Lovely smokey bacon and black fruit nose. The palate was still a bit tight but it smells just lovely. I purchased this so late in the sales cycle that I could purchase only half bottles but I don’t think I did badly purchasing the case of 12 half bottles. Guigal knows something about bottling half bottles so they can keep as well as larger formats. The cork appeared to be practically fresh. I think this has a long life ahead of it and will continue to approve.
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Coravin. Medium-deep ruby; medium intensity aromatics, black fruited, bacon smoke, meaty BBQ; palate is medium bodied, excellent elegant acidity throughout, medium alcohol (13% on the bottle, probably a little more but well balanced), lovely blend of primary black fruit with some minerality; finish is medium-long. This is a very nice Northern Rhone syrah with plenty of typicity and drinking at early maturity. Lovely wine. 92+
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Better than the bottle I had two years ago. Opened for two hours prior to dinner. Fruit and hints of spice on the nose. The palate was berry, dark cherry, red plums and some Christmas spices. Finish was moderate to long.
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Brick-red rim, opaque core; secondary notes, black olives, whiff of violets, understated; cool fruit, gruff mid-palate, then subtle spiciness; attractive finish, decent length. Just hoped a little more of everything.
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Racy and mineral in a play of leather, red fruit and the hint of violet and steel. Gone are the harsh tannins, the mouth feel is medium and the finish soft. Something perhaps sour at first, the wine opened after an hour.
Elk tenderloin, celeriac mash, broccoli rab and a Maine blueberry cognac sauce with a touch of mustard.
Fine night
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Very nice. One hour decant. Initially a bit reserved, very pleasant bouquet of leather, red fruits and hints of smoked meat. Medium bodied and quite silky on the palate. Racy red and black fruits framed with a mineral undertone and well resolved tannins. Put on weight with air and this was singing after a couple of hours.
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This had either begun to decline or had not gotten enough air and I don’t know which. Opened at a restaurant about 30 minutes before drinking. The last sips were the best. Prior to the end it was a bit thin and one dimensional despite having a great nose. I’m inclined to say it needed time although I wouldn’t stick my neck out on this one.
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Still young but drinking very well. Had with sons at Pinehurst after getting a 2 on 2. A pretty good day all in all. A very good northern Rhône, Guigal almost always excellent. A decade or more to go.
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Coravin. Medium ruby, minimal bricking; medium intensity aromatics, red cherry, meaty garrigue, bacon fat, some minerality; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus acidity, balanced alcohol (13% on the bottle, I would believe it's close to that), some smoky bacon fat, mostly primary fruit, silky balanced but youthful tannin; finish is medium to medium-plus length. This is very nice, balanced and not at all in-your-face with its complexity but it's all there underneath if you look for it. Great purchase for the price, likely years of evolution ahead though drinking well now. 92
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Kryddig doft med hallon och godisaffär som mer accentuerar än dominerar en i övrigt rätt stram näsa. Smaken är balanserad mellan en fruktighet i form av röda bär och läder samt lite torkad frukt. Hög fruktig syra med väl sandpapprade tanniner. Hyggligt lång eftersmak med syrliga bär.
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Three and a half hour slow ox. Very very deep ruby magenta color. Charred plum, fig, slate, molasses, and anise. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
This has aged very well. Probably past it’s peak for my palate, but still drinking very nicely.
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Served with brisket. 2 hours air. Nose of red & dark fruit. Medium body, tannins & finish. Everyone really liked it but nothing notable - very well balanced.
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Quite disappointing for a Cote Rotie - more like a good crozes or CD-R. Well balanced, went well with steak, but none of the aromatics or smoked bacon I was looking forward to. Started to slightly oxidise after 3 hours so not a case of needing more air time. A good straightforward Rhone, nothing more surprisingly
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Enjoyed this for its understated profile that worked well across a meal. Dried strawberry, dusty dried red flowers, a touch of earth, a little crunchy dark berry/cherry notes. Med body, med tannin, med+ acid & notable length. A little earthy spice & green pepper show up with air, both on the nose and on the back end of the palate. In a prime spot for my palate, but probably has 5-7 years to go for those fans of tertiary tones
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In a wonderful spot right now: Fruity and spicy, with a beautiful layer of evolved complexity. Good freshness and overall balance. I was a bit shocked when I saw current prices of this cuvée but still recommended after all.
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Near its peak. Super well balanced through not very terroir wine. A bit too much oak ( but not overpowerering) covering the typical syrah flavors.very crowd pleasing (less so for the nerds:-)
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Monthly Tasting Group: Rhones (Noyes and Cutler, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red color. Drank a small glass at the end of the night. This came at the end of a long line of wines and like the '07 Sorrel Hermitage LG, didn't get the attention they deserved. There's a lot going on here, the nose is complex, nice dried leave and dried mushroom notes, black fruits, fig, scorched earth and mineral density with a little herbaceous edge.
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Kevins btl at our Sunday night big wine group Rhone dinner at Noyes & Cutler. A perfect Lowertown St Paul venue for our group and theme! Great food, service & roomy! Remember enjoying this but my wine attention span was fading. This cuvee always strikes me a great example of NR and a very good value. Fun to have in the mix.
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Dark berries, pepper, black olives, medicine - very classic nose. Quite cool fruit, some heat in the finish. Very enjoyable, but lacking a bit fruit on the palate. Maybe not a perfect bottle.
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A mature and well balanced and well integrated wine where you get cherries, roses and a lot of spices - medium tannins and acidity - a well made wine - where the lack of complexity leads me to give big 92.
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A wine I reviewed earlier this year, the 2010 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde is a stunning Cote Rotie. Made from 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier and aged in equal parts new and once used barrels, it’s medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with rocking notes of raspberries, peppered bacon, coffee bean and violets. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more.
The father/son team of Marcel and Philippe Guigal continue to keep their estate at the top of the hierarchy in the Rhône Valley. All the way from their inexpensive Côtes du Rhône to their top-end Côte Rôties and Hermtiage, the attention to detail and focus on quality is unmatched. Readers should also check out the recent Rhone Retrospective article I wrote that covered the Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospices, Côte Rôtie Brune et Blonde, Côte Rôtie Chateau d'Ampuis and Côte Rôtie La Mouline cuvees going back for over a decade. I said it there, and I'll say it again here, this estate is producing some of the most incredible and singular wines in the world.
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Dark reddish brown delicious color. Big smell of smoked cured meat, forest, sponge. Elegant, delicious, healthy plump. Hints of dark ripe berries, forest, charcuterie. Long slightly smoky elegant.
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Decant 45 min repour into bottle; ruby with slight rim; berry and fat and pepper on nose; bright really smooth medium bodied red berry with almost sweet finish; really delicious
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Yup - in the zone. Very fresh bottle, impressive. This tasted like cote-rotie, based on my limited experience, but i think i prefer Guigals "base" hermitage. Drink soon, some bottles are likely past prime.
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Recent notes in CT were all over the place - "too young", "past its peak", etc. Wasn't sure if now was a good time to try one. Fortunately, it was. Kinda like a big boy zin, but with a lot more complexity and a lot less heat and pruniness (if that's a word). All kinds of secondary smells and tastes - minerals, garrigue, herbs, and baconfat - but they did not overshadow the black and blue fruits. Medium body, but still fairly rich, and it showed a solid finish. Guessing that it's at or approaching its peak.
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Just awesome. Showing its age a little bit maybe, but unbelievably well-balanced. Didn't take super detailed notes as I drank with a large group, but this showed killer dark fruit on the nose, black black plum, blackberry liqueur, almost ripe to the point of prune, but thankfully stopped short of that. A beautiful umami too, less intense than the black fruit but something like bacon fat or black olive in the very far background. Palate was about the same with the dense, soft-ish black fruit, but weightless, very cool and relaxed. I guess I'd prefer somewhat "tighter" fruit and somewhat higher acidity, but there's no denying this is gorgeous syrah. Might be underrating it, especially for the price.
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This is maybe in a somehow unfavorable and muted phase at the moment. The wine is not providing a similar fireworks of smoke, tobacco, cigar and bacon as it did for a few years ago. The fruit has also started to fade, but the somewhat tight tannins are still there.
Anyway, as a whole, the wine still leaves a fairly balanced impression. The powerful smoky aromas just have been replaced by those associated with red fruits and berries. Time will tell, how this wine will evolve in the future, or if some new dimensions and features, still unseen until now, will emerge. I am not able to say.
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Nice ruby color Complex nose typical of sirah, with blueberry, cassis, violette, pepper, little meat flavors the mouth as a solid acidity, tannins are balanced and precise, still young and excellent perspective
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This is the third of four bottles that I purchased and I continue to be underwhelmed. I keep wanting to like this wine and continue to just find an average example. Fruit is muted as well as the nose. I have given it time and air and same result. Good not even near great IMO.
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Min referencevin, som jeg vurderer andre vine ud fra. I min optik et fremragende glas med klassiske Nord Rhône noter, fin koncentreret i teksturen og en fløjelsblød velour i eftersmagen. Holder fortsat!
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Five years after the prior: This was enjoyable, albeit at a bit subdued / muted / lacking verve and precision, at least in comparison to our expectation. Pleasantly dark but somewhat thick. Still, enjoyable enough over three nights, fading just a bit at the end.
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Nez ouvert de : fruits...baies et cerises, sous-bois, poussière, cuir, épices...poivre, ainsi que des notes florales. Un vin fruité et sec avec une acidité fraiche. Ample avec saveurs de baies noires et rouges, ainsi que des notes florales et de toasté. Longue finale chaude, soupçon poivrée. Encore jeune...avec le repas et l'air, superbe ! 92++
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opened this to put into chili... was OK for that task, but then later in the evening we tried it and it wasn't good at all, tried again today (in hopes it would transform) and still not good AT ALL... I think tainted, which is a surprise cuz I've drunk the other five of a six pack I bought over the last 5-6 years and those bottles have been pretty darn nice... I feel lucky that I have encountered only a single digit number of flawed bottles over the several thousand we have had over the last 15 years
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Cette côte rôtie était magnifique ce jour avec cassis, violettes et poivre qui embaumaient. Un palais suave et d’une persistance très agréable. Un pur moment de grâce. 93/100
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With Smoked Brisket. 1 Hour air. Nose of blackberry. Great depth on the palate with black fruit & spice. Drinking great. Will be battle of will power to stay away from last 7 bottles in case!
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Clear medium/deep ruby/garnet; clean medium minus nose of dry red cherries, leather, animal, barnyard and balsamic; dry; high acidity; medium tannins; medium plus alcohol; medium body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is slightly tarter with addition of cigar box and cocoa; long finish; elegant wine - better than the previous bottles
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PNP with grilled rack of lamb. Sublime. Tannins resolved. Nose of blackberries. Black fruit, meat, figs and a little spice on the palate. Elegant yet powerful enough to stand up to the lamb. Guess ~8 years of life left.
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Medium purple. Double-decanted for an hour. Complex and rich notes of oak, vanilla, pronounced dark fruits like blueberries,black currant and blackberry, florals like rose, spices like black pepper and nutmegs and leather. All these notes are typical of wines from this region. Well structured, full bodied, medium plus intensity and acidity. Silky and soft tannins. Elegant and powerful. Can drink now but has potential for its tertiary notes to develop with aging.
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This is drinking really nicely at this juncture - starting to gain some complexity, the baby fat and milk chocolate is all gone, pretty fruit, the new oak has been largely integrated although it has left a trace in terms of spicy finish. I think this is a really good value wine in the mid range.
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Nose with a great mix of ripe raspberries, peppery spices and sous-bois complexity. This is mirrored on the palate; expressive and vibrant, yet elegant. Charcuterie, herbs (like rosemary) and black olives. Really nice!
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Mostly opaque deep ruby. A: campfire, roasted meat, some coffee. F: a bit of the toasty flavors from the oak, but otherwise a nice complement of red fruits and spice. This has good depth/concentration and is drinking somewhat open after a slow ox. The tannins are present and still substantial, but don’t interfere.
I usually don’t like too much new oak on Syrah, but this fit the mood today. It aligns more with the toasty notes than overt oaky/vanilla/chocolate spectrum, which is probably why it didn’t bother me.
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Two hour decant. Olives, leather, touch of forest floor. No discernible heat. Ratcheting finish. Not an especially complex wine but flat out great. No rush to drink. This is in early drinking window and needed air. Drink now for primary power or wait for softening fruit and more tertiary.
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Solid wine, not flashy or complex but still vibrant. Tannins have softened but the fruit is still present and limited secondary flavors have emerged. I expected more complexity given the age and maker and will probably give the next bottles another year or three.
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The first opened of my two bottles, not decanted, drunk over two days. Notes from a couple of days hence, but I was very pleased with this, especially with warming above cellar temp (though I think I consumed about a third of it while IN my cellar!). Solid black fruits with mixed olives, charcuterie, smoke, violets on nose and palate. Strong though not flashy or profound showing. 92-93. Drink or hold.
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Blomster og barnåler på nese. Avslepne tanniner. Synes konsentrasjonen var bra denne gangen. Kirsebær, rips. Mye nær, ikke så mye annet. Kanskje litt urter. Ikke noe pepper denne gangen, kanskje en antydning av kjøtt. Lang. God!
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Stored approximately 5 years in a climate controlled cellar. First bottle in about three years.
Opened and allowed to breath for about 45 minutes. Good aromatics with crushed black fruits, lavender and other floral, smoked meats, and black olive. Plenty of verve on the palate with acidity that sprints out of the gate with smoke, black tea, blackberries, and salted cured meat. In the mid palate this picks up ground iron before cruising into a mineral accented conclusion with excellent length (45+ seconds). A chewy long finish that is very savory. No discernible heat.
Based on the tasting experience tonight and my 2017 bottle this seems to have the energy and vigor to go through 2025 with relative ease.
Drink or hold through 2028.
Day 1 Score - 92. Half the bottle to be stored overnight.
Day 2 - Retaining good vigor with creamy blackberries, savory herbs, more ground iron, and licorice snap. Remains solid with a finish that has length that won’t quit.
Great consistency with the bottles I have consumed.
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Côte Rôtie for everyone!! Guigal is probably the biggest producer in the Northern Rhône. Their scale, although looked upon uneasily by most of their neighbors, allow to make the most and least exclusive Côte Rôties (it's all relative of course!). This is their entry level, consistently delicious, with a name that likely overstates its provenance just a little bit. True to tradition, a few % of Viognier are blended in and give it a distinctive charm.
For more please watch below at YT channel Pandewine
https://youtu.be/goFi0PskSj8
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We drank this in the summer house garden on a rather warm night. It was chilled and decanted and served with a grilled steak. It had wonderful intensity of spicy fruit, acidity and tannin and made it into a memorable meal.
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Clear medium ruby/garnet; clean medium nose of black pepper, meat, dried red cherries and leather; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; medium plus alcohol; medium body; medium plus flavour intensity; pfn but slightly tarter; medium plus finish; drink now or in a few years; this wine is definitely improving with age - we actually enjoyed this bottle :)
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Love this CR from Guigal: green olive tapenade, vegetal, dark cherry, garrique, green pepper, balsamic note, tobacco, soft fig, medium to full body, great long aftertaste
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The entry level Côte Rôtie from Guigal. Decanted for 2.5 hours and it needed it. Got more savoury as time went on with a decently perfumed nose of olives, tomato, some red berries, black pepper. Tannins were quite soft and acid Med +. Not the complexity or layers I was hoping for, but the finish was surprisingly long and mellow. Elegant and refined? Sure. But I can find Crozes-Hermitage or St. Joseph at half the price that would outperform this.
Light ruby. More green than fruit at first, but then black cherry and some smokiness come through. Medium body, excellent acidity, calm progression of the palate without any particular fireworks. Last time 3 years ago I thought it was boring, today balanced but still somewhat bland. I don't think I would have identified it as Syrah had I tasted it blind. Curiously mediocre wine.
A floral/olive top note provides lift to a melange of boysenberry, earth, blackberry, and plum. Harmonious acidity through several phases from nose to finish. Better after an hour or two in the decanter. A delightful combination of elegance and energy without the depth or power of my favorite Syrahs.
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Decanted 2 hours which was necessary for it to show. Wet concrete and black olives on the nose. Black fruit, licorice, saline, sweet aspartame finish. Full body, low tannin, medium acid. Tasty but was hoping for a little more.
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After a disappointing bottle a couple of years ago, tried another one tonight. A much better experience. Inviting on the nose, and a complex palate. Just opening up into its drinking window I reckon. Happy that I have 10 more...
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Full and quite expressive nose. Very typical. Bacon fat, white pepper, oak and blackberry. Of medium intensity and lacks some depth. Medium-fullish palate very peppery. Bacon, oak and good grip. Developed. Lacks a bit intensity and finish. But tasty.
En af mine ynglingsvine. Basis Côte-Rôtie, men det fungerer bare. Konsistent smagenoter fra sidste smagning, selv om det ligger nogle år tilbage. Vinen er fortsat frisk i frugten og tanninerne bider stadig blidt i gummerne.
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Opened for two hours prior to dinner. Fruit and hints of spice on the nose. The palate was berry, dark cherry, red plums and some Christmas spices. Finish was moderate to long.
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Some old world flavors and minerality, but also a bit harsh and unfocused. Not what I would have expected from such a stellar vintage and overall disappointing.
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Lately I have not been very impressed with Guigal’s basic Côte-Rôtie. This is supposed to be an excellent vintage. The wine is good, but clearly behind other bottles I recently drank. Dark purple in the glass, limited nose of cherry. The palate gives great fruit - cherry - and a bit of spice. On the dry side. A solid wine, but expensive in it’s range of 30-40€. Neither do I see much development potential in this anymore. This is what it is.
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Decanted and served 30 minutes later. Dark red color with a small meniscus. On nose, iron, saline, blackberry and pepper. On palate, black cherry, blackberry, iron and figs. High tannins, medium+ body, medium+ acidity and long finish. 92+/-
Purchased from Wine Access in Fall 2014.
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Excellent wine. Elegant and juicy with notes of black berries, bacon, coffee and flowers. Drank this side by side with a Lynch-Bages 05. I ended up preferring this one. More complex and more interesting on this evening.
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Clear medium ruby; clean medium nose of farmyard, red cherries, toast, strawberries and garrigue; dry; medium plus acidity; medium tannins; medium alcohol; medium body; medium flavour intensity; pfn with addition of sour cherries; medium finish; good quality; this is bottle 2 of 4 and just as disappointing as bottle 1; it came across as thin and watered down - not what we were expecting; drink now - time isn’t helping; hope we have a badly stored batch and others are enjoying this wine more than us
A lot of oak initially which receded with air, and showed a rather well balanced, mediumbodied wine with mainly red notes and some whitepepper. A little generic, but has withstood time well so far - perhaps 5 more years will render something worth the price paid in 2016. I doubt it though, as midpalate was rather lacking in fruit...
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medium red, brick rim - smoky roasted meat nose - medium full mouth with mature black pepper syrah fruit and good acid balance - fully resolved soft tannins - 15 sec finish - not exciting, but a very good quality Guigal that is fully mature to my taste - probably as good as it will get right now, though likely will plateau for another 5-10 yrs - very appealing as an accompaniment with grilled ribeye
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Nice red almost purple color, not showing clear signs of age, but on the nose and when you drink it, it is surprisingly developed with dark cherries and little complexity. Very sweet with limited acidity and tannin - feels a little bit over the top. Not how I remember these wines, so may be a slightly off bottle.
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A huge production of 220,000 bottles - at 37 hl/ha this equates to the production of 45 hectares, or 20% of the entire appellation (!). A blend of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier (co-fermented), 36 months in 50% new oak, 13.5% ABV. Decanted for two hours. There is ripe fruit and a fresh mineral core, with violets, black pepper and smoked bacon, and lots of well-managed, savoury oak. Medium to full body (13.5% ABV), good persistence. It's interesting how this wine manages to be expressive of the AOC and still feel a bit anonymous. But there is no doubting its quality. Early maturity, should have the legs for another 5-10 years.
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Drank with a little trepidation considering the diversity of comments on CT. Shouldn’t have worried. 6hr decant. Beautifully balanced. Red fruit, menthol, some garrigue all in equilibrium with good acidity and well-integrated tannins. Still has a long life.
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Clear pale ruby; clean medium minus nose of pepper, roasted meat, strawberries, red cherries, toast and vanilla; developing; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; medium alcohol; medium plus body; medium flavor intensity, pfn with addition of cocoa; medium finish; good quality; drink now, has potential for 3 to 5 more years of aging; disappointing - maybe a bad bottle?; bottle 1 of 4 - hopefully the remaining bottles are a lot better
medium red, brick rim - smoky roasted meat nose - medium full mouth with mature peppery syrah fruit and good acid balance - fully resolved soft tannins - 15 sec finish - a typically good quality Guigal that is fully mature and probably as good as it will get right now, though likely will plateau for another 5-10 yrs - certainly not a great wine, but very appealing as an accompaniment with food (grilled pork loin)
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Brought by a friend to a wine dinner; this was very good, still young, but definitely drinkable now; the nose has dark fruit, menthol, black pepper, a bit of smoke and iron, a whiff of oak. The palate is good, tannins are noticeable, but not prominent and balanced by the concentration and acidity. This should continue to improve for a while yet, but with a good meal is definitely drinkable now.
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med ruby. looking youthful. can see my fingers thru glass.
red fruits-- cherry, raspberry, cranberry. black cherry. smoky bacon. ripe and dried/ stewed fruit condition. bit of earth, but the fruit is really the item that stands out.
dry, med + acid, med+ tannin which are present yet integrated, med+ alcohol which is also well integrated, med body, med intensity, med + finish.
VG to Outstanding quality. Very balanced wine. Strong primary fruits but added complexity from the tertiary fruit characteristics from development in bottle.
Drinking very well right now, and can keep going for at least 5 more years. Went very well with baked pork ribs.
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Full bodied with spice, mat, game and tobacco. This is moving from simple to layered complexity and has more evolution ahead of it. The wine is young will improve in my opinion, and its well balanced nature gives confidence its future is bright. It was much better after a few hours decant and I strongly recommend some air. Had at Korean BBQ with SH.
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First 6 hours this is tight as a nut. Feels thin, sharp, acidic, but very good fruit material. No trace of all the opulence that was there upon release. This is what a Syrah tunnel feels like! Then, almost like magic, the wine starts to open up and the last glass is marvellous, with all the floral perfume as well as some sweet, cinnamon tinged dark fruit that just overflows the glass with its aroma. And the wine feels softer on the palate as well. Wow. This will be great in ten years time but if you drink it now, make sure you decant and let air for a day before serving!
Decanted via Vinturi. Drank immediately, got better with air making case for more time in cellar. Nose of Boysenberry & little pepper. Medium body, red fruit, nice acidity, beautiful long finish. Very nice. Drink or hold.
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S'est ouvert depuis 2015 car épaulé en début d'après-midi, non carafé. Aurait pu visiter la carafe 30-60 minutes pour atténuer encore l'élevage mais plus digeste qu'auparavant. Demeure un style un peu moderne pour moi...
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Only barely entering its drinking window, this will clearly be a great wine 92p+. After being open for 1 day this CR gave pure fruit, a bit of vanilla and spice and a touch of earth. Very nice, drink 2020 onwards.
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PnP. Medium deep red. Classic Syrah nose of white pepper and dark fruits. Quite deep and tannic on the finish; this is still a baby. Slowly improves with air but may be better tomorrow. If you want to drink this, a decant should make a big difference. Has a lot of potential but needs another 5 years.
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Second Sunday Group: 2005 Bordeaux (R&D's): Courtesy of PB. Currants, dark fruit and plenty of white pepper. Abundant dark fruit on the palate along with more peppery spice. Lengthy finish. Almost painfully young, but certainly a very fine vintage for this wine and one I'll look to add to the cellar.
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Ouvert en début d'après-midi, décanté et aéré en carafe 1h30 puis remis en bouteille pour le transport (2 heures de route). Bouchon enlevé à l'arrivée puis laissé ouvert 1h30 avant la dégustation. A très bien paru avec cette préparation non classique.
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Starting into its drinking window. Medium bodied. Complex aromas of roast meat, black fruits, smoke. Beautiful fruit and balancing acidity. Only detractor for me was a slight bitterness on the finish.
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Decanted for ca. 3 hours. Impressive wine from a superb vintage. This is clearly better than the more prestigious Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2007 from the same producer and region that was enjoyed a couple of weeks earlier.
This full-bodied wine displays a wonderful combination of dense fruitiness, firm but not too tight tannins, notes of black berries, strong animal characteristic, and charming aromas and flavors of smoke, tobacco and cigar. Consequently, the wine is very multidimensional and alluring. It offers full enjoyment now, but it may be stored for many years from now on. It will be interesting to see, if the wine will be even more nuanced and magical after a couple of years.
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First bottle of a half case. Consumed over two nights without decant. The first glass needed some time to open up, and the wine was more savory on day 2.
Aromatically, this offered some garrigue, lavender, and crushed black fruits. Overall, the aromatics are subtle relative to the palate.
On the palate this is very savory. This initially presents with herb de Provence, iron, pepper, and crushed black berries. The iron and savory herbs really give this a long finish that extends over a minute. The finish on day 2 never seems to end.
Good acidity and tannin balance, and not at all hot.
Had this been more aromatic, it would have scored higher though I am very pleased with this overall. Ready to enjoy though this can stay on the shelf as well.
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There was another 2010 Brune et Blonde on the table, opened about 4 bottles earlier. Definitely the same wine, but a surprising amount of variation. This one had a quieter nose, and a slightly more harsh palate. There were lollipop lamb chops served with these wines, this paired perfectly. We have one more, probably wait a couple of years.
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Ruby. Very neutral aromatics at first, but then black cherry and increasing menthol. Best for its medium weight, fine texture, and good acidity. It lacks any real Côte Rotie character, and more than that, it just seems innocuous, commercial, and missing some soul, especially after having had an Allemand Cornas a few nights ago. The vinous equivalent of elevator music-not terribly intrusive but still mildly annoying.
Held up well overnight, more olive the second day and the fruit lasted.
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This is good though not terribly exciting. Good nose, modest complexity (meaning that while there is some stuff going on, it's going on quietly). Tannins are still present. Tinges of olives (not overpowering or unpleasant) & smoked meat. I should probably wait until 2020 to see if this picks up some more depth/character.
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Coravin. Dark red, beginning to turn yellow on the rim, 5.5. Wonderful classic northern Rhône, meaty, green pepper keeping the elegance intact. Harmonious palate, some tannin, fine acidity, long finish. Drink now-2030.
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Cette fois-ci, ouvert à brûle-pourpoint (PNP). Prend rapidement de l'expansion dans le verre. Assez classique sur les mûres et les notes poivrées. Très bon.
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Geoff Kelly's Guigal Retrospective (Regional Wines & Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Ruby-red colour, floral nose, a little garrigue minty herbs. Palate full and savoury, meaty flavours, cooked tomato. Wine still quite austere and closed, even after airing; tannins sharp, but with a long complex finish. Given the other vintages tried at this tasting, expect beautiful things from cellared bottles, 2025-2035+
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Vanilla musk over dark brambly fruit; cassis, tar, anise and cocoa on palate; long finish, but a little sour; enjoyed it enough that we bought 4 bottles
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Northern Rhone Blind Tasting: Clear, medium-ruby color. Developed, secondary nose- earth-spices, rosemary, violets, bacon fat, fig and cherry fruit. Silky and elegant on the palate, with bright cherry fruit, mineral (stone), wild flowers, tea leaf, rosemary- nicely open and accessible. Medium-plus acid, with fine grainy tannins. Medium-plus length finish. Most ready to drink out of the lineup. Very elegant- surprised at the reveal.
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We are out of sync with some of the notes below, which had led me to expect something rather thick and rich. Happily, it was quite the opposite. Bright and spicy/ intense white pepper. A zingy and laser like a presence. Lovely finish. Undertones of earth, maybe a hint of wild sage. It was fantastic on night one, continuing to gain complexity on nights two and three. Our only disappointment is that we have but one more.
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Rule the Rhone; 10/27/2016-11/3/2016 (Northern & Southern Rhone): 36 months in oak, 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. 40% new oak. I get almost like a stewed fruit characteristic (not in a way that's bad, but it's that heavier fruit with hints of sour. Tannins are quite prevalent and overshadow a lot of the flavors, but swirling some more in the glass there's just an inkling of some red fruit. Lovely. Young. Needs more time.
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Deep red in the glass. Intense and precise red berries, with some bacon and herbs. Fairly concentrated with moderate tannins and acidity. Overall, a moderate/good quality Rotie from a stellar vintage. Sort of a diminutive version of the Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis. 91-92pts.
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Blackberries and cured ham on the nose. Lots of berries on the palate, but also some of the cured ham from the nose. There is some pepper, both on the nose and on the palate, but Tom and I disagree on how much. I had expected more pepper. We find it slightly short and thin for a CR, and are a bit confused. Is somewhat closed at this stage? I get mostly blackberries and a bit of cured ham. Tom gets more pepper and bacon and typical Syrah stuff.
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Very solid Cote Rotie, but very young. Nose with dark brambly fruit, lots of pepper, hints of smoke and game. The palate is good, but definitely too young with fairly robust tannins. This will be very good in 10 years, but right now it is a bit much.
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Pretty classic bacon fat and meat flavor. There was an excellent fruit foundation, but I found I was wanting it to come out a little more. I think I chose the wrong meals to go with this wine, as they seemed to have to much vegetable taste for a wine the screams out for steak. I hold myself accountable, not the wine.
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Blind tasting. It tasted mature to me and definitely towards the end of its drinking window - not sure if the retailer was properly storing it before I bought it. Nice, but only the Two Buck Chuck scored lower in a blind tasting of six reference Syrahs (all from $50 - $60 except for the Two Buck Chuck) from around the world.
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Excellent food-wine! Drank with cassoulet which was pretty much a match made in heaven. Warm red and ripe fruit on the nose along with bon fire smoke which complimented (and in no way overpowered) the fruit. Straight out of the bottle there were quite noticable tannins but which became very smooth after 4 hours of air. Great rustic but elegant wine which I will purchase more of to eat with any kind of stew or casserole.
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- Aromas of tobacco and has flavours of prune and dusty with a medium finish - Gawd damn! 5x better than 6 mos ago and i'm not opening another one until 2018.
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Weekly tasting group #212; GSM: Blend or mono cepage? (@ The factory by JdB): In the bouquet creamy and lactic red and dark berry fruits, green herbs and spices and bacon. On the palate a supple start with red and dark berries, herbs and spices like clove and white pepper, firm acidity and sticky tannin. This bottle was more locked than the one I tasted in January, but it is still a very good wine with a promise for the future. Around 2020?.
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Hdr Closing Tasting: Quite tannic. Seems to have some ripe fruit but probably a bit shut down. Clipped finish. Hard to judge, but giving it the benefit of producer/vintage, seems like it just needs cellar time right now. Its good but I might expect better.
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Pretty nose of black fruits, pepper, smoked meats and violets. Quite smooth and silky on the palate with delicious flavors of blackberries and campfire along with hints of game and spice. Finishes grippy and succulent with smooth tannins. Very nicely done for a "village" Cote Rotie and it drinks well now although given it's somewhat high-toned fruit, it might still deepen and improve. 88+
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Monthly Tasting Group EEE #046; Côte Rôti (@ JWS): At first the bouquet was a bit locked and showed red berries like strawberries and some leather. Later, with some more air, it became much more expressive with minerals, animals and bacon. On the palate juicy red fruits of all sorts, dark forest fruits, herbs and spices like white pepper, vanilla, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and good, slightly sticky tannin. Good length with some pleasant bitterness. Juicy wine, already a pleasure, but in fact still too young. Better wait until approx 2020. 90 – 91+ for this evening.
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Mild og afrundet duft. Let parfumeret og behagelig. Flot årgang og mindre "kølig" end forventet med varme bær, kirsebær, brombær samt lidt marcipan, en anelse kostald, bacon og ristede fadnoter. I munden er vin lækker, blød og rund, igen med modne bær og en fortsat tæt og kraftig smag. Flot! Vil formentlig opnå lidt flere tertiære noter med alderen, men fremragende allerede nu, så tør jeg vente med de sidste flasker?
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Great aroma of plums, blackberries, pepper, wet tobacco. The palate is full bodied, very nicely balanced by rich acidity and very long. A mixture of red and dark berries , some meaty tones. A great wine in the making, give it 3-5 years to get more complex secondary notes.
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Cette fois-ci je l'ai carafé 5 heures plutôt qu'épaulé la veille. A mieux paru que la dernière fois et a continu de s'ouvrir dans le verre. J'aurais donc pu le carafer le matin sans problème, sinon le garder en cave. Fruits noirs, cannelle, une pointe de clou de girofle et de poivre, une belle longueur.
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PnP'd at Bart's. Tart cherry and other red fruits, cocoa, roadside fennel and leather. Classic C-R and on the bare edges of showing some burnt rubber and other secondary developments to come. Drinks well now despite the need for further cellaring.
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first day with a fragrant nose then tart cherries and strawberries on the palate second day less fruit forward but more integrated and interesting plenty of room for development over the next few years yum
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Tasted against a 2005, which everyone thought was showing too much development. Nose - oak (cedar), meaty, black fruits sitting underneath, screams potential. Palate - smooth, rich, black fruits, cocoa. One for the cellar.
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Guigal "La La's" with Brett Crittenden (Glengarry Wines and Spirits, Victoria Park, Auckland, New Zealand): Probably the best example of this wine that I have drunk. Classy and a classic expression of the Guigal CR. Superb fruit intensity indicative of the vintage, excellent structure with a grippy finish. With its 60% new oak completely subsumed into the great fruit, this is an example of the great heights 2010 can attain. This is not yet ready to drink and will improve. Excellent. 92+
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(96% Syrah + 4% Viognier, élevage 36 mois en fûts, 50% bois neuf) Épaulé la veille. Malgré l’aération, on sent qu’il est encore réduit. Malgré ceci, on est dans les registres d’élevage (vanille) puis d’épices et de fruits rouges. Les tannins sont modérés, la longueur également. Trés bon mais idéalement à garder en cave un peu. Je n’ai pas pu y regoûter le lendemain mais ça aurait été très intéressant (je le ferai la prochaine fois).
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What Motz said. On the first night, I don't recognize this wine. Syrah tunnel? Fatal mistake on my part? What happened to the fat and oaky modern style opulent and yet fantastic Syrah I tasted twice a year ago? Harsh, structured, overly acidic and tight as mahogany timber as well as thinnish on the palate. (84)
Second night, having been drained by a glass and recorked and stored in the fridge overnight, the nose is off the charts. Relief! Great great wine in the making. And interesting how much the sweet vanilla infused oak has retreated. Elegant and stylish is more like it. I wonder what this will turn into over the years. I have two more... (92)
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I don't drink many Cote-Rotie wines and this is the first one of any quality that I can remember. I was somewhat disappointed by this -- I guess I had my hopes set too high. I don't know how much viognier is in this - but I have to assume a lot because the acidity was way too high for my taste. I can appreciate the quality and complexity but either it's the style that I'm not liking, or this is too highly wound and not ready to drink. Either way, I won't be going back.
Still quite reticent. The essence of Côte-Rôtie Syrah, its terroir, and the smoke are present. A wine of precision and also refined elegance, the latter arguably uncommon to the place. Medium plus to high acid, medium minus tannin, remarkable balance, charming finish. Recommend holding for 3+ years. 92-94.
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Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled lamb chops. Iron / mesquite, charcoal, black cherry on nose. Black cherry, cherry, tobacco on palate. High acidity, medium body, sweet tannins noticeable on the long finish. Great with food. Really enjoyed. 92-93. Would buy again.
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Bright red ruby; sweet vanilla, smoky, granite, good depth along with complementary freshness, also some olive and cherry; vanilla, firm structure in the way of acid and wall of soft plush tannin; young.
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Similar notes as Milliontown. Garnet and medium bodied. Strong Vanilla and exotic spice on the nose. Green pepper dominates throughout. Slight creamy on the nose when it open up. Fine tannins.
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Low to medium intensity on the nose, though time in the decanter helps it. It's oaky, dominated by aromas of pepper, vanilla and allspice. Little perceptible tannin. Great palate with strikingly bright and ripe fruit, and an even balance, strong acidity, though with short-medium length. Not as much complexity as I would have liked, but this is still young.
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As tight as a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum, with considerable oak tannin and flavor obscuring any real Syrah-ness. Clearly a well-made wine, with all the right parts for aging, but not particularly enjoyable bottle at this stage. Double-decanted five hours before serving.
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At a Guigal tasting. There were four Chateauneuf's, three 2007's and this one. All dark garnet. This seemed smoother than the 2007's, and more complex now. But perhaps not as much potential? Drinking well now. Oops. This note was entered for the Cote Rotie - we actually drank a 2010 Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape. Sorry...
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Test bottle ! Dark colour - quite dense. Nose initially shy but with time reveals blueberries and blackberries with liquorice, lavender and apricot. Palate quite dense but layered fruit with strict structure at present with plenty of fine tannins leading to an elegant long finish. This will be very good drinking for ages !
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We put this wine to a taste-off with a Chapoutier St. Joseph. This one won hands down. The Cote-Rotie expressed terroir and pleasant oak tones, whereas the St. Joseph was a little heavy handed on the fruit side and expressed a bit of green stem. As others have noted, the Cote-Rotie is a balanced wine of finesse where the fruit, acid, and tannins are all in tune.
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dark spice, tar and liquorice, black pepper. Deep and rich with a hint of toasted brioche. Lovely and supple, great texture. Plums, red currants, smooth and starting to open up. Finishing with very fine tannins.
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An elegant wine that is very young and takes a long while to open. Upon initial opening, oak and pepper notes dominate the bouquet. After several hours of air, peppercorns, smoke, coal, charred cork, and tar come forward. These elements also appear prominently on a sleek and elegant palate. This is not a blockbuster; it is a refined, well balanced, and charming wine.
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Guigal: wow, complexity to the aromas. Earth, pepper, depth of fruit, red fruit, black fruit, plum aromas. Very nuanced pepper and citrus. Palate still has to unfurl a bit more. Terraces built by the Romans in 500BC. Syrah interplanted with Viognier. Up to 20% of the plants in an area could be planted Viognier traditionally. Viognier is not as needed any longer because of better vinification techniques. Open top fermenters would blow off aromatics. Currently about 4% Viognier in the blend now.
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Great attack with lots of garrigue and peppers. The fruit comes on the midpalete and it´s pretty intensand the wine is fullbodied. A lot of black currant, blackberries and cherries. Very typical rhone valley quality syrah. 6 hours of decentation and the fruit and the spice sings like a 70 Euro wine for less then 40 euro.
92 points right now but probaly a lot more 5 years from now. I don´t think it will go through a closed phase.
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Inviting and pleasurable! Well balanced and intense wine. I tried this next to a rustic Clos du Marquis from 2004.. Which affected the experience of the Guigal somewhat negatively (the fruit came to dominate the Guigal as the Clos numbed the tannins and acidity). 91-92.
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Munskänkarna Stockholm - Tasting of May releases: Clean youthful nose - fairly oaky today - with notes of rubber, herbs, black pepper, salty liquorice, tar, violets, blackberry, dark chocolate, cookie dough and vanilla. Reassuring on the palate, with fresh acidity, solid fruit, well-built tannins, integrated oak and a long finish. No doubt promising for the future, even if it's polished enough to be fully accessible today. The underlying terroir should be more expressive with time, so for optimum delivery give it ten years in the cellar. Maybe not our cup of tea after all, the 2010 Ch d'Ampuis represents a totally different level of côte-rôtie wow-factor.
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Working with wine 2014 seminar 1 - Rhone varieties (Sofitel, Sydney): ripe black fruit, green over black peppercorn, slightly juicy apricot notes, wet stone, perfumed, almost floral, top notes and touches of biscuit. In the mouth the wine is juicy, tending to zesty with flavours of black pepper, apricot and berries, very spicy notes chase this and slightly coarse, medium intensity tannin carries all on the long finish with the introduction of some creamy notes. Good but not for me.
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4/12/2024 - Becfin wrote:
Lovely smokey bacon and black fruit nose. The palate was still a bit tight but it smells just lovely.
I purchased this so late in the sales cycle that I could purchase only half bottles but I don’t think I did badly purchasing the case of 12 half bottles.
Guigal knows something about bottling half bottles so they can keep as well as larger formats. The cork appeared to be practically fresh.
I think this has a long life ahead of it and will continue to approve.
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2/26/2024 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Coravin. Medium-deep ruby; medium intensity aromatics, black fruited, bacon smoke, meaty BBQ; palate is medium bodied, excellent elegant acidity throughout, medium alcohol (13% on the bottle, probably a little more but well balanced), lovely blend of primary black fruit with some minerality; finish is medium-long. This is a very nice Northern Rhone syrah with plenty of typicity and drinking at early maturity. Lovely wine. 92+
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2/12/2024 - markcic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than the bottle I had two years ago. Opened for two hours prior to dinner. Fruit and hints of spice on the nose. The palate was berry, dark cherry, red plums and some Christmas spices. Finish was moderate to long.
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2/7/2024 - chbeaumont wrote: 89 Points
Brick-red rim, opaque core; secondary notes, black olives, whiff of violets, understated; cool fruit, gruff mid-palate, then subtle spiciness; attractive finish, decent length. Just hoped a little more of everything.
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2/4/2024 - braised wrote:
Racy and mineral in a play of leather, red fruit and the hint of violet and steel. Gone are the harsh tannins, the mouth feel is medium and the finish soft. Something perhaps sour at first, the wine opened after an hour.
Elk tenderloin, celeriac mash, broccoli rab and a Maine blueberry cognac sauce with a touch of mustard.
Fine night
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1/23/2024 - markcic wrote: flawed
Opened and it was sour - was not drinkable.
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1/6/2024 - bergkamp10 wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. One hour decant. Initially a bit reserved, very pleasant bouquet of leather, red fruits and hints of smoked meat. Medium bodied and quite silky on the palate. Racy red and black fruits framed with a mineral undertone and well resolved tannins. Put on weight with air and this was singing after a couple of hours.
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1/1/2024 - MattB72 Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a great place. Took a long time to open. I’d give this a 91 on day one but 94 on day two (drank out of a mag).
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12/1/2023 - Storm1977 wrote:
Ready to drink. 5 years sinde i last opened a bottle. Tertiary notes is present.
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10/22/2023 - YagerWine Likes this wine: 88 Points
This had either begun to decline or had not gotten enough air and I don’t know which. Opened at a restaurant about 30 minutes before drinking. The last sips were the best. Prior to the end it was a bit thin and one dimensional despite having a great nose. I’m inclined to say it needed time although I wouldn’t stick my neck out on this one.
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10/21/2023 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young but drinking very well. Had with sons at Pinehurst after getting a 2 on 2. A pretty good day all in all. A very good northern Rhône, Guigal almost always excellent. A decade or more to go.
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9/10/2023 - Krassens Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well developed, soft and silky, ripe mellow fruit. Not overly exciting in my taste. 90-91p
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8/12/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Coravin. Medium ruby, minimal bricking; medium intensity aromatics, red cherry, meaty garrigue, bacon fat, some minerality; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus acidity, balanced alcohol (13% on the bottle, I would believe it's close to that), some smoky bacon fat, mostly primary fruit, silky balanced but youthful tannin; finish is medium to medium-plus length. This is very nice, balanced and not at all in-your-face with its complexity but it's all there underneath if you look for it. Great purchase for the price, likely years of evolution ahead though drinking well now. 92
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6/25/2023 - Jonne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Kryddig doft med hallon och godisaffär som mer accentuerar än dominerar en i övrigt rätt stram näsa. Smaken är balanserad mellan en fruktighet i form av röda bär och läder samt lite torkad frukt. Hög fruktig syra med väl sandpapprade tanniner. Hyggligt lång eftersmak med syrliga bär.
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6/5/2023 - pmik Likes this wine: 92 Points
92-. Vinnørd Holte
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6/4/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Three and a half hour slow ox. Very very deep ruby magenta color. Charred plum, fig, slate, molasses, and anise. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
This has aged very well. Probably past it’s peak for my palate, but still drinking very nicely.
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5/28/2023 - maxemildj@hotmail.com wrote:
Antinori MG kasse 2010.
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5/19/2023 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served with brisket. 2 hours air. Nose of red & dark fruit. Medium body, tannins & finish. Everyone really liked it but nothing notable - very well balanced.
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5/8/2023 - Jimothy Brown Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite disappointing for a Cote Rotie - more like a good crozes or CD-R. Well balanced, went well with steak, but none of the aromatics or smoked bacon I was looking forward to. Started to slightly oxidise after 3 hours so not a case of needing more air time. A good straightforward Rhone, nothing more surprisingly
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4/29/2023 - cobbpa wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyed this for its understated profile that worked well across a meal. Dried strawberry, dusty dried red flowers, a touch of earth, a little crunchy dark berry/cherry notes. Med body, med tannin, med+ acid & notable length. A little earthy spice & green pepper show up with air, both on the nose and on the back end of the palate. In a prime spot for my palate, but probably has 5-7 years to go for those fans of tertiary tones
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4/27/2023 - winot Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yeah, this has a wonderful, perfumed, floral nose, pepper and berries. Smooth, intense and long, lovely.
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4/11/2023 - ChâteauneufDuPfaff Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a wonderful spot right now: Fruity and spicy, with a beautiful layer of evolved complexity. Good freshness and overall balance. I was a bit shocked when I saw current prices of this cuvée but still recommended after all.
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4/5/2023 - Vinomane wrote:
Projects the gamut of sensory impressions from pruny mud to muddy prune.
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3/5/2023 - bablues wrote: 91 Points
Much better than my first bottle. Very savory. Didn't take much more notes.
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2/28/2023 - loloFR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Near its peak.
Super well balanced through not very terroir wine. A bit too much oak ( but not overpowerering) covering the typical syrah flavors.very crowd pleasing (less so for the nerds:-)
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2/5/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Rhones (Noyes and Cutler, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red color. Drank a small glass at the end of the night. This came at the end of a long line of wines and like the '07 Sorrel Hermitage LG, didn't get the attention they deserved. There's a lot going on here, the nose is complex, nice dried leave and dried mushroom notes, black fruits, fig, scorched earth and mineral density with a little herbaceous edge.
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2/5/2023 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Kevins btl at our Sunday night big wine group Rhone dinner at Noyes & Cutler. A perfect Lowertown St Paul venue for our group and theme! Great food, service & roomy! Remember enjoying this but my wine attention span was fading. This cuvee always strikes me a great example of NR and a very good value. Fun to have in the mix.
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1/14/2023 - gsmfan wrote: 88 Points
Very muted taste.
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1/13/2023 - asheio wrote: 90 Points
Dark berries, pepper, black olives, medicine - very classic nose. Quite cool fruit, some heat in the finish. Very enjoyable, but lacking a bit fruit on the palate. Maybe not a perfect bottle.
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1/2/2023 - CWilliam wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle - turned to vinegar a little too early. Will see if I can get a refund.
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12/28/2022 - ILarsen wrote: 92 Points
A mature and well balanced and well integrated wine where you get cherries, roses and a lot of spices - medium tannins and acidity - a well made wine - where the lack of complexity leads me to give big 92.
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11/22/2022 - StefanVB wrote:
A wine I reviewed earlier this year, the 2010 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde is a stunning Cote Rotie. Made from 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier and aged in equal parts new and once used barrels, it’s medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with rocking notes of raspberries, peppered bacon, coffee bean and violets. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more.
The father/son team of Marcel and Philippe Guigal continue to keep their estate at the top of the hierarchy in the Rhône Valley. All the way from their inexpensive Côtes du Rhône to their top-end Côte Rôties and Hermtiage, the attention to detail and focus on quality is unmatched. Readers should also check out the recent Rhone Retrospective article I wrote that covered the Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospices, Côte Rôtie Brune et Blonde, Côte Rôtie Chateau d'Ampuis and Côte Rôtie La Mouline cuvees going back for over a decade. I said it there, and I'll say it again here, this estate is producing some of the most incredible and singular wines in the world.
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10/8/2022 - winebargainchaser wrote: 89 Points
Still too young, needs a couple of years yet. Decanting helps, but not by much. Astringent, but potential untill about 2028.
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9/11/2022 - Buick455 wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Dusk medium brick red. Still young. Lots of fruit. Complexity. Medium to long finish.
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9/8/2022 - christian.tellvik@limab.se Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark reddish brown delicious color. Big smell of smoked cured meat, forest, sponge. Elegant, delicious, healthy plump. Hints of dark ripe berries, forest, charcuterie. Long slightly smoky elegant.
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8/23/2022 - dafmd Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decant 45 min repour into bottle; ruby with slight rim; berry and fat and pepper on nose; bright really smooth medium bodied red berry with almost sweet finish; really delicious
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8/4/2022 - sfqwino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Accessible now. Pure and focused. At this point it is still young and rather primary.
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7/23/2022 - Martin_G wrote: 91 Points
Yup - in the zone. Very fresh bottle, impressive. This tasted like cote-rotie, based on my limited experience, but i think i prefer Guigals "base" hermitage. Drink soon, some bottles are likely past prime.
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5/27/2022 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Recent notes in CT were all over the place - "too young", "past its peak", etc. Wasn't sure if now was a good time to try one. Fortunately, it was. Kinda like a big boy zin, but with a lot more complexity and a lot less heat and pruniness (if that's a word). All kinds of secondary smells and tastes - minerals, garrigue, herbs, and baconfat - but they did not overshadow the black and blue fruits. Medium body, but still fairly rich, and it showed a solid finish. Guessing that it's at or approaching its peak.
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5/21/2022 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just awesome. Showing its age a little bit maybe, but unbelievably well-balanced. Didn't take super detailed notes as I drank with a large group, but this showed killer dark fruit on the nose, black black plum, blackberry liqueur, almost ripe to the point of prune, but thankfully stopped short of that. A beautiful umami too, less intense than the black fruit but something like bacon fat or black olive in the very far background. Palate was about the same with the dense, soft-ish black fruit, but weightless, very cool and relaxed. I guess I'd prefer somewhat "tighter" fruit and somewhat higher acidity, but there's no denying this is gorgeous syrah. Might be underrating it, especially for the price.
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4/17/2022 - lkilpio wrote: 92 Points
This is maybe in a somehow unfavorable and muted phase at the moment. The wine is not providing a similar fireworks of smoke, tobacco, cigar and bacon as it did for a few years ago. The fruit has also started to fade, but the somewhat tight tannins are still there.
Anyway, as a whole, the wine still leaves a fairly balanced impression. The powerful smoky aromas just have been replaced by those associated with red fruits and berries. Time will tell, how this wine will evolve in the future, or if some new dimensions and features, still unseen until now, will emerge. I am not able to say.
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3/7/2022 - Patrick_from_champagne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice ruby color
Complex nose typical of sirah, with blueberry, cassis, violette, pepper, little meat flavors
the mouth as a solid acidity, tannins are balanced and precise,
still young and excellent perspective
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1/28/2022 - pmik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vinnørd Holte
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1/15/2022 - Thebigbaby wrote: 85 Points
This is the third of four bottles that I purchased and I continue to be underwhelmed. I keep wanting to like this wine and continue to just find an average example. Fruit is muted as well as the nose. I have given it time and air and same result. Good not even near great IMO.
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1/8/2022 - Dinamarca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Min referencevin, som jeg vurderer andre vine ud fra. I min optik et fremragende glas med klassiske Nord Rhône noter, fin koncentreret i teksturen og en fløjelsblød velour i eftersmagen. Holder fortsat!
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12/9/2021 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
Five years after the prior: This was enjoyable, albeit at a bit subdued / muted / lacking verve and precision, at least in comparison to our expectation. Pleasantly dark but somewhat thick. Still, enjoyable enough over three nights, fading just a bit at the end.
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11/27/2021 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez ouvert de : fruits...baies et cerises, sous-bois, poussière, cuir, épices...poivre, ainsi que des notes florales. Un vin fruité et sec avec une acidité fraiche. Ample avec saveurs de baies noires et rouges, ainsi que des notes florales et de toasté. Longue finale chaude, soupçon poivrée. Encore jeune...avec le repas et l'air, superbe ! 92++
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10/9/2021 - FrancoisC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Si c'est pas prêt à boire, c'est pas loin parce que c'est très bon en ce moment.
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10/7/2021 - winezinner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful after a 2 hour decant. Probably should have held onto it for another year or 2.
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9/15/2021 - WoodieBayArea wrote: flawed
opened this to put into chili... was OK for that task, but then later in the evening we tried it and it wasn't good at all, tried again today (in hopes it would transform) and still not good AT ALL... I think tainted, which is a surprise cuz I've drunk the other five of a six pack I bought over the last 5-6 years and those bottles have been pretty darn nice... I feel lucky that I have encountered only a single digit number of flawed bottles over the several thousand we have had over the last 15 years
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8/22/2021 - levicn wrote: 91 Points
盲品局上喝的,Brett的动物皮毛味,黑莓一类果香,一些橡木桶的奶油香气,入口酸度中等,单宁很细很细,咸鲜口感,成熟的黑色水果,泥土气息,精致的法桶,非常旧世界风格的一支酒,单宁质感特别漂亮,各方面都很均衡,非常经典的北隆西拉,教科书式的盲品酒,有点贫穷版LaLaLa的意思。
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8/19/2021 - stefad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cette côte rôtie était magnifique ce jour avec cassis, violettes et poivre qui embaumaient. Un palais suave et d’une persistance très agréable.
Un pur moment de grâce. 93/100
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7/30/2021 - MindMuse wrote: flawed
Corked
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7/6/2021 - pmik wrote: 92 Points
Vinnørd Holte. 92+. Small nose, pinot like. Concentrated but elegant
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6/25/2021 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 93 Points
With Smoked Brisket. 1 Hour air. Nose of blackberry. Great depth on the palate with black fruit & spice. Drinking great. Will be battle of will power to stay away from last 7 bottles in case!
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6/12/2021 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 93 Points
My go to Cote Rotie: blackberry, plum, black pepper, earthy, ripe cherry, soft clove, note of fig, medium plus body, elegant long finish.
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6/11/2021 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Clear medium/deep ruby/garnet; clean medium minus nose of dry red cherries, leather, animal, barnyard and balsamic; dry; high acidity; medium tannins; medium plus alcohol; medium body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is slightly tarter with addition of cigar box and cocoa; long finish; elegant wine - better than the previous bottles
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6/7/2021 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 94 Points
PNP with grilled rack of lamb. Sublime. Tannins resolved. Nose of blackberries. Black fruit, meat, figs and a little spice on the palate. Elegant yet powerful enough to stand up to the lamb. Guess ~8 years of life left.
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5/9/2021 - itsallaboutvinum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium purple. Double-decanted for an hour. Complex and rich notes of oak, vanilla, pronounced dark fruits like blueberries,black currant and blackberry, florals like rose, spices like black pepper and nutmegs and leather. All these notes are typical of wines from this region. Well structured, full bodied, medium plus intensity and acidity. Silky and soft tannins. Elegant and powerful. Can drink now but has potential for its tertiary notes to develop with aging.
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5/6/2021 - danstrings Likes this wine: 90 Points
Showing great - just beginning to show development - dark chocolate coco nibs, tar, saddle leather, licorice and anise notes. Lovely
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3/28/2021 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine:
This is drinking really nicely at this juncture - starting to gain some complexity, the baby fat and milk chocolate is all gone, pretty fruit, the new oak has been largely integrated although it has left a trace in terms of spicy finish. I think this is a really good value wine in the mid range.
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3/19/2021 - PatrickO33 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose with a great mix of ripe raspberries, peppery spices and sous-bois complexity. This is mirrored on the palate; expressive and vibrant, yet elegant. Charcuterie, herbs (like rosemary) and black olives. Really nice!
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2/16/2021 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank a little cold from the cellar
Tart fruit predominant
Early in it’s drinking life
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2/1/2021 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mostly opaque deep ruby. A: campfire, roasted meat, some coffee. F: a bit of the toasty flavors from the oak, but otherwise a nice complement of red fruits and spice. This has good depth/concentration and is drinking somewhat open after a slow ox. The tannins are present and still substantial, but don’t interfere.
I usually don’t like too much new oak on Syrah, but this fit the mood today. It aligns more with the toasty notes than overt oaky/vanilla/chocolate spectrum, which is probably why it didn’t bother me.
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1/26/2021 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 92 Points
Two hour decant. Olives, leather, touch of forest floor. No discernible heat. Ratcheting finish. Not an especially complex wine but flat out great. No rush to drink. This is in early drinking window and needed air. Drink now for primary power or wait for softening fruit and more tertiary.
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1/10/2021 - braised wrote:
Solid wine, not flashy or complex but still vibrant. Tannins have softened but the fruit is still present and limited secondary flavors have emerged. I expected more complexity given the age and maker and will probably give the next bottles another year or three.
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1/6/2021 - MindMuse wrote: 93 Points
The first opened of my two bottles, not decanted, drunk over two days.
Notes from a couple of days hence, but I was very pleased with this, especially with warming above cellar temp (though I think I consumed about a third of it while IN my cellar!). Solid black fruits with mixed olives, charcuterie, smoke, violets on nose and palate. Strong though not flashy or profound showing. 92-93. Drink or hold.
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1/2/2021 - perisolb Likes this wine:
Blomster og barnåler på nese. Avslepne tanniner. Synes konsentrasjonen var bra denne gangen. Kirsebær, rips. Mye nær, ikke så mye annet. Kanskje litt urter. Ikke noe pepper denne gangen, kanskje en antydning av kjøtt. Lang. God!
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12/26/2020 - psi wrote: 92 Points
This wine and vintage has performed better. Still a very nice glass
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9/8/2020 - COWineLover wrote: 92 Points
Stored approximately 5 years in a climate controlled cellar. First bottle in about three years.
Opened and allowed to breath for about 45 minutes. Good aromatics with crushed black fruits, lavender and other floral, smoked meats, and black olive. Plenty of verve on the palate with acidity that sprints out of the gate with smoke, black tea, blackberries, and salted cured meat. In the mid palate this picks up ground iron before cruising into a mineral accented conclusion with excellent length (45+ seconds). A chewy long finish that is very savory. No discernible heat.
Based on the tasting experience tonight and my 2017 bottle this seems to have the energy and vigor to go through 2025 with relative ease.
Drink or hold through 2028.
Day 1 Score - 92. Half the bottle to be stored overnight.
Day 2 - Retaining good vigor with creamy blackberries, savory herbs, more ground iron, and licorice snap. Remains solid with a finish that has length that won’t quit.
Great consistency with the bottles I have consumed.
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9/4/2020 - jwsmith wrote: 89 Points
Not much happening with this wine just ok
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8/29/2020 - gbejjani Likes this wine: 91 Points
Côte Rôtie for everyone!! Guigal is probably the biggest producer in the Northern Rhône. Their scale, although looked upon uneasily by most of their neighbors, allow to make the most and least exclusive Côte Rôties (it's all relative of course!). This is their entry level, consistently delicious, with a name that likely overstates its provenance just a little bit. True to tradition, a few % of Viognier are blended in and give it a distinctive charm.
For more please watch below at YT channel Pandewine
https://youtu.be/goFi0PskSj8
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8/5/2020 - mpdonnel wrote: 89 Points
Grainy and sweet, stewed fruits, lots of sediment. Seemed like it was past it's peak.
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7/17/2020 - DK Amateur wrote:
We drank this in the summer house garden on a rather warm night. It was chilled and decanted and served with a grilled steak. It had wonderful intensity of spicy fruit, acidity and tannin and made it into a memorable meal.
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7/11/2020 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clear medium ruby/garnet; clean medium nose of black pepper, meat, dried red cherries and leather; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; medium plus alcohol; medium body; medium plus flavour intensity; pfn but slightly tarter; medium plus finish; drink now or in a few years; this wine is definitely improving with age - we actually enjoyed this bottle :)
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7/4/2020 - Two Winos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Benefited from a decant. It opens up to wonderfully creamy blackberry, raspberry. Very enjoyable.
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7/1/2020 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love this CR from Guigal: green olive tapenade, vegetal, dark cherry, garrique, green pepper, balsamic note, tobacco, soft fig, medium to full body, great long aftertaste
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5/23/2020 - Vaughanwallace wrote: 92 Points
Mid bodied. Mid palette. Mild spice. Short finish. Much better than st Joseph but lacks something special.
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5/3/2020 - theboot Likes this wine: 90 Points
The entry level Côte Rôtie from Guigal. Decanted for 2.5 hours and it needed it. Got more savoury as time went on with a decently perfumed nose of olives, tomato, some red berries, black pepper. Tannins were quite soft and acid Med +. Not the complexity or layers I was hoping for, but the finish was surprisingly long and mellow. Elegant and refined? Sure. But I can find Crozes-Hermitage or St. Joseph at half the price that would outperform this.
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5/2/2020 - drwine2001 wrote:
Light ruby. More green than fruit at first, but then black cherry and some smokiness come through. Medium body, excellent acidity, calm progression of the palate without any particular fireworks. Last time 3 years ago I thought it was boring, today balanced but still somewhat bland. I don't think I would have identified it as Syrah had I tasted it blind. Curiously mediocre wine.
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4/9/2020 - silton Likes this wine: 93 Points
A floral/olive top note provides lift to a melange of boysenberry, earth, blackberry, and plum. Harmonious acidity through several phases from nose to finish. Better after an hour or two in the decanter. A delightful combination of elegance and energy without the depth or power of my favorite Syrahs.
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2/29/2020 - Wineloon Likes this wine: 89 Points
A little simple compared to the Haisma cornas. Good but not exciting.
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1/21/2020 - rama Likes this wine:
Decanted 2 hours which was necessary for it to show. Wet concrete and black olives on the nose. Black fruit, licorice, saline, sweet aspartame finish. Full body, low tannin, medium acid. Tasty but was hoping for a little more.
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1/2/2020 - alexide Likes this wine: 93 Points
After a disappointing bottle a couple of years ago, tried another one tonight. A much better experience. Inviting on the nose, and a complex palate. Just opening up into its drinking window I reckon. Happy that I have 10 more...
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12/30/2019 - Argrath wrote: 89 Points
Full and quite expressive nose. Very typical. Bacon fat, white pepper, oak and blackberry. Of medium intensity and lacks some depth.
Medium-fullish palate very peppery. Bacon, oak and good grip. Developed. Lacks a bit intensity and finish. But tasty.
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12/13/2019 - Dinamarca wrote: 94 Points
En af mine ynglingsvine. Basis Côte-Rôtie, men det fungerer bare. Konsistent smagenoter fra sidste smagning, selv om det ligger nogle år tilbage. Vinen er fortsat frisk i frugten og tanninerne bider stadig blidt i gummerne.
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12/2/2019 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened for two hours prior to dinner. Fruit and hints of spice on the nose. The palate was berry, dark cherry, red plums and some Christmas spices. Finish was moderate to long.
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11/21/2019 - bablues wrote: 89 Points
Some old world flavors and minerality, but also a bit harsh and unfocused. Not what I would have expected from such a stellar vintage and overall disappointing.
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10/18/2019 - vinero Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lately I have not been very impressed with Guigal’s basic Côte-Rôtie. This is supposed to be an excellent vintage. The wine is good, but clearly behind other bottles I recently drank. Dark purple in the glass, limited nose of cherry. The palate gives great fruit - cherry - and a bit of spice. On the dry side. A solid wine, but expensive in it’s range of 30-40€. Neither do I see much development potential in this anymore. This is what it is.
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9/15/2019 - CWilliam wrote:
Decanted and served 30 minutes later. Dark red color with a small meniscus. On nose, iron, saline, blackberry and pepper. On palate, black cherry, blackberry, iron and figs. High tannins, medium+ body, medium+ acidity and long finish. 92+/-
Purchased from Wine Access in Fall 2014.
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9/7/2019 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
hitting it's stride with tight fruit and tannins on day one but delicious as it opened up
closed down on day2
day 3 was integrated excellence
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8/24/2019 - psi wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Elegant and juicy with notes of black berries, bacon, coffee and flowers. Drank this side by side with a Lynch-Bages 05. I ended up preferring this one. More complex and more interesting on this evening.
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8/9/2019 - Brent25 wrote: 87 Points
Clear medium ruby; clean medium nose of farmyard, red cherries, toast, strawberries and garrigue; dry; medium plus acidity; medium tannins; medium alcohol; medium body; medium flavour intensity; pfn with addition of sour cherries; medium finish; good quality; this is bottle 2 of 4 and just as disappointing as bottle 1; it came across as thin and watered down - not what we were expecting; drink now - time isn’t helping; hope we have a badly stored batch and others are enjoying this wine more than us
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7/31/2019 - Martin_G wrote: 89 Points
A lot of oak initially which receded with air, and showed a rather well balanced, mediumbodied wine with mainly red notes and some whitepepper. A little generic, but has withstood time well so far - perhaps 5 more years will render something worth the price paid in 2016. I doubt it though, as midpalate was rather lacking in fruit...
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7/5/2019 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
a terrific drinker over a week's period of time
each day a different tasting profile all of them interesting and satisfying
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6/29/2019 - Verb Likes this wine: 92 Points
medium red, brick rim - smoky roasted meat nose - medium full mouth with mature black pepper syrah fruit and good acid balance - fully resolved soft tannins - 15 sec finish - not exciting, but a very good quality Guigal that is fully mature to my taste - probably as good as it will get right now, though likely will plateau for another 5-10 yrs - very appealing as an accompaniment with grilled ribeye
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6/21/2019 - bugdoced wrote: 90 Points
in good shape
musky syrah like nose
some tightness and softening over the evening
enjoyed by all
early in it's drinking window
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6/16/2019 - casoe wrote: 90 Points
Nice red almost purple color, not showing clear signs of age, but on the nose and when you drink it, it is surprisingly developed with dark cherries and little complexity. Very sweet with limited acidity and tannin - feels a little bit over the top. Not how I remember these wines, so may be a slightly off bottle.
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6/16/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
A huge production of 220,000 bottles - at 37 hl/ha this equates to the production of 45 hectares, or 20% of the entire appellation (!). A blend of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier (co-fermented), 36 months in 50% new oak, 13.5% ABV. Decanted for two hours. There is ripe fruit and a fresh mineral core, with violets, black pepper and smoked bacon, and lots of well-managed, savoury oak. Medium to full body (13.5% ABV), good persistence. It's interesting how this wine manages to be expressive of the AOC and still feel a bit anonymous. But there is no doubting its quality. Early maturity, should have the legs for another 5-10 years.
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5/27/2019 - JasonMcFall wrote:
Lovely acidity, rich and complex
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5/12/2019 - GDa202 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with a little trepidation considering the diversity of comments on CT. Shouldn’t have worried. 6hr decant. Beautifully balanced. Red fruit, menthol, some garrigue all in equilibrium with good acidity and well-integrated tannins. Still has a long life.
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3/8/2019 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Clear pale ruby; clean medium minus nose of pepper, roasted meat, strawberries, red cherries, toast and vanilla; developing; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; medium alcohol; medium plus body; medium flavor intensity, pfn with addition of cocoa; medium finish; good quality; drink now, has potential for 3 to 5 more years of aging; disappointing - maybe a bad bottle?; bottle 1 of 4 - hopefully the remaining bottles are a lot better
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2/19/2019 - Verb Likes this wine: 92 Points
medium red, brick rim - smoky roasted meat nose - medium full mouth with mature peppery syrah fruit and good acid balance - fully resolved soft tannins - 15 sec finish - a typically good quality Guigal that is fully mature and probably as good as it will get right now, though likely will plateau for another 5-10 yrs - certainly not a great wine, but very appealing as an accompaniment with food (grilled pork loin)
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2/13/2019 - jnewman77 wrote:
Brought by a friend to a wine dinner; this was very good, still young, but definitely drinkable now; the nose has dark fruit, menthol, black pepper, a bit of smoke and iron, a whiff of oak. The palate is good, tannins are noticeable, but not prominent and balanced by the concentration and acidity. This should continue to improve for a while yet, but with a good meal is definitely drinkable now.
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1/21/2019 - jviz wrote:
This bottle was out of balance. Too tart, acid wasn’t working with the other components. Feeling a little roasted and OTH to me
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1/12/2019 - Mondarin Likes this wine: 92 Points
med ruby. looking youthful. can see my fingers thru glass.
red fruits-- cherry, raspberry, cranberry. black cherry. smoky bacon. ripe and dried/ stewed fruit condition. bit of earth, but the fruit is really the item that stands out.
dry, med + acid, med+ tannin which are present yet integrated, med+ alcohol which is also well integrated, med body, med intensity, med + finish.
VG to Outstanding quality. Very balanced wine. Strong primary fruits but added complexity from the tertiary fruit characteristics from development in bottle.
Drinking very well right now, and can keep going for at least 5 more years. Went very well with baked pork ribs.
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12/29/2018 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full bodied with spice, mat, game and tobacco. This is moving from simple to layered complexity and has more evolution ahead of it. The wine is young will improve in my opinion, and its well balanced nature gives confidence its future is bright. It was much better after a few hours decant and I strongly recommend some air. Had at Korean BBQ with SH.
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12/20/2018 - hornyphil wrote: 86 Points
Decanted 3 hours before being drunk but was very closed still. Overall I was disappointed with this and I hope my remaining bottle is better.
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12/9/2018 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 93 Points
First 6 hours this is tight as a nut. Feels thin, sharp, acidic, but very good fruit material. No trace of all the opulence that was there upon release. This is what a Syrah tunnel feels like! Then, almost like magic, the wine starts to open up and the last glass is marvellous, with all the floral perfume as well as some sweet, cinnamon tinged dark fruit that just overflows the glass with its aroma. And the wine feels softer on the palate as well. Wow. This will be great in ten years time but if you drink it now, make sure you decant and let air for a day before serving!
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12/8/2018 - jwsmith wrote: 89 Points
Was a little off most bottles are pretty good.
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11/18/2018 - Storm1977 wrote:
A little bit closed at the moment compared to another bottle drunk 1 1/2 year ago. Still avery Nice bottle though.
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11/16/2018 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted via Vinturi. Drank immediately, got better with air making case for more time in cellar.
Nose of Boysenberry & little pepper. Medium body, red fruit, nice acidity, beautiful long finish.
Very nice. Drink or hold.
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10/27/2018 - Gott vin Likes this wine: 87 Points
Behöver ett antal år till. Lite sluten
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9/18/2018 - ulyon wrote: 91 Points
Great wine ready to drink and would be good until 2025
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8/18/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Needed a bit of time to breathe - but delivered fig paste, hoisin sauce and blackberry. Long, rich finish. Good for 5-10 more years, I would guess.
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8/18/2018 - Mazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
S'est ouvert depuis 2015 car épaulé en début d'après-midi, non carafé. Aurait pu visiter la carafe 30-60 minutes pour atténuer encore l'élevage mais plus digeste qu'auparavant. Demeure un style un peu moderne pour moi...
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6/22/2018 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Theme was Northern Rhône. This was its usual excellent self.
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6/21/2018 - vinero Likes this wine: 92 Points
Only barely entering its drinking window, this will clearly be a great wine 92p+. After being open for 1 day this CR gave pure fruit, a bit of vanilla and spice and a touch of earth. Very nice, drink 2020 onwards.
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6/21/2018 - Radboy wrote: 89 Points
Nice but nothing special for me.
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6/10/2018 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Medium deep red. Classic Syrah nose of white pepper and dark fruits. Quite deep and tannic on the finish; this is still a baby. Slowly improves with air but may be better tomorrow. If you want to drink this, a decant should make a big difference. Has a lot of potential but needs another 5 years.
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5/6/2018 - jamesdoeser wrote: 90 Points
Looking to be everything that was promised. Looking forward to the next in 2020
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4/27/2018 - Jurgens wrote: 88 Points
not sure it is value for money
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4/5/2018 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Stunningly good with grilled leg of lamb. Great smoke, leather, and spice notes. Tannins have softened nicely - it’s in a lovely place.
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3/26/2018 - JTobin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Maybe a little early, especially with no decant, but still drinking very well. Hints of pepper and tobacco dominate.
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3/11/2018 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2005 Bordeaux (R&D's): Courtesy of PB. Currants, dark fruit and plenty of white pepper. Abundant dark fruit on the palate along with more peppery spice. Lengthy finish. Almost painfully young, but certainly a very fine vintage for this wine and one I'll look to add to the cellar.
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3/11/2018 - ziavino wrote: 90 Points
Loads of black pepper on the nose and palate, with background notes of blackberry, smoked meat, and dust. Primary for now.
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2/27/2018 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
Middle of drinking window
Integrated fruit
Some interesting secondary notes beginning to show
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2/24/2018 - Mazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ouvert en début d'après-midi, décanté et aéré en carafe 1h30 puis remis en bouteille pour le transport (2 heures de route). Bouchon enlevé à l'arrivée puis laissé ouvert 1h30 avant la dégustation. A très bien paru avec cette préparation non classique.
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2/10/2018 - la turque wrote: 92 Points
Starting into its drinking window. Medium bodied. Complex aromas of roast meat, black fruits, smoke. Beautiful fruit and balancing acidity. Only detractor for me was a slight bitterness on the finish.
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2/4/2018 - stefad wrote: 91 Points
Au début de sa vie, robe grenat, nez sur notes épicées très agréables (poivre blanc), jus suave - Beau vin 91/100
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1/25/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
OXO nose, BBQ meat, very gamey, ripe red cherries, mineral... Light tannin, red cherries, fresh, very nice evolved Côte Rôtie
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1/1/2018 - lkilpio Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for ca. 3 hours. Impressive wine from a superb vintage. This is clearly better than the more prestigious Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2007 from the same producer and region that was enjoyed a couple of weeks earlier.
This full-bodied wine displays a wonderful combination of dense fruitiness, firm but not too tight tannins, notes of black berries, strong animal characteristic, and charming aromas and flavors of smoke, tobacco and cigar. Consequently, the wine is very multidimensional and alluring. It offers full enjoyment now, but it may be stored for many years from now on. It will be interesting to see, if the wine will be even more nuanced and magical after a couple of years.
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12/18/2017 - COWineLover wrote: 91 Points
First bottle of a half case. Consumed over two nights without decant. The first glass needed some time to open up, and the wine was more savory on day 2.
Aromatically, this offered some garrigue, lavender, and crushed black fruits. Overall, the aromatics are subtle relative to the palate.
On the palate this is very savory. This initially presents with herb de Provence, iron, pepper, and crushed black berries. The iron and savory herbs really give this a long finish that extends over a minute. The finish on day 2 never seems to end.
Good acidity and tannin balance, and not at all hot.
Had this been more aromatic, it would have scored higher though I am very pleased with this overall. Ready to enjoy though this can stay on the shelf as well.
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12/17/2017 - Cognacblanc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Long, structured, mild tannin, black berry finish. Ethereal syrah
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11/17/2017 - asheio wrote: 93 Points
Relatively light color. Elegant nose, pepper and dark berries. Delicate. Fleshy style, depth. Excellent.
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11/7/2017 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
Gorgeous color slate and mineral finish excellent wine with perfect balance. So good.
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11/5/2017 - jhbehrens wrote: 89 Points
Green pepper that’s almost green paprika on the nose, meaty, almost fatty mouthfeel. Quite plain for a Cote-Rotie.
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10/20/2017 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with CV-note
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10/13/2017 - Tony Poli wrote: 91 Points
There was another 2010 Brune et Blonde on the table, opened about 4 bottles earlier. Definitely the same wine, but a surprising amount of variation. This one had a quieter nose, and a slightly more harsh palate. There were lollipop lamb chops served with these wines, this paired perfectly. We have one more, probably wait a couple of years.
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9/19/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Ruby. Very neutral aromatics at first, but then black cherry and increasing menthol. Best for its medium weight, fine texture, and good acidity. It lacks any real Côte Rotie character, and more than that, it just seems innocuous, commercial, and missing some soul, especially after having had an Allemand Cornas a few nights ago. The vinous equivalent of elevator music-not terribly intrusive but still mildly annoying.
Held up well overnight, more olive the second day and the fruit lasted.
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9/16/2017 - gresch Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is good though not terribly exciting. Good nose, modest complexity (meaning that while there is some stuff going on, it's going on quietly). Tannins are still present. Tinges of olives (not overpowering or unpleasant) & smoked meat.
I should probably wait until 2020 to see if this picks up some more depth/character.
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9/16/2017 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
Coravin. Dark red, beginning to turn yellow on the rim, 5.5. Wonderful classic northern Rhône, meaty, green pepper keeping the elegance intact. Harmonious palate, some tannin, fine acidity, long finish. Drink now-2030.
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5/12/2017 - Mazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cette fois-ci, ouvert à brûle-pourpoint (PNP).
Prend rapidement de l'expansion dans le verre.
Assez classique sur les mûres et les notes poivrées. Très bon.
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5/5/2017 - Hampe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Snabbnot. Röd färg. Något knuten kryddig doft. Balanserade tanniner och syra.
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5/4/2017 - Jon and Bek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Geoff Kelly's Guigal Retrospective (Regional Wines & Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Ruby-red colour, floral nose, a little garrigue minty herbs. Palate full and savoury, meaty flavours, cooked tomato. Wine still quite austere and closed, even after airing; tannins sharp, but with a long complex finish. Given the other vintages tried at this tasting, expect beautiful things from cellared bottles, 2025-2035+
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4/10/2017 - STM82 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful purple flowers, herbs, smoke, and game. Medium bodied with beautiful acidity.
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3/18/2017 - MWiking wrote: 88 Points
kul att prova detta vin igen, inte riktigt min stil, lite för mycket fat, damm men absolut ett drickbart och gott vin.
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3/16/2017 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vanilla musk over dark brambly fruit; cassis, tar, anise and cocoa on palate; long finish, but a little sour; enjoyed it enough that we bought 4 bottles
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3/15/2017 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Northern Rhone Blind Tasting: Clear, medium-ruby color. Developed, secondary nose- earth-spices, rosemary, violets, bacon fat, fig and cherry fruit. Silky and elegant on the palate, with bright cherry fruit, mineral (stone), wild flowers, tea leaf, rosemary- nicely open and accessible. Medium-plus acid, with fine grainy tannins. Medium-plus length finish. Most ready to drink out of the lineup. Very elegant- surprised at the reveal.
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12/5/2016 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
We are out of sync with some of the notes below, which had led me to expect something rather thick and rich. Happily, it was quite the opposite. Bright and spicy/ intense white pepper. A zingy and laser like a presence. Lovely finish. Undertones of earth, maybe a hint of wild sage. It was fantastic on night one, continuing to gain complexity on nights two and three. Our only disappointment is that we have but one more.
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11/26/2016 - throughnothing Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very fruity in smell, slightly less so on the taste. Smooth, and dark fruit, with some noticeable tannins. Gets better after 30-60 minutes decanting.
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11/16/2016 - Raizes Likes this wine: 89 Points
这款Rotie是别样的生涩——潜力无穷却不知如何向人呈现。经历了90分钟的醒酒后,黑莓、黑李子的果味和轻微的紫罗兰花香勾勒出了基调,强烈的黑胡椒说明了出身,辅以一些烤肉和黑橄榄的享乐主义做点缀,剩下就是还没有化开的橡木桶带来的气息。入口中段的饱满感很出色,只是略失于细腻优雅,没有Chateau d'Ampuis的古典之美。和Guigal其他的Rotie出品相比,这是一款很漂亮的酒,但是不够深刻,持续力也平平。
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11/13/2016 - Bloms wrote: 90 Points
Heavy, almost syrupy at first. After an hour or so began to open up and show some finesse. Definitely needs a decant to fully develop.
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10/28/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Rule the Rhone; 10/27/2016-11/3/2016 (Northern & Southern Rhone): 36 months in oak, 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. 40% new oak. I get almost like a stewed fruit characteristic (not in a way that's bad, but it's that heavier fruit with hints of sour. Tannins are quite prevalent and overshadow a lot of the flavors, but swirling some more in the glass there's just an inkling of some red fruit. Lovely. Young. Needs more time.
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10/20/2016 - robferguson1 wrote: 90 Points
Somewhat closed and green up front which reflects youth , had lots of quality , dark,good fruit , just needs time ,5 years or so.
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10/12/2016 - texanoblues wrote: 92 Points
At Harris Steakhouse 10/9/16 from 375ml.
Deep red in the glass. Intense and precise red berries, with some bacon and herbs. Fairly concentrated with moderate tannins and acidity. Overall, a moderate/good quality Rotie from a stellar vintage. Sort of a diminutive version of the Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis. 91-92pts.
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9/18/2016 - mike1234 wrote: 87 Points
Opaque purple color, somewhat soft nose with herby elements, medium body, balance acidity, some fruit on the Finish
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8/28/2016 - perisolb wrote:
Blackberries and cured ham on the nose. Lots of berries on the palate, but also some of the cured ham from the nose. There is some pepper, both on the nose and on the palate, but Tom and I disagree on how much. I had expected more pepper. We find it slightly short and thin for a CR, and are a bit confused. Is somewhat closed at this stage? I get mostly blackberries and a bit of cured ham. Tom gets more pepper and bacon and typical Syrah stuff.
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8/21/2016 - jnewman77 wrote:
Very solid Cote Rotie, but very young. Nose with dark brambly fruit, lots of pepper, hints of smoke and game. The palate is good, but definitely too young with fairly robust tannins. This will be very good in 10 years, but right now it is a bit much.
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7/28/2016 - up4wine wrote: 91 Points
Pretty classic bacon fat and meat flavor. There was an excellent fruit foundation, but I found I was wanting it to come out a little more. I think I chose the wrong meals to go with this wine, as they seemed to have to much vegetable taste for a wine the screams out for steak. I hold myself accountable, not the wine.
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7/2/2016 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
took some time to open up then tart berries not yet well integrated
great potential, but hold for now
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6/22/2016 - GregHK Likes this wine:
A décanter
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6/22/2016 - GregHK Likes this wine:
A décanter !
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6/14/2016 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Intense, linear and deep. There's creamy black fruits and all of the elements are harmonious. Needs a couple of years to really blossom.
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6/1/2016 - corposo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, strong and robust almost like it has been made with dried grapes.
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5/30/2016 - gravedee Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blind tasting. It tasted mature to me and definitely towards the end of its drinking window - not sure if the retailer was properly storing it before I bought it. Nice, but only the Two Buck Chuck scored lower in a blind tasting of six reference Syrahs (all from $50 - $60 except for the Two Buck Chuck) from around the world.
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5/22/2016 - jrh82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent food-wine! Drank with cassoulet which was pretty much a match made in heaven. Warm red and ripe fruit on the nose along with bon fire smoke which complimented (and in no way overpowered) the fruit. Straight out of the bottle there were quite noticable tannins but which became very smooth after 4 hours of air. Great rustic but elegant wine which I will purchase more of to eat with any kind of stew or casserole.
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5/12/2016 - dulcamara wrote: 91 Points
- Aromas of tobacco and has flavours of prune and dusty with a medium finish - Gawd damn! 5x better than 6 mos ago and i'm not opening another one until 2018.
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5/2/2016 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Weekly tasting group #212; GSM: Blend or mono cepage? (@ The factory by JdB): In the bouquet creamy and lactic red and dark berry fruits, green herbs and spices and bacon. On the palate a supple start with red and dark berries, herbs and spices like clove and white pepper, firm acidity and sticky tannin. This bottle was more locked than the one I tasted in January, but it is still a very good wine with a promise for the future. Around 2020?.
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4/19/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Hdr Closing Tasting: Quite tannic. Seems to have some ripe fruit but probably a bit shut down. Clipped finish. Hard to judge, but giving it the benefit of producer/vintage, seems like it just needs cellar time right now. Its good but I might expect better.
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3/17/2016 - tendring Does not like this wine: 76 Points
Wine Education Service - The Northern Rhône (Imperial College): Age, opaque.
Disappointing nose.
A long way short of expectation.
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1/21/2016 - kosmik Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent, dans un style in-your-face.
Gagnera à dormir plusieurs années en cave.
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1/20/2016 - dream Likes this wine: 88 Points
Pretty nose of black fruits, pepper, smoked meats and violets. Quite smooth and silky on the palate with delicious flavors of blackberries and campfire along with hints of game and spice. Finishes grippy and succulent with smooth tannins. Very nicely done for a "village" Cote Rotie and it drinks well now although given it's somewhat high-toned fruit, it might still deepen and improve. 88+
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1/6/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group EEE #046; Côte Rôti (@ JWS): At first the bouquet was a bit locked and showed red berries like strawberries and some leather. Later, with some more air, it became much more expressive with minerals, animals and bacon. On the palate juicy red fruits of all sorts, dark forest fruits, herbs and spices like white pepper, vanilla, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and good, slightly sticky tannin. Good length with some pleasant bitterness. Juicy wine, already a pleasure, but in fact still too young. Better wait until approx 2020. 90 – 91+ for this evening.
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12/19/2015 - Dinamarca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mild og afrundet duft. Let parfumeret og behagelig. Flot årgang og mindre "kølig" end forventet med varme bær, kirsebær, brombær samt lidt marcipan, en anelse kostald, bacon og ristede fadnoter. I munden er vin lækker, blød og rund, igen med modne bær og en fortsat tæt og kraftig smag. Flot! Vil formentlig opnå lidt flere tertiære noter med alderen, men fremragende allerede nu, så tør jeg vente med de sidste flasker?
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12/12/2015 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great aroma of plums, blackberries, pepper, wet tobacco. The palate is full bodied, very nicely balanced by rich acidity and very long. A mixture of red and dark berries , some meaty tones. A great wine in the making, give it 3-5 years to get more complex secondary notes.
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12/10/2015 - Mazy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cette fois-ci je l'ai carafé 5 heures plutôt qu'épaulé la veille.
A mieux paru que la dernière fois et a continu de s'ouvrir dans le verre.
J'aurais donc pu le carafer le matin sans problème, sinon le garder en cave.
Fruits noirs, cannelle, une pointe de clou de girofle et de poivre, une belle longueur.
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11/18/2015 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP'd at Bart's. Tart cherry and other red fruits, cocoa, roadside fennel and leather. Classic C-R and on the bare edges of showing some burnt rubber and other secondary developments to come. Drinks well now despite the need for further cellaring.
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10/14/2015 - Pknut wrote:
Oaky. Dry wood tannins. Brown spices and leather notes, which I'm taking a big leap here, are oak derived. Awful. Christie's Rhone dinner, Amali.
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10/6/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
first day with a fragrant nose then tart cherries and strawberries on the palate
second day less fruit forward but more integrated and interesting
plenty of room for development over the next few years
yum
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10/2/2015 - RieslingFanatic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted against a 2005, which everyone thought was showing too much development. Nose - oak (cedar), meaty, black fruits sitting underneath, screams potential. Palate - smooth, rich, black fruits, cocoa. One for the cellar.
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9/9/2015 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
Guigal "La La's" with Brett Crittenden (Glengarry Wines and Spirits, Victoria Park, Auckland, New Zealand): Probably the best example of this wine that I have drunk. Classy and a classic expression of the Guigal CR. Superb fruit intensity indicative of the vintage, excellent structure with a grippy finish. With its 60% new oak completely subsumed into the great fruit, this is an example of the great heights 2010 can attain. This is not yet ready to drink and will improve. Excellent. 92+
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8/21/2015 - Mazy Likes this wine: 90 Points
(96% Syrah + 4% Viognier, élevage 36 mois en fûts, 50% bois neuf)
Épaulé la veille.
Malgré l’aération, on sent qu’il est encore réduit.
Malgré ceci, on est dans les registres d’élevage (vanille) puis d’épices et de fruits rouges. Les tannins sont modérés, la longueur également. Trés bon mais idéalement à garder en cave un peu. Je n’ai pas pu y regoûter le lendemain mais ça aurait été très intéressant (je le ferai la prochaine fois).
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7/31/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 92 Points
What Motz said. On the first night, I don't recognize this wine. Syrah tunnel? Fatal mistake on my part? What happened to the fat and oaky modern style opulent and yet fantastic Syrah I tasted twice a year ago? Harsh, structured, overly acidic and tight as mahogany timber as well as thinnish on the palate. (84)
Second night, having been drained by a glass and recorked and stored in the fridge overnight, the nose is off the charts. Relief! Great great wine in the making. And interesting how much the sweet vanilla infused oak has retreated. Elegant and stylish is more like it. I wonder what this will turn into over the years. I have two more... (92)
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7/18/2015 - gravedee wrote:
I don't drink many Cote-Rotie wines and this is the first one of any quality that I can remember. I was somewhat disappointed by this -- I guess I had my hopes set too high. I don't know how much viognier is in this - but I have to assume a lot because the acidity was way too high for my taste. I can appreciate the quality and complexity but either it's the style that I'm not liking, or this is too highly wound and not ready to drink. Either way, I won't be going back.
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6/13/2015 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Still quite reticent. The essence of Côte-Rôtie Syrah, its terroir, and the smoke are present. A wine of precision and also refined elegance, the latter arguably uncommon to the place. Medium plus to high acid, medium minus tannin, remarkable balance, charming finish. Recommend holding for 3+ years. 92-94.
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5/30/2015 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled lamb chops. Iron / mesquite, charcoal, black cherry on nose. Black cherry, cherry, tobacco on palate. High acidity, medium body, sweet tannins noticeable on the long finish. Great with food. Really enjoyed. 92-93. Would buy again.
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5/13/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Bright red ruby; sweet vanilla, smoky, granite, good depth along with complementary freshness, also some olive and cherry; vanilla, firm structure in the way of acid and wall of soft plush tannin; young.
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3/29/2015 - EricLi wrote: 91 Points
Similar notes as Milliontown. Garnet and medium bodied. Strong Vanilla and exotic spice on the nose. Green pepper dominates throughout. Slight creamy on the nose when it open up. Fine tannins.
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2/11/2015 - Milliontown wrote: 85 Points
Low to medium intensity on the nose, though time in the decanter helps it. It's oaky, dominated by aromas of pepper, vanilla and allspice. Little perceptible tannin. Great palate with strikingly bright and ripe fruit, and an even balance, strong acidity, though with short-medium length. Not as much complexity as I would have liked, but this is still young.
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1/29/2015 - paul195 wrote:
Northern vs Southern Rhones (Brooklyn Wine Exchange (BWe)): Note provided by Tim Farrell of BWe
As tight as a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum, with considerable oak tannin and flavor obscuring any real Syrah-ness. Clearly a well-made wine, with all the right parts for aging, but not particularly enjoyable bottle at this stage. Double-decanted five hours before serving.
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1/25/2015 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 91 Points
At a Guigal tasting. There were four Chateauneuf's, three 2007's and this one. All dark garnet. This seemed smoother than the 2007's, and more complex now. But perhaps not as much potential? Drinking well now.
Oops. This note was entered for the Cote Rotie - we actually drank a 2010 Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape. Sorry...
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11/29/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Even better, already much more integrated, suave and clean and fresh and full of wild but coherent perfume. Love it!
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10/21/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Aromatic, spicy, red fruit; full bodies, medium complexity, spicy; med finish. Overall good value for ~$50 for cote rotie. 89-90+
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10/18/2014 - drjb wrote: 93 Points
Test bottle ! Dark colour - quite dense. Nose initially shy but with time reveals blueberries and blackberries with liquorice, lavender and apricot. Palate quite dense but layered fruit with strict structure at present with plenty of fine tannins leading to an elegant long finish. This will be very good drinking for ages !
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10/12/2014 - up4wine wrote: 92 Points
We put this wine to a taste-off with a Chapoutier St. Joseph. This one won hands down. The Cote-Rotie expressed terroir and pleasant oak tones, whereas the St. Joseph was a little heavy handed on the fruit side and expressed a bit of green stem. As others have noted, the Cote-Rotie is a balanced wine of finesse where the fruit, acid, and tannins are all in tune.
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10/9/2014 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 Points
dark spice, tar and liquorice, black pepper. Deep and rich with a hint of toasted brioche.
Lovely and supple, great texture. Plums, red currants, smooth and starting to open up. Finishing with very fine tannins.
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9/21/2014 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
An elegant wine that is very young and takes a long while to open. Upon initial opening, oak and pepper notes dominate the bouquet. After several hours of air, peppercorns, smoke, coal, charred cork, and tar come forward. These elements also appear prominently on a sleek and elegant palate. This is not a blockbuster; it is a refined, well balanced, and charming wine.
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8/24/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Guigal: wow, complexity to the aromas. Earth, pepper, depth of fruit, red fruit, black fruit, plum aromas. Very nuanced pepper and citrus. Palate still has to unfurl a bit more. Terraces built by the Romans in 500BC. Syrah interplanted with Viognier. Up to 20% of the plants in an area could be planted Viognier traditionally. Viognier is not as needed any longer because of better vinification techniques. Open top fermenters would blow off aromatics. Currently about 4% Viognier in the blend now.
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7/29/2014 - Sevencircles wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose but not too intense.
Great attack with lots of garrigue and peppers. The fruit comes on the midpalete and it´s pretty intensand the wine is fullbodied. A lot of black currant, blackberries and cherries. Very typical rhone valley quality syrah. 6 hours of decentation and the fruit and the spice sings like a 70 Euro wine for less then 40 euro.
92 points right now but probaly a lot more 5 years from now. I don´t think it will go through a closed phase.
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7/21/2014 - nvlgm Likes this wine: 93 Points
All black pepper and tar and violet and dark black berry. Exceptional acidity. Yum.
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5/16/2014 - Gott vin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bätre och bättre under kvällen. Mot slutet fantastisk doft, med massor av allt det man vill ha i en sådan här dryck. ;)
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5/6/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 92 Points
tasting the May releases from the Swedish Government monopoly (munskänkarna) (Näringslivets hus, Stockholm): very charming and wide open aromas full of dark fruit and chocolate, oak and wood spices. Goes down easily, soft middle, medium finish. As an entry level cote rotie this has a lot to offer!
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5/5/2014 - Mad Dog Mikey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Inviting and pleasurable! Well balanced and intense wine. I tried this next to a rustic Clos du Marquis from 2004.. Which affected the experience of the Guigal somewhat negatively (the fruit came to dominate the Guigal as the Clos numbed the tannins and acidity). 91-92.
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5/5/2014 - Finare Vinare wrote: 92 Points
Munskänkarna Stockholm - Tasting of May releases: Clean youthful nose - fairly oaky today - with notes of rubber, herbs, black pepper, salty liquorice, tar, violets, blackberry, dark chocolate, cookie dough and vanilla. Reassuring on the palate, with fresh acidity, solid fruit, well-built tannins, integrated oak and a long finish. No doubt promising for the future, even if it's polished enough to be fully accessible today. The underlying terroir should be more expressive with time, so for optimum delivery give it ten years in the cellar. Maybe not our cup of tea after all, the 2010 Ch d'Ampuis represents a totally different level of côte-rôtie wow-factor.
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4/1/2014 - chatters wrote:
Working with wine 2014 seminar 1 - Rhone varieties (Sofitel, Sydney): ripe black fruit, green over black peppercorn, slightly juicy apricot notes, wet stone, perfumed, almost floral, top notes and touches of biscuit. In the mouth the wine is juicy, tending to zesty with flavours of black pepper, apricot and berries, very spicy notes chase this and slightly coarse, medium intensity tannin carries all on the long finish with the introduction of some creamy notes. Good but not for me.
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