3/5/2011 - bhardie wrote:

Great balance of fruit, acid and tannin. Flavors of dusty cherry, olive and herbs. Is very drinkable at this point and should remain so for 3-5 more years. Nice wine.

12/29/2010 - bhardie wrote:

Seemed very oxidized, maybe saw some excessive heat somewhere along the way.

4/24/2010 - bhardie wrote:

2003 Rhone....baked raisins and prunes

2/5/2010 - bhardie wrote:

Wonderful texture. Black cherry, herb and plenty of oak but this is a youngster. Should mellow into a really nice wine over the next 3-5 years.

10/25/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Still a pup but drinking well. Concentrated and balanced with cassis, blueberry and herb. The tannins have diminished but this is still fresh and should gain complexity for 7-10 years.

7/9/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Super extracted, dense and powerful. Very primary grapey and super clean red fruit that has balancing acidity and did not show much tannin. This is not a bad wine but not what I look for in a CDR.

6/7/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Plenty of time left, even more tannic on night two. Blackberry, cassis, tobacco, and herb with a full mouth feel and good acidity. Very good length and a real deal at $11,

5/14/2009 - bhardie wrote:

More open than anticipated. Rich, meaty, red & black fruit with lots of herb. Well balanced but not tannic. Believe this will improve for the next 5 years and drink well for another 10 after that. What a value in CDP.

5/11/2009 - bhardie wrote:

This can use a bit more time. Still pretty tannic although drinkable right after opening. Nicely balanced with dark fruits, mocha and slight herb.

4/17/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Open all day and decanted for 1 hour. This is a dark rich wine that is really coming into its prime. Black fruit, tar, mushroom and earth with a terrific mouth feel and good balance. Aftertaste goes on for 20 seconds.

4/12/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Much better on night 3 than 1. Rich cassis, coffee, tar and herb with beautiful acidic balance and a decent amount of smoot h tannins. This is certainly going to be better in a few more years so be patient.

3/28/2009 - bhardie wrote:

I enjoy this. It is a larger scale 2003, with plum, blackberry and mushroom. Good acidity and the tannins are still prevelent. This will easily make its 10th birthday and will likely be better. Nice bargain bordeaux.

2/8/2009 - bhardie wrote:

This really needs more time. Day 2 was certainly more expressive with blue and red fruit but a gentle smokiness and earthiness to the finish. It showed a great backbone of acidity and surprising tannins even on the second day. Needs at least two more years to show its best.

1/18/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Excellent syrah nose. Really silky with dusty cherry, herb and nice acidic finish. This was better on day 2 so I am going to take my time with them.

1/17/2009 - bhardie wrote:

More time needed but this is nice. Showing tobacco, black cherry and some herb with good balance. This was better on night 2.

1/4/2009 - bhardie wrote:

Really good balance of fruit and acidity. Apricot, honey and persimmon. Has decent length and is not too thick and cloying.

12/28/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Blackberry, cassis, spice and some smokiness. I was a bit dissapointed in that it seemed a bit thin and lacked acididty. Had it over two nights. Hoping a few more years will allow this to fill in.

11/8/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Light to medium body. Cherry, fall leaves, tobacco and spice with nice balance and a medium lentgh finish. Still has at least 5 years in it.

10/22/2008 - bhardie wrote:

This wine is balanced and seems to have a hefty structure but it is just too pruney. Another example of the downside of 2003 in France.

9/25/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Starting to evolve and show some more bordeaux type characteristics. Nicely balanced, medium to full bodied with lots of red and black fruits. The tannins gained inintensity through the evening so it still could use a couple of years.

9/6/2008 - bhardie wrote:

This may have been the victim of heat damage in its earlier life. Showed tobacco, spice and mild stewed fruits. Not bad but nothing like the bright red fruits in previous bottles.

8/31/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Fairly sweet and one dimensional. Lacks acidity. OK but not interesting enough to buy more.

8/21/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Really powerful on the nose with floral, berry and earthy aromas. Tart cherry, tea, light coffee and chalk dust flavors with great acidity. The tannins really clamp down on the finish but this has enough freshness and fruit to battle. Should have at least 7-10 years left and will get betterin the near term.

8/19/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Lovely syrah nose. Medium body with black cherry, herb and a grapey freshness. Terrific acidity and a bit of tannin on the finish. Can not ask for more in a $10 wine.

8/16/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Very youthful. Medium to heavy bodied with lots of fresh plum and blackberry. It is still pretty monolithic. Maybe a couple more years needed.

8/2/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Awake but a ways to go. Plum, cherry and a green tea element. Medium body with a decnt balance. Still has drying tannins that close down the finish.

7/30/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Nice smokey cherry and floral components. It is medium bodied with a good balance of acidity. Still youthful and should have more to offer for a few years.

7/12/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Lovely texture and weight. Blackberry, vanilla, dark chocolate and coffee with very nice balancing acidity. This has a bit too much oak at this point for my taste but the silkiness seems to win me over. Nice wine.

7/11/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Nice but rather simple. Delicate apple and cream. Good balance.

7/2/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Heavy and thick with apricot, apple, lemon and a bit of lemon. Has a long finish. This really lacks the acidic backbone to make it very very good but it is enjoyable.

6/28/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Decanted for about 4 hours. Cherry, cassis, smoke,and a bit of green with great balance and texture. This should improve over the next 5 years into a nice classic bordeaux,

6/21/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Terrific cdr spice and dark flavors. THis has some stuffing an shoul improve for several years.

5/17/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Still quite tannic but showing very nice black currant, smoke, cedar and leather. Medium bodied with good acidic balance. This is going to stay for at least 5 more years and will get better.

5/14/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Meduim bodied with spicy apricot and citrus flavors accented with a bit petroleum. Light acidity gives it a bit of a flabby texture.

4/4/2008 - bhardie wrote:

What a surprise. First one of these that I have had in 3 years and it was really nice. Cherry, tobacco, leather, light cream and spice. All in a very delicate style but with terrific balance. Should have a few more good years in it. Wish I had more than one left.

4/3/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Found this to be pretty monolithic. It is certainly large scaled and has plenty of tannin to carry this for 5-7 years but I found it one dimensional. Time will tell.

3/29/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Really nice and ready to drink. This was open and drunk over two days. Very expressive with black cherry, currant, herb and a dry earthiness. Excellent balance, nice richness and a finish that seemed to go for 30-40 seconds. This should drink well for 5-7 years.

3/21/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Very new world character with plum, cherry, vanilla and smokey oak. This is quite rich and full bodied with light acidity. Nice but not bordeaux in my book.

2/23/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Seems like this has more left than I last expected. Blackberry, mineral, mushroom with nice balance of acidity and still fairly tannic. Now I think this may have several years left in it.

2/16/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Loads of tannin but great blackberry, cassis and earthiness. This is going to need several years but it is a nice qpr.

2/9/2008 - bhardie wrote:

Nicely balanced. Blackberry, cassis and smoke with good acidic backbone and loads of tannins. This is a really nice sign for all of bordeaux in 2005.

11/22/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Medium bodied with apple, honey and biscuit flavors.

11/2/2007 - bhardie wrote:

This is coming around nicely, still is fairly tanninc on the finish. I would suspect this will be best in 1-2 more years.

10/17/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Terrific value and what makes good CDR so enjoyable. Very traditional southern rhone with its herb, black raspberry and dried orange peel. It is medium bodied and wonderfully balanced with great acidity and a long finish. Light tannins so I would expect this is a 3-5 year wine.

10/9/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Sorry to see the last one go. This has gotten better each time and has plecnty of life left. Very yummy mature grenache nose and taste. This has really filled out into a full bodied "Chateauneuf-like" CDR.

8/31/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Decanted 1 hour. Nose of earth, cherry, black raspberry and leather. Light-mid bodied which gained over the evening. Flavors were red fruit dominated with cherry. cranberry and a mild smokey finish. Tannins are rather mild at this stage. This is still young and angular but is getting close. Another year or two will do it good.

8/25/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Terrific nose, balance and structure. This is still a baby with lots of tannins so let it sit for a couple more years.

7/13/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Blackberry and dried raisins. Full bodied and somewhat flabby. This has aged and should be consumed over the next year.

7/6/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Nice sangiovese with funky, earthy, black cherry character. Fairly simple but quite pleasant. Probably has a couple of years left but can't imagine it improving from here.

7/4/2007 - bhardie wrote:

Apple, pineapple and peach with a touch of fresh herbs. Finishes with some creaminess. It does have a slight bit of sweetness to it but has the acidity to balance. Rather enjoyable for an inexpensive alsace.