Decanted 30+ minutes ( higher score certain if I was more diligent in my decant timing!! Likely 2 hours would bring about less character assassination?😂)
Don't open for 5 years+. It's certainly drinkable now, but could easily benefit with a half decade of maturation.
Medium+ Ruby Raspberries Blackberries Black pepper prominent! Sage Rosemary? Smokey, (like cooking in the campfire where that smoke follows you wherever you move!)
Body medium+ Alcohol high Acid high Viscosity mouthfeel medium enveloping Tannin medium, soft and resolving, (more structured with ox exposure) Finish 45s+
Served w Black Angus Porterhouse( I kept the tenderloin, gave wife the Strip!😂) First day of warmth here in Alberta's Wild West!🤠
Syrah% Viognier %?? 14% abv
This should be an annual purchase, as it's approachable early, yet can withstand the test of time in a cold cellar.
PS Drink The Rainbow!
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Great "entry level" Côte-Rôtie. Nothing that makes this CR particularly unique but it's good and doesn't have anything that sticks out negatively. Dark red color. Nose of pepper, meaty funk, rosemary, smoke and blackberries. Palate has black cherry, blackberries, pepper, herbs, smoke and a touch of vanilla. The oak isn't overpowering, the finish is medium and the tannins are dusty. Enjoyable now or wait 5-10 years.
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Lovely deep ruby color with some fading around the edges, beautiful legs. Still pretty tight but showing well with time in the glass. Needs a decant at this stage or sip slowly to let it open up.
Bright raspberry and blackberry fruit on the nose with spices and a wisp of smoke, pretty pink flowers, vanilla and a touch of mocha. Not as complex as some of his single site bottlings but lovely and approachable.
The first thing that strikes me on the palate is the fine grain and suppleness of the tannins, they’re almost powdery, but they do a great job keeping the palate clean. Red and blue berries, vanilla, white pepper, and a hint of cocoa on the back end with a long, oak-tinged finish buttressed by juicy acids from the fruit. This went wonderfully with a peppered steak.
The addition of a small amount of viognier always has this ready to drink on release, but time will reward, this really needs at least five more years to show its best, ten is better. Drink 2028-38. A great introductory wine for folks looking to get into Cote Rotie.
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Score is representative of current assessment on this wine but i believe in 5-7 years the rating could go a few points higher… at this point even with a decant the wood treatment is very obtrusive
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4% Viognier not *quite* showing at the moment, the mouthfeel being a little rougher than I expected. A really enjoyable, nice wine that probably needs time to soften.
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PNP. Very very deep magenta color. Blackberry, violet, peppered roast beef, caramel, gravel, and walnut. Smooth, dry, full bodied palate. Firm, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is young, but already drinking well with minimal aeration. Had with a fun lunch at a cute bistro in the Boursault village in Champagne.
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Tasted over three days. Too young, of course, oak showing, but plenty of local feel behind; olives, tar, bacon and plenty of sexy fruit. Well rounded, balanced. Should be left for ten years, but can be approached in a couple of years IMHO.
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Juicy, fresh, and bright, with a crisp edge to the vibrant red berries on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, and already accessible, though I would wait a year or two before popping a cork for all the complexities that will develop. Drink from 2024-2033.
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French road trip, mainly Rhône valley; 9/4/2022-9/18/2022: From open 75cl in Guigal tasting room in Ampuis. Brune/blonde blend with 4% viognier; 3 years in 50% new barrels. 2-year-old barrels; 14% alc. Smoky & oaky scent, with an undercurrent of dark fruit (but no perceptible viognier apricot); generous, silky entry segues into a powerfully tannic mid-palate, almost gritty on the tongue. Hard to pin down the fruit (raspberry? blackberry? apricot?) but it’s definitely there, and of fine quality. This should be delicious from 2024 until the end of the decade. 91P
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4/23/2024 - Sagan99 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 30+ minutes ( higher score certain if I was more diligent in my decant timing!! Likely 2 hours would bring about less character assassination?😂)
Don't open for 5 years+.
It's certainly drinkable now, but could easily benefit with a half decade of maturation.
Medium+ Ruby
Raspberries Blackberries
Black pepper prominent!
Sage Rosemary?
Smokey, (like cooking in the campfire where that smoke follows you wherever you move!)
Body medium+
Alcohol high
Acid high
Viscosity mouthfeel medium enveloping
Tannin medium, soft and resolving, (more structured with ox exposure)
Finish 45s+
Served w Black Angus Porterhouse( I kept the tenderloin, gave wife the Strip!😂) First day of warmth here in Alberta's Wild West!🤠
Syrah%
Viognier %??
14% abv
This should be an annual purchase, as it's approachable early, yet can withstand the test of time in a cold cellar.
PS Drink The Rainbow!
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2/24/2024 - DevenStephens Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great "entry level" Côte-Rôtie. Nothing that makes this CR particularly unique but it's good and doesn't have anything that sticks out negatively. Dark red color. Nose of pepper, meaty funk, rosemary, smoke and blackberries. Palate has black cherry, blackberries, pepper, herbs, smoke and a touch of vanilla. The oak isn't overpowering, the finish is medium and the tannins are dusty. Enjoyable now or wait 5-10 years.
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1/2/2024 - puffinscellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely deep ruby color with some fading around the edges, beautiful legs. Still pretty tight but showing well with time in the glass. Needs a decant at this stage or sip slowly to let it open up.
Bright raspberry and blackberry fruit on the nose with spices and a wisp of smoke, pretty pink flowers, vanilla and a touch of mocha. Not as complex as some of his single site bottlings but lovely and approachable.
The first thing that strikes me on the palate is the fine grain and suppleness of the tannins, they’re almost powdery, but they do a great job keeping the palate clean. Red and blue berries, vanilla, white pepper, and a hint of cocoa on the back end with a long, oak-tinged finish buttressed by juicy acids from the fruit. This went wonderfully with a peppered steak.
The addition of a small amount of viognier always has this ready to drink on release, but time will reward, this really needs at least five more years to show its best, ten is better. Drink 2028-38. A great introductory wine for folks looking to get into Cote Rotie.
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12/5/2023 - Hanibal wrote: 89 Points
Score is representative of current assessment on this wine but i believe in 5-7 years the rating could go a few points higher… at this point even with a decant the wood treatment is very obtrusive
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12/1/2023 - 831900_ Likes this wine:
4% Viognier not *quite* showing at the moment, the mouthfeel being a little rougher than I expected. A really enjoyable, nice wine that probably needs time to soften.
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6/3/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP. Very very deep magenta color. Blackberry, violet, peppered roast beef, caramel, gravel, and walnut. Smooth, dry, full bodied palate. Firm, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is young, but already drinking well with minimal aeration. Had with a fun lunch at a cute bistro in the Boursault village in Champagne.
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5/24/2023 - beatles wrote: 93 Points
Tasted over three days. Too young, of course, oak showing, but plenty of local feel behind; olives, tar, bacon and plenty of sexy fruit. Well rounded, balanced. Should be left for ten years, but can be approached in a couple of years IMHO.
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10/10/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Juicy, fresh, and bright, with a crisp edge to the vibrant red berries on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, and already accessible, though I would wait a year or two before popping a cork for all the complexities that will develop. Drink from 2024-2033.
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9/8/2022 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
French road trip, mainly Rhône valley; 9/4/2022-9/18/2022: From open 75cl in Guigal tasting room in Ampuis. Brune/blonde blend with 4% viognier; 3 years in 50% new barrels. 2-year-old barrels; 14% alc. Smoky & oaky scent, with an undercurrent of dark fruit (but no perceptible viognier apricot); generous, silky entry segues into a powerfully tannic mid-palate, almost gritty on the tongue. Hard to pin down the fruit (raspberry? blackberry? apricot?) but it’s definitely there, and of fine quality. This should be delicious from 2024 until the end of the decade. 91P
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5/23/2022 - bitdrerik wrote: 91 Points
Eðalklúbburinn rúllar um Rónardalinn.; 5/23/2022-5/27/2022 (10 vínhús og ein súkkulaðigerð heimsótt í norður og suður Rónardalnum.): Ljós litur. Miklu þyngri ilmur en af Vidal Fleury víninu. Dökk kirsuber, málmtónar, sólber. Mikill ferskleiki. Síðan tóbak, sedrusviður, ekvalyptus. Mjög þægilegur ilmur. Á tungunni voru svo mjög fín tannín. Mjög mjúkt. Fínt jafnvægi. Eikin mjög vel samofin við vínið. Kirsuber, rúsínur og pipar. Verðmiði 49€. Þetta er vín sem er á 9.200 kall í vínbúðum.
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