Opened at cellar temp with a glass to accompany a lunch of leftover chicken shish kabob. Good cork, with tartrate crystals on its bottom. A medium+ ruby in the glass, with no bricking. The nose features dark cherry, ripe red plum and forest floor with a minty edge. Very good intensity and concentration, red fruited, with negligible tannins. Capped and consumed later with dinner of spicy pork spareribs, and as this came up to room temperature it became much more red-fruited with a minty edge, along with alcohol definitely making its presence known. Our last bottle, and very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It may be that I'm not meant to like southern Rhone wines, but I did not care for this particular wine. At 15.5%, it's a hot glass of wine, and well beyond what I typically prefer. The palate was a confusing mess of fruit combined with very chewy tannins, leading to the obviously-high residual sugar content. All I could think was "this is a headache waiting to happen".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red-purple color. Nice nose with raspberry, charcoal, black pepper. Full bodied, not a delicate wine. Great fruit. Lots of backbone left, should age nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red-purple color. Nice nose with raspberry, charcoal, black pepper. Full bodied, not a delicate wine. Great fruit. Lots of backbone left, should age nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Poured straight into a decanter for two hours, after reading other notes. Still very hot, and didn't start to calm down until being opened for four hours. Very enjoyable on day two, great nose of smoked meat and red fruit. Will be holding my second bottle for another year.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I wasn't expecting much from this but it surprised me. It has finally achieved some balance with the alcohol and fruit. Its no longer a hot mess but downright enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Flavor of smoked meat, then bacon, then the fruit. Surprisingly rich and full. A little hot on the finish. Not my preferred style, delivers a lot for the price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
No formal note. PnP out of the cellar and enjoyed with pizza. Now getting 5 yrs of age on this relatively affordable ($17) CdR. A very nice level of palate complexity at this price point. Some garrigue and pepper spice on the finish. I would drink these wines up within the year, they are at a really nice place right now and no reason to hold further.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pulled from my cellar by a friend to taste blind. Nice CdR with complexity and gorgeous drink ability, drinks way above its price point (pd $17, bought a case of these).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had this with Ratatouille on 2/28/13 (It went through a vinturi into the decanter and sat for an hour before drinking). It had a deep, nuanced bouquet of cherry, raspberry, concrete, fig, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was smooth, open, nuanced and dry with flavors of cherry, raspberry, mineral, herb, and spice. 89+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This had a strong, fragrant bouquet of cherry, raspberry, mint, anise, herb, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was bright, open and dry with flavors of raspberry, cherry, herb, pepper and spice. 89+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured this bottle and didn't enjoy as much as the previous bottle with a decant. The nose was tight with good fruit on the palate but the alcohol was too much on the back end. Let sit or give it a good decant next time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP one glass. Look forward to trying it again tonight. Strange green stem and pepper taste upon opening coupled with a unique astringent mouth feel. Within 20 minutes it began to sing and I found myself wishing I had time for more. Fantastic CdR. Definitely recommend letting it breathe at least 30 minutes. Great Garagiste mystery buy and quite amazing for a 2008.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent for a "supposed" off vintage. great structure and balance. Lots of jammy red fruits combined with notes of pepper spices most likely from the Syrah. Nice silky mouth feel, and long finish. Nice effort.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark fruit and spice on the nose, even a hint of minerality. Big fruit on the palate pretty well balanced after an hour or two of air. It did not seem like a 15% alcohol wine but it's definetly more new world than old. I'm sure it is a crowd pleaser though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great nose of violets, red fruit and prosciutto ham. Strawberry-sour cherry on the palate, with spice, sage, and fur. Nice acidity and more tannins than I expect from a Cotes du Rhone. Alcohol was not a problem for me.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A real success from the Garagiste mystery series. Every time I tell myself I won't order from them again, a wine like this makes me come back. Great structure and not overwhelming heat even at 15.5% ABV. Nose was stone fruit and ripe blood orange, taste was similar without being syrupy or overly heavy, if anything a little light and playful even for a Rhone. Glad I have two more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A total winner from Garagiste (a mystery wine). I didn't find the alcohol as overpowering as other reviewers, though it is a 15.5. Let it open, last glass was the best (PnP and consumed over 2 hours).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This had a deep, fragrant bouquet of black cherry, sage, pepper, spice, blueberry and mineral aromas. The palate was powerful, sour and dry with nice acidity…flavors of cherry, blueberry, pepper, sage, spice and dusty minerals.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a 15.5% abv CdR that was a Mystery Wine from Garagiste. I had not heard of it before and was rather suspicious when I saw what I had purchased. PnP the first day, I thought the wine was really delicious. This note is from the 2nd day. Very dark purple in color, gently fading at the rim. Nose has a charcoal/tar sensation that hits me first, followed by blackberry jam smeared over wet rocks. The high alcohol content had me worried that I was in for a fruit bomb, but the nose tells a different story. No discernible heat on the nose either. The palate shows off a sexy, supple mouthfeel of well-integrated, moderate-level tannins that are soft and easily drinkable. The blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors shine through with a medium level acidity, really nice freshness, and a mineral-laden finish that goes on for 30+ seconds. The wine offers superb value FTM, and I would make a wine like this my "house red" in a heartbeat ($17). I was very pleased with this purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jammy cherry fruit, roasted green pepper, sun-soaked heathland, hints of black pepper, all in wild competitive riot in a very forward blast of aroma. The second day these are all still there but seem to come together in a marvelous way. Try aging for a year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red purple with a nose of strawberry, violet, garrigue and pepper. Raspberry and cranberry on the palate with a little oak and a lot of heat. Not much middle and a weird funk (bad funk) after a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second day. Deep garnet color with a wild profusion of aromas coming one after the other: nutmeg, chocolate, tobacco, cassis and a herbal aroma I couldn't quite place: lemon grass? Rich jammy plummy flavor, rolls around with abandon on tongue with a long deep finish. I found the wine overpowering the first day, but now that a bit of the alcohol has blown off i can see its structure more clearly. Still not exactly to my taste but seems to come together in a marvelous way. Try aging for a year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pretty disappointing. Tasted more like a Cali Syrah from a region with higher heat. The alcohol is way too evident, and the tannins are too strong even into the finish. Even at the $17 price I paid, this is not impressive. I will note that it tasted a bit better on day two when the alcohol was slightly more subtle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Très peu expressif dans ses saveurs et ses arômes. Les épices, le poivre et le bois reviennent tant au nez qu’en bouche. Rien d’accrocheur, mais rien de déplacé. Dans une pièce remplie de femmes, on remarquera les grandes pointures ainsi que les très moches. Ce vin est la jeune dame sobre et discrète dans le coin, celle qu'on ne remarque tout simplement pas.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Robe rubis foncé. Nez sur les petits fruits noirs, cerises kirsch, réglisse, notes épicées. En bouche, c'est assez dense, aspect de liqueur, légèrement sucré, chaleureux (le vin titre 15,5%) finale correcte. C'était ma troisième expérience avec ce vin et cette fois-ci la réglisse ressortait beaucoup trop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely CDR approachableness...equal parts Grenache and Mourvedre...with lashings of liquorice and a finish that befits a wine at twice the price....fine tannins are balanced and the black fruit gives a powerful yet balanced wine that is a real crowd pleaser
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured the first glass and decanted the rest of the bottle. Initial notes of smoke, tobacco and cedar. Very powerful wine, but the alcohol level (15,5%) is too intrusive for my taste. A very well made wine, but it lacks much of the structure and elegance you find in Philippe Cambie's other wines. I doubt further cellaring will improve it since I cannot seem to find the backbone that should carry it through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/18/2017 - wicozani Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened at cellar temp with a glass to accompany a lunch of leftover chicken shish kabob. Good cork, with tartrate crystals on its bottom. A medium+ ruby in the glass, with no bricking. The nose features dark cherry, ripe red plum and forest floor with a minty edge. Very good intensity and concentration, red fruited, with negligible tannins. Capped and consumed later with dinner of spicy pork spareribs, and as this came up to room temperature it became much more red-fruited with a minty edge, along with alcohol definitely making its presence known. Our last bottle, and very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2015 - Easter Everywhere Likes this wine:
seemed good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2015 - DragonChowhound Does not like this wine: 82 Points
It may be that I'm not meant to like southern Rhone wines, but I did not care for this particular wine. At 15.5%, it's a hot glass of wine, and well beyond what I typically prefer. The palate was a confusing mess of fruit combined with very chewy tannins, leading to the obviously-high residual sugar content. All I could think was "this is a headache waiting to happen".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2015 - JavaMonkey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red-purple color. Nice nose with raspberry, charcoal, black pepper. Full bodied, not a delicate wine. Great fruit. Lots of backbone left, should age nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2015 - Capt Cutlass wrote: 86 Points
Richer than the 2009 and hefty with its 15.5% alcohol. Lots of kirsch and concentrated. Too much so but probably great with wild boar...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2014 - JavaMonkey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red-purple color. Nice nose with raspberry, charcoal, black pepper. Full bodied, not a delicate wine. Great fruit. Lots of backbone left, should age nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2014 - MMarleau wrote: 88 Points
Hot, mettre au decanteur 2 heures avant de boire.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2013 - blakel Likes this wine: 89 Points
Rich, dark fruit and some herbs and spices, very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Smoky, thick, juicy, tasty, savory, spicy, yummy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2013 - erunama Likes this wine: 88 Points
Poured straight into a decanter for two hours, after reading other notes. Still very hot, and didn't start to calm down until being opened for four hours. Very enjoyable on day two, great nose of smoked meat and red fruit. Will be holding my second bottle for another year.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2013 - jcsf420 Likes this wine: 89 Points
I wasn't expecting much from this but it surprised me. It has finally achieved some balance with the alcohol and fruit. Its no longer a hot mess but downright enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2013 - Italiana wrote: 89 Points
Flavor of smoked meat, then bacon, then the fruit. Surprisingly rich and full. A little hot on the finish. Not my preferred style, delivers a lot for the price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
No formal note.
PnP out of the cellar and enjoyed with pizza.
Now getting 5 yrs of age on this relatively affordable ($17) CdR.
A very nice level of palate complexity at this price point. Some garrigue and pepper spice on the finish.
I would drink these wines up within the year, they are at a really nice place right now and no reason to hold further.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2013 - Easter Everywhere wrote:
slight reduction, good fruit, funk, chocolate, earth
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
Pulled from my cellar by a friend to taste blind.
Nice CdR with complexity and gorgeous drink ability, drinks way above its price point (pd $17, bought a case of these).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2013 - garambler Likes this wine: 89 Points
We had this with Ratatouille on 2/28/13 (It went through a vinturi into the decanter and sat for an hour before drinking). It had a deep, nuanced bouquet of cherry, raspberry, concrete, fig, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was smooth, open, nuanced and dry with flavors of cherry, raspberry, mineral, herb, and spice. 89+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2013 - kungfubaby Likes this wine: 89 Points
Yummy, great QPR, classic Rhone, but no formal notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2013 - Darkhorn wrote: 88 Points
Not likeing this one as much as the previous. seems more disjointed and "hot". Big and powerful. Dark fruits.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2012 - jcsf420 wrote: 86 Points
Same as previous for me, just to hot and out of balance for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
No formal TN. Will write later...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2012 - garambler wrote: 89 Points
This had a strong, fragrant bouquet of cherry, raspberry, mint, anise, herb, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was bright, open and dry with flavors of raspberry, cherry, herb, pepper and spice. 89+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2012 - tourette wrote: 88 Points
Nicely made buy a bit too concentrated and generic. Nothing really stands out with this wine, but it is enjoyable to drink.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2012 - jcsf420 wrote: 86 Points
Popped and poured this bottle and didn't enjoy as much as the previous bottle with a decant. The nose was tight with good fruit on the palate but the alcohol was too much on the back end. Let sit or give it a good decant next time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2012 - Joegish Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP one glass. Look forward to trying it again tonight. Strange green stem and pepper taste upon opening coupled with a unique astringent mouth feel. Within 20 minutes it began to sing and I found myself wishing I had time for more. Fantastic CdR. Definitely recommend letting it breathe at least 30 minutes. Great Garagiste mystery buy and quite amazing for a 2008.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 90 Points
No specific tasting note. Very nice wftm, medium bodied CdR, wih a decent finish and good acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2012 - Darkhorn wrote: 90 Points
Excellent for a "supposed" off vintage. great structure and balance. Lots of jammy red fruits combined with notes of pepper spices most likely from the Syrah. Nice silky mouth feel, and long finish. Nice effort.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2012 - jcsf420 wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit and spice on the nose, even a hint of minerality. Big fruit on the palate pretty well balanced after an hour or two of air. It did not seem like a 15% alcohol wine but it's definetly more new world than old. I'm sure it is a crowd pleaser though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
Delicious QPR. Dark fruits and minerals, medium length finish, nice with food.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2012 - bravenec wrote:
Decent wine. Nice firm tannins goes well with spicy tomato sauce. Strawberry with a touch of clay. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2012 - jayw wrote:
Great nose of violets, red fruit and prosciutto ham. Strawberry-sour cherry on the palate, with spice, sage, and fur. Nice acidity and more tannins than I expect from a Cotes du Rhone. Alcohol was not a problem for me.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2012 - RobertTassi wrote: 91 Points
A real success from the Garagiste mystery series. Every time I tell myself I won't order from them again, a wine like this makes me come back. Great structure and not overwhelming heat even at 15.5% ABV. Nose was stone fruit and ripe blood orange, taste was similar without being syrupy or overly heavy, if anything a little light and playful even for a Rhone. Glad I have two more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
No formal tasting note. Nice and fruity with a French mineral streak in the great, 30 sec finish. Delicious wftm.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2012 - NWA wrote: 92 Points
A total winner from Garagiste (a mystery wine). I didn't find the alcohol as overpowering as other reviewers, though it is a 15.5. Let it open, last glass was the best (PnP and consumed over 2 hours).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2012 - garambler wrote: 89 Points
This had a deep, fragrant bouquet of black cherry, sage, pepper, spice, blueberry and mineral aromas. The palate was powerful, sour and dry with nice acidity…flavors of cherry, blueberry, pepper, sage, spice and dusty minerals.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes, see previous note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes, see previous note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
This is a 15.5% abv CdR that was a Mystery Wine from Garagiste. I had not heard of it before and was rather suspicious when I saw what I had purchased. PnP the first day, I thought the wine was really delicious. This note is from the 2nd day.
Very dark purple in color, gently fading at the rim. Nose has a charcoal/tar sensation that hits me first, followed by blackberry jam smeared over wet rocks. The high alcohol content had me worried that I was in for a fruit bomb, but the nose tells a different story. No discernible heat on the nose either. The palate shows off a sexy, supple mouthfeel of well-integrated, moderate-level tannins that are soft and easily drinkable. The blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors shine through with a medium level acidity, really nice freshness, and a mineral-laden finish that goes on for 30+ seconds. The wine offers superb value FTM, and I would make a wine like this my "house red" in a heartbeat ($17). I was very pleased with this purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2012 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 89 Points
Jammy cherry fruit, roasted green pepper, sun-soaked heathland, hints of black pepper, all in wild competitive riot in a very forward blast of aroma. The second day these are all still there but seem to come together in a marvelous way. Try aging for a year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2012 - atrox wrote: 86 Points
Dark red purple with a nose of strawberry, violet, garrigue and pepper. Raspberry and cranberry on the palate with a little oak and a lot of heat. Not much middle and a weird funk (bad funk) after a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2012 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 89 Points
Second day. Deep garnet color with a wild profusion of aromas coming one after the other: nutmeg, chocolate, tobacco, cassis and a herbal aroma I couldn't quite place: lemon grass? Rich jammy plummy flavor, rolls around with abandon on tongue with a long deep finish. I found the wine overpowering the first day, but now that a bit of the alcohol has blown off i can see its structure more clearly. Still not exactly to my taste but seems to come together in a marvelous way. Try aging for a year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2012 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 90 Points
Superb!, complex, balanced, tad hot/tannic but a real winner overall, chocolate, nuts, etc…
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2012 - fournet wrote: 86 Points
Pretty disappointing. Tasted more like a Cali Syrah from a region with higher heat. The alcohol is way too evident, and the tannins are too strong even into the finish. Even at the $17 price I paid, this is not impressive. I will note that it tasted a bit better on day two when the alcohol was slightly more subtle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2011 - maxime3333 wrote: 87 Points
Vin correct dans l’ensemble.
Très peu expressif dans ses saveurs et ses arômes. Les épices, le poivre et le bois reviennent tant au nez qu’en bouche. Rien d’accrocheur, mais rien de déplacé. Dans une pièce remplie de femmes, on remarquera les grandes pointures ainsi que les très moches. Ce vin est la jeune dame sobre et discrète dans le coin, celle qu'on ne remarque tout simplement pas.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2011 - Opusone99 wrote: 85 Points
Robe rubis foncé. Nez sur les petits fruits noirs, cerises kirsch, réglisse, notes épicées. En bouche, c'est assez dense, aspect de liqueur, légèrement sucré, chaleureux (le vin titre 15,5%) finale correcte. C'était ma troisième expérience avec ce vin et cette fois-ci la réglisse ressortait beaucoup trop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2011 - Le_Gaspesien wrote: 90 Points
Bien, riche en fruit, sans plus, mais j'ai aimé
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2011 - drunkstar wrote: 89 Points
Lovely CDR approachableness...equal parts Grenache and Mourvedre...with lashings of liquorice and a finish that befits a wine at twice the price....fine tannins are balanced and the black fruit gives a powerful yet balanced wine that is a real crowd pleaser
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2010 - KristianT wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured the first glass and decanted the rest of the bottle. Initial notes of smoke, tobacco and cedar. Very powerful wine, but the alcohol level (15,5%) is too intrusive for my taste. A very well made wine, but it lacks much of the structure and elegance you find in Philippe Cambie's other wines. I doubt further cellaring will improve it since I cannot seem to find the backbone that should carry it through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2010 - hutch wrote: 84 Points
Headrick/European Cellars Portfolio Tasting (Boston): Rich, ripe, alcoholoc. Don't get this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment