Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s officially Summer! Time for Rosé. Tempier is one of my favorite Rosés. They’re even better when you let them round out a year in bottle before enjoying. The color darkens to a slightly rustic orange color.

On the nose, some sour notes with a little funk. Sweetness and sourness in the fruits. Strawberries, tangerine, cherries, Georgia peach, nectarine skin, juicy watermelon near the rhine, unbelievably just a touch of petrol, gummy character, chalkiness and fresh pink spring flowers and pink roses.

The body is round and full for Rosé. Sweetness and sourness in the fruits. Strawberries, tangerine, oranges, cherries, Georgia peach, nectarine skin, juicy watermelon near the rhine, well ripened rhubarb, just a touch of petrol, gummy character, spice, chalkiness, perfect intensity of crushed volcanic minerals with fresh pink spring flowers and pink roses. The acidity is like a waterfall. The length, structure, tension and balance are excellent. The long, rich, elegant finish is beautiful and lasts minutes. It’s delicious!!!

Photos from our 2016 visit. Domaine Tempier tasting room and cellars, shot of our barrel tasting w/ their assistant Winemaker (a sweetheart), the digging for their additional cellar; which I imagine is now complete and the view from the Domaine entrance — 8 years ago

Moin Rastegar,C.S.W

9.2

Copper tone , refined bubbles with subtle hints of baked rhubarb , yellow fruits and citrus. Well balanced — 9 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.1

Smell like rhubarb and strawberry. Bright fruitiness of Beaujolais but has a raw undercurrent. Medium acid, velvety tannins, sheer drinkability. — 9 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Bricking red and amber. Translucent but darker and more color than the 78 DRC next to it. Notes of dark fruit, hickory, figs, cooked rhubarb and spicy cherries. Great texture in the mouth. Hit its apex at 6+ hours of air and had a richness that powered along all night. Whereas the DRC had a better nose, this was more about the round tannins that matched a great core of fruit. — 9 years ago

Devin Bray

9.3

Huge and ripe for a Beaujolais, with jammy cherry fruit and some rhubarb tartness with a slight hint of animal musk and pink peppercorn. Complex and deep but still juicy with great structure. Mmm. — 10 years ago

with Gina

Nate Norfolk

9.5

Yes!!! Savory earth and rhubarb tinged...yet ripe. Beautiful. — 10 years ago

Douglas Braun

9.1

This wine is aging so nicely rhubarb pie dried strawberries Christmas spice super pretty — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Blackberries, raw rhubarb, cranberries, cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, lots of soft spices, very red floral, dry mid tannic structure, understated dark earth, perfect chalkiness, soft, lush, good acidity and long dry elegant finish. Finish is plus one minute. — 10 years ago

Luke Stanko

9.2

Fun fresh vibrant. Rhubarb, cranberry, sour cherry. — 11 years ago

Scott Harrop

9.3

2008 really perfect expressiin of Russian River very ripe Pinot in a perfect year. Like being in a damp cave with jammy raspberries and simmering blueberry and rhubarb compote. Rich thick gluey mouth, long syrup finish. — 11 years ago

Tom Higgins

Owner/Winemaker Heart & Hands Wine Company

9.9

Strawberry compote, roasted beets, truffle oil fill the nose. Plum and rhubarb pop on the palate with graceful tannins. Delicate and refined will probably last at least another 5 years in the bottle. — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 88 Insignia out of Magnum.

On the nose, shy blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, creamy strawberries, black plum, notes of blue fruits, sweet vanillin soft volcanic minerals, red & blue florals with violets.

The body is leaner medium. Tannins are completely resolved. Pure pruny fruit elegance with bright red floral bouquet. Blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, creamy strawberries, black plum, rhubarb with notes of blue fruits, sweet vanillin fine powdery, old shoe leather, dry brush, volcanic minerals, red & blue florals with violets. Nice acidity and finish but, this wine was better served 3-5 years ago. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Is there any meal better than steak (Ribeye) and well aged Claret? This is another 1991 Bordeaux experiment of mine. 1991 was a vintage with horrible frosts and a less than favorable growing season, right? A vintage critically panned. This is my 3rd recent 91 from a good producer. And again, it didn’t disappoint. Like 97 and 07, it’s better with the right bottle age than young. Magic evolution happened in the bottle way down the road. This 91 is in great form with a fair amount of life ahead of it. On the nose; a little ripe fruit funk, wonderful dark & lighter red cassis, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries, vanilla, light cinnamon, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs and fresh & dry red flowers. The body/palate is medium, round, ripe & still fresh. The tannins nearly completely resolved. Ripe, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries & half cooked rhubarb. Vanilla, light cinnamon, touch of clove & nutmeg, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs, a little band-aid and fresh & dry red flowers. The acidity drips over the palate and the long, well balanced, still structured, nice tension, good length finish lasts over a minute. Again, love & appreciate the 12.5% alcohol. What a beauty with and without the steak. Next time you’re in your fine wine retail shop and see a quality producers 91 that’s been well stored, buy it and have it with a Ribeye. Photos of; their exotic Estate, Chateau interior, newer barrel room and their vines as viewed from the front of the Chateau that are across the road. Producer notes and history...Cos d’Estournel has a long distinguished history in the St. Estephe. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, gave his name to the estate after founding in 1811. It did not take long before Cos d’Estournel became famous with wine lovers and royalty all over the world. In those early days, Cos d’Estournel did not sell through Negociants. The owner preferred selling his wine directly to his customers. In fact, Cos d’Estournel was exported to numerous countries across the globe, with a large portion of the production being sold to India. It was that connection to India that inspired much of the unique, east Indian design we see at Cos d’Estournel today. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first Bordeaux Chateaux’s to bottle, label and sell their own wine. This practice continued until the death of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel in 1852. If you’re at the property, the statue on the bench in the front courtyard is of the founder, Louis Gaspard d’Estournel. The Estate was then purchased by an owner that sold their wines on the Place de Bordeaux using the negociant system. If the Chateau was not selling their wines through the negociant system, it would never have been included in the 1855 Classification. Imagine that! So, it turned out to be a fortuitous decision. Cos d’Estournel was sold to the Charmolue family owners of the neighboring Estate of Chateau Montrose. They continued to own the estate until 1917, when it was bought by Fernand Ginestet. This purchase was the beginning of the next major step in the development of Cos d’Estournel. Decades later, the grandchildren of Fernand Ginestet, Jean-Marie Prats, Yves Prats and Bruno Prats took over ownership and management of Cos d’Estournel. In 1995, Bruno Prats sold the property to the Merlaut family, owners of the Taillan Group. The next era in the development of Cos d’Estournel took place in 2000, when Cos d’Estournel was bought by the industrious and wealthy Michel Reybier, who earned his fortune in the food industry. Michel Reybier hired the son of Bruno Prats, Jean-Guillaume Prats to manage Cos d’Estournel. Things further improved with the efforts of Jean-Guillaume Prats who helped design the most modern wine making at that time. A complete renovation of Cos d’Estournel took place in not only the wine making facilities and cellars, but in parts of the Chateau as well. While the wine making facilities are completely modern with their 100% gravity design, the outward appearance retained the original design and feeling that has always been a part of Cos d’Estournel. On October 15, 2012, Jean Guillaume Prats announced he was leaving Cos d’Estournel to join LVMH (Pichon Baron). Jean Guillaume Prats was replaced by Aymeric de Gironde. Following the departure of Aymeric de Gironde in 2017, the owner, Michel Reybier took over managing the Estate. What makes the remodel special is that the cellars of Cos d’Estournel are entirely operated by gravity. There are no pumps of any kind to force the wine. The purpose is to allow a gentleness to the wine and improve its purity and allow for the expression of their terroir. It set a new benchmark for cellars not only in the Left Bank, but in all of Bordeaux. Perhaps, the most inventive part of the cellars is the four 100 hectoliter lift tanks or wine elevators that replace the pumps used in the traditional pumping over and the racking off processes, which introduce air and often destabilize the marc. From the moment the grapes arrive, everything travels by the flow of gravity. Jean Guillaume Prats called this process a “pumpless pump over.” The 91 hectare vineyard of Cos d’Estournel is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is located extremely close to the border between Pauillac and Saint Estephe at the southern tip of the Saint Estephe. The Estate has very old Merlot vines as well, which date back more than 100 years. Part of the terroir is situated on the hill of Cos, which is at a high elevation for the Medoc at 20 meters. They also make a second wine called Pagodes de Cos. This is a great wine to buy in very good vintages. Especially, if your budget prohibits you from purchasing their first wine. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

If you look in the dictionary under elegance, there is a picture of this wine. The nose might be the best red floral noses I've experienced. The fruit is understated ripe strawberries, cherries, pomegranate, cooked rhubarb, dried red roses, touch of red licorice cola, baking spices, a fine chalkiness that sticks to the mid tongue and a finish that doesn't stop. — 10 years ago

Doug Sayed

9.1

Nose of rhubarb and bright red fruits. Solid structure. Bright red fruits and a solid but balanced structure, Classic Sonoma IPOB style Pinot. Nice. — 10 years ago

Mariah Downey

9.5

So yummy. Went perfect with our turkey. — 11 years ago

Steve Haro

9.6

From magnum. Youthful. Pops in your mouth. Roasted dark cherry and rhubarb compote notes. Loads of cola flavors transition beautifully into a long, earthy, tannic finish. Amazing. — 11 years ago

JP Pierce

9.2

A touch of red fruit still on the nose. Baked rhubarb, cherry compote, dusty, cedar, faint cumin, damp forest floor, and Sherry/nutty notes. In the palette still tangy acid that brings a vibrancy and tension to a juicy lean body. Most of the structure from acid, but finishing tannins provide a little drying to the mouth. Captivating, interesting and delicious. — 11 years ago

John Willison

9.2

Prototypical TRB Pinot. Citrus, forest floor, rhubarb. Great QPR. — 8 years ago

Sky Morrar

9.7

White flowers and blood orange on the nose. Wet stone, cherry, rhubarb on the palette with a spiced finish that lingers. I could drink this all day long! — 8 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.2

Dark cherry nose. Heavier in the mouth than your average Pinot with more dark cherry, rhubarb pie, and moderating darker merlot notes. Chewy tannins and long acid in the finish. This is a substantial 100% Pinot with nice balance from start to finish. — 9 years ago

with Susan

Mike Saviage

9.3

From a presumed late Domaine release, perfect looking bottle with high fill that threw off a lot of sediment. Tawny amber color, translucent and light in the glass. Light cherry, dry brush and rhubarb notes. A nice subtle richness in the mouth. Fruit is somewhat gone but still enough to match the rounded tannins and structure. Again, with air this blossomed and was a great experience for everyone. Another bottle from the Don Stott cellar. — 9 years ago

Carlie Rice

9.1

Crisp and refreshing with notes of strawberry and rhubarb. Not too sweet or too tart — 9 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Not as opulent as some Central Otago Pinots. This is from Martinborough. James Halliday who has had more Burgundies than most of us called this the "Pommard of New Zealand"! Notes of spice and rhubarb with excellent length. A top quality Pinot. Not cheap at $100+. — 10 years ago

Justin Crow

Cellar Door Manager Montalto

9.4

Bright aromas of sour red cherries, rhubarb, earthy spice and some savorury/stalky herbal qualities. Both and weight both immaculate. Supple, fluid, intense and great length. Drinking well now with develop just stating to peek through the primary fruits. Still has time. — 10 years ago

Jeff K

9.0

A bit tart at first but opened up very nicely, especially with food. Agree with others about the rhubarb notes. — 10 years ago

Trent Perkins

9.7

Fantastic wine from my favorite winery. Definitely not the sweetest wine, as it has a touch of bitterness to it - but it certainly blends well for an excellent flavor that goes well with food or on its own. You definitely can't go wrong with the Mallow Run Rhubarb, even if you prefer drier wines. — 11 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.1

Perfumey, almost hair care chemical nose. Dry with rhubarb notes on the palate. — 11 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Strawberry, rhubarb, earth, leather, iron, great acid and freshness for a 67. This just proves it is all about the producer and Rousseau is one of the best. — 11 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.4

Pungent nose of spiced plum, sweet tobacco, licorice, plum skin, ripe strawberry rhubarb, exotic and complex. The palate is full bodied and has started its way to maturity. Fine, yet full grain and ripe tannins. The finish is pushing to go long but is struggling to be exceptional, though it is very nice. — 13 years ago