My last bottle. I have been drinking this wine for the last nine or so years and it never let me down. Full mouth of fruit but nicely structured. Tannins have long gone. A sleeper. You might consider drinking it up now, though.
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Black cherries, violets, pepper, and herbs dominate the nose and palate. A medium plus bodied wine with a medium length finish, this is drinking very well now.
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Black and some red fruit on the nose. Blueberries predominate the palate with a touch of earthiness. Reminds me of a carmenere but more tannic. A little hard to enjoy with all those tannins. Good acid. A well made wine. Pleasant but not my preferred flavor profile.
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Shiny ruby red with black core and purple rim. In the nose, it has ripe cherries, blackberries, some leather oriental spices. On the palate, it has soft tannins, a good structure, a well balanced acidity and finishes medium-long without a lot of depth.
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Opened two hours before drinking. Faint aromas of mint and leather. Palate of red fruit, and spice. Vanilla and some heat dominate the finish. Decent, enjoyable, and well made, similar in characteristics and quality to a good Southern Rhone. I like it quite a bit but, with a price in the low $20's, I would have liked it better if it were $5 cheaper.
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Did not decant enough but... the nose was somewhat leathery, with some garrigue spice thrown in, not terribly fruity in the aroma profile, much more on the bottle evolution, probably needed more air to show better. In the mouth it had great upfront florals and spice giving it a delicious complex start, but the mid palate was disappointing, a little thin on fruit and not round enough, front, middle and end palate were incongruous. A good producer, and the wine was good, but not up to the standard of past vintages. Perhaps this wasn't the best bottle- or perhaps I should have been more patient and decanted. 89 pts.
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Had this a few days ago. No detailed notes other than this was very good. Needed a few hours to open up and much better the second day. Reminded me of a young right bank Bordeaux but very accessible; with air the tannins are quite smooth and tealike with good structure. At <$20 the QPR is absolutely off the charts. Initially had this at 89; revised upward after tasting the 2nd and 3rd day.
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YES. I have been a fan of Hortus since I drank my first bottle in a riverside restaurant 5-years ago in Albi with the evening sun reflecting off the orange brickwork of the ancient town. It is very muscular and purple and alcoholic and stong but a really good wine Not sure what it does in time but a great restaurant wine with steaks.
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OK, so maybe I do believe in bottle shock. Had a bottle of this as soon as the fedex man left the driveway and it had almost no nose and was very disjointed on the palate. Over the next two days it seemed to change countless times: sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. In the end I didn't know what to make of it. Just opened another bottle that has been resting for several weeks and it smells just like I remember the wine smelling in France: lots of chocolate-milk and oak. On the palate it is tight and not particularly pleasurable. This is how I remember it being back on its home turf, however, so if it develops as it did then it should really shine after a couple of days. I'll report back. 2nd + 3rd days: each day this wine has improved, as it did in France. On the third day it was much more integrated than on opening, and really quite enjoyable. Hoping it will pick up more complexity with time, however.
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12/3/2023 - ondevall wrote:
Inky, dark fruit, notes of maturity and still well-balanced with a certain complexity, but structurally definitely over the hill. Drink last week!
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10/13/2017 - ondevall wrote: 89 Points
Inky, dark fruit, notes of maturity and still well-balanced with a certain compexity, but structurally definitely over the hill.
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9/28/2017 - schwollonson Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle. I have been drinking this wine for the last nine or so years and it never let me down. Full mouth of fruit but nicely structured. Tannins have long gone. A sleeper. You might consider drinking it up now, though.
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10/4/2015 - schwollonson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wasn't that impressed. Tasted somewhat flat. Remember it as being a much bigger wine. Over the top?
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7/12/2014 - jsherdc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious as always. even better on day 2. Explosive Cherry but nicely structured.
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7/6/2013 - WineGeneral wrote: 90 Points
Black cherries, violets, pepper, and herbs dominate the nose and palate. A medium plus bodied wine with a medium length finish, this is drinking very well now.
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5/19/2013 - jblack wrote: 89 Points
Fruity ground with citrus end
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5/6/2013 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great nose, muscular yet complex. Taste is big, balanced and long. Outstanding stuff!
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3/30/2013 - ondevall wrote: 91 Points
Mature. Very pleasant wine with long, complex finish. Drink now!
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10/25/2012 - Pipcelot wrote: 87 Points
Black and some red fruit on the nose. Blueberries predominate the palate with a touch of earthiness. Reminds me of a carmenere but more tannic. A little hard to enjoy with all those tannins. Good acid. A well made wine. Pleasant but not my preferred flavor profile.
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7/30/2012 - octopussy wrote: 88 Points
Shiny ruby red with black core and purple rim. In the nose, it has ripe cherries, blackberries, some leather oriental spices. On the palate, it has soft tannins, a good structure, a well balanced acidity and finishes medium-long without a lot of depth.
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7/1/2012 - suarezd Likes this wine:
Surprisingly good for having paid $9.
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7/17/2011 - wineshlub wrote: 88 Points
Opened two hours before drinking. Faint aromas of mint and leather. Palate of red fruit, and spice. Vanilla and some heat dominate the finish. Decent, enjoyable, and well made, similar in characteristics and quality to a good Southern Rhone. I like it quite a bit but, with a price in the low $20's, I would have liked it better if it were $5 cheaper.
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5/7/2011 - jsherdc wrote: 92 Points
This is terrific. Balanced. Earthy. Mushrooms and tea. Just enough fruit. A GREAT food wine. Classic Mouvedre/Syrah blend. 91/92
Every Better Day 2. 92/93. Reminds me of the Linne Calodo wines, except its much less expensive.
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4/30/2011 - Winekrupt wrote:
Did not decant enough but... the nose was somewhat leathery, with some garrigue spice thrown in, not terribly fruity in the aroma profile, much more on the bottle evolution, probably needed more air to show better. In the mouth it had great upfront florals and spice giving it a delicious complex start, but the mid palate was disappointing, a little thin on fruit and not round enough, front, middle and end palate were incongruous. A good producer, and the wine was good, but not up to the standard of past vintages. Perhaps this wasn't the best bottle- or perhaps I should have been more patient and decanted. 89 pts.
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1/25/2011 - Wop wrote: 92 Points
I think this is in a great place. There is still some nice bright red berry fruit balanced with just the right amount of tart cherry. Long finish.
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4/17/2010 - rharlow wrote: 90 Points
A bit more tart cherry than I remember from last year. We drank it only after 1 hour of opening. It might have improved with more time. Still great!
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12/17/2009 - Bluedevil99 wrote: 91 Points
Had this a few days ago. No detailed notes other than this was very good. Needed a few hours to open up and much better the second day. Reminded me of a young right bank Bordeaux but very accessible; with air the tannins are quite smooth and tealike with good structure. At <$20 the QPR is absolutely off the charts. Initially had this at 89; revised upward after tasting the 2nd and 3rd day.
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12/10/2009 - rharlow wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully complex, it needs about an hour to open up.
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10/18/2009 - mukden wrote: 91 Points
YES. I have been a fan of Hortus since I drank my first bottle in a riverside restaurant 5-years ago in Albi with the evening sun reflecting off the orange brickwork of the ancient town. It is very muscular and purple and alcoholic and stong but a really good wine Not sure what it does in time but a great restaurant wine with steaks.
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6/22/2008 - ggtirevite wrote: 90 Points
This vintage is as good as the previous ones I tasted
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2/9/2008 - jim dixon wrote:
OK, so maybe I do believe in bottle shock. Had a bottle of this as soon as the fedex man left the driveway and it had almost no nose and was very disjointed on the palate. Over the next two days it seemed to change countless times: sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. In the end I didn't know what to make of it. Just opened another bottle that has been resting for several weeks and it smells just like I remember the wine smelling in France: lots of chocolate-milk and oak. On the palate it is tight and not particularly pleasurable. This is how I remember it being back on its home turf, however, so if it develops as it did then it should really shine after a couple of days. I'll report back.
2nd + 3rd days: each day this wine has improved, as it did in France. On the third day it was much more integrated than on opening, and really quite enjoyable. Hoping it will pick up more complexity with time, however.
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6/14/2007 - jim dixon wrote: 91 Points
Initially tasted like it had too much oak, but got better each day. Best on day 4!
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