A nose of dark fruits and spices, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied GMS, with black cherry, plum, licorice and spices on finish, on a long finish. In a great drinking zone, was very good. www.winelx.com
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The wine has a ruby to garnet coloring. A slight showing of it's age but nothing dramatic. The legs are a little on the heavy side but no heat from the alcohol content. The fruit has held up well. The spice notes are nice on the nose but the fruit has mellowed a bit. Primarily clove and cedar on the nose. Has a cola quality on the palate. Pairing nicely with my Muenster cheese burger. Glad I opened it! Ready to enjoy now.
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Dark fruit and hints of leather on the nose. Palate follows along the same lines but finishes with a bit too much astringency and dryness for my taste.
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On pop and pour or poured through the Vinturi, this seemed the same. In general, it was less floral than the last time either on the nose or palate. It seemed deeper on the palate but I didn't like it as much.
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Port-like flavors. Black and blue fruit, burndt chocolate, tea. If you ate this with food, the food would catch on fire. I respect this wine more than I love it.
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As MASSIVE as the 15.8 ABV would suggest. Nice spice load. Better on day 2 when I actually picked stemware to calm it down. I can see this working nicely with steak.
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Pencil shavings on the nose. A bit candied, smooth finish, weak tannins. This sucker comes in at almost 16% alcohol, but you don't really taste it. Not my typical cup of tea, but well made in its style. GOOD.
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Options - originally posted with the 2011 7/15/2014 - I WROTE: (Edit) 90 Points W steak from bbq. Keith and Shannon visit. Yummy wine, drink now. Great fruit, spice and herbs on nose and palate. Good finish. This was perfect for the event / atmosphere
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Settled down a little since my first bottle about a year ago, but still not very good. If I had more (I'm glad I don't) I'd hold for a few more years and keep my fingers crossed.
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Almost purple in the glass. Fruit forward, but not jammy, yet there was a smoky, charred note in the background. Med minus acidity. Initially thought this could be 91-92 pts, but ended up keeping it lower because of the lack of acidity and the fact that is just never fully opened up like I thought it would.
Dinner with Friends (Beaucastel, Keller, McPrice, Saxum, ++) (Our home): The crowd seemed more mixed on this, with some liking it more than I. It is quite good, but I hoped for a bit more complexity. Perhaps a few more years brings that out. I believe this is a GSM blend although I am not sure. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, black licorice and charred oak. On the palate, the raspberries and black raspberries dominate. Nice texture. Still seems young. Food friendly.
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Wine was opened for an hour and then poured through an aerator. Very purple colour and a really powerful nose. Smooth to taste with fruits and vanilla on the tongue. Think it could still settle over the next year or so will try again next year but drinking nicely now.
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Decanted for an hour. Purply red, strong legs and a nose of dark fruit. Peppery on the tongue with a long finish. After a couple of hours it really opened up and is full of fruit and pepper. Lovely wine. Decant for a couple of hours if you can.
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Very thick and juicy, the origin comes through in spades in this wine. Very traditional GSM--strawberry, blueberry, and spice--but with good weight and texture.
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On pop and pour, this had one of the best noses I have experienced in a while. Red fruit dominated by strawberry with spice and stone. Decanted for 90 minutes and drank over the next 90 minutes. This was light and floral while deep and spicy at the same time. Black fruit dominates.
VinVac'd - on night 3, nose was still good but much deeper as was the palate. Liked it better on Day 1.
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Brought to a restaurant pop-n-pour. This appears very dark but the whole restaurant is dark so who knows. 42% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, 29% Syrah, Cherry jam on the nose, this is a very lush, fruity wine, sweet, candied red fruits and smoky plums and some heat on the finish. Silky tannins make this an approachable wine, but I wouldn't age it out too much. It is a crowd pleaser and liked by many at our table.
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This is a higher than expected rating based on the first night of opening the bottle and drinking half of the bottle. I vacuumed it and left it overnight at 60F. The next day it had tremendously improved and showed smooth tannins with a nice assortment of berry aromas. Lovely and complex.
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I like the nose- a nice mix of dark fruit, smoked meat and herbs. The palate is very big with fairly jammy black fruit but little structure. Light tannins/acidity and noticeable alcohol. I prefer more acidity/tannins and less alcohol, but I know many enjoy this style and overall the wine is decent.
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Absolutely huge. Full bodied with very dark fruit. Alcohol at 15.8% and it shows. Sweetness on the finish surrounded by relatively moderate tannins. Giving the next another year or so to calm down (hopefully.) Otherwise this was a full throttle Rhone blend that was very tasty for $30. Very good.
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Notes made after 2 hours open. Fully opaque black/ruby and legs that hang on for dear life to the glass. A profound bouquet of fruit covered in butterscotch and chocolate. Some forest pine and carnation scents on the side. Black licorice, maraschino cherry, plums, and currants attack the palate in a huge wave of umami and spice. Savory and thick, it's a high-alcohol cocktail but also pretty irresistible. "MINI SQN" is a fitting metaphor. I don't think there's any benefit to holding these. Drink at will. 5+12+17+8 = 92
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Decanted 3 hours prior to tasting. Although I enjoyed this wine upon release, I suggest people drink it quickly as the fruit has vaulted from freshness to prunish. Its signature minerality and structure are intact, but the wine feels so heavy and sluggish. It has become a curmudgeon who has lost all his joy. NR
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This Rhone style GSM has all the components of a good wine. The Grenache shows up big and fruity, the Mourvedre adds balance and Syrah's Dark Fruit put this wine together well. I found no hotness.
Ps, Robert should stick with Pinot's
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This was great for the first couple hours. A little hot at first, but settled down nicely after an hour and a half decant. Scents of strawberry licorice, chocolate and rose petals. Over time, however, it did begin to taste a little like cough medicine. Day 2 was hot again. Maybe my day 1 opinion was jaded due to the high alcohol content??? I'll let my other bottle sit for a while.
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Apparently a huge wine. " it lets you know it's in the room". It's rich and rustic. Big ripe dark fruit and a pepper kick. Need a hearty fair to balance the enjoyment.
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The wine is a deep, dark violet color. The intense nose has blackberries, cherries, earthy underbrush, plums, smoked meat, dried herbs, stony minerals, licorice, and black pepper. This is very full bodied with sold tannins and decent acidity. The palate features an overload of minerals, fruit, and spice that put a stranglehold on the taste buds. Intense. The finish is fairly long and adds a bit of dark chocolate to the mix. This is still on the young side and could use another year or two in the cellar.
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This wine is brooding, rich and rustic. It lets you know it is in the room. Packed full of big ripe dark fruit and sharp pepper kick. The wine fits in with long Canadian winters as it is sure to keep the belly and heart warm.
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Popped, aerated and drank over 3 nights. Deep back cherry fruit on the nose. Creamy mouthfeel with black cherry fruit and black pepper dominant on the palate. This got better the longer it was open.
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Garnet, ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Wet stone, moss and red/dark fruit on the nose. Medium body with cinnamon, pepper and black fruit on the palate. Earthy with grippy mouthfeel. Long finish. Showing well.
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12/10/2022 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 93 Points
A nose of dark fruits and spices, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied GMS, with black cherry, plum, licorice and spices on finish, on a long finish. In a great drinking zone, was very good. www.winelx.com
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9/9/2019 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened 3 hours prior to dinner. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was dark beries, tobacco, licorice and white pepper. Finish was moderate to long.
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12/20/2018 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
extremely well balanced Rhone varietal.
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5/3/2017 - Rwithers Likes this wine: 88 Points
The wine has a ruby to garnet coloring. A slight showing of it's age but nothing dramatic. The legs are a little on the heavy side but no heat from the alcohol content. The fruit has held up well. The spice notes are nice on the nose but the fruit has mellowed a bit. Primarily clove and cedar on the nose. Has a cola quality on the palate. Pairing nicely with my Muenster cheese burger. Glad I opened it! Ready to enjoy now.
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12/24/2016 - TK Mastres wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit and hints of leather on the nose. Palate follows along the same lines but finishes with a bit too much astringency and dryness for my taste.
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11/9/2016 - WineCPA wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with my prior note. Still a huge wine. Tannins are integrating. Time to drink this up I believe. Can't see it improving much.
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3/26/2015 - PSUSteve wrote: 90 Points
On pop and pour or poured through the Vinturi, this seemed the same. In general, it was less floral than the last time either on the nose or palate. It seemed deeper on the palate but I didn't like it as much.
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2/5/2015 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
Port-like flavors. Black and blue fruit, burndt chocolate, tea. If you ate this with food, the food would catch on fire. I respect this wine more than I love it.
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10/5/2014 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
As MASSIVE as the 15.8 ABV would suggest. Nice spice load. Better on day 2 when I actually picked stemware to calm it down. I can see this working nicely with steak.
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8/12/2014 - BigTex22 wrote: 90 Points
Pencil shavings on the nose. A bit candied, smooth finish, weak tannins. This sucker comes in at almost 16% alcohol, but you don't really taste it. Not my typical cup of tea, but well made in its style. GOOD.
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7/15/2014 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
Options - originally posted with the 2011
7/15/2014 - I WROTE: (Edit) 90 Points
W steak from bbq. Keith and Shannon visit. Yummy wine, drink now. Great fruit, spice and herbs on nose and palate. Good finish. This was perfect for the event / atmosphere
Comment (6 views)
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6/13/2014 - Mjurgaitis Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Settled down a little since my first bottle about a year ago, but still not very good. If I had more (I'm glad I don't) I'd hold for a few more years and keep my fingers crossed.
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5/15/2014 - smorris291 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Almost purple in the glass. Fruit forward, but not jammy, yet there was a smoky, charred note in the background. Med minus acidity. Initially thought this could be 91-92 pts, but ended up keeping it lower because of the lack of acidity and the fact that is just never fully opened up like I thought it would.
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5/11/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Dinner with Friends (Beaucastel, Keller, McPrice, Saxum, ++) (Our home): The crowd seemed more mixed on this, with some liking it more than I. It is quite good, but I hoped for a bit more complexity. Perhaps a few more years brings that out. I believe this is a GSM blend although I am not sure. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, black licorice and charred oak. On the palate, the raspberries and black raspberries dominate. Nice texture. Still seems young. Food friendly.
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4/25/2014 - englandinto Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wine was opened for an hour and then poured through an aerator. Very purple colour and a really powerful nose. Smooth to taste with fruits and vanilla on the tongue. Think it could still settle over the next year or so will try again next year but drinking nicely now.
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2/17/2014 - JMeddings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Purply red, strong legs and a nose of dark fruit. Peppery on the tongue with a long finish. After a couple of hours it really opened up and is full of fruit and pepper. Lovely wine. Decant for a couple of hours if you can.
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2/13/2014 - smphelps wrote: 92 Points
Very thick and juicy, the origin comes through in spades in this wine. Very traditional GSM--strawberry, blueberry, and spice--but with good weight and texture.
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2/8/2014 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 92 Points
This needs a short decant, but then gradually opens up.
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1/26/2014 - PSUSteve wrote: 92 Points
On pop and pour, this had one of the best noses I have experienced in a while. Red fruit dominated by strawberry with spice and stone. Decanted for 90 minutes and drank over the next 90 minutes. This was light and floral while deep and spicy at the same time. Black fruit dominates.
VinVac'd - on night 3, nose was still good but much deeper as was the palate. Liked it better on Day 1.
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1/25/2014 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice fruity nose. Smooth, vivid tastes of dark fruit & chocolate.
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12/16/2013 - MotoMannequin Does not like this wine:
Brought to a restaurant pop-n-pour. This appears very dark but the whole restaurant is dark so who knows. 42% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, 29% Syrah, Cherry jam on the nose, this is a very lush, fruity wine, sweet, candied red fruits and smoky plums and some heat on the finish. Silky tannins make this an approachable wine, but I wouldn't age it out too much. It is a crowd pleaser and liked by many at our table.
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11/22/2013 - Ltomanek wrote: 93 Points
This is a higher than expected rating based on the first night of opening the bottle and drinking half of the bottle. I vacuumed it and left it overnight at 60F. The next day it had tremendously improved and showed smooth tannins with a nice assortment of berry aromas. Lovely and complex.
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10/10/2013 - superlove Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, dark, chewy, hot.
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9/14/2013 - David_T wrote: 88 Points
I like the nose- a nice mix of dark fruit, smoked meat and herbs. The palate is very big with fairly jammy black fruit but little structure. Light tannins/acidity and noticeable alcohol. I prefer more acidity/tannins and less alcohol, but I know many enjoy this style and overall the wine is decent.
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8/10/2013 - WineCPA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Absolutely huge. Full bodied with very dark fruit. Alcohol at 15.8% and it shows. Sweetness on the finish surrounded by relatively moderate tannins. Giving the next another year or so to calm down (hopefully.) Otherwise this was a full throttle Rhone blend that was very tasty for $30. Very good.
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8/5/2013 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Just a well made GSM with all the components in balance. Nice!!!
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7/20/2013 - fingers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes made after 2 hours open. Fully opaque black/ruby and legs that hang on for dear life to the glass. A profound bouquet of fruit covered in butterscotch and chocolate. Some forest pine and carnation scents on the side. Black licorice, maraschino cherry, plums, and currants attack the palate in a huge wave of umami and spice. Savory and thick, it's a high-alcohol cocktail but also pretty irresistible. "MINI SQN" is a fitting metaphor. I don't think there's any benefit to holding these. Drink at will. 5+12+17+8 = 92
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6/18/2013 - jeagle wrote:
Decanted 3 hours prior to tasting. Although I enjoyed this wine upon release, I suggest people drink it quickly as the fruit has vaulted from freshness to prunish. Its signature minerality and structure are intact, but the wine feels so heavy and sluggish. It has become a curmudgeon who has lost all his joy. NR
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5/20/2013 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 91 Points
This Rhone style GSM has all the components of a good wine. The Grenache shows up big and fruity, the Mourvedre adds balance and Syrah's Dark Fruit put this wine together well. I found no hotness.
Ps, Robert should stick with Pinot's
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4/12/2013 - Mjurgaitis wrote: 90 Points
This was great for the first couple hours. A little hot at first, but settled down nicely after an hour and a half decant. Scents of strawberry licorice, chocolate and rose petals. Over time, however, it did begin to taste a little like cough medicine. Day 2 was hot again. Maybe my day 1 opinion was jaded due to the high alcohol content??? I'll let my other bottle sit for a while.
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4/8/2013 - Houseoflowers wrote:
Apparently a huge wine. " it lets you know it's in the room". It's rich and rustic. Big ripe dark fruit and a pepper kick. Need a hearty fair to balance the enjoyment.
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2/7/2013 - RobertDwyer wrote: 74 Points
Overly hot, medicinal, and over ripe. Nearly disgusting at times. Gloppy. I don't get it. Would not buy anything from this producer again.
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1/21/2013 - uncle al Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple color with lots of dark fruit both in nose and palate. Noticed some spice. A very nice wine.
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12/21/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 92 Points
The wine is a deep, dark violet color. The intense nose has blackberries, cherries, earthy underbrush, plums, smoked meat, dried herbs, stony minerals, licorice, and black pepper. This is very full bodied with sold tannins and decent acidity. The palate features an overload of minerals, fruit, and spice that put a stranglehold on the taste buds. Intense. The finish is fairly long and adds a bit of dark chocolate to the mix. This is still on the young side and could use another year or two in the cellar.
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12/16/2012 - GimpyBoy wrote: 90 Points
This wine is brooding, rich and rustic. It lets you know it is in the room. Packed full of big ripe dark fruit and sharp pepper kick. The wine fits in with long Canadian winters as it is sure to keep the belly and heart warm.
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8/27/2012 - The Wine Write wrote: 91 Points
Popped, aerated and drank over 3 nights. Deep back cherry fruit on the nose. Creamy mouthfeel with black cherry fruit and black pepper dominant on the palate. This got better the longer it was open.
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4/25/2012 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Pre-Hospice du Rhone 2012; 4/25/2012-4/27/2012 (Paso Robles, CA): 15.8% ABV. Dark garnet in the glass. Spicy herb and dark fruit nose. Sweet berry fruit on the palate. Showing some oaky qualities that might need to integrate some. Pretty good.
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3/13/2012 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
too young to drnk but it had lots of good fruit and backbone. Helen's 50th
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3/1/2012 - tp096255 wrote: 90 Points
Very similar to the 2009 L'Ange Rouge. Deep stewed fruits and pepper.
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12/25/2011 - ddsolomon2000 wrote: 90 Points
Needs time to open. May need another year in the bottle.
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11/12/2011 - christophee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet, ruby with medium viscosity in the glass. Wet stone, moss and red/dark fruit on the nose. Medium body with cinnamon, pepper and black fruit on the palate. Earthy with grippy mouthfeel. Long finish. Showing well.
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