Really had trouble figuring this one out. Very aromatic nose with lots of dense cherry, but dominated by an oily licorice scent I couldn't place. Maybe had a little anise and liquorish as well. Palate and finish were disappointing compared to the nose. Rather firm, closed, with some bright fruit. Finish was rather simple and short. In all, an intriguing nose but the palate and finish couldn't keep up.

Sour cherry nose with some rustic earthy notes and iron and red meat, classic Beaune nose. Smooth round palate with perceptible tannins, but not too distracting. Very fruit driven. Medium finish with earthy notes and oak, but rather simple and primary.

Nose was initially rather sharp, but that blew off with air and was expressive with ripe cherry with some mushroom and maybe a hint of fig. Palate was round with some perceptible tannins, but smooth. Added some blackberry, mushrooms and flint. Finish was long, a little simple, but carried the fruit for quite some time and added some stone and mineral notes. A well built balanced Pinot that was very enjoyable now.

Some sweet cherry, licorice, and hints of wood/nuts. Palate is very smooth with fine tannins and soft mouthfeel. Just a hint of sourness on the midpalate. Long balanced finish with some cherry and raspberry, but driven by stone/mineral. Good.

Aromatic nose of dark fruits, earth, fig, mushrooms centered around cherry. Palate was acidic, light round subtle tannins with similar flavors from the nose. Finish medium length and complexity. Excellent.

nose a little sharp, but with some ripe cherry, dark fruit and heavy on oak. Palate adds some plum mushroom and black cherry notes, with just a hint of sourness on the midpalate. Long mineral finish saves this some with stone, cedar, and earth notes with some raspberry highlights. Good, needs time to integrate the oak and soften the acidity some. Gets a couple of points for potential.

Nose of sour cheery, licorice, sandalwood? Firm closed palate, not showing too much. Light bodies and pretty, with medium length simple finish of mostly mineral and slate.

Woody nutty nose with some fig and mushrooms--quite earthy. Palate is sharp and acidic rather bland compared to the nose. Short mineral finish. Might just be too young and had some chunky tannins. Maybe try again with some time.

Dusty mushroom nose. Dense dark cherries on the palate with some sour acidity and bloody meat. Fine but firm tannins. Medium finish of slate and flint. Much too young, but still excellent.

Nose was a little closed, but showed some tart cherry and licorice. Very acidic palate with a sour cherry note. medium length finish with some slate/mineral. Rather light bodied and simple, but enjoyable enough.

Nose not too expressive, but showing some cherry, licorice, and mushrooms. Palate is smooth without some of the sharp acidity of the others. Some darker fruit on the palate, firm fine tannins. medium to long finish with the fruit persisting and giving way to slate/mineral finish. Young, but still excellent.

Rich aromatic nose of black cherry, raspberry with more subtle fig and mushrooms--much more fruit driven but with some sweet oak as well. Palate was firm and rather closed compared to the nose, rather drying tannins. Lots of oak, but some red fruits poked through. Finish was medium and rather simple with lots of cedar notes. Young, but has potential, couldn't fulfill the promise of the nose.

Dark fruits, black cherry and hints of licorice ont he nose--some hints of cedar in the background. Palate was smooth with firm tannins, slightly acidic. medium finish with some stone and red fruits with some raspberry notes. Nice wine, but nothing too special.

Fresh citrus nose with hints of nuts. very smooth round palate, buttery and full bodied. Long finish with nutty mineral character that carried on quite well. Excellent white, was impressed.

Closed nose with some cherry, herbal notes and licorice. Firm closed palate with little fruit, sour mid palate with green notes and short finish. Not great.

Some almond and pear on the nose. Smooth palate with rich mineral finish of almost and hazelnut? Long finish ending with some slate and mineral. Very good, a little simple.

Very dark in the glass, expressive nose with heavy oak, dark fruits, some mushroom. Palate very firm and structured, but balanced by acidity. Very tannic and oak driven at this point, masking the fruit. Much too young, palate and finish couldn't follow the nose and finish not too interesting. Tannic to the point it wasn't enjoyable now. Try in 5+ years, but unsure how this will progress.

Nutty citrus nose. Bitter acidic palate, short mineral finish. Dirty chalky character. eh.

Clean citrus nose with lemon notes. palte very balanced and smooth with a warm mouth coating feeling. Some butter and nuts with hints of lemon on the palate. Lengthy finish with apricots an dense mineral notes. Very nice.

Nutty citrus nose. Round palate with lemon and pear and some almond notes int he background, Short medium mineral finish. Well balanced, rather simple.

Closed nsoe with a little citrus and some buttery notes. Acidic palate, very crisp. Short simple finish with some pear notes. Drinking nicely, but simple.

Light crisp nose. Light acidity, lots of citrus up front. A little lighter bodied than the Puligny-Montrachet. Medium to long finish with nice minerality. Very nice wine, but wasn't exceptional.

Very expressive aromatic nose with some pear, apricot, and hint of citrus. Palate is balanced with some up front acidity, dense core of fruits. Finish is lengthy with fruit flavors lasting and strong minerality underneath. A little liter bodied than the Puligny-Montrachet 1st cru.

Light nose, mostly mineral with some citrus in the background and some floral notes --violets. Palate is dense and buttery with almond and oak, but not too much acidity. Long mineral finish with stone and slate. Really nice wine, favorite of the tasting.

Full nose of pear and hints of lemon and almonds, Acidic palate with touch of sournessm but citrus up frontm giving way to of butter and almonds. Finish a little short and thin cosidering the palate and nose. Needs time?

Light fruit with a slightly sour palate and short simple finish. refreshing, but a little tart.

Bright nose of wet stone and citrus. Crisp acid0/17/2008ity on the palate without any sour notes. medium light finish of mostly mineral notes. Light bodied, easy drinking.

Nose was not very expressive, but some cherry and licorice notes came through. Fine tannic structure on the palate with black cherry and currant? medium earthy finish. Not very complex, rather tannic.

Nose was closed, hint of licorice, earth, cherries and oak. Closed down palate, oak dominates but some plum and cherry poke through. Oak hides the finish. extremely tannic and not enjoyable at this point, maybe time will help? but not overly optimistic.

Nose was close, mostly dark fruit. Prominent acidity on the palate, plum and black cherry up front, chunky tannins. Bit of heat on the finish with medium length and complexity with scorched earth and gamy character. A bit harsh and astringent, but good considering the price.

Nose of game and dark fruits and sand. Palate had a crisp acidity,core of dark fruits, and finish of mineral and earth. Disappointingly simple and short finish, though balanced. Fine, but nothing exceptional.

Nose not too expressive, but did show some earth with floral highlights, sweet cherry, plum, raisin? dense, explosive palate, fruit forward and high alcohol, but carries it well. Medium to long finish with earth and tar fruits holding together nicely over the finish. Firm fine tannins. Really liked this one, quite surprising.

Closed nose, but could pull out some tobacco, mushroom and black cherry. palate with firm fine tannins, closed, some fruit up front with cassiss, black cherry, blackberry. Finish saves it some, with a long dense complex line of mineral and fruit flavors. Really tight and dense and while approachable now, doesn't seem to do anything but hint at its potential. Hold.

Big expressive nose with plenty of mature notes: leather, cigar box. Palate still tannic and firm, with some dark fruits and earthiness. Medium finish with some flint and mineral after a flash of earth and tobacco. Very nice now, but still seems rather young and still quite tannic. Hopefully will keep improving as the tannins integrate.

Juicy citrus nose with a hint of mayo?, very expressive nose, almost sweet. Big round mouth coating palate, full bodied and rich. Fruit stays together on the finish very long and complex with stone and mineral coming through. Really enjoyed this, don't have too much other white Rhone's to compare to, but this was excellent.

Just bottled prior to this tasting. Fresh citrus nose, a little closed. Palate was quite acidic almost sour, but never quite harsh, adding some prominent oak and sweet cedar. Finish was long and complex with bright fruits and mineral sailing on for minutes. Really dense and complex, I think I just tried this at a strange time just after bottling. 89 now, has 95+ potential.

Expressive nose with white fruits, pear and citrus, very acidic palate, very fresh with bright fruit. Finish medium to long, mostly fruit forward and some mineral in the background. Nice wine, not extremely complex but refreshing and enjoyable.

Nose more expressive than the Cotes du Rhone with warmer fruit, some oak, pear, and floral notes. Fresh acidity on the palate, but in check and balanced with citrus and melon flavors. Lengthy fruit finish with mineral and slate, stays together nicely. Impressive complex finish. Really nice wine, quite enjoyable.

This is really something special. Nose was closed with some honey notes. Explosive palate, mouth coating texture, with mango, apricot and almond honey notes. Layered and complex. Warm long finish with layers of dense complexity with roasted notes prominent that went on forever. Needs time to unravel some, but impressive potential.

A sweet berry nose with blackberry, raspberry, plum and cedar notes. Acidic slightly sour palate, some perceptible tannins, thin fruit somewhat overshadowed by oak. Lengthy finish of scorched earth and tar. A little unbalanced now, may integrate in the next couple of years. Good, not exceptional.

Clean bright nose, typical grenache notes and very berry driven. Palate is very dense with dark fruits, blackberries, raspberries, and plum, and firm fine tannins. Lengthy finish, starting with a bit of heat, but holds together with berry, oak, and earthy notes. Very primary right now, but tightly wound and has great potential.

This is really going to be something special. Big expressive nose with some floral notes (roses?), berries, and sweet cedar. Palate is dense and packed with fruit flavors, spicy, with layers of complexity. Finish is lengthy with scorched earth, fig, and tobacco notes with some stoniness at the end. A little tannic now, but impressive complexity and balance. Exceptional.

Earth mushroom nose, a little game, some candied cherry, and dark fruits. A sweet smooth palate with mostly earth notes and mushroom and fig coming through. A little heat on the backend that really detracts from the finish, which is otherwise medium in the length and complexity and earthy. Gritty tannins really come though on the finish. Good, a little unbalanced at this point, not sure it'll come together.

Interesting nose of dark fruits, tar, and leather. Rather stiff drying tannins on the palate, but the fruit comes overtop with some cherry being most prominent, despite it being a bit closed. Medium finish with mostly earth and dirt, tar, mushrooms. this bottle might have been just opened, or was already shutting down and the palate just wasn't showing much. Good structure and balance, with good potential.

Nose was rather closed compared to the Roquette and Pallieres. Closed, but still layered and could coax out some black cherry, plum, leather, and sweet cedar. Firm fine tannins and prominent oak on the palate, but dense core of fruit with cherry and raspberry most prominent. Very layered and complex. Finish was a little disappointing with scorched earth and tar, but rather short and sudden. Still, a well built balanced CdP with good potential.

Nice aromatics with plum, blueberries, and current--mostly dark fruits-- with some tobacco. Palate rather fruit forward, some earth and tar underneath. Firm fine tannins, a little drying. Some distracting heat on the backend. Long finish with earth notes prominent, with mushroom highlights and the dark fruits still persistence. Really enjoyed this, but certainly needs some time to unwind as it's very dense and complex, even though it's quite enjoyable now.

Aromatic musty nose of black cherries, leather, and earth. Palate with some acidity, and gritty tannins, but rather open for a younger wine, and full of dense red fruit flavors. Long finish of mostly earth, flint, and tar. Very balanced and approachable now, plenty of rustic flavors.

At the domain, barrel sample, with 18months to go in barrel. Wow, it's hard for me to express how exciting this wine was. Aromatic dark nose, with sany earth, leather and tobacco, very rustic nose. Palate was very fruit forward, explosive, with layer upon layer of dense dark fruit. Plenty of currant, plum, and blueberry coming through. Plush full mouthfeel. Complexity sails through the finish which is very long, fruits dominating at this point. Structured, but not distractingly tannic. Very exciting now, I can't wait to see how this turns out after bottling. Certainly one of the most memorable wines I've ever had. No official score as it's only a barrel sample, but likely 95++ by my impression.

Unblended barrel sample at the domain. Nose of red fruits, mushroom and game. Acidic well structured palate with red fruits and earth. Medium finish. Showing structure and balanced in a muscular dense fruit driven CdP, very much looking forward to the final blend and bottling.

Barrel sample at the winery, still cloudy. Mostly citrus nose, highly acidic palate but full bodied, dense and complex. Long mineral finish. Dense and complex without being "big". Was pleasantly lithe. Impressive, very curious how this will be after bottling.

Candied nose with cherries and raspberry, hints of leather. Dense fruit palate, very primary and hot, but some earthiness and fig underneath. Medium length finish with some tar and scorched earth and hint of cigar box. Firm plush tannins. Might be a little more concentrated than the '05. Excellent.

Continues the candied cherry nose of "Les Olivets" but more sublte and closed, with more prominent earth, mushroom, and gamey character. Firm fine tannins in a fruit driven palate, but remains in balance, with medium length finish adding some smoke and tar. More muscular and tannic than "Les Olivets" built more for aging and less assessable now, but has great potential.

Bright clean candied cherry and raspberry nose with some floral highlights and mushroom. Less expressive now than "Les Olivets" or "Reserve" right now. Big complex palate with bright fruit up front and prominent fine tannins with rust on the backend. Finish is long and complex with earth and leather notes. The most tannic and tightly wound of the 3, with the greatest potential. Needs some bottle age to really shine, but could be something special.

Rich nose of honey and mango. Very acidic palate with some white peach, but a little harsh. Short to medium finish with distracting heat. A little harsh and edgy for me, maybe will be better in a year or two.

Gamey and sharp nose with hints of cherry and raspberry. Warm round palate with plenty of game, black cherry, raspberry, blackberry and earth. Disappointing simple, short, hot finish with stone and mineral notes.

Gamey leather nose, with an almost tangy element in the background. Rich plush palate with fine tannins and medium body; lithe. Cherry, blackberry notes with prominent game, earth, tobacco and cedar. Medium length finish, thought s bit simple and primary now. Great potential, would let sleep for a few years.

Rustic leather nose with currant and cherry. Big acidic palate up front with dark fruits, a little hollow on the mid palate, but has silky tannins and plush mouthfeel. Simple earthy tobacco finish. Coming together nicely.

Grenache prominent in the nose, with cherry and raspberry with earth and game in the background. Palate was dark fruit driven, with plum and blackberry notes, and some raspberry poking through. Rather tannic now, but fine, with dense layers. A bit hot and more new world in style than the regular CdP release. Finish was lengthy and primary now, with prominent leather and earth. Excellent overall, needs some time to integrate.

I notice my notes are less enthusiastic than others on this site. Not sure if my palate was tiring at the end of the day, or if the bottle at the winery was just opened, or if it was the fact I didn't know the price or that this was their top cuvee at the time and just wasn't that impressed. This is excellent for sure, but I may need to spend more time with it to see the excitement others are seeing.

Gamey leather nose with dark fruits and currant. Palate rather stiff, not too accessible now, medium finish with distracting heat. Good not great.

Nose with bright acidity with game, leather and scorthced earth. Palate had a distracting game/brett character, with some dark fruit, fig, and mushroom character. Medium finish. Too much brett for me.

Closed nose of mushroom and currants. Very acidic palate with game and heavy with fruit up front, with scorched earth character dominating on mid-palate. medium finish of scorched earth, tar, and smoke?. Distracting hotness that this can't contain. Not well integrated or balanced at this point.

Nose was a little closed, with game and dark fruits. Firm palate with fine tannins, with plum and currant up front, and prominent cedar and cigar box. Medium length finish with game and earthy notes, leather, smoke and cigar. Nice, should improve over next 10 years.

Purchased directly from domain in CdP. Brick red/orange color in the glass. Mature nose of leather, tobacco, earth, cedar, red meat and iron. Palate was full and round with some red fruits. Tannins almost completely integrated with soft velvety mouthfeel. Unfortunately, this crashed into a wall on the finish, lasting only a few seconds with some earth and mineral, leaving a salty simple aftertaste. Feels very tired and past prime. This was probably an excellent wine at some point, but it certainly past prime now with the finish not living up to the promise of the palate and nose.

Nose of sandlewood, black cherry, hint of licorice, almost with a hint of a Nuits-st-George nose( but just a hint), some mushroom in the background. Bright acidity on tv palate, with clean fruits up fruit, some heavy cedar and firm fine tannins, but not too bothersome. Some earth, fig, and mushrooms come out on palate. Lengthy finish, with oak, earth, and mushroom with some hints of mineral. Drinking nicely now, would expect to integrate some more in near future, but seems to have excellent aging potential.

Nose is rustic, earthy and gamey, but with plum and tart cherry. Palate has firm tannins, but balanced. Fruit up front- Grenache is prominent, but fades quickly to scorched earth, tar. Finish medium length and complexity, with some mineral notes. Nice. Accessible now, but would wait 3-4 years before trying again.

Poured from previously opened bottle in wine bar. Not decanted. Fresh nose, dark fruits, oak and cedar, hint of smoke. Palate is a little closed, heavy in oak, with firm tannins. Dense core of dark fruits-cassis and plum. Finish is medium length, overshadowed by the heavy oak, with some flint and tar. tannins are a bit rough and distancing now. Need time to soften and integrate. Hopefully, will try again in >5yrs. 88