Slow-O 1 hour after decanting for sediment and returning to bottle. Color shows very little sign of age. VG showing, mature but in no way past it or even close for that matter. Remarkable balance and depth of fruit. When this was released, my palate/preferences were quite different and I enjoyed it. I wouldn't want to drink this on release now, but given the 20+ years, it's quite elegant and complex. 14,5% abv. Drink now or in the next several years while there's still a nice core of fruit. highly recommended
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This was a little unexpected; I really liked it. To be sure, I noticed a little "heat" from the 14.5 abv. But, aside from that, this thing was a dark, red fruited beauty. The wine was very aromatic, with spices, fresh red cherry, a hint of astringent oil like lavender. The wine was fresh and inviting, with crushed ripe red fruit, heavy to cherries, there was plenty of acid to balance, and also traces of earthy soil. Yummy, and the bottle was gone before I knew it!
Thankfully the 2nd bottle (from the same case) was sound. Decanted for sediment and it rounded off beautifully within 10 minutes. Soft clean red fruit, cherry and hints of strawberry jam (but not jammy) on the delicate aromas, Surprisingly fresh for a 17 year old wines. Nice texture and supple but fairly long finish. Sound bottles should continue to age well for another half a decade and likely longer.
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2001 CLARENDON HILLS OLD VINES GRENACHE BLEWITT SPRINGS VINEYARD CLARENDON- brilliant fresh red and black fruit prevails here with some toast, leather and spice; medium bodied, it hits the mid palate with finesse and distinct cherry flavours.
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Such a well made wine and really approaching its best. Extra depth from Mgm. Very rich fruit, plenty of ripe berry at the front the slightly lifted rather than mouthcoating flavour that seperates it from Shiraz of the same genre/location/age. This though is a characteristic of the CH wines. Fresh full fruit without being heavy and mouth coating. More red than black berry/cherry flavours.
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Medium-plus color with a tinge of brown. Mostly dry with a hint of sweetness on the tongue with crisp acidity. Smells of bold fruit with medium oak. On the nose, red berries and cedar. This is a full bodied wine with soft tannins. There is a decent finish on the wine, but the alcohol overwhelms the acidity and tannin, throwing the wine a bit out of balance. Had this with a yellow curry pasted chicken breast, great pairing that cooled the alcohol heat down.
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Good clear color, medium dark red. Slight browning on the edges. Nose of cherries, wet earth. Good mouth weight. Tart cherry, blueberries, a bit of caramel. Still some good tannins that are nicely integrated. Nice lingering finish, though a bit hot. Really liking this so far.
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R.I.P.-Sadly our bottle was almost undrinkable. Elements of good wine came through, but mostly there were the unmistakable signs of an over-oxidized wine - raisony, alcohol, very faint fruit, the usual suspects.
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This wine may be nearing the end. I gave it a splash decant and then poured back in the bottle. Consumed over the next 4 hours. By the end, the wine took on an almost minty or menthol taste. Very strange. When first poured, however, it was delicious and smooth. Nowhere near the typical Aussie fruit bomb I typically expect. The color was brick red.
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Dark purple-red in color. With about 3 h of air, a soaring nose of blueberry and black raspberry preserves, incense, camphor and lavender captivates the nose. The refined and silky palate strikes a deft balance between the sweet berry fruit, acidity and alcohol. There is a cool inner mouth perfume of camphor and spring flowers that lingers long after the wine has been swallowed. What a huge surprise, I do not ever remember this wine being so well balanced and beautiful.
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Night one decanted and jumped right in. Slightly sweet cherry and rhubarb on nose and palate and that was about it. Not horrible but nothing to write home about. Tried again on night 2 and 3. Didn't want a second glass on any of these nights in fact was hard to finish first. Bad bottle? Not sure but I have 1 more in cellar. Night 4 - getting better
Dark crimson, clean deep kirsch nose, concentratedly long and tannic on the palate. Maintains a freshness,depth,and vibrancy of the top echelon of cdp's
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This is the finest this wine has tasted for me. Had this hauntingly amazing cherry/kirsch flavor. The fruit is still primary, but the texture and integration have improved immensely. The wine is intense and concentrated and while it is a full bodied wine, it is balanced and not over the top. I'd love to sneak this into a Chateauneuf de Pape tasting with some of the bolder styles. I know there is a lot of criticism of Clarendon Hills, but I think the wine needed some time to settle down. It is a beauty now.
After 3 hours open....smooth red fruit with some pepper on the nose. Cherry and meat with with some complexity and a trace of heat....very pleasant and long finish.
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Needed 2-3 hours of air. It was pleasant earlier, but it definitely blossomed with additional air. The nose was more powerful and the wine had more weight than it showed 1 year ago when I had this wine last. Not sure if it was closed down on my previous bottle or not. On day 1, the wine showed a nose of sweet leather, cherry, spice and prune with the leathery cherry shining in the mouth. Nice weight and finish as I’ve experienced with other vintages of this wine. On day 2, the wine showed a nice mix of leather, cherry and prune with hints of Asian spice. A nice wine, but I was expecting more.
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COLOR: Garnet-ruby NOTE: This was in pristine condition. Nose is sweet with strawberries, raspberries, kirsch and cherry pipe tobacco with just a faint trace of heat. So lovely. Mouth has a nice med-heavy weight with opulent candied red fruits, tar, tobacco. The finish drops much of the opulence, which is the only drawback as it leaves the alcoholic heat to override the red fruits. Still, this was a beautiful bottle that delivered everything I asked of it and needed this evening. Well done Clarendon team!
(After about 4 hours this took on a nice mineral undertone far more reminiscent of a Rhone wine than the typical Aussie/Cali fruit bomb grenache I'm used to having. Quite nice!)
DECANT: 2 hrs GLASS USED: PN TASTE: 9.2+ COST: 38 VALUE: 8.7 PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a TRY AGAIN: n/a PAIRING: Great with meat-sauce lasagna (from Trader Joe's no less!) ---
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Medium red center, strawberry, rasberry and some kirsch. The fruit is far from over the hill but is definitely maturing. A lighter style than I expected. Alcohol was fulll integrated into the mouthfeel and was not in the way at cellar temp. Entry is a bit thin but then expands at the mid plate and burst with a touch of vanilla and woodsy moss. I would describe this wine as inviting.
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Decanted 2 hours. Great nose of exotic spice and black fruits with raspberry on the palate. Not as explosive and flamboyant on the palate as the '02 or '98, but this wine was much more elegant. The palate was a bit puzzling as I was expecting it to be thicker and more mouth-filling, but still very nice wine none the less. Not sure if this was an off bottle or if this is how it was supposed to be. Can't wait to try my other bottle to verify this.
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Very nice. Tasted the '01 Kangarilla, Romas and Blewitt Springs blind with friends at work. All very nice, and surprisingly each wine was the favorite for some, so not a big gap between them, and more a matter of taste than anything else.
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Vanilla and a little cedar on the nose. Big berry flavors and smooth tannins. Very good but one dimensional. Lots of very good Spanish Garnachas for 1/3 of the price.
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Rick's Birthday Dinner (Wink Wine Bar): Tasted side by side with the Janasse, this was remarkably close in quality to the Janasse. And like the Janasse, I was missing classic CdP character of kirsch liqueur and garrigue , and I found plum and raisins instead. Very good drink and shows just how good Grenache can be in any micro-climate.
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Sweet start. Quite full bodied. Sweet ripe forest fruits. There is tannin that gives power to the wine. My first Australian Grenache. Not bad, but I am not overly impressed.
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The last of these Clarendon Hills Grenaches from my cellar... thank goodness. Some were not bad, but most were too sweet, flabby and overpriced. This one was OK. Good depth of plummy fruit, but bordering on over-ripeness (prunes?). Good spiciness and moderate length.
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Just a tiny bit disappointing given what I spent on it, but still a nice wine. Purplish pink to the rim, it had a nose of raspberry and some earthy pepperiness. It was a bit thin and alcoholic in the mouth but with nice flavors of dark berries and waxy lavender. Still has a bit of tannic grip in the finish, but I don't think it has the midpalate to carry it much longer.
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I agree with Robbie on this one. We all noted the deep, dark chocolate with berries flavor in this wine. It is nearing its peak as Parker says in his notes. Yes it is at or a little beyond its peak. drink-up.
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I took to our Chez wine dinner. Decanted for two hours then rebottled and opened again after another couple hours. Nose of cherries and palate of kirsch and spice. Beautiful full mouthfeel was red WOTN.
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A polished and elegant wine, unlike many over the top Aussies. Still a full bodied wine with very rich fruit, but an added dimension of compexity and depth that makes Clarendon Hills stand out. Little earthiness or acidity like you get from many CdP's, but still a very good food wine and certainly a joy to drink.
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Drinking much better than prior bottles. Smoothe now. Classic Grenache nose, though still a bit muted. People tend to love or hate CH wines, this one was clearly quite enjoyable.
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Nose of fresh cut tomato and flowers. In the mouth pretty concentrated blueberry, and it also has tinges of stewed tomato, kirsch and plum. There is an underlying wet stone quailty. A medium-full Grenache with lots of fleshy tannins. The tannins are not harsh, but they are pretty full adding to the mouthweight. The alcohol isn't perceptable in the mouth, but after drinking a few sips on an empty stomach waiting for dinner to be ready, the alcohol hit my body.
To me this has a lot of similarities to Santa Barbara Pinot Noir. - stewed tomato, wet stone and medium-full body.
I like this wine a lot, but I think I prefer more elegant and feminine style Grenaches.
Had it with braised lamb shanks, rice and asparugus.
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Okay, this stuff has started to settle down. The last time I opened one of these it was a real freak show of distorted flavors. But this bottle seems to express the pure grenache characteristics very nicely if a bit over concentrated. Nice spicy mid palate and slightly sweet finish. The alchohol was in fairly good balance.
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2001 Clarendon Hills, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, Old Vines Grenache, Clarendon, Australia: Brilliant dark ruby, fat tears, no sediment. Sweet red currant nose, young and concentrated. Plump body, concentrated red currant again, bit sweet bitter, acidity well hidden, tannins very soft but persistent. Very long finish, soft velvety tannins linger. There seems room for development. Reminds me to some degree of the 1999 Beaux Freres, Pinot Noir and also the 2000 Charvin CdP - somewhere in between. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 90. Not blind. Double decanted shortly before tasting. Small ISO standard tasting glass
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Raspberry, etc. Still a bit of hardness in the middle (minerality?) that tames with air. Used this as the inaugural bottle on the new VintageKeeper, which seems to be working out just fine.
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Opened tonight and drank with pork chops and salad. First read other tasting notes on cellar tracker and have to admit was not excited, even after parker 95. When first poured into glass seemed very light and thin. Not much nose and an off taste. Was starting to fret about all of the Clarendon Hills I have in cellar that I have not tasted. Decanted rest of bottle, hoping that was the problem. Poured a new glass after 15 minutes and started to come around. By the time we started dinner the wine was singing. Very smooooth, velvety, berryish (cherry, blackberry) and creamy. Fully fruity with a hint of cedar and cinnamon. Paired with food wonderfully and wife and I drank the rest after dinner. Normally we wouildn't finish entire bottle on weeknight, but made exception with this beauty. Can't wait to try other 2 bottles of this wine and all the other CH. The only other CH we have tried is the 01 Romas which drank very much the same as this wine.
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2001 Clarendon Hills, Old Vines Grenache, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, Australia: Light and bright ruby, very fat tears, no sediment at all. Raspberries, Cassis, sweet perfumed red berries in the nose. Plump body, bitter sweet red fruit, some acidity behind, good tannins in the background, slightly fat but not hot. Aftertaste a bit sweet, counterbalanced with good acidity and tannins. To some degree this wine shows features of a slightly fat non Burgundy Pinot Noir. Not easy to match with food, may be with sweet dishes like apricot dumplings or even desserts with chocolate or sweet dried fruits like dates. I have no idea how this will age, but this bottle was opened too early I think. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91. Not blind. Decanted shortly before drinking. Small ISO standard tasting glass
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I am really struggling with this wine. It is very, very hot on the nose. I let it sit at room temp (68) for an hour while it warmed up. When I then tasted it, I was blown away by the heat on the nose. I cooled down the decanter and tried it again. The nose still showed some heat, but I also got blackberry jam and smoke. The palate, unfortunately, is even more hot than the nose. It has strong Zin like fruit. I get high pitched red fruit, char, and vanilla. If served this blind I would have guessed 2001 Turley Old Vines. The only difference is that the body is lighter and, frankly, hotter.
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Year-End Wine Tasting -- Cellar Treasures (Trattoria Asti -- Austin): OK. Another one I got really wrong. I guessed Central Coast Syrah, but instead it was an Aussie Grenache. Very fun wine to drink, but I have no point of reference as I've never had any of these. I do think though that it is a very good and enjoyable wine.
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Still really great; color was a nice grenachey-red, no fading at the edges. Very intense fruit nose that changed a lot over the first half-hour - very mineraly and fruit-driven, in different waves. This seemed to maybe fall apart a little bit over the c
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2001 Clarendon Hills Old Vines Grenace 'Blewitt Springs Vineyard'
11/29/03 at home on Saturday. Strong ruby-magenta, though not opaque. Lovely scent, flowery. Lots of cool things going on in the nose. Totally drinkable, despite somewhat astringent tannins at the back end. I wouldn't age it. 5-11-15-7-88/100. Hiroko says 88.
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Oh, my. A beautiful nose of ripe red cherries, backed by pink bubblegum -- the way bubblegum smelled when I was little. This doesn't taste like the other Clarendon Grenaches at all -- it tastes like a very full, very fruit-driven, very smooth Pinot Noir
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2/23/2024 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Slow-O 1 hour after decanting for sediment and returning to bottle. Color shows very little sign of age. VG showing, mature but in no way past it or even close for that matter. Remarkable balance and depth of fruit. When this was released, my palate/preferences were quite different and I enjoyed it. I wouldn't want to drink this on release now, but given the 20+ years, it's quite elegant and complex. 14,5% abv. Drink now or in the next several years while there's still a nice core of fruit. highly recommended
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4/7/2020 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a little unexpected; I really liked it. To be sure, I noticed a little "heat" from the 14.5 abv. But, aside from that, this thing was a dark, red fruited beauty. The wine was very aromatic, with spices, fresh red cherry, a hint of astringent oil like lavender. The wine was fresh and inviting, with crushed ripe red fruit, heavy to cherries, there was plenty of acid to balance, and also traces of earthy soil. Yummy, and the bottle was gone before I knew it!
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2/7/2020 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow - like an old Rioja. Super complex, lifted, ethereal
.
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1/26/2018 - bon vivant wrote: 93 Points
Thankfully the 2nd bottle (from the same case) was sound. Decanted for sediment and it rounded off beautifully within 10 minutes. Soft clean red fruit, cherry and hints of strawberry jam (but not jammy) on the delicate aromas, Surprisingly fresh for a 17 year old wines. Nice texture and supple but fairly long finish. Sound bottles should continue to age well for another half a decade and likely longer.
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1/26/2018 - bon vivant wrote: flawed
corked!
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12/22/2017 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full of fruit, strawberries. Nice evolution, very clean, not really showing age. Very fine tannins
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7/4/2017 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 91 Points
2001 CLARENDON HILLS OLD VINES GRENACHE BLEWITT SPRINGS VINEYARD CLARENDON- brilliant fresh red and black fruit prevails here with some toast, leather and spice; medium bodied, it hits the mid palate with finesse and distinct cherry flavours.
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8/20/2016 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fully mature, nice strength and balance, but not a huge standout in a lineup of Aussie wines.
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4/26/2015 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hauntingly beautiful. So rich, yet just hovering somewhere in space. Perfumed aromatics. Perfect balance. Intoxicating.
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12/15/2013 - pekingunther Likes this wine: 92 Points
Such a well made wine and really approaching its best. Extra depth from Mgm. Very rich fruit, plenty of ripe berry at the front the slightly lifted rather than mouthcoating flavour that seperates it from Shiraz of the same genre/location/age. This though is a characteristic of the CH wines. Fresh full fruit without being heavy and mouth coating. More red than black berry/cherry flavours.
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11/4/2013 - Kitebrian Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium-plus color with a tinge of brown. Mostly dry with a hint of sweetness on the tongue with crisp acidity. Smells of bold fruit with medium oak. On the nose, red berries and cedar. This is a full bodied wine with soft tannins. There is a decent finish on the wine, but the alcohol overwhelms the acidity and tannin, throwing the wine a bit out of balance. Had this with a yellow curry pasted chicken breast, great pairing that cooled the alcohol heat down.
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10/30/2013 - Ron Slye wrote: 91 Points
Good clear color, medium dark red. Slight browning on the edges. Nose of cherries, wet earth. Good mouth weight. Tart cherry, blueberries, a bit of caramel. Still some good tannins that are nicely integrated. Nice lingering finish, though a bit hot. Really liking this so far.
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8/14/2013 - lvjohn wrote: 88 Points
R.I.P.-Sadly our bottle was almost undrinkable. Elements of good wine came through, but mostly there were the unmistakable signs of an over-oxidized wine - raisony, alcohol, very faint fruit, the usual suspects.
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8/11/2013 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
Old vines Grenache fruit profile. Pepper and spice, and just a little too much heat and alcohol coming through. DNF.
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3/3/2013 - Domer99 wrote: 89 Points
This wine may be nearing the end. I gave it a splash decant and then poured back in the bottle. Consumed over the next 4 hours. By the end, the wine took on an almost minty or menthol taste. Very strange. When first poured, however, it was delicious and smooth. Nowhere near the typical Aussie fruit bomb I typically expect. The color was brick red.
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1/27/2013 - devraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple-red in color. With about 3 h of air, a soaring nose of blueberry and black raspberry preserves, incense, camphor and lavender captivates the nose. The refined and silky palate strikes a deft balance between the sweet berry fruit, acidity and alcohol. There is a cool inner mouth perfume of camphor and spring flowers that lingers long after the wine has been swallowed. What a huge surprise, I do not ever remember this wine being so well balanced and beautiful.
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1/20/2013 - Cowie29 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lighter red ; a little thin ..... maybe sat too long ? Overall a very nice Grenache blend.
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1/13/2013 - tbone wrote:
Night one decanted and jumped right in. Slightly sweet cherry and rhubarb on nose and palate and that was about it. Not horrible but nothing to write home about. Tried again on night 2 and 3. Didn't want a second glass on any of these nights in fact was hard to finish first. Bad bottle? Not sure but I have 1 more in cellar.
Night 4 - getting better
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1/12/2013 - Tgood wrote: 92 Points
Dark crimson, clean deep kirsch nose, concentratedly long and tannic on the palate. Maintains a freshness,depth,and vibrancy of the top echelon of cdp's
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3/24/2012 - Jay A wrote: 93 Points
This is the finest this wine has tasted for me. Had this hauntingly amazing cherry/kirsch flavor. The fruit is still primary, but the texture and integration have improved immensely. The wine is intense and concentrated and while it is a full bodied wine, it is balanced and not over the top. I'd love to sneak this into a Chateauneuf de Pape tasting with some of the bolder styles. I know there is a lot of criticism of Clarendon Hills, but I think the wine needed some time to settle down. It is a beauty now.
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1/29/2012 - edjBoca wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking well. It will be good for a few years at this level. Definitely improves with time open....
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9/4/2011 - edjBoca wrote: 93 Points
After 3 hours open....smooth red fruit with some pepper on the nose. Cherry and meat with with some complexity and a trace of heat....very pleasant and long finish.
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9/2/2011 - MJHDC wrote:
Very nice, elegant. Medium-bodied raspberry, strawberry and cherry fruit. Polished. Worth the wait
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2/8/2011 - MC wrote:
Time to drink up, but drinking well right now and as close to "elegant" as I would have put Aussie Grenache. A-
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12/7/2010 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 92 Points
Needed 2-3 hours of air. It was pleasant earlier, but it definitely blossomed with additional air. The nose was more powerful and the wine had more weight than it showed 1 year ago when I had this wine last. Not sure if it was closed down on my previous bottle or not. On day 1, the wine showed a nose of sweet leather, cherry, spice and prune with the leathery cherry shining in the mouth. Nice weight and finish as I’ve experienced with other vintages of this wine. On day 2, the wine showed a nice mix of leather, cherry and prune with hints of Asian spice. A nice wine, but I was expecting more.
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11/19/2010 - tp096255 wrote: 92 Points
COLOR: Garnet-ruby
NOTE: This was in pristine condition. Nose is sweet with strawberries, raspberries, kirsch and cherry pipe tobacco with just a faint trace of heat. So lovely. Mouth has a nice med-heavy weight with opulent candied red fruits, tar, tobacco. The finish drops much of the opulence, which is the only drawback as it leaves the alcoholic heat to override the red fruits. Still, this was a beautiful bottle that delivered everything I asked of it and needed this evening. Well done Clarendon team!
(After about 4 hours this took on a nice mineral undertone far more reminiscent of a Rhone wine than the typical Aussie/Cali fruit bomb grenache I'm used to having. Quite nice!)
DECANT: 2 hrs
GLASS USED: PN
TASTE: 9.2+
COST: 38
VALUE: 8.7
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a
TRY AGAIN: n/a
PAIRING: Great with meat-sauce lasagna (from Trader Joe's no less!)
---
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10/10/2010 - shk5157 wrote: 92 Points
subtle berry fruit, aged well
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9/21/2010 - dy_dx wrote: 89 Points
Deep plum color, blackberry bramble nose (wood & leaves with a little berry), old leather. Palate was closed - lots of tannin and stewed fruit.
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6/7/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 92 Points
Medium red center, strawberry, rasberry and some kirsch. The fruit is far from over the hill but is definitely maturing. A lighter style than I expected. Alcohol was fulll integrated into the mouthfeel and was not in the way at cellar temp. Entry is a bit thin but then expands at the mid plate and burst with a touch of vanilla and woodsy moss. I would describe this wine as inviting.
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5/2/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Very elegant and complex. Kirsch, berries.
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4/23/2010 - Peech wrote: 80 Points
smoky, musty, not great..
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12/27/2009 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Great nose of exotic spice and black fruits with raspberry on the palate. Not as explosive and flamboyant on the palate as the '02 or '98, but this wine was much more elegant. The palate was a bit puzzling as I was expecting it to be thicker and more mouth-filling, but still very nice wine none the less. Not sure if this was an off bottle or if this is how it was supposed to be. Can't wait to try my other bottle to verify this.
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11/4/2009 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
LOADS OF BERRY FRUITS AND BLACK CHERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.
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4/28/2009 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. Tasted the '01 Kangarilla, Romas and Blewitt Springs blind with friends at work. All very nice, and surprisingly each wine was the favorite for some, so not a big gap between them, and more a matter of taste than anything else.
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12/30/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 94 Points
Earth and must and raspberry and cinnamon. Wonderful blend.
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11/16/2008 - borneman wrote: 88 Points
Vanilla and a little cedar on the nose. Big berry flavors and smooth tannins. Very good but one dimensional. Lots of very good Spanish Garnachas for 1/3 of the price.
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10/8/2008 - johnwine wrote: 97 Points
This wine has developed into a sumptuous nectar. It is a sweet delight with flavors of candied cherries and plum pudding. Ooo La La!
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9/16/2008 - steffenpelz wrote:
Rick's Birthday Dinner (Wink Wine Bar): Tasted side by side with the Janasse, this was remarkably close in quality to the Janasse. And like the Janasse, I was missing classic CdP character of kirsch liqueur and garrigue , and I found plum and raisins instead. Very good drink and shows just how good Grenache can be in any micro-climate.
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4/25/2008 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Sweet start. Quite full bodied. Sweet ripe forest fruits. There is tannin that gives power to the wine. My first Australian Grenache. Not bad, but I am not overly impressed.
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10/4/2007 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Global GRENACHE BYO dinner at The French Bakery (The French Bakery, Kane Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, FL): Flight 3 B. David's wine. Very good but trailed in this outstanding flight of the 01 Romas, and the 01 Alban's Pandora.
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10/1/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 93 Points
Drank with Jim and Mark after Paul's dx. Earthen and polished
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9/4/2007 - Winevestor wrote: 92 Points
Medicinal undertow to a full fruit, but somewhat subdued by complexity.
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6/14/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 Points
The last of these Clarendon Hills Grenaches from my cellar... thank goodness. Some were not bad, but most were too sweet, flabby and overpriced. This one was OK. Good depth of plummy fruit, but bordering on over-ripeness (prunes?). Good spiciness and moderate length.
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6/3/2007 - nectar14 wrote: 89 Points
Just a tiny bit disappointing given what I spent on it, but still a nice wine. Purplish pink to the rim, it had a nose of raspberry and some earthy pepperiness. It was a bit thin and alcoholic in the mouth but with nice flavors of dark berries and waxy lavender. Still has a bit of tannic grip in the finish, but I don't think it has the midpalate to carry it much longer.
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2/18/2007 - schaykin wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyed the cherry liquor flavor but it was a little too sweet for my palate. My friends seemed to enjoy it better.
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1/16/2007 - johnwine wrote: 96 Points
I agree with Robbie on this one. We all noted the deep, dark chocolate with berries flavor in this wine. It is nearing its peak as Parker says in his notes. Yes it is at or a little beyond its peak. drink-up.
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11/27/2006 - johnleeper wrote: 93 Points
I took to our Chez wine dinner. Decanted for two hours then rebottled and opened again after another couple hours. Nose of cherries and palate of kirsch and spice. Beautiful full mouthfeel was red WOTN.
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11/1/2006 - mattiasjansson wrote: 89 Points
Backstreet - Grenache (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Not bad this time.
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11/1/2006 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - Grenache (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Have had this four times in the past and it was horrible each time. Tonight it is wonderful. Pretty, dark fruit nose. Mixed fruit flavor profile with a long elegant finish.
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10/25/2006 - Ibetian wrote: 88 Points
Nose was not showing much except alcohol, but taste was surprisingly smoothe and enjoyable. P. liked.
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9/19/2006 - peterkj wrote:
Fokus på Australien (Kokkens Vinhus, Glostrup Centret): Aroma: Indelukket. Smag: Intens, tør, balance. Helhed: Rigtig god. Pris: 350 kr. Karakter: 10 pil op.
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9/10/2006 - ssouth wrote: 85 Points
Muted in most ways. Hardly budged even with flash decanting. Not a good showing.
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8/22/2006 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Blind Night (Enotria, Scottsdale): Vinegar
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8/12/2006 - Jason wrote: flawed
Obviously cooked.
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8/1/2006 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Blind Night (Enotria, Scottsdale): Heat damaged
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7/26/2006 - vinole wrote: 93 Points
A polished and elegant wine, unlike many over the top Aussies. Still a full bodied wine with very rich fruit, but an added dimension of compexity and depth that makes Clarendon Hills stand out. Little earthiness or acidity like you get from many CdP's, but still a very good food wine and certainly a joy to drink.
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4/24/2006 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Drinking much better than prior bottles. Smoothe now. Classic Grenache nose, though still a bit muted. People tend to love or hate CH wines, this one was clearly quite enjoyable.
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8/9/2005 - Jay A wrote: 90 Points
Nose of fresh cut tomato and flowers. In the mouth pretty concentrated blueberry, and it also has tinges of stewed tomato, kirsch and plum. There is an underlying wet stone quailty. A medium-full Grenache with lots of fleshy tannins. The tannins are not harsh, but they are pretty full adding to the mouthweight. The alcohol isn't perceptable in the mouth, but after drinking a few sips on an empty stomach waiting for dinner to be ready, the alcohol hit my body.
To me this has a lot of similarities to Santa Barbara Pinot Noir. - stewed tomato, wet stone and medium-full body.
I like this wine a lot, but I think I prefer more elegant and feminine style Grenaches.
Had it with braised lamb shanks, rice and asparugus.
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6/1/2005 - caldwell wrote:
Pretty good - not any of the hardness noted in the last bottle. Round and pleasant, some tannins on the back end, but a fine bottle of juice.
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5/30/2005 - KellyW wrote: 89 Points
Okay, this stuff has started to settle down. The last time I opened one of these it was a real freak show of distorted flavors. But this bottle seems to express the pure grenache characteristics very nicely if a bit over concentrated. Nice spicy mid palate and slightly sweet finish. The alchohol was in fairly good balance.
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4/21/2005 - Wilfried wrote: 90 Points
2001 Clarendon Hills, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, Old Vines Grenache, Clarendon, Australia: Brilliant dark ruby, fat tears, no sediment. Sweet red currant nose, young and concentrated. Plump body, concentrated red currant again, bit sweet bitter, acidity well hidden, tannins very soft but persistent. Very long finish, soft velvety tannins linger. There seems room for development. Reminds me to some degree of the 1999 Beaux Freres, Pinot Noir and also the 2000 Charvin CdP - somewhere in between.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 90.
Not blind. Double decanted shortly before tasting. Small ISO standard tasting glass
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4/1/2005 - caldwell wrote:
Raspberry, etc. Still a bit of hardness in the middle (minerality?) that tames with air. Used this as the inaugural bottle on the new VintageKeeper, which seems to be working out just fine.
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1/5/2005 - tbone wrote: 96 Points
Opened tonight and drank with pork chops and salad. First read other tasting notes on cellar tracker and have to admit was not excited, even after parker 95. When first poured into glass seemed very light and thin. Not much nose and an off taste. Was starting to fret about all of the Clarendon Hills I have in cellar that I have not tasted. Decanted rest of bottle, hoping that was the problem. Poured a new glass after 15 minutes and started to come around. By the time we started dinner the wine was singing. Very smooooth, velvety, berryish (cherry, blackberry) and creamy. Fully fruity with a hint of cedar and cinnamon. Paired with food wonderfully and wife and I drank the rest after dinner. Normally we wouildn't finish entire bottle on weeknight, but made exception with this beauty. Can't wait to try other 2 bottles of this wine and all the other CH. The only other CH we have tried is the 01 Romas which drank very much the same as this wine.
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1/1/2005 - KellyW wrote: 84 Points
What the hell was I thinking? Man, this was like a science experiment gone bad! Burnt rubber and chemicals. Some guests liked this stuff but not me
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12/29/2004 - Wilfried wrote: 91 Points
2001 Clarendon Hills, Old Vines Grenache, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, Australia: Light and bright ruby, very fat tears, no sediment at all. Raspberries, Cassis, sweet perfumed red berries in the nose. Plump body, bitter sweet red fruit, some acidity behind, good tannins in the background, slightly fat but not hot. Aftertaste a bit sweet, counterbalanced with good acidity and tannins. To some degree this wine shows features of a slightly fat non Burgundy Pinot Noir. Not easy to match with food, may be with sweet dishes like apricot dumplings or even desserts with chocolate or sweet dried fruits like dates. I have no idea how this will age, but this bottle was opened too early I think.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.
Not blind. Decanted shortly before drinking. Small ISO standard tasting glass
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12/28/2004 - Jason wrote: flawed
I am really struggling with this wine. It is very, very hot on the nose. I let it sit at room temp (68) for an hour while it warmed up. When I then tasted it, I was blown away by the heat on the nose. I cooled down the decanter and tried it again. The nose still showed some heat, but I also got blackberry jam and smoke. The palate, unfortunately, is even more hot than the nose. It has strong Zin like fruit. I get high pitched red fruit, char, and vanilla. If served this blind I would have guessed 2001 Turley Old Vines. The only difference is that the body is lighter and, frankly, hotter.
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12/8/2004 - steffenpelz wrote: 89 Points
Year-End Wine Tasting -- Cellar Treasures (Trattoria Asti -- Austin): OK. Another one I got really wrong. I guessed Central Coast Syrah, but instead it was an Aussie Grenache. Very fun wine to drink, but I have no point of reference as I've never had any of these. I do think though that it is a very good and enjoyable wine.
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11/1/2004 - caldwell wrote:
Still really great; color was a nice grenachey-red, no fading at the edges. Very intense fruit nose that changed a lot over the first half-hour - very mineraly and fruit-driven, in different waves. This seemed to maybe fall apart a little bit over the c
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10/23/2004 - Jason wrote:
Lovely notes of wet newspaper. The palate showed burning paper. Yum. Corked.
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9/5/2004 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
A slight barnyard nose which did not carry over into the wine. Spicy notes with black pepper and rich dark chocolate. 92-93.
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6/27/2004 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
This wine was quite closed for about 1 hour after decanting. Lots of tannin and acids made me think we drank it a couple of years too young.
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11/29/2003 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 88 Points
2001 Clarendon Hills Old Vines Grenace 'Blewitt Springs Vineyard'
11/29/03 at home on Saturday. Strong ruby-magenta, though not opaque. Lovely scent, flowery. Lots of cool things going on in the nose. Totally drinkable, despite somewhat astringent tannins at the back end. I wouldn't age it. 5-11-15-7-88/100. Hiroko says 88.
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2/1/2003 - caldwell wrote:
Oh, my. A beautiful nose of ripe red cherries, backed by pink bubblegum -- the way bubblegum smelled when I was little. This doesn't taste like the other Clarendon Grenaches at all -- it tastes like a very full, very fruit-driven, very smooth Pinot Noir
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