This was a pleasant surprise. Dominated by very toasty oak verging on Cream of Wheat, smoothing out the 15% alcohol. Very ripe fruit, but enough acidity to avoid flabbiness. Fun now, with some possible upside over the next few years.
Citrus, oak alcohol. Some chardonnay character comes through, and this may come around well in 3 to 5 years. This left an odd, lingering saccharine aftertaste, and I did not have a chance to see if this eventually blew off. No score.
This could have passed for a fine old classified Bordeaux. Beautifully clear and regal to look at. Very secondary, almost tertiary in its nuances, showing leather, green tobacco, earth and truffle, with just a touch of fruit. This was very appealing and a rare pleasure.
I was happy to finally taste this wine. Still so young and primary, full of tannin and tremendous fruit, with everything in place to be a great wine. Very nice and worth seeking out, even at current prices.
This bottle featured the worst of the 1995 vintage: coarse tannins, greenness, lack of stuffing. No score, this bottle may have been off, or just falling apart by the time I got around to tasting it.
Decanted for sediment only, then back in the uncorked bottle for 6 hours. Beautiful clear, ruby-cinnamon color. The nose shows very controlled spirit that lets the wine really sing. This bottle showed remarkably youthful and precise raspberry, chocolate, licorice and spice, but like other great Taylors I've tasted it was also impeccably balanced, with an alluring feminine elegance, leaving me wishing I could drink this all night. This has much life ahead, but we caught this one at a wonderful plateau between youth and full maturity. From a pristine bottle with fill well into the neck, and provenance from Rare Wine Company via Michael Weiss. UK bottled by Hunter and Oliver. This could easily be a perfect bottle.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
(5/21/2010)
Lovely perfume nose. Nice quality of fruit. Firm tannins clamp down through finish. Carries its 15% alcohol very well. I like the potential of this wine in 6 to 10 years. No score for now.
This showed very differently from a bottle tasted a few months ago, featuring more depth of fruit and the potential to be quite good in a few years time.
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
(5/21/2010)
Bitter chocolate and raisin, 16% alcohol, reminiscent of a LBV Port but without the refinement. This may be an off bottle, but I don't drink enough Amarone to know. No score.
Very light in color. Tropical and citrus fruits. The Sauvignon Blanc may be speaking unusually strongly here. Light, clean, a very refreshing style, perhaps more Spatlese than Sauternes, but I would gladly enjoy this as an aperitif or with appetizers.
Opened and recorked 2 days. Nice deep cherry color. Plentiful oak and fruit of high quality. Mouthcoating but fine tannins, and borderline alcohol. Hold 4 to 8 years. Nice.
2007 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 90 Points
Spain, Murcia, Jumilla
(5/21/2010)
This was a pleasant surprise. Dominated by very toasty oak verging on Cream of Wheat, smoothing out the 15% alcohol. Very ripe fruit, but enough acidity to avoid flabbiness. Fun now, with some possible upside over the next few years.
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2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
(5/21/2010)
Citrus, oak alcohol. Some chardonnay character comes through, and this may come around well in 3 to 5 years. This left an odd, lingering saccharine aftertaste, and I did not have a chance to see if this eventually blew off. No score.
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1994 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(5/21/2010)
Very expressive nose. Palate was initially very secondary, with fruit emerging late and carrying into a Kirsch finish. Drink soon. No score.
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1998 Cameron Rouge Clos Electrique 91 Points
USA, Oregon
(5/21/2010)
This had the profile of a very pleasant aged pinot noir, just a bit short on the finish.
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1982 Joseph Phelps Insignia 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/21/2010)
This could have passed for a fine old classified Bordeaux. Beautifully clear and regal to look at. Very secondary, almost tertiary in its nuances, showing leather, green tobacco, earth and truffle, with just a touch of fruit. This was very appealing and a rare pleasure.
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1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/21/2010)
I was happy to finally taste this wine. Still so young and primary, full of tannin and tremendous fruit, with everything in place to be a great wine. Very nice and worth seeking out, even at current prices.
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1995 Château Léoville Barton
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
(5/22/2010)
This bottle featured the worst of the 1995 vintage: coarse tannins, greenness, lack of stuffing. No score, this bottle may have been off, or just falling apart by the time I got around to tasting it.
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1955 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage 97 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(5/21/2010)
Decanted for sediment only, then back in the uncorked bottle for 6 hours. Beautiful clear, ruby-cinnamon color. The nose shows very controlled spirit that lets the wine really sing. This bottle showed remarkably youthful and precise raspberry, chocolate, licorice and spice, but like other great Taylors I've tasted it was also impeccably balanced, with an alluring feminine elegance, leaving me wishing I could drink this all night. This has much life ahead, but we caught this one at a wonderful plateau between youth and full maturity. From a pristine bottle with fill well into the neck, and provenance from Rare Wine Company via Michael Weiss. UK bottled by Hunter and Oliver. This could easily be a perfect bottle.
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2006 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto Toscana IGT 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
(5/22/2010)
Layers of fruit, very drying tannins, and an overall pleasing package that should be very nice in 6 to 8 years.
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2005 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
(5/21/2010)
Lovely perfume nose. Nice quality of fruit. Firm tannins clamp down through finish. Carries its 15% alcohol very well. I like the potential of this wine in 6 to 10 years. No score for now.
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1983 Dow Porto Vintage
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(5/22/2010)
This bottle was surprisingly youthful, almost primary. The 10-hour decant was perhaps not enough. No score.
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1999 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/22/2010)
This showed very differently from a bottle tasted a few months ago, featuring more depth of fruit and the potential to be quite good in a few years time.
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1998 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
(5/21/2010)
Bitter chocolate and raisin, 16% alcohol, reminiscent of a LBV Port but without the refinement. This may be an off bottle, but I don't drink enough Amarone to know. No score.
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2005 Château Guiraud 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
(5/22/2010)
Very light in color. Tropical and citrus fruits. The Sauvignon Blanc may be speaking unusually strongly here. Light, clean, a very refreshing style, perhaps more Spatlese than Sauternes, but I would gladly enjoy this as an aperitif or with appetizers.
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2003 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
(5/23/2010)
Opened and recorked 2 days. Nice deep cherry color. Plentiful oak and fruit of high quality. Mouthcoating but fine tannins, and borderline alcohol. Hold 4 to 8 years. Nice.
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