Sample tasting at work (Oinoscent): 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 17% Cinsault 16% Carignan The wine shows garnet color. The wine shows ripe do dried red currant, red cherry, earthy, olive, tomato paste, warmth (13.50%) but not heat, a touch floral, thin oak/spicy frame, cinnamon and nutmeg In the palate, the wine shows elegance, ripe fruit, red fruit, sweet spice, nice oak frame, a touch of sweetness, vanilla, medium body, medium acidity, med spicy finish Again a touch of sunny/warmth profile, showing beautiful evolution
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Garnet Bit hazy Black Pepper Dusty black cherry Underlying red currant Cranberry Medium acidity Medium tannin Sour black cherry on palate Showing youthful vibrancy for a 2010 Long finish
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This bottle did not show well at all. Correct if light on the nose, the issue was on the palate where harsh notes interfered with appreciation of the underlying flavors. No cork to account for the significant variation from expectations when laid down. Food did settle it a bit.
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Medium garnet with ruby hues. Exuberant nose of red fruit, baking spice and flowers. Medium bodied, sweetish and fresh at the same time. Such a pleasure to drink. Drinks at its peak with several more years. Pleasure to price ratio: 5/5
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La robe du vin est violet foncé et assez trouble. Au départ le nez est végétal, après 2h d'aération, ça s'atténue et s'ajoute les fruits rouges et les baking spices. De corps moyen(+), la bouche est doté d'un bel équilibre et d'une texture presque soyeuse, elle se termine sur finale assez longue. Un beau Rhône Blend Californien.
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This is interesting wine. Very rustic with lots of spices and herbs. Savory. Meaty. Tobacco. Cigar box. Wet earth and leaves. I like the style, but the wine gave me a headache... almost like an allergic reaction. Conversely, my wife did not like the wine at all.
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Solid and ready to drink. Previous TNs are accurate regarding the flavor and experience here. Drinking from a 375 this wasn't all that complex now, but it was an easy accompaniment to grilled spicy fish. Drink up if you have it as I don't see this evolving much more.
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excellent bottle drinking well. decanted about 30 minutes. Red fruit on the nose and a little hazy to the eye. soft tannins and low acidity made this especially nice for salmon w/ balamic glaze. will buy again.
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The nose has big, plummy black fruits and tobacco, with quite a spicy feel. On the palate, it's a rich, silky, full mouthful. There's sweet fruit, yet it's also very savoury. This has great poise and balance, and huge length. A perfect match with Northcote's venison with liquorice mole.
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Le Cigare Volant, french for 'the Flying Cigar', pays a witty homage to the producers of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and their 1954 decree that banned flying saucers from flying over or landing in their vineyards. Seriously. Nevermind the notion of calling a UFO a flying cigar. In any case, with this kind of humerous backstory, I was sold on the wine before even trying it. Fortunately that's not where the enjoyment ended! A blend of southern Rhône grape varietals and produced with minimal winemaking intervention, it presents everthing you would hope - bright red fruit, sweet spice, earth, and wet leaves. The acidity keeps things pleasantly refreshing and the body is full flavour without any sense of heaviness. I found it very drinkable now, though I'd say it could go for a while yet - I'll find out, since I have another bottle tucked away (and may just go pick up another few!). Definitely recommend giving it a try (and reading about Bonny Doon founder Randall Grahm...quite the character).
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Go West! Tasting (The QEII Centre, Westminster, London): Great complexity in the nose, sweet spice, bright red fruit, smoke, oak, needs time to clear up though. In the palate the wine has nice structure, ripe red berries, fine tannins, med+ body and long finish. Outstanding
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Pop and poured... Really strong and intense and had sour green pepper notes with some notable oak. Would definitely wait a few years on my next bottle and a decent would help smooth the acidity.
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Medium ruby color in the glass. Aromas are prominent and dominated by black cherry, raspberry, fresh plum, cedar and a touch of mint. The palate brings more black cherry, cassis and juicy prune. Acidity is medium high and tannins are subdued at medium length. The wine finishes relatively long with a nice fresh character. Well balanced and showing an interesting mix between old and new world. I probably would have thought this was from Southern Rhone if tasted blind. Good value.
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Had at Marc Forgione, and overpaid for it. Nose of fruit & oak. On the palate, the same at first with lots of sweet fruit, a lot of wood, and very much in a New World style. Over time, the wine mellowed, showing more spice, good acidity, and less oak. I would decant this wine if I had it again anytime soon
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From 375ml. At first this gave off a decidedly New World vibe: oak, vanilla, high extraction. After a little time, however, it changed entirely. Wild strawberries, fresh violets, light potpourri, and rosemary on the nose and an ethereal palate with great balance of fruit and acid. This is a great California rendition of a Northern Rhône and paired well with our Mediterranean dishes at Gato in New York which, on a related note, I recommend highly. Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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3/15/2024 - citizen1 Likes this wine: 84 Points
Not BD's best year for this wine. Opened up a bit after a hour but pretty monochromatic.,
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7/22/2022 - Shiaxonna wrote: 89 Points
Very «Chateauneuf-de-Pape»-esque wine with hints of sweetness intertwined with the opulent body full of partially developed fruit. Really good.
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2/4/2022 - kostaslonis Likes this wine:
Sample tasting at work (Oinoscent): 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 17% Cinsault 16% Carignan
The wine shows garnet color.
The wine shows ripe do dried red currant, red cherry, earthy, olive, tomato paste, warmth (13.50%) but not heat, a touch floral, thin oak/spicy frame, cinnamon and nutmeg
In the palate, the wine shows elegance, ripe fruit, red fruit, sweet spice, nice oak frame, a touch of sweetness, vanilla, medium body, medium acidity, med spicy finish
Again a touch of sunny/warmth profile, showing beautiful evolution
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10/30/2020 - citizen1 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Love this wine but drink up my friends. The 2010 is on its final legs.
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7/17/2020 - Shiaxonna wrote: 90 Points
Powerful, elegant and intense. A really good wine paired with grilled steak.
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4/4/2020 - GraffCellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet
Bit hazy
Black Pepper
Dusty black cherry
Underlying red currant
Cranberry
Medium acidity
Medium tannin
Sour black cherry on palate
Showing youthful vibrancy for a 2010
Long finish
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3/28/2020 - Vatch wrote: 89 Points
starting to fade away, drink now. good.
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3/14/2020 - lockestep wrote: 82 Points
This bottle did not show well at all. Correct if light on the nose, the issue was on the palate where harsh notes interfered with appreciation of the underlying flavors. No cork to account for the significant variation from expectations when laid down. Food did settle it a bit.
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12/18/2019 - battytaxicab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same good impression as in last review but further improved with a 2 hour decant.
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3/22/2019 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium garnet with ruby hues. Exuberant nose of red fruit, baking spice and flowers. Medium bodied, sweetish and fresh at the same time. Such a pleasure to drink. Drinks at its peak with several more years.
Pleasure to price ratio: 5/5
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12/15/2018 - Shiaxonna wrote: 87 Points
A bit too much tonight. Oaky and concentrated. Fruit is a bit angular and sharp. Will perhaps be better with time.
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7/5/2018 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful notes of baking spice, sweet cherries, pomegranate and leather. Everything comes together to deliver a pleasurable tasting experience.
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6/25/2018 - battytaxicab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep, rich red. Earthy blackcurrant and leather. Firm start, not fruit forward but opens up into a lovely balanced finish. Very good.
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3/16/2018 - ManuKey Likes this wine: 89 Points
La robe du vin est violet foncé et assez trouble. Au départ le nez est végétal, après 2h d'aération, ça s'atténue et s'ajoute les fruits rouges et les baking spices. De corps moyen(+), la bouche est doté d'un bel équilibre et d'une texture presque soyeuse, elle se termine sur finale assez longue. Un beau Rhône Blend Californien.
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1/26/2018 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is interesting wine. Very rustic with lots of spices and herbs. Savory. Meaty. Tobacco. Cigar box. Wet earth and leaves. I like the style, but the wine gave me a headache... almost like an allergic reaction. Conversely, my wife did not like the wine at all.
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10/29/2017 - goldgarf wrote: 84 Points
Nice smooth red
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5/22/2017 - Aparritz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid and ready to drink. Previous TNs are accurate regarding the flavor and experience here. Drinking from a 375 this wasn't all that complex now, but it was an easy accompaniment to grilled spicy fish. Drink up if you have it as I don't see this evolving much more.
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4/28/2017 - tsde123 Likes this wine: 89 Points
excellent bottle drinking well. decanted about 30 minutes. Red fruit on the nose and a little hazy to the eye. soft tannins and low acidity made this especially nice for salmon w/ balamic glaze. will buy again.
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2/18/2017 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 92 Points
The nose has big, plummy black fruits and tobacco, with quite a spicy feel.
On the palate, it's a rich, silky, full mouthful. There's sweet fruit, yet it's also very savoury. This has great poise and balance, and huge length.
A perfect match with Northcote's venison with liquorice mole.
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6/15/2016 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Le Cigare Volant, french for 'the Flying Cigar', pays a witty homage to the producers of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and their 1954 decree that banned flying saucers from flying over or landing in their vineyards. Seriously. Nevermind the notion of calling a UFO a flying cigar. In any case, with this kind of humerous backstory, I was sold on the wine before even trying it. Fortunately that's not where the enjoyment ended! A blend of southern Rhône grape varietals and produced with minimal winemaking intervention, it presents everthing you would hope - bright red fruit, sweet spice, earth, and wet leaves. The acidity keeps things pleasantly refreshing and the body is full flavour without any sense of heaviness. I found it very drinkable now, though I'd say it could go for a while yet - I'll find out, since I have another bottle tucked away (and may just go pick up another few!). Definitely recommend giving it a try (and reading about Bonny Doon founder Randall Grahm...quite the character).
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3/10/2016 - kostaslonis wrote: 90 Points
Go West! Tasting (The QEII Centre, Westminster, London): Great complexity in the nose, sweet spice, bright red fruit, smoke, oak, needs time to clear up though. In the palate the wine has nice structure, ripe red berries, fine tannins, med+ body and long finish. Outstanding
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2/21/2016 - matthewitz wrote: 88 Points
Pop and poured... Really strong and intense and had sour green pepper notes with some notable oak. Would definitely wait a few years on my next bottle and a decent would help smooth the acidity.
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10/22/2015 - jhberkeley wrote: 91 Points
Very nice wine with dinner.
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10/1/2015 - yaki wrote: 90 Points
Medium ruby color in the glass. Aromas are prominent and dominated by black cherry, raspberry, fresh plum, cedar and a touch of mint. The palate brings more black cherry, cassis and juicy prune. Acidity is medium high and tannins are subdued at medium length. The wine finishes relatively long with a nice fresh character. Well balanced and showing an interesting mix between old and new world. I probably would have thought this was from Southern Rhone if tasted blind. Good value.
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6/10/2015 - lockestep Likes this wine: 90 Points
Randall Grahm Tasting at State Line (State Line Liquors, Elkton MD): Deep brick. Heady nose of red fruits. A pure raspberry note guides the fruit on the palate and remains as it enters the lengthy finish. A polished, elegant style of GSMC, nicely done.
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5/31/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 91 Points
90-92
Nose: lilac, paper smells French
Palate: syrah and Grenache comes through a little spicy
I want to get some
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4/12/2015 - cephomer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at Marc Forgione, and overpaid for it. Nose of fruit & oak. On the palate, the same at first with lots of sweet fruit, a lot of wood, and very much in a New World style. Over time, the wine mellowed, showing more spice, good acidity, and less oak. I would decant this wine if I had it again anytime soon
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3/15/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Go West tasting march 13 2015 (sheraton, stockholm, sweden): excellent, great value rhone blend.
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12/20/2014 - wolfmajors wrote:
Chateua neuf de pap style
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4/19/2014 - kevinacohn wrote:
From 375ml. At first this gave off a decidedly New World vibe: oak, vanilla, high extraction. After a little time, however, it changed entirely. Wild strawberries, fresh violets, light potpourri, and rosemary on the nose and an ethereal palate with great balance of fruit and acid. This is a great California rendition of a Northern Rhône and paired well with our Mediterranean dishes at Gato in New York which, on a related note, I recommend highly. Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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