Third time enjoying this wine at Blackberry Farm during the last two years. It's proof positive that exceptional Gigondas can peak past 20 years. Simply put, this is the best Gigondas we've ever had, and we drink a LOT of Gigondas, since it's my wife's favorite appellation. I'd rate the first taste even higher, a 98, for its wild bramble, garrigue, and Provence herb flavor notes. Great length and complexity. It probably had an hour or more decant before our first glass. After that, it slowly lost steam. Overall, a truly great wine shining now.
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Back again for another bottle at Blackberry Farm, and I'll reiterate that this is the best aged Gigondas I've ever enjoyed. Glorious secondary forest flavors complement still-vibrant fruit. If I only knew what Gigondas to buy now that would taste like this when I'm even older....
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This particular bottle was the best aged (i.e., 10+ years old) Gigondas I've ever enjoyed. Mrs. Montesquieu's favorite wine is Gigondas, and we drink dozens of bottles per year, including aged. Most are tiring by age 10 and clearly declined by age 15. This Santa Duc, at 21, was vibrant, fresh, and perfectly enhanced by its cellar time. Bramble, garrigue, modest forest floor and mushroom, and a bit of smoke all complement fruit that was still energetic. Based on a single data point, I'd say drink now if you have this and want to experience it at peak. Magnificent!
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I didn't get a chance to decant this - it was a back up wine at a tasting - but this was firing on all cylinders from the get-go. The excellent nose was quite gamy, with red fruits and garrigue. The medium to full bodied palate was concentrated, well balanced and provided a complex mix of red fruits (cherries and plums mainly) along with some game, olive and garrigue. It had a smooth, velvety texture, but also still with ripe tannins to give it structure and acidity to keep it fresh. Outstanding now, but this still has many years left. 2001 was a great, great vintage for the S. Rhone and it shows in this wine. Very impressive (A).
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Mmm, a decade has served this wine very well. This is a pure, spicy, rather precise and highly pleasurable laser of (mostly) Grenache! A little bit of mushroomy funk on the nose moves to loads of white pepper and pine, then cherry and granite. It's a bit drying on the mid-palate, quite spicy, but then finishes out nicely with excellent persistence and length, juicy, cherry, still quite tannic.
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Cellared at 55 since release. Youthful deep ruby. Once reticent nose now voluminous - clean fresh raspberry, kirsch, anise, espresso, and rosemary/thyme - all which follow on to palate with bright enough acids and enough fine dusty near silky tannins to keep the palate party going.
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This is really lovely right now. Some sweet fruit on the nose and palate, with some subtle tar and leather, and slightly less subtle rubber. Not the harsh and tannic notes from the last bottle. This may be at peak for me now. A lot of life; some lovely subtlety; and still some structure suggesting it will be fine for at least a few more years.
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Garnet with only hints of orange hue at the rim. Garrigue, black currant, olive tapenade, game, cedar, mocha, licorice, even flowery scents and flavors. On the palate it shows high levels of round tannin, but this is balanced by the wall of intense fruit flavors. This has reached full maturity over the last years revealing its full potential. Clearly outstanding! It is much more vivacious, fresher and with more future than the 2000 vintage. Needs only 30 minutes or so to blossom without decantation. Concentrated, layered and complex. Jeb Dunnuck (The Wine Advocate) gave it 97 points in 2016. 5/13/18/10 -2030 in a cool cellar.
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Deep colour, browning rim; savoury meatiness, still some warm fruit showing; big, plenty of vigour, hearty; rugged finish, signs of drying out. Drink up.
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This was lovely. A bit harsh and tarrish at first, but it opened up over an hour or so. Still some nice fruit, with licorice and garrique. As others noted this probably has some time still ahead of it.
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Regular dinner group (By Me @ van der Dussen): Sweet bouquet with ripe red and some dark berries, a lot of garrigue, sweet spices and some sweet licorice. The same impressions on the palate. Good acidity and melted tannin. A beautiful and expressive wine which is completely ready now, but there is no extreme hurry. Probably wise to drink it over the next 2 – 3 years.
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Regular dinner group (By PvD @ Savarin): See previous notes. As always a great pleasure. Elegance and length. Not tired yet. Until 2017 is no problem, but ready now.
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Dark, deep purple. Barnyard/animal nose with leather and hints of licorice that carried through the palate with cherry & kirsch. Med+ body. Made in a bigger style, but enough acidity to balance it. Drinking well now with good years ahead of it. A testament to the strength of the '01 vintage in the rhone.
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Weekly tasting group #119; A mixed set of red wines (@ BS): Red fruits, earth, spiciness, leather, wet forest and a touch of barnyard in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Cherries and dark forest fruits, garrigue, vanilla, almonds, licorice, chocolate, beautiful fresh acidity and soft tannin with still a nice bite. Beautiful wine that never disappoints. Ready now and still a few years ahead.
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healthy youthful deep pigmentation; clean reticent nose of pruneaux, kirsch, and rosemary; still clenched in mouth with a good dose of still astringent tannins; long finish of anise
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WOOF! Some bottle variation here - this bottle was a monster. Massive, sweet fruit with wave after wave of farmyard and spices. Meaty, dense and a bit of heat. Previous bottles had been much more reserved. Quite tough after 1 glass. Decanted for 8 hours as well.
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Last tasted 17 months ago. Now the rim is yellow-brown. A dark ruby color, with reddish bricking characteristics. An awesome nose of blackberry, raspberry, game meat, leather, spice, some Provencal herbs, and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors, along with a touch of licorice and lots of pepper. Big, rich and powerful in the mouth; fairly intense fruit. Very well structured. Again the tannins are not yet resolved and leave an acidic sting on the tongue. However the long finish seems somewhat soft and peppery. The wine has lots of time left and probably is not close to it maturity plateau. Again, it pairs quite nice with prime rib-eye steak. Pretty good Gigondas.
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Power and perfume, lacks subtlety, but enjoyable, and drinking well. Not quite as good as other bottles tried to date. Certainly in its drinking window
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Donkerrood, paars. In de ontwikkelde neus wat stallucht, leder, chocolade en vlees. Cassis en braam in de smaak, met provencaalse kruiden, kiezelsteen en eikenhout. Stevige, goed geïntegreerde tannines en een lánge afdronk. Al behoorlijk ontwikkeld, maar met voldoende structuur om nog een aantal jaar mee te kunnen.
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Impressive quality here that is the embodiment of the Southern Rhone. Beautifully balanced and maturing fruit infused through with wild herbs, crushed rock, black/red fruit. A touch of barnyard in there as well. This carries its 15% alcohol very lightly - very understated and reserved. Approachable now, but this has years left in it.
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Full flavour, berries and spice. Acidity really keeps this together. Consistent with previous notes. Drinking well now, but will be interested to see if any further development occurs. 90+
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Medium ruby with mature edge. Medium weight. Very lively but not sweet red fruits and just a touch of herbs. The wood was much less noticeable than it has been on 2 other occasions. Rather elegant and so much more alive than the St. Cosme Valbelle we tasted before it. Excellent Gigondas, and I'm pleased to see that the wood has receded and now plays only a minor supporting role.
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First bottle from a case - powerful nose, red fruit and sweet spice, hints of plumminess and a whiff of scrumpy. Still retains nice freshness, and has the structure to last. This bottle felt alittle porty, with the high alcohol. Will try again soon to check consistency. 90+
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A touch of barnyard, red fruits, sweet spices and licorice in the mature bouquet. Really beautiful. On the palate concentrated dark fruits, blood, meaty, a touch of sweetness and beautiful acidity. Although the wine is fully mature the tannin still has power enough to make this wine last for at least another 3 years. What a great pleasure to drink this!
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This bottle was brought by someone who bought it in a shop where it has probably been stored too long at too high temperatures. The wine was brown and still drinkable, but the chocolate, celery and reductive flavors were too dominant. Luckily we had a better stored bottle.
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First bottle from the case. Big, rich, wine. A lot of very ripe fruit - think Turley Zin from the Rhone, but with plenty of structure. I would have guessed it was all grenache based on what shows - this is fragrant, ripe, and rich. This is one for big, red meat dishes - or after dinner - but is of high quality and has plenty of structure (still some bite on the finish) to hold for a while. A-
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A touch of yellowing at the rim; deep, dark ruby color. A lot of complexity in the nose: blackberry, raspberry, licorice, leather, a touch of game meat, lots of spice, pepper, cigar box. Big, rich and structured in the mouth; decent concentration of fruit. Lots of spice and pepper flavors. Tannins are not totally resolved, but that does not detract from the elegance of the wine. A little tannic sting on the tongue. A nice long pepper-like finish. Of course this wine pairs very nicely with prime rib-eye broiled steak. The tannic influence seems to abate with the food. Lots of time left for this wine.
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Wow, gorgeous Gigondas here, one of the best I have tasted. Big personality and a dark, almost brooding character yet mellowed and softened through the years this was nicely approachable but still with years to go. Masculine wine.
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Oh well, a night of overly woody wines. Some licorice and black fruit but basically an astringent, overoaked mess with green wood tannins. I had a much more positive take on the wine when it showed much more than the lumber.
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Dreamtastings' Eve (WiVino Vinothek, Wittlich): On the nose this is suave and dominated by fruit, but there's also a lot of nice and refined spice-box-action going on. Sexy and sultry, for sure. But a lot more balance, elegance and refinement than in the preceding Pégau CR 2001. Great evolution in the glass during aeration, a pinch of barnyard is added. Served blind, I wrote: "Finally! A tasty Chateauneuf which suites me. Beaucastel?" 18/20
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A weekend with friends in Germany Mosel area: Part 1: Beautiful bouquet with a touch of pleasant barnyard, spiciness, complexity and refinement. On the palate the wine is rustic and juicy with beautiful complexity. A very complete wine. Concentrated and tasteful. Mature and with so much power left. Full bodied and also elegant. Already so nice but intriguing as well. This is a great beauty now and my blind score was higher than ever before. Great I have a few bottles of this beauty! Drink between now and the next 5+ years.
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This is pure, masculine, dried herbs, musk, cool and monolithic. Beautiful juice with a thick backbone of tannin. On the palate lots of fruits and spices, with a very positive bitterness of cherry and dark chocolate; minerally dry. The 15% Alc. are very well integrated, the firm body is combined with a nearly perfect acidity. Gigondas at its best.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #054; Rhône red. (By AH): Intriguing bouquet; like walking into a store in India loaded with all sorts of spices. Beautiful fruit juice on the palate with also spices good bitterness and acidity and a firm body. Beautifully soft tannin still offering a bite. Half way maturity stage and a real beauty now. Will stay on this level for some years.
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Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): Gunpowder and herbs and spices in the bouquet. Beautiful juice with again a lot of herbs and spices and some chocolate as well. Beautiful wine.
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Wowza, quite an interesting nose. Smokey, meaty, bloody, and savory. I would think Northern Rhône whether through strong oak or strong Syrah influence. This is a bloody, savory, Umami-laden wine on the nose, but then it shows surprisingly delicate flavors on the palate. There is a lot to admire here, although it is also a touch lean and hollow, whether due to being dried out (oak?) or just not opened up yet. The good news is that I have another half bottle to revisit tomorrow night to see for sure.
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Deep color. Very inviiting aromatics of toffee and sinuous red fruit. Big but shapely with tremendous volume of round fruit and a strong ground coffee note. Yep, there is some wood, but this has been easily integrated and serves the true calling of wood, which is to frame and complement the wine rather than to dominate it. This could still use more time, but it is formidably delicious now if you can tolerate a more modern, less terroir-oriented style.
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Rubied, dark; brooding, closed but there is a stream of masked minerally fruit in the background; muscular, core of fruit almost hidden by peppery tannins, all hanging on fine acidity; finishes extremely long & cleanly. Needs at least two more years.
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diep rood, kruidig, herfstbos, donker fruit, geconcentreerd, smaak is mooi vol en met heerlijke balans, warme indrukken, diepgang en met veel karakter, mooi gerijpt maar nog in prima vorm
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Mid garnet; garriguey!, fresh herbs, lifted; substantial, full bodied, powerful, bags of character; a blockbuster finish yet balanced. No hurry to drink.17
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diep rood, geur is kruidig en donker diep rood fruit, wat aards en boers, smaak is stevig en met passie, concentratie en diepgang, veel inhoud en substantie, mooie avondwijn bij het eten, genieten
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Developing really nicely, only the very slightest loss of colour from the rim, but with much better integrated tannin than formerly. Stuffed full of blackcurrant fruit complemented by tertiary earthy and toasty notes. Long, well balanced, very enjoyable.
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Aroma of blackcurrant, leather, and a flourishing black pepper. This wine has full-bodied, tannic, and a moderate acidy. It has a nice balance with long and lingering finish.
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Colour: Solid dark red. Nose: Mostly blackberry wiht hints of oak and vanilla. Palate: More blackberry and vanilla. Still very youthful, good acidity and firm tannins. This definitely has plenty more miles in it but thoroughly enjoyable already.
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Has now started to integrate - although the tannin is still quite apparent at the finish. Lovely bright nose of blackberry and black cherry fruit with some other toasty notes. Full bodied with nice pure black fruit character and some hints of spice. Perfectly drinkable now, but with more upside and hopefully plenty of secondary flavours waiting to develop.
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Deep, youthful colour. Roughly the hue of undiluted ribena with a bright purple rim. Lots of legs, which actually have a purple tint to them.
Pronounced very youthful nose of dark fruits, blackberries and plums together with spicy oak, herbs and a distinct note of licorice.
Dry and extremely full bodied, a very chewy red wine. Moderate but well balanced acidity and a whopping level of alcohol (label says 15%, must be going on towards 16%). Fruit character consistent with nose, heaps of brambly fruit together with some bready flavours. Oak shows through as a spicy character together with a creamy vannilin edge. Hefty level of tannin. Excellent, consistent length.
Extraordinarily young wine but of fabulous quality, needs at least 3 years rest in the cellar. (@ HOH)
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11/25/2023 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 97 Points
Third time enjoying this wine at Blackberry Farm during the last two years. It's proof positive that exceptional Gigondas can peak past 20 years. Simply put, this is the best Gigondas we've ever had, and we drink a LOT of Gigondas, since it's my wife's favorite appellation. I'd rate the first taste even higher, a 98, for its wild bramble, garrigue, and Provence herb flavor notes. Great length and complexity. It probably had an hour or more decant before our first glass. After that, it slowly lost steam. Overall, a truly great wine shining now.
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12/18/2022 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Back again for another bottle at Blackberry Farm, and I'll reiterate that this is the best aged Gigondas I've ever enjoyed. Glorious secondary forest flavors complement still-vibrant fruit. If I only knew what Gigondas to buy now that would taste like this when I'm even older....
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11/26/2022 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 96 Points
This particular bottle was the best aged (i.e., 10+ years old) Gigondas I've ever enjoyed. Mrs. Montesquieu's favorite wine is Gigondas, and we drink dozens of bottles per year, including aged. Most are tiring by age 10 and clearly declined by age 15. This Santa Duc, at 21, was vibrant, fresh, and perfectly enhanced by its cellar time. Bramble, garrigue, modest forest floor and mushroom, and a bit of smoke all complement fruit that was still energetic. Based on a single data point, I'd say drink now if you have this and want to experience it at peak. Magnificent!
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7/14/2022 - JohnSh wrote: 94 Points
I didn't get a chance to decant this - it was a back up wine at a tasting - but this was firing on all cylinders from the get-go. The excellent nose was quite gamy, with red fruits and garrigue. The medium to full bodied palate was concentrated, well balanced and provided a complex mix of red fruits (cherries and plums mainly) along with some game, olive and garrigue. It had a smooth, velvety texture, but also still with ripe tannins to give it structure and acidity to keep it fresh. Outstanding now, but this still has many years left. 2001 was a great, great vintage for the S. Rhone and it shows in this wine. Very impressive (A).
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2/25/2021 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Mmm, a decade has served this wine very well. This is a pure, spicy, rather precise and highly pleasurable laser of (mostly) Grenache! A little bit of mushroomy funk on the nose moves to loads of white pepper and pine, then cherry and granite. It's a bit drying on the mid-palate, quite spicy, but then finishes out nicely with excellent persistence and length, juicy, cherry, still quite tannic.
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8/23/2020 - Tgood wrote: 94 Points
Cellared at 55 since release. Youthful deep ruby. Once reticent nose now voluminous - clean fresh raspberry, kirsch, anise, espresso, and rosemary/thyme - all which follow on to palate with bright enough acids and enough fine dusty near silky tannins to keep the palate party going.
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8/19/2019 - Ron Slye wrote: 92 Points
This is really lovely right now. Some sweet fruit on the nose and palate, with some subtle tar and leather, and slightly less subtle rubber. Not the harsh and tannic notes from the last bottle. This may be at peak for me now. A lot of life; some lovely subtlety; and still some structure suggesting it will be fine for at least a few more years.
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4/10/2019 - despore wrote: 92 Points
Still vibrant, everything integrated, well balanced, lovely long finish.
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10/7/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 96 Points
Garnet with only hints of orange hue at the rim. Garrigue, black currant, olive tapenade, game, cedar, mocha, licorice, even flowery scents and flavors. On the palate it shows high levels of round tannin, but this is balanced by the wall of intense fruit flavors. This has reached full maturity over the last years revealing its full potential. Clearly outstanding! It is much more vivacious, fresher and with more future than the 2000 vintage. Needs only 30 minutes or so to blossom without decantation. Concentrated, layered and complex. Jeb Dunnuck (The Wine Advocate) gave it 97 points in 2016. 5/13/18/10 -2030 in a cool cellar.
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8/25/2018 - chbeaumont wrote: 87 Points
Deep colour, browning rim; savoury meatiness, still some warm fruit showing; big, plenty of vigour, hearty; rugged finish, signs of drying out. Drink up.
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9/11/2017 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Dark barnyard, garrigue, anise, leather with loads and loads of pepper on the backbone. Really like where this is at. Drinking VERY nicely.
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7/13/2016 - Ron Slye wrote: 91 Points
This was lovely. A bit harsh and tarrish at first, but it opened up over an hour or so. Still some nice fruit, with licorice and garrique. As others noted this probably has some time still ahead of it.
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7/4/2015 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Regular dinner group (By Me @ van der Dussen): Sweet bouquet with ripe red and some dark berries, a lot of garrigue, sweet spices and some sweet licorice. The same impressions on the palate. Good acidity and melted tannin. A beautiful and expressive wine which is completely ready now, but there is no extreme hurry. Probably wise to drink it over the next 2 – 3 years.
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1/14/2015 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Simply delicious!!
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1/3/2015 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Regular dinner group (By PvD @ Savarin): See previous notes. As always a great pleasure. Elegance and length. Not tired yet. Until 2017 is no problem, but ready now.
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11/16/2014 - Vinoevelo wrote:
Dark, deep purple. Barnyard/animal nose with leather and hints of licorice that carried through the palate with cherry & kirsch. Med+ body. Made in a bigger style, but enough acidity to balance it. Drinking well now with good years ahead of it. A testament to the strength of the '01 vintage in the rhone.
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5/26/2014 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Weekly tasting group #119; A mixed set of red wines (@ BS): Red fruits, earth, spiciness, leather, wet forest and a touch of barnyard in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Cherries and dark forest fruits, garrigue, vanilla, almonds, licorice, chocolate, beautiful fresh acidity and soft tannin with still a nice bite. Beautiful wine that never disappoints. Ready now and still a few years ahead.
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11/3/2013 - whudock Likes this wine: 92 Points
still has lots of cherry with nice notes of leather and spice complementing an earthy quality.
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11/1/2013 - Tgood wrote: 90 Points
healthy youthful deep pigmentation; clean reticent nose of pruneaux, kirsch, and rosemary; still clenched in mouth with a good dose of still astringent tannins; long finish of anise
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9/17/2013 - pjaines wrote:
WOOF! Some bottle variation here - this bottle was a monster. Massive, sweet fruit with wave after wave of farmyard and spices. Meaty, dense and a bit of heat. Previous bottles had been much more reserved. Quite tough after 1 glass. Decanted for 8 hours as well.
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9/8/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Last tasted 17 months ago. Now the rim is yellow-brown. A dark ruby color, with reddish bricking characteristics. An awesome nose of blackberry, raspberry, game meat, leather, spice, some Provencal herbs, and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors, along with a touch of licorice and lots of pepper. Big, rich and powerful in the mouth; fairly intense fruit. Very well structured. Again the tannins are not yet resolved and leave an acidic sting on the tongue. However the long finish seems somewhat soft and peppery. The wine has lots of time left and probably is not close to it maturity plateau. Again, it pairs quite nice with prime rib-eye steak. Pretty good Gigondas.
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8/11/2013 - thewineoceros wrote: 90 Points
Power and perfume, lacks subtlety, but enjoyable, and drinking well. Not quite as good as other bottles tried to date. Certainly in its drinking window
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2/16/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 92 Points
Donkerrood, paars. In de ontwikkelde neus wat stallucht, leder, chocolade en vlees. Cassis en braam in de smaak, met provencaalse kruiden, kiezelsteen en eikenhout. Stevige, goed geïntegreerde tannines en een lánge afdronk. Al behoorlijk ontwikkeld, maar met voldoende structuur om nog een aantal jaar mee te kunnen.
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1/15/2013 - pjaines Likes this wine:
Impressive quality here that is the embodiment of the Southern Rhone. Beautifully balanced and maturing fruit infused through with wild herbs, crushed rock, black/red fruit. A touch of barnyard in there as well. This carries its 15% alcohol very lightly - very understated and reserved. Approachable now, but this has years left in it.
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12/27/2012 - thewineoceros Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full flavour, berries and spice. Acidity really keeps this together. Consistent with previous notes. Drinking well now, but will be interested to see if any further development occurs. 90+
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12/9/2012 - chbeaumont Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very impressive; concentrated, balanced, drinking well. Currently better drinking than '98.
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11/13/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium ruby with mature edge. Medium weight. Very lively but not sweet red fruits and just a touch of herbs. The wood was much less noticeable than it has been on 2 other occasions. Rather elegant and so much more alive than the St. Cosme Valbelle we tasted before it. Excellent Gigondas, and I'm pleased to see that the wood has receded and now plays only a minor supporting role.
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11/12/2012 - Tgood wrote: flawed
Dark ruby; shy nose; bitter cherry, chicory, dark roast coffee on an aggressively tannic frame
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10/16/2012 - thewineoceros wrote: 90 Points
First bottle from a case - powerful nose, red fruit and sweet spice, hints of plumminess and a whiff of scrumpy. Still retains nice freshness, and has the structure to last. This bottle felt alittle porty, with the high alcohol. Will try again soon to check consistency. 90+
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10/12/2012 - MikeZ wrote: 93 Points
Plenty of life left, but drinking quite well.
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7/6/2012 - Zweder Likes this wine: 93 Points
A touch of barnyard, red fruits, sweet spices and licorice in the mature bouquet. Really beautiful. On the palate concentrated dark fruits, blood, meaty, a touch of sweetness and beautiful acidity. Although the wine is fully mature the tannin still has power enough to make this wine last for at least another 3 years. What a great pleasure to drink this!
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7/6/2012 - Zweder wrote:
This bottle was brought by someone who bought it in a shop where it has probably been stored too long at too high temperatures. The wine was brown and still drinkable, but the chocolate, celery and reductive flavors were too dominant. Luckily we had a better stored bottle.
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4/27/2012 - MC wrote:
First bottle from the case. Big, rich, wine. A lot of very ripe fruit - think Turley Zin from the Rhone, but with plenty of structure. I would have guessed it was all grenache based on what shows - this is fragrant, ripe, and rich. This is one for big, red meat dishes - or after dinner - but is of high quality and has plenty of structure (still some bite on the finish) to hold for a while. A-
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4/14/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
A touch of yellowing at the rim; deep, dark ruby color. A lot of complexity in the nose: blackberry, raspberry, licorice, leather, a touch of game meat, lots of spice, pepper, cigar box. Big, rich and structured in the mouth; decent concentration of fruit. Lots of spice and pepper flavors. Tannins are not totally resolved, but that does not detract from the elegance of the wine. A little tannic sting on the tongue. A nice long pepper-like finish. Of course this wine pairs very nicely with prime rib-eye broiled steak. The tannic influence seems to abate with the food. Lots of time left for this wine.
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1/4/2012 - SineQuaNon wrote: 91 Points
Wow, gorgeous Gigondas here, one of the best I have tasted. Big personality and a dark, almost brooding character yet mellowed and softened through the years this was nicely approachable but still with years to go. Masculine wine.
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12/12/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Oh well, a night of overly woody wines. Some licorice and black fruit but basically an astringent, overoaked mess with green wood tannins. I had a much more positive take on the wine when it showed much more than the lumber.
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11/29/2011 - MQuentel@web.de wrote: 94 Points
Once again, this wine is at the prime of its life. Complex, full bodied and elegant.
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11/4/2011 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Dreamtastings' Eve (WiVino Vinothek, Wittlich): On the nose this is suave and dominated by fruit, but there's also a lot of nice and refined spice-box-action going on. Sexy and sultry, for sure. But a lot more balance, elegance and refinement than in the preceding Pégau CR 2001. Great evolution in the glass during aeration, a pinch of barnyard is added. Served blind, I wrote: "Finally! A tasty Chateauneuf which suites me. Beaucastel?" 18/20
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11/4/2011 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
A weekend with friends in Germany Mosel area: Part 1: Beautiful bouquet with a touch of pleasant barnyard, spiciness, complexity and refinement. On the palate the wine is rustic and juicy with beautiful complexity. A very complete wine. Concentrated and tasteful. Mature and with so much power left. Full bodied and also elegant. Already so nice but intriguing as well. This is a great beauty now and my blind score was higher than ever before. Great I have a few bottles of this beauty! Drink between now and the next 5+ years.
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9/2/2011 - MQuentel@web.de wrote: 94 Points
This is pure, masculine, dried herbs, musk, cool and monolithic. Beautiful juice with a thick backbone of tannin. On the palate lots of fruits and spices, with a very positive bitterness of cherry and dark chocolate; minerally dry. The 15% Alc. are very well integrated, the firm body is combined with a nearly perfect acidity. Gigondas at its best.
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6/27/2011 - chbeaumont Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rubied; meaty, authentic, brutal; massive grip, lingering. This hs not budged in 2 years. Eventually, this will be stunning - hopefully. 17
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1/12/2011 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #054; Rhône red. (By AH): Intriguing bouquet; like walking into a store in India loaded with all sorts of spices. Beautiful fruit juice on the palate with also spices good bitterness and acidity and a firm body. Beautifully soft tannin still offering a bite. Half way maturity stage and a real beauty now. Will stay on this level for some years.
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11/27/2010 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Occasional tasting group (@ PZ Only Magnums): Gunpowder and herbs and spices in the bouquet. Beautiful juice with again a lot of herbs and spices and some chocolate as well. Beautiful wine.
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10/14/2010 - Eric wrote: 91 Points
Wowza, quite an interesting nose. Smokey, meaty, bloody, and savory. I would think Northern Rhône whether through strong oak or strong Syrah influence. This is a bloody, savory, Umami-laden wine on the nose, but then it shows surprisingly delicate flavors on the palate. There is a lot to admire here, although it is also a touch lean and hollow, whether due to being dried out (oak?) or just not opened up yet. The good news is that I have another half bottle to revisit tomorrow night to see for sure.
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8/15/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deep color. Very inviiting aromatics of toffee and sinuous red fruit. Big but shapely with tremendous volume of round fruit and a strong ground coffee note. Yep, there is some wood, but this has been easily integrated and serves the true calling of wood, which is to frame and complement the wine rather than to dominate it. This could still use more time, but it is formidably delicious now if you can tolerate a more modern, less terroir-oriented style.
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6/7/2010 - Patrick wrote: 92 Points
No formal note; very enjoyable with a little air time; still has penty in the tank for a few more years
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5/7/2010 - Biglama wrote: 91 Points
donker rood, mooie aardse tonen, kruidig, boers, sterke wijn nog steeds in goede conditie, warme rijpe tonen, mooie keuze bij de oosterse maaltijd
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12/5/2009 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Rubied, dark; brooding, closed but there is a stream of masked minerally fruit in the background; muscular, core of fruit almost hidden by peppery tannins, all hanging on fine acidity; finishes extremely long & cleanly. Needs at least two more years.
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10/19/2009 - Biglama wrote: 91 Points
diep rood, kruidig, herfstbos, donker fruit, geconcentreerd, smaak is mooi vol en met heerlijke balans, warme indrukken, diepgang en met veel karakter, mooi gerijpt maar nog in prima vorm
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10/3/2009 - clembos wrote: 92 Points
Nose a bit recitant, palate rich, plum cake, chocolate, tobacco, cherry.
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4/27/2009 - chbeaumont wrote: 90 Points
Deep; this bottle seem to have shut down; powerful, brutal, when will this come around?
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4/20/2009 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Occasional tasting group: C9duP 1998 - 2001 plus a few extra's. (@ PVa): A mouth full of wine. Juicy, garrigue, barnyard, good bitterness and firm tannin. In its young adult stage now. This can last for at least 3 - 5+ years.
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12/26/2008 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Mid garnet; garriguey!, fresh herbs, lifted; substantial, full bodied, powerful, bags of character; a blockbuster finish yet balanced. No hurry to drink.17
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11/26/2008 - Biglama wrote: 91 Points
diep rood, geur is kruidig en donker diep rood fruit, wat aards en boers, smaak is stevig en met passie, concentratie en diepgang, veel inhoud en substantie, mooie avondwijn bij het eten, genieten
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5/4/2008 - TGHaddon wrote:
Developing really nicely, only the very slightest loss of colour from the rim, but with much better integrated tannin than formerly. Stuffed full of blackcurrant fruit complemented by tertiary earthy and toasty notes. Long, well balanced, very enjoyable.
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3/26/2008 - chbeaumont wrote: 91 Points
Deep rubied; herby garrigue [!], inky, sous bois, brett; dense, tannic, powerful, forceful, peppery. Carries 15% well. Needs bags of time. score 16+
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12/1/2007 - LGR wrote: 91 Points
Aroma of blackcurrant, leather, and a flourishing black pepper. This wine has full-bodied, tannic, and a moderate acidy. It has a nice balance with long and lingering finish.
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6/29/2007 - Baron Samedi wrote: 86 Points
Colour: Solid dark red. Nose: Mostly blackberry wiht hints of oak and vanilla. Palate: More blackberry and vanilla. Still very youthful, good acidity and firm tannins. This definitely has plenty more miles in it but thoroughly enjoyable already.
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11/28/2006 - TGHaddon wrote:
Has now started to integrate - although the tannin is still quite apparent at the finish. Lovely bright nose of blackberry and black cherry fruit with some other toasty notes. Full bodied with nice pure black fruit character and some hints of spice. Perfectly drinkable now, but with more upside and hopefully plenty of secondary flavours waiting to develop.
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12/10/2005 - ddamron wrote: 91 Points
Excellent complex nose, bright purple color, and heavy alcohol...
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3/3/2004 - TGHaddon wrote:
Deep, youthful colour. Roughly the hue of undiluted ribena with a bright purple rim. Lots of legs, which actually have a purple tint to them.
Pronounced very youthful nose of dark fruits, blackberries and plums together with spicy oak, herbs and a distinct note of licorice.
Dry and extremely full bodied, a very chewy red wine. Moderate but well balanced acidity and a whopping level of alcohol (label says 15%, must be going on towards 16%). Fruit character consistent with nose, heaps of brambly fruit together with some bready flavours. Oak shows through as a spicy character together with a creamy vannilin edge. Hefty level of tannin. Excellent, consistent length.
Extraordinarily young wine but of fabulous quality, needs at least 3 years rest in the cellar. (@ HOH)
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