Tasting Notes 161 found

ESTG does Blind Triples (Newcastle, WA): Clearly the darkest of the 3 in the flight. Young, mineral, cherry, smoky and leafy. Everyone's favorite of the flight. (637 views)

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Northern Rhône (Noizé): This is great - others (with more experience of this house) found more nuanced differences between this and the 07 - but to me this was just MORE - more taut energy, more substance, more clarity - there's no waffling here, no messing about - this is the real deal. Not my wine of the night, but perhaps the one I'd most like to try again. (2023 views)

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Une couleur qui ne présente pas de reflets tuilés, un nez bien expressif. En bouche le vin est sur le cassis, avec toujours une belle fraicheur, les tanins sont fondus mais il y a une belle structure, le vin n'est pas lourd, très classe. Une très belle longueur sur de beaux parfums. Un classique qui reste vaillant malgré les années. Le vin a peut-être perdu un peu de complexité avec les années mais c'est très bien.
16/20 (1993 views)

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Rounding off well. Black olives, dark fruit, nice acidity, a sweet note as well. Certainly no hurry here; convincing.
#flammküchen (2274 views)

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This bottle of 2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph opened with an insane nose of cabbage and burnt hay, not unlike a Rayas CdP. The palate was more brooding - dark, stewed fruit and a long finish of green and white pepper and orange rind. Still young and tannic and can gain a point or two in another few years but my wife and I were glad to try this cult producer. 93+/100 for now. (2066 views)

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Opened tonight with rack of lamb. Absolutely gorgeous: silky texture, lush red-berry Syrah fruit, generous acidity and an animale character that added to its overall complexity. I would put this wine in league with the Verset Cornas wines I've had in the past, just simply beautiful. It no doubt will continue to evolve, but depending on your tastes it may not get much better than it is right now. (2206 views)

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Took a while to come around and ended up ok but no more. Not like I remember previous bottles, I suspect this bottle was a bit off as it finished short. Or perhaps it was just a case of too high expectations. (1881 views)

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Houston Northern Rhone Blowout: dense and weighty like the Allemand Reynard nearby, the 2010 Gonon is all power. Dark and brooding, with quite a bit of iron ore/mineral drive underneath the surface, it is especially serious and should be long lived. (2428 views)

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Après quelques syrah rhodaniennes manquant un peu de typicité, il fallait que je boive une belle bouteille. Pas de déception avec celle-ci qui a su bien se tenir avec les années. C'est toujours très bon, très parfumé avec une belle longueur, pas d'acidité. C'est une belle bouteille sans aucun doute.
16/20 (2122 views)

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Pretty much in its sweet spot I would say. (2130 views)

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11/12, vg cork. Decanted 1/2 hr.
Deep ruby core, pale garnet rim. Aromatic nose - prirple fruits, black pepper, black olive. Medium bodied, juicy purple fruits, black oeooer, meaty notes, fine, resolved tannins, fresh acids, good length finish possibly drying slightly right at tail end. Don’t see this getting any better - I’d be drinking in the next three years. (2119 views)

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Bu sur deux jours. Le premier soir avec du boeuf au BBQ, c'est top. Une grosse matière, des parfums fantastiques, pas d’acidité, c'est vraiment extra. Stocke dans une petite bouteille, le deuxième soir avec une daube provençale, le vin est bien mais un peu plus en retrait. Stockage ou association avec la sauce au vin rouge ? Ca reste très bon.
16/20 (2306 views)

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Nez très charmeur de violettes et de fruits noirs, quelques notes d’olives.

Malgré une belle texture, la bouche est terne, presque muette, manquant d’éclat pour suivre un tel nez. Plusieurs heures de carafe ne changeront pas les choses. Les tanins sont fins, la texture agréable, mais on cherche le fruit derrière la mâche.

Je suis peut-être sévère mais je n’ai pas trouvé dans un vieux Gonon le plaisir que ces vins offrent en jeunesse. 89-90 pts (2935 views)

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A gravitational duel. Initially an arc of stone, sweet black olive, and licorice placed it in the feast of Saint Joseph. Bleeding exhaustion of meaty nutrient, faced with uncommonly red-sour blush of inky fruit. Fresh, penetrating resin of longberry syrup, seeping yards of pectin. Thick, low-temperature extract of coffee. Congenial, accessible, and long on earthy bloom. Substantial in texture, and governed by urgent, pendulous acidity. Utterly coherent and impulsive. It's got another 10-15 years of promise. (2758 views)

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D'une jeunesse renversante, le fruit est encore mauve, profond et large sur les mûres, la violette et le jus de viande. Encore beaucoup de structure (acide, tannique et végétale) qui demande patience pour atteindre la patine et l'élégance souhaitées. Très longue finale finement poivrée. Certainement accessible en dégustation, à son meilleur avec le tomahawk. J'attendrai au moins une demie douzaine années ma dernière bouteille, idéalement deux. 91+ (2655 views)

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Avec Coravin. Le vin est encore en forme même si son apogée me semble passée. Une belle couleur foncée, un nez assez expressif, en bouche le vin est bien avec de beaux parfums pas évolués, une belle longueur. Il a peut-être perdu le coté explosif de la syrah mais il reste très bien.
15/20 (2779 views)

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Earthy wine that is drinking very well. Paired with the 2010 Jamet Cote-Rotie which was perhaps unfair as the Jamet was silky, floral, and way more graceful. (2737 views)

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Bue sur deux jours. Le premier jour, je ne l'ai pas apprécié à sa juste valeur: le Jurancon et la chaleur m'avait un peu abimé le palais...
Le deuxieme jour, je retrouve le vin que je connais... c'est toujours très bien avec une belle matière, encore de la fraiciheur et je ne sens pas de parfums évolués.
16/20 (3078 views)

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10/12, vg cork. Decanted 1/2 hr.
Deep ruby core, pale ruby rim. Nose now quite developed, plenty of savoury bacon, black olive, underlying purple fruits. Medium/full bodied, purple fruits, spce, bacon, black olive, softish tannins, lovely vibrant acidity, medium/good length finish.

Joyful, excellent St Joseph, drinking well, may hold for a few years but don't really see any upside in further cellaring. (3335 views)

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There's Chave and Gonon, and then there's everybody else. This bottle proved why. Drinking extremely well right now but of course, the future's bright. Prep: splash decanted at 10 a.m. to filter out sediment, returned to bottle and re-corked. Poured into a decanter at noon and served about two hours later. Outstanding. (3025 views)

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Un peu moins flamboyant que dans mon souvenir mais c'est grand avec une longueur magnifique.
15/20 (3425 views)

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So much better than the last bottle I had. Love the purple fruit and white pepper on the nose. The palate also adds an abundance of olives. Absolutely delicious and still has plenty of lift and all the structure to ensure a long life ahead. Loved this. (3546 views)

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Return to Napa; 3/6/2022-3/13/2022 (Wineries and various restaurants): Generally a younger wine than we’d normally drink but I just love these and they don’t get much older unfortunately. It’s that slight metallic twang, darker fruits, just a background of game. Very well structured, very powerful, and yet higher acid so that it’s also very balanced. Seemed to be popular as when I went back for a second pour there was no wine left in the bottle. (3860 views)

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As mature and evolved as I would want it to be. This is a very nice, utterly enjoyable old school Saint-Joseph, but the idea that this merits consideration with more exalted Rhône appellations of similarly traditional pedigree leaves me puzzled. Worth every cent of the $40 I paid; at the current going rate some profiteering is going on. In the right hand column of this page I'm presently seeing "where to buy" prices ranging from $270 to $659 and you'd have to be a complete idiot to pay that for this. (3397 views)

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Un nez classique, expressif. Une belle couleur foncée. En bouche le vin est très bien: un peu d’acidité, toujours une grosse matière, de beaux parfums. On commence a sentir un peu d'évolution mais c'est léger. C'est très bon et finalement très facile à boire, sans lourdeur.
16/20 (3180 views)

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Certainly a very enjoyable SJ. I don’t get the current prices for this, though. 150-250 euros. Seriously? Maybe I should auction my bottles.

Anyway, disregarding weird hype around this, the wine is great now and still seems to be developing. Classic north Rhône Syrah from a very good vintage and top producer. With mushroom risotto tonight. (3416 views)

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Love the nose almost as much as I like allemand. Still too high acidity to me but gives it 5+ years it will come around. Nose 95+ palate 93+ (2984 views)

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Wow, 3 years have certainly added to the appeal of this wine. A nose of green olives is followed by a palate that has lost some of its fruit and become much more savory. An almost weightless feel on the palate adds to the appeal of this wine. Depending on what you want out of your Syrah, this wine will either continue to improve (gain greater aromatic complexity and increase its savory character) or be a point now (if you value fruit in your wine). (3108 views)

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PNP. Fresh and very lively. Still quite young. Strong acidity to carry this into mid 20s. Very sophisticated Syrah with good further potential (3210 views)

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Decanted off the sediment at 4, left for maybe 45 minutes in the decanter and then back in bottle, we started drinking it at 7. Black olives and dark fruit, some florals too. Savory in aspect, expressive, clean, and long. Well balanced too. Just a really good wine. (4145 views)

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Double decanted in the afternoon and then decanted at the restaurant. Showed very well -- excellent aromatics and good pure fruit. Still has a tannic core and should continue to improve. (3762 views)

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Dinner at Joelia with Robert (Joelia, Hilton Rotterdam): PnP, no notes taken during dinner. At 11 years old it is still really young. Nose with sweet spices, black berry, plum and fresh delicate palate. Long finish (3932 views)

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popped and poured which was honestly a bit of a mistake. this never really opened up. you could taste all the potential but in a grump phase on this evening. (3530 views)

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Linear, lean, black fruited, slight hint of cherries and fresh blueberries. Balanced. But not showing full potential tonight. Slight suspicion on storage not optimal so not putting up a rating (87-89 last night if we're keeping scores). (3997 views)

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9/12, very good cork, decanted 1/2 hr.
Deep ruby core, pale ruby/garnet rim.
Nose is quite expressive, black fruit, spice, black olive, touch of meat. Medium bodied, chock full of black fruits, with black olive, plenty of spice showing, still with a firm tannic backbone but well covered by the fruit, lovely vibrant acidity carrying a decent length finish with some bacon notes. Delicious! (4035 views)

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Blinded in a flight. Dark fruit, with hint of olive and game. What was prominent with this wine were the dusty chalky tannins. Well balanced with juicy acidity. But man, the structure dominates tonight. (4181 views)

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Une bien belle bouteille. Le vin est toujours bien en place, une belle couleur foncée, de beaux parfums avec des notes fumées, un bel équilibre sur l’acidité, une grosse structure qui sait ne pas être trop massive avec des tanins toujours presents, une longueur fantastique. C'est très très bon.
17/20 (3658 views)

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Transparent dark ruby. Blue & black fruit with a lot of earth. Rustic tannins are starting to soften and the 2010 St Joseph is vibrant thanks to ripe acidity but this will benefit from two or three more years bottle age. (3728 views)

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Enjoyable yes, but ready? Definitely not. This was a .375 bottle. Still young and tannic, youthfully delicious but without any complexity maturity will bring.
Dark cherries, a little olive, blood. Medium bodied. No where near a prime drinking window. The fifteen year rule might apply in a half bottle by 2025, but I’m not even sure of that.
I paid $25 for several half bottles in 2012.
Nice wine, needs time. (3445 views)

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Still relatively young with very dark fruit, dark olives and meat notes. Is more relaxed in the structure compared to the Chave. There are still some tannins that need to fully resolve. This will easily live another 10 years. (3500 views)

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Juicy, balanced, wonderful, crisp, young.
#Ib (3893 views)

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Coravin sample. Light color. Medecinal notes initially with camfer and junipers. Then blackberry and pepper emerges and then violets. Intriguing changes.
In the mouth medium body with a very primary still impression as there's a lot of tannin but also fruit and acidity to match. Very good balance. At the start a bit shot and linear taste but again with time in the glass this just gets better. 92-93p (3919 views)

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Wish I'd read the notes here before I impatiently popped and poured this wine tonight. First things first, it isn't really ready to drink. Secondly, it is going to be a glorious wine in a couple years. Lovely red fruits, briariness, and some olive tapenade. Good length and balance. (4236 views)

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#1 of 3
Opens closed. Decanted.
Deep color. Lucious nose.

After 2 hours it opened up but I think this wants a few more years t come into its own. Like a Riesling in shut down time. Open next 2022. (4028 views)

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Green olives with plummy red fruit, exactly as expected. What was unexpected was the failure to persist and get fuller in the glass--it went the other way. Did I miss the window? (4360 views)

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Tasted next to 2010 Gonon VV. It was interesting trying to regular 2010 St Joseph bottling next to it. The regular bottling is much thicker and muscular. The tannins have weight and the fruit gleans a more rustic earthy edge. It tastes like it needs far more time as it needed some time in the decanter to let the fruit come past the tannin wall. (6082 views)

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Consistent with previous note. (4778 views)

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Raspberry, pomegranate and cranberry fruit riddled with white pepper and green olives. No sediment, but needed about two hours' decanting to bring out the glory. Fantastic stuff. (4418 views)

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Profoundly rich ruby garnet in colour.
Powerful herbal notes on nose, carried through to generous fruitiness, eucalyptus, along with light pepper on palate.
Tannins give backbone, vanilla shows its heritage.
Extraordinarily detailed and long silky finish.
Utter magic! (4330 views)

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A beguiling nose of menthol, root vegetables, black olive tapenade, dried flowers and earth. It is cool with clarity, building in the glass as it takes on air. Fruits are dark and it has terrific detail, balance and poise. There's a fine line of acidity and length is good. Drinking right in the zone now. (4701 views)

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Very expressive immediately from the bottle, and a lot more complex than five years ago, with all markers checked after a while in the glass. Still surprisingly youthful for a nine-year old wine, and perfectly built, with an extended and very promising trajectory ahead. Blue-print Syrah in a great vintage. (4542 views)

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Cool, calm and collected, this is very much a 2010, but also shows the lush, young fruit of a very good st.jo. This has many years to go, but has softened, and there is no problem drinking it now IMHO.
#DM-afterparty (4834 views)

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Nose: The nose is well balanced and deep with black pepper, olives, black cherries, leather, spice, violets, licorice, and some earth tones.

Taste: Full bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The feel is refined and balanced with the tannins showing a silkiness to them. There is excellent depth and balance with black cherries, olives, black pepper, leather notes, licorice, and violets.

Overall: This is wonderful and drinking beautifully. There is excellent depth and balance with a peppery base. While this certainly can age a good while longer, it is a pure joy right now. (4764 views)

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Medium to dark crimson, somewhat translucent, with light bricking. Powerful and pure expression of Saint-Joseph Syrah. Showing minimal, if any, pickling spice and mincemeat notes that tend to reflect the place. Otherwise, strong red fruits (pomegranate and tangy red berries), effusive pepper (including white pepper), artisan soap, construction site, rust dust, clay, kelp, and charcuterie. The wine should continue evolving over the next five to seven years and last for another five to seven thereafter, perhaps longer. Outstanding! (4917 views)

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Bottle opened the day before tasting.

Deep purple tinted red, clear edge and very slow thick drops. Blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, tobacco nose. Blackberry, oak, vanilla, pencil shavings, jam taste. Rich fruit, mature tannins that stil grip the teeth. Restrained acidity. Feels stronger than 13%. (4097 views)

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See earlier notes. Drinking perfectly at the moment, and will probably continue to do so for at least another four to five years. Lots of sediment, so a quick decant might be worthwhile. (4446 views)

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2/12, good cork. Deep ruby/garnet core, narrow pale rim. Nose shows black olive, dark fruit, touch of spice. Perhaps a touch closed. Medium/full bodied, lovely pure purple fruits, spice, black olive, fine if still firm tannins, lovely fresh acids, decent though not exceptional length finish, a touch constrained still perhaps but lovely. (4197 views)

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Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Old school character in the best possible terms. Roasted meat with black cherry, licorice and clove. Still lots of tannins, but they are getting to be very elegant and wonderfully integrated. Very good length. Getting close to its peak drinking window, best 2020-2035? (4406 views)

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- Crimsom color. (3927 views)

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Oh, boy! Opened tonight with pan-seared venison tenderloin and leftover shiitake stuffing from Thanksgiving. The nose was folk-on green olive. And blueberry. Still primary but with silky tannins, it has a wealth of fruit and liovely balance. My remaining bottles will sit for another 5-7 years (3927 views)

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1/12. Excellent cork. Decanted 1/2 hr.
Medium/deep ruby core, pale ruby/garnet rim. Nose is expressive with blackberry fruit, black olive, florals, a touch of black pepper and meatiness. Medium bodied, very fine tannins, lovely pure dark fruit, black olive again, touch of meat, fresh acidity, good length harmonious finish. This is excellent and for me completely ready to go. (4481 views)

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At tasting. Brief note. Pours a dark inky purple in the glass. Nose and palate show perfumed briar and purple violets, blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, pink peppercorns, candied orange peel and cold liquid granite. Full and intense midpalate has balance that goes beyond my vocabulary and carries through to the long, primary, and undeniably pleasurable finish. This is great wine in the making no doubt. (4472 views)

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Ljus i kanten, tät kärna

Olivspad, körsbärskärnor, mörkbärigt, enbär, salmiak, en del fat

Torrt och strävt, en viss syra i munnen, mycket oliver även i munnen. Grym längd! (3977 views)

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Clear, medium intensity, purple color. Lots of very fine sediment in the bottle.

Decanted an hour before pouring. The nose shows that super, super pure, expressive and aromatic side of Syrah. It ticks off all the classic markers with cool blackberry fruit, black currant, violets, black olives, raw meat, juniper berry, peppery stems and so on and so on... I could smell this forever.

On the palate this is that iron fist in a velvet glove-kind of wine. Really dry and boldly structured with very prominent tannins and high acidity but still with that silky mouthfeel. Great intensity and purity to the flavors that mirrors the nose. Even though the structure is tough there's so much vibrant and sappy fruit that it manages to be so juicy and easy-drinking. Long, lingering finish.

This is already an great wine but it's still fairly youthful with lots of potential for years to come. (4537 views)

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Another great showing for this. Really elegant, gorgeous floral nose. Complex and layered with olives, peppery and a touch briny on palate. This is still young, probably best to wait till 2022 and then to see how it develops. This will have a great long life. (4594 views)

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2010 was a more powerful vintage. On the nose, it was quite meaty, smoked bacon, roasted herbs, and black pepper, on the palate, was deep in structure, dark berry fruits with high concentration in tannin, a bit more rustic and meatier than others. I think it shows long ageing potential. Probably better to enjoy after another 5 years. (4451 views)

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There was so much underlying power in the wine yet it was not fully open tonight. Smoke fruit, blackberries, violets and white pepper on the nose. Palate was big and powerful with nice minerality. It needs time for the tanins to soften up. It clearly has upside when its ready. Give it 3-4 more years at least. (4183 views)

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Sans note. 91+? (4346 views)

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Granate de capa media alta y ribete algo abierto. Nariz atractiva, muchos matices especiados, toques de cacao en polvo, paté de aceitunas negras, algo de violetas ajadas y fruta negra madura, sobre todo ciruelas negras. En boca tiene buen ataque y un paso atractivo, bien perfilado, con buena acidez, estructura media, tanino pulido, textura ligeramente terrosa y bastante longitud. Muy buena presencia! (4432 views)

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Aerated for 1,5 hour. Lifted dark fruit, black cherry, blueberry, rose, raw meat, smoke, black olive. Palate is rich, dense, still very young, nice grippy tannins, great acidity, lovely granite mineral core and a very long finish. Will definately develop next 5-10 years. (5122 views)

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At first the nose was very smoky and black olive-y, but it evolved pretty quickly with air and became this much more floral and fruit-driven thing, but never delicate, with power and drive, and surrounded by the rustic brambly and olive scents. The nose is complex and just gorgeous. The palate is not as ready yet, or perhaps the palate has gone to sleep and the nose is not yet asleep. This is clearly an excellent wine, with fantastic raw material and a good feel to it. Seems like it should be left alone for a while longer. (5667 views)

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Consistent with previous note. (4379 views)

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Great stuff. First evening this was perfumed and full of meat, black olives, some laurel leaves. Second night it had retreated (back) into more primary fruit, excellent balance. The texture is much more soft compared to three years ago. Long life ahead. (4437 views)

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Excellent. Perfect balance between depth and structure, but a wine above all of finesse and nuance. Perhaps the best vintage of Gonon's reds yet. This is just starting to show something but for best results wait at least 2-3 years for it to develop more complexity. (4035 views)

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See earlier notes. A beautiful bottle – rich, concentrated and well balanced. Starting to display almost Burgundian characteristics, as the pine needles and raw potatoes of youth give way to softer floral notes. Still very much Northern Rhone, but increasingly sophisticated and refined. Will hopefully stay on this peak plateau well into the 2020’ies. (4195 views)

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Boys at PB (Charlottenlund): Has broadened somewhat, certainly developed since last tasting it; tannins are still rather pronounced, th wine is smoky, has lightness and elegance, seems young and tight. Very good, indeed. 91+. #PBwithboys (6035 views)

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A great Gonon in the making. It is broad and giving with dark olive marks, flowers and lovely fruit that's light and dancing on the palate. Genuine wine and in a different league compared to the 2010 Texier Vieille Sereine. At home with the boys. (5407 views)

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Opened at 4PM and slow oxed till drinking around 5:45ish. Dark opaque purple center with ruby red edges in a Reidel BDX glass at around 55 -58 degrees. Fresh dark fruit, smoke and spice nose. Dark fruit carries over to a balanced lifted palate along with olive, spice, herbs and minerality. Didn't care much for some 09s I owned by this producer but these 10s are classic northern Rhone. Only have one left and wish it was 3 instead. Ill lay off that last blt until at least 2020 minimum. It would be really cool to see where this humble St. Joseph designation goes with more like 15 -20yrs on it. A little dusty tannin grip left on the finish without food. Think it might have drank better on its own just before dinner than on the last glass. Excellent with food. 13% Alc. Don't see the need to decant and may be detrimental. (6304 views)

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Black olives, herbs and dark fruit on the nose. Plenty of stuffing, but definitely fairly clenched on the palate. Give this a few years. (5777 views)

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Great Gonon Tasting (Frederiksberg): Much like I remember it from tasting the bottle bought in Chambers Street, this is really pushing the envelope in terms of Saint-Joseph. This night, it came across as cool, steely blue in the expression, closes, of course, but with everything going for it. Wait a bit still... (4060 views)

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@BYOB - tasted blind (5386 views)

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Corked (4722 views)

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Beautiful nose of ripe dark berries, violets and smoky granite. Decanted for 2 hours and it really helped the wine soften. This drinks like liquid granite with perfectly ripe dark fruits and crisp acidity. Finishes complex and crunchy with notes of minerals and violets. Juicy and intense. This is special juice. 93+ (4733 views)

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Elegant och lite slankare Syrah med mer örtiga och jordiga drag än kryddiga och peppriga. Bra men trodde det skulle vara bättre. Frukten känns lite kokt på något konstigt vis. Blir bättre med luft dock. Förhoppningsvis en tråkig mellanfas (ökända Syrah-tunneln?). (4843 views)

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From memory: Decanted for close to two hours before tasting. Revisited after two years, and just now beginning to reveal what it’s made of. Lots of black forest fruit, olive tapenade, pine needles, iron filings and smoky herbs on the nose and palate. Way more generous than it was back in 2014, but once the acidity and tannins kick in you’re suddenly reminded that it’s still early days. Very enjoyable today provided it’s given enough time to breathe, but I sense even greater things to come... Decant or hold for another three to four years (92-94 points). (4219 views)

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Dark red with purple notes, clear edge, long thin drops. Blackberry, leather, turpentine, wood nose. Blackberry, some lemon, wood, tobacco taste. Deep fruit and quite present tannins. Long aftertaste with both fruit and tannic bite. (4205 views)

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Opened last night. Ruby with slight lightening at the rim. Very different aromas than the 2012-here smoke, cured meat, and a boatload of herbs. Deceptively approachable, but firmly structured like Hermitage or Cornas. Black fruit, quite mineral, very complex due to all of the herb elements, and then the tannins close things down on the finish. Outstanding bottle with some development but tremendous potential over at least the next 5 years. (4509 views)

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Northern Rhone Bash at Ivan and Ronnie's house: WOW. black olive, meat, big beautiful fruit, black fruit, savory. pepper, herbs. complete package. still very young and will develop. tart delicious fruit on the finish. this is just excellent. WOTN for me. (4766 views)

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corked :( (4481 views)

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SLDS June 2016: Plum, smoke and cherry on the nose. Nicely balanced, fine tannins and a good line of acidity. Good youthful poise, though more time will certainly see this develop well. (4660 views)

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Wow. Just wow. Drinking beautifully right now without decanting: raspberry fruit, green olives, white pepper, raw beef. Silky texture; everything's right about it. So glad to have many more. (4784 views)

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Dark berries here. Lovely depth and intensity on the palate. So textural. Still very youthful. Lovely stuff. (4617 views)

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Det har vært en god vinhøst, men mange fantastiske viner. De beste har vært de dyreste, dessverre, men her kommer det en QpR-rakker inn i toppsjiktet. 2010. Svært ufiltrert; vinen ble tatt rett fra liggende og over i karaffel - det hvirvlet opp nye grums. En aldeles gåsehudfremkallende nese av rå potet, friske bjørnebær, knust sort pepper og krydder; dette er samme klasse som Jamet Cote-Rotie 2010. I munnen har dette en utrolig friskhet og renhet i frukten, men her mangler den tyngde mot Jamet - men fantastisk for nivået. Mineralsk. Flott lengde. (6358 views)

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Don't go there. Even from a .375 followed for several hours, this is shut down tight. Opens with acidic cut and tannins, not much else. Finally, after a few hours in the glass, some enjoyable elements temper the regret of premature decorkulation. Primary dark berries and black pepper come through more on the palate than the nose. None of the bacon fat I found in these on release. I shouldn't open another for five to ten years, but my memory's bad and my willpower worse. (6439 views)

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[from 375ml]: still very tight and tannic, with cool black fruits, good syrah depth and intense powdered minerality dominating the finish. Still primary, this looks set from an excellent evolution over the next 10 years (6369 views)

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Had a quick sample from the same bottle as LILJA.

Right upon opening the nose is wide open with lots of bacon, raw meat, pure blackberry juice, fresh grounded black pepper, some black olives and violets.

Dry, medium(+) acidity, medium(+) body and tannin. Very silky and refreshing with a medium(+) flavor intensity and long finish. Still youthful with loads of potential though it's drinking lovely today. This is outstanding quality Syrah! (6266 views)

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Brilliant stuff! Lots of raw meat, bacon, red fruit, herbs and quite a lot of grund black pepper (though not nearly as distinct as in the '13).

Very nice balance on the palate with a good, fresh acidity, lots of juicy and succulent fruitiness, a hint of bitterness and some elegant, but firm tannins. Good intensity and a long finish.

An outstanding wine, especially for the humble price of 250SEK ($30). Drinks very well right now, but I will try to hold a bottle or two for at least 5-7 years. (5918 views)

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On the nose: black pepper, olives, black cherries, anise, violets, thyme, and black berries. This wine wasn't so closed as some of the comments here state. I found it to be in a great place, and believe it will get better, but drinking well now. (6369 views)

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Decanted and monitored it's progress. Best in hour two of three, showing elegantly restrained fruit, olives, pepper, tobacco and outstanding future potential. Too, am convinced our opening this wine at half time today singlehandedly enabled the Seahawks to beat St. Louis. All is right in the world. ;) (5901 views)

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Consisent with previous notes. True to the vintage although very much open for business, atleast with food on the table. Very good right now and potential greatness in 10-15 years. (5596 views)

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Guy's St Joseph Offline (RSJ, Coin Street, London): Extremely youthful appearance, deep ruby/purple, no rim to speak of. Very youthful nose, ripe black fruit, some spice, touch of florals and black olive. Still quite tannic on the palate but plenty there - needs another 2-3 years to unfurl but potentially excellent **(**). (6335 views)

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Lite slutet. Spara resterande flaskor några år. (4360 views)

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Decanted for just over two hours before tasting. Dark purple core, pink rim. Way too young, but I couldn’t resist the temptation as I have half a case in stock. Displays a complex, albeit somewhat restrained, bouquet of dark forest berries, pine needles, violets, beef-broth, iron filings, spices and smoke. On the viscous textured and firmly structured palate the fruit is currently lingering in the background, but there's such considerable depth here that I'm quite sure it will flesh out at some point in the future. I would guess this wine needs at least another five years to reach its full potential – at which point it should be sensational (90-94 points). (5741 views)

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A Syrah Friday at Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is on the tighter side from the outset, but it opens up beautifully with black pepper, leather tones, earth notes, tobacco, and black cherries. There is excellent depth even with the nose being on the tighter side.

Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The structure is very youthful along with black pepper, leather tones, black cherries, spice notes, and a touch of earth on the back end.

Overall: This still needs a good amount of time. While this is extremely good right now, this has a ton more to give and I'd love to see where it is in another 6-8 years. (6442 views)

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Gonons and Rougeards (Riverpark, NYC): Really closed and tannic. There's some bright red and dark berried fruit and olive notes apparent here, but it's showing just a fraction of what it did on release, and the structure dominates. No sense in opening this wine now, or any time in the next few years. (7333 views)

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This is really good. Does't matter who taste it, they all love it. 4NJP

For more reviews of wines and information about wine see www.njconsultingimport.se (6214 views)

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Blackcurrant, chocolate, plum, herbs, damp soil and some wet dark rocks. Great nose. Lots of energy on the palate with the same components. Also salty liquorice. A cool expression as the vintage keeps telling me and a nice acidity to even the balance. The tannins are fine and firm, present but not too strong. At the moment I prefer this with food, huge potential.
91-92. (6994 views)

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has closed up somewhat, very fine, dense body and lots of freshness. I suspect this will be seamless and with many more layers of complexity later on. Very tannic for now. If you drink it now or the next few years, I'd go with grilled meat to chew up the tannins. (6590 views)

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Friday Afternoon at Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): Another in a line of great, young Syrah's from the Gonon brothers. Powerful aromatics of earth, plum, spices, and meat are deep and complex. The palate is still rigid with a brutally firm structure. It'll be an even greater wine in 7+ years as the olive and meat flavors on the palate deepen and the tannins soften a bit. (6974 views)

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Popped and poured at Domaine syrah tasting. Some much potential here and only upside to come. Dark purple color with a lively but cool fruit nose and a bit of pepper. This was pretty tight on the palate but lots of good fruit lurking in the background. Finished with crisp acidity, leaving you wanting more. (6635 views)

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Wait!!!!! (6791 views)

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Corked (6554 views)

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Nose boasts of meat, blueberries, blackberries and black pepper.Very inviting, like a big armchair with an exclusive cigar. The fruit is perfectly ripe with great promise for the future. Great purity. (6065 views)

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NOSE: Herbs, red meat or whatever words you like to describe a typical syrah. Grape typical indeed.

PALATE: Dry, suprisingly(?) strong acids especially in the aftertaste, clean and tight fruits, firm tannins without being overwhelming.

At this stage an excellent (meat) wine. Could develop into being more elegant and interesting. (5833 views)

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Purung härlig doft där det fruktmässigt är blåbär och björnbär i förgrunden och mörka plommon i bakgrunden. Därtill enträ, barrskogsmark, rökta charkuterier, svarta oliver och en hel del kryddiga inslag av vitpeppar, kanel och örter.

Smakmässigt är det koncentrerat och spänstigt med rejäla doser tanniner och frisk syrlig bärighet tillsammans med alla kryddiga, jordiga och barriga element. Fin balans.

Riktigt gott nu men framförallt lovar det gott inför framtiden. 90+ (5656 views)

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Northern Rhônes with Rajat Parr (Stockholm, Grappe): Shiny pure syrah nose, with aromas of violets, pen ink, mineral, herbs, black cherry and blackberry. Not very complex at this early juncture, but the producer has a good track-record for development, as we know from earlier vintages. The taste is medium-bodied with fresh acidity, juicy fruit and grippy, slightly rough tannins. What makes us tick to the beat of this wine is its sheer purity, which isn't at all obscured by any active winemaking or new oak. The future looks bright. (7008 views)

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91+ (6172 views)

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Expressive nose of violets, blueberries, black olives, game, leather, smoke and licorice. Great acidity and freshness on the palate with intensive fruit, pepper and floral aromas. Some grippy tannins add to the perfect structure. Very elegant and good lenght. Maybe a slight touch of greenness. Also the wood needs a little more time to fully integrate. Young at this stage but delivering a lot of pleasure already. (6483 views)

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France 2013 – Northern Rhone; 4/17/2013-4/19/2013 (Ampuis): Tasted at the Domaine. Similar nose to the 2011 but a bit riper, deeper and darker with a touch less floral coming through. I felt this was a tad closed today as the structure seemed to be at the forefront on the palate. The polished and nimble texture came through along with the firm yet powdery tannins and lively acidity. The 2011 was drinking better on this day but I feel this 2010 has more potential and should be outstanding in 7-10 years. Excellent. 90+ (7247 views)

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Fresh & floral. I like it, buy more. (6624 views)

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Gonon-athon (NYC): A lovely peppery, smoky and floral fragrance right away that keeps building and adding more depth and nuance with air. The classic Gonon savouriness and freshness of fruit are all there, but there's a textural polish and finesse that makes this really appealing to drink. Fantastic. (7333 views)

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Nez plein de fruits noirs (mûre, myrtille, cassis) et olive noire. Fruit très présent en bouche avec un beau soyeux de tanins et une jolie acidité finale qui en fait un vin très digeste. (4534 views)

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Un vin qui a besoin d'air pour pleinement se révéler. Il montre une belle pureté, avec une acidité rafraîchissante, un nez typé sur la violette, le lard fumé, les cerises rouges et les framboises. L'équilibre, le coté aérien et ses arômes poivrés évoquent Côte Rôtie. Excellent. 91+ pts (6459 views)

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Very precise blackberry fruit nose with a touch of wood that took time to develop. Rich entry of quite dark fruit. High acidity; tons of blackberry, leather, liquorice. A bit of black pepper coming at the end. Tannins powerful but quite fine. This is not exceedingly complex but very focused. Needs time obviously but decent now with a good decant. (5781 views)

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Wow. Delicate and refined young northern Rhone destined for an even better future. Immediately upon opening, violets, tapenade, fleeting spice emerge from the glass. Very refined palate, perfectly balanced, delivers power and elegance. Long finish with plenty of ripe fine grain tannins. It did shut down somewhat after a while - let the others rest a few years. Should have bought more! (5697 views)

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Un nez très typé de violettes, d'olives, avec un aspect fumé. La texture est aussi typique, aérienne, pleine de fraîcheur et de fruit. Un St-Joseph élégant et très charmeur, qui n'a rien à envier à plusieurs vins de Côte Rôtie. Sa densité laisse présager un bon potentiel de vieillissement, mais il faut lui reconnaître un charme immédiat presqu'irrésistible. 91-92+ pts (5761 views)

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Had this side by side with the 09 and like it a lot better. A bit more depth and less fruity primary than the 09. Nuanced and definitely promising. I did a quick double decant and took to NR dinner. (5765 views)

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From a .375. While the nose and palate showcase dense red fruit, the compelling components of this wine are the non-fruit notes; black pepper, green olives, meaty iron, and fragrant flowers. In addition to the complex (yet young) scents and flavors, this impresses with density and power while somehow remaining delicate and ethereal. I can't imagine how good this will be in years to come when it starts showing tertiary flavors. (6028 views)

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Pre-Christmas get-together at 13C (Vancouver, BC): No formal notes. Beautiful and young nose, lilacs, pepper, dark red fruits. Pure and layered, lots of depth. Very young but fun to drink. This will be great with 10+ years of bottle age. Excellent. 90+ (5603 views)

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C: Bright, juicy, velvety purple. Bright pink on the edges.
N: Dried flowers, potpourri, violets, baked earth, herbs, blackberries, some licorice, and maybe a touch of blueberry pie (vanilla). A touch hot, but a very interesting nose.
P: Blackberries, leather, black pepper. Good, full, smooth mouthfeel, without losing acidity. Nice acidic backbone. Certainly not overripe fruit here. Grainy, full tannins, but not harsh or dry. Verging on silky (but not quite there). The finish is unfortunately a bit short, and actually quite green/woody.
O: Fantastic QPR, great nose, less complex palate (but still lovely) and a really nice mouthfeel. The green finish, however, detracts a few points. Drink 2013-2020 (5697 views)

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The textbook flavors of cracked pepper, pebbly dark fruit, olives and violets are still in front, but the wine is more reserved compared to a bottle in October and may be on the verge of shutting down. There is a bit of blueberry cake on the nose, but there is no sweetness on the palate, just young Syrah at its best. To lay down for a while now. (5775 views)

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Nat cork. A juicy purple with dark red highlights. A fruity, jammy nose with violet, leather, and blackberry creating an inviting aroma. A hint of heat but not enough to be off-putting. Tasted of juicy concentrated fruit - dark tangy zing and a rush of pepper on the finish. Delicious mouthfeel. Long, long finish is impressive. Bit of a jammy pie character seems sweet but it has enough restraint to seem indulgent without ever crossing the line to simple, cloying, or new world. Deliciously likable stuff. (6258 views)

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Opened and poured a sample. The aromatics clearly speak of the Northern Rhône, with olives, herbs and lavender. The large-scaled palate isn't giving up too much yet, but shows plenty of tannins and dark fruit (though it's not a "big and ripe" wine). Then a bit of a mineral finish. This really doesn't change over the course of a couple hours, but shows great energy and focus. Need to put these away for at least a few years. (5774 views)

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Nose of dark fruits, meat, lavendar, pepper, ash, olive,and earth. Intense palate of dark and red fruit, candied lavendar, peppered meat, ash, olive brine, and stone. My first go-around with Gonon and will not be my last. Didnt budge the three hours it was opened. Paired well with thyme/rosemary lamb meatballs. Intense flavors but not heavy on the palate. Pure pleasure. (5758 views)

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Dinner at Marc's (Marc's House - Bellingham, WA): Took some time to open up, but another great example of cool climate Syrah. Beautiful combination of dark fruit, meat tones, and floral notes. Palate is lithe but powerful...lots of complexity and power all rolled into a featherweight package. Great stuff. (6644 views)

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A sunday afternoon at Tooch's (Matt's place, Chicago IL): nose: a good dose of black pepper strikes right off the bat along with flowing tones of spices, black fruits, dark red fruits and some dark red cherries. Very good depth, though it did seem to be holding back a slight bit right now.

taste: full bodied with very good and chewy tannins. The tannins certainly show off the youth along with medium+ acidity. There is really good balance to this with tones of dark red cherries, black fruits, black pepper and spice tones.

overall: A beautiful young St. Joseph. My first Gonon, and I'm very impressed. I would love to see where this wine goes over the years. (4925 views)

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Nez sur les olives et le caramel, un peu trop "élevé". Après quelques heures apparaissent les arômes classiques de violette et de petit fruit rouge.
La bouche est franche, vive, éclatante, avec une bonne acidité, du fruit mûr, une finale poivrée. C'est un vin d'une belle pureté, frais et précis. Quelques arôme bonbon/vanille m'agacent un peu, c'est aussi un brin asséchant en finale à ce stade. Mais ces traces d'élevages se dissiperont sans doute avec le temps et les solide tanins en finale confirment que c'est un vin qui a besoin de temps. Le prix est élevé pour l'appellation, mais il a un style et une qualité très proches de Côte Rôtie. 90+ pts (5922 views)

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91-92+ (5259 views)

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Dark purple color. Medium body. Pop 'n pour. Blueberries, plums, tar, and dust. Lots of tannins, bracing acidity. Aromatic, sumptuous, gorgeous, magnificent. Consider giving it a few years. This wine has a great future. (5302 views)

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Blackberry and blueberry, dried flowers (pot pourri). Raspberry coulis underneath. Granit notes. Silky mid palate with similar profile. Tannins kicking in on the finish and giving a firm structure.
Really needed 2 days to open.
Very good, as usual. (5359 views)

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Lovely wine at the start, got a little shy. A couple days later it was still elegant. (5329 views)

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A knock-out wine of pebbly blueberry fruit and cool Northern Rhone Syrah aromas and flavors. The fruit is punchy and precise, there is a lot of weight here and the acidity is just right. Too bad this has become so difficult to get hold of. A single bottle acquired by Niels in NYC. Thank God I got my hands on a case of this early on. (5383 views)

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This is the best vintage of Gonon red wine I've had. I love the purity and detail of the aromas, the typicity and the complexity. I love the balance on the palate and the depth throughout the middle palate into the finish. The wine has great acidity and structure, and on day 2 it is harmonious in a compelling way. There is a vivid earthy minerality underneath all of the fruit. Delicious now, but very clearly seems like it will develop well in the cellar. (7021 views)

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To continue the evening's Rhone theme, I bought a half bottle of this to have with dinner. Crystal clear, dark deep ruby. Pure, forward nose of dark flowers and blackberry. Medium weight with a feel that is already harmonious. Clear Syrah fruit, a touch of herbs, nice acidity. As before, a wonderful, early drinking northern Rhone that is balanced and very well integrated. (5708 views)

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Seriously impressive right from the pop of the cork but well on its way to a tough closed state, given that the initial burst of expressiveness was fairly short-lived before it tightened up. Those first few moments offered an exposive aromatic punch of olives and cracked pepper - textbook Northern Rhone syrah, textbook Gonon - which remained the theme over the course of the bottle but became much more subtle. Structurally speaking, this stuff is fierce, certainly the most powerfully structured Gonon as far back as I can remember. There's a taut spine and the tannins are screechy and abrupt and will probably cause this to shut down hard once that inky berry fruit loses some of its primary sweetness. (7394 views)

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This is just bigger in everything than 2009 is. Very serious wine. Typical notes of Gonon's Syrah with pronounced intensity, good firm tannins, extremely good consentration and lenght. 2010 was a great year so no wonder that this is so good. Very approachable now, but you can leave to cellar for another 5 to 10 years if you want some more complex aromas. (5813 views)

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Sunday Afternoon Get Together (SoNo East): Not much to add to my last review. Incredibly exotic syrah with lots of game, juicy dark fruit, burnt earth and spice. I'm finding it hard to keep my hands off these. (6326 views)

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Still amazingly fresh, fragrant, layered and vibrant. Thrilling now, but there's such promise and potential ahead. (6222 views)

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I've had a couple bottles now and have read all the notes here, and taken all together I'll say that this is really going to be an epic Gonon. On first opening there's everything you'd ever want from a Saint-Joseph: smoke, meat, lifted floral notes, great grip and persistence, just magnificent. With air, though, the wine clams up significantly, showing mostly gritty/chalky tannins that struggle for contention with the wine's deep core of red-black fruit. This is about to go into its shell for a few years, but the wait is absolutely going to be worth it. (5606 views)

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Joli Vin Imports Tasting (Dig Wines, San Francisco, California): Opaque red violet color; lovely, lifted, white pepper, roasted plum, green peppercorn nose; tasty, medium bodied, tart roasted plum, green peppercorn, tart currant, mineral palate; needs 4 years; medium-plus finish 92+ points (3609 views)

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Decanted about 3 hours. A wild, wonderfully complex nose with all kinds of stuff going on: gamey, floral, crushed granite, blackberry fruit in there somewhere. In hte mouth it is medium to light in body but with a complete mid-palate, and it's savoury with the fruit in the background and the meaty and rocky elements dominating. Very elegant with quite a bit of fuzzy tannin that mutes the fruit a bit, and sneaky-good length. Especially good with grilled beef, which smooths out the tannin a bit and helps the fruit come out more. I liked this a lot but was not quite wowed in the way others seem to have been. (5417 views)

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Friday Night (SoNo East): Probably the best sub $30 bottle of syrah in the world. Love its floral and meaty character - packaged together in a mid-weight style. Wasn't as overtly exotic as the 2009 cuvee, but this has more elegance and acidity. Great stuff...6 bottles won't be enough. (5785 views)

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Beautifully balanced and proportioned with notes of raspberries, blackberries, dried herbs, liquorice and earth. It is juicy in the mouth with berry fruits that are tinged with earth and there’s a most pleasant Asian spice thing playing in the background. It finishes with good precision and is long with sweet tannins. (5505 views)

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Lots of violets and whte pepper in the nose. On the palate beautiful leathery fruit with hints of dry raspeberry and hints of bacon fat. Firmly tannic in the finish but not painfull. A rellay pleasurable wine. Should age nicely for 8-10 years at least. (5468 views)

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Very young. Dense purple, nose of anise, leaves, bacon, smoke. Palate of cranberry, pomegranate, a bit green. Medium bodied with medium acidity, maybe a bit lean on the mid-palate. Medium finish with small grained tannin.

Too young to rate, but the green notes and the lesser concentration and structure to the 2009 at a similar stage make me favor the latter over the former. Needs at least 3 years, but not sure where this will go. (5500 views)

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Really enjoyed this one. Meaty, minty, brooding, dark wine that is very rewarding to drink. (5289 views)

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Northern Rhones (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Moderately deep. Great perfume-it has the captivating flower and blueberry nose of a much higher priced wine. Elegant feel with black fruit and graphite. Crisp acidity, good youthful tannic bite, all of which predicts a life span of at least 5 more years. I've been impressed with this bottling from the last 2 vintages. Absolutely top notch St. Joseph which can compete with fancier appellations. (5683 views)

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Lovely young Syrah. Dense with blue/black fruit, violets and hints of meat, very primary, very N. Rhone, nicely pefumed, very pure. The tannins are completely eclipsed by the fruit presently. Very drinkable. With Abbey. (5493 views)

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My first bottle of this new vintage... good, but not great on this occasion. Consumed over two nights, aromatically subdued, but the usual violety dark fruit with nuances of a meaty quality emerged with some swirling. The usual Gonon purity and impact was on the palate, young, pure fruit, well balanced with chalky tannins in the background. I'm hoping this was just a bit closed up and future bottles will prove to be more engaging. This just didn't have that "wow" that young bottles of previous vintages have provided. (5320 views)

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As fresh as a daisy. Tastes like a barrel sample, with juicy blackberry fruit, cracked black pepper, and the freshest of lilacs leaping from the glass. The palate has incredible freshness, with high toned black fruits, beef stock, and impressive structure. Not quite as flashy and juicy as the 09 vintage was at the same stage. That said, this is far from lacking in concentration. A great young syrah that I'll be eager to track over time. Back up the truck! (5941 views)

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Opened with very high expectations, and this certainly lives up to all of them. It's incredibly fragrant with a lovely scent of pepper, violets and red fruited flavours that keeps building and developing with air, and a sense of remarkable purity and finesse on the palate with more savoury and saline flavours emerging with air. The balance is impeccable with bright acids keeping it very precise and vibrant and fine grained tannins beneath the fresh fruit, and there's remarkable persistence. Fantastic wine that I'm glad I went long on. (5697 views)

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