Tasted blind. Reduction on the nose, showing earth, sous bois, dried black fruit. Dark mulberry fruit on the palate, with savory spice and iron notes. Largely backwards and light in the middle. Medium finish. Rated 6 of 6 wines.
Tasted blind. Aromas of tomato skin & red meat, violets & mulberry. Slight oxidized aromas. Dense and savory on the palate, cut with bright black and red cherry notes. Secondary depth of sous bois and eastern spice, and hints of cedar. Still some tightness. Well-balanced acidity. Thick silky tannin, still a little closed on the finish. Ranked 5 of 6 wines.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Tasted blind. The ringer. Aromas of dried violet & rosemary, cassis, mesquite smoke, cedar and tea. Silky and rich on the palate, showing blackberry and raspberry, cocoa, violets, black tea and spice. Massive structure and nice intensity. Richly layered, some oak, opulent and modern style. Big silky tannin, balanced acid, big finish. Ranked 4 out of 6.
Tasted blind. Decanted. Aromas of dried violets, smoked meats, red berries, tea and earth- very complex and fragrant. Big and structured but with great finesse, showing notes of blackberry skin, iron, damp earth, flowers, cardamom. Bright and intense, and dense in the middle. Big, polished, and grippy tannin. Lasting finish. Stellar. Ranked 3 of 6 wines.
Tasted blind. Nicely complex aromas of fig & cherry, sandalwood, vanilla bean (slight oxidation), dried herb & flowers, and black tea. Deep and rich palate, showing bright & impactful black fruit, and layered secondary depth of earth, spice and iron. Dense and rich in the middle. Silky structure, great acid balance, solid length. A complete wine. Ranked 2 of 6 wines.
Tasted blind. Aromas of sandalwood, fig, lavender, mesquite smoke, mineral and tea- layered and complex. Stunning finesse and elegance on the palate, with notes of blackberry skin & cherry, iron, dried flowers, baking and eastern spice. Great palate intensity, layered depth, bright acidity, with deceptively big gripping polished tannin. Lasting finish. Beautiful- the total package and consensus WOTF. Ranked 1 of 6 wines.
2011 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Tasted blind. Reduction on the nose, showing earth, sous bois, dried black fruit. Dark mulberry fruit on the palate, with savory spice and iron notes. Largely backwards and light in the middle. Medium finish. Rated 6 of 6 wines.
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1996 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Tasted blind. Aromas of tomato skin & red meat, violets & mulberry. Slight oxidized aromas. Dense and savory on the palate, cut with bright black and red cherry notes. Secondary depth of sous bois and eastern spice, and hints of cedar. Still some tightness. Well-balanced acidity. Thick silky tannin, still a little closed on the finish. Ranked 5 of 6 wines.
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2001 Zaca Mesa Syrah Black Bear Block
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Tasted blind. The ringer. Aromas of dried violet & rosemary, cassis, mesquite smoke, cedar and tea. Silky and rich on the palate, showing blackberry and raspberry, cocoa, violets, black tea and spice. Massive structure and nice intensity. Richly layered, some oak, opulent and modern style. Big silky tannin, balanced acid, big finish. Ranked 4 out of 6.
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2012 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Tasted blind. Decanted. Aromas of dried violets, smoked meats, red berries, tea and earth- very complex and fragrant. Big and structured but with great finesse, showing notes of blackberry skin, iron, damp earth, flowers, cardamom. Bright and intense, and dense in the middle. Big, polished, and grippy tannin. Lasting finish. Stellar. Ranked 3 of 6 wines.
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1997 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 95 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Tasted blind. Nicely complex aromas of fig & cherry, sandalwood, vanilla bean (slight oxidation), dried herb & flowers, and black tea. Deep and rich palate, showing bright & impactful black fruit, and layered secondary depth of earth, spice and iron. Dense and rich in the middle. Silky structure, great acid balance, solid length. A complete wine. Ranked 2 of 6 wines.
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2007 Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Gréal 96 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Tasted blind. Aromas of sandalwood, fig, lavender, mesquite smoke, mineral and tea- layered and complex. Stunning finesse and elegance on the palate, with notes of blackberry skin & cherry, iron, dried flowers, baking and eastern spice. Great palate intensity, layered depth, bright acidity, with deceptively big gripping polished tannin. Lasting finish. Beautiful- the total package and consensus WOTF. Ranked 1 of 6 wines.
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