February 25, 2024 - About 5 years past its prime. Still some macerated old berry juiciness but slightly sour and some oxidation. (Malibu at Yuko sado sensei, Hiro, Mori Nozomi, Tiffany, Naofumi, BH)
December 28, 2021 - This was in a nice spot. Drink or hold for a couple more years.
April 4, 2021 - Drank over three days. Medium garnet fading to a pale garnet outer edge. Beautifully aromatic with dried, almost decayed roses and violets, black pepper, and melted tar. As for the fruit - you’ll find dried red berries, cranberry, boysenberries, and sour cherry with blackcurrant developing by the second day. The fruit is backed up by earthy characteristics of slightly damp forest floor and freshly turned earth. The palate shows a touch more maturity than the nose, a resolved texture, cracked vintage leather, tart red and black berries, black olive, liquorice, and tar. With each passing day the wine gained depth and concentration.
November 7, 2020 - Drinking well in its mature phase. The dark fruits are subtle now, ethereal. Smokey, pipe tobacco, aging meat, cured meat, leather, some sweet dried herbs. Elegant and well-suited for the table. This evolved a bit over the hours, but though it held up beautifully, it was always classy, but not particularly complex. 13.5% abv.
March 26, 2020 - a better bottles with some life left but it is fading fast - drink soon
January 4, 2020 - Decanted for about 1 hour prior to serving. This was a much better bottle than the one I opened at the CT Charleston off-line a few months back. Perhaps it was the decant, bottle variation or lack of palate fatigue?? Tasting like classic Cornas, a bit more rustic, dark fruited, sauvage with meaty and olive notes - very enjoyable tonight with filet mignon.
December 17, 2019 - What an interesting wine. Bought in auction so of unknown provenance, but even so the first taste is very unexpected. Light and bright and fresh with lively acidity that belies its 20 years, but the faded colour shows its maturity. The taste is all Cornas but the structure is all Burgundy. After a while soft tannins emerge to balance the acidity, providing serious length. Delicious. A lovely surprise. exc
December 16, 2019 - Dark fruit (cherry, blueberry), olive, spice, slight garrigue. Leather. Good acidity. Lingering finish.
November 9, 2019 - Charleston V - the wooden anniversary; 11/6/2019-11/10/2019 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Didn't take detailed note on this one. I remember it being just fine. Didn't stand out particularly either way. It's an standard cornas which is a style I enjoy. 100% syrah. A bit more burly. But with the age in a good drinking window. Totally fine.
September 18, 2019 - Upon opening this is a very elegant wine, almost Burgundian in style, smooth, silky wit a light, fragrant fruit. On day 2 it has gained a more local character and just af whiff of fatigue is showing - time to drink this, I think, but very enjoyable indeed.
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