This was delightful tonight with lots of softer, well integrated dark blue and black fruit, earthy sanguine notes, some graphite undertones and well integrated tannins on the mid length finish. All in all, quite nice and sadly my last bottle. This did need about an hour in the decanter to open.
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Beautiful nose of flowers, tar and smoked meat. Elegant style, lively fruit, tar, bacon fat, flowers. This is vraiment Côte-Rôtie. There’s more complexity compared to my last bottle in 2016 and while this great now, there is no need to hurry up.
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Fourth bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2010. I'm on the fence about this bottle. At 18 years of age it is almost preternaturally fresh and youthful, no doubt sustained by its acidity and (still pretty fierce tannins). It isn't until the second day that some evolution becomes apparent. Stylistically it is pure, precise and transparent, and it would be elegant if it didn't have these grainy tannins. There is a lot of lift on the nose - a bit too much in fact, the level of volatile acidity is very high, and the finish sometimes seems to turn slightly acetic. I don't think that this is technically correct, so I will not rate it.
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Third bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2010. More than 95% Syrah (sélection massale) with some complanted Viognier, vineyards in the north of the AOC, organic viticulture (ULASE certified since 2004), part whole bunch, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged for two years in barrique (1/3 new), bottled with minimal sulphur, 12% ABV. Last tasted in February 2020, when I was worried that the tannins might outlast the fruit - a concern with many 2005's all over France. Will they ever come round? This bottle seems to have finally escaped the grip of the tannins, and the aromas of crushed red berries, peaches and flowers are starting to show again after a closed phase that lasted the better part of 15 years. Directly after opening the nose feels quite dusty, but after an hour or so this character recedes. It does come across as quite nerveux - almost a bit volatile on the nose and the finish. I am optimistic, but I need to retaste. Provisional score.
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12/14/2023 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was delightful tonight with lots of softer, well integrated dark blue and black fruit, earthy sanguine notes, some graphite undertones and well integrated tannins on the mid length finish. All in all, quite nice and sadly my last bottle. This did need about an hour in the decanter to open.
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10/21/2023 - pbaek wrote:
Beautiful nose of flowers, tar and smoked meat. Elegant style, lively fruit, tar, bacon fat, flowers. This is vraiment Côte-Rôtie. There’s more complexity compared to my last bottle in 2016 and while this great now, there is no need to hurry up.
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3/10/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:
Fourth bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2010. I'm on the fence about this bottle. At 18 years of age it is almost preternaturally fresh and youthful, no doubt sustained by its acidity and (still pretty fierce tannins). It isn't until the second day that some evolution becomes apparent. Stylistically it is pure, precise and transparent, and it would be elegant if it didn't have these grainy tannins. There is a lot of lift on the nose - a bit too much in fact, the level of volatile acidity is very high, and the finish sometimes seems to turn slightly acetic. I don't think that this is technically correct, so I will not rate it.
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12/20/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Third bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2010. More than 95% Syrah (sélection massale) with some complanted Viognier, vineyards in the north of the AOC, organic viticulture (ULASE certified since 2004), part whole bunch, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged for two years in barrique (1/3 new), bottled with minimal sulphur, 12% ABV. Last tasted in February 2020, when I was worried that the tannins might outlast the fruit - a concern with many 2005's all over France. Will they ever come round? This bottle seems to have finally escaped the grip of the tannins, and the aromas of crushed red berries, peaches and flowers are starting to show again after a closed phase that lasted the better part of 15 years. Directly after opening the nose feels quite dusty, but after an hour or so this character recedes. It does come across as quite nerveux - almost a bit volatile on the nose and the finish. I am optimistic, but I need to retaste. Provisional score.
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4/2/2021 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine: 90 Points
After a few weird bottles this has settled into a nice place. Salty, savory, leather, plum. Well within its good place. Definitely worth a look.
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