignon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day #3 bliss. Everything came together finally for a beautiful end result and much awaited 3 day prior corking (thanks to HUH's helpful TN). So soft, round, balanced and smooth with flavors integrated so well for a wine at this price-point, and the tad sweetness that one could find initially dissipated into the now ever-rounded wine. So different from Day 1 and 2. Should last more years and will enjoy remaining 5 over next 2-4 years. Give it the proper decant or open days before and ye shall understand. Have found with many from this region they need serious air to get past the initial stages of development. Similar has occurred with the $10 Red Coast opened earlier this year; the proper wait is worth the integrate. Before serving: corked @ 40 hours prior, had a test glass to let more air in day 2, and left uncorked about 6-7 hours total various times.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep red-brown with purple hues, crystal clear. Beautiful nose, fruity, chocolate notes. Medium body, moderately intense flavor, good structure and tannin maturity, high heat level, long aftertaste, flavorful finish. Dry, adequate acidity. Juicy, grapes, plums, vanilla, blackberries, blueberries, . Very enjoyable, not a big wine, just right for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Test glass 18 hours from open. HUH’s TN is spot on for me to agree with, cannot beat that well put 3 day description (being on day 2 myself). Set to serve with some other wines tomorrow, will post more if see fit then. If you like the Roussillon region normally then you will enjoy this...pleasant finish...$13...nuff said.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Many notes are spot on here. Primary fruit for me is raspberry with smoke and herbs and that syrah iron mineral note. As many have said this was tight and unyielding upon opening to the point where I was disappointed with the score and hype this was given.
BUT on day 2 I started to get the "Rhone" flavor, the ripeness and the fruit. I don't get the "sweetness" or "fakeness" others have spoken about. It is modern but I don't get fakeness or overt sweetness.
Tonight on day 3 it is balanced with raspberry flavors, smoke, mild pepper, medium body and a finish that has strong grip and length.
I'm drinking it colder say around 57 degrees and I like it this way. RP mentioned Sine Qua Non and I think he stretched it there. When I taste Sine Qua Non there is deep Ca ripeness, bigger alcohol and sweetness of fruit. Big full body and mouth filling sweet fruit. If there is a parallel it is the "heady", "seamless", "ever changing" quality of this wine to Sine Qua Non.
If I worked in a liquor store I would introduce a wine drinker who likes Ca Syrah Grenache type wines to the French style with this wine...
Given that your rating scale is 80-85 for good and 86-89 for very good, we are giving this a 85, at the top end of "good". This was a purchase from K & L wines...a Syrah/Grenache blend from Cotes de Roussillon. It had a fair amount of complexity, but was on the lighter side, so it lacked a tad of fruit forwardness that would have merited a higher rating. Given the style (lighter) and the depth, this would be a good substitute if you were looking and serving a Pinot with dinner but wanted a different red. It is good. DRINK NOW. See this going downhill pretty fast.
Nice mouthfeel and depth upfront with plenty of purple fruit, roasted/stewed red fruit, smoke, and glycerin. Still it comes across as a value wine with a tart artificial sugar note and a little thin/watery on the finish. Also a good amount of purple coloring rubs off on your lips. In line with Delas Saint-Esprit just more modern.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour. Aromas of raspberry, chocolate grenache, roasted herbs and flowers. Very expressive nose. Flavors of cherry tart, raspberry, coffee, herb and a note of game. Ends with a finish of 20-25 seconds with herb and coffee notes. Not quite as good as the last time I had it but still fantastic for the money. May open up as I'm drinking it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This offering is two different wines. Prior to decant it’s tight, alcoholic and not very expressive. With a vigorous decant it offers bushels of black and blue fruits and some secondary notes of toast, anise and dust. Leave it out on the counter uncorked for a few days and then put it in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving. Great QPR.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Has aromas of raspberries, flowers, cherries, chalk and spice. Its punchy medium bodied longilinear yet concentrated opulent and elegant blue fruits and spice palate ends really long and crunchy. 14.5%. Needs a couple of hours aeration. Impressive QPR at around 12 Euros. Could be laid down for 3-5 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grapes: 70 % Syrah, 30% Grenache Color: cherry red, little evolution. Nose: Candied dark and red fruits, vanilla, garrigue, some alcohol. Mouth: ripe red berries, raspberry almost sweet fruit, medium- acidity, medium- body, tannic finish (7 sec). Excellent QPR. Drink now - 88 pt.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ho Ho Hold your horses...I rated this as an 88 previously and now I understand that I did not give it enough air. When it gets 2 hours of air it gets into a totally strong and funky zone with scorched earth and vibrant fruit character. After 4 hours it seemed to be settling down and lose that middle term punch. At times it reminded me of a young bordeaux. Its still a bit sweet for my taste, but its clearly a steal for 12 bucks! Drink and be merry.
Not bad, not as good as they say. This is a nice drinker or party wine to serve after dinner. Its showing some rustic tones like those found in Chilean, though this is Syrah and Granache. I would say this can get allot better or worse with 3 years in the bottle, but for the QPR, this is a drinker. Drink
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted 1 glass while decanting rest of bottle for 1 hour; drank over 2 hours. Decanting opened the wine, added weight. A delicious, fruity, drink now or soon - great value for $14.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was my second bottle. Drank it over 3 days and it held up well over that time frame. Very meaty & grippy texture with strong dark fruit. I feel like people tend to rate this wine higher only because it's such an attractive price point. However, I think it should be rated by how it tastes not how much it costs. Over all, it was interesting to try. If you are into higher quality syrah's, you'll be disappointed.
(Actually, these two bottles were drunk over several days. They hold up well on the counter for a day or two.)
Nicely blended wine with a bright (old vines Grenache) and dark (Syrah) side that complement each other very well. Excellent length, drinks beautifully. And it's a screaming bargain ($13) 12/1/18: Another bottle, just as good. Went very well with roast/stewed chicken with mushroom, wine and a bit of tomato sauce. 1/13/19: Another one, great again. It's so bright and cheerful! Love the way it goes down. 2/1/19 & 2/12/19: Consistent. This is great stuff! 3/27/19: Another one, just as good. 4/21/19: Even better this time. Such quality! This is getting close to *** 4/25/19 Yum! Does this go down easy. 5/30/19, 6/5/19: What more can I say? 5/21/20: What a difference a year (or almost) makes. This has gotten darker, more serious, more powerful. Still drinks beautifully, just not a bright as previous bottles.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, cherry and garrigue. Red and black fruit, underbrush and dried herbs on the palate. Finishes with good length. Full bodied. Served with grilled cheeseburgers.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a “wow” wine when price is considered. Savory and peppery, with ample fruit. Really lush mouthfeel. Took a bit of swirling to coax the aromas out of it and tannins are evident on the finish, so i suspect more time will be rewarded. 91+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted, aerated and filtered. Still very young with a nose of red and dark fruits and a little bit of funk. Had with tangerine flavored dark chocolate. Joe loves this wine. Phenomenal Apr at $12-14/750 ml bottle. Tangy and tannic. Medium to full bodied and still a bit too tannic for my liking. The chocolate tamed that issue. Could use more time, unfortunately I won't know since this was my last bottle.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I really want to like this wine but I can't. Opened this 2.5-3 hours and left in the cellar to open up. I then used my aerator and still I struggle with this wine.
This was one of the very best values I had in 2017, and I've been looking forward to trying it again. First bottle I've had in over 9 months, and it's interesting to note how different it is now. After a short decant, the nose is more muted than last year, showing light aromas of raspberry and tar, and a skosh of smoked pork. Sweet raspberry and milk chocolate notes lead the way on the palate, with a faraway tar note in the background. There's also light barnyard and bacon fat notes providing lift on the finish. Acidity is on the lighter side initially, but becomes more prominent with extended air time. Oak is more noticeable, but not intrusive. The cast of flavors is the same, just showing a thinner version tonight. Still an outstanding wine for 13 bucks.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fairly Dark but clear and bright. Intense nose of berry and black cherry fruit with hints of pepper and smoke. Delicious textured black berry and cassis flavours and a Rich dry finish.
Very good wine that reminds me of a Quinta de Crasto Reserva.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of bacon fat, boysenberry, game and raspberry. Flavors of bacon fat, raspberry, earth and chocolate. Ends with a big 30 second finish with raspberry and chocolate. I had my doubts about this wine (never had it before) but must admit it is fabulous for the price.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bacon, blackberry, cassis, smoke. Peaked about 2 hours after opening, fell off a bit second day (to my surprise as I thought the wine would still be on the younger side).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gave 90m air, double-decanted and drank on Day 2. Complex bouquet, with aromas of petroleum, dark cherry, sweet tomato, sage, umami. Silky texture with dark berries on entry, umami joining in the mid-palate, and structured tannins propping up the finish. Lovely integration from start to finish, bold flavors. Punches well above it's weight. Will hold the rest for another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very fruity wine which was in beginning quite close. High expectations couldnt be fulfilled -in the beginning. Needed 1h decant but than it came: Full of fruit, chocolate and sensity. Really nice and with the time the fruity changed to a mellow, heavy wine. For those 14 bucks! Just great
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bu en succ. Souple et épicé, un peu concentré en ce moment! Nez floral et épicé avec des fruits noirs. Mures et cassis, un peu de garrigue avec des tannins charnus. Finale de longueur moyenne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought to a 4th of July BBQ and was so good I tried to hog as much of it for myself as I could. Profound and delicious and seductive without going over-the-top. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, garrigue. Give it time to open up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Garnet color. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - At $13/bottle this is a great value. Aroma is weak right out of the bottle. May get better with air. I'm happy.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Semi-translucent dark maroon; warm plum, plush berry fruit, inviting, no reduction, fig, soft herbs; nice texture, not overly extracted, nice mix of red and darker fruit, lots of raspberry and plum; very pleasant and crowd pleasing.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour and a half and was still pretty tight on the nose. It seemed to open up some what after another hour or so. This wine showed itself to be somewhat on the austere side. It got a bit bigger and bolder with time. Brambly plum up front with graphite and some spice on the finish. Great qpr. I'm going to hold onto my last bottle to see where this wine goes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gave this a pretty vigorous decant, in my opinion this wine really benefits from a lot of air. After several hours it started to open with notes of baked raspberry cobbler and brambly blue/black fruit on the nose. Plum and notes of graphite start the palate, it's round and mouth coating, starting sweet but finishing with a nice peppery spice. There's an herbal note through the finish as well and everything just lingers.
Further resolved on day two, it's softer and the fruit definitely moved to the passenger seat, allowing the secondary notes to lead. Cocoa, espresso, more pepper. Great value.
Open in the morning well ahead of dinner or even the day before.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, at approximately 62 degrees. There is substance here, with the bouquet showing violets, blue and purple fruits, dates, fig cake, ripe sap, garrigue, and mineral ore veins. Concentrated and expansive, with the sap and mineral elements, along with medium acid and powdery tannins, holding the fruit in check. The noteworthy finish lifts the entire package, delivering velvety nuance. This should be enjoyed over the next few years, and enjoyed at cellar temperatures.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
No decant. A lightish fruit profile with herbal (greenish) aromas. A bit gamey on the edges. Also choclate and mocca which carries on nicely on the palate which shows fresh and balanced. With some time in the glass menthol comes more and more forward. Pleasant to drink and incredible quality for the price!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Round and fruit-forward immediately upon opening, with plenty of raspberry and cherry flavors, almost sweet. Developed anise, pepper, floral notes and a longer acidic note on the finish over a one-hour period.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Several vigorous splash decants made it ready to go. Great QPR. Tannins are a bit chalky, and it doesn’t quite have the juiciness or acidity to achieve balance, but it’s got everything else you want and more in a daily drinker. Needs a good decant but this is great now. Wish I had bought a lot more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chalky strawberry, cherry, blueberry, lavender, and black pepper. Give this an hour decant. It's all wired up and has an odd bitter plastic taste upon opening. Chalky component sets in late and give it an elegant feel.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fabulous fruit, nice balance, drinking well. We had this as a second bottle after a 2010 Ch. Pape and it held its own nicely. Buy it by the case, best QPR of 2018.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
It will remain a mystery to me, how one can give this less than excellent notes. Nevertheless I feel that there are different bottlings which can not be discriminated by any way. Different deliveries from my merchant seem to be different to me. This bottle is from the first one and it is really unbelievable in quality. It doesn't need much air. It is there right from the start within a few minutes after pouring. It is immensely complex from the first sniff with strawberry, blue and blackberry, eau de vie like notes, licorice, coffee, flowers and tar. Syrah dominated. 5/14/19/7. If this will perform this way in 5 or 6 more years and possibly develope in a positive way better than outstanding rates are given by me. Yes, I' m talking about 98+ scores.
Served with ribeye steak, carrots with bourbon glaze. Look: crimson/purple, young to the rim. Sniff: rummy, touch of blueberry/cherry/plum. Taste: smooth, dry but not austere, tannin is lovely, works with the meal, enough stuffing to keep for a while. Good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Part of an "Everyday Drinking Wine Night" with my wine group. Opened, but not decanted, at a restaurant, for at least 30 minutes before pouring. Given that the 2014 version was our WOTN the last time we did this, the 2015 was slightly disappointing. I think it needs a few more months (maybe a year) of bottle age to come together. But for the under $15 I paid (sales tax included), this is a QPR winner. We all enjoyed it, but like I said, not as much as the 2014.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Adding to the many notes of controversy-This wine was somewhat acrid and unpleasant for about the first hour open. During the evening and in the following days it developed the most intreating violet aroma/taste. Delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Walk around wine store tasting of Domaine Lafage wines. Small glass, tasting pour. This is a lighter version of Syrah 70% and Grenache 30%, I got less pepper in this taste than the bottle I had in November 2017, good wine for the price but not exciting. I expected this do better than it did for me today.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This blend of Syrah and Grenache from the Roussillon is darkest ruby in the glass. On the nose, the wine is redolent with raspberry and black cherry. On the palate, the same raspberry and black cherry, as well as muted oak and vanilla. A trifle too tannic when popped and poured now. So, put it in your cellar for another five years or let it breathe for at least 24-hrs. N.B., this wine received a staggeringly high score from a celebrated wine critic. At around $15 per bottle, this wine has a good but not great QPR. I prefer the 2015 Plateau des Chenes from Lirac, which is also a Syrah-Grenache blend and has a similar flavor profile.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, bramble and dried herbs. Ripe black and red fruit, licorice, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Good persistence. Medium to full bodied. Served with beef stew.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
After reading the comments, I tasted the wine three ways: 1. PNP. Subdued nose of nondescript dark fruit. The palate is astringent and bitter, with dark fruit lurking in the background. Swirled it a lot, and after 30 minutes, the bitterness went down, and the fruit became powerful. I was getting roasted lavender cherries. The lavender part was similar to the Rhône Grenache. The roasted flavors were reminiscent of Cote Rotie wines. 2. Poured a third of the bottle in a decanter, and left it there for 2 hours. The nose gained some Syrah-like pastille perfume, but still was subdued. The palate was extracted and weighty with concentrated flavors of perfumed lavender dark cherries. The finish was medium length. The tannins were unresolved: the puckering effect was very much noticeable. 3. Left a third of wine in the bottle, recorked, revisited after 2 hours. The wine started out similar to PNP, but mellowed out quickly and matched the decanted experience. I drank it over 2 hours, and the flavors remained consistently strong with no drop.
So, this wine has a great QPR, the intensity of flavors, and the focused fruit were quite pleasing, and I will retry after a few years, hoping that the tannins integrate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terrific Value. Smooth, fruit forward, not cloying. Dark berries, vanilla lovely finish. Not a great deal of tannin, this is ready to drink. Not quite certain its a "94" as some raters suggest, but this quality at this price probably earns it a few points. Time to ditch the 2 buck chuck.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Almost same notes as on 27.03.2018. Nose was less exciting on this occasion, but that can be caused by the not optimal tasting set up this time. 5/13/18/8
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I generally buy a case of this every year. This year is different. I might have to get a second case. I think an aggregation of reviews suggests that it's thin and off putting when you open it, but over time it develops into the Bastide Miraflors we're more familiar with. True. But on days two and three it goes somewhere further. I can't think of another QPR like this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Like many of Eric Solomon's wines, this one is extremely intense and not a bit austere. It's grown and made down around Maury near Perpignan, mostly syrah, the rest grenache. Dark purple, almost black in the glass, vanilla and violet and a bit of leather on the nose, smoked meat and dark fruits (blackberry and black currant) on the silky palate, light tannins, soft finish, lots of charm. 14.5% abv almost covered.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
What is at 1st a decent but non descriptive CDR-ish wine with very subtle, dusty tannins turns into an exciting roller coaster of fruit and spice. Blueberry. Long, long, LONG finish. Fun and so, very New World (in a good way).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hey, here pretty much is going on. I don't mean this wine but the "battle" of tasting notes here at cellartracker. Well, I popped and poured it, and at least is this wine much more a 94 point wine, than the Pesquié who received this score many years ago from Parker himself. In my opinion Jeb Dunnuck, the Ex-taster from TWA, isn't a lover of so called Parker-Wines, what ever it means. The people who use this word, think that Parker loves powerful wines regardless of complexity and elegance. Well for sure for Parker always intensity and concentration of smells and flavors have been a quality feature. But there is no wine I ever have drunk that earns 90 or more points from Parker only because of concentration and power.
And this wine is for sure not one that should be called a Parker Wine. It is elegant and surprising light on its feet and shows very well right out of the bottle. Purple coloured, but far away from black it delivers blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, tar, coffee, licorice and meat as well with air or time even herbal notes. There is nothing not typical for ripe syrah and grenache here and no hint of new oak here like someone wrote. The grenache was aged in concrete tanks and the syrah in demi muids, which are large barrels of 600 l. Given the price of this wine, its quite impossible that they use new barrels. Anyway, if used, the new oak is soaked up by the fruit here. The mouthfeel is unctous with a good backbone of round and sweet tannin and a satisfying finish.
One have to keep in mind what the 94 points from Jeb means, given the fact that he adviced to drink this wine in the next 2-4 years. Because of the fact that potential for further evolution and aging as well as overall quality merit up to 10 points in the Parker system and a wine with a positive evolution window of 2-4 years and maximum overall quality merit up to 6 maybe 7 points, it means that the scores for the bouquet (15 points maximum) and the flavour and finish (maximum 20 points), have to be quite near to perfection to achieve 94 points. The rest of 5 points are given out because of the colour. This 5 points are sure for the Bastide Miraflors. So the question is, if this wine is as well as a wine that merits 96 or 97 points, but which can be cellared and develope in a positive way for decades. My answer to this question is: YES! At least if one takes the La chapelle from Jaboulet 1990 or the best Beaucastels or the best Clos des Papes or the best Guigals (including the Lalalas) into account or any great wine I had the pleasure to drink in the last decades. That indeed is shocking. Maybe I'm going to be fooled by the evolution of this wine, but I can't see why this should not age and have a positive evolution for more than 4 years to shed some of its tannin and develope more or other nuances. Because of the shock: I will surely retaste this and by more of it and will see this in some month and years again. Maybe my score will be different then, but now it is: 5/14/18/8
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Requires at least 2 hours of decanting at this point. The nose may be off putting early on, but after some air, it smells like blueberry pancakes with a touch of cinnamon. The palate is ripe, round, and the tannins are starting to integrate perfectly. Fantastic QPR at $13.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was really impressed with this $11 gem. Dark fruit with an intense earthiness. Deeper and more complex than what you would expect at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lot numbers for this wine are very important. I bought a case of one lot that to me clearly had sulphur notes. I was in touch with European Cellars (very responsive)and JM Lafage (extremely friendly) personally. I sent two bottles to European Cellars and they sent a bottle back to JM Lafage to have his team taste it. JM Lafage found the wine different but conforming to the wine specs "Nous n avons pas rencontré de réduction. Nous n avons donc pas trouver de non conformité malgré le fait que j accorde à dire que le style est différent du 2014." Having said that, I bought a case of another lot from the same vintage and it has none of what I tasted as sulphur compounds. It is 90-93 and, as other vintages, a bargain for the quality.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not decanted, consumed over ~1 1/2 hours. Seemed a little bit closed to me, but it opened a bit with some air. Simple but rich dark red fruit, a bloody note, some oak influence, something ever so slightly medicinal on the finish. Ok acidity, very subtle tannins, a touch of heat showing. Decent QPR for a cocktail-type wine. My grenache-loving wife liked this more than I did...I thought it was ok for the style, but probably not enough so to rebuy.
Missing the hype. Going to cellar the second bottle I have for a couple years and revisit. As another reviewer said, at this point, it is simply a crowd pleaser.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
N: Closed, but seems ripe, plummy, poss with garrigue? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency which pretty much caries through the LONG finish, though the tannins DO gain a softening swtness. Needs/DESERVES into early '19, when it might prove to be QUITE a steal for drinking through '21. My VG+ with EXC clearly on the horizon! 94 pts WA & 17/20 with "Very Good Value" Jancis Robinson. [This vendor's $10.95 is the BEST price showing on wine-searcher's HUGE early May 2018 listing!]
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has the makings of a good wine but right now it is not a cheap crowd pleasing wine.
That being said, I think it has the makings of a great weekday wine in two years. So this batch is going to the cellar for a recheck in two years = 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It’s easier to understand the confusion in the TN’s regarding this wine now having tasted it. Is it a 94-point wonder or a 76-point dog? In my tasting, it’s both.
There’s not much to like straight out of the bottle. In fact, it’s a Parker Frankenwine. Too hot, too raspberry jam forward, a plastic, petrol element that’s too prominent. Disjointed and with too much of a “Hey, look at me!” profile. 76 points. Maybe.
At the end of Hour 1, it’s still too unruly. Where’s that French sensibility, that sense of place — even though it hails from the hotter Languedoc region. Just not liking it. Still too hot and heavy. Maybe a cigar wine. But not much else.
End of Hour 2 .... Wait a minute! What just happened? Where’s that plastic note, those gushing raspberries? It’s more balanced and steering toward elegant. Some lavender and herbal notes.
In Hour 3 .... It becomes like a photographic negative that pops into focus from the warmth of the enlarger as you’re printing. Far more elegant; dare I say lovely. The black and blue pitted fruits lock into place, accompanied by lavender, sage, pine needles and black tea. A hint of bacon fat. The finish has mellowed into “take another sip.” Might not be a “94”; but it’s certainly in the low 90s. Not bad for a $12 Costco impulse buy. Worth storing away a case or two for the next five years.
Is it a Baby SQN, as one regarded reviewer notes? Nah. But it’s darn good, esp at the price. Just decant or allow it to unwind in the glass if poured over the next two years. (������= Outstanding, esp given the price)
A postscript: Just purchased another case. It’s $11 a bottle, not $12, at Costco. Screaming bargain.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped another bottle after I used a bit for cooking some ratatouille. Consistent with my prior note - this is not a 94 point wine but at the price point it is a fantastic QPR and drinking great right now. If you are looking for a great daily drinker it is hard to go wrong with this wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs a year or 2. Incredibly disjointed...upon opening overwhelming tar....then bramble berries , Bosenberry, ....after 3 hours...fruit gets more pronounced and integrated.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium Purple color. Complex and intense aromas of dark berries, cigar box, rose petals, and something green, like fresh cut grass or eucalyptus.
Full-bodied and juicy with silky texture. Dark fruit flavor and a sensational earthiness/umami on the palate. The acid gives this rich wine an edginess it requires, and the grippy tannins are well-integrated through the mid-palate. Unfortunately, in the medium+ finish, the tannins start to overpower everything else, which may resolve with another 12 months of cellaring...or it may not.
Opinions on this wine tend to be weighed down by the rating and comparison assigned it by Wine Advocate, which make it somewhat controversial. If you leave all the hype aside, it's hard to dispute that it remains a $13 wine which punches well above its weight.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour. Medium bodied and medium finish. Muted fruit on the palate. Kinda meh. For $12 makes for a decent pizza or party wine. WTF was Jeb Dunnuck smoking when he gave it 94 WA?
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Earthy and dark aromas, early spark of acidity that dwindles to a smoothly tannic structure. Love the earthy and lighter construction to this wine. Great berries and some mushroom character. Some musky, damp, earthy notes that are super enjoyable for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple color with slow legs. Oak, tar and black pepper on the nose. Black currant (cassis), plum and mushroom on the palate. Full bodied with leathery long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It's hard to fault a bottle that is only $15, but there is not a lot to love here. Some nondescript dark fruits with floral notes on the nose. Upon tasting though your palate is overwhelmed by acidity. Unintegrated oak and red fruits attempt to fight through. Then there's a rather unpleasant finish that is a bit medicinal.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, cherry, plum, bramble and spice. Ripe black and red fruit, bramble and fine tannins on the palate. Leads to a medium to long finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with sloppy joes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Candied dark red fruit with a hefty dose of acidity and fleshy tannins on the finish. No nuance here - rather boring to be honest. SQN body double per WA? Give me a friggin break.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt NICELY counterbalanced by a very, VERY finely tannic adidity which slowly transitions into a fairly LONG, spicy/swt finish with occasional notes of bitterness. For now (with food) & into '20. My VG-/VG. 94 pts WA [This vendor's $9.95 is at LEAST $1.50 < than anyone else in wine-searcher's HUGE field!]
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark fruit, ripe tannins what’s not to love about his wine! At $11 a btl it’s ridiculously delicious. Don’t over think it, don’t be a snob and downplay Parker’s must have received a bag full of cash for his rating review. It’s a great everyday wine at a wonderful price. Cheers to finding more wines like this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is kind of hard to rate. It is smooth and easy quaffing with almost a consistency and taste of milk. Little fruit to speak of but can taste hints of the grenache fruit in there. Some spicy notes on the nose, but not much in the mouth. Hard to say if this wine is going to get better or not, but who cares it is fun to drink now. Great value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Like many of Eric Solomon's wines, this one is extremely intense and not a bit austere. It's grown and made down around Maury near Perpignan, mostly syrah, the rest grenache. Dark purple, almost black in the glass, vanilla and violet and a bit of leather on the nose, smoked meat and dark fruits (blackberry and black currant) on the silky palate, light tannins, soft finish, lots of charm. 14.5% abv almost covered. Would be amazing with cassoulet. Drink now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple, black fruit nose and palate. Medium-full bodied with mild acid and tannins. I don't see where this vintage rates higher than the last four. Consistently a 90 point good value easy drinker.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine - good value for $15, but in NO way is it comparable to Sin Qua Non. Robert Parker must have been drunk. Again, pretty good for the price but I'm not rushing out to buy more bottles
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine has a very good qpr. Parker gave it a 94 which was an over the top score. Perhaps he was speaking to the quality versus its cost instead of making a statement of what its score is compared to similar wines. Others in my party agreed with this assessment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, raspberry, licorice and bramble. Black and red fruit, licorice, bramble and ripe tannins on the palate. Finishes with very good length. Medium to full bodied. Good QPR. Served with ham.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium deep purplish ruby. Very primary and very “purple” on the nose, with lots of ripe dark fruit aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, and mulberry. There’s really not much else to be found. On the palate, pretty much the same, although there is a little bit of lavender floral flavor that didn’t show up on the nose. Medium-full bodied, pretty well balanced actually as it’s got some acid and a light dusting of tannins and doesn’t come off as overripe or terribly heavy. It’s just that the flavor profile isn’t very interesting. And it also feels a little underdeveloped from a winemaking perspective, as if a litttle oak or a little longer in the tank or something might have given it a bit more depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Took a flyer on a value-selection from the folks at K&L. WA gave it 94--do I care? Not really, but I rarely see a 14-dollar bottle getting scores that high. So I grab 6 bottles before it runs out.
Unmistakable warm-weather Syrah-blend from the south of France. This wine is very floral and ripe, but it still maintains balance with ample acidity and tannins. Enough structure to pair with proteins and enough playfulness to be a standalone sipper. Great QPR. Glad I bought six; but I should have bought a case.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice aromatics on the nose: earth, crushed stone, black cherry, ink, roasted herbs. In the mouth there is pure and deeply pitched mulberry and black cherry fruit, contrasting with a lively acidity. Rather modern in style, reminds me of shiraz from cool high-elevation Victoria (Grampians or Pyrenees). Tannins are present but subsumed by the fruit for the moment. Highly enjoyable now with no regrets for its exuberant fruitiness topped with aromatic complexity. Difficult to predict its evolution; I suspect it may go through a dumb or disjointed phase before developing secondary flavours.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful. Licorice, blackberry, blueberry and garrigue. Warm, with the gentlest, lingering, smooth tannins. I so love these blends of wines brought up in concrete and large, used oak barrels. An incredibly great value. A perfect winter comfort wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful. This has macerated cherries an meat on the nose. Cherries persist on the full palate. The finish lingers. Just opened it offers much but decanting really brings this wine to life. Wonderful with grilled meats and would MAKE duck.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Didn’t take detailed notes but found this to be a solid wine at the QPR. Dark fruit and tannins but didn’t get the gaminess that others mentioned. Quote of the night: “I’ve never had a $12 bottle of wine that was this satisfying.”
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine in no way lives up to the RP score of 94 points, and I really can't see the comparison to Sine Qua Non. I really think this was an incorrect score and really unfair to consumers.
That all being said, the wine isn't bad- it's quite good really. Especially for the $14.00 I paid for it.
Aromas of dark fruits, a bit of earth and garrigue. The mouth follows suit, but lacking the intensity that the nose implies. Full bodied and young, the wine could use a year or a few and I think it would develop some more character. Great QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Abundant game seems to be the hallmark of this wine. Pretty consistent across recent vintages, with a subtle mineral note. Deep, with more savory than sweet flavors. This did open up a bit with a few hours of air, so possibly short term cellaring may be of some benefit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
As everyone is saying, this tastes much better than the price would suggest. Straight out of the bottle, I thought the fruit was overpowering. After decanting, the fruit mellowed out and was more in balance with the acidity and tannins. However, I thought the wine was a rough around the edges. Overall, I don't care for this one but wouldn't complain if I was served this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
70% Syrah / 30% Grenache. PnP. Surprisingly savory after reading some of the professional notes on this wine. The nose gives off some earth, herbs, and a touch of alcohol. Palate is shot through with acidity, has some pencil lead, herbs, lean red fruit, and ends with a slighty grippy alcoholic finish. Linear wine and somewhat flat, but gained slight depth after 30 min. For $12 really cannot complain. Ultimately for me, the wine was more of an interesting taste than truly pleasurable until day 2, when it finally tasted more integrated and discernible in fruit. This very well could have been an off bottle based on how much fruit I expected this to have based on the many tasting notes of others.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Agree with some of the recent reviews here. Excellent QPR (on sale in Chicago for $11 now). Ripe nose of plum, earth and leather. Flavors of cherry, plum and mushroom/earth/umami. Incredibly smooth and much more sophisticated than its price would suggest initially, but fades quickly. Have to agree with the other characterizations as “light” - didn’t stand up too well with a steak. Either way, a fantastic value for an everyday drinker that punches above its weight. Will pick up more to stash away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red to purple in color. Not a big nose, wet stone, grilled meat and cigar on the nose. Much lighter in texture and complexity given the hype ( baby SQN ). Has a nice combination of red and dark fruit, the minerality comes across on the palate. Does have white pepper on the finish. Good Rhone blend, worth the price, but my bottle wasn't up to the hype. Because of the other tasting notes I will give it another go tomorrow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP, with aromas of fresh blackberry, smoked meat and allspice on the nose. Salted dark berry up front on the palate, with smoked beef, olive, and an additional sanguine note connecting through to the finish. Opens further with more air time, and has a satiny mouthfeel with acidity where it's needed. This is an unreal QPR at $13.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Expectation were high going in based on several reviews from friends and one well known critic who decided to compare this wine to SQN. Initial thoughts were a bit lackluster. The wine is deeply colored, filled with big, ripe fruit and the 14.5 % ABV was drinking hot even after being open for a few hours. However, on the second day I began to understand what the hype was about (remember, we're talking about a $13 bottle) and I think the previous reviews describing this as a chateauneuf are spot on. Give this wine some time in the decanter or cellar it for a few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 45 minutes. Joe loved this wine. I feel that it is a bit too young. Medium body. Was expecting something bigger. Hoping this improves with time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow, what a wine for $12. I would've believed it without strong recommendation from acquaintances. Pours very dark (think Petite Sirah) and the midpalate is moutcoating, flavors and finish are blackberry pie and smoked fruit. Its profile and complexity between the big savory fruit and acidity immediately remind me of a Lewis Syrah. Very well done!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing value. Deep purple color. Bursting with aromas of blackberries, wood smoke, and something floral. Silky texture, bold body, long finish. Crisp acidity and grippy tannins in great balance. Opened up during the course of an evening in the glass and just got better and better. Startlingly good at this price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Anca did it again; when I asked her is there anything else that I MUST BUY TODAY. This 2015 Bastide Miraflors is everything you could want, from color, to bouquet, to flavors--very deep and tasty fruits. Complex, but yet an extremely smooth drink--and it's priced right. This lady's recommendations are the best. if you are in South Jersey, you must get in touch with me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great body and long finish. Much better on the second day. Give it time to open up. Well integrated tannins. Beautiful dark fruit. Drinking now and for at least 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very athletic cuveé from Roussillon, 70% syrah and 30% Grenache. Very cool nose of cassis, blackberries, gentle spice, licorice. Medium body, load of freshness. Lifted acidity, ripe but grippy tannins, very long. Juicy dark fruit, vinous, cassis. Great value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
X-Dry. Med acidity. Med- tannin. Med- body. Med- finish
14.5% abv. Medium tears. Medium intensity aromas of blackberry, leather, floral and a hint of brett. Palate is medium bodied with dusty tannins and flavours of dark berries, black pepper and milk chocolate. Good lengthed finish.
This one opened up much more nicely on the 2nd day.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
11/23/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 91 Points
I enjoyed this bottle undecanted over a couple of hours, with tacos and beans and rice. I have had this bottle from numerous vintanges, and this vintage, many times. I was surprised at how fruit forward and vibrant it still is at this stage. I predict it will be in it's prime for another 3-5 years given the initial primary notes and the time it took to open. Initially dark fruit, then a bit of blueberry, then a core of cherry. Constantly evolving. A consistent, sometimes dominant note of spices. I could not identify the spice, but it was very pronounced and very unique. Harmonious, inviting on the nose. I would say it is more inviting and complex on the nose than the mid-palate, at least for me. Very good with food. Probably one of the veyr top wine values of my life. I would recommend buying several cases in a top vintage and starting in year 3-5. The quality and complexity belie this humble appellation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2023 - ckwrites2 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still going strong
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/13/2023 - derekjohn Likes this wine: 91 Points
A really good example of a Southern French red. Lots of Garnacha, no subtlety, a belter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2023 - HU Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last bottle —- and still remarkably drinkable. Somewhat sweet actually, perhaps oaky. Licorice, medium body. Nothing much to write home about, but at this stage and this price, certainly no complaints.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2023 - cgif Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Past peak, immense bottle variation. The average filling seems to be far away from the bottle which WA gave 94 pts to. Even the better bottles I had, were below 90 imho.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2023 - LotionInTheBasket Likes this wine:
Gotta say I like it. And for the money can't be beat and wish I bought more. For the 28% of us still holding on CT, you are sitting on a nice night to come. Very Opaque in the glass between dark garnet and ruby. Thick, weighty; nose leads with red but settles on more blue fruits, cocoa dust, vanilla, a light airy gazpacho (?) note underneath. The front is punchy with red fruits but shifts quickly to a pure blueberry that carries to the middle, skins and all, with moderate acidity and tannin. The finish starts astringent, however brings all the fruits together yet initially disjointed down the back. HOWEVER... fast forward another 2 hours... nothing astringent, smooth with the fruit playing nice, some vanilla, and the tannins softened with acidity playing nice. Solid finish. Smoother and feels like a screaming value that can last for another few years and evolve a bit more to be more integrated. So to the 28% of us still holding, Na Zdrowie.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2023 - GarrettCalifornia wrote:
Tasted this with a friend in 2020. It was amazing and resulted in my purchasing a case.
The case proved very inconsistent from bottle to bottle. Roughly half were excellent. Other bottles were overwhelming brettanomyces. Drank 2021 to 2023.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2022 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still vibrant and full-bodied. Dark fruits and black licorice notes. Ready now. An hour decant recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2022 - Laz4wine wrote: flawed
Not sure what happened with this bottle, suspect secondary fermentation given multiple ‘pops’ over 4 days and the tongue-tingles which have finally subsided. Did not get the great experience others had, but it wasn’t terrible either. So no rating here, simply too odd to judge fairly!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2022 - HU Likes this wine: 91 Points
In an excellent spot right now. Smooth drinker, tannins have melted away. This wine lasted far longer than the stated year range. Great QPR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2022 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still purple without any sign of ageing. Intense and long with blackberries, white pepper, coffee, blueberries and flowers. But dominated by its wall of fruit. Still young and it needs some time in the glass to open, and I can't find a obvious difference to this 3 or 4 years ago. 5/12/17/10. -2030+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2022 - Nguyenning wrote: 90 Points
Drank over three days. Day one: black pepper and tobacco on the nose. Much better after 1.5 hours of air as the oak starts to fade and the berry and pomegranate flavors start to shine through. On day two, tannins mellow out, the juice is much less acidic and even more fruit-forward. Day three: should have finished this on day two. Very flat. I do not recommend drinking this over more than 24 hours.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2022 - Rogena Likes this wine: 90 Points
A pleasure to drink, happy to serve to guests, and the best value I have ever run across.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2022 - ogres3 wrote:
Used for cooking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2022 - Vasily Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose was light earthy and pleasant. Dark color but medium body in the mouth. Plum, dark berries, eggplant, forest, medium tannins, mild oak on finish. Hard to beat for the price ($14).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2021 - daveyk39 wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle of this impressive find from way back in 2017. Has only improved with time. Offers blackcurrant and blackberry, forest floor and white pepper. Medium-full bodied, satin texture, with succulent dark fruit framed by fine-grained tannins. Highly developed; deep and graceful and supple all at once.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2021 - WilD wrote: 90 Points
Best bottle till now. Nice sweet fruit. Great daily drinker.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2021 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
The missus says this was especially good. I'll take her word for it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2021 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine: 88 Points
A lot going on here. Old World on the nose. Notes of earth, dried herbs, black plum, dark cherry, raspberry, and blackberry. Alcohol medium+, tannins medium, acid medium+
With each vintage, this wine represents an exceptional value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2021 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent choice for a Husband/Wife Happy Hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2021 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bold and young. Black cherry. Can age a little more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2021 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Plum aromas. Pleasant red fruit, light bodied, medium low acidity. Fruit leather and mild tannins on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2021 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always a deep dark decadent delight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2021 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious, initially felt quite sweet, with a bubble gum like feel to the aroma. This wore off quickly to reveal a nice medium body wine that has a nice combo of savory & fruit notes. A very good drinking wine and a great price for the quality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2021 - turing_machine Does not like this wine:
Nope
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2021 - mac-eye Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite pleasant to drink. Tannins are very soft, allowing the fruit to shine. Blue fruits, slightly sweet. Quite well balanced. On a pleasant-to-drink scale, about 92 - 93. Not complex nor terribly interesting. Now, at 5 1/2 years of age, this could be a real crowd pleaser. It should hold up like this for a few more years. If I remember correctly, the 2016 was rather hard a couple of years ago, wonder how they will compare now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2021 - Atlantean wrote: 89 Points
Took 30 minutes to open up. Not very complex but a nice finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2021 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 91 Points
This NY's weekend we played Happy Hour with this bottle. Snacks, dips, pizza, and the piece d' resistance left over sliced Filet Mignon. All Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2020 - VoVo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Amazing QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
These empty bottles keep showing up for me to review. Someone must like this. Think our supply is dwindling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2020 - turing_machine Does not like this wine:
Too sweet
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2020 - derekjohn Likes this wine: 89 Points
A simple, fairly one-dimensional, but excellently executed southern French red. Immediately likeable, all too gluggable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pacifier for the missus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2020 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Earthy and somewhat bitter, blueberry, cherry pie, tar, scorched earth. Tannic and dry despite a quick 30 minute decant. Pleasant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2020 - jackaroo wrote: 90 Points
Has class and intensity. Went well with ham and cheese sandwiches. What more could you expect from an everyday wine? Always a good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2020 - smcisaac Likes this wine: 88 Points
Enjoyed this with braised short ribs in a slightly sweet gravy, although I think the fruitiness and soft tannins of the wine were not the best pairing. Something more acidic like a Sangiovese might have offset the richness of the meat and sweetness of the gravy a little better. I didn't get as much 'wow' from this bottle as some of the other reviewers -- perhaps it was an off bottle or a poor food pairing -- but it was quite quaffable nevertheless.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2020 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle and it is really good. A mouthful of sweet red and blue fruit, coating the tongue. Nice finish, with a hint of earth and tar. Silky smooth texture.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another one bites the dust.
The missus had finished half the bottle. Then a friend was in town for the member guest tournament at Oakmont, and after two nice bottles of wine he sucked down the last of the Bastide as I watched with amusement.
Must be similar to the $19 pinot that 4 wall-streeters thought was a $2000 Mouton Rothschild.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2020 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just great stuff and killer QPR, liked this better than a 2016, although I liked both (2016 I gave a 93.)
A lot of beautiful blue/purple fruits, not quite "black" fruit but a lot of very dark blueberry, sugar plum, some black licorice, but showing a distinct freshness that the 2016 lacked. Nose is powerful and candied, but also pretty airy and almost floral. Not a lot of character beyond the fruit, but it's about as good as fruit can get for $12 wine.
Palate had a perfectly good amount of acidic energy to balance the big fruit, not a laser beam or anything but a solid medium at least- good amount of tannins too, and it seems to be expressive and balanced enough for aging, although it obviously doesn't need it.
Not the most complex wine, and sometimes spending just a few more dollars will net you a lot more complexity, but definitely hard to beat in terms of pure deliciousness for the price. I will say it was better on night 1, still enjoyable on second day but the initial burst of fruit is the best part.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/27/2020 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always enjoyable; especially with a Holiday dinner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The missus seemed to enjoy.
Same as it ever was.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2020 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 89 Points
I'm on the fence with this one. The last bottle scored a 90 but this one was just a touch softer, less focused, still savory but more pillowy, less structured. As its an Eric Solomon European Cellars Selection (he's one of "those" who often has the producer make a special blend to his particular specifications and therefore a-typical of what is really going on in the place - I get it, he has to sell the stuff) its tough to know if this was pushed forward since he "knew" that 95% of his buyers would be drinking this within 48 hours of purchase, or its just starting to fall apart on its own.... Still at 5 years old its a nice glass of wine (well done Eric) but I wouldn't put much stock in keeping it longer. I have 3 more bottles and plan on drinking them within the next year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2020 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was consistently good compared to the other bottles I have had. Just based on the shear volume of tasting notes for this it would appear to be quite a popular wine. And why not, given the price and the comparatively excellent quality for that price it makes a lot of sense. I like the cherry fruit mixed with the touches of pepper that are present. There is a slight hint of smoke [maybe smoked meat?] that I get in this as well. A very enjoyable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Chalk up another for the missus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2020 - Pimenta Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cada vez melhor
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 92 Points
Again, there is major bottle variation on these. Fortunately this one killed on both night one and two. Drinks at three or so times it’s cost.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2020 - WilD wrote: 89 Points
Nice decent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2020 - VoVo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hard to overstate the QPR for this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2020 - Vasily Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super value. Very good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2020 - daveyk39 wrote: 93 Points
2020: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2020-12/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): Been a year since I last tried this QPR monster from the 2015 vintage. Has continued to evolve positively and I think is in a fantastic window for consumption right now. Medium ruby color. Aromas of blackberry, red currant, smoke, game, with hints of thyme and truffle. Satin texture, full-bodied, with red and black fruit on the palate, along with echoes of the game and truffle and a spicy lift in the finish. Tannins are resolved at this point, but maintain a chalky firmness that provides a frame for the wine.
Dark, dense and earthy and I'm very glad I have a few more.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2020 - slabslovin Likes this wine: 93 Points
The quality is ridiculous at this price. Smooth, silky nice flavor.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2020 - Pimenta Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfeito, no ponto de abrir. Equilibrado, aromático e com boa acidez.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2020 - VoVo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Always a solid wine. You can't beat it for the price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2020 - rand wise Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine. Bold fruit flavor; rich, chewy texture.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - ogres3 wrote:
Still keeps the missus happy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2020 - cgif wrote: 85 Points
I can confirm the variation between bottles. Had a few of the 2015 vintage in the beginning which were between excellent and outstanding. Then ordered two batches at a later stage. Those were rather between good and very good. My wine trader also confirmed this for other Lafage wines. Due to the lack of reliability in quality I won't buy any more wines from Lafage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 91 Points
Seems to be some bottle variation with the four or five I’ve had. This one was excellent with sweet red fruit offset but plenty of smoked meat, herbs and Asian spice. Grenache is what is really dominating now. Drinks like a $25-30 bottle so it’s solid but won’t necessarily blow you away. Likely holds strong another year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2020 - AAJR Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consumed over 2 nights - solid QPR given the $12 price tag
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2020 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
A true 90. Plenty of color, fruit, and taste. Maybe it's just a selfish opinion, but my inventory is a great relief during these shelter-in-place times. A great daily agenda--take a Walk; open a bottle. Great exercise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2020 - myofin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened another bottle two years after my last comment. Nice! I am glad that I waited. The wine now leaps out of the glass with dusty Mediterranean herbs, pastilles, and juicy cherry fruit. A touch of black olive is added on a mid weight palate, the wine is well integrated, and lip smacking juicy. So fun to drink! Will look for recent vintages and buy a case.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 92 Points
While perhaps over-scored by RP, this is excellent, drinkable and ready.
Raspberry and smooth black fruits on the palate. Soft tannins. Enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2020 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very similar to previous bottles. A really nice drinkable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2020 - nfurlong Likes this wine: 88 Points
garnet color; black cherry and pepper on the nose; rich chewy black fruit with black pepper notes. Better on day 2.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consumed by the missus.
Seems to keep her happy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2020 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 90 Points
Nice! This GS(no M) blend was dark rich fruit and smooth tannins with lots of savory and garrigue undertones. Deft touch - could have turned into something much more syrupy but instead remained balanced. Long finish. Alcohol is 14.5% but wasn't evident. Good PQR (QPR? whatever).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2020 - slubgob Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank with spaghetti and meatballs. Not the greatest pairing, but felt like cracking a better bottle so there we are. At first underwhelming, flat with med stone fruit notes. After 90m or so, blueberry and ripe cherry emerge, both with dark chocolate covering. Soft, lush but not juicy or overwhelming. Very mild tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2020 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Once some air blew the alcohol off this was a very enjoyable syrah blend. Tart blueberries and raspberries on top of blackberry jam flavors. Medium long finish. Nice structure. Light tannins. (Time in the glass took this from a 90 to a 92.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2020 - yatchisin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still needs it's time--almost better day 2. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, garrigue.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2020 - Giorgos F. wrote: 85 Points
Ok nice characteristics lots of berries and similar notes on the nose. Initially very tart with some rogue acidity took some time to settle and reveal a dry moderately tannic profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2020 - ogres3 wrote: 89 Points
A pounder for the missus. She seems to think it adequate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2020 - _Al_Gore_Rhythm_ wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle of two. I enjoyed my first bottle of this wine just over a year ago. Did a quick splash decant back into the bottle on Day 1, and parked the bottle into the fridge.
Day 2: Plush mixed berries on the nose with a little of a sanguine element. Full and mouth-coating body with dusty but relatively unobtrusive tannins. Enough acidity to carry the day. Blackberry, dark plum, and raspberry fruit on the palate with bacon fat and mocha/dark chocolate flavors. Like my previous bottle, really tasty.
Slightly different tasting notes compared to my previous bottle, but by and large the wine was consistent. Regardless, this wine is just as great as I remembered and represents a no-brainer bargain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2020 - Baudelaire Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quite good in the glass and as a sauce ingredient with shallots, butter, and steak juices.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last bottle of this vintage. While I have never gotten WA's 94 rating, it is a QPR star! It seemed a little simple, compared to the 2014 vintage. Very fruit forward. Medium length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2019 - Bordeaux 2013 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent QPR! Last glass was the best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2019 - j.rosenblatt wrote:
Purple flowers on the nose, along with blueberry, black cherry, raspberry. Confirmed on the palate. Rich, ripe, smooth. Sweet fruit offset by present but not harsh tannins. Very good, excellent value
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2019 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
Good red and black fruit, tar, graphite, tannins. Good wi5 Mamoun’s food, hummus, lamb shwarma, roast chicken. Probably even better with more time.
Good qpr for $13 / bottle.
Drink or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2019 - schicker-not Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very nice bottle for 13 bucks. Consistently good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2019 - Gcashman wrote: 88 Points
Ripe, jammy, blue fruit. Full bodied. Still has life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2019 - Vinomazing Likes this wine:
2nd bottle down, on a whim for dinner w/ pizza & salad, only able to open 6 hours prior to get air and regret not having time to decant. This one certainly may not be some peoples style but get the feeling some are not allowing it to open properly. 1st bottle 11/2018 reached peak and finally integrated on day 3. Def drinks better than most $13 wines, even tonight. Keeping to a score of original 92 as has not changed, not going anywhere fast, still has full potential. Patience and planning the opening before serving can be rewarded.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2019 - Poisey wrote: 87 Points
Notes of strawberry, graphite, roasted meats, rubber and tar. Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Disjointed on the finish and a little hot. Integrated firm tannin. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2019 - Margaux Bro Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a $14 wine that drinks like a $14 wine. Don't let the RP94 fool you.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Continues to keep me in the good graces of the missus.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2019 - ddmhunter wrote: 93 Points
This definitely will have a longer drinking window then shown. It took and an hour + in the glass before it opened up, wow what a difference when it did. The complexity of the fruit and finish is well worth the wait!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wife and mother-in-law enjoyed - a pounder, but they were happy. Should probably bump it up a few points just for that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2019 - whudock Likes this wine: 90 Points
still very fruit forward, but enough structure to balance well and pair with food. Good acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is a HUGE #
I'm not a particular fan of where it comes from; but good, is good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2019 - YackAttack213 wrote:
4*
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/22/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine:
Keeps the missus happy. Still drinking "well" a week after opening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2019 - KingSlacker999 wrote:
Purple, really purple. Dense, very fruit forward. Well made wine nonetheless. Not my preference. Others certainly like it better than me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2019 - HU wrote: 90 Points
Sept 2019: It is not a dense side: just light to medium bodied. But it has an elegant taste, a bit of length and enjoyable to sip the last drops in the glas. Great QPR. Great for drinking on cooler spring or fall days, when a light sweater might be called for. Grade 90.
May 2021: Didn’t like it all that much this time around. I actually poured out the last glass, drank another wine instead. I am hoping it was just the mood, weather, bottle, but perhaps the wine is simply no longer as tasty as it once was. Grade 87.
October 2021: tasting fine, again! There may be bottle variation or perhaps the wine just went through a dull phase. Open the bottle, wait perhaps 15 minutes or more, then drink. Even better after a bit more time or the next day or two. Spices, minerals, earth. Good everyday drinker. Grade 90, perhaps even 91.
Overall grade: 90.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2019 - Caruso Likes this wine: 94 Points
Purple. According to the opinion of some professional tasters this is leaving its optimal drinking window in ca. 2021. From my warmer than textbook cellar, were it is since early 2018, it still shows no sign of evolution or aging. Still rich and fruity with great complexity adding with time in the glass or after decant, but it is still dominated by its walls of fruit concentration that lingers for minutes after swallowing. Drunk at correct temperatures it hides his alcohol levels easily. Of course it is great to drink right now, but I suggest a longer drinking window. Still a baby for me. -2030 + in a cool cellar. 5/12/17/10
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is your low priced bottle of the year. Either this one, or 2016 is not to be missed--tastes like a $30 bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2019 - VoVo Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is the most amazing QPR wine you could ever hope for. Still has bottle age on it - or you can drink it now and enjoy it. We certainly did tonight!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2019 - sam_rosato@hotmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
3rd time I have had this wine, great value
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2019 - mazik wrote:
Over the hill. Possibly heat damaged (not in my wine cooler through July).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2019 - Jzizzle Likes this wine: 90 Points
I see why people get excited about this, especially for the price. There is lots of muscular dense fruit in here--great intensity--along with a potpourri of chalk, herb, smoke, and nicely balanced acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2019 - Alberto Meyer wrote: 89 Points
Top
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine:
Great with any foods--take that to the bank.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Remains a great QPR pounder.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
7/8/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 86 Points
The fruit has completely faded from here. Drinks like an entry level Côte Du Rhône now. Paid $12 and that’s pretty much how it drinks.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
STILL love it!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2019 - BigChalice Likes this wine: 90 Points
Agree with other tasters -- great QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2019 - slywka7 wrote: 88 Points
Worst showing yet for this wine. Popped it right after I brought it out of the cellar so it was definitely was too cool. Figured it would come around once it warmed up. It didn’t. None of the bright fruit from the initial bottle. Not sure why this is fading so bad.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2019 - daveyk39 Likes this wine: 92 Points
90m air. Medium/Deep Purple color. Very fragrant, with blackberry, red currant, a hint of blueberry, forest floor and potting soil. Very earthy at this stage. Lovely satin texture, medium-full body, edgy, with supple tannins. Dark fruit and earthy, with a fractional spicy lift in the finish. Everything well integrated at this stage, letting this dark and powerful wine really show it's stuff. Thinking this will be at its best for the next 3-5 years, so I will stretch the remaining bottles out over that time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2019 - Winowhyno wrote: 87 Points
$14 Syrah that drinks like a $25 Syrah...not bad...not great...long and lasting finish...too long and lasting....
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/24/2019 - EvanBrunello Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very deep ruby colour nose of blackberry tobacco and leather complex mouth feel savoury but with dark fruits and elegant finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2019 - Pimenta Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ótima estrutura, acidez no ponto certo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2019 - derekjohn Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dense dark purple-red. Good nose: leather, dry rose petals, pepper, an undercurrent of moist tobacco, a wisp of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied; tannins present but softening; leather again and pepper, some dried red/black fruits. Not as complex or as many-layered as a CdP or even a Gigondas; but an excellent full-on S.French red with an excellent QPR. 94 points awarded professionally seems a little OTT.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2019 - Bordeaux 2013 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Give it some time after opening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Same as it ever was...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/2/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had this with my wine group at a Turkish restaurant. We all liked it, but it was the least favorite of the 4 reds we had. Huge QPR, it is a bargain for the price. My third bottle and I still don't see WA's 94 point score.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another bottle consumed by the wife with gusto. Very solid but not special.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2019 - Iam Redwood wrote: 93 Points
- Ruby color - All the reviews are true. On the lighter side but lots of depth to this wine. The Grenache adds lighter red fruits and the proportions are well suited. Didnt let it breath and it didnt disappoint. The next will definitely not be rushed.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2019 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Clear deep purple with no sediments/suspensions
Intense yet simple nose of ripe blackberries, violets and macadamia nuts
Relatively high acidity, supple tannin, medium bodied, a touch of sweetness on the palate, flavour of ripe blueberry jam, sweet finish of medium length
Personally, the wine is too simple to receive the 94 RP accolade, and it does not have the sense of restraint and complexity of French wine.
Postscrpt: the wine gains complexity of rasberries, bacon, and garrigue, as well as funkiness with two hours in glass. Drinkers should decant this wine.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2019 - Drew Family Cellar wrote: 89 Points
Nose: Blackberries and cassis. Dark fruit. Stewed berries.
Taste: blackberries, oak, pie, tobacco medium long finish
High alcohol
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2019 - tbabes wrote: 90 Points
Notes of crisp bacon, ripe black fruits, spice box and loamy earth. Medium to full bodied, quite fruit forward and easily accessible, but with good focus and grip. Can’t do better for $12.95!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
Best under $20 ever.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2019 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Aromatic nose of blackberry, black cherry, garrigue and licorice. Black fruit, garrigue, forest floor and fine tannins on the palate. Finishes with good length. Full bodied. A very good QPR. Served with pizza.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2019 - afields Likes this wine:
2/20/2019 at home. Pnp the nose is a bit closed but syrah for sure, black fruit and some bell pepper. Palate also fairly closed, black fruit again, black pepper with just a hint of Garrigue, high acid, soft tannin. With half an hour or so the Grenache comes out more and it becomes earthier/loamier, the acid calms down some, more like a CdR. Continues to improve with air, I would open this early or decant. Good wine, and for the $13 I paid, very good. Will likely buy again. 6.5+/10
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2019 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Holy cow this wine is flat out fabulous! Needed just about 15 mins of airtime and and it was amazing from start to finish. 5 Star QPR for sure. Case buy if you can get it. Food friendly to say the least. Syrah and Grenache. Drinks like a $25 bottle easily. Paid $13.99 IIRC.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2019 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great QPR! The richness of fruit, balance of fruit, acid, tannins bring this wine together seamlessly. While I'm sure it will survive longer, drink sooner to fully enjoy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2019 - piedmoose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great food wine. Slightly earthy nose, with solid well balanced body. Great now!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2019 - pmk wrote: 90 Points
juicy, ripe, the grenache comes through but followed by the hint of spice and more from the syrah. Very food friendly, ready to go.I have one more to enjoy. DRINK NOW and enjoy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 91 Points
I liked this much better than my previous bottle. Maybe at this price point, there is a lot of bottle variation? A big hit with my wine group at a Turkish restaurant. It is highly fruit driven. Medium length finish. I don't see WA's 94 point rating, but for the price, I have no complaints.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2019 - BcDuncan Likes this wine: 89 Points
lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2019 - downpantera Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had with ratatouille and brioche, went well. Moderately fruit forward plum and peppery spice notes and violet floral aromas. Would definitely buy again.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2019 - kcnikunj wrote: 85 Points
The syrah dominates the grenache. The finish is flat. Maybe with something else to eat (flatbread with fennel; peppers and sausage).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2019 - mkates2000 wrote: 87 Points
Very new world. Some structure deep purple notes. Lots of syrah a but heavy handed lacks the softening or depth I would want to stock up at this QPR. That being said it ain't bad.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2019 - Clark W Griswold Likes this wine: 87 Points
Double decant. Opened up over about 4 hours. Fruit forward with chocolatey notes. Good for the money.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2019 - ulyon wrote: 87 Points
Very new world wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2019 - AttorneyZim Likes this wine: 90 Points
Berries, oak, spice, longer finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2019 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice aroma and taste right out of the bottle. Tried again the next night and it was still holding up well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2019 - Quarked wrote: 88 Points
Drank over two nights. Went very well with food. But on its own it was a little too acidic and tannins a little too rough. No appreciable improvement on second night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2018 - _Al_Gore_Rhythm_ wrote: 90 Points
Day 1: Based on the notes here, I took one sip and packed the bottle away for Day 2. Loads of raspberry and a touch of iron on the nose. Palate is extremely tight.
Day 2: Decanted for about two hours. Got some forest floor accents added onto the nose. The wine softened considerably overnight and became much more accessible. Red (raspberry) and black (blackberry and black currant) fruit, black pepper, and bacon fat flavors. Some glycerin to this; full in the mouth. Dusty tannins and good acidity.
Gotta say, this is great for a "value-priced" wine. Gonna plan on hanging onto my remaining bottle for another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2018 - Nyrican wrote: 88 Points
Had with Ricotta Cheese Spicy Grape Crostini Drinks well for a $16.00 wine not sure I would give it a 90 or 89. Lacks depth and not well balanced. Lots of acid not bad but not great. Guess Im expecting too much given my prior bottle of Grenache was a Gigondas.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2018 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Totally Old World, flavorful but not overpowering. Fantastic QPR at the $14 I paid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2018 - Jamesgold Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with other notes. Needs time to open. Definitely better on day 2.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2018 - merryberry Likes this wine: 89 Points
Translucent magenta color. Sage, leather, and grape lifesaver nose. Light to medium bodied, dirty blueberries, pepper, black cherries, very dusty tannins, a bit of burn, and a medium finish. I think I made it sound like a hot mess, but it was really pretty good and a great value at the Costco price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2018 - MBusk wrote: 90 Points
Hedonistic and warm, this is a wine composed in the bass clef, with lots of licorice melting through the dark berry flavors. This became looser and more friendly after two nights, and I suspect might improve with a short-term cellaring. Jeb's 94 in the Wine Advocate seems a little overblown, but this is certainly tasty, and a great QPR in the $14 range.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2018 - Androurse Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, black currant (cassis) and cinnamon. It tastes like blackberry, black currant (cassis), raisin, cinnamon and oak. The body is full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2018 - VoVo Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is a delicious, well structured Syrah. For the QPR you can´t beat it. It has a lot of age left on it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2018 - chrischap01 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice balance of dark fruit and acidity. Very good QPR, solid weeknight sipper!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2018 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened and decanted one hour. Dark ruby colour. Lovely rich nose and palate of blackcurrants, hedgerow fruits and spice. Full bodied, long. Great match for slow roasted pork. Drinking perfectly now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2018 - steelmind75 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfect w a high quality surf and turf
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2018 - yatchisin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not quite as much a knockout as the first bottle, but still and delicious and seductive without going over-the-top. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, garrigue. Give it time to open up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 94 Points
Purple with small intense pink rim. Intense fruity nose right from the start even though it is a bit cold from the cellar at 16°C which is 57° F. Though intense it shows good complexity as the fruit changes with every sniff, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries. On the palate aromas of smoke, meat and tar add complexity. Unbelievable long for its pedigree. It is that plus of concentration and purity without heaviness that puts this apart from the oceans of very good but not excellent wines from southern france. This hasn't changed or developed over the last 8 month and I don't expect this for the next years. I believe more and more that this has great aging ability. Maybe I'm wrong time will tell. But I have to discipline myself not to consume this completely over the next few years. 5/13/17/9 -2030
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2018 - Slammin Sammie Likes this wine: 88 Points
Quite nice and affordable. Well balanced wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2018 - 54ver Likes this wine: 91 Points
Visual- opaque full bodied purple, medium legs
Aromas- light fruity, ripe pear, vanilla
Palate - peppery, full bodied, balanced acidity, medium dry, cranberry
Paired with pan seared filet mignon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2018 - Vinomazing Likes this wine: 92 Points
Day #3 bliss. Everything came together finally for a beautiful end result and much awaited 3 day prior corking (thanks to HUH's helpful TN). So soft, round, balanced and smooth with flavors integrated so well for a wine at this price-point, and the tad sweetness that one could find initially dissipated into the now ever-rounded wine. So different from Day 1 and 2. Should last more years and will enjoy remaining 5 over next 2-4 years. Give it the proper decant or open days before and ye shall understand. Have found with many from this region they need serious air to get past the initial stages of development. Similar has occurred with the $10 Red Coast opened earlier this year; the proper wait is worth the integrate. Before serving: corked @ 40 hours prior, had a test glass to let more air in day 2, and left uncorked about 6-7 hours total various times.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2018 - Bebum Likes this wine: 87 Points
Deep red-brown with purple hues, crystal clear.
Beautiful nose, fruity, chocolate notes.
Medium body, moderately intense flavor, good structure and tannin maturity, high heat level, long aftertaste, flavorful finish.
Dry, adequate acidity.
Juicy, grapes, plums, vanilla, blackberries, blueberries, .
Very enjoyable, not a big wine, just right for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2018 - Vinomazing wrote:
Test glass 18 hours from open. HUH’s TN is spot on for me to agree with, cannot beat that well put 3 day description (being on day 2 myself). Set to serve with some other wines tomorrow, will post more if see fit then. If you like the Roussillon region normally then you will enjoy this...pleasant finish...$13...nuff said.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2018 - Huh wrote: 91 Points
Many notes are spot on here. Primary fruit for me is raspberry with smoke and herbs and that syrah iron mineral note. As many have said this was tight and unyielding upon opening to the point where I was disappointed with the score and hype this was given.
BUT on day 2 I started to get the "Rhone" flavor, the ripeness and the fruit. I don't get the "sweetness" or "fakeness" others have spoken about. It is modern but I don't get fakeness or overt sweetness.
Tonight on day 3 it is balanced with raspberry flavors, smoke, mild pepper, medium body and a finish that has strong grip and length.
I'm drinking it colder say around 57 degrees and I like it this way. RP mentioned Sine Qua Non and I think he stretched it there. When I taste Sine Qua Non there is deep Ca ripeness, bigger alcohol and sweetness of fruit. Big full body and mouth filling sweet fruit. If there is a parallel it is the "heady", "seamless", "ever changing" quality of this wine to Sine Qua Non.
If I worked in a liquor store I would introduce a wine drinker who likes Ca Syrah Grenache type wines to the French style with this wine...
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
11/15/2018 - David J Cooper wrote: 88 Points
Too ripe for me, horrible with food but ok on it's own. Roasted ripe plum and smoke. Dry balanced palate and a dry finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2018 - lpettet Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Fair.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2018 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 85 Points
Given that your rating scale is 80-85 for good and 86-89 for very good, we are giving this a 85, at the top end of "good". This was a purchase from K & L wines...a Syrah/Grenache blend from Cotes de Roussillon. It had a fair amount of complexity, but was on the lighter side, so it lacked a tad of fruit forwardness that would have merited a higher rating.
Given the style (lighter) and the depth, this would be a good substitute if you were looking and serving a Pinot with dinner but wanted a different red. It is good. DRINK NOW. See this going downhill pretty fast.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/7/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 89 Points
Nice mouthfeel and depth upfront with plenty of purple fruit, roasted/stewed red fruit, smoke, and glycerin. Still it comes across as a value wine with a tart artificial sugar note and a little thin/watery on the finish. Also a good amount of purple coloring rubs off on your lips. In line with Delas Saint-Esprit just more modern.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2018 - mzmijewski wrote: 89 Points
Solid wine. Mouth filling and balanced. A little more fruit would be nice.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great QPR, decent table wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2018 - InrigWine wrote:
Not our favorite, decent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2018 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Aromas of raspberry, chocolate grenache, roasted herbs and flowers. Very expressive nose. Flavors of cherry tart, raspberry, coffee, herb and a note of game. Ends with a finish of 20-25 seconds with herb and coffee notes. Not quite as good as the last time I had it but still fantastic for the money. May open up as I'm drinking it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2018 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
This offering is two different wines. Prior to decant it’s tight, alcoholic and not very expressive. With a vigorous decant it offers bushels of black and blue fruits and some secondary notes of toast, anise and dust. Leave it out on the counter uncorked for a few days and then put it in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving. Great QPR.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2018 - bjschmitt wrote: 87 Points
With mojo-marinated skirt steak, baked potato, roast carrots.
Wine was nothing special - went with the meal, and a reasonably good value. A bit one-dimensional.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2018 - macaujames wrote: 91 Points
Has aromas of raspberries, flowers, cherries, chalk and spice. Its punchy medium bodied longilinear yet concentrated opulent and elegant blue fruits and spice palate ends really long and crunchy. 14.5%. Needs a couple of hours aeration. Impressive QPR at around 12 Euros. Could be laid down for 3-5 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2018 - aknot13 wrote: 88 Points
Grapes: 70 % Syrah, 30% Grenache
Color: cherry red, little evolution.
Nose: Candied dark and red fruits, vanilla, garrigue, some alcohol.
Mouth: ripe red berries, raspberry almost sweet fruit, medium- acidity, medium- body, tannic finish (7 sec). Excellent QPR. Drink now - 88 pt.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2018 - Purple Tooth wrote: 91 Points
Ho Ho Hold your horses...I rated this as an 88 previously and now I understand that I did not give it enough air. When it gets 2 hours of air it gets into a totally strong and funky zone with scorched earth and vibrant fruit character. After 4 hours it seemed to be settling down and lose that middle term punch. At times it reminded me of a young bordeaux. Its still a bit sweet for my taste, but its clearly a steal for 12 bucks! Drink and be merry.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/9/2018 - Purple Tooth wrote: 88 Points
Not bad, not as good as they say. This is a nice drinker or party wine to serve after dinner. Its showing some rustic tones like those found in Chilean, though this is Syrah and Granache. I would say this can get allot better or worse with 3 years in the bottle, but for the QPR, this is a drinker. Drink
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2018 - HOS wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Aus ju, herbs, currant. Medium bodied, good finish. Really like this style. Should last a few years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2018 - patwjr wrote: 91 Points
Tasted 1 glass while decanting rest of bottle for 1 hour; drank over 2 hours. Decanting opened the wine, added weight. A delicious, fruity, drink now or soon - great value for $14.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2018 - PeterFromThePan wrote: 88 Points
This was my second bottle. Drank it over 3 days and it held up well over that time frame. Very meaty & grippy texture with strong dark fruit. I feel like people tend to rate this wine higher only because it's such an attractive price point. However, I think it should be rated by how it tastes not how much it costs. Over all, it was interesting to try. If you are into higher quality syrah's, you'll be disappointed.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/1/2018 - rsct2001 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice Syrah/Grenache blend. A bit "over hyped". But hard to beat at ~$16 a bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2018 - Peter Kleban Likes this wine:
**
(Actually, these two bottles were drunk over several days. They hold up well on the counter for a day or two.)
Nicely blended wine with a bright (old vines Grenache) and dark (Syrah) side that complement each other very well. Excellent length, drinks beautifully. And it's a screaming bargain ($13)
12/1/18:
Another bottle, just as good. Went very well with roast/stewed chicken with mushroom, wine and a bit of tomato sauce.
1/13/19:
Another one, great again. It's so bright and cheerful! Love the way it goes down.
2/1/19 & 2/12/19:
Consistent. This is great stuff!
3/27/19:
Another one, just as good.
4/21/19:
Even better this time. Such quality! This is getting close to ***
4/25/19
Yum! Does this go down easy.
5/30/19, 6/5/19:
What more can I say?
5/21/20:
What a difference a year (or almost) makes. This has gotten darker, more serious, more powerful. Still drinks beautifully, just not a bright as previous bottles.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2018 - LEEJV123 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Medium light, too much Grenache, fresh
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
The bottle just reeks of quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2018 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, cherry and garrigue. Red and black fruit, underbrush and dried herbs on the palate. Finishes with good length. Full bodied. Served with grilled cheeseburgers.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2018 - Barolo Drunkard Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine rocks. Super value. Simple as that
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2018 - jmull Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a “wow” wine when price is considered. Savory and peppery, with ample fruit. Really lush mouthfeel. Took a bit of swirling to coax the aromas out of it and tannins are evident on the finish, so i suspect more time will be rewarded. 91+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2018 - Bodyfxr wrote: 91 Points
Decanted, aerated and filtered. Still very young with a nose of red and dark fruits and a little bit of funk. Had with tangerine flavored dark chocolate. Joe loves this wine. Phenomenal Apr at $12-14/750 ml bottle. Tangy and tannic. Medium to full bodied and still a bit too tannic for my liking. The chocolate tamed that issue. Could use more time, unfortunately I won't know since this was my last bottle.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2018 - Mahaneys Likes this wine: 90 Points
The 3rd bottle we bought back in January at Bin
Tastes better as it opens up.
Will look to buy again
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2018 - JimTaft Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this, great value. Will buy again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2018 - gsiokis wrote: 89 Points
I really want to like this wine but I can't. Opened this 2.5-3 hours and left in the cellar to open up. I then used my aerator and still I struggle with this wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
8/20/2018 - ziavino wrote: 91 Points
This was one of the very best values I had in 2017, and I've been looking forward to trying it again. First bottle I've had in over 9 months, and it's interesting to note how different it is now. After a short decant, the nose is more muted than last year, showing light aromas of raspberry and tar, and a skosh of smoked pork. Sweet raspberry and milk chocolate notes lead the way on the palate, with a faraway tar note in the background. There's also light barnyard and bacon fat notes providing lift on the finish. Acidity is on the lighter side initially, but becomes more prominent with extended air time. Oak is more noticeable, but not intrusive. The cast of flavors is the same, just showing a thinner version tonight. Still an outstanding wine for 13 bucks.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2018 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Fairly Dark but clear and bright. Intense nose of berry and black cherry fruit with hints of pepper and smoke. Delicious textured black berry and cassis flavours and a Rich dry finish.
Very good wine that reminds me of a Quinta de Crasto Reserva.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2018 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of bacon fat, boysenberry, game and raspberry. Flavors of bacon fat, raspberry, earth and chocolate. Ends with a big 30 second finish with raspberry and chocolate. I had my doubts about this wine (never had it before) but must admit it is fabulous for the price.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2018 - Cosmo M. Likes this wine: 89 Points
Blueberry, vanilla, cassis, toasty oak, hint of smoked meat. Moderate tannin. Fresh, bright acidity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2018 - pkpjoe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Violets. Blue berries. Lavender. Very nice qpr
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2018 - WimHH Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good PQR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2018 - Cosmo M. Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bacon, blackberry, cassis, smoke. Peaked about 2 hours after opening, fell off a bit second day (to my surprise as I thought the wine would still be on the younger side).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2018 - daveyk39 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gave 90m air, double-decanted and drank on Day 2. Complex bouquet, with aromas of petroleum, dark cherry, sweet tomato, sage, umami. Silky texture with dark berries on entry, umami joining in the mid-palate, and structured tannins propping up the finish. Lovely integration from start to finish, bold flavors. Punches well above it's weight. Will hold the rest for another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2018 - rawdealbuffy Likes this wine: 87 Points
Fruit forward, stewed and ripe berries. Some vanilla and butterscotch. Baking spice on the nose. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ body.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine:
Another one downed by the missus. She must like it because she keeps drinking them.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2018 - Mahaneys Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent blend
Higher price point but very nice
Good price at Bin 66
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2018 - Julesdacruiser Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great dark fruit with a decent length. Great value
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2018 - jonflo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very fruity wine which was in beginning quite close. High expectations couldnt be fulfilled -in the beginning. Needed 1h decant but than it came: Full of fruit, chocolate and sensity. Really nice and with the time the fruity changed to a mellow, heavy wine. For those 14 bucks! Just great
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine:
Best under $20 bottle ever.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2018 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Bu en succ.
Souple et épicé, un peu concentré en ce moment!
Nez floral et épicé avec des fruits noirs.
Mures et cassis, un peu de garrigue avec des tannins charnus.
Finale de longueur moyenne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2018 - yatchisin wrote: 93 Points
Brought to a 4th of July BBQ and was so good I tried to hog as much of it for myself as I could. Profound and delicious and seductive without going over-the-top. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, garrigue. Give it time to open up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2018 - dulcamara wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - At $13/bottle this is a great value. Aroma is weak right out of the bottle. May get better with air. I'm happy.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Semi-translucent dark maroon; warm plum, plush berry fruit, inviting, no reduction, fig, soft herbs; nice texture, not overly extracted, nice mix of red and darker fruit, lots of raspberry and plum; very pleasant and crowd pleasing.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2018 - Tefal wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Great QPR. See the many other tasting notes for details
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2018 - Bodyfxr wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half and was still pretty tight on the nose. It seemed to open up some what after another hour or so. This wine showed itself to be somewhat on the austere side. It got a bit bigger and bolder with time. Brambly plum up front with graphite and some spice on the finish. Great qpr. I'm going to hold onto my last bottle to see where this wine goes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2018 - Mahaneys Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice blend
Above our price point but nice sale at Bin 66 makes it affordable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2018 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gave this a pretty vigorous decant, in my opinion this wine really benefits from a lot of air. After several hours it started to open with notes of baked raspberry cobbler and brambly blue/black fruit on the nose. Plum and notes of graphite start the palate, it's round and mouth coating, starting sweet but finishing with a nice peppery spice. There's an herbal note through the finish as well and everything just lingers.
Further resolved on day two, it's softer and the fruit definitely moved to the passenger seat, allowing the secondary notes to lead. Cocoa, espresso, more pepper. Great value.
Open in the morning well ahead of dinner or even the day before.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2018 - WDK Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious and great qtr
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2018 - Motz wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, at approximately 62 degrees. There is substance here, with the bouquet showing violets, blue and purple fruits, dates, fig cake, ripe sap, garrigue, and mineral ore veins. Concentrated and expansive, with the sap and mineral elements, along with medium acid and powdery tannins, holding the fruit in check. The noteworthy finish lifts the entire package, delivering velvety nuance. This should be enjoyed over the next few years, and enjoyed at cellar temperatures.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2018 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 90 Points
No decant. A lightish fruit profile with herbal (greenish) aromas. A bit gamey on the edges. Also choclate and mocca which carries on nicely on the palate which shows fresh and balanced. With some time in the glass menthol comes more and more forward. Pleasant to drink and incredible quality for the price!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2018 - Cosmo M. Likes this wine: 89 Points
Round and fruit-forward immediately upon opening, with plenty of raspberry and cherry flavors, almost sweet. Developed anise, pepper, floral notes and a longer acidic note on the finish over a one-hour period.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2018 - Babik Likes this wine:
Several vigorous splash decants made it ready to go. Great QPR. Tannins are a bit chalky, and it doesn’t quite have the juiciness or acidity to achieve balance, but it’s got everything else you want and more in a daily drinker. Needs a good decant but this is great now. Wish I had bought a lot more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2018 - scotty_b wrote: 90 Points
Chalky strawberry, cherry, blueberry, lavender, and black pepper. Give this an hour decant. It's all wired up and has an odd bitter plastic taste upon opening. Chalky component sets in late and give it an elegant feel.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 90 Points
Always a great drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2018 - Radboy wrote: 90 Points
Fabulous fruit, nice balance, drinking well. We had this as a second bottle after a 2010 Ch. Pape and it held its own nicely. Buy it by the case, best QPR of 2018.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2018 - Caruso wrote: 95 Points
It will remain a mystery to me, how one can give this less than excellent notes. Nevertheless I feel that there are different bottlings which can not be discriminated by any way. Different deliveries from my merchant seem to be different to me. This bottle is from the first one and it is really unbelievable in quality. It doesn't need much air. It is there right from the start within a few minutes after pouring. It is immensely complex from the first sniff with strawberry, blue and blackberry, eau de vie like notes, licorice, coffee, flowers and tar. Syrah dominated. 5/14/19/7. If this will perform this way in 5 or 6 more years and possibly develope in a positive way better than outstanding rates are given by me. Yes, I' m talking about 98+ scores.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/12/2018 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Needs lots of air - good on night one, really singing on night two. Going to add a few more to the cellar.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2018 - Magicny1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great wine for the price easy drinking
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2018 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Served with ribeye steak, carrots with bourbon glaze.
Look: crimson/purple, young to the rim.
Sniff: rummy, touch of blueberry/cherry/plum.
Taste: smooth, dry but not austere, tannin is lovely, works with the meal, enough stuffing to keep for a while. Good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2018 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 89 Points
Part of an "Everyday Drinking Wine Night" with my wine group. Opened, but not decanted, at a restaurant, for at least 30 minutes before pouring. Given that the 2014 version was our WOTN the last time we did this, the 2015 was slightly disappointing. I think it needs a few more months (maybe a year) of bottle age to come together. But for the under $15 I paid (sales tax included), this is a QPR winner. We all enjoyed it, but like I said, not as much as the 2014.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2018 - zheem wrote: 92 Points
Adding to the many notes of controversy-This wine was somewhat acrid and unpleasant for about the first hour open. During the evening and in the following days it developed the most intreating violet aroma/taste. Delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2018 - rustyRudy wrote: 91 Points
Walk around wine store tasting of Domaine Lafage wines. Small glass, tasting pour.
This is a lighter version of Syrah 70% and Grenache 30%, I got less pepper in this taste than the bottle I had in November 2017, good wine for the price but not exciting. I expected this do better than it did for me today.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2018 - azscot Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very well balanced Rhône blend with plenty of red fruit. Light on the palate. Great weekday wine and at a great price point ($14)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 90 Points
This blend of Syrah and Grenache from the Roussillon is darkest ruby in the glass. On the nose, the wine is redolent with raspberry and black cherry. On the palate, the same raspberry and black cherry, as well as muted oak and vanilla. A trifle too tannic when popped and poured now. So, put it in your cellar for another five years or let it breathe for at least 24-hrs. N.B., this wine received a staggeringly high score from a celebrated wine critic. At around $15 per bottle, this wine has a good but not great QPR. I prefer the 2015 Plateau des Chenes from Lirac, which is also a Syrah-Grenache blend and has a similar flavor profile.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2018 - WimHH Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good PQR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2018 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 89 Points
definitely benefits from 1-2 hours in a decanter to open up, release the fruit flavors and mellow out the tannins. last glass on day 2 was fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2018 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely red fruit with just enough of the green/herb from the Syrah to keep it interesting too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2018 - hoservin wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, bramble and dried herbs. Ripe black and red fruit, licorice, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Good persistence. Medium to full bodied. Served with beef stew.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2018 - mazik Likes this wine:
At $12 this is quite a wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2018 - myofin Likes this wine: 90 Points
After reading the comments, I tasted the wine three ways:
1. PNP. Subdued nose of nondescript dark fruit. The palate is astringent and bitter, with dark fruit lurking in the background. Swirled it a lot, and after 30 minutes, the bitterness went down, and the fruit became powerful. I was getting roasted lavender cherries. The lavender part was similar to the Rhône Grenache. The roasted flavors were reminiscent of Cote Rotie wines.
2. Poured a third of the bottle in a decanter, and left it there for 2 hours. The nose gained some Syrah-like pastille perfume, but still was subdued. The palate was extracted and weighty with concentrated flavors of perfumed lavender dark cherries. The finish was medium length. The tannins were unresolved: the puckering effect was very much noticeable.
3. Left a third of wine in the bottle, recorked, revisited after 2 hours. The wine started out similar to PNP, but mellowed out quickly and matched the decanted experience. I drank it over 2 hours, and the flavors remained consistently strong with no drop.
So, this wine has a great QPR, the intensity of flavors, and the focused fruit were quite pleasing, and I will retry after a few years, hoping that the tannins integrate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2018 - Glencoewine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Needs 2-4 hour decant. Entirely different wine after the must blows off and it settles down. Day 2 even better. Great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine:
Chalk another one up for the missus. Same notes as before. Full bodied solid everyday wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2018 - Djwpar3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Terrific Value. Smooth, fruit forward, not cloying. Dark berries, vanilla lovely finish. Not a great deal of tannin, this is ready to drink. Not quite certain its a "94" as some raters suggest, but this quality at this price probably earns it a few points. Time to ditch the 2 buck chuck.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Dense, rich and meaty. Dark fruits, blood and herbs. Nice QPR for a bigger scaled wine, but it was a bit hot on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 94 Points
Almost same notes as on 27.03.2018. Nose was less exciting on this occasion, but that can be caused by the not optimal tasting set up this time. 5/13/18/8
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2018 - ledocq Likes this wine:
I generally buy a case of this every year. This year is different. I might have to get a second case. I think an aggregation of reviews suggests that it's thin and off putting when you open it, but over time it develops into the Bastide Miraflors we're more familiar with. True. But on days two and three it goes somewhere further. I can't think of another QPR like this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2018 - mazik Likes this wine: 94 Points
Like many of Eric Solomon's wines, this one is extremely intense and not a bit austere. It's grown and made down around Maury near Perpignan, mostly syrah, the rest grenache. Dark purple, almost black in the glass, vanilla and violet and a bit of leather on the nose, smoked meat and dark fruits (blackberry and black currant) on the silky palate, light tannins, soft finish, lots of charm. 14.5% abv almost covered.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2018 - Trigster Likes this wine:
What is at 1st a decent but non descriptive CDR-ish wine with very subtle, dusty tannins turns into an exciting roller coaster of fruit and spice. Blueberry. Long, long, LONG finish. Fun and so, very New World (in a good way).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Probably not as good as the '14 but still a full bodied wine with a great QPR, and one to serve when you're not drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hey, here pretty much is going on. I don't mean this wine but the "battle" of tasting notes here at cellartracker. Well, I popped and poured it, and at least is this wine much more a 94 point wine, than the Pesquié who received this score many years ago from Parker himself. In my opinion Jeb Dunnuck, the Ex-taster from TWA, isn't a lover of so called Parker-Wines, what ever it means. The people who use this word, think that Parker loves powerful wines regardless of complexity and elegance. Well for sure for Parker always intensity and concentration of smells and flavors have been a quality feature. But there is no wine I ever have drunk that earns 90 or more points from Parker only because of concentration and power.
And this wine is for sure not one that should be called a Parker Wine. It is elegant and surprising light on its feet and shows very well right out of the bottle. Purple coloured, but far away from black it delivers blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, tar, coffee, licorice and meat as well with air or time even herbal notes. There is nothing not typical for ripe syrah and grenache here and no hint of new oak here like someone wrote. The grenache was aged in concrete tanks and the syrah in demi muids, which are large barrels of 600 l. Given the price of this wine, its quite impossible that they use new barrels. Anyway, if used, the new oak is soaked up by the fruit here. The mouthfeel is unctous with a good backbone of round and sweet tannin and a satisfying finish.
One have to keep in mind what the 94 points from Jeb means, given the fact that he adviced to drink this wine in the next 2-4 years. Because of the fact that potential for further evolution and aging as well as overall quality merit up to 10 points in the Parker system and a wine with a positive evolution window of 2-4 years and maximum overall quality merit up to 6 maybe 7 points, it means that the scores for the bouquet (15 points maximum) and the flavour and finish (maximum 20 points), have to be quite near to perfection to achieve 94 points. The rest of 5 points are given out because of the colour. This 5 points are sure for the Bastide Miraflors. So the question is, if this wine is as well as a wine that merits 96 or 97 points, but which can be cellared and develope in a positive way for decades. My answer to this question is: YES! At least if one takes the La chapelle from Jaboulet 1990 or the best Beaucastels or the best Clos des Papes or the best Guigals (including the Lalalas) into account or any great wine I had the pleasure to drink in the last decades. That indeed is shocking. Maybe I'm going to be fooled by the evolution of this wine, but I can't see why this should not age and have a positive evolution for more than 4 years to shed some of its tannin and develope more or other nuances. Because of the shock: I will surely retaste this and by more of it and will see this in some month and years again. Maybe my score will be different then, but now it is: 5/14/18/8
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2018 - Karakas Likes this wine: 88 Points
Belkis
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just loved it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2018 - ogres3 wrote:
Same notes as before.
An everyday pounder.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2018 - Vinotay wrote:
Cavanaughs- lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2018 - cawineaux wrote: 91 Points
Requires at least 2 hours of decanting at this point. The nose may be off putting early on, but after some air, it smells like blueberry pancakes with a touch of cinnamon. The palate is ripe, round, and the tannins are starting to integrate perfectly. Fantastic QPR at $13.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2018 - stephenv Likes this wine: 87 Points
Good value for $13/bottle wine. Would buy again at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2018 - cawineaux Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was really impressed with this $11 gem. Dark fruit with an intense earthiness. Deeper and more complex than what you would expect at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2018 - shorty01 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Syrah/ Genache blend, and excellent QPR. However, the 94 Wine Advocate score is a stretch.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2018 - frespa Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lot numbers for this wine are very important. I bought a case of one lot that to me clearly had sulphur notes. I was in touch with European Cellars (very responsive)and JM Lafage (extremely friendly) personally. I sent two bottles to European Cellars and they sent a bottle back to JM Lafage to have his team taste it. JM Lafage found the wine different but conforming to the wine specs "Nous n avons pas rencontré de réduction. Nous n avons donc pas trouver de non conformité malgré le fait que j accorde à dire que le style est différent du 2014." Having said that, I bought a case of another lot from the same vintage and it has none of what I tasted as sulphur compounds. It is 90-93 and, as other vintages, a bargain for the quality.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2018 - bretrooks wrote:
Not decanted, consumed over ~1 1/2 hours. Seemed a little bit closed to me, but it opened a bit with some air. Simple but rich dark red fruit, a bloody note, some oak influence, something ever so slightly medicinal on the finish. Ok acidity, very subtle tannins, a touch of heat showing. Decent QPR for a cocktail-type wine. My grenache-loving wife liked this more than I did...I thought it was ok for the style, but probably not enough so to rebuy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
3/5/2018 - ephorn wrote: 87 Points
A hint of garrigue/savory on nose and palate. Clean palate with good acidity, medium minus tannins. Nothing remarkable, a pleasant quaff.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2018 - Dave124 wrote: 87 Points
Missing the hype. Going to cellar the second bottle I have for a couple years and revisit. As another reviewer said, at this point, it is simply a crowd pleaser.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2018 - PimpDaddy2Kool wrote: 88 Points
Probably will be better with more cellar time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 03/03/18, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 70% Grenache & 30% Syrah
N: Closed, but seems ripe, plummy, poss with garrigue? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency which pretty much caries through the LONG finish, though the tannins DO gain a softening swtness. Needs/DESERVES into early '19, when it might prove to be QUITE a steal for drinking through '21. My VG+ with EXC clearly on the horizon! 94 pts WA & 17/20 with "Very Good Value" Jancis Robinson. [This vendor's $10.95 is the BEST price showing on wine-searcher's HUGE early May 2018 listing!]
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2018 - tciguy wrote: 88 Points
This has the makings of a good wine but right now it is not a cheap crowd pleasing wine.
That being said, I think it has the makings of a great weekday wine in two years. So this batch is going to the cellar for a recheck in two years = 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2018 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
It’s easier to understand the confusion in the TN’s regarding this wine now having tasted it. Is it a 94-point wonder or a 76-point dog? In my tasting, it’s both.
There’s not much to like straight out of the bottle. In fact, it’s a Parker Frankenwine. Too hot, too raspberry jam forward, a plastic, petrol element that’s too prominent. Disjointed and with too much of a “Hey, look at me!” profile. 76 points. Maybe.
At the end of Hour 1, it’s still too unruly. Where’s that French sensibility, that sense of place — even though it hails from the hotter Languedoc region. Just not liking it. Still too hot and heavy. Maybe a cigar wine. But not much else.
End of Hour 2 .... Wait a minute! What just happened? Where’s that plastic note, those gushing raspberries? It’s more balanced and steering toward elegant. Some lavender and herbal notes.
In Hour 3 .... It becomes like a photographic negative that pops into focus from the warmth of the enlarger as you’re printing. Far more elegant; dare I say lovely. The black and blue pitted fruits lock into place, accompanied by lavender, sage, pine needles and black tea. A hint of bacon fat. The finish has mellowed into “take another sip.” Might not be a “94”; but it’s certainly in the low 90s. Not bad for a $12 Costco impulse buy. Worth storing away a case or two for the next five years.
Is it a Baby SQN, as one regarded reviewer notes? Nah. But it’s darn good, esp at the price. Just decant or allow it to unwind in the glass if poured over the next two years. (������= Outstanding, esp given the price)
A postscript: Just purchased another case. It’s $11 a bottle, not $12, at Costco. Screaming bargain.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2018 - bdisk1235 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Popped another bottle after I used a bit for cooking some ratatouille. Consistent with my prior note - this is not a 94 point wine but at the price point it is a fantastic QPR and drinking great right now. If you are looking for a great daily drinker it is hard to go wrong with this wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2018 - DesMarteau wrote: 91 Points
Needs a year or 2. Incredibly disjointed...upon opening overwhelming tar....then bramble berries , Bosenberry, ....after 3 hours...fruit gets more pronounced and integrated.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, Smoother, Smoothest...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2018 - daveyk39 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cracking one open for Valentine's Day.
Medium Purple color. Complex and intense aromas of dark berries, cigar box, rose petals, and something green, like fresh cut grass or eucalyptus.
Full-bodied and juicy with silky texture. Dark fruit flavor and a sensational earthiness/umami on the palate. The acid gives this rich wine an edginess it requires, and the grippy tannins are well-integrated through the mid-palate. Unfortunately, in the medium+ finish, the tannins start to overpower everything else, which may resolve with another 12 months of cellaring...or it may not.
Opinions on this wine tend to be weighed down by the rating and comparison assigned it by Wine Advocate, which make it somewhat controversial. If you leave all the hype aside, it's hard to dispute that it remains a $13 wine which punches well above its weight.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2018 - PimpDaddy2Kool wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for an hour. Medium bodied and medium finish. Muted fruit on the palate. Kinda meh. For $12 makes for a decent pizza or party wine. WTF was Jeb Dunnuck smoking when he gave it 94 WA?
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2018 - Justinneal654 wrote: 89 Points
Earthy and dark aromas, early spark of acidity that dwindles to a smoothly tannic structure. Love the earthy and lighter construction to this wine. Great berries and some mushroom character. Some musky, damp, earthy notes that are super enjoyable for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2018 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 89 Points
Purple color with slow legs. Oak, tar and black pepper on the nose. Black currant (cassis), plum and mushroom on the palate. Full bodied with leathery long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2018 - GalvaBoy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great wine, especially at this price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2018 - gsiokis wrote: 90 Points
+1 from previous bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2018 - jgreco Does not like this wine: 76 Points
It's hard to fault a bottle that is only $15, but there is not a lot to love here. Some nondescript dark fruits with floral notes on the nose. Upon tasting though your palate is overwhelmed by acidity. Unintegrated oak and red fruits attempt to fight through. Then there's a rather unpleasant finish that is a bit medicinal.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2018 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, cherry, plum, bramble and spice. Ripe black and red fruit, bramble and fine tannins on the palate. Leads to a medium to long finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with sloppy joes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2018 - matthewbrm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent value for money. Was still drinking well 3 days after opening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2018 - MattB72 wrote: 91 Points
Really good. Maybe the best QPR in my cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2018 - bound4er Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Candied dark red fruit with a hefty dose of acidity and fleshy tannins on the finish. No nuance here - rather boring to be honest. SQN body double per WA? Give me a friggin break.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Reds from S. France (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 70% Grenache & 30% Syrah
N: RIPE, JAMMY, with notes of garrigue
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt NICELY counterbalanced by a very, VERY finely tannic adidity which slowly transitions into a fairly LONG, spicy/swt finish with occasional notes of bitterness. For now (with food) & into '20. My VG-/VG. 94 pts WA [This vendor's $9.95 is at LEAST $1.50 < than anyone else in wine-searcher's HUGE field!]
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2018 - Holdenculfield Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruit, ripe tannins what’s not to love about his wine! At $11 a btl it’s ridiculously delicious. Don’t over think it, don’t be a snob and downplay Parker’s must have received a bag full of cash for his rating review. It’s a great everyday wine at a wonderful price. Cheers to finding more wines like this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2018 - Wine Grades wrote: 92 Points
This wine is kind of hard to rate. It is smooth and easy quaffing with almost a consistency and taste of milk. Little fruit to speak of but can taste hints of the grenache fruit in there. Some spicy notes on the nose, but not much in the mouth. Hard to say if this wine is going to get better or not, but who cares it is fun to drink now. Great value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2018 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 89 Points
Better than last bottle, more of what was expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2018 - mazik Likes this wine: 94 Points
Like many of Eric Solomon's wines, this one is extremely intense and not a bit austere. It's grown and made down around Maury near Perpignan, mostly syrah, the rest grenache. Dark purple, almost black in the glass, vanilla and violet and a bit of leather on the nose, smoked meat and dark fruits (blackberry and black currant) on the silky palate, light tannins, soft finish, lots of charm. 14.5% abv almost covered. Would be amazing with cassoulet. Drink now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2018 - mvande21 wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple, black fruit nose and palate. Medium-full bodied with mild acid and tannins. I don't see where this vintage rates higher than the last four. Consistently a 90 point good value easy drinker.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2018 - Salute Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine - good value for $15, but in NO way is it comparable to Sin Qua Non. Robert Parker must have been drunk. Again, pretty good for the price but I'm not rushing out to buy more bottles
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - gsiokis wrote: 89 Points
Decent wine....not sure of the extravagant ratings:
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - Todd Forney wrote: 89 Points
Nice berry aromas and tastes. Moderately naked. Very easy to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2017 - WilD wrote: 89 Points
Fine easy drinking. Not really special for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - Nicco208 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Slightly Smokey/earthy, currant fruit flavor. Low tannins, no butter after taste. After taste is smooth and no acidity
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2017 - Silenstvi wrote:
From CW. Everybody liked it. Repeater. T especially liked. Buy more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2017 - K&J Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine has a very good qpr. Parker gave it a 94 which was an over the top score. Perhaps he was speaking to the quality versus its cost instead of making a statement of what its score is compared to similar wines. Others in my party agreed with this assessment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2017 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, raspberry, licorice and bramble. Black and red fruit, licorice, bramble and ripe tannins on the palate. Finishes with very good length. Medium to full bodied. Good QPR. Served with ham.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2017 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 91 Points
EXCELLENT at home.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2017 - WoodrowJr wrote: 88 Points
Wine tasted like an Oregon Syrah a very good buy. Cite Cru Tasting 12/14/17
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2017 - snarfglk wrote: 88 Points
A bit flat and neutral fruit at best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2017 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 91 Points
reliably excellent value
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2017 - fredman wrote:
Still primary. Needs some time. 2019-2022.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2017 - JVG wrote:
Medium deep purplish ruby. Very primary and very “purple” on the nose, with lots of ripe dark fruit aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, and mulberry. There’s really not much else to be found. On the palate, pretty much the same, although there is a little bit of lavender floral flavor that didn’t show up on the nose. Medium-full bodied, pretty well balanced actually as it’s got some acid and a light dusting of tannins and doesn’t come off as overripe or terribly heavy. It’s just that the flavor profile isn’t very interesting. And it also feels a little underdeveloped from a winemaking perspective, as if a litttle oak or a little longer in the tank or something might have given it a bit more depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2017 - veni_vidi_bibi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took a flyer on a value-selection from the folks at K&L. WA gave it 94--do I care? Not really, but I rarely see a 14-dollar bottle getting scores that high. So I grab 6 bottles before it runs out.
Unmistakable warm-weather Syrah-blend from the south of France. This wine is very floral and ripe, but it still maintains balance with ample acidity and tannins. Enough structure to pair with proteins and enough playfulness to be a standalone sipper. Great QPR. Glad I bought six; but I should have bought a case.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2017 - graphite Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice aromatics on the nose: earth, crushed stone, black cherry, ink, roasted herbs. In the mouth there is pure and deeply pitched mulberry and black cherry fruit, contrasting with a lively acidity. Rather modern in style, reminds me of shiraz from cool high-elevation Victoria (Grampians or Pyrenees). Tannins are present but subsumed by the fruit for the moment. Highly enjoyable now with no regrets for its exuberant fruitiness topped with aromatic complexity. Difficult to predict its evolution; I suspect it may go through a dumb or disjointed phase before developing secondary flavours.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2017 - boscoblair Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful. Licorice, blackberry, blueberry and garrigue. Warm, with the gentlest, lingering, smooth tannins. I so love these blends of wines brought up in concrete and large, used oak barrels. An incredibly great value. A perfect winter comfort wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2017 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
ripe fruit, good mid palate; young and rustic right now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2017 - cork breath Likes this wine: 92 Points
High qpr. Bordeaux like
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2017 - VDLT Wine wrote:
Nicely done and very tasty but in a lush fruit, slick style that doesn’t hold my interest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2017 - cooperscellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful. This has macerated cherries an meat on the nose. Cherries persist on the full palate. The finish lingers. Just opened it offers much but decanting really brings this wine to life. Wonderful with grilled meats and would MAKE duck.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2017 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine: 89 Points
Didn’t take detailed notes but found this to be a solid wine at the QPR. Dark fruit and tannins but didn’t get the gaminess that others mentioned. Quote of the night: “I’ve never had a $12 bottle of wine that was this satisfying.”
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2017 - HandmadeHomemade wrote:
The wine in no way lives up to the RP score of 94 points, and I really can't see the comparison to Sine Qua Non. I really think this was an incorrect score and really unfair to consumers.
That all being said, the wine isn't bad- it's quite good really. Especially for the $14.00 I paid for it.
Aromas of dark fruits, a bit of earth and garrigue. The mouth follows suit, but lacking the intensity that the nose implies. Full bodied and young, the wine could use a year or a few and I think it would develop some more character. Great QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2017 - sdezutti Likes this wine: 90 Points
Abundant game seems to be the hallmark of this wine. Pretty consistent across recent vintages, with a subtle mineral note. Deep, with more savory than sweet flavors. This did open up a bit with a few hours of air, so possibly short term cellaring may be of some benefit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2017 - PeterFromThePan wrote: 88 Points
As everyone is saying, this tastes much better than the price would suggest. Straight out of the bottle, I thought the fruit was overpowering. After decanting, the fruit mellowed out and was more in balance with the acidity and tannins. However, I thought the wine was a rough around the edges. Overall, I don't care for this one but wouldn't complain if I was served this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2017 - Justin S wrote: 88 Points
70% Syrah / 30% Grenache. PnP. Surprisingly savory after reading some of the professional notes on this wine. The nose gives off some earth, herbs, and a touch of alcohol. Palate is shot through with acidity, has some pencil lead, herbs, lean red fruit, and ends with a slighty grippy alcoholic finish. Linear wine and somewhat flat, but gained slight depth after 30 min. For $12 really cannot complain. Ultimately for me, the wine was more of an interesting taste than truly pleasurable until day 2, when it finally tasted more integrated and discernible in fruit. This very well could have been an off bottle based on how much fruit I expected this to have based on the many tasting notes of others.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2017 - bdisk1235 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Agree with some of the recent reviews here. Excellent QPR (on sale in Chicago for $11 now). Ripe nose of plum, earth and leather. Flavors of cherry, plum and mushroom/earth/umami. Incredibly smooth and much more sophisticated than its price would suggest initially, but fades quickly. Have to agree with the other characterizations as “light” - didn’t stand up too well with a steak. Either way, a fantastic value for an everyday drinker that punches above its weight. Will pick up more to stash away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:
Vacu-vined, retasted the next day, no real change. Light, okay not better with time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2017 - ssekdad Likes this wine: 90 Points
surprisingly long savory finish for a <$15 bottle. held up well for 4+ days using an AeroVin. Excellent QPR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark red to purple in color. Not a big nose, wet stone, grilled meat and cigar on the nose. Much lighter in texture and complexity given the hype ( baby SQN ). Has a nice combination of red and dark fruit, the minerality comes across on the palate. Does have white pepper on the finish. Good Rhone blend, worth the price, but my bottle wasn't up to the hype. Because of the other tasting notes I will give it another go tomorrow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2017 - R Z wrote: 85 Points
Opaque, dark, heavy, high alcohol. Tasted over two hours with dinner. Did not do much to complement a great meal. Seriously overrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2017 - ziavino wrote: 93 Points
PnP, with aromas of fresh blackberry, smoked meat and allspice on the nose. Salted dark berry up front on the palate, with smoked beef, olive, and an additional sanguine note connecting through to the finish. Opens further with more air time, and has a satiny mouthfeel with acidity where it's needed. This is an unreal QPR at $13.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2017 - Diamond413 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Expectation were high going in based on several reviews from friends and one well known critic who decided to compare this wine to SQN. Initial thoughts were a bit lackluster. The wine is deeply colored, filled with big, ripe fruit and the 14.5 % ABV was drinking hot even after being open for a few hours. However, on the second day I began to understand what the hype was about (remember, we're talking about a $13 bottle) and I think the previous reviews describing this as a chateauneuf are spot on. Give this wine some time in the decanter or cellar it for a few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for about 45 minutes. Joe loved this wine. I feel that it is a bit too young. Medium body. Was expecting something bigger. Hoping this improves with time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2017 - Gestalted Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, what a wine for $12. I would've believed it without strong recommendation from acquaintances. Pours very dark (think Petite Sirah) and the midpalate is moutcoating, flavors and finish are blackberry pie and smoked fruit. Its profile and complexity between the big savory fruit and acidity immediately remind me of a Lewis Syrah. Very well done!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2017 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An amazing QPR. You’d swear you are drinking a $40 CdP. This was $13
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2017 - daveyk39 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazing value. Deep purple color. Bursting with aromas of blackberries, wood smoke, and something floral. Silky texture, bold body, long finish. Crisp acidity and grippy tannins in great balance. Opened up during the course of an evening in the glass and just got better and better. Startlingly good at this price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2017 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two days in a row--this is the real deal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2017 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 92 Points
Anca did it again; when I asked her is there anything else that I MUST BUY TODAY. This 2015 Bastide Miraflors is everything you could want, from color, to bouquet, to flavors--very deep and tasty fruits. Complex, but yet an extremely smooth drink--and it's priced right.
This lady's recommendations are the best. if you are in South Jersey, you must get in touch with me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2017 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 89 Points
Hard to beat this for $11.99 for value in the region. It really is like a baby Châteauneuf. Very well made.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2017 - tadams66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great body and long finish. Much better on the second day. Give it time to open up. Well integrated tannins. Beautiful dark fruit. Drinking now and for at least 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2017 - r.o.man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very athletic cuveé from Roussillon, 70% syrah and 30% Grenache. Very cool nose of cassis, blackberries, gentle spice, licorice. Medium body, load of freshness. Lifted acidity, ripe but grippy tannins, very long. Juicy dark fruit, vinous, cassis. Great value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2017 - DDicaprio Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth tannin's, some chocolate, cherry. nice 10 second finish. Recommend a lengthy decant as it continued to develop upon tasting the next day
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2017 - WilD wrote: 89 Points
Easy drinking mid-week wine. Grenache flavours are more pronounced than the Syrah. Reminds me of a CdR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2017 - Ml@nrfg.ca Likes this wine: 84 Points
It was a nice easy drinking wine. Not overly intestine though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2017 - JCC84 Likes this wine: 88 Points
X-Dry. Med acidity. Med- tannin. Med- body. Med- finish
14.5% abv. Medium tears. Medium intensity aromas of blackberry, leather, floral and a hint of brett. Palate is medium bodied with dusty tannins and flavours of dark berries, black pepper and milk chocolate. Good lengthed finish.
This one opened up much more nicely on the 2nd day.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2017 - Double-A Likes this wine: 88 Points
Red berry and clay nose with floral highlights. Flavourful, fruity, ripe and bright palate. Good finish.
3.5/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment