Komplexe Nase. Leder, etwas Kaffee, weißer Pfeffer. Salzig. Trinkt sich beflügelter als erwartet. Trotz der würzigen Nase kommt das Glas wie in einem rotfruchtigen Kuschelmantel daher, um Argentinien auf exzellentem Niveau vorstellen zu dürfen.
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Nose - Medium (+) Intensity Black Cherry, Black Plum, Blackberry, Cassis, Tomato Leaf, Dried Herbs, Vanilla, Caramel, Coconut, Smoke, Cigar Box, Cedar, Charcuterie
Palate - Medium (+) Acidity - Medium (+) Tannin - High Alcohol - Full Bodied - Long Finish - Medium (+) Intensity Black Cherry, Black Plum, Blackberry, Cassis, Smoke, Cigar Box, Cedar, Tar
Quality - Outstanding Sweet, enticing nose, intense black fruits and lots of sweet oak, pretty smoky, slightly vegetal, balanced with ample acidity and well integrated, silky smooth tannins. 14.5% alcohol contributes to the mouthfeel but you don't feel the burn at all. Spicy, complex, yet dangerously easy drinking. Can't say it's cheap with a US$80 price tag, but I'd say it's worth every penny. Drink or hold.
Really enjoyed this on a friend's boat on a Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure it would ever be confused as Bordeaux. Tight when pnp, but opens up nicely over time. Great balance, nose of herbs, dark berries on the palate & slightly dry finish. Will age well for the next few years, but I think the score stays the same.
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Most basic of wines ever. Completely flabby with only a slight blueberry note. One of the most disappointing wines so far this year. It would be hard for me to pay $80 for this again
Edit: coming back to this wine after 3 hours it has gotten better. Tannis are finally showing like fine sandpaper. Some blackberry/cassis flavors showing now. I still wouldn’t buy this again, but it was much better at this point
After a 4 hour decant, the nose is mostly green with a hint of plums. On the palate I get notes of green stems up front and Welch’s grape juice on the finish. QPR is poor. You’re buying the Cheval Blanc name.
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A lot bundled up here ready to emerge one day, but juicy red fruits still wrapped up in brisk tannins and acidity that may take a few years to soften enough to allow full potential to shine.
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Tasted at winery as part of mini-vertical, the most accessible of the 3 wines. Red fruited, higher acidity than the 2020 which is higher alcohol and more muscular.
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Ripe blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry and black currant. Almost to the jammy side but not quite. I also sense some peppery notes on the nose together with some bitter chocolate. On the palate the wine shows the same components with present tannins and acidity. It finish off with a spicy finish. I would keep this away for another 5 years time. 91-92p.
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2nd bottle, 1 yr after last. Did not improve yet. In fact, was more muted. Previously was airy and weightless, now more ordinary. Still excellent but not special. 92-93.
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I’m going to echo some of the other notes here, lots of fruit, nicely balanced, fine tannins. This is a really good, well crafted wine, but to me doesn’t especially stand out as anything special.
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I picked up a case of 18 & 19 to explore this wine and so far I'm very impressed in the early going. It's too early to be drinking these but at the price paid it's tempting to reach for these bottles. Quality like BDX but the Malbec definitely lends to a different profile. This will be a fun project to follow.
Decant or hold.
94++
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Notes are from Day 2, stored in a 375 filled to top.
Nice wine. Agree, you're not going to guess Bordeaux. Lots of fruit. Lots of minerality/graphite on the finish. Lots of tannins. But somehow easy to drink and it is way too early to drink. I'm holding my two other bottles until at least 2027 to see what it becomes. I will look for the 2019 and 2020.
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I like this. 4 bottles in cellar and wanted to try young. Gave it a very long decant, 5-8 hours. Not sure it needed it… not tight or tannic. Deep and dark red, like a sample of blood (sorry for analogy but thats what it looks like). Big and deep fruit that should gain nuance with age. Its heavy on Malbec and Argentina minerality, so this is never going to be confused with Bordeaux. But it is a special wine well suited for elegant grilled dishes.
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A good wine but far below my expectations given the high CT score and all the positive feedbacks - big structure and complexity, but not as flavorful. Liked the coconut taste at the beginning, then it became closed for the rest of the night. My guess is that the vintage was still young and needed a few more years before it fully develops.
I’d recommend hold for a few more years in case anyone would wonder if now is the right window.
Deep dark reddish-purple in color, essentially opaque. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes, dark cocoa, minerals, spices, herbs & a slight hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & mulberries with cocoa, minerals, herbs, spices & a slight hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing although it has the potential for continued development with further aging at which time it may merit an even higher score (95+). A blend of 70% Malbec (half from Altamira and half from Las Compuertas) & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Las Compuertas.
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Really good - wonderfully soft, plush and elegant but the cab gives it terrific length. Clear structure for aging. Black and red berries. Beautifully fresh, with vibrant fruit coming through after a while in the decanter. The famous influence is clear, this is current and on trend - exactly what you’d expect from a well made modern Bordeaux. I bought 3 of the 2018 and a 3 of the 2019. I believe the 2019 has more Cab (50/50 Cab v Malbec) - it’ll make an interesting comparison.
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3 hr decant. Deep inky crimson. So focused. Layers of silky fruit. A soft, almost fatty (but not flabby) roundness. Just spectacular. Imagine what this will be like in 10 years. Buy more now.
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Velvety smooth, polished and glossy tannins. Very elegant style, the fruit finally emerges on the second day thankfully. Not my preferred style but nonetheless it was enjoyable.
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Incredibly soft and round for such a young wine. Haven't had anything like this before. Nice balance. More licorice and and funky earth than fruit. Not a great value for me at that price.
This is too early to be drinking this wine. It needed a full hour to even start to awaken. The structure, tannins and fruit are all there showing good to great potential. Let this sit for another 3-5 years.
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Pleasantly wowed by this wine. Medium/dark purple, 14.5% etoh, 70% Malbec, 30%CabSav. Fresh aromatics of sliced ripe red plum. Long legs, dark but lively, not cloaked and brooding. Perhaps the Malbec keeps this a bit lighter on its feet but still satisfying the mid-weight palate with notes of dark cherries, graphite, & wild herbs. Need to get more bottles of this one for the long haul.
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Beautiful and rustic bouquet with earth, vanilla and oak as well as dark berries. On the palate a juicy and full bodied wine with juicy acidity and herbs and spices. Elegance and a good length. Beautiful wine with fresh acidity and a good length.
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After 2 hours. Opaque purple red. Fantastic nose, big and fruity and earthy and tempting. Delicious in body and soul. Perfectly balanced, medium heavy body and ultra plush tannins. More elegant than brutish but no lack of power. Loads of lingering goodness. This is only just starting to develop fully, and there is clearly loads of more upside. Try to save until at least 2024 before the next one, and you will be rewarded. Malbec can be interesting after all. Fall ‘22
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For context, this was on the table with a 2010 Cos d’Estournel and a 2006 Quilceda Creek (from magnum). This was gone first - and I only got two shots at it. My own fault. This is so good. Gorgeous aromatics of floral, cherry and a bit of earthiness. In the mouth it’s a surprise - sweet while still dry. Lush and deeply flavorful - ripe red cherry at the forefront with blackberry and currant behind. Spicy and a little bit of black pepper. It is a spectacularly wonderful wine. The review from JR speaks of a hint of reduction but I found none of that - and am very averse to reduction so if it were there I’d have found it. I hope not to find it in any of the remaining bottles. This is a “wow” wine - accessible now and likely to develop easily a decade. Not in my cellar though - they’ll be gone.
I Have had two bottles The first was not pleasant The second was poor upon opening but showed it’s true stuff after an eighteen hour decant. Tiny tannins , great structure , long finish. I looked forward to enjoying the balance of the case starting in 2024.
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PnP, consumed over 4 hours. Appearance: Clear, deep ruby. Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity with youthful aromas of blackberry, plum, blueberry, pencil lead, and bell pepper. Palate: Dry, medium+ acid and tannin, 14.5% abv, medium+ body, pronounced intensity with flavors of concentrated, though slightly under ripe (youthful) dark fruit - blackberry and plum, pencil lead, and green pepper with a long finish. Overall an outstanding wine excelling in intensity, complexity, and length just needing a few years to come into balance. Great wine now with a few hours of air, will definitely improve with 3-5 years of age. One of the best wines I've tasted in the past couple years.
98-100 Wonderful, by far the best ever. a wine with a strong character. On the nose, we find beautiful fruity and floral notes. Its great complexity on the palate, giving way to beautiful aromas of cherry, vanilla and spices and many more.
5/4/2024 - mfimiani47 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Too early. All the stuffings are present but this needs time to build on some of the complexity that comes through in short glimpses.
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4/27/2024 - Dinamarca wrote: 93 Points
Overbevisende godt glas vin. Flot rund, cremet og rank vin. Ikke Cheval Blanc, men mindre kan også gøre det.
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4/18/2024 - davidsa wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful balance between red and black fruit. The texture on the palate is so smooth and velvety with a super long finish. What a wine!
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4/4/2024 - snaff wrote: 94 Points
Great balance of dark fruit, spice and hints for herb. Rich, viscous and long finish.
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3/30/2024 - Realityrichard Likes this wine: 92 Points
Komplexe Nase. Leder, etwas Kaffee, weißer Pfeffer. Salzig. Trinkt sich beflügelter als erwartet. Trotz der würzigen Nase kommt das Glas wie in einem rotfruchtigen Kuschelmantel daher, um Argentinien auf exzellentem Niveau vorstellen zu dürfen.
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3/18/2024 - Kevin Mak Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep Ruby
Nose
- Medium (+) Intensity
Black Cherry, Black Plum, Blackberry, Cassis, Tomato Leaf, Dried Herbs, Vanilla, Caramel, Coconut, Smoke, Cigar Box, Cedar, Charcuterie
Palate
- Medium (+) Acidity
- Medium (+) Tannin
- High Alcohol
- Full Bodied
- Long Finish
- Medium (+) Intensity
Black Cherry, Black Plum, Blackberry, Cassis, Smoke, Cigar Box, Cedar, Tar
Quality
- Outstanding
Sweet, enticing nose, intense black fruits and lots of sweet oak, pretty smoky, slightly vegetal, balanced with ample acidity and well integrated, silky smooth tannins. 14.5% alcohol contributes to the mouthfeel but you don't feel the burn at all. Spicy, complex, yet dangerously easy drinking. Can't say it's cheap with a US$80 price tag, but I'd say it's worth every penny. Drink or hold.
Suitable for bottle ageing.
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3/3/2024 - Nighthawk244 wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this on a friend's boat on a Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure it would ever be confused as Bordeaux. Tight when pnp, but opens up nicely over time. Great balance, nose of herbs, dark berries on the palate & slightly dry finish. Will age well for the next few years, but I think the score stays the same.
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2/25/2024 - prccap Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Most basic of wines ever. Completely flabby with only a slight blueberry note. One of the most disappointing wines so far this year. It would be hard for me to pay $80 for this again
Edit: coming back to this wine after 3 hours it has gotten better. Tannis are finally showing like fine sandpaper. Some blackberry/cassis flavors showing now. I still wouldn’t buy this again, but it was much better at this point
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2/25/2024 - sboyle wrote: 88 Points
After a 4 hour decant, the nose is mostly green with a hint of plums. On the palate I get notes of green stems up front and Welch’s grape juice on the finish. QPR is poor. You’re buying the Cheval Blanc name.
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12/25/2023 - GraffCellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lot bundled up here ready to emerge one day, but juicy red fruits still wrapped up in brisk tannins and acidity that may take a few years to soften enough to allow full potential to shine.
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12/18/2023 - vancouvermatt wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at winery as part of mini-vertical, the most accessible of the 3 wines. Red fruited, higher acidity than the 2020 which is higher alcohol and more muscular.
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12/18/2023 - Philolesen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry and black currant. Almost to the jammy side but not quite. I also sense some peppery notes on the nose together with some bitter chocolate.
On the palate the wine shows the same components with present tannins and acidity. It finish off with a spicy finish.
I would keep this away for another 5 years time.
91-92p.
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11/10/2023 - magyarsvensk wrote:
Burly, patisseresque and noiresque, mostly on currant jam, buttercream frosting, dark chocolate and brioche. Focused and pure with subdued length.
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11/5/2023 - JustOneMoreGlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
2nd bottle, 1 yr after last. Did not improve yet. In fact, was more muted. Previously was airy and weightless, now more ordinary. Still excellent but not special. 92-93.
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9/13/2023 - Rex66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I’m going to echo some of the other notes here, lots of fruit, nicely balanced, fine tannins. This is a really good, well crafted wine, but to me doesn’t especially stand out as anything special.
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8/4/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 94 Points
PNP consumed over two days.
I picked up a case of 18 & 19 to explore this wine and so far I'm very impressed in the early going. It's too early to be drinking these but at the price paid it's tempting to reach for these bottles. Quality like BDX but the Malbec definitely lends to a different profile. This will be a fun project to follow.
Decant or hold.
94++
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6/10/2023 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes are from Day 2, stored in a 375 filled to top.
Nice wine. Agree, you're not going to guess Bordeaux. Lots of fruit. Lots of minerality/graphite on the finish. Lots of tannins. But somehow easy to drink and it is way too early to drink. I'm holding my two other bottles until at least 2027 to see what it becomes. I will look for the 2019 and 2020.
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6/4/2023 - CheviotCellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
I like this. 4 bottles in cellar and wanted to try young. Gave it a very long decant, 5-8 hours. Not sure it needed it… not tight or tannic. Deep and dark red, like a sample of blood (sorry for analogy but thats what it looks like). Big and deep fruit that should gain nuance with age. Its heavy on Malbec and Argentina minerality, so this is never going to be confused with Bordeaux. But it is a special wine well suited for elegant grilled dishes.
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5/12/2023 - ddi wrote: 90 Points
A good wine but far below my expectations given the high CT score and all the positive feedbacks - big structure and complexity, but not as flavorful. Liked the coconut taste at the beginning, then it became closed for the rest of the night. My guess is that the vintage was still young and needed a few more years before it fully develops.
I’d recommend hold for a few more years in case anyone would wonder if now is the right window.
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4/9/2023 - Snoski62 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened about 2 hours before drinking. In a good place right now. Delicious with a standing rib roast...
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4/9/2023 - Rickets Likes this wine: 91 Points
not as good as I recall from a year ago. I'm not sold on the ability of this wine to go the distance.
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3/31/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep dark reddish-purple in color, essentially opaque. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes, dark cocoa, minerals, spices, herbs & a slight hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & mulberries with cocoa, minerals, herbs, spices & a slight hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing although it has the potential for continued development with further aging at which time it may merit an even higher score (95+). A blend of 70% Malbec (half from Altamira and half from Las Compuertas) & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Las Compuertas.
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3/15/2023 - Cake & Fine Wine wrote: 95 Points
Really good - wonderfully soft, plush and elegant but the cab gives it terrific length. Clear structure for aging. Black and red berries. Beautifully fresh, with vibrant fruit coming through after a while in the decanter. The famous influence is clear, this is current and on trend - exactly what you’d expect from a well made modern Bordeaux. I bought 3 of the 2018 and a 3 of the 2019. I believe the 2019 has more Cab (50/50 Cab v Malbec) - it’ll make an interesting comparison.
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2/25/2023 - arkman22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
3 hr decant. Deep inky crimson. So focused. Layers of silky fruit. A soft, almost fatty (but not flabby) roundness. Just spectacular. Imagine what this will be like in 10 years. Buy more now.
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1/27/2023 - wineotim wrote: 93 Points
Velvety smooth, polished and glossy tannins. Very elegant style, the fruit finally emerges on the second day thankfully. Not my preferred style but nonetheless it was enjoyable.
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12/24/2022 - srshane Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still very young. It needs a lot of decant time.
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12/13/2022 - Edeon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredibly soft and round for such a young wine. Haven't had anything like this before. Nice balance. More licorice and and funky earth than fruit. Not a great value for me at that price.
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12/10/2022 - Sp@rk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple, full bodied. Tannins are smooth but heavy. Fruits present but hidden behind the tannin. Got easier to drink over 6 hours. Decent wine.
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11/25/2022 - levicn wrote: 91 Points
醒酒四个半小时,深紫红色,闻香有熏肉,芝麻和醋栗的味道,香气特别。入口酸度高,酒液甜美,单宁紧涩,细沙状,量大,很细腻,青椒,芝麻,水果糖,还有些许草药,后段有酒精感,余味木质香气,稍短了一些,口感柔和,做得很平衡。
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11/24/2022 - srshane Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is too early to be drinking this wine. It needed a full hour to even start to awaken. The structure, tannins and fruit are all there showing good to great potential. Let this sit for another 3-5 years.
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11/22/2022 - rylanreynolds wrote: 95 Points
Pleasantly wowed by this wine. Medium/dark purple, 14.5% etoh, 70% Malbec, 30%CabSav. Fresh aromatics of sliced ripe red plum. Long legs, dark but lively, not cloaked and brooding. Perhaps the Malbec keeps this a bit lighter on its feet but still satisfying the mid-weight palate with notes of dark cherries, graphite, & wild herbs. Need to get more bottles of this one for the long haul.
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11/13/2022 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and rustic bouquet with earth, vanilla and oak as well as dark berries. On the palate a juicy and full bodied wine with juicy acidity and herbs and spices. Elegance and a good length. Beautiful wine with fresh acidity and a good length.
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10/25/2022 - Bottle Dog Likes this wine: 96 Points
After 2 hours. Opaque purple red. Fantastic nose, big and fruity and earthy and tempting. Delicious in body and soul. Perfectly balanced, medium heavy body and ultra plush tannins. More elegant than brutish but no lack of power. Loads of lingering goodness. This is only just starting to develop fully, and there is clearly loads of more upside. Try to save until at least 2024 before the next one, and you will be rewarded. Malbec can be interesting after all. Fall ‘22
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10/22/2022 - randyjc wrote: 96 Points
For context, this was on the table with a 2010 Cos d’Estournel and a 2006 Quilceda Creek (from magnum). This was gone first - and I only got two shots at it. My own fault. This is so good. Gorgeous aromatics of floral, cherry and a bit of earthiness. In the mouth it’s a surprise - sweet while still dry. Lush and deeply flavorful - ripe red cherry at the forefront with blackberry and currant behind. Spicy and a little bit of black pepper. It is a spectacularly wonderful wine. The review from JR speaks of a hint of reduction but I found none of that - and am very averse to reduction so if it were there I’d have found it. I hope not to find it in any of the remaining bottles. This is a “wow” wine - accessible now and likely to develop easily a decade. Not in my cellar though - they’ll be gone.
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10/9/2022 - JustOneMoreGlass Likes this wine: 95 Points
Such an interesting blend of malbec and cab. Full bodied but mellow. Rich but airy. Yes, please - one more.
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7/22/2022 - kenarn wrote: 95 Points
I Have had two bottles The first was not pleasant The second was poor upon opening but showed it’s true stuff after an eighteen hour decant. Tiny tannins , great structure , long finish. I looked forward to enjoying the balance of the case starting in 2024.
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4/29/2022 - prasm Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP, consumed over 4 hours. Appearance: Clear, deep ruby. Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity with youthful aromas of blackberry, plum, blueberry, pencil lead, and bell pepper. Palate: Dry, medium+ acid and tannin, 14.5% abv, medium+ body, pronounced intensity with flavors of concentrated, though slightly under ripe (youthful) dark fruit - blackberry and plum, pencil lead, and green pepper with a long finish. Overall an outstanding wine excelling in intensity, complexity, and length just needing a few years to come into balance. Great wine now with a few hours of air, will definitely improve with 3-5 years of age. One of the best wines I've tasted in the past couple years.
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12/19/2021 - Ramonee Confit Likes this wine: 98 Points
Grandiose, à oublier minimum 10 ans pour profiter de toutes ses splendeurs
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12/14/2021 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 99 Points
98-100
Wonderful, by far the best ever. a wine with a strong character. On the nose, we find beautiful fruity and floral notes. Its great complexity on the palate, giving way to beautiful aromas of cherry, vanilla and spices and many more.
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