David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

If I put this in a blind red tasting, I’m pretty sure that many would not call Bordeaux. Rarely do I call perfectly ripe fruit. This 05 fruit is perfectly ripe. I would say this 05 is at its peak it is so good but it truly isn’t. This D’Issan has 12-15 years left of good drinking with a 5 year slide after. 2005 Bordeaux’s are drinking exceptionally as it was perceived when they were birthed. Three hour decant.

The wine glides effortlessly & beautifully over the palate. It is delicious. Ripe, floral, not quite candied fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry kirsch, black plum, strawberries & blue fruits. Mid berry cola/licorice, black tea, softened lead pencil, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, limestone, mostly fresh tobacco, firecracker, flinty spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, just moist, dark turned earth, drying clay, volcanic stones & ash, loaminess, dry to slightly fresh mixed herbs, sandstone, sandalwood, some black pepper, red, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets, Hawaii waterfall acidity with a well polished, balanced, nicely tensioned & structured finish that lasts minutes. Wire to wire outstanding.

It is interesting reading the multiple RP reviews after my notes…from 90-92 young by Neil Martin to his 94 later & then Parker himself in 2015 a 96. Not surprising that time in bottle is constant evolution and worth the wait in proper storage. @D&SLounge — 2 months ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Glowing firecracker, deep embers.

Sonoma green with one part cool climate lean, one part fudgey rich, thick and viscous.

Cedar cherry cola nose with accents of wild strawberry, cinnamon and Hot Tamales. Chewy chocolate mouth with an upfront sweet note - raisins and dates and then a finish of woodsy green rosemary stems. — a year ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.8

Speechless…
Guigal La Doriane meets Aubert Ritchie and then back to Chapoutier l’Oree.
Monumental wine showing mesmerizing notes of tropical fruit and flowers. Deep, rich and intense. Pine-Apple and papaya, firecracker, ginger and candied lemon. Such an impressive and heavy-handed wine… yet Its fantastic acidity makes this is so complete, so hedonistic, so cerebral….
Just great.. 🤙🏻 — 2 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.2

Firecracker strawberry with a slippery slide: quiet to bold.

Humming strawberries, white pepper, and thyme, then something spicier, deeper, candied, rich & savory. — 4 months ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

A .75X slow swirl, finding the deepest bottom corners of my glass. I like my dinner Rose' moving just a little slower, with a little extra weight.

Steely cool to the core with soft aromas of sour green strawberry and rose hips. Bandol weight and Chablis level acid. Smells cool, pours firecracker hot and livens up in the glass. Lingering acid, the kind that needs a good squeeze from tight clusters of red berries - tiny strawberries and cranberries and red currant.

Sour stuff. Stays and stays, a good reminder that it's cold in Sancerre. — 10 months ago

Brent Young

9.5

Sweaty Animals? Yes please

DAY 1
👃Complex. Distinctive. Amazing. Charcoal, pepper, sweet dark cherries, smoke, barnyard, sweaty animals, earth, garrigue & violets
👅Full bodied. Complex. Balanced. Purple/red fruit, thyme, licorice & pepper. Silky. Finishes with mod+ tannic pull. Delicious
Note: With time in the glass the nose and palate lost some focus and animation. Still drinking well but probably lost 2-3 points

The remaining wine was Slow Decanted in my refrigerator

DAY 12
Slow Decanting this wine did not improve this wine. Just as with Day 1, letting the wine aerate resulted in less intensity. The wine did not develop any faults and was still a very nice glass. It just wasn’t the firecracker it was on first pour

Verdict: A fantastic wine. It was best as soon as it was poured on Day 1. I would not decant this wine or give it extra time in the glass.

Question: I have noticed this with many CdPs in the past. They do not do well with aeration. And it seems particularly true of wines with more structure. Anyone else notice this? — a year ago

Greg Strong

9.0

Typical Provence rose with summer berries and mineral nose which follows on the palate. Paired well and tamed the grilled firecracker salmon. — 5 months ago

Ely Cohn

9.4

So pretty it's unfair. Sitting there like a lil' firecracker pumpkin ale in a burnt orange sun.

Thin, but chewy. Jammy fruit, spice, and pretty florals. Apricot marmalade peppered with cinnamon dust and nutmeg, brittle butterscotch and rose water.

For when anyone's wine bored or needs convincing that Orange isn't all sour stale mimosa. — 9 months ago

Geoff Franz

9.3

Straight firecracker. Intensely aromatic nose that's so fruit-forward its almost fruit loops. Medium plus acidity. Just a joy to drink. — a year ago

William Paley

9.3

water candy, rose, caramel, grapefruit skin, firecracker, white pepper, garment dust, red hots — 2 years ago

with Jess