I am consistently pleased with the Costera. This one had nice notes of strawberry and raspberry, wood. There's a bit of heat, but not over much. Third night this was relatively unchanged.
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Garnet. Odd in that it was better when first opened and deteriorated somewhat rapidly. Initially some nice firmness and backbone but that did not hold for long. Round and juicy, dark strawberry and cherry with a touch of greenness.
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This is the third bottle that I have had. Ruby red to maroon in the glass. Sour cherries on the nose with a hint of barnyard, forest floor, licorice, and raisins. Spicy on the taste, plenty of tannins but very well balanced acidity. A bit of warmth and hints on olive on the palette that faded with time. Enjoyed the wine.
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Lots of red fruit on the nose, more of cherries and plum. A bit of wood with hints of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, licorice, and raisins. Definitely full-bodied, dark ruby to maroon on the rim. Well balanced acidity with distinct tartness, beautiful taste of olives. Mellow tannins and drinks very smooth. Drank it over three days and enjoyed it thoroughly.
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Visuel rouge framboise aux pourtours très légèrement orangé. Au nez, cerise mûre, fruits rouges, réglisse, légèrement poivré, boisé perceptible. En bouche on retrouve ces mêmes arômes, avec un boisé modéré et une touche d'olive également. La réglisse revient en rétro. Au toucher, belle souplesse, tanins presque fondu. Acidité saine, un vin coulant et digeste. Les 14% d'alcool sont imperceptible. Très belle expression du Cannonau!
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I like this. It went well paired with grand cru gruyere cheese. The cheese absorbed some of the acidity and tannic properties. This was decanted for about 2 hours before trying. There were hints of cedar plank and oak barrel mixed with green olives and fresh soil on the nose. It had fresh spring water and leather with a continuance of olive in the taste. There is a hint of wood also. It has very long legs that stretch. It's also medium plus acidity. This was worth giving a shot.
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Two hour decant, very dark pour, plenty of legs. I found the nose to be fruity and a little hot and appealing, with an interesting touch of olive that faded over time in the glass. The palate is reach with a fairly thick body to it, plenty of tannins but not overwhelming, the acidity is balanced and where it should be. Definitely on the spicy side and the spiciness lingers on the tongue for a while after you have taken a drink. Nothing jumped out flavor wise but the tactile sensations were very nice, I will pursue more cannonau to see if this is the average version of grenache from this part of the world.
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Dull maroon almost to rim; very interesting nose of pine, tart red berry, cranberry, raspberry, red licorice, ripe but good tartness; some fruit continues onto the palate along with a bit of nori, great sweet fruit, only a little of the Grenache bitterness I feel this is more of a crowd pleaser, good acid and balance, tannins come in on the back palate; very good; another good sign is that this lasted being open for 3+ days with no vacuum seal or Argon.
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PnP, had with home made pizza. Red fruit, fruit forward, low tannins, almost a hint of sweetness. Very tasty, would be an an excellent sipper or party wine, and is a great QPR. Would rebuy
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I enjoyed this 2nd bottle more than the first one. Not sure if that reflects additional aging time or simply my mood. This felt like excellent QPR : and worth some points for that alone. I like the wine style and its drinking well right now.
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A very approachable Italian Cannonau. Ruby red, with strawberries and sour cherries dominating the flavor, accented by hints of rose petals and less spice than you typically find in Grenache. The lack of pepper and the soft tannins add a kind of sweetness to the wine. This finish os short and there is not a whole lot of complexity. Still, this is drinking well now and is a nice QPR.
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At restaurant, followed the Bruciato 2011. Not at sweet and flamboyant as the Bruciato but of similar weight, more structured and serious. Also plenty of oak requiring patience. Medium finish
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Red ruby Cannonau. The 2010 is far behind 2011. Everything you can find in 2011 here falls short and fail seducing : smell of cherry, flavors of burnt toasty cedars and oak hints, Short aftertaste. The day after is better
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Medium ruby with a soft red strawberries and cherries with spicy nose. On the palate, the wine is light bodied with a fresh acidity and soft mature tanins. Great display of freshness and spices on a well-balanced mid-palate . Short but flavorful finish. Great buy.
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Quite delicious. Soft, meaty, and floral-tinged plum flavors, good balance and a some mid-palate lift makes for an appetizing wine. Well put together, though I wouldn't pay more than what it is now.
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I like this wine. Long legs. The smell is of a dew, deep cherry rounded with lavender. It is mostly balanced but becomes a bit uneasy towards the back. The flavors are at first cherry but then quickly mellows to burnt toasty cedars and oaks, a bit musky and I sense it's eager to come out of it's shell and tell you more. Perhaps the 20 minutes it's been open is quite not enough.
I'm liking it. It certainly is a nice change from the last cab of Copain I had and yes, the Copain was delicious.
Oh yeah, and the finish is long.
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Southern Italy (Lou's): Purple/ruby in color. The nose is spice and cedar. A hint of raspberry powdered candy. Medium bodied. Dark cherry fruit. Nice follow thru though a bit of a bitter finish. Decent value here, the group liked it more than I.
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Better the 2nd night. But, still not an over the top effort, maybe about what should be expected for the price. Enjoyable flavors, not overly complex, but reasonable. Certainly not obnoxious or awful (that sometimes happens at this price point). It felt, overall, a bit thin and less than balanced to my taste.
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This wine was not bad but dud not quite do it for me. Could be I will not be thrilled with the varietal as it was my first. A bit medicinal for my taste.
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Dark fruits, with enough berry lift on the palate to make this easy drinker enjoyable. Nice QRP and I suspect it could even age a few years with improvement.
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When I first opened it I did not like it, fruit on the nose but the palate was in disarray and the finish was harsh. I put the cork in loosely and let it sit for 24 hours - it made all the difference. The palate was blueberry and a buttery vanilla and hints of molasses, the finish was now smooth and enjoyable. This is not a great wine but a good one at a very reasonable price. An aerator or decanting and letting it sit will be most rewarding.
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Popped and poured. Too much vanilla and butter going on here. This is very reminiscent of a Merlot. Some decent acidity that comes at mid-palate, but it so contrasts the flavor in the beginning that it doesn't flow well.
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Very dark color and strong plum and blackberry nose. Well balanced with a very long finish. Mild tannins with some fruit and pepper. Almost like a Zinfandel. Can be paired well with a wide variety of foods....mine went perfect with chicken parm one night and salmon the next. Very enjoyable at an excellent price. Highly recommend!
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberry, baking spices, red currants and rose petals. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink over the short term.
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This wine offers unbelievable value -- selling for a song, the wine has a very expressive bouquet of black fruits and a smooth, complex and well-balanced palate, brimming with character and sense of place.
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This offers ripe blackberries along with herbs, licorice, mineral and hints of chocolate notes coming through after some lengthy contact with air. I really like the concentration this brings as well as the firm structure. This is a serious value and if you have yet to experience a Cannonau from Sardinia this s an excellent place to start. (Best 2013-2016)
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N: Black cherry, rose petal, cedar box, spice. A definite earthy component. A hint of beef jerky/sangre. P: Good acidity. Black pepper, restrained fruit (black currant), dusty and leathery. F: Long, slightly mouth drying tannins.
Give this 20 minutes to open a little. A nice old world meets new world wine. Solid effort and excellent QPR!
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4/24/2022 - johnnr Likes this wine: 90 Points
the drink by date indicated I an three years late, it still drinking well with and abundance of fruit.
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6/24/2021 - johnnr Likes this wine:
At eleven years of age it is still at is peak.
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11/8/2017 - smphelps wrote: 75 Points
Volatile and sharp, with sour cherry and not much more. Much worse than 2 years ago as the notes indicate.
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4/13/2016 - Quarked wrote: 90 Points
I am consistently pleased with the Costera. This one had nice notes of strawberry and raspberry, wood. There's a bit of heat, but not over much. Third night this was relatively unchanged.
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1/24/2015 - smphelps wrote: 87 Points
Garnet. Odd in that it was better when first opened and deteriorated somewhat rapidly. Initially some nice firmness and backbone but that did not hold for long. Round and juicy, dark strawberry and cherry with a touch of greenness.
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12/8/2014 - s.shah wrote: 88 Points
This is the third bottle that I have had. Ruby red to maroon in the glass. Sour cherries on the nose with a hint of barnyard, forest floor, licorice, and raisins. Spicy on the taste, plenty of tannins but very well balanced acidity. A bit of warmth and hints on olive on the palette that faded with time. Enjoyed the wine.
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10/16/2014 - s.shah Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lots of red fruit on the nose, more of cherries and plum. A bit of wood with hints of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, licorice, and raisins. Definitely full-bodied, dark ruby to maroon on the rim. Well balanced acidity with distinct tartness, beautiful taste of olives. Mellow tannins and drinks very smooth. Drank it over three days and enjoyed it thoroughly.
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9/6/2014 - ManuKey Likes this wine: 88 Points
Visuel rouge framboise aux pourtours très légèrement orangé. Au nez, cerise mûre, fruits rouges, réglisse, légèrement poivré, boisé perceptible. En bouche on retrouve ces mêmes arômes, avec un boisé modéré et une touche d'olive également. La réglisse revient en rétro. Au toucher, belle souplesse, tanins presque fondu. Acidité saine, un vin coulant et digeste. Les 14% d'alcool sont imperceptible. Très belle expression du Cannonau!
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8/22/2014 - Mostholy Likes this wine: 89 Points
I like this. It went well paired with grand cru gruyere cheese. The cheese absorbed some of the acidity and tannic properties. This was decanted for about 2 hours before trying. There were hints of cedar plank and oak barrel mixed with green olives and fresh soil on the nose. It had fresh spring water and leather with a continuance of olive in the taste. There is a hint of wood also. It has very long legs that stretch. It's also medium plus acidity. This was worth giving a shot.
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8/22/2014 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 90 Points
Two hour decant, very dark pour, plenty of legs. I found the nose to be fruity and a little hot and appealing, with an interesting touch of olive that faded over time in the glass. The palate is reach with a fairly thick body to it, plenty of tannins but not overwhelming, the acidity is balanced and where it should be. Definitely on the spicy side and the spiciness lingers on the tongue for a while after you have taken a drink. Nothing jumped out flavor wise but the tactile sensations were very nice, I will pursue more cannonau to see if this is the average version of grenache from this part of the world.
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6/28/2014 - The Last Syrah Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light-bodied. Peppery nose. Licorice, dried cherry and plum, stewed red fruit flavours. Pleasant, dry finish.
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3/13/2014 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Dull maroon almost to rim; very interesting nose of pine, tart red berry, cranberry, raspberry, red licorice, ripe but good tartness; some fruit continues onto the palate along with a bit of nori, great sweet fruit, only a little of the Grenache bitterness I feel this is more of a crowd pleaser, good acid and balance, tannins come in on the back palate; very good; another good sign is that this lasted being open for 3+ days with no vacuum seal or Argon.
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2/8/2014 - Coupe 60 Likes this wine: 88 Points
PnP, had with home made pizza. Red fruit, fruit forward, low tannins, almost a hint of sweetness. Very tasty, would be an an excellent sipper or party wine, and is a great QPR. Would rebuy
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2/1/2014 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 90 Points
I enjoyed this 2nd bottle more than the first one. Not sure if that reflects additional aging time or simply my mood. This felt like excellent QPR : and worth some points for that alone. I like the wine style and its drinking well right now.
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1/19/2014 - vinole wrote: 86 Points
Mostly red fruit with a thicker texture and riper than expected on a medium body frame with medium acidity. Got a bit of heat on the finish as well.
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12/30/2013 - VintageSully wrote: 88 Points
A very approachable Italian Cannonau. Ruby red, with strawberries and sour cherries dominating the flavor, accented by hints of rose petals and less spice than you typically find in Grenache. The lack of pepper and the soft tannins add a kind of sweetness to the wine. This finish os short and there is not a whole lot of complexity. Still, this is drinking well now and is a nice QPR.
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12/13/2013 - pavel_p wrote: 90 Points
At restaurant, followed the Bruciato 2011. Not at sweet and flamboyant as the Bruciato but of similar weight, more structured and serious. Also plenty of oak requiring patience. Medium finish
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11/18/2013 - chatters wrote:
Grandi Marchi Tasting (Dockside Balcony, Cocklebay, Sydney): red berry, leather spice, slightly spirituous, On the palate - concentrated red berry fruit then tannic grip. Bit meh
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11/17/2013 - olracx62 wrote: 87 Points
Red ruby Cannonau. The 2010 is far behind 2011. Everything you can find in 2011 here falls short and fail seducing : smell of cherry, flavors of burnt toasty cedars and oak hints, Short aftertaste. The day after is better
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11/6/2013 - DuVinMD Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium ruby with a soft red strawberries and cherries with spicy nose. On the palate, the wine is light bodied with a fresh acidity and soft mature tanins. Great display of freshness and spices on a well-balanced mid-palate . Short but flavorful finish. Great buy.
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10/23/2013 - yofog wrote: 87 Points
Quite delicious. Soft, meaty, and floral-tinged plum flavors, good balance and a some mid-palate lift makes for an appetizing wine. Well put together, though I wouldn't pay more than what it is now.
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10/18/2013 - sommore Likes this wine: 90 Points
I like this wine. Long legs. The smell is of a dew, deep cherry rounded with lavender. It is mostly balanced but becomes a bit uneasy towards the back. The flavors are at first cherry but then quickly mellows to burnt toasty cedars and oaks, a bit musky and I sense it's eager to come out of it's shell and tell you more. Perhaps the 20 minutes it's been open is quite not enough.
I'm liking it. It certainly is a nice change from the last cab of Copain I had and yes, the Copain was delicious.
Oh yeah, and the finish is long.
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9/25/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 86 Points
Southern Italy (Lou's): Purple/ruby in color. The nose is spice and cedar. A hint of raspberry powdered candy. Medium bodied. Dark cherry fruit. Nice follow thru though a bit of a bitter finish. Decent value here, the group liked it more than I.
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9/17/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Bright cherry, tension on the mid palate, touches of green, lively. If its $15 it works. Touch young.
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9/9/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Ripe and tangy red fruit, very Rhoneish.
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9/5/2013 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 88 Points
Better the 2nd night. But, still not an over the top effort, maybe about what should be expected for the price. Enjoyable flavors, not overly complex, but reasonable. Certainly not obnoxious or awful (that sometimes happens at this price point). It felt, overall, a bit thin and less than balanced to my taste.
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8/30/2013 - wineOK wrote: 86 Points
This wine was not bad but dud not quite do it for me. Could be I will not be thrilled with the varietal as it was my first. A bit medicinal for my taste.
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8/24/2013 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 86 Points
Dark fruits, with enough berry lift on the palate to make this easy drinker enjoyable. Nice QRP and I suspect it could even age a few years with improvement.
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8/3/2013 - Dodger blue wrote: 87 Points
Good food wine. Not very complex
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5/19/2013 - markcic wrote: 85 Points
When I first opened it I did not like it, fruit on the nose but the palate was in disarray and the finish was harsh. I put the cork in loosely and let it sit for 24 hours - it made all the difference. The palate was blueberry and a buttery vanilla and hints of molasses, the finish was now smooth and enjoyable. This is not a great wine but a good one at a very reasonable price. An aerator or decanting and letting it sit will be most rewarding.
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5/18/2013 - rbrezny Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Tannins are predominant, watery, little body, no characteristic flavor comes through.
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5/17/2013 - JoshA wrote: 86 Points
Simple, good fruit, well-balanced, with firm tannins.
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5/10/2013 - Wine Sparty wrote: 82 Points
Popped and poured. Too much vanilla and butter going on here. This is very reminiscent of a Merlot. Some decent acidity that comes at mid-palate, but it so contrasts the flavor in the beginning that it doesn't flow well.
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3/29/2013 - CTTarheel wrote: 91 Points
Very dark color and strong plum and blackberry nose. Well balanced with a very long finish. Mild tannins with some fruit and pepper. Almost like a Zinfandel. Can be paired well with a wide variety of foods....mine went perfect with chicken parm one night and salmon the next. Very enjoyable at an excellent price. Highly recommend!
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3/2/2013 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 90 Points
WIML90
Tasted non blind at a retail tasting.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberry, baking spices, red currants and rose petals. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink over the short term.
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2/20/2013 - thwacker Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine offers unbelievable value -- selling for a song, the wine has a very expressive bouquet of black fruits and a smooth, complex and well-balanced palate, brimming with character and sense of place.
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2/1/2013 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 89 Points
This offers ripe blackberries along with herbs, licorice, mineral and hints of chocolate notes coming through after some lengthy contact with air. I really like the concentration this brings as well as the firm structure. This is a serious value and if you have yet to experience a Cannonau from Sardinia this s an excellent place to start. (Best 2013-2016)
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1/31/2013 - BuffaloLou wrote: 90 Points
N: Black cherry, rose petal, cedar box, spice. A definite earthy component. A hint of beef jerky/sangre.
P: Good acidity. Black pepper, restrained fruit (black currant), dusty and leathery.
F: Long, slightly mouth drying tannins.
Give this 20 minutes to open a little. A nice old world meets new world wine. Solid effort and excellent QPR!
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