Garnet with orange rim and even a very slight amber hue. This bottle was stored under textbook conditions since release. From the start a lovely nose of dark fruits, raspberries, game, herbs, earthy notes. The tannins are still here of course and still a bit drying. During 5 hours from the opened bottle, there is nothing falling apart or so. So there are some years to go for perfect cellared examples, I guess. But there is nothing to gain, but a lot to loose. So keep an eye on the evolution of your bottles. My advice is to drink it up in the near term anyway. This was my last bottle. 5/14/18/8. -2025?
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Given the age of this wine the colour of it is astounding. Ruby with only slight orange hue at the rim. While the nose is not that intense, but complex with aromas of garrigue, cherries, dark fruits, on the palate it is a real knock out. Intense, but also fine, with additional hints of incense, dark cherry fruit und forest floor. The tannin is ripe, smooth and has low level and the wine has good length. The 14,6 % alc. are completely hidden. With time it even gains in intensity and gets additional notes of coffee and tobacco. I had this wine multiple times in the last 15 years, rating from 94 to 95, but this time it shows itself probably better than ever. Nevertheless I don't believe in a decade or more of positive evolution. Well stored examples should have a magical peak now. If you have multiple bottles in your cellar, try them and have a close look at the evolution over the next years. 5/13/19/8. 96 points from the WA (Jeb Dunnuck in 2016) -2023+?
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UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with garrigue and pleasant barnyard. On the palate ripe red fruits, some chocolate, beautiful acidity and pleasant sweetness. Completely dissolved tannin and integrated oak. A beautiful and lush wine still. Really lovely to taste this again! At its peak now and I wouldn't wait too long before drinking this wine if I had any bottles left.
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Casual evening at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind – Riper nose with white pepper and dark roasted fruits. Fairly extracted on the palate with more dark fruits and a little bit of heat creeping through on the finish. Tannins are firm and drying with average acidity. Drinking well now. Very good.
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Second bottle. Light medium red. Very nice nose of blackberries, earth, spice and some light red cherry. The nose darkens a bit and becomes riper as it sits in the bottle. Nice balanced flavours and a fairly resolved finish. Not the ripe monster other bottles have been.
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From memory: Absolutely stunning! Lovely mature bouquet with hints of ripe red berries, smoky herbs, leather, sweet tobacco and gentle oak spice. Silky smooth, dense and concentrated. Prime drinking at the moment, but will keep for several more years. Definitely on my top three list so far this year. Fortunately one bottle left.
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Beautiful and mature bouquet with red fruits and sweet spices like cinnamon. On the palate salty licorice, still some dark fruits, garrigue, good acidity and still firm tannin. The wine is completely ready now, but no problem to keep it until 2014.
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Colour starting to go brick red in the rim, but otherwise thick and oily. Nose and palate just amazing. Not the 95 points Parker made it to be, but definitely a great wine. Drink now.
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Very dark red. Even though this wine is so dark and the nose so huge it still shows Grenache in the nose. Roasted plums, black raspberry and some garrigues. Very tight dark fruit flavours. Quite extracted. Atypical Gigondas.
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Bill's Monthly Lunch - June 2012 (Vancouver, BC): Tasted Blind – Slightly warm on the nose with ripe, roasted and dark fruits dominate with traces of spice. In the mouth the fruit is extracted and showing some heat. There decent acidity along with drying and slightly firm tannins. This is an intense, extracted wine with a lush mouthful. This was quite good but I think others liked it more than I did. Very good.
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Dark purple-red. Huge grape-y nose, of very ripe fruit and strong garrigue, with added complexity of horsehair, damp paper mustiness, mushroom. Medium-high tannin, medium acidity. Combining an almost new world gooey fruitiness with some gamey flavor true to area and some winemaking mistakes of musty barrel notes as well, this is a big wine to consider. Finishes increasingly tannic as the evening progressed, which ultimately compromises use at the table within an hour with all but the biggest spices and foods. Perhaps useful with chili cook-off and bbq pitmaster event fare, but with any foods lacking adequate counterpunch to the structure and mustiness here, it's one tiring drink. Bottle #2 of two.
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12/11/2010 rated 97 points: From November 23,2004, over six years ago,
It is still opaque no sign of aging. The nose is unbelievable, it explode, so much of everything packed in here, Kalamata olive, lavender, cassis, blueberry jam, rosemary, fruit cake, balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate. The wine has unbelievable concentration yet not heavy due to great balance. It is very unctuous wine with sexy silky texture. The wine got sweeter and sweeter and denser and denser. It sort of has bit of Clape Cornas, La La and may I dare say 1961 La Chapelle in it. It really is close to perfection 100!. This wine was excellent from the beginning and it is improving exponentially. Great QPR at $32 with 20% case discount.
Now December 2010
It is still a dark wine. The fruit note is dark and dry, dry cherry and raisin, cassis, balsamic vinegar, cocoa, chocolate, molasses, wild flower, dry herbs, very dark liquor like a la Dom Benedictine of old Ximenez and vanilla perhaps coming from new oak. It still possesses excellent concentration like 10W40, noticeable acidity and silky palate. The high alcohol is not noticeable so Bob may be right about the integration of alcohol in the 07 CDPs. The wine’s garrique component resembles CDP for sure. The wine finishes with sandy tannin perhaps coming from the new oak treatment. It is a very complex dark sweet fruit driven wine.
I jot down a number of descriptors then subsequently check for my old TN. The resemblance is uncanny, perhaps a bit more complex, no longer showing primary fruits, silkier and one drawback noticeable tannin. It is a perfect match for roasted venison or any other games. Bob and Bob, I thank you for this one.
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Wow! This is great stuff! Complex and mature bouquet with dark fruit and well dosed oak and garrigue. Same on the palate. Full bodied, silky soft tannin. A completely harmonious and elegant wine. A real beauty now. Will not improve, but will probably stay on this level for years.
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Dark red. Jammy, roasted plum nose with a hint of green (garrigue?). Slight prune flavours with some earth and lots of length and concentration. Should keep improving for a while yet.
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Deep black color. Terrific nose that reminds me of an Amarone with its power. Massive and rich but despite 15% plus alcohol it is surprisingly well-balanced. Great concentration, round and soft tannins. Perfect now but will last for another decade. Tasted twice in December 2008 and Jan. 2009 with consistent notes. Bravo!
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Meaty, graphite, blackberry and brambly aromas. The palate shows strong tannins but is otherwise quite restrained. If the intense tannins subside with time then this will take a step up to be great.
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AFter two corked bottles, what a pleasure to experience this wine! It was an incredible example of what Gigondas can be. It still had the better part of a decade of strength left in the bottle. But, it is drinking GREAT now.
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When first opened, this wine was all dirt and dried leaves and I though that my recently-arrived bottles were heat damaged. Twenty four hours later, the fruit emerged: plum skin, plums and cherry compote, still some dried leaves, and hearty acidity. With a few more hours of air, a molasses/whisky barrel component emerged, perhaps the oak still needs more time, and judging from the still-prominent acids, perhaps this wine overall needs a few more years. Interesting evolution. Judgment reserved until I try another bottle.
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Tonight a little off, but still very good. It's powerful with red fruits and evident tannins. I decanted this for about 2 hours in a wide-bottom decanter - next time I might try the Audouze method for oxygenating a wine.
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Perfectly mature, with all the huge ripeness and fruit of its youth with tamed but still noticeable tannins and a long, complex finish. This is as good as Gigondas gets. Yum.
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Rhone Wine Blind Tasting (Virginia): Not the best showing for this wine - although, the wood does seem to be resolving itself at this point. This showing was all about licorice. Actually, almost a Jagermeister (sp?) kind of element after it had seen an hour+ of air. I think this wine will be better once it has developed more earth/animal characteristics... maybe in another couple years.
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10/8/2021 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Garnet with orange rim and even a very slight amber hue. This bottle was stored under textbook conditions since release. From the start a lovely nose of dark fruits, raspberries, game, herbs, earthy notes. The tannins are still here of course and still a bit drying. During 5 hours from the opened bottle, there is nothing falling apart or so. So there are some years to go for perfect cellared examples, I guess. But there is nothing to gain, but a lot to loose. So keep an eye on the evolution of your bottles. My advice is to drink it up in the near term anyway. This was my last bottle. 5/14/18/8. -2025?
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8/31/2018 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Given the age of this wine the colour of it is astounding. Ruby with only slight orange hue at the rim. While the nose is not that intense, but complex with aromas of garrigue, cherries, dark fruits, on the palate it is a real knock out. Intense, but also fine, with additional hints of incense, dark cherry fruit und forest floor. The tannin is ripe, smooth and has low level and the wine has good length. The 14,6 % alc. are completely hidden. With time it even gains in intensity and gets additional notes of coffee and tobacco. I had this wine multiple times in the last 15 years, rating from 94 to 95, but this time it shows itself probably better than ever. Nevertheless I don't believe in a decade or more of positive evolution. Well stored examples should have a magical peak now. If you have multiple bottles in your cellar, try them and have a close look at the evolution over the next years. 5/13/19/8. 96 points from the WA (Jeb Dunnuck in 2016) -2023+?
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6/22/2014 - Pebben wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous note – amazingly vibrant after nearly 20 years – this particular bottle would easily have held up for another 10.
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6/12/2014 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with garrigue and pleasant barnyard. On the palate ripe red fruits, some chocolate, beautiful acidity and pleasant sweetness. Completely dissolved tannin and integrated oak. A beautiful and lush wine still. Really lovely to taste this again! At its peak now and I wouldn't wait too long before drinking this wine if I had any bottles left.
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3/16/2013 - godx wrote: 88 Points
Casual evening at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind – Riper nose with white pepper and dark roasted fruits. Fairly extracted on the palate with more dark fruits and a little bit of heat creeping through on the finish. Tannins are firm and drying with average acidity. Drinking well now. Very good.
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10/5/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle. Light medium red. Very nice nose of blackberries, earth, spice and some light red cherry. The nose darkens a bit and becomes riper as it sits in the bottle. Nice balanced flavours and a fairly resolved finish. Not the ripe monster other bottles have been.
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10/5/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: flawed
Corked. lightly but enough to ruin the wine.
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9/16/2012 - Pebben wrote: 94 Points
From memory: Absolutely stunning! Lovely mature bouquet with hints of ripe red berries, smoky herbs, leather, sweet tobacco and gentle oak spice. Silky smooth, dense and concentrated. Prime drinking at the moment, but will keep for several more years. Definitely on my top three list so far this year. Fortunately one bottle left.
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8/7/2012 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful and mature bouquet with red fruits and sweet spices like cinnamon. On the palate salty licorice, still some dark fruits, garrigue, good acidity and still firm tannin. The wine is completely ready now, but no problem to keep it until 2014.
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7/31/2012 - nwinther wrote: 93 Points
Colour starting to go brick red in the rim, but otherwise thick and oily. Nose and palate just amazing. Not the 95 points Parker made it to be, but definitely a great wine. Drink now.
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6/7/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Very dark red. Even though this wine is so dark and the nose so huge it still shows Grenache in the nose. Roasted plums, black raspberry and some garrigues. Very tight dark fruit flavours. Quite extracted. Atypical Gigondas.
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6/1/2012 - godx wrote: 88 Points
Bill's Monthly Lunch - June 2012 (Vancouver, BC): Tasted Blind – Slightly warm on the nose with ripe, roasted and dark fruits dominate with traces of spice. In the mouth the fruit is extracted and showing some heat. There decent acidity along with drying and slightly firm tannins. This is an intense, extracted wine with a lush mouthful. This was quite good but I think others liked it more than I did. Very good.
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1/28/2012 - rnellans wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruits and garrigue...Nice fruit, lush mouthfeel...nice.
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9/20/2011 - Hodby wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple-red. Huge grape-y nose, of very ripe fruit and strong garrigue, with added complexity of horsehair, damp paper mustiness, mushroom. Medium-high tannin, medium acidity. Combining an almost new world gooey fruitiness with some gamey flavor true to area and some winemaking mistakes of musty barrel notes as well, this is a big wine to consider. Finishes increasingly tannic as the evening progressed, which ultimately compromises use at the table within an hour with all but the biggest spices and foods. Perhaps useful with chili cook-off and bbq pitmaster event fare, but with any foods lacking adequate counterpunch to the structure and mustiness here, it's one tiring drink. Bottle #2 of two.
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12/12/2010 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
12/11/2010 rated 97 points: From November 23,2004, over six years ago,
It is still opaque no sign of aging. The nose is unbelievable, it explode, so much of everything packed in here, Kalamata olive, lavender, cassis, blueberry jam, rosemary, fruit cake, balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate. The wine has unbelievable concentration yet not heavy due to great balance. It is very unctuous wine with sexy silky texture. The wine got sweeter and sweeter and denser and denser. It sort of has bit of Clape Cornas, La La and may I dare say 1961 La Chapelle in it. It really is close to perfection 100!. This wine was excellent from the beginning and it is improving exponentially. Great QPR at $32 with 20% case discount.
Now December 2010
It is still a dark wine. The fruit note is dark and dry, dry cherry and raisin, cassis, balsamic vinegar, cocoa, chocolate, molasses, wild flower, dry herbs, very dark liquor like a la Dom Benedictine of old Ximenez and vanilla perhaps coming from new oak. It still possesses excellent concentration like 10W40, noticeable acidity and silky palate. The high alcohol is not noticeable so Bob may be right about the integration of alcohol in the 07 CDPs. The wine’s garrique component resembles CDP for sure. The wine finishes with sandy tannin perhaps coming from the new oak treatment. It is a very complex dark sweet fruit driven wine.
I jot down a number of descriptors then subsequently check for my old TN. The resemblance is uncanny, perhaps a bit more complex, no longer showing primary fruits, silkier and one drawback noticeable tannin. It is a perfect match for roasted venison or any other games. Bob and Bob, I thank you for this one.
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8/17/2010 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Wow! This is great stuff! Complex and mature bouquet with dark fruit and well dosed oak and garrigue. Same on the palate. Full bodied, silky soft tannin. A completely harmonious and elegant wine. A real beauty now. Will not improve, but will probably stay on this level for years.
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11/8/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Dark red. Jammy, roasted plum nose with a hint of green (garrigue?). Slight prune flavours with some earth and lots of length and concentration. Should keep improving for a while yet.
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1/16/2009 - winesnout wrote: 95 Points
Deep black color. Terrific nose that reminds me of an Amarone with its power. Massive and rich but despite 15% plus alcohol it is surprisingly well-balanced. Great concentration, round and soft tannins. Perfect now but will last for another decade. Tasted twice in December 2008 and Jan. 2009 with consistent notes. Bravo!
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11/17/2008 - David J Cooper wrote:
Dark red. Lots of grenache fuit on this 13 year old wine. Very elegant compared to the 97 Ste Cosme. Very nice.
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5/18/2008 - the godfather wrote: 94 Points
definitely the best gigondas I have tasted, very youthful, packed ewith fruit and a ton of white pepper.
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4/13/2008 - CamWheeler wrote: 87 Points
Meaty, graphite, blackberry and brambly aromas. The palate shows strong tannins but is otherwise quite restrained. If the intense tannins subside with time then this will take a step up to be great.
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2/21/2008 - David J Cooper wrote:
Lighter then the Valbelle but only a bit. Cherries and oak. Then cherries, tomatoes and minty chocolate. Great flavours and a long finish. Excellent.
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10/21/2007 - IanAltman wrote: 95 Points
AFter two corked bottles, what a pleasure to experience this wine! It was an incredible example of what Gigondas can be. It still had the better part of a decade of strength left in the bottle. But, it is drinking GREAT now.
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10/20/2007 - Pknut wrote:
When first opened, this wine was all dirt and dried leaves and I though that my recently-arrived bottles were heat damaged. Twenty four hours later, the fruit emerged: plum skin, plums and cherry compote, still some dried leaves, and hearty acidity. With a few more hours of air, a molasses/whisky barrel component emerged, perhaps the oak still needs more time, and judging from the still-prominent acids, perhaps this wine overall needs a few more years. Interesting evolution. Judgment reserved until I try another bottle.
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12/26/2006 - IanAltman wrote: 95 Points
Enjoyed with Barry and Caren at Mie N Yu
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3/23/2006 - madeiradog wrote: 92 Points
Tonight a little off, but still very good. It's powerful with red fruits and evident tannins. I decanted this for about 2 hours in a wide-bottom decanter - next time I might try the Audouze method for oxygenating a wine.
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3/16/2006 - Tree512 wrote: 93 Points
Perfectly mature, with all the huge ripeness and fruit of its youth with tamed but still noticeable tannins and a long, complex finish. This is as good as Gigondas gets. Yum.
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8/22/2004 - Ben Andersen wrote:
Rhone Wine Blind Tasting (Virginia): Not the best showing for this wine - although, the wood does seem to be resolving itself at this point. This showing was all about licorice. Actually, almost a Jagermeister (sp?) kind of element after it had seen an hour+ of air. I think this wine will be better once it has developed more earth/animal characteristics... maybe in another couple years.
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1/19/2000 - mdefreitas wrote: 95 Points
NYC Group goes Rhonish (NYC): Sweet candied raspberries, with dusty tannins. Big, highly extracted, yet balanced wine. Awesome!
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