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Rhone Region
2001 to 2006
2001
2001 Domaine les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée du Cros - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages (11/22/2010)
Color: Medium Purple
Nose: Cigar box, spice, cinnamon, floral
Taste: Spice, floral, pepper
Finish: Burst of flavor with spice, floral, berries, and integrated tannins
Evaluation: A very good Cotes du Rhone for the money. (88 points)
2001 Guy Bernard Cote-Rotie France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Smoked meats, minerals, leather, tar and dark fruits. This wine is still young and tannic. Medium and concentrated finish. Needs some cellaring. 90 points
2001 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape
This bottle received 4.5 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Barnyard
Taste: Raspberry, acidic wine, barnyard
Finish: Medium with some fruit and a barnyard funk
Evaluation: Not impressive for the producer. 84 points
Good example of bottle variation!!!
2001 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Tar, spices, leather, raspberries
Taste: Good acidity with mineral, leather, tar, meat, raspberries, floral
Finish: Concentrated with firm tannins. This wine should cellar for a long time
Evaluation: What a difference a bottle and 2 years make on this wine 94 points
2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/19/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; 9/17/2010-9/19/2010: A nice showing with spice, garrique, funk, leather, stones and floral notes. Medium finish and great acidity on this wine. Very well made in the traditional style. (93 points)
2001 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2007)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, pepper
Taste: Light overall with mild spices and a touch of white pepper
Finish: Short and not intense but well made wine
Evaluation: 88 points (88 points)
2001 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Medium and a bit of bricking on the rim. Nice nose with forest floor, white pepper, little funk. On the palate this wine is well integrated with forest floor, raspberries, tar and pepper. Medum finish and smooth tannins. Drink up if you own this wine as I don't see this improving. (92 pts.)
2001 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/22/2005)
Herbs, minerals, earth and raspberry. A tannic wine that needs some cellar time. (90 points)
2001 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2007)
Nose: Spice, earth and pepper
Taste: Spice, pepper and earth with a kick
Finish: Makes your mouth move in a good way with spice, earth and pepper
Evaluation: Powerful wine that would go well with red meat. 91 points (91 points)
2001 Mas de Boislauzon Chateauneuf du Pape
This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Barnyard, floral
Taste: Balanced wine with spice, floral, tar, mineral, mild tannins
Finish: Smooth/long finish. Very balanced and my second favorite wine of the event. A great value at $30.
Evaluation: 92 points
2001 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (8/12/2010)
I sampled this wine 3 years ago and it is opened up for business. Aromas of stones, blackberries, raspberries, earth floral notes. On the palate it features stones, blackberries, cherry, floral and leather. Medium and concentrated on the finish. This has a lot of life left but is drinking well right now. (93 points)
2001 Domaine Pontifical Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2008)
Earth, cherry and minerals. Mild tannins and medium finish. Drinkable for the price point. (88 points)
2001 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (11/1/2007)
Dark with a nose of floral, gravel, earth and cherries. On the palate it offers concentrated fruit along with spices, white pepper, and minerals. Medium finish with plenty going on. Very nice wine. (93 points)
2001 Santa Duc Selections Gigondas Cuvée Prestige - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (11/22/2010)
Nose of earth, spice, and floral. The palate is thin and not drinking real well. Past its prime. (83 points)
2002
2002 Guy Bernard Cote-Rotie France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Wood, earth and thin compared to the 2003. Medium finish but lacked great weather to produce a great wine. (84 points)
2002 Domaine de Bonserine "La Garde" Cote Rotie $$$$
Color: Light purple
Nose: Bacon, smoke, spices, white pepper
Taste: Mineral driven with smoke, bacon, floral, cranberry
Finish: Complex finish with layers of flavoring
Evaluation: Not the best vintage but this is a sleeper 91 points
2002 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape
A terrible vintage and not a good wine showing spice, damp earth and thin. Short finish and don't buy Rhone wines from the south in this vintage. 79 points
2003
2003 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2005)
Too much heat and it didn't blow off. Classic CDP funk along with spice, floral, and earth. Drinkable. (87 points)
2003 Domaine Belle Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (11/11/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Worldwide Syrah: Pepper, spice, roasted meat and earth. Medium finish but nothing mind blowing. (90 points)
2003 Guy Bernard Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (10/15/2010)
Dark purple. Nose crushed blueberries, smoke, scorched earth and wood. On the palate it is a thick wine with scorched earth, blueberries, smoke, wood and earth. Medium and concentrated finish. Very well made wine. (92 points)
2003 Guy Bernard Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (9/22/2010)
Scorched earth, dark cherry, wood and spice. On the palate very concentrated compared to other bottles with cherry, wood, spice, scorched earth and minerals. Rich finish and very nice wine. (93 points)
2003 Guy Bernard Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (3/24/2011)
A nice wine with a rustic edge. Floral, white pepper, earth, Garrique and raspberries come together to create an enjoyable experience. Drink now or hold five. (91 points)
2003 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (11/22/2010)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Full of life with spice, cherry, tar and earth
Taste: Nice flavor and intense. Tar, earth, cherry, bacon and spices
Finish: Medium and concentrated
Evaluation: A steal at $15 on sale 90 points (90 points)
2003 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Villages Domaine du Caillou Reserve V.V. - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages (11/22/2010)
Nose of floral, smoke and spice. The heat blows off quick. On the palate the wine shows pepper, floral, meat and earth. Medium finish and a solid wine overall. (87 points)
2003 M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (11/22/2010)
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Plum, currant, mild spice
Taste: Spice, black pepper, little watered down
Finish: Licorice, pepper, spice but watered down
Evaluation: Little thin not developed. 86 points (86 points)
2003 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2006)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Big barnyard with game, spice, plum
Taste: Blackberry, barnyard, game, spice, cinnamon
Finish: Big multilayered with spice, oak, game, cinnamon, and barnyard on this medium finish.
Evaluation: Well made wine and I would cellar for five to ten years. 90 points (90 points)
2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/23/2007)
Very nice nose of pepper,cherry, floral, leather and earth. Mild funk that blows off on the palate along with earth, Asian spices, cherry, and leather notes. Medium and concentrated finish. Should drink well for a few decades. Currently 93 (93 points)
2003 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/18/2010)
A bit cloudy in color. Nose spice, funk, raspberries and stone. Garrique, spice, raspberries, liqueur, hazelnuts and clay. Medium finish and dry. A solid wine that when I removed the capsule I was worried the wine was going to be dead as it had minor seepage but it is just fine. (90 pts.)
2003 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/6/2010)
A solid effort from a mag. Raspberry, leather, floral, and minerals. Good acidity and had some of the classic funk that blew off after ten minutes in the glass. (92 points)
2003 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/3/2007)
This bottle received a 6 hour decant before the event.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberry, cranberry, mineral
Taste: Raspberry, violets, spice
Finish: Raspberry, crushed rock on a medium finish
Evaluation: Well made but not as good as the 2 previous wines. 90 points (90 points)
2003 Alain Paret 420 Nuits (Saint Joseph) $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Intense with dark, ripe fruit
Taste: Powerful with floral, spice, plum
Finish: Floral, light spice and pepper
Evaluation: Nice wine and goes well with steak. 88 points
2003 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/3/2006)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Mineral, cranberry
Taste: Barnyard, mineral, sour cherry
Finish: A little thin on this medium finish
Evaluation: Disappointing wine compared to most of the others. 88 points (88 points)
2004
2004 Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, musty
Taste: Oak, spice, minerals, a little funk
Finish: Spice, earth, and a multi layered effect
Evaluation: Typical Grenache Blend but overpriced. 88 points
2004 Guy Bernard Cote-Rotie France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
A nice wine overall but not as good as the 2003. Crushed rock, violets, meat and spices. Good acidity but lacks the concentration on the palate. Medium finish. 89 points
2004 Louis Benard Cotes du Rhone $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, cherry, earth
Taste: Nice fruits, spice, and earth
Finish; Fruit forward
Evaluation: Straight forward and good. 84 points
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Chateauneuf du Pape $$$
Color: Dirty purple
Nose: Earth, cherry, floral
Taste: Clean with floral, cherry, earth
Finish: Cherry, berries, earth and mushrooms
Evaluation: A really nice base bottling 91 points
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Cuvee du Quet Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberries, minerals, coffee
Taste: Raspberries, coffee, figs, and spices
Finish: Very smooth at this stage and full of flavor
Evaluation: Buy at $40 on sale at Winestreets! 93 points
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Cuvee du Quet Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Floral, cigar, spices, minerals
Taste: Cigar, figs, spices, floral
Finish: Medium and flavorful
Evaluation: Solid wine and second time trying it 92 points
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium color. Nose of spice, raspberries, and earth. On the palate spice, leather, spice, and some sweet fruit. Finish is really disappointing. I hope this improves the next day. (88 pts.)
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/22/2010)
Day four review. This wine finally opened for business. I have been doing a lot of experimenting with young wines and testing them over the course of 3 or 4 days. Aromas of white pepper, garrique, spices, raspberries and truffles. On the palate dirt, spices, garrique, pepper, raspberries and leather. Medium finish that is much less tannic then day one. The wine has really opened up and I really like the wine. I am always amazed and the transformation of good wine. (92 pts.)
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (7/22/2010)
Drinking fine with earth, minerals, forest floor and medium finish. Nothing exciting but at $25 not bad. (87 pts.)
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cotes du Rhone $
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, smoke
Taste: Smooth wine with a fruit forward style
Finish: Cherry, plum, smoke on this medium finish
Evaluation: Good value 85 points
2004 Domaine de Cassan Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (11/6/2010)
My last bottle and drinking well with raspberry, leather, spices, and earth. Medium finish and very enjoyable. (90 points)
2004 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/19/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; 9/17/2010-9/19/2010: A great wine without the funk of the 01 which would even make it better. Floral, raspberries, spices, coffee cherry and earth. The palate is clean but very flavorful. Medium and concentrated finish and a super balanced wine. (94 points)
2004 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Rhone $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Pepper, spice, floral
Taste: Good intensity with earth, spice, floral, and pepper
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Good everyday wine 85 points
2004 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, cedar, floral
Taste: Spice, floral, bitter and a hard edge
Finish: Medium and just a bit over the top
Evaluation: 87 points
2004 M Chapoutier Cotes du Roussillon-Villages Latour-de-France Occultum Lapidem Domaine de Bila-Haut (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan) $$$
Color: Light purple
Nose: Earth, musty with some fruit
Taste: Tannins, earth
Finish: Earth with a little tannic quality
Evaluation: This is a food wine. Note that the Grenache grape from the Southern Rhone is an acquired taste that will appeal to people liking earth style wines. 86 points
2004 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Northern Rhone Syrah
Color: Dark purple
Nose: White pepper, earth
Taste: Pepper, earth and cherry
Finish: A nice finish with pepper, earth elements and cherries intermixed
Evaluation: Should improve with some cellaring or drink today. 90 points
2004 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone $$
Color: Medium Purple
Nose: Earth, plum, dark cherry, mild heat
Taste: Pepper, spice, some heat
Finish: Medium with some layered components of the above.
Evaluation: A solid everyday drinker. 85 points
2004 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Barnyard, mineral, truffles
Taste: Barnyard, oak, mineral, cranberry, medium tannins
Finish: Long with oak, barnyard, mineral, earth,
Evaluation: A wonderful Chateauneuf! 94 points
2004 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf du Pape
My wine of the night and overall the groups. For the price the 2001 Mas de Boislauzon was the wine of the night!
Color: Dark purple (darkest wine)
Taste: Mineral, game, boysenberry, cherry
Taste: Medium tannic structure with plum, mineral, cherry, crushed rock, violets, and raspberry. I had to analysis this one very carefully as there was a lot going on here.
Finish: LONG with raspberry, mineral, crushed rock, violets, and cherry. No funk on this wine.
Evaluation: Buy and cellar. Drinking great tonight after 4 hours decanting but ten plus years will do this justice. 94 points
2004 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (8/1/2010)
Reds at my house; 7/29/2010-8/1/2010: Nice and easy drinking CDP with raspberry, floral and game. On the palate I picked up some white pepper. Medium finish and smooth. (90 pts.)
2004 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe La Crau Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Barnyard, mineral, floral
Taste: Some heat with mineral, floral, barnyard, earth
Finish: Medium and intense
Evaluation: Solid effort 92 points
2004 Vignobles Brunier Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: A rich nose with floral, spice, pepper, and earth
Taste: Spice! Floral, earth with a chewy element
Finish: A sharp spice upfront that mellows into a dense earthy finish
Evaluation: An excellent Grenache from the CDP. Should improve with age. 92 points
2005
2005 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2009)
This bottle received 2.25 hours of in-bottle air time before the event began.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Forest floor and smoke
Taste: Spice, forest floor, smoke, spice, mild oak
Finish: Forest floor, smoke, ripe fruit emerging
Evaluation: An enjoyable wine that has great potential but is also drinking really well right now. (92 points)
2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2010)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Wow cherry, smoke, very clean without funk
Taste: Smooth tannins with cherry, smoke, licorice, figs
Finish: Really nice and drinking well right now
Evaluation: Not an overpowering wine and everything was in perfect harmony (94 points)
2005 Guy Bernard Cote-Rotie France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Outstanding wine with minerals, roasted meats, white pepper, spice and black cherries on the nose and palate. A really complex wine that gets much better over the course of 4 hours. A real value in terms of Cote Rotie wines. 93 points
2005 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (8/2/2008)
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Vanilla, oak, spice
Taste: Spice, vanilla, oak
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: Simple but good. 85 points (85 points)
2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/19/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; 9/17/2010-9/19/2010: This should evolve into a super wine but is good right now. Decanted 4 hours. Floral, raspberries, plums, cranberry and minerals on the nose. The spices add greatly to the palate and finish. The decanted really allowed this wine to open up and the finish was showing a balance of fruit and earth components. (93 points)
2005 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/2/2010)
Pichon and CDP at Matt's (Matt's House): A bit closed at this point. I am this around 2 years ago and it was decanted all day which helped. Towards the end of the night it opened up some. A rustic wine with cranberry, some funk, coffee and spice. Medium finish. I would cellar five and sample again. (90 points)
2005 Clos des Brusquières Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2008)
Color: Light purple
Nose: Spice, mineral, cranberries
Taste: Light wine with mineral, floral and mild spices
Finish: Short to medium with good acidity
Evaulation: A starter CDP 87 points (87 points)
2005 Clos des Brusquières Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2010)
Color: Light purple
Nose: Cranberry, cedar, mineral
Taste: Spice, mineral, cranberry, tobacco
Finish: Big spiciness, mineral, cranberries
Evaluation: Solid CDP for the money. (88 points)
2005 Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape
This bottle was popped and poured at the event. This bottle also piqued most attendees' interest.
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Floral, strawberry, violets
Taste: Plum, violets, spice, smooth tannins
Finish: Extremely smooth wine that is drinking really well right now.
Evaluation: A great bargain at the $30 price point. 90 points
2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/22/2010)
Dark color and a nose of cranberry, spice, cedar and minerals. Good complexity overall and medium finish. Needs time in the cellar. (92 points)
2005 Château de Saint-Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (11/22/2010)
Nice overall with earth, garrique, raspberry and floral notes. Medium finish and concentrated wine. (90 points)
2005 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
This bottle was given 4.5 hours of in-bottle air-time before the event began.
Color: Medium Purple
Nose: Floral, raspberry, mineral
Taste: Raspberry, blueberry, spice, mineral, mild tannins and very elegant
Finish: Medium and multilayered. Game, earth, mineral, but ends rather abruptly.
Evaluation: A nice wine to start the night but none of us would have guessed Wine Spectator’s 3rd best wine of the year for 2007. I would not buy this wine for the money. 88 points
2005 Domaine de la Gramiene Cotes du Rhone $$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Earth
Taste: Earth and spice
Finish: Pepper, spice and earth
Evaluation: Better finish then anything else 84 points
2005 E. Guigal "Chateau D'Ampius" Cote Rotie $$$$$
Color: Dark
Nose: Bacon, black pepper, scorched earth and minerals
Taste: Big wine with black pepper, bacon, roasted meats, minerals
Finish: Concentrated with a solid medium finish
Evaluation: Age for 10 plus years 95 points
2005 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Forest floor, minerals, smoke, berries
Taste: Pleasant with minerals, smoke, berries and forest
Finish: Medium and drinkable today
Evaluation: Solid CDP 91 points
2005 E. Guigal Crozes Hermitage $$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberries, plum, pepper
Taste: Raspberries, plum and spices
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: 87 points
2005 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6/12/2010)
Dark hue. On the nose bacon, black pepper, scorched earth and minerals. Full bodied wine and the palate reveals additional character with roasted game and smoke. Super concentrated finish and a balanced wine that is really young. This should blossom into a superstar and is already great now. (94 pts.)
2005 Paul Jaboulet Aine Parallele 45 Cote du Rhone $$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Earth and spice
Taste: Acidic, fruit forward wine with plum and cherry
Finish: Fruit forward with spice, cherry and plum
Evaluation: Nice every day drinker. 85 points
2005 Mas de Boislauzon Cuvee du Quet Chateauneuf du Pape
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Plum, truffles, minerals
Taste: Black pepper, spice, tons of minerals with good acidity
Finish: Intense with floral, spices, and minerals and incredible balance
Evaluation: My wine of the night 94+ points
2005 Pierre Gaillard Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (2/25/2010)
Medium purple. White pepper, spices, raspberries and earth. Medium finish and good acidity. (91 pts.)
2005 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/17/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does a Blind Tasting: Decanted 2 hours and drinking the best of 2 previous samples. Dirty color with garrique, raspberry, spice and floral notes. Clean wine overall and I got mild funk which blew off quick. Should age for a decade. (92 points)
2005 Domaine Grane Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac $$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spices, rasperries, leather, earth
Taste: Nice bitter quality with leather, earth, raspberries, and spices
Finish: Medium and shows good acidity
Evaluation: 91 points
2005 Domaine la Vielle Julienne Vine Des Pays $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberries, strawberries, floral
Taste: A little bitter with strawberries, floral, some oak
Finish: Medium and some intensity
Evaluation: Another strange combo with the addition of merlot and cabernet 85 points
2005 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe La Crau Chateauneuf du Pape
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, cherry, mineral
Taste: Blackberries, spice, a bit hot
Finish: Mineral, pepper and red currants
Evaluation: Not a top 10 wine of the year in my opinion 87 points
2005 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe La Crau Chateaneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Much better then in December with cherry, floral, spice
Taste: Spice, floral, mineral, cherry, raspberry, not over powering
Finish: Medium without much heat. It certainly is not a massive CDP
Evaluation: Showed better then December but I don't see this as ever being a blockbuster wine 91 points
2005 Alain Voge Les Peyrouses Côtes du Rhône $$
Color:Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, damp earth, rapsberries
Taste: Bitter and a bit out of balance with damp earth, cherry and coffee
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: OK 87 points
2006
2006 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/7/2010)
Dark in color. Black fruits, truffles, minerals and spice dominate this more of a newer world style offering. Not as traditional as the 04 and 01 version. (91 points)
2006 Domaine Andre Brunel Cotes du Rhone $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Rasberry, earth, strawberry
Taste: Nice and balanced with leather, tar, rapsberry, earth, and a little funk
Finish: Medium and nice flavors
Evaluation: An outstanding value at $5 in a closeout bin 88 points
2006 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (11/21/2010)
Still drinking well with spice, earth and raspberry on the nose and palate. Medium finish. (87 points)
2006 Domaine Des Hauts Chassis Crozes-Hermitage Les Galets - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (7/23/2010)
Solid wine with smoke, blackberries, pepper and stone on the nose and palate. Good structure and not bad for $22. (91 pts.)
2006 Domaine de Crisita Cotes du Rhone $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, raspberry, floral
Taste: Tart cherries, spices, raspberries, floral
Finish: Medium and concentrated spice quality
Evaluation: A really complex Cotes du Rhone 91 points
2006 Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (7/10/2010)
A canidate for wine of the year. Medium purple with some funk, white pepper, violets, crushed rock on the nose. Big and powerful on the palate and a balanced wine. Concentrated and medium finish. Ranking in the top five considering QPR. Should improve with time. (93 pts.)
2006 Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chênes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (3/26/2011)
Amazing Aussie Wines (Kevin's House): I liked this better than the group with funk, scorched earth, minerals, blueberries and coffee. A lot of New World character. (92 points)
2006 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$
Color: Light purple
Nose: Floral, some fruit
Taste: A little thin and tannic with floral and raspberries
Finish: Short with a immediate burst of power that goes away quick
Evaluation: 87 points
2006 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Strawberries, floral, spices
Taste: Wow! with Asian spices, raspberries, cherries, leather, biscuit and very clean
Finish: Medium and well integrated. No flaws in this wine and drinking really well for such a young CDP.
Evaluation: Top 3 CDPs' of all time 96 points
2006 Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone Rogue $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, strawberries, very clean
Taste: Mineral, spice, strawberries
Finish: Very clean wine with a medium finish
Evaluation: Solid every day wine 88 points
2006 Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf Vielles Vignes $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, blackberries, earth
Taste: Chewy tannins, cherry, mineral, meat, leather
Finish: Complex and intense, long finish
Evaluation: This is Wow wine 95+ points
2006 Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin $$$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberries, spices, mineral
Taste: Good acidity with mineral, spices, raspberries, earth
Finish: Medium and intense. This wine is dominated by earth tones
Evaluation: Solid wine but costly. 93 points
2006 Domaine de la Mordoree Cuvee Reine des Bois Chateauneuf du Papes $$$$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Mushrooms, spices, raspberries, mineral
Taste: Wow with mushrooms, floral, mineral, sour cherries, cinnamon, spices
Finish: Intense and a powerhouse
Evaluation: This is a serious wine 95 points
2006 Perrin & Fils Les Christins Vacqueyras $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Charcoal, spices, minerals
Taste: Spice, mineral, cinnamon, wood
Finish: Medium and spicy
Evaluation: A nice wine at a good price but no fruit here 88 points
2006 Chateau de Segries Cuvee Reserve Lirac $$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Spices, cherry, pepper and violets
Taste: Solid with cherry, pepper, red peppers and violets
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: 88 points
2006 Terrasses Du Soleil - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône (4/17/2010)
Dark purple. Nose of scorched earth, raspberries, minerals, and pepper. On the palate pepper, minerals, earth, raspberries and spice. Medium finish and good concentration. What a nice surprise for $13 on sale. Highly recommended. (91 pts.)
2006 Pierre Usseglio Cuvee Tradition Chateauneuf du Pape $$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Strawberries, raspberries, smoke
Taste: Strawberries, raspberries, smoke, spices, simply delicious
Finish: Medium and full of flavors
Evaluation: Best wine of the night when you factor in price 92 points
2006 Pierre Usseglio Cuvee de Mon Aieul Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Smoke, floral, black fruits
Taste: Smoke, floral, spices blackberries, little wood
Finish: Super complex and tons of flavors
Evaluation: This is a great wine 94 points
2006 Domaine Grane Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac $$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spices, blueberries, earth
Taste: Solid with spices, earth, floral and fruit
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: 90 points
2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (7/7/2010)
Medium color. On the nose smoke, blackberries, violets, crushed rock and earth. Amazing concentration and complex. On the finish it shows multiple layers of flavors and has firm tannic structure. This should age for decades. Beautiful wine! (95 pts.)
2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/19/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; 9/17/2010-9/19/2010: My favorite producer from the Rhone. Another amazing showing of this wine with a nose of flowers, raspberries, spices, cherry and leather. The palate is flavorful and the fruit shines. Medium and concentrated finish and very clean. Not the classic funk of a CDP but that is fine with me on this amazing effort. (95 points)
2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/2/2010)
Pichon and CDP at Matt's (Matt's House): This wine needs some time in the cellar but over the course of the night it improved. A nose of raspberry, garrique, rustic, coffee, spice and cranberry. Good acidity and floral notes on the finish. Still firm tannins and five years from now I will revisit. (93 points)
2006 Domaine la Vielle Julienne Cotes du Rhone $$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Raspberries, spices, floral
Taste: Nice mix of raspberries, spices, floral
Finish: Up front powerful and settles into a nice overall medium finish
Evaluation: A solid Cotes du Rhone 87 points
2006 Domaine la Vielle Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Rye bread, mineral, raspberry
Taste: Red currants, spices, chalk, raspberries
Finish: Medium and tannic
Evaluation: Needs some cellar time 89 points
2006 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/19/2010)
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; 9/17/2010-9/19/2010: My last purchase of a Vieux Telegraphe the most overated wine from the Rhone. I have yet to have a great one and I have add several with 15 plus years of age. The nose is shut down and offers only some spice, cherry and cinammon. The palate is off with too much cinammon and spices. I am sure there is some fruit in there somewhere. Medium finish and boring. This is an 89 point wine to me and I would drink it but not pay $50 for it again. (89 points)
2006 Les Vins de Vienne Vin de Pays de la Vienne Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes Heluicum - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays de la Vienne (7/24/2010)
Artisan Vineyards/ Haskell's Tasting (Minneapolis): On the nose strawberry, floral, and minerals. Red fruits on the palate along with a gravel quality. Medium finish and a solid wine. (91 pts.)