Medium ruby garnet , garnet rim . This has a spiced , slightly smoky red cherry , raspberry and rose notes , elegant and perfumed. On the palate this is very refined , with sweet red fruits , raspberry , cherry , light touches of sous bois , velvety tannins and bright acidity . Good density and excellent balance , good saline , mineral edged length . This is really open and aromatic , velvety , and so well balanced ,a model of elegance and purity . This just got better and better with more time in the glass . Drinking well now , though still very fruit forward not showing a lot of development, and I would imagine it will continue well over the next 10 years . — 2 days ago
Quite light straw . Very complex and taut on the nose , with crushed shells , touch of honied citrus fruits , gun flint , green apple , camomile . On the palate this is very mineral and intense with chalk dust and citrus , apple peel , really long and mineral . Good volume but really excellent balance . Perfect fresh acidity, and saline mineral intensity on the finish . Really young still but so good at the moment , though will continue on like this , probably improving for a further decade at least . Restaurant Drouant , Paris . — 3 days ago
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 — 16 days ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.
Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.
Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.
Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.
A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$110. — 8 days ago
Very light salmon in color.
Strong nose of limes, grapefruits, light red fruits, citrus, green apples, earth and minerals.
Medium bodied with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.
Dry on the palate with light strawberries, limes, grapefruits, bitter herbs and earth.
Tangy finish with limes and light earth.
This is a refreshing Rosé from Bandol. Well balanced and easy drinking. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
Still young, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, but already starting to drink very nicely.
Good by itself or with food.
91 points.
$50. — 16 hours ago
Thijs Hendriks
Base year of the blend: 2021.
Disgorgement date: 2024-01-19.
OF No: L01E2102 — 3 days ago