Limpid and lithe like all of Souhaut's Syrahs, this is the first time I've really pushed him in the cellar and I wasn't mad at all about it. Gorgeously expressive on the nose, the palate was the only place the uncharitable might find space for critique, and yet there was something so lovely here: a kind of camphoraceousness like nothing I quite recall. Burgundian in weight without much in the way of tannic carapace, this was still structured and not at all spent.
A bit hard to read--at times too shrill and sharp, but at other moments really pure delicious Syrah, without any fuss or complications. Might let other bottles sit but with a decant and a hour this works well now.
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A little meager in the fruit department, but there's a lot going on here. Pepper, gunpowder, grilled meat, wet gravel. Pale, translucent color, low alcohol. I'm sure this wouldn't appeal to a lot of people, but I like this style.
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Very light bodied and translucent. Fresh cracked black pepper on nose with maybe some strawberry, cherries and raspberries. Palate comes alive with vinaigrette, a pinot lovers syrah. So very fresh and full of lift. 11.5 ABV. The nose is amazing on this wine - kind of a creamy, peppery, fruity then savory whiff of goodness. I do believe the palate will catch up with the nose but don't think bottle will last that long. Love it.
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Popped and poured. Quite an interesting and pretty nose of dark flowers, forest floor, black pepper, menthol, seawater, and lots of gravel/rocks, fresh and open. A bit of carbonation dissipates fairly quickly with some swirling. Floral, black peppery, earthy, and intensely mineral palate - along the lines of gravel and iron, and plenty of it, with some salinity - nice! Some restrained dark fruit. Good acidity. Good intensity of flavor, yet light and refreshing. Improves over a couple hours, gaining cohesion and balance as the dark fruit develops (while remaining far from dominant). At the end of the bottle, about 4 hours in, brighter red fruit is developing, along the lines of red plum and apple. Unique and immensely enjoyable wine!
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Probably more austere and funky than I was in the mood for this time ... smoked beef, spice and strawberry accents on the nose with mineral qualities on the palate.
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Wow is this ever stinky. This smells exactly like burning a waterproof match. There's something particular about the chemicals in those matches that make them smell this way. So, it's a bit sulfurous, smells of burning wood, and also coupled with a charred mushroom component. It's appealing, but also kind of makes me cringe and pull the glass away. (Going on two hours open the nasty part of that dissipates). It's definitely quite odoriferous. The palate entry absolutely rips with minerality and strong acidity. Impressive body considering the alcohol, and this gets a bit frothy on the palate. Really nice flavors and due to the light alcohol this can be held pleasantly on the palate indefinitely and the whole while it remains quite pleasant, showing similar flavors as noted on the nose plus a red apple skin and red grape component. Again with the same profile on the finish, this offers quite a bit of intrigue on a light frame. The nose is crazily intense, but overall the wine is hugely drinkable and a wonderful Syrah. Wish all Syrah was this pleasant.
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My last bottle but this and the gamy are great. Wonderful dark fruited yum mines on the palate with a hint of flowers and spice. Great at the table..just well made
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The most deliciously fresh, gluggable syrah I've ever had. Opens with notes of cola and cherry jolly rancher candies on the nose. Tart red and black cherry flavors mix with dried herb, tar, and rhubarb across the palate. Because of the CO2 it's got a certain zesty nature, that lightens the flavors beautifully. Clean yet lengthy finish. The best "natural wine" I've ever tasted.
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Light and fresh as ever. Perhaps one questions the extent to which a low-alcohol, atypically transparent, gulpable Northern Rhone Syrah such as this, with its chirpy "natural wine" spritz and high-toned structure, imparts a sense of "terroir." That said, it definitely delivers the textbook notes of pepper and violets that we all love about cool-climate Syrah (in fact, it's definitely one of the most immanently floral, virtually potpourri-like reds I've recently encountered) just without any of the more sanguine, gamey qualities ("bacon fat" would be a typically reference point) with which one might associate the region. Regardless, this is refreshing, positively delicious, and I could drink a whole lot of it. In some ways, it seems to embody a geographical midway point between Beaujolais and the Northern Rhone (perhaps not coincidentally, the producer also makes a Gamay).
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Popped and poured. The nose, at first, is bold with lots of black pepper, blackberry, some mint, and coffee. Initially, the palate seemed to be on par with the magnitude of the nose, with nice dried herbs, and a tobacco note, but this faded quickly, leaving little character. There was a surprising frizzante element as well that persisted. A half hour after opening, the nose is subdued and unremarkable. Finishes flat, lacking much in the way of acid or tannins.
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Superbe vin. Très bon à l'ouverture, avec des arômes très purs et très frais. Encore meilleur le lendemain. A carafer à tout prix. Excellent rapport qualité/prix.
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Pours a translucent dark red. Straight from the bottle this is all about cool crushed fresh raspberries. Lingering in the background, and eventually stepping up, there are delicate notes typical of Syrah including olive and lily flowers. So fresh tasting; the juicy red fruit is incredible. Not a wine of great depth but one I'd be happy to have on my table a-n-y time. Totally worth the $25, unlike too many of the $25 wines that I'm trying. What a pleasure.
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Big olive taste with fresh tart fizzy fruit and some apple in the background. The image that comes into mind is puttanesca pasta. Nice "natural" one. 1 more year in cellar might settle it a bit more.
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Vinification : Longue macération à basse température, sans éraflage. Elevage sur lies fines. Mise en bouteille sans filtration. SO2 total à la mise en bouteille < 25mg/l. A carafer 2/3 heures minimum dans sa jeunesse.
Finally tried this and it was absolutely fantastic crystalline stuff. We didn't aerate it for 2-3 hrs, but then again, we didn't feel like we needed to; it was already delicious. Exactly what I'd hoped for given the low alcohol, cool vintage, truly the leanest pretty Syrah I've ever had, and I'm really overjoyed to have two more.
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4/15/2022 - wormfarmer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Limpid and lithe like all of Souhaut's Syrahs, this is the first time I've really pushed him in the cellar and I wasn't mad at all about it. Gorgeously expressive on the nose, the palate was the only place the uncharitable might find space for critique, and yet there was something so lovely here: a kind of camphoraceousness like nothing I quite recall. Burgundian in weight without much in the way of tannic carapace, this was still structured and not at all spent.
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4/15/2016 - LW31 Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit hard to read--at times too shrill and sharp, but at other moments really pure delicious Syrah, without any fuss or complications. Might let other bottles sit but with a decant and a hour this works well now.
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2/22/2015 - Spencer wrote:
A little meager in the fruit department, but there's a lot going on here. Pepper, gunpowder, grilled meat, wet gravel. Pale, translucent color, low alcohol. I'm sure this wouldn't appeal to a lot of people, but I like this style.
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12/9/2013 - tbone wrote:
Very light bodied and translucent. Fresh cracked black pepper on nose with maybe some strawberry, cherries and raspberries. Palate comes alive with vinaigrette, a pinot lovers syrah. So very fresh and full of lift. 11.5 ABV. The nose is amazing on this wine - kind of a creamy, peppery, fruity then savory whiff of goodness. I do believe the palate will catch up with the nose but don't think bottle will last that long. Love it.
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8/14/2013 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
Popped and poured. Quite an interesting and pretty nose of dark flowers, forest floor, black pepper, menthol, seawater, and lots of gravel/rocks, fresh and open. A bit of carbonation dissipates fairly quickly with some swirling. Floral, black peppery, earthy, and intensely mineral palate - along the lines of gravel and iron, and plenty of it, with some salinity - nice! Some restrained dark fruit. Good acidity. Good intensity of flavor, yet light and refreshing. Improves over a couple hours, gaining cohesion and balance as the dark fruit develops (while remaining far from dominant). At the end of the bottle, about 4 hours in, brighter red fruit is developing, along the lines of red plum and apple. Unique and immensely enjoyable wine!
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8/8/2013 - tbriggs wrote:
This was quite good. Very peppery, highish acid, a little spritz. Rebuy: yes.
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7/16/2013 - pgb67 wrote: 87 Points
Probably more austere and funky than I was in the mood for this time ... smoked beef, spice and strawberry accents on the nose with mineral qualities on the palate.
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6/1/2013 - SonomaWilliam wrote: 90 Points
An syrah that is both light, and intense. Color og a gamay, liquid gravel on the nose. A big thumbs up for natural wine.
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5/15/2013 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 89 Points
Wow is this ever stinky. This smells exactly like burning a waterproof match. There's something particular about the chemicals in those matches that make them smell this way. So, it's a bit sulfurous, smells of burning wood, and also coupled with a charred mushroom component. It's appealing, but also kind of makes me cringe and pull the glass away. (Going on two hours open the nasty part of that dissipates). It's definitely quite odoriferous. The palate entry absolutely rips with minerality and strong acidity. Impressive body considering the alcohol, and this gets a bit frothy on the palate. Really nice flavors and due to the light alcohol this can be held pleasantly on the palate indefinitely and the whole while it remains quite pleasant, showing similar flavors as noted on the nose plus a red apple skin and red grape component. Again with the same profile on the finish, this offers quite a bit of intrigue on a light frame. The nose is crazily intense, but overall the wine is hugely drinkable and a wonderful Syrah. Wish all Syrah was this pleasant.
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4/21/2013 - K is for Kate wrote:
Light and tasty, a pleasure to drink on a Spring evening.
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3/6/2013 - tbone wrote:
Great Syrah, light bodied and very bright. Got better on counter overnight.
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3/3/2013 - Sheila62 Likes this wine:
My last bottle but this and the gamy are great. Wonderful dark fruited yum mines on the palate with a hint of flowers and spice. Great at the table..just well made
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2/2/2013 - Axone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beaucoup de gaz carbonique à l'ouverture.
bon après secouage et carafage de quelques heures.
Très bon le lendemain.
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12/23/2012 - ucbeau Likes this wine: 88 Points
The most deliciously fresh, gluggable syrah I've ever had. Opens with notes of cola and cherry jolly rancher candies on the nose. Tart red and black cherry flavors mix with dried herb, tar, and rhubarb across the palate. Because of the CO2 it's got a certain zesty nature, that lightens the flavors beautifully. Clean yet lengthy finish. The best "natural wine" I've ever tasted.
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11/4/2012 - zbsussman wrote:
Light and fresh as ever. Perhaps one questions the extent to which a low-alcohol, atypically transparent, gulpable Northern Rhone Syrah such as this, with its chirpy "natural wine" spritz and high-toned structure, imparts a sense of "terroir." That said, it definitely delivers the textbook notes of pepper and violets that we all love about cool-climate Syrah (in fact, it's definitely one of the most immanently floral, virtually potpourri-like reds I've recently encountered) just without any of the more sanguine, gamey qualities ("bacon fat" would be a typically reference point) with which one might associate the region. Regardless, this is refreshing, positively delicious, and I could drink a whole lot of it. In some ways, it seems to embody a geographical midway point between Beaujolais and the Northern Rhone (perhaps not coincidentally, the producer also makes a Gamay).
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11/2/2012 - Sennma wrote: 88 Points
Classic syrah...easy drinking at 11.5% great fruit mixed with pepper and spice.
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10/2/2012 - Bob Fyke wrote: 86 Points
Popped and poured. The nose, at first, is bold with lots of black pepper, blackberry, some mint, and coffee. Initially, the palate seemed to be on par with the magnitude of the nose, with nice dried herbs, and a tobacco note, but this faded quickly, leaving little character. There was a surprising frizzante element as well that persisted. A half hour after opening, the nose is subdued and unremarkable. Finishes flat, lacking much in the way of acid or tannins.
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8/22/2012 - Ron Felthoven wrote: 86 Points
Light and fresh with pepper notes and bit of dissolved CO2. Savory, earthy, a little funky and tasty. A little thin but very enjoyable.
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8/20/2012 - Axone wrote: 92 Points
Superbe vin.
Très bon à l'ouverture, avec des arômes très purs et très frais.
Encore meilleur le lendemain. A carafer à tout prix.
Excellent rapport qualité/prix.
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8/8/2012 - slanum wrote:
Pours a translucent dark red. Straight from the bottle this is all about cool crushed fresh raspberries. Lingering in the background, and eventually stepping up, there are delicate notes typical of Syrah including olive and lily flowers. So fresh tasting; the juicy red fruit is incredible. Not a wine of great depth but one I'd be happy to have on my table a-n-y time. Totally worth the $25, unlike too many of the $25 wines that I'm trying. What a pleasure.
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6/3/2012 - Gargantua wrote:
Showed well in its own volatile, barnyardy, savory olive, strawberry sort of way tonight.
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5/19/2012 - Alex H wrote: 86 Points
Fresh raspberries, thyme and very cool smooth tasting. Meant for drinking now. Delicate for a syrah. 11.5 alc. Superb on controllig the alc.
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4/28/2012 - robs_r wrote: flawed
Strange bottle: some bubbles so maybe some kind of secondary fermentation? I am seriously disappointed, bottle hand carried home from Paris.
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2/4/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Moderate depth. Elegant feel, nice floral quality and an herbaceous streak. Well balanced, pretty wine, but not terrific value at this price.
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12/12/2011 - Pierre-Yves wrote: 87 Points
Big olive taste with fresh tart fizzy fruit and some apple in the background. The image that comes into mind is puttanesca pasta. Nice "natural" one. 1 more year in cellar might settle it a bit more.
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12/7/2011 - Gargantua wrote:
Showing a tad more "natural" (cidery finish) than the last bottle. A bit less polished than the brilliant first showing. Still pretty amazing, though!
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11/21/2011 - Gargantua wrote: 91 Points
Vinification : Longue macération à basse température, sans éraflage. Elevage sur lies fines. Mise en bouteille sans filtration. SO2 total à la mise en bouteille < 25mg/l. A carafer 2/3 heures minimum dans sa jeunesse.
Finally tried this and it was absolutely fantastic crystalline stuff. We didn't aerate it for 2-3 hrs, but then again, we didn't feel like we needed to; it was already delicious. Exactly what I'd hoped for given the low alcohol, cool vintage, truly the leanest pretty Syrah I've ever had, and I'm really overjoyed to have two more.
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