Nez évolué sur les épices et la garrigue, très provençal! Bouche fraîche, puissante avec ce millésime qui ajoute une touche de chaleur et concentration.
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Brought to drink at Oinoscent during service. Decanted and tasted after 1hr The wine shows ripe red fruit in the nose, spice, juicy, welcoming, nice developed profile. Palate copies the nose profile, ripe to overripe red and black fruit, a touch of warmth, raspberry and overripe sour cherry, some herbal bitter notes in the back, med body, elegant, long finish.
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So good after 14 years. Dark plums and red/black cherries up front. Mostly has given way to the secondary notes of leather, prunes, savory herbs, licorice, and Asian five spice. Still has good acidity and tannins with a nice long finish. Good to go right now and over the next couple of years.
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Bold, beautiful and mature CDP. Quite different than our 1st bottle in 2020. Tannins are fully resolved, many secondary characteristics have emerged, and bricking on the edges. Very complex. A smokey, fruity, licorice bouquet. Plum, dark berries, leather, spice, pencil shavings, camphor, herb and meat juices on the super smooth palate. Long finish. Just a touch of heat on the backend, but not distracting. We have one more destined for consumption no later than 2027. 94-95 pts
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&S’s): Double blind. Opens with aromas of dark fruit with hints of soy and spice underneath. Raspberry and herb elements on the palate. Medium bodied. Guessed grenache, but I thought this could have been a companion wine to the Muga in the previous flight.
A surprise to see an '07 CndP unveiled, as I got none of the overly ripe, raisined qualities I have come to expect from this vintage. (MM)
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Wonderful Christmas dinner wine! After some cork issues(need a new humidifier) poured a beautiful deep ruby red with definite bricking on rim. Nose of ripe fruit with some pepper. Luxurious mouth feel but not a big beginning, very well integrated tannins, full ripe fruit in the middle, long finish where pepper comes to the fore. Drink soon, this wine is in its prime!
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(Shocked to find another bottle in back of cellar, bought on release) Elite wine, bought for pedestrian money on release. Tannins are fully resolved, palate is complex and just draws you in. Red and black fruits, bricked earthy sense on palate, length forever. Superb. Why one buys wine to cellar. Balanced, none of the overly-alcoholic predictions doom sayers predicted for the 2007s. Just buy the right producers! (See 2021 note). Will have with lamb stew tonight.
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This wine continues to drink well and has improved a bit from my lat tasting over a year ago. Notes of cherry, black raspberry, roasted meat, and spice. Tannins are well integrated, long satisfying finish. Paired with herb marinated grilled veal chops.
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Beautiful shimmering ruby color; blackberry/boysenberry nose. Some overripe notes upon opening, but an hour later they have given way to a rich, dense flavor profile. Soft tannins at this point, with lots of black fruit, roast meat and garrigue. The finish goes on for a long, long time. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em.
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Stunning by the second day. Really filled out and off odours blew away. Full bodied wine with balanced structure. Not a heavy mouthfeel though. Dark berries, dried berry fruits. Almost a mulled feel. Herbal and spice element on mid palate to finish. Long finish. Earthy flavours and tobacco, cedar elements. Really enjoyable. You can taste and feel the fullness of this being a CdP.
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Decanted for 1-2h, consistent with my previous notes. Perfumy nose of leather, tobacco, and cedar. On the palate, vibrant sweet red fruit, earthy sous bois, with acidity in the finish. Lots going on in this wine, great complexity! Smooth and easy to drink.
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My first 2007 VD - I've been wondering about this wine given the comments of some people about the 2007 vintage in CDP. Most comments are very positive in CT, while other reviews are much less positive about the 2007 vintage in general and the 2007 VD specifically. I had hoped VD had dealt well with the very warm 2007 vintage. Over two nights, the good news there was no heat, but the fruit was very overripe, going into prune territory. Medium bodied, low acid, dead fruit, and very dull/limpid for a VD. I have one more bottle, but I am not looking forward to it, as I suspect this can not and will not improve. I'm afraid I am a hater rather than a lover of this vintage of Vieux Donjon (C-).
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A nice surprise with a prime NY strip. Tinged brick on the edge but very youthful. Medium bodied with nice acid backbone. Savory with black pepper and balsamic to go with juicy blackberry fruit and a hint of strawberry. Tannins were well integrated and fine. Lengthy finish with good grip. I haven’t had much CDP in the last few years but this was a treat. Highly recommended.
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This is drinking beautifully right now, all the elements integrated. Couldn't identify particular flavors, other than it was just a nice old school Chateauneuf
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Whoa, warm winter spices, red and black fruit, extinguished wood fire, and autumn decay. Medium acidity, tannins mature and soft. Medjool dates, leather, blackberry compote, the palate is intriguing and tough to pin down as it evolves. My first from this producer, and I’m massively impressed. Elite qpr at $50.
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Amazing tonight. Drinking a point, very elegant, notes of sous bois, sweet fruit, dark spice, rounded and sexy. This will certainly go on, but in my book, this is peaking. #Kandestederne#Tourmalet
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Drinking Vieux Donjon is visiting an old friend - one of my favourites. Classic Chateauneuf that really needs time to shine. The 2007 is in a great place now - 15 years old but still shows a very nice level of freshness combined with a mature elegance. Healthy colour. Notes of garrigue, hints of smoke, leather and dark fruits. Well-balanced and full-bodied with a long and lingering aftertaste. (93 points)
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Refined and refreshing raspberry fruits combined with funk and refined tannins. Also showing some baking/christmas spices and a solid body. A classic CdP wine that feels quite robust due to the alcohol but everything has a nice balance to it. Very nice wine.
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Dutch Dinner w/Jeoreon and Isobel, Valerie and Meredith (Chez Walker - New Hope, PA): First bottle of this from a batch bought at auction in 2012, in my cellar since. A blustery night, was looking for the appropriate pairing with my spiced sausage cassoulet...a good excuse to open this. Decanted and strained (some sediment) about 20 minutes prior to drinking
Dark, slightly cloudy garnet color. Some thinning at the edge. Nose showed a little funk, blowing off then showing red fruits, spice. Palate was black cherry, blue fruits, baking/Christmas spice, anise, pepper. Red fruits and spice through the mid palate. Medium weight, long finish.
Great showing, aged nicely, no edges at this point. Not picking up the heat noted by others in this bottle. 2007 vintage has its detractors, I did not try this early in its evolution so no comparison. At this point its drinking like a classic CdP...perfect pairing with the cassoulet. In a good zone, if one has multiple bottles its worth opening now. WOTN for the group.
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PNP. Very nice wine out of the gate. Touch of heat on the finish but the fruit is clean & pretty, not stewed like many 07s I’ve had. Great secondary notes with good front & mid palate. Finish is a little hot & astringent. Has life left. Last bottle unfortunately
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2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting: Moccha, chocolate, coffee, lots of tannine. Unlike the Clos Saint Jean, this does also possess some finesse. Feels like it's at peak now, but no need to hurry, it has plenty of life left.
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Dark red color, 5mm transition to clear. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. Sweet dark fruit, big, chocolate, leafy tobacco, blackberry, black cherry with hints of blue fruit lurking about; full bodied, round, big and ripe, blackberry, dark cherry, blue fruits, spicy, anise, a little edgy and sharp on the finish. This was a little like peeling an onion to get to see the layers underneath.
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Back at the Kenwood with Luis and the team: Slight blueberry, a bit less tertiary than the 2001 Charvin and also more rugged. I think we're seeing the 2007 vintage in this. I don't know how this will evolve, but I'd guess it will be better in 5 years time.
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Luis Rides Again! (The Kenwood, Minneapolis, MN): Nice CdP....curious how this will be down the road...if alcohol integrates better, this will be a stunner....if the alcohol/heat gets more intense, it will not be in my wheelhouse. Has the fruit right now, but needs time to better develop...we will see if the fruit can hold up. For now, nose shows lots of black cherry cherry bark and hints of chocolate and anise. On the palate, the wine shows lots of cherry, black pepper, licorice and some alcohol. 91 today, have no idea what the future. holds for this one.
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I liked more than the new-world Cali lovers. But, great fruit, well integrated, full-bodied, can drink without food, but without the great nose of a bordeaux.
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Dinner at Audrey. Fourth and last bottle purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. A touch of garrigue, cracked pepper and black cherry on the nose. Medium plus bodied with good tannins, nice acid and well integrated alcohol for 2007. Dark fruit, spices and smoked meats on the palate with a mineral driven finish. 94 points.
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Dinner with Jan at Char. Last bottle of this and it was lovely. Still lively fruit, and balanced nicely by lots of secondaries and nice acidity. This was well-balanced and food friendly, enjoyed with our appetizers.
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Rich, dense - but not over the top. There is a creamy fullness here, that I love, a young wine, but open for business and delivers both ripe fruit and a very sound local feel. Vraiment Vieux Donon. #Bagnols-en-Forêts
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Absolutely delish, aged CdP. Nose all leather and tertiary smells. In the mouth a fresh, tobacco, plum, red currant, and light vanilla. Aging well, but won't get any better. Will probably have another couple of years in the bottle. All the tannins are totally integrated, but still good vibrant fruit. Long finish. A delightful wine to sip and savor.
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colour is dark ruby and transparent. nose is very herbal, garrigue, slightly minty, tart. with air and time, it develops some delicate floral character. more medium in body, the palate is smooth, bright, with red berries, raspberry, sprightly acidity (without astringency), some slight green pepper-like bitterness but it doesn't overwhelm in any way and a nice transition through the herbal-tinged finish. very little tannin on the close. fully open for business. 91+
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This is very dark and moody wine. Tanned leather, earth, Most of the fruit is gone. Dusty tannins. This bottle has way too much heat though and it overpowers the finish.
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Decanted 60 minutes after pulling a perfect cork. Very little sediment.
Served blind to friends for fun.
No detailed tasting notes. My impressions were that the wine was very floral and earthy. Fruit was present but just a bit muted. Tannins were fairly well resolved and the wine is drinking very well, but perhaps a bit over ripe.
Still delicious and not a complaint amongst the tasters.
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Comprised of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% other permitted varietals, Donjon's 2007 is loaded with black and red bramble fruits that are accented with smoked meat, white pepper, anise and Provençal herbs. Although quite ripe, it is remarkably energetic, with ample acid to make the flavors pop and to balance the plentiful sweet tannins. Full-bodied, softly oaked and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%), it stays dense on the mid-palate and concludes with impressive length. Tasted over three hours from a pristinely-cellared bottle that was decanted off of its sediment, this Châteauneuf greatly benefitted from the first two hours of aeration. The stuffing is in place to ensure that comparably stored bottles will sail through the decade. Drink now-2030.
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60 minute decant. Dark ruby color; brambly nose. Sweet black fruit, with leather, cedar pencil and a touch of tar. Rich, delicious and hitting all parts of the palate. The tannins have softened considerably. This remains an under-rated benchmark for CDP.
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Deep, dark and contemplative wine. An intense nose of violet, fennel, raisined/stewed blue and black fruit, charred, tobacco, and spices. Thick and weight in the mouth. A bit too much alcohol.
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Adam's party. This bottle drank nicely and was a very classical CdP in my view. For an 07, this is pretty well balanced and is not over the top in extraction or overcooked fruit. Earth and garrigue in plentiful amounts in comparison to the other wines drunk along side.
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Deep, dark and contemplative wine. An intense nose of violet, fennel, raisined/stewed blue and black fruit, charred, tobacco, and spices. Thick and weighty in the mouth.
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Popped and poured and enjoyed a few glasses. This did not feel overdone, especially for an '07. Mid weight or even feeling slightly light on the palate. Notes of kirsch, ripe raspberry, and rock candy. The feels ready but will hold and mature for ten or more years.
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Popped and poured. Flat-out delicious. Beautiful medium garnet color; Concord grape nose. Rich, integrated and hitting on all cylinders. Tobacco, leather and a touch of smoke, all overlaid on a rich black fruit base. Tons of umami, and a bit of black pepper spice. This wine is a worthy rival to the 2005. The producer is one of my favorites of all time.
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Cherry fruit with a bit of plum. Some earth, mushroom and leather. It is not powerful, rather it is sophisticated and well-balanced. The finish is long.
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{Bought on release, perfect fill; tasted with JL, BA and AM} Gloriously pretty nose, garrigue, delicious flavor set with excellent integration from foreplate, midpalate, and finish. Words like "discrete," "plush," and "elegant" come to mind. Very sophisticated wine and easily equals many limited (special selection) cuvee Chateauneuf-du-Papes. Not even remotely alcoholic, indeed in the very ripe 2007 year this is elegant, sophisticated, fresh, and beautifully balanced. Kudos to Vieux Donjon where they make one red and one white wine and have old vines.
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Consistent with previous bottles. Enjoyable and in great shape even if somewhat one dimensional and monolithic. Needs food hearty enough to stand up to it.
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Subsequent notes on this wine from over four years ago. Medium-deep ruby red in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of complex, dark ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plum with sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of lavender & dried Provençal herbs with pepper & bay leaf, smoky, earthy/dusty, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Medium bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, black pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing, but even at 14 years of age, it has the structure & fruit to continue further development with additional aging.
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Popped and poured. Absolutely gorgeous dark garnet color. A touch of loam on the nose. After 90 minutes of air: Rich and satisfying. Gobs of sweet black fruit balanced by Unami-rich tobacco, tar, etc. Tannins are in a great place. They are softened, but present and leanding good structure. This is a chewy wine in the best sense of the word. This domaine continues to be one of my benchmarks for CDP.
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Mmmm I do like an aged Chateauneuf. Decanted and drunk over an hour on a sad evening. Integrated, smooth, and yet still tasting young. Happily drink now, but can take more years although the fruit balance is just right in the bottle I had.
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Drank two bottles. The first was very stewed and tired. I have had this experince with some much CNP- I guess I like them young. The second was more energetic and interesting. There were notes of meat, metal, leather and garrigue that I really liked. But not something I will save space for in the cellar going forward. 2 bottles left. I'll drink in the next few months.
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Deep garnet color. Big nose of raspberry jam. Palat has lots of raspberry and plum. Black currant. Some smoked meat, soppressata. Tannins were a little rough but smother out after 30 minutes. Well balanced and in a great drinking window.
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Beautiful purple color, plum jam on the nose. Strange as it sounds: Spicy sun-dried tomato. Smoky roast meat; deep black fruit, currant, plum blackberry. Mushroom! Deeply integrated and intense. What a good wine!
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Deep ruby color, sweet blackberry nose. A bit tight upon opening, after an hour of air it has opened up beautifully. Black and red fruit dominate, with a savory umami concentration that hits the sides and back of the tongue. Rich and concentrated, with tremendous depth of flavor. This wine continues to evolve and impress.
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Yesterday, I posted a note on a 2015 Brunello purchased from Costco that was quite underwhelming. Well, today is a different day! 2007 Vieux Donjon is drinking very well. Opened for two hours. It has some barnyard “funk” going on but a strong red raspberry structure behind it. Medium body taste. This is a well balanced, well structured Grenache based wine.
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Decanted for 2-3h. On the nose, tobacco, leather, hints of brett (this blew off after 3h), lots going on. On the palate, mouth coating red fruit compote, hints of pepper in the finish. Mom and Peter enjoyed this. Great paired with pan seared duck breast.
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Yeesh, not as pruney as an 07 Beaucastel served alongside, but just nearly as unenjoyable. Overripe, but acids were in check. I’m just not at all a fan of 07 CdP so far
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There is a combination of freshness and earthiness on the palate, with Kirsch and berries married with forest floor and mushroom. Acidity keeps it lively and there is a blueberry-toned lift. The body feels fuller than the average mature Chateauneuf, for the better. I decanted this wine for 2 hours and it continues to evolve. Tremendously enjoyable, I wish I had more of this wine but I think this was my last bottle!
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Tasted vis-a-vis the Mont-Olivet, and this is certainly better - and quite different. Full blooded neuf with a very sound core of kirsch, very fresh, sweet Grenache-notes, plenty of local feel. Very well balanced, exceeds the vintage ... bravo #Kandestederne
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This showed better than the '07 Beaucastel but not by much. It did resemble a CdP, with dried tertiary fruit notes, provincial spice and has some lift on the palate. But dropped off quickly on the finish. Drinking fine now, but I suspect will fade over time. Glad I drank all my bottles, my last one was in 2015.
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Still drinking very well, this didn't seem to have faded any from the last bottle we had a year ago. True that it's big and extracted and a bit monolithic vs other vintages, but very good flavors and finish and in balance vs. coming across hot. Enjoyable with a meal that can match up to it ... paired well with well seasoned pork chops.
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This Vieux Donjon is unfortunately from the worst period in Chateauneuf's history to my liking. In far too many wines, 2007 and 2009 were marked by the fact that at that time the producers sought to harvest late with low yields and as heavy fruit as possible. Surmaturité, as it is called in French. It was attractive back then. Unfortunately, this one succeeded a little too well. Served at 13-14C. It is simply too dense, liquorous, candied and cooked in its fruit character. It is not because of storage issues, it was bought upon release and stored well. The proof is a 2005 from the same cellar, drunk not so long ago, that was far fresher and better. 90p on ‘objective quality’, but the enjoyment is not top notch.
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Very nice. Very ripe red fruit, stony mineral flavors, quite acidic, with some smoke on the nose too. It's a little too ripe in its fruit profile for me, but my wife loves it. The finish has an alluring bitterness to it that seems kind of strange after the ripe fruit profile.
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This wine is not shy, nor is it overbearing. The best that traditional and vigorous CdP has to offer. You need to pay attention and enjoy all the sensations it brings you.. Pair it with flavorful food that can match its presence. As expected, there was not a drop left at the end of the meal!
For more please watch below at YT channel Pandewine
https://youtu.be/NWIeA0m0xJU
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Agree with other tasters- this wine is way past it's prime. Bummer after paying retailer $70 for it. Only salvage I have, was the retailer sent me 3 extra Clos De Pape CdP by mistake. Called them up- they said order was correct. OK. thank You. Then opened 2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Rasteau. What a GEM. So how come this village wine beat this CdP? What went wrong in the cellar on this Donjon?
Exhibiting roasted aromas of fruit compote, prunes, slivovitz and soy sauce, the 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape has one foot in the grave. Full-bodied, over-ripe and spiritous, it's actually marginally more palatable and integrated a day after opening; but it remains a wine to spit rather than swallow.
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Our last bottle and it was the most complex of the three bottles we had. Very spicy, sweet red berry fruit, but nothing is overripe or hot as with many other C9dP from 2007. Good acidity and fine tertiary flavors. Drinks really well now. - 91 points
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Smoked meats and tar on the nose. On the palate, it feels a bit hot and this bottle is devoid of any fruit, dark or otherwise. I don't think this is corked, but all I really get is flat cola notes, tar, mushroom, and singed green bell pepper. Not sure if we will be finishing the bottle.
Third virtual CdP wine tasting (non-blind). (Zoom): Wine 2 of 4. Ripe red and dark fruit, spices, herbal notes, eucalyptus and liquorice, with good acidity, smooth tannin and superb length. Lingers for minutes! Great concentration and good complexity. Balanced and harmonious and quite complete. Fresh compared to the other wines. Maybe slightly alcoholic but otherwise equally satisfying on day two. Great CdP!
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PnP. Deep garnet red. Muted nose on opening that improved with air. A little flat early on, but gained weight, aromatics and complexity with air over 60-90 minutes. There was not much left by then, but my last half glass was delicious. This is probably near peak but still needs an hour decant.
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Lots of discussion here regarding ripeness and alcohol, both of which are manifestly true.
A loud wine, set to 10 decibels, if you will...and I loved all of it. Fig preserves, date cakes, glycerin, iodine, pepper, herbs, kelp, juniper, and jerky...all backed by intense mineral range and depth. The same elements show on the palate, in appealing layers. A natural pairing for earthy and decadent risottos, peppery and Herbs de Provence seasoned roasted meats, and, of course, well marbled, flamed seared steaks.
By 'hot' wine standards, this is balanced, particularly because of the substance it delivers. By preference, I would happily choose this over most BdMs, Amarones, other 'hot' CdPs, etc, and certainly most anything from the New World, including great Turleys, Ridges, and most Bedrocks, etc...all of which, IMO, show more range and depth than so many extracted, jammy, gelatinous, oaky, weakly-structured...oh...yes...and offensively 'hot' Napa Cabernet Sauvignon offerings. And, in all fairness, most any 2009 and 2016 Bordeaux, etc...from the Left Bank. In sum, 'hot' wines should not be construed as 'lesser'...if they deliver great pleasure.
Based on this experience, recommend drinking splits soon. Full bottles should hold form for another five to seven years, magnums a while longer...and might still be evolving. 94-95.
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A little heat on the nose detracts but there is lots of vibrant red fruits and clove notes of the nose with similar replays on the palate. Hitting peak drinking for now and the next three years.
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Nez suave de garrigue et de confiture de fraises. Discret mais charmeur.
Un Châteauneuf au style traditionnel qui garde une belle vigueur. Plein, ample, avec une puissance bien contenue. Savamment épicé, il emplit la bouche sans la saturer. Pas le plus gourmand, mais il offre une belle complexité aromatique. Bel équilibre pour un vin qui réchauffe le cœur. 91-92 pts
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My last bottle - and it has never disappojted. Not a typical 07. More structured, cooler and for the long haul. Not in the same league as the 05, 10 og 16, but still damn beautiful.
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Solid CDP. Still evolving, but in a lovely spot. Dark ruby in color. Beautiful bouquet of plums and lavender. Smooth, lush mouth feel. Good balance of tannins and acidity at this point. Layers of flavor - dark cherries, plums, licorice, spices, mineral. Drink now or continue to hold.
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Really good. Just a delicious and classic cndp to me. I’m not sure what all the controversy over 2007 was. It has certainly proved to be a fine vintage. My last of a few bottles of this one, and it showed the best. These wines were a bit flabby up front but have evolved nicely. Classic southern Rhône nose that holds on through the palate and finish. Straightforward without being boring. It knows what it is and delivers. Nothing earth shattering but a great bottle of evolved cndp for sure.
Solid C9dP: raisin, earthy, dried leaves, chocolate, soft heat, balsamic note, dark chocolate, medium body, strong finish - 91, Rob, Bas & Nicole and family over
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(375ml) stewed spiced plum, roast duck, smoked cherries, dried sage, persimmon, anise, fig, a hint of celery seed and restrained oak on the nose. Very intriguing balance of concentrated hot fruit and spicy umami on the palate. Concord grape and sweet cranberry mesh with savory roast game and black olive tapenade.
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What a good wine experience. Spices and flowers on the nose. Balanced and in drinking window but the taste what does it for me. Very satisfying and lingers in the mouth for 30 seconds. Opened bottle for 3 hours and drank over next three hours.
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Really enjoyed this tonight. Drank it with tacos. Ok. Maybe not the best Match but honestly not a bad foil. Smooth, subtle, nothing over the top like I was concerned it would be. ‘07 was hot and rich but this wine is elegant and in a great place today.
My last (split) of this vintage, and it did not disappoint. While it features the hallmarks of the hot vintage, including lighted stewed fruit notes, it is powerfully structured and very well balanced. Classic CdP, with fig paste, hot rocks, salinity, smokehouse, and a veritable umami overload. This half bottle presented as if near or at peak. 94-95.
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Medium ruby, amber tint. A prune-inflected nose gives way to very ripe raspberries and garrigue, then toffee. But the 2007 VD highlights a stylistic weakness I sometimes am struck by at this domain: their wines can seem awkwardly put together and unbalanced. Here I would say that comes through on the palate: some of the underlying grenache was probably overripe, and they tried to compensate with rather tart syrah in the blend. It works, to a degree, with that note of sweetness that appeals to many rhone fans, but the wine seems hot (14.5%) and a bit brutish.
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Somewhat subdued. Hints of the barnyard funk that I love in cdp. Tannins smooth with balanced + acid. Not as good as my last bottle but might have been a touch cool on serving.
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I thought this was great. Decanted gently for about 20 minutes before dinner. Deep purple in color. Flavors of black pepper, currant jelly, sage and tobacco. Really an enjoyable CdP.
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This magnum was in a weird place. There is a lot of material in this big, brooding wine. It hints at the old school elements typically found in wines from VD, but also shows a lot of ripeness and an unnerving, disjointed acidity on the mid palate. Needs some time to round out. I assume it will. (90)
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Wonderful wine. Deep purple color, black plum nose. Full-bodied, rich mouthfeel. Blackberry, dark fruits, a touch of garrigue. A big of underlying acidity adds brightness.
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Very good, although not quite as good as I thought of the last bottle we had, maybe just because it didn't pair as well with meatloaf. Smooth, fully integrated, don't think it will improve any more from here, possibly even slightly past its peak although would expect it to drink well for a number of years.
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Dark red. Intense roasted plum and kirsch nose. Overpowering and not pleasent in my opinion. The flavours are a lot more wine like. Dry red berry and pepper and the finish is very tannic.
Not my style. Will hold my last bottle and hope it improves when the massive roasted fruit dies.
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Reminds me that I learned the descriptor "Californicated" with the '07 CdP vintage. Heavy, hot nose of roasting coffee beans with asphalt and jammy fruit on the palate. Cloying finish that can't end soon enough.
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Strikingly silky. Ripe black fruits but not overly ripe. Alcohol not showing at all. Fuller bodied but you can tell the fruit has shed a lot of its baby fat. Still some very fine grained tannins. Should be good for a few more years, at least.
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Bad bottle tonight. Nose of Worcester sauce and smoke. Palate dirty, overripe and totally unappealing. My last of three bottles and most disappointing. Totally undrinkable, but not corked.
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Really great Donjon. For most of the bottle there was definitely a baked quality to the nose along with red fruits, a bit of funk and some sous bois. On the palate the wine was very ripe, almost sweet with a creamy texture, nice brightness and mostly resolved tannins. Finished with good length and great complexity. The baked quality gave me pause, but by the end of the bottle that had faded and I was left with a most singular wine: ripe and silky, with amazing flavors of candied cherries, cedar, Christmas spice, forest floor. Really great!
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Served to great applause from the two guests, who both guessed Northern Rhône. This is meaty, dry, full bodied, amost creamy in texture; still a baby, great future ahead, I think. First bottle of 12. #Jan&LarsBo
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Drinking perfectly now for me. The fruit is still fresh and vibrant with raspberry and cherry flavors with a strong hint of licorice. Dried herbs and rosemary add to the floral aromas. Fine tannins remain.
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Not as exuberant as in its youth but therefore developing some tertiary aromas besides the cherries and garrigue. I think it will hold nicely for another decade, because it’s not over the top and in balance right now.
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Decanted for two hours. Juicy raspberry and plum notes with black pepper, rosemary and dried herbs. Long finish. Balanced with residual tannins. I like where it's at though: nice edge and bright, pure fruit.
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Pretty black cherry color. Showing initial bricking on watery edge. Freshly oiled leather, violets, sweet black licorice, ripe fruit medley of plum and English strawberries, and not quite tobacco forrest floor on the nose. On the palate, the first thing that hits you is the mouthfeel: viscous, sweet and layered. There is a burst of plum followed by sweet black licorice, a little astringent at first on the long finish (think orange rind) but that burns off quickly to a long, long finish of white and black pepper. This is a very sophisticated wine. I would say at the apex of its drinking window. Couldn't imagine a better pairing with grilled fare (for me, a NY strip and grilled ciabatta).
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P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which loses the majority of its bite by the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/swtness (60:40) to the relatively few dusty tannins. For now & through '22, I'd guess. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-; 96 pts WA (Dunnuck, 8/28/14), 4*(*)/5 drinkrhone.com , & other reviews on wine-searcher's "Tasting Notes" pg.
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This pristinely-cellared bottle was decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing three hours. Flush with black and red bramble fruits which are accented with cracked pepper, anise, garrigue and smoked meat, it is a remarkably fresh wine considering its ripeness. Full-bodied, softly oaked, seamlessly alcoholic (14.5%) and with ample silky tannins, there is a degree of layered density on the middle palate that only the best wines achieve. Long and palate-coating on the finish, this is nothing short of classic in quality. Well-cellared bottles should sail through the next decade. Drink now-2030.
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Decanted for 1-2h. Gorgeous perfumy tobacco nose, black fruit and oak on the palate. Aromatic, complex and beautifully integrated. Consistent with previous notes. Tonight with spicy sushi rolls.
Pumped down overnight. Good, but not as good on day 2 as on day 1.
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Coravin two glasses on 7/7/19. Funk smell at the start. Deep purple color. Fried green peppers and onions on the palate at first followed by a bit of a mash up of blueberry syrup and baked yams. The funk blew off after 5 - 10 minutes and then black pepper tastes came to the forefront with hints of sage and of the taste in my mouth that I get when hiking in the Sonoran desert. Complex and interesting to drink.
Coravin two more glasses on 7/18/19 -- Hmmm and Wow! I liked it even more. No funk what to speak of; I wonder if it all seeped out through the Coravin needle hole? The green pepper taste was completely gone and what I got was a mouthful of dark cherries, the skin of a perfectly ripe heirloom tomato and crushed black pepper. The desert sage notes were still there, but not as prominent - more of a secondary/tertiary taste. What fun!
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From magnum. A bit of a disappointment here. Slightly reductive & not showing much fruit anymore. Mostly barnyard aromas & flavors with just a touch of fruit. I expected better from this.
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Decanted for two hours. Very little sediment. The nose is quite beautiful - lots of garrigue. The palate is dominated by extremely ripe red fruit. I'm not sure why I pulled this to drink with a rib-eye, but the ripe fruit really stood up well with the steak. There is a little bit of garrige on the palate as well and a lot of tobacco. It is well balanced and smooth. There is still a bit of tannin that is noticeable.
I'm not into the really ripe style that some of these wines are taking, but I appreciate that this is a well made wine. My wife thought it was fabulous. De gustibus non est disputandum.
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All you could want from a half bottle of CDP. Garrigue, syrah base notes, grenache power, mourvedre tannin, and with a good 3-d texture. this wine rocks and in a great spot right now. Perfect with burgers which we had with the wine. Awesome!
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Bright fruit indicates to me it is in front of that raisiny state I personally dislike. Lots of anise in nose and taste. Rosemary on nose with cassis, raspberry and cherry flavors and some nice garrigue. Touch of mineral. Long in the finish with moderate, fine tannins. decanted 45 minutes.
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Herbs de provence, charred bread, kirch, roasted meat, tobacco and garrigue notes dominate. The nose was relatively closed even over two days though. Good density, full bodied, with good depth.
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It's amazing to read through the mixed feelings of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape reviews, and Le Vieux Donjon appears to be no different. I found that patience brought out the best in this wine, and in the end I found myself loving it.
Upon first opening, a massive wave of brown sugar, crushed cherries and spice permeated my senses--yet that was just the beginning. After a 1/2 hour in decanter, the '07 took on a much more detailed and sculpted persona, showing dark earth tones over balsamic spice, crushed stone and animal musk, as notes of coffee grinds, dried black cherries, and violet florals developed in the glass. On the palate, textures like silk flooded the senses, spreading notes of ripe black cherry, brown spice, sweet tobacco, wild herbs, minerals and a hint of mocha, all kept in check by balanced acidity and a hint of lingering tannin. The finish was wonderfully long and balanced, resonating on hints of spiced black tea, wild inner florals, mulled cherry and pipe tobacco.
I would reload on this, from a reliable source, any day.
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Perfect place today. Tannins resolved nicely. Delicious minerality. Beautifully mature. Everything I want in cdp. Barnyardy, mouth filling, fruit, acid, everything. Can’t wait for my next bottle.
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Nez plutôt discret. En bouche par contre, très expressif. Ample, rond avec des tanins soyeux encore bien presents. Très bon maintenant, mais devrait tenir encore sur plusieurs années
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Ripe and forward. Not out of control or really gloppy but definitely feeling the vintage. Doesn't really show a modern framing. It leaves me wondering why maybe a house like Donjon didn't pick earlier to avoid this. The wine is fine. I've had straight CdR's from cooler vintages like this. This one just isn't as interesting as it's pedigree and terroir would make you hope for.
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Out of 375 Nose: Super aromatic, pungent purple grapes Palate: Thick, overripe black grapes and ripe red plum, with notes of grape skin/bitter stems, and some black olive. Finish: Smooth, viscous black fruit, faint gentle tannin, with a little spicy heat. Very seamless and smooth; but needs more finesse or structure to improve score. 91-92
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Carafé 1h30 en avance. Une robe pourpre foncée qui commence à s’atténuer sur les bords. Nez laissant dégager une belle épice, des arômes de cèdre et de fruits confits. Un boisé intense en bouche, des fruits noirs goumands, de la figue, des prunes et une finale poivrée intéressante. Belle acidité et tannins encore bien présents sans être aggressifs. Très bon, bien mieux que la bouteille ouverte il y a quelques années. Ce vin pourra attendre encore 5-8 ans, mais donne beaucoup de plaisir maintenant.
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Out of the wine rack and popped and poured. A clear garnet, earthy, fruity, a hint of saddle leather. Smooth, tannins mostly resolved, not a hint of Brett. Overall a good bottle, should have decanted off the sediment though. This is likely on a plateau.
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Brought to Max's for dinner with job candidate. This bottle was really nice. Very well balanced with fruit, earth, spice, and acidity. Medium weight and food-friendly. No heat noticeable. This was so much better than what I remember tasting by Coravin from one of these bottles a few years ago. No hurry on these, but they are in a nice drinking window.
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Coravin taste. At this point, for my palate, I liked this better than the '09 Prefert Favier or the '09 Giraud Gallimardes, and way better than the '09 Marcoux. This is more mid-weight and has pretty decent balance, without noticable alcohol heat. Should be solid with food.
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Dark dull maroon core with larger crimson rim; rusty nose, sour plum, roses, chocolate, nori; liqueured, tart Grenachy, high toned finish, baby Aspirin, very penetrating, cooked ripe red fruit, fig, a bit heady, long finish and drive; well done.
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Very restrained at first so decanted at the table. A touch of garrigue, saddle and black cherry on the nose. Medium bodied with good tannins and nice acid for 2007. Dark fruit, spices and pretty minerality on the palate with a mineral driven finish. Still time. 92 points
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From a half bottle, this was pretty interesting - biggest impression was Christmas cake and minced fruit. Not the most friendly of CDPs but there's a lot going on. Probably needed decanting.
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Tastes very ripe. The ABV presents with more weight than heat. Structurally soft with subdued, fine tannins mostly mid-palette. Nose shows black cherries, fermented something, bean curd, saline, red wine braised beef, soy sauce, leather. Nose/palette are similar, with more chocolate cherry cordial in the mouth. This needs 30-60m decant to blow off some unpleasant funk, which presented as stewed tomatoes and sweaty leather. I’ve had the 2005 and this is a notch below.
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Much better than my previous bottle from the same case, this was rockin'! With loads of sweet, ripe, juicy, peppery, red berries, the wine offers richness on the palate and a peppery, garrigue, kirsch and black raspberry complexity on the nose. Splash decanted, this was a treat the moment it made its way from my glass to my palate.
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See prior notes: "Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. ... Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit. ... Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid." Nice balance.
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PnP and consumed a few glasses last night, over the course of a few hours. This wine is 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 5% other authorized varietals, and was aged completely in foudre. I didn't write a formal TN, but this is a big and bold CdP, w/darker fruit flavors and a refreshing mint and licorice note leading into the med+, slightly stewed finish. Ripe and mature, I think I might have liked this wine better 3-4 years earlier. Drink now through 2020.
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Color: brick red with some orange, evolved. Nose: lots of leather, cedar wood, sous-bois, some barnyard, dark fruits. Mouth: tertiary flavors (coffee, tobacco), dark fruits - tastes exactly like it smells :-) Full bodied, medium acidity, medium- tannins, excellent balance and structure, long finish (20 sec). Excellent mature and serious CDP! Drink now - 93 pt.
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See prior notes: "Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. ... Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit. ... Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid." Nice balance.
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Steve makes Brisket; 9/9/2018-9/11/2018 (Steve and Jennie's): 8 months since I've had this, and it gained a point. This seems to be gaining complexity. This really screams CDP, but not necessarily 2007, which has not been good to me so far. Slightly rustic, this seems more old school to me.
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Medium ruby with slight hints of age - barnyardy, sweaty saddle (Brett?), burnished wood nose, some stewed fruit in the background - palate is dry, leather, white pepper, berry fruit - nice but lacks depth - a little loose - this continues unabated our run of sub-prime CDP tastings - nice, but...
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Opened to breathe 1-2h, with steak. Huge tobacco on the nose and palate, very perfumy. Consistent with my previous notes. I let this breathe overnight. More fruit, and less tobacco, but also more acid and a bitter finish. This air aged wine really needs food, no longer a brooding meditation wine like on day 1. Bummer. My score reflects day 1; on day 2 I would score it much lower, 88.
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Light crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Soaring nose that screams of the '07 vintage. Red fruits, kirsch liqueur, blood and licorice. On the palate you get the sense of how a more traditional producer is faring in this polarizing vintage. The wine has a decadence to it but somehow maintains a rustic profile. Medium body with medium acidity. Cherries, garrrigue, iron and umami on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with some coarse tannins. I think additional time in the cellar is warranted for the '07 Vieux Donjon and most '07's in general. Best over the next 4-6 years.
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Bottle featured significant amount of predominantly fine sediment and was decanted for 2 hours. The brickening covered the entire body and is clearly visible while swirling in the glass. Leather and wood floor with some dark ripe fruit notes on then nose. Upon entry the wine represents itself as medium+ weight with a round and velvety feel. Tannins from the oak treatment are well integrated with prunes and dark cherries. The finish is medium+ in length and reveals a bit of a riper style mainly due to lower acidity levels. Will go much longer for someone who appreciates the more advanced tertiary style. Enjoy
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Purchased at auction. Opened to breathe for an hour, this is ready to go. Opulent leather and woodsy oak nose, on the palate extracted red fruit, berries, plums, some oak, mineral, and a long satisfying finish. Very smooth, integrated. The fruit here is as prominent as the oak and leather, making this delicioiusly complex and classy. For me this mature flavor profile is very satisfying. 2h after opening the flavor profile leans more towards acidic on the finish, I enjoyed this most about 1h after opening. Medium bodied, plenty of life ahead.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over roughly two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of spices with a hint of tobacco and mixed dark fruits. Flavors of black berries, plums and black cherries. medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Purchased on release and held until tonight. Rusty and brick, a bit agitated as it was consumed after travel. But perfect maturity. Aromas of porcini, warm earthy compost, and leather. Warm and inviting, the wine pushes you to enjoy and not intellectualize too long lest you miss the Grenache dominant wine show its depth mid palate is rich and the finish both rising and long. Wine is in a good place now, could take time in carafe or in your cellar but it’s ready to enjoy. It will empty quickly too. Wonderful CdP.
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Opened my last 375 ml bottle for dinner with roasted chicken, a great pairing in my opinion, nose of barnyard, black cherry fruit, plum, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty, at its peak/slightly old (?)-suggest you drink up now, mouth filling fruit, rich fruit, more barnyard than previously remembered which is not a bad thing, and a medium/long finish.
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Totally rushed. Should have decanted for an hour+. Closed and tight for 30 min but so excited that bottle didn’t last much past 45min. Only at the end did wine start to open up and show some cassis, berry, and it’s depth of flavor. Next one will be even better!
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Dark and intense in colour, pretty young. Nose is intense and reduced, black berry and bilberry fruit, hints of tar, brush and unami. Palate is full bodied and soft with resolved tannins and some blackberry acidity. Nice long tasty finish. This is an excellent wine, probably drinking at peak, not sure this will improve much, but will see how the other 1/2 of the bottle fares overnight.
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2nd bottle - Outstanding. Quick Taste on opening promises excellence. Deep full flavors with not the slightest flaw or harshness. As it spends time in the glass - is fullness settles so I'd say your near the optimal drinking window. Wish I'd bought a case instead of 2.
OK - I lied - its got more distance - second day has not lost a step. window runs to at least 2023. Color is burgundy w/ orange shades in the light - color extends close to edge.
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Un peu fatigué cette bouteille nous a semblée. Pas le coffre et la matière du C9P, léger avec pas mal de fruit mais peu de tannins. Finale moyenne sur le fruit...à boire sans trop tarder!
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What a difference a vintage makes. Had a 2006 a month ago that was so so. This 2007 was really nice, good weight and fullness that paired really well with beef tenderloin without being too heavy or massive. Opened an hour before drinking. At $45 for the 2015s right now, I'm a buyer.
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Southern Rhone (mostly CDP's) with Craig's Group (Tilia): Drank a small glass over 30 minutes. For a 2007, this is drinking quite well. I found this CDP to be big but not over the top. It is rustic with roasted meats, herbs and earth. To me, it is clearly of better quality than entry-level Rhones but hard to justify the asking price.
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Monthly Tasting Group: Southern Rhones (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus (don't recall what prep). I found this dark and juicy with deep rich fruit and a layers of flavor. The nose is full of dark berry fruit, blackberry, cassis, roasted meat, very savory and full of umami, spice, and slowly emerging garrigue over 20 minutes. The palate is full bodied, concentrated, layered dark fruits, cassis, blackberry, plum, anise, garrigue, with a silky texture and tannins. This came off balanced, if still a rip wine. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought this was by far the best this wine has drank. I'm not sure about aging this, but it certainly has come together for now.
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Agree with previous comments that this is one of the more classy and fresher C9dP of the vintage. Spicy, slightly sweet, licorice, good acidity for 2007. Not very complex though and ready for drinking. - 90 points
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P&P - Served with Szechuan Chef's smoked duck appetizer that was the only misstep in a otherwise glorious birthday spread by the Chef. As to the VD, I really liked it and was a good match for the duck and green onion pancake apps. Ripeness clearly shows this as a warm year such as 07, but by no means was this over the top, in fact, I found it rather fresh and very easy to drink. Good wine.
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Pop and pour and drank within an hour and a half. An aromatic nose that is dominated by black licorice and sage along with barnyard, leather, tobacco and truffle notes that lead way to a concentrated yet beautifully proportioned wine oozing of dark plum and mineral flavors which turn spicy on the finish. This is a dynamite 2007 Ch9 offering and one where the last glass was the best.
Very similar to my note on Aug 26, 2016. This is an atypical 2007 CDP. Why? Because I actually like it. Definite barnyard, wild game, iron, sanguine, funk in the glass that tastes just like it smells. I like a little brett in my wine and it is clearly present in this bottling. Utterly delicious and hitting on all cylinders now. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle. This is a powerhouse wine.
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From a half, served at near cellar temperature, 58 to 60 degrees.
The coolest temperature I have tasted this wine at, and it was different. Intense, fresh hacked bramble, green tobacco, sage, damp kelp, wet smoldering coals, curing and brining spices, and cold charcuterie, as in a meat smokehouse during winter. The bouquet also offered fig cake, dry rolled dates, cut sugarcane, stony elements, and maritime salinity. Striking concentration on the palate. The wine tastes like it smells, and still shows noteworthy acids and integrated tannins. It may not improve much over the next few years, but this half bottle had at least three years of life ahead of it, maybe five. Standard (750s) bottles might age for longer.
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PHMG WAG: the '07 Chateauneufs (Old Home of the Lyon): More classic CdP than previous wines in this tasting with a trace of funk overlying the garrigue, earth, and cherry notes. Anise, pepper, and leather show up eventually. Nice depth and length. Tannins resolved. Now-2018.
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Wow! Intense nose of spice, sweet, mostly dark fruit, soy and some smoke. Very layered and complex: five spice, fennel, griled meat, strawberries, dark cherries etc. On the palate again spicy but with lovely fruit as well. Very intense but not at all heavy or clumsy. Good acidity, fairly low in tannins, very good lenght. One of the better Ch9 I've had. Drinking very well now.
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Very good wine that stands up well to the Donjon reputation of producing consistently good CDP year after year. Took 1.5 hours in decanter to open up then started to shut down after 2.5 hours which leads me to believe that this is nearing the end of its drinking window. Robert Parker, who believed in 2008 that this wine would be drinkable until 2026 is off his rocker IMHO. No point holding this wine further...enjoy now!
Just very enjoyable. Acidity has declined to a better place and tannins are resolving nicely. Opened and bottle decanted over a couple of hours. Had with grilled steaks. Not sure there's much room to improve from here, since the body seems to be as evolved as it can be.
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Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Ripe sweet cherries, some licorice and a little heat. Just enough acid to keep it in balance. Well done. Paired well w roast chicken w herbs, drink now or over ?5-7 yrs.
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SO'd overnight then double decanted, dark ruby, beautiful classic grenache with red & dark fruit with a touch of spice, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious & at peak IMHO, but no rush
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Slow-ox'd 1 hr, tasted over 1 hr -opaque dark red no bricking -rich pruney fig with some detectable EtOH -med- acidity heavyweight thick fig and prune caramel notes and backend heat with fairly resolved tannins -unfortunately sharing the same fate of many other '07 CdPs that have struggled to ever come together without excessive heat and/or burnt fruit and scorched earth
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Bu avec Carol avec des viandes BBQ. Ouvert le matin et mis en carafe pour un bon 4 heures, résidu fins et décanté. La robe commence à avoir le pourtout orangé. Le nez est sur les prunes, les épices et le café, nous rappelle un peu un porto tawny! En bouche, c'est souple et assez fondu. Des mures et des figues avec un peu de poivre. Finale assez longue et tout en élégance. Pas mal à point cette bouteille.
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In a very nice place. It has shed some of the ripeness of the vintage and drinks pretty classic Donjon IMO. Still has time as the tertiary elements are coming out. Nice complexity. Great with food.
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Great nose of ripe and roasted black cherries, licorice, hint of fig... very ripe taste with loads of black ripe cherries, sweet fruit, super delicious and plenty of life ahead!!
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Had next to the 03 and 05 out of 375's. Was the youngest of the 3, with fresh fennel, smoke, hot stones, umami, plums and dense fruits, paired very well with coffee rubbed steak and beets.
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Hot vintage, half bottle Vieux Donjon vertical: 2003, 2005, and 2007. Showing the prettiest bouquet of the flight, with fig cake, guava paste, and Medjool date especially pronounced. Juicy, racy, even hedonistic. Similar to the 2003, but with more substance, and also similar to the 2009 vintage, tasted in April. The wine paired best with grilled beef. It should be longer lived than the 2003, by a few years. Ridiculously delicious, and fun!
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Slow-O'd for a half-hour. A little off on first sip: not oxidized, just not very interesting. Smooth, and I would say one-dimensional, except for some hints of underlying complexity. Figgy rather than fruity, and not at all jammy. Improved with more air, and showed much better with food.
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This seems to have changed since the last time, I recall tasting it. There is a pronounced fig, and jam note in the otherwise, delightful perfume. But those over ripe notes take away from the truffle, earth, garrigue, wet earth and hard to find, dark cherry fruits. Fat, round and not exactly low in acid, but lacking the freshness I want. If you are sitting on any my instincts is to finish them sooner than later.
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I haven't opened one of these in 2 years (see my 3/31/15 tasting note). Opaque garnet. Nose of saddle leather, smoke and garrigue. A whiff of black cherry and menthol. Big juicy palate of black cherry and blackberry with superb length and intense black licorice on the finish. Sweet tannins that have lost much of their grip over time. This wine is evoving really well in the cellar.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Alpharetta, GA): Cloudy dark crimson, lighter rim; wow, the Brett on this is a bit overwhelming, stank galore, red apple skin, leather, sour cranberry and pomegranate, plum skin, lots of stable and Pegau-like; taut on the palate, classic CdP blend, some peppery Syrah showing through; was on Bois de Boursan as I thought it could not be Pegau; very surprised by this bottle.
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From a half, tasted over two days. Hot vintage Vieux Donjon at a bargain price you say? Yes please! A feminine presentation for this producer that radiates enchanting perfume of fig cake, Medjool date, Turkish apricot, persimmon, guava paste, spice box, fennel, hoisin, sarsaparilla, sweetened coco powder, and sugar cane juice. Notes of soy suace, pepper, charcuterie, garrigue, and minerals can also be found. Ripe, yet sublimely rich. At 14.5 abv, low for hot vintage south Rhone, there is just a touch of heat, as is typical for great Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wine also features remarkable balance, medium plus acidity, and a dusty tannic frame, which can be sensed as the wine glides over the palate with its glycerin texture. Unlikely to improve much, but also likely to hold for 8 to 10+ years. Not the best vintage that I have tasted, but its elegant substance is decidedly appealing. Insane QPR by CdP standards! 95-96.
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I enjoyed this more than the 07 Pegau we had a few weeks ago. The vintage does show here as well though. There is just a little roasted quality to the fruit and slight heat, but the wine remains fairly elegant and lithe and has good balancing acidity. There is the typical spice and garrigue notes. Overall this wine is ok, but I don't like it as much as the surrounding vintages, and I don't see it improving. I find "the vintage of the century" hype for 07 CdP dumbfounding.
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From magnum. Full nose is definitely on the ripe and sweet side of the spectrum. Palate is round and ripe, but sufficiently fresh. Some good CdP herbal and earth components. I like this wine, but the warmer vintage definitely leaves it's mark.
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This was a stunning showing for the bottle. The barnyard that I have come to expect was pretty much gone. The nose had hint of flowers (sounds crazy), some spice, and red berry. It was almost delicate. Crazy good.
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Drank with grilled steaks. Opened and bottle decanted for an hour. Ruby colored with a little bricking. Aromatic, with cooked cherry and leather on the nose. Medium bodied. Cherries, plums, blackberries, spice on the palate. Not very tannic, and a little acidic, but not unpleasant. Solid finish. Drinking in a good place right now, but has at least another couple of years.
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Man, this was disappointing. I don't like 07 CDP in general, but I hoped that a few more years of cellaring improve this. No dice. The VD starts off all bitter, with a big hit of alcohol heat. Initially, this is undrinkable. So I chill it in the fridge for a bit and it improves but it never develops any charm, interest or nuance. Drinkable but just barely. As others have noted of late, such wines as these are unlikely to improve and will rather lose whatever remaining fruit they have with more cellar time.
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Medium ruby color. Ripe cherries, stewed strawberry jam. A bit flabby, generally lacking significant acidity. Smooth tannins with copious sediment noted upon finishing this bottle. Nowhere near the lofty ratings given by professional critics, IMHO. Tough to see how this can improve with bottle time.
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Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ tannins and medium- acidity. The structure is a little disjointed and alcoholic with hot stones, black cherries, kirsch, prunes, and some raspberries.
Overall: This was unfortunate. There was a bit too much extraction and alcohol to this and it made it a bit out of balance. This needs to be drunk now as it's hard to see this coming together.
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Medium-deep ruby red in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of complex, dark ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plum with sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of lavender & dried Provençal herbs with pepper & bay leaf, earthy, dusty, minerals & a touch of vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, complex, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, black pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and airing, but has the structure & fruit to continue further development with additional aging. A very nice, well-structured wine & complex wine just hitting its stride at 10 years of age.
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#alternativepairings (Chicago, IL): The failing wine advocate reports that this wine should have 95+ points! Clear bias for excessive ripe and alcohol wines, but thin weedy tannins! Why do these wines always score so well. Unfair!
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In a really good place now. Notes from 2 years ago still apply perfectly: Lovely nose promising fruit and savory notes, sharp fruit--blackberry? with peppery notes but in a lovely balanced, silky smooth wine that was a delight with dinner.
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Châteauenuf-du-Pape 2007 - ten years after (chez moi): Very much a true neuf with a cool, mineral side to it, I like that. Plenty of garrigue here, plenty of primary fruit, still young, and not yet a classic Vieux Donjon. Still juicy – everyone hates this – cant wait to serve it blind someday fior the guys. Fresh –but rich, yes – more richesse than VD usually shows – let’s see, the balance is ok.
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We shared this with friends on 1/17/17. It had a deep, soft and elegant bouquet of lavender, black cherry, plum, raspberry, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was elegant, layered and dry with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, plum, licorice, herb, spice and minerals. 93+
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Excellent wine. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Nice nose of dark fruits, earth notes and herbs. Full palate in balance with great fruit, none of the roasted notes of the vintage, savory, leather, good balance. A tiny bit heavy, but that is expected and I only open up my 07 CdP when I want something a bit in the face. This was an excellent example of the strengths of the vintage.
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Great bottle of CdP. On the light end of full bodied, classic soy sauce/mushroom flavors with dark fruit, just the right amount of earthiness with the tannins well integrated. Paired very well with coq au vin.
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Mis en carafe un gros 2 heures avant de le boire, léger dépot noté. Bu seul sans nourriture, nous étions 4. Super beau C9P, fruits noirs et belle finesse malgré une puisssance maitrisée. Des mures et des prunes avec un peu de poivre et de menthol apporte fraicheur. Les tannins sont assez fins et la Finale hyper longue et satiné. Se boit bien en ce moment mais en a encore pas mal dans le coffre!
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Tasting Group Holiday Party (Grange, Mouton, Schrader, de Capo and more) (Trent's): Michael has brought this as a back up and generously offered it up for a replacement of a different corked bottle. Purple/ruby in color. The is very perfumed with slight barnyard funk. Also a lovely floral not to go along with cherries, and dark cherries. On the palate, the dark cherries carry thru but there is a cool black coffee note to it. Good acidity. This is drinking well, past its young stages, not quite at a complex state. Depends on how you like them, but not hurry here IMO.
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I am a huge fan of Rhone wines and in a lesser vintage I would probably have scored this higher, but the 2007 vintage holds so much potential and these wines are starting to reveal themselves. Light ruby red in color. The nose opened with mushrooms, pepper and red fruits. Nice sweetness on the palate, good tannic grip that will allow this wine to continue to develop. As it sat in the glass opened up smoked meat, hints of tobacco and orange rind. Very good and affordable quality wine.
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A terrific young warm vintage CdP. Full nose of rich black fruit and toasted herbs. Palate is medium to full bodied with good supporting structure. Acids provide backbone and freshness. Balance and stuffing to age well.
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A complex and satisfying CDP – not as intense and hot as one might expect from the vintage. Perhaps that is due to the high percentage of Grenache. The wine is medium-bodied with nicely balanced acids and tannins. The nose is sweet red fruit, dark earth, garrigue and a hint of tar (I love that). In the mouth, what smelled like sweet red fruit tasted like ripe red fruit with just that bit of Grenache sweetness. The other flavors were garrigue and tar. A little anise as well, especially showing up on the finish as tarry black licorice. Long finish with subtle tannins and some minerality helping to linger it along. A couple of times the wine smelled and tasted, briefly, more like an old, dense Burgundy. Not a bad thing. I disagree with those who have called the wine modern in style. This wine will hold many years and seems likely to improve some but it's in the drinking window now so there is no particular reason to wait.
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Ripe plum, hints of smoke; intense, gripping, gravely, various spices, fruitful, pleasant fairly long finish; certainly good but rather too fruity, perhaps needs more aging
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Medium ruby appearance with some garnet at the edges.
Evolving and pronounced nose of red fruits- cherry, confected raspberry and strawberry, melted licorice , spice and vanilla- wow!
Full bodied with medium acidity and tannin. Lots of red fruits, baking spice , damp earth and some savory spice on the palate with a long and fresh finish. 07 can be an "overwhelming " year for CDP and this example overcomes this with plenty of acidity and freshness.
I love this wine and it will probably last for another decade.
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Rhones at Gary's (Gary's Place, Hudson, WI): Don't recall what this got for air if any, but I was thinking it sat in a decanter for a couple hours. Pretty much the same thing I said two years ago. Hi octane, black fruit, spicy, firm, oak, garrigue. Hmmm?
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Opened for 1 hour. Well balanced with raspberry and cherry fruit, fading tannins, black pepper and dried herb, licorice notes. Strong alcohol notes blended the more it was open. Lingering finish, but relatively medium in body. Drank over 3 days.
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Dark cherry red, showing maturity --- Nose shy, pickled fruits, hint of elegant wood notes, some herbs, some smoke, some licorice, cardboard, tar aspects --- Palate cool, cherries, nice acidity, a little heat, nice flow --- Finishes medium long on mix of red fruit, minerals and tar aspects. I cooled it down to 16°C and it showed almost no heat anymore. This vine appears matured and in balance, the integration of fruit, minerals and wood aspects is impressive, nothing too much, just balanced and tasty.
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Double decanted the SO'd for a few hrs, dark crimson, red fruit with some pepper & a touch of spice, soft/ mod tannins, med/long finish; delicious & ready to drink but no rush
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Looks quite mature in the glass and a mix of red fruit, cherry and funky aromas - very typically older school southern rhone but as others noted a Burgundian feel too. I liked this, may still improve a little.
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Wow! Humbled once again... I have been very negative on the 2007 vintage of CDP with all wines prior to this overdone and extracted elixir. But this wine... NO. This wine is absolutely beautiful. A rocking nose of bright red fruit, kirsh liqueur, new saddle leather, licorice, and some brett (which I love in my wine). The finish is classic CDP with a touch of spice, white pepper and Band-Aid. It actually has a Burgundian like quality and it reminds me of the times I've had the pleasure of drinking Chateau Rayas. This is atypical of the '07 CDP wines that I have had. This will knock your socks off.
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Really enjoyed this with roasted chicken with five spice seasoning.
Dark deep color, rich garrigue and blackberry notes. Minimal heat at 14.5%. No decant. Tannins smooth and resolved. Residual acidity but reaching peak for sure. Would expect these to drink well for a number of years yet.
So much different from the shut down unforgiving wine I tried a number of years ago.
Beautiful.
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A real stunner on the night. Decanted for one hour, consumed over the following hour. A wine straddling secondary and tertiary notes at the moment, with kirsch, plum liqueur, aniseed, red meat, and garrigue notes. Fantastic texture, like drinking cashmere; tannins well integrated. A very long finish. I don't know how or if this will improve, but it's in a great spot right now.
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Medium garnet in the glass. Lots of sweet fruit on the nose, and a lighter body. Black tea, good acidity, and some tannins in the mouth. My 3rd, group's (tied for) 6th out of 9 CdP's at CT SEA CdP tasting.
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Auch ich hatte mir viel versprochen. Wurde aber leider enttäuscht. Perfekte Flasche, perfekter Korken!! NUR LEIDER NICHT LECKER! Die Struktur stimmt! Wirkt noch recht jung. Guter Gerbstoff, ausreichend Säure! Aber zu wenig Frucht! Und das Bisschen Frucht was da ist, geht in Richtung Rumtopf, Pflaume, überreif!!! Das ist nicht der erste 07er Ch9 der in die Richtung geht! War da am Ende der "Jahrhundertjahrgang" für den ein oder anderen Winzer doch zu viel des Guten???
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Decanted. After the debacle of the 07 mon aieul I wanted to try another producer from the 07 vintage. Broadly speaking, this isn't my favorite house. I'm happy to say this is a quieter CdP; not as over the top; more balanced. Good funky stank giving it some character. But the fruit isn't very lush, which is my main criticism. Because the fruit doesn't match the tannin, I don't see this as a long term ager. But where it should fall on the drinking spectrum is somewhat perplexing. My take is 2017-2022, favoring the short end. Follow up: air is kind. Four hours later it has taken on weight and complexity. I'm not going to change my score, but the time validates it as a decent wine.
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Very black nose of black ripe cherries and licorice... nice saltiness and the taste with loads of black cherries and licorice... will be at perfect maturity in about 5 years from now!
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Vieux Donjon vertical. I have tasted the 2007 twice from different cellars in the past few weeks and both bottles seemed "warm", pruney, slightly "cooked" and out of balance. Perhaps it was both bad bottles or else I just dont like the 2007 from Vieux Donjon
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Really in a sweet spot with this bottle. It took a little swirling to get the nose to come alive. Missing that CDP barnyard funk that I often find. Smooth and silky.
2007 Chateauneuf – A “taste-off” among Domaine Giraud Tradition, Roger Sabon Cuvee Prestige and Le Vieux Donjon.
All of these wines are quite good and highly recommended.
In this taste-off, the Vieux Donjon (92) came off as very good with a neat balance of spice and fruit. It coats the tongue and leaves it dry as it dissolves into the classic CdP tastes of licorice, tarragon, desert wind and black cherry.
The Giraud (94) is a “wow” wine with lots of pepper and cassis. It goes straight to the ears and top of the head and leaves you wanting more and wanting to talk with friends for hours on end.
Then there is the Sabon (96) – it is blood red with an overpowering aroma of fruit and spice. Each sips spreads intense warmth and good feeling throughout your body. It is an epically good CdP from an excellent vintage.
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Santa Fe Mondiale - 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes (Luminaria): Wine #1. Single blind. Nose - subdued, earthier, darker fruits; more noticeable alcohol. Palate - dry, acidic to the point of almost burning at first, moderate mid-palate, adequate finish. Overall - Simple, seems imbalanced right now. Called Vieux Telegraphe because of my experience of it being clumsy when young.
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Nose of barnyard, dark fruit, plum, pencil lead, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, mouth filling fruit, the best of the four bottles opened so far, medium/big body, supple, smooth, barnyard on the mid palate, medium/long flavorful finish, from a 375 ml bottle.
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From a 375 ml bottle, nose of ripe cherry, plum pencil lead and only a hint of barnyard, more of the same on the palate, tasty with roasted chicken, medium/big body, slightly inky, mouth filling fruit, tasty, fruit shows it is ageing well, on the mid palate, long finish. This is close to peak and is a lovely wine given the price.
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Opened a 375ml bottle tonight, nose of earth, plum, black cherry, graphite, and a hint of barnyard, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, mouth filling, tasty, fruit forward, modern CDP style, long, flavorful finish.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+: Dark garnet core, maroon rim; floral, framboise, violets, slight tar and black pepper, still a touch of sulfur, young, fresh fruit, slight nori; screechy Grenache on the palate, losing its headiness, mostly purple fruit now, good tartness, medicinal finish, elegant; well stored and aging well; called 2007 Clos des Papes.
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Opened a 375ml bottle tonight, nose of plum, black overripe cherry, almost licorice, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, smooth and almost elegant, fruit forward and modern CDP style, almost mouth filling, long, flavorful finish.
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Opened bottle but did decant for 2+ hours. Drank over the following 3 to 4 hours. Enjoyed with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. A bit too much alcohol at first which dissipated quickly showing very fruit (cherry) forward taste right away. Other dark fruits remained and it sadly lacked the leather I come to expect from this CDP. Also, still a bit light which will no doubt improve over time. Someone wrote that this 2007 was "surprisingly restrained in flavor and complexity, especially for a 2007, this seemed more like a moderate CdR than a higher priced Cdp. Mild cranberry, dried herb and some earthiness" and that it had a short to medium length finish. I concur. In sum, I expected more from this 2007 vintage. Will check back in several years with the 1 remaining bottle I possess.
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Drank from Magnum. Wow this has gotten better from 2 1/2 tears ago. Leather, spice and typical provincial herbs. Very deep and balanced. A few earth notes. Loved it.
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A bigger, richer style for this house, reflecting the vintage. Darker fruit profile, with a plushness and polish to the palate. Has strong garrigue note but less than expected spice notes, and more fruit forward than other recent vintages. Moderate finish with a little sandalwood. Showing well now, but will probably continue to age.
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Second Sunday Group: 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (R&D's): Aromas of herbs, dark fruit and spice. there's nice structure ere, along with an abundance of red fruit and spice. Develops a nice herbal/evergreen quality. Well-balanced. Long finish.
My #2, Domino's #4 Group #5, 46 pts
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Gorgeous wine that evokes fond memories of hearing the cicadas chipping and smelling lavender in the air as we are sipping wine on the veranda that overlooks the rock strewn vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wine has mouth coating inky dark fruit, black pepper and a granache grippy finish. This vintage has many years of great drinking ahead of it.
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This is a beatiful CNDP that is dark, chocked full of dark berry flavours and a strong heady bouqet. Simply delicious and looks to have many more years of drinking well ahead of it.
50+5+12+18+9=94
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Decanted for 2hrs. Very nice wine. Classic CDP with a slight peppery (I perfer) and green vegetable with saddle leather. The taste has a beautiful bouquet of roses and there is hint of apple pie. The overwhelming red fruit of strawberry and blackberry with Carmel sauce. This Vintage is truly wonderful. I suggest this wine will cellar easily for another 10yrs. Glad to have more and it is only going to get better. Tannins are shedding and the acidity is balanced. Lovely wine.
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Decadent for Vieux Donjon. A bit too plump which stymied the food pairing tonight. Maybe should have seen that coming with 2007. Very loose knit but there is still lots of primary fruit and a splash of garrigue which gives lots of pleasure. Just without the structure and nobility I expect from VD
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Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Earth, dark fruits, barrique, leather, and a tiny bit of the roasted note of the vintage. In good balance, although still a bit tight from tannins. Likely to improve with time, but pleasant now with grilled meat and strong flavored food. Good but a but too much on its own right now.
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- Crimsom color with a medium/full body with a long finish - Deep crimson color with substantial bricking showing. Substantial fruit core, acids and minerality not as evident. Not surprising considering this a a warm, Parker, vintage. Warm, rich and smooth, this wine is probably at its peak. Definitely not balanced as needed for a long life. Decanted and drank over two hours, took all of two hours to fully open.
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Coravin taste. Not impressed at this point. Clean nose (no brett) but also not very giving. On the palate, this has dark fruits but not a lot else. The finish is where this really takes a nosedive for me. The finish is hot (even with temp at 60 deg) and astringent with bitter tannins. Not loving this at all. I hope it will improve with time, but the bitter finish is already swamping the fruit so I'm a bit worried about this one. Tasted alongside the 08 Pegau and that was much preferable.
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Mon vin de la soirée !! Nez de souffre,ça sent le poney aussi..pas un poney qui souffre par contre. Brett,Alcool est bien présent mais tout est soyeux et gouleyant. Raisin sec trempé du sucre liquide...!! Du fruits en masse aussi et noir comme.....ah pis laisser faire, je veux pas de poursuite. 93 pts.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Surprisingly restrained in flavor and complexity, especially for a 2007, this seemed more like a moderate CdR than a higher priced Cdp. Mild cranberry, dried herb and some earthiness. Integrated tannins with balanced acidity. Short-medium length finish. Paired with grilled lamb chops. 87-90
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Almost opaque garnet color. Nose of cherry, blackberry, dust, chalk, minerals, and smoke. Vibrant palate of cherry, blackberry, and leather, with a prominent swell of black licorice on the finish. Excellent length. Nice acidity. Mild alcohol. Mild, sweet tannins. Neither my wife nor I liked it as much as our last bottle (see 12/13/13 note) I will say, however, that it improved quite a bit with some air.
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Very nice and not as mature as my previous bottle drunk a couple of months ago. Spicy effort with sufficient backbone to evolve beautifully over time. Spicy nose of cherry, blackberries, young plums, garrigue and licorice. Full bodied and rich without being heavy. Round tannins with a gentle bite. 91-92
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Deep ruby color leads to a nose of dried herbs, raspberry and roast meet. Medium full body carries all flavors from nose forward while adding plum and tobacco. Finish lasts 45 glorious seconds. This was decanted two hours. I'm not sure this improves with additional aged but it damn good now.
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Medium ruby color. Nose of beef barnyard, cherries. Palate shows decent concentration of cherries, w hints of licorice and garrique. Medium length finish. Overall, well balanced wine to drink now or over 10 yrs.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #097; Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007 vs 2009 (By RvD): As the previous bottle, a bit more than a month ago, I got this wine served blind. It was completely different. It has a complex, very much developed bouquet with lush ripe fruits, rustic flavors and celery. On the palate tertiary flavors as well; chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, very ripe fruits, ok acidity and soft tannin. In a way the wine is tempting although the youth is completely gone and the wine is in fact a bit too old. It is still lush and tempting, but it has been better. I was told this wine has been stored a bit too warm, so that must explain it all. Considering my last two notes I must conclude this is not a wine for long cellaring. For tonight: Still pleasurable, but no score.
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This wine threw me for a loop. Knowing it was a traditional producer, I thought they may have handled the vintage well. Starts with a bit of smokiness on the nose and lots of black olive, black fruits. Solidly put together but not tremendously exciting.
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Weekly tasting group #154; 5 x 2 Red wines (@ The factory by JdB): Beautiful bouquet with ripe red and black forest fruits and sweet spices. On the palate ripe fruits as well. Also laurel, coffee, tea, raisins and pepper. Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness and round tannin with still a good bite. Beautiful wine.
Bouquet of spices, red berries, bacon and red meat. Quite sophisticated fullbodied wine, drinking nice now, but still young with a lot of tannins. I will wait 2-3 more years to try another bottle. Had this wine with Duroc Pork Chops with ratatouile, great fit, as this wine needs food.
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Surprisingly mature with notes of dried prunes. A bit jammy on the palate showing black berries, game and garrigue. Slightly hot too. But balanced. Based on others impression I hope this bottle was not representative.
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Decanted 90 minutes and had with dinner. Lovely nose promising fruit and savory notes, sharp fruit--blackberry? with peppery notes but in a lovely balanced, silky smooth wine that was a delight with dinner. Excellent wine, will try the other bottle in 2016 or 2017.
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Checking in on this now. Different beast than upon release, now showing more vintage like characteristics. PnP has it being jammy with a hint of prune on the palate. Will wait before making a call.
OK. 1-2 hours in, this becomes something else. Corduroy tannins speak of longevity (thought not as long as some vintages of LVD), some nice garrigue blends in with the dark fruit on the nose. The jammy fruit is gone. Yeah, the bottle might be more brawny than one normally thinks of from Donjon, but it is just good. This is an exceptionally nice bottle of CDP.
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Decanted for about 1/2 hour then consumed with some cheese and olives and then compared with an '09 Donjon that I did a pop 'n pour for dinner. The '07 has developed those secondary gamy notes and was smooth on the palate with an earthy nose. The fruit was more dried variety. The '09 on the other hand was riper and the fruit was fresher as the flavors were more primary but lurking in the bottle were those gamy/earthy notes. A favorite producer for sure, I preferred the 09 by a point.
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Pop and pour. Opened up quickly to an aromatic nose black raspberry, earth, potpourri, garrigue and lavender which leads way to a floral tasting, plum, pepper and earthy driven palate with a herbal spice note that lingers on through the finish. This is quite good now but is only going to get better.
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This takes some time to open up, even in the half bottle. Initially the nose is asparagus and other vegetable notes. It evolves to strawberry and cedar. The palate is very fruit forward and slightly disaggregated at this point. This could use a year or two of additional cellar time to show its full potential. That said, the taste, structure and finish are quite strong even now.
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CDP Offline at Heyday (Donjon Vertical; Clos des Pape, Charvin, plus Whites) (Heyday, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, with 1-2hr slow-o. Followed 1 glass over 60 minutes. This just struck me as too young and still in need of time to settle down. Big body and concentrated black fruits, very spicy, oak, licorice, alcohol, blackberry, black cherry. This is a very big spicy wine. Will have to see where this goes. 90(+?)pts.
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Opened by Mark. Not decanted but opened an hour before dinner. Crimson color. Jammy fruit with red currant. Almost pruny. Not overly alcoholic. Seemed a little out of balance at this age and likely in a dumb phase compared to prior LVD wines I've had from the 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2004 vintages. Expected more from a 2007 which was a ripe vintage. Hold. 88+ points.
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I opened this, one of my first 07's, to see whether the dire predictions were true. Was this a hot mess, or the vintage of the century?
No question that the winemaking in CdP has changed and upon first opening, this was a bit "stewed." But after some air, this surprised me by developing into a much more complex wine. Yes, it was unquestionably the product of a warm year and perhaps some extracted winemaking (I say this as someone who has tasted many vintages of VD), but the wine was much more traditional than I expected and was quite complex and enjoyable. Perhaps not one for the ages, but not a disaster as forecast. Will hold the remainder of this case for at least five years.
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When 1st popped was a little pruny so was nervous since 07 has had mixed reviews. After an hour or so decant it was prime time! Traditional cdp with smoke, melted licorice, anise, sage brush, soy, dry desert air, fig cake. Was seamless on the palate and just a pleasure to drink!
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Awesome! Nose with hints of chocolat and raspberry, peony flower, soy sauce and a little meaty; very complex. With each sip, there is a long evolution in the mouth,lingering very long after. It is mouth watering, enveloping and very tasty. A huge wine, ready now but will last for a long time. Luckily I have one last bottle.
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A poster child for the 2007 vintage. Just about every CDP flavor can be found here. Like when we were kids and used to mix every flavor of soda together, but this actually tastes good. Drink with grilled lamb chops for a hedonistic pleasure.
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The last few reviewers pretty much pegged this wine - rich and deep, with dark fruit and red raspberry flavors along with a bit of peppery spice on the midpalate. Other intersting flavors beginning to emerge. Silky full mouthfeel. All in all a real pleasure, and better than I expected.
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Un "gros" vin ici, large d'épaule et dense. Le nez est puissant, des framboises, la garrique, les herbe et le bacon. En bouche, il y a un beau fruit précis et un bel équilibre. Des mures, du bacon, des fleurs ainsi que des épices. Les tannins sont fermes et la finale bien longue. Déjà beau, il se bonifira assurément.
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Dark ruby color; clear; purple rim. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. The tannins are fairly soft and integrated into the wine. Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit that basically dominate the tannin. Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid. Decently balanced. Just beginning to approach the plateau towards maturity and quite drinkable; has many years left. A long fairly soft finish, with just a tad of alcohol on the back palate.
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“Mixed Bag of Rhône Wines”-Tasting, Flight 2, Wine 3 (non-blind), in January 2014. My favourite wine of the flight. The wine was dark ruby in colour. I loved its complex and expressive nose of boiled down black fruit, fresh ripe blackberry, ripe strawberry, apple crisp, surimi, fresh herbs, peduncle, tar, liquorice and balsamic notes. On the palate the wine showed sweet dark fruit, boiled down black fruit, roasted notes, spices and liquorice, paired with medium-level acidity, medium-level round, ripe, well-integrated tannin, moderate heat from the alcohol, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A very good, medium- to full-bodied, balanced Châteauneuf-du-Pape with good complexity and concentration. Will buy again. The wine can be consumed now and actually drank very well at its current stage, but also showed good potential for further development in bottle. 90+
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Opaque dark purple. Nose of blackberry, cherry, leather, smoke, and mint. Ripe, medium to full palate of blackberry, black cherry, hoisin, and espresso. Superb length. Mouthwatering, refreshing acidity. No noticeable oak. Sweet tannins. Love this wine. My wife said, "Mama like!"
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Popped and poured. This is a dark, dense, fruit packed wine, with plenty of structure to hold. Opened up well after an hour, but I would wait a few years to try the next one or give it a couple of hours of air. This also had a slight roasted element to it, which I also noticed in the '07 Charvin, but I am again going to assume that this will come together with some time and improve from what is already a very good state. A-?
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Decanted 2 hrs. The darkness of color certainly hints at the viscosity this wine was soon to display. A bit of brett on the nose, but in a small enough amount that when paired with along with some fresh raspberry and lavender you can easily write off as ‘its got that French nose thing going’. A heavy weight for sure, at least in texture, as unbaked chocolate and stewed plums (a product of the hot 07 vintage, no wood or barrel influence) are felt on the sides and corners of the mouth. Yet, at least for this taster, the core of the wine was rock solid, full of an earthy – mineral sensibility that was very compact, and may take quite a few years yet to show its true colors. Medium to long finish, needs 5 + years.
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Late Jul 2013: not decanted; black red ink; very restrained aromas and flavors: sour compote of black and red fruits; very full body; austere texture; long finish. Half of the bottle was hold back for approx. 24 hours: no improvement.
If I look at the other notes and scores of this wine it seems I don't get this one. However, when this bottle was opened there were three other experienced tasters present and all told of similar impressions.
For me the 2007 VD is a way too restrained. Will he ever open up? I leave one bottle in the cellar to taste again in 5-10 years time.
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The color is dense and garnet and just barely see through. The smells are briary fruit mixed with funky brett, blackberry, black olive, dark spice, and tarry earth. The tastes are olive, meat, blackberry, subtle pepper, earthy herbs, dark chocolate, raspberry, and a sassafras. The wine is a little hot and the body is modest. The acidity is decent and the tannins are a thin sheet of satin. The zingy finish is lengthy.
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Drank as a vertical with the 08 and 09. This was definitely the most backward of the bunch. Opened and let stand in the bottle for 30 mins or so and then gradually drank over 4 hours. The 07 starts out quite a bit funky and then gradually resolves into classic notes of pepper, tobacco and bold cherry and other berry fruit. It is quite heady and thick. I believe it should be cellared another 2 years before drinking again. At our tasting, it was overshadowed by the 09, but I believe in the long run, the 07 will win out. Incidentally, the 08 held up far better than its professional scores would suggest. It is drinking very well and can be found for very reasonable prices at various websites.
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Vieux Donjon Vertical (Private Residence): Hands down wine of the night. Deep black color with some ruby on the edges. Intense aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, leather, and spicy oak. Entry was lively, focused and in perfect harmony with sweet round tannins consistent with a wine entering adolescence. Body was supple with great purity in the layers of fruit finishing in a medium to long ripe cool fruit and moderate tannins. Extraordinary wine from an outstanding year. Drank in a vertical of the '99, '03 and '09. This wine outperformed all others by achieved great purity in the expression of the fruit and excellent balance between power and elegance.
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Drank half on day 1 and the other half on day 2. I was worried opening this as many of the young CdP's I have tried lately, though very good, were starting to run together as big, over extracted monolithic fruit bombs. While this displayed great, clean black fruit along with herbs and meaty notes on the nose and palate, it was not as over the top as other bottles. Nice smooth, well integrated texture. This didn't change much from day 1 to day 2. Nice medium plus finish although it displayed some heat. A nice wine.
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Licorise, provincial herbs and little barnyard on the palate. Not a fruit monster, and tannins and an underlying complexity that should let it develop leather and tar but not yet. Mid-weight. Give it some time to see if its pedigree emerges. It's there but not yet. Classic not modern style. My score should be greater in 3 years.
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Decanted and poured, this wine gave a good showing but failed to meet expectations based on previous experiences with this wine. The aromatics seem somewhat disjointed with notes of black fruits, roasted meats, camp fire, rock, herbs, leather and an underlying brett elements that detracted from the overall impression. Maturing notes supplements the youthful aromatics with the primary fruit starting to fade. The medium (full) bodied palate shows some heat on the finish and never fully comes into balance. Perhaps a few more years of bottle age will bring better overall harmony.
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Took a couple hours to open up, but when it did, it was very good. Seemed a bit simple on first sip, and more fruit forward than some CDPs, but some chocolate and coffee mixed in with the fruit to create adequate complexity. Good balance.
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Lots of grenache here, red fruits with some spice. This strikes me as a very clean CdP, very little funk, fur, leather, or game. Still very young, hopefully it will gain some complexity with age. I'll check again in 5 years. No hurry by any means here.
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A really good showing by this Donjon tonight. The most impressive part for me was the nose. A bouquet of fresh cut flowers, Asian spices and ripe red fruit. I kept 1/2 inch in the glass just to continue to swirl and sniff. Still some strong tannins after a splash decant suggesting this can last for years but was enjoyable tonight. Medium to long finish of raspberries and clove. This is a producer I seek out year after year, Bravo.
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The wine was decanted half an hour in advance. While the 07 Donjon was very closed about half a year following the release, this wine had become much more "extrovert" with some more years in the cellar. The nose was initially dominated by meat/blood and dark red fruit. With more time came notes of garrigue and a hint of licorice. The palate was very balanced between juicy dark red fruit (dark cherries perhaps), rhone spices, acidity and tannic grip. This wine is drinking great now, but is still many years from maturity.
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Decanted for three hours. A night of CdPs with 2007 Telegraphe, 2007 Beaucastel, and a 2006 Telegraphe Blanc. This Donjon was ranked third out of the three reds. Seemed to lack the complexity of the Beacastel and the intensity of the Telegraphe. Still is a beautiful bottle and I hope it will continue to develop.
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Ruby to garnet colored and while not completely opaque, dense in color. the smells I got were sweet red fruit, cherry licorice, pepper, and sweet spice on the nose (needed lots of air). The tastes were leather, raspberry, blackberry, pepper and some stony notes. The finish was modest and the tannins were dusty and the acidity was noteworthy.
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Have a number of 07 CDPs in my cellar so I thought it was time to try one. Popped and poured at local BYOB. Wanted to open it 3 or 4 hours prior, but forgot. Dark garnet in color. A decent nose of blackberry and herbs d'provence. Palate started out mostly fruity, and then evolved showing some light tannin. Over time, further evolved with fruit subsiding to reveal a nice balance of cassis, bacon and herbs d' provence. A nice wine, but not great. Curious where this will be in a few more years. I think there is some good upside so I would not be in a rush to drink it now.
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14.5% ABV. Dark garnet in the glass with some translucence. Aromas of kirsch, garrigue, and a touch of sandalwood. Medium bodied with nice kirsch fruit on the palate. Nice.
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Belle robe poupre somptueuse, odeur de fraises et de cerises, en bouche des saveurs intenses de kirsh, de cerises rouges, de fraises avec une impression d'une brise de vent frais mélangée avec de l'herbe sèche et un peu d'éthanol. Court en bouche.
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The nose opened over time to show blackberry, dark currant, crisp bacon, ginger spice, herbes de Provence and a hint of citrus. On the palate it was full bodied with dark fruit tones hinting at blueberry and plum, along with dark earth, minerals and fig, which last through the finish, coating the palate with intense fruit extract and a hint of tannin.
This wine continued to open up over the three hours it was in decanter. It's was still showing youthful tannin but there's so much intense fruit that I can imagine it will only get better. At this time, it's highly enjoyable but would benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
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A little spritzy at first but that mellows out with some airtime. A nice amount of brambly garrigue on the nose and a well integrated and complex set of flavors on the palate. Rich plum and crushed blackberries dominate. Nice body and a good finish. Very tasty. Should develop well.
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Medium to full weight with lots of minerality. My sense is maybe this blossoms with a little more bottle age. Based on the numerous high scores from critics I can only surmise it's in a dumb phase? Nonetheless, outstanding. 91+?
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Big brooding muscular wine that will take time to develop into the wine that it can be. Lots of garrigue, cigar, spice with ripe dark fruit framed by well balanced acid and tannin structure. Took nearly 4 hour of decant to reach it peak moments, however, this wine is still too young to drink effectively.
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Pure and almost juicy effort, which is not typically the style of this domaine. Still, this is a delicious and spicy effort with sufficient backbone to evolve beautifully over time. Spicy nose of cherry, blackberries, young plums, garrigue and licorice. Full bodied and rich without being heavy. Beautiful acidity and round tannins with a gentle bite. Wonderful. 93++
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Had this immediately after the '10 Janasse Chaupin, and this wasn't up to that standard, but it is quite lovely all the same. A lot of bright cherry notes, missing the nth degree of concentration.
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Mid Sep 2012: intense blood red color; the wine was so reductive it literally felt like the air was soaked in; weak cherry flavor; impressions of plenty of alcohol (14.5 vol.%).
Quo vadis? Will this wine ever open up?
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After a 3 hour decant this came together very nicely. Luscious nose followed by delicious, spicy, deep flavours. Has the ripeness of the vintage but not to excess. Looking to forward to many years of evolution.
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Bretty nose that clears to mostly raspberries. The palate is full of blackberries, figs, plums and lots of herbal notes. Very long finish. Love this CDP.
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In a much better place than it was a couple years ago. This has added significant weight and complexity with a nice funky edge to the blackberry fruit, oak, and olive and a medium to long finish. I think this will continue to get better.
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Wow. This may be the first 07 that I have really enjoyed. Definitely a big, velvety wine but it offers plenty of interest and nuance with black olive, tandoori spices, espresso grounds and plummy fruit. Coating, full but not out of balance or flabby at all. Very enjoyable and fresh in fact, with some fig and molasses and baking spices toward the finish. No noticeable heat. Yummy.
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Enjoyed earlier this week at the monthly Hickory Wine Club wine tasting. Already very good but still very young with lots of anticipated improvement especially in terms of softening up and improved balance - this really needs at least another 3-5 years or a really long decant at this point. I do recommend this wine with the preceding caveats and at this price point not a good QPR despite obvious quality of the wine. Very dark, youthful, big, full bodied, good mouth feel, prominent structured tannins with loads of dark fruit and pepper, a super long aftertaste. Big dark slightly sweet somewhat monolithic nose with pepper and dark fruit, primary flavors include surprisingly more red then dark fruit including cherry, raspberry and red currant and darker terroir / smoke developing later on on the mid - and late palate.
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Dark red. Very tight at first but then opened up to show rich red fruit, nutmeg and some very rich Grenache sweetness. Very nice ripe rich red fruit flavours. There was a lot of sweetness in the finish to hide what most think is a tannic finish. Still very young.
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Le Vieux Donjon Vertical Dinner (Vancouver, BC): Darker and more youthful looking than the ’09. At first the nose was also darker in profile than the 09 with aromas of dark berry fruit with hints of tarry notes too. After some time in the glass it seemed to open up and become less dark, more red fruited with a nice sweet spice note. This wasn’t as ripe as the ’09 but still had some warmth in the mouth. The longer it sat in the glass the more weight it seemed to put on and there is so much rich fruit here that the tannins and structure get masked. Good acidity and not the overripe and slightly disappointing wine I remembered from a few years ago. Drinking surprisingly well but this this will be a long lived wine and will reward patience. Very good. 89+
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The color is dark ruby to the edge and opaque black red down the middle. The smells are jammy dark fruits like currants, blackberry, and blueberry along with some cherry, tar, earth, olives and bacon fat. The tastes seems more muted than I anticipated. Maybe it needs more time to open? The currant, dark berry and blueberry, cherry tastes tastes come through backed by some peppery, earthy, stony notes. A second pour seemed better than the first. The tannins are dusty and there seems to be an acidic grip here too. The finish is nice and long but a little warm. It'll be interesting to see how consistent this note might be with the next bottle I try. This may need at least another year, maybe more.
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Complex nose of dark fruits, dried herbs and charcoal. On the palate not an enjoyable wine at this point, with the fruit hidden behind the tannins and acid. Softer on day 2, but still not ready.
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Double decanted 2.5 hrs Some sediment in bottle Colour:Very dark inky and thick Nose:Bacon fat at first, then sweet cherries and peppery. Lots of bacon fat Taste:Quite plump and juicy but not over the top. Tannins are well blended with the fruit. Very good. More sweet cherries and black peppers. Very good bottle.
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Deep in color, the wine required coaxing to bring out its licorice, pepper, garrigue, cherry and black raspberry scents. Rich, fat and concentrated, this rich Chateauneuf du Pape ends with a long, spicy, kirsch filled finish.
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Absolutely brilliant. Beyond typical rhone flavors had all kinds of floral and berry overtones, great finish. Just outstanding, should wait 2 years to see it evolve
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Decanted and poured, this required about an hour of airing to show its best. This begins reserved and unyielding. Airing brings out its best attributes. This require a few more years of bottle age to show its best without an hour or two in the decanter.
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2007 CDPs Tasting (Crystal Wines): Alcohol :: 14.5% Tasted Single blind. Double decanted for 5hrs. A bit tight on the nose that only give away intense but shy aromas of smelly wood, savory meatiness, liquid mineral laced on the underlying spicy fruits. Medium bodied filled with a boat loads of succulent sweet red and dark fruits as well as dried herbs. This has some inner perfume that added extra dimension. The perfectly ripe, chewy tannin is still pretty much evident but polished and has no problem to buffer by the fruits that form the sexy, firm structure but soft in texture with plush mouth feel with raspberry, red cherry to the juicy, detail long finish. Very good and drinking now, though lack some depth to be a great wine. 87-89.
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Crystal Wines: 2007 CDP Tasting: Focus, expressive dark fruits, walnuts & mineral aroma. Firm & chewy tannins added some nice density to the concentrated red and dark fruits palate. Still tight and close, but the future is certainly bright for this wine.
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Decanted for 2 hours and it is starting to sing, it is not "closed for business" as the previous tasting note indicated. I don't know if these 07's are going to last and be all that Parker thinks they will be, so I'm trying some and they are standing up quite well, who knows if this vintage will shut down?
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Sweet nose with notes of licorice and blackberry. Rich attack of blackberry and oak. Medium finish. Tannins are a bit intense on this one. I think it needs a lot more time.
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Decanted about 1 hr before consuming. Probably needed more. However, a beautiful nose that screams CdP. The temp came up to room temperature before most of it was consumed (dinner party away; couldn't be helped), but there were no hard edges at all. The wine is medium->full bodied with nearly perfect balance. Still young and primary, but delicious. 93 right now.
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For those who don't like 07 CdP - fine - don't drink it and shut up - more for the rest of us. This simply tastes great like most of the 07s. Full mouth feel - great fruit and super smooth - hard to keep my hands off this.
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Interesting balance of barnyard and fruit on the nose. Big explosion of flavor with a finish that goes on for a mile. Would go higher on the rating if the overall flavor profile were more to my liking. But this is quality juice no doubt.
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Splash decanted about 1 1/2 hrs. Quite young and a bit tight still. Enveloping aromas of plum and rich dark dark, tobacco, earth and spice. A bit warm to the nose. The lush berries and plum come through to the palate with a lively, slightly acidic, mouth feel underpinned by tannins. Medium finish. Didn't wow me, but very enjoyable. No question of its quality. A solid wine.
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From 375ml. Quite dark purple in the glass. The nose of dominated by mourvedre, with game, tar, iron and blood being most prominent and black cherry int the background. Palate is very dense with chalky fine tannin structure. The racy acidity and tannins overshadow the fruit at this stage, but there is plenty of dark fruit - plum and currants underneath. Lengthy finish with a little toasty oak, earth, mineral and smoke. This has all the makings to be exceptional, but is rather disjointed and edgy at this stage. Hold. Revisit in 5+ years. 93+
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Another outstanding showing for this wine; however, this bottle required about an hour in the decanter to show its best. For the first hour, It showed a reserved, backward personality the hid the wine's charm. This will benefit from additional bottle age. It is currently youthful and when it opens open forward and primary.
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A bit too round and sweet/off-dry for my palate; not a tremendous amount of definition and delineation, just a kind of slightly syrupy monotone. But a pleasant monotone -- definitely quality in the bottle. There are many much better examples of 2007 CdP at this price point (~USD60), however.
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From a .375. Popped and poured, drank over three hours. I opened this many years too soon, mostly because I wanted to finally try a 2007 CDP. There is some band-aid funk on the nose, but also some sweet cherry liqueur. Cherries and ripe berries on the palate, with notes of roasted meat, coffee, black pepper, sassafras and lavender. Long finish, but hot and tannic. Infanticide. I hate to say it, but I can see what Parker liked about this vintage. This one is going to sing, and I can only imagine what the others are going to be.
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Half bottle. Deep purple. Cool, classic nose of mint, garrigue, and black licorice. Medium weight, sappier black fruit core, spice and good acidity. Apart from the telltale color, I would have never guessed '07 southern Rhone since it doesn't have the weight, alcohol, or overt fruit of so many of those wines. This is a real positive, although I must say that the wine was not as exciting as the first time tasted.
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No rating as I think this bottle was starting to shut down. Bit of funk and wet newspaper on the nose. Classic Vieux Donjon barely showing thru, it of garrigue. If you've got them, hold 'em.
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Savory and deep, with grilled bread, pepper, soy sauce, meat juice and rusty metal. Shows massive tannins on the finish. Needs time to soften but should offer complexity for decades.
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Blind OLD WORLD GRAB BAG - Dino Restaurant (Washington, DC): Welch’s grape juice, smoke, and black pepper on the nose. Palate of more Welch’s grape juice, black pepper. Decent minerality, acidity, and tannin, but was kind of fat IMO. Guessed 07 Southern Rhone, but didn’t think Cdp at all.
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Old World Grab Bag (Dino Restaurant, Washington, DC): Tasted blind - toasted tobacco and golden raisin nose, maybe some caramelized onion, a little jammy on the mid palate, strong finish but a bit hot. Clearly young and awkward. Didn't peg it as CDP though.
Old World Grab Bag (Dino Restaurant - Washington, DC): Jokes on me with this one. I guessed Vacqueyras. Ended up being a young CdP I've already had and tasted non-blind and scored 4 points higher. That was without palate fatigue and this night, this impressive CdP happened to be wine #13. I found it grapey, kind of fat, but loads of pepper and minerality. Another severe case of infanticide, but the fruit on these 07s is just astounding. I'm really hoping these 07s will show some more complexity as they age.
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Waaaaaaay too early and too short decant. Opened in the morning, decanted and put it back in the bottle. Repeated this in evening before a 2 hour stretch where the bottle was open. Ruby color, nose of petrol, glycerin, garrigue and dark berries. Very tight on the noce though. Concentrated to the point of extraction on the palate. Interesting expeirence. See you in 5 to 10 years...
Note: I knew this was infanticide, but I wanted to taste it young and compare and contrast as time moves on.
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Awesome nose of sweet berries, smoke, and pepper upon opening. The nose faded a bit as it was left open for a little over an hour. Lighter and sweeter than I was expecting with pronounced notes of pepper and berry. Good acidity and a medium length finish. Lacking a little bit of the nuance and secondary flavors I was expecting.
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Color: ruby. Nose: earth, leather, raw meat, herbal note. Palate: acidity present, some mild tannin, raspberry and red cherry notes. Silky in the mouth, medium body. Lovely CDP.
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Brilliant medium deep ruby red with medium plus depth of color. Nose > Deep, persistent wild, red & black cherry with blackberry, black cherry skin, cherry-bark, blueberry, & spicy wild cherry skin. Very aromatic, but not herbal at all. Seemingly every one of these Grenache clusters was perfectly ripe. Luscious, sappy, spicy ripe complex fruit. Distinctly NOT a Brett or Funk-Bomb. No oak showing through the fruit. Wow! This is a Wild-Cherry BOMB! Palate > Concentrated wild & red cherry, blueberry, Schaerbeek cherry, blackberry, black cherry & spice. Rich, taut & savory at the same time. Deep, elegant with a concentrated mid palate infused with, you guessed it: ripe juicy black & red cherry, spicy wild cherry & cherry stones. No hint of plummy or over-ripe fruit. Long firm finish with fruit & ripe acidity flowing smoothly & strongly right to the end. Not very tannic, but ripe & exciting concentrated Grenache-essence type wine. Big bodied (but not boned), but none of the 15% ish ABV showing on nose or palate. This is already a deep, luscious & savory beauty. Drink (Yes Please!) or hold this one.
Both impressive, luscious & pretty damn sexy. Gotta get more of this! Already see it a few bucks less than I paid ($59) ~ 4 months ago.
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Still primary but showing well in its youth. Beguiling nose of burnt toast, ripe dark fruits, garrigue, and fig. Deftly balanced on the palate, very forward at the moment. Fruit and structure in balance though. Should age beautifully. Interesting to see when and if this shuts down.
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I drank this a monthy ago, I keep reading wonderful review and keep on thinking that my bottle was one of those cooked British Columbia bottles. The wine was not "flawed" per say, but really had nothing going on. no nose, no palate. just bland. not bad, just nothing there. I have a couple of bottles bought in Seatle. will try one of those soon. No Rating.
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nose: distinctive and plush nose of hot stones, garrigue, dark red fruits, black fruits, some bits of roasted meats, black cherries, and bits of spices. Real good depth and very expressive on the nose
taste: plush and suave medium/full feel with good firm tannins and well balanced tones of black fruits, garrigue, black cherries and various spice tones. Excellent depth that has a real silky way about it
overall: This showed fairly young. Doesn't have the chewier tannins that the 05 has, but this does have the depth and shows off the 07 vintage very well. This has a real nice expressive side to it and a good amount of polish, this can really blossom in a few years
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Perfumed white and purple flowers float above a powerful core of dusty blackberry, blueberry, horehound, char, and spices. Palate enters very compact, then explodes through the midpalate with a moderately long, tannic mineral finish. Best days are ahead.
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Drank at Le Crocodile – No formal notes. Decanted for 1 hour. Ripe red fruits with some oaky notes as well. Obviously very young and needs lots of time, but I still expected more from this. Hopefully time in the cellar will greatly improve this. Hold. Good. 87+
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From 375mL. Wine is clear but opaque, high intensity. Deep violet purple body to a violet rim, appears youthful, with little rim variation. On the nose, the wine in healthy, with moderate+ intensity and youthful aromas of dark red fruits - ripe strawberries cherry and slight earth tones of pebbles and wet clay with baking spices, cedar and wet ash. On the palate, the wine is dry, moderate + acids, moderate - tannins, medium + body, slightly unbalanced but not dumb with moderate complexity and a long finish with primary notes of raspberry ganache, chocolate, provencal herbs, glycerine, jammy fruit and a hint of smoke. Quite enjoyable though not fantastic. I think 2007 CdP's will be very forward wines, we'll see how they develop.
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This wine was decanted and poured. It showed well from beginning to end. The wine added weight, definition and texture with airing. The wine showed a youthful, brawny personality with the tannins and acidity providing texture and grip. The aromatics show raspberry, earth, granite, leather, tar, spice and black cherry notes. The color is a dark ruby to purple that is appropriate for the wines age. The medium/full bodied palate shows outstanding length, depth and nuance. This wine will benefit from a few years of bottle age.
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Clear dark red. Red fruits on the nose, primarily cherry with a bit of raspberry ganache. Also an herbiness. Provencal herbs excluding the lavender. On the palate, more of the same. Definite herbal quality following the intense fruit. A fair amount of glycerin accompanies the fruit and herbs to make it a mouthcoating full-bodied wine. At this point the wine is clearly young with no significant layers of flavor, but I'm sure that given a few years, this should develop quite nicely. Already with a couple hours of decanting, the tannins and acidity integrate well, but it just needs time for the complexity to improve. 90 now, but potentially 92+ in 3-5 years.
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Deep crimson; blackberries, black cherries, smoked meat, herbs; ripe blackberry, sweet cherry, silky, noticeable glycerin, medium-full body, good structure, good grip, ripe coated tannins, lingering finish. Decanted 2 hrs. Very closed. Big fruit and structure but not very complex. Sooo young, not sure how good this will eventually be.
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Brought bottle and had it decanted at restaurant, letting it sit for 30-40 minutes while we drank champagne. Great fruit, still young and somewhat rough compared to other 2007 CDPs. . Not as high toned and refined as Domaine de Janesse of the same vintage but with more fruit. Good array of flavors (i.e. not a simple or dumb wine). I plan to drink the next bottle in 2011 or 2012 and see how if it is developing or has closed down for the long haul. If you care to let me know, which do you think it will be?
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Tasted on 11/5, and again at a dinner on 11/22, consistent notes. Meaty with dark notes on the nose, with a roasted sweet note that almost reminds of caramel or popcorn at certain times. Very different from the 2006. Tannic on the palate, savory and peppery. Smooth and powerful at the same time. This was my favorite wine at two different CdP tastings, beating out 06 VD, 06 and 07 V. Telegraphe, 01 Beaucastel, 07 Clos des Papes (closed). Very similar to the 07 Vieux Telegraphe, but this is a shade deeper and darker. This is very nice, 92-93 for me, but probably deserves higher for true CdP fans.
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Parmi 4 Rhône 2007 en semi-aveugle. Nez un peu animal, avec du…beurre d’arachide qui évoque les chocolats Reese! Très belle texture en bouche, belle fraicheur, élégant et savoureux, la bouche est vraiment magnifique même si le nez gardera toujours ce coté un peu « funky ». Superbe Châteauneuf, d’abord identifié comme Vieux Donjon, que j’ai à tort mis ailleurs ensuite par une logique tordue! 93 pts Meilleure impression que la dernière bouteille et peut-être davantage de potentiel qu'Usseglio à long terme.
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Bright red ruby in color. Tight, traditionally styled wine. Shows some raspberry and black currant. Nice, but not particularly revealing. Looked really light in color vs. the 1998 we had next to it. I wonder where this will go, but I'm sure it's going to be good with some time.
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Consistent with my prior note on this wine. This is still tight and is begging for a decade in the far corner of the cellar. In time this will be sensational. Very dark in color and much more earthy than most of the other 07 CDPs.
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Drank this alongside the 2004 for kicks and giggles, major intensity and depth that put's it slightly ahead, but infanticide at this point needing a few more years to open up - Dark, full-bodied and a nose of cherry, plum, cinammon spice, pepper, clove and vanilla, intense, balanced, early complexity, smooth/tart on the palate with terrific length (93 Points).
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beaucoup d'extraction, nez de framboises, de kirsch et d'épices; la bouche est pleine, tendu, précise sur le fruit et les tannins sont fermes. Superbe équilibre. Le vin promet
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Decanted for about an hour and a half. Very good wine, nice balance of flavors and very smooth, but was expecting a much more extracted, intense style. Not near as much flavor as I was expecting, I would recommend letting this one breath for 3-4 hours to get the most out of it in such a young state.
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After 3 flawed bottles, found a nice one. Medium bodied, dark fruits, licorice, and pepper. Tasted closed. Opened up slightly after a few hours, but needs more time.
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Kind of like a slightly over-hyped blind date: Big expectations, nervous anticipation. . . but she just was not as pretty as your friends said she was. Not bad looking, just not great. Had with Beef Burgundy.
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2007 Southern Rhone Tasting (Bell's): This glass had a dirty nose; some bandaids, coffee, wet leaves, and manure. Pretty interesting. The wine itself was showing a bit thin, with sweet cranberry notes and an old school cherry cola flavor too. It will be interesting to see this bottle develop over time - it's VERY young and immature at this point.
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Purple. Lots of red fruit notes in the nose. Raspberry, blackberry and I think pepper. The nose even shows a bit of creamy vanilla oak. Later there seems to be a smoky element as well. Very nice red fruit flavours and lots of structure.
There has been a bit of concern in Vancouver about some bad bottles. Not this one. I won't lie, I love this one.
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Tasted Blind. From 750mL. Wine appears youthful: clear, moderate - intensity, blue-red core to a cherry rim. On the nose, healthy, moderate- intensity with some oak aging apparent; aromas of earth, ripe red berry, cocoa, lilac, lavender and smoke. On the palate wine is dry, moderate acids, moderate - tannins, low+ development with moderate intensity. Short finish, moderate + alcohol. Follows nose with notes of dark cherry, pebbles, lavender and vanillins with a mineral finish, reminiscent of fresh iron.
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No body, hardly any fruit, all ethanol. 3rd cooked bottle, this one from a different BC Liquor Store. Perhaps their whole shipment of this wine is heat damaged...
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dark magenta in color,bottle decanted and drank out on patio, nose initially very peppery continued to change and get more complex with some earth and spices showing, long finish
day 2 nose was crushed fruit, loads of tanninslong chewy finish
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Tightly wound right now. Very dark in color. Huge nose. Tons of fruit and tannins on the palate. Has all the raw materials to be great down the road. A 30 year wine at a minimum.
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In contrast to the other CdP's I had at the tasting I was at, this was not so amazing. Still, a very balanced, nicely structured wine that should really turn into something special.
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Deep rich cherries on the nose along with a hint of pate and black pepper. There are some floral scents as well. The wine delivers some nice acid right away and some great cherry flavors. The oak is well integrated and the tannins are gentle. Some minearlity comes in late, and juicy cherry flavors hang in there all the way to the end.
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wow what another great 07 CdP.......probably the best I have had to date from S Rhone - I look forward to others arriving Nose was very fragrent lots of herbs, dark purple color nice lighter color around edges Openned at 2 p let sit upright in the botte , decanted at 7, drank around 8 sweet cherry, some tannins, chaulky, long finish, red licorise I called an ordred 6 more
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Perplexing and really making me concentrate. Nose: perfume. red raspberry,sugared strawberries, cotton candy and briar. Light on the mouthfeel. Unexpected. Nice bitterness and green bell pepper. Like I ate the stem with the the grenache grapes. 90 Pts.
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From a 375ml bottle... Comes out of the gate very ripe and gooey. Reminded me more of a value-priced Spanish Garnacha than a classy, old-school CDP: simple, sweet, quaffable. Worst of all, there was the heat of booze in the nose and finish. I corked this up and stashed in the fridge over night.. Day 2, this wine had come together nicely, with much more classic and elegant aromatics and flavors with only moderate structure. I'm guessing that many 2007's CDPs will show flashy at an early stage if the V.D. is. Overall, not a show stopper on these days for my simple palate... I know this note is swimming against the tide, but I keep in mind that it is young and I am guessing it may be in bottle shock from recent bottling (?). I think this wine just needs time and someday it may be great. Still, I didn't rush out to add to my 6 bottles resting in my cellar despite a very good price available locally ($40).
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Nose of ripe red fruit, silky tannins, spicy and a bit mushrooms, old style nose... very silky tannins, meaty, spicy, black fruit... looks like this wine is a bit closed compared to what we tasted from barrel beginning of the year
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Style traditionnel : fruits rouges, herbes de Provence, minéralité. Robe pâle, tannins doux, peu perceptibles. L’explosion de fruit en début de bouche est supportée par une longue finale rafraichissante. Un vin plus digeste que la moyenne. Bien aimé dans le genre classique.
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75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault. Élevage de 6 mois en cuves de ciment puis de 12 mois en foudres.
Couleur sombre. Nez animal un peu agressant au début, mais avec un joli fruit noir derrière qui prendra le dessus. La texture flatteuse me semble un peu moderne (erreur!), élégante, avec des tanins ronds lovés derrière un fruit riche. Concentré, bonne fraicheur, semble un peu facile et je lui trouvais, inexplicablement (après dévoilement), un coté moderne. 90-91 pts
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The South of France (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had eucalyptus, blackberry, pepper, cassis, grilled meat, and a little tar. The palate was super smooth, and had pepper, blackberry, tar, cassis, and a meaty finish.
Drank at Troquet in Boston. Decanted and consumed over a two hour period. This is very tight and a bit backward in general right now. Dense with tongue coating, but not searing, tannins. Some hints of black fruit towards the end of the meal, but not a wine to be touched for several years based on this tasting. Was hoping for a bit more love from the young CdP- do see a good deal of potential here.
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Saturday Night Soiree (Chez Pelz): Dark garnet color; Very young and wound-up right now but still showed very pure dark fruit, earth, berry and spice flavors. Seemed like a good cellar candidate with a refined CDP style. Good, probably ~92 pts with additional bottle age.
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this is delicious to inhale deep into your lungs..dark fruit with some cherries thrown in over a handfull of rocky earth. add a taste of tomatoes in the mouth and an elegant (for Rhone) mouthfeel. finish disappears for a moment and then comes back in a crescendo. ought to buy more of this one.
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First night massive blast of rubber on the nose and palate. The rubber made the wine unplesant the first night, so back into the bottle and fridge. Day two the rubber has faded to a background note and the fruit expressed itself. Lots of staying power, tannic (not drying) and not worth drinking now imho.
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Must decant for at least hour. Nose is full of fruit and huge. Taste is fantastic. Complex,big,leather,berry,earth. Really a gorgeous and powerful wine. A must buy. Will age for long time. 92 PTS.
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A medium intensity, delicious CdP. Deep fruit early on opens into some good earth, cigar tobacco and light mushroom. Great funk! Greatly balanced again, medium strength acidity and tannins carry on in the finish for a good 20 seconds. Yummy, and has some minor complexities and potential for greatness. Surprisingly ready for business now, and delicious. Open for 3 hours.
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Decanted one hour, drunk over next four. Very primary. Deep fruit on palate, garrique and bramble. Finish a bit biting at present, acidity present. Good length. More enjoyable now as an intellectual exercise, but I think this will be very good indeed in five or six years.
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Deep garnet color, nearly opaque. Crushed gravel nose. Medium-full bodied. Red berry fruit. Somewhat tangy. Some garrigue and blood. Touch of sandalwood. Just Okay.
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Dark red color with a youthful purple hue. Very giving nose, which is dominated by primary fruit, sweet and warm, boiled and jammy red berries, raspberries and blueberries, with a fine note of sweet tobacco. On the palate it is very concentrated, but pure in the fruit notes – raspberries, sweet candies and a bit of anise. On the finish it picks up more licorice notes and some tomato, soured milk and a slight note of green bitterness. A very lively acidity lifts the whole impression; unfortunately I found it to end a bit on the hot side – alcohol-wise.
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There is much more C02 than last tasted 3 month ago, so the wine required vigurous aeration (decanting is not enough...) After one hour resting in the decanter, it shows a very impressive nose of ripe black cherries, loads of bacon fat and volatile ripe acidity... in the month the concentration in black ripe cherries is huge, also there are loads of ripe tannins and a refreshing acidity... the wine is really bold and big... retasting the Usseglio 2003 after feels like a watery wine!!! This wine has really a LOT of potential, but will probably need one more year in bottle to fully integrate the CO2...
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2007 Chateauneufs (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium color. Already great complexity aromatically such that it is hard to pick out individual elements. Once again, not a large scaled effort but exhilarating, savory complexity that seems like the essence of Chateauneuf. Fresh acidity. My favorite wine of the tasting and one I will definitely buy.
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Explosive nose of jammy black fruit, licorice, meaty, gamey... very powerfull and concentrated in the mounth, very silky tannins, black fruit, gamey, very long and refreshing mounth
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CDP tasting at Boston Wine Expo: Tight and tannic. Lots of spices, and licorice. A little tough to get through unless you've got a little more time. 89-92 based on my little taste.
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4/20/2024 - ludwigbpm wrote: 94 Points
Nez évolué sur les épices et la garrigue, très provençal! Bouche fraîche, puissante avec ce millésime qui ajoute une touche de chaleur et concentration.
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4/19/2024 - kostaslonis wrote:
Brought to drink at Oinoscent during service. Decanted and tasted after 1hr
The wine shows ripe red fruit in the nose, spice, juicy, welcoming, nice developed profile.
Palate copies the nose profile, ripe to overripe red and black fruit, a touch of warmth, raspberry and overripe sour cherry, some herbal bitter notes in the back, med body, elegant, long finish.
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3/28/2024 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
So good after 14 years. Dark plums and red/black cherries up front. Mostly has given way to the secondary notes of leather, prunes, savory herbs, licorice, and Asian five spice. Still has good acidity and tannins with a nice long finish. Good to go right now and over the next couple of years.
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3/24/2024 - SIMONFELL wrote: 92 Points
Amber hues, savoury dried herb, rustic notes, lovely balance and soft tannins . Has aged beautifully with alcohol level not showing on finish.
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3/3/2024 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bold, beautiful and mature CDP. Quite different than our 1st bottle in 2020. Tannins are fully resolved, many secondary characteristics have emerged, and bricking on the edges. Very complex. A smokey, fruity, licorice bouquet. Plum, dark berries, leather, spice, pencil shavings, camphor, herb and meat juices on the super smooth palate. Long finish. Just a touch of heat on the backend, but not distracting. We have one more destined for consumption no later than 2027. 94-95 pts
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2/11/2024 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leather, xmas spices, dried plum, cedar, earth. Nose is fantastic, palate is slightly over ripe but balanced by earthy flavors. Really nice.
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1/27/2024 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&S’s): Double blind. Opens with aromas of dark fruit with hints of soy and spice underneath. Raspberry and herb elements on the palate. Medium bodied. Guessed grenache, but I thought this could have been a companion wine to the Muga in the previous flight.
A surprise to see an '07 CndP unveiled, as I got none of the overly ripe, raisined qualities I have come to expect from this vintage. (MM)
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12/25/2023 - Pak64 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful Christmas dinner wine! After some cork issues(need a new humidifier) poured a beautiful deep ruby red with definite bricking on rim. Nose of ripe fruit with some pepper. Luxurious mouth feel but not a big beginning, very well integrated tannins, full ripe fruit in the middle, long finish where pepper comes to the fore. Drink soon, this wine is in its prime!
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12/10/2023 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 94 Points
(Shocked to find another bottle in back of cellar, bought on release) Elite wine, bought for pedestrian money on release. Tannins are fully resolved, palate is complex and just draws you in. Red and black fruits, bricked earthy sense on palate, length forever. Superb. Why one buys wine to cellar. Balanced, none of the overly-alcoholic predictions doom sayers predicted for the 2007s. Just buy the right producers! (See 2021 note). Will have with lamb stew tonight.
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10/15/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine continues to drink well and has improved a bit from my lat tasting over a year ago. Notes of cherry, black raspberry, roasted meat, and spice. Tannins are well integrated, long satisfying finish. Paired with herb marinated grilled veal chops.
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10/14/2023 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful shimmering ruby color; blackberry/boysenberry nose.
Some overripe notes upon opening, but an hour later they have given way to a rich, dense flavor profile. Soft tannins at this point, with lots of black fruit, roast meat and garrigue. The finish goes on for a long, long time. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em.
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9/28/2023 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning by the second day. Really filled out and off odours blew away. Full bodied wine with balanced structure. Not a heavy mouthfeel though. Dark berries, dried berry fruits. Almost a mulled feel. Herbal and spice element on mid palate to finish. Long finish. Earthy flavours and tobacco, cedar elements. Really enjoyable. You can taste and feel the fullness of this being a CdP.
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8/19/2023 - prism wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours. Very nicely matured, the flavors smoothly integrated into a characteristically voluptuous C9P. Drinking perfectly now.
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8/18/2023 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1-2h, consistent with my previous notes. Perfumy nose of leather, tobacco, and cedar. On the palate, vibrant sweet red fruit, earthy sous bois, with acidity in the finish. Lots going on in this wine, great complexity! Smooth and easy to drink.
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8/6/2023 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full bodied with lots of black fruits, blueberry liqueur, lavender , garrigue and even some Northern Rhone pepper notes.
Plenty of structure to suggest this will last another 5 plus years.
An exceptional bottle!
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7/31/2023 - JohnSh wrote: 82 Points
My first 2007 VD - I've been wondering about this wine given the comments of some people about the 2007 vintage in CDP. Most comments are very positive in CT, while other reviews are much less positive about the 2007 vintage in general and the 2007 VD specifically. I had hoped VD had dealt well with the very warm 2007 vintage. Over two nights, the good news there was no heat, but the fruit was very overripe, going into prune territory. Medium bodied, low acid, dead fruit, and very dull/limpid for a VD. I have one more bottle, but I am not looking forward to it, as I suspect this can not and will not improve. I'm afraid I am a hater rather than a lover of this vintage of Vieux Donjon (C-).
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7/29/2023 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 93 Points
A nice surprise with a prime NY strip. Tinged brick on the edge but very youthful. Medium bodied with nice acid backbone. Savory with black pepper and balsamic to go with juicy blackberry fruit and a hint of strawberry. Tannins were well integrated and fine. Lengthy finish with good grip. I haven’t had much CDP in the last few years but this was a treat. Highly recommended.
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7/22/2023 - Stumptown Steve Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking beautifully right now, all the elements integrated. Couldn't identify particular flavors, other than it was just a nice old school Chateauneuf
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7/18/2023 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
Brief decant and no formal notes. Just a glorious old school wine with more savory notes than fruity. Now-2025. I laugh at my last note...
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7/16/2023 - grizzlywine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Whoa, warm winter spices, red and black fruit, extinguished wood fire, and autumn decay. Medium acidity, tannins mature and soft. Medjool dates, leather, blackberry compote, the palate is intriguing and tough to pin down as it evolves. My first from this producer, and I’m massively impressed. Elite qpr at $50.
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7/6/2023 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Amazing tonight. Drinking a point, very elegant, notes of sous bois, sweet fruit, dark spice, rounded and sexy. This will certainly go on, but in my book, this is peaking.
#Kandestederne#Tourmalet
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6/16/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking Vieux Donjon is visiting an old friend - one of my favourites. Classic Chateauneuf that really needs time to shine. The 2007 is in a great place now - 15 years old but still shows a very nice level of freshness combined with a mature elegance. Healthy colour. Notes of garrigue, hints of smoke, leather and dark fruits. Well-balanced and full-bodied with a long and lingering aftertaste. (93 points)
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4/15/2023 - prism wrote: 93 Points
Slow-O'd for two hours; decanted for another two. Textbook: not overripe; tannins well integrated. Excellent.
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4/1/2023 - canan wrote: 93 Points
Refined and refreshing raspberry fruits combined with funk and refined tannins. Also showing some baking/christmas spices and a solid body.
A classic CdP wine that feels quite robust due to the alcohol but everything has a nice balance to it. Very nice wine.
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3/19/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well, fairly bold fruit.
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3/11/2023 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Dutch Dinner w/Jeoreon and Isobel, Valerie and Meredith (Chez Walker - New Hope, PA): First bottle of this from a batch bought at auction in 2012, in my cellar since. A blustery night, was looking for the appropriate pairing with my spiced sausage cassoulet...a good excuse to open this. Decanted and strained (some sediment) about 20 minutes prior to drinking
Dark, slightly cloudy garnet color. Some thinning at the edge. Nose showed a little funk, blowing off then showing red fruits, spice. Palate was black cherry, blue fruits, baking/Christmas spice, anise, pepper. Red fruits and spice through the mid palate. Medium weight, long finish.
Great showing, aged nicely, no edges at this point. Not picking up the heat noted by others in this bottle. 2007 vintage has its detractors, I did not try this early in its evolution so no comparison. At this point its drinking like a classic CdP...perfect pairing with the cassoulet. In a good zone, if one has multiple bottles its worth opening now. WOTN for the group.
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2/3/2023 - gbbwino wrote: 92 Points
PNP. Very nice wine out of the gate. Touch of heat on the finish but the fruit is clean & pretty, not stewed like many 07s I’ve had. Great secondary notes with good front & mid palate. Finish is a little hot & astringent. Has life left. Last bottle unfortunately
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1/29/2023 - Quinn05 Likes this wine: 90 Points
2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting: Moccha, chocolate, coffee, lots of tannine. Unlike the Clos Saint Jean, this does also possess some finesse. Feels like it's at peak now, but no need to hurry, it has plenty of life left.
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11/17/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Dark red color, 5mm transition to clear. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. Sweet dark fruit, big, chocolate, leafy tobacco, blackberry, black cherry with hints of blue fruit lurking about; full bodied, round, big and ripe, blackberry, dark cherry, blue fruits, spicy, anise, a little edgy and sharp on the finish. This was a little like peeling an onion to get to see the layers underneath.
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11/17/2022 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Back at the Kenwood with Luis and the team: Slight blueberry, a bit less tertiary than the 2001 Charvin and also more rugged. I think we're seeing the 2007 vintage in this. I don't know how this will evolve, but I'd guess it will be better in 5 years time.
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11/17/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Luis Rides Again! (The Kenwood, Minneapolis, MN): Nice CdP....curious how this will be down the road...if alcohol integrates better, this will be a stunner....if the alcohol/heat gets more intense, it will not be in my wheelhouse. Has the fruit right now, but needs time to better develop...we will see if the fruit can hold up. For now, nose shows lots of black cherry cherry bark and hints of chocolate and anise. On the palate, the wine shows lots of cherry, black pepper, licorice and some alcohol. 91 today, have no idea what the future. holds for this one.
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11/17/2022 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
was drinking nice upon opening
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11/16/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I liked more than the new-world Cali lovers. But, great fruit, well integrated, full-bodied, can drink without food, but without the great nose of a bordeaux.
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11/7/2022 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine continues to drink well with notes of dark fruit, roasted meat, spice with good balance and well integrated tannins.
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10/22/2022 - sastewart wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Audrey. Fourth and last bottle purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. A touch of garrigue, cracked pepper and black cherry on the nose. Medium plus bodied with good tannins, nice acid and well integrated alcohol for 2007. Dark fruit, spices and smoked meats on the palate with a mineral driven finish. 94 points.
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10/16/2022 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner with Jan at Char. Last bottle of this and it was lovely. Still lively fruit, and balanced nicely by lots of secondaries and nice acidity. This was well-balanced and food friendly, enjoyed with our appetizers.
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10/15/2022 - beatles wrote: 93 Points
Rich, dense - but not over the top. There is a creamy fullness here, that I love, a young wine, but open for business and delivers both ripe fruit and a very sound local feel. Vraiment Vieux Donon.
#Bagnols-en-Forêts
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10/9/2022 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely delish, aged CdP. Nose all leather and tertiary smells. In the mouth a fresh, tobacco, plum, red currant, and light vanilla. Aging well, but won't get any better. Will probably have another couple of years in the bottle. All the tannins are totally integrated, but still good vibrant fruit. Long finish. A delightful wine to sip and savor.
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10/4/2022 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 91 Points
colour is dark ruby and transparent. nose is very herbal, garrigue, slightly minty, tart. with air and time, it develops some delicate floral character. more medium in body, the palate is smooth, bright, with red berries, raspberry, sprightly acidity (without astringency), some slight green pepper-like bitterness but it doesn't overwhelm in any way and a nice transition through the herbal-tinged finish. very little tannin on the close. fully open for business. 91+
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10/1/2022 - jgreco Does not like this wine: 88 Points
This is very dark and moody wine. Tanned leather, earth, Most of the fruit is gone. Dusty tannins. This bottle has way too much heat though and it overpowers the finish.
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9/27/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big thumbs up from the new-world-anglophile missus. Drinking well. Full bodied. Integrated smooth slightly muted dark fruit. Good finish. Nose so-so.
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9/23/2022 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 60 minutes after pulling a perfect cork. Very little sediment.
Served blind to friends for fun.
No detailed tasting notes. My impressions were that the wine was very floral and earthy. Fruit was present but just a bit muted. Tannins were fairly well resolved and the wine is drinking very well, but perhaps a bit over ripe.
Still delicious and not a complaint amongst the tasters.
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8/22/2022 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 95 Points
Comprised of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% other permitted varietals, Donjon's 2007 is loaded with black and red bramble fruits that are accented with smoked meat, white pepper, anise and Provençal herbs. Although quite ripe, it is remarkably energetic, with ample acid to make the flavors pop and to balance the plentiful sweet tannins. Full-bodied, softly oaked and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%), it stays dense on the mid-palate and concludes with impressive length. Tasted over three hours from a pristinely-cellared bottle that was decanted off of its sediment, this Châteauneuf greatly benefitted from the first two hours of aeration. The stuffing is in place to ensure that comparably stored bottles will sail through the decade. Drink now-2030.
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6/28/2022 - JDB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious, lots of fruit. Went well with a bbq chicken sandwich !!
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6/25/2022 - BernieMSY wrote: 94 Points
60 minute decant.
Dark ruby color; brambly nose.
Sweet black fruit, with leather, cedar pencil and a touch of tar. Rich, delicious and hitting all parts of the palate. The tannins have softened considerably. This remains an under-rated benchmark for CDP.
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6/3/2022 - jgreco wrote: 90 Points
Deep, dark and contemplative wine. An intense nose of violet, fennel, raisined/stewed blue and black fruit, charred, tobacco, and spices. Thick and weight in the mouth. A bit too much alcohol.
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5/8/2022 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Again tons of ripe fruit, but dominated by earthy minerality. Kinda burly.
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4/9/2022 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Adam's party. This bottle drank nicely and was a very classical CdP in my view. For an 07, this is pretty well balanced and is not over the top in extraction or overcooked fruit. Earth and garrigue in plentiful amounts in comparison to the other wines drunk along side.
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3/31/2022 - ogres3 wrote: 91 Points
Drank with Paul on a dock with appetizers. Needs at least an hour of air. Full bodied with rich fruit.
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3/12/2022 - jgreco Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep, dark and contemplative wine. An intense nose of violet, fennel, raisined/stewed blue and black fruit, charred, tobacco, and spices. Thick and weighty in the mouth.
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3/5/2022 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Popped and poured and enjoyed a few glasses. This did not feel overdone, especially for an '07. Mid weight or even feeling slightly light on the palate. Notes of kirsch, ripe raspberry, and rock candy. The feels ready but will hold and mature for ten or more years.
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2/28/2022 - MS86 Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Clear, medium- ruby, significant fading at rim
Quite evolved. Lots of earth, miso, mushroom stock. Background of dusty black cherry, worn leather and tar.
Soft and thin. Missing any tannic backbone.
Flavours are bitter and hot with sour black cherry and raisin.
Not my style and past prime.
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2/20/2022 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 93 Points
like new cork; dark colour; fleshy, ripe dark fruit transitioning to spice; long finish; nicely resolved tannins
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1/24/2022 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
A nice CDP with notes of cherry, spice, damp earth, with nice acidity and balance. Long satisfying finish. Paired nicely with chicken paprikas.
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12/30/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 97 Points
Popped and poured.
Flat-out delicious.
Beautiful medium garnet color; Concord grape nose. Rich, integrated and hitting on all cylinders. Tobacco, leather and a touch of smoke, all overlaid on a rich black fruit base. Tons of umami, and a bit of black pepper spice. This wine is a worthy rival to the 2005. The producer is one of my favorites of all time.
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11/6/2021 - whudock Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherry fruit with a bit of plum. Some earth, mushroom and leather. It is not powerful, rather it is sophisticated and well-balanced. The finish is long.
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10/31/2021 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 95 Points
{Bought on release, perfect fill; tasted with JL, BA and AM} Gloriously pretty nose, garrigue, delicious flavor set with excellent integration from foreplate, midpalate, and finish. Words like "discrete," "plush," and "elegant" come to mind. Very sophisticated wine and easily equals many limited (special selection) cuvee Chateauneuf-du-Papes. Not even remotely alcoholic, indeed in the very ripe 2007 year this is elegant, sophisticated, fresh, and beautifully balanced. Kudos to Vieux Donjon where they make one red and one white wine and have old vines.
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10/24/2021 - PVJC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous bottles. Enjoyable and in great shape even if somewhat one dimensional and monolithic. Needs food hearty enough to stand up to it.
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10/12/2021 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from over four years ago. Medium-deep ruby red in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of complex, dark ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plum with sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of lavender & dried Provençal herbs with pepper & bay leaf, smoky, earthy/dusty, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Medium bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, black pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing, but even at 14 years of age, it has the structure & fruit to continue further development with additional aging.
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10/7/2021 - vancouvermatt wrote: 91 Points
Potentially a notch down from the earlier bottle
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9/1/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured.
Absolutely gorgeous dark garnet color. A touch of loam on the nose.
After 90 minutes of air:
Rich and satisfying. Gobs of sweet black fruit balanced by Unami-rich tobacco, tar, etc. Tannins are in a great place. They are softened, but present and leanding good structure. This is a chewy wine in the best sense of the word. This domaine continues to be one of my benchmarks for CDP.
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8/23/2021 - nickuk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mmmm I do like an aged Chateauneuf. Decanted and drunk over an hour on a sad evening. Integrated, smooth, and yet still tasting young. Happily drink now, but can take more years although the fruit balance is just right in the bottle I had.
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7/17/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 95 Points
From 1.5. Delicious. Round, integrated, wonderful.
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6/29/2021 - short and confused wrote:
Drank two bottles. The first was very stewed and tired. I have had this experince with some much CNP- I guess I like them young. The second was more energetic and interesting. There were notes of meat, metal, leather and garrigue that I really liked. But not something I will save space for in the cellar going forward. 2 bottles left. I'll drink in the next few months.
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5/25/2021 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Opened about an hour before drinking. Fruity, good finish, nice nose. Will get better with some more time but this is pretty darn good now
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5/21/2021 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth easy drinking and long medium body
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5/20/2021 - BrendanMcS wrote: 96 Points
Deep garnet color. Big nose of raspberry jam. Palat has lots of raspberry and plum. Black currant. Some smoked meat, soppressata. Tannins were a little rough but smother out after 30 minutes. Well balanced and in a great drinking window.
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5/20/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful purple color, plum jam on the nose. Strange as it sounds: Spicy sun-dried tomato. Smoky roast meat; deep black fruit, currant, plum blackberry. Mushroom! Deeply integrated and intense. What a good wine!
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5/16/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby color, sweet blackberry nose. A bit tight upon opening, after an hour of air it has opened up beautifully. Black and red fruit dominate, with a savory umami concentration that hits the sides and back of the tongue. Rich and concentrated, with tremendous depth of flavor. This wine continues to evolve and impress.
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5/4/2021 - sevo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yesterday, I posted a note on a 2015 Brunello purchased from Costco that was quite underwhelming. Well, today is a different day! 2007 Vieux Donjon is drinking very well. Opened for two hours. It has some barnyard “funk” going on but a strong red raspberry structure behind it. Medium body taste. This is a well balanced, well structured Grenache based wine.
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4/24/2021 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2-3h. On the nose, tobacco, leather, hints of brett (this blew off after 3h), lots going on. On the palate, mouth coating red fruit compote, hints of pepper in the finish. Mom and Peter enjoyed this. Great paired with pan seared duck breast.
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4/16/2021 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs about 2 hours to open. Fruit is still pronounced, but not in your face. Full mouth feel. Long finish. Pairs very well with flavorful food.
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4/5/2021 - jviz wrote:
Yeesh, not as pruney as an 07 Beaucastel served alongside, but just nearly as unenjoyable. Overripe, but acids were in check. I’m just not at all a fan of 07 CdP so far
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4/4/2021 - richardkim Likes this wine: 93 Points
There is a combination of freshness and earthiness on the palate, with Kirsch and berries married with forest floor and mushroom. Acidity keeps it lively and there is a blueberry-toned lift. The body feels fuller than the average mature Chateauneuf, for the better. I decanted this wine for 2 hours and it continues to evolve. Tremendously enjoyable, I wish I had more of this wine but I think this was my last bottle!
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4/4/2021 - beatles wrote: 93 Points
Tasted vis-a-vis the Mont-Olivet, and this is certainly better - and quite different. Full blooded neuf with a very sound core of kirsch, very fresh, sweet Grenache-notes, plenty of local feel. Very well balanced, exceeds the vintage ... bravo
#Kandestederne
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4/3/2021 - Nutty08 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
This showed better than the '07 Beaucastel but not by much. It did resemble a CdP, with dried tertiary fruit notes, provincial spice and has some lift on the palate. But dropped off quickly on the finish. Drinking fine now, but I suspect will fade over time. Glad I drank all my bottles, my last one was in 2015.
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4/2/2021 - PVJC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinking very well, this didn't seem to have faded any from the last bottle we had a year ago. True that it's big and extracted and a bit monolithic vs other vintages, but very good flavors and finish and in balance vs. coming across hot. Enjoyable with a meal that can match up to it ... paired well with well seasoned pork chops.
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4/2/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 90 Points
This Vieux Donjon is unfortunately from the worst period in Chateauneuf's history to my liking. In far too many wines, 2007 and 2009 were marked by the fact that at that time the producers sought to harvest late with low yields and as heavy fruit as possible. Surmaturité, as it is called in French. It was attractive back then. Unfortunately, this one succeeded a little too well. Served at 13-14C. It is simply too dense, liquorous, candied and cooked in its fruit character. It is not because of storage issues, it was bought upon release and stored well. The proof is a 2005 from the same cellar, drunk not so long ago, that was far fresher and better. 90p on ‘objective quality’, but the enjoyment is not top notch.
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3/29/2021 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very nice. Very ripe red fruit, stony mineral flavors, quite acidic, with some smoke on the nose too. It's a little too ripe in its fruit profile for me, but my wife loves it. The finish has an alluring bitterness to it that seems kind of strange after the ripe fruit profile.
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3/25/2021 - gbejjani Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is not shy, nor is it overbearing. The best that traditional and vigorous CdP has to offer. You need to pay attention and enjoy all the sensations it brings you.. Pair it with flavorful food that can match its presence. As expected, there was not a drop left at the end of the meal!
For more please watch below at YT channel Pandewine
https://youtu.be/NWIeA0m0xJU
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3/19/2021 - SCM Fan Does not like this wine: 81 Points
Agree with other tasters- this wine is way past it's prime. Bummer after paying retailer $70 for it. Only salvage I have, was the retailer sent me 3 extra Clos De Pape CdP by mistake. Called them up- they said order was correct. OK. thank You.
Then opened 2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Rasteau. What a GEM. So how come this village wine beat this CdP? What went wrong in the cellar on this Donjon?
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2/23/2021 - William Kelley Does not like this wine:
Exhibiting roasted aromas of fruit compote, prunes, slivovitz and soy sauce, the 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape has one foot in the grave. Full-bodied, over-ripe and spiritous, it's actually marginally more palatable and integrated a day after opening; but it remains a wine to spit rather than swallow.
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2/16/2021 - isbjoern Likes this wine: 91 Points
Our last bottle and it was the most complex of the three bottles we had. Very spicy, sweet red berry fruit, but nothing is overripe or hot as with many other C9dP from 2007. Good acidity and fine tertiary flavors. Drinks really well now. - 91 points
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2/7/2021 - Tannic Monster wrote:
Smoked meats and tar on the nose. On the palate, it feels a bit hot and this bottle is devoid of any fruit, dark or otherwise. I don't think this is corked, but all I really get is flat cola notes, tar, mushroom, and singed green bell pepper. Not sure if we will be finishing the bottle.
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2/2/2021 - cookie7 Does not like this wine:
Another 2007 CDP that has not aged well. Hot and flabby with no structure.
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1/29/2021 - NY Wino wrote: 92 Points
Light ruby color, bouquet of wet fur, blood and earthiness, the wine has nice fruit, smooth tannins and nice earthy finish.
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1/18/2021 - prism wrote: 94 Points
I used some of this for pot roast, and the rest, which I followed over two days, was in perfect drinking form: lively and luscious.
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12/29/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine:
The 2007 Le Vieux Donjon CdP is rich, dense, and not lacking for flavors. Red and blue fruit, grilled herbs, and smokey meat. Gorgeous.
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12/29/2020 - PSPatrick wrote: 93 Points
Third virtual CdP wine tasting (non-blind). (Zoom): Wine 2 of 4. Ripe red and dark fruit, spices, herbal notes, eucalyptus and liquorice, with good acidity, smooth tannin and superb length. Lingers for minutes! Great concentration and good complexity. Balanced and harmonious and quite complete. Fresh compared to the other wines. Maybe slightly alcoholic but otherwise equally satisfying on day two. Great CdP!
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12/19/2020 - stoneb Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Deep garnet red. Muted nose on opening that improved with air. A little flat early on, but gained weight, aromatics and complexity with air over 60-90 minutes. There was not much left by then, but my last half glass was delicious. This is probably near peak but still needs an hour decant.
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11/24/2020 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
This split was probably at peak and holding form.
Lots of discussion here regarding ripeness and alcohol, both of which are manifestly true.
A loud wine, set to 10 decibels, if you will...and I loved all of it. Fig preserves, date cakes, glycerin, iodine, pepper, herbs, kelp, juniper, and jerky...all backed by intense mineral range and depth. The same elements show on the palate, in appealing layers. A natural pairing for earthy and decadent risottos, peppery and Herbs de Provence seasoned roasted meats, and, of course, well marbled, flamed seared steaks.
By 'hot' wine standards, this is balanced, particularly because of the substance it delivers. By preference, I would happily choose this over most BdMs, Amarones, other 'hot' CdPs, etc, and certainly most anything from the New World, including great Turleys, Ridges, and most Bedrocks, etc...all of which, IMO, show more range and depth than so many extracted, jammy, gelatinous, oaky, weakly-structured...oh...yes...and offensively 'hot' Napa Cabernet Sauvignon offerings. And, in all fairness, most any 2009 and 2016 Bordeaux, etc...from the Left Bank. In sum, 'hot' wines should not be construed as 'lesser'...if they deliver great pleasure.
Based on this experience, recommend drinking splits soon. Full bottles should hold form for another five to seven years, magnums a while longer...and might still be evolving. 94-95.
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11/21/2020 - schway wrote: 94 Points
Meaty and generous. Ripe. Excellent
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11/18/2020 - mimik Likes this wine: 94 Points
A little heat on the nose detracts but there is lots of vibrant red fruits and clove notes of the nose with similar replays on the palate. Hitting peak drinking for now and the next three years.
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11/17/2020 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Nez suave de garrigue et de confiture de fraises. Discret mais charmeur.
Un Châteauneuf au style traditionnel qui garde une belle vigueur. Plein, ample, avec une puissance bien contenue. Savamment épicé, il emplit la bouche sans la saturer. Pas le plus gourmand, mais il offre une belle complexité aromatique. Bel équilibre pour un vin qui réchauffe le cœur.
91-92 pts
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10/26/2020 - LARich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pitch perfect CDP in a great place. Drink now or hold another 5-8 years. Delicious
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10/1/2020 - bobadopolis wrote:
Flawed
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9/12/2020 - psi wrote: 92 Points
My last bottle - and it has never disappojted. Not a typical 07. More structured, cooler and for the long haul. Not in the same league as the 05, 10 og 16, but still damn beautiful.
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7/8/2020 - wine4ever Likes this wine:
Solid CDP. Still evolving, but in a lovely spot. Dark ruby in color. Beautiful bouquet of plums and lavender. Smooth, lush mouth feel. Good balance of tannins and acidity at this point. Layers of flavor - dark cherries, plums, licorice, spices, mineral. Drink now or continue to hold.
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6/14/2020 - Jerseyjudge Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really good. Just a delicious and classic cndp to me. I’m not sure what all the controversy over 2007 was. It has certainly proved to be a fine vintage. My last of a few bottles of this one, and it showed the best. These wines were a bit flabby up front but have evolved nicely. Classic southern Rhône nose that holds on through the palate and finish. Straightforward without being boring. It knows what it is and delivers. Nothing earth shattering but a great bottle of evolved cndp for sure.
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6/6/2020 - Mark van Delft wrote: 91 Points
Solid C9dP: raisin, earthy, dried leaves, chocolate, soft heat, balsamic note, dark chocolate, medium body, strong finish - 91, Rob, Bas & Nicole and family over
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5/30/2020 - Dough Boy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid CDP w nice fruit but lacking in complexity or length. Still tasty though!
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5/4/2020 - CarignonMyWaywardSom wrote: 90 Points
(375ml) stewed spiced plum, roast duck, smoked cherries, dried sage, persimmon, anise, fig, a hint of celery seed and restrained oak on the nose. Very intriguing balance of concentrated hot fruit and spicy umami on the palate. Concord grape and sweet cranberry mesh with savory roast game and black olive tapenade.
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4/27/2020 - BernieMSY wrote: 93 Points
Living up to its initial promise, consistent with prior notes.
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4/18/2020 - rashcar Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a good wine experience. Spices and flowers on the nose. Balanced and in drinking window but the taste what does it for me. Very satisfying and lingers in the mouth for 30 seconds. Opened bottle for 3 hours and drank over next three hours.
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4/12/2020 - texaswinelover wrote:
Really enjoyed this tonight. Drank it with tacos. Ok. Maybe not the best Match but honestly not a bad foil. Smooth, subtle, nothing over the top like I was concerned it would be. ‘07 was hot and rich but this wine is elegant and in a great place today.
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4/11/2020 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
My last (split) of this vintage, and it did not disappoint. While it features the hallmarks of the hot vintage, including lighted stewed fruit notes, it is powerfully structured and very well balanced. Classic CdP, with fig paste, hot rocks, salinity, smokehouse, and a veritable umami overload. This half bottle presented as if near or at peak. 94-95.
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4/2/2020 - KPB wrote: 89 Points
Medium ruby, amber tint. A prune-inflected nose gives way to very ripe raspberries and garrigue, then toffee. But the 2007 VD highlights a stylistic weakness I sometimes am struck by at this domain: their wines can seem awkwardly put together and unbalanced. Here I would say that comes through on the palate: some of the underlying grenache was probably overripe, and they tried to compensate with rather tart syrah in the blend. It works, to a degree, with that note of sweetness that appeals to many rhone fans, but the wine seems hot (14.5%) and a bit brutish.
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3/21/2020 - texaswinelover wrote:
Somewhat subdued. Hints of the barnyard funk that I love in cdp. Tannins smooth with balanced + acid. Not as good as my last bottle but might have been a touch cool on serving.
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3/10/2020 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
Once again a nice melange of fruit, anise, and a distinct saline note, very smooth and integrated. It's more voluptuous than some will like.
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3/7/2020 - psi wrote: 92 Points
This wine does not disappoint. The vintage is not a favourite of mine. But VD fared well. 92-93
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2/29/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 95 Points
I thought this was great. Decanted gently for about 20 minutes before dinner. Deep purple in color. Flavors of black pepper, currant jelly, sage and tobacco. Really an enjoyable CdP.
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2/23/2020 - dbkitc wrote: 90 Points
This magnum was in a weird place. There is a lot of material in this big, brooding wine. It hints at the old school elements typically found in wines from VD, but also shows a lot of ripeness and an unnerving, disjointed acidity on the mid palate. Needs some time to round out. I assume it will. (90)
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2/22/2020 - BernieMSY wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful wine. Deep purple color, black plum nose. Full-bodied, rich mouthfeel. Blackberry, dark fruits, a touch of garrigue. A big of underlying acidity adds brightness.
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2/1/2020 - PVJC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good, although not quite as good as I thought of the last bottle we had, maybe just because it didn't pair as well with meatloaf. Smooth, fully integrated, don't think it will improve any more from here, possibly even slightly past its peak although would expect it to drink well for a number of years.
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1/27/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 82 Points
Dark red. Intense roasted plum and kirsch nose. Overpowering and not pleasent in my opinion. The flavours are a lot more wine like. Dry red berry and pepper and the finish is very tannic.
Not my style. Will hold my last bottle and hope it improves when the massive roasted fruit dies.
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1/19/2020 - Neecies Does not like this wine:
Reminds me that I learned the descriptor "Californicated" with the '07 CdP vintage. Heavy, hot nose of roasting coffee beans with asphalt and jammy fruit on the palate. Cloying finish that can't end soon enough.
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1/14/2020 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 97 Points
Strikingly silky. Ripe black fruits but not overly ripe. Alcohol not showing at all. Fuller bodied but you can tell the fruit has shed a lot of its baby fat. Still some very fine grained tannins. Should be good for a few more years, at least.
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12/12/2019 - Beaunedoc wrote:
Bad bottle tonight. Nose of Worcester sauce and smoke. Palate dirty, overripe and totally unappealing. My last of three bottles and most disappointing. Totally undrinkable, but not corked.
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12/1/2019 - WineDuq Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great Donjon. For most of the bottle there was definitely a baked quality to the nose along with red fruits, a bit of funk and some sous bois. On the palate the wine was very ripe, almost sweet with a creamy texture, nice brightness and mostly resolved tannins. Finished with good length and great complexity. The baked quality gave me pause, but by the end of the bottle that had faded and I was left with a most singular wine: ripe and silky, with amazing flavors of candied cherries, cedar, Christmas spice, forest floor. Really great!
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11/4/2019 - beatles wrote: 93 Points
Served to great applause from the two guests, who both guessed Northern Rhône. This is meaty, dry, full bodied, amost creamy in texture; still a baby, great future ahead, I think. First bottle of 12.
#Jan&LarsBo
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10/28/2019 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drinking perfectly now for me. The fruit is still fresh and vibrant with raspberry and cherry flavors with a strong hint of licorice. Dried herbs and rosemary add to the floral aromas. Fine tannins remain.
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10/27/2019 - psi wrote: 93 Points
My finest bottle to date
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10/19/2019 - Klugi Wine wrote: 92 Points
Not as exuberant as in its youth but therefore developing some tertiary aromas besides the cherries and garrigue. I think it will hold nicely for another decade, because it’s not over the top and in balance right now.
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10/13/2019 - bonedoc wrote: 90 Points
Didn’t show as well w smoked chicken, potatoes. Decanted, maybe I shouldn’t have. Some heat, pepper and/or slight brett.
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10/6/2019 - tom_wine wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours. Juicy raspberry and plum notes with black pepper, rosemary and dried herbs. Long finish. Balanced with residual tannins. I like where it's at though: nice edge and bright, pure fruit.
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8/20/2019 - unionst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty black cherry color. Showing initial bricking on watery edge.
Freshly oiled leather, violets, sweet black licorice, ripe fruit medley of plum and English strawberries, and not quite tobacco forrest floor on the nose.
On the palate, the first thing that hits you is the mouthfeel: viscous, sweet and layered. There is a burst of plum followed by sweet black licorice, a little astringent at first on the long finish (think orange rind) but that burns off quickly to a long, long finish of white and black pepper.
This is a very sophisticated wine. I would say at the apex of its drinking window. Couldn't imagine a better pairing with grilled fare (for me, a NY strip and grilled ciabatta).
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8/2/2019 - justinblackburne wrote: 91 Points
It's quite a rich wine that I found was better with food. It opened up over a few hours, so should cellar a bit more. Smells lovely. Nice wine.
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7/27/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [2 Rosés, 2 Whts, & 8 Reds] from 07/26/19 + 6 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you SO much for sharing this, Dr. John! :)
N: Closed; Earth, poss garrigue, atop ripe berries? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which loses the majority of its bite by the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/swtness (60:40) to the relatively few dusty tannins. For now & through '22, I'd guess. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-; 96 pts WA (Dunnuck, 8/28/14), 4*(*)/5 drinkrhone.com , & other reviews on wine-searcher's "Tasting Notes" pg.
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7/23/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 95 Points
This pristinely-cellared bottle was decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing three hours. Flush with black and red bramble fruits which are accented with cracked pepper, anise, garrigue and smoked meat, it is a remarkably fresh wine considering its ripeness. Full-bodied, softly oaked, seamlessly alcoholic (14.5%) and with ample silky tannins, there is a degree of layered density on the middle palate that only the best wines achieve. Long and palate-coating on the finish, this is nothing short of classic in quality. Well-cellared bottles should sail through the next decade. Drink now-2030.
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7/12/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1-2h. Gorgeous perfumy tobacco nose, black fruit and oak on the palate. Aromatic, complex and beautifully integrated. Consistent with previous notes. Tonight with spicy sushi rolls.
Pumped down overnight. Good, but not as good on day 2 as on day 1.
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7/7/2019 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin two glasses on 7/7/19. Funk smell at the start. Deep purple color. Fried green peppers and onions on the palate at first followed by a bit of a mash up of blueberry syrup and baked yams. The funk blew off after 5 - 10 minutes and then black pepper tastes came to the forefront with hints of sage and of the taste in my mouth that I get when hiking in the Sonoran desert. Complex and interesting to drink.
Coravin two more glasses on 7/18/19 -- Hmmm and Wow! I liked it even more. No funk what to speak of; I wonder if it all seeped out through the Coravin needle hole? The green pepper taste was completely gone and what I got was a mouthful of dark cherries, the skin of a perfectly ripe heirloom tomato and crushed black pepper. The desert sage notes were still there, but not as prominent - more of a secondary/tertiary taste. What fun!
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7/5/2019 - ed-d wrote: 89 Points
From magnum. A bit of a disappointment here. Slightly reductive & not showing much fruit anymore. Mostly barnyard aromas & flavors with just a touch of fruit. I expected better from this.
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6/15/2019 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Decanted for two hours. Very little sediment. The nose is quite beautiful - lots of garrigue. The palate is dominated by extremely ripe red fruit. I'm not sure why I pulled this to drink with a rib-eye, but the ripe fruit really stood up well with the steak. There is a little bit of garrige on the palate as well and a lot of tobacco. It is well balanced and smooth. There is still a bit of tannin that is noticeable.
I'm not into the really ripe style that some of these wines are taking, but I appreciate that this is a well made wine. My wife thought it was fabulous. De gustibus non est disputandum.
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6/10/2019 - skifree wrote: 93 Points
Seems to have come into its own, the quality was evident on the first sip. Not much acidity, so think it is time to drink.
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6/1/2019 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 95 Points
All you could want from a half bottle of CDP. Garrigue, syrah base notes, grenache power, mourvedre tannin, and with a good 3-d texture. this wine rocks and in a great spot right now. Perfect with burgers which we had with the wine. Awesome!
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5/29/2019 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic C9dP, great QPR also, fig, balsamic note, medium body, mature cherry, dried fruit, raspberry, leather, great lengthy finish!
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5/18/2019 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bright fruit indicates to me it is in front of that raisiny state I personally dislike. Lots of anise in nose and taste. Rosemary on nose with cassis, raspberry and cherry flavors and some nice garrigue. Touch of mineral. Long in the finish with moderate, fine tannins. decanted 45 minutes.
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5/6/2019 - vancouvermatt wrote: 92 Points
Herbs de provence, charred bread, kirch, roasted meat, tobacco and garrigue notes dominate. The nose was relatively closed even over two days though. Good density, full bodied, with good depth.
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5/4/2019 - psi wrote: 91 Points
A wine not too much touched by the vintage, but not their best either.
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5/1/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
It's amazing to read through the mixed feelings of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape reviews, and Le Vieux Donjon appears to be no different. I found that patience brought out the best in this wine, and in the end I found myself loving it.
Upon first opening, a massive wave of brown sugar, crushed cherries and spice permeated my senses--yet that was just the beginning. After a 1/2 hour in decanter, the '07 took on a much more detailed and sculpted persona, showing dark earth tones over balsamic spice, crushed stone and animal musk, as notes of coffee grinds, dried black cherries, and violet florals developed in the glass. On the palate, textures like silk flooded the senses, spreading notes of ripe black cherry, brown spice, sweet tobacco, wild herbs, minerals and a hint of mocha, all kept in check by balanced acidity and a hint of lingering tannin. The finish was wonderfully long and balanced, resonating on hints of spiced black tea, wild inner florals, mulled cherry and pipe tobacco.
I would reload on this, from a reliable source, any day.
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4/28/2019 - texaswinelover wrote:
Perfect place today. Tannins resolved nicely. Delicious minerality. Beautifully mature. Everything I want in cdp. Barnyardy, mouth filling, fruit, acid, everything. Can’t wait for my next bottle.
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4/14/2019 - Renevin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez plutôt discret. En bouche par contre, très expressif. Ample, rond avec des tanins soyeux encore bien presents. Très bon maintenant, mais devrait tenir encore sur plusieurs années
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4/5/2019 - WetRock wrote:
Ripe and forward. Not out of control or really gloppy but definitely feeling the vintage. Doesn't really show a modern framing. It leaves me wondering why maybe a house like Donjon didn't pick earlier to avoid this. The wine is fine. I've had straight CdR's from cooler vintages like this. This one just isn't as interesting as it's pedigree and terroir would make you hope for.
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3/29/2019 - SARED wrote: 92 Points
Out of 375
Nose: Super aromatic, pungent purple grapes
Palate: Thick, overripe black grapes and ripe red plum, with notes of grape skin/bitter stems, and some black olive.
Finish: Smooth, viscous black fruit, faint gentle tannin, with a little spicy heat.
Very seamless and smooth; but needs more finesse or structure to improve score. 91-92
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2/23/2019 - cawineaux wrote: 94 Points
From magnum. Bottle decant 2 hours. Herbs, meat juices, subtle fruit, you couldn't ask for more. There's life left in these 07 Rhones.
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2/17/2019 - Vmaster007 wrote: 91 Points
Carafé 1h30 en avance. Une robe pourpre foncée qui commence à s’atténuer sur les bords. Nez laissant dégager une belle épice, des arômes de cèdre et de fruits confits. Un boisé intense en bouche, des fruits noirs goumands, de la figue, des prunes et une finale poivrée intéressante. Belle acidité et tannins encore bien présents sans être aggressifs. Très bon, bien mieux que la bouteille ouverte il y a quelques années. Ce vin pourra attendre encore 5-8 ans, mais donne beaucoup de plaisir maintenant.
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2/10/2019 - WStubble Likes this wine: 91 Points
Out of the wine rack and popped and poured. A clear garnet, earthy, fruity, a hint of saddle leather. Smooth, tannins mostly resolved, not a hint of Brett. Overall a good bottle, should have decanted off the sediment though. This is likely on a plateau.
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1/18/2019 - ecola Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious right now. Red berry fruit and a touch of herb on the medium to full body. Long and rich finish.
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1/17/2019 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought to Max's for dinner with job candidate. This bottle was really nice. Very well balanced with fruit, earth, spice, and acidity. Medium weight and food-friendly. No heat noticeable. This was so much better than what I remember tasting by Coravin from one of these bottles a few years ago. No hurry on these, but they are in a nice drinking window.
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1/16/2019 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin taste. At this point, for my palate, I liked this better than the '09 Prefert Favier or the '09 Giraud Gallimardes, and way better than the '09 Marcoux. This is more mid-weight and has pretty decent balance, without noticable alcohol heat. Should be solid with food.
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1/15/2019 - Rezy13 wrote:
Dark dull maroon core with larger crimson rim; rusty nose, sour plum, roses, chocolate, nori; liqueured, tart Grenachy, high toned finish, baby Aspirin, very penetrating, cooked ripe red fruit, fig, a bit heady, long finish and drive; well done.
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1/14/2019 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
Very restrained at first so decanted at the table. A touch of garrigue, saddle and black cherry on the nose. Medium bodied with good tannins and nice acid for 2007. Dark fruit, spices and pretty minerality on the palate with a mineral driven finish. Still time. 92 points
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12/25/2018 - chanukha Likes this wine: 91 Points
Minty finish. At least it's not a fruit bomb.
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12/24/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Ditto last note
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12/14/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
From a half bottle, this was pretty interesting - biggest impression was Christmas cake and minced fruit. Not the most friendly of CDPs but there's a lot going on. Probably needed decanting.
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11/25/2018 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tastes very ripe. The ABV presents with more weight than heat. Structurally soft with subdued, fine tannins mostly mid-palette. Nose shows black cherries, fermented something, bean curd, saline, red wine braised beef, soy sauce, leather. Nose/palette are similar, with more chocolate cherry cordial in the mouth. This needs 30-60m decant to blow off some unpleasant funk, which presented as stewed tomatoes and sweaty leather. I’ve had the 2005 and this is a notch below.
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11/12/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Much better than my previous bottle from the same case, this was rockin'! With loads of sweet, ripe, juicy, peppery, red berries, the wine offers richness on the palate and a peppery, garrigue, kirsch and black raspberry complexity on the nose. Splash decanted, this was a treat the moment it made its way from my glass to my palate.
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11/10/2018 - onboisduvin wrote: 88 Points
balanced but not interesting. A salty taste did not vanished after 1h in the glass.
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11/3/2018 - psi wrote: 91 Points
Have had better bottles. A bit too compact
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11/1/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes: "Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. ... Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit. ... Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid." Nice balance.
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10/28/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid CdP. Didn't get any pruney notes on this.
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10/16/2018 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
PnP and consumed a few glasses last night, over the course of a few hours.
This wine is 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 5% other authorized varietals, and was aged completely in foudre.
I didn't write a formal TN, but this is a big and bold CdP, w/darker fruit flavors and a refreshing mint and licorice note leading into the med+, slightly stewed finish. Ripe and mature, I think I might have liked this wine better 3-4 years earlier. Drink now through 2020.
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10/6/2018 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
Color: brick red with some orange, evolved. Nose: lots of leather, cedar wood, sous-bois, some barnyard, dark fruits. Mouth: tertiary flavors (coffee, tobacco), dark fruits - tastes exactly like it smells :-) Full bodied, medium acidity, medium- tannins, excellent balance and structure, long finish (20 sec). Excellent mature and serious CDP! Drink now - 93 pt.
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9/30/2018 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely CNdP.
Great mouth coating texture.
Oodles of dark fruit.
Just enough acidity and perfectly integrated tannins.
Nice whit pepper finish.
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9/24/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes: "Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. ... Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit. ... Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid." Nice balance.
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9/11/2018 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
Steve makes Brisket; 9/9/2018-9/11/2018 (Steve and Jennie's): 8 months since I've had this, and it gained a point. This seems to be gaining complexity. This really screams CDP, but not necessarily 2007, which has not been good to me so far. Slightly rustic, this seems more old school to me.
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8/22/2018 - winot Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium ruby with slight hints of age - barnyardy, sweaty saddle (Brett?), burnished wood nose, some stewed fruit in the background - palate is dry, leather, white pepper, berry fruit - nice but lacks depth - a little loose - this continues unabated our run of sub-prime CDP tastings - nice, but...
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8/5/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened to breathe 1-2h, with steak. Huge tobacco on the nose and palate, very perfumy. Consistent with my previous notes. I let this breathe overnight. More fruit, and less tobacco, but also more acid and a bitter finish. This air aged wine really needs food, no longer a brooding meditation wine like on day 1. Bummer. My score reflects day 1; on day 2 I would score it much lower, 88.
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7/31/2018 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Light crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Soaring nose that screams of the '07 vintage. Red fruits, kirsch liqueur, blood and licorice. On the palate you get the sense of how a more traditional producer is faring in this polarizing vintage. The wine has a decadence to it but somehow maintains a rustic profile. Medium body with medium acidity. Cherries, garrrigue, iron and umami on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with some coarse tannins. I think additional time in the cellar is warranted for the '07 Vieux Donjon and most '07's in general. Best over the next 4-6 years.
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7/13/2018 - BernieMSY wrote: 92 Points
Pop n pour.
Forest floor, anise, spice undergirded by opulent fruit.
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7/11/2018 - Sijan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really excellent CdP with good cassis & dark fruit, lots of minerality & tar, some smoked meat. Well balanced w/ good acid.
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7/6/2018 - KLEM wrote:
92 pts drink now decent fruit but slightly masked by predominant pencil lead barn yard type notes.
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6/25/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1-2h. Delicious, consistent with my previous note.
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6/11/2018 - vinelouse wrote: 92 Points
Bottle featured significant amount of predominantly fine sediment and was decanted for 2 hours. The brickening covered the entire body and is clearly visible while swirling in the glass. Leather and wood floor with some dark ripe fruit notes on then nose. Upon entry the wine represents itself as medium+ weight with a round and velvety feel. Tannins from the oak treatment are well integrated with prunes and dark cherries. The finish is medium+ in length and reveals a bit of a riper style mainly due to lower acidity levels. Will go much longer for someone who appreciates the more advanced tertiary style. Enjoy
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5/27/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Purchased at auction. Opened to breathe for an hour, this is ready to go. Opulent leather and woodsy oak nose, on the palate extracted red fruit, berries, plums, some oak, mineral, and a long satisfying finish. Very smooth, integrated. The fruit here is as prominent as the oak and leather, making this delicioiusly complex and classy. For me this mature flavor profile is very satisfying. 2h after opening the flavor profile leans more towards acidic on the finish, I enjoyed this most about 1h after opening. Medium bodied, plenty of life ahead.
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5/3/2018 - wineismylife wrote:
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over roughly two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of spices with a hint of tobacco and mixed dark fruits. Flavors of black berries, plums and black cherries. medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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4/26/2018 - City Wine Journal Likes this wine: 94 Points
Purchased on release and held until tonight. Rusty and brick, a bit agitated as it was consumed after travel. But perfect maturity. Aromas of porcini, warm earthy compost, and leather. Warm and inviting, the wine pushes you to enjoy and not intellectualize too long lest you miss the Grenache dominant wine show its depth mid palate is rich and the finish both rising and long. Wine is in a good place now, could take time in carafe or in your cellar but it’s ready to enjoy. It will empty quickly too. Wonderful CdP.
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4/19/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened my last 375 ml bottle for dinner with roasted chicken, a great pairing in my opinion, nose of barnyard, black cherry fruit, plum, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty, at its peak/slightly old (?)-suggest you drink up now, mouth filling fruit, rich fruit, more barnyard than previously remembered which is not a bad thing, and a medium/long finish.
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4/7/2018 - dk-15151 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Totally rushed. Should have decanted for an hour+. Closed and tight for 30 min but so excited that bottle didn’t last much past 45min. Only at the end did wine start to open up and show some cassis, berry, and it’s depth of flavor. Next one will be even better!
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4/7/2018 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Dark and intense in colour, pretty young. Nose is intense and reduced, black berry and bilberry fruit, hints of tar, brush and unami. Palate is full bodied and soft with resolved tannins and some blackberry acidity. Nice long tasty finish. This is an excellent wine, probably drinking at peak, not sure this will improve much, but will see how the other 1/2 of the bottle fares overnight.
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3/23/2018 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 89 Points
Respectable!
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3/10/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took a while for the initial funk to blow off the nose, but it opened up to be a nice bottle.
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3/3/2018 - jmrife wrote: 95 Points
2nd bottle - Outstanding. Quick Taste on opening promises excellence. Deep full flavors with not the slightest flaw or harshness. As it spends time in the glass - is fullness settles so I'd say your near the optimal drinking window. Wish I'd bought a case instead of 2.
OK - I lied - its got more distance - second day has not lost a step. window runs to at least 2023. Color is burgundy w/ orange shades in the light - color extends close to edge.
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2/26/2018 - benny wrote: 94 Points
Popped and drank over 3 hours. Outstanding all the way.
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2/20/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes.
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2/18/2018 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée!
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2/18/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 91 Points
Loads of licorice, huge bacon, hint of prunes... Loads of forest floor, sandalwood, prunes, a bit too cooked...
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2/11/2018 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Un peu fatigué cette bouteille nous a semblée.
Pas le coffre et la matière du C9P, léger avec pas mal de fruit mais peu de tannins.
Finale moyenne sur le fruit...à boire sans trop tarder!
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2/2/2018 - PVJC Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a difference a vintage makes. Had a 2006 a month ago that was so so. This 2007 was really nice, good weight and fullness that paired really well with beef tenderloin without being too heavy or massive. Opened an hour before drinking. At $45 for the 2015s right now, I'm a buyer.
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2/2/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes. Consumed with friends. A decent pairing with chili.
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1/24/2018 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Southern Rhone (mostly CDP's) with Craig's Group (Tilia): Drank a small glass over 30 minutes. For a 2007, this is drinking quite well. I found this CDP to be big but not over the top. It is rustic with roasted meats, herbs and earth. To me, it is clearly of better quality than entry-level Rhones but hard to justify the asking price.
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1/21/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Southern Rhones (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus (don't recall what prep). I found this dark and juicy with deep rich fruit and a layers of flavor. The nose is full of dark berry fruit, blackberry, cassis, roasted meat, very savory and full of umami, spice, and slowly emerging garrigue over 20 minutes. The palate is full bodied, concentrated, layered dark fruits, cassis, blackberry, plum, anise, garrigue, with a silky texture and tannins. This came off balanced, if still a rip wine. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought this was by far the best this wine has drank. I'm not sure about aging this, but it certainly has come together for now.
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1/21/2018 - jpecht wrote: 93 Points
Plum, red fruits, big. I would definitely let this hold for awhile before opening another. It was quite nice though even now.
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12/31/2017 - d'Artagnan wrote: 88 Points
Une bouteille aux arômes de gibier, bonne texture mais pas tant de fruit. Déception.
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12/24/2017 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
Agree with previous comments that this is one of the more classy and fresher C9dP of the vintage. Spicy, slightly sweet, licorice, good acidity for 2007. Not very complex though and ready for drinking. - 90 points
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12/15/2017 - Dale M wrote: 92 Points
P&P - Served with Szechuan Chef's smoked duck appetizer that was the only misstep in a otherwise glorious birthday spread by the Chef. As to the VD, I really liked it and was a good match for the duck and green onion pancake apps. Ripeness clearly shows this as a warm year such as 07, but by no means was this over the top, in fact, I found it rather fresh and very easy to drink. Good wine.
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12/2/2017 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior note.
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11/30/2017 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour and drank within an hour and a half. An aromatic nose that is dominated by black licorice and sage along with barnyard, leather, tobacco and truffle notes that lead way to a concentrated yet beautifully proportioned wine oozing of dark plum and mineral flavors which turn spicy on the finish. This is a dynamite 2007 Ch9 offering and one where the last glass was the best.
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11/23/2017 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very similar to my note on Aug 26, 2016. This is an atypical 2007 CDP. Why? Because I actually like it. Definite barnyard, wild game, iron, sanguine, funk in the glass that tastes just like it smells. I like a little brett in my wine and it is clearly present in this bottling. Utterly delicious and hitting on all cylinders now. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle. This is a powerhouse wine.
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11/12/2017 - psi wrote: 91 Points
The 2005 is much, much better, while this is a bit too modern to my taste... Still, a nice wine for the vintage, and it might actually improve...
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11/5/2017 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
From a half, served at near cellar temperature, 58 to 60 degrees.
The coolest temperature I have tasted this wine at, and it was different. Intense, fresh hacked bramble, green tobacco, sage, damp kelp, wet smoldering coals, curing and brining spices, and cold charcuterie, as in a meat smokehouse during winter. The bouquet also offered fig cake, dry rolled dates, cut sugarcane, stony elements, and maritime salinity. Striking concentration on the palate. The wine tastes like it smells, and still shows noteworthy acids and integrated tannins. It may not improve much over the next few years, but this half bottle had at least three years of life ahead of it, maybe five. Standard (750s) bottles might age for longer.
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10/31/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note; delicious & ready to drink
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10/21/2017 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
PHMG WAG: the '07 Chateauneufs (Old Home of the Lyon): More classic CdP than previous wines in this tasting with a trace of funk overlying the garrigue, earth, and cherry notes. Anise, pepper, and leather show up eventually. Nice depth and length. Tannins resolved. Now-2018.
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10/7/2017 - Puteljen! wrote: 93 Points
See previous note. Perhaps a tad less intensity in this bottle.
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10/6/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Ripe with tar and delicious; creamy and a little balsamic. The cherries in Cherry Garcia ice cream. High class burlesque Model T.
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9/9/2017 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought on release. First bottle.
Wow! Intense nose of spice, sweet, mostly dark fruit, soy and some smoke. Very layered and complex: five spice, fennel, griled meat, strawberries, dark cherries etc. On the palate again spicy but with lovely fruit as well. Very intense but not at all heavy or clumsy. Good acidity, fairly low in tannins, very good lenght. One of the better Ch9 I've had. Drinking very well now.
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9/4/2017 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good wine that stands up well to the Donjon reputation of producing consistently good CDP year after year. Took 1.5 hours in decanter to open up then started to shut down after 2.5 hours which leads me to believe that this is nearing the end of its drinking window. Robert Parker, who believed in 2008 that this wine would be drinkable until 2026 is off his rocker IMHO. No point holding this wine further...enjoy now!
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8/26/2017 - JuniorSamples Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just very enjoyable. Acidity has declined to a better place and tannins are resolving nicely. Opened and bottle decanted over a couple of hours. Had with grilled steaks. Not sure there's much room to improve from here, since the body seems to be as evolved as it can be.
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8/25/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Ripe sweet cherries, some licorice and a little heat. Just enough acid to keep it in balance. Well done. Paired well w roast chicken w herbs, drink now or over ?5-7 yrs.
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8/23/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
SO'd overnight then double decanted, dark ruby, beautiful classic grenache with red & dark fruit with a touch of spice, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious & at peak IMHO, but no rush
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8/5/2017 - Cote d'Or Does not like this wine:
Slow-ox'd 1 hr, tasted over 1 hr
-opaque dark red no bricking
-rich pruney fig with some detectable EtOH
-med- acidity heavyweight thick fig and prune caramel notes and backend heat with fairly resolved tannins
-unfortunately sharing the same fate of many other '07 CdPs that have struggled to ever come together without excessive heat and/or burnt fruit and scorched earth
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7/20/2017 - The Wine Sherpa Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still plenty of great fruit on the nose and mid palate. Drinking well now, but could still age a little.
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7/17/2017 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Bu avec Carol avec des viandes BBQ.
Ouvert le matin et mis en carafe pour un bon 4 heures, résidu fins et décanté.
La robe commence à avoir le pourtout orangé.
Le nez est sur les prunes, les épices et le café, nous rappelle un peu un porto tawny!
En bouche, c'est souple et assez fondu. Des mures et des figues avec un peu de poivre.
Finale assez longue et tout en élégance.
Pas mal à point cette bouteille.
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7/3/2017 - tim m wrote: 92 Points
This needs air, like 4-5 hours to shake off the funk. Then the fruit comes through and it drinks really nice.
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6/17/2017 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
In a riper style, for sure, but there is good freshness and herbal/earthy complexity married to the roasted fruit. Better with food.
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6/6/2017 - jeff nowak wrote: flawed
Corked.
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5/28/2017 - marshalc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showing nicely and still coming on. Beautiful mouth feel.
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5/25/2017 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
PnP but drank over two nights. Raspberry, cherry with a green underpinning. Ready to drink. 89-90
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5/22/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank in Escalante. Full bodied juicy wine with black and blue fruit. Good finish.
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5/14/2017 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Drank along side the 2001. The 01 was elegant with tertiary flavors, this 07 was still young, fruit filled with a distinctive green note.
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5/13/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
In a very nice place. It has shed some of the ripeness of the vintage and drinks pretty classic Donjon IMO. Still has time as the tertiary elements are coming out. Nice complexity. Great with food.
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5/12/2017 - Philippe_C wrote: 94 Points
Great nose of ripe and roasted black cherries, licorice, hint of fig... very ripe taste with loads of black ripe cherries, sweet fruit, super delicious and plenty of life ahead!!
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5/10/2017 - bajayngo wrote:
Had next to the 03 and 05 out of 375's. Was the youngest of the 3, with fresh fennel, smoke, hot stones, umami, plums and dense fruits, paired very well with coffee rubbed steak and beets.
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5/10/2017 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
Hot vintage, half bottle Vieux Donjon vertical: 2003, 2005, and 2007. Showing the prettiest bouquet of the flight, with fig cake, guava paste, and Medjool date especially pronounced. Juicy, racy, even hedonistic. Similar to the 2003, but with more substance, and also similar to the 2009 vintage, tasted in April. The wine paired best with grilled beef. It should be longer lived than the 2003, by a few years. Ridiculously delicious, and fun!
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5/5/2017 - prism wrote: 91 Points
Slow-O'd for a half-hour. A little off on first sip: not oxidized, just not very interesting. Smooth, and I would say one-dimensional, except for some hints of underlying complexity. Figgy rather than fruity, and not at all jammy. Improved with more air, and showed much better with food.
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4/24/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
This seems to have changed since the last time, I recall tasting it. There is a pronounced fig, and jam note in the otherwise, delightful perfume. But those over ripe notes take away from the truffle, earth, garrigue, wet earth and hard to find, dark cherry fruits. Fat, round and not exactly low in acid, but lacking the freshness I want. If you are sitting on any my instincts is to finish them sooner than later.
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4/11/2017 - Wink Likes this wine: 92 Points
I haven't opened one of these in 2 years (see my 3/31/15 tasting note). Opaque garnet. Nose of saddle leather, smoke and garrigue. A whiff of black cherry and menthol. Big juicy palate of black cherry and blackberry with superb length and intense black licorice on the finish. Sweet tannins that have lost much of their grip over time. This wine is evoving really well in the cellar.
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3/21/2017 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Alpharetta, GA): Cloudy dark crimson, lighter rim; wow, the Brett on this is a bit overwhelming, stank galore, red apple skin, leather, sour cranberry and pomegranate, plum skin, lots of stable and Pegau-like; taut on the palate, classic CdP blend, some peppery Syrah showing through; was on Bois de Boursan as I thought it could not be Pegau; very surprised by this bottle.
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3/10/2017 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
From a half, tasted over two days. Hot vintage Vieux Donjon at a bargain price you say? Yes please! A feminine presentation for this producer that radiates enchanting perfume of fig cake, Medjool date, Turkish apricot, persimmon, guava paste, spice box, fennel, hoisin, sarsaparilla, sweetened coco powder, and sugar cane juice. Notes of soy suace, pepper, charcuterie, garrigue, and minerals can also be found. Ripe, yet sublimely rich. At 14.5 abv, low for hot vintage south Rhone, there is just a touch of heat, as is typical for great Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wine also features remarkable balance, medium plus acidity, and a dusty tannic frame, which can be sensed as the wine glides over the palate with its glycerin texture. Unlikely to improve much, but also likely to hold for 8 to 10+ years. Not the best vintage that I have tasted, but its elegant substance is decidedly appealing. Insane QPR by CdP standards! 95-96.
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3/6/2017 - Outplaying wrote:
I enjoyed this more than the 07 Pegau we had a few weeks ago. The vintage does show here as well though. There is just a little roasted quality to the fruit and slight heat, but the wine remains fairly elegant and lithe and has good balancing acidity. There is the typical spice and garrigue notes. Overall this wine is ok, but I don't like it as much as the surrounding vintages, and I don't see it improving. I find "the vintage of the century" hype for 07 CdP dumbfounding.
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3/3/2017 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
From magnum. Full nose is definitely on the ripe and sweet side of the spectrum. Palate is round and ripe, but sufficiently fresh. Some good CdP herbal and earth components. I like this wine, but the warmer vintage definitely leaves it's mark.
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3/3/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
HDH Magnum Dinner (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Magnum. Very ripe and then ever riper, showing a sweet side of CDP that is not my personal preference.
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2/21/2017 - geppetto Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was a stunning showing for the bottle. The barnyard that I have come to expect was pretty much gone. The nose had hint of flowers (sounds crazy), some spice, and red berry. It was almost delicate. Crazy good.
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2/11/2017 - JuniorSamples wrote: 93 Points
Drank with grilled steaks. Opened and bottle decanted for an hour. Ruby colored with a little bricking. Aromatic, with cooked cherry and leather on the nose. Medium bodied. Cherries, plums, blackberries, spice on the palate. Not very tannic, and a little acidic, but not unpleasant. Solid finish. Drinking in a good place right now, but has at least another couple of years.
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2/11/2017 - blanquito wrote: 83 Points
Man, this was disappointing. I don't like 07 CDP in general, but I hoped that a few more years of cellaring improve this. No dice. The VD starts off all bitter, with a big hit of alcohol heat. Initially, this is undrinkable. So I chill it in the fridge for a bit and it improves but it never develops any charm, interest or nuance. Drinkable but just barely. As others have noted of late, such wines as these are unlikely to improve and will rather lose whatever remaining fruit they have with more cellar time.
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2/8/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote:
Medium ruby color. Ripe cherries, stewed strawberry jam. A bit flabby, generally lacking significant acidity. Smooth tannins with copious sediment noted upon finishing this bottle. Nowhere near the lofty ratings given by professional critics, IMHO. Tough to see how this can improve with bottle time.
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2/3/2017 - PVJC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent from magnum with mixed Italian menu at Locanda
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2/2/2017 - KeithAkers wrote: 86 Points
2007 CdP retro (with sushi food pairing) (Streeterville, Chicago): Nose: The nose was a bit out of balance and much more rich with hot stones, mesquite, black cherries, kirsch, prunes, and raspberries. There is a note of alcohol that won't blow off either.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ tannins and medium- acidity. The structure is a little disjointed and alcoholic with hot stones, black cherries, kirsch, prunes, and some raspberries.
Overall: This was unfortunate. There was a bit too much extraction and alcohol to this and it made it a bit out of balance. This needs to be drunk now as it's hard to see this coming together.
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2/2/2017 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium-deep ruby red in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of complex, dark ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plum with sous bois & garrigue notes, floral notes of lavender & dried Provençal herbs with pepper & bay leaf, earthy, dusty, minerals & a touch of vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, complex, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with earthy, herbs, anise, black pepper, beefy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and airing, but has the structure & fruit to continue further development with additional aging. A very nice, well-structured wine & complex wine just hitting its stride at 10 years of age.
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2/2/2017 - acyso wrote: 80 Points
#alternativepairings (Chicago, IL): The failing wine advocate reports that this wine should have 95+ points! Clear bias for excessive ripe and alcohol wines, but thin weedy tannins! Why do these wines always score so well. Unfair!
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2/2/2017 - ddingley Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a really good place now. Notes from 2 years ago still apply perfectly: Lovely nose promising fruit and savory notes, sharp fruit--blackberry? with peppery notes but in a lovely balanced, silky smooth wine that was a delight with dinner.
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1/26/2017 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Serious CNP. Big round mouth feel. Lots of dark fruit. Adequate pliant tannins holding it all together. Glad we have more.
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1/17/2017 - beatles wrote:
Châteauenuf-du-Pape 2007 - ten years after (chez moi): Very much a true neuf with a cool, mineral side to it, I like that. Plenty of garrigue here, plenty of primary fruit, still young, and not yet a classic Vieux Donjon. Still juicy – everyone hates this – cant wait to serve it blind someday fior the guys. Fresh –but rich, yes – more richesse than VD usually shows – let’s see, the balance is ok.
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1/17/2017 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
We shared this with friends on 1/17/17. It had a deep, soft and elegant bouquet of lavender, black cherry, plum, raspberry, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was elegant, layered and dry with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, plum, licorice, herb, spice and minerals. 93+
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1/16/2017 - Rechrom wrote: 94 Points
Excellent wine. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Nice nose of dark fruits, earth notes and herbs. Full palate in balance with great fruit, none of the roasted notes of the vintage, savory, leather, good balance. A tiny bit heavy, but that is expected and I only open up my 07 CdP when I want something a bit in the face. This was an excellent example of the strengths of the vintage.
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1/15/2017 - PVJC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great bottle of CdP. On the light end of full bodied, classic soy sauce/mushroom flavors with dark fruit, just the right amount of earthiness with the tannins well integrated. Paired very well with coq au vin.
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12/28/2016 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Mis en carafe un gros 2 heures avant de le boire, léger dépot noté. Bu seul sans nourriture, nous étions 4.
Super beau C9P, fruits noirs et belle finesse malgré une puisssance maitrisée.
Des mures et des prunes avec un peu de poivre et de menthol apporte fraicheur.
Les tannins sont assez fins et la Finale hyper longue et satiné.
Se boit bien en ce moment mais en a encore pas mal dans le coffre!
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12/21/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Tasting Group Holiday Party (Grange, Mouton, Schrader, de Capo and more) (Trent's): Michael has brought this as a back up and generously offered it up for a replacement of a different corked bottle. Purple/ruby in color. The is very perfumed with slight barnyard funk. Also a lovely floral not to go along with cherries, and dark cherries. On the palate, the dark cherries carry thru but there is a cool black coffee note to it. Good acidity. This is drinking well, past its young stages, not quite at a complex state. Depends on how you like them, but not hurry here IMO.
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12/17/2016 - TD2Irish Likes this wine: 91 Points
I am a huge fan of Rhone wines and in a lesser vintage I would probably have scored this higher, but the 2007 vintage holds so much potential and these wines are starting to reveal themselves. Light ruby red in color. The nose opened with mushrooms, pepper and red fruits. Nice sweetness on the palate, good tannic grip that will allow this wine to continue to develop. As it sat in the glass opened up smoked meat, hints of tobacco and orange rind. Very good and affordable quality wine.
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12/10/2016 - benny wrote: 95 Points
Just gorgeous CDP!
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12/6/2016 - Nanda Likes this wine: 92 Points
A terrific young warm vintage CdP. Full nose of rich black fruit and toasted herbs. Palate is medium to full bodied with good supporting structure. Acids provide backbone and freshness. Balance and stuffing to age well.
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12/4/2016 - ljl203 wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Crimson color hint of orange. Meat, berry, mint. Integrated tannins. Hint of baby powder. 5 hours to fully open.
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12/4/2016 - Msa00 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Red brick brownish hue. Very mature. Color. Very expressive with mature red fruit integrated oak sweet liorice blue berry. Superb.
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12/2/2016 - randyjc wrote: 92 Points
A complex and satisfying CDP – not as intense and hot as one might expect from the vintage. Perhaps that is due to the high percentage of Grenache. The wine is medium-bodied with nicely balanced acids and tannins. The nose is sweet red fruit, dark earth, garrigue and a hint of tar (I love that). In the mouth, what smelled like sweet red fruit tasted like ripe red fruit with just that bit of Grenache sweetness. The other flavors were garrigue and tar. A little anise as well, especially showing up on the finish as tarry black licorice. Long finish with subtle tannins and some minerality helping to linger it along. A couple of times the wine smelled and tasted, briefly, more like an old, dense Burgundy. Not a bad thing. I disagree with those who have called the wine modern in style. This wine will hold many years and seems likely to improve some but it's in the drinking window now so there is no particular reason to wait.
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11/24/2016 - wineappreciation wrote: 91 Points
Ripe plum, hints of smoke; intense, gripping, gravely, various spices, fruitful, pleasant fairly long finish; certainly good but rather too fruity, perhaps needs more aging
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11/12/2016 - Vancouver wrote: 93 Points
Medium ruby appearance with some garnet at the edges.
Evolving and pronounced nose of red fruits- cherry, confected raspberry and strawberry, melted licorice , spice and vanilla- wow!
Full bodied with medium acidity and tannin. Lots of red fruits, baking spice , damp earth and some savory spice on the palate with a long and fresh finish. 07 can be an "overwhelming " year for CDP and this example overcomes this with plenty of acidity and freshness.
I love this wine and it will probably last for another decade.
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11/2/2016 - Kris G wrote: 91 Points
typical Rhône wine, the Syrah shows
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10/27/2016 - galewskj wrote: 88 Points
Mostly CDP's; 10/23/2016-10/27/2016 (Gary): 2+ hour decant. I found this wine to be quite young and big. It has a lot of alcohol. Has this producer turned modern?
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10/22/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
Rhones at Gary's (Gary's Place, Hudson, WI): Don't recall what this got for air if any, but I was thinking it sat in a decanter for a couple hours. Pretty much the same thing I said two years ago. Hi octane, black fruit, spicy, firm, oak, garrigue. Hmmm?
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10/17/2016 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened for 1 hour. Well balanced with raspberry and cherry fruit, fading tannins, black pepper and dried herb, licorice notes. Strong alcohol notes blended the more it was open. Lingering finish, but relatively medium in body. Drank over 3 days.
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10/15/2016 - Klugi Wine wrote: 91 Points
A little closed down and missing the primary fruit. I will keep,the remaining bottles to see if this wine comes back.
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9/23/2016 - mhensel wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry red, showing maturity --- Nose shy, pickled fruits, hint of elegant wood notes, some herbs, some smoke, some licorice, cardboard, tar aspects --- Palate cool, cherries, nice acidity, a little heat, nice flow --- Finishes medium long on mix of red fruit, minerals and tar aspects. I cooled it down to 16°C and it showed almost no heat anymore. This vine appears matured and in balance, the integration of fruit, minerals and wood aspects is impressive, nothing too much, just balanced and tasty.
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9/19/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double decanted the SO'd for a few hrs, dark crimson, red fruit with some pepper & a touch of spice, soft/ mod tannins, med/long finish; delicious & ready to drink but no rush
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9/14/2016 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 92 Points
A beautifully integrated CdP. Brambly red fruit, trace of earth and gentle spice. Had a great lingering finish.
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9/10/2016 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
Totally open for business !
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9/9/2016 - Butty wrote: 93 Points
Looks quite mature in the glass and a mix of red fruit, cherry and funky aromas - very typically older school southern rhone but as others noted a Burgundian feel too. I liked this, may still improve a little.
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8/28/2016 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! Humbled once again... I have been very negative on the 2007 vintage of CDP with all wines prior to this overdone and extracted elixir. But this wine... NO. This wine is absolutely beautiful. A rocking nose of bright red fruit, kirsh liqueur, new saddle leather, licorice, and some brett (which I love in my wine). The finish is classic CDP with a touch of spice, white pepper and Band-Aid. It actually has a Burgundian like quality and it reminds me of the times I've had the pleasure of drinking Chateau Rayas. This is atypical of the '07 CDP wines that I have had. This will knock your socks off.
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8/3/2016 - texaswinelover wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this with roasted chicken with five spice seasoning.
Dark deep color, rich garrigue and blackberry notes. Minimal heat at 14.5%. No decant. Tannins smooth and resolved. Residual acidity but reaching peak for sure. Would expect these to drink well for a number of years yet.
So much different from the shut down unforgiving wine I tried a number of years ago.
Beautiful.
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8/2/2016 - futronic wrote: 93 Points
A real stunner on the night. Decanted for one hour, consumed over the following hour. A wine straddling secondary and tertiary notes at the moment, with kirsch, plum liqueur, aniseed, red meat, and garrigue notes. Fantastic texture, like drinking cashmere; tannins well integrated. A very long finish. I don't know how or if this will improve, but it's in a great spot right now.
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7/26/2016 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
Medium garnet in the glass. Lots of sweet fruit on the nose, and a lighter body. Black tea, good acidity, and some tannins in the mouth. My 3rd, group's (tied for) 6th out of 9 CdP's at CT SEA CdP tasting.
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7/8/2016 - champussi Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Auch ich hatte mir viel versprochen. Wurde aber leider enttäuscht. Perfekte Flasche, perfekter Korken!! NUR LEIDER NICHT LECKER! Die Struktur stimmt! Wirkt noch recht jung. Guter Gerbstoff, ausreichend Säure! Aber zu wenig Frucht! Und das Bisschen Frucht was da ist, geht in Richtung Rumtopf, Pflaume, überreif!!! Das ist nicht der erste 07er Ch9 der in die Richtung geht! War da am Ende der "Jahrhundertjahrgang" für den ein oder anderen Winzer doch zu viel des Guten???
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7/2/2016 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
Decanted. After the debacle of the 07 mon aieul I wanted to try another producer from the 07 vintage. Broadly speaking, this isn't my favorite house. I'm happy to say this is a quieter CdP; not as over the top; more balanced. Good funky stank giving it some character. But the fruit isn't very lush, which is my main criticism. Because the fruit doesn't match the tannin, I don't see this as a long term ager. But where it should fall on the drinking spectrum is somewhat perplexing. My take is 2017-2022, favoring the short end. Follow up: air is kind. Four hours later it has taken on weight and complexity. I'm not going to change my score, but the time validates it as a decent wine.
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6/28/2016 - redz wrote: 94 Points
What they said, great stuff, hitting it's stride. 5 hrs decant seemed about right.
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6/12/2016 - Tad GW wrote: 92 Points
50+5+12+17+8=92
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4/30/2016 - jfont123 wrote:
Was not impressed. Kinda like all over the place and alcohol was prominent
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4/29/2016 - Philippe_C wrote: 92 Points
Very black nose of black ripe cherries and licorice... nice saltiness and the taste with loads of black cherries and licorice... will be at perfect maturity in about 5 years from now!
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4/27/2016 - brihprivat wrote: 80 Points
Vieux Donjon vertical. I have tasted the 2007 twice from different cellars in the past few weeks and both bottles seemed "warm", pruney, slightly "cooked" and out of balance. Perhaps it was both bad bottles or else I just dont like the 2007 from Vieux Donjon
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4/5/2016 - geppetto Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really in a sweet spot with this bottle. It took a little swirling to get the nose to come alive. Missing that CDP barnyard funk that I often find. Smooth and silky.
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2/20/2016 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 92 Points
2007 Chateauneuf – A “taste-off” among Domaine Giraud Tradition, Roger Sabon Cuvee Prestige and Le Vieux Donjon.
All of these wines are quite good and highly recommended.
In this taste-off, the Vieux Donjon (92) came off as very good with a neat balance of spice and fruit. It coats the tongue and leaves it dry as it dissolves into the classic CdP tastes of licorice, tarragon, desert wind and black cherry.
The Giraud (94) is a “wow” wine with lots of pepper and cassis. It goes straight to the ears and top of the head and leaves you wanting more and wanting to talk with friends for hours on end.
Then there is the Sabon (96) – it is blood red with an overpowering aroma of fruit and spice. Each sips spreads intense warmth and good feeling throughout your body. It is an epically good CdP from an excellent vintage.
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2/20/2016 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Santa Fe Mondiale - 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes (Luminaria): Wine #1. Single blind. Nose - subdued, earthier, darker fruits; more noticeable alcohol. Palate - dry, acidic to the point of almost burning at first, moderate mid-palate, adequate finish. Overall - Simple, seems imbalanced right now. Called Vieux Telegraphe because of my experience of it being clumsy when young.
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2/19/2016 - geppetto wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful wine. Almost becoming an elegant CDP, with just hint of the traditional funk. Drink or hold.
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2/15/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of barnyard, dark fruit, plum, pencil lead, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, mouth filling fruit, the best of the four bottles opened so far, medium/big body, supple, smooth, barnyard on the mid palate, medium/long flavorful finish, from a 375 ml bottle.
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1/31/2016 - cawineaux wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 5 hours. Cherry liquor, spice, and cedar. Paired with Beef Bourguignon.
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1/27/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a 375 ml bottle, nose of ripe cherry, plum pencil lead and only a hint of barnyard, more of the same on the palate, tasty with roasted chicken, medium/big body, slightly inky, mouth filling fruit, tasty, fruit shows it is ageing well, on the mid palate, long finish. This is close to peak and is a lovely wine given the price.
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1/20/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened a 375ml bottle tonight, nose of earth, plum, black cherry, graphite, and a hint of barnyard, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, mouth filling, tasty, fruit forward, modern CDP style, long, flavorful finish.
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1/12/2016 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+: Dark garnet core, maroon rim; floral, framboise, violets, slight tar and black pepper, still a touch of sulfur, young, fresh fruit, slight nori; screechy Grenache on the palate, losing its headiness, mostly purple fruit now, good tartness, medicinal finish, elegant; well stored and aging well; called 2007 Clos des Papes.
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1/9/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened a 375ml bottle tonight, nose of plum, black overripe cherry, almost licorice, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, smooth and almost elegant, fruit forward and modern CDP style, almost mouth filling, long, flavorful finish.
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12/31/2015 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
Earthy for sure.
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12/28/2015 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Earthy, unremarkable. Opened 2 hrs and decanted. Seems to be dormant.
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12/25/2015 - ChopperWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened bottle but did decant for 2+ hours. Drank over the following 3 to 4 hours. Enjoyed with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. A bit too much alcohol at first which dissipated quickly showing very fruit (cherry) forward taste right away. Other dark fruits remained and it sadly lacked the leather I come to expect from this CDP. Also, still a bit light which will no doubt improve over time. Someone wrote that this 2007 was "surprisingly restrained in flavor and complexity, especially for a 2007, this seemed more like a moderate CdR than a higher priced Cdp. Mild cranberry, dried herb and some earthiness" and that it had a short to medium length finish. I concur. In sum, I expected more from this 2007 vintage. Will check back in several years with the 1 remaining bottle I possess.
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12/24/2015 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
strong fruit, but lots of earth and leather notes
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12/8/2015 - Skip4wine wrote: 95 Points
Drank from Magnum. Wow this has gotten better from 2 1/2 tears ago. Leather, spice and typical provincial herbs. Very deep and balanced. A few earth notes. Loved it.
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11/20/2015 - Philippe_C wrote: 90 Points
Nose a bit closed, forest floor, red cherries... high acidity, cerise du nord, tannins present, a bit short and greeness in the finish
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11/19/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bigger, richer style for this house, reflecting the vintage. Darker fruit profile, with a plushness and polish to the palate. Has strong garrigue note but less than expected spice notes, and more fruit forward than other recent vintages. Moderate finish with a little sandalwood. Showing well now, but will probably continue to age.
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11/16/2015 - ludwigbpm wrote: 93 Points
Sans notes
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11/6/2015 - psi wrote: 91 Points
Not unforgettable...
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11/6/2015 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still a very very enjoyable CNP!
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10/11/2015 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (R&D's): Aromas of herbs, dark fruit and spice. there's nice structure ere, along with an abundance of red fruit and spice. Develops a nice herbal/evergreen quality. Well-balanced. Long finish.
My #2, Domino's #4
Group #5, 46 pts
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9/22/2015 - Knicksfan wrote: 92 Points
Holding up quite well; lovely balance
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9/12/2015 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gorgeous wine that evokes fond memories of hearing the cicadas chipping and smelling lavender in the air as we are sipping wine on the veranda that overlooks the rock strewn vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wine has mouth coating inky dark fruit, black pepper and a granache grippy finish. This vintage has many years of great drinking ahead of it.
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9/9/2015 - Tad GW wrote: 94 Points
This is a beatiful CNDP that is dark, chocked full of dark berry flavours and a strong heady bouqet. Simply delicious and looks to have many more years of drinking well ahead of it.
50+5+12+18+9=94
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9/7/2015 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2hrs. Very nice wine. Classic CDP with a slight peppery (I perfer) and green vegetable with saddle leather. The taste has a beautiful bouquet of roses and there is hint of apple pie. The overwhelming red fruit of strawberry and blackberry with Carmel sauce. This Vintage is truly wonderful. I suggest this wine will cellar easily for another 10yrs. Glad to have more and it is only going to get better. Tannins are shedding and the acidity is balanced. Lovely wine.
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8/30/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1998 vs. 2007 dinner. WOTN for me. Wish I had tasting notes, but we had 6 wines before and during dinner.
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6/29/2015 - James Bornn wrote: 90 Points
Decadent for Vieux Donjon. A bit too plump which stymied the food pairing tonight. Maybe should have seen that coming with 2007. Very loose knit but there is still lots of primary fruit and a splash of garrigue which gives lots of pleasure. Just without the structure and nobility I expect from VD
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6/28/2015 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Earth, dark fruits, barrique, leather, and a tiny bit of the roasted note of the vintage. In good balance, although still a bit tight from tannins. Likely to improve with time, but pleasant now with grilled meat and strong flavored food. Good but a but too much on its own right now.
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6/1/2015 - ekirby wrote:
- Crimsom color with a medium/full body with a long finish - Deep crimson color with substantial bricking showing. Substantial fruit core, acids and minerality not as evident. Not surprising considering this a a warm, Parker, vintage. Warm, rich and smooth, this wine is probably at its peak. Definitely not balanced as needed for a long life. Decanted and drank over two hours, took all of two hours to fully open.
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5/30/2015 - Cholera wrote: 92 Points
Very Grenache based, dense, but clean end finish. Notes of strawberry jam, figs, graphite. Had with chocolate and jerk chicken. Great bottle
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5/5/2015 - SpoochMan wrote: 86 Points
Coravin taste. Not impressed at this point. Clean nose (no brett) but also not very giving. On the palate, this has dark fruits but not a lot else. The finish is where this really takes a nosedive for me. The finish is hot (even with temp at 60 deg) and astringent with bitter tannins. Not loving this at all. I hope it will improve with time, but the bitter finish is already swamping the fruit so I'm a bit worried about this one. Tasted alongside the 08 Pegau and that was much preferable.
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4/24/2015 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
Medium to full bodied. Cherry and corduroy tannins. Decanted and really singing.
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4/10/2015 - phil the agony wrote: 93 Points
Mon vin de la soirée !!
Nez de souffre,ça sent le poney aussi..pas un poney qui souffre par contre.
Brett,Alcool est bien présent mais tout est soyeux et gouleyant.
Raisin sec trempé du sucre liquide...!!
Du fruits en masse aussi et noir comme.....ah pis laisser faire, je veux pas de poursuite.
93 pts.
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4/4/2015 - RDHudak wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Surprisingly restrained in flavor and complexity, especially for a 2007, this seemed more like a moderate CdR than a higher priced Cdp. Mild cranberry, dried herb and some earthiness. Integrated tannins with balanced acidity. Short-medium length finish. Paired with grilled lamb chops. 87-90
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3/31/2015 - Wink Likes this wine: 91 Points
Almost opaque garnet color. Nose of cherry, blackberry, dust, chalk, minerals, and smoke. Vibrant palate of cherry, blackberry, and leather, with a prominent swell of black licorice on the finish. Excellent length. Nice acidity. Mild alcohol. Mild, sweet tannins. Neither my wife nor I liked it as much as our last bottle (see 12/13/13 note) I will say, however, that it improved quite a bit with some air.
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3/29/2015 - psi wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and not as mature as my previous bottle drunk a couple of months ago. Spicy effort with sufficient backbone to evolve beautifully over time. Spicy nose of cherry, blackberries, young plums, garrigue and licorice. Full bodied and rich without being heavy. Round tannins with a gentle bite. 91-92
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3/22/2015 - ELH wrote: 90 Points
Lovely fruit; good food wine.
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3/22/2015 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a nose of dried herbs, raspberry and roast meet. Medium full body carries all flavors from nose forward while adding plum and tobacco. Finish lasts 45 glorious seconds. This was decanted two hours. I'm not sure this improves with additional aged but it damn good now.
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3/22/2015 - whudock Likes this wine: 88 Points
lots of plum and prune. Good balance. took a couple of hours to open up. good, not great
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3/20/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Medium ruby color. Nose of beef barnyard, cherries. Palate shows decent concentration of cherries, w hints of licorice and garrique. Medium length finish. Overall, well balanced wine to drink now or over 10 yrs.
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3/11/2015 - Zweder wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #097; Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007 vs 2009 (By RvD): As the previous bottle, a bit more than a month ago, I got this wine served blind. It was completely different. It has a complex, very much developed bouquet with lush ripe fruits, rustic flavors and celery. On the palate tertiary flavors as well; chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, very ripe fruits, ok acidity and soft tannin. In a way the wine is tempting although the youth is completely gone and the wine is in fact a bit too old. It is still lush and tempting, but it has been better. I was told this wine has been stored a bit too warm, so that must explain it all. Considering my last two notes I must conclude this is not a wine for long cellaring. For tonight: Still pleasurable, but no score.
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3/9/2015 - ELH wrote: 91 Points
Cheery fruit.
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3/5/2015 - Knicksfan wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very nicely.
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2/7/2015 - Tad GW Likes this wine: 95 Points
50+5+13+18+9=95
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2/5/2015 - dpolivy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasting in Châteauneuf-du-Pape; 2/5/2015-2/7/2015 (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, France): Slightly smoky, with dark red fruit and spice on the nose. The body is darker and denser, with rich black fruit, fine tannin, and lots of acidity. It's a big wine, yet wonderfully soft and well rounded, with nice balance. The stems add a nice complexity to the finish.
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2/5/2015 - Sennma wrote:
This wine threw me for a loop. Knowing it was a traditional producer, I thought they may have handled the vintage well. Starts with a bit of smokiness on the nose and lots of black olive, black fruits. Solidly put together but not tremendously exciting.
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2/5/2015 - Eric wrote:
A mid-winter visit to Châteauneuf-du-Pape; 2/5/2015-2/7/2015 (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, France): An exotic nose. Soy and tar. This is really soft and pleasing, seemingly easy, but with great complexity and depth. Not at all overripe or overdone. This is the rare case of a 2007 that really works for me.
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2/2/2015 - Zweder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Weekly tasting group #154; 5 x 2 Red wines (@ The factory by JdB): Beautiful bouquet with ripe red and black forest fruits and sweet spices. On the palate ripe fruits as well. Also laurel, coffee, tea, raisins and pepper. Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness and round tannin with still a good bite. Beautiful wine.
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2/2/2015 - Tad GW Likes this wine: 95 Points
50+5+13+18+9=95
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1/25/2015 - Klugi Wine wrote: 94 Points
Bouquet of spices, red berries, bacon and red meat. Quite sophisticated fullbodied wine, drinking nice now, but still young with a lot of tannins. I will wait 2-3 more years to try another bottle. Had this wine with Duroc Pork Chops with ratatouile, great fit, as this wine needs food.
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1/17/2015 - psi wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly mature with notes of dried prunes. A bit jammy on the palate showing black berries, game and garrigue. Slightly hot too. But balanced. Based on others impression I hope this bottle was not representative.
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1/17/2015 - ddingley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 90 minutes and had with dinner. Lovely nose promising fruit and savory notes, sharp fruit--blackberry? with peppery notes but in a lovely balanced, silky smooth wine that was a delight with dinner. Excellent wine, will try the other bottle in 2016 or 2017.
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12/26/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 90 Points
Was expecting a little more out of this vintage in particular, but still a very nice wine - best to drink with food.
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12/22/2014 - ELH wrote: 89 Points
Lively fruit but surprisingly subdued in effect, leaving not much of an impression.
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12/4/2014 - wineduggery Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Jammy black berry, prune, earth, and an unusual gamey note. Not my thing, though better balanced than most 07 CdP. 14.5% alcohol, but wears it well.
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11/23/2014 - Lessthanzero wrote:
Checking in on this now. Different beast than upon release, now showing more vintage like characteristics. PnP has it being jammy with a hint of prune on the palate. Will wait before making a call.
OK. 1-2 hours in, this becomes something else. Corduroy tannins speak of longevity (thought not as long as some vintages of LVD), some nice garrigue blends in with the dark fruit on the nose. The jammy fruit is gone. Yeah, the bottle might be more brawny than one normally thinks of from Donjon, but it is just good. This is an exceptionally nice bottle of CDP.
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10/19/2014 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for about 1/2 hour then consumed with some cheese and olives and then compared with an '09 Donjon that I did a pop 'n pour for dinner. The '07 has developed those secondary gamy notes and was smooth on the palate with an earthy nose. The fruit was more dried variety. The '09 on the other hand was riper and the fruit was fresher as the flavors were more primary but lurking in the bottle were those gamy/earthy notes. A favorite producer for sure, I preferred the 09 by a point.
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10/18/2014 - bundydavis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ready out of the gate. Just an incredible bottle. Must buy more.
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9/30/2014 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour. Opened up quickly to an aromatic nose black raspberry, earth, potpourri, garrigue and lavender which leads way to a floral tasting, plum, pepper and earthy driven palate with a herbal spice note that lingers on through the finish. This is quite good now but is only going to get better.
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9/27/2014 - mnoljo wrote: 91 Points
Still needs a decant notes of pepper and spice and earth nice finish
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7/26/2014 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
This takes some time to open up, even in the half bottle. Initially the nose is asparagus and other vegetable notes. It evolves to strawberry and cedar. The palate is very fruit forward and slightly disaggregated at this point. This could use a year or two of additional cellar time to show its full potential. That said, the taste, structure and finish are quite strong even now.
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7/8/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
CDP Offline at Heyday (Donjon Vertical; Clos des Pape, Charvin, plus Whites) (Heyday, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, with 1-2hr slow-o. Followed 1 glass over 60 minutes. This just struck me as too young and still in need of time to settle down. Big body and concentrated black fruits, very spicy, oak, licorice, alcohol, blackberry, black cherry. This is a very big spicy wine. Will have to see where this goes. 90(+?)pts.
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7/6/2014 - mnoljo wrote: 91 Points
Red fruit explosion jammy still seems young to me drank alongside Jeff's smoked tri-tip.
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7/5/2014 - Vino Me wrote: 88 Points
Opened by Mark. Not decanted but opened an hour before dinner. Crimson color. Jammy fruit with red currant. Almost pruny. Not overly alcoholic. Seemed a little out of balance at this age and likely in a dumb phase compared to prior LVD wines I've had from the 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2004 vintages. Expected more from a 2007 which was a ripe vintage. Hold. 88+ points.
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6/28/2014 - MusignyBlanc wrote:
I opened this, one of my first 07's, to see whether the dire predictions were true. Was this a hot mess, or the vintage of the century?
No question that the winemaking in CdP has changed and upon first opening, this was a bit "stewed." But after some air, this surprised me by developing into a much more complex wine. Yes, it was unquestionably the product of a warm year and perhaps some extracted winemaking (I say this as someone who has tasted many vintages of VD), but the wine was much more traditional than I expected and was quite complex and enjoyable. Perhaps not one for the ages, but not a disaster as forecast. Will hold the remainder of this case for at least five years.
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6/21/2014 - bajayngo wrote:
When 1st popped was a little pruny so was nervous since 07 has had mixed reviews. After an hour or so decant it was prime time! Traditional cdp with smoke, melted licorice, anise, sage brush, soy, dry desert air, fig cake. Was seamless on the palate and just a pleasure to drink!
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6/20/2014 - AlexB70 wrote: 96 Points
Awesome! Nose with hints of chocolat and raspberry, peony flower, soy sauce and a little meaty; very complex. With each sip, there is a long evolution in the mouth,lingering very long after. It is mouth watering, enveloping and very tasty. A huge wine, ready now but will last for a long time. Luckily I have one last bottle.
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6/14/2014 - pomelo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superbe Châteauneuf bu côte à côte avec un Musar 2001. Deux grands vins prêts à boire!
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4/18/2014 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
A bit young, 93 now but with amazing potential.
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3/23/2014 - Longnose Gar wrote: 92 Points
A poster child for the 2007 vintage. Just about every CDP flavor can be found here. Like when we were kids and used to mix every flavor of soda together, but this actually tastes good. Drink with grilled lamb chops for a hedonistic pleasure.
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3/2/2014 - mreinitz wrote: 93 Points
The last few reviewers pretty much pegged this wine - rich and deep, with dark fruit and red raspberry flavors along with a bit of peppery spice on the midpalate. Other intersting flavors beginning to emerge. Silky full mouthfeel. All in all a real pleasure, and better than I expected.
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2/27/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Enticing aromas of earth, black pepper, plums, kirsch and fresh herbs get you going. The wine is rich, soft, sweet, lusty and open for business.
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2/3/2014 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Un "gros" vin ici, large d'épaule et dense.
Le nez est puissant, des framboises, la garrique, les herbe et le bacon.
En bouche, il y a un beau fruit précis et un bel équilibre. Des mures, du bacon, des fleurs ainsi que des épices.
Les tannins sont fermes et la finale bien longue. Déjà beau, il se bonifira assurément.
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1/30/2014 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
In a wonderful place. Nicely structured with complex fruit still present but secondary flavors emerging.
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1/28/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby color; clear; purple rim. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, leather, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, smoke, oak. The tannins are fairly soft and integrated into the wine. Full bodied, rich and layers of intense fruit that basically dominate the tannin. Viscous in the mouth. Great structure and acid. Decently balanced. Just beginning to approach the plateau towards maturity and quite drinkable; has many years left. A long fairly soft finish, with just a tad of alcohol on the back palate.
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1/19/2014 - Niagara wrote: 92 Points
This is getting better as it settles down -- coming into its own.
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1/3/2014 - PSPatrick wrote: 90 Points
“Mixed Bag of Rhône Wines”-Tasting, Flight 2, Wine 3 (non-blind), in January 2014. My favourite wine of the flight. The wine was dark ruby in colour. I loved its complex and expressive nose of boiled down black fruit, fresh ripe blackberry, ripe strawberry, apple crisp, surimi, fresh herbs, peduncle, tar, liquorice and balsamic notes. On the palate the wine showed sweet dark fruit, boiled down black fruit, roasted notes, spices and liquorice, paired with medium-level acidity, medium-level round, ripe, well-integrated tannin, moderate heat from the alcohol, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A very good, medium- to full-bodied, balanced Châteauneuf-du-Pape with good complexity and concentration. Will buy again. The wine can be consumed now and actually drank very well at its current stage, but also showed good potential for further development in bottle. 90+
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12/13/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque dark purple. Nose of blackberry, cherry, leather, smoke, and mint. Ripe, medium to full palate of blackberry, black cherry, hoisin, and espresso. Superb length. Mouthwatering, refreshing acidity. No noticeable oak. Sweet tannins. Love this wine. My wife said, "Mama like!"
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8/24/2013 - MC wrote:
Popped and poured. This is a dark, dense, fruit packed wine, with plenty of structure to hold. Opened up well after an hour, but I would wait a few years to try the next one or give it a couple of hours of air. This also had a slight roasted element to it, which I also noticed in the '07 Charvin, but I am again going to assume that this will come together with some time and improve from what is already a very good state. A-?
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8/3/2013 - Dale M wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. The darkness of color certainly hints at the viscosity this wine was soon to display. A bit of brett on the nose, but in a small enough amount that when paired with along with some fresh raspberry and lavender you can easily write off as ‘its got that French nose thing going’. A heavy weight for sure, at least in texture, as unbaked chocolate and stewed plums (a product of the hot 07 vintage, no wood or barrel influence) are felt on the sides and corners of the mouth. Yet, at least for this taster, the core of the wine was rock solid, full of an earthy – mineral sensibility that was very compact, and may take quite a few years yet to show its true colors. Medium to long finish, needs 5 + years.
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7/26/2013 - Fatty Cat wrote: 84 Points
Late Jul 2013: not decanted; black red ink; very restrained aromas and flavors: sour compote of black and red fruits; very full body; austere texture; long finish. Half of the bottle was hold back for approx. 24 hours: no improvement.
If I look at the other notes and scores of this wine it seems I don't get this one. However, when this bottle was opened there were three other experienced tasters present and all told of similar impressions.
For me the 2007 VD is a way too restrained. Will he ever open up? I leave one bottle in the cellar to taste again in 5-10 years time.
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5/19/2013 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 93 Points
The color is dense and garnet and just barely see through. The smells are briary fruit mixed with funky brett, blackberry, black olive, dark spice, and tarry earth. The tastes are olive, meat, blackberry, subtle pepper, earthy herbs, dark chocolate, raspberry, and a sassafras. The wine is a little hot and the body is modest. The acidity is decent and the tannins are a thin sheet of satin. The zingy finish is lengthy.
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5/10/2013 - SMagowan wrote: 93 Points
Drank as a vertical with the 08 and 09. This was definitely the most backward of the bunch. Opened and let stand in the bottle for 30 mins or so and then gradually drank over 4 hours. The 07 starts out quite a bit funky and then gradually resolves into classic notes of pepper, tobacco and bold cherry and other berry fruit. It is quite heady and thick. I believe it should be cellared another 2 years before drinking again. At our tasting, it was overshadowed by the 09, but I believe in the long run, the 07 will win out. Incidentally, the 08 held up far better than its professional scores would suggest. It is drinking very well and can be found for very reasonable prices at various websites.
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5/2/2013 - farinas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Vieux Donjon Vertical (Private Residence): Hands down wine of the night. Deep black color with some ruby on the edges. Intense aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, leather, and spicy oak. Entry was lively, focused and in perfect harmony with sweet round tannins consistent with a wine entering adolescence. Body was supple with great purity in the layers of fruit finishing in a medium to long ripe cool fruit and moderate tannins.
Extraordinary wine from an outstanding year. Drank in a vertical of the '99, '03 and '09. This wine outperformed all others by achieved great purity in the expression of the fruit and excellent balance between power and elegance.
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4/20/2013 - Gene_Mo wrote: 90 Points
On the flavor elements of the typical CDP. But just misses That wow element.
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3/17/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 91 Points
Drank half on day 1 and the other half on day 2. I was worried opening this as many of the young CdP's I have tried lately, though very good, were starting to run together as big, over extracted monolithic fruit bombs. While this displayed great, clean black fruit along with herbs and meaty notes on the nose and palate, it was not as over the top as other bottles. Nice smooth, well integrated texture. This didn't change much from day 1 to day 2. Nice medium plus finish although it displayed some heat. A nice wine.
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3/7/2013 - Skip4wine wrote: 91 Points
Licorise, provincial herbs and little barnyard on the palate. Not a fruit monster, and tannins and an underlying complexity that should let it develop leather and tar but not yet. Mid-weight. Give it some time to see if its pedigree emerges. It's there but not yet. Classic not modern style. My score should be greater in 3 years.
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3/1/2013 - sehill wrote: 86 Points
Decanted and poured, this wine gave a good showing but failed to meet expectations based on previous experiences with this wine. The aromatics seem somewhat disjointed with notes of black fruits, roasted meats, camp fire, rock, herbs, leather and an underlying brett elements that detracted from the overall impression. Maturing notes supplements the youthful aromatics with the primary fruit starting to fade. The medium (full) bodied palate shows some heat on the finish and never fully comes into balance. Perhaps a few more years of bottle age will bring better overall harmony.
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2/25/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Lively, rich and complex. Lovely fruit and earth tones.
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2/17/2013 - GOL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took a couple hours to open up, but when it did, it was very good. Seemed a bit simple on first sip, and more fruit forward than some CDPs, but some chocolate and coffee mixed in with the fruit to create adequate complexity. Good balance.
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2/10/2013 - suttonri wrote: 90 Points
Lots of grenache here, red fruits with some spice. This strikes me as a very clean CdP, very little funk, fur, leather, or game. Still very young, hopefully it will gain some complexity with age. I'll check again in 5 years. No hurry by any means here.
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1/27/2013 - Arch57 wrote: 93 Points
A really good showing by this Donjon tonight. The most impressive part for me was the nose. A bouquet of fresh cut flowers, Asian spices and ripe red fruit. I kept 1/2 inch in the glass just to continue to swirl and sniff. Still some strong tannins after a splash decant suggesting this can last for years but was enjoyable tonight. Medium to long finish of raspberries and clove. This is a producer I seek out year after year, Bravo.
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1/26/2013 - MayValley wrote: 93 Points
The wine was decanted half an hour in advance. While the 07 Donjon was very closed about half a year following the release, this wine had become much more "extrovert" with some more years in the cellar. The nose was initially dominated by meat/blood and dark red fruit. With more time came notes of garrigue and a hint of licorice. The palate was very balanced between juicy dark red fruit (dark cherries perhaps), rhone spices, acidity and tannic grip. This wine is drinking great now, but is still many years from maturity.
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1/19/2013 - geppetto Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for three hours. A night of CdPs with 2007 Telegraphe, 2007 Beaucastel, and a 2006 Telegraphe Blanc. This Donjon was ranked third out of the three reds. Seemed to lack the complexity of the Beacastel and the intensity of the Telegraphe. Still is a beautiful bottle and I hope it will continue to develop.
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1/18/2013 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby to garnet colored and while not completely opaque, dense in color. the smells I got were sweet red fruit, cherry licorice, pepper, and sweet spice on the nose (needed lots of air). The tastes were leather, raspberry, blackberry, pepper and some stony notes. The finish was modest and the tannins were dusty and the acidity was noteworthy.
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1/17/2013 - cos82 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Have a number of 07 CDPs in my cellar so I thought it was time to try one. Popped and poured at local BYOB. Wanted to open it 3 or 4 hours prior, but forgot. Dark garnet in color. A decent nose of blackberry and herbs d'provence. Palate started out mostly fruity, and then evolved showing some light tannin. Over time, further evolved with fruit subsiding to reveal a nice balance of cassis, bacon and herbs d' provence. A nice wine, but not great. Curious where this will be in a few more years. I think there is some good upside so I would not be in a rush to drink it now.
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1/5/2013 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 93 Points
14.5% ABV. Dark garnet in the glass with some translucence. Aromas of kirsch, garrigue, and a touch of sandalwood. Medium bodied with nice kirsch fruit on the palate. Nice.
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1/5/2013 - Vmaster007 wrote: 85 Points
Belle robe poupre somptueuse, odeur de fraises et de cerises, en bouche des saveurs intenses de kirsh, de cerises rouges, de fraises avec une impression d'une brise de vent frais mélangée avec de l'herbe sèche et un peu d'éthanol. Court en bouche.
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12/31/2012 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose opened over time to show blackberry, dark currant, crisp bacon, ginger spice, herbes de Provence and a hint of citrus. On the palate it was full bodied with dark fruit tones hinting at blueberry and plum, along with dark earth, minerals and fig, which last through the finish, coating the palate with intense fruit extract and a hint of tannin.
This wine continued to open up over the three hours it was in decanter. It's was still showing youthful tannin but there's so much intense fruit that I can imagine it will only get better. At this time, it's highly enjoyable but would benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
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12/30/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
A little spritzy at first but that mellows out with some airtime. A nice amount of brambly garrigue on the nose and a well integrated and complex set of flavors on the palate. Rich plum and crushed blackberries dominate. Nice body and a good finish. Very tasty. Should develop well.
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12/24/2012 - jtinto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium to full weight with lots of minerality. My sense is maybe this blossoms with a little more bottle age. Based on the numerous high scores from critics I can only surmise it's in a dumb phase? Nonetheless, outstanding. 91+?
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12/23/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. Decanted from 375ml. Clean, no funk. Good raspberry, strawberry flavor.
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11/23/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Thanksgiving in Lenox, MA.
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11/11/2012 - mtnbarry wrote: 92 Points
Big brooding muscular wine that will take time to develop into the wine that it can be. Lots of garrigue, cigar, spice with ripe dark fruit framed by well balanced acid and tannin structure. Took nearly 4 hour of decant to reach it peak moments, however, this wine is still too young to drink effectively.
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11/10/2012 - psi wrote: 93 Points
Pure and almost juicy effort, which is not typically the style of this domaine. Still, this is a delicious and spicy effort with sufficient backbone to evolve beautifully over time. Spicy nose of cherry, blackberries, young plums, garrigue and licorice. Full bodied and rich without being heavy. Beautiful acidity and round tannins with a gentle bite. Wonderful. 93++
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10/5/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Had this immediately after the '10 Janasse Chaupin, and this wasn't up to that standard, but it is quite lovely all the same. A lot of bright cherry notes, missing the nth degree of concentration.
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9/15/2012 - Fatty Cat wrote: 85 Points
Mid Sep 2012: intense blood red color; the wine was so reductive it literally felt like the air was soaked in; weak cherry flavor; impressions of plenty of alcohol (14.5 vol.%).
Quo vadis? Will this wine ever open up?
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9/12/2012 - jefiset wrote: 87 Points
À laisser vieillir encore 5 ans.
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8/31/2012 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful full bodied, classic Chateau Neuf...so pleased we have plenty more. Personal rating 94 plus.
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8/12/2012 - PlanetX wrote: 92 Points
After a 3 hour decant this came together very nicely. Luscious nose followed by delicious, spicy, deep flavours. Has the ripeness of the vintage but not to excess. Looking to forward to many years of evolution.
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8/9/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
Bretty nose that clears to mostly raspberries. The palate is full of blackberries, figs, plums and lots of herbal notes. Very long finish. Love this CDP.
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7/30/2012 - J2K wrote:
Very nice CDP, drinking beautifully with typical plum, fig flavors, great balance and finish, can sip this all day
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7/5/2012 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
In a much better place than it was a couple years ago. This has added significant weight and complexity with a nice funky edge to the blackberry fruit, oak, and olive and a medium to long finish. I think this will continue to get better.
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6/24/2012 - astroman wrote: 90 Points
Good with lots of potential.
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6/20/2012 - HousePour wrote: 93 Points
spice rack. full and young with nothing but potential.
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6/16/2012 - LorenGrossman wrote: 92 Points
Wow. This may be the first 07 that I have really enjoyed. Definitely a big, velvety wine but it offers plenty of interest and nuance with black olive, tandoori spices, espresso grounds and plummy fruit. Coating, full but not out of balance or flabby at all. Very enjoyable and fresh in fact, with some fig and molasses and baking spices toward the finish. No noticeable heat. Yummy.
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5/16/2012 - ikkaariainen wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed earlier this week at the monthly Hickory Wine Club wine tasting. Already very good but still very young with lots of anticipated improvement especially in terms of softening up and improved balance - this really needs at least another 3-5 years or a really long decant at this point. I do recommend this wine with the preceding caveats and at this price point not a good QPR despite obvious quality of the wine. Very dark, youthful, big, full bodied, good mouth feel, prominent structured tannins with loads of dark fruit and pepper, a super long aftertaste. Big dark slightly sweet somewhat monolithic nose with pepper and dark fruit, primary flavors include surprisingly more red then dark fruit including cherry, raspberry and red currant and darker terroir / smoke developing later on on the mid - and late palate.
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5/14/2012 - Weston3220 wrote: 88 Points
Earthy, Savory, some nice red fruit
conc: for a 07 not big or massive, good balance almost came across as a little light tho in a depth perspective
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4/20/2012 - bajayngo wrote:
Quick note from the Sleight of Hand private CDP party - very similiar to the 05 w/bigger fruit and a very funky musk on the nose
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4/18/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Dark red. Very tight at first but then opened up to show rich red fruit, nutmeg and some very rich Grenache sweetness. Very nice ripe rich red fruit flavours. There was a lot of sweetness in the finish to hide what most think is a tannic finish. Still very young.
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4/17/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Le Vieux Donjon Vertical Dinner (Vancouver, BC): Darker and more youthful looking than the ’09. At first the nose was also darker in profile than the 09 with aromas of dark berry fruit with hints of tarry notes too. After some time in the glass it seemed to open up and become less dark, more red fruited with a nice sweet spice note. This wasn’t as ripe as the ’09 but still had some warmth in the mouth. The longer it sat in the glass the more weight it seemed to put on and there is so much rich fruit here that the tannins and structure get masked. Good acidity and not the overripe and slightly disappointing wine I remembered from a few years ago. Drinking surprisingly well but this this will be a long lived wine and will reward patience. Very good. 89+
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2/15/2012 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 93 Points
The color is dark ruby to the edge and opaque black red down the middle. The smells are jammy dark fruits like currants, blackberry, and blueberry along with some cherry, tar, earth, olives and bacon fat. The tastes seems more muted than I anticipated. Maybe it needs more time to open? The currant, dark berry and blueberry, cherry tastes tastes come through backed by some peppery, earthy, stony notes. A second pour seemed better than the first. The tannins are dusty and there seems to be an acidic grip here too. The finish is nice and long but a little warm. It'll be interesting to see how consistent this note might be with the next bottle I try. This may need at least another year, maybe more.
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1/19/2012 - HenryW wrote: 89 Points
Complex nose of dark fruits, dried herbs and charcoal. On the palate not an enjoyable wine at this point, with the fruit hidden behind the tannins and acid. Softer on day 2, but still not ready.
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1/18/2012 - dkhale4 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank too early. Won't make that mistake with the others. Even after decanting and aerating it was slow to open up.
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12/28/2011 - RobertDwyer wrote: 91 Points
Not quite as powerful and enjoyable as a bottle I opened last year at this time, but still an outstanding CdP.
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11/27/2011 - Tag01 wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted 2.5 hrs
Some sediment in bottle
Colour:Very dark inky and thick
Nose:Bacon fat at first, then sweet cherries and peppery. Lots of bacon fat
Taste:Quite plump and juicy but not over the top. Tannins are well blended with the fruit. Very good. More sweet cherries and black peppers. Very good bottle.
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11/16/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Deep in color, the wine required coaxing to bring out its licorice, pepper, garrigue, cherry and black raspberry scents. Rich, fat and concentrated, this rich Chateauneuf du Pape ends with a long, spicy, kirsch filled finish.
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11/5/2011 - JGinMO wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely brilliant. Beyond typical rhone flavors had all kinds of floral and berry overtones, great finish. Just outstanding, should wait 2 years to see it evolve
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9/2/2011 - sehill wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and poured, this required about an hour of airing to show its best. This begins reserved and unyielding. Airing brings out its best attributes. This require a few more years of bottle age to show its best without an hour or two in the decanter.
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7/30/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 87 Points
2007 CDPs Tasting (Crystal Wines): Alcohol :: 14.5%
Tasted Single blind. Double decanted for 5hrs. A bit tight on the nose that only give away intense but shy aromas of smelly wood, savory meatiness, liquid mineral laced on the underlying spicy fruits. Medium bodied filled with a boat loads of succulent sweet red and dark fruits as well as dried herbs. This has some inner perfume that added extra dimension. The perfectly ripe, chewy tannin is still pretty much evident but polished and has no problem to buffer by the fruits that form the sexy, firm structure but soft in texture with plush mouth feel with raspberry, red cherry to the juicy, detail long finish. Very good and drinking now, though lack some depth to be a great wine. 87-89.
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7/30/2011 - Vin Lover wrote: 91 Points
Crystal Wines: 2007 CDP Tasting: Focus, expressive dark fruits, walnuts & mineral aroma. Firm & chewy tannins added some nice density to the concentrated red and dark fruits palate. Still tight and close, but the future is certainly bright for this wine.
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5/1/2011 - RickyB wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and it is starting to sing, it is not "closed for business" as the previous tasting note indicated.
I don't know if these 07's are going to last and be all that Parker thinks they will be, so I'm trying some and they are standing up quite well, who knows if this vintage will shut down?
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2/6/2011 - Seo wrote:
Closed for business. Some red fruit and good acidity come through, but this is shutting down. Will revisit in 12 months
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12/24/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle. Great combination of bramble-berry and moderate earthy funk. Thought it might be too young but it wasn't.
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12/18/2010 - EyeDoc wrote:
These are easy to drink now.
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10/31/2010 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
Sweet nose with notes of licorice and blackberry. Rich attack of blackberry and oak. Medium finish. Tannins are a bit intense on this one. I think it needs a lot more time.
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8/13/2010 - geppetto wrote: 94 Points
Wow, this was awesome. Amazing nose and wonderful fruit.
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7/16/2010 - CTuttle wrote: 93 Points
Decanted about 1 hr before consuming. Probably needed more. However, a beautiful nose that screams CdP. The temp came up to room temperature before most of it was consumed (dinner party away; couldn't be helped), but there were no hard edges at all. The wine is medium->full bodied with nearly perfect balance. Still young and primary, but delicious. 93 right now.
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7/2/2010 - EyeDoc wrote: 92 Points
For those who don't like 07 CdP - fine - don't drink it and shut up - more for the rest of us. This simply tastes great like most of the 07s. Full mouth feel - great fruit and super smooth - hard to keep my hands off this.
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7/1/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 92 Points
Interesting balance of barnyard and fruit on the nose. Big explosion of flavor with a finish that goes on for a mile. Would go higher on the rating if the overall flavor profile were more to my liking. But this is quality juice no doubt.
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6/17/2010 - KSC02 wrote: 91 Points
Splash decanted about 1 1/2 hrs. Quite young and a bit tight still. Enveloping aromas of plum and rich dark dark, tobacco, earth and spice. A bit warm to the nose. The lush berries and plum come through to the palate with a lively, slightly acidic, mouth feel underpinned by tannins. Medium finish. Didn't wow me, but very enjoyable. No question of its quality. A solid wine.
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6/9/2010 - Nutty08 wrote:
From 375ml. Quite dark purple in the glass. The nose of dominated by mourvedre, with game, tar, iron and blood being most prominent and black cherry int the background. Palate is very dense with chalky fine tannin structure. The racy acidity and tannins overshadow the fruit at this stage, but there is plenty of dark fruit - plum and currants underneath. Lengthy finish with a little toasty oak, earth, mineral and smoke. This has all the makings to be exceptional, but is rather disjointed and edgy at this stage. Hold. Revisit in 5+ years. 93+
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6/6/2010 - sehill Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another outstanding showing for this wine; however, this bottle required about an hour in the decanter to show its best. For the first hour, It showed a reserved, backward personality the hid the wine's charm. This will benefit from additional bottle age. It is currently youthful and when it opens open forward and primary.
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6/5/2010 - Niagara wrote: 90 Points
A bit too round and sweet/off-dry for my palate; not a tremendous amount of definition and delineation, just a kind of slightly syrupy monotone. But a pleasant monotone -- definitely quality in the bottle. There are many much better examples of 2007 CdP at this price point (~USD60), however.
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5/14/2010 - Fielding wrote: 93 Points
From a .375. Popped and poured, drank over three hours. I opened this many years too soon, mostly because I wanted to finally try a 2007 CDP. There is some band-aid funk on the nose, but also some sweet cherry liqueur. Cherries and ripe berries on the palate, with notes of roasted meat, coffee, black pepper, sassafras and lavender. Long finish, but hot and tannic. Infanticide. I hate to say it, but I can see what Parker liked about this vintage. This one is going to sing, and I can only imagine what the others are going to be.
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4/23/2010 - EyeDoc wrote: 93 Points
This is a 92 to 94 pointer for me - an outstanding wine - clean with great primary fruit - Not real complex but delicious to drink now.
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4/7/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Half bottle. Deep purple. Cool, classic nose of mint, garrigue, and black licorice. Medium weight, sappier black fruit core, spice and good acidity. Apart from the telltale color, I would have never guessed '07 southern Rhone since it doesn't have the weight, alcohol, or overt fruit of so many of those wines. This is a real positive, although I must say that the wine was not as exciting as the first time tasted.
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3/27/2010 - KingSlacker999 wrote:
No rating as I think this bottle was starting to shut down. Bit of funk and wet newspaper on the nose. Classic Vieux Donjon barely showing thru, it of garrigue. If you've got them, hold 'em.
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3/26/2010 - will2wine wrote: 93 Points
Savory and deep, with grilled bread, pepper, soy sauce, meat juice and rusty metal. Shows massive tannins on the finish. Needs time to soften but should offer complexity for decades.
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3/24/2010 - manonthemoon wrote: 88 Points
Blind OLD WORLD GRAB BAG - Dino Restaurant (Washington, DC): Welch’s grape juice, smoke, and black pepper on the nose. Palate of more Welch’s grape juice, black pepper. Decent minerality, acidity, and tannin, but was kind of fat IMO. Guessed 07 Southern Rhone, but didn’t think Cdp at all.
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3/24/2010 - ianinvirginia wrote: 89 Points
Old World Grab Bag (Dino Restaurant, Washington, DC): Tasted blind - toasted tobacco and golden raisin nose, maybe some caramelized onion, a little jammy on the mid palate, strong finish but a bit hot. Clearly young and awkward. Didn't peg it as CDP though.
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3/24/2010 - jahlove wrote: 89 Points
Old World Grab Bag (Dino Restaurant - Washington, DC): Jokes on me with this one. I guessed Vacqueyras. Ended up being a young CdP I've already had and tasted non-blind and scored 4 points higher. That was without palate fatigue and this night, this impressive CdP happened to be wine #13. I found it grapey, kind of fat, but loads of pepper and minerality. Another severe case of infanticide, but the fruit on these 07s is just astounding. I'm really hoping these 07s will show some more complexity as they age.
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3/24/2010 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Waaaaaaay too early and too short decant. Opened in the morning, decanted and put it back in the bottle. Repeated this in evening before a 2 hour stretch where the bottle was open. Ruby color, nose of petrol, glycerin, garrigue and dark berries. Very tight on the noce though. Concentrated to the point of extraction on the palate. Interesting expeirence. See you in 5 to 10 years...
Note: I knew this was infanticide, but I wanted to taste it young and compare and contrast as time moves on.
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3/10/2010 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
Awesome nose of sweet berries, smoke, and pepper upon opening. The nose faded a bit as it was left open for a little over an hour. Lighter and sweeter than I was expecting with pronounced notes of pepper and berry. Good acidity and a medium length finish. Lacking a little bit of the nuance and secondary flavors I was expecting.
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2/17/2010 - MHildbold wrote: 94 Points
Color: ruby. Nose: earth, leather, raw meat, herbal note. Palate: acidity present, some mild tannin, raspberry and red cherry notes. Silky in the mouth, medium body. Lovely CDP.
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2/15/2010 - Rob Hansult Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brilliant medium deep ruby red with medium plus depth of color.
Nose > Deep, persistent wild, red & black cherry with blackberry, black cherry skin, cherry-bark, blueberry, & spicy wild cherry skin. Very aromatic, but not herbal at all. Seemingly every one of these Grenache clusters was perfectly ripe. Luscious, sappy, spicy ripe complex fruit. Distinctly NOT a Brett or Funk-Bomb. No oak showing through the fruit. Wow! This is a Wild-Cherry BOMB!
Palate > Concentrated wild & red cherry, blueberry, Schaerbeek cherry, blackberry, black cherry & spice. Rich, taut & savory at the same time. Deep, elegant with a concentrated mid palate infused with, you guessed it: ripe juicy black & red cherry, spicy wild cherry & cherry stones. No hint of plummy or over-ripe fruit. Long firm finish with fruit & ripe acidity flowing smoothly & strongly right to the end. Not very tannic, but ripe & exciting concentrated Grenache-essence type wine.
Big bodied (but not boned), but none of the 15% ish ABV showing on nose or palate. This is already a deep, luscious & savory beauty. Drink (Yes Please!) or hold this one.
Both impressive, luscious & pretty damn sexy.
Gotta get more of this! Already see it a few bucks less than I paid ($59) ~ 4 months ago.
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2/6/2010 - jahlove wrote: 93 Points
Still primary but showing well in its youth. Beguiling nose of burnt toast, ripe dark fruits, garrigue, and fig. Deftly balanced on the palate, very forward at the moment. Fruit and structure in balance though. Should age beautifully. Interesting to see when and if this shuts down.
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2/6/2010 - viadomitia wrote:
I drank this a monthy ago, I keep reading wonderful review and keep on thinking that my bottle was one of those cooked British Columbia bottles. The wine was not "flawed" per say, but really had nothing going on. no nose, no palate. just bland. not bad, just nothing there. I have a couple of bottles bought in Seatle. will try one of those soon. No Rating.
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1/9/2010 - rogerr wrote: 92 Points
Nice integration and balance. Dunking nicely (from 375)
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12/26/2009 - cpsmith33 wrote: 92 Points
great nose, smokey/spice/dark fruits/herbs. medium bodied. long finish with good tannins. needs time.
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12/15/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
nose: distinctive and plush nose of hot stones, garrigue, dark red fruits, black fruits, some bits of roasted meats, black cherries, and bits of spices. Real good depth and very expressive on the nose
taste: plush and suave medium/full feel with good firm tannins and well balanced tones of black fruits, garrigue, black cherries and various spice tones. Excellent depth that has a real silky way about it
overall: This showed fairly young. Doesn't have the chewier tannins that the 05 has, but this does have the depth and shows off the 07 vintage very well. This has a real nice expressive side to it and a good amount of polish, this can really blossom in a few years
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12/14/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 93 Points
Perfumed white and purple flowers float above a powerful core of dusty blackberry, blueberry, horehound, char, and spices. Palate enters very compact, then explodes through the midpalate with a moderately long, tannic mineral finish. Best days are ahead.
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12/10/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Drank at Le Crocodile – No formal notes. Decanted for 1 hour. Ripe red fruits with some oaky notes as well. Obviously very young and needs lots of time, but I still expected more from this. Hopefully time in the cellar will greatly improve this. Hold. Good. 87+
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12/10/2009 - sethmorgenlong wrote: 89 Points
From 375mL. Wine is clear but opaque, high intensity. Deep violet purple body to a violet rim, appears youthful, with little rim variation. On the nose, the wine in healthy, with moderate+ intensity and youthful aromas of dark red fruits - ripe strawberries cherry and slight earth tones of pebbles and wet clay with baking spices, cedar and wet ash. On the palate, the wine is dry, moderate + acids, moderate - tannins, medium + body, slightly unbalanced but not dumb with moderate complexity and a long finish with primary notes of raspberry ganache, chocolate, provencal herbs, glycerine, jammy fruit and a hint of smoke. Quite enjoyable though not fantastic. I think 2007 CdP's will be very forward wines, we'll see how they develop.
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12/9/2009 - sehill wrote: 92 Points
This wine was decanted and poured. It showed well from beginning to end. The wine added weight, definition and texture with airing. The wine showed a youthful, brawny personality with the tannins and acidity providing texture and grip. The aromatics show raspberry, earth, granite, leather, tar, spice and black cherry notes. The color is a dark ruby to purple that is appropriate for the wines age. The medium/full bodied palate shows outstanding length, depth and nuance. This wine will benefit from a few years of bottle age.
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12/5/2009 - geoffucla wrote: 90 Points
Clear dark red. Red fruits on the nose, primarily cherry with a bit of raspberry ganache. Also an herbiness. Provencal herbs excluding the lavender. On the palate, more of the same. Definite herbal quality following the intense fruit. A fair amount of glycerin accompanies the fruit and herbs to make it a mouthcoating full-bodied wine. At this point the wine is clearly young with no significant layers of flavor, but I'm sure that given a few years, this should develop quite nicely. Already with a couple hours of decanting, the tannins and acidity integrate well, but it just needs time for the complexity to improve. 90 now, but potentially 92+ in 3-5 years.
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11/20/2009 - christopher wish wrote: 95 Points
stellar but young. decanted after initial taste for 6 hours. filled out a bit but needs a handful of years before it will get going.
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11/18/2009 - ColinR wrote: 92 Points
Deep crimson; blackberries, black cherries, smoked meat, herbs; ripe blackberry, sweet cherry, silky, noticeable glycerin, medium-full body, good structure, good grip, ripe coated tannins, lingering finish.
Decanted 2 hrs. Very closed. Big fruit and structure but not very complex. Sooo young, not sure how good this will eventually be.
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11/12/2009 - ekirby wrote: 93 Points
Brought bottle and had it decanted at restaurant, letting it sit for 30-40 minutes while we drank champagne. Great fruit, still young and somewhat rough compared to other 2007 CDPs. . Not as high toned and refined as Domaine de Janesse of the same vintage but with more fruit. Good array of flavors (i.e. not a simple or dumb wine). I plan to drink the next bottle in 2011 or 2012 and see how if it is developing or has closed down for the long haul. If you care to let me know, which do you think it will be?
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11/5/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 93 Points
Tasted on 11/5, and again at a dinner on 11/22, consistent notes. Meaty with dark notes on the nose, with a roasted sweet note that almost reminds of caramel or popcorn at certain times. Very different from the 2006. Tannic on the palate, savory and peppery. Smooth and powerful at the same time. This was my favorite wine at two different CdP tastings, beating out 06 VD, 06 and 07 V. Telegraphe, 01 Beaucastel, 07 Clos des Papes (closed). Very similar to the 07 Vieux Telegraphe, but this is a shade deeper and darker. This is very nice, 92-93 for me, but probably deserves higher for true CdP fans.
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11/5/2009 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Parmi 4 Rhône 2007 en semi-aveugle. Nez un peu animal, avec du…beurre d’arachide qui évoque les chocolats Reese!
Très belle texture en bouche, belle fraicheur, élégant et savoureux, la bouche est vraiment magnifique même si le nez gardera toujours ce coté un peu « funky ». Superbe Châteauneuf, d’abord identifié comme Vieux Donjon, que j’ai à tort mis ailleurs ensuite par une logique tordue! 93 pts
Meilleure impression que la dernière bouteille et peut-être davantage de potentiel qu'Usseglio à long terme.
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11/4/2009 - bigwineguy420 wrote:
Bright red ruby in color. Tight, traditionally styled wine. Shows some raspberry and black currant. Nice, but not particularly revealing. Looked really light in color vs. the 1998 we had next to it. I wonder where this will go, but I'm sure it's going to be good with some time.
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11/3/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior note on this wine. This is still tight and is begging for a decade in the far corner of the cellar. In time this will be sensational. Very dark in color and much more earthy than most of the other 07 CDPs.
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10/24/2009 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
Drank this alongside the 2004 for kicks and giggles, major intensity and depth that put's it slightly ahead, but infanticide at this point needing a few more years to open up - Dark, full-bodied and a nose of cherry, plum, cinammon spice, pepper, clove and vanilla, intense, balanced, early complexity, smooth/tart on the palate with terrific length (93 Points).
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10/23/2009 - DuVinMD wrote: 94 Points
beaucoup d'extraction, nez de framboises, de kirsch et d'épices; la bouche est pleine, tendu, précise sur le fruit et les tannins sont fermes. Superbe équilibre. Le vin promet
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10/15/2009 - TJolley wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for about an hour and a half. Very good wine, nice balance of flavors and very smooth, but was expecting a much more extracted, intense style. Not near as much flavor as I was expecting, I would recommend letting this one breath for 3-4 hours to get the most out of it in such a young state.
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10/12/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 92 Points
After 3 flawed bottles, found a nice one. Medium bodied, dark fruits, licorice, and pepper. Tasted closed. Opened up slightly after a few hours, but needs more time.
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10/11/2009 - lebanonOHwinelover wrote: 89 Points
Kind of like a slightly over-hyped blind date: Big expectations, nervous anticipation. . . but she just was not as pretty as your friends said she was. Not bad looking, just not great. Had with Beef Burgundy.
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10/8/2009 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
2007 Southern Rhone Tasting (Bell's): This glass had a dirty nose; some bandaids, coffee, wet leaves, and manure. Pretty interesting. The wine itself was showing a bit thin, with sweet cranberry notes and an old school cherry cola flavor too. It will be interesting to see this bottle develop over time - it's VERY young and immature at this point.
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10/5/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Purple. Lots of red fruit notes in the nose. Raspberry, blackberry and I think pepper. The nose even shows a bit of creamy vanilla oak. Later there seems to be a smoky element as well. Very nice red fruit flavours and lots of structure.
There has been a bit of concern in Vancouver about some bad bottles. Not this one. I won't lie, I love this one.
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10/4/2009 - sethmorgenlong wrote: 87 Points
Tasted Blind. From 750mL.
Wine appears youthful: clear, moderate - intensity, blue-red core to a cherry rim.
On the nose, healthy, moderate- intensity with some oak aging apparent; aromas of earth, ripe red berry, cocoa, lilac, lavender and smoke.
On the palate wine is dry, moderate acids, moderate - tannins, low+ development with moderate intensity. Short finish, moderate + alcohol.
Follows nose with notes of dark cherry, pebbles, lavender and vanillins with a mineral finish, reminiscent of fresh iron.
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9/24/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: flawed
No body, hardly any fruit, all ethanol. 3rd cooked bottle, this one from a different BC Liquor Store. Perhaps their whole shipment of this wine is heat damaged...
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9/24/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: flawed
No body, hardly any fruit, all ethanol. 2nd cooked bottle of this from a BC Liquor Store.
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9/24/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: flawed
No body, hardly any fruit, all ethanol. Cooked :(
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9/20/2009 - Rick-again wrote: 93 Points
dark magenta in color,bottle decanted and drank out on patio, nose initially very peppery continued to change and get more complex with some earth and spices showing, long finish
day 2 nose was crushed fruit, loads of tanninslong chewy finish
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9/19/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 93 Points
Tightly wound right now. Very dark in color. Huge nose. Tons of fruit and tannins on the palate. Has all the raw materials to be great down the road. A 30 year wine at a minimum.
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9/19/2009 - gripNsip wrote: 91 Points
In contrast to the other CdP's I had at the tasting I was at, this was not so amazing. Still, a very balanced, nicely structured wine that should really turn into something special.
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9/18/2009 - subtlet wrote: 90 Points
Deep rich cherries on the nose along with a hint of pate and black pepper. There are some floral scents as well. The wine delivers some nice acid right away and some great cherry flavors. The oak is well integrated and the tannins are gentle. Some minearlity comes in late, and juicy cherry flavors hang in there all the way to the end.
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9/13/2009 - Rick-again wrote: 95 Points
wow what another great 07 CdP.......probably the best I have had to date from S Rhone - I look forward to others arriving
Nose was very fragrent lots of herbs, dark purple color nice lighter color around edges
Openned at 2 p let sit upright in the botte , decanted at 7, drank around 8
sweet cherry, some tannins, chaulky, long finish, red licorise
I called an ordred 6 more
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9/7/2009 - rxlaw95 wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding wine. Pepper and dark fruit. Very good. Will age quite some time but drinking well right now with an hour in the decanter.
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9/6/2009 - eliotfagley wrote: 90 Points
Perplexing and really making me concentrate. Nose: perfume. red raspberry,sugared strawberries, cotton candy and briar. Light on the mouthfeel. Unexpected. Nice bitterness and green bell pepper. Like I ate the stem with the the grenache grapes. 90 Pts.
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9/4/2009 - wine_tracker wrote: 94 Points
Superbe, ample et confituré. Sur le fruit rouge (normal) avec un gros potentiel d'évolution. Déjà une merveille à ce stade.
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8/31/2009 - blanquito wrote:
From a 375ml bottle... Comes out of the gate very ripe and gooey. Reminded me more of a value-priced Spanish Garnacha than a classy, old-school CDP: simple, sweet, quaffable. Worst of all, there was the heat of booze in the nose and finish. I corked this up and stashed in the fridge over night.. Day 2, this wine had come together nicely, with much more classic and elegant aromatics and flavors with only moderate structure. I'm guessing that many 2007's CDPs will show flashy at an early stage if the V.D. is. Overall, not a show stopper on these days for my simple palate... I know this note is swimming against the tide, but I keep in mind that it is young and I am guessing it may be in bottle shock from recent bottling (?). I think this wine just needs time and someday it may be great. Still, I didn't rush out to add to my 6 bottles resting in my cellar despite a very good price available locally ($40).
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8/29/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Nose of ripe red fruit, silky tannins, spicy and a bit mushrooms, old style nose... very silky tannins, meaty, spicy, black fruit... looks like this wine is a bit closed compared to what we tasted from barrel beginning of the year
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8/28/2009 - Villon wrote: 92 Points
Style traditionnel : fruits rouges, herbes de Provence, minéralité. Robe pâle, tannins doux, peu perceptibles. L’explosion de fruit en début de bouche est supportée par une longue finale rafraichissante. Un vin plus digeste que la moyenne. Bien aimé dans le genre classique.
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8/28/2009 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault. Élevage de 6 mois en cuves de ciment puis de 12 mois en foudres.
Couleur sombre. Nez animal un peu agressant au début, mais avec un joli fruit noir derrière qui prendra le dessus. La texture flatteuse me semble un peu moderne (erreur!), élégante, avec des tanins ronds lovés derrière un fruit riche. Concentré, bonne fraicheur, semble un peu facile et je lui trouvais, inexplicablement (après dévoilement), un coté moderne. 90-91 pts
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8/22/2009 - mmurry wrote: 95 Points
The South of France (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had eucalyptus, blackberry, pepper, cassis, grilled meat, and a little tar. The palate was super smooth, and had pepper, blackberry, tar, cassis, and a meaty finish.
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8/16/2009 - ScottG wrote:
Drank at Troquet in Boston. Decanted and consumed over a two hour period. This is very tight and a bit backward in general right now. Dense with tongue coating, but not searing, tannins. Some hints of black fruit towards the end of the meal, but not a wine to be touched for several years based on this tasting. Was hoping for a bit more love from the young CdP- do see a good deal of potential here.
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8/15/2009 - Winetex wrote:
Saturday Night Soiree (Chez Pelz): Dark garnet color; Very young and wound-up right now but still showed very pure dark fruit, earth, berry and spice flavors. Seemed like a good cellar candidate with a refined CDP style. Good, probably ~92 pts with additional bottle age.
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8/5/2009 - br wrote:
this is delicious to inhale deep into your lungs..dark fruit with some cherries thrown in over a handfull of rocky earth. add a taste of tomatoes in the mouth and an elegant (for Rhone) mouthfeel. finish disappears for a moment and then comes back in a crescendo. ought to buy more of this one.
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8/1/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
First night massive blast of rubber on the nose and palate. The rubber made the wine unplesant the first night, so back into the bottle and fridge. Day two the rubber has faded to a background note and the fruit expressed itself. Lots of staying power, tannic (not drying) and not worth drinking now imho.
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8/1/2009 - Mister45 wrote: 92 Points
Must decant for at least hour. Nose is full of fruit and huge. Taste is fantastic. Complex,big,leather,berry,earth. Really a gorgeous and powerful wine. A must buy. Will age for long time. 92 PTS.
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7/29/2009 - gripNsip wrote: 92 Points
A medium intensity, delicious CdP. Deep fruit early on opens into some good earth, cigar tobacco and light mushroom. Great funk! Greatly balanced again, medium strength acidity and tannins carry on in the finish for a good 20 seconds. Yummy, and has some minor complexities and potential for greatness. Surprisingly ready for business now, and delicious. Open for 3 hours.
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7/25/2009 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour, drunk over next four. Very primary. Deep fruit on palate, garrique and bramble. Finish a bit biting at present, acidity present. Good length. More enjoyable now as an intellectual exercise, but I think this will be very good indeed in five or six years.
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7/11/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 90 Points
Deep garnet color, nearly opaque. Crushed gravel nose. Medium-full bodied. Red berry fruit. Somewhat tangy. Some garrigue and blood. Touch of sandalwood. Just Okay.
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6/6/2009 - Terkel wrote: 93 Points
Dark red color with a youthful purple hue. Very giving nose, which is dominated by primary fruit, sweet and warm, boiled and jammy red berries, raspberries and blueberries, with a fine note of sweet tobacco. On the palate it is very concentrated, but pure in the fruit notes – raspberries, sweet candies and a bit of anise. On the finish it picks up more licorice notes and some tomato, soured milk and a slight note of green bitterness. A very lively acidity lifts the whole impression; unfortunately I found it to end a bit on the hot side – alcohol-wise.
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6/4/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
There is much more C02 than last tasted 3 month ago, so the wine required vigurous aeration (decanting is not enough...) After one hour resting in the decanter, it shows a very impressive nose of ripe black cherries, loads of bacon fat and volatile ripe acidity... in the month the concentration in black ripe cherries is huge, also there are loads of ripe tannins and a refreshing acidity... the wine is really bold and big... retasting the Usseglio 2003 after feels like a watery wine!!! This wine has really a LOT of potential, but will probably need one more year in bottle to fully integrate the CO2...
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3/28/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
2007 Chateauneufs (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium color. Already great complexity aromatically such that it is hard to pick out individual elements. Once again, not a large scaled effort but exhilarating, savory complexity that seems like the essence of Chateauneuf. Fresh acidity. My favorite wine of the tasting and one I will definitely buy.
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2/8/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Explosive nose of jammy black fruit, licorice, meaty, gamey... very powerfull and concentrated in the mounth, very silky tannins, black fruit, gamey, very long and refreshing mounth
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1/24/2009 - hutch wrote: 91 Points
CDP tasting at Boston Wine Expo: Tight and tannic. Lots of spices, and licorice. A little tough to get through unless you've got a little more time. 89-92 based on my little taste.
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