This is really good wine - far better than I remembered from tasting this young, when I liked it, but did not see the complexity or depth. Nose positively dripping with bacon fat. Plum and blackberry, a tad brambly. In a blind, I'd have thought a mid-level Hermitage, not a Crozes. Hazelnut. Black pepper. Lavendar. Palate beautifully balanced, if rich. Plenty of acid, intense rocky minerality and some soil notes. Fruit there and strong - but balanced with secondary development. Very long, complex finish.
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This has really opened up in the past year. Very accessible on the pop and pour, consistent with my notes from Feb 2015 but it has added good weight and body on the mid-palate. Appears to be entering a nice drinking window through 2020.
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Drank over two days and it was much more accessible on Day 2. Ripe raspberries and some new, emerging black cherry on the nose, along with red roses, yard foliage, thyme, and some other exotic spices. Medium-to-light bodied, the palate brings puckery red fruit - cherries, cranberries, and raspberries - along with licorice, raw steak, smoke, and lingering notes of cherry tobacco into the finish. Still thin, it gained weight into Day 2 with some air. Nice QPR. Will be best 2016-2021.
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Deep garnet color with big flavors of red fruit, meat and smoke. More subtle notes of anise and pepper emerge on the finish. It's a little thin, but overall, excellent.
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Slightly spicy, cranberry/ripe strawberry/cherry flavours. Nice because it had more depth than some so although A decent Syrah it was slightly to austere for me. I generally prefer a bit more fruit or sweetness sweetness. There was a slightly lingering bitter aftertaste perhaps.
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A bit disappointing unfortunately since I really like the regular Alain Graillot bottling. This was garnet coloured and had red fruits, some mild savory notes and spiciness with good acidity. I think what turned me off though was a green note and a lack of overall complexity. It's pretty good wine, but for the money I'd rather buy something else.
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Served blind. Slightly herbal medicinal nose, alongside that is redcurrant, meat and pepper. Sweet red fruit on the palate, despite that it ends up feeling a bit dull. Doesn't have the complexity or interest of the 2010.
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Pleasant, medium-weight wine, very fruity, sticky purple fruit, black undertones, Asian spices, almost seems like there's some Grenache, but it has the Syrah meatiness and black pepper. Slightly young; should be drinking nicely 2015-2018.
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Represented Northern Rhone well at Phenol55 Syrah tasting; it was my submission. The nose was its highlight. Needed more time to fully open up and is better with food. Not everyone liked it, but that's the point, right?
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Blind at Paul's: Dark purple; raspberry, blueberry, black currant, violets, asphalt, tar, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoky; bramble and camphor; juicy ripe fruit but black, touch peppery, and touch band-aid (hardly noticeable). Delicious.
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Decanted 2+ hours prior to dinner of baked BBQ pork-loin, baked potato, and chicken/almond salad. Sappy purple violet color. Nose of musty funk, mildew, green cherries, green onion, and bacon grease. Palate hits up front with tangy, bright cherries and ripe cranberries followed by red meat, iron, lavender, red velvet, and campfire smoke. Tannins are slightly dusty but delicate, paving the way for a subtle rail of acidity to pucker up and balance the finish with some cherry Jolly-Rancher and red licorice. Overall, very solid wine drinking great right now through 2018.
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Popped and poured; consumed over a few hours. Where do I begin...this bottle was recommended to me by one of the empoyees at a state store in Stockholm...recommended (unsolicited) over a 2010 C-H from a large negociant that I saw on the shelf. His recommendation was based on my other selections (Musar and Jacquesson) and thought I might prefer the style (more terroir driven rather than international in style). Ohhh, what a recommendation and wow...what a wine. In no specific order I was getting blood, rusted iron, blackberries, minerals, whiffs of light jasmine or magnolia or gardenia or some pretty combination of the three along with maple syrup when you mix it with bacon fat, rhubarn pie...I mean...I was loving this. Loads of finesse which is probably somewhat representative of the vintage. Nice acidity for food and tannins were not dominating. Really well balanced. It's ready to drink now and while I think it will hold for a few years, I don't anticipate a lot of improvement.
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Northern Rhone (Decant, Christchurch): Very dark purple, almost black. Rich and stemmy/sweet aroma. In the palate, very sweet fruit overlying acidity, hot; but not fat, good structure. [On site away from the river, deeper soils; 50% whole bunch]
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8/8/2022 - lake.vino Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is really good wine - far better than I remembered from tasting this young, when I liked it, but did not see the complexity or depth. Nose positively dripping with bacon fat. Plum and blackberry, a tad brambly. In a blind, I'd have thought a mid-level Hermitage, not a Crozes. Hazelnut. Black pepper. Lavendar. Palate beautifully balanced, if rich. Plenty of acid, intense rocky minerality and some soil notes. Fruit there and strong - but balanced with secondary development. Very long, complex finish.
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2/27/2021 - Samaul Likes this wine: 87 Points
Mognadston
Björnbär, violpastill, svartvinbär.
Björnbär, svartvinbär
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4/16/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. At peak. Drink now. Technical score: 88. Enjoyment score: 89
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9/6/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 89 Points
Balanced and linear with good acidity and structure. Technical score: 88. Enjoyment score: 89.
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10/6/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
In a nice window, very balanced, good dark fruit and funk, but this bottle tasted more sweet to my taste.
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4/20/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has really opened up in the past year. Very accessible on the pop and pour, consistent with my notes from Feb 2015 but it has added good weight and body on the mid-palate. Appears to be entering a nice drinking window through 2020.
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2/17/2016 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
A very nice Northern Rhone with some nice development but not as exciting as the 2013.
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10/10/2015 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Really good Northern Rhone with all of the fixins. Black pepper, blackberry, earth and hints of smoke.
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2/3/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank over two days and it was much more accessible on Day 2. Ripe raspberries and some new, emerging black cherry on the nose, along with red roses, yard foliage, thyme, and some other exotic spices. Medium-to-light bodied, the palate brings puckery red fruit - cherries, cranberries, and raspberries - along with licorice, raw steak, smoke, and lingering notes of cherry tobacco into the finish. Still thin, it gained weight into Day 2 with some air. Nice QPR. Will be best 2016-2021.
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10/27/2014 - StageOneRacing Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep garnet color with big flavors of red fruit, meat and smoke. More subtle notes of anise and pepper emerge on the finish. It's a little thin, but overall, excellent.
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9/12/2014 - winetaste wrote: 88 Points
Slightly spicy, cranberry/ripe strawberry/cherry flavours. Nice because it had more depth than some so although A decent Syrah it was slightly to austere for me. I generally prefer a bit more fruit or sweetness sweetness. There was a slightly lingering bitter aftertaste perhaps.
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9/7/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 88 Points
Bibendum Public Portfolio Tasting 2014 (Sydney, Australia): Spice and stalks. Lean style but does have some good length to it. Would be improved by food considerably I think.
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5/18/2014 - Kitura wrote:
A bit disappointing unfortunately since I really like the regular Alain Graillot bottling. This was garnet coloured and had red fruits, some mild savory notes and spiciness with good acidity. I think what turned me off though was a green note and a lack of overall complexity. It's pretty good wine, but for the money I'd rather buy something else.
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5/18/2014 - Timbalimba wrote: 89 Points
Tasted blind. Syrah perfume. Meats, beef blood, ground pepper, violet, raspberry and rubber. Slightly short. But good balance.
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4/16/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 87 Points
Served blind. Slightly herbal medicinal nose, alongside that is redcurrant, meat and pepper. Sweet red fruit on the palate, despite that it ends up feeling a bit dull. Doesn't have the complexity or interest of the 2010.
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2/8/2014 - jreynolds3 wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple in color. Spicy / peppery but not out of balance. An interesting wine and a good value.
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12/13/2013 - Giggs wrote: 89 Points
Pleasant, medium-weight wine, very fruity, sticky purple fruit, black undertones, Asian spices, almost seems like there's some Grenache, but it has the Syrah meatiness and black pepper. Slightly young; should be drinking nicely 2015-2018.
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11/7/2013 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Represented Northern Rhone well at Phenol55 Syrah tasting; it was my submission. The nose was its highlight. Needed more time to fully open up and is better with food. Not everyone liked it, but that's the point, right?
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11/7/2013 - Shapnyc Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Too fruity. Perhaps I drank it to too early.
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10/28/2013 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Blind at Paul's: Dark purple; raspberry, blueberry, black currant, violets, asphalt, tar, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoky; bramble and camphor; juicy ripe fruit but black, touch peppery, and touch band-aid (hardly noticeable). Delicious.
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10/21/2013 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 2+ hours prior to dinner of baked BBQ pork-loin, baked potato, and chicken/almond salad. Sappy purple violet color. Nose of musty funk, mildew, green cherries, green onion, and bacon grease. Palate hits up front with tangy, bright cherries and ripe cranberries followed by red meat, iron, lavender, red velvet, and campfire smoke. Tannins are slightly dusty but delicate, paving the way for a subtle rail of acidity to pucker up and balance the finish with some cherry Jolly-Rancher and red licorice. Overall, very solid wine drinking great right now through 2018.
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7/19/2013 - ChrisRCarroll7@gmail.com wrote:
Purple with Pink color. Blackberry/Boysenberry on nose. Nice balanced finish. Soft, not a long finish. Juicy Northern Rhone.
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7/2/2013 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured; consumed over a few hours. Where do I begin...this bottle was recommended to me by one of the empoyees at a state store in Stockholm...recommended (unsolicited) over a 2010 C-H from a large negociant that I saw on the shelf. His recommendation was based on my other selections (Musar and Jacquesson) and thought I might prefer the style (more terroir driven rather than international in style). Ohhh, what a recommendation and wow...what a wine. In no specific order I was getting blood, rusted iron, blackberries, minerals, whiffs of light jasmine or magnolia or gardenia or some pretty combination of the three along with maple syrup when you mix it with bacon fat, rhubarn pie...I mean...I was loving this. Loads of finesse which is probably somewhat representative of the vintage. Nice acidity for food and tannins were not dominating. Really well balanced. It's ready to drink now and while I think it will hold for a few years, I don't anticipate a lot of improvement.
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6/8/2013 - liquidclouds Likes this wine: 88 Points
very fruity for northern rhone, black berry and dark cherrys and some pepper/spiceyness on the finish.. nice stuff
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5/11/2013 - sebastienjm wrote: 89 Points
belle couleur, sombre et violacée, nez évoquant les fruits noirs avec aussi un peu de cuir et de lard, bouche construite sur le fruit, vin équilibré.
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4/11/2013 - Roland H wrote: 89 Points
Northern Rhone (Decant, Christchurch): Very dark purple, almost black. Rich and stemmy/sweet aroma. In the palate, very sweet fruit overlying acidity, hot; but not fat, good structure. [On site away from the river, deeper soils; 50% whole bunch]
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