A nostalgic choice for me, but La Bastide has a unique taste profile that I enjoy day 1, and finds a higher gear day 2. Like many Bandols, pairs with way more than you think.
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I liked it less this time than a did one year ago. Seemed to be very flat and lacking in energy. Needs some lift from acid. Heavy handed fruit and some tannin but overall lacks drive and verve. 2018 vintage effect strikes again.
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Aromas of black cherry, black plum, dried blackberry and prunes, raw steak, white flowers, tree bark, garrigue... Full and layered on the palate, dense dark fruit is the focus, very ripe, quite tannic but relatively soft for all its structure. Long finish saturates the palate with ripe dark fruit. Primary and unformed, this needs 5+ to become really interesting, but I'm not sure it'll be a long distance candidate, probably best between 5 and 10.
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Nose: Dark plums, gamey and floral, there's a nice gameyness (almost blood) to the nose that is lifted by a gritty honeysuckle. Palate: Thick and weighty, austere with fruit that's hard to pull out, maybe a dusty blackberry and sweet plum; tannins never dominate but they are at forte throughout, and they carry a faint sweetness that never really goes away (grenache component?); there's also a consistent chalky mineral tone to it as well. Warming wood spice on the finish, which makes it feel a bit hotter than it's 14.5% ABV. Very good now and should age quite nicely if all the components come together; a good value at $25.
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Deep ruby. Medium nose of black cherry, black berry, bramble, graphite, dust, clove. Youthful. Dry, medium, plus acid, medium tannin, high alcohol, medium minus body. Medium minus flavor- dusty black cherry, dried blueberry. Some unpleasant tannins. Medium finish. Acceptable. Drink now no aging.
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Took some time in the decanter to begin to come around. After awhile we begin to see dark, funky mourvedre fruit. Strong and honest. Could use a bit more lift but a decent companion to hearty winter fare. Too young, but wanted to evaluate for the potential of additional purchase. Good Bandol, not at the level of Gros Nore or Tempier, but better value. More of a class with Pradeaux I think. Might well buy more, but this probably needs 7-10 years to show its best.
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Opaque dark ruby color. Pnp and followed over an hour. It really needed this time ... For sure the mourvèdre funkiness but really balanced and silky. Intense girofle and blackberry. Delicious stuff! will age gracefully over a decade.
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90+ A baby, popped too young, which will improve over the next 5+ years (likely reach 93+). Mourvedre funk really shows itself but with great harmony.
N: Beautiful crisp ripe English raspberries and blueberries. Brambly with uplifting undercurrent of herbaceousness, a little vegetal, subtle cream (oak).
P: Full but elegant. More slightly tart, but ripe, English berries up front, pithy textured med+ tannins and med acidity suggest it's got legs. Green peppercorn, dried roses, a little stemmy.
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12/27/2023 - cincybt Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nostalgic choice for me, but La Bastide has a unique taste profile that I enjoy day 1, and finds a higher gear day 2. Like many Bandols, pairs with way more than you think.
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4/6/2023 - Robwild Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark ruby color. Medium bodied. Rich with dark fruit, leather and tobacco. A bit chewy with mild tannins. Nice French blend at an good QPR
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3/14/2023 - rrscellar Likes this wine: 87 Points
Unremarkable. Not much on the nose, bit of cherry, spice, alcohol on the palate.
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2/6/2023 - sleepyhaus wrote:
I liked it less this time than a did one year ago. Seemed to be very flat and lacking in energy. Needs some lift from acid. Heavy handed fruit and some tannin but overall lacks drive and verve. 2018 vintage effect strikes again.
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8/30/2022 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
Aromas of black cherry, black plum, dried blackberry and prunes, raw steak, white flowers, tree bark, garrigue... Full and layered on the palate, dense dark fruit is the focus, very ripe, quite tannic but relatively soft for all its structure. Long finish saturates the palate with ripe dark fruit. Primary and unformed, this needs 5+ to become really interesting, but I'm not sure it'll be a long distance candidate, probably best between 5 and 10.
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6/10/2022 - stamperb Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Dark plums, gamey and floral, there's a nice gameyness (almost blood) to the nose that is lifted by a gritty honeysuckle. Palate: Thick and weighty, austere with fruit that's hard to pull out, maybe a dusty blackberry and sweet plum; tannins never dominate but they are at forte throughout, and they carry a faint sweetness that never really goes away (grenache component?); there's also a consistent chalky mineral tone to it as well. Warming wood spice on the finish, which makes it feel a bit hotter than it's 14.5% ABV. Very good now and should age quite nicely if all the components come together; a good value at $25.
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5/7/2022 - mmblz wrote: 87 Points
Deep ruby. Medium nose of black cherry, black berry, bramble, graphite, dust, clove. Youthful. Dry, medium, plus acid, medium tannin, high alcohol, medium minus body. Medium minus flavor- dusty black cherry, dried blueberry. Some unpleasant tannins. Medium finish. Acceptable. Drink now no aging.
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1/30/2022 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Took some time in the decanter to begin to come around. After awhile we begin to see dark, funky mourvedre fruit. Strong and honest. Could use a bit more lift but a decent companion to hearty winter fare. Too young, but wanted to evaluate for the potential of additional purchase. Good Bandol, not at the level of Gros Nore or Tempier, but better value. More of a class with Pradeaux I think. Might well buy more, but this probably needs 7-10 years to show its best.
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1/19/2022 - afot Likes this wine:
Opaque dark ruby color. Pnp and followed over an hour. It really needed this time ... For sure the mourvèdre funkiness but really balanced and silky. Intense girofle and blackberry. Delicious stuff! will age gracefully over a decade.
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10/9/2021 - WilliamMP Likes this wine: 90 Points
90+ A baby, popped too young, which will improve over the next 5+ years (likely reach 93+). Mourvedre funk really shows itself but with great harmony.
N: Beautiful crisp ripe English raspberries and blueberries. Brambly with uplifting undercurrent of herbaceousness, a little vegetal, subtle cream (oak).
P: Full but elegant. More slightly tart, but ripe, English berries up front, pithy textured med+ tannins and med acidity suggest it's got legs. Green peppercorn, dried roses, a little stemmy.
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7/31/2021 - Vera Wind Likes this wine: 84 Points
On the nose a sweet scent of oak and dark forest fruits.
On the palate some straining tannins appear. Dark fruits, good with grilled meats.
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4/5/2021 - Mr Jupiter Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rich in flavours. Cherries. Leather and some tobacco. Long aftertaste. Ok to drink now.
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3/8/2020 - Motz wrote: 90 Points
Power, substance, and grip. What it lacks in sophistication it makes up for with vivacity. Medium plus acid, stalwart tannins.
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10/19/2019 - VegaBodega Likes this wine: 88 Points
Earthy
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7/4/2019 - CWilliam wrote: 90 Points
Nice. This wine it typically better with 1-2 years of age. Didn't take notes. 90+/-
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