Pale straw in colour. Nose giving some citrus, lime and fresh flowers. On the palate it comes across as slightly creamy with a ton of minerality. As it sat in glass it seemed to become more pinot gris like. Good.
Lighter red in colour. Bright red fruits on the nose with raspberry, cherry and a touch of well integrated oak. In the mouth it gives lots of cranberry with tart red berry fruits. Lighter in body. Hints of tannins, lots of acidity and good length. It’s delicious now but I think it will get better. Excellent. 90+
Dark red in colour, brownish near the rim. Great nose that’s somewhat sweet and seemed Bordeaux-like me, but Coop guess Italy right away. Earthy with black currant, plums, cedar and some slight vegetal notes. This has a good dose of acid. After some time in the glass the notes gave hints of bell pepper. Soft and silky in the mouth. Great now but a long life ahead of it and will probably continue to improve. Excellent. 92+
Dark red with browning hue throughout. Claret nose which makes the ’99 Castello seem much less Bordeaux-like now. Great nose with bell pepper, coffee grinds some tobacco and mature red fruits. Tart red flavours on the palate. Slightly grainy mouth feel. Good amounts of acid and tannin. Drinking very well now. Excellent.
Similar colour to the ’83 Chasse-Spleen. Sweet mature nose...so nice. Mature red fruits with leather and coffee grinds. Flavours of sweet yet mature red currants, tobacco and tea leaves. Velvety mouth feel. Still some structure left but this is probably at its peak and drinking beautifully now. Reminds me of the ’91 Dominus I had recently. Excellent.
Darkest and youngest looking wine yet. On the nose lots of blackberries and plums. Palate offers more dark fruits that are tart and youthful with some noticeable heat. Spicy notes coming through on both the nose and palate. This is a big, young wine with lots of tannin and acid. Slightly riper fruits then I'd expect. Needs 5 more years before taking another look. Very good. 89+
Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige / Veneto, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
Medium red, almost purple, with a pinkish/purple hue at the rim. Wow. This is different. If I can quote Bob... "where is the snow cone?” Pronounced nose of cotton candy and confected ripe fruits. Very ripe and artificial tasting. As other noted, this seemed to disappear on the finish. There seems to be a good amount of fruit and structure here and the potential might be there, but at this point this isn’t a wine that suits my tastes although I’m sure many would like it. Maybe this needs more time? Average.
Dark red at the core, but slightly brownish at the rim. Nose of black and red fruits, saline, liquorice and leather. Mature red fruits on the palates with leather and earthy notes. Tannins are well integrated and there’s a healthy amount of acid. This seems to be just getting into its drinking range. Drinking very well now but will cruise for a long time. Outstanding.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Opened, double decanted back in the bottle, and then served 3 hours later. On the nose, this was easily identifiable as Australian, especially following the Montelena. Lots of developed sweet red fruits with a good dose of eucalyptus. Found the palate to be darker with blackberry and blueberry notes. Solid structure with solid tannins and medium acidity and medium length finish. This is the wine that started my serious interest in vino and it’s nice to see its still showing well. Excellent.
2007 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Gris 87 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Pale straw in colour. Nose giving some citrus, lime and fresh flowers. On the palate it comes across as slightly creamy with a ton of minerality. As it sat in glass it seemed to become more pinot gris like. Good.
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2007 Jacques Puffeney Trousseau Arbois Les Berangères 90 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
Lighter red in colour. Bright red fruits on the nose with raspberry, cherry and a touch of well integrated oak. In the mouth it gives lots of cranberry with tart red berry fruits. Lighter in body. Hints of tannins, lots of acidity and good length. It’s delicious now but I think it will get better. Excellent. 90+
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1999 Castello della Paneretta Quattrocentenario Toscana IGT 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Dark red in colour, brownish near the rim. Great nose that’s somewhat sweet and seemed Bordeaux-like me, but Coop guess Italy right away. Earthy with black currant, plums, cedar and some slight vegetal notes. This has a good dose of acid. After some time in the glass the notes gave hints of bell pepper. Soft and silky in the mouth. Great now but a long life ahead of it and will probably continue to improve. Excellent. 92+
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1983 Château Chasse-Spleen 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Dark red with browning hue throughout. Claret nose which makes the ’99 Castello seem much less Bordeaux-like now. Great nose with bell pepper, coffee grinds some tobacco and mature red fruits. Tart red flavours on the palate. Slightly grainy mouth feel. Good amounts of acid and tannin. Drinking very well now. Excellent.
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1978 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Similar colour to the ’83 Chasse-Spleen. Sweet mature nose...so nice. Mature red fruits with leather and coffee grinds. Flavours of sweet yet mature red currants, tobacco and tea leaves. Velvety mouth feel. Still some structure left but this is probably at its peak and drinking beautifully now. Reminds me of the ’91 Dominus I had recently. Excellent.
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2000 Alter Ego de Palmer 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Darkest and youngest looking wine yet. On the nose lots of blackberries and plums. Palate offers more dark fruits that are tart and youthful with some noticeable heat. Spicy notes coming through on both the nose and palate. This is a big, young wine with lots of tannin and acid. Slightly riper fruits then I'd expect. Needs 5 more years before taking another look. Very good. 89+
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2006 Foradori Granato 84 Points
Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige / Veneto, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
Medium red, almost purple, with a pinkish/purple hue at the rim. Wow. This is different. If I can quote Bob... "where is the snow cone?” Pronounced nose of cotton candy and confected ripe fruits. Very ripe and artificial tasting. As other noted, this seemed to disappear on the finish. There seems to be a good amount of fruit and structure here and the potential might be there, but at this point this isn’t a wine that suits my tastes although I’m sure many would like it. Maybe this needs more time? Average.
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1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Dark red at the core, but slightly brownish at the rim. Nose of black and red fruits, saline, liquorice and leather. Mature red fruits on the palates with leather and earthy notes. Tannins are well integrated and there’s a healthy amount of acid. This seems to be just getting into its drinking range. Drinking very well now but will cruise for a long time. Outstanding.
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1998 St Hallett Cabernet Sauvignon The Reward 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Opened, double decanted back in the bottle, and then served 3 hours later. On the nose, this was easily identifiable as Australian, especially following the Montelena. Lots of developed sweet red fruits with a good dose of eucalyptus. Found the palate to be darker with blackberry and blueberry notes. Solid structure with solid tannins and medium acidity and medium length finish. This is the wine that started my serious interest in vino and it’s nice to see its still showing well. Excellent.
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NV Casal dos Jordoes Porto Organic 10 Year Old Tawny 91 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
No formal notes. Excellent.
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