2011 Domaine les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Villages Vieilles Vignes

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 90.6 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View wilypod's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/22/2017 - wilypod Likes this wine: 90 Points

  15 % abv. But not hot. Medium dark garnet. Black pepper, mineral, and smoked paprika aromatics with a Montmorency cherry vanilla patina. Delicious, generous Grenache flavor, closer to California Pinot Noir than to Spanish Garnacha. Two years ago all the elements were perfect -- juicier and more vibrant. 4+12+17+7

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Alv3sachan's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/18/2017 - Alv3sachan Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Still holding up, tight at first but opened up. Nice medium finish with vanilla and oak.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View cmr's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/5/2015 - cmr Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Really nice, well structured and dark fruit forward with a nice touch of spice.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View texanoblues's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/3/2015 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Intense red/violet and clear in the glass. Remarkably aromatic and seductive nose with violets, blackberry, blueberry, and blood notes. Same notes on the palate with some vanilla as well. Concentrated and intense, supported by ample acidity, some fine-grained tannins, and appropriate alcohol. Interestingly, even at 15% alcohol, this wine was not hot or harsh. This was a really great bottle and I'm sure I've never had a $26 bottle that was better than this one.
  
  Also worth noting is that this wine is produced from a biodynamic estate that utilizes non-interventionist methods.
  
  I'll be buying a case more of this one.

  2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View wilypod's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/5/2015 - wilypod Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Wow!! I had no idea that a southern Rhone could be this good. It certainly competes with all but the most distinguished Chateauneuf du Papes. Sixty year old vines. Not sure what the blend consists of, but the 2009 is Grenache with 15% Mourvedre, and the 2012 is 100% Grenache. In the past winemaker/grower Daniel Boulle has elevaged this cuvee in old barriques from Romanee Conti.
  
  Extroverted, inviting aromas. There is a lot of spice -- smoked paprika and cardamom mingle with the usual black pepper, cedar. and garrigue. There is abundant fruit -- black cherry mostly but also fresh raspberry notes and something in between cranberry and pomegranate. Concentrated kirsch liqueur saturates the palate with a phenomenal and coating mouth-feel of satiny extract. But not cloying or troppo tannic in any sense; rather, it is athletic, smooth, composed, and unbelievably harmonious.
  
  In a perfect drinking window and should stay there a few years.
  Went superbly with a typical north Indian (Uttar Pradesh) meat and potatoes and gravy stew of garlic, ginger, tomatoes, yogurt, and garam masala.
  
  Next day: The flavor/aromatic profile went from spicy to dark chocolate and some mint. What an exhibitionist this wine is!!

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)

View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.