Northern Gust
Alain Graillot
Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2022
To quote my earlier notes: “A $40 bottle that tastes like a $60-70 bottle.” — 14 days ago
Château de Saint-Cosme
Côte-Rôtie Serine 2015
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of dark brambles, purple flowers, pastureland, black pepper, olive tapenade, animale, granitic earth, some licorice, and 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 and the rotundone is particularly apparent.
Initial conclusions: this could be Syrah, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon (or based blend), Merlot (or based blend), Tempranillo or Malbec from France, the United States, Australia, Spain or Argentina. However, given the color saturation and the wild nature of this wine, I can’t place this classically in the New World. Furthermore, I detect the use of some French oak so I like this being from the Northern Rhône or Beaujolais. Final conclusion, this is Syrah, from France, from the Northern Rhône, from Cornas, 2017. Dang! Scoring points but I need to get better differentiating between some of these Northern Rhône AOC’s. This showed really well and still has a long life ahead. Drink now through 2045. — 22 days ago
Paul Jaboulet Aîné
La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 2015
New Years Eve dinner - which red wine to drink?! 🤔
Finally settled on an old favorite - Paul Jaboulet Hermitage.
Did not disappoint - smooth, concentrated fruits, with a hint of earthy, charcoal, tobacco.
Nice way to end our wine drinking for 2025, here’s to more great wines in 2026! 🥂 — 25 days ago
Rene Rostaing
Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2015
Happy New Year! 🍷
Perfect pairing w/ my Dutch oven braised short-ribs & horseradish mashed potatoes.
Dark currants, brambly blackberries, dark cherries, brilliant cherries, strawberries, iron pan, dry shale, dry herbs-sage lead, dry crushed rocks, limestone, volcanics, roasted chestnuts (a signature of this producer), some black coffee, tarriness, dry top soil, dark spices, some red to mid berry cola, red, dark flowers, violets, excellent, round acidity, balance for days, nice structure/tension with elegance that lands squarely on dry earthiness. — 25 days ago
Lee Pitofsky
Love these wines. 2014 Reynard is showing beautifully after sufficient aeration, layered and complete, wafting cassis, campfire smoke, olive tapenade and violets. The palate is seamless, elegant and satiny with a liquid rock minerality, fine grained tannins and massive length. A killer Reynard that right now is even more showy than surrounding vintages. — 17 days ago