Very good showing for this riesling. Lots of zest and verve, with plenty of complexity, this was fresher bottle than some others. There's definitely some creaminess in there and some flavors of burnt orange showing that this wine has some miles on it, but it still has lots of youthful granny smith apple, some petrol. Very good length. I'd drink these soon.
Nice bottle, filled with Priorat goodness of ripe black fruits, licorice, iodine, liquid basalt, and all stitched together by high acidity and high alcohol. Lush, expressive and sexy tonight. I think these are getting a bit blowsy/soft and should be enjoyed sooner than later, as they lose their focus and tension. Others liked it more. 91+
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
I decanted this for 2 hours before tasting, this CDP is ready to go. Big bouquet and fleshy palate with classic Provencal notes of lavender, rosemary, and kirsch. Nothing over the top here. Solid, ready, and easy to enjoy. 90-91 pts.
Disappointing showing. It avoids the heaviness or flatness that other Mondavi Reserve cabs from the 90's have shown recently, but it is very green tonight. The bouquet says veggie with a wintergreen note, the palate is better with good fruit and lots of freshness. I don't mind a less ripe style, but this bottle is clearly a miss.
Classic Montelena, with a great core of perfectly-balanced Cali Cab fruit. A remarkably consistent wine from vintage to vintage. This was deep, balanced, mature yet fresh, and may improve over the next 5 years. Lacks some of the flash of the 91 and depth of the 92 Montelenas, but still very good. My only quibble is it showed fairly one-dimensional next to the clarets. 92+ pts.
This barolo was very good, showing very young and full (it's recent library or a late release, I believe). It had a very nice bouquet of flowers, menthol and cherries. The wine was refined and understated, with good grip and acidity, with a fair store of tannins still. Showed much better with red meat. Overall lacking an extra gear right now, but it does appear to have more time to unfurl. 91+ pts.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Perfect fill and cork. This showed very well, a bit more elegant than other bottles I've had of this, with everything very well integrated, mature yet vigorous, only needing a bit more complexity. There is some cinnamon on the nose giving some Right Bank flash next to the St Julien, some herbs, excellent brightness, good stuffing and mouthfeel, super silky, going strong. 93-94 pts.
Lovely, classic, mature Left Banker. Lots of Bordeaux character, with cedar, plummy fruit with a nice, rounded midpalate and good depth. Nothing too flashy, just class in a glass.
Pitch-perfect Sauternes. Mature, classy, refined, with excellent acidity and tension, this 86 was just right. All the normal Sauternes descriptors apply here, I just sat back and savored this one. Not as deep as the 88s nor as flashy as the 90s, there was something about the balance here that I loved.
2001 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese * Artist Label 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Very good showing for this riesling. Lots of zest and verve, with plenty of complexity, this was fresher bottle than some others. There's definitely some creaminess in there and some flavors of burnt orange showing that this wine has some miles on it, but it still has lots of youthful granny smith apple, some petrol. Very good length. I'd drink these soon.
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2001 Rotllan Torra Priorat Tirant 91 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Nice bottle, filled with Priorat goodness of ripe black fruits, licorice, iodine, liquid basalt, and all stitched together by high acidity and high alcohol. Lush, expressive and sexy tonight. I think these are getting a bit blowsy/soft and should be enjoyed sooner than later, as they lose their focus and tension. Others liked it more. 91+
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2000 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines 90 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
I decanted this for 2 hours before tasting, this CDP is ready to go. Big bouquet and fleshy palate with classic Provencal notes of lavender, rosemary, and kirsch. Nothing over the top here. Solid, ready, and easy to enjoy. 90-91 pts.
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1995 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 85 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Disappointing showing. It avoids the heaviness or flatness that other Mondavi Reserve cabs from the 90's have shown recently, but it is very green tonight. The bouquet says veggie with a wintergreen note, the palate is better with good fruit and lots of freshness. I don't mind a less ripe style, but this bottle is clearly a miss.
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1995 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Classic Montelena, with a great core of perfectly-balanced Cali Cab fruit. A remarkably consistent wine from vintage to vintage. This was deep, balanced, mature yet fresh, and may improve over the next 5 years. Lacks some of the flash of the 91 and depth of the 92 Montelenas, but still very good. My only quibble is it showed fairly one-dimensional next to the clarets. 92+ pts.
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1993 Roagna Barolo Riserva La Rocca e La Pira 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This barolo was very good, showing very young and full (it's recent library or a late release, I believe). It had a very nice bouquet of flowers, menthol and cherries. The wine was refined and understated, with good grip and acidity, with a fair store of tannins still. Showed much better with red meat. Overall lacking an extra gear right now, but it does appear to have more time to unfurl. 91+ pts.
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1983 Château Canon 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Perfect fill and cork. This showed very well, a bit more elegant than other bottles I've had of this, with everything very well integrated, mature yet vigorous, only needing a bit more complexity. There is some cinnamon on the nose giving some Right Bank flash next to the St Julien, some herbs, excellent brightness, good stuffing and mouthfeel, super silky, going strong. 93-94 pts.
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1985 Château Léoville Poyferré 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Lovely, classic, mature Left Banker. Lots of Bordeaux character, with cedar, plummy fruit with a nice, rounded midpalate and good depth. Nothing too flashy, just class in a glass.
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1986 Château Raymond-Lafon 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Pitch-perfect Sauternes. Mature, classy, refined, with excellent acidity and tension, this 86 was just right. All the normal Sauternes descriptors apply here, I just sat back and savored this one. Not as deep as the 88s nor as flashy as the 90s, there was something about the balance here that I loved.
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