November 14, 2023 - Dark ruby starting to brown; nice stewed fruits/berries with a little brown sauce, dried flowers; good lift, supple, just a bit old with tertiaries, maybe from storage. Good shape but not optimal. Cotsens blind.
April 9, 2023 - Classic aged Mordoree, a little heavy handed for CR, but nice, with purple fruits, fine tannins, some metalic minerality, some dusty herbs, with dried lavender, macerated blue/blackberries. In a good place, drinking well. Hippo w/EWG 2001 wines
November 26, 2021 - Great wine, after 1:30 hour of decanting, complex, with long finish
April 16, 2021 - Pavarotti length & complexity. Syrah mastered, a wonderful wine.
Happy Birthday Bride!
++++ $75
October 23, 2020 - this was lovely and quite gentle for a cote-rotie - certainly not a blockbuster or for the long haul but may well improve from here
May 21, 2020 - Dark red color, dark fruits, meat, smoked , smooth tannins, round and full bodied, perfect for steaks on barbecue
March 4, 2020 - Good fruit with soft mouthfeel and touch of funk on the finish. Nice perfumed nose.
December 17, 2019 - Flat-out delicious. This is not a "big" Syrah, and I was going to say that it's actually quite restrained, but as I got through the first glass the power and balance of the nicely integrated flavors really took me over. The nose really is reticent - my first thought is "Ooh, good French wine" (not that they *have* to have restrained noses, of course : p) and then there's some noticeable sweetness/red berry aspects and a hint of the alcohol (even for a 2006 at 13.5%) - the nose is more youthful than the palate.
The taste is not heavy, not cloying, it does not coat your tongue. There is ample acidity yet, and it's not long before the fine, still-prominent tannins make themselves apparent - this wine isn't very "thick" or viscous. I can see this being divine with lamb, beef, duck, ribs, etc... The middle part of the palate is the real strength here - cherries, red berries and darker fruit - the perceived sweetness between the fruit flavors and the actual sugar content is really perfect.
It's been a long time since I wrote a tasting note, and I really haven't had much wine this year, but this one reminds me of how good it can be.
April 15, 2019 - Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône; 4/15/2019-4/16/2019 (Ampuis, Mauves and Tain-l'Hermitage): Walk-around tasting, talking to the producers. Ripe black fruit that I found a little too roasted and slightly off balance.
January 20, 2019 - Beautiful Cote-Rotie. In a good place right now. This was slow oxed for two hours out of a magnum. Wounderful dark fruits, well balanced with integrated tannins. Contrary to a couple reviews.......no bandaids or Brett. Just beautiful lush fruit. Still has 5+ years ahead of it. Very approachable now. Really don’t see this getting much better.