2/4/2024 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Reduced on the nose, hiding the fruit. Whiff of blue berries and vanilla. Palate is saline at first, orange peel, rich and balanced. Lacks the earth component for me.

1/27/2024 - alphalam Likes this wine:

My last bottle. This has finally come as round and showed the aromatic side. No longer funky on the nose. Palate is focused and showed concentration. A great Cornas (declassified)!

12/2/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Vanilla, puerh tea leafs on the nose. Palate is rich and ripe, tannins is chewy and earthy undertone. Contrary to other comments I think this is nicely made and great expression of burgundy.

10/22/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

The wine opens up with a funky and manure smell. Wife thought it smell like compost but I thought it was authentic and truly rustic. It was a little cloudy and color showed it's age. On the palate I could taste the rotten profile initially, but it cleared quickly and transitioned into a powerful and pungent barolo profile. The wine paired particularly well with piedmontese specialty Finanziera Agnonloti. The rustisticity are exxellent combination.

The wine is surprisingly strong, with power and concentration that is hard to imagine for a 35 years wine. Compared to 1990 there is less power but more rustic character and funky aroma.

9/28/2023 - alphalam Does not like this wine:

Strawberry on the nose. Light and lively acid on the palate. But 13.5% abv is not ripe for Grenache. The wine tastes bitter and unripe. This is not enjoyable. I used some for cooking and poured the rest down the drain.

Maybe some age will help. Still have 2 to go. But can't imagine this higher than 90.

6/14/2023 - alphalam wrote:

Tasting at the estate. Nose is pomegranate, lush red fruit and vanilla. The typical American oak is there but more restrained than the 2015. Overall more balanced than the last vintage.

6/9/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Bought at the Chateau. Person there said they don't have a private cellar from past vintages so these are bought from merchants.

Cacao, leather, hint of herbaceous on the nose. Well balanced and lively acidity. Great Bordeaux!

2/20/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

A bit of barnyard and cardboardy initially but blows off after a couple hours and the next day. Aroma is a bit subdued but shows flower and dried prunes when agitated. Strong tannins and not for the faint heart at this stage. Powdery and plenty to coat the mouth. Mouthfeel is light, lean and high energy. Palate is ripe but not the fruit sweetness from other wines of the vintage. Has a little serralunga character. Rustic and authentic.

2/5/2023 - alphalam wrote:

Floral nose and rather simple. Enjoyable with food. Pairs extremely well with pasta with butter and sage. Alba locals drink this with pasta everyday.

2/5/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

This is the 3rd time I had this wine. Last time was in 2014. Complex nose of smoke and leather. Palate is ever evolving and reveal cigarette ash. Scoring this is difficult unless there is a true reference. This is truly special. Enjoyment wise this is 98.

1/1/2023 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Darker color than I would recognize as Pinot Noir. Nose is still primary. Palate has lively acid, structured and solid fruit. Earth and leathery note give hint to burgundy. Oak is noticable. Pairs very well with boeuf bourguignon. However falls flat after a couple hours. Early drinking, solid and well balanced.

12/27/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Initially closed and reductive on the nose. The first sip was dense, closely packed and not very revealing. 15 mins in the glass I can sense cedar, pencil shaving and the initial vanilla fades into the background. Palate is cassis framed by fine grained tannins. Quite long, compact with good acidity. Hard to pick up tertiary notes but looking forward to try this again in 10 years.

Can go up to 95. Even though I drink mostly old world now, this style is still enjoyable and shows quality.

11/28/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Last bottle. Barnyard in the nose, floral undertone. Reminds me of a burgundy but more blue fruit. Drying mouth feel. Finish is sweet but a little short.

This wine is really a sleeper and just entering the drinking window. Compared to 2016 this has more concentration and more balance.

11/27/2022 - alphalam wrote:

Beautiful nose of tar and tea leaves, with a hint of toasted oak. Acidity core, cherry and fine powdery tannins. Medium concentration in the context of Serralunga. Great quality for an initial bottle. Wish I bought more. Outstanding!

11/17/2022 - alphalam wrote:

After 700+ bottles bought and drank, this is the single worst quality & enjoyment to price ratio of all. With $250 you should be treated much better, but no this is burgundy you know what you are getting into. If I don't see the label, I would guess this is a decent table wine for $10.

Is this a bad wine? No. Given the vintage this is properly made, but just not ripe enough. There'a not enough fruit. The aroma is very muted. Strong tanins without much fruit to back it up. Maybe this was better years ago or maybe this will get better in 10 years. I won't bet on it. Avoid this vintage.

10/22/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Barnyard, peppery nose. Palate is dense, lush and full of blue fruit. A lot of sediments. This is a wine that constantly amazes me as a vdf. Drinks like a solid Saint Joseph, but doesn't have the tannic structure of a Cornas.

10/19/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Strong bouquet jumps from the glass. Flower, red berry, licorice with earthy undertone. Fresh and not too weighty on the palate, with balsamic and little bitterness on the palate. Tannin is fine textured and sweet. Long finish. This is already a complete wine and will develop more with patience. Superb!

10/12/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Bought in Alba. Tea leaf with a rich fruit core. Powerful on the palate and high energy. Very different than the Lazzairasco, possibly due to young vines.

5/21/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Nose of red fruit, dill, vanilla oak. Palate is intense red fruit followed up by oak and Ardanza signature spiciness. Not as earthy as I would like. And lacks a bit of acidity compared to 2012. The wine is still very primary and needs a good couple of years to integrate.

5/19/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Dense kirschy fruit. Polished tannins. Not much complexity right now. But pairs well with Chinese roasted duck when served chilled. Prefers the Louisiane which shows more cherry fruit.

3/17/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

So much fruit jumps from the glass that screams blackcurrant. A little barnyard that adds to the complexity. Color is almost purple red. Palate is gripping and mouth drying with mineral aftertaste. The syrah component is really prominent. I can almost mistook it as a Northern Rhone. Good structure and balance.

Compared to the Saint Damien Gigondas 2019 single vineyards I had. This is definitely more interesting because of the Syrah in the mix. Excellent wine.

3/1/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Bright ruby color. Aroma of manure at the beginning which dissipated after a while. Given enough time the nose starts to show flowers, dark cherries. Palate is a bit light, reminds me of plum juice, acidity masked the fruit and a touch of liquorice in the finish. This wine is lacking a bit of fruit character but nonetheless a great wine.

2/9/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Nose of ester, rose petal. Palate is dry with good tannins structure. Concentrated and dense. Waves of fruit coming through. High tension and acidity, needs food. A heavy hitter of Barolo but doesn't lack the balance and elegance. Compared to the Also Conterno Romirasco 2004, this is of more power and tastes younger. Will wait 5 years for next bottle. Superb!

2/4/2022 - alphalam wrote:

Slight TCA detected when straight from bottle. Underneath opulent fruit, leather driven Sangiovese. Still have 2 more bottles to go. Tingling tannins. Reminds me of an old school Chianti. The TCA blows off after awhile but save the rating for next bottle.

1/27/2022 - alphalam wrote:

Already some tannins precipitated. Wine is a little cloudy. Nose is reduced initially and needs about 30 mins to open up. Dark fruit, plum graphite on the nose. Palate invokes sensation of sweet plum, little bitter aftertaste. I really like the dense fruit palate. A very food friendly wine. Excellent.

1/10/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Cork in perfect shape, good fill, good provenance. This bottle does not quite have the magic. Nose has quite faint cherry, tobacco and mushroom. Palate is light to medium, still with a bit of tannins and follows the nose, bitter after taste.

Second day: I stored it in a pyrex 500ml storage bottle overnight and then served warmer this time (~23C). This time the fruit intensity really shows through and no longer eclipsed by the tobacco aftertaste. Dried flower, tobacco leaves on the nose. Intense fruit, still present tanins and nice long finish with a soy sauce after taste. The tobacco leaves is a Haut Brion signature that I really liked since the 1982 vintage. Everything is in great balance. Brilliant.

Third day: This wine is still going strong with a strong presence of tanins. Fruit has ben overwhelmed a bit by the VA but still shows intensity. Aroma is very nice. This has enough energy to go another 10 years.

My final verdict: This is a phenomenal wine that will further evolve in the next 10 years. Cheers!

1/6/2022 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Cork is intact and in good shape. Light ruby color with some sediment. Very little aroma. If anything, it smells like medicine. On the palate is very light with a little hint of fruit and no tannins, cough syrup. This is a huge disappointment. I agree with other comment that this is like a langhe nebbiolo. Drinkable but no pleasure, I wouldn't waste my liver on this.

12/25/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Palate is clean fruit and modern. A bit unbalanced due to the high alcohol. Smooth at the beginning but starts to detract because of VA and dense palate. Either pair this with heavy food or cellar it to soften up. I paired this with spicy Chinese hot pot and it worked pretty well.

12/16/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Dark red cherry on the nose, ripe yet enticingly fresh. Has a little barnyard quality to it which blends in seamlessly. Palate is smooth and opulent. Easy going and approachable. Unlike the 2014 last week which was all tannins and no fruit. Spectacular effort. Had in-n-out burger with the wine.

12/10/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Ruby red color. Fresh red cherry, leather on the nose. Palate is smooth and refreshing with a tad bit of tannins at the end. Great finish and much better showing than the Le pallieres gigondas opened the same night. And no need to wait!

12/10/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Already some sediments at this young age. cherry red color, medium density. Cherry nose. Palate quite tight straight from bottle. Needs a few hour to unwind. Great acidity with gripping tannins at the end with medium long finish. Fruit flavour is quite subdued and needs air.

12/6/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Aromatic nose of red fruit, pepper that invokes a high altitude syrah. Palate is light and slightest hint of tannins. Easy drinking. Short finish. This is not made to last, drink soon.

Second day: light and fruit driven, palate the same as before, pleasurable but nothing complex.

This is a nice easy drink to pair with food but definitely not worth $50 I paid. The 18, 19 vintages are selling for $60 to as high as $90. There are better choices at this price.

12/2/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Second bottle and some sediments already. A bit of volatile acid on the nose which I don't find on palate. Cassis, oak, vanilla, red cherry fruit on the nose. Palate still full of energy, tight tannins and a bit chewy. The fruit is very attractive and keeps me going back. First day was better than second day. Next bottle needs to be at least 3-5 years.

11/22/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Ruby color with a little bricking. Rose petal, a touch of orange peel, licorice and wood. Palate showed acid, red fruit but not overly ripe. Good amount of tannins and medium finish. This is the best $18 I spent on wines. Will certainly improve with age.

11/17/2021 - alphalam wrote:

After reading "Cornas to drink now: Matt Walls’ top 20" published on Nov 4 2021, I opened the Gilles 2014 as suggested. Quite disappointing to say the least. Nose is a bit funky and gives very little. Palate still very tight and aggressive tannins that is a little green. Primary fruit has fade considerably but tertiary profile has not yet developed. Huge step back from a few years ago. I'm going to save this for another 3+ years.

Second day and third day it gains more aroma and palate a bit more interesting. But finish is short and feels watery. Disappointing at this stage.

11/5/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Good amount of sediment. Crimson red color with some bricking. Red cherry fruit, dried orange peel and spicy notes on the nose. A whiff of vanilla and bit of alcohol lingering. Medium weight on the palate backed by opulent fruit, searing acidity that keeps it fresh and minerality that keeps it interesting. Not tiring at all and keeps me coming back. I'm glad opening this now and makes me feel hungry!

The wine is full of elegance, depth and delicious factor. Superb!

10/24/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Initially very closed and little aroma if at all. Waited for 2 days to truly reveal itself. Floral in the nose that reminds me of chrysanthemum with a little honey sweet note. Weightless on the palate but rich with a bit of saltiness, very balanced. The flower note filled the mouth for a while. Very good effort.

10/11/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Pale tawny color. On the nose stewed cherries, covering dried rose petals, a bit of menthol and old leather. Palate is strawberry and oxidative with ample acidity. I think this is made when overripe and barrique was in style. I almost mistook this as a colheita port. Still got some tannins and grip. A bit past prime for this style but no VA.

10/4/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Peach and vanilla notes on the nose. Initially lemon zest, then mid palate reveals wood and ends with mineral and orange peel. Nice crisp long finish.

10/1/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Pale ruby color with raspberry and cherry candy smell profile. Taste is almost rose like with fresh fruit and a tanin grip. Light, clean and refreshing. Enjoyed this on a hot summer night with snacks.

9/30/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Mineral and pineapple on the palate. Aroma of stone fruit. A bit short after taste. Pairs very well with butter sole.

9/27/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Light garnet color. Rose petal, light red fruit and barnyard funk on the nose. Powdery smooth tannins with a short finish and a touch of mineral and menthol. Had a good start but short on the finish. Probably won't buy more. Also hard to see it develop more.

9/19/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Nose quite closed straight from bottle. It needs a good few hours to come out. Sweet strawberry, vanilla and hint of oak on 2nd day. Under the grippy tannins revealed ripe red fruit that is focused. Not too complex but balanced and quite enjoyable. I understand why people give underwhelming reviews, with its medium body and subtle taste profile. The key is to give it enough air.

9/11/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Nose is muted straight from bottle, with a little hint of vanilla. Balsamic, dark fruit, leather, dried orange peel with spicy notes on the palate. Taste profile is very typical Ardanza and reminds me of the 2001 but with less astringent acidity. Tannins is very well polished and hidden behind the acidity. Very nice.

9/8/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Nose of dried roses, strawberry, licorice, leather and mushroom. On the palate fruit is taking a back seat with high acidity and fine tannins. At peak right now.

Pairs well cured salmon and beef tartare

8/31/2021 - alphalam wrote:

Black currant and followed by red cherries. A tad bit of liquorice. Fine tannins is still present with a little grit but faded from a few years ago. Medium body. Pairs very with fried chicken. This wine in a very place right now. I don't see any reason to wait.

8/28/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Got a few bottles from Costco for a good deal. Dark fruit on the nose. I tasted plum and dates, sweet tannins and well integrated with the fruit. This is a structured wine and ready to be consumed young.

8/23/2021 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Aroma of menthol and sweet berries with a hint of tar. On the palate was crisp raspberry fruit, not overfly ripe but just right. Still has some gripping tannins but very balanced.

7/4/2020 - alphalam wrote:

Pop and pour without decant. Cork in perfect shape. Opens up after 30 mins in glass. Raspberry, licorice with a hint of oak on the nose. Tannic structure still in tact, quite dry on the palate. This is a well made Barolo, refined and modern without losing its character.

7/7/2018 - alphalam Likes this wine:

Bought from a store in Chateauneuf-du-Pape based on recommendation. Very good condition from pop and pour. Nice concentration. On the palate is red cherry and a little licorice. I found it similar to an aged Australian Syrah but more fresh and less heavy.