"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, chocolates, toast, licorice, spices, earth, tobacco and herbs.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Bordeaux. Rich and extracted. Nicely balanced and complex.

This 16 year old is starting to drink at its peak now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Wine Advocate 96 points. Wine Spectator 96 points.

I've had the 2012 a few years ago, but this 2010 vintage is showing so much better.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.

A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 17 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$180. — 19 hours ago

Scott Soren

9.8

Big bouquet on the nose. Luscious mouth feel enveloping all the senses.dark cherry with a hint of molasses. The wine lingered on the throat for 45 seconds. Absolute over performer.  — 8 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.4

2016 vintage. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. Like many wines from this excellent vintage, starting to close a little bit. Everything is there, but will need a bit of patience to fully shine. — a year ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Light golden in color.

Nose of citrus, limes, green apples, light yeast, minerals, spices, herbs and earth.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity, and small bubbles.

Dry on the palate with ripe lemons, apples, limes, brioche, spices, earth, apricots and light forest floor.

Nice length on the finish with limes and spices.

What a delicious 15 year old Vintage Champagne. Nicely balanced and elegant. Still showing lots of fruits.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 30 minutes of airtime.

A blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. Unfiltered.

12% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$125. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

70% Merlot & 30% Cabernet Franc. Decanted 2 hours and enjoyed over the next 2 plus hours. Cork near new.

I have waited patiently nearly 20 yrs to enjoy this 2005. While it is delicious tonight, it still has not hit its precipice. Might be another 8-10 yrs for that.

This is the second wine of Chateau Ausone. If you are not familiar with this producer, if they redid the 1855 Classification, their first wine would most certainly be a first growth and at the very least a second growth.

I remember reading the first/original review of the 2005 Ausone from Robert Parker. It read, “if you are over the age of 55, you have to decide whether or not to buy this wine.” It went on to a glorious 💯 point review. However, that original review was taken down some months into it. Was it taken down at the behest of Chateau Ausone? The review was reworded to take out the over 55 age & anticipated drinking window of 2040-2080. Most of Chateau Ausone buyers are older, higher income. Would that drinking window prevent them from purchasing it as Chateau Ausone is not an inexpensive bottle price? Not for the younger incomes. Question for the ages but it inspired me to buy three bottles of their 05 Chapelle d’ Ausone.

About a yr ago, I had their 02 Chapelle d’ Ausone. Strangely, that night it showed better than this 05 tonight. The 02 vintage was not a lauded vintage. Yet on that night, the perfect time to open it. This 05 needs more cellaring time and will ultimately be a better wine in another 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows; beautiful, ripe, somewhat floral fruits that are; dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, sweet blueberries and raspberry notes. Mid berry cola. steeped fruit tea, gently baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & beautiful vanillin, soft pepper, mix of dry & fresh herbs, tobacco, leather, graphite, volcanic ash, moist clays, limestone, amazing dark & red florals set is violets.

Medium plus resolved, powdery tannins. The palate glides with freshness and ripe, floral, juicy fruits that are; dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, sweet blueberries and raspberry notes. There is no bite or a stringency, Mid berry cola, steeped fruit tea, gentle baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & beautiful vanillin, soft pepper, mix of dry & fresh herbs, excellent mid, dark spices w/ some palate heat, anise, dark chocolate baking bar, coco powder, tobacco, leather, graphite,, limestone/sandstone, dry crushed rocks, grey volcanic ash, rich, sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, moist clays, limestone, soft cedar to sandalwood, amazing dark & red florals set is liquid violets, amazing rainfall acidity, still has firm structure/tension, well balanced, great length and a finish that is w/o end and long sets on dark, dry tannins, heated, dark spice florals, earth and tarriness.

Add two points in 7-10 yrs. I look forward to my next bottle then.

Photos of; Chateau Ausone and owner-Alain Vauthier. That short rootstock featured center is around 25+ yrs old. — a month ago

Kenneth

9.2

Deep ruby, 14.5% , bold, strong tannic, intense structure, black fruit, , not jammy, oak, tobacco, leather, vanilla, long finish, very good wine, bought $55 — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

From makers of Sassicaia, Deep Ruby color with aromas of fresh red & black fruits and earthy floral notes, 55% Cab Sauv, 27% Merlot & 18% Cab Franc. On the palate flavors of cherry, plum & blackberry with floral, licorice, cacao and earthy notes, well integrated. Fine tannins, a wine with a solid structure, elegant and smooth, long finish, great mouth feel ending with fruit and oak. Will age well over next 5+ years. Nice! — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby color with aromas of red and black fruits with tobacco and spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with smoky tobacco, black pepper and herb notes. Medium+ finish, fine tannins, ending
Fruit, spice and spice. — 5 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Beautiful nose of black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, light toast, Mediterranean spices, wet leaves, chocolates, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs and forest floor.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, blueberries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black pepper, light vegetables, black tea and pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 21 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Saint Estephe is drinking beautifully now.

Still showing enough fruits with lots of chocolate and earth notes. Elegant and rich. Subdued, but interesting.

What are great surprise. I did not think this would drink so nicely at this point.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime, when tannins show up.

Showing good structure and balance. Complex on the palate and the nose.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and paired very nicely with French cheeses.

A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot with 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$50. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Mid to dark Ruby in colour. Black and Red fruits - aromatics of blackberry, note of raspberry, earthy and sandy notes. A medium to full bodied palate - rich and enduring. Costers de Vinyes Vielles comes from the company’s oldest vines. A blend of 110 year old Carinena (55%) and 90 year old Garnacha (45%). Aged for 16 months in French oak. One of the 1001 Wines. 14.5% ABV. Love Priorat wines after our visit in 2022. — 2 years ago