Really lovely to enjoy over several hours with dinner. Smoky cherries up front with gummy, resinous herbal finish and plenty of structure. Gains complexity with air. The kind of CdP I actually like to drink.
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Perfectly mature and singing CNP. The fruit is mostly secondary but the herbal scorched earth aromas are intoxicating. This wine has another decade left and good but not over powering acidity it is one of the better 94s for sure.
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From the appearance and aroma, one would know this is a fully mature bottle. Black olive, herbs, and plenty of fruit and tannins to suggest it has enough stuffing to last years. Wonderful!
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When everything works (Roots Bistro Gourmand): An olive note dominated but did not detract from the pleasure offered by this solid bottle. Strong fruit suggested fuel left in the tank. I recall the bottle a few years ago being better balanced and more complete but this one showed younger.
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To quote my husband: "It's not gonna knock your socks off, but it won't embarrass you either". At first, it seemed empty, with a lot of metal on the back end. But it seriously opened up after an hour of decanting. The little bit of fruit left is soft, subtle, and fading fast. Lots of tannins left. Delicious with provencal-herbed lamb and feta-cucumber salad. Drink immediately.
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This is my last bottle of this. I haven't had it for 4+ years and its gotten even better. The wine wasn't a rich initially as the first one I had, but it was full of mature classic chateauneuf elements; leather, tobacco leaf, black cherries, mincemeat, but with nice acidity and so well integrated.
I can appreciate the comment by "BprdeauxBuff," from earlier this year. I found that is was chateauneuf early and drinking like mature burgundy after an hour or so.
I have been drinking through a case of the wine over the last 3 years. Some of my early bottles were served blind in CDP tastings, and performed very well against premium producers in better known vintages.
But today, this wine is still pretty, but it is clearly in the latter stage of its drinking period. Today, it drinks like a mature Chambolle Musigny rather than a CDP.
Excellent QPR quality producer.
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Very interesting wine.Wasn't expecting much. Nicely developed aromas with secondary notes and layers of dust and smoke typical of CdP. Structuure was quite nice. Tannins well integrated and good fruit content (fresh red berries, strawberries). Nice medium+ finish. Very good balance.
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S FL WS Group Monthly Blind Tasting (Himmarshee's - Ft. Lauderdale, FL): my #2 wine of the night. Don’t recall what I guessed this as (I think southern Rhone), but thought it was young. When revealed as a 94 CdP, we all marveled at how fresh and young the fruit was for a wine of its age. Delicious wine drinking at its peak now.
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Clear and very thin looking, fading to tea at the rim. Very compact, simple and light, almost hollow, but what's there is very nice maturing CdP. The thinness lets the 14% alcohol dominate a bit. Lingering, clean finish. Drink now. Believed from a recent library release.
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This is a great bottle of wine. Fine leather, licorice, gooseberry...all in a reserved and elegant style. This bottle had a silky and luxurious texture sorrounded by a nice fresh acidity. Tannins seems to be completely resolved with a medium long finish. Impressive 17 years old bottle drinking wonderfully now.
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First full bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Have had them multiple times at tastings, but never sat down to enjoy the evolution of a bottle. Color is garnet red/purple. Just a little "barnyard funk" at the first, but that settled down quickly. A very good earthiness, with notes of cherry cough drop, tobacco, chocolate, chalk & strawberry. No big evolution of the nose. Can't say enough how seriously, seriously good this bottle is. Transcends all my daily drinkers, and most of the better bottles in my cellar.
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Clearly on the downside, brick red colour, reserved, still showing some fruit between leather notes, palate is round and poweful, somehow tannic, with a very good acidity. On style is really close to the 2004 Chateauneufs but with a few years more.
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I reserve my rating for the next bottle, this is my first so old Chateauneuf and I need more time to feel confortable with. Clear brick red at rim. Nose is complex an delicated. Palate is incredible young, still powerfull and tannic.
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Medium light ruby. Nose showed some smoke and raisin and red fruits. Those flavors carried over to the plalate. I don't mind the smoke but it was too raisiny for me to really enjoy this especially as more air got to it. Drink now.
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With Niels at Union Square Cafe. I brought this wine. Judging from the label, capsule and cork I suspect this is a library release from Mont-Olivet? Medium red color. Awesome nose of mature Grenache: lavender, black olives, coffee, spices and dark cherry fruit. The fruit is suprisingly vibrant and fresh. Medium bodied, great flow on the palate with sous-bois flavors and cherry fruit. Niels guessed 1998! One of great benefits of blind tastings is that you remove the vintage bias. Lovely wine that is at peak. 1994 is a great year in CdP for current consumption.
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Always great to drink a mature CdP! Purchased for $98 of list at Bistro db in NYC. Medium ruby color leads to a nose of cedar, mushroom, and rasberry. The complex medium body carries red fruit with secondary flavors of garrique, mushroom, pencil lead. The tannins are beatifully intgrated and last 30 seconds. This wine is completely smooth with no hard edges. If you have this in your cellar, now is the time to enjoy!
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Off the list at Perilla, NYC. Perfect provenance. Light red in color. Very smooth and silky. Burgundian in style. A bit short on the finish but entirely enjoyable and food friendly. Vibrant and fresh.
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Drank this recently at Bar Boulud. Clearly this was well stored over the last 15 years. It started off drinking very young with nice plump fruit, all of the classic Chateauneuf characteristics of smoke, garrique, leather and animal. It aged over an hour and a half or so. I feel like I got to taste 10-12 years of evolution over a short period of time. A great example of Cheteauneuf.
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I don't like CdP in general... mostly because all the CdP I get to drink is basically about 5 minutes out of the barrel. This producer makes bottles that are begging to age. Their 1995 and 1996 CdPs were outstandingly green and thin when I had them around 10 and 15 years into the aging process (yes, thin can be a great thing). their 1994 though is gummy... red fruit. rhubarb. wild strawberries and a thyme-like savoriness. a very light raspberry cola finish. I would happily split this bottle for $100 on a restaurant wine list amongst a few friends who had good palates.
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4/9/2021 - andtheodor wrote: 91 Points
Garrigue and bloody meat, almost no fruit but plenty of interest. Great with grilled steak and fried potatoes.
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1/23/2020 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Really lovely to enjoy over several hours with dinner. Smoky cherries up front with gummy, resinous herbal finish and plenty of structure. Gains complexity with air. The kind of CdP I actually like to drink.
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4/12/2019 - winesavant68 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfectly mature and singing CNP. The fruit is mostly secondary but the herbal scorched earth aromas are intoxicating. This wine has another decade left and good but not over powering acidity it is one of the better 94s for sure.
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12/20/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
From the appearance and aroma, one would know this is a fully mature bottle. Black olive, herbs, and plenty of fruit and tannins to suggest it has enough stuffing to last years. Wonderful!
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12/20/2015 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
When everything works (Roots Bistro Gourmand): An olive note dominated but did not detract from the pleasure offered by this solid bottle. Strong fruit suggested fuel left in the tank. I recall the bottle a few years ago being better balanced and more complete but this one showed younger.
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3/14/2015 - augustwine Likes this wine:
To quote my husband: "It's not gonna knock your socks off, but it won't embarrass you either". At first, it seemed empty, with a lot of metal on the back end. But it seriously opened up after an hour of decanting. The little bit of fruit left is soft, subtle, and fading fast. Lots of tannins left. Delicious with provencal-herbed lamb and feta-cucumber salad. Drink immediately.
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7/20/2014 - ekenneth wrote: 94 Points
This is my last bottle of this. I haven't had it for 4+ years and its gotten even better. The wine wasn't a rich initially as the first one I had, but it was full of mature classic chateauneuf elements; leather, tobacco leaf, black cherries, mincemeat, but with nice acidity and so well integrated.
I can appreciate the comment by "BprdeauxBuff," from earlier this year. I found that is was chateauneuf early and drinking like mature burgundy after an hour or so.
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1/14/2014 - BordeauxBuff Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have been drinking through a case of the wine over the last 3 years. Some of my early bottles were served blind in CDP tastings, and performed very well against premium producers in better known vintages.
But today, this wine is still pretty, but it is clearly in the latter stage of its drinking period. Today, it drinks like a mature Chambolle Musigny rather than a CDP.
Excellent QPR quality producer.
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5/30/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Firm, but not without some charm ripe, this kirsch and cherry griotte filled wine is drinking at full maturity today.
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12/15/2011 - Lombardi wrote: 91 Points
Very interesting wine.Wasn't expecting much. Nicely developed aromas with secondary notes and layers of dust and smoke typical of CdP. Structuure was quite nice. Tannins well integrated and good fruit content (fresh red berries, strawberries). Nice medium+ finish. Very good balance.
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3/30/2011 - WinstonWolfe wrote: 90 Points
Suprisingly sweet red fruits, tea/herbal flavors, mint, roses and rye seed. Nice wine just lacking a bit on the moutfeel.
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3/26/2011 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
S FL WS Group Monthly Blind Tasting (Himmarshee's - Ft. Lauderdale, FL): my #2 wine of the night. Don’t recall what I guessed this as (I think southern Rhone), but thought it was young. When revealed as a 94 CdP, we all marveled at how fresh and young the fruit was for a wine of its age. Delicious wine drinking at its peak now.
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2/26/2011 - petitblanc wrote: 90 Points
Clear and very thin looking, fading to tea at the rim. Very compact, simple and light, almost hollow, but what's there is very nice maturing CdP. The thinness lets the 14% alcohol dominate a bit. Lingering, clean finish. Drink now. Believed from a recent library release.
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2/15/2011 - azahoner wrote: 93 Points
This is a great bottle of wine. Fine leather, licorice, gooseberry...all in a reserved and elegant style. This bottle had a silky and luxurious texture sorrounded by a nice fresh acidity. Tannins seems to be completely resolved with a medium long finish. Impressive 17 years old bottle drinking wonderfully now.
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1/16/2011 - hjrich wrote: 90 Points
A nice showcasing of an older Chateauneuf, but clearly on the decline. Bouquet not as pronounced as would be expected.
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12/10/2010 - wadcorp wrote: 92 Points
First full bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Have had them multiple times at tastings, but never sat down to enjoy the evolution of a bottle. Color is garnet red/purple. Just a little "barnyard funk" at the first, but that settled down quickly. A very good earthiness, with notes of cherry cough drop, tobacco, chocolate, chalk & strawberry. No big evolution of the nose. Can't say enough how seriously, seriously good this bottle is. Transcends all my daily drinkers, and most of the better bottles in my cellar.
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11/8/2010 - azahoner wrote: 92 Points
Clearly on the downside, brick red colour, reserved, still showing some fruit between leather notes, palate is round and poweful, somehow tannic, with a very good acidity. On style is really close to the 2004 Chateauneufs but with a few years more.
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10/2/2010 - PackerBacker wrote: 93 Points
The subtleties...good wine.
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5/30/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 92 Points
Wine Club: Party Like it's 1949 (Bowling Green, OH): Daddy like. Tons of sausage-y goodness, great mouthfeel, perfect age with that certain something. Yum.
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4/5/2010 - azahoner wrote:
I reserve my rating for the next bottle, this is my first so old Chateauneuf and I need more time to feel confortable with. Clear brick red at rim. Nose is complex an delicated. Palate is incredible young, still powerfull and tannic.
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12/25/2009 - dwoody wrote: 87 Points
Medium light ruby. Nose showed some smoke and raisin and red fruits. Those flavors carried over to the plalate. I don't mind the smoke but it was too raisiny for me to really enjoy this especially as more air got to it. Drink now.
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10/21/2009 - pbaek wrote:
With Niels at Union Square Cafe. I brought this wine. Judging from the label, capsule and cork I suspect this is a library release from Mont-Olivet? Medium red color. Awesome nose of mature Grenache: lavender, black olives, coffee, spices and dark cherry fruit. The fruit is suprisingly vibrant and fresh. Medium bodied, great flow on the palate with sous-bois flavors and cherry fruit. Niels guessed 1998! One of great benefits of blind tastings is that you remove the vintage bias. Lovely wine that is at peak. 1994 is a great year in CdP for current consumption.
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10/2/2009 - flashvictor wrote: 92 Points
Always great to drink a mature CdP! Purchased for $98 of list at Bistro db in NYC. Medium ruby color leads to a nose of cedar, mushroom, and rasberry. The complex medium body carries red fruit with secondary flavors of garrique, mushroom, pencil lead. The tannins are beatifully intgrated and last 30 seconds. This wine is completely smooth with no hard edges. If you have this in your cellar, now is the time to enjoy!
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9/17/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 91 Points
Off the list at Perilla, NYC. Perfect provenance. Light red in color. Very smooth and silky. Burgundian in style. A bit short on the finish but entirely enjoyable and food friendly. Vibrant and fresh.
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8/29/2009 - Musedir wrote:
Strong start, minimal tannins, smooth finish... Drink now
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7/11/2009 - ekenneth wrote: 93 Points
Drank this recently at Bar Boulud. Clearly this was well stored over the last 15 years. It started off drinking very young with nice plump fruit, all of the classic Chateauneuf characteristics of smoke, garrique, leather and animal. It aged over an hour and a half or so. I feel like I got to taste 10-12 years of evolution over a short period of time. A great example of Cheteauneuf.
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1/25/2008 - mnh wrote:
Fading fruit
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11/24/2006 - dfeiner wrote:
Thanksgiving. After a bunch of CA Syrah. Nice herbal component on the nose and taste. Still rather fresh.
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9/15/2006 - Cole wrote: 94 Points
I don't like CdP in general... mostly because all the CdP I get to drink is basically about 5 minutes out of the barrel. This producer makes bottles that are begging to age. Their 1995 and 1996 CdPs were outstandingly green and thin when I had them around 10 and 15 years into the aging process (yes, thin can be a great thing). their 1994 though is gummy... red fruit. rhubarb. wild strawberries and a thyme-like savoriness. a very light raspberry cola finish. I would happily split this bottle for $100 on a restaurant wine list amongst a few friends who had good palates.
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2/6/2005 - mnh wrote:
Quite good. Elegant, good fruit nice finish
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1/29/2003 - mnh wrote: flawed
corked bottle
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4/12/2002 - mnh wrote:
the finest mt olivet i have ever tasted.
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