Popped and poured and consumed over 3hrs. Huge nose, plum currants spice and smoke. A little oaky. Smooth polished palate with huge chunky tannins and purple fruit. Long long finish with tar, slightly bitter. Young but delicious with great concentration and ripeness, but seamless, with impressive structure and acidity. No real sense of heaviness or viscosity. 94-96
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Pegau, but amped up pegau in every way. Big expansive nose of exotic and Asian spices, kirsch, vinyl and sandelwood. Palate is quite firm with drying chalky tannins that really hang on. Mature leather and dried fruit and herbs on the palate. Long slightly bitter finish with scorched earth, stone, and repeating sandelwood. Came around with the mature dried fruit becoming more prominent with a liquor-like quality, but not the depth I expect from this bottling. Strong wine, but not better than '98, '00, '01, or '04 and in the style of '03.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Closed nose that opened after a couple of hours, with citrus coffee and plum. Smoke on the palate, prominent chunky tannins with currants plum and purple fruit. Medium finish dry tannins bitter with mocha. Very nicely put together but seemed a little bitter and unpolished compared to alban. Grapefruit everywhere.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Closed nose. Slightly bitter very dark tingled style fruit. Chunky tannins that hang on the palate with stone and tar. Not ready. 91 now with strong potential to improve. Barely budged even after 2-3hrs of air. Hold.
creamy currants and cassis and a little spice. Vibrant palate, quite acidic with a citrus element. Lengthy finish with some orange peel. Tannic and fine. Adds a little leather to the nose with time. Needs time to pull together.
2007 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Popped and poured and consumed over 3hrs. Huge nose, plum currants spice and smoke. A little oaky. Smooth polished palate with huge chunky tannins and purple fruit. Long long finish with tar, slightly bitter. Young but delicious with great concentration and ripeness, but seamless, with impressive structure and acidity. No real sense of heaviness or viscosity. 94-96
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2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 93 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Pegau, but amped up pegau in every way. Big expansive nose of exotic and Asian spices, kirsch, vinyl and sandelwood. Palate is quite firm with drying chalky tannins that really hang on. Mature leather and dried fruit and herbs on the palate. Long slightly bitter finish with scorched earth, stone, and repeating sandelwood. Came around with the mature dried fruit becoming more prominent with a liquor-like quality, but not the depth I expect from this bottling. Strong wine, but not better than '98, '00, '01, or '04 and in the style of '03.
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2007 Carlisle Syrah Rosella's Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Closed nose that opened after a couple of hours, with citrus coffee and plum. Smoke on the palate, prominent chunky tannins with currants plum and purple fruit. Medium finish dry tannins bitter with mocha. Very nicely put together but seemed a little bitter and unpolished compared to alban. Grapefruit everywhere.
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2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Closed nose. Slightly bitter very dark tingled style fruit. Chunky tannins that hang on the palate with stone and tar. Not ready. 91 now with strong potential to improve. Barely budged even after 2-3hrs of air. Hold.
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2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 91 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
creamy currants and cassis and a little spice. Vibrant palate, quite acidic with a citrus element. Lengthy finish with some orange peel. Tannic and fine. Adds a little leather to the nose with time. Needs time to pull together.
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