Raspberry, with hints of cherry, complimented by cedar, tobacco, and gentle sweet floral notes. Medium-weight, with liquor-like raspberry and dark fruit flavors, toasty oak, and dusty tannins. Good acidity gives lift to the moderately long, saturated, and well-structured finish. This bottle has a smooth flow, but I noticed a touch of heat that I had not noticed in previous bottles. There is sufficient fruit and solid tannins that suggest there is plenty of life left, but it is drinking well at present.
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Deep garnet color, restrained dark fruits with some spice. Nicely balanced with good length but this was relatively tight in comparison to the 1993 which we tried at the same time. Could it be too young or less ripe fruit?
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Very dark, almost inky black plum colour. Subtly perfumed black fruit. Possibly a bit closed. With intense aeration, more of a floral, almost violet note, lots of chocolate and licorice and deep, plummy black fruit. Good attack with loads of black fruit immediately. Opens out enormously on the palate. Intense and powerful. Still loads of really quite coarse sandy tannins. Very firmly structured. I was worried I might have left this too long, but it's still a bit brooding. Sweet black and red fruit on the finish, followed by absolutely massive length.
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Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah From a top cellar. Popped and poured, drank over three days. Clear, brilliant ruby-garnet color. On day one a it muted and tired, so I guessed it is passed its peak. On day three it has really opened up: Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose with Cherries, licorice, herbs, spices and a nice mineral touch. Classic, very good Priorat nose! 13,5% abv. Medium+/high acidity, well integrated and racy. Medium, mellow tannin. On the palate quite elegant and fresh with lots of cherries and other red fruit, some oak, herbs, spices and a bit of tar. Stony mineral notes in the background. It has power and grip, but is never fat or broad. The finish is surprisingly long. It is a tiny bit hot at some points, but that is a fist world problem. Certainly at its peak. Will not improve, so drink now and enjoy. 91-92
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Much, better than last time, but started disappointingly, with nothing on the palate. After an hour, the wine had gained strength and concentration and ended up a pleasant drink without ever astonishing or delighting. Probably past its best, but still enjoyable in its own way.
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This may have been an off bottle, or imperfectly stored in the period before it came into my possession. It was lifeless and limp, both on the nose and on the palate, but with none of the structure or remnants of structure possessed by good mature wines. It was rather like prune juice. Everyone else has raved about this wine (which is why I bought it), and so, as I say, let us hope that my first was an off or imperfectly stored bottle.
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Color and sediment showing the age of this wine. Very dry. Initially a bit hollow but rounded out after some air. Good but I've had better bottles of this. Seems to be just past peak. I would drink this sooner than later.
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My last bottle performed better than the previous one - elegance and power combined with aromas of schist, orange peel, more minerals, dark currants and black berries, with a soft, mature, woodsy note. Palate reflects the nose, with the wine gaining power over the course of the evening. While possessing the mature flavors of an aged bottle of wine, it maintained my interest and still showed flashes of it's youthful greatness. One of my favorite producers on the planet, and I am reminded again why.
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Fully mature, and on the downward slope - I haven't had a bottle of this since about 14 months ago, and then it was drinking perfect - but here it feels like the wine has matured considerably since then. Still a very good, mature wine, but the traits that make it a joy to drink - the mineral-laden, zesty, perfumed red fruit character - has faded to the background a lot. One more bottle left, and it'll probably get consumed sometime in the next 12 months.
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London Blind Challenge (Caldesi, London): Rich, oaky, slightly eucalyptus nose. Quite grippy tannins and good acidity. Some ripeness on nose and sweet vanilla oak. Again, slightly acetoney high-toned. Guess: Shiraz. South Africa or Aus.
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Ruby red with some fading around the rim. Very pleasant aromas of wild fruits, olives and chocolate. Full body with high concentration, loaded with flavors of prunes and some blackberries. Very slick balance, with solid acidity, soft tannins and slight tasty oak. Great structure with nice complexity. Long finish with a good aftertaste. Overall a tasty wine, that feels just right in every way. Drinking very well now, but can cellar nicely for a few more years. As good as the 94 I had recently, but different and a touch more elegant.
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Tasting. Cabernet stands out in this unusual Cabernet, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Merlot blend. Bold fruit aromas with chocolate, dark roast coffee and lots of oak spice. Long and complex flavors on palate, lots of ripe black fruit. Well balanced.
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11/8/2023 - SirFred Likes this wine: 92 Points
Raspberry, with hints of cherry, complimented by cedar, tobacco, and gentle sweet floral notes. Medium-weight, with liquor-like raspberry and dark fruit flavors, toasty oak, and dusty tannins. Good acidity gives lift to the moderately long, saturated, and well-structured finish. This bottle has a smooth flow, but I noticed a touch of heat that I had not noticed in previous bottles. There is sufficient fruit and solid tannins that suggest there is plenty of life left, but it is drinking well at present.
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12/24/2020 - DH90 wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet color, restrained dark fruits with some spice. Nicely balanced with good length but this was relatively tight in comparison to the 1993 which we tried at the same time. Could it be too young or less ripe fruit?
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7/5/2020 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 92 Points
Very dark, almost inky black plum colour.
Subtly perfumed black fruit. Possibly a bit closed. With intense aeration, more of a floral, almost violet note, lots of chocolate and licorice and deep, plummy black fruit.
Good attack with loads of black fruit immediately. Opens out enormously on the palate. Intense and powerful. Still loads of really quite coarse sandy tannins. Very firmly structured. I was worried I might have left this too long, but it's still a bit brooding. Sweet black and red fruit on the finish, followed by absolutely massive length.
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1/23/2019 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 91 Points
Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
From a top cellar. Popped and poured, drank over three days. Clear, brilliant ruby-garnet color.
On day one a it muted and tired, so I guessed it is passed its peak. On day three it has really opened up: Clean, medium+ intense, fully developed nose with Cherries, licorice, herbs, spices and a nice mineral touch. Classic, very good Priorat nose!
13,5% abv. Medium+/high acidity, well integrated and racy. Medium, mellow tannin. On the palate quite elegant and fresh with lots of cherries and other red fruit, some oak, herbs, spices and a bit of tar. Stony mineral notes in the background. It has power and grip, but is never fat or broad. The finish is surprisingly long. It is a tiny bit hot at some points, but that is a fist world problem. Certainly at its peak. Will not improve, so drink now and enjoy. 91-92
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12/31/2014 - joishscellar wrote: 78 Points
Over and out don't bother buying or drinking
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4/26/2012 - viscalbarsa wrote: 93 Points
Que bueno estaba esto!
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11/11/2011 - peterk wrote: 91 Points
Lovely wine - medium bodies, cassis and raspberries, and a looooong finish. I must have had a goood bottle, because this one was singing.
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10/25/2010 - chad1616 wrote:
past it's prime - very little fruit remaining
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9/11/2010 - Lorien wrote:
From a magnum: way way past its prime and going down hill based on how it was back in 2004.
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3/3/2010 - The Kid wrote:
Much, better than last time, but started disappointingly, with nothing on the palate. After an hour, the wine had gained strength and concentration and ended up a pleasant drink without ever astonishing or delighting. Probably past its best, but still enjoyable in its own way.
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5/22/2009 - The Kid wrote:
This may have been an off bottle, or imperfectly stored in the period before it came into my possession. It was lifeless and limp, both on the nose and on the palate, but with none of the structure or remnants of structure possessed by good mature wines. It was rather like prune juice. Everyone else has raved about this wine (which is why I bought it), and so, as I say, let us hope that my first was an off or imperfectly stored bottle.
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1/7/2009 - winesteward wrote: 86 Points
Color and sediment showing the age of this wine. Very dry. Initially a bit hollow but rounded out after some air. Good but I've had better bottles of this. Seems to be just past peak. I would drink this sooner than later.
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3/26/2008 - jaimetown wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle performed better than the previous one - elegance and power combined with aromas of schist, orange peel, more minerals, dark currants and black berries, with a soft, mature, woodsy note. Palate reflects the nose, with the wine gaining power over the course of the evening. While possessing the mature flavors of an aged bottle of wine, it maintained my interest and still showed flashes of it's youthful greatness. One of my favorite producers on the planet, and I am reminded again why.
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9/11/2006 - jaimetown wrote: 90 Points
Fully mature, and on the downward slope - I haven't had a bottle of this since about 14 months ago, and then it was drinking perfect - but here it feels like the wine has matured considerably since then. Still a very good, mature wine, but the traits that make it a joy to drink - the mineral-laden, zesty, perfumed red fruit character - has faded to the background a lot. One more bottle left, and it'll probably get consumed sometime in the next 12 months.
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9/9/2006 - SimonG wrote:
London Blind Challenge (Caldesi, London): Rich, oaky, slightly eucalyptus nose. Quite grippy tannins and good acidity. Some ripeness on nose and sweet vanilla oak. Again, slightly acetoney high-toned. Guess: Shiraz. South Africa or Aus.
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3/5/2004 - Lorien wrote: 94 Points
Ruby red with some fading around the rim. Very pleasant aromas of wild fruits, olives and chocolate. Full body with high concentration, loaded with flavors of prunes and some blackberries. Very slick balance, with solid acidity, soft tannins and slight tasty oak. Great structure with nice complexity. Long finish with a good aftertaste. Overall a tasty wine, that feels just right in every way. Drinking very well now, but can cellar nicely for a few more years. As good as the 94 I had recently, but different and a touch more elegant.
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10/5/2003 - Henman wrote:
N: vanilla,banana,spices.
P: multidimensional,fruity,big and spicy.
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6/14/2002 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Tasting. Cabernet stands out in this unusual Cabernet, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Merlot blend. Bold fruit aromas with chocolate, dark roast coffee and lots of oak spice. Long and complex flavors on palate, lots of ripe black fruit. Well balanced.
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