This wine is in a great place. It opened up after a short decant making me think it has legs to age for another few years with continued improvement. Otherwise, I will do a full 90-120 minute decant with my last bottle. The balance between the Grenache and Cabernet is quite impressive! A perfect Christmas dinner wine.
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Over 3 nights, the final of which saw it on the decline. Brilliant stuffing from Bourcier here; with all the funky nose, but less of the savory meat of Cayuse (and better integrated). In its sweet spot, drink now. 95-96
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What a wine! Perfect balance of fruit and tannins with an amazing combination of flavors. Strawberries and iron, who woulda thunk it?!? Unlike anything I have had, Rocks included. You can’t miss the Rocks influence however with wet earth, gravel and stone with the berry fruit always present. Grenache, Cab, Syrah blend. Nothing like it.
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Massive Rocks funk hides much of the fruit. With some aeration, black and sour cherry notes and a pomegranate tang emerge. Some Cabernet tannins are evident but only as a light rough dust on the palate though they are persistent enough to shut down the fruit on the finish. With several hours of aeration the dense sweet fruit that attempts to mimic Priorat punches through funk and tannin. Day 2: Much improved: Funk still the dominant element on the nose but now there is clear melding of fruit and funk and it is delicious - beautiful marriage that glides over the tongue with a little tobacco tang. Worth holding despite the risks of low acid.
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Crimson in color. 13.8% ABV. 54% Grenache, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. Pretty nose of red fruits, kirsch and flowers. Medium body with perfect acidity. Rich and savory. Strawberry, blood, smoked meats and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. The Grenache is the real hero here. Delicious wine that so uniquely showcases the flavors of the Rocks District. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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90 min decant. Echoing my previous notes, red fruit, mineral, funk, orange peel, a touch more sweetness than before, but some interesting pomegranate showing up this time too. Nice wine, still has years to go. Drink now - 2030.
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Showing well, nose was nice and floral hint of spice. Palate was shorter than what I would have expected, dominated by the grenache but the hints of the Milton Freewater cab were there and unmistakable. New world blend in the old world style.
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Dark purple red. Warm nose cherry, plum and smoke. Slightly rich flavours, plum, black cherry and a bit of bar b que sauce. Not sweet but a bit of ripeness in the finish.
WOTN. This was up against some heavy hitters and really won the night. This was one of those wines you wish you had a case of. Rocks funk of course, but this was tamed and subtle and had a smooth creamy mouthfeel, with a long sturdy finish. Id had some inferior La Rata wines recently and had given up buying past this vintage but this is Best La Rata ive had by far.
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Decanted 2 hours. Delicious wine, nice Rocks Funk, mineral driven red fruit, orange peel, tobacco, a dusting of white pepper. Drink now with air - 2030 (or longer).
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Medium ruby red with garnet red edges. Lovely nose with minerality, herbs, roses and red cherries. Medium tannins (5.5/10) with a medium plus body. Black cherries on the palate with gravel, a bit of earth and great acidity. Long finish. Drink till 2020
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A tasty wine. Notes of strawberry, sweet raspberry, cherry, flower petals, lavender and spice on the finish. A lovely and floral wine on its own but seemed a little light and floral for the grilled ribeye steak. To me it was better on its own.
Perhaps even better with some more time.
With Chris (thanks for bringing), Jenny, Sue, Jen, Erich, Leanne, and Tash.
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I cannot express how much I enjoy drinking this wine. Sure, there are superior wines in terms of depth, complexity, and...shall I call it...sturdiness. But I am not sure there is a wine I enjoy DRINKING more. “Heady” is the word that comes to mind. This vintage has a splash of Syrah for a tad more backbone.
Gave it a 15 minute decant. It sang from the start.
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Friends opened this at their 5/18/19 braised oxtail dinner. It had a rich, elegant and very expressive nose of raspberry, cherry, licorice, sage, sassafras, cola and mineral aromas. The palate was smooth, elegant and dry with flavors that followed the nose. 93+
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We had this after dinner on 1/19/19. It had a rich, fragrant and elegant nose of smoke, raspberry, black cherry, licorice, coffee, toast and spice. The palate was rich, layered, complex and elegant with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, licorice, coffee, toast and spice. 93+
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12/27/2023 - Radboy wrote: 96 Points
This wine is in a great place. It opened up after a short decant making me think it has legs to age for another few years with continued improvement. Otherwise, I will do a full 90-120 minute decant with my last bottle. The balance between the Grenache and Cabernet is quite impressive! A perfect Christmas dinner wine.
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12/21/2023 - fitchbuck Likes this wine: 95 Points
Over 3 nights, the final of which saw it on the decline. Brilliant stuffing from Bourcier here; with all the funky nose, but less of the savory meat of Cayuse (and better integrated). In its sweet spot, drink now. 95-96
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11/9/2023 - Radboy wrote: 97 Points
What a wine! Perfect balance of fruit and tannins with an amazing combination of flavors. Strawberries and iron, who woulda thunk it?!? Unlike anything I have had, Rocks included. You can’t miss the Rocks influence however with wet earth, gravel and stone with the berry fruit always present. Grenache, Cab, Syrah blend. Nothing like it.
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9/4/2023 - PDXinSEA wrote: 93 Points
Massive Rocks funk hides much of the fruit. With some aeration, black and sour cherry notes and a pomegranate tang emerge. Some Cabernet tannins are evident but only as a light rough dust on the palate though they are persistent enough to shut down the fruit on the finish. With several hours of aeration the dense sweet fruit that attempts to mimic Priorat punches through funk and tannin. Day 2: Much improved: Funk still the dominant element on the nose but now there is clear melding of fruit and funk and it is delicious - beautiful marriage that glides over the tongue with a little tobacco tang. Worth holding despite the risks of low acid.
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7/7/2023 - Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious blend. Crushing strawberries, blood and iron ore with some rocks influence. Drinking window is wide open but give a 30 minute decant.
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6/29/2023 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Crimson in color. 13.8% ABV. 54% Grenache, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. Pretty nose of red fruits, kirsch and flowers. Medium body with perfect acidity. Rich and savory. Strawberry, blood, smoked meats and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. The Grenache is the real hero here. Delicious wine that so uniquely showcases the flavors of the Rocks District. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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8/12/2022 - RPerro Likes this wine: 94 Points
90 min decant. Echoing my previous notes, red fruit, mineral, funk, orange peel, a touch more sweetness than before, but some interesting pomegranate showing up this time too. Nice wine, still has years to go. Drink now - 2030.
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6/24/2022 - FruitFly wrote: 94 Points
Showing well, nose was nice and floral hint of spice. Palate was shorter than what I would have expected, dominated by the grenache but the hints of the Milton Freewater cab were there and unmistakable. New world blend in the old world style.
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5/13/2022 - wino121 wrote: 94 Points
Spectacular wine, explosive nose, beautiful finish.
In the window.
Drink now -2025/7
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10/10/2021 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Good but fairly ripe which became more prominent after a two-hour decant. Recommend pop n' pour.
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10/10/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple red. Warm nose cherry, plum and smoke. Slightly rich flavours, plum, black cherry and a bit of bar b que sauce. Not sweet but a bit of ripeness in the finish.
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8/2/2021 - Nbkat8 wrote: 95 Points
WOTN. This was up against some heavy hitters and really won the night. This was one of those wines you wish you had a case of. Rocks funk of course, but this was tamed and subtle and had a smooth creamy mouthfeel, with a long sturdy finish. Id had some inferior La Rata wines recently and had given up buying past this vintage but this is Best La Rata ive had by far.
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12/24/2020 - RPerro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Delicious wine, nice Rocks Funk, mineral driven red fruit, orange peel, tobacco, a dusting of white pepper. Drink now with air - 2030 (or longer).
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8/10/2020 - FruitFly wrote: flawed
cork came out in two pieces. wine was undrinkable.
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6/5/2020 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 93 Points
Medium ruby red with garnet red edges. Lovely nose with minerality, herbs, roses and red cherries. Medium tannins (5.5/10) with a medium plus body. Black cherries on the palate with gravel, a bit of earth and great acidity. Long finish. Drink till 2020
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12/23/2019 - TashNYC wrote: 93 Points
A tasty wine. Notes of strawberry, sweet raspberry, cherry, flower petals, lavender and spice on the finish. A lovely and floral wine on its own but seemed a little light and floral for the grilled ribeye steak. To me it was better on its own.
Perhaps even better with some more time.
With Chris (thanks for bringing), Jenny, Sue, Jen, Erich, Leanne, and Tash.
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12/11/2019 - tjross Likes this wine: 95 Points
I cannot express how much I enjoy drinking this wine. Sure, there are superior wines in terms of depth, complexity, and...shall I call it...sturdiness. But I am not sure there is a wine I enjoy DRINKING more. “Heady” is the word that comes to mind. This vintage has a splash of Syrah for a tad more backbone.
Gave it a 15 minute decant. It sang from the start.
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5/18/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
Friends opened this at their 5/18/19 braised oxtail dinner. It had a rich, elegant and very expressive nose of raspberry, cherry, licorice, sage, sassafras, cola and mineral aromas. The palate was smooth, elegant and dry with flavors that followed the nose. 93+
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1/19/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
We had this after dinner on 1/19/19. It had a rich, fragrant and elegant nose of smoke, raspberry, black cherry, licorice, coffee, toast and spice. The palate was rich, layered, complex and elegant with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, licorice, coffee, toast and spice. 93+
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