Les Aphillanthes, Cotes du Rhone, Plan Dieu Galets

pleasant bouquet of rose hip syrup, firm palate with stacks of tannin, black cherry and vanilla flavours. A robust wine which has aged well.

2001 vintage

Tasted over 1.5 hrs -nearly opaque dark red purple -muted dark fruit tar mineral -med acidity provides a briskness, med/med+ weight nicely concentrated ripe but fading dark fruit mineral tar with a little heat, med/med+ tannins -interesting comparison to last night's 2012, this is a bit more vibrant with darker fruit that is more faded and mineral

2010 vintage

Tasted over 3 hrs -opaque dark purple no bricking -ripe black fruit kirsch -med acidity, med+ weight densely concentrated earth licorice with some faded dusty black fruit and a mineral slightly hot finish with med tannins -most of the luscious fruit has faded but still has complexity and enough mid-palate stuffing to mostly buffer the heat for another year or two I suspect

2010 vintage

Stylish, elegant, mature and well balanced mix of red fruit, gentle oak and velvety tannins. This has aged well and has a few years left.

2001 vintage

Fully mature, rich fruit and lengthy dry finish.

2001 vintage

I was worried that this had turned. Cork broke, but able to recover bottom half. Initial test was positive. Let open for 30 minutes and it was perfect. Smooth over the palate, subtle herbs and smooth lingering raspberry finish.

2001 vintage

Last of 3 bottles and the best (+1 to +2 points matters). Dark red color with a very slight meniscus. Meat, wet rocks, black cherry, savory (tobacco / dried fruits). On palate, earthy / tobacco, black cherry, blackberry and blueberry (slight and only with airtime). This has aged well. 91+ I need to buy some more current vintages of this wine.

2010 vintage

PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs -nearly opaque dark red-black, no bricking -moderately expressive stone ripe berry cough syrup -med acidity, med+ weight and concentration, pretty tightly wound with some licorice black berry med+ tannins and heat on moderately long finish -closed now, this is a little too ripe/big to take full advantage of the wonderful energy/tension/minerality of the vintage, it may come around in 2-5 years

2010 vintage

Drank over two days. A lot going on with this. On the first day it featured a balanced and delicious refined elegance. On the second the wine showed its teeth, revealing rocky and earthy substance with substantive yet supple tannic grip and a complex finish. The wine changes inflection beautifully! Excellent quality. 91-92.

2010 vintage

90-91 range. Improved with airtime and paired well with grilled chicken breast on the bone. Not overly complex but a very good mid-week wine that was red fruit dominant with a touch of garrigue.

2010 vintage

Decanted 1 hr. Nice enjoyable Rhone but nothing really remarkable or extra-ordinary to mention.

2010 vintage

Thought this was pretty good, might like to try again to make a decision. One of us thought this was a little new world, and the other thought there were more classic Rhonish flavors. Certainly maybe a little more to the sweet than the savory side, definitely drinkable, decent if not great QPR (have had some great QPRs from this producer in the past).

2010 vintage

Notes of cassis, blueberrys, cedar and spice. Beautiful aroma with lovely aftertaste on mid palate. One of my favorites.

2010 vintage

Paired with a nice salumi and cheese. The nose was slightly metallic but still with plenty of fruit and just a of tobacco. The wine was well balanced but slightly past it's prime.

2001 vintage

Purple with a bloody raspberry, blueberry nose mixed with the scent of charred wood. Tangy acidity, and lighter on the tounge than expected. Bright tight tannins. Probably best to hold for a while.

2010 vintage

PNP into a decanter - raspberry, raspberry jam on nose - similar on palate. Medium+ acids, and medium length finish - will re-taste tonight & get some better notes. 90+/- [edit] Retasted the next evening - garrigue, wet rocks (nice minerality), raspberry & red licorice on nose & palate. Was better on night 2. Will drink remaining bottles 2014+

2010 vintage

Opened by AllRed at CDP. I stopped taking notes long before this bottle so no useful note here. What surprised me was that it was still alive. I did not expect that from this bottle, especially since it had now been open and on the table breathing for upwards of 8 hours. 87.

2001 vintage

Can't remember much about this one unfortunately which means I liked it well enough but wasn't bowled over. Probably a fairly typical southern Rhone

2010 vintage

Drank some time ago

2001 vintage

Has aged extremely well. Cork perfect, fill perfect and the wine is drinking perfect. Medium body, beautiful reddish tones and aromos of spice, earth and cherries. Took about an hour to open up - glad I have a bottle left. Can certainly go 1-2 more years, but, I'd say it is at its peak now.

2001 vintage

Not gone! Indeed, this ended up the surprise of the night. Pale ruby color with aromas of peppery red fruit and florals. Light- to medium-bodied, with flavors of cherry, red currants and white pepper. Decent finish. More than a few remarked that were this a blind tasting, it would have easily passed as a Chateauneuf. Not going to 'wow' anyone at this stage, but a very pleasant bottle indeed.

2001 vintage

Sorry this is gone, but glad we drank it now. Not over the hill but in a year I think it will be. Dense, stewed fruits, tannins have gotten very soft, gently earthy. Very very nice accompaniment to a tender turkey and trimmings.

2001 vintage

In South Beach. Murky dark fruits and liquorice, just short of pruney and raisiny, until the second day when it was really rasiny. Not very good. Perhaps bad storage (from a local shop).

2001 vintage

The last of these. On the nose, fruit, almost new world syrah, a little heat. In the mouth, still lots of fruit, softened tannins, very nice CdR. I still have some of the 2001 VV and 3 Cepages from this producer (which they say will last longer), but this is in a very nice place right now.

2001 vintage

a memory now, but v. impressive, more like fine CdP. Rich, dense fruit--drinking as good as it ever will I imagine

2001 vintage

My last of 6 bottles purchased a couple years ago. Decanted as I know this one has some sediment. Color is dark, not opaque. Big nose of red fruits: cherry, currant, light smoke and spice. Some earthy flavors at first, then opened up to flavors of cherries, currants, plums, spice. I've always enjoyed this wine. I'll miss this one.

2001 vintage

My last bottle, and boy will I miss this wine. Bottle range from good to really good. Red fruit, garrigue, and iodine. Medium--bodied. Resolved tannins and sufficient acid to pair well with a range of foods. Great nose as well. All for $16. A very rewarding wine.

2001 vintage

Did not decant and did not regret it. Contrary to recent notes I did not find tannins to be problematic. Nice mouthfeel with good redfruit profile.

2001 vintage

This was good, but I am going to give my remaining bottle at leats a year or two. Still a lot of tannins left. Very nice Cotes-du-Rhone -- would be passable as a CdP. Some chocolately/cinnamon-y Grenache influences, for sure. Earthy without the barnyard, almost rich and certainly nice weight. Very solid for the $20 I paid. Sad I haven't seen this producer recently in Michigan.

2001 vintage

Very good purple rhone villages wine. Wine really opens up after decanting for an hour. Suprisingly complex for a $16 bottle.

2001 vintage

Deep garnet color. Notes of spice, white pepper, cherries and raspberry. Sweet red currant and cherry flavors, maybe some mint and a light earthy tone.

2001 vintage

Needed a few hours of decanting. Medium- to full-bodied with notes of plum, cherries, raspberries, and anise.

2001 vintage

Consistent with earlier notes. Softly smoky, well-balanced, very enjoyable with NY strip.

2001 vintage

Beautiful smokey, gamey, rhone nose. Dark color. Very fat and full bodied for a CdR, but still very Rhone like. Probably as good as it will get, tannins are quite soft and it is fairly low acid.

2001 vintage

Ditto previous reviews: decant! Earthy cherries, some leather, smoke, and garrigue: very CdP-like. Serious stuff.

2001 vintage

I let it decant for about an hour. Needs at least that length of time. Will buy again.

2001 vintage

rated a generous 89 after decnting and an hour of air. After 2 hours, all the hard edges were gone and it became a round, smooth mouthful. Upgraded to 90

2001 vintage

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Les Aphillanthes, Cotes du Rhone, Plan Dieu Galets

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