Dark ruby-purple color, but seemed brighter as we poured. Plum and black currant, with note of tobacco, tar, and spice. Savory, complicated, and wonderful. Paired with, ahem, turkey chili—which is why I reached for the priorat, for low tannins and its own spice. First dip into the Chris’s Cree shipment! Good omen for the rest…
Trasnlucent black cherry color with a developed maroon hue. Dry, dusty and dull nose with some damp cardboard notes and no fruit to speak of. Subtle TCA taste.
Corked. Not obviously corked with tell-tale aromas of mouldy old cellar, but definitely suffering from TCA. Can't say this experience was worth the 175€.
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Amazing right now. Decanted minimally and evolved in the glass over the course of several hours. Still an amazing amount of primary blue and red fruit (plum, cherry, cassis) along with some secondary notes, cigar box and wet earth minerality. Simply an outstanding bottle.
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Sensational. Very BDX-like with silky plum, cherry and black currant flavors. Very smooth with resolved tannins. Absolutely gorgeous now.
Note, my bottles were purchased on release ($39.99, before the RP100 rating on the '98 vintage blew prices up) and have been stored in a subterranean temperature-controlled cellar, untouched, since then.
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In great shape despite a fair amount of sludge adhering to the bottle neck. Sweet, restrained red fruit, smoky, sort of a cigar box/tobacco kind of smokiness. Good acidity and concentration. A friend detected a touch of TCA, but acknowledged it seemed to blow off so presumably was not TCA. In any case, this has aged gracefully and drank really well.
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This nose has a whiff of Brett which quickly blows off and shows a ripe and lush blackberry with rich soil influence. Very ripe and a little hot. Palate is very ripe but has a fun brambly texture. This smells like a middle aged very rustic St. Estephe Bordeaux, although on the palate it is much softer upfront and finishes with an out of balance wallop of alcohol.
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A pretty good showing, with lots of primary plums, blackberry and cherry fruit. There are nice layers of flavors here with a bit of tobacco, tar and spice. The structure is well resolved though this can probably go a few more years, given the quality of the fruit.
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Dark ruby red colour, wonderful intense nose. Powerful musculine wine, black current fruit, well structure and solid finish. The wine seems still young and it opened up after 5 hours, and goes really well with steak.
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Iberian Dinner (w/ Clos Erasmus) @ Home (CT): This has taken on some secondary notes from age. A bit of leather, earth and tobacco leaf. A hint of caramel (from the oak?), but not intrusive. Pretty well integrated and in a nice"drinking window". I did sample this on day two, and the caramel did become a bit too much. Drink up on day 1.
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Quite good. A whiff of tobacco and garrigue combine with lifted red fruits and a bit of oak spice. A touch ponderous but quite good. Well integrated and I doubt this will improve. Outshone a 98 Rotllan Torra Tirant and 98 Clos Martinet. The Rotllan was a closde second but essentially the garrigue and minerality of this wine showed better tonight in comparison to a bit of oaken sweetness that interfered with the otherwise very pure and outstanding Rotllan.
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Flock - Grenache Tasting (Chicago, IL): Disappointing showing --- I think this was slightly corked. Shy nose has dark berries, earth and tar (with a corky note that was more noticeable upon opening). Watery and tart. The group liked this one more than me, and for the most part felt it wasn't corked. Group's #7, my #12.
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Drinking well, even rather young still. Tannic, with powerful acidity and minerals, and considerable depth. Not in any danger of getting tired any time soon. Drink or hold.
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Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #1, My #1 - Full purple red color. Full dusty tight black fruit with some spiciness on the nose. Big red cherry with spicy dusty tannic finish. Complex and balanced with hints of chocolate. Easy WOTF.
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Decanted 5+ hours. Dark purple almost black color. Dense aromas of currants, dark cherry and a hint of leather. Very rich on the palate with plums, chocolate and cherry. Long finish. Seems integrated with few tannins. Certainly drinking well and not on the decline but at least this particular bottle appears to be at peak.
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10/13/2023 - mick978@gmail.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very, very good.
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1/8/2022 - M.Batard wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby-purple color, but seemed brighter as we poured. Plum and black currant, with note of tobacco, tar, and spice. Savory, complicated, and wonderful. Paired with, ahem, turkey chili—which is why I reached for the priorat, for low tannins and its own spice. First dip into the Chris’s Cree shipment! Good omen for the rest…
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6/19/2021 - Nothung Likes this wine: 94 Points
A magical, nuanced wine. Unfortunately, my last 2 bottles.
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9/18/2020 - Nothung Likes this wine: 95 Points
A fabulous wine.
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8/24/2020 - forceberry wrote: flawed
14,5% alcohol.
Trasnlucent black cherry color with a developed maroon hue. Dry, dusty and dull nose with some damp cardboard notes and no fruit to speak of. Subtle TCA taste.
Corked. Not obviously corked with tell-tale aromas of mouldy old cellar, but definitely suffering from TCA. Can't say this experience was worth the 175€.
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8/23/2020 - suilesor25 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing right now. Decanted minimally and evolved in the glass over the course of several hours. Still an amazing amount of primary blue and red fruit (plum, cherry, cassis) along with some secondary notes, cigar box and wet earth minerality. Simply an outstanding bottle.
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7/18/2020 - GrapeScott wrote: 94 Points
Sensational. Very BDX-like with silky plum, cherry and black currant flavors. Very smooth with resolved tannins. Absolutely gorgeous now.
Note, my bottles were purchased on release ($39.99, before the RP100 rating on the '98 vintage blew prices up) and have been stored in a subterranean temperature-controlled cellar, untouched, since then.
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3/15/2019 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
In great shape despite a fair amount of sludge adhering to the bottle neck. Sweet, restrained red fruit, smoky, sort of a cigar box/tobacco kind of smokiness. Good acidity and concentration. A friend detected a touch of TCA, but acknowledged it seemed to blow off so presumably was not TCA. In any case, this has aged gracefully and drank really well.
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5/25/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 90 Points
This nose has a whiff of Brett which quickly blows off and shows a ripe and lush blackberry with rich soil influence. Very ripe and a little hot. Palate is very ripe but has a fun brambly texture. This smells like a middle aged very rustic St. Estephe Bordeaux, although on the palate it is much softer upfront and finishes with an out of balance wallop of alcohol.
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7/13/2016 - zinnut wrote: 94 Points
This is a wine hitting hits stride right now. Huge cigar box nose and incredible mature fruit profile. Amazing. Probably time to drink up.
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4/7/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal notes.
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11/14/2015 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
A pretty good showing, with lots of primary plums, blackberry and cherry fruit. There are nice layers of flavors here with a bit of tobacco, tar and spice. The structure is well resolved though this can probably go a few more years, given the quality of the fruit.
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7/2/2015 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
In a great place right now. Drink or hold.
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4/20/2015 - Gabbby Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby red colour, wonderful intense nose. Powerful musculine wine, black current fruit, well structure and solid finish. The wine seems still young and it opened up after 5 hours, and goes really well with steak.
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4/29/2012 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
A somewhat weaker Erasmus, but still managed a pretty impressive showing. I'd recommend drinking soon, as this is probably not going to get better.
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6/4/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Iberian Dinner (w/ Clos Erasmus) @ Home (CT): This has taken on some secondary notes from age. A bit of leather, earth and tobacco leaf. A hint of caramel (from the oak?), but not intrusive. Pretty well integrated and in a nice"drinking window". I did sample this on day two, and the caramel did become a bit too much. Drink up on day 1.
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3/20/2009 - pbjosh wrote: 91 Points
Quite good. A whiff of tobacco and garrigue combine with lifted red fruits and a bit of oak spice. A touch ponderous but quite good. Well integrated and I doubt this will improve. Outshone a 98 Rotllan Torra Tirant and 98 Clos Martinet. The Rotllan was a closde second but essentially the garrigue and minerality of this wine showed better tonight in comparison to a bit of oaken sweetness that interfered with the otherwise very pure and outstanding Rotllan.
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5/21/2008 - Nanda wrote: flawed
Flock - Grenache Tasting (Chicago, IL): Disappointing showing --- I think this was slightly corked. Shy nose has dark berries, earth and tar (with a corky note that was more noticeable upon opening). Watery and tart. The group liked this one more than me, and for the most part felt it wasn't corked. Group's #7, my #12.
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12/26/2007 - jackarmando wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, mild fruit, gentle initial impression, but nice finish.
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11/29/2007 - robmatic wrote:
Drinking well, even rather young still. Tannic, with powerful acidity and minerals, and considerable depth. Not in any danger of getting tired any time soon. Drink or hold.
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11/1/2007 - KellyW wrote: 92 Points
Drank with GJE. Muted from travel shock.
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4/26/2007 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Wineflock - Clos Erasmus Vertical (Bob's): Group #1, My #1 - Full purple red color. Full dusty tight black fruit with some spiciness on the nose. Big red cherry with spicy dusty tannic finish. Complex and balanced with hints of chocolate. Easy WOTF.
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3/8/2007 - robmatic wrote: flawed
Corked. But everyone in attendance tasted it anyway and agreed that it had outstanding structure and balance.
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12/31/2002 - JeffGMorris wrote:
Decanted 5+ hours. Dark purple almost black color. Dense aromas of currants, dark cherry and a hint of leather. Very rich on the palate with plums, chocolate and cherry. Long finish. Seems integrated with few tannins. Certainly drinking well and not on the decline but at least this particular bottle appears to be at peak.
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