Community Tasting Notes (15) Avg Score: 91.6 points

  • Poxed.

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  • This is no ordinary rose, made from Tibouren grape, partially aged sous voile in very old foudres, and one of the few Cru Classés in Provence. It’s always been one of my favorite rosés and I’ve read it was age worthy. Well, with 8 years of age, this rose doesn’t disappoint. It still sports that very unique amber/copper color, and wafts from the glass with blood orange and subtle oxidative notes. The palate is fresh, with blood orange and subtle pink grapefruit notes and a nutty flavor. It has weight lifted by a balance of acidity and a touch of bitterness that all combine beautifully. The texture is unlike any other rose and this definitely needs food.

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  • Solidifying its place as one of my favorite roses. I just love the oxidative edge, and the richness and complexity is a cut above other roses - even the high-priced Provencal ones.

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  • Fascinating color. Somewhere between copper, amber, and burnt orange—maybe garnet? Fascinating on the nose too, and difficult to pin down. In terms of fruit, there are aromas of blood orange, tangerine, and grapefruit, but also something a little more red, like underripe strawberry or raspberry. A little tropical note also, maybe guava or papaya. Then there’s a very strong rose-petal floral side, both fresh and dried. And some dried orange, as well. Sort of mesmerizing because it’s so aromatic and expressive but also so difficult to nail down. It all continues on the palate, which is just dynamite. The first impression I get is just “wow, that’s good,” while my brain tries to make sense of it. It’s got some body to it, and at first it seems pretty low acid, so that it gives a solid, almost sherry-like texture, but then the fruit starts to show up—the same unusual combination of citrus and tropical, fresh and dried—and then suddenly there’s acid. The finish is long and complex, with tart fruit, a nutty bite, some floral bitterness, a touch of alcohol, and sort of a reverberant energy that is hard to describe.

    This is really, really good stuff. Both just in its quality and in it’s distinctiveness. I’ve never had anything quite like it. It’s definitely a wine to spend some time with. I’m sure some of the complexity has to do with its age, but never having had this before or anything similar, I can’t really say whether it should be drunk now or if it can keep improving. But I can tell you that if you do drink it now, you’re in for a treat.

    EDIT: I forgot until I went back and looked at the bottle that this gets a year of aging under flor/veil. Which makes a lot of my impressions make a lot more sense. I guess it should have been obvious what was going on, but the effect of the flor is subtle compared to sherry, and it still has a lot of fruit and freshness, so combined with the effects of its age, it doesn’t shout about it.

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  • a darker, weightier rose' needing some time to open. Blood orange is a good descriptor with more weight than most rose'. This is not the sort of wine you pop open in summer to enjoy immediately -the usual rose' bliss; rather, have it with the second course (something a little more substantial), when the sun is set and you can take more time with it. It develops nicely with time. Not sure how long you can age this style since it seems to be in a good place now.

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  • By Josh Raynolds
    Jul-14, IWC Issue #10185, 7/1/2014, (See more on Vinous...)

    (Clos Cibonne Tibouren Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes Cru Classe Cotes de Provence) Login and sign up and see review text.

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