April 7, 2024 - 2/12, good cork. Pale/medium garnet core, wide pale rim. Nose shows dark fruit, iron, smoke, mineral, touch of liquorice and damson as it warms slightly. Medium bodied on the palate, dark liquoricey fruit, smoke and mineral with a touch of iron again, it is firm but fine with a pleasing sense of austerity, fresh/vibrant acids and a good length, lightly grippy finish. Excellent.
April 7, 2024 - Lots of sediment thrown but still sporting a relatively dense and vibrant ruby color. The aromas start out earthy and nicely developed and even tease you into thinking this might actually be mature, but it becomes more rather than less restrained over the course of the bottle. The fruit is mellow but still has that lovely 2005 sweetness. The mouthfeel is relatively supple and easygoing but as those aromas become stonier and more reserved the tannic hiss also picks up a little bit. So this still needs a few years to get fully into the zone but it's in a spot that's enjoyable and not just promising.
December 30, 2023 - An Afternoon of French and French-Inspired California Wines (Healdsburg, California): Ruby. Ripe cherry and soil. Medium weight, round and quite sappy. Open dark red fruit and earth, solid acidity, and some lingering but ripe tannin. Very enjoyable now but 10+ years of potential improvement.
December 11, 2023 - Clear yet quite deep colour. Expensive wood and some wet earth on the nose. With higher temperature, closer to room temperature, there's also an element with raspberries. In the mouth it's first and foremost hard. Little grace here. It is firm and balanced, that is possibly the nicest way to say it. Decent length. Will it improve with age? It's just as likely, I think, that it does not have the fruit to take it much further.
November 27, 2023 - The nose is a 9/10, intoxicating mix of damsel, ripe red fruit, dried rose petals and a touch of sous-bois. In the mouth however, this was disappointing: somewhat thin, only little fruit and slightly drying tannins. Still drinkable, but not ablot of enjoyment. My best hope is, that this was just a bad bottle.
September 21, 2023 - Showing very Ile.... earthy and meaty, pan drippings, dark red fruit, a little cooked fruits and syrups, pine forest, beets... smooth tannins, Briailles really nailed the level of extraction in 2005, they didn't overdo it, this is svelte and lively despite its intense meaty side. Long on earth, flowers and meat, integrated dark red fruit notes are secondary to the non-fruit complex. This is probably fully mature, but will continue to drink well for many more years, and may even improve.
August 8, 2023 - Stewed cherries, Brandied cherries, earth, moss, Chinese herbal medicine, blood orange, prunes, fig
Palate: medium body, Spicy, med acidity, med+ length. Everything in balance. Perfect to drink now!
March 25, 2023 - Light red with brownish rim. Somewhat closed nose with hints of raspberries and almonds. Pleasant and soft with ripe fruit. Ripe with soft tannins. Softer and more fruit after an hour decant. Good lenght. Save max three years.
March 8, 2023 - Pale red color, with clear bricking at the rim. Nose is developed but still dominated by fruit, elegant and complex aromatics which immediately remind one of Pinot Noir's class. Medium bodied, lithe and nimble with good depth, beautiful lacework- really easy to drink. Brilliant finish. Perfect now but can probably be enjoyed over the next couple of years
March 7, 2023 - Rich, balanced, crisp, terroir, elegant .
Drinking well, light bricking, room for maturation . A good one !