My last of 10btls. Still rolling along strong while adding a sense of more depth as it ages. Still very Chambolle like. Lacy with vibrant red fruit, mineral, spice & hint of forest floor. 93+
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Gamay and Famille Paquet (Chicago, IL): Impressive richness and depth here. Clean with no natty or carbonic elements at all. Large-scaled and more black-fruited than red.
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Tannins, tannins. Tannins. Did I mention tannins? Reminds me of my Boulard Delys bottles in its extent of tannin cloaking. Lurking in the depths, an intimation of huge fruit. On the palate, striking, surprising density. I'm a Thivin devotee as a matter of course, but I can't clamber onto the bandwagon of praise for this vintage - the jury's out. I can see it absorbing another five years of development effortlessly and will check in again in a couple. At the moment I'm not detecting much immediate pleasure here. At this time, I'd suggest opening a 2009 Vissoux Mouliin or Fleurie, or a Roilette, rather than this.
Thivin's Cote de Brouilly is normally one of the most tannic-fruit balanced, least 'juicy' Beaujolais, so, in a way, in this vintage, where a generous endowment of fruit prevails, proportionally abundant tannins should probably be no surprise.
Addendum - after finishing the bottle, I'd note that, with much-extended exposure to air, the wine goes through tight, slightly screechy stage, but comes through the other side nicely integrated and very good. So, IMHO, open about 24 hours before you want to drink it now, or, better, wait a few years. Drink very cool.
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Opened this with a lush 14% alc oak Napa Cab. In the end the Gamay, as to be expected, leaner, much less sugar fruit taste, more acid, and no vanilla from oak and certainly dryer was also much more mineral/mushroom and complex and therefor more interesting captivating and charming. It’s rhythm was more food functional and it kept you coming back for more.
The big cab was totally gratifying but the Cru Beaujolais was the better wine. Fact!
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PnP in Burg glasses 90 minutes prior to diner but drinking great almost immediately. Killer btl tonight! Balanced, elegant and loaded with depth at 10 yrs plus now. Loved it! CT says, I have one more. Hope so. If I do I'll grab it from storage and try it at age 15. No drop off right now and likely still some upside.
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Tasted over 1.5 hrs -nearly semi-translucent red violet minimal bricking -faded but distinctive gamay fruit quite pleasant -med acidity, med/med- weight faded dark gamay fruit linear with a bitter element appearing on the finish along with med- tannins and good length -excellent now on its plateau
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My 7th btl since 2011 and always a winner and overachieving nice stand in for more expensive Burgundy. Reflective of the vintage this still drinking fairly youthfully ripe and rich but still a balanced and complete pleasure. Lovely purity of fruit, freshness, finesse and elegance. Showing some trace secondary forest floor. Not sure how much better this can get but I have two more to find out and don't see this fading anytime soon.
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The wine seems to be in an interesting phase now, possibly still a bit closed. It was very awkward upon opening and really took awhile to open and show some stuff before it was all drunk.
Blind I would have guess Village or 1er cru Burgundy as the wine had that smell, feel and general taste with lots of earth to compliment the red fruit. Tannins were still modest and intruding leaving a feeling that it is just not there yet.
Overall, my bottle a few years ago was better and I will hold my last bottle for a few/five more years hoping that it comes together better as a more complete package.
Drink now with extended decanting, or hold until 2024
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Cru Beaujolais and Pizza Night (Brad's Place, St. Paul, MN): Medium dark red color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes. Another winner here, poised, energetic, raspberry, wood spice, good depth and intensity, wood notes and spices abound. 91+ to 92pts.
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Wow, 4 years since I had my last one??? Man time flys! PNP a test glass at home about an hour prior to leaving for Brad's pizza night. Still drinking fairly youthfully ripe and rich but still a balanced and complete pleasure. Lovely purity of fruit, freshness, finesse and elegance. Showing some trace secondary forest floor. Think this will be at best with 3-5 more years under its belt. Still needs to shed a bit of the '09 vintage endowed baby fat for my liking. 3 more to find out. I'm going to have fun testing the aging limits of this producer :).
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Finally sourced this wine again, and I'm so glad I did. As big and bold as it was in its youth, but now gradually unclenching its fist. The ripe black fruit has softened considerably while still showing ample spine. The minerality, which was always there in spades, has moved further to the fore, giving the wine a distinctly volcanic vibe to finish. A completely sui generis and completely delicious Beaujolais with miles ahead of it.
Impeccable bottle. The evolution over the first hour was incredible. Dark berries, then red, followed by sour cranberry and raspberry with secondary flavors slowly emerging with each swirl. Two hours in, the wine has that high toned aromatics that speaks old world with red fruit, garden herbs like thyme, then a rustic element smelling of iron or rust. The palette is incredible, taut red fruit like sour cherry and cranberry, showing hints of dark cherry and strawberry. Lots of earthy herb flecked nuances emerge mid-palette with more precise red berry flavors lingering nicely on the medium long slightly dry finish where plenty of acidity keeps it fresh, tastes young. The wine is evolving well, almost there, probably peaking 2019-23. Will try again in 2020.
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Beautiful dark Crimson color showing just a faint amber rim. Nose is dark cranberry, almost port like with that faint whiff I only get from fortified wine. I did not like this as much as previous bottles, soft enough primary but the back end dropped off as an unpleasant tart, short finish. Day 2: seemed to have gained a lot of weight, but not for the better.
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PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs -nearly opaque med dark red -stony dark red fruits, gamay -med+ acidity balanced nicely by sappy almost crystalline dark red/black fruit on lightweight frame, very good length with some remaining tannic grip -very fresh and vibrant for an '09, still young-ish but drinking well now
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Nice nose of red fruits, spice, leather, forest pine, wine bursts forth with cranberry fruit with hints of strawberry. Earthy elements emerge mid palette along with sour cherry and hints of pine tar, more cranberry return on the medium long silky finish as the tannins are well integrated. This bottle was mature and drinking nicely, but I am sure it will hold for a few more years. Stored in temp controlled cellar since purchase and drunk at 60 F.
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Still loving this vintage of Thivin as it continues to pickup nuance. I like all of my reds in the mid to high 50s temp wise and recommend it for this wine in particular. Tonight the nose had some very appealing forest floor aromas for the first time. I can see this getting even better as it continues to shed some 09 vintage baby fat. This is my 5th btl drank with 4 more to find out. I almost never buy more than 3 or 4 btls of anything but glad I did here.
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I'm liking the '09 less after getting into the '10 and '11 more. It's dark and purple-y. Very ripe, almost roasted fruit. It's juicy and briary, yet somehow seems balanced; at least, initially. It seems to get bigger and hotter as it sits. Ripe fruit. Hmmm.
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I don't think you can ask any more from a wine. Fresh fruit, complexity, backbone, food friendly, and better than 90% of pinots out there. Gamay, respect.
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Fantastic stuff. Served from magnum. Bright purple color. Aromas of grape skin, black and red fruit, wet gravel, cracked pepper, and more. After almost four years, this has beautifully integrated acidity to support the ripeness. The finish is long and lingering but never ripe or too fruity. A great Beaujolais.
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Very dark purple for Beaujolais. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose. Palate is big and jammy, not well focused. I did not love this wine as it seemed much more like the modern over the top Beaujolais rather than focused and bright like say Guy Breton. Slightly disappointing.
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Dark, deeply expressive Cote de Brouilly. Just start to show its hand (just opened up too). Palate is lighter than the nose would suggest. Still tight on the back end. Fascinating.
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Last bottle of my case, this was excellent, it was the wine that showed me what cru Beaujolais could be, juicy, minerally, great with food, and for $20, who knew that juicy fruit could also be complex?
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Dark purple color, dark and big fruit nose, dark and big fruit palate. Juicy, vibrant, stuffed with goodness, and quite quaffable. I did not get get the minerality cited by other tasters so much as ripe fruit with a bit more darkness, weight and acidity than Thivin's '09 Brouilly.
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Quite fine and quite dry-ing. Shedding red/blue fruit and embracing stones, granite. Evolving into stoid mix of Burg and BDX. I'm missing the youthful, carefree fruit. Why am I, typing, like this?
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In drinking this wine, I felt like it had so much densely packed in: dark berries, herbs, and a kind of tactile minerality. But that structure and density of smell and flavor was counterpointed by the freshness and acidity on the palate that belied any sense of roundness or weight one might associate with the vintage. I wish I had a couple more in the cellar as this wine, like perhaps only the Chateau des Jacques from 2009 Bojos I've had, is one that could be fascinating and even much better after a long sleep.
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Wow, this is from a ripe vintage. Big fruit on the nose and palate, but the brilliance of the wine is the cooling, almost minty acidity lifting the fruit and providing the necessary counterbalance to prevent this from being over the top. Quite a success for the vintage, still open and driving well. If you like the '09s, this is one to buy... although my personal preferences still lean towards the '10s at this point.
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Deep, dark, opaque purple. Very ripe, almost roasted fruit on the nose. Port-like, to be honest. Palate shows that juicy berry fruit, but its cooler than you'd expect from the ripe nose. Minerality keeps it light on its feet, yet, fruit-lovers will love its upfront opulence. An interesting, somehow balance, and flat-out enjoyable drink. I'd like to see where this is in 5 years, but I keep drinking 'em so I'll never know.
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I can't believe I almost let this '09 pass me by. Easily one of the stars of the vintage and not holding anything back, it's still a thrilling drink with all the energy and vitality one craves from a Beaujolais with that extra level of 2009 opulence. Underneath that fresh and juicy veneer you get densely packed wild berry and cranberry-type fruit with a twist of something in a darker, deeper purple register, and a minerality that's almost more emphatic than the fruit itself, as if those berries had been cofermented with gravel. The almost identically labeled Cuvee des Ambassades has been my go-to Cote de Brouilly for awhile, but I think this outclasses it. At least in 2009, it's richer while also being edgier, sharper, and more defined.
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This has all the minerally, earthy, berry-licious goodness that anyone could expect from a basic cru Bojo. Medium bodied. Vibrant on the palate. Balancing acidity. Highly food friendly. Would definitely like to pick up a few more of these.
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I tasted this slightly below room temp. Color war medium+ purple and clear. Nose was clean with medium aromas of sour cherry and cola and a touch of mint. Palate was medium, but pretty good for a gamay. The alcohol was medium+ with medium- tannins, but good medium+ acidity. Overall, a fairly well-structured gamay. The flavor intensity was medium showing a bit of cherry, some candied fruits and berries, cherry coke and a slight herbal note on a medium finish. Overall, a very good offering from Beaujolais. I would buy it again...actually I didn't buy it at all, but I would!
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Just opened my last bottle. If this Beaujolais gets any better - and it will - I'll regret not buying 2-cases when I had the chance. Just more of the same: lean, almost muscular but with an undercurrent of the honest ... dare I say, sweetness, that only adds to the complexity that makes this wine a joy to drink.
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Still in love this wine! Seems a smidge less expansive than last btl but still perfect balance, lovely purity of fruit, freshness, ripeness and elegance. Blind I think this passes for village level Chambolle from Roumier.
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Blue and black fruits. More taut than lush. Not a typical '09 in my experience. But really delicious none the less. I think Schildknecht nailed this one. Earthy minerality for days. It's the finish where this one really shines. Flavors appear and fade a way long after the wine off the tongue. A burst of saline-like acidity keeps you going back to the glass and makes this highly food friendly.
This was heads and shoulders the best btl in a very very good recent lineup of Cru Beaujolais. This wine more than any other btl that night showed precision and focus of fruit. Just the right amount of acidity gives this wine such lift and freshness. I love this producer so much I may start only buying Thivins Cru Beaujolais to the exclusion of other producers who seem heavier and show less finesse than Thivin. If you haven't tride the 09 Thivin, you're completely missing out. Perfect ripeness, pefect balance and such a silky texture. As good as I can imagine Beaujolais could ever be. This wine would still be a great value at $70 per. I'm reloading with 4 more btls to bring my count to six after drinking 2 of my original 4 already. I almost never buy six or more of anything....ever!
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Intense and spicy with a kick of concentration. Glad I waited this long. Delicious. A bit more assertive in its personality than the Morgans I am used to.
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Absolutely delightful. Well balanced, tannins in check, pleasant bite in the mouth, smooth going down, long finish, just enough fruit to compel a second glass.
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Beautifully focused nose of raspberry, blueberry, all sorts of flowers, eucalyptus, caramel, and earth. Juicy red berries, pepper, blackberries, caramel, and earthy flavors. Pleasant finish. Delicious. I could drink this all the time. 91-92
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A deep-coloured, complex Beaujolais, it evolved rapidly over the first two hours of opening and then tasted well for the next three days. The antidote to all those light, fluffy 'nouveaux' that people associate with the area. Good fruit, structure and a fine finish.
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Remember drinking the bottle after a big Duckhorn and realizing the stark contrast. While this was a great bottle, I now have a better understanding of why a Cur Beaujolais should always be served before anything else!
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Decanted for 15 minutes before drinking. Bright color--almost magenta. Fairly shy on the nose with some faint hints of red berries. On the palate it was fruity with red berries. I didn't pick up much of the garrigue and concentrated fruit and acidity that I got in many of the other 2009 Beaujolais cru wines that I've enjoyed lately. It was very drinkable, but not particularly interesting. Didn't hold up well on the second day.
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Beet red. Wonderful nose which reminds me of smelling fresh strawberry or raspberry sorbet. Just beautiful, clean fruity aromatics. A full bodied Gamay with intense concentration. Brambly fruit coats the mid palate with a bit of black pepper popping in. Soft, elegant mouthfeel, and tons of acidity manifested in the brightness of the fruit. Some ripe tannins accentuate the finish. I love wines like this. We drank it over three days, and while there is enough structure to hold it together, it is completely approachable with pure, clean refreshing fruit. A gem.
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Easily the best 2009 Cru Beaujolais I've had or, at least the most fully realized early on. Has that text book balance, class and finesse you expect from Thivin in spades. At $25 some people will say Cru Beaujolias is over priced but for me this easliy is as interesting as a lot of $50+ Burgs. Red fruit, mineral, spice and interesting herbal tones and terrific acidity. I thought the '05 was great but this is one better. This is the one '09 I've had where the vintage ripeness doesn't overwhelm other traits early on but rather enhances the great work at Thivin like you would hope for '09. Pop and pour. Drink now without hesitation but I plan to hold some, if I can.
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Sensational nose of bright red fruits, cola; palate of red fruits, spice, zippy acidity, cola/beetroot. Good balance. Likely will gain with time... but absolutely delicious now.
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Parfumé, énergique et gorgé de fruit, c'est une vraie petite bombe! J'adore le fruit et la persistance aromatique de ce vin pur, frais, gouleyant et sérieux à la fois. 91 pts
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Dark plum. Nice aromatics of plum juice, smoked blueberry, crushed granite, dark earthy grass, garrigue herbal notes, savory roots, moss and roasted figs. Beautiful and lithe on the palate with balance, depth and freshness. Mineral finish. Stellar value and a wine that makes you feel smarter after meeting it...
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Loved it! Gorgeous dark plum skin color, red fruit and floral aromatics. Deep fruit that is deliciously tart with terrific acid balance, plenty of weight but not heavy.....sour, sweet, rich and with cut all at the same time. This wine was soooooo easy to drink and over two days it just got better. Probably the most fun bottle of wine I've had this summer and this summer has been filled with great wine....it is an absolute joke that this is/was available under 20 bucks.
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Cherry, herb, grapey, yeasty, blueberry nose that is very candied. While intensely primary, this shows some spice and mineral elements that are attractive and improved with air. Still not a lot I find of particular interest here.
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I just love this stuff, the perfect bottle to grab when people want another glass of wine but have already had some big boys, lifts you up and begs for another sip. Holla!
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Fifteen 2009 Cru Beaujolais (City Club of Buckhead): This Côte de Brouilly was bringing the A game. A deeply rich fruit profile on the nose. Dense and structured fruit on the palate. Rich, good finish. Another poster child for what crazy good juice you can get for a couple of sawbucks from 09 Cru Beaujolais.
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Dark and brooding for a Beujolais. Black fruit, blueberry and tobacco on the nose. Based on other community comments, I decanted this bottle 2 hours before serving, which softened it considerably. Very food friendly.
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Drank over three nights. The first night it was a bit tight with too much red fruit. The second night it was quite nice with balanced red fruits and supple acids yet the length was still there. It's hard to find a good red that goes well with spicy food and this is one of the rarities. Third night this got a little thick but that tells me it could show even more after a couple years in the cellar.
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Popped and let breathe for two hours. Sanguine and ruby, with a darkening core. I expected more with the aromatics and palate on this. Considering the vintage and pedigree, I find this to be a little disappointing. Red fruits like raspberry on the nose with gravel and a little barnyard. Simple and soft while retaining a nice freshness. Food friendly. Drink now - 2014.
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Dark robe. Blackberry, licorice, and black cherry. Surprising weight, volume, and density. Still has a good twist of cranberry acidity though. Not a wine of subtlety but a real mouthful. Had I known this was so large scaled, I would have served it after the more delicate Regnie.
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Burlier than expected, but delicious even over the course of several days (properly stored). Better on the second day, even. Prominent tannins, moderate acidity, and a nice finish. Not as much of a light and refreshing wine as the 2008, but nice in its own right.
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From memory. Ripe red and black fruits with earth and minerality. More bass notes than I usually expect from Beaujolais and less acidity. A darker expression of Beaujolais than I'm used to but still really enjoyable. Probably also needs some more time.
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Dark fruit, blackberry, unsweetened cocoa powder, plum in the nose. Ripe, but with the structure lurking underneath the primary fruit. Very much an '09, but not over the top. Really good.
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decanted for an hour. Extremely tight and overpowering. Blind I would never consider this gamay. Very heavily oaked. Needs at least 3-4 years or 3 hours of decanting. Not the refreshing gamay I was looking for.
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The fruit is so ripe that it's hard to find some of the other elements in the wine that I am used to with Chateau Thivin. It definitely has the potential to develop beyond 89+ but that's where I'm at now. It just lacked the gaminess and earthiness tight now that I was expecting. Good enough for 6 more bottles to try as it develops.
Bright purple color, almost blue on the edge of the glass.
Floral components on the nose, maybe violets, and some plums
A palate combination of bright acidity from red currant, cherry, and strangely, blackberries with some chalky minerality on the medium finish. Developed over the evening with plumminess and a bit of grappa-like alcohol coming through at times. As stated before, I missed some of the gaminess that I really like from Thivin.
Server at cellar temperature for the best results.
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More 2009 Beaujolais: a dozen blindtasted (Rich and Peggy's Home in Los Altos, CA): Group's #5 (my #4) – 50 pts.; 2, 2, 0, 2 - dark magenta color; very tart currant nose with a light sense of pepper; round, tight, tart plum, mineral, red currant, tart berry palate, reminiscent of a ripe California Pinot Noir, needs 1-2 years; medium finish 91+ pts.
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deep violet color, nice perfume of violets, balanced on the palate, nice cherry, mineral and raspberry tart, this is a sexy, captivating, feminine beauty showing juicy acidity and location well, clashed with a chicken enchilada tonight, but should make for a great pairing with the right dish, pretty
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Shockingly to me, rivals Lapierre for my fondness. But completely different wines. Here more concentration and grip, less ease of being. Damn good, if strong and powerful. Maybe that is just '09. I remember it being more smokey and gamey, less powerful. Almost like some oak showing through. Really? Yeah, really.
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2/7/2023 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
My last of 10btls. Still rolling along strong while adding a sense of more depth as it ages. Still very Chambolle like. Lacy with vibrant red fruit, mineral, spice & hint of forest floor. 93+
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3/17/2022 - acyso wrote:
Gamay and Famille Paquet (Chicago, IL): Impressive richness and depth here. Clean with no natty or carbonic elements at all. Large-scaled and more black-fruited than red.
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9/23/2021 - fitzi wrote:
Tannins, tannins. Tannins. Did I mention tannins? Reminds me of my Boulard Delys bottles in its extent of tannin cloaking. Lurking in the depths, an intimation of huge fruit. On the palate, striking, surprising density. I'm a Thivin devotee as a matter of course, but I can't clamber onto the bandwagon of praise for this vintage - the jury's out. I can see it absorbing another five years of development effortlessly and will check in again in a couple. At the moment I'm not detecting much immediate pleasure here. At this time, I'd suggest opening a 2009 Vissoux Mouliin or Fleurie, or a Roilette, rather than this.
Thivin's Cote de Brouilly is normally one of the most tannic-fruit balanced, least 'juicy' Beaujolais, so, in a way, in this vintage, where a generous endowment of fruit prevails, proportionally abundant tannins should probably be no surprise.
Addendum - after finishing the bottle, I'd note that, with much-extended exposure to air, the wine goes through tight, slightly screechy stage, but comes through the other side nicely integrated and very good. So, IMHO, open about 24 hours before you want to drink it now, or, better, wait a few years. Drink very cool.
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9/19/2020 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
More than 6 years since my last bottle ($16.99!!!!) and this is awesome. Smooth, juicy, black fruit and tertiary flavors. Just a great mature wine.
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8/31/2020 - lepetitchateau wrote: 87 Points
Raw nose, savage and not terribly civilized. Gritty at the start, but eases up with air. Perfectly quafable but nothing special.
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8/2/2020 - Wine Team President wrote: 91 Points
Opened this with a lush 14% alc oak Napa Cab. In the end the Gamay, as to be expected, leaner, much less sugar fruit taste, more acid, and no vanilla from oak and certainly dryer was also much more mineral/mushroom and complex and therefor more interesting captivating and charming. It’s rhythm was more food functional and it kept you coming back for more.
The big cab was totally gratifying but the Cru Beaujolais was the better wine. Fact!
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6/8/2020 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
PnP in Burg glasses 90 minutes prior to diner but drinking great almost immediately. Killer btl tonight! Balanced, elegant and loaded with depth at 10 yrs plus now. Loved it! CT says, I have one more. Hope so. If I do I'll grab it from storage and try it at age 15. No drop off right now and likely still some upside.
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2/13/2020 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 1.5 hrs
-nearly semi-translucent red violet minimal bricking
-faded but distinctive gamay fruit quite pleasant
-med acidity, med/med- weight faded dark gamay fruit linear with a bitter element appearing on the finish along with med- tannins and good length
-excellent now on its plateau
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10/15/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
My 7th btl since 2011 and always a winner and overachieving nice stand in for more expensive Burgundy. Reflective of the vintage this still drinking fairly youthfully ripe and rich but still a balanced and complete pleasure. Lovely purity of fruit, freshness, finesse and elegance. Showing some trace secondary forest floor. Not sure how much better this can get but I have two more to find out and don't see this fading anytime soon.
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7/5/2019 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine seems to be in an interesting phase now, possibly still a bit closed. It was very awkward upon opening and really took awhile to open and show some stuff before it was all drunk.
Blind I would have guess Village or 1er cru Burgundy as the wine had that smell, feel and general taste with lots of earth to compliment the red fruit. Tannins were still modest and intruding leaving a feeling that it is just not there yet.
Overall, my bottle a few years ago was better and I will hold my last bottle for a few/five more years hoping that it comes together better as a more complete package.
Drink now with extended decanting, or hold until 2024
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6/30/2019 - Armando B wrote: 91 Points
Rocknroller's note below is a spot on description of the bottle we shared with friends last week. Very nice.
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11/1/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Cru Beaujolais and Pizza Night (Brad's Place, St. Paul, MN): Medium dark red color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes. Another winner here, poised, energetic, raspberry, wood spice, good depth and intensity, wood notes and spices abound. 91+ to 92pts.
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11/1/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Wow, 4 years since I had my last one??? Man time flys! PNP a test glass at home about an hour prior to leaving for Brad's pizza night. Still drinking fairly youthfully ripe and rich but still a balanced and complete pleasure. Lovely purity of fruit, freshness, finesse and elegance. Showing some trace secondary forest floor. Think this will be at best with 3-5 more years under its belt. Still needs to shed a bit of the '09 vintage endowed baby fat for my liking. 3 more to find out. I'm going to have fun testing the aging limits of this producer :).
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10/2/2018 - pren wrote: 89 Points
Still grapy nose (ripe vintage?), less so than 2016 vintage at this stage.
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1/1/2018 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Finally sourced this wine again, and I'm so glad I did. As big and bold as it was in its youth, but now gradually unclenching its fist. The ripe black fruit has softened considerably while still showing ample spine. The minerality, which was always there in spades, has moved further to the fore, giving the wine a distinctly volcanic vibe to finish. A completely sui generis and completely delicious Beaujolais with miles ahead of it.
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8/9/2016 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Impeccable bottle. The evolution over the first hour was incredible. Dark berries, then red, followed by sour cranberry and raspberry with secondary flavors slowly emerging with each swirl. Two hours in, the wine has that high toned aromatics that speaks old world with red fruit, garden herbs like thyme, then a rustic element smelling of iron or rust.
The palette is incredible, taut red fruit like sour cherry and cranberry, showing hints of dark cherry and strawberry. Lots of earthy herb flecked nuances emerge mid-palette with more precise red berry flavors lingering nicely on the medium long slightly dry finish where plenty of acidity keeps it fresh, tastes young.
The wine is evolving well, almost there, probably peaking 2019-23. Will try again in 2020.
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12/29/2015 - Tpety wrote: 84 Points
Beautiful dark Crimson color showing just a faint amber rim. Nose is dark cranberry, almost port like with that faint whiff I only get from fortified wine. I did not like this as much as previous bottles, soft enough primary but the back end dropped off as an unpleasant tart, short finish. Day 2: seemed to have gained a lot of weight, but not for the better.
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9/1/2015 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-nearly opaque med dark red
-stony dark red fruits, gamay
-med+ acidity balanced nicely by sappy almost crystalline dark red/black fruit on lightweight frame, very good length with some remaining tannic grip
-very fresh and vibrant for an '09, still young-ish but drinking well now
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7/1/2015 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice nose of red fruits, spice, leather, forest pine, wine bursts forth with cranberry fruit with hints of strawberry. Earthy elements emerge mid palette along with sour cherry and hints of pine tar, more cranberry return on the medium long silky finish as the tannins are well integrated. This bottle was mature and drinking nicely, but I am sure it will hold for a few more years. Stored in temp controlled cellar since purchase and drunk at 60 F.
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6/7/2015 - Tippy78 Likes this wine: 85 Points
Very tasty but a little too peppery for my pallette
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11/28/2014 - The Count Likes this wine: 92 Points
drinking well now.
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9/14/2014 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Still loving this vintage of Thivin as it continues to pickup nuance. I like all of my reds in the mid to high 50s temp wise and recommend it for this wine in particular. Tonight the nose had some very appealing forest floor aromas for the first time. I can see this getting even better as it continues to shed some 09 vintage baby fat. This is my 5th btl drank with 4 more to find out. I almost never buy more than 3 or 4 btls of anything but glad I did here.
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2/6/2014 - diggydan wrote: 91 Points
Juicy, ripe, and dark. Impressive length and body, finishing with a woodsy tannic note.
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9/29/2013 - decaturwinedude Likes this wine:
I'm liking the '09 less after getting into the '10 and '11 more. It's dark and purple-y. Very ripe, almost roasted fruit. It's juicy and briary, yet somehow seems balanced; at least, initially. It seems to get bigger and hotter as it sits. Ripe fruit. Hmmm.
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8/7/2013 - TheBosWineGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
I don't think you can ask any more from a wine. Fresh fruit, complexity, backbone, food friendly, and better than 90% of pinots out there. Gamay, respect.
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7/28/2013 - ucbeau Likes this wine:
Fantastic stuff. Served from magnum. Bright purple color. Aromas of grape skin, black and red fruit, wet gravel, cracked pepper, and more. After almost four years, this has beautifully integrated acidity to support the ripeness. The finish is long and lingering but never ripe or too fruity. A great Beaujolais.
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7/11/2013 - pvd420 wrote: 90 Points
Fleshy from the vintage, nice bounce from the volcanic soil, ready to drink!
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6/3/2013 - pkatz wrote: 92 Points
Darker and more stuffing than most Beaujolais. Excellent on a hot night with steak.
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5/22/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
Very dark purple for Beaujolais. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose. Palate is big and jammy, not well focused. I did not love this wine as it seemed much more like the modern over the top Beaujolais rather than focused and bright like say Guy Breton. Slightly disappointing.
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5/18/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Dark, deeply expressive Cote de Brouilly. Just start to show its hand (just opened up too). Palate is lighter than the nose would suggest. Still tight on the back end. Fascinating.
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5/16/2013 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Annother great btl and fun with our picnic. Pure, lovely fruit, minerally and elegant.
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4/21/2013 - Pdxwinegeek wrote: 92 Points
Last bottle of my case, this was excellent, it was the wine that showed me what cru Beaujolais could be, juicy, minerally, great with food, and for $20, who knew that juicy fruit could also be complex?
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4/14/2013 - diggydan wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple color, dark and big fruit nose, dark and big fruit palate. Juicy, vibrant, stuffed with goodness, and quite quaffable. I did not get get the minerality cited by other tasters so much as ripe fruit with a bit more darkness, weight and acidity than Thivin's '09 Brouilly.
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3/22/2013 - aruddy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent
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3/15/2013 - jtinto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Losing its exuberant fruit profile. Turning a bit more austere, snappy, mineral laden.
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3/14/2013 - AndrewR wrote: 87 Points
Quite fine and quite dry-ing. Shedding red/blue fruit and embracing stones, granite. Evolving into stoid mix of Burg and BDX. I'm missing the youthful, carefree fruit. Why am I, typing, like this?
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2/1/2013 - Billigan wrote: 91 Points
In drinking this wine, I felt like it had so much densely packed in: dark berries, herbs, and a kind of tactile minerality. But that structure and density of smell and flavor was counterpointed by the freshness and acidity on the palate that belied any sense of roundness or weight one might associate with the vintage. I wish I had a couple more in the cellar as this wine, like perhaps only the Chateau des Jacques from 2009 Bojos I've had, is one that could be fascinating and even much better after a long sleep.
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10/30/2012 - Chops wrote: 92 Points
Surprised by the color, quite dark, big fruit off the start but mellows into a balanced finish. Wish I had more.
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10/20/2012 - marc d wrote:
Drinking well. Of the vintage but not over the top ripeness. Really well done.
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9/30/2012 - Chris Newport wrote:
Wow, this is from a ripe vintage. Big fruit on the nose and palate, but the brilliance of the wine is the cooling, almost minty acidity lifting the fruit and providing the necessary counterbalance to prevent this from being over the top. Quite a success for the vintage, still open and driving well. If you like the '09s, this is one to buy... although my personal preferences still lean towards the '10s at this point.
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9/19/2012 - decaturwinedude wrote: 91 Points
Deep, dark, opaque purple. Very ripe, almost roasted fruit on the nose. Port-like, to be honest. Palate shows that juicy berry fruit, but its cooler than you'd expect from the ripe nose. Minerality keeps it light on its feet, yet, fruit-lovers will love its upfront opulence. An interesting, somehow balance, and flat-out enjoyable drink. I'd like to see where this is in 5 years, but I keep drinking 'em so I'll never know.
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9/9/2012 - fitzi wrote:
Delish.
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8/10/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
I can't believe I almost let this '09 pass me by. Easily one of the stars of the vintage and not holding anything back, it's still a thrilling drink with all the energy and vitality one craves from a Beaujolais with that extra level of 2009 opulence. Underneath that fresh and juicy veneer you get densely packed wild berry and cranberry-type fruit with a twist of something in a darker, deeper purple register, and a minerality that's almost more emphatic than the fruit itself, as if those berries had been cofermented with gravel. The almost identically labeled Cuvee des Ambassades has been my go-to Cote de Brouilly for awhile, but I think this outclasses it. At least in 2009, it's richer while also being edgier, sharper, and more defined.
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8/2/2012 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 90 Points
This has all the minerally, earthy, berry-licious goodness that anyone could expect from a basic cru Bojo. Medium bodied. Vibrant on the palate. Balancing acidity. Highly food friendly. Would definitely like to pick up a few more of these.
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7/10/2012 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine: 87 Points
I tasted this slightly below room temp.
Color war medium+ purple and clear.
Nose was clean with medium aromas of sour cherry and cola and a touch of mint.
Palate was medium, but pretty good for a gamay. The alcohol was medium+ with medium- tannins, but good medium+ acidity. Overall, a fairly well-structured gamay. The flavor intensity was medium showing a bit of cherry, some candied fruits and berries, cherry coke and a slight herbal note on a medium finish.
Overall, a very good offering from Beaujolais. I would buy it again...actually I didn't buy it at all, but I would!
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7/8/2012 - halbri wrote: 92 Points
Just opened my last bottle. If this Beaujolais gets any better - and it will - I'll regret not buying 2-cases when I had the chance. Just more of the same: lean, almost muscular but with an undercurrent of the honest ... dare I say, sweetness, that only adds to the complexity that makes this wine a joy to drink.
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6/29/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Still in love this wine! Seems a smidge less expansive than last btl but still perfect balance, lovely purity of fruit, freshness, ripeness and elegance. Blind I think this passes for village level Chambolle from Roumier.
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6/25/2012 - Billigan wrote: 89 Points
No detailed notes, but the spicy, mineral-laden flavors on the palate were both memorable and appreciated.
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6/17/2012 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blue and black fruits. More taut than lush. Not a typical '09 in my experience. But really delicious none the less. I think Schildknecht nailed this one. Earthy minerality for days. It's the finish where this one really shines. Flavors appear and fade a way long after the wine off the tongue. A burst of saline-like acidity keeps you going back to the glass and makes this highly food friendly.
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6/6/2012 - Brandon T. wrote: 92 Points
Pop & pour. Loads of beautifully layered fruit with soft, textured tannins and a medium-long finish. Great Beaujolais.
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6/5/2012 - AndrewR wrote: 91 Points
True.
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5/31/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
This was heads and shoulders the best btl in a very very good recent lineup of Cru Beaujolais. This wine more than any other btl that night showed precision and focus of fruit. Just the right amount of acidity gives this wine such lift and freshness. I love this producer so much I may start only buying Thivins Cru Beaujolais to the exclusion of other producers who seem heavier and show less finesse than Thivin. If you haven't tride the 09 Thivin, you're completely missing out. Perfect ripeness, pefect balance and such a silky texture. As good as I can imagine Beaujolais could ever be. This wine would still be a great value at $70 per. I'm reloading with 4 more btls to bring my count to six after drinking 2 of my original 4 already. I almost never buy six or more of anything....ever!
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5/18/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Intense and spicy with a kick of concentration. Glad I waited this long. Delicious. A bit more assertive in its personality than the Morgans I am used to.
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5/16/2012 - halbri wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely delightful. Well balanced, tannins in check, pleasant bite in the mouth, smooth going down, long finish, just enough fruit to compel a second glass.
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4/28/2012 - rmh66 wrote: 91 Points
Beautifully focused nose of raspberry, blueberry, all sorts of flowers, eucalyptus, caramel, and earth. Juicy red berries, pepper, blackberries, caramel, and earthy flavors. Pleasant finish. Delicious. I could drink this all the time. 91-92
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4/28/2012 - The Count wrote: 89 Points
Bright red fruit, but companion found a bit bitter. Multi-layered, look forward to trying again in 6-12 months.
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4/18/2012 - elise wrote: 90 Points
Starting to come around. Need to try the next bottle in 1 year+
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3/17/2012 - Jubby wrote: 92 Points
A deep-coloured, complex Beaujolais, it evolved rapidly over the first two hours of opening and then tasted well for the next three days. The antidote to all those light, fluffy 'nouveaux' that people associate with the area. Good fruit, structure and a fine finish.
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2/15/2012 - moudy wrote: 90 Points
Remember drinking the bottle after a big Duckhorn and realizing the stark contrast. While this was a great bottle, I now have a better understanding of why a Cur Beaujolais should always be served before anything else!
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2/6/2012 - djdaqm wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 15 minutes before drinking. Bright color--almost magenta. Fairly shy on the nose with some faint hints of red berries. On the palate it was fruity with red berries. I didn't pick up much of the garrigue and concentrated fruit and acidity that I got in many of the other 2009 Beaujolais cru wines that I've enjoyed lately. It was very drinkable, but not particularly interesting. Didn't hold up well on the second day.
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1/14/2012 - jtinto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe, round, full, deep. The most masculine of the '09 bojos i've had. This is a big boy. Outstanding.
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1/11/2012 - nadoum wrote:
Needed more time. Drank too soon, and did not let it breathe long enough. The last glass showed beautifully.
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12/2/2011 - Quailjulia wrote: 91 Points
My go to wine, perfect for this time of year, round but elegant fruit, soft lingering after taste. Want more!
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11/24/2011 - Anthony Lombardi wrote:
Beet red. Wonderful nose which reminds me of smelling fresh strawberry or raspberry sorbet. Just beautiful, clean fruity aromatics. A full bodied Gamay with intense concentration. Brambly fruit coats the mid palate with a bit of black pepper popping in. Soft, elegant mouthfeel, and tons of acidity manifested in the brightness of the fruit. Some ripe tannins accentuate the finish. I love wines like this. We drank it over three days, and while there is enough structure to hold it together, it is completely approachable with pure, clean refreshing fruit. A gem.
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11/2/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Easily the best 2009 Cru Beaujolais I've had or, at least the most fully realized early on. Has that text book balance, class and finesse you expect from Thivin in spades. At $25 some people will say Cru Beaujolias is over priced but for me this easliy is as interesting as a lot of $50+ Burgs. Red fruit, mineral, spice and interesting herbal tones and terrific acidity. I thought the '05 was great but this is one better. This is the one '09 I've had where the vintage ripeness doesn't overwhelm other traits early on but rather enhances the great work at Thivin like you would hope for '09. Pop and pour. Drink now without hesitation but I plan to hold some, if I can.
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10/27/2011 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Sensational nose of bright red fruits, cola; palate of red fruits, spice, zippy acidity, cola/beetroot. Good balance. Likely will gain with time... but absolutely delicious now.
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10/11/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Parfumé, énergique et gorgé de fruit, c'est une vraie petite bombe! J'adore le fruit et la persistance aromatique de ce vin pur, frais, gouleyant et sérieux à la fois. 91 pts
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10/7/2011 - maxmanx wrote: 90 Points
Very good, but not as much complexity as one of the Vissoux's.
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9/3/2011 - peterea wrote: 89 Points
Fantastic. Strong floral notes that lingered on the palate. Notes of plum, rose, raspberry. Definitely glad that I bought a case!
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9/3/2011 - sethmorgenlong wrote:
Dark plum. Nice aromatics of plum juice, smoked blueberry, crushed granite, dark earthy grass, garrigue herbal notes, savory roots, moss and roasted figs. Beautiful and lithe on the palate with balance, depth and freshness. Mineral finish. Stellar value and a wine that makes you feel smarter after meeting it...
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8/22/2011 - Lanny21 wrote:
Loved it! Gorgeous dark plum skin color, red fruit and floral aromatics. Deep fruit that is deliciously tart with terrific acid balance, plenty of weight but not heavy.....sour, sweet, rich and with cut all at the same time. This wine was soooooo easy to drink and over two days it just got better. Probably the most fun bottle of wine I've had this summer and this summer has been filled with great wine....it is an absolute joke that this is/was available under 20 bucks.
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7/15/2011 - andtheodor wrote: 87 Points
Cherry, herb, grapey, yeasty, blueberry nose that is very candied. While intensely primary, this shows some spice and mineral elements that are attractive and improved with air. Still not a lot I find of particular interest here.
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6/24/2011 - pvd420 wrote: 90 Points
I just love this stuff, the perfect bottle to grab when people want another glass of wine but have already had some big boys, lifts you up and begs for another sip. Holla!
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5/14/2011 - pvd420 wrote: 91 Points
Just really gorgeous juice, meaty and fruity at the same time.
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5/12/2011 - jkwatson wrote: 91 Points
Pure Cru Beaujolais enjoyment. Really very good.
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4/27/2011 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points
Fifteen 2009 Cru Beaujolais (City Club of Buckhead): This Côte de Brouilly was bringing the A game. A deeply rich fruit profile on the nose. Dense and structured fruit on the palate. Rich, good finish. Another poster child for what crazy good juice you can get for a couple of sawbucks from 09 Cru Beaujolais.
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4/16/2011 - nicefish wrote: 90 Points
Dark and brooding for a Beujolais. Black fruit, blueberry and tobacco on the nose. Based on other community comments, I decanted this bottle 2 hours before serving, which softened it considerably. Very food friendly.
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4/8/2011 - JamesSanders wrote: 88 Points
Sight is a deep frothy purple. Flavors are concentrated and a bit out of sorts. Everything is turned up to 11. I'll let the rest of my bottles sit.
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3/31/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Nez poivré, un peu de Coca Cola La bouche est ronde et épicée, un vin dense et frais, à la fois viril et croquant, parfumé et soyeux. 90 pts
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3/23/2011 - pll4 wrote: 87 Points
too fruity tooty compared to the serious Foillards and Lapierres of 09
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3/22/2011 - pdxwineguy wrote: 89 Points
Drank over three nights. The first night it was a bit tight with too much red fruit. The second night it was quite nice with balanced red fruits and supple acids yet the length was still there. It's hard to find a good red that goes well with spicy food and this is one of the rarities. Third night this got a little thick but that tells me it could show even more after a couple years in the cellar.
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3/5/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 88 Points
Wailea...
Popped and let breathe for two hours. Sanguine and ruby, with a darkening core. I expected more with the aromatics and palate on this. Considering the vintage and pedigree, I find this to be a little disappointing. Red fruits like raspberry on the nose with gravel and a little barnyard. Simple and soft while retaining a nice freshness. Food friendly. Drink now - 2014.
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2/23/2011 - marc d wrote:
Very good. Maybe starting to tighten up a little.
Not as ripe or tannic as the Vissoux Brouilly we drank earlier this week.
More acid and lift too.
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2/19/2011 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Saturday Wine Lunch Group: '09 Beaujolais, Burgs (Lucques Restaurant, Los Angeles, California): Dark maroon color; plum, black fruit, nice green herb nose with lift; tight, tart plum, tart currant, mineral palate, needs 3-plus years; medium-plus finish
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2/16/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Dark robe. Blackberry, licorice, and black cherry. Surprising weight, volume, and density. Still has a good twist of cranberry acidity though. Not a wine of subtlety but a real mouthful. Had I known this was so large scaled, I would have served it after the more delicate Regnie.
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2/7/2011 - invertdna wrote: 87 Points
Burlier than expected, but delicious even over the course of several days (properly stored). Better on the second day, even. Prominent tannins, moderate acidity, and a nice finish. Not as much of a light and refreshing wine as the 2008, but nice in its own right.
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2/6/2011 - James Kim wrote: 90 Points
From memory. Ripe red and black fruits with earth and minerality. More bass notes than I usually expect from Beaujolais and less acidity. A darker expression of Beaujolais than I'm used to but still really enjoyable. Probably also needs some more time.
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1/31/2011 - marc d wrote:
Dark fruit, blackberry, unsweetened cocoa powder, plum in the nose. Ripe, but with the structure lurking underneath the primary fruit. Very much an '09, but not over the top. Really good.
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1/16/2011 - tsurge wrote: 86 Points
decanted for an hour. Extremely tight and overpowering. Blind I would never consider this gamay. Very heavily oaked. Needs at least 3-4 years or 3 hours of decanting. Not the refreshing gamay I was looking for.
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1/15/2011 - kwistie Likes this wine: 89 Points
light & yummy. slightly fully than a Brouilly but smooth. very drinkable.
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1/10/2011 - elise wrote: 89 Points
The fruit is so ripe that it's hard to find some of the other elements in the wine that I am used to with Chateau Thivin. It definitely has the potential to develop beyond 89+ but that's where I'm at now. It just lacked the gaminess and earthiness tight now that I was expecting. Good enough for 6 more bottles to try as it develops.
Bright purple color, almost blue on the edge of the glass.
Floral components on the nose, maybe violets, and some plums
A palate combination of bright acidity from red currant, cherry, and strangely, blackberries with some chalky minerality on the medium finish. Developed over the evening with plumminess and a bit of grappa-like alcohol coming through at times. As stated before, I missed some of the gaminess that I really like from Thivin.
Server at cellar temperature for the best results.
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1/4/2011 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
More 2009 Beaujolais: a dozen blindtasted (Rich and Peggy's Home in Los Altos, CA): Group's #5 (my #4) – 50 pts.; 2, 2, 0, 2 - dark magenta color; very tart currant nose with a light sense of pepper; round, tight, tart plum, mineral, red currant, tart berry palate, reminiscent of a ripe California Pinot Noir, needs 1-2 years; medium finish 91+ pts.
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12/17/2010 - whits wrote: 88 Points
deep violet color, nice perfume of violets, balanced on the palate, nice cherry, mineral and raspberry tart, this is a sexy, captivating, feminine beauty showing juicy acidity and location well, clashed with a chicken enchilada tonight, but should make for a great pairing with the right dish, pretty
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11/14/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Shockingly to me, rivals Lapierre for my fondness. But completely different wines. Here more concentration and grip, less ease of being. Damn good, if strong and powerful. Maybe that is just '09. I remember it being more smokey and gamey, less powerful. Almost like some oak showing through. Really? Yeah, really.
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