Red and dark berry, some black pepper. A touch below medium-bodied, supple, balanced and elegant, mixed berries with white pepper, noble medium tannins of surprising quality, appropriate acidity woven through, reasonable length. Professionally cellared since release, this is very good for its price point and industrial-scale production. (*****)
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Kept as an experiment. Bad 'bottle stink' on opening, some sediment, so must be decanted. Bottle stink 'blew off' in about two hours. Very little sign of ageing in the colour, a dark garnet red. Not totally pleasant on the nose: overripe plums and black fruit. Still tannic (as were a lot of the 2005s), but the body is thinning out and 'separating': tannin over here, alcohol over there and in between a dried out fruitiness which is beginning to lose the smoothness that characterises this wine at its best. So, this CdR doesn't really last 13 years. I'll try the 2006 next and report back.
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leathery, smoky, mocha and dried herbs (and that's just for starters), it got better with each sip; at 11 years old I don't think I was expecting anything this good
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The wine just kept giving on both the nose and palate, in fact I lost track of what came from where, but complexity ruled: black cherry, plum and wonderfully spiced, with a dry finish. There was also strawberry, smoked-mocha and smooth silky tannins.
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Good show here. How many people have this 05 CDR? Apparently a few who give weird marks. Anyway...good stuff, very integrated, showing well for a CDR, nothing sticking out. Not old either, just pure spicy fruit. Thumbs up. Last bottle.
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Brassy, astringent, overly alcoholic, powerful yet one dimensional. One glass (with 2 hours of aeration) and I poured the rest down the drain. I knew it was likely too late to have this..and it was. :( Onto the next one
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Rather undistinguished. Typical CdR aromas and flavors but just not much of them. Nothing really wrong with it but I'm glad I only had the one bottle. Some drying tannins in the finish so maybe it will evolve...
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A big step up from my last bottle. Decanted for 4 hours and served at 18 degrees. Everything knits together perfectly - still decent fruit, warm spices, and a mature nose. Drink over the next 2 years?
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Smooth drinking, but undistinguished wine. Had it with spicy meatloaf, and it just didn't pair well with the meal. Maybe my expectations were off, but I opened it expecting a hearty, nuanced wine that would hold up the the main course. What I got was an easy drinking, undistinguished, straight forward wine with no complexity, but just ok. Based on the community "drink dates" likely this wine was past its prime and on decline
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I drank the 1995 of this after 12 years and it was superb, but I tipped most of this 2005 down the sink as it tastes like... well... nothing. These were once worth ageing, but now they're little more than fruit bombs which will be completely insipid after a few years...
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dark purple color. roasted fruit, chery on the nose. medium to full finishing with spice, herb and cherry mouthfeel, however, very short finishing. good value buy.
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13,5% d'alcool, Syrah 55%, Grenache 35%, Mourvèdre 8%, Autres 2% Œil : pourpre-violacé à reflets rosées, opacité 5/10, forte viscosité en parois, larmes plutôt rapides Nez : projection d'intensité 5/10, frais, animal, balsamique, résineux, épicé rappelant la muscade, la cannelle et la baie de genièvre, champignon, végétal, iodé, intéressant, d'une certaine complexité, sans être charmeur toutefois (meilleur au 2e jour d'ailleurs) Bouche : sec, ample, acidité rafraîchissante, touche rèche, tanins charnus à souples, amertume moyenne+, persistance moyenne, rétro minérale, balsamique, végétale, amère, fruits rouges acidulés, cuir, terre humide, mentholé Conclusion : sympa, appréciations partagées à table, malgré tout de très belle tenue pour son rang.
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Always reliable CDR, just starting to hit its stride with pepper, spice and cherry flavours. I hope with a bit more age this will improve a point or two.
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Full-bodied, with a deep ruby/purple color berry fruit, the wine is dense, chewy, ripe. Dark cherry and licorice on the nose, with pungent herbs and minerals adding complexity. Sweeter raspberry and strawberry flavors are complemented by succulent herbs and braced by zesty minerality.
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Similar to previous bottle. Quite reserved on the first night with some hints of cooked/roasted fruit, but it did open up on second day into a more aromatic and tastier rhone style wine.
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Intense red colour with some purple highlights. Youthful, ripe fruit (cherry) on the nose, tones of dried herbs and black pepper. Fruit didn't fade but blossomed with air time. On the palate it is medium to full bodied with medium concentration, a good tannic grip and quite high acidity. Drying finish. A classic. Perfect to drink with rustic meaty dishes. High quality for the price (9€). Drink now through 2012.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Seems to vary from bottle to bottle, this one certainly didn't have quite the complexity and slight tannins of others. Nose doesn't really do justice. Fruit is moderate and well balanced. Hints of dark cherry and plum that blend nicely into acidity on the palate. An easy, everyday CdR.
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Decanted for an hour. For the price, this really delivers! Good fruit, that nice meaty Syrah component, blackberries on the palate, lots of tannins. Actually very good!
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This seems little roasted and boring initaly, but on nights 2 and 3 (under vacuvin) it was a very pleasant rhone wine, some roasted plums, tobacco and leather on the palate while the nose was dark fruits and slightly floral. Good QPR as usual, still shows some astringency so I would not be surprised if this improves further in the next few years. Very versatile food companion. 87+
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the cork came out very easily, and I suspected that this would be another bad bottle...to the contrary, it was quite nice. nose of syrah and some darker berries, with an herbal note. medium-bodied, tannins not noticeable. serviceable.
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Solid CdR in its price range, rounded out nicely in about 45 min, after a rough start. Dark fruits, earth, spice and some licorice, balanced acidity and smooth tannins come together nicely. Even better on day 2 - 88
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Glossy dark crimson. Full, peppery nose with black berries and spicy wood. Smooth, well integrated tannins and a very polished feel to the palate. Big, woody and spicy: the fruit seems quite restrained on this bottle.
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Quaffable plonk. Seriously what you'd expect on the nose, palete was reasonable balance of fruit, herb & pepper, and fine tannins. But this very much isn't a thinking wine, it's a drinking wine. And considering they make it in industrial quantities they seem to have done a good job. Not a bad intro to CdR.
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Dunkle Frucht und Kräuter in der Nase, Alkohol und leichte Aceton-Note wahrnehmbar. Die Frucht variiert am Gaumen je nach Flasche: Johannisbeere, Sauerkirsche, manchmal auch eingekochte Erdbeeren oder Fruchtkompott, immer leicht kräuterig. Gute Säure und ordentliches Holz, zurückhaltende Vanille. Insgesamt eher eindimensional, aber durchaus sauber, wirkt immer ehrlich und nicht gemacht. Für einen in fast schon industriellen Stückzahlen produzierten Wein eine echte Ausnahme und ein in seiner Preisklasse (hier bei uns 5-7 Euro) konkurrenzloser CdR.
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a good all around wine. not pretending just being pleasant, well made syrah based wine. good fruit, good freshness. I am not sure how long this will last, but I am glad not to have an over extracted, over woody wine.
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Very good - concentrated modern Cotes du Rhone style - high-ish alcohol - distinct rosemary and red fruit nose and palate. Some background acetone high notes - that give a slight perfume character. Good value wine.
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Ruby red with cracked black pepper and redcurrant on the nose. Lighter and more elegant than previous bottles revealing pleasant blackcurrant and polished leather notes with a hit of spicy tannins at the back of the palate.
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Nice red fruit and spice w a slight herbal taste- nice weeknight wine for me- taste seems to differ slightly between diff bottles though - but just slightly
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Excellent showing. This wine seems quite variable - sometimes quite forward and carbonic maceration-y and other times quite structured with deep dark fruits and lovely herbal nuance. This bottle was the latter style. Well made, relatively complex and a touch of seriousness. Very good - excellent.
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I was quite impressed by this wine. The very attaractive nose opened up after only 30 mins or so, with some wild strawberries. The first thing that hit me after that was the very silky mouthfeel. The strawberry theme continues onto the palate, and it's qute subtle and elegant, with dome dusty tannins and just the right amount of acidity. The finish was also reasonably long, a very well made wine I think. In fact Waitrose have the 2006 on special at the moment, so I picked up a few more in the hope that they will be just as good.
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Right in my wheelhouse. Grenache and Syrah shined through. It seems to be the perfect age- would not have thought that a 2005 CDR would make it this long, but it was delcious. The beautiful nose gave way to wonderful red fruit. The velvety grenache mouthfeel and spiciness of the syrah blended well together. I have 2 more left- can't wait to dig in!
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Glossy ruby red with cracked black pepper and sweet red berries on the nose. Lightweight but heavy with black pepper spice and some quite bitter tannins. Improved a little the next day with black coffee and blackcurrant flavours, but didn't lose the bitterness. Not the best bottle of this.
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decanted for about 20 minutes before first glass. Nose of strawberries and red currants. On the palate the sour cherry mixes nicely with some dusty herbs. nice acidity. A great simple everyday wine.
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Good CDR, nice tangy fruit, light pepperiness. In a good spot now, for what it is, and will hold for a while yet. I like it, although I have seen the price range widely from $13-19+. At lowest end, justifiable, but at upper, hard sell.
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Pittige wijn, met flink wat alcohol. Zwarte bessen en kersen en vooral provencaalse kruiden. Goed te drinken, maar weinig complexiteit en niet erg geconcentreerd. In deze prijsklasse is de Clos Saint Jean Côtes du Rhône wat mij betreft een beter alternatief.
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nose of iron and meat juices, fruit fading fast, only acidity and alcohol left. pity because it was very good last year, and now I still have 3 bottles...
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Simply a delicious wine packing blackberry, mineral and black pepper - black pepper on the attack; black pepper on the finish, in spades. And it’s all delicious. Hints of black olives pop up on occasion. This may not be anything to write home about, but it certainly isn’t anything to shy away from at all. From half bottle. 13.5% alc. With sausages in red sauce over pasta. Recommended.
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Opened and ran first glass through vinturi and let sit for about 25 minutes. Had with grilled skirt steak and roasted vegetables. nose was a touch of alcohol and some red currants and a touch of flowers. On the palate there was dirty sour cherries and a decent minerality. A nice simple bottle.
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Very nice, stems weren't the greatest but the wine did shine however - Dark, medium bodied with a nose of plum, blueberry, cherry, spice, pepper and vanilla, well balanced, not overly complex, good structure, smooth on the palate with good length (88 Points).
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At the first whirl, it actually smelled some yeast. Alcoholic in nose, together with some earthy / mineral tones. Some small tannins left in the palate, together with some acid. Medium to light bodied. In my opinion - an easy-drink wine, which didn't fascinate us in any way. Producer sais it has an 8 year aging potential. I will be surprised if this will be any better in 3 years. I recommend - drink in 2010.
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Nicely consistent with previous bottles. Jubey and earthy aromas; straightforward palate with a bit of depth to it; ripe, certainly, with slightly gritty grapey tannins. Solidly grenache, not candied; an honest dependable although not exciting CdR.
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Dark ruby. Gorgeous nose with violets, blackberries, meat and grilled herbs. Mid-bodied and perfectly round with sweet tanins, rich fruit and moderate yet sufficient acidity. Fairly long finish. An overperformer in its price range.
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Purple, gamy: the ground is gamy and there is no float of fruit. Definitely a food wine. A little furry, slight alcohol. Just a little light, interestingly for a syrah.
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Opened and served right away. Medium ruby in colour. Fresh nose of red currants, berries, custard and hints of floral. Medium body, acidic and powdery tannins. Good length. Some heat on the finish. Showing more youthfully and less developed than the last bottle. Red fruits and berries on the palate. Nice now, but will be better in a few years. Good. 87+
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Popped and poured. Rather expressive on the nose, lots of red fruits coming through, even some licorice and a whiff of vanilla oak. On the palate, more of the same, very pleasant. Of the vintages I have tasted ('03, '04 and now this), this is definitely the best. Might even get a couple bottles more for the cellar for short term drinking. 50+4+10+15+8=87
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O - blåröd m aningar om tegelkant D - lingondricka, härligt vinös m körsbär, lilja, vitpeppar, bittermandel, stallig, gummi, jord, ek, romerska bågar S - Körsbär, viol, ek, mandel, söt munskänsla matvänliga tanniner och bra längd, floral, pinje, torkade bär, romerska bågar, smultron/jordgubb, stall, plommon, örtbesk Vinet utvecklas hela tiden i glaset och druvorna avslöjar sej en efter en. Först ut är Grenashe med fruktighet, apelsin, röda bär sen reduktiva toner av Mourverdre, stall, läder, jord till sist Syrah med plommon, viol och pepprig örtbeska. Välgjort! 8p
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1 hour decant. First whiff: Yeast. Then some fruit and hints of oak. Slightly tannic, some acids on the palate. Not a very exiting wine but an OK everyday drinker I suppose, with a decent QPR. Drank it with a simple chicken legs & chips meal. Got better with the food.
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The bouquet on this shifted and grew: fresh blood, black berry liquor, pine, and black raspberry at first. Then fruit-infused dark chocolate, gentle gasoline and bright raspberry. A lightweight, cool, round wine offering creamy beef carpaccio, and berries and cherries spread evenly and horizontally like a fairly-taught hammock between unintrusively-structured poles.
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Deep ruby color. Nose of smoked meat, violets, sweet blackberry, and licorice. Pure flavors of tart blackberry and smoky dried meat, The structure is somewhat soft, lower acid and tannin than finer examples of CdR. Good QPR, reliable. This wine will show well for another year or so (Feb. 2010).
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On the nose: Warm fruit, dark berries. Taste: Less fruit more earthly, wet wood and some pepper. A serious meat component dominates the finish which is quite long. Tannins are firm.
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Lightly chewy, jubey-ripe mouthful of medium-bodied wine, mostly tannin-free but with some tartness of fruit giving it a little simple bite. In context, pretty OK, but nothing to make a rush for.
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A Red Rhone blend. My second bottle of Cote de Rhone E.Guigal, no surprise compare to '04, still thin on plate and long finish. I detected berry and earthiness on the nose. It is balance on palate, with nice berries and earthiness. Soft tannins and approachable.
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Standard low end, reliable Rhone wine. I like this wine because it showcases aspects of what a great Rhone varietal is made of: medium to full bodied herb, spice and berries. The 2005 is simple. Starts off earthy with distinctive mushroom, then moves into a light pepper beneath sweet raspberry with hints of violet. Guigal Cotes du Rhone is a nice, relatively cheap "go to" to avoid the pitfalls of similar Rhone wines that err on being too light, too watery and flavorless.
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really simple table red. no depth, not much on the nose, Given the competition and quality in this price range, I (strongly) recommend to skip this one... "Le savoir-faire de la maison Guigal"... mmmm, the 89pts from Parker remains a mystery.
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Deep ruby; blackberries, smoked meat, herbs; blackberry, medium body, good acidity, firm tannins, decent finish. Restrained fruit but somewhat lean with hard tannins. Definitely not the '03.
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Second bottle enjoyed over last few days, drank with Kim at odd moments over the course of 2-3 days. Did improve on days 2-3, overall very similar impression - pleasant enough entry level little southern rhone blend, good QPR at this price point. Dark ruby, simple, one dimensional and straightforward without a lot of depth and complexity but also no off-tones, well made. Medium bodied, little aftertaste. Nose of red fruit and strawberry, primary flavors more austere with some terroir, granite, dark cherry and tar present.
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Pleasant enough but not great or memorable southern rhone blend, not a bad QPR at this price point, an entry-level wine. Enjoyed with Kim over the last couple of nights. Dark ruby, somewhat simple and straightforward without a lot of depth and complexity but also no off-tones, well made. Medium bodied, very little aftertaste. Nose richer then flavor profile with rose and strawberry, primary flavors more austere with some terroir, granite, dark cherry and tar present.
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Balanced but simple and fruit-forward Côtes du Rhone, with enough spices and wood on the nose to make it suitable for food pairing. Drink now and in the next 4 years.
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{cork, 13.5%, A$16} Red with a crimson hint; typical CdR white pepper/sour cherry aromas; palate of ripe grenache fruits; chewy stalkiness, not much tannin except for a little grape skin; light/medium bodied; decent enough quaffer - price is about right.
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Mostly in line with the previous bottle. This time the bottle was popped and poured at our table. Last time I had it at the same restaurant, it was opened the day before. I found it more balanced and harmonious this time. This is a good value Cotes du Rhone with lots of character, if only slightly lean and short.
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When poured the wine showed hints of ruby. When tasted the wine was attractive in a French way with medium mouth feel and weight. This wine does not jump out of the glass and assert itself and probably was made that way. Good, solid Rhone wine in the Old World style.
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This Cotes du Rhone is very very good. Wet stone/herbal aromatic characteristics are in spades. Dusty cherry and blackberry fruit is followed by a lot of smoke as the wine finishes. Nothing to complain about here for the price.
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Dyp rød. Duft av modne mørke bær og klart syrahpreg. Middels fyldig vin med god syre og stramme tanniner. Fin mørk fruktighet med hint av pepper. Grei lengde. Vellaget og masseprodusert Côtes du Rhône (gjennomsnittlig produksjon pr. år: 3,3 millioner flasker)...
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There is nothing exciting about this wine - it is basic Rhone through and through. So why am i giving it 89 pints?Because it is balanced just the way i like - decent spicy fruit blends seamlessly with tannic structure and refreshing acidity. Works well both with and without food.
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opened and let breathe for about 30 minutes. was offered with appetisers but not popular. drank a couple of nights later with roasted vegetables and chicken. very slight hint of something at start; finish was smoother than first night but little body or taste.
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the nose shows some light plums and some dirtiness, some red candied cherries. also, i get a bit of red beet aromas as well as some smoke. medium bodied. good tannic structure for a wine at this price point. ripe red cherries, tangy rasberries, black licorice and some charred wood. medium+ acid, could stand a bit more concentration, but its still decent. bit of earthy, brambly action on the finish. it seems to have smoothed out on the second day and the tangy acid has subsided a bit.
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Ruby-red color. Blackcurrant, raspberry and pepper. Medium bodied with fresh fruit and chewy tannins. medium finish. Could use some more time. Drink 2010 - 2013. Needs food!
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Not too bad headache wise, drinking without food (red wine headache) Nose: first open, light musty dirt- smells like dark rich soil after a rainstorm- but not overpowering. Citrus? Tongue: very tart, like tart cherries. Long tart finish, slightly bitter. Apricot pits. Eye: cherry color. No gold. Very blue red, like a perfect ruby. Hints of tar and pepper, chewy, ripe- BIG mouthful. Interesting wine. Would be better with food, rich, even sweet foods.
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clear, med intensity, ruby; fruit and earth bouquet (nice); med acidity,med tannin, med body, red fruit with earthy notes, med finish. $24cad excellent value
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perfumed primarily with dark fruit and mint, but also some meaty scents integrated as well, represents the appellation well with an earthy palate, violets, plum, blackberry, cherry, smoke, short finish, complex, balanced, good acid, medium to full bodied, really a winter dinner wine which could match with roasted or smoked red meats, good value, will evolve with cellar time
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Maybe the best Guigal Cote du Rhone I ever had. Pretty bright. Rather frutiy with a strong supplement of liqurice (after two hours). Very different to the Anima Negra and still in a different leauge, but just one class lower.
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Opened and served right away. On the nose, some earthy notes, red currants, custard. Medium to high acidity, medium tannin and body with a medium length finish. Slight hints of heat on palate and nose. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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Tasted 9-20-09 at a Chicago tasting bar. Syrah/grenache blend. Nose of tangy red/berry fruit & the grenache is evident. Notes of currant, cherry, earth, leather [syrah], a bit of game & bit of smokiness. Medium body. Flavors of fruit & earth on the palate. The leather & game are there also, more subtle & integrated. Stood up nicely to a sharp cheese appetizer course. Fairly polished now esp. for the price. Enjoyable CdR, easy to like, undemanding, great for everyday drinking. And of course admirable QPR. 87-88 pts.
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Deep, shiny ruby red. Full and aromatic; fresh red fruits, tobacco and spices on the nose. Medium to full bodied with racy acidity and smooth round tannins. Elegant smooth flavours, rich and full with red berries, leather, black pepper and cloves. Well balanced and long into the finish. Very enjoyable.
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Dark crimson, lushes nose of kirsch, raspberries, cherry compote, leather, mixed spice, wood and garrigue, palate is sweet, clean and smooth with complex but integrated flavors of mixed dark berries, spice and earth, lengthy fruit forward finish with earth undertones
I have now consumed multiple bottles sourced from several distant retailers and concluded, it's a crap shoot. Bottle variation abounds. Quality ranges from 85 on the low-end to 90 at its best. The review above reflects the best bottle of the bunch.
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Assez charnu mais pas lourdeau, net, bien équilibré, possiblement plus de substance que les millésimes précédents sans pour autant se distinguer outre-mesure. S'il était 2$ de moins ce serait un RQP formidable.
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Tasted blind and it was pretty recognizable as CDR. Dark inky ruby, 90% opaque. Light, reserved nose of red berry, pepper, and scrub. Light body, big on tannins and overall quite rustic. Works better with food. (5+9+14+6) = 84
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Pretty rustic, bordering on harsh--but in a way that pairs nicely with food. Nose of raspberry, pepper and underbrush, bit of funk. Medium body. Little bit of oak on the finish. Recommend decanting for a bit. Good value.
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What a wonderful wine. Great generous fruit - excellent texture - great balance. A textbook example of crowd pleasing Cotes du Rhone. I simply have to buy a case of this!
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Raspberry, licorice, some initial vanilla, oak, pepper, and a touch of heat (which subsided quickly). After an hour in the glass; some mint and dried fruit. Nothing too exciting on the palate; nice acidity. The finish suggests that the tannins are still prevalent, but I would drink over the short-medium term. A nice wine with food.
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Popped and Poured. A decent daily drinker. The nose was a bit subdued, but I picked up raspberry and herbs. The berries followed through to the palate, but the finish was a bit short.
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Wow. For a basic, entry level CdR ... this is intoxicating. The nose is rich and complex and just addicting. Doesn't really carry through all the way to the palate, maybe that's what their CdPs are for?
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This seemed a little dry and stiff, was expecting a little more plushness to it considering the vintage. Went OK with food but didn't fill out with air.
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Picked this up while out of town this weekend. Popped and poured. A touch of meat and spice on the nose with slight red fruits. The nose and the taste where in synch. However, it's a touch thin and not as tasty as the Perrin & Fils '05s I've been drinking at home. Though, overall a decent drink for the money.
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It always is interesting to taste another wine after finishing the first bottle of the night. It provides a reference and this was a much lighter wine than the Ridge Zin we just finished. However, the nose had much more in the way of perfume and spice. The finish was shorter but this was a nice wine for the price.
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Quite different than my notes from 10 months ago, this wine is showing with more sophistication and less fruit. The dark ripe fruit notes are sharing the stage with some caramel and candied raspberry flavors. I am enjoying this quite a bit more today than I did last July.
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Somewhat 'cheap' nose of raspberries and caramel, but perhaps venturing towards a more interesting meatiness.
The palate however is more interesting, offering a degree of grip and a pleasant juiciness that lifts the wine above other wines with a similar flavour profile. Overall a really handy food/bistro wine that doesn't threaten any great heights, but does deliver decent value.
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Bright purple, dusty earth, plums and black pepper. Silky medium body. Great integration. Very subtle creamy oak. Great acidity throughout. Just keeps getting bigger and longer its open. Definitely needs a decant. Great spice on the nose with pine tar/sap. Ripe raspberries. Probably the best bottle yet.
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Black pepper and gasoline on the nose with some spices underneath. More petroleum and rubber with some rather bleak fruit and short finish. Maybe a flawed bottle (?) though it certainly wasn't corked. I wasn't at all impressed but in spite of my harsh words it wasn't all bad.
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The slight sweetness (but not in a sugary sense) and warmth of smoked meat. Unusually silky, smooth and delicious. Smoke, warm herbs (think oregano) and rich, ripe dark red fruits. Plenty of fruit to keep for a few more years, though not sure the tannic backbone is going to hold up too much longer. Drinking wonderfully now, and for £6, an excellent value. Great barbecue wine.
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Popped & Vinturied. Picture this: smoldering wood with a roast searing on it. Throw on some dark red fruit, then douse it in water and toss on a bunch of dark berries. That's what the nose brings to mind...not really a campfire scene, but wet charred rich dark (& dark red) fruit. Tasting brings that hint of ash on the dark fruits & a slightly candied, zesty / vibrancy. Good acid. Tannins sneak by on the transition but start creeping in on a nice finish. I don't get a lot flavors on the finish, but some faint dark fruits & some oak-influenced tinges I believe; has a sort of savory component to me. To me it's an interesting nose and a worthwhile palate followed by ambiguity, but that still adds up to a very good bottle in my mind, thanks mostly to the structure & number of noticeable components.
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Blood red; plasticine nose, not a lot going on - ordinairy; tough tannins to fore, has an attractive rugged feel, plenty of fruit underneath. Finished positively. Not ready, charmless, surly, rather hard work currently.
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Plums seemed to dominate the nose. A little light on the palatte, lithe and lively. Plums, strawberries and raspberries. Zippy acidity. Not much structure to the wine. Drink em up!
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Similar score and impressions as previous, but this time out it actually showed MUCH better on day two. Initially it was a bit tart, but the next day it had softened and balanced out quite a bit and I was even more impressed with the QPR in this wine. I think a goo hour or two in the decanter would really be all you need to get this to settle and show you what it's made of. Very well made wine for the money.
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The nose is spicy with baking spice and asian spice. Loads of minerals and underbrush. On the palate, plums and other black fruits, with raspberries and a dash of pepper. Clean and silky smooth tannins with a touch of grip at the finish. Great body for a CdR. There seemed to be a persistent hint of dirty dishwater on the finish. Significantly better two days later with tons of pine tar.
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Gibby's monthly tasting (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva, IL): An equal blend of Syrah ad Grenache, with a deep garnet color and aromas of licorice, black fruit, pepper, tar and lavender. What a gorgeous nose! Flavors of garrigue, tar, black fruit, cloves and spice. A terrific little bottle, especially at $13 +/-. 89-90 pts.
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Okay, I was barely standing by this point of the evening and these notes are from memory, but I'm pretty sure this wine was okay. It is one of those wines that seem to turn up everywhere - and I've bought this wine for the last 4 years. Good, consistent, quality wine for £6. This vintage was fairly tightly wound up at first, but with a good combination of fruit, minerals and tannins coming through to make this an geniunly quaffable wine. Middle of the road stuff but infinitely better than a slew of fruit-bombs and parker-point-slut wines. And what else can you get for £6 these days? Very little. Overall good - perfect mid-week drinking.
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Nice leather, tobacco, pepper, cassis, and plum nose. Color is dense purple/black. Flavor profile is similar to the nose with medium bodied tannins and a slight bit of acidity. This is a little fuller in style than I am used to in CdR, but not by much. It had thinned out quite a bit on day two, which was a bit disappointing. I pondered long and hard about trying to equate this wine to some other aspect of life to put it into perspective, but it is so middle of the road that I came up empty. It's just kind of there. It is definitely very easy drinking and well made stuff with a fair bit of complexity for such an inexpensive wine, but there was also nothing about it that really wowed me or made me want to come back for more (other than to refill my empty glass). ;-)
At $12, it is totally worth picking up again, and I think it has the stuffing that may help it improve with another year or so on it.
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If this is bottom dollar in France you can certainly drink happily (and cheaply). Good colour here; dark blood red with no lightening. Looks you. Nose shows subdued fruits and a solid overlay of bitter characters and dirty old licorice. Palate is quite study with drying (but friendly) grainy tannins. Flavours are all about tar and licorice, quite savoury and clearly not fruity. Might need a few years in the cellar too.
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nose of green pepper, spice and cherry. finally settled down after about 2 hours. cherry, animal fat, and cedar and a suprisingly long finish. Needs much time.
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Deep, bright, garnet-red color, a fresh, crisp wine, with soft fruit and spices. It had mellow tannins, warmth and aromatic intensity. I thought it had lots of length on the palate, elegance, and finesse due to well-balanced tannins and fruit.
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Nose is very clean and fresh but with a little of grandma's basement. Dusty. Raspberry and strawberries. A tiny herbal element. Basil? Finishes peppery. Good acidy with a rather nice fuller bodied mouthfeel for a CdR.
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Dark ruby color. Nose of intense ripe strawberry, spicy blackcurrant, and forest floor. Very aromatic. Begins on the palate with jammy red fruits followed by concentrated blackberry, chocolate, and walnut. Somewhat firm tannins. Assertive acidity. Moderate length on the finish. Not as much of a feminine charmer as the '04, but it certainly has more short term cellar potential. A couple more years would do this wine some good. Decanting recommended. A fine effort.
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From the cork, such pure, bright blackberry, plus chocolate and vanilla. Great vitality to the very-real fruit here: blackberry to blackcurrant. Tad of oil. More density than the average C-d-R, even if the v high quality of certain components of the wine then highlights the absence of complete back-end palate coverage. Also a relatively old fashioned twist of bitterness in the finish; but overall its relative lightness is a good thing for drinking. 89-90, 89.
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very very pleasant drinking wine. soft and quite elegant. light cherries, very soft acidity and just a touch of tannins. This wine goes well with a mea culpe (cheese,bread, fruit)
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Shows quite a bit of tannins and some dark fruits. Nothing special - I found the Blanc to be more refreshing. Hold on..... just revisited this after leaving in the cellar overnight. More accessible, more fruit, more enjoyable. 85 on night 1, 88 on night 2.
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Better than the 2004 and not as good as the 2003, the 2005 is rocking the dark, ripe fruit. It is smooth, fairly balanced and pretty good-tasting. If I were to criticize it, I might say it's a little too ripe, too extracted and too dark fruited . .but it's a very good wine at it's price point and very drinkable. I will be buying more.
Had it with a grilled ribeye and it was a good match. Maybe the ribeye was a bit too much for the wine - but it was passable. Thinking more of a tangy bbq chicken or pork.
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i had high hopes for this given the excellent '03. i have to say im not quite sure yet. it is quite acidic and tannic, a bit dirty, nowhere near as refined as the '03, but big backbone and ample fruit. it might just be way too young but time will tell. try again in a few years after some tannins drop, or possibly pass on it.
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Reviewed/rated blind. This is an OK but certainly not great wine. Dark ruby color, slightly purple. It strikes me as a Rhone blend. It has the ripe dark fruit flavors so common in wines rated well by Robert Parker. These flavors remind me of Australian shirazes. It also has some light black pepper, but I would be surprised if this has more grenache than syrah. Moderate to high tannins. I would guess this is a cheap Rhone blend, but would guess origin Australia because of the lame ripe dark fruit. Will guess the 2004 Shiraz-Grenache. Rating 83.
Not far off. A fair but lackluster wine.
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Awful fingernail polish smell at first, mellowed out after 90 mins in the decanter, but never got past o.k. Granted, it was $11 for the bottle, but I expected a little more.
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Specialty Trade Show: I was shocked this showed so well, as it was being drank among wines at least three times its price. A medium bodied offering that captures the qualities of the rhone. Great texture and lovely fruit. Excellent CDR. 88-89
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Nose is slightly perfumed, with aromas of dark fruit and kirsch. Full bodied, with flavors of cherry, meat and spice. A little pepper on the finish. Salud!
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6/29/2022 - lightning wrote: 90 Points
Red and dark berry, some black pepper. A touch below medium-bodied, supple, balanced and elegant, mixed berries with white pepper, noble medium tannins of surprising quality, appropriate acidity woven through, reasonable length. Professionally cellared since release, this is very good for its price point and industrial-scale production. (*****)
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12/16/2021 - j105puff@msn.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine went well with various foods. at a party
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are medium. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
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12/21/2020 - soumamae wrote:
Lovely after breathing for a while
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11/23/2018 - derekjohn wrote: 84 Points
Kept as an experiment.
Bad 'bottle stink' on opening, some sediment, so must be decanted. Bottle stink 'blew off' in about two hours.
Very little sign of ageing in the colour, a dark garnet red. Not totally pleasant on the nose: overripe plums and black fruit. Still tannic (as were a lot of the 2005s), but the body is thinning out and 'separating': tannin over here, alcohol over there and in between a dried out fruitiness which is beginning to lose the smoothness that characterises this wine at its best.
So, this CdR doesn't really last 13 years. I'll try the 2006 next and report back.
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4/22/2018 - franm wrote: flawed
cheers - really bummed this was corked, shouda been good one
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1/5/2017 - owr Likes this wine: 89 Points
leathery, smoky, mocha and dried herbs (and that's just for starters), it got better with each sip; at 11 years old I don't think I was expecting anything this good
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2/7/2015 - empire80 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Amazingly fresh for its age, hint of red currant and leather, has lasted well.
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7/30/2014 - owr Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine just kept giving on both the nose and palate, in fact I lost track of what came from where, but complexity ruled: black cherry, plum and wonderfully spiced, with a dry finish. There was also strawberry, smoked-mocha and smooth silky tannins.
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4/3/2014 - gnosis wrote:
Good show here. How many people have this 05 CDR? Apparently a few who give weird marks. Anyway...good stuff, very integrated, showing well for a CDR, nothing sticking out. Not old either, just pure spicy fruit. Thumbs up. Last bottle.
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4/3/2014 - empire80 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This needs to be decanted a few hours - really rounded it out. Decent basic mature CdR.
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1/20/2014 - frapadingue Likes this wine: 91 Points
Guigal's CDRs generally reward a bit of cellaring. This one could go a few years more without any problem. Great QPR.
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1/20/2014 - TechieTechie wrote: 70 Points
Brassy, astringent, overly alcoholic, powerful yet one dimensional. One glass (with 2 hours of aeration) and I poured the rest down the drain. I knew it was likely too late to have this..and it was. :( Onto the next one
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12/22/2013 - meniscus wrote: 83 Points
Rather undistinguished. Typical CdR aromas and flavors but just not much of them. Nothing really wrong with it but I'm glad I only had the one bottle. Some drying tannins in the finish so maybe it will evolve...
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12/8/2013 - empire80 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A big step up from my last bottle. Decanted for 4 hours and served at 18 degrees. Everything knits together perfectly - still decent fruit, warm spices, and a mature nose. Drink over the next 2 years?
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11/27/2013 - dzitt wrote: 88 Points
Vin bien fondu, mais avec encore de la tenue. Fruits noirs, épices, petit côté animal. Long.
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11/11/2013 - Texas Batard wrote: 85 Points
Smooth drinking, but undistinguished wine. Had it with spicy meatloaf, and it just didn't pair well with the meal. Maybe my expectations were off, but I opened it expecting a hearty, nuanced wine that would hold up the the main course. What I got was an easy drinking, undistinguished, straight forward wine with no complexity, but just ok. Based on the community "drink dates" likely this wine was past its prime and on decline
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10/4/2013 - johnnyrichardson wrote: 85 Points
My last bottle of the '05s....OK but it really isn't worth hanging on to these or buying them, stick to younger vintages.
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4/3/2013 - Julian B Does not like this wine: 78 Points
I drank the 1995 of this after 12 years and it was superb, but I tipped most of this 2005 down the sink as it tastes like... well... nothing. These were once worth ageing, but now they're little more than fruit bombs which will be completely insipid after a few years...
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9/22/2012 - Axone wrote: 88 Points
Correct le premier jour.
Vraiment bon le second.
Excellent rapport qualité/prix.
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6/29/2012 - Doblk wrote: 85 Points
Lost some fruit and depth. Still some cherry notes and tannins. Good food wine. I would buy more of more recent vintages.
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6/25/2012 - mchiew wrote: 87 Points
dark purple color. roasted fruit, chery on the nose. medium to full finishing with spice, herb and cherry mouthfeel, however, very short finishing. good value buy.
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1/9/2012 - kosmik wrote: 84 Points
13,5% d'alcool, Syrah 55%, Grenache 35%, Mourvèdre 8%, Autres 2%
Œil : pourpre-violacé à reflets rosées, opacité 5/10, forte viscosité en parois, larmes plutôt rapides
Nez : projection d'intensité 5/10, frais, animal, balsamique, résineux, épicé rappelant la muscade, la cannelle et la baie de genièvre, champignon, végétal, iodé, intéressant, d'une certaine complexité, sans être charmeur toutefois (meilleur au 2e jour d'ailleurs)
Bouche : sec, ample, acidité rafraîchissante, touche rèche, tanins charnus à souples, amertume moyenne+, persistance moyenne, rétro minérale, balsamique, végétale, amère, fruits rouges acidulés, cuir, terre humide, mentholé
Conclusion : sympa, appréciations partagées à table, malgré tout de très belle tenue pour son rang.
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12/19/2011 - empire80 wrote: 87 Points
Always reliable CDR, just starting to hit its stride with pepper, spice and cherry flavours. I hope with a bit more age this will improve a point or two.
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11/29/2011 - brettf1 wrote: 89 Points
Full-bodied, with a deep ruby/purple color berry fruit, the wine is dense, chewy, ripe. Dark cherry and licorice on the nose, with pungent herbs and minerals adding complexity. Sweeter raspberry and strawberry flavors are complemented by succulent herbs and braced by zesty minerality.
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11/9/2011 - dke wrote: 86 Points
Similar to previous bottle. Quite reserved on the first night with some hints of cooked/roasted fruit, but it did open up on second day into a more aromatic and tastier rhone style wine.
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10/30/2011 - elledeca wrote:
a bit better than previous bottles, blackberry, strawberry, a bit of garrigue.
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9/17/2011 - SmoothPalate wrote: 87 Points
Intense red colour with some purple highlights. Youthful, ripe fruit (cherry) on the nose, tones of dried herbs and black pepper. Fruit didn't fade but blossomed with air time. On the palate it is medium to full bodied with medium concentration, a good tannic grip and quite high acidity. Drying finish. A classic. Perfect to drink with rustic meaty dishes. High quality for the price (9€). Drink now through 2012.
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8/24/2011 - gnrclarke wrote: 86 Points
Always a dependable, delicious wine. Spicy syrah with a classic Cotes du Rhone flavour.
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7/13/2011 - nagnew wrote: 84 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Seems to vary from bottle to bottle, this one certainly didn't have quite the complexity and slight tannins of others. Nose doesn't really do justice. Fruit is moderate and well balanced. Hints of dark cherry and plum that blend nicely into acidity on the palate. An easy, everyday CdR.
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3/26/2011 - Vandepaal wrote: 85 Points
Trip down memory lane....
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3/18/2011 - NiklasW wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for an hour. For the price, this really delivers! Good fruit, that nice meaty Syrah component, blackberries on the palate, lots of tannins. Actually very good!
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3/12/2011 - aecklund wrote: 89 Points
Opened 2 hours before serving and drank it with dinner. The wine was juicy but not overly complex. Enjoyable but it did not wow me.
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12/15/2010 - dke wrote: 87 Points
This seems little roasted and boring initaly, but on nights 2 and 3 (under vacuvin) it was a very pleasant rhone wine, some roasted plums, tobacco and leather on the palate while the nose was dark fruits and slightly floral. Good QPR as usual, still shows some astringency so I would not be surprised if this improves further in the next few years. Very versatile food companion. 87+
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11/17/2010 - elledeca wrote: 85 Points
the cork came out very easily, and I suspected that this would be another bad bottle...to the contrary, it was quite nice. nose of syrah and some darker berries, with an herbal note. medium-bodied, tannins not noticeable. serviceable.
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11/17/2010 - swyang wrote: 86 Points
really quite fine and enjoyable. Good acidity, good fruits, and still much lingering tannin.
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11/16/2010 - mikesvins wrote: 88 Points
Solid CdR in its price range, rounded out nicely in about 45 min, after a rough start. Dark fruits, earth, spice and some licorice, balanced acidity and smooth tannins come together nicely. Even better on day 2 - 88
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11/5/2010 - winecat9 wrote: 89 Points
Solid CDR from a very reliable producer. As usual for this wine, excellent QPR.
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11/1/2010 - GregGH wrote: 83 Points
hard to drink - skip this again regardless of year
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10/31/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 87 Points
Glossy dark crimson. Full, peppery nose with black berries and spicy wood. Smooth, well integrated tannins and a very polished feel to the palate. Big, woody and spicy: the fruit seems quite restrained on this bottle.
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10/31/2010 - Stefan de Medici wrote:
Quaffable plonk. Seriously what you'd expect on the nose, palete was reasonable balance of fruit, herb & pepper, and fine tannins. But this very much isn't a thinking wine, it's a drinking wine. And considering they make it in industrial quantities they seem to have done a good job. Not a bad intro to CdR.
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10/20/2010 - pinotwok wrote: 85 Points
Dunkle Frucht und Kräuter in der Nase, Alkohol und leichte Aceton-Note wahrnehmbar. Die Frucht variiert am Gaumen je nach Flasche: Johannisbeere, Sauerkirsche, manchmal auch eingekochte Erdbeeren oder Fruchtkompott, immer leicht kräuterig. Gute Säure und ordentliches Holz, zurückhaltende Vanille. Insgesamt eher eindimensional, aber durchaus sauber, wirkt immer ehrlich und nicht gemacht. Für einen in fast schon industriellen Stückzahlen produzierten Wein eine echte Ausnahme und ein in seiner Preisklasse (hier bei uns 5-7 Euro) konkurrenzloser CdR.
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10/10/2010 - swyang wrote: 85 Points
a good all around wine. not pretending just being pleasant, well made syrah based wine.
good fruit, good freshness. I am not sure how long this will last, but I am glad not to have an over extracted, over woody wine.
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9/23/2010 - Marc wrote: 87 Points
Very good - concentrated modern Cotes du Rhone style - high-ish alcohol - distinct rosemary and red fruit nose and palate. Some background acetone high notes - that give a slight perfume character. Good value wine.
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9/13/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 86 Points
Ruby red with cracked black pepper and redcurrant on the nose. Lighter and more elegant than previous bottles revealing pleasant blackcurrant and polished leather notes with a hit of spicy tannins at the back of the palate.
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9/6/2010 - eltejano wrote: 86 Points
Nice red fruit and spice w a slight herbal taste- nice weeknight wine for me- taste seems to differ slightly between diff bottles though - but just slightly
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8/29/2010 - Marc wrote: 88 Points
Excellent showing. This wine seems quite variable - sometimes quite forward and carbonic maceration-y and other times quite structured with deep dark fruits and lovely herbal nuance. This bottle was the latter style. Well made, relatively complex and a touch of seriousness. Very good - excellent.
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8/27/2010 - nickbb Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was quite impressed by this wine. The very attaractive nose opened up after only 30 mins or so, with some wild strawberries. The first thing that hit me after that was the very silky mouthfeel. The strawberry theme continues onto the palate, and it's qute subtle and elegant, with dome dusty tannins and just the right amount of acidity. The finish was also reasonably long, a very well made wine I think. In fact Waitrose have the 2006 on special at the moment, so I picked up a few more in the hope that they will be just as good.
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8/24/2010 - Rick Paso Robles wrote: 90 Points
Right in my wheelhouse. Grenache and Syrah shined through. It seems to be the perfect age- would not have thought that a 2005 CDR would make it this long, but it was delcious. The beautiful nose gave way to wonderful red fruit. The velvety grenache mouthfeel and spiciness of the syrah blended well together. I have 2 more left- can't wait to dig in!
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8/21/2010 - Vatch wrote: 85 Points
Première d'encore bonne sur 3. À boire maintenant.
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8/14/2010 - TexasBob wrote: 90 Points
Lite garnet color. Very spicy nose with mild strawberry. Lite bodied with Strong wild strawberry on a vanilla background.
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8/12/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 82 Points
Glossy ruby red with cracked black pepper and sweet red berries on the nose. Lightweight but heavy with black pepper spice and some quite bitter tannins. Improved a little the next day with black coffee and blackcurrant flavours, but didn't lose the bitterness. Not the best bottle of this.
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7/25/2010 - robnmo wrote: 87 Points
decanted for about 20 minutes before first glass. Nose of strawberries and red currants. On the palate the sour cherry mixes nicely with some dusty herbs. nice acidity. A great simple everyday wine.
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7/24/2010 - ThMeyer wrote: 88 Points
I really liked this one. Fruity, easy to please/like, good acidity. For 7 GBP a really good deal.
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7/24/2010 - spatialiser wrote: 85 Points
Cheerful and fruity, but lacking a backbone... a good summer CdR
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7/18/2010 - gnosis wrote:
Good CDR, nice tangy fruit, light pepperiness. In a good spot now, for what it is, and will hold for a while yet. I like it, although I have seen the price range widely from $13-19+. At lowest end, justifiable, but at upper, hard sell.
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7/18/2010 - Strikermax wrote: 87 Points
Pittige wijn, met flink wat alcohol. Zwarte bessen en kersen en vooral provencaalse kruiden.
Goed te drinken, maar weinig complexiteit en niet erg geconcentreerd. In deze prijsklasse is de Clos Saint Jean Côtes du Rhône wat mij betreft een beter alternatief.
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7/17/2010 - elledeca wrote: 80 Points
nose of iron and meat juices, fruit fading fast, only acidity and alcohol left. pity because it was very good last year, and now I still have 3 bottles...
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7/7/2010 - LewisDowney wrote: flawed
Corked.
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6/30/2010 - timewithwine wrote:
Simply a delicious wine packing blackberry, mineral and black pepper - black pepper on the attack; black pepper on the finish, in spades. And it’s all delicious. Hints of black olives pop up on occasion. This may not be anything to write home about, but it certainly isn’t anything to shy away from at all. From half bottle. 13.5% alc. With sausages in red sauce over pasta. Recommended.
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6/29/2010 - robnmo wrote: 86 Points
Opened and ran first glass through vinturi and let sit for about 25 minutes. Had with grilled skirt steak and roasted vegetables. nose was a touch of alcohol and some red currants and a touch of flowers. On the palate there was dirty sour cherries and a decent minerality. A nice simple bottle.
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6/22/2010 - Tarrant wrote: 88 Points
Very nice, stems weren't the greatest but the wine did shine however - Dark, medium bodied with a nose of plum, blueberry, cherry, spice, pepper and vanilla, well balanced, not overly complex, good structure, smooth on the palate with good length (88 Points).
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6/19/2010 - UrenLuren wrote: 82 Points
At the first whirl, it actually smelled some yeast. Alcoholic in nose, together with some earthy / mineral tones.
Some small tannins left in the palate, together with some acid. Medium to light bodied.
In my opinion - an easy-drink wine, which didn't fascinate us in any way.
Producer sais it has an 8 year aging potential. I will be surprised if this will be any better in 3 years. I recommend - drink in 2010.
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6/5/2010 - yannhry wrote: 80 Points
Alcooleux, sans grand intérêt.
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6/1/2010 - graemeg wrote:
Nicely consistent with previous bottles. Jubey and earthy aromas; straightforward palate with a bit of depth to it; ripe, certainly, with slightly gritty grapey tannins. Solidly grenache, not candied; an honest dependable although not exciting CdR.
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5/25/2010 - Yiannis wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby. Gorgeous nose with violets, blackberries, meat and grilled herbs. Mid-bodied and perfectly round with sweet tanins, rich fruit and moderate yet sufficient acidity. Fairly long finish. An overperformer in its price range.
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5/23/2010 - james_timothy wrote: 85 Points
Purple, gamy: the ground is gamy and there is no float of fruit. Definitely a food wine. A little furry, slight alcohol. Just a little light, interestingly for a syrah.
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5/16/2010 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Plum/prunes. Dried herbs. Dusty/earthy. Dry. Still got some tannins. Med- to light bodied. Textbook CdR. Day 3 - even better.
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4/29/2010 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Opened and served right away. Medium ruby in colour. Fresh nose of red currants, berries, custard and hints of floral. Medium body, acidic and powdery tannins. Good length. Some heat on the finish. Showing more youthfully and less developed than the last bottle. Red fruits and berries on the palate. Nice now, but will be better in a few years. Good. 87+
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4/17/2010 - guitarkim wrote: 82 Points
Dyp rødfiolett. Aroma av mørke bær, lakris og pepper. Middels fyldig vin med god syre og tanninstruktur. Litt kort og enkel, men vellaget CdR.
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4/16/2010 - godx wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. Opened and served right away. Showing more earthiness than previous bottles. Very good.
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4/16/2010 - NiklasW wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured. Rather expressive on the nose, lots of red fruits coming through, even some licorice and a whiff of vanilla oak. On the palate, more of the same, very pleasant. Of the vintages I have tasted ('03, '04 and now this), this is definitely the best. Might even get a couple bottles more for the cellar for short term drinking. 50+4+10+15+8=87
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3/29/2010 - jazzb wrote:
O - blåröd m aningar om tegelkant
D - lingondricka, härligt vinös m körsbär, lilja, vitpeppar, bittermandel, stallig, gummi, jord, ek, romerska bågar
S - Körsbär, viol, ek, mandel, söt munskänsla matvänliga tanniner och bra längd, floral, pinje, torkade bär, romerska bågar, smultron/jordgubb, stall, plommon, örtbesk
Vinet utvecklas hela tiden i glaset och druvorna avslöjar sej en efter en. Först ut är Grenashe med fruktighet, apelsin, röda bär sen reduktiva toner av Mourverdre, stall, läder, jord till sist Syrah med plommon, viol och pepprig örtbeska. Välgjort!
8p
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3/25/2010 - Marc wrote:
Drunk by J
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3/25/2010 - ArntErik wrote: 84 Points
1 hour decant. First whiff: Yeast. Then some fruit and hints of oak. Slightly tannic, some acids on the palate. Not a very exiting wine but an OK everyday drinker I suppose, with a decent QPR. Drank it with a simple chicken legs & chips meal. Got better with the food.
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3/14/2010 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
The bouquet on this shifted and grew: fresh blood, black berry liquor, pine, and black raspberry at first. Then fruit-infused dark chocolate, gentle gasoline and bright raspberry. A lightweight, cool, round wine offering creamy beef carpaccio, and berries and cherries spread evenly and horizontally like a fairly-taught hammock between unintrusively-structured poles.
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3/14/2010 - czar33 wrote: 86 Points
Je le trouve maintenant trop mince à mon goût. Peut-être est-il au-delà de son zénith.
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3/10/2010 - RogerG wrote:
The usual
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3/6/2010 - Henman wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit,liquorice and a slight earthy mellowness that makes this enjoyable.A solid performer every year.Excellent QPR.
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3/5/2010 - tzelmer wrote: 88 Points
Deep ruby color. Nose of smoked meat, violets, sweet blackberry, and licorice. Pure flavors of tart blackberry and smoky dried meat, The structure is somewhat soft, lower acid and tannin than finer examples of CdR. Good QPR, reliable. This wine will show well for another year or so (Feb. 2010).
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2/21/2010 - askoje wrote: 86 Points
On the nose: Warm fruit, dark berries.
Taste: Less fruit more earthly, wet wood and some pepper. A serious meat component dominates the finish which is quite long. Tannins are firm.
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2/20/2010 - Natitus wrote: 81 Points
Average.
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2/17/2010 - et01267 wrote: 86 Points
A bit thinner than other vintages
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2/15/2010 - Marc wrote: 88 Points
excellent. more serious tonight. distinct fennel notes and clear acid structure. very rhone.
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2/9/2010 - sunalsorises wrote: 89 Points
Smooth finish with no tannins. Good fruit. Good deal at $12.
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2/8/2010 - graemeg wrote:
Lightly chewy, jubey-ripe mouthful of medium-bodied wine, mostly tannin-free but with some tartness of fruit giving it a little simple bite. In context, pretty OK, but nothing to make a rush for.
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2/5/2010 - fatherdamo wrote:
i really like this wine. it's not complex, but it is enjoyable. entry level yes, but a good glimpse of what might be on offer if you trade up.
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1/31/2010 - Texas Pete wrote: 87 Points
Very good expression of the blend/region - for this price.
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1/26/2010 - mreinitz wrote: 84 Points
Cherry and crushed rock but also a face full of funk that didn't blow off over time. Maybe a flawed bottle, but I don't think so.
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1/15/2010 - timewithwine wrote:
DDB finishes this over a few days while I’m on alc. sabbatical.
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1/7/2010 - hkm520240 wrote: 86 Points
A Red Rhone blend. My second bottle of Cote de Rhone E.Guigal, no surprise compare to '04, still thin on plate and long finish. I detected berry and earthiness on the nose. It is balance on palate, with nice berries and earthiness. Soft tannins and approachable.
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1/1/2010 - tjib13 wrote: 84 Points
Dark fruits on the nose. Smooth dark fruits and oak flavors. This wine also exhibits terrior on the nose and flavors. A good simple wine.
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12/31/2009 - Biggsy wrote: 87 Points
Ruby red. Compact, spicy nose. Sweet ripe tannins with rich, warming plummy fruits, black pepper spice and bitter chocolate on the finish.
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12/31/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes. Good.
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12/28/2009 - blair.nimmo wrote: 85 Points
Smooth but not the best year
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12/26/2009 - gout wrote: 80 Points
Average " crowd pleaser " smooth CDR. Nothing much to it really, but not bad for the price.
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12/25/2009 - flangerhanger wrote: 87 Points
Standard low end, reliable Rhone wine. I like this wine because it showcases aspects of what a great Rhone varietal is made of: medium to full bodied herb, spice and berries. The 2005 is simple. Starts off earthy with distinctive mushroom, then moves into a light pepper beneath sweet raspberry with hints of violet. Guigal Cotes du Rhone is a nice, relatively cheap "go to" to avoid the pitfalls of similar Rhone wines that err on being too light, too watery and flavorless.
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12/18/2009 - stefetdorothy wrote: 83 Points
really simple table red. no depth, not much on the nose, Given the competition and quality in this price range, I (strongly) recommend to skip this one... "Le savoir-faire de la maison Guigal"... mmmm, the 89pts from Parker remains a mystery.
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12/16/2009 - GregGH wrote: 86 Points
just average
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12/15/2009 - Jameuz wrote: 88 Points
Exactly what you'd expect from a Rhone red! Gave me enough depth for an awesome qpr play to pair with some steaks.
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12/13/2009 - ColinR wrote: 86 Points
Deep ruby; blackberries, smoked meat, herbs; blackberry, medium body, good acidity, firm tannins, decent finish.
Restrained fruit but somewhat lean with hard tannins. Definitely not the '03.
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12/9/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 84 Points
Second bottle enjoyed over last few days, drank with Kim at odd moments over the course of 2-3 days. Did improve on days 2-3, overall very similar impression - pleasant enough entry level little southern rhone blend, good QPR at this price point. Dark ruby, simple, one dimensional and straightforward without a lot of depth and complexity but also no off-tones, well made. Medium bodied, little aftertaste. Nose of red fruit and strawberry, primary flavors more austere with some terroir, granite, dark cherry and tar present.
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12/2/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 84 Points
Pleasant enough but not great or memorable southern rhone blend, not a bad QPR at this price point, an entry-level wine. Enjoyed with Kim over the last couple of nights. Dark ruby, somewhat simple and straightforward without a lot of depth and complexity but also no off-tones, well made. Medium bodied, very little aftertaste. Nose richer then flavor profile with rose and strawberry, primary flavors more austere with some terroir, granite, dark cherry and tar present.
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12/2/2009 - Maestro wrote: 84 Points
Balanced but simple and fruit-forward Côtes du Rhone, with enough spices and wood on the nose to make it suitable for food pairing. Drink now and in the next 4 years.
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12/1/2009 - fatherdamo wrote: 88 Points
really bright on the nose. not incredibly complex, but a good drink nonetheless. good structure, good value.
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11/29/2009 - graemeg wrote:
{cork, 13.5%, A$16} Red with a crimson hint; typical CdR white pepper/sour cherry aromas; palate of ripe grenache fruits; chewy stalkiness, not much tannin except for a little grape skin; light/medium bodied; decent enough quaffer - price is about right.
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11/29/2009 - ttholst wrote: 88 Points
veldig god standard CdR
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11/24/2009 - Jochems wrote: 87 Points
Mostly in line with the previous bottle. This time the bottle was popped and poured at our table. Last time I had it at the same restaurant, it was opened the day before. I found it more balanced and harmonious this time.
This is a good value Cotes du Rhone with lots of character, if only slightly lean and short.
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11/23/2009 - treaganjr wrote: 87 Points
When poured the wine showed hints of ruby. When tasted the wine was attractive in a French way with medium mouth feel and weight. This wine does not jump out of the glass and assert itself and probably was made that way. Good, solid Rhone wine in the Old World style.
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11/22/2009 - chimpanzee29 wrote: 89 Points
This Cotes du Rhone is very very good. Wet stone/herbal aromatic characteristics are in spades. Dusty cherry and blackberry fruit is followed by a lot of smoke as the wine finishes. Nothing to complain about here for the price.
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11/21/2009 - RobinHeimdahl wrote: 79 Points
Berries, jammy, spicy and alcoholic. Not my style of wine and nothing special at all.
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11/15/2009 - guitarkim wrote: 84 Points
Dyp rød. Duft av modne mørke bær og klart syrahpreg. Middels fyldig vin med god syre og stramme tanniner. Fin mørk fruktighet med hint av pepper. Grei lengde. Vellaget og masseprodusert Côtes du Rhône (gjennomsnittlig produksjon pr. år: 3,3 millioner flasker)...
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11/15/2009 - Nesto wrote: 87 Points
Dirt and peppers on the nose. Light and balanced fruit - sweet cherries and plum. Light on tannins.
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11/13/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Opened and served right away. Consistent with previous notes. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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11/12/2009 - Andrew Beckett wrote: 89 Points
There is nothing exciting about this wine - it is basic Rhone through and through. So why am i giving it 89 pints?Because it is balanced just the way i like - decent spicy fruit blends seamlessly with tannic structure and refreshing acidity. Works well both with and without food.
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11/11/2009 - pnwsun wrote:
opened and let breathe for about 30 minutes. was offered with appetisers but not popular. drank a couple of nights later with roasted vegetables and chicken. very slight hint of something at start; finish was smoother than first night but little body or taste.
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11/8/2009 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:
the nose shows some light plums and some dirtiness, some red candied cherries. also, i get a bit of red beet aromas as well as some smoke. medium bodied. good tannic structure for a wine at this price point. ripe red cherries, tangy rasberries, black licorice and some charred wood. medium+ acid, could stand a bit more concentration, but its still decent. bit of earthy, brambly action on the finish. it seems to have smoothed out on the second day and the tangy acid has subsided a bit.
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11/2/2009 - Jochems wrote: 87 Points
Ruby-red color. Blackcurrant, raspberry and pepper. Medium bodied with fresh fruit and chewy tannins. medium finish. Could use some more time. Drink 2010 - 2013.
Needs food!
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10/31/2009 - tcfryjr wrote: 89 Points
Very good for the money.
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10/28/2009 - Eigermoon wrote: 85 Points
Not too bad headache wise, drinking without food (red wine headache)
Nose: first open, light musty dirt- smells like dark rich soil after a rainstorm- but not overpowering. Citrus?
Tongue: very tart, like tart cherries. Long tart finish, slightly bitter. Apricot pits.
Eye: cherry color. No gold. Very blue red, like a perfect ruby.
Hints of tar and pepper, chewy, ripe- BIG mouthful.
Interesting wine. Would be better with food, rich, even sweet foods.
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10/25/2009 - Jewel wrote:
clear, med intensity, ruby; fruit and earth bouquet (nice); med acidity,med tannin, med body, red fruit with earthy notes, med finish. $24cad excellent value
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10/24/2009 - Jozefs wrote: 88 Points
Good qpr, nice fruit and a little bit of complexity.
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10/23/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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10/22/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 88 Points
Dusty blackberries. Contrete powder. Lots of brambles and underbrush. Tangy raspberry and cherries. Still lots of structure for a "lowly" CdR.
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10/21/2009 - etherscreen wrote:
good for what it is.
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10/11/2009 - godx wrote: 88 Points
No formal notes. Drank 2 bottles. Very good. 88+
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10/10/2009 - whits wrote: 87 Points
perfumed primarily with dark fruit and mint, but also some meaty scents integrated as well, represents the appellation well with an earthy palate, violets, plum, blackberry, cherry, smoke, short finish, complex, balanced, good acid, medium to full bodied, really a winter dinner wine which could match with roasted or smoked red meats, good value, will evolve with cellar time
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10/9/2009 - ihavezinned wrote: 87 Points
nose of tar and raspberry. this wine is juicy and big, with flavors of berries, earth, and coffee. firm tannins and a short finish.
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10/7/2009 - Oh Dae-su wrote: 86 Points
I had this together with Anima Negra AN/2 2002.
Maybe the best Guigal Cote du Rhone I ever had. Pretty bright. Rather frutiy with a strong supplement of liqurice (after two hours).
Very different to the Anima Negra and still in a different leauge, but just one class lower.
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10/7/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Opened and served right away. On the nose, some earthy notes, red currants, custard. Medium to high acidity, medium tannin and body with a medium length finish. Slight hints of heat on palate and nose. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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10/5/2009 - wcgross wrote: 88 Points
Good as ever. Great value!
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9/30/2009 - clava wrote: 88 Points
Tasted 9-20-09 at a Chicago tasting bar. Syrah/grenache blend. Nose of tangy red/berry fruit & the grenache is evident. Notes of currant, cherry, earth, leather [syrah], a bit of game & bit of smokiness. Medium body. Flavors of fruit & earth on the palate. The leather & game are there also, more subtle & integrated. Stood up nicely to a sharp cheese appetizer course. Fairly polished now esp. for the price. Enjoyable CdR, easy to like, undemanding, great for everyday drinking. And of course admirable QPR. 87-88 pts.
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9/20/2009 - Biggsy wrote: 88 Points
Deep, shiny ruby red. Full and aromatic; fresh red fruits, tobacco and spices on the nose. Medium to full bodied with racy acidity and smooth round tannins. Elegant smooth flavours, rich and full with red berries, leather, black pepper and cloves. Well balanced and long into the finish. Very enjoyable.
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9/10/2009 - duchamp wrote: 90 Points
Dark crimson, lushes nose of kirsch, raspberries, cherry compote, leather, mixed spice, wood and garrigue, palate is sweet, clean and smooth with complex but integrated flavors of mixed dark berries, spice and earth, lengthy fruit forward finish with earth undertones
I have now consumed multiple bottles sourced from several distant retailers and concluded, it's a crap shoot. Bottle variation abounds. Quality ranges from 85 on the low-end to 90 at its best. The review above reflects the best bottle of the bunch.
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9/10/2009 - czar33 wrote: 86 Points
Assez charnu mais pas lourdeau, net, bien équilibré, possiblement plus de substance que les millésimes précédents sans pour autant se distinguer outre-mesure. S'il était 2$ de moins ce serait un RQP formidable.
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8/31/2009 - fingers wrote: 84 Points
Tasted blind and it was pretty recognizable as CDR. Dark inky ruby, 90% opaque. Light, reserved nose of red berry, pepper, and scrub. Light body, big on tannins and overall quite rustic. Works better with food. (5+9+14+6) = 84
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8/25/2009 - Bradford wrote: 86 Points
Pretty rustic, bordering on harsh--but in a way that pairs nicely with food. Nose of raspberry, pepper and underbrush, bit of funk. Medium body. Little bit of oak on the finish. Recommend decanting for a bit. Good value.
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8/16/2009 - lillaMy wrote: 86 Points
very good wine, excellent buy, full with flavours from red berries smooth round taste
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8/11/2009 - dke wrote: flawed
It did not taste completely corked/cooked but there was almost nothing on the nose and slight taste of wet cardboard was interfering with the taste.
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7/27/2009 - Marc wrote: 87 Points
Drunk by Justine.
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7/24/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 87 Points
Very well built Cotes du Rhone, with raspberry and red fruit. A real treat at this price.
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7/4/2009 - Marc wrote: 88 Points
Excellent. Touch of carbonic maceration? Ripe spicy fruit. Good short to medium term cellaring prospect.
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6/28/2009 - Marc wrote: 89 Points
What a wonderful wine. Great generous fruit - excellent texture - great balance. A textbook example of crowd pleasing Cotes du Rhone. I simply have to buy a case of this!
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6/26/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 89 Points
Another great bottle. Classic Grenache nose. Berries and garrigue. Fresh but still with a medium body and decent backbone.
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6/21/2009 - 69claret wrote: 85 Points
Exceptional value - classic Rhone wine
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6/18/2009 - gigabit wrote: 87 Points
Raspberry, licorice, some initial vanilla, oak, pepper, and a touch of heat (which subsided quickly). After an hour in the glass; some mint and dried fruit. Nothing too exciting on the palate; nice acidity. The finish suggests that the tannins are still prevalent, but I would drink over the short-medium term. A nice wine with food.
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6/17/2009 - NCO wrote:
Great PQ ratio, went excellent with the BBQ. Will buy again!
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6/16/2009 - gilesm wrote: 88 Points
Very good daily drinker. No notes taken- but went very well with our duck.
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6/14/2009 - Cattongue wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple, pronounced nose of redcurrant and a hint of herbs. Smooth tannins, medium finish. Very nice
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6/13/2009 - mn_horn wrote: 86 Points
Popped and Poured. A decent daily drinker. The nose was a bit subdued, but I picked up raspberry and herbs. The berries followed through to the palate, but the finish was a bit short.
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6/11/2009 - oakland.cory wrote:
Wow. For a basic, entry level CdR ... this is intoxicating. The nose is rich and complex and just addicting. Doesn't really carry through all the way to the palate, maybe that's what their CdPs are for?
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6/7/2009 - Wrighty wrote:
This seemed a little dry and stiff, was expecting a little more plushness to it considering the vintage. Went OK with food but didn't fill out with air.
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5/30/2009 - winewag wrote: 87 Points
Picked this up while out of town this weekend. Popped and poured. A touch of meat and spice on the nose with slight red fruits. The nose and the taste where in synch. However, it's a touch thin and not as tasty as the Perrin & Fils '05s I've been drinking at home. Though, overall a decent drink for the money.
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5/27/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 86 Points
It always is interesting to taste another wine after finishing the first bottle of the night. It provides a reference and this was a much lighter wine than the Ridge Zin we just finished. However, the nose had much more in the way of perfume and spice. The finish was shorter but this was a nice wine for the price.
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5/24/2009 - Dinovino wrote: 86 Points
Deep shiny ruby red,buckets full of berries on the nose.Well rounded,full of flavour,raspbery,peppery spice,licorice,very drinkable.
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5/23/2009 - edman wrote: 79 Points
This wine is usually one of my favorites around 100SEK, but this bottle didn't deliver.
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5/22/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 89 Points
beautiful light herbal and floral light and delicate. a little lean but fun onetheless.
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5/22/2009 - mattwoolley wrote: 87 Points
Improved on last bottle. Raspberry, strawberry jam, spice. Herbs on the palate, more berries, plumper. Decent finish with touch of licorice.
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5/15/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 87 Points
nose: nice nose of red and black fruits, tones of garrigue, meats, and bits of peppercorns. Nice and classic southern rhone nose
taste: real nice easy medium feel with nice tones of red and black fruits, garrigue and dark cherry tones
overall: a real good CdR. Has a standardness to it, but does it well and is an enjoyable drink for the price
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5/15/2009 - richard.stevens wrote: 88 Points
Meaty, spicy. Took a while for the alcohol burn to subdue. A good midweek wine to go with dinner.
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5/9/2009 - Zinny wrote:
Quite different than my notes from 10 months ago, this wine is showing with more sophistication and less fruit. The dark ripe fruit notes are sharing the stage with some caramel and candied raspberry flavors. I am enjoying this quite a bit more today than I did last July.
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5/8/2009 - Marc wrote: 87 Points
Drunk with Steak by J. Good value.
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5/4/2009 - fabiogr wrote: 85 Points
Very soft.
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4/18/2009 - Ian S wrote:
Somewhat 'cheap' nose of raspberries and caramel, but perhaps venturing towards a more interesting meatiness.
The palate however is more interesting, offering a degree of grip and a pleasant juiciness that lifts the wine above other wines with a similar flavour profile. Overall a really handy food/bistro wine that doesn't threaten any great heights, but does deliver decent value.
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4/15/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 90 Points
Bright purple, dusty earth, plums and black pepper. Silky medium body. Great integration. Very subtle creamy oak. Great acidity throughout. Just keeps getting bigger and longer its open. Definitely needs a decant. Great spice on the nose with pine tar/sap. Ripe raspberries. Probably the best bottle yet.
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4/13/2009 - BigPoppaMD wrote: 92 Points
I just think this is a fabulous CDR for the price.
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4/10/2009 - chri.m wrote: 79 Points
Black pepper and gasoline on the nose with some spices underneath. More petroleum and rubber with some rather bleak fruit and short finish. Maybe a flawed bottle (?) though it certainly wasn't corked. I wasn't at all impressed but in spite of my harsh words it wasn't all bad.
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4/4/2009 - Benj wrote: 87 Points
The slight sweetness (but not in a sugary sense) and warmth of smoked meat. Unusually silky, smooth and delicious. Smoke, warm herbs (think oregano) and rich, ripe dark red fruits. Plenty of fruit to keep for a few more years, though not sure the tannic backbone is going to hold up too much longer. Drinking wonderfully now, and for £6, an excellent value. Great barbecue wine.
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3/9/2009 - cobbpa wrote: 86 Points
Popped & Vinturied.
Picture this: smoldering wood with a roast searing on it. Throw on some dark red fruit, then douse it in water and toss on a bunch of dark berries. That's what the nose brings to mind...not really a campfire scene, but wet charred rich dark (& dark red) fruit. Tasting brings that hint of ash on the dark fruits & a slightly candied, zesty / vibrancy. Good acid. Tannins sneak by on the transition but start creeping in on a nice finish. I don't get a lot flavors on the finish, but some faint dark fruits & some oak-influenced tinges I believe; has a sort of savory component to me. To me it's an interesting nose and a worthwhile palate followed by ambiguity, but that still adds up to a very good bottle in my mind, thanks mostly to the structure & number of noticeable components.
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2/25/2009 - SmoothPalate wrote: 83 Points
Good wine. Nice acidity, freshness, some herbs, cherry, a small note of oak, and a smooth feeling all the way. Very enjoyable as an everyday wine.
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2/25/2009 - chbeaumont wrote: 84 Points
Blood red; plasticine nose, not a lot going on - ordinairy; tough tannins to fore, has an attractive rugged feel, plenty of fruit underneath. Finished positively. Not ready, charmless, surly, rather hard work currently.
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2/21/2009 - KriLis wrote: 86 Points
Astounding value for such a low price. This vintage outperforms 2004 by far.
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2/15/2009 - mattwoolley wrote: 86 Points
Dried herbs predominate, cherry, plum. More of the same on the palate - inoffensive.
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2/11/2009 - vbvino wrote: 88 Points
The bottle was cracked when a friend dropped it out of the car, so we were worried, but it turned out okay. Not a bad Cotes.
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1/29/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 86 Points
Red fruit and a touch of licorice. Not a lot of depth. I thought that the '04 was better.
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1/18/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 88 Points
Plums seemed to dominate the nose. A little light on the palatte, lithe and lively. Plums, strawberries and raspberries. Zippy acidity. Not much structure to the wine. Drink em up!
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12/27/2008 - NCO wrote:
Drank over 3 days, very nice Rhone wine, amazing QPR! Will buy again!
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12/14/2008 - jhannah27 wrote:
Similar score and impressions as previous, but this time out it actually showed MUCH better on day two. Initially it was a bit tart, but the next day it had softened and balanced out quite a bit and I was even more impressed with the QPR in this wine. I think a goo hour or two in the decanter would really be all you need to get this to settle and show you what it's made of. Very well made wine for the money.
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11/10/2008 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 88 Points
The nose is spicy with baking spice and asian spice. Loads of minerals and underbrush. On the palate, plums and other black fruits, with raspberries and a dash of pepper. Clean and silky smooth tannins with a touch of grip at the finish. Great body for a CdR. There seemed to be a persistent hint of dirty dishwater on the finish. Significantly better two days later with tons of pine tar.
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10/29/2008 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Gibby's monthly tasting (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva, IL): An equal blend of Syrah ad Grenache, with a deep garnet color and aromas of licorice, black fruit, pepper, tar and lavender. What a gorgeous nose! Flavors of garrigue, tar, black fruit, cloves and spice. A terrific little bottle, especially at $13 +/-. 89-90 pts.
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10/20/2008 - MeMyself&I wrote: 84 Points
Not as fruit forward as I would have liked. OK for everyday and cooking IMO.
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10/13/2008 - pjaines wrote: 84 Points
Okay, I was barely standing by this point of the evening and these notes are from memory, but I'm pretty sure this wine was okay. It is one of those wines that seem to turn up everywhere - and I've bought this wine for the last 4 years. Good, consistent, quality wine for £6. This vintage was fairly tightly wound up at first, but with a good combination of fruit, minerals and tannins coming through to make this an geniunly quaffable wine. Middle of the road stuff but infinitely better than a slew of fruit-bombs and parker-point-slut wines. And what else can you get for £6 these days? Very little. Overall good - perfect mid-week drinking.
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10/7/2008 - jhannah27 wrote: 85 Points
Nice leather, tobacco, pepper, cassis, and plum nose. Color is dense purple/black. Flavor profile is similar to the nose with medium bodied tannins and a slight bit of acidity. This is a little fuller in style than I am used to in CdR, but not by much. It had thinned out quite a bit on day two, which was a bit disappointing. I pondered long and hard about trying to equate this wine to some other aspect of life to put it into perspective, but it is so middle of the road that I came up empty. It's just kind of there. It is definitely very easy drinking and well made stuff with a fair bit of complexity for such an inexpensive wine, but there was also nothing about it that really wowed me or made me want to come back for more (other than to refill my empty glass). ;-)
At $12, it is totally worth picking up again, and I think it has the stuffing that may help it improve with another year or so on it.
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10/4/2008 - StewartWent wrote: 85 Points
If this is bottom dollar in France you can certainly drink happily (and cheaply). Good colour here; dark blood red with no lightening. Looks you. Nose shows subdued fruits and a solid overlay of bitter characters and dirty old licorice. Palate is quite study with drying (but friendly) grainy tannins. Flavours are all about tar and licorice, quite savoury and clearly not fruity. Might need a few years in the cellar too.
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9/27/2008 - Blue Shorts wrote:
Enjoyable. Nose of berries, kirsh and leather. Relatively complex for a CDR in this price range. Great QPR. A keeper.
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9/20/2008 - dwkamin wrote: 88 Points
nose of green pepper, spice and cherry. finally settled down after about 2 hours. cherry, animal fat, and cedar and a suprisingly long finish. Needs much time.
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8/31/2008 - Russtigo wrote: 89 Points
Deep, bright, garnet-red color, a fresh, crisp wine, with soft fruit and spices. It had mellow tannins, warmth and aromatic intensity. I thought it had lots of length on the palate, elegance, and finesse due to well-balanced tannins and fruit.
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8/13/2008 - ScottGoodwin wrote:
Medium purple/red.
Nose is very clean and fresh but with a little of grandma's basement. Dusty. Raspberry and strawberries. A tiny herbal element. Basil? Finishes peppery. Good acidy with a rather nice fuller bodied mouthfeel for a CdR.
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8/8/2008 - jsums wrote: 87 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose of intense ripe strawberry, spicy blackcurrant, and forest floor. Very aromatic. Begins on the palate with jammy red fruits followed by concentrated blackberry, chocolate, and walnut. Somewhat firm tannins. Assertive acidity. Moderate length on the finish. Not as much of a feminine charmer as the '04, but it certainly has more short term cellar potential. A couple more years would do this wine some good. Decanting recommended. A fine effort.
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7/29/2008 - campingfleurie wrote: 89 Points
From the cork, such pure, bright blackberry, plus chocolate and vanilla. Great vitality to the very-real fruit here: blackberry to blackcurrant. Tad of oil. More density than the average C-d-R, even if the v high quality of certain components of the wine then highlights the absence of complete back-end palate coverage. Also a relatively old fashioned twist of bitterness in the finish; but overall its relative lightness is a good thing for drinking. 89-90, 89.
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7/27/2008 - ijayb wrote: 89 Points
very very pleasant drinking wine. soft and quite elegant. light cherries, very soft acidity and just a touch of tannins. This wine goes well with a mea culpe (cheese,bread, fruit)
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7/20/2008 - cookie7 wrote: 88 Points
Shows quite a bit of tannins and some dark fruits. Nothing special - I found the Blanc to be more refreshing. Hold on..... just revisited this after leaving in the cellar overnight. More accessible, more fruit, more enjoyable. 85 on night 1, 88 on night 2.
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7/6/2008 - Zinny wrote:
Better than the 2004 and not as good as the 2003, the 2005 is rocking the dark, ripe fruit. It is smooth, fairly balanced and pretty good-tasting. If I were to criticize it, I might say it's a little too ripe, too extracted and too dark fruited . .but it's a very good wine at it's price point and very drinkable. I will be buying more.
Had it with a grilled ribeye and it was a good match. Maybe the ribeye was a bit too much for the wine - but it was passable. Thinking more of a tangy bbq chicken or pork.
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6/25/2008 - cormyr wrote: 87 Points
i had high hopes for this given the excellent '03. i have to say im not quite sure yet. it is quite acidic and tannic, a bit dirty, nowhere near as refined as the '03, but big backbone and ample fruit. it might just be way too young but time will tell. try again in a few years after some tannins drop, or possibly pass on it.
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6/20/2008 - rmalloy wrote: 83 Points
Reviewed/rated blind. This is an OK but certainly not great wine. Dark ruby color, slightly purple. It strikes me as a Rhone blend. It has the ripe dark fruit flavors so common in wines rated well by Robert Parker. These flavors remind me of Australian shirazes. It also has some light black pepper, but I would be surprised if this has more grenache than syrah. Moderate to high tannins. I would guess this is a cheap Rhone blend, but would guess origin Australia because of the lame ripe dark fruit. Will guess the 2004 Shiraz-Grenache. Rating 83.
Not far off. A fair but lackluster wine.
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5/31/2008 - DukeDrew wrote: 84 Points
Awful fingernail polish smell at first, mellowed out after 90 mins in the decanter, but never got past o.k. Granted, it was $11 for the bottle, but I expected a little more.
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4/25/2008 - Li6 wrote: 88 Points
Spicey cherry fruit on a medium-bodied frame. Quaffable on its own, but should also be very food-friendly.
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4/18/2008 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Gibby's Uncorked, Flight I (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva, IL): Garnet color. Notes of dark fruit, currants, spice and raspberry. Chewy tannins, with red fruit dominating the palate and finish.
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4/18/2008 - grapist wrote: 89 Points
Smooth and supple. Easy drinking, not complex. Would go well with food or by itself
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3/27/2008 - hutch wrote: 88 Points
Specialty Trade Show: I was shocked this showed so well, as it was being drank among wines at least three times its price. A medium bodied offering that captures the qualities of the rhone. Great texture and lovely fruit. Excellent CDR. 88-89
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3/20/2008 - armchairsommelier wrote: 88 Points
Nose is slightly perfumed, with aromas of dark fruit and kirsch. Full bodied, with flavors of cherry, meat and spice. A little pepper on the finish. Salud!
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3/9/2008 - rietpetiet wrote: 72 Points
uur laten decanteren maar een beetje een opppervlakkige geur, wel met wat donker fruit. Beetje zurige/wrange smaak.
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3/2/2008 - sstitt wrote: 86 Points
International Wine & Food Festival (Washington D.C. - Ronald Reagan Building): Way to many herbs for my palate. On the upside it was light and easily drinkable but then again the minerality of the wine came through on the finish which also killed it for me.
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9/17/2007 - AllenStewart wrote:
Solid structure. Good dark fruit. Classic CDR.
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