Cote Rotie

This is in a great place right now.  It has started to shed some of its oak coat and the fruit is coming thru.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, spice, slight lumber, black pepper and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nice texture.  On the palate, boysenberries, vanilla, spice, black pepper and roasted herbs.  Long finish.  This could use a few more years but should drink well for another ten to fifteen.  Right now it could use some fatty food to match it with.  

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with boysenberries, black pepper, spice and roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  It opens in the glass nicely though.  Boysenberries with char and some black pepper.  Good finish.  This is drinking well but not yet at peak.  Drink over the next ten years.  It will work well with roasted veggies or roasted meats and also went well with Moroccan food.  

With all of the top level wines from Guigal, sometimes, this one gets lost in the mix.  That's a shame because this is am outstanding wine and an excellent value in Cote Rotie.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is a bit earthy with black raspberries, spices, black olives and slight dark chocolate.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is on the leaner side but still has a great delivery.  Boysenberries, char and some earthiness.  Good finish.  This seems to be about at peak but should have another ten years.  Goo

Purple in color, opaque and slightly flat.  The nose features black raspberries, black pepper, bacon fat, and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has some complexity and depth.  Black raspberries with black pepper and spices.  Nice finish. This seemed to be close to peak but should have another five to seven years at this level.  It went very well with a black olive tapenade and flat bread.  

This is a delicious Syrah from the Northern Rhone value.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries with some funk/Brettanomyces.  Also a slight lavender note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cleaner with black raspberries, minerality an char.  Nice finish.  Obviously young, but drinking well, it will mature and improve.  That said, drink over the next twenty years.  A nice match would be Lamb stew. 

Consumed on the Celebrity Millennium off the coast of Alaska.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is earthy with black raspberries and slight bacon fat.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with black raspberries and underlying char.  Long finish.  This is starting to show a bit of maturity but will continue to develop more.  It drinks great on its own, but better with food.  Cassoulet would be classic, but this will go well with Indian food, too.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

Pop and pour, this took a few minutes to open, then just kept getting better.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great; earthy with black cherries, some black raspberries, smoke and black olives.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight but unwinds in the glass.  Layers of black raspberries, black pepper, black olives and char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is not a big wine, but has all the stuffing.  It still will improve a bit more.  Drink over the next twelve to fifteen years.  A nice match for a lamb or beef stew.  

Having just recently tasted the 2017, it was interesting to try the 2018.  For my tastes, this was just a bit better than the 2017, but that is probably because it is more open and accessible.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  Very nice nose with black raspberries, black pepper, spice, slight fresh cut lumber and slight violets.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well if young.  Lots of black raspberry fruit.  Depth but tight.  Underlying char and spice.  A fair amount of oak on the finish.  This will get better and holding ano

This was from a 375ml bottle bought on release.  Purple in color, slightly flat, opaque.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, black raspberries, and some roasted meat.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is past maturity but still with plenty to offer.  Nice complexity.  Black raspberry fruit with underlying char.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  These should be consumed soon.  Better with good.  Chili would work well.  

This is 100% Syrah.  Purple in color with slight ruby swirls.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black cherries, black olives and smoked meats.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberries, salinity, and char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for the next eight to twelve years.  It works well on its own and would work well with hearty meat or lamb based dishes.