November 11, 2023 - ESTG Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Licorice, DARK in color and personality, chewy, peppery. Mmmm, lots of body, lots of tannin. A very powerful and masculine wine.
December 9, 2020 - This is absolutely stunning right now and, still, surprisingly youthful. Funky nose, scents of olives, herbs and dark fruit. Upright, blue and cool, marks of dark cherry fruit, leather, herbs and olives. A hint of mint as well. Unique style, reminds me of Bonneau, just with more structure. Many years of life left.
January 17, 2018 - Had this foisted upon me in one of those "can't miss" mystery cases from Garagiste. Bottle was corked (best case) or simply undrinkable (worst case). No obvious signs of oxidation, but the nose and palate were bland and the nose, in particular, showed some signs of TCA.
October 24, 2016 - Not the best. Drank a glass and cooked a beef roast with the rest. Not so sure why I previously enjoyed this so much.
January 9, 2016 - Corked
February 11, 2015 - not sure if this was past or just uninteresting but it lacked the complexity that makes drinking CdP so enjoyable.
September 17, 2014 - Another bottle, another underwhelming experience. Nothing flawed here, but rather dull. Rugged, woodsy, nothing much else to say. My last bottle, and good riddance. Amali with the Westport guys.
November 23, 2013 - I bought a bunch of these from Garagiste about a decade ago, and for many years, I would open a bottle and think that this old school, rugged CdP just needed more time. Well, it's had plenty of time, and it's softened somewhat, but perhaps the issue is that it's just not that great a wine. There are some '01s CdPs that are singing right now (Pegau and Clos des Papes come to mind), and this Mourre de Tendre is not among them. This has smoothed out with time, is showing baked plums and some dry spices on the palate, but is not really that compelling. Could it be so old school that a decade in the cellar just isn't enough? Perhaps this needs a decade and a half to blossom? I doubt it.
January 25, 2013 - This shows red liquorice and red and black cherries on a lightweight frame with a silky mouthfeel. There are still tannins here, and they are silky and sleek. I think some additional time is needed to soften this wine further. Right now it is coming on direct, condensed, good Old School CdP typicity, but I would prefer a softer and more resolved texture.
May 6, 2012 - Pnp, slightly musty on opening that mostly blows off. Good tannins, simple but tasty fruit. A little tired, but still good.