3/25/2022 - StefanAkiko Does not like this wine:

Our scores are both around 80, and this is obviously not our cup of tea.

Great acidity and tannic build, but other than that... *pft* nothing. It's thin. Terribly thin.

If you like Burgundy, then you may like also this. If you are like us and don't quite "get it" with Burgundy, you're likely to feel that you wasted your money and an evening for ... nothing.

An utterly non-interesting wine.

1/2/2024 - Bolognese Diner Likes this wine:

Wine of ruby red color with strong garnet tendencies, substantial and beautifully transparent and lively. Immediately on the nose, it opens with a lovely intensity, displaying the full-bodied yet elegant character of this vintage. Notes of red fruit, raspberries, macerated wild strawberries, and darker tones like mulberry emerge, but the true protagonist is the floral aspect, with a beautiful mosaic of violets and roses. There are also hints of licorice root and spices like nutmeg. In the mouth, it is still characterized by a beautiful tannic backbone that supports the entire wine. The freshness cleanses and makes the drinking experience more harmonious; it is undoubtedly in anticipation of its balance and persistence. There is certainly no rush to open these bottles; I can only imagine what the various "riserve" might hold for us.

Vino di colore rosso rubino con forti tendenze al granato, consistente e di bella trasparenza e vivacità. Al naso subito esordisce con una bella intensità mostrando il carattere corposo ma elegante di questa annata. Si avvertono sentori di frutta rossa, lamponi, fragoline macerate e più scura come il gelso ma, il vero protagonista è il floreale, con un bellissimo mosaico di violette e rose. Vi sono poi sentori di liquirizia in radice e spezie come noce moscata. In bocca è ancora contraddistinto da una bella bellissima spina dorsale tannica che sorregge tutto il vino, la freschezza pulisce e rende più armoniosa la beva, è indubbiamente in vista di un suo equilibrio e persistente. Sicuramente non c'è fretta di aprire queste bottiglie, immagino solo cosa possano riservarci le varie riserve.

4/9/2023 - Beeck10 wrote:

Very nice color looks like great burgundy in the glass , the nose had some red fruits , like bilberry and also in the end some vanille and sweetness even a spot of glue , the mouth was incredible acid and long but not the finesse of the looks or the nose , so the wine advocate talked about balance and give this wine 98+ but for me the contrast between nose ans pallet was huge and I so no balance…even a point of green…

8/18/2023 - mimik Does not like this wine:

Flabby and uninspiring. Muted nose with similar replays on the palate. Very overpriced for what should have been a 20$ bottle of Washington Syrah. Not sure if I just had a bad bottle or this is indicative of the cuvée. Not impressed

5/2/2023 - Ozric wrote:

Nose: Sneakers, rubber, wax, chemicals.

Palate: Soft entry with low acidity initially. The acidity creeps in on the mid-palate along with a bitterness. There is some vanilla and bread i the aftertaste.

As a big fan of sherry I was expecting to find some similar characteristics. There is nothing about this wine that is close to any sherry.

2/16/2023 - mimik Likes this wine:

Still young but this its elegance does a very good job hiding its 14.5% alcohol like crazy. Not Bretty or funky. Very smooth and pure. Wait 5 years and it will be quite something. Even in off years Laurence performs wonders

6/27/2021 - PSanDiego Likes this wine:

Paid over $200. An excellent wine, this bottle was slightly past its prime. All the good stuff was there. Wife was glad I only bought one bottle, however. The problem with older wines is that you really do not know how they were treated. Based on the few older bottles I have been having, I feel that Bordeaux has been making wine to be drunk earlier. I remember drinking 2005 Bordeaux when they came out and finding them to be great. This is not to degrade the Le Gay, I liked it alot. But, I think I will stay with the 2016/17 bottles. Bought my first 2017 bottles Clinet and Alter Ego a few days ago.

1/6/2023 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

First of 2 ($73.99, then a third ordered for $75) from online wine discounter #3 about a year ago. On the nose and palate, medium to potent notes of rich black cherries, black currants, plums, a lesser note of mixed black berries, anise, incense, burnt rubber, smoked meats, and on the second and third nights, bitter chocolate and tobacco. Medium ruby, full bodied, medium legs. Powerful tannins and medium++ acidity which were mostly balanced with the vibrant fruit but never really integrated, perhaps just a trace of heat with the burnt rubber note. Tremendously complex, persistent and intense. Well, for me drinking a good quality BdM at this stage is practically pulling it out in utero, a companion to the even younger BDX and Rhones that have dotted the last 6 months tasting carte, making some wonder what traumas where inflicted on sfwl in the Land of the Giant Tree (that’s Palo Alto for those of you scoring at home) to make him give up his belief that no wine is worth drinking if it’s not encased in spider webs and mold. New CT friend pghmike told me that water was safe for this one, and although it came out of the bottle with larger than life elements that weren’t really playing nice with each other, after a couple of hours, they kind of learned to tolerate each other and hit an increasing rapproachment by day 3. I’ve had this at several tastings and bottles of the normale, from older vintages, of course, but this is the first bottle I’ve consumed—I also have a ‘13 and ‘15 in addition to the other 2 bottles of this—so I can’t speak definitively on this cuvee, but this vintage of this cuvee on these days skews more modern and powerful than traditional and elegant with a delectable savoriness. Perfectly drinkable, and enjoyable, even at its most fractious (in that regard, far superior to the recent CdN TN, which took several hours to get really good, then an overnight to become truly outstanding), this is completely open for business now, but for my palate, I’d put the apogee of this wine at 2-4 years out, when I’ll pop my next one, and expect it to stay there for 10+ thereafter, when it could/should be drinking at the multiple 98 points several of the pro reviewers gave it. Excellent on its own, it was even better with burritos one night, deep dish pizza another. Not quite at the ‘13 CdN TN now, but close, and unclear where the 2 will net out at their peaks, with this still available around its release price and the former, released around that price but now generally 50% more, constitutes pretty much of a qpr home run, which could turn into a game winning bottom of the ninth grand slam. I’ve just started drinking ‘13s, which are just entering their drinking windows, and I’m not flashing anything resembling the all clear on this, what should be a heroic vintage, right now, but man, if you can get your hands on the better ‘16s, you’re going to have a lot of friends in a few years. 94+ on opening, 95-96 on nights 2-3

12/17/2022 - Hanibal Likes this wine:

A deliciously fruity and complex wine. Decanted for 3 hours. Nose is very typical for a Norther Rhone Syrah with animal, bacon notes and violets. Still young but already shows its potential. Wait 5 years

9/24/2022 - acyso wrote:

Montréal; 9/23/2022-9/24/2022 (Montréal, QC): Probably among my favourite wines this trip. These can be inconsistent and weird, but when the bottles are on, they really can be super compelling. This is one of those. Obviously a little boring and pedestrian right upon opening, it's the benefit of time that causes this wine to become increasingly opulent and rich. There's a classic, oily, lanolin component to this, but also a hint of salinity and plenty of waxy yellow fruit. Lots of acidity to cut through all of the weight, too. A pretty distinctive wine that demands special decisions with regards to pairing, but a very compelling drink, too.

12/27/2021 - dagij Likes this wine:

Another one opened just to confirm (or disconfirm) my previous rather disappointing encounter with this wine. Light red with a rather light rim. Quite classic nose dominated by red cherries, some warm earth and dry wood, and a hint of licorice in the background. Medium bodied attack, cherry fruit on the mid-palate, a hint of licorice, fine tannins and good acidity. Medium length. A very light version of BdM, quite pleasant, but somewhat boring. The first impression is confirmed: this is more similar to a good Chianti (at half the price at least) than a BdM.

6/10/2022 - forceberry wrote:

A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 13% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity. Total production 20,000 bottles.

Pale and somewhat evolved onion-skin color with a slightly reddish coppery hue. The nose feels rather sweet-toned, very complex and much more open compared to the bottle we tasted a few days ago. There are layered aromas of wild strawberry, caramel and browned butter, some sweet exotic spices, a little bit of butterscotch, light bruised apple tones, a hint of oxidative nuttiness, a touch of something vaguely minty and a whiff of shredded coconut. The wine is firm, dry and very complex on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of bruised apple and caramel, some strawberry, light oxidative notes of chopped nuts and old wood, a little bit of cooked cream, a hint of arrack and a touch of stony minerality. The bright, almost racy acidity lends wonderful freshness, intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is dry, crunchy and complex with a very long aftertaste of nutty complexity, some creamy custard tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter notes of strawberry, a hint of caramel and a touch of something vaguely minty.

Just like the previous bottle, this is simply a stunning rosé wine by all accounts. The 2010 vintage seems to pack more verve and zip compared to the surrounding vintages, making this not only a very gastronomic wine, but also a rosé wine that is most likely going to age exceptionally well. At 50€ this might feel pricey for a rosé wine, but rest assured - the wine will easily deliver and then some. A stunner.

7/29/2022 - mimik Likes this wine:

Ready to go. Lots of Smokey, camphor notes and sweet tobacco with interplays of dill. Palate was luscious and well balanced. Medium long finish. Succulent

3/13/2022 - catowne1 Likes this wine:

Opened to celebrate our son breaking up with his girlfriend who my wife and I absolutely despised. What a delish drink for the occasion. Victory could not taste any sweeter. Fabulous wine, drink now or hold for another decade.

10/31/2020 - kostaslonis wrote:

Random wines tasted during service (Oinoscent): Tasted blind at Oinoscent during afternoon service, courtesy of a customer.
The colour is quite evolved.
The nose is filled with balsamic notes, blackfruit jam, a bit spicy, quite thin, low intensity, honey, earthy and dusty.
The wine is utterly acidic in the palate, balsamic, heavily oxidized.

11/20/2021 - KJD45$ wrote:

Since all the previous reviewers like to use
Scrampilish words to describe this wine here goes:
Light gold straw color…. Like the cheap ass ring you bought your girlfriend in college…nose is bumbly,
Randolphish, with honey, white flower, light stone fruit scent…on the skrankster, it tastes bitter lime rind, floral galore.. pear/apple but only if you can imagine how the bracing acidity and minerality and Lemony Snicket impacts that perception..
To sum up, it’s a flopscottery, hungoyon, type of wine that makes you savor and jazminish the glass.
You will be a better person for having tried this wine..

8/9/2021 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:

P&p. Comes across as young and rough around the edges, and doesn't change much over the course of three hours. Enjoyable though. Crushed raspberries with seeds and leaves, sappy and bittersweet. Nice scrubby herbaceousness. Sandpapery tannins. Lots of acidity. Zero oak. No noticeable alcoholic heat (despite the 15% on the label). It does seem like an amped up vintage of this, and begging for a couple of years or a decade in the cellar, but nonetheless a fun wine.

(Note: this bottle doesn't have 'Le Poutet' on the label.)

3/18/2021 - mimik Likes this wine:

Fantastic. Ready to drink and very seductive. Elegant and smooth velvety texture in the palate with Plums and dark cherries on a Smokey vanilla and tobacco palate. It’s hitting peak. Sold. Long finish.

1/1/2022 - Louis Ruest wrote:

Après quelques 2010, en carafe ou non, vin qui manque de saveur, très faible en intensité...Décevant

2/9/2022 - evjoh Likes this wine:

Dark garnet color. There was a little sediment, but nothing that 10 minutes standing up and a gentle decant couldn't solve.

Even 30 minutes after opening, it's already super complex. Dried strawberries, prunes, mint, dill, tobacco, leather, old books, and a little bit of vanilla. There's the classic high Rioja acidity along with some very fine tannins. Everything is really well integrated.

I think this is an amazing wine, but it's definitely not for everyone. The fruit is nowhere near ripe or jammy. No one note overpowers the others—they all support each other in perfect harmony. But if this was my first bottle of Rioja, I probably wouldn't be able to appreciate it as much. I'm glad I got my palate accustomed to younger, fruitier Crianza before diving into the old-school stuff like Tondonia.

I got this from $39 before tax from a Last Bottle marathon last year. It's an absurd QPR for that price; I'd buy it at even twice that.

12/23/2021 - MuddyBoots wrote:

Two points to make here
1. There is no doubt a wine of quality here but to my taste it rests behind so many layers of modern winemaking and over extraction as to be imperceptible to me. It is like taking a bite out of the table. This is purely a style point.
2. It is testimony to the unhelpfulness of high scores alone. This wine was awarded 100 points from Suckling. Without describing the wine as so very modern in style, any score is surely without value. This no doubt is a high quality wine, in the same sense that Baroque is an architectural stye of unquestioned distinction - but boy, do I find it excessive and unnecessarily ornate.

Strictly for lovers of modern style winemaking, who will no doubt adore it - as the notes below evidence. Very dark cherry fruit. Vanilla. Smoke. Very concentrated. Lacks acid to give it energy and lift. Very polished well mannered but quite big tannins - just a little dry at the end. Really extraordinary length. Will of course still last a decade or two, but will never lose its modernity. A style choice.

12/15/2021 - mauropallido wrote:

I celebri Cotes du Rhone di Guigal! Sembra di bere una minchia di Nero d'avola iper dozzinale di Cusumano da 5 euri.
Sarà pure l'entry level dell'azienda, ma porco Dio che vino dozzinale de merda (e l'ho pagato 15 euro).
"Barricato" con trucioli di rovere come i peggiori vini anni '90.
Merde française, français merde.

11/24/2021 - EvoPeteMTL Likes this wine:

Once again I could not resist the temptation and opened my second to last bottle. There's something about this crop, this vintage, this bottle. The predominant smell of violets and it's lingering finish. This is a great Côte Rotie that will show even better in a few years. Really excited to taste more of this producer in the future.

9/12/2021 - nywine68 wrote:

Not sure what all the critics were raving about. Third bottle and consistently unenjoyable. Effervescent hints after opening, cooked fruit, no hint of typicity. Flushed it down the drain.

11/15/2016 - Steven Gruczelak wrote:

I have to tell say this is one of the best ones I've had in a long time it comes from the Piedmont area of Italy It is 100% Merlot, but unlike any Merlot that you may tried before. It has a very slight hint of raspberry and Plum and a little more obvious is ripe Cherry but what really stands out is a leathery smokey flavor soft tannins interesting wine to be sure

4/30/2021 - logos Likes this wine:

beautiful dark colour. velvety, caressing, but lively nose of very classy, finely etched, tightly wound black, slightly sauvage, fruits; tannic and undeveloped but promising

8/7/2021 - mimik Likes this wine:

Like a Pinot noir. Delicate nose of morello cherries with similar replays on the palate. Lithe and lively. Well balanced and super elegant. A beautiful wine

11/28/2018 - Collector1855 wrote:

Chateau Latour - 30 year vertical (1983-2010) tasted blind (Switzerland): The nose is very primary here. Fresh crunchy red and some blue fruit, missing complexity. The palate also on the lean side. Harmless I wrote down. The wine did not find many friends and a gasp went through the room when it was revealed that it was the 2005. Jean-Marc Quarin commented that he always felt that the 2005 was weak in the context of the vintage, probably picked to early he speculated. Apparently the wine maker was dismissed after this vintage, which suggests that the owners were not happy either with what was produced in that year at Latour. A shame! In any case, have to revisit this to see if this sub-par performance is a 1-off or not.

9/22/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote:

Birthday/Aglianico, 58 Port, ++ (My home): Great showing IMO. The bottle was opened and allowed to breathe for 12 hours. Like all 1958's, it is not yet fully mature, and hopefully with some time left to get there. ;-)
That said, this is iced tea/brown in color. The nose is great; nutty with some caramel and even slight maple. On the palate, viscous, concentrated and nutty. Good acidity. Seems fresh to me and not tired or stale. Nice finish. Couldn't help having a bit more!

5/9/2021 - 10xM Likes this wine:

Bottle No. 405094
I wont repeat what everyone has written already.
I will simply add that this rosé gives more pinot noir flavors, more fruitier than I expected, medium acidity and medium length finish. Well balanced amd perfect for summer drink or with light foods such as salad, fish and raw seafoods. I wouldnt pay the ridiculous price of >$60 and definitely not $100+.
Paid $40 and that seems fair. Not sure about the "best rosé ever" comments.

4/2/2021 - mimik Likes this wine:

Solid. A little sweet with grainy tannins but in a great spot right now. Don’t think it will get much better but will maintain. Long luscious finish. Black fruit and sweet oak notes.

1/14/2021 - SARED Likes this wine:

94-95+ with 5+ years more time. Unfortunately lost my note so the following is off memory:
PNP and wine opened up over following few hours. Would give it a 3 hour minimum decant to loosen palate. Awesome complex nose with dark blue/purple berries, potpourri and a saline streak, with subtle notes of bramble and smoke. Palate is very fresh savory dark fruit, with sweet berry juice lurking underneath a spine of lacy acidity. Polished, but slightly less polished / more rustic than the Cote Rotie. Medium to long finish. Much too young to open this today, versus say 5 years from now where I would like to see the palate become more seamless. However, I don't know when 'peak' is for this wine for my palate (is that 10 years? 15? How does the freshness evolve/fruit unfurl?). Would like to have this again next to basic Cote Rotie as I question the 4x price differential, but that won't happen for some time now...

10/20/2019 - eoinhharkins wrote:

Loads of ripe dark berries, dark minerals, spices and raw game, palate is quite smooth for such a young cornas, with the grainy tannins only showing on the fresh persist finish

9/19/2018 - KPB wrote:

Last bottle from a six-bottle purchase (at the Chicago Wine Company) The wine is very deep purple but I see an amber tint on the rim. Nose has a maderized aroma, like shellac, but the primary fruit does come through as a muted crème-de-cassis with notes of vanilla and carrot-cake. Palate is a bit muddled: the fruit is sweet but unfocused and once again you pick up that sherry-like note. The finish is somewhat short. Given that this is a fairly young bottle, I'll rate it as 86 and in steep decline. It was in a cool cellar since purchase, and was shipped in cool weather. No reason to suspect anything about storage here, and the source was very trustworthy. Just a wine that was best on release (I rated it 95, and have consumed all six as of now) and has slowly declined ever since.

4/7/2010 - Blair Curtis wrote:

Fantastic Night of Old Barolo and More! (An excellent Vancouver restaurant): A great nose showing some dust and a bunch of new saddle leather. Very smooth on the palate with excellent balanced acidity. Quite lively for a 51 year old wine. As the wine sits, some smoke begins to show, which eventually morphs into some tar/creosote. This is an excellent old Barolo!

7/19/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine:

Prior bottle was to-the-day a year ago and the wine continues to show quite well. Black cherry mixed with plum along with cassis and earth on a very pretty nose. A little above medium bodied with brighter blackberry and softer black cherry upfront followed by darker blackfruit notes (plum) through the middle. Tart black cherry, earth and a slate/graphite note on the backside and through the finish. The tannins balance the fruit well, but in a fine-grained fashion so that you can feel the structure and contrast while the fruit remains quite expressive. The mid-body in particular showed quite well. Overall, quite pleased with how this wine is showing and I'll save my last bottle for July 2021.

8/26/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:

A long time ago, in what seems like a galaxy far, far away, a dear friend gave me this bottle for Christmas. He passed a couple of weeks ago, but his memory, his humanity will be present with me to my last days. He loved wine. He was a gentle, kind soul. Tonight I opened the bottle, raising a glass to his memory, and enjoying the fruits of his labor as a wine merchant. It barely matters what the wine tasted like, though it was objectively delicious. It married the modern elements of prestige cuvée Châteauneuf (ripe, kirsch inflected fruit) with an earthiness and herbal element that felt like the genuine article. The longer the bottle was open, the more it showed its origins, moving from modern exemplar to terroir vehicle. Then, on the finish, it bounced back with ripe, red cherry, to end with a heartfelt smile. Farewell Joe. You gifted me with an extra memory. Any time I have a glass of Janasse I will think of you, treasure our friendship, and shed a tear.

1/27/2020 - Xu Lanhong Likes this wine:

A good everyday Rioja but no Gran Reserva. Dark ruby red, and crushed cherries at the outset. Feels quite light and thin, and with a short palate. It drinks pleasantly and if in a blind tasting would hold up next to a 2009 Tondonia. It does not reach the depth of a Vina Ardanza Reserva 2009. Hence a bit overpriced for the quality

11/6/2018 - sailincarib wrote:

Most uneventful. Juan Gil much better.

2/14/2020 - maxima wrote:

Bu en succ lors des nouveaux arrivages.
Très beau Bordeaux à prix juste.
Beaucoup de fruits, des mures et du cassis avec du tabac, texture souple
avec un boisé présent mais pas dérangeant.
De beaux tannins bien enrobés et une finale chocolatée.

2/2/2020 - nadecesse wrote:

Robe dorée ultra jeune avec arômes très fruités d'abricots et de marmelade, c'est parfumé, en nuance et de complexité moyenne. Bouche ample, fine, bien en chair et encore sucrée qui possède des proportions très classiques et une fraicheur idéale. Aucune fatigue malgré ses 38 ans, une très belle rencontre. 90-91

12/15/2019 - Ken332 Likes this wine:

My third bottle of this wine which I did not decant this time. As noted previously, cassis, wood and spice in the initial flavors with good acidity, balance and finish. While an excellent Rioja Reserva, I currently prefer the 2007 Ardanza, but I am very glad I purchased a case of this wine along with a case of the 2010.

11/28/2019 - maxima wrote:

Bu en succ, était en carafe depuis un bon 4 heures
selon le conseiller....y'en a des tonnes de copies!!!
2016 étant supposément aussi grand que 2010 et 2007,
j'avoue qu'ici je reste sur ma faim. Très mauvais RQP pour moi.
Oui c'est long et ample, mais les tanins sont asséchants
et il y a de la chauffe en finale.
A attendre plusieurs année, je passe...pleins de vins
qui m'en donne plus dans cette fourchette de prix
à proche 30$!

11/20/2018 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Single blind tasting
Medium ruby with moderate clearing at the rim - appears unfiltered. Medium(+) aromas of sweet red/black fruit with herbs/ leather in background. Im getting classic Merlot jelly doughnut aromas. No noticeable oak influence. Medium(+) palate of sweet cherry/ candy/ black fruit/ plums. Medium(+) tannins which are very well integrated at this point. Medium(+) acidity. Wow this is drinking great at this point, and prob has a good 3-5 yrs to go. An excellent old school Merlot based Bordeaux. This goes way above the traditional mass produced commercial Bordeauxs out there IMO.

10/26/2019 - mimik Does not like this wine:

I love Raul Perez but this wine in this vintage was not showing too well. A little thin and lacklustre, very simple. Not bad but nothing of interest either

10/19/2018 - Collector1855 wrote:

During a merchant tasting. Did not like this wine, actually the least preferred in this line up. Came across as late harvest and pushed. Too much alcoholic heat. I would stick to the base wine or the Colombis which showed sandy soil elegance.

8/11/2019 - mimik Likes this wine:

Dark cedar and slight Smokey nose with blackberries and some spicy plum and cherry notes. The palate is very refined with gobs of dark fruit and decent acidity for a rather hot vintage. Although pleasurable, I’d still age this another 3-5 years to get it at its peak. But if you have a couple bottles, no crime in opening it now. No2 of Winespectators top 100 wines of the year for 2012.

7/22/2019 - mimik Likes this wine:

Wonderful

4/16/2019 - John O' Likes this wine:

that is really nice. patience rewarded

5/15/2019 - Marc André Gagnon wrote:

Le 2006 dégusté l'an dernier était délicieux. Par contre ce 2008 est vraiment moins bon. Il est fané, trop vieux. Il dégage des odeurs de poussière et de fleurs fanées. Il n'y a presque plus de fruit en bouche, sinon du fruit séché, des raisins secs. Ce n'est pas totalement mauvais, il peut toutefois se boire surtout si vous le rafraichissez. À 12 degrés, il semble avoir plus de tonus. Vu l'âge, il se peut que vous tombiez sur une meilleure ou encore moins bonne bouteille.
Cépages: limnio, cabernet sauvignon et cabernet franc.
Alc. 13 %. Sucre 2,6 g/l. Prix: 26,40 $ au Québec.
(https://vinquebec.com/node/15432)