Medium ruby color. Complex nose with floral top notes smoked bacon, turned earth, and sweet strawberry notes. Medium bodied on the palate, with good presence and length. Still going strong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Lots of debris! Nose is very odd - dominated by honey and Elastoplast - odours I associate with Brett. The palate is better, though the odd aromas are still there it also shows some attractive, spicy red fruit, floral notes and a touch of white pepper. The tannins are soft, it has fresh acidity which carries a good length harmonious finish, but ultimately the wine is spoilt by its Brettiness. NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aromatic nose towards green mint and nepeta. Sumi ink and red fruits together with a healthy and generous dose of Brett keep this wine elevated in the classic fashion. Taste is superbly balanced, acids and tannins perfectly integrated with everything and has to be assumed to be at its plateau. Not made for the long haul, but exquisit pleasures today. What a wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful wine that has a delicate and aromatic feel - very nuanced and perfumed with red fruits cut through with darker under tones of beef stock. Excellent value at £32.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious. Perfectly aged for my taste. Dark, opaque red. Complex and powerful aroma of smoke and dark berry fruit with leather and oak, earth, unique and enticing. Medium to light mouth feel, soft tannins with a complex blend of bottle age and fruit flavors: definitely N. Rhone smokey meat/bacon, balanced nicely with lots of dark fruit, blackberry, tart and pleasant acidity and a hint of leather, beautifully integrated and balanced with an extended finish of slightly bitter stem plus fruit. Complex, beautifully made and very French (complex and ages, even the single varietal taste like a blend) compared to the WA and Paso Syrah that I have been tasting lately.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
very pretty pale colour toasty nose, spicy quite ripe fruit and such fragrance, tannins, dry finish very long you can taste this for about 5 minutes afterwards at a lovely moment in its maturity, a long life ahead but so beautifully poised between ripe youthful fruit and tertiary flavours gorgeous
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
light transparent red with some rose, amber rim secondary earthy & spicy aroma of ripe, highly-perfumed fruits med-full body, balanced soft round tannins, good acidity, balanced bitterness, harmonious, pleasant fruitiness, enjoyable ending.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Somewhat disappointing on the first day: At first noticeable brett/VA which burnt off after 30 minutes, leaving a somewhat thin wine with red fruit but none of the animal characteristics in better examples. On the second day, somewhat improved: the quality of the tannins comes through; the fruit is still present but with better length and slightly more concentration and a mineral quality. I'm still not blown away but I think that this will likely improve over 5-10 years and with luck will be an elegant wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Syrah Tasting (Ivo and Lulu): When this got poured, the table spotted practically every wine flaw in the book. We couldn't decide if it was corked, oxidized, heat damaged, or had brett or VA problems. After giving it some air, my opinion is either slight oxidation or heat damage. A browner color than I'd expect on a youngish wine, nose was muted and not giving much. Others got some light sherry-ish aromas, which supports the oxidation thesis. With air it opened up a little, but was still funky. A little red fruit and olive on the palate, but not a lot going on here. Nice structure underneath with good balance of acid and tannin, but this just didn't seem right.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful wine. Smooth and lush, truffly and gamey notes. Masses of sediment. Quite light purple but consistent to the rim. According to TWS this will get better over the next ten years but it was very good today with steak and ale pie.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was an awesome, balanced, sophisticated syrah. Clearly dominated a 04 Bella's Garden and '03 Cougar Crest in blind tasting. Complex, deep and nice finish without being sweet or juicy. WOTF
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hermitage wines really do it for me and this one is delicious. The nose is knock out, leather, great pepper and very floral. And this wine is balanced. Ripe but fine tannins, almost round in the mouth, and fantastic transition start to finish. Definitely up my alley.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby color. Really complex nose with a lot of earthiness, saddle leather, cassis, cracked pepper, pencil lead and floral perfume, with a touch of green herb in the background. I could smell this all day. Focused black cherry essence on the palate, ripe tannins, medium bodied.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
SFwine Northern Rhone tasting (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Slightly estery nose, with some spicy oak and chalky sweet-tart aromas. Silky on the attack, and very interesting. Initially well balanced with red fruit, herbs, barrel spice and meat. Lots of meat....in fact, this is kind of like a big fat slab of peppered steak. Delicious. But with time in the glass the spice and creamy texture from the 40% new oak becomes more apparent, and distracting. Needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/10/2021 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium ruby color. Complex nose with floral top notes smoked bacon, turned earth, and sweet strawberry notes. Medium bodied on the palate, with good presence and length. Still going strong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2015 - Paul D wrote: flawed
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Lots of debris! Nose is very odd - dominated by honey and Elastoplast - odours I associate with Brett. The palate is better, though the odd aromas are still there it also shows some attractive, spicy red fruit, floral notes and a touch of white pepper. The tannins are soft, it has fresh acidity which carries a good length harmonious finish, but ultimately the wine is spoilt by its Brettiness. NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2015 - MEKWINE Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beguiling and expressive nose of smokey bacon, black fruits, freshly tilled earth, meaty and farmyard notes; complex and long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 92 Points
Offline w/the current Mr and Mrs Jaines (London, UK): Distinctly Northern Rhône (as I saw the label :-) with a wink towards Bordeaux structure.
Aromatic nose towards green mint and nepeta. Sumi ink and red fruits together with a healthy and generous dose of Brett keep this wine elevated in the classic fashion.
Taste is superbly balanced, acids and tannins perfectly integrated with everything and has to be assumed to be at its plateau. Not made for the long haul, but exquisit pleasures today.
What a wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2014 - pjaines Likes this wine:
Beautiful wine that has a delicate and aromatic feel - very nuanced and perfumed with red fruits cut through with darker under tones of beef stock. Excellent value at £32.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2013 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color. No detailed TN taken, but a constellation of mineral and dark fruit flavors, very good presence and balance on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2013 - STEVEN@WINECELLARCLUB.COM wrote: 94 Points
eXCELLENT RIPE BERY FLAVORS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2013 - hosscrow Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious. Perfectly aged for my taste. Dark, opaque red. Complex and powerful aroma of smoke and dark berry fruit with leather and oak, earth, unique and enticing. Medium to light mouth feel, soft tannins with a complex blend of bottle age and fruit flavors: definitely N. Rhone smokey meat/bacon, balanced nicely with lots of dark fruit, blackberry, tart and pleasant acidity and a hint of leather, beautifully integrated and balanced with an extended finish of slightly bitter stem plus fruit. Complex, beautifully made and very French (complex and ages, even the single varietal taste like a blend) compared to the WA and Paso Syrah that I have been tasting lately.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2013 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
very pretty pale colour
toasty nose, spicy
quite ripe fruit and such fragrance, tannins, dry finish
very long
you can taste this for about 5 minutes afterwards
at a lovely moment in its maturity, a long life ahead but so beautifully poised between ripe youthful fruit and tertiary flavours
gorgeous
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2011 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
light transparent red with some rose, amber rim
secondary earthy & spicy aroma of ripe, highly-perfumed fruits
med-full body, balanced soft round tannins, good acidity, balanced bitterness, harmonious, pleasant fruitiness, enjoyable ending.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2011 - ccn wrote: 90 Points
Somewhat disappointing on the first day: At first noticeable brett/VA which burnt off after 30 minutes, leaving a somewhat thin wine with red fruit but none of the animal characteristics in better examples. On the second day, somewhat improved: the quality of the tannins comes through; the fruit is still present but with better length and slightly more concentration and a mineral quality. I'm still not blown away but I think that this will likely improve over 5-10 years and with luck will be an elegant wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2011 - coremill wrote: flawed
Syrah Tasting (Ivo and Lulu): When this got poured, the table spotted practically every wine flaw in the book. We couldn't decide if it was corked, oxidized, heat damaged, or had brett or VA problems. After giving it some air, my opinion is either slight oxidation or heat damage. A browner color than I'd expect on a youngish wine, nose was muted and not giving much. Others got some light sherry-ish aromas, which supports the oxidation thesis. With air it opened up a little, but was still funky. A little red fruit and olive on the palate, but not a lot going on here. Nice structure underneath with good balance of acid and tannin, but this just didn't seem right.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2011 - 500174 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful wine. Smooth and lush, truffly and gamey notes. Masses of sediment. Quite light purple but consistent to the rim. According to TWS this will get better over the next ten years but it was very good today with steak and ale pie.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2010 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
Excellent. Cool climate fruit. Stemmy in a good way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2009 - iamandyc wrote: 93 Points
This was an awesome, balanced, sophisticated syrah. Clearly dominated a 04 Bella's Garden and '03 Cougar Crest in blind tasting. Complex, deep and nice finish without being sweet or juicy. WOTF
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2009 - Rok wrote: 94 Points
Hermitage wines really do it for me and this one is delicious. The nose is knock out, leather, great pepper and very floral. And this wine is balanced. Ripe but fine tannins, almost round in the mouth, and fantastic transition start to finish. Definitely up my alley.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2008 - dougsmith wrote: 94 Points
Medium ruby color. Really complex nose with a lot of earthiness, saddle leather, cassis, cracked pepper, pencil lead and floral perfume, with a touch of green herb in the background. I could smell this all day. Focused black cherry essence on the palate, ripe tannins, medium bodied.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2008 - cellarid wrote: 92 Points
Very dark with tons of minerality. Great meaty component with ripe tannins. Should be great over the next 10 years, but already approachable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2007 - 5laton wrote:
SFwine Northern Rhone tasting (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Slightly estery nose, with some spicy oak and chalky sweet-tart aromas. Silky on the attack, and very interesting. Initially well balanced with red fruit, herbs, barrel spice and meat. Lots of meat....in fact, this is kind of like a big fat slab of peppered steak. Delicious. But with time in the glass the spice and creamy texture from the 40% new oak becomes more apparent, and distracting. Needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment