Tasted blind – When this was first poured we thought this might be corked as there was a hint of TCA-like aromas but it was well masked by notes of mushroom, earth and citrus fruits. Richer mouthfeel and quite dry. As it opened in the glass the funk/mushroom notes became less obvious and the TCA became more apparent. Too bad as it seemed like a good one.
Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA
Tasted blind – Ripe and tropical fruit nose with quite a bit of oak. Decent on the palate but too ripe and oaky for my tastes. Others seemed to like it a good deal more than I did. Average.
Tasted blind – Mango and pear on the nose with an interesting tomato soup note and hints of coconut. Not much acid on the palate with similar flavours as the nose. Average.
Tasted blind – At first I thought this had a chard-like nose but after tasting it and letting it open up I quickly realized that was a foolish guess. Ripe and sweeter fruit nose with richer fruit on the palate and low to medium acidity. Despite the lower acidity finishes fairly fresh and with a touch of sweetness. This was a great pairing with the Arctic char. Very good.
Tasted blind – Ripe nose of blueberry and blackberry that had me thinking Australian. Sweeter purple fruit on the palate with a grapey and dark raspberry finish. Tannins are fully resolved with decent acidity and a medium length finish. Some warmth on the palate with a smooth mouthfeel. This is a dark, ripe and sweeter wine that’s ready to drink now. Good.
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Tasted blind – Vanilla pudding nose with dark fruits, nuts and a hint of herbs. Candied fruits on the palate which are quite ripe. Smooth and lengthy with mostly resolved structure. A delicious wine and one with a decent bit of complexity but still not my favorite style of wine (others at the table liked this wine a lot more than I did). Good.
Tasted blind – This was served alongside my wine (’96 Lynch Bages) so even though it seemed obviously Bordeaux to me, I may have been influenced by my knowledge as others didn’t peg this as Bordeaux right away. Nose of riper Bordeaux fruit with coffee and graphite notes. A touch warm on the palate with fairly resolved tannins. This seemed much riper than the ’96 LB and perhaps would have shown better had it been served on its own. Drink now and for another five years. Very good.
This smelt like classic claret (especially when compared with the ’02 Pontet-Canet) with notes of cedar, tobacco, cassis and a hint of bell pepper. Fine tannins with nice acidity add some lift to the easy-going and lighter styled fruit on the palate. Drinking very well now and should continue to do so over the next 5-10 years. Excellent.
Tasted blind – Ripe Aussie nose with very sweet and grapey fruit on the palate. Finish was even sweeter. Simple and too sweet for me. Not a fan of this.
Tasted blind – lighter golden colour. Mango and candied apricot on the nose with a hint of crème brulee and quite a bit of botrytis honey too. Really nice acidity on the palate keeping the sweeter and concentrated profile in check. Long spicy finish. Fun to taste alongside the ’75 but this one needs another 5-10 years. Excellent. 90+
Tasted blind – golden/amber colour (a few shades darker than the ’99). Caramel nose with apricot, charred lemon and a hint of pine. Less ripe than the ’99 but also has a touch less perceivable acidity. Really well balanced and drinking beautifully right now. Excellent.
NV Michel Arnould & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Flawed
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind – When this was first poured we thought this might be corked as there was a hint of TCA-like aromas but it was well masked by notes of mushroom, earth and citrus fruits. Richer mouthfeel and quite dry. As it opened in the glass the funk/mushroom notes became less obvious and the TCA became more apparent. Too bad as it seemed like a good one.
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2009 Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard 84 Points
Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA
Tasted blind – Ripe and tropical fruit nose with quite a bit of oak. Decent on the palate but too ripe and oaky for my tastes. Others seemed to like it a good deal more than I did. Average.
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2007 Bodegas Julián Chivite Navarra Coleccion 125 82 Points
Spain, Navarra
Tasted blind – Mango and pear on the nose with an interesting tomato soup note and hints of coconut. Not much acid on the palate with similar flavours as the nose. Average.
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2009 Weingut Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibenberg 89 Points
Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Tasted blind – At first I thought this had a chard-like nose but after tasting it and letting it open up I quickly realized that was a foolish guess. Ripe and sweeter fruit nose with richer fruit on the palate and low to medium acidity. Despite the lower acidity finishes fairly fresh and with a touch of sweetness. This was a great pairing with the Arctic char. Very good.
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2000 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind – Ripe nose of blueberry and blackberry that had me thinking Australian. Sweeter purple fruit on the palate with a grapey and dark raspberry finish. Tannins are fully resolved with decent acidity and a medium length finish. Some warmth on the palate with a smooth mouthfeel. This is a dark, ripe and sweeter wine that’s ready to drink now. Good.
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2001 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 87 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Tasted blind – Vanilla pudding nose with dark fruits, nuts and a hint of herbs. Candied fruits on the palate which are quite ripe. Smooth and lengthy with mostly resolved structure. A delicious wine and one with a decent bit of complexity but still not my favorite style of wine (others at the table liked this wine a lot more than I did). Good.
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2002 Château Pontet-Canet 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted blind – This was served alongside my wine (’96 Lynch Bages) so even though it seemed obviously Bordeaux to me, I may have been influenced by my knowledge as others didn’t peg this as Bordeaux right away. Nose of riper Bordeaux fruit with coffee and graphite notes. A touch warm on the palate with fairly resolved tannins. This seemed much riper than the ’96 LB and perhaps would have shown better had it been served on its own. Drink now and for another five years. Very good.
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1996 Château Lynch-Bages 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This smelt like classic claret (especially when compared with the ’02 Pontet-Canet) with notes of cedar, tobacco, cassis and a hint of bell pepper. Fine tannins with nice acidity add some lift to the easy-going and lighter styled fruit on the palate. Drinking very well now and should continue to do so over the next 5-10 years. Excellent.
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1994 Henschke Keyneton Estate 75 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Tasted blind – Ripe Aussie nose with very sweet and grapey fruit on the palate. Finish was even sweeter. Simple and too sweet for me. Not a fan of this.
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1999 Château Suduiraut 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Tasted blind – lighter golden colour. Mango and candied apricot on the nose with a hint of crème brulee and quite a bit of botrytis honey too. Really nice acidity on the palate keeping the sweeter and concentrated profile in check. Long spicy finish. Fun to taste alongside the ’75 but this one needs another 5-10 years. Excellent. 90+
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1975 Château Suduiraut 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Tasted blind – golden/amber colour (a few shades darker than the ’99). Caramel nose with apricot, charred lemon and a hint of pine. Less ripe than the ’99 but also has a touch less perceivable acidity. Really well balanced and drinking beautifully right now. Excellent.
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