Shay A

9.4

My contribution to a large Rhône dinner. Standouts were ‘07 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc, ‘89 and ‘90 Jaboulet La Chappelle, ‘11 Guigal La Mouline.

An over-generalization, but what I love about Cornas is the rusticity and sometimes feral nature of the wines (which I don’t find in Hermitage or CR) and this ‘05 is in that vein. I followed this from pop (after all, we are at the almost 20yr mark) and over the course of three hours.

Interplay of red and black berry fruits, black pepper, slightly herbal (maybe closer to potpurri floral) aromatically. Bright and nimble on the palate, nothing about this is ripe or soft. Energetic acidity all the way through surrounded by notes of iron (sanguine-like) and rocky minerality. Crunchy red and black fruits (whole-cluster?), hint of gaminess but not in the meaty-style I semi-expected. Clean and pure style of Syrah. Big structure at the finish…hard to imagine drinking this 10+yrs ago. Acidity and tannin will carry this a long time, but I think this is peak window for getting depth of fruit and complexity. — a day ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Full flavored and beautiful but unexpectedly a touch scratchy on the close. Needs time. — 13 days ago

with Sarah

Robert Stackowiak

9.0

100 per cent Syrah. A very nice Crozes Hermitage that will provide a day to day solution for those of you who like Hermitage wines. May 2025. — 5 days ago

Shay A

9.3

One of the bottles from my annual WWC hosting. I opened this as a side by side to a 2019 Saxum White as the makeup is fairly similar.

80% roussanne/ remaining a mix of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, piquepoul blanc, picardan and bourboulenc.

Nicely expressive at pop, it then faded and hid in a shell for a few hours before coming back at last glass. At 80% roussanne, I expected a more consistent expressive profile (honeyed tropical fruits, some orange) and for the acid to show a touch, but it was a roller coaster. More melon and light fruits vs bigger/more tropical. Medium bodied but not as rich as expected. It’s clean and shows some floral and mineral/stony nuances, but I’d spend the extra and take the Roussanne VV to get more complexity and flavor. — 4 days ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.4

Slow ox for 3 hours. Deep ruby, still ruby edges. The pronounced nose was loaded with spices, olives, smoke, smoked meat, anise, clove, peppercorns, mostly tertiary dark red fruits, dried crushed violets. The palate was med+ bodied, medium grain tannin were a tad chewy and grainy, an intense but elegantly persistent palate. A long, spicy finish showed subtle fruit with the tannins showing a touch grainy/chewy and not as integrated here. Still a beauty, though not sure the tannin will resolve at this point. — 20 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Best regular Gonon ever. So elegant and long. — 12 days ago

Conrad Green

9.4

Plush and open plummy fruit. A hint of mint and orange peel. Fresh tangerines at the edges. Very good. — 23 days ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Conrad Green

9.5

Lovely stuff. Dark leather notes and intense tangy black cherry. Touches off tarry underbrush and meaty intensity. Savory, with a light hit of salinity. Long. — 20 hours ago

with David

Conrad Green

9.5

Pure and resolved. Great fruit- rounded with blood, dried herbs, plum, tangy black cherry. Some stone, saddle leather. Very good. — 20 hours ago

with David

"Odedi"

9.1

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.

Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$110. — 24 days ago