Old World Bordeaux on the nose and palate. Kind of surprising that it is predominately Merlot, but aging in the cellar under perfect conditions has changed it to seem like a left bank wine. Very nice, and a steal at $23 delivered from WA state.
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When I opened this, I felt like an old funky Bordeaux and this certainly delivered. I do not agree with others - to me, this has lots of life left and is exactly where I like a mature Bordeaux to be.
On opening, this has some mushroom/forest floor funk, but not as much as I would have expected. There is still a good amount of (drying) fruit. After opening, I poured a glass and let the open bottle and glass sit in the cellar for about three hours.
Color: shows some bricking at the rim, this has a really beautiful color. Nose: a tad subdued at first, some sour bright cherries, mushrooms/sous bois, plums, a tad of chocolate, and a touch of greenness. Palate: more of the same. Some plums, sour cherries, more pronounced greenness, mushrooms, a bit of herbs (like some rosemary - but just a hint). Medium body. Medium plus acidity. Tannins are still a bit grippy. I think that this could probably age for a couple more years easily. After about five hours of being opened, this developed quite a bit of complexity and body.
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Fantastic showing tonight. Perfectly resolved tannins, with a nice mix of fresh fruits and mature notes of leather, mushrooms and loam. Not a lot of concentration and depth, but this makes up for it in sheer drinkability, relative complexity wonderful balance. This is in a great spot and I wish I had more to pop this winter. Liquid silk.
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Light, soft, well-resolved Bordeaux that while there is not much depth, has enough mature notes to make this interesting. Quite good for the price. UPDATE: this was worse on day two, taking a dried, oxidative and balsamic character. Not one to age... drink up.
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Saturday nite's alright for...tasting: Labeled as "wine #1" in a 3 wine blind tasting lineup of reds this evening. This wine appeared noticeably older than the others, with a beautiful brick red color, gently fading to a tawny rim. Guessed 2004-2005 vintage. On the nose, a bit of barnyard funk was front and center, followed by wet soil, black cherry, espresso grounds, and bitter dark chocolate. I immediately thought "Bordeaux"...but in talking with the group, as the wine opened up and revealed tobacco leaf aromas, we settled on an Italian wine. Maybe a Super Tuscan, we weren't sure. Flavors echoed from the nose, with earthiness and deep black fruits, some mineral and rocky notes, with tart and tense acidity, and nicely astringent tannins...obviously an old world profile. The finish was nice, but nothing intense or overly special, showing that this wine wasn't a "top shelf" example...but very good, nonetheless. Drinking nicely now, and through 2018+. Found out it was a $20 Bordeaux (70% Merlot)...a steal at that price.
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Leather, cigar box, wet rock, cedar, stewed fruit, light red fruit, medium plus acidity, tannin present on the medium-short finish. Good weekday dinner drinker.
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Not a wine to cellar, but drinking well right now. A bit soft on the finish, but the aged Bordeaux notes of leather, cedar, earth and dried florals are there, just a lighter presentation. A bit dilute on the finish, but this does provide enjoyment at a reasonable price.
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not a good TN, but I liked this. Pretty decent daily drinker Bdx. Still has some body, acidity, and life. perhaps 2 more years. Good QPR at $19. Thanks Jon!
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Very pleasant old world style Bordeaux nose of cedar, fruit, floral scent, very pleasant fruit on the palate, even more so with a Vinturi. I wish Garagiste had sent all of my order. Their shipping/communication policies pretty much suck. Why wineaccess.com and others can ship FedEx via climate controlled trucks to regional depots and include it in their free shipping and Garagiste cannot is beyond me, but it sure cuts down on my orders from them, some of which (just recently) have taken 10+ months.
we seem to open 1 a year or after a few months and looking back it's developed pretty well. this time it has a smokey finish with nice caramel we thought. 1 bottle left.
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9/15/2022 - gcarl wrote: 92 Points
Old World Bordeaux on the nose and palate. Kind of surprising that it is predominately Merlot, but aging in the cellar under perfect conditions has changed it to seem like a left bank wine. Very nice, and a steal at $23 delivered from WA state.
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12/30/2020 - Sanfoan Likes this wine:
When I opened this, I felt like an old funky Bordeaux and this certainly delivered. I do not agree with others - to me, this has lots of life left and is exactly where I like a mature Bordeaux to be.
On opening, this has some mushroom/forest floor funk, but not as much as I would have expected. There is still a good amount of (drying) fruit. After opening, I poured a glass and let the open bottle and glass sit in the cellar for about three hours.
Color: shows some bricking at the rim, this has a really beautiful color.
Nose: a tad subdued at first, some sour bright cherries, mushrooms/sous bois, plums, a tad of chocolate, and a touch of greenness.
Palate: more of the same. Some plums, sour cherries, more pronounced greenness, mushrooms, a bit of herbs (like some rosemary - but just a hint). Medium body. Medium plus acidity. Tannins are still a bit grippy. I think that this could probably age for a couple more years easily. After about five hours of being opened, this developed quite a bit of complexity and body.
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3/28/2018 - Francophile Likes this wine: 88 Points
At the end of its window, rather a large amount of sediment even after decanting.
The wine is feeling to have lost some brightness.
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12/16/2017 - gcarl wrote: 90 Points
Similar impressions as those from my 8/6/16 and 5/14/15 posts
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4/21/2017 - 2caveman Likes this wine: 90 Points
nice secondary notes and still with a core of some substance. Nice mature merlot
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4/21/2017 - fmginc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich round ruby color Just delightful and gone
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2/26/2017 - Chateaunole-du-Pape wrote: 90 Points
Nice Bordeaux at a good value... Good for weeknight drinking if you're in a Bordeaux mood but don't want to open anything pricey
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2/26/2017 - fmginc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich fruit softened tannins. Lost of blackberry
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12/15/2016 - Der Weingelehrte wrote: 90 Points
When you want to drink aged bordeaux on a weekday. Fits the bill
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11/17/2016 - redz wrote: 88 Points
consistent with a year ago. Dry, needs food
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8/6/2016 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
TN pretty well match what I wrote on 5/14/15. A nice buy of an old world style Bordeaux blend for $19+ shipping.
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6/30/2016 - dmitchell4 wrote: 90 Points
Ready to drink with air
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3/16/2016 - miadelt Likes this wine: 91 Points
I recommend pop n pour. This wine is great out of the gate and then with time starts to lag. I really enjoy this wine every time. Drink now.
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11/7/2015 - goodbertgrapes wrote: 85 Points
Great nose, nicely developed and ready but a bit thin.
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10/25/2015 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic showing tonight. Perfectly resolved tannins, with a nice mix of fresh fruits and mature notes of leather, mushrooms and loam. Not a lot of concentration and depth, but this makes up for it in sheer drinkability, relative complexity wonderful balance. This is in a great spot and I wish I had more to pop this winter. Liquid silk.
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9/14/2015 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
Light, soft, well-resolved Bordeaux that while there is not much depth, has enough mature notes to make this interesting. Quite good for the price. UPDATE: this was worse on day two, taking a dried, oxidative and balsamic character. Not one to age... drink up.
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9/12/2015 - wine247365 wrote:
Showing it's age, decant for 1 1/2 hrs first.
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9/12/2015 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Saturday nite's alright for...tasting: Labeled as "wine #1" in a 3 wine blind tasting lineup of reds this evening.
This wine appeared noticeably older than the others, with a beautiful brick red color, gently fading to a tawny rim. Guessed 2004-2005 vintage.
On the nose, a bit of barnyard funk was front and center, followed by wet soil, black cherry, espresso grounds, and bitter dark chocolate.
I immediately thought "Bordeaux"...but in talking with the group, as the wine opened up and revealed tobacco leaf aromas, we settled on an Italian wine. Maybe a Super Tuscan, we weren't sure.
Flavors echoed from the nose, with earthiness and deep black fruits, some mineral and rocky notes, with tart and tense acidity, and nicely astringent tannins...obviously an old world profile. The finish was nice, but nothing intense or overly special, showing that this wine wasn't a "top shelf" example...but very good, nonetheless.
Drinking nicely now, and through 2018+.
Found out it was a $20 Bordeaux (70% Merlot)...a steal at that price.
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7/29/2015 - tb76 wrote: 86 Points
Leather, cigar box, wet rock, cedar, stewed fruit, light red fruit, medium plus acidity, tannin present on the medium-short finish. Good weekday dinner drinker.
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7/28/2015 - redz wrote: 88 Points
a little tired, good weekday drinker
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6/28/2015 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Not a wine to cellar, but drinking well right now. A bit soft on the finish, but the aged Bordeaux notes of leather, cedar, earth and dried florals are there, just a lighter presentation. A bit dilute on the finish, but this does provide enjoyment at a reasonable price.
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6/20/2015 - mtaczak wrote:
Drying up. Not clear if it will will turn the corner and blossom or if there just isn't enough fruit to sustain it. Decant 1-2 hours.
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6/9/2015 - Baudelaire wrote: 89 Points
Excellent balance of dark fruits--black cherry, plum. Great tannins, nice finish.
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6/7/2015 - miadelt Likes this wine: 91 Points
PNP. So enjoyable. It is in a perfect spot right now. Smooth, good fruit, complexities of aged Bordeaux, good weight. Great with or without food.
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5/30/2015 - tb76 wrote: 88 Points
Good value for being able to drink an aged Bordeaux, earthy lead in with dark fruit playing a secondary role.
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5/27/2015 - wine247365 wrote:
not a good TN, but I liked this. Pretty decent daily drinker Bdx. Still has some body, acidity, and life. perhaps 2 more years. Good QPR at $19. Thanks Jon!
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5/22/2015 - brinko99 wrote: 88 Points
Overwhelming brett but otherwise enjoyable. Aging gracefully, subtle fruit still showing, tertiary flavors starting to develop.
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5/14/2015 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasant old world style Bordeaux nose of cedar, fruit, floral scent, very pleasant fruit on the palate, even more so with a Vinturi. I wish Garagiste had sent all of my order. Their shipping/communication policies pretty much suck. Why wineaccess.com and others can ship FedEx via climate controlled trucks to regional depots and include it in their free shipping and Garagiste cannot is beyond me, but it sure cuts down on my orders from them, some of which (just recently) have taken 10+ months.
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5/13/2015 - miadelt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Smooth and tasty.
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1/29/2011 - bowmanbc wrote: 90 Points
we seem to open 1 a year or after a few months and looking back it's developed pretty well. this time it has a smokey finish with nice caramel we thought. 1 bottle left.
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3/26/2010 - bowmanbc wrote: 89 Points
let it open a bit and turned out great.
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1/11/2010 - bowmanbc wrote: 85 Points
might be approaching time to drink
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