I agree with prior notes. Past peak, with a lot of funk, mushrooms, and soy. My no -wine friends enjoyed it, so it still has drinking value. Those who like “mature” CdP will appreciate it but those who want a fresh wine should stay clear.
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Well, well. I approached this with trepidation because a) I had not really enjoyed the last bottle 32 months ago, and b) because of recent comments on CT.....
....but in fact this bottle was excellent. A great wine for a cold evening, and completely ready, with life in it yet. No fieriness, not burnt, genuine fruit - just how a good CNdP should be. Yum yum....
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Appearance: Medium garnet with noticeable browning on the edges. Nose: Clean, medium intensity with aromas of dried red fruit - cranberry and cherry, forest floor, mushroom, and spice. Palate: Medium acid and tannin, medium body, medium+ intensity, 14.7% abv, with flavors of dried red and blue fruit, soy, and earth with a medium finish.
Slightly past peak and starting to fade. Drink now.
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Maturing but less exciting that when it was in its youth. Leathery red fruit with some horse-poop. Softening. Not bad, but I'm coming to the mind-set of drinking Chateaneuf in its youth.
Opened 24 hours ago. Really nice and developed aroma, including some soil notes, but still plenty of vibrant dark fruits. Palate is rich and round, very vibrant fruit and acidity present on the palate. Really wonderful how that acidity balances the rich dark Châteauneuf fruit.. something lacking in many, I find. It's the acidity that again is the strongest on the finish as well. I do think the 24 hours of air has made this shed most of its primary fruit, because yesterday it was much more fruit forward while still retaining that acidity. A very nice wine, and one that I think is in the wheelhouse to be drunk up. Sure, the acidity and structure will continue to live a long life, but I do think the fruit is now heading down the other side of its evolution. I recall this drinking more like a 91 pointer last night, whereas today it's around 90.
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-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over a few hours -- -- 50% Grenache; 50% Syrah --
NOSE: expressive; aged purple fruits; light leather; celery and roasted celery; roasted parsnips; hint of burnt candle wick; quintessential aged CdP.
BODY: lots of sediment in the bottle; dark garnet-violet color of medium-deep depth, with some bricking throughout (not too much for its age); medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: medium-fine drying tannins; aged dark fruits --- has a sweet flavor along the lines of horehound candy; iodine; strong note of golden rolling tobacco; alc. is a little noticeable; unmistakably, aged CdP; this is in its prime window right now -- I don't see this getting any better from here on out. Drink Now and over the near term.
50, 5, 14, 16, 8 = 93
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A nearly Port-like degree of sediment made this a little cloudy and decidedly chewy, but oddly was drinking a lot more youthfully than you would expect for a 17 year-old wine.
Not necessarily bad, but I really found this pretty uninspiring. It was quite dense, with a good dose of oak, and generally felt a lot more Syrah and Mourvedre dominated. Largely black cherries, with smoked meat and a little funk from the Mourvedre, but it was more plodding and monolithic than interesting or refreshing, yet also didn't really succeed at being a powerhouse either.
The last couple ounces were pure, stick to the sink, sludge, so plan on standing this upright for a few days before opening and carefully decanting it.
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Ruby to garnet edge. Bright red fruit and cracked black pepper on the nose with steadily increasing garrigue. Medium weight, some earth, fluid feel with low tannin at this point. Complex and satisfying. Ripe, discretely sweet blackberry and raspberry complemented by green herbs and soil. When I've noted this wine before, I always noticed the wood, but not today. It has done an admirable job of absorbing it over time. My last bottle and probably the best. Excellent.
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Too big? Or is just that I didn't decant it long enough before...? Increasingly I drink CndP and wish I was drinking syrah (i.e. further north) instead. Impressive, but not easy.
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Dinner at the Yellow porch. Last bottle of 6, purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. Garrigue and black fruit on the nose. Medium bodied wine with cool, concentrated black fruit, anise and a nice minerality. Fully mature wine in a great place. 93 points tonight
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Slowly maturing into a beautifully balanced wine; this bottle was in great condition with pure and clean palate of black/red fruits and some garrigue notes over a silky smooth finish. Not big nor blowsy, just balanced and calm.
Wine was on the downslope. Fully integrated tannins. Very little character. No fruit left, though mouthfeel was nice. Very generic but it may be the age.
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It seems I'm going to be the anomaly here, but I think this would still benefit from some more cellaring? Still some harsh unresolved tannin and plenty of acid and bright raspberry fruit to keep going. The nose is great with the bramble followed by a middle note of chocolate and some stem inclusion notes--but notably not the garrigue I love. The mouth is rather poor with no mid and a shorter finish and harsh tannin.
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November tasting at home. Clear, deep bury with medium (garnet) meniscus and daily high viscosity. One hour decant. Nose was a bit restrained with notes of raspberry, licorice, coffee, soil and iron. The earthy notes persisted throughout. Palate showed cranberry raspberry - and stronger dried cherry, with licorice pepper smoked meats, tobacco and soil. Dry, Med+body and acidity with fine medium tannins. Long finish with what I considered high complexity - changing in the glass throughout the few hours we battled over it. Seems to be a lot of disagreement over the wine in the notes. I'm not a CDP expert, but I really enjoyed this wine and think it is drinking well.
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Bought three of these based on many of my CT friends (many of whom have tasting notes here) raving about the wine when young. Just going to say I don't get this wine. I would start to suspect some bad bottles, but another friend has had similar experiences, so really not sure where to go with this one. I could blame it on RP and scores, but I think I'm just going to chalk this one off to the vintage in CdP and that this particular wine isn't a long-lived example.
Tried this again last night side by side with the 1998 (which btw is absolutely stunning right now). I knew this wasn't showing great from a Coravin tap a few weeks ago, so I pulled the cork for slow-O an hour before a gathering with a few friends. At an hour the fruit had gained weight, but at the 90 min mark the fruit started to fall off again and just leave a thin, tannic finish. One of those experiences where I just want to admit defeat and pour the bottle down the drain.
Happy a lot of you are having better experiences. I have one bottle left and may just experiment with this by slow-O over the course of several hours.
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Pristine cork on this bottle. Thirteen years ago, this was the first CdP to really grab my attention, and I'm sad to say it pulled me into my greatest period of purchasing disasters -- the 2007 Southern Rhone vintage. I remember it being savage, meaty, raw, and spicy in the way that other wines I had been drinking before then were not. It paired with more than a few cheese and deli meat boards to our delight. This is still drinking with a heavy dose of teeth coating tannins. The bouquet seems muted. Alcohol somewhat apparent. Dark fruits somewhat tamped down. The meat, blood and game notes are as amped as ever, I think. Extremely spicy and herbal in the finish. This palate of this wine bleeds CdP write large for all to see. I think it's a nice instantiation of this style and type of wine, quintessential even. For the 2020 me, it falls just shy of any true depth or mystery, at least this first glass does after ~30-min open.
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Slowly unfurling while at the same time the heady fruit is receding to leave a more stripped back Chateaneuf that has bright acidity that provides snap and precision. Elegant is probably not the right word, but it is in the ballpark - there are classic notes of garrigue and black fruits but also notes of violets and strawberry. No rush to drink, but very much in its window now.
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Opened a couple of hours before drinking, poured out early but not decanted, consumed over 2+ hours. This bottle, happily, was in a pretty good place - medium density, enough acidity to keep it from heaviness, a little tannin still hanging around.
Prominent notes were of reasonably restrained morello cherry/dark berry fruit (just slightly cooked), anise, garrigue, and a hint of something savory and spicy. Recent notes seem to be split on whether oak is evident...might be some bottle variation, as it didn't seem too prominent to me. I'm not especially oak-averse, though, so YMMV.
Personal historical footnote: this was the first bottle I ever purchased with the intent of aging it, way back in 2008.
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Slow-oxed for three hours before service. In the glass, deep, dark red, with a touch of violet at the rim. On the nose, raspberries, herbs, and a faint floral element, maybe honeysuckle? On the palate, initially a bit reticent, but found its way to a plateau for about an hour, with grenache liqueur, vanilla, beef blood, and more floral elements on a long, smooth finish - after that, started to fall apart. If you haven't checked in on this yet, now is the time, but pop and pour may be your best bet.
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Pnp and it was ready to go (was worried too much air would cause it to turn). Showed beautifully, with wonderful earth tones, fully integrated. This was my last, I think it’s time to drink these.
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Dark plum and cherry colour with minimal bricking on the rim. Very pleasant, light fragrant, red plum and blackberry fruit, some garrigue. Soft, mature, with low tannins, still nice acidity, but very rounded and smooth. Seems prettty mature. Cannot help but think this would have been better younger.
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Mystery bottle. Thought I had finished this a few years ago. Interesting olive, earth, and meat juice notes on the entry. Oak is apparent. Quite a bit of bottle variation, but would say that this bottle drank the best in its youth. This is fine, but starting to get a bit tired.
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Deep ruby almost all the way to the meniscus. Piney wood scents which reminded me of Rioja from La Rioja Alta at first. Medium to full bodied, beautifully ripe but not syrupy black raspberry fruit, ground coffee, and fine acidity with resolving tannins. This is modern in style without a doubt, but once the oak calmed down on the nose, it proved to be very tasty. I would drink any remaining stocks over the next few years.
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Very tannic, medium-big, and not terribly complex on Days 1 and 2. Day 5 rolled around and I figured I'd have a little taste before dumping the rest down the drain ... Yo! Hey now. This is what CdP is all about! Black tea, mineral, garrigue, tobacco, plum, still some light tannin hanging around. Medium bodied. This wine epitomizes the general rule that big-time CdP's fall asleep around the 10 year mark. Hands off for now. Patience will be rewarded here. I see this in the low to mid 90's further down the line. Excellent.
2005 DOMAINE PAUL AUTARD CUVEE la COTE RONDE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- indicative blend is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache; a first time for me with this wine and it was really good and it was really plentiful as it came in a magnum; it had pepper and spice accents to the red and black cherry and blackberry fruit along with a touch of liquorice; it was big and rich and yet had finesse and charm; the Syrah and Grenache components seem to be fighting for dominance and in the end, they both won.
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Pretty tight on opening, needed to warm a bit and get some air to reveal leather and cherry in the nez and lean cherry, leather and still tight tannins. Plenty of pepper and acidity keep it interesting.
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No formal notes. Popped, double decanted for 20min and poured over subsequent 90min. This wine was not the least bit tired as had been reported in recent past bottles. Still a touch young such that I won't touch my last two for 2-3 years (i.e. my estimate for peak). Nose a bit subdued but palate offered dark fruit, kirsch liquor, garrigue, still solid but approachable tannins, and a touch port-like (but not the stewed fruit quality I abhor). Wine was at its best that night by the final sip and still improving. Overall, solid showing. PS: if I was a bigger CDP fan I would likely rate this 92.
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Pretty much the same as a year ago. Elegant style of cndp but with some 05 tannin. No secondary complexity yet. Hold for a couple of years. Not fully mature yet.
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Drinking pretty ok (it’s been a pretty great wine through it’s evolution), but it’s beginning to taste tired and old. An athlete in retirement. Drink up. 89-90
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Way tannic even on next day. No fruit left. Interesting to drink but nothing special at all. If I had more, I'd hang onto them in the moonshot hope that it improves when the tannins resolve.
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Showing very well. Syrah seems to be up front right now with meatier and darker tones. There is a hint of wild berry that floats over the top to show you that Grenache is still a player.
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TASTE: still some drying, stony tannins; dark and earthy; alc. pokes through a little; tobacco; very nice; entering its prime drink window. Drink or Hold.
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Dark, deep crimson in color, complex nose of garrigue, blackberry, black pepper, cassis and coriander with hints of vanilla bean and wood, big and ripe on the attack followed by spiced black and red fruit, gripping tannins, juicy acidity and mineral streaks, finish is long and also complex with layers of bright fruits such as plum, blackberry, black cherry and on and on, wow
Note: Just another outstanding 2005 CdP, still standby my rant about the overrated 2007s, sell your '07s and buy more of these
My first from a case. Threw a fine sediment that needs time to settle. Soft, ripe CNDP with typical Grenache character. Light tannin. Still young but meaty red fruit. Quite polished.
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This wine definitely needs air. Some fruit but not much. It seemed a bit disjointed and one dimensional. Hopefully my remaining bottles will be better - fingers and toes are crossed. Bottle variation???
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A really nice Châteauneuf-du-Pape. On open as I decanted the wine aromas shoots of the bottle. Nice big nose. It's a fairly big wine. Fruit and oak is well integrated, a bit sweet and some spice, pepper. Long nice finish. Didn't think of the alcohol - a good thin. The Syrah is nice but coming through stronger then the Grenache and in the end maybe I miss a bit of the Grenache. Decanted for 30 minutes. I would imagine this wine will eventually lose the fruit but the sweetness of the Syrah will remain so I say decant and drink now.
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Really needs a couple of hours to open and integrate...nice graphite berries and integrated tannins and spice...drinking really well when given air...can age a bunch too...
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This sucker is very extracted and still dark purple. Seems a bit clunky to me. You can taste that this wine is 50% Syrah. It kind of swamps the Grenache. The garrigue here is muted. The fruit flavors tend toward raspberries. This wine should hold or develop further for probably 5-10 years.
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Purple color. Pleasant, but retrained nose. Ripe dark fruit and some complexity, but still quite tannic and a bit dry. Seemed a bit young and a couple of years or so from its full potential.
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Open 5 hours. Red fruits, herbs and minerals on the slightly closed nose. Plenty of structure and acid to go with raspberries, licorice, red fruits. 91+ pts.
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After a long closed phase, this wine is finally starting to come back. Rich blackberry and chocolate. Great balance and medium length finish. Excellent qpr.
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Very dark color, with hints of age on the nose with cola and cassis. Not a lot of fruit, remaining. I don't see it gaining much more interest with bottle time. Same impression second day and third. Enjoyable, but not remarkable.
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Curious about this as the ratings are all over the place. This bottle was in a great spot for me after a 1 hour decant. Red berry core, meaty, minty, great acids, integrated tannins. Drinking beautifully, long finish. Fruit fading a little after 4 hours.
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I would agree with my note from 2013 as the extra time in bottle may not have proved beneficial for this bottle, aged character comes out, the higher amount of Syrah in this blend gives it a weight and character I am not as fond of; drink soon.
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Rhone varietals on a Saturday afternoon (Chesterland): Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, cinnamon and clay. Great lush texture. Very concentrated. Young at ten years. Very tannic. Nice black raspberry fruit on the palate. The future looks bright here, but I would give this a lot of air or wait at least five more years.
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A great reunion in Prescott, AZ, with friends George and Jim, both who appreciate great wine. The nose on this wine was a Chateauneuf du Pape in the more traditional sense. I last indicated on this wine on 4-2-2015: "The tannins seem more resolved and not quite as intense as in prior tastings. Aromas and flavors of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, hints of licorice, herbs, spice and cigar box. As before, big, rich and full bodied. Good structure. A long and almost jammy finish. Paired well with a locally (AZ) grown organic chicken. Drinking nice now." The wine was decanted.
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Nice CDP, easy drinking. Went well with flank steak but overall nothing special. Well balanced, good weight, but nose and palate were a bit restrained. Drink sooner rather than later, as fruit already seems to be fading and no secondary characteristics are forming.
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This wine was opened about an hour before drinking. The wine was showing a lot of secondary flavors of graphite, earth and mushrooms while the fruit was there but a bit muted. Don't think there is any rush too drink these.
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Poured two large glasses and let them sit for 1.5 hours before dinner. Unimpressive at first, but by the end of the meal (Kimchi burger recipe from WS), the wine opened up with good dark fruits. Finished the wine on the couch with chocolate covered raisins. Very enjoyable CDP. I have one bottle left that we will probably drink within a year but will pour into the decanter for 1 to 2 hours. No need to wait on this wine anymore.
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Last tasted 9 months ago. The tannins seem more resolved and not quite as intense as in prior tastings. Aromas and flavors of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, hints of licorice, herbs, spice and cigar box. As before, big, rich and full bodied. Good structure. A long and almost jammy finish. Paired well with a locally (AZ) grown organic chicken. Drinking nice now; recommend decanting.
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Open for business and a great complement to full flavored and spicy food. The syrah component adds some peppery notes to a modern, fruit filled, palate. Some spice and earth, better with food than alone to my palate as it is not especially interesting. But well made and in excellent balance. Unlikely to improve but should hold well for a year or two at least.
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After the experience with the bottle I opened just 5 weeks ago, I really didn't see the point in taking up space unnecessarily with this final bottle. While it's my preference to put some age on wines in general, there are the exceptions - wines that show much better in their youth; this appears to be one of those exceptions. Held since release, this was charmless. Again. Well composed, technically, but absent the verve and nuance I'm always looking for. If you've got some, and you haven't checked (at all?) in a while, I recommend doing so. Medium-bodied, avg acidity, red fruited; no complexity. 14,5% abv (fully resolved). Drink now.
Color holding fast; the nose and palate suggest this is firmly in its preferred window. Meaty, dusty, flowery, with good proportions of fruit/acids/tannins, and a medium finish. Clean, with the lightest touch of warmth and animale on then very end. The current CT window has this out to 2021, and while it will likely make it there, I'm not sure it's going to be better than it is now. 14,5% abv., thru 2019
Audoze 4 hours, served non-blind; held since release.
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Opened and given about 4 hours of air in bottle. A nose of blackberry,cherry, licorice, tobacco and truffle which gives way to a cherry licorice driven palate along with a provencial herbal note that lingers on the finish. Drinking perfectly at present.
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My bottle seemed a little off, lots of acidity and tannin, fruit wasn't really in balance. Was still okay/avg but disappointed as I was hoping for a memorable wine.
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Sitting in a clunky phase right now where the plushness of youth has been tempered a little by it shutting down and the power jutting out. All a little bit hot and chunky right now - leave for a few years.
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Last tasted five months ago. Initially, the same as last time - licorice on the nose; it did not dissipate this time, but integrated with the other aromas of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, herbs, spice and cigar box. Similar flavors. Tannins are still not resolved and leave a slight acidic sting on the tongue. However the tannin is soft enough to appreciate the wine. Big, rich and full bodied in the mouth. Nice structure. The tannin is alleviated with the food we ate, primed rib-eye (same as the last pairing). A nice long finish. The wine is drinkable now, but has has several years left before it's fully mature.
Next bottle I would decant/open for only one hour. Nose softened over 2 hours. The palate was meaty/truffles. The finish was still tannic but finish was quite long. Full bodied and dark fruit.
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No detailed notes. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Drinking very well. A modern wine, with no funk, either in the good or the bad way. Very Rhone, shows its high syrah percentage positively. Great wine with land, also likely good with grilled meats of all kinds. Very pleasant, and a nice mix of old and new world flavors.
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Dark, dark ruby color; purple with hints of yellowing on the rim. Initially, there was some licorice on the nose, but this dissipated as the wine warmed in the glass. Aromas of raspberry, a hint of rose, sweet tobacco, herbs, spice and cigar box from the oak. Soft enough in the mouth, but somewhat unresolved tannins cause an acidic sting on the tongue. The flavors are raspberry, blackberry, herbs, spice and oak. Great structure. Big, powerful, rich and intense fruit. A long and somewhat lingering finish. Pairs quite well with dry aged rib-eye steak. The tannins seem mellowed by the food. This wine should show much better with age, but is appreciable now.
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Bright red. Lively black raspberry and wintergreen. Medium bodied. Pleasant, ripe red fruit but over time, it develops a more pronounced flavor of espresso and wood tannins that leave a dry impression.
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Drank after a short decant(again). Not much bouquet at first, but it does eventually smell of roses and red fruit. Nice deep garnet color. Tastes of red fruit with a bit of minerality and a hint of alcohol.
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Beautiful nose with both red and blue fruit and some dark notes (licorice or almost tar) but still somewhat unyielding on the palate. Has enough stuffing and sweetness for more aging. A very engaging wine that just needs time.
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This was somewhat reticent in the nose but had a bit of bramble/herbal scents. The palate was completely overshadowed by acidic bitterness. It was unpleasant to drink. I let it sit in the glass for a couple of hours and some of the bitterness resolved a bit, but without much in the way of fruit, the acidity was just too much. I don't know if there was a problem with this bottle or this wine is just not to my taste. I have one more bottle to go so I will probably let it sit for a further year or two and decant for a couple of hours to see what happens.
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Needed some time in the decanter to open up. Than cherries, bacon and some wild herbs came to mind. This wine is medium to full bodied and still pretty young with demanding tannins. You can drink it now but it should keep for 10-15 more years. We had it with a rack of lamb, ratatouille and polenta, which was a very good fit.
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Decanted for 1 1/2 hours should have been three hours. Best at the end of 4 hours. Very Expressive CDP. Cigar,flowers,exotic spices and all types of berries. This is outstanding for sure.
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not my style for sure, interesting nose with some savory and smoky notes, palate was very thick and heavy, powerful fruit smoke and tar but no elegance or subtlety, feeling loads of oak as well but with the extraction it was noted but not the primary palate element... too heavy for me, not sure this will change but presumably time should improve it some
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Decanted and drink soon after. Deep rich garnet in color. Lovely nose. Very pure with sweet grenache and spicy syrah notes that never conflicted. No defects of any sort.
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2005 Chateauneuf du Papes (Rich & Peggy's House, Los Altos, CA): Reticent nose, I keep coming back and couldn't pick up much. Savory, black tea palate with some sweet blackberry fruit lurking and moderate tannins. Earthy and interesting, kind of an outlier in the lineup with more savory than fruity notes. (my 5th, group's 1st)
Decanted and drank over four hour period. Brilliant ruby color leads to a very shut down nose. Same on the palate. Very little flavor, limited acidity.
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Cloudy color though not off-putting because this can be common withaged renache and CdP. Beautiful nose of Burgundian aged grenache. Sweet red fruit and a definite savory component that's visible on the nose. On the palate you get roasted red fruit, fig, raw meat, and a sugary midpalate with little tannin. Open and ready which is surprising for the stout 2005 vintage. Would not suggest aging too much longer.
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Let stand open for 45 minutes; The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Tar, Sherry, Soy Sauce, Game, and Stems. It tastes like Barnyard, Tar, Soy Sauce, Stems, Petrol, and Black Pepper. The body is Medium. The wine has Angular texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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I agree with the CT's as this wine is drinking great right now. It was nice after 1/2 hour of air but was even better after 2 hours. A great nose of black truffle, blackberry, licorice and cherry with a nice mouth...great tannin and acidity. My experience mirrored Parker's note on the wine.
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Drinking very well. Slight bricking at rim. Good nose, very pleasant entry and red berry/cherry, leather palate that goes very well with food. Some tannins present, as well as a bit of wood, though not obtrusive. Nice.
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Medium ruby with early lightening. Very much oriented to tobacco and herbs on the nose. Medium weight. A touch of raspberry that is not overly ripe, and some olive. You feel a little wood but don't taste it. All in all, drinking well now, not too structured, and leaning to the traditional side. Well done.
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Still far from home, but beautifully balanced with that red fruit granache influence front and center - cherry, which is the reason I bought the vintage. Impeccably well stored, I'll wait maybe five years before I try another.
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First of all, this wine requires a lot of breathing time after decanting. This wine drank very nicely throughout the evening, but it was at it's best at the end. It tasted of pure deep cherries with a hint of licorice.
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A decent CndP, but not the caliber I had expected. Lacked the structure and tannins one would expect of a $60 wine from the 2005 vintage. It is smooth, with medium body. Nose is earth and grass. Better on the palate, with currant, pencil lead, and blueberry.
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Poured through an aerator and decanted for about 30 minutes. This wine manages to be extremely modern in style and yet, at the same time, offer an almost Burgundian take on CDP. Ample oak matched with ample fruit, and a fair amount of back-end tannin, yet I'm left with a real feeling of restraint and elegance drinking it. Tremendous length, too. Quite nice right now, and perhaps some upside from here. 91+.
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This seems to be starting to come out of a dumb phase and is developing some nice secondary characteristcs. Meaty, sweet fruit with very deep mineral laden palate. Black fruits, liquorice and leathery notes. Really developing well. Another 3-4 years should see this really start to hit its stride. Excellent.
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Very pleasant with a meal and on its own. Great fruit and depth, a bit heavy handed on the nose and palate. I think this has the balance to improve with age; needs to gain some panache to become truly excellent.
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This is one of the best wines I've had so far this year. It took a few minutes to open up but when it did: WOW. Great blackberry nose with some cherry. Big on the palate with layer upon layer of complexity leading to a long finish. Great stuff.
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Not giving this a numerical score as this wine was closed for business. I decanted for awhile, but its really in its shut down stage now. It didn't yield much, though I could tell there was something special lurking underneath, it just isn't there right now. I should have heeded the warnings here and waited a few years.
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Opened this to go with herb-roasted lamb chops and sauteed swiss chard. Tasted dusty on opening, but over an hour it opened up to show flowers and cranberries. Palate is earthy and fruity and moderately tannic. Very nice mix. This is a great wine and has improved over the last two years. (4+13+16+8)
Note: Probably should have gotten an extra point on palate. I think the lamb may have muted it a bit. (91-92)
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My second try with this wie and I was unimpressed. It seemed like it may have just started to come around as we finished it off, but it had been open for at least 3 hours by that point. It seemed to lack any real substance, particulalry compared to the regular Autard CdP, whcih I like much better.
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CT Secret Santa gift from Tourette - much appreciated! Per his instructions, I decanted this for about 2 hours. Opened at halftime (Saints 21, Rams 6) to find a romantic mix of earth and fruit with just a touch of brett on the nose. I could have happily started drinking right then, but I put all but that first taste into the decanter and went back downstairs for the second half. After the game (Saints 31, Rams 13 woo-hoo!) I poured the glasses at our table. At this point it had the same flavor profile but was much richer, in the way that a great meal is that much better with the right sauce to accompany. And the brett had disappeared. We paired this with roast beef and mashed potatoes, and they went beautifully together. We had the 2006 vintage open at the same time (with the same decant); while these wines are clearly made in the same style and no clear preference emerged between the two, we agreed that by comparison the 2005 was deeper and richer while the 2006 had a little more fruit and a longer finish. Both wines scored out at 93 for me - which is easily among my top wines of the year. thank you, Tourette!
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Consumed over 2 days. Nose: Ripe dark fruit - black currant and blue berry, licorice, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, highly acidic, and dark fruit. Finish: Lengthy - dominated by dark fruit and pepper. This wine begs for food - its obviously well made, but its like a beautiful woman with no personality - I'm being kind with an 89.
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Quite dark in color. Nose of dark berries, earth and some spice. Palate was a touch closed at first but still quite nice after some swirling. Also a touch rustic. Moderate acidity and low to moderate tannins. Like this wine but probably needs a little time. Next day was a bit alcoholic but showed more fruit.
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TN: Herb Lamb, Donnhoff, Kapcsandy, Autard, Ghost Horse (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): This was my WOTN, but I think my palate was in the minority in this Napa community. Ruby in color. The nose has slight barnyard notes with cherries, strawberries and leather. On the palate, cherries, dried cherries and more acidity than any wine on the table. This took some time to open up and in fact, really needed a few more hours. It is complex but very young. Nice finish. It will improve.
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AVV Dinner at Nam. Went up against the '98, which was fabulous, but so too was this -- just younger and different. Clearly is able of some extended aging as this was very well balanced. 93+
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Opened and poured a glass. Dark red-medium density-clear. Color was bright and shiny. Tar, earth, mineral and underneath this was a young sweet berry. Good weight finishing with mineral and rich sweet berry followed by a fair amount of tannin coating the entire mouth. It remained like this for about 2 hours. Then the young sweet berry disappeared leaving mostly minerals with the same level of tannin. Even after 8 hours opened it was minerals with a tannic finish. I had really expected the complexity to improve and tannins to subside at some point. It was a good wine in the end but it was much better in the beginning.
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Wonderful dark red color. Full , dense and smooth taste. Nose of berries and cerry with a hint of earthines and spice and a long and inviting finish. A disrtinctive old world taste and flavor. Decanting only improves it but it is exceptionally good shortly after it is opened and just get better/
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This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began. Color: Medium purple Nose: Forest floor and smoke Taste: Spice, forest floor, smoke, spice, mild oak Finish: Forest floor, smoke, ripe fruit emerging Evaluation: An enjoyable wine that has great potential but is also drinking really well right now.
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Gorgeous CdP. Showing lovely medium red ruby color. Nose of dark cherries, raspberries, tar, fresh tobacco and sweet earth spice. This is the essence of Chateauneuf de Pape in this bottling. Goegeous structure with a medium full bodied finish. Very much Old World in style yet showing stunning ripeness of fruit. Palate is in perfect harmony. Immediate fan and a delicious value.
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Decanted two hours, still the nosed was muted. The wine came alive over the course of the next hour or two with dinner (blackberry marinated pork tenderloin). I was expecting just a little more from this wine; maybe it is in a dumb phase, as suggested below. Enjoyable nonetheless, but I will wait on my other bottle.
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This wine is now shutting down for a while - the nose was less expressive and the taste less rounded than previous notes. Nevertheless there is still incredibly good quality here - lots of rich, gamey fruit and earthy, mushroom notes on the nose. Leave for 2-3 years for now until it wakes up.
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Opened 7 hours ahead and decanted one hour ahead. Still was just getting really good at the end of the bottle. This is powerful wine. Very special. Will wait for 6 months before I try another bottle.
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Perfumed blackberry and black cherry nose with exotic spices. A big, dense mouthful of wine featuring blackberry and a little cassis. This can get you excited. The two bottles I've now had in 2009 are a totally different wine than the three I had in '08: last year's bottles were plush, well-oaked, and syrah-driven and could have passed for California. Not anymore: it's still too generous to called it closed down, but it's a lot tighter than last year. (That said, it's still not your classic grenache-driven CdP.) This bottle showed some massive tannins, especially in the two hours after opening. I'm going to quit drinking these for as long as I can,holding off at least 3 years, because I think there's a special wine there with more time. 91 now (which is a couple points off my high rating last year), but I expect more in the future.
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Not a great showing - seemingly closed down and very hard for most of the night. While there was a great core of fruit and even some herb and spice notes, the tannins were crushing on the back end. Improved with air and the last glass was much better than the first. I'm holding for 2-3 years before popping another (88-90 points now, hopeful for another 3-4 points with time).
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Decanted 3-hours, poured back in the bottle, corked, and began drinking around 4 hours after opening at a local restaurant. $10 dollar corkage fee, $50 dollar wine and probably the best bit of alcohol in the entire joint. This is every bit as fresh, lively and complex as I remember it. It really demands heavy meat-like dishes, such as meatloaf or perhaps lamb. The nose has depth and is fruit and pepper. The same applies to the palate where things finish with spice and truck loads of peppery, gamy meat flavors. This is a real winner and certainly ready to engage in successful long term aging -- it has the balance and focused concentration for that, not to mention the acid and tannins. 93+ points.
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This has settled down very nicely since the bottles I had a year ago. The oak no longer dominates, and there's some more traditional CdP character coming through. The nose shows some nice peppery earth and a little garrigue over the blackberry fruit. In the mouth, cassis reveals the syrah component, but the grenache is coming through much more clearly than earlier tastings. Black raspberry. Still on the roasted and smoky side on the finish. This is in a very nice place and developing into a more refined traditional wine than it started out to be.
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Dinner at Grace: Lots of kirschy raspberry on the bouquet, along with hints of anise in the background. Medium-full bodied. Oaky, with spices and cranberry on the palate, which seems to be somewhat closed right now. A very nice wine that will reward cellaring.
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Beautiful dark red out of the jar to start. This wine needed about an hour at least to wake up and come around. I think there is some really good stuff here that still needs more time. Reminds me quite a bit of the the Clos Apalta with a little less perfume, a little less velvet. and a little bit more funk. At four hours out of the bottle it was at its best. Great QPR.
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Wow. what a wonderful, enigmatic wine. So silky and lithe on the mouth but somehow also presenting laser beam, intense flavors that sneak up on you, but just don't let go. What a sexy animal. Drank great with a two hour decant. Fruits meats, and some herby action too, tightening up at the back end, but not in an unpleasant way whatsoever. Very fine. QPR is unreal.
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Delicious CDP. wonderful fruit and and earth. After two hours in the decanter, there was not a lot of heat, and the tannins were wonderfully present but round. lot of red fruit, spice, and sirloin characteristics
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New Year's Eve; 12/31/2008-1/1/2009 (The Farm): Bottle #3 -- New Year's Eve. Should have decanted given prior notes and the way it developed over the few hours it was open, but it was spur of the moment and so popped and poured. COLOR: Deep, rich purple. Somewhat cloudy for a CdP in my experience, but not necessarily a detraction. NOSE: Wow! Pretty much what everyone has said below. Incredible, sweet black cherries (like you would find on top of ice cream) and floral notes on opening that evolved to cranberry sauce (the good stuff -- from the can), plums, soil, and figs. It changed constantly and was almost port-like for a while. TASTE: Tannic, but well balanced. Slight funkiness as grafstrb mentions and a sharp, mineral finish all of which keeps this wine interesting. OVERALL: Fantastic wine. Very interesting and not your typical CdP. Definitely needs decanting now. I am glad I have two more bottles. This wine should age very well. Probably good with duck or game -- or soft or semi-soft cheeses. (4/5+14/15+16/20+7/10)
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Raiding the in-laws cellar - Christmas in France 2008; 12/24/2008-12/29/2008 (Lille, France): Believe the hype. This is a fantastic wine. An incredible concentration of dark black fruits baked by the sun but with a laser-like acidity, tannins and clarity that will allow this wine to age for years and years. Drinking very well now, this wine avoids the over-cooked stereo-type of the region and delivers great focussed fruit with concentrated focus. Notes of smoke, very dark fruit, meat - wow - there is so much here and at no point is it out of control. It is like an elegant Rottweiler in a hannibal-lecter restraining costume. This will be utterly amazing in about 10 years. Buy it if you have the chance. I was given 6 bottles of this for christmas by the mother-in-law and it is so good I could almost forgive her for being a mad old cow.
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This is a fantastic wine and I can only echo the praises of the other CT tasting notes. Pulling this wine out of the rack was a spur of the moment decision so I did a quick splash decant and then funneled it back into the bottle for dinner. I couldn't believe how much the nose was teasing me as I was decanting this wine. It was intoxicating all by itself with a wonderful bouquet of plum, tobacco, a bit of a floral note, and just a hint of smoked meats. Wonderfully textured with a lush dark fruit presentation on the palate that makes you just want it to last forever. The finish has good length with a slight bit of minerality that just adds to the already wonderful complexity of this fabulous wine. For the price ($43), you can't get a better Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This easily outshines many other CdP's I have had which are at least 2x the price.
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Beautiful and firm wine. Black ripe forest fruits, typical C9 herbs and spiciness and a lot of good tannin. Already a great pleasure and will continue to be so for at least another decade.
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Wine was very closed for almost an hour after opening to luscious dark fruit and sweet tannins and that special CdP earthiness. Much too young now but will be a great drink in a few years.
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Showing a lovely dark core of plum in the glass the color is echoed in the nose as scents of plum, fig, prune, herbs, and açaí berry persist. In the mouth there is bold flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, black berries, blue berries, and a lingering note of granite and minerality along a 30+ second finish.
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Rich and concentrated aromas blackberries, a soft pear, some dirt, black rubber, and a general feeling of my side yard growing up (crashing my new bike into the blackberry bushes smells like this). There is plenty of heat coming across on the nose as well, but this does improve with more time. Rich and full bodied in the mouth, with predominantly violets and grape fun dip. Going on 4 hours, this is getting very delicious in the mid-palate. Finish is really interesting, as it hits quick and hard with lots of fruit with some wet wood and spice, but then starts zinging, like my tongue's vibrating (and the hairs on my tongue stand up) as it goes a bit dry. The tannins are certainly present, but they are sweet. I was expecting this to be a bit more open for business, but I'll probably wait at least 3-4 years before opening the next one. Generally though, I think this is perhaps too modern of an approach for my palate.
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6-hour decant @58F. Color: thick, velvety purple. Finely ground pepper, lilacs, road-game, and cranberry sauce from the can show on the moderately subdued nose (it was stronger and more grapey at first opening); 15-minutes into the sniffing and the nose is now opening up -- definitely a syrah driven profile. This comes heavy with white and black pepper up front, followed by a touch of farmyard, then a floral/cherry black fruit explosion leading toward the expansive, excellent finish. The finish can best be described as the experience one might find in biting a piece of charred cigar followed by a lengthy chew on the weathered tongue of an old leather shoe. Tannins are heavy here at the end, leading to that last descriptive sentence, but if you're not into that Old-World funk (as in the case of my finance), then try this with a block of Spanish Goat Cheese. With the creamy, fatty cheese in play, these dry, bitter tannins vaporize like so many acid raindrops on a hot Summer day here in Sacramento (or should I say an Autumn day, given these absurd Fall temperatures). Me, I love the unfettered finish of this wine -- it's fire and brimstone on my tongue and in a good, a very good, way. This is the most complex red wine I've had in a while, well in memory. I can't wait to try this ten years gone. For what it is, this is a rocking value.
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Absolutely brilliant in its youth. I would have probably guessed new world grenache if I tasted this blind...there is some definite similarities to Saxum believe it or not! Big black fruit, spice, kirsch, toasted oak, and some meatiness. I need to find more...
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No detailed notes taken, but it was definitely consistent with my 5/22 TN. Plush, fairly lavish oak, and definitely more syrah than your typical CdP. It's a very sexy, seductive wine, delicious, though not exactly representative of the region. That wouldn't keep me from buying and drinking it, though. 91-93.
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Really a fantastic value from Chateauneuf. Of course this was complete infanticide, but I was low on bottles at home so I went for it anyway. First glass was tight, reticient, and tannic...but clearly had the stuffing to be an amazing wine. I splash decanted the rest and put it in the fridge overnight. 24 hours later, POW! this one is hitting on all cylinders. Still very primary at this point, but it reminds me of a less intense Pegau. Really fantastic.
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Wow. Popped and poured. This was amazing. My first 2005 cdp and it lived up to the hype. Fragrant with overpowering chocolate, cherries, and spices and very good acidity. A lengthy and slightly dry finish.
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a little closed compared to the last bottle but still nice. Again the 50 50 blend is prevalent on the nose, straw, pepper, garrigue, meats, smoke. Fresh and drinkable now with great conc. Mouth watering strawberries, sweet underbrush with a rasp finish coated in fine milk choc 92
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Further investigation: With the opportunity to explore through a full bottle, this wine showed, in many ways, quite differently than the 5/17 tasting note. This bottle was pop-and-pour at a restaurant, with about 45 min in the glass while we focused on appetizers and champagne. As others have noted, it has a very gorgeous, showy nose, with lots of black cherry and black plum, but where I was getting a nice violet floral note previously tonight it showed lots of new oak, with California-style toast, vanilla and mocha. After an hour it was unmistakably banana creme pie (!). However, in the mouth, it seems like a different wine: raspberry and blackberry, with good peppery herb notes. It still shows its large syrah component, but this is a little more CdP than the nose might suggest, balanced by good acidity. Nice finish, too. The structure is definitely there, but the tannins I noted in the previous TN weren't as present tonight. Purists might object to this modern-style oak treatment, and I have say that this isn't what I'm looking for when I want a CdP. Maybe a little closer to what I'm looking for in California syrah. But, so what? Overall, this is a fun and delicious wine. It appears to be all over the place right now. I anticipate that it will settle down in a year or so, with the oak integrating with the ample fruit.
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On the initial decant this wine blew me away, herbs de provance, ripe cherries and other red fruits combine with a liquer like aspect. just gorgeous. On the palate this started with very chalky tannins framing layers of gorgeous red fruit, brett character, and bramble. The acidity-tannin-fruit balance was impeccable. this is going to age great but is accessible now. At about the 2 hr mark this wine turned much darker and brooding in personality with focused notes of black cherry and dirt. Wonderful wine with length as well. 93+. Give this 3-5 and you will be happy camoer.
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Tasting from a small glass poured by a retailer showed some bright violet and blackberry on the nose, you could tell immediately that this wine has a larger syrah component than most CdP. Not quite enough of a pour to give a comprehensive note or to see how it behaves in the glass, but it was enough to tell that the wine had pretty huge extraction but was well balanced with acidity and well structured with some pretty huge tannins. Definitely built to last. I'd make a swag at between 92-95 and look forward to opening a bottle for further investigation.
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Very rich and fruit-forward and packed with big (but velvety) tannins. Stylistically it is almost the polar opposite of the 04 Bosquet des Papes (also from Garagiste). I think I actually prefer the old-school style of the Bosquet but I also think most drinkers would disagree with me and perhaps strongly prefer this wine. Both are wonderful and fairly-priced CdPs.
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Decanted for about 2 hours to start.... 4 hours when finished. Beautiful nose. A very full mouthfeel. Layer upon layer of flavor. This is a great wine. A tiny bit acidic and super big tannins. My favorite CDP to date (but I'm relatively new to this... what do I know?) Great now, but later?????
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Lush wine with violets, wild black cherry, chocolate, black pepper, game, but fierce tannins. The oak is evident, but well balanced by the fruit, and I think this will integrate well and improve.
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A Night of Chateauneuf in Edina, MN (Edina Country Club): I brought this wine to a CdP offline on 12/30/2007, in Edina, MN. (All wines were tasted blind, in a random order. References such as "Blind 3" or "Blind 4" have been replaced with the wines' actual names)
This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began. This was the first of three consecutive offerrings that created noticeable excitement amongst the group. The fruitiness of this wine was a nice juxtaposition against the funky earthiness of the 2003 Charbonierre. A nice example of how much variance exists among CdP's.
NOSE: deep red fruits; hint of anise; this is a pleasure to smell - not your "classic" CdP nose.
BODY: medium-full bodied; pinkish-garnet in color - impressive depth to the color.
TASTE: Some surprising funkiness on the palate - where did this come from? There was no funkiness on the NOSE - I like this, a lot. Drinking great now, but this is clearly a youngster.
50, 5, 12, 17, 9 = 93 points.
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CDP visit September 2007: This was the best wine I tasted on this CDP visit (supposedly decanted overnight). No detailed notes: juicy, warm, spicy, pepper, raspberries, cherries. 94+
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Bright deep purple/ruby but not inky. Immediately shows complex dried herbs on the nose with dark berries. Violets also emerge over time. Young with substantial but ripe tannins, very savory garrigue and tobacco palate. Here, you feel more than taste the fruit through the lush texture of the wine. I like this! Subtle, not exuberantly fruity, and structured to improve, but after 6 hours in the decanter, this was still a great accompaniment to a broiled steak.
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Deep, dark purplish red. This wine is a pleasure to simply smell... espresso, cherry liquer, smoke, and anise... the more you smell, the more you find. The wine is full-bodied and rich with mouth-coating tannins. Complex and fun to to drink now while it is showing its baby fat, although this wine needs to be laid down for a while. 30 second finish reveals additional dark berry fruit and baking spices. I love this style of CdP!
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3/9/2024 - Bordeaux_Jon Does not like this wine: 86 Points
I agree with prior notes. Past peak, with a lot of funk, mushrooms, and soy. My no -wine friends enjoyed it, so it still has drinking value. Those who like “mature” CdP will appreciate it but those who want a fresh wine should stay clear.
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1/8/2024 - rjpbath Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well, well. I approached this with trepidation because a) I had not really enjoyed the last bottle 32 months ago, and b) because of recent comments on CT.....
....but in fact this bottle was excellent. A great wine for a cold evening, and completely ready, with life in it yet. No fieriness, not burnt, genuine fruit - just how a good CNdP should be. Yum yum....
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11/23/2023 - dke wrote: 90 Points
Peppery cheery liquor and some smoke with medium tannins. Still very good (better on day 2) but taste seems past its prime...
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6/28/2023 - prasm wrote: 88 Points
Appearance: Medium garnet with noticeable browning on the edges.
Nose: Clean, medium intensity with aromas of dried red fruit - cranberry and cherry, forest floor, mushroom, and spice.
Palate: Medium acid and tannin, medium body, medium+ intensity, 14.7% abv, with flavors of dried red and blue fruit, soy, and earth with a medium finish.
Slightly past peak and starting to fade. Drink now.
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5/29/2023 - kevin h wrote: 89 Points
Fully mature, funky red fruits and quite a bit of oatmeal from the Grenache. Ok.
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4/18/2023 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Passed its prime and lots of sediment. Still good enough. Did much better with more than an hour out of the bottle
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4/7/2023 - Sijan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fabulous!
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2/10/2023 - pjaines wrote:
Maturing but less exciting that when it was in its youth. Leathery red fruit with some horse-poop. Softening. Not bad, but I'm coming to the mind-set of drinking Chateaneuf in its youth.
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1/28/2023 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:
Opened 24 hours ago. Really nice and developed aroma, including some soil notes, but still plenty of vibrant dark fruits. Palate is rich and round, very vibrant fruit and acidity present on the palate. Really wonderful how that acidity balances the rich dark Châteauneuf fruit.. something lacking in many, I find. It's the acidity that again is the strongest on the finish as well. I do think the 24 hours of air has made this shed most of its primary fruit, because yesterday it was much more fruit forward while still retaining that acidity. A very nice wine, and one that I think is in the wheelhouse to be drunk up. Sure, the acidity and structure will continue to live a long life, but I do think the fruit is now heading down the other side of its evolution. I recall this drinking more like a 91 pointer last night, whereas today it's around 90.
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1/12/2023 - grafstrb wrote: 93 Points
-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
-- 50% Grenache; 50% Syrah --
NOSE: expressive; aged purple fruits; light leather; celery and roasted celery; roasted parsnips; hint of burnt candle wick; quintessential aged CdP.
BODY: lots of sediment in the bottle; dark garnet-violet color of medium-deep depth, with some bricking throughout (not too much for its age); medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: medium-fine drying tannins; aged dark fruits --- has a sweet flavor along the lines of horehound candy; iodine; strong note of golden rolling tobacco; alc. is a little noticeable; unmistakably, aged CdP; this is in its prime window right now -- I don't see this getting any better from here on out. Drink Now and over the near term.
50, 5, 14, 16, 8 = 93
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11/4/2022 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 88 Points
A nearly Port-like degree of sediment made this a little cloudy and decidedly chewy, but oddly was drinking a lot more youthfully than you would expect for a 17 year-old wine.
Not necessarily bad, but I really found this pretty uninspiring. It was quite dense, with a good dose of oak, and generally felt a lot more Syrah and Mourvedre dominated. Largely black cherries, with smoked meat and a little funk from the Mourvedre, but it was more plodding and monolithic than interesting or refreshing, yet also didn't really succeed at being a powerhouse either.
The last couple ounces were pure, stick to the sink, sludge, so plan on standing this upright for a few days before opening and carefully decanting it.
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5/1/2022 - drwine2001 wrote:
Ruby to garnet edge. Bright red fruit and cracked black pepper on the nose with steadily increasing garrigue. Medium weight, some earth, fluid feel with low tannin at this point. Complex and satisfying. Ripe, discretely sweet blackberry and raspberry complemented by green herbs and soil. When I've noted this wine before, I always noticed the wood, but not today. It has done an admirable job of absorbing it over time. My last bottle and probably the best. Excellent.
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2/26/2022 - kevin h wrote: 89 Points
Drank at Peter and Rose’s. Ok drying a bit. Fully mature on this showing.
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2/12/2022 - mercurius wrote: 87 Points
Not much going on. Pretty boring wine
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1/17/2022 - rogerr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully matured CDP. Great integration, texture, and finish. Started to degrade a few hours after open so think it's best to drink now.
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11/4/2021 - rjpbath Likes this wine: 90 Points
Too big? Or is just that I didn't decant it long enough before...? Increasingly I drink CndP and wish I was drinking syrah (i.e. further north) instead. Impressive, but not easy.
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10/27/2021 - sastewart wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at the Yellow porch. Last bottle of 6, purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. Garrigue and black fruit on the nose. Medium bodied wine with cool, concentrated black fruit, anise and a nice minerality. Fully mature wine in a great place. 93 points tonight
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8/16/2021 - pjaines wrote:
Slowly maturing into a beautifully balanced wine; this bottle was in great condition with pure and clean palate of black/red fruits and some garrigue notes over a silky smooth finish. Not big nor blowsy, just balanced and calm.
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6/14/2021 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle but still plenty of stuffing. Concentrated fruit. Drink or hold.
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6/12/2021 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted 6.75 hours before initial taste --
-- tasted "blind," but I knew what this was when I was tasting it --
NOSE: minty; stony; light purple fruits; some tertiary elements present now.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: hint of soy sauce; horehound candy; old wood furniture; good acidity; comes across as aged; in its prime window right now.
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4/25/2021 - SeanFoley44 wrote:
Wine was on the downslope. Fully integrated tannins. Very little character. No fruit left, though mouthfeel was nice. Very generic but it may be the age.
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2/27/2021 - mercurius wrote: 88 Points
It seems I'm going to be the anomaly here, but I think this would still benefit from some more cellaring? Still some harsh unresolved tannin and plenty of acid and bright raspberry fruit to keep going. The nose is great with the bramble followed by a middle note of chocolate and some stem inclusion notes--but notably not the garrigue I love. The mouth is rather poor with no mid and a shorter finish and harsh tannin.
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11/30/2020 - caroleandjay Likes this wine: 92 Points
November tasting at home.
Clear, deep bury with medium (garnet) meniscus and daily high viscosity. One hour decant.
Nose was a bit restrained with notes of raspberry, licorice, coffee, soil and iron. The earthy notes persisted throughout. Palate showed cranberry raspberry - and stronger dried cherry, with licorice pepper smoked meats, tobacco and soil. Dry, Med+body and acidity with fine medium tannins. Long finish with what I considered high complexity - changing in the glass throughout the few hours we battled over it. Seems to be a lot of disagreement over the wine in the notes. I'm not a CDP expert, but I really enjoyed this wine and think it is drinking well.
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7/19/2020 - Hollowine wrote:
Bought three of these based on many of my CT friends (many of whom have tasting notes here) raving about the wine when young. Just going to say I don't get this wine. I would start to suspect some bad bottles, but another friend has had similar experiences, so really not sure where to go with this one. I could blame it on RP and scores, but I think I'm just going to chalk this one off to the vintage in CdP and that this particular wine isn't a long-lived example.
Tried this again last night side by side with the 1998 (which btw is absolutely stunning right now). I knew this wasn't showing great from a Coravin tap a few weeks ago, so I pulled the cork for slow-O an hour before a gathering with a few friends. At an hour the fruit had gained weight, but at the 90 min mark the fruit started to fall off again and just leave a thin, tannic finish. One of those experiences where I just want to admit defeat and pour the bottle down the drain.
Happy a lot of you are having better experiences. I have one bottle left and may just experiment with this by slow-O over the course of several hours.
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3/1/2020 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
As before, holding well, quite polished for CNDP.
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1/29/2020 - z_willus_d wrote: 90 Points
Pristine cork on this bottle. Thirteen years ago, this was the first CdP to really grab my attention, and I'm sad to say it pulled me into my greatest period of purchasing disasters -- the 2007 Southern Rhone vintage. I remember it being savage, meaty, raw, and spicy in the way that other wines I had been drinking before then were not. It paired with more than a few cheese and deli meat boards to our delight. This is still drinking with a heavy dose of teeth coating tannins. The bouquet seems muted. Alcohol somewhat apparent. Dark fruits somewhat tamped down. The meat, blood and game notes are as amped as ever, I think. Extremely spicy and herbal in the finish. This palate of this wine bleeds CdP write large for all to see. I think it's a nice instantiation of this style and type of wine, quintessential even. For the 2020 me, it falls just shy of any true depth or mystery, at least this first glass does after ~30-min open.
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8/19/2019 - pjaines Likes this wine:
Slowly unfurling while at the same time the heady fruit is receding to leave a more stripped back Chateaneuf that has bright acidity that provides snap and precision. Elegant is probably not the right word, but it is in the ballpark - there are classic notes of garrigue and black fruits but also notes of violets and strawberry. No rush to drink, but very much in its window now.
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8/18/2019 - bretrooks wrote:
Opened a couple of hours before drinking, poured out early but not decanted, consumed over 2+ hours. This bottle, happily, was in a pretty good place - medium density, enough acidity to keep it from heaviness, a little tannin still hanging around.
Prominent notes were of reasonably restrained morello cherry/dark berry fruit (just slightly cooked), anise, garrigue, and a hint of something savory and spicy. Recent notes seem to be split on whether oak is evident...might be some bottle variation, as it didn't seem too prominent to me. I'm not especially oak-averse, though, so YMMV.
Personal historical footnote: this was the first bottle I ever purchased with the intent of aging it, way back in 2008.
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7/6/2019 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 89 Points
A reasonable CdP reaching the end of its drinking window. Just wasn't blown away. Well made, well integrated, touch of earth and plum fruit.
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6/15/2019 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Slow-oxed for three hours before service. In the glass, deep, dark red, with a touch of violet at the rim. On the nose, raspberries, herbs, and a faint floral element, maybe honeysuckle? On the palate, initially a bit reticent, but found its way to a plateau for about an hour, with grenache liqueur, vanilla, beef blood, and more floral elements on a long, smooth finish - after that, started to fall apart. If you haven't checked in on this yet, now is the time, but pop and pour may be your best bet.
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6/10/2019 - oldcorke Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very good, dark fruited, somewhat earthy CdP. Usual aromas of cured meats, charred wood, blue & black berries.
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5/12/2019 - JGinMO wrote: 92 Points
Pnp and it was ready to go (was worried too much air would cause it to turn). Showed beautifully, with wonderful earth tones, fully integrated. This was my last, I think it’s time to drink these.
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4/21/2019 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Dark plum and cherry colour with minimal bricking on the rim. Very pleasant, light fragrant, red plum and blackberry fruit, some garrigue. Soft, mature, with low tannins, still nice acidity, but very rounded and smooth. Seems prettty mature. Cannot help but think this would have been better younger.
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3/22/2019 - Matt T wrote:
Mystery bottle. Thought I had finished this a few years ago. Interesting olive, earth, and meat juice notes on the entry. Oak is apparent. Quite a bit of bottle variation, but would say that this bottle drank the best in its youth. This is fine, but starting to get a bit tired.
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8/19/2018 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deep ruby almost all the way to the meniscus. Piney wood scents which reminded me of Rioja from La Rioja Alta at first. Medium to full bodied, beautifully ripe but not syrupy black raspberry fruit, ground coffee, and fine acidity with resolving tannins. This is modern in style without a doubt, but once the oak calmed down on the nose, it proved to be very tasty. I would drink any remaining stocks over the next few years.
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6/10/2018 - guitarguy wrote: 89 Points
Chocolate, leather, some pepper with moderate cherry influences.
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3/3/2018 - Easter Everywhere Likes this wine:
Drinking well
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12/26/2017 - grafstrb wrote:
-- tasted non-blind on Days 1, 2, and 5 --
Very tannic, medium-big, and not terribly complex on Days 1 and 2. Day 5 rolled around and I figured I'd have a little taste before dumping the rest down the drain ... Yo! Hey now. This is what CdP is all about! Black tea, mineral, garrigue, tobacco, plum, still some light tannin hanging around. Medium bodied. This wine epitomizes the general rule that big-time CdP's fall asleep around the 10 year mark. Hands off for now. Patience will be rewarded here. I see this in the low to mid 90's further down the line. Excellent.
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12/9/2017 - Blake Brown Likes this wine:
2005 DOMAINE PAUL AUTARD CUVEE la COTE RONDE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- indicative blend is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache; a first time for me with this wine and it was really good and it was really plentiful as it came in a magnum; it had pepper and spice accents to the red and black cherry and blackberry fruit along with a touch of liquorice; it was big and rich and yet had finesse and charm; the Syrah and Grenache components seem to be fighting for dominance and in the end, they both won.
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11/9/2017 - guitarguy wrote: 89 Points
Pretty tight on opening, needed to warm a bit and get some air to reveal leather and cherry in the nez and lean cherry, leather and still tight tannins. Plenty of pepper and acidity keep it interesting.
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10/9/2017 - Dury wrote: 91 Points
No formal notes. Popped, double decanted for 20min and poured over subsequent 90min. This wine was not the least bit tired as had been reported in recent past bottles. Still a touch young such that I won't touch my last two for 2-3 years (i.e. my estimate for peak). Nose a bit subdued but palate offered dark fruit, kirsch liquor, garrigue, still solid but approachable tannins, and a touch port-like (but not the stewed fruit quality I abhor). Wine was at its best that night by the final sip and still improving. Overall, solid showing. PS: if I was a bigger CDP fan I would likely rate this 92.
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10/8/2017 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
Pretty much the same as a year ago. Elegant style of cndp but with some 05 tannin. No secondary complexity yet. Hold for a couple of years. Not fully mature yet.
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9/26/2017 - pgm wrote:
Drinking pretty ok (it’s been a pretty great wine through it’s evolution), but it’s beginning to taste tired and old. An athlete in retirement. Drink up. 89-90
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4/22/2017 - Dalton_Noble wrote: 88 Points
Way tannic even on next day. No fruit left. Interesting to drink but nothing special at all. If I had more, I'd hang onto them in the moonshot hope that it improves when the tannins resolve.
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3/14/2017 - tmoritz1 wrote: 93 Points
Well blended -Deep inky color -Nose of dried dark fruit and some leather overtones.Good finish Well worth the wait
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2/11/2017 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Showing very well. Syrah seems to be up front right now with meatier and darker tones. There is a hint of wild berry that floats over the top to show you that Grenache is still a player.
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12/31/2016 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted for less than one hour before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 hours --
-- 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah --
NOSE: dark, earthy cherry; beefy (beef broth); wet stones
TASTE: still some drying, stony tannins; dark and earthy; alc. pokes through a little; tobacco; very nice; entering its prime drink window. Drink or Hold.
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12/29/2016 - pikemasterflash wrote: 89 Points
Pungent and smokey. Totally disjointed when compared to other bottles I have had. The last glass on the second day was undrinkable.
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12/27/2016 - Dr. Pato wrote: 93 Points
Nicely aged with balance of fruit and spice.
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11/17/2016 - duchamp Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark, deep crimson in color, complex nose of garrigue, blackberry, black pepper, cassis and coriander with hints of vanilla bean and wood, big and ripe on the attack followed by spiced black and red fruit, gripping tannins, juicy acidity and mineral streaks, finish is long and also complex with layers of bright fruits such as plum, blackberry, black cherry and on and on, wow
Note: Just another outstanding 2005 CdP, still standby my rant about the overrated 2007s, sell your '07s and buy more of these
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11/6/2016 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
My first from a case. Threw a fine sediment that needs time to settle. Soft, ripe CNDP with typical Grenache character. Light tannin. Still young but meaty red fruit. Quite polished.
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10/28/2016 - Labrador wrote: 82 Points
This wine definitely needs air. Some fruit but not much. It seemed a bit disjointed and one dimensional. Hopefully my remaining bottles will be better - fingers and toes are crossed. Bottle variation???
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10/15/2016 - Golf_Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
A really nice Châteauneuf-du-Pape. On open as I decanted the wine aromas shoots of the bottle. Nice big nose. It's a fairly big wine. Fruit and oak is well integrated, a bit sweet and some spice, pepper. Long nice finish. Didn't think of the alcohol - a good thin. The Syrah is nice but coming through stronger then the Grenache and in the end maybe I miss a bit of the Grenache. Decanted for 30 minutes. I would imagine this wine will eventually lose the fruit but the sweetness of the Syrah will remain so I say decant and drink now.
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10/15/2016 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 91 Points
A big CdP, drinking well and more to go. Fruit forward. Long finish. Very enjoyable
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10/2/2016 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well right now!
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9/13/2016 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really needs a couple of hours to open and integrate...nice graphite berries and integrated tannins and spice...drinking really well when given air...can age a bunch too...
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9/3/2016 - ataraxy wrote: 91 Points
Agree with Chinacat
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8/25/2016 - Matt T Likes this wine: 89 Points
In the middle to late drinking window. A few unpleasant notes immediately after opening, but seemed to resolve after about 30 minutes of air.
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7/18/2016 - omalley89 wrote: 92 Points
Deep, plums and dark fruit. Really good and got better over time
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7/10/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Great with ribs and showed finesse next to the voluptuous 2004 clio.
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7/9/2016 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice, but still nothing memorable. Solid, well made wine, but fruit is fading and overall, it just lacks depth.
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6/8/2016 - Niagara wrote: 94 Points
really drinking well right now! Great QPR.
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4/30/2016 - winemaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
This sucker is very extracted and still dark purple. Seems a bit clunky to me. You can taste that this wine is 50% Syrah. It kind of swamps the Grenache. The garrigue here is muted. The fruit flavors tend toward raspberries. This wine should hold or develop further for probably 5-10 years.
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4/9/2016 - CHINACAT wrote: 90 Points
Purple color. Pleasant, but retrained nose. Ripe dark fruit and some complexity, but still quite tannic and a bit dry. Seemed a bit young and a couple of years or so from its full potential.
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3/6/2016 - sastewart wrote: 91 Points
Open 5 hours. Red fruits, herbs and minerals on the slightly closed nose. Plenty of structure and acid to go with raspberries, licorice, red fruits. 91+ pts.
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3/4/2016 - Matt T Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a long closed phase, this wine is finally starting to come back. Rich blackberry and chocolate. Great balance and medium length finish. Excellent qpr.
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2/14/2016 - piedmoose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very dark color, with hints of age on the nose with cola and cassis. Not a lot of fruit, remaining. I don't see it gaining much more interest with bottle time. Same impression second day and third. Enjoyable, but not remarkable.
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12/20/2015 - ljl203 wrote: 92 Points
Curious about this as the ratings are all over the place. This bottle was in a great spot for me after a 1 hour decant. Red berry core, meaty, minty, great acids, integrated tannins. Drinking beautifully, long finish. Fruit fading a little after 4 hours.
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11/21/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Sweet mineral and garrigue with a hidden darkness and a slightly drying finish.
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10/17/2015 - ataraxy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Zscheiner describes it well.
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10/2/2015 - Rezy13 wrote:
I would agree with my note from 2013 as the extra time in bottle may not have proved beneficial for this bottle, aged character comes out, the higher amount of Syrah in this blend gives it a weight and character I am not as fond of; drink soon.
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9/6/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Rhone varietals on a Saturday afternoon (Chesterland): Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, cinnamon and clay. Great lush texture. Very concentrated. Young at ten years. Very tannic. Nice black raspberry fruit on the palate. The future looks bright here, but I would give this a lot of air or wait at least five more years.
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8/1/2015 - Matt T Likes this wine: 90 Points
This drank better as a younger wine. Big chewy tannins. Lacking some of the balance of earlier years as the fruit has started to fade a bit.
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8/1/2015 - Magic Slim wrote:
Like Tourette - two bottles of six corked
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7/28/2015 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
A great reunion in Prescott, AZ, with friends George and Jim, both who appreciate great wine. The nose on this wine was a Chateauneuf du Pape in the more traditional sense. I last indicated on this wine on 4-2-2015: "The tannins seem more resolved and not quite as intense as in prior tastings. Aromas and flavors of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, hints of licorice, herbs, spice and cigar box. As before, big, rich and full bodied. Good structure. A long and almost jammy finish. Paired well with a locally (AZ) grown organic chicken. Drinking nice now." The wine was decanted.
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7/28/2015 - wine4ever wrote: 90 Points
Nice CDP, easy drinking. Went well with flank steak but overall nothing special. Well balanced, good weight, but nose and palate were a bit restrained. Drink sooner rather than later, as fruit already seems to be fading and no secondary characteristics are forming.
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7/26/2015 - mikerando Likes this wine: 95 Points
gorgeous wine, perfect balance, great fruit.
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6/19/2015 - tourette wrote: flawed
Both bottles that I bought from Prince of Wine were corked. Bummer.
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5/17/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine was opened about an hour before drinking. The wine was showing a lot of secondary flavors of graphite, earth and mushrooms while the fruit was there but a bit muted. Don't think there is any rush too drink these.
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4/19/2015 - Eric K wrote: 91 Points
Poured two large glasses and let them sit for 1.5 hours before dinner. Unimpressive at first, but by the end of the meal (Kimchi burger recipe from WS), the wine opened up with good dark fruits. Finished the wine on the couch with chocolate covered raisins. Very enjoyable CDP. I have one bottle left that we will probably drink within a year but will pour into the decanter for 1 to 2 hours. No need to wait on this wine anymore.
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4/12/2015 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Last tasted 9 months ago. The tannins seem more resolved and not quite as intense as in prior tastings. Aromas and flavors of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, hints of licorice, herbs, spice and cigar box. As before, big, rich and full bodied. Good structure. A long and almost jammy finish. Paired well with a locally (AZ) grown organic chicken. Drinking nice now; recommend decanting.
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3/29/2015 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Open for business and a great complement to full flavored and spicy food. The syrah component adds some peppery notes to a modern, fruit filled, palate. Some spice and earth, better with food than alone to my palate as it is not especially interesting. But well made and in excellent balance. Unlikely to improve but should hold well for a year or two at least.
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3/13/2015 - navybrat Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still tight upon opening. Very smooth second night.
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3/7/2015 - Tim Heaton wrote:
After the experience with the bottle I opened just 5 weeks ago, I really didn't see the point in taking up space unnecessarily with this final bottle. While it's my preference to put some age on wines in general, there are the exceptions - wines that show much better in their youth; this appears to be one of those exceptions. Held since release, this was charmless. Again. Well composed, technically, but absent the verve and nuance I'm always looking for. If you've got some, and you haven't checked (at all?) in a while, I recommend doing so. Medium-bodied, avg acidity, red fruited; no complexity. 14,5% abv (fully resolved). Drink now.
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1/30/2015 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Color holding fast; the nose and palate suggest this is firmly in its preferred window. Meaty, dusty, flowery, with good proportions of fruit/acids/tannins, and a medium finish. Clean, with the lightest touch of warmth and animale on then very end. The current CT window has this out to 2021, and while it will likely make it there, I'm not sure it's going to be better than it is now. 14,5% abv., thru 2019
Audoze 4 hours, served non-blind; held since release.
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12/25/2014 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark berries, minerals, a hint of vanilla on the nose. Medium-high tannins and dark fruit on the palate. Medium finish.
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12/11/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. The essence of CdP. Very full mouth feel, great red fruit character with just the right amount of spice and wood.
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12/8/2014 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
This one was not showing a whole lot. Pretty closed with some notes of funk and earth. Good balance. Hold.
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11/7/2014 - Donjcorleone wrote: 93 Points
Opened and given about 4 hours of air in bottle. A nose of blackberry,cherry, licorice, tobacco and truffle which gives way to a cherry licorice driven palate along with a provencial herbal note that lingers on the finish. Drinking perfectly at present.
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10/21/2014 - J2K wrote:
My bottle seemed a little off, lots of acidity and tannin, fruit wasn't really in balance. Was still okay/avg but disappointed as I was hoping for a memorable wine.
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9/6/2014 - navybrat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent one hour after opening; even better the next day.
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8/17/2014 - rm97 wrote: 84 Points
was off
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7/29/2014 - pjaines wrote:
Sitting in a clunky phase right now where the plushness of youth has been tempered a little by it shutting down and the power jutting out. All a little bit hot and chunky right now - leave for a few years.
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7/26/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Last tasted five months ago. Initially, the same as last time - licorice on the nose; it did not dissipate this time, but integrated with the other aromas of raspberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, herbs, spice and cigar box. Similar flavors. Tannins are still not resolved and leave a slight acidic sting on the tongue. However the tannin is soft enough to appreciate the wine. Big, rich and full bodied in the mouth. Nice structure. The tannin is alleviated with the food we ate, primed rib-eye (same as the last pairing). A nice long finish. The wine is drinkable now, but has has several years left before it's fully mature.
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7/20/2014 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Next bottle I would decant/open for only one hour. Nose softened over 2 hours. The palate was meaty/truffles. The finish was still tannic but finish was quite long. Full bodied and dark fruit.
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6/23/2014 - Deb293 wrote: 88 Points
Still a tannic beast...maybe it will come around eventually...
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5/10/2014 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
No detailed notes. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Drinking very well. A modern wine, with no funk, either in the good or the bad way. Very Rhone, shows its high syrah percentage positively. Great wine with land, also likely good with grilled meats of all kinds. Very pleasant, and a nice mix of old and new world flavors.
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2/14/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Dark, dark ruby color; purple with hints of yellowing on the rim. Initially, there was some licorice on the nose, but this dissipated as the wine warmed in the glass. Aromas of raspberry, a hint of rose, sweet tobacco, herbs, spice and cigar box from the oak. Soft enough in the mouth, but somewhat unresolved tannins cause an acidic sting on the tongue. The flavors are raspberry, blackberry, herbs, spice and oak. Great structure. Big, powerful, rich and intense fruit. A long and somewhat lingering finish. Pairs quite well with dry aged rib-eye steak. The tannins seem mellowed by the food. This wine should show much better with age, but is appreciable now.
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2/6/2014 - drwine2001 wrote:
Bright red. Lively black raspberry and wintergreen. Medium bodied. Pleasant, ripe red fruit but over time, it develops a more pronounced flavor of espresso and wood tannins that leave a dry impression.
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12/13/2013 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank after a short decant(again). Not much bouquet at first, but it does eventually smell of roses and red fruit. Nice deep garnet color. Tastes of red fruit with a bit of minerality and a hint of alcohol.
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10/13/2013 - vendange wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful nose with both red and blue fruit and some dark notes (licorice or almost tar) but still somewhat unyielding on the palate. Has enough stuffing and sweetness for more aging. A very engaging wine that just needs time.
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10/6/2013 - D.Callahan Does not like this wine: 82 Points
This was somewhat reticent in the nose but had a bit of bramble/herbal scents. The palate was completely overshadowed by acidic bitterness. It was unpleasant to drink. I let it sit in the glass for a couple of hours and some of the bitterness resolved a bit, but without much in the way of fruit, the acidity was just too much. I don't know if there was a problem with this bottle or this wine is just not to my taste. I have one more bottle to go so I will probably let it sit for a further year or two and decant for a couple of hours to see what happens.
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9/28/2013 - Klugi Wine wrote: 92 Points
Needed some time in the decanter to open up. Than cherries, bacon and some wild herbs came to mind. This wine is medium to full bodied and still pretty young with demanding tannins. You can drink it now but it should keep for 10-15 more years. We had it with a rack of lamb, ratatouille and polenta, which was a very good fit.
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9/8/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious CdP. PnP and drank with a grilled wild duck dinner. delicious with dark fruits, earth and garrigue.
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8/26/2013 - benny wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 1/2 hours should have been three hours. Best at the end of 4 hours. Very Expressive CDP. Cigar,flowers,exotic spices and all types of berries. This is outstanding for sure.
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8/25/2013 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 89 Points
not my style for sure, interesting nose with some savory and smoky notes, palate was very thick and heavy, powerful fruit smoke and tar but no elegance or subtlety, feeling loads of oak as well but with the extraction it was noted but not the primary palate element... too heavy for me, not sure this will change but presumably time should improve it some
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8/24/2013 - jackaroo Likes this wine:
Pnp. Not the wisest decision. After about an hour, this really blossomed into a 93+ wine. Next time I'll either decant wait a couple of years.
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8/19/2013 - grayfont Likes this wine: 93 Points
Associates' Forum Wine Dinner (Sean Ballington's Home, Great Falls, VA): stylish, with sweet red fruits and a long peppery kick on the finish. Got better once it had been open a while - definitely wants a nice long decant.
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7/21/2013 - JGinMO wrote: 93 Points
Lovely, very subtle now. If not an outlier, drink these soon.
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6/20/2013 - bundydavis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice CDP that is in a great place. Drink now.
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6/17/2013 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at Friccassee with Adrianne. We both loved it. Went very well with my strip steak. Full bodied and smooth with dark fruit flavors.
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6/3/2013 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and drink soon after. Deep rich garnet in color. Lovely nose. Very pure with sweet grenache and spicy syrah notes that never conflicted. No defects of any sort.
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4/1/2013 - europat55 wrote: 88 Points
2005 Chateauneuf-de-Pape (Tasted Blind) (Rich and Peggy's House, Los Altos, California): Excellent nose with rich CdP profile. Still quite young. Some savory notes.
My #5, Group's #1 (36 pts). Tasted Blind.
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4/1/2013 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 87 Points
2005 Chateauneuf du Papes (Rich & Peggy's House, Los Altos, CA): Reticent nose, I keep coming back and couldn't pick up much. Savory, black tea palate with some sweet blackberry fruit lurking and moderate tannins. Earthy and interesting, kind of an outlier in the lineup with more savory than fruity notes. (my 5th, group's 1st)
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2/18/2013 - cawineaux wrote:
Decanted and drank over four hour period. Brilliant ruby color leads to a very shut down nose. Same on the palate. Very little flavor, limited acidity.
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2/1/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cloudy color though not off-putting because this can be common withaged renache and CdP. Beautiful nose of Burgundian aged grenache. Sweet red fruit and a definite savory component that's visible on the nose. On the palate you get roasted red fruit, fig, raw meat, and a sugary midpalate with little tannin. Open and ready which is surprising for the stout 2005 vintage. Would not suggest aging too much longer.
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1/29/2013 - sjmiller Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Cloudy, not attractive in the glass. Taste fairly dull. Would not serve it to guests.
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1/12/2013 - navybrat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Let stand open for 45 minutes;
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Tar, Sherry, Soy Sauce, Game, and Stems. It tastes like Barnyard, Tar, Soy Sauce, Stems, Petrol, and Black Pepper. The body is Medium. The wine has Angular texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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12/24/2012 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
Smooth, but not showing all that this great wine had to offer in its earlier years. Hold.
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11/26/2012 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 93 Points
I agree with the CT's as this wine is drinking great right now. It was nice after 1/2 hour of air but was even better after 2 hours. A great nose of black truffle, blackberry, licorice and cherry with a nice mouth...great tannin and acidity. My experience mirrored Parker's note on the wine.
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11/17/2012 - Rechrom wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well. Slight bricking at rim. Good nose, very pleasant entry and red berry/cherry, leather palate that goes very well with food. Some tannins present, as well as a bit of wood, though not obtrusive. Nice.
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11/6/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium ruby with early lightening. Very much oriented to tobacco and herbs on the nose. Medium weight. A touch of raspberry that is not overly ripe, and some olive. You feel a little wood but don't taste it. All in all, drinking well now, not too structured, and leaning to the traditional side. Well done.
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11/1/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful, deep, rich, complex.
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10/30/2012 - Blue Shorts wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious right now. Nice secondary characteristics of leather and earth, but still retains the fresh, fruity character and good tannins.
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10/21/2012 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Good stewed fruit/garrigue character, soft with medium acidity; classic CdP, on its way but could use a few more years. 90-91
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9/26/2012 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
Still far from home, but beautifully balanced with that red fruit granache influence front and center - cherry, which is the reason I bought the vintage. Impeccably well stored, I'll wait maybe five years before I try another.
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9/26/2012 - lvjohn wrote: 93 Points
First of all, this wine requires a lot of breathing time after decanting. This wine drank very nicely throughout the evening, but it was at it's best at the end. It tasted of pure deep cherries with a hint of licorice.
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8/27/2012 - Hamilton1 wrote: 90 Points
A decent CndP, but not the caliber I had expected. Lacked the structure and tannins one would expect of a $60 wine from the 2005 vintage. It is smooth, with medium body. Nose is earth and grass. Better on the palate, with currant, pencil lead, and blueberry.
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6/9/2012 - benny wrote: 93 Points
I now think this may be too early to drink. Certainly on the young side. I would give the wine 3 hours or try again in a year.
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6/1/2012 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now with a decant and an hour of air. Expressive and concentrated. Tannins well balanced.
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4/15/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Classic CDP-style wine, but not too much complexity.
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4/8/2012 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
No notes, but was very good with pizza.
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3/25/2012 - E wrote: 75 Points
This bottle does has no obvious flaws...acidity is overwhelming without any discernible fruit...2 bottles left
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3/9/2012 - jmull wrote: 91 Points
Poured through an aerator and decanted for about 30 minutes. This wine manages to be extremely modern in style and yet, at the same time, offer an almost Burgundian take on CDP. Ample oak matched with ample fruit, and a fair amount of back-end tannin, yet I'm left with a real feeling of restraint and elegance drinking it. Tremendous length, too. Quite nice right now, and perhaps some upside from here. 91+.
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2/7/2012 - andtheodor wrote:
Grapey, tapenade, spice, and a burst of mineral. This is bright with modest chocolate and meaty influence. Quite good.
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12/31/2011 - navybrat wrote: 91 Points
very nice; soft spice and highly drinkable
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12/31/2011 - pjaines wrote:
This seems to be starting to come out of a dumb phase and is developing some nice secondary characteristcs. Meaty, sweet fruit with very deep mineral laden palate. Black fruits, liquorice and leathery notes. Really developing well. Another 3-4 years should see this really start to hit its stride. Excellent.
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12/14/2011 - Deb293 wrote: 88 Points
Way too much wood at this point. Bright cherry flavors, but very tannic. Wait a few years.
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10/13/2011 - OldSpec Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not much fragrance on the nose--is the wine still in its dumb phase? On the palate the wine is well integrated with very soft tannins.
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10/13/2011 - winelovr2001 wrote: 90 Points
tastes older than it should. Still very impressive but the fruit will not hold with the test of time probably
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9/29/2011 - navybrat wrote: 90 Points
let him open
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7/31/2011 - JGinMO wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly similar tp 07, but excited me to see this much life after 6 yrs. Should be great for 10 yrs or more.
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7/25/2011 - CdP in NYC wrote:
Pretty awkward right now...i'd hold out for a while--maybe 2+ years.
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7/4/2011 - Rechrom wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasant with a meal and on its own. Great fruit and depth, a bit heavy handed on the nose and palate. I think this has the balance to improve with age; needs to gain some panache to become truly excellent.
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6/19/2011 - ecnemergut wrote: 94 Points
This is one of the best wines I've had so far this year. It took a few minutes to open up but when it did: WOW. Great blackberry nose with some cherry. Big on the palate with layer upon layer of complexity leading to a long finish. Great stuff.
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4/13/2011 - winelovr2001 wrote: 95 Points
Took a bit to open up, initially it was very green and tight. After an hour in the decanter it totally blossomed.
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4/7/2011 - tourette wrote:
Not giving this a numerical score as this wine was closed for business. I decanted for awhile, but its really in its shut down stage now. It didn't yield much, though I could tell there was something special lurking underneath, it just isn't there right now. I should have heeded the warnings here and waited a few years.
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1/26/2011 - gbm wrote: 91 Points
Opened this to go with herb-roasted lamb chops and sauteed swiss chard. Tasted dusty on opening, but over an hour it opened up to show flowers and cranberries. Palate is earthy and fruity and moderately tannic. Very nice mix. This is a great wine and has improved over the last two years. (4+13+16+8)
Note: Probably should have gotten an extra point on palate. I think the lamb may have muted it a bit. (91-92)
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1/21/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 88 Points
Molasses, rustic, woody, raspberries. Dark and brooding. Shorter austere finish. Pass.
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1/1/2011 - nittanyjack wrote: 85 Points
My second try with this wie and I was unimpressed. It seemed like it may have just started to come around as we finished it off, but it had been open for at least 3 hours by that point. It seemed to lack any real substance, particulalry compared to the regular Autard CdP, whcih I like much better.
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12/12/2010 - grayfont wrote: 93 Points
CT Secret Santa gift from Tourette - much appreciated! Per his instructions, I decanted this for about 2 hours. Opened at halftime (Saints 21, Rams 6) to find a romantic mix of earth and fruit with just a touch of brett on the nose. I could have happily started drinking right then, but I put all but that first taste into the decanter and went back downstairs for the second half. After the game (Saints 31, Rams 13 woo-hoo!) I poured the glasses at our table. At this point it had the same flavor profile but was much richer, in the way that a great meal is that much better with the right sauce to accompany. And the brett had disappeared. We paired this with roast beef and mashed potatoes, and they went beautifully together. We had the 2006 vintage open at the same time (with the same decant); while these wines are clearly made in the same style and no clear preference emerged between the two, we agreed that by comparison the 2005 was deeper and richer while the 2006 had a little more fruit and a longer finish. Both wines scored out at 93 for me - which is easily among my top wines of the year. thank you, Tourette!
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11/28/2010 - FakeAccount wrote: 94 Points
Very well structured, but closed down. Very tight. age for another 3 years and try again.
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9/8/2010 - prasm wrote: 89 Points
Consumed over 2 days. Nose: Ripe dark fruit - black currant and blue berry, licorice, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, highly acidic, and dark fruit. Finish: Lengthy - dominated by dark fruit and pepper. This wine begs for food - its obviously well made, but its like a beautiful woman with no personality - I'm being kind with an 89.
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8/13/2010 - SUN-J wrote: 92 Points
Quite dark in color. Nose of dark berries, earth and some spice. Palate was a touch closed at first but still quite nice after some swirling. Also a touch rustic. Moderate acidity and low to moderate tannins. Like this wine but probably needs a little time. Next day was a bit alcoholic but showed more fruit.
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6/30/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
TN: Herb Lamb, Donnhoff, Kapcsandy, Autard, Ghost Horse (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): This was my WOTN, but I think my palate was in the minority in this Napa community. Ruby in color. The nose has slight barnyard notes with cherries, strawberries and leather. On the palate, cherries, dried cherries and more acidity than any wine on the table. This took some time to open up and in fact, really needed a few more hours. It is complex but very young. Nice finish. It will improve.
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5/19/2010 - rralls wrote:
AVV Dinner at Nam. Went up against the '98, which was fabulous, but so too was this -- just younger and different. Clearly is able of some extended aging as this was very well balanced. 93+
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5/15/2010 - whinenut wrote: 89 Points
Opened and poured a glass. Dark red-medium density-clear. Color was bright and shiny. Tar, earth, mineral and underneath this was a young sweet berry. Good weight finishing with mineral and rich sweet berry followed by a fair amount of tannin coating the entire mouth. It remained like this for about 2 hours. Then the young sweet berry disappeared leaving mostly minerals with the same level of tannin. Even after 8 hours opened it was minerals with a tannic finish. I had really expected the complexity to improve and tannins to subside at some point. It was a good wine in the end but it was much better in the beginning.
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5/8/2010 - bikerkayaker wrote:
Lots of structure and stuffing but needs more time.
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5/1/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 95 Points
Great as always
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4/18/2010 - tmoritz1 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful dark red color. Full , dense and smooth taste. Nose of berries and cerry with a hint of earthines and spice and a long and inviting finish. A disrtinctive old world taste and flavor. Decanting only improves it but it is exceptionally good shortly after it is opened and just get better/
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1/23/2010 - mdodd wrote: 89 Points
closed down.
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11/22/2009 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Forest floor and smoke
Taste: Spice, forest floor, smoke, spice, mild oak
Finish: Forest floor, smoke, ripe fruit emerging
Evaluation: An enjoyable wine that has great potential but is also drinking really well right now.
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11/20/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous CdP.
Showing lovely medium red ruby color.
Nose of dark cherries, raspberries, tar, fresh tobacco and sweet earth spice.
This is the essence of Chateauneuf de Pape in this bottling.
Goegeous structure with a medium full bodied finish.
Very much Old World in style yet showing stunning ripeness of fruit.
Palate is in perfect harmony. Immediate fan and a delicious value.
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11/2/2009 - nittanyjack wrote: 91 Points
Decanted two hours, still the nosed was muted. The wine came alive over the course of the next hour or two with dinner (blackberry marinated pork tenderloin). I was expecting just a little more from this wine; maybe it is in a dumb phase, as suggested below. Enjoyable nonetheless, but I will wait on my other bottle.
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11/2/2009 - pjaines wrote:
This wine is now shutting down for a while - the nose was less expressive and the taste less rounded than previous notes. Nevertheless there is still incredibly good quality here - lots of rich, gamey fruit and earthy, mushroom notes on the nose. Leave for 2-3 years for now until it wakes up.
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8/30/2009 - benny wrote: 94 Points
Opened 7 hours ahead and decanted one hour ahead. Still was just getting really good at the end of the bottle. This is powerful wine.
Very special. Will wait for 6 months before I try another bottle.
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8/24/2009 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
Perfumed blackberry and black cherry nose with exotic spices. A big, dense mouthful of wine featuring blackberry and a little cassis. This can get you excited.
The two bottles I've now had in 2009 are a totally different wine than the three I had in '08: last year's bottles were plush, well-oaked, and syrah-driven and could have passed for California. Not anymore: it's still too generous to called it closed down, but it's a lot tighter than last year. (That said, it's still not your classic grenache-driven CdP.) This bottle showed some massive tannins, especially in the two hours after opening. I'm going to quit drinking these for as long as I can,holding off at least 3 years, because I think there's a special wine there with more time.
91 now (which is a couple points off my high rating last year), but I expect more in the future.
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8/1/2009 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Not a great showing - seemingly closed down and very hard for most of the night. While there was a great core of fruit and even some herb and spice notes, the tannins were crushing on the back end. Improved with air and the last glass was much better than the first. I'm holding for 2-3 years before popping another (88-90 points now, hopeful for another 3-4 points with time).
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7/27/2009 - z_willus_d wrote:
Decanted 3-hours, poured back in the bottle, corked, and began drinking around 4 hours after opening at a local restaurant. $10 dollar corkage fee, $50 dollar wine and probably the best bit of alcohol in the entire joint. This is every bit as fresh, lively and complex as I remember it. It really demands heavy meat-like dishes, such as meatloaf or perhaps lamb. The nose has depth and is fruit and pepper. The same applies to the palate where things finish with spice and truck loads of peppery, gamy meat flavors. This is a real winner and certainly ready to engage in successful long term aging -- it has the balance and focused concentration for that, not to mention the acid and tannins. 93+ points.
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6/24/2009 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
This has settled down very nicely since the bottles I had a year ago. The oak no longer dominates, and there's some more traditional CdP character coming through.
The nose shows some nice peppery earth and a little garrigue over the blackberry fruit. In the mouth, cassis reveals the syrah component, but the grenache is coming through much more clearly than earlier tastings. Black raspberry. Still on the roasted and smoky side on the finish.
This is in a very nice place and developing into a more refined traditional wine than it started out to be.
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6/12/2009 - grafstrb wrote:
Dinner at Grace: Lots of kirschy raspberry on the bouquet, along with hints of anise in the background. Medium-full bodied. Oaky, with spices and cranberry on the palate, which seems to be somewhat closed right now. A very nice wine that will reward cellaring.
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5/31/2009 - prasm wrote: 91 Points
No formal notes taken, consumed at Tony's lake cabin while on vacation. Others seemed to enjoy this wine even more than I.
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5/10/2009 - pikemasterflash wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful dark red out of the jar to start. This wine needed about an hour at least to wake up and come around. I think there is some really good stuff here that still needs more time. Reminds me quite a bit of the the Clos Apalta with a little less perfume, a little less velvet. and a little bit more funk. At four hours out of the bottle it was at its best. Great QPR.
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4/29/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 94 Points
Wow. what a wonderful, enigmatic wine. So silky and lithe on the mouth but somehow also presenting laser beam, intense flavors that sneak up on you, but just don't let go. What a sexy animal. Drank great with a two hour decant. Fruits meats, and some herby action too, tightening up at the back end, but not in an unpleasant way whatsoever. Very fine. QPR is unreal.
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1/20/2009 - remeny1 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious CDP. wonderful fruit and and earth. After two hours in the decanter, there was not a lot of heat, and the tannins were wonderfully present but round. lot of red fruit, spice, and sirloin characteristics
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1/1/2009 - gbm wrote: 91 Points
New Year's Eve; 12/31/2008-1/1/2009 (The Farm): Bottle #3 -- New Year's Eve. Should have decanted given prior notes and the way it developed over the few hours it was open, but it was spur of the moment and so popped and poured. COLOR: Deep, rich purple. Somewhat cloudy for a CdP in my experience, but not necessarily a detraction. NOSE: Wow! Pretty much what everyone has said below. Incredible, sweet black cherries (like you would find on top of ice cream) and floral notes on opening that evolved to cranberry sauce (the good stuff -- from the can), plums, soil, and figs. It changed constantly and was almost port-like for a while. TASTE: Tannic, but well balanced. Slight funkiness as grafstrb mentions and a sharp, mineral finish all of which keeps this wine interesting. OVERALL: Fantastic wine. Very interesting and not your typical CdP. Definitely needs decanting now. I am glad I have two more bottles. This wine should age very well. Probably good with duck or game -- or soft or semi-soft cheeses. (4/5+14/15+16/20+7/10)
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12/26/2008 - pjaines wrote: 93 Points
Raiding the in-laws cellar - Christmas in France 2008; 12/24/2008-12/29/2008 (Lille, France): Believe the hype. This is a fantastic wine. An incredible concentration of dark black fruits baked by the sun but with a laser-like acidity, tannins and clarity that will allow this wine to age for years and years. Drinking very well now, this wine avoids the over-cooked stereo-type of the region and delivers great focussed fruit with concentrated focus. Notes of smoke, very dark fruit, meat - wow - there is so much here and at no point is it out of control. It is like an elegant Rottweiler in a hannibal-lecter restraining costume. This will be utterly amazing in about 10 years. Buy it if you have the chance. I was given 6 bottles of this for christmas by the mother-in-law and it is so good I could almost forgive her for being a mad old cow.
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12/9/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
This is a fantastic wine and I can only echo the praises of the other CT tasting notes. Pulling this wine out of the rack was a spur of the moment decision so I did a quick splash decant and then funneled it back into the bottle for dinner. I couldn't believe how much the nose was teasing me as I was decanting this wine. It was intoxicating all by itself with a wonderful bouquet of plum, tobacco, a bit of a floral note, and just a hint of smoked meats. Wonderfully textured with a lush dark fruit presentation on the palate that makes you just want it to last forever. The finish has good length with a slight bit of minerality that just adds to the already wonderful complexity of this fabulous wine. For the price ($43), you can't get a better Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This easily outshines many other CdP's I have had which are at least 2x the price.
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12/8/2008 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful and firm wine. Black ripe forest fruits, typical C9 herbs and spiciness and a lot of good tannin. Already a great pleasure and will continue to be so for at least another decade.
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12/6/2008 - lk wrote: 93 Points
Wine was very closed for almost an hour after opening to luscious dark fruit and sweet tannins and that special CdP earthiness. Much too young now but will be a great drink in a few years.
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11/14/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 93 Points
Showing a lovely dark core of plum in the glass the color is echoed in the nose as scents of plum, fig, prune, herbs, and açaí berry persist. In the mouth there is bold flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, black berries, blue berries, and a lingering note of granite and minerality along a 30+ second finish.
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11/5/2008 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
Rich and concentrated aromas blackberries, a soft pear, some dirt, black rubber, and a general feeling of my side yard growing up (crashing my new bike into the blackberry bushes smells like this). There is plenty of heat coming across on the nose as well, but this does improve with more time. Rich and full bodied in the mouth, with predominantly violets and grape fun dip. Going on 4 hours, this is getting very delicious in the mid-palate. Finish is really interesting, as it hits quick and hard with lots of fruit with some wet wood and spice, but then starts zinging, like my tongue's vibrating (and the hairs on my tongue stand up) as it goes a bit dry. The tannins are certainly present, but they are sweet. I was expecting this to be a bit more open for business, but I'll probably wait at least 3-4 years before opening the next one. Generally though, I think this is perhaps too modern of an approach for my palate.
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10/25/2008 - z_willus_d wrote: 93 Points
6-hour decant @58F. Color: thick, velvety purple. Finely ground pepper, lilacs, road-game, and cranberry sauce from the can show on the moderately subdued nose (it was stronger and more grapey at first opening); 15-minutes into the sniffing and the nose is now opening up -- definitely a syrah driven profile. This comes heavy with white and black pepper up front, followed by a touch of farmyard, then a floral/cherry black fruit explosion leading toward the expansive, excellent finish. The finish can best be described as the experience one might find in biting a piece of charred cigar followed by a lengthy chew on the weathered tongue of an old leather shoe. Tannins are heavy here at the end, leading to that last descriptive sentence, but if you're not into that Old-World funk (as in the case of my finance), then try this with a block of Spanish Goat Cheese. With the creamy, fatty cheese in play, these dry, bitter tannins vaporize like so many acid raindrops on a hot Summer day here in Sacramento (or should I say an Autumn day, given these absurd Fall temperatures). Me, I love the unfettered finish of this wine -- it's fire and brimstone on my tongue and in a good, a very good, way. This is the most complex red wine I've had in a while, well in memory. I can't wait to try this ten years gone. For what it is, this is a rocking value.
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10/16/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely brilliant in its youth. I would have probably guessed new world grenache if I tasted this blind...there is some definite similarities to Saxum believe it or not! Big black fruit, spice, kirsch, toasted oak, and some meatiness. I need to find more...
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9/13/2008 - FakeAccount wrote: 94 Points
Again, with consistent notes... only a little more shut down this time.
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8/2/2008 - aaronwine wrote: 93 Points
Very nicely balanced. Lots of black pepper with hints of chocolate. Great wine but still very young and somewhat closed.
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8/2/2008 - Matt T wrote: 94 Points
Smooth. Chocolate and pepper and nice subtle French oak. Everybody loved this wine.
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7/17/2008 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
No detailed notes taken, but it was definitely consistent with my 5/22 TN. Plush, fairly lavish oak, and definitely more syrah than your typical CdP. It's a very sexy, seductive wine, delicious, though not exactly representative of the region. That wouldn't keep me from buying and drinking it, though. 91-93.
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6/18/2008 - shudave wrote: 94 Points
Really a fantastic value from Chateauneuf. Of course this was complete infanticide, but I was low on bottles at home so I went for it anyway. First glass was tight, reticient, and tannic...but clearly had the stuffing to be an amazing wine. I splash decanted the rest and put it in the fridge overnight. 24 hours later, POW! this one is hitting on all cylinders. Still very primary at this point, but it reminds me of a less intense Pegau. Really fantastic.
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6/18/2008 - Matt T wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Popped and poured. This was amazing. My first 2005 cdp and it lived up to the hype. Fragrant with overpowering chocolate, cherries, and spices and very good acidity. A lengthy and slightly dry finish.
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6/16/2008 - LPskeleton wrote: 92 Points
a little closed compared to the last bottle but still nice. Again the 50 50 blend is prevalent on the nose, straw, pepper, garrigue, meats, smoke. Fresh and drinkable now with great conc. Mouth watering strawberries, sweet underbrush with a rasp finish coated in fine milk choc 92
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5/22/2008 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
Further investigation: With the opportunity to explore through a full bottle, this wine showed, in many ways, quite differently than the 5/17 tasting note. This bottle was pop-and-pour at a restaurant, with about 45 min in the glass while we focused on appetizers and champagne. As others have noted, it has a very gorgeous, showy nose, with lots of black cherry and black plum, but where I was getting a nice violet floral note previously tonight it showed lots of new oak, with California-style toast, vanilla and mocha. After an hour it was unmistakably banana creme pie (!).
However, in the mouth, it seems like a different wine: raspberry and blackberry, with good peppery herb notes. It still shows its large syrah component, but this is a little more CdP than the nose might suggest, balanced by good acidity. Nice finish, too. The structure is definitely there, but the tannins I noted in the previous TN weren't as present tonight.
Purists might object to this modern-style oak treatment, and I have say that this isn't what I'm looking for when I want a CdP. Maybe a little closer to what I'm looking for in California syrah. But, so what? Overall, this is a fun and delicious wine. It appears to be all over the place right now. I anticipate that it will settle down in a year or so, with the oak integrating with the ample fruit.
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5/22/2008 - LPskeleton wrote: 93 Points
On the initial decant this wine blew me away, herbs de provance, ripe cherries and other red fruits combine with a liquer like aspect. just gorgeous. On the palate this started with very chalky tannins framing layers of gorgeous red fruit, brett character, and bramble. The acidity-tannin-fruit balance was impeccable. this is going to age great but is accessible now. At about the 2 hr mark this wine turned much darker and brooding in personality with focused notes of black cherry and dirt. Wonderful wine with length as well. 93+. Give this 3-5 and you will be happy camoer.
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5/17/2008 - pgm wrote:
Tasting from a small glass poured by a retailer showed some bright violet and blackberry on the nose, you could tell immediately that this wine has a larger syrah component than most CdP. Not quite enough of a pour to give a comprehensive note or to see how it behaves in the glass, but it was enough to tell that the wine had pretty huge extraction but was well balanced with acidity and well structured with some pretty huge tannins. Definitely built to last.
I'd make a swag at between 92-95 and look forward to opening a bottle for further investigation.
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4/28/2008 - jim dixon wrote: 91 Points
Very rich and fruit-forward and packed with big (but velvety) tannins. Stylistically it is almost the polar opposite of the 04 Bosquet des Papes (also from Garagiste). I think I actually prefer the old-school style of the Bosquet but I also think most drinkers would disagree with me and perhaps strongly prefer this wine. Both are wonderful and fairly-priced CdPs.
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4/10/2008 - Blue Shorts wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for about 2 hours to start.... 4 hours when finished. Beautiful nose. A very full mouthfeel. Layer upon layer of flavor. This is a great wine. A tiny bit acidic and super big tannins. My favorite CDP to date (but I'm relatively new to this... what do I know?) Great now, but later?????
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1/5/2008 - rmodak wrote: 93 Points
Lush wine with violets, wild black cherry, chocolate, black pepper, game, but fierce tannins. The oak is evident, but well balanced by the fruit, and I think this will integrate well and improve.
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12/30/2007 - grafstrb wrote: 93 Points
A Night of Chateauneuf in Edina, MN (Edina Country Club): I brought this wine to a CdP offline on 12/30/2007, in Edina, MN. (All wines were tasted blind, in a random order. References such as "Blind 3" or "Blind 4" have been replaced with the wines' actual names)
This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began. This was the first of three consecutive offerrings that created noticeable excitement amongst the group. The fruitiness of this wine was a nice juxtaposition against the funky earthiness of the 2003 Charbonierre. A nice example of how much variance exists among CdP's.
NOSE: deep red fruits; hint of anise; this is a pleasure to smell - not your "classic" CdP nose.
BODY: medium-full bodied; pinkish-garnet in color - impressive depth to the color.
TASTE: Some surprising funkiness on the palate - where did this come from? There was no funkiness on the NOSE - I like this, a lot. Drinking great now, but this is clearly a youngster.
50, 5, 12, 17, 9 = 93 points.
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10/6/2007 - tcfishler wrote: 90 Points
Rhone / Languedoc-Roussillon / Southwest (Wine Exchange in Orange, CA): Dark violet purple. Toast, minerals, and raspberries, followed by an extracted mouthfeel, slightly medicinal flavors, and sizeable tannins.
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9/20/2007 - dke wrote: 94 Points
CDP visit September 2007: This was the best wine I tasted on this CDP visit (supposedly decanted overnight). No detailed notes: juicy, warm, spicy, pepper, raspberries, cherries. 94+
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9/8/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
Bright deep purple/ruby but not inky. Immediately shows complex dried herbs on the nose with dark berries. Violets also emerge over time. Young with substantial but ripe tannins, very savory garrigue and tobacco palate. Here, you feel more than taste the fruit through the lush texture of the wine. I like this! Subtle, not exuberantly fruity, and structured to improve, but after 6 hours in the decanter, this was still a great accompaniment to a broiled steak.
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8/29/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
Chateauneuf-du-Pape dinner (Canyon Lodge American Grill - Laguna Beach, CA): An excellent CdP. Nose of roasted meats, cocoa, and garrigue followed by blackberry fruit and cocoa. Grippy tannins.
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8/5/2007 - FakeAccount wrote: 95 Points
Deep, dark purplish red. This wine is a pleasure to simply smell... espresso, cherry liquer, smoke, and anise... the more you smell, the more you find. The wine is full-bodied and rich with mouth-coating tannins. Complex and fun to to drink now while it is showing its baby fat, although this wine needs to be laid down for a while. 30 second finish reveals additional dark berry fruit and baking spices. I love this style of CdP!
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