Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9259
 | | 08/25/2003 3:00 AM |
| Poured without decanting, the wine is a fairly dense dark red color with a deep nose of black cherries, leather, plum, herbs de Provence, and earth. A bit tight and closed in at the moment, but with beautiful dark fruits, earth, game, and substantial tannins. Going to decant now and revisit later this evening.
<time passes>
Ok, after decanting for about 1.5 – 2 hours, the black cherry fruit is coming on strong and deep sweet fruit dominates the palate. Layers of dark fruit, smoke, game, and earth – rich and complex with a medium finish, this young wine is only going to improve with some rest – 93+ points, try again in 2006, and expect it to last to 2015 or beyond.
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11879
| | 08/25/2003 9:08 AM |
| Eric...
What varietal(s) are in this wine? | | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9259
| | 08/25/2003 1:30 PM |
| TECHNICAL NOTES
35% Mourvèdre
26% Syrah
25% Grenache
14% Counoise
14.6% alcohol by volume
4237 cases produced | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11879
| | 08/25/2003 3:02 PM |
| | Thanks! | | | |
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Blair Ridley
Wine Labeler
Posts:3980
| | 08/25/2003 3:13 PM |
| | I concur with you, Eric. I drank this wine in the middle of July and thought it was worthy of a 93 point score. I purchased my bottle for $30 from a ripoff wine shop on Cape Cod (Orleans Wines & Spirits). | | | |
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Seaquam
Barrel Filler
Posts:1141
| | 08/25/2003 6:00 PM |
| I guess a bit of bottle time has been kind to this wine. Here's my note from last November:
2000 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel -- in the spirit of international experimental winemaking, the Perrins of Beaucastel found a property they liked near Paso Robles, and imported French Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Counoise vines in an attempt to emulate their flagship Rhone property. I forgot to ask Thomas Perrin how old the vines are currently, but I'm guessing by the product's lightness that they're still pretty young. These imported and organically farmed vines produced 65% of the fruit in this blend, the rest I assume coming from the same area.
This wine was a nice deep dark ruby color; an interesting nose of cooked blueberry compote with hints of lavender discernible; a light and lively texture--similar in impact to a mouthful of room-temperature grapefruit juice--on the palate, yet highly extracted for all its lightness, showing blueberry, stoney-Rhoney flavors; kind of like a flash-and-dash young Rhone, it's all forward fruit and short-ish finish; undistinguished, especially of you're expecting Beaucastel.
Certainly not a bad wine, but if it's priced much more than an equivalent Cotes-du-Rhone (as I suspect it will be) then it might be wise to pass on this one. App. 86-7 pts., maybe a bit higher if it settles down some more.
I guess it must have settled down!  | | | |
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Seek
Upstate NY
Wine Thief
Posts:2772
| | 08/25/2003 9:31 PM |
| This just got a 92 in the latest Advocate. I many people have tried this and really liked it.
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9259
| | 08/25/2003 9:36 PM |
| | Seek, did Parker re-taste the 2000 for this latest issue? He had previously given the wine 93 in Feb. of 2002 (before the winery had established the new name - back then it was called the "Reserve Cuvee") | | | |
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Seek
Upstate NY
Wine Thief
Posts:2772
| | 08/26/2003 2:55 AM |
| | I do not know, but it is listed in this issue. 2000 Esprit de Beaucastel 92 points. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 10/10/2003 4:36 PM |
| I had this in 375 last night. Decanted and poured after a half hour. The acid was overwhelming for me and completely blotted out any fruit whatsoever. Yes it had a long finish but it was just puckering.
I would not recommend this wine unless you want to buy one or more of the 10 375s I have left. A 375 doesn't have as much age on it as a 750. Hopefully it will get better. | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts:3214
| | 10/07/2004 2:43 PM |
| | Ruddy, garnet red colour. Aromas of alcohol, cherry, currant, evolving to raspberry and candied citrus peel. Nothing but alcohol on the palate. Short finish. I hope this is simply the case of a bad bottle, but this is not a good wine. 71 points (09/10/2004). | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts:1371
| | 10/07/2004 3:00 PM |
| | We tasted it in their tasting room in June and enjoyed it, having a reaction more like Eric White's to this wine. | | | |
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Ken Zinns
Grape Stomper
Posts:145
| | 10/07/2004 3:55 PM |
| | Is there bottle variation going on with this wine? There are some wildly differing notes on this thread. I tasted it at the winery in spring '03, bought a bottle, and drank it about 6 months ago - thought it was excellent. Didn't notice any elevated alcohol or excessive acidity. | | | |
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NobleRot
Grape Puncher
Posts:720
| | 10/08/2004 1:46 AM |
| | I had this a week ago, and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a great wine, I would buy more if I came across it. | | | |
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Leonard Maran
Grape Fermenter
Posts:415
| | 10/10/2004 2:16 AM |
| | Dunno, I really liked this wine upon release- but some months ago I had a bottle- and wondered what hepenned as well- very acidic and lack-luster. | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts:3214
| | 03/21/2005 3:58 AM |
| 35% Mourvedre, 26% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 14% Counoise.
Medium-dark ruby colour. Aromas of black cherry, plums, earth, mineral, liquid anise, sandalwood. Medium-full bodied, with currant, plums, spice, cinnamon. Moderate-finish, 30s, with black fruit, 90 points (02/17/2005). | | | |
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ChillyWino
Barrel Racker
Posts:1701
| | 01/22/2008 9:17 AM |
| | Anise, Cherry,Spice, with hints of chocolate and earth on the nose. A fairly smooth wine with a nice feel, but lacking a bit on the mid-palate. The finish is a bit short as well as slightly acidic/tannic. Overall the wine seems a little tired and is heading down hill. 84 points | | | |
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