On opening the second bottle of this (only a few months apart), I have to agree with other members that there seems to be some type of bottle variation even within the same three pack. The second bottle we opened required significantly more decanting time for the Cayuse funk to blow off, but relative to the first bottle presented a lot more menthol and medicinal notes. I had almost thought it was corked given how different it was from the first bottle, but glad I revisited it several hours later instead of giving up. After enough air it was still wonderful and I think the "funkiness" of this pairs brilliantly with dry aged beef. If you are a WineBeserker, this is fantastic with some dry aged Flannery ribeye.
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Holding up nicely, has years left but not sure it will improve. Baked strawberry, a bit of leather, other red fruits. A bit of soap. Nice mid palate and a pretty good finish. Somewhat disappointing at the price paid.
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This is still drinking fantastic now - it does indeed have the signature Cayuse medicinal "funk" which may detract for some but I thought it was a wonderful addition that would otherwise be a dead ringer for a CDP (in a good way). It was also relatively lighter bodied compared to other Rhone varietals we tasted it side by side by, which was also great.
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Like the other reviewers I had high expectations for this wine. It was very good and enjoyable in that complex cayuse way—very dense and initially more savory than fruity. After about an hour the cayuse funk blew off and the fruit became more prominent. Dried plums, Chinese herbs. Good acidity gave it a juicy sensation on the mid-palate and a long finish with a hint of bitterness. Much more open on day 2 with the fruit taking the predominant position vs the herbs and savory elements. So as I said, this was very good. But I am not sure I could have picked it from another cayuse wine. The Cayuse signature overrode the Grenache for me. The No Girls Grenache remains more true to its varietal correctness than this wine. This was fun to open but not a repeat purchase for me.
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This was my first GOKs and I found it very disappointing. As others have noted, there is a strange medicinal cherry pit taste that is off putting. We went to a bottle of something else then came back to this a couple hours later and still didn't like it.
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I was fortunate enough to have a second opportunity to taste this wine, after my first bottle seemed "off." I am so happy I was given this chance to re-taste, as this was truly delightful. This revealed a beautiful pale purple color with no signs of age. Delightfully fresh, it shows loads of savory peppered smoked meats, sweet stewed strawberries, crushed stones, tea and an elevating sense of salinity. The mouthfeel is surreal and balanced, which continues to keep me coming back for more. Truly fantastic.
Cheers Christophe!
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Wow! Last bottle of this beautiful wine. If you are a fan of concentrated flavors this is for you. Dark fruit, licorice, cassis. This wine is likely at peak.
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Not sure I can figure this one out. I really wanted to like it, but I just can’t. Strong medicinal cherry, raisin, prune, and strawberry. Good purple color, great mouth feel, but tastes old and worn. Shouldn’t be though :(
Coravin pour - the medicinal taste is just too prevalent for me. I let it sit in glass for 2 hours. It does blow off, but the profile is an very intense cherry pit - kind of sweet but a strong bitternenss as well.
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Medium translucent ruby with a little bricking at the rim. On the nose, rhubarb and red berry, slight funk. Medium bodied, still with some grip. It’s fresh, open, and red fruited, carrying a sense of place. The trouble with this and many other Cayuse wines is a bitter, pithy finish. I prefer the no girls grenache to this bottling
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Served blind, initially thought this was ripe CA Pinot, but eventually redirected to sanity. Nose is rather refined, floral, with dried, somewhat aged red fruits and mild spice notes. Some cedar wood. Palate is smooth, mostly integrated, liquor quality, and finishes with a distracting metallic note that's slightly bitter. I assume this character is from some unintegrated whole cluster. Overall it's a nice wine, but shows a rather ripe/warm profile and less complexity than expected for a wine of this pedigree/cost.
This was the third bottle fro my original purchase , I thought the first bottle I tried was mediocre, perhaps it was drunk too young, the second bottle was excellent. This bottle was terrible. Very medicinal taste, no fruit and heat from the alcohol. Really disappointing.
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Medium garnet, pale rim. Nose of iron, doused campfire, baking spices, a little violet floral. Would have guessed 15 to 20 years from nose. Not a fruity nose, but still enjoyable and complex.
Palate has noticeable acidity, but not out of balance. “Sappy“ mouthfeel. Now fruit comes forward, along with flavors from nose. Closer to an aged S or SW French blend than Grenache-based Rhone. Not heavy: medium-bodied but flavorful. No oxidation or negative signs of age, but replacement of many primary flavors by secondary/tertiary. Long aftertaste has a hint of sweetness. This bottle was only briefly decanted yet has minimum funk, which adds rather than detracts. Very Old World, enjoyable, distinctive.
Consumed at ~63°F; everything “amps up“ as it warms. I’d drink during the next three years, but should be OK longer.
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kind of aged beef smell going on along with candied cherry - like ludens cough drop cherry. The palate is sort of thin and I think this is past its prime, but will give it some more air and see what happens.
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Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, olive brine, grilled meats and flowers. Medium body with ample acidity. Plush, intense and concentrated. Great grip on the palate and mouth feel in general. Flavors of cherries, strawberries, smoke, umami and minerals. The finish is exceptionally long and silky with discernible tannins. GOK is often left out of the conversation when discussing the best of Cayuse but this bottle might have you thinking differently. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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PnP. After an evening with this wine I think it is still young for my taste. Some nice bright fruits, but almost like one is sensing them through a thin film of cream. Some nice earth notes along with the fruit, but there is perhaps slightly less acid at the moment to lift the flavors. The last glass, down to the last drop, was starting to develop beautifully -- I just smelled the empty glass for a while. I do think this needs a bunch more time to integrate all of the flavors that at the moment seem a bit muffled. The last drop and smell were in the 90s.
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"You only YOLO once" (Chicago, IL): Once upon a time, this was a really ripe and fleshy wine, with the fruit to stand up to the alcohol. Alas, this is a desiccating wine, with dried remnants of fruit and quite a bit of alcoholic heft. There are definitely some nice earthy elements here (perhaps the faded fruit has exposed them?), but this has seen better days.
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My first Cayuse. Definitely has a funk element, which subsided a bit after 20 min, and didn’t overpower the rest. Savory, with salt, and minerals. Raspberry and black currants. Licorice and spice (pepper?) round out a complex, but balanced wine. Long finish. I don’t drink a lot of Grenache, but I see how this rates even higher for lovers of the varietal.
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Pnp. Popping Cayuse funk at first, blew off somewhat after 20 min. Earthy rustic masked fruit, wine smoothed a bit with age, though still tannins, stems, a certain wilderness taste. Not sure if more fruit will emerge with time. Off bottle?
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This was my second bottle from this vintage. I tried the first bottle in 2014 and found it uninteresting and lacking structure. However, the bottle just tasted was a vibrant Grenache with a deep red color with ample fruit flavors. I was quite surprised and almost wrote off the wine completely. Perhaps the first bottle was just flawed.
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Last one of this vintage. As always, deep and ripe, and very interesting. Sweet pure nose, mainly raspberry and cherry with just a tinge of da funk. Funk is a hint of sweat and some leather. More on the palate, ripe with again red cherry and raspberry fruit, some leather and a sweaty, cheesy, ripe finish. Overall, an interesting and intellectual wine, lots of nuances and not much in-your -face fruit. Cannot imagine this getting much better, very good. Struggle between a 91/92 on this wine, but not any more. I've had too many spectacular, knock-your-socks-off wines from Cayuse, that this seems a little jaded and lacks some zip.
Follow up from two nights later: Similar on nose and palate, definitely gained some depth, but not much additional complexity. Very soft on the palate. Notes of meat and game on long finish, still 91 pts.
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Maroon in color. 14.3% ABV. Scrumptious nose of red fruits, bacon fat, iron and black tea. Medium body with ample acidity. Incredibly complex and powerful. Strawberries, raspberries, olive brine and herbs on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and silky. The pinnacle of Washington Grenache. Stunning wine that will age effortlessly for the next 6-8 years.
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This wine is drinking beautifully. Pop and pour and it was delicious right from the start. Wine is a blackish ruby color. Nose of Raspberry, smoke and vanilla. On the palate licorice, blackberry, cassis, some smokey tannin and a bit of a peppery note on the medium finish. This is my second bottle of this and it is way better than a bottle I drank way back on 5/13. I would say this wine is in its prime drinking window but may show additional development. I will be in no rush to drink my last bottle.
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Cayuse funk alert! - Dropped into a decanter and consumed with spouse over 3 hours. Funky / gamey nose. On the palate game, iron, blood, black fruit. Great interesting bottle of wine.
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In a really good place now. Drunk over 6 hours, best for 1-4. Classic cayuse funk on the nose with a good amount of red fruit Palate is solid with excellent red fruit, funk, acid, and a good pepper to it. Finish is satisfying. Probably will develop a teensy bit more but drinking really well now.
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Gave this about 4 hours slow ox. Drank alongside a 2006 Chateau des Tours Vacqueyras. This was slightly disappointing by comparison. On the nose, this showed typical Cayuse funk, with loads of ripe raspberry and some herbs. Aromatically, this was darker than the des Tours, which shows maybe a bit more sweet strawberry. On the palate, this wine is much richer in style, with some creaminess and great minerality, in contrast to the slightly one-dimensional flavor profile of the des Tours. Some slightly ashy tannin to finish. An excellent wine, but somehow the des Tours was still more compelling.
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Wild, bloody, feral notes echo from the bouquet into the palate, which expands on the theme and which offers pervasive bass fruit notes and almost enough spicy freshness to keep this hanging in defiance of all probability for a wine of such amplitude. With its herbs, savory earth tones, and slick viscosity, this is an incredible and singular wine.
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At my tasting of 12 Christophe Baron wines. Lighter color, partly transparent. Sweet strawberry-raspberry nose, a bit acetic, smoky, pronounced. Medium body, strawberry flavors, slight "bite" at the end. Long aftertaste. Fully mature, no need to age further. Ric
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Revisting my note from three years ago, I agree with most of what I wrote. This seemed more forward and did not take as much time to open up. In fact, the word I would use for this wine is "slutty". It is forward and fleshy with sweaty, meaty notes. Pretty typical Cayuse wine, tasty and well balanced and for sure with the funk!
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Been a few years since my last one. I think it is reaching a plateau but still has many years to be full of life and complexity. Nice dark fruit, mineral, smoked meat and herbs. A lot going on, which seems to be a hallmark of Cayuse.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, berries and raspberries. Flavors of red raspberries, cherries and red plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold. Right now could use a little air before serving like break the neck and let it sit for a bit.
Decanted for 2+ hours. Have a feeling this will be much better tomorrow, as the Band-Aid and heat fall off the nose. With a good rapid swirl, you can make out a nice bright raspberry note on the nose. Immediately on the palate, I am struck by how acidic this wine is. It is utterly distracting; and when combined with the heat on the back end, it makes for an unpleasant experience. Upon popping, I don't recall this having so many flaws, but at this point its hard to consider a good purchase at $75.
Q4 wine club - Rhone varietals that are not Syrah (The Apt): Wine #1: Drank as part of a blind tasting, but as this was one of the ones we provided I knew what it was. Standard Cayuse funk - stinky feet and bandaids and all of that stuff. Maybe maybe just a hint of fruit, but that is almost overwhelmed by the tobacco and meat and just overall funkiness. One of our other wines was the '09 No Girls and this just seemed a bit more complex and together to me. My favorite of the tasting.
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2015 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/3/2015-11/9/2015 (Villa D’este, Lake Como): It smells a little bit like CDP or St Joseph but not quite. Expressive kinky nose displaying raspberry, blackberry, garrigue, leather, nutmeg, animal and earth. Really sensual mouthfeel, decadent red fruits, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. It is a unique wine that seems to not shutdown. Despite high alcohol, it is very food friendly wine. Really enjoyable.
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Very savory. Lots of umami and savory elements to start. Fruit shows up after and hour + Nice wine Very different from most. Nice change of pace but not a regular drink.
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Loved this bottle. It had great complexity, and a lot of flavors to pull out of the glass both while sniffing and tasting. I had lots of wild berry, green olives, umami, minerals, some meat, maybe some funk. It was a big wine, but had no rough edges.
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Delicious berry, mineral, and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with wonderful complexity and texture culminating in a long finish. Paired beautifully with wild boar sausage cassoulet.
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Delicious as usual. Drank at Port Townsend with cheese, fruit plate with Ronnie and Myrna. Fruit, more Cayuse funk than it usually has, medium-full body, balanced, medium finish.
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A big wow wine tonight served with waggu corned beef. Amazing pairing. Nose has the Cayuse funk, a combination of earthiness and dark brambly fruit that is very unique. Palate is lite, full and mesmerizing with an amazing ability to coat the palate fully without seeming heavy. Wonderful depth and length. Would buy again.
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A bunch of wines with Friends at NVW&C (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): This was different. I disliked my first sip and from there it just kept getting better and better. Kind of like watching fireworks that start slow and boring, but the finale is amazing. Darker in color than I would have expected for Grenache. That and the meatiness of the nose made me think this was Syrah until someone mentioned that it was Grenache. There is also some black pepper and lots of back raspberries. On the palate, it turns more to a Grenache profile but I would be surprised to hear that its 100% and without Sryah. Raspberries both black and red. Also and underlying charred wood quality. And also the peppery quality comes though. Still showing young with medium tannins. This is not a CdP look alike but a truly unique wine. Given its showing, I guess I would hold these for a bit longer.
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Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Really nice Grenache. Cayuse funk. Strawberries raspberries with some nice earth just smooth and easy to drink. Smells great, age has done its job here seems perfect now.
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Notes from day 2. Dark purple in color. Nose of raspberries, cherry, florals, ashes, funk. Palate of red fruits, ashes, funk, olives, tea and hints of tar. The finish was long in length with a nice mouthfeel. Overall the wine is improving with age, really nice nose starting to show. Hold: 50+5+13+17+8 4
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Nose has just a hint of that Cayuse funk, the smoldering rubber, love that nose. Flavor is pure Grenache, like Pinot all grown up, just packing the fruit, but not in a heavy way.
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I not sure if we are seduced by the mystique of Cayuse. I found this interesting, but not worth the price. There is a lot of funk in the nose and even after decanting the aroma seems to linger. The the wine has a deep purple color with vibrant fruit, but probably needs some additional time to mellow out.
Mostly Northern Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): I have only had a half dozen of Cayuse wines. It is neither Rhone nor Cali. Although highly concentrated and high in alcohol, the overall expression is cool and harmonious. Blue flowers, strawberries, blackberries, sweet spices and rare charred steak. Really polished palate, ripe yet fresh sweet fruit driven palate impression, nicely integrated tannins and good finish. There is a hint of bitter note at the end. Quite enjoyable and I can definitely drink more than a couple sips.
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Still not sure what to make of this. Our first cayuse & the wife nailed it blind as she new it would have a distinctive funk unlike anything else. Gave it plenty of air, then drank slowly over a long evening. Over time the funk gave way to lots of red fruit and a few secondary notes that defied specific definition. If was fun, interesting & unique, but was surprised by the lightness of body.
I once read that Cayuse tends to fare poorly when tasted side by side with another wine, so as an experiment we compared it to a Rioja opened & vac'd the night before. What once seemed interesting became dull in comparison to a wine that had seemed only above average the night before. Obviously not apples to apples, but the Cayuse made the Rioja more vibrant & expressive than it had been.
I can appreciate and enjoy this, but think it's overpriced for what it delivers.
Color: light/medium ruby -> diffuse light ruby rim. Bouquet developed positively over the course of 2 hours until reaching an apogee of Cayuse funk with strawberries, cherries, cassis, spanish olives, some roast beef and road tar. For palate, think Donjon with more funk than barnyard (although that's here too), showing a lot of punched-up midpalate fruit and roasted meat with great acid and structure. To me, not as burgundian as the '08 but still delicious and well worth seeking out and following for the next 10 years or so.
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Popped and deposited on the counter for about an hour. It was an interesting little experiment to drink this next to the 09 No Girls grenache. Alternating sniffs and sips. They were freakinshly similar in every way except the GOK had a touch more funk in it's profile and the NG had a tad more fruit. Both were red fruit dominated with wild strawberry and cherry liqueur. More in the vein of Charvin, Donjon, and Pegau than the more ripe internationally styled types of grenache. Underbrush and umami evened out the fruit and this comparison left us better for it. 93 pts.
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Love the nose on this. Walla Walla Rocks funk, black cherry, raspberry, bloody meat, green olive, florals, smokey spices, hint of leather.
Palate shows much of the same, with fine tannins, but pretty sure this will smooth out even more with some time. Seems a bit out of balance at the end though, as the alcohol is pretty noticeable on the finish...a bit surprising as this is labeled at 14.3%, so not outrageous by any means.
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Color: Ruby with a near opaque core Smell: Typical Cayuse funk, sweet/ripe red fruits, olive, toasted oak, duck fat, and black tea Taste: A strong note of alcohol followed by mouth pricling acidity leads into flavors of blue and black fruits, clove, cinnamon, with lingering notes of black tea Overall: Excellent-Outstanding. The alcohol really shows in this wine for me right now. I can see that it's well made...but the alcohol is just too obvious to move this wine into a range that I think is worthy of the price Cayuse commands.
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I was very happy with this one. Young, but full of life and complexity. Nice dark fruit, mineral, smoked meat and almost petrol nose and a palate awash with fruit and a myriad of other flavors, such as tea and herbs. Simply a lot going on. Well balanced, nice finish.
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It smells like a barn at first, with hay, horse sweat, and rich earthy soil. Then, the aromas broaden to include leather and raspberry. The wine is full, rich, and savory in the mouth. The wine gets better and better as it opens, and then, it's gone.
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Bachelor Party Dinner at RPM with Brad, Drew and Ed (RPM Italian Chicago): Man, this is what I absolutely adore about Washington Rhone varietals. So pungent, so much going on in the aromatics. Funky, perfume of sulfur, earth, animal fat and loads of bacon grease. Blood steak, bright but complex berries, pomegranate, and loads of pink rose petals. The palate is long and completely in balance. Such a unique styling, this Cayuse can be called blind in a heartbeat. Really awesome. Consistently a fantastic bottling. Cannot recommend more for those who like this style of Grenache.
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First Cayuse grenache. This was a lighter in colour than expected, but should have expected that from the grenache. This is a medium bodied and medium intensity wine. Lots of raspberry and red cherry fruit on the nose and palate, a little meaty, sweaty on the nose, but very restrained. On the palate, it is pretty smooth, mild tannins and sweet balanced acidity. Drinking very well.
On a pure WA rating scale this would probably merit an 89. In the WA this would probably be a 95. I agree with most of the posters on CT and would rate this 91/92. There is not enough interest to warrant a higher score. I think this would stand up well to most CndP - but would be outscored by the better ones. Not very good value for the price.
Revisit 2 days later: rest of bottle - stored in fridge and let come to room temp - actually much better, seems to have gained weight and some colour, nose is more pronounced, more game, more meat, raspberry cordial. More rounded, seemed sweeter and more grenache like with a long finish. Definite upgrade from 92 to 93 or with more time 94. Moral of this story - longer decanting - or more time - is needed with these young Cayuse wines.
nose - funky, barnyard, sweet horse manure, perfumed, a wow nose, my first impression was 'cayuse' mouth - plum, plum skins, root beer, soy sauce, savory more than sweet, overall very cayuse in profile, per duane 'unlike anything i've ever had'
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Incredibly intense and focused, very complex... in contrast to the 2008 which was more broad and lush. This was like a laser beam of super dark cherry/blackberry with some green notes (in a good way)... an amazing wine... loved this.
Notes from day 2. Dark purple in color. Nose of red raspberry, funk, ashes, olives. Palate of red raspberry, pomegranite, funk, ashes, green olives, a little tar. The finish was long in length, really nice mouthfeel. Overall the wine was really good, only knock was the lower acidity due to the warm vintage. Still very enjoyable and if you like the house style you'll like the wine. Hold or Drink: 50+5+13+18+7 4
Popped and decanted for 2-3 hours, touch of sediment. Medium-plus bright ruby, subtle haze. Pronounced Cayuse "funk" immediately upon decanting, with wet dog fur, skunk cabbage, smoked peppercorns, cigar butt, and a myriad of other feral aromas. With air, the funk never truly abates but one is eventually able to discern subtle raspberry fruit along with a good dose of iron-laden minerals. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, the fruit certainly rings true as new world Grenache, with sweet kirsch and red raspberry flavors nicely complimented by subtle oak. At present, this wine is all about the extreme smooth, almost silky mouthfeel it possesses, with tannins nearly non-existent on the moderate close. Quite youthful, this needs at least 2-3 years before opening. Good material, but the "funk" can be divisive with those who are not familiar with the house style, some may perhaps view this as flawed.
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2nd bottle opened several weeks after delivery from the winery. Bottle was horribly corked. Took it to 2 local wine merchants and the reactions were classic....7 professionals smelled it and 2 tasted it. Hope I never have to experience that again!!! Sipping on an '08 Armada to redeem myself and it has worked.
HdR 2012 - The Return of the Bionic Frog (Paso Robles, CA): Aged in neutral puncheons from Cote Rotie. About 14.5% ABV. Translucent dark garnet in the glass with a hint of tawny. Feminine, rather Burgundian cherry and earth nose. Ripe cherry fruit tinged with an earthy mineral/iron note.
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Release weekend barrel sample: Bright and energetic on the nose and palate. Lots of licorice, raspberry, strawberry, green herbs, and pepper. One of the standouts of the tasting. Looking forward to this one.
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Pacific Northwest Tasting Trip, Day 4; 4/4/2012-4/12/2012 (Milton-Freewater, OR & Walla Walla, WA, and Waitsburg, WA): Notes from the Open House tasting with Baron. Nose of red raspberry, green olives, funk, minerals. Palate of red raspberry, pomegranite, ash, green olive, minerals, pepper. Finish was above average in length and there was great acidity present. Retasted this because the first pour was small and was glad I did as the second time around this seemed to really shine on the nose much more than the 1st time.
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Incredible and complex nose that you find in many Cayuse wines. Fruit, earth, brush, a bit of funkiness and all but not in an unpleasant way. Much lighter bodied than I expected and rather deft on the palate. Still it seems like it may have some fleshing out to do mid palate wise, so I would recommend some short term cellaring at least. That said its certainly approachable now and was enjoyable with a recent dinner at restaurant August.
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2/24/2024 - BradleyL wrote:
On opening the second bottle of this (only a few months apart), I have to agree with other members that there seems to be some type of bottle variation even within the same three pack. The second bottle we opened required significantly more decanting time for the Cayuse funk to blow off, but relative to the first bottle presented a lot more menthol and medicinal notes. I had almost thought it was corked given how different it was from the first bottle, but glad I revisited it several hours later instead of giving up. After enough air it was still wonderful and I think the "funkiness" of this pairs brilliantly with dry aged beef. If you are a WineBeserker, this is fantastic with some dry aged Flannery ribeye.
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2/21/2024 - rogerr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Holding up nicely, has years left but not sure it will improve. Baked strawberry, a bit of leather, other red fruits. A bit of soap. Nice mid palate and a pretty good finish. Somewhat disappointing at the price paid.
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12/13/2023 - BradleyL Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is still drinking fantastic now - it does indeed have the signature Cayuse medicinal "funk" which may detract for some but I thought it was a wonderful addition that would otherwise be a dead ringer for a CDP (in a good way). It was also relatively lighter bodied compared to other Rhone varietals we tasted it side by side by, which was also great.
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5/30/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Like the other reviewers I had high expectations for this wine. It was very good and enjoyable in that complex cayuse way—very dense and initially more savory than fruity. After about an hour the cayuse funk blew off and the fruit became more prominent. Dried plums, Chinese herbs. Good acidity gave it a juicy sensation on the mid-palate and a long finish with a hint of bitterness. Much more open on day 2 with the fruit taking the predominant position vs the herbs and savory elements.
So as I said, this was very good. But I am not sure I could have picked it from another cayuse wine. The Cayuse signature overrode the Grenache for me. The No Girls Grenache remains more true to its varietal correctness than this wine.
This was fun to open but not a repeat purchase for me.
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12/12/2021 - wjochim Does not like this wine: 85 Points
This was my first GOKs and I found it very disappointing. As others have noted, there is a strange medicinal cherry pit taste that is off putting. We went to a bottle of something else then came back to this a couple hours later and still didn't like it.
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5/23/2021 - Winning_Wines Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was fortunate enough to have a second opportunity to taste this wine, after my first bottle seemed "off." I am so happy I was given this chance to re-taste, as this was truly delightful. This revealed a beautiful pale purple color with no signs of age. Delightfully fresh, it shows loads of savory peppered smoked meats, sweet stewed strawberries, crushed stones, tea and an elevating sense of salinity. The mouthfeel is surreal and balanced, which continues to keep me coming back for more. Truly fantastic.
Cheers Christophe!
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5/15/2021 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow! Last bottle of this beautiful wine. If you are a fan of concentrated flavors this is for you. Dark fruit, licorice, cassis. This wine is likely at peak.
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4/11/2021 - Winning_Wines Does not like this wine:
Not sure I can figure this one out. I really wanted to like it, but I just can’t. Strong medicinal cherry, raisin, prune, and strawberry. Good purple color, great mouth feel, but tastes old and worn. Shouldn’t be though :(
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3/17/2021 - lolo66 wrote:
Coravin pour - the medicinal taste is just too prevalent for me. I let it sit in glass for 2 hours. It does blow off, but the profile is an very intense cherry pit - kind of sweet but a strong bitternenss as well.
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1/1/2021 - jviz wrote: 91 Points
Medium translucent ruby with a little bricking at the rim. On the nose, rhubarb and red berry, slight funk. Medium bodied, still with some grip. It’s fresh, open, and red fruited, carrying a sense of place. The trouble with this and many other Cayuse wines is a bitter, pithy finish. I prefer the no girls grenache to this bottling
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12/31/2020 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Served blind, initially thought this was ripe CA Pinot, but eventually redirected to sanity. Nose is rather refined, floral, with dried, somewhat aged red fruits and mild spice notes. Some cedar wood. Palate is smooth, mostly integrated, liquor quality, and finishes with a distracting metallic note that's slightly bitter. I assume this character is from some unintegrated whole cluster. Overall it's a nice wine, but shows a rather ripe/warm profile and less complexity than expected for a wine of this pedigree/cost.
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10/15/2020 - chelidon Likes this wine: 97 Points
Double-magnum, #4 of 4. Opened for son's 21st birthday. Superb.
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10/8/2020 - gordoyflaca wrote:
Rambunctious teenager. Needs time to find its way.
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9/6/2020 - rfras wrote: flawed
This was the third bottle fro my original purchase , I thought the first bottle I tried was mediocre, perhaps it was drunk too young, the second bottle was excellent. This bottle was terrible. Very medicinal taste, no fruit and heat from the alcohol. Really disappointing.
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7/24/2020 - Been There wrote: 93 Points
Medium garnet, pale rim. Nose of iron, doused campfire, baking spices, a little violet floral. Would have guessed 15 to 20 years from nose. Not a fruity nose, but still enjoyable and complex.
Palate has noticeable acidity, but not out of balance. “Sappy“ mouthfeel. Now fruit comes forward, along with flavors from nose. Closer to an aged S or SW French blend than Grenache-based Rhone. Not heavy: medium-bodied but flavorful. No oxidation or negative signs of age, but replacement of many primary flavors by secondary/tertiary. Long aftertaste has a hint of sweetness. This bottle was only briefly decanted yet has minimum funk, which adds rather than detracts. Very Old World, enjoyable, distinctive.
Consumed at ~63°F; everything “amps up“ as it warms. I’d drink during the next three years, but should be OK longer.
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3/17/2020 - lolo66 wrote:
kind of aged beef smell going on along with candied cherry - like ludens cough drop cherry. The palate is sort of thin and I think this is past its prime, but will give it some more air and see what happens.
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3/2/2020 - tomlee wrote: 96 Points
Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, olive brine, grilled meats and flowers. Medium body with ample acidity. Plush, intense and concentrated. Great grip on the palate and mouth feel in general. Flavors of cherries, strawberries, smoke, umami and minerals. The finish is exceptionally long and silky with discernible tannins. GOK is often left out of the conversation when discussing the best of Cayuse but this bottle might have you thinking differently. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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2/16/2020 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Double decant, funky nose, as expected. Tannins completely integrated, smooth front to back.
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9/27/2019 - Ron Slye wrote: 88 Points
PnP. After an evening with this wine I think it is still young for my taste. Some nice bright fruits, but almost like one is sensing them through a thin film of cream. Some nice earth notes along with the fruit, but there is perhaps slightly less acid at the moment to lift the flavors. The last glass, down to the last drop, was starting to develop beautifully -- I just smelled the empty glass for a while. I do think this needs a bunch more time to integrate all of the flavors that at the moment seem a bit muffled. The last drop and smell were in the 90s.
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9/14/2019 - johnnyo wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic as always!
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7/25/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine:
Much better than I anticipated. Really up there with the better 90%+ CdP wines. Beautiful fruit, textures and not too hot.
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5/18/2019 - rogerr Likes this wine: 93 Points
In an interesting place. Has evolved for the better over the past 5 years. Still has lots of room for development but not sure where it's going.
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5/11/2019 - familydoc wrote: 93 Points
smoked, meat, nuts, bay leaf, leather, iron, bacon fat
liquor, mint, smoke, bay leaf, leather, bacon fat, turns to cranberry
I read that note and wonder if 93 is high enough, but it lacks a certain deliciousness that I would need for a higher score.
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3/23/2019 - FLI Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent. Fruit was tasty and no heavy heat.
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3/17/2019 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slight funk on the nose with lots of raspberry and a little leather and meat on the finish
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3/9/2019 - acyso wrote: 83 Points
"You only YOLO once" (Chicago, IL): Once upon a time, this was a really ripe and fleshy wine, with the fruit to stand up to the alcohol. Alas, this is a desiccating wine, with dried remnants of fruit and quite a bit of alcoholic heft. There are definitely some nice earthy elements here (perhaps the faded fruit has exposed them?), but this has seen better days.
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1/31/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
My first Cayuse. Definitely has a funk element, which subsided a bit after 20 min, and didn’t overpower the rest. Savory, with salt, and minerals. Raspberry and black currants. Licorice and spice (pepper?) round out a complex, but balanced wine. Long finish. I don’t drink a lot of Grenache, but I see how this rates even higher for lovers of the varietal.
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1/17/2019 - patwjr wrote: 91 Points
Pnp. Popping Cayuse funk at first, blew off somewhat after 20 min. Earthy rustic masked fruit, wine smoothed a bit with age, though still tannins, stems, a certain wilderness taste. Not sure if more fruit will emerge with time. Off bottle?
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10/6/2018 - Radboy wrote: 95 Points
Delicious and in peak form.
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5/12/2018 - ChrisinCowiche wrote: 95 Points
Quite sublime. Funk on nose is there but not overpowering, and wine is silky, complex, fruited, savory, saline, mineral.
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4/8/2018 - rfras Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was my second bottle from this vintage. I tried the first bottle in 2014 and found it uninteresting and lacking structure. However, the bottle just tasted was a vibrant Grenache with a deep red color with ample fruit flavors. I was quite surprised and almost wrote off the wine completely. Perhaps the first bottle was just flawed.
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3/3/2018 - Radboy wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic wine. Hitting all of the right spots right now.
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2/4/2018 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Last one of this vintage. As always, deep and ripe, and very interesting. Sweet pure nose, mainly raspberry and cherry with just a tinge of da funk. Funk is a hint of sweat and some leather. More on the palate, ripe with again red cherry and raspberry fruit, some leather and a sweaty, cheesy, ripe finish. Overall, an interesting and intellectual wine, lots of nuances and not much in-your -face fruit. Cannot imagine this getting much better, very good. Struggle between a 91/92 on this wine, but not any more. I've had too many spectacular, knock-your-socks-off wines from Cayuse, that this seems a little jaded and lacks some zip.
Follow up from two nights later: Similar on nose and palate, definitely gained some depth, but not much additional complexity. Very soft on the palate. Notes of meat and game on long finish, still 91 pts.
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1/13/2018 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Maroon in color. 14.3% ABV. Scrumptious nose of red fruits, bacon fat, iron and black tea. Medium body with ample acidity. Incredibly complex and powerful. Strawberries, raspberries, olive brine and herbs on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and silky. The pinnacle of Washington Grenache. Stunning wine that will age effortlessly for the next 6-8 years.
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12/30/2017 - Quiet Lion wrote: flawed
corked
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12/22/2017 - MLwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty Grenache that is ready to drink. Nicely balanced. Not terribly complex.
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12/21/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine is drinking beautifully. Pop and pour and it was delicious right from the start. Wine is a blackish ruby color. Nose of Raspberry, smoke and vanilla. On the palate licorice, blackberry, cassis, some smokey tannin and a bit of a peppery note on the medium finish. This is my second bottle of this and it is way better than a bottle I drank way back on 5/13. I would say this wine is in its prime drinking window but may show additional development. I will be in no rush to drink my last bottle.
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12/8/2017 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Cayuse funk alert! - Dropped into a decanter and consumed with spouse over 3 hours. Funky / gamey nose. On the palate game, iron, blood, black fruit. Great interesting bottle of wine.
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11/27/2017 - napasoutherner wrote: 90 Points
Rather Disappointing for a Cayuse wine. Lots of earth and muted spice. Dull on the tongue. Maybe I'm just not a Grenache guy..
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10/4/2017 - JMFWC Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a really good place now. Drunk over 6 hours, best for 1-4. Classic cayuse funk on the nose with a good amount of red fruit Palate is solid with excellent red fruit, funk, acid, and a good pepper to it. Finish is satisfying. Probably will develop a teensy bit more but drinking really well now.
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6/30/2017 - JeremyBernton wrote: 86 Points
Not my cup of tea. Salty with not much fruit or structure coming through. Maybe I had an off bottle.
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5/22/2017 - pjhr wrote: 91 Points
Not up to the previous bottles with some green vegetal notes and hint of metal aftertaste.
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4/27/2017 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar comments to a few years ago - great spot right now.
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12/27/2016 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic baron. Beat out by the 2009 armada Syrah the night before.
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12/12/2016 - FLI Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big nose and jolly rancher palate. A hedonistic powerhouse.
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12/10/2016 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Gave this about 4 hours slow ox. Drank alongside a 2006 Chateau des Tours Vacqueyras. This was slightly disappointing by comparison. On the nose, this showed typical Cayuse funk, with loads of ripe raspberry and some herbs. Aromatically, this was darker than the des Tours, which shows maybe a bit more sweet strawberry. On the palate, this wine is much richer in style, with some creaminess and great minerality, in contrast to the slightly one-dimensional flavor profile of the des Tours. Some slightly ashy tannin to finish. An excellent wine, but somehow the des Tours was still more compelling.
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11/19/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Wild, bloody, feral notes echo from the bouquet into the palate, which expands on the theme and which offers pervasive bass fruit notes and almost enough spicy freshness to keep this hanging in defiance of all probability for a wine of such amplitude. With its herbs, savory earth tones, and slick viscosity, this is an incredible and singular wine.
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10/14/2016 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
At my tasting of 12 Christophe Baron wines. Lighter color, partly transparent. Sweet strawberry-raspberry nose, a bit acetic, smoky, pronounced. Medium body, strawberry flavors, slight "bite" at the end. Long aftertaste. Fully mature, no need to age further.
Ric
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9/4/2016 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Killer grenache!
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8/18/2016 - benny wrote:
Bad bottle.
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8/10/2016 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 95 Points
A lot of complexity and character. Best Granache i've had outside of CdP, beating out SQN Raven from a few weeks ago.
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7/1/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully with similar notes to the previous bottle.
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6/19/2016 - Monaco wrote: 93 Points
"Feet soaked in hydrogen peroxide"
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6/10/2016 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Revisting my note from three years ago, I agree with most of what I wrote. This seemed more forward and did not take as much time to open up. In fact, the word I would use for this wine is "slutty". It is forward and fleshy with sweaty, meaty notes. Pretty typical Cayuse wine, tasty and well balanced and for sure with the funk!
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6/5/2016 - cadamson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Been a few years since my last one. I think it is reaching a plateau but still has many years to be full of life and complexity. Nice dark fruit, mineral, smoked meat and herbs. A lot going on, which seems to be a hallmark of Cayuse.
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5/10/2016 - benny wrote: 95 Points
Smooth and solid. This is a Grenache benchmark.
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5/5/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, berries and raspberries. Flavors of red raspberries, cherries and red plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold. Right now could use a little air before serving like break the neck and let it sit for a bit.
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12/15/2015 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Have a feeling this will be much better tomorrow, as the Band-Aid and heat fall off the nose. With a good rapid swirl, you can make out a nice bright raspberry note on the nose. Immediately on the palate, I am struck by how acidic this wine is. It is utterly distracting; and when combined with the heat on the back end, it makes for an unpleasant experience. Upon popping, I don't recall this having so many flaws, but at this point its hard to consider a good purchase at $75.
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11/21/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Q4 wine club - Rhone varietals that are not Syrah (The Apt): Wine #1: Drank as part of a blind tasting, but as this was one of the ones we provided I knew what it was. Standard Cayuse funk - stinky feet and bandaids and all of that stuff. Maybe maybe just a hint of fruit, but that is almost overwhelmed by the tobacco and meat and just overall funkiness. One of our other wines was the '09 No Girls and this just seemed a bit more complex and together to me. My favorite of the tasting.
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11/7/2015 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
2015 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/3/2015-11/9/2015 (Villa D’este, Lake Como): It smells a little bit like CDP or St Joseph but not quite. Expressive kinky nose displaying raspberry, blackberry, garrigue, leather, nutmeg, animal and earth. Really sensual mouthfeel, decadent red fruits, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. It is a unique wine that seems to not shutdown. Despite high alcohol, it is very food friendly wine. Really enjoyable.
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9/24/2015 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Very savory. Lots of umami and savory elements to start.
Fruit shows up after and hour +
Nice wine
Very different from most.
Nice change of pace but not a regular drink.
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9/19/2015 - skifree wrote: 95 Points
Loved this bottle. It had great complexity, and a lot of flavors to pull out of the glass both while sniffing and tasting. I had lots of wild berry, green olives, umami, minerals, some meat, maybe some funk. It was a big wine, but had no rough edges.
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9/2/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious berry, mineral, and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with wonderful complexity and texture culminating in a long finish.
Paired beautifully with wild boar sausage cassoulet.
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8/29/2015 - perlasteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious as usual. Drank at Port Townsend with cheese, fruit plate with Ronnie and Myrna. Fruit, more Cayuse funk than it usually has, medium-full body, balanced, medium finish.
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3/17/2015 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
A big wow wine tonight served with waggu corned beef. Amazing pairing.
Nose has the Cayuse funk, a combination of earthiness and dark brambly fruit that is very unique.
Palate is lite, full and mesmerizing with an amazing ability to coat the palate fully without seeming heavy. Wonderful depth and length.
Would buy again.
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3/14/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
A bunch of wines with Friends at NVW&C (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): This was different. I disliked my first sip and from there it just kept getting better and better. Kind of like watching fireworks that start slow and boring, but the finale is amazing. Darker in color than I would have expected for Grenache. That and the meatiness of the nose made me think this was Syrah until someone mentioned that it was Grenache. There is also some black pepper and lots of back raspberries. On the palate, it turns more to a Grenache profile but I would be surprised to hear that its 100% and without Sryah. Raspberries both black and red. Also and underlying charred wood quality. And also the peppery quality comes though. Still showing young with medium tannins. This is not a CdP look alike but a truly unique wine. Given its showing, I guess I would hold these for a bit longer.
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3/11/2015 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
1 hour decant.
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1/31/2015 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Lush, smooth, rich but not over-bearing fruit. Yummy
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1/9/2015 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 3 hours.
Really nice Grenache. Cayuse funk.
Strawberries raspberries with some nice earth just smooth and easy to drink.
Smells great, age has done its job here seems perfect now.
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1/2/2015 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2.
Dark purple in color.
Nose of raspberries, cherry, florals, ashes, funk.
Palate of red fruits, ashes, funk, olives, tea and hints of tar.
The finish was long in length with a nice mouthfeel.
Overall the wine is improving with age, really nice nose starting to show.
Hold: 50+5+13+17+8
4
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11/30/2014 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
Nose has just a hint of that Cayuse funk, the smoldering rubber, love that nose.
Flavor is pure Grenache, like Pinot all grown up, just packing the fruit, but not in a heavy way.
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9/9/2014 - rfras wrote: 90 Points
I not sure if we are seduced by the mystique of Cayuse. I found this interesting, but not worth the price. There is a lot of funk in the nose and even after decanting the aroma seems to linger. The the wine has a deep purple color with vibrant fruit, but probably needs some additional time to mellow out.
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7/25/2014 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Mostly Northern Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): I have only had a half dozen of Cayuse wines. It is neither Rhone nor Cali. Although highly concentrated and high in alcohol, the overall expression is cool and harmonious. Blue flowers, strawberries, blackberries, sweet spices and rare charred steak. Really polished palate, ripe yet fresh sweet fruit driven palate impression, nicely integrated tannins and good finish. There is a hint of bitter note at the end. Quite enjoyable and I can definitely drink more than a couple sips.
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7/21/2014 - millerarner wrote: 90 Points
Still not sure what to make of this. Our first cayuse & the wife nailed it blind as she new it would have a distinctive funk unlike anything else. Gave it plenty of air, then drank slowly over a long evening. Over time the funk gave way to lots of red fruit and a few secondary notes that defied specific definition. If was fun, interesting & unique, but was surprised by the lightness of body.
I once read that Cayuse tends to fare poorly when tasted side by side with another wine, so as an experiment we compared it to a Rioja opened & vac'd the night before. What once seemed interesting became dull in comparison to a wine that had seemed only above average the night before. Obviously not apples to apples, but the Cayuse made the Rioja more vibrant & expressive than it had been.
I can appreciate and enjoy this, but think it's overpriced for what it delivers.
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5/14/2014 - BVal wrote: 93 Points
Color: light/medium ruby -> diffuse light ruby rim. Bouquet developed positively over the course of 2 hours until reaching an apogee of Cayuse funk with strawberries, cherries, cassis, spanish olives, some roast beef and road tar. For palate, think Donjon with more funk than barnyard (although that's here too), showing a lot of punched-up midpalate fruit and roasted meat with great acid and structure. To me, not as burgundian as the '08 but still delicious and well worth seeking out and following for the next 10 years or so.
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5/2/2014 - Jimywags wrote: 93 Points
Popped and deposited on the counter for about an hour. It was an interesting little experiment to drink this next to the 09 No Girls grenache. Alternating sniffs and sips. They were freakinshly similar in every way except the GOK had a touch more funk in it's profile and the NG had a tad more fruit. Both were red fruit dominated with wild strawberry and cherry liqueur. More in the vein of Charvin, Donjon, and Pegau than the more ripe internationally styled types of grenache. Underbrush and umami evened out the fruit and this comparison left us better for it. 93 pts.
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3/19/2014 - lolo66 wrote:
too big. too bruising. the nose was lovely. but the flavors were just so concentrated. not my style.
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2/22/2014 - PVP2014 wrote: 90 Points
Lots of interesting funk on the nose but the flavor did not deliver to what I remember from previous vintages, a bit of a let down.
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12/28/2013 - rogerr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs time or a 6+ hr decant. Agree with other notes here.
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12/28/2013 - atilathehun wrote: 93 Points
Too much olive for me
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12/13/2013 - wineberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop 'n pour, followed over 6 hours.
Love the nose on this. Walla Walla Rocks funk, black cherry, raspberry, bloody meat, green olive, florals, smokey spices, hint of leather.
Palate shows much of the same, with fine tannins, but pretty sure this will smooth out even more with some time. Seems a bit out of balance at the end though, as the alcohol is pretty noticeable on the finish...a bit surprising as this is labeled at 14.3%, so not outrageous by any means.
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12/5/2013 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Color: Ruby with a near opaque core
Smell: Typical Cayuse funk, sweet/ripe red fruits, olive, toasted oak, duck fat, and black tea
Taste: A strong note of alcohol followed by mouth pricling acidity leads into flavors of blue and black fruits, clove, cinnamon, with lingering notes of black tea
Overall: Excellent-Outstanding. The alcohol really shows in this wine for me right now. I can see that it's well made...but the alcohol is just too obvious to move this wine into a range that I think is worthy of the price Cayuse commands.
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12/3/2013 - sterin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Notes of red fruit and funk! Extremely well balanced. Terrific, but the funk isn't quite my style. Drinking well for a young wine.
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11/25/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was very happy with this one. Young, but full of life and complexity. Nice dark fruit, mineral, smoked meat and almost petrol nose and a palate awash with fruit and a myriad of other flavors, such as tea and herbs. Simply a lot going on. Well balanced, nice finish.
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11/18/2013 - Bull Dog 21 wrote: 99 Points
WOW 1hr decant. Awesome stuff!!!
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10/27/2013 - jhieb Likes this wine: 96 Points
It smells like a barn at first, with hay, horse sweat, and rich earthy soil. Then, the aromas broaden to include leather and raspberry. The wine is full, rich, and savory in the mouth. The wine gets better and better as it opens, and then, it's gone.
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10/11/2013 - beezer6 wrote: 95 Points
Bachelor Party Dinner at RPM with Brad, Drew and Ed (RPM Italian Chicago): Man, this is what I absolutely adore about Washington Rhone varietals.
So pungent, so much going on in the aromatics. Funky, perfume of sulfur, earth, animal fat and loads of bacon grease.
Blood steak, bright but complex berries, pomegranate, and loads of pink rose petals.
The palate is long and completely in balance. Such a unique styling, this Cayuse can be called blind in a heartbeat. Really awesome. Consistently a fantastic bottling. Cannot recommend more for those who like this style of Grenache.
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9/1/2013 - thebonnydooner Likes this wine: 93 Points
First Cayuse grenache. This was a lighter in colour than expected, but should have expected that from the grenache. This is a medium bodied and medium intensity wine. Lots of raspberry and red cherry fruit on the nose and palate, a little meaty, sweaty on the nose, but very restrained. On the palate, it is pretty smooth, mild tannins and sweet balanced acidity. Drinking very well.
On a pure WA rating scale this would probably merit an 89. In the WA this would probably be a 95. I agree with most of the posters on CT and would rate this 91/92. There is not enough interest to warrant a higher score. I think this would stand up well to most CndP - but would be outscored by the better ones. Not very good value for the price.
Revisit 2 days later: rest of bottle - stored in fridge and let come to room temp - actually much better, seems to have gained weight and some colour, nose is more pronounced, more game, more meat, raspberry cordial. More rounded, seemed sweeter and more grenache like with a long finish. Definite upgrade from 92 to 93 or with more time 94. Moral of this story - longer decanting - or more time - is needed with these young Cayuse wines.
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8/29/2013 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
nose - funky, barnyard, sweet horse manure, perfumed, a wow nose, my first impression was 'cayuse'
mouth - plum, plum skins, root beer, soy sauce, savory more than sweet, overall very cayuse in profile, per duane 'unlike anything i've ever had'
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5/26/2013 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 94 Points
Incredibly intense and focused, very complex... in contrast to the 2008 which was more broad and lush. This was like a laser beam of super dark cherry/blackberry with some green notes (in a good way)... an amazing wine... loved this.
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4/13/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is pure SILK, amazing texture here. Real classic Grenache flavors, more new world but not overly extracted. Real good stuff!
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12/26/2012 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2.
Dark purple in color.
Nose of red raspberry, funk, ashes, olives.
Palate of red raspberry, pomegranite, funk, ashes, green olives, a little tar.
The finish was long in length, really nice mouthfeel.
Overall the wine was really good, only knock was the lower acidity due to the warm vintage.
Still very enjoyable and if you like the house style you'll like the wine.
Hold or Drink: 50+5+13+18+7
4
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12/23/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and decanted for 2-3 hours, touch of sediment. Medium-plus bright ruby, subtle haze. Pronounced Cayuse "funk" immediately upon decanting, with wet dog fur, skunk cabbage, smoked peppercorns, cigar butt, and a myriad of other feral aromas. With air, the funk never truly abates but one is eventually able to discern subtle raspberry fruit along with a good dose of iron-laden minerals. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, the fruit certainly rings true as new world Grenache, with sweet kirsch and red raspberry flavors nicely complimented by subtle oak. At present, this wine is all about the extreme smooth, almost silky mouthfeel it possesses, with tannins nearly non-existent on the moderate close. Quite youthful, this needs at least 2-3 years before opening.
Good material, but the "funk" can be divisive with those who are not familiar with the house style, some may perhaps view this as flawed.
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12/19/2012 - gbbwino wrote:
2nd bottle opened several weeks after delivery from the winery. Bottle was horribly corked. Took it to 2 local wine merchants and the reactions were classic....7 professionals smelled it and 2 tasted it. Hope I never have to experience that again!!! Sipping on an '08 Armada to redeem myself and it has worked.
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12/11/2012 - pakabear wrote: 93 Points
Rich flavors, good complexity but needs some time.
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4/27/2012 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
HdR 2012 - The Return of the Bionic Frog (Paso Robles, CA): Aged in neutral puncheons from Cote Rotie. About 14.5% ABV. Translucent dark garnet in the glass with a hint of tawny. Feminine, rather Burgundian cherry and earth nose. Ripe cherry fruit tinged with an earthy mineral/iron note.
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4/11/2012 - Vinsant wrote:
Release weekend barrel sample: Bright and energetic on the nose and palate. Lots of licorice, raspberry, strawberry, green herbs, and pepper. One of the standouts of the tasting. Looking forward to this one.
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4/7/2012 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Pacific Northwest Tasting Trip, Day 4; 4/4/2012-4/12/2012 (Milton-Freewater, OR & Walla Walla, WA, and Waitsburg, WA): Notes from the Open House tasting with Baron.
Nose of red raspberry, green olives, funk, minerals.
Palate of red raspberry, pomegranite, ash, green olive, minerals, pepper.
Finish was above average in length and there was great acidity present.
Retasted this because the first pour was small and was glad I did as the second time around this seemed to really shine on the nose much more than the 1st time.
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1/12/2012 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Incredible and complex nose that you find in many Cayuse wines. Fruit, earth, brush, a bit of funkiness and all but not in an unpleasant way. Much lighter bodied than I expected and rather deft on the palate. Still it seems like it may have some fleshing out to do mid palate wise, so I would recommend some short term cellaring at least. That said its certainly approachable now and was enjoyable with a recent dinner at restaurant August.
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