This is a tough one to score. Complexity is high, with underbrush and other green notes followed along with extremely dry red fruit. The lack of sweetness is palpable and somewhat irritating. But the cool-climate syrah character of smoked meats, olives and greenery is compelling.
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Still quite young, but oh so delicious. Red-fruited with silky tannins, medium-bodied with depth of fruit and juicy acidity. This will go another decade at least and gain more tertiary elements, but depending on your own tastes it could be drink at any point in the intervening years.
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A meaty aroma with some nice grape support. On Palate, acid has quite the zing. Tannins well integrated and give the wine a nice texture. M viscosity. No hot elements. Not going to blow anyone away but a well made wine. Iron, blood are dominant notes.
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Had with steak dinner. Decanted in wide bowl decanter for 30-45 min. Classic N. Rhone Syrah with blood, iron, game meat, olive, black pepper, dark fruit profile, nice acidity, great balance. Oak already nicely integrated. Medium bodied. Excellent with all the components of a great Syrah.
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Much improved over six months since last tasting. Consistent with previous notes, needed some air but was generally accessible. Still a tannic finish. Drink 2022 - 2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Opened and let air an hour ahead of seared filet and mixed salad. Dark, murky purple color. Nose brings sweet violets, lavender, cherry blossoms, and stinky tire tread. The palate is medium-light, square, compact, and juicy, bringing a core of brambly blackberry and blueberry fruit with feint hints of savory brisket, mushroom, and soy. The finish is still tannic and disjointed. This is still closed, so drink 2023-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 90.
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PNP and drank over a couple hours . Very enjoyable. Very 2016 with fresh black fruit, and some savory olive brine. However, there was some alcohol that popped out as wine warmed up, but was not perceptible at all when re-chilled to cellar temp.
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Showed well tonight lots of olives, games and an iron esq mineral notes on the nose, palate is smooth, elegant and quite fresh feeling, dry tannins still need time to soften
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Decanted 3 hrs. Started off a little new world on the nose, nothing wrong with that, I love a nice blue fruit themed nose as much as the next guy, but it wasn’t why I ripped this open the other day. All worries put to rest after a sip or so. Pure N Rhône with lots of olive and tarry notes with just the right amount of dark fruit. A tad bit of funk too. Love this wine.
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Technically excellent, quite polished, and that is the problem. Really wanted to like this more than I did. Faury makes rustic Syrah...and this did not fit the style. What gives? An off vintage? Too much oak, vis-a-vis the fruit to be sure. It might improve, but it just seemed excessively manipulated. Or maybe a little thin? 91-92.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
NOSE: very young and "purple" --- grapey; a touch high-toned; medium+ expressiveness; stereotypical St. Joseph aroma.
BODY: violet color of medium-depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: drying tannin; stereotypical St. Joseph --- would probably be my call if tasted blind; savory/briny; purple-fruited; light garrigué/leather; medium acidity; 13% alc. not noticeable; materially the same on Day 2 as on Day 1. Gut impression score: 90 – 91.
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Decanted 2 hrs. At first pour, this seemed almost 2015-ish, very dark in color, ripe berry scents, the sweetness of oak. An hour later in the decanter, completely different story. All fruits scents were replaced by an alluring combo of licorice and bay leaf, a little tire rubber and bit of muskiness. I just loved the energy here, spry, and medium bodied. Red fruit but in the black spectrum, very fresh and floral. Closes with some tannin and a nice touch of white pepper on the finish. Well behaved, but it seemed there was something playful and wild on the edges, reminding me of bringing home a friend to your parents for dinner, and just cringing if he (or she) lets loose an off color joke or the like. Loved this and happy to have two more for the next decade.
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Nose of perfumed red raspberry, black raspberry, dark floral notes (lavender), and an anise/licorice/black olive note. Palate on the follow is a brighter version of the nose, but a much thinner (lack of stuffing is my biggest complaint here). Dried black raspberry, chilled black olives, subtle green herb a little salinity. Finish is heavier on the olive side. Texture is light and silky, but overall the the palate is a bit thin on the palate. A smidge of heat and dollop of grainy gripping tannin on an otherwise smooth finish.
** Had some left over in the fridge with a repour. Thought the wine was better on the palate on Day 2. Less olives to allow more fruit. Finish a bit short still with the grippy tannins. But overall felt the palate was more balanced, approachable, and felt less thin.
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Deliciously earthy beginning with violets and plum aromas, attacks with an array of red plum, li hing mui, hibiscus, peppercorn, black cherry and stone earth on the palate, mouth-watering acidity, complex, absolutely lovely, drinks now, can age much further
Really delicious and youthful syrah. Reminded me a lot of piedrasassi. Deep ruby but lighter in body than I expected. This bottle threw off lots of violet, lavender, meaty notes, with bright red fruit. The tannins are pretty mellow. Love the bouquet, this bottle was open for business and no reason to wait
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This is my first experience with this wine. It is somewhat light bodied with nice blackberry fruit. It reminded me of a good cru Beaujolais, seriously, but of course with a different flavor profile. The Syrah is young and probably needs a couple of years to come together. The tannins seem to be light, so I think this should be consumed within 5 to 7 years.
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A week in the Northern Rhone; 12/7/2018-12/15/2018 (Lyon, Vienne, Ampuis, Chavanay, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Joseph, Condrieu & Paris): Tasted at the Chavanay wine fair. The Gloriette is sold in the US under a different label as "Vieilles Vignes". Tasted after the Hedonism - this is the much more interesting and complex of the two bottling. The fruit is deeper and more concentrated, with more earth, spice and savory notes adding depth across the palate and through the finish. Very compelling - but needs time to develop complexity.
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Some more Sunday wines (Chicago, IL): A big step up from the regular, which was too carbonic for my taste. This is a far more intense wine, with more meatiness, more black fruit, and more characteristics that are typical for the region. Saline, with a vein of acidity that gives this a nice coolness. Quite delicious now, but I'll give the nod to the 2015.
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Had one glass on night one and the remained a couple nights later. Probably needs a few years to settle in. Right now, it is a correct N. Rhone, showing a bit of youthful fat and waiting for the oak to integrate. It's very good right now, but not a standout. Wait.
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Consumed over two days, this noir, thick and reticent Syrah is absolutely delicious. Far better on day two, there’s fresh blueberry, bacon fat, thyme, crumbled rock and Oolong tea. Quite long, with a lavender aftertaste, and almost dense, the feathery tannins take this to a refined position. This beckons the cellar and is the best Vieilles Vignes bottle yet. One to study for many years. Drink 2022 - 2034.
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Big contrast with the ‘15. This has peppercorn, green olive, and savory fruit compared to the punchy, fruit forward 15. There is some structure lurking in the background but still very drinkable now.
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Just a wonderful st joseph with black olive, game, black pepper and black dark bebrries, palate is fresh and long with integrated tannins even at this young age
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Wild scrub herbs going on here. Olive. Fleshy fruit with good density. Very low tannin. Enough acid but not driven by it. I liked it best on the third night when the fruit relaxed some. The wine became more lean, leaning less on the fruit and more on it's evident complexity. This is open and ready to go if you want to spice up your evening. If you want a more balanced take, give it 5-10 years. Probably not a whole lot more than that though.
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In contrast to the straight Saint Joseph, the Vieilles Vignes is a bit shy on the nose, but more serious and complex in the mouth. Medium bodied and elegant, the freshness and purity of the fruit are exceptional, with mild to moderate white pepper and green peppercorn accents. As it finishes, some tannic structure creeps in and fans out a touch, showing modest power. The drinkability here is about as good as it gets. Could drink this all day.
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3/13/2024 - galewskj wrote: 89 Points
This is a tough one to score. Complexity is high, with underbrush and other green notes followed along with extremely dry red fruit. The lack of sweetness is palpable and somewhat irritating. But the cool-climate syrah character of smoked meats, olives and greenery is compelling.
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2/1/2024 - MLipton wrote:
Still quite young, but oh so delicious. Red-fruited with silky tannins, medium-bodied with depth of fruit and juicy acidity. This will go another decade at least and gain more tertiary elements, but depending on your own tastes it could be drink at any point in the intervening years.
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1/2/2023 - yasha Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice
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11/18/2022 - Discobiscuits42 wrote: 91 Points
A meaty aroma with some nice grape support. On Palate, acid has quite the zing. Tannins well integrated and give the wine a nice texture. M viscosity. No hot elements. Not going to blow anyone away but a well made wine. Iron, blood are dominant notes.
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3/6/2022 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had with steak dinner. Decanted in wide bowl decanter for 30-45 min. Classic N. Rhone Syrah with blood, iron, game meat, olive, black pepper, dark fruit profile, nice acidity, great balance. Oak already nicely integrated. Medium bodied. Excellent with all the components of a great Syrah.
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3/2/2022 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much improved over six months since last tasting. Consistent with previous notes, needed some air but was generally accessible. Still a tannic finish. Drink 2022 - 2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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11/24/2021 - davidb18 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Savory fruit and herbs. Medium body. Great with food. Excellent St. Joseph.
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8/26/2021 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and let air an hour ahead of seared filet and mixed salad. Dark, murky purple color. Nose brings sweet violets, lavender, cherry blossoms, and stinky tire tread. The palate is medium-light, square, compact, and juicy, bringing a core of brambly blackberry and blueberry fruit with feint hints of savory brisket, mushroom, and soy. The finish is still tannic and disjointed. This is still closed, so drink 2023-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 90.
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9/16/2020 - SARED Likes this wine: 90 Points
PNP and drank over a couple hours . Very enjoyable. Very 2016 with fresh black fruit, and some savory olive brine. However, there was some alcohol that popped out as wine warmed up, but was not perceptible at all when re-chilled to cellar temp.
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5/3/2020 - eoinhharkins wrote: 92 Points
Showed well tonight lots of olives, games and an iron esq mineral notes on the nose, palate is smooth, elegant and quite fresh feeling, dry tannins still need time to soften
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4/20/2020 - Dale M wrote:
Decanted 3 hrs. Started off a little new world on the nose, nothing wrong with that, I love a nice blue fruit themed nose as much as the next guy, but it wasn’t why I ripped this open the other day. All worries put to rest after a sip or so. Pure N Rhône with lots of olive and tarry notes with just the right amount of dark fruit. A tad bit of funk too. Love this wine.
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4/11/2020 - Motz wrote: 91 Points
Technically excellent, quite polished, and that is the problem. Really wanted to like this more than I did. Faury makes rustic Syrah...and this did not fit the style. What gives? An off vintage? Too much oak, vis-a-vis the fruit to be sure. It might improve, but it just seemed excessively manipulated. Or maybe a little thin? 91-92.
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4/10/2020 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
NOSE: very young and "purple" --- grapey; a touch high-toned; medium+ expressiveness; stereotypical St. Joseph aroma.
BODY: violet color of medium-depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: drying tannin; stereotypical St. Joseph --- would probably be my call if tasted blind; savory/briny; purple-fruited; light garrigué/leather; medium acidity; 13% alc. not noticeable; materially the same on Day 2 as on Day 1. Gut impression score: 90 – 91.
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9/7/2019 - pren wrote: 87 Points
第一天,气味很好,水果味淡,Syrah的特色气味。口中,没有水果,依然是 stemm 的味道。苦。其实 70-80 destemmed.
第二天,气味差多了,苦味/酒精味依旧。
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7/17/2019 - bajayngo wrote:
Beautiful as always with iron, minerality, lavender, pepper on balanced palate.
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6/8/2019 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. At first pour, this seemed almost 2015-ish, very dark in color, ripe berry scents, the sweetness of oak. An hour later in the decanter, completely different story. All fruits scents were replaced by an alluring combo of licorice and bay leaf, a little tire rubber and bit of muskiness. I just loved the energy here, spry, and medium bodied. Red fruit but in the black spectrum, very fresh and floral. Closes with some tannin and a nice touch of white pepper on the finish. Well behaved, but it seemed there was something playful and wild on the edges, reminding me of bringing home a friend to your parents for dinner, and just cringing if he (or she) lets loose an off color joke or the like. Loved this and happy to have two more for the next decade.
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4/26/2019 - misterstarre Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark, juicy, slate, black olive, white pepper.
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3/12/2019 - JM_MadTown Does not like this wine:
It’s just not my style of Syrah.
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3/10/2019 - SARED wrote: 90 Points
Nose of perfumed red raspberry, black raspberry, dark floral notes (lavender), and an anise/licorice/black olive note. Palate on the follow is a brighter version of the nose, but a much thinner (lack of stuffing is my biggest complaint here). Dried black raspberry, chilled black olives, subtle green herb a little salinity. Finish is heavier on the olive side. Texture is light and silky, but overall the the palate is a bit thin on the palate. A smidge of heat and dollop of grainy gripping tannin on an otherwise smooth finish.
** Had some left over in the fridge with a repour. Thought the wine was better on the palate on Day 2. Less olives to allow more fruit. Finish a bit short still with the grippy tannins. But overall felt the palate was more balanced, approachable, and felt less thin.
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2/15/2019 - whits Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deliciously earthy beginning with violets and plum aromas, attacks with an array of red plum, li hing mui, hibiscus, peppercorn, black cherry and stone earth on the palate, mouth-watering acidity, complex, absolutely lovely, drinks now, can age much further
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2/9/2019 - jviz wrote: 92 Points
Really delicious and youthful syrah. Reminded me a lot of piedrasassi. Deep ruby but lighter in body than I expected. This bottle threw off lots of violet, lavender, meaty notes, with bright red fruit. The tannins are pretty mellow. Love the bouquet, this bottle was open for business and no reason to wait
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1/18/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deep ruby. Lovely texture but showing mostly green olive and tannin with little fruit. Clearly closed at present.
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12/15/2018 - JM_MadTown wrote: 89 Points
This is my first experience with this wine. It is somewhat light bodied with nice blackberry fruit. It reminded me of a good cru Beaujolais, seriously, but of course with a different flavor profile. The Syrah is young and probably needs a couple of years to come together. The tannins seem to be light, so I think this should be consumed within 5 to 7 years.
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12/9/2018 - retired_and_roving wrote:
A week in the Northern Rhone; 12/7/2018-12/15/2018 (Lyon, Vienne, Ampuis, Chavanay, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Joseph, Condrieu & Paris): Tasted at the Chavanay wine fair. The Gloriette is sold in the US under a different label as "Vieilles Vignes". Tasted after the Hedonism - this is the much more interesting and complex of the two bottling. The fruit is deeper and more concentrated, with more earth, spice and savory notes adding depth across the palate and through the finish. Very compelling - but needs time to develop complexity.
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12/2/2018 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Some more Sunday wines (Chicago, IL): A big step up from the regular, which was too carbonic for my taste. This is a far more intense wine, with more meatiness, more black fruit, and more characteristics that are typical for the region. Saline, with a vein of acidity that gives this a nice coolness. Quite delicious now, but I'll give the nod to the 2015.
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11/21/2018 - tward Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had one glass on night one and the remained a couple nights later. Probably needs a few years to settle in. Right now, it is a correct N. Rhone, showing a bit of youthful fat and waiting for the oak to integrate. It's very good right now, but not a standout. Wait.
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11/17/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consumed over two days, this noir, thick and reticent Syrah is absolutely delicious. Far better on day two, there’s fresh blueberry, bacon fat, thyme, crumbled rock and Oolong tea. Quite long, with a lavender aftertaste, and almost dense, the feathery tannins take this to a refined position. This beckons the cellar and is the best Vieilles Vignes bottle yet. One to study for many years. Drink 2022 - 2034.
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10/12/2018 - murkybird wrote: 91 Points
Big contrast with the ‘15. This has peppercorn, green olive, and savory fruit compared to the punchy, fruit forward 15. There is some structure lurking in the background but still very drinkable now.
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9/23/2018 - eoinhharkins wrote: 92 Points
Just a wonderful st joseph with black olive, game, black pepper and black dark bebrries, palate is fresh and long with integrated tannins even at this young age
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9/5/2018 - WetRock wrote:
Wild scrub herbs going on here. Olive. Fleshy fruit with good density. Very low tannin. Enough acid but not driven by it. I liked it best on the third night when the fruit relaxed some. The wine became more lean, leaning less on the fruit and more on it's evident complexity. This is open and ready to go if you want to spice up your evening. If you want a more balanced take, give it 5-10 years. Probably not a whole lot more than that though.
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8/20/2018 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
In contrast to the straight Saint Joseph, the Vieilles Vignes is a bit shy on the nose, but more serious and complex in the mouth. Medium bodied and elegant, the freshness and purity of the fruit are exceptional, with mild to moderate white pepper and green peppercorn accents. As it finishes, some tannic structure creeps in and fans out a touch, showing modest power. The drinkability here is about as good as it gets. Could drink this all day.
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