55F since acquisition on release - Medicinal kirsch and caramel - rich thick and alcoholic with jailbar legs - liqueur like - strange but alluringly so
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Nose is quite woodsy and boozy, dried fruits and caramel. Palate is similar, out of balance, boozy, flabby, overripe cherries and chocolate. Definitely past it’s prime I’m afraid.
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Opened and poured. Initially a very muted minty nose of menthol and glycerin. Opened to a ruddy purple to orange rim. Lots of citrus, acidic high notes on the nose. *** smacking boozy flavor profile with mostly resolved tannins and fruits, leaving it feeling like a candied fruit cake flavored high potency grain alcohol intended to get one heavily drunk. There are some good qualities here, but at this point in evolution it's past prime, and while interesting doesn't have enough fruit or nuance to keep one pondering...
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Still lots of fruit and ballin hard and long to the finish with authority — Cherry, licorice, menthol, herb, lots of layers — really interesting, unusual to me, and nice surprise!
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Drinking this in 2021 could only be described as a fool’s errand. Mais, it’s April in Washington and we are in the 5th quarter of a life altering, disruptive pandemic and it’s clearly time let go of the past - in this case, a bottle acquired while living in Sydney in 2017. The nose here overflows the moment the cork breaks apart, a nose of sweet soil. Initially discordant: opens with intense sweetness that is practically portish, but with a crackling peppery finish. After an hour or more, progresses into a fulsom and open cocktail. My drinking partner compared this to a rum Tiki drink. Surely over the hill, but no complaints.
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Not drinkable. This is not corked but is just bad. Decanted for 4 hours and still not drinkable. I have tasted this wine and other Parker highly rated Aussies and I have been very disappointed in all of them except Torbreck Runrig and D Arrenberg Dead Arm. I drank this wine in the Parker drinking window and never liked it then and certainly don't like it now. Poured it down the drain.
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Like some others, I have had a few unpleasant experiences with some Clarendon grenache - bottles I had from the 1996 Clarendon vineyard were consistently flawed and undrinkable. But the 2001 Kangarilla has been flawless throughout the 12 bottles I bought on release in August 2002, including this last bottle. The 1996 was the only bad experience I have had from Clarendon and I have had most of their grenache and syrah bottlings between 1995 and 2002.
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Since I tried my 1st Clarendon Hills bottle (a 2003 Kangarilla Grenache - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=47695) back in 2007, this winery stuck in my mind as a role model for Australian wines: intense, perfumed, elegant, medium bodied and not overly extracted. So drinking this bottle was accompanied by great anticipation and was both an indulgence, but also an exercise to find out if they age as well as the producer claims. After all, 13 years of bottle age is not for every wine and many people say it's too much for this one. So let's get down to it:
With a deep dark ruby / brick color, the Kangarilla Grenache 2001 clearly shows signals of age also in its aromatics: intense black fruits, liquorice, earth, meat, leather, candy, balsamic, mushrooms. Medium to full bodied, with great acidity balancing it's formidable tannins and quite high alcohol (14.5%), the result is excellent balance and a very persistent finish (20+ seconds) with an aftertaste reminiscent of black fruit liquor, glycerine, earth and syrup. Seems to have reached its peak and starting to decline.
Obs.1: While the aromatics in this bottle have very little in common with the 2003 Kangarilla Grenache I 1st tried (all about red fruits and a bit lighter also), it was definitely a pleasure to drink this complex and potent wine after extended ageing. It does seem that it won't age as well as claimed, even though other vintages might do. Will try the 2001 Romas Grenache next to see if the "big brother" does better.
Obs.2: Totally agree with TOMHERER's note (8/1/2012), this wine doesn't deserve all the criticism it has received in past tasting notes, it is indeed a wonderful wine from an iconic producer who is trying to do something very worthy (crus, as in Burgundy) and different than most Australian producers.
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Shockingly intense nose, primarily of dark fruit. Such precise aromas that we could discern between fresh fruit, stewed fruit, and fruit liqueur.
The flavors are definitely leaning towards the mature side; started out with raspberry, pure blackberry liqueur, herbs, and menthol. If you were in the wrong mood, you might call out some cough syrup qualities. Evolution took place even within the first glass, giving way to port-like flavors of chocolate-covered raisin, prunes, and tar. The one thing that didn't change was the finish, which lingered beautifully throughout the entire bottle.
Will probably be delicious for a while longer, but I plan on emptying my remaining bottle by the end of this year.
Editorial: it's hard to understand the recent negativity around this wine. It's certainly bold, and in this mature state, even challenging, but the quality and precision are undeniable. Don't see eye to eye with pretty much any review since keithakers's in 2009.
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After a week of drinking pinot, this was quite a shock to the palate. Promising but a bit reticent on the nose, this wine hits the mouth with tar, raisins, prunes, sweetness, and deep concentration. I swear there's syrah in this. But there's also enough spice and exotica to make it interesting. Nonetheless, my score may be a bit generous. Some odd flavors... Parker rates Aussie wines too highly.
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Tremendous -- starting to take on a mature vibe, but still incredibly fresh and vibrant berry and cherry flavors, with some plum and chocolate mixed in. Not jammy in the least; in fact, needs some time to open up and smooth out, and when it does, the texture becomes velvety. Powerful, long finish.
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The second of three purchased at retail in 2007. I did not make notes nor do I have clear recollection of the first bottle consumed a couple of years ago. Decanted for 20 minutes before serving. At 14.5% ABV, I was expecting a coarse aging Aussie fruit bomb with cooked fruit and a hot finish. I was quite surprised. It did not come on strong at all, in fact, I had to reach a little to appreciate the graceful nature of this bottle. It is definitely starting to fade, but it has a subtle, pleasant (though not profound) flavor profile with a smooth mid weight feel in the mouth. It paired well (in a supporting role) with the ham steak with fruit relish, oven roasted potatoes & carrots, and sauteed red cabbage. Moderate length, fully resolved tannins, and a clean finish. I will open my last bottle by year end.
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Undrinkable for me, just a scorched earth mess. Some very odd smells/tastes coming out of this bottle. Tried on night one with no decant, night 3 and night 4 with similar results. Have one more and not sure what to expect.
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Hmmm...spent more than hour deciding whether I liked this wine or not, and I still haven't decided. It is very well made and has lots of life left, but too much raisin and fig and not enough fruit. Atypical grenache. Can't really give it a rating, as probably more a function of what I like (or don't like) rather than the quality of the wine.
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This wine is very uneven, but this bottle was great. Fresh, intense, focused. Kirsch, smoke and deliciousness. Many other bottles lately have not been even close to this quality.
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Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Peppermint, meaty, deli smoke, cured fat, beaten eggs, liqueur, raisinated, licorice. A little sulfur. huge fruit. Palate shows juicy young earth and forest floor. Chocolate, chalky. Some tannins but not too firm. A little porty. A couple guessed this was Clarendon Hills Grenache.
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She ain't wrong she's just different...not like a French Grenache from the Rhone. Nice, somewhat light, cherry flavors. It was a bit sweet but had some deeper bak palate notes. A quality wine but not for evey occassion.
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i have always like this wine. it's a raspberry bomb, very jammy almost desert wine like. but i kinda enjoy that now and again. no real tannins left it seems, other more subtle flavors of orange peel and nutmeg. last one in the cellar-so long little buddy.
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Grenache Smackdown (Wally's, Arlington Heights): nose: excellent nose that is undeniably australian as it struck of mint and eucalyptus right off the bat along with tones of black fruits, liqueur, and dark red fruits. Very nice nose, but doesn't have that extra level of depth that other wines had during the evening
taste: good medium/full feel with excellent tones of mint, black fruits, dark red cherries, and bits of liqueur tones
overall: A quality grenache, but was very middle of the pack in the field. It has good depth and quality of tones, but doesn't really do anything amazing, but has excellent balance with really good tones on both nose and palate.
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Very nice. Tasted the '01 Kangarilla, Romas and Blewitt Springs blind with friends at work. All very nice, and surprisingly each wine was the favorite for some, so not a big gap between them, and more a matter of taste than anything else.
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Drank at Olivars in Seattle for a Birthday party. None wine drinkers liked it for its soft tannins, fruit forward style and low acidity but I found the over-ripe raison fruit to be at best mediocre. Served with Lamb osso buco. Paired ok but the lack of acid was a problem. Just not a food wine. Probably close to mature for this style as there is nothing which will make it better over time. Classic problem with Parker wines.
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Casual Friday - Older Cal Cabs and '01 Aussie: Lean nose with blueberry, mint and a awkward acetone note. Palate is richly fruited with loads of baked blueberries and strawberries. Lacks some acid and as a result comes across gloppy. Just okay.
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Smelled like a port and tasted like one: over-extracted, heat on the nose (actually medicinal) and the finish; maybe will improve with age but doubt it - a very in your face style, not for me
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Saturday Club at Larry's -- August 9, 2008 (Larry's): Explosive -- and, to some, quite offensive apothecary nose. The table got into a tense discussion over whether the wine was or was not corked. Craig and I are usually among the more sensitive to TCA in the group and neither of us found even get a suggestion of taint in the wine. In the end, I was convinced that a couple of my esteemed fellow tasters were confusing this bizarre medicinal note for TCA. In any case -- the wine was explosively aromatic -- mainly this medicinal quality and eucalyptus. It reminded me of a Sean Thackery Orion or a Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache. Very full -- but balanced, too. I liked this more the longer I thought about it. Others were quick to dump -- either thinking it was corked or just plain 'off'. I really think it is what it is -- and, that when we see it again (which we will) we'll find it shows similarly.
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Tarry, aged flavors are beginning to dominate the hybrid strawberry/raspberry fruit. Tannins are a bit gritty and could use some resolution, but I don’t recommend decanting or further cellaring. Great length. Lovely, tell-talle Grenache fruit sticks to the mouth, but it’s definitely receding. Drink now as I don’t think this one will be around much longer.
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Dark red colour. Very aromatic with peppery red fruits, chocolate, eucalyptus and a hint of volatile acidity on the nose. Palate has bright cherry and raspberry flavours over chocolate and peppery notes with soft tannins and a slightly warm finish.
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NSMFOW February (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Nose of stewed fruit, spice. Palate of same with tar, root beer, and eucalyptus. Some heat followed by gentle tannins. Interesting wine but can't say I really enjoyed it. Like an intriguing painting in a museum you would never want in your house.
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What a strange wine. Overwhelming menthol, floral and alcohol on the nose. On the palate, heavily brandied stewed fruit. What do you do with something like this? Unfortunately, I have 5 more bottles, which I'll keep for several more years just to see what happens.
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Wow...What a difference a few months make (or this is simply the worst bottle variation that I have ever experienced). This particular bottle was taken from my cellar and presented in double-blind fashion to the Vintage Wines Ltd. Friday group. Deep ruby in color, this bottle showed heavy volatile acidity and a distinct "cough syrup" character that was quite unpleasant to all. I am concerned that this represents a problem common to many California "Rhone Ranger" wines as well...maximal ripeness resulting in residual sugar, which in turn (in the face of no final filtration) leads to secondary fermentation in the bottle. I would not risk continuing to cellar this wine.
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At open, candied cherries and very simple. After decanting one hour, took on complexity and had less of a candied note and more (though not a lot) of earthiness to offset the still very present fruit. Still very young looking. This was interesting and certainly different from Rhones, but to my taste many CdPs offer much more pleasure at a lower cost.
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Tasted at Steve and Colleen Nemeth's Memorial Day party. I provided the bottle, taken from my cellar. Although a formal note was not made, the wine was unanimously "singing" and was a favorite of the attendees.
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While I'm starting to dislike the Grenache wines of Clarendon Hills, this one was better than most. Perhaps because it was still relatively young and still holding on to some structure (I really seem to dislike them with age, when the structure is gone and a sweet, alcoholic beverage remains). This wine had good tar, ripe blackberry and spice flavors that was resonably framed by some acid, but the ripe fruit verged on prunes, which was a turn off. Better than some of the other Grenaches I had from this producer, but I won't be buying any more.
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Ruby red with a fresh, spicy nose of cherries, mint and brown sugar. Medium-to-full bodied with sweet fruit. Big finish has loads of fruit. Tasty but on the simple side.
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I opened this bottle after reading several recent posts bashing prestige Aussie bottlings in part to assure myself that I still enjoy Aussie wines as much as I like to think I do (outside of my standbys - Noon, Tatiarra, and wines made by Ben Glaetzer - wines that I consume with enough regularity to have considerable confidence in). While I enjoyed it, I don't think I found what I was looking for in this bottle of grenache. The nose smells of sweet fruit - strawberries, red raspberries, pomegranate - but fruit that has some sort of additive. There are distinct medicinal notes that remind me of cherry Nyquil even though the wine doesn't show a cough syrup-like texture. It's not particularly viscous or gloppy. In fact, it is rather suave while still showing a tremendously forward mouthful of darker, more candied fruits soaking up some sugar in expectation of a cobbler. The strawberry/raspberry notes seem brandied in the mouth, but not so much as to be hot and unpleasant. Attack and mid-palate are nicely done, and I'm just about to convince myself that recent critics of these sorts of wines simply don't enjoy linear wines with explosive fruit when something changes with the finish. There is again this labooratory note that I'm struggling to describe. The wine finishes with notes of artificial sweeteners and a hint of gauze. Something tastes "synthetic." This is my last bottle of this particular wine, and this showing solidifies that I won't be buying any more Clarendon Hills. Frankly, I can think of numerous $15 Southern Rhones I'd rather drink.
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Blind Night (Kevin): Menthol nose. Alcoholic. Dark berry fruit and chocolate with a hint on anise on the finish. Mattias was the only one to get the varietal correct. Everyone else was out in left field. Jeff stated "I hate this so much it must be 2001 Clarendon Hills Blewitt Springs Grenache". Pretty close. It's not blind night without an Clarendon Hills Grenache. My first contribution of the night. I am so glad this is my last bottle of this wine. What a monumental disappointment, not to mention unbelievable bottle variation. The critics clearly blew this one. 14.5% alcohol. Drink now if you can.
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Not much experience with grenache, but I didn't really care for this. A bitter, alcohol (hot) taste got in the way of the fruit. I thought it'd get better but it didn't. I'll taste it tonight and see if it's any better... Tasted the next two nights and it didn;t improve.
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Interesting to contrast this wine with the 1996 version that I drank the previous night. Similar raspberry flavors, but with darker overtones: plums, blackberries, licorice, tar and prunes. I thought the fruit might have been a bit over-ripe (prunes and alcohol really started to get in the way of enjoyment).
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(Tasted blind) Bigger nose than other wines in this flight. Ripe. New world, or perhaps an modern styled '03 Rhone. Cherry cola, jammy strawberry, some tannins.
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Not to my taste. I've been opening bottles that I bought when I was starting my cellar and relying more on reviews than my own experience. This is one of my mistakes. Very sweet, viscous, heavily extracted, with a sense of intense over-ripeness, burnt sugar quality on the finish. Not very pleasant, not a wine that goes well with food. I have about half the bottle left and may freeze it to cook with.
ps - just noticed how similar this review is to the one I wrote about 9 months ago. Also note that the CT average score for this wine is way below the WA score.
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Wines and Mexican Food (Los Nopales - Chicago, IL): Purple in color. A dense nose of pruney fruit and chocolate. Palate features ample fruit though it tends towards the pruney / raisiny profile. Good - though it lacked dimension and grip to be considered more than good. I was guessing Amarone all the way and was shocked on reveal. Does Aussie Grenache shut down?
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Grenache Tasting - My #7, Group #5 -Full bright red. Forward bright black cherry and spice with hints of sweet and a few canned notes. Big bright tight tannic black fruit on the palate. A bit of heat. Great concentration. 3/06
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New World Grenache Tasting (Chicago IL): Blind tasting. Clearly showing New World aromas to start with ultra-ripe fruit and signs of high alcohol. All black fruit, lush and slightly sweet, all very good but without much nuance or charm for me. Others enjoyed this more than I did tonight.
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Bought this when I first built my cellar, was adding wines somewhat haphazardly, and hadn't tasted a lot of Australian wines. It was the RP score and the relatively low price that made me think this producer would be a good intro to a higher level than the lower-end M-P wines I'd had thus far. In the end, I decided to let them rest for a while before opening. In the interim, I've learned enough about my own tastes to be skeptical about this wine, and it lived up, or down, to my expectations.
Dark purple in the glass, the nose was muted, not giving a lot away. In the mouth, the flavors were of overripe fruit. I don't know how many pure Grenache are made in the Rhone, but I think this might have been more appealing as part of a blend with varieties of grapes that could have complemented the burnt wood, overripe fruit, and undertones of roast mutton. Structure was a bit hard to discern, a bit acidic on the finish, and noticable heat throughout.
I need a nice Nebbiolo to clear the palate, I think. Isn't there a Sfursat bottle open somewhere? ? ? ...
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Nice color but fairly light. Very thick, fat and rich mouth-feel but not that sweet. Smells and tastes like a much older wine but it will undoubtedly last for a long time. Maybe a touch low in acidity.
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Good intensity but not really a fruitbomb. Well balanced with broad flavors and already starting to develop secondary flavors like garrique and barn-yard.
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This wine shows much better on second day melding flavors together and tannins soften. It is a lush, exotic expression of grenache with dark fruit flavors, eucalyptus, tar, and a hint of pineapple. Round and expressive, it finishes medium long.
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Bright med blackish ruby, aromas of raspberry, mint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, very faint toast, b3, a4, t2+, starts big & rich but is quickly cut w/searing (artificial?) acidity, disjointed & harsh on palate, d2, similar but more subdued nose, bit more chocolate, coffee, fleshy & sweet on palate, still w/harsh acidity cutting in
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Deep saturated purplish ruby, aromas of raspberry syrup, exotic spices, sandalwood, leather, crème brulee, intense grenache!, cinamon, nutmeg, b4+, a3+, t3+, huge & thick on the palate w/a stunning early presence, seems to go thin & hot a bit quickly on the finish, bit of pepper & smoke w/air, d2, aromas of raspberry, lavender, spices, amazing!, tastes velvety & rich w/sharp acids and tangy tannins cutting in sharply on finish, leaves a slight burning sensation in throat, hot?, still very nice & exotic, d4, gorgeous nose but still a bit shart & hot on palate
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Bright disc. Medium ruby with red rim. Very intense, clean nose of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with similar ripe fruit flavors and mouth-coating creamy vanilla. The tannins are ample and sweet. Long, smooth finish. Hedonistic! This wine is too good now to not enjoy within the next 2-3 years.
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6/16/2023 - Tgood wrote:
55F since acquisition on release - Medicinal kirsch and caramel - rich thick and alcoholic with jailbar legs - liqueur like - strange but alluringly so
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2/4/2023 - mattym19 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Nose is quite woodsy and boozy, dried fruits and caramel. Palate is similar, out of balance, boozy, flabby, overripe cherries and chocolate. Definitely past it’s prime I’m afraid.
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12/16/2022 - Senso-beak wrote: 84 Points
Opened and poured. Initially a very muted minty nose of menthol and glycerin. Opened to a ruddy purple to orange rim. Lots of citrus, acidic high notes on the nose. *** smacking boozy flavor profile with mostly resolved tannins and fruits, leaving it feeling like a candied fruit cake flavored high potency grain alcohol intended to get one heavily drunk. There are some good qualities here, but at this point in evolution it's past prime, and while interesting doesn't have enough fruit or nuance to keep one pondering...
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8/20/2021 - poh dbo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still lots of fruit and ballin hard and long to the finish with authority — Cherry, licorice, menthol, herb, lots of layers — really interesting, unusual to me, and nice surprise!
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4/16/2021 - BrooklynZin Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drinking this in 2021 could only be described as a fool’s errand. Mais, it’s April in Washington and we are in the 5th quarter of a life altering, disruptive pandemic and it’s clearly time let go of the past - in this case, a bottle acquired while living in Sydney in 2017. The nose here overflows the moment the cork breaks apart, a nose of sweet soil. Initially discordant: opens with intense sweetness that is practically portish, but with a crackling peppery finish. After an hour or more, progresses into a fulsom and open cocktail. My drinking partner compared this to a rum Tiki drink. Surely over the hill, but no complaints.
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1/30/2021 - shutto1992@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Not drinkable. This is not corked but is just bad. Decanted for 4 hours and still not drinkable. I have tasted this wine and other Parker highly rated Aussies and I have been very disappointed in all of them except Torbreck Runrig and D Arrenberg Dead Arm. I drank this wine in the Parker drinking window and never liked it then and certainly don't like it now. Poured it down the drain.
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4/25/2018 - awkiii Likes this wine: 90 Points
needed a couple of hours to breath but then was very good
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8/14/2016 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very ripe and concentrated; sweet, raisiny, even syrupy. A slow sipper.
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2/10/2016 - BRR wrote: flawed
Possibly cooked. Stewed, raisiny fruit. Down the drain it goes. :(
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2/1/2016 - wood Does not like this wine:
Past it's prime.
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7/25/2015 - awineo wrote: flawed
Just gone.... off on the nose but not corked.
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4/7/2015 - ottawalawyer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needed a good two-hours of opening up, but was great after that.
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2/23/2015 - berkeleywinedog wrote: 94 Points
Like some others, I have had a few unpleasant experiences with some Clarendon grenache - bottles I had from the 1996 Clarendon vineyard were consistently flawed and undrinkable. But the 2001 Kangarilla has been flawless throughout the 12 bottles I bought on release in August 2002, including this last bottle. The 1996 was the only bad experience I have had from Clarendon and I have had most of their grenache and syrah bottlings between 1995 and 2002.
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7/20/2014 - rsazima Likes this wine: 94 Points
Since I tried my 1st Clarendon Hills bottle (a 2003 Kangarilla Grenache - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=47695) back in 2007, this winery stuck in my mind as a role model for Australian wines: intense, perfumed, elegant, medium bodied and not overly extracted. So drinking this bottle was accompanied by great anticipation and was both an indulgence, but also an exercise to find out if they age as well as the producer claims. After all, 13 years of bottle age is not for every wine and many people say it's too much for this one. So let's get down to it:
With a deep dark ruby / brick color, the Kangarilla Grenache 2001 clearly shows signals of age also in its aromatics: intense black fruits, liquorice, earth, meat, leather, candy, balsamic, mushrooms. Medium to full bodied, with great acidity balancing it's formidable tannins and quite high alcohol (14.5%), the result is excellent balance and a very persistent finish (20+ seconds) with an aftertaste reminiscent of black fruit liquor, glycerine, earth and syrup. Seems to have reached its peak and starting to decline.
Obs.1: While the aromatics in this bottle have very little in common with the 2003 Kangarilla Grenache I 1st tried (all about red fruits and a bit lighter also), it was definitely a pleasure to drink this complex and potent wine after extended ageing. It does seem that it won't age as well as claimed, even though other vintages might do. Will try the 2001 Romas Grenache next to see if the "big brother" does better.
Obs.2: Totally agree with TOMHERER's note (8/1/2012), this wine doesn't deserve all the criticism it has received in past tasting notes, it is indeed a wonderful wine from an iconic producer who is trying to do something very worthy (crus, as in Burgundy) and different than most Australian producers.
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11/21/2013 - a4cb Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow!
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8/12/2013 - rhh wrote: 93 Points
- A Medium finish - This is a stunner. Smooth, long finish, berries with a hint of chocolate
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8/1/2012 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Shockingly intense nose, primarily of dark fruit. Such precise aromas that we could discern between fresh fruit, stewed fruit, and fruit liqueur.
The flavors are definitely leaning towards the mature side; started out with raspberry, pure blackberry liqueur, herbs, and menthol. If you were in the wrong mood, you might call out some cough syrup qualities. Evolution took place even within the first glass, giving way to port-like flavors of chocolate-covered raisin, prunes, and tar. The one thing that didn't change was the finish, which lingered beautifully throughout the entire bottle.
Will probably be delicious for a while longer, but I plan on emptying my remaining bottle by the end of this year.
Editorial: it's hard to understand the recent negativity around this wine. It's certainly bold, and in this mature state, even challenging, but the quality and precision are undeniable. Don't see eye to eye with pretty much any review since keithakers's in 2009.
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7/18/2012 - robmatic wrote:
Good riddance to this monstrosity. Last bottle drunk, and glad to see the last of it gone.
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7/1/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
A bit vegetal to begin with, but it opened up after a while.
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6/1/2012 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 90 Points
After a week of drinking pinot, this was quite a shock to the palate. Promising but a bit reticent on the nose, this wine hits the mouth with tar, raisins, prunes, sweetness, and deep concentration. I swear there's syrah in this. But there's also enough spice and exotica to make it interesting. Nonetheless, my score may be a bit generous. Some odd flavors... Parker rates Aussie wines too highly.
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5/1/2012 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Balanced, well-aged with red fruits, earth; this has got personality and complexity. Very nice.
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3/27/2012 - tomherer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tremendous -- starting to take on a mature vibe, but still incredibly fresh and vibrant berry and cherry flavors, with some plum and chocolate mixed in. Not jammy in the least; in fact, needs some time to open up and smooth out, and when it does, the texture becomes velvety. Powerful, long finish.
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3/18/2012 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 90 Points
The second of three purchased at retail in 2007. I did not make notes nor do I have clear recollection of the first bottle consumed a couple of years ago. Decanted for 20 minutes before serving.
At 14.5% ABV, I was expecting a coarse aging Aussie fruit bomb with cooked fruit and a hot finish. I was quite surprised. It did not come on strong at all, in fact, I had to reach a little to appreciate the graceful nature of this bottle.
It is definitely starting to fade, but it has a subtle, pleasant (though not profound) flavor profile with a smooth mid weight feel in the mouth. It paired well (in a supporting role) with the ham steak with fruit relish, oven roasted potatoes & carrots, and sauteed red cabbage. Moderate length, fully resolved tannins, and a clean finish. I will open my last bottle by year end.
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3/8/2012 - cabber wrote: 87 Points
Grenache Tasting (Manhattan Beach, CA): Port-like, a bit syrupy. raisins, figs. not much structure. not really to my taste.
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2/16/2012 - tbone wrote:
Undrinkable for me, just a scorched earth mess. Some very odd smells/tastes coming out of this bottle. Tried on night one with no decant, night 3 and night 4 with similar results. Have one more and not sure what to expect.
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2/11/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Outstanding from the missus. Drinking very well. Excellent fruit with mellowed tannins. Had with filet. Very nuanced with great finish.
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1/9/2012 - shk5157 wrote: 93 Points
subdued fruit, but still lush. Counters the stereotype that Aussie wines are big fruit, formulaic, new world wines. lot of complexity.
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10/25/2011 - herberto wrote: 88 Points
Big and sweet, and maybe a little sour with age.
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7/22/2011 - JimN wrote:
Hmmm...spent more than hour deciding whether I liked this wine or not, and I still haven't decided. It is very well made and has lots of life left, but too much raisin and fig and not enough fruit. Atypical grenache. Can't really give it a rating, as probably more a function of what I like (or don't like) rather than the quality of the wine.
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4/15/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Spicy, earthy, a little heat at the back end, but a long, complex finish and balanced. Needs aire for sure. Quite nice.
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3/21/2011 - phenricsson Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is very uneven, but this bottle was great. Fresh, intense, focused. Kirsch, smoke and deliciousness. Many other bottles lately have not been even close to this quality.
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2/12/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Peppermint, meaty, deli smoke, cured fat, beaten eggs, liqueur, raisinated, licorice. A little sulfur. huge fruit. Palate shows juicy young earth and forest floor.
Chocolate, chalky. Some tannins but not too firm. A little porty. A couple guessed this was Clarendon Hills Grenache.
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12/16/2010 - gondrik wrote: 92 Points
She ain't wrong she's just different...not like a French Grenache from the Rhone. Nice, somewhat light, cherry flavors. It was a bit sweet but had some deeper bak palate notes. A quality wine but not for evey occassion.
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11/16/2010 - jmh st louis wrote: 93 Points
delicious earth, blueberry and currants. Servrd w thanksgiving day feast.
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10/17/2010 - jmh st louis wrote: 94 Points
bold black fruit and forest floor
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5/28/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 91 Points
Good wine but have had better bottles. This is probably starting to go a bit downhill - drink up.
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5/17/2010 - sedation (yellowgas) Likes this wine: 92 Points
i have always like this wine. it's a raspberry bomb, very jammy almost desert wine like. but i kinda enjoy that now and again. no real tannins left it seems, other more subtle flavors of orange peel and nutmeg. last one in the cellar-so long little buddy.
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12/13/2009 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
LOTS OF DEEP RICH BLACK FRUITS AND DEEP BERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG LINGERING FINISH.
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11/8/2009 - fiat600 wrote: 90 Points
Så er der ikke mere Australsk marmelade i kælderen:-)
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8/28/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Grenache Smackdown (Wally's, Arlington Heights): nose: excellent nose that is undeniably australian as it struck of mint and eucalyptus right off the bat along with tones of black fruits, liqueur, and dark red fruits. Very nice nose, but doesn't have that extra level of depth that other wines had during the evening
taste: good medium/full feel with excellent tones of mint, black fruits, dark red cherries, and bits of liqueur tones
overall: A quality grenache, but was very middle of the pack in the field. It has good depth and quality of tones, but doesn't really do anything amazing, but has excellent balance with really good tones on both nose and palate.
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4/28/2009 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. Tasted the '01 Kangarilla, Romas and Blewitt Springs blind with friends at work. All very nice, and surprisingly each wine was the favorite for some, so not a big gap between them, and more a matter of taste than anything else.
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3/1/2009 - Montecalvo wrote: 88 Points
Drank at Olivars in Seattle for a Birthday party. None wine drinkers liked it for its soft tannins, fruit forward style and low acidity but I found the over-ripe raison fruit to be at best mediocre. Served with Lamb osso buco. Paired ok but the lack of acid was a problem. Just not a food wine. Probably close to mature for this style as there is nothing which will make it better over time. Classic problem with Parker wines.
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1/30/2009 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Casual Friday - Older Cal Cabs and '01 Aussie: Lean nose with blueberry, mint and a awkward acetone note. Palate is richly fruited with loads of baked blueberries and strawberries. Lacks some acid and as a result comes across gloppy. Just okay.
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1/4/2009 - caldwell wrote:
Gobs of fruit, but still pretty monolithic and hot on the back end. This wine still - happily - needs more time.
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12/14/2008 - FakeAccount wrote: 93 Points
(From magnum) Big and monolithic. It was a crowd pleaser, but a bit syrupy for me. Huge fruit.
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11/27/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 94 Points
stellar foil to every facet of thanksgiving dinner except the sweet potatoe casserole. Rich earth, blueberry and forest mushrooms on a long finish.
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10/12/2008 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Very big wine.
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10/2/2008 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Really beautiful stuff. I've had a few of these over the last few years, and it's really resolved into a great wine now.
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9/26/2008 - ogres3 wrote:
Saddle leather through and through. Chewy, aromatic. Not a forward in your face fruit. Had at Richard Chens.
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9/10/2008 - warrenpeace wrote: 86 Points
Smelled like a port and tasted like one: over-extracted, heat on the nose (actually medicinal) and the finish; maybe will improve with age but doubt it - a very in your face style, not for me
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8/25/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 93 Points
dark chocolate,earth and blueberry
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8/9/2008 - BordeauxNut wrote: 91 Points
Saturday Club at Larry's -- August 9, 2008 (Larry's): Explosive -- and, to some, quite offensive apothecary nose. The table got into a tense discussion over whether the wine was or was not corked. Craig and I are usually among the more sensitive to TCA in the group and neither of us found even get a suggestion of taint in the wine. In the end, I was convinced that a couple of my esteemed fellow tasters were confusing this bizarre medicinal note for TCA. In any case -- the wine was explosively aromatic -- mainly this medicinal quality and eucalyptus. It reminded me of a Sean Thackery Orion or a Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache. Very full -- but balanced, too. I liked this more the longer I thought about it. Others were quick to dump -- either thinking it was corked or just plain 'off'. I really think it is what it is -- and, that when we see it again (which we will) we'll find it shows similarly.
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8/1/2008 - Jody Smith wrote: 91 Points
Tarry, aged flavors are beginning to dominate the hybrid strawberry/raspberry fruit. Tannins are a bit gritty and could use some resolution, but I don’t recommend decanting or further cellaring. Great length. Lovely, tell-talle Grenache fruit sticks to the mouth, but it’s definitely receding. Drink now as I don’t think this one will be around much longer.
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4/27/2008 - the godfather wrote: 90 Points
had next to 2002 Romas which was slightly better
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4/16/2008 - salil wrote: 80 Points
Dark red colour. Very aromatic with peppery red fruits, chocolate, eucalyptus and a hint of volatile acidity on the nose. Palate has bright cherry and raspberry flavours over chocolate and peppery notes with soft tannins and a slightly warm finish.
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4/4/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 93 Points
Delicious Earth and over ripe berries
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2/7/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 89 Points
NSMFOW February (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Nose of stewed fruit, spice. Palate of same with tar, root beer, and eucalyptus. Some heat followed by gentle tannins. Interesting wine but can't say I really enjoyed it. Like an intriguing painting in a museum you would never want in your house.
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1/18/2008 - cdunn wrote: 77 Points
I just had to pour this out. One of Bob's poorer critiques.
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1/18/2008 - cdunn wrote: 82 Points
What a strange wine. Overwhelming menthol, floral and alcohol on the nose. On the palate, heavily brandied stewed fruit. What do you do with something like this? Unfortunately, I have 5 more bottles, which I'll keep for several more years just to see what happens.
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11/16/2007 - La Cave d'Argent wrote:
Wow...What a difference a few months make (or this is simply the worst bottle variation that I have ever experienced). This particular bottle was taken from my cellar and presented in double-blind fashion to the Vintage Wines Ltd. Friday group. Deep ruby in color, this bottle showed heavy volatile acidity and a distinct "cough syrup" character that was quite unpleasant to all. I am concerned that this represents a problem common to many California "Rhone Ranger" wines as well...maximal ripeness resulting in residual sugar, which in turn (in the face of no final filtration) leads to secondary fermentation in the bottle. I would not risk continuing to cellar this wine.
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11/16/2007 - winelovr2001 wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine. A bit reduced at first, but after about 30min it came around.
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7/18/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 93 Points
drank at lake wappapello with schlegels. Typical earthy grenache fleshy with a hint of rhubarb
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6/11/2007 - Rechrom wrote: 89 Points
At open, candied cherries and very simple. After decanting one hour, took on complexity and had less of a candied note and more (though not a lot) of earthiness to offset the still very present fruit. Still very young looking. This was interesting and certainly different from Rhones, but to my taste many CdPs offer much more pleasure at a lower cost.
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6/3/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 90 Points
typical earthen nose, blackberry tar and spice. balanced and long finish
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5/27/2007 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at Steve and Colleen Nemeth's Memorial Day party. I provided the bottle, taken from my cellar. Although a formal note was not made, the wine was unanimously "singing" and was a favorite of the attendees.
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5/27/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
While I'm starting to dislike the Grenache wines of Clarendon Hills, this one was better than most. Perhaps because it was still relatively young and still holding on to some structure (I really seem to dislike them with age, when the structure is gone and a sweet, alcoholic beverage remains). This wine had good tar, ripe blackberry and spice flavors that was resonably framed by some acid, but the ripe fruit verged on prunes, which was a turn off. Better than some of the other Grenaches I had from this producer, but I won't be buying any more.
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5/20/2007 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Wines with Barbecue (Dennis'): Ruby red color. Full black hot nose with hints of mint. Big red fruit with round but slightly canned notes.
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5/20/2007 - Nanda wrote: 89 Points
Ruby red with a fresh, spicy nose of cherries, mint and brown sugar. Medium-to-full bodied with sweet fruit. Big finish has loads of fruit. Tasty but on the simple side.
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4/14/2007 - Moorese wrote: 88 Points
I opened this bottle after reading several recent posts bashing prestige Aussie bottlings in part to assure myself that I still enjoy Aussie wines as much as I like to think I do (outside of my standbys - Noon, Tatiarra, and wines made by Ben Glaetzer - wines that I consume with enough regularity to have considerable confidence in). While I enjoyed it, I don't think I found what I was looking for in this bottle of grenache. The nose smells of sweet fruit - strawberries, red raspberries, pomegranate - but fruit that has some sort of additive. There are distinct medicinal notes that remind me of cherry Nyquil even though the wine doesn't show a cough syrup-like texture. It's not particularly viscous or gloppy. In fact, it is rather suave while still showing a tremendously forward mouthful of darker, more candied fruits soaking up some sugar in expectation of a cobbler. The strawberry/raspberry notes seem brandied in the mouth, but not so much as to be hot and unpleasant. Attack and mid-palate are nicely done, and I'm just about to convince myself that recent critics of these sorts of wines simply don't enjoy linear wines with explosive fruit when something changes with the finish. There is again this labooratory note that I'm struggling to describe. The wine finishes with notes of artificial sweeteners and a hint of gauze. Something tastes "synthetic." This is my last bottle of this particular wine, and this showing solidifies that I won't be buying any more Clarendon Hills. Frankly, I can think of numerous $15 Southern Rhones I'd rather drink.
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3/20/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 82 Points
Blind Night - Kevin's place (Kevin Stoddard's house): Disappointing. As usual. (Double-blind. Kevin's bottle.)
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3/20/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 80 Points
Blind Night (Kevin): Menthol nose. Alcoholic. Dark berry fruit and chocolate with a hint on anise on the finish. Mattias was the only one to get the varietal correct. Everyone else was out in left field. Jeff stated "I hate this so much it must be 2001 Clarendon Hills Blewitt Springs Grenache". Pretty close. It's not blind night without an Clarendon Hills Grenache. My first contribution of the night. I am so glad this is my last bottle of this wine. What a monumental disappointment, not to mention unbelievable bottle variation. The critics clearly blew this one. 14.5% alcohol. Drink now if you can.
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2/28/2007 - sgclevenger wrote: 85 Points
Not much experience with grenache, but I didn't really care for this. A bitter, alcohol (hot) taste got in the way of the fruit. I thought it'd get better but it didn't. I'll taste it tonight and see if it's any better... Tasted the next two nights and it didn;t improve.
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2/25/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: 84 Points
Interesting to contrast this wine with the 1996 version that I drank the previous night. Similar raspberry flavors, but with darker overtones: plums, blackberries, licorice, tar and prunes. I thought the fruit might have been a bit over-ripe (prunes and alcohol really started to get in the way of enjoyment).
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2/11/2007 - 5laton wrote:
(Tasted blind) Bigger nose than other wines in this flight. Ripe. New world, or perhaps an modern styled '03 Rhone. Cherry cola, jammy strawberry, some tannins.
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1/26/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 87 Points
Australia Day Wine Celebration (Outback Steakhouse, Los Angeles, CA): Tar and smoke on the nose. Red fruits, bittersweet chocolate, prune, and spice. 87-88 points.
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11/1/2006 - mattiasjansson wrote: 89 Points
Backstreet - Grenache (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Flat/flaccid. Cumin? Decent finish.
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11/1/2006 - kstoddard wrote:
Phoenix eRP Offline - Grenache (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Alcohol on the nose. Tannic. Short minty finish.
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10/30/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 92 Points
started out strong but lost a bit compared to the other wines. Lots of interesting flavors - I liked it more than the other people did.
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9/24/2006 - SteveHyde wrote:
Not to my taste. I've been opening bottles that I bought when I was starting my cellar and relying more on reviews than my own experience. This is one of my mistakes. Very sweet, viscous, heavily extracted, with a sense of intense over-ripeness, burnt sugar quality on the finish. Not very pleasant, not a wine that goes well with food. I have about half the bottle left and may freeze it to cook with.
ps - just noticed how similar this review is to the one I wrote about 9 months ago. Also note that the CT average score for this wine is way below the WA score.
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8/30/2006 - Nanda wrote: 87 Points
Wines and Mexican Food (Los Nopales - Chicago, IL): Purple in color. A dense nose of pruney fruit and chocolate. Palate features ample fruit though it tends towards the pruney / raisiny profile. Good - though it lacked dimension and grip to be considered more than good. I was guessing Amarone all the way and was shocked on reveal. Does Aussie Grenache shut down?
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4/10/2006 - gasman wrote: 90 Points
Maybe I don't get the Grenache. Was a good bottle but not mind bending.
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3/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Grenache Tasting - My #7, Group #5 -Full bright red. Forward bright black cherry and spice with hints of sweet and a few canned notes. Big bright tight tannic black fruit on the palate. A bit of heat. Great concentration. 3/06
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2/7/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
New World Grenache Tasting (Chicago IL): Blind tasting. Clearly showing New World aromas to start with ultra-ripe fruit and signs of high alcohol. All black fruit, lush and slightly sweet, all very good but without much nuance or charm for me. Others enjoyed this more than I did tonight.
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1/14/2006 - SteveHyde wrote:
Bought this when I first built my cellar, was adding wines somewhat haphazardly, and hadn't tasted a lot of Australian wines. It was the RP score and the relatively low price that made me think this producer would be a good intro to a higher level than the lower-end M-P wines I'd had thus far. In the end, I decided to let them rest for a while before opening. In the interim, I've learned enough about my own tastes to be skeptical about this wine, and it lived up, or down, to my expectations.
Dark purple in the glass, the nose was muted, not giving a lot away. In the mouth, the flavors were of overripe fruit. I don't know how many pure Grenache are made in the Rhone, but I think this might have been more appealing as part of a blend with varieties of grapes that could have complemented the burnt wood, overripe fruit, and undertones of roast mutton. Structure was a bit hard to discern, a bit acidic on the finish, and noticable heat throughout.
I need a nice Nebbiolo to clear the palate, I think. Isn't there a Sfursat bottle open somewhere? ? ? ...
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12/20/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
Nice color but fairly light. Very thick, fat and rich mouth-feel but not that sweet. Smells and tastes like a much older wine but it will undoubtedly last for a long time. Maybe a touch low in acidity.
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12/20/2005 - phenricsson wrote: flawed
Corked
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12/5/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
Good intensity but not really a fruitbomb. Well balanced with broad flavors and already starting to develop secondary flavors like garrique and barn-yard.
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10/14/2005 - PMJ wrote: 91 Points
This wine shows much better on second day melding flavors together and tannins soften. It is a lush, exotic expression of grenache with dark fruit flavors, eucalyptus, tar, and a hint of pineapple. Round and expressive, it finishes medium long.
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4/29/2005 - Mattswines wrote: 88 Points
Slightly disappointed.. seemed bretty on opening. Some good fruit notes, but masked for now. Hold for now.. seems a waste.
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1/1/2005 - KellyW wrote: 90 Points
Bright cherry with anise and tar. Woke up my tired palate. A bit hot on the finish.
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10/1/2004 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 84 Points
Bright med blackish ruby, aromas of raspberry, mint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, very faint toast, b3, a4, t2+, starts big & rich but is quickly cut w/searing (artificial?) acidity, disjointed & harsh on palate, d2, similar but more subdued nose, bit more chocolate, coffee, fleshy & sweet on palate, still w/harsh acidity cutting in
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4/3/2003 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 84 Points
Deep saturated purplish ruby, aromas of raspberry syrup, exotic spices, sandalwood, leather, crème brulee, intense grenache!, cinamon, nutmeg, b4+, a3+, t3+, huge & thick on the palate w/a stunning early presence, seems to go thin & hot a bit quickly on the finish, bit of pepper & smoke w/air, d2, aromas of raspberry, lavender, spices, amazing!, tastes velvety & rich w/sharp acids and tangy tannins cutting in sharply on finish, leaves a slight burning sensation in throat, hot?, still very nice & exotic, d4, gorgeous nose but still a bit shart & hot on palate
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1/3/2003 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 93 Points
Bright disc. Medium ruby with red rim. Very intense, clean nose of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with similar ripe fruit flavors and mouth-coating creamy vanilla. The tannins are ample and sweet. Long, smooth finish. Hedonistic! This wine is too good now to not enjoy within the next 2-3 years.
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