Xavier Vignon Rasteau

Opened my last 2012 magnum early Nov 2024 & gave it a few hours before quaffing. Hadn’t expected to be blown away. Unusually Powerful, Rich, silky & pure. Almost the same excellence on 2nd day. I wish I had more.

2012 vintage

It’s a Rhone and it drinks OK. Nothing special.

2012 vintage

Final bottle. This wine is still drinking well. The way that it has evolved suggests that it should be ok for another couple of years. I see that it is selling for £10/bottle (IB) here in uk!

2012 vintage

Deep garnet. Spectrum of red and black fruits and spice on the nose. Spicy, acid-driven palate shows raspberries, pepper and smoked meat, persistent through a sustained finish. Excellent.

2012 vintage

Starting to taste pretty good right now !! Perfect cork after a decade in the bottle. Consumed over three days. This wine started a little tight, but opened up and showed better the next day. On day three the fruit was still fresh and acid still firm; this wine had softened to reveal increased depth, texture, and integrated complexity. Dark red color with little to no oxidation, and clarity medium. Aromas of black cherry, and vanilla. Flavors of cherry, raspberry, …

2012 vintage

1 hour decant, served at about 60 F. Rich ruby color, just starting to edge towards garnet. Well-integrated alcohol and acidity at this point. Silky. Leather, herbs, vanilla and a bit of earthy funk on the nose. Sandlewood spice, tobacco, licorice and cedar notes to go with the black fruits on the palate. Long finish. Still has a few years of life, but not sure it gets better. Great QPR.

2012 vintage

Great now and still time in the bottle 1-2 hour decanting makes the difference

2012 vintage

Still drinking very well and similar comments to the March 2021 note. A little smoother and fuller and seems o have improved a little. Two bottles left and will taste again next year.

2012 vintage

Flavors lean towards new leather/tobacco, white pepper and spicy red/black fruits. Lots of acidity. Wine will go years yet. Drink or hold. Winebid find for $20.

2012 vintage

Enjoyable bottle. 2-3 hours of decant is a must. Dark berries on the nose, gains some cigar box and hints of chocolate as it gets air. No hurry, as it still has life. But it’s probably at its apex now.

2012 vintage

Absolutely silky and delicious with lamb chops.

2012 vintage

My last magnum. Thoroughly enjoyed by all at a dinner party. nice full bodied, well rounded with pleasing, lingering taste. I think it has several years on its peak, at least for the magnums.

2012 vintage

Sampled immediately after opening. Burst of sweet black cherry that stayed on through the middle resolving into something darker, perhaps tar or game, represents depth and does not detract, but the fruit returned on the medium long finish. A touch of amber on the rim but the wine remains nearly black/ inky. All in all it is ready now or sooner rather than later. Very good.

2012 vintage

Deep garnet. Black cherries, liquorice, black pepper, cedar aromas. Similar palate. Medium+ tannins, high acidity. Quite well balanced, medium finish. Good wine. Probably will continue to drink well for 2-3 years.

2012 vintage

Very smooth and well balanced - at its peak. very pleasant leather, blueberry taste.

2012 vintage

Opened 1 hour prior. Notes from 3rd day. Dark garnet. Stewed plum and some sandalwood notes on bouquet. Palate was more lifted than bouquet suggested with a dark cherry profile, sandalwood spice, fine tannins and a moderate final. Medium bodied, good balance. Just a touch of heat on the final betraying the 14.5% alcohol, but overall this was very drinkable mid-week stuff.

2012 vintage

Clear improvement vs earlier bottles, better balanced, good grip. Was last bottle in my cellar, but feels still on an improving trajectory and with lots of life ahead.

2012 vintage

Needs lots of air to mellow down (2-3 hours). Slightly dusty purple red. Slightly jammy black fruit. Supple tannins (after air), boiled sweet fruit (Blackberry/blackcurrant), saddle leather, some herbiness (rosemary/bay). Reasonable length.

2012 vintage

Cellared since release. Last bottle — haven’t had it in a few years. Much better younger, IMO, when it had some grip. Rhône-ish nose, fruit is fading, finish is short. Lacks grip — just a bit too round for my taste, particularly given the fact that the punch-you-in-the-face fruit is all but gone.

2012 vintage

Last bottle tonight. Drinking beautifully right now. Had it with a nice prosciutto flat bread pizza. Sorry to see it go.

2012 vintage

ignored in my cellar for a couple of years so i pulled the cork and wa-la.... nice color...nice smell...mellow taste ...light wine ...good with food..nothing not to like about this wine ageing well

2012 vintage

Nice simple straightforward Rhône..... Not much else to say...

2012 vintage

shared with pat at selkirk manor. celebrating the completion of another week of SIP (shelter in place/sip in place) due to covid-19. no formal notes. substantial packaging. heavy bottle with deep punt. no formal notes. generous dark skin fruit. medium body and finish. no signs of fatigue. could probably keep a bit longer. some fine sedimentation. excellent qpr as the price has gone up significantly since i purchased this wine. would buy again.

2012 vintage

The last of four bottles. Nice, well balanced, but I could have used more herbs, garrigue, minerals, etc. Seems a little tired, but "it ain't done yet". Very good value.

2012 vintage

This is not a wine for sipping alone. Needs food to soften its fairly harsh tannins.

2012 vintage

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Xavier Vignon Rasteau

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