France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Open a couple of hours before serving. Big, meaty black fruit aromas. Very dense and classically Gevrey on palate. Very balanced and integrated today, I thought it several years older than the 2008 it turned out be be.
Tough to assess today, this has amazing fruit, concentration and raw material but comes across as so raw and primary today. Lots of very ripe blackberry and blueberry jam with good black pepper and spice support. 92-93 point potential when this reaches a more harmonious equilibrium.
Tasted double blind. charming mature black fruit, some tobacco and leather aromas. Like most tasters today, I immediately thought this from Bordeaux. Elegant and mature lack fruit flavors are well balanced with earthy elements.
Tasted double blind. Very appealing balance of black fruit and emerging forest floor elements. Well textured and balanced, this wine is at a charming place but won't be getting any better or more interesting. I thought it older than 1995.
Tasted double blind. No question this was an old Burg from a good vintage. Bottle had great fill, great cork. Popped and poured. Mushroom, hints of lingering red fruit, lots of charming mature evolution going on here. Deep spice, nice textures providing support. What a treat and a surprise!
Tasted double blind between red wines. Slightly floral with orchard fruit aromas. somewhat fat and slightly sweet for a sec, I thought it might be demi-sec. Lean, energetic, very good value at around $25.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Served double blind to the tasting group. Very elegant overall, lots of enticing spice with balance of very fresh red and black fruit aromas. More black fruit driven palate, more Gevrey flavors coming through. Very good energy and textures, most tasters were surprised this was a 2007, most thinking 2008.
Tasted double blind. Fresh, mostly black fruit with faint hints of age. I thought this considerably younger than 1990. Lots of power, concentration, good plum and currant. Very good, i thought it a bit one dimensional today with potential with some more evolution. Others liked this more than I did today.
Tasted double blind alongside Margaux 2001. Plum and cassis aromas with anise and espresso. Big spice works well on both nose and palate. Good energy and persistence towards finish. Upside from here.
Tasted double blind alongside Dominus 2001. Lots of power and concentration with blackberry, espresso, dark chocolate and sweet spice. Great concentration start-to-finish but with an elegant balance. Thanks, Ken!
Tasted double blind. Ripe black fruit aromas with cassis and hints of evolution. Not much remaining energy but ;lots of charm and fruit density, all working well with moderate spice.
Tasted double blind. This had a bizarre character some characterized as "cheesy" and I couldn't disagree. An unusual wine that wasn't providing much pleasure today, but clearly having lots of high quality raw material needing lots and lots more time to show its potential.
Very appealing overall with apple, hazelnut, lemon peel aromas and flavors. Slightly fat, very 2009. Forward and easy to enjoy now. Moderate length or finesse, but a very good overall Villages wine.
Served double blind to the tasting group. Open 4 hours before serving, one hour in decanter. Charming spice and floral start that I found classically Volnay, but fooled some into thinking it Vosne. Lots of black fruit aromas, then both red and black cherry on palate. Slightly sweet, ripe and lush, but still showing good balance with its excellent concentration. Most tasters correctly identified this as from 2009, but most thought it 1er, some thought Grand Cru. This should be getting better for a few more years. My first bottle of a case I am very glad I purchased.
Tasted double blind. Instantly recognizable as from Piedmont based on the floral, anise and tar aromatic start. Still fresh and charming with lots of power on finish.
Huge black fruit aromas and flavors with a large-scaled, jammy character for now. Ripeness and baby fat are slightly offset by good spice, but this really needs 3+ years in the cellar to soften and integrate. 91-92 point potential for me.
2008 Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Open a couple of hours before serving. Big, meaty black fruit aromas. Very dense and classically Gevrey on palate. Very balanced and integrated today, I thought it several years older than the 2008 it turned out be be.
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2009 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Tough to assess today, this has amazing fruit, concentration and raw material but comes across as so raw and primary today. Lots of very ripe blackberry and blueberry jam with good black pepper and spice support. 92-93 point potential when this reaches a more harmonious equilibrium.
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1978 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind. charming mature black fruit, some tobacco and leather aromas. Like most tasters today, I immediately thought this from Bordeaux. Elegant and mature lack fruit flavors are well balanced with earthy elements.
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1986 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle Flawed
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Never a really top vintage for this wine, but this bottle really came across as cooked with a slightly stewy element throughout.
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1995 Château Lafon-Rochet Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Tasted double blind. Something was very wrong here, I thought it cooked despite Dr. Tom's storage.
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1995 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind. Very appealing balance of black fruit and emerging forest floor elements. Well textured and balanced, this wine is at a charming place but won't be getting any better or more interesting. I thought it older than 1995.
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1947 Geisweiler et Fils Bourgogne 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasted double blind. No question this was an old Burg from a good vintage. Bottle had great fill, great cork. Popped and poured. Mushroom, hints of lingering red fruit, lots of charming mature evolution going on here. Deep spice, nice textures providing support. What a treat and a surprise!
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2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu 89 Points
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Tasted double blind between red wines. Slightly floral with orchard fruit aromas. somewhat fat and slightly sweet for a sec, I thought it might be demi-sec. Lean, energetic, very good value at around $25.
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2007 Christophe Roumier Charmes-Chambertin Aux Mazoyeres 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Served double blind to the tasting group. Very elegant overall, lots of enticing spice with balance of very fresh red and black fruit aromas. More black fruit driven palate, more Gevrey flavors coming through. Very good energy and textures, most tasters were surprised this was a 2007, most thinking 2008.
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1990 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasted double blind. Fresh, mostly black fruit with faint hints of age. I thought this considerably younger than 1990. Lots of power, concentration, good plum and currant. Very good, i thought it a bit one dimensional today with potential with some more evolution. Others liked this more than I did today.
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2001 Dominus Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind alongside Margaux 2001. Plum and cassis aromas with anise and espresso. Big spice works well on both nose and palate. Good energy and persistence towards finish. Upside from here.
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2001 Château Margaux 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasted double blind alongside Dominus 2001. Lots of power and concentration with blackberry, espresso, dark chocolate and sweet spice. Great concentration start-to-finish but with an elegant balance. Thanks, Ken!
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2001 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Tasted double blind. Firm black fruit aromas and flavors. Good power and density. Fresh for its age and level.
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1987 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind. Ripe black fruit aromas with cassis and hints of evolution. Not much remaining energy but ;lots of charm and fruit density, all working well with moderate spice.
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2003 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Tasted double blind. This had a bizarre character some characterized as "cheesy" and I couldn't disagree. An unusual wine that wasn't providing much pleasure today, but clearly having lots of high quality raw material needing lots and lots more time to show its potential.
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2009 Faiveley Meursault 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Very appealing overall with apple, hazelnut, lemon peel aromas and flavors. Slightly fat, very 2009. Forward and easy to enjoy now. Moderate length or finesse, but a very good overall Villages wine.
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2009 Dominique Lafon Volnay 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay
Served double blind to the tasting group. Open 4 hours before serving, one hour in decanter. Charming spice and floral start that I found classically Volnay, but fooled some into thinking it Vosne. Lots of black fruit aromas, then both red and black cherry on palate. Slightly sweet, ripe and lush, but still showing good balance with its excellent concentration. Most tasters correctly identified this as from 2009, but most thought it 1er, some thought Grand Cru. This should be getting better for a few more years. My first bottle of a case I am very glad I purchased.
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1990 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tasted double blind. Instantly recognizable as from Piedmont based on the floral, anise and tar aromatic start. Still fresh and charming with lots of power on finish.
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2010 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St. Joseph
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Huge black fruit aromas and flavors with a large-scaled, jammy character for now. Ripeness and baby fat are slightly offset by good spice, but this really needs 3+ years in the cellar to soften and integrate. 91-92 point potential for me.
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