Dark and savory and secondary, with. Very little fruit, all earth and soil and cured meat and olives the distinct sense of liquid granite I typically get from this cuvee. The tannins seem to have slightly outlived the flavors, adding a sligthtly drying bitterness, they are better integrated on day 2.
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Rustic, manly wine, very local, albeit more like Cornas or Hermitage. Tobacco, smoke, olives, herbs, still tannins here. Tasted over two days, virtually unchanged on day 2.
#PB#Kandestederne
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En magnum. Held this wine since its release, not always in proper storage conditions. Perhaps this stressed the wine, my sense it was past its best. The fruit had definitely ebbed, and the sauvage notes so muted as to feel somewhat emasculated.
Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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This wine is just beginning to show the benefits of aging your Levets, although this was still drinking on the younger side; With a couple hours of air, the bouquet opened up to reveal notes of olive tapenade, florals and white pepper; The palate is very sleek and lithe, with a firm core of dark fruits, smoked meat and dried herbs, with some rustic tannins on the finish; Drinking very well right now, but this will continue to evolve for years to come
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Wines from the HDH Auction (Tru, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is perfumed and flowing with black cherries, olive tapenade, tobacco, earth tones, violets, incense, raspberries, black pepper and white pepper. There is tons of depth and class with everything having a savory base.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The tannins are fine grained and in a supporting role with the feel having a satin-esque quality along with black cherries, black raspberries, white pepper, black pepper, tobacco, violets, herbs, and olive tapenade.
Overall: This is fantastic. It shows off a ton of class and elegance with a style that is classic cote-rotie. It is drinking beautifully right now, but there is more than enough stuffing to last another 10 years easily.
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This looks to be just starting to creep into its drinking window. Actually, while I was decanting it the aromatics were absolutely explosive and I was prepared for a real knockout experience, but it actually tightened up by the time we got to drinking it, suggesting it might need just a bit more time still. Regardless, it still put on a great showing sandwiched between two Jamets. It was similarly savory with a big olive/tapenade perfume but the Levet house style was most evident in the contrast in terms of texture and shape. The Jamets are packed heavyweights, while this is sleek with pinpoint precision and acuity, almost has a Loire-like bite to it.
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Medium-dark red violet color. Effusively floral in the nose, with wood smoke, raw meat gaminess and liver's minerality. On arrival, smooth and fine persistent tannin and balanced acidity. Flavors led by mints and olives. Good fruit, smoked beef, menthol, salty. Finishes long, slow, drying. Bottle #8 of twelve.
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I believed this was a flawed bottle. At first my notes are like "comes together with air, round, cohesive, lovely texture . . ." but then the wine never really opened up and then it became apparent that this wine experienced some heat damage along the way. By the time I tasted the end of the bottle later, at home, it was undrinkable. With Zak and Jason at Amali.
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Medium-dark red color. An unusual mineral-laden nose, something I can't quite identify other than olive brine and squid ink,but that's not quite it either. Much wood fire smoke, floral elements (esp violets), raw beef. On arrival, steady medium tannin and lifted acidity (vivacious). Flavors strong of olives and brine, smoked beef, hint of menthol. Finishes long, dry, herbal and floral notes strongest at the end. My wife said this reminds her of winemaker's take on a Talisker Scotch whiskey, as a wine. She may be on to something. It's exciting at any rate. Bottle #7 of twelve.
Garnet with slight darkening at the rim. Nose has clearly evolved since my last tasting 2 years ago. It proudly proclaims it's from Cote Rotie-bacon fat, berries and fresh herbs such as oregano. Taste was smooth, berries and fresh herbs.
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Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is polished, sexy, and deep with red florals, violets, white pepper, funk, black cherries, black olives, and bacon fat.
Overall: This was gorgeous. It showed a next level from the previous Levets. This showed off elegance and rusticity at the same time.
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Medium dark red. Aromas: immediate, exciting, perfumed mix of smoked meatiness, animale earthiness, violets galore, mixed garrigue. On entry, gobs of soft tannin give balance to theintense meaty-floral taste. Finishes in gentle waves of flavor, very sustained. Finally, this release is showing signs of mid-life development for a high extract, low new wood, high stems-included version of Cote Rotie. Ding ding ding. Bottle #6 of twelve.
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Interesting wine, but not yet ready. Took some air to open up, and was better on the second night. Dark fruit of the blackberry and black currant sort, smooth at the sides with no youthful plumpness, a rather lean palate currently, showing the results of ten years in the cellar, but this is far from old and I would actually prefer a more worn or relaxed structure and I would hold this for three to five years more, at least. The palate is interesting but not yet fully developed. There are nuances like sausage and chocolate brownie in the nose. The acidity keeps the palate focused (though it's undeveloped), and the tannin is still unresolved. No degradation overnight, the wine is fresh, the palate is still blue/black fruit, more focused than the first night, but still lean and undeveloped, with a very intriguing salty/saline quality to the long finish. Overall, good today, but so much more to offer in 5 or more years.
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I found the fruit on this too dim a light by which to read the rest of this very masculine peppermill of a wine. Tarry coffee finish goes on and on, but this bottle was more salty figs than berries, and unless the rest of the fruit is still hiding behind the stubble, on the whole, it's just less than I was seeking.
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Garnet. Nose initially of asphalt and raspberry. No bacon hints to be found-still young? Taste was mouthfilling-raspberry and dried herbs. Tar is hinted at-but not found in the taste. Nice, but more a Chateauneuf than Cote Rotie. Age a few more years.
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2011 Duck Dinner (Peter Pratt's Inn): This had a wonderful nose of roasted meats, new leather, fresh brewed espresso and asphalt but the palate just fell off a bit and didn't deliver on the nose's promise. It wasn't bad by any stretch, but seemed a touch dated or out of whack. Still very enjoyable if just for the nose.
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Medium red. Complex nose of olives, faint floral notes, prune, mustiness, low tide seashore. Odd juxtaposition of extremely dry tannin, dirtiness, and the barest hints of ripe fruit (reminiscent of an underripe, closed Barolo ). This could take 10 years more to shed enough structure to catch a glimpse of Cote Rotie enjoyment. Bottle #4 of twelve.
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Complex and fascinating wine, but perhaps ultimately lacking a bit of enjoyability due to its intense and serious saline and mineral character (i.e. lacking in fruit but loads of non-fruit character). This is a monster wine, and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure it'll ever be for everyone.
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My experience was very similar to Hodby's - super complex, classic N. Rhone nose followed by a palate that, for the most part, showed moderate fruit and some floral notes, but was ultimately dominated by drying tannins. After about 20 minutes in the glass (no decant) the wine was showing pretty well, but it then shut down hard. Even more tannic and shut down on day 2.
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Medium red. Provocative, complex nose of sauerkraut, burned black pepper, bay leaf, raspberry, nuts, mixed floral notes. Contrasts in the mouth where simple spiky acids dominate otherwise decent fruit. Pervasive walnut skin tannin. Longish finish, not a great one, feels like I just ate a bag of walnuts with the skins, quite drying. Hope this bottle was just still in syrah's awkward midlife stage. Bottle #3 of 12.
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Asher's Birthday Bash - The Big 4-0 (Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York): Then on to a flight of three Cote Roties from 1999. I must admit that the Levet blew me away and stood out as one of the most memorable wines of the evening. Deep dark red color. Wild nose of violets, lavender, black prickly fruit, grilled meat and smoke. Wonderfully spicy on the palate with a rustic character, a wine which is very true to its origin. Great stuffing/concentration of fruit, fills out the entire palate and ends with a long finish. Asher: very good brightness and purity. Yaacov found it more polished than the Ogier which Brad and I disagreed with. Brad: It's like the Ogier without the oak. A truly outstanding Cote Rotie that I would happily buy a case of if could find it.
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Opened up quiet and unassuming, but after 90 minutes in the decanter the nose on this wine was explosive. Reminiscent of the drippings from a pepper steak combined with wet tobacco leaf - this is a classic northern rhone nose. On top of those flavors there is a good dose of fig reduction, and prunes. After a couple swirls in the glass, the nose is taken over by sour cherries, pepper, pumpkin spice, and coffee grinds. Very enjoyable nose. Mouthfeel of this wine is more dense that I was expecting - but the wine has exceptional balance. Fair amount of dark fruit, but the coffee and chocolate that this wine has is astounding. The finish lasts for close to 45 seconds. I imagine this wine still has a number of years left before it closes down, but it's drinking well right now.
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Ruby color with high pitched notes of fresh raspberries, plums and herbs, this fully mature, medium bodied wine with its silky, bright, sweet cherry tinged finish, good acidity and balance was strutting its stuff. Not the most complex or concentrated Cote Rotie on the block, but it's a very nice wine that is ready to go. Plus, compared to most Cote Rotie, if you can find any, it sells for a song.
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This wine was purple/ruby in color, dense but had a clarity to it. I think the bottle was corked as the nose was quite muted. Lots of acidity, but the wet, musty oak just overpowered it.
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5/12/2023 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet. Nose of raspberry, touch garrigue. Taste similar, beautiful!, minimal bacon fat. Kinda reminded of Pegau in nose and taste. Delish.
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3/24/2023 - coremill wrote: 89 Points
Dark and savory and secondary, with. Very little fruit, all earth and soil and cured meat and olives the distinct sense of liquid granite I typically get from this cuvee. The tannins seem to have slightly outlived the flavors, adding a sligthtly drying bitterness, they are better integrated on day 2.
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6/26/2020 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Rustic, manly wine, very local, albeit more like Cornas or Hermitage. Tobacco, smoke, olives, herbs, still tannins here. Tasted over two days, virtually unchanged on day 2.
#PB#Kandestederne
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1/12/2019 - IJC Likes this wine:
En magnum.
Held this wine since its release, not always in proper storage conditions. Perhaps this stressed the wine, my sense it was past its best. The fruit had definitely ebbed, and the sauvage notes so muted as to feel somewhat emasculated.
Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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12/17/2016 - eluebchow wrote: 94 Points
This wine is just beginning to show the benefits of aging your Levets, although this was still drinking on the younger side; With a couple hours of air, the bouquet opened up to reveal notes of olive tapenade, florals and white pepper; The palate is very sleek and lithe, with a firm core of dark fruits, smoked meat and dried herbs, with some rustic tannins on the finish; Drinking very well right now, but this will continue to evolve for years to come
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12/16/2016 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Wines from the HDH Auction (Tru, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is perfumed and flowing with black cherries, olive tapenade, tobacco, earth tones, violets, incense, raspberries, black pepper and white pepper. There is tons of depth and class with everything having a savory base.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The tannins are fine grained and in a supporting role with the feel having a satin-esque quality along with black cherries, black raspberries, white pepper, black pepper, tobacco, violets, herbs, and olive tapenade.
Overall: This is fantastic. It shows off a ton of class and elegance with a style that is classic cote-rotie. It is drinking beautifully right now, but there is more than enough stuffing to last another 10 years easily.
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9/23/2016 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
This looks to be just starting to creep into its drinking window. Actually, while I was decanting it the aromatics were absolutely explosive and I was prepared for a real knockout experience, but it actually tightened up by the time we got to drinking it, suggesting it might need just a bit more time still. Regardless, it still put on a great showing sandwiched between two Jamets. It was similarly savory with a big olive/tapenade perfume but the Levet house style was most evident in the contrast in terms of texture and shape. The Jamets are packed heavyweights, while this is sleek with pinpoint precision and acuity, almost has a Loire-like bite to it.
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2/22/2015 - Hodby wrote: 93 Points
Medium-dark red violet color. Effusively floral in the nose, with wood smoke, raw meat gaminess and liver's minerality. On arrival, smooth and fine persistent tannin and balanced acidity. Flavors led by mints and olives. Good fruit, smoked beef, menthol, salty. Finishes long, slow, drying. Bottle #8 of twelve.
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11/25/2014 - Pknut wrote:
I believed this was a flawed bottle. At first my notes are like "comes together with air, round, cohesive, lovely texture . . ." but then the wine never really opened up and then it became apparent that this wine experienced some heat damage along the way. By the time I tasted the end of the bottle later, at home, it was undrinkable. With Zak and Jason at Amali.
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11/25/2014 - Hodby wrote: 93 Points
Medium-dark red color. An unusual mineral-laden nose, something I can't quite identify other than olive brine and squid ink,but that's not quite it either. Much wood fire smoke, floral elements (esp violets), raw beef. On arrival, steady medium tannin and lifted acidity (vivacious). Flavors strong of olives and brine, smoked beef, hint of menthol. Finishes long, dry, herbal and floral notes strongest at the end. My wife said this reminds her of winemaker's take on a Talisker Scotch whiskey, as a wine. She may be on to something. It's exciting at any rate. Bottle #7 of twelve.
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10/10/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Garnet with slight darkening at the rim. Nose has clearly evolved since my last tasting 2 years ago. It proudly proclaims it's from Cote Rotie-bacon fat, berries and fresh herbs such as oregano. Taste was smooth, berries and fresh herbs.
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9/30/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Rotating Dinner Series- Bernard Levet Cote-Roties (Rustic House, Chicago IL): Nose: From the word go, the nose is on a different level from the other wines. The nose was ethereal and perfumed with red florals, violets, white pepper, black olives, black cherries, spices, funk, and bacon fat.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is polished, sexy, and deep with red florals, violets, white pepper, funk, black cherries, black olives, and bacon fat.
Overall: This was gorgeous. It showed a next level from the previous Levets. This showed off elegance and rusticity at the same time.
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5/2/2013 - Hodby wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red. Aromas: immediate, exciting, perfumed mix of smoked meatiness, animale earthiness, violets galore, mixed garrigue. On entry, gobs of soft tannin give balance to theintense meaty-floral taste. Finishes in gentle waves of flavor, very sustained. Finally, this release is showing signs of mid-life development for a high extract, low new wood, high stems-included version of Cote Rotie. Ding ding ding. Bottle #6 of twelve.
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6/24/2012 - Pknut wrote:
Interesting wine, but not yet ready. Took some air to open up, and was better on the second night. Dark fruit of the blackberry and black currant sort, smooth at the sides with no youthful plumpness, a rather lean palate currently, showing the results of ten years in the cellar, but this is far from old and I would actually prefer a more worn or relaxed structure and I would hold this for three to five years more, at least. The palate is interesting but not yet fully developed. There are nuances like sausage and chocolate brownie in the nose. The acidity keeps the palate focused (though it's undeveloped), and the tannin is still unresolved. No degradation overnight, the wine is fresh, the palate is still blue/black fruit, more focused than the first night, but still lean and undeveloped, with a very intriguing salty/saline quality to the long finish. Overall, good today, but so much more to offer in 5 or more years.
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5/21/2012 - ianinvirginia wrote: 90 Points
I found the fruit on this too dim a light by which to read the rest of this very masculine peppermill of a wine. Tarry coffee finish goes on and on, but this bottle was more salty figs than berries, and unless the rest of the fruit is still hiding behind the stubble, on the whole, it's just less than I was seeking.
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1/1/2012 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 92 Points
Garnet. Nose initially of asphalt and raspberry. No bacon hints to be found-still young? Taste was mouthfilling-raspberry and dried herbs. Tar is hinted at-but not found in the taste. Nice, but more a Chateauneuf than Cote Rotie. Age a few more years.
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11/10/2011 - Vinomarcus wrote: 89 Points
2011 Duck Dinner (Peter Pratt's Inn): This had a wonderful nose of roasted meats, new leather, fresh brewed espresso and asphalt but the palate just fell off a bit and didn't deliver on the nose's promise. It wasn't bad by any stretch, but seemed a touch dated or out of whack. Still very enjoyable if just for the nose.
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9/17/2011 - Hodby wrote: 84 Points
Medium red. Complex nose of olives, faint floral notes, prune, mustiness, low tide seashore. Odd juxtaposition of extremely dry tannin, dirtiness, and the barest hints of ripe fruit (reminiscent of an underripe, closed Barolo ). This could take 10 years more to shed enough structure to catch a glimpse of Cote Rotie enjoyment. Bottle #4 of twelve.
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11/20/2010 - Employee500 wrote: 91 Points
Complex and fascinating wine, but perhaps ultimately lacking a bit of enjoyability due to its intense and serious saline and mineral character (i.e. lacking in fruit but loads of non-fruit character). This is a monster wine, and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure it'll ever be for everyone.
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10/9/2010 - DHJ1968 wrote:
My experience was very similar to Hodby's - super complex, classic N. Rhone nose followed by a palate that, for the most part, showed moderate fruit and some floral notes, but was ultimately dominated by drying tannins. After about 20 minutes in the glass (no decant) the wine was showing pretty well, but it then shut down hard. Even more tannic and shut down on day 2.
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6/30/2010 - Hodby wrote: 85 Points
Medium red. Provocative, complex nose of sauerkraut, burned black pepper, bay leaf, raspberry, nuts, mixed floral notes. Contrasts in the mouth where simple spiky acids dominate otherwise decent fruit. Pervasive walnut skin tannin. Longish finish, not a great one, feels like I just ate a bag of walnuts with the skins, quite drying. Hope this bottle was just still in syrah's awkward midlife stage. Bottle #3 of 12.
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12/27/2009 - pbaek wrote:
Asher's Birthday Bash - The Big 4-0 (Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York): Then on to a flight of three Cote Roties from 1999. I must admit that the Levet blew me away and stood out as one of the most memorable wines of the evening. Deep dark red color. Wild nose of violets, lavender, black prickly fruit, grilled meat and smoke. Wonderfully spicy on the palate with a rustic character, a wine which is very true to its origin. Great stuffing/concentration of fruit, fills out the entire palate and ends with a long finish. Asher: very good brightness and purity. Yaacov found it more polished than the Ogier which Brad and I disagreed with. Brad: It's like the Ogier without the oak. A truly outstanding Cote Rotie that I would happily buy a case of if could find it.
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10/6/2009 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Opened up quiet and unassuming, but after 90 minutes in the decanter the nose on this wine was explosive. Reminiscent of the drippings from a pepper steak combined with wet tobacco leaf - this is a classic northern rhone nose. On top of those flavors there is a good dose of fig reduction, and prunes. After a couple swirls in the glass, the nose is taken over by sour cherries, pepper, pumpkin spice, and coffee grinds. Very enjoyable nose. Mouthfeel of this wine is more dense that I was expecting - but the wine has exceptional balance. Fair amount of dark fruit, but the coffee and chocolate that this wine has is astounding. The finish lasts for close to 45 seconds. I imagine this wine still has a number of years left before it closes down, but it's drinking well right now.
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4/5/2008 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Ruby color with high pitched notes of fresh raspberries, plums and herbs, this fully mature, medium bodied wine with its silky, bright, sweet cherry tinged finish, good acidity and balance was strutting its stuff. Not the most complex or concentrated Cote Rotie on the block, but it's a very nice wine that is ready to go. Plus, compared to most Cote Rotie, if you can find any, it sells for a song.
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11/1/2006 - Tom_B wrote: flawed
This wine was purple/ruby in color, dense but had a clarity to it. I think the bottle was corked as the nose was quite muted. Lots of acidity, but the wet, musty oak just overpowered it.
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7/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Full deep purple. Huge aroma of briary spicy pepper. Wow, super pepper black fruit but surprisingly light on its feet. Tight tannic finish. 7/06
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