Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Notes on wines I have tasted

June 6, 2012 · 6:51 am

Mas Martinet – 5/06/2012

Martinet Bru 2008 (grenache, syrah 80%, cabernet, carignan)
Distinctive nose, quite floral mineral earthy flinty. Bright intense fresh wonderfully balanced, vibrant red fruits, good acidity and generosity. Approachable juicy slight savoury elements. Great character but still easy to drink.

Martinet Bru 2009
Darker more intense colour. Deeper earthier darker fruits, less bright vibrant florals. Mouth filling, denser heavier tannins, rounder and bolder, more forward but good extension on the palate. Juicier yet more savoury brooding fruit, again excellent balance.

Els Escurcons (Blackadder) 2008 (100% grenache)
Talcy chalky floral vegetative cola spritz. Dense wonderful elegant soft texture, really voluptuous and forgiving yet savoury stalky slight menthol notes. Bold full fruity and intense, yet balanced integrated and approachable with exquisite character.

Cami Pesseroles 2008 (70% grenache because of the vintage)
Again an interesting cola aroma, with some ginger. Natural spritz and freshness on the nose, great red fruit notes. Wonderfully intense deep and structured, bold tannin and some very late sweetness. Density of fruit and sweetess, velvety oily texture, you would almost think there were some white blended.

Clos Martinet 2008 (grenache & carignan 65%, remainder syrah, cabernet sauvignon & merlot)
Much more closed aromatically, but still very bold on the palate. Extremely intense complex mature earthy assured and contemplative. Gentle yet amazingly structured, dense yet soft and round, persistent, what amazing ageing potential. Absolute wine of the tasting.

Els Escursons 2009
Not expressive, needs a few months to open up. Juicy black fruits, thick hardy skins, sweet berries, denseness and power, expressive and forward on the palate. Big yet not heavy or extractive, balanced but pretty fruity at the moment.

Cains Pesseroles 2009 (60% carignan)
Density of earth and dark floral aromatics, very closed and intense dark fruits, salty liquorice. Better integration, older vines add maturity and elegance to the wine, powerful yet fine structure, tannins very forward on the palate, great potential for ageing.

Clos Martinet 2009
Interesting darkness, almost like a black hole. Amazing life and brightness to it, very intense sweet black fruits. A little volatile now, but after a few months will be perfect. Perfect terroir wine, nothing intervenes. I like that they are so exuberant in fruit whilst young, but you want to wait for them to develop in the bottle. Perfectly balanced and structured, a very delicate hand in the making of this wine.

Barrels in the cellar of Mas Martinet

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June 6, 2012 · 6:48 am

Mas Alta – 5/06/2012

Els Pics 2010 (grenache, carignan, others, young vine)
Youthful exuberant black fruits, cherries, cassis, blackcurrant. Juicy bold and fruit forward, some sweetness of fruit and oak. Voluptuous, generous full-flavoured, long sweet flavours. Gentle tannins, bright acids and fruits. Very dark, but balanced and clean. Pleasant, contained alcohol. Some chocolate and anise notes. Some herbal spice notes too.

Cirerets 2008 (garnacha 60% 20 yrs, carignena 40% 60 yrs)
More red fruits than black, spicier currants and red cherries. Very carignan strong. Great concentration and density, very lively and youthful. Generosity of acid and fruit, tannins balanced and harmonious. Something unique and special in the wine, no savoury elements though. Certainly interesting.

La Basseta 2008
Pretty intense dark colour. Slight menthol dark cassis earthy, toasty sweet oak. Quite velvety and opulent, very intense dark fruits, good carry-through but a clean finish. A very easy to drink wine, but with good character, balance and depth.

La Creu Alta 2007
Inky black, bold fruit and darkness, very sweet and juicy, juby jammy on the nose. Fantastic structure, depth, builds on the palate very nicely, will really benefit with a lot of age. The structure is fantastic

Artigas 2011 Blanco
Juicy soft generous fruit-driven white wine. Good minerality and texture, very full and broad, not exactly fresh or bright. Ripe tropical notes, some creamy characters. Some citrus elements as well.

Cellars of Mas Alta

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June 5, 2012 · 3:56 pm

Alvaro Palacios – 4/06/2012

Camins del Priorat 2010

Very bright and floral, purple black fruits, blackberries. Very fruit-sweet and intense, black fruit conserve, blood plum, black cherry, blackcurrant. Bold forward rich, vibrant juicy, dense tannins but very fresh and clean.

Les Terrasess 2010 (Velles Vinyes)

Earthier more concentrated and mineralic, savoury spicy liquorice. Fine and balanced, great length and integrity. Generous silky tannins and mature fruit characters. Density of fruit, vibrant integrated oak and acid. Very young and a little closed and unexpressive for the time being.

Gratallops 2010 Vi de la Vila

Very unusual smell of abalone, crushed violets and black forest fruits. Much more intense, very full and powerful tannins, some sweetness of oak and lot’s of fruit sweetness. Savoury raisined black fruit, quite extractive and dense, full texture and warmth. New world? Modern wine? Typically Spanish?

Finca Dofi 2010

Juby blackcurrants and blueberries, dark earth notes, blue slate. A little gentler in structure and tannins, nonetheless intense and dark. Newer oak characters, fruit forward and fairly straightforward. Am I tasting the wines too young? Am I missing something? Has the potential to be amazing, but really not seeing a lot that makes it extraordinary. Taste some older wines perhaps?
Alvaro Palacios tasting

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June 5, 2012 · 3:50 pm

Clos Mogador – 4/06/2012

Manyettes 2003
Bright floral red currants, mineralic red earth, slightly talcy. Core of sweet red fruit, very mature, slight cheesy texture and mature red cheese taste. Very fine and elegant, delicate refined. Nice expression, approachable balanced and fruit forward. Probably a product of the vintage in terms of ripeness and fruit sweetness and silkiness.

Manyettes 2009 (90% carignan, 10% grenache)

More green floral notes, grain notes, bright flinty and crisp. Dense, intense fruit, younger and more expressive at the moment. A very unique floral aroma. Juicy and bright, like juice. Like alcoholic grape and blackcurrant juice. Lovely bright clean purple colour.

Clos Mogador 2008 (46% grenache, 21% carignan, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 14% syrah)

Similar unique aromatics to the 2009 Manyettes, kind of a menthol, herbal tea, aniseed bush, rosemary combination. Very bright purple colour, quite intense. Bright fresh juicy black fruit, slight crispness of some tropical flavours. Very different to the reds of France and Italy, true terroir wine.

Clos Mogador 2009 (44% grenache, 21% carignan, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 16% syrah)

Earthier meatier fuller nose, kind of like peanut butter jelly belly. Popcorn butter, dark red fuits, juby cassis notes. Denser darker fruit, more mellow and fuller in flavour, quite different in character to the 2008 vintage, you really see the difference between vintages. Powerful forward youthful expression, plenty of sweet characters.

Clos Mogador 2010

Amazingly complex, very subtle green notes, herbal spice. Dense concentrated but very fine tannins and fruit. Focused yet very soft and gentle, needing time to open up and express itself. Purity of fruit and minerality, builds on the palate, teeth staining but not heavy or hot. Still quite fresh and generous. Another winner from the 2010 vintage in Europe.

Nellin 2008 (white grenache, macabeu, viognier, pinot noir, escanyavelles, pedro ximenez)

Quite a bright sweet tropical fruit nose, pineapples, limes, kiwis, grapefruits, almost smells like a riesling. Intense vibrant, powerful yet very complex. Oak giving a nice subtle texture and crunchy character. Ripeness and concentration of fruit, dense dark minerality. Very tropical and full-flavoured but not overripe and sweet. A tad warm and phenolic, but very pleasant overall.

Marc de Priorat

Very pure and bright, fresh and quite smooth. Good fruit notes, very concentrated. A fairly subtle nose for a Grappa. Soft and gentle, nice digestif.
Clos Mogador and Manyetes

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May 31, 2012 · 11:40 pm

Alain Voge – 28/05/2012

Harmonie Saint Peray 2010 (100% marsanne)

Floral white peach pear and apple aromas. Bright fresh and very tight acid structure, generous volume with bright freshness and crispness, textured salinity and minerality.

Terres Boisees Saint Peray 2010 (100% marsanne)

Honey cheese and citrus aromas with clear barrel fermented character reminiscent of white burgundy. Textural yet lifted finesse on the palate, a tad reductive and closed for now with some green fruit notes that will develop over time.

Fleur de Crussol Saint Peray 2010

Very tight mineral limestone notes, with flinty complexity and citrus green apricot fruits. Textural depth, concentration and density, very young and deserving of cellaring.

Saint Joseph 2009

Intense violet aromas with earth and spiced meat over black fruits. Very tight and focused on the palate, showing intensity but also finesse, youthful and exuberant.

Cornas Les Vielles Vignes 2008

A challenging wine from a challenging vintage. Spicy pepper, red cherries, pomegranates and dark floral notes on the nose. Gentle sweet tannins yet pure precise and linear, delicate integrity with finesse and length. Stunning.

Cornas Les Chailles 2009

Ruby juby and sweet dark fruit, red liquorice with sweet Indian spice on the nose. Bold broad but high on the palate, dense tannins with a slightly astringent finish from youth, quite forward and full, needs to settle in the bottle more.

Cornas Les Vielles Vignes 2009

More savoury red spice roasted notes aromatically, with elegant violets, dark fruits and chocolate. Gentle mellow and bright on the palate, juicy voluptuous tannins and elegant softens, approachable yet fine and bold.

Cornas Les Vielles Fontaines 2009

Very subtle black fruits, florals and some sweet oak aromas. Full accentuated expression, very warm and powerful in structure and tannins, dark and masculine, big and intense.

Cornas Les Vielles Vignes 2010 (barrel sample)

Youthful and exuberant, wonderful concentration and balance, powerful fruit expression that carries through the whole palate. Amazing potential for ageing, will live for at least 40 years.

Saint Peray Cremant

Bright peach and apple fruit aromas, very fresh and fine acids. Pleasant profile and bead.
Cornas tasting at Alain Voge

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May 31, 2012 · 11:34 pm

M. Chapoutier – 28/05/2012

Les Meysonierres Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2011 (100% marsanne)
Quite honeyed stone fruit citrus notes, subtle richness of oil and floral aromas. Generous and full on the palate, clean yet concentrated, with some nutty texture late on the palate, fresh but complete and complex.

Les Granilites Saint Joseph Blanc 2010 (100% marsanne)

More concentration and density of fruit, bolder riper honey and subtle spice aromas. Intense texture, very linear but will develop further over time.

Chante-Alouettes Hermitage Blanc 2010 (100% marsanne)

Quite closed and subtle, ripe and rich yet fresh and tight, with some shy green fruit notes. Wonderful persistence and balance, good length and intensity, with plenty of ageing potential considering the vintage.

Les Meysonnieres Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2009

Delicate spice aromas nice to see for the vintage in this appellation, dark fruits floral and pepper. Very tight and intense on the palate, good integrity and approachability, not jammy or broad at all with freshness and depth.

Les Granilites Saint Josph Rouge 2010

Young subtle and delicate on the nose, expressing green pepper and thick skinned blackberries. Elegant restraint on the palate, spicy depth and approachably bold fruit, fine and tight tannins and generosity.

Sizeranne Hermitage 2009

Bright intense purple colour, juicy juby dark fruit forward nose. Very mellow and full on the palate, gentle and broad, a little too heavy in the extraction of tannin from the skins and oak, on the aggressive side.

Le Pavillon Ermitage 2008

A truly exceptional wine; beautifully aromatic yet subtle floral, red currants, wild cherry earth and mineral notes. Expressive density yet elegant and light, balanced intensity and savoury finesse, more like a burgundy in style but unmistakeably syrah.

Historic Chapoutier cellars

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May 31, 2012 · 11:05 pm

Pierre Gaillard – 26/05/2012

Saint Joseph Blanc 2011

Quite tight mineralic lees notes on the nose, pear, peach apple and star fruit. Soft gentle and rich on the palate, pure and focused fruit with good approachable texture and depth.

Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc 2011 (technically Saint Joseph but includes viognier)

Very blossomy floral aromas, vibrant apricot freshness and some candied fruit notes aromatically. Great depth, vibrancy and volume, focus drive and fruit richness with a bit of creaminess on the back.

Condrieu 2011

Very delicate floral notes and sweet spice on the nose. Intensity richness and viscosity on the palate, focus drive and elegance but good restraint and balance, textural yet fine and structured.

L’Octroi Condrieu 2011

The best white wine by far, incredibly subtle yet intense, red mineral notes with some flinty granitic characters and bright golden delicious aromas. Expressive yet linear and confident, bold texture but not at all hot or fat, not at all creamy or blunt.

Asiaticus Vin des Pays 2007 (vineyard in Viennes)

Tight focused and very delicate in colour, intense small blueberry characters, very dry tannins, ripe broad and soft with violet floral aromas, but somewhat unsure of itself.

Saint Joseph Rouge 2010

Young delicate and fresh, very vibrant round and full-flavoured with good intensity and integrity. Fruit notes of raspberry and cherry spice.

Clos de Cuminaille Saint Joseph Rouge 2010

Earthier red fruits, less vibrant spice notes, more minerality on the nose. More mature expression on the palate, developed intensity and power, density of fruit and tannins with great depth and approachability.

Les Pierres Saint Joseph Rouge 2010

Wilder mushroom and dark earth aromas, quite perfumed blackcurrants and violets. Crunchy tannins and vibrant acids on the palate, bold and forward but somewhat overworked in terms of density and lacking subtlety somewhat.

Cote Rotie 2010

Purity of fruit, somewhat full on the palate, not heavy but very expressive, good balance of fruit and tannins but lacking in depth and extension on the palate.

Rose Pourpre Cote Rotie 2010

Insanely complex, complete mature aromatics, perfectly balanced intense and elegant, nothing stands out at all, a very rare complete wine. The best of the range.

Cornas 2010

Very closed, intense oak aromas, sweet very black fruits, full broad and generous on the palate with lively intensity ad softness.
Pierre Gaillard Condrieu

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May 31, 2012 · 10:55 pm

Domaine Barge – 26/05/2012

Saint Joseph 2011 (barrel sample)

Dark spice pepper, dense chalky minerality. Elegant and approachable yet masculine and mature, great character for a wine of this appellation, good savoury notes and spicy game and earth.

Combard Cote Rotie 2011 (Old Francois Freres barrel sample)

Amazingly mature spice pepper, smoky toasty popcorn with blackberry fruit. Delicate and fine, fresh and bright, pure and generous with contemplative confidence and peppery tannins.

Combard Cote Rotie 2011 (new oak barrel sample)

Slightly more closed and toasty from the new oak, juicier fruit character and weight, creamier texture and extraction from the new oak tannins, slight vanilla element.

Combard Cote Rotie 2011 (one-year old Francois Freres barrel sample)

Same toast popcorn brittle character as the first sample, a more youthful expression of the fruit with more oak texture, fuller and more powerful but hiding the terroir a little.

Duplessy Cote Rotie 2011 (barrel sample)

Bold dark fruits, slight floral and reduced pepper spice, retaining maturity on the nose. Vibrant fruit and fresh acids on the palate, powerful mid-palate but with elegance, generous tannin structure.

Cote Brune 2011 (barrel sample)

Wild masculine nose of spices and balsamic, herbs and roasted elements. Powerful intense concentration, expressively complex and long, still approachable and not at all aggressive, subtle and supple tannins.

Duplessy 2010 (barrel sample)

Violets, black olives and balsamic notes surrounding blackcurrants and crushed dry pepper on the nose. Concentrated finesse and length on the palate, purity and liveliness with a core of liquorice, youthful expression and brightness.

Combard Cote Rotie 2007

Garnet, violets, very delicate black pepper spice, some red fruits and generous ripeness, but showing some development. Very closed at the moment, took a while to open up after some breathing, soft in tannins and structure but not yet velvety, compact and lean but the complete package.
Domaine Barge

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May 30, 2012 · 9:54 pm

Delas Freres – 24/05/2012

Saint Joseph Blanc 2011 (>95% marsanne)

Quite grapey, orchard fruit with some subtle spice notes on the nose. Balanced and fresh on the palate, good fruit but a little simple and lacking personality.

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2010 (<90% marsanne)

More concentrated colour and aromas, richer lees notes and orchard fruits with some floral slightly candied notes. More texture and depth on the palate, good extension and finesse with terroir personality.

Clos Bouchier Condrieu 2010 (100% viognier)

Closed very subtle aromas, a little bit young and not yet expressing. Very warm on the back of the palate, also a little too oaky and lacking viscosity and fruit to balance the wine.

Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge 2010 (mostly syrah)

Quite spicy dark cherries on the nose, but little else. Tight focused and bold on the palate, very fresh and approachable, not at all jammy or broad, great value for the price.

Domaines Des Grands Chemins Crozes Hermitage 2009

Very deep and concentrated with some stinky old world aromas. Very bold yet light like a crozes-hermitage should be, savoury and spicy red fruit characters.

Saint Joseph Rouge 2009

Deep violet aromas combining with subtle earth spice bold and forward aromatically. Bold juicy and broad on the palate, plenty on offer now but won’t develop well.

Cornas 2009

Slightly wild intense dark fruit but a little closed. Generous and gentle on the palate, bold yet tight and focused, lacking a little structure.

Cote Rotie 2009

Deep dark seductive combination of violets, dark fruit and black pepper. Tight, driven and focused, but the 2009 vintage is too easy in all respects, not classy enough.

Domaine des Tourettes Hermitage 2009

Really massive dark colour, intense aromas of cassis black olives earth and funk. Powerfully expressive, juicy dark fruit and very bold tannins. Possibly a product of the vintage, but it is a very intense wine that looks a tad new-world Robert Parker style.
Delas Freres red wines

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May 30, 2012 · 9:44 pm

Jean-Luc Colombo – 25/05/2012

La Redonne Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc 2011

Classic peach pear spice with delicate floral notes. Ripe banana tropical, quite textural and rich, very broad and short on the palate, very warm and a little dull.

La Belle de Mai Saint Peray 2009 (80% roussanne, 20% marsanne)

Concentrated lifted floral and white peach aromas. Creamy fat and broad on the palate, vanilla texture, generous and full-flavoured, but still a tad too warm.

Les Lauves Saint Joseph 2010

Tight closed and shy fruit spice on the nose. Elegant yet expressive on the palate, volume and concentration, generosity yet balance and good depth.

Terres Brulees Cornas 2009

Quite a dark fruit-sweet njose. Juicy bold and full yet light and fresh, mature tannins and fruit, depth and restraint.

Terres Brulees Cornas 2008

Spicier and more peppery intensity, violets and crushed herb notes on the nose. Deeper concentration and fruit precision, looking more youthful than the 2009.

Les Fees Brunes Crozes-Hermitage 2009

Fairly simple and inelegant, clean fruit and approachability but very light without any structure or focus.

Les Ruchets Cornas 2009

Complex spice notes aromatically, herbal sweetness and ripe blackcurrant. Very youthful, showing good structure and balance, concentrated and powerfully expressive, yet somehow hesitant and unsure of itself, not being taken to the logical conclusion.
Jean-Luc Colombo Les Ruchets Cornas 2009

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