Great Southern Distillery

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2008

Rayas 08 exceeded my expectations — it was in great condition. We decanted it at 3 PM and started drinking at 7 PM. In the first phase, it showed sweet red fruit notes. In the second phase, herbal/vegetal notes emerged. In the third phase, a cooling mintiness appeared.

This bottle wasn't as explosively aromatic as the 07 I opened last time — that 07, after two hours of decanting, unleashed an incredibly rich and enchanting floral bouquet. It was like the scent of a garden transitioning from summer into autumn — grand and opulent, with a hint of fading beauty. Notes of black cherry, rose, and blood orange intertwined, and the aromas kept evolving over time — garrigue, incense — complex and alluring, with a grand structure and a rich, round palate.

The 08, on the other hand, feels more like a refined lady from a scholarly family — graceful, gentle, intellectual, with no aggressive edge.
— 5 days ago

Domaine Bois de Boursan

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2024

First white chateauneuf du pape I’ve had and it did not dissapoint. Another great Bar Bucce selection. Strong notes of lemon and pear, finishing taste of honey. Delicious. — 5 months ago

Clos Saint Jean

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2017

Vintage 2017 | great structure, spicyness and cherries in smell, velvet taste (after aeration) | paired with a tournedos at bistrot C — 7 months ago

Dave, Tom and 24 others liked this
Jan A

Jan A

Nice!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Sounds great!!
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Delicious

Famille Perrin

Réserve Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend

Great value wine — 3 years ago

Ted, Trixie and 2 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Pignan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache

Nothing like a Rayas - even number 2. Spices. energy. Great stuff — 4 years ago

Sarah ShauerCynthia LangstaffChris Langstaff
with Sarah, Cynthia and 1 other
Shay, ESF and 1 other liked this

Famille Perrin

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Beast of a wine, wait another 5 years. Chemical nose, disappearing after 10 minutes in glas, softness if the Mourvèdre, great wine in a not so great vintage. — 6 years ago

Rob and Peter liked this

Château de Trinquevedel

Tavel Grenache Rosé 2024

A classic! Got to love the color on Trinquevedel. Candied apple, watermelon. Great wine, friendly price. — a month ago

E. Guigal

Côtes du Rhône White Rhone Blend

Really enjoyed. Great value — 5 months ago

La Vieille Ferme (Perrin & Fils)

La Vieille Ferme Rosé Blend 2024

Pale salmon color. Aromas of cherry, strawberries and rose petals. Bright red fruit on the palate and a hint of minerals- great value! — 7 months ago

Ed, Doug and 7 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Neil Valenzuela, I love La Vielle Ferme wines, been drinking them since the early 1980s when they were $2.99/4.99. Hard to drink 1st growth Bordeaux 5-6 nights per week like @Dave, which I realize saying it out loud sounds like pure jealousy on my part!! 🤔🤷
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

Gotta have variety! Cheers @Doug Powers !

Château de Beaucastel

Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne 2007

Dayum… this is good.
Intense and fresh, quite Burgundian. No signs of oxidation, this is all about luscious tropical fruit, soft spices, warm pastry, vanilla, smoky minerality.
In a great spot now and an impressive showing!
— 10 months ago

Ira, Lisanne and 10 others liked this

E. Guigal

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Great birthday wine from the pod — would buy again! Nice balance — 4 years ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2004

Stunning nose of brambly dark red fruit and black tea. Bacon fat and scorched clay on the entry followed by a broad beam of melted tannins and fig, iron, Provençal spices and lavender. 45+ second finish. Outstanding, another great bottle though now at its apogee (but likely to stick around and turn to burgundy over time). — 5 years ago

Tom, Severn and 31 others liked this
Ira Schwartz

Ira Schwartz Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@LM Segal “ Turn to Burgundy” spot on.

Corra

Tail Feathers Rogue Valley Viognier Muscat Riesling 2017

Thanksgiving wine number 1. Sick and tired of waiting for people to show, And a great beverage in the glass while decanting the Cimarossa. Tart lemongrass, medium bodied white wine on the nose and start of the palate. Favorite of the group, as this one might have survived about 15 minutes, forcing me to open up the Hattingley a bit earlier than expected. Good acidity on this wine from start to finish. Sharp and crisp. Really enjoying these. — 8 years ago

James, Ryan and 16 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

You did some work today with the amount of wine opened! And agreed on the Tail Feathers...so good.
Mark Flesher

Mark Flesher

@Shay A I picked out a case, but really only expected to open three or four bottles.... but really was not sure. It was a thirsty group today and everyone was curious for the next and the next Etc! Only 1 novice who I think was really turned on to the world of wine today. He was coming up with some very amazing descriptors. The lightbulb was going off and I think the bug bit!

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1988

Super clean and still quite youthful, this is a GREAT example of a 1980s CdP from a vintage of little surmaturite, so awesome balance and perfect acidity suggests this vintage will easily last another 5-10 years!! — a month ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Scott@Mister, Tom and 5 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

What a triumvirate of CDPs!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, another example of a great bottle outperforming critical reviews — of the 3 CdPs, the ratings given years ago would have been higher for the ‘89 Beau and ‘90 Pegau!!

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Marc S
9.4

Smooth pleasant full tasting CNdP. Granberries, cocoa and ripe strawberries intertwined with almond bitter at the end; great wine! — 6 months ago

Remco liked this

Frankland Estate

Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling 2014

Notes of mandarin on both nose and palate. Not a skerrick of TDN - clean and pure. Almost off dry in the light to medium bodied palate with peachy notes developing. Tastes a lot younger than 11 years. One of the most isolated vineyards in the remote terroir of Frankland River. The wine is aptly named as “Isolation Ridge”. — 7 months ago

Ira, Somm and 20 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Love Frankland Estate, it was consistently imported to the U.S. back in the 1990s, then disappeared. We visited in late 2023, and found out the generation now running it had some connection to UC Davis (we live on the outskirts of Davis), but it’s still a tough find here in Northern California. But DEFINITELY remote!!

Domaine de la Janasse

Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2014

Very elegant and refined. Showing a little age in a great way. — 4 years ago

Peter, Alex and 5 others liked this

Domaine Charvin

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2006

Tawny color, mostly opaque. Herbal nose. In contrast to the Roty red burg which is rich and silky, this is more angular and herbal – pairing well with food. Notes of red briary fruit, herbs de provence, dusty earth and some tobacco leaf. Great balance in the mouth with a great mix of fruit, acidity, structure and softened tannin. In a good spot right now. — 5 years ago

Martin, Paul and 12 others liked this

M. Chapoutier

La Bernardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2014

John J
9.0

Good cdp, this 2014 is a lighter cuvee, others commented it is burgundian in style and I agree.
Nice raspberry palate, minerality with harmonized garrigue, good tannins. Great complement to food, it's a better wine with food. The garrigue blew off day 2-3 which I miss. A PNP is OK with this wine.
— 8 years ago