May 19, 2024 - Dbl decanted 2 hrs ahead. This has turned a bit for my taste, definitely a touch of pruning and I get where people say port-like. But lots of secondary flavors. Wildly popular with those I served it to.
April 29, 2024 - Big, big wine, high ABV that makes it a bit sticky. It also makes the fruit (purple/black) very sweet and all over the place. Decanted for 2 hours, drank half bottle and then back in fridge, still the same wine day 2. It was not my style so I won't rate it.
March 20, 2024 - 15% and it shows, too much. I am not sure if time will take this one.
March 17, 2024 - Opened for my wife's birthday. The nose immediately leaped from the glass to showcase ultra-ripe dark red fruits (e.g., raspberry, blueberry), vanilla, and hints of prune. As other tasters have noted, it is on the verge of being Port-like. Huge in the mouth, and lush and suave in terms of texture, and quite tannic. With 2-3 hours in the decanter the nose dissipated somewhat but also became more complex to yield wonderful notes of espresso and rosemary herbs, as it softened somewhat in the mouth. It was at its best after 5 hours, at which point notes of charred meats and dark chocolate emerged. At other moments, lavender and anise came to the fore too, while the finish finally revealed its potential with incredibly vivid flavors of sweet cherries and cinnamon. I'd like to hold our remaining bottle for 4-5 years, perhaps - though the intermittent prune notes indicate over ripeness which I fear may not bode well for extended bottle aging. We shall see, though there is no harm opening a bottle now (if able to provide 3-5 hours of air). 94 now, with upside (though my wife gave it a 97).
February 14, 2024 - Decanted 5 hours. The nose is mulled cranberry, cured meat, tomato leaf, and, there at the end of the waft, like Hope herself, violet springs forth. On the palate, fresh ground pepper, dank tobacco, and those berries and violets.
If you love Northern Rhone, but the Southern part of that Eden is somehow not your thing, Behold! Here is a CdP for you, my friend. I’m gobsmacked at how well the Syrah pokes through. Enjoyed the hell out of this, but I think it’s not even at its peak. In, ooooh, I dunno, half a year? A whole entire year? Whenever I pop that next cork, this score is going to go up.
December 1, 2023 - A love/hate wine. This note is not a note about my stylistic ideology of wine, its about the wine's quality and correctness for its place and pedigree. So if you opened this, and you bought a CdP in a lucid state of mind, then dont bitch about the massive wine with over the shoulder bolder holders. For those who came for this, you are definitely getting more than what you paid for. Big, voluptuous, rich, dazzling in bright raspberry compote, coupled with spot on acidity. Long, bruising finish that makes you take sip after sip until you finally get tired. The length of time it takes for palate fatigue depends on your tolerance for beautifully crafted jammy wine that holds its weight and tag along alcohol quite well under its sleeve or skirt, depending on your preference and imagination. One to get, one to drink. For me, I call this one,"Lady Ready"
Drink!
September 13, 2023 - Medium garnet in glass. Medium plus intensity on the nose. Raspberry, cherry, garrigue, Christmas cake and crushed stone. Medium acidity and medium plus tannins. The heat from the alcohol somewhat evident but in check. The finish is complex. Hold 2-3 years.
August 25, 2023 - Still tasty but my wife mentioned it tasted like Port and I couldn't disagree. It might come around with some tertiary notes in 5 years but otherwise it's past its prime. What a glorious prime it was though.
March 18, 2023 - Pulled the cork a couple of hours before tasting and consumed over two nights. Although the bottle was immediately impressive, night two was even more so. The fruit at mid-palate was eye-opening; it could not be ignored. It was simply pure and so delicious followed by a beautiful sense of minerality which echoed while I remained transfixed.
October 30, 2022 - This bottle could not hide its 15% alcohol and was painfully hot on the tongue, but otherwise delicious.