Impromtu Afternoon and Evening of Mixed Wines

This started with a series of phone calls to see who was available to get together around 1pm on a perfect Friday afternoon and relax with some nice bottles of wine and some burgers and other goodies. It ended up with 5 of us working through a nice line up of wines over about 8 hours. What a way to spend a gorgeous summer day in the northland.

• NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Light gold color. Nose of crème brule, cream, citrus, apple, light toast. The palate is consistent, quite elegant, showing good balance and nice minerality. None of the chalkiness. This was the last of a group of bottles purchased two years ago.

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• 2008 Domaine Pinson Frères Chablis 1er Cru La Forêt 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Light gold color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 45 minutes. Lemon, apple, mineral, light and pleasant. Takes on more depth over time. 90+pts.

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• 2002 Château Langoa Barton 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red-purple color. Slo-O for about 1.5hrs. Drank 2 glasses over 2+ hours. Open for business. Nose is fabulous, floral, cassis, red cherry, smoky, earth, dusty. The palate has good depth, nice texture, cassis, mineral, pencil lead, smoke, black cherry. Very nice from the front end through the mid palate to the finish, quite nicely rounded with no holes. What a pleasant surprise after waiting a long time for the right opportunity to try this wine. 92+pts and WOTN..

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• 2000 Château Léoville Barton La Réserve de Léoville Barton 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for about an hour initially and followed from decanter over 4+ hours total. I liked the nose quite a bit, feminine and pretty, cedar, pencil lead, red fruits. The palate is somewhat rustic and has some sharper edges and firm tannins, black fruit, oak. The palate really never showed much change over the four hours. I kind of think this is what it is.

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• 2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Purple red color. Decanted for about an hour. Drank 2 glasses over 1.5hrs. Pepper, herbal, black fruits, lush, brambleberry. The palate is full bodied, dense, but elegant, blackberry, black raspberry, pepper and spice, medium plus finish. Pretty well balanced. The nose exceeds the palate here. 91+ to 92pts.

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• 2009 Carlisle Syrah Cardiac Hill 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  Purple/inky color. Decanted for an hour or so. Drank 2 glasses over an hour plus. Meaty, dusty, blackberry, plum, vanilla, firmer tannin, spice, pepper, oak and alcohol showing toward the end. Similar to the last bottle.

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• 2008 de Lancellotti Pinot Noir Estate 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

  Dark red color. PNP with aerator into glasses. This was earthy, cherry, spice, with a tart cherry palate, smoke, mineral, primary, firm tannin. This was much better on day two showing much more depth and balance losing the tartness and firm tannin and showing dark berry fruit. 91+ to 92 pts on day 2. I would give this another year or 2 or decant well.

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• 2005 Clos Jean Loupiac 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Loupiac

  I didn't take any notes on this as I was just enjoying it too much, but it was dead on with previous bottles. What a great little find.

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WOTN was the 2002 Langoa Barton