Akshay Venkitasubramanian

9.0

Great bottle with balanced acidity — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

The first of 12 and an annual purchase for me. Must be the best value red wine on the planet - $24 AUD per bottle. 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre. I don’t know what the annual production would be but it would have to be well over a million bottles. I love Phillipe Guigals philosophy in that he says the CDR is the most important wine they produce because it is the wine most people will first be introduced to the Estate. Fresh savoury red fruits with raspberry to the fore. Quaffable and smashable. — 2 years ago

Ashley Butler

9.1

Golden delicious, opulent, a nice hint of buttery essence. Platonic ideal of a Chardonnay. Drank in the virtual Petit Phillipe Lioco tasting on May 29, 2020 — 5 years ago

with Dean

Kevin Dale

9.2

Phillipe Melka directed wine. Partnership between Napa and Park City. Gem find on the menu compared to what other Napa wines were listed at. — 2 years ago

Jayna Fontenot

9.4

A little chocolate, a little cherry, happy-happy tannin. Currant, cherry, and almond in taste. Blend is mostly cab. Had this with meatballs at Crú, and love it. — 4 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.6

Phillipe Melka has now been sourcing from the ‘Paderewski Vineyard’ for several years. This wine is quite simply Paso Robles at its finest. Inky and deep once in the glass, this takes on chocolate cake tones alongside tar and black licorice with black olive tapenade tones rounding out this evocative nose. The palate is deep, intense and downright delicious. Not only quite massive, but the err of freshness with a light salinity imparted is really impressive. Deep dark currants and black cherry cordial mingle with coffee ground flavors on the palate. Utterly sensational in its youth, this has another fifteen years of life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2033- 96 — 4 years ago

Ashley Butler

9.0

Refined, bright, notes of pomegranate, cranberry and rhubarb. Spice and tannins. Drank in the virtual Petit Phillipe Lioco tasting on May 29, 2020 — 5 years ago

with Dean

John Malcolm

9.4

Beautiful garnet color. Smokey, musty, and earthy on the nose. Cedar, black raspberries, leather, and tobacco. Well integrated and not overpowering. Very satisfying finish. A real treat to drink a 40-year old wine that is so pleasing to smell, look at, and taste. — 2 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

When I lived in Houston in the aughts, I drank a few fragrant Cotes Du Rhônes from this estate, so I was eager to try their Giggie, even though I’ve grown tired of Southern Rhônes as the climate has warmed and Phillipe Cambie seemingly put a spell over the majority of producers. Well, this is a bit better than the typical blocky, heavy wines that seem increasingly prevalent there. It’s densely colored (of course), but the nose has a bit more elegance and nuance than the typical Gigondas estate these days, showing fresh dark berry fruit, really interesting almost chaparral-like garrigue/earth notes, warm stones, and meadowy wildflowers. In the mouth it’s dense, but a little lighter than the new norm thank goodness, with nice savory flavors and decent acids. Tannins are soft. It won’t make me forget Giggies from the early ‘80s, but it’s nice. — 4 years ago

Ashley Butler

9.2

Bold red blend. Jeff’s favorite of the night. Drank in the virtual Petit Phillipe Lioco tasting on May 29, 2020 — 5 years ago

with Dean