March 30, 2024 - Very nice. But nothing to write home about. Will give the next bottle as couple years in cellar to see if it deepens up a bit.
January 13, 2024 - Approx. 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and for the rest mainly Syrah with a bit of other allowed grape varieties. Medium deep color with some evolution, a quite muted bouquet with mainly Provencal herbs and garrigue, on the palate some black fruits, harsh tannins, acidity, a lot of heat from the 16% alcohol (even to my own very tolerant criteria) and medium length. This wine seems disjointed right now and might gain more charm and complexity with several years of cellaring. On the pleasure scale this merits only a score of 88 for now. If all the components come together this might score several points more, but it is hard to predict where this is heading.
August 28, 2023 - Opened last night. I used to absolutely LOVE CdPs, but lately (the past few years) I find myself not liking them near as much. Is it me? Or this wine? I see the notes are kind of all over the place on this one. I have to say I am more in agreement with the "underwhelming" notes than other more superlative descriptions. Still remind me a bit of strawberries, but seems dirty, muddled, just a bit off. Baking spices are too much in evidence, quite fat with little acidity, this just comes across to me as overblown and too ripe. 4-10-10-5: 79/100.
May 15, 2023 - Light nose of brown sugar. Kind of grapey, nice stone mineral secondaries. I'm underwhelmed.
January 27, 2023 - Really developed since last time
December 10, 2022 - Surprisingly good for Mont Olivet’s table CdP. Baking spices, cinnamon, mulberry, thyme and a hint of something metallic. The 2016 vintage was extraordinary in southern Rhone and Mont Olivet produced another value winner.
November 6, 2021 - Nothing to write home about. Didn’t even finish the bottle.
September 4, 2021 - Very close to 92.
July 7, 2021 - 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape 99/100 point wine taste-off (and a couple of pirate Rhone wines): Blackberry, black cherry, black licorice, black everything, this brooding cave-dwelling bat boy is ripe and gothic in posture. There is decent flex here as well, with its Emo personality still finding time to hit the gym and beef-up the push of flavor. Think Glenn Danzig. Not Perry Farrell. 92-94 points.
December 29, 2020 - Youthful and healthy. Tar, dried rasberries, crushed stones, white pepper, sweet spices and hint of farmyard funk in a good way. Big and welcoming, a straight and forward, pleasurable CDP to enjoy now.