If not for a brilliant streak of graphite I never would have thought that this was a Chinon. It has a bright ruby color that makes it look at least a decade younger than it really is. Good acidity and lush but still present tannins make me think this has at least a decade of good times left.
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Made from the fruit sourced from a special parcel located in the Couly-Dutheil monopole Clos de l'Echo, a 17-hectare vineyard. The vines in this parcel are pruned down to produce a yield half to that of the rest of the Clos de l'Echo, resulting in a tremendously concentrated and massive Chinon. The wine is fermented with natural yeasts and macerated with the skins over a period of 30 days, after which the wine is aged for 10 months in new oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Developed and somewhat translucent raisiny-maroon color with the appearance of plum liqueur. The nose feels robust, developed and positively rustic with quite noticeably bretty aromas of barnyard, raisin, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of animal funk, light smoky tobacco ntoes, dark-toned hints of sunny fruit and a spicy touch of toasted wood. The wine is very full-bodied, concentrated and chewy on the palate with ripe, sweet-toned flavors of raisined dark fruits, dried blueberries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light strawberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk of brett, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of stable floor. The wine is impressively structured with its moderately high acidity and firm, moderately grippy and quite assertive tannins - which is quite welcome, since the wine would feel quite flabby without such muscle. The finish is very long, powerful and grippy with intense, robust flavors of raisins, savory wood spice, some sweet strawberries, a little bit of sweet toasty oak, light bretty notes of leather, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of crowberry jam.
An exceptionally big, powerful and robust Chinon that is all about remarkable structure and concentration, nothing about finesse. It certainly boasts that classic Loire funk of brett that seems to be so typical of the reds of the region, but otherwise this wine shows very little to none of varietal characteristics or sense of place. People guessed Amarone, older Southern Italian reds and Croatian wines. There are none of those crunchy qualities or herbaceous bell pepper tones of pyrazines people normally associate with Loire Cab Franc. An outstanding wine, but so very atypical for a Chinon - this is a funky blockbuster that will please people who like big wines like Amarone, Ribera del Duero or Brunello Riserva. Despite showing some developed characteristics, this wine will benefit from further cellaring - assuming its oak will continue to integrate with the fruit and the assertive tannins will continue to resolve.
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Expressive nose of iron/mineral, capsicum and some ripe dark fruit. Medium bodied, very smooth and supple with nice complexity, delivering iron, capsicum, sous-bois and a bit of ripe dark fruit. Gentle dusty bite on the finish. Wow, this is really singing now. Not showing any signs of fading or over-the-hill yet. Utterly delicious.
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Wow, vilket vin! Perfekt moget med rejäl koncentration och maffig frukt som nästan får mig till att tänka Napa. Inte riktigt dock, men för att vara CF från Loire, så är det långtifrån typiskt. Dammigt (vägdamm och tegel) med en hel del blåbärsris, plommon, svarta vinbär och ceder, men också rejäla fat med en angenäm vaniljton samt lite krut och rostat kaffe. Kanske finns där lite örtig paprika också, men väldigt sparsamt. Superintensivt i munnen med sanslöst bra längd. Mogna och runda tanniner som känns som en soldränkt kyss.
Ett av de bästa chinonviner som jag har druckit, detta även om det också är ett av de mest udda med all relativt varm frukt. Östra stranden i Bordeaux hade varit en bra gissning blint.
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Nose is very pleasant. Aroma of tobacco, rose, and hint of raspberry. Taste of green pepper and pepper. Very dry with no significant flavor of fruit. I don't taste cabbage or sauerkraut as others noted.
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Interesting previous reviews; I thought this was a lovely bottle! Deep crimson color with light bricking at the edges. Raspberry, blueberry, elderberry, smoke, dried/cured meats, and red flowers on the nose. Very nice. Medium body, good acidity, medium+ finish, and flavors mirroring the nose, along with a leathery/oak touch on the back end. The tannins are fairly integrated, though I'm noticing them a bit more towards the end of the bottle, and I think this has the structure to go several more years. I bet this is nice in another year or two. Too bad I only bought one.
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Initial taste of smoked bacon, which transitioned into sauerkraut. No taste of fruit. Very unique and interesting, which I think is only really appealing to a specific subset of wine enthusiasts. This gets an 89 from me, because of its individuality and bc I love bacon.
Starts with red fruit. Transitions into pickled cabbage. Finishes with some pepper and tobacco. Facenating. You think about it, and then gulp another glass.
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I really don't like this. Possibly corked, but that's not its only problem. Some nice floral notes on the nose nonetheless, but that's the end of the "good". Black olive, underbrush, mineral. Fruit's done, tannins are drying. Then again, what do I know about aged cab franc? DNF
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Overall, I liked this wine. But, was a bit disappointed based on all the high scores. The wine looks purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Rose, Strawberry, and Tobacco. It tastes like Tobacco, and Green Olive, with a hint of fruit in the background. The body is Medium.
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Short 15 min decante.. Be careful cause it has sediment in it.. Nice n light at the start like Pinot .. But after 45 min it came with more weight to it.. 1 hour later I taste spice.. Was eating with Peking duck
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Subtle blackcurrent on nose. Bright, cloudy raspberry red colour. Smooth, balanced, big emerging red fruits, emerges into more savoury flavours finishing in balanced silky tannins.
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Agree with some of the higher scores - this is definitely a wine worth seeking out. Fantastic complexity. Nose of autumn leaves, earth, dark fruit, earth,oak, and pencil. Palate moves the goalposts with much greater intensity of flavor and precise delineation. Tannin will continue to sort with time, and this wine should improve. Complete winner for the price.
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Animal and leafy nose with dark fruit: cassis and cherry. Dark florals, tobacco, meat, graphite and sous bois. Fullbodied, meaty and refreshing palate with fine dry style. Dark fruit with red apple brightness coming through. Leather, tobacco and pencil shavings. Long astringent finish with some dusty oak character. Just a beautiful wine! A week later (fridge) still in perfect condition and showing no signs of surrendering. Wish I had a case.
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Couly-Dutheil: A later-harvest selection at double the price of the regular cuvee. Again, rounded, quite ripe nose. Some astringency, quite big and full. needs time. ***? Might risk buying the 05.
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Pretty nose of rich black and purple fruits. Great silky mouthfeel, full flavors of spices, chocolate, all sorts of fruits great balance of acid and a massive finish. Crescendo is indeed a really good description of what this wine does.
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wonderful aroma of herb mix with cherry, strawberry and licorice. Medium bodied with very good structure. 30 sec + long finish on earthy olive note. Big silky tannin adds even more dimension to this beatifully done wine.
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12/31/2022 - MrOctoberfest Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle and delicious. Same notes as last time, and in no danger of a decline anytime soon.
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3/3/2020 - MrOctoberfest Likes this wine:
If not for a brilliant streak of graphite I never would have thought that this was a Chinon. It has a bright ruby color that makes it look at least a decade younger than it really is. Good acidity and lush but still present tannins make me think this has at least a decade of good times left.
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1/17/2019 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
Made from the fruit sourced from a special parcel located in the Couly-Dutheil monopole Clos de l'Echo, a 17-hectare vineyard. The vines in this parcel are pruned down to produce a yield half to that of the rest of the Clos de l'Echo, resulting in a tremendously concentrated and massive Chinon. The wine is fermented with natural yeasts and macerated with the skins over a period of 30 days, after which the wine is aged for 10 months in new oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Developed and somewhat translucent raisiny-maroon color with the appearance of plum liqueur. The nose feels robust, developed and positively rustic with quite noticeably bretty aromas of barnyard, raisin, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of animal funk, light smoky tobacco ntoes, dark-toned hints of sunny fruit and a spicy touch of toasted wood. The wine is very full-bodied, concentrated and chewy on the palate with ripe, sweet-toned flavors of raisined dark fruits, dried blueberries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light strawberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk of brett, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of stable floor. The wine is impressively structured with its moderately high acidity and firm, moderately grippy and quite assertive tannins - which is quite welcome, since the wine would feel quite flabby without such muscle. The finish is very long, powerful and grippy with intense, robust flavors of raisins, savory wood spice, some sweet strawberries, a little bit of sweet toasty oak, light bretty notes of leather, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of crowberry jam.
An exceptionally big, powerful and robust Chinon that is all about remarkable structure and concentration, nothing about finesse. It certainly boasts that classic Loire funk of brett that seems to be so typical of the reds of the region, but otherwise this wine shows very little to none of varietal characteristics or sense of place. People guessed Amarone, older Southern Italian reds and Croatian wines. There are none of those crunchy qualities or herbaceous bell pepper tones of pyrazines people normally associate with Loire Cab Franc. An outstanding wine, but so very atypical for a Chinon - this is a funky blockbuster that will please people who like big wines like Amarone, Ribera del Duero or Brunello Riserva. Despite showing some developed characteristics, this wine will benefit from further cellaring - assuming its oak will continue to integrate with the fruit and the assertive tannins will continue to resolve.
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3/14/2018 - Henman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Expressive nose of iron/mineral, capsicum and some ripe dark fruit. Medium bodied, very smooth and supple with nice complexity, delivering iron, capsicum, sous-bois and a bit of ripe dark fruit. Gentle dusty bite on the finish. Wow, this is really singing now. Not showing any signs of fading or over-the-hill yet. Utterly delicious.
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1/30/2015 - Mattias S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, vilket vin! Perfekt moget med rejäl koncentration och maffig frukt som nästan får mig till att tänka Napa. Inte riktigt dock, men för att vara CF från Loire, så är det långtifrån typiskt. Dammigt (vägdamm och tegel) med en hel del blåbärsris, plommon, svarta vinbär och ceder, men också rejäla fat med en angenäm vaniljton samt lite krut och rostat kaffe. Kanske finns där lite örtig paprika också, men väldigt sparsamt. Superintensivt i munnen med sanslöst bra längd. Mogna och runda tanniner som känns som en soldränkt kyss.
Ett av de bästa chinonviner som jag har druckit, detta även om det också är ett av de mest udda med all relativt varm frukt. Östra stranden i Bordeaux hade varit en bra gissning blint.
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10/26/2013 - mithomps wrote: 89 Points
Nose is very pleasant. Aroma of tobacco, rose, and hint of raspberry. Taste of green pepper and pepper. Very dry with no significant flavor of fruit. I don't taste cabbage or sauerkraut as others noted.
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10/21/2013 - studleytrey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting previous reviews; I thought this was a lovely bottle! Deep crimson color with light bricking at the edges. Raspberry, blueberry, elderberry, smoke, dried/cured meats, and red flowers on the nose. Very nice. Medium body, good acidity, medium+ finish, and flavors mirroring the nose, along with a leathery/oak touch on the back end. The tannins are fairly integrated, though I'm noticing them a bit more towards the end of the bottle, and I think this has the structure to go several more years. I bet this is nice in another year or two. Too bad I only bought one.
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9/14/2013 - aquaman wrote:
Same as last time
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5/11/2013 - Mjurgaitis wrote: 89 Points
Initial taste of smoked bacon, which transitioned into sauerkraut. No taste of fruit. Very unique and interesting, which I think is only really appealing to a specific subset of wine enthusiasts. This gets an 89 from me, because of its individuality and bc I love bacon.
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4/24/2013 - jsherdc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Starts with red fruit. Transitions into pickled cabbage. Finishes with some pepper and tobacco. Facenating. You think about it, and then gulp another glass.
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3/22/2013 - BrunelloBob wrote: 80 Points
I really don't like this.
Possibly corked, but that's not its only problem. Some nice floral notes on the nose nonetheless, but that's the end of the "good". Black olive, underbrush, mineral. Fruit's done, tannins are drying. Then again, what do I know about aged cab franc? DNF
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2/17/2013 - mithomps wrote: 89 Points
Overall, I liked this wine. But, was a bit disappointed based on all the high scores. The wine looks purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Rose, Strawberry, and Tobacco. It tastes like Tobacco, and Green Olive, with a hint of fruit in the background. The body is Medium.
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1/27/2013 - aquaman wrote: 95 Points
Short 15 min decante.. Be careful cause it has sediment in it.. Nice n light at the start like Pinot .. But after 45 min it came with more weight to it.. 1 hour later I taste spice.. Was eating with Peking duck
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10/1/2012 - Zed57 wrote: 91 Points
Terroir Driven and beautiful. Subtle nose and earthy finish make this superb for food. Drink
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7/18/2012 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Subtle blackcurrent on nose. Bright, cloudy raspberry red colour. Smooth, balanced, big emerging red fruits, emerges into more savoury flavours finishing in balanced silky tannins.
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4/11/2012 - Jamie Manley wrote: 94 Points
Agree with some of the higher scores - this is definitely a wine worth seeking out. Fantastic complexity. Nose of autumn leaves, earth, dark fruit, earth,oak, and pencil. Palate moves the goalposts with much greater intensity of flavor and precise delineation. Tannin will continue to sort with time, and this wine should improve. Complete winner for the price.
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2/5/2012 - avp wrote:
Animal and leafy nose with dark fruit: cassis and cherry. Dark florals, tobacco, meat, graphite and sous bois.
Fullbodied, meaty and refreshing palate with fine dry style. Dark fruit with red apple brightness coming through. Leather, tobacco and pencil shavings. Long astringent finish with some dusty oak character.
Just a beautiful wine! A week later (fridge) still in perfect condition and showing no signs of surrendering. Wish I had a case.
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11/4/2011 - Alexroy wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose of dark fruit, herbs, very fresh. Smooth, dark fruit, complex, long, excellent.
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5/9/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Couly-Dutheil: A later-harvest selection at double the price of the regular cuvee. Again, rounded, quite ripe nose. Some astringency, quite big and full. needs time. ***? Might risk buying the 05.
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11/28/2009 - jtabor wrote: 93 Points
Pretty nose of rich black and purple fruits. Great silky mouthfeel, full flavors of spices, chocolate, all sorts of fruits great balance of acid and a massive finish. Crescendo is indeed a really good description of what this wine does.
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10/2/2008 - tcfishler wrote:
Loire Trip (with stops in Beaujolais and the Cote Chalonnaise); 10/2/2008-10/5/2008: The nose is positively flooded with sweet oak notes. The palate, meanwhile, is dry but rich in glycerin. Buth In the end, this an oaky monolith with splintery wood tannins.
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8/9/2007 - JD-SG wrote: 88 Points
Very dry and dusty. Better with food. May benefit from decanting
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6/8/2007 - kanwingshing wrote: 91 Points
wonderful aroma of herb mix with cherry, strawberry and licorice. Medium bodied with very good structure. 30 sec + long finish on earthy olive note. Big silky tannin adds even more dimension to this beatifully done wine.
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5/1/2006 - peternelson wrote: 88 Points
LV Road Show: Some oak hints; med. low nose; bigger style, dry t’s.
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