Best $15.00 bottle of wine I can recall ever having.

Best $15.00 bottle of wine I can recall ever having.

Ripe dark berry fruit supported by ample spice and herbs and balancing acidity. A bit firm at the moment, so could use another year or two, but still delicious now. In short, a very fine value in Cotes du Rhone.

Tasted January 2012.

A beautiful deep violet colour and a nose that definitely tells me that this wine is from the Rhône region with raspberry, black fruit, licorice, black pepper and meaty aromas. Medium to full bodied with 13.5% alcohol, rich and concentrated flavours on the mouthfeel with balanced acidity and aggressive tannins. Lots of power on the finish with licorice, blackberry, spicy flavours and loads of tannins. This is one of those wines which would benefit from 1-2 years in your cellar. There is a lot of depth in this wine; you just need to be patient before fully enjoying this wine.

Enjoyed in Jan 2016, so take the rating in context of 4 yrs ageing.

Not "over the hill" but any juiciness and tension are long gone. Now unstuffed, complexity has largely petered out into an OK Wed vino, albeit with some Rhone typicality and some brightness. Should have drank 2+ years ago