Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet with a translucent core and burnished orange rim. Some signs of sediment. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, cherry lozenges, Corinthian leather, rich mahogany, old books, espresso, baking spices, desiccated flowers…like something that reminds me of my great aunt’s potpourri, and bit of umami. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium (+?) tannin which is well integrated. Medium acid. The fruit and non-fruit characteristics are confirmed. The finish is laden with dried fruits leather and earth. I felt that the wine was old with 15+ years of age and leaned a little more towards its fruit character than its structure…so I called Barossa Valley Shiraz, 2005, from a quality producer. But then, someone said 2012 CdP and I was like…”ooooohhhh, I like that CdP call”. But if that was the case, it would have to be older…from a great vintage like 2001. Well…I was on the right track. Who cares, this was an awesome showing and the oldest Chateau de Saint Cosme I’ve ever had. Drink now and enjoy.
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Wine has been properly cellared. Opens up with aeration. It has lost the freshness of earlier years, but it is a lovely color, nice nose, very smooth and delightful to drink. Could easil6 be 91.
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A stray couple of bottles. Garnet colored with minimal bricking. Cherry and plum are the predominant aromas still but now also anise and earth. With time, a whiff of clove too. Tannic structure intact but softer. Very full bodied and smooth. Little development in 5 years but this isn't a criticism as much as a curiosity. Very enjoyable.
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Uninspiring showing… nose was giving very little. A little dried, dark fruit. Medium bodied, acidity and tannins present. Slight stewed plum flavour. M'eh.
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Still comes across as a highly doctored wine with very little true Gigondas character to show for. The fruit is polished and extracted, youthful still, bright red. There's a medicinal note on the nose. Some would argue it's a well made wine. I have a very hard time finishing a glass of this.
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More pushed and extracted compared to the 1998 Moulin de la Gardette and still very young showing red, polished fruit. Not so much a style that I prefer but who knows if a few more years in the cellar will make it more interesting.
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Lush plum, cassis flavors, medium bodied, nice finish. WA review is accurate. Wine is drinking very well right now. We paired with grilled salmon, delicious!
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Decanted for sediment - of which there was some fine stuff at the bottom. Fairly mature colour. Nose really sang out powerfully. Baked earth, kirsch. Palate is powerful but not OTT. Refined tannins saying fully resolved. Some alcohol in the finish. Pretty good, though not much complexity. At an in-between stage or not going to get any better? Hard to say. Enjoyable despite not being that brilliant.
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Nose of just over the hill syrah. Musty old books. Lean and focused on the palate. Vey interesting, 45 second+ finish with sour chery and smoke. Reminded me of a Cornas. Turned a bit oxidized after 45 minutes or so. Recommend drink now... Despite the less than stellar notes, this is a very interesting and intriguing wine. Not going to get any better, so drink up!
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Garnet color. Ripe raspberry with some plummy fruit aromas, then herb and earth. The fruit is receding a little. Framed by good acidity and some gentle tannins. Very pleasant but for my palate, the current balance of flavors is good and favors drinking soon.
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Drinking nicely now; medium-heavy weight; cherries, plums, fairly dense texture: slightly meaty; balanced. Probably will continue to develop, but a perfectly good glass right now.
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popped late at a party...very meaty on the palate leaves me thinking must be a lot of syrah or mourvedre in this....still very dense...young...give it air or time
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I have to say...I rarely drink Grenache these days...as I don't care for the alcohol and ripness of the wines...but this thing was shockingly complex on the palate, had a long finish, with medium alcohol on the palate, and very balanced moderate tannins...It really surprised on the upside...nice wine and I can't imagine this wine being better than it is today...
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Medium depth. Bright red Grenache fruit with a light dusting of herbs. Fine acidity, round without being too ripe, long gentle finish. This still has some life ahead of it. Much more complete and clean than the 2000 which was tasted next to it.
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Similar to the last note in that this is big, rich, and with plenty of structure. Can be drunk now, but my hope would be that the fruit will hold up long enough for the tannin to soften and then it will be very nice. A-
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Still young, with a lot of structure and and a tannic finish, but very good fruit. Enjoyable, and hopefully a wine that has the fruit to stand up to the structure. A-
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Last bottle, same note as previous bottles, but this came after a Brune et Blonde Guigal from the same year and therefore seemed softer and more mature. The Gigondas showed a very charming expression of Grenache. Fully mature, and with a lovely nose of rose petals, white pepper and very mature red berries. A very easy wine to drink, good refreshing acidity.
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Mature colour, beginning brick edges. Bouquet is hung meat, herbs, a bit smoke and still some dark red berries left. The bouquet is very promising, but on the palate there is still some to be wished. I don't know if it getting over it's prime time or if it is still a bit closed, I'm betting on the former since it is after all nearly 10 years old and Gigondas is not that ageworthy. There is good definition and the finish is OK. St. Cosme has always been good value for money, and still is.
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Always one of the best Gigondas (if not the best) in any year. 2001 is a tannic and long lived vintage in southern Rhone, and this is not an exception. Typical St.Cosme with its quite elegant nose, but less "Burgundy" than, say, 1997 and 1999. Emerging cow stable aromas but still dominated by Grenache's primary and secondary aromas of herbs, green paprika eau de Quinin and some rose petals (unusual). On the palate, it is very well balanced, with a slightly tart acidity, a bit short though, but the tannins are not obtrusive at all. Still at least 3 years to go, but very good with food right now. Had it with roast chicken stuffed with thyme and garlic, accompanied with roast potatoes, a good match!
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First taste of this since release. Medium to lighter red. Some initial funk gives way to snappy raspberry fruit, which is joined later by herbs and lavender. No more than medium weight, and in fact, it feels lighter than that because of really well defined but not tart acidity. Not much tannin remaining. The light body and expansive interplay of the bright red fruit and garrigue elements was really enjoyable.
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This was the first bottle in my second case of this wine. It's a keeper. Syrah predominates at the moment, though probably not for long. Drink again in two years or so (although it will be hard to resist in the meantime).
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A big, chunky, Grenache bomb. Peppery, piney. Lacking the spice of a nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but a nice wine. Day 3: Only finished about 1/2 of the bottle so tucked the rest in the fridge. I usually hate red wine as it oxidizes, and Grenache is rarely sturdy. This is an interesting exception though. No signs of oxidation. Much meatier and tarrier on the nose, powerfully tannic yet much more polished on the palate. Nice, clean raspberry, balanced well by the tannins, a rather intriguing wine. I was pretty sting with an 88 on day 1, but given the performance I am coming up to 90. This is an eye-opening wine, especially for the $.
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Rocks right now...still a little grippy (and could use another 2-3 years in the cellar to soften), but the concentration and precision of the fruit makes this very enjoyable to drink.
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Dark clear ruby in color; Garrigue and a bit o' horsey on the nose; the midpalate had raspberry, garrigue and black pepper flavors. Balanced wine but a bit rustic with black pepper on the finish. Definitely into a secondary phase but still has some tannins and acid to shed. Well-priced at ~$23 on release. [Decanted 30 minutes and recommended]
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Zibibbo Jenni and gang--tighter and more acidic than expected, but we were outside with a bit of a draft so it never really warmed up enough beyond cellar temp. The brooding peppery core was still evident however.
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Mid garnet, strong rim; smokey, briary, leathery, grilled meats /herbs; med/full bodied, robust yet supple, tremendous depth of peppery fruit; some tannin on an extended finish, drink now & next 5 years. score 17
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Maybe drunk a little early, but this has drunk well from the off and this bottle was no different. Quite typical nose with pepper and a decent level of fruit. One of the rare wines where a raspberry flavour works for me (often I find raspberry in wines is accompanied by a weedy metallic taste). There is a degree of complexity and a decent if not actually long finish. Might add to this when we polish off the rest of the bottle tomorrow.
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Nice dark color with spice and dark fruit on the nose. Mid palate was full of strawberry and dark berries and a nice Rhone profile of wild herbs and flowers. Good, full finish with a touch of sweet tannin. Great with marinated loin lamb chops.
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Color is dark garnet with a hint of lightening. Nose shows cherry, garrigue, and earth. On the palate, cherry predominates for fruit with herbs, spice, and earth finishing the flavors. Enjoyable, medium-bodied Rhone.
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Very dark red/purplish color. On the nose there is some blackberry and earth. On the palate the tannins are very smooth and good acidity. The finish has some more blackberry and a little cherry.
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Very dark garnet robe. Immediately after opening, there was a lot of bell pepper and spice on the nose, overshadowing but not completely masking the fruit. But after a couple hours of air, the black fruit comes through and the bell pepper fades, leaving a complex but fruity nose. Good structure in the mouth, with an ample mid-palate and a long finish. Tannins still a bit chalky. This one will last a good many years yet.
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It would be hard to wait on this any longer, it is drinking so well right now. A full rich nose of dark fruit and pepper, medium to full body with a great finish. It paired with our bistek encebollada and pastor with pico and guacamole in fresh corn tortillas perfectly.
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5/24/2022 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet with a translucent core and burnished orange rim. Some signs of sediment. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, cherry lozenges, Corinthian leather, rich mahogany, old books, espresso, baking spices, desiccated flowers…like something that reminds me of my great aunt’s potpourri, and bit of umami. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium (+?) tannin which is well integrated. Medium acid. The fruit and non-fruit characteristics are confirmed. The finish is laden with dried fruits leather and earth. I felt that the wine was old with 15+ years of age and leaned a little more towards its fruit character than its structure…so I called Barossa Valley Shiraz, 2005, from a quality producer. But then, someone said 2012 CdP and I was like…”ooooohhhh, I like that CdP call”. But if that was the case, it would have to be older…from a great vintage like 2001. Well…I was on the right track. Who cares, this was an awesome showing and the oldest Chateau de Saint Cosme I’ve ever had. Drink now and enjoy.
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5/24/2019 - pbaek wrote:
Unexceptional. No local feel. Polished and slightly extracted.
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2/20/2019 - paulg936 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine has been properly cellared. Opens up with aeration. It has lost the freshness of earlier years, but it is a lovely color, nice nose, very smooth and delightful to drink. Could easil6 be 91.
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12/16/2017 - mclancy10006 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink up! This is in a good place right now, but probably past peak. Smooth, balanced, softened, and a lot of complexity.
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10/9/2016 - Mistress of Wine Likes this wine:
A stray couple of bottles. Garnet colored with minimal bricking. Cherry and plum are the predominant aromas still but now also anise and earth. With time, a whiff of clove too. Tannic structure intact but softer. Very full bodied and smooth. Little development in 5 years but this isn't a criticism as much as a curiosity. Very enjoyable.
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6/14/2016 - DrakkarNoir wrote:
Uninspiring showing… nose was giving very little. A little dried, dark fruit. Medium bodied, acidity and tannins present. Slight stewed plum flavour. M'eh.
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1/10/2016 - pbaek wrote:
Still comes across as a highly doctored wine with very little true Gigondas character to show for. The fruit is polished and extracted, youthful still, bright red. There's a medicinal note on the nose. Some would argue it's a well made wine. I have a very hard time finishing a glass of this.
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11/18/2015 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Earth red cherry flavors, medium bodied, smooth texture. Decanted a half hour and then beautiful!
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12/13/2014 - pbaek wrote:
More pushed and extracted compared to the 1998 Moulin de la Gardette and still very young showing red, polished fruit. Not so much a style that I prefer but who knows if a few more years in the cellar will make it more interesting.
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6/12/2014 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Really delicious gigondas, drinking beautifully right now. Cherry, lavender and cassis and earth flavors, well balanced, with a nice finish.
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4/6/2014 - yipen Likes this wine:
time to drink up this
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4/30/2013 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Lush plum, cassis flavors, medium bodied, nice finish. WA review is accurate. Wine is drinking very well right now. We paired with grilled salmon, delicious!
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10/13/2012 - king-bing wrote:
Decanted for sediment - of which there was some fine stuff at the bottom. Fairly mature colour. Nose really sang out powerfully. Baked earth, kirsch. Palate is powerful but not OTT. Refined tannins saying fully resolved. Some alcohol in the finish. Pretty good, though not much complexity. At an in-between stage or not going to get any better? Hard to say. Enjoyable despite not being that brilliant.
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6/7/2012 - Mr T wrote:
similar to prior note but unfortunately drank by the pools with friends in plastic goblets pop and pour
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10/31/2011 - john.j.rutherford wrote: 91 Points
Nose of just over the hill syrah. Musty old books. Lean and focused on the palate. Vey interesting, 45 second+ finish with sour chery and smoke. Reminded me of a Cornas. Turned a bit oxidized after 45 minutes or so. Recommend drink now... Despite the less than stellar notes, this is a very interesting and intriguing wine. Not going to get any better, so drink up!
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8/7/2011 - Mistress of Wine wrote:
Garnet color. Ripe raspberry with some plummy fruit aromas, then herb and earth. The fruit is receding a little. Framed by good acidity and some gentle tannins. Very pleasant but for my palate, the current balance of flavors is good and favors drinking soon.
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6/26/2011 - kmerriman wrote: 89 Points
More subdued than I expect from Gigondas. A dark, dull color. Perhaps past its prime?
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4/12/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Drinking nicely now; medium-heavy weight; cherries, plums, fairly dense texture: slightly meaty; balanced. Probably will continue to develop, but a perfectly good glass right now.
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4/10/2011 - Mr T wrote:
popped late at a party...very meaty on the palate leaves me thinking must be a lot of syrah or mourvedre in this....still very dense...young...give it air or time
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3/20/2011 - mdavis wrote:
I have to say...I rarely drink Grenache these days...as I don't care for the alcohol and ripness of the wines...but this thing was shockingly complex on the palate, had a long finish, with medium alcohol on the palate, and very balanced moderate tannins...It really surprised on the upside...nice wine and I can't imagine this wine being better than it is today...
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1/11/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium depth. Bright red Grenache fruit with a light dusting of herbs. Fine acidity, round without being too ripe, long gentle finish. This still has some life ahead of it. Much more complete and clean than the 2000 which was tasted next to it.
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6/7/2010 - Heather Smith wrote:
Alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Possible some wine in here too. Nice if you like that sort of thing.
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6/3/2010 - MC wrote:
Similar to the last note in that this is big, rich, and with plenty of structure. Can be drunk now, but my hope would be that the fruit will hold up long enough for the tannin to soften and then it will be very nice. A-
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6/1/2010 - MC wrote:
Still young, with a lot of structure and and a tannic finish, but very good fruit. Enjoyable, and hopefully a wine that has the fruit to stand up to the structure. A-
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4/20/2010 - UTPK wrote:
Last bottle, same note as previous bottles, but this came after a Brune et Blonde Guigal from the same year and therefore seemed softer and more mature. The Gigondas showed a very charming expression of Grenache. Fully mature, and with a lovely nose of rose petals, white pepper and very mature red berries. A very easy wine to drink, good refreshing acidity.
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4/11/2010 - UTPK wrote:
Mature colour, beginning brick edges. Bouquet is hung meat, herbs, a bit smoke and still some dark red berries left. The bouquet is very promising, but on the palate there is still some to be wished. I don't know if it getting over it's prime time or if it is still a bit closed, I'm betting on the former since it is after all nearly 10 years old and Gigondas is not that ageworthy. There is good definition and the finish is OK. St. Cosme has always been good value for money, and still is.
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10/17/2009 - UTPK wrote:
Always one of the best Gigondas (if not the best) in any year. 2001 is a tannic and long lived vintage in southern Rhone, and this is not an exception. Typical St.Cosme with its quite elegant nose, but less "Burgundy" than, say, 1997 and 1999. Emerging cow stable aromas but still dominated by Grenache's primary and secondary aromas of herbs, green paprika eau de Quinin and some rose petals (unusual). On the palate, it is very well balanced, with a slightly tart acidity, a bit short though, but the tannins are not obtrusive at all. Still at least 3 years to go, but very good with food right now. Had it with roast chicken stuffed with thyme and garlic, accompanied with roast potatoes, a good match!
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3/29/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
First taste of this since release. Medium to lighter red. Some initial funk gives way to snappy raspberry fruit, which is joined later by herbs and lavender. No more than medium weight, and in fact, it feels lighter than that because of really well defined but not tart acidity. Not much tannin remaining. The light body and expansive interplay of the bright red fruit and garrigue elements was really enjoyable.
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3/16/2009 - frapadingue wrote: 93 Points
This was the first bottle in my second case of this wine. It's a keeper. Syrah predominates at the moment, though probably not for long. Drink again in two years or so (although it will be hard to resist in the meantime).
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2/9/2009 - mrm27 wrote: 92 Points
This was in fantastic form. Arch, crisp and ripe fruit. Depth and power. Lots more to come. Lovely refreshing wine. Great with food.
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5/3/2008 - Eric wrote: 90 Points
A big, chunky, Grenache bomb. Peppery, piney. Lacking the spice of a nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but a nice wine.
Day 3: Only finished about 1/2 of the bottle so tucked the rest in the fridge. I usually hate red wine as it oxidizes, and Grenache is rarely sturdy. This is an interesting exception though. No signs of oxidation. Much meatier and tarrier on the nose, powerfully tannic yet much more polished on the palate. Nice, clean raspberry, balanced well by the tannins, a rather intriguing wine. I was pretty sting with an 88 on day 1, but given the performance I am coming up to 90. This is an eye-opening wine, especially for the $.
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9/21/2007 - MLD11 wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Smooth but grippy.
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9/6/2007 - Employee500 wrote: 92 Points
Rocks right now...still a little grippy (and could use another 2-3 years in the cellar to soften), but the concentration and precision of the fruit makes this very enjoyable to drink.
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3/20/2007 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
Notes similar to previous bottle. Quite good with lamb shish kabobs.
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3/7/2007 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
Dark clear ruby in color; Garrigue and a bit o' horsey on the nose; the midpalate had raspberry, garrigue and black pepper flavors. Balanced wine but a bit rustic with black pepper on the finish. Definitely into a secondary phase but still has some tannins and acid to shed. Well-priced at ~$23 on release. [Decanted 30 minutes and recommended]
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8/25/2006 - danstrings wrote: 88 Points
Zibibbo Jenni and gang--tighter and more acidic than expected, but we were outside with a bit of a draft so it never really warmed up enough beyond cellar temp. The brooding peppery core was still evident however.
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8/17/2006 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Mid garnet, strong rim; smokey, briary, leathery, grilled meats /herbs; med/full bodied, robust yet supple, tremendous depth of peppery fruit; some tannin on an extended finish, drink now & next 5 years. score 17
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5/13/2006 - Ian S wrote:
Maybe drunk a little early, but this has drunk well from the off and this bottle was no different.
Quite typical nose with pepper and a decent level of fruit. One of the rare wines where a raspberry flavour works for me (often I find raspberry in wines is accompanied by a weedy metallic taste). There is a degree of complexity and a decent if not actually long finish. Might add to this when we polish off the rest of the bottle tomorrow.
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4/15/2006 - Sweet Nancy wrote:
Nice dark color with spice and dark fruit on the nose. Mid palate was full of strawberry and dark berries and a nice Rhone profile of wild herbs and flowers. Good, full finish with a touch of sweet tannin. Great with marinated loin lamb chops.
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12/25/2005 - Thilo wrote: 89 Points
Color is dark garnet with a hint of lightening. Nose shows cherry, garrigue, and earth. On the palate, cherry predominates for fruit with herbs, spice, and earth finishing the flavors. Enjoyable, medium-bodied Rhone.
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12/10/2005 - kris.h wrote: 90 Points
Very dark red/purplish color. On the nose there is some blackberry and earth. On the palate the tannins are very smooth and good acidity. The finish has some more blackberry and a little cherry.
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12/8/2005 - Angostura wrote: 91 Points
Very dark garnet robe. Immediately after opening, there was a lot of bell pepper and spice on the nose, overshadowing but not completely masking the fruit. But after a couple hours of air, the black fruit comes through and the bell pepper fades, leaving a complex but fruity nose. Good structure in the mouth, with an ample mid-palate and a long finish. Tannins still a bit chalky. This one will last a good many years yet.
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10/10/2005 - speedmac wrote:
It would be hard to wait on this any longer, it is drinking so well right now. A full rich nose of dark fruit and pepper, medium to full body with a great finish. It paired with our bistek encebollada and pastor with pico and guacamole in fresh corn tortillas perfectly.
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10/1/2005 - shemmy wrote:
Drank at Mazi, Bradley Beach. Very nice, nice match with the Mediterranean cuisine. No detailed notes.
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