2005 Les Cretes Coteau La Tour

Over the last 6+ months or more, no wine has been more controversial for online wine bloggers other than this wine. Even though the wine received rave reviews from one of the most conservative wine critics (Antonio Galloni), most of the public has been in complete opposition to this wine. I just happened to have two bottles of this wine and couldn't wait to chime in my two cents. So here goes my review,...



2005 Les Cretes Coteau La Tour, Syrah, Valle d'Aosta
Color: Light brick red with sediment.
Nose: Complex nose of peppered beef jerky, tobacco, grapefruit. Smells salty/briny, oyster shell? Charcoal ash. It's red, shouldn't it smell of fruit?
Taste: Light, subtle flavors of bitter sour cherries, and cranberries. Interwoven is lemon zest and/or grapefruit qualities.
Acidity: >Medium/moderate.
Density: Light bodied.
Finish: >Medium.
Alcohol: 13%
Notes: Totally different pedigree of syrah. Good long finish of obscure fruit, citrus, and minerality. Alcohol is perfectly incorporated without being detectable. Very strange nose, but complex
in taste and aromas. Would have never guessed it was syrah blindly. Would never pay the $50 pricetag for this wine. Don't understand why so many people hate this wine and have bashed
it. I think Antonio Galloni was a little over zealous with his rating and completely missed the mark with his tasting notes ("full bodied loaded with ripe dark fruit"-Galloni). I don't taste ripe
dark fruit.
Rating: 91 (AG-92) $48.99