Rich dark fruit, nicely developed into fruitcake but still strong, slightly wild horse sweat nose, delicious chewy tannins, long bitter fruit finish - really lovely, in great form. This could go on a while
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Funky and mature. Gorgeous sense of ripeness, earth, leather, thyme and bottle age. Sour cherry and cherry pip flavours, totally resolved in the mouth with a round, warm , lingering and complex finish. Leather and animal pervades the aftertaste. This wine is superb and has both transformed with time (certainly at its peak - although it should last on its balance) and also completely true to the Languedoc terroir, in its slightly warm and rich personality. By all accounts a stern wine in the beginning, this has opened beautifully and while the tannins have dissipated, the hint of dry earth and tobacco on the finish add definition to almost opulent fruit. An example of an aged wine transforming and improving with time.
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rich black brambly fruit, still young, touch of horse sweat and farmyard, lovely acidity and a little tannin, fresh and vibrant, quite a hot finish. amazing value and plenty of life left. not very complex but fun
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Beautiful wine absolutely a point. Farmyard, rich toasted oak, gorgeous spice and intense blackberry liqueur nose. Lovely, but very lifted camphor top notes - possibly from the toasted oak.. In the mouth, alcoholic but beautifully balanced - velvet texture, farmyard and dark berries abound - complicated and complete. Looking at past notes, this seems to be getting better and better. Drinking perfectly but this will go on for 5 years (at least) in a cold cellar.
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Le verre est à moitié vide et à moitié plein: c'est opulent, suave, aromatique (notes animales que j'associe au mourvèdre). Mais...c'est assez court, un peu diffus et vachement alcooleux. Heureusement que ce vin a été servi assez frais.
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Rich red with a thread of orange through it. Dark fruits on the nose - full - alcoholic. No ageing as such. The palate is rich with spciy fruit - very spicy. Chewy and long. Just lovely. With time there is a liquorice edge to the palate which become more smooth.
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Fabulous wine that is a point at the moment. Refined kirsch and ripe blackberry interlaced with rubber, farmyard, leather and herbs. In the mouth - absolutely perfect acid structure - not a hard edge in sight but with a lean quality that adds clarity. Wonderful nuance, depth and even length. Gorgeous kirsch and farmyard echo on the palate. Not a blockbuster but a wine from the Languedoc that is refined and complete. This wine makes for wonderful drinking at the moment. Fine wine.
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Something completely different from the 95. Strong barnyard coming out and after three hours decanting oak is still too dominant. Nonetheless more different impressions than the 95. If oak can get integrated it could become a very good thing a few years from now..
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Sehr eigenständiger Wein, definitiv anders. Braucht viel Luft. Zuerst ein ganzes Füllhorn wilder, südlicher Kräuter, dann ein Kern aus reifen, eingekochten, süßen Früchten. Leichte Vanille-Note, langer Abgang, der Alkohol ist immer präsent. Für Liebhaber. Jetzt austrinken.
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Definitive Rhone (Fabi and Rosi European Kitchen Austin, Texas): With such a pedigree, with grapes from Hermitage, Trevallon, and Rayas, I thought this would capture the flight of other southern Rhone, but alas and a lack, it was near last. "Himalayan mountain goat blood," with good balance was one re:Mark. The three groups who tasted the wine were quite divided about it. The pros found it had an asphalt, tarry character, nice body and smoothness, with baked red fruit, earth, hint of chocolate, and some herbs--several noted it had very good balance. The cons, all two of them, thought it disjointed and funky. I think I'll hold the other bottle for several years, as the older gigondas and chateauneufs performed very well in this tasting.
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This is totally in stride right now with some barnyard, lots of wild spice, good red berry fruit taking on a darker fruit tone with some leathery hints on the long smooth finish.
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Mature red with a brick red edge to the rim. The nose is dark and rich but with litle in the way of fruit. The palate is big and meaty but with an unpleasant green tone. This need to be decanted. And it does improve with time in the glass - a spicy, fruity nose and a delicious dark fruit and mint and other herbs palate
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Dark wine - now with some ageing orange at the rim. The nose is pungent, rich dark fruit. The palate is rich, stony, more alcohol than fruit. Still time on this wine.
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High toned leather and cherry aromas, game and aged qualities. In the mouth, very good. Still structured with a slightly elevated acid balance - the wine is long and echos the leathery wild cherry aromas with a particularly nice earthy farmyard finish. Outstanding wine that continue to improve. With J drunk with a Bugialli recipe for parpadelle with lamb sauce. With time, the wine became sweeter and on the nose a fabulous dried flower aroma and then textbook mocha.
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Awesome (as my two young sons would say)! Hedonistic in a wild and funky sort of way. Musar on steroids. Still dark red in colour, but the meaty, wildness of the nose hits you immediately. Same funkiness on the palate, with decent tannins and good acidity. Exceptional now, but would no doubt keep and continue to evolve.
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Deep ruby, narrow pale ruby rim. Slightly pruney bilberry and dark plum fruit, some spice and earth. Nice structure on the palate with ripe tannins, but again over-ripe fruit, some chocolate and then moderate acidity on medium/good length finish. A little disappointing, compares badly to the 97,98 and 03.
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I hate to see this going. Down to one last bottle. I was a little surprised by this one as it was showing relatively more fruit right on opening than my last couple of bottles.
Dark purple in the glass, no signs of bricking. Medium bodied. Nose dominated by secondary flavors of smoke, spice, and leather. Some dark fruit on the palate. DW said it had some licorice flavors but I didn't pick those up. Long smooth finish.
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Surprisingly enjoyable quaffer. Popped and poured. Nose of earth, cassis, and red fruit. On the palate a bit simple at first, but opened up after an hour or so to reveal a more complex expereince of cherry, herbs, and some meat. Very drinkable now.
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3/7/2024 - presterjohn wrote:
Deep rich dark brambly fruit, aged but still vigorous. Holding up very well. Lovely
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1/31/2024 - presterjohn wrote:
Rich dark fruit, nicely developed into fruitcake but still strong, slightly wild horse sweat nose, delicious chewy tannins, long bitter fruit finish - really lovely, in great form. This could go on a while
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5/21/2023 - Sinclelz wrote: 92 Points
Fully mature, deep ruby, complex and rich.
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5/21/2018 - pinotwok wrote: 89 Points
Still going strong
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5/27/2015 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
Funky and mature. Gorgeous sense of ripeness, earth, leather, thyme and bottle age. Sour cherry and cherry pip flavours, totally resolved in the mouth with a round, warm , lingering and complex finish. Leather and animal pervades the aftertaste. This wine is superb and has both transformed with time (certainly at its peak - although it should last on its balance) and also completely true to the Languedoc terroir, in its slightly warm and rich personality. By all accounts a stern wine in the beginning, this has opened beautifully and while the tannins have dissipated, the hint of dry earth and tobacco on the finish add definition to almost opulent fruit. An example of an aged wine transforming and improving with time.
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8/1/2014 - presterjohn Likes this wine:
rich black brambly fruit, still young, touch of horse sweat and farmyard, lovely acidity and a little tannin, fresh and vibrant, quite a hot finish. amazing value and plenty of life left. not very complex but fun
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1/27/2013 - Marc wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful wine absolutely a point. Farmyard, rich toasted oak, gorgeous spice and intense blackberry liqueur nose. Lovely, but very lifted camphor top notes - possibly from the toasted oak.. In the mouth, alcoholic but beautifully balanced - velvet texture, farmyard and dark berries abound - complicated and complete. Looking at past notes, this seems to be getting better and better. Drinking perfectly but this will go on for 5 years (at least) in a cold cellar.
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9/9/2012 - PhDP wrote:
Le verre est à moitié vide et à moitié plein: c'est opulent, suave, aromatique (notes animales que j'associe au mourvèdre). Mais...c'est assez court, un peu diffus et vachement alcooleux. Heureusement que ce vin a été servi assez frais.
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4/27/2012 - Olderbhoy wrote: 90 Points
Rich red with a thread of orange through it. Dark fruits on the nose - full - alcoholic. No ageing as such. The palate is rich with spciy fruit - very spicy. Chewy and long. Just lovely. With time there is a liquorice edge to the palate which become more smooth.
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8/8/2011 - Marc wrote: 91 Points
Fabulous wine that is a point at the moment. Refined kirsch and ripe blackberry interlaced with rubber, farmyard, leather and herbs. In the mouth - absolutely perfect acid structure - not a hard edge in sight but with a lean quality that adds clarity. Wonderful nuance, depth and even length. Gorgeous kirsch and farmyard echo on the palate. Not a blockbuster but a wine from the Languedoc that is refined and complete. This wine makes for wonderful drinking at the moment. Fine wine.
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7/25/2011 - Eubulos wrote: 87 Points
Something completely different from the 95. Strong barnyard coming out and after three hours decanting oak is still too dominant. Nonetheless more different impressions than the 95. If oak can get integrated it could become a very good thing a few years from now..
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6/11/2011 - presterjohn wrote:
dirty farmyard nose, rich thick mouth, not much definition to the ageing fruit. nice but no sparkle
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8/18/2010 - pinotwok wrote: 87 Points
Sehr eigenständiger Wein, definitiv anders. Braucht viel Luft. Zuerst ein ganzes Füllhorn wilder, südlicher Kräuter, dann ein Kern aus reifen, eingekochten, süßen Früchten. Leichte Vanille-Note, langer Abgang, der Alkohol ist immer präsent. Für Liebhaber. Jetzt austrinken.
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3/25/2010 - austinwinesalon wrote: 89 Points
Definitive Rhone (Fabi and Rosi European Kitchen Austin, Texas): With such a pedigree, with grapes from Hermitage, Trevallon, and Rayas, I thought this would capture the flight of other southern Rhone, but alas and a lack, it was near last. "Himalayan mountain goat blood," with good balance was one re:Mark. The three groups who tasted the wine were quite divided about it. The pros found it had an asphalt, tarry character, nice body and smoothness, with baked red fruit, earth, hint of chocolate, and some herbs--several noted it had very good balance. The cons, all two of them, thought it disjointed and funky. I think I'll hold the other bottle for several years, as the older gigondas and chateauneufs performed very well in this tasting.
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3/4/2010 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Last bottle. I'm very sad about it.
This is totally in stride right now with some barnyard, lots of wild spice, good red berry fruit taking on a darker fruit tone with some leathery hints on the long smooth finish.
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2/24/2010 - Olderbhoy wrote: 88 Points
Mature red with a brick red edge to the rim. The nose is dark and rich but with litle in the way of fruit. The palate is big and meaty but with an unpleasant green tone. This need to be decanted. And it does improve with time in the glass - a spicy, fruity nose and a delicious dark fruit and mint and other herbs palate
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1/9/2010 - Olderbhoy wrote: 86 Points
Dark wine - now with some ageing orange at the rim. The nose is pungent, rich dark fruit. The palate is rich, stony, more alcohol than fruit. Still time on this wine.
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9/15/2009 - Marc wrote: 90 Points
High toned leather and cherry aromas, game and aged qualities. In the mouth, very good. Still structured with a slightly elevated acid balance - the wine is long and echos the leathery wild cherry aromas with a particularly nice earthy farmyard finish. Outstanding wine that continue to improve. With J drunk with a Bugialli recipe for parpadelle with lamb sauce. With time, the wine became sweeter and on the nose a fabulous dried flower aroma and then textbook mocha.
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2/14/2009 - Duncan H wrote: 96 Points
Awesome (as my two young sons would say)! Hedonistic in a wild and funky sort of way. Musar on steroids. Still dark red in colour, but the meaty, wildness of the nose hits you immediately. Same funkiness on the palate, with decent tannins and good acidity. Exceptional now, but would no doubt keep and continue to evolve.
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10/17/2008 - James Bornn wrote:
Soft pruny nose, but intensely flavored. Fills the mouth with earthy, dried fruit flavors. Long and a bit alcoholic.
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5/2/2008 - Paul D wrote: 82 Points
Deep ruby, narrow pale ruby rim. Slightly pruney bilberry and dark plum fruit, some spice and earth. Nice structure on the palate with ripe tannins, but again over-ripe fruit, some chocolate and then moderate acidity on medium/good length finish. A little disappointing, compares badly to the 97,98 and 03.
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10/12/2007 - chitowncdpguy wrote: 91 Points
I hate to see this going. Down to one last bottle. I was a little surprised by this one as it was showing relatively more fruit right on opening than my last couple of bottles.
Dark purple in the glass, no signs of bricking. Medium bodied. Nose dominated by secondary flavors of smoke, spice, and leather. Some dark fruit on the palate. DW said it had some licorice flavors but I didn't pick those up. Long smooth finish.
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3/6/2007 - mattowan wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly enjoyable quaffer. Popped and poured. Nose of earth, cassis, and red fruit. On the palate a bit simple at first, but opened up after an hour or so to reveal a more complex expereince of cherry, herbs, and some meat. Very drinkable now.
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5/27/2006 - Maxe wrote: 92 Points
Big shoulders. Very earthy. Goes well with steak
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3/4/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 88 Points
Very impressive complexity, but likley would have been better a year ago. Lost some of its fruit but still very enjoyable.
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