GSM Blend/Rhone Blend

Such a pretty wine.  Much more on the elegant side of CdP.  Drinking at what seems to be at peak right now.  Purple with ruby swirls.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, slight cedar, nutmeg and other spices.  On the palate, this is soft and accessible.  Still, deep and with tight layering.  It gently unwinds in the glass.  Nice finish.  This works easily with medium and heavier foods.  Vary tasty.  Not a dominant wine, this will work better on its own than with a bunch of wines.  

Wow.  Great wine that has really opened up in the last year.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, spice, and slight floral notes (violets?).  On the palate, virtually a seamless texture.  Full bodied and full of glycerin.  Loads of black cherries and black raspberries.  Light tannins.  An underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Needs a bit bigger foods.  Just delicious.  Still has a decade or two left in it.  One of thos sips you can't stop drinking as it tastes so good.  

This has really come into its own and is drinking quite well right now.  Still youthful and not yet at peak though.  Purple in color.  The nose is bigger and excellent with cherries, violets, black olives, black raspberries, slightly meaty and spice.  On the palate, this is primary but deep.  it starts to open in the glass but still needs a few more years.  Lots of concentrated black raspberry fruit, cherries with just a bit of earth and spice.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  It needs heartier foods right now but should last for another 12 to 15 years at least.  

Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has cherries and black olives.  With air some black raspberries come out along with a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  This bottle seems like it is at or perhaps ever so slightly past peak (of course bottles vary).  nice complexity with layers of cherries, raspberries and spice with a slight dry earthiness.  Great balance.  It has an elegance that many 2007's do not have.  Great with foods of all kinds.  

Deep ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with red berries.  On the palate, cherries with slight tannins.  It could use a bit more acidity but that is nit picking.  Good finish.  This seems to be approaching maturity and should have a decade left.  Will work with a wide variety of foods, but maybe not spicy ones.  

60% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, 5% Counoise.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, leather, plums, slight earthiness, char and some black cherries.  On the palate, this has a wonderful rich texture.  Medium tannins.  It is young but bursting with fruit without being over the top.  Black cherries, black raspberries, underlying earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This is a big wine and needs either big or spicy food.  It is still probably 7 years from maturity and will last another 10 after that (at least).  That said, it is delicious and enjoy

Drop dead gorgeous wine.  Still not quite fully mature but close.  The only trouble with this wine is it get's drunk so quickly.  A super crowd pleaser.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rime.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black pepper, drilled meats and slight violets.  Wonderful velvety texture.  Great balance.  Juicy black raspberry fruit with grilled meats underlying it on the palate.  Long finish.  Each gulp begets another.  Works with hearty or spicy foods.  Long finish.  Just a superb wine.  

This is a Rhone blend.  Ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, the cherries continue thru.  Its a bit clipped on the mid-palate and finish.  This is nice easy drinking.  A bit hot but not too out of bonds.  It should probably be drunk in the next few years.  

Purple with a thin ruby rim.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, this is nice, but not a great vintage.  In great vintages, this can really punch above its weight class.  Black cherry fruit.  Easy drinking.  I would drink these up in the next year or two.  

This is really drinking quite well now.  It has taken some time, but is finally ready for prime time.  Purple in color.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight cedar, slight dust and slight dried violets.  On the palate, this still has fresh black raspberry fruit layered with dry forest floor and spice.  Complex.  Very nice texture.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This would work with heartier foods.  It demands attention but is quite delicious too.  Probably nearing peak, I would drink in the next decade.