Two Rhônes Diverged in a Wood.... ("Chateau La Grange" - La Grange IL): Double(ish) blind in Northern Rhône flight. Wow, what a shock and a treat! Meaty and earthy aromas with mature, ripe black cherry and plum. Palate is all that and more, coming across as powerful and charmingly balanced. Great right now. Oddly, I had this same wine from the same case two years ago and it was much more tired and not even close to this level of excellence. This was my #1 fav wine of the (10 wine) flight, and group's #3.
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Lots of earth with some fully mature black fruit still lingering around. Good weight and a finish that isn't completely pristine. Slightly cleaner and more powerful once open an hour, then starting to fade at the 2-hour mark. Slightly past its peak.
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At first a bit pruney and feels over the hill, but with time (1-2 hours) this begins to develop into a much finer wine. Still a bit over the hill, but not dead. The nose has a strong blood iodine component, with some aged violets, and saddle leather. . Very enjoyable to drink as a window into history, but this is pleasant, not amazing.
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Robe Rouge orange tuile. Cuir, écurie, fruits noirs, épices, Nez de +en+ exubérant avec l'aération. En bouche, cerises, épices en finale, assez long. Fond de carafe: nez plus puisant, bouche plus ample, réglisse et mûres. Parfait avec champignons sauvages et pintade confite.
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10+ Year Old Frenchies (Bistro Dre, Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Nose is shy and not giving much. Palate is light in body but still delivers good, complex flavor with iron, red and black fruit and lots of black pepper. Lifted and long finish. Lacks intensity and power, but still shows complexity and character.
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Finally a good bottle among the ones I had left. It could even be compared a bit with the 1990, it has a subtle spice, white pepper, a smoky touch and a good balance, great wine, but drink up.
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The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Chateau Lay): Aromas of black currants and spice, followed by a nice smoky note as it allowed to breathe in the glass. Flavors of dark fruit and nutmeg on the attack. Falls off relatively quickly, leaving a short, clipped finish.
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Served double blind to the group, this was our bottle but I did not pick it out. Garnet color with some bricking. Initial leather and red fruit aromas give way to wood and wet hay notes. Nicely integrated on the palate, with a bit of red fruit though it turns weedy and thin. Disappointing.
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13% alc. A weeper, but it doesn’t seem to have hurt it at all. Great nose, but the palate doesn’t deliver as much. Not that “as much” isn’t bad. Distinct, full and complete rosemary, violets, smoked meats, red fruits and tobo. It might be pretty, but it’s a very soft wine. “Given its age,” says the Professor, “it doesn’t have the secondary bottle sweetness that one might expect. A perfectly good wine, but not a wine for hard core collectors.” A rumor circulates the room, “BEB must have brought this wine.” These characters - left coast or not - carried some of the same strong suspicions as their East coast counter parts. It was eerie. A bit of sediment is found. If you have this wine, drink it; it’s ready. 02.18.07. See R&RR 2007.
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Saturday, April 07, 2001 Deep inky purple when opened and throughout the night. Cork pulled for approximately 1½ hours prior to drinking, but not decanted. My mistake, but not fatal. Rich, viscous legs, like oil. Initial nose of tar and pencil. As the wine opened, the nose expressed itself with blackberry, raspberry, tar, gaminess, mocha and violets. The first taste of the wine reflected a tightness with hefty tannins; flavors of tar, smoke and earth as well as black fruit. Later, with dinner, the wine reflected blackberries, raspberries, tar, coffee, chocolate, meat and a long finish of violets. Surprisingly, the wine showed none of the spiciness or pepper flavors I recall from the last bottle (tried several years ago.) The tannins are still a little hard, but the wine is very drinkable. A little amount of fine sediment. I suspect the wine will improve over 5 to 10 years. With steak Diana, (from Winelover’s Cookbook) spaghetti squash and broiled tomatoes. 4/7/01. This is the first ’expensive’ wine I recall purchasing by the case at $25.00/btl. I recall that only b/c Deneen found out and gave me a great deal of grief. Sunday, February 17, 2002 1989 E. Guigal Hermitage (Rouge): ’I smell bacon’. More closed and inaccessable than the 1990. Notes of black olive with wood tannins and simple cherry. Needs some time’ Notes by Steve South. See Rhones and Rednecks ’02 in WP. My own recollection was that the wine was a tight but need more air time; had notes of gaminess and some chocolate. It still needs time. Thursday, December 05, 2002 Distinct staining along two sides of the cork, which itself was moist; heat damage. Yet the color was fine - with only slight bricking on the edge. A somewhat muted nose of pepper, smoke and grilled meat. The fruit was evident with flavors much the same as the nose, but with plum, cherry pits (she says cherry), sun-dried tomatoes, spice (clove?) and leather. Yet the flavors were somewhat tight and restrained. The flavors were not tired, faded or cooked tasting, but lacked sharpness and focus. Loads of sediment. With chicken parmesan smothered in tomatoes, fennel sausage, mushrooms and rosemary. Sunday, February 16, 2003 gift to Michael Ross
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As Steve said "I smell bacon". That's enough of a hint for me that I will most likely not like the wine and I didn't. More closed and inaccessable than the 1990. Notes of black olive with wood tannins and simple cherry.
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Rhone Wine Tasting (Lafayette, Ca.): Bright red color in the glass, nice wine, medium body, simple, smoky wine to taste, medium/big body, nice, long finish.
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5/13/2021 - Vascular46 wrote: 87 Points
clearly past it's peak but still some black current fruit.
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3/30/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Two Rhônes Diverged in a Wood.... ("Chateau La Grange" - La Grange IL): Double(ish) blind in Northern Rhône flight. Wow, what a shock and a treat! Meaty and earthy aromas with mature, ripe black cherry and plum. Palate is all that and more, coming across as powerful and charmingly balanced. Great right now. Oddly, I had this same wine from the same case two years ago and it was much more tired and not even close to this level of excellence. This was my #1 fav wine of the (10 wine) flight, and group's #3.
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1/27/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 86 Points
Lots of earth with some fully mature black fruit still lingering around. Good weight and a finish that isn't completely pristine. Slightly cleaner and more powerful once open an hour, then starting to fade at the 2-hour mark. Slightly past its peak.
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3/31/2018 - Ron Slye wrote: 84 Points
At first a bit pruney and feels over the hill, but with time (1-2 hours) this begins to develop into a much finer wine. Still a bit over the hill, but not dead. The nose has a strong blood iodine component, with some aged violets, and saddle leather. . Very enjoyable to drink as a window into history, but this is pleasant, not amazing.
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3/29/2017 - lambomiura Likes this wine: 91 Points
Robe Rouge orange tuile. Cuir, écurie, fruits noirs, épices, Nez de +en+ exubérant avec l'aération. En bouche, cerises, épices en finale, assez long. Fond de carafe: nez plus puisant, bouche plus ample, réglisse et mûres. Parfait avec champignons sauvages et pintade confite.
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3/9/2014 - Nanda wrote: 89 Points
10+ Year Old Frenchies (Bistro Dre, Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Nose is shy and not giving much. Palate is light in body but still delivers good, complex flavor with iron, red and black fruit and lots of black pepper. Lifted and long finish. Lacks intensity and power, but still shows complexity and character.
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12/24/2013 - Vmaster007 wrote: 90 Points
It was a great bottle, it aged perfectly well not like its peers of the same year.
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6/2/2013 - Vmaster007 wrote: 90 Points
Finally a good bottle among the ones I had left. It could even be compared a bit with the 1990, it has a subtle spice, white pepper, a smoky touch and a good balance, great wine, but drink up.
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6/14/2009 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Chateau Lay): Aromas of black currants and spice, followed by a nice smoky note as it allowed to breathe in the glass. Flavors of dark fruit and nutmeg on the attack. Falls off relatively quickly, leaving a short, clipped finish.
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12/16/2007 - AllRed wrote:
Served double blind to the group, this was our bottle but I did not pick it out. Garnet color with some bricking. Initial leather and red fruit aromas give way to wood and wet hay notes. Nicely integrated on the palate, with a bit of red fruit though it turns weedy and thin. Disappointing.
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2/18/2007 - timewithwine wrote:
13% alc.
A weeper, but it doesn’t seem to have hurt it at all. Great nose, but the palate doesn’t deliver as much. Not that “as much” isn’t bad. Distinct, full and complete rosemary, violets, smoked meats, red fruits and tobo. It might be pretty, but it’s a very soft wine. “Given its age,” says the Professor, “it doesn’t have the secondary bottle sweetness that one might expect. A perfectly good wine, but not a wine for hard core collectors.” A rumor circulates the room, “BEB must have brought this wine.” These characters - left coast or not - carried some of the same strong suspicions as their East coast counter parts. It was eerie. A bit of sediment is found. If you have this wine, drink it; it’s ready. 02.18.07. See R&RR 2007.
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12/5/2004 - timewithwine wrote:
Saturday, April 07, 2001 Deep inky purple when opened and throughout the night. Cork pulled for approximately 1½ hours prior to drinking, but not decanted. My mistake, but not fatal. Rich, viscous legs, like oil. Initial nose of tar and pencil. As the wine opened, the nose expressed itself with blackberry, raspberry, tar, gaminess, mocha and violets. The first taste of the wine reflected a tightness with hefty tannins; flavors of tar, smoke and earth as well as black fruit. Later, with dinner, the wine reflected blackberries, raspberries, tar, coffee, chocolate, meat and a long finish of violets. Surprisingly, the wine showed none of the spiciness or pepper flavors I recall from the last bottle (tried several years ago.) The tannins are still a little hard, but the wine is very drinkable. A little amount of fine sediment. I suspect the wine will improve over 5 to 10 years. With steak Diana, (from Winelover’s Cookbook) spaghetti squash and broiled tomatoes. 4/7/01. This is the first ’expensive’ wine I recall purchasing by the case at $25.00/btl. I recall that only b/c Deneen found out and gave me a great deal of grief.
Sunday, February 17, 2002 1989 E. Guigal Hermitage (Rouge): ’I smell bacon’. More closed and inaccessable than the 1990. Notes of black olive with wood tannins and simple cherry. Needs some time’ Notes by Steve South. See Rhones and Rednecks ’02 in WP. My own recollection was that the wine was a tight but need more air time; had notes of gaminess and some chocolate. It still needs time.
Thursday, December 05, 2002 Distinct staining along two sides of the cork, which itself was moist; heat damage. Yet the color was fine - with only slight bricking on the edge. A somewhat muted nose of pepper, smoke and grilled meat. The fruit was evident with flavors much the same as the nose, but with plum, cherry pits (she says cherry), sun-dried tomatoes, spice (clove?) and leather. Yet the flavors were somewhat tight and restrained. The flavors were not tired, faded or cooked tasting, but lacked sharpness and focus. Loads of sediment. With chicken parmesan smothered in tomatoes, fennel sausage, mushrooms and rosemary.
Sunday, February 16, 2003 gift to Michael Ross
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2/17/2002 - JeffGMorris wrote:
As Steve said "I smell bacon". That's enough of a hint for me that I will most likely not like the wine and I didn't. More closed and inaccessable than the 1990. Notes of black olive with wood tannins and simple cherry.
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6/1/1998 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 Points
CT Group does Rhone Varietals @ Surf Village (Milford): Currants, minerals, and herbs, but all this is undermined by a medicinal, "band-aid", plastic aroma. A bit bitter and hot on the finish. An abused bottle?
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9/22/1993 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 86 Points
Rhone Wine Tasting (Lafayette, Ca.): Bright red color in the glass, nice wine, medium body, simple, smoky wine to taste, medium/big body, nice, long finish.
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