2003 Patrick Lesec Gigondas Cuvée Romaine Les Espalines

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 92 points

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  8/28/2012 - Vinacull wrote: 92 Points

  This was rocking good. Concerned the fruit might fade quickly with too much air given the ripe vintage, I splash decanted and served immediately. Color dusty magenta with lots of dark hues, slight bricking at rim, perhaps a tablespoon of sediment in bottle. Big bouquet of unmistakable Rhone from this G/M/S blend, with dark plum sauce, blackberries, forest floor, tomato, leather, garrigue and some smoked meat notes to get you salivating. Enters the mouth with dark ripe plums, blackberries, dark chocolate and herbs transitioning to tomato, leather, smoked meat and mocha swirling toward the end. Surprised at the long finish and even longer aftertaste flavors of sour cherry, tomato, minerals, and meat between sips. Excellent complexity from texture to changing flavors. Although I have had problems with alcohol showing on a number of different LeSec bottlings over the years, it was in check here. Fruit showing some secondary signs but was youthful in terms of acid, including holding together very well over 2.5-3.0 hours. Full tannins are softened by age and sweet, but still giving a firm handshake at the end, which I really liked. RP was 91-93, which was right in the pocket and I can't imagine this drinking better. Might hold on another 3-4 years, but so glad I opened it now. At $25, a steal.

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