Purchased at $15, in my quest to find a reliable weekday wine from the Southern Rhône.
Popped and poured.
Visually, a bold ruby color with a pleasing purple hue.
On the nose, an explosion of fruits, my goodness. Very fruit forward when you put ya nose in the glass. Strawberries, blackberries, cherry. Smoke.
On the palate, the first glass, what's prominent is the grippy tannins - a mistake of me popping and pouring. Thirty to sixty minutes of exposure to the air really took the astringency out of it. Medium acidity, medium body, dry. Good balance, the alcohol isn't noticeable. Complexity is minimal, the usual fruit flavors, but hey - we like those.
Decent finish. Enjoyable and definitely great QPR.
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Deep ruby red in the glass with light ruby edges. Powerful aromas jump out the glass. Dark fruits - black plum, black currant. Violets, black pepper, graphite. Nose confirmed on the palate. Soft, luxurious mouthfeel. High alcohol, full body, low tannin (aged in cement). Relatively well-balanced. This would pair well with grilled/roasted meats.
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Very tight out of the bottle and didn’t charm out of the decanter either. Unripe raspberries and dried apricots, and that’s about it. Abrasive tannins and fairly high acidity. Might be too young. But, while we’ve loved vintages of this wine for more than a decade, methinks this may be a vintage to pass on. Pass.
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Nose of plum, graphite, wet stone and orange. Moderate tannins with fresh acidity. Palate is pretty muted on fruit notes but has some blackberry, dark chocolate and getting some of that orange again. Moderate oak and smoke finish
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Very rich and concentrated and sweet. Smells of overripe fruit before it begins to ferment. Not my thing
edit: significantly better on day two. Quite tannic! Perhaps this is just a bit too young at this point. Definitely picking up some more minerals on the nose and palate today. Still don’t think this would be a re-purchase for me but this might be right up some people’s alleys!
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It is Syrah from Rhone Valley. Dark ruby color Not intense but can feel black fruit and dark chocholet on nose Black fruit, spice and chocholet on palate Medium plus body and tannic. Medium acidity. Very much typical Syrah as a good replacement of CS with good price. Make me curiois Southern french CS, compared with Chillean or CA.
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As with the three previous vintages, especially the slightly lighter 2021, and the stellar 2019, I have enjoyed, this 2022 is a well priced entry level Côtes du Rhône that has more pleasing attributes than its affordable price point would infer. The black cherry color is impenetrable to light passage. The gently perfumed nose presents with a heady saturated Syrah aroma accompanied by a vanilla laced blackberry and dusty plum bouquet reminiscent of a young uncomplicated fusion of Cote Rotie and Ruby Port. The medium viscosity mouthfeel conveys supple tannins that support the well extracted regional character of the varietal, with a dry Sangiovese identity along with an assertive Shiraz spiciness. The well integrated and unobtrusive 14.5% ABV is complemented with a balanced acidity. This wine would likely be misidentified as a Saint Joseph, rather than a Côtes du Rhône, in most blind tastings, and continues to convey attributes well over its respective Northern Rhone classification. It is a reverse Chimera that is real, not illusory. In the words of Tom Ewell in the movie “The Seven Year Itch,” “How do they do it?”
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Dark as the devil's sash. It is a challenge to move past the nose, each swirl evokes a different sensation, Syrah perfume, mulberry juice, essence of grape skin. The entry is round ripe, rich, concentrated, fresh fruit with its natural lemony acid, depths to be explored when it ages. I understand why others would note some of these, why some prefer rough edges or more age. Not me. I'll accept God's gifts, the vintner's passion in a bottle, pleasure with every swig.
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Glass: dark purple to black core with purple rim. Nose:clean, stone,pepper, gamey Palate: earthy, gamey, red fruit, Medium low tannins with a medium finish.
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At Jules Bistro in Toronto. Juicy and purple and dense tannins. Very good for the level, but a bit more polish than I want. Quite ripe and fruit-forward.
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5/13/2024 - JoseAr305 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purchased at $15, in my quest to find a reliable weekday wine from the Southern Rhône.
Popped and poured.
Visually, a bold ruby color with a pleasing purple hue.
On the nose, an explosion of fruits, my goodness. Very fruit forward when you put ya nose in the glass. Strawberries, blackberries, cherry. Smoke.
On the palate, the first glass, what's prominent is the grippy tannins - a mistake of me popping and pouring. Thirty to sixty minutes of exposure to the air really took the astringency out of it. Medium acidity, medium body, dry. Good balance, the alcohol isn't noticeable. Complexity is minimal, the usual fruit flavors, but hey - we like those.
Decent finish. Enjoyable and definitely great QPR.
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4/21/2024 - Jrkeene7 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Deep ruby red in the glass with light ruby edges. Powerful aromas jump out the glass. Dark fruits - black plum, black currant. Violets, black pepper, graphite. Nose confirmed on the palate. Soft, luxurious mouthfeel. High alcohol, full body, low tannin (aged in cement). Relatively well-balanced. This would pair well with grilled/roasted meats.
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4/12/2024 - gpcoleman wrote: 87 Points
Not what it was advertised to be.
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4/7/2024 - jonahfactor Does not like this wine:
Very tight out of the bottle and didn’t charm out of the decanter either. Unripe raspberries and dried apricots, and that’s about it. Abrasive tannins and fairly high acidity. Might be too young. But, while we’ve loved vintages of this wine for more than a decade, methinks this may be a vintage to pass on. Pass.
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3/24/2024 - pghotstuff9 wrote: 90 Points
Quality cotes du Rhone at a good price point
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3/23/2024 - Randy F. Likes this wine: 87 Points
Needs time and decant but better than I expected
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3/23/2024 - BenF87M2 wrote: 86 Points
Nose of plum, graphite, wet stone and orange. Moderate tannins with fresh acidity. Palate is pretty muted on fruit notes but has some blackberry, dark chocolate and getting some of that orange again. Moderate oak and smoke finish
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3/12/2024 - garlicgrapes Does not like this wine:
Very rich and concentrated and sweet. Smells of overripe fruit before it begins to ferment. Not my thing
edit: significantly better on day two. Quite tannic! Perhaps this is just a bit too young at this point. Definitely picking up some more minerals on the nose and palate today. Still don’t think this would be a re-purchase for me but this might be right up some people’s alleys!
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3/9/2024 - SwagTheBlack wrote: 88 Points
It is Syrah from Rhone Valley.
Dark ruby color
Not intense but can feel black fruit and dark chocholet on nose
Black fruit, spice and chocholet on palate
Medium plus body and tannic. Medium acidity.
Very much typical Syrah as a good replacement of CS with good price.
Make me curiois Southern french CS, compared with Chillean or CA.
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2/29/2024 - Josch48 Likes this wine: 92 Points
As with the three previous vintages, especially the slightly lighter 2021, and the stellar 2019, I have enjoyed, this 2022 is a well priced entry level Côtes du Rhône that has more pleasing attributes than its affordable price point would infer.
The black cherry color is impenetrable to light passage. The gently perfumed nose presents with a heady saturated Syrah aroma accompanied by a vanilla laced blackberry and dusty plum bouquet reminiscent of a young uncomplicated fusion of Cote Rotie and Ruby Port.
The medium viscosity mouthfeel conveys supple tannins that support the well extracted regional character of the varietal, with a dry Sangiovese identity along with an assertive Shiraz spiciness. The well integrated and unobtrusive 14.5% ABV is complemented with a balanced acidity.
This wine would likely be misidentified as a Saint Joseph, rather than a Côtes du Rhône, in most blind tastings, and continues to convey attributes well over its respective Northern Rhone classification. It is a reverse Chimera that is real, not illusory. In the words of Tom Ewell in the movie “The Seven Year Itch,” “How do they do it?”
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2/13/2024 - p.bechthold wrote: 87 Points
improved since the last bottle in 12/23, rather rich and concentrated, tannins soften quickly with air
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2/13/2024 - racheld61 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light and floral with depth to the nose. Lovely dark ruby in color. Great house wine. Tobacco and leather on the nose. Dark fruits.
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2/13/2024 - xyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark as the devil's sash. It is a challenge to move past the nose, each swirl evokes a different sensation, Syrah perfume, mulberry juice, essence of grape skin. The entry is round ripe, rich, concentrated, fresh fruit with its natural lemony acid, depths to be explored when it ages. I understand why others would note some of these, why some prefer rough edges or more age. Not me. I'll accept God's gifts, the vintner's passion in a bottle, pleasure with every swig.
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2/1/2024 - tlogan9 Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the best wines for the money I have ever had. Dark Burgundy color. Fruit forward. We’ll balanced tannins. Silky aftertaste.
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1/30/2024 - Sun_Devil wrote:
Good everyday drinker, was a bit tight on day one so we left in decanter overnight and it faded. It’s pleasing…ain’t hurtin no one
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1/15/2024 - JFW Likes this wine: 86 Points
Pretty intense and a bit high octane.
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1/5/2024 - ThijsPiet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Meaty fruity and a bit of spice. Very good young syrah
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12/23/2023 - Sl4ddy wrote: 77 Points
Sehr rauchiger Geschmack. Brauch viel Luft.
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12/5/2023 - daviswhitehead Likes this wine: 82 Points
The wine was fine but not particularly special or notable in any way.
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11/12/2023 - Dad300 wrote: 90 Points
Glass: dark purple to black core with purple rim.
Nose:clean, stone,pepper, gamey
Palate: earthy, gamey, red fruit,
Medium low tannins with a medium finish.
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11/11/2023 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
At Jules Bistro in Toronto. Juicy and purple and dense tannins. Very good for the level, but a bit more polish than I want. Quite ripe and fruit-forward.
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