Decanted for approximately 30 mins. Dark purple colour in the glass, with maybe the ever so slightest bricking. The nose offered up scents of crushed raspberries, cassis, earth, leather, brown suga, slater and some pyrazine showing through with a mild note of green pepper. On the palate, raspberry puree, earth, minerality; moderate length finish, showing slight drying tannin and brisk acidity.
From 375ml, popped and poured. Some heavy bricking noted upon first pour. Interesting nose of tobacco, tar, leather, earth, cedar, dried herbs and celery salt. On the palate, some tobacco, leather, earth. This is a touch astringent in the mouth, and rather thin. Strong acidity remains, but the tannins are fully integrated. Obviously past prime and totally tertiary, but still interesting.
Popped and poured, followed over approximately 2 hours. Great fill level of very top shoulder. Cork extraction proved to be a little difficult using an Ah So as it started to crack down the middle. After that, we switched to a corkscrew and managed to get the cork from the bottle with no bits falling in to the wine. The cork however, ended up in 3 pieces. As this was my bottle, I got first sniff and taste. On first pass, I detected some slight sherry notes, which had me thinking oxidization, but this quickly dissipated. In the glass, this was quite healthy in colour for a wine entering it's 37th year. Obviously some bricking at the rim of the glass, but the core remains a deep garnet colour. With a few minutes in the glass, the nose offered up huge black currant notes, along with licorice, cedar, tobacco, leather, undergrowth, truffle and light green note in the form of menthol and eucalyptus. On the palate many of these aspects are mirrored, with the menthol aspect being most prominent on the finish. Surprisingly, this was almost refreshing, showing a great acidic backbone, fully integrated tannin, and relatively light weight in the mouth. The wine leaves a bit to be desired on the finish, but overall, a wonderful experience.
Decanted for approximately one hour. Deep reddish purple in the glass, with an intense nose of oak, caramel, cassis, licorice, plums and menthol. With more time in the glass, this evolved further adding a layer of fresh ground coffee, burnt sugar, chocolate and mocha. On the palate, this is actually quite approachable, showing cassis, oak, caramel and earth. There are some slight drying tannin on the finish and rather low acidity. The finish is of good length, with heavy concentration. It is clear at this point, that the oak is not fully integrated. I would opt to give this more time to rest.
Served blind, decanted approximately 2 hours. Deep purple in the glass, with a nose of dark red fruits, licorice, chocolate, with a rather immense greenness. On the palate, this is mirrored, with lush dark red fruits and heavy pyrazine. Tannins are very slight, almost non existent and the acidity is quite low. Overall, uninteresting and lacking complexity. I guessed California, but I never would have guessed Dunn. The beauty of blind tasting is exemplified here.
Popped and poured, deep deep purple in the glass with immense body. This had a robust nose of plums, blueberries, brown sugar, spice, and an incredibly tropical component of banana, mango, peach, coconut and vanilla. On the palate, dark fruits, brown sugar, spice, banana, vanilla. Heavy tannin is prominent with huge acidity to counterbalance the ripe sweet fruit. Huge teeth staining concentration. Great way to end the night.
2000 Château Dauzac 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Decanted for approximately 30 mins. Dark purple colour in the glass, with maybe the ever so slightest bricking. The nose offered up scents of crushed raspberries, cassis, earth, leather, brown suga, slater and some pyrazine showing through with a mild note of green pepper. On the palate, raspberry puree, earth, minerality; moderate length finish, showing slight drying tannin and brisk acidity.
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1981 Château Gruaud Larose 83 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
From 375ml, popped and poured. Some heavy bricking noted upon first pour. Interesting nose of tobacco, tar, leather, earth, cedar, dried herbs and celery salt. On the palate, some tobacco, leather, earth. This is a touch astringent in the mouth, and rather thin. Strong acidity remains, but the tannins are fully integrated. Obviously past prime and totally tertiary, but still interesting.
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1975 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Popped and poured, followed over approximately 2 hours. Great fill level of very top shoulder. Cork extraction proved to be a little difficult using an Ah So as it started to crack down the middle. After that, we switched to a corkscrew and managed to get the cork from the bottle with no bits falling in to the wine. The cork however, ended up in 3 pieces. As this was my bottle, I got first sniff and taste. On first pass, I detected some slight sherry notes, which had me thinking oxidization, but this quickly dissipated. In the glass, this was quite healthy in colour for a wine entering it's 37th year. Obviously some bricking at the rim of the glass, but the core remains a deep garnet colour. With a few minutes in the glass, the nose offered up huge black currant notes, along with licorice, cedar, tobacco, leather, undergrowth, truffle and light green note in the form of menthol and eucalyptus. On the palate many of these aspects are mirrored, with the menthol aspect being most prominent on the finish. Surprisingly, this was almost refreshing, showing a great acidic backbone, fully integrated tannin, and relatively light weight in the mouth. The wine leaves a bit to be desired on the finish, but overall, a wonderful experience.
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2005 Château Saint-Pierre 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Decanted for approximately one hour. Deep reddish purple in the glass, with an intense nose of oak, caramel, cassis, licorice, plums and menthol. With more time in the glass, this evolved further adding a layer of fresh ground coffee, burnt sugar, chocolate and mocha. On the palate, this is actually quite approachable, showing cassis, oak, caramel and earth. There are some slight drying tannin on the finish and rather low acidity. The finish is of good length, with heavy concentration. It is clear at this point, that the oak is not fully integrated. I would opt to give this more time to rest.
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2007 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Served blind, decanted approximately 2 hours. Deep purple in the glass, with a nose of dark red fruits, licorice, chocolate, with a rather immense greenness. On the palate, this is mirrored, with lush dark red fruits and heavy pyrazine. Tannins are very slight, almost non existent and the acidity is quite low. Overall, uninteresting and lacking complexity. I guessed California, but I never would have guessed Dunn. The beauty of blind tasting is exemplified here.
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2005 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta 93 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Superiore
Popped and poured, deep deep purple in the glass with immense body. This had a robust nose of plums, blueberries, brown sugar, spice, and an incredibly tropical component of banana, mango, peach, coconut and vanilla. On the palate, dark fruits, brown sugar, spice, banana, vanilla. Heavy tannin is prominent with huge acidity to counterbalance the ripe sweet fruit. Huge teeth staining concentration. Great way to end the night.
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