| | Crown's semi-annual higher end tasting did not disappoint, though tough to taste even half the wines during the two hour event. I arrived late, so I only had 1hr 40 min to get these in. Wish I had spent less time on the chardonnays as I missed some nice CA and AUS cabs and shiraz. Champagne / Sparkling Wine - N.V. Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Premier - France, Champagne
A full bodied Champagne with flavors of apple and bread dough, a nice balance of fruit & acidity, and a medium length finish. (90 pts.)
- N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P. - France, Champagne
A lighter body style with bright apple and pear notes and higher than average acidity. (88 pts.)
- 1999 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
I thought this sparkler was somewhat unbalanced due to excessive acidity that also resulted in a sharp, unpleasant finish. Not my style. (85 pts.)
- N.V. Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
A medium bodied style with somewhat higher acidity and a sharp finish. (87 pts.)
- N.V. Pol Roger Champagne Brut Réserve - France, Champagne
Very nice nose, with a hint of sweetness on the palate, and nicely balanced on the medium body frame. (88 pts.)
- N.V. Henri Abele Champagne Brut Cuvée Spéciale - France, Champagne
Full bodied, creamy mouthfeel, with low acidity and more forward fruit than some. A style I like. (89 pts.)
- N.V. Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut - Italy, Lombardia, Franciacorta DOCG
A light to medium body sparkler, that is creamy with low acidity. (88 pts.)
- 1996 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame - France, Champagne
I found the nose of this to be exquisite, giving it away as a quality vintage Champagne. Medium bodied, with fairly high acidity, with layers of fruit and yeast lingering on the long, complex finish. (92 pts.)
Chardonnay & Other Whites - 2006 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley
Bright, intense nose that comes across almost sweet, then a wonderful palate with lots of citrus and crisp acidity. (91 pts.)
- 2004 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Reserve - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Fairly prominent oak and lots of butter, with some nice fruit and balancing acidity on a medium body frame. (89 pts.)
- 2005 Miner Family Chardonnay Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley
Controlled use of oak in a nicely balanced package with good fruit and medium body. (90 pts.)
- 2006 Forman Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley
Medium body, with judicious use of oak, somewhat restrained fruit, and a crisp mouthfeel, so I'm thinking this saw little, if any, malo fermentation. More of a Burgundian style, much to my liking. (92 pts.)
- 2005 Mer Soleil Chardonnay - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Full bodied, and big in the oak and butter categories, but still nicely balanced, even though it's a style I do not prefer. (90 pts.)
- 2005 Robert Young Estate Winery Chardonnay - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Not too oaky, with nice fruit, but it had a sharp finish I found unappealing. (87 pts.)
- 2005 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Cahill Lane - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
More full bodied than I expected for a RRV chard, with some nice acidity. There is also some oak and and matchstick notes that others mentioned. (89 pts.)
- 2005 Saintsbury Chardonnay Brown Ranch - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Full bodied, with controlled oak and nice balance. Nice mouthfeel and finish. (90 pts.)
- 2005 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Jayson - USA, California, North Coast
Medium body, with judicious oak and some balancing acidity in a nice package. (91 pts.)
- 2005 E. Guigal Condrieu - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu
Nice floral nose, and lusher than expected. Flavors of melon with medium body and finish. (91 pts.)
- 2001 Domaine des Rémizières Hermitage Blanc Cuvée Émilie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Not floral as expected, but with a nice, creamy mouthfeel featuring honey and melon flavors. Clean medium length finish. (89 pts.)
Pinot Noir - 2005 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Brown Ranch - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
A lovely nose, and very smooth and well balanced on the medium body frame. While a very well made wine, I felt it lacked the intensity and finish I expect for its price. (90 pts.)
- 2006 Kent Rasmussen Pinot Noir Carneros - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Bing cherries and high acidity with a sharp finish. Probably too soon to evaluate fairly. (87 pts.)
- 2005 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir Cahill Lane - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
My favorite pinot of the tasting. Very nice nose, well balanced and complex with good intensity and flavors of dark cherries on a smooth, long finish. (92 pts.)
- 2005 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir First Class - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Medium body, well balanced, elegant wine with a long finish. (90 pts.)
- 2005 MacRostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
High acidity, making it a little off balance and has a sharp finish with a little heat. (87 pts.)
- 2006 Coleman Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
A little sharp, with earthiness and some bing and sour cherries on a medium body and medium length finish. (88 pts.)
- 2005 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Carneros - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Light to medium body, with some earth notes and dark cherry flavors that lack intensity. (87 pts.)
- 2002 Remoissenet Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Marconnets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Nice concentration and fruit forward for a Burgandy with dark cherry and earth notes. A little hot on the finish, but this was tasted too warm. (88 pts.)
Spanish - 2004 Costers del Siurana Priorat Clos de L'Obac - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Surprisingly smooth at this stage, though the tannins are prominent, and the wine has very good structure. It has a some acidity, though is very well balanced, and comes across as an elegant wine even now, which will only be more emphasized down the road. (93 pts.)
- 2005 Melis Priorat Elix - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Tannins and fairly high acidity will need some time to age to settle down. Full body, with black cherry flavors, and some heat on the long finish. (91 pts.)
- 2003 Finca Allende Rioja Calvario - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Intense cherry fruit, that is well structured and elegant with a smooth finish. More of a New World style Rioja, with less earthiness than many others. (92 pts.)
- 2003 Campo Eliseo Toro - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro
This was the Spanish wine that was drinking the best, though I think a couple of others will surpass it over time. A rich, full bodied wine featuring dark cherry flavors in a smooth package with a nice, long finish. (93 pts.)
- 2004 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
A very dark wine with good intensity for a tempranillo. Was probably too warm when tasted, but came across as acidic, with a sharp, hot finish. (88 pts.)
Bordeaux Please excuse the overly brief notes as I had to rush to get these in before the tasting ended. - 2001 Château Bellisle Mondotte - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Medium body, sharp finish. Unexciting. (86 pts.)
- 2004 Château Branaire-Ducru - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Medium to full body, making it somewhat bigger than I expected for the vintage and the producer, with a fair amount of acidity right now. (90 pts.)
- 2001 Château Batailley - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Cedar nose, classic Pauillac profile, with a little acidity on medium body and medium length finish. Drinking well now and should improve more in the coming years. (89 pts.)
- 2001 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
I found this a little lighter than expected and with a fairly high acidity level. Should improve some more down the road, but not at it's best right now. (89 pts.)
- 2001 Château Monbousquet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Low acidity, with cherry flavors and a leathery finish. (91 pts.)
- 1999 Château La Croix St. Georges - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Nice Pomerol for the vintage. Drinking well right now. (90 pts.)
- 1998 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Still some tannins to resolve with more time, but drinking OK now, with nice complexity and intensity, with prominent notes of graphite, stones, and dark fruit. (92 pts.)
Cabs, Syrah, and other Reds - 2003 Robert Keenan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
This was better than expected. Lush dark fruit with a medium to long length finish without any of the green notes found in many wines from the vintage. (92 pts.)
- 2003 Black Sears Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Found this to be a pretty nice wine, but not as good as many others at its price. (90 pts.)
- 2004 Massena Shiraz The Eleventh Hour - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
I will withhold any score as I was only able to get a quick taste and not do this justice, but it struck me as fairly acidic (certainly unusual for an Aussie wine), and lighter body than I expected. I seek out Aussies that are more restained in style and this certainly seems to be in that mold. I wasn't particularly impressed, though I hope to have a future tasting to better gauge this one.
- 2004 Glen Eldon Shiraz Dry Bore - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Flavors of plum and blackberry on a full body frame with a sweet entry and controlled fruit, then finishing clean with some oak and vanilla notes. (90 pts.)
- 2004 Saint Cosme Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Medium body and lacking intensity or finish. (87 pts.)
- 2004 Saint Cosme St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
This was a little thin in the mid palate, but overall a good N. Rhone with a little of the classic bacon fat and smoke flavors associated with the region's wines. (88 pts.)
- 2004 Domaine Combier Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
A nose with barnyard notes. On the palate, it's earthy with sharp cherry flavors with medium body and finish. Very Old World style, would go well with lamb. (90 pts.)
- 2003 Boroli Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Color is a light garnet. Has the expected acidity, but also has nice fruit that comes across almost sweet. Nice, zesty finish. (89 pts.)
- 2006 Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec - Argentina, Mendoza
Nice ripe fruit of blackberry, with low acid and tannins, with a smooth finish. (87 pts.)
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