Ok, it goes like this: very high quality ChdP with nothing to complain about, but it does not distinguish itself from other HQ wines from this region. A lack of uniqueness may I say. It didn't "kick" my tongue at first or even last sip. I would say it's very dry as for ChdP wines. The smell - minerals, herbs, smoke, earth, spice, red cherry, cranberry ( so nice), licorice, spice. The taste is about the same. Powerful wine with perfect balance, acidity and tannins. Very long finish. Definitely it's not up to my last ChdPs. Charvin Usseglio Prefert 2016 vintage got 98 points according to the WA Vintage Guide. Extraordinary. Early maturing and accessible Wine? JD - 98 RP - 97 Vinous - 96 WE - 96 Decanter - 94 WS - 94 CT - 94 Jeff Leve - 94 WCI - 94 ... I think this is the first time when my rating is not above ratings of pro
Interesting... and at the same time it's worrying 🙄 about my skills
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On the masculine side of CDP…. Nose balanced of fruit and chocolate and tannin.. Flavor deep berry fruit but not fruit forward with chocolate tea garrigue notes finishing tannic fruity mineral acidity … Quite nice….. but needs a few more years… The Julienne Trous Sources was better…
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This is ripe, rich and delicious but I think the alcohol level is too high for further aging. Drink now ideally with a dead wild animal that will stand up to the power of this wine! 92-?
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This is definitely thick and ripe but there is a terrific cut of acidity underneath and great flavors of smoky black fruits, coal dust and molten asphalt. The texture is very smooth and the finish is grippy and taut with notes of garrigue spices and minerals. However, there is a bit more heat developing now which concerns me regarding aging this wine any further. 91-
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Quintessential CdP. Cherries, earth, a touch of pepper. If someone asked me what a CdP tasted like, this is a good choice. Not overboard in any area, but a reference for the terrior of Chateauneuf. The only thing holding back the score is that it is the reference and doesn't distinguish itself.
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After 2 hours decanting (couldn´t wait longer) lots of fruits. Red and dark fruits. But in a perfect way. Very balanced. Probably a little bit wood and herbs to support the fruit. A wine that makes you happy. Absolutely great and very good QPR for an C9dP.
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Lots of fruit, just fruit! But not in a bad way. Ok, a little wood to carry the fruit. It makes you smile, it is a happy wine. Very well balanced. Not much tannins, therefore difficult to say how long it will be at that level. Finish not very long, but still very ok for a wine in that price category. The alcohol (15%) is not showing off either. Very good value for money
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Very young and needs lots of air but then shows excellent richness of dark fruits with layered flavors of warm asphalt and smoked garrigue spices. Full-bodied with a taut, intense finish and incredibly complex notes of charcoal and slate minerals. Even young, it's thoroughly enjoyable now with a long decant. Big yet authentic in style and just really delicious. 94+
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Such a beautiful and lifted nose of black cherry and garrigue spices. Still very young and closing down a bit but it’s loaded with delicious and ripe blackberry fruit balanced by crisp acidity. The terroir really shines through with wonderful flavors of garrigue spices and black slate minerals. Quite full and layered but also fresh and lifted. The finish is taut with dusty tannins and already complex notes of rosemary and violet spice. Beautifully balanced and I can’t wait to taste this in 5+ years. Mouth-watering which is something I haven’t said in a long time about wines from this region. 94+
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2016 CdP (and some other wines over dinner) (NY Racquet and Tennis Club): Another wine that I think I might have liked a bit more than the group. Yes, definitely CdP. It's got some of that wonderful fruit (although again, darker in style which I don't associate with Grenache) and yet there's a softness to the wine. Almost a velvety style. A bit of maybe asian spice that helps to balance. Enjoyable.
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Drank from a magnum. In my opinion pretty much open for business right from the start. Sweet, syrupy, and extracted red fruits with the perfect touch of acidity to provide lift/finesse. Lavender, vanilla, thyme, and minerals soften the midsection and finish. Very raspberry liqueur like but with so much more freshness and acid than one would expect. Slight heat on the finish but as much as other powerful vintages when young (2010 comes to mind).
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Striking nose of black raspberries, charcoal and garrigue spices. Super thick in the mouth but not cloying with flavors of black fruits, lavendar and coal dust. Then superb freshness and acidity kick in to balance out the powerful nature of the wine. The finish is classically dry and dusty with strong notes of minerals and campfire coals. These ‘16 CDP’s are poised to age well but I don’t know how to keep my hands off them given how delicious and succulent they are already. Very impressive and a great combination of traditional and modern in this wine. 94+
The nose was remarkably pretty and lifted, displaying notes of ripe plum, crushed blackberry, and black cherry backed by Autumnal spices, sweet violet florals, and smoky minerals. On the palate, I found silky textures, balanced by brisk acidity with tart black fruits, sweet herbal tones, violet candies, and inner blue florals as a bitter twang of tannin mounted. The finish was long, resonating on tart blackberry, exotic spice and saturating tannins. This is one of the most backward and structured '16s that I've tasted to date, and can imagine that there's a long future ahead for this vintage of Le Clos du Caillou Quartz.
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Bright purple, with nose of smoke and savoury spice
Fruit is rich but subtle, prunes and plums Ripe mouthfeel, silky tannins are subtle and complex. Partial use of amphora seems to work very well, as the complexity rolls into a long savoury finish with red fruits interwoven
Lovely stuff
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Kirsch, cherries, strawberry and other assorted red berries and licorice meld perfectly here. The wine is pure, fresh, soft and silky. The wine promises to get better with aging. The wine was made using a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah.
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Huge very black, almost metallic mineral nose, ripe black cherries... Wow, super silky tannin, sappy red cherries, super nice length of 45 sec, great Quartz!!
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Enormous nose of licorice, ripe black and red cherries, nice minerality... Very silky, loads of sappy tannin from the Syrah, loads of sappy red cherries, very delicious, mineral, salty, lenght of 45 seconds,
3/20/2024 - WojteG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ok, it goes like this: very high quality ChdP with nothing to complain about, but it does not distinguish itself from other HQ wines from this region. A lack of uniqueness may I say. It didn't "kick" my tongue at first or even last sip.
I would say it's very dry as for ChdP wines.
The smell - minerals, herbs, smoke, earth, spice, red cherry, cranberry ( so nice), licorice, spice.
The taste is about the same. Powerful wine with perfect balance, acidity and tannins.
Very long finish.
Definitely it's not up to my last ChdPs.
Charvin
Usseglio
Prefert
2016 vintage got 98 points according to the WA Vintage Guide.
Extraordinary. Early maturing and accessible
Wine?
JD - 98
RP - 97
Vinous - 96
WE - 96
Decanter - 94
WS - 94
CT - 94
Jeff Leve - 94
WCI - 94
...
I think this is the first time when my rating is not above ratings of pro
Interesting... and at the same time it's worrying 🙄 about my skills
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9/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not profound, but bright and fruity with a crowd pleasing balance. No hurry here. 2016 is great across the board in the southern Rhone.
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2/4/2023 - KJD45$ wrote: 92 Points
On the masculine side of CDP….
Nose balanced of fruit and chocolate and tannin..
Flavor deep berry fruit but not fruit forward with chocolate tea garrigue notes finishing tannic fruity mineral acidity …
Quite nice….. but needs a few more years…
The Julienne Trous Sources was better…
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10/21/2022 - dream wrote: 92 Points
This is ripe, rich and delicious but I think the alcohol level is too high for further aging. Drink now ideally with a dead wild animal that will stand up to the power of this wine! 92-?
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9/21/2022 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and fully mature!
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9/9/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is definitely thick and ripe but there is a terrific cut of acidity underneath and great flavors of smoky black fruits, coal dust and molten asphalt. The texture is very smooth and the finish is grippy and taut with notes of garrigue spices and minerals. However, there is a bit more heat developing now which concerns me regarding aging this wine any further. 91-
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3/23/2022 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 90 Points
Nice taste, but just too much heat
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2/13/2022 - Crunge wrote: 92 Points
Quintessential CdP. Cherries, earth, a touch of pepper. If someone asked me what a CdP tasted like, this is a good choice. Not overboard in any area, but a reference for the terrior of Chateauneuf. The only thing holding back the score is that it is the reference and doesn't distinguish itself.
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11/15/2021 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
Very fresh red fruit, red berries, mineral... High acidity, mineral, still very young, red berries, mineral, nice lenght 30 sec.
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9/4/2021 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic, full of deep fruit with a long finish. Great to drink now, 1 hour decant, likely to get more interesting too
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3/23/2021 - Marvin77 Likes this wine: 96 Points
After 2 hours decanting (couldn´t wait longer) lots of fruits. Red and dark fruits. But in a perfect way. Very balanced. Probably a little bit wood and herbs to support the fruit. A wine that makes you happy. Absolutely great and very good QPR for an C9dP.
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3/22/2021 - Boutenac Likes this wine: 94 Points
A little closed at first pour, then opened up tremendously.
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1/26/2021 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wow -- intense, modern, sooth, one of the best ever -- disappeared quickly!
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1/11/2021 - ackerstube Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of fruit, just fruit! But not in a bad way. Ok, a little wood to carry the fruit. It makes you smile, it is a happy wine. Very well balanced. Not much tannins, therefore difficult to say how long it will be at that level. Finish not very long, but still very ok for a wine in that price category. The alcohol (15%) is not showing off either. Very good value for money
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1/9/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very young and needs lots of air but then shows excellent richness of dark fruits with layered flavors of warm asphalt and smoked garrigue spices. Full-bodied with a taut, intense finish and incredibly complex notes of charcoal and slate minerals. Even young, it's thoroughly enjoyable now with a long decant. Big yet authentic in style and just really delicious. 94+
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4/2/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Such a beautiful and lifted nose of black cherry and garrigue spices. Still very young and closing down a bit but it’s loaded with delicious and ripe blackberry fruit balanced by crisp acidity. The terroir really shines through with wonderful flavors of garrigue spices and black slate minerals. Quite full and layered but also fresh and lifted. The finish is taut with dusty tannins and already complex notes of rosemary and violet spice. Beautifully balanced and I can’t wait to taste this in 5+ years. Mouth-watering which is something I haven’t said in a long time about wines from this region. 94+
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5/23/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
2016 CdP (and some other wines over dinner) (NY Racquet and Tennis Club): Another wine that I think I might have liked a bit more than the group. Yes, definitely CdP. It's got some of that wonderful fruit (although again, darker in style which I don't associate with Grenache) and yet there's a softness to the wine. Almost a velvety style. A bit of maybe asian spice that helps to balance. Enjoyable.
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4/26/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 Points
Drank from a magnum. In my opinion pretty much open for business right from the start. Sweet, syrupy, and extracted red fruits with the perfect touch of acidity to provide lift/finesse. Lavender, vanilla, thyme, and minerals soften the midsection and finish. Very raspberry liqueur like but with so much more freshness and acid than one would expect. Slight heat on the finish but as much as other powerful vintages when young (2010 comes to mind).
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3/20/2019 - Niagara wrote: 89 Points
Well made, restrained wine, but a short finish leaves nothing to think about once it’s down the pipe.
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11/27/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Striking nose of black raspberries, charcoal and garrigue spices. Super thick in the mouth but not cloying with flavors of black fruits, lavendar and coal dust. Then superb freshness and acidity kick in to balance out the powerful nature of the wine. The finish is classically dry and dusty with strong notes of minerals and campfire coals. These ‘16 CDP’s are poised to age well but I don’t know how to keep my hands off them given how delicious and succulent they are already. Very impressive and a great combination of traditional and modern in this wine. 94+
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10/11/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 96 Points
The nose was remarkably pretty and lifted, displaying notes of ripe plum, crushed blackberry, and black cherry backed by Autumnal spices, sweet violet florals, and smoky minerals. On the palate, I found silky textures, balanced by brisk acidity with tart black fruits, sweet herbal tones, violet candies, and inner blue florals as a bitter twang of tannin mounted. The finish was long, resonating on tart blackberry, exotic spice and saturating tannins. This is one of the most backward and structured '16s that I've tasted to date, and can imagine that there's a long future ahead for this vintage of Le Clos du Caillou Quartz.
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9/12/2018 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 93 Points
85% grenache, 15% syrah
Bright purple, with nose of smoke and savoury spice
Fruit is rich but subtle, prunes and plums Ripe mouthfeel, silky tannins are subtle and complex. Partial use of amphora seems to work very well, as the complexity rolls into a long savoury finish with red fruits interwoven
Lovely stuff
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9/6/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Kirsch, cherries, strawberry and other assorted red berries and licorice meld perfectly here. The wine is pure, fresh, soft and silky. The wine promises to get better with aging. The wine was made using a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah.
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3/17/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 98 Points
Huge very black, almost metallic mineral nose, ripe black cherries... Wow, super silky tannin, sappy red cherries, super nice length of 45 sec, great Quartz!!
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1/21/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Enormous nose of licorice, ripe black and red cherries, nice minerality... Very silky, loads of sappy tannin from the Syrah, loads of sappy red cherries, very delicious, mineral, salty, lenght of 45 seconds,
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