Wine List

Tasting note: Barnier indicated that this was not vinified by Jadot. There is a background note of menthol to the pretty and fresh red currant, earth and lightly spicy nose. There is a very supple and refined mouth feel to the satin-textured middle weight flavors that also possess a seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a balanced finish. This should drink well young.

Rating

86

Release Price

$28 - 30

Drink Date

2002 - 2008

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

30th Apr 2002

Source

140, The Wine Advocate

This medium-bodied St.-Emilion is a pleasant, straightforward effort with, smoky, roasted herb and currant fruit. It has good purity and sweet fruit, but only moderate depth and staying power. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

Rating

95

Release Price

$45

Drink Date

2005 - 2019

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

26th Apr 2004

Source

152, The Wine Advocate

The flagship offering, the 2001 Numanthia, is fashioned from a 70-100 year old Tinta de Toro vineyard planted at a 2300 foot elevation. After a 28 day maceration, the wine undergoes malolactic in barrel, is aged 19 months in new French oak, and is bottled without fining or filtration. The spectacular, opaque purple-colored 2001 offers an explosive nose of melted licorice, barbecue smoke, blackberries, creme de cassis, camphor, and graphite. Full-bodied with gorgeously rich, concentrated fruit, a layered texture, and tremendous purity, it can be drunk young, but should hit its prime in 1-2 years, and last for 10-15.  

Tasting note: The nose is quite similar to that of the Fuées except that here there is a bit more oak influence. As is almost always the case, the mouth feel is less refined but more muscular with good power, volume and punch to the medium-bodied flavors that finish with excellent length. This should also amply reward up to a decade of cellar time.

Rating

95

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2015 - 2024

Reviewed by

Jeb Dunnuck

Issue Date

14th Sep 2015

Source

Special Report (Sep 2015), The Wine Advocate

From another vintage that flies under the radar, yet always delivers tons of pleasure, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure is less flamboyant than the 2005 and has more spice, ground herbs, pepper and licorice to go with a rocking core of sweet Grenache Fruit. It's full-bodied, structured and has a touch of dry tannin on the finish that I suspect will probably never completely integrate. Nevertheless, there's ample mid-palate depth and a tons of sweet fruit, which will keep anyone coming back to the glass.

The 2012 Le Difese is a bright and fruit-forward blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Sangiovese (aged one year in oak) that shows a point of ripe fruit or strawberry at the very start. There’s a frank simplicity to this wine that makes it a pleasure to drink without too much contemplation. That solid core of ripe fruit is embellished by soft contours of spice and tobacco.