Dinner at Perilla (Chicago, IL): Absolutely stunning syrah that got better with more air. This is a profoundly meaty, backwards, and rustic version of Hermitage, with blood, iron, and smoke dominating the nose. With air, more of the delicate brine and olive notes develop. The way syrah should be made. The other non-Chave chronic underperformers on the hill (ahem Jaboulet) should take a lesson.
Un vin tellement complexe ! Fumée, bacon, fruits rouge, cassis, poivre, garrigue, acidité moyenne, tannins chaud et bien présent, un vin avec une colonne de béton, encore un bébé mais au combien élégant. La bouche est sur le fruit et la finesse suivi par les notes typique d'une Syrah du nord avec 15 ans+ ainsi que ce gros kick de chaleur en finale. Idéalement l'attendre encore un bon 10 ans minimum, Grand vin, très impressionné !
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Christmas Wimps 2021 - It's a Wonderful Life (La Trompette): Of this flight, the one that was most giving from the off. A whiff of bret but just enough to make it interesting. Clearly starting its third phase of life - everything in balance, there's still some fruit. Structure is there but not sure how much further it has to go. As it evolved in the glass - we got some camp fire and bacon. Of the flight - the one for drinking now.
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This is a beautiful classic Rhone wine! Lovely floral and dark fruited nose with a huge palate. Plenty of acid and a firmly savory breadth to the mouthfeel, in contrast with the sweetness of aromas. While a touch gritty upon opening, give it a few hours of air or feel comfortable holding for several years as it will keep for 10+ (easily).
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Served side by side with an 86 La Mouline and I do tend more towards the CR's than the Hermitage, but this was still a nice wine. Drinking well and well structured. Came across as quite young even with the 20 years of age. Long way to go on this one.
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Pours medium ruby...no bricking as of yet. Nose is powerful...dark black fruits and licorice augmented by fresh herbs, fat, dark flowers, moss, savoury briar notes and sweat. Palate is so powerful yet understated and nuanced....iron first in velvet glove...dark spice, olive, black fruit, flowers and a subtle hint of fat and smoke. Finish is long...the fruit is still dominating the other elements of the wine so a but more time would make this easily classic....this is a 97-98 pt wine inb10 years. Almost classic now
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Really enjoy this wine - still has lots of time to continue maturing but drinking well now. More in the animal style of Northern Rhone, very savory and delicious.
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Dinner at S.K.Y. (Chicago, IL): I love Sorrel's wines, and think he is the second best producer of wine from the hill these days (no points for guessing who is first). The nose on this is absolutely stunning, with a beautiful olive tone, a bit of leather, and some polished black fruit. The palate falls off a bit; the vintage is a little tough, and so this doesn't have the density and heft generally expected from Hermitage. There's also a smoky tone that is a little more distracting than it should be. Nonetheless, this is a splendid syrah that I'd be inclined to drink sooner rather than later.
Smokin Meat and Serious Syrah 2.0 (Westport, CT): Very young and very fresh. There's almost a mintiness to it or it gives that feeling in your mouth that you get right after a particularly good mint. Still some nice fruit. All in balance, but maybe just a bit quieter than I expected? I imagine it should take a bit more time.
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Consumed over two nights after decanting for sediment. Day 1 - the nose was showing more feral and barnyard - while on Day 2 was more red fruited. Tasted much more complete on Day 1 though - dark red mature fruit, savory flavors and earth - really drinking well. On Day 2 - the palate fell off a bit and was kind of funky - still good but not as much.
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Wow - this was fantastic! Having had a somewhat disappointing bottle of white with dinner, we decided to have another glass when we got home. Damn thing was so delicious we couldn't help killing the bottle. Nose is classic Northern Rhone - dark fruits with sauvage notes. On the palate - dark and red concentrated mature fruit, savory meaty notes, black olive tapenade and bramble - hits different notes across the palate and the finish keeps on. Delicious and for may tastes highly underrated on CT.
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12/18/2023 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Perilla (Chicago, IL): Absolutely stunning syrah that got better with more air. This is a profoundly meaty, backwards, and rustic version of Hermitage, with blood, iron, and smoke dominating the nose. With air, more of the delicate brine and olive notes develop. The way syrah should be made. The other non-Chave chronic underperformers on the hill (ahem Jaboulet) should take a lesson.
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6/8/2023 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 95 Points
Un vin tellement complexe ! Fumée, bacon, fruits rouge, cassis, poivre, garrigue, acidité moyenne, tannins chaud et bien présent, un vin avec une colonne de béton, encore un bébé mais au combien élégant. La bouche est sur le fruit et la finesse suivi par les notes typique d'une Syrah du nord avec 15 ans+ ainsi que ce gros kick de chaleur en finale. Idéalement l'attendre encore un bon 10 ans minimum, Grand vin, très impressionné !
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12/10/2021 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Christmas Wimps 2021 - It's a Wonderful Life (La Trompette): Of this flight, the one that was most giving from the off. A whiff of bret but just enough to make it interesting. Clearly starting its third phase of life - everything in balance, there's still some fruit. Structure is there but not sure how much further it has to go. As it evolved in the glass - we got some camp fire and bacon. Of the flight - the one for drinking now.
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10/20/2021 - jmoore431 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a beautiful classic Rhone wine! Lovely floral and dark fruited nose with a huge palate. Plenty of acid and a firmly savory breadth to the mouthfeel, in contrast with the sweetness of aromas. While a touch gritty upon opening, give it a few hours of air or feel comfortable holding for several years as it will keep for 10+ (easily).
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8/1/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Served side by side with an 86 La Mouline and I do tend more towards the CR's than the Hermitage, but this was still a nice wine. Drinking well and well structured. Came across as quite young even with the 20 years of age. Long way to go on this one.
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2/16/2020 - Dave Canada wrote: 94 Points
Pours medium ruby...no bricking as of yet.
Nose is powerful...dark black fruits and licorice augmented by fresh herbs, fat, dark flowers, moss, savoury briar notes and sweat.
Palate is so powerful yet understated and nuanced....iron first in velvet glove...dark spice, olive, black fruit, flowers and a subtle hint of fat and smoke.
Finish is long...the fruit is still dominating the other elements of the wine so a but more time would make this easily classic....this is a 97-98 pt wine inb10 years.
Almost classic now
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12/4/2019 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Really enjoy this wine - still has lots of time to continue maturing but drinking well now. More in the animal style of Northern Rhone, very savory and delicious.
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8/29/2019 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at S.K.Y. (Chicago, IL): I love Sorrel's wines, and think he is the second best producer of wine from the hill these days (no points for guessing who is first). The nose on this is absolutely stunning, with a beautiful olive tone, a bit of leather, and some polished black fruit. The palate falls off a bit; the vintage is a little tough, and so this doesn't have the density and heft generally expected from Hermitage. There's also a smoky tone that is a little more distracting than it should be. Nonetheless, this is a splendid syrah that I'd be inclined to drink sooner rather than later.
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8/10/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Smokin Meat and Serious Syrah 2.0 (Westport, CT): Very young and very fresh. There's almost a mintiness to it or it gives that feeling in your mouth that you get right after a particularly good mint. Still some nice fruit. All in balance, but maybe just a bit quieter than I expected? I imagine it should take a bit more time.
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6/1/2019 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Consumed over two nights after decanting for sediment. Day 1 - the nose was showing more feral and barnyard - while on Day 2 was more red fruited. Tasted much more complete on Day 1 though - dark red mature fruit, savory flavors and earth - really drinking well. On Day 2 - the palate fell off a bit and was kind of funky - still good but not as much.
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5/3/2019 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow - this was fantastic! Having had a somewhat disappointing bottle of white with dinner, we decided to have another glass when we got home. Damn thing was so delicious we couldn't help killing the bottle. Nose is classic Northern Rhone - dark fruits with sauvage notes. On the palate - dark and red concentrated mature fruit, savory meaty notes, black olive tapenade and bramble - hits different notes across the palate and the finish keeps on. Delicious and for may tastes highly underrated on CT.
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