It is tasting old and it has lost its appeal. Was once a nice bottle but anyone still holding should drink ASAP. 1hr decant but just not all there anymore.
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Big nose of mature strawberries, sharpie, fall leaves, and black tea. Autumnal nose. Matures strawberry up front, with smoldering black tea underneath. Impressively balanced, especially given the 15% alcohol. Long, spicy finish. This seems to be a bigger, more power-focused wine than the 2004, and drinking well now.
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Lovely wine. Quite tight when first opened but 2 hours in decanter did wonders. Lucius notes of black cherry, cream de cassis with a touch of cedar, leather and stony mineral. Long finish with well balanced acidity.
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Raspberry, electric, licorice, superripe but bolstered with intense acidity and mineral sense. Silky texture with zip from the crackling acid. Ample sediment, I think this is drinking very well now.
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Terrific wine, and showing more mature than the 2003 was a few months ago. Great mineral and spice, zesty acidity, and tremendous backbone. Mid palate has gotten into a very approachable state, and I would now say that this wine is in a good drinking window.
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Wow, incredibly concentrated juice that has gobs of sweet ripe fruit, an almost painful spiciness, licorice, mineral character. I actually had a hard time drinking this at first but it really became more balanced and mellow with some air. How they manage such extreme ripe fruit with ample acidity I don't understand.
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Full effusive nose of candied fruit red fruit, herbs, black mineral and spice. Palate has medium-to-full bodied rich and plush fruit. Very bright profile. Yum. Racy acidity keeps an edge to the wine and the very ripe fruit. More herb and mineral with some flowers married to the red and black fruits. Stays bright into a medium+ finish. Huge amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Excellent stuff - if a little on the ripe side of the spectrum.
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Superripe, chocolate, soy, smoke, lavender, cassis, cedary, mineral nose showing some definite EtOH. This is luscious, over-the-top, jammy preserve with great acidity and concentration. At first glance this is just another out of control Aussie wine, but the acidity and minerality slice through the fat for a fairly compelling experience. Quite good, and becoming more balanced with air.
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Getting better with time. Bright and balanced, yet sophisticated depth and structure, just coming into its own. More evolved than last bottle, still much more come...doubt I'll have the patience. Awesome with a Andulusian chirizo soupe....
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2005 Laurel Priorat, alc 15%, $44 (65% garnacha and 35% cabernet sauvignon) 2nd label of Clos Erasmus, an Eric Solomon selection...the nose is very plush and rich but not oaky...the palate is very intense and still wound tightly but shows massive fruit with a rich velvety texture and no overt oak or excess alcohol...still has most of it's tannins...tons of texture and mouthfeel..this is so very young but matched a seared medium-rare Filet Mignon quite well...I would love to revisit this in 15 yrs.
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Popped and poured. Very little change over the last six months. Nose ov blackberry, raspberry, cassis, raisin, spice, mocha. On the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, caramel, black fruits. Silky gorgeous mouthfeel. Finishes with sweet tannins and a nice backbone. Oustanding
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So soft and easy, giving up the big Chinese five spice power thing again. Yeah, I know its 15% (or more) and not really balanced, but man do I love it so.
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Popped and poured. Big nose, blackberry, black raspbery, cassis, raisin, spicy oak, mocah, spice. On the palate, concentrated flavors, cassis, dark chocloate, leather, caramel, blackberry, black cherry. Structure has filled out and deepened. Finishes with sturdy tannins and nice acidity. Outstanding great value. Need to find more of this.
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sultana and chocolate on the nose. american oak sweet to the nose. someone calls out pina colata and coconut. huge structure. approachable now for such a big wine, but... figs.
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Big, sharp nose. Reminds me of tawny port and smells fortified. Cherries soaked in liqueur. Nice baking spices. Velvety smooth mouth. Very fresh. Tastes like cherry liqueur. Big grippy tannins hit you on the finish. Very nice.
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deep raisiny thunder w/ lively acidity present on the nose. chocolate. put this one away for a while. dried flower complexity to the palate. a little ethyl acetate and gingerbread.
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Drinks like wonderful cool-aid cherry. Its just to easy.
On a more serious note I would say that the oak is now integrated into the wine nicely. Faded into the background is the five spice power notes. So, as a general timeline, 4 years after vintage (or one year after reciept of it) for harmony?
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Popped and poured. Really jammy nose of black raspberry, cassis, spicy oak, mocha, and a floral component. On the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, caramel. Great mouthfeel a little bit hollow mid-palate. Finishes long with massive tannins. Should hold this longer but probably won't. Outstanding, great value. Hold.
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Smells and tastes of bourbon, port, raisins and raspberry jam, utterly disappointing compared to (much) older vintages... such great terroir ruined by excessive ripeness :(
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Just open at noon. Shes a big boy alright. Clove, spice, cinnamon, blueberries and other dark fruits jumping from the glass. To me the dominate smell is of chinese five spice powder -- take that to the bank and smoke it. Power with complexity and dimension on the palate, lots of sweet fruit, grippy. In short, amazing wine. 1:30 in now lots of wet stone joins the five spice. Really well balance on the palate and just delicious. 5:30: This has really found its place of harmony. Bright red fruits have come out (from where?) and now intermingle with the spice powder. Delcious, certainly powerful (15% alc.)! But also totally balanced. At $50 buy everything you can get your hands on.
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Disappointing showing for this one compared to prior tastings and prior vintages. Brandy, macerated fruit, some port notes on the nose masking the schistous earth and silk and flowers that are there. Candied palate. Hopefully this is just a different bottle or in need of time, nothing like the last bottle of 05 I tried. I suspect ripeness which i know is there in general + some VA which has not been there in prior bottles.
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6/30/2021 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
Thrilling wine.
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2/6/2021 - carlop1 wrote: 86 Points
It is tasting old and it has lost its appeal. Was once a nice bottle but anyone still holding should drink ASAP. 1hr decant but just not all there anymore.
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9/16/2017 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big nose of mature strawberries, sharpie, fall leaves, and black tea. Autumnal nose. Matures strawberry up front, with smoldering black tea underneath. Impressively balanced, especially given the 15% alcohol. Long, spicy finish. This seems to be a bigger, more power-focused wine than the 2004, and drinking well now.
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3/25/2017 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine. Quite tight when first opened but 2 hours in decanter did wonders. Lucius notes of black cherry, cream de cassis with a touch of cedar, leather and stony mineral. Long finish with well balanced acidity.
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1/7/2015 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Raspberry, electric, licorice, superripe but bolstered with intense acidity and mineral sense. Silky texture with zip from the crackling acid. Ample sediment, I think this is drinking very well now.
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7/14/2014 - robmatic wrote: 92 Points
Terrific wine, and showing more mature than the 2003 was a few months ago. Great mineral and spice, zesty acidity, and tremendous backbone. Mid palate has gotten into a very approachable state, and I would now say that this wine is in a good drinking window.
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9/16/2013 - andtheodor wrote: 91 Points
Wow, incredibly concentrated juice that has gobs of sweet ripe fruit, an almost painful spiciness, licorice, mineral character. I actually had a hard time drinking this at first but it really became more balanced and mellow with some air. How they manage such extreme ripe fruit with ample acidity I don't understand.
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7/11/2013 - Knicksfan wrote: 95 Points
havent touched one in 3 years- wow. Gone from very good to great. Well integrated fruit and tannin in perfect balance. Great QPR
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4/12/2013 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Full effusive nose of candied fruit red fruit, herbs, black mineral and spice. Palate has medium-to-full bodied rich and plush fruit. Very bright profile. Yum. Racy acidity keeps an edge to the wine and the very ripe fruit. More herb and mineral with some flowers married to the red and black fruits. Stays bright into a medium+ finish. Huge amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Excellent stuff - if a little on the ripe side of the spectrum.
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12/22/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Superripe, chocolate, soy, smoke, lavender, cassis, cedary, mineral nose showing some definite EtOH. This is luscious, over-the-top, jammy preserve with great acidity and concentration. At first glance this is just another out of control Aussie wine, but the acidity and minerality slice through the fat for a fairly compelling experience. Quite good, and becoming more balanced with air.
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10/18/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Just a great Priorat, sad that this is my last bottle of this vintage.
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12/20/2010 - zoeldar wrote: 94 Points
Getting better with time. Bright and balanced, yet sophisticated depth and structure, just coming into its own. More evolved than last bottle, still much more come...doubt I'll have the patience. Awesome with a Andulusian chirizo soupe....
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11/30/2010 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
Coming into a great place - still young but easy to enjoy
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8/20/2010 - ssouth wrote: 94 Points
2005 Laurel Priorat, alc 15%, $44 (65% garnacha and 35% cabernet sauvignon) 2nd label of Clos Erasmus, an Eric Solomon selection...the nose is very plush and rich but not oaky...the palate is very intense and still wound tightly but shows massive fruit with a rich velvety texture and no overt oak or excess alcohol...still has most of it's tannins...tons of texture and mouthfeel..this is so very young but matched a seared medium-rare Filet Mignon quite well...I would love to revisit this in 15 yrs.
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7/18/2010 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
P&P = Bigger than I expected but in a nice place. Cassis and dark fruit. Very nice
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7/3/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Very little change over the last six months. Nose ov blackberry, raspberry, cassis, raisin, spice, mocha. On the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, caramel, black fruits. Silky gorgeous mouthfeel. Finishes with sweet tannins and a nice backbone. Oustanding
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4/5/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
So soft and easy, giving up the big Chinese five spice power thing again. Yeah, I know its 15% (or more) and not really balanced, but man do I love it so.
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12/6/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Big nose, blackberry, black raspbery, cassis, raisin, spicy oak, mocah, spice. On the palate, concentrated flavors, cassis, dark chocloate, leather, caramel, blackberry, black cherry. Structure has filled out and deepened. Finishes with sturdy tannins and nice acidity. Outstanding great value. Need to find more of this.
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6/19/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
sultana and chocolate on the nose. american oak sweet to the nose. someone calls out pina colata and coconut. huge structure. approachable now for such a big wine, but... figs.
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6/19/2009 - Beavis77 wrote:
Big, sharp nose. Reminds me of tawny port and smells fortified. Cherries soaked in liqueur. Nice baking spices.
Velvety smooth mouth. Very fresh. Tastes like cherry liqueur. Big grippy tannins hit you on the finish.
Very nice.
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4/23/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
deep raisiny thunder w/ lively acidity present on the nose. chocolate. put this one away for a while. dried flower complexity to the palate. a little ethyl acetate and gingerbread.
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4/23/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Earthy and immense dark cherry fruit. Hugely full throttle if one dimensional but I do love it.
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1/22/2009 - ink_junkie wrote: 91 Points
Pretty tasty. Focused, good fruit and viscosity.
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1/15/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Drinks like wonderful cool-aid cherry. Its just to easy.
On a more serious note I would say that the oak is now integrated into the wine nicely. Faded into the background is the five spice power notes. So, as a general timeline, 4 years after vintage (or one year after reciept of it) for harmony?
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1/8/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Really jammy nose of black raspberry, cassis, spicy oak, mocha, and a floral component. On the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, caramel. Great mouthfeel a little bit hollow mid-palate. Finishes long with massive tannins. Should hold this longer but probably won't. Outstanding, great value. Hold.
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12/24/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
I found this really tasty, other people bitched and said it had RS.
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12/22/2008 - dcclimb wrote: 94 Points
Excellent! Concentrated yet silky.
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12/10/2008 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Chocolate on the nose and palate tends to veil the 15% ABV pretty well.
Deep red fruit. Gets into plum territory.
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10/14/2008 - pbjosh wrote:
Smells and tastes of bourbon, port, raisins and raspberry jam, utterly disappointing compared to (much) older vintages... such great terroir ruined by excessive ripeness :(
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7/10/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just open at noon. Shes a big boy alright. Clove, spice, cinnamon, blueberries and other dark fruits jumping from the glass. To me the dominate smell is of chinese five spice powder -- take that to the bank and smoke it. Power with complexity and dimension on the palate, lots of sweet fruit, grippy. In short, amazing wine. 1:30 in now lots of wet stone joins the five spice. Really well balance on the palate and just delicious. 5:30: This has really found its place of harmony. Bright red fruits have come out (from where?) and now intermingle with the spice powder. Delcious, certainly powerful (15% alc.)! But also totally balanced. At $50 buy everything you can get your hands on.
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2/24/2008 - pbjosh wrote:
Disappointing showing for this one compared to prior tastings and prior vintages. Brandy, macerated fruit, some port notes on the nose masking the schistous earth and silk and flowers that are there. Candied palate. Hopefully this is just a different bottle or in need of time, nothing like the last bottle of 05 I tried. I suspect ripeness which i know is there in general + some VA which has not been there in prior bottles.
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