January 6, 2024 - Tasted at the "Vue de Monde" restaurant in Melbourne..
Surprisingly light and lithe on its feet. charming and round faintly reminiscent of Chateau Rayas' wines even though the latter are predominantly made from Grenache.
Then some lively acidity and some earthy characteristics jump out. None of them overwhelming, leaving an elegant impression with the taster.
July 2, 2022 - Far exceeded expectations, drinking beautifully now! Violets, smoked meat, minerals, white pepper. Great acidity, balanced tannins and long finish. I expect a long life ahead, but lovely now nonetheless.
January 18, 2020 - Typical Northern Rhône with red meats and violets on the nose. A nice wine, but I expected more...
September 24, 2019 - Bibendum Portfolio Tasting 2019: Blueberry, spice and some earth. Palate comes across savoury with a little alcohol warmth. Decent grip here and medium length.
March 2, 2019 - Northern Rhone Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 35+ year old vines grown in the fast draining, low in clay, gravel soils of the lieu dit ‘Les Picheres’; 100% hand harvested & destemmed; "Aged in older Burgundy barrels (provided by DRC);" Bottled unfined
N: Closed; RIPE berries; Intensity lurking?
P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by astringent pucker which, staying within hailing distance of the frt, transitions into a LONG finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, poss '21, then making its 10th? 13% ABV; My EXC, poss EXC/EXC+. 91-93 pts WA, 90 WS, & 4*/5 drinkrhone.com . [This vendor's $27.95 puts it in the top 1/3 of wine-searcher's listings.]
January 6, 2019 - Unmistakably Northern Rhône from the aromatics alone, and similar signature notes on the palate: baked red berries, baking spice and loads of pepper, pretty harmonious in this case. My first of the 2016s and, it seems, a promising harbinger of things to come.
December 30, 2018 - Tasted blind. Deep purple, stained tears. Med+ intensity, peppercorn, fig, prune, ripe/jammy black fruit, lavender, rosemary, thyme, meat, leather, Brett, no oak. Dry, med+ acidity, med+ tannin, med alcohol. Med complexity/length. Simple, but juicy and delicious. Great typicity - hit all the checkboxes for a Crozes-Hermitage.
October 14, 2018 - Excellent bottle, great range and intensity of fruit with a subtle savouriness. The oak is very elegantly integrated, a touch of VA too but it blew off after a decant. Drinking delicious and fresh right now, going to hide another couple bottles for another 5-10 years if I can restrain myself from drinking them young...might need to order more.
June 16, 2018 - World Cup 2018: France vs Australia (Prince Sydney, 40 Hansard Street): blackberry, black pepper, little cream slight vanilla and spice, stalks (?) Juicy, almost sour, acidity, tight tannins, slight stalks, diminished fruit. Hmm
April 23, 2018 - Delish. Blueberry. Tannic. Fresh. Zing. Yay.