Served slightly colder than cellar temp. Medium gold, with a rich nicely acidic nose of lemons, lemon curd, pear, and ripe apple. Weighty, with a lingering finish. From the list, Plumed Horse Cupertino.
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A big, almost flabby expression of the varietal, nowhere near fading, and in fact showing heavy oak alongside the honey, dried apple and waxiness of the Roussanne.
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This is a great wine. It's a big BIG wine, but full of flavor. The nose is brilliant. The mouthfeel is thick, no doubt due to the higher alcohol. I was surprised this was as good as it was.
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PNP at cellar temp. Deep golden color. Floral nose with some earthiness. Silky mouth feel, pears, apples and vanilla with a little must on the palate. Fairly complex for a white with a nice long finish. I like the 2009 a little better but this was still a very nice wine paired well with pork chops and sweet potatoes.
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The mouthfeel of this wine was lighter and not as oily as the nose had suggested. It was still very nice, but I just thought it was going to be fuller bodied than it was. It did hide the high alcohol % pretty well though.
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Cloudy and unfined looking with a hazy yellow / green color. Beautiful lemon and honeysuckle on the nose and citrus on the palate. Also some effervescence to the wine as it felt somewhat carbonated. Has a lot of power with full body and nice finish.
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Eh, I always get pumped to open these because I love the reds so much, but honestly the Roussanne has never done much for me. It is too heavy, oily, waxy ect for my tastes. Its got some big fruit but it just doesnt pop behind all the weight. Almost like a winter white wine. I like the viogner better but I think Im done buying these whites at this price range. Maybe with age they do something?
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Interesting nose of stonefruit and nuts that seems a little oxidized. More of the same on the palate but disjointed although not overly hot despite 16+%. I suspect this might be a little heat damaged. If this is the way it's supposed to taste then i'm not a fan.
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This wine was consistent with Alban's big fruit style. Good acidity and balance considering 16.1% alc. Went very nicely with slightly spicy garlic shrimp dish. Of course the wine is a meal in itself.
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It's all in the nose with this one. Wonderful aromas of citrus (grapefruit and orange) and peach and honey; it's worth opening this wine just for the nose, really. Then comes the taste; acidic, bitter almond -- so different than the nose, that at first it's almost off-putting. Fortunately, we served this with a very assertive and garlic-filled spinach pesto, and the wine more than held up to the other flavors (and indeed, was softened by them). Still, not for the faint of heart.
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Having been drinking Alban wines since 1993....and the youngest Roussanne I've had to date has been the 2001....this 2005 is definitely a change in style! More citrus acidity, less smoky tar funk. This '05 has racy peach and tropical fruits, clove honey spice, wonderful florals such as jasmine, honeysuckle.....cut with citrus acidity, and balanced with some creamy exotic white honey butter. Alc. is high, almost cocktail....but it seems to be balanced right. The most important thing....it's TASTY! Should have no problem aging for 10+.
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Such a wonderful wine. Thick, unctuous and very full bodied. incredibly aromatic, and features flavours of spice, smokey pear and honeysuckle. Long fhish, very complex and intense wine. Truly birlliant wine, and so unique. John Alban is the master.
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ahhhh, this is the alban i've come to hate. i wonder what the hell happened to the two previous bottles? i guess they just fall apart that fast. decent nose, and even when the wine hits the midpalate it has a weight and mouthfeel that doesn't bode poorly. but then, you have to go and swallow this crap. vile, by any standard, with a lovely finish wrapped in varnish and bitterness. my advice, drink them while they are still on the delivery truck. just pop and pour as they're unloading the bundled reds.
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Medium gold color and a muted nose on opening (chilled) that did open somewhat to show a light minerality and a touch of ripe stone fruit with an edge of tartness. Nice fruit texture that had medium to full grip with a good balance and finish.
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Rather linear and unexpressive upon opening; not what I was expecting from Alban. A day of being open worked wonders, however. It fleshed out into a round fruit driven wine that is certainly as big a they come, but nice to drink as long as it was cool enough. For me, something to drink over the short term.
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Great nose of white flowers, graham, honey, and stone fruit, with perhaps a touch of lime. Really fresh and light on the palate, despite its 16+ percent alcohol (!!!), where the graham and lime notes really shine against a surprisingly minerally finish. Last bottle.
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popped and poured. Bright out of the bottle, almost sauvingon blanc but with more backbone. Nice yeast and honey richness after an hour. Second day thicker, some pepper, wax, grass. Nice wine, enjoyable and great with food.
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I was surprised by just how good a bottle this was. Perhaps I just got a great bottle. Hazelnuts, honey, melon with a chalky mineral note that was just fantastic. Had this at Nicollet Island with Mom.
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Served slightly chilled from cellar temp. Clear, medium gold. Not hazy like the first bottle I tried. Nose of tropical fruit, maybe some peaches too. Palate was pretty lush and acidity was moderate to strong. Went spectacularly with a seared fish with a slightly acidic/oily dressing. Overall, a nice bottle and pretty close to my first experience with this wine (note: this was not enjoyed nearly as much by the 2 non-wino's and 1 semi-wino at the dinner table -- they said it "was different and not that enjoyable unless you're eating something with it").
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Complex, waxy, nutty nose of moderate intensity, showing lemon curd, face powder and honey. Fat and creamy on the palate with a doughy creme brulee and a little dusty minerality. Unfortunately the finish is a little hot and flabby. I prefer the verve of a Copain or Stolpman Roussanne over this.
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Pale color akin to a sb, peach honeysuckle minerality, alcohol is barely noticeable. Best Alban Roussannne that I have had the pleasure of drinking. I will tuck my last one away for several years to see the effect of time. Nice acidity as well.
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Light but firm gold in color, and a first impression sweet ripe stone fruit with a little tartness rounding out the nose. Good crisp entry and a clean rounded fruit grip with wonderful balance...and I am not getting the heat from the alcohol...again great balance and a great pairing with broiled red snapper topped with a very spicey and garlicy shrimp scampi...obviously, the food helps. Great match...
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16.1% alcohol. ok, who flipped the switch at alban? their whites have previously been an abomination...flabby, out of balance, and virtually void of any real fruit; totally undrinkable to me. now, the 06 estate viognier, and this 05 estate roussanne are quite enjoyable. i'm not happy to see any wine weigh in at 16+% alcohol, but i'll be damned if this doesn't seem to shrug that off. well, ok, i'm bombed after one glass, but i'm at home. there is some nice peach and lime, and a brisk acidity + enough oily complexity in the finish to make me want to keep sipping. dare i pump it up an extra point? yes. if this hadn't been bundled, i never would have bought it based on history.
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Pale yellow color. The nose was alive with honeysuckle and ripe peaches. This wine provided a rich mouthful of peaches, orange blossoms, wet stone and vanilla bean with a waxy texture. The aromatics and acidity made this wine seem light, despite its richness and there was barely a touch of heat on the finish. I thought this was Condrieu and was very suprised it was an Alban Roussanne with 16.1% alcohol! For sure, this is the best Alban white I have had. Despite its alcohol, it was not heavy clumsy, and cloying as has been my previous experiences with his whites. Very impressive stuff to drink right now.
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Sweet, exotic apricot/tangerine and honey flavors. Copious ripe fruit, low acid, and lots of creamy new oak. Thick, slightly oily texture. While this won't win any points for finesse, it is well made and a good example of its style.
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1/5/2019 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Served slightly colder than cellar temp. Medium gold, with a rich nicely acidic nose of lemons, lemon curd, pear, and ripe apple. Weighty, with a lingering finish. From the list, Plumed Horse Cupertino.
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11/9/2017 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 91 Points
A big, almost flabby expression of the varietal, nowhere near fading, and in fact showing heavy oak alongside the honey, dried apple and waxiness of the Roussanne.
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8/25/2013 - Tubbs Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a great wine. It's a big BIG wine, but full of flavor. The nose is brilliant. The mouthfeel is thick, no doubt due to the higher alcohol. I was surprised this was as good as it was.
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4/17/2012 - RLP805 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PNP at cellar temp. Deep golden color. Floral nose with some earthiness. Silky mouth feel, pears, apples and vanilla with a little must on the palate. Fairly complex for a white with a nice long finish. I like the 2009 a little better but this was still a very nice wine paired well with pork chops and sweet potatoes.
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8/7/2011 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
We really enjoyed this bottle - plenty of fruit. I like these with a few years of age on them,
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4/1/2011 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
The mouthfeel of this wine was lighter and not as oily as the nose had suggested. It was still very nice, but I just thought it was going to be fuller bodied than it was. It did hide the high alcohol % pretty well though.
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11/29/2010 - plitton wrote: 91 Points
Rich and well structured. Not as flowery as I expected. It stood up to the Kistler Chard tasted along side it.
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9/12/2010 - jwwinec wrote: 80 Points
Searing alcohol obscured most of the flavors.
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7/22/2010 - Baeyens Cellars wrote: 92 Points
Cloudy and unfined looking with a hazy yellow / green color. Beautiful lemon and honeysuckle on the nose and citrus on the palate. Also some effervescence to the wine as it felt somewhat carbonated. Has a lot of power with full body and nice finish.
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9/13/2009 - Dr_Bob wrote: 90 Points
Dense layered bouquet
unique and fabulous
dig it
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7/12/2009 - Ekoostik wrote: 88 Points
Eh, I always get pumped to open these because I love the reds so much, but honestly the Roussanne has never done much for me. It is too heavy, oily, waxy ect for my tastes. Its got some big fruit but it just doesnt pop behind all the weight. Almost like a winter white wine. I like the viogner better but I think Im done buying these whites at this price range. Maybe with age they do something?
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5/30/2009 - Patrick wrote:
Interesting nose of stonefruit and nuts that seems a little oxidized. More of the same on the palate but disjointed although not overly hot despite 16+%. I suspect this might be a little heat damaged. If this is the way it's supposed to taste then i'm not a fan.
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5/27/2009 - Baeyens Cellars wrote: 93 Points
This wine was consistent with Alban's big fruit style. Good acidity and balance considering 16.1% alc. Went very nicely with slightly spicy garlic shrimp dish. Of course the wine is a meal in itself.
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4/24/2009 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
MELONS AND CITRUS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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2/28/2009 - Quequeg wrote: 91 Points
It's all in the nose with this one. Wonderful aromas of citrus (grapefruit and orange) and peach and honey; it's worth opening this wine just for the nose, really. Then comes the taste; acidic, bitter almond -- so different than the nose, that at first it's almost off-putting. Fortunately, we served this with a very assertive and garlic-filled spinach pesto, and the wine more than held up to the other flavors (and indeed, was softened by them). Still, not for the faint of heart.
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1/7/2009 - Mrbuzz wrote: 94 Points
Having been drinking Alban wines since 1993....and the youngest Roussanne I've had to date has been the 2001....this 2005 is definitely a change in style! More citrus acidity, less smoky tar funk. This '05 has racy peach and tropical fruits, clove honey spice, wonderful florals such as jasmine, honeysuckle.....cut with citrus acidity, and balanced with some creamy exotic white honey butter. Alc. is high, almost cocktail....but it seems to be balanced right. The most important thing....it's TASTY! Should have no problem aging for 10+.
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1/3/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 86 Points
nose of citrus, pear and apple. big full mouth but short finish
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12/26/2008 - Bardamu wrote: 94 Points
Such a wonderful wine. Thick, unctuous and very full bodied. incredibly aromatic, and features flavours of spice, smokey pear and honeysuckle. Long fhish, very complex and intense wine. Truly birlliant wine, and so unique. John Alban is the master.
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11/27/2008 - Amerique wrote: 88 Points
Golden color, tart appley fruit, forward on the palate, short finnish
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11/22/2008 - fisk15 wrote: 90 Points
In a good place right now, I find that the Rossanne does not always drink this well. Waxy with fair balance.
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11/18/2008 - Jim wrote:
Wonderful juice, nice verve and long lingering mid palate, fruit to tack up it's acidity and alcohol. Very nice wine
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10/15/2008 - jeff nowak wrote:
ahhhh, this is the alban i've come to hate. i wonder what the hell happened to the two previous bottles? i guess they just fall apart that fast. decent nose, and even when the wine hits the midpalate it has a weight and mouthfeel that doesn't bode poorly. but then, you have to go and swallow this crap. vile, by any standard, with a lovely finish wrapped in varnish and bitterness. my advice, drink them while they are still on the delivery truck. just pop and pour as they're unloading the bundled reds.
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8/28/2008 - Tejano wrote:
Medium gold color and a muted nose on opening (chilled) that did open somewhat to show a light minerality and a touch of ripe stone fruit with an edge of tartness. Nice fruit texture that had medium to full grip with a good balance and finish.
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8/17/2008 - jerhardt wrote: 91 Points
Rather linear and unexpressive upon opening; not what I was expecting from Alban. A day of being open worked wonders, however. It fleshed out into a round fruit driven wine that is certainly as big a they come, but nice to drink as long as it was cool enough. For me, something to drink over the short term.
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8/16/2008 - Li6 wrote: 91 Points
Great nose of white flowers, graham, honey, and stone fruit, with perhaps a touch of lime. Really fresh and light on the palate, despite its 16+ percent alcohol (!!!), where the graham and lime notes really shine against a surprisingly minerally finish. Last bottle.
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7/30/2008 - jwolfsthal wrote:
popped and poured. Bright out of the bottle, almost sauvingon blanc but with more backbone. Nice yeast and honey richness after an hour. Second day thicker, some pepper, wax, grass. Nice wine, enjoyable and great with food.
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7/20/2008 - Amerique wrote: 89 Points
golden color, big, oily, hot, fruit with apples and pear flavors, short finish, very full in the mouth but disappointing
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7/10/2008 - lars1014 wrote: 94 Points
I was surprised by just how good a bottle this was. Perhaps I just got a great bottle. Hazelnuts, honey, melon with a chalky mineral note that was just fantastic. Had this at Nicollet Island with Mom.
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6/1/2008 - jwwinec wrote: 88 Points
Powerful flavors of white flowers, nuts, and ripe fruit. I really liked the thick, almost oily texture, but didn't like the heat.
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5/19/2008 - SUN-J wrote: 92 Points
Served slightly chilled from cellar temp. Clear, medium gold. Not hazy like the first bottle I tried. Nose of tropical fruit, maybe some peaches too. Palate was pretty lush and acidity was moderate to strong. Went spectacularly with a seared fish with a slightly acidic/oily dressing. Overall, a nice bottle and pretty close to my first experience with this wine (note: this was not enjoyed nearly as much by the 2 non-wino's and 1 semi-wino at the dinner table -- they said it "was different and not that enjoyable unless you're eating something with it").
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4/28/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 88 Points
Complex, waxy, nutty nose of moderate intensity, showing lemon curd, face powder and honey. Fat and creamy on the palate with a doughy creme brulee and a little dusty minerality. Unfortunately the finish is a little hot and flabby. I prefer the verve of a Copain or Stolpman Roussanne over this.
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4/2/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 88 Points
nowhere near the performance of my previous bottle. nevertheless, still better than past vintages by a mile.
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4/2/2008 - jivey wrote:
Oak, vanilla, smoke, bitter, alcoholic.
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4/2/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 87 Points
eRobert Parker Offline - Whites (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Wax, peach, apple and lilies. Big wine with lots of extraction. A bit hot on the finish. Not very well balanced. I personally prefer the Viognier of the same vintage.
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3/30/2008 - JLL wrote: 92 Points
Pale color akin to a sb, peach honeysuckle minerality, alcohol is barely noticeable. Best Alban Roussannne that I have had the pleasure of drinking. I will tuck my last one away for several years to see the effect of time. Nice acidity as well.
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3/26/2008 - ogres3 wrote: 90 Points
Had with fresh caught yellow fin tuna (90 pounds.) No more left. Bummer.
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2/17/2008 - Tejano wrote: 91 Points
Light but firm gold in color, and a first impression sweet ripe stone fruit with a little tartness rounding out the nose. Good crisp entry and a clean rounded fruit grip with wonderful balance...and I am not getting the heat from the alcohol...again great balance and a great pairing with broiled red snapper topped with a very spicey and garlicy shrimp scampi...obviously, the food helps. Great match...
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2/5/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Syrah Tasting Dinner (Stephen Gold's home, San Francisco, California): Medium golden yellow color; luscious lemon and lemon custard nose; lovely rich lemon, juicy palate with good acidity and ageability; medium-plus finish
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2/3/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
16.1% alcohol. ok, who flipped the switch at alban? their whites have previously been an abomination...flabby, out of balance, and virtually void of any real fruit; totally undrinkable to me. now, the 06 estate viognier, and this 05 estate roussanne are quite enjoyable. i'm not happy to see any wine weigh in at 16+% alcohol, but i'll be damned if this doesn't seem to shrug that off. well, ok, i'm bombed after one glass, but i'm at home. there is some nice peach and lime, and a brisk acidity + enough oily complexity in the finish to make me want to keep sipping. dare i pump it up an extra point? yes. if this hadn't been bundled, i never would have bought it based on history.
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2/1/2008 - rmodak wrote: 91 Points
Pale yellow color. The nose was alive with honeysuckle and ripe peaches. This wine provided a rich mouthful of peaches, orange blossoms, wet stone and vanilla bean with a waxy texture. The aromatics and acidity made this wine seem light, despite its richness and there was barely a touch of heat on the finish. I thought this was Condrieu and was very suprised it was an Alban Roussanne with 16.1% alcohol! For sure, this is the best Alban white I have had. Despite its alcohol, it was not heavy clumsy, and cloying as has been my previous experiences with his whites. Very impressive stuff to drink right now.
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1/21/2008 - SUN-J wrote: 93 Points
Waxy pear fruit. Yum. But had some mineral complexity to it. Probably most balanced and enjoyable non-French Roussanne I've ever tried.
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1/12/2008 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Sweet, exotic apricot/tangerine and honey flavors. Copious ripe fruit, low acid, and lots of creamy new oak. Thick, slightly oily texture. While this won't win any points for finesse, it is well made and a good example of its style.
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