4/2003. Bought in auction, Feb-200 for $360.
It has been some time since I had a really super wine, so we decided to open this gem for a quiet dinner for two at home.
Mushrooms and Truffles Pasta, Lamb Kebab with humus and tahini, bananas in cream
COLOR: Deep purple red. Hardly paling around the rim.
NOSE: Powerful aromas bursting out of the glass. Black fruit, spices, raw meat and earthy elements. Wood tones and some 'Rhone Nose' evident also. Very rich and concentrated. Impressive nose.
TASTE: Huge wine on the palate, though full of delicate flavors around the concentrated fruit. Mouthfilling and multi-dimensional. But a touch of rot is discernible and distracting towards the finish. Excellent winyness and very good acidity. Tannins are low but a bit tough. The wine is completely forward and ready.
LENGTH: Extremely long lasting aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full bodied awe-inspiring wine. Well endowed with everything a wine could have, alas something in the taste is a bit wrong. Not much, and not to make it untasty, yet just enough to make you wish it wasn't there.
OVERALL: Superb wine no doubt. But a single-vineyard Guigal Cote Rotie from a good vintage ought to be better than just "superb"...

MARK: 18.5/20.

BUY MORE? No.

Reach Me? yak@yakshaya.com

Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.