Doug Powers

9.1

So, initially I thought this was nowhere near the 1990 Marcoux CdP, and this is Côtes du Rhône (WHAT????), but for a 38 year old CdR, it’s pretty fine, zero tannins, definitely lower alcohol (label says 12.5% ABV, but I’m not buying it?!?!), but no noticeable ABV and smooth and suave, honestly, I attribute the great showing to the 1988 vintage!!? — 10 days ago

with Jim

Jeremiah Diaz

9.2

Clear, deep ruby to purple in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced intensity primary aromas of black currant jam, dried herbs, and plums; on the palate, it's dry with high acidity, high tannins, high alcohol, full body, and pronounced primary and secondary flavors of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, bkack olives, and clay pots with a long finish. This wine is complex and intense, but a little too bitter and tannic. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. Nellie didn't not like it with our food. — 14 days ago

with Nellie

Jay Kline

9.6

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core and some moderate rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of ripe and slightly dried black and blue fruits: dark brambles, plum, fig, purple flowers, leather ball glove, something spicy and green that has me debating between rotundone or pyrazines (but which?), rocky earth and fine baking warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. What a beautifully made wine.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties), Cabernet Franc, Merlot (blended with associated Bordeaux varieties) or Syrah from France, the US or Australia. This is older; probably 20+ years of age based on the secondary characteristics or dried fruit and old leather. While the fruit plays a starring role here, the alcohol seems almost modest so I can’t place this in Australia or the US. The problem I’m having, are there pyrazines or rotundone? I don’t get a lot of black pepper or animale, or olive for that matter…so I’m leaning towards this being Bordeaux. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with a blend of Bordeaux varieties, from France, Bordeaux, Pulliac, from a classified growth, 2004. Whoa!!! 2005 Clape?! What a treat! I feel like I should have nailed this wine. Alas…I still have to get better at differentiating between pyrazines and rotundone with age. Drink now with a decant, through 2045+ — a month ago

David Samples

10

Beyond beautiful! Immediately soft upon opening—had planned to decant for 4-6 hours but decided against. Open and had small taste with Maggie Harrison around noon. Decided to re-cork it and decanted at 4PM.
At noon I got (very unexpected) cranberry notes on the nose and the palate was considerably more gentle than expected.

After two hour decant: Soft (cat tongue), integrated tannins, pomegranate, black cherry begins to emerge. Herbs, smoky/meaty notes emerge


Tasted: 5.20.26
Attendees: Mark Cerimele, Maggie Harrison, Steve Pfancuff, Lorne McClelland, Andy McCray, Denise Casino, Randy Nelson — 3 months ago

Jamie Lauder

8.9

2024 vintage.
Grenache and Syrah blend.
Bright ruby colour.
Medium bodied, spicy, lively and juicy.
Plums, cherries, raspberries and currants with a woodsy, slightly earthy and a white pepper finish.
— 4 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Always a treat to drink this with notes of dark cherry, berry, meat, iron, spice, licorice, graphite, tobacco & violets. — 8 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Rich and full bodied. Nose of savoury black plums. So flavoursome - sumptuous, mouth filling and satisfying. One of the more enjoyable reds I’ve had of recent times. From the excellent 2016 vintage. This is the first of 2 bottles. Next one towards the end of 2027 or early 2028. — 21 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Beautiful, whip-smart Northern Rhône Syrah with blackberry, violets, granite and, after air, a gorgeous olive note running through both the nose and palate. The texture is sleek and refined, with excellent freshness, fine tannins and a long, elegant finish. Not quite as complete or tightly composed as the monumental 2019, but still an exceptional Gonon and a brilliant expression of the vintage. — 22 days ago

K Brooks

9.0

Quite nice with Shawarma chicken and with roasted leg of lamb. — 23 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Black fruits galore with huge granitic expression. Super mineral, earthy and clean, with major concentration and real freshness. So alive and energetic, the fruit has incredible vigor. Has that classic ashy Cornas thing. From 6 different plots, with granite and some limestone. Fantastic. — 2 months ago

Shay A

9.5

94-95

This was one of the wines I served for my annual WWC hosting. All wines served blind.

93 syrah/ 7 viognier

The third syrah in my lineup was a wine I've enjoyed a few times over the last five years. Bangin' vintage and in a style I enjoy (syrah and vio). Purple-black in the glass, it offers up killer aromatics of rich, dark fruit, some baking spice, and smoked meat. Even with nearly four hours, this was a monster in structure with tannin that paired beautifully with an herb crusted lamb rack. Powerful on the palate with smoked berries, bacon, espresso, vanilla and a savory finish. Still on the upswing with lots of wonderful Cote-Rotie fireworks in store. Wish I had another! — 3 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.2

Clean fruit. Mixed peppercorn. Tasty old world Syrah. — 3 months ago

Harvey Raben

9.6

Still strong with bramble fruit herbal characteristics that flow into a long finish. For a 43 year old this is spectacular example of Syrah in the northern Rhône. Complexity without off flavors from aging. — 4 months ago

Jan A

9.0

A slight hint of corck or other flaw. May improve with air like the other bottle out of the same cellar we tasted two years ago. Edit: didn't improve much after two hours in the decanter. — 15 days ago

Conrad Green

9.6

Meat, deep herby fruit, iron and intense purity. Great structure, intensity and complexity. A feral, savory and engaging wine. Fantastic stuff. Still young — 10 days ago

with David

Dawn E.

9.1

Very nice Rosè! Crisp refreshing , strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, cherry, flint, long seaspray finish, fantastic QPR!
Somehow, it reminds me of the old Nesbitt's strawberry soda! Thanks @John Howard — a month ago

Stephen Mathews

9.8

Happy birthday to my favorite mother in law! — 23 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

vintage 2015 | spicy, pepper, morelcherries, strict, good acidity — 2 months ago

Maggie Harrison

9.7

2022, figgy, plum with undertones of bacon at first open. very elegant and soft on palate. beautiful. about 4 hrs later- decanted. change? more mineral, tannins are showing more now than at opening. dried fig, meaty. bolder fruit on back end of palate thru the finish. iron on finish. drinking great but more time would certainly be better. — 3 months ago

romo

9.4

Anti-roast, all tart cherry and white pepper, gentle tannin, faint horse hair. Wow. — 4 months ago