Community Tasting Notes 19

• Vino_Rosso Likes this wine: 88 points

  June 4, 2017 - On the way down but a lovely ride.

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• Hodby wrote: 87 points

  January 15, 2016 - Medium red-garnet color. Aromas are clean, correct: leather, thyme, menthol, blackberry, (is that) apple cider. On arrival, medium-low tannin and medium-low acidity; a fairly resolved structure for so much mourvedre. In the mouth, beef broth, black pepper warmth, mixed mints, berry compote slightly overcooked, dried prune. Low-medium finish. Very nice with the last portion of Summer's creamy mushroom soup. Bottle #5 of five.

  Comment

• jamesdlandis Likes this wine: 91 points

  February 14, 2015 - Trapped inside by blizzard so canceled Valentine's dinner reservations (had been going to take four younger wines for BYOB) and opened this older bottle* to accompany last minute grilled lamb chops. Its syrah and mourvédre had married beautifully by now, and the wine was superb, better on the nose than on the tongue but still deeply satisfying. The syrah had taken some of the gamy quality of the mourvédre and turned it into a kind of airy fruit. Its color is still vibrant, and there is no evidence that this is anywhere near decline--have one more bottle and will save it for ten years from now, if I am saved that long myself.
  
  We also drank at this dinner a four-day-opened 2011 Parussa Giuseppe Roero, which (100 percent Nebbiolo) did not conflict at all with the La Roque, though it was not as bold. It did, however, compare impressively with (even if not its equal) a 1997 Ceretto Barbaresco served last week at a friend's house.
  
  Neither wine, by the way, was drinkable with the (delicious) broccoli rabe with currants that accompanied the lamb. Is anything?
  
  *The cork on the 13 yr old La Roque was in great shape. But many corks on older wines have been giving out, and so if we take older wines (25 yrs +) to restaurants, which we now do rarely, I either take along my ah so (to save the server undeserved embarrassment) or open the bottle at home (and therefore have to transport it in the trunk of car and be careful it remains upright). Also take the Durand sometimes, but that expensive super-ah so has too short a worm and thus often extracts only half a cork (when the cork is good and long, as in many old Italian bottlings and some Bordeaux, and by the way we have more trouble with Bordeaux corks than with any other).

  Comments (1)

• Hodby wrote: 86 points

  May 5, 2013 - Medium red. Earthy, leathery, herbal nose, with modest berry fruit. On entry, it's texturally rounded of oak and mourvedre. Much oak, leather and some fruit in the mouth too. A nice wine, enjoyed with BBQ on a chilly picnic.

  Comment

• AllRed wrote: 88 points

  August 27, 2011 - Peppery red berry and black cherry fruit tones dominate. Has a Rhonish quality to it. Very enjoyable.

  Comment

Pro Reviews 1

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2001
• Type Red
• Producer Château La Roque
• Varietal Red Rhone Blend
• Designation Cupa Numismae
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Languedoc Roussillon
• SubRegion Languedoc
• Appellation Pic St. Loup

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 48 (45%)
• Consumed 59 (55%)

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