For those that read the gullet, this is a double post:
Bought a sample bottle, as they were on sale locally for the princely sum of $10/btl. Opened and poured into the decanter from cellar temperature. Consumed over several hours as it came towards room temperature.
The wine starts off with intense aromas of boysenberry and plum, with a strong woody backbone. The wood is a tad drying, lacking a rounded and integrated feel. Not a cedary French oak that reminisces of a muscular Pauillac but rather an ashy, smoke ridden wood akin to a fireplace (hence the drying quality). The components feel a bit ajar, but not quite disjointed. The wine develops with air into a more subtle rasberry rhubarb notes as the wood seems to receed but never really envelopes the fruit in a well integrated fashion.
While a nice effort that plays amongst the best sub 10 dollar bottles in the world, I found that most 07 Entry Rhones hit home runs while this feels like a single. I’ll take the Cuvee Romain for 2-3 bucks per bottle more anyday over this.
My note: Dense bright purple color with notes of cassis and lavender on the nose. Very primary on the palate with not a lot of depth but very appealing flavors of blue and black fruits buoyed by sweet tannins. Very good value wine and a near-term drinker.
The 2004, 2005 and 2006 were all outstanding efforts at about $12/btl here nowadays - haven’t seen the 2007 yet but if like all other 2007 Rhones it will be a bump up in price, plus the 6.25% sales tax. Nonetheless, I’ll have to give it a try. I think I had the last of my 1998 Quintessence about 2-3 years ago - a deal long by the boards at $8/btl.
Paul, I got a lot of replies on erp much to the same tune. I’m pretty sure my palate wasn’t off on this, as others who tasted with me agreed but I’m going to pick up another bottle to give it a whirl again. Funny how that works out…
Here’s my recent TN. I liked it a lot, but I think it needs a year or two to come together fully. That may be the issue.
2007 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux Terrasses- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Ventoux (6/21/2009)
Deep ruby color. Bright nose of floral perfume and strawberries with some earthy funk that blew off over the first hour. Youthful tannins on the palate, meaty. Got better over ninety minutes. This needs a year or two more, I think, to come together fully, but it’s very pretty now. (90 pts.)
As I said on another BB, I had a 2005-2007 blind Terrasses tasting. The 05 and 07 were similar but I preferred the more meaty, funkier 06. No wood on any of them.
Great wine and one of my all-time QPR favorites. I agree with the post above that to my palate, the 2006 is every bit the equal (and possibly the superior) of the 2007.
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