A lovely blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky purple drink boasts of a particular men's cologne which I can't quite work out the name of. But let's not get hung up on that, there's still plenty of sweet herbs, cigar smoke, undergrowth, big ripe blackberries and juicy dark cherry. This is big, bold and beautiful. Reminds me of standing by a rushing stream with freshly stomped grass by the bank, right after a good bout of rain, ready for a strawberry picnic. Complex wine that will make you go mmmm over the next 15 years. 96/100. Tasted 24th Dec 2007.
Vignobles Brunier Le Pigoulet vin de pays Vaucluse 2005, Chateauneuf du Pape
The following are from the portfolio of the Brunier brothers, fifth generation winemakers located in Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone. Their most well known offering is Vieux Telegraphe, but the acquisition of La Roquette (CdP) and Les Palliers (Gigondas) over the past two decades have boosted their profile and showcase their skill at producing quality wine depicting a variety of winemaking approaches and styles, especially the Roquette wines which pleasantly surprised me with their depth of flavours.
$64-76. This was rather disappointing knowing that it comes from the line of Vieux Telegraph. It felt backward, withdrawn and hiding behind a pillar of cold stone. There's notes of savoury raspberry and rustic Provencal spice and is overall, a decent drink. Wouldn't bother filling previous cellar space with this one. 89/100. Tasted 1st March 2008.
The following are from the portfolio of the Brunier brothers, fifth generation winemakers located in Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone. Their most well known offering is Vieux Telegraphe, but the acquisition of La Roquette (CdP) and Les Palliers (Gigondas) over the past two decades have boosted their profile and showcase their skill at producing quality wine depicting a variety of winemaking approaches and styles, especially the Roquette wines which pleasantly surprised me with their depth of flavours.
The following are from the portfolio of the Brunier brothers, fifth generation winemakers located in Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone. Their most well known offering is Vieux Telegraphe, but the acquisition of La Roquette (CdP) and Les Palliers (Gigondas) over the past two decades have boosted their profile and showcase their skill at producing quality wine depicting a variety of winemaking approaches and styles, especially the Roquette wines which pleasantly surprised me with their depth of flavours.
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Golden colour, slightly richer than the first 4 wines. Nothing too clear ont eh nose but fresh and greenish, like crisp salad. Flavour - mellow and rich, concentrated at the tip of the tongue and mid pallet. Big and malleable aftertaste. 94-96/100. Retaste after 4 days: Undertones of unripe white peach. Rich, bitey mouthful. Tangy. Sweeping aftertaste of good length.
Digioia-Royer 2005 Bourgogne Rouge, Chambolle-Musigny, Cote D'or
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Light golden colour. Lacks floral bouquest typical of bigger sauternes. Nose of esters (almond), nothing obvious standing out. Gracious feel throughout the mouth, slightly high acidity. Sweet, aftertaste in back corners of mouth. 90/100 Retaste after 4 days: Honeyed, light oaked. Hard to know if it will improve. 88-89/100
Domaine Gros Frères et Soeur is situated in Vosne-Romanée and is one of three domaines owned by the Gros family who have been grape growers since 1830. The current owner is Bernard Gros who owns land in Clos de Vougeot, Richebourg, Grands Echezeaux, Vosne-Romanée and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. This is one of the top growers in all of Bourgogne making velvety smooth wines. Winemaking is clearly a family trait as his sister, Anne Gros, also owns property and releases her own labels which are highly regarded too.
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Deep, dark subtle honey nose with a faint grassy note right at the end. Not too sweet, honeyed candy. Well-balanced in terms of acidity, sensation lingers on the mid tongue. Good length for aftertaste on the mid/back pallet. 92-94/100. Retaste after 4 days: Rich nose that isn't overpowering. Opulent mouthful with a good balance of acidity. Sweeping aftertaste on the back pallet. 94-96/100.
Domaine Patrick Jasmin Cote Rotie 2005
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Slightly darker golden colour; bigger, sweet floral nose, higher alcohol, with strong, streaky legs. Nose of honeyed confectionary, taste of honey suckle, mellow and mature flavours. But aftertaste tapers off quite quickly. 88/100. Retaste after 4 days: Richer nose with sweet tangy mouthful. Aftertaste is of moderate length and concentrates on the back half of the pallet. 91-93/100.
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Light yellow colour, not as dense as 1C. Legs not as fast as 1C. Not perfumed or floral, more nutmeg. Flavours of nutmeg, not very sweet. Weak sensation on the mid pallet, lacks acidity. Poor aftertaste. 88/100. Retaste after 4 days: Light honeyed notes, weak on pallet. Simple sugars. Lacks aftertaste. 88-89/100.
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Rich, glossy, pecan-like lacquer colour. Rich walnut nose, very flavoursome concentrating on the back pallet. Good balance of acidity, slightly on the higher side but not too much to handle. This is probably at it's peak so if you have these sitting around, better gulp them down quick! Retaste after 4 days: Dark golden, rich, elegant walnut notes. Orangey flavours, back pallet, warm feeling. Good acidity, but I feel it's past it's peak.
Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin Carianne Rouge Haut Coustias 2005, Carianne
Situated in the Cairanne region is Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin est. 1692 which has been kept pumping by the last ten generations till the present brother pairing of Frederic and François Alary who took over in 1984. The vineyards occupy 25ha on the slopes of St Martin with 5ha of old vine grenache and mourvedre. The main part of the domain is situated to the north-east of Cairanne, 200m from the hills of Rasteau in a zone commonly called 'la Montague' in the Les Douyes et Saint Martin district. The white grape varieties and syrah are grown in the Douyes quarter which faces east north-east. The coolness and the colder clay soils allow the grapes to develop with more finesse and elegance. The St Martin district faces south south-east and is planted with grenache and mourvedre. These later ripening varieties benefit from the exposure to the sun by maturing with aromatic richness. Haut Coustias comes under this district.
Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin Carianne Rouge Reserve des Seiguers 2006, Carianne
Situated in the Cairanne region is Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin est. 1692 which has been kept pumping by the last ten generations till the present brother pairing of Frederic and François Alary who took over in 1984. The vineyards occupy 25ha on the slopes of St Martin with 5ha of old vine grenache and mourvedre. The main part of the domain is situated to the north-east of Cairanne, 200m from the hills of Rasteau in a zone commonly called 'la Montague' in the Les Douyes et Saint Martin district. The white grape varieties and syrah are grown in the Douyes quarter which faces east north-east. The coolness and the colder clay soils allow the grapes to develop with more finesse and elegance. The St Martin district faces south south-east and is planted with grenache and mourvedre. These later ripening varieties benefit from the exposure to the sun by maturing with aromatic richness. Haut Coustias comes under this district.
Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin Carianne Rouge Cuvee Prestige 2006, Carianne
Situated in the Cairanne region is Domaine L'Oratoire St Martin est. 1692 which has been kept pumping by the last ten generations till the present brother pairing of Frederic and François Alary who took over in 1984. The vineyards occupy 25ha on the slopes of St Martin with 5ha of old vine grenache and mourvedre. The main part of the domain is situated to the north-east of Cairanne, 200m from the hills of Rasteau in a zone commonly called 'la Montague' in the Les Douyes et Saint Martin district. The white grape varieties and syrah are grown in the Douyes quarter which faces east north-east. The coolness and the colder clay soils allow the grapes to develop with more finesse and elegance. The St Martin district faces south south-east and is planted with grenache and mourvedre. These later ripening varieties benefit from the exposure to the sun by maturing with aromatic richness. Haut Coustias comes under this district.
Domaine les Pallieres 2005, Gigondas
The following are from the portfolio of the Brunier brothers, fifth generation winemakers located in Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone. Their most well known offering is Vieux Telegraphe, but the acquisition of La Roquette (CdP) and Les Palliers (Gigondas) over the past two decades have boosted their profile and showcase their skill at producing quality wine depicting a variety of winemaking approaches and styles, especially the Roquette wines which pleasantly surprised me with their depth of flavours.
AUD$102. No Cuvee da Capo in 2004, which translates to great news for Cuvee Reservee lovers as the high quality juice got blended into the Reservee! Opulent dark and dense purple colour, powered by a rich nose of liquorice, spice, kirsch liquor and savoury notes. Full bodied, loaded with flavour and rich on the palate. BUT it's not as accessible as other 2004 CdPs at the moment as the tannins that linger with the finish are impart a slight jarring sensation on an otherwise brilliant taste. My guess is to lay this one down for another 3-4 years. 94-96/100.
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Colour of clarified butter, not much alcohol and few legs. Notes of fresh, light honey; simple basic honey flavour with aftertaste lingering under the tongue and back pallet. 92-94/100. Retaste after 4 days: Notes of tropical fruit backed up by rich, sweet candied flavours. Very fruity.
Domaine la Roquette Chateauneuf du Pape 2005
The following are from the portfolio of the Brunier brothers, fifth generation winemakers located in Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone. Their most well known offering is Vieux Telegraphe, but the acquisition of La Roquette (CdP) and Les Palliers (Gigondas) over the past two decades have boosted their profile and showcase their skill at producing quality wine depicting a variety of winemaking approaches and styles, especially the Roquette wines which pleasantly surprised me with their depth of flavours.
Chateau Saint-Florin 1996, Bordeaux
Segries Clos de l'Hermitage 2005
Initially, sweet wakame seaweed broth, then light hints of kirsh liquor and dark fruit. Refreshing taste, smooth flowing. Lively flavours of fruit cake, raspberry concentrate, peppery. Great aftertaste! Young and vibrant, good drink. 92-93/100.
Robert Sirugue & ses enfants 2005 Bourgogne Rouge, Vosne-Romanee, Cote D'or
Tasted as part of CNY Sauternes lineup: Light yellow, very light, castor sugared nutmeg, nothing too obvious. Weak, tasting of sugared water. Lacks aftertaste. Some balance of acidity which lends this credit, but lacking in character overall. 88-89/100. Retaste after 4 days: Light melon candy nose. Decent aftertaste, slightly higher acidity and obvious alcoholic feed to mouth. Has developed nicely after 4 day but still lags behind on the aftertaste. 89-90/100.
2nd tasting: Had this with Milawa cow camembert and Lavosh crackers which were a good accompaniment. Rich honey nectar nose, not as dense as the 2001, but gives a good clue of the flavours to come. I didn't leave it out for long as it disappeared rather quickly, but I got hints of orange towards the end of the glass. In the mouth, not overly sweet. A nice bodied honey opulence that isn't over-powering, but I think the oak flavours are still lingering, which indicates quite obviously that this is still too young. Maybe 2-3 more years. For now, 93-95/100.
USD$45. Perhaps a litte too early to be tasting the 2005 CdP vintage, but I feel that one might be able to decipher the inherent quality of the conditions on what has been described to be an average vintage that resulted in tannic and harsh wines. Ruby-purple in colour, this is a grenache-based blend incorporating 20% Mourvedre and Cinsault. Sweet intense nose of blackberry and raspberry, roasted herb and a hint of liquorice. It's youth is showing with raw tannins front and centre. Can't recommend drinking this full-bodied wine any earlier than 2012. 90/100. Tasted November 2007.
I had this with caramelised quail at Galera de Robuchon. An old style wine, this 10,000 bottle production is a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Cinsault and boasts of sweet floral and fruit. Do not be swayed by the tannins, this well-structured, backward wine is jammed with notes of blackberries, cherries, plums, and liquorice. This dense drink has low acidity, and finished with a firm grasp of your senses. Drinking well now, and over the next 10 years. 91/100. Tasted Jan 2008.
USD$45. I love the way the 2004 CdPs have been turning out. Many are elegant drinks at this very moment, suitable for lovers of the mid-weight wines with the biff of a straw punching bag. Crimson ruby in colour, a sweet nose of herb bouquet, roasted meat with a hint of kirsch liquor. Medium+ bodied wine, well-balanced, savoury notes with integrated tannins still present and giving this good robust structure. Good representation of the traditional Provence style. 91/100. Tasted November 2007.
A deep, pure working of 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and the remainder a miscellaneous amounts of the other permitted varietals. They have been whirled and swirled into a world-shaking and mind-spinning concoction of liquorice, kirsch liquor, crème de cassis and waves of sweet, pure, intense fruit. It's a powerful wine, a young up-start compared to the 2001 Beaucastel. It's the deceptively pristine but fast flowing glacial river that will claim you once you take the plunge. Open this, and you're in if for the long haul. It's drinking now, and must surely last for the next 15-20 years. 94/100. Tasted 24th Dec 2007.
It is simply too early to be drinking the 04 CdPs, but I wanted to see how good the Vieux Telegraphe would be after having the 04 Senechaux. After popping, very tight on the nose with notes of steaming bitumen road after a heavy downpour. Stingy in the mouth with strong liquorice finish. But after a serious decant, it's opened up to reveal a grenache-esque nose, with light lingering aromas. Smooth into the mouth but tannins are clear and present. Crisp cherry notes and a slightly white pepperish finish that goes for a good length and leaves a warm feeling in your tummy. Revisit in 5+years. Lots of potential. 92/100
Violot Guillemard Pommard Derriere St Jean 2004 1er