Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Girard

This was good. It took a bit of time to come around and open up, but it was full of dark fruit, garrigue, anise, a hint of flowers here and there, and nicely balanced acidity.

Dark and brooding, in the nose coffee grounds still hot from brewing, horse sweat, licorice and tar with hints of plum, raspberry, tomato paste and dried herbs. In the mouth very savory stewed fruit, wet wool, bitter cold coffee, tomato and chalk with just hints of dark chocolate, pomegranate and plum. Full body, ok acid, bitter unripe tannin, dull and lifeless. OK wine if not a lot of fun to drink. Hopefully just in a dumb place but I am …

I am actually surprised how light/medium bodied this wine is at only 9 years. It is certainly balanced but subtle is the word, not power. There is some nice savory and garrigue to the wine but the fruit seems hidden behind the earthy notes. I don't know how this wine is going to evolve further but if you want a light/medium bodied CNdP that's certainly ready to drink now, this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Lovely stuff. Spice and supple tannins, delicate balance for such a big wine Decanted two hours, 58F

Big, dark fruit with earth, bramble and a hint of spice. Balanced and dry, with more earthy dark fruit. Medium finish. Lasted well into the third day. Good value from Garagiste. 90+

CT Seattle CdP Tasting (Amoroso Room, Bellevue Wine Storage) : No formal notes, except that this was a really big wine, and was right in my style wheelhouse. My 1st, group's second of 9 wines at CT SEA CdP tasting.

PnPed at poker night. Drank over the evening and opened a bit. Bright color more purple than garnet and opaque. Nose was tight but had leather behind the grenache. Medium bodied with a long transition from fruit to earth & leather. Quick finish.

Dark red violet color; aromatic, tart red berry, pepper, charcoal nose; medium bodied, pepper, charcoal, roasted berry palate; could use 3-plus years; medium-plus finish (75% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 5% blend of Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin, Terret Noire & Vacarese)

Wines With A View (Capitol Grille Tasting Event) (The Spire) : Tight, closed down nose with hints of animal fur. Palate is tight as a drum. Tough to say whether this will improve because it is so young, but it didn’t necessarily show any promise.

A pretty CdP, with an appealing Grenache perfume, tasty red fruit, earth notes and medium length. Bright, fresh, and radiating a gentle sunshine, it is an auspicious harbinger of the unforced quality and lifted character of the 2012 vintage in the S. Rhone. On the palate it has substance without excess weight, and the 14% abv is not at all hot. The finish is likewise moderate. This wine demonstrates the wonderful expressiveness and validity of nature and man in an …