Immediately after opening this wine, it showed beautiful fragrances of blackberries, violets, and Asian spices. With aeration more ripe fruit aromas were dominant including plums and prunes. It was nicely balanced despite the high alcohol content (15.5%). This is lovely at this point in its evolution but it also has the structure and fruit to last for another decade or more.
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This wine has the ‘X’ factor that I seek in a wine. Dark fruit, sandal wood with a touch of crushed rock. This wine has evolved nicely over the years. Great depth and texture. The nose was explosive with wonderful berry notes. This is one off the beaten path that is worth seeking out.
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Simply a great wine off the beaten path. There is so much going on in the glass. Dark fruit, iodine, vanilla bean and crushed mountain rock deliver the ‘X’ factor I look for in a wine. Great juice.
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Dark fruit, underbrush, graphite and Mediterranean spice notes create a wine that has the “X” factor I seek. No hard edges. This wine is layered and full of excitement. It is in a perfect drinking window. Great juice.
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Still a big wine with lots of black fruit, easily could be mistaken as a Cali Cab. Well made and drinking nicely but very modern is style, alcohol is noticeable.
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Dense and viscous with complex, slightly ripe blackberry, cherry and blueberry flavors, a hint of black pepper, vanilla and sweet oak. Hint of anise. long in the finish. I would give it a higher score but it's a tad too jammy for me.
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Excellent. Superbly crafted as usual, this wine shows dusty notes of dark fruit, leather, toasted nutshells and dry finish. The mid palate is packed with dry black fruit and long finish shows tons of sweet tannins. This will drink well for quite some time. Lovely!
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Deep black purple color. Ripe fruit aromas with blackberries, plums,and raisins dominating. Still enjoyable with sufficient fruit and structure for the high alcohol concentration.
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Drinking perfectly now with dense, extracted raspberry fruit and fine tannins. Fruit is firm with hints of sweet vanillin oak and pencil. Long in the finish.
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Age has mellowed this giant. The nose gives boysenberry, lavender and coconut. The palate share the nose, built on blue fruit base with a slight chocolate finish.
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Very dark. Huge black red fruit and Pport. Very concentrated Port flavours, weighty, grainy tannin. Exotic and tactile on the finish. Young and and slightly aggressive due to concentration and alcohol.
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Tasted as part of a Clio vertical tasting (2008, 2010, and 2017). Was poured in glass for 15 min before drinking .
My favorite wine of the tasting, big rich hedonistic dark fruit. If you like an elegant feminine wine, this is not for you. As big as it was, it was balanced and tasty. Definitely more of a sipping wine than something to have with a meal. Mrs. Coupe described it as almost port like.
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Short decant and off to Perry’s with Bellas parents and the girls Wine has evolved nicely from a fruit bomb to a smooth nicely integrated wine At its peak now, full body with a nice balance of dark fruit, cigar box and acidity Would drink within next 3-5 years
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Took to Phil’s place for a family dinner Decanted for 45 mins Very nice; a lot of the characteristic oaky nose is gone nicely integrated with the fruit Wine is a very nice spot now Don’t think this will get any better
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9th Annual Holiday Dinner and Cellar Raid (Naperville, IL): Part of wine dinner and cellar raid so did not take detailed notes. Only got a small taste as this was the last bottle before the Cab Franc flight and was busy preparing. Always a hit with a large crowd
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This has evolved somewhat over the past three years; it's better integrated, with tannins starting to soften, but it still shows the same powerful dark fruit profile with some light spice and a touch of jamminess. This remains an excellent and consistent value year after year, if you like the style.
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Brought to E&K's for football. Was thoroughly enjoyed by the group as an aperatif. Lots of fruit and concentration as is typical of Clio, but with some nice peppery notes and just enough acidity to keep this from being ponderous. Last bottle of the '08, still have a couple '09s and '10s. Stopped buying this a while back but maybe I should pick up some more recent vintages.
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Pretty nose with nice floral spices that return on the finish with big and bright berry and pomegranate fruit. Seems like a young wine, shows little signs of aging at all, though perhaps the tannins may have relaxed. In a very nice place, probably stable here.
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Wife and I consumed in Reidel Syrah/Grenache glasses with bbq ribeye and we both thought a 94. Opened it about an hour before meal and it started to fade after about 2.5 hrs open. Wish I had more. Stored properly.
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Pretty similar to previous notes though this started out as quite brawny, woody and woolly - a bit wayward, though eventually settled after some time open. Generally pretty consistent across vintages and highly concentrated.
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Kind of what I expected, given previous experience with this wine. Big and brawny, even at the ten year mark. Has a thick, deep and dark profile - some graphite and camphor, along with a bit of sweetness. Always a good performer at the price and pretty consistent across vintages.
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Opened and drank slowly over 6 hours. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was blueberry, currant, red meat, a touch a vanilla and smoke. At the end of the evening the finish which was moderate to long had the hint of menthol coming through
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Yes, this is still a ripe, extracted, wine. But it is beautifully integrated and the tannins are very silky. Aging very well (hard to tell it's almost a decade old.) This bottle had been cellard properly which probably helped.
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Hot nose-EtOH, baked bread, leather, blueberries. Jammy. Primary flavors are dark chocolate and blueberries. But damn, the alcohol really ruins it. Unbalanced. I don't get the hype for this one. If tasted blind, I might guess Port.
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We opened for an hour then poured through a vintorio. Dark colors in the glass. The palate was blueberry, blackberry, red currants and charred meat which led to a lightly smokey finish.
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I’d recommend decanting this for an hour. Initially it’s very sloppy and sweet (think communion). After an hour structure starts to emerge along with notes of espresso and glycerin. Still huge wine dominated by sticky/syrupy blue/purple fruit, vanilla extract, chassis, and a very Spanish stewed herbaceousness. I’d drink these now.
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Brought to K & Es for a discussion. No detailed notes but was drinking well. Oak much better integrated than I remember from the last bottle some years ago, and still loads of fruit
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Pop and pour. Obviously a full bodied Chris Ringland from Jumilla with plenty of extract. I was surprised how well this aged given its mass. Still somewhat structured with alcohol completely buried behind a soft palate of back/blue fruits, vanilla, baking spices, and plenty of oak. Has a few years left but won’t improve from here.
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Big, modern, but well made and balanced for what it is. Like our previous bottle rich opulent blue/black fruits, anise, bit of vanilla followed by a black tea finish. Tannins are integrating nicely.
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Big wine that goes well with steak. The oak is better integrated now that the wine has a little more age. Less coconut on the nose than I remembered. 15.5% alcohol is fairly well concealed. Concentrated dark berries.
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first of 6 bottles we have. still young with moderate tannins on the back end, great deep color, fruit forward nose. We liked it and are looking forward to seeing how we feel about it in a year.
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Decanted via vinturi and drunk through the evening. Blueberry jam, currant and blackberry nose. Rich palate adds red fruit, firm medium tannins. This wine is in its prime, no sign of aging, good for another ten years at least.
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PnP. Almost no sense of aging, the same uber rich, fruity oak monster it was when drunk 5 years ago. Heat is noticeable but not distracting, gobs of vanilla, chalk, dark red and black fruit, coats the tongue. Based on this bottle, this would seem to have a very long life ahead of it.
A big favorite. Told the assembled some said it was "indulgent" wine -- to which one said, "Why shouldn't wine always taste indulgent." You get the idea. We all loved it.
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Age has not served this well. Whereas I'd hoped the syrupy oak would integrate, the overwhelming vanilla and extracted sweetness just didn't work, no matter how hard I tried.
Popped 1 hour before first pour, consumed over 2 hours. Nose: Expressive scents of violets, black berry, blueberry, chewing tobacco, shoe leather, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark fruit and spice attack, builds in intensity thru the mid-palate where a solid acidic back-bone appears, back-end shows a big spice kick joining in the bold sweet fruit attack. Finish: Lengthy sense of spicy dark fruit, tobacco, and leather. This is a big boy wine that is in mid-stride. If you like New World fruit bombs this is the wine for you, fortunately I do.
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This has integrated and opened up nicely. Pop and pour. On the nose, plum and camphor. On the palate, plum, blackberry, black pepper, and blueberry, with earthy notes and good acidity on a medium to long finish. This is excellent, and it is in its drinking window. I don't expect it to improve, but it should hold for several years yet.
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All systems go on this one! Impeccable balance, every component in good harmony. Dark fruits in aroma and palate; with leather. For the quality year in year out, Clio is on the top.
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Rubino cupissimo. Al naso la parte del cabernet è ben presente, con after eight, pepe nero macinato, grafite. Al monastrell è affidata la parte fruttata (mirtillo, mora, prugna). Note speziate in sottofondo. Bocca potente, rotonda, molto parkeriana ma intrigante. Lunghissimo
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Rich purple in color. Cedar, wet stones, which then explodes with blueberry cobbler, vanilla, and multiple layers of dark fruit. Good tannic structure, finishes with hints of smoke and pepper. Still young with years to go.
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I felt the last bottle I drank of this wine was too oaky (see 6/22/14). Well, tonight my reaction is completely different. This Clio is bursting with fruit (blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry) without being heavy, jammy, or syrupy. Superb length. Refreshing acidity. Sweet tannins. Minimal oak on the nose or palate. Is this bottle variation or evolution over time? The next bottle will tell...
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CHainthroer is right on with his notes. A conservative 94+, with a chance of a higher score in the future. Despite the fact that it's drinking wonderfully, it is still a bit young. This is the best wine I've had in a while.
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Last tasted 16 months ago. The tannins have somewhat resolved compared to the last tasting, but still very slightly noticeable. Otherwise, the wine is about the same: complex aromas of blackberry, black currant, some mint, smoke, herbs and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors along with blueberry and a touch of black pepper. Big, powerful and rich. Lavish and velvety in the mouth. Score now 94. Wish I had more!
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Didn't disappoint. Shared with friends at the beach, with grilled meats and veggies. Big flavors; tobacco, dark berries, leather. Tannins have integrated nicely.
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Camphor on the nose. On the palate, jammy cherry and black fruit with strong black pepper and notes of plum and vanilla on the medium to long finish. It has developed a bit of complexity, but I think I liked it a bit better with less age on it. Still good value for what it is.
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The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like black pepper, vanilla and coconut. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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This was my first Clio purchase and I was really quite happy with it. Layers of spicy and jammy red fruit with some pepper and purple floral aromas. Similar flavors on the palate with really pure black cherry flavors, a bit of cherry cough drop and some creamy oak on the back end. The american oak was much more subtle than expected and was not overdone at all. The wine let the purity of the fruit show through and it was very lush and smooth on the palate with a nice finish. I think it is in a great place right now and probably drank better for my palate now than it would have a few years ago.
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Big, modern, in your face. Rich opulent blue/black fruits, vanilla, anise yet for all its flamboyance you really don't sense the alcohol. Not for the AFWE but there is a big wine world out there and sometimes its OK to be hedonistic.
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To sum up, very jammy. If you bought this you knew that going in. The fruit was voluptuous and rich, with some vanilla and spice, which made it very attractive yet it failed to interest me for want of complexity. Maybe i didn't give it a fair chance by drinking right after opening.
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This started off with port like characteristics or amarone notes. Made me worried a bit until about after an hour of breathing. Wow. Still super huge but it took on an almost aussie syrah like style. Herbs de province and chewy black pepper. Lots of 10w-40 weight and heavy black hanging fruit. Chewy, chewy, chewy. Suprising is how well balanced and not hot you think it could be. Delicious and great for dessert.
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Dark opaque purple. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, & oak. Ripe, full palate of blackberry, blueberry, spice, and oak. Excellent length. Bright acidity. Youthful tannins. Still a bit too oaky.
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Decanted approx. 45 min. ... Simply gorgeous! One of the very best vintages of one of my very favorite wines, year in and out. In a beautiful place right now.
Opens with that blackberry and cream lushness Clio is known for, without being cloying. There's a dry, earthy mid and a finish dotted with Christmas spice. Alcohol is well integrated and it's not at all hot. Really just lovely and rich, lush and smooth. Well balanced, with enough structure to keep it from being flabby, this is big, all-out wine done right. Simply stunning!
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9 months since the last bottle and this tannins have settled down. Still a big, modern fruit driven wine with lots of oak. Blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, licorice and black tea on the finish. Not for the AWFE crowd but sometimes that's OK.
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An incredible wine. Good bit of oak but well integrated. Huge black fruit. Blackberry. Complex and well balanced. Had with aged ribeye steaks. Love this wine.
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Way too primary on day 1, with loads of prune, plumb and tobacco. Seemed all over the place. I corked and placed back in the cellar. Day 3 showed a nicely balanced and structured wine with earthy fruit, tobacco and dusty tannins. I dumped a glass on day 1 and wish I had just given it a healthy decant. 88 on day 1, 92 day 3.
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As consistent as ever. Beautiful and elegant. Big alcohol that blows off after a short decant. Smooth, supple, rich...but not flabby in the least. Opulent. Delicious.
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Big, dark nose of blueberry, briar and white pepper, blackberry and stone fruit. Palate is full and tart, tannins in the background. Probably not getting a lot better, but no hurry - lots of life left.
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PnP. As usual, it's powerful with plenty of red ripe fruit however it's losing a bit of intensity. Alcohol just a bit noticeable. On palate its big and bold but quite rounded and drinks well. Better than last bottle. Paired well with cheese. I see no reason to wait more on this, so pop one, drink and enjoy.
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Either my palate has changed or this was showing much better when I had my first bottle in 2012. Pleasant aromas of red fruits (cherry/currant/raspberry), grilled meat and a bit of herbs. The palate isn't as complex as the aromas; it is mostly jammy though the fruits do mirror the nose, again a hint of herbs. Some oak but little acidic/tannic structure. The 15.5 abv is still integrated. Maybe this will age further, maybe it's shut down right now but at this point I'm not anticipating much from this wine in the future though I hope I'm wrong.
This was a bit disappointing for me only because I know what Clio is capable of. Still a great wine that was really enjoyed by all. Muted nose and a bit closed at first, so decant for about 45 - 60 minutes. Full-bodied and creamy, with dark fruits, mocha, and vanilla. Spice on the finish, with the alcohol a bit noticeable.
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yet another stellar showing of this wine. might need to seek out some more, as it seems to be getting better and better. score remains consistent, and tasting balances earthy complexity with juicy black and red fruits.
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not everybody's style but I like it. Big, mouth coating with dark fruits, chocolate and a touch of vanilla. long finish. Potential to go 5-10 more years
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Opened, decanted, and put back in the cellar for three hours, so we could come back to it after dinner. You have to like the style: boozy, very ripe, very extracted, a thousand percent new oak. As an after dinner wine, however, it actually worked fairly well. We just pretended it was a port. Not for the light-hearted. Wouldn't buy it again, but definitely wasn't offended by it. Clearly, there's a tremendous fan base for this style and Clio in particular.
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Color: Deep maroon fading toward magenta at the edge.
Nose: Big and assertive, with rich, super-ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit aromas that stray toward the artificial side. Behind the fruit are savory notes of smoke and seared meat and quite a bit of oak, adding a burnt wood scent, christmas tree, and dashes of cinnamon, ginger, and dill. There's also a hint of menthol tobacco and some alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Very full bodied and sticky
Palate: I actually like the flavor profile, with its juicy dark brambly fruit (blueberry, blackberry, huckleberry, etc.) and its smoky, spicy undercurrent, but it just goes off the deep end with concentration and alcohol. It starts burning while still in the mouth, almost like liquor, and the finish is so hot, bitter, and syrupy that it makes you grimace. A few sips is plenty.
Just don't understand this style. I think there's good land behind this, but the wine they made just isn't enjoyable. Label states 15.5% alcohol, and I'm sure it's more than that (could legally be up to 16.5%). I would complain about a port that was this hot ...
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A bold wine that fires on all cylinders. If you decant and wait, this wine will evolve into an elegant micro sipper. Great nose, tannins and fruit! For the pop and pour, deduct a point - after 4 hours in decanter, add a point. I love a wine that evolves and goes somewhere!
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I usually drink these 1 week after they are bottled and I took this one out of the cellar. It was showing it's age a little bit, the collor around the rim had changed a bit which was suprizing to me. Lots of dark sweet fuit and mild wood notes. It is different and still very good. I'm just used to this being SO sweet and viscous that it is a new experience to have this with a little age. It was a bit hot, the alcohol was noticed and just a hint out of balance but still an excellent wine.
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Very dark in the glass. Intense bluish/purple color. The nose is immensely rich and opulent. Spice from the wood, cloves, vanilla, and dark fruit. The palate is rich with nice tannic structure. Goes down very smooth.
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Dark, dark garnet; somewhat opaque. Initially, I got a mint and lavender-like aroma, which blew off after a few minutes. Then, complex aromas of blackberry, black currant, smoke, herbs and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors along with blueberry and a touch of black pepper. Big, powerful and rich. Lavish and velvety in the mouth. The tannins are not totally resolved, leaving very slight acidic feeling on the tongue and finish. The finish is long.
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Popped one hour before first pour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, initially displayed cassis and grapefruit, after about an hour the grapefruit transitioned into camphor and smoke along with the black fruit cassis and black berry scents. Palate: Medium-full bodied, sweet dark fruit attack joined by an acidic kick thru the mid-palate, leather, spice and pepper appear towards the back-end. Finish: Medium length sense of camphor and dark fruit.
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We decanted the wine for 30 minutes before we poured the first glass and the wine kept improving as time passed. It offered red fruit, cherry, blackberry, plum, anise, vanilla and a hint of espresso on the nose. On the palate the full-bodied wine showed sweet ripe fruit (without being jammy), espresso and some chocolate, paired with medium to high acidity, ripe and well-integrated tannin, a smooth mouthfeel and very good length. I particularly liked the lingering espresso note. The wine contained the alcohol (15.5% ABV) very well. It was less outspoken and more restrained than the 2009. For drinking now to mid-term I hence prefer the delicious 2009, but the 2008 might be the longer-lived wine and might actually turn out to be the better wine mid- to long-term. I would hold my bottles for two years.
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A real crowd pleaser again on Christmas eve eve. Everyone loved it. I great wine, but not quite my perfect style. A gigantic fruit bomb with a a very full, round palate and a finish that lingers. Well made for sure.
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Bold aromas of sweet dark fruits, toasted oak, black pepper, and smoke. The palate is similarly expansive, showing thick, ripe dark cherries, plum, and cassis over hints of herbs and sweet spice. The finish is framed by sturdy, tannins, with dried red fruits, vanilla, and frank oak. This very modern, full bodied, and candied but somehow seems to work for those who enjoy that style. For us, however, it is overblown in every way. Tasty ripe fruit, but devoid of place or freshness. R&M 85
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Stunning wine, rich, bold, a little hot, but it did not detract. Deep ruby red, with deep berry, and currant flavor. Intense nose. Wow, and at $40, simply amazing
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Popped and poured. I was less impressed with this vintage than the 2006 and 2007. Not showing much on the nose and there is a good dose of oak on the palate. Concentrated and dense, I will wait a few years before drinking my remaining bottles.
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PnP. Consumed over two days. Intense bouquet of licorice, candy, sweet plum. On palate it's powerful with that sweet touch, balanced and fresh enough, although you can feel it's on verge to becoming a little bit heavy on palate, specially after a few glasses and if temperature goes too high. Overall, again a regular wine, ideally for a couple of glasses. Showed better on day two.
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Poured into a decanter, consumed over 4 hours. Dark ripe fruit, toasted oak, anise, slightly alcoholic. Seriously big, lush and modern. Good acids, tannins are grippy. Lots of sediment in the wine. There is a place and time for big and bold and this would fit that bill every time.
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Popped 2 hours before first pour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Expressive scents of smoke, black licorice, blackberry and rhubarb. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark fruit up front, joined by spicy pepper kick and menthol through the mid-palate and back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length sense of sweet dark fruit and menthol.
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this is my favorite vintage of Clio I've had to date. as this integrates, it's creeping into the 94-95 point range. pnp took about 15 to fully open. a rock star of a wine.
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Splash decant and poured through Vinturi ... 2012 Anniversary dinner ... My very first impression was that this vintage of Clio has mellowed a bit. It's not a wild fruit bomb, or cocktail wine. The rich blue and black fruit notes, while still at the forefront, are better integrated with a good acidic balance and firm, but not off-putting, tannic backbone. The vanilla notes have also softened and blended into the background and are no longer a top note. The smokey bacon bits on the backend just add to this wine's mystique. My only knock is it's still a touch hot, but not overwhelming and, if given a longer decant, or just a bit more bottle age, I'm confident it will blow off.
Rich, lush and oh-so-smoth, Clio is, for us, one of THE most consistently great wines going, year in and year out. This is our fourth or fifth vintage and each has been remarkable. All told, currently our very favorite wine at any price point. The fact that something this good is available for under 40 bones is simply remarkable, in my opinion.
blackberry fruit and oak on the nose. A very smooth well made wine with signifiant structure and balance. This is one giant of a wine but yet still delicate. Very good job.
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Robe pourpre et violine,nez étonnamment raffiné pour le style, certes concentré et profond, mais d'un raffinement aromatique le positionne chez les grands.Bouche tout aussi éclatante,pure, fraîche et détaillée, sans aucune lourdeur malgré les 15,5% d'alcool.Violette,cassis, et mûre participent au cocktail.Une odeur de vanille est présente ainsi qu'une subtile arôme de torréfaction.
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Big fruity boquet (blackberry/blueberry) that lets you know what's in store. Not as spicy as the 09, this Clio is well balanced, lots of fruit, with hints of licorice and vanilla. Very nice finish with a hint of acidity.
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PnP. Dark ruby toward purple color, no sign of age. As with a lot of Clio's, this was ready to go upon opening, and didn't seem to change that much throughout the bottle (save for day #2, see below). A bit of an atypical Clio: Restrained, struggles to express its true nature. Average + acidity (which will outlive the fruit and tannins). Suggestions of the 15,5% abv on night one, none on night #2. Went well with my 14hr pulled pork (with star anise kicker) and chipotle berry coulis. Might have been bottle variation, but this was not the usual nitro powered vice grip. Bright on night 1, modest, behaved on night 2. Notwithstanding all that, it just wasn't that interesting (read: too monolithic for me), but still, fairly well made thanks to the purity of fruit. Score: B+/A-
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The aromas gained complexity as the wine opened up. A bit muted at first, but later shows red fruit, a bit of oak/vanilla, raw meat and a hint of spice & heat. Raspberry, blackberry and black cherry notes come through on the palate which rounds out with some vanilla. Light acidity and medium tannins. The best part of the wine for me is the smooth finish which lasts quite a long while featuring red fruit and vanilla. The 15.5 alcohol is balanced and not noticeable other than the nose. Clearly quite young but already tasty and has a bright future ahead of it.
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Im a new world wine drinker but tend to stick to cabernets that are not over the top. I decided to spin the dice and picked up this bottle of 08 Clio. This is a great wine. AS soon as I opened this it smelled great. Poured into a decanter and let sit for two hours. So much fruit but not sickening sweet like some other new world bombs that I have had. This wine has initial upfront fruit then transitions into a nice mellow finish with no sign of alcohol or a fake taste. Overall really happy that I found a fruit bomb wine that I can enjoy when I feel like one. Cheers
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A great wine. Light nose of berries, vanilla. Light, but not flimsy taste, easy on the tannins, elegant flavors of fruit, little bit of oak, and a grand finish. Well integrated and extremely enjoyable. Outstanding qpr. I highly recommend this wine.
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Opened for 30 min. Consumed over two days. Medium intensity on nose: toasted aromas, vanilla, cinnamon, candy, licorice and strawberries... a bit tight compared to previous bottles. On palate and in day one this bottle disappoints; dry, astringent, too much licorice and candy but quite fruity though... however no fresnesh, very very heavy on palate to the point that it makes it difficult to drink. On day two tried it with heavier food - it did improve - but the same feeling arose as I had a glass without food. Could it be a below average bottle or could it be this wine (or vintage, due to its lack of freshness) can't rally pair with food, but I see a trend in my 4 tasting notes.... every bottle has been a bit worse than the previous one. Quite disappointed.
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Popped and poured. Nose of blueberry, black fruit, smoke, tar, leather, vanilla, anise, spice, espresso. On the palate, bluberry, plum, mocha, pepper, anise, leather. Well balanced on the finish, the alcohol is not as apparent as previous bottles. Drink or contiue to hold, no hurry.
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Black in color. Big 15.5% ABV wine, though the fruit actually isn't too jammy. Still, a bit of a hot mess right now even with decant. I really liked this wine at a tasting 6 months ago, so I'm not sure how to explain the difference. Will wait a good while before drinking the other one.
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Very jammy at 15.5% alcohol, incredibly fruit forward, but tasted a little bit "Fake" and forced almost. Nontheless, I didn't pick up any heat, and the wine had a great mouthfeel with a supple texture.
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I opened this on special request at the end of our 12/11/11 Spanish wine tasting. It had an intense, ripe and jammy bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, smoke, mocha, chocolate, coffee and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and jammy with flavors that followed the nose.
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Im surprised so many have scored this, because its far from ready to drink. Right now its as backward, upside down and unbalanced as wine gets. Hot oaky nose, hot oaky palate, hot finish. Hot mess. Pick up a 2006 or 2005 for an example of what this can do when everything comes together, and keep these on the shelf for another 2 years.
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Dark ruby colour, very intense spicy nose with a touch of band-aid. Full bodied and flavourful with high acidity to balance. Modern in a blockbuster style but at the same time has an air of authenticity. Chocolate, mocha, fig and raisin flavours in the palate. Full but not over the top.
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Huge blackberry fruit on the nose - with a good amount of oak. This was a pop and pour but it was still very good, I imagine it would do much better with some time in a decanter. Very dark and extremely powerful wine.
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On popping the cork, the nose was effusive with blackberry and blueberry fruit, and a good whiff of oak. On the palate, the oak initially was pretty overbearing. After 3 hours in the decanter, this had come more into balance. I was surprised with how much acidic structure there is to this wine to go along with robust tannins. Definitely not flabby. For my palate, it still needs a few years for the oak and tannins to integrate. Normally, I would pan a wine with this much oak, but in this case I think it will end up in balance with time. There is such a dense core of black fruit and licorice and black pepper, and I'm not worried about the fruit lasting until the structure smooths out a bit. Karen liked it now more than I did. I can see this getting to 93-94 points, but not yet.
UPDATE, 10/25/11: Had poured off half the bottle immediately to a 375 and put back in the celar. Drank the remaining half bottle today (2 days later), and both of us thought the wine was improved. The oak was much more subdued, the wine a bit smoother, and there was a nice licorice note on the finish which persisted nicely. I would give this 92+ points now, and I think this bodes well for the future. With a few more years in the cellar, this should be very nice.
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Depp ruby red-purple. Nice full nose of blueberries, blackberries and cassis. Nice moutfeel with present but approachable tannin's. Well balance acidity. A little heat from the alcohol. Nice length. Need a bit of time to meld together.
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5th Anniv. drama - Owen 104.8 temp; cancelled dinner plans; Had this with braised pork shank and roasted chicken from Guglhupf. Popped and double decanted with Vinturi. More approachable early, compared to usual (due to decanting?). Went very well with the rustic meats. Full, juicy, oaky, and satisfying. K's favorite.
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Very smooth wine. Coffee aroma and nice oak ( but not overwhelming) on the palate. Still some tannins on the finish, suggesting some aging potential. Love it.
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never fails to impress anyone who i introduce to it. wonderful balance between hedonistic ripe fruit and american oak on one hand, and earthy complexity and animale characteristics intrinsic to mourvedre in the other hand. another awesome bottle of clio.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of black pepper and cloves. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish.
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very similar to previous experience, but i decanted for about 4 hours this time around. this helped to integrate everything, making the wine even more enjoyable. clio is the bomb!
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2+ hour decant, with aeration. What a huge wine! Even after more than 2 hours in the decanter it's still showing giant levels of spice, tannins, heat, and fruit. In other words, it's a beast. Rich garnet in color, loads of thick legs, and the closed-down nose that greets you after initially popping the cork opens up to reveal spicy floral notes combined with overripe dark fruits. The alcohol is definitely evident (and at 15.5% that comes as no surprise). As for the palate, I was actually taken aback at just how rich and complex it was. Ripe blueberries, sugary jam, more than an ample hint of dark chocolate, and peppery spices combine to form an amazingly intense and delicious wine. Once decanted, the powerful tannins integrate well, but it's clear this is still anywhere from 1-3 years young still. Definitely full-bodied with an incredibly lengthy finish, this wine never seems to end. Thankfully I've got 2 more bottles to sit on for a few years. Amazing.
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Popped and poured... Classic Clio - huge nose of blueberries, flowers, vanilla and candied fruit. Huge, plush palate chalked full of fruit and vanilla. Nice, long finish.
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Popped and poured. Big nose of blueberry, boysenberry, smoke, spicy oak, vanilla, anise, mocha. On the palate blueberry, black plum, milk chocolate, pepper, anise. Nice finish with a touch of heat. Drink or hold.
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Stupendous wine in every way right from the get-go. Brilliant ruby red which lightly speeds red around the glass. Nose is filled with spicy fruit with an iron, minerally aspect that makes for a totally interesting aroma. On the palate it is tightly wound but still offers up plenty to like even now. Powerful fruit wrapped in some tannins signal a long life ahead but it's enjoyable, even fascinating, now, if a touch on the rough side. Finish is long and lingering. Quite a wine. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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This is a BIG wine...fortunately, I love powerful wines, especially when they are beautifully balanced. We decanted for an hour or so. The nose was all over the place with sweet herbs, dark cherry, cedar box, toasted marshmallows, vanilla. The palate had strong flavors of dark fruit, blueberry, anise and cassis. Big finish of licorice, dark fruit and vanilla. We loved it!
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I took this to a friends 6/26/11 Paella dinner. It had a huge, ripe, powerful and jammy bouquet of blueberry, boysenberry, smoke, mocha, chocolate, coffee and spice aromas. The palate was ripe, jammy, smooth, round and delicious with flavors that followed the nose. 92+
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Dark garnet to purple color in the class, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberries, chocolate, smoke, white pepper and plum. Flavors of berries, currants, plums and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. I'd likely hold myself.
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CT Wisconsin Offline (Madison, WI): Massive Spanish red. Very tight on the nose and palate. Needs more time in bottle or decanting time. Very jammy dark fruit, chocolate and plenty of spice. Big burly tannins.
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A friend opened this wine. It was spectacular. And after 30 minutes, it was even better. I bought some bottles for myself and will wait a bit before drinking. 94pts
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Nose has a little menthol mixed with oak, blueberries, and syrup. Taste is completely opposite of what you ate expecting from the nose. Very luscious. Thick, slightly chewy with a finish that is 2 parts. An intense pepper and spice with a long velvet like back side with vanilla and oak.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of smoke, chocolate, florals, white pepper and Kirsch. Flavors of rich black berries, black cherries, plums and a bit of currants. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now through the next 7 years plus or minus.
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Spain and Portugal Potpourri (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Dark. High toned woody aromatics. Round, sweet blueberry flavors that are JUST short of being syrupy. Too much wood but reasonable acidity and some grip on the finish. Not for me.
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Tried this again with the hope the last botle was a problem. This was much better but still not to the heights of previous years. The fruit is there but takes much longer to come to the surface. I am hoping this will just require more patience than the others.
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Nose: Caramel, muscatel, huge, overwhelming nose. Heavy aromatic. Almost big like menthol. Bing cherri-super ripe. Unique. Taste: Sweet, tart finish. Fresh rush on the nose is in the taste. Taste: Smokey, green pepper, sweet & tart, acidy, mid pallet tart, toasty, tar, plum with sugar. Put butter in it. Almost port-like. Leather. Last taste-peppery. Slight rhubarb.
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Overall, it shows the same characteristics as mentioned in previous notes. Very intense nose but either from palate fatigue, or by the bottle itself, it was a little less expressive than I remembered. Still it offers pleasant aromas of ripe fruit, spices, coffee, chocolate ... a joy. On palate medium to full body, sweet and delicious, with no sharp edges nor astringency, balanced, almost a velvet glove despite the volume and power. After three bottles, still can not make me forget about 2006, perhaps in a couple of years?
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YUMMY. Simply one of the best Spanish wines (IMHO). Dark eggplant color that sticks to the glass. Enjoyed after about an hour in the decantor and opened over another 30 minutes in the glass. Will benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
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Opened night before for a sip and the vacuvinned and refrigerated. Very full, rich and enjoyable. 2nd night was silkier and rounder, less heat. Great qpr. Drank with Italian food and 2000 hillside select. After the hs, contrasting flavors can be tasted....tasted some licorice, cloves star anise...
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I agree with some of the other comments that this is not quite the same as past vintages. Still an excellent wine though. The nose was a massive amount of vanilla that overtakes you. Tastes of black fruits and has a certain deliciousness but the finish was not as long as in the past, and the heat was noticeable (a little disjointed). I assume this needed much more time for the heat to blow off and to open up in the bottle/glass but it tastes so good and we finished it so quick that I didn't allow it to come through. No score for now. Next one I will decant and see if my assumptions are correct...
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Pretty nose of dark fruits, lots of new oak, menthol and herbs de Provence. The palate has a rich mouth feel and silky palate of vanilla, caramel, sage scorched earth, eucalyptus, and a big backbone of black fruits. Tannins are a bit rough around the edges but it comes together with time in the glass. This is a in your face style that is very reminiscent of many Ausi shirazs. 15.5% alc is fairly well hidden but i don't know about long term aging on this one. Drink now - 2016 Excellent Quality. 89 pts. *Turns out this is made by an Ausi wine maker. *
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Spanish Wines (Farpointe Cellar): A massive fruit bomb on the nose. Blueberry, cherry, and creamy oak. The palate is pretty much the same. Over-oaked, and too much fruit. Not my style, so I won't score, but it's in the 87-88 range.
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Black, opaque center and a bluish rim. Soft, fat plum and morello dominating the nose with some nuances of iodine, caramel and vanilla. On the palate the fruit is similarly warm and mellow morello, plum and blueberry followed by some bitter dark chocolate. Great intensity but a somewhat rugged and tannic end detract from the overall picture.
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This is a surprise...! not the Clio I'm familiar with, a big chocolaty beast loaded with black fruit and oaky spices. Instead, the mourvedre fruit is really coming through relatively unadorned, but still with fantastic concentration. Peppery, with as much cranberry or pomegranate as berry or currant, and featuring kumquat, which is a little more like orange peel on the delightful dried- cherry finish. It's been a remarkable and delicious wine in prior vintages, but with this vintage the wine is finally distinctive.
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I'm wondering if the wrapper's starting to come off the candy with this one. On the surface it's still got that wonderful clio charm - a big nose of wonderful and rich candied cassis and dark milk chocolate with orange peel undertones, and once on the tongue the mouthfeel is still top notch, but when the wine is dissected I wonder if (and dare I utter such naysayings) if this wine is starting to feel manipulated. I hope I'm wrong and it's just a characteristic of an off vintage, or maybe the wine still is in a youthful, awkward phase, but at this time something just doesn't seem kosher with this newbie. There's a not so pleasant aftertaste in the mouth after the big fruitbomb and expresso grinds finally wear away (and it is a decently long finish), but in retrospective, that extra dimension of clio magic seems to be lacking. Don't get me wrong, it's still a wonderful piece of candy while it's in the mouth, but it's kind of like comparing the flavor of today's version of say a tootsie roll pop (raspberry please) with the ones that we enjoyed maybe twenty five years ago - the articial flavor is king while that simple sugar of yesteryear is a fond memory. Would like to revisit this in a year and see how it's played out.
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We LOVE this wine, as did our dinner guests. Served with steak, decanted for 3+ hours. Deep, dark color with a strong nose. Velvety smooth with a long finish and a taste of deep dried and dark fruit with cocoa, that evolved over time.
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Day 1 Packed and stacked, a lot of good stuff going on. Complex nose of toasty oak, spice and dark fruits. In the mouth, a touch of heat but mouthfilling wine that's delicious. I did not decant and it could've used it. It does needs some more time in the bottle. I left a glass to try on day 2.
Day 2 to be continued........
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Opaque purple. Over the top rich and fruity nose, backed by smooth, cedary wood. Pleasingly crisp on the attack, showing touches of dark cherry, then explodes into blueberry compote on the midpalate, and smooth oak with dried fruits at the end. With air, some lighter almost citrusy notes emerge. Full bodied; impressive detail for a wine so fruit driven. My score is probably a point or two low as this wine was really singing by the time we finished the bottle and may have improved further. 92-94.
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At a restaurant, opened for 30+ minutes. More of the same as previous bottle: aromatically powerful, such an appealling nose... thick, viscous, lively, fruity and spicy... a tremendous wine already offering inmediate pleasure.
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Pop and pour, a little hot and disjointed a first. Needs air. After a few hours it starts showing it's goods with a dense, rich texture, deep dark fruits, licorice and cigar box. Long ass finish. On day 2 it's changed a bit with the licorice toned down somewhat. Big bruiser fruit, still finishes strong. Very interesting Spaniard indeed.
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best Clio I've had to date. Many years to go on this, but it is awesome right now! Huge aromatics of plums, blackberries and roasted blueberries. The thick and viscous mouth is velvety and just gorgeous. The finish is velvety, vanillin and massively flavorful. I love this!!!
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A delicious wine. 2 hour decant at least. Accessible young tannins, nice fruit. A step up from the decent 07 but still not quite up to earlier vintages. Nonetheless an excellent wine.
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First taste after opening was nothing special as it was up against 10 other bottles. Probably too much alcohol and heat after opening. 3 days later at midnight, I had another taste and was blown away by the fruits. Fruit explosion, caramel middle, mocha finish. Nice tannins, long lingering finish. A bit acidic. It's one that I had to have a second glass. Better without any food. Definitely worth getting more.
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Deep opaque ruby in color with aromas of spicy red berries, cherry and ripe plumb. Full body with balanced acidity and mild velvet tannins. This wine is lush and concentrated with hints of mocha and a long finish. The cab component plays an integral role here give much needed structure to this hedonistic fruit bomb.
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Opaque purple-colored, with some nice characteristics of Black cherry and raspberry with, loads of spicy vanilla oak, meat, rasin, rubber and fresh floral notes. The tannins were smooth and lucious, and long but extremely bitter on the back end. Needs time. 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. (Drink 2012-2018) - JD88
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Sessió de tast #1: Opened for 2+ hours. Opaque, powerful, brilliant color. Nose: Powerful and complex. Coffee with milk, candy, chocolate, forrest floor and ripe red fruit. Palate: Very impressive for its youth. Controlled explosiveness and very well balanced. Fruity, spicy, mouth-coating. Sweet tannins and very nice overall. Full bodied and a super long finish. Very approachable already.
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2 hour decant, needed it, some heat. well much better with a couple years in the bottle. strawberry, black berry and a hint of marzipan, pencil lead. very smooth tannins even at this stage
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Enormously concentrated and young wine. A mouth full. Cassis and cherries. In due time this will be a beauty, but give it at least another 5 years. 92++
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1/12/2024 - DH90 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Immediately after opening this wine, it showed beautiful fragrances of blackberries, violets, and Asian spices. With aeration more ripe fruit aromas were dominant including plums and prunes. It was nicely balanced despite the high alcohol content (15.5%). This is lovely at this point in its evolution but it also has the structure and fruit to last for another decade or more.
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12/30/2023 - j5614.person@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe jammy fruit but still balanced
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9/5/2023 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has the ‘X’ factor that I seek in a wine. Dark fruit, sandal wood with a touch of crushed rock. This wine has evolved nicely over the years. Great depth and texture. The nose was explosive with wonderful berry notes. This is one off the beaten path that is worth seeking out.
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7/26/2023 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Simply a great wine off the beaten path. There is so much going on in the glass. Dark fruit, iodine, vanilla bean and crushed mountain rock deliver the ‘X’ factor I look for in a wine. Great juice.
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6/23/2023 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit, underbrush, graphite and Mediterranean spice notes create a wine that has the “X” factor I seek. No hard edges. This wine is layered and full of excitement. It is in a perfect drinking window. Great juice.
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4/7/2023 - Joelene wrote: 91 Points
Still a big wine with lots of black fruit, easily could be mistaken as a Cali Cab. Well made and drinking nicely but very modern is style, alcohol is noticeable.
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2/7/2023 - kengle03 wrote:
It was 2010 not a 2008
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2/7/2022 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big wine, dark fruits, blackberry, currants, toasty oak, tobacco, well integrated tannins, long finish
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12/28/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark blueberry compote, some dried fruit, prune fig etc. Well integrated, low tannins. Has aged well. Enjoyable. Drink up
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11/14/2021 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dense and viscous with complex, slightly ripe blackberry, cherry and blueberry flavors, a hint of black pepper, vanilla and sweet oak. Hint of anise. long in the finish. I would give it a higher score but it's a tad too jammy for me.
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9/5/2021 - Engzrbunnie Likes this wine: 91 Points
2021 was a good time to drink this wine. It was rich and smooth. Rich in blackberries and jam.
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8/9/2021 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent. Superbly crafted as usual, this wine shows dusty notes of dark fruit, leather, toasted nutshells and dry finish. The mid palate is packed with dry black fruit and long finish shows tons of sweet tannins. This will drink well for quite some time. Lovely!
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8/7/2021 - DH90 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep black purple color. Ripe fruit aromas with blackberries, plums,and raisins dominating. Still enjoyable with sufficient fruit and structure for the high alcohol concentration.
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7/26/2021 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly now with dense, extracted raspberry fruit and fine tannins. Fruit is firm with hints of sweet vanillin oak and pencil. Long in the finish.
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1/31/2021 - jschnabel wrote: 92 Points
Age has mellowed this giant. The nose gives boysenberry, lavender and coconut. The palate share the nose, built on blue fruit base with a slight chocolate finish.
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1/11/2021 - KVM wrote:
Very dark. Huge black red fruit and Pport. Very concentrated Port flavours, weighty, grainy tannin. Exotic and tactile on the finish. Young and and slightly aggressive due to concentration and alcohol.
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12/27/2020 - winepog wrote: 91 Points
Very good. This was very enjoyable - age has been kind. Well integrated flavors, some tertiary. Big but elegant. Cheers!
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8/26/2020 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Although this has a few years left in it, it's starting to show a few hints of age. There's no need to rush, but it's time to start drinking these.
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8/9/2020 - redknife Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took to Bulla with my sister during quarantine a couple of months ago
Not a long decant
Wine was very alive and enjoyable
Drink soon
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5/21/2020 - Coupe 60 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted as part of a Clio vertical tasting (2008, 2010, and 2017). Was poured in glass for 15 min before drinking .
My favorite wine of the tasting, big rich hedonistic dark fruit. If you like an elegant feminine wine, this is not for you. As big as it was, it was balanced and tasty. Definitely more of a sipping wine than something to have with a meal. Mrs. Coupe described it as almost port like.
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2/23/2020 - redknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
Short decant and off to Perry’s with Bellas parents and the girls
Wine has evolved nicely from a fruit bomb to a smooth nicely integrated wine
At its peak now, full body with a nice balance of dark fruit, cigar box and acidity
Would drink within next 3-5 years
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1/5/2020 - winepog wrote: 89 Points
This is good, but seems too young in a way. Very big, almost too big. Also hot. Nothing subtle about it.
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12/29/2019 - redknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took to Phil’s place for a family dinner
Decanted for 45 mins
Very nice; a lot of the characteristic oaky nose is gone nicely integrated with the fruit
Wine is a very nice spot now
Don’t think this will get any better
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12/14/2019 - bablues wrote: 92 Points
9th Annual Holiday Dinner and Cellar Raid (Naperville, IL): Part of wine dinner and cellar raid so did not take detailed notes. Only got a small taste as this was the last bottle before the Cab Franc flight and was busy preparing. Always a hit with a large crowd
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12/11/2019 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
This has evolved somewhat over the past three years; it's better integrated, with tannins starting to soften, but it still shows the same powerful dark fruit profile with some light spice and a touch of jamminess. This remains an excellent and consistent value year after year, if you like the style.
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9/13/2019 - ADiamond wrote: 91 Points
My first taste was very jammy and fruit forward, as the dinner progress it settled down to a delicious wine
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9/12/2019 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought to E&K's for football. Was thoroughly enjoyed by the group as an aperatif. Lots of fruit and concentration as is typical of Clio, but with some nice peppery notes and just enough acidity to keep this from being ponderous. Last bottle of the '08, still have a couple '09s and '10s. Stopped buying this a while back but maybe I should pick up some more recent vintages.
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9/12/2019 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Pretty nose with nice floral spices that return on the finish with big and bright berry and pomegranate fruit. Seems like a young wine, shows little signs of aging at all, though perhaps the tannins may have relaxed. In a very nice place, probably stable here.
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9/3/2019 - Les Kangas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wife and I consumed in Reidel Syrah/Grenache glasses with bbq ribeye and we both thought a 94. Opened it about an hour before meal and it started to fade after about 2.5 hrs open. Wish I had more. Stored properly.
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7/10/2019 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
these are very special Spanish gems
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4/4/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Pretty similar to previous notes though this started out as quite brawny, woody and woolly - a bit wayward, though eventually settled after some time open. Generally pretty consistent across vintages and highly concentrated.
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2/8/2019 - WilD wrote: 92 Points
Drinking like a fat garnacha. Great wine. Nice acidity, nice flavours. Great mouvedre wine.
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1/9/2019 - Winerut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice. Aging well.
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12/27/2018 - TCKM wrote: 92 Points
Delicious.. deep and dark.
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12/7/2018 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Dark inky color. Concentrated and ripe. Spicy and full of ripe plum and black berries sweet fruit flavors. Medium long length and pleasant finish.
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11/29/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Kind of what I expected, given previous experience with this wine. Big and brawny, even at the ten year mark. Has a thick, deep and dark profile - some graphite and camphor, along with a bit of sweetness. Always a good performer at the price and pretty consistent across vintages.
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11/9/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and drank slowly over 6 hours. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was blueberry, currant, red meat, a touch a vanilla and smoke. At the end of the evening the finish which was moderate to long had the hint of menthol coming through
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10/6/2018 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Improved after about 30 minutes in the decanter
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9/8/2018 - rogerr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yes, this is still a ripe, extracted, wine. But it is beautifully integrated and the tannins are very silky. Aging very well (hard to tell it's almost a decade old.) This bottle had been cellard properly which probably helped.
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7/25/2018 - Doc90 Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Hot nose-EtOH, baked bread, leather, blueberries. Jammy. Primary flavors are dark chocolate and blueberries. But damn, the alcohol really ruins it. Unbalanced. I don't get the hype for this one. If tasted blind, I might guess Port.
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5/9/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
We opened for an hour then poured through a vintorio. Dark colors in the glass. The palate was blueberry, blackberry, red currants and charred meat which led to a lightly smokey finish.
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3/29/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 92 Points
I’d recommend decanting this for an hour. Initially it’s very sloppy and sweet (think communion). After an hour structure starts to emerge along with notes of espresso and glycerin. Still huge wine dominated by sticky/syrupy blue/purple fruit, vanilla extract, chassis, and a very Spanish stewed herbaceousness. I’d drink these now.
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11/29/2017 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brought to K & Es for a discussion. No detailed notes but was drinking well. Oak much better integrated than I remember from the last bottle some years ago, and still loads of fruit
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11/6/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Obviously a full bodied Chris Ringland from Jumilla with plenty of extract. I was surprised how well this aged given its mass. Still somewhat structured with alcohol completely buried behind a soft palate of back/blue fruits, vanilla, baking spices, and plenty of oak. Has a few years left but won’t improve from here.
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6/19/2017 - jackiefeld Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very smooth! Great call by Redmond Fine Wine
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5/8/2017 - MatLot Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gros gros jus, une coche en haut de plusieurs vins, grande qualité, encore de la place pour plusieurs années. Plaisir garantit ! A+++
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2/11/2017 - Bellissimo wrote:
Big, modern, but well made and balanced for what it is. Like our previous bottle rich opulent blue/black fruits, anise, bit of vanilla followed by a black tea finish. Tannins are integrating nicely.
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2/10/2017 - WilD wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Top nose and palate is superb. Great experience. Nice acid. Alcohol level not noticable. Nice!!! Keep my last bottle for three years.
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11/20/2016 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine that goes well with steak. The oak is better integrated now that the wine has a little more age. Less coconut on the nose than I remembered. 15.5% alcohol is fairly well concealed. Concentrated dark berries.
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11/11/2016 - eyeguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
first of 6 bottles we have. still young with moderate tannins on the back end, great deep color, fruit forward nose. We liked it and are looking forward to seeing how we feel about it in a year.
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11/5/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red, big time fruit, like the balance, big but not overdone
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11/5/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
30th Birthday Party - Sitti - Raleigh (Sitti Raleigh): Plum, fig, dark fruit & earth
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10/16/2016 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted via vinturi and drunk through the evening. Blueberry jam, currant and blackberry nose. Rich palate adds red fruit, firm medium tannins. This wine is in its prime, no sign of aging, good for another ten years at least.
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10/3/2016 - RDHudak wrote: 93 Points
As before, and still drinking young. A great value in a big wine. 93+
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9/25/2016 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Almost no sense of aging, the same uber rich, fruity oak monster it was when drunk 5 years ago. Heat is noticeable but not distracting, gobs of vanilla, chalk, dark red and black fruit, coats the tongue. Based on this bottle, this would seem to have a very long life ahead of it.
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7/9/2016 - rufuswashere wrote: 93 Points
A big favorite. Told the assembled some said it was "indulgent" wine -- to which one said, "Why shouldn't wine always taste indulgent." You get the idea. We all loved it.
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6/19/2016 - JonnyG Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Age has not served this well. Whereas I'd hoped the syrupy oak would integrate, the overwhelming vanilla and extracted sweetness just didn't work, no matter how hard I tried.
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5/5/2016 - prasm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped 1 hour before first pour, consumed over 2 hours. Nose: Expressive scents of violets, black berry, blueberry, chewing tobacco, shoe leather, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark fruit and spice attack, builds in intensity thru the mid-palate where a solid acidic back-bone appears, back-end shows a big spice kick joining in the bold sweet fruit attack. Finish: Lengthy sense of spicy dark fruit, tobacco, and leather. This is a big boy wine that is in mid-stride. If you like New World fruit bombs this is the wine for you, fortunately I do.
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5/3/2016 - RichardP wrote: 94 Points
This has integrated and opened up nicely. Pop and pour. On the nose, plum and camphor. On the palate, plum, blackberry, black pepper, and blueberry, with earthy notes and good acidity on a medium to long finish. This is excellent, and it is in its drinking window. I don't expect it to improve, but it should hold for several years yet.
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2/28/2016 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sweet nose, big body, almost port-like with 15.5%. Silky tannins, dark berry, smoke, and leather on the long finish. A little too hot on the finish.
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1/12/2016 - UofM Likes this wine: 93 Points
same as previous tasting notes. all gone...
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1/1/2016 - Cyberpana wrote: 94 Points
Expecional Jumilla Bodegas El Nido really shines with this wine. Strong bodied, great with meat, lamb. One of the best from Spain
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12/17/2015 - Rojo Likes this wine: 94 Points
All systems go on this one! Impeccable balance, every component in good harmony. Dark fruits in aroma and palate; with leather. For the quality year in year out, Clio is on the top.
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11/19/2015 - Ludi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rubino cupissimo. Al naso la parte del cabernet è ben presente, con after eight, pepe nero macinato, grafite. Al monastrell è affidata la parte fruttata (mirtillo, mora, prugna). Note speziate in sottofondo. Bocca potente, rotonda, molto parkeriana ma intrigante. Lunghissimo
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11/7/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich purple in color. Cedar, wet stones, which then explodes with blueberry cobbler, vanilla, and multiple layers of dark fruit. Good tannic structure, finishes with hints of smoke and pepper. Still young with years to go.
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10/25/2015 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
I felt the last bottle I drank of this wine was too oaky (see 6/22/14). Well, tonight my reaction is completely different. This Clio is bursting with fruit (blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry) without being heavy, jammy, or syrupy. Superb length. Refreshing acidity. Sweet tannins. Minimal oak on the nose or palate. Is this bottle variation or evolution over time? The next bottle will tell...
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10/16/2015 - Dasher wrote: 85 Points
It was a little aged for some reason.
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9/28/2015 - RDHudak wrote: 94 Points
CHainthroer is right on with his notes. A conservative 94+, with a chance of a higher score in the future. Despite the fact that it's drinking wonderfully, it is still a bit young. This is the best wine I've had in a while.
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9/21/2015 - Chainthroer wrote: 94 Points
Last tasted 16 months ago. The tannins have somewhat resolved compared to the last tasting, but still very slightly noticeable. Otherwise, the wine is about the same: complex aromas of blackberry, black currant, some mint, smoke, herbs and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors along with blueberry and a touch of black pepper. Big, powerful and rich. Lavish and velvety in the mouth. Score now 94. Wish I had more!
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6/23/2015 - UofM Likes this wine: 93 Points
Didn't disappoint. Shared with friends at the beach, with grilled meats and veggies. Big flavors; tobacco, dark berries, leather. Tannins have integrated nicely.
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6/7/2015 - peeks13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasting well, i.e. tasting like Clio, still primary but just a touch of secondary starting to peek out. If you like young Clio this is still there.
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5/18/2015 - ZachF88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great after 90 min decant
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4/26/2015 - RichardP wrote: 91 Points
Camphor on the nose. On the palate, jammy cherry and black fruit with strong black pepper and notes of plum and vanilla on the medium to long finish. It has developed a bit of complexity, but I think I liked it a bit better with less age on it. Still good value for what it is.
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3/14/2015 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Red cherry, silky tannins (after decant), tar, licorice, good finish
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3/5/2015 - AP MD Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like black pepper, vanilla and coconut. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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2/15/2015 - KAP wrote: 92 Points
If you like fruit, vanilla, oak and heft, this is the wine for you. Not for the faint of heart. Always great QPR. Better even on night 3.
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1/31/2015 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was my first Clio purchase and I was really quite happy with it. Layers of spicy and jammy red fruit with some pepper and purple floral aromas. Similar flavors on the palate with really pure black cherry flavors, a bit of cherry cough drop and some creamy oak on the back end. The american oak was much more subtle than expected and was not overdone at all. The wine let the purity of the fruit show through and it was very lush and smooth on the palate with a nice finish. I think it is in a great place right now and probably drank better for my palate now than it would have a few years ago.
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1/25/2015 - Bellissimo wrote:
Big, modern, in your face. Rich opulent blue/black fruits, vanilla, anise yet for all its flamboyance you really don't sense the alcohol. Not for the AFWE but there is a big wine world out there and sometimes its OK to be hedonistic.
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12/19/2014 - heythatslife wrote: 89 Points
To sum up, very jammy. If you bought this you knew that going in. The fruit was voluptuous and rich, with some vanilla and spice, which made it very attractive yet it failed to interest me for want of complexity. Maybe i didn't give it a fair chance by drinking right after opening.
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11/27/2014 - KAP wrote: 90 Points
A little tight still
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11/2/2014 - pkatz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Youthful, but well-resolved tannins. Fruit jumps out of the glass. Modern style.
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10/29/2014 - km5 wrote:
Dont remember. Finished in MKE Bavette summertime.
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7/17/2014 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
This started off with port like characteristics or amarone notes. Made me worried a bit until about after an hour of breathing. Wow. Still super huge but it took on an almost aussie syrah like style. Herbs de province and chewy black pepper. Lots of 10w-40 weight and heavy black hanging fruit. Chewy, chewy, chewy. Suprising is how well balanced and not hot you think it could be. Delicious and great for dessert.
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7/13/2014 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice nose, dark berries, good body, long finish, good acidity and soft tannins.
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6/22/2014 - Wink Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark opaque purple. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, & oak. Ripe, full palate of blackberry, blueberry, spice, and oak. Excellent length. Bright acidity. Youthful tannins. Still a bit too oaky.
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5/17/2014 - grover91 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Clio never disappoints! Interest, complex, perfectly balanced, great fruit. The star of the evening this one.
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5/15/2014 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted approx. 45 min. ... Simply gorgeous! One of the very best vintages of one of my very favorite wines, year in and out. In a beautiful place right now.
Opens with that blackberry and cream lushness Clio is known for, without being cloying. There's a dry, earthy mid and a finish dotted with Christmas spice. Alcohol is well integrated and it's not at all hot. Really just lovely and rich, lush and smooth. Well balanced, with enough structure to keep it from being flabby, this is big, all-out wine done right. Simply stunning!
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4/26/2014 - Bellissimo wrote:
9 months since the last bottle and this tannins have settled down. Still a big, modern fruit driven wine with lots of oak. Blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, licorice and black tea on the finish. Not for the AWFE crowd but sometimes that's OK.
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4/19/2014 - zinnut wrote: 94 Points
An incredible wine. Good bit of oak but well integrated. Huge black fruit. Blackberry. Complex and well balanced. Had with aged ribeye steaks. Love this wine.
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4/7/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 90 Points
Very rich, ripe and dark aromas. Balanced, full and nice. Wood spice and more dark fruit on the palate.
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4/6/2014 - RDHudak wrote: 92 Points
Way too primary on day 1, with loads of prune, plumb and tobacco. Seemed all over the place. I corked and placed back in the cellar. Day 3 showed a nicely balanced and structured wine with earthy fruit, tobacco and dusty tannins. I dumped a glass on day 1 and wish I had just given it a healthy decant. 88 on day 1, 92 day 3.
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4/6/2014 - cvargas wrote: 92 Points
Big. Powerful. Grilled Lamb rosemary.
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4/5/2014 - vanderpee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very full bodied, drinking well now but give it some air beforehand. Ripe fruit, tobacco, vanilla and herbal notes. Still going strong after 3 days.
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4/2/2014 - sellerscellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
As consistent as ever. Beautiful and elegant. Big alcohol that blows off after a short decant. Smooth, supple, rich...but not flabby in the least. Opulent. Delicious.
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3/23/2014 - tautlinehitch wrote: 91 Points
Big, dark nose of blueberry, briar and white pepper, blackberry and stone fruit. Palate is full and tart, tannins in the background. Probably not getting a lot better, but no hurry - lots of life left.
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2/21/2014 - Periko wrote: 91 Points
PnP. As usual, it's powerful with plenty of red ripe fruit however it's losing a bit of intensity. Alcohol just a bit noticeable. On palate its big and bold but quite rounded and drinks well. Better than last bottle. Paired well with cheese. I see no reason to wait more on this, so pop one, drink and enjoy.
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1/25/2014 - David_T wrote: 88 Points
Either my palate has changed or this was showing much better when I had my first bottle in 2012. Pleasant aromas of red fruits (cherry/currant/raspberry), grilled meat and a bit of herbs. The palate isn't as complex as the aromas; it is mostly jammy though the fruits do mirror the nose, again a hint of herbs. Some oak but little acidic/tannic structure. The 15.5 abv is still integrated. Maybe this will age further, maybe it's shut down right now but at this point I'm not anticipating much from this wine in the future though I hope I'm wrong.
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11/15/2013 - ReedC wrote: 90 Points
A muted nose. Earthy. Primary flavors of pepper and coffee. Definitely drank better as the night wore on. Worth a good, long decant.
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11/9/2013 - stantheman wrote: 93 Points
Vibrant fruit, big, luscious, nice finish. This Spanish wine is a poster child for the wonderful fruit that goes on and on and on.
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11/9/2013 - Decanthor wrote: 90 Points
This was a bit disappointing for me only because I know what Clio is capable of. Still a great wine that was really enjoyed by all. Muted nose and a bit closed at first, so decant for about 45 - 60 minutes. Full-bodied and creamy, with dark fruits, mocha, and vanilla. Spice on the finish, with the alcohol a bit noticeable.
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10/17/2013 - Azbearoh wrote: 92 Points
Big bold fruit and long finish
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10/4/2013 - Yankee wrote: 93 Points
Let this one open up but when it does it is deep & concentrated with notes of black cherry, tobacco leaf, dry firewood, spice & vanilla ~ Beautiful
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9/7/2013 - caeleric Likes this wine:
yet another stellar showing of this wine. might need to seek out some more, as it seems to be getting better and better. score remains consistent, and tasting balances earthy complexity with juicy black and red fruits.
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9/7/2013 - redknife Likes this wine: 94 Points
not everybody's style but I like it. Big, mouth coating with dark fruits, chocolate and a touch of vanilla. long finish.
Potential to go 5-10 more years
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8/25/2013 - Gordonium wrote:
Opened, decanted, and put back in the cellar for three hours, so we could come back to it after dinner. You have to like the style: boozy, very ripe, very extracted, a thousand percent new oak. As an after dinner wine, however, it actually worked fairly well. We just pretended it was a port. Not for the light-hearted. Wouldn't buy it again, but definitely wasn't offended by it. Clearly, there's a tremendous fan base for this style and Clio in particular.
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6/25/2013 - JVG wrote: 80 Points
Color: Deep maroon fading toward magenta at the edge.
Nose: Big and assertive, with rich, super-ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit aromas that stray toward the artificial side. Behind the fruit are savory notes of smoke and seared meat and quite a bit of oak, adding a burnt wood scent, christmas tree, and dashes of cinnamon, ginger, and dill. There's also a hint of menthol tobacco and some alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Very full bodied and sticky
Palate: I actually like the flavor profile, with its juicy dark brambly fruit (blueberry, blackberry, huckleberry, etc.) and its smoky, spicy undercurrent, but it just goes off the deep end with concentration and alcohol. It starts burning while still in the mouth, almost like liquor, and the finish is so hot, bitter, and syrupy that it makes you grimace. A few sips is plenty.
Just don't understand this style. I think there's good land behind this, but the wine they made just isn't enjoyable. Label states 15.5% alcohol, and I'm sure it's more than that (could legally be up to 16.5%). I would complain about a port that was this hot ...
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6/21/2013 - grover91 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clio always pleases! Ready to drink and recommend decanting. Robust fruit, great structure and balance. Bravo!
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6/20/2013 - ksde wrote: 92 Points
A bold wine that fires on all cylinders. If you decant and wait, this wine will evolve into an elegant micro sipper. Great nose, tannins and fruit! For the pop and pour, deduct a point - after 4 hours in decanter, add a point. I love a wine that evolves and goes somewhere!
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6/1/2013 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
I usually drink these 1 week after they are bottled and I took this one out of the cellar. It was showing it's age a little bit, the collor around the rim had changed a bit which was suprizing to me. Lots of dark sweet fuit and mild wood notes. It is different and still very good. I'm just used to this being SO sweet and viscous that it is a new experience to have this with a little age. It was a bit hot, the alcohol was noticed and just a hint out of balance but still an excellent wine.
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5/26/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dark in the glass. Intense bluish/purple color. The nose is immensely rich and opulent. Spice from the wood, cloves, vanilla, and dark fruit. The palate is rich with nice tannic structure. Goes down very smooth.
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5/25/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Dark, dark garnet; somewhat opaque. Initially, I got a mint and lavender-like aroma, which blew off after a few minutes. Then, complex aromas of blackberry, black currant, smoke, herbs and cigar box from the oak. Similar flavors along with blueberry and a touch of black pepper. Big, powerful and rich. Lavish and velvety in the mouth. The tannins are not totally resolved, leaving very slight acidic feeling on the tongue and finish. The finish is long.
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2/9/2013 - Gators1in2012 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Great color, very smooth and the oak taste is very good.
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1/11/2013 - prasm wrote: 90 Points
Popped one hour before first pour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, initially displayed cassis and grapefruit, after about an hour the grapefruit transitioned into camphor and smoke along with the black fruit cassis and black berry scents. Palate: Medium-full bodied, sweet dark fruit attack joined by an acidic kick thru the mid-palate, leather, spice and pepper appear towards the back-end. Finish: Medium length sense of camphor and dark fruit.
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1/8/2013 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
We decanted the wine for 30 minutes before we poured the first glass and the wine kept improving as time passed. It offered red fruit, cherry, blackberry, plum, anise, vanilla and a hint of espresso on the nose. On the palate the full-bodied wine showed sweet ripe fruit (without being jammy), espresso and some chocolate, paired with medium to high acidity, ripe and well-integrated tannin, a smooth mouthfeel and very good length. I particularly liked the lingering espresso note. The wine contained the alcohol (15.5% ABV) very well. It was less outspoken and more restrained than the 2009. For drinking now to mid-term I hence prefer the delicious 2009, but the 2008 might be the longer-lived wine and might actually turn out to be the better wine mid- to long-term. I would hold my bottles for two years.
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12/26/2012 - bmarshall wrote: 92 Points
A real crowd pleaser again on Christmas eve eve. Everyone loved it. I great wine, but not quite my perfect style. A gigantic fruit bomb with a a very full, round palate and a finish that lingers. Well made for sure.
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11/28/2012 - Rob and Meg wrote: 85 Points
Bold aromas of sweet dark fruits, toasted oak, black pepper, and smoke. The palate is similarly expansive, showing thick, ripe dark cherries, plum, and cassis over hints of herbs and sweet spice. The finish is framed by sturdy, tannins, with dried red fruits, vanilla, and frank oak. This very modern, full bodied, and candied but somehow seems to work for those who enjoy that style. For us, however, it is overblown in every way. Tasty ripe fruit, but devoid of place or freshness. R&M 85
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11/23/2012 - ADiamond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning wine, rich, bold, a little hot, but it did not detract. Deep ruby red, with deep berry, and currant flavor. Intense nose. Wow, and at $40, simply amazing
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11/19/2012 - Tocororo wrote: 93 Points
Simply delicious. Brought to a Spanish restaurant and was an excellent complement to large variety of Tapas
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11/13/2012 - Arthur4wine wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful!
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10/28/2012 - MindMuse wrote: 91 Points
BAM!
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10/19/2012 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely delicious, consistent with my prior notes.
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9/17/2012 - km5 wrote:
drank in riu guanacaste. it was alright...nuthin mind blowing
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9/16/2012 - bmarshall wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Classic Clio. Enjoyed at Hunt's beach house for Boys Weekend.
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8/24/2012 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really delicious over 3 days. Always dependable, just don't over analyze it.
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8/10/2012 - sterin wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. I was less impressed with this vintage than the 2006 and 2007. Not showing much on the nose and there is a good dose of oak on the palate. Concentrated and dense, I will wait a few years before drinking my remaining bottles.
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8/6/2012 - Periko wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Consumed over two days. Intense bouquet of licorice, candy, sweet plum. On palate it's powerful with that sweet touch, balanced and fresh enough, although you can feel it's on verge to becoming a little bit heavy on palate, specially after a few glasses and if temperature goes too high. Overall, again a regular wine, ideally for a couple of glasses. Showed better on day two.
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7/14/2012 - Bellissimo wrote:
Poured into a decanter, consumed over 4 hours. Dark ripe fruit, toasted oak, anise, slightly alcoholic. Seriously big, lush and modern. Good acids, tannins are grippy. Lots of sediment in the wine. There is a place and time for big and bold and this would fit that bill every time.
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6/27/2012 - WineScoundrel wrote: 91 Points
A crowd-pleaser.
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6/15/2012 - prasm wrote: 91 Points
Popped 2 hours before first pour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Expressive scents of smoke, black licorice, blackberry and rhubarb. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark fruit up front, joined by spicy pepper kick and menthol through the mid-palate and back-end. Finish: Medium-plus length sense of sweet dark fruit and menthol.
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5/31/2012 - caeleric wrote:
this is my favorite vintage of Clio I've had to date. as this integrates, it's creeping into the 94-95 point range. pnp took about 15 to fully open. a rock star of a wine.
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5/26/2012 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Delicious again. Better on the 2nd day.
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5/24/2012 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash decant and poured through Vinturi ... 2012 Anniversary dinner ... My very first impression was that this vintage of Clio has mellowed a bit. It's not a wild fruit bomb, or cocktail wine. The rich blue and black fruit notes, while still at the forefront, are better integrated with a good acidic balance and firm, but not off-putting, tannic backbone. The vanilla notes have also softened and blended into the background and are no longer a top note. The smokey bacon bits on the backend just add to this wine's mystique. My only knock is it's still a touch hot, but not overwhelming and, if given a longer decant, or just a bit more bottle age, I'm confident it will blow off.
Rich, lush and oh-so-smoth, Clio is, for us, one of THE most consistently great wines going, year in and year out. This is our fourth or fifth vintage and each has been remarkable. All told, currently our very favorite wine at any price point. The fact that something this good is available for under 40 bones is simply remarkable, in my opinion.
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5/18/2012 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Average nose of spices, red fruit, very powerfull... in the mouth, red berries, herbaceous, average lenght
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4/28/2012 - Wesley wrote: 93 Points
Rich complex great finish of white pepper and spice holds up well with food
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4/7/2012 - RandyC wrote: 94 Points
blackberry fruit and oak on the nose. A very smooth well made wine with signifiant structure and balance. This is one giant of a wine but yet still delicate. Very good job.
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3/31/2012 - Blanchette wrote: 94 Points
Robe pourpre et violine,nez étonnamment raffiné pour le style, certes concentré et profond, mais d'un raffinement aromatique le positionne chez les grands.Bouche tout aussi éclatante,pure, fraîche et détaillée, sans aucune lourdeur malgré les 15,5% d'alcool.Violette,cassis, et mûre participent au cocktail.Une odeur de vanille est présente ainsi qu'une subtile arôme de torréfaction.
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3/31/2012 - Soleman wrote: 93 Points
Big fruity boquet (blackberry/blueberry) that lets you know what's in store. Not as spicy as the 09, this Clio is well balanced, lots of fruit, with hints of licorice and vanilla. Very nice finish with a hint of acidity.
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3/24/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP. Dark ruby toward purple color, no sign of age. As with a lot of Clio's, this was ready to go upon opening, and didn't seem to change that much throughout the bottle (save for day #2, see below). A bit of an atypical Clio: Restrained, struggles to express its true nature. Average + acidity (which will outlive the fruit and tannins). Suggestions of the 15,5% abv on night one, none on night #2. Went well with my 14hr pulled pork (with star anise kicker) and chipotle berry coulis. Might have been bottle variation, but this was not the usual nitro powered vice grip. Bright on night 1, modest, behaved on night 2. Notwithstanding all that, it just wasn't that interesting (read: too monolithic for me), but still, fairly well made thanks to the purity of fruit. Score: B+/A-
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3/23/2012 - David_T wrote: 92 Points
The aromas gained complexity as the wine opened up. A bit muted at first, but later shows red fruit, a bit of oak/vanilla, raw meat and a hint of spice & heat. Raspberry, blackberry and black cherry notes come through on the palate which rounds out with some vanilla. Light acidity and medium tannins. The best part of the wine for me is the smooth finish which lasts quite a long while featuring red fruit and vanilla. The 15.5 alcohol is balanced and not noticeable other than the nose. Clearly quite young but already tasty and has a bright future ahead of it.
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3/12/2012 - The Lonz wrote: 93 Points
Im a new world wine drinker but tend to stick to cabernets that are not over the top. I decided to spin the dice and picked up this bottle of 08 Clio. This is a great wine. AS soon as I opened this it smelled great. Poured into a decanter and let sit for two hours. So much fruit but not sickening sweet like some other new world bombs that I have had. This wine has initial upfront fruit then transitions into a nice mellow finish with no sign of alcohol or a fake taste. Overall really happy that I found a fruit bomb wine that I can enjoy when I feel like one. Cheers
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3/3/2012 - franco rosso wrote: 95 Points
A great wine. Light nose of berries, vanilla. Light, but not flimsy taste, easy on the tannins, elegant flavors of fruit, little bit of oak, and a grand finish. Well integrated and extremely enjoyable. Outstanding qpr. I highly recommend this wine.
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2/26/2012 - rufuswashere wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely loved this wine -- big bold fruit, great spice, long finish. Tasted just as good on night two.
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2/22/2012 - Periko wrote: 87 Points
Opened for 30 min. Consumed over two days. Medium intensity on nose: toasted aromas, vanilla, cinnamon, candy, licorice and strawberries... a bit tight compared to previous bottles. On palate and in day one this bottle disappoints; dry, astringent, too much licorice and candy but quite fruity though... however no fresnesh, very very heavy on palate to the point that it makes it difficult to drink. On day two tried it with heavier food - it did improve - but the same feeling arose as I had a glass without food. Could it be a below average bottle or could it be this wine (or vintage, due to its lack of freshness) can't rally pair with food, but I see a trend in my 4 tasting notes.... every bottle has been a bit worse than the previous one. Quite disappointed.
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1/28/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blueberry, black fruit, smoke, tar, leather, vanilla, anise, spice, espresso. On the palate, bluberry, plum, mocha, pepper, anise, leather. Well balanced on the finish, the alcohol is not as apparent as previous bottles. Drink or contiue to hold, no hurry.
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1/24/2012 - Arthur4wine wrote: 92 Points
It just keeps getting better. A big red that goes well with food.
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1/22/2012 - sbfern wrote: 90 Points
Big. Heavy good.
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1/16/2012 - Brandon T. wrote: 88 Points
Black in color. Big 15.5% ABV wine, though the fruit actually isn't too jammy. Still, a bit of a hot mess right now even with decant. I really liked this wine at a tasting 6 months ago, so I'm not sure how to explain the difference. Will wait a good while before drinking the other one.
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12/28/2011 - vancouvermatt wrote: 93 Points
Very jammy at 15.5% alcohol, incredibly fruit forward, but tasted a little bit "Fake" and forced almost. Nontheless, I didn't pick up any heat, and the wine had a great mouthfeel with a supple texture.
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12/25/2011 - UofM wrote: 91 Points
Had with leg of lamb for Christmas dinner. Always a hit and once again didn't disappoint. Full bodied, big fruit.
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12/24/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior notes.
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12/17/2011 - psakion wrote: 92 Points
Worth $40. Nice tannins, nice nose. Would buy again for $40.
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12/11/2011 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
I opened this on special request at the end of our 12/11/11 Spanish wine tasting. It had an intense, ripe and jammy bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, smoke, mocha, chocolate, coffee and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and jammy with flavors that followed the nose.
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12/3/2011 - bullmrkt wrote:
Im surprised so many have scored this, because its far from ready to drink. Right now its as backward, upside down and unbalanced as wine gets. Hot oaky nose, hot oaky palate, hot finish. Hot mess. Pick up a 2006 or 2005 for an example of what this can do when everything comes together, and keep these on the shelf for another 2 years.
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12/3/2011 - km5 wrote:
prob second favorite of night at la sirene
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11/30/2011 - douggator wrote: 92 Points
A very nice wine every year, a lot of fruit without being over the top or too sweet driven by a nice balance.
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11/22/2011 - Stefanos T. wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby colour, very intense spicy nose with a touch of band-aid. Full bodied and flavourful with high acidity to balance. Modern in a blockbuster style but at the same time has an air of authenticity. Chocolate, mocha, fig and raisin flavours in the palate. Full but not over the top.
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11/19/2011 - Holagatitos wrote: 93 Points
Very young and very fruit forward--this needs a lot more time in the bottle.
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11/13/2011 - Arthur4wine wrote: 92 Points
Very fruit forward a delicious wine. Still young but drinkable right now.
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11/11/2011 - KHILL wrote: 93 Points
very very tight
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10/30/2011 - RandyC wrote: 93 Points
Huge blackberry fruit on the nose - with a good amount of oak. This was a pop and pour but it was still very good, I imagine it would do much better with some time in a decanter. Very dark and extremely powerful wine.
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10/23/2011 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
On popping the cork, the nose was effusive with blackberry and blueberry fruit, and a good whiff of oak. On the palate, the oak initially was pretty overbearing. After 3 hours in the decanter, this had come more into balance. I was surprised with how much acidic structure there is to this wine to go along with robust tannins. Definitely not flabby. For my palate, it still needs a few years for the oak and tannins to integrate. Normally, I would pan a wine with this much oak, but in this case I think it will end up in balance with time. There is such a dense core of black fruit and licorice and black pepper, and I'm not worried about the fruit lasting until the structure smooths out a bit. Karen liked it now more than I did. I can see this getting to 93-94 points, but not yet.
UPDATE, 10/25/11: Had poured off half the bottle immediately to a 375 and put back in the celar. Drank the remaining half bottle today (2 days later), and both of us thought the wine was improved. The oak was much more subdued, the wine a bit smoother, and there was a nice licorice note on the finish which persisted nicely. I would give this 92+ points now, and I think this bodes well for the future. With a few more years in the cellar, this should be very nice.
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10/22/2011 - vinaigre wrote: 92 Points
Depp ruby red-purple. Nice full nose of blueberries, blackberries and cassis. Nice moutfeel with present but approachable tannin's. Well balance acidity. A little heat from the alcohol. Nice length. Need a bit of time to meld together.
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10/21/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with prior my notes.
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10/16/2011 - neurovino wrote: 93 Points
5th Anniv. drama - Owen 104.8 temp; cancelled dinner plans; Had this with braised pork shank and roasted chicken from Guglhupf. Popped and double decanted with Vinturi. More approachable early, compared to usual (due to decanting?). Went very well with the rustic meats. Full, juicy, oaky, and satisfying. K's favorite.
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10/13/2011 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
As good as I remember. Perfect balance between fruit and oak. This wine is delicious.
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10/13/2011 - bsreid wrote:
with beef bourguinon. very tight and tannic with tons of fruit below
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10/9/2011 - jfpwine wrote: 93 Points
Very smooth wine. Coffee aroma and nice oak ( but not overwhelming) on the palate. Still some tannins on the finish, suggesting some aging potential. Love it.
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9/26/2011 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Drank over 2 days. Actually better on the second day. Consistent with previous.
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9/21/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
never fails to impress anyone who i introduce to it. wonderful balance between hedonistic ripe fruit and american oak on one hand, and earthy complexity and animale characteristics intrinsic to mourvedre in the other hand. another awesome bottle of clio.
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9/19/2011 - Dasher wrote: 94 Points
Big wine drink great right now!
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9/10/2011 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Fantastic - consistent with previous.
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9/7/2011 - douggator wrote: 96 Points
A big wine with lost of darf red fruit and well integrated tannins for smmoth long finish.
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8/28/2011 - DGR wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of black pepper and cloves. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish.
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8/28/2011 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK M+T'S Birthday Party. No BB. 91+ More restrained than I remember. That's good.
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8/20/2011 - Ed B wrote: 92 Points
Rich. Full mouthfeel. Very nice wine.
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8/12/2011 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I can't add to any elses comments. This stuff ROCKS! Give it a couple hours to soften up and its satin. Must buy more...
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7/31/2011 - rralls wrote: 90 Points
90 for now, with an upside of a few points in a couple of years
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7/24/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
very similar to previous experience, but i decanted for about 4 hours this time around. this helped to integrate everything, making the wine even more enjoyable. clio is the bomb!
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7/23/2011 - neurovino wrote: 92 Points
Agree with others, decant is important. Just taste it along the way to a three hour decant and it becomes clear.
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7/22/2011 - mguglielmo Likes this wine: 92 Points
2+ hour decant, with aeration. What a huge wine! Even after more than 2 hours in the decanter it's still showing giant levels of spice, tannins, heat, and fruit. In other words, it's a beast. Rich garnet in color, loads of thick legs, and the closed-down nose that greets you after initially popping the cork opens up to reveal spicy floral notes combined with overripe dark fruits. The alcohol is definitely evident (and at 15.5% that comes as no surprise). As for the palate, I was actually taken aback at just how rich and complex it was. Ripe blueberries, sugary jam, more than an ample hint of dark chocolate, and peppery spices combine to form an amazingly intense and delicious wine. Once decanted, the powerful tannins integrate well, but it's clear this is still anywhere from 1-3 years young still. Definitely full-bodied with an incredibly lengthy finish, this wine never seems to end. Thankfully I've got 2 more bottles to sit on for a few years. Amazing.
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7/17/2011 - bmarshall wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured... Classic Clio - huge nose of blueberries, flowers, vanilla and candied fruit. Huge, plush palate chalked full of fruit and vanilla. Nice, long finish.
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7/16/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Big nose of blueberry, boysenberry, smoke, spicy oak, vanilla, anise, mocha. On the palate blueberry, black plum, milk chocolate, pepper, anise. Nice finish with a touch of heat. Drink or hold.
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7/16/2011 - MicklethePickle wrote: 92 Points
Stupendous wine in every way right from the get-go. Brilliant ruby red which lightly speeds red around the glass. Nose is filled with spicy fruit with an iron, minerally aspect that makes for a totally interesting aroma. On the palate it is tightly wound but still offers up plenty to like even now. Powerful fruit wrapped in some tannins signal a long life ahead but it's enjoyable, even fascinating, now, if a touch on the rough side. Finish is long and lingering. Quite a wine. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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7/9/2011 - Mel-o-Vino wrote: 92 Points
This is a BIG wine...fortunately, I love powerful wines, especially when they are beautifully balanced. We decanted for an hour or so. The nose was all over the place with sweet herbs, dark cherry, cedar box, toasted marshmallows, vanilla. The palate had strong flavors of dark fruit, blueberry, anise and cassis. Big finish of licorice, dark fruit and vanilla. We loved it!
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6/26/2011 - garambler wrote: 93 Points
I took this to a friends 6/26/11 Paella dinner. It had a huge, ripe, powerful and jammy bouquet of blueberry, boysenberry, smoke, mocha, chocolate, coffee and spice aromas. The palate was ripe, jammy, smooth, round and delicious with flavors that followed the nose. 92+
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6/25/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part Three - Grand Finale (Madison, WI): WIML92+/-?
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Dark garnet to purple color in the class, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberries, chocolate, smoke, white pepper and plum. Flavors of berries, currants, plums and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. I'd likely hold myself.
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6/25/2011 - petitblanc wrote:
CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): Showing the usual tremendous sweet fruit and warm wood, growing harshly alcoholic through the finish. Not scored.
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6/25/2011 - IWineAlot wrote: 91 Points
CT Wisconsin Offline (Madison, WI): Massive Spanish red. Very tight on the nose and palate. Needs more time in bottle or decanting time. Very jammy dark fruit, chocolate and plenty of spice. Big burly tannins.
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6/19/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 89 Points
chocolate, smoke, rich fruits and currant. big wine. nice.
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6/18/2011 - ErnestWorthing wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at the sampler. Chocolate, raisin, spicy, slightly thin.
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6/15/2011 - ammlopez wrote:
A friend opened this wine. It was spectacular. And after 30 minutes, it was even better. I bought some bottles for myself and will wait a bit before drinking. 94pts
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6/9/2011 - conga523 wrote: 92 Points
Nose has a little menthol mixed with oak, blueberries, and syrup. Taste is completely opposite of what you ate expecting from the nose. Very luscious. Thick, slightly chewy with a finish that is 2 parts. An intense pepper and spice with a long velvet like back side with vanilla and oak.
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6/1/2011 - Dasher wrote: 95 Points
Smooth drinking. Lots of Tannis.
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5/28/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
Saturdays at One - Volume 49: WIML91
Tasted non blind at a retail tasting.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of smoke, chocolate, florals, white pepper and Kirsch. Flavors of rich black berries, black cherries, plums and a bit of currants. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now through the next 7 years plus or minus.
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5/23/2011 - Porchino wrote: 88 Points
nothing like the first level el nido
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5/10/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
big round and sweet black and blue fruit, glycerin; some earth and just enough acidity to keep it from being flabby; not my style
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5/8/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Great wine!
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5/2/2011 - bablues wrote: 92 Points
This gets better and better with every bottle. Need to hold off for a while and let it evolve and drink along side 06 or 07 to truly judge this.
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4/30/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Spain and Portugal Potpourri (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Dark. High toned woody aromatics. Round, sweet blueberry flavors that are JUST short of being syrupy. Too much wood but reasonable acidity and some grip on the finish. Not for me.
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4/17/2011 - bablues wrote: 92 Points
Tried this again with the hope the last botle was a problem. This was much better but still not to the heights of previous years. The fruit is there but takes much longer to come to the surface. I am hoping this will just require more patience than the others.
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4/17/2011 - Sethbo11 wrote: 93 Points
Agree with Bluedevil99 note - glad i have 2 more
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4/10/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with prior note.
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4/9/2011 - Vawerner wrote: 96 Points
Nose: Caramel, muscatel, huge, overwhelming nose. Heavy aromatic. Almost big like menthol. Bing cherri-super ripe. Unique. Taste: Sweet, tart finish. Fresh rush on the nose is in the taste. Taste: Smokey, green pepper, sweet & tart, acidy, mid pallet tart, toasty, tar, plum with sugar. Put butter in it. Almost port-like. Leather. Last taste-peppery. Slight rhubarb.
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4/2/2011 - team-blackburn wrote: 91 Points
I agree with Periko.
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3/26/2011 - Periko wrote: 91 Points
Overall, it shows the same characteristics as mentioned in previous notes. Very intense nose but either from palate fatigue, or by the bottle itself, it was a little less expressive than I remembered. Still it offers pleasant aromas of ripe fruit, spices, coffee, chocolate ... a joy. On palate medium to full body, sweet and delicious, with no sharp edges nor astringency, balanced, almost a velvet glove despite the volume and power. After three bottles, still can not make me forget about 2006, perhaps in a couple of years?
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3/26/2011 - elefkowitz wrote:
YUMMY. Simply one of the best Spanish wines (IMHO). Dark eggplant color that sticks to the glass. Enjoyed after about an hour in the decantor and opened over another 30 minutes in the glass. Will benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
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3/24/2011 - Thirsty1 wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with previous
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3/17/2011 - km5 wrote: 92 Points
Opened night before for a sip and the vacuvinned and refrigerated. Very full, rich and enjoyable. 2nd night was silkier and rounder, less heat. Great qpr. Drank with Italian food and 2000 hillside select. After the hs, contrasting flavors can be tasted....tasted some licorice, cloves star anise...
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3/6/2011 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with previous.
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3/6/2011 - Bellissimo wrote:
Opened for a group of friends. Led by the mourvedre dark fruits, licorice with loads of vanilla. Needs more air than we gave it.
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2/26/2011 - bablues wrote:
I agree with some of the other comments that this is not quite the same as past vintages. Still an excellent wine though. The nose was a massive amount of vanilla that overtakes you. Tastes of black fruits and has a certain deliciousness but the finish was not as long as in the past, and the heat was noticeable (a little disjointed). I assume this needed much more time for the heat to blow off and to open up in the bottle/glass but it tastes so good and we finished it so quick that I didn't allow it to come through. No score for now. Next one I will decant and see if my assumptions are correct...
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2/19/2011 - dre wrote: 89 Points
Pretty nose of dark fruits, lots of new oak, menthol and herbs de Provence.
The palate has a rich mouth feel and silky palate of vanilla, caramel, sage scorched earth, eucalyptus, and a big backbone of black fruits. Tannins are a bit rough around the edges but it comes together with time in the glass. This is a in your face style that is very reminiscent of many Ausi shirazs. 15.5% alc is fairly well hidden but i don't know about long term aging on this one.
Drink now - 2016
Excellent Quality. 89 pts.
*Turns out this is made by an Ausi wine maker. *
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2/19/2011 - mmurry Does not like this wine:
Spanish Wines (Farpointe Cellar): A massive fruit bomb on the nose. Blueberry, cherry, and creamy oak. The palate is pretty much the same. Over-oaked, and too much fruit. Not my style, so I won't score, but it's in the 87-88 range.
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2/18/2011 - Terkel wrote: 92 Points
Black, opaque center and a bluish rim. Soft, fat plum and morello dominating the nose with some nuances of iodine, caramel and vanilla. On the palate the fruit is similarly warm and mellow morello, plum and blueberry followed by some bitter dark chocolate. Great intensity but a somewhat rugged and tannic end detract from the overall picture.
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2/13/2011 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
This is a surprise...! not the Clio I'm familiar with, a big chocolaty beast loaded with black fruit and oaky spices. Instead, the mourvedre fruit is really coming through relatively unadorned, but still with fantastic concentration. Peppery, with as much cranberry or pomegranate as berry or currant, and featuring kumquat, which is a little more like orange peel on the delightful dried- cherry finish.
It's been a remarkable and delicious wine in prior vintages, but with this vintage the wine is finally distinctive.
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2/9/2011 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 90 Points
I'm wondering if the wrapper's starting to come off the candy with this one. On the surface it's still got that wonderful clio charm - a big nose of wonderful and rich candied cassis and dark milk chocolate with orange peel undertones, and once on the tongue the mouthfeel is still top notch, but when the wine is dissected I wonder if (and dare I utter such naysayings) if this wine is starting to feel manipulated. I hope I'm wrong and it's just a characteristic of an off vintage, or maybe the wine still is in a youthful, awkward phase, but at this time something just doesn't seem kosher with this newbie. There's a not so pleasant aftertaste in the mouth after the big fruitbomb and expresso grinds finally wear away (and it is a decently long finish), but in retrospective, that extra dimension of clio magic seems to be lacking. Don't get me wrong, it's still a wonderful piece of candy while it's in the mouth, but it's kind of like comparing the flavor of today's version of say a tootsie roll pop (raspberry please) with the ones that we enjoyed maybe twenty five years ago - the articial flavor is king while that simple sugar of yesteryear is a fond memory. Would like to revisit this in a year and see how it's played out.
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2/5/2011 - heidoanddave Likes this wine: 96 Points
We LOVE this wine, as did our dinner guests. Served with steak, decanted for 3+ hours. Deep, dark color with a strong nose. Velvety smooth with a long finish and a taste of deep dried and dark fruit with cocoa, that evolved over time.
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2/5/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Day 1
Packed and stacked, a lot of good stuff going on. Complex nose of toasty oak, spice and dark fruits. In the mouth, a touch of heat but mouthfilling wine that's delicious. I did not decant and it could've used it. It does needs some more time in the bottle. I left a glass to try on day 2.
Day 2
to be continued........
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2/5/2011 - Bluedevil99 wrote: 92 Points
Opaque purple. Over the top rich and fruity nose, backed by smooth, cedary wood. Pleasingly crisp on the attack, showing touches of dark cherry, then explodes into blueberry compote on the midpalate, and smooth oak with dried fruits at the end. With air, some lighter almost citrusy notes emerge. Full bodied; impressive detail for a wine so fruit driven. My score is probably a point or two low as this wine was really singing by the time we finished the bottle and may have improved further. 92-94.
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2/4/2011 - Periko wrote: 92 Points
At a restaurant, opened for 30+ minutes. More of the same as previous bottle: aromatically powerful, such an appealling nose... thick, viscous, lively, fruity and spicy... a tremendous wine already offering inmediate pleasure.
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1/27/2011 - drcoop wrote: 90 Points
Leather black licorice good structure
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1/18/2011 - River Rat wrote:
Pop and pour, a little hot and disjointed a first. Needs air. After a few hours it starts showing it's goods with a dense, rich texture, deep dark fruits, licorice and cigar box. Long ass finish.
On day 2 it's changed a bit with the licorice toned down somewhat. Big bruiser fruit, still finishes strong. Very interesting Spaniard indeed.
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12/30/2010 - SoCal wrote:
Big, Bold, Bombastic, Beautiful Berries. A very enjoyable cocktail in the snow.
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12/29/2010 - caeleric Likes this wine: 93 Points
best Clio I've had to date. Many years to go on this, but it is awesome right now! Huge aromatics of plums, blackberries and roasted blueberries. The thick and viscous mouth is velvety and just gorgeous. The finish is velvety, vanillin and massively flavorful. I love this!!!
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12/29/2010 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
For a Spanish wine it is wonderful. Lots of Tannins
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12/26/2010 - UROMD wrote: 91 Points
great as always, more pepper than prior years
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12/25/2010 - Jack252 wrote: 94 Points
Wow! Very young but after a nice decant it really opened up. Really big with great fruit and a long finish. Wish I bought more.
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12/18/2010 - pkatz wrote: 92 Points
A delicious wine. 2 hour decant at least. Accessible young tannins, nice fruit. A step up from the decent 07 but still not quite up to earlier vintages. Nonetheless an excellent wine.
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12/15/2010 - km5 wrote: 92 Points
First taste after opening was nothing special as it was up against 10 other bottles. Probably too much alcohol and heat after opening. 3 days later at midnight, I had another taste and was blown away by the fruits. Fruit explosion, caramel middle, mocha finish. Nice tannins, long lingering finish. A bit acidic. It's one that I had to have a second glass. Better without any food. Definitely worth getting more.
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12/14/2010 - GreatLibations wrote: 92 Points
Deep opaque ruby in color with aromas of spicy red berries, cherry and ripe plumb. Full body with balanced acidity and mild velvet tannins. This wine is lush and concentrated with hints of mocha and a long finish. The cab component plays an integral role here give much needed structure to this hedonistic fruit bomb.
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12/5/2010 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 88 Points
Opaque purple-colored, with some nice characteristics of Black cherry and raspberry with, loads of spicy vanilla oak, meat, rasin, rubber and fresh floral notes. The tannins were smooth and lucious, and long but extremely bitter on the back end. Needs time. 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. (Drink 2012-2018) - JD88
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12/1/2010 - Periko wrote: 93 Points
Sessió de tast #1: Opened for 2+ hours. Opaque, powerful, brilliant color.
Nose: Powerful and complex. Coffee with milk, candy, chocolate, forrest floor and ripe red fruit.
Palate: Very impressive for its youth. Controlled explosiveness and very well balanced. Fruity, spicy, mouth-coating. Sweet tannins and very nice overall. Full bodied and a super long finish. Very approachable already.
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11/25/2010 - Dasher wrote: 95 Points
Smooth!
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11/20/2010 - riberafan wrote: 93 Points
2 hour decant, needed it, some heat. well much better with a couple years in the bottle. strawberry, black berry and a hint of marzipan, pencil lead. very smooth tannins even at this stage
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11/19/2010 - Joeluba wrote: 95 Points
Balanced, smooth full of dark berries, shades of Tobacco and chocolate
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11/3/2010 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Enormously concentrated and young wine. A mouth full. Cassis and cherries. In due time this will be a beauty, but give it at least another 5 years. 92++
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