After being blown away by the 2002 Clio a few weeks ago I thought I’d try this one. It’s still a good wine but much fruitier and not as structured as the 02. A bit of stewed fruit at this point so I’d say drink up.
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Much better than its big brother El Nido (2008) I had a couple of weeks ago. Deep ruby; coffee, dark chocolate, cherry, plum, stewed black fruit, toast, leather, kirsch, black currant, velvety. Medium acidity, medium resolved tannins, medium+ flavor intensity, very long finish. Probably 1-2 years beyond its peak, but very good. Big, deep & long 93+
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Drank it at OD's house with a texas brisket. This was exactly the right wine for that! Big, deep, rich, and long. Had a distinct blackberry liqueur quality thatwas amazing. It was such a great foil to the rich fat of the brisket, so amazing. What a great wine.
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Agree with a lot what PGM says....17 years old....so needs a little air to open (~30 mins). Pretty one dimensional...but good. deep fruit, soft tannins, long finish. Aging thick/rich wine and in a nice place.
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At first, it was stewed fruit seeming on the downslope, but somehow those autumnal verging on over-the-hill notes diminished, and purer blackberry and currant notes came back through, with a savory finish. Tannins are resolved, but there’s enough structure to support the fruit and carry it through the finish. Still definitely mature, at peak or a bit beyond, drink in the near term.
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Klar, dunkles Rubingranat, leichte Randaufhellung mit orangen Tönen Sauber, intensives Aroma nach Fruchtkompot, Gewürzen, rote Früchte, sehr einladend Trocken, saftige Säure, kräftige gut eingebundene Tannine, intensiver Geschmack nach roten Früchten, Rumtopf, Gewürznelke, langer Abgang, gereift aber noch sehr frisch
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Ziegelrot, orange-braune reflexe. Geringe farbtiefe. Duft nach Vanille, gewürznelken, alles sehr fein nicht aufdringlich. Holz. Dezente süsse im mund, seidene tannine, noch immer saftig und animierend. Mittlerer Körper dezente Säure alles sehr harmonisch und elegant. Wunderbarer Abgang. Ohne zu dekantieren direkt präsent, optimal jetzt zu trinken. Besser als bei der letzten Verkostung in 2018.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, black currant, chocolate and licorice anise with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Wonderful bottle of wine. Big, bold and still very approachable. Nose has hints of dark chocolate and cedar.
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What a treat. From the moment I opened the bottle I got blackcurrant and dark stewed fruits. A beautiful deep dark inky red colour. When tasting you get the dark black fruits with liquorice and a subtle smokey flavour at the back. Long finish. Really enjoyed this as did my guests, all of whom said they were going to buy some.
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Birthday wine, served w grilled skirt steak... just simply delicious. Hedonistic, but balanced, long finish. My advice is to serve Clio w more intensely flavored food, to match the wines intensity.
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Fourteen years old and it still displays the hedonistic blackberry and blueberry fruit over a solid core of earth and mushrooms. This is a thick and solid wine with a delicious layer of fruit.
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My review is the same as MRichman n 5/29/2018. I would add that it had a hint of chalky limestone in the background. When first opened there was a bit of dark cherry.
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Ripe, lush, silky, fully mature. Full of big, bright, soft fruit with lots of floral notes, soy and tobacco, dark chocolate. This is what you'd call hedonistic wine, but there is enough feminine delicacy and complexity that it is quite interesting as well. Drinking at peak with fully resolved tannins, this has enough stuffing to last quite a while--5 years no problem and perhaps 10 before it fades. This wine should be a popular attention grabber.
Feiner als ich gedacht hätte. Relativ schlank im Mund. Sollte jetzt getrunken werden, wird vermutlich nicht mehr besser. Plv ist okay wenn man solche Weine mag. Abgang ist schön.
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As previous posts mention, this is a very big and bold red wine. I, too, doubt it will get much better. It's in its window. These types of wines taste good but tend to be the cause of headaches and heartburn. The alcohol and acid are just a wee bit too much for those who prefer French and Italian styles.
From memory. Opened and slow 'oxed for 3hours. Not really into these type of wines anymore but have to admit this has nicely aged. Has lost a lot of color and some intensity on nose but the trademark alluring bouquet is still there. Rounded and lighter on palate than in its youth, still has a lot of fruit and some heat at the finish but overall it's very pleasurable. Tasted blind, it was again a crowd pleaser and a positive surprise. In a perfect moment now and for a few more years.
Drank my first one a few years ago and was rather disappointed after having the 2002. This was much improved. That's why one should always purchase 3 if possible.
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Incredible. Dense, fuzzy, intense, explosive , lush, long, immediate, spicy, not overpowering, distinctive, raining fireworks, barbbeque, mature. Syrupy before it spread itself out. Pour it into glasses and don't touch for 45 minutes.
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Just like the bottle we opened in December. A perfect time to be drinking these. From that note: "Such a beauty. Softened, complex. That energetic oak puppy has become a well-integrated loyal old hound. Does not need decanting."
Non-oenophile guests (also) absolutely adored this wine. Several inquired about it, took notes, photographed label, etc.
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Drank for a belated birthday dinner based on others' notes from this year. I agree that it is in good form with nothing left to gain. The nose was profuse on opening. Sweet, smooth palate. The profile is a little one dimensional which is a knock. That said, we'll enjoy this with the steaks that are just about set to come off the grill.
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A pop and pour. Very pleasant. Rich purple and black fruit. Integrsted. Great finish. Would love to have more aged bottles - buying the newe're releases.
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Very new world in style, this has a lot of ripe red fruit and vanilla. It is well integrated at this point but remains unabashedly big. Think this in its window now.
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Decanted two hours. Inky purple. One of the most fruit forward wines I have ever tasted. Lush dark fruit. Complex. Surprisingly in your face but also pleasant. Long finish. Just ordered 6 more of the recent vintage.
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At 11 years old this wine has a great balance between dark fruit restrained tannins, modest heat, and deep and satisfying palate. The delicious fruit has maintained its virulence over the years, while the heat has declined measurably, making this a great bottle of wine.
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Some wines with the neighbors (Our home): A wine I have struggled with in the past due to oak. At 11 years from vintage, the oak on this bottle anyway has integrated very well. The nose has cherries and black currants. Also a slight charred earth. Great, lovely supple texture. On the palate, lots of cherry and black raspberry fruit, a slight camphorish note and a slight under layer of damp earth. delicious. Certainly no hurry on this but I don't think it gets better from here, just more mature. On release I had my doubts if this would get to this point, now I wish I had bought more.
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Very nice! Time in the bottle has mellowed this out a bit, and it's lost some of the very heavy fruit that makes Clio taste like Clio, but what's left is a nice round Cab that tastes like it's straight from Napa.
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Youthful aromas of baking spices, and more mature aromas of tobacco and leafy earth. It's aging quite nicely, still quite tannic. Years left, but drinking well now.
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Loads of tar and coffee on the nose. A touch of balsamic. Cherry and cement. Fresh black cherry juice with flavors of ink and cherry confection, hay and sweet oak, ends with bitter grapeseed.
We decanted for an hour then back into the bottle. May not have needed that much air.
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Time in the bottle really improved this wine. Decanted only 30 mins. Very balanced full body; a lot of the strong vanilla has almost gone away with just enough left to compliment the red/black fruits and coffee tones. Looong finish... Wish I had more, this was my last 2004. 93-95 pts
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My last bottle. Perfumed aroma of blackfruits bordering on being liqueur-ish, with undercurrent of sweet smelling wood. Full bodied, silky entry with a very good concentration of acidity, mocha and black fruits in the middle. Mocha-caramel finish. Excellent!
A+
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Deep, dark, inky purple, full bodied Hot nose, detergent at first, then red licorice, honey hints High alcohol (15.5 but maybe higher), dark cherries, oily Some vanilla hints, cotton sugar, jammy
A wonderful wine which has lots of life left. Great producer!
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Regular dinner group (@ JvT): Dark fruits, smoke, chocolate and pleasant rustic impressions in the beautiful bouquet. On the palate ripe fruits and a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity. Soft and round tannin. Great length. Ready now and the next few years.
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Decanted two hours. Huge nose. Dark cherry, cough drops, black pepper and some candy/vanilla. Big, round and oaky in the mouth. New-world for sure. Bruised black cherry, vanilla, and charcoal. Concentrated and borderline over-the-top. Right on the edge for me. Stood up strong to chicken thighs with lemon zest, thyme and garlic and fingerling potatoes with chive pesto.
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Deep purple Full bodied Tobacco, lead pencil shavings, dried leather, cherries Tastes much like the nose, good tannins, medium (+) finish, Balanced dark fruit, blackberry, fruit leather, with some nutty hints
This is an excellent wine from an excellent producer. The QPR is more than fair. I look forward to drinking the remaining bottles in my cellar, and adding more for future consumption.
ps. this was our closing bottle for the night
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Big on the nose immediately upon uncorking - and it was decanted about 2 hours prior to drinking. I think this wine has plenty of time left in the aging process. This was essential as the nose changed significantly over time becoming more fragrant. On the palate the wine comes across immediately with a strong oaky note, but I did not find it obtrusive. This was followed by dark berry notes and leather/tobacco. While it comes across as a very assertive wine on the nose it is not overwhelming on the palate. Finish was lasting. This wine held up well with a strongly-flavored lamb dish. I have two bottles of the 2005 and look forward to those, though I will resist opening them for a number of years.
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Hedonistically delicious wine. Near the top of my tolerance for ripe, heavily oaked wines. The blue and black fruits have great depth and length. Oak and alcohol on the finish but do not detract from this effort. Well done.
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Nice dark color. Medium dark fruit nose, slight spice, little floral. Brooding yet youthful fruit flavors. Tannins have tempered quite a bit. Slight mint notes on finish. Do not think this is a "fruit bomb". Holding up excellent but drinking very well now.
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Still liking this, mellow, not over the top as it once was but still good fruit and acid. Still a big fragrant floral nose but not overpowering. I feared these might fall apart but I don't see signs of that.
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Big wine, and a bit jammy, which I dont recall with prior bottles. This may be close to peak drinking, not as interesting and developed as I had hoped.
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Backwards review--second night. The finish is juicy, fresh and incredibly long. Beautifully integrated, just the slightest bit thick on the palate, with blackberry, chocolate, orange peel and balanced acidity and tannins. The nose is a melange of aromas with nothing distinctive--the impression is dark fruit with some other stuff--what stuff?--dark stuff. Great now--better in two more years
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Decanted for 45 minutes prior to dinner and consumed over 2 hours with little change over that time. Opaque purple. Blue and red fruit on the nose in the mouth, with sweet tannins and a bit of floral lift. A little one-dimensional, but very enjoyable. Drink or hold.
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An irresistable spectrum of vibrant fruit that has relaxed a tad as the salted licorice and other herbal and earthy notes have gained in complexity and presence. Very nice right now.
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Clear, dark ruby. Complex nose of red fruits, florals and spice. Lots going on here on the palate. Outstanding wine at its peak. Paired with braised short ribs.
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Really dark garnet color. Raspberries, cherries, a hint of menthol(?) on the nose. Flavor array consists of cherry, cocoa powder and red fruits. Full bodied wine with excellent structure. No doubt of longevity. Finish is dark cocoa with berries that lingers for 45+ seconds. Outstanding now, but looking forward in 2 years. 91-92.
Wow! It opens up on the second night. If you want to drink now, decant! 93+.
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Rarely do I regret getting close to the end of a case of wine as much as this one. Wet earth, something chewy, and a harmonious ancient spice trail as it fades slowly from your palate.
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Not my type of wine. Light in color,nice bouquet, no real mouth feel, it opened up slowly, good initial taste, no middle and not a great finish. Not sure if I had an off day but this is not the quality of wine that people are proclaiming. Do not be intimidated by Parker. Finished my meal with a 1966 Warre's port which was wonderful. The Clio is somewhere between a port and wine and it is neither.15.5% alcohol for a wine is goofy. I am curious to try this wine again but I think that the emperor has no clothes.
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Pop/pour - mistake. Initially, dark, heavy, raisin, sauvage and a touch of something that comes across as "slightly cooked", but I don't think that's the case. With just the slightest amount of time in the glass, this thankfully comes together a bit. Or perhaps it's a matter of me getting my head around what this wine is. Still shows all of the components mentioned above, but more integrated if that makes any sense. Not really what I was looking for tonight, so perhaps I'll be able to check in tomorrow on how this develops after open for awhile. I didn't pick up on a lot of this the first bottle, from a different source, so wonder a bit about bottle variation. I don't shy away from big wines, but this one has no counterbalancing notes to lift the palate, to give it a sense of brightness. If I were to rate it for the way it's crafted (obviously a well-made wine), I'd probably go 92-93 points. But, this is one that I like less than that score would indicate.
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- Brick color with fast forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of burnt toast, dusty, prune and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Dark purple in color. Nose is nothing short of spectacular. Wonderful bottle of wine.
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Black with a deep ruby rim. Loads of blackberry essence and licorice on the nose. Full bodied on the palate with great presence and length. This is a fine example of an up-front, modern-styled Spanish red.
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Wow, I'm impressed. I must admit that I when I corked this wine I expected a flabby, heat/fruit bomb. And, yes, it is a fruit bomb, and practically a cocktail at 15.5% etoh - however this wine has excellent acidity which masks the etoh, and makes it a very enjoyable, BALANCED wine... until the next morning when I wished it were a 14% wine. I've grown to steer away from high etoh wines bc they trend towards over extraction and displeasure in the chase for the high Parker score. Now, I realize that this style of wine is not flawed as long as it is balanced w the appropriate acidity.
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NY/NJ Offline at Cellar 58 (Cellar 58, NYC): Dark, brooding aromatics on the nose with notes of black fruit, espresso, and dark chocolate. Similar notes on the palate. High acid and huge tannin.
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Dark inky color, full bodied, huge forward black and blue berry fruit flavors with layers of caramel, vanilla, anise, vanilla and sweet oak that go on and on. Nice structure and complexity but not firm, tight or tannic resulting in a tasty, pleasant easy drinking wine yet sophisticated and polished. Wow, this was an eye-opener and changed my perspective on Spanish wines - by far the most expressive and tasteful I have ever experienced. This wine vastly exceeded my expectations. We're huge fans of big fruit filled Syrahs and this stood with the best of them, with none of that metallic, mineral or creosote that I expected. 70% Monastrell (and 30% cabernet sauvignon) which I now know is aka Mouvedre which is the M in GSM - Genache, Mouvedre and Syrah, a popular blend in the Rhone River Valley as well as South Central Australia. This wine was sensational - bursting with flavor in the glass - immediately apparent to everyone.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of raspberry and strawberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Beautiful bottle of wine. Cherry nose.
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Simply stunning. Gorgeous nose of skittles, brown sugar, cedar, black and red fruit. Palate is delicious. Still oaky but the fruit comes through beautifully. Vanilla, cedar, blackberry ,cherry flavours are all prevalent. Tannins are still present and grippy on the finish and the wine will last for some time time still..I would think 8-10 years. Fpain knows how to do it up right. The best Spanish wine I have ever had but I do have some competitor's still in the cellar. Can't wait to open them up.
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Big, modern, smooth. On the nose, a swirl draws out some brighter notes...florals work their way through a fruit-fwd vanilla base. On the palate, this is a big and powerful wine, but shows complexity and nuance. A fair amount of vanilla and oak, but enough acidity to keep it from being brooding or monolithic. Not much in the way of tannins, and I think this might be coming to its peak. This would be an interesting ringer in a Napa tasting. For $35 give or take, this is an excellent QPR if you like the style.
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Excellent wine. A bouquet of cherry pipe tobacco, dark berries earth and eucalyptus. The finish is mostly cherries and dark chocolate with a touch of oak and vanilla. A bit less heat would be nice. This wine is at or near peak.
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similar to previous notes... this bottle seems a little lighter and leaned more towards red fruits than the previous bottles. Tannins have mellowed and the wine seems somewhat more elegant now. Still a beautiful wine!
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- Ruby color. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, cherry, prune and violet with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Well balanced and great wine.
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Ink black, with red edges. If you like massive reds, this is for you. It is not over sweet, but name a red fruit and you have it here. Too much for the first night, stoppered it, and tried the next day. A little less dominated by fruit. Chocolate & tar came through. I can't give this a bad score, just because it is not my style. It is what it is, and done very well. I would prefer this over an Oz fruit bomb. The finish is long and rich, medium tannins without overt sweetness.
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Beautiful nose of mocha, licorice and tobacco. Dark fruit on the palate with soft round tannins. A finish of at least a minute. Still got plenty of life. Awesome.
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Black with a deep ruby rim. Lots of ripe, black fruit backed by sweet, toasted oak. The oak is not entirely integrated but it is harmonious with the fruit. Full bodied on the palate with good presence and length, soft tannins. It is what it is, a very good, upfront, modern-styled red.
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I opened the bottle hours before dinner. Maybe that was too much time? (score = 83) Gonna try it again tomorrow........... Next day......something was better.......more resolved and in harmony with itself. Gripping tannins, rich plum, sawdust and black cherry. Everyone at The White's dug it.
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Color: Very dark. Nose: Ripe, dark fruits, plumb, alcohol and spice. Some Port like aromas as well, so I am not so sure about this wines longevity. Palate: Tons of dark fruit, more spice, integrated oak, Port and prunes, again leading me to think that this bottle was on the downhill. Finish: Long with more of the aforementioned fruits and oxidation. While the wine did present somewhat oxidized, it was still very good. I had the '06 right after this and it was not even close in complexity, although it seemed much younger and with no signs of oxidation. Based on this bottle, drink now.
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PnP served over 3 hours. A guilty pleasure that's drinking exceedingly well at the moment. And while I don't see the stuffing for long-term cellaring, this will no doubt provide great pleasure over the next 3-5 years. Full-bodied and ripe, with colorful aromas of cassis, pipe tobacco, herbs, cocoa powder and toast. The rich flavors are keenly washed away by a not-so obvious vein of acids. Tannins are soft, nearly chewy. Good, but not great. Thankfully there were none of the cough syrup-like notes that others have remarked about. If this bottle were truly representative of the wine at this stage (i.e. not much variation), I'd be drinking all I had over the next 24 months. Score: A-
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Wine was more mellow than I would have thought. Quite dark, viscous, but did not find it overextracted or syrupy. fruit flavors with a balance of oak and tannins. Medium to full finish. Enjoyable.
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Much better day 2 as the oak subsided and it balanced out. Big wine with mocha and cedar notes. Day one was a mess as totally disjointed, hot and oaky.
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Decanted 1.5 hours. Medium-dark, clear rim. Smoked herbs and spicy black fruit nose leads to a rich but balanced flavor profile that includes dark plum, smoky dried fruits with good lift and balance. This wine is juicy, ripe but bright--not at all over the top. Finishes long and powerful. Now through 2015.
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was expecting so much more for the 04 especially considering how much i liked the baby pingus. everything was a little subdued. it did seem to open up a little but not enough to make me go wow.
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You can see from my previous notes on this wine that though stylistically it is not my cup of tea, I have really liked this as an excellent example of its style. For whatever reason, it just did not have the same impact on me this time. I simply just got too much vanilla, it overshadowed everything else. Still good, but too one dimensional this time around.
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Have a case of this and decided to try one after dinner. Very thick, dark, dark berries and a texture like cough syrup (a lot of sugar, dark purple bordering on completely opaque, & a somewhat medicinal taste to it). Let it sit for 30 mins and that didn't make a difference. I've had a lot of AU Shiraz (Dead Arm, Clarendon Hills Romas, Wynn's Michael Estate) and this makes the Aussies look tame. I'll let it sit for another day or two and try it again but, in the meantime, I'm not sure this is tolerable.
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Color: Deep Garnet Smell: mineral, tobacco, vanilla, and hints of plum and other dark fruits Taste: Blueberry, black fruit, and cacao notes with hints of tobacco Overall: Still complex with prevailent alcohol over shadowing the complexity that this does show. Medium length finish with medium acidity and intense fruit....this could be much more if the alcohol wasn't so obvious.
JT: Smell: A+ Taste: A+
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This is a very classy modern style old world wine. Like eating a fresh blueberry pie right out of the oven. Inky purple. Very well integrated oak and well settled taninns. A real beauty with a 30 second plus finish. I could have been convinced I was drinking a high quality petitte syrah. By no means a Spanish wine. I'll drink anything Jorge Ordonez imports.
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This wine was - if possible - better than our last bottle. A beautiful nose of toasted oak, black fruit and a hint of rose (?). It had an incredibly body with layers of fruit intermixed with the oak. It was never overdone, but a tremendous mix of blackberries, plums, blueberries, and sweet quince. A knockout finish that just went on forever. A definite New World wine and not for everybody. We had this with homemade vegetable soup, chicken enchiladas, and a smiled Gouda salad.
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dark cherry,blackberry combo, floral, slight cedar- super dark still and the fruit was still big and dark but this bottle I found it didnt carry all the way to the finish- oak seemed to be full integrated and the finish came off a touch hot perhaps the fruit mellowing a bit has allowed this to be revealed- still wonderful wine overall
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of violets, black currants, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black currants, dark plums and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink now through let's say the next 2-5 years. I'll likely drink my last bottle in 2012.
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This is my last bottle. It has finally integrated the oak that was so dominant years ago. It is deep dark garnet with a reddish rim. Opulent nose of fig, plum, black cherry, espresso, and licorice. Big jammy palate of ripe dark fruit well balanced by pleasant acidity, toasty oak, and supple tannins. Wonderful length. The alcohol is hardly noticeable. This is really drinking well. I wish I had more bottles, but now I must look forward to my '07 Clio's.
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I am truly amazed at how this wine keeps getting better. It flies in the face of my entire "normal" stylistic choice; it supposed to be too big, something too over the top for me. But damn, this is how big should be done. Really, it is an amazingly scrumptious wine. Too much alcohol, but you do not notice (your head may afterwords, but that is a different story). The fruit is just so precise, so tasty and enjoyable. Not jammy at all. The oak is there, but receded into the background. Is this perfect? No, I am not going overboard, but for pure enjoyment.....this is hard to beat. Has years and years ahead of it, sorry I am now out of it. Kudos.
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really nice and the oak, while still very prominent, is starting to show some roundness. Incredible depth of concentrated berry fruit and plum. Viscosity that coats the mouth and gives a great mouthfeel. Still very full-bodied. Long long finish.
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Very dark garnet no signs of aging. My last tasting had me a concerned considering I stockpiled two cases... Aromas of Cherry, blueberry, vanilla, espresso, but missing the fig aromas of my last tasting. Fig aromas from over ripeness are not acceptable at this price range. Medium weight and an improvement over the last tasting. Better balance because of more live acid, but fruit still a little short. Hoping for additional improvements over time and last bottle may have been slightly flawed. Medium length on finish with smooth tannins.
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Sweet blueberry with dark earthy, tar, espresso notes. Thick, extracted, silky, sappy, chewy with a hint of lemony tannin. Long sweet and bitter nut finish. Too hot and a little too sweet. Ready to drink now and over the next 7ish years. This is a little too big for my taste, although it is well made, clean and smooth. B-
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Memorial Weekend BBQ at the Shaffer's (The Shaffer's - Highland Park, IL): Delicious nose of fresh berries and toast. Palate is full bodied, rich and overt. Totally delicious, chock full of flavor and well balanced. Tastes as rich and fresh as on release. Not for everyone, but darn good in my book.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Bright nose of blueberries with vanilla and new oak. Lots of jam and blue fruits. Reminds me of Saxum. Drinks younger than it is - no rush to drink. Great bottle.
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Did not take extensive notes but remembered a lot(!), it was that sort of wine. On the nose there was dark cherries, blueberries, toasty oak, vanilla and a hint of heat. On the palate there was very fresh and bright red fruits, the cherries, blueberries and strawberries which transitioned to red currants, spices, cedar/oaky menthol vanilla and a little heat (which faded with more air time). The mouthfeel was very luxurious, smooth and silky. Medium to full bodied. Would not have guessed that it was Spanish due to the lack of an earthiness that I frequently get. Very self indulgent hedonistic wine that hits the sweet spot when you are in the mood for this time of wine ;-)
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Wow. What a beautiful wine. Dark purple with lighter rum. Nose is super ripe black fruit, violets, and a hint of light toast. Body is extraordinary -- heaps of blackberries, cassis, and wonderful oaky vanillan. Finish is sweet tannins and blackberry liqueur. A very ultra ripe wine that never crosses the line. A gem.
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A coffee cordial; a pickled dessert truffle with a nose of dill, black olives, gingerbread, and saltwater taffy. The palate paints a mortar that's surprisingly fresh, with mashed blue berries and super ripe strawberry, but the complete package is not over-ripe, just over oaked, with a residue of carmel and maple syrup. As others have said, this is excellent for what it is.
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Color is very dark and extracted garnet. Aromas of fig, cherry, vanilla, and plum. A little over done and disappointing. Nice weight and mouth and feel, with soft acid and ripe tannins but with too much hot fruit. Slightly disjointed and lacking balance. I was hoping for the 96 point wine, but found this a little over manipulated. Hoping for this wine to evolve, but fearing for its future....
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Opened and served immediately at a tapas bar. Followed over about 2-3 hours. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of mixed dark fruits with some dominance by currants and some added floral notes. Mixed dark fruits on the palate. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, fairly full bodied. Can be drank now with some air time but will likely improve a bit with a little more time in the bottle. WIML92+ but I can see that improving easily with a little more time.
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Decanted one hour. Vivid purple color. Nose of blue fruits, with espresso, vanilla cream and star anise. Plums and currants on the palate, with cocoa, licorice and cedar. Opened and developed over the evening. Voluptuous and hedonistic.
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Wow. This wine is a whopper. Opaque purple color. Vanilla, blueberry and spice on the nose. The taste. . . lots going on here. Definitely a fruit bomb with lots of fruit and Vanilla (oak), but with nice substrates of flavor. On top, blueberry and plum, vanilla, then underneath, nice tones of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices (spices appear on the back-end). Warning: this is very alcoholic and definitely "more filling." I'd give it a higher rating if not for that. Not for the faint of heart. Good with steak/red meat and game.
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I was curious why so many mates from the other side of the Pond are drinking this wine. Now I know. More close to an Aussie Shiraz than a Californian CS, mainly cause this is coming from Monastrell and because eonologist Chris Ringland, you know that guy, don´t you? Maybe Google can help. Anyway, I agree that this smoky juice presents lovely aromas: espresso, scrub, eucalyptus rotten leaves,.... all for a beauty mature violet colour. On palate, cherries, red berries or chocolate hints. Everything great then? Well, I am really sorry but its 15.5% alcohol is unbalanced, too much present, almost indigestible, excepting if you adore Fortified ones. To be shared with a good cigar, forget food please!
Tenía curiosidad porqué tantos colegas del otro lado del charco están bebiendo este vino. Ahora lo sé. Más cerca de un Shiraz australiano que de un CS californiano, principalmente porque su origen es la Monastrell y por el enólogo Chris Ringland. De todas formas, que este jugo ahumado tiene unos aromas deliciosos: café expreso, monte bajo, hojas podridas de eucalipto,...todo para un bello color violeta maduro. En el paladar, recuerdos a cerezas, bayas rojas y chocolate. ¿Todo perfecto entonces? Bueno, siento decir que 15,5% de alcohol es demasiado, casi indigesto, excepto si adoras los vinos generosos. Para compartirlo con un buen cigarro habano, ¡olvídate de la comida!
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Popped and poured. Medium ruby color, a little muddy. Nose shows a heavy dill aroma, along with oak, some wet grass, menthol, some olives and cocoa. Very interesting. Palate follows, with red fruits, an herbaceous dill quality, caramelly oak and some cedar. A little hot and medicinal on the midpalate, where fine, integrated tannins kick in through a smooth, medium-lengthed finish. This is a good wine, with nice extraction and complexity, although some minor flaws keep it from being outstanding. 5+13+16+7.
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Not my favorite style of wine, but that's just me. A very powerful fruit-driven nose and palate impression: sweet, rich, intense. Aromas of blueberries and well integrated (but noticable) oak, you find it on the long finish too: sweet fading to a slightly resiny complexity. Good for what it is, but drink it young. Evolution since release seems to have left it a bit disjointed, like a once flawless fashion model who has been seeing the nip-and-tuck doctors a bit too often...
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In the glass this was a deep violet with scents of dark fruits, vanilla, coffee, and blueberry cobbler. In the mouth this was lush, full bodied, with a round mouth-feel and well integrated tannins. Flavors of blue & black fruits followed by spice cake and vanilla extract play out along a long finish. Not a style of wine I want every night...but great for a cold night as winter starts to come in.
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This Clio was drinking very well yesterday. Well integrated oak with flavors of vanilla, deep dark fruits and toast. Has evolved very nicely over the past year. Drink now.
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Hedonistic, lush, huge...singing in terms of those descriptors. I did not like the 2005 of this at all, but the 2004 has enough fruit to peak past the all of oak, and somehow have it all come together in a too easy to drink for 15.5% alcohol package. Agree with Jeff calling it the Mollydooker of Spain from its massive size....but I think this one actually provides more by having some decent spice, with concentrated dark cherry fruit that manages to envelop the oak, allowing the oak just to give it an oomph of sweetness. Certainly not for every occasion (such as dining), or for anyone, but let's be honest, this is actually pretty good and at the release price one hell of a bargain. Last one I had was two years ago, I think I overrated it then, but it is at least a solid 93 now (and looking at my old note, the oak has certainly mellowed, and I do not get any toast or charred effect). Long finish, with a small amount of heat on the end.
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This was our fifth bottle of this vintage of Clio and by far my favorite. I don't agree with Jay Miller on most of his Spanish wine scores, but his 97 is perfect for this wine right now and it will only get better. Just an incredible explosion of flavors including chocolate and cherries. Silky and a bit of earthiness from the Mourvedre. It's still a big wine so I can see how some wouldn't like it, but for me wine doesn't get much better than this.
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This wine came in like a lion and left like a lamb. Decanted for 1 hour. Intensely dark in the glass, this started out brutally big and hot. Airtime managed to tone it down and coax out sweet notes of dark fruit, vanilla, tobacco and dark chocolate. Warm, thick and definitely full-bodied with a medium-long finish. I have to put it on the list of "cocktail wines" (more enjoyable on its own than with food). The initial heat kept me from giving it a better score. Frankly, don't know if time will improve it. Decant time definitely does.
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Whoever once proclaimed on Squires that this was going downhill was terribly off....it tastes EXACTLY the same as it did on release about 3 years ago. Rich and hyper-extracted, with blackberry jam flavors and a hint of mourvedre-specific earthy character. This is lush, silky, rich, creamy and heavy....NOT a respectable food wine in any sense, and not my preference, but undeniably good....Reminds me of some of the Saxum Syrahs in overall style.
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Really lovely bottle -- sweet dark fruit, with plums, blackberries, blueberries, and other berry fruit showing most prominently. This may be a pepsi/coke phenomenon, where the sweetness makes it taste initially better than it is -- as I only had 3-4 oz -- after a bottle, it might be a little boring... but it was a great taste... long, long pleasant finish. heat is not felt on this.
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very enjoyable but borderline over the top - need to make sure you have friends around to drink this one because it's too rich to have more than a couple glasses. Best to drink in the first couple hours before it gets too thick and jammy
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Decanted 1-1/2 hrs before dinner. Ellen, the critival hypertaster loves this wine and by the end of the evening, and the bottle gave it a 95. Tastes like liquid blackberry jam. Extraordinary monastrell/mourvedre70%/CS30% made by Aussie Chris Ringland, Betts & Scholl Two Hands fame. Truly an exceptional wine, and value. Will have to try one of my 2 El Nido's soon, for a special occasion. BRAVO!
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Decanted 3 hours prior to note. Nose of blueberries and vanilla. Lots of big red and blue fruits, this just coats the mouth. Long 30+ second finish. Last glass shows much better than the first. Open for business - but give a nice decant.
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Lovely concentration on this wine. Modern fruit bomb but a very well made one. A bit high in alcoho and tight at the beginningl, will decant next time.
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More red fruit than the last time I tasted this and less oak too. Medium acidity, but hits me as little sour in the middle, with a little heat on the tangy finish. Starts off Aussie, but finishes more light and nimble, but still long. The sour edge knocked off some points this time.
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This was not the huge, monstrous wine that it is so often alleged to be. I haven't tasted this for nearly a year, when I enjoyed it a little less, it appears by that note. This is coming together really nicely after two hours of decanting. Blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, with cedar and allspice. Pretty good tannic structure. I like this a whole lot, but this is no better in my book than the '02 or the '03.
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Wow....another extremely good Spanish wine....this one, however, is a lot bigger than any other I've had so far....definitely New World in style (reminds me of some of the big aussie wines). Huge amounts of fruit, very heavy... yet smooth drinking. Hides the alcohol well. Hard to pair with food, but for a sipper before or after dinner it's great. 93 pts
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One of the very best wines that I have encountered in my cellar. It is rich, earthy and beautifully concentrated. I only wish this wine still cost what it did in 2005.
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Rich , aromatic, voluptuos. Better than the 99 Lafite-Rothschild we had on New Years Eve. At its price level it is perhaps a 94-95. Irrespectiive of price it is a 92.
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Wood and cooked prunes. I'm not getting what other are liking about this. Multiple bottles confirm my impression, and hard to see more bottle time helping.
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Showing a deep purple hue in the glass with a blue/black core at the center of the glass this wine showcases lovely scents of oak, blue & black fruits, graphite, and minerals. In the mouth it is full and bold as flavors of blueberry pie, black berry jam, and bittersweet chocolate unfold across a medium length finish.
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Huge. Dark purple color, amazingly sweet aromas of vanilla, spice and brown sugar jump from the glass. This wine is very thick in the mouth, penetrating and, amazingly, did not seem at all tannic or alcoholic. They are all hidden by the fruit. A very rich, penetrating wine, with no hard edges and wonderful red and purple fruits.
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Wow. Decanted for 2.5 hours. Served with a steakhouse marinated strip steak. Unreal nose of vanilla, black currant, cassis and black cherry and licorice. Palate is somewhat oaky, but within acceptable bounds for me. Full of juicy black fruit with moderate tannic structure and a long (60 sec plus) finish. This has years in front of it but is drinking well now with a decant. Very nice and glad I have another.
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Very good wine and nice changeup from my cabs. Huge nose of jammy raspberries and some licorice. Very bright supple mouth feel with an almost candied jam flavor taking the forefront. Some red fruits pushed through on the smooth but still strong finish. Was very good.
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Wow! This wine is big in all ways but never goes over the top. Decanted for 1+ hour. Big nose of dark fruit, chocolate (blew off after a while), minerals and earth. Rich, ripe black and red fruits on the palate with creamy oak, perfect acidity, great mouthfeel and a nice spicy finish. Went great with a prime ribeye. Glad I have more of these.
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At opening the nose showed some eucalyptus... with aeration the nose became beautifull with ripe blueberries, black brambles (mûres) and a hint of vanilla... exploding in the mounth with multiple layers of ripe black fruit and cherries and veeeeeeeeery long aftertaste... the acidity is so refreshing that we finished the bottle in no time... great WOW wine!!
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How sweet it is. This Clio is just so sweet but just when you think it is over the top, the structure balances it and make it oh so good. Dark fruit and cherries, cedar, vanilla. A total fruit bomb. Perfectly balanced. This was a pop and poor enjoyed with a Ribeye steak. The steak came in second. Superb!
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Impressions only - seems like it's gotten more spicy since my last bottle of this. Syrupy, but somehow pulls it off - it's fun to drink and very tasty. Still has the structure and acidity to support all the extract, and actually seems to be integrating a little. Still, not sure it's an ager.
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dark sweet crisp melted licorice & pepper with powerful nose & verrrry long finish! definitely an ozzie styled\ spanish wine. I wonder why? :-). The price in Canada (C$80 - at least in BC) is a rip-off compared to the US.
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Well, done. This wine is all nose and mid-palate, with an extremely long finish, it has all the discriptors,you see before my note. At this point in my note the bottle has been popped and poured.., needs time for sure , will love to digest this wine over the length of an evening
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This is made with care....simply put. On a pop and pour the nose rocked with black fruit. It was all over the glass with layers of fruit and mocha. The palate was even better with black fruit, chocolate (which blows off after 60 min decant), smoke, and black licorice. The finish is BIG, real BIG with mouth gripping tannins and plenty of youth. This score will only go up with time in the bottle.
15.5% EtOH
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Gave it a solid 4 hour decant. Drank with a filet with red-pepper hollandaise topped with crabmeat. Compared very favorably with 2004 Alto Moncayo with a little more structure and balance. Massive hedonistic wine with some serious creamy oak (not too oaky just gave it an awesome vanilla-cream flavor). Huge amounts of red fruit. I love these wines when they are done like this. (95+)
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Drank at Dave's Bachelor Party. What a wine, even without decanting. 4 hours later picked up serious steam. Can't wait to dive into the rest in 3+ years (if i can wait that long!)
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Out of the bottle: Brown sugar sweetness but good underlying structure. Starting to balance out more. Too sweet right now. After an hour decant the acidity and tannins really pick up. Iimpressive concentration. Opaque puplr/black in the glass. Very sweet and extracted. This should continue to age well and is still young. On par with a Foley Cabernet. Would like to revisit in about 3-5 years.
Needs several hours decanting. Very Jammy at first but the strucure picks up remarkebly well after several hours. Needs big tannins to offset the juice and i think it has them without being overbearing. This wine has entered several different stages. At first it was juicy and extremely balanced then it became a little tanninc. Now it's taking the sweetness up a notch and the structure is holding it's own. Still very young. A little sweet right now but I think this will improve. 93-94Pts
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Color: Medium purple Nose: Cherry, blackberries, oak, vanilla Taste: Cherry, blackberries, good acidity with a little too much oak Finish: Medium and a bit tannic but drinkable with decanting Evaluation: Very nice wine 92 points
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Debauchery on the Island: Decanted for two hours. Tremendous nose of black fruits, asian spice, vanilla, mocha. On the palate, fig, boysenberry, black currant, black cherry, well intergrated oak. Tremondous mouthfeel and finish. Rave reviews from all that tasted this. This was pushed just the edge without feeling like a fruit bomob. A little sweetness knocks some points off but this is some stunning wine.
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Wow, talk about taking it right to the edge and not going a step further. As muscular as this wine is, there is amazing grace in it. Sure there is plenty of oak in it still but I can only imagine it is fading (my first time with the wine). Rich nose of asian spices, nutmeg and oak. Full, rich dark ripe fruits and oak on the palate. Finish was amazing long with the spices lingering. I like shitty, barnyardy Loire cab francs, and hate Aussie fruit bombs, while this is certaintly ripe and fruity, it doesn't take it too far, fastastic wine, and anxious to see the oak integrate a bit more.
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Outstanding This isn't as awesome as the bottle we had last year, but still a fabulous wine. Nose is a little dirty, in a good way. On the palate...again black cherries and oak. Fruit is a little softer than I remember.
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This wine is unbelievable... WOTN by far. After 6 hours of decanting, it is unbeatable. Must decant for 4/6 hours at this stage. Vanilla/chocolate nose, really special.
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Huge nose of milk chocolate and black berries, currant without any vegetal edge (is it still currant?), a little cedar, coffee, and vanilla. The same in the mouth. This is a seamless, "perfected" wine, extremely enjoyable and indulgent, but this bottle lacked the tannic structure of the '02 and '03. Won't mind at all giving it another try, probably soon, and it makes me want to revisit the prior vintages.
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This wine has matured from fruit bomb (I like 'em) to very well integrated. The fruit came on very late and took off. Nose started off as a sort of white mocha and became chocolate and coffee with floral notes. Decanted and drank over an 8 hour period, I will probably decant this a good 6 hours before drinking next time. I'm glad I've got more.
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I had this last night at my uncle's 50th birthday party. I've been lucky enough to taste this wine and it's progression about 6 times over the last year. The fruit is still pure...but it's finally starting to tone down a little. It's not so "in your face" as it has been in the past. I will be patient with my last two bottles...however I wanted to bring something that I thought everyone would love to such a special occasion.
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good, but overrated - i always take away a few points when jay miller reviews for parker. definitely in the sweet, up-front, hedonistic parker style - if you like that. it's a bit over the top for my wife and i.
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This wine is already drinking beautifully, but needs 4 to 5 hours of decanting time. This is what I did and it amazed my guests. Chocolate nose, complex mouthfeel. A really different experience ! Served at the correct temperature, the 15.5% alcohol content cannot be noticed.
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Huge nose of blueberry, vanilla creme. Very rich on th palate with an extremely long finish. Not my thing anymore as my palate has changed but well made.
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excellent -- mix of red and black fruit flavors, jammy. some vanilla is there as well. very nicely balanced -- finish diminished suddenly, but then held that reduced level for 30 seconds -- quite pleasant after the somewhat abrupt start. This is going to be tough to resist to hold it long enough to let it develop.
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South Florida WS Forum Offline (Hollywood, FL): Opened 4 hours prior to tasting. Reminds me of a good Australian wine. Big fruit flavors of blackberry and plums, nice acidity and surprisingly smooth tannins at this stage. 40 sec finish with a tinge of heat.
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decanted 4 hours and opened at christmas dinner. huge fruit - but very well balanced. everyone loved this wine, other than one complaint that the fruit came across as too sweet.
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This wine is huge! Blackberry, blueberry, raspbery some vanilla and a big dose of licorice on the nose. Blueberry jam, blackberry attack. Some vanilla mixed with the big, jammy fruit on the mid-palate. Licorice and leather on the extremely long finish with plenty of blueberry and some black cherry hanging on forever. I can see some people really loving this wine. It is a thick, viscous enormous fruit bomb. I appreciate the quality but find the style overpowering. Still it deserves a good score for the quality and purity of the fruit as well as the complexity.
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Wine is a dark dark inky purple color. Upon putting her nose into the glass, my wife said "if I could make a perfume out of this, I would." WOW. Crazy huge fruit forward nose of fig, blueberry, blackberry with notes of coffee. Great on the palate with a relatively long finish. A touch of alcohol on the finish but not enough to detract from what I consider a great wine. At $40, I'd drink this all the time. For those who like big wines, this is for you.
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Oh boy! this is a big wine, not to drink without food, also 15.5% alcohol ..! However it is a fabolous wine, tastes like a young first growth on steroids just more of everything. Drank it over 2 and a half days, day two better showing than day one. All the components are there to make it a good wine, it just needs to mellow somewhat.
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Served at around 56 degrees this time which was cooler than the first time. Getting lots of chocolate mixed with vanilla on the initial nose.Really dense purple with a violet edge. Super smooth and a really nice finish to it. Still excellent fruit even though it will get better as it warms up. No heat at all which is why I wanted to drink it at this temp. This is a beautiful wine. One of the more exciting wines I've had in awhile.
As it wams up alot more vanilla and sweet dark fruit. This is extremely elegant and balanced for such a rich wine.
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Ditto from my previous notes... just an awesome wine. Velvet on the palate with a huge finish... this one seemed slightly over oaked, so that kept the score in check.
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Decanted for 7.5hrs. Dark but not impenetrable ruby/black color. Huge initial attack of sweet dark fruit that made my 10yr old daughter from 5 feet away from me say "papa.....whats that wine?". I pick up blackberry, blk cherry, cedar as well as a bit of alcohol on the nose...initial thoughts...."fruit bomb?". The palate is again like an explosion of fruit that quickly says "NEW WORLD!". Tons of sweet juicy dark fruit, vanilla and cedar/oak. The highly extracted fruit however is pure....no fakeness here, full bodied with smooth tannins and nicely balanced. The finish is very long but does show a tad bit of the heat of that 15.5% alcohol. You have to be a "New World" fan to LOVE this wine as I find it very "Molly Dooker Ausi" in style. To my wife and I this is a 90pt'r but I can see it being more like a 95pt'r to others. TS
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Decanted for 5 hours and only then nose started showing subtleties. Not as ready to drink as the 2003. I will wait 2 more years before opening next bottle.
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Deep purple in the glass. Reminds me of a Shiraz (no surprise considering the winemaker). Great aromas of cherries and then dark fruits (blackberries and blueberries) with some nice vanilla and smoke. Sweet dark fruit flavors followed immediatley by good acidity to balance it out. really nice long smooth finish to this. There is heat and it comes in and out of the tastings. Need to let this breath for at least 2-3 hours. This should be much better in a couple of years. I bought 4 more bottles. I'll try and let some age.93-94Pts
In summary: Great aromatics Excellent depth of fruit and very good acidity Should get much more seemless with age after heat dies down a bit Great potential
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Big jammy dense wine. Dark fruits on the nose and palate. Fruit forward style, but had a hint of the minerality of most spanish wines I love. Short decant time may have limited the experience here. But to be honest, I wasn't blown away like most people who have written reviews. I'm glad I have another, to let it sit for a year or two, although I don't see that this wine has amazing structure that will improve with age. We'll see. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and find it a good QPR at $35.
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TB: Had next to an 02 Clio after a number of great wines so notes from memory only. Nice dark purple in color. Beautiful sweet, rich black fruits on the nose and palate along with some vanilla. Great structure for this wine which shows great promise for long decants or cellar time. Nice, long finish to complete the experience.
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Absolutely spectacular! Had this side by side with a '96 Penfolds Grange and I would say that the Clio took it! Unbelievably perfumed nose has huge blackberry, tobacco, liquorice, and asian spices. Extremely viscous and full bodied palate is truly memorable with black fruits, black pepper and other spices mixed in - purple velvet as Dan O' put it. The finish goes on forever (60+ seconds). Compared to the Grange (14.2% alcohol), the Clio's 15.5% alcohol was practical unnoticeable. Firm,.nicely integrated tannins. Again, one of the better wines that I have ever had.
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had the Caldwell 04 last week and this was very similar. Slightly more complex nose but not quite as supple. Nice blue fruit flavors with a heavy dose of oak on the strong finish. tastes like a young napa cab.
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superb nose. tasted jammy to me this time and somewhat harsh, even after three days of air. lacked roundness. otherwise it is thick, concentrated, packed with fruit. this is a big wine with alot going on. im thinking it needs many years to integrate and smooth out.
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FANTASTIC! Very very easy to drink. Wish I had a case more. Can't add anymore then what has been said. If you see this- buy it. So smooth - heaven in a bottle. Ruined me!
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WA nailed this when it calls it hedonistic in caps. This is purely meant for enjoyment, not deep thought or contemplation (sort of like watching shows like the World's Most Shocking videos or what passes for news these days!). The nose indicates the barrel aging was done in barrels built from Oak that barely survived a mass forest fire. I think the house smoke alarm was on the brink of going off when we opened this. Ruby in color (lighter than the Douro), taste of plum, black fruit jam and oak. A bit of leather and dark fruit comes out on the nose once you fan through the smoke. Not complex, but very enjoyable. Dangerously easy to drink at 15.5% alcohol.
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Decanted this for almost 7 hours, which may have been a little too much, as this bottle had a touch of jamminess and was slightly flabby relative to the last spectacular bottle that I had. Still an excellent wine. Great fruit with black and white pepper. Huge finish.
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Decanted for two hours. Dark inky violet -purple color. Huge nose of blueberry and salt water taffy led to huge taste: blueberry, sour cherry, oak, cedar and vanilla. Suoer long finish. Lots of alcohol. All in all a big powerful fruit bomb of a wine.
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Drank in Myrtle Beach on vacation... out of nice Riedel stems that I brought from home. Absolutely fantastic wine. Inky purple black color. Looks highly extracted and viscous right from the pour. Huge, complex nose of blackberry, black raspberry, smokey oak, menthol, licorice and vanilla. Extremely full bodied palate carries all the fruit with some black and white pepper spices and it completely coats the palate. Finish just goes on forever. While not completely my style as this is a true new world bomb, it is one of the better wines I have had.
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This is one big mamma jamma! Loads of fruit and jam, but it’s also got great nervousity and the tannins are beautiful. Some smoke becomes apparent as the wine sits in the glass. There’s also a fair amount of minerality. Some floral in there too. The alcohol is a bit much, but it’s certainly a well made wine. I don’t know that I love this, it’s very good and hedonistic, but is it great?
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Excellent wine! Decanted for an hour and didn't get much heat. Could taste a lot of oak, berries, and butterscotch. Extremely long finish. This wine is so good now, but I can't wait to try it in a few years. Lucky enough to find 8 of them last week at $37. Probably worth twice that if you can find it.
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Decanted 2 hours. Enjoyed thoroughly. Very, very, very balanced wine with lots of dark fruit flavors tightly integrated with oak. A little dense on the finish that may open up into something more beautiful with time. Drinking smashing right now.
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Intense and well made fo sho - I would have guessed a Shiraz, blind. Everyone noted the obvious heat and alcohol - which was exaggerated after drinking 3 old world Riojas tonight - but this was great with dessert. Just wish i saw it coming and had decanted it longer. Tar, blueberries and cherries in my nose. Some tannins, but not much - didn't notice it being over-oaked at all, totally in balance to me. Modern bomb and well done, if the heat fades - a knockout. Glad i have more. Late in the night (after doing dishes) this began to shine even brighter.
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Deep red color, rich nose right from the pop. Hard to pull distinct notes from the nose, but I got some smokey bacon with licorice also. On the palate, rich round mouthfeel that at cellar temperature was great but as it warmed to room temperature crossed into slight flabby territory, where the high alcohol (15.5%) was noticeable. Still, I really like this wine for the second year in a row. Didn't have any issues with oak. Best thing for me about this is the long mouthwatering finish that haunted me for several minutes after each sip.
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Wonderful fruit and smooth silky mouthfeel would best describe this blend from Jumilla. I'm glad I have a few more bottles, but would buy more. Real elegant and a persistent finish. The nose hints of cherries, plums, leather and quite possibly a dash of mocha.
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very very good. needed at least a day to open up. the nose is just phenomenal. everything about it is wonderful to drink. pleasant oak, big fruit, balanced acidity, huge long finish. the only thing which surprised me was that it had slight tannins. this is drinking great now. a superb qpr.
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Look, this is simply delightful....no decant...absolutely deserving on the high reviews...and again, the oak is NOT overwhelming. For 40 dollars a pop, this is absolutely my value wine of 2007.
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Note after 48 hours in the decanter. This opened up a bit over two days. Very concentrated with black fuits, peppers and some spiciness. I could easily confuse this with a Petite Syrah. Very nice wine for the price.
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Red Carpet: Very ripe, brilliant red fruits, swt tobacco, pipe tobacco; cedar, wonderful complex nose, rich drawing room smells, very silky,concentrated up the ass, beaut. entry, rich, but not thick; Intnese flavors, almost bitter end--needs 8-10, wow! but when would you drink it? Fantastic to taste, but I probably would not want this in my cellar.
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I can see the allure here, but holy smoke is there alot of OAK. Its obviously well made, but I just cant handle this for more than a small glass. I passed on a case @ $38 and Im glad I decided to just try one first.
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With more of these on the way, I couldn't resist an early peek. The light ruby robe somewhat disguises the absolute bomb that is to come. The nose is an explosion of sweet jams - blackberry, red raspberry, marionberry - notes of pepper and yes, a hint of booze, not obtrusive, but nonetheless a negative. In the mouth, the wine performs at a higher level. Stupendously pure and linear fruit shines alongside bright acid and a firm tannic spine. There is wonderful freshness and lift, and I think the finish, somewhat modest, will lengthen over time. Overall, there is some heat on this wine which keeps me from raving about it, BUT I also happen to really enjoy big, bombastic wines, and this fits the bill. There is a laser-like focus to the fruit that really shines through and trumps some of the relative negatives. I bet this wine will positively sing in 2-5 years, but I see no reason to attempt to make old bones out of this bottle. Frankly, it's a slutty pleasure right now. For $40, this is an impressive offering.
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Drank over three days, and had the most enjoyment with it on the last day. Decanted on the first day for an hour. Very sweet juice, and almost fruit that is too heavily extracted. Not as thick as a Marquis 9 (which is way too thick for my palate), but a wine that either needs to cellar for 5 years or be drank a few days later. On day three this baby was ready and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The nose was a black fruit cornicopia, strawberries, tobacco and a whiff of iodine. On the palate it was predominately black berries and the finish was about 20 seconds in length. I will be buying another three more bottles to lay down to see what happens.
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intense black- and blueberry fruit of the Monastrell with the cedar, cassis and spiciness of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Early on, there a unmistakable notes of toasted oak, earthiness, and leather along with the pronounced fruit. The tannins were also quite apparent immediately after opening, but they were not over powering – just firm enough to know they are there. The wine is creamy and lush with just enough acidity reminding me of drinking something as intense as a well-made espresso or café Cubano. Great wine to discuss with other wine enthusiasts.
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This wine does have WOW factor, in the new world style, with lots of fruit and well oaked. This is different from the traditional Spanish red, that I've found somewhat stark. This is anything but stark, it's rich, smooth and full of fruit. Reminds me of 2002 Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz, lots of blueberry and dark fruit flavors, and it just gets better with air. If this is your style, it's a winner, too bad the RP rating jumped the price (if you can find it) from $30 (at which it would be a 'get as many as you can bottle)' to $50 (where it's probably comparably priced, but not a screaming value). 94
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Wow! Very good wine. Extremely rich. I can taste the Cab Sauvignon. I have 2 more of these bottles that I will let rest for another year or two. I will be looking out for the 2005. This wine is very thick and has a very good nose. I like this wine a lot. Sorry for the vague notes :)
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Tasting Group Dinner - Spain (Solera, Minneapolis): Midnight black color. Concentrated crushed blackberries on the nose and palate. Like a barrel sample -- jammy and oaky. The nose picks up a mild, interesting, almost Chateauneuf-like horse/brett aroma. Don't touch these for a few years. Very promising.
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Minneapolis Tastes Spain (Unico, Mauro, Janus, Closa Batllet, Clio, Numanthia): I was a bit palate fatigued at this point but I thought this showed great potential. The nose was by far the most interesting of the last seven wines, giving black fruit, smoke, leather/tobacco and oak. On the palate this has big black fruit with oak/vanilla and at least a bit of structure. Very primary. Decent length on the finish. I would say this has the potential to be very interesting with extended cellaring.
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Red Cherries fruit. Oak Also, Caramel and bell peppers. Beautiful in it subtleness. Beautifully balanced wine. Huge alcohol level brings to it the sweetness needed to compliment (tame) the massive tannis. On the tongue the wine goes thru 3 distinct phases. Flavours of Blackberry and black currants, undertones of bell peppers and something like canned green beans.... and best of all smooth and buttery and mixed with butterscotch with a coffee undertone. All I can say is F'ing wow! New world-stlye. I know… I loved it only because it got a 97 rating from Robert Parker. Not true. I typically never understand or agree with the ratings. I have never tasted a 94, but this sets the new standard for me. I let sit for about 30 mins tasted and was amazed. Let stand for another 30 mins and it is still unfolding more complexity and depth. Let it decant for an hour or 2 if you can. Looking to cellar till 2008ish
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This note is from the second night on this bottle. What a rich, lush wine. Slightly burnt nose with dark fruit, mocha, and some forest floor. Very rich mouthfeel, showing more of that burnt character, ripe (not over-ripe) fruit, maybe some chocolate, and an almost rhone-like garrigue. Great finish with fine tannins, good balancing acidity, and no hard edges. This reminds me a little of the 97 Insignia in its structure and character with a slightly earthier profile. Probably worth a couple of extra points with a few years of age.
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Killer wine. Only gets better the longer you let her breathe! One of the finer Spanish wines I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. give this puppy another 3-5 yrs and than start popping corks. Amazing effort!
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Massive nose of dark berry aromas from the glass that are noticeable from 6 feet away. Extremely powerful and almost shiraz-like feel and flavor on the palate with peppery, spicy, blueberry flavors and notes of chocolate. Very balanced fruit and tannins with a long finish. Drank while watching the second round of the Masters and loved every minute of it. Excellent!
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Simply lovely, and with the potential to age, this lives up to expectations and to the first bottle we had at table 2 several months back, pre hype. I get a bit of cinnamon not mentioned in earlier reviews....and I disagree vehemently with previous comments about overwhelming oak.
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Wow!!! This wine lived up to everthing I had heard about it. Dark as night. Rich, cedar wood, blackberries with hints of leather. Very well balanced. Looong finish. I need to find more of this. With the tanins where they are this wine will age and be even better (hard to believe).
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Ineluctible modality! Oh my god! Alban Reva on steroids! This wine blew me away, and I rezlie it is pretty early on. Incredibly dark, thick, rich, tendrils of oak wrapped around cassis and dark fruits. A grip like a vise, but a grip from a friend, not an enemy. Everything about this wine speaks of power and intensity. Although it contains 70% monastrell (what the heck is it?) and 30% cabernet sauvignon, this wine really reminded me of an Alban Reva but amped up even a bit more!
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I can't get a real grip on this wine. There is a pronounced wood component that I cannot get past. Definitely not oak or cedar, but more of an exotic spicy/wood characteristic that is I have never found in another wine. Massive in structure with a a wealth of fruit behind the overpowering wood. Hopefully it just needs some time together as this must have just been bottled. It has potential but is not really enjoyable to me at present.
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Smooth, silky, full bodied and full flavored. Chocolate, blueberry, sweet baking spices, flowers. Bursting with flavor with a pretty long finish. Lots of alcohol pretty well integrated into a huge, high toned structure. Not tannic, but I think this could use a few years to calm down. Reminds me a little of a lighter bodied full extraction California Zin. Seems like a wonderful success for what the winemaker was aiming at, but it's a over extracted for my taste. Very good, however. I bet Parker loves this wine. B/B+
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Staff Picks (Farpointe Cellar): I loved the strong aromas of coffee on the nose. There was also small amounts of black currant, chocolate, and vanilla. The palate had lots of black currant mixed with mocha, plus oak and spice. The tannins were firm, and the finish went on a long time.
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Decanted 4 hours... Strawberries and Black Cherries on the mid palette, very smooth, gives way to oak and leather on the finish. Nice integrated tannins, .... ........ As we hit hour 5, oak is fairly pronounced. Not a fruit bomb at all, but it is defintely there. Basically, if you like Black Cherries and oak (which I do) you will love this wine. And FYI, nothing taste fake, just real good wine.
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Delicious strawberry and roses on the nose. With slight caramel finish. As it opened up the finish added even more caramel and honey. Becoming more silky and smooth after a few hours with a little spicy white pepper.
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Aromatic nose of dark fruits, graphite and bittersweeet chocolate. Pure and focused chocolate covered blackberry fruit on the palate. Great stuffing with loads of concentration and structure. Long finish. Only drawback is some lingering tartness starting on the midpalate through the finish. This disjointed aspect needs some time to come together and flesh out. Still quite tasty with loads of upside.
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10/29/2023 - danseng wrote: 90 Points
After being blown away by the 2002 Clio a few weeks ago I thought I’d try this one. It’s still a good wine but much fruitier and not as structured as the 02. A bit of stewed fruit at this point so I’d say drink up.
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2/24/2023 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than its big brother El Nido (2008) I had a couple of weeks ago. Deep ruby; coffee, dark chocolate, cherry, plum, stewed black fruit, toast, leather, kirsch, black currant, velvety. Medium acidity, medium resolved tannins, medium+ flavor intensity, very long finish. Probably 1-2 years beyond its peak, but very good. Big, deep & long
93+
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12/27/2022 - MarkRichards Likes this wine: 98 Points
Close to perfect! Dark fruits, cedar, tobacco, dark spice... classic iron fist in a velvet glove wine.
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12/15/2022 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brick brown on the edges. Tea, minor funk, grilled herbs on the nose. Still plenty of fruit, grilled meat and herbs, prune, bacon and black cherries.
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6/1/2022 - MarkRichards wrote: 94 Points
Glad I waited for its 18th birthday.
Ripe purple fruit, licorice, tar and flowers.
Just a shocker, in a good way...one bottle left!
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1/14/2022 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Juan Gil and El Nido Jumillas 2002-2012 (Tasted Blind) (Virtual Tasting): Nose: 94; Palate: 92 (Tasted blind)
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7/24/2021 - grossie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank it at OD's house with a texas brisket. This was exactly the right wine for that! Big, deep, rich, and long. Had a distinct blackberry liqueur quality thatwas amazing. It was such a great foil to the rich fat of the brisket, so amazing. What a great wine.
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1/4/2021 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 94 Points
Agree with a lot what PGM says....17 years old....so needs a little air to open (~30 mins). Pretty one dimensional...but good. deep fruit, soft tannins, long finish. Aging thick/rich wine and in a nice place.
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8/7/2020 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
At first, it was stewed fruit seeming on the downslope, but somehow those autumnal verging on over-the-hill notes diminished, and purer blackberry and currant notes came back through, with a savory finish. Tannins are resolved, but there’s enough structure to support the fruit and carry it through the finish. Still definitely mature, at peak or a bit beyond, drink in the near term.
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12/25/2019 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 97 Points
lost some of the 'baby fat' by now, endless finish, refined, complex, elegant, gorgeous...
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12/21/2019 - GeorgDornauer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Klar, dunkles Rubingranat, leichte Randaufhellung mit orangen Tönen
Sauber, intensives Aroma nach Fruchtkompot, Gewürzen, rote Früchte, sehr einladend
Trocken, saftige Säure, kräftige gut eingebundene Tannine, intensiver Geschmack nach roten Früchten, Rumtopf, Gewürznelke, langer Abgang, gereift aber noch sehr frisch
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12/6/2019 - Isobel goudi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ziegelrot, orange-braune reflexe. Geringe farbtiefe. Duft nach Vanille, gewürznelken, alles sehr fein nicht aufdringlich. Holz. Dezente süsse im mund, seidene tannine, noch immer saftig und animierend. Mittlerer Körper dezente Säure alles sehr harmonisch und elegant. Wunderbarer Abgang.
Ohne zu dekantieren direkt präsent, optimal jetzt zu trinken. Besser als bei der letzten Verkostung in 2018.
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10/31/2019 - Marc S wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, black currant, chocolate and licorice anise with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Wonderful bottle of wine. Big, bold and still very approachable. Nose has hints of dark chocolate and cedar.
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10/8/2019 - James1977 Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a treat. From the moment I opened the bottle I got blackcurrant and dark stewed fruits. A beautiful deep dark inky red colour. When tasting you get the dark black fruits with liquorice and a subtle smokey flavour at the back. Long finish. Really enjoyed this as did my guests, all of whom said they were going to buy some.
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7/9/2019 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great friends bring great wine! Served with Paella. Superb!
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5/22/2019 - bonedoc wrote: 96 Points
Birthday wine, served w grilled skirt steak... just simply delicious. Hedonistic, but balanced, long finish. My advice is to serve Clio w more intensely flavored food, to match the wines intensity.
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5/18/2019 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 91 Points
Drank in a cheap hotel from a white styrofoam cup. I loved it. Still amazing and lush. Murphie had no complaints. Blackberry and blueberry galore.
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2/3/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Good Wine with a Boring Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Social walk-around tasting, brief note. Very modern and getting slightly tired, but overall a pleasant sip of wine, even if this isn't the style of wine I enjoy.
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12/23/2018 - lovierlist wrote: 95 Points
Wow
Impressive
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11/17/2018 - Stevere Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fourteen years old and it still displays the hedonistic blackberry and blueberry fruit over a solid core of earth and mushrooms. This is a thick and solid wine with a delicious layer of fruit.
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10/14/2018 - Plusvini wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Big icky Parker wine. Big. Big. And big. Oak. Wine tears on the glass. Did I mention big.
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9/29/2018 - happytom Likes this wine: 95 Points
My review is the same as MRichman n 5/29/2018. I would add that it had a hint of chalky limestone in the background. When first opened there was a bit of dark cherry.
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9/2/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wines Enjoyed at Pre Labor Day Celebration and BBQ (Casa de la Mata - Chicago IL): Very rich and ultra ripe black fruit. Incredibly modern style makes the varietal somewhat non-descript. Tasty enough, but getting tired already from a great vintage, and not really my style of wine.
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5/29/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Ripe, lush, silky, fully mature. Full of big, bright, soft fruit with lots of floral notes, soy and tobacco, dark chocolate. This is what you'd call hedonistic wine, but there is enough feminine delicacy and complexity that it is quite interesting as well. Drinking at peak with fully resolved tannins, this has enough stuffing to last quite a while--5 years no problem and perhaps 10 before it fades. This wine should be a popular attention grabber.
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2/23/2018 - Isobel goudi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Feiner als ich gedacht hätte. Relativ schlank im Mund. Sollte jetzt getrunken werden, wird vermutlich nicht mehr besser. Plv ist okay wenn man solche Weine mag. Abgang ist schön.
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9/8/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
still hanging on, plenty of oak and alcohol but a very fun wine if you're in the mood.
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6/28/2017 - whybuyone wrote: 91 Points
As previous posts mention, this is a very big and bold red wine. I, too, doubt it will get much better. It's in its window. These types of wines taste good but tend to be the cause of headaches and heartburn. The alcohol and acid are just a wee bit too much for those who prefer French and Italian styles.
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5/26/2017 - Periko wrote: 92 Points
From memory. Opened and slow 'oxed for 3hours. Not really into these type of wines anymore but have to admit this has nicely aged. Has lost a lot of color and some intensity on nose but the trademark alluring bouquet is still there. Rounded and lighter on palate than in its youth, still has a lot of fruit and some heat at the finish but overall it's very pleasurable. Tasted blind, it was again a crowd pleaser and a positive surprise. In a perfect moment now and for a few more years.
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12/31/2016 - prsrguy2 wrote: 95 Points
Still large and in charge. Decanted for an hour, wonderful balance of fruit and tannins. Give it another five years
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11/22/2016 - King of all vines wrote: flawed
corked. Which is unfortunate because I was really looking forward to drinking this wine.
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9/17/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank my first one a few years ago and was rather disappointed after having the 2002. This was much improved. That's why one should always purchase 3 if possible.
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8/5/2016 - slulkin Likes this wine: 96 Points
Enjoyed this beauty thanks to Rollerball's generosity. Please see his tasting note for details.
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8/5/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 96 Points
Incredible. Dense, fuzzy, intense, explosive , lush, long, immediate, spicy, not overpowering, distinctive, raining fireworks, barbbeque, mature. Syrupy before it spread itself out. Pour it into glasses and don't touch for 45 minutes.
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7/10/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Just like the bottle we opened in December. A perfect time to be drinking these. From that note: "Such a beauty. Softened, complex. That energetic oak puppy has become a well-integrated loyal old hound. Does not need decanting."
Non-oenophile guests (also) absolutely adored this wine. Several inquired about it, took notes, photographed label, etc.
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6/12/2016 - discoverwine Does not like this wine:
That bottle was past its prime.
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5/14/2016 - jimkay21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank for a belated birthday dinner based on others' notes from this year. I agree that it is in good form with nothing left to gain. The nose was profuse on opening. Sweet, smooth palate. The profile is a little one dimensional which is a knock. That said, we'll enjoy this with the steaks that are just about set to come off the grill.
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5/13/2016 - RDHudak wrote: 92 Points
Very good and still hanging on. Probably the most elegant Clio I've had, relatively speaking, no doubt due to the age.
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1/24/2016 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 90 Points
GO DENVER!!!!
Dark garnet.
Blackberry, dark fruit, oak and some vanilla off the nose. Cherries.
BIG, BOLD, wine. High alcohol. Some dusty mustiness.
Palate follows the nose. Sour cherries. Tart. Some dried bitter current.
Leather off the back end.
This wine is at its peak, or at the very least will not get much better. Great wine.
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1/16/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A pop and pour. Very pleasant. Rich purple and black fruit. Integrsted. Great finish. Would love to have more aged bottles - buying the newe're releases.
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1/2/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very pleasant full bodied black and red fruits. Has become a pop and pour wine. Probably loses a bit with a decant. Drink up.
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12/30/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Such a beauty. Softened, complex. That energetic oak puppy has become a well-integrated loyal old hound. Does not need decanting.
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12/24/2015 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
Very new world in style, this has a lot of ripe red fruit and vanilla. It is well integrated at this point but remains unabashedly big. Think this in its window now.
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11/29/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine that is drinking well. Lush full-bodied fruits that benefit from a decant. Long finish. New world but worth buying more.
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11/26/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted two hours. Inky purple. One of the most fruit forward wines I have ever tasted. Lush dark fruit. Complex. Surprisingly in your face but also pleasant. Long finish. Just ordered 6 more of the recent vintage.
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10/4/2015 - Stevere Likes this wine: 95 Points
At 11 years old this wine has a great balance between dark fruit restrained tannins, modest heat, and deep and satisfying palate. The delicious fruit has maintained its virulence over the years, while the heat has declined measurably, making this a great bottle of wine.
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8/30/2015 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
delicious as always!
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7/13/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Some wines with the neighbors (Our home): A wine I have struggled with in the past due to oak. At 11 years from vintage, the oak on this bottle anyway has integrated very well. The nose has cherries and black currants. Also a slight charred earth. Great, lovely supple texture. On the palate, lots of cherry and black raspberry fruit, a slight camphorish note and a slight under layer of damp earth. delicious. Certainly no hurry on this but I don't think it gets better from here, just more mature. On release I had my doubts if this would get to this point, now I wish I had bought more.
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7/8/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Less opulent and rich in its old age. Still good, though. I'll finish mint next 1-2 yrs.
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7/3/2015 - waibeans wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well with a pop and pour. The 15.5% is still showing heat on the back end but it's not distracting. Smooth.
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5/14/2015 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice! Time in the bottle has mellowed this out a bit, and it's lost some of the very heavy fruit that makes Clio taste like Clio, but what's left is a nice round Cab that tastes like it's straight from Napa.
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5/5/2015 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Youthful aromas of baking spices, and more mature aromas of tobacco and leafy earth. It's aging quite nicely, still quite tannic. Years left, but drinking well now.
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3/13/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Spanish wines with Petaluma tasting group, Pt. 1 (Tessa's): Big, solid with a sweet core. A bit pruney. Clean, pure. A huge wine, but very good and I enjoyed it more than I expected.
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1/2/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Loads of tar and coffee on the nose. A touch of balsamic. Cherry and cement. Fresh black cherry juice with flavors of ink and cherry confection, hay and sweet oak, ends with bitter grapeseed.
We decanted for an hour then back into the bottle. May not have needed that much air.
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11/23/2014 - redknife Likes this wine: 94 Points
Time in the bottle really improved this wine.
Decanted only 30 mins. Very balanced full body; a lot of the strong vanilla has almost gone away with just enough left to compliment the red/black fruits and coffee tones. Looong finish... Wish I had more, this was my last 2004.
93-95 pts
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11/6/2014 - Rojo Likes this wine: 94 Points
My last bottle. Perfumed aroma of blackfruits bordering on being liqueur-ish, with undercurrent of sweet smelling wood. Full bodied, silky entry with a very good concentration of acidity, mocha and black fruits in the middle. Mocha-caramel finish. Excellent!
A+
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10/17/2014 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
@Homer St.
Deep, dark, inky purple, full bodied
Hot nose, detergent at first, then red licorice, honey hints
High alcohol (15.5 but maybe higher), dark cherries, oily
Some vanilla hints, cotton sugar, jammy
A wonderful wine which has lots of life left. Great producer!
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9/28/2014 - Mr T wrote:
Last bottle here too
I found this more balanced but still not really my cup of tea
Some menthol and fruit
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8/2/2014 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Regular dinner group (@ JvT): Dark fruits, smoke, chocolate and pleasant rustic impressions in the beautiful bouquet. On the palate ripe fruits and a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity. Soft and round tannin. Great length. Ready now and the next few years.
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8/2/2014 - drmarclevine wrote: 91 Points
Decanted two hours. Huge nose. Dark cherry, cough drops, black pepper and some candy/vanilla. Big, round and oaky in the mouth. New-world for sure. Bruised black cherry, vanilla, and charcoal. Concentrated and borderline over-the-top. Right on the edge for me. Stood up strong to chicken thighs with lemon zest, thyme and garlic and fingerling potatoes with chive pesto.
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4/18/2014 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple
Full bodied
Tobacco, lead pencil shavings, dried leather, cherries
Tastes much like the nose, good tannins, medium (+) finish,
Balanced dark fruit, blackberry, fruit leather, with some nutty hints
This is an excellent wine from an excellent producer. The QPR is more than fair. I look forward to drinking the remaining bottles in my cellar, and adding more for future consumption.
ps. this was our closing bottle for the night
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1/30/2014 - NickP Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big on the nose immediately upon uncorking - and it was decanted about 2 hours prior to drinking. I think this wine has plenty of time left in the aging process. This was essential as the nose changed significantly over time becoming more fragrant. On the palate the wine comes across immediately with a strong oaky note, but I did not find it obtrusive. This was followed by dark berry notes and leather/tobacco. While it comes across as a very assertive wine on the nose it is not overwhelming on the palate. Finish was lasting. This wine held up well with a strongly-flavored lamb dish. I have two bottles of the 2005 and look forward to those, though I will resist opening them for a number of years.
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1/7/2014 - Employee500 wrote: 90 Points
Ultra rich and gobby wine...appealing to those who like rich and gobby wines.
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12/28/2013 - PlanetX Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hedonistically delicious wine. Near the top of my tolerance for ripe, heavily oaked wines. The blue and black fruits have great depth and length. Oak and alcohol on the finish but do not detract from this effort. Well done.
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12/6/2013 - NTR wrote: 93 Points
Nice dark color. Medium dark fruit nose, slight spice, little floral. Brooding yet youthful fruit flavors. Tannins have tempered quite a bit. Slight mint notes on finish. Do not think this is a "fruit bomb". Holding up excellent but drinking very well now.
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10/24/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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10/13/2013 - Gabe wrote: 91 Points
Still liking this, mellow, not over the top as it once was but still good fruit and acid. Still a big fragrant floral nose but not overpowering. I feared these might fall apart but I don't see signs of that.
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9/17/2013 - AccaDacca Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine, and a bit jammy, which I dont recall with prior bottles. This may be close to peak drinking, not as interesting and developed as I had hoped.
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8/22/2013 - dlcass wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose; but didn't enjoy as much on the palate.
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8/6/2013 - jbro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Backwards review--second night. The finish is juicy, fresh and incredibly long. Beautifully integrated, just the slightest bit thick on the palate, with blackberry, chocolate, orange peel and balanced acidity and tannins. The nose is a melange of aromas with nothing distinctive--the impression is dark fruit with some other stuff--what stuff?--dark stuff. Great now--better in two more years
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8/1/2013 - Mr T wrote:
not my cup of tea but Robbie very happy and lapping it up. Actually had good acid and not at all too heavy or oaky
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6/26/2013 - Brownvino wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for an hour +. Had with pork chops. Dark fruit taste with a hint of terroir and tobacco.
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5/28/2013 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 84 Points
sad. this is one of my favorite wines. was this past peak? just plain dull.
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5/26/2013 - stoneb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes prior to dinner and consumed over 2 hours with little change over that time. Opaque purple. Blue and red fruit on the nose in the mouth, with sweet tannins and a bit of floral lift. A little one-dimensional, but very enjoyable. Drink or hold.
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4/22/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well at present. Lost a bit of its exuberance but still quite fruit forward. I tend to prefer these wines more on the young side.
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4/8/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted.
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4/7/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
An irresistable spectrum of vibrant fruit that has relaxed a tad as the salted licorice and other herbal and earthy notes have gained in complexity and presence. Very nice right now.
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3/23/2013 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific wine. Great fruit and balance. In a great place right now
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2/24/2013 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 Points
last three bottles. All very consistent in quality and condition.
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2/20/2013 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 Points
Clear, dark ruby. Complex nose of red fruits, florals and spice. Lots going on here on the palate. Outstanding wine at its peak. Paired with braised short ribs.
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2/12/2013 - Rojo wrote: 92 Points
Really dark garnet color. Raspberries, cherries, a hint of menthol(?) on the nose. Flavor array consists of cherry, cocoa powder and red fruits. Full bodied wine with excellent structure. No doubt of longevity. Finish is dark cocoa with berries that lingers for 45+ seconds. Outstanding now, but looking forward in 2 years. 91-92.
Wow! It opens up on the second night. If you want to drink now, decant! 93+.
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1/1/2013 - andyrowe wrote: 96 Points
Rarely do I regret getting close to the end of a case of wine as much as this one. Wet earth, something chewy, and a harmonious ancient spice trail as it fades slowly from your palate.
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11/21/2012 - mwneil wrote: 89 Points
Not my type of wine. Light in color,nice bouquet, no real mouth feel, it opened up slowly, good initial taste, no middle and not a great finish. Not sure if I had an off day but this is not the quality of wine that people are proclaiming. Do not be intimidated by Parker. Finished my meal with a 1966 Warre's port which was wonderful. The Clio is somewhere between a port and wine and it is neither.15.5% alcohol for a wine is goofy. I am curious to try this wine again but I think that the emperor has no clothes.
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11/13/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aging well. A BIG Spanish red. Huge fruit with firm tannins. Can still age for years.
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9/23/2012 - Nheilbut2 wrote: 95 Points
Mature but with lots of fruit. Very nicely balanced wine. Big finish.
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7/26/2012 - vanpe003 wrote:
Pop/pour - mistake. Initially, dark, heavy, raisin, sauvage and a touch of something that comes across as "slightly cooked", but I don't think that's the case. With just the slightest amount of time in the glass, this thankfully comes together a bit. Or perhaps it's a matter of me getting my head around what this wine is. Still shows all of the components mentioned above, but more integrated if that makes any sense. Not really what I was looking for tonight, so perhaps I'll be able to check in tomorrow on how this develops after open for awhile. I didn't pick up on a lot of this the first bottle, from a different source, so wonder a bit about bottle variation. I don't shy away from big wines, but this one has no counterbalancing notes to lift the palate, to give it a sense of brightness. If I were to rate it for the way it's crafted (obviously a well-made wine), I'd probably go 92-93 points. But, this is one that I like less than that score would indicate.
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7/21/2012 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Nice wine, good fruit and acid balance, but perhaps fruit is fading a little.
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6/16/2012 - Marc S wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color with fast forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of burnt toast, dusty, prune and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Dark purple in color. Nose is nothing short of spectacular. Wonderful bottle of wine.
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5/13/2012 - dougsmith wrote: 93 Points
Black with a deep ruby rim. Loads of blackberry essence and licorice on the nose. Full bodied on the palate with great presence and length. This is a fine example of an up-front, modern-styled Spanish red.
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4/8/2012 - jcoughlon wrote: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly
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4/3/2012 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Wow, I'm impressed. I must admit that I when I corked this wine I expected a flabby, heat/fruit bomb. And, yes, it is a fruit bomb, and practically a cocktail at 15.5% etoh - however this wine has excellent acidity which masks the etoh, and makes it a very enjoyable, BALANCED wine... until the next morning when I wished it were a 14% wine. I've grown to steer away from high etoh wines bc they trend towards over extraction and displeasure in the chase for the high Parker score. Now, I realize that this style of wine is not flawed as long as it is balanced w the appropriate acidity.
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3/13/2012 - amgryger wrote:
NY/NJ Offline at Cellar 58 (Cellar 58, NYC): Dark, brooding aromatics on the nose with notes of black fruit, espresso, and dark chocolate. Similar notes on the palate. High acid and huge tannin.
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3/11/2012 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark inky color, full bodied, huge forward black and blue berry fruit flavors with layers of caramel, vanilla, anise, vanilla and sweet oak that go on and on. Nice structure and complexity but not firm, tight or tannic resulting in a tasty, pleasant easy drinking wine yet sophisticated and polished. Wow, this was an eye-opener and changed my perspective on Spanish wines - by far the most expressive and tasteful I have ever experienced. This wine vastly exceeded my expectations. We're huge fans of big fruit filled Syrahs and this stood with the best of them, with none of that metallic, mineral or creosote that I expected. 70% Monastrell (and 30% cabernet sauvignon) which I now know is aka Mouvedre which is the M in GSM - Genache, Mouvedre and Syrah, a popular blend in the Rhone River Valley as well as South Central Australia. This wine was sensational - bursting with flavor in the glass - immediately apparent to everyone.
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2/26/2012 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of raspberry and strawberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Beautiful bottle of wine. Cherry nose.
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2/18/2012 - Evil Homer wrote: 95 Points
Simply stunning. Gorgeous nose of skittles, brown sugar, cedar, black and red fruit. Palate is delicious. Still oaky but the fruit comes through beautifully. Vanilla, cedar, blackberry ,cherry flavours are all prevalent. Tannins are still present and grippy on the finish and the wine will last for some time time still..I would think 8-10 years. Fpain knows how to do it up right. The best Spanish wine I have ever had but I do have some competitor's still in the cellar. Can't wait to open them up.
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1/31/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Big, modern, smooth. On the nose, a swirl draws out some brighter notes...florals work their way through a fruit-fwd vanilla base. On the palate, this is a big and powerful wine, but shows complexity and nuance. A fair amount of vanilla and oak, but enough acidity to keep it from being brooding or monolithic. Not much in the way of tannins, and I think this might be coming to its peak. This would be an interesting ringer in a Napa tasting. For $35 give or take, this is an excellent QPR if you like the style.
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1/19/2012 - bwaverley wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. A bouquet of cherry pipe tobacco, dark berries earth and eucalyptus. The finish is mostly cherries and dark chocolate with a touch of oak and vanilla. A bit less heat would be nice. This wine is at or near peak.
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1/16/2012 - bmarshall wrote: 93 Points
similar to previous notes... this bottle seems a little lighter and leaned more towards red fruits than the previous bottles. Tannins have mellowed and the wine seems somewhat more elegant now. Still a beautiful wine!
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1/1/2012 - Marc S wrote:
- Ruby color. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, cherry, prune and violet with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Well balanced and great wine.
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12/30/2011 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Ink black, with red edges. If you like massive reds, this is for you. It is not over sweet, but name a red fruit and you have it here. Too much for the first night, stoppered it, and tried the next day. A little less dominated by fruit. Chocolate & tar came through. I can't give this a bad score, just because it is not my style. It is what it is, and done very well. I would prefer this over an Oz fruit bomb. The finish is long and rich, medium tannins without overt sweetness.
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12/12/2011 - Rayburn wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose of mocha, licorice and tobacco. Dark fruit on the palate with soft round tannins. A finish of at least a minute. Still got plenty of life. Awesome.
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11/29/2011 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
Black with a deep ruby rim. Lots of ripe, black fruit backed by sweet, toasted oak. The oak is not entirely integrated but it is harmonious with the fruit. Full bodied on the palate with good presence and length, soft tannins. It is what it is, a very good, upfront, modern-styled red.
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11/24/2011 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 88 Points
I opened the bottle hours before dinner. Maybe that was too much time? (score = 83) Gonna try it again tomorrow...........
Next day......something was better.......more resolved and in harmony with itself. Gripping tannins, rich plum, sawdust and black cherry. Everyone at The White's dug it.
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11/23/2011 - RDHudak wrote: 93 Points
Color: Very dark. Nose: Ripe, dark fruits, plumb, alcohol and spice. Some Port like aromas as well, so I am not so sure about this wines longevity. Palate: Tons of dark fruit, more spice, integrated oak, Port and prunes, again leading me to think that this bottle was on the downhill. Finish: Long with more of the aforementioned fruits and oxidation. While the wine did present somewhat oxidized, it was still very good. I had the '06 right after this and it was not even close in complexity, although it seemed much younger and with no signs of oxidation. Based on this bottle, drink now.
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11/13/2011 - brigcampbell wrote:
OC4POKER XI - Spain, Portugal, and Bubbly (WCC - Irvine CA): C: typical dark color
N: Spice and plum
P: Spice, pepper, and ripe plum
F: good structure, full weight, and strong finish
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11/12/2011 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP served over 3 hours. A guilty pleasure that's drinking exceedingly well at the moment. And while I don't see the stuffing for long-term cellaring, this will no doubt provide great pleasure over the next 3-5 years. Full-bodied and ripe, with colorful aromas of cassis, pipe tobacco, herbs, cocoa powder and toast. The rich flavors are keenly washed away by a not-so obvious vein of acids. Tannins are soft, nearly chewy. Good, but not great. Thankfully there were none of the cough syrup-like notes that others have remarked about. If this bottle were truly representative of the wine at this stage (i.e. not much variation), I'd be drinking all I had over the next 24 months. Score: A-
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10/21/2011 - jcbrand wrote: 93 Points
the oak has faded, now it's powerful but starting to temper much like the hulkster
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9/2/2011 - AccaDacca wrote: 92 Points
Wine was more mellow than I would have thought. Quite dark, viscous, but did not find it overextracted or syrupy. fruit flavors with a balance of oak and tannins. Medium to full finish. Enjoyable.
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8/12/2011 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Much better day 2 as the oak subsided and it balanced out. Big wine with mocha and cedar notes. Day one was a mess as totally disjointed, hot and oaky.
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7/12/2011 - jfagan wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours. Medium-dark, clear rim. Smoked herbs and spicy black fruit nose leads to a rich but balanced flavor profile that includes dark plum, smoky dried fruits with good lift and balance. This wine is juicy, ripe but bright--not at all over the top. Finishes long and powerful. Now through 2015.
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7/11/2011 - puterdewd wrote: 91 Points
was expecting so much more for the 04 especially considering how much i liked the baby pingus. everything was a little subdued. it did seem to open up a little but not enough to make me go wow.
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7/10/2011 - cadamson wrote: 88 Points
You can see from my previous notes on this wine that though stylistically it is not my cup of tea, I have really liked this as an excellent example of its style. For whatever reason, it just did not have the same impact on me this time. I simply just got too much vanilla, it overshadowed everything else. Still good, but too one dimensional this time around.
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7/4/2011 - SJC wrote: 80 Points
Have a case of this and decided to try one after dinner. Very thick, dark, dark berries and a texture like cough syrup (a lot of sugar, dark purple bordering on completely opaque, & a somewhat medicinal taste to it). Let it sit for 30 mins and that didn't make a difference. I've had a lot of AU Shiraz (Dead Arm, Clarendon Hills Romas, Wynn's Michael Estate) and this makes the Aussies look tame. I'll let it sit for another day or two and try it again but, in the meantime, I'm not sure this is tolerable.
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6/15/2011 - salil wrote: 70 Points
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - June '11 edition (Restaurant Saul, Brooklyn): Woody and alcoholic.
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6/1/2011 - jsebiri wrote: 88 Points
Very big wine , still very good 4 nights later. I find that typically my guests like this more than I do .consistently very good wine.
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5/17/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 90 Points
Color: Deep Garnet
Smell: mineral, tobacco, vanilla, and hints of plum and other dark fruits
Taste: Blueberry, black fruit, and cacao notes with hints of tobacco
Overall: Still complex with prevailent alcohol over shadowing the complexity that this does show. Medium length finish with medium acidity and intense fruit....this could be much more if the alcohol wasn't so obvious.
JT:
Smell: A+
Taste: A+
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4/30/2011 - winemo wrote: 94 Points
This is a very classy modern style old world wine. Like eating a fresh blueberry pie right out of the oven. Inky purple. Very well integrated oak and well settled taninns. A real beauty with a 30 second plus finish. I could have been convinced I was drinking a high quality petitte syrah. By no means a Spanish wine. I'll drink anything Jorge Ordonez imports.
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4/16/2011 - jimkay21 wrote: 91 Points
from memory, dark, balanced. really enjoyable
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4/6/2011 - TMacpherson wrote: 97 Points
This wine was - if possible - better than our last bottle. A beautiful nose of toasted oak, black fruit and a hint of rose (?). It had an incredibly body with layers of fruit intermixed with the oak. It was never overdone, but a tremendous mix of blackberries, plums, blueberries, and sweet quince. A knockout finish that just went on forever. A definite New World wine and not for everybody. We had this with homemade vegetable soup, chicken enchiladas, and a smiled Gouda salad.
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3/23/2011 - kahuna75 wrote: 91 Points
dark cherry,blackberry combo, floral, slight cedar- super dark still and the fruit was still big and dark but this bottle I found it didnt carry all the way to the finish- oak seemed to be full integrated and the finish came off a touch hot perhaps the fruit mellowing a bit has allowed this to be revealed- still wonderful wine overall
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3/20/2011 - Samstahl wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours before it really popped - big, fruity, smooth. Delicious. Really developed after several hours.
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1/13/2011 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of violets, black currants, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black currants, dark plums and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink now through let's say the next 2-5 years. I'll likely drink my last bottle in 2012.
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12/31/2010 - rjeman2000 wrote: 94 Points
Just love this wine. Decant for a few hours, and the flavors are deep, rich, and balanced. Favorite of the night.
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12/31/2010 - jimkay21 wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyable, crowd pleaser. Dark color, good fruit, oak integrated.
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12/27/2010 - Wink wrote: 94 Points
This is my last bottle. It has finally integrated the oak that was so dominant years ago. It is deep dark garnet with a reddish rim. Opulent nose of fig, plum, black cherry, espresso, and licorice. Big jammy palate of ripe dark fruit well balanced by pleasant acidity, toasty oak, and supple tannins. Wonderful length. The alcohol is hardly noticeable. This is really drinking well. I wish I had more bottles, but now I must look forward to my '07 Clio's.
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10/8/2010 - cadamson wrote: 94 Points
I am truly amazed at how this wine keeps getting better. It flies in the face of my entire "normal" stylistic choice; it supposed to be too big, something too over the top for me. But damn, this is how big should be done. Really, it is an amazingly scrumptious wine. Too much alcohol, but you do not notice (your head may afterwords, but that is a different story). The fruit is just so precise, so tasty and enjoyable. Not jammy at all. The oak is there, but receded into the background. Is this perfect? No, I am not going overboard, but for pure enjoyment.....this is hard to beat. Has years and years ahead of it, sorry I am now out of it. Kudos.
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9/19/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 93 Points
The oak monster was sleeping...thank goodness. Black cherry, toast, mocha. This is a fun wine to drink, lots going on.
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9/16/2010 - bonedocnine wrote: 94 Points
Mmmmmmmm!
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9/6/2010 - nschmidt wrote: 86 Points
Too hot for my taste. My guests seemed to like it.
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9/5/2010 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
really nice and the oak, while still very prominent, is starting to show some roundness. Incredible depth of concentrated berry fruit and plum. Viscosity that coats the mouth and gives a great mouthfeel. Still very full-bodied. Long long finish.
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8/12/2010 - Beachrooster wrote: 92 Points
Very dark garnet no signs of aging. My last tasting had me a concerned considering I stockpiled two cases... Aromas of Cherry, blueberry, vanilla, espresso, but missing the fig aromas of my last tasting. Fig aromas from over ripeness are not acceptable at this price range. Medium weight and an improvement over the last tasting. Better balance because of more live acid, but fruit still a little short. Hoping for additional improvements over time and last bottle may have been slightly flawed. Medium length on finish with smooth tannins.
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6/5/2010 - MRichman wrote:
Sweet blueberry with dark earthy, tar, espresso notes. Thick, extracted, silky, sappy, chewy with a hint of lemony tannin. Long sweet and bitter nut finish. Too hot and a little too sweet. Ready to drink now and over the next 7ish years. This is a little too big for my taste, although it is well made, clean and smooth.
B-
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5/30/2010 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Memorial Weekend BBQ at the Shaffer's (The Shaffer's - Highland Park, IL): Delicious nose of fresh berries and toast. Palate is full bodied, rich and overt. Totally delicious, chock full of flavor and well balanced. Tastes as rich and fresh as on release. Not for everyone, but darn good in my book.
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5/29/2010 - jsebiri wrote: 87 Points
Big red wine. , I got red fruits and green peppers , plenty of tannins , nice wine with some age on it
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5/14/2010 - cookie7 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Bright nose of blueberries with vanilla and new oak. Lots of jam and blue fruits. Reminds me of Saxum. Drinks younger than it is - no rush to drink. Great bottle.
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4/30/2010 - meatman wrote: 88 Points
Just didn't do it for me this time. Too much vanilla and oak. Not enough integration.
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4/21/2010 - Scruff wrote:
Did not take extensive notes but remembered a lot(!), it was that sort of wine. On the nose there was dark cherries, blueberries, toasty oak, vanilla and a hint of heat. On the palate there was very fresh and bright red fruits, the cherries, blueberries and strawberries which transitioned to red currants, spices, cedar/oaky menthol vanilla and a little heat (which faded with more air time). The mouthfeel was very luxurious, smooth and silky. Medium to full bodied. Would not have guessed that it was Spanish due to the lack of an earthiness that I frequently get. Very self indulgent hedonistic wine that hits the sweet spot when you are in the mood for this time of wine ;-)
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3/30/2010 - TMacpherson wrote: 97 Points
Wow. What a beautiful wine. Dark purple with lighter rum. Nose is super ripe black fruit, violets, and a hint of light toast. Body is extraordinary -- heaps of blackberries, cassis, and wonderful oaky vanillan. Finish is sweet tannins and blackberry liqueur. A very ultra ripe wine that never crosses the line. A gem.
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3/7/2010 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
A coffee cordial; a pickled dessert truffle with a nose of dill, black olives, gingerbread, and saltwater taffy. The palate paints a mortar that's surprisingly fresh, with mashed blue berries and super ripe strawberry, but the complete package is not over-ripe, just over oaked, with a residue of carmel and maple syrup. As others have said, this is excellent for what it is.
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1/19/2010 - Beachrooster wrote: 90 Points
Color is very dark and extracted garnet. Aromas of fig, cherry, vanilla, and plum. A little over done and disappointing. Nice weight and mouth and feel, with soft acid and ripe tannins but with too much hot fruit. Slightly disjointed and lacking balance. I was hoping for the 96 point wine, but found this a little over manipulated. Hoping for this wine to evolve, but fearing for its future....
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1/15/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92+
Tasted January 15, 2010.
Opened and served immediately at a tapas bar. Followed over about 2-3 hours. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of mixed dark fruits with some dominance by currants and some added floral notes. Mixed dark fruits on the palate. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, fairly full bodied. Can be drank now with some air time but will likely improve a bit with a little more time in the bottle. WIML92+ but I can see that improving easily with a little more time.
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12/21/2009 - Fielding wrote: 91 Points
Decanted one hour. Vivid purple color. Nose of blue fruits, with espresso, vanilla cream and star anise. Plums and currants on the palate, with cocoa, licorice and cedar. Opened and developed over the evening. Voluptuous and hedonistic.
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11/26/2009 - uncle_fester wrote: 91 Points
Wow. This wine is a whopper. Opaque purple color. Vanilla, blueberry and spice on the nose. The taste. . . lots going on here. Definitely a fruit bomb with lots of fruit and Vanilla (oak), but with nice substrates of flavor. On top, blueberry and plum, vanilla, then underneath, nice tones of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices (spices appear on the back-end). Warning: this is very alcoholic and definitely "more filling." I'd give it a higher rating if not for that. Not for the faint of heart. Good with steak/red meat and game.
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11/10/2009 - Harley1199 wrote:
I was curious why so many mates from the other side of the Pond are drinking this wine. Now I know. More close to an Aussie Shiraz than a Californian CS, mainly cause this is coming from Monastrell and because eonologist Chris Ringland, you know that guy, don´t you? Maybe Google can help. Anyway, I agree that this smoky juice presents lovely aromas: espresso, scrub, eucalyptus rotten leaves,.... all for a beauty mature violet colour. On palate, cherries, red berries or chocolate hints. Everything great then? Well, I am really sorry but its 15.5% alcohol is unbalanced, too much present, almost indigestible, excepting if you adore Fortified ones. To be shared with a good cigar, forget food please!
Tenía curiosidad porqué tantos colegas del otro lado del charco están bebiendo este vino. Ahora lo sé. Más cerca de un Shiraz australiano que de un CS californiano, principalmente porque su origen es la Monastrell y por el enólogo Chris Ringland. De todas formas, que este jugo ahumado tiene unos aromas deliciosos: café expreso, monte bajo, hojas podridas de eucalipto,...todo para un bello color violeta maduro. En el paladar, recuerdos a cerezas, bayas rojas y chocolate. ¿Todo perfecto entonces? Bueno, siento decir que 15,5% de alcohol es demasiado, casi indigesto, excepto si adoras los vinos generosos. Para compartirlo con un buen cigarro habano, ¡olvídate de la comida!
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11/9/2009 - DLT wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Medium ruby color, a little muddy. Nose shows a heavy dill aroma, along with oak, some wet grass, menthol, some olives and cocoa. Very interesting. Palate follows, with red fruits, an herbaceous dill quality, caramelly oak and some cedar. A little hot and medicinal on the midpalate, where fine, integrated tannins kick in through a smooth, medium-lengthed finish. This is a good wine, with nice extraction and complexity, although some minor flaws keep it from being outstanding. 5+13+16+7.
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9/28/2009 - KPB wrote: 90 Points
Not my favorite style of wine, but that's just me. A very powerful fruit-driven nose and palate impression: sweet, rich, intense. Aromas of blueberries and well integrated (but noticable) oak, you find it on the long finish too: sweet fading to a slightly resiny complexity. Good for what it is, but drink it young. Evolution since release seems to have left it a bit disjointed, like a once flawless fashion model who has been seeing the nip-and-tuck doctors a bit too often...
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9/20/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 93 Points
In the glass this was a deep violet with scents of dark fruits, vanilla, coffee, and blueberry cobbler. In the mouth this was lush, full bodied, with a round mouth-feel and well integrated tannins. Flavors of blue & black fruits followed by spice cake and vanilla extract play out along a long finish. Not a style of wine I want every night...but great for a cold night as winter starts to come in.
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9/9/2009 - rjeman2000 wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, thick and perfectly balanced
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9/6/2009 - NAA2586 wrote: 93 Points
This Clio was drinking very well yesterday. Well integrated oak with flavors of vanilla, deep dark fruits and toast. Has evolved very nicely over the past year. Drink now.
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7/19/2009 - jcbrand wrote: 93 Points
Good stuff but the oak monster is coming out as the fruit mellows.
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7/17/2009 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
Hedonistic, lush, huge...singing in terms of those descriptors. I did not like the 2005 of this at all, but the 2004 has enough fruit to peak past the all of oak, and somehow have it all come together in a too easy to drink for 15.5% alcohol package. Agree with Jeff calling it the Mollydooker of Spain from its massive size....but I think this one actually provides more by having some decent spice, with concentrated dark cherry fruit that manages to envelop the oak, allowing the oak just to give it an oomph of sweetness. Certainly not for every occasion (such as dining), or for anyone, but let's be honest, this is actually pretty good and at the release price one hell of a bargain. Last one I had was two years ago, I think I overrated it then, but it is at least a solid 93 now (and looking at my old note, the oak has certainly mellowed, and I do not get any toast or charred effect). Long finish, with a small amount of heat on the end.
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7/6/2009 - danseng wrote: 97 Points
This was our fifth bottle of this vintage of Clio and by far my favorite. I don't agree with Jay Miller on most of his Spanish wine scores, but his 97 is perfect for this wine right now and it will only get better. Just an incredible explosion of flavors including chocolate and cherries. Silky and a bit of earthiness from the Mourvedre. It's still a big wine so I can see how some wouldn't like it, but for me wine doesn't get much better than this.
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6/12/2009 - JorgeH wrote: 89 Points
This wine came in like a lion and left like a lamb. Decanted for 1 hour. Intensely dark in the glass, this started out brutally big and hot. Airtime managed to tone it down and coax out sweet notes of dark fruit, vanilla, tobacco and dark chocolate. Warm, thick and definitely full-bodied with a medium-long finish. I have to put it on the list of "cocktail wines" (more enjoyable on its own than with food). The initial heat kept me from giving it a better score. Frankly, don't know if time will improve it. Decant time definitely does.
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6/7/2009 - Employee500 wrote: 93 Points
Whoever once proclaimed on Squires that this was going downhill was terribly off....it tastes EXACTLY the same as it did on release about 3 years ago. Rich and hyper-extracted, with blackberry jam flavors and a hint of mourvedre-specific earthy character. This is lush, silky, rich, creamy and heavy....NOT a respectable food wine in any sense, and not my preference, but undeniably good....Reminds me of some of the Saxum Syrahs in overall style.
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5/4/2009 - ews3 wrote: 96 Points
Really lovely bottle -- sweet dark fruit, with plums, blackberries, blueberries, and other berry fruit showing most prominently. This may be a pepsi/coke phenomenon, where the sweetness makes it taste initially better than it is -- as I only had 3-4 oz -- after a bottle, it might be a little boring... but it was a great taste... long, long pleasant finish. heat is not felt on this.
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5/1/2009 - jcbrand wrote: 94 Points
This is a fun, new world, huge, extracted, oak and fruit bomb of wine...
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4/14/2009 - rockenrude wrote: 92 Points
very enjoyable but borderline over the top - need to make sure you have friends around to drink this one because it's too rich to have more than a couple glasses. Best to drink in the first couple hours before it gets too thick and jammy
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4/10/2009 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 1-1/2 hrs before dinner. Ellen, the critival hypertaster loves this wine and by the end of the evening, and the bottle gave it a 95. Tastes like liquid blackberry jam. Extraordinary monastrell/mourvedre70%/CS30% made by Aussie Chris Ringland, Betts & Scholl Two Hands fame.
Truly an exceptional wine, and value. Will have to try one of my 2 El Nido's soon, for a special occasion. BRAVO!
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3/7/2009 - redderthanred wrote:
Decanted for about 2 hours.
Lovely nose and finish...please see prior notes...we love the Clio!
So rich, balanced and smokey with red fruits and spices...wonderful and sexy.
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3/2/2009 - cookie7 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours prior to note. Nose of blueberries and vanilla. Lots of big red and blue fruits, this just coats the mouth. Long 30+ second finish. Last glass shows much better than the first. Open for business - but give a nice decant.
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2/28/2009 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 94 Points
Lovely concentration on this wine. Modern fruit bomb but a very well made one. A bit high in alcoho and tight at the beginningl, will decant next time.
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2/14/2009 - vinole wrote: 91 Points
More red fruit than the last time I tasted this and less oak too. Medium acidity, but hits me as little sour in the middle, with a little heat on the tangy finish. Starts off Aussie, but finishes more light and nimble, but still long. The sour edge knocked off some points this time.
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2/2/2009 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
This was not the huge, monstrous wine that it is so often alleged to be. I haven't tasted this for nearly a year, when I enjoyed it a little less, it appears by that note. This is coming together really nicely after two hours of decanting. Blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, with cedar and allspice. Pretty good tannic structure. I like this a whole lot, but this is no better in my book than the '02 or the '03.
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1/17/2009 - wine4ever wrote: 93 Points
Wow....another extremely good Spanish wine....this one, however, is a lot bigger than any other I've had so far....definitely New World in style (reminds me of some of the big aussie wines). Huge amounts of fruit, very heavy... yet smooth drinking. Hides the alcohol well. Hard to pair with food, but for a sipper before or after dinner it's great. 93 pts
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1/9/2009 - Giladog wrote: 95 Points
One of the very best wines that I have encountered in my cellar. It is rich, earthy and beautifully concentrated. I only wish this wine still cost what it did in 2005.
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1/1/2009 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Rich , aromatic, voluptuos. Better than the 99 Lafite-Rothschild we had on New Years Eve.
At its price level it is perhaps a 94-95. Irrespectiive of price it is a 92.
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1/1/2009 - swp3 wrote: 85 Points
Wood and cooked prunes. I'm not getting what other are liking about this. Multiple bottles confirm my impression, and hard to see more bottle time helping.
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12/31/2008 - winelover1 wrote: 94 Points
Phenomenal. Drank one year ago and it was not as good as this time around. Elegant, supple. A truly outstanding wine.
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12/28/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 91 Points
Showing a deep purple hue in the glass with a blue/black core at the center of the glass this wine showcases lovely scents of oak, blue & black fruits, graphite, and minerals. In the mouth it is full and bold as flavors of blueberry pie, black berry jam, and bittersweet chocolate unfold across a medium length finish.
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12/27/2008 - Tory Griffin wrote: 94 Points
Huge. Dark purple color, amazingly sweet aromas of vanilla, spice and brown sugar jump from the glass. This wine is very thick in the mouth, penetrating and, amazingly, did not seem at all tannic or alcoholic. They are all hidden by the fruit. A very rich, penetrating wine, with no hard edges and wonderful red and purple fruits.
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12/16/2008 - Rayburn wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Decanted for 2.5 hours. Served with a steakhouse marinated strip steak. Unreal nose of vanilla, black currant, cassis and black cherry and licorice. Palate is somewhat oaky, but within acceptable bounds for me. Full of juicy black fruit with moderate tannic structure and a long (60 sec plus) finish. This has years in front of it but is drinking well now with a decant. Very nice and glad I have another.
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12/9/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 87 Points
nose of blueberry, vanilla oak. very big, tight wine with an abundance of fruit., oak
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12/9/2008 - jeff nowak wrote:
decanted. no heat, but oak, oak, oak, then some jammy fruit coated in more tannin and oak. very fatiguing to drink. the mollydooker of spain.
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12/8/2008 - redderthanred wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for about 3 hours...
Nose: simply wonderful with cherries, campfire, plum, vanilla
palate: this wine just gets better and better...lovely stuff!!
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12/4/2008 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Big fruit bomb.
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11/28/2008 - WineForRob wrote: 94 Points
Very good wine and nice changeup from my cabs. Huge nose of jammy raspberries and some licorice. Very bright supple mouth feel with an almost candied jam flavor taking the forefront. Some red fruits pushed through on the smooth but still strong finish. Was very good.
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11/15/2008 - meatman wrote: 94 Points
Wow! This wine is big in all ways but never goes over the top. Decanted for 1+ hour. Big nose of dark fruit, chocolate (blew off after a while), minerals and earth. Rich, ripe black and red fruits on the palate with creamy oak, perfect acidity, great mouthfeel and a nice spicy finish. Went great with a prime ribeye. Glad I have more of these.
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11/3/2008 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
At opening the nose showed some eucalyptus... with aeration the nose became beautifull with ripe blueberries, black brambles (mûres) and a hint of vanilla... exploding in the mounth with multiple layers of ripe black fruit and cherries and veeeeeeeeery long aftertaste... the acidity is so refreshing that we finished the bottle in no time... great WOW wine!!
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11/1/2008 - redderthanred wrote: 93 Points
Great stuff, from nose to finish...so rich, lovely stuff!! Two bottles consumed.
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10/15/2008 - RJurman wrote: 94 Points
How sweet it is. This Clio is just so sweet but just when you think it is over the top, the structure balances it and make it oh so good. Dark fruit and cherries, cedar, vanilla. A total fruit bomb. Perfectly balanced. This was a pop and poor enjoyed with a Ribeye steak. The steak came in second. Superb!
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9/30/2008 - Squirreljam wrote:
Impressions only - seems like it's gotten more spicy since my last bottle of this. Syrupy, but somehow pulls it off - it's fun to drink and very tasty. Still has the structure and acidity to support all the extract, and actually seems to be integrating a little. Still, not sure it's an ager.
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9/20/2008 - SS Chris wrote: 93 Points
...this wine is absolutely "singing" right now.....so nicely integrated....just a gorgeous wine!!
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9/7/2008 - SadEdjo wrote:
dark sweet crisp melted licorice & pepper with powerful nose & verrrry long finish! definitely an ozzie styled\ spanish wine. I wonder why? :-).
The price in Canada (C$80 - at least in BC) is a rip-off compared to the US.
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7/31/2008 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
A lot of primary fruit in the bouquet. Also vanilla. Very full bodied. Sweet and juicy. Soft concentrated black fruits. Young a beauty.
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7/31/2008 - Paully wrote: 94 Points
Well, done. This wine is all nose and mid-palate, with an extremely long finish, it has all the discriptors,you see before my note. At this point in my note the bottle has been popped and poured.., needs time for sure , will love to digest this wine over the length of an evening
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7/23/2008 - chateaumiller wrote: 92 Points
OUTSTANDING
This is made with care....simply put. On a pop and pour the nose rocked with black fruit. It was all over the glass with layers of fruit and mocha. The palate was even better with black fruit, chocolate (which blows off after 60 min decant), smoke, and black licorice. The finish is BIG, real BIG with mouth gripping tannins and plenty of youth. This score will only go up with time in the bottle.
15.5% EtOH
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7/14/2008 - duffer8008 wrote: 95 Points
Gave it a solid 4 hour decant. Drank with a filet with red-pepper hollandaise topped with crabmeat. Compared very favorably with 2004 Alto Moncayo with a little more structure and balance. Massive hedonistic wine with some serious creamy oak (not too oaky just gave it an awesome vanilla-cream flavor). Huge amounts of red fruit. I love these wines when they are done like this. (95+)
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7/12/2008 - cellarbrator wrote: 95 Points
My 29th Birthday Dinner (Mr. Lester's Steakhouse, Cypress Bayou Casino (Charenton, Louisiana)): Tremendously over the top, buttered popcorn, and massive fruit. Hedonistic.
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7/12/2008 - jcbrand wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted, drank over the next few hours. Huge wine; smoke, earth, mineral, black cherry, toast.
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7/11/2008 - vbellore wrote: 95 Points
Drank at Dave's Bachelor Party. What a wine, even without decanting. 4 hours later picked up serious steam. Can't wait to dive into the rest in 3+ years (if i can wait that long!)
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7/6/2008 - Amerique wrote: 95 Points
big, rich, high extract, fruit with cherry and bosenberry flavors
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6/28/2008 - beachnic wrote: 93 Points
Out of the bottle: Brown sugar sweetness but good underlying structure. Starting to balance out more. Too sweet right now. After an hour decant the acidity and tannins really pick up. Iimpressive concentration. Opaque puplr/black in the glass. Very sweet and extracted. This should continue to age well and is still young. On par with a Foley Cabernet. Would like to revisit in about 3-5 years.
Needs several hours decanting. Very Jammy at first but the strucure picks up remarkebly well after several hours. Needs big tannins to offset the juice and i think it has them without being overbearing. This wine has entered several different stages. At first it was juicy and extremely balanced then it became a little tanninc. Now it's taking the sweetness up a notch and the structure is holding it's own. Still very young. A little sweet right now but I think this will improve. 93-94Pts
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6/12/2008 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, blackberries, oak, vanilla
Taste: Cherry, blackberries, good acidity with a little too much oak
Finish: Medium and a bit tannic but drinkable with decanting
Evaluation: Very nice wine 92 points
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6/7/2008 - GalvezGuy wrote: 96 Points
Debauchery on the Island: Decanted for two hours. Tremendous nose of black fruits, asian spice, vanilla, mocha. On the palate, fig, boysenberry, black currant, black cherry, well intergrated oak. Tremondous mouthfeel and finish. Rave reviews from all that tasted this. This was pushed just the edge without feeling like a fruit bomob. A little sweetness knocks some points off but this is some stunning wine.
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5/19/2008 - jryoung wrote: 94 Points
Wow, talk about taking it right to the edge and not going a step further. As muscular as this wine is, there is amazing grace in it. Sure there is plenty of oak in it still but I can only imagine it is fading (my first time with the wine). Rich nose of asian spices, nutmeg and oak. Full, rich dark ripe fruits and oak on the palate. Finish was amazing long with the spices lingering. I like shitty, barnyardy Loire cab francs, and hate Aussie fruit bombs, while this is certaintly ripe and fruity, it doesn't take it too far, fastastic wine, and anxious to see the oak integrate a bit more.
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4/5/2008 - pkbackman wrote: 90 Points
Outstanding
This isn't as awesome as the bottle we had last year, but still a fabulous wine. Nose is a little dirty, in a good way. On the palate...again black cherries and oak. Fruit is a little softer than I remember.
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3/29/2008 - bpsancho wrote: 93 Points
Massively extracted dark berries, herbal vegetal component, some mocha latte. New world bomb.
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3/25/2008 - Kamikaze wrote: 94 Points
This wine is unbelievable... WOTN by far. After 6 hours of decanting, it is unbeatable. Must decant for 4/6 hours at this stage. Vanilla/chocolate nose, really special.
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3/17/2008 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
Huge nose of milk chocolate and black berries, currant without any vegetal edge (is it still currant?), a little cedar, coffee, and vanilla. The same in the mouth. This is a seamless, "perfected" wine, extremely enjoyable and indulgent, but this bottle lacked the tannic structure of the '02 and '03. Won't mind at all giving it another try, probably soon, and it makes me want to revisit the prior vintages.
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3/8/2008 - CardDawgWinos wrote: 94 Points
Great chocolate and caramel notes at the nose. Beautiful mouth feel; doesn't feel like the 15.5% that it is!
We decanted for about an hour. Lots of sediment -- glad for the filter!
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2/24/2008 - Gabe wrote: 94 Points
This wine has matured from fruit bomb (I like 'em) to very well integrated. The fruit came on very late and took off. Nose started off as a sort of white mocha and became chocolate and coffee with floral notes. Decanted and drank over an 8 hour period, I will probably decant this a good 6 hours before drinking next time. I'm glad I've got more.
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2/17/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote:
I had this last night at my uncle's 50th birthday party. I've been lucky enough to taste this wine and it's progression about 6 times over the last year. The fruit is still pure...but it's finally starting to tone down a little. It's not so "in your face" as it has been in the past. I will be patient with my last two bottles...however I wanted to bring something that I thought everyone would love to such a special occasion.
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2/16/2008 - bonedoc wrote: 90 Points
good, but overrated - i always take away a few points when jay miller reviews for parker. definitely in the sweet, up-front, hedonistic parker style - if you like that. it's a bit over the top for my wife and i.
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1/24/2008 - Kamikaze wrote: 94 Points
This wine is already drinking beautifully, but needs 4 to 5 hours of decanting time. This is what I did and it amazed my guests. Chocolate nose, complex mouthfeel. A really different experience ! Served at the correct temperature, the 15.5% alcohol content cannot be noticed.
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1/11/2008 - PontetCanet wrote: 91 Points
Huge nose of blueberry, vanilla creme. Very rich on th palate with an extremely long finish. Not my thing anymore as my palate has changed but well made.
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12/29/2007 - Kamikaze wrote: 93 Points
Needs long decanting time at the moment. Will START showing its best in a coupe of years.
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12/28/2007 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
excellent -- mix of red and black fruit flavors, jammy. some vanilla is there as well. very nicely balanced -- finish diminished suddenly, but then held that reduced level for 30 seconds -- quite pleasant after the somewhat abrupt start. This is going to be tough to resist to hold it long enough to let it develop.
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12/26/2007 - vinole wrote: 93 Points
South Florida WS Forum Offline (Hollywood, FL): Opened 4 hours prior to tasting. Reminds me of a good Australian wine. Big fruit flavors of blackberry and plums, nice acidity and surprisingly smooth tannins at this stage. 40 sec finish with a tinge of heat.
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12/25/2007 - rumorsofsurf wrote: 94 Points
decanted 4 hours and opened at christmas dinner. huge fruit - but very well balanced. everyone loved this wine, other than one complaint that the fruit came across as too sweet.
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12/21/2007 - billyg wrote: 92 Points
This wine is huge! Blackberry, blueberry, raspbery some vanilla and a big dose of licorice on the nose. Blueberry jam, blackberry attack. Some vanilla mixed with the big, jammy fruit on the mid-palate. Licorice and leather on the extremely long finish with plenty of blueberry and some black cherry hanging on forever. I can see some people really loving this wine. It is a thick, viscous enormous fruit bomb. I appreciate the quality but find the style overpowering. Still it deserves a good score for the quality and purity of the fruit as well as the complexity.
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11/28/2007 - beachnic wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs and it was drinking really good. Lots of positive comments from the crowd. Wish I had a case.
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11/17/2007 - dmoritz wrote: 95 Points
Wine is a dark dark inky purple color. Upon putting her nose into the glass, my wife said "if I could make a perfume out of this, I would." WOW. Crazy huge fruit forward nose of fig, blueberry, blackberry with notes of coffee. Great on the palate with a relatively long finish. A touch of alcohol on the finish but not enough to detract from what I consider a great wine. At $40, I'd drink this all the time. For those who like big wines, this is for you.
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11/5/2007 - PatrikO wrote: 96 Points
Oh boy! this is a big wine, not to drink without food, also 15.5% alcohol ..! However it is a fabolous wine, tastes like a young first growth on steroids just more of everything. Drank it over 2 and a half days, day two better showing than day one. All the components are there to make it a good wine, it just needs to mellow somewhat.
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10/29/2007 - MR BIG BOTTLE wrote: 95 Points
GREAT WINE SMOOTH AS SILK
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10/28/2007 - beachnic wrote: 94 Points
Served at around 56 degrees this time which was cooler than the first time. Getting lots of chocolate mixed with vanilla on the initial nose.Really dense purple with a violet edge. Super smooth and a really nice finish to it. Still excellent fruit even though it will get better as it warms up. No heat at all which is why I wanted to drink it at this temp. This is a beautiful wine. One of the more exciting wines I've had in awhile.
As it wams up alot more vanilla and sweet dark fruit. This is extremely elegant and balanced for such a rich wine.
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10/21/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 94 Points
Ditto from my previous notes... just an awesome wine. Velvet on the palate with a huge finish... this one seemed slightly over oaked, so that kept the score in check.
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10/7/2007 - baja wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 7.5hrs. Dark but not impenetrable ruby/black color. Huge initial attack of sweet dark fruit that made my 10yr old daughter from 5 feet away from me say "papa.....whats that wine?". I pick up blackberry, blk cherry, cedar as well as a bit of alcohol on the nose...initial thoughts...."fruit bomb?". The palate is again like an explosion of fruit that quickly says "NEW WORLD!". Tons of sweet juicy dark fruit, vanilla and cedar/oak. The highly extracted fruit however is pure....no fakeness here, full bodied with smooth tannins and nicely balanced. The finish is very long but does show a tad bit of the heat of that 15.5% alcohol. You have to be a "New World" fan to LOVE this wine as I find it very "Molly Dooker Ausi" in style. To my wife and I this is a 90pt'r but I can see it being more like a 95pt'r to others. TS
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9/24/2007 - johnnymarin wrote:
It's best to decant for about two hours before enjoying.
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9/18/2007 - Kamikaze wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 5 hours and only then nose started showing subtleties. Not as ready to drink as the 2003. I will wait 2 more years before opening next bottle.
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9/15/2007 - TripDaddy wrote: 95 Points
More fruit than a fruit salad! Awesome juice with a long life ahead.
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9/11/2007 - beachnic wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple in the glass. Reminds me of a Shiraz (no surprise considering the winemaker). Great aromas of cherries and then dark fruits (blackberries and blueberries) with some nice vanilla and smoke. Sweet dark fruit flavors followed immediatley by good acidity to balance it out. really nice long smooth finish to this. There is heat and it comes in and out of the tastings. Need to let this breath for at least 2-3 hours. This should be much better in a couple of years. I bought 4 more bottles. I'll try and let some age.93-94Pts
In summary:
Great aromatics
Excellent depth of fruit and very good acidity
Should get much more seemless with age after heat dies down a bit
Great potential
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8/29/2007 - spacewrangler wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine, balanced. Not overly tannic. Splash decant. Typical spanish profile: graphite, dark fruits and scorched earth.
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8/28/2007 - Combee1 wrote: 92 Points
Big jammy dense wine. Dark fruits on the nose and palate. Fruit forward style, but had a hint of the minerality of most spanish wines I love. Short decant time may have limited the experience here. But to be honest, I wasn't blown away like most people who have written reviews. I'm glad I have another, to let it sit for a year or two, although I don't see that this wine has amazing structure that will improve with age. We'll see. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and find it a good QPR at $35.
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8/28/2007 - drcbarroso wrote: 93 Points
TB: Had next to an 02 Clio after a number of great wines so notes from memory only. Nice dark purple in color. Beautiful sweet, rich black fruits on the nose and palate along with some vanilla. Great structure for this wine which shows great promise for long decants or cellar time. Nice, long finish to complete the experience.
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8/20/2007 - junglejuice wrote: 93 Points
Simply outstanding. Extremely sweet with loads of complex dark fruit and earth with a spicy sweet finish. Fantastic.
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8/20/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 97 Points
Absolutely spectacular! Had this side by side with a '96 Penfolds Grange and I would say that the Clio took it! Unbelievably perfumed nose has huge blackberry, tobacco, liquorice, and asian spices. Extremely viscous and full bodied palate is truly memorable with black fruits, black pepper and other spices mixed in - purple velvet as Dan O' put it. The finish goes on forever (60+ seconds). Compared to the Grange (14.2% alcohol), the Clio's 15.5% alcohol was practical unnoticeable. Firm,.nicely integrated tannins. Again, one of the better wines that I have ever had.
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8/17/2007 - EMichels wrote: 92 Points
Red Carpet Wine Tasting: Thick; Deep; Great balance; Some raspberry but much darker
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8/16/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 94 Points
had the Caldwell 04 last week and this was very similar. Slightly more complex nose but not quite as supple. Nice blue fruit flavors with a heavy dose of oak on the strong finish. tastes like a young napa cab.
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8/2/2007 - cormyr wrote: 92 Points
superb nose. tasted jammy to me this time and somewhat harsh, even after three days of air. lacked roundness. otherwise it is thick, concentrated, packed with fruit. this is a big wine with alot going on. im thinking it needs many years to integrate and smooth out.
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7/30/2007 - Davena wrote: 96 Points
FANTASTIC! Very very easy to drink. Wish I had a case more. Can't add anymore then what has been said. If you see this- buy it.
So smooth - heaven in a bottle. Ruined me!
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7/29/2007 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
WA nailed this when it calls it hedonistic in caps. This is purely meant for enjoyment, not deep thought or contemplation (sort of like watching shows like the World's Most Shocking videos or what passes for news these days!). The nose indicates the barrel aging was done in barrels built from Oak that barely survived a mass forest fire. I think the house smoke alarm was on the brink of going off when we opened this. Ruby in color (lighter than the Douro), taste of plum, black fruit jam and oak. A bit of leather and dark fruit comes out on the nose once you fan through the smoke. Not complex, but very enjoyable. Dangerously easy to drink at 15.5% alcohol.
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7/16/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 93 Points
Decanted this for almost 7 hours, which may have been a little too much, as this bottle had a touch of jamminess and was slightly flabby relative to the last spectacular bottle that I had. Still an excellent wine. Great fruit with black and white pepper. Huge finish.
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7/9/2007 - EricFromMD wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. Dark inky violet -purple color. Huge nose of blueberry and salt water taffy led to huge taste: blueberry, sour cherry, oak, cedar and vanilla. Suoer long finish. Lots of alcohol. All in all a big powerful fruit bomb of a wine.
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7/6/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 96 Points
Drank in Myrtle Beach on vacation... out of nice Riedel stems that I brought from home. Absolutely fantastic wine. Inky purple black color. Looks highly extracted and viscous right from the pour. Huge, complex nose of blackberry, black raspberry, smokey oak, menthol, licorice and vanilla. Extremely full bodied palate carries all the fruit with some black and white pepper spices and it completely coats the palate. Finish just goes on forever. While not completely my style as this is a true new world bomb, it is one of the better wines I have had.
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6/30/2007 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
This is one big mamma jamma! Loads of fruit and jam, but it’s also got great nervousity and the tannins are beautiful. Some smoke becomes apparent as the wine sits in the glass. There’s also a fair amount of minerality. Some floral in there too. The alcohol is a bit much, but it’s certainly a well made wine. I don’t know that I love this, it’s very good and hedonistic, but is it great?
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6/25/2007 - rumorsofsurf wrote: 94 Points
decanted for 4 hours - was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype, but this was a wonderful thick, intense, rich, fruity wine. impressive.
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6/25/2007 - gordoyflaca wrote: 94 Points
Intense, rich, fruity, cherries and blueberries, pomegranite, fruity but complex, with earthy notes, and long tangy finish.
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6/18/2007 - jcbrand wrote: 94 Points
Multidimensional floral, black fruit, coffee. Agree that it's Shiraz like.
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6/18/2007 - danseng wrote:
Excellent wine! Decanted for an hour and didn't get much heat. Could taste a lot of oak, berries, and butterscotch. Extremely long finish. This wine is so good now, but I can't wait to try it in a few years. Lucky enough to find 8 of them last week at $37. Probably worth twice that if you can find it.
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6/17/2007 - wineward wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Enjoyed thoroughly. Very, very, very balanced wine with lots of dark fruit flavors tightly integrated with oak. A little dense on the finish that may open up into something more beautiful with time. Drinking smashing right now.
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6/8/2007 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 93 Points
Intense and well made fo sho - I would have guessed a Shiraz, blind. Everyone noted the obvious heat and alcohol - which was exaggerated after drinking 3 old world Riojas tonight - but this was great with dessert. Just wish i saw it coming and had decanted it longer. Tar, blueberries and cherries in my nose. Some tannins, but not much - didn't notice it being over-oaked at all, totally in balance to me. Modern bomb and well done, if the heat fades - a knockout. Glad i have more. Late in the night (after doing dishes) this began to shine even brighter.
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5/31/2007 - Steiner wrote: 94 Points
Huge, lots of fruit, some minerals. Different but has a lot of qualities that remind me of other wines. Very nice
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5/25/2007 - Squirreljam wrote: 92 Points
Deep red color, rich nose right from the pop. Hard to pull distinct notes from the nose, but I got some smokey bacon with licorice also. On the palate, rich round mouthfeel that at cellar temperature was great but as it warmed to room temperature crossed into slight flabby territory, where the high alcohol (15.5%) was noticeable. Still, I really like this wine for the second year in a row. Didn't have any issues with oak. Best thing for me about this is the long mouthwatering finish that haunted me for several minutes after each sip.
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5/14/2007 - winelover1 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful fruit and smooth silky mouthfeel would best describe this blend from Jumilla. I'm glad I have a few more bottles, but would buy more. Real elegant and a persistent finish. The nose hints of cherries, plums, leather and quite possibly a dash of mocha.
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5/12/2007 - PontetCanet wrote: 92 Points
Initial notes of road tar and asphalt. Very hot nose. Settled down after a few hours with a huge blueberry aspect. Again, almost shiraz-like.
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5/10/2007 - cormyr wrote: 94 Points
very very good. needed at least a day to open up. the nose is just phenomenal. everything about it is wonderful to drink. pleasant oak, big fruit, balanced acidity, huge long finish. the only thing which surprised me was that it had slight tannins. this is drinking great now. a superb qpr.
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5/6/2007 - E wrote: 96 Points
Look, this is simply delightful....no decant...absolutely deserving on the high reviews...and again, the oak is NOT overwhelming. For 40 dollars a pop, this is absolutely my value wine of 2007.
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5/6/2007 - cookie7 wrote: 93 Points
Note after 48 hours in the decanter. This opened up a bit over two days. Very concentrated with black fuits, peppers and some spiciness. I could easily confuse this with a Petite Syrah. Very nice wine for the price.
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5/6/2007 - LPskeleton wrote: 92 Points
Red cherry notes on the nose followed by cooked blackberry and cherry flavors on the palate. Extracted and supple.
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5/5/2007 - peternelson wrote: 95 Points
Red Carpet: Very ripe, brilliant red fruits, swt tobacco, pipe tobacco; cedar, wonderful complex nose, rich drawing room smells, very silky,concentrated up the ass, beaut. entry, rich, but not thick; Intnese flavors, almost bitter end--needs 8-10, wow! but when would you drink it? Fantastic to taste, but I probably would not want this in my cellar.
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5/5/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 90 Points
I can see the allure here, but holy smoke is there alot of OAK. Its obviously well made, but I just cant handle this for more than a small glass. I passed on a case @ $38 and Im glad I decided to just try one first.
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5/4/2007 - Moorese wrote: 94 Points
With more of these on the way, I couldn't resist an early peek. The light ruby robe somewhat disguises the absolute bomb that is to come. The nose is an explosion of sweet jams - blackberry, red raspberry, marionberry - notes of pepper and yes, a hint of booze, not obtrusive, but nonetheless a negative. In the mouth, the wine performs at a higher level. Stupendously pure and linear fruit shines alongside bright acid and a firm tannic spine. There is wonderful freshness and lift, and I think the finish, somewhat modest, will lengthen over time. Overall, there is some heat on this wine which keeps me from raving about it, BUT I also happen to really enjoy big, bombastic wines, and this fits the bill. There is a laser-like focus to the fruit that really shines through and trumps some of the relative negatives. I bet this wine will positively sing in 2-5 years, but I see no reason to attempt to make old bones out of this bottle. Frankly, it's a slutty pleasure right now. For $40, this is an impressive offering.
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5/3/2007 - blewis1041 wrote: 96 Points
This an excellent, fruit forward wine, but needs at least 2-3 hours of decanting. Loved it.
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4/29/2007 - Red Mountain Man wrote: 93 Points
Drank over three days, and had the most enjoyment with it on the last day. Decanted on the first day for an hour. Very sweet juice, and almost fruit that is too heavily extracted. Not as thick as a Marquis 9 (which is way too thick for my palate), but a wine that either needs to cellar for 5 years or be drank a few days later. On day three this baby was ready and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The nose was a black fruit cornicopia, strawberries, tobacco and a whiff of iodine. On the palate it was predominately black berries and the finish was about 20 seconds in length. I will be buying another three more bottles to lay down to see what happens.
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4/27/2007 - Big J wrote: 94 Points
intense black- and blueberry fruit of the Monastrell with the cedar, cassis and spiciness of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Early on, there a unmistakable notes of toasted oak, earthiness, and leather along with the pronounced fruit. The tannins were also quite apparent immediately after opening, but they were not over powering – just firm enough to know they are there. The wine is creamy and lush with just enough acidity reminding me of drinking something as intense as a well-made espresso or café Cubano. Great wine to discuss with other wine enthusiasts.
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4/20/2007 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Occasional tasting group: A mixed set of great Italian, French and some other wines. (@ PVa): So many TN's already. What to add? It is lovely and sweet, soft and juicy.
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4/19/2007 - ths wrote: 94 Points
This wine does have WOW factor, in the new world style, with lots of fruit and well oaked. This is different from the traditional Spanish red, that I've found somewhat stark. This is anything but stark, it's rich, smooth and full of fruit. Reminds me of 2002 Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz, lots of blueberry and dark fruit flavors, and it just gets better with air. If this is your style, it's a winner, too bad the RP rating jumped the price (if you can find it) from $30 (at which it would be a 'get as many as you can bottle)' to $50 (where it's probably comparably priced, but not a screaming value). 94
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4/19/2007 - woodchuckwinemaker wrote: 92 Points
Wow! Very good wine. Extremely rich. I can taste the Cab Sauvignon. I have 2 more of these bottles that I will let rest for another year or two. I will be looking out for the 2005. This wine is very thick and has a very good nose. I like this wine a lot. Sorry for the vague notes :)
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4/18/2007 - Siggy wrote: 93 Points
Tasting Group Dinner - Spain (Solera, Minneapolis): Midnight black color. Concentrated crushed blackberries on the nose and palate. Like a barrel sample -- jammy and oaky. The nose picks up a mild, interesting, almost Chateauneuf-like horse/brett aroma. Don't touch these for a few years. Very promising.
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4/18/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 93 Points
Minneapolis Tastes Spain (Unico, Mauro, Janus, Closa Batllet, Clio, Numanthia): I was a bit palate fatigued at this point but I thought this showed great potential. The nose was by far the most interesting of the last seven wines, giving black fruit, smoke, leather/tobacco and oak. On the palate this has big black fruit with oak/vanilla and at least a bit of structure. Very primary. Decent length on the finish. I would say this has the potential to be very interesting with extended cellaring.
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4/18/2007 - Caz wrote: 94 Points
Red Cherries fruit. Oak Also, Caramel and bell peppers. Beautiful in it subtleness. Beautifully balanced wine. Huge alcohol level brings to it the sweetness needed to compliment (tame) the massive tannis. On the tongue the wine goes thru 3 distinct phases. Flavours of Blackberry and black currants, undertones of bell peppers and something like canned green beans.... and best of all smooth and buttery and mixed with butterscotch with a coffee undertone. All I can say is F'ing wow! New world-stlye. I know… I loved it only because it got a 97 rating from Robert Parker. Not true. I typically never understand or agree with the ratings. I have never tasted a 94, but this sets the new standard for me. I let sit for about 30 mins tasted and was amazed. Let stand for another 30 mins and it is still unfolding more complexity and depth. Let it decant for an hour or 2 if you can. Looking to cellar till 2008ish
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4/17/2007 - grossie wrote: 92 Points
This note is from the second night on this bottle. What a rich, lush wine. Slightly burnt nose with dark fruit, mocha, and some forest floor. Very rich mouthfeel, showing more of that burnt character, ripe (not over-ripe) fruit, maybe some chocolate, and an almost rhone-like garrigue. Great finish with fine tannins, good balancing acidity, and no hard edges. This reminds me a little of the 97 Insignia in its structure and character with a slightly earthier profile. Probably worth a couple of extra points with a few years of age.
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4/15/2007 - Rob A wrote: 94 Points
Although not living up to the WA hype at this young stage, Won loved this wine.
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4/12/2007 - thenapalist wrote: 96 Points
Killer wine. Only gets better the longer you let her breathe! One of the finer Spanish wines I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. give this puppy another 3-5 yrs and than start popping corks. Amazing effort!
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4/6/2007 - PontetCanet wrote: 94 Points
Massive nose of dark berry aromas from the glass that are noticeable from 6 feet away. Extremely powerful and almost shiraz-like feel and flavor on the palate with peppery, spicy, blueberry flavors and notes of chocolate. Very balanced fruit and tannins with a long finish. Drank while watching the second round of the Masters and loved every minute of it. Excellent!
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3/31/2007 - E wrote: 96 Points
Simply lovely, and with the potential to age, this lives up to expectations and to the first bottle we had at table 2 several months back, pre hype. I get a bit of cinnamon not mentioned in earlier reviews....and I disagree vehemently with previous comments about overwhelming oak.
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3/20/2007 - bdublu wrote: 95 Points
Wow!!! This wine lived up to everthing I had heard about it. Dark as night. Rich, cedar wood, blackberries with hints of leather. Very well balanced. Looong finish. I need to find more of this. With the tanins where they are this wine will age and be even better (hard to believe).
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3/18/2007 - winestem wrote: 95 Points
Ineluctible modality! Oh my god! Alban Reva on steroids! This wine blew me away, and I rezlie it is pretty early on. Incredibly dark, thick, rich, tendrils of oak wrapped around cassis and dark fruits. A grip like a vise, but a grip from a friend, not an enemy. Everything about this wine speaks of power and intensity. Although it contains 70% monastrell (what the heck is it?) and 30% cabernet sauvignon, this wine really reminded me of an Alban Reva but amped up even a bit more!
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3/15/2007 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Wineflock - 2004 Spanish survey, judging the hype (My House): Group #1 in flight - Full deep red color. Huge aroma of sweet 'cultish' blackberry with a hint of smoke. Big rich concentrated focused black fruit with a long coffee finish.
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3/5/2007 - Crackers wrote:
I can't get a real grip on this wine. There is a pronounced wood component that I cannot get past. Definitely not oak or cedar, but more of an exotic spicy/wood characteristic that is I have never found in another wine. Massive in structure with a a wealth of fruit behind the overpowering wood. Hopefully it just needs some time together as this must have just been bottled. It has potential but is not really enjoyable to me at present.
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3/5/2007 - wprattjr wrote: 96 Points
simply a beautiful wine
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2/5/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Smooth, silky, full bodied and full flavored. Chocolate, blueberry, sweet baking spices, flowers. Bursting with flavor with a pretty long finish. Lots of alcohol pretty well integrated into a huge, high toned structure. Not tannic, but I think this could use a few years to calm down. Reminds me a little of a lighter bodied full extraction California Zin. Seems like a wonderful success for what the winemaker was aiming at, but it's a over extracted for my taste. Very good, however. I bet Parker loves this wine.
B/B+
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2/3/2007 - mmurry wrote: 90 Points
Staff Picks (Farpointe Cellar): I loved the strong aromas of coffee on the nose. There was also small amounts of black currant, chocolate, and vanilla. The palate had lots of black currant mixed with mocha, plus oak and spice. The tannins were firm, and the finish went on a long time.
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1/20/2007 - pkbackman wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 4 hours...
Strawberries and Black Cherries on the mid palette, very smooth, gives way to oak and leather on the finish. Nice integrated tannins,
....
........
As we hit hour 5, oak is fairly pronounced. Not a fruit bomb at all, but it is defintely there. Basically, if you like Black Cherries and oak (which I do) you will love this wine. And FYI, nothing taste fake, just real good wine.
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1/10/2007 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 88 Points
Wine Professional (RAI, Amsterdam, NL): Sweet and international but with sufficient local character. Powerful.
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12/26/2006 - ljl203 wrote: 90 Points
Delicious strawberry and roses on the nose. With slight caramel finish. As it opened up the finish added even more caramel and honey.
Becoming more silky and smooth after a few hours with a little spicy white pepper.
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11/25/2006 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Aromatic nose of dark fruits, graphite and bittersweeet chocolate. Pure and focused chocolate covered blackberry fruit on the palate. Great stuffing with loads of concentration and structure. Long finish. Only drawback is some lingering tartness starting on the midpalate through the finish. This disjointed aspect needs some time to come together and flesh out. Still quite tasty with loads of upside.
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