USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Popped and poured. Really delicious - pear-driven fruit, great acidity, heavy but integrated oak. Blind, I never would have guessed Chardonnay - this tastes a lot like a white Rhone blend, heavy on the Viognier. It has a few of the same trappings - a slightly oily texture and a bit of heat, but for being a bull in a china shop, it's delicious. Ready to drink, would definitely last longer.
My first La La! Decanted two hours. Not giving up much on the nose. On the palate, it's still tight, but there's an explosion of complex flavors buzzing like angry bees around a red raspberry core. Very light on its feet without being thin, with acidity that turns a little puckery on the finish. Medium tannins, and the oak was fairly tied in. This score reflects how it drank last night, which is probably nothing like it'll be in 5-10 years.
Decanted two hours. I'd built Grange up in my mind as existing in a parallel universe from regular Aussie Shiraz, so at first I was slightly disappointed on this to find that the same elements were there. But I quickly realized that it was just a starting point - the complexity unraveled and hit me over the head with all sorts of subtle but bizarre flavors. The acidity was excellent, which saved the very ripe core from being overpowering. Very oaky, but in a creamy and delicious way. The finish sails on. I feel like this is at or near peak, but I don't exactly have years of Grange experience to show me where this is going. Great stuff, though.
You know it's a good night where *this* is being used to rinse out glasses. I only got a quick sip, but I loved it - the typical 2007 ripeness and balanced structure, with a dark fruit and a heavy hand on the creamy oak. A++ would try again
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
I'm quickly growing to recognize the Washington Syrah style - this is it to the core. Compressed flavors, light on the ripeness spectrum without being lean or green, and elegant without being flashy. I wish I could come up with a better word than "pool" to describe that distinctive flavor I get for these wines, but I'll use it here as a placeholder. Nice stuff.
Yikes. Sanguis can do no wrong. Decanted this two hours, and it was singing. A strong chocolate note, very ripe, but surprisingly red fruit based. California to the bone, with non-jammy ripeness, blueberry notes, massive complexity, and a very high delicious factor. A stunning wine.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Honestly, a little disappointing given what it was, but that could easily have been a shot palate. It struck me as downright sweet and somewhat lacking in complexity. That said, if you look at it for what it is, it's a very tasty wine.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Wow, this is great stuff. The beauty of this is in the lack of over-ripeness - it doesn't drink so much like a dessert wine as a very ripe table wine with great acidity. Pears for days. Gorgeous balance.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
We popped this beside the 2002, and I was excited because this is supposedly the best vintage since 1995. It's entirely possible that it's not ready yet, but in comparison to the 2002, this is way too sweet and not acidic enough. It's also more driven by young peach-style fruit, which should mellow out, but I can't imagine that this will get more balanced in the sweet-acid department. Fingers crossed.
NV Delamotte Champagne Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Just a nice, easy, delicious Champagne. Great acid.
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2008 Sanguis The Narrow & Straight 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Popped and poured. Really delicious - pear-driven fruit, great acidity, heavy but integrated oak. Blind, I never would have guessed Chardonnay - this tastes a lot like a white Rhone blend, heavy on the Viognier. It has a few of the same trappings - a slightly oily texture and a bit of heat, but for being a bull in a china shop, it's delicious. Ready to drink, would definitely last longer.
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2006 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
My first La La! Decanted two hours. Not giving up much on the nose. On the palate, it's still tight, but there's an explosion of complex flavors buzzing like angry bees around a red raspberry core. Very light on its feet without being thin, with acidity that turns a little puckery on the finish. Medium tannins, and the oak was fairly tied in. This score reflects how it drank last night, which is probably nothing like it'll be in 5-10 years.
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2003 Penfolds Grange 96 Points
Australia, South Australia
Decanted two hours. I'd built Grange up in my mind as existing in a parallel universe from regular Aussie Shiraz, so at first I was slightly disappointed on this to find that the same elements were there. But I quickly realized that it was just a starting point - the complexity unraveled and hit me over the head with all sorts of subtle but bizarre flavors. The acidity was excellent, which saved the very ripe core from being overpowering. Very oaky, but in a creamy and delicious way. The finish sails on. I feel like this is at or near peak, but I don't exactly have years of Grange experience to show me where this is going. Great stuff, though.
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2007 Guarachi Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
You know it's a good night where *this* is being used to rinse out glasses. I only got a quick sip, but I loved it - the typical 2007 ripeness and balanced structure, with a dark fruit and a heavy hand on the creamy oak. A++ would try again
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2008 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 92 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
I'm quickly growing to recognize the Washington Syrah style - this is it to the core. Compressed flavors, light on the ripeness spectrum without being lean or green, and elegant without being flashy. I wish I could come up with a better word than "pool" to describe that distinctive flavor I get for these wines, but I'll use it here as a placeholder. Nice stuff.
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2008 Betz Family Syrah La Côte Rousse 92 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
Very similar to the Cayuse in both taste and quality.
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2005 Zaca Mesa Syrah Black Bear Block 90 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
This probably didn't get a fair shake after such a lineup, but I enjoyed it. It lacked in complexity, but it made it up in pure deliciousness.
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2006 Sanguis Waxing Poetic 96 Points
USA, California, Central Coast
Yikes. Sanguis can do no wrong. Decanted this two hours, and it was singing. A strong chocolate note, very ripe, but surprisingly red fruit based. California to the bone, with non-jammy ripeness, blueberry notes, massive complexity, and a very high delicious factor. A stunning wine.
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2007 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Honestly, a little disappointing given what it was, but that could easily have been a shot palate. It struck me as downright sweet and somewhat lacking in complexity. That said, if you look at it for what it is, it's a very tasty wine.
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2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 95 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Wow, this is great stuff. The beauty of this is in the lack of over-ripeness - it doesn't drink so much like a dessert wine as a very ripe table wine with great acidity. Pears for days. Gorgeous balance.
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2005 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 92 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
We popped this beside the 2002, and I was excited because this is supposedly the best vintage since 1995. It's entirely possible that it's not ready yet, but in comparison to the 2002, this is way too sweet and not acidic enough. It's also more driven by young peach-style fruit, which should mellow out, but I can't imagine that this will get more balanced in the sweet-acid department. Fingers crossed.
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