2019 Allbaer Grenache Le Retour

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 94.4 points

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  12/10/2021 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 93 Points

  I'm going to piggy back on Cristal's notes and just add that I like the Allbaer wine at PNP over the TR Plum Orchard. I'm saving a half bottle of Allbaer to see how it develops over extended period of time. If it transforms like Plum Orchard it will be interesting to see which direction it heads in.
  
  93+ PNP
  
  24 Hours slow ox in the bottle/cellar temp. Slight uptick in blue fruits and plum. Also, the presence of medicinal liquorice on the finish. After 24 I'm thinking I liked this more at PNP.
  
  92 Holding to resample after 48.

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  11/11/2021 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Just started buying these AB wines and really enjoyed the 2018 PS I had a few months back. Jeb, the guy who gives Welch's grape juice a 95, handed this wine a 90. Based on that alone, I would think this is basically sewer water. Yet on CT here, I see a great score and a good following. So I figured something had to give. I decided to have it blind next to the 2019 Turtle Rock Plum Orchard, since that is 87% grenache, received a 97 from Jeb and I know it's pretty good. I figured that would negate any bias.
  
  This was initially a coravin pour when blinded, but later I opened it and had at dinner. The aromas here have a bit of creme de cassis and blackberry, which set it apart from the TR. It also displayed traditional grenache notes of rose petals, red fruit and some spice box. Starts out really nicely on the palate, with excellent texture and a big burst of blue and red fruit. As it transitions to the mid palate, it starts losing that luxurious feel, overall concentration and body, becoming more sharp and acidic. That general trend continues through to the finish. It may put on some weight over time, since this is obviously young, but next to the TR it's clear why it isn't quite at that level yet. This is somewhere between a traditional bold Paso style and a wine like L'Aventure. It seems caught in the middle a bit, and I am sure it will evolve as the the vintages progress. Still definitely enjoyable.

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  9/29/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine: 99 Points

  This Grenache blew me away. I mean, it was just absolutely incredible. I drank this awhile ago and don't have any notes on me anymore but since it is releasing soon I figured I'd post a short review. This honestly sits in the 99-100 range for me, but I will score it 99+ since I drank it a few months ago and don't know its exact state right now. I think it may have been the best Grenache I've ever had, yet. This was dark and brooding, but still retained the sexy brighter notes that great Grenache tends to express, all in balance with its absolute beast of a core that holds this all together beautifully. This definitely needs air though to shine currently. A 2-3 hour (or more) decant to get all the flavors and aromas pumping will make your body happier. This is definitely going to last a while, if you can hide bottles from yourself, because its scarily drinkable now too if you like bigger wines. 99+

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