1978 is the Rhone vintage that just keeps giving. the only down side here was a rather cloudy wine. On opening there was a huge burst of fruit on the nose. Slightly astringent on first taste but loads of mature, sweet fruit and all softened very quickly. good weight and length and pretty rustic but just lovely and I really doubt we will see again a vintage that seems to last this well in this area as 1978. Always seek them out.
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Bought and held a few years after release then well cellared. Clean pull of the whole cork.
Clear darkly translucent garnet. Initial nose of coarse minerals even gunpowder under rawhide figs quickly opened to a pleasantly herbaceous palate with more than a bit of black raspberry suede.
Decanted and evolved nicely over only an hour of so to a fully rounded and resolved condition of soft berry, fig and mushroom laced with coffee and doeskin. LOVELY!
One left which should last some years but not likely to much improve on classic Chateauneuf du Pape from a great vintage aged nearly forty years.
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4/9/2023 - Loathesome Likes this wine: 93 Points
1978 is the Rhone vintage that just keeps giving. the only down side here was a rather cloudy wine. On opening there was a huge burst of fruit on the nose. Slightly astringent on first taste but loads of mature, sweet fruit and all softened very quickly. good weight and length and pretty rustic but just lovely and I really doubt we will see again a vintage that seems to last this well in this area as 1978. Always seek them out.
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9/22/2018 - schwank wrote: flawed
Massively Corked
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12/24/2017 - drdan322 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought and held a few years after release then well cellared. Clean pull of the whole cork.
Clear darkly translucent garnet. Initial nose of coarse minerals even gunpowder under rawhide figs quickly opened to a pleasantly herbaceous palate with more than a bit of black raspberry suede.
Decanted and evolved nicely over only an hour of so to a fully rounded and resolved condition of soft berry, fig and mushroom laced with coffee and doeskin. LOVELY!
One left which should last some years but not likely to much improve on classic Chateauneuf du Pape from a great vintage aged nearly forty years.
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8/25/2017 - europat55 wrote: 89 Points
Definitely past its prime time, but still quite enjoyable!
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5/12/2011 - drycreekwhine wrote:
Amazingly satisfactory. 100% drinkable. Flavors and some fruit remain.
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