USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind – Toasty nose with chard-like fruit so I guessed New Zealand (was thinking Kumeu). Medium weight in the mouth with a softer profile and a bit of warmth on the finish. I felt this was a bit heavy-handed with the oak, but it was integrated fairly well. Decent acidity but for me could use a touch more. Drink now. Very good.
Tasted blind – A little shy at first on the nose with a bit of sulphur but that blew off leaving beautiful floral and richer citrus fruits (and a hint of orchard fruit too). Intense on the palate but with delicate fruit, great tension, weight and balance. Plenty of acidity gives the palate a lively feel. I love Roulot. Drink or hold. Excellent.
Tasted blind – Riper nose, almost a hint of honey, with minerality and orchard fruits. Weighty on the palate but with good acidity and a fresh finish. There’s a nice bit of tension on the palate too. This didn’t immediately strike me as chard but made perfect sense once it was revealed. Very good.
Tasted blind – Guava and ripe tropical fruit nose. Richer and almost oily on the palate with a creamy and coconut finish. I thought this might be a Northern Rhone white but there was more acidity here than I usually find in NR whites. When I read my own note on this it seems like a white wine I might not like (ripe, creamy, coconut) but it’s quite good and the overall package works. A full and deep wine with complexities that’s surprisingly focused and not heavy or overdone. Excellent.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind – This was popped and poured and I think it would have shown better had it received a bit of air. At first quite shy on the nose but as time went on nice smooth nose of bark, earth and mature red fruits. Excellent acidity with steady tannins with a fairly length finish. Elegant and drinking very well right now. Excellent.
Tasted blind – Brighter red colour. Younger looking wine with spicy oak on the nose and sweet red pinot fruit. Shows good pinot typicity on the palate but in a riper and more open style than classic Burgundy in my opinion. Nice acidity with fine tannins. This young wine has a promising future. Very good. 89+
Opened and served 8 hours later. Spearmint, iron and rust on the nose along with tight red fruits (mainly strawberries) and a hint of tobacco. Classically structured with firm and drying tannins and quite a bit of acidity. Energetic yet somewhat tight on the palate. The guesses were either Northern Rhone or Piedmont and once I confirmed Piedmont they went straight to Serralunga. A very traditional wine that needs another 5 years or so. Excellent. 91+
Tasted blind – Pop and poured. Upon first sniff this screamed Piedmont to me so I guessed mid 90s Barolo. Classic nose of tar, rose water and richer red fruits. On the palate this was somewhat similar to the ’95 Cascina Francia but there was a hint of creaminess on the back end here that had me thinking perhaps this wasn’t as traditional of a producer. Although this is still quite young, it is thoroughly enjoyable now but should continue to develop for another decade at least. Excellent. 92+
Tasted blind – Claret like silky nose with cedar, mature cabernet fruit and nice Margaux-like perfume. Shows more Italian typicity on the palate with excellent acidity, soft entry and a silky and elegant profile. This is at peak and drinking perfectly right now. I don’t think it’s going to fall apart anytime soon but it’s not going to get any better in my opinion. Excellent.
Tasted blind – This was slightly corked. The TCA didn’t seem to kill the nose or the palate but it was there. Underneath was bright and ripe red fruit and mint. Seemed very cab-like.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted blind – Toasty nose with roasted oak and warmer fruit had me thinking this was a new world wine. Bit of mocha too. Nice acidity and powdery tannins with a slightly sweeter fruit profile on the palate. After assessing the entire package (nose and palate) I though perhaps an old world wine from a warmer vintage—every now and then you get lucky. Very good.
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Tasted blind – Ripe nose of grape juice, loads of black pepper and sweet dark fruits. On the palate this is soft and smooth with good acidity, soft tannins and more sweet fruit. Well-balanced and with good length. I’m usually not the biggest fan of Valpolicella but this was quite good. Very good.
Tasted blind – Brown colour. Warmer nose of maturing Port (most guesses were in the 70s). Very smooth and somewhat rich on the palate but with quite a bit of warmth coming through. Decent but I’ve had better wines from Quady. Good.
Tasted blind – Green/yellow colour. Nice fresh petrol nose with beautiful floral notes as well. Perfectly balanced on the palate and quite pure. Not too sweet. This was drinking very well. Excellent.
2008 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Cahill Lane 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind – Toasty nose with chard-like fruit so I guessed New Zealand (was thinking Kumeu). Medium weight in the mouth with a softer profile and a bit of warmth on the finish. I felt this was a bit heavy-handed with the oak, but it was integrated fairly well. Decent acidity but for me could use a touch more. Drink now. Very good.
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2004 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Tasted blind – A little shy at first on the nose with a bit of sulphur but that blew off leaving beautiful floral and richer citrus fruits (and a hint of orchard fruit too). Intense on the palate but with delicate fruit, great tension, weight and balance. Plenty of acidity gives the palate a lively feel. I love Roulot. Drink or hold. Excellent.
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2005 La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Vinzelles
Tasted blind – Riper nose, almost a hint of honey, with minerality and orchard fruits. Weighty on the palate but with good acidity and a fresh finish. There’s a nice bit of tension on the palate too. This didn’t immediately strike me as chard but made perfect sense once it was revealed. Very good.
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1996 Kalin Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 90 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Potter Valley
Tasted blind – Guava and ripe tropical fruit nose. Richer and almost oily on the palate with a creamy and coconut finish. I thought this might be a Northern Rhone white but there was more acidity here than I usually find in NR whites. When I read my own note on this it seems like a white wine I might not like (ripe, creamy, coconut) but it’s quite good and the overall package works. A full and deep wine with complexities that’s surprisingly focused and not heavy or overdone. Excellent.
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1995 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 90 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind – This was popped and poured and I think it would have shown better had it received a bit of air. At first quite shy on the nose but as time went on nice smooth nose of bark, earth and mature red fruits. Excellent acidity with steady tannins with a fairly length finish. Elegant and drinking very well right now. Excellent.
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2005 Domaine Joliet Fixin 1er Cru Clos de la Perrière 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Fixin 1er Cru
Tasted blind – Brighter red colour. Younger looking wine with spicy oak on the nose and sweet red pinot fruit. Shows good pinot typicity on the palate but in a riper and more open style than classic Burgundy in my opinion. Nice acidity with fine tannins. This young wine has a promising future. Very good. 89+
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1995 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Opened and served 8 hours later. Spearmint, iron and rust on the nose along with tight red fruits (mainly strawberries) and a hint of tobacco. Classically structured with firm and drying tannins and quite a bit of acidity. Energetic yet somewhat tight on the palate. The guesses were either Northern Rhone or Piedmont and once I confirmed Piedmont they went straight to Serralunga. A very traditional wine that needs another 5 years or so. Excellent. 91+
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1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tasted blind – Pop and poured. Upon first sniff this screamed Piedmont to me so I guessed mid 90s Barolo. Classic nose of tar, rose water and richer red fruits. On the palate this was somewhat similar to the ’95 Cascina Francia but there was a hint of creaminess on the back end here that had me thinking perhaps this wasn’t as traditional of a producer. Although this is still quite young, it is thoroughly enjoyable now but should continue to develop for another decade at least. Excellent. 92+
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1990 Antinori Tignanello 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Tasted blind – Claret like silky nose with cedar, mature cabernet fruit and nice Margaux-like perfume. Shows more Italian typicity on the palate with excellent acidity, soft entry and a silky and elegant profile. This is at peak and drinking perfectly right now. I don’t think it’s going to fall apart anytime soon but it’s not going to get any better in my opinion. Excellent.
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1996 Ridge Zinfandel Sonoma Station Flawed
USA, California, Sonoma County
Tasted blind – This was slightly corked. The TCA didn’t seem to kill the nose or the palate but it was there. Underneath was bright and ripe red fruit and mint. Seemed very cab-like.
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2000 Verbena Brunello di Montalcino 88 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted blind – Toasty nose with roasted oak and warmer fruit had me thinking this was a new world wine. Bit of mocha too. Nice acidity and powdery tannins with a slightly sweeter fruit profile on the palate. After assessing the entire package (nose and palate) I though perhaps an old world wine from a warmer vintage—every now and then you get lucky. Very good.
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1999 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 89 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Tasted blind – Ripe nose of grape juice, loads of black pepper and sweet dark fruits. On the palate this is soft and smooth with good acidity, soft tannins and more sweet fruit. Well-balanced and with good length. I’m usually not the biggest fan of Valpolicella but this was quite good. Very good.
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1994 Quady Winery Starboard 87 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
Tasted blind – Brown colour. Warmer nose of maturing Port (most guesses were in the 70s). Very smooth and somewhat rich on the palate but with quite a bit of warmth coming through. Decent but I’ve had better wines from Quady. Good.
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1997 Weingut Alexander Gysler Weinheimer Holle Riesling Eiswein 92 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
Tasted blind – Green/yellow colour. Nice fresh petrol nose with beautiful floral notes as well. Perfectly balanced on the palate and quite pure. Not too sweet. This was drinking very well. Excellent.
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