Ardèche, Rhône

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Blanc Marsanne Roussanne 1985

1985. 40 years young. Gave it an hour to open up before dinner (paired orange ginger glazed duck with pistachio apricot farro). Thankfully my partner is a master of the Durand. There’s very little for me to compare this too - most aged whites are preserved by acid; Chave relies on glycerol here. It gives the wine gravitas but also life and freshness. Pleasant wood veneer/wood shop notes, dried apricots at first (become fresher with time), yellow plum, truffled earth. Salty poached apricots and timelessness. In a perfect world, we’d be sharing this with my dad. Strange & sensational. — 13 days ago

Erik, Jose and 7 others liked this
web bond

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Only had Blanc back to 1989. Have had 1985 Rouge. I bet that is amazing. Bravo!

Thierry Allemand

Chaillot Cornas Syrah

Just enough brett to make it interesting. Captivating nose, sensual texture. — 2 days ago

Scott@Mister, Tom and 2 others liked this
romo

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Just enough brett to make it interesting. Captivating nose, sensual texture.

Domaine Faury

Saint Joseph Syrah 2018

Medium Ruby with aromas of black and red fruits with floral spice notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with smoke and tobacco notes. Generous acidity on fine soft tannins with a long finish ending with fruit and floral spice. Drinking well now! — 9 hours ago

Ira liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 1990

And then this happened. Oh my days! Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1990 pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of powerful ripe and desiccated brambles, dried purple flowers, beef blood, leather and mushrooms and earth. On the palate, the wine is dry and structure is still going strong with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, to quote “Squints”, the finish goes on, FOR-EV-ER. A monument. Drink now through 2040. — 15 days ago

Tom, Peter and 12 others liked this
Somm David T

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Nice treat.
Jay Kline

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@Shay A yeah man…this slapped. I’ve had the good fortune of drinking the ‘88 and ‘89 rouge and all three very special…but the ‘90 takes it to a new place
Jay Kline

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@Peter Sultan @Somm David T I still can hardly believe it.

E. Guigal

La Mouline Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2005

Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and desiccated black and red fruits: mixed brambles, Flintstone vitamins, spiced meat, olives, purple flowers, black pepper, dried herbs, rocky earth, a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Similar to the 1997 we tasted alongside, with all of the same notes except this brought back the familiar Flintstone vitamins that I have encountered in La Mouline from the past. The structure was also more substantial. I preferred this to the 1997 tonight…but I’m splitting hairs! — 15 days ago

Tom, Scott@Mister and 10 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2010

Anti-roast, all tart cherry and white pepper, gentle tannin, faint horse hair. Wow. — a day ago

Scott@Mister, Tom and 2 others liked this
romo

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Anti-roast, all tart cherry and white pepper, gentle tannin, faint horse hair. Wow.

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2017

Paul K
9.5

Had the 2018 with @J Greene @Vanessa and @Deked1 and have been excited about pulling g this ever since. So good! — a day ago

James K
with James
Dave, Ira and 7 others liked this
Vanessa

Vanessa

Clape!!! 👏👏👏 Yum 😋 Delicious memories of a fun night!!

E. Guigal

La Doriane Condrieu Viognier 2015

Ming L
9.3

Aromas of ripe apricot, honeyed peach, and white flowers are layered with subtle hints of hazelnut, spice, and subtle tropical fruits. The palate is lush and rich yet never feels weighty, and offering stone fruit, candied citrus, and a touch of minerality. The long, harmonious finish leaves notes of almond and soft honeysuckles lingering delicately. A mature, refined Condrieu at its expressive peak. — 16 days ago

Tom, Tyler and 1 other liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2014

Mysterious and sexy horse stable nose. Tamarind and mandarin peel with licorice finish. Lighter than gamay, 0% brett, 0% oak, 0% tannin, 100% Grenache. Wow. — 9 days ago

Ira, Erik and 13 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

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Experiencing a Rayas is on my bucket list.