Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.
Tasted Monday, December 13, 2010 by Loren Sonkin with 947 views
Introduction
Yesterday my friend Kemp invited a group of us over to celebrate his 65th birthday. Everyone brought a bottle, Kemp provided a bunch more including two birth year wines. I did not score those wines as any wine as old as that gets an automatic 100 as far as I am concerned. The rest of the wines had highs and lows. Thanks Kemp for the invite. I look forward to more celebrations with every one in the future.
I took notes, but there was so much, detailed notes were beyond me. These are more my initial thoughts and comments. These are in the order I drank them.
2000 Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Terres de Noel Blanc de Blancs Brut 91 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Very nice starter. Crisp, clean. A bit of seltzer with nice citrusy notes. Good balance. Nice mousse with small/medium bubbles.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 90 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Drinking well. Richters 01's seem to age a bit faster than many and this is in its mature stage. Plenty of petrol and minerality. That's fine with me. I liked it a lot. Good sweetness without being over powering. Nice balance.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Peay Vineyards Chardonnay Estate 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Maybe it was coming after the sweet Riesling, but this wasn't as good a showing as most Peay's I have had. It seemed bitter and lacking fruit. Perhaps its gotten a bit old or was not a pristine bottle. Certainly good and drinkable, but under performing.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords 91 Points
France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
What can I say. I love this wine. Great QPR. Complexity, fruit, layered and interesting, all for under $20. Even on a cold winter's day, its delicious.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1999 Massa Vecchia Maremma Toscana La Fonte di Pietrarsa 89 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana
One of Kemp's finds in his cellar. Sweaty nose with nice cherries. Complex and tasty. Dried cherries. Layered. Nice finish. Went well with food.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten 83 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Others liked this more than I and the group seemed split. Earthy nose with some VA. Black raspberries that are slightly bitter. Burns with alcohol going down. Disjointed. But, as I said, others had this as one of their favorites, so take my note with a grain of salt.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Poissenot 78 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
I heard some talking about how this had no greenies, but by the time I got to it, they were roaring. Some complex cherries, especially on the palate, but the nose was marred by greenies and the palate as well. Clearly a matter of individual susceptibleness.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2003 Camille Giroud Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Guérets Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru
Corked.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Domaine Besson Beaune 1er Cru Les Champs Pimont Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
My contributuion. :-( Corked. However I did give the birthday boy a sneak preview barrel sample of the 09 Sonkincellars, so i hope he liked that better.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
I thought this was very good. Much more restrained than I expected. Earthy and spiced on the nose. Complex with good balanced cherry fruit on the palate. Nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Still needs time or air. Great nose of tar, and cherries with some funk. On the palate, this is tight but complex. Cherries, dried cherries and tar. Some heat on the finish that I suspect smooths out with air.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Spottswoode Estate Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
My WOTN. Wow! I was just saying that the 2000 Cabs (the better ones) have really developed into interesting wines. They never had a ton of fruit and drink more like aged Bordeaux. This was great. Cassis and tobacco featured on a complex nose. Layered fruit and crunchy forest floor on the palate. Excellent balance. Strong finish. Loved it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Drinking great albeit young. Great nose; roses, tar, leather and cherries. The palate is still mostly cherries with some tree twigs underneath. Smooth and great texture. Needs time.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1999 Château Trotanoy 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Delicious wine. I don't know if it improves from here. Great nose. Accessible. Not the most complex, but really delicious and has great texture. Smooth. Perhaps it gains some complexity but there is still fruit here.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Château Sociando-Mallet 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
This was good but far from maturity. It has a lot of cassis and some complexity. Soft and a lot of tannins. Needs five years IMO at least. I think it gets better but the crowd was divided.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1959 Château Pontet-Canet
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
A real treat provided by Jeff King. This was still in business and doing nicely. The nose is classic old Bordeaux with a pleasant musty quality, slight funk and plenty of tobacco. Even a bit of cherries. More cherries and dried cherries on the palate. Layered and complex. Good showing.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1945 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Not as youthful as a bottle I had earlier this year. Truth be told, I had doubts about that one's authenticity. This seemed more believable. The nose is very nice. Earthy, come cassis, green tobacco, and a sweaty quality. Very complex. The palate was not quite as good, but certainly still alive and drinking well. Lots of forest floor qualities intermixed with bits of cherries. Nicely balanced and a wonderful tribute to Kemp's birth year!
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1945 Jean Bourdy Côtes du Jura Rouge
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
Apparently recorked (and topped?) off a couple of years ago. The nose is dusty, spicy with some cranberries. On the palate, cranberries and a whole bunch of tannins. Certainly mature, but the tannins were so strong I was surprised. That said, I think I liked this more than the crowd. It was very interesting and certainly not drinking like a 65 year old wine. I doubt it would ever have pleased those who did not like it now, as I doubt it ever was a hedonistic wine. Quite a privilege to drink.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Paul Lato Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
This was served from Magnum. It is very young and I bet drinking much better today. Spicy nose with black raspberries and leather. Very deep. On the palate, monolithic but really enjoyable and hedonistic. Huge velvety texture. Loads of fruit. This is fun, and I bet in five years, a knock out. Even at this point, i loved it!
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Blankiet Estate Merlot Paradise Hills Vineyard 85 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
What a disappointment. Nice nose but the palate is bitter boysenberries. Lots of oak. no balance. I know there are some who will love this. Not me. At some point, i could drink this, but as I was trying to get thru all the wines, I dumped my glass.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Andrew Geoffrey Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
A wine I have had before and this wass a nice showing. The nose has some funk, cassis and tobacco. It is oft on the palate with lots of tannins, but it somehow manages to unwind a bit in the glass. I don't think it gets better from here, so I would drink up.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1999 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore
Good showing for this wine. Classic Bordeaux nose. Funk, cassis, leather and green pepper. Slightly green notes on the palate along with nice cassis and forest floor. Starting to enter maturity. No hurry but drinking well today. Still could use some cellaring.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Pax Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Funny, this was big and jammy but the acidity was so lively, it woke my palate up. Full bodied and could use a couple of years. Lots of black raspberry fruit. Some heat on the finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Aida Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 81 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
The nose has cassis turning to camphor and not that pleasant. Soft and chalky on the palate. Lots of cocoa and oak. This is sweet and manipulated. I don't often resort to Frankenwine as a term, but this was one. That said, others would like it. Kind of a high end Yellow Tail?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Col Solare 88 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Lou and I were talking. We used to really like this wine but around 1999, something changed, not sure what. Any way, I tried this wine with trepidation and found it nice. Not great, but nice. Dusty and cassis on the nose. Some cherries. Nice balanced. A little oak on the palate. Decent wine. I am sure its still expensive, but if it were closer to $15 I would buy it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2003 Domaine La Bouïssiere Vacqueyras 85 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras
Big, ripe and raisiny. Plenty of tannins. Not a style I particularly like. I was not surprised to see it was an 03. Lots of fruit and decent texture.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Elio Altare Langhe La Villa 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
I liked this wine but found it quite cab like. I think this is a Nebbiolo/Barbera blend. It was ripe and very modern. It had plenty of dark cherry flavors. Some complexity. Very tasty. Perhaps no sense of place, but I enjoyed it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva Culmen 85 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Big ass bottle. Certainly over compensating for a lack of something. The wine is thin and lacks anything of interest. Its drinkable and has some cherry fruit. That's about it. I may be too hard on it, but its not old world or new world. It just misses for my tastes. Didn't hear any positive comments either. I have had this wine before and been disappointed as well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue