Northern Rhône (Noizé): A generous backup opened at short notice. Energy here - earth, sweat, iron, blood. As time goes on the initial intensity fades and the bones of the acidity become more obvious - this is grown up wine for grown up people.
Bromley Wine Circle does Northern Rhone - 2nd November 2023 (Beckenham): Very much the archetypal game of two halves here. The nose is outstanding. Really old school, ferrous, smoky and with a rosehip sweetness / tartness. Then some beef pho and lemongrass emerges with some subtle flecks of ginger. Sadly the palate not at the same level a little stewed and short; definitely drying out. This was given every chance to shine having been stood up for 5 days before we broached. Also just Audouzed for 2 hours rather than decanting. Just would have been better 5 years ago.
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Condrieus and Côte-Rôties of North London (Must & Lees): Really gorgeous graphite and mineral-toned nose. More complex on the palate, though still very attractive, with soft and sweet dark fruit, salty black olive, and an austere, edgy quality stemming from the tart acidity. One of my favourites tonight, although less popular with the group at large.
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Condrieu and Cote Rotie; 9/28/2023-10/28/2023 (Must and Lees, N1): High toned wine, with some red fruit remaining but otherwise more notes of green pepper, smoky meat and ash. Quite charming in its way, but as with the other wine in the flight I think this turned the corner a few years back and is on the downslope. It's a little short, sharp, and slightly hard work at the end of the evening. I nonethless liked it for having stayed the course and being true to the region.
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Condrieu and Cote Rotie (Must & Lees, N1): Very distinctive with notes of acetone, demi-glace, dried herbs and crystalline black fruit. A grown-up and spicy character, good presence and length on the palate.
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Rustic, with searing acidity and resolutely old school and high toned, there is still some red fruit, but it is mainly in its tertiary phase now with lashings of white pepper, iron, wolframite, mineral, raw and cured meat, blood, embers/light grey ash and bacon fat, with sour plums and prunes emerging on day two. Quite a treat if old fashioned Northern Rhone is your thing. Or if you are a Luddite. It is rough round the edges but a lot of fun and not really a million miles from a Noel Verset Cornas for a small fraction of the price.
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"The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Chicago, IL): Stunningly gorgeous, old-school syrah. This is perfumed but meaty with some brine notes throughout. The texture is silky and still shows a wisp of primary fruit though for the most part, you're getting more of a saline thing here. One of the standouts (for me) tonight in a field of some very heavy hitters.
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On the nose there's bloody meat, white pepper, iron, and iodine. It's more red fruited than the last three bottles. Mid to full bodied, coupling power with grace. Broad, yet structured and lifted with excellent balance on the palate. Rare venison, olive tapenade, white pepper, and a slew of delicious savoriness all with a citric bite on the back end that I like. It's muscular, but with directed more than brute force. Drinking at peak for me now. Outstanding.
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First time with this producer. Utterly classic Cote Rotie with loads of meaty, peppery black fruit flavors. The palate is rich and still chewy and fresh. Plenty of life here. Funk in the finish reminds you that you're in the Northern Rhone.
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January birthdays (and porchetta) (Chicago, IL): I think this got a little too bretty at the end for some, but for me, this was still within my tolerance. It's about as classic a Côte-Rôtie as can be. The nose is all smoke and meat and animal funk and olive brine, with an extra spicy kick. The fruit is a little more on the red side of the spectrum, with a pretty deft lightness on the palate, even though it seems this does have a kiss of oak on it too. Delicious, classically-styled stuff. I will say this is probably at the tail end of maturity; it's not something I'd be too keen on aging more, not that I have any problems drinking a few more bottles of this in the near future.
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I've had some great bottles of this before; this was very good but a notch below. Seemed a bit more advanced and slightly faded with some ashy notes amidst the red fruit, olives, and savoury meatiness. Still quite enjoyable, though it suffered a little by comparison with the other C-Rs at the table.
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Outstanding - just a beautiful wine. The nose is absolutely classic aged Northern Rhone perfume, with smoky, ashy scents mixed with resinous green needles, roast meat, and high-toned red fruit. The palate is lifted with a well-defined core of red fruit and wild forestal scents and aromas. High acid, high energy, but still a firm core of fruit that turns more tannic and grippy with air. Given the fruit profile this is at or just beyond peak and delivers pure, unadulterated, rustic Syrah pleasure. 100% in my wheelhouse.
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Wow, I'm surprised how good acidity and elegance it offers, exotic spices, floral, herbs, peppermint, and modest smoke scent, on the palate, very pleasant and complex taste, good acidity, slightly light for the Rhone but I would say it is very elegant. The nose offers pretty wild berries and very aromatic, great complexity and smoked meat sensation after two hours of opening
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Brilliant wine, showing all the notes I want out of classic Côte-Rôtie. Light on its feet but so perfumed and fragrant with layers of meatiness, black olive/briny notes, violets, and higher toned herbal notes all coming together around a core of red fruit. Perhaps it's just a touch lean on the finish where the fruit feels a touch thin and the acidity still sticks out a bit, but the aromatics alone make this a wow experience.
Just an awesome Côte-Rôtie that's drinking superbly right now. Briny olive flavours, red fruits, vivid bacon and meaty notes, with great intensity of flavour and remarkable finesse on the palate. There's still a little grainy tannin on the back end and powerful acidity beneath that suggests it could last a while longer - but it's so good right now. Fantastic.
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I have opened two bottles and been disappointed with both. Quite dry and very acidic. The fruit might well be OK but is overwhelmed by how sharp it is. Borderline drinkable. I like to think it's a problem with the provenance of the two bottles I bought - the wine has a very mature look - but who knows?
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When first openned I thought this was corked but after 90 minutes decanted and raised to about 18 degrees it became ripe fruity and silky smooth. Not the most compelling Cote Rotie I have ever tasted but ok.
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Clearly better than the last one. With rich dark chocolate nose and smooth round palate. However it was a little short and not quite up to the standard I was expecting
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This appears to have a complex gamey nose but on the palate there are hints of dryness and acidity. This may just be a poor bottle but I would have expected more.
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Heel veel dik rijp fruit; kersen, bramen. Koffie, licht vanille in geur. Smaak veel fruit, Cote Rotie 'zuurtje' - vuursteen. In het begin was de smaak niet in evenwicht (minder aantrekkelijk) met de geur, bij naproeven echter wel ! Toen kwam ook het dikke rijpe fruit in de smaak. Drink van 2010 - 2020. 18,5 punt
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2/8/2024 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Northern Rhône (Noizé): A generous backup opened at short notice. Energy here - earth, sweat, iron, blood. As time goes on the initial intensity fades and the bones of the acidity become more obvious - this is grown up wine for grown up people.
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11/2/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bromley Wine Circle does Northern Rhone - 2nd November 2023 (Beckenham): Very much the archetypal game of two halves here. The nose is outstanding. Really old school, ferrous, smoky and with a rosehip sweetness / tartness. Then some beef pho and lemongrass emerges with some subtle flecks of ginger. Sadly the palate not at the same level a little stewed and short; definitely drying out. This was given every chance to shine having been stood up for 5 days before we broached. Also just Audouzed for 2 hours rather than decanting. Just would have been better 5 years ago.
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10/27/2023 - acyso wrote: flawed
(Mostly) 1998, 2005, 2012 Northern Rhône (Chicago, IL): From the same case as my other notes (all great bottles), but this one was clearly heat-damaged. How does that happen?
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9/28/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Condrieus and Côte-Rôties of North London (Must & Lees): Really gorgeous graphite and mineral-toned nose. More complex on the palate, though still very attractive, with soft and sweet dark fruit, salty black olive, and an austere, edgy quality stemming from the tart acidity. One of my favourites tonight, although less popular with the group at large.
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9/28/2023 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Condrieu and Cote Rotie; 9/28/2023-10/28/2023 (Must and Lees, N1): High toned wine, with some red fruit remaining but otherwise more notes of green pepper, smoky meat and ash. Quite charming in its way, but as with the other wine in the flight I think this turned the corner a few years back and is on the downslope. It's a little short, sharp, and slightly hard work at the end of the evening. I nonethless liked it for having stayed the course and being true to the region.
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9/28/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine: 91 Points
Condrieu and Cote Rotie (Must & Lees, N1): Very distinctive with notes of acetone, demi-glace, dried herbs and crystalline black fruit. A grown-up and spicy character, good presence and length on the palate.
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11/25/2022 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 91 Points
Rustic, with searing acidity and resolutely old school and high toned, there is still some red fruit, but it is mainly in its tertiary phase now with lashings of white pepper, iron, wolframite, mineral, raw and cured meat, blood, embers/light grey ash and bacon fat, with sour plums and prunes emerging on day two. Quite a treat if old fashioned Northern Rhone is your thing. Or if you are a Luddite. It is rough round the edges but a lot of fun and not really a million miles from a Noel Verset Cornas for a small fraction of the price.
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11/10/2022 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
"The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Chicago, IL): Stunningly gorgeous, old-school syrah. This is perfumed but meaty with some brine notes throughout. The texture is silky and still shows a wisp of primary fruit though for the most part, you're getting more of a saline thing here. One of the standouts (for me) tonight in a field of some very heavy hitters.
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8/21/2020 - cct wrote: 93 Points
On the nose there's bloody meat, white pepper, iron, and iodine. It's more red fruited than the last three bottles. Mid to full bodied, coupling power with grace. Broad, yet structured and lifted with excellent balance on the palate. Rare venison, olive tapenade, white pepper, and a slew of delicious savoriness all with a citric bite on the back end that I like. It's muscular, but with directed more than brute force. Drinking at peak for me now. Outstanding.
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1/13/2020 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
First time with this producer. Utterly classic Cote Rotie with loads of meaty, peppery black fruit flavors. The palate is rich and still chewy and fresh. Plenty of life here. Funk in the finish reminds you that you're in the Northern Rhone.
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1/13/2020 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
January birthdays (and porchetta) (Chicago, IL): I think this got a little too bretty at the end for some, but for me, this was still within my tolerance. It's about as classic a Côte-Rôtie as can be. The nose is all smoke and meat and animal funk and olive brine, with an extra spicy kick. The fruit is a little more on the red side of the spectrum, with a pretty deft lightness on the palate, even though it seems this does have a kiss of oak on it too. Delicious, classically-styled stuff. I will say this is probably at the tail end of maturity; it's not something I'd be too keen on aging more, not that I have any problems drinking a few more bottles of this in the near future.
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10/14/2019 - salil wrote: 89 Points
I've had some great bottles of this before; this was very good but a notch below. Seemed a bit more advanced and slightly faded with some ashy notes amidst the red fruit, olives, and savoury meatiness. Still quite enjoyable, though it suffered a little by comparison with the other C-Rs at the table.
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7/29/2019 - Chomsky wrote:
Outstanding - just a beautiful wine. The nose is absolutely classic aged Northern Rhone perfume, with smoky, ashy scents mixed with resinous green needles, roast meat, and high-toned red fruit. The palate is lifted with a well-defined core of red fruit and wild forestal scents and aromas. High acid, high energy, but still a firm core of fruit that turns more tannic and grippy with air. Given the fruit profile this is at or just beyond peak and delivers pure, unadulterated, rustic Syrah pleasure. 100% in my wheelhouse.
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2/1/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Wow, I'm surprised how good acidity and elegance it offers, exotic spices, floral, herbs, peppermint, and modest smoke scent, on the palate, very pleasant and complex taste, good acidity, slightly light for the Rhone but I would say it is very elegant.
The nose offers pretty wild berries and very aromatic, great complexity and smoked meat sensation after two hours of opening
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9/6/2018 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Brilliant wine, showing all the notes I want out of classic Côte-Rôtie. Light on its feet but so perfumed and fragrant with layers of meatiness, black olive/briny notes, violets, and higher toned herbal notes all coming together around a core of red fruit. Perhaps it's just a touch lean on the finish where the fruit feels a touch thin and the acidity still sticks out a bit, but the aromatics alone make this a wow experience.
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7/6/2016 - presterjohn wrote:
Pretty acidic, but good vibrant fruit and still punchy
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6/29/2015 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Just an awesome Côte-Rôtie that's drinking superbly right now. Briny olive flavours, red fruits, vivid bacon and meaty notes, with great intensity of flavour and remarkable finesse on the palate. There's still a little grainy tannin on the back end and powerful acidity beneath that suggests it could last a while longer - but it's so good right now. Fantastic.
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4/24/2011 - presterjohn wrote:
quite fierce fruit, good smokey bacon flavours, ripping acidity. needs some time to calm down and develop
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4/22/2008 - Jeff W wrote:
I have opened two bottles and been disappointed with both. Quite dry and very acidic. The fruit might well be OK but is overwhelmed by how sharp it is. Borderline drinkable. I like to think it's a problem with the provenance of the two bottles I bought - the wine has a very mature look - but who knows?
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1/11/2008 - vodrich wrote: 90 Points
When first openned I thought this was corked but after 90 minutes decanted and raised to about 18 degrees it became ripe fruity and silky smooth. Not the most compelling Cote Rotie I have ever tasted but ok.
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8/8/2007 - vodrich wrote: 89 Points
Clearly better than the last one. With rich dark chocolate nose and smooth round palate.
However it was a little short and not quite up to the standard I was expecting
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6/11/2007 - vodrich wrote: 85 Points
This appears to have a complex gamey nose but on the palate there are hints of dryness and acidity. This may just be a poor bottle but I would have expected more.
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4/23/2006 - Ary wrote: 94 Points
Heel veel dik rijp fruit; kersen, bramen. Koffie, licht vanille in geur. Smaak veel fruit, Cote Rotie 'zuurtje' - vuursteen.
In het begin was de smaak niet in evenwicht (minder aantrekkelijk) met de geur, bij naproeven echter wel ! Toen kwam ook het dikke rijpe fruit in de smaak.
Drink van 2010 - 2020. 18,5 punt
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11/15/2005 - tobinw wrote:
I bought three bottles and opened two to date. Both were corked. I hope the third got through.
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