I have had a few bottles of this wine since my last tasting note. It is really just below the excellent level. It has melted together and shows some complexity. Still very lively. And it tastes true to itself and not devised by the marketing guy and the lab technician. There is something herbal and licoricey to this wine.
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Color: Transparent ruby. Nose: Something medicinal like licorice. A hint of Maggi/soy sauce. Fruitwise a mixture between oranges, pomegranate and dark berries. Nice. Mouth: The nose is better than the palate but it is a very good wine. Very good and balanced tannins and acidity. The 14% alc. is very well hidden. From the color and aroma it is already showing some signs of maturity but will stay many years ahead at this level I assume.
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Fermented and macerated with the skins over two weeks in stainless steel. Aged for 10-12 months in 1st and 2nd use French oak barriques. 14% alcohol.
Slightly developed, fig-hued dark cherry red color with a little bit of transparency. Quite sweet, aromatic and characterful nose with slightly green-toned aromas of sweet black cherries, fresh dill, sunny dark fruit, some meat stew cooked with dill, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light toasty oak character, a hint of sweet vegetal character (some people associated the aroma with hagberry flowers) and a touch of blueberry. Overall the nose feels quite modern and polished, yet rather complex and attractive at the same time. The wine is quite ripe, dense and concentrated on the palate with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of blackberry jam, rich plummy fruit, some sweet toasty oak, a little bit of vanilla and a hint of dill. Moderately high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins that contribute to the texture at least as much as to the structure. The finish is rich, ripe and weighty with long, concentrated flavors of boysenberries, blackberry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of meat stew with dill.
Overall the wine feels quite modern and very fruit-forward for a Carignan. It shows good balance and nice structure, but the emphasis is obviously on the sweet and supple fruit with modern, glossy oak sheen. Despite its modern leanings, the wine comes across as surprisingly nice and complex with good intensity. In a sense, there is something vaguely "modern Bordeaux"-like to this wine. Not my favorite Carignan, but a perfectly enjoyable nevertheless. Priced according to its quality at 19,50€.
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Tasting dinner at Barbaracca, Godalming. Limited note taking. Furry, blackcurrant core and some (still) youthful heat. Hard to assess, certainly needs another 12+ months to show any potential that's there.
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Color: Deep dark and impenentrable. Nose: Caramel (what I don't like in a wine), something fruity in the background. Mouth: Well, I am less of a fan than last time when I reviewed this wine. There is something green and slightly bitter like from leaves. I don't know how chlorophyl tastes but this is what comes to my mind. In the background something like rose hip. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and at the same time slightly harsh. There is some quality and authenticity to this wine but the price point is too high unless you get a 60% discount. The half full bottle after having spent a night in the fridge is better hence 2 points up.
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Colore rosso violaceo scuro. Al naso è esplosivo di frutti rossi e tabacco. Al gusto è pieno, multicorde di ciliegia e amarena con note speziate. Lungo, strutturato e ben bilanciato e con una bella vena acida in sottofondo. Piacevole, elegante con un finale lungo e lrggermente amarognolo. Rapporto q/p ottimo a poco più di 12 euro.
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Color: You can see a tiny bit through the wine. Nose: A bit funky. Red tart berries. A hint of something floral, too. Mouth: A hint of barnyard. The rest is red tart berries and some cherries. Nice mouthfeel. Smooth and at the same time there is some grip from the tannins. In the finish a tiny bit bitter. I don't like the term food wine but this is one. This wine has some potential for the future and even might improve. The half full bottle after having spent a night in the fridge has lost its funky/barnyard taste. The wine has melted together and gained in quality. Now there is a slight aroma of rose hip. Hence 3 points up.
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7/19/2018 - BMitchener Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful fresh, balanced red with rich berry notes, leather and a hint of liquorice.
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1/15/2018 - wineaficionado Likes this wine: 89 Points
I have had a few bottles of this wine since my last tasting note. It is really just below the excellent level. It has melted together and shows some complexity. Still very lively. And it tastes true to itself and not devised by the marketing guy and the lab technician. There is something herbal and licoricey to this wine.
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12/29/2017 - wineaficionado Likes this wine: 88 Points
Color: Transparent ruby. Nose: Something medicinal like licorice. A hint of Maggi/soy sauce. Fruitwise a mixture between oranges, pomegranate and dark berries. Nice. Mouth: The nose is better than the palate but it is a very good wine. Very good and balanced tannins and acidity. The 14% alc. is very well hidden. From the color and aroma it is already showing some signs of maturity but will stay many years ahead at this level I assume.
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7/16/2017 - wineaficionado wrote: 77 Points
Now it is just a basic drinkable wine. Some cedarbox, some plum. Quite short and thin.
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4/29/2017 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points
Fermented and macerated with the skins over two weeks in stainless steel. Aged for 10-12 months in 1st and 2nd use French oak barriques. 14% alcohol.
Slightly developed, fig-hued dark cherry red color with a little bit of transparency. Quite sweet, aromatic and characterful nose with slightly green-toned aromas of sweet black cherries, fresh dill, sunny dark fruit, some meat stew cooked with dill, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light toasty oak character, a hint of sweet vegetal character (some people associated the aroma with hagberry flowers) and a touch of blueberry. Overall the nose feels quite modern and polished, yet rather complex and attractive at the same time. The wine is quite ripe, dense and concentrated on the palate with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of blackberry jam, rich plummy fruit, some sweet toasty oak, a little bit of vanilla and a hint of dill. Moderately high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins that contribute to the texture at least as much as to the structure. The finish is rich, ripe and weighty with long, concentrated flavors of boysenberries, blackberry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of meat stew with dill.
Overall the wine feels quite modern and very fruit-forward for a Carignan. It shows good balance and nice structure, but the emphasis is obviously on the sweet and supple fruit with modern, glossy oak sheen. Despite its modern leanings, the wine comes across as surprisingly nice and complex with good intensity. In a sense, there is something vaguely "modern Bordeaux"-like to this wine. Not my favorite Carignan, but a perfectly enjoyable nevertheless. Priced according to its quality at 19,50€.
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3/7/2017 - NickBurwood wrote:
Tasting dinner at Barbaracca, Godalming. Limited note taking.
Furry, blackcurrant core and some (still) youthful heat. Hard to assess, certainly needs another 12+ months to show any potential that's there.
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2/13/2017 - wineaficionado Likes this wine: 84 Points
Color: Deep dark and impenentrable. Nose: Caramel (what I don't like in a wine), something fruity in the background. Mouth: Well, I am less of a fan than last time when I reviewed this wine. There is something green and slightly bitter like from leaves. I don't know how chlorophyl tastes but this is what comes to my mind. In the background something like rose hip. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and at the same time slightly harsh. There is some quality and authenticity to this wine but the price point is too high unless you get a 60% discount.
The half full bottle after having spent a night in the fridge is better hence 2 points up.
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1/15/2017 - dmanzoni Likes this wine: 90 Points
Colore rosso violaceo scuro. Al naso è esplosivo di frutti rossi e tabacco. Al gusto è pieno, multicorde di ciliegia e amarena con note speziate. Lungo, strutturato e ben bilanciato e con una bella vena acida in sottofondo. Piacevole, elegante con un finale lungo e lrggermente amarognolo. Rapporto q/p ottimo a poco più di 12 euro.
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11/19/2016 - wineaficionado Likes this wine: 87 Points
Color: You can see a tiny bit through the wine. Nose: A bit funky. Red tart berries. A hint of something floral, too. Mouth: A hint of barnyard. The rest is red tart berries and some cherries. Nice mouthfeel. Smooth and at the same time there is some grip from the tannins. In the finish a tiny bit bitter. I don't like the term food wine but this is one. This wine has some potential for the future and even might improve.
The half full bottle after having spent a night in the fridge has lost its funky/barnyard taste. The wine has melted together and gained in quality. Now there is a slight aroma of rose hip. Hence 3 points up.
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