Gold, orange meniscus. Big, pretty, yeasty nose; a note of oxidized orange peel and creamsicle; butterscotch. Big, rich palate, fantastic acidity; gigantic creamy fruit; splendid length. Wow! Powerful copper notes, more cream, more orange, more creamsicle. A baby! Persistent but well-controlled and extremely fine mousse. Killer Champagne. (From Jonathan A.)
Orangy gold. Nose has a little bit of funk, mushroom; hazelnuts, orange zest; sandalwood -- a bit of incense. Palate is a little dense, brooding, shroomy; woody, a bit dried out; not much fruit here. Good length though, probably the best part of this Champagne. Medium acidity. Still quite an aggressive mousse. Drink up. (From Paul M.)
Amber, teaky, ice tea color. Rather aged on the nose, oxidized; saline, seawater; citrus; antique furniture shop, tea, coffee. Wickedly complex nose, ahh… Thank you, Mr. Champagne, for all you do for us… Palate robust, hazelnuts, pleasing oxidation. A little tired, but then so am I! Really, really good. Ready, obviously, but not going anywhere anytime soon, either. (From Josh K.)
Gold, appears very young. Nose is very fresh and very reticent; cream and blood orange. Palate, though, is beautiful, quite sweet, floral, and frankly delicious! Good length. Medium intensity, fine mousse. A mouth-happying wine.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Pale gold. Big gouttey nose, oak, minerals; just a touch of banana. Mineral and pure, though primary. Palate quite forward, lots of oak and ripe tropical fruit. Very much a "Drink me, dammit!" wine. Not one to hold too long, but delicious. (From Josh K.)
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Pale-ish gold. Very, very pure nose, very Puligny, but reticent. Extremely enticing nose; mineral, a little tropical, but also some mint and tobacco. Palate ripe and dense with glycerin; again, so pure; noticeable but not at all too much oak; filled with silky finesse. Tight and rather closed up, tonight. I'd say wait at least 3+ years. (I liked this a whole lot more than the fellow who brought it, Jonathan A. We had quite a discussion about it -- I found it to be wonderfully elegant, reserved, and in need of more cellar time, but he thought it was a disappointing wine that will never amount to much.)
Deep straw, green meniscus. Pure, young, perfumed, mineral, stony Chardonnay on the nose. Primary. Palate soft, a bit sweet, butter; seems diffuse and disjointed at the moment. A good wine, but a bit lost in the mix tonight.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black as night. Enormous, classic Saint Emilion nose of chocolate and bell peppers; a big, big nose. Palate matches the nose blow for blow; sweet, rich, good but not over-the-top ripeness, massively tannic (to me, anyway, as others didn't think so). Good length. Just beginning to drink, and for all its virility nicely balanced. Easy to like now, but I would hold it if I had it -- 3 years, minimum. (The last vintage of this wine before the property was folded into Pavie.) (From the Birthday Girl!)
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Bricked black. Huge nose, floral, lilac, violets, some oxidation showing as concrete dust, mineral. Lovely. Palate big and rich, but elegant for Amarone -- the years in the cellar have done wonders here. Polished, fat, a little hot, and still firmly tannic as it will always be. Even a bit young, yet! Good, book leathery length. This wine is liquid chocolate with pork belly…! Really good, really fun, and really interesting wine. (My wine)
Black as night. Smells like a bottle of ink; chocolate, iron, minerals, oyster shells, soy sauce, licorice, and plums; really rather daunting to my dainty nostrils! Massive and quite overwhelming on the palate, but with a LOT of polish; pretty intense but certainly not over the top. Flavors match those of the nose. Full bodied and long. Once again, a very intense nose. A very controlled and deliberate style of wine and winemaking. Also, an important closing comment: the wine is really nicely balanced, for all its power and authority. (From Josh K.)
Bricked blood, good dense color but transparent. Big, complicated nose of minerals, fertilizer, striking cherry, malted milk, milk chocolate, and just a breath of mint; showing its age but completely sound. Palate is still very sturdy, tannic, but with plenty of earthy, red fruit and acidity, too. Stocky, and pleasingly rustic. Good length. Nice bottle of wine! (From Sam N.)
Gold. The penetrating, gouttey nose of intense young Sauternes, very classic, peach pits, nectarine, and copper. Palate rich, very deep caramel, massive glycerin, roasted apricots. Extremely long and intense. Fantastic, and will be a long distance runner. Super classic, super Bordeaux, super Sauternes. Yum! (From the Birthday Girl!)
Deep tawny. Problematic nose: copper pennies, fertilizer, oxidized stone dust; glue gun; back behind all that, occluded, is some pit fruit, but also some acetone/volatility. Palate of toffee, coffee, oxidized. In short: FLAWED. I think this may have seen some heat at some point. (From .375; my wine)
1996 Henriot Champagne Cuvée des Enchanteleurs Brut
France, Champagne
Gold, orange meniscus. Big, pretty, yeasty nose; a note of oxidized orange peel and creamsicle; butterscotch. Big, rich palate, fantastic acidity; gigantic creamy fruit; splendid length. Wow! Powerful copper notes, more cream, more orange, more creamsicle. A baby! Persistent but well-controlled and extremely fine mousse. Killer Champagne. (From Jonathan A.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1989 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Trilennium Reserve Cuvée
France, Champagne
Orangy gold. Nose has a little bit of funk, mushroom; hazelnuts, orange zest; sandalwood -- a bit of incense. Palate is a little dense, brooding, shroomy; woody, a bit dried out; not much fruit here. Good length though, probably the best part of this Champagne. Medium acidity. Still quite an aggressive mousse. Drink up. (From Paul M.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1976 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
France, Champagne
Amber, teaky, ice tea color. Rather aged on the nose, oxidized; saline, seawater; citrus; antique furniture shop, tea, coffee. Wickedly complex nose, ahh… Thank you, Mr. Champagne, for all you do for us… Palate robust, hazelnuts, pleasing oxidation. A little tired, but then so am I! Really, really good. Ready, obviously, but not going anywhere anytime soon, either. (From Josh K.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 André Beaufort Champagne Grand Cru Brut (élaborée par Jacques Beaufort)
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Gold, appears very young. Nose is very fresh and very reticent; cream and blood orange. Palate, though, is beautiful, quite sweet, floral, and frankly delicious! Good length. Medium intensity, fine mousse. A mouth-happying wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Maison Leroy Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Pale gold. Big gouttey nose, oak, minerals; just a touch of banana. Mineral and pure, though primary. Palate quite forward, lots of oak and ripe tropical fruit. Very much a "Drink me, dammit!" wine. Not one to hold too long, but delicious. (From Josh K.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Pale-ish gold. Very, very pure nose, very Puligny, but reticent. Extremely enticing nose; mineral, a little tropical, but also some mint and tobacco. Palate ripe and dense with glycerin; again, so pure; noticeable but not at all too much oak; filled with silky finesse. Tight and rather closed up, tonight. I'd say wait at least 3+ years. (I liked this a whole lot more than the fellow who brought it, Jonathan A. We had quite a discussion about it -- I found it to be wonderfully elegant, reserved, and in need of more cellar time, but he thought it was a disappointing wine that will never amount to much.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Deep straw, green meniscus. Pure, young, perfumed, mineral, stony Chardonnay on the nose. Primary. Palate soft, a bit sweet, butter; seems diffuse and disjointed at the moment. A good wine, but a bit lost in the mix tonight.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Château La Clusière
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black as night. Enormous, classic Saint Emilion nose of chocolate and bell peppers; a big, big nose. Palate matches the nose blow for blow; sweet, rich, good but not over-the-top ripeness, massively tannic (to me, anyway, as others didn't think so). Good length. Just beginning to drink, and for all its virility nicely balanced. Easy to like now, but I would hold it if I had it -- 3 years, minimum. (The last vintage of this wine before the property was folded into Pavie.) (From the Birthday Girl!)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1971 Sartori di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Bricked black. Huge nose, floral, lilac, violets, some oxidation showing as concrete dust, mineral. Lovely. Palate big and rich, but elegant for Amarone -- the years in the cellar have done wonders here. Polished, fat, a little hot, and still firmly tannic as it will always be. Even a bit young, yet! Good, book leathery length. This wine is liquid chocolate with pork belly…! Really good, really fun, and really interesting wine. (My wine)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Black as night. Smells like a bottle of ink; chocolate, iron, minerals, oyster shells, soy sauce, licorice, and plums; really rather daunting to my dainty nostrils! Massive and quite overwhelming on the palate, but with a LOT of polish; pretty intense but certainly not over the top. Flavors match those of the nose. Full bodied and long. Once again, a very intense nose. A very controlled and deliberate style of wine and winemaking. Also, an important closing comment: the wine is really nicely balanced, for all its power and authority. (From Josh K.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1973 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva Cosecha Fundacional
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Bricked blood, good dense color but transparent. Big, complicated nose of minerals, fertilizer, striking cherry, malted milk, milk chocolate, and just a breath of mint; showing its age but completely sound. Palate is still very sturdy, tannic, but with plenty of earthy, red fruit and acidity, too. Stocky, and pleasingly rustic. Good length. Nice bottle of wine! (From Sam N.)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Château Guiraud
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Gold. The penetrating, gouttey nose of intense young Sauternes, very classic, peach pits, nectarine, and copper. Palate rich, very deep caramel, massive glycerin, roasted apricots. Extremely long and intense. Fantastic, and will be a long distance runner. Super classic, super Bordeaux, super Sauternes. Yum! (From the Birthday Girl!)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1988 Château de Fargues Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Deep tawny. Problematic nose: copper pennies, fertilizer, oxidized stone dust; glue gun; back behind all that, occluded, is some pit fruit, but also some acetone/volatility. Palate of toffee, coffee, oxidized. In short: FLAWED. I think this may have seen some heat at some point. (From .375; my wine)
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue