From a bottle stood for weeks and decanted clear. A half teaspoon of sandy, crumbled solids at the bottom was less than I expected! Pour a glass. Feed a cat. Smell the wine. The aroma is clad in sheets of dark red berry, and embroidered with discrete figures of pan crust, stone, anise, and tobacco. It promises to be ripe. A drink indicates vestigial pupescence—boney knuckles strain to shed stuck cotton gloves. Its thirst for air is legible from the beginning. Within 30 minutes, it finds traction. Dark cherries with broken pits entrain dried herbs (fossils that chime mint) black plum, tar, and sour perfume. The event is as attenuated as it is saturating—tannins, tense as rope. Big, and self-contained. A bitter spine through its vertical axis is so productive of flavor that it confesses its role as the motive energy plant. If fresh air were intaglio ink. Inventory says I have one bottle left for the 10 year drinking window I see in its future. I'll aim for 2024-2029.
FOODT NOTE: with tacos lamb, guac, and salsa ranchera the wine leaned out, becoming more floral and transparently mineral-bitter. It was a good combo, especially considering the informational delta.
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Telltale blood-iron and cinnamon garnish ripe red berries. After 48 hours the bouquet is strewn with licorice, cola, prune, lemon zest, and peppermint. A drink. of it is more compelling today. It amounts to an invitation to drink spiced berry ooze. Still, I'm surprised by how lean and structured it is. Scorched mineral. Sage. Classical ruptures of juice resolve in salt-dry tannins. If we assume no bottle variation, then this wine has transformed suddenly since the last bottle I drank 6+ months ago. It was feral, now it's domesticated. It was glaring, now it's measured. 91 points. I think this wine has arrived at its destination. I'll keep another couple bottles for future vertical and retrospective occasions.
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Very enjoyable and a good value as well. Shows good, ripe red fruit without being too flamboyant. Good, balanced structure and nice Rhone-ish character of herbs, pepper and moist earth.
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5/14/2023 - Putnam Weekley Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a bottle stood for weeks and decanted clear. A half teaspoon of sandy, crumbled solids at the bottom was less than I expected! Pour a glass. Feed a cat. Smell the wine. The aroma is clad in sheets of dark red berry, and embroidered with discrete figures of pan crust, stone, anise, and tobacco. It promises to be ripe.
A drink indicates vestigial pupescence—boney knuckles strain to shed stuck cotton gloves. Its thirst for air is legible from the beginning. Within 30 minutes, it finds traction. Dark cherries with broken pits entrain dried herbs (fossils that chime mint) black plum, tar, and sour perfume. The event is as attenuated as it is saturating—tannins, tense as rope. Big, and self-contained. A bitter spine through its vertical axis is so productive of flavor that it confesses its role as the motive energy plant. If fresh air were intaglio ink. Inventory says I have one bottle left for the 10 year drinking window I see in its future. I'll aim for 2024-2029.
FOODT NOTE: with tacos lamb, guac, and salsa ranchera the wine leaned out, becoming more floral and transparently mineral-bitter. It was a good combo, especially considering the informational delta.
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5/1/2021 - Putnam Weekley wrote: 91 Points
Telltale blood-iron and cinnamon garnish ripe red berries. After 48 hours the bouquet is strewn with licorice, cola, prune, lemon zest, and peppermint. A drink. of it is more compelling today. It amounts to an invitation to drink spiced berry ooze. Still, I'm surprised by how lean and structured it is. Scorched mineral. Sage. Classical ruptures of juice resolve in salt-dry tannins. If we assume no bottle variation, then this wine has transformed suddenly since the last bottle I drank 6+ months ago. It was feral, now it's domesticated. It was glaring, now it's measured. 91 points. I think this wine has arrived at its destination. I'll keep another couple bottles for future vertical and retrospective occasions.
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9/30/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Similar to my last bottle. Perhaps a bit more simple in flavor, but quite enjoyable and fruit-filled.
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9/22/2017 - CarpeVinum Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very solid everyday drinking Rhone. Solid QPR.
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9/21/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable and a good value as well. Shows good, ripe red fruit without being too flamboyant. Good, balanced structure and nice Rhone-ish character of herbs, pepper and moist earth.
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8/31/2017 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 91 Points
Straits Wines Mini Wine Fair (Straits Wines @ Serangoon): large of black cherries and blackcurrant, pepper, minerals, forest floor
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4/4/2017 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 94 Points
Straits Wines/ La Brasserie - A Journey from the Northern to the Southern Rhône Tasting (La Brasserie, Fullerton Bay Hotel): clear, medium ruby; clean, medium nose of black cherries, blackcurrants, mint, pepper, forest floor, morning dew; dry, acidic and tannic, heavy body, blackberries, blackcurrants, pepper, grass, coffee, cigar box, chocolates, medium finish; packs the punch!
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2/18/2017 - EMichels wrote: 82 Points
This one was no fun to drink - kind of a heavy, fairly plodding thing; Improved with a strong chill
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2/11/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine: 86 Points
PnP. Big fruit, needs airtime to integrate. Great QPR.
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12/29/2016 - FLI wrote: 86 Points
Decent rhone. Just as good the second day.
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12/3/2016 - FLI Likes this wine: 85 Points
Meh. Decent fruit, but a slight alcohol burn.
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11/6/2016 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Great QPR - an everyday drinker with real character. Nice GS blend, with a good balance of fruit and earth.
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