Amazing, after a short decant and still drinking well. Soft medium body, good fruit and bouquet, fully integrated tannins, good finish, Excellent with an autumn stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking very strong, possibly at peak. Fully integrated, smooth. A slight astringency on opening that fades with time in the glass. Medium full bodied. Fine tannins on the finish. Should go another year or two no problem. Bottle from passive cellar, stored since 2007 give or take. I wonder a bit about bottle variation given the outlier my score represents.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Après une bouteille défectueuse (oxydée - coulage), celle-ci est mieux, mais en net déclin. Est-ce que ces deux bouteilles auraient souffert d'un coup de chaleur?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Saturday night at home - paella - with Jamie and Rich and Lisa and Dean - enjoyed Scholium verdelho before the meal with the scallop ceviche. Then opened 3 grenache based wines from the 2005 vintage - one from France, one from Spain, and one from the US. The French Win - bottle emptied, next the Spanish - though difficult to figure out - never really resolved itself even by the end of the night. The Cali - just fine/ok - not particularly interesting. Spain: Acústic Cellar Montsant Braó Vinyes Velles. France: M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem. California: Ridge Grenache Lytton Estate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I differ a little from the community here in that I think this wine is on the decline...
Back in Jan 08 we really enjoyed a puffy black kirsch nose; a resiny pine quality; a good, open, soft, mouthfilling, decadent material; and a nice, balancing, minor, bright acidity. We perceived a lack of tannin however, and a distinct lack of length; concluding it was for the next 3-4 years at most. 91 pts at the time.
Tonight the nose still has a little of that piney quality, but there's a fair bit of brett/farmyard in here now. A relatively positive fruit-pastille character that somehow puts me in mind of jewels (rubies?!), contributes to some succulent moreishness. A spiciness that is v front-palate; seemingly further evidence of relatively short life. The flavours may clean up with another year or two and some breathing, but that would be it; and I veer towards it instead actually continuing downhill. 87-88...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black cherry and herbs on the nose. Powerful wine, with loads of dark fruit and spice. Powerful tannins from midpalate to finish. Decent length. Decant or open a couple hours in advance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just had a quick tas\e, and this has improved a bit, being a bit more open than it was earlier. Well made wine, with typicity, concentration and balance. And good QPR to boot - what's not to like (A-)?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wild wine that is too young and, at this stage, needs to be decanted for 3 hours or so. Pretty dark and deep color. The nose opens very fruit-driven, with cherries and plums. After aeration it evolves to display chocolate, spices, and white pepper. The palate is very concentrated and, after aeration, becomes smooth enough to reveal more balance underneath the muscular backbone. Good finish that lasts for a long time and delivers wet earth, spices, and more red fruit. This wine will evolve nicely for 5-8 years. Very good value, and one of the best wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon in the market. Drink from 2009 until 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep brick with purple tint. A slight gamy and peppery notes from the shiraz, and some cherry and leather notes from the grenache and mourvedre. More cherries, plums, bitter chocolate and pepper on the M-F bodied palate, with healthy tannins on the finish. It was served on the cool side, so the aromatics might have been a bit muted, and the tannins emphasized.Very solid wine, very CdR-Villages like, and great QPR. Should improve in the near-medium term (2-5 years).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
11/15/2022 - skipwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Amazing, after a short decant and still drinking well. Soft medium body, good fruit and bouquet, fully integrated tannins, good finish, Excellent with an autumn stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2021 - winetobealive wrote: 91 Points
Declining but Still pleasant. Full bodied on tobacco, chocolate and clay aromas
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2015 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very strong, possibly at peak. Fully integrated, smooth. A slight astringency on opening that fades with time in the glass. Medium full bodied. Fine tannins on the finish. Should go another year or two no problem. Bottle from passive cellar, stored since 2007 give or take. I wonder a bit about bottle variation given the outlier my score represents.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2012 - olioli wrote: 74 Points
Après une bouteille défectueuse (oxydée - coulage), celle-ci est mieux, mais en net déclin.
Est-ce que ces deux bouteilles auraient souffert d'un coup de chaleur?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2012 - eastover wrote:
Saturday night at home - paella - with Jamie and Rich and Lisa and Dean - enjoyed Scholium verdelho before the meal with the scallop ceviche. Then opened 3 grenache based wines from the 2005 vintage - one from France, one from Spain, and one from the US. The French Win - bottle emptied, next the Spanish - though difficult to figure out - never really resolved itself even by the end of the night. The Cali - just fine/ok - not particularly interesting. Spain: Acústic Cellar Montsant Braó Vinyes Velles. France: M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem. California: Ridge Grenache Lytton Estate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2011 - eastover wrote:
with grilled lamb chops - Herb, Elaine and Jess home - on Valentine"s weekend. Nice pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2009 - SoCal wrote:
Nice wine but not anything overly special. I did not feel the tannins were as large and off putting as other tasters.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2009 - campingfleurie wrote: 88 Points
I differ a little from the community here in that I think this wine is on the decline...
Back in Jan 08 we really enjoyed a puffy black kirsch nose; a resiny pine quality; a good, open, soft, mouthfilling, decadent material; and a nice, balancing, minor, bright acidity. We perceived a lack of tannin however, and a distinct lack of length; concluding it was for the next 3-4 years at most. 91 pts at the time.
Tonight the nose still has a little of that piney quality, but there's a fair bit of brett/farmyard in here now. A relatively positive fruit-pastille character that somehow puts me in mind of jewels (rubies?!), contributes to some succulent moreishness. A spiciness that is v front-palate; seemingly further evidence of relatively short life. The flavours may clean up with another year or two and some breathing, but that would be it; and I veer towards it instead actually continuing downhill. 87-88...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2009 - NickG wrote:
Black cherry and herbs on the nose. Powerful wine, with loads of dark fruit and spice. Powerful tannins from midpalate to finish. Decent length. Decant or open a couple hours in advance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2008 - JohnSh wrote:
Just had a quick tas\e, and this has improved a bit, being a bit more open than it was earlier. Well made wine, with typicity, concentration and balance. And good QPR to boot - what's not to like (A-)?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2008 - bartmassey wrote: 88 Points
Nice strawberry on front, still a bit young, plum on mid palate and long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2008 - Maestro wrote: 89 Points
Wild wine that is too young and, at this stage, needs to be decanted for 3 hours or so. Pretty dark and deep color. The nose opens very fruit-driven, with cherries and plums. After aeration it evolves to display chocolate, spices, and white pepper. The palate is very concentrated and, after aeration, becomes smooth enough to reveal more balance underneath the muscular backbone. Good finish that lasts for a long time and delivers wet earth, spices, and more red fruit. This wine will evolve nicely for 5-8 years. Very good value, and one of the best wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon in the market. Drink from 2009 until 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2008 - gdm1 wrote: 90 Points
A very good bottle, worth $22... a steal at $15. Went very well with the steak and rice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2007 - JohnSh wrote: 89 Points
Deep brick with purple tint. A slight gamy and peppery notes from the shiraz, and some cherry and leather notes from the grenache and mourvedre. More cherries, plums, bitter chocolate and pepper on the M-F bodied palate, with healthy tannins on the finish. It was served on the cool side, so the aromatics might have been a bit muted, and the tannins emphasized.Very solid wine, very CdR-Villages like, and great QPR. Should improve in the near-medium term (2-5 years).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment