Served vis-a-vis Le Pavillon, this certainly comes out on top. Drinking a point with a core of roasted caramel, tobacco, olives, bacin dark fruit; Les Bessards speaks in a manly voice in spire of the lighter vintage. #Ib&Co#Kandestederne
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Single piece cork, 10% saturation, no sign of seepage. Excellent fill level, sieving recommended. Decanted for 3h tasted over 90min. Smoke, allspice, anise on the nose. Palate is light and harmonious. Vivid acidity, recalls burgundy. Good length, very moreish.
Drink now or hold until 2033. 13.5% abv
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Saturday blinds (Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Initially, I thought this was like a 40-50 year-old wine, given the bricking and the soy/caramel notes on the nose. Nope, turns out this was probably just heat-damaged.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Post CB Long Night @ CH & KC's: Drank from magnum - took some time to open up but was worthwhile. This was much better than my last try in 750ml format. Good stuff!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rhône blind tasting night: Bottle 3 - from magnum: Nose of berries, red fruits, cola, herbs, spices. Tasted cassis, blueberries. Some lively acidity and sours. The structure is there, with a nice warm finish. However, short on complexity. Still edgy and tannic; needs airing. Probably the least popular tonight. Hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rhones and More at Jimmy's (Jimmy's Place, Mpls): Deanted for an hour. Just not right, very light bodied, a medium red-orange color. faded fruit, feels very advanced. I hope this is not what these have become. I've got another to find out, and I probably won't wait too long.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Heartbreaking experience having aged this so long remembering how promising it seemed in its youth. I was expecting something completely different. Very light in body, structure, fruit, shockingly light for Hermitage. Just lacked any kind of sense of place and yes, that oak note is kind of a turn-off. Just a weird bottle from a producer who has always delivered for me in the past. Such a let down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rieslings, Rhones, Richebourg, and more at The Bristol (The Bristol, Chicago): Pretty much what I usually expect from Delas - good raw material underneath with plenty of bright red fruit at the core and nice acidity, but ruined by far too much oak that just overwhelms the fruit. With air the woodiness only gets worse, and it gets increasingly unpleasant. Can't someone just give his parcel of Bessards to Bernard Faurie?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Salil does Chicago; 4/16/2015-4/19/2015 (Chicago, IL): The only miss on the table tonight. At first this was showing a moderate, but already slightly annoying, amount of oak. Fair enough, we popped and poured it. Maybe it'd get better. There was a bit of red fruit on the palate initially as well that I enjoyed. With air though, this seemed to totally fall apart, ending with a hollow palate that was marred by a big splotch of oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Elegant and classy but I think it was fair of me to expect this. Ripe but some obvious pepper and herbs coming through. Some aniseed too. Excellent balance and presence. Can't see it getting much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
NOSE: “lighter” Nose than the ’04 Delas Cote Rotie, which was tasted alongside; strong dill scent; smells like the fruit and vegetable section of a grocery store, with aromas of warm red berries intermixed.
BODY: warm garnet color; medium bodied.
TASTE: smoked bacon; smoky; oak; very smoky; juicy; moderate-to-strong acidity; moderately drying tannin; tastes at least twice as old as it actually is; this bears a strong resemblance to a Rhone-variety wine from Paso Robles; very good, but also disconcertingly advanced. I preferred the aforementioned Cote Rotie to this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a spectacular wine - rich nose of toasted pecan, hazelnut and rich caramelized brown sugar, pralines, with parsley and thyme to provide a full l, very enjoyable nose. Tart cranberries and a light bodied finish. Super elegant and a class act.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Best within 35-50 minutes upon opening. Do not decant! Excellent nose of iron, persistent minerality on the palate, and lengthy finish. Overall, a very old school/Old World Syrah: smooth and introverted. Drink soon. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Outstanding syrah with notes of tar, sweet liquorice, car tyres, burning leaf smoke, spices and briar rose. Blackberry fruit. Superfine on the palate, well balanced, middleweight and refreshing. The fruit really shines - like blackcurrant and blackberry pastilles. The fruit's so lovely and accessible that it probably would be a waste not to drink it now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/10/2023 - beatles wrote: 93 Points
Served vis-a-vis Le Pavillon, this certainly comes out on top. Drinking a point with a core of roasted caramel, tobacco, olives, bacin dark fruit; Les Bessards speaks in a manly voice in spire of the lighter vintage.
#Ib&Co#Kandestederne
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2023 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
Single piece cork, 10% saturation, no sign of seepage.
Excellent fill level, sieving recommended.
Decanted for 3h tasted over 90min.
Smoke, allspice, anise on the nose.
Palate is light and harmonious. Vivid acidity, recalls burgundy.
Good length, very moreish.
Drink now or hold until 2033.
13.5% abv
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2022 - Axone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bouteille parfaite dès l'ouverture.
Pas d'ostentation mais un équilibre impeccable qui appelle à se resservir très vite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2022 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Monthly Tasting Group: Northern Rhone and a Couple CdP's (A - Side Public House, St. Paul, MN): Second of two bottles, both consistent. Faded pale light medium orange-red color with soy and caramelized notes. Similar to previous bottles. Looks like a bunch of heat damaged bottles dumped on us. Unfortunate and irritating.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2021 - acyso wrote: flawed
Saturday blinds (Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Initially, I thought this was like a 40-50 year-old wine, given the bricking and the soy/caramel notes on the nose. Nope, turns out this was probably just heat-damaged.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Post CB Long Night @ CH & KC's: Drank from magnum - took some time to open up but was worthwhile. This was much better than my last try in 750ml format. Good stuff!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2020 - 1961Vintage wrote: 90 Points
Subtleties and complexity still exist but it appears that this is now slightly past peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2019 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 94 Points
Matured extremely well and drinking fabulously. Enjoy!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2019 - dnnk88 wrote: 89 Points
Rhône blind tasting night: Bottle 3 - from magnum: Nose of berries, red fruits, cola, herbs, spices. Tasted cassis, blueberries. Some lively acidity and sours. The structure is there, with a nice warm finish. However, short on complexity. Still edgy and tannic; needs airing. Probably the least popular tonight. Hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2018 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Rhones and More at Jimmy's (Jimmy's Place, Mpls): Deanted for an hour. Just not right, very light bodied, a medium red-orange color. faded fruit, feels very advanced. I hope this is not what these have become. I've got another to find out, and I probably won't wait too long.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2016 - Bigcat29 wrote: 93 Points
Take time to let open. At least an hour in the glass then sit back and enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2015 - SexyEpicurean wrote: 85 Points
Heartbreaking experience having aged this so long remembering how promising it seemed in its youth. I was expecting something completely different. Very light in body, structure, fruit, shockingly light for Hermitage. Just lacked any kind of sense of place and yes, that oak note is kind of a turn-off. Just a weird bottle from a producer who has always delivered for me in the past. Such a let down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2015 - candyman wrote:
penetrating delicious
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2015 - Sennma wrote: 82 Points
This is dominated by oak, not sure that it will ever integrate or recede.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2015 - salil wrote: 75 Points
Rieslings, Rhones, Richebourg, and more at The Bristol (The Bristol, Chicago): Pretty much what I usually expect from Delas - good raw material underneath with plenty of bright red fruit at the core and nice acidity, but ruined by far too much oak that just overwhelms the fruit. With air the woodiness only gets worse, and it gets increasingly unpleasant. Can't someone just give his parcel of Bessards to Bernard Faurie?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2015 - acyso wrote: 80 Points
Salil does Chicago; 4/16/2015-4/19/2015 (Chicago, IL): The only miss on the table tonight. At first this was showing a moderate, but already slightly annoying, amount of oak. Fair enough, we popped and poured it. Maybe it'd get better. There was a bit of red fruit on the palate initially as well that I enjoyed. With air though, this seemed to totally fall apart, ending with a hollow palate that was marred by a big splotch of oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2015 - moveablesirkus Likes this wine:
Silky, airy, perfect acid. Classic n. Rhone notes . So good and drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2015 - lirvingham Likes this wine: 95 Points
Elegant although there is some power behind this syrah. My first Bessards, very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2014 - StewartWent wrote: 91 Points
Elegant and classy but I think it was fair of me to expect this. Ripe but some obvious pepper and herbs coming through. Some aniseed too. Excellent balance and presence. Can't see it getting much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2013 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 93 Points
Incredible bouquet of blackberry and summer pudding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2012 - gtonn wrote: 94 Points
An elegant wine. Tart cherries with liqourice and heavier notes of black pepper. Finish is waning but still balanced and harmonious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2012 - grafstrb wrote:
Sheffield does Northern Rhone (Wig & Pen (Sheffield, UK)): -- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min. --
NOSE: “lighter” Nose than the ’04 Delas Cote Rotie, which was tasted alongside; strong dill scent; smells like the fruit and vegetable section of a grocery store, with aromas of warm red berries intermixed.
BODY: warm garnet color; medium bodied.
TASTE: smoked bacon; smoky; oak; very smoky; juicy; moderate-to-strong acidity; moderately drying tannin; tastes at least twice as old as it actually is; this bears a strong resemblance to a Rhone-variety wine from Paso Robles; very good, but also disconcertingly advanced. I preferred the aforementioned Cote Rotie to this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2012 - pilot360 wrote: 94 Points
Ready to drink, similar to previous note and I would highly recommend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2012 - pilot360 wrote: 95 Points
This is a spectacular wine - rich nose of toasted pecan, hazelnut and rich caramelized brown sugar, pralines, with parsley and thyme to provide a full l, very enjoyable nose. Tart cranberries and a light bodied finish. Super elegant and a class act.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2011 - joraesque wrote: 90 Points
Best within 35-50 minutes upon opening. Do not decant! Excellent nose of iron, persistent minerality on the palate, and lengthy finish. Overall, a very old school/Old World Syrah: smooth and introverted. Drink soon. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2011 - Kitura wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark garnet-brown colour. Very pungent nose. Violets, dark fruits and iron. Impressive wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2009 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Deep color with explosions of black pepper and tar. Finish lasts seemingly forever. Best wine of the year so far.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2007 - Finare Vinare wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding syrah with notes of tar, sweet liquorice, car tyres, burning leaf smoke, spices and briar rose. Blackberry fruit. Superfine on the palate, well balanced, middleweight and refreshing. The fruit really shines - like blackcurrant and blackberry pastilles. The fruit's so lovely and accessible that it probably would be a waste not to drink it now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment