January 2024 Northern Rhone Dinner: Definitely the red wines' “gobbiest” of the night (GOTN): laden with a heavy-handed dark fruit, a velvety, almost viscous texture, and slightly ponderous; I wouldn’t call it a bad wine, but not one I plan to revisit.
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Never really wowed me. Solid bottle, but not over the top / write home kind of good. I think it's still a bit early in the drinking window, so I'll wait a few years on the next bottles.
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Similar to previous notes, I was struck by so much richness and decadence. The age may be perfect already - has some firmness and backbone but also so expressive, with a licorice tone and oodles of dark fruit. This is the kind of wine that really reminds me I need to buy more Rhones; the price to quality ratio is so high.
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Quick decant that threw a decent amount of sediment. Nose shows a lot of dark fruits with black shoe polish and a hint of merthiolate. Dry black plum and black cherry paste with a jumpy, peppery zest, cloves, and a hint of orange rind. Soft tannins with a line of black soil, dry black fruit, and tobacco leaf on the finish. Darker fruit and more austere than one would expect from a Grenache dominated blend. Don't see much reason to age further, but this may be a matter of preference as to whether you're willing to forgive the remaining fruit in search of more complexity.
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My first of these from the '16 vintage, and glad I've a few more. This was delightful, showing great now, well balanced with oodles of sweet dark fruit, with just enough serious structure and dryness to balance it out. Wonderful with food or alone, hedonistic and classy. Such great quality at the price of about $48 I paid - really delivers.
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Strawberry and camphor on the nose. On the palate, cherry, blackberry, strawberry, and notes of blueberry, anise, and earthy spices, with strong tannins and strong acidity on the medium finish, and a little alcoholic heat. This leans toward the fruit bomb side of the spectrum, but not to excess. This still very young; the Cellartracker drinking window looks about right. It was an average to good value at about $50.
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Medium dark purple. Nose is really reserved, but initially has some middle eastern spice, like sumac. Spicy blueberry. Palate has quite a spicy kick to it. Finishes with some inky dark fruit - juicy black cherry. Medium in body. Too young and disjointed and certainly needs time to come together.
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By the glass. Black fruit in a container with spices from the wood. Unbalanced in the mouth with an exaggerated alcohol. Vulgar and almost resolved at this time. I would not waste much time here.
Por copas. Fruta negra contenida con especias procedentes de la madera. Desequilibrada en boca con un alcohol exageradamente presente. Vulgar y casi resuelto en este momento. No perdería mucho tiempo aquí.
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Southern Rhône trip with Rainer. Tasted at the Domaine. From half-bottle. Red and dark berries, herbal notes and spice, with high tannin that seemed less ripe and fine than in the Reserve 2017. This will require a lot of time, but I am left with some concerns that ultimately the tannin might outlast the fruit. NR
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2016 CdP (and some other wines over dinner) (NY Racquet and Tennis Club): Another wine where my impression and group's impression diverged a bit. To me this was the straight up hedonistic CdP. Lots of fruit. Lots of intensity. Again I'm getting that hand soap (this is like the stuff you find that has colors that don't exist in nature in some cheaper restaurant chain). I can taste the alcohol and unlike with some of the others it doesn't really blow off. Hardcore tannin. Softens a bit with time in the glass. Others thought it was overly acidic but for me it was more the opposite - I wanted some acidity to cut some of the other flavors.
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Very approachable with violets and leather notes and round tanins. Slight alcohol sting that will blend in with time in cellar. Great value. Drink or hold.
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This is smooth and fairly extracted with opulent flavors of dark fruits, licorice and potent garrigue spices. Good acidity keeps it fresh and lively and while quite young and unevolved, it improved in the glass finishing with drying tannins and notes of smoked lavendar and sage. A bit syrupy in style for my tastes at this point but there is good material underneath and time could smooth this out nicely. 88+
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Perfectly ripe, juicy, kirsch, plums and cracked pepper just rocks here! The wine is polished, soft and energetic, with a soft, fresh and fruity finish. The wine was made blending 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and assorted AOC grape varieties that make up the remainder of the blend.
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1/26/2024 - ylkim30 Does not like this wine:
January 2024 Northern Rhone Dinner: Definitely the red wines' “gobbiest” of the night (GOTN): laden with a heavy-handed dark fruit, a velvety, almost viscous texture, and slightly ponderous; I wouldn’t call it a bad wine, but not one I plan to revisit.
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12/16/2023 - Mdubnik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Never really wowed me. Solid bottle, but not over the top / write home kind of good. I think it's still a bit early in the drinking window, so I'll wait a few years on the next bottles.
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10/29/2023 - John McCabe wrote: 96 Points
Similar to previous notes, I was struck by so much richness and decadence. The age may be perfect already - has some firmness and backbone but also so expressive, with a licorice tone and oodles of dark fruit. This is the kind of wine that really reminds me I need to buy more Rhones; the price to quality ratio is so high.
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8/16/2023 - BGK810 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious with steak poivre
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10/16/2022 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quick decant that threw a decent amount of sediment. Nose shows a lot of dark fruits with black shoe polish and a hint of merthiolate. Dry black plum and black cherry paste with a jumpy, peppery zest, cloves, and a hint of orange rind. Soft tannins with a line of black soil, dry black fruit, and tobacco leaf on the finish. Darker fruit and more austere than one would expect from a Grenache dominated blend. Don't see much reason to age further, but this may be a matter of preference as to whether you're willing to forgive the remaining fruit in search of more complexity.
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9/27/2022 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
My first of these from the '16 vintage, and glad I've a few more. This was delightful, showing great now, well balanced with oodles of sweet dark fruit, with just enough serious structure and dryness to balance it out. Wonderful with food or alone, hedonistic and classy. Such great quality at the price of about $48 I paid - really delivers.
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6/26/2022 - jww Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark color
Blueberry and dark fruits nose
String fruit forward with great structure
And body. Slightly tannic should be cellared for awhile longer
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6/5/2021 - Nfmds Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose: raspberries, figs
Mouthfeel: smooth, min tannins
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1/21/2021 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
Strawberry and camphor on the nose. On the palate, cherry, blackberry, strawberry, and notes of blueberry, anise, and earthy spices, with strong tannins and strong acidity on the medium finish, and a little alcoholic heat. This leans toward the fruit bomb side of the spectrum, but not to excess. This still very young; the Cellartracker drinking window looks about right. It was an average to good value at about $50.
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7/22/2020 - 87tellub wrote: 89 Points
Medium dark purple. Nose is really reserved, but initially has some middle eastern spice, like sumac. Spicy blueberry. Palate has quite a spicy kick to it. Finishes with some inky dark fruit - juicy black cherry. Medium in body. Too young and disjointed and certainly needs time to come together.
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11/16/2019 - Decant Touch Dis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid CdP. Nice fruit with earthy notes that add to its complexity. Decanted for 45 minutes and rounded out the tannins nicely.
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8/30/2019 - Harley1199 wrote:
By the glass. Black fruit in a container with spices from the wood. Unbalanced in the mouth with an exaggerated alcohol. Vulgar and almost resolved at this time. I would not waste much time here.
Por copas. Fruta negra contenida con especias procedentes de la madera. Desequilibrada en boca con un alcohol exageradamente presente. Vulgar y casi resuelto en este momento. No perdería mucho tiempo aquí.
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8/2/2019 - PSPatrick wrote:
Southern Rhône trip with Rainer. Tasted at the Domaine. From half-bottle. Red and dark berries, herbal notes and spice, with high tannin that seemed less ripe and fine than in the Reserve 2017. This will require a lot of time, but I am left with some concerns that ultimately the tannin might outlast the fruit. NR
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5/23/2019 - MC2 Wines wrote:
2016 CdP (and some other wines over dinner) (NY Racquet and Tennis Club): Another wine where my impression and group's impression diverged a bit. To me this was the straight up hedonistic CdP. Lots of fruit. Lots of intensity. Again I'm getting that hand soap (this is like the stuff you find that has colors that don't exist in nature in some cheaper restaurant chain). I can taste the alcohol and unlike with some of the others it doesn't really blow off. Hardcore tannin. Softens a bit with time in the glass. Others thought it was overly acidic but for me it was more the opposite - I wanted some acidity to cut some of the other flavors.
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4/28/2019 - UFGators Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very approachable with violets and leather notes and round tanins. Slight alcohol sting that will blend in with time in cellar. Great value. Drink or hold.
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11/14/2018 - dream wrote: 88 Points
This is smooth and fairly extracted with opulent flavors of dark fruits, licorice and potent garrigue spices. Good acidity keeps it fresh and lively and while quite young and unevolved, it improved in the glass finishing with drying tannins and notes of smoked lavendar and sage. A bit syrupy in style for my tastes at this point but there is good material underneath and time could smooth this out nicely. 88+
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9/12/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Perfectly ripe, juicy, kirsch, plums and cracked pepper just rocks here! The wine is polished, soft and energetic, with a soft, fresh and fruity finish. The wine was made blending 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and assorted AOC grape varieties that make up the remainder of the blend.
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