Wanted something more mature and got it. This drinks well. 3 hour decant. Garnet you can't see through and it somehow looks and swirls lighter. Nose is stewed red fruits, rhubarb on a tart note, anise, licorice, vanilla, some all spice. Front hits with a blend of red fruits, Raspberry being what I get most, slight cherry. Mature fruit, pie material, well integrated. Acidity {medium+} kicks in headed towards mid and potent, nice woody funk, griippy tannins underlying dried red florals coming to the table. Great textural transitions and nuances. You can pull on a lot of fun threads with this wine. Finish lingers nicely and I find it super satisfying, I can take a nice breather between sips; think on it. May not be firing on all its younger cylinders, its all OK, it has a whole bunch of fun things to enjoy and dissect. Can't lose for the money. Time, will also not let this become a long term science project. Enjoy in the best term and should not disappoint.
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Decanted for sediment. Light garnet color. Nose of cherry cough drop, licorice, slightly stewed/baked red fruits. Similar flavors on the palate with a definite cough drop and licorice note on the back end. Medium- acid, medium+ tannin with a bit of heat on the finish. Probably would have been better a few years ago so I would drink up if holding any.
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For some odd reason, it felt a bit more tannic than two years ago. Fruit is still intact. Very fresh. Alcohol in check. If you have any left, decant or lie down for a couple of years. Good bottle, just needs some air.
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Soft and smooth with dried red fruit, subtle herb and toast. Might be on the downside but still drinking well. Very nice pairing with a pork loin, butternut squash, and strawberry applesauce.
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Opened but not decanted at home, alongside a 1999 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir. The Lesec was disappointing. Seemed to be a clunky one note CdP. It was a lost bottle in my cellar. Not even on my Cellartracker inventory.
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Certainly in the "drinkable" category, well structured but marred by a slightly bitter stemmy note in the midpalate. I was expecting a better showing from this Lesec bottling.
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Not much bouquet, dark color, good fruit and balance as wine has mellowed with aging, however, alcohol burns on the finish and basically lowers your overall impression of the wine, did not find much complexity , enjoyed wine but nothing special, drank with magret of duck.
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Very restrained for CdP. It feels like ripe Burgundy but with more licorice, herbal notes. It is a powerful wine but not overstated. We drank it out of the cellar, so it was a bit cold. That may have helped too. Love CdP with this level of elegance and finesse.
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Brick red. Initially the nose had some funk, but it opened into red fruit. Tasting, red fruit, cherry and raspberry. Some grip from the tannins, nice acidity. Delicious.
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Deep garnet color. Aromas of dark and dark red fruits, Kirsch, garrigue, wet slate, earth, dry leaves, cinnamon, and mineral. Medium body, medium (+) acid and finish, a bit of alcohol burn from the 15% here, and flavors of Kirsch and cherry, plum, black currant, and a strong mineral core. Tannins a little grippy, but I'm not sure I'd hold this one a whole lot longer. The alcohol is a little detracting, but otherwise a perfect snow day sipper and pairing for our leftover Persian lamb meatballs in tomato turmeric rice today.
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PnD let air for 1hr. Deep clear garnet with clear rim. Local cherry plums garrigue. Medium weight with silky tannins. Big complex elegant fresh with flavours. Lingering herbal finish. Lots of life ahead but hard to resist right now.
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Amazing 11 year old wine. It needed almost a day to fully open up, but it is well worth the wait. Any heat this may have had, has disappeared. The tannins have softened considerably. So many subtle flavors. I like this so much better than 3 years ago.
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Garrigue, kirsch and cassis scent. Rich, mouth-filling, coffee, tart cherry, cranberry, fig and anise flavor with plentiful grippy tannins and a long finish. Big, exuberant, hot.
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Menthol and iodine on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, olive tapenade/iodine, and a white pepper note on the finish, with moderate tannins and acidity. The 15% alcohol shows a little bit, but not enough to be a distraction. I'm not sure this will improve any more as it ages. Not a great Chateauneuf, but an excellent value at about $30.
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Dark ruby, cherries with olives on the nose. Drying lightly tart tannins with fruit in the background, cherries with some stone fruit bitter, mostly dominated by the tannins on the PnP 89 Pts. Needs more acid, but the tannins will carry for several more years. Improved overnight with better balance, bold fruit & body, tannins have calmed & lost most of the bitter. Nicely balanced in favor of the cherry fruit over the acids and tannins. Smooth mouthfeel with some heet, showing iodine with the chewy tannins.
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Surprisingly closed down even with decanting, and showing distractingly bitter tannins. The nose is concentrated and shows some elegant CdP character, but it's difficult to be charmed by such a weighty one-dimensional palette.
Informal notes, but this did not really impress. Minimal CdP profile, this tasted more like a nondescript French wine of some sort. Not bad, just not much fruit, spice or structure. Decent sub $20 wine.
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Dark ruby, slightly funky olive, cherry nose. Dry, stemmy tannins, bold fruit and body, getting the olive notes along with cherries, dusty bitter chocolate tannins on the finish. Needs to mellow a bit. Plenty of aging potential. Another night, a little sweetness showing with some stemmy tannins along with some bitter notes. Further glass time has done wonders for the balance of fruit and tannins. This just keeps getting better, big and balanced with the tannins providing the anchor. If you can score more for $20, go for it!
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Last bottle of four bottles purchased back in 2009. Considerable development over the last two years. Decanted briefly. Dark garnet color, medium body. Pleasant nose of garrigue, dried herbs, tart cherry, red chewy licorice, spicy plum, leather, and some still noticeable oak which disapaits with air. Dry and slightly austere mouthfeel, the antithesis of the "fruit bomb", which I found appealing. Tannins have settled. Strong finish. Pretty good considering I'm not a big CdP aficionado.
Popped and poured. This is a medium red wine. The nose carries notes of garrigue and cherry, all with a slight sulfur note. The nose is the best part of this wine. In the mouth, this is lively and somewhat sweet, with a finish that lingers for 15-20 seconds. Overall, this is a solid and enjoyable wine, with classic CdP traits. 91 points.
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N: Beef blood, Caramel, kirsch, cranberries, blackberries. Beautiful package. P: Dirty, Earthy on the palate with some tobacco. A bit bitter on the finish but otherwise nice and smooth from front to back.
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Popped and poured. This is a darker shade of red. The nose is classic CdP, with notes of garrigue, kirsch, and slate. In the mouth, this conveys juicy sweet cherries, arching up into a tempered but lingering finish. Overall, this is a right-down-the-line bottle of CdP that fits within expectations for the vintage. Should remain enjoyable at least through 2016. 90 points.
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Decanted for an hour prior to drinking. Drinking well right now. Don't see a reason to hold much longer. Tasted slightly older than an 06. Rich, sweet dark red fruit. Well balanced.
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Great nose but the palate is a bit astringent and it does not improve with hours of decanting.This was much better over dinner than later sipping the last glass.
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Decanted through Vinturi for 90 mins. Nose of red fruits, clove, cinnamon and plenty of alcohol left. Medium texture. Palate of blueberries, cassis, spice, vanilla & some oak. Complex & lengthy finish. Will definitely seek again.
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Not sure why I only bought one of these, three years ago. But I'm happy I opened it now for my February CdP Month. Fine dark color. Elegant aromas of fall flowers and summer berries. Pleasantly complex palate, merging dark cherries, with baking spices, and muted tannins. A nice medium finish, echoing notes of its terroir. This gentleman does love Blonds -- at least those of Les Galets.
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Dark ruby color. On the nose, a little funk with dark red berries and a little blue berry. Some spice and vanilla. On the palate, very interesting. Some cherry cola, with some oak. Moderate tannins and a long finish. Nice balance. 91+ pts. Aloha!
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Liked much better than the last bottle. Cranberries and some barnyard on the nose. Full bodied, cranberry, cherry on the palette. Tannins still abundant but not overbearing. Overall really enjoyed.
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Give this 90 minutes of air. Earthy, with a touch of barnyard funk on the nose. Drying tannins on a mid-length finish. Definitely has a sense of place. This is not an over the top CdP. A wonderful food companion.
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PnP, through vinituri vinituri ( which helps) Interesting wine that I want to like more than I do. Pretty color, good nose, unique palate that I can't quite explain. Starts as a clearly identifiable CdP, then loses its way. Nonetheless, it has its own (unique) character that someone is going to like. Dark fruit, cola? Some earth element. Drink now, don't buy again... I'll listen to Vaynerchuk on whites. Reds? Not so miuch...
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Definitely requires a 30 -60 minute decant. Very tightly wound until it gets some air. Hot at 15% ABV. Slowly starts to reveal faint aromas of sour cherry, spice, licorice, and leather. Initially a bit austere on the palate tasting a bit like cherry cough syrup with hints of leather, tobacco, and some herbal notes. A rustic, chewy texture leads to a very dry, slightly tannic finish.
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PnP at a friends house for dinner. A bit austere - probably should have decanted to let it open up. Complemented beef dish nicely but didn't really standout. Have one bottle remaining that I'll probably open soon and take a bit more time to evaluate.
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On the nose I get a strong cherry cough syrup aroma. Fortunately it doesn't taste like cough syrup. I do pick up cherries and dirt on the palate. Ok as a change of pace wine.
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A much bigger, darker, and more aggressive wine than I am used to from CdP. I really enjoyed it, but I am not a typical CdP fan so it might be more of a stylistic thing for me. Flavor was sour red fruits, with some floral and even bacon. Nicely balanced tannins and good structure with a super smooth flavor and finish. Went great with tri-tip off the grill.
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N: cherry, raspberry, anise, cumin, rhubarb. P: tannic, grippy, char and darker berry notes than the nose would imply. An edgy and masculine expression to drink with beef.
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Tasted over two nights. The nose has a nice earthiness on top of dark red fruits. The palate however just never turned into anything special. Better on the first night, there was also earth and fruit, but not much acid/tannin structure to add depth. On the second night it was more bacon notes but even less structure. Nothing bad just not special. We'll see what time does for it, hopefully this is just an awkward stage.
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Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Lovely medium garnet color, extremely long legged, sweet sweet delicious aromas of cherry, strawberry fruit leather, and a little burnt toast. Zero earth or funk. Peppery, meaty med-full bodied, puckery tannins that finish soft. Unlike the sweet aromas, the flavors are more sour cherry but tinges of something(anise?) that remain in the mouth coating, smooth long finish. Fantastic with lightly seasoned bison steaks. Surprising: day two really fell off and tasted remarkably thinner. Might require shaving a point or two off my initial score of 93.
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Delicious and well made wine. Notes of cherry licorice, apricot and citrus. Good weight, nice lively peppery palate, fine furry finish. On sale these days for around $20 and at that price a huge value.
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Deep yet translucent garnet. Mashed strawberry plants, river stones, leather and tar nose. Full bodied, pomegranates, tart raspberries, redwood, grainy grainy tannins, green bell peppers, and a slightly puckish medium to long finish. I really got a sense of terrior from this, and I liked it.
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Lots of plum, figs and raisins. The wine is jammier and fruitier than your typical earthy CDP. High alcohol wine although pretty well balanced by fruit and acidity. Decanted for 1 hr. Drinking well now although there's no rush to finish the remaining stock.
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I used half of this to make what I called "Texas Chili-neuf-du-Pape" chili, which was darn successful and aromatic. The rest, of course, paired well. Rather fruit forward with blueberry, raspberry, and sage and sweet spices.
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Not quite the flavor profile for me in a chateauneuf. Particularly for the first half hour. This did improve throughout the course of the night, but I wouldn't quite give it the ratings dished out by the pros. Maybe it needed more air. I will say that it was fairly well balanced and not too acidic.
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PnP with a twist - based on previous reviews, I dug into the drawer and found an "in the bottle aerator" to give the juice a bit of air. Went well with the beef brisket our neighbor served up. Tannins were softer than I expected from the previous reviews, and we didn't let it sit long enough to judge whether it might fall apart. Definitely picked up the raisin and deep fruits everyone else did. We'll wait a while before opening the next one.
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Somewhat disappointing. I am a big fan of CDP and I drink lots of them. Was really looking forward to this one, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Light color, tight nose. Very tannic with intense flavor of fruit and spice. A little bitterness and a noticeable alcohol taste. It was good but I won't pay for it again. Note: I did not decant this wine like I originally intended and I suspect that decanting might have helped, plus it might also be a bit too young, so I'm not leaving a rating.
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On the PnP, this was grossly tannic. Decanted. Unfortunately did not get back to the wine until 4+ hours later when the wine was near flat and didn't have much going on. Not going to rate as I might be unfair to the wine. That said, it should have a longer drinking window than a few hours...
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Dark fruit (blueberry, plum), tannic, slight minerality (agree with soy sauce remark below), anise, slight spice, roasted meats. Better than last bottle - probably would benefit from more time. Opened 1 hr before and benefited from being cooled.
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Color: inky dark purple. Nose: plum, cedar, mushroom, red fruits. Lovely. Taste: blueberry, plum, also cedar and a little spice. Decent length, still lots of tannin. Gets some real spice after a few minutes. A touch high on alcohol, a little short on length, but those are minor complaints.
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Popped and poured. Nice nose, black fruits, roasted meats, anise, sage. On the palate, black raspberry, black cherry, anise, sage, leather, vanilla. Finishes with nice balance. Open for business, but no big hurry. Drink or hold.
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Popped & poured. Nose rather tight initially...some dark red fruit. Really nice on the palate. Creamy red fruit, finishing with bittersweet chocolate. Really nice.
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This is in a great place right now! Soy sauce and herbs dominate the nose, the palate is well balanced and transitions smoothly. Great body and structure - elegant, full and lush withought being weighty. Silky mouthfeel and lingerig umami notes.
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was exactly what I want in a CDP at 1st. Desert air, sage brush, hot stones, melted licorice, raspberries. Just delicious. But re opened half btl and it must have been leaking air as it was all alc and prunes.
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Big, plummy, red fruit that settles down a bit after some air. Lots of earthy, bitter, tannins on the back end. Strangely, this bottle seems much more tannic than I remember the previous bottle being, even though I drank that one several months ago.
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Decanted for an hour. Tight - tannic, a little heat, oak, dark fruit (blueberry), decent finish. The fruit is more pronounced on the 2nd ngiht, anise, slight spice - still pretty tight. Fine wine but not really my style.
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Everything that ppl have been saying, but in addition seems a little our of balance to me. Don't get me wrong, I like big wines. This gave me a rubbing alcohol aversion though. Apart from that, great.
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Nose a bit reticent upon opening. Very light strawberry. Color is a fairly light, translucent ruby red. Fireworks in the mouth! A little bitterness initially, some smoky aspect. Good fruit and very firm tannins. Long, long finish with tannin to spare - could use more time and possibly decanting. Next day, much smoother and just as satisfying. Much more on the nose (no notes). Excellent fruit and balance. Will lay the rest down for awhile.
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really started to open up by time we got to this- spent 90 minutes in decanter and I think a few more hours would have helped it more- I have 5 more laying in wait- dark fruit abounds on this wine with big structure, nice tanin some leather and earthy notes- have only had a few 06 CDP's but it would seem they may need alot of decant time or some years sideways
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A nose of earth and funk, needs long decant, dark amber in color. Medium to full bodied with cassis, black cherry, licorice and pepper, I am guessing that I should have waited a few more years to drink as I did not find it all that enjoyable.
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still a little closed after decanting for 2 hours. Some more cellar time will help.
nose: Chalky, cranberries. Big red fruits. palate: Delicious, smooth, cherries and red fruits. finish: long and smooth. Well controlled tannins. A bit of spice, maybe some black pepper.
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Decanted for an hour. Drank with a roast duck with sage. Paired perfectly. Much better than the first bottle, deeper fruit, softer and smoother mouthfeel. A real joy.
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Very young but showing tremendous potential and will be outstanding. Great nose of dark fruit, casis, will be excellent in 5+ years. Not nearly as open at i was told the 2006 Cdps are supposed to be.
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This went well with my recent sense of despair about life. Driven to drink by my existential crisis, what better bottle to drink by ones self than a purely hedonistic one such as this.
Super smooth, plush, fruit forward, modern, and oh so yummy. I generally prefer the more classic, traditional style of CdP, but today this hit the spot.
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OC Poker For Wine VIII: Grenache Blind (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Served Blind. Baked fruits with notes of brown sugar and cardboard on the nose. Tight palate and very tannic but also short and showing wood. I think this needs some time but the potential also seemed limited. Hard to say.
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Decanted about 4 hours. The nose had black currant and tar, dried cherries and earth, pepper, and a little oak. The palate rich and juicy, with sweet berries and earth, tar and pepper, and a very good vanilla finish.
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I understimated this wine. On pop and pour it was way too hot and bitter. After 4 hour decant this wine is singing. Nose of mocha, anise, dark cherry, and flowers. It made me remember why I love CdP. 2 more years and this wine will be in its prime.
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Eh...glad I got this with the heavy Cindy discount. Decanted 3 hours, the nose has some red fruit and is almost port-like in the profile with some added forest floor. Tasting this wine is almost confusing; it's fairly sweet, yet quite bitter on the finish so it all culminates into a slightly awkward package. In fairness, there are some interesting flavor overtones, and that bitter finish also displays good minerality.
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Decanted 10 min, consumed over 2 hrs. Nose of strawberry, smoked pork, tar, mint, and pepper. Similar on the palate, with loads of tight but finely textured tannins, and enough acidity to keep it fresh. Alcohol prominent at first but blew off with air. Also picked up some complexity (asian spices and maybe a hint of florals) but this still needed a longer decant. 90+ now, but I think this will get better with some bottle age.
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Dark brown color with ruby highlights. Sappy black raspberry on the nose. Thick & viscous on entry, but light on its feet. A serious alcoholic burn on the finish. Way too much here & way out of balance.
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Hmmm. Closted a bit even after decanting. It had nice fruit and a bit of smoke to it. Drank with a spice-rubbed charcoal grilled pork tenderloin and it paired well. The spicing on the pork was savory and potent so it stood up to the wine. More time might help.
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My first CdP, so I can't say anything of its typicity, but I thought it was fantastic. Strawberries dominated the fruit the whole time across three days. Secondary notes evolved a lot though, started rather gamey and smoky, shifted towards mostly black pepper, then to chocately/mocha flavors throughout the first night. After awhile all of them came back and worked nicely together. Good finish and mouth feel throughout, a bit of heat, but not enough to bother me.
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Underwhelming. Was expecting more. Probably should have left this wine alone for a few years before drinking it. Didn't seem to have typical notes of a Chateauneuf du Pape. Too young.
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popped and poured.nose of alcohol,iodine and red beets.tannic and peppery. finish seemed lacking.12 hours of air smoothed it out.not what i had expected stylewise from a good cpd.not for me.
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On night one, I opened this several hours before drinking but didn't decant. Probably a mistake. It was tight as a drum. Closed, primary nose of reddish fruit, some more nice fruit on the palate until this wave of heat and tannin hits. I had about a glass and a half, air-sealed the bottle (which is never a perfect seal) and stuck in the fridge. Now 72 hours later, it's in a much better place. Dark purple color, looks a bit limpid (maybe from the refrigeration). The nose is still a bit primary, but it's opened up now and oozing some really nice dark cherry fruit with a little spice and a little well-integrated oak in the background. Actually reminds me a little of some ripe new world pinot I've had, just a shade darker than that. One the palate this shows some really nicely concentrated fruit, and is on the fuller side, but this is not a thick wine. Most of the heat has gone, and the tannin adds texture to a nice finish. Definitely decant this if you want to drink it now, but if I had more I would put them down for a few years. It's not a hugely structured wine but I think it could use some time.
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Decanted for an hour or so, great color and nose. I felt that as we drank it it lost some of it taste, got some what flat. However did not drink with food, it was a bottle to just drink and relax from the week.
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Decanted this for 2 1/2 hours and drank over dinner and afterward. (Was noticeably stiff and alcohol forward on opening. Still needed some Vinturi to the glass initially to open up.) Dark ruby in the glass. Nose of prunes and red fruits, herbs, spice, powdery dirt. Medium body, strong mid-palate presence with some pecan hull like tannic finish and something like a nickel metallic tone was present later in the evening. It was quite enjoyable with savory and peppery pork, field peas, and onion cheese dip. Yet it seems in an awkward and finicky place right now. If you open one now I'd absolutely make sure you've got 3-4 hours to let it decant before approaching. And you may want to experiment with glass selection - I ultimately went with a Burgundy glass to get it in a good place.
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nose: took a bit to get going and had a bit of heat at first that was noticeable, but then pulled back into tones of roast beef, lavender, black cherries, spice tones, and some bits of black fruits
taste: very good medium body with good supporting tannins and balanced tones of black cherries, liqueur tones, licorice, lavender, and a good bit of spice tones on the back end
overall: this was decanted for around two hours, but needed another hour or so in bottle afterwards to really open up. Once it did open up, it was a lot of quality CdP tones and very well balanced with a savory quality. Could use a couple of more years, but is extremely good right now
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When we first opened it up, there was definitely a tannic heat at the finish. With a 2+ hr decant, that all but disappeared. Now, getting a bit more fruit on the nose, but its still restrained. Very balanced, soft upfront, luscious in the mouth, nice finish with just a little bite. Very nice wine.
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Cork was very dry and broke-up when I tried to remove. The wine tasted fine but I will drink the rest of my bottles. Venturi'd three times and the result was a classic CDP. The finish was a bit bitter just at the end. Bottles came from WL.
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Ruby-black. Moderate nose of currant, leather, smoke and perfume, with some alcohol showing on day 1. Firm on the front of the palate with plum and currant fruits and some secondary flavors. Peppery numbness on the midpalate with good acidity leading to lingering dark fruit and spice on the 20-30 second finish. This is well put together - I feel like there is a lot there and good structure, but that it may need another year or two in the bottle to 'release'. Score based on how it is drinking right now, but I could easily see a significant improvement in the future. Handles it's 15% ABV well.
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Great wine, but the bitter tannin prevented me from liking it more. On the first night it was obviously tight (as one would expect from a 4yr-old CdP). After some vinturi-ing and air, you get a classic CdP nose of intoxicating red and dark fruit. On the palate it was still very tight. Stuffed the cork back, put it in 55F wine fridge and left 2nd half of bottle for second night. Second night, got some notes of oxidation but it was still vibrant. Nose largely unchanged, but the palate opened up quite a bit. Great mix of fruit, acidity and tannin. Wonderful attack and concentrated midpalate. It was the finish that really got me. I'm sensitive to bitter tannin so take it FWIW, but it prevented me from really enjoying this wine. If you're less sensitive to bitterness you will love this wine, as it was otherwise very good.
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Two hour decant. An aggressive, masculine wine despite the soapy notes that others mention. Tons of concentrated red fruit, earth, and minerality that are not at all subtle. Young and big, with high acid and drying tannins. The finish lingers with the strawberry and earthy notes. I'll wait 3-5 years for everything to come together.
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The other reviewers are right in noting a strange metallic/soapy aroma about the wine when first opened, but after a lengthy decant, it began to resemble truffles more closely. Not explosive in the mouth by Chateauneuf standards, but it is complex, with notes of strawberry reduction, licorice, pepper, and earth. A pleasant if funky finish of mushroom and loam. Be aware, however, that it may not be a crowd-pleaser.
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"Pantene Pro-V" shampoo on the nose was the consensus, just enough oakiness, pretty good tannins, on first glass it was alright some strawberry action, we came back to it 2hours later and wow!!!!! this was a whole nuther beast, it was awesome I will definitely decant this next time for 3 hours
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rjrausch has it right - and if I remember correctly, that's the second time this has happened recently. Light color. Plum and strawberry on the nose. Plum, raisin, and a kind of peach liqueur type of taste. I think that's the "mineral" others have noted. Almost like a sauvignon blanc. Which I love when I"m drinking white, but CDP not what I have come to expect. Right after mentioning to someone that I almost never taste a red wine I just don't like, my last two Cinderella wines were that way - the La Cueva del Contador and this one. Not that I totally don't like it, but leaning in that direction. Not one I would choose to have again when there are so many great wines out there.
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On the nose I get some earth, plum, and mineral, maybe a faint iron smell. Not what I was expecting but also intriguing. I also get the plum and maybe some raisin on the palate. I like the dry bite. I also get mineral or metal taste. Much different then the othe CDP's I've had. An interesting wine, but not a tasty beverage.
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I've enjoyed Lesec's rhone wines many times, and this is no exception. Wonderful deep dark fruit but not at all overbearing. Both graceful and powerful. I'll be looking to buy more.
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4/5/2023 - Halfeel Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not a lot of fruit, bu still decent after a good decant and aeration. Only a bit of sediment at 17 years of age.
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7/19/2021 - StainedGlass wrote: 88 Points
Classic CdP profile (earth red and purple fruit, leather) but not particularly complex. Good value for a CdP. Drink now.
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5/9/2021 - LotionInTheBasket Likes this wine:
Wanted something more mature and got it. This drinks well. 3 hour decant. Garnet you can't see through and it somehow looks and swirls lighter. Nose is stewed red fruits, rhubarb on a tart note, anise, licorice, vanilla, some all spice. Front hits with a blend of red fruits, Raspberry being what I get most, slight cherry. Mature fruit, pie material, well integrated. Acidity {medium+} kicks in headed towards mid and potent, nice woody funk, griippy tannins underlying dried red florals coming to the table. Great textural transitions and nuances. You can pull on a lot of fun threads with this wine. Finish lingers nicely and I find it super satisfying, I can take a nice breather between sips; think on it. May not be firing on all its younger cylinders, its all OK, it has a whole bunch of fun things to enjoy and dissect. Can't lose for the money. Time, will also not let this become a long term science project. Enjoy in the best term and should not disappoint.
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8/19/2020 - Rich S wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for sediment. Light garnet color. Nose of cherry cough drop, licorice, slightly stewed/baked red fruits. Similar flavors on the palate with a definite cough drop and licorice note on the back end. Medium- acid, medium+ tannin with a bit of heat on the finish. Probably would have been better a few years ago so I would drink up if holding any.
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5/13/2020 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
The flavors lack focus but the wine is well structured,and aged well.
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5/12/2020 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 90 Points
For some odd reason, it felt a bit more tannic than two years ago. Fruit is still intact. Very fresh. Alcohol in check. If you have any left, decant or lie down for a couple of years. Good bottle, just needs some air.
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3/14/2020 - gquigs Likes this wine: 89 Points
Earth and anise on the nose. Raspberry, savory, soft tannins and a long finish
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3/10/2020 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still in a nice drinking window at 14 years....spice, currants, leather, prunes...a big fan of Patrick Lesec's CDP's!
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1/22/2020 - winepog wrote: 91 Points
A little tight on opening, but came around after a the bottle got a little air. Worth the wait and drinking well.
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10/14/2019 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soft and smooth with dried red fruit, subtle herb and toast. Might be on the downside but still drinking well. Very nice pairing with a pork loin, butternut squash, and strawberry applesauce.
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8/26/2019 - SMHalps wrote: 88 Points
Opened but not decanted at home, alongside a 1999 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir. The Lesec was disappointing. Seemed to be a clunky one note CdP. It was a lost bottle in my cellar. Not even on my Cellartracker inventory.
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6/29/2019 - NoWineWiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP. Nicely blended nose and palate of cherry, red raspberry, vanilla, savory spice and a hint of white pepper. Soft tannins and silky finish.
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3/24/2019 - IlonaN wrote: 88 Points
Certainly in the "drinkable" category, well structured but marred by a slightly bitter stemmy note in the midpalate. I was expecting a better showing from this Lesec bottling.
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11/3/2018 - mwneil wrote: 88 Points
Not much bouquet, dark color, good fruit and balance as wine has mellowed with aging, however, alcohol burns on the finish and basically lowers your overall impression of the wine, did not find much complexity , enjoyed wine but nothing special, drank with magret of duck.
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10/28/2018 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very restrained for CdP. It feels like ripe Burgundy but with more licorice, herbal notes. It is a powerful wine but not overstated. We drank it out of the cellar, so it was a bit cold. That may have helped too. Love CdP with this level of elegance and finesse.
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10/5/2018 - gquigs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brick red. Initially the nose had some funk, but it opened into red fruit. Tasting, red fruit, cherry and raspberry. Some grip from the tannins, nice acidity. Delicious.
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3/21/2018 - studleytrey wrote: 89 Points
Deep garnet color. Aromas of dark and dark red fruits, Kirsch, garrigue, wet slate, earth, dry leaves, cinnamon, and mineral. Medium body, medium (+) acid and finish, a bit of alcohol burn from the 15% here, and flavors of Kirsch and cherry, plum, black currant, and a strong mineral core. Tannins a little grippy, but I'm not sure I'd hold this one a whole lot longer. The alcohol is a little detracting, but otherwise a perfect snow day sipper and pairing for our leftover Persian lamb meatballs in tomato turmeric rice today.
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1/31/2018 - Kentw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nicely balanced. Peaking at this time. Medium body with red and dark fruits mix. Friends enjoyed it.
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1/6/2018 - df1962 wrote: 94 Points
PnD let air for 1hr. Deep clear garnet with clear rim. Local cherry plums garrigue. Medium weight with silky tannins. Big complex elegant fresh with flavours. Lingering herbal finish. Lots of life ahead but hard to resist right now.
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6/10/2017 - winepog wrote: 90 Points
Well made with a strong spine surrounded with light tanins, juicy acidity and restrained fruit.
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4/9/2017 - costacasa wrote: 91 Points
Amazing 11 year old wine. It needed almost a day to fully open up, but it is well worth the wait. Any heat this may have had, has disappeared. The tannins have softened considerably. So many subtle flavors. I like this so much better than 3 years ago.
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3/19/2017 - DesMarteau wrote: 92 Points
Great! Perfect window to drink
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1/13/2017 - NoWineWiz wrote: 91 Points
PnP Well balanced and enjoyable with a long finish. Improved over the next hour and the following night (poured 1/2 into a 375 ml. for next night)
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10/23/2016 - John O' Likes this wine: 94 Points
Don't drink much CdP. This was wonderful. Big, no evidence of any fading.
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2/22/2016 - bin905 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Garrigue, kirsch and cassis scent. Rich, mouth-filling, coffee, tart cherry, cranberry, fig and anise flavor with plentiful grippy tannins and a long finish. Big, exuberant, hot.
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10/30/2015 - RichardP wrote: 91 Points
Menthol and iodine on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, olive tapenade/iodine, and a white pepper note on the finish, with moderate tannins and acidity. The 15% alcohol shows a little bit, but not enough to be a distraction. I'm not sure this will improve any more as it ages. Not a great Chateauneuf, but an excellent value at about $30.
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2/13/2015 - dsgris wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby, cherries with olives on the nose. Drying lightly tart tannins with fruit in the background, cherries with some stone fruit bitter, mostly dominated by the tannins on the PnP 89 Pts. Needs more acid, but the tannins will carry for several more years. Improved overnight with better balance, bold fruit & body, tannins have calmed & lost most of the bitter. Nicely balanced in favor of the cherry fruit over the acids and tannins. Smooth mouthfeel with some heet, showing iodine with the chewy tannins.
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11/27/2014 - DaddyNeedsPow wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly closed down even with decanting, and showing distractingly bitter tannins. The nose is concentrated and shows some elegant CdP character, but it's difficult to be charmed by such a weighty one-dimensional palette.
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10/10/2014 - gtonn Likes this wine: 89 Points
Muted nose. Not much fruit after 30 minute decant. Muted tannins. Good, but not much to crow about!
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6/14/2014 - merryberry Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very consistent with my note from 2 years ago. Still has some surprisingly aggressive tannins, but the finish is better now.
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5/19/2014 - RDHudak wrote: 90 Points
Informal notes, but this did not really impress. Minimal CdP profile, this tasted more like a nondescript French wine of some sort. Not bad, just not much fruit, spice or structure. Decent sub $20 wine.
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4/16/2014 - dsgris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby, slightly funky olive, cherry nose. Dry, stemmy tannins, bold fruit and body, getting the olive notes along with cherries, dusty bitter chocolate tannins on the finish. Needs to mellow a bit. Plenty of aging potential. Another night, a little sweetness showing with some stemmy tannins along with some bitter notes. Further glass time has done wonders for the balance of fruit and tannins. This just keeps getting better, big and balanced with the tannins providing the anchor. If you can score more for $20, go for it!
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1/10/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle of four bottles purchased back in 2009. Considerable development over the last two years. Decanted briefly. Dark garnet color, medium body. Pleasant nose of garrigue, dried herbs, tart cherry, red chewy licorice, spicy plum, leather, and some still noticeable oak which disapaits with air. Dry and slightly austere mouthfeel, the antithesis of the "fruit bomb", which I found appealing. Tannins have settled. Strong finish. Pretty good considering I'm not a big CdP aficionado.
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1/5/2014 - whitmanlholt wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. This is a medium red wine. The nose carries notes of garrigue and cherry, all with a slight sulfur note. The nose is the best part of this wine. In the mouth, this is lively and somewhat sweet, with a finish that lingers for 15-20 seconds. Overall, this is a solid and enjoyable wine, with classic CdP traits. 91 points.
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11/22/2013 - Bumbanian Likes this wine: 91 Points
N: Beef blood, Caramel, kirsch, cranberries, blackberries. Beautiful package. P: Dirty, Earthy on the palate with some tobacco. A bit bitter on the finish but otherwise nice and smooth from front to back.
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10/19/2013 - David_T wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant mix of red fruit, earth & herbs. Integrated moderate tannins/acidity. Drink now or over the next few years. Nothing too complex, though nice.
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10/5/2013 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. This is a darker shade of red. The nose is classic CdP, with notes of garrigue, kirsch, and slate. In the mouth, this conveys juicy sweet cherries, arching up into a tempered but lingering finish. Overall, this is a right-down-the-line bottle of CdP that fits within expectations for the vintage. Should remain enjoyable at least through 2016. 90 points.
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8/4/2013 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour prior to drinking. Drinking well right now. Don't see a reason to hold much longer. Tasted slightly older than an 06. Rich, sweet dark red fruit. Well balanced.
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6/19/2013 - ksde wrote: 88 Points
Great nose but the palate is a bit astringent and it does not improve with hours of decanting.This was much better over dinner than later sipping the last glass.
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3/10/2013 - KSWinegeek wrote: 91 Points
Cherry nose. Delicious, balanced, and well constructed. Drinking just fine right now.
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2/11/2013 - vinniemontoni wrote: 91 Points
Decanted through Vinturi for 90 mins. Nose of red fruits, clove, cinnamon and plenty of alcohol left. Medium texture. Palate of blueberries, cassis, spice, vanilla & some oak. Complex & lengthy finish. Will definitely seek again.
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2/11/2013 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 90 Points
Not sure why I only bought one of these, three years ago. But I'm happy I opened it now for my February CdP Month. Fine dark color. Elegant aromas of fall flowers and summer berries. Pleasantly complex palate, merging dark cherries, with baking spices, and muted tannins. A nice medium finish, echoing notes of its terroir. This gentleman does love Blonds -- at least those of Les Galets.
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1/19/2013 - bg3034 wrote: 91 Points
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Dark ruby color. On the nose, a little funk with dark red berries and a little blue berry. Some spice and vanilla. On the palate, very interesting. Some cherry cola, with some oak. Moderate tannins and a long finish. Nice balance. 91+ pts. Aloha!
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1/15/2013 - dfarley Likes this wine: 91 Points
Liked much better than the last bottle. Cranberries and some barnyard on the nose. Full bodied, cranberry, cherry on the palette. Tannins still abundant but not overbearing. Overall really enjoyed.
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1/6/2013 - nav2u wrote: 91 Points
As before, drinking nicely now.
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11/30/2012 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Give this 90 minutes of air. Earthy, with a touch of barnyard funk on the nose. Drying tannins on a mid-length finish. Definitely has a sense of place. This is not an over the top CdP. A wonderful food companion.
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11/23/2012 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
PnP, through vinituri vinituri ( which helps)
Interesting wine that I want to like more than I do. Pretty color, good nose, unique palate that I can't quite explain. Starts as a clearly identifiable CdP, then loses its way. Nonetheless, it has its own (unique) character that someone is going to like. Dark fruit, cola? Some earth element. Drink now, don't buy again...
I'll listen to Vaynerchuk on whites. Reds? Not so miuch...
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11/18/2012 - yasgurdj wrote: 90 Points
Dark color. Muted nose. Velvet viscous mouthfeel. Peppery black guitar. Nice finish.
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11/10/2012 - wmccone54 wrote: 86 Points
Definitely requires a 30 -60 minute decant. Very tightly wound until it gets some air. Hot at 15% ABV. Slowly starts to reveal faint aromas of sour cherry, spice, licorice, and leather. Initially a bit austere on the palate tasting a bit like cherry cough syrup with hints of leather, tobacco, and some herbal notes. A rustic, chewy texture leads to a very dry, slightly tannic finish.
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10/28/2012 - dfarley wrote: 86 Points
PnP at a friends house for dinner. A bit austere - probably should have decanted to let it open up. Complemented beef dish nicely but didn't really standout. Have one bottle remaining that I'll probably open soon and take a bit more time to evaluate.
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10/20/2012 - rjrausch wrote: 82 Points
On the nose I get a strong cherry cough syrup aroma. Fortunately it doesn't taste like cough syrup. I do pick up cherries and dirt on the palate. Ok as a change of pace wine.
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9/25/2012 - benkearney wrote: 92 Points
A much bigger, darker, and more aggressive wine than I am used to from CdP. I really enjoyed it, but I am not a typical CdP fan so it might be more of a stylistic thing for me. Flavor was sour red fruits, with some floral and even bacon. Nicely balanced tannins and good structure with a super smooth flavor and finish. Went great with tri-tip off the grill.
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9/22/2012 - gkjrs wrote: 90 Points
Bold for cdp. Dry smooth finish with well structured drink. Amazing companion with a cigar as well.
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7/15/2012 - Bumbanian wrote: 91 Points
N: cherry, raspberry, anise, cumin, rhubarb. P: tannic, grippy, char and darker berry notes than the nose would imply. An edgy and masculine expression to drink with beef.
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7/9/2012 - David_T wrote: 85 Points
Tasted over two nights. The nose has a nice earthiness on top of dark red fruits. The palate however just never turned into anything special. Better on the first night, there was also earth and fruit, but not much acid/tannin structure to add depth. On the second night it was more bacon notes but even less structure. Nothing bad just not special. We'll see what time does for it, hopefully this is just an awkward stage.
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6/27/2012 - JeremyQ wrote: 89 Points
no detailed TNs - took to a French bistro for dinner. Remembered it to be decent but nothing very memorable.
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6/18/2012 - Ellenkf Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Lovely medium garnet color, extremely long legged, sweet sweet delicious aromas of cherry, strawberry fruit leather, and a little burnt toast. Zero earth or funk. Peppery, meaty med-full bodied, puckery tannins that finish soft. Unlike the sweet aromas, the flavors are more sour cherry but tinges of something(anise?) that remain in the mouth coating, smooth long finish. Fantastic with lightly seasoned bison steaks. Surprising: day two really fell off and tasted remarkably thinner. Might require shaving a point or two off my initial score of 93.
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6/16/2012 - LorenGrossman wrote: 89 Points
Delicious and well made wine. Notes of cherry licorice, apricot and citrus. Good weight, nice lively peppery palate, fine furry finish. On sale these days for around $20 and at that price a huge value.
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5/28/2012 - merryberry wrote: 89 Points
Deep yet translucent garnet. Mashed strawberry plants, river stones, leather and tar nose. Full bodied, pomegranates, tart raspberries, redwood, grainy grainy tannins, green bell peppers, and a slightly puckish medium to long finish. I really got a sense of terrior from this, and I liked it.
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2/6/2012 - Eugene wrote: 87 Points
Lots of plum, figs and raisins.
The wine is jammier and fruitier than your typical earthy CDP.
High alcohol wine although pretty well balanced by fruit and acidity.
Decanted for 1 hr. Drinking well now although there's no rush to finish the remaining stock.
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2/5/2012 - MindMuse wrote: 89 Points
I used half of this to make what I called "Texas Chili-neuf-du-Pape" chili, which was darn successful and aromatic. The rest, of course, paired well. Rather fruit forward with blueberry, raspberry, and sage and sweet spices.
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1/13/2012 - Dar3 wrote: 89 Points
Not quite the flavor profile for me in a chateauneuf. Particularly for the first half hour. This did improve throughout the course of the night, but I wouldn't quite give it the ratings dished out by the pros. Maybe it needed more air. I will say that it was fairly well balanced and not too acidic.
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12/25/2011 - rbb100 wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby color with classic CduP fruit notes. Full-bodied with layers of fruit, smooth tannins, and a lovely, long finish
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12/23/2011 - mwkoehler wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for a bare 20 minutes and paired with a porterhouse steak for two. Perfection!
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12/19/2011 - Adventr.us wrote: 91 Points
PnP with a twist - based on previous reviews, I dug into the drawer and found an "in the bottle aerator" to give the juice a bit of air. Went well with the beef brisket our neighbor served up. Tannins were softer than I expected from the previous reviews, and we didn't let it sit long enough to judge whether it might fall apart. Definitely picked up the raisin and deep fruits everyone else did. We'll wait a while before opening the next one.
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11/29/2011 - angelo619 wrote:
As others have noted, this wine fell of a cliff on day 2, yet was very tannic on day 1. Very hard to score.
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11/7/2011 - Tickman wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding wine! Very bold. Heavy. Dark. Very well balanced and well rounded. Dark cherry notes...somewhat dry finish
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11/5/2011 - yasgurdj wrote: 90 Points
Popped n poured thru my nuance. Dark translucent color. Black pepper black berry nose. Tight tannins. Delishhh.
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11/5/2011 - ksigerman wrote:
Somewhat disappointing. I am a big fan of CDP and I drink lots of them. Was really looking forward to this one, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Light color, tight nose. Very tannic with intense flavor of fruit and spice. A little bitterness and a noticeable alcohol taste. It was good but I won't pay for it again. Note: I did not decant this wine like I originally intended and I suspect that decanting might have helped, plus it might also be a bit too young, so I'm not leaving a rating.
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10/16/2011 - BuffaloLou wrote:
On the PnP, this was grossly tannic. Decanted. Unfortunately did not get back to the wine until 4+ hours later when the wine was near flat and didn't have much going on. Not going to rate as I might be unfair to the wine. That said, it should have a longer drinking window than a few hours...
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10/6/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
Opened well but I'm marking it down because on day 2 it totally fell apart and was barely drinkable.
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9/7/2011 - Justin B wrote:
Decent on day 1, but still not like I remember. Day 2 was no good. Maybe an off bottle, so no score.
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8/18/2011 - JJKinch wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit (blueberry, plum), tannic, slight minerality (agree with soy sauce remark below), anise, slight spice, roasted meats. Better than last bottle - probably would benefit from more time. Opened 1 hr before and benefited from being cooled.
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6/27/2011 - daveTex wrote: 89 Points
Color: inky dark purple. Nose: plum, cedar, mushroom, red fruits. Lovely. Taste: blueberry, plum, also cedar and a little spice. Decent length, still lots of tannin. Gets some real spice after a few minutes. A touch high on alcohol, a little short on length, but those are minor complaints.
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6/24/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Nice nose, black fruits, roasted meats, anise, sage. On the palate, black raspberry, black cherry, anise, sage, leather, vanilla. Finishes with nice balance. Open for business, but no big hurry. Drink or hold.
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6/20/2011 - The Wine Write wrote: 91 Points
Popped & poured. Nose rather tight initially...some dark red fruit. Really nice on the palate. Creamy red fruit, finishing with bittersweet chocolate. Really nice.
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5/27/2011 - winetennis wrote: 90 Points
needs an hour, minimum, of air; great raisin and dark grape palate. Wonderful expression of the grenache; save this for a delicious occasion.
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5/15/2011 - Bumbanian wrote: 93 Points
This is in a great place right now! Soy sauce and herbs dominate the nose, the palate is well balanced and transitions smoothly. Great body and structure - elegant, full and lush withought being weighty. Silky mouthfeel and lingerig umami notes.
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4/20/2011 - bajayngo wrote:
was exactly what I want in a CDP at 1st. Desert air, sage brush, hot stones, melted licorice, raspberries. Just delicious. But re opened half btl and it must have been leaking air as it was all alc and prunes.
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4/17/2011 - thatrick wrote: 89 Points
After 71 notes there is not much left to add. Earthy with a slight bitterness. Overall a good wine.
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4/15/2011 - stevenjstein wrote: 87 Points
Big, plummy, red fruit that settles down a bit after some air. Lots of earthy, bitter, tannins on the back end. Strangely, this bottle seems much more tannic than I remember the previous bottle being, even though I drank that one several months ago.
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4/4/2011 - JJKinch wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for an hour. Tight - tannic, a little heat, oak, dark fruit (blueberry), decent finish. The fruit is more pronounced on the 2nd ngiht, anise, slight spice - still pretty tight. Fine wine but not really my style.
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3/11/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 90 Points
Everything that ppl have been saying, but in addition seems a little our of balance to me. Don't get me wrong, I like big wines. This gave me a rubbing alcohol aversion though. Apart from that, great.
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2/14/2011 - Senor_Underhill wrote: 91 Points
Classic CDP. Great earthy notes. Accompanied rack of lamb perfectly.
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2/6/2011 - MuseMaven wrote: 92 Points
Nose a bit reticent upon opening. Very light strawberry. Color is a fairly light, translucent ruby red. Fireworks in the mouth! A little bitterness initially, some smoky aspect. Good fruit and very firm tannins. Long, long finish with tannin to spare - could use more time and possibly decanting. Next day, much smoother and just as satisfying. Much more on the nose (no notes). Excellent fruit and balance. Will lay the rest down for awhile.
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2/1/2011 - wine n joy wrote: 89 Points
deep purple ruby color, dark fruit, currants. Medium body and tannins, moderate finish. Paired nicely with lasagne
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1/28/2011 - kahuna75 wrote: 90 Points
really started to open up by time we got to this- spent 90 minutes in decanter and I think a few more hours would have helped it more- I have 5 more laying in wait- dark fruit abounds on this wine with big structure, nice tanin some leather and earthy notes- have only had a few 06 CDP's but it would seem they may need alot of decant time or some years sideways
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1/20/2011 - corkscrews wrote: 88 Points
A nose of earth and funk, needs long decant, dark amber in color. Medium to full bodied with cassis, black cherry, licorice and pepper, I am guessing that I should have waited a few more years to drink as I did not find it all that enjoyable.
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12/26/2010 - zarenina wrote: 91 Points
Good
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12/22/2010 - NJ BIG CHRIS wrote: 90 Points
not a lot of nose here. tastes great. needs aging for sure.....
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12/16/2010 - baseballvino wrote: 92 Points
Took to a friends house for dinner so no formal note. Everyone loved it. Decanted about an hour and should have taken 2+. This was excellent.
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12/9/2010 - Glorfindel wrote: 92 Points
still a little closed after decanting for 2 hours. Some more cellar time will help.
nose: Chalky, cranberries. Big red fruits.
palate: Delicious, smooth, cherries and red fruits.
finish: long and smooth. Well controlled tannins. A bit of spice, maybe some black pepper.
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12/4/2010 - Mig22 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Drank with a roast duck with sage. Paired perfectly. Much better than the first bottle, deeper fruit, softer and smoother mouthfeel. A real joy.
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11/24/2010 - winepups wrote: 91 Points
Very young but showing tremendous potential and will be outstanding. Great nose of dark fruit, casis, will be excellent in 5+ years. Not nearly as open at i was told the 2006 Cdps are supposed to be.
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11/20/2010 - tourette wrote: 91 Points
This went well with my recent sense of despair about life. Driven to drink by my existential crisis, what better bottle to drink by ones self than a purely hedonistic one such as this.
Super smooth, plush, fruit forward, modern, and oh so yummy. I generally prefer the more classic, traditional style of CdP, but today this hit the spot.
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11/8/2010 - brigcampbell wrote:
OC Poker VIII; 11/6/2010-11/8/2010 (WCC - Irvine CA): Blind
n: good earthy showing
p: lots of pepper with some spice and smooth mouthfeel
f: very long
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11/6/2010 - WetRock wrote:
OC Poker For Wine VIII: Grenache Blind (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Served Blind. Baked fruits with notes of brown sugar and cardboard on the nose. Tight palate and very tannic but also short and showing wood. I think this needs some time but the potential also seemed limited. Hard to say.
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11/6/2010 - grafstrb wrote:
OCP4W VIII (WCC in Irvine, CA): -- tasted a single glass blind over 10 minutes --
NOSE: smoky; hints of tangerine and sausage; moderately expressive, but does seem a bit tight.
TASTE: garent color with slight bricking; strong tannins; muted dark fruits; closed; thought this might be a shut-down '04 CdP.
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10/15/2010 - mmurry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about 4 hours. The nose had black currant and tar, dried cherries and earth, pepper, and a little oak. The palate rich and juicy, with sweet berries and earth, tar and pepper, and a very good vanilla finish.
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10/10/2010 - scotty_b wrote: 92 Points
I understimated this wine. On pop and pour it was way too hot and bitter. After 4 hour decant this wine is singing. Nose of mocha, anise, dark cherry, and flowers. It made me remember why I love CdP. 2 more years and this wine will be in its prime.
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10/8/2010 - wirelesswine wrote: 88 Points
Eh...glad I got this with the heavy Cindy discount. Decanted 3 hours, the nose has some red fruit and is almost port-like in the profile with some added forest floor. Tasting this wine is almost confusing; it's fairly sweet, yet quite bitter on the finish so it all culminates into a slightly awkward package. In fairness, there are some interesting flavor overtones, and that bitter finish also displays good minerality.
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10/4/2010 - brooklynwine wrote: 87 Points
A bit too tannic after several hours decanting. Raspberry, spice and some musty soil. Good wine but nothing great.
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10/3/2010 - Johnny C NYC wrote: 92 Points
Glass-gripper; big taste of darker fruit and tannins complementing well now out of bottle; a sweet but lively and deep CdP 50/5/12/17/8
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8/24/2010 - Bluedevil99 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 10 min, consumed over 2 hrs. Nose of strawberry, smoked pork, tar, mint, and pepper. Similar on the palate, with loads of tight but finely textured tannins, and enough acidity to keep it fresh. Alcohol prominent at first but blew off with air. Also picked up some complexity (asian spices and maybe a hint of florals) but this still needed a longer decant. 90+ now, but I think this will get better with some bottle age.
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8/16/2010 - pete s. wrote:
See previous note - Needs some time. Alcohol never really blew off and tannins seemed overpowering. Good potential though.
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8/14/2010 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice, fairly well-balanced, CDP. Good fruit, but could have used a bit more structure.
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8/10/2010 - kaptainreboot wrote: 89 Points
One word brings the most of this wine. Decant, Decant, Decant.Still young IMO with time the high alcohol may disapate.
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8/5/2010 - ed-d wrote: 86 Points
Dark brown color with ruby highlights. Sappy black raspberry on the nose. Thick & viscous on entry, but light on its feet. A serious alcoholic burn on the finish. Way too much here & way out of balance.
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8/3/2010 - clogananderson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted much like the seared steak it accompanied. Not much fruit to speak of, still a bit tight. Decanted 6hrs+. silky mouthfeel.
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7/25/2010 - Mig22 wrote: 90 Points
Hmmm. Closted a bit even after decanting. It had nice fruit and a bit of smoke to it. Drank with a spice-rubbed charcoal grilled pork tenderloin and it paired well. The spicing on the pork was savory and potent so it stood up to the wine. More time might help.
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7/20/2010 - quagland wrote:
Dark color
This wine was smoky, red fruits and the alcohol was a tad high
Not a bad wine and typified the normal thick CDP flavors of game and smoke
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7/11/2010 - ironmics wrote: 92 Points
My first CdP, so I can't say anything of its typicity, but I thought it was fantastic. Strawberries dominated the fruit the whole time across three days. Secondary notes evolved a lot though, started rather gamey and smoky, shifted towards mostly black pepper, then to chocately/mocha flavors throughout the first night. After awhile all of them came back and worked nicely together. Good finish and mouth feel throughout, a bit of heat, but not enough to bother me.
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7/4/2010 - swturner63 wrote: 88 Points
Underwhelming. Was expecting more. Probably should have left this wine alone for a few years before drinking it. Didn't seem to have typical notes of a Chateauneuf du Pape. Too young.
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6/22/2010 - pupaes wrote: 88 Points
popped and poured.nose of alcohol,iodine and red beets.tannic and peppery. finish seemed lacking.12 hours of air smoothed it out.not what i had expected stylewise from a good cpd.not for me.
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6/21/2010 - coremill Likes this wine: 89 Points
On night one, I opened this several hours before drinking but didn't decant. Probably a mistake. It was tight as a drum. Closed, primary nose of reddish fruit, some more nice fruit on the palate until this wave of heat and tannin hits. I had about a glass and a half, air-sealed the bottle (which is never a perfect seal) and stuck in the fridge. Now 72 hours later, it's in a much better place. Dark purple color, looks a bit limpid (maybe from the refrigeration). The nose is still a bit primary, but it's opened up now and oozing some really nice dark cherry fruit with a little spice and a little well-integrated oak in the background. Actually reminds me a little of some ripe new world pinot I've had, just a shade darker than that. One the palate this shows some really nicely concentrated fruit, and is on the fuller side, but this is not a thick wine. Most of the heat has gone, and the tannin adds texture to a nice finish. Definitely decant this if you want to drink it now, but if I had more I would put them down for a few years. It's not a hugely structured wine but I think it could use some time.
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6/20/2010 - NH WINO wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour or so, great color and nose. I felt that as we drank it it lost some of it taste, got some what flat. However did not drink with food, it was a bottle to just drink and relax from the week.
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6/19/2010 - MindMuse wrote: 90 Points
Decanted this for 2 1/2 hours and drank over dinner and afterward. (Was noticeably stiff and alcohol forward on opening. Still needed some Vinturi to the glass initially to open up.) Dark ruby in the glass. Nose of prunes and red fruits, herbs, spice, powdery dirt. Medium body, strong mid-palate presence with some pecan hull like tannic finish and something like a nickel metallic tone was present later in the evening. It was quite enjoyable with savory and peppery pork, field peas, and onion cheese dip. Yet it seems in an awkward and finicky place right now. If you open one now I'd absolutely make sure you've got 3-4 hours to let it decant before approaching. And you may want to experiment with glass selection - I ultimately went with a Burgundy glass to get it in a good place.
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6/6/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
nose: took a bit to get going and had a bit of heat at first that was noticeable, but then pulled back into tones of roast beef, lavender, black cherries, spice tones, and some bits of black fruits
taste: very good medium body with good supporting tannins and balanced tones of black cherries, liqueur tones, licorice, lavender, and a good bit of spice tones on the back end
overall: this was decanted for around two hours, but needed another hour or so in bottle afterwards to really open up. Once it did open up, it was a lot of quality CdP tones and very well balanced with a savory quality. Could use a couple of more years, but is extremely good right now
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6/2/2010 - scotty_b wrote: 90 Points
Great fruit, great spice. Smooth, balanced and nice tannins on the finish. The only knock on this one is the alcohol on the nose.
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5/29/2010 - tmarman wrote: 92 Points
When we first opened it up, there was definitely a tannic heat at the finish. With a 2+ hr decant, that all but disappeared. Now, getting a bit more fruit on the nose, but its still restrained. Very balanced, soft upfront, luscious in the mouth, nice finish with just a little bite. Very nice wine.
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5/28/2010 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Cork was very dry and broke-up when I tried to remove. The wine tasted fine but I will drink the rest of my bottles. Venturi'd three times and the result was a classic CDP. The finish was a bit bitter just at the end. Bottles came from WL.
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5/26/2010 - kscopela wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle with good fruit but lacks a little character.
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5/23/2010 - Bumbanian wrote: 91 Points
Ruby-black. Moderate nose of currant, leather, smoke and perfume, with some alcohol showing on day 1. Firm on the front of the palate with plum and currant fruits and some secondary flavors. Peppery numbness on the midpalate with good acidity leading to lingering dark fruit and spice on the 20-30 second finish. This is well put together - I feel like there is a lot there and good structure, but that it may need another year or two in the bottle to 'release'. Score based on how it is drinking right now, but I could easily see a significant improvement in the future. Handles it's 15% ABV well.
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5/20/2010 - DRod wrote:
Great wine, but the bitter tannin prevented me from liking it more. On the first night it was obviously tight (as one would expect from a 4yr-old CdP). After some vinturi-ing and air, you get a classic CdP nose of intoxicating red and dark fruit. On the palate it was still very tight. Stuffed the cork back, put it in 55F wine fridge and left 2nd half of bottle for second night.
Second night, got some notes of oxidation but it was still vibrant. Nose largely unchanged, but the palate opened up quite a bit. Great mix of fruit, acidity and tannin. Wonderful attack and concentrated midpalate. It was the finish that really got me. I'm sensitive to bitter tannin so take it FWIW, but it prevented me from really enjoying this wine. If you're less sensitive to bitterness you will love this wine, as it was otherwise very good.
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5/16/2010 - winegr wrote:
Good stuff.
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5/15/2010 - pete s. wrote: 90 Points
Two hour decant. An aggressive, masculine wine despite the soapy notes that others mention. Tons of concentrated red fruit, earth, and minerality that are not at all subtle. Young and big, with high acid and drying tannins. The finish lingers with the strawberry and earthy notes. I'll wait 3-5 years for everything to come together.
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5/15/2010 - heythatslife wrote: 92 Points
The other reviewers are right in noting a strange metallic/soapy aroma about the wine when first opened, but after a lengthy decant, it began to resemble truffles more closely. Not explosive in the mouth by Chateauneuf standards, but it is complex, with notes of strawberry reduction, licorice, pepper, and earth. A pleasant if funky finish of mushroom and loam. Be aware, however, that it may not be a crowd-pleaser.
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5/15/2010 - collinb227 wrote: 90 Points
"Pantene Pro-V" shampoo on the nose was the consensus,
just enough oakiness, pretty good tannins,
on first glass it was alright some strawberry action,
we came back to it 2hours later and wow!!!!!
this was a whole nuther beast, it was awesome
I will definitely decant this next time for 3 hours
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5/14/2010 - rabs wrote: 85 Points
rjrausch has it right - and if I remember correctly, that's the second time this has happened recently. Light color. Plum and strawberry on the nose. Plum, raisin, and a kind of peach liqueur type of taste. I think that's the "mineral" others have noted. Almost like a sauvignon blanc. Which I love when I"m drinking white, but CDP not what I have come to expect. Right after mentioning to someone that I almost never taste a red wine I just don't like, my last two Cinderella wines were that way - the La Cueva del Contador and this one. Not that I totally don't like it, but leaning in that direction. Not one I would choose to have again when there are so many great wines out there.
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5/11/2010 - rjrausch wrote: 85 Points
On the nose I get some earth, plum, and mineral, maybe a faint iron smell. Not what I was expecting but also intriguing. I also get the plum and maybe some raisin on the palate. I like the dry bite. I also get mineral or metal taste. Much different then the othe CDP's I've had. An interesting wine, but not a tasty beverage.
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5/9/2010 - jim dixon wrote: 92 Points
I've enjoyed Lesec's rhone wines many times, and this is no exception. Wonderful deep dark fruit but not at all overbearing. Both graceful and powerful. I'll be looking to buy more.
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