I fairly unimpressive wine. Nice color, heavy body but that is about all it has going for it. If you like the idea of drinking a grape flavoured popcycle, then you will love this wine. If you have any of this, drink now through the next 3 to 5 years.

A lot of us like popsicles.

PSF ---

I believe that's Popsicle and not popcycle!

Anyway, I have 16 bottles of the 2004 Clio (thanks to my wife), and evidently, I really enjoy it more than you... I guess that's "each to his own", and that's good; but having problems with Clio when you're a Petite Syrah fan does give me pause! Ever try a Turley Hayne Petite Syrah?

However, WA rates the 2004 Clio 97 points, WS rates it 92, and I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. Still, this is not a wine I'd take to Ruth's Chris, but it is definitely a crowd pleaser with friends, and especially if served with fruits, and a full variety of cheeses....Also it is very good with Lasagne, and other spicey dishes.

I suggest that you give it another try.

These are some interesting remarks; both on this TN thread, and the TN link that Board-O attached.

2005 will be my first experience with Clio. I have been tempted recently to open one of mine, but I have resisted. I don't know that I have another bottle in my cellar that has me as curious as this one.

I'm w Petitesyrahfan on this one. Easy pass unless you really like wood extract and dark thick sweet grape extract mixed together with a huge shot of alcohol. It's very much in the manner of an over the top and unbalanced Australian wine. And I love Australian wines - had 2 tonight. For the same money you can get such great and long-lived Spanish wines I just don't understand this one.

quote:

Originally posted by PetiteSyrahFan:
I fairly unimpressive wine. Nice color, heavy body but that is about all it has going for it. If you like the idea of drinking a grape flavoured popcycle, then you will love this wine. If you have any of this, drink now through the next 3 to 5 years.

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
PSF ---

I believe that's Popsicle and not popcycle!

Anyway, I have 16 bottles of the 2004 Clio (thanks to my wife), and evidently, I really enjoy it more than you... I guess that's "each to his own", and that's good; but having problems with Clio when you're a Petite Syrah fan does give me pause! Ever try a Turley Hayne Petite Syrah?

However, WA rates the 2004 Clio 97 points, WS rates it 92, and I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. Still, this is not a wine I'd take to Ruth's Chris, but it is definitely a crowd pleaser with friends, and especially if served with fruits, and a full variety of cheeses....Also it is very good with Lasagne, and other spicey dishes.

I suggest that you give it another try.

My taste in wine has changed considerably when I first started getting into this a few years ago. I have gone from closely following what the wine critics review, to now where I really do not care what they review it as, I know what I like. Some of the wines I like the critics like, for example Monte Bello, Dunn, Togni, Montelena and at times Mount Eden. Others I like that I think are very good wines, but not popular with the critics are Mayacamas, Clos du Val, Heitz, Corison, Graeser and a few others.

At first I liked Petite Syrahs/Sirah and big fruity wines, but then I started tasting more balanced wines made traditionally and when paired with the appropriate dinner, they are oh so good. The only thing I can think of that this Clio would pair nicely with would be a real sweet desert, and at that point, why bother when you can have a Port instead.

As for my user name, I have thought about changing it, but why cause confusion, that is the main reason I have kept it. I guess if I were to change my user name, it would be something stating my passion for old world styled wines or traditional styled wines.

PetiteSyrahFan

Great explanation, PSF! I also like those Cabs you mentioned. However, I personally don't like real sweet wines with desserts. I prefer them with cheese, nuts, and fruit, but I seldom drink dessert wines.

The Clio is a big wine with a sweet finish and I would really suggest you try it again with a nice spicey dish, especially with a tomato based sauce dish, like Lasagna. The high acidity of the tomato handles the Clio, or vise versa, and compliments. (have some Mylanta close at hand)

BTW, one more suggestion-----if you do change you moniker, be sure to consider keeping your new moniker short to save yourself some time. PetiteSyrahFan is a trick to type with those three words & three Caps!

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
PetiteSyrahFan

Great explanation, PSF! I also like those Cabs you mentioned. However, I personally don't like real sweet wines with desserts. I prefer them with cheese, nuts, and fruit, but I seldom drink dessert wines.

The Clio is a big wine with a sweet finish and I would really suggest you try it again with a nice spicey dish, especially with a tomato based sauce dish, like Lasagna. The high acidity of the tomato handles the Clio, or vise versa, and compliments. (have some Mylanta close at hand)

BTW, one more suggestion-----if you do change you moniker, be sure to consider keeping your new moniker short to save yourself some time. PetiteSyrahFan is a trick to type with those three words & three Caps!

I am undecided on changing my username at this point. But, seriously, my palate has changed, I am very confident in what I like, when my wine advocate subscription comes up, I will not renew. Right now, I can hardly wait for my Mayacamas mailer to come. When I last talked to them, they said there is a good chance that their '04 to '07, and given the weather their '08 vintages all have the chance at being under 13.0% alc., they think it could drop back down to 12.5%

It has been easier for me to find Bordeaux I like, and while I have only been in to loving wine for a few years, it has taken me a lot longer to find California wines I like, but the research, time and efforts have been well worth it.

When it comes to wine critics, my guess is, if I MUST, I will probably subscribe to Tanzer's publication.