Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 2006

Date of Tasting: 4 September 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Rhone, France

Appellation: Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR90

Web: http://www.closducaillou.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 94/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 95/100, WS - 95/100, ST - 94/100, JR - 18/20, CT - 94/100

Appearance: Ruby.

Aroma: Black fruits, spice aroma, earthy, and dark tea.

Palate: Plenty of length and depth. Rich but round. Rather full on the texture. Sweet berries and chocolate.

Powerful but delicious full bodied. Such an impressive big boy. Stunning now but it shall be interesting to see how it develops. Grab a piece or pieces of delicious steak to go along and it shall be wonderful.

Domaine de la Grange des Peres 2005

Date of Tasting: 30 April 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: ~ 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 15%

Origin: Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Appellation: IGP Pays de l'Herault

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR120

Web: n.a.
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Critics' Opinion: RP - 95/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: Elegant ruby

Aroma: Wild forest, dark plum red berries, and spices

Palate: Sweet ripe fruit coupling with dark chocolate and tobacco. Herbs, pepper, and minerality then followed. Medium-full for the structure but came in silkily fine touch. 

It possesses power but yet exhibit fine elegant. I experienced this bottle first time a few years back and this was my last bottle, sadly (T_T). It is such a fine red blend from a fine producer from Languedoc-Roussillon. I wish I could have many more bottles in stock. If you are lucky to find ones, do not hesitate to pack them back.

Paul Avril Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape 2004

Date of Tasting: 2 May 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah

Alcohol: 15.0%

Origin: Rhone, France

Appellation: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Expect to Pay: ~ THB3,500

Web: http://www.clos-des-papes.fr/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 6/10
Professional Rating: WA - 95/100, WS - 96/100, ST - 94/100, JR - 17.5/20, DC - 19.5/20, CT - 93/100

Appearance: ruby

Aroma: spicy, earth, mocha, and cherry

Palate: fresh sweet raspberries and cassis with liqueur like structure. bright, deep, and well structured with depth and length of long haul. somewhat chewy and bold but silky smooth with integrated tannins.

Needless to express much. This is a great bottle to be in possession. It is showing beautifully now and shall be excellent for another decade. This is a masculine one with sleek move. A lovely piece of steak to go along shall surely be a compliment. Cheers!!!!!!

E Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge 2009

Date of Tasting: 27 December 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Syrah

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Rhone, France

Appellation: Ermitage

Expect to Pay: ~ THB10,000 - 20,000

Web: http://www.guigal.com/
Chubby Score: 100/100
Value for money: 8/10
Professional Rating: WA - 100/100, WS - 97/100, CT - 98/100

Appearance: dark violet ruby

Aroma: red fruits, floral, and spices

Palate: ripe blackberry and cassis, raspberry, spices, and small hint of vanilla, wood, lead, and flowers. powerful big body but supple and sweet tannins. elegant and extraordinary. long long finish with waves of notes one after one.

This big gentleman is a mind blowing canon: so much lingering dynamics with fruit notes. The aroma itself was flamboyance. Yet the palate touch was exceptional. The balance structure and silky fine tannins are unrivalled. It is accessible now during its early life. However, it would potentially live for a few more decades. I could not wait to see how it would develop. Really difficult indeed not to pop another bottle up. Cheers many more times!!!!!

Isole e Olena Collezione de Marchi Syrah 2006

Date of Tasting: 21 September 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Syrah

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,900 - 2,500 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: n.a.
Chubby Score: 91/100
Value for money: 6/10
Professional Rating: WA - 91/100, WS - 92/100, ST - 89/100, FS - 91/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: thick ruby

Aroma: floral and herbal which followed by red fruits

Palate: fresh and bright with dark fruits on the palate, spicy and peppery, earthy and tar, smoky and meaty, fabulous integrity and well balanced, big big body with smooth tannins, long and lingering

Upon popping the bottle, sulphur suddenly hit on my nose and I was not well impressed. However, as time went by it developed the aromatic and complex perfume up quickly. This bottle of syrah is indeed a big and powerful guy. It can be a little tight at an early stage of drinking at this point in time. Let it breathe some air before serving would be a nice consideration. Anyway, enjoy it over a decade. Gorgeous indeed. I personally would like to see how it develops. Salute!!!!!

Agricola Punica Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2010

Truthfully, this is the first time for me with a wine from Sardinia and Carignan base. Carignan is a Spanish originated specie of grape. This is surely another rare wine in Thailand. Well, if I don't try it out, I would not know what it tastes like, would I (^.^)

Date of Tasting: 23 March 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 60% Carignan, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Sardinia, Italy

Appellation: Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)

Expect to Pay: THB700 – 1,000 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://www.agripunica.it/
Chubby Score: 88/100
Value for money: 7/10
Professional Rating: WS - 90/100, JS - 90/100

Appearance: rich and dense red

Aroma: cherry, herbs, and liquorice

Palate: big, dense, and full mouth. somewhat heavy weight with undissolved tannins. some chewiness, good acidity. a little sweet. cedar, tobacco and spice touches with dark berries note. complex. 

A youthful wine that is enjoyable now but may come around finer in a few years. Personally, I am not a fan of this type of wine. Nevertheless, it is still delightful. Give it a try if you find one as it is rather rare.