Nearly four years since I opened one, and this is ageing rather glacially. I enjoyed it on night #1, but enjoyed it even more on night 2 as the acids were more in balance with the fruits. Great sense of place and grape in a very elegant, really pure style. I'd love to revisit this in 5-6 years; the tertiary qualities should be rather lovely. recommended
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Still very youthful, with oodles of spicy dark cherries and blackcurrant, again very St.Julien in character, so perhaps not the most typical expression of CF, but the breadth and creaminess really are impressive.
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This bottle is spot on. Deep in color with just a hint of garden vegies that are surrounded by a lovely core of dark red fruits. It’s all in balance and just a lovely glass of wine. This showcases the most elegant side of Cabernet Franc that I’ve had. The only drawback is that it takes years to reach this point. One of the best bottles that I’ve had in a long time. Truly great tonight.
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Deep, arresting aromas of plum and loganberries, with a rich attack full of berries, plums and blackcurrant, then a refreshingly cool and crisp middle section of dark cherries, before a spicy finale reminiscent of Gruaud Larose. Like GL, there is also more than a hint of bretty funk which I don't mind. Beautifully balanced between power and poise, it's a full bodied wine which remains light on its feet.
So far, this is the best 2005 I've tried. The Breton Perrières was excellent but this is slightly better. I was optimistic having enjoyed several bottles of Blot's own Perrières 2005 a few years ago, but this was better than I expected.
What I liked about it was the balance - many 05s are a little OTT (Couly-Dutheil springs to mind).
This is an ideal wine for Bordeaux aficionados who are interested in trying Loire reds. The taste profile is not exactly the same as Gruaud but there are clear similarities. The downside is that it lacks Loire typicity - but then again, so do other 2005s.
PnP, that got better with each glass. Good>VG. Fresh, and full, and I have to think right in the middle of its preferred window, too. Still a youthful ruby core, with little sign of age; a tiny bit of spritzig, iirc. Medium-bodied, with rich, ripe red fruits, and accents of herbs, soil, pencil, and pine forest. The finish is medium>medium+, and for my taste, the wine can still improve in next years with a cold cellar. Fine, pure, and a lovely partner to food. Thru 2027; cork and fill in vg condition. recommended+
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Bravo Jacky Blot! This is about my ideal for Bourgueil. It showed medium++ body, bright fruit with berry and cassis overtones, violet tinged fragrance, pencil shavings, touches of noble green, juicy acidity, silky texture and ripely firm finish. The overall effect was of lively and firm yet fragrant elegance. It may be at its peak now but I guess it will hold for a few years. Excellent.
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Stony radish nose with a deep blackberry, earth and sweetness. Entry is tasty very dark cassis fruit with a good weight. Tannins are still ever present and come a bit early. With time and a decant tannins melted nicely. Quite a different wine after a strong decant. This still has a lot of life left in this. More tannin than acid to give it a few more years. Drink by 2026 in this example.
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Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The acidity is refreshing with the tannins showing a silkiness to them. The feel is refined and elegant with root vegetables, violets, red cherries, crushed rocks, and tobacco notes.
Overall: This is drinking in a great spot right now. It is an outstanding Bourgueil that has many years to go, but it is wonderful almost right out of the gate. It did need a slight bit of air to get revved up, but it was sailing once it did.
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This wine was just okay. Tartness and acidity are out of balance for my tastes. Not that much experience with Cab Franc but this reminded me of a young Pinot or sangiovesse. My last bottle.
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Wide open and very pretty. Mid-weight with red and black berry fruit, ballpoint ink, and herbal notes in the background. Tannins are mostly resolved, but no sign of any tertiary development. Acidity is ample and well-integrated; finish has good length. No obvious oak influence. Very nice wine that expresses its origin well. This has evolved really nicely; I hope the 09 does this well.
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The taste on pour was a shot of Mercurochrome, but when decanted for an hour the experience was consistent with the last note. Holding up very well, with years ahead, I think.
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Quite dark and opaque. Black fruit nose in wood. Entry has a sweet element then middle turns a bit leafy and herbal. Finishes quite long with tannins still quite powerful and some bitter greenness. Extended to 2030. This has years left. Not sure what will become of the leafy character.
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Decanted an hour. Dark plum purple. Chocolate, tobacco, and a hint of earth in the nose. Deep blackberry, black plum, olive, with firm (yet pleasing tannins) and great balance through the finish. A wonderful food wine.
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Maturing nicely, but still has years (a decade?) of life ahead. Dense with black currant, yet fresh with crunchy acidity and big tannins. Tobacco/cigar box and violet aromas and finish. Minerality and complexity emerge after decanting.
Save next bottle for 5-10 years.
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Cloudy and quite dark plum colored. Nose reticent at first with dusty dark sweet plum and chocolate. Entry is darkly sweet and remains so throughout a long straight profile. Tannins remain formidible and drying but this is coming around.
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Nez un peu glacé, sur l'élevage, avec du poivron, cerises de terre. La bouche est bien équilibrée, de la fraicheur et une texture lisse. C'est toutefois encore marqué par son élevage. Il est bien meilleur le lendemain, savoureux et frais avec un équilibre bordelais, assez austère, belle longueur dans une finale harmonieuse. Très bien
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Nose is fairly closed on opening but deep vegetable. Nose opened to a nice blueberry fruit over time. Entry of very dark and very tart fruit. Builds to an incredibly strong and tart hot radish finish. This still needs time.
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Nice dark cherries and raspberries on the nose, with the raspberries carrying over upfront and throughout. Moderate tannins, decent length. Excellent, but not complex.
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Un vrai régal avec une viande grillée. Un vin encore plein d'avenir, avec des tannins bien présent à l'ouverture que 1h30 de carafe est venue assagir. une robe d'un rubis impeccable, un nez de fruit noir et de cuir, une bouche fumé, minéral mais cependant fruité. Ce vin a encore de belle années devant lui, mais pourquoi attendre?
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Very dark, opaque appearance. Beautiful nose with dark berries, radishes, different kinds of root crops, dusty root cellar and well integrated oak. This is really nice and pure and has great personality. Medium bodied, really good grip with great balance and a dry, complex palate. I really like this!
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Terrific cab franc--I grabbed off the rack without reading notes or reviews, so I wasn't expecting much, and did a double-take when I swirled in the glass. Could have used another year or two, but this was lovely, with black cherry and earth on the nose, great body and length. Distinctively a cabernet franc, though not a lot of the vegetal quality you sometimes get. Wish I had a couple more of these.
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Loire 2005 (Salle de dégustation Laurier): Un nez suave de fruit noir (mûres) et rouge (framboise) une pointe de poivron, de fumée. Belle bouche fraîche, juteuse, pleine et fruitée. Framboises. C'est rond et gourmand, fin aussi. Délicieux et tellement facile à boire. 91-92 pts
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Better than few years ago, opened 2 hours before consuming, good earthy mix of raspberry, chocolate, red pepper and forest floor. Great mouthfeel with a refined but still a bit rough tannic structure.
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This is soft, yet quite concentrated, with elegant, fresh fruit, a fine, silky texture and good length. This is better than many a right bank claret. Drinking well now.
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Nez sur le cacao. Belle texture en attaque, mais une finale tannique et amère, chocolatée. Beaucoup moins charmeur qu'à sa sortie, il est dur en ce moment. Revoir dans 3 à 5 ans pour que les tanins s'assouplissent, ils me semblent rêches. 87(+?)
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Dark rich colour. Violet, leather nose that is really very strong and rich. Rich, weighty mouth of fruit and vegetables. There is a lot going on here. Exceedingly long and tannic. This is quite a beast for a Loire red. Rich, full, weighty, with a really nice acidity. This is a winter, Bordeaux style red. It is fine now but I will put a later date on it just to settle down a bit. Very serious.
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Whoa, this is great Loire Franc. Only drink this now if you can handle some firm, ripe tannins. Nose of walnuts, menthol, celery, violets and macerated black cherries. High acid, big tannic structure--this is built to age. Very fresh red and black fruit up front, then turns more chalky with a peppery undercurrent. Definite minerality and a pleasant bitterness on the finish.
Opened up with decanting over several hours--needs about an hour to hit its stride though there's a lot of interesting funk as it opens up to enjoy.
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Huge wine. Let it lay for a while. Tannins are already well hidden and taking their role as a solid foundation that doesn't act as a frame but don't let that fool you. Acid is heavily present and the fruit explodes with bright dancing playfulness across the tongue. But it will balance out and give way to those wonderful secondary and tertiary notes that come with a little age. Patience. If you have a few bottles, go ahead, indulge. If you only have one I only have one suggestion. Wait for another 5. You will be swept off your feet.
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Decanted about 5 hours. The nose had everything I like in a Cab Franc. Bell peppers and barnyard, and cranberry and pomegranate. It also had a little dark chocolate and spice. The palate was rich and thick, with lots of vegetables and barnyard flavors. It also had some cranberry fruit, and a spicy mocha finish.
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This bottle showed very very well, great nose of must and flower shop, great grip laser focus and grainy tannins, new leather and sap with mushrooms and sour cherries, wotn. WOW
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Great nose of garrique, new leather, and rotten Lilacs. This is good, a lot of personality. Quite tannic with a little oak bite. Holds your attention. Man that is a great nose, this wine reminds me why I love old world.
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Nice deep blackberry color. The glass is heavy and the rims are sharp, this is no water; +1 for the feel. A superb cabernet franc nose for sure, the expression of the varietal's recognizable aromas is what I appreciated most; in fact it will be my reference for a while. Dense, dry, smoky, young leather, on pitch black small fruits. However, I felt most of the complexity was drown in the tannins' thickness and I did not enjoy the experience that much. I lack the experience to say how it would fare later, so my rating is as of right now. [4/5]
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Tel que mentionné la semaine dernière, les vins de la Loire sont à surveiller dans cet excellent millésime qu'est le 2005. Superbe nez de cabernet franc aux notes de poivron, de fruits des champs et du terroir. Tendre acidité, concentration et structure, un bel ensemble bâti sur des tannins bien mûrs. Un excellent Bourgueil doté d'un certain potentiel (5 à 8 ans) qui accompagnera à merveille le filet de porc grillé aux champignons sauvages.
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Just did not enjoy this bottle. Tannins were rough and searing, even smelled like green wood. Green, green, green. Cranberry and some chocolate. I will bury the last bottle of this for (I hope) five years or more and check it then, the density is certainly there so maybe the rest will resolve.
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Man, this is good. Surprisingly open, this is all you can ask in a Bourgueil. Pretty dark core, enticing nose with violets, blackberry, leather and a touch of herbs/bell pepper. This is ripe with low+ acidity but totally balanced. Tannins are there and will melt with a few more years, med body, it is as complex on the palate as it is on the nose. This is a food wine. This will age for quite some years. Loved it !
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Nez frais et invitant de mûres et de framboises avec aussi quelques traces d’élevage (chocolat/moka et un coté fumé) déjà plus intégrées qu‘en 2008.
Attaque d’une belle fraicheur, texture crémeuse, il montre une belle souplesse, un fruit charmeur et délicat, tout en affichant une belle concentration. Il se révèle très buvable et digeste malgré les tanins en finale un peu astringents qui indiquent que quelques années de patience pourrait être récompensées. Un vin aussi charmeur qu’impressionnant, moderne certes, mais sans doute un des meilleurs achats (sinon le meilleur?) en rouge de la Loire sur les tablettes de la SAQ avec les vins de Joguet. 91 + pts
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So bright stunning looker, huge depth yet sparkles in the glass, ( you knew that this was a great wine by just looking at it), wonderful complex nose, cassis, cut brambles, flowershop, an amazing mouthful berries and spice, layer upon layer of different fruit, soft tannins yet good acidity. A long liver and voted WOTN by most
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Nose was fascinating, and every bit as wild as others have reported. The pickle thing was really strong, with pomegranite and cranberry too. The palate has mouth-puckering tannin, like drinking fine grained sandpaper, but after a taste that doesn't detract. Could use a bit more fruit to show with all of this other material. Will be interesting to see where it goes.
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Nez avec un peu de café et de chocolat à l’ouverture et du fruit noir (bleuets). À la longue on perçoit de très jolies nuances de cassis, de mûres, vraiment suave.
Bien que l’élevage soit encore assez perceptible, j’aime beaucoup la texture et la fraicheur de ce vin élégant. Rien de surfait, bien équilibré, franchement très beau. Je l’aurais probablement placé à Bordeaux si on me l’avait servi à l’aveugle. Je n’y trouve pas le classique poivron qui apparaitra probablement lorsque l’élevage sera digéré. Tout est en place pour faire un très beau vin dans un an ou deux, voire davantage car les tanins ont une belle finesse. Impeccable et impressionnant, de loin ce que j’ai goûté de meilleur en Bourgueil. 91 pts
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One of the best Loire reds that I have tasted. Very full, still rather tannic; the fruit is intense, showing the benefit of the 50-year old vines. Still very young and should be kept for a few years yet, but it will be excellent.
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Dark purple in color. For me the nose is subdued, not getting what everyone else seems to have. Maybe it is closing down as jordanj states. There is subdued earth tones with chocolate and cherry. Palatte is certainly tannic with a dry finish. Still very pleasant. I think I'll hold the remaining bottle a year or so.
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Dinner at Carlos' (Carlos'-Highland Park, IL): This wine is closing down and is going in a dumb phase right now. The palate was much more singular, less expressive and much more tannic. Still a great wine but not showing as well as it once was. It will however age very well and should improve.
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Dark purple in color. Wine has a nose of walnut, rose petals, melting plastic and licorice, a vegetal aspect that is not green but more of a fresh leafy character that is really nice. In the mouth the wine is more soft and elegant that my last note would suggest. This occasion it is plush, ripe and full. The mouth is just delicious with a nutty leafy dark fruit flavor that leads to a very long finish. For a wine that I would characterize as being fresh and heavy it is remarkably well balanced. Maybe less perfumed than the last bottle but drinking structurally more complete. It is going to be hard to keep my hands off the rest but it should be resting for a few more years.
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Despite this wine being overly dry and possessing roughness in the mouth it is nevertheless still outstanding. This is one of the most complex and highly perfumed wines in the nose, mouth, and finish. This is one of those wines that you can almost extrapolate just about anything you want out of it. The scents in the bouquet range from huge walnut very Paulliac or St. Julien (think Las cases or Latour), beef stew, animal fur, chocolate, Smokey tar-like scents (that borderline on charcoal) and tree bark with plums, raisons and black currant all mashed in the dirt. The explosion of flavors carries through in the attack with a very rustic personality. Although it comes across dusty and harsh it still has a bit of elegance. The finish is long and charming. If this wine ages well and softens up on the palate this might just be the bargain of the year. I am going to stretch this to 92+ simply because there are many 93 and up wines that I don't get this much enjoyment from.
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Inky dark purple. Very intense nose of tar, black currant, blackberry, bell pepper, raspberry and spice. On taste great minerality and fruit. Intense toward black currant. Velvety tannins cover the full palate: very dry. Finish over 30 seconds. Almost New world in approach.
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1/31/2024 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Nearly four years since I opened one, and this is ageing rather glacially. I enjoyed it on night #1, but enjoyed it even more on night 2 as the acids were more in balance with the fruits. Great sense of place and grape in a very elegant, really pure style. I'd love to revisit this in 5-6 years; the tertiary qualities should be rather lovely. recommended
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4/5/2023 - TashNYC wrote: 92 Points
We drank these a while back and they were delicious. I wish I had more.
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5/4/2022 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very youthful, with oodles of spicy dark cherries and blackcurrant, again very St.Julien in character, so perhaps not the most typical expression of CF, but the breadth and creaminess really are impressive.
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1/19/2022 - repoper wrote: 94 Points
This bottle is spot on. Deep in color with just a hint of garden vegies that are surrounded by a lovely core of dark red fruits. It’s all in balance and just a lovely glass of wine. This showcases the most elegant side of Cabernet Franc that I’ve had. The only drawback is that it takes years to reach this point. One of the best bottles that I’ve had in a long time. Truly great tonight.
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7/26/2021 - xtype Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strong green olives opener.
Wet leather belt.
Plums.
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9/2/2020 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, arresting aromas of plum and loganberries, with a rich attack full of berries, plums and blackcurrant, then a refreshingly cool and crisp middle section of dark cherries, before a spicy finale reminiscent of Gruaud Larose. Like GL, there is also more than a hint of bretty funk which I don't mind.
Beautifully balanced between power and poise, it's a full bodied wine which remains light on its feet.
So far, this is the best 2005 I've tried. The Breton Perrières was excellent but this is slightly better. I was optimistic having enjoyed several bottles of Blot's own Perrières 2005 a few years ago, but this was better than I expected.
What I liked about it was the balance - many 05s are a little OTT (Couly-Dutheil springs to mind).
This is an ideal wine for Bordeaux aficionados who are interested in trying Loire reds. The taste profile is not exactly the same as Gruaud but there are clear similarities.
The downside is that it lacks Loire typicity - but then again, so do other 2005s.
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2/3/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP, that got better with each glass. Good>VG. Fresh, and full, and I have to think right in the middle of its preferred window, too. Still a youthful ruby core, with little sign of age; a tiny bit of spritzig, iirc. Medium-bodied, with rich, ripe red fruits, and accents of herbs, soil, pencil, and pine forest. The finish is medium>medium+, and for my taste, the wine can still improve in next years with a cold cellar. Fine, pure, and a lovely partner to food. Thru 2027; cork and fill in vg condition. recommended+
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11/11/2019 - eboracum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bravo Jacky Blot! This is about my ideal for Bourgueil. It showed medium++ body, bright fruit with berry and cassis overtones, violet tinged fragrance, pencil shavings, touches of noble green, juicy acidity, silky texture and ripely firm finish. The overall effect was of lively and firm yet fragrant elegance. It may be at its peak now but I guess it will hold for a few years. Excellent.
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5/29/2019 - riskun Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stony radish nose with a deep blackberry, earth and sweetness. Entry is tasty very dark cassis fruit with a good weight. Tannins are still ever present and come a bit early. With time and a decant tannins melted nicely. Quite a different wine after a strong decant. This still has a lot of life left in this. More tannin than acid to give it a few more years. Drink by 2026 in this example.
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1/9/2019 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Cab Francs that are ready for a Bar-Mitvah (and older) (Chez Simo Bistro, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is aromatic, with an herbal tinge to it baked up by tones of violets, chalk, red cherries, crushed rocks, tobacco notes, and some leather. The nose relies on elegance and perfume while possessing excellent depth.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The acidity is refreshing with the tannins showing a silkiness to them. The feel is refined and elegant with root vegetables, violets, red cherries, crushed rocks, and tobacco notes.
Overall: This is drinking in a great spot right now. It is an outstanding Bourgueil that has many years to go, but it is wonderful almost right out of the gate. It did need a slight bit of air to get revved up, but it was sailing once it did.
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2/22/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 88 Points
This wine was just okay. Tartness and acidity are out of balance for my tastes. Not that much experience with Cab Franc but this reminded me of a young Pinot or sangiovesse. My last bottle.
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12/31/2017 - winchester-xi Likes this wine:
Wide open and very pretty. Mid-weight with red and black berry fruit, ballpoint ink, and herbal notes in the background. Tannins are mostly resolved, but no sign of any tertiary development. Acidity is ample and well-integrated; finish has good length. No obvious oak influence. Very nice wine that expresses its origin well. This has evolved really nicely; I hope the 09 does this well.
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12/17/2017 - roasted hill wrote:
The taste on pour was a shot of Mercurochrome, but when decanted for an hour the experience was consistent with the last note. Holding up very well, with years ahead, I think.
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12/2/2017 - riskun Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite dark and opaque. Black fruit nose in wood. Entry has a sweet element then middle turns a bit leafy and herbal. Finishes quite long with tannins still quite powerful and some bitter greenness. Extended to 2030. This has years left. Not sure what will become of the leafy character.
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5/29/2017 - roasted hill wrote:
Decanted an hour. Dark plum purple. Chocolate, tobacco, and a hint of earth in the nose. Deep blackberry, black plum, olive, with firm (yet pleasing tannins) and great balance through the finish. A wonderful food wine.
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10/9/2016 - Cabfrancophile Likes this wine: 92 Points
Maturing nicely, but still has years (a decade?) of life ahead. Dense with black currant, yet fresh with crunchy acidity and big tannins. Tobacco/cigar box and violet aromas and finish. Minerality and complexity emerge after decanting.
Save next bottle for 5-10 years.
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5/28/2016 - riskun Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cloudy and quite dark plum colored. Nose reticent at first with dusty dark sweet plum and chocolate. Entry is darkly sweet and remains so throughout a long straight profile. Tannins remain formidible and drying but this is coming around.
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10/6/2015 - Jeanda wrote: flawed
Le vin était hélas ravagé par les brettes, ça sentait l'écurie loin à la ronde. Dommage car la matière était enormissime !
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3/16/2014 - Villon wrote: 91 Points
Très bien, fruit très mûr, élevage intégré, superbe texture.
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1/24/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Nez un peu glacé, sur l'élevage, avec du poivron, cerises de terre.
La bouche est bien équilibrée, de la fraicheur et une texture lisse. C'est toutefois encore marqué par son élevage. Il est bien meilleur le lendemain, savoureux et frais avec un équilibre bordelais, assez austère, belle longueur dans une finale harmonieuse. Très bien
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11/30/2013 - riskun Likes this wine:
Nose is fairly closed on opening but deep vegetable. Nose opened to a nice blueberry fruit over time. Entry of very dark and very tart fruit. Builds to an incredibly strong and tart hot radish finish. This still needs time.
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9/21/2013 - DrT999 wrote: 89 Points
Nice dark cherries and raspberries on the nose, with the raspberries carrying over upfront and throughout. Moderate tannins, decent length. Excellent, but not complex.
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9/17/2013 - Winiac wrote: 90 Points
I think my bottle was a bit flawed by brettanomyces but it was a hardy concentrate wine.
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4/13/2013 - Pascal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Un vrai régal avec une viande grillée. Un vin encore plein d'avenir, avec des tannins bien présent à l'ouverture que 1h30 de carafe est venue assagir. une robe d'un rubis impeccable, un nez de fruit noir et de cuir, une bouche fumé, minéral mais cependant fruité. Ce vin a encore de belle années devant lui, mais pourquoi attendre?
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4/7/2013 - bza Likes this wine:
This is such a beauty. Creamy and rich fruit with perfect balance. Dark fruits, root cellar notes and minerals. Very enjoyable.
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4/1/2013 - bza Likes this wine:
Very dark, opaque appearance. Beautiful nose with dark berries, radishes, different kinds of root crops, dusty root cellar and well integrated oak. This is really nice and pure and has great personality. Medium bodied, really good grip with great balance and a dry, complex palate. I really like this!
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3/14/2013 - sstoloff wrote: 91 Points
Terrific cab franc--I grabbed off the rack without reading notes or reviews, so I wasn't expecting much, and did a double-take when I swirled in the glass. Could have used another year or two, but this was lovely, with black cherry and earth on the nose, great body and length. Distinctively a cabernet franc, though not a lot of the vegetal quality you sometimes get. Wish I had a couple more of these.
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3/1/2013 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Loire 2005 (Salle de dégustation Laurier): Un nez suave de fruit noir (mûres) et rouge (framboise) une pointe de poivron, de fumée.
Belle bouche fraîche, juteuse, pleine et fruitée. Framboises. C'est rond et gourmand, fin aussi. Délicieux et tellement facile à boire. 91-92 pts
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12/1/2012 - matt182 wrote: 91 Points
Better than few years ago, opened 2 hours before consuming, good earthy mix of raspberry, chocolate, red pepper and forest floor. Great mouthfeel with a refined but still a bit rough tannic structure.
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7/23/2012 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 92 Points
This was an awesome Cab Franc. Great earthy loam, mushroom component with juicy red berry fruit and peppers. Great bottle.
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7/22/2012 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
Very dark color. Barn yards bouquet and prominent radish and turnip taste. Good acidity and fine tannins. Pleasant finish.
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11/16/2011 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
This is soft, yet quite concentrated, with elegant, fresh fruit, a fine, silky texture and good length. This is better than many a right bank claret. Drinking well now.
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10/5/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 87 Points
Nez sur le cacao. Belle texture en attaque, mais une finale tannique et amère, chocolatée. Beaucoup moins charmeur qu'à sa sortie, il est dur en ce moment. Revoir dans 3 à 5 ans pour que les tanins s'assouplissent, ils me semblent rêches. 87(+?)
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5/10/2011 - riskun wrote: 93 Points
Dark rich colour. Violet, leather nose that is really very strong and rich. Rich, weighty mouth of fruit and vegetables. There is a lot going on here. Exceedingly long and tannic. This is quite a beast for a Loire red. Rich, full, weighty, with a really nice acidity. This is a winter, Bordeaux style red. It is fine now but I will put a later date on it just to settle down a bit. Very serious.
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4/25/2011 - Villon wrote: 91 Points
Très bon, style moderne, profond, sans traces végétales, boisé bien intégré. Passe facilement pour un rive gauche à l'aveugle.
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4/3/2011 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Loire-Themed Euro Lunch: Huët, Chidaine, Clos Rougeard (Donato Enoteca, Redwood City, California): Opaque red violet color; carbonic maceration, tart currant, tart red plum nose; tasty, tight, medium bodied, tart red currant, very tart red plum, olive palate with medium acidity, needs 2-plus years; medium-plus finish
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3/11/2011 - Cabfrancophile wrote: 93 Points
Whoa, this is great Loire Franc. Only drink this now if you can handle some firm, ripe tannins. Nose of walnuts, menthol, celery, violets and macerated black cherries. High acid, big tannic structure--this is built to age. Very fresh red and black fruit up front, then turns more chalky with a peppery undercurrent. Definite minerality and a pleasant bitterness on the finish.
Opened up with decanting over several hours--needs about an hour to hit its stride though there's a lot of interesting funk as it opens up to enjoy.
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12/23/2010 - Mile-End Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours. Superb cabernet franc. Fresh and elegant.
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10/29/2010 - pc.jams wrote:
Huge wine. Let it lay for a while. Tannins are already well hidden and taking their role as a solid foundation that doesn't act as a frame but don't let that fool you. Acid is heavily present and the fruit explodes with bright dancing playfulness across the tongue. But it will balance out and give way to those wonderful secondary and tertiary notes that come with a little age. Patience. If you have a few bottles, go ahead, indulge. If you only have one I only have one suggestion. Wait for another 5. You will be swept off your feet.
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10/8/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. From other notes it may have been better if I had decanted a few hours.
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7/11/2010 - RWINO wrote: 93 Points
Very impressive wine once it opened up. Cab franc near its best!
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5/16/2010 - Villon wrote: 90 Points
Très bon, mais manque un peu de complexité à ce stade. Peu vaut mieux l'attendre un peu.
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5/12/2010 - mmurry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about 5 hours. The nose had everything I like in a Cab Franc. Bell peppers and barnyard, and cranberry and pomegranate. It also had a little dark chocolate and spice. The palate was rich and thick, with lots of vegetables and barnyard flavors. It also had some cranberry fruit, and a spicy mocha finish.
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5/10/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 91 Points
consistent with previous notes
although this bottle didn't seem as good as last time I had it (93 points)
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4/25/2010 - Joelene wrote: 92 Points
This bottle showed very very well, great nose of must and flower shop, great grip laser focus and grainy tannins, new leather and sap with mushrooms and sour cherries, wotn. WOW
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4/25/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 93 Points
huge LILAC! on nose
old world and funky with a long interesting finish
pomegranate tannins
this won our cab franc under $50 tasting
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3/10/2010 - Joelene wrote: 90 Points
Great nose of garrique, new leather, and rotten Lilacs. This is good, a lot of personality. Quite tannic with a little oak bite. Holds your attention.
Man that is a great nose, this wine reminds me why I love old world.
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3/10/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 91 Points
wow, interesting!
flowers bouquet on nose, leather, pomagranite, herbs on palate
nice long mellow finish
a nose that just gos on and on
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11/27/2009 - monotone wrote: 89 Points
Nice deep blackberry color. The glass is heavy and the rims are sharp, this is no water; +1 for the feel. A superb cabernet franc nose for sure, the expression of the varietal's recognizable aromas is what I appreciated most; in fact it will be my reference for a while. Dense, dry, smoky, young leather, on pitch black small fruits. However, I felt most of the complexity was drown in the tannins' thickness and I did not enjoy the experience that much. I lack the experience to say how it would fare later, so my rating is as of right now. [4/5]
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10/23/2009 - philhamelin wrote:
Tel que mentionné la semaine dernière, les vins de la Loire sont à surveiller dans cet excellent millésime qu'est le 2005. Superbe nez de cabernet franc aux notes de poivron, de fruits des champs et du terroir. Tendre acidité, concentration et structure, un bel ensemble bâti sur des tannins bien mûrs. Un excellent Bourgueil doté d'un certain potentiel (5 à 8 ans) qui accompagnera à merveille le filet de porc grillé aux champignons sauvages.
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9/18/2009 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Just did not enjoy this bottle. Tannins were rough and searing, even smelled like green wood. Green, green, green. Cranberry and some chocolate. I will bury the last bottle of this for (I hope) five years or more and check it then, the density is certainly there so maybe the rest will resolve.
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8/4/2009 - french16 wrote: 93 Points
Man, this is good. Surprisingly open, this is all you can ask in a Bourgueil. Pretty dark core, enticing nose with violets, blackberry, leather and a touch of herbs/bell pepper.
This is ripe with low+ acidity but totally balanced. Tannins are there and will melt with a few more years, med body, it is as complex on the palate as it is on the nose. This is a food wine.
This will age for quite some years. Loved it !
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6/27/2009 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Nez frais et invitant de mûres et de framboises avec aussi quelques traces d’élevage (chocolat/moka et un coté fumé) déjà plus intégrées qu‘en 2008.
Attaque d’une belle fraicheur, texture crémeuse, il montre une belle souplesse, un fruit charmeur et délicat, tout en affichant une belle concentration. Il se révèle très buvable et digeste malgré les tanins en finale un peu astringents qui indiquent que quelques années de patience pourrait être récompensées. Un vin aussi charmeur qu’impressionnant, moderne certes, mais sans doute un des meilleurs achats (sinon le meilleur?) en rouge de la Loire sur les tablettes de la SAQ avec les vins de Joguet. 91 + pts
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3/15/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 89 Points
Very good potential. I think it need a bit more time in the cellar but sure seems to have the stuffing to improve.
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1/15/2009 - barcud wrote: 92 Points
So bright stunning looker, huge depth yet sparkles in the glass, ( you knew
that this was a great wine by just looking at it), wonderful complex nose,
cassis, cut brambles, flowershop, an amazing mouthful berries and spice,
layer upon layer of different fruit, soft tannins yet good acidity. A long
liver and voted WOTN by most
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10/11/2008 - sleepyhaus wrote: 89 Points
Nose was fascinating, and every bit as wild as others have reported. The pickle thing was really strong, with pomegranite and cranberry too. The palate has mouth-puckering tannin, like drinking fine grained sandpaper, but after a taste that doesn't detract. Could use a bit more fruit to show with all of this other material. Will be interesting to see where it goes.
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10/6/2008 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Nez avec un peu de café et de chocolat à l’ouverture et du fruit noir (bleuets). À la longue on perçoit de très jolies nuances de cassis, de mûres, vraiment suave.
Bien que l’élevage soit encore assez perceptible, j’aime beaucoup la texture et la fraicheur de ce vin élégant. Rien de surfait, bien équilibré, franchement très beau. Je l’aurais probablement placé à Bordeaux si on me l’avait servi à l’aveugle. Je n’y trouve pas le classique poivron qui apparaitra probablement lorsque l’élevage sera digéré. Tout est en place pour faire un très beau vin dans un an ou deux, voire davantage car les tanins ont une belle finesse. Impeccable et impressionnant, de loin ce que j’ai goûté de meilleur en Bourgueil. 91 pts
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9/15/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 90 Points
One of the best Loire reds that I have tasted. Very full, still rather tannic; the fruit is intense, showing the benefit of the 50-year old vines. Still very young and should be kept for a few years yet, but it will be excellent.
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8/6/2008 - Snookboy wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple in color. For me the nose is subdued, not getting what everyone else seems to have. Maybe it is closing down as jordanj states. There is subdued earth tones with chocolate and cherry. Palatte is certainly tannic with a dry finish. Still very pleasant. I think I'll hold the remaining bottle a year or so.
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7/7/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Friends (Carlos' Resturaunt, Highwood IL): nose: big and chalky nose with blueberry, root vegetables, cherry, and chocolate tones
taste: very young with firm tannins along with chocolate, blueberries, and cherry tones
overall: an outstanding wine. Big and full with excellent feel and weight along with a tart attack and sharp blueberry finish
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7/7/2008 - jordanj wrote: 91 Points
Dinner at Carlos' (Carlos'-Highland Park, IL): This wine is closing down and is going in a dumb phase right now. The palate was much more singular, less expressive and much more tannic. Still a great wine but not showing as well as it once was. It will however age very well and should improve.
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6/4/2008 - jordanj wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple in color. Wine has a nose of walnut, rose petals, melting plastic and licorice, a vegetal aspect that is not green but more of a fresh leafy character that is really nice. In the mouth the wine is more soft and elegant that my last note would suggest. This occasion it is plush, ripe and full. The mouth is just delicious with a nutty leafy dark fruit flavor that leads to a very long finish. For a wine that I would characterize as being fresh and heavy it is remarkably well balanced. Maybe less perfumed than the
last bottle but drinking structurally more complete. It is going to be hard to keep my hands off the rest but it should be resting for a few more years.
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4/26/2008 - jordanj wrote: 92 Points
Despite this wine being overly dry and possessing roughness in the mouth it is nevertheless still outstanding. This is one of the most complex and highly perfumed wines in the nose, mouth, and finish. This is one of those wines that you can almost extrapolate just about anything you want out of it. The scents in the bouquet range from huge walnut very Paulliac or St. Julien (think Las cases or Latour), beef stew, animal fur, chocolate, Smokey tar-like scents (that borderline on charcoal) and tree bark with plums, raisons and black currant all mashed in the dirt. The explosion of flavors carries through in the attack with a very rustic personality. Although it comes across dusty and harsh it still has a bit of elegance. The finish is long and charming. If this wine ages well and softens up on the palate this might just be the bargain of the year. I am going to stretch this to 92+ simply because there are many 93 and up wines that I don't get this much enjoyment from.
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3/15/2008 - ashegedyn wrote:
Inky dark purple. Very intense nose of tar, black currant, blackberry, bell pepper, raspberry and spice. On taste great minerality and fruit. Intense toward black currant. Velvety tannins cover the full palate: very dry. Finish over 30 seconds. Almost New world in approach.
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