2005 Cote Rotie Terres Sombres
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The 2005 Cote Rotie Terres Sombres has a denser ruby/purple color, more of the floral, black cherry, smoky character of Cote Rotie with some noticeable new oak. The wine offers good acidity, big, muscular, medium to full-bodied flavors, and a firm, structured finish. Give it 2-3 years, then keep your fingers crossed and hope all the tannins get absorbed. It should last for 12-15 more years. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990
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Robert Parker
Josh Raynolds
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Dark purple. Ripe boysenberry, candied violet, licorice and espresso on the nose, with a seductive vanilla quality gaining strength with aeration. Weighty dark fruit flavors are impressive for their clarity and balance, becoming more vibrant on the close. There's excellent structure and solidity here, but also an inviting sweetness.
Inky violet. Powerful cassis, mulberry and candied plum scents are accented by exotic oak spice and tobacco. Full, deep and sweet, showing ripe dark fruit flavors and rich chocolate and espresso tones, and finishing with rounded tannins and outstanding length. A big guy, but with impressive balance too.