A true joy to drink, this bests many CdP's we have enjoyed over the last few years. Pure fruit without defect rolled across our tongues in a giddy way, leaving us to marvel at how 'village' wines can please us so. This did not need food, although it did not pause from providing us pleasure as we moved from aperitif to dinner.
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This was a hedonistic delight. Amazing fruit and also balanced. Not delicate or subtle. Definitely drink as much of this as you can right now, even if you have to do it in one night. In my experience with Rhones, they only have a short window where, if they get like this bottle is now, they stay this way, so it may be in a short-lived sweet spot. Caveat: I'm a big fan of Rasteau, so take my review with a grain of Rasteau.
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Pleasant Grenache 70% Syrah 30% blend that was just beginning to mature with plenty of life ahead of it. The Grenache is noticably more forward and fruity that I would have expected at this point and the Syrah is there but doing a good job hiding itself. I got the blueberries other reviewers spoke of but none of the garrigue or other secondary flavors I hope will come with further aging.
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I had this when we returned from a day of exploring downtown Seattle on 4/5/18. It had a focused, expressive bouquet of black cherry, raspberry, plum, cola, herb, anise and spice aromas. The palate was rich and dry with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, plum, cola and spice.
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Good stuff. Powerful deeply pitched nose of black cherry and leather. In the mouth it has distilled cherry and blueberry fruit restrained by a crystalline mineral core. Small hints of wood smoke, garrigue, molasses add interest. Finishes with biting tannins suggesting it has time yet to evolve.
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I decanted this for 2 hours (while bottling beer) on 1/10/16. It had a deep, pleasant bouquet of plum, black cherry, cedar, sage, anise, spice and herb aromas. The palate was dense, dry and nicely integrated with flavors that followed the nose.
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Dark red, no bricking. Blackberry and garrigue on the nose. Palate with dark fruits and leather. Prominent acid. Some tannins. Medium finish. Nice village Rhone.
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Needs time to open. Better in the second day. Hints of pine with bright alcohol on the nose. Tannins are somewhat bitter but it is balanced with strong Grenache typical heat and strength.
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Opaque purple color going to ruby at the rim, medium viscosity; aromas of red fruit, kirsch, modest oak; on the palate it leads with plummy red fruit, black pepper, vanilla; good minerality, though it would benefit from a bit more acidity. Tannins still a bit rough, would benefit from more time/air.
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Consistent with this past January's notes; enjoyed over two days. Still some noticeable oakiness that serves as a bit of a distraction but other than that an enjoyable wine at an excellent value. Enjoyed with BBQ. Could use more time in the bottle to help integrate the oak.
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Popped and poured. A wonderful example of a Rasteau. Flint, smoke, tobacco persist throughout the wine. Velvety tannins which are well integrated in the wine. A cross between Northern and Southern Rhone. Should continue to improve with time. Nice value QPR wine.
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We had this with pulled pork on 4/4/14. It had a rich, layered bouquet of floral, black cherry, plum, herb and spice aromas. The palate was dense, ripe and dry with flavors of black cherry, herb, plum and minerals. It was very pleasant and paired beautifully with the pork.
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colour is dark ruby, nose of earth, cherry, plums, cola, lavender, spice. On the mouth, rich, spicy, plum, black and red fruits, sour cherry, dry mouth pluckering tannins. Abit too much alcohol and hot for me. Quite rustic, it needs a little more time to settle. I would go for domain roche Cairrane 2010 for same price anytime. Good but not exciting
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Closed showing good structure and tannin out of the bottle, but within an hour great black fruit aromas and tannin rounded out with long finish. For under $20 this rocks.
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Comprised of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah from.vines at least 50 years old. Decanted to allow it to settle and open. Full bodied, displaying a deep crimson red / purple color. Opens with aromas and flavors of black and red cherry, spicy plum, licorice, smoke, evolving vanilla, and minerals with some noticeable oakiness. Pleasant mouthfeel but with moderate tannins. Pretty good and a great QPR at $15. Needs some additional time to develop and come together. Decant near term.
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Dark red, almost purple, nearly opaque. Nose has dominant alcohol note and some muted dark fruits. Palate is much more appealing than nose with good integration of the alcohol as well as dark fruits and black pepper. Long finish. Moderate tannins. Could age 1-2y more.
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Dark, brooding, tannic with lots of dark red berries and minerals, yet also spicy and herbal with a hint of oak. Too much tannin for seafood, but otherwise gentle enough to accompany most other food. Didn't seem to need much air time...
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Deep garnet color, a really pretty-looking wine. Opens up the second day, minerally, black fruit, medium-plus acidity, nice finish where you can taste the syrah. Strong at 15% alcohol.
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5/13/2021 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very fruit forward, like red fruit juicy. Really enjoyed this as a weeknight wine.
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5/14/2020 - Canuckgiver Likes this wine: 94 Points
A true joy to drink, this bests many CdP's we have enjoyed over the last few years. Pure fruit without defect rolled across our tongues in a giddy way, leaving us to marvel at how 'village' wines can please us so. This did not need food, although it did not pause from providing us pleasure as we moved from aperitif to dinner.
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4/27/2020 - WhinyWiner wrote: 94 Points
This was a hedonistic delight. Amazing fruit and also balanced. Not delicate or subtle. Definitely drink as much of this as you can right now, even if you have to do it in one night. In my experience with Rhones, they only have a short window where, if they get like this bottle is now, they stay this way, so it may be in a short-lived sweet spot. Caveat: I'm a big fan of Rasteau, so take my review with a grain of Rasteau.
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4/20/2018 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant Grenache 70% Syrah 30% blend that was just beginning to mature with plenty of life ahead of it. The Grenache is noticably more forward and fruity that I would have expected at this point and the Syrah is there but doing a good job hiding itself. I got the blueberries other reviewers spoke of but none of the garrigue or other secondary flavors I hope will come with further aging.
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4/5/2018 - garambler Likes this wine: 89 Points
I had this when we returned from a day of exploring downtown Seattle on 4/5/18. It had a focused, expressive bouquet of black cherry, raspberry, plum, cola, herb, anise and spice aromas. The palate was rich and dry with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, plum, cola and spice.
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3/4/2018 - john_s Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is pretty good, and excellent value at the price. Needs a couple of years to my taste, to fine down a bit, but very enjoyable now.
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6/29/2017 - graphite Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good stuff. Powerful deeply pitched nose of black cherry and leather. In the mouth it has distilled cherry and blueberry fruit restrained by a crystalline mineral core. Small hints of wood smoke, garrigue, molasses add interest. Finishes with biting tannins suggesting it has time yet to evolve.
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1/5/2017 - tmoritz1 wrote: 92 Points
Deep color-Very smooth texture-great value and dringing exceptionally well-
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2/1/2016 - JimEaton Likes this wine: 89 Points
This one is drinking well now. Deep dark fruit. I only aerated, did not decant. Lost some of the complexity on the second day.
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1/10/2016 - garambler Likes this wine: 90 Points
I decanted this for 2 hours (while bottling beer) on 1/10/16. It had a deep, pleasant bouquet of plum, black cherry, cedar, sage, anise, spice and herb aromas. The palate was dense, dry and nicely integrated with flavors that followed the nose.
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12/10/2015 - Momus99 Likes this wine:
Dark red, no bricking. Blackberry and garrigue on the nose. Palate with dark fruits and leather. Prominent acid. Some tannins. Medium finish. Nice village Rhone.
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9/23/2015 - travelin.mikeyt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs time to open. Better in the second day. Hints of pine with bright alcohol on the nose. Tannins are somewhat bitter but it is balanced with strong Grenache typical heat and strength.
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8/15/2015 - joncohen wrote: 89 Points
Opaque purple color going to ruby at the rim, medium viscosity; aromas of red fruit, kirsch, modest oak; on the palate it leads with plummy red fruit, black pepper, vanilla; good minerality, though it would benefit from a bit more acidity. Tannins still a bit rough, would benefit from more time/air.
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7/26/2015 - Baudelaire Likes this wine: 90 Points
A harmonious, integrated wine. Blackberry jam, plum, red currant, plus a hint of cedar/ pencil shavings.
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4/10/2015 - Palaver15 wrote: 83 Points
Initially musty nose. Lead pencil shavings and rubber eraser. Larger mouthfeel.
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2/15/2015 - Sennma wrote: 82 Points
This bottle was quite bretty...very simple not much to speak of.
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11/8/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with this past January's notes; enjoyed over two days. Still some noticeable oakiness that serves as a bit of a distraction but other than that an enjoyable wine at an excellent value. Enjoyed with BBQ. Could use more time in the bottle to help integrate the oak.
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10/30/2014 - klezman wrote:
Another nice bottle. Good stuff . Garagiste price is pretty good for this.
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10/19/2014 - Sennma wrote:
Tasted like medicine...dumped
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7/30/2014 - Yaniv.abecassis wrote: 88 Points
Ripe red berrries, cherries, spicy, minerally. Silky mouthfeel, mild tannins. Great qpr.
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7/14/2014 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking well...
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7/13/2014 - Sennma wrote: 84 Points
Nothing special...just a basic wine.
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6/7/2014 - bergkamp10 wrote: 89 Points
A great bottle of Rasteau with a classic balanced profile. Hitting its stride, and it should be good for a year or two. On sale at WHWC for ~$15.
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4/19/2014 - BordeauxBuff Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. A wonderful example of a Rasteau. Flint, smoke, tobacco persist throughout the wine. Velvety tannins which are well integrated in the wine. A cross between Northern and Southern Rhone. Should continue to improve with time. Nice value QPR wine.
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4/4/2014 - garambler wrote: 88 Points
We had this with pulled pork on 4/4/14. It had a rich, layered bouquet of floral, black cherry, plum, herb and spice aromas. The palate was dense, ripe and dry with flavors of black cherry, herb, plum and minerals. It was very pleasant and paired beautifully with the pork.
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3/15/2014 - klezman wrote:
Basically the same as before...chalky, somewhat tannic, fruity (cherry, primarily), and earth.
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2/21/2014 - groper1234 wrote: 88 Points
colour is dark ruby, nose of earth, cherry, plums, cola, lavender, spice. On the mouth, rich, spicy, plum, black and red fruits, sour cherry, dry mouth pluckering tannins. Abit too much alcohol and hot for me. Quite rustic, it needs a little more time to settle. I would go for domain roche Cairrane 2010 for same price anytime. Good but not exciting
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2/6/2014 - anstruletz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Closed showing good structure and tannin out of the bottle, but within an hour great black fruit aromas and tannin rounded out with long finish. For under $20 this rocks.
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1/18/2014 - dexwine wrote:
Ripe black berry fruits, garrigue, potpurri. and minerals. Full bodied with nice lift. Could drink or hold.
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1/15/2014 - klezman wrote:
Fresh, mineraly, bright red fruit, simultaneously light on its feet while having a fair bit of depth. Drink or hold.
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1/10/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 88 Points
Comprised of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah from.vines at least 50 years old. Decanted to allow it to settle and open. Full bodied, displaying a deep crimson red / purple color. Opens with aromas and flavors of black and red cherry, spicy plum, licorice, smoke, evolving vanilla, and minerals with some noticeable oakiness. Pleasant mouthfeel but with moderate tannins. Pretty good and a great QPR at $15. Needs some additional time to develop and come together. Decant near term.
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12/13/2013 - Momus99 wrote: 87 Points
Dark red, almost purple, nearly opaque. Nose has dominant alcohol note and some muted dark fruits. Palate is much more appealing than nose with good integration of the alcohol as well as dark fruits and black pepper. Long finish. Moderate tannins. Could age 1-2y more.
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12/4/2013 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, brooding, tannic with lots of dark red berries and minerals, yet also spicy and herbal with a hint of oak. Too much tannin for seafood, but otherwise gentle enough to accompany most other food. Didn't seem to need much air time...
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11/27/2013 - cohnwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep garnet color, a really pretty-looking wine. Opens up the second day, minerally, black fruit, medium-plus acidity, nice finish where you can taste the syrah. Strong at 15% alcohol.
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11/26/2013 - Eassink wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet red color. Nice mineral flavor, and great finish.
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