Very earthy with black wild blackberry fruit with olives and some prunes as well. Mature with integrated tannins so very soft into the finish which was quite long 30+ seconds. It's ready to drink for sure, but still has some time left to show well. A solid alternative to a CdP.
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Drinking well and showing the ageing quality of great Gigondas. Smooth and very “sudiste”. Will keep some more so no hurry (although i doubt it will improve much)
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Much going on with the nose: Spices, some damp leaves/forest floor, coffee, leather,dried fruits.Very smooth on the palate, which belied the 14.5% ABV. Velvety on the palate, and it got better over an hour or so.
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Schokolade, Zigarrenkiste, Zeder, noch etwas Garrigue, rote Beerenfrucht; die Frucht ist abgeschmolzen, Tannin ebenfalls, die Säure etwas dominant. Gereift, möglicherweise nicht optimal gelagert, trotzdem noch ein leckerer Wein!
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Medium garnet. Very little bricking. Nose is intense, with aromas of dried fruits, figs, olives. Aged while still holding some primary aromas. Medium body,high heat from alcohol (though only 14.5alc!) slightly tannic but with a soft mouthfeel. medium acidity. similar flavours of baked and dried fruit, licorice, coffee. Excellent length. Agree with one of the note below, this is a bit rustic but still an extremely enjoyable wine. Had it with a Coq au vin and it was wonderful.
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Fun wine that is at peak. All the juicy fruit and earthy goodness one could want. It’s robust but fresh enough. Pretty perfect BBQ red. No need to wait here. (92)
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having enjoyed another '07 Gigondas last week significantly more than anticipated, gave this one a try; believe it is trace affected by tca. not rated.
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The wine of the night at a comprehensive prepoured side by side tasting of Saint-Cosme wines with the winemaker owner, that included the currant vintages of Cote du Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Cote Rotie, Chateaneuf du Pape, and Gigondas, mostly from the fine 2016 vintage. Magnificently well aged, very smooth, rich, lush, and mouth coating, that still managed to have best acid and tannin structure of all the wines. Overall, a tribute to how great the 2007 vintage was, here sadly no longer available, rewarding those who wisely bought and cellared the 2007 vintage.
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Round, amture, creamy; very good spice here, sweetness from Grenache, some tannins still, but the oak is more or less integrated - the drinking windows has opened on this one. #New Year #Ole & Stine
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Our last bottle of the 2007. It is a little uninspiring compared to prior bottles . Still good but a little flat and ordinary compared to what we have come to expect from this producer. Not a lot of depth and complexity. We are marking it up to bottle variation given our excellent history with Saint-Cosme. NR
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Rumors of this wine's decline are certainly exaggerated. A dark ruby in the glass, the nose features dark cherry, plum, violets, white pepper, roasted meats and menthol. This improved considerably in the glass over two hours, the fruit coming forward, ample acidity and a fine, if unusual, pairing for rewarmed pizza. Must find a new source for the St. Cosme line, because every one of these are very enjoyable with a definite sense of place.
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I bought this bottle at the Domaine itself upon release. Nice nose of light spices, some brick and red candy. Pleasant taste of liquorice, red fruits with medium complexity. I missed some 'freshness' low acidity, round fleshy tannins. All-in-all a very pleasant wine, but my expectations were higher for a Saint Cosme in a top vintage as 2007. No need to wait, its in the middle of its drinking window and limited acidity and round tannins might reduce fast.
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Medium (+) ruby, with a bit of red brick on the edge. Slightly cloudy. Good concentration. Heady aroma, with black fruit, red fruit, herbs, smoke, savory spices. The acidity is medium, the tannins are medium (+) and the alcohol is high at 14.5%. This is drinking really well at 10 years of age and should continue to show well through at least 2020.
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Initial tasting immediately after a decant. Lovely floral and tart cherry aroma. Light and juicy on the palate at first but adds depth and complexity on the finish. Ripe cherry and blueberry flavor with a long, tart and lively finish. Still plenty of life left but it is in very good form now. A fine and elegant wine.
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A: Dense and Cloudy N: prominent expressive nose of smoke and meat and herbs/garrigue. Spice and Pepper. Worth spending time with this. P: Dense and luscious palette. The tannins are finally receding and the wine is on song. a couple of years ago this was closed and harsh and not pleasurable. =: really beautiful
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The standard Gigondas wine of the estate with a varietal composition of 67 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah, 12 % Mourvèdre and 1 % Cinsault, aged for twelve months in one to four years old oak barrels (70 %) and in concrete vats (30 %). This wine was nearly undrinkable in its youth due to its tight tannic structure (see my note of 9/14/2010) ; after 5-6 years of cellar rest it has evolved into a powerful but attractive Gigondas with a deep dark red color and an enticing nose of blackberry, kirsch liqueur, coffee, black pepper and a hint of charcoal. The opulent palate reveals a well-balanced wine with ample red fruit, sweet spices and still present but nicely integrated tannins. Long complex finish. The wine is at its peak now and will remain there for another 2-3 years.
De standaard Gigondas-wijn van het domein Saint-Cosme met een samenstelling van 67 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah, 12 % Mourvèdre en 1 % Cinsault; hij kreeg een rijping van twaalf maanden mee, deels in eiken vaten (70 %, één tot vier jaar oud), deels in betonnen tanks (30 %). Bijna ondrinkbaar in zijn jeugd, als gevolg van zijn dominante tannine-structuur (cf. mijn review van 9/14/2010), ontwikkelde de wijn zich na 5-6 jaar kelderrust tot een krachtige maar aantrekkelijke Gigondas met een diepe donkerrode kleur en een verleidelijke neus van bramen, kirsch, koffie, zwarte peper en een vleugje houtskool. Weelderig en mooi uitgebalanceerd smaakpatroon met overvloedig rood fruit, zachte kruiden en nog steeds presente maar fraai geïntegreerde tannines. Lange, complexe afdronk. Deze wijn is op zijn hoogtepunt nu en blijft nog een 2-3 jaar op dit niveau.
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Weekly tasting group RWP #250: Rhône; Gigondas Part 2 (@ BS): The bouquet shows herbs and spices, tea and primary fruits like cherries. On the palate red and dark berries and cherries, some chocolate, herbs, currants and even some leather. Beautiful acidity and soft tannin. Ready now and the next few years.
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A strong candidate for the greatest introductory Gigondas that Saint Cosme has made. Pours an inviting black into the glass, followed by equally seductive aromas of ripe blackberry and black cherry with zero off odors. The sip begins juicy, refreshingly acidic, and smoothly tannic, peaking with an added black currant fruit and gorgeously caressing texture. The swallow segues right into a long and ultimately drying finish thanks to the bite in the acidity and tannin. Overall, a tribute to how great the 2007 vintage is, that is amazingly fresh and vigorous for a 9 year old wine, has evolved a magnificently lush texture, and is well on it way to a peak in 3-5 years for the structuring acid and tannin to fully round and integrate.
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On the nose: Black pepper, cherry, dark fruit with over ripe sweetness. On the palate: Silky and fine mature tannins. Cherry, white pepper, mineral feeling and a load of good ripe dark fruit. Long finish
Drinking very well at the moment
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An interesting wine to ponder over a slice of pizza. Good fruit, not really any tannin left to hold you back. I enjoyed this again and no hurry to drink the final 2007.
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Pop & pour. Lots of fruit, a bit of heat, alcohol is not overblown. Good rounded feel. Mild acidity. Plenty of secondary spice. Very ripe. Less earth than the Hermitage from the same evening. Top value at well under £20.
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Beautiful stuff! Opened and decanted for about an hour and a half. Deep burgundy color with tears of joy clinging to the glass. The nose is a mixture of garrigues herbs and red fruit, some pin d'alep. There is still a kick of alcool heat in the mix. The palate is great. Light red fruit, a touch drying wood tannins, straw, herbs and balanced acidity. The finish brings back the garrigues with withe pepper, and a lasting confit of mushroom envelops the mouth. This glass transports you right back to the Rhone and that beautiful village of Gigondas. My only regret... not having duck to serve with it!
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PnP at a restaurant and was open and ready to go on the first sip. Consistent with my previous note from 5 years ago, except that the fruit has come down a notch and there is more elegance and complexity now. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink.
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This has really progressed from the last bottle I tried. It is in my view now in it's perfect drinking window. It probably has a couple more years within this window. The suggested drinking window of 2010 - 2012 is in my view incorrect, as the wine has turned out to have more staying power.
Smoky, black pepper on the noise. Mature autumn fruits on the palate, still a little tang of tannin. Reminds me of a 2003 chateauneuf du pape with bite.
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Really good show, with focus on the soil tones - black pepper, crushed rocks, saltiness. Well structured and long taste, finishes dry and fresh without any disturbing heat. Drinks perfectly well now without aeration, but should develop well for another five at least. Four bottles left...
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Consistent with previous note. Needed about thirty minutes in a decanter to open up. I love the nose on this wine. Cedar, garigue, spice and ripe fruit. Soft and mellow with well integrated tannins. Drinking extremely well right now. Delicious.
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More successful than the last bottle I opened. This displayeda full, herby nose and rich cherry and forest fruits with a touch of spice. Enjoyed with roast lamb for Easter lunch.
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This is in a good phase right now. Components have come together nicely. Garrigue with some nice cherry notes. Has the stuffing to go for another 3-5 years.
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I was looking for something a little spicy to go with our Moroccan spiced lamb chops. This fit the bill nicely. Pepper, boysenberry and kirsch flavours. Medium finish. A good food wine.
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Had a mini 2007 Gigondas tasting: Ch. de Saint Cosme, Saint Damien, and Pierre Amadieu (Dom Grand Romane). They came out in the mentioned order. Ch. de Saint Cosme was the clear winner with more vibrant fruit, several layers and great overall balance. Saint Damien ended close behind with a dense, deep yet somewhat less complex wine. The Dom. Grand Romane from Pierre Amadieu fell through in comparison. Not a bad wine, and on its own, it would have been quite sufficient. But comparing can be brutal. Had it for a dinner party with slow-roasted shank of pork.
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I've had several of these now over the last 2-3 years or so. I go back on my impression in 2010, as the general impression is that it has matured into a slightly lean Gigondas. Nose is bland and simple. Herbs and iodine. A bit pinched. Palate with some style. Lots of minerally interest in there, and good fruit. Slightly bitter mid palate and finish. Herby more than jammy. Alcohol a little protuberant. It's not quite my style of Gigondas.
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4th time from my cellar. Much better than last bottle and ths same as the first two. Delicious food wine. Cherry red in color. Nice subtle nose of blueberry and earth. Easy drinking palate of blueberry, cherry, earth, leather and pepper. Balanced with no tannin at the moment.
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Consistent with previous notes. Mellowing a bit but still bright and fresh. With a little time in decanter or glass a deeper and lusher secondary fruit and savory note shows. Magic at two hours from opening.
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deep red-purple; blue & black fruits, smoke & hardwood charcoal aromatics; blueberries, blackberries, fairly dense & intense, long, still showing plenty of grip but doesn't feel over-ripe or over-extracted; several years, at least, from peak.
6/20/14 decanted 30 min. dark red-purple; red & black plums, embers, scruffy bramble notes; med+ weight; roasted bramble fruits, iron & smoldering charcoal, less dense & powerful than anticipated, more in line w/a tasty, yet mature cotes du rhone today. an anomaly bottle, or advancing more rapidly than indicated by the previous example? (89)
radicchio & spicy soppressata pizza; escarole hearts in creamed corn & pecorino dressing w/roasted chioggias, mint & sun gold tomatoes
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Almost identical to the last bottle. Tight aromatics. Relatively translucent garnet color. Garigue, charcoal, blueberry and cinnamon. Medium weight and texture. It is drinking well now although still very young and fresh for those who prefer to wait. Much better after about three hours of air.
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Still very fresh with nice mouth feel. Quite persistent flavors of dark red fruit, earth, spice, and a hint of meat. Didn't decant, but probably should have. Great price to quality ratio
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Still very fresh with nice mouth feel. Quite persistent flavors of dark red fruit, earth, spice, and a hint of meat. Didn't decant, but probably should have. Great price to quality ratio
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On day 1, this was an unimpressive Gigondas with with a fair amount of fruit, but not much depth and a quite harsh. On day 2, this finally smoothed out a little bit, but still not that impressive. I'm worried that it was either still too young to drink or that this wine simply doesn't have the complexity to compete against the '06, which I loved.
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Very nice nose of kirsh and mature strawberries. Sadly not integrated at all and never will be. Plenty of tannins and acid. Dusty and fleshy. Long finish. Will not develop. Not my kind of style. OT
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One or two points for being perfectly a pointe. Red fruit with a certain stoniness if you will with a smooth almost creamy quality across the palate. Beautifully balanced - not a hint of alcohol across the palate. Plenty of length. Absolutely nothing not to really like about this bottle. As fine a match with a filet as can be, and that is what I drank it with.
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Tasted immediately after opening. Garigue, charcoal, blueberry, and earth. Smooth and subtle. Very easy drinking at this point although seems still in the process of coming together.
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Goûtés il y a 3 ans, il était serré et plutôt fermé. Aujourd'hui, la bouche montre une jolie texture et des tanins bien assagis. Il a une belle fraicheur et une finale assez fine, deux signes du terroir de Gigondas. Bien fait, il a toutefois un style un peu austère, plus chocolat/poivre/prunes que fruit rouge, manquant un peu de gourmandise à mon goût pour un tel millésime. Je chipote, mais il était quand même $39.5, une fortune pour le Rhône….:) 89 pts
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There are only 2 occasions when I will open a bottle of wine with dinner.... when I'm alone or with someone else. Since I am drinking alone tonight, I poured 1/2 of this into a 375 ml bottle right away and put into the fridge for tomorrow. While pouring, I got a nice whiff of cherries and blackberries. This wine is lighter in appearance than it is in the mouth. The tannins are mouth coating but not harsh. Some nice fruit flavours and herbs as well. Really enjoyed the first glass, poured a second and dinner still isn't ready...maybe I should take that small bottle out of the fridge. Yum.
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Dark red. Very nice nose of blackberry and lavender, not ripe at all. Medium weight blackberry and cherry flavours and a balanced finish. Not huge or ripe, really nice wine.
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A year and a half since last tried. Still a nice food wine, but fruit is starting to fade. Still dark plum in color with nice nose of blueberry, minerals and spice. Some plum on the palate, but mostly an earthiness with pepper and meat.
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Loftað í góðan klukkutíma. Dökkt, en ljóst í kantinn. Berjaangan. Vottur af súru í bragði, krydd, ber, sulta og lakkrís. Á örugglega eftir að batna enn. Prófa aftur eftir 2 ár.
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Utterly superb wine that oozes quality. The combination of the texture, aromas and taste all wrap up around each other - like someone has ground down a rock into fine powder and mixed it with raspberries and black fruit. Textured, cool, compact and very fine - seriously quality for the price. Excellent and will last years.
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Steaks and wines at Dan's house (Bellevue, Washington): Tasted single blind. Blackberries, meat, flowers, minerals, and some herbs on the nose. Blackberry, raspberry, flowers, blood, herbs, and pepper on the palate. Good acidity. Good finish. Medium bodied and unctuous texture. Really delicious. I guessed it was a lot more expensive than it was. I'm kicking myself for not buying more of this when it came out.
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Excellent wine; should have purchased more at the time! Blackberry, cherry and oak are still present, but with the "heat" turned down the smooth mouthfeel of this wine really comes through. Gigondas is a real hidden gem compared to wines up to 4X the price comprised of the same varietals.
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A darker opaque garnet with an expressive nose of cherry plum, graphite, and black pepper. Velvet in texture, and complicated, with a red/black pepper element that is intriguing. Notwithstanding the spice, plenty of fruit to see it through, although the cherry gets progressivly more reserved with time open. Good on its own; great with food. Seems to have plenty of life left.
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This is actually starting its early drinking window, in my view. On the nose an overall feeling of "velvet" springs to mind. And as with the 05 Valbelle, it has some cedar tree as well, yet a lot less if any distinguishable pencil shavings at all ?! Call me crazy, but I actually believe it smelled a bit like a crushed Mentos. On the palate it gives away som lavender as well as some other fresh component, that I could not distinguish. Perhaps the Mentos-thing going on on the palate as well? Anyway, full-bodied and a lingering, long finish. Still, it had a good firm tannic grip on the mouth, so I would expect to enjoy this one for up to 10-12 yrs from harvest. Beautiful effort at a very reasonable price.
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Tasted tonight after a 1.5 hour decant. This is by far the best this wine has been so far. Mineral and red fruit aroma. Very soft and alluring flavors with black fruit, spice and garrigue most prominent. Elegant, sensual and lengthy finish. Excellent and a superb match for our grilled lamb chops.
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Consistent with previous note. Seems to be moving into a good drinking window but still needs significant air time to really open up. ... two nights later, we had just a small amount of this left and it was still excellent.
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Oh... This is seriously good. A blend of 67% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, and 1% Cinsault, it is impressive that a wine this young display such complex secondary aromatics. A festival of black and white pepper, paprika, broccoli tops, licorice, spices and wet earth on the nose, followed by a rich and mouth-coating palate and a long finish with additional hints of garrigue and sandalwood. Pair it with the right kind of food and you're up for a major treat.
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Big wine. Lots going on. Herbaceous. Needs a little more time in the bottle for my tastes, however I found a lot of bottle variation in the 06 so who knows.
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Appears to be closed down at this point. However, the potential is there; dark and balanced fruit, herbs, black olives, and a refreshing acidity. Was a lot more charming about one year ago. My guess is that cellaring for another 5+ years will give reward.
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Leider eingeschränkt beurteilbar durch meine Erkältung, aber soweit erkennbar, eine wunderbar saftig-würzige Verbindung mit viel Kirsche, Garrigue, Pfeffer, Mineralität; gute Struktur, vollmundig, feines Tannin; ein schöner Essensbegleiter auch zum kräftigen Essen
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An amazing bottle. Compaired to the Gigondas La Valbelle from the same vintage, this is definitely readier to drink now, while La Valbelle has certainly more potential for aging. Very dark ruby with a gorgeous nose of kirsch, fig paste and garrigue. Full-bodied with velvety tannins, opulent fruit and balancing acidity. Long aftertaste. Drink now and over the next 5 years.
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mushroom on the nose, juicy fruit on the tongue with raspberry notes, long finish with hints of white pepper. Very good. Would wait another year to see how this wine develops before opening another bottle. Yum.
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Tasted 1 1/2 hours after decanting. This is the first bottle of this wine that we have opened in six months. The last seemed to be a little closed relative to earlier bottles. That is still true. This is more than pleasurable drinking but not where it was a year ago. A phase or something more permanent? Time will tell. ... five hours later and it is showing a lot more leg. Perhaps a longer decant is in order on our next.
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Just a dark, brooding, exotic wine. Lots of dark fruit and tannins to match. Drank too young but still wonderful. This will be amazing in 5 years or so.
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Maybe I'm not getting this (or didn't decant long enough) but it seems way too early and closed now. It shows great promise but seems pointless to open yet.
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After decanting this was really a pleasure - as always. Many dark berries and herbs. A slight gamy nose started to appear, which I expect will be more apparent when this wine matures. Very dark purple colour.
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I just love this Gigondas-producer. The 2007 is beginning to be mature enough to my taste-buds. Very nice balanced wine, firm and fruity grip of the mouth, so to speak. Great with a BBQ'ed lamb chop.
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Tasted initially at 63 degrees immediately after opening. Blackish purple and opaque. Tight nose. Minerality jumps out, the fruit less so. Blackberry, mineral, spice and some pepper. Moderate tannin. The last few bottles of this wine have been much more reserved and mellow than those we opened in late 2009 and early 2010. They have been very good but lacked some of the sizzle of those early bottles. Then the wine benefited from a decant. Now it demands it. This bottle has been steadily improving as the evening goes on.
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My last bottle was only 4 months ago but this is quite more expressive. While the last bottle was still quite burly, this is more expressive. While drinking this wine what played out in my mind is the intriguingly complex play of rustic character (i convinced myself that the touch of brett was complexing) with the iron/rusty character and the very ripe fruit. I liked that.
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Tasted after a one hour decant. It has a very subdued nose and a bright, delicious fresh fruit flavor but few of the usual other flavor elements that have made previous bottles of this wine so interesting. The tannins are also very subdued and there is a slight sour note on the finish. I had to look at the bottle to make sure that it was the wine I thought it was. We opened a second bottle and it was excellent. Not sure what the problem was with the first but it was definitely off.
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Notes from day 2. Dark purple in color. Nose of blackberry,floral action, some smoke, minerality, and herb. Palate of mixed raspberries, figs, herb, earth, with pepper toward the end. The finish was above average in length and the balance was decent for a hot year. Lots of minerality and tannins still going, good qpr. Hold or drink: 50+5+12+17+7
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Spicy nose of currants, underbrush, and spice. Palate of black cherries and currants, and lovey spice character. Gritty tannins with a slightly austere nature that was more prominent than previous bottles. Tar and plums on the finish. Nice wine, great for the price.
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This was a little sharp when I first opened it, but after about an hour things really seemed to settle down. Lots of nice fruit, but not as ripe as some of the other 2007 gigondas that I have had. I really enjoy both styles, so I'm a happy camper. This was a really good solid wine, but give it a little air time.
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Good nose with salt licorice and olives. Perfectly balanced: sweet fruit, tannins, acidity. Garrigue galore. Mint and spices. The tannins are sandy, very pleasant. At its peak - at least it is hard to see how this very approachable wine can improve with age.
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Tasted after a 90 minute decant. Much more closed than our last bottle. We seem to be getting a fair amount of bottle variation with this wine or it is taking an erratic path to it's destination, or both.
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Tasted at an '07 Southern Rhone tasting. One of the more tannic offerings of the evening. Good fruit and acidity, but will the fruit outlast the tannins? A bit rustic when compared with the likes of Beaucastel and Vieux Telegraphe, but at half the price, worth a look.
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This is early for this wine. Still comes across as a bit burly even though there are some nice touches of dried herbs and dried meat on the nose. On palate, the ripeness of the fruit comes across as concentration and sweetness but in a style which lacks expression. This will get much better.
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Had it side by side with Guigal 07 Gigondas (90 Pts.) which was very nice, but not as good as the St. Cosme. Dark ruby red. Fine nose of blueberry, cherry, cassis, some floral elements and pepper. A terrific food wine that went well with excellent molecular cooking at Marigold BYOB in Philly. Ready to drink with no tannin. Beautiful balanced palate of cherry, black currant, lilac, pepper and spice. Nice acidity. A beautiful food wine.
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Southern Rhone night: 3 hour decant. A modern, fruit-driven Gigondas. Well structured. Very pleasant. Shows the quality of the 2007 Grenache. Sweet, silky, sexy. Some complexity. Nice stuff with room to improve for a decade.
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Pop and pour and it only improved with each passing minute. Tantotinto hit the nail on the head. It impresses as a big fruit wine but doesn't hammer you the same as the Cali wines do. It's big but smooth, subtle with integrated tannins and a lingering soft finish. Dark fruit, tobacco, mild oak, vanilla, plum, blackberry, cherries. Nice full body with great legs...hmmmm...elegant. Great price point.
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4 hours decant. A very pleasant if discreet nose with some distant wood. On the palate round and pleasant with some licorice. Harmony in abundance. Iren guessed CdR. Tannic, but less so than the 2006 as we remember it. Our perception is full drinkability, but others state it should be kept, so will do just that with our other bottles. I will say though, that this is a very pleasurable, elegant and competent wine.
We had a reindeer and wild self-picked mushroom casserole; a good match.
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Oeil : profond sans être opaque, forte viscosité en parois, larmes colorées Nez : projection d'intensité moyenne, sensation de retenue, fruits noirs, groseilles, animal, fumé, empyrheumatique, prunes, minéral, calcaire, boisé fin et élégant Bouche : sec, ample+, tannins très très fins, charnus et jeunes, légère astringence, légèrement asséchant, un brin amer, acidité rafraîchissante et bien dosée, très belle longueur, rétro fruitée, fumée et minérale, tout en équilibre. Conclusion : superbe équilibre, encore beaucoup trop jeune et sur la retenue. Observations complémentaires : - Mis en carafe à l'ouverture. - Bu les 3/4 de la carafe sur 3 heures environ, pour essayer de le délier. Résultat : il s'est à peine assoupli. - Laissé en carafe ouverte au comptoir pour la nuit. 14 heures après l'ouverture, assoupli d'avantage mais toujours cette sensation de retenue au nez, mais aucune sensation d'oxydation à ce moment. - Toujours en carafe ouverte au comptoir, 27 heures après l'ouverture : oxydé, acidulé, trop tard...
Note perso : 89 actuellement, dans un registre un peu fermé et non intégré, par ailleurs excellent potentiel (91-92+) sur 5-10 ans.
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Very difficult to describe and to rate this wine, as it is totally closed for business at present. Nose is restrained and the tannins overpower the fruit and the other components. The wine has certainly potential, but I think that at least 3-4 more years of cellaring is needed to come together.
Het is momenteel bijzonder moeilijk om deze wijn te beschrijven en beoordelen. De wijn is volkomen gesloten, heeft bijna geen bouquet en de tannines zijn nog veel te dominant. Heeft allicht heel wat potentieel, maar volgens mij moet men hem nog minstens 3-4 jaar kelderrust gunnen.
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A lush, well balanced Rhone with the grenache most prominent. Currant and blackberry fruit on a medium to full body frame with low to medium acidity. Drinking very well now despite its youth, it will be tough to not drink my other bottle soon. Nice alone or with food.
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Decanted for one hour. Consistent with previous note.
My wife and I just completed a month in the California Central Coast sampling the Rhone blends from that region. We liked them a great deal and will buy more. The vintners in that region have made incredible strides in a short time and it will be exciting to follow their progress. This Gigondas reminds us though of the differences between the Rhone Rangers and the wines of the Southern Rhone. The quality and intensity of the fruit in the California wines was unforgettable but it can be so overwhelming as to make them a bit one dimensional. This Saint-Cosme reminds us that we still prefer the original. There is rich fruit present also in the wines of the Rhone, particularly this vintage. But there is a depth and complexity that we love and did not find in the Central Coast. Will that change over time? We look forward to continuing this comparison in the future.
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Phenomenal bottle of wine, especially for the price. Tons of complex fruits, outstanding tannins that seemed to dance over the mouth without being obtrusive, and tons of spice and herbs without the medicinal quality that I find in many New World syrahs. VERY tight when first opened, it was still improving after an hour to air. Could definitely use more time in bottle.
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Richer fruit than with the previous bottle. Lots of dark berries, fresh herbs, some earth and spices. Drank with a steak tip kabobs on the grill that had a spicy red pepper marinade, and the interplay between the hot pepper and the wine was terrific.
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Dark plum purple. Blueberry and blackberry on the nose. Really fine on the palate. Integrated leather, minerals, pepper and subdued fruit of blueberry and cherry. Smooth, delicious and ready to drink. No tannin and perfect with ribs from the bbq. Popped and poured.
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Decanted 3+ hours. A full black-ruby clearing slightly at the edges. Tight chalky mineral aromas mark the nose with white pepper, cherry, strawberry, and rosebud. The mineral streak continues onto the palate, giving way to clean notes of espresso and dried oregano. From this backdrop the fruit comes forth; with red apple, cherry, and raspberry emerging through the middle. Really nice interplay between mineral and red fruit here, with the green herb elements nicely integrated and adding depth. Lively with a firm ending, and long flavors of added minerality and red tree fruit.
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Decanted for 1 hour, and consumed half on day 1 and the other half on day 3. day 1 was earthy, minerally, a bit closed, a little hot, but very enjoyable and complex. day 3 was loaded with warm spice cake, red and blue fruits, just enough acidity to keep it honest, and an overall hedonistic experience. i loved day 3! that tells me that this has a long life ahead of it. great qpr!!
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Fourth bottle. We tried with 48h of airing - and what a show! The fruit aromas are totally pure and captivating with sweet strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. So complex - one note follows the other, with some fresh herbs and flowers on top. Extremely well balanced on the palate, without a hint of heat - even with spicy food. Lovely lenght where the power has given way for great elegance - and the stony, saline minerality from previous bottles. This will do great in the cellar, but also shows a lot of what it's got tonight. We're so happy we bought a case!
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Having a bit of a merry-go-round with this wine. First couple of bottles were terrific, then one or two that seemed much riper and flabbier. This is back in the terrific camp, oozing dark plum and raspberry fruit, not at all overripe, bits of underbrush, tar and grilled meat, with plenty of fine tannic structure. Hard to know if the differences have been me or the bottle, maybe the source? Anyway, quite a nice wine, love the complexity and depth in this 07 without any overdone ripeness.
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It's certainly on the riper side of the spectrum and rather fruit forward but it retains a nice degree of freshness, some nice spices and focusing iron grip.
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A beautiful example of what Gigondas can produce. Like a good CdP, but at a fraction of the cost. I particularly liked the spice note that hits in the finish once it opens up. There's a bit of heat here too. Definitely a food wine. Drink this with a nice pasta tagliatelle.
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Slow O'ed for 12 hours before serving. Nose: ripe plum, with hints of spice and some definite alcohol notes coming through. In the mouth, lush dark fruit, very smooth (not much acid), good length. There is a brooding element to this wine that for me at least indicates that its best days lie ahead. I'm going to wait another 18-24 months before popping another one. Notes taken mainly from Day 2.
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Excellent wine, but definitely too young to enjoy at the moment. Not putting a score as it's difficult for me to predict what it will become, but it certainly has of potential. Lots of heat on the finish from the alcohol at the moment. Needs at least a couple of years to settle. Hopefully it will become as enjoyable as the '06.
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Served at 63 degrees and one hour after decanting. The last bottle of this wine was a little tight so I dropped my rating. Not so this bottle. It is excellent and drinking very well now although it will no doubt improve with time.
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not bad, but a little disappointing. bright fruit, earth, allspice, and strong pepper on the finish. dont really get the mineral character I was hoping for. okay, but for $40 you could do better. nice finish, and some good complexity. I think I just dont like the pepper character in wine, it really turns me off. nevertheless, still a well made wine. intense.
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Served at 63 degrees 30 minutes after decanting. Still excellent but lacking the wow factor of the last two bottles. The fruit is more subdued and the tannins more pronounced. Rating lowered a couple of points as a result. I assume and hope that the wine and/or my palate were just in an awkward phase this evening. Second evening the tannins had relaxed considerably.
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Inky purple, big nose of tobacco, iodine, vanilla, blackberries and spice box, palate is a bit acidic and stemy with the fruit currently being overpowered by the tannins, time will tell, solid finish with mixed dark fruits and spices
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Fight Night Wines (Washington, D.C.): tight nose, opened up in the dacanter. lots of dark black fruits and some floral aspects. dense and tannic, but loads of fresh, ripe black fruits. yummy and fruity, but this has serious complexity as well.
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Powered nose full of dark fruit, chocolate and blood. After a while, some attractive spiciness. For a passing moment almost a Zinfandel-like association. The architecture is good - protruding tannins, elegant acidity. The alcohol is noticeable, bit not too much. The taste is long and concentrated. The wine is still young and obnoxious, and will probably come together more with time. Overall a memorable drinking experience. This wine's got personality!
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Flamboyant and rich this shows great intensity to its nearly overripe dark plum, blackberry, currant paste, white pepper, tar, and crushed gravel flavors. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with expansive primary flavors, and a raw, youthful structure.
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dark red; somewhat reticent nose of kirsch, thyme, black cherry and blackberry; opened up over an hour or two to include some coffee and clove notes; medium bodied with dark spicy fruit overlying bright acidity; decent finish. Needs more time? overall relatively closed.
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Very floral overtones on a dark chocolate backdrop. Impressive structure, freshness and saline minerality. Combines real power and elegance at bargain price level.
Took to party at Chip and Ingrid's, no detailed notes. Nice grenache fruit and structured with vibrant acid and tannins. Ready to drink, especially with food, or hold because there seems to be plenty of stuffing.
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Consistent with previous note. If anything it is better than I remembered. Superb with this evening's grilled steaks. It would be difficult to come up with a better way to spend $30.
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Good wine with lots of flavor. Cherry, raspberry, black pepper, vanilla, dirty socks, and anise. Tannic finish with lingering raspberry aftertaste. This wine's mix of strong fruit and strong spices with a strong oak backdrop is exceptional.
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Quite young and tannic with a shy plum and crushed rock nose. palate is well structured and balanced, with some spice coming though with time, quite acidic, and lengthy finish of fruit and mineral. Needs a few more years to come together,m though densely concentrated and well balanced.
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This wine really took me by surprise. It resembles an almost mature Boredeaux. Very elegant, balanced, complex, smooth, rustic. Sure, it is still very young and tannic, but it is very approachable nevertheless after only about 1,5 hours of decanting.
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Red and dark fruit - red currant, cherry, strawberry, blueberry - slight floral notes, spices and some tar on the nose. Concentrated but bright fruit on the medium bodied and nicely balanced palate. Nice feel of tannins. Some spicy and herbal notes, minerality and appealing medium toasty oak flavors: mocha, smoke, cedar. Already hugely enjoyable.
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Au resto Louis Vin à Paris avec M. Boilard. Un bon Gigondas assez vigoureux, avec bonne quantité de fruit rouge et des épices, une bonne structure pour la garde. Bien plein et un peu extrait, il devrait se montrer supérieur d'ici quelques années.
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Very rich and juicy, with delicious dark chocolate, fig, olive, raspberry sauce, and peppery notes laid over cassis and mineral. A Very long and expressive finish. Really showing off the quality 0f the '07 vintage. Drink 2010 through 2022.
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purple colored and very viscous in the glass. the nose was really tight starting off but it really exploded with a few hours in the decanter and lots of swirliong. tons of black cherries on the nose, some currants, grape stems, and the skins of black fruit (like if you could just smell the skin of blueberries, not the actual fruit, if that makes any sense.) opened up and showed some floral aspects with some time. tannic as hell on the palate, but it's matched with a density and purity of fruit that is astounding. really pure blueberry, blackberry fruit with some chocolate and a distinct note of peppermint and cinnamon stick on the finish. the finish is long and solid. great wine but i'd hold onto this for a year, because there's a lot more in there that's just not coming out quite yet.
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Drinks with Isaac (Matt's apartment): Poured my first class after a flash decant. Wow. Wound too tight to even get into. Basically unapproachable for the first 60 minutes. Over the course of a lengthy decant it began to take on some life. Really nice clove notes came through in addition to dark cherries. Sad to have opened this so early. Feel like I didn't really give it a fair chance with the decant I gave it. It has potential to be a mid 90s wine with a couple years of bottle aging and/or 6+ hours of decanting.
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Spices, blackberries and cherries in the bouquet. With time in the bottle this may take on some "port like" qualities. Cherries and some earth in the finish. Promising wine that needs either two hours in a decanter (at least) or two to three years in a cellar. Still too much heat here....but a good value
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Very nice wine for $25. Rich dark ruby colour. Nose is sweet and complicated. Palate and finish are cherry and berry with spices and minerals. Popped and poured. It seems to be a lighter wine and I'm not sure how it will age. Next time I open one I will leave a bit for a day in the bottle and see what happens.
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Notes from day 2. Bought a second bottle at a local wine shop to see if there was any bottle variation or travel shock hurting the first bottle. Nose was goregous with blueberry, blackberry, scorched earth, toast, and pepper. On the palate there was blueberry, jammy red berries, earth, turkish figs, with high quality tannins at the end. The finish is above average and there is nice balance to this wine, not jammy at all to my palate. This might have been aided by a recent riedel glass additon as well. Hold. 50+5+14+16+7
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Expressive nose of violets, blueberries, strawberries, and background roasted notes, some earth and just a hint of pepper. Balanced palate with nice acids and moderate long finish. Nice overall for the money.
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Notes from day 2, from glass poured 2 hours prior. Nose was the highlight with licorice,blackberry, little floral, smoke On the palate there was a fig component, with some blueberry, kirsh, roasted red meat, white pepper. Opened this bottle last evening in prep for the big day and was happy with the result as it was way too tight until 2 hours into Thanksgiving meal. Was afraid this would be travel shocked by a 6 hour drive 4 days prior, but didn't appear to be too bad off on the nose, but the palate was a little muted IMO. Will hold my last tradition for at least a nother year, but will last much longer, just trying to keep my hands off the upper tier cuvee's at this point. Hold. 50+5+13+15+7
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Spicy aromas with blackberry, anise and black pepper flavors. Black pepper on the finish. Medium weight with OK balance and complexity with tannins to resolve on the finish. Very young but good. Purchased at a restaurant and not decanted.
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Opened and served at 60 degrees without decanting. First I admit to being a big-time Southern Rhone fan. Second, Chateau St Cosme is a favorite producer. With that said, this wine is way up there on the pleasure scale. Best St-Cosme Gigondas Tradition that I have tasted. It is reddish black in color, almost opaque. The nose is as rich with fruit as a young vintage Port. The taste is a big, full, intense, and long collage of dark red and black fruit. This will undoubtedly improve with time but it is also soo... delicious right now.
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I liked this wine a lot, although I think it will be still much better after a few years cellaring. It is a powerful and balanced wine that is full of fruit and has nicely complex classy oak.
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Audozed it for 2 hours. Nice concentration & smooth mouthfeel, medium bodied, red fruits, earth, a touch of vanilla, I will wait a few more years before popping another.
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2007 Rhone Tasting at Local Wine Shop (Wine Sense): Outstanding. This is a great bottle of wine. Even the nose was well layered, alternating wafts of blackberries, flowers and light smoke. The palate was rich and complex with suprisingly smooth tannins. Obviously built for time, but I could see one drinking this with a piece of red meat after a nice decant. Blackberries, Dark cherries, anise, spice and brambly notes are detected on the palate.
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This wine needs some serious time .. only opened up after a few hours and then started showing it's wonderful fruit. Won't be touching again for at another 3-5 years.
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Southern Rhones-2007 and 2005 (Beltramo's, Menlo Park): Medium ruby. Licorice, creosote, and candied fruit. After the almost overwhelming Mordoree Lirac, this is a completely different animal-more elegant, lighter weight, lots of herb tones and much less obvious fruit. Very good basic cuvee and the only one of the '07s that did not show any trace of excess alcohol. What a relief.
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The South of France (Farpointe Cellar): The nose was somewhat tight, but had blackberry, spice, and a little cassis. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, pepper, and cassis.
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Okay, I'm going to join the praise parade on this one too. Decanted for 1.5 hours and was very impressed with this wine. I've purchased Gigondas in past vintages, but have not opened and tried them yet. So, I had no historical reference point. The wine was recommended by my favorite retailer and he was right - this is a great wine for the money. I decided to open this recent vintage to give it a try. Nose was muted but fruitful. The second glass revealed cherry cobbler (maybe with a taste of being overcooked, but not in a bad way). Great nose and lingering aftertaste. Had some pizza at the tail end of this bottle and it rose to the occasion. This would be a fun wine to try with many foods. However, it stands out on its own as a sipping wine too. Back to the wine store to grab a few more bottles of this one...
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Decanted for 4 hours. Dark ruby in the glass. Very rich mouthfeel on a medium to heavy bodied wine. On opening the nose was quite strong, but became more restrained after the decant. Red fruit, spice garrigue, and perhaps a hint of vanilla on the nose. Rich red fruit (my wife called it cherry, but I'm not sure about that) on the palate, more spice, a hint of iodine. Good structure. Long pleasant finish.
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Two hour decant. Lovely, and surprisingly open, nose of black and blue berries, spice and coffee. Fruit, spicey herbs, and a very lively mouthfeel once this hits the palate. Medium to long finish with sweet notes of fig and licorice. First tasted this in May at a wine shop in Gigondas, and bought a case when I returned to the States. This has the stuffing to age for another five years, but is exceptional now.
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Trip to the Southern Rhone; 6/11/2009-6/12/2009 (Avignon, Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas and the Dentelles du Montmirail): Another example of the strength of the vintage. This was a smashing Gigondas. Absolutely perfumed nose - which seems to be a badge of Saint-Cosme's style. I got beautiful notes of lavender and thyme along with spicy, dusky red fruits, pepper, garrigue and raw meat. I really liked the palate as well, which had a clean freshness with round blue fruits, little sweet berries, a touch of plums and a firm structure lent by surprisingly plush, ripe melted tannins. Finish had a nice interplay between thyme and fruits lingering for some time.
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12/29/2023 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful mushroom soup. Love this tertiary phase, at which this seems to be at a nice peak. This is a great time to drink your remaining bottles.
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8/8/2023 - portman63 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very earthy with black wild blackberry fruit with olives and some prunes as well. Mature with integrated tannins so very soft into the finish which was quite long 30+ seconds. It's ready to drink for sure, but still has some time left to show well. A solid alternative to a CdP.
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7/16/2023 - Wineallover wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well and showing the ageing quality of great Gigondas. Smooth and very “sudiste”. Will keep some
more so no hurry (although i doubt it will improve much)
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11/1/2022 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Much going on with the nose: Spices, some damp leaves/forest floor, coffee, leather,dried fruits.Very smooth on the palate, which belied the 14.5% ABV. Velvety on the palate, and it got better over an hour or so.
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10/2/2022 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Schokolade, Zigarrenkiste, Zeder, noch etwas Garrigue, rote Beerenfrucht; die Frucht ist abgeschmolzen, Tannin ebenfalls, die Säure etwas dominant. Gereift, möglicherweise nicht optimal gelagert, trotzdem noch ein leckerer Wein!
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1/27/2022 - humagne wrote: 80 Points
Cork was perfect, but the wine was oxidized and unbalanced.
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9/26/2021 - Chekib m. Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium garnet. Very little bricking.
Nose is intense, with aromas of dried fruits, figs, olives. Aged while still holding some primary aromas.
Medium body,high heat from alcohol (though only 14.5alc!) slightly tannic but with a soft mouthfeel. medium acidity. similar flavours of baked and dried fruit, licorice, coffee. Excellent length.
Agree with one of the note below, this is a bit rustic but still an extremely enjoyable wine. Had it with a Coq au vin and it was wonderful.
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9/6/2021 - melzar wrote: 89 Points
Big wine. A little rustic, and over extracted for my taste. Tastes young, and has a long life ahead.
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7/3/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points
Fun wine that is at peak. All the juicy fruit and earthy goodness one could want. It’s robust but fresh enough. Pretty perfect BBQ red. No need to wait here. (92)
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4/8/2021 - Frijole wrote:
dirty brownish maroon, medium clarity, slight brickish hue
Nose: cherry, plum, leather, coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla, bay leaf, allspice, licorice, fennel, earth, black pepper, stem, dust, bouquet garni, oak
Pal: cherry, plum, leather, tar, tobacco, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, bay leaf, allspice, licorice, fennel, earth, black pepper, minerals, dust, garrigue, oak
Feel: medium
Finish: medium, short
TC9
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10/24/2020 - b.w_anderson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose: raisin and earth
Mouth: silky smooth, but with a nice little tannic pinch at the end
Finish: long, more raisin
Drink now!
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5/12/2020 - pigdaddy wrote:
having enjoyed another '07 Gigondas last week significantly more than anticipated, gave this one a try; believe it is trace affected by tca. not rated.
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3/12/2019 - Jdwinedrinker Likes this wine:
drinking well. surprised in context of expectations for the vintage
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2/2/2019 - Mossrose wrote: 95 Points
The wine of the night at a comprehensive prepoured side by side tasting of Saint-Cosme wines with the winemaker owner, that included the currant vintages of Cote du Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Cote Rotie, Chateaneuf du Pape, and Gigondas, mostly from the fine 2016 vintage. Magnificently well aged, very smooth, rich, lush, and mouth coating, that still managed to have best acid and tannin structure of all the wines. Overall, a tribute to how great the 2007 vintage was, here sadly no longer available, rewarding those who wisely bought and cellared the 2007 vintage.
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12/31/2018 - beatles wrote: 91 Points
Round, amture, creamy; very good spice here, sweetness from Grenache, some tannins still, but the oak is more or less integrated - the drinking windows has opened on this one.
#New Year #Ole & Stine
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4/22/2018 - colmanstephenson Likes this wine:
Grand Mange.
Spicy yet solid.
Dense compared to the Preiure Lichine (Margaux) 2005 served at the same time.
I believe this is still on the way up.
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3/14/2018 - colmanstephenson Likes this wine:
.
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3/7/2018 - tantotinto wrote:
Our last bottle of the 2007. It is a little uninspiring compared to prior bottles . Still good but a little flat and ordinary compared to what we have come to expect from this producer. Not a lot of depth and complexity. We are marking it up to bottle variation given our excellent history with Saint-Cosme. NR
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8/7/2017 - wicozani Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rumors of this wine's decline are certainly exaggerated. A dark ruby in the glass, the nose features dark cherry, plum, violets, white pepper, roasted meats and menthol. This improved considerably in the glass over two hours, the fruit coming forward, ample acidity and a fine, if unusual, pairing for rewarmed pizza. Must find a new source for the St. Cosme line, because every one of these are very enjoyable with a definite sense of place.
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8/7/2017 - WineWimpie wrote: 89 Points
I bought this bottle at the Domaine itself upon release.
Nice nose of light spices, some brick and red candy. Pleasant taste of liquorice, red fruits with medium complexity. I missed some 'freshness' low acidity, round fleshy tannins. All-in-all a very pleasant wine, but my expectations were higher for a Saint Cosme in a top vintage as 2007. No need to wait, its in the middle of its drinking window and limited acidity and round tannins might reduce fast.
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6/25/2017 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium (+) ruby, with a bit of red brick on the edge. Slightly cloudy. Good concentration. Heady aroma, with black fruit, red fruit, herbs, smoke, savory spices. The acidity is medium, the tannins are medium (+) and the alcohol is high at 14.5%. This is drinking really well at 10 years of age and should continue to show well through at least 2020.
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6/21/2017 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Initial tasting immediately after a decant. Lovely floral and tart cherry aroma. Light and juicy on the palate at first but adds depth and complexity on the finish. Ripe cherry and blueberry flavor with a long, tart and lively finish. Still plenty of life left but it is in very good form now. A fine and elegant wine.
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5/8/2017 - colmanstephenson wrote:
Drunk at Wine Night (Olivier, Nicola)
A: Dense and Cloudy
N: prominent expressive nose of smoke and meat and herbs/garrigue. Spice and Pepper. Worth spending time with this.
P: Dense and luscious palette. The tannins are finally receding and the wine is on song. a couple of years ago this was closed and harsh and not pleasurable.
=: really beautiful
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4/11/2017 - huse wrote: 91 Points
The standard Gigondas wine of the estate with a varietal composition of 67 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah, 12 % Mourvèdre and 1 % Cinsault, aged for twelve months in one to four years old oak barrels (70 %) and in concrete vats (30 %). This wine was nearly undrinkable in its youth due to its tight tannic structure (see my note of 9/14/2010) ; after 5-6 years of cellar rest it has evolved into a powerful but attractive Gigondas with a deep dark red color and an enticing nose of blackberry, kirsch liqueur, coffee, black pepper and a hint of charcoal. The opulent palate reveals a well-balanced wine with ample red fruit, sweet spices and still present but nicely integrated tannins. Long complex finish. The wine is at its peak now and will remain there for another 2-3 years.
De standaard Gigondas-wijn van het domein Saint-Cosme met een samenstelling van 67 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah, 12 % Mourvèdre en 1 % Cinsault; hij kreeg een rijping van twaalf maanden mee, deels in eiken vaten (70 %, één tot vier jaar oud), deels in betonnen tanks (30 %). Bijna ondrinkbaar in zijn jeugd, als gevolg van zijn dominante tannine-structuur (cf. mijn review van 9/14/2010), ontwikkelde de wijn zich na 5-6 jaar kelderrust tot een krachtige maar aantrekkelijke Gigondas met een diepe donkerrode kleur en een verleidelijke neus van bramen, kirsch, koffie, zwarte peper en een vleugje houtskool. Weelderig en mooi uitgebalanceerd smaakpatroon met overvloedig rood fruit, zachte kruiden en nog steeds presente maar fraai geïntegreerde tannines. Lange, complexe afdronk. Deze wijn is op zijn hoogtepunt nu en blijft nog een 2-3 jaar op dit niveau.
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3/27/2017 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #250: Rhône; Gigondas Part 2 (@ BS): The bouquet shows herbs and spices, tea and primary fruits like cherries. On the palate red and dark berries and cherries, some chocolate, herbs, currants and even some leather. Beautiful acidity and soft tannin. Ready now and the next few years.
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3/7/2017 - David J Cooper wrote: 80 Points
Hard to score. A ripe, alcoholic mess.
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10/6/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Let's just say we needed 2 bottles tonight.
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10/6/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully now. Lovely nose of cherry, licorice and anise seed that also carried some heat with it. Delicious.
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7/24/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 95 Points
A strong candidate for the greatest introductory Gigondas that Saint Cosme has made. Pours an inviting black into the glass, followed by equally seductive aromas of ripe blackberry and black cherry with zero off odors. The sip begins juicy, refreshingly acidic, and smoothly tannic, peaking with an added black currant fruit and gorgeously caressing texture. The swallow segues right into a long and ultimately drying finish thanks to the bite in the acidity and tannin. Overall, a tribute to how great the 2007 vintage is, that is amazingly fresh and vigorous for a 9 year old wine, has evolved a magnificently lush texture, and is well on it way to a peak in 3-5 years for the structuring acid and tannin to fully round and integrate.
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6/23/2016 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant. Smooth, full body, long finish. Dark berry fruit, fine tannins.
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6/5/2016 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the nose: Black pepper, cherry, dark fruit with over ripe sweetness.
On the palate: Silky and fine mature tannins. Cherry, white pepper, mineral feeling and a load of good ripe dark fruit.
Long finish
Drinking very well at the moment
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5/11/2016 - Sijan Likes this wine:
Still drinking quite well. Still some primary fruit along with some graphite & garrigue
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5/3/2016 - Finare Vinare wrote: 90 Points
First bottle so far that's going downhill.
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3/11/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 91 Points
An interesting wine to ponder over a slice of pizza. Good fruit, not really any tannin left to hold you back. I enjoyed this again and no hurry to drink the final 2007.
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12/24/2015 - mark_m_owen wrote: 90 Points
Pop & pour. Lots of fruit, a bit of heat, alcohol is not overblown. Good rounded feel. Mild acidity. Plenty of secondary spice. Very ripe. Less earth than the Hermitage from the same evening. Top value at well under £20.
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12/2/2015 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
See previous notes. Excellent again although took over an hour to open up.
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12/2/2015 - PlanetX wrote: 91 Points
Improved from last year. Nose is more attractive and palate more intense
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11/29/2015 - viadomitia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful stuff! Opened and decanted for about an hour and a half. Deep burgundy color with tears of joy clinging to the glass. The nose is a mixture of garrigues herbs and red fruit, some pin d'alep. There is still a kick of alcool heat in the mix. The palate is great. Light red fruit, a touch drying wood tannins, straw, herbs and balanced acidity. The finish brings back the garrigues with withe pepper, and a lasting confit of mushroom envelops the mouth. This glass transports you right back to the Rhone and that beautiful village of Gigondas. My only regret... not having duck to serve with it!
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11/14/2015 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
PnP at a restaurant and was open and ready to go on the first sip. Consistent with my previous note from 5 years ago, except that the fruit has come down a notch and there is more elegance and complexity now. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink.
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9/6/2015 - Dan Martin Likes this wine: 89 Points
This has really progressed from the last bottle I tried. It is in my view now in it's perfect drinking window. It probably has a couple more years within this window. The suggested drinking window of 2010 - 2012 is in my view incorrect, as the wine has turned out to have more staying power.
Smoky, black pepper on the noise. Mature autumn fruits on the palate, still a little tang of tannin. Reminds me of a 2003 chateauneuf du pape with bite.
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7/19/2015 - Chris Likes this wine: 91 Points
nice fruit and a long finish. Great for lamb sausage.
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6/20/2015 - Finare Vinare wrote: 92 Points
Really good show, with focus on the soil tones - black pepper, crushed rocks, saltiness. Well structured and long taste, finishes dry and fresh without any disturbing heat. Drinks perfectly well now without aeration, but should develop well for another five at least. Four bottles left...
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2/6/2015 - bags wrote:
seemed too juicy and big and round for me...whatever...
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12/17/2014 - FransS wrote: 91 Points
Serious wine, creamy, good stuff, some years to go.
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6/24/2014 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous note. Needed about thirty minutes in a decanter to open up. I love the nose on this wine. Cedar, garigue, spice and ripe fruit. Soft and mellow with well integrated tannins. Drinking extremely well right now. Delicious.
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6/7/2014 - Dan Martin wrote: 88 Points
3 bottles with dinner, major bottle variation. lots of tannin, closed or worst past their best, little fruit there, tempted to wait another 6 months
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4/21/2014 - igmacfarlane wrote:
More successful than the last bottle I opened. This displayeda full, herby nose and rich cherry and forest fruits with a touch of spice. Enjoyed with roast lamb for Easter lunch.
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4/10/2014 - PlanetX wrote: 90 Points
This is in a good phase right now. Components have come together nicely. Garrigue with some nice cherry notes. Has the stuffing to go for another 3-5 years.
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3/11/2014 - AndersHed wrote: 92 Points
Spicy and dark fruity fragrance. The taste as well. Nice finish with sweet liquorice, minerals, licorice and fresh acidity.
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2/10/2014 - ian02054 wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color.
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2/5/2014 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was looking for something a little spicy to go with our Moroccan spiced lamb chops. This fit the bill nicely. Pepper, boysenberry and kirsch
flavours. Medium finish. A good food wine.
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12/8/2013 - madflyfisher Likes this wine:
Had a mini 2007 Gigondas tasting: Ch. de Saint Cosme, Saint Damien, and Pierre Amadieu (Dom Grand Romane). They came out in the mentioned order. Ch. de Saint Cosme was the clear winner with more vibrant fruit, several layers and great overall balance. Saint Damien ended close behind with a dense, deep yet somewhat less complex wine. The Dom. Grand Romane from Pierre Amadieu fell through in comparison. Not a bad wine, and on its own, it would have been quite sufficient. But comparing can be brutal. Had it for a dinner party with slow-roasted shank of pork.
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11/19/2013 - Rob-Rah wrote: 88 Points
I've had several of these now over the last 2-3 years or so. I go back on my impression in 2010, as the general impression is that it has matured into a slightly lean Gigondas. Nose is bland and simple. Herbs and iodine. A bit pinched. Palate with some style. Lots of minerally interest in there, and good fruit. Slightly bitter mid palate and finish. Herby more than jammy. Alcohol a little protuberant. It's not quite my style of Gigondas.
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11/16/2013 - cos82 Likes this wine: 92 Points
4th time from my cellar. Much better than last bottle and ths same as the first two. Delicious food wine. Cherry red in color. Nice subtle nose of blueberry and earth. Easy drinking palate of blueberry, cherry, earth, leather and pepper. Balanced with no tannin at the moment.
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9/30/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Mellowing a bit but still bright and fresh. With a little time in decanter or glass a deeper and lusher secondary fruit and savory note shows. Magic at two hours from opening.
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7/24/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous note.
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7/21/2013 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
deep red-purple; blue & black fruits, smoke & hardwood charcoal aromatics;
blueberries, blackberries, fairly dense & intense, long, still showing plenty of grip but doesn't feel over-ripe or over-extracted; several years, at least, from peak.
cool hickory-smoked pork loin with pickled ramp aioli; roasted potatoes w/garlic & basil; arugula w/cherry tomatoes, chioggias & shaved pecorino
6/20/14 decanted 30 min. dark red-purple; red & black plums, embers, scruffy bramble notes; med+ weight; roasted bramble fruits, iron & smoldering charcoal, less dense & powerful than anticipated, more in line w/a tasty, yet mature cotes du rhone today. an anomaly bottle, or advancing more rapidly than indicated by the previous example? (89)
radicchio & spicy soppressata pizza; escarole hearts in creamed corn & pecorino dressing w/roasted chioggias, mint & sun gold tomatoes
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5/4/2013 - gharbour wrote: 92 Points
Mulberries, blackberries, tar, muergez spices, great mouthfeel, full palette.
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4/28/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 91 Points
Tar, garrigue, ash. Smoothed out significantly since last bottle with edges honed. Almost elegant for rustic wine. Nice.
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4/11/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Almost identical to the last bottle. Tight aromatics. Relatively translucent garnet color. Garigue, charcoal, blueberry and cinnamon. Medium weight and texture. It is drinking well now although still very young and fresh for those who prefer to wait. Much better after about three hours of air.
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4/7/2013 - lvjohn wrote:
Still very fresh with nice mouth feel. Quite persistent flavors of dark red fruit, earth, spice, and a hint of meat. Didn't decant, but probably should have. Great price to quality ratio
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4/7/2013 - MarkL wrote: 90 Points
Good. Plenty of years left in these though.
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4/6/2013 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very fresh with nice mouth feel. Quite persistent flavors of dark red fruit, earth, spice, and a hint of meat. Didn't decant, but probably should have. Great price to quality ratio
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3/22/2013 - europat55 wrote: 87 Points
On day 1, this was an unimpressive Gigondas with with a fair amount of fruit, but not much depth and a quite harsh.
On day 2, this finally smoothed out a little bit, but still not that impressive.
I'm worried that it was either still too young to drink or that this wine simply doesn't have the complexity to compete against the '06, which I loved.
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3/17/2013 - OT wrote: 87 Points
Very nice nose of kirsh and mature strawberries. Sadly not integrated at all and never will be. Plenty of tannins and acid. Dusty and fleshy. Long finish. Will not develop. Not my kind of style. OT
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1/19/2013 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
One or two points for being perfectly a pointe. Red fruit with a certain stoniness if you will with a smooth almost creamy quality across the palate. Beautifully balanced - not a hint of alcohol across the palate. Plenty of length. Absolutely nothing not to really like about this bottle. As fine a match with a filet as can be, and that is what I drank it with.
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1/15/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Tasted immediately after opening. Garigue, charcoal, blueberry, and earth. Smooth and subtle. Very easy drinking at this point although seems still in the process of coming together.
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12/29/2012 - rralls wrote: 89 Points
Perhaps this was still too young. Found the tannins very chewy and a bit too much for me at this stage. Certainly room for improvement.
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12/17/2012 - Beerzebub wrote:
Drinking very well, rich but not over the top, nice depth of flavor.
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11/20/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Goûtés il y a 3 ans, il était serré et plutôt fermé. Aujourd'hui, la bouche montre une jolie texture et des tanins bien assagis. Il a une belle fraicheur et une finale assez fine, deux signes du terroir de Gigondas. Bien fait, il a toutefois un style un peu austère, plus chocolat/poivre/prunes que fruit rouge, manquant un peu de gourmandise à mon goût pour un tel millésime. Je chipote, mais il était quand même $39.5, une fortune pour le Rhône….:) 89 pts
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11/20/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Tasted after about 30 minutes of air. This wine is in a good place right now. See previous notes for more detail.
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11/19/2012 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now. Classic beauty.
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11/18/2012 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now. Classic beauty.
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10/26/2012 - Wine Poor wrote: 91 Points
There are only 2 occasions when I will open a bottle of wine with dinner.... when I'm alone or with someone else. Since I am drinking alone tonight, I poured 1/2 of this into a 375 ml bottle right away and put into the fridge for tomorrow. While pouring, I got a nice whiff of cherries and blackberries. This wine is lighter in appearance than it is in the mouth. The tannins are mouth coating but not harsh. Some nice fruit flavours and herbs as well. Really enjoyed the first glass, poured a second and dinner still isn't ready...maybe I should take that small bottle out of the fridge. Yum.
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10/25/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Dark red. Very nice nose of blackberry and lavender, not ripe at all. Medium weight blackberry and cherry flavours and a balanced finish. Not huge or ripe, really nice wine.
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10/23/2012 - madflyfisher wrote:
As always, this is seriously good, not overly expensive wine. This is good., honest Rhone-wine. What a delight to match a large hearty pot roast.
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8/16/2012 - cos82 wrote: 88 Points
A year and a half since last tried. Still a nice food wine, but fruit is starting to fade. Still dark plum in color with nice nose of blueberry, minerals and spice. Some plum on the palate, but mostly an earthiness with pepper and meat.
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7/31/2012 - AtoZ wrote: 91 Points
Fruit is fading but still enjoyable. Drink soon.
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7/21/2012 - GuBe wrote: 92 Points
Loftað í góðan klukkutíma. Dökkt, en ljóst í kantinn. Berjaangan. Vottur af súru í bragði, krydd, ber, sulta og lakkrís. Á örugglega eftir að batna enn. Prófa aftur eftir 2 ár.
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6/23/2012 - Rob-Rah wrote:
This bottle in an awkward phase I think. Acid protruding. Very minerally. A bit astringent. Peppery and hot alcohol. No score given to this this time.
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6/23/2012 - pjaines wrote:
Utterly superb wine that oozes quality. The combination of the texture, aromas and taste all wrap up around each other - like someone has ground down a rock into fine powder and mixed it with raspberries and black fruit. Textured, cool, compact and very fine - seriously quality for the price. Excellent and will last years.
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6/18/2012 - rmh66 wrote: 91 Points
Steaks and wines at Dan's house (Bellevue, Washington): Tasted single blind. Blackberries, meat, flowers, minerals, and some herbs on the nose. Blackberry, raspberry, flowers, blood, herbs, and pepper on the palate. Good acidity. Good finish. Medium bodied and unctuous texture. Really delicious. I guessed it was a lot more expensive than it was. I'm kicking myself for not buying more of this when it came out.
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5/14/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with last note. This wine is drinking exceptionally well. Faded considerably by night two.
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4/19/2012 - bwaverley wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine; should have purchased more at the time! Blackberry, cherry and oak are still present, but with the "heat" turned down the smooth mouthfeel of this wine really comes through. Gigondas is a real hidden gem compared to wines up to 4X the price comprised of the same varietals.
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4/19/2012 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
A darker opaque garnet with an expressive nose of cherry plum, graphite, and black pepper. Velvet in texture, and complicated, with a red/black pepper element that is intriguing. Notwithstanding the spice, plenty of fruit to see it through, although the cherry gets progressivly more reserved with time open. Good on its own; great with food. Seems to have plenty of life left.
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3/15/2012 - madflyfisher wrote:
This is actually starting its early drinking window, in my view. On the nose an overall feeling of "velvet" springs to mind. And as with the 05 Valbelle, it has some cedar tree as well, yet a lot less if any distinguishable pencil shavings at all ?! Call me crazy, but I actually believe it smelled a bit like a crushed Mentos. On the palate it gives away som lavender as well as some other fresh component, that I could not distinguish. Perhaps the Mentos-thing going on on the palate as well? Anyway, full-bodied and a lingering, long finish. Still, it had a good firm tannic grip on the mouth, so I would expect to enjoy this one for up to 10-12 yrs from harvest. Beautiful effort at a very reasonable price.
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3/8/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Tasted tonight after a 1.5 hour decant. This is by far the best this wine has been so far. Mineral and red fruit aroma. Very soft and alluring flavors with black fruit, spice and garrigue most prominent. Elegant, sensual and lengthy finish. Excellent and a superb match for our grilled lamb chops.
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2/4/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous note. Seems to be moving into a good drinking window but still needs significant air time to really open up. ... two nights later, we had just a small amount of this left and it was still excellent.
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2/1/2012 - Maestro wrote: 92 Points
Oh... This is seriously good. A blend of 67% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, and 1% Cinsault, it is impressive that a wine this young display such complex secondary aromatics. A festival of black and white pepper, paprika, broccoli tops, licorice, spices and wet earth on the nose, followed by a rich and mouth-coating palate and a long finish with additional hints of garrigue and sandalwood. Pair it with the right kind of food and you're up for a major treat.
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1/31/2012 - lvjohn wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple in color. A bit of alcohol in the after-taste, but loaded with pepper and dark fruit flavors.
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1/11/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 91 Points
Stylshtically correct but elegant. Meaty, raw ripe. Alot going on. Lip snacking acidity with ample tannin. Will still get better.
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1/7/2012 - MarkL wrote: 89 Points
Big wine. Lots going on. Herbaceous. Needs a little more time in the bottle for my tastes, however I found a lot of bottle variation in the 06 so who knows.
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1/3/2012 - jwongham wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. Dark fruit, earthy, rustic yet well constructed. Cellar further
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12/27/2011 - Double D wrote: 91 Points
A big rich dark Gigondas...a bit hot on the finish but a really good value in a great vintage.
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12/26/2011 - Larre wrote: 89 Points
Appears to be closed down at this point. However, the potential is there; dark and balanced fruit, herbs, black olives, and a refreshing acidity. Was a lot more charming about one year ago. My guess is that cellaring for another 5+ years will give reward.
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12/24/2011 - wurzel68 wrote: 91 Points
Leider eingeschränkt beurteilbar durch meine Erkältung, aber soweit erkennbar, eine wunderbar saftig-würzige Verbindung mit viel Kirsche, Garrigue, Pfeffer, Mineralität; gute Struktur, vollmundig, feines Tannin; ein schöner Essensbegleiter auch zum kräftigen Essen
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12/22/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Spectacular nose of mineral and ripe fruit. Very tasty as well. Much more open than our last bottle.
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12/7/2011 - jannevaro wrote: 89 Points
Ready to drink. Drunk well decanted. This is a liquerice bomb, almost candylike extract. Good full bobied delicatess but somehow feels like a cheat.
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12/4/2011 - Yiannis wrote: 94 Points
An amazing bottle. Compaired to the Gigondas La Valbelle from the same vintage, this is definitely readier to drink now, while La Valbelle has certainly more potential for aging. Very dark ruby with a gorgeous nose of kirsch, fig paste and garrigue. Full-bodied with velvety tannins, opulent fruit and balancing acidity. Long aftertaste. Drink now and over the next 5 years.
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11/28/2011 - MarkL wrote: 89 Points
Starting to pick up and, for me, ready to drink. Solid. Full. With structure and also fruit.
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11/23/2011 - Alitt177 wrote: flawed
Corked.
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11/9/2011 - jpecht wrote: 93 Points
mushroom on the nose, juicy fruit on the tongue with raspberry notes, long finish with hints of white pepper. Very good. Would wait another year to see how this wine develops before opening another bottle. Yum.
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10/29/2011 - jtt300 wrote: 90 Points
Smooth nice balance. Great Rhone.
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10/17/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Tasted 1 1/2 hours after decanting. This is the first bottle of this wine that we have opened in six months. The last seemed to be a little closed relative to earlier bottles. That is still true. This is more than pleasurable drinking but not where it was a year ago. A phase or something more permanent? Time will tell. ... five hours later and it is showing a lot more leg. Perhaps a longer decant is in order on our next.
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9/9/2011 - wineduggery wrote: 90 Points
Rustic and simple. Dark fruits and spice. A bit of heat, but manageable.
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9/8/2011 - admid wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with earlier notes
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7/29/2011 - gharbour Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine with veal au poivre. Thick dark berries, pepper. Long finish. Not ready to drink yet. Hold for 2012 check.
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7/7/2011 - ronlite wrote: 90 Points
Excellent
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6/26/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Just a dark, brooding, exotic wine. Lots of dark fruit and tannins to match. Drank too young but still wonderful. This will be amazing in 5 years or so.
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6/21/2011 - GraemeBell wrote:
Maybe I'm not getting this (or didn't decant long enough) but it seems way too early and closed now. It shows great promise but seems pointless to open yet.
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5/8/2011 - madflyfisher wrote: 92 Points
After decanting this was really a pleasure - as always. Many dark berries and herbs. A slight gamy nose started to appear, which I expect will be more apparent when this wine matures. Very dark purple colour.
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5/2/2011 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
I love this wine. There is an exotic incense component that comes out after a while.
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4/27/2011 - madflyfisher wrote: 93 Points
I just love this Gigondas-producer. The 2007 is beginning to be mature enough to my taste-buds. Very nice balanced wine, firm and fruity grip of the mouth, so to speak. Great with a BBQ'ed lamb chop.
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4/16/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Tasted initially at 63 degrees immediately after opening. Blackish purple and opaque. Tight nose. Minerality jumps out, the fruit less so. Blackberry, mineral, spice and some pepper. Moderate tannin. The last few bottles of this wine have been much more reserved and mellow than those we opened in late 2009 and early 2010. They have been very good but lacked some of the sizzle of those early bottles. Then the wine benefited from a decant. Now it demands it. This bottle has been steadily improving as the evening goes on.
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3/17/2011 - thierrynz wrote: 89 Points
My last bottle was only 4 months ago but this is quite more expressive. While the last bottle was still quite burly, this is more expressive. While drinking this wine what played out in my mind is the intriguingly complex play of rustic character (i convinced myself that the touch of brett was complexing) with the iron/rusty character and the very ripe fruit. I liked that.
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3/5/2011 - nicholasharbour Likes this wine: 92 Points
The only negative for us was the high alcohol which came through in the finish.
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3/1/2011 - jtinto Likes this wine: 90 Points
Plum, spices, a little pepper, and an herbal component that worked very well with this flavor profile. Textured finish. Solid. Earthy goodness.
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2/28/2011 - tantotinto wrote: flawed
Tasted after a one hour decant. It has a very subdued nose and a bright, delicious fresh fruit flavor but few of the usual other flavor elements that have made previous bottles of this wine so interesting. The tannins are also very subdued and there is a slight sour note on the finish. I had to look at the bottle to make sure that it was the wine I thought it was. We opened a second bottle and it was excellent. Not sure what the problem was with the first but it was definitely off.
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2/25/2011 - manonthemoon wrote: 91 Points
Notes from day 2.
Dark purple in color.
Nose of blackberry,floral action, some smoke, minerality, and herb.
Palate of mixed raspberries, figs, herb, earth, with pepper toward the end.
The finish was above average in length and the balance was decent for a hot year.
Lots of minerality and tannins still going, good qpr.
Hold or drink: 50+5+12+17+7
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2/20/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Spicy nose of currants, underbrush, and spice. Palate of black cherries and currants, and lovey spice character. Gritty tannins with a slightly austere nature that was more prominent than previous bottles. Tar and plums on the finish. Nice wine, great for the price.
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2/13/2011 - geppetto wrote: 92 Points
This was a little sharp when I first opened it, but after about an hour things really seemed to settle down. Lots of nice fruit, but not as ripe as some of the other 2007 gigondas that I have had. I really enjoy both styles, so I'm a happy camper. This was a really good solid wine, but give it a little air time.
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2/10/2011 - admid wrote: 91 Points
Blind tasted
App: Clear blackish red
Aroma: Beautiful sweet dark fruit and good strawberries
Full-bodied and smooth tannins. Some bitterness.
Good length
Great wine
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1/29/2011 - Chasse_spleen wrote: 90 Points
Good nose with salt licorice and olives. Perfectly balanced: sweet fruit, tannins, acidity. Garrigue galore. Mint and spices. The tannins are sandy, very pleasant. At its peak - at least it is hard to see how this very approachable wine can improve with age.
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1/27/2011 - tooch wrote: 89 Points
Good blackberry and dark cherry tones. Spicy palate, rich, textured and balanced.
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12/27/2010 - Impulse wrote: 88 Points
Nose a little hot and lean, not ass good as previous bottles. Probably in a bad spot right now.
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12/27/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Tasted after a 90 minute decant. Much more closed than our last bottle. We seem to be getting a fair amount of bottle variation with this wine or it is taking an erratic path to it's destination, or both.
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12/23/2010 - MarkL wrote:
For me too big, young, concentrated and extracted. Even on day two.
Really looking forward to where this goes though.
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12/19/2010 - ronlite wrote: 90 Points
Very nice
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12/13/2010 - melzar wrote: 89 Points
Tasted at an '07 Southern Rhone tasting. One of the more tannic offerings of the evening. Good fruit and acidity, but will the fruit outlast the tannins? A bit rustic when compared with the likes of Beaucastel and Vieux Telegraphe, but at half the price, worth a look.
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12/9/2010 - thierrynz wrote: 88 Points
This is early for this wine. Still comes across as a bit burly even though there are some nice touches of dried herbs and dried meat on the nose. On palate, the ripeness of the fruit comes across as concentration and sweetness but in a style which lacks expression. This will get much better.
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12/5/2010 - cos82 wrote: 92 Points
Had it side by side with Guigal 07 Gigondas (90 Pts.) which was very nice, but not as good as the St. Cosme. Dark ruby red. Fine nose of blueberry, cherry, cassis, some floral elements and pepper. A terrific food wine that went well with excellent molecular cooking at Marigold BYOB in Philly. Ready to drink with no tannin. Beautiful balanced palate of cherry, black currant, lilac, pepper and spice. Nice acidity. A beautiful food wine.
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11/6/2010 - Rob-Rah wrote: 91 Points
Southern Rhone night: 3 hour decant. A modern, fruit-driven Gigondas. Well structured. Very pleasant. Shows the quality of the 2007 Grenache. Sweet, silky, sexy. Some complexity. Nice stuff with room to improve for a decade.
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10/22/2010 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour and it only improved with each passing minute. Tantotinto hit the nail on the head. It impresses as a big fruit wine but doesn't hammer you the same as the Cali wines do. It's big but smooth, subtle with integrated tannins and a lingering soft finish. Dark fruit, tobacco, mild oak, vanilla, plum, blackberry, cherries. Nice full body with great legs...hmmmm...elegant. Great price point.
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10/18/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with last note. It was a 91 immediately after opening and a 93 an hour and a half later. Perfect with the wife's braised beef short ribs.
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10/8/2010 - ArntErik Likes this wine: 88 Points
4 hours decant. A very pleasant if discreet nose with some distant wood. On the palate round and pleasant with some licorice. Harmony in abundance. Iren guessed CdR. Tannic, but less so than the 2006 as we remember it. Our perception is full drinkability, but others state it should be kept, so will do just that with our other bottles. I will say though, that this is a very pleasurable, elegant and competent wine.
We had a reindeer and wild self-picked mushroom casserole; a good match.
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10/2/2010 - kosmik wrote: 89 Points
Oeil : profond sans être opaque, forte viscosité en parois, larmes colorées
Nez : projection d'intensité moyenne, sensation de retenue, fruits noirs, groseilles, animal, fumé, empyrheumatique, prunes, minéral, calcaire, boisé fin et élégant
Bouche : sec, ample+, tannins très très fins, charnus et jeunes, légère astringence, légèrement asséchant, un brin amer, acidité rafraîchissante et bien dosée, très belle longueur, rétro fruitée, fumée et minérale, tout en équilibre.
Conclusion : superbe équilibre, encore beaucoup trop jeune et sur la retenue.
Observations complémentaires :
- Mis en carafe à l'ouverture.
- Bu les 3/4 de la carafe sur 3 heures environ, pour essayer de le délier. Résultat : il s'est à peine assoupli.
- Laissé en carafe ouverte au comptoir pour la nuit. 14 heures après l'ouverture, assoupli d'avantage mais toujours cette sensation de retenue au nez, mais aucune sensation d'oxydation à ce moment.
- Toujours en carafe ouverte au comptoir, 27 heures après l'ouverture : oxydé, acidulé, trop tard...
Note perso : 89 actuellement, dans un registre un peu fermé et non intégré, par ailleurs excellent potentiel (91-92+) sur 5-10 ans.
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9/14/2010 - huse wrote:
Very difficult to describe and to rate this wine, as it is totally closed for business at present. Nose is restrained and the tannins overpower the fruit and the other components. The wine has certainly potential, but I think that at least 3-4 more years of cellaring is needed to come together.
Het is momenteel bijzonder moeilijk om deze wijn te beschrijven en beoordelen. De wijn is volkomen gesloten, heeft bijna geen bouquet en de tannines zijn nog veel te dominant. Heeft allicht heel wat potentieel, maar volgens mij moet men hem nog minstens 3-4 jaar kelderrust gunnen.
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9/11/2010 - vinole Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lush, well balanced Rhone with the grenache most prominent. Currant and blackberry fruit on a medium to full body frame with low to medium acidity. Drinking very well now despite its youth, it will be tough to not drink my other bottle soon. Nice alone or with food.
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9/2/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Consistent with previous note.
My wife and I just completed a month in the California Central Coast sampling the Rhone blends from that region. We liked them a great deal and will buy more. The vintners in that region have made incredible strides in a short time and it will be exciting to follow their progress. This Gigondas reminds us though of the differences between the Rhone Rangers and the wines of the Southern Rhone. The quality and intensity of the fruit in the California wines was unforgettable but it can be so overwhelming as to make them a bit one dimensional. This Saint-Cosme reminds us that we still prefer the original. There is rich fruit present also in the wines of the Rhone, particularly this vintage. But there is a depth and complexity that we love and did not find in the Central Coast. Will that change over time? We look forward to continuing this comparison in the future.
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8/27/2010 - McBenalds wrote: 93 Points
Phenomenal bottle of wine, especially for the price. Tons of complex fruits, outstanding tannins that seemed to dance over the mouth without being obtrusive, and tons of spice and herbs without the medicinal quality that I find in many New World syrahs. VERY tight when first opened, it was still improving after an hour to air. Could definitely use more time in bottle.
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8/15/2010 - Cahill wrote: 92 Points
Richer fruit than with the previous bottle. Lots of dark berries, fresh herbs, some earth and spices. Drank with a steak tip kabobs on the grill that had a spicy red pepper marinade, and the interplay between the hot pepper and the wine was terrific.
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8/13/2010 - cos82 wrote: 91 Points
Dark plum purple. Blueberry and blackberry on the nose. Really fine on the palate. Integrated leather, minerals, pepper and subdued fruit of blueberry and cherry. Smooth, delicious and ready to drink. No tannin and perfect with ribs from the bbq. Popped and poured.
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8/6/2010 - MattMauldin wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3+ hours. A full black-ruby clearing slightly at the edges. Tight chalky mineral aromas mark the nose with white pepper, cherry, strawberry, and rosebud. The mineral streak continues onto the palate, giving way to clean notes of espresso and dried oregano. From this backdrop the fruit comes forth; with red apple, cherry, and raspberry emerging through the middle. Really nice interplay between mineral and red fruit here, with the green herb elements nicely integrated and adding depth. Lively with a firm ending, and long flavors of added minerality and red tree fruit.
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7/5/2010 - caeleric Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour, and consumed half on day 1 and the other half on day 3. day 1 was earthy, minerally, a bit closed, a little hot, but very enjoyable and complex. day 3 was loaded with warm spice cake, red and blue fruits, just enough acidity to keep it honest, and an overall hedonistic experience. i loved day 3! that tells me that this has a long life ahead of it. great qpr!!
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7/4/2010 - Finare Vinare wrote: 93 Points
Fourth bottle. We tried with 48h of airing - and what a show! The fruit aromas are totally pure and captivating with sweet strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. So complex - one note follows the other, with some fresh herbs and flowers on top. Extremely well balanced on the palate, without a hint of heat - even with spicy food. Lovely lenght where the power has given way for great elegance - and the stony, saline minerality from previous bottles. This will do great in the cellar, but also shows a lot of what it's got tonight. We're so happy we bought a case!
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7/2/2010 - alanr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Having a bit of a merry-go-round with this wine. First couple of bottles were terrific, then one or two that seemed much riper and flabbier. This is back in the terrific camp, oozing dark plum and raspberry fruit, not at all overripe, bits of underbrush, tar and grilled meat, with plenty of fine tannic structure. Hard to know if the differences have been me or the bottle, maybe the source? Anyway, quite a nice wine, love the complexity and depth in this 07 without any overdone ripeness.
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7/1/2010 - godx wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes. Very ripe and fruity. Juicy and jammy with a good amount of structure. Needs 3-5 years at least. Good. 87+
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7/1/2010 - Frommen wrote: 90 Points
Pop and poured, really believe this one needs som more years cellering, just a bit to tight right now.
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6/26/2010 - Alcide23 wrote: 91 Points
Dark, concentrated dense fruit. Nice wine but not quite my style. Improved with decanting
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6/21/2010 - Happybob wrote: 91 Points
Could easily be a Ch du Pape. Very big, structured, balanced, complex wine; opens quickly and gets better with time
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6/18/2010 - thierrynz wrote: 89 Points
It's certainly on the riper side of the spectrum and rather fruit forward but it retains a nice degree of freshness, some nice spices and focusing iron grip.
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6/17/2010 - wineduggery wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful example of what Gigondas can produce. Like a good CdP, but at a fraction of the cost. I particularly liked the spice note that hits in the finish once it opens up. There's a bit of heat here too. Definitely a food wine. Drink this with a nice pasta tagliatelle.
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6/17/2010 - 10thCzar wrote: 88 Points
Pepper as sirah should. Balanced.
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6/6/2010 - Alitt177 wrote: 91 Points
Slow O'ed for 12 hours before serving. Nose: ripe plum, with hints of spice and some definite alcohol notes coming through. In the mouth, lush dark fruit, very smooth (not much acid), good length. There is a brooding element to this wine that for me at least indicates that its best days lie ahead. I'm going to wait another 18-24 months before popping another one. Notes taken mainly from Day 2.
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5/5/2010 - europat55 wrote:
Excellent wine, but definitely too young to enjoy at the moment. Not putting a score as it's difficult for me to predict what it will become, but it certainly has of potential. Lots of heat on the finish from the alcohol at the moment. Needs at least a couple of years to settle. Hopefully it will become as enjoyable as the '06.
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4/24/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Served at 63 degrees and one hour after decanting. The last bottle of this wine was a little tight so I dropped my rating. Not so this bottle. It is excellent and drinking very well now although it will no doubt improve with time.
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4/24/2010 - pian0_player wrote: 92 Points
not bad, but a little disappointing. bright fruit, earth, allspice, and strong pepper on the finish. dont really get the mineral character I was hoping for. okay, but for $40 you could do better. nice finish, and some good complexity. I think I just dont like the pepper character in wine, it really turns me off. nevertheless, still a well made wine. intense.
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4/6/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Served at 63 degrees 30 minutes after decanting. Still excellent but lacking the wow factor of the last two bottles. The fruit is more subdued and the tannins more pronounced. Rating lowered a couple of points as a result. I assume and hope that the wine and/or my palate were just in an awkward phase this evening. Second evening the tannins had relaxed considerably.
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3/26/2010 - duchamp wrote: 91 Points
Inky purple, big nose of tobacco, iodine, vanilla, blackberries and spice box, palate is a bit acidic and stemy with the fruit currently being overpowered by the tannins, time will tell, solid finish with mixed dark fruits and spices
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3/14/2010 - el borracho wrote: 89 Points
This just might need another year in bottle to be more expressive. Interested in trying more 07's from this producer. Nice example of Gigondas.
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3/13/2010 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Fight Night Wines (Washington, D.C.): tight nose, opened up in the dacanter. lots of dark black fruits and some floral aspects. dense and tannic, but loads of fresh, ripe black fruits. yummy and fruity, but this has serious complexity as well.
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3/7/2010 - Chasse_spleen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Powered nose full of dark fruit, chocolate and blood. After a while, some attractive spiciness. For a passing moment almost a Zinfandel-like association. The architecture is good - protruding tannins, elegant acidity. The alcohol is noticeable, bit not too much. The taste is long and concentrated. The wine is still young and obnoxious, and will probably come together more with time. Overall a memorable drinking experience. This wine's got personality!
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3/3/2010 - wino_tim wrote: 91 Points
Flamboyant and rich this shows great intensity to its nearly overripe dark plum, blackberry, currant paste, white pepper, tar, and crushed gravel flavors. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with expansive primary flavors, and a raw, youthful structure.
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3/3/2010 - robw Likes this wine: 92 Points
An excellent entry level wine. One easily understands why all the fuss with 2007 Southern Rhone.
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3/1/2010 - slada wrote: 88 Points
dark red; somewhat reticent nose of kirsch, thyme, black cherry and blackberry; opened up over an hour or two to include some coffee and clove notes; medium bodied with dark spicy fruit overlying bright acidity; decent finish. Needs more time? overall relatively closed.
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3/1/2010 - Finare Vinare wrote: 92 Points
Very floral overtones on a dark chocolate backdrop. Impressive structure, freshness and saline minerality. Combines real power and elegance at bargain price level.
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2/21/2010 - Cahill wrote: 91 Points
Took to party at Chip and Ingrid's, no detailed notes. Nice grenache fruit and structured with vibrant acid and tannins. Ready to drink, especially with food, or hold because there seems to be plenty of stuffing.
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2/20/2010 - godx wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes. Another 2007 S. Rhone I find very internationally styled and over ripe/extracted. Enjoyable but not my style at this point. Good.
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2/20/2010 - 10thCzar wrote: 90 Points
Cherry. Pepper. Dark fruit. Not acidic.
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2/11/2010 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous note. If anything it is better than I remembered. Superb with this evening's grilled steaks. It would be difficult to come up with a better way to spend $30.
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1/21/2010 - rmalloy wrote: 91 Points
Good wine with lots of flavor. Cherry, raspberry, black pepper, vanilla, dirty socks, and anise. Tannic finish with lingering raspberry aftertaste. This wine's mix of strong fruit and strong spices with a strong oak backdrop is exceptional.
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12/30/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Quite young and tannic with a shy plum and crushed rock nose. palate is well structured and balanced, with some spice coming though with time, quite acidic, and lengthy finish of fruit and mineral. Needs a few more years to come together,m though densely concentrated and well balanced.
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12/30/2009 - mmh wrote: 93 Points
This wine really took me by surprise. It resembles an almost mature Boredeaux. Very elegant, balanced, complex, smooth, rustic. Sure, it is still very young and tannic, but it is very approachable nevertheless after only about 1,5 hours of decanting.
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12/28/2009 - avp wrote:
Red and dark fruit - red currant, cherry, strawberry, blueberry - slight floral notes, spices and some tar on the nose.
Concentrated but bright fruit on the medium bodied and nicely balanced palate. Nice feel of tannins. Some spicy and herbal notes, minerality and appealing medium toasty oak flavors: mocha, smoke, cedar.
Already hugely enjoyable.
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12/22/2009 - polimeri wrote: 91 Points
Nice intensity and rustic nature. Drank well on day 2.
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12/20/2009 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Au resto Louis Vin à Paris avec M. Boilard. Un bon Gigondas assez vigoureux, avec bonne quantité de fruit rouge et des épices, une bonne structure pour la garde. Bien plein et un peu extrait, il devrait se montrer supérieur d'ici quelques années.
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12/9/2009 - Frijole wrote:
Medium plum red, lots of clarity, silvery hue
Nose: cassis, blackberries, coffee, oak, smoke
Pal: cassis, blackberries, plums, coffee, tannins, earth, dirt, oak, smoke, collared green, rustic
Feel: full, savory, tannic
Finish: long
TC9
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12/5/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
Very rich and juicy, with delicious dark chocolate, fig, olive, raspberry sauce, and peppery notes laid over cassis and mineral. A Very long and expressive finish. Really showing off the quality 0f the '07 vintage. Drink 2010 through 2022.
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12/4/2009 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:
purple colored and very viscous in the glass. the nose was really tight starting off but it really exploded with a few hours in the decanter and lots of swirliong. tons of black cherries on the nose, some currants, grape stems, and the skins of black fruit (like if you could just smell the skin of blueberries, not the actual fruit, if that makes any sense.) opened up and showed some floral aspects with some time. tannic as hell on the palate, but it's matched with a density and purity of fruit that is astounding. really pure blueberry, blackberry fruit with some chocolate and a distinct note of peppermint and cinnamon stick on the finish. the finish is long and solid. great wine but i'd hold onto this for a year, because there's a lot more in there that's just not coming out quite yet.
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12/3/2009 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
Drinks with Isaac (Matt's apartment): Poured my first class after a flash decant. Wow. Wound too tight to even get into. Basically unapproachable for the first 60 minutes. Over the course of a lengthy decant it began to take on some life. Really nice clove notes came through in addition to dark cherries. Sad to have opened this so early. Feel like I didn't really give it a fair chance with the decant I gave it. It has potential to be a mid 90s wine with a couple years of bottle aging and/or 6+ hours of decanting.
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11/30/2009 - bwaverley wrote: 90 Points
Spices, blackberries and cherries in the bouquet. With time in the bottle this may take on some "port like" qualities. Cherries and some earth in the finish. Promising wine that needs either two hours in a decanter (at least) or two to three years in a cellar. Still too much heat here....but a good value
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11/30/2009 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Very nice wine for $25. Rich dark ruby colour. Nose is sweet and complicated. Palate and finish are cherry and berry with spices and minerals. Popped and poured. It seems to be a lighter wine and I'm not sure how it will age. Next time I open one I will leave a bit for a day in the bottle and see what happens.
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11/28/2009 - manonthemoon wrote: 92 Points
Notes from day 2. Bought a second bottle at a local wine shop to see if there was any bottle variation or travel shock hurting the first bottle. Nose was goregous with blueberry, blackberry, scorched earth, toast, and pepper. On the palate there was blueberry, jammy red berries, earth, turkish figs, with high quality tannins at the end. The finish is above average and there is nice balance to this wine, not jammy at all to my palate. This might have been aided by a recent riedel glass additon as well. Hold. 50+5+14+16+7
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11/27/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 90 Points
Expressive nose of violets, blueberries, strawberries, and background roasted notes, some earth and just a hint of pepper. Balanced palate with nice acids and moderate long finish. Nice overall for the money.
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11/26/2009 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Notes from day 2, from glass poured 2 hours prior. Nose was the highlight with licorice,blackberry, little floral, smoke On the palate there was a fig component, with some blueberry, kirsh, roasted red meat, white pepper.
Opened this bottle last evening in prep for the big day and was happy with the result as it was way too tight until 2 hours into Thanksgiving meal. Was afraid this would be travel shocked by a 6 hour drive 4 days prior, but didn't appear to be too bad off on the nose, but the palate was a little muted IMO. Will hold my last tradition for at least a nother year, but will last much longer, just trying to keep my hands off the upper tier cuvee's at this point. Hold. 50+5+13+15+7
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11/6/2009 - gpownell wrote: 91 Points
Excellent bottle better than 2005 - smooth nice finish
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11/5/2009 - Winetex wrote: 89 Points
Spicy aromas with blackberry, anise and black pepper flavors. Black pepper on the finish. Medium weight with OK balance and complexity with tannins to resolve on the finish. Very young but good. Purchased at a restaurant and not decanted.
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11/1/2009 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Opened and served at 60 degrees without decanting. First I admit to being a big-time Southern Rhone fan. Second, Chateau St Cosme is a favorite producer. With that said, this wine is way up there on the pleasure scale. Best St-Cosme Gigondas Tradition that I have tasted. It is reddish black in color, almost opaque. The nose is as rich with fruit as a young vintage Port. The taste is a big, full, intense, and long collage of dark red and black fruit. This will undoubtedly improve with time but it is also soo... delicious right now.
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10/27/2009 - VHJV wrote: 90 Points
I liked this wine a lot, although I think it will be still much better after a few years cellaring. It is a powerful and balanced wine that is full of fruit and has nicely complex classy oak.
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10/17/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 91 Points
Audozed it for 2 hours. Nice concentration & smooth mouthfeel, medium bodied, red fruits, earth, a touch of vanilla, I will wait a few more years before popping another.
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10/1/2009 - jnanz wrote:
2007 Rhone Tasting at Local Wine Shop (Wine Sense): Outstanding. This is a great bottle of wine. Even the nose was well layered, alternating wafts of blackberries, flowers and light smoke. The palate was rich and complex with suprisingly smooth tannins. Obviously built for time, but I could see one drinking this with a piece of red meat after a nice decant. Blackberries, Dark cherries, anise, spice and brambly notes are detected on the palate.
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9/27/2009 - cmr wrote: 90 Points
This wine needs some serious time .. only opened up after a few hours and then started showing it's wonderful fruit. Won't be touching again for at another 3-5 years.
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8/29/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Southern Rhones-2007 and 2005 (Beltramo's, Menlo Park): Medium ruby. Licorice, creosote, and candied fruit. After the almost overwhelming Mordoree Lirac, this is a completely different animal-more elegant, lighter weight, lots of herb tones and much less obvious fruit. Very good basic cuvee and the only one of the '07s that did not show any trace of excess alcohol. What a relief.
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8/22/2009 - mmurry wrote: 90 Points
The South of France (Farpointe Cellar): The nose was somewhat tight, but had blackberry, spice, and a little cassis. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, pepper, and cassis.
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8/17/2009 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Occasional tasting group: Extensive Southern Rhône tasting with some extra's. (@ PVa): Sweet and lush bouquet. The tannin is soft and ripe, but also firm. Good spices/herbs. While 2007 is great to drink young, this wine certainly has ageing potential.
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8/7/2009 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 87 Points
Earthy and balanced. Will it age a little while? I hope so. Should buy a couple.
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8/3/2009 - bmilesfl wrote: 92 Points
Okay, I'm going to join the praise parade on this one too. Decanted for 1.5 hours and was very impressed with this wine. I've purchased Gigondas in past vintages, but have not opened and tried them yet. So, I had no historical reference point. The wine was recommended by my favorite retailer and he was right - this is a great wine for the money. I decided to open this recent vintage to give it a try. Nose was muted but fruitful. The second glass revealed cherry cobbler (maybe with a taste of being overcooked, but not in a bad way). Great nose and lingering aftertaste. Had some pizza at the tail end of this bottle and it rose to the occasion. This would be a fun wine to try with many foods. However, it stands out on its own as a sipping wine too. Back to the wine store to grab a few more bottles of this one...
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7/10/2009 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Outstanding.
Decanted for 4 hours. Dark ruby in the glass. Very rich mouthfeel on a medium to heavy bodied wine. On opening the nose was quite strong, but became more restrained after the decant. Red fruit, spice garrigue, and perhaps a hint of vanilla on the nose. Rich red fruit (my wife called it cherry, but I'm not sure about that) on the palate, more spice, a hint of iodine. Good structure. Long pleasant finish.
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7/2/2009 - Grinder wrote: 93 Points
Two hour decant. Lovely, and surprisingly open, nose of black and blue berries, spice and coffee. Fruit, spicey herbs, and a very lively mouthfeel once this hits the palate. Medium to long finish with sweet notes of fig and licorice. First tasted this in May at a wine shop in Gigondas, and bought a case when I returned to the States. This has the stuffing to age for another five years, but is exceptional now.
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6/11/2009 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Trip to the Southern Rhone; 6/11/2009-6/12/2009 (Avignon, Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas and the Dentelles du Montmirail): Another example of the strength of the vintage. This was a smashing Gigondas. Absolutely perfumed nose - which seems to be a badge of Saint-Cosme's style. I got beautiful notes of lavender and thyme along with spicy, dusky red fruits, pepper, garrigue and raw meat. I really liked the palate as well, which had a clean freshness with round blue fruits, little sweet berries, a touch of plums and a firm structure lent by surprisingly plush, ripe melted tannins. Finish had a nice interplay between thyme and fruits lingering for some time.
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