I had just a pour of this tonight and was impressed at the weighty elegance and feather like feel of this. A panoply of aroma, fruits dark and red, flowers lacey and beautiful. This is a substantial wine of unending flavors every sip unraveling another palatable experience. So layered and complex. It ended too soon.
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A fantastic nose Blackberries, garrigue, iron, bouillon, and leather. It's expansive on the palate. A terrific wine of contrasts that add to the whole. Sapid and deep yet supple. Intense yet calm. Savory and fruit. Effortlessly powerful, never heavy. It grows with air time with more Provencal herbal, savory and meaty notes adding to the dark fruits. A complete wine. Drinking at peak and I doubt it will improve from here, not that I could ask much more of this fantastic wine. Brilliant. 97
Great with a fatty burger with mushrooms and pimento cheese.
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Dark red, thin edge of orange. Sweet cherry nose. Beautifully flavored of fruit and spice. Structured with very fine tannin. Long finish of pure fruit. Magical.
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Lush, soft, and supple, the wine offers sweet, pure kirsch, herbs, and peppery spices with a unique textural experience at every twist, turn, sniff and sip. No decanting is needed here. Just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2023-2035.
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Summer Mondo Event $200+ (Roswell, GA): See through crimson with orange rim; celery seed, incense, sour cherry, balsamic, not tannic, botrytis?, dried roses, sweet liqueured fruit yet somewhat demure, root vegetables, mushroom, tart lifted finish; '01 Fonsalette CdP?; after reveal this is so traditional yet elegant Grenache in the Rayas style, Celestins can start out so beefy and its transformation into something like this is pretty profound when it's at its fighting weight; in a great spot.
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Excellent. Not quite the experience the 2000 was a year go (surprisingly). Wonderful nose, constantly evolving and a myriad of notes. Lighter on the palate than other vintages I have had. Nice finish. This has continual improvement ahead.
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This is so much more than just a wine to me. This is a legendary bottle from one of the strongest vintages in the Southern Rhône. Made by the legend himself. I was lucky enough to pay him a visit in 2012, tasting several vintages from barrel. This is a rustic wine in the very best sense of the word. There are dried flowers and lavender, spice, currents and meaty notes. Lovely integrated tannins and an impeccable balance. I have one bottle left. I will drink it when the wine turns 30, because although incredibly good right now, this has the balance to age for another decade.
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Steve Sigmond's 50th Birthday (Minneapolis, MN): Dark, brooding, smouldering intensity, Steve suggesting a certain soy character. And certainly this had a savory, umami personality that kept gaining weight and intensity as the night went on. Powerful, brooding, fascinating wine.
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The other Chateauneuf du Pape I never get to taste often enough, (after Rayas) this is already showing just great. Earthy, spicy, barnyard accented ripe, kirsch, pepper, and cherry notes come along with an array of spices. More elegantly textured on the palate than most vintages of Celestins and cleaner on the nose and palate as well, this is a treat for the senses that will continue to age and evolve for at least another 10-15 or 20 years, depending on the provenance.
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Back in NYC (Francie): Still quite youthful so I think we may need to wait on ours some more. This was bright and fruity and powerful and yet there is an undercurrent of elegance to it as well.
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A very classic and controlled vintage of Celestins with a chiseled texture and great flavors of kirsch cherry and minerals. A wine of great precision and mineral lift and it kept improving in the glass. The finish is taut and complex with notes of garrigue spices and red flowers. Great now with a long decant but still evolving.
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A plush, richly perfumed nose of licorice, orange peel, spicebox and camphor. On the palate, it is medium to full bodied, with a robust red fruit core. And with 14.5% alcohol there is a noticeable sweet edge in the finish. Hmm. I was expecting a full blown rustic barnyard treatment, complete with animals, but instead this wine was refined, almost understated. And it seems almost fully mature too; the wine is open knit, and tannins well rounded, a bit soft even. Good for drinking down over the next 10 years.
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For a Celestins, this is almost refined in character. This is an elegant, fresh expression of everything that’s great about the idiosyncratic wines of Henri Bonneau. Maturing at a rapid pace for Celestins, the wine grabbed your attention and kept it for good reason due to all its sweet ripe red fruits, spice, grilled meat, garrigue and peppery character. This is quite good now and it could get better.
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La Tablee: Celebratory Dinner (BYO) (26 Bridge Street, Brooklyn): First bottle from a lot we bought a few years ago. I was excited to get to try. It's still young, but it's really quite nice. Lots of red fruits, red flowers. Very well structured. Pretty. Will hold on our other bottles for awhile, but I'm looking forward to them.
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I love Celestin, but I have tasted many odd bottles. Cork looks orginal, label good, but THIS is not the Celestin I know and love. Tastes like 60% ripe syrah and 40% grenache, not the 90% grenache that it is. The black fruit is rich, deep, and long, but wheres the funk, the iron dust, the garrigue, the complexity? A mystery bottle, an auction buy.
Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting (Boston): Too late in the evening to take notes. Tasted the '01, '04. '05 and '07 side-by-side. I scored them 96/94/95/98 points respectively
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Stunning wine, light purple-violet, muddy, obviously unfiltered; perfumed floral nose with that granachy strawberry puree kind of thing going on, along with anise, pot pouri, herbs, etc. Very complex. mouthfeel was super silky with some grip and backbone still there; stunning from top to bottom. Truly a great wine. Green Street/EWG. Thanks Conrad
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Gloriously balanced and seductive. A less ripe year so all is in check. Iron, meaty red fruit, a woody herb undertow and huge length and complexity. Stunning
Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): 13/17 wines tasted double blind. I bought this one at auction and when I opened to decant in the morning the color seemed way off for an '01 - was pretty brown and the fruit seemed a bit stewed. Looked and tasted way older than its years - suspect heat damage somewhere along its life. Blind my guess was a very old, old world wine - thinking 70's or 80's - lots of cherry cola notes on the palate, but not much fruit or deliciousness to be had here - big disappointment.
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Dinner@BA: Blind. Light, bright ruby. Sweet and savoury nose. Once tuned in to it post-pinot, it screams grenache. There's lots here to hold the interest and fascinate, and I'm no Chateauneuf drinker. Silky, a jewel rotating in the light with flashes of brilliance, depth, colour and intrigue. Nuanced and complex, revealing different facets through the evening. ****1/2
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this is what first growth chateauneuf-du-pape is supposed to be. It feels fully ready to drink since my last bottle 4-5 years ago but i wonder how much better it may get if the evolution continues in this positive direction. Great juice
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Una bomba atomica, uno dei vini più potenti e allo stesso tempo profondi e stratificati che ricordi.... Ha tutto. Il frutto è ancora molto presente, il calore e il grado alcolico sono gestiti a meraviglia e la persistenza infinita del frutto, copre i sensi ed emoziona per minuti. Molto pronto e aperto da bere oggi, ma sicuramente in grado di durare altri 10 anni. Credo valga la pena di non aspettare troppo per godersi questo tripudio di fiori e frutti rossi.
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Nico's Night of Wonders (Chez Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. Drank this as a part of a flight of '00 and '01 Celestins and '01 Beaucastel Hommage. This baby is a youngster, but it is ready to start playing. Was tighter initially, but just kept building through the night with more and more air. Funky, dark cherry, kirsch, savory, much more spice than the '00. Intense and bigger on the palate, but not heavy in any way, fantastic juice. Definitely gets your attention and both of these Bonneau's make you clamor for CDP - if only even a few more producers could do this. Paired this flight with Steve and Jenny's Provencal pot roast. 95+ to 96pts.
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Abolutely faszinating !!! Starting very silky and fresh , increasing to a big bunch of leather and tar and ens in a real dirty and tannic finish. You can taste the old school making. Unique !!! Not polished or just round. This is fabulous dirty!!! I love it ! Drink or hold
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Much more pinpoint than the '99 Rayas poured alongside with deeply funky and earthy dark cherry fruit. Crisp acids suggest this wine has a long way to go but it is balanced and delicious tonight. Finishes very complex with interesting notes of minerals, cinnamon, smoked meats and violets. 94+
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Bt decanted for 15hrs+, medium to dark ruby with nose of floral, cocoa and hint of rustic and licorice. On palate, superb balance of acidity and massive but not overwhelming balance of fruits, tannin initially grippy but soften as it spent more time in glass. Need more time in bottle, perhaps to revisit in 5-7yrs.
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Unspeakably seductive bouquet of tropical and temperate blossoms, red fruits, pomegranate, red berry liqueurs, rhubarb, charcuterie, spices, incense, sous-bois, umami, hibiscus tea, rosehips, mineral ores, coal, tar, etc., etc., etc. The wine delivers these and many other ethereal esscenes in perfectly cresting, pristine waves, carrying the taster all the way to the beach, so-to-speak, and thus reminiscent of the best day of body surfing ever. A lamb roast paring took this elixir to a parallel dimension of sensory experiences. Power, sophistication, harmony, and elegance. Masterful poetry, in liquid form. 98-99.
40th bday celebration; 2/17/2017-2/18/2017 (Harrison, ID): Have wanted to try HB for quite a while and and it exceeded my expectations . It’s perfectly aged CDP at 16yrs in. The perfectly mature notes of garrigue, iron, kelp, figs, iodine, pepper, gamyness, pate and rolled stones paired perfectly with lamb stew. It was maybe the single best pairing with the lamb stew and wine I've ever had.
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This had thrown a fair amount of chunky sediment, so decant carefully. There is a fair amount of brett, and a bit of menthol on the nose. There is still a firm, tannic grip to the wine, and I expect this could benefit from another few years of age, and would hold for 5-10 years.
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Cotat, Jermann, Bonneau, Janasse, Giacosa, Rampolla, Clos Mimi (Downtown Akron): What a treat. I think Dave, who brought it, hoped for more and was disappointed. Expectations. I liked it a lot. Amazingly purple dark and bright in color. Not a whole lot different than a 2012 Janasse side by side. My wife commented on the wide clear edge of the glass. No browning or rust color. There is a fair amount of brett on the nose. More sweaty than barnyard. It did not blow off and got stronger with air. For me it was not obtrusive or problematic in any way. There is also a dark cherry note, spice and even some violets peaking out from underneath. Amazing after 15 years. The brett does carry thru to the palate a bit. There is a nice complexity here especially after some air time. Really shows like old school CdP which I love. Great with my pasta dish. Thanks Dave!
La bouche m'intrigue et me fascine, car là où j'attendais largeur et grande richesse, on trouve un corps élancé, plus droit et élégant qu'attendu. Le balai des saveurs sur le palais donne le coup de grâce, c'est épicé et très complexe, superbement savoureux avec ces notes de garrigue, de thym et romarin qui s'étirent longuement. Un très grand vin. 97 pts
Le Seigneur du Sud qui vient détrôner ces Princes de Bourgogne et la Reine Bordelaise! Désolé pour le 2e verre, cher Baron, il fallait moins parler et surveiller le sommelier qui avait bien noté mon admiration!
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Ib & Pia in Kandestederne (Kandestederne): From magnum (bottle #72); very true to the style of the domaine and to the terroir of La Crau. This is a full neuf, garrigue, barnyard, Grenache galore, but also with the mineral elegance of the vintage 2001, that remains one of the most succesful of the last 25 years. Tasted over two days with no hints of any change what so ever, thank you, Ib, for bringing this...
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Chateauneuf-du-Pape Dinner (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Earthy with lots of mature black fruit and cooked mushroom. If served blind, I'd have thought the oldest in the flight, but this is still powerful and dense with Old School rustic elegance. I like this a lot now, but think it might even be better in another decade.
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Young yet and not fully developed but there are wonderful garrigue and animal skin flavors in this medium-bodied and relatively tame but classic vintage of Celestins. Deliciously smooth with ripe dark fruits along with hints of smoked game and leathers. Finishes quite complex with notes of dark red spices, minerals, anise, campfire and sweet earth. A joy to drink but needs more time. 94+
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Dark spices, earthy notes, roasted herbs, dried meat. The fruit is almost secondary and hides behind the darker notes on the palate. Blackberry and blackcurrant. Dirtier than the last bottle I had, but not necessarily more developed. Paired with duck breast and polenta. 93-94
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Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2001 (La Caverne de Collin): C'est le vin qui a le plus évolué dans le verre et qui m'a le plus dérouté. D'abord, j'ai cru percevoir de l'élevage au nez, mais ces arômes de bois étaient inexistants quand j'y suis revenu....La bouche est bien fraiche, lissée, d'apparence moderne au début, puis très traditionnel après l'aération.... Je suis un peu passé à côté, car j'hésitais de réécrire complètement mes commentaires tant il avait changé. C'est un vin très élégant, Bourguignon selon certains, et c'est vrai qu'il prenait presque des allures de Chambolle....avec une belle longueur gourmande. Au dévoilement, je suis encore plus confus, je n'attendais pas Célestin dans ce style aérien presque léger. En bref, un fort beau vin, qui méritait probablement plus que mon 93 pts.
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An explosive, sparkly nose with cola and spice notes. Young on the palate, this needs more time. Fresh and bright, the acid paired will with the richness of venison with madeira truffle jus. Attractive licorice notes emerge with air time. 94+
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Based on the color, you'd swear this was at least 10 or maybe 20 years older than its true age, due to its light hue. On the palate, the wine was fresh, sweet, silky, polished and long. The texture was exotic and you could easily say the same thing about the ripe kirsch on the palate. The nose was complex, the fruit was there, but it was far more advanced than the other high-end 2001 Chateauneuf du Papes opened in the same flight.
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Chateauneuf du Pape (Bronte, Sydney): rich rusty colour. Beautiful, well integrated fragrance, a blend of ripe dark fruit, leather and a hint of earth. Excellent weight of deep dark fruit, supported by some dark spice, a little leather and earth. Seemingly not very developed. A superbly poised and seamless wine.
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TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): It is interesting that I always associate Celestine with Rayas. Expressive nose displaying intense red and black fruits, strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, cherry brandy, tobacco, lavender, a hint of garrigue and pretty noticeable VA that is not bothersome. Excellent concentration, intense sweet red fruit driven palate impression, dense yet silky and polished palate, bright acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long sweet finish with a hint of VA at the end. This and Rayas always seem wonderfully balanced despite having very sweet and slightly dry fruits. Drinking extremely well but if you don’t care for VA, this is not the wine for you.
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Super Bowl 2015 (Roswell, GA): See through crimson with orange rim; cinnamon, sour cherry, Burgundian; lots of Band-Aid on the palate, very strong bitter note, very classic CdP, lighter body than the Bordeaux today, power, baby aspirin; still very youthful, called '98 Bonneau Celestins- should have worked my way to '01 because the '98 tastes like Amarone;95+.
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From the list at Daniel. Dark ruby, opaque, purple rim with .5mm meniscus. Amazing nose, all of the prototypical CdP aroma beautifully intertwined in balance. Palate was refined and relatively subtle, not at all a blockbuster. Good acidity, slightly behind the present but integrated tannin. Finish long and savory, with a bit of heat. Plenty of sediment. 14%
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My favourite of the night, out of an incredible lineup of various Northern and Southern Rhones. It's quite the contrast to the Rayas - certainly more powerful and heavier on the palate, but also showing a range of deeper-toned earthy, leathery, meaty, and smoky notes around its core of fresh red and dark fruited flavours. Time and air bring out even more complexity, and the fragrance on this becomes absolutely intoxicating after a little time in the glass. An incredible wine, one that I could have kept smelling all night, and I certainly need more Bonneau in the cellar.
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A really great bottle. Decanted for aprox 5 hours, and was cool and intense. Great fruity notes, and notes of pepper, cowshed and 40 seconds mouthexplosion. Great Wine!
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Served from a dispenser at Hedonism wines, so this might not have been 100% fresh. Transparent brick. Extremely tertiary nose, showing paprika, smoke, even a touch of burning rubber. Clipped, sour, and watery in the mouth, though with a hefty backbone of drying tannin. There's some complexity here, but this tastes 20 years older than it is.
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very fullbodied, red and dark berries, only decanted for an hour, very well balanced alcohol and acidity, tannins smooth but still present, very long aftertaste, extract concentration, for the next 10-20 years
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Very nice nose, but the nose was the best aspect of this wine. Perhaps it is bottle variation from all the wildly positive notes on CT? This was sharp and unbalanced even with food, with acidity being a dominant characteristic. Rand didn't even want to finish it. (From PLCB, so one wonders...). If I had more I would probably wait until it was 20 years old and check then.
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Tasted vis-a-vis the 95 & the 98, this was close to perfect with the vibrancy and intensity you need in a great wine. Almost light on it's feet, this comes around with sweet berries and garrigue and a minerality, that keeps the balance. I would never have guessed Bonneau if tasting blind, but note that these wines show very differently from bottle to bottle - in my experience. Tonight, this was a winner - and it has years to go.
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Remarkable wine with signature Bonneau damp forest floor aromas and minerality. Not totaly dissimilar to the great '01 Rousseau Ruchottes from Gevrey Chambertin. Elegant, ethereal and at the same time showing a bit of signature Rhone edginess and funk. My WOTN amongst several intruguing wines including an 00 Celestins that was pretty close to the 01 and 95 regular cuvee. A great wine drinking experience. The 2000 was very close to this in quality and experience.
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This was another wine which at first was muted, then opened with air. Showing an inch of volatile acidity and a little sandiness on its robe, its matter then took over the distractors to offer a real treat of a wine. When I describe legends as wines that are unique, here you have another example of it. Although it has a medium to light bodied concentration, this Reserve des Célestins displays a bouquet of freshness and fruits which competes with some of the other wines presented tonight. Under its great structure hide some comfit notes of wild red berries, yet I feel this showing was pretty restrained. 96+ points.
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Where to start? The nose on this wine was absolutely spectacular. Deep and complex aromas of sweet kirsch, mature Grenache fruit, and mushroom. To crib a comment I read on another wine, this was a "noser " - one of those memorable wines where you want to spend the evening just smelling it as it evolves in the glass. In the mouth, I thought this presented as perhaps slightly older. Certainly not in a faded way, but it just seemed to be drinking more like my 94-98 cdps. Agree with Jeb Dunnuck when he said, "full bodied yet light and focused on the palate." Quite elegant. Toward the end of the meal, there was some hotness on the finish from the 14%. In all, my woty to date.
The wine was decanted over two hours and then we drank over the course of a fabulous dinner at 11 Madison Park.
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Super Bowl 2013 (Cumming, GA): Red core with bricking at edge; almost pure grenache I'm sure, sweetness, spiciness, and some bitterness make for a very balanced and interesting wine. Taut structure, cranberry fruit, red radish, rhubarb, and a slight green note. Having had a few other Celestins I was surprised how clean, slightly boring, and it seemed older.
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At first, I have to admit that I was pessimistic thinking this wine might be a product of hype rather than merit. Decanting is a MUST for this puppy. Tight upon opening giving up little on the nose or palate. Fast forward two hours and OMG!!!!! This wine is the real deal in every way. The nose offers up sweet cherry pie, sweet BBQ sauce and white pepper. The palate sings of deep red fruit, spice and more spice, fresh ground pepper and so so SO much more. It's almost hard to aptly describe the layers in this wine. Bacon fat, fresh pressed olive oil.....I can go on for days as the flavors just change and mutate. This is everything modern CdP's such as Janasse, CsJ and Usseglio are not. Refined, restrained, fat and muscular yet too classy to strut the wifebeater. It's a real life Barbie Doll rolled into Mrs. Cleaver. It's not demanding you to notice it but very humbly allowing you to enjoy it. This is not Rayas as it's a completely different animal all together but achieves the precision of a Rayas. Not overdone, overripe, overoaked, but a perfect balance of each. This is a bottle every classic AND modern day CdP lover should own. While still years from it's peak drinking window, allow it enough air and hopefully you'll be fortunate enough to garner a peak into a crowning achievement in winemaking.
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Once again an incredible drinking experience. Drank alongside 2004 Hommage, 1995 & 1997 Rayas and this was clearly the wine of the evening. Gorgeous earthy an sexy bouquet, impecible balance and wonderfully pure fruit, with a 30+ second elegant finish. Truly a wine with soul.
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First time tasting this producer and wow what a wine. Elegant wine with tons of red fruit. Animal..maybe roast beef. Spices.I would never have guessed on a Chateauneuf-du Pape but as I said no experience of this producer. My drinking friends called him the godfather so I was expecting tons and it all delivered.The color was raspberry like and it was unfiltered for sure. It was a non see through wine but that was great in this specific case. Lovely length with power and finesse.
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Acker Merrall Second Chicago Auction (Elysian Hotel - Chicago IL): Massive black cherry and boysenberry aromas with black pepper, anise and nutmeg. Same fruit and spice continues onto the palate with great textures and concentration. There is plenty of structure, with the the acidity and tannins working well with the fruit. Impressive power and length.
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Full bodied.. complex... lots of mixed, classic CdP scents and flavors... leather, lavender, roast beef... great after an hours decant, started a wane a bit on the end. Very good balance.
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2011 Casual Session - 14: Alcohol :: 14.5% Popped and Poured for the first round and decanted the rest and drank over the next 2.5hrs. The nose is quite shy at first but showing promising material with good weight on the palate but not something exceptional, not after 60mins or so. When the nose started to show, this is one of the most fascinating CDPs I have ever had: Highly focus with good depth and classic CDP seductiveness: perfume lavender, spring floral scents intermixed with sweet raspberry, sweet fig paste in the core and added more complexity and depth with herbs de Provence, Garrigues as well as spicy notes. The palate is not as expressive as the nose and certainly not a showy wine, instead, an intellectual wine that demanded your full attention to understand it. Structured, powerful but remained perfectly balance, razor sharp focus and 3D like delineation. The massive, slight old school rustic like tannin profile generated the superb depth and mouth coating intensity along with the underlying sweet fruits that leads to the detail, spicy and mineral infused finished that just wont quit, lasted more than a minute! Still terribly young and the wine continue to put on weight and complexity. Therefore, I believe this will continue to develop for the next decade or so effortlessly. This should have no problem to cross the Extraordinary category after the evolution. 94-96
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Utterly gorgeous wine. Strong garrigue, a hint of leather and powerful yet nuanced waves of seasoned red fruit. Great length, sophistication and character. I'm sure this will last for many years, but it's drinking beautifully now.
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Wow, wow, wow! This is just impeccable Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Middle-aged now, no longer primary, showing such amazing grace, structure, clarity and purity. I have not tasted many Bonneau wines, but based on reading I expected something more muddy and dense. This wine is the antithesis of that. Pure, peppery, brambly, screaming of garrigue, deeply structured, concentrated yet with a certain powerful elegance, like the most muscular and graceful male platform diver. I guess there are bare hints of a certain concentrated, Balsamic character, but this is a breathtaking wine.
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Spectacular. A wine that appeals to 4 of your 5 senses. A clear translucent red hue that seems to sparkle before your eyes like glistening snow, a bouquet of the earth that sired the grapes makes you appreciate the very nose on your face. On the tongue a balanced harmony that makes your taste buds dance with delight. The wine is drop dead delicious. Ah, the sense of hearing. When I drink this wine the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, to name a few plays softly in my mind. The wine provides a moving experience. Drank alongside a 2005 Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina, a 100 point wine according to Parker. While the wine was very good, in my opinion it was no match for the Bonneau.
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Delicious, with beef Wellington. Medium ruby, tawny rim. Nose incredibly expressive: dried beef, garrigue, griotte cherries, bitter orange, white chocolate. Hard to miss the oak here. Long finish with ripe fruit, lifting acidity. Very burgundian, in a kind of wild (as in untamed) way.
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2001 Chateauneuf du Pape single blind tasting (Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York): Medium red color, much lighter than the previous wines. Beautiful, fragrant nose of red cherry fruit and white pepper. Great structure and balance here. Refined and subtle red fruit with excellent purity. Closed up considerably in the glass. I thought this was the Rayas, but it turned out to be the Celestins - what a shocker. This is a very young wine that will live for another decade or two. Great wine.
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A compelling Chateauneuf. Reminded me of a Rayas, but then Bonneau’s is often considered in the same league as Rayas. Spectacular purity that just keeps evolving in the glass, with a delicious soft and lengthy finish. Bonneau's wines will become a mainstay along side Rayas and Beaucastel in my cellar.
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This sports an herb, spicy kirsch and cherry nose. Good body. Nice entry. Elegant for young Celestins in a good vintage. When tasting together, the owner of this famed Chateauneuf du Pape offered sage advice. "Drink good wine with friends, but drink your great wine with a lover." He has a good idea there, if you ask me.
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brooding nose offering all types of CdP lovliness. This wine seems aged more than its vintage indicates. All the edges are soft, multi-layered complexity on the palate with a beautiful long, long, pleasing finish.
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Enjoyed with SLO and jwobkk at Bistro Jeanty (which was phenomenal!). Earthy musky nose that was actually subtle compared to some other big CDPs. Light ruby/brick red with some rust along the edges. It took a second for the taste to appear and it then increased in intensity seemingly evolving while on the palate for 30+ sec. cedar, forest floor, game, some nicely interwoven red fruit, smoke, and musk. Very smooth, restrained, full yet as previously mentioned, slightly thin (not in a bad way). Beautifully paired with Kobe shortribs and polenta.
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From Bogrumpus' cellar - OMFG, this easily is one of the best CDPs I've ever tasted. Deep red in color with some bricking around the edges. Stupid nose, incredible complexity and texture with a lengthy finish. Perfect match with the cuisine from Bistro Jeanty. Wow++
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2001 “probably Celestines.” Rich long nose: very ripe sour cherries (griottes), framboise. Roast beef juice. Some musk here – a touch of brett giving a rather complex and subtle spiciness. Extremely long in the mouth, sweet and rich. Sensational wine. 96-98.
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5/4/2024 - Nontaco Likes this wine: 97 Points
Sushi Noz, Hari/Bilal. Delicious Celestins. Tremendous flavor, but so restrained and elegant with all the intrigue of a great, aged CdP.
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5/1/2024 - Dave Mosko Likes this wine:
I had just a pour of this tonight and was impressed at the weighty elegance and feather like feel of this. A panoply of aroma, fruits dark and red, flowers lacey and beautiful. This is a substantial wine of unending flavors every sip unraveling another palatable experience. So layered and complex. It ended too soon.
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9/9/2023 - cct wrote: 97 Points
Bought on release.
A fantastic nose
Blackberries, garrigue, iron, bouillon, and leather. It's expansive on the palate. A terrific wine of contrasts that add to the whole. Sapid and deep yet supple. Intense yet calm. Savory and fruit. Effortlessly powerful, never heavy. It grows with air time with more Provencal herbal, savory and meaty notes adding to the dark fruits. A complete wine. Drinking at peak and I doubt it will improve from here, not that I could ask much more of this fantastic wine. Brilliant. 97
Great with a fatty burger with mushrooms and pimento cheese.
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8/17/2023 - johnh1001 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful. More robust than the 2000 and will last longer. Wonderful detail.
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1/29/2023 - KVM wrote:
Dark red, thin edge of orange. Sweet cherry nose. Beautifully flavored of fruit and spice. Structured with very fine tannin. Long finish of pure fruit. Magical.
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1/11/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Lush, soft, and supple, the wine offers sweet, pure kirsch, herbs, and peppery spices with a unique textural experience at every twist, turn, sniff and sip. No decanting is needed here. Just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2023-2035.
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6/26/2022 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Summer Mondo Event $200+ (Roswell, GA): See through crimson with orange rim; celery seed, incense, sour cherry, balsamic, not tannic, botrytis?, dried roses, sweet liqueured fruit yet somewhat demure, root vegetables, mushroom, tart lifted finish; '01 Fonsalette CdP?; after reveal this is so traditional yet elegant Grenache in the Rayas style, Celestins can start out so beefy and its transformation into something like this is pretty profound when it's at its fighting weight; in a great spot.
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1/24/2022 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Excellent. Not quite the experience the 2000 was a year go (surprisingly). Wonderful nose, constantly evolving and a myriad of notes. Lighter on the palate than other vintages I have had. Nice finish. This has continual improvement ahead.
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12/29/2021 - psi wrote: 99 Points
This is so much more than just a wine to me. This is a legendary bottle from one of the strongest vintages in the Southern Rhône. Made by the legend himself. I was lucky enough to pay him a visit in 2012, tasting several vintages from barrel.
This is a rustic wine in the very best sense of the word. There are dried flowers and lavender, spice, currents and meaty notes. Lovely integrated tannins and an impeccable balance. I have one bottle left. I will drink it when the wine turns 30, because although incredibly good right now, this has the balance to age for another decade.
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11/6/2021 - Eric wrote:
Steve Sigmond's 50th Birthday (Minneapolis, MN): Dark, brooding, smouldering intensity, Steve suggesting a certain soy character. And certainly this had a savory, umami personality that kept gaining weight and intensity as the night went on. Powerful, brooding, fascinating wine.
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10/22/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
The other Chateauneuf du Pape I never get to taste often enough, (after Rayas) this is already showing just great. Earthy, spicy, barnyard accented ripe, kirsch, pepper, and cherry notes come along with an array of spices. More elegantly textured on the palate than most vintages of Celestins and cleaner on the nose and palate as well, this is a treat for the senses that will continue to age and evolve for at least another 10-15 or 20 years, depending on the provenance.
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6/22/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Back in NYC (Francie): Still quite youthful so I think we may need to wait on ours some more. This was bright and fruity and powerful and yet there is an undercurrent of elegance to it as well.
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6/11/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
A very classic and controlled vintage of Celestins with a chiseled texture and great flavors of kirsch cherry and minerals. A wine of great precision and mineral lift and it kept improving in the glass. The finish is taut and complex with notes of garrigue spices and red flowers. Great now with a long decant but still evolving.
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4/10/2021 - ilee Likes this wine: 93 Points
A plush, richly perfumed nose of licorice, orange peel, spicebox and camphor. On the palate, it is medium to full bodied, with a robust red fruit core. And with 14.5% alcohol there is a noticeable sweet edge in the finish. Hmm. I was expecting a full blown rustic barnyard treatment, complete with animals, but instead this wine was refined, almost understated. And it seems almost fully mature too; the wine is open knit, and tannins well rounded, a bit soft even. Good for drinking down over the next 10 years.
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3/2/2021 - LB88 wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous wine, still quite young, and less intense than the 95 tonight but still so much potential. Needs more cellar time.
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11/3/2020 - KenPlace wrote: 94 Points
Great wine, but not a wow wine.
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11/1/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
For a Celestins, this is almost refined in character. This is an elegant, fresh expression of everything that’s great about the idiosyncratic wines of Henri Bonneau. Maturing at a rapid pace for Celestins, the wine grabbed your attention and kept it for good reason due to all its sweet ripe red fruits, spice, grilled meat, garrigue and peppery character. This is quite good now and it could get better.
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3/5/2020 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 94 Points
Superlatives abound, very strong showing but the 2007 was a little better
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8/25/2019 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
Softer than expected. Pretty fruits and definitely some Bonneau magic woven in, but may be just starting it's long decline
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7/22/2019 - europat55 wrote: 96 Points
Nose: A Palate: A
My #1, Group's #2 (45 pts). Tasted blind.
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2/2/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
La Tablee: Celebratory Dinner (BYO) (26 Bridge Street, Brooklyn): First bottle from a lot we bought a few years ago. I was excited to get to try. It's still young, but it's really quite nice. Lots of red fruits, red flowers. Very well structured. Pretty. Will hold on our other bottles for awhile, but I'm looking forward to them.
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10/2/2018 - OenoEd wrote: 90 Points
I love Celestin, but I have tasted many odd bottles. Cork looks orginal, label good, but THIS is not the Celestin I know and love. Tastes like 60% ripe syrah and 40% grenache, not the 90% grenache that it is. The black fruit is rich, deep, and long, but wheres the funk, the iron dust, the garrigue, the complexity? A mystery bottle, an auction buy.
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9/20/2018 - mattiasjansson wrote: 96 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting (Boston): Too late in the evening to take notes. Tasted the '01, '04. '05 and '07 side-by-side. I scored them 96/94/95/98 points respectively
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4/29/2018 - peternelson wrote: 95 Points
Stunning wine, light purple-violet, muddy, obviously unfiltered; perfumed floral nose with that granachy strawberry puree kind of thing going on, along with anise, pot pouri, herbs, etc. Very complex. mouthfeel was super silky with some grip and backbone still there; stunning from top to bottom. Truly a great wine. Green Street/EWG. Thanks Conrad
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3/24/2018 - Sen4469 Likes this wine: 94 Points
It took time to open up but then was very good. Nice wine with a great future.
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2/22/2018 - Pacherant wrote: 97 Points
Gloriously balanced and seductive. A less ripe year so all is in check. Iron, meaty red fruit, a woody herb undertow and huge length and complexity. Stunning
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2/18/2018 - retired_and_roving wrote: flawed
Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): 13/17 wines tasted double blind. I bought this one at auction and when I opened to decant in the morning the color seemed way off for an '01 - was pretty brown and the fruit seemed a bit stewed. Looked and tasted way older than its years - suspect heat damage somewhere along its life. Blind my guess was a very old, old world wine - thinking 70's or 80's - lots of cherry cola notes on the palate, but not much fruit or deliciousness to be had here - big disappointment.
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2/18/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): Wine #13: We just got a bunch of these at auction so fun to get to try it. It's definitely old world with leather more prevalent and fruit more in the background. Would not have guessed the grape at all though. Interesting wine that made me want to keep coming back to sip. Enjoyed.
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2/17/2018 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
Dinner@BA: Blind. Light, bright ruby. Sweet and savoury nose. Once tuned in to it post-pinot, it screams grenache. There's lots here to hold the interest and fascinate, and I'm no Chateauneuf drinker. Silky, a jewel rotating in the light with flashes of brilliance, depth, colour and intrigue. Nuanced and complex, revealing different facets through the evening. ****1/2
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1/7/2018 - paul wrote: 97 Points
this is what first growth chateauneuf-du-pape is supposed to be. It feels fully ready to drink since my last bottle 4-5 years ago but i wonder how much better it may get if the evolution continues in this positive direction. Great juice
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10/4/2017 - galenico Likes this wine: 97 Points
Una bomba atomica, uno dei vini più potenti e allo stesso tempo profondi e stratificati che ricordi.... Ha tutto. Il frutto è ancora molto presente, il calore e il grado alcolico sono gestiti a meraviglia e la persistenza infinita del frutto, copre i sensi ed emoziona per minuti.
Molto pronto e aperto da bere oggi, ma sicuramente in grado di durare altri 10 anni. Credo valga la pena di non aspettare troppo per godersi questo tripudio di fiori e frutti rossi.
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9/17/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Nico's Night of Wonders (Chez Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. Drank this as a part of a flight of '00 and '01 Celestins and '01 Beaucastel Hommage. This baby is a youngster, but it is ready to start playing. Was tighter initially, but just kept building through the night with more and more air. Funky, dark cherry, kirsch, savory, much more spice than the '00. Intense and bigger on the palate, but not heavy in any way, fantastic juice. Definitely gets your attention and both of these Bonneau's make you clamor for CDP - if only even a few more producers could do this. Paired this flight with Steve and Jenny's Provencal pot roast. 95+ to 96pts.
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9/17/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Whats better than one Henri Bonneau CDP, two of them. What a great btl! Maybe needs a bit more time than the 2000 but on an awesome trajectory!
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9/2/2017 - Frank Schneider wrote: 97 Points
Abolutely faszinating !!! Starting very silky and fresh , increasing to a big bunch of leather and tar and ens in a real dirty and tannic finish. You can taste the old school making. Unique !!! Not polished or just round. This is fabulous dirty!!! I love it ! Drink or hold
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3/21/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Much more pinpoint than the '99 Rayas poured alongside with deeply funky and earthy dark cherry fruit. Crisp acids suggest this wine has a long way to go but it is balanced and delicious tonight. Finishes very complex with interesting notes of minerals, cinnamon, smoked meats and violets. 94+
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2/26/2017 - conviction buy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bt decanted for 15hrs+, medium to dark ruby with nose of floral, cocoa and hint of rustic and licorice. On palate, superb balance of acidity and massive but not overwhelming balance of fruits, tannin initially grippy but soften as it spent more time in glass. Need more time in bottle, perhaps to revisit in 5-7yrs.
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2/22/2017 - Motz wrote: 98 Points
Unspeakably seductive bouquet of tropical and temperate blossoms, red fruits, pomegranate, red berry liqueurs, rhubarb, charcuterie, spices, incense, sous-bois, umami, hibiscus tea, rosehips, mineral ores, coal, tar, etc., etc., etc. The wine delivers these and many other ethereal esscenes in perfectly cresting, pristine waves, carrying the taster all the way to the beach, so-to-speak, and thus reminiscent of the best day of body surfing ever. A lamb roast paring took this elixir to a parallel dimension of sensory experiences. Power, sophistication, harmony, and elegance. Masterful poetry, in liquid form. 98-99.
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2/17/2017 - bajayngo wrote:
40th bday celebration; 2/17/2017-2/18/2017 (Harrison, ID): Have wanted to try HB for quite a while and and it exceeded my expectations . It’s perfectly aged CDP at 16yrs in. The perfectly mature notes of garrigue, iron, kelp, figs, iodine, pepper, gamyness, pate and rolled stones paired perfectly with lamb stew. It was maybe the single best pairing with the lamb stew and wine I've ever had.
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1/31/2017 - Chuck Miller wrote:
This had thrown a fair amount of chunky sediment, so decant carefully. There is a fair amount of brett, and a bit of menthol on the nose. There is still a firm, tannic grip to the wine, and I expect this could benefit from another few years of age, and would hold for 5-10 years.
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1/3/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! Smokey nose with awesome acidity. Beautiful fine grained tannins and great length. Huge flavor intensity. Bonneau/Rayas Dinner.
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12/11/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Cotat, Jermann, Bonneau, Janasse, Giacosa, Rampolla, Clos Mimi (Downtown Akron): What a treat. I think Dave, who brought it, hoped for more and was disappointed. Expectations. I liked it a lot. Amazingly purple dark and bright in color. Not a whole lot different than a 2012 Janasse side by side. My wife commented on the wide clear edge of the glass. No browning or rust color. There is a fair amount of brett on the nose. More sweaty than barnyard. It did not blow off and got stronger with air. For me it was not obtrusive or problematic in any way. There is also a dark cherry note, spice and even some violets peaking out from underneath. Amazing after 15 years. The brett does carry thru to the palate a bit. There is a nice complexity here especially after some air time. Really shows like old school CdP which I love. Great with my pasta dish. Thanks Dave!
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11/18/2016 - decaturwinedude wrote: 95 Points
TNs: Henri Bonneau & Friends ('98, '01, '06 Celestins, '01 Rayas, '90 Jaboulet La Chapelle (ATL): This one shows more barnyard and wild animale notes. Deep deep cherry core here with a good dose of black pepper. Coats the palate. Really began to open up with air. Needs a healthy decant or come back in 5 years. A bold adolescent. Terrific wine.
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9/4/2016 - d'Artagnan wrote: 97 Points
Souper d'anniversaire du Petit Prince (Au palais du Prince Winston et de sa majesté Justine Première.): Un nez complexe de kirsch, de dattes, avec des nuances épicées d'herbes aromatiques et d'encens, sans oublier ces petites fraises ravissantes. Il invite à la méditation!
La bouche m'intrigue et me fascine, car là où j'attendais largeur et grande richesse, on trouve un corps élancé, plus droit et élégant qu'attendu. Le balai des saveurs sur le palais donne le coup de grâce, c'est épicé et très complexe, superbement savoureux avec ces notes de garrigue, de thym et romarin qui s'étirent longuement. Un très grand vin. 97 pts
Le Seigneur du Sud qui vient détrôner ces Princes de Bourgogne et la Reine Bordelaise! Désolé pour le 2e verre, cher Baron, il fallait moins parler et surveiller le sommelier qui avait bien noté mon admiration!
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7/13/2016 - beatles wrote: 97 Points
Ib & Pia in Kandestederne (Kandestederne): From magnum (bottle #72); very true to the style of the domaine and to the terroir of La Crau. This is a full neuf, garrigue, barnyard, Grenache galore, but also with the mineral elegance of the vintage 2001, that remains one of the most succesful of the last 25 years. Tasted over two days with no hints of any change what so ever, thank you, Ib, for bringing this...
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3/27/2016 - King Julien wrote: 95 Points
Drank at Veladora. Decanted 1 hour, improved over following 2 hours. Needs a little more time.
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2/2/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Dinner (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Earthy with lots of mature black fruit and cooked mushroom. If served blind, I'd have thought the oldest in the flight, but this is still powerful and dense with Old School rustic elegance. I like this a lot now, but think it might even be better in another decade.
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1/17/2016 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 97 Points
Really great. Some bricking in color but the nose is off the charts and great mushroom, garrigue flavors. One of the best ChnP's I've ever had.
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12/12/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Young yet and not fully developed but there are wonderful garrigue and animal skin flavors in this medium-bodied and relatively tame but classic vintage of Celestins. Deliciously smooth with ripe dark fruits along with hints of smoked game and leathers. Finishes quite complex with notes of dark red spices, minerals, anise, campfire and sweet earth. A joy to drink but needs more time. 94+
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12/11/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark spices, earthy notes, roasted herbs, dried meat. The fruit is almost secondary and hides behind the darker notes on the palate. Blackberry and blackcurrant. Dirtier than the last bottle I had, but not necessarily more developed. Paired with duck breast and polenta. 93-94
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12/3/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2001 (La Caverne de Collin): C'est le vin qui a le plus évolué dans le verre et qui m'a le plus dérouté. D'abord, j'ai cru percevoir de l'élevage au nez, mais ces arômes de bois étaient inexistants quand j'y suis revenu....La bouche est bien fraiche, lissée, d'apparence moderne au début, puis très traditionnel après l'aération.... Je suis un peu passé à côté, car j'hésitais de réécrire complètement mes commentaires tant il avait changé. C'est un vin très élégant, Bourguignon selon certains, et c'est vrai qu'il prenait presque des allures de Chambolle....avec une belle longueur gourmande. Au dévoilement, je suis encore plus confus, je n'attendais pas Célestin dans ce style aérien presque léger. En bref, un fort beau vin, qui méritait probablement plus que mon 93 pts.
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10/8/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
An explosive, sparkly nose with cola and spice notes. Young on the palate, this needs more time. Fresh and bright, the acid paired will with the richness of venison with madeira truffle jus. Attractive licorice notes emerge with air time. 94+
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7/30/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Based on the color, you'd swear this was at least 10 or maybe 20 years older than its true age, due to its light hue. On the palate, the wine was fresh, sweet, silky, polished and long. The texture was exotic and you could easily say the same thing about the ripe kirsch on the palate. The nose was complex, the fruit was there, but it was far more advanced than the other high-end 2001 Chateauneuf du Papes opened in the same flight.
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7/24/2015 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape (Bronte, Sydney): rich rusty colour. Beautiful, well integrated fragrance, a blend of ripe dark fruit, leather and a hint of earth. Excellent weight of deep dark fruit, supported by some dark spice, a little leather and earth. Seemingly not very developed. A superbly poised and seamless wine.
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6/18/2015 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): It is interesting that I always associate Celestine with Rayas. Expressive nose displaying intense red and black fruits, strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, cherry brandy, tobacco, lavender, a hint of garrigue and pretty noticeable VA that is not bothersome. Excellent concentration, intense sweet red fruit driven palate impression, dense yet silky and polished palate, bright acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long sweet finish with a hint of VA at the end. This and Rayas always seem wonderfully balanced despite having very sweet and slightly dry fruits. Drinking extremely well but if you don’t care for VA, this is not the wine for you.
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2/1/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Super Bowl 2015 (Roswell, GA): See through crimson with orange rim; cinnamon, sour cherry, Burgundian; lots of Band-Aid on the palate, very strong bitter note, very classic CdP, lighter body than the Bordeaux today, power, baby aspirin; still very youthful, called '98 Bonneau Celestins- should have worked my way to '01 because the '98 tastes like Amarone;95+.
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12/21/2014 - alr6767 wrote: 95 Points
From the list at Daniel. Dark ruby, opaque, purple rim with .5mm meniscus. Amazing nose, all of the prototypical CdP aroma beautifully intertwined in balance. Palate was refined and relatively subtle, not at all a blockbuster. Good acidity, slightly behind the present but integrated tannin. Finish long and savory, with a bit of heat. Plenty of sediment. 14%
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9/23/2014 - salil wrote: 95 Points
My favourite of the night, out of an incredible lineup of various Northern and Southern Rhones. It's quite the contrast to the Rayas - certainly more powerful and heavier on the palate, but also showing a range of deeper-toned earthy, leathery, meaty, and smoky notes around its core of fresh red and dark fruited flavours. Time and air bring out even more complexity, and the fragrance on this becomes absolutely intoxicating after a little time in the glass. An incredible wine, one that I could have kept smelling all night, and I certainly need more Bonneau in the cellar.
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9/16/2014 - Pingzing wrote: 96 Points
A really great bottle. Decanted for aprox 5 hours, and was cool and intense. Great fruity notes, and notes of pepper, cowshed and 40 seconds mouthexplosion. Great Wine!
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8/16/2014 - cooberp wrote: 87 Points
Served from a dispenser at Hedonism wines, so this might not have been 100% fresh. Transparent brick. Extremely tertiary nose, showing paprika, smoke, even a touch of burning rubber. Clipped, sour, and watery in the mouth, though with a hefty backbone of drying tannin. There's some complexity here, but this tastes 20 years older than it is.
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8/8/2014 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
very fullbodied, red and dark berries, only decanted for an hour, very well balanced alcohol and acidity, tannins smooth but still present, very long aftertaste, extract concentration, for the next 10-20 years
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5/31/2014 - BradE wrote:
I've had this a couple of times, and there's an elusive element that hits me slightly off key.
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4/21/2014 - P&F Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Very nice nose, but the nose was the best aspect of this wine. Perhaps it is bottle variation from all the wildly positive notes on CT? This was sharp and unbalanced even with food, with acidity being a dominant characteristic. Rand didn't even want to finish it. (From PLCB, so one wonders...). If I had more I would probably wait until it was 20 years old and check then.
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2/5/2014 - beatles Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted vis-a-vis the 95 & the 98, this was close to perfect with the vibrancy and intensity you need in a great wine. Almost light on it's feet, this comes around with sweet berries and garrigue and a minerality, that keeps the balance. I would never have guessed Bonneau if tasting blind, but note that these wines show very differently from bottle to bottle - in my experience. Tonight, this was a winner - and it has years to go.
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12/4/2013 - chablis28 wrote: 96 Points
Remarkable wine with signature Bonneau damp forest floor aromas and minerality. Not totaly dissimilar to the great '01 Rousseau Ruchottes from Gevrey Chambertin. Elegant, ethereal and at the same time showing a bit of signature Rhone edginess and funk. My WOTN amongst several intruguing wines including an 00 Celestins that was pretty close to the 01 and 95 regular cuvee. A great wine drinking experience. The 2000 was very close to this in quality and experience.
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9/28/2013 - MusignyBlanc wrote: flawed
Off the list at a DC restaurant. Unfortunately, this was a Brett bomb.
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7/7/2013 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Another lazy Sunday dinner with La Las, Chaves, Chapelles, Rayas, Plume and Celestins (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): The wine reminded me of the 05 Rayas served earlier with wet tobacco and garrigue but a bit more ripe and also some black fruits. Expressive floral nose, dry cherries, fruitcake, tobacco, garrigue and yellow raisin. Medium concentration, lovely fluid palate. IMO, this is a classic CDP that has reach the peak but no need to worry about a decline.
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4/20/2013 - cr84 wrote: 96 Points
This was another wine which at first was muted, then opened with air. Showing an inch of volatile acidity and a little sandiness on its robe, its matter then took over the distractors to offer a real treat of a wine. When I describe legends as wines that are unique, here you have another example of it. Although it has a medium to light bodied concentration, this Reserve des Célestins displays a bouquet of freshness and fruits which competes with some of the other wines presented tonight. Under its great structure hide some comfit notes of wild red berries, yet I feel this showing was pretty restrained. 96+ points.
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3/8/2013 - MusignyBlanc wrote:
Where to start? The nose on this wine was absolutely spectacular. Deep and complex aromas of sweet kirsch, mature Grenache fruit, and mushroom. To crib a comment I read on another wine, this was a "noser " - one of those memorable wines where you want to spend the evening just smelling it as it evolves in the glass. In the mouth, I thought this presented as perhaps slightly older. Certainly not in a faded way, but it just seemed to be drinking more like my 94-98 cdps. Agree with Jeb Dunnuck when he said, "full bodied yet light and focused on the palate." Quite elegant. Toward the end of the meal, there was some hotness on the finish from the 14%. In all, my woty to date.
The wine was decanted over two hours and then we drank over the course of a fabulous dinner at 11 Madison Park.
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2/3/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Super Bowl 2013 (Cumming, GA): Red core with bricking at edge; almost pure grenache I'm sure, sweetness, spiciness, and some bitterness make for a very balanced and interesting wine. Taut structure, cranberry fruit, red radish, rhubarb, and a slight green note. Having had a few other Celestins I was surprised how clean, slightly boring, and it seemed older.
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1/24/2013 - thenapalist wrote: 98 Points
At first, I have to admit that I was pessimistic thinking this wine might be a product of hype rather than merit. Decanting is a MUST for this puppy. Tight upon opening giving up little on the nose or palate. Fast forward two hours and OMG!!!!! This wine is the real deal in every way. The nose offers up sweet cherry pie, sweet BBQ sauce and white pepper. The palate sings of deep red fruit, spice and more spice, fresh ground pepper and so so SO much more. It's almost hard to aptly describe the layers in this wine. Bacon fat, fresh pressed olive oil.....I can go on for days as the flavors just change and mutate. This is everything modern CdP's such as Janasse, CsJ and Usseglio are not. Refined, restrained, fat and muscular yet too classy to strut the wifebeater. It's a real life Barbie Doll rolled into Mrs. Cleaver. It's not demanding you to notice it but very humbly allowing you to enjoy it. This is not Rayas as it's a completely different animal all together but achieves the precision of a Rayas. Not overdone, overripe, overoaked, but a perfect balance of each. This is a bottle every classic AND modern day CdP lover should own. While still years from it's peak drinking window, allow it enough air and hopefully you'll be fortunate enough to garner a peak into a crowning achievement in winemaking.
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11/20/2012 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Once again an incredible drinking experience. Drank alongside 2004 Hommage, 1995 & 1997 Rayas and this was clearly the wine of the evening. Gorgeous earthy an sexy bouquet, impecible balance and wonderfully pure fruit, with a 30+ second elegant finish. Truly a wine with soul.
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9/10/2012 - St Paul wrote: 95 Points
First time tasting this producer and wow what a wine. Elegant wine with tons of red fruit. Animal..maybe roast beef. Spices.I would never have guessed on a Chateauneuf-du Pape but as I said no experience of this producer. My drinking friends called him the godfather so I was expecting tons and it all delivered.The color was raspberry like and it was unfiltered for sure. It was a non see through wine but that was great in this specific case. Lovely length with power and finesse.
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6/15/2012 - Miceri wrote: 97 Points
Brown rusty orange color; lean rounded sweet nose; very nice taste, well balanced, caramel, licorice; long long aftertaste; very good indeed
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1/28/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Acker Merrall Second Chicago Auction (Elysian Hotel - Chicago IL): Massive black cherry and boysenberry aromas with black pepper, anise and nutmeg. Same fruit and spice continues onto the palate with great textures and concentration. There is plenty of structure, with the the acidity and tannins working well with the fruit. Impressive power and length.
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9/24/2011 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 95 Points
Full bodied.. complex... lots of mixed, classic CdP scents and flavors... leather, lavender, roast beef... great after an hours decant, started a wane a bit on the end. Very good balance.
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8/17/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 94 Points
2011 Casual Session - 14: Alcohol :: 14.5%
Popped and Poured for the first round and decanted the rest and drank over the next 2.5hrs. The nose is quite shy at first but showing promising material with good weight on the palate but not something exceptional, not after 60mins or so. When the nose started to show, this is one of the most fascinating CDPs I have ever had: Highly focus with good depth and classic CDP seductiveness: perfume lavender, spring floral scents intermixed with sweet raspberry, sweet fig paste in the core and added more complexity and depth with herbs de Provence, Garrigues as well as spicy notes. The palate is not as expressive as the nose and certainly not a showy wine, instead, an intellectual wine that demanded your full attention to understand it. Structured, powerful but remained perfectly balance, razor sharp focus and 3D like delineation. The massive, slight old school rustic like tannin profile generated the superb depth and mouth coating intensity along with the underlying sweet fruits that leads to the detail, spicy and mineral infused finished that just wont quit, lasted more than a minute! Still terribly young and the wine continue to put on weight and complexity. Therefore, I believe this will continue to develop for the next decade or so effortlessly. This should have no problem to cross the Extraordinary category after the evolution. 94-96
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7/9/2011 - Pacherant wrote: 98 Points
Utterly gorgeous wine. Strong garrigue, a hint of leather and powerful yet nuanced waves of seasoned red fruit. Great length, sophistication and character. I'm sure this will last for many years, but it's drinking beautifully now.
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5/21/2011 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Wow, wow, wow! This is just impeccable Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Middle-aged now, no longer primary, showing such amazing grace, structure, clarity and purity. I have not tasted many Bonneau wines, but based on reading I expected something more muddy and dense. This wine is the antithesis of that. Pure, peppery, brambly, screaming of garrigue, deeply structured, concentrated yet with a certain powerful elegance, like the most muscular and graceful male platform diver. I guess there are bare hints of a certain concentrated, Balsamic character, but this is a breathtaking wine.
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1/27/2011 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Spectacular. A wine that appeals to 4 of your 5 senses. A clear translucent red hue that seems to sparkle before your eyes like glistening snow, a bouquet of the earth that sired the grapes makes you appreciate the very nose on your face. On the tongue a balanced harmony that makes your taste buds dance with delight. The wine is drop dead delicious. Ah, the sense of hearing. When I drink this wine the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, to name a few plays softly in my mind. The wine provides a moving experience. Drank alongside a 2005 Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina, a 100 point wine according to Parker. While the wine was very good, in my opinion it was no match for the Bonneau.
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12/25/2010 - KPB wrote: 97 Points
Delicious, with beef Wellington. Medium ruby, tawny rim. Nose incredibly expressive: dried beef, garrigue, griotte cherries, bitter orange, white chocolate. Hard to miss the oak here. Long finish with ripe fruit, lifting acidity. Very burgundian, in a kind of wild (as in untamed) way.
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9/6/2010 - BigRed1000 wrote: 94 Points
Nice mix of earth, blood and tannin.
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12/15/2009 - pbaek wrote:
2001 Chateauneuf du Pape single blind tasting (Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York): Medium red color, much lighter than the previous wines. Beautiful, fragrant nose of red cherry fruit and white pepper. Great structure and balance here. Refined and subtle red fruit with excellent purity. Closed up considerably in the glass. I thought this was the Rayas, but it turned out to be the Celestins - what a shocker. This is a very young wine that will live for another decade or two. Great wine.
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8/5/2009 - cardsandwine wrote:
A compelling Chateauneuf. Reminded me of a Rayas, but then Bonneau’s is often considered in the same league as Rayas. Spectacular purity that just keeps evolving in the glass, with a delicious soft and lengthy finish. Bonneau's wines will become a mainstay along side Rayas and Beaucastel in my cellar.
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7/1/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
This sports an herb, spicy kirsch and cherry nose. Good body. Nice entry. Elegant for young Celestins in a good vintage. When tasting together, the owner of this famed Chateauneuf du Pape offered sage advice. "Drink good wine with friends, but drink your great wine with a lover." He has a good idea there, if you ask me.
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10/10/2008 - dgerst wrote: 95 Points
Huge, massive flavors still integrating, lots of potential
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9/12/2008 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
Uncorked DK tastes Châteauneuf 2006 and Henri Bonneau (Premisse): Dark red. Intense and classic CNDP nose of mature cherries and provence spices. It seems mature, well integrated, broad and seamless in composition.
(G95/U94,3)
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9/1/2008 - sosgoodjhu wrote: 97 Points
brooding nose offering all types of CdP lovliness. This wine seems aged more than its vintage indicates. All the edges are soft, multi-layered complexity on the palate with a beautiful long, long, pleasing finish.
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8/28/2008 - bogrumpus wrote: 97 Points
Enjoyed with SLO and jwobkk at Bistro Jeanty (which was phenomenal!). Earthy musky nose that was actually subtle compared to some other big CDPs. Light ruby/brick red with some rust along the edges. It took a second for the taste to appear and it then increased in intensity seemingly evolving while on the palate for 30+ sec. cedar, forest floor, game, some nicely interwoven red fruit, smoke, and musk. Very smooth, restrained, full yet as previously mentioned, slightly thin (not in a bad way). Beautifully paired with Kobe shortribs and polenta.
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8/27/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 98 Points
From Bogrumpus' cellar - OMFG, this easily is one of the best CDPs I've ever tasted. Deep red in color with some bricking around the edges. Stupid nose, incredible complexity and texture with a lengthy finish. Perfect match with the cuisine from Bistro Jeanty. Wow++
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7/1/2008 - BradE wrote:
Surprising. Thinner than expected, almost toasted. Maybe a bad bottle? Will try another soon.
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7/15/2005 - KPB wrote: 96 Points
2001 “probably Celestines.” Rich long nose: very ripe sour cherries (griottes), framboise. Roast beef juice. Some musk here – a touch of brett giving a rather complex and subtle spiciness. Extremely long in the mouth, sweet and rich. Sensational wine. 96-98.
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