July 18, 2022 - Rich, creamy, lots of ripe stewed red fruits, nice but this is a wine that should be consumed earlier than later I think, to have that ripe luscious fruity flavor profile. Four Seasons Beverly Hills Somm party
May 13, 2022 - Probably topping at this stage. Tannins are fully resolved. The wine was really singing at opening, did not decant and was a good decision as after a few hours it started to loose its fruit profile.
March 21, 2022 - Did not decant in advance, and I'm glad. Instantly welcoming with notes of black cherry, raspberry, green olive, cactus, and iron. Could be mistaken for a St. Joseph. One guy said, "I thought I hated Chapoutier. Just changed my mind." Excellent.
March 17, 2022 - Mostly red raspberry fruit, rare beef, black olive, sweet roasted fennel, and a lot of sage-y garrique on the finish. Also some grenache-like spice. Exceeds expectations for a C-H.
May 26, 2021 - Needed a bit of time to breathe but came to life with smooth red fruit; seems to be fully integrated. It is possible this might get a bit better with age
May 14, 2021 - Some aged cooked fruit notes, not extremely expressive; rich mouth, high extraction, full, tannic, with a slight tangy aspect in finish revealing its Syrah composition; otherwise, full, stewed, almost Grenachy note could have med me think it was a S. Rhone. Big modern style with some integrated oak (maybe some new?) more about texture than aromatics. In good shape even with the cooked fruit notes. MPole
April 26, 2021 - A more advanced bottle in early February made me think I had to rush my last two bottles, but this one suggests otherwise. This was a very fine bottle with red and black raspberry fruit, rare beef, sweet roasted fennel, and a lot of sage-y garrique on the finish. Everything you could want, really.
February 25, 2021 - Needed an hour to open up, some sediment. Had a case of these which drank like Hermitages when young, and they still show impressive weight compared to most Rhone 06's. Flavors now all secondary-tertiary, and nicely so. No rush but the drinking window thru 2024 shown here seems right.
March 16, 2020 - Right in its drinking window. Balance, concentrated, smooth tannins, sweet but a hint of black olives. I have tasted Hermitages not nearly at this level. ****
February 9, 2020 - Radish and earth on nose plus a hint of sulfite. Mineral driven palate that is fading in intensity. The finish is still quite long, however. This is just past it’s peak so time to drink up.