This is drinking very well right now, though another few years wouldn't hurt. Strangely, it started off with a distinct wintergreen aroma, which was a bit odd. That blew off and I was left with a very nice purple fruited, fairly mature CdR. The fruit is certainly in a secondary phase, with a lot of savory nuances.
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Black olives, herbs, some violets, and a big dollop of mulberry fruit. Nice mix of savory elements and dark fruit, still showing some tannins. Very good CdR. Could use more time.
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A private dinner (Restaurant Gebr. Hartering, Amsterdam, NL): Very youthful purple colour; amazing nose, an explosion of crème de cassis and crème de pêche with touches of pepper and barnyard; the palate is tight and linear, pure and precise, mineral and fresh, with grippy polyphenols from the skins and ripe black fruit waiting in the wings; long and layered finish. Excellent, more masculine than the 2012. Drink 2018 - 2026.
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Very floral, herbal, savory Syrah with dark fruits and scorched earth. The palate is fresh and tasty with plenty of fruit and continued floral notes with hints of earth and smoke. Very good and similar to the Cornas.
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Monthly tasting club LTC 2015-01; Northern Rhône plus some pirates. (@ DJ): In the bouquet ripe cherries as well as dark forest fruits and something pleasantly stinky. On the palate juicy dark berry fruits, minerals, spices, some oak, a touch of sweetness, slightly sticky tannin and firm bitterness. The wine will improve with some ageing. Around 2017…?
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Big stuff. As well as I like the 'Vin des Amis' very much this is also very good. Nice syrah flavours on the nose and palate. Body and also freshness, very good.
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Dark purple with a nose of boysenberry, plum, black raspberry, charcoal, smoke, lavender, and wet granite. The palate initially shows robust tannins, however over the course of 90 minutes (and with lamb) these soften a bit and reveal a lovely, classically made syrah that is quite a joy to drink. Doesn't have the depth or finesse that the Clape Cornas has, but is still delicious. I'd say this needs 3-4 years to be at its peak. One of the best Syrahs you can buy at this price. Wish I had bought more...
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Inky purple colour. Pretty, floral nose of dark plums, lavender, and a hint of black pepper. On the palate it has fresh, juicy acidity, supple tannins, and great balance. Very enjoyable to drink now in a youngish way, but will probably develop a bit more complexity with a few years in the bottle.
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Northern Rhone (Decant, Christchurch): Deep, deep purple. Slightly odd aroma, a bit yeasty and green. Interesting palate - dry then sweet then dry. Lovely texture. Dusty tannins. [Unusual for Cotes du Rhone being 100% Syrah, from just outside Cornas AC]
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Cotes du Rhone (SF Wine Trading Company): Dark core. French Syrah aromatics-violet and high toned thyme and fennel. Big wine but hardly viscous; in fact, pretty gritty texture. Lean black fruit, some brett, and a wave of herbs and tannin gives this a grippy, green finish. You can see its Cornas origins, and if you don't appreciate that sort of underlying structure, you're not likely to adore this wine. I much preferred the balance of some of the less expensive, less serious wines today.
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Opened and poured a sample, then followed over the course of three hours. A real sense of minerals on the nose and palate, and the nose is quite floral (think violets), plenty of fine-grained tannins supporting lovely and lean dark fruit. As it opens up, it becomes a bit more plush, but never ripe or overbearing, just more forthcoming. This is very tasty and easy to drink. A stunningly good CdR.
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1/19/2024 - xwine wrote:
Silky dark fruit. Drinking very nicely, and no need to wait any longer.
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7/2/2023 - Thad Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink it
Held together and showed menthol in the nose with more plun than blueberries in the mouth.
Very balanced
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11/2/2020 - xwine wrote:
This is drinking very well right now, though another few years wouldn't hurt. Strangely, it started off with a distinct wintergreen aroma, which was a bit odd. That blew off and I was left with a very nice purple fruited, fairly mature CdR. The fruit is certainly in a secondary phase, with a lot of savory nuances.
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11/1/2020 - jhw425 wrote: 89 Points
Drink up
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12/1/2019 - godx wrote: 89 Points
In a good spot now. Shows the leanness of the vintage (a touch vegetal) but a really nice example of CdR.
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11/6/2017 - danstrings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gorgeous silky inky dark, loaded with black olive, high toned red fruit and crushed pumice.
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12/4/2016 - xwine wrote:
Black olives, herbs, some violets, and a big dollop of mulberry fruit. Nice mix of savory elements and dark fruit, still showing some tannins. Very good CdR. Could use more time.
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6/11/2016 - danstrings Likes this wine: 89 Points
Intense, heady, deep fruit, a bit primary, touch o' funk.
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4/14/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant Gebr. Hartering, Amsterdam, NL): Very youthful purple colour; amazing nose, an explosion of crème de cassis and crème de pêche with touches of pepper and barnyard; the palate is tight and linear, pure and precise, mineral and fresh, with grippy polyphenols from the skins and ripe black fruit waiting in the wings; long and layered finish. Excellent, more masculine than the 2012. Drink 2018 - 2026.
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7/13/2015 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Very floral, herbal, savory Syrah with dark fruits and scorched earth. The palate is fresh and tasty with plenty of fruit and continued floral notes with hints of earth and smoke. Very good and similar to the Cornas.
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1/8/2015 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Monthly tasting club LTC 2015-01; Northern Rhône plus some pirates. (@ DJ): In the bouquet ripe cherries as well as dark forest fruits and something pleasantly stinky. On the palate juicy dark berry fruits, minerals, spices, some oak, a touch of sweetness, slightly sticky tannin and firm bitterness. The wine will improve with some ageing. Around 2017…?
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12/24/2014 - chrisanderika wrote: flawed
Flawed, disappointing
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12/11/2014 - danstrings Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely juicy fruit, earth, black olives, nice,....
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10/27/2014 - Kriz wrote: 91 Points
Big stuff. As well as I like the 'Vin des Amis' very much this is also very good. Nice syrah flavours on the nose and palate. Body and also freshness, very good.
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9/18/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
smells super ripe, rich
supple, ripe fruit
luxurious
nice freshness too
this is some seriously fancy CDR
Still almost £30.
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7/31/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Dark purple with a nose of boysenberry, plum, black raspberry, charcoal, smoke, lavender, and wet granite. The palate initially shows robust tannins, however over the course of 90 minutes (and with lamb) these soften a bit and reveal a lovely, classically made syrah that is quite a joy to drink. Doesn't have the depth or finesse that the Clape Cornas has, but is still delicious. I'd say this needs 3-4 years to be at its peak. One of the best Syrahs you can buy at this price. Wish I had bought more...
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5/4/2014 - danstrings Likes this wine: 89 Points
As last, good brambly juicy berry and earth
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1/21/2014 - danstrings Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great inky juicy brambly goodness...
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10/11/2013 - tooch wrote: 87 Points
Loads of plum, blackberry and spice on the nose and palate. This had decent finesse, nice floral notes, with a touch of heat on the finish.
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10/6/2013 - dmalcolm wrote: 88 Points
Inky purple colour. Pretty, floral nose of dark plums, lavender, and a hint of black pepper. On the palate it has fresh, juicy acidity, supple tannins, and great balance. Very enjoyable to drink now in a youngish way, but will probably develop a bit more complexity with a few years in the bottle.
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4/11/2013 - Roland H Likes this wine:
Northern Rhone (Decant, Christchurch): Deep, deep purple. Slightly odd aroma, a bit yeasty and green. Interesting palate - dry then sweet then dry. Lovely texture. Dusty tannins. [Unusual for Cotes du Rhone being 100% Syrah, from just outside Cornas AC]
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1/6/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Cotes du Rhone (SF Wine Trading Company): Dark core. French Syrah aromatics-violet and high toned thyme and fennel. Big wine but hardly viscous; in fact, pretty gritty texture. Lean black fruit, some brett, and a wave of herbs and tannin gives this a grippy, green finish. You can see its Cornas origins, and if you don't appreciate that sort of underlying structure, you're not likely to adore this wine. I much preferred the balance of some of the less expensive, less serious wines today.
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12/27/2012 - xwine wrote:
Opened and poured a sample, then followed over the course of three hours. A real sense of minerals on the nose and palate, and the nose is quite floral (think violets), plenty of fine-grained tannins supporting lovely and lean dark fruit. As it opens up, it becomes a bit more plush, but never ripe or overbearing, just more forthcoming. This is very tasty and easy to drink. A stunningly good CdR.
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