I initially told my wife I planned to open Bordeaux, but she had a rough day at the office so I pulled this as a surprise - Côte-Rôtie is her favorite region. Our first of only two bottles, this had a pristine cork with wine barely staining the bottom 1/8”. Gently double decanted off its sediment and kept under its cork until it was poured with dinner about three hours later. Light crimson color with a touch of bricking. A beguiling bouquet of white pepper, roasted game and red berry fruit with just a hint of bacon underneath. Flavors of red fruit and currants, pepper and mineral on the palate. Fully integrated, with just a touch of acidity that lends a certain freshness, even at this stage. A wonderful example of mature Côte-Rôtie. I see no reason to hold these any longer; hopefully our remaining bottle shows as well as this one. 93+ pts for me, 94 for Domino.
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This is definitely on the mature end of the spectrum. I was a little worried upon first opening, as this was relatively austere and mineral. However this opened up nicely in to truly classic and beautiful example of Côte-Rôtie. Lots of smoky bacon on the nose moves to a precise and delicate palate of cherry and sauteed calf liver. There is really nice, racy acidity on the mouthwatering finish. I wouldn't wait very long to drink this up.
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time to drink these if you still have them, best on a pop and pour, the clumsy oak usage really stands out if you give this wine too much air, best with food
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My last bottle of this beauty was consumed a few years ago. Luckily, a friend brought a bottle last night, and while it has dropped a bit of depth and freshness, the wine is now quite sensual in nature, with sweet, ripe, peppery, kirsch and red plums, silky tannins and a red pit fruit filled finish. Nothing lasts forever, so if a have a bottle or two around, you should not hold on any longer.
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Really smooth wine. Slightly less of the grilled meat and bacon flavors but more red berries, campfire and some forest floor. Dark red cherries as well. Nicely balanced with really good complexity. Still young and I think this wine can improve.
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Dinner at home. Opened 1hr prior to serving. This wine is finally hitting its stride. Consistent with my prior note, except even more open aromatically and approachable. On the fuller, darker end of the cote rotie spectrum, but time has finally revealed the wine's charms and cote rotie pedigree. Really nice juice.
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Côte-Rotie & Hermitage 1999 - chez moi (Frederiksberg): Quite gemacht, dark, roasted. Just passable, but many will like it... sweet aftertaste. Better with air, but still not singing. Much be more than ten years since I tasted this, when SF stole on from my cellar and served it blind at my birthday-party... liked it better then.
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Decanted 2 hours, consumed over the next 3. Soft dark fruits (black raspberry, blackberry come to mind), violets, bit of dusty earth. Not monstrous or burly, just refined but strong. Drinking well.
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Fully developed nose with medium(+) intensity. Aromas of plum, prune, dried black berry, decaying leaves, dried meat, violets, mud and truffle. Some toasted oak, coffee and tobacco noticeable in the background.
Medium(+) bodied with medium(+) tannins and medium acidity. Very dry and almost austere on the palate. Dried black fruit, dried meat, gravel dust, leather and woody oak coming through. Medium(+) intensity of flavors.
There's actually a lot to like about this wine but there's also something that I don't like so much. It has a really heavy, murky feeling to it that makes me not wanting another sip. It lacks that lightness and grace that I know that Syrah from this noble heritage can give. Drink now.
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This has aged beautifully. Now in its prime, perfect example of a 100% syrah cote Rotie, no Viognier at all, yet now a soft, voluptuous wine with very good everything. Great example of aged cote rote.
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Splash decanting was all this needed to bring out the black cherry, balsamic, bacon fat, licorice and fresh herb notes in the wine. Fully mature, the wine has shifted its fresh, acidic youthful profile and is now delivering silky, lush, black raspberries, with a mint accent. There is still ample freshness, spice and vibrancy here, but there is no real reason to age this any further. I have 3 bottles remaining from the original case and I'll probably finish them over the next 5-7 years.
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Superb fragrant but rich nose, gave it plenty of air and time (3hr decant) perhaps the best nose I have ever had from a cote-rotie. Plenty of fruit, balance and good finish but nothing could quite compete with the nose. Had a couple of far higher rated bordeaux's afterwards and they couldn't compete
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Delicious with an hour's worth of air. Now entering its prime drinking period. Very soft for an all syrah CR. Still characteristic bacon fat and road tar nose.
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At 16 years of age, this wine is finally starting to open up aromatically. The best showing so far (5th of a case that I purchased on release), the wine's character emerged after an hour of being open, with strong feral and bacon notes dominant, reflecting a darker, mineral, more stern side of cote rotie. This wine has always been a bit monolithic and unyielding compared to other cote rotie I have tasted (even from this vintage), disappointingly so at times. Curious whether this is attributable to the serine vines / the cote brune lieu-dit or choices in the vineyard / winery. After this experience I am hopeful that the remaining bottles will be more engaging and nuanced.
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7th time tasting this wine. Just about the same as when last tasted. I notice my friend "nortonnose" made comments on the wine last July and agreed with my prior comments of 4/25/2015: "Still in its drinking plateau of maturity, but it may be starting its decline. I personally feel, in past consumption, it has had a slightly fuller body and intensity of fruit. JMO. It's still a wonderful wine and probably has a couple years left for appreciable consumption. ... aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance." This time I got a little more bacon fat on the nose.
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Completely agree with my pal Chainthroer: perfectly lovely, but this bottle seemingly fading a touch. Beautiful floral nose - faint, perfumed lilac. A bit light in body with a medium finish of herbs, bacon and candied red fruit. Drink up!
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Still in its drinking plateau of maturity, but it may be starting its decline. I personally feel, in past consumption, it has had a slightly fuller body and intensity of fruit. JMO. It's still a wonderful wine and probably has a couple years left for appreciable consumption. Similar to my tasting of 12/20/2014: "aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance."
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Last consumed 16 months ago. This time, aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance. Seems to be drinking at its apogee, but has some time left.
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Lovely balanced strawberry nose with some gamey elements. Lively in the mouth with great acidity and brighter red fruit contrasted by savory roasted meat character.
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Last consumed about nine months ago. Similar but just a tad more developed than last time, where I indicated: "browning at the rim and a dark reddish-ruby color. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, some sweetish black currant, lots of bacon fat, leather, roasted meat, herbs, spice and floral perfume." This time the bacon fat did not seen as dominant as last time, but still appreciable. "Powerful, rich, as well as smooth in the mouth. Nice structure and balance." A long finish where the leather and bacon fat components were noticeable. This wine has a lot more time left before it become fully mature, so I'll try to be in not so much of a rush to consume my last four bottles. Better said than done on that note though!
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We decanted for like 30 minutes and needs its time to develop. Still very young and sharp, not austere though but not ready yet and we would advocate another few years of patience. The nose has light spice and light meaty side but a touch on the muted side. The Palate is firm, nothing harsh don't get us wrong, youthful and sharp, firm tannin. Good fruit. Good wine and time will only help here. 91 for the moment
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Pop and pour. Pepper, leather and blackberry on the nose. Loads of fruit balanced appropriately with acid. The tannins were mellowed and subtle, but still present, lending to an appropriate backbone and elegant structure. Excellent wine!
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Surprise Birthday Party (Q4): No formal notes. Nice funky nose with savory meats, dark fruits and black olives. Hints of pepper too. Really nice on the palate and well balanced but there's quite a bit of stuffing here. As good as this was tonight, give it another 5 years at least. Excellent. 92+
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Popped and poured. Similar to last note, this was great out of the bottle. Rich, concentrated fruit, but plenty of leather and game on the nose and the palate. After 30 minutes, it starts to shut down. We finished it within an hour, so not sure at what point it would (if at all) open back up. A-
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Fairly similar to my last tasting ten months ago. Still browning at the rim and a dark reddish-ruby color. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, some sweetish black currant, lots of bacon fat, leather, roasted meat, herbs, spice and floral perfume. The bacon fat seems more prevalent after the wine is open for a while. Powerful, rich, as well as smooth in the mouth. Nice structure and balance. A long and appreciable finish. This time it pairs very well with prime N.Y. steak. The wine is drinking well now and should last a few years.
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Decanted 30 minutes. This was great after the decant, with a dark red color, showing a lot of leather and game along with dark fruits on the nose. Ripe and rich, but very Rhone on the palate, with very little tannin showing on the finish. After an hour it shut down a bit, but overall a very enjoyable wine. A-
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2yrs since our first bottle (then rated 91). Decated for 1hr. 30minutes really needed to open the wine up. Good nose, roast meats, red fruit very cote rotie. A touch on the young and austere side. Still the fruit is emerging, the palate presence is vibrant . We would like to see how it evolves and having 1 more bottle in stock we would wait another 3-5 years before approachng again. The wine has a lot of life ahead of it. 91-93 for now.
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Sweet ripe cherries, all spice, truffle, stone, fresh herbs and sizzling bacon fat brought this perfume to life! With silky textures, depth, purity of fruit, freshness and a long ripe, dark cherry finish, this Cote Rotie wine was a pleasure to drink. This is at the perfect place to start tasting this wine.
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Some Cornas and other Northern Rhones (Fuel, Wilmette IL): nose: very similar to the last time I had this bottle, there was a corked quality to it at first but it would actually blow off completely with a good amount of air. After a while it gave up real good tones of black fruits, savory and meaty tones, bacon fat, and black pepper.
taste: medium/full bodied with a real smooth and silky feel. Good tannins still persist along with medium+ acidity. The corked quality never showed on the palate but there were well balanced tones of black fruits, bacon fat, incense, violets, and some creamed black cherries.
overall: this wine probably needs about two to three hours in the decanter now. It is drinking well, but the corky quality on the nose can mislead as there is a very good wine here.
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Northern Rhone Varietals (Fuel - Wilmette, IL): Had some corkiness at first, but that blew off - was probably just Cote Rotie funk. Had lots of raw meats, dark fruits, and olive on the nose - very perfumed and dense. The palate was subtle at first, but with air it really took off. Beautifully resolved tones of smoked meat, lilacs, espresso and dark fruit. I thought this still had a good deal of life ahead of it.
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Light garnet color. Intense gamey, dark berry and sweet floral nose and brightly flavored palate. Strong character, aromatically intense but with elegance and finesse. Loved it.
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Just about the same as my 8-3-11 notes. Browning at the rim; a dark reddish-ruby color. I seem to get a little more bacon fat this time. Aromas of bacon fat, leather, raspberry, blackberry, spice and floral perfume. Rich and intense in the mouth; good acid. Leather and bacon fat flavors, along with the other aroma characteristics. Again, a long smoky finish. This time, the wine pairs nicely with roasted pork laced with peppercorn spices.
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Big powerful nose, very broad and impressive which resonates of northern rhone. The tastes follow on from the nose, with deeply pitched fruits, spice but with great freshness on the finish. This freshness is crucial in order to balance the big flavours and keeps it in balance. Great wine.
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Very intense (albeit rather ripe) black fruit to start but the fruit mellowed out a bit after 10 or 15 minutes. Lots of spice but not the overt level of black pepper I'd consider classic Cote Rotie. Big tannins and acidity, which also seemed to soften after about 15 minutes Still some unresolved oak which didn't go away.
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Brownish-purple at the rim. Sort of a reddish garnet color; slight bricking. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, flowers, smoke, leather, slight bacon fat (not big). Definite Cote Rotie characteristics. Fat and rich in the mouth. A long lingering, smoky finish. I think this wine is still evolving. Seems to have a few years left. Anyway, I'm not going to rush to consume the rest I have. Paired well with baked chicken, with some Cajun spices.
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Very ripe dark fruit with noticeable spice and chocolate. Nice spice, although not the classic pepper-driven Cote-Rotie profile. Very nice, just a bit too acidic and oak-driven for a wine at this stage in its development.
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Another bottle after the last note, and this delivered. Popped and poured, and this was rich, great nose, plenty of fruit, and seemed like it will hold for some time. Really enjoyable, and a decant is warranted for sediment, but drinking well and should hold if not improve. A-/A
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Decanted for an hour (and it throws some sediment). No one else said anything, but I think this wine was corked. Still a young color, and plenty of body. It seemed to be ready to drink but I will have to try another to comment more.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Rhone, Cote Rotie (Rodwell House): Deep garnet to wide orange-brown rim, the bouquet is mature, evolved with leather, tar and horse saddle. 5-10 years old, there is some brett here with clove and horse stables but also an oily note like bitumen. Lively acidity on entry, the wine is undoubtedly spicy, and shows a warming alcohol with roasted herbs, warm tar and black olive. The tannins seem soft on approach but rise with a slightly dry and bitter finish supporting the brett issues. Medium in length, the wine is starting to tire.
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Big nose on open which sort of mellowed away over time. Dark colour and still feels young. Lots of alchohol on the palate so this needs a couple of hours ina decanter to smooth out. Give it some more time
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This started very tight but we gave it plenty of air and it finally opened up after a few hours. That said, it never developed into anything more than a nice, tasty wine. The wine will surely last for many years but I would be surprised if it improved significantly.
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Dark red. Somethings wrong here, lots of acid in the nose, strange cherries and herb notes. Really acid flavours and finish. should be a pretty decent Northern Rhone.
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Purplish red in color with the slightest bricking edge. Drank over 4 hours as such the notes are comingled. Nose was gripping as it evolved throughout of meat, slate , berries, liqour, herbs and orange peel. On palate, the wine is round and textured with sour berries, tamarind, herbs and meat. Tannins are intrgrated. Very nice wine. 93+ pts
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syrah smackdown (Barrington IL, Wally's house): nose: very funky nose that initially to some came across as corked. A decent amount of brett on the nose, but it doesn't completely dominate with good balanced tones of charcol, black pepper, black cherries and bits of spices. The brett started to blow off a bit with some extra time in the glass
taste: very pretty and elegant medium/full feel with good tannins providing silky tones of black fruits, floral bits, charcol, black pepper, and some hints of brett. Nowhere near as much brett on the palate as there was on the nose
overall: a very controversial wine. Someone said that they thought it was corked, and those that were down at that end of the table gave this wine some bad scores while those that were at my end of the table generally enjoyed the wine a lot.
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Provided by Charles Morgan, and tasted alongside a '99 Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis. This was showing better at this particular moment, but probably has a bit less age potential than the Guigal. This had well-rounded red fruits, with much more resolved tannins and a softer mouthfeel. It probably has several years at this level, and it would be interesting to revisit both of these wines in 5 years time.
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Nose: Mushroom, earth, cigarrette ash, some (hint of) cherry jam. Nice floral notes then began to enter the picture - especially with some hints of iris. Then notes of bacon fat made a brief stage appearance.
Taste: Little bit of heat. Excellent integration of coffee, smoke, tree bark, and toasted vanillins and toasty oak.
Overall: Smooth, sexy, elegant, young. Some grip and muted tannins (tannins are there but not that strong). This wine just kept on evolving with its complexity. Not overpowering....just a really sexy wine. 93+ points.
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Casual Friday Night Steaks (Home): Once again showing beautifully. A classic Cote Rotie with great pepper, bacon, and spice notes. WOTN in this group. 94+ pts.
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Northern Rhones at my place (my house): Now we are talking. Very nice! Very earthy bouquet with notes of tree bark, dirt and mushrooms. Showing some smokey fruit laced in ash and mocha. Well integrated, it all seemed to come together nicley. From nose to finish this wine is elegant and sexy. Still slightly tannic and while showing great potential I tought it was drinking very young. Guess 2001 Cote rotie
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taste: really fat feel with mixed berries, dark cherries, bacon fat, and mocha tones
overall: very sexy wine, but also very young. Lots of tannins still on it, this one will be a stunner when it emerges. great attack and finish, but the tannins kind of kill the mid palate. There's a lot to like about this wine and one to have some fun with in a few years
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This is one sexy yet elegant wine, so easy to drink. Very floral on the nose, violets maybe, red berries and fresh earth. Blood red color. A mouthwatering texture, very fine, with sour cherries and red fruits, marmalade, bacon fat and a dash of minerality. Very pure, still a little tannic, but fine tannins, and a long, clean finish. Much better than the 1998 I had a few weeks ago. I don’t know if this wine will improve with further cellaring, but it’s fabulous now.
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this was an interesting contrast to an Australian shiraz. mediium body. soft tannins. muted leather and pepper. great food wine. really enjoyed this wine. I cannot tell due to my inexperience in doinig so how much life is left but I will error on the short side and I will drink my remainding 3 bottles w/i 2-3 yrs.
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WineFlock - 1997 Australian Horizontal (My House): Rich pepper, bacon fat, and black fruit on the nose. Opened up beautifully in the glass with huge pepper notes and red fruit on the palate. A great typical Cote Rotie - fun to taste the real thing after all these Aussies.
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12/22/2023 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
I initially told my wife I planned to open Bordeaux, but she had a rough day at the office so I pulled this as a surprise - Côte-Rôtie is her favorite region. Our first of only two bottles, this had a pristine cork with wine barely staining the bottom 1/8”. Gently double decanted off its sediment and kept under its cork until it was poured with dinner about three hours later. Light crimson color with a touch of bricking. A beguiling bouquet of white pepper, roasted game and red berry fruit with just a hint of bacon underneath. Flavors of red fruit and currants, pepper and mineral on the palate. Fully integrated, with just a touch of acidity that lends a certain freshness, even at this stage. A wonderful example of mature Côte-Rôtie. I see no reason to hold these any longer; hopefully our remaining bottle shows as well as this one. 93+ pts for me, 94 for Domino.
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4/13/2023 - Edclr Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little tired but imminently drinkable
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12/9/2022 - David J Cooper wrote: 88 Points
Clear light red. Floral, herbal, meaty red fruit nose, seemed fairly fresh. Dry red cherry and thyme flavours and a fading finish.
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9/25/2020 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
This is definitely on the mature end of the spectrum. I was a little worried upon first opening, as this was relatively austere and mineral. However this opened up nicely in to truly classic and beautiful example of Côte-Rôtie. Lots of smoky bacon on the nose moves to a precise and delicate palate of cherry and sauteed calf liver. There is really nice, racy acidity on the mouthwatering finish. I wouldn't wait very long to drink this up.
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6/1/2019 - MarcusNZ wrote: 89 Points
time to drink these if you still have them, best on a pop and pour, the clumsy oak usage really stands out if you give this wine too much air, best with food
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2/26/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle of this beauty was consumed a few years ago. Luckily, a friend brought a bottle last night, and while it has dropped a bit of depth and freshness, the wine is now quite sensual in nature, with sweet, ripe, peppery, kirsch and red plums, silky tannins and a red pit fruit filled finish. Nothing lasts forever, so if a have a bottle or two around, you should not hold on any longer.
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10/6/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Have consumed this wine eight times, from 2011 to 2016. A delightful wine, but should be drunk-up now. See prior notes.
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10/12/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really smooth wine. Slightly less of the grilled meat and bacon flavors but more red berries, campfire and some forest floor. Dark red cherries as well. Nicely balanced with really good complexity. Still young and I think this wine can improve.
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5/9/2017 - Ben F Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner at home. Opened 1hr prior to serving. This wine is finally hitting its stride. Consistent with my prior note, except even more open aromatically and approachable. On the fuller, darker end of the cote rotie spectrum, but time has finally revealed the wine's charms and cote rotie pedigree. Really nice juice.
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5/4/2017 - beatles wrote:
Côte-Rotie & Hermitage 1999 - chez moi (Frederiksberg): Quite gemacht, dark, roasted. Just passable, but many will like it... sweet aftertaste. Better with air, but still not singing. Much be more than ten years since I tasted this, when SF stole on from my cellar and served it blind at my birthday-party... liked it better then.
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4/16/2017 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another great bottle in its prime. Characteristic smoke, road tar nose and palate.
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12/30/2016 - Bellissimo wrote:
Decanted 2 hours, consumed over the next 3. Soft dark fruits (black raspberry, blackberry come to mind), violets, bit of dusty earth. Not monstrous or burly, just refined but strong. Drinking well.
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12/20/2016 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
See my notes of 9/5/15 and 4/25/15. I'm putting my remaining bottle in the "drink-up soon bin."
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12/4/2016 - karl.1480 wrote: 89 Points
Tasted blind.
Clear, medium intensity, garnet color.
Fully developed nose with medium(+) intensity. Aromas of plum, prune, dried black berry, decaying leaves, dried meat, violets, mud and truffle. Some toasted oak, coffee and tobacco noticeable in the background.
Medium(+) bodied with medium(+) tannins and medium acidity. Very dry and almost austere on the palate. Dried black fruit, dried meat, gravel dust, leather and woody oak coming through. Medium(+) intensity of flavors.
There's actually a lot to like about this wine but there's also something that I don't like so much. It has a really heavy, murky feeling to it that makes me not wanting another sip. It lacks that lightness and grace that I know that Syrah from this noble heritage can give. Drink now.
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11/29/2016 - Edclr Likes this wine: 93 Points
This has aged beautifully. Now in its prime, perfect example of a 100% syrah cote Rotie, no Viognier at all, yet now a soft, voluptuous wine with very good everything. Great example of aged cote rote.
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8/10/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Splash decanting was all this needed to bring out the black cherry, balsamic, bacon fat, licorice and fresh herb notes in the wine. Fully mature, the wine has shifted its fresh, acidic youthful profile and is now delivering silky, lush, black raspberries, with a mint accent. There is still ample freshness, spice and vibrancy here, but there is no real reason to age this any further. I have 3 bottles remaining from the original case and I'll probably finish them over the next 5-7 years.
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6/2/2016 - adrenalinjohn wrote: 94 Points
Superb fragrant but rich nose, gave it plenty of air and time (3hr decant) perhaps the best nose I have ever had from a cote-rotie.
Plenty of fruit, balance and good finish but nothing could quite compete with the nose. Had a couple of far higher rated bordeaux's afterwards and they couldn't compete
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12/14/2015 - Edclr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious with an hour's worth of air. Now entering its prime drinking period. Very soft for an all syrah CR. Still characteristic bacon fat and road tar nose.
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11/8/2015 - ryestraw wrote:
Not really that tasty. It's good, highly structured and bug tannins, but never showed anything to love. Even more so day 2. Bummer.
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10/20/2015 - ryestraw wrote:
Stunning in the first 20 minutes, then fell apart. I hope my other bottle holds up a bit more.
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9/16/2015 - Ben F Likes this wine: 91 Points
At 16 years of age, this wine is finally starting to open up aromatically. The best showing so far (5th of a case that I purchased on release), the wine's character emerged after an hour of being open, with strong feral and bacon notes dominant, reflecting a darker, mineral, more stern side of cote rotie. This wine has always been a bit monolithic and unyielding compared to other cote rotie I have tasted (even from this vintage), disappointingly so at times. Curious whether this is attributable to the serine vines / the cote brune lieu-dit or choices in the vineyard / winery. After this experience I am hopeful that the remaining bottles will be more engaging and nuanced.
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9/5/2015 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
7th time tasting this wine. Just about the same as when last tasted. I notice my friend "nortonnose" made comments on the wine last July and agreed with my prior comments of 4/25/2015: "Still in its drinking plateau of maturity, but it may be starting its decline. I personally feel, in past consumption, it has had a slightly fuller body and intensity of fruit. JMO. It's still a wonderful wine and probably has a couple years left for appreciable consumption. ... aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance." This time I got a little more bacon fat on the nose.
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7/15/2015 - nortonnose wrote: 91 Points
Completely agree with my pal Chainthroer: perfectly lovely, but this bottle seemingly fading a touch. Beautiful floral nose - faint, perfumed lilac. A bit light in body with a medium finish of herbs, bacon and candied red fruit. Drink up!
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4/25/2015 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
Still in its drinking plateau of maturity, but it may be starting its decline. I personally feel, in past consumption, it has had a slightly fuller body and intensity of fruit. JMO. It's still a wonderful wine and probably has a couple years left for appreciable consumption. Similar to my tasting of 12/20/2014: "aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance."
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12/20/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Last consumed 16 months ago. This time, aromas and flavors of raspberry, some bacon fat (not as much my 11/5/12 tasting), roasted beef, leather, tobacco, herbs, spice, sweet cigar box, hints of cinnamon. Soft and velvety in the mouth; rich. Good balance. Seems to be drinking at its apogee, but has some time left.
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11/7/2014 - MC wrote:
Good, full bodied, forward fruit. Easy to drink, but a bit less precise than I would like with food. A-
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5/30/2014 - joshbryer Likes this wine:
Lovely balanced strawberry nose with some gamey elements. Lively in the mouth with great acidity and brighter red fruit contrasted by savory roasted meat character.
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5/12/2014 - MC wrote:
Similar to previous notes, great right out of the bottle, and plenty of ripe, fleshy fruit vs the 99 Jamet. A-
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4/24/2014 - MC wrote:
Similar to previous notes, this was solid right out of the bottle and a ripe, fleshy syrah to enjoy now. A-
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8/10/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Last consumed about nine months ago. Similar but just a tad more developed than last time, where I indicated: "browning at the rim and a dark reddish-ruby color. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, some sweetish black currant, lots of bacon fat, leather, roasted meat, herbs, spice and floral perfume." This time the bacon fat did not seen as dominant as last time, but still appreciable. "Powerful, rich, as well as smooth in the mouth. Nice structure and balance." A long finish where the leather and bacon fat components were noticeable. This wine has a lot more time left before it become fully mature, so I'll try to be in not so much of a rush to consume my last four bottles. Better said than done on that note though!
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8/4/2013 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
We decanted for like 30 minutes and needs its time to develop. Still very young and sharp, not austere though but not ready yet and we would advocate another few years of patience. The nose has light spice and light meaty side but a touch on the muted side. The Palate is firm, nothing harsh don't get us wrong, youthful and sharp, firm tannin. Good fruit. Good wine and time will only help here. 91 for the moment
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7/20/2013 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 95 Points
Pop and pour. Pepper, leather and blackberry on the nose. Loads of fruit balanced appropriately with acid. The tannins were mellowed and subtle, but still present, lending to an appropriate backbone and elegant structure. Excellent wine!
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5/10/2013 - godx wrote: 92 Points
Surprise Birthday Party (Q4): No formal notes. Nice funky nose with savory meats, dark fruits and black olives. Hints of pepper too. Really nice on the palate and well balanced but there's quite a bit of stuffing here. As good as this was tonight, give it another 5 years at least. Excellent. 92+
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1/17/2013 - MC wrote:
Popped and poured. Similar to last note, this was great out of the bottle. Rich, concentrated fruit, but plenty of leather and game on the nose and the palate. After 30 minutes, it starts to shut down. We finished it within an hour, so not sure at what point it would (if at all) open back up. A-
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11/5/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Fairly similar to my last tasting ten months ago. Still browning at the rim and a dark reddish-ruby color. Complex aromas and flavors of blackberry, some sweetish black currant, lots of bacon fat, leather, roasted meat, herbs, spice and floral perfume. The bacon fat seems more prevalent after the wine is open for a while. Powerful, rich, as well as smooth in the mouth. Nice structure and balance. A long and appreciable finish. This time it pairs very well with prime N.Y. steak. The wine is drinking well now and should last a few years.
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8/14/2012 - MC wrote:
Decanted 30 minutes. This was great after the decant, with a dark red color, showing a lot of leather and game along with dark fruits on the nose. Ripe and rich, but very Rhone on the palate, with very little tannin showing on the finish. After an hour it shut down a bit, but overall a very enjoyable wine. A-
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8/12/2012 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
2yrs since our first bottle (then rated 91). Decated for 1hr. 30minutes really needed to open the wine up. Good nose, roast meats, red fruit very cote rotie. A touch on the young and austere side. Still the fruit is emerging, the palate presence is vibrant . We would like to see how it evolves and having 1 more bottle in stock we would wait another 3-5 years before approachng again. The wine has a lot of life ahead of it. 91-93 for now.
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6/9/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Sweet ripe cherries, all spice, truffle, stone, fresh herbs and sizzling bacon fat brought this perfume to life! With silky textures, depth, purity of fruit, freshness and a long ripe, dark cherry finish, this Cote Rotie wine was a pleasure to drink. This is at the perfect place to start tasting this wine.
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5/24/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Some Cornas and other Northern Rhones (Fuel, Wilmette IL): nose: very similar to the last time I had this bottle, there was a corked quality to it at first but it would actually blow off completely with a good amount of air. After a while it gave up real good tones of black fruits, savory and meaty tones, bacon fat, and black pepper.
taste: medium/full bodied with a real smooth and silky feel. Good tannins still persist along with medium+ acidity. The corked quality never showed on the palate but there were well balanced tones of black fruits, bacon fat, incense, violets, and some creamed black cherries.
overall: this wine probably needs about two to three hours in the decanter now. It is drinking well, but the corky quality on the nose can mislead as there is a very good wine here.
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5/24/2012 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Northern Rhone Varietals (Fuel - Wilmette, IL): Had some corkiness at first, but that blew off - was probably just Cote Rotie funk. Had lots of raw meats, dark fruits, and olive on the nose - very perfumed and dense. The palate was subtle at first, but with air it really took off. Beautifully resolved tones of smoked meat, lilacs, espresso and dark fruit. I thought this still had a good deal of life ahead of it.
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2/9/2012 - Eubulos wrote: 92 Points
A fine Cote Rotie.
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1/18/2012 - Shanta wrote: 94 Points
Light garnet color. Intense gamey, dark berry and sweet floral nose and brightly flavored palate. Strong character, aromatically intense but with elegance and finesse. Loved it.
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1/8/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Just about the same as my 8-3-11 notes. Browning at the rim; a dark reddish-ruby color. I seem to get a little more bacon fat this time. Aromas of bacon fat, leather, raspberry, blackberry, spice and floral perfume. Rich and intense in the mouth; good acid. Leather and bacon fat flavors, along with the other aroma characteristics. Again, a long smoky finish. This time, the wine pairs nicely with roasted pork laced with peppercorn spices.
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12/5/2011 - VHJV wrote: 92 Points
A bit funky on the nose, but I like it as a whole. A very nice Cote-Rotie that gets better and better with air.
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12/5/2011 - esibox wrote:
Big powerful nose, very broad and impressive which resonates of northern rhone. The tastes follow on from the nose, with deeply pitched fruits, spice but with great freshness on the finish. This freshness is crucial in order to balance the big flavours and keeps it in balance. Great wine.
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10/8/2011 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Cote-Rotie 1999 tasting (Glostrup): Nose: Earthy, manure, barnyard.
Palate: Blackberry, coffee, impressive structure. Solid acidity.
Lovely wine.
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9/3/2011 - MC wrote: flawed
corked
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8/20/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Very intense (albeit rather ripe) black fruit to start but the fruit mellowed out a bit after 10 or 15 minutes. Lots of spice but not the overt level of black pepper I'd consider classic Cote Rotie. Big tannins and acidity, which also seemed to soften after about 15 minutes Still some unresolved oak which didn't go away.
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8/3/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Brownish-purple at the rim. Sort of a reddish garnet color; slight bricking. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, flowers, smoke, leather, slight bacon fat (not big). Definite Cote Rotie characteristics. Fat and rich in the mouth. A long lingering, smoky finish. I think this wine is still evolving. Seems to have a few years left. Anyway, I'm not going to rush to consume the rest I have. Paired well with baked chicken, with some Cajun spices.
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6/30/2011 - godx wrote: flawed
Bill's Monthly Lunch - July 2011 (Vancouver, BC): Corked.
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5/1/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Very ripe dark fruit with noticeable spice and chocolate. Nice spice, although not the classic pepper-driven Cote-Rotie profile. Very nice, just a bit too acidic and oak-driven for a wine at this stage in its development.
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1/28/2011 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
Not bad and far from earth shuttering. $100 a bottle? nope, ain't worth it.
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11/2/2010 - MC wrote:
Another bottle after the last note, and this delivered. Popped and poured, and this was rich, great nose, plenty of fruit, and seemed like it will hold for some time. Really enjoyable, and a decant is warranted for sediment, but drinking well and should hold if not improve. A-/A
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10/31/2010 - MC wrote:
Decanted for an hour (and it throws some sediment). No one else said anything, but I think this wine was corked. Still a young color, and plenty of body. It seemed to be ready to drink but I will have to try another to comment more.
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10/4/2010 - rikipedia wrote: 82 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Rhone, Cote Rotie (Rodwell House): Deep garnet to wide orange-brown rim, the bouquet is mature, evolved with leather, tar and horse saddle. 5-10 years old, there is some brett here with clove and horse stables but also an oily note like bitumen.
Lively acidity on entry, the wine is undoubtedly spicy, and shows a warming alcohol with roasted herbs, warm tar and black olive. The tannins seem soft on approach but rise with a slightly dry and bitter finish supporting the brett issues. Medium in length, the wine is starting to tire.
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5/1/2010 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Big nose on open which sort of mellowed away over time. Dark colour and still feels young. Lots of alchohol on the palate so this needs a couple of hours ina decanter to smooth out. Give it some more time
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3/29/2010 - 60ouvrees wrote:
This started very tight but we gave it plenty of air and it finally opened up after a few hours. That said, it never developed into anything more than a nice, tasty wine. The wine will surely last for many years but I would be surprised if it improved significantly.
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9/16/2009 - Phin wrote: 94 Points
Black solid core of ripe fruit with wet finish. Really smooth. Parker's notes are on. 94+
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8/8/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Dark red. Somethings wrong here, lots of acid in the nose, strange cherries and herb notes. Really acid flavours and finish. should be a pretty decent Northern Rhone.
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5/26/2009 - G Kapoor wrote: 93 Points
Purplish red in color with the slightest bricking edge. Drank over 4 hours as such the notes are comingled. Nose was gripping as it evolved throughout of meat, slate , berries, liqour, herbs and orange peel. On palate, the wine is round and textured with sour berries, tamarind, herbs and meat. Tannins are intrgrated. Very nice wine. 93+ pts
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4/24/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
syrah smackdown (Barrington IL, Wally's house): nose: very funky nose that initially to some came across as corked. A decent amount of brett on the nose, but it doesn't completely dominate with good balanced tones of charcol, black pepper, black cherries and bits of spices. The brett started to blow off a bit with some extra time in the glass
taste: very pretty and elegant medium/full feel with good tannins providing silky tones of black fruits, floral bits, charcol, black pepper, and some hints of brett. Nowhere near as much brett on the palate as there was on the nose
overall: a very controversial wine. Someone said that they thought it was corked, and those that were down at that end of the table gave this wine some bad scores while those that were at my end of the table generally enjoyed the wine a lot.
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3/21/2009 - MarkC wrote: 93 Points
Provided by Charles Morgan, and tasted alongside a '99 Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis. This was showing better at this particular moment, but probably has a bit less age potential than the Guigal. This had well-rounded red fruits, with much more resolved tannins and a softer mouthfeel. It probably has several years at this level, and it would be interesting to revisit both of these wines in 5 years time.
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5/23/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 93 Points
Northern Rhone Get Together in North Chicagoland (Gurnee, Illinois): Sight: Medium red wine possessing medium viscosity properties
Nose: Mushroom, earth, cigarrette ash, some (hint of) cherry jam. Nice floral notes then began to enter the picture - especially with some hints of iris. Then notes of bacon fat made a brief stage appearance.
Taste: Little bit of heat. Excellent integration of coffee, smoke, tree bark, and toasted vanillins and toasty oak.
Overall: Smooth, sexy, elegant, young. Some grip and muted tannins (tannins are there but not that strong). This wine just kept on evolving with its complexity. Not overpowering....just a really sexy wine. 93+ points.
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5/23/2008 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Casual Friday Night Steaks (Home): Once again showing beautifully. A classic Cote Rotie with great pepper, bacon, and spice notes. WOTN in this group. 94+ pts.
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5/23/2008 - jordanj wrote: 94 Points
Northern Rhones at my place (my house): Now we are talking. Very nice! Very earthy bouquet with notes of tree bark, dirt and mushrooms. Showing some smokey fruit laced in ash and mocha. Well integrated, it all seemed to come together nicley. From nose to finish this wine is elegant and sexy. Still slightly tannic and while showing great potential I tought it was drinking very young.
Guess 2001 Cote rotie
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5/23/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Northern Rhones and other syrahs (Gurnee IL, Jordan's house): nose: really sexy nose of mocha, floral tones, vanillians, chalk , crushed berries, ripe cherries, some ciggarette ash, and even bits of bacon fat
taste: really fat feel with mixed berries, dark cherries, bacon fat, and mocha tones
overall: very sexy wine, but also very young. Lots of tannins still on it, this one will be a stunner when it emerges. great attack and finish, but the tannins kind of kill the mid palate. There's a lot to like about this wine and one to have some fun with in a few years
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2/14/2008 - ajr wrote: 92 Points
outstanding syrah. classic northern rhone syrah. soft tannins yet the terrior screams out. earthy...sexy. this is beautiful stuff. open for business.
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10/30/2007 - davergny wrote: 93 Points
This is one sexy yet elegant wine, so easy to drink. Very floral on the nose, violets maybe, red berries and fresh earth. Blood red color. A mouthwatering texture, very fine, with sour cherries and red fruits, marmalade, bacon fat and a dash of minerality. Very pure, still a little tannic, but fine tannins, and a long, clean finish. Much better than the 1998 I had a few weeks ago. I don’t know if this wine will improve with further cellaring, but it’s fabulous now.
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9/9/2007 - the godfather wrote: 92 Points
smooth and balanced, fruiter than I would have expected
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4/21/2007 - ajr wrote: 91 Points
this was an interesting contrast to an Australian shiraz. mediium body. soft tannins. muted leather and pepper. great food wine. really enjoyed this wine. I cannot tell due to my inexperience in doinig so how much life is left but I will error on the short side and I will drink my remainding 3 bottles w/i 2-3 yrs.
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3/1/2007 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
WineFlock - 1997 Australian Horizontal (My House): Rich pepper, bacon fat, and black fruit on the nose. Opened up beautifully in the glass with huge pepper notes and red fruit on the palate. A great typical Cote Rotie - fun to taste the real thing after all these Aussies.
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10/10/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 92 Points
St John Offline (St John, London): Much more floral, a lifted sweetness, good.
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9/1/2001 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($60) Smoky charcoal nose just showing its Viognier addition. Tight, big, nice wine but needs time.
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