{bought on release, 2-3 mm ullage after 19 years, perfect cork} Huge, ancienne regime challenging wine. Not for people who think 20 year old Hermitage should be sorted out and easy. Opaque. Took 2 hours for the initial volcanic, sulfury, beguiling volatile, enticing, feral nose to clean up and the initial monolithic wine to begin opening; classic Syrah Hermitage flavor set, if not as elegant as Chave.... Whitman's note from 2021 spot on. Half tasted, half reserved for day 2 when classy Hermitage more evident. Very good length. Huge sediment, like mud. Wish I'd had it with a charred steak. Delicious after 3 hours day 1 and on tasting day 2. I think was $70 in closeout bin 2006 when purchased. Likely have more and happily so.
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While this bottle wasn't as obviously flawed as its port-ish twin, it wasn't great either. Too soft and ripe, with not enough freshness and a cooked overtone.
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After a disapointing 2007 Cuvée Emilie which was over the hill, i felt like trying this. And this is a completely different story and classy in every sense. Sweet blackberry, bitter cherries, licorice and a lot of smoke on the intense nose. Very ripe, concentrated and sweet fruit on the palate, which is just delicious. Ending in a long finish where the structure kicks in. This is a hedonistic Hermitage and ready to drink.
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Vacuvin'd this baby to see what it's like at this relatively young age. Ripe, sappy boysenberry nose. Some dried herbs and licorice too. Dense and slightly bitter, but I'm encouraged by the acidity, fine tannins, and the fact that it's all held together quite well. After 30 minutes of air, the fruit aromas make way to more saline, beef stew notes, and on the palate there's a slightly minty quality. There's complexity here and I'm hoping to see this wine become more settled over the next few years.
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Dark ruby in color, with licorice, coffee bean, wild strawberry jam, garrigue, mint and black cherries on the nose. Full bodied, powerful and concentrated with soft, potent ripe and almost, overripe black cherries in the mouth. This is not a subtle wine. The tannins are polished giving the wine a nice roundness to the texture. With 2 hours of decanting, this was drinking quite well.
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Thick, rich, dense and packed with layers of ripe, earthy, dark berries, tannin, iron and spice, the wine offers intensity, purity and plush textures, Still young, this has not moved much since it was first bottled. This is hedonistic expression of Hermitage.
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12/9/2022 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 92 Points
{bought on release, 2-3 mm ullage after 19 years, perfect cork} Huge, ancienne regime challenging wine. Not for people who think 20 year old Hermitage should be sorted out and easy. Opaque. Took 2 hours for the initial volcanic, sulfury, beguiling volatile, enticing, feral nose to clean up and the initial monolithic wine to begin opening; classic Syrah Hermitage flavor set, if not as elegant as Chave.... Whitman's note from 2021 spot on. Half tasted, half reserved for day 2 when classy Hermitage more evident. Very good length. Huge sediment, like mud. Wish I'd had it with a charred steak. Delicious after 3 hours day 1 and on tasting day 2. I think was $70 in closeout bin 2006 when purchased. Likely have more and happily so.
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11/21/2021 - Rani Does not like this wine: 87 Points
While this bottle wasn't as obviously flawed as its port-ish twin, it wasn't great either. Too soft and ripe, with not enough freshness and a cooked overtone.
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11/21/2021 - Rani wrote: flawed
Flawed, liquor like notes, feels cooked. Opened another bottle from the same batch which was fine.
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11/13/2021 - Whitman Likes this wine: 95 Points
After a disapointing 2007 Cuvée Emilie which was over the hill, i felt like trying this. And this is a completely different story and classy in every sense.
Sweet blackberry, bitter cherries, licorice and a lot of smoke on the intense nose. Very ripe, concentrated and sweet fruit on the palate, which is just delicious. Ending in a long finish where the structure kicks in. This is a hedonistic Hermitage and ready to drink.
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9/13/2017 - Raizes Likes this wine: 92 Points
紫色调，酒质稠密。黑莓、蓝莓的果味，香草、紫罗兰和一点巧克力的桶味，以及存在感极强的烤羊肉味。入口还很年轻，十分浓缩，有热年的痕迹，单宁的处理比较平滑，集中度很高。
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5/9/2017 - Rani wrote: 91 Points
Vacuvin'd this baby to see what it's like at this relatively young age. Ripe, sappy boysenberry nose. Some dried herbs and licorice too. Dense and slightly bitter, but I'm encouraged by the acidity, fine tannins, and the fact that it's all held together quite well. After 30 minutes of air, the fruit aromas make way to more saline, beef stew notes, and on the palate there's a slightly minty quality. There's complexity here and I'm hoping to see this wine become more settled over the next few years.
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9/24/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby in color, with licorice, coffee bean, wild strawberry jam, garrigue, mint and black cherries on the nose. Full bodied, powerful and concentrated with soft, potent ripe and almost, overripe black cherries in the mouth. This is not a subtle wine. The tannins are polished giving the wine a nice roundness to the texture. With 2 hours of decanting, this was drinking quite well.
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1/26/2013 - ELH wrote: 93 Points
Classic old world Syrah. Earthy with restrained elegance.
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5/9/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Thick, rich, dense and packed with layers of ripe, earthy, dark berries, tannin, iron and spice, the wine offers intensity, purity and plush textures, Still young, this has not moved much since it was first bottled. This is hedonistic expression of Hermitage.
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