David Reynaud (Bruyeres), Crozes-Hermitage, Les Croix Vieilles Vignes

Very good Crozes, but I just don’t really like these anymore. Too much licorice. Well integrated really good wine. Wife thought it could be younger. I didn’t.

Bu 2 mois apres le 2010, je retrouve au nez la même puissance aromatique, ce flamboyant bouquet mûr et frais de violette, de cassis, de cerise noire, d'olive, de fines notes viandées (après aération) . C'est en bouche cependant que la différence est la plus marquée, avec un profil plus effilé, moins de vin, moins de raisin et une finale plus ténue sur la fraicheur et la minéralité. 11 semble plus aiguisé, moins ample, plus court mais si pur et …

Nice, albeit a bit pedestrian. A bit of heat surprises on the nose, but the fruit is still youthful and nice, very much syrah. A nice, midweight bistro-wine - serve rather cool and with food - and drink up.

Still very good but in my opinion starting to decline in complexity. Animal notes on the nose with black olives. Smooth drinking with no tannins. Lacks some of the character it used to have. Tasted relatively simple next to the Vincent Paris Cornas! Other tasters loved it. Drink up.

Nice QPR. A balanced rhone wine. Nice black and blue fruit, still a bit on the young side though. Keep for a few more years. It will be better with food.

Still Pinot-like on the nose with plums and cherries. Light, sappy, fresh taste with cocoa and sour cherries. This time I tasted the alcohol (only 13%) perhaps due to a warm serving temperature. I found it lacking weight compared to last year. Perhaps these Crozes wines from the plains don't have the stuffing for ageing and should be drunk in their youth on their generous fruit.

I admit I was a bit overgenerous on my earlier score but it is still outstanding for me and the tasting notes are still valid. If anything it has gained weight since last year and seems like it has the stuffing for a few more years with more complexity to unfold.

complex nose of black olives confits, Pinot-like finesse, resinous, which lead onto blackberries on the palate. Nicely balanced acidity and good length. Tannins are already quite rounded but still present on the finish and show it will age nicely in the medium term.