This was mediocre especially for the $. Green tea leaf, cranberry and aggressive tannins. Finishes quite short. Some acidity left but his seems past prime for sure.
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Overall: very tertiary but it feels like it’s over the hill
Appearance: brick color, opaque
Nose: interesting soy sauce, balsamic, some smokey notes and pepper as well as oxidized fruity/port-like notes
Palate: pretty simple and not opening up, some savory notes like tomatoes and leather, maybe some spices, less powerful than nose; medium acid, tannins are soft and resolved
Finish: short, dry, muted, it’s just okay
Edit on day 2: turns out this bottle was corked, and although the tertiary notes came out on day 1, they were gone on day 2 and the corked aroma was all that was left. Really makes me wonder what this bottle could have been because the amount that came through in spite of the TCA on day one was pretty good.
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It's been 3 1/2 years since I opened the first of these shortly after purchasing at auction in 2018. And wow, outstanding now. A complete wine, showing the savory, earthy character of Syrah along with a mineral backbone and plenty of dark fruit. This exhibits black olive, baked (but not 'cooked' / 'stewed') fruits, and dried fig.
As for food, well this would go with the usual hearty fare suspects and game dishes like venison. But this was paired with a grilled veal chop and it was the pairing of this wine with the topping/crust - hazelnut pesto (*): hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, garlic, hazelnut oil, neutral oil, salt - that was amazing. It was a pairing made in heaven along with the veal.
13.5% abv
Very nice QPR at $40/btl. Let's hope the remaining stash drinks as well!
* From Le Pidgeon cookbook (Portland, OR restaurant) Jacked Pork Chops recipe, pg. 188
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Decanted two hours. Soft, round, and savory dark fruit and herbs, perhaps a bit past peak because I wanted a little more bite to the gentle tannins. Quite a nice effort though and still drinking well.
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Drank over several nights. On PnP it had an alluring smokiness but seemed a bit sour and "off". After a couple of nights in bottle with a bit of air it settled in and the following night it really expressed itself with smoke, aged meat, and dried herbs. Seems like this has years ahead of it to develop.
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The first sip I noticed a real saline note on the finish. As it opened, it devolved into a big black fruit and mineral wine, both good acidity and a tannic backbone underneath.
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I thought I may have opened this way too soon, but this is drinking much better the next day after opening. First time with this producer and this is killer Hermitage! Deep, dense & long, meaty, savory, black cherry pit, some herbs and dark chocolate. Lots going on here. A little alcohol on the finish, but this is wonderful!
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Ripe, almost liqueurish, a bit dense and syrupy. Berry, mocha, torrefaction. Oxidized after a day. Very new world and only a faint whiff of smoke suggests this is anything but a typical central coast syrah. Booooooooring.
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This was served blind and those around the table took cracks at guessing the wine. We ended up landing with Northern Rhone, which was close. I had offered a guess of Fonsalette. Light florals, nice mix of red and blue fruit, medium weight with a delicate finish. This showed well and it was a great wine to finish the table before we ordered dessert.
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Glass staining deep purple that almost reaches the rim. Beautiful primary nose of smokey bacon fat and licorice which opens up with air to show truffles, confit of dark fruits with a hint of strawberry. Except for the bacon fat, on P&P, I’d have called this blind a big name 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape because of it’s exuberant fruit and massive charachter. This is drinking beautifully right now but easily has a decade or two left to evolve. The oak although obvious, is so well integrated that, even at this early age, it's drinking beautifully. 10 years from now the oak will have integrated into the fruit and an even more lovely Hermitage will have emerged that it’s current owners will be thrilled to have purchased as cheaply as they did. I’m glad, and very sad, to have only one more bottle buried in my cave. I now have to completely forget about that bottle for another decade in spite of the fact that it's drinking so beautifully right now. In the meantime I look forward to picking up more of Stephan Vedeau's Hermitage's as they become available. That's the good news! This is a 140 cases total production operation on .18 hectacres.
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Wines with Nita's Tasting Menu: Black fruit and pepper on the nose. Liquor-like but controlled, Layered and nuanced despite its youth. Beautiful. Deep, rich cherry fruit on the palate. Very tannic. Should age really well and become even more impressive with time.
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Decanted 45 minutes. Deep purple/black color. Nose is black fruit and minerals. Very balanced with great minerality mixed with cherries, figs and traces of truffles. Long finish. Excellent. This is a very young wine which will only get better and is hot up and coming hermitage producer. Highly recommended.
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3/9/2024 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Nose of herb and cranberry juice, plenty of acidity and tannins, sous bois and red berry but very lean. I’d drink soon.
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8/28/2023 - guitarguy wrote: 87 Points
This was mediocre especially for the $. Green tea leaf, cranberry and aggressive tannins. Finishes quite short. Some acidity left but his seems past prime for sure.
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4/12/2023 - brybts wrote: flawed
Overall: very tertiary but it feels like it’s over the hill
Appearance: brick color, opaque
Nose: interesting soy sauce, balsamic, some smokey notes and pepper as well as oxidized fruity/port-like notes
Palate: pretty simple and not opening up, some savory notes like tomatoes and leather, maybe some spices, less powerful than nose; medium acid, tannins are soft and resolved
Finish: short, dry, muted, it’s just okay
Edit on day 2: turns out this bottle was corked, and although the tertiary notes came out on day 1, they were gone on day 2 and the corked aroma was all that was left. Really makes me wonder what this bottle could have been because the amount that came through in spite of the TCA on day one was pretty good.
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12/2/2022 - skifree wrote: flawed
Wet cardboard. Darn. Had high hopes.
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11/18/2022 - tward Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent+/Outstanding-
Ref: My Jan. 2022 TN. We had this bottle with the same dish.
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1/22/2022 - tward Likes this wine: 94 Points
It's been 3 1/2 years since I opened the first of these shortly after purchasing at auction in 2018. And wow, outstanding now. A complete wine, showing the savory, earthy character of Syrah along with a mineral backbone and plenty of dark fruit. This exhibits black olive, baked (but not 'cooked' / 'stewed') fruits, and dried fig.
As for food, well this would go with the usual hearty fare suspects and game dishes like venison. But this was paired with a grilled veal chop and it was the pairing of this wine with the topping/crust - hazelnut pesto (*): hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, garlic, hazelnut oil, neutral oil, salt - that was amazing. It was a pairing made in heaven along with the veal.
13.5% abv
Very nice QPR at $40/btl. Let's hope the remaining stash drinks as well!
* From Le Pidgeon cookbook (Portland, OR restaurant) Jacked Pork Chops recipe, pg. 188
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3/7/2021 - SteveG wrote: 91 Points
From memory, we don’t drink that much Hermitage but this seems on the lighter elegant side, with very pretty fruit and balance.
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2/28/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted two hours. Soft, round, and savory dark fruit and herbs, perhaps a bit past peak because I wanted a little more bite to the gentle tannins. Quite a nice effort though and still drinking well.
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7/26/2018 - tward Likes this wine:
Drank over several nights. On PnP it had an alluring smokiness but seemed a bit sour and "off". After a couple of nights in bottle with a bit of air it settled in and the following night it really expressed itself with smoke, aged meat, and dried herbs. Seems like this has years ahead of it to develop.
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12/29/2017 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
The first sip I noticed a real saline note on the finish. As it opened, it devolved into a big black fruit and mineral wine, both good acidity and a tannic backbone underneath.
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5/9/2015 - davergny Likes this wine: 93 Points
I thought I may have opened this way too soon, but this is drinking much better the next day after opening. First time with this producer and this is killer Hermitage! Deep, dense & long, meaty, savory, black cherry pit, some herbs and dark chocolate. Lots going on here. A little alcohol on the finish, but this is wonderful!
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11/20/2014 - wine..tracker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Took to B Too.
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8/13/2014 - andtheodor wrote: 87 Points
Ripe, almost liqueurish, a bit dense and syrupy. Berry, mocha, torrefaction. Oxidized after a day. Very new world and only a faint whiff of smoke suggests this is anything but a typical central coast syrah. Booooooooring.
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7/24/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This was served blind and those around the table took cracks at guessing the wine. We ended up landing with Northern Rhone, which was close. I had offered a guess of Fonsalette. Light florals, nice mix of red and blue fruit, medium weight with a delicate finish. This showed well and it was a great wine to finish the table before we ordered dessert.
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6/16/2012 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
Great balance but depth as well, real spine left even after being opened 24 hours. Terrific with the rib-eye.
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11/28/2010 - strad wrote: 94 Points
Glass staining deep purple that almost reaches the rim. Beautiful primary nose of smokey bacon fat and licorice which opens up with air to show truffles, confit of dark fruits with a hint of strawberry. Except for the bacon fat, on P&P, I’d have called this blind a big name 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape because of it’s exuberant fruit and massive charachter. This is drinking beautifully right now but easily has a decade or two left to evolve. The oak although obvious, is so well integrated that, even at this early age, it's drinking beautifully. 10 years from now the oak will have integrated into the fruit and an even more lovely Hermitage will have emerged that it’s current owners will be thrilled to have purchased as cheaply as they did. I’m glad, and very sad, to have only one more bottle buried in my cave. I now have to completely forget about that bottle for another decade in spite of the fact that it's drinking so beautifully right now. In the meantime I look forward to picking up more of Stephan Vedeau's Hermitage's as they become available. That's the good news! This is a 140 cases total production operation on .18 hectacres.
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10/31/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Very nice. Had a solid Syrah, heading to Hermitage power/mineral, core. Good balance. Very good drinking so no regrets on opening now.
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10/27/2010 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 94 Points
Wines with Nita's Tasting Menu: Black fruit and pepper on the nose. Liquor-like but controlled, Layered and nuanced despite its youth. Beautiful. Deep, rich cherry fruit on the palate. Very tannic. Should age really well and become even more impressive with time.
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4/23/2010 - craiglpalmer wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 45 minutes. Deep purple/black color. Nose is black fruit and minerals. Very balanced with great minerality mixed with cherries, figs and traces of truffles. Long finish. Excellent. This is a very young wine which will only get better and is hot up and coming hermitage producer. Highly recommended.
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