So vibrant and youthful for an almost 30 year old wine. The cork was soaked through and there was mold on the top, but otherwise it was in great shape and came out fine. A very pretty nose of bouquet garni, red plum, black tea and evergreen. The palate is multi-layered with soft red fruit, black pepper and bell pepper predominating, reminiscent of a good northern Rhone. The balance is impeccable. Well above expectations, this was an outstanding bottle of wine.
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Decanted for 90 minutes. Garnet hue. Nose of subtly raw green pepper and beef blood cut with currant and damp earth. Layers of blackberry, bright red currant, savory green leaf, and meaty tones coursing on the tongue with freshness and bite. Vibrant acidity and filed off tannin. Longer finish of dark plum, sauvage, complicating green, and craggy soil. Delicious. Great way to celebrate #29.
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Garnet color. Nose of fecund soil, plum pits, beef blood, and hyacinth transporting one immediately to a different place. Layers of cassis, red currant, blueberry, green leaf, and fine earth coursing on the tongue with beguiling interplay. Broadening, dusty tannin and ample acidity for freshness. Longer finish of deepening red fruit with hits of rock and savory green grip. Really quite lovely at age 27, with more left in the tank.
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Darker ruby-garnet. Nose of beef blood, fecund soil, cassis, tropical flowers, and bits of camphor. Gentle layers of red currant, meaty sauvage, hits of cherry, and savory green pepper. Residual acidity and very smoothed but dusty tannin. Moderately long finish of pliant red plum fruit, slow grip, and earth. Holding up well.
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Popped and poured to accompany New York steaks. Medium garnet color. Nose of fecund earth, beef blood, green peppers, hothouse flowers. Red plum and currant fruit cut with green leaf and meaty tones fanning out broadly on the palate with satisfying sauvage note as well. Dusty tannin and moderate acidity. A melange of dark fruit, green, earth, and grip on the medium length finish. Lost a bit of concentration as the evening progressed. Enjoyable nonetheless.
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A pleasure to post on this again. Popped and poured to accompany grilled New York steaks. Translucent garnet color. Nose of savory stemmy green pepper, earth, leather, cassis, alpine floral scents, plum. Red currant, dark plum, and green leaf fanning out beautifully and broadly on the palate with such satisfaction and verve. Fresh acidity and rounded off, dusty tannin leading to a longer finish of sweet plum, green stem, and grip. Such a beauty.
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About 4 years after encountering this wine at a neighborhood London restaurant, I recently came across a small stash at a local retailer and went for it. Popped and poured to accompany Tuscan steak. Medium garnet color. Modest nose at first, opening up eventually to reveal scents of currant, damp earth, stone, and violets. Likewise the palate was closed initially but gradually exhibited layers of plum, red currant, blackberry, a bit of green pepper, and stone. Ultimately lots of bright flavor and verve with little weight. Complexity did not become evident until last sips. Still fresh and moderately acidic, with smoothed tannin. Longer finish of buoyant, stony red fruit. If anything this tasted young, and would have benefited from a healthy decant.
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Now this is crazy: the cadre of Burgundy (only) lovers I had for this tasting found this to be pleasurable and even quaffable, not too intellectual. Surprising considering the more extreme reactions I've seen to the explicit greenness in aged bougueils. I found this fresh with tar, real dirt, and green pepper. As Erica points out a lovely burnt tire sense. Puckery, juicy, and savory.
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Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): The most prominent green pepper on the bouquet and the spiciest profile of this spot-checked 8-vintage vertical. Beautiful berry fruit, lighter on its feet than others, and with a finish that just keeps humming along until it eventually finally spins out like a top. Fantastic and not going to get any better. Drink now -2021
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I'm in agreement with Steve G's note from May last year as far as descriptors. Like Steve G, I think others at our table actually enjoyed this more than I. Old, old school and an acquired taste.
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Tapas & an Embarassment of Riches at Craig's (Craig & Nita's Place): Dark red cloudy color, mild bricking. Drank 1 glass over an hour. I was all up in this wine, loved it from the start. Great complex and mature nose of sour cherry, tart strawberry, rhubarb, herbal, funky, a touch of green pepper. The palate is deeply earthy with some funk as well, sour cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, nice, medium full bodied, and long on the finish. Well integrated tannins. A wonderful aged bottle of Bourgueil.
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Transparent garnet. Generous penetrating nose of floral and blackberry, raw beef, and tar, with a hint of brett. The palate is a spicy, vinous mirror of the nose, bright and intense. The finish shows additional modest tannins and slight green pepper. Really lovely and totally fresh but mature CF. Enjoyed with sous vide rack of lamb.
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Purchased off the wine list at Green Man and French Horn. Thoughtfully decanted by the establishment. Garnet purple hue. After about half an hour a superb nose of violets, cassis, plum, blackberry liqueur, and earth billowed out. On the palate this was a fully mature, resolved wine exhibiting a persistent and delicious core of red currant fruit joined by cedar, a bit of green leaf, thyme, and sweet grip. Lower acidity. Nice structure but tannins soft and elegant with feathered edges. Long harmonious finish echoing earth and red fruit. What a find. Just beautiful.
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Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is nuanced and silky with layered tones of fruitcake, herbs, bell pepper, and dark red cherries.
Overall: This was gorgeous. It was very well balanced and refined with great depth and layering. This was drinking beautifully and can go a good ways longer as well.
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Smoke and funk, with some herbaceous elements, green bell pepper, and wet soil (all in a good way). I thought maybe a N. Rhone from a restrained year. Turns out to be Loire. Lots of elements going on, with great balance. Velvety tannins, tipping the hat to some bottle age.
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Grand Crew Bellingham raids my cellar; Huet, Rhys, Ceritas, Breton, Charvin, VT and others (Bellingham, WA): Nice start to the third flight. Weird cork; the top 80% was black and perhaps dried, but the portion in contact with the wine was sound. Smoke bomb, sweet pipe tobacco, raspberry. Not nearly as nice as the older bottle, and Jenise felt this was good but slightly flawed. I couldn't identify a specific flaw, and may have rated it higher were it not for the performance of the subsequent bottle in the flight.
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Drank with VA on our first wedding anniversary. Brick, brown in color. Rustic nose, full of black fruit (cassis, black cherry) with strong secondary smells of barnyard and cherry chewing tobacco. On the palate, very smooth and mellow. A little past its time, but still drinking fine. Mild black fruits, somewhat sour/tarte and smooth soft tannin and acidity. Medium long finish with medium alcohol. Nose over powers the palate on this one.
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This was in a very nice spot for me, even more enjoyable than the '85 I had last year. This was much less evolved than that bottle with more of the Cab Franc mulberry fruit, but with some development of the leafy, earthy notes dominant in the '85. This could certainly be held for more than a few years but if I had another bottle I'd probably drink it in the next 2-3, based on my style preference.
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This was a solid effort unfortunately did not live to the 85's complexity of secondary flavors...awesome amount of smoke, funk, earth. The 93 was a good wine...good balance, mouthfeel and length but was just missing the complexity of secondary flavors.
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Fun wine. If you've had Olga Raffault's '89 or '90, then this will be familiar but perhaps a tad less mid-palate density on the Breton. Lovely, leafy, Loire cab franc... what's not to like?
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Very much a barnyard dominated nose, but the cherry and raspberry fruit was also present. The spice and tobacco at the end was also very nice. Soft, with plenty of acid left, the palate was more cherry and raspberry with a nice barnyard undertone. It finished with spice and tabacco and lasted a lot longer than I was expecting.
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Some off aromas after the very sketchy cork was popped. Things improved with the smell of a freshly sliced potato, strangely enough, which always blew off. Like some younger bottles, flavors were muted. The last glass ended up full of fine sediment and was very tasty (with classic rocks and fruit), sort of like the sugar at the bottom of a glass of iced tea. Improper as it sounds, it almost makes me want to stir the next bottle if it's like this one.
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12/13/2022 - JCGuthrie wrote: 94 Points
So vibrant and youthful for an almost 30 year old wine. The cork was soaked through and there was mold on the top, but otherwise it was in great shape and came out fine. A very pretty nose of bouquet garni, red plum, black tea and evergreen. The palate is multi-layered with soft red fruit, black pepper and bell pepper predominating, reminiscent of a good northern Rhone. The balance is impeccable. Well above expectations, this was an outstanding bottle of wine.
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2/13/2022 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. Garnet hue. Nose of subtly raw green pepper and beef blood cut with currant and damp earth. Layers of blackberry, bright red currant, savory green leaf, and meaty tones coursing on the tongue with freshness and bite. Vibrant acidity and filed off tannin. Longer finish of dark plum, sauvage, complicating green, and craggy soil. Delicious. Great way to celebrate #29.
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4/18/2021 - MemorialWineFan wrote: 92 Points
Excellent bottle. Very laid down with all the age.
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11/2/2020 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Garnet color. Nose of fecund soil, plum pits, beef blood, and hyacinth transporting one immediately to a different place. Layers of cassis, red currant, blueberry, green leaf, and fine earth coursing on the tongue with beguiling interplay. Broadening, dusty tannin and ample acidity for freshness. Longer finish of deepening red fruit with hits of rock and savory green grip. Really quite lovely at age 27, with more left in the tank.
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7/16/2020 - JMPVermont wrote: 85 Points
Meh. Very earthy and a little dank. Cherry. Perhaps it needs some time to open up - not much comes through other than acidity.
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2/14/2020 - DougLee wrote: 91 Points
Darker ruby-garnet. Nose of beef blood, fecund soil, cassis, tropical flowers, and bits of camphor. Gentle layers of red currant, meaty sauvage, hits of cherry, and savory green pepper. Residual acidity and very smoothed but dusty tannin. Moderately long finish of pliant red plum fruit, slow grip, and earth. Holding up well.
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10/5/2019 - DougLee wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured to accompany New York steaks. Medium garnet color. Nose of fecund earth, beef blood, green peppers, hothouse flowers. Red plum and currant fruit cut with green leaf and meaty tones fanning out broadly on the palate with satisfying sauvage note as well. Dusty tannin and moderate acidity. A melange of dark fruit, green, earth, and grip on the medium length finish. Lost a bit of concentration as the evening progressed. Enjoyable nonetheless.
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8/5/2019 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
A pleasure to post on this again. Popped and poured to accompany grilled New York steaks. Translucent garnet color. Nose of savory stemmy green pepper, earth, leather, cassis, alpine floral scents, plum. Red currant, dark plum, and green leaf fanning out beautifully and broadly on the palate with such satisfaction and verve. Fresh acidity and rounded off, dusty tannin leading to a longer finish of sweet plum, green stem, and grip. Such a beauty.
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8/2/2019 - geoffreychambertin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just the right amount of aged green notes. A stunning wine.
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11/17/2018 - DougLee wrote: 91 Points
About 4 years after encountering this wine at a neighborhood London restaurant, I recently came across a small stash at a local retailer and went for it. Popped and poured to accompany Tuscan steak. Medium garnet color. Modest nose at first, opening up eventually to reveal scents of currant, damp earth, stone, and violets. Likewise the palate was closed initially but gradually exhibited layers of plum, red currant, blackberry, a bit of green pepper, and stone. Ultimately lots of bright flavor and verve with little weight. Complexity did not become evident until last sips. Still fresh and moderately acidic, with smoothed tannin. Longer finish of buoyant, stony red fruit. If anything this tasted young, and would have benefited from a healthy decant.
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6/3/2017 - soyhead wrote:
nose - smoky tyre, green pepper, earth
mouth - light, light red fruit, savory and slightly funky. intriguing wine.
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6/3/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Now this is crazy: the cadre of Burgundy (only) lovers I had for this tasting found this to be pleasurable and even quaffable, not too intellectual. Surprising considering the more extreme reactions I've seen to the explicit greenness in aged bougueils. I found this fresh with tar, real dirt, and green pepper. As Erica points out a lovely burnt tire sense. Puckery, juicy, and savory.
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3/4/2017 - We Can Share the Wine wrote: 92 Points
VA suggested a bottle that would fall apart but after 2 hours it became bright, lively and juicy.
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1/26/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): The most prominent green pepper on the bouquet and the spiciest profile of this spot-checked 8-vintage vertical. Beautiful berry fruit, lighter on its feet than others, and with a finish that just keeps humming along until it eventually finally spins out like a top. Fantastic and not going to get any better. Drink now -2021
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1/26/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): Pale to the rim. Light weight, green olive, high acidity. Not much to like here.
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1/21/2017 - MemorialWineFan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stunning wine. Blind was thought to be an Ausone. Cabernet Franc at this age is tough to tell. Great bouquet of fruit and earth. No funk.
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6/24/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
I'm in agreement with Steve G's note from May last year as far as descriptors. Like Steve G, I think others at our table actually enjoyed this more than I. Old, old school and an acquired taste.
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6/23/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Tapas & an Embarassment of Riches at Craig's (Craig & Nita's Place): Dark red cloudy color, mild bricking. Drank 1 glass over an hour. I was all up in this wine, loved it from the start. Great complex and mature nose of sour cherry, tart strawberry, rhubarb, herbal, funky, a touch of green pepper. The palate is deeply earthy with some funk as well, sour cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, nice, medium full bodied, and long on the finish. Well integrated tannins. A wonderful aged bottle of Bourgueil.
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5/17/2015 - SteveG wrote: 93 Points
Transparent garnet. Generous penetrating nose of floral and blackberry, raw beef, and tar, with a hint of brett. The palate is a spicy, vinous mirror of the nose, bright and intense. The finish shows additional modest tannins and slight green pepper. Really lovely and totally fresh but mature CF. Enjoyed with sous vide rack of lamb.
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9/27/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Delicious earthy essence of ethereal weighted, late harvest cherry mushroom, cab franc.
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4/7/2014 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Purchased off the wine list at Green Man and French Horn. Thoughtfully decanted by the establishment. Garnet purple hue. After about half an hour a superb nose of violets, cassis, plum, blackberry liqueur, and earth billowed out. On the palate this was a fully mature, resolved wine exhibiting a persistent and delicious core of red currant fruit joined by cedar, a bit of green leaf, thyme, and sweet grip. Lower acidity. Nice structure but tannins soft and elegant with feathered edges. Long harmonious finish echoing earth and red fruit. What a find. Just beautiful.
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6/24/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Rotating Dinner Series- A Focus on Cabernet Franc (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): Nose: Very aromatic and perfumed with layered tones of fruitcake, dark red cherries, spices, dark red fruits, herbs, and some celery root. There is really good depth to this with a lot of balance as well.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is nuanced and silky with layered tones of fruitcake, herbs, bell pepper, and dark red cherries.
Overall: This was gorgeous. It was very well balanced and refined with great depth and layering. This was drinking beautifully and can go a good ways longer as well.
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4/9/2013 - kakpoo wrote:
decanted about 40 minutes prior. I liked the nose on this: had some sweet notes and evolved for about and hour, and then began to decline.
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3/17/2013 - Chaz Bham wrote:
Smoke and funk, with some herbaceous elements, green bell pepper, and wet soil (all in a good way). I thought maybe a N. Rhone from a restrained year. Turns out to be Loire. Lots of elements going on, with great balance. Velvety tannins, tipping the hat to some bottle age.
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3/16/2013 - WST Likes this wine: 90 Points
Grand Crew Bellingham raids my cellar; Huet, Rhys, Ceritas, Breton, Charvin, VT and others (Bellingham, WA): Nice start to the third flight. Weird cork; the top 80% was black and perhaps dried, but the portion in contact with the wine was sound. Smoke bomb, sweet pipe tobacco, raspberry. Not nearly as nice as the older bottle, and Jenise felt this was good but slightly flawed. I couldn't identify a specific flaw, and may have rated it higher were it not for the performance of the subsequent bottle in the flight.
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1/14/2013 - SB5784 wrote:
Drank with VA on our first wedding anniversary. Brick, brown in color. Rustic nose, full of black fruit (cassis, black cherry) with strong secondary smells of barnyard and cherry chewing tobacco. On the palate, very smooth and mellow. A little past its time, but still drinking fine. Mild black fruits, somewhat sour/tarte and smooth soft tannin and acidity. Medium long finish with medium alcohol. Nose over powers the palate on this one.
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5/23/2012 - MJHDC wrote:
This was in a very nice spot for me, even more enjoyable than the '85 I had last year. This was much less evolved than that bottle with more of the Cab Franc mulberry fruit, but with some development of the leafy, earthy notes dominant in the '85. This could certainly be held for more than a few years but if I had another bottle I'd probably drink it in the next 2-3, based on my style preference.
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4/28/2012 - JBVino wrote:
This was a solid effort unfortunately did not live to the 85's complexity of secondary flavors...awesome amount of smoke, funk, earth. The 93 was a good wine...good balance, mouthfeel and length but was just missing the complexity of secondary flavors.
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3/8/2011 - MikeKlein wrote:
Fun wine. If you've had Olga Raffault's '89 or '90, then this will be familiar but perhaps a tad less mid-palate density on the Breton. Lovely, leafy, Loire cab franc... what's not to like?
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1/29/2011 - pdxwineguy wrote: 91 Points
Had very nice earthy nose and still has plenty of red fruit acid. Didn't open much more after an hour so it's rady to drink if you have some.
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1/22/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very much a barnyard dominated nose, but the cherry and raspberry fruit was also present. The spice and tobacco at the end was also very nice. Soft, with plenty of acid left, the palate was more cherry and raspberry with a nice barnyard undertone. It finished with spice and tabacco and lasted a lot longer than I was expecting.
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1/20/2011 - rhit wrote:
Some off aromas after the very sketchy cork was popped. Things improved with the smell of a freshly sliced potato, strangely enough, which always blew off. Like some younger bottles, flavors were muted. The last glass ended up full of fine sediment and was very tasty (with classic rocks and fruit), sort of like the sugar at the bottom of a glass of iced tea. Improper as it sounds, it almost makes me want to stir the next bottle if it's like this one.
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