Zach D

9.1

Pours a deep purple with ruby rim. Aromas of dark fruit (blackberry, blueberry), brambles, hint of vanilla as well as cola, Italian herbs as well. On the palate black fruit, chocolate, good acidity, supple tannins; good intensity, long finish; alcohol is definitely on the high end. It’s a big wine for what I usually drink. I think it’s a very good example of barbera. A gift from a friend. — 16 days ago

Jeffrey Howell

9.3

Beautiful blend — 3 months ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

So consistent, this "pillow" rose is light on its feet and finely elegant, though the flavors cut deep...that is the magic of these rose. — 4 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.2

This was really funky on opening and then blew some of that off to have a brawny wine with good fruit and tannin. Some earth and herbs. Dark fruits. Really liked it. — 2 days ago

Brendan Baker

9.6

Exuberant, floral nose, red and black fruits, medium bodied with silky resolved tannins, some meat and olive brine, layered and powerful. Spectacular showing 🤩 — 15 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days and frankly, this was spectacular throughout. The 2020 pours a deep, ruby-purple with an opaque core and a magenta rim; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine smells like walking into a European delicatessen; developing with notes of mostly ripe and some tart, black, red and blue fruits. There’s mixed brambles, fig, blueberry, lavender, black pepper, olive brine, a melange of cool and warm baking spices and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. It’s been a couple of years since I last enjoyed this vintage of Graillot and it remains absolutely brilliant. Drink now through 2040. — 3 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Open, expressive showing a perfumed nose of dark fruits, meat, graphite, olive, licorice, spice box, crushed rock & violet — 2 days ago

Jeffrey Woo

9.1

Medium ruby hue. Aromatic bouquet of red fruits with a matching palate. Plush and elegant. Well worth cellaring. A solid example of Grenache-dominant Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. — a month ago

Mark Mannebach

9.3

Upfront cherry & cranberry with more earth tones and minerality & wet stone through the finish. Soft red wine but very pleasant — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a brilliant, deep ruby color with a transparent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a heady perfume of mostly ripe and some tart fruit: mixed brambles, black cherry, purple flowers (lavender?), animale, some pepper, a touch of olive, a touch of leather, some green herbs, fine warm spices and rocky earth. I believe this has seen oak and it’s beautifully balanced and smells expensive. 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 and the texture is grippy. This is delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Gamay, a Grenache-based blend or possibly Syrah; from Italy, or France. Immediately after I was presented the glass, I liked this being Sangiovese, however, there was too much new French oak for me to feel comfortable. Besides, the florals were too purple to be Sangiovese anyway (never mind Grenache or Pinot Noir). Then there were the non-fruits: it could be justified by whole cluster Pinot or Gamay…or was this a really impressive Syrah? This wine seemed familiar to me. This could be Chave. I did think this had some age based on color and rim variation. Final conclusion: I’m calling this Syrah, from France, from Northern Rhône, Hermitage, with 20+ years of age, from a decent vintage like 2004. And for the hell if it, I called producer: Jean-Louis Chave. Boom. Bottle No. 3981 — 4 months ago