2005 Château de Coulaine Chinon Les Picasses

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 91.2 points

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  11/12/2023 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Mouth-watering aromas of candied strawberry and dark cherry, with a little Gruaud funk and spices, before an immediately arresting attack of the same. Mid-palate, it settles down somewhat, with silky notes of blackcurrant, before a lifting wave of forest fruits, then a very long and satisfying finish, with just enough crispness to keep it on the straight and narrow.
  
  Two and a half years have done this a lot of good. The complexity I felt it lacked before is there in spades.
  
  Real Loire purists might bemoan that it doesn't taste much like a Chinon - there is certainly nothing remotely green. If anything, it's like a cross between a St.Julien and a Pomerol.
  
  I loved it, and for 24 euros, it represented extraordinary value. I see that there are still a couple of cases or so of this left in people's cellars - there is absolutely no hurry to drink it - I only have one left and will wait a good five years.
  
  One caveat - like Melvin, I had a very crumbly cork, so either a Durand or just a twin-blade corkscrew is a must.

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  10/20/2022 - melvinyeowq wrote: 90 Points

  Crumbly cork but wine was thankfully intact. A little brett but not too distracting, dark but cool red fruits with clear Cab Franc greenness. Agree with the previous note that said this is rich but not over the top. Got this for barely above release price, always a win to get aged wine for a song.

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  2/24/2021 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Very bretty on opening, but this disappeared after a few hours in the decanter. Quite rich, obviously since it's a 2005, but not at all OTT. What I liked was the seamless, silky body, very smooth and enveloping, combining nicely with a trademark Chinon freshness on the finish. The fruit is mostly forest fruits and dark cherry, with a hint of funk and spice. The only downside is the lack of complexity at this stage - it doesn't really go anywhere mid-palate.
  Anyway, this was my first Coulaine Picasses and it was very enjoyable - and at 24€ at auction recently, great value.

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  9/20/2020 - gordoyflaca Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Cab-franky, but good fruit

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  4/3/2018 - brooklynguy wrote:

  Didn't show as complete as the last bottle, or maybe it was the different circumstances. The wine is unmistakable a loire cab franc from a warm ripe vintage, and it is good wine. But it's not the style of wine that excites me, from this place - a bit blowsy and without the mineral cut that I love to experience in wines from Picasses in other vintages.

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