December 3, 2023 - Glass: Zalto Bordeaux / Riedel Vinum Syrah
Popped and poured, drunk over two days. Clear, deep garnet color with tawny reflexes and some decent sediment.
Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose with some tar, floral notes, dried petals, dried herbs, fine oak and tobacco. Complex, deep and dense.
On the palate dry, but a bit sweet from the gylcerine. The high alcohol with 14,5% abv is perfectly integrated and balanced by the ripe acidity. Beautiful fine and melted tannin. Fully body. Some red fruit, tar espresso. Powerful, creamy and salty, but also very balanced and almost elegant with a beautiful texture. Long and complex finish. Full peak, but will stay on this level for some more time. 94-95
December 1, 2023 - First bottle corked!! Second bottle: This is arriving, I think - even though CP of course found it too young still. And yes, plenyu of potential still, but as now a balanced, smooth,. complete, concentarted wine that has gained local feel on top og the concentrated fruit. This is hors classe.
#JR&Co
September 8, 2023 - CORKED, UGH.
November 1, 2022 - This has grown to be an extremely elegant wine. Seamless, soft, cool, accent on the minerals, local herbs. Drinking a point. Even better on day 2, stony, mineral style.
#electionnight
September 28, 2022 - Perfectly mature yet vibrant nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry liquor, Chambord, licorice, a hint of leather, garrigue, tobacco, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet lack fruit, rich and opulent but also silky and beautifully balance, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with licorice at the end. Another excellent showing. The generous fruit expression will ensure the longevity.
September 3, 2022 - Previous note nails it on the head. Minimal fruit, all earth/leather with faint bretty character. Noticeable tannins somewhat surprising. Tasted a bit tired for my CDP wheel house.
July 6, 2022 - Held too long, albeit in proper storage conditions. Since gifted to me on Christmas Day, 2009. Dunno how it was treated beforehand. From Paulson Rare Wine, in Germany, where I lived. No fruit left. All earthiness, leather mushrooms, etc. Sad but true. Lesson learned - don't hang on to wines too long, even if drinking windows suggest you can and you have proper EuroCave storage. Taht being said, I have a LOT of wine to move out!!!
June 29, 2022 - Mostly CDP dinner (The Capital Grille at Tysons corner, VA): Youthful expressive nose displaying concentrated rich black fruit, blackberry liqueur, black cherry, licorice, tobacco, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered intense black fruit, silky and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long generous black fruit driven finish with tobacco and licorice at the end. The best showing of this wine, intense yet harmonious and beautifully balanced.
April 23, 2022 - Nice fruit/earth blend on the nose and palate, but finished just a tad flat/flabby. med-full bodied. Dirty Dozen CH-P tasting ... scored in the middle . Was my #4
March 26, 2022 - 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Restaurant Waldhorn, Kirchheim, Germany): Popped and poured. I was so curious to see, if there is a step up from the Quartz. Oh yessss, there is. The Reserve is way more elegant and fresh! Deep garnet color. Beautiful deep nose with tar, tobacco and dried petals. On the palate such a joy to drink. Describing it as: Rayas with more power fits quite well! Way more elegant and lean, besides it has also 14,5%, which are beautifully masked. Fresh, wonderful tannin structure and texture. Salty mineral core. Great pressure, depth and tension. Long, lingering finish. Still some upscale potential, but it is really beautiful right now. 95-96