Has softened and is more integrated than my last bottle in 2018. Was best after a 2 hr decant. The cherry flavors are still bright and hit right away before moving to more muted spice, beef broth, and new leather. No hurry here
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Prior bottle was almost 9 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot. Red cherry, earth and spices on the nose, but with a bit more energy than some of my prior bottles. Medium bodied with red cherry upfront with a nice mix of brightness, light tartness and depth. Mid-body adds darker notes; dark red cherry shading into black cherry and even some hints of plum which gives the wine an elegance and silkiness towards the back. Tart cherry and tart red berry on the backside and finishes very cleanly with balanced tannins, acidity and trailing minerals, earth and spices. Fruit showed quite well with this bottle and the balance between fruit and acidity (as well as other structural qualities) was again a strength. This bottle showed the depth and nuance I was expecting and the retained fruit complexity I was hoping for. Based on how this bottle showed, the wine is at peak, but should be able to hold this level for another couple of years. Time to drink and enjoy!
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Prior bottle was just over a year ago and this one generally confirmed those notes. Red cherry, earth and spices on the nose that might have shown a bit more depth than did the prior bottle. Medium bodied with red cherry upfront, but this bottle showed more balanced brightness than the prior bottle. Mid-body has a touch more depth and complexity as well. There were blackfruit hints, if not quite as the level of my bottles from June 2018 and previous. Backside shows tart redfruit (cherry and wildberry) along with pleasantly tart acidity and fine grained tannins. As compared to my prior bottle, there were no rough notes tonight; finishing transition was much better integrated and the wine overall showed better balance. While still not quite at the level of depth or complexity of my earlier bottles, this was much more along the lines of how I expected this wine would age and left me well pleased with how it had turned out. I suspect my bottle from last year was either a slightly difficult phase or simply slightly negative bottle variation. I will save my final bottle for early Q2 2021, but may open earlier if the situation presents as additional time isn't needed.
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7/12/2023 - Bluecollar wrote: 91 Points
Has softened and is more integrated than my last bottle in 2018. Was best after a 2 hr decant. The cherry flavors are still bright and hit right away before moving to more muted spice, beef broth, and new leather. No hurry here
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6/15/2022 - rfras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now. Slight decant is recommended.
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9/8/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 93 Points
Dark red. Very funky spicy cherry, beef broth and herb nose. Dry cherry, spice and plum flavours and a resolved balanced finish.
Funkier than the 98 Donjon and as interesting.
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4/30/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was almost 9 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot. Red cherry, earth and spices on the nose, but with a bit more energy than some of my prior bottles. Medium bodied with red cherry upfront with a nice mix of brightness, light tartness and depth. Mid-body adds darker notes; dark red cherry shading into black cherry and even some hints of plum which gives the wine an elegance and silkiness towards the back. Tart cherry and tart red berry on the backside and finishes very cleanly with balanced tannins, acidity and trailing minerals, earth and spices. Fruit showed quite well with this bottle and the balance between fruit and acidity (as well as other structural qualities) was again a strength. This bottle showed the depth and nuance I was expecting and the retained fruit complexity I was hoping for. Based on how this bottle showed, the wine is at peak, but should be able to hold this level for another couple of years. Time to drink and enjoy!
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8/2/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was just over a year ago and this one generally confirmed those notes. Red cherry, earth and spices on the nose that might have shown a bit more depth than did the prior bottle. Medium bodied with red cherry upfront, but this bottle showed more balanced brightness than the prior bottle. Mid-body has a touch more depth and complexity as well. There were blackfruit hints, if not quite as the level of my bottles from June 2018 and previous. Backside shows tart redfruit (cherry and wildberry) along with pleasantly tart acidity and fine grained tannins. As compared to my prior bottle, there were no rough notes tonight; finishing transition was much better integrated and the wine overall showed better balance. While still not quite at the level of depth or complexity of my earlier bottles, this was much more along the lines of how I expected this wine would age and left me well pleased with how it had turned out. I suspect my bottle from last year was either a slightly difficult phase or simply slightly negative bottle variation. I will save my final bottle for early Q2 2021, but may open earlier if the situation presents as additional time isn't needed.
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